Woodlawn School

Welcome to the 2026–2027 school year at Woodlawn School!

There is something special about the beginning of a new school year. The hallways come alive, classrooms are filled with excitement and curiosity, and we are reminded of the energy that students bring to our school each day. I am incredibly excited to begin this school year with the students, families, and staff of Woodlawn School.

My name is Amanda Dent, and I am honoured to be joining Woodlawn as your new principal. Before coming to Woodlawn, I served as the principal of Bothwell School, and throughout my career I have also had the opportunity to teach music and work as a school counsellor. I have always loved being part of a school community and helping students learn, grow, discover their strengths, and become confident and caring individuals.

As I begin my first year at Woodlawn, I am looking forward to getting to know our students and families and learning what makes this school community so special. I am excited to build on the many strengths already present at Woodlawn and to work together to create a positive, welcoming, and engaging school experience for every student!

Amanda Dent

The HSD Parent Portal is a communications tool designed to enhance and increase parent/guardian involvement in the education of their children by providing secure online access to their child's student information. With a single username and password you can access data for each of your children attending an HSD school. The Access IDs along with setup instructions have been sent via email to all eligible parents/guardians of new students. If you are new to Woodlawn and did not receive the specified email, please contact the school office at 204-326-6110.

Please take a few minutes to review the student information and contact information for your child. It is important that the school has current address and contact information for your child in case it is necessary to reach someone during the school day. Please email or call the school if changes need to be made.

When packing your student's lunches, please make sure they have the cutlery that they need to eat it.

We are also asking that each student bring a refillable water bottle each day to school with them.

Thanks to the Nutrition Grant funding provided by Manitoba Education and Early Childhood Learning, we will be enhancing students' access to nutritious snacks at Woodlawn School. This initiative ensures every student can access fresh fruit and vegetables, helping them stay energized and ready to learn.

As part of this program, each school will have fresh fruit and vegetables readily available during the school day. This is intended for students needing a healthy snack to help them concentrate and participate fully in their learning. We understand that access to nutritious food is essential for physical and mental well-being, and we are committed to ensuring that no child goes hungry while in our schools.

These snacks will be available in the Woodlawn School Library.

Walking students and those dropped off by parents should arrive at school after 8:40 in the morning. Any students arriving on the playground before 8:30 will not be supervised and responsibility for the student belongs with the parent/guardian. Students are permitted to enter the building when the 8:50 bell rings.

We do not provide before or after school supervision (outside of the times listed above). It is important that children are not dropped off early and are picked up on time. Please make arrangements accordingly.

We will be offering a pizza lunch every week again this year. Stay tuned for more information in the next couple of weeks.

In accordance with Hanover School Policy, please be aware of the following information if your child requires the administration of prescribed medication at school:

· All medication must be brought to school by the child’s guardian to ensure that the medication administered to your child is the correct medication. All medications must be brought in the original pharmacy container.

· All medication administered at school will require forms completed by the parent which are available at the school office. If medication is required for more than fourteen days, an Individual Health Care Plan may be required.

· The school will not administer non-prescribed medication or over-the-counter medication. A doctor’s prescription is always required.

Even if your child is capable of taking their prescribed medication independently at school, it will still require the appropriate paperwork. The medication will be kept under lock and key. Students are not allowed to keep any type of medication in their locker, lunch kit, or backpack while on school premises.

Whenever possible we ask that parents administer medication at home. Only in cases where it is not possible for medication to be administered at home will we do it at school.

