Direct Donation Campaign

This year’s Direct Donation Campaign is underway. We ask that you to please consider a donation of $50 per Hudson student in your household. Any amount is of course welcome and a tax receipt from the Vancouver School Board will be issued for any donation of $10 or more. Please make your donation by November 30.
Download the form.

PAC Executive

This year’s PAC Executive was voted in at last night’s PAC meeting. However, there is still one role that is vacant and needs to be filled. If you or anyone who know would be interested in the role of Co-Secretary (primary task is taking and transcribing minutes at the monthly PAC meeting) please email hudsonpac@gmail.com.

Activities

Crossfit
Our last new program for the term – Crossfit started on Monday. It is for Grades 4-7’s on Mondays at lunchtime in the gym, and rumor has it, that it has been a lot of fun so far. We will continue to enroll students who want to join, so feel free to give it a go next Monday. For more information check out our Activities page or email the organizers to register directly at info@crossfitwest10.com.
Registration
Just a friendly reminder that payment for activities goes directly to your instructor. Please don’t post instructor payments in the PAC boxes at the school office.
Ocean Explorers
Ocean Explorers had their Orca skeleton in school on Wednesday. They ran 3 in class programs plus the afterschool program, from all accounts the kids had a whale of a time.

Advocacy

Our advocacy updates are for information only, to encourage informed parent participation in issues affecting public education, and do not represent specific positions of the Hudson PAC executive.
Seismic Issues
The link to the Seismic Upgrades petition, started by Hudson parent Laura MacDougall, remains on our homepage. If you haven’t already, please show your support and take a moment to sign it. Please also consider helping this get wider distribution by sharing the link with any of your own wider networks. With the “Great ShakeOut” earthquake drills happening across North America and Japan on October 19, earthquake safety will be on many people’s radar and an invitation to sign this petition over the next week will be timely.
At the last general PAC meeting a Seismic Committee was established to educate our parent community and to carry forward advocacy work, both to encourage the new provincial government to live up to its expressed intention to accelerate the upgrades process and to encourage our new trustees to place an appropriate priority on work at Hudson, which does not yet have a specific timeline. Your input and involvement are welcome! If you would like to find out more, contribute to the work or join the committee please contact Laura at laura_macdougall@hotmail.com.
DPAC workshop
DPAC’s free workshop this month has an indigenous theme – how can school communities work consciously to build good relationships with the indigenous families in their midst?
It takes place on Thursday, October 26 from 7pm to 9pm in room 180 at the Vancouver School Board office, 1580 West Broadway. For more details, including childcare available at the event, visit http://vancouverdpac.org/upcoming-events/2017/10/26/dpac-general-meeting.
Provincial budget survey
Time has now passed to respond to the survey by the provincial Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services, the all-party committee which annually gathers public input into priorities for the next provincial budget, to be released in February 2018.
Two submissions to this year’s committee that are worth a look for an overview of issues related to public education funding in BC are from 1) the Parent Advocacy Network and 2) the British Columbia Confederation of Parent Advisory Councils (BCCPAC).

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October 18 – First day of fruit and vegetable program.
October 18 – All parents are invited to the PAC meeting at 6:30pm in the library. Elections will be held.
October 18 & 19 – Early dismissal at 2pm for goal setting conferences.
October 20 – No school (PRO-D day)

Direct Donation Campaign

This year’s Direct Donation Campaign has started! Our focus is acquiring technology for the children to boost learning. So, to avoid a series of annoying product fundraisers, please check out the PAC’s way to donate to Hudson and receive a tax receipt. Download the form.

