Kortright Hills Public School
23 Ptarmigan Drive, Guelph, Ontario N1C 1B5 (519)-827-160 Fax (519) 827-9251
Wendy Donaldson, Principal
Amy Ewing, Vice Principal
Della Broderick, Office Coordinator
Rosemary Coghlin, Administrative Assistant
Newsletter for May,2015
From the Principal’s Desk
I hope that you have all enjoyed the warmer weather
in April and the chance to get outside and enjoy the
outdoors more now that the winter is passed. At this
time of year the staff work together to consider some
changes we would like to make for the fall. We have
made some decisions that I wanted to let you know
about as it relates to our school, when students will
know their temporary class for the fall and what the
first week of school will look like at Kortright. Here
are the changes we have decided upon:
1. We have been encouraged by our Board to move to a
classic balanced day. This would mean that the
students would have three one hundred minute blocks
of instruction with two forty minute breaks. As a
staff we have talked about this option and agree that
we would make this change at Kortright.
2. Class Placement Process:
a) Students will be given their temporary classes for
the fall with their report cards in June. This
placement is considered temporary as we are unsure of
students moving in and out of our area over the
summer months. During the first two weeks of school
we will make changes as we need to as directed by the
Board.
b) Staff have been working, and will continue to work
on, making decisions regarding placements for the fall
over the next few months. They base these decisions
on many factors to ensure to the best of their
knowledge that students will be successful as a class.
Part of this process was to ask the students to tell us
five or more students they would like to be in a
classroom with. We have told the students that we
would guarantee one on their list at the least. Classes
are built based on the students and not the names of
the teachers. Teachers are assigned to classrooms
once the Board transfer process has been completed.
I thank you for trusting in the professionalism of our
staff team to make these decision to best support
your child at school.
3. The first week of school will hold many of the same
community building activities that we have come to
enjoy. The only difference this year will be that
students will be in their temporary classrooms with
their teacher each morning so as to begin to set
routines as a class and begin working on curriculum
together.
If you have any questions regarding some of these
changes, please do not hesitate to contact me directly
at school. I hope you have a wonderful few weeks and
we look forward to seeing you all out at the MultiCultural event on May 5th, 2015.
Wendy Donaldson
Principal, Kortright Hills P.S.
Education Week
Education Week is from May 4th to May 8th.
Library News
The Scholastic Book Fair is
coming! We invite your entire family to participate by
purchasing the latest and greatest in children’s books.
What better way to promote reading to our students
than by supporting this important literacy event.
Did you know that for every $10 you spend at the
Fair, $6 comes directly back to our school?
(Provided we meet our goal of $3000 or more in sales.)
In addition, since this is our second book fair this
year, we will be able to select an additional 10% in
free books from the book fair! Your support of this
vital literacy fundraiser is key to our obtaining new
books and resources for our library and classrooms. In
addition to purchasing new picture books and novels, I
am planning on using the proceeds of the book fair to
purchase a variety of non-fiction books to support our
Math, Social Studies, and Science curriculum areas, as
well as items for our maker space area to promote
inquiry and curiosity.
You will find hundreds of quality books at our Book
Fair with a wide assortment for all reading levels. Your
child brought home a Book Fair flyer that provides a
preview of only a FEW of the many books available to
purchase at our Fair. The flyer also contains a special
Family Event Draw ballot that students may deposit
when they visit the book fair. Your child could win
$50 in books – $25 for your family PLUS $25 for
your child’s classroom!
Books make a great year end gift for teachers and
students! Gift cards for teachers will be available at
the book fair. Book donation bookplate will be
available when you purchase a gift card for your child’s
class.
Don’t forget to mark the Book Fair dates on your
calendar! We look forward to seeing you during our
Scholastic Book Fair and thank you, in advance, for
supporting this great literacy fundraiser. Most
importantly, thank you for believing in books and the
value reading has on your child’s future.
The Book Fair will be open for sales at the
following times:
Friday, May 1st
Monday, May 4th
Tuesday, May 5th
Wednesday, May 6th
3:00 pm - 4:30 pm
8:00 am - 9:30 am
2:00 pm - 4:30 pm
8:00 am - 9:30 am
05:30 pm - 8:00 pm
8:00 am - 11:00 am
We accept cash or cheques made payable to our
school. Visa and MasterCard are welcome, too.
