Collaborate , Bel ieve , Succeed

MISSION Royal Orchard Middle School

will foster an

environment that values

mutual respect, lifelong

learning and diversity. We

celebrate staff, students and

community

VISION Royal Orchard Middle School

will cultivate a

collaborative professional

learning community:

Staff, students, parents

and community strive for

Excellence in the 4 A’s

Engagement and a

celebration of

Diversity and

Student Success

77 Royal Orchard Drive Brampton, Ontario

L6X 4M4

Phone: 905-455-3760 Fax: 905-455-0178

CORE VALUES Respect

Honesty

Responsibility

Perseverance

Empathy

PRINCIPAL

Mr. Kervin White

VICE-PRINCIPAL

Mrs. M. Martin

OFFICE MANAGER

Mrs. D. Guglietti

SUPERINTENDENT OF

SCHOOLS

Mr. Adrian Graham

905-451-2862

TRUSTEE

Mr. David Green

ASIAN HERITAGE MONTH

At ROMS we celebrated Asian Heritage with displays,

henna, dance intramurals, samosa day, an art competition

and an outstanding assembly at the end of the month. We

enjoyed watching our South Asian dance groups and the

dazzling display of Asian fashions modeled by our students.

ATTENDANCE/ SCHOOL HOURS

If your child is going to be absent from school, please call the attendance line. To

report your child’s absence, please call this number and follow the prompts:

1-855-209-6155

8:25 am Morning Bell

11:55 am Lunch Bell

12:55 pm Afternoon Bell

2:35 pm Dismissal Bell

STUDENT LED LEARNING WALK, COMMUNITY BBQ

and SPRING CONCERT

Parents, students and staff enjoyed an informative Student-Led

Learning Walk featuring a display of student work in Literacy. We

also enjoyed a wonderful community BBQ. Afterwards, we were amazed by the

talent demonstrated at our Spring Concert. We enjoyed the performances of our

school bands, energetic dancers and student musicians.

We are thrilled to share our achievements with our ROMS community!

School Website: www.peelschools.org

@ ROMSAIM

twitter: @ Royal_Orchard

@ ROMSAIM

Page 2

KISS AND RIDE

Thank you for working with our staff in keeping the Kiss and Ride area safe. Please continue to pick up and

drop off your child at the Kiss and Ride area at the east end of the

school parking lot. Please stay in the right hand lane.

Thank you for keeping our students safe !

SCHOOL COUNCIL Please join us for School Council on Wednesday, June 7 at 7:00 pm in the library. Contribute your voice

to our ROMS community.

Everyone is welcome!

DATES TO REMEMBER

June 5 EQAO Complete

June 5 Region of Peel In-class Water Presentations 8 Ms and 8 Os

June 6 Region of Peel In-class Water Presentations 8Rs and 8 As

June 6 Lacrosse Tournament

June 7 School Council Meeting

June 7 Junior Girls and Boys Soccer

June 8 Mentoring for First ladies of ROMS

June 8 Grade 6 AIM @ Mind Gym (Scotiabank Pond)

June 9 Grade 6 AIM @ Upper Deck Baseball Academy

June 9 Girls and Boys Softball Tournament

June 12 Assessment and Evaluation Day (no school for students)

June 13 Grade 6 AIM @ Brampton Tennis Club

June 15 Grade 7 AIM-Wheelchair Basketball Trip

June 20 Immunization Grades 7 and 8

June 23 Talent Show

June 26 Grade 8 Celebration Trip

June 26 Grade 6 Bowling Trip

June 27 Grade 8 Reports Go Home

June 28 Grade 6 Movie Trip

June 28 Grade 8 Graduation, Lunch and Dance-10:30 am to 3:30 pm

June 29 Grade 7 Trip to Playdium

June 29 Last Day of School

June 29 Grade 6 and 7 Reports Go Home

June 30 Professional Learning Day for Teachers

From the Library

All Library Materials are now being collected

A big thank you for everyone's assistance while we begin our year-end collection

of library material.

Royal Orchard has requested that latest due date possible for return of library

materials. Our final due date is June 16th, with the last day to borrow

books, set for June 9th. Only short-term exceptional borrowing will occur dur-

ing this period.

2017 Suggested Summer Reading Lists

An excellent resource for book reviews, setting reading goals, and keeping track

of books you read is located at www.goodreads.com

Middle School Summer Reading Recommendations can be located here:

https://www.goodreads.com/list/tag/middle-school

Religious accommodation available to all faiths, reflects board commitment

to inclusion

All Ontario school boards are legally required to offer religious accommodation (as per the Ontario Human

Rights Code) and have a religious accommodation procedure in place (as per the Ministry of Education’s

2009 Provincial Equity and Inclusive Education strategy). While the Peel District School Board has been

providing religious accommodation to its students and staff for over 15 years, the board has revised its formal

Religious Accommodation Operating Procedure, which has been in place since 2012.

