A Glance into November

Hello Cootes Families!

With each month that goes by it is amazing how quickly time flies.  We are already in November and soon our clocks will be falling back, our days will be shorter but the hustle and bustle of Cootes will continue.

Please see the following updates:

Parking and After School:

Families, safety is our number one priority for our staff and students.  Recently we have noticed an increase in the number of cars parking near our bus stopping zone and use of the staff parking.  Please note that is a against the law to park in the bus loading zone.  By-law is often monitoring and will give tickets to offenders.  There are also numerous staff who must leave the school parking in a timely manner.  Please do not park in these areas.

School Council Meeting November 8^th at 530pm-630pm: 

We invite all parents to join us at our School Council Meeting.  The meeting will be a hybrid model: both in-person and remote.  Please consider joining us remotely with the following link: https://bit.ly/3gZDt7J

Home & School Association:

A huge thank you to our Home & School Association for organizing an amazing Pumpkin Hike.  The community event is loved every year and the students love to showcase their creations!

Cross Country & Swim Team: 

A Cootes Congratulations to the MANY students who represented Cootes at our Cross Country and Swim Team!  We are so beyond proud of all our students who were recognized at our school assembly on Friday!

Pizza Days are Back! 

We held our first Pizza Day on Friday October 28^th.  It was hot and delicious and incredibly successful.  This was our first pizza event since 2019 and our first time using School Cash Online.  Thank you to everyone for helping us to coordinate and to Ms Harrison, Ms Young and the grade 5s who helped to serve.

Progress Reports:

Progress reports will be sent home on November 18^th.  If you would like to discuss your child’s progress, please reach out directly to their teacher.

We Help: Well-Being Support for all:

In 2021, the Board launched an extensive well-being campaign to build a culture of help in every school.  It was developed with input from students, staff and families – encourages helping and help-seeking behaviours, knowing that we all need help at times. The Board is committed to supporting students and their families in navigating well-being resources by offering virtual learning sessions and more!  We invite you to visit the We Help page for more information https://www.hwdsb.on.ca/elementary/supports/mental-health-and-well-being/treatment/

Bullying Prevention and Supports: 

Every student deserves to feel safe in school and the HWDSB knows that safety is essential to good learning.  There are a number of resources to support parents and children to never feel alone or suffer the consequences of bullying in silence. Please never hesitate to tell a teacher, vice-principal or principal immediately if you have a concern. caregivers in navigating the safety of their child.  For more information, please visit: https://www.hwdsb.on.ca/elementary/supports/mental-health-and-well-being/treatment/

PA Day November 25^th:  A reminder that there is no school on November 25^th as this is designed as a professional activity day that will focus on provincial education priorities.

Volunteering at the school:

Please note that to volunteer with HWDSB the following documentation is required.

1. Volunteer Information Sheet Appendix A
2. Agreement Form Appendix B
3. Vulnerable Sector Screening (must be dated/issued within the last 6 months)

*The cost of the Vulnerable Sector Screening is the responsibility of the volunteer and is required every three years for returning volunteers who have not taken more than a one-year break from volunteering.  

Spotlight on FDK: 

Our FDK students enjoyed a day at the farm last week where they picked their own apples, went on a tractor ride and more!  So much hands on learning outside of the classroom!  Thank you to our teachers and all of our parent volunteers who came to support!