October 2019

DIXIE PUBLIC SCHOOL

A Great Start to the School Year! The school year has gotten off to a great start! We assembled on September

27th to conclude our Terry Fox Fund raising event. The Terry Fox Run is an annual Canada wide event that helps to raise money and awareness for cancer research. The runs are a legacy to Ter-ry Fox's Marathon of Hope which took place in 1980 with the sim-ple objective of informing Canadians of the importance of finding a cure for cancer. The event ended with the whole school participat-ing in the Terry Fox Run/Walk on September 27th. This year stu-dents also ran with Ms Elfiki at recess on Wednesdays and Fridays to see if they could run as far as Terry did. They ran a total of 378 km. We set a fund-raising goal of $1000 and we exceeded our

goal, raising $1055. You can still give on-line http://www.terryfox.ca/DixiePSMississauga. Your donations are greatly appreci-ated! We are excited to have you visit the school on October 3rd for our open house. Please plan on stopping by between 6 and 7 p.m. to meet the staff and see the great work that your child has done!

Our annual Fall Book Fair will take place October 1st - 7th. Students will have time to visit the Book Fair and create wish lists during the week. The Book Fair will be open during our Open House from 6-7pm, if you wish to stop by and take a look or make a purchase.

Dixie Spirit Days Mark your calendars for our Dixie Spirit Days this year.

October 31st - Halloween Day, Black & Orange day or a costume of choice (no masks or replica type weapons)

November 29th - Jersey Day

December 19 - Red & Green Day

January 31st - Crazy Hat Day

February 14 - Wear Red For Valentine’s Day

February 28th - Twinsies Day (Wear the same outfit as a Friend(s).

March 13 - Beach Day

April 24 - Pajama Day

May 29 - Crazy Sock Day

June 26th - Canada Day Wear Red & White

1120 Flagship Dr. Mississauga, ON L4Y 2K1 Tel: (905) 277-9505 Fax: (905) 277-5306

www.peelschools.org

Mr. Claudio Moschella Principal Ms Kara Poutanen Vice Principal Ms D. Mills Office Manager Ms. V. Grozdanovski Office Assistant Mr. Paul Da Silva Superintendent of Educa-tion (905) 366-8800 Ms. Sue Lawton Trustee (905) 625-8084

For reporting absences and lates, please call the Safe Arrival System at

1-855-209-6155 Or online at go.schoolmessenger.ca While absences can be re-ported at any time, before the start of the school day is pre-ferred. For the safety of all students, all parents and visitors must check in at the office before going through the school. Thank you for your coopera-tion.

Kiss and Ride: Remember to stay alert and drive slowly!

Parents should only enter by the west driveway using the car lane, following the arrows - please stay out of the bus lane - drive into the car lane and stop as directed by the teacher on duty. Your child should exit the car through the door closest to the school. Please, do not stop or let your child out anywhere else in the car lane. If your child requires assistance to exit the car, please park your car and assist them. Do not park in the ‘Kiss and Ride’ lane. Once out of the car, students will follow the pathway in front of the school around to the playground. Drivers will follow the arrows and exit the parking area using the east driveway. Our Kiss and Ride lanes have been painted bright yellow and black for easy visibility.

Let’s keep everyone safe!

Birthday Treats and Celebrations Please refrain from sending food to your child’s class as a birthday treat or for any other occasion. Many of our chil-dren have different food allergies therefore, we ask that non-consumable treats such as pen-cils, stickers, etc., be sent. It is very difficult to safely monitor all the ingredients in foods. Please confirm with your child’s teacher before sending any treats

Picture Day 2019 Photo day will be on Thursday, October 17, 2018. It’s important for your child to be at school for picture day be-cause class pictures will also be taken. In the event your child is absent, there will be a photo retake day on November 12, 2019.

Celebrate World Teachers’ Day: October 4th Since 1994, parents and students from around the world have cele-brated World Teachers’ Day to com-

memorate the work of teachers and their contributions to society. Take some time to let your child's teacher know they are truly appreciated. Thank your child's teacher and let them know they are making a differ-ence.

Oct. 23 opportunity to say ‘thanks’ to bus drivers Peel schools will pay tribute to bus drivers on Bus Driver Ap-preciation Day on Oct. 23, 2019. The day is an opportunity to thank the people who safely transport over 36,000 students to and from school each day. If your child rides the bus to school, take this opportunity to thank the bus driver for their contribution and ask your child to do so too. The Peel board appreciates the important job bus drivers do each school day and Oct. 17 provides an opportunity to give these individuals the recognition they deserve.

Dixie PS celebrates Islamic Heritage Month

On April 9, 2019, as part of the board’s commitment to equi-ty and inclusion, the Peel board approved a motion to recog-nize and celebrate Islamic Heritage Month in October. In addition to Islamic Heritage Month, the Peel board also ap-proved motions to recognize and celebrate Indigenous Herit-age Month and Hindu Heritage Month in November, Sikh Heritage Month in April and Jewish Heritage Month in May. The board will continue to recognize Black History Month in February, Asian Heritage Month in May and Pride Month in June. The Government of Canada first established October as Islamic History Month in 2007 while the Province of Ontario declared the month of October as Islamic Heritage Month in 2016.

