Janet I. McDougald P.S.

February 2018

Important Dates

Jan. 29—Feb. 2nd Kindergarten Registration

Feb. 1 Kindergarten Registration 5-8pm

Feb. 2 Movie Night

Feb. 7 Ski Trip—Gr. 4&5

Feb. 8 Primary Skating (Gr. 1-2)

Feb. 8 Report Cards go home (K-5)

Feb. 9 PA Day—No School for Students

Feb. 14 Valentines Day

Feb. 15 Spotlight on Black History — Assembly

Feb. 15 Flag Day

Feb. 16 Primary Skating (Gr. 1-2)

Feb. 20 Family Day-no school

Feb. 23 School Waste Celebration Assembly

Feb. 23 Spirit Day: Pajama Day

Feb. 28 Ski Trip—Gr. 4&5

March 1 Primary Skating

March 9 Move-a-thon

FEBRUARY

498 Hartsdale Avenue, Mississauga, Ontario L5G 2G6 Phone: 905-278-1010 Fax: 905-278-4347

Trustee and Chair of the Board: J. McDougald Vice Principal: C. Murphy

Superintendent: D. Van Hooydonk Office Manager: D. Goldthorpe

Principal: L. Culbert Assistant Secretary: K. Lindow

Happy February!

One word! That’s all you have. Pick one word to focus on this year. It’s

not a New Year’s resolution, it’s a word. What would your word be for

2018:

What kind of person do you want to be?

What word do you want to guide your life?

It’s important for us to reflect on words and the power they have. Our

staff worked through an exercise to think of their #oneword. You can

see a few of the staff words in the graphic below. You can also find

more examples of words by checking out the hashtags: #oneword

#oneword2018

Next week your child will either be receiving a Term One Kindergarten

Communication of Learning or Report Card. Both reports not only include

information about your child’s academics but also their learning skills.

These learning skills relate closely to our Peel Attributes and are important

to your child’s success. When you look at your child’s report this month

take a look at his/her learning skills, self-regulation, belonging and

contributing and problem solving as well as their marks. Look at the next

steps written too. The start of Term Two is a good time to set a goal and to

talk about his/her next steps. This goal could be #oneword.

With #BellLetsTalk day being on Jan.31st, it was another time to reflect on our actions and the

power of words. John McAllister, a trustee from upper Canada District School Board, wrote in

a tweet, “We each have a personal and social responsibility to think good thoughts, speak

positive words and act in helpful ways in our relations with each other some of whom are

more bruised than other. Applicable especially to kids. Let’s do it not just today but

everyday.” Our Peel attribute of Respect fits in here nicely too.

This February, we wish everyone a Happy Valentine’s Day…..a Happy Family Day...and a

chance to reflect on your #oneword.

Sincerely,

Laila Culbert (Proud Principal) Ciera Murphy (Proud Vice Principal)

Follow us on

Twitter

@jmcdougaldps

If your child was born in 2014, he or she can start kindergarten in September 2018.

We inspire success, confidence and hope in each student…and it all starts in kindergarten!

Visit Janet I. McDougald P.S. from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Feb. 1st, 2nd and on Feb. 1st from 5 to 8 p.m. There will be a tour for interested families of Janet I. McDougald P.S. at 5:00 p.m. Tell your friends & neighbours. Spread the word!

If you can’t make one of these times, no problem! You can register your child at any time during regular school hours. Please call us if you require any additional information 905-278-1010.For more information, visit www.peelschools.org/kindergarten

Register Now for Kindergarten at Janet I. McDougald P.S. !

JANET I . M CDOUG ALD P .S . PAGE 2

Catered Hot lunches are here at our school

Kidssentials brings the pasta separate from the sauce, burgers separate from the buns and mixes, assembles & serves the

meals fresh right at the school. They never pre-package any food item that would go soggy or mushy; Kidssentials food has the

texture and quality you would get fresh from your own kitchen. Menus have been designed with children in mind with a focus

on healthy food selections! They offer 4 delicious entrée choices on each lunch date. Their menus include popular trendy food

items, eclectic adventurous food options, pastas, wraps, vegetarian, vegan and allergen free options (free of gluten, egg, dairy,

seafood, sesame, soy) as well as a great variety of healthy sides. "Kidssentials, the Catering Service for Kids” has been the

proud supplier of nutritious lunchtime meals to students in schools since 1996.

