Don’t miss this month’s highlights...Principal’s Report..... page 3

STEAM Challenges & Socktober/Food Drive... page 6 & 7

Halloween at Westacres... page 8

Regional Learning Choices Programs... page 13

Important Dates....... back page

and look for our new Westacres Wows!, Word Search and Made By You feature pages!!!

WESTACRES WORDSOct. 1 Beginning of Socktober & Food Drive Campaign

Oct. 3 Terry Fox Walk

Oct. 4 Welcome Back BBQ 4:30 - 6:30

Oct. 4 Open House 6:00 - 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 5 Professional Activity Day

Oct. 8 Thanksgiving

Oct. 10 Principal’s & Vice Principal’s Day

Oct. 12 World Teacher’s Day Celebration

Oct. 12 Paper School Spirit Wear Order Forms Due

Oct. 15 Grade 3s to Jack Smythe Field Centre

Oct. 17 Bus Driver Appreciation Day

Oct. 18 Dental Screening for Year 1 and Year 2 Kindergarten and Grade 2

Oct 19. Online School Spirit Wear Orders Due

Oct. 23-25 Xfusion for K to Grade 5

Oct. 24 Photo Day

Oct. 24 Teaching Assistant & Early Childhood Educator’s Appreciation Day

Oct. 25 Xfusion Family Night at 6:00 pm in our school gym

Oct. 26 Aussie X Leadership day for Grades 4 to 5

Oct. 26 School Colours Day

Oct. 29 Month End Assembly 1:00 pm

Oct. 31 Black, Orange and White Spirit Day

Oct. 31 Halloween Parade 1:20 pm

Nov. 1Kindergarten in school field trip

Nov. 12-15 Book Fair

Nov. 15 Reporting to Parents Evening

Nov. 16 Reporting to Parents Morning

Nov. 21 Photo Retake Day and Class Photo

IMPORTANT DATES

Weekly Events:* Tuesday - Pizza lunches (for those who ordered)* Wednesday - Cookie Wednesday ($2)

* Thursday - Pita lunches (for those who ordered)* Friday - Lunch Lady (for those who ordered)

WESTACRES PUBLIC SCHOOL / OCTOBER 2018

2165 Breezy Brae Drive. Mississauga ON L4Y 1N2Principal: Paul AndersonSuperintendent: Paul da Silva

Telephone: 905-277-0912 Fax: 905-277-3859Office Manager: Cathy MercurioTrustee & Chair of Board: Janet McDougald

“Safe Arrival” SystemTo report your child’s absence, call, visit or download...

1-855-209-6155 pdsb.schoolconnects.com Download the “Safearrival” mobile app Q: What did one leaf say to another? A: I’m falling for you.

Q: I’m tall when I’m young and short when I’m old and I like to stand inside pumpkins. What am I? A: A candle.

Q: Who won the skeleton beauty contest?A: No body.

Q: What kind of mistakes do ghosts make?A: Boo boos.

Riddle Me This...

COBS Bread Donates Opening Day Sales to Westacres Public SchoolWESTACRES...

SHOW YOUR SCHOOL SPIRIT!!!!

Mr. Anderson and Ms. Hurley accept a donation for $8013 from Cobs Bread in Applewood Plaza. For more information, please read the Principal’s Report on Page 3.

Westacres Wows!!! Made By You!!!

This year at Westacres Public School, we will be hosting a Blue and Green School Colour Day each month. This will be an opportunity for students to show their school spirit. Each class will be challenged to see who can demonstrate the most school spirit on our School Colour Day.

Many students like to wear their school Spirit Wear clothing on that day. If you missed last year’s Spirit Wear Sale do not worry, we are hosting 1 more this school year. Spirit Wear will be on sale from October 1st to October 12th, 2018 (if you are using the paper order form that is returned to the school) or October 19th, 2018 (if you are using the online w e b s i t e a t www.myschoolstoreonline.com/Westacres.aspx ).

Many of our students like to wear their school Spirit Wear throughout the month!

Purchasing our school Spirit Wear is not a requirement to participate in our School Colour Day.

And don’t forget about our “Show Your School Spirit” contest on page 23.

New to the Westacres Words... our monthly “Made By You!!!” feature page! This month we want to know...

How do you show YOUR school spirit?Send us a drawing of how you show your Westacres Spirit and it may be featured in the November Westacres Words. Featured drawings will be selected at random from all drawings submitted.

Drawings must be brought into the office by Wednesday, October 24th to be considered for November’s newsletter. Please include your name and grade.

And watch November’s issue for the theme for December’s newsletter.

WESTIE CHALLENGEJust two of the incredible results from Grade 2 and Grade 5 at the first “Westie STEAM Challenge” of 2018/19. Turn to page 6 for more information.

Your drawing

could be Printed

here Next

Month!!!!!

Principal’s MessageStudents, Staff, Parents, families, and community partners play a very important role in the education system at Westacres Public School. For the parents and family members that comprise the Westacres Public School Community, involvement ranges from helping with homework to joining school councils and committees. In addition, parents are attending parent-teacher interviews, attending assemblies and concerts and cheering at sporting activities. Businesses are opening their doors to provide fundraising opportunities and student leadership opportunities.

Most recently, Cobs Bread at Applewood Plaza, declared their Opening Day “Westacres Public School Day”. 100% of the proceeds from the sales on September 26th were directly donated to the school. These funds were earmarked to support our Library Learning Commons that suffered a flood the week prior to school opening. As a result of the flood, the library had 428 damaged, with only 68 books meeting the criteria for replacement funds. This was a huge blow to our student resources. Cobs Bread franchise Operator, Tony Iantorno, heard of our situation and a plan to support our community school was put into action. The school was presented with a cheque for $8013 bringing us just $987 short of our $9000 goal. Since then, family and parents of our Westacres Public School Community continue to come forward with donations, including a memorial gift place in honour of the late Gerry Hall, writer, columnist, editor of the Toronto Star Travel Section and grandparent.

Classroom Community is also vital to the success of our students. As you are aware, our school has gone through a significant Re-organization which resulted in many students being assigned to new classroom teachers and joined together with new classmates. Understanding the importance of community, Tara Goetz organized a collaborative team building day for all of our classes to participate in with their teacher on September 26th. Students transitioned through various challenges that focused on developing trust, collaboration, compassion and effective communication. Classroom teachers have now continued to focus on these important skills each day.

Our Grade Five students are also committed to our local community. Through the work that they are doing with Ms. Hurley on Global Goals, students are becoming very aware of their role and responsibility in the community. Ms. Dubosq’s and Ms. McKenney’s grade 5 students are leading our Socktober event and our food drive to support Compass Outreach Centre.

It is humbling and exciting to be a part of such a dynamic learning community. I firmly believe that it is our collective commitment to student success that ignites and sparks our students to achieve their personal best each day. Thank you for your commitment to our Westacres Public School Community.

Paul AndersonPrincipal

Getting to know... Favourite movie...

Favourite musician/band...

Favourite food...

Favouirte holiday...

Best part about working at Westacres...

If I wasn’t a teacher, I would want to be...

Not many people know that I...

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Celebrate World Teachers’ DaySince 1994, parents and students from around the world have celebrated World Teachers’ Day to commemorate the work of teachers and their contributions to society. Since October 5th is a Professional Development Day we will be recognizing World Teacher day on October 12th, take the time to let your child's teacher know they are truly appreciated. Thank your child's teacher and let them know they are making a difference.

Peel Board Recognizes Peel Principals and Vice-Principals’ Day For The First Time on Oct. 10In 2018, the board of trustees declared Oct. 10 as Peel Principals and Vice-Principals’ Day. This day allows the community to recognize the important work of principals and vice-principals, and to acknowledge their work in supporting students, staff and their communities every day.

Oct. 24 – Celebrate Peel Teaching Assistant and Early Childhood Educators’ Appreciation DayIn 2014, the board of trustees declared the last Wednesday in October as the Peel Teaching Assistant and Early Childhood Educators’ (ECE) Appreciation Day. This year, the recognition day falls on October 24, 2018. The Peel board appreciates the important work of teaching assistants and ECEs, and the contributions that they make in the lives of children, families and community members.

