Holy Spirit School
15 Gatehouse Dr. Cambridge, ON N1P 1C7
Phone: 519-621-8973 Fax: 519-621-0300 website: http://holyspirit.wcdsb.ca
Principal: Karl Herod
Vice-Principal: Cathy Kuntz
Newsletter — March 2015
ADMINISTRATORS’ MESSAGE
With the recent coldest February on record, it has been a long
month throughout Southwestern Ontario. Even though the
weather is “warming up” for the month of March, it is
important for all of our students to dress so that they will be
prepared for whatever the weather may be this time of year.
Please check to see that your child still brings mittens and a hat to
school each day. This also means that students should have a pair
of outdoor boots, as well as a pair of indoor shoes so that we can
avoid tracking mud or water throughout the school.
Report Cards went home last week and we would ask you to please
remember to send back the cut off portion of the report signed by
the parent and/or guardian, as well as the report card envelope.
Student, Teacher and Parent conferences will not be scheduled for
the entire school at this time. However, if you wish to speak to
your child’s teacher about the term one report card, please contact
them to schedule a conference at a mutually convenient time.
March Break
March 16th—20th
No School !
DAYLIGHT
SAVINGS
A reminder to all parents that our next Catholic School Council
meeting is on Tuesday, March 31st, at 6:30 pm. Please feel
welcome to join us in the library.
As many of you are aware we have procedures for dropping off and
picking up students in front of Holy Spirit Catholic Elementary
School. The reason for these processes is to keep students safe as
they enter and exit the school at the busiest times of the day.
Parents are reminded not to use the school parking lot, allowing
sufficient room for our buses to enter and exit safely. We would
like to take this opportunity to thank the many families who have
been regularly committed to using our “kiss and drop”, side streets
or having their children walk to school. Your efforts are to be
commended as we attempt to eliminate traffic from our parking
lot.
Finally, please check the calendar on the last page of this
newsletter and record any important dates on your calendar at
home.
K. Herod
Principal
C. Kuntz
Vice Principal
WCDSB Budget Survey
Please find attached the link to the 2015-16 budget
survey. The survey should take about 5 minutes to
complete. The Board values input from stakeholders and
your feedback helps ensure that budgets are aligned
according to the Board, School and Stakeholder needs.
The survey will be open until March 12th. The survey
results will be made available after they have been
presented to the Board’s Budget Advisory Committee.
Thank you very much for taking the time to respond to
the survey.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/201516BudgetSurvey
If schools could place the link in their newsletters or
information for parents, that would be appreciated.
Reminders from the office…
If your child is sick, late or has an appointment ,
Please call your child in to Attendance line.
Our answering service is available 24 hours
(519) 621-8973 ext. 1.
Cash online & Order online
School activities cash on line: Find us at : https://wcdsb.schoolcashonline.com.
For school events and fields trips , you can set up an account and pay online.
Lunch Order : www.lunchboxorders.com
Milk Order: www.remembermeinc.com
Little Caesar’s Pizza Kit : www.pizzakit.ca
Dressing for the Weather
SAFE AND SECURE SCHOOLS :
Reminder that all students must wear
proper footwear in the school at all times.
Students should bring extra clothes especially socks in the colder
or wet days. All outdoor
wear such as gloves,
hat, jackets, snow pants
and outdoor foot wear
should be worn outside
at breaks. Please label
your child’s belongings!!
To ensure the safety and well being of all
students these procedures MUST be followed
by all who visit our school.
Lunch Time Procedures
Mental Health Tip of the Month
Smile Power
It has been proven through countless studies that smiling
can reduce stress and increase the release of positive
hormones. Smiling is contagious and we have learned
that it is very difficult to frown when looking at someone
who is smiling. Smiling stimulates
our brain’s rewards mechanisms
and can boost our mood.
As a result, we would challenge
you to smile each day for 30
seconds to help boost your mood
and the moods of those around
you.
1. Visitors, parents, high-school students, and
others must report to the main office and
obtain a Visitor’s Identification badge if you
wish to proceed beyond the main office area
of our school. A pass can be obtained by
checking and signing in at the office.
