Safe School Reminders

All adults and students begin visits at the office

We continue to explore options

for traffic. Please continue to

inform all family and friends,

who may pick up your

child, the parking lot is

closed and is for buses &

staff only.

School Times Students should not be on the yard before 8:35.

8:35 Supervision

8:50-10:30 First Block

10:30-11:10 Break Time

11:10-12:50 Second Block

12:50– 1:30 Break Time

1:30 - 3:10 Third Block

3:10 Dismissal

Chanukah

School Council

Meeting 6pm

Dec. 2-10

Mon.,

Dec. 3

MacMillan Tues.,

Dec. 4

Extreme House Colour Day

Auction items

Fri., Dec. 7

Tues., Dec. 10

Winter Concert

11:30 am

Wed.,

Dec. 12

Fun Socks Day

D.A.R.E Grad

1:30pm

Mon.,

Dec. 17

Mon.,

Dec. 17

Snowpeople Dress-up Day

MacMillan Delivery

Cozy/Ugly Sweater Day

Crazy/Festive Hat or Hair Day and Winter Fun Outside!

Pajama Day Christmas

Kwanzaa

Tues., Dec. 18 Tues., Dec. 18

Wed., Dec. 19

Thurs., Dec. 20

Fri., Dec. 21

Tues., Dec. 25 Dec. 26-Jan. 1

Dates to Mark into your Calendars now!

Patriots Stay Connected!

Office 705-424-3317 and Safe Arrival Find us at http://pin.scdsb.on.ca/.scdsb.on.ca

Use Twitter, Remind, School Web Page and stay up to date with information about our school.

Snow Safety

Snow is to STAY ON THE GROUND at all times. It is not to be thrown or kicked or dumped on others.

Snow cleared from the tarmac creates large snow hills on the yard. Usually, students are permitted to be on the hills provided they are playing safely, with hands off.

School staff will close the hill to prevent injuries when it becomes icy or if students are playing unsafely. Snow pants and mitts are highly recommended for snowy days.

Request for Donations The grade 6/7 class is offering a “Make and Take” Christ-mas program for all students in grades 2- 8. Students will be invited to join the class for one or two recesses to make a Christmas gift for an adult in their life. The class would like to offer this program free of charge and are asking for donations of the following items:

If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Blayney at kblayney@scdsb.on.ca Thank you in ad-vance for supporting our leadership initiatives and mak-ing the holidays brighter.

Canine Ambassador Program

We have a new Patriot at Pine River! Traxx is a certified Sweet Charity Ambassador dog who will be in our school. He will always be on-leash and with his handler, Mrs. Arthurs.

Treats at School

Reminder: Class treats are NOT to be sent to school for celebrations such as birthdays and holidays. Please be mindful that food sent to school in your child(ren)’s lunch is peanut and tree nut free.

Mason jars (250 ml and 125 ml) Tacky glue Glue sticks (mini) Epsom salts Scented oil Glitter Twine Christmas fake greenery, buds, flowers Gemstones

Mini marshmallows Clear plastic bags (small) Sugar Powdered milk Cocoa powder Chocolate chips Disposable large piping bags. Wrapping paper Small gift bags Thin ribbon. Solid coloured coffee mugs.

Pine River Elementary School “We believe that ever child can achieve”

PRES NEWS— December 2018

Twitter @pineriveres

SCDSB Character Traits

Caring, Cooperation, Courage,

Empathy, Honesty, Integrity,

Inclusiveness, Optimism,

Respect, Responsibility

Technology at PRES

We encourage our students

to use technology as a

learning tool.

Technology is used with

teacher permission and is

not permitted at Nutritional

Break or Recess time. This

is time to practice “face to

face” conversation.

Rainbows for Grieving Children In an effort to continue to support the needs of our students at Pine River E.S., we will be offering a program called Rainbows for Grieving Children beginning in the new year. Rainbows is a peer support group for children who are coping with the emotional loss due to separation, divorce or death. This program is not a counselling program, but a support group for those who are experiencing the same struggles and feelings. All Rainbow’s programs are guided by trained volunteer facilitators and are provided at no cost to families. In January, a letter will be sent home with more information and you will have the opportunity to express your interest for you child’s participation. In the meantime, if you have any questions, feel free to contact the school.

Stay Healthy During the Holidays The holidays are a time when routines often get thrown out the window, including the time we spend being active and eating healthy. Exercise is a great way to manage the stress and anxiety we often experience during this busy, festive season. Here are some easy tips to stay healthy over the holidays:

* Plan ahead – Just like writing down all the parties and family visits you’ll be attending over the holidays, make sure to schedule in your workouts as well! Make a plan that works with your holi-day schedule and stick to it. Such things as – taking a family walk after your holiday meal, schedul-ing a workout with a trainer, or recruiting a friend as a walking buddy are great examples of how to fit exercise into your holidays. Remember that even short bursts of exercise are better than none!

* Make it a family event – The whole family can enjoy exercising together during the holi-days. Try tobogganing, ice skating, have a family snowball fight or go skiing. You’ll not only get moving but you’ll be creating memories to cherish.

