85 Burnt Elm Drive, Brampton On, L7A 1T8 Phone 905-495-9368 Fax 905-495-9371
Principal—Mrs. W. Vokey Vice-Principal-Mrs. T. Ajrawat Vice-Principal-Ms. B. Ritchie
Office Manager-Mrs. S. Corbett Superintendent-Mr. Mark Haarmann Trustee-Mrs. S. Nurse
DECEMBER 2012 EDITION
The Burnt Elm Banner
A Message from the Principal—
November Highlights
During November, we had the opportunity to have two presenta-
tions on anti-bullying. Our Gr. 1-5 students participated in the
Power of One presentation which highlighted the difference each
of us can make, “the power of one”, to promote respect and car-
ing. Our Kindergarten students enjoyed an interactive story
time with “Coco”, a local story teller. Student participants
dressed in costume to help tell the story of a “grumpy prince”
who learned the value of friendship and being kind to others.
The presentations were well received and continue to help pro-
mote our school‟s work in fostering a positive climate.
In December, we look forward to our upcoming seasonal concerts
— Gr. 2 on December 14 at 1:30 and Gr. 5 on December 19 at
1:30. We hope you are able to join us.
Thank you for your donations to our holiday food drive. Items
donated will be appreciated by families in need in the local area.
From all of us at Burnt Elm, we wish you and your families a
happy holiday and all the best in 2013!
Reading Tip:
Your child can use various tactics to fig-
ure out a word he or she doesn‟t know:
Sound out the word
Look at the picture
Reread the words before and after diffi-
cult words
Divide the words into smaller parts
Skip over the word for the moment and
read on further
Talk about what he/she has read so far to
check for understanding
Inserts:
Student Transportation of Peel Region
Register for French Immersion, extended French by
Jan. 25
Closing schools because of bad weather
Tips for ensuring your child‟s safe arrival to and from
school
Help your family stay warm this winter
Make the most of the winter break
Celebrating Faith and Culture
Welcome to the home of Benny the
Bengal!
Responsibility
Set goals, stay focused and stick with the task until completed.
Do your share of the work.
Recognize and learn from your mistakes.
Follow through with your commitments.
Demonstrate initiative and perseverance in overcoming difficulties.
Our Burnt Elm students who received certificates for their “Responsibility” behavior demonstrated during the month of No-
vember are:
Gr.1– Yuvan K., Eric B., Kabilash J., Rajdeep N., Jaden S. , Medina M., Vidhi S., Karan M., Avena S., Zohal F.
Gr.2– Mathusha S., Dilem C., Joshua N., Reva J., Adassah A., Victoria H., Breena B., Aryan T., Ramneet R.
Gr.3– Shajeevan N., Abilash S., Harleen K., Sharon J., Shurethi R., Hailey G., Oskar C., Biftu D., Tiffany D., Dylan G., Saumya B., Ikra
M., Khia K., Summer L.
Gr.4– Lucas F., Manjot C., Simran K., Elia C., Manav S., Kiana C., Jaleed A., Dennis M., Shamar E.
Gr.5– Rashini A., Mya S., Newton D., Harveen B., Nivedna M., Ty K., Aiyesha S., Chiraag S., Sean A. , Shayne D.
Encourage your child to report bullying
incidents to you.
Validate your child's feelings by letting
him/her know that it is normal to feel hurt,
sad, scared, angry, etc.
Let your child know that s/he has made the
right choice by reporting the incident(s) to
you and assure your child that s/he is not to
blame.
Help your child be specific in describing
bullying incidents: who, what, where,
when. (Look for patterns or evidence of re-
peated bullying behaviors.)
Kindergarten registration at Peel District School Board
schools will take place on each of the following dates:
Monday, Feb. 4 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Wednesday, Feb. 6 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 7 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 to 8 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 8 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Milk Bag Update
As of Tuesday, December 3, Burnt Elm has collected 1718 milk bags. This
is enough to help make 6 mats for Haiti.
We ask that you remember to continue to collect the bags over the holi-
days and send them in to the school when we return in January.
