Westboro Weekly Newsletter

August 27: Meet the Staff Night 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.

August 28: First day of classes

August 28: Staggered Start for Kindergarten

September 1: Labour Day - No school for students or staff

September 3: Early Dismissal - Students will be dismissed one hour early at 2:16 p.m.

September 3: Staggered Start for Kindergarten

September 4: First Full Day of Classes for Kindergarten

September 4: First Day of Kindergarten Bussing

September 10: Early Dismissal - Students will be dismissed one hour early at 2:16 p.m.

September 11: School photos

September 17: Early Dismissal - Students will be dismissed one hour early at 2:16 p.m.

September 18: School Bus Evacuations

September 24: Early Dismissal - Students will be dismissed one hour early at 2:16 p.m.

September 25: Terry Fox School Run Day

September 29: Orange Shirt Day

September 30: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation - No school for students or staff

Dear Westboro Families,

Welcome to a new school year at Westboro Elementary! I hope your summer provided time for rest, adventure, and special moments with family and friends. As we begin another year together, our staff is eager to welcome both returning and new students into our vibrant school community.

At Westboro, we are deeply committed to creating a safe, inclusive, and engaging learning environment where every child feels valued, supported, and challenged to achieve their best. This year, our focus will continue to be on fostering strong connections, building resiliency, and nurturing curiosity in our learners.

We know that learning is most successful when schools and families work hand in hand. Your partnership and involvement are vital to the success of our students, and we are grateful for the trust you place in us. Throughout the year, we encourage you to stay connected, ask questions, and celebrate milestones alongside us.

The year ahead holds many opportunities for growth, discovery, and joy. I am confident that, together, we will make this a memorable and successful year for every child.

Warm regards,
Shelby Labrecque
Principal, Westboro Elementary School

OFFICE

Principal: Mrs. Shelby Labrecque

Assistant Principal: Mrs. Tracey Prouse

Secretary: Mrs. Billie Jean Mepham

Secretary: Mrs. Melanie Pinto

Counsellor: Mrs. Dianna Graziano

Librarian: Mrs. Shelly White

Music Mrs. Courtney Richard

TEACHERS

Mrs. Cindy Wheeler Kindergarten

Mrs. Marina Gilmore 1G

Mrs. Ashley Becigneul/Ms. Kayla Reivonen 2BR

Mrs. Margo Komant 3K

Ms. Rhonda Lee 4Lee

Mrs. Tanya Gottstein 5G

Mrs. Erin Desautels 6D

Mrs. Amberly Witzke 6W

Mrs. Shelbi Aikens STEPS

Mrs. Andrea Perrotta PLACE

EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANTS

Mrs. Natalie Diaz KINDERGARTEN

Mrs. Candace Carey KINDERGARTEN

Mrs. Amy Johnston GRADE 6

Mrs. Karen Stocks STEPS

Mrs. Cheryle Kristensen STEPS

Mrs. Corinne Bennefeld STEPS

Mrs. Kesina Lambert STEPS

Ms. Paige Tomashewsky STEPS

Mrs. Crystal Hebert STEPS

Mrs. Tracy Johnson STEPS

Mrs. Wendy Bass STEPS

Mrs. Maricel Townsend STEPS

Mrs. Jennifer Matyjanka PLACE

Mrs. Michele Norton PLACE

Mrs. Adrianne Shepard PLACE

Ms. Valerie Groff PLACE

Mrs. Candace Reichl PLACE

Starting this fall, for the 2025–26 school year, every Wednesday will be an early dismissal day. Students will be dismissed at 2:16 p.m.

In the past, students were dismissed early only on the first Wednesday of each month.

This year, the change means that all Wednesdays will follow the early dismissal schedule.

Please mark your calendars and plan ahead for this weekly routine. Thank you for your support as we make this change.

If medication is to be administered to your child at school a form must be completed by the parent/guardian. The medication must be brought to school in the original container with legible label. Please click the link button to complete the form online through Permission Click.

Forms must be completed on a yearly basis.

Please see the welcome back letter linked below from our Westboro School Council and Parents' Society.

The first day of classes is right around the corner. Find all the information you need for back to school by visiting our school website. Details include supply lists, school calendars, planning for kindergarten, busing information and more.

Please communicate your child’s absence, leaving school early or arriving late directly to

general.wbo@eips.ca or click BUTTON BELOW. These emails are both checked regularly by the school office staff. Do not communicate this information to only the teacher. Situations occur when the homeroom teacher is away and your information will not be received by the office staff who are required to maintain an accurate record of attendance for students throughout the day.

We want to remind families that our school is a scent-aware environment. This means we ask all students, staff, and visitors to avoid wearing or bringing products that contain strong fragrances, such as perfumes, colognes, scented lotions, sprays, or heavily scented personal products.

