Sir Isaac Brock Public School Newsletter

Transcription

1 Sir Isaac Brock Public School Newsletter March 2015 OZ! The Musical Sir Isaac Brock s First Musical is Coming Soon! Excitement is building as Sir Isaac Brock Public School presents the musical, OZ! on Tuesday, April 21 at 9:30 a.m. and Thursday, April 23 at 7 p.m. The two performances were chosen to accommodate parents work schedules. Many students have been rehearsing diligently for several months. In addition, to rehearsals during nutrition breaks, some students are now rehearsing after school for an additional hour. My colleagues and I are as excited as the students involved in the musical. We admire the students commitment and dedication to producing a quality production. Tickets for Oz! will be available for both performances and will go on sale at the beginning of April. Admission will be $2 and the money from the ticket sales will help offset the cost of costumes and props. More information regarding ticket sales will be available at the end of March. In the meantime, on behalf of all of us involved in the production, we would like to extend our deepest gratitude to all the parents for their cooperation and we look forward to seeing you at one of the performances. Superintendent: Patrika Daws Trustee: Harkirat Singh Principal: Jay Sugunan Vice-Principal: Laren Emms Office Manager: Lisa Odd Office Assistants: Martina Asta Tel: Should you have any questions/concerns please don t hesitate to contact me at school at Mr. Meilleur I Love to Read Month Challenge This year s reading challenge was another huge success! Students at S.I.B. were challenged to read aloud each day at home and fill out the tracking sheet. There was an overwhelming response of excitement to this challenge. Each student that participated will be receiving a book to add to their home library collection. (Courtesy of First Book Canada). Students and Staff also participated in a genre challenge. Winning classrooms in each division will be given a popcorn movie party in the library and a collection of books for their classroom. Winners of this challenge will be printed in April s newsletter. Thank you to all families of S.I.B. who continue to support their child s love for reading and literacy. KEEP READING Bobcats!!!! Home of the SIB Bobcat VISITORS All visitors to Sir Isaac Brock P.S. are required to sign in at the office and get a visitor s pass.

2 Grade 5 Students Learning About Homelessness Grade 5 students used the inquiry process to investigate Canadian social issues focusing on homelessness. Students focused on how citizens and governments need to work together in order to address these issues effectively. The students participated in an activity where they reviewed and evaluated graphs and statistics on poverty in Canada to determine trends in homelessness. They used these trends to draw conclusions and then develop an action plan to reduce homelessness in Canada. Integrating this with Language Arts, they wrote letters to Canadian builders, asking them to build homes for the homeless. We had a guest speaker, Joyce Rankin, who is the Clinical Manager for Street Health in Toronto and got first hand information on the plight of homelessness and how can this be addressed. As their final project, they are starting a clothing drive to help the homeless of Toronto. Mrs. Farrukh Analyzing homelessness data. Writing a letter to the builders. Making Graffiti art using words related to poverty. Joyce Rankin, Clinical Manager for Street Health in Toronto talking to our students about homelessness.

3 Senior Girls Basketball Tournament The Grade 7 and Grade 8 Girls Basketball Team (Alexia, Sachi, Vaisnavi, Alyssa, Stuti, Jasmine, Cheshta, Thanega, Gauri, Kiaundra, Simreet and Priya) worked hard all season to learn more about this strategic and fun game. These girls showed commitment, determination, and dedication during each and every practice. The respect, cooperation, and team work displayed by these girls throughout the season should be commended. They also showed great sportsmanship at the Basketball Tournament on Monday, February 23rd, 2015 held at our school. Keep up the hard work! A special thank you to the assistant coaches, Prabnoor and Jasmeet, for all of their help. Ms. McKenzie, Ms. Graf, and Ms. Zarkovich Fitness Fun with Mr. Mathew In February, the Sir Isaac Brock Bobcats hosted the boys and girls Senior Basketball Tournament. Our Bobcats competed with 8 division 4 schools on February 23 and 24, The girls played well and had a great time at the tournament. The boys finished in 3 rd place and were able to receive medals. Both girls and boys teams will now be looking forward to playing the teachers here at the school. Our school will also be hosting the Junior Basketball Tournament on March 23 and 24, We will be starting hockey try-outs for our Bobcat teams and look forward to attending a tournament in April. Remember to stay active with your Family and have Fun getting Fit. Spotlight on SIB s Ski Trip This year students and teachers had a great time on the slopes at Mansfield Ski Club. This was our first ski/snowboard trip and for the majority of our students, it was their first time trying out the sport. There were many falls but students showed great determination in not giving up, and by the end of the day they were skiing/snowboarding like champions! On the way home students were already asking when our next trip will be. What an amazing experience!