Celebrating Our Educators...

K1 Ms. Munro and Ms. AlexanderK2 Ms. Laflamme and Ms. Hemlow K3 Ms. Moore and Mr. PereiraK4 Ms. Midgley and Ms. Pimentel 1A Ms. Goetz1&2 Ms. Buchan-Hill2A Mr. Julien2B Mr. Mulcock3A Ms. Lane 3B Ms. Little4A Ms. Scheichl4&5 Ms. McKenney5A Ms. Dubosq

Support StaffPlanning Time Mr. KelletLibrarian/STEAM Ms. HurleySpecial Education Ms. TaylorESL Educator Ms. KuscheiFrench Ms. Scheichl & Ms. McKenneyTeaching Assistants: Ms. Delattiboudere Ms. Faion Ms. Francis Mr. Nowak (a.m.) Mr. O’Connell (am)

Westacres 2017-18 Team of Educators

Westacres Public School’s School CouncilThank you to those parents who put their names forward to represent the school community by being an active part of School Council Executive Body. The following members will represent you during the 2018-2019 academic year: • Tanya Coyle • Eryn DeCoste• Curtis Gillespie• Jennifer Grande All members of the parent community are welcome to attend the meeting where they can hear about upcoming events and to voice their ideas and ask questions. Our first Whole School Community Council Meeting will be held in November. An agenda and meeting date will be shared with our parent community ASAP.

DATE HOLY DAY(S)/HOLIDAY FAITH

Oct Xlaaw and Falling Leaves Aboriginal Spirituality

Sunset of Sept30 to Oct 1

Simchat Torah Judaism

Oct 7 World Communion Sunday Christianity

Oct 8 Thanksgiving Canada

Oct 9 Sharad Navratri Hinduism

Oct 12-16 Ghambar Ayathrem Zoroastrianism

Oct 16 - Nov 3 The month of ‘Ilm Bahá’í

Oct 16 Durgaashtami Hinduism

Oct 18 Vijaya Dashmi/Dassehra Hinduism

Oct 20 Installation of the Guru Granth as Guru

Sikhism

Oct 24 Kathina Ceremony/ Pavarana Day Buddhism

Oct 27 Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva’s Enlightenment (Pravrajya)

Buddhism

Oct 27 Karva Chauth Hinduism

Oct 29 Arbaeen Islam

Oct 31 Halloween Canada

Sunset of Oct 31 to Nov1

Samhain Wicca

Celebrating Faith & Culture

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School Wide Math Block... Arrive On Time For SuccessThis year at Westacres Public School we have made a commitment to a school wide Mathematics Block. This dedicated 1 hour block of time will occur between 8:40 and 9:40 am. All students from Grade 1 to Grade 5 will participate.

During this time students will receive direct instruction on my strategies and formulas from our team of educators, small group instruction to consolidate understanding and independent practice to practice the skills. Then throughout the day educators will embed opportunities for students to apply these skills and demonstrate their mastery through STEAM challenges. It is vital that students be at school on time and ready to learn each day. Missing instructional time can really put the learner at a disadvantage. Being 15 minutes late for 4 days is the equivalent of missing 1 hour of instruction.

Please help your child succeed by ensuring they arrive on time.

Coyotes have increasingly been sighted in our school community. We will continue to monitor our school area regularly. We want to remind residents that coyotes are frequently found in urban areas and are extremely adaptive in their skills. At this time of year, they are searching for food.

Do not feed coyotes, either intentionally or by leaving food out for pets.Do not approach or try to touch a coyote.Take precautions with pets. Leave cats indoors and dogs on short leashes and close to you when walking them.Avoid parks during dusk and dawn when coyotes tend to be roaming.Please note that it is extremely rare for coyotes to attack people.

Further information on normal coyote behaviour and precautions to take can be found on the City of Mississauga’s website at www.mississauga.ca. As always, please call the school if you have questions or concerns.

Coyote Sightings in our Westacres School Community

October... International Walk to School MonthAccording to the 2015 Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card, about 91 per cent of 5-to-17-year-olds are not meeting Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines to get at least 60 minutes of daily moderate-to vigorous-intensity physical activity. These declining activity levels are linked to obesity, illness and chronic diseases (i.e., cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer).

Using active transportation for the school journey is one of the easiest ways for students to get regular daily physical activity. Managing time to allow for the walk or bike ride to school will become a positive habit that leads to children arriving on time, refreshed and energized for the school day. In fact, University of Illinois research has found that just 20 minutes of easy walking boosts performance in the areas of the brain that support math and reading achievement.

Walking to school also helps out the environment. Eliminating just four short trips per week can reduce emissions by up to 100 kg of carbon dioxide per year. Families that participate in active travel

to school can prevent almost 1,000 kg of carbon dioxide per year and save money in fuel costs as well. Also, when more children walk to school and fewer parents drive their children, the areas near school zones become safer for pedestrians.

That is why our school will be participating in International Walk to School Day on Wednesday, October 10. On that day—and throughout the month, if you can—walk, bike, blade, scooter, skip or hop to school….but don’t drive!International Walk to School month is part of the Active & Safe Routes to School program. Visit www.saferoutestoschool.ca/ for more information.

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Oct. 17 Opportunity To Say ‘Thanks’ To Bus DriversPeel schools will pay tribute to bus drivers on Bus Driver Appreciation Day on Oct. 17, 2018. The day will be celebrated with special activities and events that provide teachers, students and parents an opportunity to thank the people who safely transport over 36,000 students to and from school each day.

If your child rides the bus to school, take this opportunity to thank the bus driver for their contribution and ask your child to do so too. The Peel board appreciates the important job bus drivers do each school day and Oct. 17 provides an opportunity to give these individuals the recognition they deserve.

Westacres Public School Participates In First Whole School STEAM Challenge of 2018-2019S(Science) T(Technology) E(Engineering) A(Arts) M(Mathematics) provides the opportunity for students to be creative, think critically, collaborate with peers and authentically apply skills and concepts to solve a challenge.

During the school day, students are engaged in direct instruction in Mathematics, Science, Social Science, Language Arts and Fine Arts. During these periods students learn skills, strategies and develop subject specific understanding. This becomes the basis of their learner’s “toolbox”. To demonstrate their mastery of understanding of specific content, students are engaged in cross curricular challenges. During these tasks educators engage with the students, labeling the learning and skills being applied, asking prompting questions and collecting data on students ability to transfer skills to authentic learning challenges.  During the week of October 1st, students embarked on a 4 day school wide STEAM challenge ---our Westie Challenge. During the challenge, students were provided with a common challenge, a learning goal and success criteria, next the students were given time to design and engineer and finally time was provided for students to reflect. The final products created by students were available during our Open House for parents to view. Our next school wide challenge will be held during Education Week in the Spring.

How can you help? We need support from our families. To complete the STEAM Challenges throughout the year, classrooms will need materials, such as the following:• Cardboard (8 x 12 (the size of a piece of paper, unless a specific request is made by the

classroom teacher)• Plastic cups• Jars• Loose parts! (nuts, bolts, tubes, PVC pipes)• Fabric scraps• Egg cartons• Seashells• Tinfoil• Popsicle sticks• Toothpicks• Buttons• Wrapping paper & ribbon scraps

We appreciate any donations. Please send in donations with your child to your classroom teacher.

We feel that it is important that you also take this opportunity to review safe procedures with your child. Peel Regional Police have provided the following safety guidelines:• Tell your children to never go anywhere with a stranger, not to talk to strangers and

never take anything from them. You also have to teach them what a "safe stranger" is in case they need help. A safe stranger includes a police officer, a cashier, a fire fighter.

• Develop a "what if" game for children to get them thinking about how they would respond if they felt threatened or afraid.

• Know who your children play with and where they go. This includes keeping a list of their friend's addresses and phone numbers.