Thank you for all your support.
Community Bulletin Board
In our front foyer, we have a
community bulletin board. If
you would like to add a notice
to this board, please check with
the office first. Please know
that items posted are not en-
dorsed or recommended provid-
ers by the school.
What's Happening At Burnt Elm?
Happy Holidays from the ESL Team
Let Us Introduce Ourselves!
Season’s greetings from the ESL (English as a Second Language) teaching team. Burnt Elm’s ESL teachers are Mrs. Boparai, who
works with students in grades 1, and Ms. Folorunsho, who works with students in grades 2, 3, 4, and 5. ESL support is provided to
enable English language learners to fully access the grade level curriculum. The ESL teacher works with students in their classroom, or
in a small group setting, on the activity that they are working on in class, to assist with the development of English language skills.
Suggestions on how to help your child at home:
Studies have shown that students perform better in school if their parents/guardians are involved in their education. Parents/guardians
can help to support their children in school, even if their first language is not English.
To support English language learners, parents/.guardians are strongly encouraged to:
Read to your child, in your home language and/or English, on a regular basis;
Become familiar with the curriculum and what your child is learning at school;
Talk to your child about what is happening at school;
Attend parent-teacher interviews;
Speak with your child’s teacher about his/her progress or if you have any questions about what he/she is learning at school;
Participate in parent workshops and other community events which help you learn about the Ontario school system;
Encourage your child to develop and continue to use your home language.
Resources for Parents and Guardians
The following Ontario Ministry of Education website, offers many ways to help your child at home, and can be viewed in a variety of
languages:
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/abc123/eng/tips/
On this website, you will find a variety of tips on the following topics:
Making Reading fun
10 tips to help your child with Reading
10 tips to help your child with Writing
10 tips to help your child with Math
10 tips to help your child with homework
10 tips to help boys with Reading
10 tips to help you communicate with the teacher
Helping Your Child do Mathematics – A Guide for Parents
Helping Your Child with Reading and Writing – A Guide for Parents
We would like to take this opportunity to wish you a safe and happy holiday season, from the ESL Teaching Team.
Ms. Folorunsho and Mrs. Boparai
Burnt Elm’s Students’ Work Holiday Celebrations
There are many different holiday celebrations all over the world.
Every culture has its own special traditions and celebrations.
Please enjoy the short passages written by some of our ELL students to share their favourite holiday celebration!
My Holiday Celebration
Written by Eshan in Ms. Folorunsho’s ESL Group
Hi my name is Eshan and my family and I celebrate Diwali.
Something special that we do is have a fireworks display. We
always wear a suit or kurta. We always have a lot of people
coming to our house. The best thing is that we get to play a lot
of games. Diwali is my favourite celebration!
My Holiday Celebration
Written by Mahreen in Ms. Folorunsho’s ESL Group
Hi name is Mahreen I am going to tell you about my favourite holi-
day celebration . My favourite holiday celebration is Eid. Some-
thing special that my family and I do is wear new fancy clothes
and put henna on our hands. Before we celebrate Eid, we look at
the moon. We even get some money!
My Holiday Celebration
Written by Azlan in Ms. Folorunsho’s ESL Group
My name is Azlan and my favourite celebration is Halloween. I
like Halloween because I get lots of treats. I like to wear cos-
tumes. This year I dressed up as Iron Man. We also have a spe-
cial family dinner on Halloween. This year I got lots of candy
and I shared it with my brothers and sisters. Halloween is so
much fun!
My Holiday Celebration
Written by Harman from Ms. Folorunsho’s ESL Group
My name is Harman and my holiday celebration is Diwali. Some-
times we make designs on the ground. We put candles on the de-
signs. We light the candles and we pray. We deliver sweets like
mithai to friends and family. In the night, we light fireworks. We
also go to the Gurudwara which is our temple. I really like Diwali!
My Holiday Celebration
Written by Brandon from Ms. Folorunsho’s ESL Group
My name is Brandon and my holiday celebration is Christmas.