4 Mansfield Ski Trip Fun

5 S.I.B. ECO NEWS!!! BOOMERANG LUNCH WEDNESDAY S As a result of the yearly waste/recycle audit the ECO team did in January, Boomerang Lunch Wednesday s will begin March 4 th. A boomerang lunch is a lunch that has every piece of it return to its source. In other words, everything in the lunch goes back home at the end of the day. No matter if it is leftover food, containers, recyclables or garbage, it all goes back. Yes, even the garbage. Purpose: To increase awareness of the amount of waste created in one day s lunch To encourage the use of reusable containers To discourage the use of disposable containers Each class was given an empty pizza box in which they created a garbage lid to place on top on Wednesday s. This initiative will also create points which go towards the schools ECO-Schools application. We would like to thank all our families in the S.I.B community for their continuous support in our Eco initiatives. Conference helps parents make a difference in numeracy and beyond The Peel District School Board is hosting its annual parent conference on Saturday, April 18, 2015 at Fletcher s Meadow Secondary School in Brampton. This year, Numeracy & Beyond: Parent Conference, will focus on numeracy 25 out of 60 workshops help with math. Parents will still have the opportunity to attend workshops on other topics, including literacy, special education and science. This free learning event is open to Peel parents of students at all grade levels. Space is limited. Registration closes March 27. Stay up-to-date! For more information, visit

6 Apply for a position on the board's French as a Second Language Advisory Committee The Peel District School Board is currently seeking parent members for its first French as a Second Language Advisory committee. The committee will meet three to four times during the school year to provide input and feedback in an advisory capacity to the board regarding the development and implementation of French programs and initiatives. We are now in the process of inviting parents to apply for eight available positions on the committee. Members will be selected based on the following criteria: demonstrates a keen interest in public education and French as a Second Language programs understands the importance of parent, family and community engagement has experience working with French language/cultural organizations demonstrates advocacy and community development skills has a present level of involvement in the education system reflects the diversity of the community If interested, visit for an application and more details. Important Dates to Remember March 4 Round 2 Immunization Clinic for Grades 7 & 8 March 11 Grades 4, 5 and 6 to Young People s Theatre March Spring Break - NO SCHOOL March 23 & 24 Junior Basketball Tournament March 25 Gr. 8 students participating in Peel Dancefest April 1 Gr. 8 graduation photo April 3 Good Friday - NO SCHOOL April 6 Easter Monday - NO SCHOOL

7 Visit the Maple Syrup Sugar Bush at Jack Smythe Field Centre Enjoy the beauty and wonder of nature as spring blossoms. The Jack Smythe Field Centre offers an exceptional family experience with a visit to its Maple Syrup Sugar Bush. The March Break program runs from Wed., March 18, to Sat., March 21, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Sugar Bush program has been established for more than 15 years and provides families with an educational activity and a hands-on experience. The program is run by Peel District School Board teachers and staff during March Break. Families are invited to get involved as spring comes to life in the following activities: help tap trees and empty sap buckets sample some freshly made maple syrup hike along our trails and feed the friendly chickadees by hand learn how pioneers collected and produced syrup compared to modern-day operations visit the sugar shack where the sap boils and clouds of sweet smelling steam billow out of the chimney The cost is $5/adult and $4/child 12 and under (cash only). Lunch will be available for purchase. It will include: hot chocolate, cookies and hot dogs for you to roast over an open fire. Directions to Jack Smythe Field Centre, Winston Churchill Blvd., Terra Cotta: North on Mississauga Road, left on King Street (you will see Credit View Public School on your left), right on Winston Churchill Boulevard (you must pass Terra Cotta Conservation Area on your left) and proceed to the top of the hill and left into the Jack Smythe site. For more information, please contact the Jack Smythe Field Centre at Kids CBC hosts a free family kite festival event on March 21 & 22 This free family event will feature an exciting day full of fun for kids as they make kites, rangoli designs, spin tops, hear South Asian stories and enjoy a digital gaming zone and more. They will also meet and greet with their favourite Kids CBC characters including host Patty, Daniel Tiger, Bookaboo and Super WHY! The kids will have a chance to appear on camera, as Kids CBC camera crew captures fun moments of the day to be featured on-air and on the Kids CBC YouTube Channel. Saturday March 21, 10 a.m. 2 p.m. Mississauga Central Library 301 Burnhamthorpe Road West, Mississauga Sunday March 22, 11 a.m. 4 p.m. Bramalea City Centre 25 Peel Centre Drive, Brampton For more information on the event and Kids CBC, visit

