PRINCIPAL ’S MESSAGE Dear Parents/Guardians,

Our school’s two goals for the school year 2013-2014 involve continuing to

work on assessment/evaluation and inquiry based learning. More specifically the

goals are: 1) During learning, timely, ongoing, descriptive feedback about student

progress is provided, based on student actions and co-constructed success criteria. We

hope to promote a culture of learning in schools and classrooms whereby errors are

seen as opportunities for learning and improvement. Also, that students are able to

use descriptive feedback, based on the success criteria, to revise and refine their dem-

onstration of learning and set individual learning goals provide accurate, constructive

and descriptive feedback to themselves, their classmates, and educators in relation to

the predetermined success criteria. 2) Teachers/Principal will continue to have professional learning which is inquiry-based and responsive to

student assessment data which leads to risk taking by trying new instructional practices (collaborating, co-

planning and co-teaching) and strategies that lead to a culture of learning. This will enable students to:

collaborate, demonstrate curiousity by generating questions, risk take and persevere through tasks and be

reflective about learning. The teachers are all involved in professional development with professional in-

structors (e.g. math, science).

Math classes today look so different since I went to school as a student, even different in how I

taught it as a teacher years ago. The staff and I would like to share with you how effective math instruction

looks like. So, over the next few newsletters, I will include information about math and share what teach-

ers are doing in math classes throughout the grades. And please, if you have any questions, just ask.

On the P.A. Day in November, the staff will be involved in math learning conversations. We

will continue to improve our content understanding of the Mathematics curriculum, will have learning

conversations around the research-based instructional strategies and will plan effective lessons.

Any family has access to help their son/daughter with their writing using a program called

Word Q (students in grades 2 to 8 should know about this program). It is available to all.

Please continue to encourage your son/daughter to use RazKids (reading program K-5) and

Dream Box (K-7 math program) several times a week. The Dreambox program accelerates student

learning by ensuring every student works continually in their optimal learning area and helps all students

achieve math proficiency. This program is a form of adaptive instruction with student performance deter-

mining the next instructional lesson. DreamBox combines three essential elements: a rigorous curriculum,

motivating learning environments, and an adaptive engine.

Guest author Dr. Maria Becker to visit Grand Avenue on Tuesday November 19 to share her

stories. More information about this day will be sent home.

We were extremely fortunate to receive again season tickets for the Niagara Ice Dogs games

by the owner. They will be given to students who have earned them in a variety of ways (e.g. work habits/

learning skills, academics, character traits, assessment).

Thank you for supporting UNICEF. We have raised $475.59 from chewing gum and the UNI-

CEF envelopes. Thank you for supporting children in another country.

Sincerely,

Miss Findlay Achieving Success Together

REMEMBRANCE DAY On Monday, November 11, 2013, Grand Avenue School will be having a Remembrance Day

Service at 10:45 a.m. in the gymnasium. Parents are welcome to attend. Poppies will be dis-

tributed to students on the morning of November 11 for a small donation to the Royal Canadian

Legion. We ask that students wear dark pants and a white shirt. Lest We Forget

GRAND AVENUE SCHOOL 14 Grand Avenue, Grimsby, Ontario, L3M 2R7 (905) 945-2227 website: http://grandave.dsbn.org

NOVEMBER 2013 UPCOMING EVENTS TO WRITE ON

YOUR SCHOOL

CALENDAR

* Wednesday, November 6

Grade 8s to GSS for the day

* Thursday, November 7

Parent Teacher Interviews

* Friday, November 8

Dental Screening K, grade 2, 4, 6, and 8 and Gino’s Pizza Lunch Day

* Wednesday, November 13

Kindergarten trip to Jack Grunsky

* Friday, November 15

P.A. Day (No school)

* Monday, November 18

Grade 1 and 2/3 to St. John’s

* Tuesday, November 19

Author Dr. Maria Becker visits Grand Avenue

* Friday, November 22

Pizza Pizza Lunch Day

* Tuesday, November 26

School Council/PTA 6:30 p.m. in the library

* Thursday, November 28

Poinsettia Pick up at 5:30 p.m.

* Wednesday, December 4

M&M School Fundraiser

NEXT SCHOOL

COUNCIL/PTA MEETING

Tuesday November 26th ♦ 6:30 p.m.

In the School Library

At our parent council meetings we decide as a group how we would like to use the fundraising profits. Some of the ways that our fundraising dollars support our students, staff and school are:

Classroom Allowance: $ 2350.00 Field Trip Subsidy of $10/student: approximately $2300.00

School Nutrition Program: $200.00 Repairs to Swing set and playground maintenance: TBD

As we continue to raise funds from these initiatives, we can contribute to additional items for the school. We encourage parents to come out to a meeting to take part in these and other discussions.

