School Newsletter
Congratulations Laura!
We would like to wish our wonderful friend Laura Morgan a big congratulations on her retirement! Laura has been with School District 64 Gulf Islands for 17 years - 9 years on Pender and 8 at Fernwood Elementary School. Laura, you have been a dedicated and very appreciated Building Service Worker at our school and you are also a part of our Fernwood Elementary "Family". Your friendly and giving spirit will be missed by both the staff and all the students. We will all miss your smiling face and hope that you'll drop by to visit us when you have the time when you are not gardening and spending time with family and friends! Congratulations! |
Come Read With Me Invitation from Salt Spring Literacy - Workshops March 3 or 6 or 11
Please see attached information on Come Read With Me that we have been asked to include in our newsletter by Salt Spring Literacy. Also below is a brief explanation of what it is and a note about how excellent it is from the Executive Director of Salt Spring Literacy! Come Read With Me is an off-shoot of One-To-One Reading. It provides a session for parents on how to support their child's reading, using gentle coaching strategies similar to those used in One-To-One Reading and in sync with the way reading is taught in schools. It is usually offered in-person, but this series is on Zoom. I participated in a training session for it and can vouch for it- it's excellent: very clear, simple and would give parents the tools they need to feel comfortable supporting their kids. Fiona Clare is an excellent upbeat presenter. It's free for parents to sign up for a Zoom session. Stella Weinert |
| Attachments:
Come Read With Me invitation.pdf
Owl Art for Ms Jone's Class
Ms Jones's students got to do an art project about Owls with Ms Lee this week...hoot hoot... |
French Immersion Deadline Monday, March 1st (reminder)
To Parent/Guardians of all Fernwood Grade 5 students, As instructed in the attached information, applications are to be submitted directly to Salt Spring Elementary. We have been asked to emphasize that all applications will be considered equally (in priority order - explained in the attached letter) as long as they are received at Salt Spring Elementary on or before the March 1st deadline and that there is no incentive/benefit to being among the first to apply. If you were unable to attend the zoom information session, please call SSE at 250-537-9332 for more information. |
| Attachments:
FI application form Feb 2021v2.pdf
FI letter Feb 3-21.pdf
Pink Shirt Day Activities at Fernwood School
At Fernwood, we have carried on the tradition of making Pink Shirt day more personal. Each year, students receive a pink shirt purchased by the PAC for the school. It has years and years of kind and caring messages from other Fernwood students from the past. Our students read those kind messages, and then add their own to the shirt. They wear it for the day, and then the shirts get washed and stored safely until next year, when new messages are added. It is so lovely to see an example of our 3 Rs being passed on from year to year.... |
FERNWOOD SCHOOL IS OUT AT NOON NEXT THURSDAY, MARCH 4th
Next Thursday, March 4th is an 'early dismissal day" and school will be dismissed at noon. Pick up is at noon. The first bus (#5) will start loading at 12:10 pm and the second Bus (#4) will start loading upon its arrival (approx 12:30 pm). No supervision will be available after 12:30 pm. Please get in touch with your child's Teacher if you would like an opportunity to discuss your child's learning. |
Rainy Weather!
Rainy weather is in the forecast. Outdoor recesses mean that you need to be sure your child has the appropriate clothing for the wet weather. Boots, hats, coats, extra pants/legging and definitely socks can make all the difference for your child's comfort and avoiding a call home as we cannot share clothing. We are able to offer a child some limited selection of gear that's been washed but not in all sizes. We are in particular need of pants/leggings that could fit the grades K, 1, and 2 if you are in a position to donate your washed items for us to have. Thanks! |
Growing Our "Kindness Garden"
February has a friendship and kindness focus. We would like to cover this Fernwood Tree of Kindness with blossoms! Acts of kindness will be recognized with the student's name and placed on the tree! Some questions you can ask at home:
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Theme of Kindness Continues with PINK SHIRT DAY - Wednesday, February 24th
On February 24th, it is Pink Shirt Day. At Fernwood, six years ago, our PAC provided enough pink shirts for the entire school to wear or you may wear your own. Messages of kindness and friendship have been written on the shirts, then the shirts get passed on to the next year's group of students to read and add to. To learn more about Pink Shirt Day, please visit https://www.pinkshirtday.ca/about/ |
If it Snows: Inclement Weather Info, Main Roads Only Bus Info & CRD Public Alert Notification
Please take a minute to refresh yourself with what happens, how you will be notified and where you can find out information if it snows and you decide to send your child to school. If you have any questions, please ask and also provide any updates to your email address if it has changed. If your child is a bus rider, please look at the Main Roads Schedule that the buses may be doing if the "main roads only" schedule comes into effect for that day. If it comes into effect, we would email to let you know. The schedule can be found here: https://sd64.bc.ca/transportation/ THE MAIN ROADS SCHEDULES FOR THE TWO FERNWOOD BUSES #4 AND #5 ARE LIMITED FOR SAFETY REASONS HOWEVER DRIVERS PICK UP ALL ALONG THE WAY (NOT AT CERTAIN STOPS). There are different procedures depending on the weather. For example... if buses run normally, we will not notify by email. If buses run on the main roads only schedule, or they do not run at all or if we hear that buses are running differently once students have arrived at school we will send email notification. Other ways to find out are: the district webpage or the Fernwood school news page. If possible, we may also go further by posting on facebook and will change the voicemail message on the school phone. Fernwood School Plan in Case of Snow or Inclement Weather Sometimes, it is safest to have your child stay home if you know you won’t be able to pick them up due to the possibility of snow or poor road conditions. Your local area conditions should be taken into consideration as decisions are made centrally where road and snow conditions may be different than yours. Please sign up to receive CRD Emergency Notifications to help you make good decisions for your area: https://www.ermsadvantage.com/register/crd/ssi If the District school buses are not running or are operating on “Main Roads Only,” it is decision made for the safety of your child by Transportation Services. In the early morning before sending your child out to wait at their stop you will receive notification through email, the school news website http://fernwood.sd64.bc.ca/school-news, the district website https://sd64.bc.ca/ or Facebook. The school phone 250-537-9932 voicemail message will also be changed. “Buses running on Main Roads Only Schedule” Schools are open as normal. Please see the “main roads only” bus schedule on the district website. “Buses not running, but schools open” Most students will likely not attend, but school is open. Staff are expected to attempt to come to work. If impossible or unsafe, staff report to the school nearest to them that they can reach safely, and call dispatch to notify. “Schools Closed” In extreme cases, schools can be closed due to snow. Staff and students are not expected to come to school. IF IT SNOWS AFTER STUDENTS HAVE ARRIVED AT SCHOOL: Sometimes students come to school, and the weather changes, forcing buses to leave early and schools to close early. We will notify parents through email, the website, updated school voicemail, Facebook and we will attempt to call all families we have not heard from. Please note that:
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