To place your order or for any inquiries go to www.kidssentials.com

GREEN TEAM NEWS

Winter Walk Day 2018

February 7th 2018 is #WinterWalkDay across Canada. It’s the perfect

opportunity for parents and kids to get outside together and stretch

those legs! Walk to school or at school for daily physical activity, a

healthier environment, safer streets, making friends and ... having fun!

Walking is the simplest form of exercise and helps kids get those 60

minutes of daily physical activity they need. It’s also a great cure for

those winter blues and helps students concentrate better in class.

We are excited to announce that will be taking part in Winter Walk Day on Thurs. February 15!

Walking to school in winter has many potential benefits, including benefits for your child’s health and

well-being (like opportunities to learn and socialize on the way to school, and arriving to school alert

and ready to learn), our community (reduced traffic congestion around the school) and the

environment, too.

Students will also have the opportunity to walk and talk during one of the nutrition breaks.

Keep active this winter! Grab your mittens, hats and boots and be a part of this fun winter event!

Waste Campaign

On Friday, January, 19 we kicked off our Wasteless Lunch Challenge. The Waste Warriors have been

busy completing their weekly checks.

Please help your child pack a wasteless lunch. A Wasteless Lunch contains at least 3 reusable items

such as lunch containers, reusable bottles, metal cutlery, and cloth napkins. Help us reach our goal

by packing a Wasteless Lunch for your child every day!

We have our celebration assembly on Friday February 23. We will find out the top participating class

in the school and they will win a pizza party! The runner-up class in each division will receive points

towards their house team.

Crayola Challenge

Our Crayola Challenge is still going on. If you have any markers that have dried up, please bring

them to school and place them in the Crayola Challenge box located below the ECO Club display

case. We have already filled up one whole box! Keep those markers coming.

Keep up the great work Huskies!

From, The Green Team

Thank you to all who came out to

our most recent School Council

meeting. It was great to have your

input! We look forward to

welcoming everyone to our next

meeting on Wednesday,

February 28 at 6:30 in the library.

Until then, here's a snapshot of

what's been happening at school,

and what's coming soon:

JANUARY RECAP

Raptors 905

Our trip to the Raptors 905 game

was big fun! Some students were

invited to be Anthem buddies -

standing on the court with the

players during the National Anthem

- and our very own Janet

McDougald Choir sang their hearts

out! Elijah, Salma and Alexander

also got to represent us in the Half

Time Relay competition and earned

huge cheers. In all, 111 tickets were

sold and just over $675 was raised

towards school presentations.

Hot Dog Day

Thank you to those purchased hot

dogs and to those who were able to

volunteer their time during our

January 19 Hot Dog Day. This

popular event raised almost $950,

which will also go towards school

presentations.

COMING SOON

Movie Night - Friday, February 2

Tickets have gone home and we're

looking forward to JIMPS movie

night this Friday. We'll be

screening Despicable Me 3, as

voted by the students. REMEMBER

to bring pillows, blankets or

sleeping bags to sit on while you

enjoy the show! Popcorn and drinks

will be available for sale.

DOORS OPEN: 6:15 p.m.

MOVIE STARTS: 6:30 p.m.

Hot Dog /Milk & Cookie Day -

Wednesday, February 14

Mark your calendar - Valentine's

Day will be another combo Hot Dog

AND Milk & Cookie day.

Order through CashONLINE until

tomorrow, Friday, February 2 or

return your order form and cash or

cheque to the school by Tuesday,

February 6.

Move-A-Thon - Thurs., March 8

Get your moves ready! This year's

Move-A-Thon is coming soon, and

students will have the chance to win

fabulous prizes while helping to

raise funds for our school. More

details will be coming soon.

On behalf of the entire School

Council, thank you to all of our

JIMPS families for your continued

support! We look forward to seeing

everyone at the next Council

meeting on February 28. Take care

out there!

SCHOOL COUNCIL DATES & UPDATES

JANET I . MCDOUGALD P .S . PAGE 3

J.I.M.P.S. MAKERSPACE—Coming Soon

We are very excited to be establishing a Makerspace at Janet McDougald. Just what is a

“Makerspace”, you ask? It’s a space where Janet McDougald students will be able get creative,

working collaboratively while being challenged to solve real-world problems. Why are we creating

this space in Janet McDougald P.S.?

“We are currently preparing students for jobs that don't yet exist . . . using technologies that haven't yet been

invented . . . in order to solve problems we don 't even know are problems yet.” —Richard Riley, Secretary of Education

under Clinton.

