SCHOOL NOTICES

 

Attendance Call in Number:

Please call 604-903-3630 for call-back/absences, rather than the other office number.  Thank you.

 

Meet with Barbara!

Barbara Leigh (WH new official principal) has offered to meet with anyone to talk about anything and everything to with Windsor House and her participation in this community.  This informal chat is a chance to ask questions and answer questions. Let's communicate.  Yes, Steve Galliford will bring cookies or muffins! Thursday February 17, 7PM at Windsor House

 

Library Notice:

Starting next week, Monday Jan.31, people will only be allowed in the Library when Selena (or another trained adult sponsor) is there or if they have a license and a Library Council Sponsor is present.  As always the library is only to be used for reading and quiet work. 

If you would like to get a license, come to the Library Council meeting on Thurs. at 12:15. Library Council Sponsors:  Naomi, Soraya, Maeve, Orin, Alicia, Sadie, Hana

Licensed: Fyona

Appeal for Sponsors:

I would love some adult volunteers who would be willing to help supervise the library (particularly on Mondays or Friday afternoons).  If you want to help, contact me and I will make an appointment to show you around and train you on the computer.  It would also be great if someone wanted to schedule in a read-aloud time for primaries in the Library.

 

CLASSES & EVENTS

 

FUNDRAISER SHOW - Tonight!

“No Parental Guidance”

The wonderful sequel to the international hit "Mums the Word" and "After Bedtime Stories" starring Alison Kelly, Deborah Williams, Jill Daum and Barbara Pollard, will be performed at the Lucas Centre Gym on Feb 11 at 8 pm.  This is an ADULT ONLY performance.  No children at performance, no childcare will be available at the school.

We will be selling coffee, tea and baked goods at “No Parental Guidance”.  If you are able to donate baked goods, please contact Terry and leave a message: 604-444-4147

 

Community Valentine’s Dance

Valri, Kynan and Allegra will be hosting a Windsor House Valentine’s Dance in our Co-op Community Room on Saturday, February 19th from 7:00 – 10:00 pm.  Marie Weeks will be the deejay.   This is a family dance and students will need to come with their parents or an adult sponsor.  Childcare will be available at our house for children who don’t want to dance. 

Please bring a potluck appetizer to share. 

Our address is #51A – 8740 Forest Grove Drive in Burnaby.  To get there take Highway #1 to the Cariboo exit, head north towards SFU on Gaglardi Way, turn left at the first intersection after Lougheed Hwy (Broadway), stay to the right as the road splits and you are on Forest Grove!  Please park your car on Forest Grove Drive (not in the parking lot!).  For more info call us! 604-421-9249

 

COTTAGE NEWS

VALENTINE'S DAY
Please join us for a celebration in honour of Valentine's Day in the Cottage on Monday, February 14, shortly after the afternoon check-in.  If anyone is interested in bringing snacks to share, healthy snacks with little or no sugar are encouraged.  Please bring music if you feel like dancing!

SKATING

the skating field trip to Harry Jerome will take place on Monday, February 21.  The sign-up sheet will be posted on Monday, and consent forms should be available by then.  Volunteer drivers will be required for this field trip.  Please let Wendy know if you are available.

CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL
Sign-up sheets have been posted outside the Cottage for two shows being presented at this year's Children's Festival.  Scotland's Shona Reppe Puppets will perform an adaptation of Cinderella, and BC's own Underground Circus presents "Backstage Circus", a behind-the-scenes look at the magic of the circus.  Both shows take place on Monday, May 16.  Please sign-up and make payments to Heather ASAP to guarantee your spot.

Thanks so much to all the parents who helped out with the last two field trips (Eagle Watching and Swimming).  The kids love the field trips and they do so much to enrich our kids' educational experience at Windsor House.  These field trips could not happen without the help of such dedicated parent volunteers - your help is so appreciated.  Thank you.  Questions or comments? Contact Wendy Lund.

 

Tutorial Times

Staff is available for one on one tutorials 8:30-9:00am and 3:00-3:30pm each day.

 

PARENT PARTICIPATION

 

UP AND COMING WORK PARTIES

In addition to duty hours, each family is required to attend two work parties a year (3 hours minimum/party), except for single parent families who are only required to attend one.

All work parties are 10:00 am – 4:00 pm

Ø       Saturday, February 26th, 2005             Linda

Ø       Saturday, March 12th, 2005                  Heather

Ø       Saturday, April 23rd, 2005 (outside)   Verity

Ø       Saturday, May 28th, 2005                     Helen

Ø       Thursday, June 23rd, 2005                   Carol

Ø       Summer 2005 TBA                              Meghan

 Families who have signed up for a specific work party will be given a reminder call prior to the day.  If you have not yet signed up for your work parties please contact Valri as soon as possible.

Some families have fluctuating circumstances that may temporarily prevent them from doing their duty hours.  They may opt to buy out of your work party commitment at the rate of $10.00/hour. Valri

 

Coordinator Needed for 2005-2006 School Year
Valri is resigning from the position of Parent Participation Coordinator at the end of this school year and it is absolutely essential to the running of WH that we find a new coordinator as soon as possible. This is a partially paid position that requires that the successful applicant liaise between all community members --staff, parents and students--to ensure all parent duty jobs are filled and all parents have jobs they feel comfortable doing.

