PLES Family Forecast Jan 26-30

Porter's Lake Elementary School Family Forecast Jan 26-30

This Week at a Glance

Principal’s Message

Hello PLES Families,

With weather warnings being issued for the start of the week, this is a good time to remind everyone of our inclement weather procedures and what they look like at Porters Lake Elementary.

As part of the Eastern Shore Consolidated Family of Schools, Porters Lake Elementary follows Halifax Regional Centre for Education (HRCE) guidelines. HRCE aims to communicate any changes to regular school or bus operations as close to 6:00 a.m. as possible. A delayed opening means all bus pick‑up times are delayed by two hours. At Porters Lake Elementary, student supervision would begin at 9:50 a.m., with our school bell at 10:00 a.m.

Other possible announcements may include buses not operating while schools remain open, specific schools or families of schools closing, or full system closures. If weather conditions worsen throughout the morning, an 11:00 a.m. update may indicate an early dismissal. In this case, bussed students would be dismissed two hours earlier than their regular dismissal time, and walking students would be dismissed at their regularly scheduled lunch hour.

Families will receive updates through:

• Email (sent to addresses in PowerSchool)
• Text message (if you have opted in)
• HRCE website
• HRCE Instagram account

Please ensure you have a childcare plan in place for any weather‑related disruptions. As always, parents and guardians have the choice to keep their child home if travel conditions are unsafe. More information is available at hrce.ca/families/cancellations.

We are looking forward to several exciting learning and community building events in the coming weeks. We are having our Family Literacy Day Assembly on Tuesday, January 27. We appreciate family participation in the activities and thank you for sharing photos as we celebrate literacy together.

The Winter Olympics are also coming up soon. We will kick things off with a school‑wide Opening Ceremonies Assembly on Thursday, February 5. On Friday, February 6, students will participate in an indoor and outdoor Winter Olympics Field Day, with a variety of activities planned for all grade levels.

February is African Heritage Month, and this year’s theme is Strength in Unity – Moving Forward with Purpose, Prosperity, Power, and Progress. Throughout the month, students will take part in daily announcements and classroom activities that celebrate African heritage, culture, and contributions.

We would also like to highlight a recent enrichment opportunity at our school. Halifax Regional Arts, funded by Halifax Regional Municipality, supported visits this week from Gail Teixeira, who worked with students during music classes and in one of our Grade 3 classrooms. Gail is a Fine Arts Specialist with an African Nova Scotian emphasis, and her work focuses on learning, performing, and creating through collaboration. Students were introduced to tongue drums, and we look forward to welcoming her back to work with more classes later this school year.

With the colder weather and heavier winter clothing, we are also focusing on keeping hallways clean, organized, and safe. Clear walkways ensure students can move safely through the school and easily find their belongings. Teachers are reviewing expectations with students, and we are reinforcing these messages through daily announcements.

We are also making a small update to lunch‑time cafeteria access. Students in the upper wing will now have the opportunity to attend the cafeteria four days per week, while Grade 2 students will continue to attend once per week. Cafeteria use will only be cancelled if staffing is unavailable.

Thank you to families for your continued cooperation during morning drop‑off. The process is going very well, and we appreciate everyone working with the signage and new pylons to ensure safe and efficient arrivals.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership.

Take care,
Mr. Fry
Principal
Porters Lake Elementary School

2 Parent SAC SEATS OPEN- Next Meeting Monday February 2nd ( Online Meeting)

We are currently seeking 2 parents to fill vacant seats on our School Advisory Council (SAC). SACs play an important role in supporting student success by giving families a meaningful voice in school decisions and advising the principal and HRCE on topics that impact learning and well‑being.  Joining the SAC is a great way to collaborate with staff and community members, share your perspectives, and help strengthen communication and partnerships within our school community. If you’re interested in contributing to a positive school experience for all learners, we’d love to have you join us! Email Mr Fry  jfry@hrce.ca for information or to volunteer.  We’ll have 4 more meetings this year. 

Upcoming Dates

Jan 27 Family Literacy assembly 10:10

Feb 2 PLES SAC 6 pm, PTO 7 pm  (Online meeting)

Feb. 5: Olympics Assembly

Feb 6: Olympics Field Day

Feb 16: Heritage Day no school

Feb 23 PLES SAC 6 pm, PTO 7 pm

March 13 Assessment and Evaluation Day: no classes for students  

March 16-20March Break

From the HRCE:

Learn About the Influenza Vaccine

Please share the following with families on behalf of the Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness.

Fast Facts about the Flu Vaccine

• Influenza (the flu) is virus that peaks in transmission in the fall and winter months
• Most people are mildly ill when they contract the flu but sometimes the flu can be serious and require admission to the hospital
• Children under 6 years are at the highest risk of serious complications from the flu
• The flu and RSV can occur at the same time making children more at risk of needing hospitalization
• The flu vaccine is recommended yearly for children 6 months and older to protect against serious complications of the flu
  For more information, click here.