NEWSLETTER

January 2017

“Inspiring our students to recognize their diverse talents”

Queen Elizabeth Senior Public School

60 South Service Road

Mississauga, Ontario

L5G 2R9

Phone 905-278-7287

Ms Anne Muller, Principal

Mr. K.A. Edwards, Superintendent

Mrs. J. McDougald, Trustee

Website:

http://queenelizabethsr.peelschools.org/

Follow us on twitter @ QESrPS

“ Put first things first”

Upcoming Dates:

January 2017

16 & 17 & 24 Scientists in School

Gr.7

23 PD Day

25 Spirit of Harriet Tubman—Gr.7

26 QE Arts Information Night

6:30 pm

PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE

On behalf of the Queen Elizabeth staff, I would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year!

As is the case in most schools, December was a very busy month at QE! We have lots of students who are already signed up for Camp Tawingo in February (14

th-16

th) and staff is busy making alternate plans for those

students who will be staying back at ‘Camp QE’! Stay tuned for more information shortly!

I would like to congratulate the members of the Grades 7 and 8 Bands and Strings for their wonderful performances on the evenings of Tuesday, December 13

th and Thursday, December 15

th, and a performance during

the morning of December 20th. Their growth in four months is amazing!

We were able to contribute over 40 boxes of food to the Compass Food Bank as a result of our Student Climate Team’s December food drive. A heartfelt thank-you to everyone who contributed so generously to this worthy cause and to our Student Climate team for organizing it! Congratulations to the students in 7G who brought in over 200 items, beating out the other classes and winning a pizza party!

As our calendar suggests, the month of January is going to be a full one. Please watch for your child’s Term One Report Card coming home on Thursday, February 9, 2017.

Sincerely,

Anne Muller

Principal

OFFICE NEWS

Thank you to our office helpers Morgan and Anna,

and to our office announcers this month Deepasri

and Niaj. Great job!

PD Day January 23rd

Report card writing and assessment day.

There will be no school for students

PAJAMA DAY

A fun and spirited day!

STAFF/STUDENT VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT

In addition to having a lot of fun $94. was raised and donated to The Compass food bank.

SCHOOL COUNCIL

Thanks to everyone who volunteered and shopped at our fundraiser, Fair December. The event was an enormous

success; we had an extremely large attendance with happy shoppers finding all sorts of treasures. Our cafe was very

popular and the student performers were fabulous. The total amount of money raised will be announced in January.

Thanks again to all those who participated, we look forward to next year!

The next School Council meeting will take place Tuesday, February 28th, 2017 at 6:30 PM.

SCHOOL PARKING LOT SAFETY AT QE

Most elementary schools offer a Kiss & Ride program, where parents/guardians can drop off and pick up their children at a designated area on school property. The program was established to provide a convenient and safe option for our students and parents driving to school. To ensure the safety of students and staff, we ask all parents/guardians be mindful of the following guidelines:

There is no parking nor waiting in the Kiss & Ride lane. Please pay attention to the traffic in front of you and pull forward as cars move forward. If you choose to park in the parking lot, please escort your child to or from the main crosswalk at the flag pole;

Vehicles entering the Kiss & Ride lane must stay in the designated lane, unless otherwise directed by a staff member;

Have your child ready to exit the car when you reach the flagpole. Students may only exit from the passen-ger (right) side of the vehicle;

After picking up or dropping off your child, please leave promptly so that others can get in behind you;

If your child is not waiting for you at the flag pole at the end of the day, please park in a designated parking space to wait; and

Please exercise extra caution during bad weather.

If everyone follows these guidelines, we can help ensure all our students, staff and parents remain safe in our parking lot. Thanks everyone for your cooperation and vigilance in this very important matter.

