18
Page 1 The Clarkson Community Newsletter In this Issue Principal's Message 1 Arts, Library 2 Business/Technology, English, Math, Languages 3 Health and Physical Ed. 4 Science, Student Services 5 Social Sciences/Family Studies 7 School News 8-16 Important Reminders Nov. 20 Charger in Charge Day Nov. 21 Parents’ Night (All Grades) 4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Nov. 21 School Council Mtg -7:00 p.m. Nov. 29 Principal’s Reception- 8:15 a.m. Nov. 26-Dec 7 Grad Photos Dec. 24 - Jan. 4 Winter Break Jan. 10 Grade 8 Parents’ Night Jan. 16 Jan. 18 EQAO Math Jan. 22 Jan. 29 Final Assessments Jan. 23 School Council Mtg - 7:00 p.m. 2524 Bromsgrove Road, Mississauga, Ontario L5J 1L8 November 2012 P 905-822-6700 F 905-822-6896 http://clarksonss.peelschools.org Greetings from the Principal Ms. C. Patterson So far, we’ve had a very busy fall at Clarkson Secondary School. You can read all about the successes of our athletic teams throughout this newsletter. Many of our clubs continue to provide enriching activities for our Chargers and our intramurals include teacher teams as well. We are also very proud of our academic achievement and look forward to seeing you at our upcoming parent-teacher interview night on November 21 from 4:30 to 7:00 p.m. You may have missed it in the Toronto Star dated September 12, but Clarkson was identified as one of eight schools in the GTA that raised its EQAO applied mathematics scores considerably. We also made great gains in helping our English Language Learners and our students with special needs to be successful on the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test. A wide array of relevant contemporary social issues will also be discussed by students during the school’s third annual “Chargers in Charge Day” on Tuesday, November 20. This day is planned for the purpose of empowering our students, and to let them know we believe in their abilities to deal with the challenges of today’s society, including dealing with bullying. It is a “fun” day, but the topics considered are too important to ignore. While Clarkson has hosted international students for over four years now, last year we were chosen as the official site of the Peel Academy for International Students and our excitement began to grow. Currently, we have close to 60 international students studying at Clarkson and we expect another 14 students for Semester two. The international program at Clarkson brings many benefits to the school and to our entire community. Our students have the chance to learn from each other and to develop a global perspective that could not come from a textbook. On Thursday, November 8, 2012, we celebrated our official opening with our partners, University of Toronto, Mississauga Campus and Sheridan College. Stay tuned for more exciting information from Clarkson Secondary School. Ms. Patterson, Principal

Greetings from the Principal

  • Upload
    others

  • View
    2

  • Download
    0

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

Page 1: Greetings from the Principal

The Clarkson Community Newsletter

Page 1

The Clarkson Community Newsletter

In this Issue Principal's Message 1 Arts, Library 2 Business/Technology, English, Math, Languages 3 Health and Physical Ed. 4 Science, Student Services 5 Social Sciences/Family Studies 7

School News 8-16

Important Reminders Nov. 20

Charger in Charge Day Nov. 21 Parents’ Night (All Grades) 4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Nov. 21 School Council Mtg -7:00 p.m. Nov. 29 Principal’s Reception- 8:15 a.m. Nov. 26-Dec 7 Grad Photos

Dec. 24 - Jan. 4 Winter Break Jan. 10 Grade 8 Parents’ Night Jan. 16 – Jan. 18 EQAO Math Jan. 22 – Jan. 29 Final Assessments

Jan. 23 School Council Mtg - 7:00 p.m.

2524 Bromsgrove Road, Mississauga, Ontario L5J 1L8 November 2012 P 905-822-6700 F 905-822-6896 http://clarksonss.peelschools.org

Greetings from the Principal – Ms. C. Patterson

So far, we’ve had a very busy fall at Clarkson Secondary School. You can read all about the successes of our athletic teams throughout this newsletter. Many of our clubs continue to provide enriching activities for our Chargers and our intramurals include teacher teams as well. We are also very proud of our academic achievement and look forward to seeing you at our upcoming parent-teacher interview night on November 21 from 4:30 to 7:00 p.m. You may have missed it in the Toronto Star dated September 12, but Clarkson was identified as one of eight schools in the GTA that raised its EQAO applied mathematics scores considerably. We also made great gains in helping our English Language Learners and our students with special needs to be successful on the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test. A wide array of relevant contemporary social issues will also be discussed by students during the school’s third annual “Chargers in Charge Day” on Tuesday, November 20. This day is planned for the purpose of empowering our students, and to let them know we believe in their abilities to deal with the challenges of today’s society, including dealing with bullying. It is a “fun” day, but the topics considered are too important to ignore. While Clarkson has hosted international students for over four years now, last year we were chosen as the official site of the Peel Academy for International Students and our excitement began to grow. Currently, we have close to 60 international students studying at Clarkson and we expect another 14 students for Semester two. The international program at Clarkson brings many benefits to the school and to our entire community. Our students have the chance to learn from each other and to develop a global perspective that could not come from a textbook. On Thursday, November 8, 2012, we celebrated our official opening with our partners, University of Toronto, Mississauga Campus and Sheridan College. Stay tuned for more exciting information from Clarkson Secondary School.

Ms. Patterson, Principal

Page 2: Greetings from the Principal

The Clarkson Community Newsletter

Page 2

The Clarkson Community Newsletter

Arts Department:

Drama

It’s hard to believe that the semester is over halfway through! It's been busy for our drama students: Grade 9 students have explored non-verbal communication through tableaux and mime; grade ten students have explored characters and "the family" through still image presentations and created and performed exciting sound and rhythm STOMP performances; the Grade 11 students have explored character portrayal and the role of the actor as a performance artist. You can feel the energy in the drama studios this semester and we are so pleased to see our students taking those creative risks!

