It has been a very busy September! We have successfully reorgan-

ized our school due to changes in student enrolment. Our class-

rooms look wonderful and there is excitement and anticipation of

all the great things ahead for this school year.

Our Terry Fox Run was held on September 24th. Our Randall

students did a fantastic job walking through the community in

support of cancer research. A big “thank you” to Ms Lamba and

Ms Hajmollarabi who organized this run.

Our grade 7 students have already spent time away from home

camping overnight at Wenonah from September 25th-27th. Team

building and outdoor activities were enjoyed by our students. We

appreciate the personal time our teachers took in order to super-

vise our students overnight: Ms Tretjakoff, Mr. Jackson and Ms

Panousopoulos.

September 30th to October 4th is York Region District School

Board’s annual Safety Week. During this week, we will hold a

school-wide fire drill and lockdown drill. With safety in mind, we

remind parents/guardians and visitors not to block any of our fire

routes around the school. Emergency vehicles must have clear

access to any designated fire route area at all times throughout the

school day. Further to this we ask for parents to not enter our staff

parking lot. The side parking lots are small and have just enough

spots to hold staff cars. To ensure student safety during lunch and

recess hours, we ask parents not to enter these lots.

This year, we will continue with our school-wide Spirit Assem-

blies. During these assemblies, we will recognize York Region Dis-

trict School Board’s character traits through student presentations

and special speakers/presentations. These assemblies will be a

great way to get together and celebrate as a Randall school commu-

nity!

Please take the time to read the various updates and information

found in this newsletter; remember that clear and open communi-

cation between the home and school help to develop the most suc-

cessful students. We look forward to many more exciting events

scheduled for this school year!

Sherri SenGupta

October 2013

Message from the Principal

Randall News 50 Randall Avenue, Ontario L3S1E2 Phone: (905) 479-2003 Fax: (905) 479-2005

Message from our Trustee

I am very pleased to welcome our new and returning families

as we start another school year. I hope you all had a relaxing

and enjoyable summer, and feel refreshed and energized.

There is a lot to look forward to in the first few months of

school, and I hope you will find an opportunity to get involved

in some way. Partnerships with families are essential, not

only to student achievement and well-being, but also to creat-

ing a positive, caring and supportive school environment in

which students can thrive.

There are many ways you can get involved and support your

child’s education from communicating with your child’s

teacher and asking your child about what they are learning to

volunteering in the school or participating in the school coun-

cil.

Thanks to your support and the hard work and commitment of

our staff, students, families and community partners, we con-

tinue to be one of the top performing school boards in Ontario.

As an elected trustee and an advocate for high quality public

education, I am committed to ensuring the highest quality

public education possible for our students and their families.

In the coming year, we will continue our focus on the priorities

set out in our Multi-Year Plan: student achievement and well-

being, the delivery of effective and appropriate educational

programs and the responsible stewardship of Board resources.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to con-

tact me by email at Juanita.nathan@yrdsb.edu.on.ca or by

phone at 416-885-3479. If you would like to be kept informed

about various initiatives or topics that relates to your child’s

education and well being, please send me your email address

and I would be happy to keep in touch with you on a regular

basis.

I hope you have a great start to the school year and wish you

all the best for 2013-14.

Juanita Nathan

Trustee | York Region District School Board – Area 4

Town of Markham – Ward 7&8

Principal: Ms Sherri SenGupta School Council Chair: Ms Subaruby Nerumalan

Vice Principal: Mr. David Valentim Superintendent: Mrs. Rashmi Swarup

Trustee: Ms Juanita Nathan 905-885-3479

Randall News October 2013

Message from the Vice Principal

KEEPING CHILDREN SAFE!

This is an excellent time of the year for parents to teach, and review with children the various ways to

protect themselves from danger. Here at Randall P.S. we will begin to practice our fire drill, and lock down

procedures. These are designed to make sure that children are aware of what they need to do in an emer-

gency situation. We would suggest that you go over similar plans with your children at home. In addition

children should also know:

their name, age, telephone number and address

how to contact their parents at any time

how and under what circumstances to call 911

to never approach or enter a stranger’s vehicle

to always tell parents where they will be

if they think they are being followed they should run to a public place

if home alone, never admit to it. Never answer a knock at the door before calling you.

It is never too early to teach children the importance of personal safety. Common sense, communication

and consistency are the keys. Remind children to alert a responsible adult if something strange happens

that makes them feel uncomfortable. Remember, crime prevention is everyone’s responsibility.

Mr. Valentim

It’s time to remind children about being safe in our community.

With the start of another school year, it’s a good time for parents to remind children about personal safety.

