HAPPENINGS AT THE WOODS
September 2015
ACCENTUATE THE POSITIVE
Welcome back! We would like to say a huge thank you to
all of our staff, students, parents and school community
for helping make our start to the school year a great
success!! Each month, we will Accentuate the Positive
in this section of the newsletter, by sharing the many great
things that are happening at Cataraqui Woods every day!
As well, please check our school website and our Twitter
feed for more information! Please take time to read the
information provided. Parental involvement in their child's
education has a critical impact on student success.
Parent Council provides another way for you to become
involved in your child's education. Please consider joining
Parent Council either as a member at large or by running
for a position on Council. Parent Council elections will be
held at 6:00 on Wednesday, October 7th.
Over the past few years Cataraqui Woods Elementary
School has updated it’s website and become active on
Twitter. With this in mind, we have attached a form asking
any families who would prefer to read our newsletters
electronically on our website, rather than receiving a
paper copy, to self-identify. Our goal will be to reduce as
much paper as possible, and support the efforts of our
Eco-club. Thank you again for your continued support!
Yours in education,
Tom Fielding and Shauna Peart
TERRY FOX RUN –
Wednesday, Sept 30th @ 11:30 am.
Terry ran his Marathon of Hope over 30 years ago. His
story continues to inspire new generations today. We
hope that you will join us and participate on Wednesday,
Sept 30th at 11:30 am. Students are asked to bring a loonie
or toonie to donate to this cause. The Foundation is
inspired by a dream, is volunteer driven, and directs .87
cents of every dollar directly to the cause. Your support
will make a difference in the lives of cancer patients and
their families today and in the future.
What is Visual Literacy?
Take a Look!
Visual literacy is the ability to understand and create
meaning through pictures, graphs, charts, maps and
other images.
"AT THE WOODS" -- our monthly newsletter -- is
available
on
our
school
website
at
http://catar.limestone.on.ca (Link: school website)
Follow us on Twitter @CatWoodsES_LDSB
Parent Council News!!
Parent Council Elections on
Wednesday, October 7th at 6:00 pm.
Join the school’s Parent Council and get
involved!!!
Parent Engagement Night
Key note speaker Dr. Sian Phillips
Making a Connection Before Discipline
September 29th at 6 p.m.
School Fundraiser for October is Fund Script
Gift Cards
Photos, drawings, facial expression and body language
help us understand spoken and printed words. Images
also explain information clearly. Where would we be
without maps, day planners, and illustrated instructions
for making crafts or assembling new toys?
How can parents help children learn visual
literacy?
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CHARACTER COUNTS
The staff and students at Cataraqui Woods
Elementary School are using the months of
September and October to review and reinforce
the character skills and traits presented in our
student agendas. Our first trait is RESPECT —
Being courteous and polite; listening to what
others have to say; accentuating the positive, not
insulting people, making fun of them, calling
them names, bullying or picking on others or
judging people. In general – treating other
people the way you want to be treated.
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Ask your child to draw pictures about a story
you’ve read together.
Search books for exclamation and question
marks. Look for print that is bold or big. What
do these markings mean? Ask your child to
show what they mean by making their voice
loud or soft, high or low as they chime in with
the words you read together.
Explore picture dictionaries together.
Ask your child to draw a map of her pet’s
travels inside or outside the house.
Play boards games together.
Provided by: Ontario Early Literacy Specialists
Concussion – Information Session
For parents and caregivers of elementary and
secondary students. Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2015
from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Bayridge Seconday School.
1059 Taylor-Kidd Blvd. Free Admission. Keynote
speaker: Dr. Garth Smith.
PARKING AND FRONT DRIVE WAY
Just a reminder that during entry and dismissal times the front
driveway of the school is for bus use, and that during the day the
side parking lot is for staff use only. There is a short strip directly
in front of the main entrance for “drop and go”.
The streets around our school are also marked with signage
identifying areas where parking is allowed. When our parents
park in the “No Parking” areas, they create an unsafe situation
for our walking students by reducing visibility for other drivers.
Respecting our neighbours’ driveways is also important. Let’s
keep our students safe. Thank you for your co-operation.
STUDENT AGENDAS
Our students are making great use of their agendas. It’s great
seeing signatures and comments from home. We are having a
daily draw for agendas that are signed and with homework
completed. This draw is quite popular and helps our students
develop time management skills and responsibility. Parent
Council covers some of the cost of the agendas, however
students are asked to bring in $3.00 to help cover the additional
costs.
VOLUNTEERS
We are always looking for volunteers to work in our classrooms,
with small groups and go on class trips. It is the Limestone
District School Board’s policy that Volunteers need a current
CPIC. If you are planning to become involved and volunteer,
please submit a current CPIC to the school office.
VISITORS
Visitors are always welcome at CWES. When you arrive, please
report to the main office and let the Office Administrator know
you are in the school. If you are planning on staying for any
period of time, please sign the record book in the front entrance
and pick up a visitor tag.
THE IMPORTANCE OF PUNCTUALITY
As part of our school improvement goals, CWES is using
Literacy and Numeracy “blocks” for instruction in the morning.