Visual Arts

The Art Department welcomes Mr. Friedman! He has joined Mrs. Zottola in teaching Grades 9 and 10 art classes this year. We have filled the halls and the display cases with new and beautiful art. The Grade 12 students’ large pencil portraits in the main hall, along with a few paper portraits have caught a few people's eyes. Meanwhile, illuminated letters, large Grade 9 black and white graphic posters and photography decorate the halls on the main level. On the only sunny day, we were lucky to experience Harbourfront with Grade 10 students investigating collagraph printmaking, and the Grade 11 students experiencing the film "The Clock" at the Power Plant. Another field trip for Grade 11 and 12 students is fast approaching for November 28th to the One of a Kind Art and Craft Show where we will learn how to make money from our art. A worthwhile adventure for sure. The photography class entered a photo exhibition at the City Centre Library and had overwhelming success at being shown during Book Fest in the youth zone. Well done Chargers!

Music

This has been a very busy semester for the Music Department. Concert Band sectionals have begun and many new great musicians are coming on board. Many thanks to Mrs. Patterson for the new

NB-7O's - the latest thing in rehearsal technology. This year's Concert Band will be better than ever. Choir auditions begin the week of November 12th, and we are looking for fourteen singers who can top last year's smash hit performances of Marry You and Bohemian Rhapsody. Check the Music Room door for details. The new Music Council Executive has been appointed. Congratulations to Tanya Neto, Roslyn Glass, Urica Tucker, Olivia Ward and Justin Quan. With these students at the helm, we can look forward to concerts and coffee houses running more smoothly than a Swiss watch. Please check the Music Room door for meeting dates and events details. Let's make this year the one they'll remember! GO CHARGERS!

Library:

It has been a productive and exciting semester so far in the library. In the past 6 weeks, we held numerous workshops; all Grade 9 students have had a library orientation and search skills workshop to ensure they know how to access all of our resources; all Grade 9 students have also had a hands-on MLA (bibliography) skills workshop; all Grade 11 students have been re-introduced to the library and our resources, including our excellent databases. In October, we partnered with the

Mississauga Public Library, Clarkson branch, to ensure that all Clarkson students had the opportunity to get a public library card. This card

provides students with access to the invaluable public library resources including online databases and electronic books. The library team continues to update the collection and support curriculum needs by purchasing excellent resources from our vendors. The library’s entrance display is filling up with the approximately 100 books recently purchased. Students and staff members are already checking out our new resources on the book display!

Page 3: Greetings from the Principal

The Clarkson Community Newsletter

Page 3

The Clarkson Community Newsletter

We have noticed an increase in circulation already this semester and are excited by the continued growth we see in the library program. It's going to be a great semester!

Business/Technology Department:

News from the Technology Department

The Technology students are enjoying a very productive semester. Mr. Drake’s Grade 9 students have successfully been launching their Rocket Ships. They even strapped a camera to one of the ships and have a spectacular taping of the launch. Mr. Morettin’s class is designing and building their own Roller Coasters. The results are impressive. Mr. Petsinis and his students continue to master the new CNC Milling machine and are creating some exciting new projects. Mr. Manny has been busy with some excellent projects in both the Wood Shop and Auto Shop. He also continues to be the staff sponsor for the Weightlifting Club. News from the Business Department

Ms. Wong continues to provide her students with top-notch field-trips. She and Mr. Petsinis recently took their students to the Cadbury Plant. The timing was perfect as it occurred on Hallowe’en. Mr. Lethbridge’s programming students are among the first in Peel to program extensively in VBA. Custom animation is in the foreseeable future.

English Department:

P.A.G.E.S. Essay Rescue Every Monday and Wednesday in Room 122 from 11:15 a.m. to 11:55 a.m., Clarkson’s talented English tutors (PAGES) patiently await other students in need of editing, proofreading and organizing assistance. PAGES will help improve writing and analytical skills. Come and get the help you know you need.

Math Department:

The teachers in the Mathematics Department congratulate Kristen Morse, Monta Gao, Maneet Lubana, Medina Bahonjic, Tianna Damario, Kaitlyn G., Robin P., Tuan Le, Yutong Chen,

Deanna Zwartz, and Waleed C. for their outstanding performances in their

respective math courses during the 2011-2012 academic year. Many students at Clarkson volunteer to write different math contests that are offered during the school year. Twenty students in Grades 11 and 12 are currently involved in the writing of the Canadian National Math League (CNML) contests. On November 8th, seven students wrote The Sun Life Canadian Open Math Challenge Contest. On November 20th, nine of our students will be writing the Canadian Intermediate and Senior Math Contests. All Grade 9 and 10 students are reminded that extra help is available at no cost during lunch. Students in these grades are encouraged to drop in to room 239 (the new Senior Scholar Math Help Room) between 11:15 a.m. and 11:50 a.m. every day with their questions. Students in Grades 11 and 12 may obtain additional help from their math teacher.

languages Department:

Bonjour! ¡Hola!

Students studying French and Spanish this semester are busy improving their language skills but all this hard work has a big payoff!

Culture

Senior students studying Spanish will enjoy cooking and especially tasting a variety of authentic Hispanic delicacies in December. ¡Olé! They will also be making piñatas and maracas just before the winter break to celebrate Hispanic culture. ¡Fabuloso!