We are very fortunate to have 2 families in our

school community who own pizza companies.

Therefore, we will alternate between each

company for our Special Lunch Days

Upcoming Special Lunch Dates:

Friday November 8th

(Gino’s Pizza)

& Friday November 22nd

(Pizza Pizza)

As a reminder to families, order forms will go out once per

month and orders for multiple lunches are due back at the

same time. If you have any questions pertaining to special

lunch days, please contact Nicolette Cullen at mncu-

len@sympatico.ca or 905-309-7949.

Annual Poinsettia Sale: This fundraiser is always popular and we are glad to be able to offer it again this year. The plants come from a local supplier in a 6” pot and will be offered in Red, Pink, Burgundy or White at a price of $8 each. Sale Start: Monday November 4th Orders due: Monday November 18th

Plant Pick-Up: Thursday November 28th between 6– 8 pm in the School Library. If that pick up time does not work for you, please contact us to make other arrangements. If you have any questions about this fundraiser, please contact Elaine Shaw at grandavepoinsettias@yahoo.ca

Magazine Fundraiser: Thank you for your overwhelming support for our annual Magazine fundraiser again this year. The campaign was a huge success and we sold approximately $14,000 in subscriptions! We will let everyone know the profits earned when we receive our invoice from QSP in December. The prize order has been sent out and we expect prizes to be distributed before the end of November.

Looking for Resources??

Grand Avenue Parent Council has received a PRO Grant to purchase resources for Parents on topics under the mental health umbrella. Topics such as Autism, ADHD, Bereave-ment, Divorce, Anxiety, depression, eating disorders, etc. There is currently a bookshelf in the school foyer for these resources. If there is a topic that is of particular interest to you, please feel free to note it and put it in the suggestion box on the bookshelf. We want to make sure we are using the grant money to provide resources that are of interest to our school community so we would appreci-ate your input.

M&M MEAT SHOP

On WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4, M&M Meat Shop in Grimsby will do-nate 10% of all sales by Grand Ave-nue School families and friends to the school. Please let them know that you are from Grand Avenue School when you ring up your purchase for the school to receive their 10%. Make your list, check it twice, and stock up

for Christmas early!

FIRE DRILLS AND

LOCKDOWNS Fire drills are practiced three times in the Fall and three times during the Spring as per DSBN policy. Also, as part of our Emergency Response Pre-paredness Plan, our school will be in-volved in practice lockdown procedures (2 per school year). These fire drill and lockdown procedures will provide stu-dents and staff the opportunity to prac-tice procedures should an emergency situation occur in our school. We have done our three fire drills for the fall, and we will practice our lockdown late No-vember (parents/guardians will be in-formed of the date).

PROGRESS REPORTS AND

PARENT/ TEACHER

INTERVIEWS Parent/Teacher interviews will be held the evening of Thursday, November 7. Please read the letter sent home regarding pro-gress reports and parent/ teacher interviews.

NEEDING HELP (at Christmas)

We are very fortunate at Grand Avenue School because we have many kind community members, and staff, that want to help families at Christmas. If you are a family that needs help at Christmas either with food or gifts for your children, please contact Miss Findlay /Mrs. MacTavish before the end of November. Help will be given in a confidential and respectful manner.

Spirit Day

Friday November 22

‘Party Like a Rock Star’

BULLYING AWARENESS WEEK– STAND UP! NOVEMBER 17-22 Everyone has the right to be respected and the responsibility to respect others in person and online

At Grand Avenue School, we strive to meet all of your children’s needs. Children’s needs and rights are of central importance in any discussion of bullying in the school context. It is very important that you as a parent/guardian keep open communication with the school on any bullying issues your child may encounter. Encourage your child to speak with their teacher or principal if they are being bullied. If your child comes to you with a concern, listen, be clear on the facts (take notes about what happened and when), try to remain calm so that you can support your child with a plan of action, stay on course (keep an eye on your child’s behavior), contact the police if the bullying involves criminal behaviour, or if there is a threat to your child’s safety. Re-member bullying can take many forms. It can be, physical, verbal, social or electronic. No matter what the age of your child you

can help by encouraging your child to talk to you about it . Kids Help Phone at 1-800-668-6868

TUESDAY NOVEMBER 19: Guest author Dr. Maria Becker to speak to students in K—Grade 6

Family Picture Night

Tuesday Nov 5

At Grand Avenue School from 4-8 p.m.

