followingClick each of the to access the timely and thought-

provoking contained within this newsletter:information

� School Council Message

� Making Conversations Meaningful

� Library Corner

� Websites Worth Exploring

� The Amazing Race Math Night

� Athletics Corner

� Important Information

� York Region District School Board Summer Institute

� This Month at DRBPS

Inside this Month’sDr. Roberta Bondar Public SchoolNewsletter

Are You Planning on Moving?In planning for next year's classes, it is most helpful to know if your child or chil-

dren will be attending another school in September 2016 (high school not in-

cluded). If your child(ren) will not be returning, please complete and return to

your child's teacher. If your child currently attends Dr. Roberta Bondar P.S. and

you have moved out of the school's attendance area, please contact Mrs. Taylor at

the school office. Mrs. Taylor will advise you on how to make arrangements for

your child's September placement at their new school.

Student Name: _____________________________________________

will not be returning to Dr. Roberta Bondar P.S. in September 2016.

Next School: _______________________________________________

IMPORTANTDATES ATDRBPS

MAY

2 School Councilmeeting at 6:30

4 Movie Night 6:30

6 PA Day — No schoolfor students

18 “Welcome toKindergarten Evening”

20 Dance-A-thon

23 Victoria Day — Noschool for students

24 Spring Concert(Afternoon)

25 Spring Concert(Evening)

25 EQAO begins

26 Bondar Track andField Day

F SRF (Syrian Refugee Foundation)rom theThank you to everyone in the community who donated clothes, school supplies, plastic containers and more. It was a small ef-

fort with a big impact in helping the Syrians get comfortable and settle in Canada. When the representative from I.S.Y.R came

to pick up the donations she was extraordinarily happy, proud and thankful of the Dr. Roberta Bondar community. Once again,

thank you to community members, staff and students of DRBPS who donated, this was all possible because of you. Also a spe-

cial shout out to Mrs. Howes and Mr. Gold for guiding, supporting and encouraging us throughout our fundraiser.

Sincerely the SRF team,

Haley.E, Liana.Z, Keian.Z, Rida.A

PHOTO: NASA

Making Conversations MeaningfulTrying to have a conversation about your child s day at school can’

sometimes feel like pulling teeth. Surely each student who leaves school

at the end of the day has learned something new, or experiences

something that will get their minds thinking. The question is how can I,

as a caregiver ask questions and get an answer? Below, are some

suggestions as to how to engage in conversations, where it just won t be’

the adult doing the talking?

� Pose open ended questions: egin with what, who, why and how. ThisB

will help to avoid yes/no answers. An example might be “what was

your favourite part of school today? This will hopefully lead to some

excitement in their answer, where you may be able to pick out some

of their details and ask further questions. Additionally, children will

need to use a wider vocabulary and give fuller answers that draw on

their day.

� Anticipate their answers: f you know what units of study areI

happening in your child's classroom, why not ask specific questions

linked to their learning? “How did it go with the groups that had to

present their project about…?” This demonstrates that you are current

with the learning happening at school, and you might even mention

some names of friends to further the conversation.

� Show interest by following up with previous conversations with your

children: fter a conversation, try to follow up. If your child wasA

worried about a test, ask How did it go? To remain positive, avoid“ ”

"What grade did you get?" Another way to follow up with previous

conversations is to plan activities around your child's interests, such

as crafting or bike riding. This not only shows your child that you're

interested in their interests, but that you really listen when talking

with them. Showing interest and listening while communicating with

your children will encourage conversation and helps them avoid one

word answers. And finally...

� Put the devices away: In a multitasking world, undivided attention is a

precious commodity! No distractions, no multi-tasking. Just a good,

old fashioned conversation, eye to eye, face to face. Turn off the

smart phone, computer, tablet, television, or other distractions that

dilute the conversation.

Ready…Set…Talk!

Hot Weather Action Planat Dr. Roberta BondarWarm weather brings with it enjoyable activities, but hot weather can

also endanger our health because of heat stress. At Dr. Roberta Bondar

PS, we have a Hot Weather Action Plan that implemented when the

humidex reaches or exceeds 35 degrees Celsius.

The Hot Weather Action Plan includes:� Use of board approved fans in the classrooms to circulate air� Keeping blinds, curtains closed in classrooms directly exposed to

sunlight and turn off any unnecessary lights� Limit outdoor activities� Encourage the drinking of water for re-hydration

Parents are reminded to:� Send students to school with light clothing that adheres to our dress

code.� Apply sunscreen (SPF 15 or higher)� Send students with a wide brimmed hat for outdoor recesses

School Council Chairs

A message from our

Hi Bondar Families and Parents!

Welcome Spring! School Council has a something

big planned to celebrate the end of a great school

year! We are happy to announce the first ever...