Thank you for your continued support of our library
programs,
Sheila Morgan
Teacher Librarian
sheila.morgan@ugdsb.on.ca
[Link]http://bit.ly/KHPSLibrary
Kortright Hills PS Yearbook!
Our 2014-2015 yearbook will be a 30 page soft cover,
full colour book.
The pre-order cost is $12 per yearbook.
Order forms have been sent home with students and
must be returned by: Friday, May 8th
Please note: If you do not order & pay by May 8th,
you will have to order online and will be required to pay
additional shipping costs.
School Stuff
EQAO
Grade 3 and Grade 6 EQAO testing will be written
from May 25th to June 4th. Gd 3’s will be May 25-28th
and Gd 6’s will be June 1-4th.
Each grade level will be given a four day window to
write the assessment.
Smart Start For EQAO
* avoid absences to the greatest extent possible
* reschedule appointments
* ensure your child gets lots of sleep
* provide healthy food and snacks
* eat a good breakfast
* give hugs and pats on the back
* be positive
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/understandingstandardized-testing
www.eqao.com
Jump Rope for Heart
Jump Rope for Heart will be held
on Friday, May 15th. Information
packages were sent home on the
day of our kick-off assembly which
was Wednesday, April 22nd.
Kortright Hills First Multicultural Evening
Join us for a fun family evening of
Music, dance, ethnic food
and stories!
Have a cup of coffee and a
cookie. Travel around the
world with your very own passport. Enjoy live
performances and learn about the amazing things
Guelph has to offer!
When:
Tuesday, May 5th 6:30 – 8:30pm
Where:
Kortright Hills Public School
23 Ptarmigan Dr, Guelph, ON N1C 1B5
Safety on the Playground
With the warm weather arriving and the opening of
our playground structures, this is a good time to
remind everyone - students, parents, staff and yard
supervisors - of the rules that help make these
structures fun and safe places to play.
Our playground is designed for users aged 13 and
under and we do not provide
supervision, maintenance and
inspections outside of school hours.
Board policy determines that the
equipment is off limits from November 1st to
March 31st, and at other times as determined by the
school administration. This includes periods of
freezing temperatures, when there is freezing rain, if
the ground cover is frozen, or if there is a
build up of snow and ice.
Rules for students:
• No pushing
• No running on play structures
• No fighting
• No eating while on the playground equipment
• No throwing sticks, stones or
other objects
The following are not allowed on the
equipment: skipping ropes, ropes,
scarves or loose drawstrings on
children’s clothing. We have also been
advised by our insurance company that children should
not wear bicycle helmets on the play structures.
You should also know that in the event of an injury,
students and staff are reminded that the injured
person should not be moved, and a supervisor must be
notified immediately.
We make safety at play our major concern, and will be
reminding our students and staff on a regular basis
about the playground rules. We hope that you will
reinforce them at home with your child.
Bicycle Safety
Now that the warmer weather is approaching, please
remember if your child rides his/her
bike to school a helmet and a lock are
necessary.
Students must walk their bikes and
scooters on school property.
Road Safety, Safety, Safety!
The two parking lots at the school are
not to be used as drop off points for our
students, nor is the driveway to be used
as an opportunity to do a u-turn. This area of the
school is to be used only by staff and visitors to the
school during busy times of the day, between 8:30 a.m.
and 8:50 a.m., and 3:15 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. As well,
please do not park along the end of neighbouring
driveways while dropping off your children. We have
had community members call the school to voice their
displeasure with respect to trying to get out of their
homes in the morning, but are being blocked in by cars
along the end of their driveway. Please be respectful
of our community members.
Summer Clothing & School
Hopefully we have seen the last
of snow for many months. As the
temperature rises, we ask you to
remember that students must
dress appropriately for school.
Please follow the guidelines listed below:
protect yourself from the harmful ultra violet
rays of the sun by wearing hats, long sleeve
tops and applying sun screen,
• clothing must be free of symbols of hate, gang
membership or images that portray violence,
death, abuse, alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, racial
or obscene words, political or sexual
statements.
• muscle shirts, spaghetti straps, low scooped
necklines and shirts exposing the mid-rift
should not be worn at school.
