“We Help Each Other Grow”
Phone: 864-7524
, 2015 Fax: 864-7554
Website: www.cavalier.ednet.ns.ca
October, 2016
Dear Cavalier Families,
Stephen Driscoll
Principal
Safe Arrival: CDS will again provide a “Safe Arrival” program. Please remember to call the
Safe Arrival line if your child is going to be late or absent - 902 864-3176. We
are looking for volunteers to help with this program in the morning and after
lunch. Please call the main office for details.
Daily Attendance: Attendance will be done in the morning at 7:55 am and again at 12: 25 pm.
Students arriving after 7:55 and 12:25 must report to the main office for a late slip.
Early Student Pick-up: Parents who come to the school to pick up their child before dismissal
time must first check in at the main office. No child should leave early from school without
parents/guardians visiting the main office to sign their child out. Parents are reminded that
they must park on one of the neighbouring streets and not enter the school yard with
their vehicles. Please share this information with any adult who may be picking your
child up or dropping your child off at school.
School Visitors: In the interest of student safety, all visitors in the building must
first check-in at the office where the visitor will sign in and receive a badge to
wear while they are in the school. Visitors without a visitor badge will be directed
to the main office.
Changes to your child’s after school arrangements: Unless we are notified in writing, the
school will see that your child will go home as per their regular arrangements. At times,
children try to make their own after school arrangements during the day … but the only way
that we can ensure their safe departure is if parents confirm the arrangements with a note.
New year and new initiatives for students and teachers - As we head into year two of Nova
Scotia's Action Plan for Education, there are many more exciting initiatives for students at all
grade levels this school year.
This fall, students in grades primary to 3 will benefit from hands-on learning, including using
floor robots to learn sequencing and programming. Students in grades 4-6 will benefit from
Innovation and Exploration Kits that include Spheros and Makey Makey invention
kits. Students in grades 7 to 12 will learn coding through events, such as the Hour of Code
and STEAM Olympics, and courses, such as Computer Programming 12. Coding promotes
problem solving, teamwork, critical thinking, creativity and innovation. These skills are not
only related to learning math, science and the arts, but they are also directly linked to many
careers, including computer programming and the marine industries.
With the province's first literacy strategy for students in all grades, there will be a greater
focus on the teaching of reading and writing and the development of oral communication
skills. Reading Recovery support has been increased for grade 1 students. Students in Grades
4 to 6 will have a renewed curriculum, with more time for literacy and math. Class caps are
expanded to grades 4 to 6.
To help more students succeed in math, additional supports will be made available for both
teachers and students. Career education outcomes will assist students as they begin thinking
about their futures and the many possibilities ahead. To learn more about what is new this
year, go to http://novascotia.ca/educationactionplan/ to sign up for ongoing updates from the
Department of Education and Early Childhood Development.
PARKING AND SCHOOL ACCESS - All parents/caregivers are reminded that vehicles are not
permitted on school property from 7:30 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. Students are to be
dropped off on Cavalier Drive or one of the surrounding streets, and if necessary,
walked up to the school. This policy is in place for the safety of all CDS students.
Parents/Guardians are asked to share this information with anyone who may
be picking-up or dropping off your child at the school.
Cavalier Choir - Choir will start meeting Thursday, September 29th at lunch in the music room
for students in grades 4 and 5. If your child wants to join but did not bring home a permission
slip, there is still time to join. Please see Ms. Lisa for a permission slip.
We will have brand new CHOIR SHIRTS this year! They will be purchased by the school,
handed out for performances and then collected and laundered. There is no need to purchase a
shirt this year.Our first performance will be at our annual Remembrance Day ceremony. Date
TBA. Here's to a musical year!
Lisa Thornhill Webb
Long Distance Cell Numbers – Parents/Guardians who have cell numbers from other Provinces
are advised that, at times, this creates an issue of communication with the school. We only
have three phones at the school that are able to complete calls to long distance phone
numbers, so teachers don’t have as easy access to you by phone as they would if you had a
local cell number.
Breakfast Program News – Cavalier Drive School’s Breakfast Program is off to a great start!