Kindergarten

• Angela Martin

• Rebecca Friesen

Grade 1

• Chris Schroeder

• Andrea Lepp

• Ang Gosselin

Grade 1/2

• Jessica Klassen

• Jennifer Cuppage

Grade 2

• Pat Reimer

• Kristen Falk

• Leah Read-Schroeder & Mary-Anna Aaldyk-Doerksen

Grade 3

• Kristen Reimer

• Jerilyn Koslowski

Grade 3/4

• Lisa Martens

• Jordyn Arcand

• Kendra Friesen

Grade 4

• Marlene Funk

• Simmy Gandhi

Principal - Amanda Dent

Vice-Principal - Marla McEachern

Music and Gym - K-1 Aimee Kroeker

2-4 Music - Joelle Boese

2-4 Gym - Jesse Adams

Guidance Counselors - Rebecca Mackie

Learning Support - Katrina Hamilton, Richelle Dorinko

Literacy Support - April Harder, McAuley Friesen

Head Secretary - Melissa Thiessen

Secretary - Joanne Dyck

Librarian - Sandy Loewen

Custodian - Victoriia Syrotina

Educational Assistants

Natalie Dyck

Stephanie Enns

Sara Falk

Tara LeDrew

Jennifer Manson

Candace Martens

Yvonne Neufeld

Esther Plett

Marita Rempel

Melissa Dueck Walsh

Jasmine Waldner

Kristen Warkentin

Ankita Patel

Diana Dill

Rhonda Falk

Nancy Runkowsky

Chantelle Horel

Elizabeth Ikhine

8:50 - Students enter school and proceed to classrooms

9:00 - Announcements / O Canada / Attendance

9:10-9:45 - Period 1

9:45-10:20 - Period 2

10:20-10:35 - Grade 1-4 Recess

10:35-10:40 - Transition

10:40-10:55 - Kindergarten Recess

10:40-11:15 - Period 3

11:15-11:50 - Period 4

11:50-12:15 - Kindergarten Lunch - Grade 1-4 Recess

12:15-12:20 - End of Recess, Kindergarten get ready for recess

12:20-12:45 - Grade 1-4 Lunch - Kindergarten Recess

12:45- End of Recess

12:50-1:25 - Period 5

1:25-2:00 - Period 6

2:00-2:15 - Grade 1-4 Recess

2:15-2:20 - Transition

2:20-2:35 - Kindergarten Recess

2:20-2:55 - Period 7

2:55-3:30 - Period 8

3:30-3:40 - Homeroom

3:40 - Dismissal - First Wave bus students & walking students

3:45 - Dismissal - Second Wave bus students

Monday, September 7 - Labour Day (No Classes)

Tuesday/Wednesday, September 8/9 - PD/Admin Days (No Classes)

Wednesday, September 9 - Meet the Teacher

Thursday, September 10 - First Day of Classes / Kindergarten Interviews

Friday, September 11 - Kindergarten Interviews

Monday, September 14 - Kindergarten Staggered Entry

Tuesday, September 15 - Kindergarten Staggered Entry

Wednesday, September 16 - Kindergarten Staggered Entry

Thursday, September 17 - Kindergarten Staggered Entry

Friday, September 18 - All Kindergarten Students Attend (Days 1,3,5)

Monday, September 21 - HSD Divisional PD Day (No Classes)

Tuesday, September 22 - All Kindergarten Students Attend (Days 2,4,6)

Friday, September 25 - Strong Connections Day 1

Monday, September 28 - Strong Connections Day 2

Tuesday, September 29 - Orange Shirt Day - School Event / Activities

Wednesday, September 30 - Truth and Reconciliation Day (No Classes)

Friday, October 2 - Terry Fox Run

Monday, October 12 - Thanksgiving Day (No Classes)

Thursday, October 15 - Picture Day

Friday, October 16 - Picture Day

Mon-Thursday, October 19-22 - Bus Safety Week

Friday, October 23 - MTS PD Day (No Classes)

Tuesday, November 10 - Remembrance Day Assembly

Wednesday, November 11 - Remembrance Day (No Classes)

Monday, November 16 - Admin Day (No Classes)

Thursday, November 19 - Picture Retake Day

Thursday, November 19 - Student Led Conferences

Friday, November 27 - Reports Issued

Thursday, December 10 - Aft/Evening Christmas Concert (grades 3, 3/4, 4)

Friday, December 18 - Last Day of School Before Christmas Break

Monday, January 4 - First Day Back at School After Christmas Break

Tues-Thursday, Feb 2-4 - Book Fair

Friday, February 5 - PD Day (No Classes)

Friday, Feb 12 - Winter Fun Day

Monday, February 15 - Louis Riel Day (No Classes)

Friday, February 26 - PD Day (No Classes)

Friday, March 12 - Admin Day (No Classes)

Thursday, March 18 - Student Led Conferences

Tuesday, March 23 - Report Cards Issued

Mon-Fri, March 22-25 - Wacky Week

Thursday, March 25 - Pancake Breakfast

Thursday, March 25 - Last Day of School Before Spring Break

Friday, March 26 - Good Friday (No Classes)