As you can tell from the above quote, there’s a lot of unknowns about the jobs that we’re preparing our students for but

here’s what we DO know. The jobs of the future will require our students to develop and use a set of core 21st century

skills including: Creativity and Innovation, Collaboration, Communication, and Critical Thinking/Problem Solving

(Empowering Modern Learners, Peel District School Board, 2017). The Janet I. McDougald Makerspace will be a place in

the school where students will get an opportunity to practice and hone these important skills. It will also be a resource

in the school where students will focus on solving curriculum related problems, allowing students to innovate and

problem solve.

As the Makerspace will be a very hands-on program where students will learn by doing, we are looking to collect a

variety of materials that the students can use in their explorations. We are looking for donations of the following items

and any help you could provide would be greatly appreciated! Please send materials labelled to the attention of Mrs.

Mancini in the Library.

Toilet Paper Rolls Buttons Corks String

Pipe Cleaners White Glue Tape Thimbles

Spools Yarn Plastic Gems Smooth stones

Small Wood Slices Material Scraps Lego Blocks Beads

Straws Popsicle Sticks Shells PomPoms

Thank you, as always, for supporting 21st century learning at Janet McDougald!

JANET I . MCDOUGALD P .S . PAGE 4

Janet I. McDougald puts the Spotlight on Black Heritage

In December 1995, the House of Commons officially recognized February as Black History Month, following a motion introduced by the first black Canadian woman elected to Parliament, the Honourable Jean Augustine.

During Black History Month, students, staff and parents from across Peel will participate in a number of activities that promote the understanding of the many contributions made by black Canadians.

The student climate team will be focusing on Black History Month. The students on the Climate Team

are creating presentations on Famous Black Canadians and their contributions to our society and the

world. The students will be sharing their information with other classes in the school. We also have a

presentation on February 15th from Duane Gibson, part of the Stay Driven Team. He will be sharing

with the students information about character education, confidence, leadership and anti-bullying.

The Lyndwood Community Association

If you are looking to book the gym, please contact the booking officer. We have a few spots available.

Gym Rental Details:

Rental rate: $15 per hour

Dates: Monday to Friday

Times: 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Additional fees: a minimal insurance fee $ is applied depending on type and length of event

The LCA’s next general meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, February 7th at 7:30pm at Janet I. McDougald PS’s library. Everyone is welcome to join us. We hope to see you there.

Cynthia Schaeffer, LCA - Marketing/Booking Officer

cyncarola@gmail.com 416-684-2995

Facebook: @LyndwoodCommunityAssociation

Bus cancellation and closing schools due to bad weather

During the winter months, we may need to cancel buses or close schools because of inclement weather.

Information regarding details of cancellations or closures will be announced on radio and television stations listed below and will also be available on Twitter @Peelschools, Facebook at www.facebook.com/peelschools, www.peelschools.org and www.stopr.ca or by calling 905-890-1010 or 1-800-668-1146.

VIRGIN RADIOFM99.9 BREAKFAST TELEVISION NEWS AM680 CJCL AM590

CHFI FM98.1 CITY NEWS CTV CFRB – (Bell Media)

NEWSTALK1010 AM EZ ROCK FM97.3 CJBC (FR) AM860 GLOBAL NEWS

FM Z103.5 FM93.1 FM Q107 CITYPULSE

CHIN FM100.7/AM1540 CBC99.1

The LCA invites all of you to join us for

Skate in the Park

Saturday, February 17th 1pm – 3pm @ Dellwood Park

Free hot chocolate ~ Scavenger hunt ~ Skating ~ Music ~

Prizes

The Dellwood Park outdoor ice rink has been up and run-ning since the holidays and it’s all thanks to our wonderful volunteers; Matthew H., Mark D., Bernie, and Kyle. If you haven't had a chance to glide on this awesome rink, don't worry. You'll get a chance to try the rink out very soon at our next event!

JANET I . M CDOUG ALD P .S . PAGE 5

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 Janet I. McDougald 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 receive an Offence Declaration form that must be filled out and returned to the board office each year. Completing the Offence Declaration will ensure that you can continue volunteering in the next school year. Expect to receive the form in February.

Conference helps parents empower modern learners

The Peel District School Board is hosting its annual parent conference, co-presented by the Peel Elementary Teachers’ Local, on Saturday, March 24, 2018, at Mississauga Secondary School in Mississauga. The conference will focus on Empowering Modern Learners. Parents will have the opportunity to attend workshops on topics, including numeracy, literacy, special education, technology and science.

This free learning event is open to Peel parents of students at all grade levels.

