David Marquis, Principal
Brenda Sherry, Vice-Principal
Lindsay Redpath, Office Co-Ordinator
397 Stevenson St. N, Guelph ON, N1E 5C1
Tel: (519) 763-7374 Fax: (519) 763-6344
April 2015
Principal’s Message
It sure was great to see the children returning from the Break last month. It is hard to
believe we are beginning the last third of our school year! Much has already been
accomplished this year, and we look forward to more school events over the next three
months that will keep our learners engaged in a variety of opportunities. Our grade 3
and 6 classes continue to prepare for EQAO, and the buzz of learning can be heard
throughout our entire school.
April is the month when we are anxious to see the real signs of Spring and consistent
warmer temperatures. Having said that, cool temperatures may still prevail. The last
few mornings have been quite chilly. Please assist us by continuing to dress your child
for a 40-minute outdoor lunch recess.
On a staffing note, congratulations to Mme Sherry who has been seconded to a position
with the Ministry of Education in the 21st Century Teaching and Learning unit. We
welcome back Mme Common who will be teaching the classes taught by Mme Sherry.
David Marquis
A few words from Mme Sherry
It is with mixed feelings that I must let you know that I’m making a job change after
Easter this year. I have accepted a two-year position with the Ministry of Education, in
the 21st Century Teaching and Learning Unit. This is a new challenge that I am excited
to be taking on, especially knowing that I would not be remaining here at Edward
Johnson next year because of the changes in school numbers. I will continue to be
here on Tuesdays, for most of this school year, in order to support teacher and student
learning about the new technology that we have received as a result of the Future Shop
Grant, so I’ll still be working with your children, just not in the same capacity. I’ve been
thrilled to have started as a vice principal here at Edward Johnson. Your children have
been wonderful to work with, and the caring and involved parent community is
something that I will certainly miss!
Planning A Move?
If so, please inform the office of the details. Also, if you know of someone moving into
our area, we would appreciate this information so that class organizations for next year
can be made accurately.
Tornado Season
The period between April and June is considered to be tornado season. The Board
requires each school to develop a tornado emergency procedure. Edward Johnson’s
tornado procedures include the following:
clearing of students from the gym, front foyer, end doorways and classrooms of
students
moving students into hallways and taking cover according to our school safety plan.
In addition to fire drills, we will also be practising these procedures in early April. If you
don’t have a tornado plan for your home, you should consider creating one at this time
of year.
Allergy Alert
Please remember that we do have students at Edward Johnson with
severe allergies (anaphylaxis). These allergies can be life-threatening,
thus, we are again asking for your cooperation in taking the necessary
precautions to avoid any such risk. Please help us to provide a safe
environment at Edward Johnson by not sending to school any items
containing nuts. Additionally, we ask that you pay close attention to any
specific communication regarding allergies in your child’s classroom as
we also have students who are anaphylactic to other allergens as well such as dairy,
eggs and shellfish. Thank you for your cooperation in this important matter.
April Environmental & Character Education Theme
Celebrate the Earth! – be CREATIVE AND ENTHUSIASTIC
Earth Day is a day that is intended to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth's natural
environment. Earth day was a day founded as an environmental teach-in first held on April 22,
1970. While this first Earth Day was focused on the United States, an organization took it
international in 1990 and organized events in 141 nations. Earth Day activities in 1990 shone a
spotlight on important environmental issues like species extinction, water and energy
conservation and pollution on the worldwide stage. Earth Day is now coordinated globally by the
Earth Day Network,and is celebrated in more than 180 countries every year. Numerous
communities also celebrate Earth Week, an entire week of activities focused on environmental
initiatives.
Earth day is a very special day that allows us to participate with millions of other people all over
the world in reflecting on the importance of protecting our planet. We can show our creativity for
this event by coming up with posters to promote Earth day or by writing a reflection in our
journal about what Earth day means to us personally. We can write a poem about our favourite
thing in nature or we could write a letter to the government asking for better environmental laws.
We could come up with more creative ways to conserve energy, or reduce, reuse or recycle
items we personally use. We can show our enthusiasm for our planet by researching topics that
interest us and coming up with new ideas on how to spread the word about the environmental
issues that we are passionate about.
Make Earth Day last all year! - Let’s go green, everyone!