Page 4: Greetings from the Principal

The Clarkson Community Newsletter

Page 4

The Clarkson Community Newsletter

Spanish students will also be getting a taste of culture as Señora Loutrianakis has organized a visit to the Art Gallery of Ontario in December to see the exhibits of two great Mexican artists, Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. The Languages department will be organizing a Café Français for all Grade 9 students studying French this semester in December. Stay tuned for more details! Contests

Le concours d’art oratoire is just around the corner! Please speak to your teacher if you are interested in participating! The contest is open to all students studying French. The contest will be held in March 2013, but registration will be in January 2013. The Ontario Secondary School Spanish competition will take place in May 2013. If interested, please see Señora Loutrianakis for more information. The Toronto French contest will be taking place in May as well and it is open to Grade 12 students. Last year, Clarkson's Stephanie Nevison took first place! If you are interested in representing Clarkson and taking advantage of this great opportunity, please see Mme Gerulath. Clubs

Cercle d'amis will be starting up this week. Last year members enjoyed watching a series of French films, playing games, sampling French food, organizing fundraisers, and much more during the lunch hour. Please listen to the announcements for upcoming events. The club is open to all students studying French. We will be selling samosas and other treats in the cafeteria on Chargers in Charge Day, Tuesday November 20, come out and support our clubs and department!

French Senior Scholars is up and running. Senior students studying French are available to tutor students who are in need of extra help. Students can focus on a variety of areas such as improving grammar, written communication skills,

pronunciation and reading comprehension skills. They are available every Tuesday and Thursday in room 217, from 11:20 a.m. to 11:50 a.m.

Health and Physical Education:

It has been a very busy fall season for the Physical Education Department. The leadership class attended a one-day trip to Finlayson Field Centre to participate in group building activities and to refine their leadership skills. They put their new skills into practice as they organized our Grade 9/12 activity day which took place on September 28th. Physical education clothing went on sale in early September. The price for t-shirts and shorts are $12 and $15, respectively. If you still wish to purchase these items, please see Mr. Russell in the Physical Education Office. Grade 9 and 10 girls will participate in self defence classes beginning the week of November 19th with Carol Connor of Total Defense Inc. Martial Arts classes for boys in Grade 9 and 10 will commence the week of December 3rd. It is very encouraging to see students dedicated to improving their overall health and well being. Hopefully each individual feels better about their general fitness and realizes the correlation between healthy living and academic success. This fall we had the following teams participate in ROPSSAA Athletics: Girls' field hockey, girls' basketball, girls' flag football, co-ed golf, co-ed cross country and boys’ football. Teams that will be offered in the winter season will include boys' hockey, boys' basketball, wrestling, junior and senior girls’ volleyball, co-ed swimming and Nordic skiing. Intramurals are offered to all Clarkson students on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at lunch in the large gym. Everyone is welcome. You must change and have proper footwear to participate. Keep an eye out for Clarkson's annual sweatshirt and sweatpants sale. Sales will commence in November.

Page 5: Greetings from the Principal

The Clarkson Community Newsletter

Page 5

The Clarkson Community Newsletter

Cross Country Team

This year we had 38 athletes join the cross country team. Practicing four times a week, every athlete showed a personal improvement in their endurance, and all were able to complete a very difficult ROPSSAA cross country course which ranged in distance from 3 km to 7 km. At the Region of Peel (ROPSSAA) championship against over 50 schools, Clarkson achieved both incredible individual and team results. Racing against over 250-300 athletes in each category, the following results were achieved: Midget Girls Junior Boys - 9th as a team Hannah Sharpe 8th Akshay Das 16th Brooke Grilo 26th Zack Knight 32nd Sarah Pitoscia 61st Andrew Stewart 66th Mike Armellin 75th Cameron A. 107th Midget Boys - 12th as a team Senior Girls - 12th as a team Myles A. 6th Rachel Clark 7th Ben Sinek 36th Stephanie Hughes 116th Ace Parent 117th Veronica Breuer 128th Mohammed Zaman 128th Tianna Damario 178th Julian Lankstead 165th Hannah Pham 200th Aleks Dlugosz –181st

Junior Girls - 4th as a team Senior Boys - 3rd as a team Pari Baker 11th Joey Heartwell- Yuki Harada 12th 1st ROPSSAA Champion Eryn Stewart 29th Aaron Blais 15th Natalia Bekirsky 31st Liam Bekirsky 17th Kiera McCahill 43rd Robbie S. 38th Sydney Buckland 66th Robert S. 60th Paloma Vasquez 134th Kyle Hand 66th Tristan W. 112th

From the above athletes, 13 moved on to the Ontario High School Championships hosted at Heart Lake Conservation area. The top individual finishers and top teams from each school district across Ontario raced on a cold but perfect running day. There was even a bit of snow to add to the atmosphere. Against the crème-de-la-crème, our Chargers achieved many personal best times and commendable results. Congratulations to Hannah

Sharpe, Myles A., Pari Baker, Yuki Harada, Eryn Stewart, Natalia Bekirsky, Kiera McCahill, Rachel Clark, Joey Heartwell, Aaron Blais, Liam Bekirsky, Robbie S. and Robert S. Special mention goes to Joey Heartwell who finished his high school cross country career placing 17th overall in the senior boys’ category.

Science Department:

Ms. Lye and her ESL science students welcomed a television crew from OMNI television (channel 14) into their class on November 6th. They filmed the science class in action and the show was broadcast on the Cantonese National News show on November 6th. Watch out for the physics classes' roller coasters and the "BIO Suit" parade given by students in Mr. Buchanan's biology class. Students in Grade 11 biology are busy teaching and presenting genetic disorders to their peers using a diverse range of multimedia presentation technologies. Finally, the juniors have launched their rockets and are now exploring our solar system. Blast off! We would like to extend a big thank you to Mr. Koos-Hutas’ Grade 10 students involved in the Green Club who are helping keep Clarkson green by collecting and properly disposing of recycling from our classrooms and department offices around the school. Welcome to Marzena Serwin from OISE who will be completing her practicum with Mr. Buchanan. As well, we would like to say farewell to Phoebe Leung who has completed her internship at Clarkson with Ms. Haddad. She graduates from OISE on Tuesday, November 13th. Congratulations, Phoebe! We wish you all the best.

