Mountain Ash Public School

June 2019Principal’s Message

Even though it is June, we have plenty to look forward to this month. We will be welcoming our new Kindergarten students and families with our “Start with a Smile” at times during the day, on June 6th and celebrating with our grade 8 students as they complete their elementary education. We will conclude the year with our Winit assembly and traditional “clap out” on our final day, June 27. On June 13, we will have a family movie night when we will see a movie that has not yet been released. Families have until June 5 to order pizza online and May 31 to indicate if they will be attending. Popcorn and glow products will be available for sale.

Our grade 3 & 6 students have completed their EQAO tests and the results will be made available in October. Our staff have worked extremely hard in preparing our students for this test and your children have worked very hard for the past week or so sharing their ideas and understandings.

The month of June also brings report cards which will be coming home on June 26th and class placements. Our school organization is temporary and the placement for your child will be a tentative one. Please do not call the school to request changes. All placements will be finalized after re-organization in September.

Sincerely,

Lucy Fields, Principal Mountain Ash P.S.

 Principal:Lucy Fields

 Vice Principal:Brian Rasmusson

 Superintendent:Pat Noble

Have a Happy &

Safe Summer

Stay connected by following us @MountainashPS

Birthday Celebrations / Special OccasionsChildren love to have their birthdays acknowledged and parents enjoy sharing their special day with other children in the class. Please be mindful that we cannot accept food of any kind for birthday celebrations – or any type of celebration. Some children have allergies to milk, wheat, eggs and all sorts of foods other than peanuts. Therefore, if you would like to send a loot bag to school, please fill it with pencils, stickers, etc. for everyone to enjoy!

Thank you for your co-operation.

Thank you for your understanding.

STUDENT COUNCIL

Student Council will sell popcorn every Wednesday and Friday in the Lower Atrium – Room 115 – during 2nd Nutrition Break throughout the school year as part of our fundraising.

We have many delicious flavours such as Butter, Salt, White Cheddar, Kettlecorn, Low fat Caramel, Dill Pickle and Ketchup. The cost is $2.00.

BIKE TO SCHOOL WEEK 2019

Bike to School Week is a yearly celebration of cycling and active transportation.

Mountain Ash will be participating in Bike to School Week during the week of June 11 to June 14. Over 172 schools in Peel have registered for this event. We encourage all students to cycle to school as a healthier way to get there, as well as to reduce traffic congestion around the school. During this week, we will hand out ballots to students that cycle to school. We have many prizes to hand out such as one bike helmet, one bike pump, two bike locks, two water bottles, 20 pairs of bike lights, three bike bells, 25 bike chain bracelets and 35 bike pins.On Friday June 14, at 8:45 am, we will have a Community Bike Ride through our neighborhood with our community police officers and some staff members. All students must have a helmet to participate in this ride. #BiketoSchool

Popcorn Sales - $2.00(While Supplies Last)

Breakfast Club 2018/ 2019

Mountain Ash’s Breakfast Club has had another successful year. We were able to give a healthy start for many students over the year. We thank-you for your donations that allow us to continue this program.

Special thanks go to Justin in grade four. He is an amazing helper that helps the Breakfast Team run smoothly. As well, Areebah from grade eight was such a fabulous assistant. We will miss her smiling face and helping hands at the Breakfast Club and wish her well in high school.

Many staff members also made Breakfast Club possible this year. Special thanks go out to Mrs. Wilkins, Mrs. Campagnolo, Mrs. Chaytor, Mrs. Domenichini, Mr. Best and Mrs. R. Sandhu. We could not have done it without you!

Breakfast Club should be up and running in September. We are looking forward to seeing lots of polite faces and great smiles in the morning! If any parents or grandparents are interested in assisting with this program, we would love to speak with you! Please contact Ms. Matson at 905-793-7595 ext. 219.

SUMMER FOOD DRIVE

We have learned that many of our neighbouring food banks hit a food shortage during the summer months. To help fill our community’s tummies and hearts we have decided to host another food drive! As we have in the past, we are collecting non-

perishable food items such as: baby food, pasta, cereal, canned tuna, canned soup, canned beans, oil and condiments (ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard etc.). All collected items will be sent to our local food bank, the Ste. Louise Outreach Centre.

