Kortright Hills Public School
23 Ptarmigan Drive, Guelph, Ontario N1C 1B5 (519)-827-1601 Fax (519) 827-9251
Wendy Donaldson, Principal
Amy Ewing, Vice Principal
Della Broderick, Office Coordinator
Rosemary Coghlin, Administrative Assistant
6
Newsletter for March, 2015
From the Principal’s Desk
This past month has been filled with some wonderful
discussions about Nelson Mandela and the impact his
leadership has had on people around the world as part
of our celebrations for Black History Month. The
theme "The Power of Sport" has focused our attention
on learning about influential black athletes in Canada
as well as Nelson Mandela's beliefs that sport was a
way to bring people together. We have been talking
about the importance of valuing people's unique gifts
and the contributions individuals make in our
community to make it stronger. Over the last few
weeks we have been sharing daily announcements,
participating in cooperative games each morning with
our school World Teams (K-8 groupings) and attending
a school wide assembly to celebrate the leadership and
legacy of Nelson Mandela. Our students have been
very interested in his work and have reflected on our
school and where we are doing well to live by these
ideals and where we can work harder to improve. They
were able to make links to our PINK anti-bullying day
and our Arts and Entertainment evening that raised
money for Women in Afghanistan as recent examples
of the work we are doing to support the right for
equality and respect.
Students were also able to make connections to the
fact that we are working to develop our skills at
tackling difficult tasks and this was exactly what
Nelson Mandela did when he fought for peoples' rights
to equality in South Africa and around the world. I
have been very proud of the work being done at
Kortright and the commitment our staff, parents and
students have made to reflect on our practices and
see how we can improve to ensure our community is
welcoming and valuing
the unique gifts each
of us brings.
Library News
Our Grade 1 - 3 students enjoyed a visit from local
author, Nicole Abouhalka. Nicole told the students
her story about a polar bear that appeared on her
back deck one day. Thanks Nicole for visiting our
school, sharing your personal story of perseverance,
and your generous donation of books.
Kevin Sylvester, author of the Neil Flambe detective
series and many sports books, entertained our Grade 4
- 6 students last month. Kevin taught our students
some valuable life lessons (Be Great, Work Hard, Keep
Trying, Learn to Look After Yourself), and also
treated students to an art lesson!
I am looking forward to seeing
some great illustrations from our
students in the future.
Kindergarten - Grade 2 students
will be voting for their favourite
Blue Spruce book in late March. Look for more
information to come home soon about the Blue Spruce
voting celebrations!
The Forest of Reading program for Grade 3 - 8
students will continue throughout March and into
April. Students are enjoying a wide variety of
Canadian fiction and non-fiction books. Students are
reminded to return their books promptly so that
others can read them too. Voting will take place in
late April. Which books will be the KHPS winners?
Several boxes of new books have recently arrived in
our library! Drop by to find your new favourite author
or series. Don't forget to pick up some books to read
over the March Break. As always,
please return your books to the
library as soon as you have finished
with them, especially the new ones as they are very
popular and often others are waiting to enjoy them
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
School Stuff
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.
school, if they should be picking up on the other side
of the street. During the first few days and weeks of
school, we tend to not pay attention to the traffic and
have had a couple close calls with students crossing
Ptarmigan, not at the cross-walk, being encouraged by
parents on the other side of the road.
We ask that you not block anyone’s driveway when
picking up your child(ren). Please be respectful of our
neighbours.
Please choose safety over convenience!
Inclement Weather
It is the parents’ responsibility to determine whether
or not it is safe for his or her child to leave for school
in inclement or severe weather. A parent must be
aware of the following:
• 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.
•
Dogs on School Property
It is a policy of the Upper Grand District School Board
that dogs, and other family pets, not be on school
property during supervision and school hours for the
safety of our students unless special permission has
been given. We as a school understand that it is
wonderful to be able to walk to school with your
children and your family pet. We would ask that
parents, who decided to bring their pets to school with
them, please walk their children to the perimeter of
the school property and watch their children walk onto
school property rather than bringing your pet with you.