Earth Day
Earth Day Canada (EDC) is a national environmental communications organization
mandated to improve the state of the environment by empowering Canadians to
achieve local solutions. École Edward Johnson is encouraging students to become
involved and take part in shaping their future.
At Edward Johnson, we have many on-going environmental activities planned.
☼ School-wide participation in the Green Legacy program
☼School-wide recycling program
☼ Classroom instruction – Environmental focus
☼ School waste audit and reduction plan
☼ Earth Day Assembly (April 22nd)
☼We-Day extension projects
☼School Greening projects – School Garden
Together, we all can make a difference!
Visiting Edward Johnson?
A reminder that it is very important that visitors (including parents) always sign in at the
office when coming to our school. If you will be walking through the halls or going out
onto the playground, you will be asked to wear a school badge identifying that you have
checked in at the office. This is a simple procedure that goes a long way in ensuring
that your children are safe here at school. Thank you to all parents who already do this
routinely.
Bicycle Helmets
For the past several years, information has been shared with you related to the
importance of children wearing helmets for cycling, in-line skating and skateboarding.
You should also be aware of the potential hazard that exists when children wearing
bicycle helmets are playing on playground equipment. Helmets can become wedged in
small openings and straps entangled in the equipment which may result in
strangulation. With warmer weather approaching, we would ask that you join us in
reminding your children that they need to wear helmets when riding or skating, but also
of the dangers of wearing their helmet while on playground equipment.
April 2015 WORLD AUTISM DAY WEAR BLUE!
In 1974, 1 in 5,000 people, or 4,400 Canadians, had Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).Today, 1 in 88,
or almost 400,000 are diagnosed. What will the next 40 years look like?
The seventh annual World Autism Awareness Day is April 2, 2015. Every year
autism organizations around the world celebrate the day with unique
fundraising and awareness raising events. By bringing together autism
organizations all around the world, we will give a voice to the millions of
individuals worldwide who are undiagnosed, misunderstood and looking for
help. Please join Upper Grand District School Board in our effort to inspire
compassion, empowerment and hope by wearing BLUE on Tuesday April 2nd
2015.
Autism Ontario
Kerry's Place Autism Services
Talking about Mental Health - May 2-9 is Child and Youth Mental Health Week!
Child and Youth Mental Health Week is about promoting mental wellness, increasing
awareness of the child and youth mental health, decreasing stigma and understanding
that support is available. This year’s theme for Child and Youth Mental Health Week at
the Upper Grand District School Board is:
Have a SUPER Week! Let’s increase everyone’s mental health and well being!
Social Connections
Uplifting Emotions
Personal Health
Emotional Calming
Resilient Thinking
Each day of the week will focus on a different aspect of Mental Health and Well Being.
The schools will be provided with resources and activities related to each day’s theme.
Some schools will also have their own Mental Health Week activities that are specific to
their school.
As a parent, you can increase the Mental Health and Well-being of your children and
family too! Here are some suggestions:
Monday May 4: Focus on Social Connection
Draw a picture or diagram of social connections.
Who does your child/youth feel close to: At home? At school? Friends? Extended
family? In the community? If there are missing parts, make a effort to try and
make a new connection. Connection to caring adults is the best protective factor
that a child/youth can have.
Tuesday May 5 – Focus on Uplifting Emotions
Focus on the positive. Smile with your children/youth. Have them smile with each
other. Read a book that makes you and your children happy. Watch a video or
sing a song that focuses on being happy. Think of a positive sentence to say
during your day. Put a positive note on the fridge or tweet out positive thoughts.
Put a note in your child’s lunch: Have a happy day!
Wednesday May 6 – Personal Health – Eating Well, Sleeping Well and Being Active
Wear green to support Mental Health Awareness today! Eat a good nutritious
breakfast. Focus on fruits and veggies for snacks. Walk with your child to school
or go for walk after work/school. Go outside! Go with your child to the park or for
a swim or a bike ride! An hour before bed, start winding down. No screens. Read
a book or listen to calming music. Take a bath. Prepare for a good night’s sleep.
Thursday May 7 – Emotional Calming
Just breathe. Taking deep calming breaths is on the most powerful things you
and your children/youth can do to be calm. Start the day with a few deep breaths
at breakfast. Have you and your child/youth to take three deep breaths every
time they walk through a doorway. So at the start of each class, your child/youth
can start with three deep breaths.
