Hello, ESR Families!
We are full steam ahead as we barrel toward the end of the school year. Only 7 weeks left! Many families will celebrating Mother's Day this weekend, and here is a shout out to all moms, grandmas, aunts and any who are that special someone to the young people in their lives!
Please remember to scroll down to the 'Next Week & FYI' section for next week's calendar, but please also take a moment to read the information below regarding upcoming events.
Currently our annual Read-a-Thon is underway. Students brought information home regarding this fundraiser that promotes reading and will raise funds to purchase decodable readers for classroom libraries. On May 30th the Read-a-Thon will conclude with a 'Dress as Your Favourite Book Character' Day and participants will be entered into a draw for prizes!
The District Track Meet takes place on May 14th (Grade 5&6) and May 15th (Grade 4). The link to order concession food ahead of time has been sent home.
On Thursday, May 15th, Div. 1 - 10 will attend the performance of Matilda at the Clarke Theatre. On Monday, students will bring home a permission form; please return ONLY if your child will not be attending Matilda. Students will travel to the theatre and back by school bus, leaving at 8:50 am and returning at 12:00 pm. There is no cost for the performance, although there will be a $2.00 per student bus fee. *Grade 4 students who are participating in the District Track Meet will not be attending Matilda.
*Students will not be in session on Friday, May 16th (non-instructional day) or Monday, May 19th (Victoria Day).
The Young Entrepreneur Fair will take place on Friday, May 23rd at lunchtime and after school. All students will have the opportunity to 'tour' the fair before lunch so as to have an idea of the many wonderful items crafted by students that can be purchased.
Our Musical Theatre Performance, 'What's the Story, Morning Glory?' will take place on May 27th this year at 6:30 pm. This year's production is unique in that it was co-written with students and tells the history of the integrated arts program here at ESR. Tickets are $6.00 per person and will be available through cash online early next week.
If you are the parent of a Grade 6 student, please send a baby photo of your child to me by May 15th so that I can include it in the Grade 6 year end slide show. At this time I have 17 of 64 students' photos submitted, so please send those photos in at your earliest convenience. *Please note that I won't confirm receipt of every photo, but I will be cross-referencing before the end of the year and will contact parents if their child's photo hasn't been submitted. Email the photo to:
sharon.widdows@mpsd.ca
Freezie and Popcorn days will take place on Fridays after school by the gym door entrance. Students can purchase a bag of popcorn or a freezie for $1.00! Please note that these are not pre-orders and are available while supplies last.
Happy Birthday, ESR! This year, our amazing school is 75 years old! There will be a celebration on June 11th where the public will be invited to attend and learn about the history of this amazing school! Please stay tuned for more information as we get closer to the day.
*Skip the Dishes - Please avoid using skip the dishes as a means to have food delivered for your child(ren). Sometimes the food arrives very late so that students miss play time or class time after scheduled lunch is over, or arrive so early that it can sit out for an hour before a student comes to pick it up. We simply don't have staff available to make sure it's refrigerated or to be dividing portions. Thank you for your support.
A note about attendance. We are currently working with the school district on monitoring student attendance. Attendance greatly impacts student learning and can increase anxiety. If your child has missed 10% or more of school days, it is considered chronic absenteeism and we will reach out to you so that we can meet and create a plan that works for you and your child to help them attend more regularly.
* A note about school fees: Please take a moment you check your child's account and clear any outstanding fees. Some programs at ESR, such as our extra-curricular music clubs, are dependent on fees in order to pay the instructors. Please take care of any outstanding fees for planners, field trips, extracurriculars, and the arts programming fee as soon as possible. Thank you!
Feeding Futures Hot Lunch - If your child is away and you want us to hold their hot lunch, please let the office know before 10:30 am. Otherwise, it will be donated. Thank you.
Did you know that our PAC is creating a cookbook? Please see their message below and remember that you can access the monthly PAC newsletter on the parent page.
ESR PAC is compiling a recipe book to fundraise this school year.
We are needing your tried and true family tested recipes for breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. Send us your favorite soups, sides, entrees, and desserts to esrcookbook@gmail.com along with the surname you would like to use as recognition with your recipe.
Deadline for accepting recipes is January 31, 2025 however it is best to get recipes in as soon as possible to help with our layout and design. We hope to have books available for purchase Spring of 2025.
Please do not block the fire hydrant on Cherry Ave. during drop off and/or pick up so that it is easily accessed in the event of an emergency.
SOGI Myth Busters (1).pdf
Absences - When your child is going to be absent, please notify the office either by telephone (604-826-2834) or email (amy.masuch@mpsd.ca). Thank you.
Current House Team Points:
Shakespeare (red) Beethoven (Black) Pickford (yellow) Odjig (green)
737 735 725 734
Next Week and FYI's
Monday 12 It's Monday - Wear your Spirit Wear!