Keep clothing meant for the beach at home and
remember to have children wear comfortable,
conservative clothing to school.
•
Information Changes for September
To assist us with enrolment projections for
September, please inform the office if you
plan to move out of the Kortright Hills attendance
area. Should you know of any families
moving into our area and who are
planning to attend school here in
September, please ask them to call the
school at (519) 827-1601.
Kindergarten Registration
If you have a child who will be four years old on or
before December 31st, 2015. Please come into
our office to register. For Senior
Kindergarten (or if your child is new to our
school) he/she must be five years old on or
before December 31st, 2015.
Morning Attendance
Please help your child to be at school when
the bell rings – 8:45 for Intermediates,
8:50 for JK - 6. This minimizes disruption
for classrooms during learning time, and it places the
value of time management on students – a life-long
skill. Please also remember to have your child check in
at the office, if he/she is late. If the announcements
are on, he/she will need to wait quietly in the front
foyer until announcements are finished to check in and
receive a late pass.
Lunch Options
Tired of preparing lunches? The Grade
Eight class is selling subs and pitas as a
way to help with their fundraising for
their Quebec trip. Orders can be
placed online at
www.lunchboxorders.com.
Pitas (from Pita Pit) are available on Tuesdays for a
cost of $5.25.
Choices: bacon, chicken breast, chicken souvlaki,
turkey, ham, veggie.
Subs (from Subway) are available on Wednesdays for a
cost of $4.00 (4 inch) or $4.25 (6 inch).
Choices: ham, turkey, turkey and ham, veggie.
Grade 8 Graduation
The graduation ceremony for Grade 8 students will be
on Tuesday, June 23rd at 6:00 pm in the
Kortright Hills P.S. gymnasium. Following
the ceremony, there will be a reception
and dance for the graduates. This year
our theme is Hawaiian.
Any questions may be forwarded to Mme. Franco at
diana.franco@ugdsb.on.ca.
Earthkeepers’ Program
Our Grade 5 students will be participating in the
Earthkeepers’ program offered by the Board on
May 25th and May 26th. Earthkeepers is a 2-day
intensive program designed to give Grade 5 students a
better understanding of the interconnectedness of
living things and how what we do affects many other
systems of life. It is held at the Arboretum at the
University of Guelph.
A great experience and fun time should be had by all!
ONLINE PAYMENTS
COMING SOON!
Benefits:
Convenient:
Make payments anytime…Online!
Easy to Use: Fill a shopping cart and check out.
Safe:
No need to send cash or cheques to
school.
Secure:
Our website is protected and PCI
compliant.
Save Time:
It takes less than 5 minutes to
register.
For safety and efficiency reasons, we want
to reduce the amount of cash and cheques
coming into our school. School related expenses such
as pizza days, field trips, spirit wear, yearbooks, etc.
will be available for online purchase. More information
will be available soon.
decision we make to purchase local products, reduces
carbon emissions. Our province produces an abundance
of fruits, vegetables, meat, nuts, and grains. However,
the richness of local products doesn't end with food
products. We have many local talented artists,
sculptors, and fashion designers. Every time we choose
local products we are making a choice to support our
local economy and individual micro-economies.
What is an ecological ? "An ecological footprint is used
to depict the amount of land and water area you would
need to provide the resources required to support
yourself." By caring about your environment and
making careful choices you can have a positive impact
on the planet and leave a smaller ecological footprint
so that your own and future generations - not to
mention the other creatures - can enjoy this beautiful
planet. Help the planet by starting in your own
backyard. Look around your neighbourhood to see what
places—parks, gathering spots, natural places, quiet
nooks, play areas, walking routes, commercial centers—
could be protected or regenerated. Think about what
changes could be made to reduce pollution and
environmental degradation. So don’t pollute, conserve
water and other resources, ride your bike or walk as
much as possible and eat and shop locally, and you will
help keep your “footprint” small!
If you live your life locally, you protect globally! Let’s go green, everyone!
Professional Development
As a staff, we have been discussing the difference
between a simple task that requires just sharing
knowledge and complex tasks that make students
really think as they apply knowledge in new and
different ways. A knowledge-based question might
have students remember facts, give definitions and
examples, or follow a basic procedure. In contrast,
thinking questions require students to create a plan
with multiple steps, to make choices and justify their
decisions, and to pull knowledge and skills together.
