Paisley Road Public School Newsletter
October
2014
Principal, Andrew Creighton
Vice-Principal, Marina Harrison
Principal’s News
Dear Parents/Guardians:
How quickly time flies! We have had a very good transition from summer into
fall and our students are now into a good school routine.
Contents
Principals News
1
Halloween Celebrations
2
Paisley Soccer Team
2
Down’s Syndrome
2
Talking Mental Health
3
Library News
4
We have four nursing students from McMaster University that are involved in a
community placement with our school. They are at the school to support our
community and to gain experience in working with a community group. This
year, we have asked them to provide us with support in reducing the amount of
screen time students experience and providing healthy alternatives to screen
time (screen time being time spent watching tv, playing video games, playing on
Ipads/ tablets). Over the next few weeks, they will be conducting research
and then will be communicating with our students and families. We look
forward to providing you with further information shortly!
On behalf of our staff, I would like to thank you for your support of our Terry
Fox run. Our students were eager and enthusiastic participants! Through your
donations, we were able to raise over $700 for cancer research. Well done
Paisley Road! Thank you to Mrs. Berezuk and Mr. Martin for organizing our
assembly and the fundraising.
Our milk and pizza programs will be up and running shortly. Thank you to our
parent volunteers for organizing these programs!
Upcoming
Events
*PA Day
October 24, 2014
*School Council
Meeting
October 21
6:30 p.m.
*Picture Day
October 28, 2014
I want to thank you for your support with our school-wide (grade 1 to 6) use of
agendas. Students are developing very good organizational skills and our staff
have appreciated the notes and comments you have made in the agendas. Thank
you for your on-going support with this initiative!
Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving weekend!
Yours truly,
Andrew Creighton
Page 2
School Newsletter
Halloween Celebration
In order to respect a diverse range of beliefs and practices, the Paisley Road staff
have worked to create a range of experiences for our students, as part of our
Halloween celebrations.
Students that wish to participate in Halloween have the option of wearing orange
and black or wearing a costume. Costumes need to be appropriate for a
Kindergarten to grade 6 school. Therefore, we ask that costumes are not
inappropriately bloody or violent. For students not wishing to participate in
Halloween activities, alternative activities will be provided in the school library.
Please note: students will be putting their costumes on for the final 100
minutes of the school day. Please only send costumes that can be put on over
regular clothing.
Kindergarten to grade 3 students will be on parade inside our school, going from junior
classroom to classroom. There will not be an outdoor parade. Students will spend
time engaged in activities in their classroom.
Please be aware that students will not have time to change out of their
costumes before returning home. Please consider this, when sending the
costume, as all students, including those that ride buses, will be going home in
their costumes.
Paisley School Soccer Team
On September 30th, our junior Paisley Panthers participated in a soccer tournament held at Margaret Green Park. Our team
played teams from Victory PS, Central PS, June Avenue PS, and FA Hamilton PS. I was very proud of the athletic effort and
positive attitude displayed by all of our team members. Great job, team!!!!
Team members were: Shyann, Joanne, Nate, Mahin, Dustin, Lexi, Tye, Anastasia, Kaven, Matthew, Chase, Jimmy, Zarak,
Jamie, Shane, and Hailie. Coach Creighton
DOWN’S SYNDROME AWARENESS
October is Down’s Syndrome Awareness month. A whole month dedicated to celebrating, advocating and bringing awareness
to Down’s syndrome. Down’s Syndrome occurs when an individual has a full or partial copy of chromosome 21. This additional
genetic material alters the course of development and causes the characteristics associated with Down’s Syndrome (NDSS)
People with Down’s syndrome attend school, work, participate in decisions that affect them and contribute to society in many
ways. While there may be a cognitive delay, the effect is usually mild to moderate and is not indicative of the many strengths
and talents that each individual possesses. Quality educational programs, a stimulating home environment, good health care
and positive support from family, friends and the community enable people with Down’s syndrome to develop to their full
potential and live fulfilling lives. Get involved! October offers multiple ways to participate in activities, events, and to help in
raising awareness. Participate in a local Buddy Walk; educate those around you using NDSS’s Youtube
http://www.youtube.com/user/NDSSorg. The Canadian Down’s Syndrome Society offers educator resources that include
videos parents can view with their children about children with Down Syndrome.
School Newsletter
Page 3
Talking About Mental Health!
One Month into School
Some students love to go back to school and are happy to go every day. Other students start each fall with a
positive attitude about school, but after the honeymoon period of the first few weeks are over, things begin
to slide. One parent recently commented to me: “I am walking home from school with a child crying the whole
way” “My kids are acting irrationally and freaking out”
She wanted me to share with you that if you are in this situation, you are not alone. For some students, this
is a normal pattern. For some of our children and youth, school is stressful. After relaxing, having fun or at
least being school free for the summer, they had built up the energy to take on school every day, but after a
few weeks back they are starting to get drained and strained. You may notice more: talk of headaches and
stomach aches, tiredness, irritability, crying, and refusals. We all do the best that we can. If we are not
doing well then we are lacking the skills or resources to do better.
