PARKINSON CENTENNIAL
FEBRUARY NEWSLETTER
P AOLA A RGENTINO , P RINCIPAL • K AYE M ARTIN , V ICE P RINCIPAL • A TTENDANCE (519) 941-2461 E XT . 100
Administrator’s Message:
February has arrived and we are finally seeing the
winter weather that we are used too. The colder
temperatures and snow aren’t slowing things down at
Parkinson. We are busier than ever.
The primary division is planning a Winter Outdoor
Play Day on February 12 th . Students will be in groups
and will take turns rotating through a variety of
activities. Please make sure your child(ren) is dressed for the weather. The Junior and
intermediate divisions are also taking advantage of the snow and will be cross-country skiing.
Please check the ‘Dates to Remember’ in this newsletter for more information.
We are very excited for the week of February 8 th to 12 th ! Every student in the school will have an
opportunity to participate in high ropes challenges in the gym. Escarpment Outdoor Adventures
will set up for the week and each class will put their grit and perseverance skills to the test while
getting some physical activity. Please make sure you sign and return the waivers with $7 to your
child’s teacher. If you are unable to provide the money, please let the school know and return
the signed waiver for your child to participate.
It’s not all fun and games at Parkinson. Teachers and students are working hard together to
improve literacy and numeracy skills on a daily basis. Setting personal goals, creating a plan to
achieve those goals, and celebrating the journey when goals have been reached is our purpose.
Parent involvement is an important part of this journey and below are some ways that you can
help at home to support your child(ren).
 Be Positive - choose words carefully
 Try not to overact when your child makes a mistake – mistakes are part of
learning
 Encourage them to keep trying
 Help set the tone – engage in a conversation and ask questions
 Be patient and build confidence – remind them of times they got frustrated
but still mastered a skill i.e., riding a bike
 Ask for help if you aren’t sure – admit you don’t know the answer but assure
them you will figure it out together
 Make Literacy and Numeracy a part of everyday life – i.e., the grocery store is
full of great math and reading activities such as, creating a list,estimating
cost, weighing items, etc.
 Read to your child everyday and make time for them to read too
Together we can make a difference and continue to show what Parkinson is made of - Grace,
Gratitude and Grit!
P. Argentino & K. Martin
YOUTH & FAMILY STAKEHOLDER LABS
PLEASE HELP US UNDERSTAND YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH THE CHILD AND YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM.
This Stakeholder Lab is part of the Moving on Mental Health Wellington Dufferin project. This project
aims to understand the experiences of children and youth with mental health challenges, and their
families or caregivers. In this phase of the project, we’re looking to speak to youth and young adults
with personal experience with mental health challenges, and their family members or caregivers. As
someone with lived experience dealing with, or supporting someone else through mental health
challenges, you are an expert in this system, what you need, and how it feels to get support. We’d be
honoured to hear about your story, so that we can better understand child and youth mental health
services in Wellington Dufferin. For more information on the nature of this project please
visit www.momhwd.com.
ABOUT THESE STAKEHOLDER LABS
We’re holding three workshops (called Stakeholder Labs) with youth, young adults, and their families or
caregivers. These 90-minute sessions will explore some of the topics and themes we are discovering in
our ongoing research within the Child and Youth Mental Health system. Sharing your experiences and
feedback with us will help us continue to learn, and understand what it feels like to interact with mental
health services in Wellington Dufferin.
Please RSVP using the links below to attend the Stakeholder Lab that best suits you and your schedule:
Youth & Family Stakeholder Lab (16+): Orangeville
We invite youth and young adults with personal experience with mental health challenges, and/or
their family members or caregivers to attend. Participants must be 16 and over.
Venue:
Dufferin Child and Family Services
Multipurpose Room
655 Riddell Road
Orangeville, L9W 4Z5
Date:
Time:
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
6:30 – 8:00 pm
To participate, please register here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/moving-on-mental-healthyouth-family-stakeholder-lab-ages-16-tickets-20757375870
We’re excited for you to attend! Thank you for your interest and support in the Moving on Mental
Health Wellington Dufferin project!
Designated Bike Routes Coming
The Town of Orangeville is introducing an exciting project that aims to boost community health and
wellness, reduce vehicle congestion, and promote bicycle safety on local roads – designated bicycle
routes. Three routes have been selected that connect outlying areas of Town to the downtown
core. We are very excited that one of these routes will pass directly by Parkinson P.S.
A bicycle route represents a preferred travel route for bicyclists while sharing the road with motorized vehicles. A bicycle
route does not impact regular traffic or parking, and does not require additional road width. The routes aim to concentrate
bicycle traffic to recommended streets and provide awareness to both bicycles and vehicles that the road is to be
shared. Routes will be marked with both signage on poles and sharrows on the pavement. For more information,
contact bikesafe@orangeville.ca.