• Do not leave your child in unsupervised locations, such as cars, parks, public washrooms, arenas, malls and plazas, etc.

• Teach your children where and how to get help. Go with them on their regularly travelled routes.

• Your child's body is private. Tell your children that no one may touch the area their bathing suit covers. If someone tries to touch them, they should tell you immediately.

• Teach your children to talk to you immediately when someone does anything that makes them feel strange or uncomfortable. Listen when your children are trying to tell you about something that bothers them and provide them with support and understanding.

• Communicate to your children the importance of following the teacher’s instructions during a lockdown, hold and secure, bomb threat, shelter in place or fire drill and to not use cell phones to ensure their own safety.

For more information about safety at your school, review your school handbook or speak to your principal or teacher.

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Westacres Public School Launches

Annual Socktober & Food Drive

Every night in the GTA an estimate of 3970 people live on the streets. This October, we at Westacres Public School want to show that 290 students can make a difference in the lives of 3970 people— to prove that even a small act of love, such as donating a pair of socks, can make a big difference in the lives of our neighbours who are homeless.

Socktober is an easy and fun movement to help the homeless in our community during the month of October. Kid President creator Brad Montague launched Socktober as a way to get socks and other necessities to the homeless (for more information, watch Kid President at http://soulpancake.com/socktober/).

Throughout the month of October, we will be collecting new children and adult socks. The socks collected will be donated to our local shelters.

As part of the Grade 5 discussion on Global Goals, the students discovered that each year the Ontario Association of Food Banks compiles a comprehensive report on hunger and food bank use in Ontario. From this report the students learned that, this year more than 499,000 adults, seniors and children received food and support from Ontario Food Banks. This sparked our Grade 5 students into hosting a non-perishable food drive, beginning

October 1st and running until October 22nd. Items that are collected will be donated to Compass Food Bank and Outreach Centre located in Port Credit. This year we are asking that each classroom focus on one of the items that are in high demand. Classroom teachers will provide families the specific item that their class will be focusing on collecting.

However, donations of the following items are always gladly accepted:•toothpaste, •baby formula, •peanut butter, •dry pasta, •pasta sauce.

In addition, items required for the Dominica Barrel Project are: • diapers • flashlights• batteries• bottled water• First aid supplies• Energy bars• Nails/screws• Plastic sheets/tarps

Many families use school drives as an opportunity to shop together for the items and discuss the importance of helping members o f our local and g lobal community.

Schools Use Many Strategies To Keep Children Safe

Peel schools provide a safe environment for staff and students to work and learn. The board has many procedures to ensure safety. To keep students safe, schools use many strategies including:• requiring all parents and visitors to check in at the main office and obtain visitor

passes• the use of a "buddy system" – students can only leave the classroom if accompanied by

another student (for example, going to the washroom)• assigning teachers to supervise inside and outside the school during recesses, before

and after school• locking all exteriors doors, including the main entrance, during school hours

[elementary schools only]• encouraging staff to regularly review street proofing skills with students• expecting staff and students to report unidentified individuals to the office

immediately • holding fire drills and "lockdown" rehearsals• having evacuation and bomb threat plans in place• ensuring that all staff and volunteers have up-to-date criminal record checks or have

completed Offence Declarations• working with the police to provide education on street-proofing

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Halloween at Westacres Public School

We know Halloween is an important event for many students and we want to give families the opportunity to plan and prepare. Our plans for Halloween are an Orange and Black Spirit Day on the morning of Wednesday, October 31st and a Halloween Parade following our 2nd Nutritional Break at approximately 1:15 pm.

After the parade, educators may plan festive themed activities. These activities do not require families to send in food items. As you are aware, we have students in the school with life threatening food allergies so we kindly request that you do not send any type of food or edible Halloween treats/candy to school with your children to be shared with the class. If you wish to send treats in for the class for Halloween, non-food items such as pencils or stickers are good options. Unfortunately food items sent to school will need to be returned to the family.

We want to make sure our Halloween activities foster inclusion and school spirit. It is also a great way to raise awareness of this cultural event amongst those unfamiliar with its origins. The spirit of inclusion also means respect for the decision of those who choose not to participate in Halloween activities.  Therefore, we want to reinforce that participation in Halloween activities, i n c l u d i n g w e a r i n g c o s t u m e s a t s c h o o l o r wearing orange and black c o l o u r s , i s c o m p l e t e l y voluntary. As a school, we will make sure that all students—should they choose to dress for the day or not – will feel equally included and respected as part of our Westacres school community.

Tips For Being a Smart Trick-Or-TreaterHalloween is a fun and exciting time, but safety should be the number one concern. Here are some safety tips for children:

• Wear a properly fitted costume that is bright and non-flammable. Use reflective tape on your costume so you can be seen in the dark.

• Use face makeup or enlarge the eyes on your mask so you can see well. When wearing a mask, push it up on your head while walking.

• Teach children to visit the front door of well-lit homes and never go inside.

• Help your child plan a route and a time to be home.

• Remind children to always walk on the sidewalk, and obey traffic and pedestrian signals.

• Have an adult check treats at home before allowing children to eat them.

• Younger children should go trick-or-treating with an adult. Older children are reminded to trick-or-treat in groups.

• Teach children their home phone number and how to call 9-1-1 if they have an emergency or become lost.

Conference Helps Parents Empower Modern LearnersThe Peel District School Board is hosting its annual parent conference, co-presented by the Peel Elementary Teachers’ Local, on Saturday, November 3, 2018, at Mississauga Secondary School in Mississauga. After hearing from participants and staff, we are changing the traditional workshop model to an "un-conference" model, where attendees will create their own agenda, and explore all subject areas and experts, as if they were visiting a museum. This format will allow parents to visit and interact with each area and Peel board facilitators.

This free learning event is open to Peel parents of students at all grade levels.

Our keynote presentation will be delivered by Will Richardson, co-publisher of ModernLearners.com, who converges and shares knowledge on modern learning. Will’s talk—Schools on the Brink: How Classrooms are Being Reimagined for a World of Networked Learning—will be split into two sessions during the conference. Parents will learn about the schools, districts, provinces, and countries that are leading this profound redefinition of what it means to be fully educated today.

Reserve your spot starting Oct. 1, 2018

Stay up-to-date!For more information, visit www.peelschools.org/parents/conference.

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Westacres Word Search

F J S D I O S A N L E A V E S

B A W R M I P N A E U V B W D

A X L G P W I L D C A T S P N

Y N R L W A R D J M W E O I E

M E Y I U B I P U S W A C O I

E E K I L M T F Q M L C K Z R

G W E S T I E A L P A H T V F

D O O F K V J L D E O E O S G

W L D E M Q R W R W V R B W E

K L H R A E L E B I G I E C I

Z A O T B L W O K O L L R A R

Y H S O Z H Y O C X K Y T D L

T R T G N I V I G S K N A H T

S C H O O L S K U L D H N A K

O W J F B C X U S T E A M W F

SocktoberWestieWildcatsHalloweenFall

OctoberFoodDriveSchoolSpirit

TeachersSTEAMFriendsThanksgivingLeaves

The long and lazy days of summer are over. Fall is on its way and as the days get shorter and the temperatures drop, it’s a great time for renewal and fresh starts.

Focusing and concentrating on good mental health is an important part of overall wellness. According to the World Health Organization, mental health is "a state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community."

Mental health is something we all have. Just like physical health, there are some things that you and your child can do to be mentally healthy:

• Get enough sleep. Remember it takes the average person a complete hour to go from fully awake to fully asleep. If you do an hour-long bedtime routine pretty much the same way every night, your child’s brain will get the message that it is time to shut down for sleep.

• Exercise daily - even a short walk makes a difference. Getting outside to exercise provides exposure to Vitamin D the “sunshine vitamin.”

• Try to surround you and your family with positive, supportive people.• Eat plenty of nutritious foods.• Spend time everyday doing things that make you and your child feel good.• Take time to relax.• Be in touch with your feelings by being mindful of your thoughts and how you feel.

