Today is a Special Day.  Today our staff celebrated our Ridgeview parents with a Parent Appreciation Tea.  We have a very involved and active parent group at our school.

Our Ridgeview Parent Advisory Council (RPAC) organizes many fundraisers and fun events for Ridgeview students and their parents, including:

• Hot Lunch and Booster Juice Programs
• Ridgeview’s Parent Gala
• Ridgeview’s Mayfair (alternate years with the Gala)
• Purdy’s Chocolates Sale
• Christmas Poinsettia Sale
• Spring Plant Sale
• Bingo Night
• Halloween Skate
• EduPac School Supplies
• Ridgeview Sportswear

This year, through their fundraising, our RPAC has already generously sponsored our school’s Cultural Events (such as “Axe Capoeira” which we saw at the end of March) and the “HighTouch HighTech” Science programs.  They are also subsidizing the Hip Hop Dance program Ridgeview students are receiving this week.

As classroom teachers, we receive annual funds from the RPAC to use for stickers, toys and games, books, decorations and special Science and craft supplies. We’re grateful and appreciative of our PAC’s generosity, as our students are able to enjoy participating in activities, and we are able to supply our classrooms, in a manner that otherwise may not have been possible.

We also want to express our appreciation to our classroom parents.  In the Kindergarten, and most other classes, the teacher has asked one or two parents to be the “room parent(s).”  These parents may assist the classroom teacher to organize parent volunteers for crafting activities, field trips or prepare food for a class party.  This year we’ve had many parent volunteers help us with these fun activities, which we would be unable to run without their participation:

• Hallowe’en Centres Party
• The Reindeer Games
• Chinese New Year Celebrations
• Ice-Skating as part of our PE curriculum

So to all our parents, we say “thank you.”  We appreciate not only the time you volunteer at our school as part of the PAC and helping out in our classrooms, but also all the unspoken hours at home supporting and guiding your children to become the best learners they can be.  It is a privilege to be able to teach your children in Kindergarten, and a pleasure to work with you as a partner in your children’s education.  We truly appreciate you!