Activities

Crossfit for Kids Starts on Monday, October 16
We’re going to be running Crossfit on Mondays at lunch starting next week. It is taught by local Mom, & Crossfit West 10th owner, Nancy Rankel-Allen. We thought that it would be a great way to get the older kids active in a non-competitive way that just focuses on healthy lifestyles. Cost is $80 for 8 sessions, to register email info@crossfitwest10.com with Henry Hudson in the subject line. Check out the Activities page on our website for more info.
No Guitar on Thursday, October 19
There will be no lunchtime guitar on Thursday. The teacher has scheduled a make-up class for November 23.
Early Dismissal & Activities
Due to early dismissal at 2pm on Wednesday & Thursday next week choir will take place earlier in the day from 2-3pm. All other activities are running at usual time, so don’t let the schedule change cause you to forget to go!
Wednesday – Senior Choir 2-3pm, Ocean Explorers 3-4pm.
Thursday – Chi Kids 3-4pm.
Orca Whale at Hudson
Our friends at Ocean Explorers are bringing an entire Orca Whale skeleton (died naturally) to school on Wednesday to run in class programs with 4 classes plus their after school program. The kids are going to be doing the biggest jigsaw puzzle of their lives. If you are curious to see it, stop by the gym on Wednesday at early dismissal.
Feedback
Now that everyone is settling into their fall activities, please let us know if you have any feedback regarding an activities provider. As we’re a volunteer-run organization, it’s hard for us to be everywhere at once, so rely on you to be our eyes and ears.
If an instructor is particularly amazing – please let us know. We’ll request to keep that instructor. If you are having a less than stellar experience – let us know so that we can work with the provider to try to turn that around for you. We are a parent-run organization, that supports parents in our community, it’s important to us that our providers are top notch.
If you have any feedback, please send it to the activities mailbox: hudsonactivities@gmail.com.

Advocacy

Our advocacy updates are for information only, to encourage informed parent participation in issues affecting public education, and do not represent specific positions of the Hudson PAC executive.
Seismic Upgrade Petition
The link to the Seismic Upgrades petition started by a Hudson parent can be found on our homepage. If you haven’t already, please show your support and take a moment to sign it. Please also consider helping this get wider distribution by sharing the link with any of your own wider networks.
VSB trustee by-election
Last reminder about the Saturday, October 14 by-election! For location of polling stations, confirming you are on the voters’ list, etc., see the City of Vancouver website. This site also links to profiles provided by all the candidates.
Another useful resource for exploring the candidates’ positions is at http://www.panvancouver.ca/news, which includes answers from most of the candidates to six questions posed by the Parent Advocacy Network.
Provincial budget survey
The provincial Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services is an all-party committee which holds hearings across the province this time every year to gather public input into priorities for the next provincial budget, which will be released in February 2018.
For the last three years this committee has strongly recommended revisions to the funding formula for public education and increased investment in the system, recommendations which the government of the day did not take up.
One of the mechanisms for public input is a brief survey (click the “Complete a survey” button) consisting of three open questions. The survey closes at 5pm on Monday, October 16.
The Parent Advocacy Network’s detailed submission last week to the Select Standing Committee is worth a read and can be found here.

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October 9 – no school. Happy Thanksgiving!

Activities

New Activity
Crossfit Kitsilano will be running their popular Kids Crossfit program at Hudson starting Monday, October 16. Word is that the program is fun, playful, non-competitive and teaches kids to take action towards creating their healthy lifestyle. It will run in the gym on Mondays at lunch. If you are interested, watch the website for more information as it becomes available https://hudsonpac.ca/activities/.
Feedback
Now that everyone is settling into their fall activities, please let us know if you have any feedback regarding an activities provider. As we’re a volunteer run organization, it’s hard for us to be everywhere at once, so rely on you to be our eyes and ears.
If an instructor is particularly amazing – please let us know. We’ll request to keep that instructor. If you are having a less than stellar experience – let us know so that we can work with the provider to try to turn that around for you. We are a parent run organization, that supports parents in our community, it’s important to us that our providers are top notch.
If you have any feedback, please send it to the activities mailbox: hudsonactivities@gmail.com.
MultiBall
Note: this activity is not part of Hudson PAC facilitated offerings. For additional information please contact the office or the service provider directly.
This after school program offers a variety of ball sports with focus on skills development, scrimmages and fun challenges.
• Outdoor and Indoor Soccer
• Outdoor and Indoor Basketball this Thursday we are playing basketball outside!
• Outdoor and Indoor Volleyball
• Floor Hockey
• Dodgeball
• Badminton
• Fun Skills, Drills, Challenges and Scrimmages!
• Parkour Challenges!
WHEN: Thursdays
WHERE: School Field and School Gym (weather dependent)
WHO: Coaches Valentinos Dinglis and Marina Percy
K/1s > 3:00-4:00pm
2/3/4/5s > 3:00-4:30pm
COST: $70/9 sessions (or $64/8 sessions of your choice)
(drop in: $10/session)
Cash, cheque (to Star Soccer) or interact payment all accepted.
More information:
Marina Percy
604.396.2715
marina@freshstrategy.com

