We hope that you have all had a fantastic and relaxing summer! On behalf of the staff, I would like to welcome all of our returning students and families back for another exciting year at Holland Land-ing P.S. As well, I would also like to extend a warm greeting to the students and families who are new to our school. It is wonderful to feel the positive energy now that all of our students have returned.
We are pleased to introduce several staff members who have joined our staff this year: Ms. Mous-manis (ASD), Ms. Walterhouse (CYW), Mrs. Foster (SERT), Ms. Lisi (Grade 4/5), Ms. Pulchinski (French), Mrs. MacKay (Grade 5/6), Mrs. Dallaire (Library & RR), Mrs. Roberts (DECE), Ms. McGinn (DECE) and Ms.Waye (ADH). Finally, we are very happy to welcome back Mrs. Novoa to the ASD classroom.
The school is already bustling this September, with many exciting learning and extra-curricular activi-ties already underway. Our focus this year will continue to be on the creation of a warm and welcom-ing school environment where students, staff, parents and the community can learn and grow to-gether. Academically, we will be focusing on assessing our students as they learn in order to provide them with instruction that will support their learning needs. Literacy and Numeracy continue to be a focus, with these skills being carried across other curriculum areas. As well, Learning Skills and Charac-ter Education will continue to be a mainstay of our classroom programs to support all students in de-veloping important habits that will facilitate their learning throughout all grades.
We have launched a green bin program at the school this year, and are asking students to ensure that they compost any bio waste from their lunches. As well, we are asking that students bring “boomerang lunches” to school, which means any other waste (wrappers, straws, containers) boomer-ang back home with the students. This is part of our Ontario EcoSchools initiatives aimed at promot-ing environmentally sound practices and reducing our school’s carbon footprint. We hope that you will assist us in reinforcing this with your child(ren).
We would like to encourage our students and parents to walk to school. Please join us in engaging our students in an active start to the day, while helping to keep our driveway and bus route safe. With the large numbers of younger students in our school, physical safety is always a primary concern.
We look forwards to seeing you all at the annual Meet the Teacher Evening later in the month. Please watch for the flyer this coming week with additional details.
Matthew Biemiller—Principal
Principal’s Message
School Organization 2014-15
FDK: Mrs. Telford and Mrs. Roberts
SK/1: Mrs. Campbell and Ms. McGinn
Grade 1/2: Mrs. Williams
Grade 3/4: Mrs. Evans-Milak
Grade 4/5: Ms. Lisi
Grade 5/6: Mrs. MacKay
Grade 6/7: Mrs. Giglio
Gr. 7/8 Mr. Federovich
Community Class (SAC): Mr. Fasan
Support Staff: Mrs. Velocci
Ms. Walterhouse
Community Class (ASD): Ms. Mousmanis
Support Staff: Mrs. Cudmore
Mrs. Novoa
French: Mlle Pulchinski
Library: Mrs. Dallaire
Student Support Centre: Mrs. Foster
Reading Rec.: Mrs. Dallaire
Prep and Phys. Ed.: Mr. Kiatipis
Educational Assistant:
Ms. Waye
Caretakers:
Mr. LeBlanc (Lead)
Mrs. Gilbert
Mrs. Wilson
Office Support Staff:
Mrs. Lisa Wilson (EOAA)
Mrs. Smylie
HOLLAND LANDING HOLLAND LANDING
PUBLIC SCHOOLPUBLIC SCHOOL 905‐836‐6614905‐836‐6614
September 2014
Principal:
Mr. Matthew Biemiller
School Office Admin
Assistant:
Mrs. Lisa Wilson,
Admin Support:
Mrs. Emily-Ann Smylie
Lead Caretaker:
Mr. LeBlanc
Superintendent of
Schools:
Mr. Paul Carew
(905) 895-5155
Trustee:
Ms. Loralea Carruthers
Inside this issue:
Character Matters 2
Bus Transportation 2
School Assistants 2
Guide to the
School Year
2
Search and Seizure 3
Cell Phone Use at
School
3
Student Medica-
tions
3
Pediculosis (Head
Lice)
3
Canadian Anti-
Spam Legislation
3
Anaphylactic Reac- 4
Safe Arrival Pro-
gram
4
School Start-Up
Package
4
FNMI Self-
Identification
4
School Calendar 5
Important Bus Transportation Message
Did you know that students bussing eligibility changes
throughout their school career? Your son/daughter’s eligibil-
ity to ride the school bus may change according to their
grade and distance from home to school. Below are the pro-
visions for eligibility identified in the Board’s Transportation
Policy #680: All YRDSB students in Grades JK-3 who live within 1.2 km
of their school are not eligible for transportation All YRDSB students in Grades 4-8 who live within 1.6 km
of their school are not eligible for transportation All YRDSB students in Grades 9-12 who live within a tran-
sit served area are not eligible for transportation. To view Board Policy #680 Student Transportation, please
visit www.yrdsb.edu.on.ca . For more information about bus
tranportation and to determine your son/daughter’s eligibility
please visit www.schoolbuscity.com.
