21 Delta Drive, P.O. Box 6295, Howie Centre, NS,  B1L 1G9

TELEPHONE: 902-562-8880                                                                                        Paul Mombourquette, Principal

FAX:  902-562-7271                                                                                                             Juanita Strangis McPhee, Vice Principal

School Email:  mountainview@gnspes.ca                                                        Principal Email:   paul3@gnspes.ca

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Dear Parents/Guardians,

     We hope everyone had a relaxing summer.  It is hard to believe summer vacation is behind us and we are beginning another school term.  We would like to welcome both new and returning students, as well as their families to our school.  We encourage our parents and guardians to become involved with the various school activities that will be carried out over the next ten months.  Please feel free to contact us by phone or email at any time.

Regards,

Paul Mombourquette, Principal

Juanita Strangis McPhee, Vice Principal

Note:  At the beginning of every month a newsletter and calendar will go home listing most

school events and important dates.   Please keep these close at hand for your reference.

REMINDERS

• Our school operates on a six-day cycle, Thursday, September 6th is Day 1.   
• All visitors to the school must report to the office when entering the building.
• Grounds supervisors begin work at 8:00AM.  Please be aware that if you drop your child off at school prior to 8:00AM, there will be no supervision.
• There are professional learning days for staff on the following dates:

Wednesday, September 26th and Tuesday, October 2nd.   There will be no school for students.

SCHOOL FUNDRAISER

There will be no student fee this school year.  However, we ask for your support with our two fall fundraisers (Bongo Books and Harvest Baskets).  Information on theses initiatives will be going home shortly.

BREAKFAST PROGRAM

The Breakfast Program runs from 8:00am-8:40am from Monday to Friday and is available to all students.  Volunteers are needed to run this program.  If you are able to offer your time, please call Mountainview School at 902-562-8880.  Breakfast Program starts on Monday, September 10th.

CAFETERIA

The cafeteria will be open starting Monday, September 10th.  A menu and on-line payment information has recently been sent home.

CURRICULUM NIGHT

Parents/guardians are invited to attend “Curriclum Night” on Wednesday, September 12th from 6pm-7pm

STUDENT PHOTOGRAPHS

Student photos will be taken on Thursday, October 4th.

PARENT/GUARDIAN NOTES

If you have sent a note with your child regarding after school arrangements, it is not necessary to call the school school.  This will cut down on classroom disruptions taking away from instructional time.

TRANSPORTATION  

If it is necessary for students to travel on a bus other than one that services their home address, a dual bussing form must be filled out.  Dual bussing will only be granted by the Transportation Department for regular after school care, not for convenience.  Dual bussing forms must be completed every year.

PERMISSION FORMS FOR STUDENT WORK AND PHOTOS

From time to time throughout the school year, there may be opportunities to have your child’s work or photograph publicly displayed or published.  Please fill out the “Permission Release for Student Work and Images” form and return to school as soon as possible.  These will be kept on file throughout the year.  In the event your child’s work or image is being displayed publicly, a phone call will be made home to inform parents.

REGISTRATION FORMS

Please complete and update the registration forms that are sent home and return them as soon as possible.  Highlight and/or underline any changes you may have made.  It is extremely important that we have accurate and up-to-date information on file for each student.  Please ensure that you provide the school with current phone numbers, emergency numbers, and email addresses to facilitate this process.  As well, please complete the self-identification page.  We appreciate your cooperation with this important matter.

SCHOOL WEBSITE

We will be working hard this year to keep the Mountainview Elementary School website up to date with information about activities taking place in the school.  Visit our website at:  https://sites.google.com/a/gnspes.ca/mountainview-elementary

HOMEWORK WEBSITE

Go to the Mountainview Elementary School website @ https://sites.google.com/a/gnspes.ca/mountainview-elementary 

and choose “Homework Webpage” to access your child’s homework.

BOSTON PIZZA REWARD PROGRAM

Boston Pizza has a program that allows for schools to enroll in a reward program.  When a family member dines at Boston Pizza and requests that the receipt be placed in the Mountainview Elementary School box at Boston Pizza, the school receives a cheque from Boston Pizza in the amount of 10% of the total of all the receipts.  Please remind your families and friends.

END OF THE DAY DISMISSAL

The end of the day dismissal is a very busy time.  Walkers and students being picked up are dismissed first, followed by the bus students.  Parents that are picking up their child must wait in the front corridor or outside the front door until students are dismissed from their classroom.  This will ensure less confusion in the halls so that all students are safely accounted for.

SCHOOL CASH ONLINE 

Mountainview Elementary School will offer the convenience of the School Cash Online Program.  We will be sending information home to instruct you on how to set up this easy payment plan.  It is a secure and simple way of paying for any fees that may be applicable over the school year.  We encourage everyone to register at:  cbv.schoolcashonline.com.  If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact this school. The class with the most students registered with the online program will enjoy a pizza party at the end of September.

