Welcome back to school!

Welcome back to Goulds Elementary!

To both our returning families and those joining our community for the first time, welcome to the 2026–2027 school year! We hope you enjoyed a restful, fun-filled summer and that your children are excited to head back to class.

There is always a wonderful spark of energy at the start of a new school year. Our students are ready to catch up with friends and build new connections, while our educators have been busy creating inspiring, tailored learning experiences for every child. Living up to our mission, "Learning and Growing Together," we remain dedicated to helping every student thrive in a safe and supportive setting.

We are so fortunate to have such an outstanding staff and caring community. Student success thrives on a strong connection between home and school, and we are excited to collaborate with you to make this year exceptional.

Please take a moment to read through this newsletter for important updates, routines, and upcoming dates. As always, our team is here to support you, so don't hesitate to contact us if you need anything.

Wishing everyone a year of learning, achievement, and wonderful memories!

Warm regards,

The Goulds Elementary Team

We know how big the first day of school is, especially for Kindergarten!

To make the transition as smooth as possible, here are the details for our first day:

Kindergarten Meet & Greet: Wednesday, September 9:

• Time: 9:20 AM – 9:40 AM in your child’s classroom.

• Arrival: Front doors open at 9:20 AM for our Kindergarten students (we want our older students to settle in first).

• What to Expect: Pop in to meet the teacher, see classmates, and snap a few photos! (Please be mindful of other families' photo privacy.)

• Departure: Family members exit through the main entrance by 9:40 AM.

• Dismissal: 2:15 PM. Teachers will walk students outside for pickup. Please be punctual, as other classes will be using the exits.

Navigating the Building Navigating a new school can be tricky! You are welcome to walk your child to class during the first week. Staff and student helpers will also be positioned throughout the halls to guide them with a friendly smile.

Busing Details Official Kindergarten busing begins Thursday, September 10. However, we recommend waiting until Monday, September 14 to give drivers a few days to finalize their routes.

Next Steps Watch for an email from your child’s teacher on Tuesday, September 8. It will include full details for the first day, including exact dismissal pickup locations.

We can't wait to welcome our newest learners!

The first day of school is an exciting milestone! You are welcome to walk your child to their classroom, snap a few photos, and help them settle in. Once morning instruction begins, we will make an announcement for visitors to say goodbye. To help our students build independence, walking children to their classrooms is for the first day only.

Kiss 'N Ride & Parking Lot Safety:

Our parking lot gets very busy! Please follow these guidelines to keep everyone safe:

• Kiss 'N Ride Lane: Have your child ready to exit the vehicle promptly. To keep traffic moving smoothly, drivers must remain in their vehicles.

• Park & Walk: If you prefer to walk your child to the door, please park in the back lot and use the designated crosswalk. Never drop children off to cross the parking lot alone.

• Bus Lane: The front of the building is strictly reserved for buses during morning drop-off and afternoon pickup. Walkers should also use the main entrance.

Kiss 'N Ride Volunteers Needed! We are looking for volunteers to help with our Kiss 'N Ride line! The role simply involves opening vehicle doors, greeting students, and closing doors. If you can help, please email wandacassell@nlschools.ca.

We are thrilled that our new Junior Kindergarten program located at our school! With these youngest learners present, we want to make our community aware of the increase in both foot and vehicle traffic in our school parking lot each morning.

While we know you are always careful, we ask that you be extra vigilant and cautious when driving through the school lot. Please take your time, watch your speed, and keep an eye out for our smaller students.

Homeroom teachers will be reaching out to all families on Tuesday, September 8 to introduce themselves and share some information with you specific to their class. If you do not receive an email from your child’s teacher by 3:00 pm on Tuesday, September 8 we encourage you to contact the school and we will be happy to help. Email, kimwalsh@nlschools.ca

8:05 am - Doors Open and Morning Supervision Begins

8:15 am - Warning Bell

8:20 am - Instruction Begins

9:50 am - Recess

10:05 am - Instruction Resumes

11:35 am - Lunch

12:20 pm - Instruction Begins

2:20 pm - End of Day

We will be sending home a blank demographic/information sheet for you to complete on the first day of school. Please complete this form with your most current contact information, address, emergency contacts, and other important details and return it to your child's homeroom teacher as soon as possible.

When filling out the form, please also be sure to indicate who your student primarily resides with—such as parents, joint custody, mom, dad, a grandparent, or a guardian. This information is crucial to have on file in case of an emergency.

We appreciate your cooperation in helping us maintain accurate and secure records for all our students. Please return to your child's teacher as soon as possible.

