February 12th, 2019

Snow Day! We hope that you are snuggled up with a great book and staying safe during this winter storm! Thanks to everyone for listening to the radio and checking online for Bus, School and Extended Day cancellations.

Report Cards – First Term Achievement reports go home this Friday, February 15th. If you have questions/concerns about your child’s report card, always feel free to reach out to your child’s teacher.

Me2We – our student group has been busy showing their support by selling Rafiki bracelets. Students were excited to receive their bracelets yesterday. Thank you so much for your for your support.

The Mary Johnston Me2We team is excited to introduce their next campaign!  This year the Me2We team is once again teaming up with the Waterloo Public Library to support a local initiative, “Let’s Get Personal”.

Staff and students will be encouraged to donate personal hygiene products in support of the Waterloo Wayside Centre.  The Waterloo Wayside Centre offers support to those experiencing housing and income instability. Its clients include those who have experienced workplace injuries, addiction, physical and developmental disabilities, and mental health challenges. Services include providing free hot meals via The Bridgeport Cafe in UpTown Waterloo, medical support, the ShareWear clothing distribution service, a food bag program and so much more.

In 2 weeks, February 19th-22nd, we will be collecting personal hygiene products as part of a “Week of Giving” here at MJ.  Each day of the week will be devoted to a select personal hygiene item that is most needed by the Waterloo Wayside Centre.

Tuesday,  February 19th – Toothpaste and Toothbrushes

Wednesday, February 20th – Shampoo and Conditioner

Thursday, February 21st- Body Wash, Bar Soap & Deodorant

Friday, February 22nd – Men’s Underwear

STEAM Fair- How are your projects going? Our STEAM Fair is getting closer and closer. This Friday, February 15, our STEAM Fair volunteers will be handing out project boards to students from 2:30-3:30pm.  Please make arrangements with your child to sort out how the board is going to get home! We can’t wait to experience the learning on March 5th.

Walking School Bus – We are so grateful and thankful that we have this initiative up and running! Our WSB success depends on our amazing volunteers who organize and walk students to and from school. We are looking to GROW this initiative to take away even more cars from the drop off areas around the school. Back in the Fall, a film crew came to document what we are trying to accomplish with regard to student safety. This film will be coming out soon!! We are so excited and will share it with you right away. You will notice how much our students LOVE walking to school.

If your child is participating in the WSB please ensure that they are registered on the website Walking School Bus  Once they are registered they will receive a “boarding pass”.  The boarding pass will be zip tied onto their back pack. The boarding pass lets the walk leaders know that your child is registered.

Drive to 5 – Some of our out of boundary students are being dropped off either five minutes from school or at the start of one of our Walking School Bus routes! Please take a moment to consider this option as it WORKS!

We are always on the look out for volunteers, even if you are able to do one walk per week! Please head to Walking School Bus to sign up.

Safe Drop Off – during the poor weather, we have had a large increase in drivers dropping off students. We understand this! What is difficult to understand are the drivers who do a U-Turn in the middle of the street, double park to drop off and let students out on the driver side. Please, please, please put our children first! The school received calls from community members who were terrified that accidents were about to happen. We have been in contact with the City by-law officers to hopefully receive greater supervision to ensure safety.

Prof Jamz Moveathon is coming up! This School Council event is always a student favourite! On Feb. 25th, Prof Jamz will be here to present all the information to students and hand out pledge envelopes. The day to MOVE will be Thursday, March 21st! Donation envelopes will be handed in on that day.

School Council – We hope that you are able to join us for the next School Council meeting, Wednesday, February 20th at 7pm in the Library. One item being discussed is the purchase of a new and modern electronic sign for the front lawn! We are excited about making this happen. Come on out and share your ideas.

Did you know that School Council runs 3 fundraisers per year? Pizza, Moveathon and Dinner and a Movie. The office runs the Fall Magazine campaign. Our student Me to We group organizes 4 opportunities throughout the year to help others: Poinsettia sales to purchase gifts for the Angel Tree, Rafiki sales, Let’s Get Personal and Plasma Car races for Kidsability. It has been a focus at MJ to ensure families can consider how and if they are able to give. Our community sure is a generous one! We also donate our substantial lost and found items to schools where there is a need.

Grade 6 camp – Every year our grade six students end the year with a culminating trip to camp. This incredible, outdoor educational learning experience is an amazing! The goal is to have each and every student attend. Over the past few years, the cost of camp has risen along with the bus fees. To keep the cost reasonable and affordable, we removed the bus fee and have worked hard to raise the funds to cover the cost. The school received a $550 grant and the rest of the funds will come from our Tuesday cookie sales! Our grade 6 classes, teachers and students have done a fantastic job selling TerraCotta cookies. It’s been a wonderful winter treat. We will keep the sales going into March. Thanks so much for your support.

Please know that all fundraising activities are always optional!