Mustang Memo - September 20, 2024
Thank you to all of the parents who joined us for our first school council meeting and DCFS meeting of the year! We couldn't make the magic happen at school without our incredible parent leadership.
With the Fall flu season upon us, make sure to rest up, eat well and wash those hands!
Enjoy the weekend!
Helene Hewitt & Jay Robertson
Principal & Assistant Principal
A place where you belong!
Table of Contents
Week At a Glance
Action
- Elk Island Public School is on Instagram
- First Nations, Métis and Inuit Sharing - Orange Shirt Day
Opportunity
- Counselor's Corner
Information
- Parents Make the Difference
WEEK AT A GLANCE
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ACTION
Elk Island Public Schools is on Instagram!
Want reminders and news about EIPS? You can now follow the Division on Instagram @elkislandpublicschools. Stay in the know about what’s going on, from divisionwide celebrations to reminders about important dates and deadlines. You can also connect with EIPS on Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and the EIPS website.
Interested in school-specific updates? Follow Davidson Creek Elementary on Instagram @Davidsoncreekelementary and on the parent Facebook page!
First Nations, Métis and Inuit Sharing - Orange Shirt Day
Orange Shirt Day is a day of remembrance and and act of reconciliation that takes place annually across Canada. This is an opportunity to commemorate the history and legacy of residential schools. It grew out of a gathering of survivors held in Williams Lake, British Columbia in 2013, where Phyllis Webstad, who attended St. Joseph Mission residential school, shared her experience of having her new orange shirt taken on her first day. You can learn more about it with this video:
Orange Shirt Day at Davidson Creek
At our school, our students are invited to wear an orange shirt on September 27. Throughout the week, students will learn about Orange Shirt Day as well as participate in a writing and art activity in class.
We will also share a video of Elder Wilson in our morning announcements which will provide students a chance to learn the Orange Shirt Day dance. Teachers will also engage in a variety of educational activities that were shared by our school division to help teach children about acts of reconciliation to help heal the hurts caused by residential schools. that are developmentally appropriate.
OPPORTUNITY
Counselor's Corner
“What do I do if I am being cyberbullied?”, “can people find your private information online even if you don’t tell them?”, “how do I stay safe online?”- These are all questions that children are grappling with more and more often.
The risk of exploitation and exposure to age-inappropriate content is an ongoing concern for parents and caregivers of children. Many community organizations are working hard to spread the word about how we can keep our kids safe online. For instance, apps like Snapchat and Tiktok, which may seem relatively safe at first glance, can put children at risk of exposure to violent or graphic content that is difficult to track and monitor. Being aware of the ways your child may be exposed on these apps and making sure that they know they can always talk to you without getting in trouble if they are exposed to something inappropriate or dangerous, are very important parts of keeping them safe. Below are some resources to help you stay on top of the current and evolving risks kids are facing online.
Protect Kids Online- Information By Age and Interests
Ask a Specific Question About Online Safety for Kids
Parents Ultimate Guide to Tiktok
Madison Bashaw & Kelley Mitchell
DCE Counsellors
INFORMATION
Parents Make the Difference
Here is this week's article with helpful tips for families:
Keep your child safe while navigating the online world
Technology has changed how students learn and how they socialize. Millions of kids in all age groups are online every day—at home, at school, at friends’ homes, at the library—and many are creating online content.
To promote online safety:
- Discuss rules and expectations. Use software that helps protect children, but supervise carefully, too. Allow your child to communicate online only with people you both know.
- Set guidelines. Establish times when technology is not allowed, and set a time when all devices must be turned off for the evening.
- Remind your child not to reveal personal information online, such as phone numbers, school name, passwords or your home’s location.
- Keep internet use out in the open. Have your child use computers and digital devices in common areas where you can supervise.
- Learn about the websites and apps your child wants to visit or download. Make sure you approve of the content.
- Encourage your child to tell you about any inappropriate content, messages or experiences online. Report concerns to the authorities.
For more safety tips, visit the Family Online Safety Institute at www.fosi.org/good-digital-parenting.
Reprinted with permission from the September 2024 issue of Parents make the difference!® (Elementary School Edition) newsletter. Copyright © 2024 The Parent Institute®, a division of PaperClip Media, Inc.