Kings County Academy
Mike Ouellette, Principal
Victoria Laurence, Vice-Principal
Telephone: (902)690-3850
kca.ednet.ns.ca
35 Gary Pearl Drive
Kentville NS B4N 0H4
Fax: (902)690-3864
NEWSLETTER
January 29, 2015
Hello families at home,
Winter has finally arrived…with a vengeance. I prefer the snow to the rain we had for much of the early
winter and I think the kids do as well. We finally have a playground that is a lot more fun than the soggy
or icy mix that has plagued us for the last few weeks and months.
Our French Immersion meeting will be held Wednesday, February 4 at 7 PM in our cafeteria. We
encourage families interested in the program to attend and certainly welcome all families to learn more
about the Immersion program regardless of whether you have or plan to have children register for the
program. The KCA program will continue to take in primary immersion registrations for at least one more
year after next year. Board policy and procedures dictate that Immersion programs be reviewed every
three years to determine if the program is still sustainable based on primary registrations. You can learn
more about this by checking the board policy on immersion at www.avrsb.ca.
AVRSB is asking all parents/guardians, staff and students to help us learn more about the diversity of our
students, staff and communities. Starting on February 2, 2015, we would like to have as many students
and staff as possible identify their ancestry and/or Aboriginal identity. Please note that self-identification
is for everyone. A Self-Identification package will be delivered to all students. We encourage you to
complete the Self-Identification form on your child’s behalf and return it to school. This information will
help us to know who our students and staff are, how demographics are changing, and will help us plan
how best to support the success of all students. Even if you have self-identified in the past, we want to
make sure everyone has a chance to provide or update information, or to add more than one ancestry
and/or Aboriginal identity. Thank you in advance for helping us to collect this information. For further
details, please do not hesitate to call me or visit www.avrsb.ca.
An important reminder…in the morning, can those of you that are dropping students off in the morning
please do so as quickly as you can. The long line of cars that develops in the morning when parents are
taking a long time to drop off students really does create chaos. I know the challenges that are presented
by the design of the drop-off area and, in the short-term, there is not much I can do to change that (and I
doubt it will ever change in the long run). But, if you can resist the urge to take too long to send your kids
off into the school that would be really helpful in relieving the early morning traffic pressure. Please use
the full loop, as the sidewalk does extend quite far and students do not necessarily need to be dropped off
right outside the front doors. This allows for more cars to enter the loop. If you need to come in to the
school to touch base with staff prior to 8 AM, please park in the parking lot, not the drop-off loop.
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We have also noticed a growing number of students arriving late. Please have them here before 8 AM.
Morning routines are important in all our classrooms and having a large number of late students is
disruptive to classrooms and the office as attendance has to be altered and instruction and classroom
activities are interrupted.
Lastly, the Volunteer policies and procedures of the school board now require completed "Child Abuse
Register - Request of Search" approval letter and a Criminal Records Check prior to commencement of
volunteering. Once the board has these, they will notify us that the volunteer applicant is approved. Until
this happens, they will not be permitted to begin working in the school, attending class trips and so on.
These screening tools will now also be updated every 3 years. The process for reviewing these lists and
contacting volunteers is currently being developed and more information will follow.
Important Dates: (A full list of KCA’s upcoming dates and class trips are available at kca.ednet.ns.ca)
- Mondays, Feb. 2, 9 & 23 – Ski/Board Club to Martock (afterschool)
- Wednesday, Feb. 4 – 7pm – Cafeteria - French Immersion Information Session (for parents of
students starting Primary in September 2015)
- Wednesday, Feb. 11 – Skating program – P – 3 (am)
- Friday, Feb. 13 – NO SCHOOL – Inservice
- Monday, Feb. 16 – NO SCHOOL – NS Heritage Day
- Tuesday, February 17 – PTA Meeting 6 pm
- Thursday, February 19 – Grade 6 – 8 Dance – 7 – 9 pm
- Wednesday, Feb. 25 – Skating program – P – 3 (am)
- Thursday, Feb. 26 – Movie Night – 6 pm (hosted by the PTA)
- Thursday, Feb. 26 – Student-Led appointment request form due back to homeroom teacher
- Friday, Feb. 27 – 11 am Dismissal – Inservice
- Wednesday, March 4 – Skating program – P – 3 (am)
- Thursday, March 5 – 11 am Dismissal – Student Led Conferences (afternoon & evening)
- March 16 - 20 inclusive – March Break – No School
Note from the Library
Hello, I am Christine Davis, KCA’s new librarian. Most students participate in library on a weekly basis
to sign out books. There have been many new changes in the library besides myself. The School Board
provided some new shelving as well as Mr. Duke (Parent) made new shelves for the library. Thank you
to David Duke for taking the time to make the shelves. They allow books to be displayed in a more
appealing way.
Our first Book Fair was well received by our families. Our theme was Knights and Castles and the
students really enjoyed being King or Queen for the day. I was able to purchase $1,700.00 worth of new
books for the library. Thanks to all the families who supported the Book Fair, and our volunteers,
Caroline Hunt, Sonja Bent, Heather Churchill, and Sylvia Berrey who helped set up and run the parent
evening.
