85 Burnt Elm Drive, Brampton On, L7A 1T8 Phone 905-495-9368 Fax 905-495-9371

Principal—Mrs. W. Vokey Vice-Principal-Mrs. T. Ajrawat Vice-Principal-Ms. B. Ritchie

Office Manager-Mrs. S. Corbett Superintendent-Mr. Mark Haarmann Trustee-Mrs. S. Nurse

APRIL 2013 EDITION

The Burnt Elm Banner

A Message from the Principal—

We look forward to Education Week at Burnt

Elm—April 15—19. The theme this year in our school

board is Every Smile Tells a Story. We will celebrate

our story throughout the week with a variety of activi-

ties for our students and their families. We hope you

are able to join us for our Open House, Grade 4 concert,

Burnt Elm’s 10th Birthday Party hosted by Parent

Council and our Michael Mitchell concerts!

Education Week Highlights

April 15-Open House for Families (flyer to be sent home)

April 17– Grade 4 Concert (1:30)

April 18– Award of Excellence and Distinction Assembly;

Burnt Elm’s 10th Birthday Party Celebration (6:00)

April 19– Michael Mitchell Presentations (9:30 and 1:30)

Reading Tips:

Read to child in your first language

Make your own books by turning

photo albums into stories with pic-

tures and words

Borrow dual language books from

the library

Play language games like ―I Spy‖ in

your first language

Inserts:

Help us to encourage and enhance parent

involvement in Peel

Earth Week

Peel public schools celebrate Ed. Week

Peel schools honour Police Appreciation Week

Celebrating Faith and Culture

Keep your child safe around train tracks

Keeping children safe in and around storm

sewers, waterways

Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week

Welcome to the home of Benny

the Bengal!

School Success Update

We continue our journey with technology at Burnt Elm. To

support the 21st century learner, technology is an important

tool in helping our students understand concepts and to assist

in communicating their learning in a multi-media format. The

next pieces of technology we will be adding to our resource col-

lection at Burnt Elm will be iPads.

What's Happening At Burnt Elm?

What Can I do if my child is the victim

of bullying?

Ask your child directly Listen Tell the school immediately Encourage your child to seek spare-time activities Teach children ways to resolve arguments with

out violent words or actions

Talk about and practise assertiveness skills

Our Burnt Elm students who received certificates for “Cooperation” are: Gr.1– Sowmia K., Muskan J., Fiona B., Chukuyem E., Akrasan V., Mahek P., Andrea A., Mruga V., Anushka D.

Gr.2– Saahib S., Mehtab C., Dilshan D., Yuvraj D., Yeima B., Umair A., Rivin L., Asmi N., Prathmesh M.,

Marlee B., Alishbah N., Celeigh B.

Gr.3– Tatiana L., Stephanie M., Aden O., Sarah E., Betty T., Luckshana S., Eshan B., Sarina S., Jarius B.,

Jaysen C., Anshpreet H., Saamiya K.

Gr.4– Abigail O., Rianna B., Cole F., Garima P., Abdullah K., Aksain R., Simran B.

Gr. 5– Joshua U., Harsh B., Eric N., Asvini S., Sahil B., Sakina R., Harleen C.,

Nehan G., Jubari W., Fayth A.,

Congratulations to our recipients for “Cooperation”

Day of Pink

On April 10, all Peel schools will recog-

nize Day of Pink, the international day

against bullying, discrimination, homo-

phobia and transphobia.

The Day of Pink began when a high

school student in Cambridge, Nova Sco-

tia was bullied because he wore a pink

shirt to school. The next day, hundreds

of students at his school stood up to bul-

lying and wore pink to school to show

their support for diversity.

On Wednesday, April 10th, PDSB is

celebrating the Day of Pink by wearing

something pink. We invite students to

join us in wearing pink as we stand

against bullying, discrimination, homo-

phobia and transphobia.

