Administrator’s Message

Greig Black

Principal

Tara Wagg

Vice Principal

Gail Koidis

Office Administrative

Assistant

Dina Tsigaridis

Secretary

Becky Green

Superintendent of

Schools

905.940.7800

Allan Tam

Trustee

416-898-9607

Franklin Street Public School

21 Franklin Street, Markham, ON, L3P 2S7

t. 905.294.3562 f. 905.294.6665

www: http://franklinstreet.ps.yrdsb.ca/

email: franklin.street.ps@yrdsb.ca

twitter: @FranklinStPS

April, & May 2020

Volume 4, Issue 8

The Franklin Flash

SCHOOL DAY

TIMES

For all Students JK-8

8:00-8:15 a.m.

Yard Supervision

8:15 a.m.

Entry Bell

8:15-9:55 a.m.

Learning Block

9:55-10:25 a.m.

Recess

10:25-12:05 p.m.

Learning Block

12:05 a.m.-1:05 p.m.

(all students outside

from 12:25-1:05)

1:05-2:45 p.m.

Learning Block

As I sit to write this message to you my first and most important thought that comes to

mind is that I hope you are all staying healthy and doing well as we all adjust to the

changes we’re all experiencing in our day-to-day lives.

With the current closure of Ontario schools extended until May 4, and possibly longer,

our staff have pivoted to implementing our school board’s Learning and Caring Plan,

with teachers providing teacher-directed online learning opportunities for students in all

grades. One of the biggest questions many have about the Learning and Caring Plan is

related to the assessment of student work during this time. All grade 1 to Grade 8

students will receive a final report card at the end of the 2019-20 school year

and Kindergarten students will receive Communication of Learning.

Assessment information gathered prior to March 13th will be used to inform

the information in these documents. Elementary students will continue to be

assessed throughout the remainder of the school year to support their ongoing learning.

Specifically, teachers will use a variety of Assessment for/as Learning (formative)

approaches to gather evidence of how students are progressing in their learning. In

order to accomplish this, under the direction of the school board as well as the

Ministry of Education, teachers will provide feedback to students on their

progress, but specific letter and numerical grades cannot be provided for

specific tasks. Regardless, in order to continue with academic growth and new

learning we are encouraging all students and families to engage in the teacher-directed

learning opportunities as best possible.

We recognize you likely have a lot of other questions about what this ongoing school

closure will mean for students and when schools may reopen for staff and students.

Rest assured that as we learn more, we will continue to provide you with information.

Please continue to monitor your email, the Board’s website and its Twitter feed for up-

to-date information.

You may also be concerned about your child’s emotional well-being. You can find tips

on how to speak to your child about COVID-19 on the YRDSB website, as well as

some well-being resources. We also know that this situation is affecting families in

different ways and we have a list of COVID-19 related community supports on the

YRDSB website at www.yrdsb.ca/covid19.

We will continue to keep in contact with families with information and updates. To

keep up-to-date, please follow the Board’s Twitter feed: @YRDSB, or for general

information, visit the Board’s website: www.yrdsb.ca./covid19.

We will ge through this together and by working together we will ensure that Franklin

Street PS remains a school of excellence!

2019-2020

Professional

Activity &

Training Days

(No School for

Students)

Monday, June 1, 2020

Thursday, June 25, 2020

(11:15 a.m. dismissal for

all students)

2019-2020

School Holidays

(School Closed)

Victoria Day

Monday, May 18, 2020

Kindergarten Registration is Still Happening

Even though school buildings are closed for the right now, Kindergarten

registration for the 2020-21 school year is happening now. Registration forms are

available on YRDSB’s website: www.yrdsb.ca.

Children who turn four or five years old during 2020, live within the school boundary and

whose parents are public school tax supporters will be eligible to register for

kindergarten. For more information please visit the YRDSB website.

Please remember that all school buildings are closed to students and staff alike and as a

result phone extensions in the school are not being monitored on a regular basis. Families

can still contact the school by email at franklin.street.ps@yrdsb.ca and individual staff can

be reached through email and their online learning platform.

