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,
February 2015 - Issue 6
Principal
Sheri MacKenzie,
Office Co-Ordinator
FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK…
We know that we are in need of springtime when we look to the groundhogs to give us hope for spring!
On February 2nd, we will all anxiously await the outcome of the annual sighting of Wiarton Willie and
hope that we do have an early spring! We are also very fortunate this month to have our annual Pasta
Dinner and Silent Auction taking place on February 12th from 5:30 – 7:30pm. This evening, made
possible by the volunteer efforts of EPSAC members, should be a fun-filled evening. This is a terrific
evening to meet neighbours, eat wonderful food and to bid on the numerous donated objects from
friends, families and local businesses, as well as to help EPSAC fundraise. Information has gone home
with the students including requests for silent auction items, food donations, etc. We hope to see
everyone there!
Katrina Plazek and the Staff at Eramosa
Kindergarten Registration
Registration for full day Kindergarten will take place February 4th. If your child is 4 years of age by
December 31st, 2015 (s)he is eligible to register for JK (Junior Kindergarten). If your
child is 5 years of age by December 31st, 2015 s(he) is eligible to register for SK (Senior
Kindergarten). If you have a neighbour with children entering Kindergarten for the first
time, would you please pass this information along to them. Please call the Office if you
have any questions.
Term 1 Report Cards
Term 1 Report Cards will be sent home with children in Senior Kindergarten and grades 1 to 6 on
Wednesday, February 11th. The report card will tell you how well your child has
reached the expected level of achievement in academic areas as well as learning
skills and work habits. Teachers’ comments will reflect students’ strengths, needs
and next steps to improve learning. We encourage you to review the report card and
use this information to set specific, achievable goals for Term 2.
If you have any questions or comments about your child’s report card or ways we
can work together to maximize learning, please let us know and we’ll be happy to
meet with you.
.
CSA Approved Hockey Helmets for Ice Skating
This is another reminder that it will be a mandatory requirement for all people skating
(students, staff and volunteers) to wear a CSA approved Hockey Helmet while skating on
the ice. We have booked our ice pads. We hope to have many parents/guardians join us
during our School wide skate February 11th and March 6th, 2015, and this is a new
requirement for many of us. It is the parent’s responsibility to ensure the helmet is certified.
Elmira Poultry (EPSAC Fundraiser)
Thank you for supporting this school council fundraiser! Please remember that this is
a frozen product and there is limited storage place, so we would appreciate it if
someone could pick up your order during this time. Chicken pick up at the school will
take place February 10th, between 3:00 – 5:00 pm.
Spirit Day- Red, White & Pink Day
Students and staff are invited to wear red, white and pink on February 13th - the day of love and
friendship. Happy Valentine's Day to all!
Pasta Dinner and Silent Auction
There is nothing better than getting together with friends, having a yummy $3
supper, socializing and raising money to support the school, all at the same time! If
you haven’t done so already, please send back your slips. It is entirely due to the
support of the families and community and the hard work of many council members
that have made this event possible. Mark February 12th , 5:30-7:30 pm on your
calendar; it promises to be a wonderful evening!
School Council Meeting
Our February school council meeting will take place on February 10th starting at 7 pm. All parents are
welcome to join us!
Junior Volleyball Tournament at Erin PS
The junior volleyball team has been selected and the team is busy practicing
in preparation for the volleyball tournament being held at Erin Public School
on February 10th. Go Eramosa Eagles!
Recess Reminders
Students at Eramosa are fortunate to have a huge yard to play in at recess
times. They are outdoors every day before and after school, as well as for
three recesses during the day. We know that fresh air and regular exercise
throughout the day improve learning. These breaks also provide opportunities
for children to develop essential social skills of cooperative play and conflict
resolution. “Indoor recess” occurs when necessary, and only in cases of
extreme weather conditions. Children need to have appropriate outdoor
clothing at school, including snow pants, boots, and extra socks and mitts in
case other pairs get wet during the day. Outdoor clothing should also be
labeled with your child’s name to reduce the chances of items being lost.
Thank you.
OPP Kids Program – Officer Kelly
Officer Kelly is teaching the OPP Kids’ Program to our grade 6s at Eramosa.
OPP K.I.D.S. Program was developed in conjunction with our front-line police officers and several
professional educators to ensure that the content meets current student needs.
OPP K.I.D.S. will cover topics such as Youth and the Law, Peer to Peer Relationships, Online and Social
Media Awareness, Drug-Alcohol Awareness and Mental Health Awareness. Each topic will be
accompanied by DVD’s to show how these lessons can be related to children and situations they may
face throughout their lives.
This new program is replacing the D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) Program in our schools
in Wellington County. We believe that with our ever changing society the need for a more current
program, relevant to what’s happening in our Ontario communities, will better suit the needs of our
children.
Ready Set Go!!