2. During recess and lunch-break parents,
visitors or any other adults are NOT
permitted to be on our school playground.
Please report to the office.
3. Any parent who wishes to contact his/her
child during the school day must proceed to
the main office and inform the Admin
Assistant / Principal.
4. Any individuals who do not follow the above
requests will be asked to leave school
property immediately.
When your child sick…...
Thank you for keeping your children home
when they are sick. It is very easy to pass on
colds and flu in a school environment.
Children who do not feel well, do not learn
well. Please don’t send them to school when
they are not feeling well.
Activities @ Holy Spirit
Sick Kids Fundraising Update
Our school is currently practicing for our Board’s
annual Folk Dance night. It will take place this year
at Preston Auditorium on Tuesday, May 5. Thanks
to our Folk Dance Leaders: Mrs. Gingerich, Mrs.
Martin, Carol Knight and Mrs. Thornton
Badminton
Mr. Jacobi the Badminton Coach continues to
hold practices on Thursday’s after school.
School Council Meeting
The next School Council meeting is on
Tuesday, March 31 2015 from 6:30 pm 8:00 pm in the Library. This meeting will be
focused on discussing events / activities. All
are welcome to join and see what is
happening in our school.
Street Safety
Waterloo Regional Police are asking that you review
the important street safety precautions with your
child(ren) discussed in school, in order to help
support and reinforce school safety program;

Play safe and play together. Do not play in
remote areas of parks or take short cuts through
the woods.

Do not wander on the way to or from school.

Do not go ANYWHERE with a stranger and do
not accept rides for any reason. Do not be afraid
to say “NO” to any request and run away
quickly.

Advise an adult of any suspicious strangers right
away.

Do not accept any treats i.e. candies, toys or
money from a stranger for any reason.

Always notify your parent where you are and
where you are going, especially if it is a change
in routine.
This past February our We Day Team, led by Celine,
held a cookie and hot chocolate day to raise funds for
Sick Kids Hospital. This group raised over $1700!
The group was led by Shirley Collis, a parent volunteer,
who was assisted by Madame D. We would like to give
thanks to all the people that assisted the We Day Team!
Thanks go to Food Suppliers: Cambridge Zehrs, Food
Basics, Fresh Co., No Frills and Sobeys for all their donations.
Thanks to parents who volunteered their time to help:
Sandra Da Silva, Rula Nakazi, and Sari McPhail, and students from Monsignor Doyle School: Maya Chauhan,
Emily Louro, and Nicole Badiu.
Thanks to The We Day Team, and Ciara for your help!
Thank you, Holy Spirit students and their families for
supporting this event. Your change, changed lives!
Without all your support, we would have never raised
this much money and been so successful!
School News on Line / Newswire
Our monthly newsletter and calendar is sent each month
on the 1st of the month via our newswire services. The
newsletter and calendar arrives in your inbox. If we do not
currently have your email address on file and you would
like to receive information this way, please visit our school
website at http://holyspirit.wcdsb.ca.
Then go to the Newswire section (join
our mailing list – left hand side of this
page) and type in your email address.
We currently have 70% of all parents’
emails and would like to increase that
percentage to keep you informed and
up to date as possible.
Extended Day Program at our school
Paint a Bright Future with Us!
The Waterloo Catholic District School Board is pleased to offer a fee based Extended Day
Program for children from JK to grade 6.
We Provide before and after-school learning for children in Grades JK to 6 with a Full/
Part-time recurring schedule Are available from as early as 7:00 a.m. to as late as
6:00 p.m.
Incorporate the same play-based, inquiry and exploration approach taken in the regular
school day.
 Offer parents a convenient school location and a safe and healthy environment for
young children with no wait lists.
 Are run by knowledgeable Early Childhood Educators
 Allow for consistency and security for parents and children
 Are available for an affordable fee offering a variety of
 Payment methods including most major credit cards
 Are eligible for Region of Waterloo child care subsidy
To register visit www.wcdsb.ca
Extended Day Programs will operate only at sites with sufficient parent demand.
