Mitchell Elementary
September 2026
MITCHELL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
A Great Place to Grow!
Principal: Jennifer Thomson
Vice-Principal: Jamie Thompson
Email: mes@hsd.ca
Website: www.mes.hsd.ca
Location: 99 Willow Street, Mitchell, MB, Canada
Phone: 204-326-6622
Instragram: meshanover
Twitter: @MEShanover
PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE
Welcome back to MES for the 2026-2027 school year! We hope that you all had a wonderful summer and are looking forward to being back at school. At MES we are off to a great start! It was wonderful to see so many families at our Meet the Teacher event on Wednesday. It is always fun to see the excitement as students meet their new teacher, see their friends in the hall and see their teacher from last year. So many teachers mentioned how special it was that their former students and families still came by to say hello! Our community continues to grow and we are excited to welcome all of our new families to our school community!
Our first day back has been filled with smiles, laughter, and a fun back to school assembly. We have a few new and returning staff members this year and we would like to welcome them to MES as well!
We were thrilled to find out this summer that our Volunteer Grade 3 & 4 Choir placed 1st in the National Music Festival! Thank you to Mrs. Taves and Ms. Nickel for all of their hard work with this group. Congratulations to all of the students involved!
Mrs. Taves is on maternity leave for the 2026–2027 school year. As we have not found a music specialist to fill her position, we will be offering Creative Arts classes this year. Creative Arts will give students opportunities to explore music, movement, art, readers theatre, and outdoor learning through a variety of engaging, and creative experiences. Please join us in welcoming Ms. Eunice Quitalig, who will be teaching Creative Arts to our Grades 1–4 students this year.
September will be a busy month as we adjust back into the routines of school. Please check your child’s Strong Connections date on the Parent Portal. Strong Connections will be happening on September 25th & 28th. We look forward to these days as a way to get to know our students better and to help us plan to best meet their individual needs in the classroom. We will also be recognizing The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 29th. We are looking forward to a fantastic school year!
WELCOME
Welcome to our new staff:
Benita Faralli (Grade 3)
Helga Vogt (Grade 2)
Eunice Quitalig (Creative Arts)
Tara Durksen (Secretary)
Janett Seibel (EA)
Welcome Back: Megan Lewis (Grade 1), Brenda Enns (Grade 3), Kathleen Derbowka (EA)
SCHOOL STAFF 2026-2027
Administration:
Principal - Jennifer Thomson
Vice-Principal - Jamie Thompson
Learning Support - Meagan Kubanek
Guidance - Sheila Krahn
Kindergarten:
Jessica Nickel
Jamie Penner
Grade 1:
Megan Lewis
Janeen Lange
Pam Reimer
Grade 1/2:
Margaret Loewen
Grade 2:
Helga Vogt
Cole Peters
Stephanie Signer
Grade 3:
Raelyn Dick
Brenda Enns
Benita Faralli
Grade 3/4:
Taylor Dueck
Grade 4:
Diana Head
Olivia Letkeman
Jessica Penner/Tara Reimer
Support Staff:
Literacy Support - Michelle Wiebe
Numeracy Support - Tara Reimer
Language Support/Reading Recovery - Michelle Wiebe
Music & Choir - Eunice Quitalig
Physical Education - Heidi Newman
Admin. Secretary - Janette Koop
Secretary - Tara Durksen
Library Support Specialist - Susan Nickel
Custodian: Ed Wolfe
Educational Assistants:
Tracy Banman
Teresa Dilts
Roxie Doerksen
Kim Esau
Jennifer Thompson
Amy Harms
Lisa Reage
Lisa Moser
Sandy Reimer
Cassie Schmidt
Elly Carr
Kathleen Derbowka
REMINDERS FROM THE OFFICE
*Please check in at the office. For safety reasons, all visitors will need to be accompanied in the hallways.
*Please remember to send your child's water bottle, cutlery, and proper outdoor clothing.
ATTENDANCE REMINDER
Please let the school know if your child will not be attending school. This can be done through Parent Portal, phone call to the school office (204) 326-6622, voicemail, email to mes@hsd.ca or SeeSaw to the teacher.