The Rycor system will allow families to make payments to the school online for most things, for example, paying for a field trip fee, making a donation or simply paying a facility rental fee. Goulds elementary will reduce the number of hard copy forms for families to complete; most of these forms can now all be done through Rycor using its online forms functionality!

Families: Families will need to go to Rycor's NLSchools login page and create an account. Once created, you will be able to add your child to your account by entering a Student Number and some other student information (for confidentiality purposes).

Parents & School Community Members - Support

For NLSchools Rycor account support, please complete a Rycor ticket here.

All parents and guardians should login and fill out the Media Consent, and Acceptable Use of Technology Agreement forms. If you need assistance please contact our secretary, Kim Walsh, and she'll be happy to assist you.

Due to the severity of these food allergies, we will not be accepting any “treats” to be passed out to students at any time throughout the school year

For any students who require medication to be administered at school please be aware of the following :

• All medications must be prescribed by a physician and must be taken during school hours. To authorize staff to administer medication, parents or guardians must complete and submit the Administration of Medications Form (See below to download pdf) to the school office or emailed to janetloveless@nlesd.ca. These forms must be completed for students who require puffers or epi-pens.

• Please note, school staff are not authorized to supply or administer over-the-counter medications unless they have been prescribed by a physician for an individual student.

• All prescribed medications must be brought to the school in their original container, clearly labeled with the student’s name, the physician’s name, the date prescribed, dosage, and expiry date.

• Please also provide any additional information from the physician or pharmacist regarding storage or side effects. It is the parents’/guardians' responsibility to ensure that all medications provided to the school are current and not expired. For your child's safety, staff will not administer outdated medication.

With nine buses servicing our school, the front of the building will experience a significant increase in traffic during morning drop-off and afternoon dismissal. Please be mindful of this heavy traffic flow.

To ensure student safety, our front parking lot will be designated for bus traffic only during these times. All other vehicles should use the Kiss and Ride lane or park on the side or back parking lots.

For detailed information on bus routes, stops, and times, please visit the Newfoundland and Labrador English School District website: https://www.nlschools.ca/studentsfamilies/studenttransportation.jsp.

To login into the bus portal, go to the following link - https://nlschools.mybusplanner.ca/Login#

It is crucial that your address is accurate in the system. If you have a change of address, please email our secretary, kimwalsh@nlschools.ca, with proof of your new address (e.g., a utility bill).

We will review bus safety rules with all students. You can find our school's Bus Policy on our website and we encourage you to review the rules and expectations with your child.

Courtesy Bus Seat Applications: If you wish to apply for a courtesy bus seat, applications are available https://www.nlschools.ca/studentsfamilies/doc/2024/NLS-BlendedFRZCourtesySeatingProtocol.pdf.

Please submit completed applications to Janet Loveless by September 18. Parents will be notified promptly if a courtesy seat becomes available.

To ensure student safety and accurate rider counts, we ask that you DO NOT put your child on a bus they are not assigned to. This policy is in place for several reasons, including liability and the need to track all eligible riders, especially during the first few weeks of school when student transfers may occur. While we understand the desire for flexibility, our primary concern is the well-being and accountability of every student. We appreciate your cooperation.

We will once again offer all our students a Grab ‘n Go breakfast option. Our breakfast program will begin later in September. If you would like to volunteer and assist with our program, please email kristafinn@nlschools.ca.

Please note the following key dates for our school lunch program:

• Registration and Menu Ordering Opens: September 9, 2026

• Registration and Menu Ordering Closes: September 16, 2026

• School Lunch Service Begins: September 23, 2026

Please Register Online:

Registration and menu ordering will now be fully online or over the telephone. There will no longer be a paper option. If you have not yet registered, please visit the school lunch website at www.schoollunch.ca. If you need assistance, contact sla@schoollunch.ca or 709-754-5323.

Lunch from Home:

If your student will be participating in the school lunch program, please remember to send them with a packed lunch from home each day until the service officially begins on September 23, 2026.

As you can imagine, the lunch period can be a very busy time at school. To help ensure a smooth and safe transition, and to maximize instructional time with fewer classroom disruptions, we ask for your assistance with the following:

• Label Lunches: If you are dropping off a forgotten lunch or dropping off a lunch, please label it clearly with your child's full name and grade. We will have markers available at the front counter for this purpose.

• Student Pick-Up: Students will be called to the office to collect their lunch only after the lunch bell has rung.

• Encourage Independence: This process helps students develop independence and responsibility. If you would like to speak with your child when you drop off their lunch, we kindly ask that you wait in the main entrance.

