David Marquis, Principal Susan Schaefer, Office Co-Ordinator
131 Ontario Street, Guelph ON, N1E 3B3
Tel: (519) 822-9271 Fax: (519) 822-6617
Principal’s Message
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
I hope that you and your family enjoyed an excellent Holiday Season. As we return in what is now a new year, I would like to wish everyone a happy, safe and prosperous year for 2016!
Looking ahead, January will again be a busy month at École Couling @ Tytler. We will continue our focus on the “Healthy Choices” initiative called 3 UP 2 DOWN, we are starting our School Wide Tribes learning, our Kindergarten classes will engage in the
Do-Re-Mi sessions, our Grade 2 and 3 classes will be off to the River Run Centre, the
Guelph Police will be visiting to teach student safety awareness and after all that, our month will culminate with another Tribes assembly as well as a visit from Earth
Rangers, a kid’s conservation organization.
As we return to school and set goals for our learning, we will draw attention to the idea of supportive communities. Please encourage your children to set goals for themselves as they begin this new year. We all have opportunities to improve, and we should always be trying to better ourselves in what we do. Remind your children to always
Work Hard, Read Lots and Do Their Best!
David Marquis

Kindergarten Registration
Kindergarten registration will be held from: FEBRUARY 1 - 5, 2016
Eligible students for the Junior Kindergarten program must be four years of age on or before December 31, 2016 and students must be five years of age on or before
December 31, 2016 to register for Senior Kindergarten.
Parents are required to complete the
“STUDENT ADMISSION FORM”
(Version 15) which is found on our website in PDF version - www.ugdsb.on.ca/admission and provide the following:
• Proof of Birth Date - i.e. Birth Certificate/Canadian Citizenship, Permanent Resident
Card (photocopy both sides for school record). Other accepted proof is listed on Page 2 of the Admissions Form. Reminder that copies are to be kept in the OSR until five years after the last day of attendance.
Parents should be encouraged to apply for birth certificates as soon as possible as there may be a delay. http://www.cbs.gov.on.ca/mcbs/english/4U4V5Z.htm Parents must provide proof of birth date before a child can legally attend school. The following website allows parents to complete their Birth Certificate Application on-line or print off a blank application -
• Proof of Date of Entry, if born outside Canada : school official and parent must complete the “Confirmation of Pupil Eligibility for English as a Second Language” form
 stamp in passport
 Citizenship & Immigration Canada documentation
 statement notarized by a Notary Public
• Proof of and full address - i.e. driver’s license, purchase/rental agreement, bank statement, hydro bill. All addresses must be confirmed they are within your school’s 2016-17 boundary
. Once boundary reviews have been completed, new maps will be available on the Board’s website. Please contact the Planning Dept. for any clarification needed.
• Immunization Record to be completed by the parent and forwarded to the
Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health Unit. Do not keep a copy in the O.S.R. Blank forms are available on our website - “Kindergarten Registration.”
• Custody Order documentation (if applicable) should be provided and viewed by the
Principal/Designate. The memo Joint Custody - Student Registration dated January
2005 is still in effect.

Video Games
When purchasing video games, it is easy to inadvertently buy games containing content much too graphic for young children. Many games sold for home video game players are quite violent and in some cases extremely inappropriate for children. This is a reminder to always research the game rating before purchasing these types of games.
A salesperson can usually help you when u nsure about what you’re buying. Often, children hear titles and believe that they want a game without really knowing much about its content.
Colder Temperatures
We remind you to please assist us in helping your child to be prepared for the weather as it can be quite cold on some days, especially early morning. Students need to dress warmly for the outdoor recesses. Rest assured that on colder days we monitor the temperature very closely. On very cold days, we do keep students in or have shortened recess breaks to assure that no one gets too cold.
Buses
Please be advised of the UGDSB Transportation Policy:
It is the responsibility of parents to determine whether or not it is safe for their children to leave for school in inclement or severe weather.
a) When a bus does not travel a route in the morning due to fog, ice or snow conditions, it will not travel that route in the afternoon. b) If parents elect to drive their children to school, they are responsible for their children s’ pick-up at dismissal time.
A reminder that if the buses are cancelled in the morning, they do not run in the afternoon. If you decide to drive your child to school in the morning, please be sure to pick them up at the end of the day as well.
Inclement Weather
A reminder to listen to your local radio station in the event of inclement weather conditions. The following stations will broadcast school closures: CJOY 1460AM, CIMJ
106.1 FM, CKKW 1090 FM, CFCA 105.3 FM and CHYM 570 AM.
Generosity
– Couling Food & Clothing Drive
On behalf of our community, the staff at Couling would like to thank you for contributing to the December Food Drive. Your generous donations created a generous sight in the front entrance of the school. Thank you for thinking of others who are less fortunate.