Student Services Department:

Student Services/Co-op

University, college, apprenticeships and workplaces here we come!! Since September, all of our Grade 11

Page 6: Greetings from the Principal

The Clarkson Community Newsletter

Page 6

The Clarkson Community Newsletter

and 12 students have had the opportunity to attend lunch-hour presentations with representatives from a number of universities and colleges. An

information session about how to apply to college has taken place and similarly one for university applications will occur when the PIN numbers arrive

from the Ontario University Application Center, which is usually the last week of November. Students are encouraged to continue to research the variety of programs that are offered at both the college and university level and visit the schools they are considering. Important dates to remember: Last day for university applications to be

submitted: January 16th, 2013 Equal consideration date for college

applications: February 1st 2013 A majority of our Grade 9 students were involved with ‘Take Your Kids to Work Day’ on November 7th as they visited their parents’ place of employment or another host employer. On this date we were also excited to have our potential Grade 8’s visit from our feeder schools to sample a typical high school day and see why Clarkson should be their choice of high school.

Social Sciences and

Family Studies Department:

The Social Sciences and Family Studies Department continues its efforts to encourage student engagement and learning through the use of technology. Expanded use of technologies such as LCD projectors and document cameras supports the practice of co-construction of assignments and

criteria as well as enriching the feedback that teachers provide students. Additionally, as far as it is possible, the Social Sciences Department continues to promote and use

field trips and other experiential learning opportunities, believing that not all learning needs to happen only in a classroom. The Grade 11 Introduction to Canadian Law class had a very successful trip to the Ontario Legislature at Queens Park and will be attending Provincial Court at the Toronto Old City Hall courthouse in November. As well the Grade 12 Challenge and Change class learned firsthand the importance of community involvement in urban planning during their walking tour of the Regent Park Urban Revitalization project. The Social Sciences department would also like to say farewell to Mr. Haris Malik, a student teacher from Niagara College, and welcome to Mr. Philip Pereira a student teacher from OISE at University of Toronto. All the best Haris and good luck Phil!

Duke of eDinburgh’s AwArDs:

Clarkson's Duke of Edinburgh’s Club

has enjoyed a busy fall! Supervisors Ms. Leavitt, Ms. Mark, and Mr. Vassiliou

(Mr. Goldthorpe has retired) enjoyed getting to know 22 new registrants during our Practice Journeys on the Bruce Trail, north of Georgetown. All these new members are busily recording hours

Back Row: Adrianna Ward, Mr. Vassiliou. Ms. Mark, Kayla Allydice, Kayle Allydice; Front Row: Rojean Tasbindoust, Magda Snioszek, Kaitlyn Mun, Jessica Drake, Marc-Andre Murray, Cyrus Nagra, Kamraan Tomkiewicz.

Page 7: Greetings from the Principal

The Clarkson Community Newsletter

Page 7

The Clarkson Community Newsletter

of service, fitness, and skill development, while searching for an Adventurous Journey of personal interest, such as canoeing, dog sledding, hiking, or biking. In addition, new members met at Clarkson with Ms. Jill Hermant, Executive-Director for Ontario, to learn more about the Duke of Edinburgh's Programme.

Our Club's previously enrolled members have been charging forward to scoop up an amazing number of Bronze and Silver Awards at Clarkson's recent Awards Ceremony on October 17th. Congratulations on their very significant achievements to 8 Bronze Level Award achievers: Jennifer, Erica, Akshay, Jessica, Alicia, Brianne, Kristen, and Olivia; and to 3 Silver Level Award winners: Allison, Madison, and Maya. Well done!

An update from Student Council:

Hey Chargers! What a great start to the year it has been, with another successful Grade 9 Breakfast, a great Terry Fox week, an exciting Grade 9/12 Activity Day in September, as well as a fantastic Halloween in October! The Grade 9’s got to enjoy a delicious breakfast courtesy of PALS, where they met new friends and were introduced to the 2012-2013 SAC (Student Activity Council). As if that wasn’t enough, SAC organized an activity day with the help of the Leadership Class to give the Grade 9 students a fun-filled afternoon of fun games and activities, all while meeting Grade 12 students who volunteered to help lead each Grade 9 team. A big thanks to our Grade 12 volunteers! A spare change drive (Toonies for Terry) occurred all throughout the week of September 24th – 28th to support cancer research for Terry Fox week. Clarkson raised $672.30, that’s a lot of change!

Clarkson had a buy-out on October 24th to support the boys’ football team during their home game against Woodlands. The entire school was covered in black and yellow, and everyone was pumped with school spirit! Clarkson won with a score of 58-0, all thanks to all the Chargers cheering them on!

To get in the spooky mood for Halloween, SAC prepared a haunted hallway for chargers to walk through as they went to class, covered in cobwebs, giant spiders, loose limbs, eerie music, and complete with a graveyard. Students dressed up in their costumes, ranging from cute ones, to completely gruesome ones, and several classes participated in our door-decorating and pumpkin-carving contests. Congratulations to the Grade 12’s, who won this year's costume contest with the most spirit points for participation. Clarkson never ceases to amaze and entertain! Chargers can look forward to Chargers in Charge day on November 20th, emphasizing on the importance of students taking charge and helping to make Clarkson a better place to work and learn. Plan to be in the cafeteria that day at lunch for our annual Clarkson's got talent show. December will be jam-packed with the holiday spirit with our annual Kidsfest, where Clarkson 'buddies' spend the morning with our feeder school students decorating cookies, singing carols, and meeting Santa. Don't forget about the holiday concert and the exciting spirit activities. Chargers, be prepared to take out your red and green and get excited for the holiday week! Let’s make the rest of the 2012-2013 school year amazing!