Page 2 HLPS Highlights
School Assistants
“Keeping our
students safe is
everyone’s
responsibility”
We are looking to add to our
pool of School Lunch Assistants
who assist in supervising stu-
dents over the lunch hour.
These paid positions are avail-
able on an occasional or ongoing
basis. We currently have a need for people
who can join our supply list in this
role. However we may also need a
regular daily person as well in the
near future. If you are interested, please see Mrs.
Wilson or Mr. Biemiller for an infor-
mation package.
Character Matters Character Calendar
Respect, Responsibility,
Empathy, Fairness,
Initiative, Honesty,
Integrity, Courage,
Perseverance, Optimism
Our Character Trait for the Month of September is
Respect.
“We respect ourselves and treat others with courtesy, dig-
nity, and positive regard. We honour the rights of others.
We respect their belongings, the environment and the
world around us.”
Character Poster
At our monthly Character Assem-
blies, we introduce our upcoming
character trait for the month. To the
right, you will find this month’s char-
acter poster so that you may speak
with your child about respect. Please
engage your child in talking about
what respect means to them. At
school, we have talked about the im-
portance of treating others with re-
spect. Please ask you child how they
can demonstrate respect at home.
Parents/guardians, as you may have noticed, the table of contents in the Guide to the School Year is incorrect. Due to a
page numbering error, the page numbers are off by three pages. We apologize for any inconvenience. Please be assured
that processes are being reviewed at the Board to avoid this error in future. We encourage you to use the online ver-
sion of the guide, which has the additional benefit of being searchable.
2014/15 YRDSB Guide to the School Year
Student Medications
Page 3 HLPS Highlights
Search and Seizure
As per the protocol between the York Region District
School Board and the York Regional Police, please be aware
of the right of school administration to search school prop-
erty, such as lockers, desks and backpacks, without notice
to or permission of any person.
Also, from time to time, police may be invited onto any
school premises to conduct their own searches without
notice to or permission of any member of the school com-
munity other than the school principal.
Please note that this information as well as other “Safe
Schools” messages were shared with all students at the
assembly on the first day of school.
Students are prohibited from using cell phones at school.
Students who need their phones before and after school
must turn them off and store them out of sight while on
school property. The first time a cell phone is visible or
audible, it will be confiscated for the day. If
it happens again, parents will be asked to
pick up the phone at the office at their con-
venience.
As with all items of value, the school will
not be held responsible for any phones that
are lost, stolen or damaged.
Cell Phone Use at School
Any student who requires medication during school hours
is required to have a York Region District School Board
Medication Form completed and signed by his or her par-
ent/guardian. It is especially important that parents
communicate a life-threatening allergy to the school
as soon as they are aware of it. Please notify the princi-
pal and your child’s teacher so that we take the steps to
ensure a plan is in place, and inform staff of the established
protocol.
All medication must be stored in the office (with the excep-
tion of emergency items such as additional EpiPens®), and
must be in their own container with medical labels/
prescription information attached. Please see Mrs. Wilson or Mr. Biemiller if you require a
form. If your child does need to come to the office for
medication, please reinforce this responsibility with them
and help them to understand their role and responsibilities
in this process.
Pediculosis (Head Lice)
Each year, cases of head lice are found throughout the
schools. In an effort to reduce the number of cases found
and decrease the inconvenience to parents and students,
we ask that parents please inspect your child’s hair and
scalp on a regular basis to help prevent the spread of head
lice. If head lice is found, please inform the school office
and do not return your child to school until treated.
Your child must report to the office for an examination
before returning to class.
For more information, please call Health
Connection at 1-800-361-5653.
Recommended website:
www.cps.ca or
www.healthcare.ubc.ca/lice/intro .
Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL)
Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) came into effect on July 1, 2014 and impacts how schools, staff and school coun-
cils communicate electronically to parents. CASL prohibits the sending of any type of electronic message that is com-
mercial in nature unless the recipient has provided specific and informed consent first. Examples of commercial elec-
tronic messages include requests for money such as registration fees, pizza days, field trips, fundraising initiatives, school
photos and others.