Our keynote presentation will be delivered by Dwayne Matthews, a life and education strategist, who converges and shares knowledge on modern learning, disruptive technology, and the evolution of work. Dwayne will present Learning in the 21st century: Why it's different, why it matters and how to help children thrive in a rapidly evolving digital world.

Registration opens Feb. 5, 2018 Stay up-to-date! For more information, visit www.peelschools.org/parents/conference.

Healthy Body! Healthy Mind! in our physical health, will be able to combat stress and anxiety with greater success. This includes being:

Well-rested

Well-nourished

Well-exercised

Some Tips:

Set a Sleep Schedule – Set an alarm to go to bed! Our body likes a regular schedule. Bedtimes and wake times should not vary by more than one hour from one day to the next.

Drink plenty of water - Many of us go through life dehydrated—causing tiredness, low energy, and headaches. It’s common to mistake thirst for hunger, so staying well hydrated will also help us make healthier food choices.

More steps – Step side to side. Start by doing it 10 times per foot. Do this while watching TV, working on your computer or brushing your teeth. Do it with your children to make it fun.

OUR STAFF AS LEARNERS

Our Janet I. McDougald staff continues to invest time in their professional

learning. Learning happens during our staff meetings, OFIP Days where teachers

are released in school, Professional Activity Days, during planning times and at

home. Below are a few areas our staff have been invested in recently.

STAFF BOOK TALK—Calm, Alert & Learning

Many of our staff have chose to take part of a teacher-led book talk on the Stuart Shanker book, “Calm, Alert &

Learning.” As a staff we have been learning a lot about self-regulation over the last few years, and several of our

staff were interested in taking the learning further. Staff meet before and after school, and during nutritional

breaks to reflect and talk about their reading and their learning.

COLLABORATIVE INQUIRIES

Each grade team has now had two opportunities to be released in school to work with our Instructional Coach and

our Modern Learning Resource Teacher to plan learning goals, create success criteria and instructional

strategies/activities that support curriculum expectations, student needs and 21st century learning. It has been

exciting to see the learning that each grade team has engaged in. Our work began in mathematics, but for some

grade teams it has now transferred into other curriculum areas.

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING DAY—Feb. 9th

During our upcoming Professional Learning Day staff will spend half of the day engaged in board-side

professional development surrounding “Safely Managing Escalating Behaviour”.

The other half of the day we will continue our learning in Enagage Math, and Balanced Mathematics Instruction

by focusing on the Purposeful Use of Resources and Purposeful Practice. Our Instructional Resource Teacher,

Laura Richards will support us as we develop targeted lessons for students with clear learning goals and

engaging instructional strategies.

PRIMARY RELEASE

On February 13th our early year educators (teachers and designated childhood educators) K-2, will be engaged in

learning with Maria Luisa Lebar, the Instructional Coordinator, Literacy K-12 for the Peel District School Board.

Our educators will work with the coordinator to bridge the gap between Kindergarten and our early grades with a

focus on reading, phonological awareness approached through activities and strategic actions focused on

comprehension. Staff will also take a closer look at student reading behaviours.

MAKERSPACE

A group of our teachers have engaged in professional learning on their own focused on Design thinking and

bringing 21st century learning skills into classroom activities. This group of teaching staff have been engaged in

their own professional learning, and have worked with Laura Richards, our Instructional Coach, to further their

understanding. Recently the group toured another elementary school and met with a colleague there to gain more

information about how our school can further develop our library to incorporate a Makerspace, and also how to

link the learning into our classrooms. Stay tuned and read p. 2 of the newsletter for more details.

GOOGLE READ & WRITE TRAINING

Last year our school piloted Google Read & Write as an Assistive Technology tool for student writing EQAO.

Throughout last year many of our staff went through training to learn how they can assist student in accessing

this tool. This year the learning continues as more and more staff are being trained using

the program. Our Assistive Technology Resource Teacher (ATRT) has been holding sessions

increasing staff capacity. This year Google Read & Write will once again by utilized for

EQAO by Gr. 3 students who access assistive technology.

These are only some of the ways that our staff continue to develop their own learning with

the intent to improve student learning. Staff also engage in their own professional learning,

outside of these school opportunities.

RAPTORS 905 GAME

WASTELESS LUNCH

CHALLENGE

GRADE

3-5

SKATING

GRADE 3 STOP

MOTION

STAFF LEARNING & REFLECTING

GRADE ONE CREATING

WASTE WARRIORS

JUNGLESPORT

GREY CUP

VISIT