The Key is We. Together we can Dhu amazing things. Glen Dhu P.S.

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1 The Key is We. Together we can Dhu amazing things. Glen Dhu P.S. December Fallingbrook St. Whitby, Ontario L1R 1M7 Phone: (905) Fax: (905) PA Day Friday Dec. 20 No school for Students We look forward to seeing everyone in the New Year on Monday, Jan. 6, 2014!! Principal: Mrs. Carolyn Treadgold Vice-Principal: Mrs. Laurie Park Website: GLEN DHU GATORS Dhu us proud Principal s Message Our students and staff showed their respect and made us proud at our Remembrance Day Assembly in honour of the soldiers who fought for our rights and freedoms, as well as for the soldiers who maintain peace in nations that experience turmoil. We were also pleased to welcome parents, siblings, community members and a war veteran who joined us for this dignified ceremony. A productive hum has been noted in the classrooms as a result of the preparation and planning teachers have done during their Building Collaborative Inquiry sessions and common planning times. Students are actively engaged in their learning, as our focus remains on implementing rich tasks to promote student learning. We are proud of the efforts teachers have made to deepen their implementation of guided group practices, the three-part math lesson and inquiry-based learning. It may be chilly outside, but our school is filled with warmth, excitement and caring. It is the season of giving and celebration, and our students, staff and families have been spending time collaborating on a variety of leadership, school spirit and fundraising opportunities. The Candy Grams, Cookie Sales, Remembrance Day Assembly, Bully Awareness Week, Safety Village visits, the Book Fair, the Whitby Abilities Centre trip and many co-curricular activities have kept us all busy, as we are learning and committed to making a positive difference in our own lives and our community. We are proud of the collective efforts of the key players in our school community and we look forward to being equally busy throughout December. If at any time you have questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact Principal Carolyn Treadgold, or Vice-Principal, Laurie Park. I can be reached at the school (905) or via , treadgold_carolyn@durham.edu.on.ca. The Glen Dhu Staff wish our wonderful families a happy holiday filled with joyous memories with friends and families! THE YE AR OF POSITIVE MENTAL HE ALTH Hope and Optimism In December we will continue to explore with students ways to help them develop Hope and Optimism as they approach their work and relationships.

2 Book Fair Mrs. Aiken would like to thank everyone for their overwhelming support during the book fair this year. Students loved being able to make their own purchases, and were able to talk with excitement about their reading materials. Scholastic Book Fair earned $800 toward the purchase of new books from Scholastic Publishers, and $1240 toward future library purchases. A Student s Thoughts on Remembrance Day Thanks veterans for saving our country. In the modern world you could have seen Menchies. It s sad you died, al least you tried. If you survived in the war you were flying by in the air force. If you died and your family never saw you again, it was hard for them. Like your family we did cry. The poppies grow beside, and we remember. Mason R. Grade 2 - Mrs. Neshevich Mrs. Houston s class made T-shirt with Bully Awareness

3 Music Notes Holiday Concert! Wed Dec 11 th 1:00 and 7:00 performances Our annual Glen Dhu Holiday Concert preparations are underway!! ALL students in Grades 1-3 will be performing AS WELL AS our Primary Choir, J/I Choir and Wind Ensemble! Detailed information will be sent home with all performers closer to the date! We are offering 2 full performances this year to accommodate our large audience numbers and would encourage those who CAN attend the afternoon performance to please do so. We will be collecting non-perishable food items or unwrapped toys for donation under our tree and our Girl Talk club will be selling baked goods to support families in need! We look forward to sharing our musical afternoon and evening with you as we support and think of those in need! Have a wonderful holiday season! More Music Notes Dec 9 Nutcracker Ballet Presentation K-5 Jan 10 TorQ Percussion Ensemble Presentation 5-8

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6 December 4, 2013 ~ Parent Engagement Night ~ Positive Mental Health We enjoyed meeting with many of our students parents at our second parent engagement night! The topic of the evening was Positive Mental Health. Special thanks to our presenters: Dr. Suzanne Stone, Chris Anderson, and Carolyn Treadgold. We would like to share with you some of the highlights of the evening. Some warning signs of potential mental health conditions: Sleep problems Digestive problems Mood changes Intense feelings Behaviour changes Difficulty concentrating Unexplained weight gain or weight loss Physical harm Substance abuse What we can do to promote positive mental health with our children: Use their bed for sleeping only (avoid watching TV and playing video games) Set a standard wake-up time (their body will eventually adjust) Show them how to make a to-do list earlier in the day Have them tell you things that went well in their day Have them practice a relaxing bedtime routine Encourage them to maintain a balanced lifestyle, i.e. some chores + some pleasurable activities = balance Ensure they have daily exercise Help them set SMART goals (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, time-limited), e.g. I will do better in history class. Instead say, I will study 10 minutes a day and try to improve my mark. Spend quality time to connect with them (e.g. watch a show, do a puzzle, go for a walk)

7 PARENTS AS PARTNERS AT GLEN DHU Parent Information Evenings Through a provincial PRO Grant (Parent Reaching Out) we have been provided with funding to support a number of parent information evenings this year. We encourage parents to join us for these information evenings that will provide you with practical tips on how to support your child in our key areas of focus at Glen Dhu. More details will come as we get closer to the events, but please mark your calendars for the following: January 15: Does homework cause you to pull your hair out? Parents will learn strategies to support independent study skills at home and how they can prevent the homework blues. February 26: Literacy, the key to all other learning This session will be for parents and their children to attend together as they work and play together to further develop critical literacy skills. April 23: Magnificent Math This session will be for parents and their children to attend together as they work and play together to further develop essential numeracy skills. May 21: Family Fitness Night Parents and their children will again come together to participate in fun fitness and movement activities that encourage active bodies and positive well-being.

8 DHU DATES TO REMEMBER December 20 P A Day Other important school dates to note: Dec. 2 & 4 Jr. Girls Volleyball Area Play Downs Dec. 2 Jr./Int. Choir Rehearsal Dec. 3 Primary Choir Rehearsal Dec. 3 & 5 Jr. Boys Volleyball Area Play Downs Dec. 4 Grade 8 Mr. Chambers at Sinclair in a.m. Dec. 4 Wind Ensemble Rehearsal Dec. 4 Parent Engagement Night Is your child happy? Dec. 5 Wind Ensemble pizza dinner Dec. 5 Primary Choir Rehearsal Dec. 9 Pajama Day and Nutcracker Presentation for Grades 1 to 5 at 1:00 p.m. Dec. 9 Primary Choir Rehearsal Dec. 11 Grade 8 Mrs. Houston at Sinclair in p.m. Dec. 11 Holiday Concert 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Dec. 13 Hope & Optimism Student Recognition Assemblies (Int. 9:00 a.m.; Prim. 10:10 a.m.; and Jr. 2:55 p.m.) Dec. 19 Festive Hats/Antlers Day Jan. 6 Welcome Back! Jan. 7 T.A.M.I. Visit in Intermediate Classrooms Jan. 10 TORQ Percussion Presentation Grades 5 to 8 at 1:00 p.m. BOARD CONTACTS: Anne Taylor (Administrative Officer) Taylor_anne@durham.edu.on.ca John Bowyer Superintendent of Education (Whitby) Bowyer_john@durham.edu.on.ca OUR WHTBY TRUSTEES: Christine Winters fax: Winters_christine@durham.edu.on.ca Kim Zeppieri Zeppieri_Kimberly@durham.edu.on.ca