Ask your child how they are feeling. • When there are problems or worries, try to actively work to solve the problem.• Try new things and encourage your child to get involved in school activities or new

hobbies.• Go offline. Make a commitment to limit screen time as a family.

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Westacres Public School To Recognize Orange Shirt Day During 2nd Term

First launched in 2013 in Williams Lake, Orange Shirt Day commemorates the history and the legacy of residential schools, and the strength and fortitude of residential school Survivors and their descendants. Although Orange Shirt Day was on Sunday, Sept. 30, 2018, our school will commemorate the day during 2nd term. Our Grade 5 students will be leading the event as part of their Social Science Curriculum. Our Grade 5 students will make age appropriate presentation and develop activities for each grade in addition they will encourage of students to wear orange shirts at schools in recognition of the day.

Registration Open - Continuing Education International Languages Program for K-12 Students

The opportunity to study a language in addition to English and French can benefit all students, society in general and an increasingly independent world, including:•students with no prior knowledge of a particular language•students whose first language is English or French and who wish to study their home

languages as a second or third language•students whose first language is their home language

The International Languages program is based on oral communications, reading and writing in languages other than English or French. Grammar and language knowledge are incorporated into each of the three skill areas.

Any student who is currently enrolled in a Peel District School Board elementary or secondary school is eligible to attend.

Classes operate each Saturday from mid-September to mid-June, except for holiday weekends and school vacations. Credit classes are 3.5 hours per day and run from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Elementary classes are 2.5 hours per day and run from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Registration is currently open. In partnership with School-day, Continuing Education offers an online, cashless registration process. Please visit www.peelschools.org/conted/il for further information.

Get Involved With Your Child’s Education

Research shows parent involvement positively affects student success. Becoming more involved brings many benefits. You will get to know teachers, the principal and other parents better. You will be able to share your talents, experiences and ideas. You will inspire youth—and be inspired by them. You will show your child how much you value education. You will gain insights that can help you to boost your child's learning. And you could develop skills and knowledge that can help you in your own career.

There are many ways to be involved. Attending the Peel District School Board's annual parent conference, volunteering at your child's school, talking

to your teen about their school day and reading with your child at night are all forms of parent involvement. Visit www.peelschools.org/parents/involved to learn more.

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Do You Have Question’s About Your Child’s Education?

Here are some helpful people to contact to ensure you get the answers you need as quickly as possible.

Your child’s teacher: If you have questions related to your child’s education, the first person you should speak to is your child’s teacher. They can assist you with homework and assessments, instructional strategies, classroom rules, and questions about the classroom/school.

Your school principal or vice-principal: If you require additional assistance, or if your question extends beyond the classroom, speak with your school principal or vice-principal. They can assist you with School Council, school safety, registration, student schedules, report cards, the Student Code of Conduct, and student discipline, along with many other school-wide topics.

Your school’s superintendent of education: If you still have unanswered questions or concerns after speaking with your child’s teacher and principal, you can talk to your local superintendent for assistance. Their contact information is available on the ‘About Us’ section of your child’s school website.

Your local trustees: Trustees are elected representatives and can assist you with suggestions for the school board, board agenda items, board polices and board budget. You can learn who your trustee is by visiting http://www.peelschools.org/trustees/meetyourtrustee/Pages/default.aspx

Peel District School Board Program Offers Flexible School Options for Student Athletes, Artists

Does your child/teen have an intense sports or arts training and competition schedule that makes it difficult to attend school regularly? The Peel District School Board’s Peel Region High Performers Program will offer flexible timetabling to accommodate student athletes and artists with demanding practice, competition, rehearsal and/or performance schedules.

Peel Region High Performers Program is offered at: Britannia Public School (grades 4 to 5)Dolphin Sr. Public School (grades 6 to 8)Mississauga Secondary School (grades 9 to 12)

For more information, visit www.peelschools.org/HighPerformers.

Peel High School Information Nights Start This Fall

Learn about the Peel District School Board advantage and your local Peel board secondary school at an upcoming parent information night. For dates and times, visit www.peelschools.org/schools/informationnights or call the school directly. To find out

which secondary school your teen will attend, call 905-890-1010/1-800-668-1146 ext. 2212 or visit www.peelschools.org/schools/findyourschool.

**Please note that dates and times are subject to change. For the most up-to-date information, please contact the school directly.

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Ready? Set? High School! A Parent's Guide to High School

Regional Learning Choices Programs Unlock Passions

Regional Learning Choices Programs, offered by the Peel District School Board, empower students by providing them with opportunities to develop and explore skills in a particular area of interest. Regional programs are open to all students who meet the criteria for acceptance. Students and their families are encouraged to attend the information night for the program of their choice to receive more information about the program and application details.   Transportation is not provided for students in regional programs. If students have been accepted into a

regional program and they live within the school boundary, they are eligible for busing only if they meet the distance criteria outlined in the board’s Transportation Policy #39.

All regional programs include a non-refundable application fee and an annual program fee. All RLCP application fees are $40 annual fees, except the Truck and Coach program which is offered at no cost.

For more information about program information nights, busing, fees and the application process/dates, visit www.peelschools.org/RegionalPrograms

Jump Start Your Future With Explore High Skills

Explore High Skills is a Peel District School Board pathway program that allows secondary schools with Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) programs to offer a unique specialized program choice for grade 9 and 10 students. 

These sector-related programs are available to students in all skill levels and in all pathways. Specialized programs in grade 9, like Explore High Skills, provide

unique learning experiences to engage students as they transition to high school. Students can focus their learning on an area of interest as they build self-confidence, learn essential skills, and develop a sense of belonging in school and in the community.

To enroll in the Explore High Skills program, students will indicate their interest when selecting high school courses in the fall. For more information about the program and participating schools, go to www.peelschools.org/ExploreHighSkills.

Get ready for what could be the most exciting and important years your teen spends in school. For the first time, teens will have to make choices about what they will study and what career pathway to choose. Whatever path your teen chooses, we want to make sure your entire family is ready to meet the challenges and embrace the many opportunities that await your teen upon graduation. Our Parent’s Guide to High School will provide you with a snapshot of what you need to know to help your teen be successful. To view the online booklet, visit www.peelschools.org/parents/helpyourchild/parentguide.

For more ways on helping your teen make a smooth transition, visit www.peelschools.org/parents/helpyourchild.

ELEMENTARY SECONDARY Applications open Jan. 28, 2019 at 12:01 a.m. Nov. 5, 2018 at 12:01 a.m. Applications close Feb. 11, 2019 at 3 p.m. Nov. 21, 2018 at 3 p.m.

 Programs Starts in grade: 6 7 9

Actively in Motion (AIM) – Royal Orchard MSAdvanced Placement – Central Peel SS, John Fraser SSArts – Earnscliffe Sr. PS (starts in grade 6), Queen Elizabeth Sr. PS (starts in grade 7), Cawthra Park SS, Mayfield SSArts and Technology – Morning Star MSGraphic Design Management – T.L. Kennedy SS International Baccalaureate – Bristol Road. MS, W.G. Davis Sr. PS, Erindale SS, Glenforest SS, Harold M. Brathwaite SS, Turner Fenton SSInternational Business and Technology – Allan A. Martin Sr. PS, Lisgar MS, Williams Parkway. Sr. PS, Meadowvale SS, North Park SS, T.L. Kennedy SS International and Executive Leadership Academy – T.L. Kennedy SSRegional Skilled Trades – West Credit SS (starting in September 2019) SciTech – Centennial Sr. PS, Macville PS, Tomken Road. MS, Chinguacousy SS, Port Credit SSSports – Applewood Heights SSStrings – Central Peel SS, Port Credit SSTruck and Coach Engineering and Technology – Bramalea SS

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Ready? Set? High School! A Parent's Guide to High School

Regional Learning Choices Programs Unlock Passions

Regional Learning Choices Programs, offered by the Peel District School Board, empower students by providing them with opportunities to develop and explore skills in a particular area of interest. Regional programs are open to all students who meet the criteria for acceptance. Students and their families are encouraged to attend the information night for the program of their choice to receive more information about the program and application details.   Transportation is not provided for students in regional programs. If students have been accepted into a

regional program and they live within the school boundary, they are eligible for busing only if they meet the distance criteria outlined in the board’s Transportation Policy #39.