Advocacy

Our advocacy updates are for information only, to encourage informed parent participation in issues affecting public education, and do not represent specific positions of the Hudson PAC executive.
Seismic Upgrade Petition
The link to the Seismic Upgrades petition started by a Hudson parent can be found on our homepage. Please show your support and take a moment to sign it. As the petition is in support of accelerating upgrades in high risk schools across the province, please also feel free to share the link with any of your own wider networks.
VSB trustee by-election
Advance polling is on October 10, and general voting on October 14. For details of how to vote (not who to vote for!) see the city of Vancouver website. This site also links to profiles provided by all the candidates.
Another resource for learning about, and comparing, the candidate’s positions is http://www.panvancouver.ca/news. It includes answers from most of the candidates to six questions posed by the Parent Advocacy Network, as well as, a link to a video recording of the entire DPAC all-candidate’s forum held at John Oliver Secondary last Tuesday evening. Worth a look for DPAC’s creative approach to covering a large number of issues with a large number of candidates in a short time!
DPAC notes
Opportunities for parents interested in getting involved at the DPAC level include three open positions on the current twelve-person executive and parent representatives on a number of VSB advisory committees. For more information click here.

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Free Transit – As noted in the last Hudson newsletter, TransLink is providing students (K-12) free access to bus rides from October 2nd to 6th. SkyTrain, SeaBus and West Coast Express are not included.
October 2 – Cross Country meet at 3:30pm at Jericho (just across the street from the youth hostel). Look for the Hudson flag to find our team! Students are responsible for finding their own way to the meet. See your coaches/parent volunteers if you need a ride.
October 2 – An open PAC Exec Meeting is being held in the Library at 6:30pm. All parents are invited to learn about the roles in the PAC Exec. The PAC Elections are October 18. If you are interested in running, please read more here including the agenda.
October 4 & 6 – Volleyball practice at 8:05am in the gym. Grades 5 to 7.
October 6 – Spirit day. Wear red and enter a draw to win a prize!

Activities

The October PAC/school calendar is now available for download at https://hudsonpac.ca/calendar/
Ocean Explorers (Wednesdays 3:15pm-4:15pm) and Young Rembrandts (Fridays 3:05pm-4:15pm) both start next week. There’s still time to register in both programs if your child is interested. Check out the activities page for more info on how to register for these or other programs.

Advocacy

Our advocacy updates are for information only, to encourage informed parent participation in issues affecting public education, and do not represent specific positions of the Hudson PAC executive.
Seismic Upgrade Petition

The link to the Seismic Upgrades petition started by a Hudson parent can be found on our homepage. Please show your support and take a moment to sign it.
VSB trustee by-election all candidates meetings

1. Tuesday, October 3 from 6:30 to 9:30pm: DPAC’s all candidate’s forum will take place in the auditorium at John Oliver Secondary School, 530 East 41st Avenue (at Fraser Street). All parents and guardians of children in Vancouver public schools are welcome. The event is free but DPAC requests that people pre-register by October 2 so that they know how many people to expect. For more information, and to register, click here.
2. Monday, October 2 from 7:30 to 9:30pm: The Institute for Public Education (a resource worth checking out) is holding an all-candidate’s forum at the Trout Lake Community Centre, 3360 Victoria Drive. This is also a free event open to the public. More information can be found here.

Advanced polling starts October 4
Everyone is encouraged to vote in the city by-election for the Trustees for the Vancouver School Board and the City Councillor seat. These links will help you make an informed vote:
https://vancouver.ca/your-government/2017-by-election.aspx
http://vancouver.ca/your-government/candidate-profiles.aspx
http://www.vancouverobserver.com/opinion/whos-who-candidates-running-vancouver-school-board-election
Canadian Parents for French (CPF)
The local chapter of this national lobby group is lobbying for reversal of the VSB’s reduction of French Immersion kindergarten spaces by about 25% this year, based on space constraints arising from the new smaller class sizes resulting from the Supreme Court decision and the challenges of recruiting enough qualified instructors. The CPF background paper on the VSB decision and the CPF response can be found here. The CPF is requesting parents consider putting the questions about this issue in this link to all school trustee candidates.
VSB French Immersion program review