Friday May 8 – Resilient Thinking
Have your child/youth talk about their strengths. What are their strengths as a
brother, sister, son or daughter? What are their strengths in their relationships
with their friends? What are the strengths related to school, activities, interests?
What do they enjoy doing and why? Talk about a time when they used their
strengths to overcome a difficult experience.
At the end of the week, think about the things that made you or your child feel more
positive, more resilient and continue to use them every day!
Our community partners will also be taking part in events around Child and Youth
Mental Health Week. The GLOWW (Giving Light Offers Worth and Wellness) youth
committee of CMHA WWD is giving bracelets to all High School students in
Guelph/Wellington. The bracelets have a positive mental wellness message on the
outside and contact information on the inside. CMHA WWD and GLOWW are having a
Walk for Mental Health in Exhibition Park, Guelph from 12-5 on Saturday May 2. Also,
check out DCAFS http://dcafs.on.ca/ for events in Dufferin.
Supports for Students:
Within our board we have many mental well-being and mental health supports including
Social Workers, Psych Consultants, Child and Youth Counsellors, and several
specialized teams to support students. Consult your principal or vice principal if you feel
one your students is struggling. Connected to our board we have Mental Health and
Addiction Nurses and Mental Health Workers who work with students who are not
attending school due to Mental Health issues.
Community Supports:
DCAFS 1 519 941 1530 - Services for Children/Youth in Dufferin. Talk-in Clinic
Tuesdays 1-7 pm.
CMHA WWD 1 844 HERE 247 (1 844 437 4237) - Services for Children/Youth in
Guelph/Wellington and Adults in Guelph/Wellington/Dufferin. Walk In Clinic Tuesdays
1:30-7pm.
KidsHelpPhone.ca (1 800 668 6868) for children and teens to call anytime when they
need someone to talk to. For youth there is also an online chat with a counselor on
Thurs to Sun nights. The website has lots of good information about mental wellness
and mental health issues.
Most of all… have a SUPER week!
Dr. Lynn Woodford is the Mental Health and Addiction Lead for Upper Grand District
School Board
Follow me on twitter: @drlynnwoodford
Math Please!
Dear Mom, Dad, Grandma and Grandpa and of course the dog and anyone else living
at our house, I heard about these fun math games to play at home. Do you think we
could try them out? I think math is really important and I just need some extra practice.
Guess My Number
Goal: Can you guess the number I’m holding?
One player takes two playing cards. The cards can be ordered any way.
Be sure no one else can see the cards!
All other players take turns guessing what the number is by asking math questions.
"Is it even?" "Is it odd?" "Is it greater than 10?" "Is it a factor of 20?" and so on.
The payer holding the cards can only answer with a "Yes" or "No", until the actual
number is guessed.
Let’s Get Loonie
(Materials: 2 dice, coins 8 pennies, 2 nickels, 4 dimes, 6 quarters and 1 loonie.)
Roll the two dice and add the two numbers together.
Take that amount of money from the centre.
(Try to always have the least number of coins in front of you at a time).
Object: to be the first player to get “Looney”.
On the Way Home from Soccer or Baseball
How many goals/runs were scored in the game?
How many more goals/runs did we need to get to make 10, 18, and 25?
How many players are on the team? If they each have one sibling how many children
would that be? What if half of them had 2 siblings? Now how many children would that
be?
It cost $50.00 to fill up the van with gas. How much would 5 tanks cost? What about 8
tanks?
And for those nights that get rained out, how about some old favourites.
Puzzles, Pay Day, Monopoly, Rummoli, Phase 10 or Payday.
“Show What YOU know on EQAO”
Tips For Your Child’s Success!
What is EQAO:
EQAO undertakes research for two main purposes:
1) to maintain best-of-class practices and student improvement
2) ensure high standards of education quality
Standardized tests provide different information. A standardized test is essentially a snapshot in time using one
method of assessment. Teachers assess their students using a broad range of tools. A more holistic and complete
picture of a student's performance can be seen from various types of assessment that the teacher does throughout the
year. (tvoparents.tvo.org)
TIPS FOR SUCCESS
●
There is no need to study. The EQAO assessment does not count towards a child's marks in grades 3 and 6,
so there is no need to increase anxiety by cramming. If you are curious about the questions your child will
be asked, check out the EQAO site and run through some practice tests yourself so you have some
understanding of the structure of the assessment and can better reassure your child.
