Friday Blast

Maple Ridge Elementary

Friday, Oct. 6th, 2023

THIS WEEK

Fall has officially arrived, and the hallways are filled with beautiful artwork reflecting the changing seasons – pumpkins and leaves are everywhere! Almost all our school community routines and programs are up and running and students can be seen listening to read-alouds, conducting science experiments, visiting with buddy classes, using technology, playing sports or going on field trips.

NEXT WEEK

Monday, October 9:

Thanksgiving Holiday – Classes Not in Session

Last Day to Order School Photos (for October delivery)

Contact studio@photoexpressions.ca if you’ve misplaced your card or code.

Tuesday, October 10:

7:30 am Triple ball practice in gym

9 am – Division 20 + 21 Pumpkin Patch Field Trip

– Division 12 + 13 Aldor Acres Field Trip

 2:30 pm – Explorations Program for registered students

Wednesday, October 11:

3:00 pm Triple ball game @ MRE

Thursday, October 12:

Friday, October 13:

Photo re-take day

Hot Lunch ‘Pizza Pizza’ for those who have ordered.

CROSS COUNTRY

If your child is interested in participating in cross country this year, permission forms were posted on the parent portal today! Cross country is a great form of exercise, and an opportunity to learn skills of resilience and perseverance. The intermediate cross-country run will take place at Alouette Lake on Tuesday, October 17^th at 3:15 pm. It is open to students in Grade 4-7.  The primary cross-country run will take place at the Albion Sports Complex on Wednesday, October 18^th at 3:15 pm.  It is open to students in Grade 1-3. Please note that this is an after school activity and parents are responsible for the transportation and supervision of their child.

FRASER HEALTH

Fraser Health envelopes have gone home to grade 6 students.  Please fill out and return these forms to the school by October 11^th.

DROP OFF & PICK UP SAFETY

Drop-off and pick-up are busy times at MRE. Students come and go excitedly and are still learning about road safety. For this reason, we are closing off the lane at the front of the school during pick-up at the end of the day. The lane will remain open for drop-off in the morning. This is for a quick drop-and-go only. We ask that you pull over to the right. Do not leave your vehicle for any reason.

At the end of the day, please find an alternative location to meet your child or park in one of the areas shown below, all of which are within a 5-minute walk to the school. Please note that staff parking lots should not be used to pick up and drop off students before or after school. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work together to keep our students safe.

HEALTH AWARENESS

We are continuing to practice Health Awareness this year for everyone entering our school – this includes staff, students, and visitors. Health awareness includes checking regularly for any symptoms of illness (including, but not limited to, COVID-19 symptoms) and staying home when sick.

ATTENDANCE

If you know that your child is going to be late or absent from school, please let us know through either the parent portal, by calling us at 604-467-5551 or by emailing mre_reception@sd42.ca. If you know your child will be absent multiple days in a row you can enter them all at once so that you do not need to update it each day.

WESTCOAST RECESS AND LUNCH – DRESS FOR THE WEATHER 

A reminder that MRE students play outside even when it is cold, rainy, or snowy.  Only on rare occasions will we keep students inside.  We would ask that you send your student(s) to school dressed for the weather (boots, coats, mitts, umbrella, etc.).  Please send an extra set of clothing if you know your student gets wet playing on the slides or in the field.

LIBRARY NEWS

There are still some library books that didn’t make their way back to school before the summer break. Students will need to return them before they can sign out new books! Please contact Mr. Bisset about lost books.

CHRISTMAS HAMPERS

This year our school will be collecting donations for the Christmas Hampers that will be donated to families in our community and the Hamper Society.

Each week we will be collecting donations based upon a “theme”.

Next week’s theme is personal items like deodorant, moisturizer, shampoo/conditioner, nail polish, etc.

Please see the flyer below for the full list of what each week’s theme will be.

If you have other donations that do not match the themes, we will still collect them and donate them to families.