Call 289-235-8897 to book your

appointment.

West Lincoln Memorial Auxiliary

Breakfast with Santa

Saturday December 14 from 8 a.m. to 12 noon

at the PK Centre

Pancakes and Sausage

Tickets $5 each or $20 for a family

Tickets can be purchased at the W.L.M. Auxiliary office.

All proceeds go toward WLM Hospital equipment purchases.

SOCCER—JUNIOR AND INTERMEDIATE Way to go Junior Soccer Team!!

The Junior Team members are: Ashton G., Autumn J., Ben H., Charlie M. , Hayden S., Jordan C., Josh H., Mason B., Mikey B., Nate J., Nathan D., Noah T., Peyton G., and Yash C.

Congratulations to the Intermediate Soccer Team for a great season.

The Intermediate Soccer Team members are: Rebecca W., Eric B., Xavier H., Ben C., Nicole R., Emma C., Kiana B., Katelyn H., Maddy L., Jacob D.., Sarah B., Maddy M., Nick D., Madyson L., Josh C., Connor J., Alyssa A., Avery W., Grace H., Nick H. and Pierce R., Christian S., Christian M., and Abbigail J.

GRAND AVENUE CROSS COUNTRY 2013

GRAND AVENUE CROSS COUNTRY 2013

Grand Avenue's Cross Country team had two fantastic meets at Centennial Park on September 26th and October 3rd! All athletes are to be congratulated on their determination, enthusiasm and outstanding effort in finishing their races. Congratulations to Grace Humphrey, Pierce Razzaque, Grace Loewen, Christian McAlpine and Christian Stevens who qualified to compete in the DSBN Cross Country Meet which was held on October 9th. Way to go, Grizzlies!

Thank you to the Grand Avenue Grizzlies Cross Country Team for a terrific 2013 season!

Liam K . Joshua L. Jake N. Annika H.

Jessica C. Payton C. Sarah D. Yash C.

Charlie M. Logan A. Mikey B. Cameron C.

Ben H. Josh H. Grace L. Josh C.

Christian M. Christian S. Grace H. Pierce R.

Nicolaas D. Coleby S.

Yours in health and fitness, Miss C. Esau

Resources in Your Community

Your local School or school board

Information on community resources: dial 211 or 1-800-263-3695

Public Health Elementary or Secondary 905-688-8248 Telehealth Ontario: 1-866-797-000

Niagara Regional Police 905-688-4111

Pathstone Mental Health 905-688-6850 Crisis 1-800-263-4944 or www.pathstonementalhealth.ca

Contact Niagara: 905-684-3407 or 1-800-933-3617 or www.contactniagara.org

Kids Help Line: 1-800-668-6868

Victim Support Line: 1-888-579-2888

TALK (Teams of Adults Listening to Kids): 905-646-0612 or www.talkniagara.com

Children‟s Clinic: Niagara Health System 905-378-4647

Distress Centre Grimsby 905-563-6674 or www.distresscentreniagara.com

Coast: Mobile crisis response team 1-800-263-4944

Way2Click: Internet safety and support solutions 905-714-9815 or www.way2click.com

Jericho Counselling: 905-704-0457

Julie Christianesen Counselling: 905-329-6169

Project Rewind: Restoration Conferencing including bullying mediation 905-682-2657 ext 258

INSIDE STORY HEADLINE

AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE ABOUT INCLEMENT WEATHER PROCEDURES

There may be times during the school year where inclement weather or other situations could cause transportation cancellations or school closures.

At times when student transportation has been cancelled and schools remain open, the decision of whether or not to have children in school on that day rests with the parent or guardian. Should you decide not to send your child to school in the event that transportation is cancelled but schools remain open, or if your child is ill or late, please ensure that you call your child’s school to inform them of your child’s absence. A key resource in any emergency is the DSBN Emergency Informa-tion form that you filled out at the beginning of the school year. Please let the school know of any changes in contact information or procedures you wish to be followed throughout the school year. For secondary schools it may become necessary to cancel late buses. Notice will be provided via school announcements and on the websites and subscription features by 11:30 a.m. Information about transportation cancellations and school closures will be available as soon as it is available through the following chan-nels:

Websites: www.dsbn.org www.nsts.ca Subscription Features: DSBN Facebook or Twitter NSTS Transportation Delay or Cancellation Alerts Phone: Niagara Student Transportation Services 905-346-0290 Voice Auto Attendant Radio Stations: CKTB (610 AM) St.Catharines WAVE (94.7 FM) Hamilton CKOC (1150 AM) Hamilton CHML (900 AM) Hamilton Y-108 (107.9 FM) Hamilton CHRE (105.7 FM) St.Catharines CHTZ-FM (97.7 FM) St.Catharines CKEY (105.1 FM) Niagara Falls/Fort Erie K-LITE FM (102.9 FM) Hamilton GIANT FM (91.7 FM) Welland

Television Stations: City TV Breakfast Television CH– Hamilton Cogeco Channel 10 CTV Toronto

Picture: You’re The Chef

Program—Grade 8

HOW CAN YOU HELP YOUR CHILD

DEVELOP CRUCIAL

LEARNING SKILLS AND WORK HABITS?

