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Wildcat Gazette

Volume 7 Issue 1 October 23, 2018

Principal’s Message page 1 School Communication Methods page 1 Hallowe’en Safety Tips page 2 Keeping Kids Safe page 2 Newsletter from Trustee Patel page 3 Grade 6 Junior Achievement Trip page 4 White Haven School Advisory Council page 4 Enchanted Forest Bookfair page 4 French Programs Application Deadline page 5 Terry Fox 2018 page 5 Curriculum Night page 5 High School Information Nights page 5 New Ward Boundaries page 5 Safe Arrival Notification page 5 Litterless Lunches page 6 Lockdowns and Fire Drills page 6 Respect Assembly and Orange Shirt Day page 7 TDSB Social Media page 7 Wildcat Sports Corner page 8 Upcoming School Dates page 8 Professional Development Update page 8

I have enjoyed my first few weeks getting to know staff, students, and families at White Haven. If you happen to drop your child off to school, you will see me at the front of the school greeting families in the morning or after school. I was so excited to see the number of families that were able to attend our Curriculum Night on September 26th and I look forward to working with our newly established White Haven School Advisory Council. The next meeting will be on November 6th at 6 pm. As the safety of our students is a priority, please see below for some ways to help things run smoothly at our school. • Contact Information - Please be sure that we have the correct phone

numbers for you and for any emergency contacts so that we can reach you in an emergency.

• Student Agendas – Please use agendas as they are great way to communicate with your child’s teacher.

• Valuables – The staff cannot take responsibility for lost items so, we are encouraging students to leave valuables at home.

• Use the front doors when visiting the school or if you are picking your child up for an appointment. All doors will be locked at approximately 9:00 am each day. We have an intercom and buzzer to allow us to control who is entering the building.

• Student Attendance – Student achievement improves when children attend school regularly. Please be sure that your child attends school regularly and on time and remember to call the school if your child will be away.

• Kiss and Ride - The staff supervised Kiss & Ride program is available every morning from 8:30 to 8:45 am. If you must drive your child to school, please use the Kiss and Ride circular driveway appropriately. Cars are not permitted to be parked on the circular driveway at any time. If you are not going to use the Kiss and Ride, please park legally. Please do not stop or park in our bus loading zones as it prevents our school buses from being able to drop off our students safely. The school parking lot is for staff only. Police enforcement may occur at any time throughout the year. Thank you for your cooperation and support with the goal of student safety above convenience.

• Dismissal - Please ensure an adult is there to pick up your child promptly for the 3:15 dismissal (Kindergarten ends at 3:00). There is always a teacher on duty at the back of the school and the front of the school, after school, for 15 minutes. They watch to ensure that all children are picked up. Please reinforce with your children that they can go to that teacher if the person who is to pick them up has not arrived. All students are encouraged to go straight home at dismissal.

• Dealing with Concerns - Please feel free to call the school if you have questions or concerns so that we can address issues in a positive and proactive manner.

We are going to have an amazing year together! Ms M. Linton, Principal

White Haven Administrative Staff:

Principal M. Linton Vice-Principal A. Morgan Office Administrator K. Malandro School Secretary L. Young Guidance Counsellor S. MacInnis Superintendent K. Stadnyk Trustee A. Hai Patel

Table of Contents

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Please follow us on Twitter at:

@ TDSB_whitehaven We also welcome you to check our website for up to date information at http://schools.tdsb.on.ca/whitehaven.

School Communication Methods

Principal’s Message

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Hallowe'en provides an opportunity for parents and children to spend time together creating costumes, carving pumpkins, planning trick or treat activities and participating in family parties. Hallowe'en at schools provides opportunities for parties, creative activities, art programs and impromptu history lessons. Hallowe'en is also a time for students, parents, and schools to take extra care to ensure safety and security. TRICK OR TREAT SAFETY - If parents are concerned about trick or treating, here are some basic safety rules to follow: • Children should NEVER eat any treats until parents have had a chance to go through them and inspect them. Parents should look for tampering of packages and discard any they believe to be unsafe or unknown. • Have your child carry a flashlight. • NEVER go into a stranger's house. • NEVER trick or treat with people you do not know. • Trick or treat only at homes you know. • Children should always stay in groups if no parent is present. • Younger children should ALWAYS be accompanied by an older person. Please accompany your child when trick or treating. If you can not accompany your child then know the route your child will take. • Flame resistant (retardant) costumes should be used. Keep costumes short and remind children to stay away from pumpkins with candles in them. • Remind children to stay away from pets they do not know. • Remind children of road safety rules. They should only cross the roads at corners and go up one side of the road and down the other side. Never cross between parked cars. Walk facing on-coming traffic if there is no sidewalk. • If adults are driving their children, drive slowly, with lights on and be cautious when pulling to the side of the road. • Children should wear their own shoes when trick or treating. Wearing costume shoes/boots can be dangerous and uncomfortable. • Remind children that not everyone celebrates Hallowe'en, and to avoid any homes that have no lights on. Also remind children not to run through neighbours yards or gardens. • With older children, be sure to know what other events (such as parties) they plan on attending. • Set time limits when children should return home.