East Wellington Community Services has successfully delivered a program
which will pave the way for your child to experience a smooth transition into
Junior Kindergarten. With the co-operation of Eramosa PS, and Ontario
Early Years funding, East Wellington Community Services staff will be
providing a junior kindergarten readiness program in the school. To find out
more information or register your child call Jane or Susanne @ 519-856-2113.
Mabel’s Labels
Some Eramosa families have ordered name labels for their childrens’ belongings from a company called
Mabel's Labels. These peel-and-stick labels are suitable for all clothing, shoes, lunch containers and
more. They are very durable, even after going through the dishwasher or washing machine. Our School
Council is registered with Mabel's Labels and the school receives a small portion of the cost of every
order placed. One parent commented that the cost of her label order was less than the replacement
cost of just one piece of clothing that may otherwise have been lost. For more information please go to
www.eramosa.mabel.ca.
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.
Canadian Tire Money
Do you have any loose Canadian Tire money laying around that you do not want? We
would gratefully receive it at the office to buy some playground balls, etc. Thank you.
Wellington County Library – Rockwood Branch, February Events
Valentine's Day Card Making (All Ages)
Join us to create original Valentine's Day cards for family and friends. Please register.
Saturday, February 7, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Page Turners Book Club (Grades 1-4)
Read together and come to discuss in this parent-child book club. This month we're discussing the first
two books of the Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis: The Magician's Nephew and The Lion, the Witch
and the Wardrobe.
Tuesday, February 10, 6:30 p.m.
Pre-Release Movie: Big Hero 6 (All Ages)
Join us for an afternoon of fun and treats on Valentine's Day. We will be watching the comedy-superhero
film 'Big Hero 6' before you can get it in stores! Rated PG. Please register.
Saturday, February 14, starting at 1:30 p.m.
Canadian Red Cross Babysitting Course (Pre-teen)
This course is for 11 - 16 yr olds and includes caring and safety for babies and
children, understanding their needs and stages, rescue breathing, basic first aid,
choking skills, coping with common situations, injury prevention, handling
emergencies and creating a safe environment. Please register.
Saturday, February 28, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
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 in-service 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 find some 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
Dangerous Apps
Parents, If Your Kids Have Any of These 10 Dangerous Apps, It’s Time to Hit “Delete”
You may be thinking your kids are downloading apps because they are just a simple way for them to
keep in contact with their friends. This is certainly true for most kids, but unfortunately, even innocent
use of most of these apps can land a kid in a situation he/she never intended to be in. Here are some
apps that are popular among kids and why they are potentially problematic for them:
http://www.foreverymom.com/parents-kids-10-dangerous-apps-time-hit-delete/
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 modeling 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/easy-ways-to-teach-your-child-to-self-regulate/
Responsive Classroom: Teaching Self-Calming Skills
https://www.responsiveclassroom.org/blog/teaching-self-calming-skills
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
Talking about Art with Your Child
The gallery on your refrigerator:
The refrigerator is the mini art gallery in many homes where student art is the featured exhibit. How
wonderful for students to have their work honoured in their home and for them to be supported by their
family! Also, we know that when the family is involved in a student’s learning, the student’s confidence,
positive attitude and achievement grow.
Show your child that you value their judgment as well as their art. Each week or so when the “exhibit”
changes, let your child select the work to be displayed. Ask: “Which work are you most proud of - why?”
or “Which work show your learning best - why?” Research shows that when students assess and reflect
on their own work their critical thinking skills develop.
Before or after the art makes it to the fridge, reinforce creativity, risk-taking and the ability to
communicate with some open questions ... think questions with no ”right” answer. Ask these questions
or turn them into prompts for your comments about artwork:
What can you tell me about your art?
Tell me the story of your art.
How did you make this?
How would you describe your art to someone who hasn’t
seen it?
What I notice is (name what you see in their art). What I
wonder is (ask a questions about it).
What I like the most about your (name the type of art) is (name what you like in their art).
How do you hope people will feel when they look at your art?
If someone could walk into your art, where should they walk in? Would it be easy or hard for them to get
in? Tell me more about that.
What title would you give your art? Explain ...
The gallery in your community:
Taking your child to an art gallery to view and discuss art gives them a place to apply their thinking and
learning. Using the same questions/prompts you use at home will help your child make connections
between their work at school and the wider world.
Walk through a room in the gallery, survey the art then return to discuss and spend more time at the
work(s) that capture your interest. Try some gallery games to build critical thinking and discussion. In
any room play:
National Gallery: Choose (or make up) a country. Select 5 works that will hang in the welcome room at
the airport where you enter the country. Explain what each piece of art reveals about the country.
Ping Pong: Choose any piece of art and call it a Ping. Choose another and call it a Pong. Don’t explain
why or how you made your choices. Then, thinking about your choices, your family classifies other
pieces in the room as Ping or Pong. They explain how they made their decisions while guessing what
your criteria was.
Statue: Each person chooses a figure or object in a piece of art and creates a pose that represents it.
The rest of the family tries to guess which piece of art.
