Eramosa Public School
5757 Fifth Line ✧ R.R. 1 ✧ Rockwood, ON N0B 2K0
Telephone 519-856-9529 ✧ Fax 519-856-4239
Website: www.ugdsb.on.ca/eramosa
Newsletter
Katrina Plazek,
Principal
May 2015 - Issue 9
Sheri MacKenzie,
Office Co-Ordinator
FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK…
On May 6th, 2015 we are pleased to invite all of our students and families to our spring Open House from
5:30 – 7:00 pm. The theme for Education Week this year is “Achieving Excellence: Moving
Forward in Math” reflecting a top provincial, board and school wide focus. In the past few years
educators in many branches have been analyzing data and a need has been identified to help our
students achieve better results in math. This year at Eramosa we have analyzed data to find where the
gaps are. Teachers are focusing on all the categories of math thinking, including knowledge and
understanding, thinking skills, communication skills and application skills. Teachers are learning more
about diagnostic assessments and closing the gaps in identified areas. Students are being challenged
to justify their thinking, to communicate it and to apply it in authentic problem solving. Data has
indicated that children tend to like math less the older they get, so math games have been purchased
and are played once monthly in the classrooms. As well, our Parent Council ran a very successful math
games evening last week, where popcorn was consumed and fun was had by all! At our Open House
we hope to give you a glimpse of some of the initiatives that are being used to increase the achievement
of all of our children at Eramosa P.S. In the Kindergarten room you will learn about what a Rek-n-rek is
and how it can be used to teach number sense and numeration. In the grade 1/2 room you will learn
about math maps and play Rub a Number. In the grade 2/3 you will hear about Number Talks and come
to understand how childrens’ thinking can be made visible when the
teacher becomes the observer and listens carefully. In grade 3/4 you will
have a chance to play a math game. If you want to know why the
independent practice piece is so important, come to the grade 4/5 room.
In the grade 5/6 room come and try Convince a Skeptic. In the Resource
room, fun math games on technology will be highlighted that can be used
to compliment curriculum and keep skills fresh over the summer. There
will be a snack that lends itself to pattering. The Book Fair will also be
open so come and have a look. We look forward to seeing many families
there!
(At our Open House, we would be very appreciative of any food item donations for the East Wellington
Community Services food drive to help ensure none of our neighbours go hungry over the summer.)
Katrina Plazek
GRADE 6 PARENTS – KEEP THE DATE – GRADE 6 GRADUATION CEREMONY
Grade 6 Graduation will be held on Monday, June 22nd from 6 – 7:30 pm. Traditionally, flowers from the
garden have been used to decorate the gym. If anyone attending the ceremony this year
has a sensitivity to the scents of peonies and/or lilies, please let the office know. Grade 6
parents, if you have fresh flowers in your gardens and you would consider donating a
wildflower bouquet, please let the office know; they can be dropped off early on the
morning of the 22nd.
SPRING FOOD DRIVE – EVERY PLATE FULL
This spring the East Wellington Community Services has asked for our help to
raise food for approximately 20 individuals and families in our community (with
school age children) to ensure that our neighbours do not go without food. Please
help us to help others. Your contributions are very much appreciated! Our food
drive will run from May 4th -8th.
DOUGH RAISING PROGRAM
If you are hungry for Domino’s pizza in the next few weeks and you order on-line using a
unique school order code (EPS014), Eramosa PS will earn 10% of the total food order
(excluding beverages, taxes and delivery charges). This program will run for 6 weeks
from April 27th until June 7th, 2015. Dominos has provided our school pizza for the last
two years.
YEARBOOKS
Thank you to everyone who has ordered a yearbook. If you are interested in
obtaining a copy as a keepsake please contact Mrs. McKnight to put in your
order. It is not too late! Unfortunately, we cannot order any extras due to
the cost if they do not sell, so if you would like a copy please order one soon.
