Ross R. MacKay
Public School
35 Trafalgar Road, R.R.# 2
Hillsburgh, ON N0B 1Z0
Phone: (519) 855-4957
Fax: (519) 855-6901
Website: http://www.ugdsb.on.ca/rossrmackay
Principal: Mr. P. Huddleston
Office Coordinator: Mrs. E. Lantz
Principal’s Message
Dear Parents & Guardians:
The next few weeks are packed full with
learning opportunities for students and
staff. RRM students continue to learn about
‘making connections’ between what they are
reading and their own lives. Beyond simply
November 2015
Students enjoyed showing off their orange
and black on October 28th. The cupcakes
were delicious. Thank you School Council for
organizing the day. Over $130.00 was
raised.
As always, please feel free to contact us at
the school to share good news stories,
questions, or concerns.
repeating facts, students listen to their own
Yours sincerely,
inner conversation while reading, to acquire a
new and richer understanding. In order to
Mr. Huddleston
make connections, students first connect to
background or prior knowledge of what they
are reading, recalling memories or related
thoughts, to help them understand the text.
Connections can be made between things like
past memories, characters, actions, story
events, messages, or themes by different
authors. Essentially, students are asked to
’read like writers’ and connect the new
information to what they already know. This
powerful reading strategy can be used for
reading, as well as making connections in life
between events and people. We encourage
you to have conversations with your child
about connections they see, hear, and read
about.
Dates to Remember.
•
Wednesday, November 11, 2015
Remembrance Day
•
Thursday, November 12, 2015
Superintendent Talbot visits
Ross R. MacKay
th
Thursday, November 5
School Council Events Committee
meeting
Get Your Flu Shot
The flu is a respiratory illness that spreads
quickly from person to person. Common flu
symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat,
muscle pain, joint pain, and weakness.
The flu is more serious for the very young
and elderly. They can get the flu from
school-aged children who don’t seem sick but
may have a mild case. Get your free flu shot.
It protects everyone.
Visit www.wdgpublichealth.ca to find a flu
clinic near you.
If you don’t like needles, there is an
alternative. FluMist is a nasal spray available
for children and adults ages 2 to 59. FluMist
is not available at drop-in clinics .
Call 1-800-265-7293 to make an
appointment.
"By the end of Grade 6, students will
have spent 1800 hours or 257 school days
in their schoolyard" - Canadian Biodiversity
Institute website. Most school yards
consist of large areas of worn down grass
and asphalt. Often there is very little to
keep children occupied, especially during the
winter months.
At Ross R MacKay we aim to change that and we need your help. Our fundraiser will
allow us to transform a portion of our
schoolyard through the addition of a natural
play space for our students, and provide an
outdoor classroom area. Research has shown
that when elements of nature are
incorporated into playgrounds that kids have
more fun, are more active and utilize more
motor skills.
The playground at Ross R MacKay is also
central to our community and a safe and
accessible place for all children to
play. Every cent raised will go toward a new,
inviting and completely natural play area for
our school...and our town. Won't you help?
https://www.canadahelps.org/en/pages/ross-r-mackaykindergarten-natural-playground/
.
Friday, November 27th, 2015
PD Day
No classes for students.
Ross R. MacKay Natural Primary
Playscape Fundraiser
Ross R. MacKay Public School is a small
community, Junior Kindergarten to Grade 6
school with a rich 50 year history of
education and environmental leadership. We
are a school with a big heart and our goal is
to enrich the lives and learning of our
students.
Update regarding fall elementary progress
report cards
The Upper Grand District School Board would like
to inform parents and guardians that due to the
impact of province-wide job action, Elementary
Progress Report Cards will not be going out as
scheduled.
Like most public school boards in Ontario, Upper
Grand is postponing Elementary Progress Reports,
which were scheduled to go out in November.
If the current labour situation is resolved, we will
reassess the status of the fall Progress Reports.
