HPS Apr 24 Weekly Update

Hello HPS Families! Here is your weekly update for the week of April 24-27th.

High Park School Spirit Wear Online Shop

Want to show your High Park School Spirit with some cool gear? We will be placing an order for items at the end of April. Order forms will be available online and all orders must be received by our office no later than May 1. Once submitted, parents will have the cost added through the fees portal on Powerschool. These fees must be paid no later than May 8, through Parent Portal, for the order to be processed. The order form is available here. 

School Fees

Term 3 CTF fees for grade 7-9 students are now updated and have been assigned through Powerschool. Please login to your Parent Portal to pay these fees. Fees are due by May 1. 

Schoolyard Cleanup

This Thursday, Apr. 27, students from grades 1-6 will be participating in a schoolyard cleanup to help remove litter and debris from the school grounds, which will help keep our community green! Please ensure your child has sturdy footwear that day. Gloves and bags will be provided by the school. 

Spring Fling

A HUGE thank you to all of our volunteers who made this event possible. We had a great turnout and a wonderful time was had by all. 

Gord Marshall Social Media Presentation Slideshow

Thank you to all parents who came out to attend this presentation earlier in April. Constable Marshall has generously shared his slideshow with us for any parents who would like a copy. It is available here. 

Energy Drinks and Sports Drinks

As a school, we have observed an increase in students bringing energy drinks and sports drinks to school with them. Please note that caffeinated energy beverages (i.e. Red Bull, Monster, Prime, etc.) are not permitted at school due to the significant health risks these pose for children and youth. However, at least one brand of these beverages also markets a “hydration” drink, similar to sports electrolyte drinks like Gatorade, however, with added ingredients. Please be aware that many of these drinks, while desirable to children and youth, specifically indicate that they are not intended to be consumed by children. Prime Hydration, for example, has similar packaging to its caffeinated energy drink counterpart, and both of these beverages indicate on the label that they are not intended for children. Despite this, these have become quite popular and are beginning to cause competition and other challenges at school. For this reason, we ask for parent support in also discouraging the consumption of these sport beverages, and promoting healthier alternatives such as milk and/or water instead. 

Allergy and Anaphylaxis Prevention

In our school, we have students with severe, life-threatening allergies to food products, including milk, eggs, wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, mustard, shellfish and sesame. We ask that parents and students please discuss together how to help keep students with allergies safe in our school. Several common foods contain these allergens, and so we ask that students consume food only in designated areas in our building, such as their classroom, to help us be able to clean these areas appropriately after eating times. The best way to prevent cross-exposure, which can cause an allergic reaction, is by washing hands well with soap and water before and after eating. Please help us keep our school environment safe for all students by talking with your child at home about food allergy prevention.

If your child will be absent and you’d like to pick up their lunch or send it to another child, please call or email the office at 780-963-2222 or highpark@psd.ca no later than 10:00 am the day of hot lunch. Please note that refunds are not available. The deadline to order hot lunches for the upcoming month is the 25th of the current month. The link to order is https://hpspal.hotlunches.net/admin/ and the code to register is always HPHL.

Stay in Touch!

Follow us on our various websites and communication platforms:

• High Park School Website
• HPS Facebook 
• Instagram (high_park_school) 
• HPS PAL (Parent Advisory League) Facebook page - fundraising information, hot lunch details, and other reminders
• HPS School Calendar 

As always, should you have questions or require more information please feel free to reach out to Mr. Oldham or myself at the school or via email at dave.oldham@psd.ca or adrienne.owen@psd.ca. Please follow us on Facebook/Instagram and our website for updates and information throughout the year!

Important Upcoming Dates:

• April 27-Sun Run Concession 
• Apr. 28 - PD Day - No School
• May 1- PAL Hot Dog Lunch
• May 1 - School Bus Driver appreciation day
• May 3 - Hot Lunch - Dairy Queen
• May 4 - Hats on for Mental Health Day
• May 4 - Skills Canada competition field trip for Grade 9 students
• Sun Run Hot Dog Lunch
• May 8-12 - Grade 5 swimming lessons
• May 15 - Grade 9 ELA Part A (Writing) PAT
• May 17 - Grade 6 ELA Part A (Writing) PAT
• May 17 - Volunteer Tea 
• May 19 - PD Day - No School
• May 22 - Victoria Day - No School
• May 24 - High Park’s Got Talent - 1:30 showtime
• May 25- Sun Run Hot Dog Lunch
• May 26 - PCAA Parkland School Division Track Meet
• May 26 - School Spirit Wear Day
• May 30 - Metro Unified Jamboree at Memorial High School
• June 2 - Parkland School Division Try Me Try-athlon