Halloween Bingo
Tonight is the big night at Maple Grove with Halloween Bingo, lots of prizes, food and fun. Come and show off your costume and try to guess who will win the competitions.
Volunteers are still needed. Please contact Karrie Bogart at ckbogart@shaw.ca
October 29th to November 2nd
We will be collecting non-perishable food items for the Greater Vancouver Food Bank before and after school next week. Students and staff are encouraged to bring donations to help hungry families in Greater Vancouver. We will have donation boxes outside the school office all week. The Food Bank suggests items such as bags of rice, beans, canned fruit and vegetables, whole wheat pasta, canned meats and fish and low-sugar cereals. We appreciate any help that you can give. This project is proudly sponsored by the Global Citizenship Club.
Maple Grove has begun its fall UNICEF campaign. Your child will bring home a UNICEF form/envelope today or Monday. You may send in cash or cheques, payable to UNICEF, enclosed in the envelopes. Donations may also be given on line. All donations of $25.00 or more will automatically receive a tax receipt. THANK YOU!
HALLOWEEN SAFETY
Tips for parents and caregivers
Hallowe’en can be an exciting time for children and with the distraction of candy and costumes, safety rules can easily be forgotten. In fact, research shows that distractions can increase a child’s chances of being struck by a car. Check out these simple tips to keep Hallowe’en night a safe night for all:
1. Children under the age of nine should be accompanied by an adult or responsible older child since they lack the developmental skills to cross the street on their own. This is a year-round tip that will help keep your child safe while you share good pedestrian habits and pass on a legacy of safety-minded behaviour.
2. Teach your child to stop at the curb, look left, right and left again, and to listen for oncoming traffic. This vital skill is especially important when children are distracted and excited. Never rely on traffic signals alone – use your eyes and ears to make sure it’s safe to cross.
3. It’s unsafe to cross between parked cars or other obstacles – always cross at crosswalks, street corners or intersections. Many injuries occur when children run out between parked cars, but even at intersections it’s vital that children practice tip #2.
4. Stay on the sidewalk or path when walking from house to house and if there is no sidewalk, walk beside the road, facing traffic so drivers can see you. From a very young age, children can be taught that roads are for cars and sidewalks are for kids. If your community has no sidewalks, walking beside the road at night can be very dangerous – adult accompaniment and flashlights are a must, regardless of the child’s age.
5. Select costumes with bright colours to increase your child’s visibility and choose face paint instead of masks. Masks can make it hard for your child to see properly and often restrict peripheral vision, making it difficult to check for oncoming traffic before crossing a road.
Halloween means that there will be more children out on the streets. Drivers need to take extra care.
1. Drive slowly in residential areas where children are more likely to be trick-or-treating. Did you know that drivers cannot accurately judge their own speed when driving? The higher the speed, the less likely you are to see a child pedestrian, and the harder it is to stop quickly.
2. Watch out for kids, many of whom may be wearing costumes with masks that make it difficult for them to see. With the excitement of Halloween, children may forget simple pedestrian safety rules. They have a tendency to dart out in the most unexpected places – the most common being between parked cars. Remember also that costumes can limit a child’s vision and they may not be able to see your vehicle.
3. Reduce your distractions and stay alert.
All your concentration should be on the road, not diverted by cell phones or loud music.
4. Remember to enter and exit driveways slowly and carefully.
Excited trick-or-treaters may run on sidewalks, or dart out unexpectedly. Proceed with caution, when entering or exiting the roadway.
For more Halloween Safety Tips go to: http://holidays.kaboose.com/halloween/halloween-safety.html
Halloween Dance – Grade 6 and 7
There will be a Halloween Dance for students in Grade 6 and 7 on the afternoon of October 31st from 1:30 – 2:30 pm. The Grade 7 Student Council Committee is organizing this.
PRIMARY HALLOWEEN ASSEMBLY
There will be an assembly on October 31st in the morning for primary students. Parents are invited to attend. The assembly will start between 9:15 and 9:30 am.
Checkers Club for Grades 1 through 3
Ms. Watkins is supervising a checkers club for primary students on Mondays. Children should eat their lunch, then go to the open area at 12:30 on Mondays if they wish to participate.
Kindergarten Registration
Please click on this link September 2013/ for information on kindergarten registration for the traditional program and applications for the Montessori Program.
Siblings of current Montessori students are automatically given a spot in the Montessori Kindergarten program. However, it is still necessary to complete the registration process in order to guarantee a space.
CHOIR
Choir will start on Wednesday November 14th at 3:05 pm in the lunchroom. More details will follow closer to the time in this blog. A meeting will be called for interested students who will bring home letters for parents.
Kilometer Club
“Bring a Buddy” Days – October 30, 31 and Nov.2
Bring a friend to Maple Grove Kilometre Club on these days and you get one more check mark (an extra kilometre!)
That means you get one more chance to win prizes and your buddy gets the fun of coming!
Remember, your buddy needs to have a signed permission form, available on the bulletin board outside the library, or from the parent volunteers.
Neighborhood Daycare
Out of School Care and Preschool
7505 Arbutus Street, Vancouver, BC, V6P 5T3
604-269-6612 kidsworld@shawbiz.ca
Website: arbutuskidsworld.com
Upcoming Events
October 29 Photo orders due to Maple Grove office
November 1 Registration for Kindergarten for 2013 2014 begins
November 7 Photo retake day (for those who missed photo day) Pick up an order form from the office. Only those students with a prepaid order will have their pictures taken.
November 16 Montessori Open House 9:15 am – Kindergarten Focus
Maple Grove Elementary School 
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