If you have any concerns about this, please do not
hesitate to contact the school office. Thanks very
much for your support!
Safety, Safety, Safety!
The front of the school is a very busy place between
8:30 a.m. and 8:50 a.m. and 3:15 p.m. and 3:35 p.m.
Buses, cars and students are prominent during these
times and parents are reminded to respect
the safety measures that are in place.
The parking lots of the school are
not to be used as drop off points
for our students. Parking is
available in designated areas along
Ptarmigan Drive, Merganser Drive and
Mallard Court. Parents are also reminded to have their
children cross at the cross-walk at the front of the
While we have an excellent transportation
system, buses may be delayed in the morning
due to traffic, poor road conditions,
mechanical breakdowns, etc.
To ensure your child is not stranded at his/her pick-up
point; please make sure they know what to do and
where to go if their bus is more than 15 minutes late.
Listen for messages on your local radio station for
the City of Guelph - Yellow Card.
Winter Dressing
We try to go outside for each recess
and we do monitor the weather
carefully. Our students need
fresh air and love to play
outside. Students have one outside 15
minute recess and a 40 minute outside
lunch recess each day. All students are
expected to be outside for fresh air and activity.
Thus, students must dress appropriately for winter
weather. Thank you to all parents for providing hats,
snowsuits, scarves, mittens and footwear for your
children.
In the event of inclement weather, students will be
supervised inside the school.
Bus/Taxi Cancellations
During times of inclement weather, please listen to our
local radio stations: 1460 AM CJOY, 106.1 Magic FM or
900 AM CHML, 107.9 FM CJXY, Oldies 1090 AM,
105.3 FM CHYM, 1150 AM CKOC, 102.9 FM CKLH, 820
AM CHAM, CKCO-TV for school transportation
cancellations. Information on bus/taxi cancellations
and school closures are also posted on the Upper
Grand District School Board’s website:
www.ugdsb.on.ca.
If your child(ren) regularly
travel(s) by bus, parents do not
need to inform the school when
the buses are cancelled. If,
however, your child(ren) regularly walk to school, you
are asked to leave a message on the 24 hr attendance
line (519 827-1601 ext. 200) for any absence or late
arrival.
PLEASE NOTE: On days when buses/taxis are
cancelled, unless otherwise informed, the school will
be open and a regular school program will be offered.
Also, if parents of bus students drive their child(ren)
in the morning, they must also pick them up at 3:20
p.m.
Weather for Safety Patrols
At minus 25° Celsius (including the wind chill), safety
patrol duty is reduced to the last five minutes of the
morning scheduled time and the first
five minutes of the afternoon
scheduled time. Parents and patrols
should check the local radio stations or
internet weather reports for
temperature readings.
Dates to Remember
March 16-20th
April 3rd & 6th
April 24th
May 18th
June 5th
June 26th
March Break School Closed
Easter Break School Closed
P.A. Day
No Classes
Victoria Day School Closed
P.A. Day
No Classes
P.A. Day
No Classes
March Break
Just a reminder that the March Break is
Monday, March 16th to Friday, March
20th. School will resume on Monday, March
23rd.
Easter Break
Just a reminder that the Easter Break is on
Friday, April 3rd and Monday, April 6th. The
school is closed on these dates and classes
will resume again on Tuesday, April 7th.
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.
Homework for Family Trips
We have reached the time of year when
many families plan trips to exotic
locations. This has become evident
because the number of requests for homework from
teachers has increased sharply. Parents are asking for
work that their child(ren) will be missing so that they
won’t fall behind. Teachers are not always able to
provide this advance work for students. A valid
alternative that parents should consider is having their
child(ren) complete daily journals or researching local
features. This is very practical and educational. It
also is something he/she can present to classmates
and teachers when they return to school.
