www.erinmills.net telephone: 905-820-9777

"Our Passion is Success!" Home of the Mustangs

Important Dates

November 7 Reporting to Parents

Evening

November 8 Reporting to Parents

*No School*

November 7-12 Book Fair

November 11 Remembrance Day Assembly

November 12

Picture Retake Day

November 18-22 Bullying Awareness

Week

December 4-7PM School Council

December 11 Winter Concert

December 20 *No School*

December 23-

January 3 Winter Break

Trustee: Brad MacDonald 905-828-6929

November/December 2013

Erin Mills is now on Twitter! Follow us at: https://twitter.com/ErinMillsPDSB

November 4, 2013

Dear Erin Mills Community,

It’s hard to believe it’s already November! So many great things have been happening at Erin Mills with students settling in to their classes and extra-curricular activities in full swing (see pages 4-6,10). Each day as we walk through the halls and classrooms we see students en-gaged in learning, creating, and building relationships. It’s exciting to look ahead and anticipate the upcoming student performances and tournaments. We are also pleased that our renovation appears to be reaching the final stages and that we will soon have a welcoming place for our staff, students and parents to come together as a community of learners.

Bullying Awareness week (see page 2) is November 18-22nd.

The Diversity and Inclusion Charter of Peel states: Choose Action, to create an inclusive environment w hich values, respects and embraces the diversity and equity of o thers, where people have both the feeling and reality of belongi ng, so that everyone can achieve their full potential .

At Erin Mills, we strive to create an environment where all students can achieve success and where they have a sense of belonging. We hope your child has found something that inspires him/her to get in-volved-whether it be an academic club, the arts, music, or a sports team/intramurals. We also hope our students have set goals, both per-sonally and academically, and have a plan for how to reach their goals. Make goal setting part of your conversations with your child and, as al-ways, contact the homeroom teacher for updates and supports with how we can collectively support students to achieve their full potential.

Sincerely,

Mr. Logue Ms Dewees Mrs. Hart Mrs. Nummi Principal Vice Principal Office Manager Office Assistant

Friday, November 18

We are finishing the

week with an assembly that will high-

light work our students

have been doing around

bullying.

Monday, November 18

The week kicks off with

a special presentation

by Leo Barbe. Leo uses

spoken word and hip

hop to inspire hope!

Choose Action on Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week The Peel District School Board will recognize Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week during the week of November 18 to 22. Across the Peel board, schools use many programs and initiatives to prevent bullying and to intervene when bullying happens. Though the programs vary, their messages are consistent. Students are taught to:

• define bullying • identify forms of bullying • identify roles in bullying relationships, for example the person who bullies, the tar-

get, the bystander or the trusted advocate • determine how to safely “choose action” to prevent and intervene in bullying & • harassment • demonstrate character attributes and be a leader to help maintain positive and safe

school communities •

Every school has a Climate for Learning and Working Team which is required to develop a Bullying Prevention and Intervention Plan as part of the School Success Plan. Also, every em-ployee who is involved in the care and service of students is obligated to report in writing to the school administration any action for which the principal must consider suspension or expul-sion. Bullying is an offence that must be considered for suspension. Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week is one of the key items contained in Bill 13: The Ac-cepting Schools Act, that came into effect on September 1, 2012. For more information, visit: www.peelschools.org/aboutus/safeschools/bullying/ or www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/safeschools/prevention.html

Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week at Erin MIll s

Check out some of the activities

that will be happening!

All Week The Grade 6 Drama Club will be organizing an interactive photo booth where students can express their thoughts and feelings about bullying.

Nov 18-22 is anti-bullying week at Erin Mills.

Teaching and Learning

In the last newsletter, we communicated staff had set a goal and were working towards increasing the number of students arriving in class prepared to learn. Through a variety of strategies, the number of lates has decreased and more students are arriving in class on time and ready to learn. Staff continue learning about how we can engage students and improve learning through Critical Thinking.

Climate for Learning and Working

November 18-22 is Bullying Awareness Week. Staff will continue working with students around bullying and how we all need to be accepting of those around us. The character trait for November is “Cooperation” and our Learning Skill focus is “Collaboration.” The character trait for December is “Honesty” and our Learning Skill focus is “Initiative”

Leadership for Learning

Many staff have been engaging in professional development about climate, critical thinking, student engagement and the environment. They have been excited to share their learning with colleagues.

School Success Update:

Erin Mills School Council School Council fundraisers are underway. Collection for catalogues are taking place this week. We continue to have success with Sub and Pizza days. Please support our students by participating in the hot lunch program. Pizza days are Monday and Wednesday and are ordered a month at a time. Sub days are Thursd ays and students order subs a week in advance. Our next council meeting will take place on Wednesday, December 4, 2013 at 7 P.M. Please come out and join us!

From the Guidance Corner... Student Council has been busy with many activities and initiatives. Food Donations were collected for the Edenwood Community Food Bank, and there was a challenge between the Houses to see who could raise the most food. As well, Student Council organized a fun Activity Afternoon for Oc-tober 31st.