Contacting the School and School Staff

During School Closure

This is the time of year that school staff begin the collaborative process of

class placement decisions. Classroom teachers, in cooperation with support

staff, administration, and parental input work diligently to create balanced

classes for the upcoming school year. School staff consider the

academic, social, and emotional strengths, needs and interests,

and more of each student when preparing class lists. The ultimate

goal of class placement is to support and enhance the learning of all

students. We welcome any input you wish to share about your child’s

strengths, needs, and learning styles. However, requests for specific

teachers cannot be considered. The responsibility for final decisions lies

with administration. Please send any information you would like

considered about your child’s placement for next year to Mr.

Black (greig.black@yrdsb.ca)no later than May 4th.

2020-2021 Class Placement Process

MOVING? CHANGE OF ADDRESS?

Are you moving before September, or have you recently moved?

Families who are planning to move before the start of the

next school year are asked to please contact the school

office through email (franklin.street.ps@yrdsb.ca) as soon as

possible. Families in York Region are eligible to attend

specific schools based on their residential address. School staff

can help you locate your child’s new school and also can assist you

with the student transfer process. In addition to helping make your

child’s transition to a new school a smooth and hassle-free process, by informing the

school of your plans to move, you are helping us ensure that our school is organized for

September with the most up to date information. Thank you for your cooperation!

Cancellation and Postponement of all School Events

As the situation with COVID-19 continues to evolve on a daily basis, our top priority during this challenging time

remains the health and safety of our students and staff.

It is therefore with much regret and after careful consideration, that York Region District School Board has made the

difficult decision to postpone all scheduled school events for the remainder of the school year, regardless of whether

or no school reopen before the end of June. This includes our annual Franklin Fete fun fair, as well as Grade

8 Graduation. The postponement of events is in line with measures currently being taken by health authorities and

various levels of government to stop the spread of COVID-19.

We will plan to recognize the important milestone iof Grade 8 Graduation in the fall, and will be in

contact with parents of Grade 8 students when we have more details. We recognize that this is

disappointing news. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we continue to work through this evolving

situation.

What to Expect Regarding Assessment of Student Learning

As previously shared with all families in a letter from our Director of Education, Louise Sirisko, all Grade 1 to Grade 8

students will receive a final report card at the end of the 2019-20 school year and Kindergarten students will receive a

Communication of Learning. Assessment information gathered prior to March 13th will be used to inform

the information in these documents. Elementary students will continue to be assessed throughout the remainder

of the school year to support their ongoing learning. Specifically, teachers will use a variety of Assessment for/as

Learning (formative) approaches to gather evidence of how students are progressing in their learning. Teachers will

provide feedback to students on their progress. As a general approach, letter, level, and numerical grades for

work completed at home will not be given. The YRDSB focus is on communication of learning, not summative

marks or letter grades for work completed while engaged in teacher-directed instruction while school buildings are

closed. Contact with students and families related to tasks completed will be feedback based, including growth and

next steps for improvement.

The Math Corner

Monthly Math Problem

In this sequence of numbers (3, 7, 10, 17, 27), after the first two, each number is the sum of the previous two numbers.

If you want the fifth number to 100, what two positive numbers could you start with?

Spring Math - Math is Outside Too!

Spring and nice weather make for a great time to get outdoors and connect with math. Whether you are taking a walk,

filling compost bags with leaves or starting to build that garden shed, there are many opportunities to engage in rich

mathematical discussions with your child.

Here are some questions you can pose to your child as you engage with nature:

What shapes do you see in that house?

How tall do you think that tree is?

How far do you think we walked today?

How many piles of leaves do you think will fit into this bag?

How many ___ did you see on our walk?

How many windows do you think are in that building?

How long do you think it will take us to walk one kilometer?

If we double our pace how long do you think it will take us to get home?

So the next time you spend some time outdoors with your child, take some time to engage in some math talk!

