Paola Argentino, Principal • Wendy Clarke, Vice Principal • Attendance (519) 941 -2461 Ext. 100
Principal’s Message
With the cold weather and snow, please remember to have your child(ren) dress appropriately for
outside recesses. Students will be going outside for recess unless extreme weather conditions exist.
A reminder that on “No Bus Days” Parkinson will remain open. We will conduct a regular school day
and take attendance as usual. The Upper Grand District School Board website (www.ugdsb.on.ca)
will post bus/school cancellation information. “No Bus Days” are also reported on various radio
stations including CBC FM 99.1, CHFI 98.1, CFTR 680, KISS 92.5, 570 AM, CHYM 96.7, LIFE 100.3.
If PCPS is to be closed, a message will be left on the phone system at the school and a message will
be posted on our Facebook page and Twitter account.
It is important to remember that students with many absences and lates are not able to meet their
academic potential. Please make sure that your child(ren) are given the best possible life chances. If
your child is going to be absent, please remember to call the attendance line; it is available 24 hours
a day. Also, be sure to have your child sign in at the office when they are late. This will avoid
unnecessary phone calls.
Thanks for your continued support with your child’s educational experience, which is vital to the
success of our school.
P. Argentino,
Principal
Used Book Sale
We are updating our Learning Commons! The Non-Fiction section has been weeded out. We are
having a used book sale to raise funds for some new furniture for this new space.
Each class will have a time during the day to buy books. Parents are welcome to
come any time during the day. Don’t forget to bring a bag!
Date: Wed. Feb. 25
Time: 9:00 a.m. -4:00 p.m.
Place: Parkinson Library
Price: $0.25 per book
Kindergarten Registration
If you have a child starting Kindergarten in September and have not yet registered at the school,
please do so as soon as possible. Staffing and class organization is based on registrations received at
this time of the year. Late registrations could result in classrooms reorganization and staffing
shortages. If you know someone who is currently not a parent at the school and will be having a
child attend this September, please encourage them to come into the front office and register.
Internet Safety
Keeping Our Children and Youth Safe Online
Over the last few years, there has been a significant increase in the number of reported cases of
young people involved in self/peer exploitation. This is generally defined as youth creating, sending
or sharing sexual images and/or videos with peers via the Internet and/or electronic devise. The
Board recently purchased a resource for every elementary and secondary school called Self/Peer
Exploitation, School and Family Approaches to Intervention and Prevention. The resource was
created by the Canadian Centre for Child Protection, which is a non-profit charitable organization
dedicated to promoting safety of all children. Principals and Vice Principals also received an inservice on the guide.
The following two links may assist youth and families who have been impacted by child sexual
exploitation:
Cybertip.ca may be used to report child sexual exploitation
NeedHelpNow.ca is a website that offers practical information for youth on how to deal with this (for
example, how to get pictures removed from the internet, how to deal with peers, how to talk with
someone, etc.).
February 10, 2015 is international Safer Internet Day. Please consider using this day to talk to your
child(ren) about internet safety. The Canadian Centre for Child Protection also produces several
useful resources for parents that may be found using the following links:
https://www.cybertip.ca/pdfs/C3P_SafetySheet_SelfPeerExploitation_en.pdf
https://www.cybertip.ca/pdfs/C3P_SafetySheet_Cyberbullying_en.pdf
10 DANGEROUS APPS EVERY PARENTS NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT.
Sex educator Megan Maas has the scoop on 10 apps that can be very dangerous for your kids, and
what you need to know about them.
Here's the link: http://www.foreverymom.com/parents-kids-10-dangerous-apps-time-hit-delete/
“We Love Pennies”
Procyon Wildlife Services is a registered charity located in Beeton, Ontario which serves communities
throughout southern Ontario. Procyon rehabilitates hundreds of orphaned or injured animals that
have been brought in each year. Even though Procyon is recognized by the government, they do
not receive any funding, so Procyon relies on generous donations made by businesses or individuals.
That’s where you come in! We have started a fundraiser called “We Love Pennies!” It runs until
February 13. Any donations, big or small, will be accepted and will be put to good use. Money
raised will go towards the needs of each animal. Thank you in advance. Mackenzie and Morgan.