So what to do? Start with recognizing this is normal and it too will change. Just like the honeymoon phase of
the first weeks, this phase will come to pass as well.
Begin with the basics: good sleep, good food, outdoor activities. This is the strong base that we all need to
function well. Keep a consistent routine with regular times for waking up, eating meals, school work, and
bedtime routines.
Put some down time into every day. Quiet time with the kids: reading a book, listening to music, going for a
walk, playing a quiet game, doing relaxation activities. We all need to opportunity to de-stress.
Acknowledge that you notice how hard it is for your child and ask “What is up?”. Perhaps they can tell you
what is going and perhaps they can’t. That is OK. Just acknowledging that you see it is hard for them is a
good start.
Talk to your child’s teacher about how they are feeling. Make a plan to make the student feels welcome in
the class. Look at ways of working break times into the day at school. Set up a buddy system to pair students
who are less comfortable with more comfortable students.
Get your child or youth to school every day. Students who are finding school hard may want to stay home.
The best way to increase anxiety related to school is to keep your child or youth at home. The more they
stay away, the harder it will be for them to go to school. Make sure your child knows that you feel good
about their school and classroom that you are comfortable with them being there. Talk to the teacher to
discuss how to support your child at school.
Set a positive, optimistic tone about school. Find something positive that your child likes about school and
build from there. Build on their strengths or connections. Notice what they are doing well and praise them
for their coping skills. Children and youth (and adults) pick up on what is going on in their environment so if
the environment is stressful then we will pick up that stress but if the environment is positive and optimistic,
then they will pick that up. Creating a positive attitude toward school is contagious!
And, as always, don’t forget to breathe. Right now, take three deep breaths. In through the nose, out
through the mouth. With each out breath, release the tension and tightness. Every time you walk through a
doorway take three deep breaths. Encourage your kids to do this too. The stress that you and your kids
release throughout the day will mean less stress at the end of the day and a happier trip home!
October News from the Library
Library news:
Paisley Road P.S.
406 Paisley Raod
Guelph, ON N1H2R3
Phone:
(519) 822-0675
Fax:
(519) 822-7767
Proud, Responsible,
Striving for
Excellence
We’re on the Web!
www.paisley
September has been an exciting month in the library! Our book fair raised
$1442 in books from Scholastic. Thank you to all the families for their support
of our library. Congratulations to Carter and Mlle Clarke's class winning $25 in
free books as well as $25 in free books for the classroom. Our shelf marker
design contest was a big hit with students. We had 100 shelf markers designed
by students and the art was awesome! Congratulations to Graeme, whose shelf
marker was drawn as the winner of the September library contest. All of the
entries are being laminated and will be used in our library beginning next week.
Book exchange is in full swing! Students in grade one to six have already been
enjoying book exchange in the library. Please encourage our students to keep
their library books in a safe place at home. Also remind them to use their
plastic library bag to bring the books back and forth to school to protect them
from water damage. This simple step really protects our library collection. The
library is open to all students from 1:45-3:20pm each day. Students visit the
library using library passes kept in each classroom. Kindergartens and some
primary classes also have a scheduled library time with their teacher once per
week. Students should bring back books each week although they are welcome to
bring them in to renew them. French immersion students are encouraged to
speak French while in the Library and choose at least one French book each visit.
Do you want to be involved? Library volunteers are an important part of our
school community. If you are interested in making a weekly commitment in the
library please contact Ms. Richer. Help is always appreciated.
October Library Contest - Laugh out loud! This month students can enter to win
a joke book prize pack just by submitting a favourite good clean joke. Some of
these jokes will be read on Friday's over the morning announcements. Come to
the library to pick up the Laugh Out Loud entry ballot. You have until Halloween
to scare up a good joke. Ha! Ha!
Student Wish List- please encourage students to talk to Ms. Richer about books
they wish were in the library. We have a student wish list where we record
these wishes. If you would like to make a wish come true come see the Wish list
in the Library. Kids get so excited when their wishes come true and they can
borrow a book purchased on their request.
INFORMATION HOME
Student Leadership- Thank you to our Student Safety Patrols, Ambassadors,
ITEM
Library Pages, Student Tech, Lunch Helpers and students who are helping make
DATE
ACTION
Paisley so great! You are really helping to start our year off right!
REQUIRED
Sunday
5
M onday
6
Tuesday
7
W ednesda
y
Thursday
Friday
Saturda
y
1
2
3
4
8
9
10
11
Popcorn sale
starts
12
19
13
Thanksgivin
g Day
NO SCHOOL
20
14
15
16
17
18
21
22
23
24
PA DAY
25
Popcorn sale
NO SCHOOL
FOR
STUDENTS
30
31
School Council
Mtg 6:30
26
27
28
29