* Practice Relaxation – The relationship between the mind and the body is so strong. Providing yourself and your kids with a small amount of relaxation or “time-out” every day – even just 15 minutes – can improve your health dramatically. Try taking a yoga class to reduce stress and clear the mind!

The YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka offers many opportunities to stay healthy this holiday season. For more information, please visit www.ymcaofsimcoemuskoka.ca Information provided by the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka (www.ymcaofsimcoemuskoka.ca)

Stop the Spread of Germs Colds and influenza spread easily from person to person. These germs can spread directly from person to person when someone coughs or sneezes, or indirectly when germs land on hard surfac-es like door knobs, desks, keyboards and then are touched by someone else. These germs can then enter the body through the eyes, nose or mouth. The most important thing you can do to keep from getting sick and stop the spread of germs to others is wash your hands! Wash with soap and warm running water for at least 15 seconds (or try singing “row row row your boat”). If your hands are not visibly dirty you can use alcohol-based hand rub (hand sanitizer) for 15 seconds. You can also get your flu shot, cover your mouth when you cough and sneezeand stay home if you are sick. Teach your kids to do the same! For more tips to keep you and your family healthy this school year, contact Health Con-nection at 1-877-721-7520 or visit the health unit’s website at www.simcoemuskokahealth.org. Information provided by the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit.

Ditch the Devices and Plug into Play This winter, swap screen time for play time together. Children need play to learn, grow and be healthy. Unstructured child-led activities, or “free play”, make a world of differ-ence. There are many ways to play together as a family:

Get outdoors by taking a winter hike, making a snowman, or building a snow fort

Make your own musical instruments and move to the music

Play hopscotch, tag, or hide and seek

Set up an obstacle course using couch cushions for your child to navigate

Encourage your children to lead the way and experience fun from their perspective! For more tips to keep you and your family healthy this school year, contact Health Connection at 1-877-721-7520 or visit the health unit’s website at www.simcoemuskokahealth.org.

Bus Cancellation Information

All information regarding cancelled buses in Simcoe County is posted on the Simcoe County Student Transportation Consortium bus information page at www.simcoecountyschoolbus.ca. Our school is in the Central zone. When buses are

cancelled, schools remain open for student learning, unless otherwise noted. The Consortium try to make the decision to cancel school buses before 6 am and make every effort to post announcements before 7am. Inclement weather cancellations are effective for the whole day and buses cancelled in the morning will not run at the end of the day. Follow the Consortium on Twitter @SCSTC_SchoolBus for cancellations and other information. You can also subscribe to receive bus delay notifications here: https://scstc.ca/Subscriptions

Kindergarten Registration

Kindergarten registration opens in January Do you (or someone you know) have a child who was born in 2015? If

so, it’s almost time to register them for Kindergarten in the SCDSB! Beginning Jan. 28, 2019, Simcoe County’s

public schools will register children for Kindergarten for the 2019-20 school year. New this year, the registration

process begins online! Visit https://www.scdsb.on.ca/elementary/planning_for_school/kindergarten for more

information

Holy Days and Holidays

2018-19 Holy Days and Holidays Calendar now available Students and staff of the SCDSB represent a rich diversity of faith traditions. Our new 2018-19 Holy Days and Holidays Calendar helps identify some of the important days of commemoration. Access the calendar on our website at https://www.scdsb.on.ca/about/equity_and_inclusion/holy_days_and_holidays_calendar.

Playground Equipment

School playgrounds are closed for the winter Every winter, school playground structures are closed. Students are made aware of this during school hours through announcements and staff reminders during breaks. This may not be well known throughout the community despite signs indicating that playground structures are a winter hazard and are closed. The Canadian Standards Association Regulations make recommendations for the depth of ground cover required to minimize injuries (e.g. sand, pea gravel or wood chips). These surfaces cannot be maintained when the ground freezes. Injuries from falling would be more significant on frozen ground. We strongly recommend that you do not allow your children to play on any structures while the ground is frozen.

French Immersion

Attend a French Immersion information night, application window opens in January The Simcoe County District

School Board (SCDSB) offers French Immersion (FI) at select schools throughout Simcoe County beginning in

Grade 1. The goal of the FI program is to enable students to communicate in French with a high level of

proficiency, enabling them to function with ease in both French and English. Upon graduation from the program,

students will communicate in French with confidence in a wide variety of real-life situations. Information sessions

take place in January for parents of students in Senior Kindergarten. A letter will be sent home to those parents

with more details. Information session dates will be posted at:

www.scdsb.on.ca/secondary/program_options/French_as_a_second_language.

School Council FUNDRAISING Information

Lovable Labels are always available for purchase at www.PineRiver.lovablelabels.ca

Please spread the word that Pine River is participating in the Boston Pizza re-

wards program. Simply enjoy your meal at BP as you normally would, then bring

your receipt to the PRES office within 28 days of your meal. We earn 10% of all

sales!

Please remember…If at Bradford Greenhouses, say “Pine River E.S” before you

check out at the register. We will not be taking orders for poinsettias at PRES this year.