The Vancouver School Board will be conducting a broad review of boundaries, specialized programs and choice programs over the next few years, starting with a review of the French Immersion program over the next few months. DPAC is participating in this review as a stakeholder and is looking for assistance and advice from any parents or guardians with experience as urban planners, facilities planners, economists, population forecasters, statisticians, demographers and/or government policy analysts, the concern being to offer feedback to the VSB from a perspective of long-term planning for a vibrant, well-supported French Immersion program sized more closely to the actual demand. If you have expertise in any of these areas and would like to help DPAC out over the next few months, please contact Alan, Hudson’s rep to DPAC, at apatola@telus.net.

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September 27 – The first Cross Country (XC) meet is at 3:30pm at Vanier Park. Runners please meet in the gym at 3pm and we’ll walk over as a group. Don’t forget to bring the deposit for your jersey to Tuesday morning’s practice.
September 28 – Terry Fox Run.

Activities

Lots of activities are starting up this coming week. Please check out the calendar at hudsonpac.ca/calendar to confirm when your activities are starting back.

Hot Lunch – volunteers needed

If you, or someone you know – an aunt, uncle, grandparent, etc – can lend a hand from 11:30am to 12:30pm on a Tuesday or Thursday, please contact Marina B at musea79@hotmail.com.

Advocacy

Seismic Upgrade Petition
A Hudson parent has started a petition re: seismic upgrades. It is for the Ministry of Education to provide clear timelines and a transparent process for prioritizing and accelerating upgrades to the remaining schools on BC’s seismic upgrade list. Please show your support and take a moment to sign it here.
VSB Trustee Candidate Forum
Reminder: the VSB Trustee Candidate Forum will be taking place on Tuesday, October 3 from 6:30pm to 9:00pm at John Oliver Secondary School. RSVP here.

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The School Newsletter is out.  Read it here.
September 20 – Last date for Spirit Wear Sales.  Check out this link for details.
https://www.obwsapparel.com/collections/henry-hudson-elementary-school
September 21 – Welcome Back Multicultural Pot Luck!  Read the PDF.  4:30 – 6:30 PM.  School gym.
September 22 is a Pro D Day.  No school.
Hot Lunch Volunteers
We need volunteers to make the program viable.  Can you help on a Tuesday or Thursday for an hour?  Email Marina B our hot lunch coordinator. musea79@hotmail.com

Activities Update

Activities for Term 1 are now LIVE on our website hudsonpac.ca/activities. Information on all programmes along with registration info can be found here.
We have some exciting new offerings this term, along with some re-vamped favourites, and many old favourites. Here’re the deets:
New Programme:
Chi Kids –  This is a mind/body programme that focuses on teaching kids how to manage tough emotions, anger, frustration, anxiety and shyness. It’s taught in a play based way by certified Chi Kids teacher Shauna Farrell. There are only 8 spots on this programme (Grades 1-4) so sign up soon to be sure of a spot.
Re-Vamped Programmes:
School of Rock Guitar – We have a new guitar teacher joining us this term. Marc Wild is a Leo nominated composer, musician, (he’s played with Coldplay, The Sterephonics, The Dandy Warhols …) experienced music teacher, and Dad of a kid at Tennyson. He will be teaching guitar to our kids grades 4-7 using popular music at the centre of the programme. (If your child took guitar last year, is not in grade 4, and would like to continue, please contact Nicola at hudsonactivities@gmail.com)
Ocean Explorers – Ocean Explorers is back, with new content and a new price tag! It will now be a classroom based programme and is 1 hour long.
Chess Club – Because Chess club is so darn popular – Vancouver Chess School is now sending 2 instructors, meaning that the kids will have a much better teacher to student ratio.
Suggestions & Feedback:
If you have feedback – good, bad or ugly on any of our programmes, please let Nicola the activities coordinator know hudsonactivities@gmail.com. We can’t fix issues that we don’t know about.
On the other hand, if you have a great idea that you would like to see turn into an afterschool activity, please let us know. The deadline for new programme submissions for Term 2 will be Friday November 10, 2017. For more information check out hudsonpac.ca/new-activities