February’s Environmental Theme: ENERGY CONSERVATION
Because many of our energy sources cause pollution and damage our Earth, energy conservation is about finding ways to
reduce or eliminate unnecessary energy usage. We all know to turn off the lights when not in the room, turn down the
heating or cooling and buy energy efficient appliances. But do you know about Energy Vampires? Energy Vampires are
electronics that use energy even when you think they are turned off. Many "Vampires" have LED lights, clocks or digital
displays that are powered continually. Cell phone chargers, TVs, DVD players and gaming devices all draw current even
when not in use. We can unplug these or plug them into smart power strips that stop idle energy currents.
But what about the future? What types of energy can we use that are renewable energy sources that don't damage the
planet? Let's put solar energy to work! When it is sunny outside, let your laundry dry on a clothesline. Or open the
curtains in the winter and let the sun heat your home naturally.
Or, let's be Eco-Smart in our choices. Design new houses that are angled to use the maximum warmth and light from the
sun's rays in the winter and have a roof overhang designed to decrease sun penetration in the summer. Install lights that
only turn on by using a sensor that monitors brightness. Plant trees to strategically provide shade. In your community, ask
local governments to support more solar panels and more wind turbines in Ontario. We can use these great ideas
ourselves to slow down Global Warming and keep our planet healthy.
Slogan of the month: Conserve our energy - we are using more of it than you think!
Safety Reminder
For safety reasons, the roundabout in front of the school is a no parking zone. The circular drive is meant
for school busses only. Pylons will be placed at the entrance of the roundabout in the morning and
afternoon. Once buses have arrived, the pylons will be removed and traffic may have access. We
would appreciate it if parents could encourage students to walk, and if this is not possible, please
park/stop along the road (especially if your children are older)to drop off your child.
Thank you for your cooperation!
Life Threatening Allergies
While many children have allergies, some children have life-threatening food allergies. We
understand that many parents are becoming increasingly concerned about foods that can cause
severe, adverse, allergic reactions and rely on your support to ensure the safety of all students.
Please help us to maintain a safe and healthy environment for all students, by not sending any
snacks or lunches that contain nuts or nut products.
We appreciate that it is difficult at times to find a variety of items for student lunches, however, we ask for your
understanding and support in this situation.
Inclement Weather
The school board has new information on its website regarding inclement weather.
This document contains important information on school bus cancellations, school
closures due to severe weather and extreme cold temperatures.
You can read the full document at www.ugdsb.on.ca/inclementweather/
The document also contains information on the risks of frostbite in extreme cold temperatures. Frostbite can
happen within minutes of skin being exposed to extreme cold temperatures. Please ensure your children are
dressed properly for frigid temperatures.
Additionally, parents and guardians should be aware that adult crossing guards are employed by the
municipality. As such, municipal crossing guards may not be providing service during extreme weather
conditions. Please refer to the document on the board website for information about the municipality’s policy on
crossing guards.
Public Health
Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph
Do you have questions or concerns about your child?
Call KIDS LINE to speak with a public health nurse about your child’s growth and
development, or parenting concerns. 1-800-265-7293 ext. 3616 or visit their website
www.wdgpublichealth.ca.
KIDS LINE is the intake phone number for the Growing Great Kids System of Care.
ACCESSIBILITY FOR ALL STUDENTS
Dates to Remember!
Feb. 2 Grade 6 Trappers and Traders
Feb. 4 Sweater Day
Feb. 5 GRIT Assembly 11:20am
Feb. 8 – 12 Rock Climbing in the gym
Feb. 11 Cross Country Skiing – Buchan, Salfi
and Boston
The Upper Grand District School Board now has
Chromebooks for student use in all 25 public
libraries across the district. The program first
launched in April at three pilot sites within the
Wellington County library system and has grown to
include all 25 public library branches that serve our
region. Each branch has been outfitted with five
Chromebooks that are available exclusively for
Upper Grand students to access and complete
their homework and assignments.
For more information, visit the board website at
ugdsb.ca.
Feb. 15 Family Day
Feb. 26 Cross Country Skiing – Robertson,
Szabo, Ritchie and Gammage
PHYSICAL HEALTH
Physical Activity Can Make You Smarter?
Yep! It’s true!
We have heard a lot about how exercise is important for children to remain healthy but research from Harvard Medical
School (and many other studies) has shown that children do better in school if they get plenty of exercise. As it turns out,
exercise has a positive influence on concentration, memory, behaviour, sequencing, and making priorities.
According to one study in the Journal of Pediatrics, “school-age youth should participate daily in 60 minutes or more of
moderate to vigorous physical activity that is developmentally appropriate, enjoyable, and involves a variety of activities”.
But other studies have found that even 20 minutes of activity such as walking can increase brain functioning.
There are so many fun physical activities to do in the winter, tobogganing, skating, snow-shoeing, hockey. Why not build a
snowman, a snow fort or make snow angels? Whatever you and your family decide it is important for children to exercise
every day, the more, the better.
It’s good for the brain and the body!
(Information adapted from Journal of Pediatrics, Edutopia, Everydayhealth.com and Globe and Mail online)