Here's what children need to know:

Their name, age, telephone number, address, city and province. This can be done through rhyme or song.

How to contact their parents at any time, by memorizing cell or work numbers.

How and under what circumstances to call 911.

To never approach or enter a stranger's vehicle. A responsible adult would never ask a child for di-rections or any other question for that matter.

Make sure they know they have a right to say "no" to an adult, especially when the adult is asking them to do something they have been taught is wrong or feels uncomfortable. Reminding children of this right is important because children are taught from a young age to respect adults.

To always tell parents where they will be and to never enter someone's home without their parent's permission.

If home alone, never admit it when answering the phone. Never answer a knock at the door or speak through it. Adults can be very persuasive. Teach your child to call you if there is a knock at the door and if they fear for their safety, teach them to call 911. Make sure they know that police officers are there to help them and would not get mad if it were a false alarm.

If they think they are being followed or are in danger they should run home or to a public place. If someone grabs them, they should try to get away, yelling and screaming while doing so.

It is important to play in safe areas, never take shortcuts and stick with a buddy whenever possible.

It is never too early or too late to teach children the importance of personal safety. Common sense, commu-nication and consistency are the keys. Remind children to alert a responsible adult if something strange hap-pens that makes them feel uncomfortable. Remember, crime prevention is everyone's responsibility.

For more information on this subject, visit www.yrp.ca.…..…….Fly Together, Learn Together!

ALLERGY ALERT!

It is very important that we keep Randall Public School a “Nut-free” school, as we have students with serious,

life-threatening allergies to products containing nuts. Avoidance is the key to prevention! We ask that you avoid sending

any products containing nuts or nut oil.

FACTS:

Anaphylaxis is the most serious form of an allergic reaction; only a tiny amount of nut products (such as the oil from a peanut butter cookie on a person’s hand) can cause a life-threatening reaction to a child who is allergic!

Death can happen within minutes of ingestion and is often due to inadvertent ingestion.

Isolating children for lunch/snacks does not work as crumbs may be left on carpets, desks, etc., even when they have been cleaned.

Students who are anaphylactic are encouraged to understand their allergic condition, do everything possible to

avoid the allergen, tell others about their allergy, and have an up-to-date EPI pen available at all times.

All About Safety !

October 2013 Randall News

DROP OFF / PICK UP

Parents are asked to drop off or meet their children (Grades JK—8) OUTSIDE their assigned door. This will avoid congestion in the hallways and allow students to develop some independent routines. Also, in keeping with the School Board’s policy on visitation procedures (“all visitors must report to the office”), parents are ex-pected to remain outside.

ENTERING THE SCHOOL

All parents and other visitors entering the school should use the main doors and report to the office upon their arrival. If you are visiting a classroom, or elsewhere in the school, you will be asked to sign in and wear a visitor/volunteer badge.

REPORTING LATE ARRIVALS / ABSENCES

The school monitors student attendance, punctuality and safety. If a student is absent without par-ent/guardian notice, a call is made home, and if there is no answer, calls are then placed to parents’ work numbers, and then to emergency contact numbers. If a child’s whereabouts is still unknown, then we

must call police.

If your child is going to be absent for any reason, please call the school to let us know (905 479-2003). If calling after 4:00 pm or before 8:00 am, you may leave a message, indicating your child’s name, teacher, and reason for the absence.

LEAVING THE SCHOOL FOR AN APPOINTMENT ?

If your child must leave the school early for an appointment, please arrange to meet your child in the office. A note sent to the homeroom teacher will ensure they are ready to meet you. NOTE: the school cannot allow any child to leave school property without prior parental consent. Please remember to use the sign-out book so we have a record of the time your child left the school.

Camp Wenonah 2013 !

The annual Randall Grade 7 Outdoor Education Trip to Camp Wenonah is always a huge success, and this

year was no different! The weather was spectacular without a single drop of rain in sight. The mornings

were sunny and brisk as some students participated in the Polar Dip in the lake. The days were warm and

fun-filled with students participating in many activities such as Rock Climbing, the Vertical Playground,

Kayaking and Canoeing, Archery, and Group Development Team Building Activities. Optional Activities

were also available, such as Gaga Ball games, Arts and Craft making, mini-golf, and Croquet. Students

enjoyed a night hike and stargazing one night, and a song and story filled campfire the next night. The

cabins were clean and comfortable, and the lodge was warm and welcoming. We enjoyed a variety of meals,

and many of us had the opportunity to try new foods. We also really enjoyed group games such as Cardio

Pictionary, Capture The Flag, and The Survival Game. The teachers really got into the spirit, dressing up

in goofy costumes and running around the forest with the students! The Wenonah Camp Counsellors were

cool! They kept everything running smoothly, helping to guide the students through all the new experi-

ences in the forest. The Grade 7 students would like to thank the teachers who took us to Camp Wenonah!

