BISHOP ABRAHAM ELEMENTARY

   Safe Arrival

Safe Arrival System

1-844-408-9360 (toll free)

Important February and March Dates

February 21-24 Mid WInter Break (District Holiday)

Monday, March 3 - PL School Development Continuation (full day) 

Monday, March 10 - Report Card Writing Day (full day)

March 17 - District Holiday St. Patrick's Day Holiday (full day) 

Thursday, March 20 - 11:30 am dismissal Parent/ Teacher interview

World Autism Awareness Day - April 2 

World Autism Awareness Day is an international observance dedicated to raising awareness about autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and promoting acceptance, inclusion, and support for individuals with autism. This day is an opportunity to educate the public about the challenges and strengths of those on the autism spectrum, to celebrate the contributions of individuals with autism, and to advocate for greater understanding and acceptance within society.

What is World Autism Awareness Day?

World Autism Awareness Day is an annual event that highlights the need for increased awareness and understanding of autism spectrum disorder. Autism affects millions of people worldwide, impacting their social, communication, and behavioral skills in varying degrees. The day serves as a platform to address the misconceptions and stigma surrounding autism, to promote early diagnosis and intervention, and to support the rights and well-being of individuals with autism. It is also a time to celebrate the unique perspectives and talents that people with autism bring to their communities.

When is World Autism Awareness Day?

World Autism Awareness Day is observed every year on April 2nd. The date was designated by the United Nations General Assembly in 2007 to shine a light on autism as a growing global health issue and to encourage worldwide support for individuals with autism and their families.

How to Celebrate World Autism Awareness Day

There are many ways to participate in World Autism Awareness Day and promote acceptance and understanding of autism:

• Light It Up Blue: Join the global campaign to “Light It Up Blue” by wearing blue clothing or accessories, or by lighting up buildings and landmarks in blue. This symbol of solidarity helps raise awareness and show support for individuals with autism.

• Educate Yourself and Others: Take time to learn more about autism spectrum disorder, including the experiences of those who live with it. Share resources, books, documentaries, and personal stories to help educate your community.

• Support Autism-Friendly Businesses: Visit and support businesses that are inclusive and accommodating to individuals with autism. Your support helps create environments where everyone feels welcome and understood.

• Participate in Fundraising Events: Join or organize events such as walks, runs, or virtual fundraisers to support organizations that provide resources, advocacy, and support for people with autism and their families.

• Advocate for Inclusion: Support policies and initiatives that promote inclusion and accessibility for individuals with autism in schools, workplaces, and public spaces. Your advocacy can help ensure that everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

• Share on Social Media: Use social media to spread messages of acceptance and inclusion. Share facts, personal stories, and event details using relevant hashtags to raise awareness and encourage others to take part.

Family Surveys

School Development Surveys are conducted annually to gather feedback from students, staff, and parents/guardians to inform the school development process. The survey results will be provided to your child’s school and used with other data to identify the school’s strengths and challenges. Your child’s school will then create and implement a plan to build on successes and address areas of challenge.

The survey is anonymous, which means that we cannot connect your survey responses to you. We encourage everyone to participate so that we have the most accurate representation of family perceptions at your school.

The Family Survey will be available on February 24th, 2025. Please complete the survey by April 4th, 2025 by clicking on the following link: https://ca.research.net/r/SDFamily2425EN. If you do not have internet access contact the school.

Food First NL Consultations 

As part of Food First NL’s province-wide Next Steps for School Meals Consultations

(https://www.foodfirstnl.ca/projects/next-steps-school-meals), we hope to engage your

school community in gathering ideas and input on what an inclusive, non-stigmatizing, and

accessible school lunch program should look like at your child(ren)’s school(s). We have

partnered with the Department of Education to launch our surveys through the Thought

Exchange Platform. The surveys are available online via the following link:

https://tejoin.com/scroll/945926426

We kindly ask that the surveys be completed by Wednesday, March 5 2025.

Thank you so much for your help in shaping and informing our recommendations for a

successful expansion of school meal programming in our province. Feedback from your

family is essential to finding school lunch solutions that work for your school community.