You may also be interested in reading a new article for parents written by Jo Boaler, Professor of Mathematics

Education at Stanford University: Developing Mathematical Mindsets, The Need to Interact with Numbers Flexibly and

Conceptually

Rabbit and Bear Paws Perform at Franklin Street PS

Just prior to the March Break students and

staff were fortunate to enjoy a drama

performance put on by puppeteer Chad

Soloman, from the Indigenous troupe, Rabbit

and Bear Paws. “The Way” and “Dream

Catcher” were performed for Kindergarten

to Grade 3 students and Grade 4-8 students,

respectively. Through the use of characters

introduced during the plays, many voiced and

controlled by students and staff in the

audience, we learned more about the 7

Grandfather Teachings of Indigenous culture

and the story behind Turtle Island. Moving

forward, we will continue to make

connections between the 7 Grandfather

Teachings, Character Education, and our

Learning Skills.

The Seven Grandfather Teachings are a set of traditional teachings that have been passed down in Indigenous culture

from generation to generation. The seven teachings were given to the people to guide them in living a good life, living

without conflict and in peace. They include Humility, Love, Respect, Wisdom, Courage, Honesty and Truth.

Humility is represented by the wolf. For the wolf, life is lived for a pack and the ultimate shame is to be outcast.

Humility is to know that you live life selflessly and not selfishly. Do not become arrogant and self-important.

The eagle that represents Love because he has the strength to carry all the teachings. The Eagle’s teaching of love can

be found in the core of all teachings. To know love is to know peace. View your inner-self from the perspective of all

teachings. This is to know love and to love yourself truly. Then you will be at peace with yourself.

Respect is represented by the buffalo. The buffalo gives every part of its being to sustain the human way of living, not

because he is of less value, but because he respects the balance and needs of others. Live honorably in teachings and in

your actions towards all things. Treat others the way you would like to be treated. Do not be hurtful to yourself or

others.

The beaver represents Wisdom because the beaver uses his natural gift wisely for survival by altering the environment

in an environmentally friendly way. Continuously observe the life of all things around you. Listen with clarity and a

sound mind. Respect your own limitations and those of all of your surroundings. Allow yourself to learn and live by

your wisdom.

Courage is represented by the bear. The bear has the courage and strength to face fears and challenges and also

shows us how to live a balanced life with rest, survival and play. To face life with courage is to know bravery. Make

positive choices and have conviction in your decisions.

Honesty is represented by either the raven or the sabe (Sasquatch). An honest person is said to walk tall like Kitchi-

Sabe, while the raven accepts himself and does not seek the power, speed or beauty of others. He uses what he has

been given to survive and thrive. Be honest with yourself. Recognize and accept who you are. Do not seek to deceive

yourself or others.

Truth is represented by the turtle which according to Aboriginal culture was here during the creation of Earth and

carries the teachings of life on his back. The turtle lives life in a slow and meticulous manner because he understands

the importance of both the journey and the destination. Truth is to know all of these things. Show honor and sincerity

in all that you say and do. Be true to yourself and all other things.

Using the 7 Grandfather Teachings

The Falcons continue to soar… Join us as we celebrate our school spirit together from home April 20-24th

Monday

Movement Monday! Show your moves...have a dance party, stretch, do some yoga, work out, skip, or any activity that gets your body moving! @FranklinStPS #FranklinFalcons

Tuesday Together Tuesday! Wear your Franklin Gear or dress in our school colours (green and white) and take a picture and share it with us! Or, post to Twitter tagging @FranklinStPS #FranklinFalcons

Wednesday Earth Day! Show your spirit today by getting outside for a short walk with your family or help clean up your garden/yard (practising social distancing and hand washing). Take a selfie and post to Twitter @FranklinStPS #FranklinFalcons

Thursday Thoughtful Thursday! Get creative and post signs that give people hope. Put them in your window or draw them on your sidewalk/driveway. Let’s create a hopeful community. Take a selfie with your message and share it on Twitter @FranklinStPS #FranklinFalcons #FranklinFalcons

Friday PJ Day! You have made it through the third week of online learning! Way to go, let’s keep it relaxed and wear our favourite jammies all day! Take a selfie and post to Twitter@FranklinStPS #FranklinFalcons #FranklinFalcons

When to washyour hands

1 After blowing your nose,or coughing and sneezinginto your hands.

2 After going to the washroom. 3 Before and after visiting

someone who is sick.

4After playing outside. 5 After playing with animals. 6 Before eating or drinking.

7 Before and after handlingfood. 8 If hands look or feel dirty. 9 After handling garbage.

Health Protection 2007