Advocacy

As advised at the last PAC meeting, the Hudson PAC Interim Chair sent a letter to the BC Government regarding how to get Seismic Upgrading on track. (Not an official PAC communication.) Read the PDF here.
District Parent Advisory Council forum for VSB trustee candidates
This event will take place Tuesday October 03 from 6:30 to 9:00 pm in the auditorium at John Oliver Secondary School, 530 East 41st Avenue (at Fraser Street). All parents and guardians of children in Vancouver public schools are welcome.
Tracy Sherlock, education reporter for The Courier, will moderate.
All of the 19 candidates for the 9 trustee positions have been invited to participate. To make the best use of the time available, DPAC is working to prepare questions for the candidates based on the issues and concerns uppermost in the minds of parents. If you have a question you would like DPAC to consider including, please forward it to Hudson’s representative to DPAC, Alan Patola Moosmann, at apatola@telus.net by September 24.
The by-election itself takes place on October 14. For voter information, including advance polling options, see https://vancouver.ca/your-government/2017-by-election.aspx.
The Hudson PAC executive encourages all Vancouver voters connected with our school community to learn about what each candidate is bringing to support our public education system and to get out and cast an informed vote!
DPAC presents PAC 101
The September 28 DPAC executive meeting (7:00 to 9:00 pm, Room 120 at the Vancouver School Board office at 1580 West Broadway) will be dedicated to a PAC 101 session, open to all parents and guardians of children in Vancouver public schools. This will be a useful refresher on the basics of how to operate a PAC for those serving, or considering serving, on school PAC executives or committees.
BCCPAC survey for parents of special needs children who are not receiving a full day at school
BCCPAC, the provincial umbrella organization for all PACs and DPACs, is conducting a brief survey to identify the extent to which this is an issue and intending to take the results and some proposed actions to the Ministry of Education. To learn more and to take part in the survey, click here.

PAC Meeting this Wednesday September 13 in the Library. 6:30 to 8 PM. Budget Approval time. All parents welcome. Childcare available.
Hot Lunch
Our Hot Lunch Fundraiser is open for business. Order at https://hudsonpac.ca/hot-lunch/
Cut off for ordering for September 14 is Monday night.
We need volunteers. Tuesday from 9-1 :30 Thursday 11- 1:30. Contact Marina Bondarenko. 604.908.7855 musea79@hotmail.com
Henry Hudson Spirit Wear
Spirit Wear is on sale until Sept. 20. $2 from every item goes toward our PAC! Order yours at:
www.obwsapparel.com/collections/henry-hudson-elementary-school
The athletic shirts in technical fabric are perfect for cross country and track. The matching athletic shorts look great with our numbered school jerseys for those planning to join the basketball, volleyball and badminton teams.
And don’t forget the first Friday of every month is school spirit day. Wear your red on Oct. 6, Nov. 3, Dec. 8, Jan. 12, Feb. 2, March 2, April 6, May 4, June 1 to enter a draw to win prizes!
VSB Trustee Candidates’ Forum
Save the date – Tuesday October 03 – VSB Trustee Candidates forum organized by the District PAC
The city byelection on October 14 will include an opportunity to elect a nine-member board of trustees, replacing the single provincially appointed trustee who was installed when the previous elected board was fired by the Ministry of Education last year. To date sixteen candidates, including six members of the fired board, have come forward. The District PAC is hosting a candidates’ forum on October 03 (watch this space for confirmation of time and place). All parents and guardians of students in Vancouver public schools are welcome to attend.

The start of school likely feels sooner than any of us have allowed for!
Our Hot Lunch Fundraiser is going to start on September 14. We will let you know when the online ordering system is ready.
What we need now is some volunteers to help our Hot Lunch Coordinator. If you have any time available on Tuesdays or Thursdays at lunch time to help out, please contact Marina Bondarenko at musea79@hotmail.com. She can give you all the details. Marina threatened to go off the grid for a couple of days before school starts, so don’t worry if she does not reply to your email right away.
Also note that there have been classrooms added to Hudson and new and changed staff. It is going to take some time to kick off the year. An update on activities so far can be found here. Fall Activities