Warm Regards,

Ashley Byrne

Next Steps for School Meals

Program Coordinator

ashley@foodfirstnl.ca

(709)237-4026 (voicemail)

PowerSchool has engaged Experian and TransUnion, trusted credit reporting agencies, to provide complimentary identity protection and credit monitoring services to involved students and educators: 

Individuals can visit the website linked here for information on how to activate the complimentary credit monitoring and identity protection services. 

In the Newfoundland and Labrador K-12 education system, high school students since 1995 and teachers since 2010 may be eligible to access the complimentary credit monitoring and identity protection services. Individuals are encouraged to visit the above website and follow the prompts to determine eligibility and sign up for the complimentary services. 

In the coming weeks, Experian (on behalf of PowerSchool) will also be distributing direct email notifications to involved students (or the parents/guardians of students, as applicable) and educators for whom they have sufficient contact information. The email notice will include further information about the information of theirs involved and the resources PowerSchool is offering. 

Additionally, PowerSchool has coordinated with Experian to set up a toll-free call center for families and educators. Individuals can call (833) 918-9464, Monday through Friday, 10:30 a.m. through 10:30 p.m. Newfoundland Standard Time. 

A webpage has been set up on the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador’s website with public information related to the PowerSchool incident. Inquiries can be sent to PowerSchoolinfo@gov.nl.ca. 

Once again thank you for your patience and understanding as we navigate through this process.

KinderStart 2025

We are happy to provide the following 4 dates for Kinderstart sessions at Bishop Abraham Elementary: 

Session 1: January 31st, 2025

Session 2: February 28th, 2025

Session 3: March 28th, 2025

Session 4: May 2nd, 2025

Backup session date (due to weather closure, etc): May 23rd, 2025.

Sessions are offered in the morning (9:30 - 11 am) and afternoon (1 - 2:30 pm). Please email jenniferkeefe@nlschools.ca to confirm your choice of AM or PM session.  Requests for AM or PM sessions will be accommodated on a first come, first served basis.  You will be notified about which session your child will be attending prior to the first session in January.  

We look forward to meeting you!

Electronic Device Policy

NLSchools Responsible Student Use of Personal Electronic Devices Policy will come into effect when students return from holiday break on January 6, 2025. The policy aims to reduce the impact of inappropriate personal electronic device usage, such as cell phones, on learning.

The full policy is available on the NLSchools website. Some of the highlights to be

aware of are:

• Students in grades K-6 are encouraged to not bring PEDs to school or have on their

person and will not be permitted to use personal electronic devices in schools.

• Students in grade 7 to level 4 who bring a personal electronic device to school must

switch it off and store out of sight during instructional hours. Students can access

their devices during recess and lunch breaks.

• Teachers and staff should continue to exercise their professional judgement in

determining when their PED use is necessary.

To support the implementation of the policy on January 6, a frequently asked questions

document for students, parents and guardians is available on the NLSchools website.

Additional support documents will be shared with schools later today, including sample

templates for tracking policy violations and communicating with parents and guardians, as

well as a policy exemption application for parents and guardians.

Important Close-out Dates

Friday, November 22nd full day closeout for Teacher Report Card Writing

District closeout date Thursday, November 28th

December 5, 2024 11:30 am dismissal for parent teacher conferences

December 6, full day close-out for students. Teacher PL. 

November Newsletter

Please see our November Newsletter

October Newsletter

Please see our October Newsletter

September Updates

September 26th  is Orange Shirt Day at Bishop Abraham in recognition of  National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day taking place on September 30. 

Orange Shirt Day is an Indigenous-led grassroots commemorative day intended to raise awareness of the individual, family and community inter-generational impacts of residential schools, and to promote the concept of “Every Child Matters”.  The orange shirt is a symbol of the stripping away of culture, freedom and self-esteem experienced by Indigenous children over generations.

Earth Rangers Assembly (K-6): Thursday September 26th

Earth Rangers is piloting a new format for our school assembly that replaces the use of live animals with  exciting technology like holograms, animatronics, and surround sound to transport students to ecosystems around the world! Students will learn about the threats facing animals and their habitats, and the things we can all do to help. The assembly touches on a number of curriculum outcomes for different grade levels.