Class Disruptions
A major goal for staff is not to disrupt classes during
the day. To assist them in this goal,
the office will keep interruptions to
a minimum. If parents are bringing
in something for their child(ren),
please bring these items to the
office with their name and grade on
it or complete the drop-off form provided in the
office. These items will be distributed at recess
breaks throughout the day. Parents picking up
students are asked to come to the office and wait for
their children to meet them.
Reminder
Adults entering the building are asked to come to the
office and sign in. Please do not walk your child(ren)
to their classroom without checking into the
office first. If you are staying to
volunteer or as a visitor, please pick up and
wear the appropriate badge from the office.
Adults in our building who are not wearing a visitor’s
badge will be asked to return to the office to sign in.
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. While this date has already passed it is
important to talk to your children about internet
safety everyday. 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_Self
PeerExploitation_en.pdf
https://www.cybertip.ca/pdfs/C3P_SafetySheet_Cyb
erbullying_en.pdf
Parents, If Your Kids Have Any of These
10 Dangerous Apps, It’s Time to Hit
“Delete”
Sex educator Megan Maas has the scoop on 10 apps
that can be very dangerous
for your kids, and what you
need to know about them.
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
with little to no privacy or control once they are
posted.
1. Tinder: An app that is used for hooking-up and
dating. Users can rate profiles and find potential
hook-ups via GPS location tracking. 450 million profiles
are rated every day! The good news is this app pulls
information from user’s Facebook profiles, so it is
more authenticated than other apps.
2. Snapchat: This app allows a user to send photos
and videos to anyone on his/her friend list. The sender
can determine how long the receiver can view the
image and then the image “destructs” after the
allotted time.
3. Blendr: A flirting app used to meet new people
through GPS location services. You can send messages,
photos, videos, rate the hotness of other users, etc.
4. Kik Messenger: An instant messaging app with over
100 million users that allows users to exchange videos,
pics and sketches. Users can also send YouTube videos
and create memes and digital gifs.
5. Whisper: Whisper is an anonymous confession app.
It allows users to superimpose text over a picture in
order to share their thoughts and feelings
anonymously. However, you post anonymously, but it
displays the area you are posting from. You can also
search for users posting within a mile
from you.
6. Ask.fm: Ask.fm is one of the most
popular social networking sites that is
almost exclusively used by kids. It is a Q&A site that
allows users to ask other users questions while
remaining anonymous.
7. Yik Yak: An app that allows users to post text-only
“Yaks” of up to 200 characters. The messages can be
viewed by the 500 Yakkers who are closest to the
person who wrote the Yak, as determined by GPS
tracking.
8. Poof: This app allows users to make
other apps “disappear” on their phone.
Kids can hide any app they don’t want you
to see by opening the app and selecting
other apps.
9. Omegle: This app is primarily used for video
chatting. When you use Omegle, you do not identify
yourself through the service. Instead, chat
participants are only identified as “You” and
“Stranger.” However, you can connect Omegle to your
Facebook account to find chat partners with similar
interests. When choosing this feature, an Omegle
Facebook App will receive your Facebook “likes” and
try to match you with a stranger with similar likes.
10. Down: This app, which
used to be called Bang With
Friends, is connected to
Facebook. Users can
categorize their Facebook
friends in one of two ways:
They can indicate whether or not a friend is someone
they’d like to hang with or someone they are “down” to
hook-up with.
The most important thing you can do as
a parent to protect your children from dangers that
are associated with the use of these apps is to talk
with them frequently about their social lives. You can
start by establishing yourself as an approachable
parent and talking with them early and often about
sexuality and romantic relationships. Without a strong
bond and open communication,
trying to regulate and monitor
Internet use won’t be very
effective. However, setting
technology boundaries (when and
where they access the Internet) and monitoring their
online behavior can be effective if you have a strong
foundation to build on. You can access a list of
monitoring software that is recommended here. Just
remember to keep on top of it; there is no software
that can eliminate risk or the need to parent.
