Bruce Peninsula District School and St Edmunds Public School News
Submitted by Brenda Brewer, Principal, and Breanna Heels, Vice-Principal
November is almost over (where did it go?!), and we are one month until the Winter Break! It has been a busy Fall, and I know many staff and students are starting to feel ready for a break – but we still have a few weeks to go!
Over the past few weeks, Secondary students headed to Toronto to see Come From Away, Grade 10s headed to the Ontario Legislative Assembly at Queen’s Park, and Bruce Peninsula District School (BPDS) and St. Edmunds Public School (St. Eds) students attended their local Remembrance Day ceremonies. BPDS and St. Ed students worked hard on their submissions for the Legions’ Remembrance Day contest, and we hope to share winners with you soon.
We have two student teachers at BPDS right now – Hayden Hellyer is in the SK/1 class with Mrs. Phillips and Avery Hutchinson is with the Grade 8s and Secondary English. BPDS is a place of full circles because many of the staff also attended BPDS as students – it’s a place everyone wants to come back to. As a former BPDS student myself, and also having had the privilege of teaching Avery Grade 7-8, it has been wonderful to welcome her back!
Ms. Burgess’ last day in the Grade 3/4 class will be on December 13th and we will welcome Chantelle King back on December 16th. We have loved having Mrs. Burgess back with us and we hope to still see her smiling face in the halls still to supply teach!
November UN Global Goal: Goal 1 – No Poverty
As part of November’s focus on the UN Global Goal: No Poverty, students at BPDS and St. Eds have been collecting non-food items to help support community members who may be living in poverty. Students have been bringing in items like tissues, toilet paper, toothpaste, deodorant, household cleaners and shampoo to donate locally. As we use the UN Global Goals as a framework for students to think globally, the most important part is to act locally and to create change within our own communities and for students to recognize the impact they can have here in Northern Bruce Peninsula!
Our BIG idea for the year is inspired by The Lorax. At BPDS, we speak for the trees – especially the ones located on the Bruce Peninsula. Thanks to Mary and Adelaide for painting the truffula trees on the windows in the lobby! Students cut out and wrote their names on truffula tree leaves, and Mary and Adelaide added them to the trees. The student names on the leaves represents each BPDS student speaking for the trees!
On November 7th, Ms. Rosenburg and Mrs. Heels and 5 BPDS climate activists, joined over 130 elementary students and more than 30 educators from 27 schools across Grey and Bruce counties at the Harmony Centre in Owen Sound for the third annual Youth Climate Action Conference. The event provided a platform for students, educators, and community organizations to come together, learn, and collaborate on climate action initiatives. Over the course of the day, students attending the conference participated in hands-on workshops that explored various climate topics such as how to make shorelines more resilient, composting, and how to use state-of-the-art climate modeling to experiment with different factors that impact climate change. While students were in their sessions, teachers participated in a full day of professional development on how to connect climate to their curriculum, led by Learning for a Sustainable Future.
St. Edmunds Public School News
St. Edmunds celebrated Good Attendance early November for both September and October and drew from the top students who had the best attendance, and each student won a keychain. St. Ed students continue to take part in a Take Me Outside day each week on Thursdays. They have hiked, picked up garbage, matched paint chip colours to nature in the community garden, and played cooperative games outdoors.
St. Ed students are also Litter Ambassadors for Keep the Bruce Clean and Green and will take part in more roadside clean-ups as the Fall progresses and then again in the Spring.
St. Eds hosted a Science Night for parents and students on November 7th, along with a Book Fair and Pizza fundraiser dinner for the New School Playground Initiative.
Upcoming Important Dates:
• December 9-13th – Scholastic Book Fair at BPDS
• December 11th – Festive Feast at St. Eds
• December 13th – Elementary Volleyball Tournament at PSDS
• December 18th – Festive Feast at BPDS
• December 23 – January 3rd – Winter Break
If you don’t already follow our Facebook page, you can follow us at Bruce Peninsula DS or St. Edmunds Public School Community to see all of the amazing things happening at the school. If you ever have questions or concerns, give us a call at (519) 793-3211 or by email: Brenda_Brewer@bwdsb.on.ca and Breanna_Heels@bwdsb.on.ca.
