Springfield Newsletter - March 2019 - schools.peelschools.orgschools.peelschools.org/1379/Lists/SchoolNewsLetters/G Springfield...  · Web viewIf your child was born in 2015, he

Journal

March 2019 Vol. 3 No. 7 3251 The Credit Woodlands, Mississauga, ON L5C 2J7 Telephone: (905) 279-7950 ● Fax: (905) 279-8098 ● Safe Arrival: 1 (855) 209-6155 Principal: Robert Stancu ● Vice-Principal: Miranda Murphy ● Office Manager: Cindy Knebel Superintendent: Harjit Aujla ● Trustees: Robert Crocker

__Principal’s Message

March has arrived with its promise of spring despite the snow which has not yet departed.

A number of important events are taking place in March, foremost among them our Spring Move-a-thon which is scheduled for Friday, March 22. Our School Council is working hard behind the scenes planning this important fundraising event which helps to fund student field trip and special event subsidies, our weekly student snack program, our annual Jungle Sports program, our Grade 6 Farewell program, and our end of year Play Day. Our Move-a-thon Kick Off assembly for students will take place on Monday, March 4, and pledge forms will be provided at that time.

Near the end of February, we had our Springfield Community Movie Night. We had a good turnout of students with their families, all of them enjoying our movie ‘Smallfoot’. Thank you to Hamada Elmoursi, our School Council Chair, for coordinating this event, and thank you to Ms. Kolakowski, Ms. Sands, Ms. Baran, Ms. Cawthorn, and Ms. Yeo for their invaluable assistance.

On the School Success front, our staff are preparing for professional development work geared toward numeracy. Our Instructional Coach, Kiran Pothula, is working with our staff Leadership Team to assist them in coordinating the development of Mathematics inquiry style learning activities based on the specific needs and learning profiles of their students. Teacher teams will each make use of a half-day of Ministry funded professional development time in order to plan out their new numeracy activities, and to consider which Mathematical Processes these new activities need to address in connection to the specific needs of their children.

Please be sure to take a look on the next page of this newsletter at our Numeracy Theory of Action which has been developed by our learning community in response to the needs and achievement of our students. The differentiated development of needs-based Math activities is just a part of our action plan to bolster student

Springfield School Council

Presents

Spring Move-a-thonA Spectacular Fundraiser

for our SchoolSupport our Move-a-thon and help our School Council to fund student

field trip and special event subsidies, our weekly snack

program, our annual Jungle Sports program, our Grade 6 Farewell

program, and our end of year Play Day.

Coming to the Springfield Gymon Friday, March 22

Each school year, Springfield staff work together to review and analyze student achievement data from a range of sources (i.e., Gr. 3 and 6 EQAO data; report card data, Gr. 4 CCAT data, and grade specific leading indicator data) in order to make informed decisions within our collaborative development of our School Success Goals. In this yearly process, we develop our Numeracy Theory of Action outlining our professional commitment and planned teaching strategies (based on the areas of need brought to light through our examination of student achievement data), in order to improve the learning of all our children. Our Numeracy Theory of Action represents our commitment to ensuring student success. It drives our staff professional development, and ensures our focus on implementing key strategies as we work with our children.

Springfield’s 2018-19 Numeracy Theory of Action:

If we provide rich problem-solving experiences connected to real-life, based on student learning profiles and based on student experiences, interests, and identities to ensure that students will have a voice in their learning, then students will choose appropriate strategies to solve multi-step problems, and communicate their thinking proficiently while applying these skills to practical real-life situations. Key Strategies:

Developing and providing rich Math tasks Modelling how to approach and solve multi-step Math problems Providing graphic organizers and reminder charts for Math

problem solving strategies Providing and modelling the use of Math manipulatives Use of Math vocabulary Word Walls Modelling the use of Math vocabulary in Math Talks, and in other

contexts Encouraging verbalization of Math thinking Providing collaborative problem solving situations Providing sentence stems, written and oral prompts to encourage

oral and written use of Math vocabulary Modelling of how to organize data into graphic organizers, and

how to interpret data Utilizing Math storybooks as read-alouds Utilizing Nelson Math Reading Kits for Math Story guided-reading

activities Providing opportunities for students to talk to each other about

Math concepts (e.g., Think-Pair-Share, elbow partner chats) Providing opportunities for students to explain their thinking, to

respond to peer questions, and to receive peer feedback (e.g., Math Congresses, Gallery Walks)

