Cootes Paradise Elementary School

Weekly Update
December 18th-December 22nd
Monday, December 18th Tuesday, December 19th Wed. December 20th Thursday, December 21st Friday, December 22nd
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5

Pizza Day Snack Day Last Day Before Winter

Snack Day Break
Winter Drive Pick Up 8:30
Fireside Flannel Day (wear
a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Winter Whiteout Day a flannel shirt and/or Cozy Cootes Pajama Day Twinkle Toes Day (wear
(wear winter comfy clothing) Cootes Colours Day (wear (wear your PJs or cozy mismatched/crazy socks)
colours/patterns) green/gold or your Cootes clothing)
spirit wear)
WINTER SING-ALONG - Friday
December 22 @ 2:45 pm

Letter from the Principals

Dear Cootes Paradise Elementary School Parents and Guardians,

We want to update you on some positive changes we are implementing based on your input. Beginning in January, we are excited to introduce character
assemblies and goals as part of our commitment to fostering a well-rounded educational experience. These monthly assemblies will focus on building
community and instilling important values and qualities in our students, contributing to their personal growth and development.

In response to your feedback regarding communication, we are actively working to enhance our school website and social media presence and update you
on events and festivities with earlier notice so that you can prepare and attend more of the amazing experiences we offer here at Cootes. We are hoping
to provide you with more timely and engaging updates on school activities, events, and achievements so that you can have enough time and notice to
attend some of our events.
As we approach the winter break, we wanted to take a moment to extend our warmest wishes to you and your families. We hope this season brings you
joy, relaxation, and quality time with loved ones.

May the holidays be filled with laughter and cherished moments for you and your children. As we bid farewell to 2023, we express our gratitude for your
continuous support and commitment to the Cootes Paradise Elementary community.

Please be reminded that school will resume on the 8th of January. We look forward to welcoming your children back and embarking on a new year of
learning and growth together.

Wishing you a safe and rejuvenating winter break!

J. Hogan and S. Alves

Upcoming Events

Friday, December 22nd- Last day before winter break

Spirit Days:

○ Monday December 18: Winter Whiteout Day (wear winter colours/patterns)

○ Tuesday December 19: Fireside Flannel Day (wear a flannel shirt and/or comfy clothing)
○ Wednesday December 20: Cootes Colours Day (wear green/gold or your Cootes spirit wear)
○ Thursday December 21: Cozy Cootes Pajama Day (wear your PJs or cozy clothing)
○ Friday December 22: Twinkle Toes Day (wear mismatched/crazy socks)
 Winter Clothing Drive

Families can come and shop on Wednesday, December 20th from 8:30 AM- 11:00 AM at Cootes Paradise.
 Upcoming Holiday Festivities

On Friday, December 22, there will be a schoolwide holiday assembly. Parents/caregivers/families are welcome to attend for the sing-along in the afternoon.
Although parents and caregivers cannot attend the morning assembly due to space/capacity restraints, you can join the Winter Song-Along in the afternoon.

WINTER SING-ALONG - Friday December 22 @ 2:45 pm

Similar to last year, classes will gather in the back playground (facing the field) and sing festive songs together before being dismissed for the winter break. The
sing-along will be weather permitting; families will be notified if it is cancelled.

Monthly Goal/ Character Assemblies

Starting next month, we will be introducing monthly character assemblies led by our esteemed Grade 5 Leadership Group members. These assemblies aim to
foster values that are integral to personal and academic growth while creating a sense of community within our school.

Each month will be dedicated to a specific value, and teachers will nominate students in their classroom who exemplify that month's value. This process will not
only highlight the positive contributions of our students but also encourage them to embody these values in their daily interactions.
Here are the values we will focus on each month:
- January: Positive Culture Creator
- February: Courageous Risk Taker
- March: Collaborative Communicator
- April: Responsible Leader
- May: Environmental Innovator
- June: Inclusive Advocate

We are excited about the positive impact these character assemblies will have on our school community and the values they will instill in our students. We look
forward to your support and participation as we embark on this enriching journey together.

Other Important Dates

Winter Break is from Friday, December 22nd- Friday, January 5th, 2024. *Students return on Monday, January 8th, 2024

French Immersion

The HWDSB uses an on-line, system-wide application process for entry into French Immersion in grade one that allows for program placement of students,
monitoring of accommodations, balance of enrolment, and long-term stability of the French Immersion program. French Immersion email for further questions:
fi@hwdsb.on.ca
Please be aware the important dates below:
- January 12: Deadline for program acceptance and registration
- April 3rd: Application re-opens for late applicants
If you missed a deadline or want more information about French Immersion, please see board website: 2023-24 French Immersion Applications Now Open for
Grade 1 Entry | Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (hwdsb.on.ca)

Safety/ Medical Information

● The COVID Pandemic has taught us proper care when unwell. Please remember that when your child is sick it is important to monitor symptoms, rest and
return to school well. This will help prevent others in our school community from getting sick. Thank you for your continued support.
● Thank you for keeping Cootes Paradise Elementary School a safe place to be. We have multiple students at Cootes Paradise with prevalent medical
conditions including diabetes and life-threatening anaphylaxis.
● Thank you for adhering to the school's dismissal and arrival times. Arriving and leaving on time each day ensures smooth transitions and helps avoid
distribution to learning.
Allergies:

*Thank you for supporting the safety of our students by refraining from sending the following items in your child's lunch if they are in Mrs. Vanzwol and Mrs.
Ristic's class. These items will pose the greatest risk:

1. Liquid spillable dairy: yogurt, milk, pudding, yogurt drinks, yogurt tubes/drinks

2. Powered dairy: goldfish, crackers, Doritos, Cheetos

3. Whole eggs: boiled, scrambled, egg salad sandwiches

Mental Health:

Community-Supports-Caregivers.pdf
 Office Updates

● Cootes now has Instagram and X ! Feel free to follow the account for school updates and celebrations: CootesParadiseElementary. Please note you do not
need an account to see the wonderful activities happening at Cootes.
● Thank you for adhering to the school's dismissal and arrival times. Arriving on time each day ensures smooth class transitions and helps avoid distribution
to learning.
● Please use School Messenger to sign your child(ren) in or out accordingly. When receiving attendance and absence calls from Cootes Paradise, please
check the voicemail and confirm the date before calling the office. Warm thanks for your understanding, as safety is the number one priority.
● Please double-check your Parent Portal. If you are having difficulty logging-in please get in touch with Ms. Stableford in the office for technical assistance
at 905.522.0601

Parent Volunteers

VolunteerHandbook-Oct20-002.pdf (hwdsb.on.ca)

ROM: Community Opportunity Discount

We are pleased to offer a 15% off discount admission coupon Cootes Paradise students, staff, and their families to continue their
learning this Winter Break and enjoy a visit to ROM.

ROM for the Holidays returns with activities for all ages starting December 26, 2023, until January 7, 2024. In addition to exploring art, culture, and
nature throughout our permanent galleries, we also have several feature exhibitions this season with loads of fun educational content: Wildlife
Photographer of the Year, Death: Life’s Greatest Mystery, and more.

See coupon below. The coupon has been approved by the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board.
@cootes_paradise