Bateman Bobcat Banner
Monday, January 23, 2023
Upcoming Events:
- Friday, January 27: International Holocaust Remembrance Day
- Tuesday, January 31: RBPS Kindergarten Information Night
- February: Black History Month
- Thursday, February 9: RBPS School Council Meeting
- Wednesday, February 15: Term 1 Progress Reports Sent Home
Student Survey for Climate and Inclusion Committee
At Robert Bateman School, we are always working to ensure that our school is safe and inclusive for all students. In order to support that goal, we will be seeking input from students in the next few weeks on the following three questions:
- What do you like most about Robert Bateman School?
- What do you like least about Robert Bateman School?
- Do you feel like you are accepted and belong at Robert Bateman School? Why or why not?
Older students will be able to share their (anonymous) answers in a writing assignment, and younger students will share their responses in a guided class discussion. All these responses will be carefully reviewed and considered by our Climate and Inclusion Committee, which will identify strengths we can build upon, and any areas where we need to improve.
We will also remind students that they do not need to wait for a survey to speak up if they are experiencing something that makes them feel like they are not accepted or do not belong; our hope is that through this survey we will hear from voices that might otherwise speak out.
Mind Masters and Healthy Transitions
In the weeks and months ahead, students in Kindergarten to Grade 3 will be learning about the ‘Mind Masters 2’ mental health promotion program which teaches emotional regulation through relaxation, positive thinking and mindfulness. Students in Grades 4 - 6 will use the ‘Healthy Transitions’ program to learn about attitudes important for positive mental health and resilience, including where and how to ask for help.
MindMasters 2 was developed by the Child and Youth Health Network for Eastern Ontario and the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario. It is now a program of Ottawa Public Health.
Healthy Transitions is a program designed to promote mental health in young adolescents while meeting expectations from the Ontario Curriculum. Both of these programs have been used at RBPS in the past, and are used extensively across the OCDSB. You can learn more about both of these programs at the Ottawa Public Health website here.
International Holocaust Remembrance Day
This Friday, January 27 marks International Holocaust Remembrance Day around the world. This week, classes from Kindergarten to Grade 6 will learn about why this day is significant, and why we remember. It is important to note that the learning will look very different depending on the age of the students. Children in Kindergarten and primary grades will learn about the importance of showing kindness toward people of all backgrounds and faiths, and how people of any age can make a difference by standing up when they see someone being treated badly. Students in the older grades will learn a bit more about the historical facts of the Holocaust.
RBPS School Council News
Survey request
Dear RBPS families,
We are excited to be able to come together as a community of parents/caregivers again. School Council is asking for your help in organizing an event. RBPS has been granted funding from OCDSB to assist in parent engagement activities. We are asking for your input on what activities you would like us to organize. Thank you for taking the time to fill out this survey so that Council can arrange some events for us to come together as RBPS families.
Volunteers needed for Pizza Day
We are looking for a few extra parents with flexible schedules to join our roster of volunteers for pizza day!
When: Wednesday from 10:10am - 11am.
How often: One Wednesday each month - with the schedule made at the start of the month.
What would I need to do? Help to cut pizza slices, organize pizza boxes for the classes, and deliver to the classes during the first nutrition break.
Why: Because our kids love pizza day and parents love not having to make a full lunch on Wednesdays!
Added benefits: You get to know the teachers and kids at the school and become a pizza parent celebrity!
Please email [email protected] if you have availability to help. Even if you can only volunteer once every two months it would be helpful!
Special thanks to the 3 volunteers, teachers, and student helpers that have been helping since pizza day started!
New Clubs at Robert Bateman School
Thanks to our librarian Ms Liz for starting a Grade 5/6 Book Club. Every Thursday, students in Grades 5 and 6 are invited to the library to discuss their favourite books. Also, starting in the next week there will be a Grade 3 - 6 coding club at RBPS: more details on this club will be coming soon!
Kindergarten Information Evening: Tuesday, January 31 at 6:30 PM
On Tuesday, January 31, we invite all parents / guardians of children who will be starting Kindergarten in September 2023 to an in-person Kindergarten information event at Robert Bateman School. If you have neighbours, friends, or family with young children (turning 4 before January 1, 2024) you are welcome to share this information with them.
Thank You Hunt Club Park Community Association
We would like to extend a huge THANK YOU to the Hunt Club Park Community Association for their generous donation to Robert Bateman School. We have used this donation to purchase additional Chromebooks for our students, to keep our student to computer ratio high. Please consider supporting Hunt Club Community Association events in the future, such as the upcoming Winter Festival on February 11th, 10:30am-1:00pm in Elizabeth Manley Park, because the funds from these events go to support your community schools.
Staff Profiles
(In every Banner, we profile a different staff member..)
Staff Name: Wilguite Noel
Role: Registered Early Childhood Educator (RECE)
Time at Robert Bateman: 4 wonderful months
Background: Mother of 3, age from 15, 12 and 6. I moved to Canada from Naples Florida 17 years ago. I lived in Windsor, On for a year and moved to Edmonton with my parents, a few years later we decided to move back to Ontario, best decision ever! Ottawa has been home since.
Interesting Fact: I speak three languages, Haitian Creole, French, English.