Yearbooks will be distributed the last week of school so that students can get
autographs from their teachers and friends before the lazy hazy days of
summer.
PARENTS GUIDE TO THE INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION PLAN
We have students in our school who have an Individualized Education Plan. The Special Education
Department has just developed a parent guide which explains what an IEP is, how it is developed and
reviewed, who is on the IEP team, what an accommodation is and what a modification is and many more
important things. It is going to be sent home in the fall with the new IEPs but you are welcome to visit
the link below to read it early. If you have any questions about the information contained in it, please talk
to your child's teacher, a resource teacher or the principal.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0Bx-wUXWnjprLb1E3cW9scF9sRG8&authuser=0
GREEN LEGACY
The entire student body at Eramosa is helping to leave a “legacy of green,” and to be
environmental stewards and take care of the planet by participating in the Green
Legacy School Program. Primary students in Kindergarten to grade 3 have grown
seedlings. Our junior students will be working at a green house to transplant
seedlings and prepare the trees for planting on May 20th. Older students in grades 7
- 8 will plants trees all around Wellington County. We are proud that our students
are participating in this venture.
TRUNK SALE
SUNDAY, MAY 31ST, MARK YOUR CALENDAR
If you are spring cleaning and come across items to be put into a garage sale, don’t
forget that you can come to the EPSAC Trunk Sale and Clothing Swap on Sunday,
May 31st, from 8:00 am -11:00 am. You can open the trunk of your car and display your trunk sale
treasures.
All shoppers are welcome. Thanks for supporting this community event. Friends and neighbours are
welcome too! Please contact Chris Williston (EPSAC chair) if you are interested in a spot at
chriswilliston@hotmail.com
BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT
Twenty-five students in grades 4-6 will travel with Mrs. Semanyk to participate in an exciting 3 on 3
basketball tournament at Ross R. MacKay on May 7th. Go Eramosa Eagles!
SEPTEMBER 2015 CLASS ORGANIZATION
Classes for next year based on projected enrolment are tentatively set up as follows:
Full Day Kindergarten Class
Grade 1
Grade 2/3
Grade 3/4
Grade 4/5
Grade 5/6
Teacher assignments and student placement can change right up until September depending on teacher
transfers, student enrolment, etc. Parent requests are one factor that is considered during the process.
If you have a special request, please put it in writing along with the reason and send it to Mrs. Plazek by
May 29th. Parent requests cannot be guaranteed but they are seriously considered.
TALENT SHOW AUDITIONS
Our talent show will be on June 24th in the morning. Students should begin
practicing their acts and watching for the signup sheets.
CANADIAN TIRE MONEY
Please continue to send in Canadian Tire money. This money is used to buy balls for the playground.
Thanks for your contributions to date!!
DRESS CODE
As the warm weather arrives, we have finally put away our winter jackets, boots, scarves and mittens.
With the change of seasons, we ask parents to please review our school dress code with your child(ren).
Helping maintain a respectful learning environment is important for a healthy learning environment.
Pertinent sections are:
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hats and caps need to be removed upon entering the classroom
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for safety reasons, ‘flip-flops’ are not appropriate footwear for school
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‘muscle shirts’, spaghetti straps, low-scooped necklines and bare midriffs are not
acceptable for school. Girls’ straps should be at least as wide as the width of two fingers;
boys’ sleeveless shirt straps should be at least as wide as the width of four fingers.
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undergarments, including bra straps, should not be visible
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shorts and skirts must be a reasonable length
“Reasonable length” is roughly the location where a person’s fingertips touch his or her legs in a normal
standing position.
Thank you for your support in helping us maintain a school climate that is respectful to all and conducive
to learning.
SHOW WHAT YOU KNOW!
The Education Equality and Accountability Office (EQAO) annually conducts
province-wide assessments at the primary and junior levels to measure student
achievement against curriculum expectations in Reading, Writing and Mathematics.
