Polson Family Update: January 4, 2026

Happy New Year!

We hope you had a wonderful break and look forward to resuming classes and welcoming new and returning students back to Polson for 2026!

 December Highlights

Thank you to everyone who contributed to the variety of special activities we enjoyed in December including an excellent Dragon Trouble play put on by Ms. Salvary’s grade 5/6 students.  As well, we enjoyed wonderful performances by kindergarten students in Mme Fischer’s & Mme Dale’s and Ms Simkins & Ms Van Galen’s classes and the grade 1 students in Ms. Honcharsky’s class.  Congratulations ot all staff involved in offering these opportunities for students to shine on stage! Thank you also to the many parents and caregivers who visited Polson classroom’s to share their diverse family traditions with their child’s and to our educators for engaging parents in classroom learning activities all through the year.

Congrats to all classes who participated in our door/window decorating challenge. The favourites as selected by student council were:

Math Magic: Monsieur Ormiston's class

We are the World: Mme Fischer & Mme Dale's Class

Winter Wonderland: Ms. Scott's Class

Most Interactive: Mme Carew's Class

Most Comical: Mme Ducharme's Class

People's Choice Award, most student votes: Mme Moore's Class

Recess Schedule Change

In December we experienced some crowding and other safety concerns at recess.  The staff has developed a new nutrition break/recess schedule that will allow us to reduce the number of students to supervise on the main yard at recess and increase the amount of space for students to play safely when outside. 

No changes will occur to the daily scheduled 40-minute break times, but we will flip recess and nutrition beak times for junior homerooms.   Primary homeroom classes will continue with their current schedule of recess during the first 20 minutes followed by a 20-minute nutrition break, while junior students will eat during the first 20-minutes and go outside for their 20-minute recess following their nutrition break.

This change will allow all students to access all areas of the school yard and create more room on the pavement for four-square and basketball, more space for soccer and football games etc. in the field areas and access to both climbers when weather permits.  This will also allow us to provide leadership opportunities for junior students interested in being yard pals during primary recess.  As we move forward, we will review the implementation with staff, students, and families, and make any adjustments where needed. 

Southeast Public Health Mandatory Immunization Reporting Information for Families

As required by the Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA), SEPH will begin reviewing student immunization records and issuing immunization notices and suspension orders to non-compliant students starting in January 2026. The ISPA requires that for children born in 2-10 or later, students be appropriately immunized against the following diseases, or have a valid medical or conscience/religious exemption on file at public health:

• diphtheria

• tetanus

• polio

• measles

• mumps

• rubella

• meningococcal disease

• pertussis (whooping cough)

• varicella (chickenpox) –

Students who do not provide proof of immunization or a valid exemption to SEPH may be suspended from school under the ISPA for up to 20 school days.

Lunch is Ready! Free Lunch Program

The  registration  deadline for the winter term (January 12–April 6, 2026) closed on December 19^th. Registration link: https://foodsharingproject.store/

 Ifou missed the deadline, please contact us as soon as possible!

This week’s menu:   Meal 1 Classic Bento Box Veggies with hummus dip, fresh fruit, pita, cheese and chicken salad pinwheel, (plus hard[1]boiled egg in senior meals).

LunchBox -Wednesday School Lunch Orders:

Subway subs will be delivered on Wednesday, January 7th

A reminder that orders are due each Sunday by noon through the LunchBox website for delivery on Wednesdays at first nutrition break.                                               :

Please sign up/order by following the link: Lunchbox Orders

A Peek at the Week:

SAVE THE DATES:

·      Wednesday, January 14^th-School Advisory Council Meeting at 6 pm in person & virtual

·      Monday, January 12^th-Immunization Notification & Suspension Letters distributed to students missing documentation of immunization or valid exemption on file at Public Health

·      Friday, January 16^th Sports Jersey Spirit Day

·      January 26^th -Literacy Week

·      Friday, January 30^th PA Day