KA/KB Diaper changes Mitchell Woods Public School Newsletter September 2017 Dear Mitchell Woods Parents and Guardians: Last year, my first year at MWPS I conducted a survey of parents/guardians about their views of the school. The response was amazing!! I used the information that was gathered to help inform our school improvement plan and to focus the energies of various groups including the School Council. I would really appreciate you taking the time once again to complete the survey. Please send a paper copy of the survey to the office with your child by September 8 th . Thank you! Thank you! Mrs. Gault J Name(s) of your children who attend our school ___________________________________________ 1) What is great about Mitchell Woods Public School? (Feel free to be specific.) _____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ 2) Name one thing you would love to see happen at Mitchell Woods Public School. Is there anything you would like to do to help support this change? _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ 1) Is there anything else you would like me to know? _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________
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KA/KB Diaper changes
Mitchell Woods Public School Newsletter September 2017 Dear Mitchell Woods Parents and Guardians: Last year, my first year at MWPS I conducted a survey of parents/guardians about their views of the school. The response was amazing!! I used the information that was gathered to help inform our school improvement plan and to focus the energies of various groups including the School Council. I would really appreciate you taking the time once again to complete the survey. Please send a paper copy of the survey to the office with your child by September 8th. Thank you! Thank you! Mrs. Gault J Name(s) of your children who attend our school ___________________________________________
1) What is great about Mitchell Woods Public School? (Feel free to be specific.)
EXCITING NEWS ! You can receive school updates on your mobile device!!!
You can now receive automatic updates from our school website, calendar and twitter account on your cell phone to keep you better informed!
We are pleased to announce that the Upper Grand DSB is introducing a new parent communication tool for your smart phone. Designed to streamline communication between schools and the communities they serve, the Upper Grand Mobile app provides parents with a simple interface with up to date information including news, calendars and social media feeds.
The Upper Grand Mobile App is available today for free at either the Google Play Store or at iTunes. Use the search term “Upper Grand” to find the app.
Once installed, your app should appear as an icon on your phone.
Click on the app to open. The first time you open the Upper Grand App you will need to click on the Start setup link to see a list of schools.
You may select more than one school. To select a school slide the button to the right. Click on the Arrow to go to next step As a self-subscription service the Upper Grand Mobile App is fully compliant with CASL regulations. The information displayed in the app is pulled directly from your school’s webpage. When the Mitchell Woods webpage is updated the app automatically updates and notifies users. For example, click on News. The information from your school’s web page will appear in the News section of the app as it appears on the website.
Integrated into the Upper Grand Mobile App is a powerful communication tool for sending messages directly to groups of parents, students or staff. This new Board-approved service is designed to replace other parent communication tools that are not on the Board’s Green list of approved third-party apps. Before you can begin using the SchoolMessenger service, you must install the app onto your phone. For detailed instructions please see the accompanying handout, SchoolMessenger App
Clicking on this icon the first time will automatically redirect your phone to either the iTunes or Google Play Store. Install the app. Click on the Sign Up link to create your parent account Enter an email address and make up a password that meets the password requirements Verify your account by going to the email that is sent to your phone *You must do this step on mobile device* Use the link to complete account information Before you put in your email and password switch location to Canada Login using the same email and password you created in above steps Click on Login Fill out the verification form with Click on 3 bars in the left hand corner of the app and choose groups Click “Join a Group using a Code”
Enter the Code to use is: 54ZRUL
Forms Coming Home
A number of important forms are coming home today. Please ensure that you read them carefully! If you have any questions regarding these forms, please contact the school office. Please complete and return these forms to your child’s teacher no later than Friday, September 8th.
• Student Verification Form – white – read, make any changes directly onto the form, sign the bottom & return
• Community Walk Permission Form – blue – read, sign & return • Student Personal Information Routine Uses Letter & Consent – orange – read, sign & return pg. 2 • UGDSB Threat/Risk Assessment and Suicide Protocol Notification – green – read & keep
Milk and Pizza Order Forms will follow later this month. Change: Students leaving school at Nutrition Breaks If you have a child who you would like to have ongoing permission to leave during the second Nutrition Break, please write a letter addressed to Mrs.Gault – Principal - outlining the following details:
1) Your child’s name and grade. 2) Which day(s) of the week do you want them to be able to leave between 12:50 and 1:35pm. 3) End date of permission – indicate if it’s for the whole school year or if there is an earlier end date.
