Please see the attached newsletter for information about what is happening at our great school over the month of November. 11_17 Newsletter.pdf

Please participate and show your Ganaraska School spirit!

Due to the freezing rain, the Holiday Concert scheduled for tonight has been canceled.

It will not be rescheduled this week, due to the busy time of the year.

Due to the weather, busses have been cancelled, but Ganaraska Trail is still open.  Please be careful out there,

Due to the inclement weather, busses are cancelled for the day.  The school remains open.  Please be safe and careful on the roads today!

Hopefully most of you received your newsletter electronically this month. We are still sorting out a few email bugs, but hope to have them fixed shortly. In the meantime, the newsletter is also available as a link here:  

 01_18 Newsletter.pdf

Happy January!

It may seem early, but Kindergarten registration time is here!  Please see the attached for more information.

Interested in French Immersion for your child for either Year 2 Kindergarten or Grade 1? 

Please join us at our information session on January 31st!

Busses are cancelled today due to the upcoming messy weather day.  School is open! Please be careful out there.

Ganaraska Trail is now on Instagram!

Follow us at ganaraksa_trail to keep in touch with all the great things happening at our school.

The Triple P - Positive Parenting Seminars are being offered at Ganaraska Trail!  Please consider joining us.  RSVP to the school office at 905-885-5631.

Freezing rain, snow & fog today means that buses are cancelled to Ganaraska Trail PS & throughout KPRDSB. The school remains open. Stay safe!

‪TUESDAY: All buses are cancelled again today due to the icy roads and bad driving conditions. Stay safe on our icy back roads.  Ganaraska Trail remains open. ‬

‪Spirit day is coming......This Wednesday, January 31st is Fox Day!  Dress like a fox, wear clothing with a fox on it, or simply don your best fox ears.  Show your school spirit Ganaraska Trail!‬

Please find attached our newsletter for June.

06_18 Newsletter.pdf

Did you miss our recent Parent Conference on child & youth mental health? 

You can still benefit from the tips and resources offered, by visiting www.kprschools.ca Check out these conference presentations and handouts: 

• Addictions & Self-medication in Teens
  
  
• Concussions:The Hidden Injury
  
  
• Intro to Self-Regulation: The Difference Between Misbehaviour & Stress Behaviour
  
  The Steps of The Shanker Method
  Self Regulation-5 Domains of Self-Reg
  
  
• Keeping Kids Healthy & Happy- In Body & Spirit
  
  Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Children &Youth
  Physical Activity of Canadian Children & Youth
  Position Statement on Active Outdoor Play
  Canadian Kids Are Inactive and They May Be Losing Sleep Over It
  
  
• Mindfulness and Mental Health
  
  
• My Child Has Anxiety:  What Can I Do?
  
  
• My Teen Has Anxiety:  What Can I Do?
  
  Book List
  Deep Breathing Strategies
  Grounding Exercises
  Progressive Relaxation
  The Anatomy of Anxiety
  Visualization- Mental Vacation
  
  
• Opioids Information Sheet for Parents
  
  
• Opioids Information Sheet for Teens
  
  
• Supporting LGBTQ Kids 

The Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board invites everyone in the community to join us at two special evening events being held in honour of Black History Month. 

All interested staff, students, parents/guardians and community members are invited to attend the following events: 

Karl Subban is a former school principal, father of five children – including three NHL players – and author.  He has dedicated his life to helping others reach their full potential.  The first 50 guests to arrive at his presentation will receive a small gift.

In White Like Me, well-known anti-racist educator and activitist Tim Wise explores race and racism through the lens of whiteness and white privilege.  The 69-minute documentary is based on Wise’s book, White Like Me: Reflections on Race from a Privileged Son.

Wednesday, February 7, 2018

IMPORTANT NOTICE:  

Bus Driver Labour Negotiations Update for Routes Operated by First Student’s Bowmanville Branch

This note provides an important update on contract negotiations between First Student and Unifor, the union representing the company’s Bowmanville school bus drivers.

Negotiations are scheduled to continue February 7-9.  In the meantime, the union is in a position where it could call legally for a strike, with 72 hours’ notice.

If a settlement is not reached this weekend, it is possible job action could occur as early as Monday, February 12.

While there currently is no indication of a plan to strike, Student Transportation Services of Central Ontario (STSCO) and our local school boards believe it is important that families know in advance that a school bus driver strike may be possible.

If there is a strike, NO school bus routes serviced by First Student Bowmanville will run in Northumberland County or the Municipality of Clarington. Unfortunately, this would result in your child or teen being without school bus service if a strike were to occur. 

