Mustang Memo - December 13, 2024

This week we were treated to a festive delight during our two evenings of well-attended Christmas Concerts. The students impressed us with singing, dancing and some great puns! From a magical sled that had us visiting other countries to crayons fighting over the best colours for the season, it was a great event for all!

We heard beautiful melodies, listened to xylophones and ukeleles. Who could forget our adorable kindergarten students who had us all charmed by simply standing on stage. There were songs about nutcrackers and fancy lights that danced in time with the music. One song that was dear to my heart was about how to "shop 'til you drop"! 

Thank you to our talented music duo, Mrs. Allen and Ms. Falcon, for working so hard to make each child experience success at these performances. They made sure that every child had a chance to experience a special moment through a speaking part, an instrument part, a well-timed joke, a chance to show off some fancy white glove choreography or by singing along with the entire choir. It was magical!

With only one week to go before a well-deserved Christmas break, we hope that everyone has a chance to catch up on their sleep this weekend!

Helene Hewitt & Jay Robertson

Principal & Assistant Principal

You belong here!

Table of Contents

Week At a Glance

Action

• Fee Waiver Application Deadline
• DCE Parents Rule!

Opportunity 

• Come and Sing with Us
• School Fee Discussion in January

Information

• Christmas Break
• Merry Christmas from the Board of Trustees
• Parents Make the Difference

WEEK AT A GLANCE

ACTION

Fee Waiver Application Deadline

If circumstances exist where you’re unable to pay school or transportation fees, you can apply to have fees waived by submitting an Application for a Waiver of Fees. The application deadline is Dec. 16, 2024. If you’re new to the Division, the deadline is the latter of Dec. 16, 2024, or 45 days after registration.

To access your fee information, simply log in to the PowerSchool Parent Portal and go to “Student Fees.” There you can view your fees and pay them online using Visa or MasterCard. All fees are due within 30 days of being posted.

Don’t forget to also log in to the PowerSchool Parent Portal regularly throughout the year. Fees are often added to your child’s account to cover the cost of various school activities such as field trips, class projects, extracurricular activities and more.

For more information about school fees, waivers and payment deadlines, visit www.eips.ca/schools/fees and DCE Fees. Alternatively, contact Christa Gawron, Davidson Creek Elementary business manager at 780-467-5557.

DCE Parents Rule!

Did you know that 90% of our parents opened their child's report card? 

Way to go, Mustangs! We are so proud of our parent community for such high levels of involvement! If you are in the 10% who meant to read the report card but got too busy, it's not too late! Call the office if you need tech help. Go, team DCE!

OPPORTUNITY

Come and Sing with Us!

Do you like singing? Why not join us this Friday at 10:45 a.m. for a Christmas carol and holiday themed sing-a-long! Students will sit in their cozy pajamas and sing some great tunes! Parents are welcome to join us!

School Fee Discussion in January

Save the date for our next school council meeting on January 21, 2025 at 6 p.m. in the library. We will be talking about school fees for the upcoming 2025-26 school year.

INFORMATION

Christmas Break

Davidson Creek Elementary will close for the Christmas break at the end of the day on Friday, Dec. 20, 2024. The school will reopen on Monday, Jan. 6, 2025. During this time, if you have any school-related questions or concerns, contact Elk Island Public Schools (EIPS) Central Services at 780-464-3477.

EIPS Central Services Christmas Break Hours

Closed             Dec. 25, 2024 to Jan. 1, 2025

Open               Jan. 2, 2025; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

*for location and contact information visit www.eips.ca.

From everyone at Elk Island Public Schools, we wish all of you a happy holiday season and a wonderful New Year.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from the Board of Trustees

I wish to extend warm holiday wishes to all students, staff and families on behalf of the Elk Island Public Schools Board of Trustees.

As busy as we know this time can be, it’s nice to take a moment to look back with gratitude on the past year. We are thankful for the incredible parents and caregivers in the communities we serve, who consistently step up to support both students and educators—day in and day out. We appreciate our staff members, in schools and at Central Administration, for their commitment to excellence in learning. And we celebrate students across the Division, who work so hard and make us proud.

We hope you enjoy all the wonderful concerts, shows and festivities happening at your school, and that you get a chance for rest and reflection during the break. To all of you—have a joyous holiday season, and a healthy and happy New Year.

We look forward to seeing everyone back at school on Jan. 6, 2025.

Merry Christmas and happy holidays,

Cathy Allen
EIPS Board Chair

Parents make the difference

Here is this week's article with helpful tips for families:

Making gifts develops essential skills

Making homemade gifts for family members and friends helps young children build valuable school skills. It promotes creativity, supports cognitive development, strengthens fine motor skills, boosts problem-solving and communication skills and much more!

Your child could:

• Read a book aloud and record it for a younger sibling to listen to while reading.
• Frame a list, such as “My 10 Best Memories With Grandpa.”
• Play a favorite game with a family member or a neighbor who is homebound.
• Record an audio or video message for a loved one who lives far away.
• Create a music playlist with favorite songs to share.
• Bake cookies and deliver them to someone who may not receive many homemade gifts.
• Create a calendar for 2025 and decorate it with personalized artwork.
• Make a gift certificate good for two hours of household help.
• Create a beautiful picture or poem about a special person.

Reprinted with permission from the December 2024 issue of Parents make the difference!^®  (Elementary School Edition) newsletter. Copyright © 2024 The Parent Institute^®, a division of PaperClip Media, Inc.