Why won’t there be live animals?  Earth Rangers is still delivering our live animal presentations, but has made the decision to no longer acquire new animals.  In order to ensure our program remains viable and sustainable for the long-term, we have begun developing and testing alternative formats that retain the high level of quality, excitement and environmental education schools have come to expect from an Earth Rangers presentation.    

The assembly is 45 minutes long and offers educational, curriculum-linked information appropriate for Grades K-6. There are interactive components throughout the assembly, including a trivia game.There is no fee for students and we are delighted to have them at Bishop Abraham Elementary.

School Lunch

Information can be found at www.schoollunch.ca. If at all possible,

please provide your child with lunch before they arrive at school in the morning.

Important Dates:

Registration and ordering for School Lunch will open on Sept 9th.

Ordering will close on Sept 17th.

Hot lunch service for students will begin on Sept 25th.

Terry Fox Walk 2024

Bishop Abraham Elementary is getting ready for the 2024 Terry Fox School Walk on September 27th! We’re super excited to take part in this annual tradition that supports cancer research while building school spirit. Please support our student’s fundraising efforts and donate today at: https://schools.terryfox.ca/BishopAbrahamElementary #terryfoxschoolrun #nomatterwhat @theterryfoxfoundation 

Welcome Back!

Please take time to read our September Newsletter.

We are excited to start our new school year 2024-2025.  Please browse through all our tabs above for the latest information!  

Important Dates 2024-25

September 3 - Administration Day

September 4 - School Reopens for Students

September 30 - National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

October 14 - Thanksgiving Day

November 11 - Remembrance Day

December 20 - Last Day - Christmas/ Winter Break

January 6 - School Reopens

February 21-24 - Mid Winter Break

March 17 - St. Patrick's Day

April 17 - Last Day Prior to Easter/ Spring Break

April 28 - School Reopens

May 19 - Victoria Day

June 26 - Last Day for Students - Summer Break 

June 27 - Administration Day

Kinderstart:

FAMILY OF SCHOOLS 7-10 (Avalon)

KinderStart/Kindergarten Online Registration is scheduled for Wednesday, May 8 and Thursday, May 9, 2024. It will begin at 9:00 AM on May 8 and remain open until 9:00 PM on May 9 (Island time).

This registration is for children who will be five (5) years of age on or before December 31, 2025.

When families register their child for Kindergarten, they are registering for KinderStart sessions which will be held during 2024-25 and Kindergarten for the 2025-26 school year.

Online registration can be completed by following the steps here:

https://www.nlschools.ca/studentsfamilies/kindergartenregistration 

Winter Package Draw Winners:

1st Prize: Glenda Pack

2nd Prize: Michelle Keating

3 rd Prize: Matthew Alcott

Thank you to all who supported. Congratulations to our winners.

Please visit our webpage for information on our exciting Winter Package Draw details! Thank you to all businesses and family members who donated to this wonderful project.

https://bae.nlesd.ca/winter-package-draw

DF Barnes Arena Skating Update

The Avalon Celtics are pleased to launch a skating program with Bishop Abraham Elementary (next door to DF Barnes Arena).  Our program will include all grades K-6 (ages 5-12). The goal is to start as soon as the students have the equipment. 

Through a school survey, 75% of students have never skated before, and only about 10% of the students have skates or helmets.  As the majority of these students have never had a chance to enjoy skating, every helmet and pair of skates gets them a little closer to getting on the ice for the first time and developing good skating skills.

We are reaching out to #CelticsHockeyNation and the local hockey community to donate helmets and skates to support this initiative. Helmets (with CSA sticker – per below) can be dropped off at Bishop Abraham school from Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 3:30 pm or at the DF Barnes Arena from 3:30 until 10:00. We will accept donations on weekends at DF Barnes Arena from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm.

Kinderstart

If you have missed the online registration please contact the school and we will help. 

Kinderstart Sessions for parent/ guardian & student:

Session 1: Friday, January 26, 2024

Session 2: Friday, February 23, 2024

Session 3: Friday, March 22, 2024

Session 4: Friday, April 26, 2024

**Any session missed due to weather closures will be made up in May.

Holiday Happiness at Bishop Abraham 2023

Monday, December 4-Day 6: Color a holiday (Christmas, Kwanzaa or Hanukkah, St. Lucia’s Day, and St. Nicholas Day) coloring sheet

Tuesday, December 5-Day 7: St. Nicholas Day. This holiday is celebrated in Ukraine, Poland, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, and other countries. Options are to read a book or listen to a read aloud, video, comprehension reading, do a craft, colouring pages, etc. December 5th is St. Nicholas’ Eve and December 6th is St. Nicholas Day.