MES SCHEDULE
8:30 Students enter School
8:35 Opening Exercises
8:45 Announcements
8:45 Period 1
9:25 Period 2
10:00 Recess for Gr.1 & 2
10:15 Recess for Gr.3 & 4
10:15 Period 3
10:50 Period 4
11:25 Lunch Gr. 1 & 2/Recess Gr. 3 & 4
11:55 Lunch Gr. 3 & 4/Recess Gr.1 & 2
12:25 Period 5
1:00 Period 6
1:35 Recess for Gr.3 & 4
1:50 Recess for Gr. 1 & 2
1:50 Period 7
2:25 Period 8
3:00 Period 9
3:13 Bus students dismissed
3:20 Walking students/pick up students dismissed
STUDENT FEES DUE
The school fees for 2025-2026 are due by Friday, September 26th. Please pay online on Parent Portal or bring exact cash or a cheque payable to MES to the school office.
Kindergarten $50
Grade 1 $60
Grade 1/2L $40
Grade 2 $40
Grade 3 $40
Grade 4 $40
STRONG CONNECTIONS
Our Strong connection dates are Friday, September 25 and Monday, September 28. Your child will only attend school on one of these days. Please check Parent Portal to see which day your child will attend.
PARKING & PICK-UP
ARRIVALS & DEPARTURES
Thank you to all parents for keeping our bus loop clear and safe. This is just a quick reminder to all our students and parents of the bus loop rules:
1) Refrain from using the bus loop between 8:00am and 4:00pm (during school hours).
2) If you are dropping off or picking up students please do so from the street in front of the school (please do not drive into the bus loop or onto the staff parking lot.)
3) Always walk around the front of the first bus, or the back of the last bus (not between them!) when more than one bus is stopped in the bus loop.
4) Please remind children who walk or bike to school to do so on the appropriate sides of the street so that buses and other vehicles can pass safely.
PARKING & PICK-UP:
Please take note of the areas that are safe for parking. The Mitchell Gospel Church is willing to let parents use their parking lot during the hours of 8:15-9:00 and 3:00-3:45 pm. This is the parking area one block directly south of the school down the path that connects to Willow & Oakview.
HOME TIME ARRANGEMENTS
In the interest of maximizing learning time in the classroom and keeping interruptions to a minimum, please make home time arrangements with your child(ren) before they leave for school in the morning.
Send a message on Seesaw if home time arrangements are different from your normal routine, whether your child is going home with someone else or being picked up at the end of the day.
If you must phone the school regarding a change in home time arrangements please call before 2:30 pm. Home time messages received after 2:30 pm are not guaranteed to delivered on time.
If you are picking your child up for an appointment during the school day, please sign your child out at the office and the secretary will call your child to meet you at the office.
TERRY FOX WALK
Thursday, October 8th
MES will be participating in our annual Terry Fox Walk on Thursday October 8th right after the morning assembly. All MES students will be participating in a short walk around Mitchell, continuing Terry’s legacy.
We will be educating the students on who Terry Fox was, why we do the walk, and what the Terry Fox Foundation is all about. We will also be encouraging students to bring in Toonies for Terry to aid cancer research in Canada!
As an additional reminder, please ensure you have granted your child their "Walking Field Trip Permission" on parent portal so they can participate!
Extreme Weather
In severe weather conditions, the school division closes the school and stops the buses. An announcement is made on radio stations 95.1 FM, 96.7 FM, and AM 1250 between 7-8 am, as well as on www.steinbachonline.com and as a bulletin on the HSD website www.hsd.ca
Bus Delays
When the buses are running late, there will be a Bus Delay Bulletin posted on HSD website. You can also call the Transportation Department at (204) 320-2347.
Bus Loop Procedures
Just a reminder that there is no stopping or driving in the bus loop. This includes student pick ups and drop offs. Many children use that door when going out for recess and we need to keep the bus loop clear for safety reasons.
PEANUT/NUT ALLERGIES
We have students who have life-threatening nut allergies. We are encouraging parents to keep this in mind as you pack lunches/snacks for your children. Please avoid sending nut products to school.
PRESCHOOL PROGRAM AT MES
Hanover Parent Child Community Program is offering a preschool program at MES in our hut.
- Monday mornings 9:00-11:30am
- Tuesday afternoons 1:00-3:30 pm
- Thursday mornings 9:00-11:30 am
Please contact Stacey Marcoux at (204) 326-9829 or email smarcoux@hsd.ca for more information.
Picture Day will be on October 13th
UPCOMING DATES TO REMEMBER
Sept.14 Staggered entry for Kindergarten
Sept.15 Staggered entry for Kindergarten
Sept.16 All Kindergarten students attend
Sept. 25 Strong Connections
Sept. 28 Strong Connections
Oct. 8 Terry Fox Run
Sept.29 Wear orange to recognize Truth & Reconciliation Day
Sept.30 Truth & Reconciliation Day - No Classes
Oct.13 Picture Day