An update from pals:

PALS will be running their annual food drive from Monday, November 19th to Friday, November 23rd. Food donations will be given to the Peel Outreach Holiday Donations. All non-perishable food items will be collected in homerooms.

Transition to post-secondary education:

For students with Special Education Needs:

Join us on, Monday December 10th 2012 9:30 a.m. – 10.45 a.m. , Room 201, Clarkson SS

· College Student Panel discussion · Applying to College and University

Page 8: Greetings from the Principal

The Clarkson Community Newsletter

Page 8

The Clarkson Community Newsletter

· OSAP · IEPs, Accommodations and Grants · Summer Transitions Programs

Parents are welcome to attend. Please email [email protected] if you are planning to join us. Questions may be directed to Ms. Luffman, Ms. Johnson, Ms. Maika or Ms. Cole.

Need help in math? Free tutoring now available online:

Math students in Grades 7 to 10 can now access live, interactive online math help by visiting www.homeworkhelp.ilc.org. Homework Help is free, real-time math tutoring by certified Ontario teachers. Students can log in from Sunday to Thursday, between 5:30 and 9:30 p.m. for individualized confidential math tutoring. There are discussion rooms for each grade where students can join and see what questions other students are asking, watch the tutors draw on the whiteboard – and ask their own question for on-the-spot help. Students will also find 24/7 discussion rooms, video lessons and commonly asked questions. Other online math resources include math games and a virtual locker, where students can save their work. Homework Help is a project funded by the Ministry of Education.

Help your child prepare for tests:

Many students will become anxious at the thought of writing a test. Anxiety about an upcoming test can affect a child's behaviour, thoughts and actions. Here are some ways you can help minimize anxiety at test time:

Organize & Prepare: Encourage your child not to leave

assignments, studying and homework to the last minute.

Schedule time for review and work on assignments each day.

Establish a regular time of the day for homework, studying etc.

Make the home a homework-friendly environment where learning is regular routine.

Remove distractions like the television, stereo, telephone when studying.

Tell your child to make sure tests and due dates are marked in their agenda.

Practice: Encourage your child to think about what,

when, where and how when preparing/completing assignments.

Develop practice tests and help them anticipate questions.

Review previous exercises. When appropriate, encourage your child to

pair up with a friend to review information and brainstorm.

Build learning into family activities— suggest keeping a journal, writing a report or a news article about family events, outings or trips.

Be in the know: Check out the curriculum for your child’s grade

level (available as PDF files at www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum)

Ask your child’s teacher about major topics studied and how these topics are structured— homework, assignments, exercises

Use your child’s agenda to communicate with their teacher—ask questions, check for homework tips, etc.

Page 9: Greetings from the Principal

The Clarkson Community Newsletter

Page 9

The Clarkson Community Newsletter

School Council Executive: I am very happy to welcome our new council for the school year 2012-2013: Martine Brouillet, Chair Sue Piotrowski, Treasurer Guylaine Juteau, Secretary Phyllis Bilan, Member at large Debi Lawrence, Member at large

Clarkson Parents Keep Kids Active: Clarkson S.S. Parent Council met on September 19th and agreed to establish a new Vitality Fund. This new fund will help the school to provide student access to co-curricular activities where there is a demonstrated financial need. Donations and support of this fund are appreciated and welcome. Please contact Martine Brouillet for more information. Parent Donations: Thank you to all the generous families who have participated in our donation campaign to help the school to date. Please continue to send them in to help make a difference at your child's school. You will see attached the donation form for the school year with a wish list from the staff. Please take the time to review the form and help if you can. QSP Magazine Fundraising Campaign: Also do not forget about our QSP magazine campaign. Go to our

school website at http://clarksonss.peelschools.org and click on Magazine Subscription Fundraiser under the School Council tab, for instructions on how to subscribe to or renew your magazines. Clarkson will receive 37% of each order placed, and these funds will be used to support important goals and programs that benefit our school and students. With over 600 magazine titles, there is a great selection and something for everyone! Upcoming Presentation at Next School Council Meeting: Please join us on November 21st at 7 p.m. at the next school council meeting, as our new Settlement Worker will talk about how she supports our international students and other newcomers at Clarkson Secondary School. Email Distribution List: Have you added your name to our email distribution list to receive our notices of meetings and information on any issues pertaining to the school? Please complete the tear out form at the bottom. You can be assured that it will be kept confidential and not distributed to any outside sources. Communications are kept to a minimum and have a frequency of no more than once every 6 weeks. Please print.

Martine Brouillet, Chair, School Parent Council

Tear off

EMAIL DISTRIBUTION LIST SIGN-UP Parent Name: ________________________________________________ Child(ren) Name(s): ________________________________________________ Email address: ________________________________________________

A Message From Your School Council

Page 10: Greetings from the Principal

The Clarkson Community Newsletter

Page 10

The Clarkson Community Newsletter

Clarkson Secondary School - School Council

Are you looking for a way to make a positive impact in your child’s secondary school? The school council is giving parents the opportunity to help by making a monetary donation to the school. Typically there are not many fundraising activities at the secondary level so please help where you can and make a difference in your child’s school. You can direct your donations directly to the wish list item that you would like to help with. Please note that if insufficient funds are directed to a certain item, the school council may decide to re-direct where most needed to ensure the funds are used within the school year. The school has identified their top priorities for 2012-2013.