Cawthra Secondary School visited Erin Mills on October 29th and all students in grades 6, 7 and 8 were treated to a wonderful presentation about the various Arts programs available at the school through their Regional Arts Program.

Our grade 8s will be busy! On November 4th our grade 8s are attending a presentation by Skills Canada, and on the 13th they have the opportunity to attend a presentation by Gordon Graydon Secondary School regarding their International Business & Technology Program. As well, some students will be attending "Try A Trade" at West Credit Secondary School, while others will be at-tending the "Taste of High School" at Clarkson Secondary School. Parents and Guardians, please check the Guidance si te regularly as there are many updates regarding upcoming High School information nights, as well as many useful resources.

Our Library Leaders from grades 6 to 8 have been busy keeping the library organized and accessible for students. Many of them have also been involved in the process of promoting our upcoming Scholastic Book Fair. The book fair will run from Thursday, November 7 to Tuesday, November 12, 2013. Parents are welcome to attend on November 7 and November 8, the same dates as our Parent-Teacher interviews. We look forward to seeing you!

The music department is in full swing. The grades 6, 7 and 8 bands have started rehears-als for the upcoming Winter Concert on December 11 th. The concert will begin at 6:30 pm with the grade 6 band, who will be performing for the very first time. As well as the bands, the concert will showcase the vocal ensemble, small groups and soloists. It promises to be a great evening of music. The grade 8 band and vocal ensemble are also preparing for their first performance on Remembrance Day . The assembly will begin around 10:30 am so the Last Post may be played at 11:00 am. The music department is currently having the annual poinsettia fundraiser. Order forms have been distributed in class. If you would like a form, please go to Mrs. McAlpine’s class site. The form is attached under the “Upcoming Events” section. Extra order forms are also available in the music room. Orders forms are due by November 15 th and poinsettias will be delivered on Thursday December 5 th. The money raised will go to the music department. In past years, the fundraiser has enabled us to purchase drum sets, music instruments and stereo equipment.

Music News

Thank-you for your continued support. We look forward to performing for you on December 1 1th!

The Library at EMMS

Over the last cou-ple of months stu-dents in all grades have been busy thinking, creating, and expressing themselves through their art works.

Self-Portrait by Hala-Grade 8

Line Art by Lea-Grade 7

Line Art by Charlotte-Grade 7

Students in grade seven have been exploring the expressive qualities of line and looking at environmental art. Students in grade eight have been studying Pablo Picasso and creating origi-nal works inspired by the artist himself.

aRt @

Erin

Mills

Water Colour by Lara-Grade 6

Water Colour by Alexander-Grade 6

Students in grade six have been exploring water colour paints, painting techniques, and studying the New York Abstract Expressionsists.

To view these art pieces in full colour, please visit our website at www.erinmills.net

Peel board students have choice Explore program options at makingmyway.ca

Students have different needs, interests and abilities—our schools offer great educational opportuni-ties to help all students achieve. For students looking for a more focused, specialized program, here are some options: Regional programs start in grades 6, 7 and 9 Students in regional programs still complete all of the requirements of the Ontario curriculum, but there is an increased focus on an area of interest. Information nights for students applying to start programs in September 2014 begin this November. Programs include:

More options for Peel board students • co-operative education programs provide workplace experience

• extended French starts in grade 7

• dual credit programs allow student to earn college credits at same time as secondary school credits

• alternative programs are available for students who need flexible school hours, are dealing with unique situations, or require more support

Our guidance counsellors can help students determine which courses will best meet their needs, in-terests and abilities—contact the school to make an appointment.

For more information about regional programs, Speci alist High Skills Major programs and other programs of choice available to Peel board st udents, visit www.makingmyway.ca.

Environment Club News The Erin Mills Environment Club is going strong wit h 30 dedicated students. Since we started school in September, the Environme nt Club has: • Audited Erin Mills’ waste and energy usage and is developing campaigns to reduce these throughout the

school. • Hosted the Waste Free Lunch Challenge, October 21st - 25th. Mrs Arczewski’s 601 class was the winner

of this challenge, with the most waste free lunches. Check out wastefreelunch .com to find out how our school did and get tips on how you can send your child to school with a waste free lunch.

• Invited a representative from Peel Region to present appropriate recycling practices to the whole school. Students are now making better choices when it comes to recycling. Please ask them to show you how to recycle appropriately in your home.

• Entered the One Million Trees Mississauga campaign. We counted 262 trees and shrubs that have been planted to beautify the school grounds. We are currently in 4th place in the School Grounds’ top planters.

• Developed an Eco Travelling Show that presents to different classes during home room to raise aware-ness of the impact we have on our environment and how we can change our behaviour to create a health-ier planet.

• Continued to sell our popular Erin Mills Stainless Steel Water Bottles for only $7.00. Please purchase one for your child’s Waste Free Lunch kit!

We encourage Parent Volunteers to be a part of our Environment Club. If you can spare an hour each Friday at lunch, please join us!