EQAO has developed the assessments in collaboration with teams of Ontario
teachers, consultants and principals. All students enrolled in publicly funded schools in grades 3 or 6
must participate in the assessment.
Reading and writing activities on the test are very similar to the work that children do at school every
day. Reading passages are followed by questions with specific multiple-choice responses or more openended questions that require a written response. Writing assignments resemble class work and may
include a variety of genres such as letter writing, stories (real or imagined) and writing directions (e.g.,
writing a recipe). Math questions include multiple-choice computations and word problems with written
responses. Students typically enjoy the test days and describe the three days as being fun. They also
love the extra healthy snacks that parents provide on test days!
The test data presents a snapshot of student achievement at critical times in students’ learning careers.
EQAO results are reported at the provincial, school board and school levels. They are used by the
Ministry of Education, district school boards and schools to improve learning, teaching and student
achievement. An Individual Student Report is also provided to parents. I encourage parents of grade 3
and 6 children to visit the EQAO web-site at www.eqao.com. This site is open to the public and contains
information about the assessment, previous years’ tests, practice questions, scoring guides and samples
of student responses at different levels. Please visit http://www.eqao.com.
This year’s EQAO assessment will take place at Eramosa between May 25th - June 2nd. We appreciate
the efforts that you will make to have your grade 3 and 6 child(ren) at school on time on these days. If
you have any questions about EQAO, please visit http://www.eqao.com or contact Mrs. Plazek.
WELLINGTON COUNTY LIBRARY – ROCKWOOD BRANCH, MAY PROGRAMMES
May the 4th Be With You (All Ages)
Dress up and enter a galaxy far, far away. Plan for games, crafts, and all things Star Wars, and May the
4th be with you! Please register.
Monday, May 4, 6:30 - 7:30 pm
Family Movie Afternoon: WALL-E (All Ages)
Come make a robot craft and enjoy a fun family movie on our big screen. Please register.
Saturday, May 23, 1:30 pm
Bedtime Stories (All Ages)
Wear your pjs and snuggle up to our quiet evening story time for families. Please register.
Monday, May 25, 6:30 pm
Red Cross Home Alone / Peoplesavers (Ages 8 - 12)
(Ages 8 - 12) A fun and interactive session on being home by yourself. Learn about injury prevention,
danger identification, calling EMS, first aid, and more. $40 registration fee.
Saturday, May 30, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Rockwood Branch Library
85 Christie Street Rockwood, ON
519.856.4851 • www.wellington.ca/Library
EDUCATION WEEK MAY 4 - 8
WDG PUBLIC HEALTH NEWS
More Children Can Get Free Dental Care
More children will qualify for free dental care due to the Healthy Smiles Ontario Program. The income
thresholds have changed and now include the number of children in the family. This affects children and
youth up to the age of 18 who are residents of Ontario and have no access to any form of dental
coverage.
If you think a child may qualify for Healthy Smiles Ontario, contact Public
Health at 1-800-265-7293 ext. 2661. We will help you with the application
process and answer any questions.
Join the 2015 Pause to Play challenge May 10th – 16th 2015.
The Pause to Play challenge encourages students and their families to put their television, video games
and computers on pause for one full week. Participants are more likely to feel good about themselves.
Exercise that gets your heart pumping has many benefits to your health!
Being active for at least 60 minutes daily can help children:
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Improve their health
Do better in school
Improve their fitness, grow stronger and maintain a healthy body weight
Have fun playing with friends and feel happier
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Learn new skills and improve their self-confidence
Take the challenge for a week or more and learn how much fun it can be to pause to PLAY!
Go to www.wdgpublichealth.ca for more information and for a list of free or low cost activities your local
library and recreation centres are offering.
DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY
Investigating ABC Books and How to Make Them Better
Feedback to Participants
April 2015
Dear Parents and Teachers,
Thank you once again for allowing your child/student to participate in one of two studies we conducted in
Junior Kindergarten: Examining Children’s Preferences for ABC Books (Spring
2012), and Investigating ABC Books and How to Make Them Better: A Comparison Study (Fall2012).