Many people experience sensitivities or allergic reactions to scents. Reactions can range from mild symptoms such as headaches or nausea to more serious breathing difficulties. By being mindful of the products we use, we can help create a safe and comfortable environment for everyone.

We kindly ask for your support in keeping our school scent-aware. Please take a moment to check that your child’s personal care products are unscented or fragrance-free before sending them to school. Together, we can ensure that our school remains an inclusive and healthy place for learning.

Thank you for helping us take care of our community!

To help keep all of our students safe, our school is a nut-aware environment. This means we ask families to avoid sending foods that contain peanuts, tree nuts, or nut-based products to school.

Some students in our community have severe nut allergies, and even a small trace of nuts can cause a serious, life-threatening reaction. By working together, we can reduce the risk of accidental exposure and make sure every child feels safe at school.

We kindly ask that you:

• Check ingredient labels carefully when packing lunches and snacks.
• Avoid sending foods such as peanut butter, Nutella, granola bars with nuts, or baked goods containing nuts.
• Remind your child not to share food with classmates.

Thank you for your cooperation and support in helping us create a safe and inclusive learning environment for all students.

Your child’s school and the Division use SchoolMessenger for communicating with families—through phone, email and text. You can directly manage your notification preferences through your SchoolMessenger account.

Learn more about SchoolMessenger, manage your preferences and download the app.

Our school zone is a very busy place before and after school. Ensuring our students safety is our first priority. Parents are reminded of the speed zone in the area in front of the school, as well as be reminded that there are no U-turns allowed anywhere within the school boundaries. Please note that there is no parking or stopping in front of the school during drop off and pick-up times. That area is designated for buses only. There is also no parking in the STAFF PARKING lots on the east and west sides of the school. The staff parking stalls are ALL spoken for and any quick drop offs or pick ups can cause great disruptions for our staff. There is parking available in the mall parking lot across from the school, in the middle and outer (closest to Broadmoor Blvd.) rows ONLY. Please obey all the cross walk markings during the busy times in the mornings and afternoons. Students will continue patrolling the crosswalk areas, please respect their requests as they assist Mrs. Labrecque and Mrs. Prouse in supervising the arrival and departure of our students.

The PowerSchool Parent Portal is an interactive web-based platform where parents and guardians can access attendance, grades and fee information for all students registered in the Division, as well as provide updates to family contact information as needed. One account provides access to the information about all students in your family.

Learn more about PowerSchool and how to set up your Parent Portal account if you’re new to EIPS.

EIPS uses the online Permission Click platform for many school and Division forms. The system makes the form submission process for families simple and straightforward, and forms are easily fillable from your mobile device.

Learn more about Permission Click and who these forms are sent to.

Wondering when and how to pay for school fees? School fee information for the 2025-26 school year will be posted on the PowerSchool Parent Portal in late September. All fees are due within 30 days of being posted. NOTE: Additional fees may be added throughout the year—for example, at the beginning of each semester, as your child takes part in various activities, or they may be adjusted by changes in selected optional courses in junior and senior high school. If you’re unable to pay your school fees, you can apply to have certain fees waived. The application deadline is Dec. 15, 2025.

For more information, visit the https://www.westboroelementary.ca/about/fees on the school website. Alternatively, contact Billie Jean Mepham at Westboro Elementary at 780-467-7751.

As part of the Division’s ongoing work to support safety and security in schools, all school exterior doors, including the front door, are locked during operation hours, and opened for student access during specific school entry times.

Learn more about the building security and door locking initiative.

Contact your child’s school if you have any questions about back-to-school 2025. We look forward to seeing students on the first day of classes, August 28.

Sincerely,

Elk Island Public Schools

Is your child riding the bus this year? If yes, download the My Ride and Bus Status apps to stay in the know about your child’s bus stop location, route, pickup time and whether their bus is running on schedule.

Did you know each EIPS bus is equipped with video surveillance, and many school sites have video monitoring equipment?

Video surveillance and equipment help:

· ensure the safety of all students, staff, drivers and property; and

· discourage destructive acts.

As needed, EIPS school administration and Student Transportation staff review video recordings, in accordance with the Protection of Privacy Act. The recordings assist schools and the Division with monitoring student and driver conduct and may be used as evidence in a disciplinary matter.

For more information about the collection, use and disclosure of personal information, contact the EIPS Privacy Officer at 780-464-3477.

Find all the information you need for back to school: www.eips.ca/back-to-school. We’ll see you on the first day of classes, August 28.

Did you know you can sync the school calendar to your own calendar? Simply, visit https://www.westboroelementary.ca/school-calendar click on “Subscribe to Calendar” and follow the instructions. Within seconds, your calendar will contain all Westboro Elementary's important dates including holidays, school-closures days, planned activities and events, and it will remain synced with all the latest updates throughout the school year.