Ultimately, your goal is to raise an individual who can
manage his/her online and offline behavior in a healthy
way because he/she wants to. The process starts with
you nurturing a strong emotional bond, leading by
example and setting the boundaries.
You can do it!
Are you a parent of a student who has
special needs?
This is an exciting time in Ontario as four government
Ministries are working together to develop a new
system of services and supports for children and
youth with special needs and their families. The
Dufferin-Wellington Special Needs Strategy planning
table would like to hear from you! Focus groups will be
held from March 2-10, 2015. If you can’t attend a
focus group, complete our survey March 6-22, 2015.
Please visit the website below to learn how to
participate.
http://dufferinwellingtonspecialneedsstrategy.weebly.
com/
Help Your Child to be More Resilient
Life can be stressful for both children and their
parents. When children learn how to handle challenging
situations in positive ways and to bounce back after a
negative experience they become more resilient.
Resilient people are happier, healthier and more
successful in life. Children learn resiliency skills from
the adults in their lives. Here are some ideas to help
you to build resilience in your child:
1. Build a caring and trusting relationship: listen
to your child and talk about their day, share
cuddles or hugs, play or do activities together.
2. Think positive: each evening ask your child to
share a positive thing that happened during
their day. You could share something positive
that happened in your day too!
3. Gently challenge your child’s negative
thinking: If your child has had a stressful
experience, acknowledge their feelings and
help your child see that experience as only one
of many things that happened that day: “It
sounds as if Max really hurt your feelings by
not inviting you to play hockey. Did you play
with him at another time? Did you play with
some of your other friends?”
4. Build confidence: allow your child to do things
independently as often as possible; such as
getting dressed , helping to make dinner,
wrapping a birthday gift, helping with a chore.
Only give guidance if absolutely necessary.
5. Allow your child to feel that he or she has
control over his or her life: allow your child
to make age-appropriate decisions, such as
what to wear, a choice of what to have in their
lunch (“would you like a banana or yogurt?”),
what book to read before bedtime, what movie
to watch on the weekend.
6. Model and practice calming: When you are
dealing with a difficult situation show your
child how you calm yourself down. Practice
calming with your child (deep breathing,
counting to 10, going to a quiet place).
7. Model coping: when you have a problem, talk to
your child about how you solved the problem
calmly. What did you think about as you were
solving your problem?
8. Build your child’s coping strategies: Help your
child think through a challenge. Help your child
to know that the issue is just temporary and
that he or she can solve the problem. Support
your child in coming up with a solution.
In supporting your child in building resiliency skills you
are developing a positive outlook that will last a
lifetime. For more information on resiliency please go
to the website below.
Source: Reaching In, Reaching out Website:
http://www.reachinginreachingout.com/resourcesparents.htm
Important Information from
Public Health Department
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 1-800-265-7293 ext. 4396. You can also
book an appointment for your child’s immunization at
any Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph 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-
265-7293 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 up-to-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.
From School Council
We will once again be holding our popular Maple Syrup
fundraiser in March. This year there will be additional
bottle sizes to choose from and all money raised will
be going toward the installation of new equipment in
the expanded Kindergarten Play area, as well as
beautification of the entire school playground. Forms
will be sent home shortly, so please watch for them!
The school council continues to plan for our MultiCultural Event which will be held in early May. If you
are interested in joining the planning committee or
have an idea for a group/organization that would like
to attend the event, please contact a member of the
school council.
Please be reminded the final
installment for the Food
Programs will be deposited the
first week of April.
The next school council meeting will be Monday, March
23rd at 7pm, in the school library.
All are welcome!