● Remember this is practice. Let your child know that this is a way to show off what he or she knows and to
practice test-writing skills so your child can be prepared for tests in later grades.
● Be supportive. It is normal and natural to get nervous and this is a big deal for your child. Do not downplay
fears or dismiss them as silly. Instead, encourage your child to talk about these fears
● Talk to the Teacher. If your child is experiencing severe anxiety, there are things the teacher or school can
do to help.
● Set the alarm. The best thing you can do for your child the day of the assessments is to make sure your
child is well rested, fed and gets to school on time.
● Read more. For more on EQAO assessments and what they mean for your child, check out our Parent's
Guide to EQAO Assessments.
● Understand the Test. Don't use your child's EQAO test scores to measure overall achievement. You're
better off relying on regular contact with the teacher who can show you your child's portfolio, which is
being updated all year long. You'll have a more clear and accurate picture of your child's progress.
EQAO resources
http://tvoparents.tvo.org/article/understanding-standardized-testing
www.eqao.com
Important Information from Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health:
Your Child’s Immunization During a Disease Outbreak
For school attendance, parents are required by law to provide proof of their child’s immunization to Public Health.
To find out what vaccines are required and if your child’s immunizations records are up-to-date, please call 1-800265-7293 ext. 4396. You can also book an appointment for your child’s immunization at any Wellington-DufferinGuelph Public Health Location.
If you’ve chosen not to immunize your child, you must have a notarized statement of medical exemption or a
statement of conscious or religious belief on file with Public Health. Please contact Public Health at 10800-2657293 ext. 4396 to arrange for your child’s exemption to be on file if you have not already done so. If the Medical
Officer of Health declares an outbreak of a disease in your child’s school and his/her immunization record is not upto-date with Public Health, or you have an exemption on file, your child will not be allowed to attend school for the
entire duration of the outbreak.
News from the Edward Johnson School Council
Our next School Council meeting is on Thursday April 20, 2015 from 6:30-7:30 PM. All
parents are welcome to attend, hope to see you there!
We are proud to announce the pizza party winners for the classes with the highest
dance-a-thon pledges. The winners are, Mme, Potwin's class, Mme. Anselmini-Lofton's
class and Mme. Malone's class! A big thank you to all families for your support and all
who came out to boogie!
Look for some exciting new upcoming events from your School Council! We are proud
to announce the "Spring Thaw" Student Art Show in May! Stay tuned for the Spring
Thaw date and details. School Council will also be hosting a Parent Math Night in May,
stay tuned for more information and date details. Thursday, June 4, 2015 will be our
Family Fun Night! We need your help to make all of these wonderful events possible! If
you can volunteer for any of these events please email ejpizza@gmail.com or
ejbakesale@gmail.com
PIC (Parent Involvement Committee) is holding a Math night for parents on Thursday,
April 16th from 5:30-8:00pm with a very great speaker. Dr. Lynda Colgan, called "A
Gazillion is Not a Number" and the information and flyer, as well as a promotional video
are on the PIC website - www.ugdsb.on.ca/pic/ . This event is being held at King
George Public School on Lemon Street, Guelph, is free, and there is a requirement to
register (100 spots available total) for the event by Tuesday April 7th, in writing to
lynne.mcinnis@ugdsb.on.ca .
The other event that we would like to highlight is the PIC Spring Event being held on
Thursday April 30th, 2015, from 4:00-8:00 at Centre Wellington District Secondary
School. There will be an excellent speaker, Chris D'Souza, talking about {In}equity and
inclusivity in the school system. Dinner is included and daycare and transportation
remuneration are available as well. There are a number of spots available to any
interested parents. Please contact Maureen Oesch at 519-830-1728 or by email at
moesch@uoguelph.ca to let her know if you have a desire to join this event.
Finally, congratulations to Greta Zoethout the winner of a $50.00 gift certificate from
Simply Wonderful Toys and Addison Noseworthy the winner of 2 Cineplex Movie
passes. Thank you for your amazing fundraising efforts for our Dance-A-Thon!