1. Towards athletic team most in need or the one of my choice: ________________________

2. Library (the library must continually purchase books and software to keep up-to-date with current curriculum)

CALL TO ACTION: Please consider helping where you can. Complete this donation form, by checking off the

appropriate option below and attaching a cheque made payable to ‘Clarkson Secondary School’. All donations of more than $25.00 will receive a tax receipt from the Peel District School Board.

Athletic team in need Vitality Fund

Library Where the funds are most needed Please make your cheque payable to: ‘Clarkson Secondary School’ and forward to Clarkson Secondary School to the attention of Fay Murray, Budget Office Assistant.

Parent Name:_______________________________ Student Name:______________________________

Phone Number:_____________________________ Student Grade:______________________________

Donation Amount: $___________________________________

Contact Martine Brouillet at [email protected] with any questions.

Page 11: Greetings from the Principal

The Clarkson Community Newsletter

Page 11

The Clarkson Community Newsletter

CLARKSON BREAKFAST CAFÉ NEWSLETTER

November 2012

Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays!

We would like to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of Clarkson staff members. Without their efforts, this program would not be so successful. Thanks go to Mr. Kittel, Ms. Johnson, Mme Loutrianakis, Ms. Luffman, Ms. Powell, Ms. Green, and Mr. Thomas and the Applewood School students who have all contributed to making the Café a welcoming place to start the school day!

As we continue to plan for the upcoming 2012-2013 school year, Chargers please remember that all students are welcome to join us on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings in Room 200 - 7:20-7:55 a.m. If you wish to volunteer and earn community service hours in the Clarkson Breakfast Café for next semester, please see Ms. Johnson.

Our healthy breakfast menus consists of scrambled eggs with chicken bacon, grilled cheese sandwiches, crepes, quesadillas, fruit parfaits, and much more! Students wishing to join the Breakfast Café who have not completed a form in previous years, need to bring a signed permission form and a token donation of $1.00 for each

breakfast, to keep the program running. Breakfast coupons are available for any student who is needs a free breakfast from Ms. Johnson, our Clarkson staff member.

The permission form is attached to this newsletter.

Chargers! See you at 7: 20 a.m. in Room 200

at the Clarkson Breakfast Café!

Special thanks go to all students and staff who contribute in making Clarkson’s Breakfast Café Program a success this year. As well, our gratitude is extended to our many volunteers who arrive very early in the morning to prepare a delicious breakfast for our students and staff. Many thanks go to our super student volunteers: Tristan W., David R. (our main chefs!), Umer K., Hamza A., Rafiah and Hirra C., Tehmas H., Cathy M., and Jason S. (our international students), and Bakr A. – they continue to be a vital asset in all aspects of the breakfast program. Thank you, all!

Page 12: Greetings from the Principal

The Clarkson Community Newsletter

Page 12

The Clarkson Community Newsletter

CLARKSON SECONDARY SCHOOL 2524 Bromsgrove Road, Mississauga, Ontario L5J 1L8

Telephone: 905-822-6700 Fax: 905-822-6896 November 2012

Dear Parent/Guardian: Clarkson Secondary School will be continuing their Breakfast Café program this year. We have added Wednesday mornings to the schedule. All students are welcome to participate. The Clarkson Breakfast Café (CBC) runs from 7:20 a.m. to 7:50 a.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays in Room 200 -- menus are posted there. Students are expected to eat in Room 200 and arrive in their first period classes by 8:00 a.m. There is a small charge of One Dollar ($1.00) for each breakfast.

Following Canada's Food Guide recommendations, we will offer a nutritious breakfast with a variety of items to choose from. Providing a healthy start to the school day, the breakfast program significantly enhances our students' physical, emotional, social, and intellectual development.

The Breakfast Café program is supported through the Ministry of Children and Youth Services, Clarkson Student Activity Council, Breakfast for Kids, and the Boys' and Girls' Clubs of Peel. We also welcome volunteer support, financial donations and/or help in other ways from parents and the community. Please print your name and contact number on the Permission Form below.

If you would like your son or daughter to attend, please fill in the Confidential Registration Form below. If you are unable to contribute the cost for each breakfast at this time, please complete the Registration Form and have your child return it to Ms. Johnson in Room 218 before participating in the Breakfast Club, so that when your son/daughter does join us it will be with your permission. If you completed a form in the previous school year, there is no need to complete another form. Thank you.

Ms. C. Johnson Breakfast Café Committee, Clarkson Secondary School, 905-822-6700 Ext. 461 or Voice Mail 730.

CONFIDENTIAL BREAKFAST CAFÉ REGISTRATION FORM

_________________ ___________________________ ________________________________ Student # First Name Last Name

My son/daughter has permission to participate in the Clarkson Breakfast Café. The program will operate Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays beginning at 7:20 a.m. and ending at 7:50 a.m. Participation is limited to students who have returned this completed form. Students are to understand that all school rules apply during this program. To enable us to serve a proper nutritious breakfast to your child, please supply the following information regarding food restrictions: FOOD ALLERGIES: _______________________ FOOD RESTRICTIONS: _____________________________

My son/daughter can contribute $1.00 (one dollar) per breakfast. Since my son/daughter is at this time unable to contribute $1.00 to help defray the cost of a Café breakfast, I give

permission for him/her to have breakfast in the Breakfast Café.

(Please return this form to Ms. Johnson in Room 218 or to the breakfast program in Room 200.)

___________________________________________ _________________________ Signature of Parent/Guardian Date I am able to assist with: Volunteering Fundraising I wish to make a donation of $________________ to the Breakfast Café. Please make cheques payable to Clarkson S.S. (Cheques of $25 or more will receive a tax receipt.)