Celebrating Faith and Culture January 2017

DATE CELEBRATION FAITH AND CULTURE

Month of January K'aliyee & Spirit moon Aboriginal Spirituality

January 1 Temple Day Buddhism

January 1 and 14 (J) New Year’s Day Christianity and Canada

January 1 Gantan-sai Shinto

January 5 Sakyamuni Buddha’s Enlightenment Buddhism

January 5 Birth of Guru Gobind Singh Sikhism

January 6 and 19 (J) Epiphany or Feast of Theophany Christianity

January 7 (J) Christmas Christianity

January 9 Seijin-no-hi Shinto

January 12 Mahayana New Year Buddhism

January 13 Lohri Hinduism

January 13 Maghi Sikhism

January 14 Makar Sankranti Hinduism

January 15 World Religion Day Bahá'í

January 18 to February 5 Month of Sultán Bahá'í

January 28 Lunar New Year Buddhism

Middle School Regional Learning Choices Programs

Regional Learning Choices Programs offered by the Peel District School Board empower students by provid-ing an opportunity to develop and explore skills in a particular area of interest. These programs are open to all students who meet the criteria for acceptance. Information Nights 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. If you are unable to attend the infor-mation night, program details and information about the application process are available through the school. How to apply The application process for elementary regional programs opens in mid-January 2017. Application dates for middle school programs vary from school to school. The application window for our secondary regional pro-grams has closed for this school year. Visit www.peelschools.org/RegionalPrograms to learn more about our programs, application process and transportation eligibility.

Health and Physical Education Curriculum supports the physical, emotional

and social well-being of students

Working together to keep our students safe and healthy

The Peel District School Board implemented the Ministry of Education’s revised Health and Physical Education (HPE) curriculum in the 2015-16 school year. The curriculum is divided into four elements that work together to support the physical, emotional and social well-being of students:

active living

movement competence

living skills

healthy living

Peel staff will again teach the human development and sexual health component to students, beginning spring 2017. This provides time for teachers to develop strong relationships with their students prior to this phase.

Advance notice letters will be sent home with students two weeks prior to the human development/sexual health les-sons. Families can submit religious accommodation requests at any time prior to the lesson by contacting the school directly.

To get more information on how the HPE curriculum will be taught, please visit our website at www.peelschools.org/HPE.

Help your teen plan for course selections for 2017-18

As our partners, families are encouraged to help prepare their teens for course selection. We encourage you to become familiar with the process by creating a myBlueprint account. Additionally, parents/guardians and students can review Chart Your Course, the Peel District School Board’s common course calendar, at www.peelschools.org/students/commoncoursecalendar. This guide will help you understand the course selection process and provide information on the courses and programs offered in Peel secondary schools.

You can visit www.myBlueprint.ca/Peel to access your own myBlueprint account, an online planning tool, to ex-plore features such as:

High School – plan courses, track progress toward graduation, and instantly identify post-secondary eligibility for opportunities in every pathway

Post-Secondary planner– compare detailed information on apprenticeships, college programs, university programs and workplace sectors

Career spectrum for finding your learning style

Portfolios – create several portfolios (e.g. Career Portfolio) and share them with parents, teachers, or future em-ployers. It’s simple to add work you have completed in myBlueprint or add pictures and videos

Job Search – find real-world job and volunteering postings that relate to occupations of interest

Goals – add interactive SMART goals and action plans

Resumes & Cover Letters – record experiences, build a resume, write a cover letter

Occupations – compare comprehensive information on occupations

Money – build a budget to track income and expenses

The secondary school course selection process is open from Dec. 5, 2016 to Feb. 21, 2017. If you have questions or are looking for course suggestions, please contact your teen’s teachers or guidance counsellor.

Conference helps parents make a difference in numeracy and beyond

The Peel District School Board is hosting its annual parent conference on Saturday, April 1, 2017, at Mississauga Sec-ondary School in Mississauga. Once again, the conference will focus on numeracy—25 out of 60 workshops help with math. Parents will still have the opportunity to attend workshops on other topics, including literacy, special education and science.

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

Registration opens Feb.1, 2017

Stay up-to-date!

For more information, look out for the conference flyer at your child's school or visit www.peelschools.org/parents/

conference.

Nutritious lunches help children learn

Use Canada’s Food Guide to help your child get nutrients and energy needed to have a successful school day.

Try to give your child some choice about what to take for lunch. If possible, get your child involved in preparing meals.

Give your child a variety of healthy choices. Keeping your child interested in lunch is the first step to making sure it is eaten.

Make the food easy to eat. If it will take your child a few minutes to unwrap a sandwich, it may be skipped.

Resist the temptation to routinely send sweets, pop, chips and cookies in your child's lunch. Save treats for special occasions.

Try to avoid fast food or pre-packaged, convenience lunches, which are often high in salt and fat.

Do your best to role model healthy eating behaviours for your family.

