Dear Parents/Guardians:

We are off to a wintery start to December! Please remember to send your child with a proper coat, boots, hats and mitts as they will be going outside for recess and outdoor programming in kindergarten and need to be properly dressed for the weather. A reminder as well that indoor shoes appropriate for physical education need to be worn at school. Please make sure as the weather changes that you are driving carefully during pick up and drop off, and that you are not stopping on King Street to drop off your children. This is especially dangerous in the crosswalk area. Please park on a side street, use our kiss and ride, or have your child ride the bus if they qualify. Make sure you scroll all the way to the end of this message for extra-curricular updates!

DSBN Amplify the Arts Contest

I wanted to pass along the good news that Mrs. McDonough’s 5/6-2  is one of our winners in the draw for the Amplify the Arts challenge! The judges loved that our students each had such unique representations of what brought them joy.

As a winner, the class can purchase up to $250 in arts materials of their choice to support future creations!

From the Beam Team:

DOOR DECORATING CONTEST

This week classes participated in a Door Decorating Contest for the festive season.  Classes have been decorating their doors demonstrating inclusiveness of all students in their class, and recognizing any/all celebrations that occur over the December-January holiday season.  The winning classes in each division will win their divisional Bengal Trophy and a surprise reward.

WEST NIAGARA COMMUNITY FOOD DRIVE

We are running a food drive from Monday, December 9 - Friday, December 13. 

Morning Monday: breakfast food/beverage items

Toiletries Tuesday: towels, face cloths, feminine hygiene, washing necessities, body care, etc.

Whatever Wednesday: donate anything you would like

Treat Thursday: any items for baking, pre-packaged treats/snacks

Spicy and Saucy Friday:  condiments, sauces, spices

For more ideas, click here:  https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ch1yg6c1ZjqU4h-Xhm09VDJlyrflA1zhR5NsxQbsuQs/edit?usp=sharing 

Staff/Student Spirit Week:  

December 16-20.  

Chips & Salsa Wednesdays

Kindergarten Registration

February is Kindergarten Registration Month in DSBN! 

Families with children turning four in 2025 are invited to visit  www.dsbn.org/kindergarten/ to learn more about Kindergarten programming and online registration.  Families can also contact our school office to book a time for in-person registration. We look forward to hosting our new Bengals and their parents/guardians at an Open House during the third week in May from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m.   Further details about the Open House will be emailed directly to registered families in late April. Please help us spread the word with friends and neighbours!

Inclement Weather Policies

There are times in Niagara when weather conditions are so poor that we must cancel student transportation, and/or close schools to preserve the safety of students and staff.

The decision to cancel transportation and/or close schools is not taken lightly; a variety of factors are considered when making this choice. To learn more about how these decisions are made, please go to https://www.dsbn.org/inclementweather .

Transportation Cancellations: Information about transportation delays and cancellations are posted to: https://portal.nsts.ca/Cancellations.aspx . The BusPlanner Delays App is a free mobile application that can be downloaded and provides real-time “push” notifications for delays and cancellations related to a specific school or route, directly to your mobile device. When transportation is cancelled, every effort is made to communicate the decision by 6:00 am on the day of the cancellation. There are times when transportation is cancelled, but schools remain open. If, on those days you feel it is best for your child to stay home, please report your child’s absence https://dsbn.org/safearrival/  so we can make sure they are safe at home.

School Closures: When the decision to close schools is made, it refers to all schools: both in-person and remote/virtual learners. Every effort will be made to share school closure information before 6:00 am on the day of the school closure. You will find information on dsbn.org, all school websites, DSBN social media, and local media share the news widely as well.

Elementary Schools: Optional Snow Day activities for Kindergarten to Grade 8, will be available on the DSBN website on days when schools are closed due to inclement weather.

Extracurricular Activities

Triple Ball Practices and Playoffs: The Junior Girls and Boys Triple Ball teams held practices, with team meetings scheduled during first break. The teams competed in their playoff games, with the Junior Boys facing Grand Ave and the Junior Girls playing against Caistor Central. Although both teams faced tough competition and were eliminated from the playoffs, their hard work and dedication were celebrated by their coaches and teammates. Just a reminder that students who plan on watching a team play after school hours, must ensure they have permission to be at the game and are accompanied by a Parent. :)

Basketball Open Gyms: Open gym sessions for both Intermediate Girls and Boys basketball were held this week. These open sessions gave students an opportunity to hone their skills before the formal tryouts next week. Students were reminded to bring proper footwear, as those wearing Crocs or slides would not be allowed to participate.

Yearbook Club and Robotics Club: The Yearbook Club held meetings during second breaks, where members worked on designing pages and planning for the upcoming yearbook. In the Robotics Club, students gathered after school to work on building and programming robots in preparation for future competitions. Both clubs are important spaces for students to develop their creativity and teamwork skills.

Sewing Club: The Sewing Club, led by Mrs. Nagy, met on Wednesday during the second half of first break. Students had the chance to explore their crafting skills, working on various sewing projects while enjoying the relaxed atmosphere of the club.

Fun Music Fridays: Every Friday, students are invited to the library for Fun Music Fridays, which take place during the first break after snack time. It’s a fun opportunity for students to unwind, enjoy music, and socialize with their peers!

Book Club: The Jacob Beam Book Club met on Thursday during second break. Students who joined the club engaged in discussions about their latest book selections, fostering a love of reading and critical thinking!

These extracurricular activities continue to help provide students with numerous opportunities to engage in fun, collaborative, and meaningful experiences, both in the classroom and beyond!

Upcoming Food Dates

Dec 10    Cookie Day

Dec 11    Chips and Salsa Day

Dec 12    Popcorn day

Dec 13    A&W Day

Dec 17    Cookie Day

Dec 18    Chips and Salsa Day

Dec 19    Popcorn Day

Dec 20    Pizza Day

Important Dates:

Days of Significance for December

December is Universal Human Rights Month