___________________________________________________ __________________________________ Name (Please print) Contact Telephone Number

Page 13: Greetings from the Principal

The Clarkson Community Newsletter

Page 13

The Clarkson Community Newsletter

INCLEMENT WEATHER PROCEDURES FOR THE 2012-2013 SCHOOL YEAR

During the winter months, inclement weather may cause disruption of bus transportation and regular school operations. A decision to cancel school transportation and/or to close schools is usually made by 6:45 am by the Peel District School Board. To find out if busing is cancelled or schools closed, listen to the announcements on the radio and television stations identified below. Thank you.

VIRGIN RADIO FM 99.9 CHUM AM 1050 CJCL AM 590 CJBC (FR) AM 860

CHFI FM 98.1 EZ ROCK FM 97.3 CFTR AM 680 CFRB AM 1010

FM Z103.5 FM 93.1 CFNY FM 102.1 CHIN FM 100.7/AM 1540

CBC FM 99.1 GLOBAL NEWS CFTO CITY PULSE

Alternately, you can find out if busing is cancelled or schools closed by visiting www.peelschools.org or call 905-890-1010 or 1-800-668-1146. You will hear one of the following messages.

Peel District School Board buses are cancelled. Schools remain open for students and staff, but buses are cancelled. Buses will remain cancelled all day. All activities that require busing will also be cancelled. Permits, night school classes, daycare and other activities in schools will operate as usual. All Peel District School Board schools and board offices are closed. Due to weather conditions, schools and board offices are closed to students and staff. All activities in schools and board offices are also cancelled, including daycare, night school and permits. All evening programs and permits at the Peel District School Board are cancelled. Due to weather conditions, all activities in schools and 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. Due to weather conditions, all activities in schools and board offices are cancelled, including continuing education courses and events. The buildings will be closed.

WINTER BUS SAFETY

The following winter school bus safety tips will help to keep your child safe throughout the winter months:

Allow extra time to get to your bus stop. Wear bright clothing so the bus can see you in the early morning and late evening. Stand away from where the bus stops. Buses need extra room to stop when there is snow and ice. Use the handrail when boarding or exiting the bus to prevent slipping on wet or icy steps or road surfaces. Dress properly—winter clothing, hats, and boots will keep you warm. Don't throw snowballs at the bus or other students waiting for the bus. Don't slide on the snow or ice patches in driveways or on the street. Don't push or shove around the bus. Someone could fall down on the ice and get hurt.

Page 14: Greetings from the Principal

The Clarkson Community Newsletter

Page 14

The Clarkson Community Newsletter

November 2012

Dear Peel District School Board Families:

I am writing to share with you some important information regarding children who may be in need

of protection. The Child and Family Services Act states that every person who has reason to believe

that a child is or may be abused or neglected must report his or her suspicions immediately to the

Children's Aid Society—this is a legal obligation.

This law means that:

School staff do not have a choice if they suspect that a student is or may be in need of

protection. Staff must report their suspicions directly and immediately to the Children's

Aid Society.

When staff report concerns to Children's Aid, they must also share with them any information

about the concern which might otherwise be confidential.

It is not the school's responsibility to investigate suspicions, evaluate the situation or assign

blame.

Staff can be fined $1,000 for failing to report that a student is or may be in need of protection.

Staff may also be subject to employment consequences and a provincial offence charge under the

Child and Family Services Act.

Our staff has a special awareness of the signs of child abuse and neglect, and as such, has a legal

responsibility to report any suspicions to Children's Aid. It is not necessary for staff to be sure that a

student is or may be in need of protection. All that is needed is "reasonable grounds to suspect"

abuse or neglect. "Reasonable grounds" is defined as being what the average person would expect

given his or her training, background and experience.

The Peel District School Board is fully committed to meeting the legal requirements of the Child and

Family Services Act. Staff has the full support of the board in meeting this obligation. As a board, we

must continue to protect the welfare of each student.

Sincerely,

Tony Pontes

Director of Education

Trustees Director of Education and Secretary Associate Director,

Janet McDougald, Chair Steve Kavanagh Tony Pontes Instructional Support Services Suzanne Nurse, Vice-Chair Sue Lawton Pam Tomasevic Stan Cameron Brad MacDonald Beryl Ford Harinder Malhi Associate Director, David Green Jeff White Operational Support Services Meredith Johnson Rick Williams Carla Kisko

Page 15: Greetings from the Principal

The Clarkson Community Newsletter

Page 15

The Clarkson Community Newsletter

November 2012

Dear Families,

Peel Public Health will be reviewing the immunization records of all students at our school starting

this fall. In order to attend school in Ontario, students must have a complete immunization record.

You submitted a copy of your child’s immunization record when you registered your child for

school in Peel. This copy was forwarded to Peel Health; however, additional immunizations may be

required.

When the review process begins, if Peel Health does not have complete immunization records for

your child, you or your child (if over 16) will receive a letter in the mail telling you that the record

needs to be updated. If you do not update the record by the date indicated on your letter, or you

do not have a valid exemption, your child may not be allowed to attend school.

An incomplete record does not necessarily mean that your child has not been immunized—what it

means is that Peel Public Health does not have a complete record of your child’s immunizations.

Find out if your child’s record is complete by calling Peel Public Health at 905-799-7700. Caledon

residents can call toll-free at 905-584-2216.

If your child’s record is not complete, you must update it with Peel Public Health:

Go online to www.immunizepeel.ca and click on 'report your child's immunization'

Phone: 905-799-7700 (Toll free: 1-888-919-7800)

If your child is missing immunizations, make an appointment with your family doctor. If you do not

have a family doctor you can visit a walk-in clinic. I’ve included a list of clinics on the back of this

letter. If you do not have OHIP (Ontario Health Insurance Plan) please call Peel Public Health at

905-799-7700 for information about free immunization clinics. When your child receives new

immunizations, make sure to send the updated record to Peel Public Health using one the methods

listed above.