IN OUR COMMUNITY

Grade 5 and 6 students residing in the City of Maple Ridge can experience the positive benefits of leisure and recreation at no charge!

Eligible students will have FREE access to drop-in activities offered through Maple Ridge Parks, Recreation & Culture at the Maple Ridge Leisure Centre (MRLC), Hammond Outdoor Pool (during operational season), and Planet Ice Maple Ridge (PIMR).

https://www.mapleridge.ca/1474/Grade-5-6-Active-Pass

 Each month Fraser Health will share information and resources regarding children’s health.

October – Child health screenings: vision, hearing and dental

Make dental, hearing and vision checks part of a healthy routine

Health screenings help find issues early which can make treatment easier and more effective. It’s important for your child to have regular eye exams and routine dental checkups. It is also important to recognize any hearing loss early as this is essential for speech and language development. Read on to learn when and how to access services for your child.

Dental

Tooth decay is the most common, but preventable, childhood chronic disease. It is important to establish good oral hygiene at a young age and have children’s teeth checked by a dentist regularly. To find a local dentist near you who is accepting new patients, visit the BC Dental Association’s Find a Dentist database. If you are a member of a low-income family and you do not have extended health coverage, there are several programs that can help you access affordable dentistry for your children. You can also contact the dental program at your local public health unit and ask about resources available in your community.

Vision

BC Doctors of Optometry recommends children receive their first eye exam when they are six to nine months old with a follow up exam at least once between the ages of two and five and then yearly once they enter school. You can find an optometrist accepting new patients near you at the College of Optometrists of British Columbia’s Find an Optometrist database. In B.C., basic eye exams, one per year, are free up to the age of 18. Some optometrists may charge a small user fee of about $35 per visit so be sure to ask about any fees before you make an appointment.

Hearing

Good hearing is essential for speech and language development and plays an important part in a child’s social and emotional growth. It is important to recognize hearing loss early and seek out testing and treatment if needed. Fraser Health’s Public Health community audiologists provide hearing services for children from birth to 19 years of age. If you have a concern about your child’s hearing, referrals can be made by a parent or caregiver, a health care provider or education professional to your local public health audiology (hearing) clinic.

Find more information on child health screenings and how to access free vision, hearing and dental exams on Fraser Health’s website: https://ow.ly/oK9z50PegZB

Curious Minds Learning Centre LTD. 📚🍎

We still have spaces available in
Our Morning Preschool Class 9am – 1pm (located at Maple Ridge Elementary)

2 days/week (Tues & Thurs) = $162/month

3 days/week (M-W-F) =$217/month

5 Days/week =$280/ month

+ $50 registration fee

******SUBSIDY WELCOME *******

www.curiousmindslearningcentre.com

curiousmindslearning@shaw.ca

Phone: Ms. Sarah 604-315-3240

 FOUNDRY NEWS

The Foundry provides mental health care, substance use services, physical and sexual health care, youth and family peer supports, and social services to youth aged 12-24 years of age. It provides drop-in counselling as well as various social events that your child can attend. This is a great way to build positive connections with others within the Maple Ridge community.

Parent Advisory Committee

There are several ways you can support MRE by getting involved with PAC!

Maple Ridge Elementary Facebook Page: Check out PAC’s calendar of events and learn more about PAC information.

Sign up to help:

https://signup.com/group/47703560186256400

Attend a meeting: The next meeting is on Monday, Oct. 16th at the MRE library and starts at 7:00 pm. We hope to see you there! 

HOT LUNCH SCHEDULE

Oct 13 – Pizza Pizza

**Orders Now closed

Oct 27 – Cobbs

**Orders Due Oct 19

Nov 9 – Subway

**Orders Due Nov 1

Nov 24 – Tim Hortons

**Orders Due Nov 16

Dec 8 – Pizza Pizza

**Orders Due Nov 30

MRE’s Family Halloween Dance

Oct. 27th 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Wear your costume!

Drinks & snacks available for purchase

Admissions by donation.

Students must be accompanied by an adult.