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Keeping Kids Safe

Hallowe’en Safety Tips

Drivers are reminded to do their part to keep children safe near school buses. Drivers should follow these tips: - Stop and never pass a school bus when its red lights are flashing. - Leave space around school buses and avoid blocking school bus loading zones so children can enter and exit safely. - Be prepared to stop for a school bus at any time, not just during school hours. - Always obey the rules of the road and watch for children, especially in school zones. - Stop for pedestrians at crosswalks and school crossings. Parents can also help keep their children safe by reminding them to be aware of their surroundings when they are on or near school buses.

Notifying the School about Absences

Above: Infographic on how to stay safe during trick-or-treating.

Hallowe’en Safety Tips

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On October 11, 2018, the Grade 6 students went on a field trip to the University of Toronto for a Junior Achievement workshop. During the time there, we learned all about being an entrepreneur. Some of the topics included: the importance of having a competitive advantage, and the dos and don’ts of becoming an entrepreneur. We also participated in identifying where businesses should be located on certain areas of a map based on the needs of the people living in that particular area. In the afternoon, we met two famous entrepreneurs, Riya and Noah. Riya invented the smartcane to help the visually impaired. She is just 15 years old! Riya and Noah told us about their experiences as entrepreneurs. All in all, Junior Achievement was a remarkable learning experience. By: Shreya S, Grade 6 student

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White Haven School Advisory Council We are pleased to announce that the following parents comprise our School Advisory Council for this school year: Yolanda Lambert and Shafi Sayeed (Co-Chairs) Tryphosa Bontha and Prerna Mehta (Co-Secretaries) Clarissa L. (Treasurer) Sherry Dean Maria Fernandez Shaneese Mair Naeem Mohammed Babar Syed Edward Smith Janice Irving-Smith Mithila Tharmapalan Kalli Tsangari Devon Thompson Felicia Williams Anita Romanelli Vuorijarvi and Wendy McClyment (staff reps) Mary Linton (Principal) We look forward to working together with the Council this year.

Grade 6 Junior Achievement Trip

Below: White Haven students excited about the presentations at Junior Achievement.

Enchanted Forest Bookfair Last year it was the Wild West, but this year we had an Enchanted Book Fair! We hope that you got a chance to stop by and see our library transformed into a magical bookfair for our Scholastic Book Fair this year, and even meet our resident Princess and fairy.

Thank you to everyone who purchased books. We surpassed our goal of $1500, and raised over $2000 for our school! With that money we can enhance our library by adding to our wonderful collection.

We also wanted to thank our dedicated team of Library helpers, who were responsible for setting up and taking down the fair, and helping with sales and promotions. We could not have done this without them. Thank you again to everyone who helped out this year.

Right: Our library transformed into a magical forest, with a photo booth and a great selection of books to purchase.

Our Next School Advisory Council is:

November 6th at 6:00 p.m. in our library. See you there!

Also please check Trustee Patel’s website at http://www.tdsb.on.ca/Ward21 for current information from the TDSB.

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To help you make an informed decision when choosing a high school, TDSB schools host information nights for parents and grade 8 students each year between October and January. Learn everything you need to know about our incredible variety of schools, programs and courses. The dates and times for all High School Information Nights are available online at http://www.tdsb.on.ca/High-School/Going-to-High-School/Open-Houses-and-Information-Nights

This year all of our students participated in our Terry Fox Run on September 27, 2018, a fundraiser that White Haven has been a part of for 25 years. Students were asked to bring a loonie or a toonie in memory of the work and legacy of Terry Fox’s fight for cancer research. It was a lovely day, and due to our efforts White Haven was able to raise close to $600 dollars for cancer research. Way to go Wildcats!