I wanted to make sure you had this information as soon as possible to avoid any surprises when the

review process starts. If you have any questions, call Peel Public Health at 905-799-7700 and ask to

speak to the immunization records team.

Sincerely,

Cathy Patterson

Principal

Page 16: Greetings from the Principal

The Clarkson Community Newsletter

Page 16

The Clarkson Community Newsletter

What you should know about immunization

In order to attend school in Ontario, your child must have an up-to-date immunization record. When

you registered your child for school, you provided a copy of your child's immunization record. The

school sends this information to Peel Health.

Keep track of your child's immunizations

After registration, keeping your child's records up to date is your responsibility. Students who are

not completely immunized and do not have a valid exemption may not be allowed to attend school.

Use this chart to keep track of your child's immunizations:

Ontario immunization schedule for infants and children

Immunization

4 – 6

years

old

Grade 7

12 years

old

Grade 8

females

13-14

years old

14-16

years

old

Annually

after age

6 months

2 4 6 12 15 18

Diphtheria* X X X X X X

Pertussis* X X X X X X

Tetanus* X X X X X X

Polio IPV* X X X X X

Hib X X X X

Measles* X X

Mumps* X X

Rubella* X X

Hepatitis B X1

HPV X2

Influenza X

Varicella

(Chickenpox)

X

Meningococcal X X

Pneumococcal X X X X

Your child must receive the immunizations marked with * to attend school in Ontario. Other immunizations are recommended.

Peel Public Health reviews student immunizations on a regular basis to ensure that all students

attending school have the required immunizations.

When your child is vaccinated, you must contact Peel Health to provide the information.

Age

(months)

Page 17: Greetings from the Principal

The Clarkson Community Newsletter

Page 17

The Clarkson Community Newsletter

WALK-IN CLINICS IN PEEL THAT MAY PROVIDE IMMUNIZATIONS. Call before your visit to confirm services provided and clinic timings.

Clinic Address Hours of Operation

Brampton Walk-In Clinics

Family Care Walk-In Medical

Centre

150 West Drive, Brampton

905-454-7410 (Queen St. & Bramelea)

Monday to Friday: 9:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Kings Cross Doctor’s Office

17 Kings Cross Rd., Brampton

905-799-9144 (Kings Cross Rd. & Hurontario)

Monday to Friday: 9:30 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Shoppers World Medical

Centre and Walk-In

499 Main St. S. (Shoppers World

Mall), Brampton

905-796-6570 (Main St. & Steeles Ave.)

Monday to Friday: 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Saturday: 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Sunday: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Mississauga Walk-In Clinics

Advance Walk-In Medical

Clinic

21 Queensway W.,

Mississauga

905-897-9228 (Queensway & Hurontario)

Monday to Sunday: 8 a.m. – 11 p.m.

Credit Valley Walk-In

124-2000 Credit Valley Rd.,

Mississauga 905-569-1744 (Eglinton & Erin Mills Pkway)

Monday to Friday: 9 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Iona Doctors Clinic

1585 Mississauga Valley Blvd.,

Mississauga

905-897-2000 (Hurontario & Central Prkway)

Monday to Friday: 9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Port Credit Walk-In Clinic and Medical Centre

1205 Hurontario St.,

Mississauga 905-271-9000 (Hurontario & Lakeshore)

Monday to Thursday: 9 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Friday: 9 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday: 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Queentario Medical Centre

2325 Hurontario Rd., Mississauga

905-270-8307 (Queensway & Hurontario)

Call to confirm time.

Southdown Walk-In Clinic and Medical Centre

1375 Southdown Rd., Mississauga

905-822-2900 (Southdown Rd. & QEW)

Monday to Friday: 9 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

The Doctor’s Office

3100 Dixie Rd., Mississauga

905 279-8922 (Dixie Rd. & Dundas)

Monday: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Tuesday: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Wednesday: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Thursday: 9 am. – 1 p.m.

Saturday: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Travel and Immunization

Clinic, Dr. Medhat Gindi

2000 Credit Valley Rd.,

Ste. #201, Mississauga

905-828-6000 (Eglinton & Erin Mills Prkway)

Monday to Thursday: 4:30 – 6:30 p.m.

Friday: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Every other Saturday: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Urgent Care

801 Dundas St. E.,

Mississauga 905-566-4449 (Dundas & Cawthra)

Monday to Sunday and Holidays

8 a.m. – 10 p.m.

Revised May 26, 2008.

Page 18: Greetings from the Principal

The Clarkson Community Newsletter

Page 18

The Clarkson Community Newsletter

It's easy to keep your child's records up to date

call Health Line Peel at 905-799-7700; Caledon residents can call toll-free at 905-584-2216. Translation services are

available

fax the record to 905-502-7109 or 905-502-5016

in person, drop in at 44 Peel Centre Dr., Ste. 102, Brampton, Mon. to Fri. – 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

use an online form at www.immunizepeel.ca

mail or hand deliver a copy of the record to:

44 Peel Centre Dr., Suite 102

Brampton, ON L6T 4B5

More immunization facts between the ages of four and six, your child needs a booster dose for diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus and

polio – after these are received, they must be reported to Peel Health

immunizations must be given at the right times to be effective

immunizations needed to attend school in Ontario are free

if your child has been immunized outside Ontario or Canada, additional immunizations may be

needed to meet the requirements in the province

if your child has an immunization record from another country, Peel Public Health will translate it free

of charge

Peel Public Health offers free immunization clinics for school-aged children without an Ontario

Health Card who require an immunization record to attend school

Where can I get more information?

For more information on all vaccines and schedules for young children, students and parents, call Health

Line Peel at 905-799-7700.

Caledon residents can call free of charge at 905-584- 2216. Visit the website at www.peelregion.ca