Mustang Memo - December 2, 2022
The holiday season has sprung up all over the school starting off with Ugly Christmas Sweater Day! It was great to see dinosaurs in Santa hats and all kinds of holiday-themed pugs, llamas and other animals on bright sweaters! We also had buddy classes baking gingerbread cookies together and using their math skills to decorate cookies!
We had another new addition to the school this week: a mysterious yeti! That's right! Ask your child about a strange yeti that has been caught on camera in various places in the school. You never know where that yeti might pop up next! Today, he even smiled at us in the morning announcements! Who knows what antics he will get up to next week!
Another exciting event that is taking place this weekend is our Grade 5 & 6 student volleyball team competing in the EIPS volleyball tournament this weekend! Win or lose, they have worked very hard to prepare for this event and we are so very proud of them!
Here's hoping you are able to stay warm this weekend and enjoy some of your own family traditions!
Helene Hewitt & Kyla Harding
Principal & Assistant Principal
You belong here!
Table of Contents
Week At a Glance
Action
- Fee waiver application deadline
Opportunity
- Alberta Health services addiction and mental health newsletter
- Anxiety workshop
- How do you dad: Gingerbread build-off
- Triple P - Teen rudenss and disrespect session
- Food drive for the food bank has started
- You can still get milk!
Information
- Counsellor's corner
- Christmas Break
- Returning student registration for 2023-24
- Parents Make the Difference
WEEK AT A GLANCE
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ACTION
Fee Waiver Application Deadline
If circumstances exist where you’re unable to pay school or transportation fees, you can apply to have fees waived by submitting an Application for a Waiver of Fees. The application deadline is Dec. 15, 2022. If you’re new to the Division, the deadline is the latter of Dec. 15, 2022, or 45 days after registration.
To access your fee information, simply log in to the PowerSchool Parent Portal and go to “Student Fees.” There you can view your fees and pay them online using Visa or MasterCard. All fees are due within 30 days of being posted.
Don’t forget to also log in to the PowerSchool Parent Portal regularly throughout the year. Fees are often added to your child’s account to cover the cost of various school activities such as field trips, class projects, extracurricular activities and more.
For more information about school fees, waivers and payment deadlines, visit www.eips.ca/schools/fees and Davidson Creek Fees Information. Alternatively, contact Christa Gawron, Business Manager at Davidson Creek Elementary at 780-467-5557.
OPPORTUNITY
Alberta Health services addition and mental health newsletter
The December edition of the Alberta Health Services Addiction and Mental Health Newsletter focuses on joy during the holiday season. Newsletter
Themes include:
- Increasing your joy during the holiday season
- Joy through mindfulness
- Tips to help children feel joy
- Joy through self-care practices
Anxiety workshop
In this workshop, you’ll gain a better understanding of anxiety, how it shows up and the key skills needed to manage it. The event is being held both in-person and online. Tickets are free. For more information, email FCSSinfo@fortsask.ca or call 780-992-6267. Poster
Monday, January 30
Professionals: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Parents/Guardians: 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Shell Theatre, Dow Centennial Centre
Get free tickets
How do you dad: Gingerbread build-off
Join Strathcona County for a free gingerbread-building competition! Complete the challenge independently or bring your friends and work as a team. The build-off includes supplies, mystery items, surprise challenges and sweet prizes.
Thursday, December 8
5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Child and Youth Community Centre, 3 Spruce Ave
Register
Triple P - Teen rudeness and disrespect session
As teenagers transition from childhood to adulthood, parents and teenagers may not see eye to eye. Sometimes this behaviour is labeled as “rudeness” or “disrespect” and may lead to conflict and upset feelings. Join Strathcona County for an online discussion for parents and caregivers experiencing similar challenges. The session will provide suggestions on how to manage this behaviour and develop a positive relationship with your teenager.
Wednesday, December 7
12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Virtual
Register
Food Bank donation drive is here!
Our food drive for the Strathcona County Food Bank is in full swing! You can see the items piling up under our big tree in the lobby!
We invite you to bring any item on the list on the appointed day. You can participate on one day only or you can send things each day, it's up to you! We are also accepting cash donations at the office. Here are the items we will be looking for and the corresponding dates.
- December 5: No-sugar-added fruit juice
- December 6: Pasta sauce (low sodium)
- December 7: Ready to serve soup (or chili or stew)
- December 8: Baby food
- December 9: Empty egg carton
- December 12: Shampoo or conditioner
- December 13: Toothpaste or toothbrushes
- December 14: Dish soap
- December 15: New school supplies
- December 16: Non-perishable food
Thank you for showing love for the community during the giving season! Go, Mustangs!
You can still get milk!