** NOTE: If you send this letter to the school, your child will still be required to sign in and out at the office however you will NOT be called to confirm or to seek permission. ALSO, the school is not responsible for your child’s safety when they are off school property. Volunteers Forms We truly value the volunteers in our school. Parents and community members are encouraged to help in the classroom and on school trips, assist in the library or with extra-curricular activities and participate on the School Council. Please be sure to pick up a volunteer form from the office. Being a volunteer is a wonderful way of participating in your child’s education. Visitors to Our School We warmly invite parents and guests to visit our school for special events and various meetings and encourage volunteers in our classrooms. For safety reasons, all visitors must report to the office, sign in and obtain a visitor/volunteer badge before proceeding to classrooms or onto the yard. Picking up Students from School To ensure student safety, if you are taking your child from the school during the school day, you must come to the office and sign your child out after talking to the Office Coordinator. This will assist us in ensuring the safety of your child. Please do not park in front of the school. The drive thru is intended for use by the school buses and taxis only. We also encourage students to walk to school as frequently as possible.
Home Safe
After being dismissed from class at the end of the day, students are to go directly home or to a caregiver before proceeding to other activities.
IMPORTANT CHANGES TO DROP OFF/ PICK UP ROUTINE Parents and guardians are strongly encouraged to walk their child or allow their child to walk to school (where appropriate) to increase the safety of all children at MWPS. To further improve safety you will notice that the crosswalks were altered in June. Walkers can access the playground from Willow Road following the crosswalks and pathways. After crossing with the crossing guard at the lights it is important that children and adults follow the sidewalk crossing the drive way with the help of our trained safety patrols. PLEASE do not cross the bus/taxi lane at the front of the school at any time during the day. If you choose to drive your child to school, please do not enter the school property (either in the parking lot or the bus lane with your vehicle) – unless you have an accessibility parking license displayed in your windshield. Please obey the posted signs on the road as far as where you are legally allowed to park. Alternatively, consider parking on a side street and walking your child over to the school. A ten or fifteen minute walk with your child in the morning can be a wonderful way to connect in addition to providing your child some physical activity which will help him/her focus over the school day. As our school grows, we need families to change their practice in order to improve the safety of our students. Thank you in advance for your support and help. Safety First During the school day, your child’s safety is of the utmost importance to us. It is imperative that you call the office before 8:45 am if your child is going to be absent or late. For your convenience, we also have voice mail which allows you to contact the school at any time during the night, over the weekends and early in the morning. The phone number is 519-829-3123. When you leave a message, please be sure to note the child’s full name, teacher and reason for absence. If a child is absent and we have not heard from a parent/guardian, we will attempt to contact the parent/guardian to ensure that the child is “safe”. If a parent cannot be reached, we will contact the emergency number provided. It is very important to let the school know if there is any change in personal information: home or work numbers, cell numbers, address changes etc. In the event of an unexplained absence or emergency, we will then be able to contact you immediately. If your child’s dismissal arrangements change in any way, please send a note in the morning. It is extremely busy in the office at the end of the day, and messages left on the machine may not be retrieved in time to pass onto the teacher. Mitchell Woods School Dress Code At Mitchell Woods Public School we promote a respectful and professional student image. Appropriate dress is defined as attire that is free of symbols of hate, gang membership or images that portray violence, death, abuse, cigarettes, drugs, alcohol, racial slurs, obscene words and political or sexual statements explicitly or by implication. Lates The curriculum is rich and extensive so teachers need to use every period to enable students to learn all they can. Lessons need to start on time. Late students disturb the lesson flow, because teachers have to re-teach to ensure the late student is brought up-to-date. Please help by getting your children to school on time. Everyone benefits!
Sign up for Cashonline – Make school payments easy!! Go to the link below and follow the steps: https://ugdsb.schoolcashonline.com/ Safety Drills throughout the year The safety and well-being of our students is our highest priority. Although we hope that an incident that requires response from emergency personnel will never occur in our school, we must be prepared to respond quickly and effectively in case it does. Each year our school must conduct drills to ensure staff and students are prepared in the event of a real emergency. The following number of drills are required each school year:
• Three (3) fire drills in the fall and three (3) fire drills in the spring • Two (2) lockdown drills • One (1) tornado drill • One (1) bomb threat drill
For each of these drills, there is an education component to explain why they are necessary. All drills are conducted in a manner that is sensitive to the needs of our students. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the school office.
Bus Behaviour Students are expected to follow the rules of the bus, listen to the driver, remain in their seats, refrain from eating and drinking anything while on the bus, and follow the directions of the staff when entering or exiting the bus. (Refer to Code of Conduct on school website for further details.) School Resources on Website For more information concerning school policies and procedures please refer to the school website where you will find a School Day Schedule, School Year Calendar, Code of Conduct, Staff Lists, Computer Usage Policy and so on. See below for link: http://www.ugdsb.ca/mwoods/resources/ Safety Patrols Student patrols are on duty for fifteen minutes before classes begin and after classes end. We appreciate our volunteer patrols and their commitment to ensuring student safety. Patrol Times: 8:30 - 8:45 am 3:15 - 3:30 pm Asthma Friendly Schools Policy Asthma is a very common chronic lung disease that can make it hard to breathe. The Upper Grand District School Board adopted a new policy in June 2016 to provide support for students with Asthma. If your child has asthma, the policy requires an Asthma Management Plan (AMP) to be completed by parents, a child’s doctor and the principal of the school. A copy of this plan is available on the Board’s website under Policy 516. You can also call the school office and speak to the Office Coordinator and she will send a form home to you at your request. Parents are requested to complete the AMP and return it to the school office as soon as possible at the beginning of the school year.