The creative nature of thinking tasks engages our
learners in problem solving and critical thinking.
May Environmental & Character
Education Theme
Live local – be HELPFUL in your neighbourhood
Think local and save the environment. It is time to
celebrate our local talent and to appreciate the
wealth of natural goodness grown locally. Every
FYI
Dr. Lynn Woodford is the Mental Health and Addiction
Lead for Upper Grand District School Board
Follow me on twitter: @drlynnwoodford
Talking about Mental Health
May 2-9 is Child and Youth Mental Health Week!
Have a SUPER Week! Let’s increase everyone’s mental
health and well being! Let’s focus on increasing these
positive skills!
Social Connections
Uplifting Emotions
Personal Health
Emotional Calming
Resilient Thinking
Now that you have started building all those wonderful
skills, keep it going throughout the month and the
year!
Our community partners have some excellent activities
planned:
Norfolk Psychological Services is presenting a series
of free seminars, hosted at the Guelph Public Library
on Child, Youth and Family Mental Health.
For more information and to register, please visit
www.guelphpl.ca or 519-824-6220.
DCAFS and Shed the Light will be presenting in
schools and a display and information will be available
at DCAFS. Shed the Light is hosting 'Artistry in
Mind' at ODSS on Friday May 8th in the evening.
For more information go to dcafs.ca.
CMHAWWD is hosting: a film showing, May 4, 7:00 pm
of The Mask You Wear at 10 Carden St., Guelph.
A BBQ and Art Show, May 8, 1-4 pm at 30 Centre St.,
Orangeville and a BBQ/Open house on May 8, 1:30-1:30
at 292 Stephenson St. N., Guelph.
GLOWW and CMHAWWD are hosting a family day and
walk to bring Mental Illness out of the dark into the
light, May 2,12-5, at Exhibition Park, Guelph.
For more information go to https://wwd.cmha.ca/
Enjoy and participate and keep talking about mental
health!
Supporting Students with Learning
Disabilities
Learning disabilities refer to a number of disorders
that affect processes related to the learning,
organization, and recall of information, as well as the
understanding or use of language and/or nonverbal
information. A student with a learning disability
demonstrates some average or above average cognitive
abilities that are essential for thinking and reasoning.
Despite this, he or she can have academic
underachievement, or achievement maintained only by
unusually high levels of effort and/or support. At
school, this means that the student has good ideas and
is able to do the thinking required to make connections
and problem solve, however one or more areas of
academics (oral language, reading, writing or math)
cause significant difficulties and frustration.
The Upper Grand District School Board supports
students with learning disabilities in a variety of ways.
Some students who struggle to learn to read will be
recommended by the school to attend a special
education class for students with learning disabilities.
If parents agree that this is a good option for
supporting their child, the student may attend this
program for one or more years in Grades 4 through 6.
In some areas of the Board, where special education
classes are not available, a student with a learning
disability might receive the support of one of the
Board’s four Itinerant Technology Resource Teachers.
These teachers are qualified special education
teachers and have an expertise in the use of assistive
technology. The support of an Itinerant Technology
Resource Teacher would occur during Grades 4 to 6
and would take place while the student is in the regular
classroom. For most students with learning
disabilities, the regular classroom, with the support of
a resource teacher, is the best fit.
A student with a learning disability, receiving
instruction in a regular or special education class, will
benefit significantly from the use of assistive
technology. This may include computer programs that
are designed to read printed materials, turn speech
into written words, or predict what words students
are trying to spell. Assistive technology is often an
important strategy for learning and letting students
demonstrate what they know and have learned. The
use of these technologies can also help students to
become more independent, can increase their selfconfidence and improve self-esteem. While assistive
technology is often necessary for some students with
learning disabilities and other difficulties at school to
be successful, it can benefit ALL STUDENTS in the
classroom. Each and every student at the UGDSB has
access to Read & Write for Google, which does read
print, turn speech into words and predict the words as
they are being typed. These program options are
available to students on any computer, at school or at
home, as long as they are logged onto the internet
browser Chrome and their UGCloud account. For
information on how to access your child’s UGCloud
account at home, speak to his or her classroom
teacher.
