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
December 2013 - Issue 4
Sheri MacKenzie,
Office Co- Ordinator
FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK…
We have had a very busy November! December looks to be very exciting as well! It is with a mix
of both sadness and excitement that we said farewell to Ms. Ogryzlo as she began her maternity
leave a little earlier than expected. We will await the exciting news and hopefully meet the new
baby in the spring when the daffodils are blossoming! We welcome Mrs. Gibson to our staff.
As we reflect on the past year, there are so many people to thank for your contributions to our
school. Contributions come in many ways and they come from our community and our school
families. We have volunteers who spend time in the school helping support student learning; one
family brought in a projector that we were able to use in the library; families have donated
sporting equipment (Frisbees and soccer balls) that are used by our students; donations have been
made to the school anonymously; individuals have donated items to school council
run events; families have supported fundraisers, parents have contributed treats
for classroom celebrations. Finally, the support and nurturing you give your
children, the help with homework, the healthy snacks you send to school and
getting the kids to bed at night, are all evident! Please know that all of your
efforts are appreciated and together we are able to make Eramosa an even
better place for your children to learn.
As we head into the holiday season, no matter where you are or what you are
doing, the saying “Peace on Earth, Good Will Towards Men”, summarizes what we
all hope for, for our community and families. Enjoy the season!
Katrina Plazek and the Staff at Eramosa
FAMILY ANTI-BULLYING POSTERS
Thank you to all the families who participated in the Family Anti-bullying poster
contest. The posters will be laminated and displayed throughout the school over
the course of the year. The students voted on their favourite poster and the
gift card prizes go to the Varley, Kent, McCrae & Patten Families. Congratulations!
MINISTRY MANDATED DAY – DECEMBER 20TH, 2013
Just a reminder that there will be no school for students or teachers on Friday, December 20th.
School will resume again on January 6th, 2014.
BREAKFAST WITH SANTA
Be sure to mark your calendars! Breakfast with Santa is taking place
Saturday, December 7th, with seatings at 8:00 am and 10:00 am. EPSAC will
share the proceeds with the students in the social justice club. This year Mrs.
Demysh, Mrs. Hamilton and the students voted to help raise funds to build a
school overseas (more info to follow). Great food, wonderful company and a
chance to visit with Santa are all included in the admission price of $5 for
adults and $3 for children.
POINSETTIA PICKUP
Poinsettias are ready to be picked up at the Breakfast with Santa EPSAC event
on Saturday, December 7th. Thanks for your support!
JERSEY DAY
Thanks Mrs. McKnight for organizing our Wear a Sport Jersey to School Day. It was awesome!
REMINDER
No Pizza on December 19th .
SPIRIT DAY - RED/WHITE/GREEN/FAVOURITE HOLIDAY HEADGEAR
Our students are full of school spirit and they love to have fun! Students and staff will be wearing
red, green and white clothing and their favourite holiday headgear (Santa
Hats, Reindeer Antlers, etc.) on our last day before the holidays (Thursday,
December 19th, 2013).
.
OPEN HOUSE – FIRST ANNUAL “HOLIDAY HOOPLA”
On the evening of Wednesday, December 18th, the staff would like to invite you to our first ever
Open House called the “Holiday Hoopla.” During the first hour, families are invited to make 2
crafts with their children in two rooms from 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm and
then from 7:30 pm – 8:00 pm join us for a carol sing in the gymnasium.
Mrs. Thomson, a former teacher at Eramosa PS and current
grandparent, will be our pianist for the evening! We are also asking
families to share a plate of their favourite Christmas baking that we
will put on a communal table for everyone to share and enjoy (no nuts
or kiwi please). Hot chocolate and coffee will be provided. Hope you
can join us!
DEFIBRILLATOR TRAINING
If you are interested in joining staff from Eramosa PS and Rockwood Centennial
PS to be trained on how to use the life saving defibrillator that was installed in our
school, please contact Ms. MacKenzie at the school to register. Training will take
place in the gymnasium at the school on Wednesday, January 8th, from 4:00 -7:00
pm. This device can be seen in many public places and is used to “re-boot” the heart in the event
of a cardiac emergency. It is information that is valuable to all members of the public.
LAMONTAGNE FUNDRAISERS
Many thanks to all the families who were able to support the Lamontagne fundraiser. All profits
from this fundraiser have gone towards helping purchase 10 more Chromebooks for the mobile lab
carts, which all the students are making excellent use of. Please send any feedback back to Mrs.
Plazek or Ms. MacKenzie to let us know what your thoughts are about the fundraiser, the product
quality and whether you would participate in this event again next year to help support technology
purchases.
BUS SAFETY
On November 27th, Jane Chandra, the Manager of Safety and Training, came to visit our school to
speak with the children about safe bus practices such as boarding and leaving the bus, and general
safety procedures. A letter was sent home to ask for your help to remind
children about these procedures. With shortened days, snow and ice
conditions, etc., following the procedures to get on and off the bus and riding
the bus may save a life. Vigilance will help keep our students safe. Thank you
for your help.