To view contemporary and historical art, visit the MacDonald Stewart Art Center in Guelph (free), the
Dufferin County Museum and Archives in Orangeville and the Wellington County Museum and Archive
between Fergus and Elora (free).
(If you want references:
Nethery, Carrie, “One Great Question”, Arts & Activities, San Diego CA, 2011
Ritchart, Ron et al, “Making Thinking Visible”, Jossey-Bass, San Franciscio CA, 2011
“Student Self-Assessment”, LNS Capacity Building Series, 2007
“The Ontario Arts Curriculum”, 2009)
Talking About Mental Health –
Let’s Keep Talking! - February 2015
Bell Let’s Talk is a nationwide campaign to increase awareness and decrease stigma around mental
illness. I am sure that you’ve heard the ads and hopefully participated in Let’s Talk Day on January 28.
What a great way to get the conversation going on mental illness! However, mental illness does not just
occur in January and the discussion should not end there either. Here are some tips and ideas to keep
the conversation going so that each one of us can do our part to increase awareness, decrease stigma
and improve the lives of children, youth and adults with mental illness.
Bell Let’s Talk’s 5 Ways to Help (from http://letstalk.bell.ca/en/end-the-stigma/)
Language Matters
Words matter…but they can also hurt. Pay attention to the words you use. Explain to friends and
colleagues who use words like “psycho” or “nut” without thinking that their comments may be hurtful and
provide an alternate view.
http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2013/04/29/9-things-not-to-say-to-someone-with-mental-illness/
2 out of 3 people with mental illness suffer in silence, fearing judgment and rejection.
Canadian Medical Association
Educate Yourself
Myths exist about mental illness that contributes to stigma. Learn the facts. Learn more, know more. Be
knowledgeable and help fight the stigma with facts.
http://www.cmha.ca/mental-health/understanding-mental-illness/
On any given week, more than 500,000 Canadians will not go to work because of mental illness.
Mental Health Commission of Canada
Be Kind
Small acts of kindness speak volumes. Don’t stand by if someone is being labeled or bullied. Treat a
person who has a mental illness with the kindness and care you give to people with other illnesses
through a friendly smile, a helping hand, a phone call or a visit.
http://mindyourmind.ca/wellness/random-acts-kindness
Only 49% of Canadians said they would socialize with a friend who has a serious mental illness.
Canadian Medical Association
Listen and Ask
Sometimes it is just best to listen. Don’t trivialize someone’s illness. Instead, say: “I’m sorry to hear that,
it must be a difficult time. Is there anything I can do to help?”
http://www.time-to-change.org.uk/talk-about-mental-health/tips
Once depression is recognized, help can make a difference for 80% of people who are affected, allowing
them to get back to their regular activities.
Canadian Mental Health Association
Talk About It
Start a dialogue, not a debate. Break the silence. Talk about how mental health touches us all in some
way directly or through a friend, family member or colleague. Stories of lived experience are the best
way to eradicate stigma. Support mental health and anti-stigma programs in your community.
http://letstalk.bell.ca/en/toolkit/
1 in 5 Canadians will experience a form of mental illness at some point in their life.
Canadian Institute of Health Research
For more information go to our board website: www.ugdsb.on.ca/parents click on the Mental Health tab.
For all our mental health, let’s keep talking and listening and caring and connecting.
Dr. Lynn Woodford is the Mental Health and Addiction Lead for Upper Grand District School Board
Follow me on twitter: @drlynnwoodford
Public Health News
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.
Eramosa Public School
February 2014
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
1
2
-Groundhog Day
3
-5/6A Trappers
& Traders @
Outdoor Ed
Centre
4
-Registration
Day for new
Kindergarten
Students
5
6
-Math Game
Friday
7
11 - Skating
JK-6 12:20pm
12
-5/6A Soccer
@ Marden
-Volleyball
“snowdate”
-Term 1 Report
Cards go home
-EPSAC Pasta
Dinner & Silent
Auction
5:307:30pm
18
-Ash
Wednesday
19
-Lunar New
Year
February is
Black History
Month
-Pizza day
-Hotdog Day
8
15
-Nirvana Day
*Buddhism
9
10 -Volleyball
Tourney @ Erin
-3/4A & 4/5B
River Run Trip
-EPSAC mtg. 7pm
-Mansfield Parent
Info Night 6pm
-Elmira Poultry
Pickup 3-5pm
-Pita day
16
-Family Day
17
-Hotdog Day
No School for
Students
--Shrove
*Christianity
*Buddhism
Tuesday
13
-Assembly 9am
-Spirit Day:
Wear Red,
White & Pink
-Pizza day
14
-Valentine’s Day
20
-Power of
Persistence
Assembly 9am
21
-Pizza Day
*Christianity
-Mahashivaratri
*Hinduism
22
23
-Clean Monday
*Christianity Orthodox
28
24
-Pita day
25
-1/2A & 2/3B
River Run trip
26
-Intercalary
Days (Mar 1st)
*Baha’i
27
-Assembly 9am
-Pizza Day