The milk program starts this week! Woo hoo!
You can still order! Did you know that the price of milk might go up a smidge? Order now so you can get the cheapest deal possible!
How to order:
- Log into:https://dce.hotlunches.net
- Hover the cursor over the ‘Homeʼ tab.
- Click on ‘Fundraisingʼ
- Login with the same User ID and Password for hot lunch orders
- Choose ‘Studentsʼ
- Choose the appropriate 2 week ordering period and the amount of milk you would like to purchase
- Complete Payment
To learn more about the program, click here to read the flyer sent out by our amazing milk parent volunteers! Thank you to our amazing school council for getting this healthy option running for our kids!
INFORMATION
Counsellor's Corner
Hey Mustang Families!
It’s been a cold one! Looking for some ideas for indoor activities to thrive during these frosty days? This week we’re going to take a look at a few relaxation ideas from other countries that you could try with your friends during these chilly winter days!
Fika
Fika is the Swedish custom of enjoying a coffee and a treat with friends. Not into coffee? No problem! Fika can be enjoyed with tea, juice, or any other beverage! Most Swedes combine their fika break with some pastry (called fikabröd.), like cinnamon buns or biscuits, yum!
Il Dolce Far Niente and Niksen
Italy and The Netherlands both share a concept that sometimes doing nothing is beneficial. In Italy, they call this Il Dolce Far Niente (The Sweetness of Doing Nothing), and in The Netherlands, they call this niksen. The idea is that there are positive benefits to taking a break and allowing yourself not to be focused on being productive, such as boosting creativity (imagination) and allowing your brain time to process. This can be done by simply looking out a window and allowing your mind to wander or daydream, listening to music, or hanging out with friends.
Hygge
Hygge is the Danish concept of coziness during the winter months. It’s creating a warm atmosphere and enjoying the good things in life with the people you like. Examples of hygge include snuggling in warm clothes, enjoying indulgent food, lighting candles, reading a book by the fireplace, and spending time with friends and family at home.
Do you know of other customs for enjoying the cold days indoors? Let us know!
Have a warm weekend!
Dina Deuzeman
School Counsellor
Christmas Break
Davidson Creek Elementary will close for the Christmas break at the end of the day on Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2022. The school will reopen on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023. During this time, if you have any school-related questions or concerns, contact Elk Island Public Schools (EIPS) Central Services at 780-464-3477.
EIPS Central Services Christmas Break Hours
Open December 22 and 23; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Closed Dec. 26, 2022 to Jan. 2, 2023
Open January 3; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
*for location and contact information visit www.eips.ca.
From everyone at Elk Island Public Schools, we wish all of you a happy holiday season and a wonderful New Year.
Returning Student Registration for 2023-24
Elk Island Public Schools (EIPS) will once again conduct an online returning student registration process to confirm student registrations for the 2023-24 school year. Families of all current students—with the exception of graduating Grade 12 students—must complete the process to confirm the school their child plans to attend in the 2023-24 school year or advise the Division of their plans not to return to EIPS. Additionally, students who want to attend a non-designated school need to make that request through the returning student registration process—acceptance is based on available space. The 2023-24 returning student registration takes place Feb. 1-28, 2023.
Access to the Returning Student Registration Form is provided through the PowerSchool Parent Portal. If you don’t have a PowerSchool Parent Portal account, you need to set one up before Feb. 1, 2023.
Create a PowerSchool Parent Portal account
For more information, contact the school office at 780-467-5557
Parents make the difference
Here is this week's article with helpful tips for families:
Positive discipline is linked to better behavior at home & school
A recent review of discipline research reaffirms that physical punishment is ineffective—and actually increases behavior problems. Effective discipline should be focused on teaching correct behavior, rather than punishment. And it’s most effective when it’s delivered in a positive, calm and loving way.
When disciplining, consider your:
- Tell your child exactly what you expect. For example, “It’s time to work on your assignment” is better than, “Aren’t you supposed to be doing your assignment?”
- Tone of voice. It’s important not to sound too stern or too unsure. Try to find a happy medium, a tone that says, “I’m confident you will do as I say.”
- Body language. If possible, face your child and make eye contact. Avoid intimidating gestures such as shaking a finger or putting your hands on your hips.
- Facial expression. A calm look will encourage your child to cooperate. You don’t need to look angry or upset.
Reprinted with permission from the December 2022 issue of Parents make the difference!® (Elementary School Edition) newsletter. Copyright © 2022 The Parent Institute®, a division of PaperClip Media, Inc. Source: A. Heilmann, PhD and others, “Physical punishment and child outcomes: A narrative review of prospective studies,” The Lancet, Elsevier.