David Marquis, Principal
Brenda Sherry, Vice-Principal
January 2015
Lindsay Redpath, Office Co-Ordinator
397 Stevenson St. N, Guelph ON, N1E 5C1
Tel: (519) 763-7374 Fax: (519) 763-6344
Principal’s Message
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
I hope that you and your family enjoyed an excellent Holiday Season. As we return in
what is now a new year, I would like to wish everyone a happy, safe and prosperous
year for 2015!
Looking ahead, January will again be a busy month at Edward Johnson. In addition to
the regular academic program, our school will be hosting a volleyball tournament in
which our Junior students will be participating against other area schools. We will
continue our focus on the “Healthy Choices” initiative called 3 UP 2 DOWN, our Grade 6
students will be completing the VIP program, our Kindergarten classes will engage in
the Do-Re-Mi sessions, our Grade 1 and 2 classes will be off to the River Run Centre
and the Guelph Police will be visiting to teach student safety awareness lessons in
many classes.
As we return to school and set goals for our learning, we will draw attention to the
character trait of responsibility. Please encourage your children to set goals for
themselves as they begin this new year. We all have opportunities to improve, and we
should always be trying to better ourselves in what we do. Remind your children to
always Work Hard, Read Lots and Do Their Best!
Have a Fantastic 2015!
David Marquis
Public Information Session
Enrolment pressures currently being experienced at Edward Johnson Public School has
prompted the Board to invite parents and guardians to a Public Information Session on
Thursday, January 8, 2015 from 7 to 9 p.m. in the school gym.
A report on the matter will be presented to Trustees on Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at
the Business Operations Committee of the Board. Advance copies will be made
available to people attending the information session on January 8.
The public information session will review current and projected enrolment at Edward
Johnson PS, limitations on accommodating students at the school, and options for
addressing these issues for the 2015/16 and 2016/17 school years.
For more information, to submit comments, and sign-up for email notification of future
meetings and website updates, visit www.ugdsb.on.ca/ejplan.
Holiday Performances
Thank you to everyone who attended our student performances during the last week
before the Holidays. It was a pleasure to see so many smiling and proud faces in the
audience. A huge thank-you is extended to the staff for preparing all our performers
(including Mme Anselmini-Lofton) as well as to members of our School Council and the
group of volunteers who together organized the class basket draw. Congratulations to
all the lucky families who won baskets.
Video Games
When purchasing video games, it is easy to inadvertently buy games containing content
much too graphic for young children. Many games sold for home video game players
are quite violent and in some cases extremely inappropriate for children. This is a
reminder to always research the game rating before purchasing these types of games.
A salesperson can usually help you when unsure about what you’re buying. Often,
children hear titles and believe that they want a game without really knowing much
about its content.
Colder Temperatures
This is turning out to be a real Canadian winter with lots of snow and cold temperatures.
We remind you to please assist us in helping your child to be prepared for the weather
as it can be quite cold on some days, especially early morning. Students need to dress
warmly for the outdoor recesses. Please rest assured that on colder days we monitor
the temperature very closely. On very cold days, we do keep students in or have
shortened recess breaks to assure that no one gets too cold.
Buses
Please be advised of the UGDSB Transportation Policy:
It is the responsibility of parents to determine whether or not it is safe for their children
to leave for school in inclement or severe weather.
a) When a bus does not travel a route in the morning due to fog, ice or snow conditions,
it will not travel that route in the afternoon.
b) If parents elect to drive their children to school, they are responsible for their
childrens’ pick-up at dismissal time.
A reminder that if the buses are cancelled in the morning, they do not run in the
afternoon. If you decide to drive your child to school in the morning, please be
sure to pick them up at the end of the day as well.
Inclement Weather
A reminder to listen to your local radio station in the event of inclement weather
conditions. The following stations will broadcast school closures: CJOY 1460AM, CIMJ
106.1 FM, CKKW 1090 FM, CFCA 105.3 FM and CHYM 570 AM.
Aizan Messaging System
A reminder that École Edward Johnson uses a messaging system for school-wide
notifications. This system will be used when information needs to be communicated
with our school population in a timely manner (bus cancellations, school closures,
emergencies, etc.). When used, this system will place one call per household to
communicate information. The system is currently registered to call the home number
(if you do not have one, it is set up to call the provided cell number). If you do not
answer, it will leave a voice message with the caller ID being the school number (519763-7374). Please call Mrs. Redpath or Mr. Marquis should you have any questions.
(Note: In the event of power failure, we will not be able to access the system.)
Generosity – Edward Johnson Food Drive
On behalf of our community, the staff at Edward Johnson would like to thank you for
contributing to the December Food Drive. Your generous donations created a generous
sight in the front entrance of the school. Thank you for thinking of others who are less
fortunate.
Flu Season
The flu is a respiratory illness that spreads quickly from person to person.
Common flu symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, muscle pain, joint pain and
weakness. The flu is more serious for the very young and elderly. They can get the flu
from school-aged children who don’t seem sick but may have a mild case. Get your free
flu shot. It protects everyone. Visit www.wdgpublichealth.ca to find a flu clinic near you.
If you don’t like needles, there's an alternative called FluMist®. FluMist is a nasal spray
available for children and adults ages 2 to 59. FluMist® is not available at drop-in
clinics – call 1-800-265-7293 to make an appointment. Because FluMist isn’t publicly
funded, there is a cost of $20.
Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health
1-800-265-7293 | www.wdgpublichealth.ca
info@wdgpublichealth.ca
If your child is not feeling well, we encourage you to keep them home until they are
better. Many families are choosing to let their children sleep in when they are not well
and then sending them to school later that same morning. Unfortunately, this often
results in illness being spread to other children and prolonging the period of sickness at
school.
Safe Arrival
Please remember to contact the school before 8:30 am if your child is going to be late or
absent. For your convenience, we have an answering machine which allows you to
contact the school at any time during the night, over the weekend and early in the
morning. The number is 519-763-7374.
Kindergarten Registration
Kindergarten registration will be held from: FEBRUARY 2 - 6, 2015
Eligible students for the Junior Kindergarten program must be four years of age on or
before December 31, 2015 and students must be five years of age on or before
December 31, 2015 to register for Senior Kindergarten.
Parents are required to complete the “STUDENT ADMISSION FORM” (Version 15)
which is found on our website in PDF version - www.ugdsb.on.ca/admission and
provide the following:
• Proof of Birth Date - i.e. Birth Certificate/Canadian Citizenship, Permanent Resident
Card (photocopy both sides for school record). Other accepted proof is listed on Page 2
of the Admissions Form. Reminder that copies are to be kept in the OSR until five
years after the last day of attendance.
Parents should be encouraged to apply for birth certificates as soon as possible as
there may be a delay. http://www.cbs.gov.on.ca/mcbs/english/4U4V5Z.htm Parents
must provide proof of birth date before a child can legally attend school. The following
website allows parents to complete their Birth Certificate Application on-line or print off a
blank application • Proof of Date of Entry, if born outside Canada: school official and parent must
complete the “Confirmation of Pupil Eligibility for English as a Second Language” form
stamp in passport
Citizenship & Immigration Canada documentation
statement notarized by a Notary Public
• Proof of and full address - i.e. driver’s license, purchase/rental agreement, bank
statement, hydro bill. All addresses must be confirmed they are within your
school’s 2015-16 boundary. Once boundary reviews have been completed, new maps
will be available on the Board’s website. Please contact the Planning Dept. for any
clarification needed.
• Immunization Record to be completed by the parent and forwarded to the
Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health Unit. Do not keep a copy in the O.S.R. Blank
forms are available on our website - “Kindergarten Registration.”
• Custody Order documentation (if applicable) should be provided and viewed by the
Principal/Designate. The memo Joint Custody - Student Registration dated January
2005 is still in effect.
Student Information
A reminder to please inform the school of any change in address, phone numbers and
additional contact information when this changes. Your attention to this will help us
keep accurate records and ensure that we are always capable of contacting families
when needed. Also, thank you to all parents for calling the school to inform us of your
child’s absence from school. We appreciate it! For your convenience, our answering
machine is accessible 24 hours a day for attendance reporting 519-763-7374.
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!
From: http://abclifeliteracy.ca/fld/15-minutes-of-fun
Is Conflict the same as Bullying?
People may sometimes confuse conflict with bullying, but they are different. Conflict
occurs between two or more people who have a disagreement, a difference of opinion
or different views. Conflict between students does not always mean it’s bullying.
Children learn at a young age to understand that others can have a different perspective
than their own, but developing the ability to gain perspective takes time and the process
continues into early adulthood. In conflict, each person feels comfortable expressing his
or her views, and there is no power imbalance. Each person feels able to state his or
her view point. How people deal with conflict can make it positive or negative. Conflict
becomes negative when an individual behaves aggressively by saying or doing hurtful
things. Then the conflict is an aggressive interaction. Conflict only becomes bullying
when it is repeated over and over again and there is a power imbalance. Over time, a
pattern of behaviour may emerge where the person who behaves aggressively in the
conflict may continue or even make it worse. The person who is the recipient of the
aggressive conflict may feel less and less able to express his or her point of view and
feel more and more powerless. That is when negative conflict may turn into bullying. A
school will respond to bullying and conflict differently. For example, in the case of a
conflict, a school staff member may try to have the students come together to tell their
side of the story and help them resolve the situation together. In the case of bullying, a
principal will consider progressive discipline, which may include suspension or
expulsion. More information on this topic is available by accessing the following
Ministry link: http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/multi/english/BullyingEN.pdf.
3 Up 2 Down - Increase Exercise!
3 Up 2 down is a program that helps kids and families make lifestyle changes
through simple steps.
Did you know that if you play and exercise every day it will make you smarter? An
extensive review of 14 studies, ranging in size from as few as 50 participants to as
many as 12,000, demonstrated that the more physically active schoolchildren are, the
better they do academically. One study tracked students who participated in a dynamic
morning exercise program at the beginning of the day. The results were astounding.
Those who participated nearly doubled their reading scores, and their math scores
increased 20-fold! There is much discussion regarding the role of physical activity,
especially highly aerobic activity, in healthy child development. Learning, memory,
concentration and mood all have a significant impact on a student’s academic
performance, and there is increasing evidence that physical activity enhances each of
these vital areas. The potential for physical activity to help stop childhood obesity and
related health risks is, of course, another critical reason to insist on exercise for every
child every day. Therefore, evidence that exercise may also improve brain development
and academic success provides yet another reason to promote physical activity for our
children. Encourage them to go outside and play every day! Get their heart rates up by
running, skipping, skateboarding, riding their bikes, rollerblading, hiking, etc. every
single day!