We know that life happens and sometimes a forgotten lunch needs to be dropped off. While we are happy to assist, we also ask families to be mindful of the Provincial School Food Guidelines when bringing food to your child. All schools in NL are required to follow these guidelines to support healthy eating, and we encourage families to follow them as well when packing snacks and lunches.

Thank you for your cooperation and for helping us make sure our lunch period runs smoothly for everyone.

For the safety of all 500 students and staff, all visitors must be buzzed in by office staff at the main entrance. Please do not enter if a student opens the door for you; wait until staff grant you access.

• Late Arrivals: Buzz in at the main entrance, and our secretary will let your child in.

• Early Pickups: Notify the teacher ahead of time. Buzz in at the front entrance and wait in the lobby for your child. Please send dismissal changes as early as possible, as teachers cannot check email during class.

• Playground Pickups: Always check in at the office first. The secretary will issue an early dismissal slip for playground staff or arrange for an adult to accompany you to the playground to retrieve your child.

Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our school safe!

At Goulds Elementary and NLSchools, we are committed to fostering a safe, caring, and inclusive environment for our entire community. To achieve this, we ask all parents and guardians to maintain respectful, constructive dialogue with our staff at all times.

We recognize that receiving updates about your child’s behavior, attendance, or lateness can feel stressful. Please understand that these communications are not a judgment on your parenting, but necessary steps to keep home-school communication open and transparent.

Safe & Caring Schools Policy

In accordance with the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development’s Safe and Caring Schools Policy, which governs all schools in our district, parents and guardians have specific responsibilities in maintaining a safe and caring school environment:

4.1.5. Parent responsibilities:

4.1.5.1. Support the efforts of the school in creating and maintaining a safe, caring, and inclusive learning environment.

4.1.5.2. Participate in the implementation of the provincial Safe and Caring School Policy and the school's Code of Conduct.

4.1.5.3. Model positive social behaviors both in person and online.

4.1.5.4. Be familiar with the provincial Safe and Caring Schools Policy and the school's Code of Conduct.

4.1.5.5. Encourage and assist their children to abide by the school's Code of Conduct.

4.1.5.6. Practice positive social interactions both in person and online.

4.1.5.7. Engage in positive, nonviolent conflict resolution.

Our staff deserves a safe workplace, and our students benefit most when families and educators work together as positive partners. Thank you for your continued support in keeping our interactions grounded in mutual respect and understanding.

To help minimize distractions and support a focused learning environment, students in grades K-5 are not to bring personal electronic devices to school. Personal electronic devices include, but are not limited to, mobile hand-held devices, laptops, cell phones/smart phones, smart watches, smart music players, earbuds, and gaming devices. This does not include laptops or tablets being used for instructional purposes or school issued devices when being used in learning. Students will not have access to any personal devices during school hours.

For more information on this policy, we encourage you to visit the Responsible Student Use of Personal Electronic Devices Policy on the NLSchools website.

Thank you in advance for supporting this policy and for discussing it with your child(ren).

Consistent attendance is a key part of a student's academic and social success. We understand that things come up and life happens, but being present in the classroom ensures that students can fully benefit from their education.

When students attend school consistently, they not only keep up with their schoolwork and assignments, but also develop important life skills like responsibility, time management, and perseverance. Being present and engaged allows them to participate in discussions, collaborate with peers, and build strong relationships.

If your child is going to be absent from school, please notify their teacher by email or by calling the school office.

When you contact us, please provide the reason for your child's absence so we can accurately record it in their attendance record. Your cooperation helps ensure all student attendance is correctly reflected.

We use the Responsive Teaching and Learning (RTL) Model to guide our instructional practice. By placing Universal Design for Learning (UDL) at the core of our approach, we design instruction that effectively supports a diverse community of learners.

Implementing UDL fosters a positive, engaging environment where students are empowered to achieve. Learners benefit from high-quality instruction tailored to their individual needs, establishing optimal conditions for academic growth and success.

With students at the center, the RTL Model inspires learners to take ownership of their education and contribute meaningfully to their classroom environment.

Comprehensive Assessments

A Service Delivery consultation is initiated when:

• Intensive interventions have been in place for an extended period, but a student continues to face difficulties or progress has stalled.

• The team needs to evaluate whether the prescribed curriculum is appropriate, either due to persistent learning challenges or because the student exceeds curriculum expectations.

For questions, please contact Ms. Jaime Snow Parsons, Student Support Services Department Head.

Please see below to download a copy.

Please mark your calendars! Our annual Curriculum Night/Open House will be held on Thursday, September 17.

This is a great opportunity to meet your child's teachers and to see their classroom. More details will be sent home from your child's homeroom teacher in the coming weeks. Stay tuned!

