LARKSPUR PUBLIC SCHOOL growing together today, for tomorrow

111 Larkspur Road Brampton, Ontario L6R 1X2 Phone: 905-799-2952 Fax: 905-799-8109 Website: http://schools.peelschools.org/1477

JUNE 2019

Every Wednesday Walk to School June 5 Sunnyview Roadshow Performance (Grade 5) June 7 Meadowvale Village Soccer Tournament June 10 Report Writing Day (No School for Students) June 11 Springdale Public Library (GLD & 5E) June 12 Welcome Director of Education, Mr. Peter Joshua Author Visit (Grades 3&4) GLD Open House @ 3pm June 13/14 Author Visit (Kindergarten) June 18 Wali Shah Presentation (Grade 5) June 20 Kevin Sylvester Presentation (Grades 3&4) June 25 Awards Assembly @ 9am

ADMINISTRATOR’S MESSAGE

June is a month of celebration and a culmination of the hard work that staff and students have undertaken throughout the year. The past nine months have been bursting with activities to boost student learning, and June promises much of the same! June is also a time we say goodbye to some of our Larkspur staff and students. To our Grade 5 graduates, we wish you the best of luck at this exciting time as you transition to middle school! To our staff members, Mrs. Phillips, Ms. Domenichini, Mrs. Kaushal, Ms. Leavens, Ms. Chan, and Ms. Shekhawat; we wish you the best of luck with your future endeavours. A special congratulations, as well, to Mrs. Butler and Mrs. Ching, who are entering the wonderful world of retirement. Enjoy! We would like to extend a warm greeting to our newest members of the Larkspur team who will be joining us in September, Mr. Elston and Ms. Mistry. Welcome! We’re looking forward to another very busy month ahead of us in June. Thank you to our amazing families and community members for your continued support of the staff and students here at Larkspur Public School. G. Harris J. Chalinor S. Bloom Principal Vice Principal Vice Principal

Moving???

We are in the process of drawing up tentative classes for the 2019-2020 school year. It must be emphasized that the placements will be tentative as late year and summer registrations will undoubtedly affect our actual September 2019 school organization. We ask any families who will ot be returning to Larkspur Public School in September 2019 to please inform the school office as soon as possible.

Healthy Schools The PE department is proud to announce that Larkspur has achieved a gold level rating from O.P.H.E.A. (Ontario Physical and Health Education Association) for our Healthy Schools initiatives in 2018-2019. This is Larkspur’s fourth consecutive year with being awarded this honour. Our Walk to School, Healthy Bite Baskets, Breakfast Club, Intramurals and Fitness Friends programs are few of the reasons as to why we have remained gold level certified. Larkspur’s community partnerships with the Peel Region of Health, Brampton Beast, Fernando’s Badminton Academy, Pakmen Volleyball, A4H Basketball, Soccer School of Excellence and Rising Star Cricket have provided students with wonderful supplementary teaching and/or learning experiences in 2018-2019. These community partnerships also played a role in Larkspur being recognized by O.P.H.E.A. The PE department looks forward to once again providing a well-rounded physical education and health experience for all students next school year. I Can Games On Friday, May 17th, Larkspur hosted the second annual “I Can” Games at Louise Arbour Secondary School. The event saw almost 200 exceptional students from 12 elementary schools participate in day full of physical activities and running races. Student volunteers from both Larkspur and L.A.S.S. did an outstanding job facilitating the physical activities making the experience a very special one for all those involved. Thank you to the Rotary Club of Brampton for their generous sponsorship of the 2019 “I Can” Games.