However, if job action continues, there would likely
be insufficient time for completion of the reports, as
school staff will be focused on completing and
distributing Term 1 Report Cards.
We will continue to monitor the situation and its
impact on elementary students. For updates please
visit the UGDSB board website at www.ugdsb.on.ca.
Talking About Mental Health - Access to
Mental Health Services
Dufferin-Guelph–Wellington
Here is a quick guide to accessing mental health
services in our communities. Hope it is helpful for you
and your family.
Mental Health Agencies:
Child and Youth Services in Dufferin
•
Dufferin Child and Family Services (DCAFS)
o To access Addictions, Mental Health and
Crisis Services
 Call 519-941-1530
o Talk in Clinic on Tuesdays 1:00- 7:00, just
drop in to access services
 655 Riddell Road, Orangeville
o http://dcafs.on.ca/
Child and Youth Services in Guelph/Wellington and
Adult Services in Guelph/Wellington/Dufferin
•
Canadian Mental Health Association Waterloo
Wellington Dufferin Branch (CMHAWWD)
o To access Addictions, Mental Health and
Crisis Services
 Call HERE247 at 1 844 437 3247 (1
844 HERE247)
 www.here247.ca
o Walk in Clinic for Children/Youth on
Tuesdays, 1:30- 7:00, just drop in to access
services
 485 Silvercreek Pkwy, Guelph
o http://www.cmhawwd.ca
Family Health Teams
- have counselling supports as well as medical
services paid for through OHIP
• Dufferin Area Family Health Teams
o http://dafht.ca/
o 519-938-8802 ext. 314
Guelph Family Health Teams
o http://www.guelphfht.com/
o 519-837-4444
• North Wellington Family Health Teams
o www.mmfht.ca (MintoMapleton);Telephone: 519-638-2110
o www.mountforestfht.com (Mount Forest);
Telephone: 519-323-0255
• Centre Wellington Family Health Teams
o http://uppergrandfht.org/
o Phone: 519-843-3947
• East Wellington Family Health Team
o http://www.ewfht.ca/
o Erin: 519-833-9396; Rockwood: 519-8564611
Community Support Lines
• Guelph Wellington Child and Youth Sexual Assault
Abuse Team (CYSTAT) 519 400 1263
o For access to supports, referrals and crisis
response for: children who have been
sexually abused, children who exhibit
sexualized behavior and youth who have
sexually offended
• KIDS LINE
o 1-800-265-7293 ext. 3616
o For referrals, prenatal, parenting and child
development questions
o Speak with a WDG Public Health nurse
o Monday to Friday, 8:45 a.m. - 4:15 pm
•
Agencies using Variable Fees
• Family Counselling and Support Services (GuelphWellington)
o No one is turned away due to income or
inability to make payment
o Walk in Clinic Wednesday, 1-7pm, just drop
in to access services
o http://www.familyserviceguelph.on.ca/
o 519-824-2431
• University of Guelph Couple and Family Therapy
Centre
o http://www.cftcentre.uoguelph.ca/index.sh
tml
o Fees range from $5 to $75 per hour
o 519-824–4120 ext. 56335
• Dufferin-Peel Catholic Family Services
o
o
o
No client is refused services because of an
inability to pay
http://www.cfspd.com/contact.html
1-888-940-0584
Private Services (for information purposes)
• College of Psychologists
o To find a registered psychologist by city or
postal code see:
o https://members.cpo.on.ca/public_register
/new
• Therapists in Guelph
o http://www.theravive.com/cities/on/couns
elling-guelph.aspx
• Therapists in Orangeville:
o http://www.theravive.com/cities/on/couns
elling-orangeville.aspx
Note: Costs for some services may be provided
through Employee Assistance Programs or benefit
packages at parents’/guardians’ workplaces.
Dr. Lynn Woodford, Psychologist is the Mental Health and
Addiction Lead for Upper Grand District School Board
Follow me on twitter: @drlynnwoodford