Hawthorn Hawthorn Public School,

2473 Rosemary Drive Mississauga Ontario, L5C 1X1

Family Day - Monday February 20th – No School PD Day - Friday February 17th – No School For Students COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER #6 FEBRUARY 2017

Tom Lowe, Principal Jamie Robertson Superintendent Janet McDougald Trustee Visit our website at : http://hawthorn.peelschools.org Follow us on twitter @hawthornps or go to https://twitter.com/Hawthornps

Dear Hawthorn Families, Hawthorn Public School has been a very busy place this month. During the month of January students participated in the Aussie X, X-Dance Program. During 3 days of instruction the students learned various types of dances from Hip Hop to the Tango. Last week the school participated in a Chinese Lion Dance. Members from the Wu Shu Project came to the school and demonstrated what a typical Lion Dance would look like. The students also learned about the history behind the Lion and Dragon Dances. The winter weather has been very unpredictable this year. Please remember to continue to send your children to school dressed for the winter weather with hats, gloves, coats and snow pants. Students stay inside during extreme cold conditions (-20 degrees) otherwise they should be prepared to go outside to enjoy the fresh air. I would like to thank our many volunteers who help to make Hawthorn such a great place to learn and play, from Pizza Days to helping in the classrooms. Everything you do makes a big difference for our students and teachers. Finally I would like to recognize Mrs. Saunders who is retiring on February 10th. Mrs. Saunders has been instrumental in educating many students at Hawthorn over the years. A Big THANK-YOU to her for all she has done to make Hawthorn the school it is. “Hawthorn Has Heart” and Mrs. Saunders has embraced this during her time at the school. Sincerely, Tom Lowe - Principal

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

This is a time to celebrate the many achievements and contributions of Black Canadians, who, throughout history, have done so much to make Canada the culturally diverse, compassionate and prosperous nation we know today. It is also an opportunity for the majority of Canadians to learn about the experiences of Black Canadians in our society, and the vital role this community has played throughout our shared history.

On February 15th Hawthorn students will be participating in African drumming workshops.

During these workshops students will learn and perform African rhythms on authentic African drums from Kenya. Students will witness the importance of a Griot (musician / story teller) in an African village. The students will participate in a Nigerian harvest dance. Students will sing and drum as we go on a journey through time from Africa in the 1500s to modern times and finally Students will see growth mindset in action as selected students perform on the steel pan drumming.

School closed for PA Day on February 17, 2017 A reminder that Friday February 17th is a PD Day at Hawthorn Public School and there is no school for students on this day.

School Council

Wednesday February 8th – 6:30 PM The next school council meeting is on Wednesday February 8th at 6:30 pm. Come join us at the next meeting on and be part of a dynamic group of parents that are working to make Hawthorn the best place for your children to learn and grow.

ATTENDANCE CHECK

Our attendance check is really making a difference especially with the cold weather and flu season upon us. Please call the 24 hour attendance line at 1-855-209-6155 or online at http://pdsb.schoolconnects.com to report your child's absence. Thank you to the many families who routinely use the attendance check line to report student absences! It is important to remember that you must report an absence before the first bell rings at 8:55 AM. After that time you will need to respond to a call that is generated by the system. It is important to listen to the entire message and respond to the prompts.

INDOOR SHOES

All children are asked to bring a pair of shoes/slippers/sandals to wear inside the school. Walking around the school in stocking feet poses both a health and a safety concern.

Offence Declaration required for returning volunteers Parents play an important role in the development and education of their children and in the success of the school community. At Hawthorn we welcome and encourage the participation of parents and community members, and are grateful for the countless hours our volunteers contribute throughout the school year. To volunteer at our school, you must complete a short interview and a criminal record check. A criminal record check is required for all school volunteers in Ontario. Even if you want to accompany your child on a field trip, you need this record check.

Once you have completed the process, you are on file with the Peel District School Board as being a school volunteer. All returning volunteers will be mailed an Offence Declaration Form that must be filled out and returned to the board office each year. You will not be able to volunteer with the Peel board if you do not return this form. Forms will be mailed home in February.

Sharing of Food

There are several students in our school with a severe life-threatening food allergy to peanuts and tree nuts. Although this may not affect your child’s class directly, please send food with your child’s lunch that are free from nuts/nut products. Also for this reason, we ask that food treats are not to be sent to school for sharing. Students should only bring food for their own consumption. On special holiday occasions, teachers will advise students what foods they can bring. To acknowledge your child’s birthday, if you would like to send something, items such as pencils, or “dollar store treasures” that are not edible would be appropriate.