Help Needed for Summer Fair
We still need volunteers to take hour long shifts to supervise the velcro wall and games. There is a sign-up sheet on the office door upstairs or you can e-mail carlykrug24@gmail.com
We also need more cakes for the Cakewalk.
Contact hudsonclassrep@outlook.com
Field Trips Galore
Make sure to send sunscreen, water bottles and snacks (and lunches if required) because there are a lot of outdoor field trips coming up and the weather looks sunny and bright!
Division 3 Field Trip Quarry Rock Deep Cove Monday, June 26, 9am to 3pm
Volunteer Appreciation Tea in the Gym
Tuesday, June 27, 8:30am to 9:30am
RSVP to hudson@vsb.bc.ca by email before 3pm Friday, June 23rd. Anyone who volunteered time in the school in any capacity is encouraged to attend.
Division 12F&13F Field Trip to Kits Beach
Wednesday, June 28, 9:30am to 2:30pm
Grade 7 Leaving Ceremony in the Gym
Wednesday, June 28, 1:15pm to 3:30pm
Year End Assembly Gym
Thursday, June 29, 9:15am to 10:15pm
Parents welcome!
Successful Staff Appreciation Lunch
Thank you to all of the parents who brought food for the lunch event on Tuesday. We had an incredible variety of yummy dishes from salads to meatballs, homemade cake and brownies. Starbucks on Cornwall donated coffee and tea and Rocky Mountain Flatbread Co donated pizzas. It is a great feeling to be part of such a generous community!

Wednesday, June 21 is the final PAC meeting of the school year. 6:30 to 8pm in the Library. Child minding and snacks available.
Monday is the last day for iRide.
Donations Needed for Staff Luncheon
We are having a staff appreciation luncheon on Tuesday, June 20. Please help by contributing an appetizer, main, dessert or beverage. Starbucks is donating tea and coffee and Rocky Mountain Flatbread is donating pizza. Please drop off your donation in the staffroom on the third floor between 8:30am and 10:45am. Make sure that your contributions are fully cooked and only need short microwave heating times. Mark all your dishes, utensils, etc, with your child’s name and division. We will let you know when they will be ready for pick up outside the staffroom.
Suggestions for dishes: veggie platter, chicken wings, pita and hummus, meatballs, salads (pasta, garden, potato, etc.) dumplings, lasagna, pasta dishes, noodle dishes, rice dishes, stews, quiche, cakes, cookies, juice, pop or whatever else you want to create!
Please contact Chantal with any questions at minten@novuscom.net
Henry Hudson Summer Fair
Friday, June 23, 3pm to 5:30pm.
Don’t forget to bring your tickets to Summer Fair. Some tickets will still be available for sale at the fair. The Hudson PAC’s policy is that no child should be denied the opportunity to attend a PAC event due to financial reasons, so please advise Mr. Cannon if you require tickets at no cost.
We still need volunteers to take one hour shifts supervising the various games/bouncy castles, raffle, set up and clean up. Please help us make the fair a success by signing up on the sheet(pdf attached) on the office door by Wednesday June 21 or emailing carlykrug24@gmail.com
We are also still looking for cakes (homemade or bought) for the cakewalk – email: hudsonclassrep@outlook.com for information.
Please drop off your donations for the Summer Fair raffle in the office, under the windows, in the big blue bin. For more information e-mail Nina at njanepatel@gmail.com
Lost and Found
Last chance to find that water bottle, sweatshirt, or pair of shoes before it gets donated.
Return School Jerseys
Please return all school jerseys to the office as soon as possible. Deposits will be returned once your jersey is handed in. Any jerseys not returned by Friday, June 23 will forfeit their $30 deposit.
French Immersion Summer School
Attached is the brochure for the French Immersion Summer School program held at Laura Secord July 10-28th. Mme Michelle and Mme Laetitia will teach during the program. There is still space available in many Intermediate programs (AM and PM), including a cooking/fitness program, French communication, Art, Technology, St.John’s ambulance, as well as Remedial (language arts and math). There are also a few spaces remaining for Primary programs (K-3) including Early success in Immersion K and Budding Builders. This is a great opportunity for students to keep up with their French skills over the summer in a fun and relaxed environment.
https://summer.vsb.bc.ca/Pages/default.aspx