Program location will be announced by May 2015.
Register Today !
Tell Us What You Think!
You are invited to participate in a survey about WCDSB Extended Day programs.
To share your opinions and complete the survey, go to:
https://survey.wcdsb.ca/extended-day.aspx
Every year The Waterloo Catholic District School Board conducts these surveys to help us have a better understanding
of the needs within our school communities. You are invited to complete a web-based survey that asks about your
opinions & needs with Extended Day Programs.
Your participation in the study is voluntary. You do not have to participate if you do not want to. You can choose to leave
any question blank. Your information will be kept private. The program staff, principals or other school board staff will not
know what you have said on your survey. If you have any questions about the survey and would like to speak to
someone please contact either Mandy Da Silva or Lisa Horst at 519-578-3660.
Leaving School Property at Lunch Time
In the interest of student safety, we ask that students, who normally stay at school for lunch, do so every day. In the
event of special circumstances, parents/guardians are asked to write a note to their child’s teacher, explaining that their
child will be leaving school property during the lunch hour and include the date and signature. All students returning to
school from lunch are reminded to arrive on time, by 12:45 p.m.
Emergency Drills
Spring brings us the opportunity to practice our emergency preparedness. In the coming few months we will hold our
three spring fire drills, one tornado drill and one lockdown as part of our school emergency response plan.
Find the Information
Please do not call the school for information!
Go Directly to: www.wcdsb.ca click on top right corner:
Delays / Cancellations
OR visit the Student Transportation Services of Waterloo Region website (www.stswr.ca)
for Bus cancellation and school closure information.
OR check the following radio stations:
AM Radio 570 News talk
FM Radio 105.3 MAGIC
FM Radio 96.7 CHYM
FM Radio 107.5 DAVE
School Bus Operation
Please note: If buses do not operate in the morning, they will not operate in the afternoon. If you elect to drive your child to school, you must make arrangements for them to be picked up at the end of the day (please communicate
the arrangement with your student, or leave a note in their agenda, prior to
drop-off). Likewise, if you choose to keep your “walking” student at home
on an inclement weather day, you must notify the office (Attendance line
#1) of the student’s absence, otherwise the office will contact you to confirm your student’s absence.
March Math Bit: The evolution of math class (Pt. 1)
You may have noticed that Math class has changed quite a bit since you were in school! Students are
expected to reason and prove their solutions in various ways.¹ Children benefit from repeated
opportunities to “justify” or prove their math ideas in various settings in
and out of the classroom.
Supporting your mathematician(s) with reasoning and proving:
 Share a problem and your math thinking. For example, “I have $10 to
buy a few items from the store. Will I have enough money? I think I
will because those items together would cost about $9.”
* Model how you prove your thinking. You might say, “This item can be rounded to $4, this one to $3
and this one to $2. Together that makes $9 which is less than $10.” OR
* Ask him/her to help you figure out a way to prove the thinking. You might say, “Humm...I want to
be sure I have enough money. I wonder how we could prove it? What do you think we could do?”
Real-life opportunities to reason and prove or hear your thinking will benefit your mathematician greatly!
Math Bit: Tips for a home connection to Math:
IXL Math
http://ca.ixl.com/math/ is a great site to help children practice
their math skills. The information is organized by grade and by
math concepts, allowing students to practice at home.
Grades 4 and 6 students:
School Council has purchased logins for these students.
Teachers will have entered student names on the roster in ixlmath, then the company
generated logins and passwords. Students have their logins and practice here at school and
at home. Each time they login, time and problems solved is tracked and teachers get a report.
Math Texts at home
Families may purchase the Pearson- Math Makes Sense e-texts for grades 3—8 for home use
at the following website: http://www.pearsoned.ca/school/product/pearsonetext/
index.html. There is no requirement to do so, but it does allow for students to access their
textbook at home without having to carry it back and forth on a regular basis.