In an effort to support hungry families in our own neighbourhood, we are collecting these items until Friday June 21. The classes that raise the highest number of non-perishable items or canned goods will be awarded with a Popsicle party!

Thank you. Your support is much appreciated.The Me to We Team

                     

SUMMER FOOD DRIVEYOUR CHANCE TO WIN A CLASS POPSCICLE PARTY

Foods to Bring

Baby Formula Diapers Body Was Shampoo/Conditioner Instant Coffee/Tea Powdered Milk Pasta Sauce Canned Meat and Vegetables Rice Condiments Pancake/Muffin Mix Sugar Salt/Sugar Juice boxes

Foods to Avoid

Foods that need to be refrigerated

Foods that need to stay fresh Unnecessary food items (example

candy, chocolate chips, etc.) Foods that are not canned Food that expires

Congratulations to all participants of this year’s Math Competitions

Grade 3 and 4’s

On May 2nd fifteen grade three and four students participated in the Caribou Math contest sponsored by Brock University. Congratulations to Dilraaj, Mahikpreet, Soren, Jayden, Vani, Harnoor, Janice, Nikshaani, Sehaj, Dhruv, Ravi, Saanvi, Jasmeet, Zaynab and Raj for writing the Contest! What a great team!

Special congratulations to Soren, Dhruv and Jayden our top grade four participants and Saanvi, Vani and Harnoor our top grade three participants from Mountain Ash.

Looking forward to seeing lots of grade three and four students next year!

Grade 6 and 7’s

A special shout-out goes to Hark from 6F1 and Athavan from 7F2 who both came in first place in their grade divisions at Mountain Ash.

Special mention goes also to Aydin from 6F1 and Danish from 7B who came in second place.

Paranikson Rudda from 6A and Harleen A. from 7A came in third place for their grade levels.

Gauss Mathematics Contest

Congratulations to all our grade seven participants that wrote the 2019 Math Gauss Competition, sponsored by Waterloo University! Students worked together for several sessions to develop their problem solving skills. What perseverance was shown! All of the results were fantastic! Special congrats to: Athavan, Malika, Matthew, Sreeparvathy and Rachel, our top five participants.

Well done!

CARIBOU AND GAUSS MATH COMPETITIONS

INFORMATION FOR PARENTS REGARDINGSCHOOL START UP TRANSPORTATION PROCEDURES

FOR SEPTEMBER 2019

If your home address will be changing during the summer, please notify the office staff at your child’s school prior to June 28. Late requests will not be reflected in the planned bus routes to commence in September and may result in transportation services not being available for your child during the first weeks of school. Parents will be responsible for their children getting to and from school until appropriate transportation service is arranged.

The distance criteria for transportation eligibility must be more than:1.0 kilometer Kindergarten and Grade 1

1.6 kilometers for Grades 2 – 42.0 kilometers for Grades 5 – 83.8 kilometers for Grades 9 – 12

If your child is moving to grade 2, grade 5, or grade 9 in the 2019-2020 school year, their eligibility status for transportation may be changing. Eligibility information can be accessed at the website noted below.

Parents who receive letters in June of this year indicating that the transportation eligibility status for their children is being revised due to eligibility reassessment are reminded that this change will occur effective September 3, 2019.

All transported kindergarten and grade 1 students are required to be met by a parent/caregiver when disembarking from their bus on their return trip from school.

Courtesy transportation, which is assignment of ineligible students to available, empty seats on buses, will not be initiated prior to October 1. No exceptions.

Please be aware that during September and early October, STOPR priorities are eligible students requiring transportation service, bus overloads, and route timing adjustments.

Requests for additional or adjusted bus stop locations, route adjustments, and challenges to eligibility status will not be addressed until late October.

Please be patient. STOPR provides transportation services for approximately 65,000 students to 350 schools on 1,400 buses. This is accomplished with an operations staff of 15. Every effort is made to complete required adjustments as quickly as possible, but there are limitations to the volume of changes which can be appropriately communicated and implemented each week.