We have a Christmas party every year. All of our family and
relatives that live in Canada come to our house. We give pre-
sents and this is always fun. We have a beautiful Christmas
tree where all the presents are kept. We listen to Christmas
music. For dinner, we have ham, turkey, steak, potato wedges,
and salad. Christmas is my favourite time of the year.
My Holiday Celebration
Written by Maryam from Ms. Folorunsho’s ESL Group
My name is Maryam and my holiday celebration is Eid. Early in
the morning, my dad will go to the mosque to pray. For Eid, we
wear special clothes and we have a nice dinner. We will also have a
party and play games. My mom and dad give my brothers, sister
and I money as a gift. Eid is a really fun holiday for me and my
family!
My Holiday Celebration
Written by Luckshana from Ms. Folorunsho’s ESL Group
My name is Luckshana and my holiday celebration is Diwali.
We eat sweets. We go to the temple. I like to go to the temple
because we pray. We also wear fancy dresses. Diwali is really
fun!
My Holiday Celebration
Written by Kumar from Ms. Folorunsho’s ESL Group
My holiday celebration is Diwali. We go to the temple and pray.
After we are done, we set off fireworks for two nights. On lthe ast
day of Diwali, everyone dances Indian folk dances called Garba and
Dandiya. We eat sweets and wear Indian clothing called lehenga.
I love Diwali because my whole family has a day off from
work and school.
The Students of Grade 3 have been working on writing
paragraphs. Here are a few pieces of writing from Mrs.
Hoogan’s classroom.
Rain
By Sahib
I think that rain is important. I
love to jump in the puddles and
like to look at the rainbows that
are colourful. Rain helps the na-
ture as it is important for the
trees, flowers and grass to grow.
Rain could make your clothes
wet so you should always have
an umbrella, rain boots and a
rain coat. Rain could sometimes
cause thunder and lightning.
The rain comes from the clouds.
First the water evaporates and
then clouds are formed. Then
the rain falls down to the ground.
Rain is good for the world.
Rain
By Shaelyn
Rain is important. It is important
because all the plants and animals
need the water. Rain is also fun to
play in because there are puddles so
kids can splash in them. Sometimes
when there is rain there is thunder
and lightning. I don‟t really like
thunder and lightning. Lightning is
fun to watch but very dangerous.
The thunder is fun to hear but usu-
ally when it thunders there‟s light-
ning. In the rain dirt turns into mud
and mud is really sticky. No kids
parents want their children to be
covered in mud; especially before
school. Rain is sometimes fun and
sometimes not. Rain is cool. Rain is
awesome.
A Rainy Day
By Teetee
I like rainy days because that means we are going to have indoor recess. If we have an
indoor recess then the girls will play the „Girl Club‟. Even if we have to go outside next
recess everyone will be able to splash in the puddles. But if it still rains in the next re-
cess the „Girl Club‟ will continue to make the new calendar. I will do arts and crafts or go
on the computer. Sometimes I do not like when it rains or when it is indoor recess be-
cause I do not get to play with my Grade four friends and my best friend Anne. I also like
it when it is raining because I can read „Magic Tree House‟ books. What I am actually try-
ing to say is that rainy days are sometimes fun and sometimes not fun.
STUDENT TRANSPORTATION OF PEEL REGION (STOPR)
BUS CANCELLATIONS/SCHOOL CLOSING DUE TO BAD WEATHER
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 6:00 a.m. and will be announced on the following radio
and television stations:
VIRGIN RADIOFM99.9 CHUM AM1050 CFTR AM680
CFNY FM102.1/AM640 CJCL AM590 CHFI FM98.1
CFRB AM1010 EZ ROCK FM97.3 CJBC (FR) AM860
FM Z103.5 FM93.1 FM Q107
CHIN FM100.7/AM1540 CBC99.1 CITYPULSE
GLOBAL NEWS CTV
We will be communicating one of four standard messages to the radio stations. The four an-
nouncements and their effect on the transportation system are as follows: (Please note that
the highlighted text only will be communicated by the radio stations).