Wednesday, December 6-Day 1: Make a card for a senior (we will bring them over to Bishop’s Gardens Monday, December 18)

Thursday, December 7-Day 2: Hanukkah activity. Options are a book, read aloud, video, comprehension reading, learn the dreidel song, menorah craft, dreidel craft, etc. Hanukkah begins in the evening of December 7th and runs from the 8th through to the 15th. 

Friday, December 8-Day 3: Holiday Book Read Aloud- A Special Guest will come to your class. Extra “holly jolly” outside time.

Monday, December 11-Day 4: Lucia Day (or St. Lucy’s Day). Most widely celebrated in Scandinavia (Finland, Norway, and Sweden) and in Italy,  Lucia Day symbolizes light in a dark winter. There are many options for activities. 

Tuesday, December 12-Day 5: Play board games or do a holiday shake break. 

Wednesday, December 13-Day 6: Kwanzaa Day. Kwanzaa is an annual celebration of African (or African-American) culture from December 26 to January 1, culminating in a communal feast called Karamu. 

Thursday, December 14-Day 7: Grinch Day - Wear Green & Plan Grinch Day activities. Grinch Primary

Friday, December 15-Day 1: Holiday  Concert Day

   Special Visitor

Monday, December 18-Day 2: Newfoundland Christmas Traditions! Dress like a Mummer and dance to the “Mummer’s Song” at Bishop’s Gardens. Deliver seniors’ holiday cards that we made. We will leave around 1:20pm to go over. 

Tuesday, December 19-Day 3: Holiday Movie Day

Wednesday, December 20-Day 4: Wear a favorite hat (antlers, santa , baseball)! 

                        Sing-a-long in the gymnasium 

Dismissal at 1:00pm, Happy Holidays!

November and October Newsletters

Please see our November and October Newsletter  for families.

Welcome Back!

Welcome back to all as we start a new school year. For the information of families please see our September Newsletter for information.

Our open house is scheduled for Thursday, September 21 starting at 4 pm. We look forward to meeting you.

Supply Lists

Kindergarten List

Gr 1 to 6 Lists

Kinderstart/ Kindergarten Registration

You may be asking, am I registering for Kinderstart or Kindergarten? The answer is BOTH! When you register your child for Kindergarten, you are registering for Kinderstart starting this upcoming school year and Kindergarten the following September.

Children must be five (5) years of age on or before December 31, 2024 in order to register.

When registration starts, the link at the right is how the initial registration page will appear (click to open preview PDF of the form). This is NOT the actual form to fill out, it is only a sample of the actual form for your convenience). If you are registering twins, there will be an option on the second page for you to continue to register a second child.

You will need the following in order to complete an online application:

1. MCP number including expiration date;

2. An email address in order to receive confirmation of receipt of your application;

3. What school you are zoned for (Please use the School Catchment Viewer HERE);

4. Contact phone number and an emergency contact phone number; and,

5. An Internet-ready device

To complete the registration process, proof of address and confirmation of MCP number must be provided to the school on or before May 31, 2023.

This registration process is for children who will attend KinderStart in the upcoming school year and Kindergarten in the following school year. Children registered in KinderStart will automatically be registered to attend Kindergarten.

Additionally, for further information on the Provincial Government/Department of Education Pre-Kindergarten Pilot Program, which is being managed by the YMCA, can be found by visiting their dedicated PreKindergarten Program website. Feel free to check back regularly for updates.

Online Registration for Kinderstart(2023)/Kindergarten(2024) will get underway May, 2023 for both the English and Early French Immersion programs, as per the District's School Zoning, Student Registration and Transfers (PROG-311) policy. The registration dates are outlined below:

• Monday, May 8, 2023 to Tuesday, May 9, 2023 for Central, Western and Labrador regions of the province. (Family of Schools 1-6); and

• Wednesday, May 10, 2023 to Thursday, May 11, 2023 for Avalon region (including St. John's metro area) of the province. (Families of schools 7-10)