RESPONSIBILITY

Students are responsible for fulfilling commitments, completing assignments on time and managing their own behavior.

Help your child learn to plan ahead by asking questions such as, “What do you need to pack for school tomorrow?”

ORGANIZATION

Students develop and follow a plan and process for completing work and achieving goals. Students com-plete tasks by identifying, gathering, evaluating and using information, technology, and resources.

Track your child’s assignments and activities on a wall calen-dar. Children benefit from visual reminders.

INDEPENDENT WORK

Students develop independence by following in-structions, monitoring progress, assessing and revis-ing plans. Class time is used effectively to complete tasks and meet goals with minimal supervision.

Involve your child in making age-appropriate decisions, such as healthy food choices for their lunches and picking out their own clothes.

COLLABORATION

Students share information and fulfill various roles within a group to achieve goals. The group works together to solve problems while respecting the ideas and opinions of the other group members.

Play interactive games to practice sharing and taking turns.

INITIATIVE

Students seek new ideas and opportunities for learn-ing. The student willingly takes risks and demon-strates a positive attitude while respecting the rights of self and others.

Promote your child’s interests and support them by providing them with related experiences such as a nature walk or a trip to the library.

SELF-REGULATION

Students set and monitor individual goals based on strengths, needs and interests. Appropriate learning opportunities are identified and the student perse-veres to achieve these goals.

Encourage your child to set goals of personal interest. Help them to make a plan to achieve their goal such as earning/saving enough money to purchase a desired item.

When students are doing inquiry based science, an ob-server will see that:

Children ask questions.

Children plan and carry out investigations.

Children use observation skills.

Children communicate using a variety of methods (e.g. charts, tables)

"Inquiry Based Science: What Does It Look

Like?" Connect Magazine (published by

Synergy Learning), March-April 1995, p. 13.

GRADE 1 BUBBLE INQUIRY!!!

Mme. Lemke has been studying the book Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion, with Mrs. Arghittu’s Grade 1 class. The Grade 1’s love to ask questions and as Ms. Moore happened to be visiting the Grade 1 class one day, she heard these wonderings:

What is a bubble?’

How do bubbles form?

What ingredients make a great bubble?

During the class discussion, everyone agreed that a bubble is like a pocket- a pocket made of soap and water and filled with air. When you blow air into a soap and water mixture, the soap forms a thin skin around the air, trapping it…and creating a bubble!

Now there was just one question the Grade 1’s had left to answer: What makes a great bubble? After cre-

ating criteria for a great bubble, the students in Grade 1 decided on different ingredients that they wanted to

add to a soap solution in hopes of creating a great bubble! The Grade 1’s reassured Mme. Lemke and Ms.

Moore that they had been practicing how to make great observations with Mrs. Arghittu and that they were

ready to experiment and test their predictions! This is what it looked like:

After careful analysis of their

data, the Grade 1’s concluded

that the chocolate syrup mixed

with Dawn detergent made a

great bubble. However, they

don’t recommend using this so-

lution to get Harry clean!

Math Education is Changing!

Math classrooms today look different than what we remember. How can we help our children succeed when the goals of math

instruction seem so different from what we experienced? Today the focus is more on conceptual understanding. Most of us

probably experienced math lessons where teachers focused on procedures and we practice them. We may be able to do arithme-

tic with pencil and paper quite well, but do we truly understand why the procedures work?

Math education today…

Encourages students to explore why procedures work and to find various strategies for solving a problem and to exam-

ine each strategy for its efficiency.

Allows teachers to work more closely with students, one-on-one and in groups, discussing and questioning and refining

their strategies. Teachers also create a classroom culture in which students can learn from one another.

Supports students to work collaboratively with one another, in pairs and groups, to look at options, and to exchange

ideas and develop ways to communicate and defend their ideas.

Supports students to persevere in solving problems and to appreciate puzzlement and the fun of “cracking” a problem

Makes the mathematical connection between the classroom ideas and the real world in which children and their teach-

ers and families live and work.