Parents click on the Purchase tab and instructions will be there on how to purchase.
Math and Problem Solving Games
Cool Math Games (http://www.coolmath-games.com/) provides a variety of leveled
challenges that incorporate problem solving skills and persistence. Games can be played
both individually or with a partner.
Plastelina Logic Games Website
If you’re looking for a cool website with challenging games requiring logical thinking, you
may want to try Plastelina (http://www.plastelina.net/). They offer several free games
suitable for students in grade five and up including Wolf, Sheep and Cabbage, Logic
Matches and Break The Machine. There are also some additional games on the site that
can be accessed but require a paid subscription.
March 2015 FitBit - March is Nutrition Month!
The theme of nutrition month for 2015 is Eating 9-5, which encourages us to try to
eat healthy when we are at school or work as well as at home. Although healthy eating is important all year round, Nutrition Month reminds us to make healthy choices
where we live, work, learn and play!
Packing healthy lunches and snacks at school is a great way to get more servings of
healthy foods from Canada’s Food Guide. Here are some ideas to help with packing
healthy lunches, for kids at school and for adults at work too!
Provide a refillable water-bottle with packed lunches. Water is the best choice for
beverages and kids should be able to refill it from the water fountain at school
throughout the day.
Aim to include one food from each of the four food groups on Canada’s Food
Guide: a Vegetable or Fruit, a Grain Product, a Milk or Alternative, and a
Meat or Alternative.
Try a bento box style lunch – Pack a variety of finger foods (at least one from
each food group!) in a reusable container with separated compartments. Kids
have a limited time to eat lunch at school, so finger foods are a great idea
since they are quick and easy to eat.
Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold for food safety. Use a thermos to keep
hot foods hot until lunch time – warm the thermos with boiling water before
filling it with steaming hot food. Keep cold foods cold by packing them in an
insulated lunch bag with an ice pack.
Get kids involved in packing their own lunches. Set aside time the night before to
prepare lunches together to avoid a stressful scramble during busy mornings.
For more lunch ideas check out the Child and Youth Resources at
www.regionofwaterloo.ca/nutrition
the mix-and-match menu at:
http://www.eatrightontario.ca/en/Articles/Frequently-Asked-Questions/PackingHealthy-School-Lunches-and-Snacks-FAQs.aspx#.VMfxWdh0zwo
March 2015 FitBit - March is Nutrition
Veggie and Bean Pita
Preparation Time: 5-10 minutes
Makes: One pita
Ingredients:
1 whole wheat pita pocket, cut in half
½ cup baby spinach, kale or mixed greens
½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 medium carrot, shredded
½ cup baked beans (homemade or canned, look for one with the lowest sodium)
Directions:
Stuff each half of the pita with greens, cherry tomatoes, shredded carrot and
baked beans.
Add a piece of fruit and milk to drink for a complete lunch.
(This recipe meets the criteria for Sell/Offer Most for an entrée.)
Recipe adapted from www.eatrightontario.ca
Mental Health Tip of the Month
Smile Power
It has been proven through countless studies that smiling can reduce stress and
increase the release of positive hormones. Smiling is contagious and we have
learned that it is very difficult to frown when looking at someone who is smiling.
Smiling stimulates our brains rewards mechanisms and can boost our mood. As a
result, we would challenge you to smile each day for 30 seconds to help boost your
mood and the moods of those around you.
MARCH NEWS
1
2
3
Little Ceaser’s Pizza
Kit Fundraiser
Continues till March
9th
8
9
4
5
6
7
12
13
14
Spirit Day—Wear Red
School Confession in
the Gym
10
Gr. 2 Sacrament of
Reconciliation
11
Spirit Day—Wear Red
Nutrition Free Day
Gr. 4 & 5 Wizard of
Oz—Dunfield
3:40 Dismissal for
March Break
Little Caesar’s Pizza
Fundraiser Ends
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
Spirit Day—Wear Red
29
30
31
1
2
3
6:30 School Council
Meeting
Safe School Team
Meeting
Holy Thursday
Good Friday