Encouraging the development of proficiency with Math facts Utilizing computer technology (e.g., IPads, Chromebooks,

Dental Screening of Springfield StudentsBegins in March

Peel Public Health is offering FREE dental screenings, as required by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, for students in All Grades between March 5 - 8, 2019.

Please note that screening may be completed earlier than the expected end date. A dental screening is a quick assessment by a Registered Dental Hygienist who will take a look inside your child's mouth. A separate, sterilized mouth mirror is used for each child.

After Dental Screening, a form with the results will go home with every child screened and the parent may be contacted by a dental staff member. A second dental screening may be required to ensure that your child has received the necessary dental treatment.

Peel Public Health will no longer be sending out paper exemption forms.

If you DO NOT want your child to be screened, please visit http://www.peelregion.ca/dental/schoolscreening or call 905-799-7700 extension 5622 to speak to a Certified Dental Assistant by March 4, 2019

Online parent portal to access important student information

Last year, the Peel District School Board launched ParentConnect, an online parent portal to access important student information.  

What is ParentConnect?

ParentConnect is a safe and secure website, created by the Peel District School Board, that acts as a single point to stay informed and to access all electronic services provided to Peel board parents and legal guardians.

The parent-friendly website will allow you to: - view school-based alerts and information- access real time absence reporting- view current and historic elementary report card information- get up-to-date busing information- review secondary school credit history and diploma status- and more

To learn more about the benefits of ParentConnect, visit our school website or www.peelschools.org/parentconnect

Musical NotesThis year’s musical rehearsals are alreadyunderway. Our Grade 4, 5, and 6 students are excited and working hard to prepare this sure-to-be outstanding show!

The presentation dates for this year’s spring musical are set. They are:

Mon. Apr. 29 9:30 a.m.

Tues. Apr. 30 7:00 p.m.

Wed. May 1 9:30 a.m.

Thurs. May 2 7:00 p.m.

March Break Maple Syrup Days at the Jack Smythe Field CentreOpen Wednesday, March 13 - Saturday, March 1610:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.Enjoy the beauty and wonder of nature as Spring blossoms. Jack Smythe Field Centre offers an exceptional family experience with a visit to its maple syrup bush. The March Break programs runs from Wednesday, March 14 to Saturday, March 17 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The Sugar Bush program has been established for more than 15 years and provides families with an educational activity and a hands-on experience. The program is run by Peel District School Board teachers and staff during March Break.

Families are invited to get involved in the following activities: help tap trees and empty sap buckets. sample some freshly made maple syrup. hike along our trails and feed the friendly chickadees by hand. learn how pioneers collected and produced syrup compared to modern-day operations. visit the sugar shack where the sap boils and clouds of sweet smelling steam billow out of the chimney.

The cost is $5.00/adult and $4.00/child 12 and under. Lunch will be available for purchase. It will include hot chocolate, cookies and hotdogs for you to roast over an open fire.

Directions to Jack Smythe Field Centre, 14592 Winston Churchill Blvd., in Terra Cotta: North on Mississauga Rd, left on King Street (You will see Credit View P.S. on your left), right on Winston Churchill Blvd (You will pass the Terra Cotta Conservation Area on your left) to the top of the hill and left into the Jack Smythe site.For more information, please contact the Jack Smythe Field Centre at 1-905-877-7771.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: During the winter months, inclement weather may cause the disruption of bus transportation and regular school operations. The Board decides to cancel buses or close schools by 6:45 a.m. You can tune in to any of the following radio or television stations for information: 102.7 FM CHUM 1050 CFTO

CJCL 590 CJBC (FR) 860 AM CBCCHFI 98.1 CJEZ EZ ROCK 97.3 GLOBAL NEWSCFTR 680 CFRB 1010 THE WEATHER NETWORKFOXY 88.5 FM Z103.5 CITY PULSECFNY 102.1 CHIN 100.7 FM/1540 AM CP2493.1 FM CJMR/CHWO 1250

To find out if busing is cancelled or schools are 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 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.