All regional programs include a non-refundable application fee and an annual program fee. All RLCP application fees are $40 annual fees, except the Truck and Coach program which is offered at no cost.

For more information about program information nights, busing, fees and the application process/dates, visit www.peelschools.org/RegionalPrograms

Jump Start Your Future With Explore High Skills

Explore High Skills is a Peel District School Board pathway program that allows secondary schools with Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) programs to offer a unique specialized program choice for grade 9 and 10 students. 

These sector-related programs are available to students in all skill levels and in all pathways. Specialized programs in grade 9, like Explore High Skills, provide

unique learning experiences to engage students as they transition to high school. Students can focus their learning on an area of interest as they build self-confidence, learn essential skills, and develop a sense of belonging in school and in the community.

To enroll in the Explore High Skills program, students will indicate their interest when selecting high school courses in the fall. For more information about the program and participating schools, go to www.peelschools.org/ExploreHighSkills.

Get ready for what could be the most exciting and important years your teen spends in school. For the first time, teens will have to make choices about what they will study and what career pathway to choose. Whatever path your teen chooses, we want to make sure your entire family is ready to meet the challenges and embrace the many opportunities that await your teen upon graduation. Our Parent’s Guide to High School will provide you with a snapshot of what you need to know to help your teen be successful. To view the online booklet, visit www.peelschools.org/parents/helpyourchild/parentguide.

For more ways on helping your teen make a smooth transition, visit www.peelschools.org/parents/helpyourchild.

ELEMENTARY SECONDARY Applications open Jan. 28, 2019 at 12:01 a.m. Nov. 5, 2018 at 12:01 a.m. Applications close Feb. 11, 2019 at 3 p.m. Nov. 21, 2018 at 3 p.m.

 Programs Starts in grade: 6 7 9

Actively in Motion (AIM) – Royal Orchard MSAdvanced Placement – Central Peel SS, John Fraser SSArts – Earnscliffe Sr. PS (starts in grade 6), Queen Elizabeth Sr. PS (starts in grade 7), Cawthra Park SS, Mayfield SSArts and Technology – Morning Star MSGraphic Design Management – T.L. Kennedy SS International Baccalaureate – Bristol Road. MS, W.G. Davis Sr. PS, Erindale SS, Glenforest SS, Harold M. Brathwaite SS, Turner Fenton SSInternational Business and Technology – Allan A. Martin Sr. PS, Lisgar MS, Williams Parkway. Sr. PS, Meadowvale SS, North Park SS, T.L. Kennedy SS International and Executive Leadership Academy – T.L. Kennedy SSRegional Skilled Trades – West Credit SS (starting in September 2019) SciTech – Centennial Sr. PS, Macville PS, Tomken Road. MS, Chinguacousy SS, Port Credit SSSports – Applewood Heights SSStrings – Central Peel SS, Port Credit SSTruck and Coach Engineering and Technology – Bramalea SS

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Do You Have Question’s About Your Child’s Education?

Here are some helpful people to contact to ensure you get the answers you need as quickly as possible.

Your child’s teacher: If you have questions related to your child’s education, the first person you should speak to is your child’s teacher. They can assist you with homework and assessments, instructional strategies, classroom rules, and questions about the classroom/school.

Your school principal or vice-principal: If you require additional assistance, or if your question extends beyond the classroom, speak with your school principal or vice-principal. They can assist you with School Council, school safety, registration, student schedules, report cards, the Student Code of Conduct, and student discipline, along with many other school-wide topics.

Your school’s superintendent of education: If you still have unanswered questions or concerns after speaking with your child’s teacher and principal, you can talk to your local superintendent for assistance. Their contact information is available on the ‘About Us’ section of your child’s school website.

Your local trustees: Trustees are elected representatives and can assist you with suggestions for the school board, board agenda items, board polices and board budget. You can learn who your trustee is by visiting http://www.peelschools.org/trustees/meetyourtrustee/Pages/default.aspx

Peel District School Board Program Offers Flexible School Options for Student Athletes, Artists

Does your child/teen have an intense sports or arts training and competition schedule that makes it difficult to attend school regularly? The Peel District School Board’s Peel Region High Performers Program will offer flexible timetabling to accommodate student athletes and artists with demanding practice, competition, rehearsal and/or performance schedules.

Peel Region High Performers Program is offered at: Britannia Public School (grades 4 to 5)Dolphin Sr. Public School (grades 6 to 8)Mississauga Secondary School (grades 9 to 12)

For more information, visit www.peelschools.org/HighPerformers.

Peel High School Information Nights Start This Fall

Learn about the Peel District School Board advantage and your local Peel board secondary school at an upcoming parent information night. For dates and times, visit www.peelschools.org/schools/informationnights or call the school directly. To find out

which secondary school your teen will attend, call 905-890-1010/1-800-668-1146 ext. 2212 or visit www.peelschools.org/schools/findyourschool.

**Please note that dates and times are subject to change. For the most up-to-date information, please contact the school directly.

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Westacres Public School To Recognize Orange Shirt Day During 2nd Term

First launched in 2013 in Williams Lake, Orange Shirt Day commemorates the history and the legacy of residential schools, and the strength and fortitude of residential school Survivors and their descendants. Although Orange Shirt Day was on Sunday, Sept. 30, 2018, our school will commemorate the day during 2nd term. Our Grade 5 students will be leading the event as part of their Social Science Curriculum. Our Grade 5 students will make age appropriate presentation and develop activities for each grade in addition they will encourage of students to wear orange shirts at schools in recognition of the day.

Registration Open - Continuing Education International Languages Program for K-12 Students

The opportunity to study a language in addition to English and French can benefit all students, society in general and an increasingly independent world, including:•students with no prior knowledge of a particular language•students whose first language is English or French and who wish to study their home

languages as a second or third language•students whose first language is their home language

The International Languages program is based on oral communications, reading and writing in languages other than English or French. Grammar and language knowledge are incorporated into each of the three skill areas.

Any student who is currently enrolled in a Peel District School Board elementary or secondary school is eligible to attend.

Classes operate each Saturday from mid-September to mid-June, except for holiday weekends and school vacations. Credit classes are 3.5 hours per day and run from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Elementary classes are 2.5 hours per day and run from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Registration is currently open. In partnership with School-day, Continuing Education offers an online, cashless registration process. Please visit www.peelschools.org/conted/il for further information.

Get Involved With Your Child’s Education

Research shows parent involvement positively affects student success. Becoming more involved brings many benefits. You will get to know teachers, the principal and other parents better. You will be able to share your talents, experiences and ideas. You will inspire youth—and be inspired by them. You will show your child how much you value education. You will gain insights that can help you to boost your child's learning. And you could develop skills and knowledge that can help you in your own career.

There are many ways to be involved. Attending the Peel District School Board's annual parent conference, volunteering at your child's school, talking

to your teen about their school day and reading with your child at night are all forms of parent involvement. Visit www.peelschools.org/parents/involved to learn more.

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Westacres Word Search

F J S D I O S A N L E A V E S

B A W R M I P N A E U V B W D

A X L G P W I L D C A T S P N

Y N R L W A R D J M W E O I E

M E Y I U B I P U S W A C O I

E E K I L M T F Q M L C K Z R

G W E S T I E A L P A H T V F

D O O F K V J L D E O E O S G

W L D E M Q R W R W V R B W E

K L H R A E L E B I G I E C I

Z A O T B L W O K O L L R A R

Y H S O Z H Y O C X K Y T D L

T R T G N I V I G S K N A H T

S C H O O L S K U L D H N A K

O W J F B C X U S T E A M W F

SocktoberWestieWildcatsHalloweenFall

OctoberFoodDriveSchoolSpirit

TeachersSTEAMFriendsThanksgivingLeaves

The long and lazy days of summer are over. Fall is on its way and as the days get shorter and the temperatures drop, it’s a great time for renewal and fresh starts.