We all remain hopeful that a settlement will be reached. In the meantime, we are monitoring negotiations and will let families know of any developments. We encourage all families of students who ride First Student buses in the Municipality of Clarington and Northumberland County to:

·         consider having alternative plans for getting their children or teens to school in case of a possible strike

·         check the STSCO website often at stsco.ca, and stay tuned to local news media, for any possible updates

·         follow @kprschools or @stsco_ca on Twitter for latest news.

**Please note: this message applies only to Clarington and Northumberland schools served by First Student buses. 

Friday, February 9, 2018

IMPORTANT NOTICE:  

Bus Driver Labour Negotiations Update for Routes Operated by First Student’s Bowmanville Branch

This note provides an update on contract negotiations between First Student and Unifor, the union representing the company’s Bowmanville school bus drivers.

We have learned that negotiations between the union and the company are continuing through the weekend, and are scheduled to resume March 19.  In the interim, busing will continue as usual for students who ride First Student Bowmanville buses.

Students, therefore, will be picked up at the usual time on Monday and over the coming weeks. As always, bus service will be cancelled only in case of inclement weather.

We will continue to keep families up to date on any further developments.

Thursday, March 15, 2018

IMPORTANT NOTICE: 

Bus Driver Labour Negotiations Update for Routes Operated by First Student’s Bowmanville Branch

This note provides an important update on contract negotiations between First Student and Unifor, the union representing the company’s Bowmanville school bus drivers.

This afternoon, Thursday, March 15, members of Unifor voted in favour of a strike. This means that the job action could begin as early as this Wednesday, March 21, if continuing negotiations, which are scheduled for Monday, March 19 and Tuesday, March 20, do not result in a tentative contract.

We remain hopeful that a settlement can be reached by this Tuesday night. If a settlement is not reached by then, however, job action could occur as early as Wednesday, March 21.

If there is a strike, NO school bus routes serviced by First Student Bowmanville will run in Northumberland County or the Municipality of Clarington. Unfortunately, this would result in your child or teen being without school bus service, if a strike were to occur. 

We encourage all families of students who ride First Student buses in the Municipality of Clarington and Northumberland County to:

• consider having alternative plans for getting their children or teens to school in case of a possible strike

• check the STSCO website often at stsco.ca, and stay tuned to local news media, for any possible updates

•  follow @stsco_ca on Twitter for latest news.

   

**Please note: this message applies only to Clarington and Northumberland schools served by First Student buses.

Tuesday, March 20: This is an important update for all students who ride First Student school buses in Clarington and Northumberland. 

Negotiations are scheduled to continue until midnight tonight between First Student and Unifor, the union representing the drivers. Please stay tuned to stsco.ca for the latest developments to find out whether your family will be affected by the ongoing negotiations.

If a settlement is not reached by midnight, the bus drivers may go on strike starting tomorrow, Wednesday, March 21. If there is a strike, NO school bus routes serviced by First Student Bowmanville will run in Northumberland County or the Municipality of Clarington.  Affected families would be without school bus service for the duration of the strike.

Please note that only First Student busing at the following schools would be affected:

Baltimore PS 

Beatrice Strong PS 

Bowmanville HS 

C. R. Gummow PS

Central PS - Bowmanville

Charles Bowman PS 

CIS - Campus (CIS) Bowmanville

Clarington Central SS 

Clarke HS 

Cobourg Collegiate Institute 

Courtice Intermediate

Courtice North PS 

Courtice SS 

Dale Road Senior PS 

Dr. G.J. MacGillivray 

Dr. M.S. Hawkins Senior PS 

Dr. Ross Tilley PS 

Duke of Cambridge 

Enniskillen PS 

Grafton PS 

Hampton Junior PS 

Lydia Trull PS

M.J. Hobbs Senior PS 

Newcastle PS 

North Hope Central PS 

Orono PS 

Port Hope HS 

Roseneath Centennial PS 

S.T. Worden PS 

Terry Fox PS 

The Pines Senior PS 

Vincent Massey PS 

Again, please remember to visit www.stsco.ca for latest updates on the negotiations.

Update as of Wednesday, March 21, 2018:

Friday, March 23, 2018, 12:00 p.m.

IMPORTANT NOTICE:

Tentative agreement reached, First Student bus service resumes Monday, March 26

A tentative agreement has been reached in contract negotiations between First Student and Unifor, the union representing the company’s Bowmanville school bus drivers, following three days of strike action. 

Busing for all students will resume as usual on Monday, March 26.

KPR and STSCO are pleased that both sides have been able to reach a tentative agreement. Bus drivers do an excellent job transporting our students safely to and from school each day and we are happy that they will be able to return to work on Monday.

