Elementary School Update

Notice of Sidewalk Repairs Around Selwyn House: We've been advised that reconstruction and repairs to damaged sidewalks will be carried out by the City of Westmount on Côte-Saint-Antoine Road and Stanton Street beginning Thursday, October 22. The work is expected to be completed early in the week of October 26, weather permitting. Parking on these streets will be prohibited during this period, but pedestrian access will be maintained. We can expect restricted flow of traffic on these streets, especially during pickup and drop off times. To reduce the amount of vehicular traffic, we request that parents of older students make arrangements to drop off and pick up students on nearby streets, or use public transportation if possible, until the work is complete.

Dress for the weather: As the weather is changing and getting colder, please make sure your son is wearing appropriate outerwear, including warm jackets, hats, and splash pants. Boys should have a pair of indoor-only school shoes to change into for class.

Halloween Costumes: As Halloween costumes are being finalized, please take note that props, masks and weapons are NOT permitted in the Elementary School.

🎃 Halloween Costume Collection Drive: October 19–23: Selwyn House is collecting gently used Halloween costumes to donate to children who may not otherwise have the opportunity to purchase one! Inspired by a Grade 6 student, this initiative is a wonderful way to give costumes a second life and help every child enjoy Halloween.

Drop-off: October 19–23 in Classroom 4B. Please ensure all costumes are clean and in good condition. No violent costumes, inflatables, or weapons, please.

Argyle Shop News: The Argyle Shop will now carry two three-season jackets: the Nike Therma Repel Park Jacket and the Stormtech Stavanger Thermal Jacket. Available in youth and adult sizes, both are lightweight, water-repellent options ideal for rainy and windy weather and feature the Selwyn House Gryphons crest embroidered on the chest.

The jackets will be available for purchase online and can be found in the Featured Products or Accessories categories. The in-store styles will feature the Gryphons crest on the chest, with no personalization on the arms.

Pedal with the PVA! We're inviting all Selwyn House parents to join us on October 23 for a morning bike ride. We'll meet at the Veritas sign in front of Selwyn House at 8:15 a.m. for a 27 km course plotted by Thomas Obenhaus that will take us down to the river and back almost exclusively on bike paths with a pit stop halfway to fuel up with Columbian coffee. (You can check out the route here.) No bike? No problem! There's a Bixi station on the corner of Argyle and Cote-Ste-Antoine. Just don't forget your helmet!

Sign up link to embed here: https://signup.com/go/pSrngfh

Parent Walk: All parents are warmly invited to join the PVA for a Parent Walk on October 16! We’ll meet at 8:45 AM at the Smith House on Montréal Street, where we’ll enjoy some coffee before heading out for a leisurely jaunt around Westmount. Come for the coffee, the fresh air, and the chance to connect with fellow parents. Dogs are very welcome, too!

Holiday Marketplace at SHS December 2nd: With the holiday season just around the corner, the PVA is excited to announce it is organizing our third Holiday Marketplace on Wednesday, Dec. 2nd. Keeping sustainability in mind, after the November break the PVA will start collecting gently used items including toys, games, books, puzzles, holiday decorations, small household goods and more, for resale to students, staff and family members in a holiday market format. All the money raised will benefit a local charity. It's a great opportunity for parents to get involved as the PVA will need many volunteers to help man market stalls, contribute baked goods, items for sale, etc. We will have more information coming in the next few weeks. To get involved, please email amandajelowicki@hotmail.com

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Hours of the Elementary School (ES) Day: Please take note of the daily schedule for our Elementary School students:

• Kindergarten ~ homeroom begins at 7:50 am; dismissal is at 2:30 pm

• Grades 1 & 2 ~ homeroom begins at 8:05 am; dismissal is at 3:20 pm

• Grades 3 to 6 ~ homeroom begins at 8:20 am; dismissal is at 3:20 pm

We encourage families to plan accordingly and ensure that students arrive on time and are ready to begin their day. Thank you for your continued support in helping our students have a smooth and successful school day!

Student Absences or Lateness: Please notify Marlita Manal by 8:00 a.m. (ext 2235 or manalm@selwyn.ca), should your son miss morning attendance for any reason. If a student must arrive after the start of classes, Grades 1 through 6 students need to use the Lucas front door and proceed upstairs to check in with Ms. Manal.

Guidelines when your son is not feeling well: If your son is not feeling well in the morning, please keep him home to recover.

• If he has a fever, he should be fever-free for 24 hours (without meds) before returning to school.

• If he has vomited twice in a 24 hour period, he should wait 24 hours before returning.

As always, thank you for keeping Ms.Manal informed. A quick call (ext.2235) or email (manalm@selwyn.ca) before 8:30 am is greatly appreciated.

Birthday Celebrations: As we look ahead to the 26-27 school year, we are making a small but meaningful change to how we celebrate student birthdays.

• Moving forward, we ask that sweets or other food treats are no longer brought to school to honour a child’s birthday. These treats include but are not limited to cupcakes, cookies, doughnuts, milkshakes, etc.

• Instead, we are pleased to introduce a Free Dress Day as a special way for the birthday student to be recognized and celebrated by their classmates. We hope this simple change will allow students to enjoy their special day while creating a welcoming and inclusive experience for everyone.

• This shift is intended to be respectful and inclusive of the many food allergies, intolerances and sensitivities within our school community. It also reflects our desire to celebrate special occasions in ways that do not rely solely on food as a reward or form of recognition.

• Thank you for your understanding and for helping us make birthday celebrations joyful, compassionate, and inclusive for all of our students.\

Drop-off and Pick-up Reminders:

• Reminder that the beginning and ending of the day are a time to gather the children and are not intended as a recess time. Teachers are focused on the safe arrival and dismissal of your son.

• As mentioned in the SHS Parent Student Handbook, “parents who pick up their children after school should do so promptly at the time their son is dismissed. Students are expected to leave for home or for other commitments immediately after their dismissal. They are not to play in front of the school or in the school yards.”