Important Information About School Starting

Welcome and welcome back to George Waters Middle School (Home of the Sharks)! We are looking forward to a successful 2014-15 school year with your daughter or son.  The information in this letter is intended to keep you informed of opening day procedures and general school routines.

The regular school hours at George Waters Middle School are 8:30 am – 11:15 pm and 12:15 pm - 3:20 pm.

The opening year (2014) schedule is as follows:

       Wednesday, Aug. 20              School office opens
Monday, Sept. 1                       Labour Day (No school)

Tuesday, Sept. 2                       Divisional Inservice-no classes

Wednesday, Sept. 3               Opening year team/triad conferences (no classes/no bussing)

Thursday, Sept. 4                     Opening year team/triad conferences (no classes/no bussing)

Friday, Sept. 5                           First day of classes (regular school hours) (Day 4) 
Please note that regular school bus service will start today.  Bus pick-up and drop-off schedule was in your child’s June report card unless the student is  not presently attending our feeder schools or GWMS in June/14.         

Tuesday, Sept. 9                       Meet the Teacher Event (4:30 – 6pm) GWMS Gym

Tuesday, Sept. 9                       Parent Council AGM (6pm).  All parents are encouraged to attend to meet our Parent Council and learn more about how it supports your children and school activities.

Tuesday, Sept. 16                    PD Meeting (Early dismissal at 2:40 pm)

Opening year team/triad conferences

On September 3 and 4, 2014 parents and students are expected to attend opening year team/triad conferences with their parent(s). This is a great way to meet staff and learn more about our school. At the interviews parents, students and teachers will have an opportunity to meet one another to discuss the child’s education.  Parents can share important information about their child, discuss the use of the agenda book and review their child’s educational goals for the school year.  Below is a breakdown of fees for the 2014-15 school year.  The purpose of this meeting is to promote open and ongoing communication between home and school.  Parents will also have a chance to meet with non-homeroom teachers such as physical education, resource, guidance, band and practical arts.  The school administration team (principal/vice-principal) will also be available.

Students will be allowed to bring their supplies with them to the interview and may place them in assigned lockers.  For grade 6 students, this is also a chance to practice using the combination lock.  Student iPads will be discussed and distributed within the first few weeks of school.

To accommodate parents in our community, we will be conducting 20 minute team (parent, student and homeroom teacher) interviews at the following times:

Wednesday, September 3^rd, 2014                            Thursday, September 4^th, 2014

1:00 PM – 6 PM                                                                 7:40 AM – 1:20 PM

Booking appointments

Beginning Tuesday, August 26^th at 8:30 AM to Tuesday, September 2^nd 3:00 PM, parents may BOOK ON-LINE through our website https://georgewaters.schoolsoft.ca/login.jsf to set-up their appointment.  If you do not have access to a computer you can phone our school (204-888-4898) to arrange an interview time with your child’s homeroom teacher.  Parents who can meet with the teacher during the day are encouraged to do so, as evening and morning times are limited.

Student Fees

Students at George Waters pay their student fees to the homeroom teacher during the triad conference.  We are announcing this procedure well in advance so that you might have an opportunity to obtain the required money during the summer.  In the event you are unable to pay the student fee that day please see one of the administrators.

Student fees are spent as follows:

$20.00   Student fee (Student activities)

$15.00  Yearbook

$ 5.00    Locker/Lock Fee

                                $10.00   GWMS ‘House’ t-shirt (Optional)

Total      $40 or $50 (with shirt)   

**Families with more than one child at George Waters pay $40.00 for the first child and $30.00 (includes yearbook) for each additional child (or $23.00 - no yearbook).

Other possible fees       

Library Fees                                                       Music Fees

Lost magazine                   $3                           Shirt:                                     $10

Lost book                            $10                         Method Book                    $10

                                                                                                Instrument Rental           $120

Hockey Academy             $550

(unless registered through the Winnipeg Jets Hockey Academy then it is free)

Textbooks                           Cost to replace book (varies)     

iPad                                       $25 Caution Fee (optional but recommended)

                                                                $250 - $400, cost to replace lost or broken iPads

The Attendance Policy

 It is very important that the school be informed by the parent or guardian by phone within 24 hours of the student’s return to school if the absence is to be considered excused.  Messages before 8am may be left on our general office voice mail.  Ph.204-888-4898.   Any changes to phone numbers or addresses should be reported to the office as soon as possible to allow us to be able to contact someone in case of an emergency or school closure.                 

Reporting dates for the 2014/15 school year are as follows:

Term 1                                                  Term 2                                                  Term 3

Starts - Sept 5                                    Starts Dec 8                                        Starts - March 16

Student Led Conferences – Nov 18    Student Led Conferences – Feb 26   Ends - June 26

Ends - Dec 4                                        Ends - March 12                                June 29 – Report Cards

Dec 1 – Report Cards                      April 8 – Report Cards   

                

Lunch Program (Lunch hour is 11:15 – 12:15)

Students eat lunch in the cafeteria and not in their classrooms or on the school playground.  They are able to purchase a full range of lunch items at reasonable prices or bring a bagged lunch if they prefer. Courteous behavior and cleanliness are always expected.  Students are to remain seated when in the cafeteria and remain there until they are dismissed.  Food and drink are not to be consumed in the halls, gymnasium, or classrooms.  Anyone found to be misbehaving in the cafeteria may lose their lunchroom privileges for part or all of the remainder of the school year.

Staff/PD Meetings

Please note, the 1^st and 3^rd Tuesday of each month will be staff meeting/pd days resulting in early dismissal (2:40 pm).  The Bussing schedule is adjusted to accommodate this change in time.

Connect with #GWMSwpg

To find all many of the different ways to learn what happens a t #GWMSwpg everyday please visit:

http://goo.gl/M02Iez . Below are a few:

George Waters Middle School Home Page         http://georgewaters.sjsd.net/ 

George Waters News Blog                                          http://gwmssharks.blogspot.ca/

Mr. Mead on Twitter                                                     @andrewmead73

Instagram                                                                            @gwmswpg
George Waters Facebook Page                                 Search for George Waters Middle School

Sign up for text message alerts                                 Text gwmsa to 204-800-2782      

SJASD Website                                                                 http:www.sjsd.net

The School Office will be open until 3:45 PM June 27, 2014. From  August 20, 2014 to August 29 the school office will be open from  7:45 AM until 2:15 pm. Starting September 2, 2014 regular office hours will begin (7:45 am until 3:45 pm daily) (ph.204-888-4898).

If you have questions or require further information, do not hesitate to contact the school.   We will be happy to assist you or answer any of your questions. 

We  hope you have a relaxing and enjoyable summer vacation and that students will be ready to return in the fall, excited to start school again. We look forward to meeting all parents and children during the first two days of triad conferences on September 4 and 5, 2013 and at the Meet the Teacher Event and Parent Council AGM on September 9, 2014 at 6:00 PM.

Sincerely,

Mr. B. Abram, Vice-Principal                       Mr. A. Mead, Principal          

babram@sjsd.net                                            amead@sjsd.net