Our analyses are now completed and a summary of research findings from both projects is provided
below.
Children’s Preferences for ABC Books
The first study was conducted to determine whether amount of text (a little or a lot) and complexity of
illustrations (simple or complex) was linked to what alphabet books children prefer. Children were found
to have unique preferences for some alphabet books over others, but this was not related to amount of
text nor illustration complexity. Furthermore, preferences were not related to the number of upper- and
lowercase letters children knew. These findings suggest:
• 1) that children’s own interests are important when selecting alphabet books for them, and
• 2) that when matching their interests, simple books that may invite children to begin to read by
naming letters and matching illustrated objects are equally liked by them.
Comparing Alphabet Books, e-Alphabet Books, and Storybooks
The second study was conducted to learn how children interact with alphabet books and whether these
books and children’s own behavior influence learning in three areas: letter names, letter sounds, and the
ability to isolate the beginning sound in words. Alphabet books long have appeared in paper form but
now appear on tablets as e-books. Our research kept pace with this by including e-alphabet books in our
study. Children experienced one of four book types--- simple alphabet paper books (letter, one word
beginning with the letter’s sound, and clear illustration of that word), complex alphabet paper books
(letter, several words and objects in complex illustrations, some of which did not begin with the letter’s
sound such as k-knife, c-cheese), e- alphabet books (samples from a variety in the marketplace), or
storybooks as a control. Twice a week over eight weeks, children were read one of these types of books
and independently read a selection of the same type of book. With all book types, children gained in all
three areas over the course of the study. Children (especially boys) were the most highly engaged with
the alphabet e-books. However when using these e-books, both boys and girls less frequently said letter
names and letter sounds than children using alphabet books in paper format. In addition the e-book
users actually decreased in alphabetic behaviour from session to session over the eight weeks,
frequently, instead, touching hotspots to animate the pages in ways that had little to do with letter
knowledge. In contrast to e-books, alphabet books in paper format elicited more alphabetic behaviours
(saying letter names, letter sounds, object names, and pointing to letters) than e-books or storybooks,
with girls performing these behaviours more frequently than boys. In addition, children using the simple
books more often named the matching objects, even though fewer objects were displayed in these
books. Finally, children’s alphabet knowledge at the start of the study had the greatest effect on their
knowledge at the end of the study, but their active engagement in alphabetic behaviours when reading
independently also appeared to assist them gaining letter sound knowledge and becoming more aware
of the beginning sounds in words. Along with parent and teacher modelling and encouragement of these
behaviours during shared alphabet book reading, independent reading of paper alphabet books-including simple ones-- may be one way to assist young children in learning to read.
From the three of us and on behalf of the undergraduate students who gained valuable experience in
assisting with this research, thank you once again for your assistance. If you have any further questions
or comments please feel free to contact us.
Sincerely,
Sarah Nowak, M.A., Ph.D. candidate
s.nowak@psy.uoguelph.ca
Dr. Mary Ann Evans, Ph.D, C.Psych.
evans@psy.uoguelph.ca
519-824-4120 x 53080
David Willoughby, M.A., Ph D. candidate dwilloug@uoguelph.ca
Related Research Papers
Burek, B., Evans, M. A., Nowak, S., & Willoughby, D. (under review). The effect of paper and digital alphabet
books on preschoolers’ behaviour: An analysis over repeated readings.
Deasley, S., Evans, M. A., Nowak, S., & Willoughby, D. (under review). Sex differences in emergent literacy and
reading behaviour in junior kindergarten.
Evans, M. A., Sulima, E., & O’Grady, B. (under review). Alphabet books for young children: Nature, assets, and
problems for alphabetic learning
Nowak, S. (2015). ABCs by design: The role of alphabet book design and alphabetic behaviours in emergent
literacy skill acquisition. PhD dissertation, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON
Nowak, S., & Evans, M.A. (2013) Parents' goals for and perceptions of alphabet books. Reading and
Writing: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 26, 1265-1287.