Aizan Messaging System
A reminder that École Couling uses a messaging system for school-wide notifications.
This system is used when information needs to be communicated with our school population in a timely manner (bus cancellations, school closures, emergencies, etc.).
When used, this system will place one call per household to communicate information.
The system is currently registered to call the home number (if you do not have one, it is set up to call the provided cell number). If you do not answer, it will leave a voice message with the caller ID being the school number (519-822-9271). Please call Mrs.
Schafer or Mr. Marquis should you have any questions. (Note: In the event of power failure, we will not be able to access the system.)
School Council
We would like to wish staff, students and parents a Happy New Year! We are looking forward to the rest of the school year and have a few important news items, reminders and event announcements to share:
PIZZA DAY
Students will be sent home with an order form, for parents who would like to submit a new pizza order for the remainder of the school year. Please note that we are now offering cheese-free pepperoni pizza.
UPCOMING EVENTS
PANCAKE DAY: Tuesday, February 9th
In the spirit of Pancake Tuesday, school council will be making pancakes for the entire school. If your child has allergies, please let us know so we can provide an alternative for them.
VALENTINE’S DAY DANCE: Friday, February 12th
Students are en couraged to wear pink, red and white and take part in our Valentine’s
Day Dance. Parents are invited to join us! More details will be sent home in a couple of weeks.
YOUR ONLINE SHOPPING CAN SUPPORT SCHOOL COUNCIL
When you shop online through Mabels Labels or through one of the many stores partnered with FlipGive, school council can receive up to 50% of your purchase total.
Please visit the Couling Crescent School Council webpage for more information.
STAY IN TOUCH
If you would like to be added to our mailing list or have questions or suggestions, please email us at CoulingSchoolCouncil@Gmail.com
. Our next School Council Meeting is
Monday, February 1st at 6:30PM. We Hope to see you there!

Flu Season
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 schoolaged 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's an alternative called FluMist®. 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. Because FluMist isn’t publicly funded, there is a cost of $20.
Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health
1-800-265-7293 | www.wdgpublichealth.ca info@wdgpublichealth.ca
If your child is not feeling well, we encourage you to keep them home until they are better. Many families are choosing to let their children sleep in when they are not well and then sending them to school later that same morning. Unfortunately, this often results in illness being spread to other children and prolonging the period of sickness at school.
Safe Arrival
Please remember to contact the school before 8:45 am if your child is going to be late or absent. For your convenience, we have an answering machine which allows you to contact the school at any time during the night, over the weekend and early in the morning. The number is 519-822-9271.
Student Information
A reminder to please inform the school of any change in address, phone numbers and additional contact information when this changes. Your attention to this will help us keep accurate records and ensure that we are always capable of contacting families when needed. Also, thank you to all parents for calling the school to inform us of your child’s absence from school. We appreciate it! For your convenience, our answering machine is accessible 24 hours a day for attendance reporting 519-822-9271.

Family Literacy Day is January 27th
ABC Life Literacy Canada is encouraging Canadian families to have "15 Minutes of
Fun" learning together. Learning can happen at any time. Practicing literacy together every day has tremendous benefits for both children and parents. Here are some great ways to get started:
• Read a “wake up” story in the morning (after reading your bedtime story the night before).
• Search online for fun places to go in your community. Pick out a spot for your next family day trip.
• Make up a new recipe together and post it online.
• Tell knock-knock jokes together while doing the dishes.
• Create a story with your family: take turns writing one sentence at a time, then read the whole story aloud when you’re done.
• Write a review of a book you read together as a family. Send it to the author through email or snail mail.
• Organize a book swap at your school or with your friends.
• Track your trip to school, the park, and the grocery store on a map. Find a different route to take to each place.
• Learn to play a musical instrument. What about the ukulele?
• Write a note to include in a grown-up’s lunch – ask them to write back!
• Make a popsicle stick model with your family.
• Write your names graffiti-style using chalk on your sidewalk – you may need to shovel first!
• Play a board game together.
• Look up the words to your favorite song online. Have a sing-off with your friends!
• Count how many steps it takes to get from your bedroom to your kitchen. Find out who in your family has the most steps to a snack!
From: http://abclifeliteracy.ca/fld/15-minutes-of-fun

Is Conflict the same as Bullying?
People may sometimes confuse conflict with bullying, but they are different. Conflict occurs between two or more people who have a disagreement, a difference of opinion o r different views. Conflict between students does not always mean it’s bullying.
Children learn at a young age to understand that others can have a different perspective than their own, but developing the ability to gain perspective takes time and the process continues into early adulthood. In conflict, each person feels comfortable expressing his or her views, and there is no power imbalance. Each person feels able to state his or her view point. How people deal with conflict can make it positive or negative. Conflict becomes negative when an individual behaves aggressively by saying or doing hurtful things. Then the conflict is an aggressive interaction. Conflict only becomes bullying when it is repeated over and over again and there is a power imbalance. Over time, a pattern of behaviour may emerge where the person who behaves aggressively in the conflict may continue or even make it worse. The person who is the recipient of the aggressive conflict may feel less and less able to express his or her point of view and feel more and more powerless. That is when negative conflict may turn into bullying. A school will respond to bullying and conflict differently. For example, in the case of a conflict, a school staff member may try to have the students come together to tell their side of the story and help them resolve the situation together. In the case of bullying, a principal will consider progressive discipline, which may include suspension or expulsion. More information on this topic is available by accessing the following
Ministry link: http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/multi/english/BullyingEN.pdf
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3 Up 2 Down - Increase Exercise!
lifestyle changes through simple steps.
Did you know that if you play and exercise every day it will make you smarter? An extensive review of 14 studies, ranging in size from as few as 50 participants to as many as 12,000, demonstrated that the more physically active schoolchildren are, the better they do academically. One study tracked students who participated in a dynamic morning exercise program at the beginning of the day. The results were astounding.
Those who participated nearly doubled their reading scores, and their math scores increased 20-fold!
There is much discussion regarding the role of physical activity, especially highly aerobic activity, in healthy child development. Learning, memory, concentration and mood all have a significant impact on a student’s academic performance, and there is increasing evidence that physical activity enhances each of these vital areas. The potential for physical activity to help stop childhood obesity and related health risks is, of course, another critical reason to insist on exercise for every child every day.
Therefore, evidence that exercise may also improve brain development and academic success provides yet another reason to promote physical activity for our children. Encourage them to go outside and play every day! Get their heart rates up by running, skipping, skateboarding, riding their bikes, rollerblading, hiking, etc. every single day!