Newsletter April 2015 - James Strath Public School

James Strath Public School News
Focus on Success
April 8, 2015
1175 Brealey Drive
Peterborough, K9J 6X4
Phone: 705-742-8090
Fax: 705-742-4575
Principal: Elaine Flett-Hurst
Email: elaine_fletthurst@kprdsb.ca
Vice-Principal: Julie Gray
Email: julie_gray@kprdsb.ca
School Council Chair: Jesica Butler
Email: jesbutler1@hotmail.com
Superintendent of Student Achievement: Peter Mangold
Email: peter_mangold@kprdsb.ca
Phone: 705-742-9773 Ext. 2012
Trustees : Rose Kitney & Wayne Bonner
Email: rose_kitney@kprdsb.ca Phone: 743-1762
Email: wayne_bonner@kprdsb.ca
PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE…
To begin my Principal’s message, I would like to thank
all members of the Strath school community for their
understanding and commitment to the safety of all
students/staff during the recent lockdown. I have
received a number of emails, phone messages and
comments and appreciate your support.
The timing of our lockdown drill, during the previous
week, provided us with the opportunity to practice our
procedures and protocols to the exact situation that
occurred and I commend all staff and students for their
ability to follow the requirements and expectations.
With our final months of school progressing and the
approach of the 2015 - 2016 school year, some parents
may have questions about school organization and class
placements. The following is provided to inform parents
of the process which reflects past practice.
 Class placements are the responsibility of the
principal, in consultation with staff.
 Academic balance of class makeup is the prime
criterion: individual student needs and abilities
are taken into account in the context of all
students.
 Staff assignments are subject to change each
year. Assignments are not determined until midJune and may be changed in September due to
changes in enrolment.
Finally, we are observing some indicators of Spring.
Whether it be the melting snow and our playground lake,
or the robins eating the berries from the trees in front of
my office window, we all look forward to this invigorating
season.
Elaine Flett-Hurst
VICE PRINCIPAL’S
MESSAGE…
National Volunteer Week is April 12-18, 2015.
Thank you to the many volunteers who take time out of
their schedules to support James Strath students. You
make a difference in the lives of our students, staff and
families. Your dedication, skills and kindness are
noticed and much appreciated.
Thank you, also, to those of you who pass through the
parking lot and driveway at the beginning of the day, for
your cooperation and friendly waves. Your diligence in
watching out for our kids makes my job of keeping them
safe a pleasure!
Julie Gray
VOLUNTEER TEA
Parents/Guardians and community members who have
volunteered or will be volunteering this year are invited
to our Volunteer Tea on Friday May 1st. The Tea will be
held in the library from
9:55am – 10:35am.
KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION
Now is the time to register your
child if he or she is going to
start kindergarten in the fall.
You may register your child for
Junior Kindergarten if your
child will be four years old by
Dec. 31, 2015 or five years old
for senior kindergarten as of Dec. 31, 2016. Registration
forms are available at the school office.
REMEMBER
EQAO
The administration of the EQAO Primary and Junior
provincial assessment is scheduled during the time
frame from May 25 to June 4. Grade 6 students will be
completing the Junior assessment of Reading, Writing
and Mathematics from May 25 to May 28. The Grade 3
students will be completing the Primary assessment
from June 1 to June 4. Parents of
students in those grades will
receive notification and information
relating to specific scheduling at
the end of April.
James Strath is a
Peanut/Nut/Latex Safe School
NATIONAL SPORTS
Continues to Support James Strath P.S.
In the month of April each student will once again
receive a James Strath Public School Team Partner
Program card from National Sports.
GRADE 8 GRADUATION CEREMONY
Our graduation ceremony will take place on Wednesday
June 23rd at Calvary Church on Lansdowne Street.
Please be sure that you set this date aside if you have a
student graduating this year.
There is a lot going on at Strath! Teams are currently
being built for floor hockey, gymnastics and badminton.
Students practice during Nutrition Breaks in preparation
for upcoming meets this month! Track and Field begins
in early May.
The cards are good until July 31, 2015 and come with a
$10 off coupon. Keep the card on you or in your car and
get it scanned each time you shop as every purchase
counts! If you are in National Sports and purchase
something without your card, just say “This is for James
Strath” and 5% of your purchase will be donated to our
school!
CURRENT STUDENT INFORMATION
THANK YOU NATIONAL SPORTS
It is imperative that the school always has current
student information for both attendance
and safety reasons. Please notify the
office should you have any address,
phone, emergency contact information
changes, or health information.
Thank you to National Sports for their donation to our
recess equipment supply! A sizeable donation was given
for us to provide new soccer balls, basketballs, foursquare balls, footballs, frisbees, etc. for the outdoor
recess activities. We appreciate our community partner
in enriching the experiences of our students!
DRESS CODE REMINDER
EARTH DAY – APRIL 22ND
As the warmer weather approaches and the transition to
summer clothing occurs, we are providing a reminder to
students and parents of our school Dress Code.
Clothing should cover the torso from shoulders to midthigh. Shoulder straps should be ‘two fingers’ wide and
slogans and drawings must be appropriate for a school
setting. Short lengths must be at mid-thigh.