Junior Boys and Girls Soccer Throughout the month of May, the boys and girls junior soccer teams were busy practicing in preparation for the Meadowvale Village tournament happening on Friday, June 7th. Players on both teams were selected based on performance during intramural league games as well as their regularly scheduled PE classes. All team members are looking forward to representing Larkspur at this tournament and competing to the best of their abilities. Intramurals As the school year winds down we want to acknowledge a number of Grade 5 helpers who have been excellent in referring sports games during intramural periods. Jaison, Manvir, Mehtab, Fasio and Dalvir have all been instrumental in making sure equipment used for intramurals is set up and put away as well as ensuring all games rules are followed. Games of soccer, ribbon ball, frisbee toss and scooter races have dominated the intramural scene as of late. Larkspur Jump Rope For Heart!!!! WE ACHIEVED OUR SCHOOL GOAL BY RAISING OVER $3,500 DOLLARS! Thursday, May 16th (and due to rain part of Friday, May 24th) was this year's school's Jump Rope For Heart. Besides skipping, students also had the chance to play basketball, soccer, blow bubbles among other fun activities all in the name of the Heart and Stroke Foundation. Everyone knows someone who has suffered with Heart Disease and Stroke and we honour those who have by exceeding our goal by raising $4300 all in the name of the Heart and Stroke Foundation. All Fundraising Prizes will be distributed to classes and students at the beginning of June. Thanks again for all of your support!!! CROSS COUNTRY RUNNING TEAM!!! On Tuesday, May 7th, Larkspur Public School had 35 kids representing Larkspur Public School from Grades 3 to Grade 5 at this year's 12th Annual NPPHEA Heart Lake Cross Country Meet. It was a great day with over 12 schools, 1,100 runners and 50 coaches/teachers working. This is a great structured event that promotes school spirit while being active and having fun. Thank you to ALL of the Larkspur Lions families that came to Heart Lake Conservation Area to support our school for the Running event. Of course thanks to three amazing coaches: Mr. Spencer (boys coach), Mrs. Kannenberg (girls coach) and Mrs. Moras (Timing Coach). Some Note-able runners below: Grade 3 Boys and Girls (200 runners) Sharif Muhammed 21st place, Jay Sahi 40th place, Aikam Gill 45th place Grade 4 Boys (200 runners) Sharushan Satheesh 29th place, Grade 5 Boys and Girls (200 runners) Fisayo Adejobi 44th place, Thanosan Prathifikumar 47th place, Karisha Kularajan 23rd place LION PRIDE!

STUDENT AGENDAS As a school we will be making a change this September regarding Agendas. Instead of receiving a paper agenda on the first week of school, classrooms will be moving to a online system through the Google Classroom Environment. Purchased by the Peel District School Board, this environment allows staff to post homework or assignments electronically through a portal that is only accessible through your child's PDSB school login. There is also a feature that allows parents notifications of posted announcements and assignments via your email address. Should you choose to purchase your child a paper agenda, we will allow for that option as well. Agendas, however, will not be available to purchase from the school this fall. As this is a new transition for our entire school this fall, we ask for patience as we make this change. If immediate communication with your classroom teacher is required, we still will have active voicemails for every staff member here at the school. If you have any questions about this change, please feel free to contact Mr. Harris at the school.

BREAKFAST CLUB & HEALTHY BITE BASKETS Thank you for a tremendous year! Throughout the school year, Larkspur has enjoyed many delicious and healthy breakfast and snack offerings. Our goal was to complement student nutrition with healthy offerings of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. It is our hope that students will choose these “Healthy options” at home as well. Please note that these programs have concluded for this school year, returning in September 2019.

ECO-CLUB NEEDS YOUR HELP We are looking for volunteer families to assist with the care of our front garden throughout the summer months. Our team has worked hard to beautify our school environment and would love to return in September to a thriving green space. If you are able to assist in any way, please contact Ms. Lane at the school. What a wonderful evening activity this could be for your family!

Larkspur students shine @ the Brampton public library

(springdale branch)

3E Ms. DeLuca

Me Without Me This is a series of flat lay photos that the students in Ms. De Luca’s Grade 3 class created as part of an inquiry into the stories the objects in our lives tell about us. The students spent time investigating examples of flat lay photos and what the objects might tell us about the people who took the pictures. We read “I Love My Purse” by Belle Dumont and made connections to “Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress” by Christine Baldacchino and “Wilfred Gordon MacDonald Partridge” by Mem Fox.

Students inquired about the character traits connected to the characters in the stories and brainstormed how our actions tell stories about our beliefs and values. As we began to prepare to create our own flat lay photos using objects to tell a story about us, the students investigated Space as an Element of Art and Balance as a Principle of Art. The students each gathered objects and items they felt told a story about who they are and then arranged them on fabric or coloured paper to create a flat lay photo. As a way to reflect and consolidate our learning each student also wrote an “I Am” poem about their photo.

Larkspur P.S. celebrates National Indigenous History Month In 2009, the House of Commons officially recognized June as National Indigenous History Month following a unanimous motion. The flag of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation will be raised at all Peel schools throughout June to demonstrate that Peel schools are safe, inclusive and welcoming environments where students, staff and families who identify as Indigenous are accepted and supported. Staff and parents from across Peel will participate in a number of activities in June to recognize and celebrate the many contributions of First Nation, Inuit and Métis communities across Canada

Larkspur P.S. celebrates Pride Month Pride Month takes place in June to celebrate and recognize the impact the 2SLGBTQ+ community has had on the world, as well as the struggles it has faced and continues to face. The Pride flag will be raised at all Peel schools throughout June to demonstrate that Peel schools are safe, inclusive and welcoming environments where students, staff and families who identify as 2SLGBTQ+ are accepted and supported.

Peel board recognizes Crossing Guard Appreciation Day on June 11

The Peel board will recognize the contribution of school crossing guards on Crossing Guard Appreciation Day, June 11. The board encourages students, parents and staff to take a moment to thank the neighbourhood crossing guards who help to ensure a safe journey to and from school for thousands of students every day.