KEEP THE DATE OPEN – TECHNOLOGY WORKSHOP FOR PARENTS
Is your child(ren) using their UGCloud account at home? Cloud Accounts, Chromebooks, Apps –
what is it all about? Did you know that every student in the Upper Grand District School Board has
been assigned an email address and access to UGCloud beginning in JK? This is a monitored/walled
email system that is within the Upper Grand schools only and is used to improve
communication/learning between students and teachers. If you are interested in learning about
the new technology we are using at Eramosa
and what it has to offer for 21st century
learners, please join us on January 22nd,
2014 from 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm. We will have
a special guest from the UGDSB, Bill
Mackenzie, Information Technology &
Communications Support Teacher, to answer
your questions regarding the board initiative
to bring technology into the classroom.
Hope to see you there! - Mrs. Hamilton
ANTIBULLYING PRESENTATION FOR PARENTS
We just finished several activities with the children last week during the
board Anti-Bullying week. We are pleased to bring Steven Lister back to our
school on Monday, Feb 3rd from 7:00 pm-8:00 pm to speak to parents about
bullying. Mr. Lister will speak about types of bullying, the role of bystanders,
cyberbullying, how to help your child, and many other topics. Mark your
calendars. More info will be coming home in the new year. You are welcome to
bring your child(ren) to hear the messages again. The family conversations at
home are very important in our community effort to make our schools safe and
inclusive to all.
BOUNDARY REVIEW – COMMENTS WELCOME
The staff committee conducting the New Rockwood Elementary School Boundary Review
continues to welcome your input and feedback online until December 18th. Parents can also
delegate to trustees at regular and standing committee meetings in December and January – see
the website for a list of dates and application deadlines. Go to www.ugdsb.on.ca/rbr.
Report #2 was presented at a Public Information Session on November 21st at Rockwood
Centennial PS. Thank you to all of the parents who came out to hear the presentation, and provide
input through questions and comments. The displays that were at the back of the gym have been
posted to the website, along with other documents related to the review.
The final report of the boundary review will be published online January 10th, in advance of
presentation to the Business Operations Committee on January 14th. Trustees are expected to
make a final decision at the board meeting on January 28th, 2014.
Construction of the new school has commenced. At this point, December 2014 is the projected
completion date. The board is working with the construction company, and making every effort to
open it closer to September. The timing of the move into the new building partly depends upon
weather conditions this winter – if favourable, construction can proceed at a faster pace.
However, a delay in the opening of the building does not mean students will be without a school on
September 2nd, 2014. Students and teachers will be organized into classes that will make up the
new school, and if necessary “hold” at a temporary location in Rockwood. Carrie Conrad, currently
the principal of Brisbane PS, was named on November 26th as the principal of the new school.
Officially Ms. Conrad begins her duties effective September 1st, 2014, but she’ll be working hard
behind the scenes between now and then. Early in 2014 Ms. Conrad, Trustee Kathryn Cooper,
Superintendent Bonnie Talbot and a school council representative will form a School Naming
Committee, in accordance with Policy #303. It’s not too early to start thinking about what you
would name Rockwood’s new school – the committee will be looking for ideas!
FROM THE PROGRAM DEPARTMENT…
“PROGRESS REPORT LANGUAGE”
Like all professions, educators sometimes use language specific to teaching and learning. We often
don’t even realize when we have slipped into using “edubabble”. On the Progress Report that has
just come home, we have made every attempt to use language that is meaningful to parents. We
want you to know and understand what we are doing at school, and how you can help support your
child’s learning. Below are some of the terms you may have read on the Progress Report or hear
at the Parent/Teacher interview. Eramosa PS Staff have implemented all of these strategies into
the classroom.
Learning Goal: A learning goal is a stated or written goal the teacher provides to help students
know exactly where they’re heading in a lesson.
Success Criteria: Success criteria often start with the words “I can ….”. Success Criteria lists
what the student needs to do/accomplish for the lesson or unit of study.
Descriptive Feedback: Descriptive feedback can be oral or written. It is provided by the teacher
and offers the student information on how he/she is doing. Descriptive feedback lets students
know what their next steps are and what they can do to improve.
Guided Reading: Guided reading is small group learning where the teacher helps students practice
and improve his/her reading skills. The instruction, strategies taught and reading material are
carefully chosen to meet the needs of each student.
Three-Part Problem-Solving: Three-part problem-solving is students learning mathematics and
developing an understanding of mathematics through reasoning and working through a problem. It
has 3 distinct stages:
1. Before – Getting started or Minds On is introducing and practicing mathematical ideas and
strategies that connect to the day’s learning goal.
2. During – Learning or Action is solving the lesson’s problem in pairs, small groups or individually.
The students develop their knowledge, thinking and strategies while the teacher pushes and guides
their learning using questioning and feedback.
