Captain Michael VandenBos P. S. Flying High for Excellence

MISSION STATEMENT

OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY WILL CREATE A SAFE

AND MOTIVATING LEARNING

ENVIRONMENT THAT EMPOWERS

STUDENTS TO BECOME

SUCCESSFUL LEARNERS AND

TO ACQUIRE THE SKILLS NEEDED

TO BECOME RESPONSIBLE CITIZENS OF TOMORROW

3121 Country Lane Whitby, Ontario

L1P 1N3 Safe Arrival Line

4pm to 8am 905-665-2001

Monique de Villers

Principal

Jayne Krattiger Vice Principal

Voula Phillips

Carolyn Copithorne Admin. Assistants

John Bowyer

Superintendent 905-666-5500

Anne-Marie Laginski

Admin Officer 905-666-5500

Kimberly Zeppieri

905-668-7782 Christine Winters

905-430-6050 Trustees

MARCH 2011

We hope that this newsletter is finding you all well and keeping warm, winter is still having fun with us…but our mind and body are certainly ready to celebrate the arrival of spring! Only a few more weeks and we will be able to switch to our raincoat and boots (this is at least what most of us are hoping for!). We have had a very busy month of February celebrating in style our 10th year anniversary with our amaz-ing primary concert and preparing our first time “new version” of our report card. As we have now crossed the mid-point check in our school year, we are still keeping our students (and ourselves) busy and are planning some special events such as Big Kids Entertainment (Jk-5), Gr. 7 Conflict Resolution work-shop, VandenBos Vocalists concert, skating at Iroquois Park (Gr. 1-6) and a special dance (Gr. 7-8). We are also planning a Hearing and Vision clinic once again this year and of course will hold our Family Fitness Night at the end of the month…and we hope to see you there ready to move and have some fun!

NEWSLETTER

MARCH BREAK

Fri. Mar. 11th - Fri. Mar. 18th

Return to School ~ Mon. Mar. 21

Welcome/Bienvenue to Karin SchmidlechnerWelcome/Bienvenue to Karin Schmidlechner the new Principal at CMV! the new Principal at CMV!

I am so happy to announce that Karin Schmidlechner has been appointed the new principal at VandenBos as of April 26, 2011. Karin is presently the principal at Pierre Elliott Trudeau P.S. in Oshawa and has had the opportunity of working in numerous schools in Oshawa and Whitby. Her extensive knowledge, enthusiasm, positive attitude and ability to connect with students, parents and staff members will make her a valuable asset at CMV. She is looking forward to this new challenge and is excited to work with staff, students and parents of the CMV commu-nity. I know that you will embrace Karin Schmidlechner and will support her in the same man-ner that you have supported me along the years!

Construction News at CMV Phase 1 of the construction project at our school will begin on Friday, March 11 (Holiday for all students and staff) and there-fore when we will come back on Monday, March 21, we will no-tice some significant changes on our property. Please note that this four room addition is slated to be completed by the sum-mer.

March 2011 Page 2

Accountability Please update our records! Have you recently changed your work number or your babysitter or your “emergency contact”? If so, please let us know at the office so that we can be sure to reach you in the event of an emergency. Also, please discuss lunch time and pick up arrange-ments with your child before he or she is sent to school. Thanks.

Grade 7 & 8 DanceGrade 7 & 8 DanceGrade 7 & 8 Dance The grade 7 & 8 students will be having a dance on Thursday, March 10, 2011 in the afternoon. The cost is $5 to help pay for the DJ. All money collected in surplus of the cost of the DJ will be used to help off-set the expenses involved in the grade 8 graduation ceremonies and dance.

Character Education

The focus for the month of Feb-ruary has been Empathy. The classroom activities have varied

from class to class: read aloud, circle discussions, book talks, etc. The grade 7 students participated in a drama workshop that focused on empathy. They played cooperative games, discussed the importance of empathy and performed/discussed tableaus. Also, February was Black History Month. Individual classes completed a variety of activities on the impor-tance of this moment in history and the daily an-nouncements recognized those who played a signifi-cant role in changing history. There was also a school wide Black History Trivia game whereby each class was given a series of questions to research and an-swer. The questions extended from the year the first Africans arrived in the Americas, included nota-ble figures such as Martin Luther King, Jr. and Mal-colm X, and finished with the significance of Kwanzaa. The school wide activity was organized by group of our grade 8 students. Our focus for March will be Respect - being courte-ous, polite, treating others the way we would like to be treated, and treating property and our environ-ment with respect.

Ski ClubSki ClubSki Club

We have had an excellent time at Ski Club this year! Skyloft Ski Club

complimented our students on their good be-haviour on the hills–great job skiers and snowboarders! We are very proud of you!

March is Nutrition Month March is Nutrition Month March is Nutrition Month Across Canada!Across Canada!Across Canada!

Know what strengthens family ties, passes on valued traditions, teaches

skills and improves the family diet? Cooking together!

“Celebrate food… from field to table” has picked up mo-mentum this year by inviting families to cook and eat healthy and tasty meals together. Nutrition Month 2011 is also about showing Canadians how to make cooking together fun – and Canadian!

Once you start cooking together using quality, home-grown Canadian foods, you'll wonder what took you so long... It's a deliciously fun way to eat healthy – together.

Nutrition Month is presented by Dietitians of Canada, as well as thousands of dietitians across the country.

MARCH 2011 Page 3

Indoor Shoes Students have been re-minded that they must have indoor shoes to

wear in the classrooms and portables. This ensures that the rooms remain as clean and comfortable as possible.