Peel board recognizes Peel Principals and Vice-Principals’ Day Oct. 2

In 2018, the board of trustees declared the second Wednes-day of October as Peel Principals and Vice-Principals’ Day. This year, due to a holy day conflict, this date will be cele-brated on Oct. 2. This day allows the community to recog-nize the important work of principals and vice-principals, and to acknowledge the lasting contributions that they make in the lives of students, families and community mem-bers.

Sleep is important!

A good night’s sleep is important for children and their learning. Learning burns considerable energy during the day and if children arrive to school without

enough energy it often results in very frustrated individuals with unfavourable behaviours. As great as technology is it is also the nemesis of a good night’s

sleep. Please ensure your children turn off their de-vices 2 hours before lights out and ensure their room is device free. As parents we know sometimes our children wake up in the middle of the night and with access to a device they will be able to stay up even longer as technology is known to be a stimulate.

Fire Drill & Lockdown Prac-tice Peel schools provide a safe environment for students and Staff to learn and work. The board has many procedures to ensure safety, including regular fire drills, and lockdown rehearsals. The lockdown procedure is designed to help keep schools safe during any potentially seri-ous incident. Every school will review the key points of the lockdown process with students. We rehearse the drill twice per year to make sure staff and students know what to do if we have to initiate a lockdown.

October 31st is HALLOWEEN On October 31, 2019, students have permission to wear a costume or orange & black if they wish. Please do not send any masks or weapons (i.e,, replica guns, swords, knives, etc.) that may be part of a costume. Costumes should be easy to slip over regular clothing; students will not be given a private place in which to change.

Pizza Days! The first Pizza Day of the year is on October 2nd. Pizza is every Wednesday this year. If you missed this round, the next round will be open in January. Orders will be taken in De-cember. We will communicate to the community when the orders open up online. HELP WANTED! Are you available during the day to assist with Pizza Days? We need parents to help distribute pizza every oth-er Wednesday. We need help for about 1 hour, 10:45 - 11:45. Please let the office know if you can help out. Thank you!

Our first meeting was held on Sept. 16, 2019. At this meeting. We had 5 parents nominated and acclaimed to the Dixie School Council Team. The meeting dates for the year are Nov. 18, Jan. 13, Apr. 6 with a subsequent meeting if needed. Please join us at 6:30 p.m. in the School Staffroom, all parents are wel-come! For contact information and minutes from the meetings, please visit the school website.

Breakfast Club is open!! We are pleased to let you know that our Breakfast Club is open again for another year. If you haven’t registered your child, registration forms are available from your child’s teacher or the office. Tickets are available for pre-purchase. Please do not send the children to Breakfast Club before 8a.m. as there is no supervision on site until that time. Please make sure that children are at Breakfast Club no later than 8:15 a.m.

Thank you for your cooperation!

If you are picking up your children for an appointment, please let the teacher know when to have your child ready in the office. When you arrive, please ring the bell for entry and report to the office to sign your child out. Parents/guardians

are not permitted to enter into the school without checking with the office first. If you are picking up close to the 3 p.m. dismissal bell, please meet your child at their usual exit door. Lunches should be dropped off on the table in front of the office. Thank you for your co-operation in helping to keep our students safe!

EQAO: Individual Results

If your child wrote the Grade 3 EQAO Assessment last Spring, please keep an eye out for the individual results which will be sent home soon.

October is International Walk to School Month According to the 2015 Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card, about 91 per cent of 5-to-17-year-olds are not meeting Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines to get at least 60 minutes of daily moderate-to vigorous-intensity physical activity. These declining activity levels are linked to obesity, illness and chronic diseases (i.e., cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer).

Using active transportation for the school journey is one of the easiest ways for students to get regular daily physical activity. Managing time to allow for the walk or bike ride to school will become a positive habit that leads to children arriving on time, refreshed and energized for the school day. In fact, University of Illinois research has found that just 20 minutes of easy walking boosts performance in the areas of the brain that support math and reading achievement. Walking to school also helps out the environment. Eliminating just four short trips per week can reduce emissions by up to 100 kg of carbon dioxide per year. Families that participate in active travel to school can prevent almost 1,000 kg of carbon dioxide per year and save money in fuel costs as well. Also, when more children walk to school and fewer parents drive their children, the areas near school zones become safer for pedestrians. International Walk to School month is part of the Active & Safe Routes to School program. Visit www.saferoutestoschool.ca/ for more information.

Tips for being a smart trick-or-treater

Halloween is a fun and exciting time, but safety should be the number one concern.

Here are some safety tips for children:

Wear a properly fitted costume that is bright and non-flammable. Use reflective tape on your costume so you can be seen in the dark.

Use face makeup or enlarge the eyes on your mask so you can see well. When wearing a mask, push it up on your head while walking.

