PARKINSON CENTENNIAL
JANUARY 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:
On behalf of the staff at Parkinson, I would like to wish everyone a happy and productive start to 2016.
As the New Year begins, we head into the final few weeks of the first term of the school year. Teachers will soon be writing
report cards which will be going home on February 11th. I encourage our students to restart their homework routine and
to follow the deadlines set out for them by their teachers. Reading each day and practicing number facts is an expectation
for all our students.
Winter is here. Please ensure that your children are dressed appropriately to be outside with boots, snow pants, winter
coats, mitts, and a hat. If you need assistance providing any of these items for your children, please contact the office.
Did you know that one in five Canadians has a mental health issue? These statistics hold true for our children as well. Our
School Council is organizing a mental health presentation put on by DCAFS Shed the Light group. Anxiety, depression, OCD,
ADHD, are just some of the mental health issues that will be discussed. Shed the Light is a youth group that works to
educate about mental health and reduce the stigma. This group will present on the evening of January 20th. That same day,
the Shed the Light group will be presenting to our grade 6, 7, and 8 students. Mark your calendars!
Some other important events upcoming in January: the grade 8’s will be visiting Conestoga College where they will partake
in an “Explore Your Future” day. Also, there will be try outs and training for the co-ed badminton team.
Please note that the roundabout in front of the school is a no parking zone. For the safety of all our children please refrain
from parking there! The circular drive is meant for school busses. We would appreciate it if parents could encourage
students to walk, and if this is not possible, please park/stop along the road and drop off your child.
So…
IT’S WINTER! DON’T HIBERNATE—WALK TO SCHOOL AND CELEBRATE!
Wednesday, February 4 is Winter Walk Day across Canada.
Walk to school or at school for daily physical activity, a healthier environment, safer streets, making friends and….having
fun!
Tips for dressing for Winter Walking:
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Keep hands and head covered
On really cold days wear a scarf
Wear warm, waterproof boots
Wear a warm coat that deflects wind
Woolen clothing helps to retain the heat
Wear clothing or carry knapsacks with reflective material
If possible, change wet clothes at school
January's Environmental Theme: Waste Minimization
In Canada, we create a lot of garbage. We throw away too much paper, plastic bags, food, old toys, electronics and much,
much more! The good news is that at our school we have made a really good start to reducing some of our waste. We
recycle paper, cardboard and containers made of metal, glass and plastic. We try to photocopy double-sided and use GOOS
bins (bins that hold paper that is Good On One Side and can still be used). We do waste audits to see what we are throwing
away and it seems we need to try to reduce our food waste as well as our packaging. Start thinking about bringing uneaten
food from lunch back home to eat as a snack after school because we find perfectly good apples and other fruit, or even
uneaten sandwiches, in the school garbage cans.
The best way to solve the problem of too much waste is to not create it in the first place. We have been talking about
reducing the number of things we buy and buying items that can be reused instead of immediately being thrown away and
taking up more landfill space. For example: use cloth towels instead of paper towels, borrow most books from the library
instead of buying them new, use cloth bags instead of plastic bags, use litterless lunch containers and a metal water bottle
that you can refill, and use reusable gift bags instead of wrapping paper. The list goes on and on - there are so many ways
you can help to reduce waste!
We also need to let our government know that we don't want all that extra packaging when we buy things. Other countries
have already banned all that unnecessary plastic, cardboard and Styrofoam that toys and cosmetics and games and food
come covered with. So make a difference - write a persuasive letter to both the Ontario and Canadian Governments to ask
them to be tougher on packaging laws. Our garbage dumps are filling up. They need to hear from you to stop all this
waste!
Slogan of the month: Let's reduce our waste - our planet is worth it!
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.
Noisy Toys
Parents may think that noise is a problem they need not worry about until their child reaches the
teenage years. Not so. Some toys are so loud that they can cause hearing damage in children.
Some toy sirens and squeaky rubber toys can emit sounds of 90 dB, as loud as a lawn mower.
Workers would have to wear ear protection for similarly noisy sounds on the job.
The danger with noisy toys is greater than the 90-dB level implies. When held directly to the ear, as
children often do, a noisy toy actually exposes the ear to as much as 120 dB of sound, the
equivalent of a jet plane taking off. Noise at this level is painful and can result in permanent hearing loss.
Toys that pose a noise danger include cap guns, talking dolls, vehicles with horns and sirens, walkie-talkies, musical
instruments, and toys with cranks. Parents who have normal hearing need to inspect toys for noise danger.
Before purchasing a new toy, listen to it. If the toy sounds loud, don’t buy it. Examine toys you already have at home.
Remove the batteries or discard the toys if they are too noisy and pose a potential danger to hearing. Some parents place
heavy duct tape over the speakers on noisy toys.
The Sight and Hearing Association publishes a list of the noisiest toys each November for your information.
Library News
Book Fair- A big thank-you to everyone who bought something from the Book Fair. By doing this, you helped support our
library! New books have been purchased with the profits.
Reading Clubs- The Forest of Reading program begins this month. It is a provincial reading program sponsored by the
Ontario Library Association. It promotes enjoyment of reading and makes students aware of great Canadian books, authors
and illustrators. Students read or listen to 10 nominated books in both fiction or non-fiction categories. There are 4
different groups: Blue Spruce- gr.K-2, Silver-Birch Express- gr.3&4, Silver Birch- gr.5&6, Red Maple- gr.7&8. After reading
the required number of books students will vote for their favourite book that they think should win the award in
April. Provincial results will be posted in May. This is an enjoyable, educational experience for children who love to read. I
look forward to reading the books and discussing them with the students!
Battle of the Books- The gr. 4-6 team has already started reading the required books. There are 30 selected books that the
students share the load of reading. They must read carefully, and know the book well in order to answer questions and
quotes from them. The team will practice over the next few months until the Big Battle which will be held the first week of
May. This program is sponsored by the Orangeville Public Library.
Family Literacy Day- It is coming up on January 27th. It is a national awareness initiative created by Life Literacy in Canada
that started in 1999. It is to raise awareness of the importance of reading and engaging in literacy-related activities as a
family. On January 27th spend some time with your child reading a book to each other, working with words, doing an
online word activity or game, word puzzles, etc. You may enjoy it so much that you do this on a regular basis. Show your
child that you value Literacy! Mrs. Rea
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!
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January 4 – Parent Council Meeting 7pm
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January 13 – Westside Parent Info Night 7pm
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January 20 – Shed the Light presentation
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January 21 – Explore your future days (Gr.8 trip)
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January 22 – P.A. Day
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January 28 – Family Transition Place Presentation
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.