More information about learning disabilities can be
found on the Learning Disabilities Association of
Ontario website (www.ldao.ca). For more information
about the supports offered to students with learning
disabilities at the UGDSB, talk to your child’s
classroom teacher, the special education resource
teacher at the school, or the principal or viceprincipal. The Board’s Special Education Plan and
Reports are also available online on the UGDSB
website and provide more details and in-depth
explanations of special education at the UGDSB.
“For most of us, technology makes things easier. For a
person with a disability, it makes things possible.”
~ J. Heumann, American Disability Rights Activist
Understanding the Equal Sign
Most children see = and they know it is an equal sign,
but do they really understand what it means? Many
children believe the equal sign means “the answer is”
or “the total”. They do not understand that the equal
sign is a symbol of balance or sameness. Think about 3
+ 4 = 7. 3 plus 4 is the same as 7. When children
understand that the equal sign shows a relationship
between numbers, they develop stronger number sense
and are able to work with numbers more flexibly. For
example, children who know that the equal sign shows
balance understand that 3 + 4 is the same as 5 + 2.
Children who think of the equal sign as showing the
answer often struggle with mental math and, later on,
with algebra.
Parents can help support understanding of the equal
sign in many ways. First, using the word “equal” in
everyday conversation to highlight equal relationships
helps to promote an understanding of sameness. Use
the words “equal” and “the same” together. When
sharing snacks among people, talk about amounts.
Are they equal? How do we know?
Also, many children enjoy missing number problems,
especially when presented as a puzzle or challenge.
Challenge children to find the number to balance
equations, like these:
5 + ___ = 1 + 8 or 14 - 6 = ___ + 3
or 5 x ____ = 4 x ____
When playing with Lego, talk about how the different
sized pieces are related. How many little pieces are
equal to a big piece? Build different creations with
equal number of pieces. Build creations with equal
sizes but different number of pieces.
The more exposure children have to the idea that the
equal sign means “the same”, the better set they will
be to develop solid number sense and number
flexibility.
Megan Haessler - Teacher-Researcher with the
UGDSB
From the Health Department
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:
• 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
• Learn new skills and improve their selfconfidence
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.
Animal Donation Drive
Hi, my name is Athena and I am in grade 4, Ms.
Holland's class.
Last year as you may recall I lead an animal club called
"Help Animals Save Strays". While running this club
we also ran an Animal Donation Drive to help the
Humane Society with their wish list. Again this year I
will be organizing another drive with the help of
my classmates Vanessa and Lauren. My inspiration for
this year's drive came from the three speakers at our
"Me to We Week" assembly where they spoke about
making a difference and how doing a small deed in the
community can make a big difference in the world.
With that in mind, please send all donations big or
small to the donation boxes in the front foyer by the
office. A wish list from the Humane Society will be
posted in that area (e.g., things like canned kitten
food, newspapers, dog and cat toys, training treats,
hay, hand sanitizer, masking tape/duct/scotch, and Qtips).
Thank you!
From School Council
The playground committee met in April to starting
planning changes and upgrades to the school
playground. Our first priority is the Kindergarten
area; however we will be looking at the entire
playground in the future. If you would like to be
involved in this committee, please contact one of the
council members.
The Ice Cream Social Planning Committee also met in
April to begin planning this popular event.
We are still looking for volunteers to
help with this event, so please watch for
further information coming home later this
month. Again this year, the event will have games,
entertainment, activities, pizza and treats. Mark your
calendar for Thursday June 4th from 5-8pm and be
sure to attend this great event!
The date for our annual teacher’s appreciation lunch is
set for Thursday, June 11th. We will need volunteers
for this event. Please let a member of council know if
you’re able to volunteer that day.
The next School Council meeting will be Monday, May
25th, at 7:00pm in the school library.