The job requirements are as follows:

v      An almost constant, visible presence and availability at the school in September and October as well as a high level of availability as necessary for the rest of the school year

v      A familiarity and involvement with Windsor House as well as the ability to maintain a 'whole picture" perspective of the school

v      A commitment to learn what is involved in the duty jobs of the school and to understand the interdependent components of some of the bigger, essential jobs

v      To take responsibility for making sure that essential jobs (e.g. the Newsletter) are not only filled but successfully completed

v      All of the applicant's parent duty responsibilities have been fulfilled in the past and they have displayed a consistent level of involvement in the school

v      Available to attend staff meetings, executive meetings, and general meetings when necessary

v      Available to receive and make phone calls at home when required
good communication skills and a non-judgmental attitude towards people

v      Good organizational skills

v      Responsive and energetic

v      Computer skills

This position pays $15 per hour up to a total of 120 hours or $1,800. The paid part ends approximately November 30th 2002, after which time the successful applicant will continue on as parent participation coordinator as their required parent duty job.

Resumes and letters of application can be left by Friday March 18th in the Parent Participation pigeonhole in the office.

Please contact Valri (604-421-9249 or valriwright@shaw.ca) for more information. Interviews will take place after Spring Break so that there will be time for the successful candidate to be trained in the position.

 

Come and do Duty in the School!

We urgently need parents to come and help sponsor students outside on the field.  With the mild weather, younger students want to spend time outside and it is hard to do when we need staff to be in the rooms as well.

Also come and check out the Philosophy Café, the new parents lounge area. 

Remember any time you spend in the school counts as duty time.

 

RESOLUTIONS

The voting results at the end of each resolution stand for for/against/abstain

 

BE IT RESOLVED THAT:

SANE pay for a WH light box.  It would be kept in the philosophy cafe.  We would organize 2 bake sales to help fundraise, since the price is around $300.  Lucy & Sylvia 7/0/4
BIRT
Costuming Goddess
Sandy, seeking level three
Squeaky clean record!
Ridley Kynan Nic M
pass
BIRT
Kynan gets Level II.  Has no current complaints; does his cleanup.  Pass
BIRT
Maureen Scown get Level III.  I participate as much as I am able and also have health reasons for needing access to the cafeteria sometimes.  Mari Nic M. Kynan pass
BIRT

No excluding in an activity unless: You give the person a clear description of their behaviour which is not working for you, and they have a way to try not to do it which all parties agree to and join the game at some point.  Or it is a game which has already started with clear roles, and then no one else can come in either and join. Or it is a board or card game with a set # of players. Also that because we are a school community in a public space, coming to school with the expectation of an exclusive play date does not work for the community.  Please set up exclusive play dates outside of school. This includes teachers and parents as well as students. 8/0/0

OTHER NOTICES

 

2004/05 Windsor House School Yearbook:

All those interested in taking part in this year’s School Year Book please sign the sheet that will be available on the bulletin board at school. For more information you can contact me at denis.seguin@telus.net.

I would like to set up this project as a weekly class (Mondays – time and room to be determined at a later date) in learning the desktop publishing process.

1)        Brainstorming design ideas as a group

2)        Divide workload – explore individual’s talents

3)        Produce mock ups of all pages

4)        Gather all materials – text, photos, art works etc.

5)        Using computers to produce layouts

6)        Printing and binding.

P.S. The involvement of another adult would be great, someone with knowledge of Microsoft Word or similar app. Denis Seguin Pager: 604-450-2457

The Birch family on TV...

This Sunday, February 13, our family, including Isaac, Gary, myself, Sonya and Lilly will be on a 60 Minutes segment (at 7 PM on CBS) focussed on Canadian families adopting children of African Heritage from the U.S.  We are hoping some of the focus will be put on showing off our wonderful “blended” family that has developed from our open adoption with Sonya, Isaac’s birthmom.  Apparently we are getting a copy of the show so if any of you miss it there will still be a chance to see it after it airs.  To my dear co-counsellors I ask that if you get a chance to watch the show that you do it as counsellors to Gary, Isaac and myself and use it to think well about us.

 

MISSING - Tues Feb 8th
Red and Black pack with attached lunch kit.  Filled with overnight paraphernalia - PJ's, toothbrush, ear solution, change of clothes.  Please return to Lydia 987-4763.

 

WANTED

to rent for March 1/05 a 2 or 3 bedroom house, apartment or shared situation in East Vancouver.  Must be cat friendly.  Excellent references available.  If anyone knows of accommodation please call Felix & Tomas at 604-255-2446.

 

Hello Windsor House Community Members:

Please take the time to check out the link in the following email!  Even if you weren't at the North Vancouver School District Community Forum in the fall this is an opportunity to provide your comments to the School Board on what we would like to see in the District.  There are headings on the response form such as: 

-positive learning environments

-obtaining student input on decision making (elements of our very own JC?)

-revising current policy

-providing program choices and options

-creating specialized programs 

In Superintendent Brayne's letter within this link he suggests that "I invite you to use the attached response form to give voice to your comments and suggestions.  The community's input will be included in planning new policies and procedures, District Programs and program delivery methods." 

(Underlining and bold mine) 

I urge everyone to send in a response to this "Response to the Preliminary Report", retain a copy and forward to me.  Copies can be emailed to bloomingfamilies@telus.net or put in the office in the mail slot marked DPAC.  I want to document all responses to this call for feedback so we have clear evidence of our requests and suggestions.  I suggest we call on any and all Windsor House supporters  friends, neighbours, North Vancouver residents to support us in sending in a completed response form.  Let us attempt again -- to have our voice heard!

Susan.  DPAC Rep, Windsor House School

(PAC Chairs & DPAC Representatives

Please use the following link to give your feedback and suggestions to the School Board, they would really like our input.

The deadline is February 25th. http://www.nvsd44.bc.ca/sites/pdf/218/218-2-2777.pdf)