Using Social Media Safely

With the growing number of social media sites, it is no surprise that social media is the most common form of communication for children and teenagers. Posts, status updates, comments, instant messages, video uploads, tweets and texts have become a regular part of their lives. While there are many positive benefits to using social media, including staying connected with friends and expressing your interests, students must be cautious in their use of these networks.

Among the most popular social media platforms used are Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, YouTube and Whatsapp Messenger. Many of these platforms are free and are available on smartphones and other electronic devices. These platforms are easy to navigate and often allow information to be shared instantly, not only with friends, but with strangers. On social media, it is important to remember that the world is watching.

Here are some tips, provided by the Canadian Safe School Network and GetSafeOnline.org, to keep your children safe and help them make smart choices when using social media:

Set some boundaries for your child before they get their first ‘connected device’ (mobile, tablet, laptop or games console). Once they have it, it can be more difficult to change the way they use it or the settings.

Have a conversation about what is appropriate online behaviour and what actions could have huge repercussions that could damage their reputation and be harmful to others.

Talk to your child about the kind of websites they look at. Encourage them to speak to you if they come across something they find worrying or upsetting on websites, games or social media.

Discuss with your child what is safe and appropriate to post and share online. Written comments, photos and videos all form part of their ‘digital footprint’ and could be seen by anyone and available on the internet forever, even if it is subsequently deleted.

Explain to your child that being online doesn’t give them anonymity or protection, and that they shouldn’t do anything online that they wouldn’t do face-to-face. Users should only accept people they know in order to protect themselves from spammers, strangers and others who may be using social networking sites to commit crimes.

Unlike when they’re meeting someone face-to-face, children don’t always know who they’re actually ‘talking’ to online, even if they think they do. Tell your children they must never email, chat, or text with strangers, and it’s never okay to meet a stranger in the real world.

Ensure your children set their privacy settings appropriately. Take the time to learn how privacy settings work on your children’s favourite sites, and teach them how to control their privacy.

Tell your children never to share personal and private information with anyone online. This includes, but is not limited to, his or her full name, age, birth date, address, phone number, social insurance number, credit card information and parents’ full names.

Limit the amount of time that your children spend on social media platforms and talk about the importance of healthy and appropriate use of technology.

Keep your Child Safe on the InternetEven without trying, children can come across materials on the internet that are obscene, disturbing, violent, hate-filled, racist or offensive in other ways.

Here are some steps to help you ensure that your children use the internet as safely as possible:

make sure your children understand what sites are appropriate for them keep the computer in a common area of the home like the kitchen or family

room discuss the meaning of an ‘unsafe’ site with your children explain to your children what they should do if they reach an unsafe site make exploring new websites a family activity pay attention to the games your children may download or copy look into software or online services that filter out offensive materials or sites

It's important to review safety tips with children regularly. It is possible for children to meet unsafe strangers on the internet. Ensure your child knows the following rules:

never give out personal information (including name, address, phone number, age, school name or location)

never arrange a face-to-face meeting with someone they meet online never use bad language or send mean messages never respond to e-mail messages that make them feel confused or

uncomfortable tell an adult immediately if something on the internet makes them feel uncomfortable

It's Time to Register Children Born in 2015 for Kindergarten!Register at Springfield Now!We inspire success, confidence and hope in each student…and it all starts in kindergarten! If your child was born in 2015, he or she can start kindergarten in September 2019. You can register your child for Kindergarten at Springfield anytime during regular school hours.