It was awesome! Ms. Panousopoulas, Alina 7SF, Kaveer 7H

PHYSICAL CONDUCT & PLAYGROUND

EXPECTATIONS

In order to prevent physical injury and because of our concern for student safety, students at Randall Public School are expected to avoid activities that involve aggressive play and touching. Activities that are not acceptable include wrestling, piggy-backing, tripping, pushing, shoving, body checking, poking, punching, play fighting or violence. Students are expected to refrain from these unaccept-able forms of activities/play in stairwells, hall-ways and playgrounds. During recess breaks, students are able to play organized games such as basketball, soccer, and other activities such as skipping and tag.

Randall News October 2013

FAMILY DAY

Before & After School Care

Available at

Randall Public School

For more information call:

The Centre Supervisor @

416-922-3434

Contact: Norma

Snack Program at

Randall Public School

Just a reminder that the snack program has starting on September 25, 2013. Snacks will be served at Wednesday and Friday a.m. recess; For just $20 students will re-ceive nutritious snacks twice a week for the whole year.

Terry Fox Walk/Run

On Tuesday, September 24, 2013, our students from grade 4 to grade 7 walked through the neighbourhood on a prede-termined route to raise money for cancer research. Our kindergarten to grade 3 students walked around our school prop-erty. The majority of the students brought a toonie or more to donate for this great cause. We thank all the parent volunteers who took part in this walk.

WE DAY

We day rocked! We had the best time of our life and we could still hear the inspirational voices booming through the ACC.

Ever wonder what We day is? We Day is a day of motivation and inspiration as we, the youth gather under one roof brainstorming on

how we could make the world a better place.

Some of the inspirational speakers included Demi Lovato, Molly Burke, and Martin Luther King III who inspired the thou-

sands at the conference. They talked about their personal struggles and how they overcame the barriers in their life and managed to help

others along their ways. We Day woke us up; it was time to channel our voices and let them be heard.

In 1995, Craig Kielburger gathered with 11 friends to create Free the Children, after reading a courageous story about a boy

Iqbal Masih who fought for children’s rights in his home country. Craig and his brother, Marc established Free the Children to spread

awareness of these global issues that affect many young people today. This also led to the creation of We Day in 2007; an inspirational

event where thousands of youth are recognized as role models for their contributions as the global citizens.

For this year, Randall’s Me-to-We team decided to work towards both a global and a local goal. This includes adopting a

school in a developing country and making donations to Markham Food Bank. We will be hosting different school wide events to raise

money towards these worthy causes. “WE HAVE THE POWER TO CHANGE THE WORLD.” GO-O R-A-V-E-N-S!

Me-To-We Team (Adrian, Ajay D, Arooba, Caitlin, Gheerthika, Jessica D, Joey, Kevin, Monica, Niral, Ricky, Santhiya,

Sophia, Ms. Jackson & Ms. Wong)

Randall News October 2013

2012-2013 EQAO Results Are In! Our 2012 -2013 EQAO results can be found below. It is important to note that these re-

sults are one snapshot of how our students are doing at that point in time.

What we do know is that our teaching staff at Randall Public School is kept up to date

with the latest research on assessment and evaluation practices and the importance of

setting clear learning targets for our students. We continue to focus on having students

explain the “Why” of what they are doing and teachers providing accommodations and

modifying programs when necessary.

Research indicates that a successful school and home partnership is a key factor in stu-

dent achievement. It is extremely important that parents continue to monitor their child’s

agenda, read to/with their child and communicate with the school as needed.

We would like to acknowledge and thank our staff from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 8

for all the exemplary work they do with our students. The EQAO test is a culmination of

everything that your child has learned from his/her first early days at school.

Lunch Time

Please remember if there is an adult at home during the lunch period, students should be going home to eat their lunch. If your child must stay at school to eat their lunch, please send a lunch with your child in

the morning. If you need to drop off lunch at the school, please label it with your child’s name and teacher’s name and leave it on the front table outside the office for your child to pick up.

To be environmentally friendly, the office is no longer providing plastic spoons and forks to students.

Please send a spoon or fork with your child’s lunch.

Speaking to Your Child’s Teacher

If you would like to speak to your child’s teacher for any reason, please call the office to leave a message for the teacher to call you back OR write a note in your child’s agenda to schedule a con-venient time to call/meet. Teachers are extremely busy during instructional time, as well as during entry and dismissal times. Attempting communi-cation at these times will disrupt routines and/or school lessons. Please remember that our teach-ers are responsible for supervising and instructing your children in a safe orderly environment. Your cooperation in this matter is greatly appreciated.