The Peel board recognizes and values the religious diversity within its community and is committed to

providing a safe, respectful and equitable environment for all, free from all forms of discriminatory or harass-

ing behaviour, including those based on religion.

Who can make a religious accommodation request?

Parents of Peel students or staff of any faith background can make a religious accommodation request.

How can a student or staff member make a religious accommodation request?

Parents of Peel students or staff should contact their school principal or site supervisor in early September (or

as early in the school year as possible) to submit a religious accommodation request.

What religious accommodation can be requested?

For many students and staff in Peel schools, there are a number of areas where the practice of their religion

that may result in a request for accommodation:

observation of major holy days, ceremonies, commemorations, and celebrations

school opening and closing exercises

prayer and rituals

dietary requirements

fasting

religious attire

modesty requirements

religious leave

participation in daily activities and curriculum

Register today for Adult ESL or LINC classes

Do you know an adult that 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 parents 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 7) as well as the more experienced learner needing to prepare for an IELTS exam.

Classes are ongoing - Register anytime.

All learners that complete a session will earn a certificate of learning from the Peel District School Board.

Classes operate from six locations in Brampton and Mississauga with three specially designed adult centres

at:

Bramalea - Adult Education Centre - 25 Kings Cross Road, Unit 3

Brampton - Adult Education Centre - #300 - 7700 Hurontario Street

Mississauga - Adult Education Centre - 100 Elm Drive West, Room 117

To learn more or to register, call 905-270-6000

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 Missis-sauga, are the first point of contact for all newcomer families to become familiar with the educational sys-tem 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: computer portals— providing information on Peel resources settlement service information translation of materials to support the reception and assessment process age and grade appropriate educational and related program resources information about various community supports

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

The safety of our students is our top priority

Throughout the school year, incidents in our school communities happen. Our staff take precautions to emphasize street

-proofing skills with your child. However, we feel that it is important that you take an opportunity to review safety pro-

cedures with your child.

Peel Police have provided the following safety guidelines if your child encounters a stranger:

Tell your children to never go anywhere with a stranger, not to talk to strangers and never take anything from them.

You also have to teach them what a "safe stranger" is in case they need help. A safe stranger includes a police of-

ficer, a cashier, a fire fighter, etc.

Remind your child to never walk alone—always walk with a group.

Develop a "what if" game for the kids to get them thinking of how they would respond if they felt threatened or afraid.

Know who your children play with and where they go. This includes keeping a list of their friend's addresses and phone

numbers.

Remind your children not to take short cuts through parks, ravines, or other secluded areas.

Your child's body is private. Tell your child that no one may touch the area their bathing suit covers. If someone does

or tries to touch them, they should advise you immediately.

Teach your children to talk to you immediately when someone does anything that makes them feel strange or uncom-

fortable. Listen when your children are trying to tell you about something that bothers them and provide them with

support and understanding.

Tips for riding the bus:

Take a seat as quickly as possible, put belongings under the seat and stay seated.

Never stick anything out of the window, including part of your body.

Refrain from eating on the bus. If a choking incident occurs, the driver may not be able to help immediately.

Wait until the school bus stops before standing up to exit the vehicle.

Tips for exiting the bus:

When getting off the bus, take two large steps away from bus. If you have to walk in front of the bus, do so at least

three metres (10 giant steps) away from the bus.

The driver must be able to see students exiting the bus and will give a signal when it is safe to cross. If more than one

student is crossing in front of the bus at the same time, they should cross in single file.

Children must never reach for something that is under the bus without the driver’s permission. Let the driver know that

something is under the bus or wait until the bus moves out of the way.

Tips for walking to school:

Help your child establish a safe, direct route to school. Avoid potential safety hazards such as train tracks, busy inter-

sections, and reinforce what safety precautions to follow.

Stay on sidewalks whenever possible. If there is no sidewalk, walk on the left side of the road and walk facing traffic.

Cross streets at intersections and at crosswalks and learn to look to the left, the right, and the left again before proceed-

ing.

Wait until traffic comes to a stop before crossing. Make sure drivers see you before you cross. Don't assume the driver

will stop for you.

Three steps to quality summer child care for your child If you have a school-age child, finding summer child care can be a real challenge. But you can follow these

three simple steps to help you choose a program that’s best for your family. It will mean a summer full of fun

and learning for your child—and peace of mind for you.

Step 1

Call Child Care Info Peel

905-890-9432 or 1-888-836-5550

Child care experts provide specific information about summer camps and other child care providers in your

neighbourhood. They can answer your questions and give you information to help you choose the program

that’s right for your family.