Many students will become anxious at the thought of writing a test. Anxiety about an upcom-ing test can affect a child's behaviour, thoughts a nd actions. Here are some ways you can help minimize anxiety at test time: Organize & Prepare • Encourage your child not to leave assignments, studying and home-

work to the last minute. • Schedule time for review and work on assignments each day. • Establish a regular time of the day for homework, studying etc. • Make the home a homework-friendly environment where learning is

regular routine. • Remove distractions like the television, stereo, telephone when

studying. • Tell your child to make sure tests and due dates are marked in their

agenda. Practice • Encourage your child to think about ‘what, when, where and how’ when preparing/completing

assignments. • Develop practice tests and help them anticipate questions. • Review previous exercises. • When appropriate, encourage your child to pair up with a friend to review information and

brainstorm. • Build learning into family activities— suggest keeping a journal, writing a report or a news arti-

cle about family events, outings or trips. Be in the know • Check out the curriculum for your child’s grade level (available as PDF files at

www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum) • Ask your child’s teacher about major topics studied and how these topics are structured—

homework, assignments, exercises • Use your child’s agenda to communicate with their teacher—ask questions, check for home-

work tips, etc.

Help your child prepare for tests

Need help in math? Free tutoring now available onli ne Math students in grades 7 to 10 can access live, interactive online math help by visiting www.homeworkhelp.ilc.org. Homework Help is free, real-time math tutoring by certified Ontario teach-ers. Students can log in from Sunday to Thursday, between 5:30 and 9:30 p.m. for individualized confiden-tial math tutoring. There are discussion rooms for each grade where students can join and see what questions other students are asking, watch the tutors draw on the whiteboard – and ask their own question for on-the-spot help. Students will also find 24/7 discussion rooms, video lessons and commonly asked questions. Other online math resources include math games and a virtual locker, where students can save their work. Homework Help is a project funded by the Ministry of Education.

Remembrance Day Assembly

On Monday, November 11th, our school will hold a Remembrance Day Assembly. We assemble to remember the men and women who have fought throughout Canada’s history to protect the rights and freedoms we have here in Canada. Poppies are available for students to wear on Remembrance Day. Students are asked to make a donation for a poppy. Poppies will be handed out on the morning of the assembly. All children are asked to wear a poppy to the assembly.

Register for Extended French by Jan. 31, 2014 Are you thinking of registering your child for Extended French (EF)? For the 2014-15 school year, parents must register children for entry into grade 7 Extended French by 4 p.m. on Friday, January 31, 2014 . The registration date will help determine the number of grade 7 Extended French classes at each school for the following September. The board can then hire the appropriate number of qualified staff. As well, because the regis-tration date happens earlier, the intention is that no new EF classes will be created at reorganization time in Sep-tember, so the level of student disruption will be reduced. Registration Registration for EF will be done through an online registration form that will be available on Nov. 22 at www.peelschools.org/parents/programs/French/registr ation What is the EF program like? What are the advantage s and disadvantages of the program? How can you tell if it is the right choice for your child? One way to help answer these questions is to attend the information meeting at the EF school your child would at-tend. Meet the principal and some of the teachers from the school. Hear about the program and have an opportu-nity to ask questions. Talk with some parents whose children are now in the program. A parent information night will be held at each EF school in Peel on Nov. 21 at 7 p.m. How to get more information Visit the Peel board website—www.peelschools.org/parents/programs/French/registr ation . Call [name of Extended French school] at [phone number]. Visit the Canadian Parents for French website at www.cpfont.on.ca .

Continuing Education International Languages 2013-2 014 program

Elementary international languages courses are available to currently enrolled Peel District School Board stu-dents. Instruction is provided in Arabic, Bengali, Cantonese, Eritrean, Greek, Gujarati, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Malayalam, Mandarin and Mandarin-Pinyin, Marathi, Nepali, Persian, Polish, Punjabi, Serbian, Sinhalese, Span-ish, Tamil, Urdu and Vietnamese. The program is available at 22 locations in Brampton and Mississauga. For details on which languages are available at what locations, please visit our website at www.peelschools.org/conted/il. How do I register my child? Registration is an online process accessible through the website at www.peelschools.org/conted/il. Registration for elementary classes remains open until February 28, 2014. En-rolment is limited at each location and classes with insufficient enrolment will be cancelled.

Hand washing is the most important way to prevent the spread of infection. Always wash your hands with soap and water when they are dirty. Clean your hands before: • touching your eyes, nose or mouth • touching/preparing food or drinks • eating or drinking caring for someone in your home who can easily get sick

(baby, elderly or someone who has an unhealthy immune system) first aid Clean your hands after: • touching pets or other animals • touching raw meat, particularly chicken • touching surfaces such as a railing or grocery cart • touching money • touching objects sick people have touched • touching blood or body fluids such as urine, vomit or feces • contact with those who have a cold, the flu, diarrhea or virus of any kind • changing diapers • wiping your own or a child’s nose • sneezing or coughing • using a facial tissue • using the washroom • removing gloves • cleaning gardening What to do when you cough or sneeze: • cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve • put used tissues in the wastebasket clean your hands with soap and water or a hand sanitizer

For more information call Peel Health at 905-799-77 00 or visit www.peelregion.ca/flu.

Prevent the flu. It’s in your hands.