Burnt Elm’s Students’ Work(Gr.3)

What’s happening in Core French

The grade 4 French classes have just finished a unit on pets in which they learned how to describe pets (whether or not they actually have one at home). This unit increased our animal vocabulary, as well as afforded many activities, such as, songs and games, that were popular with the students. They finished by making a paper bag hand puppet of any pet they fancied, as well as writing a small script about the animal and presenting it to their class. Here are a few creative examples of the puppet pets:

Jada – 4C Elia – 4B Aaron – 4A

Voici Yuvreet:

Yuvreet porte une jupe rose.

Elle porte aussi un tee-shirt rose et noir.

Elle porte un collier rose, et des collants noirs.

Yuvreet porte des souliers noirs.

Voici Neethini :

Neethini porte une robe bleue et noire.

Elle porte des collants noirs.

Elle porte aussi un collier avec des brillants.

Neethini porte des bottes noires et jaunes.

C’est une tenue formidable!

Reinu – 4C Courtney – 3-4 Sanya – 4A

In the last few weeks, the grade 5 French classes have been putting on fashion shows, which were filmed to the great delight of all participants. These were the final assignments in connection with our unit on clothing and colours, and resulted in the students learning how to describe what they were wearing by writing a script and reading each others’ contributions to the audience. Two examples of well written copies are included here, submitted by Neethini and Yuvreet. We had some great performances, and some great outfits!

by: Simran Kapoor (Grade 4)

Michael Mitchell is an award-winning Canadian singer/songwriter for kids. He was born in Montreal, Quebec on February 12th, 1954. He has given more than 5,000 shows throughout the country and has also written and recorded songs for “Sesame Street” and “PBS”. One of his most famous songs is “Canada in my Pocket”, which is about the symbols on most of the Canadian coins. It is also one of my personal favourites.

We are very lucky to have him perform here at Burnt Elm, dur-ing Education Week, as he is a very busy man. As I mentioned ear-lier, he has given more than 5,000 shows throughout the country. He is going to perform two shows at Burnt Elm on Friday, April 19th at 9:30 and 1:30.

Parents are also welcome to join us and share in a cele-

bration of Canada, its music and its culture. For more infor-

mation about Michael Mitchell, his songs and work, check

out his website at michaelmitchell.ca. You can also find

some great songs and videos from his concerts on you-

tube.com. Don’t forget to send your child in red and white

on that day so we can all show off our Canadian pride!

Michael Mitchell

Earth Day

By: Tamana Chawla (Grade 4)

Earth day is a day when people take care of the earth, like picking up litter, to make the world better.

Litter is anything that is dropped on the ground, like wrappers, which many say is hurting Mother Na-

ture, which is true. Earth day is a special day, where people around the world clean their communities.

How You Can Help

Now that the snow is melting, you may notice litter around the neighbourhood. Gather people from your

community (e.g., friends, family) and take a garbage bag and gloves to pick up garbage around your

neighbourhood. Don’t forget to recycle (e.g., pop can) whenever you can.

Where Can We Clean?

We can clean at places, like playgrounds, shops, schools, around the homes in our neighbourhood, and

on school property.

Other Things to Think About

1. Why do we need to keep nature clean?

2. What other ways can we help clean the Earth?

Music Update

The Grade Four students have been busily preparing for an Education Week presentation.

Parents are invited to come see their child perform at 1:30 on Wednesday April 17th. The

theme for this year’s assembly is ―The Whole World Smiles With You‖.

Music Monday

Music Monday is coming in May! The Grade 3 students will be putting on a show for the

school and for parents on May 6th to celebrate Music Monday. Astronaut Chris Hadfield

and Barenaked Ladies front man Ed Robertson have collaborated between earth and space

to co-write the official song for Music Monday 2013. The end-result features Hadfield play-

ing the song from the International Space Station, while Robertson and a TDSB school

choir, join him to unite in song with schools and communities across our nation. Come join

us and share in our message that music matters!