Congratulations!!!! To the Intermediate choir who represented CMV well at the 17th Annual Choir Canada Festival held at the Pickering Town Center. The choir was well received by all and they were invited to be showcased in the grand finale concert. Bravo choir!!

Grade One French Immersion Program for CMV and Unnamed Whitby School

There will be a French Immersion Parent Information Night held on Wednesday, April 28 at 7:00 at the Education Centre (400 Taunton Road). This information meeting is intended for parents who have children in SK and are interested in the French Immersion Program. To pre-register your child at CMV or at the new Unnamed Whitby F.I. school, please contact Captain Michael VandenBos at 905-665-2001.

Junior Kindergarten/New to Kindergarten Pre-Registration for CMV and Unnamed Whitby P.S. Students

This is a reminder that we have started taking pre-registration information for next year’s JK and SK students. Parents are reminded to call the school in order to start the registration process (905) 665-2001. Since we are taking registrations this year for both CMV and the Unnamed Whitby School, we are asking parents to specify the name of the school when calling to pre-register their child/children. Children must be 4 years old by December 31, 2011 in order to attend the 2011-2012 school year as Junior Kindergarten students. Please pass this along to any of your neighbours/friends who may not be aware of this information. Thank you! JK/SK Boundaries for CMV: - Between Rossland Road, south side of Twin Streams Rd and the west side of Cochrane And - Palmerston Area: South side of Rossland Road, west of Brock Street North, and east side of Cochrane JK/SK Boundaries for the Unnamed Whitby School: - Lake Ontario to Taunton Road South (excluding Williamsburg’s & Palmerston’s Areas). ***Please note that students will all be considered “out-of-area pupils” and therefore will not be entitled to bussing.

Moving to the new Unnamed Whitby French Immersion School: Please make sure to check the new website: http://unnamedwhitby.ddsbschools.ca/ Remember that all students (current Gr. 1-7) who live outside the Williamsburg boundaries will be attending the new school in September.

MARCH 2011 Page 4

Out-Of-Area Moving?

If you know that you are moving out of the Captain Michael VandenBos area, would you please call the school office (665-2001) and let us know. This will help us in our planning for the upcoming school year.

Ice Skating On Thursday, March 10, 2011, Grade 1-6 students will be going ice skating at Iroquois Park Arena in the afternoon. The cost will be $2. Every stu-

dent who is skating must wear a hel-met this year. Hockey, ski or bicycle helmets are acceptable. The permis-sion forms have been sent home. If you have extra skates which another

student could borrow for the afternoon, please let your child’s teacher know. Parents are wel-come to meet us at the arena to help tie skates etc. If you are going to the arena and plan on taking your child home directly from the arena, be sure to inform the teacher. Buses will be leaving the school shortly after af-ternoon attendance. All students will be back at the school in time for regular dismissal at 2:50 to begin the March Break holiday. If your child will not be at school that afternoon, please be sure to inform his/her teacher or the office in advance.

Texting at school As we are following the DDSB policy restricting students’ access to their cell phones on school property, we are asking for your support in communicating with the office directly if

you are trying to connect with your child. As tempting as it is to be able to instantly communicate with your child using text messages during school hours, this is not permitted and therefore we are asking for your support in this matter. Thank you.

Intermediate Classes

Spirit Day Results

Primary Classes

Junior Classes

Intermediate Classes

MARCH 2011 Page 6

March 1 .............Spirit Club Yearbook Photo 2.............Ala (Baha’i) 3.............Bus Safety 4.............Big Kids Entertainment JK-5 4.............Immunization Forms Due 6.............World Day of Prayer (Christian) 7.............Bus Safety 8.............La Poule Maboule play in Library 6:30 pm 8.............International Women’s Day 9.............Vandenbos Vocalists 9.............Inside Out/Backwards Day 10...........Ash Wednesday (Catholic) 10...........Photo Retakes am 10...........Ice Skating - pm, gr. 1-6 10...........Grade 7-8 Dance, pm 11 ...........Literacy Guild

14...........Sikh New Year’s Day (Sikhism) 17...........St. Patrick’s Day (Irish) 11-18 .....March Break 19-20 ....Purim (Jewish) 20 ..........Holi (Hinduism) 20 ..........Naw-Ruz (Baha’i) 21...........United Nations International Day for the ...............Elimination of Racism 22 ..........Pizza Lunch 22 ..........Station Gallery 24 ..........SCC Meeting 24-25....Hearing and Vision Testing 30 ..........Family Fitness Night 6:30 to 8:00 ...............Veggie Appreciation Day 30 ..........Dr. David Suzuki Webcast Gr. 4’s Library ...............1:00 to 2:00

Vitality at VandenBos

Family Fitness ~ an evening of activity, info. & fun

Wednesday, March 30, 2011 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.

Watch for our Flyer after March Break

Lost and found items

Please remember to check the lost and found items located in the bins near the kindergarten classroom on your next visit to the school. Lots of valuable items such as jackets, sweaters, sweat-shirts, mitts, hats and lunch kits want to go home! These lost items will remain at the school until the March Break before being sent to a charity organization in our com-munity. Thank you!

Supervision This is a reminder to parents that teacher supervision in the playground begins at 8:05 a.m. Students should arrive at school between 8:05 a.m. and 8:15 a.m. and leave the building and school property promptly after dismissal at 2:50 p.m.

Veggie Appreciation Day Wednesday March 30th

Vandenbos will celebration Nu-trition month with a veggie tasting!

Information will be sent home before the break.