EAs Kim Jenkinson, Odette Titone, Martha Cutting, Corinna DeGeer, Lisa Ward, Melissa Potocnik, Shauna Hanna
CYC Amy Fonte
Custodian Leon Bota and Team
Office Co-ordinator
Lisa Horn
Office Assistants Ann Rimkus, Simone Kent
Smoke–Free Environment The Upper Grand DSB provides a smoke-free environment for its students, staff and others while on school Board property, in accordance with the Smoke-Free Ontario Act. This policy refers to all forms of tobacco, and any processed form of tobacco that may be smoked, inhaled or chewed, including e-cigarettes. Smudging is the tradition of using sacred smoke from sacred medicines (e.g., tobacco and sage) that forms part of the indigenous culture and spirituality. Smudging is allowed in schools under the Smoke-Free Ontario Act. Parents will be informed using the school’s usual forms of communication when smudging is going to occur in our school. Participation by staff and students is optional in a smudging ceremony. Life-Threatening Allergies We have children in our school with potential life-threatening allergies (called anaphylaxis) to various foods and other materials. Anaphylaxis is a medical condition that can cause death within minutes. In recent years, anaphylaxis has increased dramatically among students. Although this may not affect your child’s class directly, we are letting you know so that you are aware that we aim to create an allergy safe environment at our school. If your child is in a classroom with an anaphylactic child, or your child has anaphylaxis, you will be informed by the classroom teacher. Our school has procedures in place for the prevention and management of anaphylactic reactions. If your child has health concerns of any kind, please tell your child’s teacher or the office and we will take the necessary health protection steps. Thank you for your understanding in ensuring an allergy-safe environment for all of our students. Report Bullying We take all incidents of bullying seriously. If your child is the victim of bullying or sees bullyingbehavioratschool,pleaseencouragehim/hertospeakwithsomeoneatschooloruseourboard’sonlinereportingtool.ReportBullyinggivesstudentsandparents24/7accessforreportingbullying.Youdon’thavetoidentifyyourself–justyourschool–andyourmessagegetssentdirectlytotheschoolprincipalforfollow-up.You’llfindtheReportBullyingbuttononourschool’swebsite Snack Program We will continue to provide a healthy snack to each classroom first thing in the morning, two or three days a week, which all children can access as needed throughout the day. (Program will be dependent of funding.) We are looking for volunteers to help us implement the program including: Snack Preparation – 8:25 am to 9:15 am (days are flexible) Snack Bin Cleaning – 2:30 pm to 3:15 pm (days are flexible) If you are willing to volunteer your time for this wonderful program, please call our new Child and Youth Counsellor – Amy Fonte at the school. (519) 829-3123 Child and Youth Counselor Mrs. Fonte will be here Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings and Tuesday, Thursday afternoons. Mrs. Fonte can be reached at 519-829-3123. The Child and Youth Counselor’s role is to support students, staff and parents. Some of the topics
include social skills development, anger management, bereavement, family separation or divorce, self-esteem, conflict between friends, bullying, anxiety and family issues. Support for the students will be focused on social, emotional and behavioural concerns. Support can be individual, classroom or group. Student Accident Insurance Parents or guardians are responsible for expenses related to student injuries on school premises during school activities. Accidents can and do happen and the costs involved might not be fully covered by Provincial Health Care or employer group insurance plans. The Upper Grand District School Board is empowered under the Education Act to offer Accident and Life Insurance for students. Information will be sent home early in September with respect to Student Accident Insurance offered by Reliable Life Insurance Company. You should receive the Director’s letter, an Acknowledgment to be signed by parents (and returned to the school) and a Student Accident Insurance application form (to be mailed directly to Reliable Life). Please do not return your application to the school office. Reliable Life Insurance Company offers a variety of options, including family rates and multi-year plans, at affordable prices. The cost must be paid by the parents or guardians. Subscription is directly through Reliable Life by mail or on line. Questions should be directed to Reliable Life at 1-800-463-5437 or www.insuremykids.com. For today’s active children, especially those who participate in field trips, co-curricular and other school activities outside the school day, Student Accident Insurance is valuable. You can find additional information on the Board’s website at www.ugdsb.on.ca. Feedback welcome on draft board policiesThe Upper Grand District School Board is welcoming public input on draft policies. Currently under review are the following two policies:
Policy 209 – Distribution of Materials in Schools from External OrganizationsThe policy and procedures for Distribution of Materials in Schools from External Organizations have been revised to clarify and update requirements, and to distinguish between the process of distribution to the system and distribution to a single school. The procedures for the distribution of non-curricular religious materials have been incorporated to centralize the policy directive concerning the distribution of all materials.
