EARNSCLIFFE SENIOR PUBLIC SCHOOL NEWSLETTER

Superintendent: Liz Cook Vice-Principals: Kimberlee Johnston, Juanita Taylor Principal: Andrea Dewar-Salmon Office Manager: Melanie Hunter

To Our Earnscliffe Families As we wind down to the end of 2017, we would like to leave you with a few notices and reminders as well as our January Calendar. Eagles Taking Flight Mr. Castellana, Ms. Ferreira, and Mrs. McNeillie will be leaving us at the end of December. Mr. Castellana was successfully promoted to the role of Vice-Principal at Cashmere Avenue Public School and Munden Park Public School in Mississauga. Mr. C. will be starting his new position effective January 8, 2018. Ms. Ferreira will be moving to the secondary panel to further her career. Mrs. McNeillie is retiring and will be enjoying a well-deserved rest. We thank them for all their work here at Earnscliffe and wish them all the best! Kiss and Ride

Parents, this is a reminder that the Kiss and Ride is designed for you to pull up as far forward as possible and quickly drop your off/pick up your child. Do not park in the Kiss and Ride. If you need to sign your child in, or drop something off, please park and make your way inside. Please do not use the bus loop to drop your child off. The bus loop is

strictly for the school buses. From The Guidance Office Attention Grade 8 students! Course Selection will be finalized in February. At the end of January we will be making any changes necessary to the Grade 9 course selections. Parents and students should use the printed verification sheet, cross out or make any necessary changes on that sheet, and have it signed and dated. Students will then bring

me those sheets and we will make the changes in the system after January 24th. Getting to School on Time

With the snow finally here, it can increase the possibility of students arriving late to school. We encourage you to ensure your child is up early and arrives at school on time to start their day of learning off right. If your child is going to be late or absent, please use the safe arrival line to report all lates/absences before 8:30am. Also, send your child with a note, or park and come and sign them in.

From the Gym January is Handball, Speedball, and Badminton month in Physical Education. See you there, Eagles!!! Fundraiser

School Council will be hosting its first fundraiser for the school year. Finest Chocolate almonds, and Laura Secord chocolate as your nut-free option, will be sold to raise funds for creating outdoor learning spaces.

January 29 - Assembly to launch the campaign. Letters will be sent home the same day. February 5 - Chocolate distribution for students. February 23 - End of chocolate sales

We wish you a safe and happy holiday. See you in 2018! Andrea Dewar-Salmon Kimberlee Johnston Juanita Taylor Principal Vice-Principal Vice-Principal

EARNSCLIFFE SENIOR PUBLIC SCHOOL

SCHOOL COUNCIL

Principal: Andrea Dewar-Salmon Vice-Principals: Kimberlee Johnston and Juanita Taylor Superintendent: Liz Cook Office Manager: Melanie Hunter

December-January Newsletter

Dear Parents, Students, and Staff, While we await the beginning of 2018, we wanted to reach out on behalf of our School Council and let everyone know what we have been doing. We have been working hard with our Parents (and Guardians), Principal, Teacher Representatives and Partners. We also want to thank everyone, particularly our Parents, for coming out and participating. We wanted to let everyone know that these meetings are indeed open to all Parents, and the Council is most effective when you are a part of the meetings! We are asking that more Parents come out. The meetings are informal and fun. We discuss many things and this is a real opportunity to be heard and make a difference for your children. Every meeting is an opportunity to stay informed and hear more detail about thing like:

Regular school business – Our Principal and Teacher Reps give us updates on

everything from building and grounds maintenance to important educational

items, like learning initiatives, curriculum updates and current school events.

Fundraising – We review fundraising programs and decide on future ideas to raise

the money we need to put new programs in place and improve our school.

New initiatives – We table ideas and concepts for things like school improvements

and special events and everyone gets a vote!

Partners – We invite and discuss your concerns and feedback with partners that

provide our services like school photos and yearbooks to ensure we are getting the

best deal possible.

Parent Discussions – Parents get the floor to bring up anything they are concerned

with. If the issue is something the Council can address, we do. If not, we make sure

the issue is directed to the appropriate party.

For 2018, we have some big plans!

Fundraising –

o The QSP fundraiser has drawn to a close providing a kick start to our 2017-

2018 fundraising.

o We have selected La Montagne to fundraise with chocolates in February.

o We are planning a Silent Art Auction to take place during Education week.