Emphasizes clever mental math computation and focuses to a lesser degree on pencil and paper arithmetic strategies

Encourages children to model problems, for example with arrays, and number lines

In classrooms today, children are being challenged to think, to wonder, to explore, to pose and solve problems about their real

world, to craft arguments to defend their thinking, and to use mental math strategies. They are being encouraged to be young

mathematicians as work!!

Excerpts taken from: “A Parent‟s Guide to Understanding Math Education in Today‟s Schools” by Cathrine Kellison and Cath-

erine Fosnot

One goal staff are working on which parents can help with:

We are encouraging students to value mistakes.

Mistakes are an opportunity for learning and everyone young or old makes them. Figuring out what the mistake is and looking

at the different ways the problem can be solved are essential skills to learning mathematics. When a child announces the answer

to a problem, regardless of whether the answer is right or wrong, try to remember to ask questions like: “How do you get your

answer? How do you know that it is right?” A child who may have made an error will begin to see and reverse his/her faulty

reasoning. Trust must be established with an understanding that it is okay to make mistakes.

Future newsletters will include: tips for parents, understanding some math terms and sample student work/ questions.

Picture 1) Grade 6/7 A Multiplication String showing student‟s thinking. Ask your son/daughter about „strings‟

Picture 2 and 3) Grade 2/3 Word Problem with rubric

Early Learning Kindergarten—Math

The Early Learning Programs have been focusing on number construction and measurement during the month of October. The students are becoming passionate mathematicians. Students have been finding ob-jects in the classroom to construct numbers 1-20. Students have also been very excited to explore pump-kins and squash in the classroom. They have discovered they can measure the pumpkins many different ways. They have used cubes, string, rulers, measuring tapes and blocks. We also issued a challenge to the students this month. They were given a shovel and a bucket and asked to estimate how many scoops of sand would fill up the bucket. The students created a chart to record their estimations and their measure-

ments.

Pictures: Constructing numbers, investigating pumpkins, measuring height and seeds in pumpkin,

measuring sand.

Pictures include: Fire

Presentation, Birds of Prey

Visit, Bullying Hurts pres-

entation, the Grade 4/5

class enjoyed a visit by

Mr. Deare who brought

along many interesting

rock and mineral samples

(from around the world)

for the students to exam-

ine, and Halloween

NOVEMBER NEWSLETTER DRAW

FOR A PRIZE

My child(ren) ______________________________

Class(es) and I have read the newsletter.

Question: School Council received a grant ($1000)to purchase parent resources for the book shelf in the front foyer. What topics would you like to see on the resource shelf (e.g. ADHD, anxiety. mental health, behaviour, bullying, bereave-ment)

______________________________________

_______________________________________

_______________________________________

Thank you for completing

(Please return to the Office)

STUDENT RECOGNITION Mrs. Oluic/ Gillian S. Miss Weir (K) Jaeden H

Miss Ashton/ Leo Z. Mrs. Morin (K) Jayden D.

Mrs. Arghittu (Gr.1) Ethan C. Abby B. Gary F.

Mrs. Height (Gr. 2) Calvin G. Justinas F.

Miss Esau (Gr. 2/3) Zoey B. Kieran V. Kate M. Ms. Molloy (Gr. 3/4) Charlie M. Tabytha J. Peyton G. Sarah D.

Mme Lemke (Gr. 4/5) Nolan K. Amy K. Ayden H. Mikey B.

Mr. Dodman (Gr. 6/7) Madyson L. Christian M. Christian S. Eric B.

Miss Whittal (Gr. 8) Nick H. Sierra M. Ben C. Mr. Nicholls (FS) Wayne S. Ava P.

Grade 2 are Scientists

(Mad Science)

OCTOBER NEWSLETTER WINNER The winner for the October newsletter is Charlotte and Jessica Cullen’s family and Hailey Downs’ family. Each family will re-ceive two large free pizzas from Gino’s Pizza. Congratulations.

Congratulations and thank you for your feedback. The feedback is taken seriously and the honesty is greatly appreciated.

Thank you Gino’s Pizza for supporting

Grand Avenue students.

How Long Must My Child Stay Home When Sick?

Please keep your child at home and away from others if he or she has any of these symptoms:

Fever

Diarrhea

Vomiting

Rash

Frequent coughing or sneezing

Yellow or green discharge from the nose, ears, or eyes

Sore throat

Contact your family doctor for a diagnosis. Your doctor will advise you about care and treatment if a communicable disease is diagnosed. For more information, please contact the Infectious Disease Program at 905-688-8248 ext. 7330 or 1-888-505-6074 or www.niagararegion.ca