January 2025 Newsletter
Principal Message
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! I hope that everyone is looking forward to enjoying their amazing break and you are able to enjoy the winter weather with skating, tobogganing and outside fun.
We want to remind you that students will return to school starting on Monday January 6th.
I also want to remind you to PLEASE send your children with ALL the appropriate clothes needed for a winter’s day as we will be going outside to enjoy the beautiful winter wonderland.
Our annual TLC Information Night will be hosted in-person on January 9th in the school gym at 6:30pm. This presentation is for families who are interested in attending our school for the 2025/26 school year and want to learn more about our amazing program. If you have friends or family interested, please be sure to let them know about this evening. Expressions of Interest Forms will be accepted through School Engage (details in the presentation) starting on January 13th until noon on Feb 12, 2025. This is also a reminder for current families who have children who will be starting Kindergarten next year. Please be sure to complete your new School Registration for the Kindergarten child (found on your current My CBE/PowerSchool- School Engage account) and the Expression of Interest forms and submit them to the school via email before noon on Feb 12, 2025.
We are very excited for our 101 Dalmatians production at the end of the month, January 30th at 6:30 pm at First Alliance Church. Ticket orders should have been sent in before the break, however if you forgot to send in your order form, please do so ASAP. Tickets will be sent home with students during the week of January 27-30 and must be brought with you to the church as there are assigned seats. Please be sure to watch for updates and information during the month of January regarding this fun event.
We are also looking forward to some amazing fieldtrips in the coming months. If you have not yet completed your Volunteer Clearance, please connect with the office to ensure that this process is complete in the event that you are able to come and volunteer for some of these experiences.
Thank you for your continued support and encouragement as we strive to be the best school for your children.
Sincerely,
Andrea Taylor
School News
Lunar New Year:
Year of the Snake - A great attribute about our school is the diversity we have represented in our school. As part of our program, we honor, respect and learn about others’ cultures, celebrations and beliefs. In January, we are able to celebrate and acknowledge Lunar New Year with many of our students. If your family specifically celebrates Lunar New Year, you are invited to wear your FORMAL CUSTOMARY clothing on Wednesday, January 29 in honor of Lunar New Year. Students in their Formal Lunar New Year outfits will be called to the Learning Commons for a special photo for our yearbook that morning. This is not a casual day.
If you do not celebrate Lunar New Year, students are expected to wear their uniforms.
VOLUNTEER of the MONTH:
Congratulations to Lira Andashova who has won 2 movie tickets. Thank you for your commitment and dedication to volunteering at our school to make it great!
Character Education
This month, we are focusing on the character trait of PERSEVERANCE. Perseverance is a vital trait that we can work on developing over the course of our lives. At school, perseverance can look like tackling challenging math problems, continuing to practice decoding skills when reading a new book, and working together on class inquiry projects. When we encourage our students to keep trying, despite setbacks, we help them build resilience and confidence. At home, parents can model perseverance by sharing stories of their own challenges and how they overcame them; whether it’s learning a new skill or completing a difficult task. Teaching children the value of perseverance is essential; as it empowers them to face obstacles with a positive mindset, fosters a strong work ethic and promotes lifelong learning. Together, we can help students at Le Roi Daniels develop this vital skill that will serve them well throughout their lives.
Truth and Reconciliation Commitment
As we move into January, our focus remains on cultivating unity and a shared sense of purpose through various classroom and playground activities. These experiences will provide students with opportunities to contribute to the Le Roi Daniels community, build connections with others in the school, and strengthen their sense of belonging. By doing so, we emphasize that every member of our community holds a vital role in our collective journey toward learning and personal development.
Staff have demonstrated a sense of belonging and community by sharing meaningful cultural dishes that hold significance for their families. Throughout December, we embraced and celebrated elements of our diverse cultures, fostering a deeper sense of understanding and connection within our school community. Looking ahead to January, we are excited for students to participate by sharing artifacts representing their cultures with their classroom peers.
January 2025 Cultural Celebrations
New Year’s Eve/Day – December 31st/January 1st
New Year's Eve is one of the largest global celebrations because it marks the last day of the year in the Gregorian calendar before the New Year. In Canada, people celebrate the coming of the new year in many different ways. Counting down seconds before midnight on New Year's Eve and watching fireworks are very popular ways to celebrate. January 1st is the first day of a new year. This date is commonly known as New Year's Day and is a statutory holiday in all Canadian provinces and territories.
Orthodox Christmas – January 7th
Many Orthodox churches recognize this holiday according to the Julian calendar. This is celebrated in many countries including Ethiopia and Russia to count a few.
Makar Sankranti – January 14th
Makar Sankranti is a harvest festival celebrated in most of India by the Hindu population. This festival marks the change from a decrease to an increase of the sun.
Mahayana New Year – January 14th
The first full moon in January marks the beginning of the New Year in the countries which conform to the Mahayana Buddhism beliefs.
Lunar New Year – January 29th
The Lunar New Year celebrates the first day of the first month of the lunar calendar. It is celebrated for several days in many countries millions are expected to come together to celebrate traditions, spend time with family , and wish for good luck in the new year. [travel.gc.ca]
School Council News
Hello Parents!
For those who celebrate Christmas and Hanukkah, we hope you had a wonderful time with your families. To everyone we hope you all created wonderful memories with your families during the holiday break.
We had our last Parents Council meeting on November 19th online, thank you to all who attended this meeting. Our next Council meeting will be held online on January 21, 2025 @ 6:30pm. Please watch for an email from Mrs. Taylor on how to register to receive the meeting link. We hope to see more parents at our next meeting as parent(s) participation is the key to the success of Parent Council. This is a great way to connect with other parents and learn about the activities that are happening throughout the school.
Upcoming events:
- Fun Lunch: Thursday January 23rd, featuring Edo Japan which is posted on Healthy Hunger (healthyhunger.ca). Please note that Kindergarten students attending on Monday/Wednesday, should not order. As a reminder, please be sure to read the ingredients on Healthy Hunger to ensure it meets your child’s dietary restrictions prior to ordering.
- Family Fun Dance: Mark your calendars for Thursday February 27th, 2025. More information will be coming to you in the coming months. We will require parent volunteers to make this event a success.
Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to seeing you at our next council meeting.
Rebecca Garrie, Co-Chair
Indrani Nath, Co-Chair