THINK SPRING
March 2015
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
1 Safety
Patrols Storm
Game 2:00pm
2
Day 5
Maple Syrup
Fundraiser Start
3
8
Daylight Savings
Time Begins
9
10
Day 1
VIP Gr. 6’s
Gr. 7’s & 8’s
Police Presentation
Day 5
Day 1
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
4 Purim
Day 2
Scientist in the School
Grade 3’s
Mad Science
5
Day 3
6
Day 4
Jr. Basketball
Tournament
Gr. 3 Music Festival
Band Festival
7
11
12
Day 3
13
14
Day 2
Day 4
Maple Syrup Orders Due
Mad Science
15
16
17
18
19
St. Patrick’s Day
20
First Day of Spring
21
28
MARCH BREAK - SCHOOL IS CLOSED
22
29
23
Day 5
24
Day 1
7:00pm
School Council
Meeting
Gd 3/4’s River Run
30
31
Day 5
25
Day 2
26
Day 3
27
April 2
Day 3
April 3
Day 4
Mad Science
Day 1
April 1
Day 2
Gr 7 Boys & Girls Hep B
#2 Vacination
Gr 8 Girls HPV #3
Vacination
GOOD FRIDAY
SCHOOL IS CLOSED
April 4
Your Input Can Change the Future!
This is an exciting time in Ontario as we work together
to develop a new system of services and supports for children and youth
with special needs and their families.
We would like to hear from
parents, caregivers and service providers
who support children and youth
as we develop a new system in our area that includes:
• coordinated services for children with multiple or complex needs
• making occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech and
language therapy services more integrated from birth through the
school years.
How?
Visit our website below for information on:
• Focus groups March 2 – 10, 2015 - how to register,
locations and times
• If you can’t attend a focus group, how to complete our
survey between March 6 – 22, 2015
http://dufferinwellingtonspecialneedsstrategy.weebly.com/
or call 1-888-372-2259 ext 1588
Information for Parents About Substance Use
Homewood Community Addiction Services (CADS) offers support to youth, ages 14 to
24, who are interested in making changes regarding their substance use or gambling,
or who require support in coping with the effects of someone else’s substance use or
gambling.
Colin McVicker is available to speak with youth in local high schools or at the Homewood
CADS office, located at 155 Delhi Street, Guelph, ON. Services are confidential and
free. To contact Colin, please call 519.820.6406 or 519.836.5733, extension 2396.
Services for youth are also available at our Orangeville and North Wellington offices
(519.942.2361) or our Fergus office (519.787.7015.)
Below are some common misconceptions surrounding drug use:
• You have to use daily to have a problem
• There is no risk to marijuana use
• Things can only get better when the one with the problem gets help
• Substance abuse doesn’t affect anyone other than the one using the drugs/alcohol
When deciding if there is a problem with the substance or gambling pattern, often the
question becomes…”Do I control it, or does it control me?”
CADS has a Social Worker who provides support and education to parents concerned
about their teen’s substance abuse, safety and well-being. Substance abuse puts great
strain on parents, who benefit from support and education to better understand
substance abuse and to develop the knowledge and skills for coping with challenging
behaviours. Your role as a parent continues to be very important during the teenage
years. It may seem as though your teen is “tuning you out,” but studies show that
parents have a significant influence on their teens when it comes to alcohol and drug
use. Parents want to train their children to take care of themselves in the world. It is
important to encourage growth and independence through boundary-setting,
communication and being a good role model. To access support call the main office
at the number above.
TIPS FOR HELPING YOUR CHILD STAY DRUG-FREE
• Accept the role of parent as your responsibility - let others be their friend
• Make parenting a priority - be there
• Educate yourself about substance abuse and problems facing youth today
• Be aware that many people in the community put children’s buying power above
children’s well-being - don’t expect the community to reinforce family values
• Don’t assume that the parents of all your children’s friends have the same rules
you do - some have different rules, some have no rules at all
• Give clear messages about your expectations - be specific about how you expect
them to behave
A part of Homewood Health
TM
• Clearly state the consequences when child fails to follow family rules consequences are not negotiable
• Enforce stated consequences when the family rules are broken - children
who don’t follow family rules today may break society’s laws tomorrow
• Believe that children want rules to guide them – allow them to feel you are
the “bad guy”
• Remember that teenagers need parental supervision as much as toddlers
do - it’s just a different kind of supervision
• If necessary, love your children enough to let them hate you - for a while
• Know that children are never too big for a hug - even when they are grown
Caron Treatment Center 12/08/2012
INFORMATION ABOUT PRESCRIPTION PAIN KILLERS
What parents need to know
More than two-thirds of students (67%) using opioid painkillers non-medically
reported getting the medication from home.