REGISTER TODAY

Saturday, April 1, 2017 – 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Mississauga Secondary School, Mississauga

The Peel District School Board is hosting its annual parent conference on Saturday, April 1, 2017, at Mississauga Secondary School in Mississauga. Once again, the conference will focus on numeracy—30 out of 60 workshops help with math. Parents will still have the opportunity to attend workshops on other topics, including literacy, special education and science. This free learning event is open to Peel parents of students at all grade levels. Child care will not be provided. The conference includes:

a powerful keynote presentation focused on

math success

your choice of 60 practical workshops

facilitated by Peel board staff

a display area with educational exhibits from

local organizations

free lunch and an opportunity to meet Peel

parents

Register online, beginning Feb. 1, 2017, at www.peelschools.org/parents/conference

Insπre. Gr23ness. 2gether.

Everyone is a math teacher, parents included

Parents and other adults in our students' lives are important partners in children's mathematics education. By engaging your children in thinking and talking about mathematics, you help support their numeracy success. To help you with this, one great resource is the Ministry of Education's Doing Mathemathics With

Your Child. You can find this guide for parents of children in kindergarten to grade 12 online at http://edu.gov.on.ca/eng/literacynumeracy/parentGuideNumEn.pdf . For more math tips and tools for parents of kindergarten to grade 12 students, visit ABC 123 at http://edu.gov.on.ca/abc123/eng/tips/ and the Peel District School Board’s Math Help site at http://peelschools.org/parents/helpyourchild/math .

1

st Term Report Cards Go Home Friday Feb 10

th

Continuing this year, there will be no school-wide parent/teacher interview day scheduled for the February reporting period—report cards will be sent home on Friday, February 10, 2017. By this point in the school year, we have found that most parents are well aware of their child's progress based on the ongoing communication from the school. You will receive a letter with the February report card that indicates if your child is meeting expectations. Should your child’s progress be of concern, the teacher will contact you to discuss ways to work together to further support his/her learning needs by March 1

s , 2017.

Our teachers are committed to providing parents with the information they need to support their child’s success and will continue to communicate with parents throughout the school year. There is a progress report card and two report cards each year and they provide an overview of your child's progress over a period of time. The best way to see how your child is progressing in school is through the ongoing communication you receive. Some of the ways you may keep up-to-date about your child's progress include the following:

talk to your child about school

review your child's homework and agenda

ongoing communication with your child's teacher.

Help your child prepare for tests

Many students will become anxious at the thought of writing a test. Anxiety about an upcoming test can affect a child's behaviour, thoughts and actions. Here are some ways you can help minimize anxiety at test time: Organize & Prepare Encourage your child not to leave

assignments, studying and homework to the last minute.

Schedule time for review and work on assignments each day.

Establish a regular time of the day for homework, studying etc.

Make the home a homework-friendly environment where learning is regular routine.

Remove distractions like the television, stereo, telephone when studying.

Tell your child to make sure tests and due dates are marked in their agenda.

Practice Encourage your child to think about what,

when, where, why and how when preparing/completing assignments.

Develop practice tests and help them anticipate questions.

Review previous exercises. When appropriate, encourage your child to

pair up with a friend to review information and brainstorm.

Build learning into family activities— suggest keeping a journal, writing a report or a news article about family events, outings or trips.

Be in the know Check out the curriculum for your child’s

grade level (available as PDF files at www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum)

Ask your child’s teacher about major topics studied and how these topics are structured— homework, assignments, exercises

Use your child’s agenda to communicate with their teacher—ask questions, check for homework tips, etc.

Help your family stay warm this

winter Peel Public Health recommends the following cold weather guidelines for preventing cold-weather injuries:

1. Reduce amount of time children (grade 8 and under) spend outdoors when the temperature is –20 degrees Celsius or colder, with or without the wind chill. Keep children indoors when the temperature is -25 degrees Celsius or colder, with or without wind chill. Some medical conditions may increase sensitivity to cold. Parents should consult their physician (Source: Environment Canada).

2. Allow indoor breaks if children say they are feeling cold or during extreme temperatures.

3. Ensure children are dressed warmly, covering exposed skin: insulated boots, winter weight coats, mittens, hats, neck warmers.

4. Change wet clothing or footwear immediately. 5. Although these conditions are unlikely to occur

during the school day, ensure that all staff are able to recognize and treat symptoms of frostbite and hypothermia. Given plenty of warm fluids to prevent dehydration.

