Woodlawn School

As you may already be aware, there was a concerning incident at a school in Winnipeg where an unknown adult entered the building and hid in a student washroom. This was understandably concerning for that school community, and police and school officials acted quickly to address the situation. Incidents like this also prompt us to take another close look at our own safety procedures.

Last week, you received an email outlining our expectations regarding adults in the building. Although that message was sent prior to the Winnipeg incident, it reflects our ongoing commitment to student safety. We will once again be reviewing our safety plans and making any necessary adjustments to ensure we are doing everything we can to keep students safe.

As a reminder, most of our exterior doors remain locked throughout the school day and are only opened for student access during recess times. Our staff are trained to question any unknown adult in the building and consistently follow through with these safety practices.

One challenge we face is when safety expectations and procedures are not followed—including by parents and caregivers. To support a safe environment for all students, please keep the following in mind:

• Parents and caregivers should enter the school only through the main front doors on Henry Street and check in at the office.

• Volunteers must check in at the office and wear an identifying badge at all times while in the building.

• Student pick-up and drop-off must occur at the appropriate doors (before 9:00 a.m. or after 3:40 p.m.) or through the office only. Parents are asked to wait outside at the end of the day when picking up their children.

Thank you for your cooperation and for helping us maintain a safe environment for all students at Woodlawn.

Thank you to PAC members and businesses who helped towards our recent accessible playground improvements. A special thanks goes out to the following individuals and companies who helped us out to overcome a few hiccups in the installation process:

• Tom and Sheri Bueckert from Elite Redi-Mix - for donating and coordinating the concrete

• Woody Giesbrecht and Diamond Construction - for providing the manpower and equipment to drill the holes for the concrete

• Kory from Playgrounds-R-Us - for donating some of his own time to keep the project on schedule

• Several Steinbach Piston's players who helped with the set up

We are thankful for our community who supports the work we are doing at Woodlawn School!

1. Embrace Imperfect Holiday Moments

Help kids know it’s okay when things don’t go perfectly—cookies burn, plans change, gifts aren’t exactly what they hoped for.
“We can still make this a wonderful moment!”

2. Encourage Problem-Solving (Elf Style!)

Just like Santa’s helpers, kids can brainstorm creative solutions.
Try asking:
“What could we try next?”
“How can we make this work in a different way?”

3. Model Calm in the Holiday Rush

Show your child what it looks like to pause, breathe, and reset when things feel busy.
Even Santa takes breaks between gift deliveries!

4. Celebrate Effort, Not Perfection

Praise their courage to try new things—wrapping presents, practicing patience, helping with holiday tasks. Small wins matter!

5. Name Christmas Feelings

With excitement comes overwhelm. Help your child notice and name what they feel:
“Are you feeling excited, nervous, tired, or all of the above?”

A Cozy December Reminder

Amid the celebrations, keep routines steady and sprinkle in slow moments—snuggling with a story, sipping cocoa, admiring lights on a walk.
These calming traditions help kids stay grounded and build lasting resilience.

I’m Here to Support You

If your child is feeling overwhelmed this holiday season, please reach out.
Together, we’ll help them shine as bright as the Christmas lights.

Warm and festive wishes,
Ms. Mackie

We have noticed an increasing number of students waiting in front of the school before 8:50 a.m. As that area is not supervised, students should not be dropped off or waiting there before the school day begins. Students are asked to go directly to their designated playground area and enter the building through their usual doors at 8:50. Students arriving between 8:50 and 9:00 should also use their regular doors and proceed straight to class. This is a slight change to our current practice, but we feel it will make the office area less congested in the mornings. Teachers are outside collecting their classes during this time.

We would also like to remind parents not to bring students directly to their classroom. All students should go to their playground zone and enter with their class. If a student arrives after 9:00, they should check in at the office before heading to their classroom independently. If your child needs assistance in getting to class, our school staff will happily assist.

Additionally, we have recently noticed some parents going directly to classrooms before school to speak with their child’s teacher. Parents should not go to their child’s classroom at that time. Teachers need this time to prepare for the day, and unscheduled visits are disruptive. If you need to connect with your child’s teacher, please email them or contact the office to arrange a meeting.

Below is a map showing the correct entrances for all the classes.

If your child needs medication, please note that over-the-counter medication is not be be sent to school in your child's backpacks or lunch kits. All over-the-counter mediation (including Advil and Tylenol) needs to be administered by a parent/guardian.

