August 31st, 2018
Dear families,
Welcome to the 2018-2019 school year. A big welcome to our newest families, thank you for joining us. To our returning families, welcome back. We are fortunate to have many new teachers this year, and I encourage you to say hello to them when you see them.
Please follow the school on Twitter and Instagram – @jstwrdsb. Many teachers are using social media to share the great learning that is taking place in their class, and I encourage you to follow them as well.
School begins on September 4 at 8:30 a.m. Our staff will greet students at their designated entry door to begin our new school year. Teachers will be holding signs with their names.
To comply with privacy legislation, we are changing the way we communicate elementary students’ home classroom for September 2018. Class lists will no longer be posted on the outside windows or doors of your child’s school. After 5:00 p.m. on August 31 you will be able to determine your child’s homeroom teacher using School-Day.
When you log into your account, click “Schools and Groups” on the blue left hand side menu, then click “Your Classes.” This will show the classes and groups your child is linked to within our school.
Once you have determined the homeroom, you can find the name of the homeroom teacher using the following list:
|
Jennifer Evans Christy Olivier |
K1 – Room 1 |
|
Meghan Wiltshire Roxanne Wolff |
K2 – Room 2 |
|
Justin Martin Nikki Brito |
K3 – Room 3 |
|
Karen Wolfe Christine Nafzinger |
K4 – Room 4 |
|
Becky Baechler Sheila Botbyl |
K5 – Room 5 |
|
Shelby Bruzzese Jennifer Whiteing |
K6 – Room 15 |
| Audrey Kehler | 1A – Room 10 |
| Sherry Karcher | 1B – Room 9 |
| Anita Rich | 2A – Room 7 |
| Ashley Ruffo | 2B – Room 6 |
| Ian Harrison | 2C – Room 33 |
| Jeannine Vinke 0.8 | 2D – Room 32 |
| Karla Sheldrake | 2D – Room 32 |
| Kate MacLeod | 3A – Room 34 |
| Kathryn Hotham | 3B – Room 29 |
| Fiona Morrison | 3C – Room 28 |
| Jan Laffin | 4A – Room 31 |
| Stacey Pacheco | 4B – Portable 6 |
| Martin Vermeer | 4C – Portable 5 |
| Mark Coffey | 5A – Room 22A |
| Kim Austin | 5B – Room 27 |
| Nadia Mushani | 5C – Room 26 |
| Lucy Jozefowicz | 6A – Room 20 |
| Becky Riche | 6B – Room 18 |
| Karina Meier | 6C – Room 19 |
| Kayla Stengel | 8A – Room 23 |
| Carla Johnson | 8B – Room 21 |
| Melissa Baker | 8C – Room 24 |
| Disa Hansen | FI 1C – Room 11 |
| Angela Gamble | FI 1D – Room 12 |
| Andrea Charlton | FI 2E – Portable 1 |
| Martina Cervi | FI 2F – Portable 2 |
| Nicole Christie | FI 3D – Portable 4 |
| Jessica Daniells | FI 3E – Portable 3 |
|
Matthew Jermyn Natasha Roth |
FI 4D – Room 14 |
Please remember that class changes may still occur during the first few weeks of school due to changes in enrollment.
We are very excited to begin the new school year. See you September 4!
I am fortunate to be the principal of the best school in Kitchener as we have the best students, staff, and parents. I am looking forward to a wonderful school year! Feel free to stop by and say hello.
Sincerely,
Andrea Michelutti – Principal
Keeping all students safe – birthday treats
This year we will be continuing a “no birthday treats” guideline. There are a variety of reasons to eliminate birthday treats, the main one being the number of students with food allergies. It is our responsibility to ensure all students are safe at school. Secondly, for some families, it is a financial strain and an unfair stress on their children to feel they are being left out. Finally, it is important that our school promotes and protects students’ health, well-being, and ability to learn by supporting healthy eating, physical activity, and healthy choices.
Please know we are not trying to take the fun out of birthdays, we want to create an environment that is safe for all of our students. Thank you in advance for your flexibility and for caring about the health and safety of our students.
