Message from the Principal

It is hard to believe that the Christmas break is only 3 weeks away!  The first 3 months of school feel as if they have literally blown by.  Please take this opportunity to read the Newsletter and discover what has taken place in the past month and also what will be taking place in December.  There are a great number of things taking place in December and we definitely do not want you to miss out on any opportunities!  December's Character Trait is Compassion - which fits well with our Food Drive and Toy Barrel Donation Drive (for the Lion's Club of Lindsay)   

November, as always, saw a multitude of activities taking place, keeping both students and staff busy.  The Remembrance Day Assembly took place on November 11^th and provided an appropriate opportunity for reflection for students.  The MacMillan's School Council Fundraiser took place and was a tremendous success!  The School Council also organized and decorated a bus to participate in the Lindsay Santa Claus Parade.  Report Cards were completed and distributed on Monday, November 23^rd.     

December will, no doubt, be just as full of activities.  Practice for the Christmas Concert have begun and the Christmas Concert will take place on December 9^th  (more details below in the newsletter).  Ms. McFaul has organized the Scholastic Book Fair which will take place between December 9^th and 14^th (more details below in the newsletter).  We are beginning our Food Drive on December 1^st through to Thursday, December 17^th and our goal is for each student to bring in 1 can of food.  I am really hoping that this can of food could be some kind of protein (e.g., tuna or salmon).  As in past years, if we reach our goal the staff just might be willing to play the students in a staff-student floor hockey game in the last week of school before Christmas.

Are you interested in receiving the e-mail version of the newsletter?  If so, please leave your e-mail address with Mrs. Webster or Mr. Parish at the office with your name, your e-mail address and your child's homeroom teacher.  About one-half of our parents receive the e-mail version of the newsletter (saving a great deal of paper!).

Darin Parish

Principal

School Council News

Parent Council met on Tuesday, November 24^th.  A number of topics were discussed, including the completion of the MacMillan Fundraiser, Hot Lunches, and the possible purchase of a sound system with School Council Funds, and the upcoming Movie Night. 

Our next Parent Council meeting will be on Tuesday, January 19^th at 6:00 p.m..  As always, all parents are welcome to attend our meetings.

November Praise Assembly - Citizenship

Our November Praise Certificate winners will be announced in the January Newsletter.  As of press time, our November Praise Assembly had not yet taken place.

Christmas Concert

Classes are busy preparing for the Christmas concert which will be held on Wednesday, December 9^th.  In order to share the spirit of the season with the primary and junior divisions, it was decided that we will be hosting a double concert. 

The following is the format for the evening:

6:00 Primary and Junior students arrive and go to their classrooms to prepare for the concert.

6:15 - First Half of Concert Begins

JK and SK's Perform

Grade 2's (Mrs. Stockley) Perform

Grade 1/2's (Mrs. Ferguson) Perform

10-minute Intermission

Second Half of Concert Begins

Grade 1 & 4's (Ms. Wotten and Mrs. Lautenschlager) Perform

Grade 5's (Ms. Hein) Perform

Grade 3 & 6's (Mrs. Nielsen and Mr. Arnold) Perform

Please Note

Since our students will have a chance to see the performance at the dress rehearsal, all QVPS students are asked to stay in their classroom, with their teachers until the performance is over.

Due to limited seating, we would ask that parents only attend the concert in which their child is performing!  Of course, parents who have children in both the primary and junior division will be attending both performances.  We thank you for your co-operation.

There will be no admission to the concerts; however, we invite you to donate a toy for the Kinsmen Toy Drive or a non-perishable food item for the local Food Bank.

MacMillan's Fundraiser

Thank you to all of the parents and students who generously supported the School Council's MacMillan's Fundraiser.  The final total sold was $8200.00 - almost the exact amount as last year!  Queen Victoria will receive about $2000.00 of this total.  This could be used in a variety of different ways, including support to purchase technology for the school, supporting field trips, or the purchase of other useful items for the school.  As mentioned earlier, the School Council is considering the purchase of a more powerful sound system for the school.