BONDAR FUN FAIR!

When: Wednesday, June 15, 5:30 8:30p.m.– p.m.

Where: At Dr. Roberta Bondar P.S.

What to expect: Lots of fun and excitement including

food trucks, bouncy castles (for the young and old), a

DJ, and more!

Look out for detailed information later this month!

To put on an event like this, the School Council

needs everyone s help! We request parents and’

family members in the community to contact us and

let us know if you can spare an hour or three on the

night supporting this amazing evening.

Please contact us if you are able to help, even if it is

for an hour! We plan on setting up shifts so you will

know exactly when your help will be needed. The

more community members that can pitch in, the

better this event it going to be! If you can help or if

you have any questions, please contact Priya or

Nahed at:

bondarrocketsschoolcouncil@gmail.com

WebsitesWorth

Exploring

Age Group Website Subject/Purpose

Primary /Junior TVO Kids Visit the Homework Zone: Videos,games and activities to help your childwith Literacy development, Math andScience

Primary /Junior Prodigy Math Games Math Aligns with Ont. Curriculum:

Primary Epic Books Reading Offers variety of books on line.:

Primary/Junior/Inter.

Code Teaches kids how to do computercoding (at their level)

Ages 2 to 8 Knowledge Kids Videos about various topics. Onlinegames let kids play around withpuzzles, shapes, numbers and letters

More Fruits and Veggies Please!Eating more fruits and vegetables may help to protect our

children from obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

Canada s Food Guide recommends that children eat five to’

six Food Guide Servings of vegetables and fruit every day,

yet many children do not meet this recommendation. A

serving is defined as ½ cup of 100% fruit juice or a

medium fresh fruit, ½ cup cooked vegetables or 1 cup

salad.

To encourage your children to eat more vegetables and

fruit ever day:y

� Include fruit at breakfast — orange sections, banana

slices or berries added to cereal

� Include two fruits or vegetables in the lunch bag daily,

but vary them to avoid boredom. Keep applesauce and

unsweetened canned fruit in the pantry for those days

when you run out of fresh fruit.

� Take advantage of after-school appetites by offering

healthy snacks such as chunks of fresh watermelon,

cantaloupe, apples and grapes, along with cheese and

crackers or low-fat fruit yogurt.

� Keep a bowl of washed fruit on the table and vegetable

sticks (e.g., baby carrots, yellow beans, green or red

pepper strips, etc.) in the fridge where children can

reach them, along with low-fat salad dressing for

dipping.

� Provide two vegetable choices at the evening meal and

encourage children to choose at least one of them. Use a

microwave to quickly prepare frozen vegetables.

� Set an example by eating lots of vegetables and fruit

yourself. Kids learn good habits from their parents.

The Amazing RaceMath NightI really liked the Amazing Math Race. It

was cool and awesome and everything you

can imagine. I liked the clues thing because

they were entertaining and a very niceVERY

way to do it. It was like a pirate treasure

map adventure.

The loot bags were . I liked theAWESOME

hexi links and the tangrams were very nice.

I didn't open the cards yet but I think they

are good quality. The dice are excellent. My

favourite activity was when my mom and I

made the origami frog and when I made the

cat from tangrams Basically,. I LOVED

EVERYTHING!

I think it was very smart to have the book

fair open when it was math night because

there were over 100 people there and you

can get more sales and make more money.

From Aizik rade 4, G

Walk, Scooter, or Bike to SchoolAs the weather gets warmer, we encourage families and students to

walk, scooter or bike to school daily. Physical activity in the morning

is an awesome way for students to start their day. In addition to

students feeling awake and alert, it will help reduce your frustration

level with the on-going struggles of the Kiss N' Ride. Leave the car

at home and promote healthy living by walking, scootering, or biking

to school daily!

Healthy Living Spring into Spring!:Now that spring is here, challenge your students to walk (or jog, skip

or bike) as often as possible between Earth Week (April 22) and

clean Air Day (June 3). Spring is a great time to promote:

� Daily physical activity

� A healthier environment

� Safer streets

� Making friends and having fun!

Walking is a simple and efficient physical activity that benefits

people of all ages. It helps to maintain good health and is environ-

mentally friendly and fun.

Athletics Corner

BadmintonBadminton season has begun at Dr. Roberta Bondar P. S.! We

started training at the beginning of April to get ready for our

Area meet on May 12th. Thank you to all of the students who

came out to the badminton try-outs. It was very exciting to see

so many enthusiastic grade 5 to 8 students who eagerly waited to

display their skills and techniques to the coaches. We ended up

with over twenty students who continued to round two of the

try-outs. The talents were overwhelming and the coaches had

difficult decisions to make. After a few days of discussion, we

have an Intermediate Badminton team made up with 7 boys and

7 girls from grade 5 to 8. The students has been working very

hard developing, training and practicing their skills and tech-

niques every Tuesday and Thursday to prepare themselves for

the Area meet. Good luck to the team on Thursday, May 12th!