To ensure continued effective communication to HLPS families, we will be sending home a CASL Consent Form along
with the Student Registration Information Verification form during the second week of school. Please sign the Consent
Form and return it and the Student Registration Information Verification to school as soon as possible. Thank you!
Page 4 HLPS Highlights
Anaphylactic Reactions
The Anaphylactic Reactions Policy is in a renewal process.
This can be accessed on the Board’s internet site at
www.yrdsb.ca. Select “Your Trustees” and then “Policies
and By-laws.”
Please note, if you are a parent of a child with an
anaphylactic allergy and you do not wish your child
to carry their EpiPen®, you must arrange a meeting
with Mr. Biemiller to discuss this situation. Other-
wise, it is our expectation that all students with anaphylac-
tic allergies will carry their EpiPen® with them at all times,
as well as having a second EpiPen® in the office. This ex-
pectation is consistent regardless of age.
In addition, parents of students with anaphylaxis may also
wish to contact the Canadian MedicAlert® Founda-
tion. MedicAlert® is Canada’s largest member-based,
charity organization dedicated to providing services that
protect and save lives. To learn more about MedicAlert®,
visit www.medicalert.ca or call 1(800) 668-1507.
Safe Arrival Program School Start-Up Package
As you may know, all public schools in York Region have a
Safe Arrival program. This requires that we verify any child
absences on a daily basis. If your child will be away
from school it is very important that you call the
school at 905-836-6614. You can leave a message at
this number at any time of day or night.
If your child is absent and we have not received a message
from you, we will make every effort to reach you. In the
event that we have not been able to contact you or
your emergency contacts, we will call the York Re-
gional Police.
It is important that when students arrive late to school they
come to the office for a late slip. This allows us to avoid
unnecessary, and often alarming calls home.
Please ensure you have read the “School Start-Up”
package that came home on the first day. It includes
a number of important items, as well as a package of
multi-coloured forms that will require your signa-
tures. In addition, please ensure that you have re-
viewed the Board polices outlined in the red Board
Guidebook for 2014-15.
Agendas are an excellent organizational tool that are very
effective when used consistently. Please check your child’s
agenda daily. You will find homework, notices and special
activities listed in the agenda. While it is not mandatory, we
strongly encourage each student to purchase a school
agenda.
The cost of the Agenda, on a cost recovery basis, will
be $ 5.00.
PROMOTING SUCCESS FOR STUDENTS OF FIRST NATION, MÉTIS AND INUIT ANCESTRY
The York Region District School Board provides an opportunity for students with First Nation, Métis and Inuit ancestry to self-
identify. The process is voluntary and the information gathered will be kept confidential.
The self-identification process is the first step in providing:
Culturally specific learning opportunities or activities;
Additional support for academic achievement and well-being, including designated support staff;
Communication between schools, First Nation, Métis and Inuit Education staff, Aboriginal students and their families;
Connections to post-secondary institutions, community groups, service providers and other partners;
More learning opportunities for all members of the school community to develop a greater understanding of Aboriginal perspec-
tives, cultures and histories.
New students can self-identify when they register with the Board. Current students can complete an Aboriginal Self-Identification
Form which can be obtained from their school.
For further information, please see the “Information for Parents and Students with First Nation, Métis and Inuit
Ancestry” brochure available from the school or speak with the school principal.
Self Identification of Students with First Nation, Métis and Inuit Ancestry
Page 5 HLPS Highlights
September 2014 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
31 1 Labour Day
2 Day 1 First Day of
School
3 Day 2 4 Day 3
5 Day 4
6
7 8 Day 5 9 Day 1 10 Day 2 11 Day 3 Fire Safety Pres-
entation in A.M.
(GR12A &
GR34A)
12 Day 4 13
14 15 Day 5 16 Day 1 School Bus-
Safety Presenta-
tion in A.M.
17 Day 2 18 Day 3 19 Day 4 20
21 22 Professional
Training Day—
No School
23 Day 5
24 Day 1 Terry Fox Run
in P.M.
25 Day 2 Rosh
Hashanah
26 Day 3 Rosh
Hashanah
School Photos
in A.M.
27
28 29 Day 4 30 Day 5 Character Mat-
ters Assembly
in A.M.
1 Area Cross
Country Meet
2 Immunization -
Gr. 8 Girls &
Gr. 7s
3 4
Be on the look-out for Pizza Lunch order forms and
Girls on the Run registration information! They will
be sent home during the second week of school!