The overall top fundraisers' names will be revealed in the January newsletter, as we have not yet had our November Praise Assembly (where we normally congratulate these hardworking individuals!).  I can reveal that the top fundraiser will receive a $75 gift certificate from Canadian Tire and that the second highest fundraiser will receive a $50 gift certificate.  The top fundraising classroom (on a per student basis) will receive a popcorn and movie afternoon courtesy of the School Council.

The date for the pickup of MacMillan's Orders is Thursday, December 3^rd at 2:15 p.m..  All orders must be picked up on that date as we have no storage facilities at the school.

Thank you to the School Council for running this fundraiser - it represented a great deal of hard work.  Rick Denyer, Lisa Gowan, Lisa Williams and Raeshall McDonald put a great number of hours into this project.   

Movie Night - Thursday, December 3rd

Our first Movie Night of the year will take place on Thursday, December 9^th.  The movie to be shown as not yet been decided upon - but will be revealed to student on Monday or Tuesday.

Doors will open at 6:00 p.m.  Please consider remaining with your younger children (especially JK to Grade 2) - or perhaps ask 1 parent to help supervise several younger children who are coming to movie night.  We love having younger students at movie night, but it can become quite busy! 

Friday Hot Lunches are Back!

We will be having a Pita Hot Lunch on Friday, December 11^th and a Pizza Hot Lunch on Friday, December 18^th.  Both of these will arrive during the 2^nd Nutrition Break.  For Pitas the form and money is due at school on the Friday before (the 4^th) and for Pizza it is due on the Monday of the Hot Lunch week.  If your child is absent on the Hot Lunch day the money, unfortunately, cannot be refunded.  You are welcome to pick the Hot Lunch up at the school; however, any remaining food will be disposed of at the school day's end.

Queen Victoria in the Santa Claus Parade

Thank you to the School Council for decorating a bus and entering it in the Lindsay Santa Claus Parade!  Lisa Gowan, Lisa Williams and Raeshall McDonald spent many hours at Queen Victoria designing and painting 2 larger banners for the bus - but the final result was spectacular.  Along with Kallie McIlmoyle, who drove the bus, they decorated the bus and helped organize the students who participated. 

Thank you also to those students who volunteered to ride the bus and spread "good cheer" in the community!  You did an excellent job and were great ambassadors for our school. 

I would also like to thank the parents who helped supervise students and who so promptly picked up their son/daughter after the parade. 

Christmas Basket Tickets

The School Council has once again put together an outstanding Christmas Basket with almost all of the food required for a wonderful Christmas  feast (including food, a food voucher, and napkins)!  Christmas Basket Tickets will be given out on Tuesday, December 1^st and all tickets and money must be returned by the morning of Thursday, December 17^th.  The draw for the Christmas Basket will take place during the Praise Assembly on December 17^th. 

As in past years, each student will receive a booklet containing 5 tickets to sell.  The School Council is asking that your son/daughter sell these 6 tickets ($2.00 each or 3 for $5.00) and return the money to the school.  If you do not want your child to participate, please return the tickets the next day to your child's homeroom teacher.

The student who sells the winning ticket for the Christmas Basket will receive a Crayola Basket packed full of cool and great items! 

Olympic Torch Coming to Lindsay!

As you may know, the Olympic Torch will be coming through Lindsay on Wednesday, December 16^th.  I am excited to let you know that Queen Victoria's students (like other students in the Trillium Lakelands Board) will have the opportunity to personally witness the Torch's arrival!  The Torch will be coming down Queen Street at 11:09 a.m..

Younger students (SK through to Grade 2) will be walking out to Queen Street (to a place designated for Queen Victoria students) and watching the Torch be carried by.  Once the Torch has gone by these students will return to the school. 

Older students (Grade 3 to Grade 6) will be walking to the park beside the Lindsay Armoury and watching the Torch "officially" arrive in Lindsay a little before noon.  There are a number of speakers and activities to take place at the Park at this time.  Grade 3 to 6 students will not watching the Torch go by on Queen Street (as they would not have enough time to make it to the Park).  Students will be remaining at the park until about 1:00 p.m. and then walking back to the school.