Help us to encourage and enhance parent involvement in Peel

Apply for a position on the board's Parent Involvement Committee

Under the Ministry of Education's Parent Involvement Policy, all boards must have a committee comprised of a majority

of parents that is directly linked to the director of education and trustees. The Peel board Parent Involvement Committee

(PIC) meets regularly throughout the school year to review the board’s plans for parent involvement as they relate to

parent, family and community engagement, and to make suggestions to schools, councils and the board regarding addi-

tional parent outreach.

As mandated by the ministry, the purpose of Peel board's PIC is to:

support, encourage, and enhance meaningful parental involvement within schools and across the district, including, out-

reach to parents who find involvement more challenging

work collaboratively with the school board to support student success

seek out the advice and ideas of school councils, and other parents and partners as they plan and implement strategies to

involve more parents at the regional level

develop strategies for enhancing parental engagement and outreach

Membership is a majority of parents, reflecting the diversity of the parent community. Parent representatives will be

required to serve two-year terms, beginning in September and ending in August.

We are now in the process of inviting parents to apply for four positions on the committee. In early May, a selection

sub-committee consisting of current parent and trustee members will review all parent applications and select represen-

tatives using the following Parent Member Selection Criteria as a guide:

reflects the diversity of the community

understands the importance of parent, family and community engagement

has experience working with newcomers to Canada, Ontario or Peel

has volunteer experience – including experience on school council

has previous experience in Peel board parent involvement activities

demonstrates advocacy and community development skills

has a present level of involvement in the education system

demonstrates a keen interest in public education

For more information about the PIC and to download the application package, visit www.peelschools.org. Under the ‘Parents’ menu, se-lect ‘Get Involved’ and ‘Parent Involvement Committee’.

Forms must be returned by April 26, 2013.

Earth Week – April 17 to 24, 2013

Earth Week encompasses the international celebration of Earth Day on April 22. This is the most celebrated environ-

mental event worldwide. Initiated in 1970, this event has been considered the birth of the environmental movement.

Each year, more than 6 million Canadians join 500 million people in over 180 countries in staging events and projects

to address local environmental issues. In Canada, Earth Day has grown into Earth Week and even Earth Month to ac-

commodate the profusion of events and projects. Here are some ways that you can celebrate earth week with your fam-

ily:

create a backyard or schoolyard habitat

plant a garden or tree

start a recycling program at home

organize a carpooling campaign in your neighbourhood to reduce air pollution

pick up trash in your neighbourhood

read a book about an endangered species

make a visit to your local zoo, aquarium or museum

visit a local park, wildlife area or farm to provide a fun opportunity to learn about the environment and life

Peel public schools celebrate Education Week

Peel public schools will host hundreds of special activities and events to celebrate Education Week 2013 from April 15

to 26. The theme for this year's two week-long focus on education is Every smile tells a story.

At Burnt Elm we will be celebrating Education Week from April 15- 19, 2013.

April 15-Open House for Families (flyer to be sent home)

April 17– Grade 4 Concert (1:30)

April 18– Award of Excellence and Distinction Assembly;

Burnt Elm’s 10th Birthday Party Celebration (6:00)

April 19– Michael Mitchell Presentations (9:30 and 1:30)

Each year, more than 50,000 parents and community members across Peel attend activities and events during Educa-

tion Week. We are looking forward to an equally successful week this year.

Peel schools honour police officers during Police Appreciation Week The Peel District School Board will pay tribute to police officers by holding Police Appreciation Week from May 5 to 11,

2013. Peel students and staff will show their appreciation for the tremendous job being done by police to protect

schools, homes and communities. Police Appreciation Week coincides with National Police Week. National Police Week

pays tribute to the work of police officers across Canada.

"The Peel board appreciates the dedication and commitment of police officers who work to keep our schools and com-

munities safe," says Janet McDougald, Peel board chair. "Police Appreciation Week is our way of thanking officers who

dedicate themselves to protecting our community. It's also a way to give these officers the special recognition they de-

serve."

