Dates to

Remember:

Dec. 9 - Grade 4 &

4/5 Trip to Walker

Living Campus

Dec. 16 - Electrici-

ty Presentation

Dec. 20 - Grade 7

Immunization

Dec. 24 to Jan. 8

- Winter Break

DECEMBER 2016

The important thing to note is that Dream-

Box Learning makes calculated curriculum

adjustments based on students’ unique input

and demonstrated proficiencies. If students

are hesitant about providing this information,

then DreamBox Learning does not make

these required adjustments.

For this reason, if students make a habit of

exiting lessons by using the “Stop” button,

instead of completing the lessons, then

DreamBox won’t assign them new, easier to

understand lessons in a timely fashion. In

worst-case scenarios, where a student keeps

exiting the same lesson repeatedly and

doesn’t try doing any other lessons, Dream-

Box can stop offering other lessons entirely!

If your child is saying that his or her lessons

are too hard, then watch him or her use

DreamBox for a while, to see if he or she is

using the “Stop” button when frustrated. If

he or she is, coach him or her on when it is

and is not appropriate to use “Stop” mid-

lesson. Then encourage your child to push

through every lesson, even if it is a little diffi-

cult or he or she has to guess or make mis-

takes, and you should see more appropriate

lessons being offered. Remember, too, that

the “Help” button is always available—one

click repeats the lesson instructions, while a

second click gives more detailed instructions.

Used in this manner, the “Help” button can

help a child who is stuck on a difficult activity,

and will not have a negative impact on the

child’s score for the lesson.

WHAT IF THE LESSONS IN DREAMBOX GET TO HARD?

DreamBox Learning usually needs some time

to adjust to students’ instructional levels

when they first start. When students begin

using DreamBox Learning for the first time,

they start at a level one grade prior to their

current grade. For this reason, it’s actually

common for a student’s first experience with

DreamBox Learning to be “too easy.”

Keep in mind, though, that this is by design—

DreamBox is, as always, testing children to

see what they already know! So, if your child

thinks the lessons are too easy, then the best

thing he or she can do is complete the les-

sons as quickly as possible, and to the best of

his or her ability. By doing so, DreamBox

Learning will determine that your child finds

this material too easy, and will adjust his or

her pacing and lesson placement accordingly.

For best results, encourage your child to seek

out the yellow-bordered lessons marked

with gold stars (in the Primary Environment)

or the lessons marked with gold coins (in the

Intermediate Environment). These lessons

give students the best and fastest opportuni-

ty to prove their existing knowledge, and

thus they can move forward more quickly.

WHAT IF THE LESSONS IN DREAMBOX ARE TOO EASY?

3691 Dorchester Rd.,

Niagara Falls, ON

905-354--3916

Principal -

H. Nunnenmacher

Secretary -

S. Mannella

ORCHARD PARK PUBLIC SCHOOL

Our Lost

and

Found is

overflow-

ing. Items will be

out on display until

Dec. 23rd. Please

stop in to see if an-

ything belongs to

your child. Un-

claimed items will

be donated to a

charity in need.

Students are challenged to use

Dreambox for a minimum of 20

minutes a day over the holidays!

FRENCH IMMERSION REGISTRATION

SCHOOL COUNCIL UPDATE

French.

Registration will open on January 9th, 2016.

For more information about French Immersion in the Dis-trict School Board of Niaga-ra visit www.dsbn.org/fi or speak to your school princi-pal.

Parents and Guardians of Senior Kindergarten students interested in attending French Immersion in Grade 1 next September are invited to attend an information session at John Marshall Pub-lic School, 3910 St. James Ave., Niagara Falls on Thurs-day, January 12 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

The French Immersion pro-

gram (offered at French

Immersion sites) is open to all

students in Senior Kindergar-

ten interested in enrolling for

the 2017-2018 year. If you

want your child to develop a

high proficiency and fluency

in Canada’s two official

languages, French Immersion

has a great deal to offer.

Features of the French Im-mersion program:

Development of French language skills in speaking, listening, reading and writing from grades one to twelve;

Designed to be a sec-ond language program

for children whose first language is NOT French;

Current enrolment of over 2,500 elementary students;

Certificate of French Immersion Studies awarded upon success-ful completion of the elementary and second-ary Immersion program;

Promoting understand-ing of different cultures;

Providing additional opportunities for em-ployment using French as the working lan-guage;

An increased ability to communicate and inter-act with confidence in

We’ve had a great start to the year! Our first fundraiser of Little Pizza Caesar Kits has just finished. Thank you to all who participated and helped out with it! If you have any sugges-tions for fundraising for next year, please email our Fundraising coordinator Erin at

erin_freel@hotmail.com.

Due to the fundraising efforts in the past and ongoing Bingo, Nevada and pizza days, so far this year School Council has been able to provide the teachers with a start up fund, sponsor the Primary Arts Week, purchase magazines and the Forest of Reading Books for the Learn-

ing Commons, purchase two FM Speaker systems and 15 new Chromebooks with storage bins.

Our next event will be a movie night in January. More details to follow in the New Year!

Our next meeting will be Tuesday, January 24th at 6:30pm. Come join us and be a part of

great things happening at OP!

When we all work together we get amazing things done!

We welcome Mrs.

Barlow who is filling

in for Mrs. Robinson

until the holidays!