Contacting STOPR

The STOPR offices are open during the summer months (July, August)

Internet: www.stopr.ca. This website provides up to date delay and inclement weather cancellation information in addition to policy, procedures and frequently asked questionsBusinfo.stopr.ca. This website allows parents to access information specific to “what school do I attend” and “am I eligible for transportation”. This site also provides parents access to specific bus stop location and pick up and drop off times for their children if eligible for transportation

Telephone: STOPR: Phone:905 890-6000Toll free: 1-800 668-1140

On the road again—how to keep your cyclist safeHere are some tips you can review with your child to ensure bike season gets off to a great start:

The right fit children should be able to straddle the bike

with both feet on the ground a bike that is too big or too small can be a

safety hazard the helmet should fit—if it's too loose, it

could fall off, if it's too tight, it's uncomfortable

Get noticed a young child's bike should be equipped

with a bell and reflector older riders should have a light and/or

reflectors

Follow the rules no riding on busy streets no riding at night stop for all STOP signs

Actions that cause injuries driveway ride out—not stopping and

looking both ways before entering the street

running the stop sign turning without warning cycling in the dark following the leader—one child goes

through a stop sign or misses a parked car but the second cyclist doesn't

Register today for Adult ESL or LINC classes Do you know an adult who is interested in improving their English language skills for work, study or daily life?

Through the Continuing & Adult Education department, the Peel District School Board offers a wide variety of English language classes that help adult learners experience success in Canadian English in both listening/speaking and reading/writing. Courses are designed for a range of basic, intermediate and advanced English (Levels 1 to 8) as well as the more experienced learner needing to prepare for an IELTS exam.

Classes are ongoing - Register anytime. All learners who complete a session will earn a certificate of learning from the Peel District School Board. Certificates of completion at Canadian Language Benchmark level 4 and greater can be submitted as proof of language proficiency for Canadian Citizenship applications.

Classes operate from six locations in Brampton and Mississauga with three specially designed adult centres at: Bramalea - Adult Education Centre – Bramalea Secondary School, 510 Balmoral Dr, Brampton, Door

#33 Brampton - Adult Education Centre - #300 - 7700 Hurontario Street, Brampton Mississauga - Adult Education Centre - 100 Elm Drive West, Mississauga, Room 117

To learn more or to register, call 905-270-6000, then press 2Also visit www.peelschools.org/adulteducation or follow us on Twitter: @PDSBLearnESL

Promoting Wellbeing in Your Children This Summer:The Importance of Structure

From the PDSB Mental Health Resource Team

Summer vacation is almost here! Children can barely wait to put away their backpacks and spend their days free. Although this might be true for many, children and parents rely on structure to help guide the day, even in the summer. Structure holds kids and allows them to feel safe, knowing what to expect throughout the day and the week. Although it is crucial for children to have unstructured, free time each day, it is important for there to be some routine and structure (however you define it) to help children manage their emotions. Parents and children should sit down and discuss the summer plans, whether it is camp every day or multiple weeks off in a row, kids need to know what to expect.

Things to consider: Know your child. Is your child someone who does better with structure or unstructured time? How do they

respond during school year vacations and summers past? Think ahead about summer plans based on who they are. Create structure somewhere and communicate it. Children do better when they know what to expect and

understand the overall plan. Structure doesn’t have to mean committing to camps or organized activities but it can include doing expectable

activities like reading in the afternoon, attending regular events (story hour at the library on Wednesdays), and having regular days to play with friends.

Although not vital, many children do best when they participate in some organized activity. Make sure your child is getting plenty of time to eat, sleep, read, and play - with peers, with family, alone, and

outside.

What to look out for: Loneliness. Often, when children lose the structure of school, they can become socially isolated and lonely, which

can lead to poor mental health. Stay tuned in to whether your child is maintaining regular, healthy social contact with peers.

Increased anxiety. Many people (especially children) experience increased anxiety when structure is lost. Look for symptoms of irritability, excessive worry, preoccupation, trouble sleeping, change in appetite (more or less), change in energy (more or less), trouble concentrating, and physical symptoms (belly aches, headaches, etc.).

Increased screen time. Often children turn to the screen (television, computer, or video games) to help manage boredom over the summer. Although this moderate screen time is reasonable, excessive screen time can create other psychological and physical issues.

For updates and to follow along with the work of the PDSB Mental Health Resource Team, find them on Twitter @MHRTPeel.