To speak to a registered dietitian about healthy food choices, call EatRight Ontario at 1-877-510-5102.

For more information about the policy, visit http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/healthyschools. If you have questions about how we are implementing the School Food and Beverage Policy, please call the school.

Winter bus safety

The following winter school bus safety tips will help to keep your child safe throughout the winter months.

Allow extra time to get to your bus stop.

Wear bright clothing so the bus can see you in the early morning and late evening.

Stand away from where the bus stops. Buses need extra room to stop when there is snow and ice.

Use the handrail when boarding or exiting the bus to prevent slipping on wet or icy steps or road surfaces.

Dress properly—winter clothing, hats, and boots will keep you warm.

Don't throw snowballs at the bus or other children waiting for the bus.

Don't slide on the snow or ice patches in driveways or on the street.

Don't push or shove around the bus. Someone could fall down on the ice and get hurt.

On very rare occasions, buses are late because of weather conditions or mechanical problems. Talk to your child about what to do if the bus is late. Here are some suggestions:

When possible, wait with your child for the bus.

Make sure your child knows a phone number where he can reach you or another trusted adult.

Teach your child how and where to get help. Talk to your child about what a "safe" stranger is.

Help your child set up a bus stop buddy system so your child has someone to wait with for the bus.

Help your family stay warm this winter

Peel Public Health recommends the following cold weather guidelines for preventing cold-weather injuries:

1. Reduce amount of time children (grade 8 and under) spend outdoors when the temperature is –20 degrees Celsi-

us or colder, with or without the wind chill.

2. Keep children indoors when the temperature is -25 degrees Celsius or colder, with or without wind chill. Some

medical conditions may increase sensitivity to cold. Parents should consult their physician (Source: Environment Can-ada).

3. Allow indoor breaks if children say they are feeling cold or during extreme temperatures.

4. Ensure children are dressed warmly, covering exposed skin: insulated boots, winter weight coats, mittens, hats,

neck warmers.

5. Change wet clothing or footwear immediately.

6. Although these conditions are unlikely to occur during the school day, ensure that all staff are able to recognize

and treat symptoms of frostbite and hypothermia. Given plenty of warm fluids to prevent dehydration.

7. When children are outside, be watchful for shivering or signs of numbness in faces, ears, hands or feet.

8. Educate children in dealing with cold weather: drinking plenty of fluids, dressing warmly, and recognizing signs of

cold injury.

Bus cancellation & closing schools due to bad weather

During the winter months, we may need to cancel buses or close schools because of inclement weather.

Information regarding details of cancellations or closures will be announced on radio and television stations listed below and will also be available on Twitter @Peelschools, Facebook at www.facebook.com/peelschools, www.peelschools.org and www.stopr.ca or by calling

905-890-1010 or 1-800-668-1146.

VIRGIN RADIOFM99.9 CHUM AM1050 CFTR AM680

CFNY FM102.1/AM640 CJCL AM590 CHFI FM98.1

NEWSTALK1010 AM EZ ROCK FM97.3 CJBC (FR) AM860

FM Z103.5 FM93.1 FM Q107

CHIN FM100.7/AM1540 CBC99.1 CITYPULSE

GLOBAL NEWS CTV BREAKFAST TELEVISION

One of the following messages will be announced (highlighted text only):

Peel District School Board buses are cancelled.

This means that schools remain open for students and staff, but buses are cancelled. Bus cancellations could occur in all or parts of municipalities. Buses will remain cancelled all day. All activities that require busing will also be cancelled. Permits, night school clas-ses, child care and other activities in schools will operate as usual.

All Peel District School Board schools and board offices are closed.

This means that all schools and Board offices are closed to students and staff. All activities in schools and board offices are also can-celled, including child care, night school and permits.

All evening programs and permits at the Peel District School Board are cancelled.

This means that all activities in schools and Board offices are cancelled, including continuing education courses and events. The buildings will be closed.

Time for school - A parent’s guide to regular school attendance

Elementary school is a wonderful time in the life of a child, a time of great strides in learning and in social and emotional development. Many things affect your child’s success, from the quality of his or her teachers, to the makeup of the class. One of the most important factors is your child’s regular and timely attendance.

Getting to class on time, and avoiding absences, are critical if your child is to get the most out of school. It seems obvi-ous. But the fact is that elementary students tend to miss and average of eight or more school days during the year. What can you as a parent do to help ensure your child’s proper attendance?