May 2015
Sunday
3
Monday
4
Day 2
Book Fair
Gr. 3& 5’s Shark
Swim
Tuesday
5 Book Fair Day 3
Cinco de Mayo
Rainbow Coalition
Multicultural Event
Wednesday
6
Day 4
Book Fair
Support Staff
Appreciation Day
Thursday
7
Day 5
Friday
Saturday
1
Day 1
Book Fair Previews
Jr. Floor Hockey
Tournament
Gr. 3& 5’s Shark
Swim
2
8:30-1:00pm
Safety Patrol
Movie Day
8
9
Day 1
E D U C A T I O N W E E K
10
Mother’s
Day
17
11
Day 2
Gr. 3 & 5’s Shark
Swim
12
Day 3
Red Maple Trip
18
Victoria Day
19
Day 2
Author Visit
Miriam Laundry
“ I Can Believe”
SCHOOL IS
CLOSED
24
25
Day 1
Earthkeepers
7pm School Council
Meeting
Gr. 4’s Scientist in School
31
Gr 8’s H2 Awesome
Conference
13
Day 4
Silver Birch Trip
Eco Day-Sevem
Suzuki
Silver Birch Express
Trip
14
Day 5
Gr. 1/2 Scientist
Gr. 7 Respected
Presentation
15
Day 1
Jump Rope for
Heart
16
20
Day 3
Special Olympics
Gr 2’s Scientist in
School
21
22
Day 5
Special Olympics
Rain Date
23
1:00-4:00pm
Primary Choir
Guelph Royals
Game
Day 4
GRADE 6’S TO MANSFIELD
26
Day 2
Earthkeepers/Eco
Stars
Int. Track & Field
4BArtist in the School
27
Day 3
Int. Track & Field
Raindate
28
Day 4
Jr. Track & Field
4B Artist in the School
E.Q.A.O. TESTING GRADE 3’S
29
Day 5
Jr. Track & Field
Raindate
30
May 2015
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Fueling Active Kids – What you need to know!
Amy Skeoch, MHSc, RD
The birds are chirping, the snow is gone, it’s soon going to be summertime! For many parents that
means heading out to the sports fields to watch their kids have fun playing their favorite sport.
Being part of a team often means parents taking turns to bring a team “snack”. The act of kids snacking
during or after recreational sports brings up the question of whether or not kids even burn enough
calories to warrant the often high calorie/sugar snacks that are offered. If you do find yourself looking
for snack options why not take some healthier ones. Here are some ideas that will keep kids on the right
track to balance physical activity with fluid and energy needs, while keeping nutrition top of mind.
Beverages: It’s important to keep hydrated when being active and in hot weather. Unless your child is
playing at an elite level for a prolonged period of time (more than one hour of continuous activity) they
do not need sports drinks. Plain water is an ideal choice that will provide all the hydration they need.
Snacks: Skip the donuts, cookies, bars and popsicles -- these choices don’t provide much in the way of
nutrients and are often high in calories and added sugar.
Instead consider these options:
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Orange slices
Berries
Apple wedges
Grapes
Watermelon slices
Whole grain dry cereal
Cucumber slices
Carrot sticks
Melon balls/chunks
In addition to being lower in calories than items like donuts and cookies, these options also help kids get
more fruit, vegetables and fibre in their day and are less likely to take away from the child being hungry
for their next mealtime.
Source(s):
http://ottawahealth.tumblr.com/post/13636923303/myths-and-facts-about-physical-activity-that-all
http://coach.ca/fuel-for-fun-healthy-snacks-for-active-kids--p154664&language=en
5 Steps to Healthy Eating for Children Aged 4-11, Factsheet. Dietitians of Canada/Penn. 2014.
Photo credit: wikimedia commons
Kortright Hills Public School
Tuesday May 5th - 6:30 to 8 PM
Join us for a fun family evening of
music, dance, ethnic food and stories!
Have a cup of coffee and a cookie
Travel around the world with your very own passport
Enjoy live performances
Learn about the amazing things Guelph has to offer!
23 Ptarmigan Dr, Guelph, ON N1C 1B5
TRANSPORTATION NEWSLETTER
Fall Startup September 2015
Follow STWDSTS on Twitter!
STWDSTS will be using Twitter beginning
August 2015. You will be able to follow
us @stwdsts. Please make sure you
connect with us to hear about inclement
weather, cancellations and important
information.
IMPORTANT
.
New geographic areas have been
assigned to STWDSTS technicians.
You can find your technician by area at:
http://stwdsts.ca/home/schools/
JUNIOR, SENIOR KINDERGARTEN & NEW STUDENTS
If your child is new to the Ontario school system and has been registered
at a school prior to the end of June, transportation information will be
mailed to your mailing address on August 24, 2015.
