Stratford Elementary Wolves’ News – Mar 7
Upcoming Dates:
- Mar 10 – 14 French Week (See Below)
- Mar 10 – Birchwood Late Immersion Forms Due – THIS MONDAY
- Mar 11 – Grade 5 & 6 Science Fair
- Mar 12 – Dress in Colours of Acadian Flag – Red, White, Blue, & Yellow
- Mar 13 – Winter Carnival Day (See Below)
- Mar 14 – Bucks for Books Dances
- Mar 17 - 21 – March Break: No Classes/School Closed
Home and School News
If you’d like to reach our home and school committee, feel free to email them at: seshomeandschool2023@gmail.com
Information from the PEI Home and School Committee can be found at the end of this email.
School News
THANK YOU!
Thank you, parents, for your participation in this week's parent-teacher interviews. The time you dedicated to meeting with your child's teacher demonstrates your commitment to your child's education. We consider our face-to-face conversations with you invaluable in supporting your children. We look forward to the upcoming term as we continue to work with such wonderful students!
Bucks for Books Dances
We will host two student dances during the school day on Friday, March 14. The theme for these dances is Bucks for Books; we are collecting small donations to help purchase low level reading books for our school.
Science Fair
Parents of students who are participating in the science fair are reminded to bring projects to school on Monday as the fair will be set up Monday afternoon and all projects & participants should be ready for judging to start early Tuesday morning. Parents can view their child’s project from 11:00 A.M. to 11:15 A.M. The fair is in the little gym and parents should enter the building through the main entrance. Prizes will be awarded at 11:15 immediately following the parent viewing time.
French Week
Next week, March 10-14, at Stratford Elementary, we are celebrating French week! All classes will participate in a French word of the day contest and an Acadian flag scavenger hunt. On Wednesday, March 12, we invite all students and staff to dress in the colors of the Acadian flag (red, white, blue, and yellow). In addition, special announcements will be made daily in French, and our dance on Friday will feature some hits from Manie Musicale! French Immersion and some Core French classes will be treated to guest French readers, including members of the Charlottetown Islanders, Charlottetown mayor Phillip Brown, Stratford town councilor Jeff MacDonald, and Dr. Heather Morrison, along with many more. Vive la francophonie!
Winter Carnival
On March 13th Stratford Elementary will be having a winter carnival. Please be sure your child is dressed for the weather as we will be having stations outside. As we will be inside and out at different stations throughout the day, if you are planning on picking up your child early on that day, letting the teacher know in advance would really help us track them down when the time comes. This Winter carnival is in conjunction with our French week so each class will represent a different French speaking nation. Dressing up in their country colours is encouraged! Classes will find out next week what French speaking country they will represent.
Late Immersion Forms
Reminder for Grade 6 parents; late immersion forms for Birchwood are due before March 10th. THIS MONDAY!
From Student Well-Being Team:
From Outside Agencies
How to help your child set healthy screen time limits
Dear Parents and Caregivers,
The topic of balance with regards to screen time has come up more often recently with our Student Wellbeing Team after new guidelines were introduced in PEI schools related to screen time. Due to the knowledge we have currently about the benefits of a balanced approached to screen time both at home and school, the development of these guidelines was supported by a large group of parents from across PEI at our provincial home and school meeting in 2024, as well as by our leaders in our public education system.
As part of our work with children and teens with the Student Wellbeing Team, we often discuss a variety of topics related to emotional and mental wellness, one of which is screen time, gaming, etc. We know that having a balanced approach to screen time in families can offer a multitude of benefits as well. As caregivers, it’s important to consider how we can reap the benefits of technology, while at the same time trying to limit the downfalls for our children related to their emotional wellbeing. After requests from several individuals, we have requested to share the following resource from About Kids Health. This website is connected to the Toronto Hospital for Sick Kids Children, and offers an assortment of evidence based health related information for caregivers and youth. This resource encourages caregivers to think about screen time in their own home, and consider whether caregivers feel family members would benefit from adjustments in screen time. See link here How to help your child set healthy screen time limits
If caregivers have questions or concerns about your child’s emotional wellbeing, please reach out to your school based supports or your local student wellbeing team.
Lindsay Lidstone BScN RN
She/Her
Registered Nurse
Student Well-being Teams/Westisle Family of Schools /Community Mental Health and Addictions
Phone/Tél: 902-960-0314 • Email/Courriel: lelidstone@ihis.org
Unplugged Canada
Please see attached pdf : “Parents United for a Smartphone-Free Childhood.”
PEI Home and School
AGM:
P.E.I. Home and School presents on online harm
Tackling the Digital Influence on Youth is the focus for P.E.I.’s Home and School Federation’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Saturday, April 12 at the Rodd Charlottetown Hotel.
Keynote speaker, Carl H. Burke R.N., who dedicated his career to Health PEI for 32 years, lost his 17-year-old son Harry to sextortion in April 2023. Mr. Burke now educates children, families and communities to prevent such tragedies due to social media predators.
The Souris Home and School Association submitted a resolution supporting Mr. Burke's mission, urging the Government of Canada to enact the Online Harms Act to protect children from online exploitation, bullying, and harmful content. The resolution also calls on social media platforms and online service providers to implement comprehensive safety measures to protect children using their services.
All parents, guardians, educators, administrators, and staff of member schools in the Public Schools Branch are encouraged to attend the AGM.
Expert-led workshops will cover topics such as Generative Artificial Intelligence in Education; Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports in Island Schools; and Youth Gaming and Gambling Addictions.
Local Home and School Associations will also lead discussions on Social Media Communications & Volunteers; Best Practices for Home and School Finances; and School Food Success Stories.
Heard of ChatGPT? Presenting on Artificial Intelligence (AI), Paul MacLeod, a researcher at the Department of Education and Early Years and a lecturer at the University of Prince Edward Island will explore the working of AI, its capabilities and the department’s response to its growing use and influence.
Concerned about your child’s behaviour or the behaviour of other children in school? Megan Etchell, a board-certified Behavior Analyst with over 15 years in education, will introduce Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), currently piloted in 19 Island schools. The Somerset Home and School Association is sponsoring a resolution to add PBIS resource positions to future staffing allocations.
Worried about your child’s gaming or online gambling addiction? Chad Morash and Shelby McCarron from the Gambling Support Unit (GUS) will discuss youth gaming and gambling, helping students understand the risks of excessive play, gaming habits, and the connection between gaming and gambling behaviors.
If your local Home and School wants to share a story, ask questions or find out what other schools are doing, you will want to join one of the three Home and School success stories and strategies workshops on the topics of communications and volunteers, Home and School finances, and school food programs.
For more information, go to email peihsf@gov.pe.ca, or call 902-620-3186. David Schult, president of the P.E.I. Home and School Federation, lives in Charlottetown with his wife and two children attending UPEI and Colonel Gray Senior High School.
Register for AGM by March 26, 2025 / https://peihsf.ca/agm/
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Shirley Smedley Jay
Executive Director
P.E.I. Home and School Federation
Resolutions
Please visit: https://peihsf.ca/resolutions/ to access the proposed resolutions that will be presented and the PEI H&S AGM.