Is your child missing more? Why does attendance matter?

First, understand that getting to school–every day and on time–matters at every level, perhaps even more so in ele-mentary school. That’s because important learning occurs daily, right from the start of class. And because you establish patterns early on. By being punctual and responsible, children are acquiring positive habits about school attendance. Some other things to consider:

By being late, children miss important social time with their peers before school begins.

Students who are late often feel embarrassed or self-conscious.

Late arrivals can disrupt the routine of the classroom.

A last-minute rush can be stressful for the child, and get her to school in the wrong frame of mind.

Missing even five or 10 minutes of the day can make it harder for the student to understand the material being taught.

Frequent absenteeism leads to gaps in a child’s skills and knowledge base, cause the child to fall behind his peers and hurt his self-esteem.

Too many missed school days can increase isolation, as the child stands out from her classmates and misses op-portunities to develop socially.

Absenteeism makes it tougher for the child to develop a good rapport with the teachers.

When Time is Ticking

Few homes run like clockwork. The morning routine, especially, can be a mad scramble. But there are effective strate-gies for getting your little one up and out the door on time.

Get your child to bed at a reasonable hour.

Set realistic and consistent schedules and rules at home. Getting ready for school should be part of the child’s overall routine, something that’s expected of him every day.

The night before school, do whatever is necessary to shave time in the morning, such as setting out clothes, pack-ing lunch, and setting schoolbags at the door.

Have a set morning routine that the child can easily follow, i.e. washing hands and face, going to the bathroom, dressing, making the bed, brushing teeth, and eating a healthy breakfast.

Avoid any distractions that can slow the child down, like TV or games.

If you’re running late regularly, set your alarm to get up earlier.

Is it a sick day? Children do get sick sometimes – they are still developing natural resistance to certain infections, their hygiene behaviours are still developing and germs spread more easily in a classroom. So some missed school is unavoidable, for the child’s own well-being, and the protection of her classmates. But there are ways to cut down on sick days.

Teach your child about proper handwashing, after going to the bathroom, playing outside or wiping his nose.

Follow other healthy habits, from eating nutritious food to getting enough sleep.

Some symptoms make school attendance uncomfortable, like a fever, vomiting, or diarrhea. But if you’re unsure whether your child is sick enough to miss school, talk to your doctor.

Some children pretend to be sick to avoid school. Ask yourself is the child’s symptoms are vague, (i.e. a headache, upset stomach, fatigue), if your child tends to miraculously recover just after school starts or ends, or if the illness is happening during stressful times at school or at home. Allowing your child to remain home when there’s no real illness sets a bad pattern.

If you decide to keep your child home, please report your child’s absence via the SafeArrival system quickly and conveniently in one of the three ways:

- Call an automated, interactive toll free number – 1-855-209-6155

- Report absences online by accessing the SafeArrival parent portal on pdsb.schoolconnects.com

- Download the SafeArrival mobile application for Apple and Android devices

Once you have reported your child’s absence, keep the child in bed or doing quiet, low-key activities. A day off from school shouldn’t be a holiday, it should be a time to recuperate from illness, so the child can return as soon as possible.

Set the right example

Children follow the lead of their parents. If you place an importance on regular and prompt school attendance, so will your child.

Show interest in your child’s education by asking about the school day, celebrating school successes, attending school events and parent-teacher interviews, volunteering at school, and communicating with your child’s teacher. The more you value school, the more your child will.

Provide a home environment that encourages learning and curiosity.

Treat the school hours with respect. If you have to make an appointment for your child, arrange it before or after school or, if that’s not possible, at the very beginning or end of the day.

When it comes to planning family trips, some parents will factor in the schedule in the higher grades, but think little of pulling their child out of school. If anything, younger students can be affected more when they miss an extended period, finding it tough to relearn classroom routines and rejoin their peer group. Learning is cumulative, building on the skills and concepts that were introduced before. And this process is ongoing. Family trips can be wonderful learning experiences themselves. But if they must occur during the school year, please save them for scheduled breaks.

If your child resists going to school, for no apparent reason, talk to him or her about any possible problems with the school, teacher or other kids. However, don’t give in to coaxing, pleading or threatening and keep the child at home. That creates a bad precedent.