We are very pleased to say that along with our staff volunteers, we now have parent
volunteers assisting us 5 mornings a week. Already our parent volunteers are discovering how
awesome it is to interact with our Cavalier children in this worthwhile program. There is still
room for more volunteers if you are interested. Please email our Program’s coordinator, Leah
Gillis at [email protected] with your availability.
We are always looking for donations of non-nut granola bars and low sugar cereals. Please
send in donations with your child and mark them for the Breakfast
Program or you can drop them off at the main office.
Home and School News - It was wonderful to meet so many of you at the ice cream social,
there were quite a few people who signed up to help throughout this year and we are all very
excited for the year ahead.
This month is going to be very exciting for the kids, not only are we having our first school
dance of the year but we are also having a pumpkin carving/decorating contest! Each class will
get one pumpkin to do with as they wish and then we will display them all in the main lobby.
Voting will ONLY take place during the Halloween Costume Dance on Thursday October 28th
from 6:30-8:00 so be sure to mark it in your calendar! Each person attending the dance gets
one chance to vote for which pumpkin they like best, with the winner being announced on
Halloween Morning. The kids will be so excited to show off their creativeness, we can't wait to
see what they come up with! Stay tuned for more information to be sent home later this
month on this event.
Admission to the dance is $5/family, pizza and water will be for sale as well.
Next Home and School meeting is Monday November 7th at 6:30 in the library. Everyone is
welcome!!
STUDENT PHOTOS - Student pictures will take place during the day on Thursday,
October 13th and “retakes” are scheduled for Wednesday, November 16th…morning
only. Stay tuned for further information from Life Touch Photography about the
NEWS FROM THE LIBRARY!
WOW READING CHALLENGE
Cavalier Drive has once again registered for the Challenge. The WOW Reading Challenge
is sponsored by the Adopt-A-Library Program. This program is open to all
schools in the province. The challenge is a reading program aimed at
increasing literacy through a friendly competition between schools.
Beginning November 1, 2016, students and staff will read books, magazines
and newspapers. The Library will keep track of all books read. Students who complete
reading logs provided by the library will win prizes. Cavalier Drive has won their division two years in a row,
can we make it three?
What’s neW in the Library?
The Library is now not only a place to read but also a place to create. Students are invited to visit the library
during lunch on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. The schedule is as follows:
Mondays – Primary – two - 11:15 – 11:55 am
Wednesdays – Grades Three – five – 11:35 – 12:25pm
Thursdays – Grades Three – five – 11:35 – 12:25pm.
We now have a Listening Centre for students interested in listening to audio books, an
LED light table for our artists and a puppet theatre. This is in addition to the
computers, iPads, green screen, Maker Space and chalk table.
So far this year we have added 38 books to our collection!
E-Notices - In order for us to save many, many trees in the run of the year, we are
encouraging all parents to receive school notices through our e-notice system.
If you are currently receiving e-notices, there is no need to contact us unless
your address has changed. If you are new to the school or you have not been
receiving your notices this way and you would like to start doing so, please send
us an email with your address to [email protected] and you will be
added to our list. Include your first and last name as well as the name(s) and
class(es) of your child/children. Thank you.
Power School Parent Portal – parents who need log in information for the Power School Parent
Portal as asked to please email Mrs. MacLean at [email protected]. Please put “Parent Portal”
in the subject line. She will reset your passwords and send the information home. New
students and all primary students have received this information prior to this newsletter, so if
you still require this, please contact Mrs. MacLean.
Dates to Remember
October 3
October 10
October 13
October 18
October 27
October 28
November 7
November 11
November 16
November 14
November 15
November 21-25
December 1
December 5
December 6
December 14 & 15
December 19&20
December 22
Home and School Meeting 6:30 p.m.
Thanksgiving Day – no students present
School Picture Day
SAC Meeting – 6:30 pm
Family Dance 6-7:30 pm
Provincial Conference Day – no students present
Home and School Meeting 6:30 pm
Remembrance Day – no students present
Picture Retake Day – morning only
Assessment & Evaluation Day P-9 – no students present
SAC Meeting – 6:30 p.m.
Report cards sent home
AM – PD day Elem/Jr. High-no students present
PM – Parent/Teacher Interviews- no students present
Home and School Meeting 6:30 pm
Green Christmas Celebration
Christmas Concerts – 7 p.m.
Christmas Concerts – Storm Dates
First Day of Christmas Break P-12