The perfect fall weather that October has given us has been very good to our Km club runners and our cross country team members. Many students from grade 1 and up have been running laps around the field during morning recess and collecting popsicle sticks to log their progress all in an effort to be the class with the most laps. Of course, they are also having fun and developing active and healthy life long habits. Earlier in the month, our youngest group of runners made their way to Pantry Park for the annual Grades 1-2 Fun Run, and Grade 3-6 students have competed in the conference qualifier and, for some, the conference final. A few have even qualified for the city finals which take place this coming Monday. On the soccer pitch, the girls soccer team played well against some tough opponents but did not move on from their tournament play. The boys soccer team made it out of their tournament round and went on to win it all and claim the title of Conference Champions! Congratulations! And a big thank you to the teacher coaches for these teams and to the parent Community Coaches Emily and Stephen (girls team) and Calum (boys team).
Starting last week, some of the Grade 6 Ambassadors resumed helping out in the office at lunch - the 12:45-1:25 break. These Office Helpers will be helping with letting people in who buzz at the main door, answering the phone and taking simple messages from people who come by or call in. Please be patient and understanding with these Office Helpers if you come by or call the school during this time. They are very keen on doing the job to the best of their ability, but will take some time to get used to the routines and types of questions that might be asked.
Halloween
With Halloween just around the corner, I wanted to share some important information reminders, guidelines and associated events. There will also be a Halloween Parade on October 30, and I will share more details, including exact times, early next week.
Allergy Alert Notification
A reminder to everyone about the peanut safe policy at Norway. Like every school, a number of students at Norway have severe allergies to peanuts so we want to ensure that all food items that come to school are free from peanuts as noted on the ingredient list. This is particularly important to note around Halloween. While many Halloween candy is peanut free (and labeled as such), many others are not. Please ensure that your child does not bring any candy that 'may contain' peanuts to school.
"My Culture is Not a Costume"
Dressing up at school for Halloween is a highlight of the year for many students. We look forward to seeing many seasonal transformations in our students at the annual Halloween parade. I will be sharing more details with families closer to the date. While Halloween is a fun time for many students, for students whose cultures are caricatured and appropriated, it can be a difficult time. As a school community, we must prevent harm by engaging students in critical conversations about cultural appropriation, stereotypes and caricature versus culture. The TDSB’s Urban Indigenous Education Centre has shared some good information about Halloween Cultural Safety here.
Halloween Health and Safety Guidelines
- Costume masks that cover or obscure the face are not to be worn at school.
- No replica weapons should be brought to school.
- Any distribution of food should be individually pre-packaged and should be peanut free.
Norway Halloween Dance👻
Get ready for a spook-tacular night of music, dancing, costumes, and Halloween fun!
Norway's Halloween Dance is back, and we're getting ready to turn the school gym into a monster mash! Whether a witch, a superhero, a ghost, or ghoul, we can't wait to see everyone dressed up and ready to BOO-gie!
The Spooky Details
- When: Friday, October 30 | 6:00–7:30 PM
- Where: Norway Public School Gym
- Admission: Pay what you can! We suggest a voluntary donation of $10 per family, but all are welcome.
- Entertainment: Our very own DJ Adam (Norway dad!) will be spinning Halloween hits and keeping the dance floor bumpin' all night long.
- Food & Drinks: Pizza, drinks, baked goods, Halloween treats, and savoury snacks will be available for purchase via POS (Point of Sales) machine or cash.
School Council Engagement and Election Results
The Norway School Council has its own mailing list for communications regarding Council activities and other events happening in the community. Lots of important information is shared, so it would be great to have everyone in the Norway Community subscribed! Not on the Council Mailing List yet? Join now.
In late September, School Council held its annual elections at the first Council meeting of the school year. This year's executive Council members are:
- Marzia Fada - Chair
- Dasha Pyat - Co-Chair
- Christopher Stalzer - Treasurer
- Brian McLaren - Communications
- Juan Delgado - Parent and Community Engagement
Upcoming Events and Important Dates
- October 23, 25, 26 - CCAT Screening for Grade 3 Students
- October 27 - Hero Burger Lunch #1
- October 30 - Halloween Dance - 6:00-8:00 pm
- October 30 - Halloween Parade (time will be shared early next week)
- November 5 - Norway Spirit Wear Due Date
- November 9 - Photo Retake Day
- November 11 - Remembrance Day Ceremony (Exact time to be determined)
- November 18 - Progress Reports Go Home
- November 19 and 20 - Parent Teacher Conferences