Monday, April 5 - First Day Back After Spring Break

Friday, April 16 - PD Day (No Classes)

Tuesday, April 27 - Aft/Eve Spring Concert - Grade 1

Thursday, April 29 - Aft/Eve Spring Concert - Grade 1/2 & 2

Monday, May 24 - Victoria Day (No Classes)

Tuesday, June 29 - School Picnic and Last Day of Classes

Tuesday, June 29 (4:00pm) - Report Cards released on Parent Portal

Wednesday, June 30 - Admin Day

- Student Accident Insurance

The Strong Connections Program at Woodlawn For Grades 1-4 will take place on September 25 and 28. Please sign into your child's Parent Portal to see which date your grade 1-4 student will attend for Strong Connections. (Kindergarten classes will take place as usual.)

This program has been implemented for several years now in Hanover School Division. Strong Connections is a program designed to build the relationships between teachers and their students as well as enhance the beginning of the year assessment of each child. Strong Connections activities are designed to help us get to know our students and how they learn in order to know where to begin with instruction. This provides an opportunity for teachers to extend and

consolidate their understanding of each child through one to one interview/assessment times. This will facilitate teachers in planning for instruction that will effectively address learning needs early in the year.

What will teachers learn through Strong Connections?

Teachers working individually with their students in an atmosphere of support and

encouragement have an opportunity to collect first hand information about such things as:

· How they learn

· Their confidence as learners

· The learning strategies they possess

· Their reading, writing and mathematical skills

· Their approach to problem solving

· Their attitudes toward school and learning

· Their ability to reflect upon and set goals for their learning

How will it work?

On either September 25 or 28, students will attend school one day out of two. With half of the students present, homeroom teachers will have the opportunity to meet one on one with each student to participate in relationship building activities and assessment which revolves around literacy and numeracy. This is an opportunity for teachers to gather information about each child’s learning that may not be evident during whole class instruction. It is also an opportunity to further develop the teacher-student relationship. While some students are with the teacher, others will be participating in a variety of stations which include music, physical education, literacy, technology, art, and character building.

During these days, there will be no regularly scheduled classes for students. Students will arrive at school in their normal manner (bus or other) for their scheduled day. Parents will be notified during the first week of school as to when their child’s scheduled Strong Connections day will be.

We look forward to using these days to provide us with a deeper understanding of each student.

Notice of Approved Petitions for Woodlawn School

Petition for Religious Exercises - The Hanover School Division Board of Trustees did not receive a petition requesting that religious exercises be held in Woodlawn School during the 2026-2027 school year. Therefore, Religious Morning Exercises will not be taking place at Woodlawn School this year.

Petition for Religious Instruction - The Hanover School Division Board of Trustees has received a petition requesting that religious instruction be held in Woodlawn School during the 2026-2027 school year. The petitioners have specified their desire for the Discovery Time program offered by Child Evangelism Fellowship. As the petition bears the signatures of parents/guardians representing more than 25 students in the school, the Board of Trustees of the Hanover School Division has passed the required by-law permitting religious instruction, as specified above, to be offered by volunteers during designated half-hour per week classes.

Parents/guardians who did not sign the original petitions are eligible to join at any time by submitting a signed note to the HSD Board of Trustees (forward directly to Woodlawn School). The note must indicate the name and grade of student for whom permission to participate is being given. Only children whose parents/guardians signed the original petition, or have subsequently joined, may participate in the exercises and instruction as described above.

As a Manitoba public school division, HSD is obligated to comply with the provisions of The Public Schools Act and provincial guidelines governing the implementation of religious exercises and religious instruction. The Public Schools Act states that public schools must be non-sectarian. Religious exercises and religious instruction in public schools may only be implemented by school boards in a manner consistent with the Public Schools Act and provincial guidelines - after parent/guardian petition is presented to the school board. Such petitions require annual submission, and must be received by the HSD Board of Trustees no later than April 30 (previous to the school year for which the petition applies).

Additional information regarding the Public Schools Act, HSD policies, and provincial guidelines governing these petitions can be viewed here on the Woodlawn School website.

Email: woodlawn@hsd.ca
Website: www.woodlawn.hsd.ca
Location: 411 Henry St, Steinbach, MB, Canada R5G 0R1
Phone: 204-326-6110
Twitter: @WoodlawnHSD