Willoughby, D., Evans, M. A., & Nowak, S. (2015) Do ABC eBooks boost engagement and learning in
preschoolers? An experimental study comparing eBooks with paper ABC and storybook controls. Computers &
Education. 82, 107-117.
MENTAL HEALTH TIPS FROM CMHA
Think about your emotional well-being. Assess your emotional health regularly. Consider the particular
demands or stresses you are facing and how they are affecting you. Give yourself permission to take a
break from your worries and concerns. Recognize that dedicating even a short time every day to your
mental fitness will reap significant benefits in terms of feeling rejuvenated and more confident.
Here are some simple ways to practice mental fitness:
• Daydream– Close your eyes and imagine yourself in a dream location. Breathe slowly and
deeply. Whether it’s a beach, a mountaintop, a hushed forest or a favourite room from your past,
let the comforting environment wrap you in a sensation of peace and tranquility.
• “Collect” positive emotional moments– Make it a point to recall times when you have
experienced pleasure, comfort, tenderness, confidence, or other positive emotions.
• Learn ways to cope with negative thoughts– Negative thoughts can be insistent and loud.
Learn to interrupt them. Don’t try to block them (that never works), but don’t let them take over.
Try distracting yourself or comforting yourself, if you can’t solve the problem right away.
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Do one thing at a time– For example, when you are out for a walk or spending time with friends,
turn off your cell phone and stop making that mental “to do” list. Take in all the sights, sounds and
smells you encounter.
Exercise– Regular physical activity improves psychological well-being and can reduce
depression and anxiety. Joining an exercise group or a gym can also reduce loneliness, since it
connects you with a new set of people sharing a common goal.
Enjoy hobbies– Taking up a hobby brings balance to your life by allowing you to do something
you enjoy because you want to do it, free of the pressure of everyday tasks. It also keeps your
brain active.
Set personal goals– Goals don’t have to be ambitious. You might decide to finish that book you
started three years ago; to take a walk around the block every day; to learn to knit or play bridge;
to call your friends instead of waiting for the phone to ring. Whatever goal you set, reaching it will
build confidence and a sense of satisfaction.
Keep a journal– Expressing yourself after a stressful day can help you gain perspective, release
tension and even boost your body’s resistance to illness.
Share humour– Life often gets too serious, so when you hear or see something that makes you
smile or laugh, share it with someone you know. A little humour can go a long way to keeping us
mentally fit!
Volunteer– Volunteering is called the “win-win” activity because helping others makes us feel
good about ourselves. At the same time, it widens our social network, provides us with new
learning experiences and can bring balance to our lives.
Treat yourself well– Cook yourself a good meal. Have a bubble bath. See a movie. Call a friend
or relative you haven’t talked to in ages. Sit on a park bench and breathe in the fragrance of
flowers and grass. Whatever it is, do it just for you.
ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES: DUFFERIN- GUELPH - WELLINGTON
Mental Health Agencies:
• Canadian Mental Health Association Waterloo Wellington Dufferin Branch (CMHA WWD)- formerly
Trellis: Guelph and Wellington
o To access Addictions, Mental Health (including eating disorders and first episode psychosis)
and Crisis Services (Guelph/Wellington for Children/Youth and Guelph/Wellington/Dufferin for
Adults) contact:
 HERE247 at 1 844 437 3247 (1 844 HERE247)
 www.here247.ca
o Walk in Services on Tuesdays for Children/Youth 1:30- 7:00 at 485 Silvercreek Pkwy, Guelph
 http://www.cmhawwd.ca
o For general information about CMHA WWD: 519-821-2060
 http://www.cmhawwd.ca
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Dufferin Child and Family Services (Dufferin for Children/Youth)
o To access Addictions, Mental Health and Crisis Services
 519-941-1530
o Talk in Services on Tuesdays 1:00- 7:00
o 655 Riddell Road, Orangeville
o http://dcafs.on.ca/
Family Health Teams
• Dufferin Area Family Health Teams
o http://dafht.ca/
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o 519-938-8802 ext. 314
Guelph Family Health Teams
o http://www.guelphfht.com/
o 519-837-4444
North Wellington Family Health Teams
o www.mmfht.ca (Minto-Mapleton);Telephone: 519-638-2110
o www.mountforestfht.com (Mount Forest); Telephone: 519-323-0255
Centre Wellington Family Health Teams
o http://uppergrandfht.org/
o Phone: 519-843-3947
East Wellington Family Health Team
o http://www.ewfht.ca/
o 519-833-9396
Community Support Lines
• Guelph Wellington Child and Youth Sexual Assault Abuse Team (CYSTAT)
o For access to supports, referrals and crisis response for: children who have been sexually
abused, children who exhibit sexualized behavior and youth who have sexually offended
o 519-400-1263
• KIDS LINE
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1-800-265-7293 ext. 3616
For referrals, prenatal, parenting and child development questions
Speak with a WDG Public Health nurse
Monday to Friday, 8:45 a.m. - 4:15 p.m
Agencies using Scaled Fees
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Family Counselling and Support Services (Guelph-Wellington)
o http://www.familyserviceguelph.on.ca/
o 519-824-2431
University of Guelph Family Counselling and Support Services
o http://www.familyserviceguelph.on.ca/
o 519-824-2431
Dufferin-Peel Catholic Family Services
o Available at Dufferin Child and Family Services
o http://www.cfspd.com/contact.html
o 1-888-940-0584
Private Services (for information purposes)
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College of Psychologists
o To find a registered psychologist by city or postal code see:
o https://members.cpo.on.ca/public_register/new
Therapists in Guelph
o http://www.theravive.com/cities/on/counselling-guelph.aspx
Therapists in Orangeville:
o http://www.theravive.com/cities/on/counselling-orangeville.aspx
Note: Costs for some services may be provided through Employee Assistance Programs or
benefit packages at parents’/guardians’ workplaces.
Eramosa Public School
May 2015
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
1
-4/5 & 5/6
Museum trip
2
-Twelfth day of
Ridvan *Baha’i
-Pizza Day
3
4 -Book Fair
12-12:40pm
-Buddha
Day*Buddhism
5 -Basketball
tournament
-Book Fair 1212:40pm
Hotdog Day
6 -Drama
Presentation @
Erin DHS gr 1-6
-Ready Set Go
-Open House &
Book Fair 5:307:00pm
7 -Book Fair
8
-Assembly
-Jump Rope for
-Pizza Day
12-12:40pm
-Bball raindate
Heart
9
-JD Hogarth info
night for Gr 6s
7-9pm
EDUCATION WEEK & EWAG FOOD DRIVE
10
11
12
EPSAC Mtg
7pm Library
Mother’s Day
13
-Ready Set Go
14
-Feast of the
Ascension
15
Math Game
Friday
-Author Visit:
Michael Wade
*Christianity
20
-Ready Set Go
21
-Feast of the
22
-Assembly
-Gr 4-6 Green
Legacy Trip
Christianity
-Pizza Day
27
-Ready Set Go
28
29
-Pizza Day
16
-Isra al Mi’raj *Islam
-Pizza Day
-Pita Day
17
18
19
Victoria Day
Hotdog Day
No School
24
-Pentecost
*Christianity
-Shavuot
25
26
-Sakyamuni
buddha’s
Birthday*Buddhism
-Pita Day
-Shavuot *Judaism
31
*Judaism
-Ascension of
Baha’u’llah *Baha’i
EPSAC
Trunk Sale
GR 3 & 6 EQAO WEEK
-Pentecost *Orthodax
Ascension *Orthodax
23
-Declaration of the
Bab *Baha’i
30