Welcome to 2018! I trust that you had a blessed holiday season. I know I did but I will certainly be happy to be back with the students. They add so much joy to my days!

Brr…

In case you haven’t noticed, it is COLD! Please make sure your child comes to school with appropriate winter wear such as mittens or gloves, a hat, boots, a scarf, and snow pants. Also, I highly recommend packing an extra pair of socks as snow has a way of getting into boots, causing wet socks, discomfort, and the wonderful aroma of stinky feet.

School Cancellations & Delays

When announcements are made for a delay or closure, GCS follows the PEI Public Schools Branch.  Alternatively, sometimes only certain schools will be delayed or closed and will be announced by “family of schools”; GCS follows the Bluefield Family, Colonel Gray Family, and Charlottetown Rural Family of schools.  If any of these are delayed or canceled, GCS will be also.

In the case of a “one hour delay”, school will begin at 10:00am, while a “school closure” or “system wide shutdown” results in no school at all for the day.

There are a number of ways to know if there is a school delay or closure; they are as follows:

  1. We will post on the GCS Facebook (Grace Christian School – Prince Edward Island), Twitter (@gcs_pei), and Instagram (gcspei) accounts.
  2. Each PEI radio station regularly announces delays/closures (as “Public Schools Branch”)
  3. The CBC Stormcentre website (http://www.cbc.ca/stormcentre/pei/) (as “Public Schools Branch”)
  4. The PEI radio station websites also post delays/closures on their sites (as “Public Schools Branch”)
  5. Families can opt in to a GCS text message notification.  If school is delayed or canceled, a text message can be sent from GCS to one cell phone in the family to notify of the delay/closure.  This is an OPT-IN ONLY program.  If you would like to use this option, please email Jordan Ellis (jellis@gcspei.ca) with the cell phone number that you want to have the text message notification be sent to.  If you opted in last year and still have the same cell phone number, it is already still in the system.

We strongly encourage you to follow us on one of our social media platforms and to register for our text message system for cancellations if you haven’t already. Please note that if school is closed (not simply delayed), any after-school or extra-curricular activities will also be cancelled (such as sports, after school care, clubs, etc.).

Bible Memory Verse

A new verse for the start of a new year! This one will be due on February 20th. “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” – Philippians 4:12-13

Upcoming Assessments

Grade 3

  • Thursday – Penmanship Test 3
  • Friday – Spelling Test 13

Grade 4

  • Tuesday – Language Quiz 10
  • Wednesday – Language Quiz 11
  • Thursday – Penmanship Test 3
  • Friday – Spelling Test 13

Important Dates

February 2 – Professional Development Day (No Class)
February 8 – Parent Teacher Conferences (pm)
February 9 – Parent Teacher Conferences (am) (No Class)
February 19 – Islander Day (No Class)

That’s all I have for now! I look forward to seeing all the students on Monday.

Mrs. Bouter