Focusing and concentrating on good mental health is an important part of overall wellness. According to the World Health Organization, mental health is "a state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community."

Mental health is something we all have. Just like physical health, there are some things that you and your child can do to be mentally healthy:

• Get enough sleep. Remember it takes the average person a complete hour to go from fully awake to fully asleep. If you do an hour-long bedtime routine pretty much the same way every night, your child’s brain will get the message that it is time to shut down for sleep.

• Exercise daily - even a short walk makes a difference. Getting outside to exercise provides exposure to Vitamin D the “sunshine vitamin.”

• Try to surround you and your family with positive, supportive people.• Eat plenty of nutritious foods.• Spend time everyday doing things that make you and your child feel good.• Take time to relax.• Be in touch with your feelings by being mindful of your thoughts and how you feel.

Ask your child how they are feeling. • When there are problems or worries, try to actively work to solve the problem.• Try new things and encourage your child to get involved in school activities or new

hobbies.• Go offline. Make a commitment to limit screen time as a family.

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Halloween at Westacres Public School

We know Halloween is an important event for many students and we want to give families the opportunity to plan and prepare. Our plans for Halloween are an Orange and Black Spirit Day on the morning of Wednesday, October 31st and a Halloween Parade following our 2nd Nutritional Break at approximately 1:15 pm.

After the parade, educators may plan festive themed activities. These activities do not require families to send in food items. As you are aware, we have students in the school with life threatening food allergies so we kindly request that you do not send any type of food or edible Halloween treats/candy to school with your children to be shared with the class. If you wish to send treats in for the class for Halloween, non-food items such as pencils or stickers are good options. Unfortunately food items sent to school will need to be returned to the family.

We want to make sure our Halloween activities foster inclusion and school spirit. It is also a great way to raise awareness of this cultural event amongst those unfamiliar with its origins. The spirit of inclusion also means respect for the decision of those who choose not to participate in Halloween activities.  Therefore, we want to reinforce that participation in Halloween activities, i n c l u d i n g w e a r i n g c o s t u m e s a t s c h o o l o r wearing orange and black c o l o u r s , i s c o m p l e t e l y voluntary. As a school, we will make sure that all students—should they choose to dress for the day or not – will feel equally included and respected as part of our Westacres school community.

Tips For Being a Smart Trick-Or-TreaterHalloween is a fun and exciting time, but safety should be the number one concern. Here are some safety tips for children:

• Wear a properly fitted costume that is bright and non-flammable. Use reflective tape on your costume so you can be seen in the dark.

• Use face makeup or enlarge the eyes on your mask so you can see well. When wearing a mask, push it up on your head while walking.

• Teach children to visit the front door of well-lit homes and never go inside.

• Help your child plan a route and a time to be home.

• Remind children to always walk on the sidewalk, and obey traffic and pedestrian signals.

• Have an adult check treats at home before allowing children to eat them.

• Younger children should go trick-or-treating with an adult. Older children are reminded to trick-or-treat in groups.

• Teach children their home phone number and how to call 9-1-1 if they have an emergency or become lost.

Conference Helps Parents Empower Modern LearnersThe Peel District School Board is hosting its annual parent conference, co-presented by the Peel Elementary Teachers’ Local, on Saturday, November 3, 2018, at Mississauga Secondary School in Mississauga. After hearing from participants and staff, we are changing the traditional workshop model to an "un-conference" model, where attendees will create their own agenda, and explore all subject areas and experts, as if they were visiting a museum. This format will allow parents to visit and interact with each area and Peel board facilitators.

This free learning event is open to Peel parents of students at all grade levels.

Our keynote presentation will be delivered by Will Richardson, co-publisher of ModernLearners.com, who converges and shares knowledge on modern learning. Will’s talk—Schools on the Brink: How Classrooms are Being Reimagined for a World of Networked Learning—will be split into two sessions during the conference. Parents will learn about the schools, districts, provinces, and countries that are leading this profound redefinition of what it means to be fully educated today.

Reserve your spot starting Oct. 1, 2018

Stay up-to-date!For more information, visit www.peelschools.org/parents/conference.

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Westacres Public School Launches

Annual Socktober & Food Drive

Every night in the GTA an estimate of 3970 people live on the streets. This October, we at Westacres Public School want to show that 290 students can make a difference in the lives of 3970 people— to prove that even a small act of love, such as donating a pair of socks, can make a big difference in the lives of our neighbours who are homeless.

Socktober is an easy and fun movement to help the homeless in our community during the month of October. Kid President creator Brad Montague launched Socktober as a way to get socks and other necessities to the homeless (for more information, watch Kid President at http://soulpancake.com/socktober/).

Throughout the month of October, we will be collecting new children and adult socks. The socks collected will be donated to our local shelters.

As part of the Grade 5 discussion on Global Goals, the students discovered that each year the Ontario Association of Food Banks compiles a comprehensive report on hunger and food bank use in Ontario. From this report the students learned that, this year more than 499,000 adults, seniors and children received food and support from Ontario Food Banks. This sparked our Grade 5 students into hosting a non-perishable food drive, beginning

October 1st and running until October 22nd. Items that are collected will be donated to Compass Food Bank and Outreach Centre located in Port Credit. This year we are asking that each classroom focus on one of the items that are in high demand. Classroom teachers will provide families the specific item that their class will be focusing on collecting.

However, donations of the following items are always gladly accepted:•toothpaste, •baby formula, •peanut butter, •dry pasta, •pasta sauce.

In addition, items required for the Dominica Barrel Project are: • diapers • flashlights• batteries• bottled water• First aid supplies• Energy bars• Nails/screws• Plastic sheets/tarps

Many families use school drives as an opportunity to shop together for the items and discuss the importance of helping members o f our local and g lobal community.

Schools Use Many Strategies To Keep Children Safe

Peel schools provide a safe environment for staff and students to work and learn. The board has many procedures to ensure safety. To keep students safe, schools use many strategies including:• requiring all parents and visitors to check in at the main office and obtain visitor

passes• the use of a "buddy system" – students can only leave the classroom if accompanied by

another student (for example, going to the washroom)• assigning teachers to supervise inside and outside the school during recesses, before

and after school• locking all exteriors doors, including the main entrance, during school hours

[elementary schools only]• encouraging staff to regularly review street proofing skills with students• expecting staff and students to report unidentified individuals to the office

immediately • holding fire drills and "lockdown" rehearsals• having evacuation and bomb threat plans in place• ensuring that all staff and volunteers have up-to-date criminal record checks or have

completed Offence Declarations• working with the police to provide education on street-proofing

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Westacres Public School Participates In First Whole School STEAM Challenge of 2018-2019S(Science) T(Technology) E(Engineering) A(Arts) M(Mathematics) provides the opportunity for students to be creative, think critically, collaborate with peers and authentically apply skills and concepts to solve a challenge.

During the school day, students are engaged in direct instruction in Mathematics, Science, Social Science, Language Arts and Fine Arts. During these periods students learn skills, strategies and develop subject specific understanding. This becomes the basis of their learner’s “toolbox”. To demonstrate their mastery of understanding of specific content, students are engaged in cross curricular challenges. During these tasks educators engage with the students, labeling the learning and skills being applied, asking prompting questions and collecting data on students ability to transfer skills to authentic learning challenges.  During the week of October 1st, students embarked on a 4 day school wide STEAM challenge ---our Westie Challenge. During the challenge, students were provided with a common challenge, a learning goal and success criteria, next the students were given time to design and engineer and finally time was provided for students to reflect. The final products created by students were available during our Open House for parents to view. Our next school wide challenge will be held during Education Week in the Spring.

How can you help? We need support from our families. To complete the STEAM Challenges throughout the year, classrooms will need materials, such as the following:• Cardboard (8 x 12 (the size of a piece of paper, unless a specific request is made by the

classroom teacher)• Plastic cups• Jars• Loose parts! (nuts, bolts, tubes, PVC pipes)• Fabric scraps• Egg cartons• Seashells• Tinfoil• Popsicle sticks• Toothpicks• Buttons• Wrapping paper & ribbon scraps

We appreciate any donations. Please send in donations with your child to your classroom teacher.