The next Book Fair will be held during the last week of February. Our theme will be “Under the Sea”
where our Stars of the Sea can go to find their wonderful new books. Family shopping evening will be
Wednesday February 25, from 6-8 pm. Keep an eye out for our stars of the sea.
Philip Moscovitch, a writer who lives in Peggy’s Cove, came and shared with our grade six to eight
students information on how to write a comic strip. Doretta Groenendyk, writer and illustrator from
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Canning will be coming to work with some students in February. I would like to invite you to check out
the library the next time you are at school to view all the improvements.
PTA Message
We begin by extending many rounds of thanks! A big thank you goes to Dana Feltham who organized
our Christmas Shopping Party again this year. It was a great success, raising almost $1,200 and wouldn’t
have been possible without the many volunteers who helped with the set-up, sale and classroom wrapping
support! Hats off to you!!
A big thank you goes to Karena vanKippersluis of Rocky Mountain Enterprises for again offering us
the opportunity to raise money for the PTA through her family’s Christmas Tree Upick. Over $200 was
raised for the PTA and our efforts also contributed to the Canadian Cancer Society! So, many thanks to
the families who took advantage of this opportunity to make this happen!
On Thursday February 26th we are having a family movie night, showing “Big Hero 6”! Doors will open
at 6:00 and the show starts at 6:30. There will be a canteen available and entry is free will donation at the
door. Parents are required to remain with their children for this event, and it is also recommended that
you bring “campfire gear” to get yourselves all cozy and settled in! Some even come in their PJs! 
Our next meeting will be Tuesday February 17th at 6:00 in the art room. As always, everyone is welcome
to attend!
Kathy Boutilier, President
Physical Education Department
Basketball season is in full swing. We have two junior boys’ teams and one junior girls’ team. All teams
have finished playing their regular exhibition games and soon will be involved in the playoffs starting in
February. A schedule will be given to all players when available. Good luck to our basketball teams.
KCA Ski & Snowboard Club
An enthusiastic bunch of students have been getting out Monday nights and enjoying the snow and cold!
The KCA Ski & Snowboard Club is well into their third season with 37 registered participants. We have
had two great weeks on the hill with the support of KCA parents and staff. It is a great way to introduce
young people to a lifelong sport. The club is open to children in grades 3 to 8. Limited spots are still
available for the last four weeks, forms are available at the office. For further information email Jenny
Haynes at [email protected] or contact the school office at 690-3850.
A Special Thank-You
The Holiday season is filled with craziness, happiness and good will. It is a time to spend with families
and friends, and have special memories made. KCA would like to thank, the staff of KCA, the staff of
Weavexx in Kentville, Jamie Norman and Forbes Kia, Joey Murphy and the staff of Kings Arms by Lew
Murphy’s, Bob and Cathy Diggins, Bernie Conway and Anderson Sinclair Law Firm, Natalie D’Aubin
and Andrea Watts of Occasions Gift and Décor, David and Luwanna Fagan, Jason Cleveland, Rotary
club Members of New Minas , Matt MacCarthy and Sports Chek, and Melanie Seamone and staff and
members of Curves in Kentville for their generosity and festive spirit!
Primary Registration Reminder
If you have a child starting Primary in September (must be 5 yrs. of age on or before December 31st) and
have not yet completed a registration form, please complete the attached form or go to our website at
kca.ednet.ns.ca and download the Primary Registration form. This can be faxed or dropped off at the
school.
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2015 PRIMARY REGISTRATION
Primary Registration at Kings County Academy (KCA) will be held on
Thursday, April 30 and Friday, May 1, 2015. A copy of your child’s
birth certificate, health card and a record of immunization will be
required on registration day. The school will contact parents in April to
arrange an appointment time for one of these days so it is important to
include a working telephone number where you can be reached.
If you have a child who will be 5 years of age ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER
31, 2015 would you please complete the following form and return or fax to
Kings County Academy. (If this does not apply to you, could you please pass
the form to a neighbour or relative whose child will be starting primary at
KCA in September, 2015.)
If you wish to register your child in the Primary French Immersion program
please indicate below. There will be a French Immersion information
meeting for parents on Wednesday, February 4 at 7pm in the Cafeteria.
Mike Ouellette, Principal
Telephone: 690-3850/Fax: 690-3864/Email to [email protected]
Mailing Address: 35 Gary Pearl Dr., Kentville, NS B4N 0H4
RETURN BOTTOM PORTION TO THE SCHOOL
NAME OF CHILD (as on birth certificate):________________________________________
(FULL NAME –surname, first, middle)
MALE _____ FEMALE _____ EMAIL ADDRESS ______________________________
CHILD’S DATE OF BIRTH:___________________________________________________
NAME OF PARENT / GUARDIAN______________________________________________
CIVIC ADDRESS:___________________________________________________________
MAILING ADDRESS:_______________________________________________________
DAYTIME PHONE # :_______________________________________________
I WISH TO ENROL MY CHILD IN THE FRENCH IMMERSION PROGRAM:
_____YES _____NO _____UNDECIDED
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