What you will need to bring to registrationProof of child's age

Canadian birth certificate Canadian passport citizenship card/certificate Permanent Resident Card confirmation of permanent residence work permit refugee permit

Proof of address Ontario driver's license utility bill bank statement/client slip (directly from financial institution) credit card statement federal government forms (e.g. Social Insurance Number, Service Canada documents) purchase agreement

Proof of custody – children must live with their parent(s) unless provided documentation supports an alternate living arrangementProof of immunization – proof that your child has been immunized/vaccinated

Extended-day program for kindergarten studentsFamilies have the option of enrolling their child in before and after-school programs developed by the Ministry of Education to complement the full-day kindergarten program. These programs are run by qualified, experienced staff from our childcare partners. At registration, we will ask families to tell us whether they are interested in the extended-day programs. The programs can only run if there is enough interest among families.

Important information about immunizationIn order to attend school in Ontario, your child must have an up-to-date immunization record. When you register your child for school, you will provide a copy of your child's immunization record and the school will send it to Peel Health. After registration, keeping your child's records up to date is your responsibility. Peel Health reviews immunization records regularly. Students who are not completely immunized and do not have a valid exemption may not be allowed to attend school.

For information about immunization, or to get a copy of your child's record call Health Line Peel at 905-799-7700. Translation services are available.

From the PDSB Mental Health Resource Team

Many parents face difficulties getting their children back into regular sleep routines, especially after holiday breaks. Studies have shown that a lack of quality sleep in children can increase the likelihood of anxiety, depression, poor grades and school performance, and even physical pain. Research has proven that kids need a lot of sleep in order to function adequately during the day, and sleep deprived children often overcompensate for lack of sleep by becoming fidgety or even disruptive in school.

How much sleep does your child need every night? Children ages 5-8 need the most sleep, requiring about 10-11 hours every night. Children ages 9-12 need between 9.5-10 hours nightly. And teenagers 13-18 need between 8.5-9.5.

Knowing how much sleep your child needs every night is key in establishing a proper bedtime. And it's important to remember that the above times aren't set in stone, but merely general approximations. Your child will have their own individual sleep needs, and you may need to fine-tune their bedtimes a little bit until you find your child less groggy and sleepy in the mornings, and more alert and aware.

Tips for getting your children on a regular sleep routine1. Keep a regular bedtime schedule, including weekends.2. Begin a relaxing bedtime routine such as baths, books, prayers, goodnights.3. Turn off electronics at least an hour before bedtime.4. Bedrooms should be cool, quiet, dimly lit, comfortable and associated with sleep.5. Limit caffeine and sugar intake after lunch and none within three hours before bed.6. Make sure they eat healthy and have regular exercise. 7. Communicate with your children about why regular bedtimes are important.8. Practice these tips yourself and set a good example.

For updates and to follow along with the work of the PDSB Mental Health Resource Team, find them on Twitter @MHRTPeel.

Adapted from Alaska Sleep Clinic (2018)

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

Be a Reader-a-saurus!Remember to read for about15 to 20 minutes every night!

1 Day 2Curling(Junior)

Dinosaur ClubGr 1 - 6

Pizza DayScientistsat SchoolGr. 2

2Purim

3 4 Day 3Move-a-thonKick OffAssembly9:15 am

LunchboxDay

5 Day 4

DentalScreening

6 Day 5AshWednesday

DentalScreening

LunchboxDay

7 Day 1LunchboxDay

DentalScreening

School Council Meeting6:30 pm

8 Day 2Pizza Day

DinosaurClubGr 1 – 6

DentalScreening

9

10DaylightSavingsTimeTurn clocks ahead 1 hr

11March Break(No School)

12March Break(No School)

13March Break(No School)

14March Break(No School)

15March Break(No School)

16

17Saint Patrick’sDay

18 Day 3

LunchboxDay

19 Day 4 20 Day 5LunchboxDay

FirstDayof Spring

21 Day 1Eid e-Navroz

LunchboxDay

22 Day 2Dinosaur ClubGr. 1 – 6

Move-a-thon!

Pizza Day

23

S p r i n g fi e l d P u b l i c S c h o o lMarch 2019

24 25 Day 3Look/HearVision/HearingScreening

LunchboxDay

26 Day 4Look/HearVision/HearingScreening

27 Day 5

LunchboxDay

28 Day 1

LunchboxDay

29 Day 2AwardsAssembly9:15 am

PizzaDay

30

31