40 hours to graduate – Start this summer

All students in Ontario secondary schools are required to complete a minimum of 40 hours of community involvement in order to obtain their Ontario Secondary School Diploma. Students are encouraged to start accumulating community involvement hours in the summer after grade 8.

Research shows that early involvement in community service helps students build a spirit of civic responsibility which can be expanded as they move through secondary school.

The community involvement component is an opportunity for students and parents to work together, independent of the school. With parent support, your teen is responsible for finding and completing 40 hours of community involvement. These activities may take place in a variety of settings, including businesses, not-for-profit organizations, public sector institutions (including hospitals), and informal settings. Community Involvement normally takes place outside of the school day and does not consist of duties normally performed in the home (i.e., daily chores) or personal recreational activities.

Parents should provide assistance to their teen in the selection of community involvement activities. Here’s how to get started:

Spend some time with your teen going through the list of eligible and ineligible activities by visiting www.peelschools.org/students/40hours

View the volunteer opportunities posted at www.peelschools.org/students/40hours/volunteerjobboard/ Create a resume using myBlueprint to capture a potential supervisor’s attention while showcasing your teen’s

skills.

Preparing for the summer sun Excessive exposure to the sun can lead to health concerns such as sunburn and skin cancer. As summer approaches and the weather gets warmer, it is necessary to apply sunscreen to protect ourselves from too much sun damage and burns.

In summer, we are exposed to higher levels of ultraviolet (UV) rays. This exposure is a risk factor for developing skin cancer and cataracts later in life. The UV index is the measure commonly used in Canada to assess the strength of the sun’s UV rays risk on a given day.

What is the UV Index?The index scale ranges from 0 to 10. The higher the value, the more intense ultraviolet rays. The UV index is calculated daily by Environment Canada using ozone and weather information. It can vary from day to day with changes in the ozone layer – the thinner the ozone layer, the higher the index reading.

How to protect your family from the sun? Wear a hat (preferably with a broad brim), sunglasses and protective clothing on sunny days. Use sunscreen with a SPF of 15 or greater whenever you're outdoors. Encourage your children to play in shady areas if they are outside for a long period of time. Remember that sunburn can occur even on a cloudy day, as up to 80 per cent of UV rays can

penetrate light clouds, and 40 per cent of UV rays can bounce back from sand, water or concrete.

Summer activities that boost learning

Kindergarten to grade 4Sorting and stacking – Teach classification skills with dinnerware. Ask your child to match and stack dishes of similar sizes and shapes. Also have your child sort flatware – forks with forks, spoons with spoons. This is like recognizing the shapes of letters and numbers.

Comic strip writing – Use comic strips to help with writing. Cut the segments of a comic strip apart and ask your child to arrange them in order. Then ask your child to fill in the words of the characters (orally or in writing).

Float and sink – Encourage hypothesizing (guessing). Use several objects – soap, a dry sock, a bottle of shampoo, a wet sponge, an empty bottle. Ask your child which objects will float when dropped into water in a sink or bathtub. Then drop the objects in the water, one by one, to see what happens.

Grades 5 to 8Follow the news – As a family, choose an important news event to follow for a day or two. Ask each person to find as much information on the topic as possible – read newspapers, look at online news webpages, listen to the radio and watch TV news. Then talk about what everyone learned.

Pro and con: what do you think? – Make a family game of discussing a special issue. For example, "Teenagers should be allowed to vote," or "There should never be any homework." Ask your children to think of all the reasons they can to support their views. Then ask them to think of reasons opposing their views. Which views are most convincing? For variety, assign family members to teams and have them prepare their arguments pro and con.

Stretch, run, walk – Ask your child to do at least one kind of exercise every day. For example, run or walk briskly for 10 minutes. Walk, when possible, instead of driving, for any distance less than a mile. Have your child make a week-long exercise plan. Try to think of a modest reward for sticking to the plan and exercise with your child.

Let your voice be heard – Promote good citizenship. Help your child write a letter to the editor of the local newspaper about an issue affecting children – for example, suggest that a bike path be built near the school or that a city event be planned for youngsters. Children are citizens, and their ideas are worth hearing.

Summer Well-beingSummer break is around the corner! The psychological and physiological benefits of summer are hard to beat. However, while summer allows for a break from the routine and structure of the school year, for some children and youth, it can be stressful to be away from school. So, while the stressors change when the last school bell signals summer, they don't disappear.