Earth Day is officially on Tuesday, April
22nd. Again this year, classes will be
helping to clean up our environment by
collecting garbage and recyclables in
our community. It would be beneficial to
the environment if students brought their
own rubber/gardening gloves. We will
have extra gloves available for those students who
forget.
STRATH SPORTS UPDATE
SPRING REMINDERS
The following are a few reminders for
parents, guardians and community
members:
 We ask that students walk
their bikes on school property
and bring a lock to keep their
bike safe while it is at school. The school will not
be responsible for lost or stolen items. Helmets
should be worn.
 Skateboards and Scooters need to be carried on
school property and can be placed in lockers.
Helmets should be worn.
 Dogs are not allowed on school property during
school hours (unless they are a working dog).
We have children that have allergies and also
many are quite afraid of dogs.
 Parking at our school can be very difficult. We
recommend walking if at all possible and remind
you to be mindful of our no parking areas.
MENTALLY HEALTHY SCHOOLS
DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP TIPS FOR PARENTS
We live in a rapidly changing media and tech world in
which kids are far more plugged in digitally than parents
and teachers are, and these technologies present huge
challenges for our kids and how they grow up. Digital
dramas can have a lasting effect on a teen’s life. But
parents and educators can make a real impact on the
future of teens growing up in a digital world. Help teens
help themselves.
The Internet’s not written in pencil. It’s written in pen.
What teens do online spreads fast and lasts long.
Remind them to think before they post.
Nothing is as private as they think. Anything teens say or
do can be copied, pasted, and sent to gazillions of
people in a heartbeat. Make sure kids use privacy
settings and that they understand that the best way to
protect their secrets is not to post personal stuff.
Kindness counts. The anonymity of the digital world can
lead kids to say and do things online that they wouldn’t
in person. Encourage them to communicate kindly, stand
up for others, and build positive online relationships
rooted in respect.
Digital cheating is still cheating. Right and wrong extend
to online and mobile life. Impart your values, and tell kids
not to plagiarize, download illegally, or use technology to
cheat in school.
Embrace their world. None of us wants technology to
isolate us from our kids. Do some homework, and ask
kids to share the sites they visit, the songs they
download, the gadgets they love. It’s up to us to join the
fun and help them seize the potential.
JAMES STRATH SCHOOL COUNCIL NEWS
Let's hope that Spring has finally arrived! With the
arrival of Spring, School Council has now started
working on preparations for our annual Spring
BBQ which will be changing slightly this year, and will
now be a Fun Fair. We will be serving pizza to allow
families more time to mingle and enjoy the entertainment
and activities available. Please watch for order forms to
come home the last week of April. The Fun Fair will
take place on May 19th from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
and will be a wonderful time as always! If you are able
to help, please email Jesica Ryzynski at
jesbutler1@hotmail.com.
Please also watch for Kernels order forms which will be
sent home the first week of April. The funds from this
fundraiser will go directly to our school nutrition
program.
Thanks to everyone for your continued support of
your School Council!
DID YOU KNOW? - PARENTS MAKE A
DIFFERENCE!
Here are five things to help your children succeed in
school:
1. Tell your children that you think it is important
that they do well in school
2. Talk to your children about what is happening in
school
3. Help your children to develop self-confidence
and persistence. Give them praise when they try
hard, not just when they do well.
4. Read together (in any language!). Read stories,
newspapers, recipes or instructions together,
then talk about what you read.
5. Get involved in your children’s school. Go to
parent-teacher meetings, school council, sports
meets and special events at the school.
For information in 6 languages:
http://www.peopleforeducation.ca/how-does-educationwork/multi-lingual-information-for-parents/ -- click on
“parent involvement”
IMPORTANT UPCOMING EVENTS
Lunch Lady© - Every Wednesday in April
Pink Day – Wednesday, April 8th
Pizza Lunches (Students who ordered) – April 10th & 24th
Pita Pit Lunch (Students who ordered) – April 14th
School Council Meeting – April 15th at 6:30pm
Earth Day – April 22nd
Volunteer Tea – Friday May 1st (9:55 – 10:35am)
APRIL DIVERSITY DATES
Maple Sugar Moon – Ziisbaakdoke Giizis (Anishinaabe –
First Nations)
Earth Month (Canada), Sikh Heritage Month (Ontario)
April 2 – International Children’s Book Day, World
Autism Awareness Day (UN)
April 3 – Good/Holy Friday (Christian/Orthodox)
April 4 – Refugee Rights Day (Canada), Lent ends
(Christian), Theravada New Year (Buddhist)
April 4-11 – Passover (Jewish)
April 5 – Easter (Christian)
April 7 – World Health Day (UN)
April 8 – Day of Pink (Canada)
April 12 – Easter (Orthodox)
April 12-18 – National Volunteer Week
April 14 – Vaisakhi (Sikh)
April 16 – Yom Hashoah/Holocaust Remembrance Day
(Jewish)
April 17 – Equality Day (Canada)
April 18 – Birthday of Guru Tegh Bahadur (Sikh)
April 21-May 2 – Ridván (Bahá’i)
April 22 – Earth Day, Administrative Professionals’ Day
April 23 – Canada Book Day
April 28 – National Day of Mourning for Persons Killed or
Injured at Work (Canada)