THE 4TH ANNUAL "Caleb’s SUPERHERO Walk Run Fly - SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30TH

September is "Childhood Cancer Awareness Month". Caleb's family invites you to "Walk, Run or Fly" on SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30TH, in memory of Cape Breton's little superhero, 3-year old Caleb MacArthur. For more information, please contact Nicole (Caleb's Mommy) at nicmike@eastlink.ca or 539-5701, or visit Caleb's Courage website or Facebook page.

GETTING TO AND FROM SCHOOL SAFELY

Please use the designated drop off areas if you are driving your child to or from school. These are located on Villas Street and on Delta Drive.  Watch for buses, cars, and other children arriving or departing, and try to plan your approach so that you do not need to turn around in the school driveway or on the main road.  Drop offs and pick ups are not permitted at the main doors (no matter what the weather) unless your child has a mobility issue.  Please call the school if you need to make special arrangements.

SAFE ARRIVAL and LATENESS POLICY

Teachers will take attendance by 9:30 a.m. each day through PowerSchool, our student electronic database.  At this time, the PowerSchool alert system will send a notification via email or text message to the parents and/or guardians of students who are absent and have not been reported off.  The alert will be sent to the contact information you have provided on school registration forms.  If there is a change to your contact information, please notify the school so that we may update this information.

If you receive a message and you are aware you child is absent, please disregard the message.  In the event that you expect your child to be present at school and you receive the message, please contact the school immediately.  In order to avoid receiving this message, please advise the school prior to 9:30 a.m. if your child will be absent.  

As per the Provincial Attendance Policy, all students who are arriving to school after the 8:40 a.m. start time, must be signed in at the office by a parent/guardian.

NO TOY POLICY

We have a  “No Toy Policy”  at Mountainview School.  We realize that toys from home are one way in which children can ease their transition from home to school; however, they can also cause unnecessary conflict with other children.  On some occasions children have become disappointed because of their toy getting broken or lost.  Exceptions to this would be Show & Tell.  

PEANUT FREE SCHOOL

Due to the number of students who experience severe allergies to peanuts and peanut products, Mountainview is designated as a peanut free environment.  Please choose items in your child's lunch with care. If your child has severe allergies, please provide staff with a current photo and emergency contacts and procedures each school year.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

All pupils are required to wear clean indoor running shoes during physical education classes (these can be the same as the "indoors" worn by students in the classroom).  Comfortable clothes that allow freedom of movement are also required on gym days.  Younger students are encouraged to wear their gym clothes to school as changing can be very time consuming.

EMERGENCIES - ILLNESS OR INJURY

Minor injuries will be attended to by our staff at the school.  However, if an injury is considered serious, or if there is any doubt about an illness or injury, the parent/guardian(s) will be contacted immediately.  When a parent is not available, we will attempt to contact the emergency person provided on your child's registration form.  If parents or emergency numbers cannot be reached, the child will be driven to the closest hospital.  In such instances, parents/guardians will be contacted as soon as possible.

MEDICATION

Medication of any kind may not be administered at school without the parent's written consent and written directions from your physician.  Forms are available at the office. Please advise our staff of any medical problems that are extreme or life threatening.

Mountainview Elementary Staff for 2018-2019

Principal:                                        Paul Mombourquette

Vice-Principal:                                Juanita Strangis McPhee

Secretary:                                        Shauna Dellorusso

Primary A:                                        Cindy Morneau                

Primary B:                                        Lisa Morley

Grade 1:                                        Rita Morrison

Grade 1/2:                                        Lisa Mohammed

Grade 2:                                        Delynn Reid

Grade 3:                                        Verola Morrison        

Grade 3/4:                                        Jody MacLean        

Grade 4:                                         Jean Stanwick

Grade 5 A:                                        Patti Bauer

Grade 5 B:                                        Juanita Strangis McPhee & Jill Vallis

Music:                                                Jim Cookson

French:                                        Alan Nicholson

Guidance:                                        Bernadette Romeo                                        

Phys Ed:                                        Jennifer Nicholson

Learning Centre:                                Kenna MacLean

Resource/Learning Disability:                Margie LeVatte                        

Resource:                                        Carrie Ramsay        

Speech:                                        Cathy MacCoy

Reading Recovery/Early Literacy:                Rosanne Gillis-Roy

Teachers Assistants:                        Cathy Farrell

Jill Hickey

Joanne Hunston

Wilma MacQueen

                                                Eileen Ross

                                                Karen Wheeliker

                                                Juanita MacKinnon

                                                Mary Campbell

                Pre-Primary:                                        Jennifer MacCormick

Nicole Walker                                        

Bus/Lunch/Ground Supervisors:                Nancy Farrell

                                                Trish Curry

Head Custodian:                                Crystal Vassallo

Cleaners:                                        Donna Ferguson

                                                TBA

Cafeteria:                                         Gail Townswend

Bus Drivers:                                        Wayne MacKinnon

                                                Frank Wludyka

                                                Kevin Rose

                                                Laura MacDonald

                                                Gerard MacNeil

Bus Aide:                                        Ellen Gillis (Gerard’s Bus)