Letter Being Mailed Home Today! Info about 2016-17

This letter is being mailed home today to families returning to GWMS for the 2016-17 school year.  

June 2016

Dear Students and Parents/Guardians,

Welcome and welcome back to George Waters Middle School (Home of the Sharks)! We are looking forward to a successful 2016-17 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 new Principal is Mr. George Valentim. He is coming from Westwood Collegiate and is excited to be a part of this school and community! His contact information is shown below.

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 (September 2016) schedule is as follows:

Monday, Aug. 22                     School office opens

Monday, Sept. 5                      Labour Day (No school)

Tuesday, Sept. 6                      Divisional Inservice - no classes

Wednesday, Sept. 7               Opening year team/triad conferences (no classes/no bussing)

Thursday, Sept. 8                    Opening year team/triad conferences (no classes/no bussing)

Friday, Sept. 9                          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 will be in your child’s June report card unless the student is not presently attending our feeder schools or GWMS in June/15.    

Tuesday, Sept. 20                     Early dismissal at 2:40 pm                                                            

Tuesday, Sept 20                       Meet the Teacher Event (4:30 pm – 6:30 pm) GWMS Gym

Tuesday, Sept. 20                       Parent Council AGM (6:00 pm – 7:00 pm).  All parents are encouragged attend to meet our Parent Council and learn more about how it supports your children and school activities.

Opening year team/triad conferences

On September 7^th & 8^th, 2016 parents and students are expected to attend opening year team/triad conferences. 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 and review their child’s educational needs for the school year. The purpose of this meeting is to begin 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. Also, parents can pay for student fees at this time.  Below is a breakdown of fees for the 2016-17 school year.

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. 

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 7^th, 2016                             Thursday, September 8^th, 2016

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

 Booking appointments

Beginning Tuesday, August 30^th at 8:30 AM to Tuesday, September 6^th 3:00 PM, parents may BOOK ON-LINE through our website http://georgewaters.sjsd.net 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.  In the event you are unable to pay the student fee that day please see Mr. Mead or Mr. Abram as a payment plan can be arranged to suit the needs of individual families)

Student fees are spent as follows:

$20.00   Student fee (Student activities)

$15.00  Yearbook

$ 5.00    Locker/Lock Fee

                               

Total      $40

**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)     

Code of Conduct

In alignment with the Manitoba Education Provincial Code of Conduct and the St. James-Assiniboia School Division’s Student Conduct policy (JK), George Waters Middle School’s goal is to provide a safe, secure and caring learning environment, which fosters student’s personal growth, self-respect, and a sense of belonging which encourages them to be responsible citizens in the present and in the future. The complete George Waters Middle School Code of Conduct can be found on our website: http://georgewaters.sjsd.net.

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 by calling 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 2015/16 school year are as follows:

Dates                     Dates                                     Write reports                    Length                  Distribute reports

Term 1                   Sept. 9 – Nov. 24               Nov. 25                                 53 days                 Dec. 7

Term 2                   Nov. 28 – March 16         March 17                             65 days                  April 5

Term 3                   March 20 – June 27         June 16                                 63 days                  June 28

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.

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 and there is no late bus on these days (or Friday).

Portfolio Café (Parent Teacher Evening)

To encourage ongoing communication between home and school George Waters MS hosts two parent-teacher evening throughout the year. This provides the parent an opportunity to come to the school to look at their child(ren)’s work and speak to teachers. Saying that, parents are welcome to come to school anytime during regular hours to speak to teachers and/or look at work.

Portfolio Café Dates       Tuesday, November 15 from 4:00 – 7:00 pm

Tuesday, March 7 from 4:00 – 6:00 pm

Connect with George Waters Middle School

To find all many of the different ways to learn what happens at #GWMSwpg and to keep in touch please visit:

               

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

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

Twitter                                                                         @GeorgeWatersMS

Instagram                                                                    @georgewatersms
George Waters Facebook Page                                https://www.facebook.com/GeorgeWatersMS

School Office                                                                204-888-4898

Mr. Valentim’s Cell phone (text or call)                  204-612-2614

Mr. Valentim’s email                                                  gvalentim@sjsd.net

Staff Email                                                                    http://georgewaters.sjsd.net/Staff%20Online

SJASD Website                                                             http://www.sjsd.net

The School Office will be open until 3:45 PM June 30, 2016.

From August 22, 2016 to September 2, 2016 the school office will be open from 7:45 AM until 2:15 pm.  

Starting September 6, 2016 regular office hours will begin (7:45 am until 3:45 pm daily).

If you have questions or require further information, do not hesitate to contact the school using any of the platforms shown above. 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 7 and 8, 2016 and on September 20, 2016  please join us for our Meet the Teacher event (4:00 – 6:30 PM) and Parent Council AGM (6:00 – 7:00 PM).

Sincerely,

Mr. B. Abram, Vice-Principal                       Mr. George Valentim, Principal          

babram@sjsd.net                                          gvalentim@sjsd.net