How can parents prevent problems?
Education and controlled access can help reduce the risk of opioid misuse, especially by youth. Model safe and appropriate use of medication and other legal
substances you use, such as alcohol.
What are signs of an overdose?
Opioids slow down the part of the brain that controls breathing. Signs of overdose include slow breathing, bluish skin and coma (the person won’t “wake
up.”) If you suspect an overdose, call 911 immediately.
camh
WHERE CAN I GET HELP?
Homewood Community Addiction Services at 519.836.5733 or HERE 24/7 at
1.844.437.3247
ConnexOntario’s Drug and Alcohol Helpline at 1.800.565.8603 or
www.connexontario.ca
HOMEWOOD HEALTH CENTRE
www.homewoodhealth.com
11/2014
March Environmental & Character Education Theme
Walk and bike more – be SELF-DISCIPLINED
The climate is changing, and the impacts on the planet could be substantial. Due to burning
fossil fuels such as coal, gas and oil we have dramatically increased the amount of carbon
dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere and the temperatures are rising. When we burn fossil fuels,
we create two main kinds of pollution: greenhouse gases and smog-causing pollutants. Smog
has been linked to many health problems, from respiratory diseases to cancer. We need fewer
cars on the road. So what is the answer? What can you do about it? You can walk or bike to
school, or your friend’s house or the store. It is good for the environment and it is good for you
too. There are plenty of great reasons to walk to school — less traffic, safer streets, cleaner air
— but one of the best is that you will be healthier. Lack of physical activity is a major cause of
chronic illness and fatigue. Being fit helps you feel better, and a morning walk helps you to be
more alert and more ready to learn at school. So find a friend and ask them to walk to school
with you too.
If every Canadian left their car at home just one day a week, we would save about 3.8 million
tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions each year – the equivalent of taking about 800,000 cars
off the road.
The I CAN WALK pledge (found online at icanwalk.ca) asks you to identify locations in your
community that you could easily and safely walk or bike to, then pledge to use active
transportation instead of driving. You’ll save one pound of carbon dioxide for every kilometer
you don’t drive!
Stop pollution, we’ve got the solution – walk to school! Let’s go green, everyone!
Talking About Mental Health – Anger and Calm March 2015
When one of my children was about 8 years old, he had a lot of anger in him. He would shout, slam things, throw
things, break things and stomp about. When he got very angry, it was upsetting for all of us, but particularly for
him. He did not like the way he felt when was angry, but it seemed to come on so fast. He would quickly feel out of
control and then feel upset afterward about what had happened. So, when he was calm, we talked about his
anger. We drew pictures and read stories about dealing with anger. And he told me “Mom, when I am angry, don’t
talk to me, just let me go to my room and be angry, when I feel less angry I will talk to you”. So the next time, he
was angry and started yelling, I started to say “What is making you so angry?”, but he stopped me and said “Mom,
you promised you wouldn’t talk to me when I am angry and would let me just go to my room”. It was hard not to
try to solve the problem, but I let him just go to his room and yell and throw things. After about 30 minutes, he
came down and we talked about what was up. He knew he did not like being angry and needed to gain some more
skills to be able to deal with his anger. He decided he wanted to do meditation to help with his anger, which he
did, and over time, it helped a lot.