JUNIOR VOLLEYBALL

my, Aiden, Milos, Maguire, Carter, Jace, Alex, Copper, Vlade, Noah, Jacob and Mar-

cus

Ms Lane and Miss DiLibero are super proud of all of our play-ers! Thank you to Ms Lane and

Miss DiLibero for taking the time to coach both of these

teams.

Both our Junior Boys and Girls had a great season in volley-ball and proved they were

teams with dedicated and hard working students. Alt-hough the season was short, both teams were beginning to show great skill development

and commitment to the sport. Serves were fantastic and there were a number of rallies to be seen. In the end, both

teams placed third with excit-ing consolation games against

Greendale.

A huge congratulations goes out to Junior Girls’ Team: Se-renity, Edyn, Kaydence, Maia, Grace, Avery T., Maddy, Pip-

er, Rachel, Sophie, Avery,

Tatum and Oliva

Junior Boys’ Team: Cole, Jim-

We want to take

a moment to wish

all of our families

a wonderful holi-

day and a

Happy New

Year!

Whether you

are cele-

brating

Christmas,

Chanukah, Kwanzaa, Eid Al-

Adha or another special event

this season we wish you time to

spend with friends

and family to makes

some wonderful mem-

ories.

The Orchard Park Staff

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

If your child is going to be absent,

please be sure to notify the office

prior to 9:00 a.m. We have an an-

swering service available for your

convenience. If you need to phone

in the evening or early morning

please feel free to leave us a mes-

sage. If your child is absent and we

do not receive a call, Mrs. Mannella,

our secretary, will phone

you and your contacts (if

needed) to ensure that

your child is safe.

STUDENT ABSENCE

CLEAN YOUR HANDS

Cleaning your hands is the most effective way to prevent the spread of germs. Regular hand

cleaning with soap and water, or an alcohol based hand sanitizer will reduce the risk of getting

sick.

Cleaning your hands should occur:

Before preparing meals

Before eating

After using the washroom

After coughing or sneezing

After blowing your nose

After playing with pets

After playing outdoors

Use warm water and soap and lather and scrub for at least 15 seconds if your hands are visibly

dirty.

For more information, talk to your school nurse or go to www.niagararegion.ca/health.

DRESSING APPROPRIATELY

Now that the cold weather is starting to arrive it is important that students are

dressing appropriately. Hats, hoods, scarves and mittens/gloves are particu-

larly useful in keeping the extremities covered. Also proper winter boots give

protection from the cold as well as from slips and falls. Winter coats and snow

pants help to keep students’ bodies warm.

Please encourage your child to dress appropriately. The expectation is that students will be out-

side unless advisories are received from the School Board indicating extreme weather conditions.

Indoor Shoes: With winter coming and students wearing boots, it is important for safety reasons,

that students have indoor shoes to wear in school. It is also very helpful if they can leave the

shoes at school so they are always readily available.

RECESS PROJECT

The Recess Project has gotten off to a great start! These past 4 months have flown by, filled with

new friends, new games, and new connections with the outside community. Our grades 1-3 have

particularly warmed up to us, offering to help with clean up even after the bell goes. An over-

whelming number of grades 4-8 have consistently volunteered their recesses as "Junior Recess

Leader Heroes" and lead activities for other students to play outdoors. Our presence extends

beyond the playground as the children pull us into their classrooms to play games, such as Piction-

ary, while they eat. Our team has extended beyond the original two coordinators, as we wel-

comed an additional two Brock placement students. We have also had the opportunity to wel-

come the Niagara College Knights Volleyball team which played a game with our Intermediate

volleyball team members. As well as the Lady Lions, that cheered 20 students through their rou-

tines. For the winter months, we've introduced some indoor clubs to keep the children engaged,

such as Minute to Win-it, Craft Club, Intramural Handball, and Fitness Fridays! We look forward

to grow the program within the Panther community! Thank you for welcoming us into the school this

year!

WINTER RULES

When the snow is on the

ground and ice is all around

we have some winter rules

that we ask our students to

follow in order to avoid inju-

ry.

Snow is to stay on the ground.

No throwing or kicking snow.

Students are not to be sliding

on the ice.

The playground equipment is

off limits until the spring.

Please talk to your child

about these rules and the

importance of following them.

Thank you to everyone for

contributing to our Village of

Hope Fundraiser. We have

collected many school supplies

for a school in need.

Special thanks to our Student

Voice Team for organizing this

worthy fundraiser!

Check out our Website!!

http://orchardpark.dsbn.org/

Thank your child’s teacher this holiday with a tribute gift to the Foundation. All proceeds provide basic necessities for DSBN students! An acknowledgement holiday card will be sent to your teacher in your child’s name! Visit efnniagara.ca to donate! Or call 905-641-2929 x 37712 or email efn@dsbn.org

Orchard Park will be collecting food donations for Project SHARE again this year. Every year the Orchard Park community comes

together to help those that need some help. Our donations help many put food on the table and we are always so proud of this food

drive. Project SHARE provides emergency food to an average of 100 families per day in Niagara Falls. According to Project

SHARE's website they are in need of the following for their emergency food program: Fruits and Vegetables (fresh, frozen or

canned), Peanut Butter, Baby Food (including rice cereal/pablum), Baby Formula, Protein Items (meat, fish, beans, eggs, cheese) and

Boost/Ensure. But, please keep in mind that Project SHARE welcomes all food donations to help fill their shelves especially during the

holidays! What do you and your children like to eat? Those are the items they need at Project SHARE.

Thank you for helping such a worthy cause! If you would like more information about Project SHARE please visit

their website by clicking on their logo.