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.

Summer activities that boost learning

Kindergarten to grade 4 Sorting 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 8 Follow 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-being

Summer 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.

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.

On the road again—how to keep your cyclist safe Here 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 2

Also visit www.peelschools.org/adulteducation or follow us on Twitter: @PDSBLearnESL

We Welcome the World Centres The Peel District School Board’s We Welcome the World Centres located in Brampton, Malton and Mississauga, are the first point of contact for all newcomer families to become familiar with the educational system in Peel. The centres are open all year—including the summer months— from Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. In addition to providing literacy and numeracy assessments, the We Welcome the World Centres provide newcomers with a host of services including: reception, orientation, interpretation and referrals.

At each centre, parents/guardians and students will discover: • settlement service information • age and grade appropriate educational and related program resources • information about various community supports • translation of materials to support the reception and assessment process • computer portals— providing information on Peel resources

For more information about the We Welcome the World Centre and the services they provide, call 905-366-8791.

Larkspur Pubic School Parent Council Meeting Minutes May 8, 2019

Teachers’ Staff Room Staff Attendees: Greg Harris, Jennifer Challinor, Janet Giugovaz Parents: Nadine Jacobi, Sharon Niemeyer, Sharin Bhatti, Baynazir Lone, Riddhi Patel Agenda Quick Welcome Principal’s Report – Mr. Harris

Increased parking & cars on the court next to the school o City has received complaints and have changed the parking zones o City may start ticketing those parked illegally o City wants to create a pathway from the court directly to the school o Mr. Harris met with city staff and school trustee to discuss path locations o Mr. Harris recommended a walking track by the opening in the fence

This would help those in the area with somewhere to walk

The school received some funds to beautify the school

There are 2 teachers from Larkspur retiring at the end of the school year o Ms. Butler o Ms. Ching

Government Cutbacks & their effect on the board

PDSB lost approximately 300+ teachers (mostly Secondary Schools) o Larkspur lost 3.7 staff during the staffing process

Class sizes K-3 to remain the same, Grade 4 & up to possibly increase

Larkspur Special Needs & Teaching Assistants have remained the same at the current moment but may change with the next round

Parent Engagement Settlement Worker – Ms. Baynazir Lone BMC – Brampton Multicultural Centre

They offer several programs to families new to Canada o Information & Awareness o Community Connections o Employment related Services o Mind your Health o Senior’s First – Seniors program o Volunteer Management o Skill Development o Youth Job Connection o New Direction – Gang Prevention & Intervention o Be the Change – Youth Leadership Program o Volunteer for Change

Larkspur Settlement Worker: Ms. Baynazir Lone’s Contact information o Address: 150 Central Park Drive, Suite 107, Brampton L6T 2T9 o Phone: 905-790-8482 o Cell: 647-302-0278 o Email: baynazir.lone@bmccentre.org

Parent Council Recap of Parent Council Year

Finances o Some of the items we budgeted are being delayed until next year or held onto until the project is ready

to commence.

Move-a-Thon o We had 7 winners from the grades (2 from Grade 2) o Grand Prize winner got her prize arranged on May 7th

20th Anniversary o A committee will be created in the new year o Hope to get several of the past staff to return to celebrate with us.

Survey questions for Parent Engagement

Going to postpone until September 2019 Decided on if we want to officially change the name of the council meetings and to what

Unfortunately we can’t change the name Set Date for First Meeting of 2019-2020 School year

First Meeting – October 7th, 2019 Set Election date for School Council

Election will take place on Reorganization Day on September 24th, 2019 Any Additional Items/Questions/Concerns Next Meetings: October 7th, 2019

Celebrating Faith and Culture June 2019 DATE CELEBRATION FAITH AND CULTURE June Strawberry Moon Indigenous Worldview (First Nations) June National Indigenous History

Month Indigenous Worldview (First Nations, Métis, and Inuit)

June 4 ● Eid ul-Fitr Islam June 5 to 23 the month of Núr Bahá'í Sunset of June 8 ○ to June 10 ● Shavuot Judaism June 9 or 16 (J) Pentecost Christianity June 16 Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Sikhism June 17 Poson/Asalha Puja Day Buddhism June 21 ● National Indigenous Peoples Day Indigenous Worldview (First Nations, Métis,

and Inuit) June 21 ● Litha/Summer Solstice Wicca June 23 (J) All Saints Day Christianity June 24 to July 12 the month of Rahmat Bahá'í June 24 St. Jean Baptiste Day Christianity and Canada June 27 Multiculturalism Day Canada June 29 to July 3 Ghambar Maidyoshem Zoroastrianism