NEW TO THE AREA (i.e. not registered at a school yet)
If you are new to the area please contact your school to register your
child. STWDSTS will not be accepting new student information over the
phone for security reasons. Any new students throughout the summer
will not receive transportation arrangements until they are registered at
their home school. Once this occurs, you can contact your school
directly to obtain your new busing information. Please note that
during start-up, busing could take up to 2 weeks to be arranged.
BUSING INFORMATION FOR EXISTING STUDENTS
If your child is an existing student, go to www.findmyschool.ca and
login to this secure site with your child’s OEN number (located on report
card), school name, birth date and house number. This will be available
after August 24h.
Subscription Service
Delays & Cancellations
Each year in August, due
to possible route changes or
e-mail alterations, we are
asking parents to resubscribe so you have the
most current, up to date
information.
To subscribe go to: https://
www.findmyschool.ca/
subscriptions/login.aspx and
follow the instructions.
BUS TAGS!
What are they?
Students in JK, SK and Gr
1 who ride a school bus will
receive a tag from their
school showing the student’s afternoon bus route
number and bus stop
location.
The identifying tag
should be worn
(preferably on his or her
backpack), by your child
every day throughout
the year.
This tag will assist drivers
in identifying students who
are required to be met by
a parent or guardian when
they are getting off
the bus.
Tags will be distributed at
the beginning of the school
year by your child’s school.
FAQ’s
How do I change my student's bus information AFTER
September?
Service de transport de Wellington-Dufferin Student Transportation Services
(STWDSTS) will no longer be accepting any changes to student information over the
phone for security reasons. Parents are asked to contact their school administration
directly about any changes to their address. All information will come from the school to
STWDSTS and will be consistent across the board.
Will my child be assigned to a school bus?
Transportation is assigned according to School Board policy. Your child must live within
your school’s attendance boundary and live further from school than the Maximum
Walking Distance assigned to your child’s grade level. Refer to STWDSTS Policy 002
Transportation Eligibility or go to www.stwdsts.ca and click on “Are you eligible”.
Can my child receive transportation from an alternate
address?
Both your home address and the alternate/caregiver address must be within your
school’s attendance boundary and meet the distance criteria for transportation. Be sure
to advise your school about alternate arrangements. The alternate address must be
used consistently 5 days per week and there must be room on the alternate bus.
Refer to STWDSTS Policy 034 - Transportation for Child Care.
May a student temporarily ride another bus while parent(s) or
guardian(s) are away?
All temporary transportation requests shall be refused, except under extraordinary
circumstances where the personal well-being of a student is at stake. Refer to STWDSTS
Policy 029 - Temporary Transportation Requests.
How do I apply for courtesy transportation?
Courtesy transportation is assigned based on the youngest of age (grade), then travel
distance to school, using available seats and existing stops. Courtesy assignments are not
done prior to October 31st of each year. To apply, refer to STWDSTS Policy 017 Courtesy Transportation and Form TF006.
Can my child’s bus stop be changed?
Requests for changes to bus stops should be submitted in writing for consideration (Form
TF033). Requests for changes to accommodate parent/caregiver convenience or health
issues will not be considered. No changes to bus stops are considered during the first
four weeks of school. All students are required to walk to/from their bus stops. Refer to
STWDSTS Policy 009 – Walking Distances to Bus Stop.
Who is responsible for my child’s safety prior to boarding the
bus and after disembarking from the bus?
The parent or guardian is responsible for their child’s safety prior to boarding the bus and
after they disembark from the bus. Refer to STWDSTS Policy 005 – Responsibilities of
Parents and Guardians.
Where do I find STWDSTS Policies?
Our policies can be found online at http://stwdsts.ca/home/policies/.
ONLINE PAYMENTS COMING SOON!
For safety and efficiency reasons, we want to reduce the amount of cash and cheques coming into our
school. School related expenses such as pizza days, field trips, spirit wear, yearbooks, etc. will be
available for online purchase. More information will be available soon.
School Cash Online
Benefits:
 Convenient:
 Easy to Use:
 Safe:
 Secure:
 Save Time:
Make payments anytime…Online!
Fill a shopping cart and check out
No need to send cash or cheques to school
Our website is protected and PCI compliant
It takes Less than 5 minutes to register