Green Space Initiative –

o We have decided to concentrate this year fundraising profits on

transforming one of our courtyards into a “green” classroom. We are

currently working with the Peel School Board to build a sound plan for this

development.

o As we move toward this goal, we will engage our students to be involved in

the planning and development of this wonderful new space that will benefit

all students.

Premier’s Awards for Accepting Schools –

o We are putting Earnscliffe forward for this award as we feel we are one of

the most inclusive school environments based on our initiatives, clubs and

programs. The application is a collaborative effort with Staff and Parents.

School Councils are truly a way for Parents to have a say in their children’s education and be a part of the school family. We encourage all parents to come out and be a part of the School Council committee. As we move forward with this year’s plans, we will need your help, ideas and time to bring these plans to life. Please, take the time, once a month, the first Wednesday of each month, and come and join us. Help out, have your say, and make this school the best one your kids ever attended! See you all January 10, 2018. Regards, Your School Council Romena Khan, Chair

Steve Ley, Co-Chair

Jullian Clarke, Co-Treasurer

Yanet Cavero, Co-Treasurer

Deanna Black, Secretary

Conference helps parents empower modern learners The Peel District School Board is hosting its annual parent conference, co-presented by the Peel Elementary Teachers’ Local, on Saturday, March 24, 2018, at Mississauga Secondary School in Mississauga. Once again, the conference will focus on Empowering Modern Learners. Parents will still have the opportunity to attend workshops on topics, including numeracy, literacy, special education, technology and science. This free learning event is open to Peel parents of students at all grade levels. Our keynote presentation will be delivered by Dwayne Matthews, a life and education strategist, who converges and shares knowledge on modern learning, disruptive technology, and the evolution of work. Dwayne will present Learning in the 21st century: Why it's different, why it matters and how to help children thrive in a rapidly evolving digital world.

Registration opens Feb.5, 2018 Stay up-to-date! For more information, visit www.peelschools.org/parents/conference.

Bus cancellation and closing schools due to bad weather

During the winter months, we may need to cancel buses or close schools because of inclement weather. Information regarding details of cancellations or closures will be announced on radio and television stations listed below and will also be available on Twitter @Peelschools, Facebook at www.facebook.com/peelschools, www.peelschools.org and www.stopr.ca or by calling 905-890-1010 or 1-800-668-1146. VIRGIN RADIOFM99.9 BREAKFAST TELEVISION NEWS AM680 CFNY FM102.1/AM640 CJCL AM590 CHFI FM98.1 NEWSTALK1010 AM EZ ROCK FM97.3 CJBC (FR) AM860 FM Z103.5 FM93.1 FM Q107 CHIN FM100.7/AM1540 CBC99.1 CITYPULSE GLOBAL NEWS CITY NEWS CTV CFRB – (Bell Media)

One of the following messages will be announced (highlighted text only): Peel District School Board buses are cancelled This means that schools remain open for students and staff, but buses are cancelled. Bus cancellations could occur in all or parts of municipalities. Buses will remain cancelled all day. All activities that require busing will also be cancelled. Permits, night school classes, child care and other activities in schools will operate as usual. All Peel District School Board schools and board offices are closed This means that all schools and Peel board offices are closed to students and staff. All activities in schools and board offices are also cancelled, including child care, night school and permits. All evening programs and permits at the Peel District School Board are cancelled This means that all activities in schools and Peel board offices are cancelled, including continuing education courses and events. The buildings will be closed. All weekend programs and permits at the Peel District School Board are cancelled This means that all activities in schools and Peel board offices are cancelled, including continuing education courses and events. The buildings will be closed.

Time for school - A parent’s guide to reporting school absences

All parents/guardians of elementary students need to report their children's absences or late arrivals from school via our

automated SafeArrival system. Whether it is an illness or another absence and you decide to keep your child home, please report your child’s absence via the SafeArrival system quickly and conveniently in one of the three ways:

o Call an automated, interactive toll free number – 1-855-209-6155 (Please note – You must wait for confirmation)

o Report absences online by accessing the SafeArrival parent portal on pdsb.schoolconnects.com

Download the SafeArrival mobile application for Apple and Android devices

______________________________________________ Train More. Rehearse More. Learn More. Peel District School Board program offers flexible school options for student athletes, artists Does your child/teen have an intense sports or arts training and competition schedule that makes it difficult to attend school regularly? The Peel District School Board’s Peel Region High Performers Program will offer flexible timetabling to accommodate student athletes and artists with demanding practice, competition, rehearsal and/or performance schedules. The Peel Region High Performers Program is available to students in grades 4 to 12 at Britannia Public School, Dolphin Senior Public School and Mississauga Secondary School.