We organize dates for our gatherings early so that families will have plenty of time to make arrangements to attend their child's performance.

Thanksgiving - Performed by Grade 2

Remembrance Day - Performed by Grade 4

Winter/Christmas - Performed by Grade 3

Spring/Easter - Performed by Grade 1

School Leaving Ceremony - Performed by Grade 5

Kindergarten YEAR END Celebration - TBD

If you would like more details regarding these performances, please contact our Music Teacher bethreckling@nlesd.ca

Your presence during these special events means the world to your child(ren).

January 22, 2027

February 19, 2027

March 19, 2027

April 16, 2027

*There will be no Kindergarten classes during the above dates.

Further details regarding each session will be sent out later.

Join Our Volunteer Team!

We are looking to expand our extracurricular offerings for students, but we need your help to make it happen. Participating in school activities offers fantastic benefits for children, including:

• Social growth: Building friendships, collaborating, and strengthening team skills.

• Active engagement: Staying active while pursuing personal interests.

• Confidence building: Gaining self-assurance in a supportive environment.

• Skill development: Learning new hobbies or honing existing talents.

How to Get Started:

If you are interested in volunteering, please call the main office at 709-368-8351.

All volunteers must complete a Criminal Record Check with a Vulnerable Sector Check through the RNC Online Police Record Checks portal.

When filling out the application:

1. Select Volunteer as your "Reason for Request."

2. You will be prompted to upload a Volunteer Agency Letter.

3. Contact Ms. Walsh before applying to receive your letter so the $30.00 fee is waived.

Coaching & Athletics

If you would like to coach a sports team or lead an after-school athletics group, please reach out directly to Mr. Michael Butler at michaelbutler@nlesd.ca.

We are thrilled to welcome both new and familiar faces to our school community this year. Please see below for a list of our new and returning staff members.

Wanda Cassell - Principal

Jane Loveless - Assistant Principal

Blair McDonald - School Counselor

Jaime Snow- Parsons - Student Support Services Dept. Head

Krista Wilcott - Reading Specialist

Kim Walsh - School Secretary

KINDERGARTEN:

Julie Chafe - K - ENG

Brenda Condon - K - ENG

JoAnn Decker - K - EFI

Heather Ryan - K - EFI

GRADE ONE:

Jennifer Howlett - 1 - ENG

Heather Kennedy -1 - ENG

Sheena Putt - 1- ENG

Lisa Winsor -1 - EFI

GRADE TWO:

Jessica Boland - 2 - ENG

Stephanie Sutton -2 - ENG

Christina Tulk - 2 - ENG

Michelle Leawood - 2 - EFI

GRADE THREE:

Jennifer Coady - 3 - ENG

Nancy Corbett - 3 - ENG

Nancy Burke - 3/4 -ENG

Tanya Higdon - 3 - EFI

GRADE FOUR:

Kathy Lee Hearn - 4 - ENG

Barb Hennessey - 4 - ENG

Nancy Burke - 3/4 -ENG

Chris Howell - 4 - EFI

GRADE FIVE:

Erin Etchegary - 5 - ENG

Terri-Lynn Kavanagh - 5 - ENG

Hannah Cake - 5 - EFI

IRT:

Kim Brophy - IRT

Mary Hayden - IRT

Vanessa Howlett - IRT

Crystal Dinn - IRT

Jennifer Ducey - IRT

LRT:

Crystal Dinn - LRT

TBD - LRT

Janet Loveless - LRT

Physical Education:

Michael Butler - Physical Education

Music:

Beth Reckling - Music

Peter Laing - Band

TLA:

TBD - TLA SS

Debbie Collins -TLA

Krista Finn - TLA

David Morgan - TLA

Student Assistants:

Karen Hickey - Student Assistant

Lesley Murphy- Hickey - Student Assistant

Kim O'Leary - Student Assistant

Krista Rolls - Student Assistant

Toni Strait - Student Assistant

Connie Gosine - Student Assistant

Cassandra Ryan - Student Assistant

SLP:

Kyla Brockerville -SLP

EAL:

TBD

Custiodial Staff:

TBD - Custodian

Josie Bantilan - Night Time Custodian

Michelle Collins - Night Time Custodian

School Lunch:

Sherry Spurrell - School Lunch

Dana Wiscombe - School Lunch

Sept. 9: First Day Of School

Sept. 9: School Lunch Ordering Opens

Sept. 16: School Lunch Ordering Closes

Sept. 17: Open House/Curriculum Night

Sept. 23: School Lunch Begins & 1st Recycling Blitz