6. When children are outside, be watchful for shivering or signs of numbness in faces, ears, hands or feet.

7. Educate children in dealing with cold weather: drinking plenty of fluids, dressing warmly, and recognizing signs of cold injury.

Keeping students safe on the Internet If you’re like most parents, you have rules about what TV shows and movies your children are allowed to watch, how far they are able to stray from home and when they need to call you to ensure they’re safe. You should also consider setting similar rules for your children’s internet use and be aware of their online activities. Even without trying, children can come across materials on the Internet that are obscene, pornographic, violent, hate-filled, racist or offensive in other ways. In Peel schools, students learn how to use the Internet as a research and communication tool. Learning how to access information through the Internet helps students become aware of available resources that exist outside the classroom and school library. Students also benefit from learning how to competently analyze and evaluate information. In addition, students may use the Internet for communication where it is appropriate for their learning. At home, you play an important role in helping your children learn more about safe conduct on the Internet. Parents help their children make choices about what books to read, what movies to see and what field trips to take. Helping children make wise choices about Internet use is really no different than teaching children responsibility in all aspects of life. Here are some steps to help you ensure that your children use the Internet as safely as possible:

make sure your children understand what sites are appropriate for them

discuss the meaning of an ‘unsafe’ site with your children

explain to your children what they should do if they reach an unsafe site

make exploring new websites a family activity

use search engines designed for kids – ask your school for ideas

pay attention to the games your children may download or copy

look into software or online services that filter out offensive materials or sites

We always make sure we tell our children to be wary of strangers they meet. When it comes to Internet use, the same rules apply. Ensure children know they should:

never give out personal information (including name, address, phone number, age, school name or location)

never arrange a face-to-face meeting with someone they meet online

never use bad language or send mean messages

never respond to e-mail messages that make them feel confused or uncomfortable

Facts matter: Understanding the revised Health and Physical Education (HPE) curriculum There’s been a lot of information and misinformation circulating about the revised HPE curriculum. At the Peel District School Board, we want our families to make an informed choice based on facts. That’s why we created a neutral, fact-based parent guide that outlines:

the curriculum is not new and has been

taught since 1998

our professional staff teach in a sensitive,

age-appropriate manner

parents will get advance notice of lessons

there will be only two to five lessons per

year

the material that will be covered in each

grade

parents play a vital role in supporting the

curriculum

To read the full parent guide and learn more, visit http://peelschools.org/HPE The guide is available in English and the top languages spoken by Peel families:

It's time to register children born in 2013 for kindergarten Register Monday to Friday 9:30 AM to 11:30 and 1:30 to 4:00 PM

We inspire success, confidence and hope in each student…and it all starts in kindergarten! If your child was born in 2013, he or she can start kindergarten in September 2017. Registration will be held at our school from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 and 1:30 to 4:00 p.m Monday to Friday. We will also be open Thursday evening until 7:30 PM for registration. Please note students that do not live in the Hawthorn Public School boundaries will need to register at their home school and apply for Flex Boundaries. Decisions on Flex Boundaries will not be made until the 3

rd week of September 2017 after district wide

reorganization. What you will need to bring to registration

Proof of child's age (one of)

Canadian birth certificate

Canadian passport or citizenship card/certificate

Permanent Resident Card

confirmation of permanent residence

work permit

proof of refugee status

Proof of address (one of)

Ontario driver's license

utility bill

bank statement/client slip (directly from financial institution)

credit card statement

federal government forms (e.g. Social Insurance Number, Service Canada documents)

purchase agreement (lease agreements are not accepted)

Proof of custody – children must live with their parent(s) unless provided documentation supports an alternate living arrangement

Proof of immunization – proof that your child has been immunized/vaccinated Please call Peel Public Health at 905-799-7700 for information about the immunization schedule in Ontario and for information on how to have your child immunized. Extended-day program for kindergarten students Families have the option of enrolling their child in before and after-school programs developed by the Ministry of Education to complement the kindergarten program. These programs are run by qualified, experienced staff from our childcare partners. At registration, we will ask families to tell us whether they are interested in the extended-day programs. The programs can only run if there is enough interest among families. Registering students with special needs Students who have a demonstrated developmental disability, physical disability, hearing or vision loss or ASD/PDD diagnosis may require specialized support in the school setting. The Peel board's Special Education Support Services department looks forward to working with families as planning for their child's entry to school in September begins. For information about this planning process, call 905-890-1010/1-800-668-1146 ext. 2315. For more information For more information about the kindergarten program in Peel public schools, contact your local school or the Peel District School Board at 905-890-1010/1-800-668-1146 ext. 2548 or 2570.