What do I have to pay for?
As parents, you know that September can be a drain on the pocketbook. Better to know in advance what to expect. At Jean Steckle PS, we make every attempt to control how many time we have to ask for money for items or events. We have distributed students planners to our students in most Grade 1 to Grade 8 classes and have kept the cost at $7. Please submit payment for the planner through School-Day. Please pay for the planner by Friday, September 15.
Field trips are another expense for parents, and although we attempt to book only the most modestly priced ones, we have noticed an increase in what some of these venues or experiences cost.
Sometimes families struggle financially at different times along the way. If you find that your family is in a tight spot, please don’t hesitate to call Ms. Michelutti to discuss how we might help to support your child’s school activities. We are always here to help!
We will communicate the fundraising initiatives organized by school council later this fall. Many families have shared they would prefer an opportunity to donate directly to Jean Steckle Public School, and then not be bothered with fundraising for the rest of the year. You can make your donation by following this link: https://www.wrdsb.ca/wefi/#.WbHZbBmGO00. Please be sure to indicate your donation is given to Jean Steckle Public School and a tax receipt will be issued to you.
Meet the Teacher Night
Please join us on Thursday, September 13 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. We are excited to all of our students and their families.
Entry and Exit Procedures
To ensure a smooth entry and exit, all students must enter and exit the school through their designated door. We are requesting that adults stand outside of this large box before school and after school to ensure students can line up and exit the building safely.
| Classes | Entry and Exit |
| 2C, 2D, 3A, 3B, 3C, 4A, | Enter and exit through door 7 and walk up the stairs |
| 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 1C, 1D, 4D | Enter and exit through door 5 and walk down the hall |
| 5A, 5B, 5C, 6A, 6B, 6C 8A, 8B, 8C | Enter and exit through door 4 and walk up the stairs |
| K1, K2, K3, K4, K5, K6, | Enter and exit through door 6 |
News from the Library
Students may borrow books for up to a three-week loan period and may exchange them during their classroom library visit.
Our loan standards are as follows:
JK & SK – 1 book
Grades 1 & Grade 2 – up to 2 books
Grades 3 & Grade 4 – up to 3 books
Grades 5 to Grade 8 – up to 4 books
Students are responsible for the books that they sign out. To avoid loss or damage to books, students are encouraged to carry library books in a book bag or knapsack, keep food and drinks (liquids) away from books, store the book in a safe spot at home, away from young children and pets. Please return all borrowed books on or before the due date and return overdue books before borrowing another item.
Should a book become lost or damaged, please notify our librarian, Mrs. Haines. A small fee will be charged:
Soft Covered Item: $5.00 Hard-Covered Item: $10.00
We encourage students to use the Library Learning Commons at home and at school to complete their school work. Students are invited to visit the Library Learning Commons http://library.wrdsb.ca at any time from home or from school to continue their learning online.
Mission statement
Our mission at Jean Steckle Public School is to develop healthy, well-rounded individuals who are prepared to face a challenging world, who will grow academically, socially, and contribute positively to the community. The educators are committed to fostering the highest standards of academic excellence, responsible citizenship and personal growth within a safe, caring environment. Our school’s success is built on the foundation of strong partnerships between students, staff, parents, and community.
S.T.I.N.G. Attributes
S- Speak with good purpose
T- Teamwork
I- Integrity
N- Never Give Up
G- Gratitude
Upcoming events:
September 7 – Pep Rally (wear blue, green or Sting wear)
September 13 – Meet the teacher night
September 20 – Spirit Day (wear blue, green or Sting wear)
September 21 – PA Day
September 28 – Orange Shirt Day
October 19 – Wacky Sock Day
October 26 – PA Day
November 16 – PA Day
November 23 – Jersey Day
December 21 – PJ Day
January 24 – Super Hero Day
January 25 – PA Day
February 15 – Hat Day
March 22 – Dress like a teacher day
April 12 – PA Day
April 18 – Pay $1 to break a school rule
May 17 – Crazy hair day
May 31 – PA Day
June 27 – Canada day