We all get angry. Different things set off different people. We all have our pet peeves and our easy triggers. Often
our child/youth know how easy some of our buttons are to push. When our child/youth gets angry, it is hard not
to get upset and respond in anger. But we all know that does not usually result in the best outcome. Here are
some tips for dealing with anger in your child/youth and yourself.
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Don’t respond to anger with anger. It is hard not to, but yelling at our child/youth when they get angry
makes everyone feel out of control and increases the anger. No one likes the feeling of being out of
control. The best thing you can do is remain calm and not feed the fire of the anger. Have compassion for
your child and how they are feeling.
Don’t try to reason with an angry person. When someone is angry, they are not able to process what you
are saying. Their brain space and energy is taken up by the anger and they don’t have much space left to
think, process and reason. Instead, wait to have the conversation until you have both calmed down.
Pay attention to how you are reacting. When dealing with someone who is angry, often our heart rate
increases and the adrenaline begins to pump. The trick is for you to have already practiced how to stay
calm, so when you are in these challenging situations, you know how to calm yourself. By staying calm,
you are not engaging in a power struggle, which escalates the anger.
Allow your child/youth time to be angry. Allow them a safe place to let off steam. So long as they are not
hurting themselves or others, let them be angry and safely calm down. It also teaches them that feeling
angry is OK and we can learn how to process our anger in a safe way.
Give consequences for the behaviour, not the emotion. Teach your child/youth that whatever they feel is
OK and it is OK to feel frustrated and angry. However, there are still rules and consequences. Don’t
negotiate or change the rules when trying to get an angry child to calm down. In the moment, the focus is
on calming strategies. After the child is calm, then a have a discussion of safe ways to express anger.
Take a break. For most of us, we need a break from the person and situation, so allow your child to take a
break. This helps our kids to calm down and also allows ourselves to calm down as well.
Make a plan. When everyone is calm, talk with your child/youth about what helps them stay calm and
what calms them down when they are upset. Create a plan of what things the child/youth finds calming
and empower them to use those strategies. It could be music, breathing exercises, relaxation exercises,
physical activity, drawing or just being on their own for a bit. Whatever works for them is included in the
plan. Calming strategies that a child/youth will use when angry need to be taught and practiced regularly,
so they can be used when the situation arises. Include strategies to keep calm and decrease frustration
and then what to do when they feels really angry. Having a plan makes you and your child/youth feel like
you have some control over the anger. The child/youth knows that the anger does not control them,
because they know what to do when it happens.
Role model appropriate responses to anger. Show your child/youth how you deal with anger. You can say
things such as “I am getting frustrated, so I am going to take a break” or “I can’t talk to you right now,
because I am upset. I am going to calm down then we can talk”. Admitting that you are angry and need to
calm down is not a weakness. It takes strength to talk about your feelings. You are teaching your children
the lesson that it is good to talk about your feelings and that we can manage our anger by using our
coping skills.
Here is a link to a great video of kids explaining what it feels like to be angry and how breathing helps:
Just Breathe. by Julie Bayer Salzman & Josh Salzman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVA2N6tX2cg
Dr. Lynn Woodford is the Mental Health and Addiction Lead for Upper Grand District School Board
Follow me on twitter: @drlynnwoodford
Upcoming Special Education Workshops for Students and Parents
Here are some upcoming dates for both Wellington County and the surrounding area for
families looking for opportunities and information about Special Education.
Some upcoming dates for Wellington County:
Indoor Playground Family Event with Autism Ontario - Wellington Chapter
Time: March 1st, 9:00am-10:00am Location: Funmazing Play Centre (Imperial Rd. N.,
Guelph)
Registration: Visit http://goo.gl/rdZ6sg Contact: Jennifer Dent,
jennifer@autismontario.com or (226) 748-3372
Families are invited to come out and enjoy Funmazing Play Centre in Guelph. We will
have full, exclusive use including play structure, arcade games, Piñata pit, and a car
track! Don’t forget to bring socks (Caregivers included). Registration is required. This
event is open to children with ASD, their siblings and caregivers only. Spaces are
limited.