Here at a few tips for summer well-being to keep everyone safe and having fun in the sun!

Get outside. With longer and warmer days, try to spend more time outdoors which increases our vitamin D intake and allows us more time to exercise and connect with nature. A minimum of 60 minutes of daily physical activity is recommended for all children and youth. Healthy body = healthy mind.

Always stay hydrated. Replace sugary sports drinks & sodas with water; add slices of fresh fruit like strawberries, lemons, limes or watermelons to your water for a delicious flavor. Staying hydrated prevents heat related illness: symptoms are headache, cold sweats, exhaustion, nausea and/or vomiting, and diarrhea.

Get plenty of rest. During the hot summer heat, making sure you get plenty of rest is important to prevent heat exhaustion. While playing outside, take frequent shaded breaks and use sunscreen. Getting 8-10 hours of sleep every night is important for recuperation and growth.

Wear safety gear. Whether you are riding your bike or swimming in a pool always wear the recommended safety gear. Being safe reduces stress for everyone! A good rule is that if you are not doing an activity safely; you will not be allowed to do it.

Be safe on-line. Some students will stay in-touch over the summer primarily on-line. Remember that some people will use electronic media to embarrass, harass, or threaten their peers. When there is cyberbullying occurring remember to save it, report it, and block it. If the incident is criminal call Peel Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

Constant communication for the win! Using open ended questions with children and youth can help identify fears, anxieties and concerns. Ask questions like, “How are you feeling about going to summer camp?” In addition, communicating expectations about what is going to occur during the summer will help to ease transitions. Saying, “I am inviting relatives to stay with us in July” or saying, “You will need to be in bed by 9 pm on weekdays this summer” allows children and youth time to adjust to what will occur.

Over summer break remember that HELP is always available:

Peel Children’s Centre maintains a Crisis Response Service (24/7/365) if your child is experiencing a serious mental health problem at 416-410-8615

Kids Help Phone is Canada's only national 24-hour, bilingual and anonymous phone counselling, web counselling and referral service for children and youth. 1-800-668-6868.

HAVE A SAFE AND HAPPY SUMMER!

June 2019 Attendance Line: 1-855-209-6155

Sunday

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday2 3

Grade 1’s to the Kortright Centre

Survive to Swim – 3A&2-312:30 pm to 2:30 pm

Grade 2’s - Scientists in the school

4Deadline to pay for Reptilia Trip

5 Deadline to pay for Movie Night PizzaHawaian Beach DaySurvive to Swim – 3B&3-412:30 pm to 2:30 pmPopcorn SalesWednesdays & Fridays While supplies last

6 Pizza Day Junior Boys Soccer Tournament

Kindergarten Start with a Smile9-10 am or 1-2 pm

Mrs. Gaughan’s class to Downey Farms

7 Popcorn Sales(if available)

Girls Soccer Tournament

ASD to Playdiuum

IGLD Open House

8

9 10PA DAY – No School

11 12 Popcorn Sales(if available)

Survive to Swim – 3B&3-412:30 pm to 2:30 pm

13 Pizza Day Grade 7 Immunization in Staff Room

Family Movie Night – 6:00pm

14 Popcorn Sales

(if available)

Community Bike Ride 9am

FDK Reptilia Trip

15

Bike to School Week June 11-14/19 16 17

Survive to Swim – 3A&2-312:30 pm to 2:30 pm

18

Bowling – Grade 7’s –10:45 am

Deadline to pay for GlowZone 360

19 Popcorn Sales(if available)

Survive to Swim – 3B&3-412:30 pm to 2:30 pm

Grade 8’s to Dave & Buster’s

20 LAST Pizza Day 21 Popcorn Sales

(if available)

National Indigenous Peoples Day

Last day for food

22

23 24

Survive to Swim – 3A&2-312:30 pm to 2:30 pm

25Grade 8 Graduation

Ceremony 9:30 am followed by Mandarin Lunch

Grade 4’s to GlowZone 360

26 Report Cards & Kindergarten Communication of Learning Reports sent home

27 Last Day of School

End of Year Assembly

28PA DAY – No School

29

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