Parkinson Centennial
January 2015 Newsletter
Paola Argentino, Principal • Wendy Clarke, Vice Principal • Attendance (519) 941 -2461 Ext. 100
Principal’s Message
On behalf of the staff at Parkinson, I would like to wish everyone a warm welcome to the start of
2015.
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 12th. I encourage all
of our students to get back into the 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.
Our dedicated staff is always providing effective and creative programming for our students.
As we have seen during the past few days, winter is in full bloom with extremely low temperatures.
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 Family Mental Health Information and Awareness
day on Saturday, Feb 28th from 10:00a.m. to 1:00 p.m. right here at Parkinson. Anxiety, depression,
OCD, and ADHD are just some of the mental health issues that will be discussed. In attendance will
be: Canadian Mental Health Association, Dufferin Children and Family Services, and Family and
Transition Place. Our school Child &Youth Worker and our Public Health Nurse will also be attending.
There will be a number of valuable information sessions. Mark your calendars!
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!
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:
 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
2015 – 2016 Kindergarten Registration
Kindergarten registration will take place from February 2 – 6, 2015. Eligible
students for Junior Kindergarten must be four years of age on or before December 31, 2015 (born 2011) and students
must be five years of age on or before December 31, 2015 to register for Senior Kindergarten (born 2010). Please come
to the school during this week to complete a registration form; you must also provide the following:
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Proof of birth date – i.e. Birth Certificate, Canadian Citizenship
Proof of full address – i.e. driver’s license, purchase/rental agreement, bank statement, hydro bill
Immunization record
Custody Order documentation (if applicable)
Heat 4 Hands
Emily Smith and Emma Horsley, grade 7 students in Mr. Henderson’s class, started an
initiative called “Heat 4 Hands”. Through this initiative, the girls are collecting new or used
hats, mittens, and scarves. To date, 250 articles have been collected and dropped off at
Choices Youth Shelter. Emma and Emily went to the local Lions Club and talked about their
work on this project, receiving a donation of $250. With that money they purchased $150 worth of new hats, mitts, and
gloves and $100 worth of personal hygiene items. They will visit the shelter again in the upcoming weeks with items
that have been donated as well as ones that they have purchased with donated money. Any donations made after this
time will stay at Parkinson and be given out the students in need of hats or mitts.
If you would like to contribute to this worthy cause you can send your donation in with your child or drop it off at the
front office.
Help Stop the Spread of Germs and Stay Well
Wash your hands: There are no vaccines to protect us from the common cold or a stomach virus that is easily spread to
others. Teaching children to wash their hands properly can reduce the chances of getting sick. Everyone should wash
their hands before eating, after using the bathroom, coughing and after blowing their nose. Wash your hands before
preparing food. Use hand sanitizer when soap and water are not available.
Cover your cough and sneezes: Teach children to cover their cough and sneezes to stop the spread of different illnesses
such as colds and the flu. Use a tissue or arm to cover the mouth and nose.
Stay home when you are sick: When many people are close together as in schools and classrooms it’s easy for illnesses
to spread. Children should not be in school with a fever, undiagnosed rashes, vomiting or diarrhea. Children should
recover completely before returning to school. When children have vomiting and diarrhea they should stay home at
least 24 hours following the end of symptoms.
Library News
Book Fair- A big thank-you to everyone who bought something from the Book Fair which in turn helped support our
library with free books!
Reading Clubs- The Forest of Reading program begins in January. 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 nominated Canadian books in both fiction and non-fiction categories. There are
four different groups: Blue Spruce- gr.K-2, Silver-Birch Express- grade 3 and 4, Silver Birch- grade 5 and 6, Red Maplegrade 7 and 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 am looking forward to reading the books and discussing them with the students!
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:
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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 favourite 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!
http://abclifeliteracy.ca/fld/15-minutes-of-fun
Lunch/Recess Supervisor
If you are available during the day and would like to be on our “Emergency Lunch Supervisor” list, please let the office
know. You will, however, need a valid police check to do this job.
January Environmental & Character Education Theme
Save water – be RELIABLE in your conservation efforts
In terms of environmental awareness, you should know that water is our most precious resource. Over 70% of our
Earth's surface is covered by water (we should really call our planet "Ocean" instead of "Earth"). Although water is
seemingly abundant, the amount of fresh water available for us to drink is only 3%. The message we need to learn is
that, as the population of the Earth increases, we need to be very careful to not pollute our water sources and to use it
very wisely.
We all can make a difference in protecting our most precious resource – water. Water conservation is a big challenge,
but every little bit helps, so don't think that what you do doesn't matter. Demonstrate your reliability in conserving
water by using the following ideas: Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth. Install water-saving devices such as lowflow showerheads and toilet dams or low-flush toilets. Shorten your shower by a minute or two and you'll save up to
500 liters per month. Use a broom instead of a hose to clean your driveway. Wash your cars and bikes with a bucket of
water and sponge, instead of a hose that wastes around 15 litres of water per minute if left running. Use a rain barrel to
collect rain water to water your plants instead of using precious tap water. It’s OK to let your lawn go dormant during
the summer and let the rain water it naturally. Water conservation needs to be a way of life, not just something we think
about once in a while. If we all do our part in conserving water, we can make a huge difference for the environment.
Don't waste water – its more valuable than you think. - Let’s go green, everyone!
Reminder – update your contact information
If you have changed any of your contact information since the beginning of the school year, please let the office know.
Many phone numbers that we have on file are no longer in service, making it impossible to contact parents if a child is
sick or if there is an emergency. If you no longer have a home phone, please let us know which cell phone is the main
contact.
Safety Reminder
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!
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.
Upcoming Dates
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January 29 – Me to We Assembly
February 12 – report cards go home
February 26 – Character Education Assembly