8 Using social media safely With the growing number of social media sites, it is no surprise that social media is the most common form of communication for children and teenagers. Posts, status updates, comments, instant messages, video uploads, tweets and texts have become a regular part of their lives. While there are many positive benefits to using social media, including staying connected with friends and expressing your interests, students must be cautious in their use of these networks. Among the most popular social media platforms used are Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, WeChat, Vine and Kik Messenger. Many of these platforms are free and are available on smartphones and other electronic devices. These platforms are easy to navigate and often allow information to be shared instantly, not only with friends, but with strangers. On social media, it is important to remember that the world is watching. Here are some tips, provided by the Canadian Safe School Network and GetSafeOnline.org, to keep your children safe and help them make smart choices when using social media: Set some boundaries for your child before they get their first connected device (mobile, tablet, laptop or games console). Once they have it, it can be more difficult to change the way they use it or the settings. Have a conversation about what is appropriate online behaviour and what actions could have huge repercussions that could damage their reputation and be harmful to others. Talk to your child about the kind of websites they look at. Encourage them to speak to you if they come across something they find worrying or upsetting on websites, games or social media. Discuss with your child what is safe and appropriate to post and share online. Written comments, photos and videos all form part of their digital footprint and could be seen by anyone and available on the internet forever, even if it is subsequently deleted. Explain to your child that being online doesn t give them anonymity or protection, and that they shouldn t do anything online that they wouldn t do face-to-face. Users should only accept people they know in order to protect themselves from spammers, strangers and others who may be using social networking sites to commit crimes. Unlike when they re meeting someone face-to-face, children don t always know who they re actually talking to online, even if they think they do. Tell your children they must never , chat, or text with strangers, and it s never okay to meet a stranger in the real world. Ensure your children set their privacy settings appropriately. Take the time to learn how privacy settings work on your children s favourite sites, and teach them how to control their privacy. Tell your children never to share personal and private information with anyone online. This includes, but is not limited to, his or her full name, age, birth date, address, phone number, social insurance number, credit card information and parents full names. Limit the amount of time that your children spend on social media platforms and talk about the importance of healthy and appropriate use of technology. Unique Symposium Addresses the needs of Families of Children with Special Needs This free family event is being held at West Credit Secondary School during the afternoon of April 18 th. Agencies such as Peel Children s Centre, Erinoak, MotherRisk, CCAC will be in attendance as well as presenters that will address the social/ emotional and behavioural needs of unique children. Parents will have the opportunity to ask psychiatrists, social workers, speech and language and behavioural specialists, questions about community resources and network with other parents. There is limited babysitting available. This free event is open to parents of all grade levels. Please speak to your school administrator for a registration form or trelawny.ps@peelsb.com or call ext 402.

9 Help your family stay warm this winter Peel Public Health recommends the following cold weather guidelines for preventing cold-weather injuries: 1. Reduce amount of time children (grade 8 and under) spend outdoors when the temperature is 20 degrees Celsius or colder, with or without the wind chill. Keep children indoors when the temperature is -25 degrees Celsius or colder, with or without wind chill. Some medical conditions may increase sensitivity to cold. Parents should consult their physician (Source: Environment Canada). 2. Allow indoor breaks if children say they are feeling cold or during extreme temperatures. 3. Ensure children are dressed warmly, covering exposed skin: insulated boots, winter weight coats, mittens, hats, neck warmers. 4. Change wet clothing or footwear immediately. 5. Although these conditions are unlikely to occur during the school day, ensure that all staff are able to recognize and treat symptoms of frostbite and hypothermia. Given plenty of warm fluids to prevent dehydration. 6. When children are outside, be watchful for shivering or signs of numbness in faces, ears, hands or feet. 7. Educate children in dealing with cold weather: drinking plenty of fluids, dressing warmly, and recognizing signs of cold injury. Register today for Adult ESL non-credit courses Do you know an adult in Peel that is interested in improving their English language skills for work, study or daily life? The Peel District School Board offers Adult ESL courses at three locations in Brampton and Mississauga. Winter courses begin February 2, To learn more or to register, call Registration is ongoing and continues after courses have started. Bramalea Adult Education Centre 25 Kings Cross Road, Unit 3 Brampton Adult Education Centre # Hurontario Street Mississauga Adult Education Centre 100 Elm Drive West, Room 117 To learn more, visit

10 Celebrating Faith and Culture DAYS OF COMMEMORATION & CELEBRATION: March 2015 DATE CELEBRATION FAITH AND CULTURE March Xsaak Aboriginal Spirituality March 1 Intercalary Day Bahá'í Sunset March 1 to 20 Alá (Fasting month) Bahá'í Eve of March 4 to 5 Purim Judaism March 5 Latern Festival Buddhism March 5 Magha Puja Buddhism Match 5 Holi Hinduism March 6 World Day of Prayer Christianity March 6 Hola Mohalla Sikhism March 14 New Year Sikhism March 16 to 20 Ghambar Hamaspath-meadem Zoroastrianism March 17 St. Patrick's Day Christianity March 20 Vasant Navratri and New Year s Day Hinduism March 20 Shunki-sorei-sai Shinto March 20 Lady Day (Ostara) Wicca March 21 Eid e-navroz Islam March 21 Naw Ruz Bahá'í and Zoroastrianism March 26 Khordad Saal Zoroastrianism March 28 Sri Ramnavami Hinduism March 29 Palm Sunday Christianity March 29 to April 4 Holy Week begins Christianity Sir Isaac Brock Newsletters are available on our website!