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High School Information Nights

New Ward Boundaries On Dec. 1, 2018, new ward boundaries will come into effect for the Toronto District School Board. These changes are a result of the Government of Ontario’s decision to reduce Toronto City Council from 47 to 25 councillors and realign the City of Toronto’s ward electoral boundaries to reflect provincial electoral ridings. By law, the TDSB is required to align its ward electoral boundaries with the City’s. To view the new map and to see which schools will belong to each ward, please visit New Ward Boundaries on tdsb.on.ca at http://www.tdsb.on.ca/Leadership/Boardroom/Municipal-Election-2018/New-Ward-Boundaries

For families interested in the Toronto District School Board's French Immersion or Extended French programs, we offer an online process for applying to: - Early French Immersion (EFI) which begins in Senior Kindergarten; - Junior Extended French (JEF) which begins in Grade 4 We guarantee an offer of placement in the program (not a specific school) to all on-time applicants. Transportation is provided as per the Board's Transportation policy. The timelines for applying for these programs for September 2019 are: - Applications for Early French Immersion (for a Junior Kindergarten aged child), must be completed online between October 29, 2018 and November 26, 2018. - Applications for Junior Extended French must be completed online between January 7, 2019 and February 4, 2019. Offers of placement within your chosen program will be made to all on-time applicants in the weeks following the close of the application window. Please note: families with an older sibling currently in a French program are still required to complete an online application for the new student. For further information about French as a Second Language programs, the application process and dates for Information Evenings, please visit www.tdsb.on.ca/french.

French Programs Application Deadline

Terry Fox 2018 Left: The Terry Fox Run happens annually to support cancer research. Thank you to all of our Wildcats who participated this year.

Safe Arrival Notification

One measure of keeping our students safe is to ensure we can account for any absences or reasons for being late to school. We would like to remind you that if your child is going to be absent or late for any reason, we ask that you contact the school immediately and report the reason for the absence. If we are not informed about the absence, we will make attempts to contact you through our automated call-out system to determine the reason for the absence. To find out how this automated system works please visit http://www.tdsb.on.ca/HighSchool/CaringSafeSchools/SafeArrivalProgram.aspx

Curriculum Night Thank you to all of our families who came out to our Pizza Evening, Agency Marketplace and Curriculum Night on September 26th. It was wonderful to connect with everyone in our families and the larger White Haven community. Our teachers appreciated your support in coming out and learning how we can all work together to help our children be successful. Special thanks to Ms. MacInnis, our guidance counsellor, for speaking to our grade 8 parents about high school and starting the transition process to secondary school.

Right: Thank you to all of our students who participated in the annual Terry Fox Run this year. books to

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Lockdowns and Fire Drills

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At the beginning of each school year, our students and staff prepare for the year ahead by establishing the foundations for a successful year. One of the ways we know we can help students be successful is to create a safe environment in which to learn. Though no one ever wants to see an emergency happen at a school, it's important for school staff to be equipped to deal with those situations, should these occur. The safety of students and staff is a top priority at our school and to that end, as with all emergency drills, it is essential that we are prepared and understand the importance of procedures that will help ensure the safety of everyone in our school. The TDSB has taken steps to ensure your child's safety while in school. Each school has developed emergency preparedness plans that include steps staff will take in the event of an emergency, how staff will get students away from possible dangers, and how the families of our students will be contacted. One aspect of emergency preparedness is the lockdown and fire drill. All schools are required to conduct a minimum of two lockdown drills and six fire drills each school year. Lockdown drills, like fire drills, are an essential component to ensuring student and staff safety. It is important that all staff and students are prepared and know how to respond in cases of emergencies. The drills last approximately 5 minutes and ensure plans are effective and can also systematically identify any safety concerns. Communication is also very important in any emergency situation. The emergency contact information kept on file is important in helping this happen. It lists the people who can pick up a student from the school. If you have not yet provided this information to the office or have updates to the information on file, please make sure our office staff have that information as soon as possible.

Canada, despite all its fine points, produces more garbage per capita than anyone else on the planet. In 2009, the average amount of garbage each Canadian produced was 777 kg while the world average was only 578 kg. Due to this, the White Haven Eco-Team is spearheading a school-wide initiative of a “Boomerang Lunch” to encourage the students of White Haven to bring a litter-free lunch to school everyday. A “Boomerang Lunch” works on one principle: all waste created from the lunch does not go into the waste at school, but instead comes back home. This is to highlight to all of us as a community who much waste we create, without realizing it, and to encourage our students and families to create litter-free lunches. A litter-free lunch is a lunch that does not include any sort of waste, such as wrappers, plastic bottles, and juice boxes. Instead, students are encouraged to bring reusable items like containers, reusable water bottles, and avoid bringing food in packaging. Not only will bringing a waste-free lunch be healthy for the environment, but it is also healthier for the students since this means you will be eating less processed and artificial food and more fresh foods. As a Platinum Eco-School, White Haven is hoping to show others how eco-friendly we are by getting our staff and students to bring a litter-free lunch to school. Thank you for your assistance in helping us be eco-friendly!