Classes travelling to the Park will require some parents to assist with supervision.  If you are able to help supervise (and have a valid police check), please let your son/daughter's teacher know.

Smart  Boards Installed!

As you may have heard from your children (if they are in Mr. Arnold or Mrs. Nielsen's class), these two classrooms have had Smart Boards recently installed in their classrooms.  This includes the Smart Board being permanently installed on the wall and a data projector being hung from the ceiling.  Ms. Wotten's class will be having a Smart Board installed in the next few weeks.

Christmas Holidays

Christmas Holidays begin this year on Monday, December 21^st and continue to Friday, January 1^st.  School resumes on Monday, January 4^th, 2010. 

Parent-Teacher Interviews

Parent-Teacher Interviews took place on the night of Thursday, November 26^th and during the morning of Friday, November 27^th.  Thank you to all of the parents who visited on these days.  If you were unable to have an interview on either of these days please be sure to contact your student's teacher and arrange for a meeting very soon.  It is our goal that our teachers meet with all parents.  Thank you also to our teachers who stayed for a late night on Thursday!    

Scholastic Book Fair

Queen Victoria Public School will be hosting a Scholastic Book Fair early next month.  The Book Fair will open December 9th and close on December 14th. 

Students will have the opportunity to visit the Book Fair with their teachers (during class time) and they will be invited to list any titles of interest on a paper to take home. 

The Book Fair will be open at 5:15 p.m. on the night of the Christmas Concert (Wednesday, December 9^th) and during our Nutrition Breaks for any parents wishing to check out the books, pencils, posters and bookmarks or make purchases.  Parents who visit the Book Fair will have the chance to enter a draw to receive $25 worth of books from the Fair, as well as $25 to be donated to the winning student's classroom Library.  This is an excellent opportunity for you to support reading at our school.

If you have any questions, please contact Ms. McFaul at the school.  Parent volunteers may be required.  If you are interested, please leave your name with Mrs. Webster, and Ms. McFaul. will contact you.

Food Drive and Grade 6 Staff-Student Floor Hockey Game

Our Food Drive kicks off on Tuesday, December 1^st.  Last year, Queen Victoria contributed about 10 boxes of non-perishable food times!  Our goal this year is for every student to bring in can of food - hopefully a product that is high in protein (e.g., tuna, salmon, ham).  If Queen Victoria students are able to meet the challenge the staff may be willing to have a Staff-Student Floor Hockey Game.  Our food drive will end on Thursday, December 17^th.  No doubt, after another crushing defeat last year, the students will be anxious to try and achieve victory.  The floor game is tentatively planned for Friday, December 18^th at 2:00 p.m..  Parents are more than welcome to attend!

Simply send non-perishable food items to your child's homeroom teacher, who will then send them down to the office - where there will be boxes for storage.

City of Kawartha Lakes Public Library     December  Events

Lindsay Library

Storytime

            Wednesdays at 2 pm

Thursdays at 11 am

            Age 3 - 5 years

            Advance registration required.

            Family Storytime

Fridays at 10:30 am

Everyone welcome

Read to the Dogs

Saturday, December 5

from 10 am - 12 noon

Advance registration required.

Celebrate the Olympic Torch Relay

Saturday, December 12 at 10:30 am

Enjoy activities, games, craft.

Everyone welcome.

Art Creations 101

Thursday, December 17 6:30 pm

Age 7 years and up

Advance registration required

For information or to register please call the Lindsay Library at 324-9411 ext. 332.

Search the Library Catalogue at www.city.kawarthalakes.on.ca\library

Eco Schools and Writer's Corner

Thank you to Ms. Wotten's Grade 1 class for providing both some suggestions for Recycling at Queen Victoria and also Shared Writing examples.  Earlier this month, Ms. Wotten's class worked in small groups to brainstorm and write ways in which Queen Victoria's students could improve recycling at the school and help out the environment at the same time.  Great work, students!