When students arrive late to school, they are often missing key
components of the lesson for that day, which places them at a
disadvantage academically. Helping our students be punctual
not only improves their time management skills, it helps to
ensure they receive the full benefit of their teacher’s instrution.
SAFE ARRIVAL PROGRAM
To assist us in keeping your child safe, we would appreciate if
you could call the school before 8:30 am if your child is going to
be late or absent that day. If you know about appointments
ahead of time, please send a note to inform the teacher, and the
office. If we have not received a note or a call regarding
absences, Ms. MacGregor will call home to help ensure that
your child is safe.
DOGS ON SCHOOL PORPERTY
Dogs on school premises are a concern to the health and safety
of our students and staff. For a situation where a parent brings
a dog when walking a child to school, the dog is expected to be
on a leash and should be kept a safe distance form students and
from school entrances (e.g. at the edge of the property).
PEANUT AND SCENT SAFE SCHOOL
A reminder that CWES is a “Peanut and Scent Safe School”.
For the safety of our students and staff, we ask that families
refrain from sending nut-based products to school and from
wearing scented products while in the building. In accordance
with LDSB policy, all students at risk for anaphylactic
reactions and for whom Epi-pens have been prescribed are
required to carry an Epi-pen on their person at all times.
Epi-pen Canada often run a promotion that provides free Epipen carriers for children. You can contact them at 1-877-3747361 to place an order.
STUDENT ACCIDENT INSURANCE
The student accident insurance forms were sent out to homes
during the first week of school. Parents/guardians are
encouraged to carry insurance, particularly if their child is active
on school teams or extra-curricular activities. Accidents often
result in major dental restorative work being required, which in
most cases is expensive. The basic level of student accident
insurance covers the dental work required, as well as any future
dental work due to the accident. If parents already have
insurance to cover the costs of an injury, then there is no need
to purchase the insurance. If parents would like to purchase
insurance, they can send in the application form or enrol at
www.insuremykids.com.
THREATS TO SCHOOL SAFETY PROCEDURES
Keeping our Students and Staff Safe
The Limestone District School Board has a primary
responsibility to ensure the safety of students and staff inside
Board buildings and on Board property. In partnership with the
Kingston City Police, and OPP detachments, and the LDSB, a
city-wide Threats to School Safety Procedure plan has been
developed. Threats to School Safety Procedures are initiated
when a high risk incident involving weapons, hazardous
chemical spill, severe weather, student/stranger intrusion, etc.,
occur in or around the school property. In order for all students
and staff to become familiar with expectations during a threat to
school safety, our school will be practicing threat response
procedures. During these drills, signs will be posted on the
entrance doors indicating that the school is in Shelter in Place,
Hold and Secure, or Lockdown. The doors may be locked and
no one will be allowed into the school. This is the same
procedure that will be followed in a real situation. Practice drills
will be held throughout the school year to help ensure that our
students and staff are prepared.
RUNNING CLUB
All Grades 3-8 students are invited to participate in Running
Club for fun and fitness. We are meeting Monday, Wednesday
and Friday mornings, 8:15-8:45 am beginning Friday,
September 11 until Monday, October 5. Interested students
may also attend the October Road Race. Running Club forms
were distributed on September 8 but are still available from Mrs.
Powers.
ECO NEWS
Cataraqui Woods students and staff are working on maintaining
last year's Gold Eco Schools certification. Last year's Pack an
Eco Lunch initiative was a great success. Students, families and
staff worked hard to reduce their environmental footprint. We will
be continuing our pledge to care for our earth. Students are
asked to pack an Eco-Lunch every day. When packing a lunch
- buy in bulk and use reusable containers. Do your best to avoid
plastic, styrofoam and single-serving snacks. Pack apples and
bananas. Use a reusable water bottle. Drink tap water. For
more info … Google 'Pack an Eco Lunch youtube' (Cat Woods'
own youtube sensation). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vg-9G3seyE
In addition to our daily efforts, we have set aside the third Friday
of each month (except for March and May where it will be the
second Friday) as Pack an Eco Lunch Day. On these days, all
our recycling bins and garbage cans will be 'closed'. Students
and families are encouraged to discuss the choices that are
made when purchasing food for lunches. Coming up - Pack an
Eco Lunch Day on Sept 18, Oct 16, Nov 20 and Dec 18.
New this year: Cataraqui Woods is participating in the Crayola
ColourCycle program. We are excited to help Crayola in
collecting and converting used markers into clean
energy. Students and classrooms are asked to collect their used
markers (any brand) and deliver them to the ColourCycle bin
just outside Room 106.
We will be collecting markers
throughout the year. Together, we are helping our planet one
handful of markers at a time!
Here’s What’s Happening At The Woods:
Sept 22 – Soccer Tournament @ Woodbine Field.
Sept 25 – PA Day!
Sept 30 – 11:30 am – Terry Fox Run!
Oct 7 – Road Race!
Oct 7 – Parent Council Elections.
Oct 8 – Recognition Assembly
Oct 12 – Thanksgiving Day!