Applications close Jan. 12, 2018

For more information and applications, visit www.peelschools.org/HighPerformers.

School doors remain locked during the school day

We wanted to share a reminder with our school community. The front doors of our school will be locked during the school day. This is part of the Safe Welcome program, originally announced by the Ontario Government in December 2012, for all elementary schools in Ontario. As part of this program, portable doors will also be locked during the school day. A camera and buzzer unit is located by the front door and will be linked to a monitor in the main office of the school. Anyone who wishes access to the school once the school day has begun—parents, Peel board staff and visitors—will request entry by pressing the buzzer. Staff in the main office will be able to see and speak to the person, and release the door lock to provide access. We have long had the practice for Peel schools that all outside doors, with the exception of the front door, would be locked during the school day. While we acknowledge that locking doors will not in itself prevent all risks to the safety of students and staff, it is an important step in providing an additional level of security. Thank you for your continued support for the safety and well-being of all students and staff in our schools.

______________________________________________ Nutritious lunches help children learn

Use Canada’s Food Guide to help your child get nutrients and energy needed to have a successful school day.

Try to give your child some choice about what to take for lunch. If possible, get your child involved in preparing meals.

Give your child a variety of healthy choices. Keeping your child interested in lunch is the first step to making sure it is eaten.

Make the food easy to eat. If it will take your child a few minutes to unwrap a sandwich, it may be skipped.

Resist the temptation to routinely send sweets, pop, chips and cookies in your child's lunch. Save treats for special occasions.

Try to avoid fast food or pre-packaged, convenience lunches, which are often high in salt and fat.

Do your best to role model healthy eating behaviours for your family. To speak to a registered dietitian about healthy food choices, call EatRight Ontario at 1-877-510-5102. For more information about the policy, visit http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/healthyschools. If you have questions about how we are implementing the School Food and Beverage Policy, please call the school.

Help your family stay warm this winter

Canada Safety Council recommends the following tips for staying comfortable and preventing hypothermia when working or playing outdoors:

Wear a warm hat—most body heat is lost through the head. Children should keep an extra hat at school.

Wear layered clothing. Layers allow warm air to stay trapped around the body. Protect your feet and hands. Wear loose waterproof boots. If the boots have liners, carry an

extra pair to replace damp ones or take an extra pair of socks. Invest in thick socks to keep your feet warm. Mittens are warmer than gloves. Carry an extra pair of mittens to school, on outings, etc.

Prevent dehydration and exhaustion, which can lead to hypothermia. Drink plenty of fluids and pace yourself when doing vigorous activities.

Stay fit by exercising and eating well—people who are fit are less susceptible to hypothermia. If you stay indoors, avoid moving from a hot environment to a cold one. Excessive sweating

caused from an extreme change in temperature increases the risk of developing hypothermia. Eat high-energy food such as nuts and raisins. A balanced diet will also help keep you warm and

healthy in the winter. If you are travelling (on the road or in the wilderness) carry emergency supplies.

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Celebrating Faith and Culture - January 2018

DATE

CELEBRATION FAITH AND CULTURE

Month of January K'aliyee & Spirit moon Aboriginal Spirituality December 31 to Jan. 1 Ghambar Maidyarem Zoroastrianism

January 1 Temple Day Buddhism

January 1 and 14 (J) New Year’s Day Christianity and Canada

January 1 Gantan-sai Shinto

January 2 Mahayana New Year Buddhism

January 3 Amitabha Buddha’s Birthday Buddhism

January 5 Birth of Guru Gobind Singh Sikhism

January 6 and 19 (J) Epiphany or Feast of Theophany Christianity

January 7 (J) Christmas Christianity

January 8 Seijin-no-hi Shinto

January 13 Lohri Hinduism

January 13 Maghi Sikhism

January 14 Makar Sankranti Hinduism

January 18 to February 5 Month of Sultán Bahá'í

January 21 World Religion Day Bahá'í

January 21 Vasant Panchami Hinduism

January 24 Sakyamuni Buddha’s Enlightenment Buddhism