Dear Parents:

We are quickly approaching a very busy time of year. The following are a few reminders and updates. Please mark your calendars!

Friday, November 22: Report Cards Issued

Tuesday, November 26: Parent/Teacher Interviews. 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. & 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. Students will attend a regular school day.

Remembrance Day – On Monday, November 11^th DEPS will be having a Remembrance Day ceremony from 9:00am-9:30am in the gymnasium. Parents are welcome to come join us!

Parent/Teacher Interviews – Tuesday, November 26th – Sign-up sheets will be posted in the front foyer November 21st. Each student is allotted 15 minutes. Please note that our teacher’s dinner break is from 6:00pm to 7:00pm. If you feel you require a longer period of time for an interview, an alternative time can be arranged with the office. Please note interviews will be over at 8:30pm.

Christmas Food Drive – OurFood Drive will commence Monday, December 2nd for completion and pick-up on Friday, December 13^th.

Mitten Tree – Our “Mitten Tree” will be outside the office waiting for contributions during the week of November 25^th. We collect hats, mittens, scarves and socks for needy children, youth and adults. They will be given to families in need. Thank you for your support.

Fundraisers – Our Grade 8 class has put together some fundraisers for their end of the year school trip. On Wednesday, November 27^th and Thursday, November 28^th from 8:00am – 9:00am and from 3:00pm – 4:00pm, the Grade 8 class will be selling gently used uniform pieces for $5.00 or 5 pieces for $20.00. They will be sold in the main foyer.

We will be having dress down days on Friday, December 6^th, 13^th and 20^th at $2.00 per person, which will be going towards the Grade 8 trip.

Make sure you come to our Bake Sale! Wednesday, December 18^th and Thursday, December 19^th from 8:00am – 9:00am and 3:00pm – 4:00pm in the main foyer. All baked goods must be completely nut free. Donations of baked goods are appreciated and accepted. Thank you!

Celebration of Christmas: Wednesday, December 4th – Durham Academy – 6:30 p.m.

The doors will open at 6:00pm. There are no reserved seats for parents. The reserved seats are for students and staff only. All children from CASA 1 to GRADE 8 will perform in this celebration. Uniforms are not required for our Celebration. This event gives our students the opportunity to “dress up” for this special occasion. We would also like to request that if you have a child with you, please keep your child seated, and should your child become loud or disruptive, please remove them from the sanctuary. The focus is on our performers and we want our families to enjoy this event. Our staff and students have worked very hard to make this celebration memorable for you. Thank you for your support and consideration. Tickets will be available for purchase on Monday, November 25^th. Tickets are $5.00 each. Please remember to buy your tickets! They cannot be purchased at the door. As a courtesy to our new students, when choosing your seats, please consider our new parents that are attending for the first time. If your child will not be attending, please inform their teacher. Please note that Durham Academy is located at Trinity Pentecostal Church at 900 King Street East in Oshawa.

In keeping with our Christmas Concert tradition, we are kindly asking the parents from Casa 2 to Grade 8 to donate non-perishable food items. Boxes will be at the door of the sanctuary. Thank you for helping to make our Christmas Concert a special one!

Friday, December 20: Skating Party – Delpark Homes Centre (formerly ‘Legends’). Please note school closes at 12:00.

A notice regarding our Skating Party is attached. Please complete the form and return it to the office no later than Thursday, December 12^th to enable us to prepare for our party. Please note that all students must be accompanied by an adult on the ice and during the party. Students cannot be dropped off; a parent must be in attendance at all times. If you have extended family or friends watching your child, they must be supervised at all times – No Exceptions. Thank you. If your child does not skate, please come and enjoy some pizza and fellowship.

Christmas Break: December 23 – January 4 inclusive. Classes resume Jan. 6

Our Discovery Night on October 23^rd was a big success! As you all observed our students worked very hard from Casa 1 to Grade 8 on their presentations to impress and delight their families. That’s exactly what they did! Well done! Thank you to all our families that attended.

Extended Daycare – Please provide exact change when providing payment to the office and return your invoice with your payment. The office does not have extra cash on hand to make change. Thank you. Please arrive by 6:00pm to pick up your child(ren) as our lease with Kingsview United Church only goes until 6:00pm each evening.

Just a Friendly Reminder to please pick up your child(ren) at the end of the day in the front foyer, as picking up children at the classroom can be distracting for teachers and students, and can cause the hallways to become crowded. As always our first priority is the safety of our students. Thank you for your cooperation.

An updated Academic Calendar has been attached for your convenience.

The winter weather is upon us. Please remember to provide your children with the necessary outdoor clothing for recess. The children will be going outside daily as long as the weather permits. Along with a warm coat, snow pants and boots, please make sure your children have hats, scarves and mitts! Some of our children are already complaining of cold hands. Thank you!

We realize that flu season is upon us. Please do not send your child to school if they have a fever or have diarrhea or vomiting, until they are symptom free for 24 hours. Thank you for your cooperation.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank Mrs. Geofroy for donating her time in the library on Friday mornings. You are awesome!

Thank you to all our parents for their continued loyalty and support.

Suzanna Mason

Principal