It’s a good idea to call the info line early to give yourself enough time to investigate potential programs and

make your decision before the program fills up.

Step 2

Schedule an appointment to meet with the program director or to speak over the phone, so that you can get

more information about the program. If possible, visit the program or the facility in which it will be held. The

more information you have, the better you will be able to decide if this program is a good "fit" for your child

and your family.

Step 3

When you are checking out summer programs, don’t be afraid to ask a lot of questions—it’s the best way to

make sure you have all the information you need. In general, you will want to ask questions about the pro-

gram, staff, health and safety practices, food provided, and costs.

For more information, call Child Care Info Peel or visit www.cdrcp.com/ccip.html.

Preparing for the summer sun Excessive exposure to the sun can lead to health concerns such as sunburn and skin cancer. As summer ap-

proaches 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 devel-

oping 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

IDLE-FREE Zone Our school is working to protect the health of our students and the health of our environment. We ask you to

show your support by turning off your engine while dropping off or waiting to pick up your child at school.

The emissions that come from our tailpipes harm all of us, especially children who breathe more and at a fast-

er rate than adults. By turning off your car, our students, teachers and parents won't breathe in unhealthy

fumes as they enter school.

Air pollution also poses particular risks for our children with asthma. So, if you're going to be sitting still for

more than 60 seconds, remember to turn your car's engine off. You'll not only improve our air, you'll also save

money in fuel and vehicle wear and tear costs—then we can all breathe easier.

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 per-

son 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 pre-

pare 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 lo-

cal 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 hear-

ing.

Three steps to quality summer child care for your child If you have a school-age child, finding summer child care can be a real challenge. But you can follow these

three simple steps to help you choose a program that’s best for your family. It will mean a summer full of fun

and learning for your child—and peace of mind for you.

Step 1

Call Child Care Info Peel

905-890-9432 or 1-888-836-5550

Child care experts provide specific information about summer camps and other child care providers in your

neighbourhood. They can answer your questions and give you information to help you choose the program

that’s right for your family.

It’s a good idea to call the info line early to give yourself enough time to investigate potential programs and

make your decision before the program fills up.

Step 2

Schedule an appointment to meet with the program director or to speak over the phone, so that you can get

more information about the program. If possible, visit the program or the facility in which it will be held. The

more information you have, the better you will be able to decide if this program is a good "fit" for your child

and your family.

Step 3

When you are checking out summer programs, don’t be afraid to ask a lot of questions—it’s the best way to

make sure you have all the information you need. In general, you will want to ask questions about the pro-

gram, staff, health and safety practices, food provided, and costs.

For more information, call Child Care Info Peel or visit www.cdrcp.com/ccip.html.

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

ParentConnect is coming to YOUR school this fall!

The Peel District School Board is excited to announce that ParentConnect, our new parent portal, is launch-

ing this fall at your student’s school. ParentConnect is a safe and secure application that provides access to

electronic services for your Peel student(s).

From alerts to busing, absence reporting to earned credit history, ParentConnect offers easy and convenient

self-service access to important K-12 student information. Best of all, ParentConnect is mobile friendly so

you have access when you’re on-the-go.

Registration is easy. With the Student ID Number and a ParentConnect token passcode, you can access in-

formation about all of your children from one website, virtually any time!

Watch for your unique ParentConnect token passcode via email, then go online and register.

Want to learn more? Visit YouTube.com and search ‘Welcome to ParentConnect.’

Preparing for the summer sun Excessive exposure to the sun can lead to health concerns such as sunburn and skin cancer. As summer ap-

proaches 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 devel-

oping skin cancer and cataracts later in life. The UV index is the measure commonly used in Canada to as-

sess 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.

40 hours to graduate – Start this summer Since 1999, all students in Ontario secondary schools are required to complete a minimum of 40 hours

of community involvement in order to receive a diploma. The purpose of this requirement is to encour-

age students to develop an understanding of the various roles they can play in their community. Stu-

dents are encouraged to start accumulating community involvement hours in the summer before

they enter grade 9.

Research shows that early involvement in community service helps students build a spirit of civic re-

sponsibility which can be expanded as they move through secondary school. The aim of the 40-hour

requirement is to encourage students to become actively involved in making positive contributions to

their community.

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 service.

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 in the Peel District

School Board’s “40 Hours” brochure. You can obtain a copy of the brochure from your school or online at

www.peelschools.org/students/40hours/

View online resources and volunteer opportunities at www.peelschools.org/students/40hours/

Please note that the selection of the activities should take into account the age, maturity, and ability of the stu-

dent, and the location and environment of the proposed activity.