This Week at WMES
Week of January 29-February 2

Dear WMES families:
Our February calendar can be found here.
 

Mornings at WMES… some important reminders:
Our bell rings at 7:50am for students to come inside and go to their classrooms.  ‘O Canada’, announcements, and attendance take place at 7:55am. Classes begin at 8am.  Students arriving after 8am are marked late. 

Why is it important to be on time for school:

• Learning starts right away.  
• When your student arrives consistently late they are missing the opportunity to have some socialization time with their peers as they arrive, they are missing classroom check ins where teachers are reviewing the day and expectations, and they are missing important lessons. 
• Consistently arriving late can cause anxiety for students and start a pattern of behavior that will be very difficult to change as your child gets older.
• Students arriving consistently late also disrupts other students' learning. Teachers have to stop their lessons to direct the late student, and it takes away valuable learning time for all.

Thanks for helping us keep learning time a priority at WMES!

The bus loop is off limits for vehicles until our buses have all arrived and all students have been unloaded safely.  PLEASE never enter the bus loop if a staff member is still standing out front as that indicates that we still have buses to arrive.
With winter weather upon us, buses may be later than normal. This may mean that you are not able to enter the loop for drop off so it is important for you to have an alternate plan:

• You can use our Kiss and Go loop for quick drop offs. There may be a line up, but it typically goes quite quickly.
• You can pull into a parking spot if there is one available
• You can drop off at our upper parking lot off School Street

Thanks again for your support.  We appreciate your flexibility and patience.

Indoor shoes - Please ensure that your child has a pair of appropriate indoor shoes available at school each day.  Students can not participate in physical education classes without appropriate footwear, and wearing wet boots all day is not recommended, and often uncomfortable. If you need support to get appropriate footwear for school please reach out.  We can help.

February is Registration Month for the 2024-25 school year. 
Do you have a child who will be starting pre-primary or primary this fall? It’s time to register! 
Registration for the 2024-25 school year begins on February 1. To ensure we have the right staff and supports in place for September, it’s important that we gather enrolment numbers now. 
Tip: Before you begin, make sure you have the following documents in electronic form (image, PDF or Word document):  ·      
Proof of identity/age with one of the following: birth certificate, passport, immigration papers, or legal adoption papers) if you are new to the HRCE; ·      
Proof of home address (a recently dated official government or utility document with your current address that includes your name and date, such as water bill, power bill, internet bill, home fuel bill, a tax receipt, property assessment or a mortgage contract); and ·      
Nova Scotia Health Card or Canadian Province Health Card or, for non-citizens while in Canada, proof of Medical Insurance Information.  
Visit the HRCE website for more information and to enrol your child today through PowerSchool Enrollment! 
Don’t have a child to register? Maybe you know someone who does! Please help us spread the word and pass this information on to friends, neighbours or relatives who will be looking to register for the fall. 

Celebrate African Heritage Month 2024
The theme for African Heritage Month 2024 is "Our Smiles, Our Joy, Our Resilience as African Nova Scotians." This month-long celebration is dedicated to recognizing and honoring the history and culture of people of African descent. The theme coincides with the final year of the United Nations' International Decade for People of African Descent (DPAD) 2015-2024, which aims to promote global cooperation in support of people of African descent, raise awareness, and  acknowledge their full and equal participation in all aspects of society. 
Nova Scotia is home to more than 50 historic African Nova Scotian communities with a rich, deep, and complex history that spans more than 400 years. African Heritage Month is an excellent opportunity to celebrate and showcase the culture, accomplishments, and contributions of African Nova Scotians, both past and present.

Thanks everyone.  Have a great week.  
Mrs. Wolfe and Mrs. van der Weegen

Upcoming Dates for your calendar:

February 6 - 4R and 4B trip to Glass Lab
February 7 - 4/5S trip to Glass Lab
February 8 - 5vS trip to Glass Lab
February 8 - PTC / SAC meetings
February 8th - 6pm Meeting at Georges P Vanier Junior High for Grade 5 families whose students will be transitioning to GPV in September.
A tour of the Grade 6 modular space will take place following the meeting at approximately 7pm.