We feel that it is important that you also take this opportunity to review safe procedures with your child. Peel Regional Police have provided the following safety guidelines:• Tell your children to never go anywhere with a stranger, not to talk to strangers and

never take anything from them. You also have to teach them what a "safe stranger" is in case they need help. A safe stranger includes a police officer, a cashier, a fire fighter.

• Develop a "what if" game for children to get them thinking about how they would respond if they felt threatened or afraid.

• Know who your children play with and where they go. This includes keeping a list of their friend's addresses and phone numbers.

• Do not leave your child in unsupervised locations, such as cars, parks, public washrooms, arenas, malls and plazas, etc.

• Teach your children where and how to get help. Go with them on their regularly travelled routes.

• Your child's body is private. Tell your children that no one may touch the area their bathing suit covers. If someone tries to touch them, they should tell you immediately.

• Teach your children to talk to you immediately when someone does anything that makes them feel strange or uncomfortable. Listen when your children are trying to tell you about something that bothers them and provide them with support and understanding.

• Communicate to your children the importance of following the teacher’s instructions during a lockdown, hold and secure, bomb threat, shelter in place or fire drill and to not use cell phones to ensure their own safety.

For more information about safety at your school, review your school handbook or speak to your principal or teacher.

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School Wide Math Block... Arrive On Time For SuccessThis year at Westacres Public School we have made a commitment to a school wide Mathematics Block. This dedicated 1 hour block of time will occur between 8:40 and 9:40 am. All students from Grade 1 to Grade 5 will participate.

During this time students will receive direct instruction on my strategies and formulas from our team of educators, small group instruction to consolidate understanding and independent practice to practice the skills. Then throughout the day educators will embed opportunities for students to apply these skills and demonstrate their mastery through STEAM challenges. It is vital that students be at school on time and ready to learn each day. Missing instructional time can really put the learner at a disadvantage. Being 15 minutes late for 4 days is the equivalent of missing 1 hour of instruction.

Please help your child succeed by ensuring they arrive on time.

Coyotes have increasingly been sighted in our school community. We will continue to monitor our school area regularly. We want to remind residents that coyotes are frequently found in urban areas and are extremely adaptive in their skills. At this time of year, they are searching for food.

Do not feed coyotes, either intentionally or by leaving food out for pets.Do not approach or try to touch a coyote.Take precautions with pets. Leave cats indoors and dogs on short leashes and close to you when walking them.Avoid parks during dusk and dawn when coyotes tend to be roaming.Please note that it is extremely rare for coyotes to attack people.

Further information on normal coyote behaviour and precautions to take can be found on the City of Mississauga’s website at www.mississauga.ca. As always, please call the school if you have questions or concerns.

Coyote Sightings in our Westacres School Community

October... International Walk to School MonthAccording to the 2015 Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card, about 91 per cent of 5-to-17-year-olds are not meeting Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines to get at least 60 minutes of daily moderate-to vigorous-intensity physical activity. These declining activity levels are linked to obesity, illness and chronic diseases (i.e., cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer).

Using active transportation for the school journey is one of the easiest ways for students to get regular daily physical activity. Managing time to allow for the walk or bike ride to school will become a positive habit that leads to children arriving on time, refreshed and energized for the school day. In fact, University of Illinois research has found that just 20 minutes of easy walking boosts performance in the areas of the brain that support math and reading achievement.

Walking to school also helps out the environment. Eliminating just four short trips per week can reduce emissions by up to 100 kg of carbon dioxide per year. Families that participate in active travel

to school can prevent almost 1,000 kg of carbon dioxide per year and save money in fuel costs as well. Also, when more children walk to school and fewer parents drive their children, the areas near school zones become safer for pedestrians.

That is why our school will be participating in International Walk to School Day on Wednesday, October 10. On that day—and throughout the month, if you can—walk, bike, blade, scooter, skip or hop to school….but don’t drive!International Walk to School month is part of the Active & Safe Routes to School program. Visit www.saferoutestoschool.ca/ for more information.

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Oct. 17 Opportunity To Say ‘Thanks’ To Bus DriversPeel schools will pay tribute to bus drivers on Bus Driver Appreciation Day on Oct. 17, 2018. The day will be celebrated with special activities and events that provide teachers, students and parents an opportunity to thank the people who safely transport over 36,000 students to and from school each day.

If your child rides the bus to school, take this opportunity to thank the bus driver for their contribution and ask your child to do so too. The Peel board appreciates the important job bus drivers do each school day and Oct. 17 provides an opportunity to give these individuals the recognition they deserve.

K1 Ms. Munro and Ms. AlexanderK2 Ms. Laflamme and Ms. Hemlow K3 Ms. Moore and Mr. PereiraK4 Ms. Midgley and Ms. Pimentel 1A Ms. Goetz1&2 Ms. Buchan-Hill2A Mr. Julien2B Mr. Mulcock3A Ms. Lane 3B Ms. Little4A Ms. Scheichl4&5 Ms. McKenney5A Ms. Dubosq

Support StaffPlanning Time Mr. KelletLibrarian/STEAM Ms. HurleySpecial Education Ms. TaylorESL Educator Ms. KuscheiFrench Ms. Scheichl & Ms. McKenneyTeaching Assistants: Ms. Delattiboudere Ms. Faion Ms. Francis Mr. Nowak (a.m.) Mr. O’Connell (am)

Westacres 2017-18 Team of Educators

Westacres Public School’s School CouncilThank you to those parents who put their names forward to represent the school community by being an active part of School Council Executive Body. The following members will represent you during the 2018-2019 academic year: • Tanya Coyle • Eryn DeCoste• Curtis Gillespie• Jennifer Grande All members of the parent community are welcome to attend the meeting where they can hear about upcoming events and to voice their ideas and ask questions. Our first Whole School Community Council Meeting will be held in November. An agenda and meeting date will be shared with our parent community ASAP.

DATE HOLY DAY(S)/HOLIDAY FAITH

Oct Xlaaw and Falling Leaves Aboriginal Spirituality

Sunset of Sept30 to Oct 1

Simchat Torah Judaism

Oct 7 World Communion Sunday Christianity

Oct 8 Thanksgiving Canada

Oct 9 Sharad Navratri Hinduism

Oct 12-16 Ghambar Ayathrem Zoroastrianism

Oct 16 - Nov 3 The month of ‘Ilm Bahá’í

Oct 16 Durgaashtami Hinduism

Oct 18 Vijaya Dashmi/Dassehra Hinduism

Oct 20 Installation of the Guru Granth as Guru

Sikhism

Oct 24 Kathina Ceremony/ Pavarana Day Buddhism

Oct 27 Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva’s Enlightenment (Pravrajya)

Buddhism

Oct 27 Karva Chauth Hinduism

Oct 29 Arbaeen Islam

Oct 31 Halloween Canada

Sunset of Oct 31 to Nov1

Samhain Wicca

Celebrating Faith & Culture

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Principal’s MessageStudents, Staff, Parents, families, and community partners play a very important role in the education system at Westacres Public School. For the parents and family members that comprise the Westacres Public School Community, involvement ranges from helping with homework to joining school councils and committees. In addition, parents are attending parent-teacher interviews, attending assemblies and concerts and cheering at sporting activities. Businesses are opening their doors to provide fundraising opportunities and student leadership opportunities.

Most recently, Cobs Bread at Applewood Plaza, declared their Opening Day “Westacres Public School Day”. 100% of the proceeds from the sales on September 26th were directly donated to the school. These funds were earmarked to support our Library Learning Commons that suffered a flood the week prior to school opening. As a result of the flood, the library had 428 damaged, with only 68 books meeting the criteria for replacement funds. This was a huge blow to our student resources. Cobs Bread franchise Operator, Tony Iantorno, heard of our situation and a plan to support our community school was put into action. The school was presented with a cheque for $8013 bringing us just $987 short of our $9000 goal. Since then, family and parents of our Westacres Public School Community continue to come forward with donations, including a memorial gift place in honour of the late Gerry Hall, writer, columnist, editor of the Toronto Star Travel Section and grandparent.