Thank you to our awesome coaches Ms. Phan & Mr. Gabriele!

Junior Girls BasketballThe junior girls basketball team played in the area tournament at

Brownridge P.S. and had an awesome tournament! They won their first

game against the host team winning 14 2. Unfortunately, they fell to–

Maple Creek P.S. in the second game by a mere 5 points. In a must-win

game, they beat Forest Run P.S. in the semi-finals, playing incredible

defense. The girls then came on top in the final game against

Bakersfield P.S. Their first place spot was a result of their dedication,

teamwork, and positive attitudes. That type of Growth Mindset will

serve them well, regardless of any score on the scoreboard of life! Way

to go Bondar!

A huge thank you to Ms. Voskakis, Ms. Balche and Mr. Dais for

coaching.

Junior Boys BasketballThe junior boys basketball team practiced three times a week during the

months of March and April to prepare for the area tournament at the

end of April at Maple Creek. During this time the boys worked hard to

come together as a team and improve their skills. The boys demon-

strated great sportsmanship and amazing skills at the area tournament.

They played some very close and exciting games. Great work by

Bondar Rockets players: Maxim, Nick, Andrew, Tyler, Tarun, Justin P,

Justin A, Nathaniel, Raoul, Param, Thomas, Dorian, Ben, Adam and

Ariel.

Thank you to Ms. Belanger and Ms. Bowman for their awesome

coaching!

DR. BETTE STEPHENSON CENTRE FOR LEARNING INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGES PROGRAM

INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGES PROGRAM- SECONDARY CREDIT PROGRAM 2016-2017

Why Study International Languages at High School?

Language is our connection with our community and the world. Through language we identify the world around us, express our concerns and hopes, and share our experiences and ideas.

So what are you waiting for Grade 8’s?! Now is the time to take advantage of this opportunity and register for a Level 1 YRDSB International Language CREDIT course of your choice! We offer CREDIT courses in 13 languages at 4 high schools.

Learning another language…

can enhance intellectual functioning

strengthens first language skills and facilitates learning additional languages

creates pride in one’s own cultural background and better understanding of other cultures

enhances career options (source: http://www.ilea.ca 03/11/15)

COURSE Level 1 (Grade 9/10) SCHOOL LOCATION

MIDDLEFIELD C.I.

RICHMOND HILL H.S.

THORNLEA S.S.

UNIONVILLE H.S

ARABIC LYA BD Saturday

CANTONESE LKC BD Saturday Saturday Tuesday

FARSI LYF BD Saturday

GREEK LBG BD Saturday

GUJARATI LIG BD Saturday

JAPANESE LKJ BD Saturday Tuesday

KOREAN LKK BD Saturday

MANDARIN SIMPLIFIED LKB BD Saturday Saturday Saturday Tuesday

MANDARIN TRADITIONAL LKM BD Saturday Saturday

MANDARIN SIMPLIFIED AP Grade 12 Course Only Saturday

PUNJABI LIP BD Saturday

RUSSIAN LRR BD Saturday

SPANISH LWS BD Saturday

TAMIL LIT BD Saturday

URDU LIU BD Saturday

SCHOOL LOCATION ADDRESS SUBMIT REGISTRATION FIRST CLASS

MIDDLEFIELD C.I. 525 Highglen Ave. September 17, 2016

South of 14th Ave., East of McCowan Rd. 8:45 am to 12:30 pm

RICHMOND HILL H.S. 201 Yorkland St. September 17, 2016

East of Yonge, North of Elgin Mills Road 8:45 am to 12:30 pm

THORNLEA S.S. 8075 Bayview Ave. September 17, 2016

South of Highway #7 8:45 am to 12:30 pm

UNIONVILLE H.S. 201 Town Centre Blvd. September 20, 2016 Warden Ave. & Highway #7 5:45 pm to 9:30 pm

Register online via Career Cruising commencing May 2ND

, 2016.

See attached Career Cruising Tip Sheet for registration instructions

Once you have registered, print a sign-off sheet and get your parents to sign for parental approval

Students who have pre-registered will not need to register again in September

Attend the first class according to the above schedule and bring your signed Career Cruising Sign-off Sheet

Course schedules will be posted in the foyer of the International Languages school on the first day of class

Striving to Create a Safe Environment

for Students with AllergiesWe ask that you avoid sending any foods that may

contain peanuts and/or nuts. Please check the list of

ingredients for peanut oil/butter/sauce/flour/meal,

mixed nuts, ground nuts, goober peas, artificial nuts

and mandalona nuts. Examples include: cookies,

chocolate, granola bars, some cereal bars and choco-

late nut spreads. Avoid products that say “may con-

tain peanut/nuts”.