Teach children to visit the front door of well-lit homes and never go inside.

Help your child plan a route and a time to be home.

Remind children to always walk on the sidewalk, and obey traffic and pedestrian signals.

Have an adult check treats at home before allowing children to eat them.

Younger children should go trick-or-treating with an adult. Older children are reminded to trick-or-treat in groups.

Teach children their home phone number and how to call 9-1-1 if they have an emergency or be-come lost.

Engage. Educate. Empower. Speakers Series.

After 18 years, the Peel District School Board is revamping its annual parent conference. After hearing from partici-pants, we are changing the traditional full-day workshop model to a multi-evening speaker series focused on a specific subject, where parents and caregivers will hear from a keynote speaker followed by a panel who will take audience questions. We will also invite Peel board departments, groups and community partners to share their information in an exhibitor area.

The Engage. Educate. Empower. Speaker Series is co-presented by the Peel Elementary Teachers’ Local. Without their support, this free learning event for parents/caregivers would not be possible.

*These free events are open to all Peel board parents of students at all grade levels. Reserve your spot for the first session starting Oct. 7, 2019 at www.peelschools.org/parents/conference.

Date and Time Location Topic and Speaker

Monday, Nov. 4, 2019

5 to 8 p.m.

HJA Brown Education Centre,

5650 Hurontario St., Mississauga

Digital citizenship and online safety featuring Jesse Miller

Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2020 Chinguacousy Secondary School,

1370 Williams Pkwy., Brampton

TBA

Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2020 Mayfield Secondary School,

5000 Mayfield Rd., Caledon East

TBA

Protect your kids — and your finances

Each year, many of our families spend thousands of dollars when their children are injured at school, on field trips or at home. Gov-ernment health care plans and group insurance plans often provide limited coverage for accident expenses. Sometimes, expenses are not covered at all! This means that you, the parent/guardian, are left financially responsible.

To help protect your family, the Peel board has arranged to have student accident insurance available exclusively through Old Re-public Insurance Company of Canada’s insuremykids® student acci-dent insurance program.

The coverage can include: • dental expenses, and future costs (resulting from an accident) • total and permanent disability • paralysis/loss of use of limbs • special disability benefits • ambulance fees

The Peel District School Board does not provide accident insurance coverage for student injuries that occur on school property or dur-ing school activities—this includes extracurricular sports. If a stu-dent is injured, parents are responsible for any costs not covered by provincial health care or their employer's health care plan. Please check with your provider regarding your coverage.

The provincial health care system does not cover costs, which are commonly related to accidents including dental work, ambulance fees, casts and crutches, and physiotherapy. All of these are cov-ered by insuremykids® student accident insurance program. They offer three plans with a variety of benefits at affordable rates.

It is strongly recommended that all families consider this coverage, especially if your child participates in extracurricular activities. The insurance agreement is between you and Old Republic Insurance Company of Canada.

For more information, please visit www.insuremykids.com or call toll free at 1-800-530-5446.

Dear Parents if you are looking

for morning PLASP care before

school begins at Dixie PS please

submit your name to the office.

PLASP can only open a morning

class if there is interest from the community. They would

require 12-14 children to open a class in the morning be-

fore school. Several parents have already submitted

names so please let our office staff know and we can for-

ward the information to the PLASP Coordinator.

Peel District School Board recognizes Orange Shirt Day on September 27th

First launched in 2013 in Williams Lake, Orange Shirt Day commem-orates the history and the legacy of residential schools, and the strength and fortitude of residential school Survivors and their de-scendants. Although Orange Shirt Day is on Monday, September 30, 2019 Peel District School Board schools and worksites recognized the day on Friday September 27, 2019. Students and staff were en-couraged to wear orange shirts at schools in recognition of the day. Furthermore, we will continue to investigate age appropriate Peel resources to help all students understand the history of residential schools.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) has is-sued 94 Calls to Action, which include calls for schools and commu-nities to teach students about Canada’s history of residential schools. Addressing the TRC’s Calls to Action are embedded in the Peel board’s commitments to achieve inclusion for all through con-tinuous progress on equity. These commitments are captured in the Board’s Plan for Student Success. The board is proud to support Orange Shirt Day to help engage students in learning about the Resi-dential School System and its legacy in Canada.

For more information on Orange Shirt Day, visit www.orangeshirtday.org

Get involved in your child’s education

Research shows parent involvement positively affects student success. Becoming more involved brings many benefits. You will get to know teach-ers, the principal and other parents better. You will be able to share your talents, experiences and ide-as. You will inspire youth—and be inspired by them. You will show your child how much you val-

ue education. You will gain insights that can help you to boost your child's learning. And you could develop skills and knowledge that can help you in your own career.

There are many ways to be involved. Attending the Peel District School Board's annual parent conference, volunteering at your child's school, talking to your teen about their school day and reading with your child at night are all forms of parent involvement. Visit www.peelschools.org/parents/involved to learn more.