1. “DUFFERIN-PEEL CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD BUSES SERVING
ST. ANDREW, ST. BENEDICT AND ST. PETER ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND
R.F. HALL SECONDARY SCHOOL ARE CANCELLED FOR TODAY.”
2. “THE DUFFERIN-PEEL CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD BUSES AND THE
PEEL DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD BUSES IN THE TOWN OF CALEDON AND THE
COUNTY OF DUFFERIN ARE CANCELLED”. This means that all runs listed under an-
nouncement #l PLUS the following are cancelled.
All schools in the Town of Caledon and all school runs that begin in the Town of Caledon.
Individual schools will be notified if this cancellation affects their school.
3. “THE DUFFERIN-PEEL CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD AND THE PEEL
DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD BUSES ARE CANCELLED.” This means that:
ALL Transportation services provided by the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board and The Peel
District School Board, including buses, vans and taxis have been cancelled for the entire day.
4. “THE SCHOOLS AND OFFICES OF BOTH THE DUFFERIN-PEEL CATHOLIC DISTRICT
SCHOOL BOARD AND THE PEEL DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD ARE CLOSED.” This means that:
ALL Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board ad Peel District School Board schools and offices are
closed to all students and staff.
Note: For Secondary School students riding Public Transit, cancellation of service will be communicated
by the respective transit property over the radio. Please be advised that Public Transit rarely cancels and that
the level of service on days with inclement weather is unpredictable.
Register for French immersion, extended French by Jan. 25
Are you thinking of registering your child for French immersion (FI) or extended French (EF)? Attend an information session to
learn more about the programs.
If you were not able to attend the parent night in the fall about the programs, you are invited to an information session at the HJA
Brown Education Centre, 5650 Hurontario St. (at Matheson Blvd.) in Mississauga:
French immersion - 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2013
Extended French - 7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 17, 2013
Registration
If your child will start grade 1 or grade 7 in September 2013, the registration deadline for FI and EF is 4 p.m. on Friday,
Jan. 25, 2013.
Effective September 2013, a grade 1 FI enrolment cap will be in place. This means that a specific number of spots are available for
students entering grade 1 FI. There is no enrolment cap for EF. All students who register for EF before the registration deadline will
be guaranteed a spot.
Lottery system – grade 1 FI only
A lottery system will be used to identify students gaining entrance into the grade 1 FI program. Spots are not assigned on a first
come, first served basis.
All students who make the registration deadline will be assigned a rank using a computerized random selection process. Students
who currently (2012-13) have siblings in the elementary FI program (grades 1 to 7) will not be included in the lottery. In order to be
automatically accepted into the grade 1 FI program, however, these students must register by the deadline.
It’s important to note that the grandparenting of siblings applies only to families who currently (2012-13) have children in the ele-
mentary FI program (grades 1 to 7). This means that younger siblings of students who are accepted into grade 1 FI for the 2013-14
school year and who don’t currently have siblings in the FI program (i.e. in grades 1 to 7 as of Sept. 2012) will participate in the
lottery system in future years.
Waitlist
Once students have been assigned to all available spots, remaining students will be placed, again in rank order, on the school's wait-
list.
Where to register
Register directly at the French immersion school your child will attend. Check the Peel board website at www.peelschools.org/
parents/programs/french or call the board’s Planning department at 905-890-1010/1-800-668-1146 ext. 2212 to find out what FI
school your child will attend.
If parents have not received written confirmation of their child's spot in the FI program or placement on the waitlist by the end of
February, they should contact the school.
How to get more information
Visit the Peel board website—www.peelschools.org/parents/programs/French.
Call the Peel board at 905-890-1010/1-800-668-1146.
Visit the Canadian Parents for French website—www.cpfont.on.ca.
Closing schools because of bad weather
During the winter months, we may need to cancel buses or close schools because of bad weather.
The board decides by 6:30 a.m. whether to cancel buses or close schools. To find out if busing is cancelled or schools closed, visit
www.peelschools.org or call 905-890-1010 or
1-800-668-1146. You will receive 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 can-
celled 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.
Tips for ensuring your child's safe arrival to and from school
Take your child to the bus stop and meet them there after school.