Does Your child Require an EpiPenin Case of an Emergency?Students are required to have two EpiPens at school. One to be

kept in the office and one on their body.

In the event that one is administered and an ambulance does not ar-

rive within 15 minutes, we need to ensure your child’s safety by be-

ing able to administer another dose of epinephrine. If you have not

sent in a second EpiPen, please do so as soon as possible.

Recycle Your Batteries at BondarBatteries are made from a number of different materials including

acid, lead, nickel, lithium, cadmium, alkaline and nickel metal hy-

dride. When you throw your batteries out, they go to an incinerator

or landfill where their casing can disintegrate, releasing toxic chem-

icals into the surrounding environment. The leaking material can

contaminate the soil and water damaging our environment. Now

you can make a difference: Recycle your batteries at Bondar!

Please place your used batteries in the box just outside the office.

ImportantInformation

DRBPS

York Region District School Board Summer InstituteThe York Region District School Board Summer Institute is a program that offers aca-

demic, recreational and athletic programs and activities with intentional links to the

Ontario Curriculum for children and youth entering Senior Kindergarten to Grade 8.

Programs are offered at in Richmond Hill, Markham, Stouffville, Newmarket, Woodbridge,

Vaughan, Georgina from 9:00a.m.–3:30p.m. Summer Institute Locations Map.

YMCA Before and Aftercare Registration; programs available at all locations

Weekly Sessions July 4, 2016 to August 12, 2016

For registration information and to see what types of exciting programs are being offered

this summer, please visit www.yrdsb.ca and select programs and services.

� Aldergrove S.I.150 Aldergrove Drive, Unionville

� Armadale S.I.11 Coppard Ave., Markham

� Crosby Heights S.I.190 Neal Drive, Richmond Hill

� Discovery S.I.120 Discovery Trail, Maple

� Lakeside S.I.213 Shorecrest Road, Keswick

� Lake Wilcox S.I.80 Wildwood Ave., Richmond Hill

� Maple Leaf S.I.155 Longford Dr., Newmarket

� Milliken Mills S.I. (located at Highgate PS)

35 Highgate Dr., Markham

� Oscar Peterson S.I.850 Hoover Park Drive, Stouffville

� Sixteenth Avenue S.I.400 Sixteenth Avenue, Richmond Hill

� Unionville Meadows S.I.355 South Unionville Ave., Markham

� Woodbridge S.I.60 Burwick Avenue, Woodbridge

Click to view the Summer Institute Program Index.HERE

For additional information, please email performaceplus.si@yrdsb.ca

or call 905.884.2046 ext 241.

Canadian DiabetesAssociation and DRBPSDr. Roberta Bondar is a proud partner of

the Canadian Diabetes Association.

Diabetes is a blood disease that affects

over nine million Canadians of all ages.

All across York Region this association

has placed multiple donation boxes on

school properties. As donations accumu-

late a team regularly goes bin to bin col-

lecting the articles of clothing, which

are then sold to Value Village. The

Canadian Diabetes Association uses the

revenue collected from the clothing for

many initiatives, such as creating aware-

ness and education on the disease and

funding summer camps for young chil-

dren with type one diabetes. This pro-

gram is a fantastic way to give opportu-

nities to nearly a quarter of Canada’s

population who have diabetes. Please

join our school in helping this worthy

cause. If you have any questions or

would like further information please

contac t the Canadian Diabetes

Association at 1.800.505.5525 or visit

their web site at diabetes.ca.

(Researched and written by the students

in Mr. Dais’ class)

DATE: WEDNESDAY MAY 4TH, 2016 TIME: 6:30 - 8:45 P.M. LOCATION: Blue Hills’ Gym- 402 Bloomington Rd, Aurora Ontario

Light dinner and registration to begin at 6:00pm. Registration will be capped at 40 participants.

Please call 905-773-4323 ext. 300 to register. ADMISSION IS FREE

In Support of Children’s Mental Health Week May 2-6, 2016

Blue Hills Child & Family Centre is Proud to Present:

Being a parent can be the most rewarding and challenging job many adults will have in their lifetime. Most parents want to raise children to be happy, independent and successful but worry that mental health struggles may get in the way. The goal of this workshop is to provide valuable information to support caregivers of children and adolescents who experience challenges with focusing attention and managing impulsivity.

Topics will include:

- Understanding attentional problems

- Understanding how the brain comes into play

- Discovering family strengths and resources

- Coping strategies for caregivers

- School based strategies for success

-

Bringing Your Family into Focus:

Supporting Children with

Attentional Challenges