Please click 2024-2025 Balaclava H&S Welcome Letter
Food ordering can be done by clicking 2024-2025 Cheddar Up Flyer
The Balaclava Home and School Association is a member of the Ontario Federation of Home and School Associations. As a result we have a voice at the local school board level where home and school members sit, as parent representatives, on many school board committees and at the provincial Ministry of Education. OFHSA has representatives on provincial committees such as EQAO and the Ontario Parent Council. We also are required to follow the OFHSA constitution, by-laws and policies. OFHSA has existed since 1916 and the motto is “the best for each student”.
The Balaclava Home and School Association is a dedicated group of parents and guardians who supportively work together to enrich the educational experience of all students. Our goal is to support the school through various initiatives and to foster a sense of community where families and staff can come together to make Balaclava School the best it can be. All of the Home and School’s activities are carried out with the full cooperation of the Principal and Staff.
WHAT WE DO:
- Fundraising: We organize events and activities to raise funds that directly benefit our students. From field trips to classroom supplies, technology, and special programs, the money we raise helps enhance the learning environment.
- Balaclava Fun Fair: One of our favorite annual events is the Balaclava Fun Fair, where we come together for an evening filled with games, a barbecue, and a silent auction. This event is always a fantastic time for families to connect, have fun, and support the school in a big way!
- Volunteering: We offer numerous opportunities for parents and guardians to get involved, whether it’s on food days, helping at events, or supporting our school initiatives
Roles and Activities
- Meet monthly (from September to June) on dates and times listed on our Calendar. All parents and guardians are welcome to attend.
- Our Executive Team consists of, two presidents (currently Erin Duncan & Amy Douma), one secretary (currently Brittany Lyell), and two treasurers (Erin Bell & Sarah Fujimoto).
- We organize Fundraising events and activities to raise funds that directly benefit our students. From field trips to classroom supplies, technology, and special programs, the money we raise helps enhance the learning environment.
- H&S coordinates regular Pizza, Subway & Booster Juice days along with other specialty food days such as pasta, pancake or hot dog.
- Money raised last year was used to do the follow great things in our school:
- We raised $11,000 towards new technology, providing our students with up-to-date tools to enhance their learning.
- We proudly outfitted our sports teams with brand new Bobcat jerseys to show off our school spirit!
- We purchased much-needed new gym equipment to support physical education and sports activities.
- All students were treated to an amazing indoor planetarium experience, bringing the wonders of space right into our school.
- We hosted a schoolwide free Pancake Day
- Our library grew with 85 new books, ensuring that students have a wide range of exciting and educational reading materials.
- The Grade 5/6 students will enjoy a French cooking class later this year, introducing them to French cuisine and culture.
- This year, all students will have the chance to experience the Jungle Sport program in May, a fun and adventurous activity that brings the excitement of climbing and teamwork into our gym.
All parents and/or guardians of students at Balaclava are invited to attend the monthly evening meetings of Home and School. If that is not possible you can email the executive with your concerns and suggestions at [email protected].
A membership for the Home and School Organization may be purchased for just $20 for either one or two parents/guardians in the same household. For this low cost, you receive some significant practical benefits, such as:
- A vote for each parent/guardian at our Association meetings – which gives you an opportunity to share in the decision-making for the use of our fundraising dollars.
- $5 million liability insurance coverage for members while they are performing activities sponsored by the Home and School, whether it be at the school, at an activity destination, or en route to or from that destination.
We also encourage you to visit the following websites for more information:
Ways to stay up-to-date with H&S:
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/BalaclavaPublicSchoolHomeandschool
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/balaclava_ps_home_and_school
Google Calendar – https://calendar.google.com/calendar/embed?src=balaclavahands%40gmail.com&ctz=America%2FToronto
Home and School has created a Google Calendar to help you keep track of all the dates that are relevant to school activities & Food Days. Below are instructions you can follow to add this calendar to yours. This will allow you to be informed of all the activities at the school and changes as soon as they happen.
Instructions for Google Calendars: https://support.google.com/calendar/answer/37100?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop
Instructions for Iphone and Ipad: https://www.idownloadblog.com/2018/10/15/subscribe-to-calendars-on-iphone-ipad/
Instructions for Outlook: https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Import-or-subscribe-to-a-calendar-in-Outlook-com-or-Outlook-on-the-web-cff1429c-5af6-41ec-a5b4-74f2c278e98c
Updated on Tuesday, October 01, 2024.