Student Use of Office Phone

Parents, please be aware that students will only be allowed to use the office telephone in emer-

gency situations such as:

if a student is waiting to be picked up and no one has come for them,

or, if they are sick or injured,

or, if they need to stay after school for extra help or to finish up work

In other words, any students wishing to call home to ask to be picked up, or to inquire about going to a friend’s house, will not be allowed to use the telephone. These students will be sent home to their families or caregivers. Please encourage your child to make any special after-school ar-rangements prior to their arrival at school each morning. Thank you for your cooperation and un-derstanding.

REMINDER—Office Index Cards

In the next couple of weeks you will receive Office Index Cards. Please return your child’s Office Index Card as soon as possible. It is crucial that we have current names, addresses, email address, and phone numbers in the event the school needs to reach you.

October 2013 Randall News

Some Reminders...

IF YOUR CHILD IS TAKING MEDICATION

It is the responsibility of parents/guardians to administer medication to their children. Treatment regimes should, where possible, be adjusted to avoid administration of medication during school hours. When this is not possi-ble, parents may request assistance of school personnel through the principal. In these cases, the par-ent/guardian is required to complete Policy form P662.02. Pupils should be encouraged to accept the maximum responsibility for the self-administration of medication.

Flu Season Is Here !

When your child is not well, it is in their best interest as well as others around them, to stay home until they are feeling better. We understand that students do not want to miss a pizza lunch, school trip or assembly, however, parents will be called to pick up their child if they display cold or flu symptoms.

Volunteer Literacy Program

Randall Public School Needs Volunteers!

Research has shown that a strong literacy base helps students

excel in school and in all aspects of their lives. As a volunteer you

can make a difference!

What is Required of Volunteers?

Volunteers are assigned to a classroom and work with students of a

specific grade and listen to them read.

Time Commitment

Volunteers are asked to commit a minimum of one to two hours a

week.

How Do I Get Involved?

If you are interested in volunteering at our school come to the

office and fill out a volunteer form.

Randall News October 2013

Kick off Spirit Assemblies at Randall!

October 23, 2013 will mark the date of our first school-wide Spirit Assembly. These assemblies will recognize the YRDSB monthly character traits, as well as other special events that student population. Read all about the Me to We Team in this newsletter!

Each year, our students celebrate the long-standing tradition of Halloween.

Students celebrating this occasion in costume at our school must comply with the Safe School’s policy. Costume accessories includ-ing, but not limited to, toy guns, knives, axes, swords, etc., are not in compliance with York Region District School Board’s Safe Schools Policy #668.0, and are not allowed at school. Please note that this policy applies to all stu-dents at all levels, including Kindergarten.

Thank you for your understanding. We look forward to having a safe and enjoyable Hal-loween.

LUNCH ASSISTANT NEEDED

There are Lunch Assistance positions available at Randall Public School for the lunch hour from 12:30pm to 1:30pm. If you are interested please contact Ms Wong in the school office. This is a paid position.

Welcome back to another great year of learning in the library! Classes have begun visiting the library

and participating in our various orientation lessons. Students are reviewing the rules and routines of the

library and they have begun signing out books, both for recreational reading and for research. Please

speak with your child about taking good care of the library books they bring home. They will also be bringing home lev-

elled books from time to time. Please keep them away from younger siblings and pets. Do not eat or drink near the books

and never write or scribble in them. Help your child find a safe place at home for their books or keep them in their back-

packs so they don’t get lost or damaged and can be returned on time. We want your children to become life-long learners

and enthusiastic readers, so please take the time to read with your child, or even have your kids catch YOU reading!

Happy Reading! ~ Mrs. Ferazzoli~ Teacher Librarian

October 2013

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1

2 Pizza Day

Grade 8 @ Lake

ridge

3 4

5

6 7 8

9 Grade 6 @ To-

ronto Zoo

Pizza Day

10 Cross Country

Area Meet

Curriculum

Night

11

P.A. Day

No School

12

13 14

Thanksgiving

Day-No School

15 Grade 8 VIP

Presentation

16

Hep.B & HVP

shots for gr. 7/8

Pizza Day

17

Cross Country

Regional Meet

18

19

20 21

22

23 Character Mat-

ters Assembly

Pizza Day

24

25

26

27 28 Grade 2 at Wil-

lowbrook Farm

29 30

Pizza Day

31

Safety Week Begins

Picture Day