3. After - (a) Consolidation is a whole-class discussion where the teacher and the class analyze the
solutions the students came up with to the problem. Together they highlight key mathematical
ideas and strategies. (b) Independent Practice is the students solving a problem(s) similar to the
lesson to practice the same skills and try out the new ideas.
Adapted from:
“A Guide to Effective Instruction in Mathematics, Problem Solving and Communication, K-6”’
“Bansho (Board Writing)”, Capacity Building Series, 2011
“Communication in the Mathematics Classroom”, Capacity Building Series, 2010
“Early Reading Strategy, The Report of the Expert Panel on Early Reading in Ontario”, 2003
“Grand Conversations in the Junior Classroom”, Capacity Building Series, 2011
“Growing Success, Assessment, Evaluation and Reporting in Ontario”, 2010
“Making Room for Talking to Learn”, Adolescent Literacy: Engaging Research and Teaching, Literacy Gains Alert, 2012
CHILDREN & YOUTH WINTER PROGRAMS 2014
HELD AT
WELLINGTON CENTRE FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION
519-836-7280
OR Online: www.ugdsb.on.ca/coned
To Register Call:
1428 Gordon St., Guelph
Programs
Age
Dates & Times
Description
Fee
A
R
T
Acrylic on
Canvas
8-14
Thurs. Jan. 30, 7-8 pm., 8 Wks.
Learn to paint on canvas.
$60
Drawing & Dry
Pastels
7-14
Thurs. Jan. 30, 5-6 pm., 8 Wks.
Focus on pencil drawing and the art
of dry pastels.
$60
Teen Art Group
12 +
Thurs. Jan. 30, 8-9:15 pm., 8 Wks.
Designed for the mature artist.
$84
Young Artist
Babysitting
4-7
11+
Thurs. Jan. 30, 6-6:50 pm., 8 Wks.
Fri. Jan. 17 , 9-4:30 pm., 1 Day
Fri. Mar. 7, 9-4:30 pm., 1 Day
Variety of art mediums used.
Red Cross, certificate course. Learn
basic skills in order to care for
infants & children up to school age.
$60
$60
Badminton
9-14
Thurs. Jan. 30, 6-6:50 pm., 8 Wks.
Learn skills and be prepared to rally.
$55
Basketball
8-12
Tues. Jan. 28, 5-5:50 pm., 8 Wks.
Learn basic skills.
$55
Chemistry for Girls
8-12
Tues. Jan. 28, 7-8 pm., 8 Wks.
Make your own soaps and more.
$65
Dance and Drama
7-12
Wed. Jan. 29, 4:15-5:45 pm., 8 Wks.
Developing acting and dance skills.
$95
Guitar for Youth
10-15
Wed. Jan. 29, 6-6:45 pm., 8 Wks.
Location: J.F. Ross CVI
Learn the basics. Guitar needed.
$80
Kiddie Kickers
3-5
Thurs. Jan. 30, 5-5:45pm., 8 Wks.
$55
Kids Only Cooking
10-15
Thurs. Feb. 20, 6-8:15 pm., 3 Wks.
Location: College Heights S.S.
Learn basic skills and team
cooperation.
Chef Susan will teach the basics of
cooking from scratch.
Kids Crafts & DIY
Activities
Rocket Science
8-12
Thurs. Jan. 30, 6:15-8 pm., 5 Wks.
Crafts and Do It Yourself projects.
$65
8-12
Tues. Jan. 28, 6-6:50 pm., 8 Wks.
Hands on science experiments.
$65
Soccer-Indoor
4-8
Tues. Jan. 28, 6-6:50 pm., 8 Wks.
Learn basic rules and skills.
$55
Young Scientist
4-7
Tues. Jan. 28, 5-5:50 pm., 8 Wks.
Interactive science program.
$65
View Course Guide online
www.ugdsb.on.ca/kids
$140
Eramosa Public School
December 2013
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
1
2
-Pita Day
3
4
5
6
-Pizza Day
8
9
-Hotdog Day
10
-EPSAC Mtg
7pm (Library)
11
12
-Rockwood
Parade of
Lights 7pm
13
KA
-River Run trip
for Gr. 1 & 2
-Assembly 2:35
-Pizza Day
14
15
16
17
-Hotdog Day
18
-Holiday Hoopla
6:30pm Crafts
7:30-8:00pm
Carol Sing
19
-NO Pizza
today
20
-Ministry
Mandated Day
21
-Red, White &
Green & Wear
your Holiday
Headwear Day
-NO School for
Students
26
-Boxing Day
27
Theme this
month is
“Building
Supportive
Communities”
22
23
24
-Christmas Eve
25
-Christmas Day
Saturday
KB
7 -EPSAC
Breakfast With
Santa &
Poinsettia
Pickup 8-11am
28
Christmas Holidays
29
30
31
-New Year’s Eve
e
Christmas Holidays
See you on January 6th!