During this week, students, staff and parents in schools throughout Brampton, Caledon and Mississauga will honour

the work of police officers and thank them for enhancing public safety and security.

Free Parent Workshop:

Empowering Students to Stop Bullying and Harassment -What Parents and Guardians Need to Know

John Linney - an international speaker and co-author of the book, Safe Schools Ambassadors: Harnessing Student

Power to Stop Bullying and Violence - will be speaking at the Peel District School Board, HJA Brown Education Cen-

tre, on Wednesday April 3, from 7 - 8:30 pm.

The workshop will highlight the impact bullying has on students and families, practical strategies to address bullying,

and how parents can partner with their schools to prevent and address harm so everyone can thrive.

To register, visit: www.peelschools.org/parents/involved/workshop/

Celebrating Faith and Culture April 2013

DATE CELEBRATION FAITH AND CULTURE

April Mmaal Aboriginal Spirituality

Sunset of March 25 to April 2 Pesach (Passover) Judaism

April 1 Easter Monday Christianity and Canada

Sunset of April 7 to 8 Yom HaShoah Judaism

April 8 Farvardegan Zoroastrianism

April 9 to 27 Month of Jalál Bahá'í

April 10 or 11 Vasant Navaratri Hinduism

April 10 Jashn-e-Sadeh Zoroastrianism

April 13 and 14 Saka and New Year’s Day Buddhism and Hinduism

April 13 or 14 Vaisakhi or Baisakhi Sikhism and Hinduism

April 19 or 20 Shri Ramnavami Hinduism

Sunset of April 20 to May 2 Ridvan Bahá'í

April 23 Mahavir Jayanti Jainism

April 24 Akshaya-tritiya Jainism

April 25 to 28 Theravada New Year Buddhism

April 25 Zarathosht-no-Diso Zoroastrianism

April 28 to May 17 Month of Jalál Bahá'í

April 28 (J) Palm Sunday Christianity

April 29 to May 4(J) Holy Week begins Christianity

April 30 to May 4 Ghambar Maidyozarem Zoroastrianism

Keep your child safe around train tracks

Trains are often closer and moving faster than most motorists and pedestrians think they are. That's why all family

members should be are aware of the importance of rail safety.

Safety steps for children

Playing on railway tracks and bridges is dangerous. Find safe, supervised and open areas (e.g. neighbourhood parks)

to have fun.

The only way to safely cross a rail track is to use designated railway crossings.

If you must cross railway tracks, for example on your way to and from school, stop, look and listen before crossing.

It is against the law to trespass on railway property.

Safety steps for adults

Be prepared to stop at a highway/ railway crossing.

Listen for warning bells and whistles of an approaching train. Turn off, or turn down distracting fans, heaters, mu-

sic/radios.

Obey the signals. Never attempt to drive under a gate as it is closing or around a closed gate. If the gate begins to

close while you’re underneath, keep moving ahead until you clear the crossing.

If a police officer or a member of the train crew is directing traffic at the crossing, obey their directions.

If your vehicle stalls on the tracks, get out quickly and away from the vehicle and tracks. Move in the direction that

the train is approaching from to avoid being hit by debris. Your vehicle will be swept forward by the momentum of the

train.

Keeping children safe in and around storm sewers, waterways

Rising and fast moving water in lakes, ponds and creeks is increasingly likely during spring. Children playing in and

around storm sewers and watercourses, entering storm sewers through the outfalls, and entering storm sewers through

access covers is dangerous. The following information will help keep children safe:

water flows in storm sewers and watercourses are unpredictable and may change quickly

toxic gases may be present in and around storm sewers and watercourses

access is restricted, making rescue attempts are difficult

tragic falls could take place

Please review this information with your children and let them know how dangerous storms sewers and waterways are.