Classroom Community is also vital to the success of our students. As you are aware, our school has gone through a significant Re-organization which resulted in many students being assigned to new classroom teachers and joined together with new classmates. Understanding the importance of community, Tara Goetz organized a collaborative team building day for all of our classes to participate in with their teacher on September 26th. Students transitioned through various challenges that focused on developing trust, collaboration, compassion and effective communication. Classroom teachers have now continued to focus on these important skills each day.

Our Grade Five students are also committed to our local community. Through the work that they are doing with Ms. Hurley on Global Goals, students are becoming very aware of their role and responsibility in the community. Ms. Dubosq’s and Ms. McKenney’s grade 5 students are leading our Socktober event and our food drive to support Compass Outreach Centre.

It is humbling and exciting to be a part of such a dynamic learning community. I firmly believe that it is our collective commitment to student success that ignites and sparks our students to achieve their personal best each day. Thank you for your commitment to our Westacres Public School Community.

Paul AndersonPrincipal

Getting to know... Mrs. Mercurio!!!Favourite movie... The Wizard of OzFavouite TV show... Little House on the PrairieFavourite food... steakFavourite colour... redFavouirte holiday... Christmas Favourite pie... pecanBest part about working at Westacres... the people in the building!If I wasn’t working at Westacres, I would want to be... volunteering in another schoolNot many people know that I... play the organ

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Celebrate World Teachers’ DaySince 1994, parents and students from around the world have celebrated World Teachers’ Day to commemorate the work of teachers and their contributions to society. Since October 5th is a Professional Development Day we will be recognizing World Teacher day on October 12th, take the time to let your child's teacher know they are truly appreciated. Thank your child's teacher and let them know they are making a difference.

Peel Board Recognizes Peel Principals and Vice-Principals’ Day For The First Time on Oct. 10In 2018, the board of trustees declared Oct. 10 as Peel Principals and Vice-Principals’ Day. This day allows the community to recognize the important work of principals and vice-principals, and to acknowledge their work in supporting students, staff and their communities every day.

Oct. 24 – Celebrate Peel Teaching Assistant and Early Childhood Educators’ Appreciation DayIn 2014, the board of trustees declared the last Wednesday in October as the Peel Teaching Assistant and Early Childhood Educators’ (ECE) Appreciation Day. This year, the recognition day falls on October 24, 2018. The Peel board appreciates the important work of teaching assistants and ECEs, and the contributions that they make in the lives of children, families and community members.

Celebrating Our Educators...

COBS Bread Donates Opening Day Sales to Westacres Public SchoolWESTACRES...

SHOW YOUR SCHOOL SPIRIT!!!!

Mr. Anderson and Ms. Hurley accept a donation for $8013 from Cobs Bread in Applewood Plaza. For more information, please read the Principal’s Report on Page 3.

Made By You!!!

This year at Westacres Public School, we will be hosting a Blue and Green School Colour Day each month. This will be an opportunity for students to show their school spirit. Each class will be challenged to see who can demonstrate the most school spirit on our School Colour Day.

Many students like to wear their school Spirit Wear clothing on that day. If you missed last year’s Spirit Wear Sale do not worry, we are hosting 1 more this school year. Spirit Wear will be on sale from October 1st to October 12th, 2018 (if you are using the paper order form that is returned to the school) or October 19th, 2018 (if you are using the online w e b s i t e a t www.myschoolstoreonline.com/Westacres.aspx ).

Many of our students like to wear their school Spirit Wear throughout the month!

Purchasing our school Spirit Wear is not a requirement to participate in our School Colour Day.

And don’t forget about our “Show Your School Spirit” contest on page 23.

New to the Westacres Words... our monthly “Made By You!!!” feature page! This month we want to know...

How do you show YOUR school spirit?Send us a drawing of how you show your Westacres Spirit and it may be featured in the November Westacres Words. Featured drawings will be selected at random from all drawings submitted.

Drawings must be brought into the office by Wednesday, October 24th to be considered for November’s newsletter. Please include your name and grade.

And watch November’s issue for the theme for December’s newsletter.

WESTIE CHALLENGEJust two of the incredible results from Grade 2 and Grade 5 at the first “Westie STEAM Challenge” of 2018/19. Turn to page 6 for more information.

Your drawing

could be Printed

here Next

Month!!!!!

Don’t miss this month’s highlights...Principal’s Report..... page 3

STEAM Challenges & Socktober/Food Drive... page 6 & 7

Halloween at Westacres... page 8

Regional Learning Choices Programs... page 13

Important Dates....... back page (new... tear away and post on your fridge!)

and look for our new Westacres Wows!, Word Search and Made By You feature pages!!!

WESTACRES WORDSOct. 1 Beginning of Socktober & Food Drive Campaign

Oct. 3 Terry Fox Walk

Oct. 4 Welcome Back BBQ 4:30 - 6:30

Oct. 4 Open House 6:00 - 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 5 Professional Activity Day

Oct. 8 Thanksgiving

Oct. 10 Principal’s & Vice Principal’s Day

Oct. 12 World Teacher’s Day Celebration

Oct. 12 Paper School Spirit Wear Order Forms Due

Oct. 15 Grade 3s to Jack Smythe Field Centre

Oct. 17 Bus Driver Appreciation Day

Oct. 18 Dental Screening for Year 1 and Year 2 Kindergarten and Grade 2

Oct 19. Online School Spirit Wear Orders Due

Oct. 23-25 Xfusion for K to Grade 5

Oct. 24 Photo Day

Oct. 24 Teaching Assistant & Early Childhood Educator’s Appreciation Day

Oct. 25 Xfusion Family Night at 6:00 pm in our school gym

Oct. 26 Aussie X Leadership day for Grades 4 to 5

Oct. 26 School Colours Day

Oct. 29 Month End Assembly 1:00 pm

Oct. 31 Black, Orange and White Spirit Day

Oct. 31 Halloween Parade 1:20 pm

Nov. 1Kindergarten in school field trip

Nov. 12-15 Book Fair

Nov. 15 Reporting to Parents Evening

Nov. 16 Reporting to Parents Morning

Nov. 21 Photo Retake Day and Class Photo

IMPORTANT DATES

Weekly Events:* Tuesday - Pizza lunches (for those who ordered)* Wednesday - Cookie Wednesday ($2)

* Thursday - Pita lunches (for those who ordered)* Friday - Lunch Lady (for those who ordered)

WESTACRES PUBLIC SCHOOL / OCTOBER 2018

2165 Breezy Brae Drive. Mississauga ON L4Y 1N2Principal: Paul AndersonSuperintendent: Paul da Silva

Telephone: 905-277-0912 Fax: 905-277-3859Office Manager: Cathy MercurioTrustee & Chair of Board: Janet McDougald

“Safe Arrival” SystemTo report your child’s absence, call, visit or download...

1-855-209-6155 pdsb.schoolconnects.com Download the “Safearrival” mobile app Q: What did one leaf say to another? A: I’m falling for you.

Q: I’m tall when I’m young and short when I’m old and I like to stand inside pumpkins. What am I? A: A candle.

Q: Who won the skeleton beauty contest?A: No body.

Q: What kind of mistakes do ghosts make?A: Boo boos.

Riddle Me This...

Did you know...

Fun Facts for the Month of October

The birth flowers for the month of October are cosmos and marigoldsThe most rain to ever fall in one day in Canada happened on October 6th, 1967 in British Columbia... almost 20 inches (about Just over 1.5 feet!) in 24 hours!!!There will be two meteor showers in October... one on October 9th and one on October 21/22.The first Thanksgiving Day in Canada was held on April 15, 1872. It wasn’t until 1957 when the date of the second Monday in October was set as the permanent date for Canadian Thanksgiving.