We continue to be deeply saddened by the tragic accident in Humboldt, Saskatchewan.

We invite students and staff to participate in Jersey Day on Thursday, April 12th by wearing jerseys to honour the victims of the Humboldt Broncos and those affected by this tragedy. For those that don’t have a jersey, but wish to participate, you could wear their colours: green and yellow.

Wanted: your comments on the KPR Board’s new, draft policy on Safe, Caring and Restorative Schools. The draft policy has been updated to reflect changes in legislation and to stress our continued emphasis on school environments that are safe, welcoming, respectful and inclusive of all. KPR encourages parents, guardians, students, staff and community members to review the draft and send us their comments by Friday, June 1. To see the recommended policy and leave comments, visit the link on our home page at kprschools.ca or visit http://safecaringpolicysurvey.kprdsb.ca/ All schools also have paper copies for those who do not have Internet access. If you require an alternative format for review and comment, please call 705-742-9773, ext, 2001, and we will be happy to accommodate you.

KPR WELCOMES COMMUNITY AT THREE ‘EQUITY IN ACTION’ EVENTS

ORGANIZED IN HONOUR OF EDUCATION WEEK MAY 7-11

Everyone is welcome to attend three special evening events in honour of Education Week and its theme, Equity in Action.

KPR invites parents, guardians, students, staff and all interested community members to attend the following events:

            Anti-Homophobia: Including Everyone

            Monday, May 7

            7-9 p.m.

            Port Hope High School

            130 Highland Drive, Port Hope

            Islamophobia: A Teachable Moment

            Tuesday, May 8

            7-9 p.m.

            Duke of Cambridge Public School

            47 Liberty Street North, Bowmanville

            Poverty and Classism

            Wednesday, May 9

            7-9 p.m.

            Queen Mary Public School

            1445 Monaghan Road North, Peterborough

KPR has organized the free events in conjunction with local teacher federations.

The May 7 Anti-Homophobia: Including Everyone presentation will feature community partners, such as PARN, providing statistics and information on services for families. There also will be a special dramatic presentation by the Bowmanville High School GSA (Gay Straight Alliance) Club, and an opportunity for a round-table discussion on how we can make our schools even more inclusive for LGBTQ youth.

The May 8 Islamophobia: A Teachable Moment evening will feature a presentation and discussion by Gilary Massa from the National Council for Canadian Muslims in Ottawa, on the effects of Islamophobia on students and families, and on combatting Islamophobia in schools and society.  The National Council also provides Anti-Islamophobia workshops free of charge to educators. For more information, visit: www.nccm.ca

The May 9 Poverty and Classism evening will feature a presentation by Brenda Dales, from the Peterborough Social Planning Council. It will be followed by a panel discussion with local anti-poverty groups, including the Youth Political Activist Coalition, a group formed by Kenner Collegiate Vocational Institute student Morgan Carl. 

The Equity in Action Community Events are in addition to many special activities taking place across KPR throughout the week, in recognition of both Education Week and Mental Health Week.

KPR’s 2018-2019 school year calendar has received final approval from the Ministry of Education. Here are the important dates you need to know for next year:

First Day of Classes – Tuesday, September 4, 2018
PA Days – August 30, September 28, October 26 (secondary schools only) and November 23, 2018; and February 1, April 5, June 7 (elementary schools only) and June 28, 2019
Winter Break – Monday, December 24, 2018 – Friday, January 4, 2019, with a return to class on Monday, January 7, 2019
Start of 2nd Semester - Monday, February 4, 2019
March Break – March 8-15, 2019
Last Day of Classes – Thursday, June 27, 2019

KPR is reviewing our policy on volunteers, and would like your input by June 30. To see the recommended policy and leave comments online, please visit the link on our home page at kprschools.ca .  All schools also have paper copies for those who do not have Internet access. If you require an alternative format for review and comment, please call 705-742-9773 or toll-free 1-877-741-4577 ext. 2001, and we will be happy to accommodate you.

New Phone Number, Web Address, Phone App Coming for Reporting Absences

At KPR, student safety is our highest priority, and we thank families for adopting the automated safe arrival system to help ensure students arrive safely at school each day. 

Starting this September, we will be introducing a new automated Student Absence Reporting System.  Therefore, you will need to create a NEW account to report your children’s absences online. 

You will receive an email in August with instructions on how to create your new account and download the mobile app.  You also will receive a magnet in September with the new Student Absence Reporting System details.  Unfortunately, since ownership of the reporting software has changed, we cannot simply transfer your child’s information to the new system.

Watch for more information in the summer.