Div. 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 Planetarium in-house Field Study
Feeding Futures Hot Lunch
Musical Theatre 2:30 - 4:00 pm
Tuesday 13 Div. 9 In class field study - Soapstone Carving
High Jump Practice at Lunch
Band
Wednesday 14 District Track Meet Grades 5 & 6 Albert McMahon
Div. 12 Firefighter Visit
Hot Lunch Feeding Futures
Fiddle Club
Thursday 15 Div. 1 - 10 to Clarke Theatre - Matilda
District Track Meet Grade 4 Albert McMahon
Band
PAC Hot Lunch - Frozen Yogurt
Friday 16 Non-Instructional Day - Students Not in Session
PAC:
President - Marie Aline Thomas
Vice-President - Stephanie Scott
Secretary - Krystal Ensing
Treasurer - Celine Dauphney
DPAC Representative - Alex Strozek
Members at Large - Renay Holz, Katie Knapman, Carrie Biero & Marie Walker
In addition to emails and the Eagle News for parents, you can also subscribe to our school calendar. Important dates can be found on the district and school websites, the Eagle News, and the parent Facebook Page. You can also see the district calendar in your child's planner.
Facebook - For those families who are new and who have access to Facebook, there is a page for ESR parents that you can join. The group posts relevant information and will update with the Eagle News as well as school district messages and other notices. You can request to join the group here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/630266870328153
Please remember that there is a $20.00 arts programming fee for each student which will be due by October 1st. This fee helps sustain our integrated arts program by supporting our artists-in-residence, arts training for teachers, and other aspects of our program. The fee will be payable through cash online.
Staying Safe - Please, please, do not send your child to school sick. If they are fevered, headachy, or are having stomach pains, they should stay home. If your little ones have vomited the night before, they must stay home the next day.
Important note! It is important to remember that students who are sick need to stay home. Stuffy nose, combined with fever and green nasal discharge (yuck!) are signs of infection and can spread at school. We have several students in our building who are immune-compromised who can become seriously ill when exposed to illness. If you child throws up at home, please keep them at home for an additional 24 hours until they are feeling well.
* Remember that you can subscribe to our school calendar which can help keep you up to date on events and activities. You can find the calendar on the main page of our school website.
From the Office
Edwin S. Richards Arts Based Curriculum School
REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL MISSION PUBLIC SCHOOLS:
✓ Children born in 2020 are eligible for Kindergarten in 2025-2026 (Registration will take place for siblings of current ESR Students from December 1-20. Starting January 13, 2025, if there are any spaces still available we will start calling parents who have children on our Kindergarten Wait List to come and register.
✓ Proof of age is required at time of registration: I.E. Birth Certificate, Passport, Permanent Residence Card, BC Services Card (Photo Version Only), Aboriginal Status Card, Certificate of Citizenship or Immigration Canada document. Please Note: The BC Care Card is not acceptable proof of age.
✓ Proof of Residency in BC:
• Parent's Care Card (not student's) / Parent's BC Services Card (not student's) /
Driver's License / Municipal Tax Bill / Rental Agreement or Utility Bill
Early Pickup
If you are coming to the school before usual dismissal, please notify your child's teacher as well as the office in advance. Miss Amy will page your son/daughter and have them waiting inside the school at the front doors. Please pull up to the front of the school and we will send your child out to meet you.
School Cash Online
We are not accepting cash/cheques in the office. If you need help signing on to the School Cash online system, please stop by the Office.
Absences
If your son/daughter will be away, please call and let Miss Amy know 604-826-2834 or email her at amy.masuch@mpsd.ca
Afternoon Pickup
Please arrange play dates and pickup location with your child before school. End of day is a very busy time in the office - it may not be possible to get pickup messages to all students, so please make sure your child knows in advance where to meet you at the end of the day.
Volunteer Forms (1 Page) need to be completed every year & returned to the Office (you can fill them out & print them out from ESR's website or you can get a copy from the Office to fill out & return).
Criminal Record Checks are now done online on the ESR Website:
- Please go to the Parents (Top Tab)
- Volunteer Forms (Side Tab)
- Got to the bottom and click the CRC Link
- Write down the Access Code before you click the actual CRC Form Link to complete your Criminal Record Check (CRC remain effective for 5 years and there is no cost associated with the check).
PAC News
We are very grateful for our dedicated PAC here at ESR for all the hard work they do to benefit students. There are many ways you can become involved. If you are able to assist the PAC in any way - hot lunch, fundraising, etc., please contact them via email at esrichardspac@gmail.com If you have questions regarding any fundraisers, events, etc. that are sponsored by PAC please email them directly for a quicker response.
Thank you to those parents helping with hot lunch! We couldn't have hot lunches without volunteers, and we appreciate everyone who comes to help.
You can also check out the latest PAC news and events at https://www.facebook.com/groups/630266870328153/
General Information
Homestay Families Wanted
Mission Public Schools International Program is accepting applications for nurturing homestay families who want to provide a caring home for our elementary age students. Please clink the link below to apply online or you can email kim.hunter@mpsd.ca if you have any questions.
http://www.studyinmission.ca/become-a-host-family.
