Bike to School Week is June 3-7

Hastings Elementary is celebrating Bike to School Week from June 3-7! We’re encouraging students and families to use active transportation for their trips to school all week – walking, biking, scootering, skateboarding, and using mobility aids all help reduce congestion in our school neighborhood and help students arrive at school energized and ready to learn.

Join us before school Friday May 31 at the school front doors to get some bike decor and Bike to School swag. Throughout Bike to School Week June 3-7 find us each morning to get your sticker and track our school community’s biking and scooting! Stay tuned for fun giveaways throughout the week!

Learn more: https://bikehub.ca/bike-to-school/bike-to-school-week

Modernizing the Hastings Elementary PAC Constitution

What is the purpose of Hastings PAC, and how should that change in the year 2024… and beyond?

For months now, the Hastings PAC Executive — led by Member at Large Mat Brechtel – has been working on updating our Constitution (and bylaws). This has never been updated since its creation in 2006.

As you can imagine, things were a little different more than 20 years ago — times and technology have changed a lot. We want to move with the times and have a bold new vision that fits who we are now as a community.

The proposed new constitution allows for virtual meetings (something many of you have been asking for!), creates a more defined sense of what we want to accomplish as a PAC, and provides a little more structure to how we operate.

The following links provide a full sense of the proposed changes:

Hastings PAC’s Current Constitution

Hastings PAC 2024 Constitution Draft – All Proposed Changes Tracked

Hastings PAC 2024 Constitution Draft – All Proposed Changes Incorporated

Please join us at our next general meeting Weds May 15 at 7 pm in the school library to vote on this very important measure. Please note: under the current constitution, you must attend in-person to vote and there is no option to attend this meeting virtually.

Spring Fair Returns Friday May 10!

The Spring Fair is back at Hastings Elementary Friday May 10 from 3-6 pm. 

🏰Bouncy castles 
🃏Carnival Games 
💖Glitter Tattoos
🍕Pizza, Hotdogs and Donuts
🏆Prizes
🧩Family-friendly fun

The Spring Fair is the PACs biggest Fundraiser and Community event of the year. 

All proceeds, after expenses, go to important initiatives that help the children of Hastings Elementary school, including classroom supplies, technology, art projects, field trips and more. 

Please get involved if you can. Below are different ways you can donate and help:

Donate your time – We need volunteers on the day , approx 40-60, to make the event run smoothly. Please email Janine at janinegiannelli@gmail.com to sign up for a 90 minute shift. Many hands make light work. 

Donate a Jolly Jar – (Another fan favourite ) Help your child make a jolly jar or encourage them to attend a lunch time jolly jar making session (TBA) at school with Jolly Jar expert Meg Roe. 

Sponsor or Donate Money – Maybe you own a small business and you would like to support your local community school. You can sponsor a carnival game or a bouncy castle. We have tiered sponsorship.   Contact Yvonne Connors at yconnors123@gmail.com if you are interested. 

Support your community – Buy tickets and donate them to others you might not otherwise would have attended the fair . Buy packs of 10 or 20 tickets and donate them. Contact  yconnors123@gmail.com

Donate Toys – Do your spring cleaning and donate gently used toys, games and puzzles. NO BOOKS PLEASE.  There will be a collection box at the front of school right by the office.  These items are used as prizes for kids who play the carnival games.

Hastings Sunrise Community Policing Centre will be on site for this event. See you Friday May 10 at 3pm!

Hastings Merch has Arrived!

Show off your school colours with a Hastings Elementary T-Shirt or Crew Neck Sweatshirt! T-shirts are 100% cotton available in black, green or white. Sweatshirts are 50/50 cotton/polyester blend available in black and white.

Sizes available from Youth Small to Adult XXL so the whole family can get involved! T-shirts are $15 and sweatshirts are $35. Profits go towards PAC initiatives to support Hastings Elementary School.

Order through School Cash Online or email info@hastingspac.ca to place your order. Current order deadline is April 5th.

DO YOU LOVE BOOKS? DO YOU LIKE TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN? Hastings Reads 2024 is here!

We are so pleased to announce that we have officially launched Hastings Reads 2024!
Students have their goal-setting booklets, reading lists have been shared, and we’ve hosted
our first grade 6/7 lunchtime mentoring session! But there is still much to do, and an event like
this is most successful if we have many parent volunteers! There are many roles available at
various times and commitment levels.

A wonderfully rewarding experience for all involved, this initiative would not be possible without
the efforts of parent volunteers. Interested in being part of this meaningful initiative? Check out
the roles below and email hastingsreadslovesbooks@gmail.com to sign up. Grab a couple of
friends who might like to participate as well!

HASTINGS READS 2024 NEEDS YOU!

  • sponsorship outreach: starting anytime, this can be done on your own time (canvas local
    businesses for in-kind donations of prizes; arrange pickups and sending thank yous after
    event). *sponsorship letters, email copy, and thank you templates are all available
     
  • student presenter support: help with lunchtime sessions in school library to help with
    registration, ideas, presentation formatting and coaching); each Friday in April from 12-1pm.
     
  • author outreach: March – April (connect with authors of championed books for student
    messages); this can be done on your own time via email.
     
  • stage manager: during school day, at the dress rehearsal (midday on Friday, May 3rd), and
    on the day of the final event (afternoon of Monday, May 6th) – keep time, signal to presenters,
    control the lights.
     
  • party crew: late May / early June – date TBC – shop, pickup & coordinate supplies for
    Celebration of Literacy wrap party in gym (school-wide).
     
  • wrap up / feedback: May – beg. June (create and administer survey to students, parents and
    teachers post-event; communicate feedback to planning committee); can be done on own time.

Learn more about Hastings Reads 2024 HERE
Get the Official Hastings Reads 2024 booklist and see where it all started! Our inspiration for Hastings Reads was CBC’s Canada Reads which officially kicked off on March 4th!
Canada Reads 2024 Contenders
CBC Canada Reads 2024 Book Trailers