Litterless Lunches

Above: A sample of what a litter-free lunch looks like. Left: Tips on how to pack and make enjoyable litter-free lunches can be found on the Internet.

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With the new school year we continue to honour students who display excellent character traits in the school. This month, we recognized students who showed Respect, hosted by Mr. Sith’s class. Mr. Sith’s class also did an excellent job explaining the importance of Orange Shirt Day and why it is so important to understand what the residential school system was and why it should never happen again, anywhere. Congratulations to the award winners listed below:

Respect – Character Trait for September Primary Division: Aarcha P. Kayla C. Renee C. Nichole Z. Amy F. Sarah Y. Albert M. Julissia G. Aashi M. Abdulbasit. S. Cynthia J. Shaanuja S. Shayan A. Demi Z. Zamari S. Jasim J. Junior Division: Adam R. London H. Anas V. Romeera R. Vivienne D. Oviya S. Cyone G. Matthew L. Alanis L. Da’ood H. Chanelle J. Kendra A. Arushan V. Shamitha P. Ivy M. Shreya S. Darren M. Faizan A. Intermediate Division: Lyosz F. Haniya A. Janice Z. Jon-Marc S. Omar K. Yung-Chi L. Zek P. Jegath J. Congratulations to all of our award winners. Our character trait focus for October will be Responsibility, and we look forward to honouring students showing this trait at our assembly at the end of this month.

Respect and Orange Shirt Day Assembly – September 2018

The Character Education traits for the school year in the TDSB are listed to the right. Each month focuses on a different trait.

Above: Group picture of all of our Respect award winners for the month of September.

Every month in the TDSB we focus on a different Character Education trait and honour students who display these traits at our monthly assemblies. These traits are listed on the right.

September - Respect October - Responsibility November - Empathy December - Kindness & Caring January - Teamwork February - Fairness March - Honesty April - Co-operation May - Integrity June - Perseverance

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Join the conversations happening on TDSB's social media communities. You'll find the most up-to-date information about us on our Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts. Twitter @TDSB http://www.twitter.com/tdsb Facebook http://www.facebook.com/toronto.dsb Instagram @Torontodsb https://www.instagram.com/torontodsb

TDSB Social Media

Left: Congratulations to all of our Wildcats who wore Orange for our assembly to show their support for Orange Shirt Day. #EveryChildMatters

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October 31 Hallowe’en & Dance-a-Thon

November 6 School Advisory Council at 6 pm in the library

November 9 Remembrance Day Assembly (please join us at the school)

November 13 Progress Reports go home

Wildcat Sports Corner

Upcoming School Dates

White Haven Public School 105 Invergordon Avenue,

Scarborough, Ontario 416.396.6645

http://schools.tdsb.on.ca/ whitehaven.

Above: Getting ready to play soccer at the tournament held at Sir Alexander Mackenzie Senior Public School (SAM).

Grade 8 Boys Soccer Early in October, the grade 8 soccer team had a chance to showcase their skills and hard work at a one-day tournament at Sir Alexander Mackenzie (SAM). After a tough loss, the team pulled off a convincing win and advanced to the semi-finals. Despite not making it to the finals, the team was positive, encouraging and learned from their mistakes. They also displayed a lot of respect for each other and the other teams, and represented White Haven well!

Professional Development Update –Collaborative Inquiry

This school year is an exciting one as we look to work together on how to effectively support students in the classroom. Our first topic for our professional learning communities this year is on Universal Design for Learning – how to create flexible classroom arrangements and differentiate instruction to meet the needs of a range of students. We are looking forward to dialoguing and implementing this learning together as a staff.

Cross-Country

Above: Large group pic of our Cross-Country team at Thomson Park on October 11th.

This month we have been practicing and preparing for Cross-Country. Whether students are in the club, or on the team, our students and teachers are dedicated to the idea of “practice makes perfect”, and these results showed at our first meet on October 11th at Thomson Park as seven of our students advanced to the finals. As we await for our results of the October 18th meet, we would like to thank our fabulous teachers, Mr. Koitsopoulos, Ms McClyment, Ms Harriott and Mr. Gilbert for their time, effort and supervision at our various meets. We could not have done so well without the dedication of our students meeting those of our teachers. Great job by all of our Wildcats at Cross Country this year!