Badminton Tournament
Parkinson Centennial P.S. will be hosting a badminton tournament on
February 24 from 3:45 – 6:00 p.m. Parent council will be selling pizza and
drinks. Come out and support our teams!
Me to We
New Fundraiser
Parkinson's Me to We club is holding our second of three fundraisers. Starting on
Monday, February 9th, we will be collecting spare change from our students,
teachers, support staff and administrators in hopes of empowering the less
fortunate people around the world. Through Me to We, we will be purchasing
goats for struggling families in Africa. These goats will provide families with the
opportunity for much needed nourishment, through milk, and also the opportunity
to create a small business. Our goal at Parkinson is to raise $250 which will
purchase 5 goats. The fundraiser will run through February and end just prior to
March break. Your donations and support are greatly appreciated.
First Fundraiser
The Me to We club held its first fundraiser prior to the Christmas break. Due to the amazing students at
Parkinson, it was incredibly successful and we really showed people that our school does have the
"Power to Provide". Our Christmas food drive raised just over 550 pounds of non-perishable foods that
was donated directly to our local food bank. Thanks to everyone who participated.
Following March Break, the Me to We club will be launching our 3rd and final fundraiser of the year.
At the moment it is top secret, but we can inform you that it will be geared towards raising money for
a young man here at our school. Stay tuned for more information.
Stay Well Month
Reduce the risk of serious infections - proper hand-washing is one of the best ways to avoid getting
sick.
Stay home when you are sick and limit contact with others -Children should not be in school with a
fever, undiagnosed rashes, vomiting, or diarrhea and should stay at home at least 24 hours following
the end of symptoms.
Cover your mouth and nose - when you sneeze or cough; use a tissue or the bend of your elbow.
You can prevent many serious illnesses by keeping immunizations up-to-date for you and your
children. Call 1-800-265-7293 for more information.
Concussion outside of school hours
A concussion is a type of brain injury that changes the way the
brain normally works. It can affect a student’s performance in
both school work and physical activities. Rest is very important
after a concussion because it helps the brain heal. While a child
has a suspected or diagnosed concussion, full participation in
school academic and physical activities can worsen symptoms
and make for a longer recovery period.
In the best interest of your child, parents and guardians are requested to contact the principal when
a suspected or diagnosed concussion occurs outside of school hours (i.e. during outdoor play, sports,
or a car accident). The principal will work with you to develop a plan for an individualized, gradual
return to full participation in school activities. For more information, visit
www.ugdsb.on.ca/concussions.
Self-regulation
Does your child struggle to calm his/her body and mind in order to cope with challenges or solve problems? The ability
to be calmly focused and alert can be difficult for many children, as well as adults. The ability to self-regulate may
change in different situations and stages of life.
As parents, you can help your child use strategies to calm his/her body and mind by modelling what works for you. For
example, when frustrated about being caught in traffic, you may use self-talk and listening to music to help calm the
situation. You may say, “This traffic is terrible and I am feeling very frustrated. I know that I can’t do anything about the
traffic so I am just going to tell myself to relax, this will pass, I can turn on some of my favourite tunes!”
Strategies that may work for your child as calming or focusing strategies include: exercise (e.g. a short run), reading a
book, listening to music, talking to someone, self-talk, counting to 20, getting a drink, taking a break, or deep breathing.
Generally speaking, calming the body and mind is necessary before challenges or conflict can be successfully handled.
Resources for Parents Book: Zones of Regulation by Leah M. Kuypers
Zones of Regulation http://andersoncarla.blogspot.ca/2014/08/zones-of-regulation.html
Relaxation Techniques http://visuals.autism.net/main.php?g2_itemId=138
Today’s Parent: Easy Ways to Teach Your Child to Self-Regulate http://www.todaysparent.com/kids/preschool/easyways-to-teach-your-child-to-self-regulate/
Responsive Classroom: Teaching Self-Calming Skills https://www.responsiveclassroom.org/blog/teaching-self-calmingskills
Video: A story: Staying Calm When Angry https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnmFfxWjsvs
Self-Regulation http://andersoncarla.blogspot.ca/2013/12/self-regulation.html
Upcoming Dates
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February 9 – Me to We fundraiser starts
February 12 – Report cards go home
February 16 – Family Day (no school)
February 24 – Badminton Tournament
February 25 – used book sale in Learning Commons
February 26 – Character Education assembly
March Break - March 16 - 20