This policy is important to staff, students, school councils, and parents because it allows the board to support non-profit community groups in showing information about their activities and supports for students.
Policy 307 – Outdoor Play Spaces The policy and procedures for Outdoor Play Spaces have been revised to respond to the increasing practice of creating more naturalized playscapes on school yards, and the need to clarify the various levels of responsibility associated with playground construction, maintenance and the daily operations of outdoor play spaces.
The policy is important to staff, students, school councils, parents and community members because outdoor play spaces at UGDSB schools are used for play and learning during the school day, and after hours by the community.
You are invited to review the draft documents and submit online feedback atwww.ugdsb.on.ca/policy. The deadline for public input is October 12, 2017 at 4 p.m. EST. Persons without internet access may call 519-822-4420 (or toll-free 1-800-321-4025) ext. 723 to request a printed copy of the draft documents.
Message from the Human Resources Department: Re: School Organizations Schools have built class lists based on their tentative organizations. Changes may be necessary at your child(ren)’s school in order that our Board remain compliant with Ministry parameters (see below). Any changes would be implemented by Monday, September 18th. Principals do not have the option of changing the school organization that is set by the District Staffing Committee of the Board. If changes affect your child(ren), you will be informed by the school. Ministry of Education Parameters: • Full Day Kindergarten Class Size Average for the Board is 26 students • 90% of the Board’s primary classes with 20 or fewer students • 10% of the Board’s primary classes up to a maximum of 23 students • Grade 3/4 classes have a cap of 23 students • Junior/Intermediate Class Size Average for the Board is 24.85 students to 1 teacher Protecting our Students from Lead in Drinking Water
Ontario is continuing to protect children’s health with new regulation changes aimed at improving drinking water testing in child care centres and schools to minimize children’s exposure to lead.
New amendments to Ontario Regulation 243/07 that take effect July 1, 2017 will now require lead testing within these facilities for all fixtures used to provide drinking water and/or prepare food or drink for children under 18.
Studies1 show that lead levels in drinking water from plumbing can vary substantially between individual taps or fountains. Only by testing each drinking water fixture can child care centres and schools be sure that they are not exposing children to lead through any of the plumbing within their facilities.
Since 2007, the Ontario government has been requiring child care centres and schools to flush the plumbing in their facilities and to test their drinking water for lead. Flushing has been shown to reduce lead levels in water at a tap or fountain.
Ontario Regulation 243/07 also requires testing to measure the presence of lead in drinking water against the provincial drinking water quality standard of 10 micrograms per litre, based on a national guideline set by Health Canada.
For more information about flushing and sampling for lead in child care centres and schools, visit www.ontario.ca/drinkingwater or call the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change’s Public Information Centre at 1-800-565-4923 The Benefits of Making Mistakes As the new school year begins, there is one quote that educators wish that all students would consider they enter their new classrooms, “making mistakes is part of life—and a really big part of growing up. It’s how you learn who you want to be” (http://talkingtreebooks.com/quotes/quote-making-mistakes.html). As adults, we understand that making mistakes is an important part of life, however, students sometimes struggle to see the benefits of their errors.
One of the ways that we, the adults in children’s lives, can support youngsters is to be open about the mistakes that we make and share with students how we take responsibility for our errors. It is important that children see that everyone makes mistakes and that mistakes are a valuable part of our lives due to the fact that they encourage brain development. Researcher, Jo Boaler, states in her book Mathematical Mindsets (p. 12) when the brain is challenged and mistakes are made, that is the time when “the brain grows the most.” When students are taught about the importance of mistakes, it can have a positive impact on their lives. New York Times author, Peter Sims, identified the following habits of successful people: 1. They feel comfortable being wrong. 2. They try new ideas. 3. They are open to different experiences. 4. They try out ideas without judging them. 5. They are willing to go against the crowd. 6. They do not give up when things get hard. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if all of our students followed these ideas? It would be wonderful if students believed that every time they entered school they were going to a place where they were going to make mistakes that will help them grow and learn. It is vital that we understand that learning means not being afraid to examine the mistakes that we all make. It would be great if children remember this quote from former President of the United States, Bill Clinton, “[everyone] will make mistakes. But if you learn from them, you'll be a better person. It's how you handle adversity, not how it affects you. The main thing is never quit, never quit, never quit. “ UGDSB Program Department