Help your child set up a buddy system. Children should walk in groups of at least two.
Pre-arrange a contact person your child knows who can pick him or her up in the event of an emergency.
Make sure the school has a list of people your child can be released to. This also applies to day camp, swimming lessons, and other
activities.
Avoid placing your child’s name in a clearly visible location on their clothes, lunch box and other belongings because it advertises
who they are. A stranger may read their name and call out to them, fooling your child into believing this person knows them.
Help your family stay warm this winter
Canada Safety Council recommends the following tips for staying comfortable and preventing hypothermia when working or playing out-
doors:
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. 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.
If you are travelling (on the road or in the wilderness) carry emergency supplies.
Make the most of the winter break
Be active
If there's snow, go tobogganing, build a snow fort, cross-country ski or snow shoe.
Go skating at a local arena or outdoor rink.
Take a walk around your neighbourhood to enjoy the holiday decorations.
Go swimming or play basketball at a local community centre.
Get organized
As holiday greeting cards arrive, ask your child to record the names and addresses of the senders.
String cards together to display above doors, windows in your home.
Ask your child to organize photographs in an album by date or activity. Save newspaper or magazine photographs of favourite athletes or role models to create a scrap-
book.
Suggest your child swap paperbacks, comics or magazines with family and friends.
Develop a sense of responsibility
Involve your child with holiday decorating and clean-up.
Ask your child to take charge of family recycling (get containers, wash the jars, stack the papers, etc.)
Have your child plan all aspects of a party. Your child can help decide on the guests, phone or send invitations, plan the food, get the house ready, greet and introduce the
guests and clean up.
Bolster core learning skills
Recommend that your child keep a diary or journal of the family's activities.
Make time every day to read as a family or on your own—even 10 or 15 minutes is fine.
Take your child to the local library.
Have your child follow a favourite newspaper comic strip all week.
Encourage your child to write holiday greetings or thank-you cards to cousins, grandparents and friends.
Review cash register receipts. Ask your child to check them for accuracy when you’re unloading groceries.
Have a family discussion about goals for 2012. Talk to your child about ways he or she can achieve them.Teach citizenship
Check the newspaper for volunteer opportunities. For example, you and your child could help at a food bank, visit an elderly person living alone or volunteer at a commu-
nity event.
Visit the animal shelter, the fire station or a hospital to show your child what happens at these places.
Understand history & explore different cultures
If possible, collect photographs of grandparents and great-grandparents. Have your child write their names and birth dates on the back of the photos. Discuss the family's
history.
Talk about the meaning of holidays. Ask your child to research the holidays celebrated by different cultures in your community. If friends are celebrating these holidays,
ask them to tell you about their traditions.
Get close to nature
Give your child the responsibility of watering the plants.
Read the daily newspaper’s weather map. Let your child figure out what the weather is where friends and relatives live.
Take a walk in the snow and watch for animal tracks. Identify what animal made the tracks.
Find more Parent Tip Sheets at www.peelschools.org.
Celebrating Faith and Culture
December 2012
December
December 2
December 8
Sunset of December 8 to 16
Sunset of December 11 to 30
December 13
Eve of December 20 to 21
December 21
December 23
December 25
December 26
December 26
December 26 to January 1
December
December
December
December
Luut'aa
First Sunday of Advent
Bodhi Day (Rohatsu)
Chanukah
the month of Masa'il
Birthday of Imam Agakhan
Yule
Tohji-taisai
Maun Agiyaras or Muanajiyaras
Christmas
Boxing Day
Zarathosht-no-Diso
Kwanza
Amitabha Buddha’s Birthday
Ghambar Maidyarem
the month of Sharaf
Aboriginal Spirituality
Christianity
Buddhism
Judaism
Baha’I
Islam
Wicca
Shinto
Jainism
Christianity and Canada
Christianity and Canada
Zoroastrianism
African Canadian communities
Buddhism
Zoroastrianism
Baha’i
Wishing everyone happy
holidays and see you all on
Monday, January 7th, 2013.