PARKINSON CENTENNIAL
APRIL 2015 NEWSLETTER
P AOLA A RGENTINO , P RINCIPAL • W ENDY C LARKE , V ICE P RINCIPAL • ATTENDANCE (519) 941-2461 E XT . 100
Principal’s Message
We are happy to see that spring weather has started to arrive. With March Break over, the end of
indoor recesses because of extreme cold is also over. Please be sure that students bring extra clothes
as recess can sometimes be a little wet in spring!
After very successful badminton and hockey seasons, our basketball teams are now in full swing. The
arts are also alive and well at PCPS. Many students are preparing for upcoming arts activities
including: Dufferin Youth Festival of the Arts, attending Thumbelina production at Westside, attending
Danny and the Basement production at PEPS.
Our school has installed a new sound system in our gym. This will be a welcome addition for our
monthly character education assemblies, graduation, and for our various speakers that come to our
school. We are also providing each class with a supply of outdoor play equipment (a variety of balls,
skipping ropes etc.) now that spring is here.
Also upcoming, our grade 3’s will be writing their EQAO test on Tuesday, May 26, Wednesday, May 27
and Thursday, May 28. Our grade 6’s will be writing the following week, Tuesday, June 2,
Wednesday, June 3 and Thursday, June 4. If you wish to learn more about EQAO please visit
http://www.eqao.com where you can check out parent resources. EQAO is a measure by which
we, as schools, are held accountable. It is important that we enable each child to achieve to the
best of his/her potential. Please be sure that your child arrives on time, has a good night’s sleep, and
has eaten a good breakfast. Encourage your child to visit our breakfast program if needed.
A reminder that April 24 is a PD day and there will be no school for students that day. Staff will be
engaged in a variety of workshops focusing on improved school and student achievement.
Thanks for your support of our school.
P. Argentino, Principal
To find out about the most current events at Parkinson Centennial:
PCPS __1
Parkinson_Centennial
Please Note: the school only posts items on Twitter and Instagram and does not
follow any other users.
Education Week May 4 – 8, 2015
Library News
Forest of Reading Clubs - Blue Spruce, Silver Birch Express, Silver Birch and Red Maple clubs are
just about finished. Students need to finish reading their books in order to qualify to vote. Voting day
will be on Thursday, April 21st. Students are encouraged to wear their reading club colour on voting
day. Photos will be taken. Keep on reading everyone!
Battle of the Books - Our Battle of the Books team is going to Battle on Friday, May 8th. For the last
few months the grade 4-6 team has been reading a list of books and answering questions based on
the content of the novels. They are keen to defend the title of ‘Grand Champions’ from last year. Keep
up the great work team! You can do it!!
April Environmental & Character Education Theme
Celebrate the Earth! – be CREATIVE AND ENTHUSIASTIC
Earth Day is a day that is intended to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth's natural environment.
Earth day was a day founded as an environmental teach-in first held on April 22, 1970
Earth day is a very special day that allows us to participate with millions of other people all over the world in
reflecting on the importance of protecting our planet.
Make Earth Day last all year! - Let’s go green, everyone!
April is Autism Awareness Month
A-
Amazing
Ask Questions
U-
Understands
Soooo Much
T-
Tell a Friend
IS-
Include,
Highly Intelligent
Show Support
M-
Making A Difference
Living with Autism won’t
keep me down!
Parking and Drop-Off
Please note that the roundabout in front of the school is a no parking zone. 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 to drop off your child. Busses are often unable to
enter or exit our roundabout because it is being used as a parking area. For the safety of all our
children please refrain from doing so!
Upcoming Dates and Reminders
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Vesey’s Bulbs orders are due April 21
Dufferin Youth Festival of the Arts - April 22
PA Day - April 24
Reminder to students in the junior division – the annual Blue Jay’s trip is June 10 and the cost
this year will be $30 per person
Talking about Mental Health - May 2-9 is Child and Youth Mental Health Week!
Child and Youth Mental Health Week is about promoting mental wellness, increasing awareness of the child and youth mental
health, decreasing stigma and understanding that support is available.
This year’s theme for Child and Youth Mental Health Week at the Upper Grand District School Board is:
SUPER
As a parent, you can increase the Mental Health and Well-being of your children and family too! Here are some suggestions:
Monday May 4: Focus on Social Connection
Draw a picture or diagram of social connections.
Who does your child/youth feel close to: At home? At school? Friends? Extended family? In the community? If there are
missing parts, make an effort to try and make a new connection. Connection to caring adults is the best protective factor
that a child/youth can have.
Tuesday May 5 – Focus on Uplifting Emotions
Focus on the positive. Smile with your children/youth. Have them smile with each other. Read a book that makes you and
your children happy. Watch a video or sing a song that focuses on being happy. Think of a positive sentence to say during
your day. Put a positive note on the fridge or tweet out positive thoughts. Put a note in your child’s lunch: Have a happy
day!
Wednesday May 6 – Personal Health – Eating Well, Sleeping Well and Being Active
Wear green to support Mental Health Awareness today! Eat a good nutritious breakfast. Focus on fruits and veggies for
snacks. Walk with your child to school or go for walk after work/school. Go outside! Go with your child to the park or for a
swim or a bike ride! An hour before bed, start winding down. No screens. Read a book or listen to calming music. Take a
bath. Prepare for a good night’s sleep.
Thursday May 7 – Emotional Calming
Just breathe. Taking deep calming breaths is on the most powerful things you and your children/youth can do to be calm.
Start the day with a few deep breaths at breakfast. Have you and your child/youth to take three deep breaths every time
they walk through a doorway. So at the start of each class, your child/youth can start with three deep breaths.
Friday May 8 – Resilient Thinking
Have your child/youth talk about their strengths. What are their strengths as a brother, sister, son or daughter? What are
their strengths in their relationships with their friends? What are the strengths related to school, activities, interests? What
do they enjoy doing and why? Talk about a time when they used their strengths to overcome a difficult experience.
At the end of the week, think about the things that made you or your child feel more positive, more resilient and continue to use
them every day!
Supports for Students:
Within our board we have many mental well-being and mental health supports including Social Workers, Psych Consultants, Child
and Youth Counsellors, and several specialized teams to support students. Consult your principal or vice principal if you feel one your
students is struggling. Connected to our board we have Mental Health and Addiction Nurses and Mental Health Workers who work
with students who are not attending school due to Mental Health issues.
Community Supports:
DCAFS 1 519 941 1530 - Services for Children/Youth in Dufferin. Talk-in Clinic Tuesdays 1-7 pm.
KidsHelpPhone.ca (1 800 668 6868) for children and teens to call anytime when they need someone to talk to. For youth there is
also an online chat with a counselor on Thurs to Sun nights. The website has lots of good information about mental wellness and
mental health issues.
Most of all… have a SUPER week!
Dr. Lynn Woodford is the Mental Health and Addiction Lead for Upper Grand District School Board
Follow me on twitter: @drlynnwoodford