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McKee McNews January 2016
McKee Public School
35 Church Avenue
Toronto, Ontario M2N 6X6
Telephone: 416-395-2680 Safe Arrival Program: 416-395-2688 Fax 416-395-4497
Linda Curtis
Superintendent
416-396-9172
It was 5.5 years ago when I first stepped through the doors of McKee P.S. as the
Vice-Principal. At that time, our current grade 4 students were JK students and
they were as excited as I was when we came through the McKee doors together
for the very first time. We have all grown so much since those first days.
You have probably heard of the saying that all good things must come to an end.
Families should have received an email from the school last week informing you
that I will be leaving McKee at the end of this week to assume the Principal duties
at Pineway Public School effective January 4, 2016.
As I type that last sentence, it is filled with mixed emotions. I am obviously
thrilled and excited to be promoted to principal. At the same time it brings some
sadness. I will be forever thankful for the many great relationships that I have
formed with students, staff, and parents during my time here. The McKee stu-
dents never cease to amaze me with their respectful, responsible, and kind manner
as well as their strong work ethic. I have had the privilege to work with so many
fantastic educators during my stay - McKee has a great staff! Our parent commu-
nity has always been warm and supportive with me and I can’t thank you all
enough! You will all be missed more than I can adequately express!
However, I want to ensure you that good things are not coming to an end! I am
confident that great things will continue to happen here at McKee as students and
staff continue to strive to reach their full potential. To that end, we welcome Mrs.
Katia Robles, currently the vice-principal from R. J. Lang E.M.S. as she will as-
sume the duties of vice-principal at McKee after the winter break.
I wish you all much success in the future. It is my hope that as you
spend time with your families over these next 2 weeks celebrating
these significant holidays, you will make some lasting memories
that can be cherished for years to come!
Sincerely,
Gary McGilvray
P.S. To give you one last smile, be sure to click on the link below for a message
from Mr. Giorgi and me!
http://www.jibjab.com/view/481DzijBE05cjbuGiG1e
Domenic Giorgi Gary McGilvray
Principal Vice-Principal
416-395-2680
Alexander Brown
Trustee
416-395-8411
UPCOMING EVENTS
Monday, January 4
- first day of school in 2016
Thursday, January 7
- Orthodox Christmas
Thursday, January 7
- Lunch Lady
Thursday, January 7
- International Languages
classes resume
Wed., Jan 13 - Fri. Jan 15
- Coles and Lee grade 5
classes to EOEC
Thursday, January 14
- Pizza Lunch
Mon, Jan 18 - Fri. Jan 21
- Bookfair
Tuesday, January 19
- School Council Meeting
at 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday, January 20
- School Assembly (1 p.m.)
Thursday, January 21
- Lunch Lady
Friday, January 22
- P.A. Day (No school for
students)
Thursday, January 28
- Pizza Lunch
VICE-PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE
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Holiday Assembly Page 2 McKee McNews January 2016
We look forward to the start of a new calendar year. There will be a lot happening at McKee in January and
you will be kept up to date through our newsletters and email notices. In the new year, we will be continuing to
have lunch available on Thursdays for families either through the Lunch Lady or our Pizza Lunches. Classes
will be skating at Mitchell Field. Be sure to check with your child’s teacher for the specific dates. Our annual
Dance-a-thon fundraiser will begin in February.
The Holiday season is upon us and it is a time to stop and reflect on the year that passed while we anticipate the
year ahead. We are grateful to you, our parents, for your continued support of our staff and students.
Happy Holidays to friends and families of McKee P.S.
Coming to McKee in January - Chromebooks Chromebooks are the fastest operating system available to the TDSB. Students can login using their individual accounts which save everything in the Google Cloud. This is advantageous because the Cloud can be accessed:
from anywhere (e.g., home, school, the Library)
from any device that has internet access (e.g., tablet, PC, mac, smartphone) The Google Cloud is Google’s answer to memory storage. No more USB sticks or worrying about saving, because Google has engineered the Cloud to save on a continuous basis so no data is lost, and a revision history can be accessed to recover previously changed data.
How this affects your child:
online collaboration between student groups (scheduling group work was never so easy);
feedback from teachers is more convenient and easily accessible;
more opportunities for your child to engage in the 21st century digital learning age
access to their own personal Google Cloud and suite of apps For more information on the Chromebooks, visit this link for a video: http://youtube.com/v/0QRO3gKj3qw
For more information on the 21st Century Learner by the Ontario Public School Board’s Association:
www.opsba.org/files/OPSBA_AVisionForLearning.pdf
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Holiday Assembly Page 3 McKee McNews January 2016
Character Education
December’s character trait focus was Kindness and Caring. On Wednesday, December 16 and Thursday, De-
cember 17, we celebrated at our Bee Assembly by presenting certificates to our monthly recipients. The photo
above was taken of the Kindness and Caring award winners from kindergarten, grade 1,and grade 2 for the
month of December.
Throughout the month of January, your child will be involved in learning activities designed to develop “team
work”. Share a story that will help your child understand that whenever we all work together, we can accom-
plish greater things than if we work by ourselves.
Skating at Mitchell Field Arena
Many of our students have been having fun skating at Mitchell
Field Arena. The school has had 7 hours of skating time during
December and we are anticipating 11 more hours in January and
February. Parents are reminded to ensure their children have coats
and mittens while on the ice. Thank you to all the parents who
volunteer to help our students put on and take off their skates and
equipment.
Tuesday, January 19 1:00 — 2:00 p.m. Paschalidis, Rosenberg, Kemerer, Lee (5)
Tuesday, January 26 1:00 — 2:00 p.m. Barbieri, Kandaharian, Jung, Bose
Wednesday, January 27 1:00 — 2:00 p.m. Weir, Chung, Hwang, Leung
Wednesday, January 27 2:00 — 3:00 p.m. Lee (1), Walker, Coelho, Shantz
January Skating Dates
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Holiday Assembly Page 4 McKee McNews January 2016
Stay Healthy During Flu Season
Flu season is here again. In Canada, flu season tends to run between October and April. The Ontario government
is encouraging Ontarians to avoid getting sick this flu season by getting their annual flu shot.
Toronto Public Health is recommending that whenever students and staff experience flu-like symptoms, they are
sent home and do not return to school until they are no longer infectious to others. Therefore, ill students and staff
should be symptom-free (especially from vomiting and diarrhea) for at least 48 hours before returning to school.
The primary concern is for the health and safety of all students and staff. Please note that no special measures are
required when there is a case of influenza in a school or daycare. However, everyone should do their part to stop
the spread of the flu. As parents, you can also assist by:
- reminding children to wash their hands often especially after using the washroom and before and after eating;
- reminding children to cover their sneeze and cough;
- watching for symptoms of vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, and/or
high fever;
- informing the school if your child is ill;
- keeping your child at home when he/she is ill.
For more information, please visit the Toronto Public Health website
www.toronto.ca/health, contact your family doctor, or Telehealth
Ontario. 1-866-797-0000.
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