Hello Rideau Families!

It has been a busy two days back to school after our short fall break this week! As I am writing, I am also noticing snowy weather reacquainting itself with our city. This is a good time to remind all students and families to dress appropriately for the weather as temperatures begin their inevitable drop. For our younger students, please take time to ensure that outerwear and layers are labelled appropriately so that lost items can more easily make their way back to their rightful owners.

Staff Updates

We are experiencing some changes in our division 1 team that are important to share with you. Ms. Alana Swereda recently let her classroom community know that she is expecting her second child (congratulations!). However, as many of us are aware, pregnancy can also bring surprises. To ensure a safe pregnancy and delivery, Ms. Swereda will be going home to care for herself and her family starting this Monday November 17. This has impacts on both our kindergarten class as well as one of our grade ½ classes. Here is where we are right now:

• Ms. Lindsay Bliek, who currently partner teaches the gr ½ classroom with Ms. Swereda, will now lead the classroom full time. We are happy to see continuity of instruction and relationship for that group of students.
• Ms. Cochrane and I are interviewing candidates for the 0.5FTE (part time) morning kindergarten position. We are working to ensure that there is consistent classroom coverage ahead of us making a hiring decision. Once we have a confirmed candidate, we will share that news with our community. Please join me in wishing Ms. Swereda all the best as she makes the transition to being at home and preparing for her growing family.

I am pleased to report that we have successfully hired an office assistant and lunch supervisor. Ms. Sarah Fatima will join Rideau Park School on November 24. She comes to us with prior experience in both school office support as well as lunch supervision, most recently from Cecil Swanson School. I am sure that Ms. Fatima will enjoy the warmth and friendliness of our school community.

Education Matters – Another Donation Received!

Thank you to our anonymous RPS family who generously donated $924.00 of Provincial grant money back to the school for us to directly improve conditions at Rideau Park School. We have determined that these funds will make a valuable contribution to our ongoing improvement to our Learning Commons. We are grateful for this thoughtful and timely offer of support for the benefit of all students! This, together with approved funding from the RPPA, allows us to purchase materials that will create a truly flexible and engaging space for students and staff.

Thank you to another anonymous RPS family who generously donated nearly $1000 of Provincial grant money back to the school, in support of the work of our teachers. These funds will also make a valuable contribution to our ongoing improvement to our Learning Commons.

We are grateful for this thoughtful and timely offer of support for the benefit of all students! This, together with approved funding from the RPPA, allows us to purchase materials that will create a truly flexible and engaging space for students and staff.

Did you know that Education Matters can accept donations that go directly to our school at any time? If you would like to learn more, please visit: https://www.educationmatters.ca/

Our school-specific donation page can be found at:

https://www.educationmatters.ca/project-matters/rideau-park-school/

School-based Fundraiser – Winter Greenery and Poinsettia

Rideau Park School is once again partnering with Growing Smiles and DeVry Greenhouses for our annual seasonal fundraiser. All proceeds from this initiative will be used for school programming. Available this year:

• Red and White Poinsettias
• Holiday Wreath
• Outdoor Greenery Arrangement
• Indoor Tropical Planter
• New: Bloom Buds – a poinsettia trio plush toy & a jingleberry tree plush toy

To place an order: Rideau Park School Growing Smiles Fundraising before Monday November 17, with delivery and pick-up day of December 2.

Parent-Teacher Conferences

Parent-Teacher Conferences are upcoming at the end of November. Specifically dates and times are:

• Thursday, November 27, 4:30 – 7:30 pm
• Friday, November 29, 8:00 am – 12:00 pm

All parent teacher conferences will be in person at the school this year. Additionally, the time slots set up in the appointment booking program will be set for 10 minutes. If you and/or your child’s teacher feels more than 10 minutes will be needed, please book 2 back-to-back appointment times. Language support can be provided to discuss your child’s progress directly with the teacher via Language Line Solutions.

To make an appointment, parents/guardians will log in to MyCBE and then choose ‘Book and Manage Meeting Times’. Instructions with screenshots are available at this link. Parents/guardians can schedule appointments as of Thursday, November 20 at 12:00 pm.

Reminder- Athletics Updates

Exhibition games for all of our Jr. and Sr. girls and boys teams will be hosted at Rideau Park School on Monday November 17 (vs Elboya) and Monday November 24 (vs Robert Warren). Games will run from 4:30pm – 8:30pm. Please join me in thanking our teachers for continuing to volunteer their time before and after school hours to ensure our students have this opportunity.

Rideau Park Parents Association – School Council Update

We look forward to welcoming you to our next School Council Meeting this Wednesday,

November 19, 2025! School updates will include progress towards our School Development Plan for the 2025-2026 school year as well as reflections on data gathered from last year.

• When: 1:45pm
• Where: Microsoft TEAMS : Join the meeting now

Healthy Hunger

Regular fun lunches are back! Please login to healthyhunger.ca to place your orders.

• Nov 20 - Chick Fil-A (FYI - peanut oil fryers)
• Dec 4 - A&W
• Dec 18 - Little Ceasar's Pizza

Thank you for taking the time to review communication from the school. We appreciate you and your support! Sincerely,

Sincerely,

Andrea Riquelme

Principal, Rideau Park School

Key Dates

• Nov 17, 2025 RPS hosts Elboya Jr/Sr Boys and Girls Games
• Nov 19, 2025 School Council Meeting at 1:45pm virtual - TEAMS
• Nov 24, 2025 RPS hosts Robert Warren Jr/Sr Boys and Girls Games
• Nov 24-28, 2025 Scholastic Book Fair
• Nov 27-28, 2025 Conferences (evening) 4:30-7:30pm
• Nov 28, 2025 No School for Students, Conferences (AM) 8:00am – 12:00pm
• Dec 1, 2025 Photo Retakes