In order for prescription medication to be administered by staff, parents need to bring it in the original container/box with the label on. There are forms at the office for parents/guardians to fill out. We ask that as much as possible, medication be administered at home rather than at school.

All parents are always welcome to attend PAC meetings! They are a great opportunity to learn about what is happening in our school and hear from our Principal. If you have any questions or concerns regarding PAC please message us at woodlawnelementarypac@gmail.com. We meet on the first Tuesday of the month at 11:50 in the library.

Thank you to all who generously donated toys for Steinbach Community Christmas to help make Christmas special for many families in our community.

The grades 3 & 4 Christmas concert is coming up on December 16! There will be performances at 2:00 and 6:30 at Crossview Church, 345 Loewen Blvd.

If your child's teacher asks you to send Christmas treats to school with your child please do not send anything containing peanuts/nuts or peanut/nut products. We have students with severe allergies to peanuts and appreciate your help in keeping all our students safe.

Any items in our lost and found area that are not claimed before Christmas will be donated. Please take a moment to check our lost and found area.

All urban bus routes are posted on the HSD website with times and maps. Any urban or rural bus that will be late due to weather or mechanical issues is listed on the HSD website under the bus delay tab.

Go to the drop down menu of Services where you can choose:

1. School Bus Delay Bulletins where any bus that is late is posted with the approximate delay.

2. Steinbach Urban Bus Routes - Scroll down to select Woodlawn School and then select your bus number.

Thank you for checking these options before calling the Hanover School Division Transportation Department with your questions regarding bus delays and Steinbach urban bus routes times and maps. Any questions for transportation please call 204-320-2347.

As we all know the weather in Manitoba can change from one moment to the next. Please send your children dressed to deal with the elements. Good boots, mittens and a hat added to ski pants and a parka makes all the difference between a child enjoying the outdoors or tolerating it. Please label all your child's outwear items as our young students often lose or forget items in various places!

Students are encouraged to go out for recess because it is important to get some fresh air during the day. Remember germs, not cold air, cause illness.

Weather and grounds permitting, all students play outdoors until 8:53 in the morning. Our cold weather policy is to keep students inside at recess when the wind chill factor is –30 or greater. Outside recess times will be shortened if the wind chill is between –25 and –29 Celsius.

When extreme weather or road conditions call for a school closure you will receive a recorded phone call from Superintendent Joe Thiessen beginning at 6:45 am. This additional communication effort is to help ensure that all students will be aware of school closures and no students will find themselves in an unsafe situation where they may be facing extreme weather unnecessarily. When school is cancelled due to weather and road conditions there are no staff members at the school. If your phone number has changed since the beginning of the school year please call the office at 204-326-6110 to update your information.

Schools will be closed due to extreme cold when the temperatures in most locations in the division are –35 degrees Celsius or colder OR is experiencing a wind chill of -45 degrees Celsius or colder. Click here for more information.

The school is in need of a variety of sizes of clean, used clothing such as winter gear, boy's pants, sweatpants, and socks for girls and boys. Sometimes parents are unable to bring a change of clothes for a child that has had an accident or fallen in a puddle and these items come in very handy. If you are able to donate clothing items please drop them off at the school office.

Kindergarten registration for the 2026-2027 school year will open on January 5, 2026. To be eligible, children must be five years of age on or before December 31, 2026. The registration process will take place online at www.HSD.ca. If you do not have access to the Internet, please visit the school office and we can assist you in completing the registration on a school computer. Parents/Guardians are encouraged to register their children soon after registration opens in January. Early registration will assist us in preparation and planning for the upcoming school year. Registering before March 1, 2026 will ensure there is sufficient time for school appointments and provide parents/guardians with the opportunity to participate in Kindergarten orientation activities. Visit www.HSD.ca for registration instructions.

Do you have a child that is kindergarten-age or younger?
Come and visit us for a program filled with laughter, songs, crafts, stories, and a snack!
We have sites at Kleefeld Community Club, South Oaks, Southwood, Elmdale, Mitchell and Bothwell from
September through June. We follow the same schedule as the divisional calendar. For more
information, check our website: https://studentservices.hsd.ca/pre-school/ .
We are a free drop-in program, no registration required! If you have any questions, please
email Stacey Marcoux at smarcoux@hsd.ca.

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