Some upcoming dates for the surrounding area:
Understanding the Impacts of Learning Disabilities
March 25, 2015, 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.Learning Disabilities Association Toronto District ,121
Willowdale Avenue, Suite 100, Toronto, Ontario M2N 6A3
This workshop will focus on understanding the impacts of LD on children and their
families and will offer strategies for how to help children cope at home, school and play.
Fee: Members: $10, Non Members: $15, Registration at the Door: $20
Solutions for Learning - Minds That Matter Conference (March 26, 2015)The Learning
Disabilities Association of Halton hosts their 4th annual Solutions for Learning
Conference, Thursday March 26th, 2015 at the Holiday Inn Burlington Hotel and
Conference Centre
Parents, educators and associated para professionals will gather together for this full
day of sharing and learning about learning disabilities and/or ADHD. Multiple speakers
and breakout sessions offers something for everyone. Breakfast and lunch included.
Complete registration details, program description and information about hotel
accommodations can be found on the website: www.ldahalton.ca.
Learning Disabilities Association of Toronto Understanding the Impacts of Learning
Disabilities
March 25, 2015, 7-8:30pm Learning Disabilities Association Toronto District, 121
Willowdale Avenue, Suite 100, Toronto
This workshop will focus on understanding the impacts of LD on children and their
families and will offer strategies for how to help children cope at home, school and play.
Fee: Members: $10, Non Members: $15, Registration at the Door: $20
The Autism Compass: Your resource roadmap to help you navigate your ASD journey
Sunday, March 29th from 11am -3pm at The Abilities Centre, Whitby
Feeling lost and unclear as to what Autism is and means for your child? No clue what is
available for them? Want to understand what they’re entitled to? Look no further! This
FREE Event is here to help you on your Autism Journey! Offered by Autism's Angels
and Autism Ontario-Durham Region.
Learning Disabilities Association of Toronto Education Law for Parents of Children with
Learning Disabilities
April 8, 2015, 7-8:30pm Learning Disabilities Association Toronto District, 121
Willowdale Avenue, Suite 100, Toronto
Anne Irwin is a lawyer who focuses her practice on representing children in the area of
education law. She is dedicated to informing parents about education law to enable
them to better advocate on behalf of their children in the school system. In this
workshop parents will learn about various aspects of education law, including the rights
of “exceptional” children under the Education Act, and how the Human Rights Code
protects students with disabilities. Fee: Members: $10, Non Members: $15, Registration
at the Door: $20
Learning Disabilities Association of Toronto Bullying Prevention
April 22, 2015, 7-8:30pm Learning Disabilities Association Toronto District, 121
Willowdale Avenue, Suite 100, Toronto
It is important for parents to recognize the signs of bullying and take action to ensure
kids are protected. This workshop will help parents understand bullying from a child’s
perspective, present the warning signs to look out for, provide strategies to improve
communication with their children and discuss proactive steps parents can take to keep
kids safe. Fee: Members: $10, Non Members: $15, Registration at the Door: $20
Kids Ability Sleep Solutions for Tired Parents
May 20, 2015 Kids Ability, 500 Hallmark Drive, Waterloo
This workshop will focus on understanding anxiety and sharing strategies to support you
and your child in managing circumstances that are challenging for your child Free
http://www.kidsability.ca/en/EventArchive
Learning Disabilities Association of Toronto Successful Transitioning
May 22, 2015, 7-8:30pm Learning Disabilities Association Toronto District, 121
Willowdale Avenue, Suite 100, Toronto
Mitchell Curci has worked in the area of special education for over 35 years. He
currently supports LDATD as a Community Outreach & Education Advocacy specialist.
This presentation is designed to help parents better understand the transition process of
students with exceptionalities as they move from elementary to high school and then on
to post-secondary. Fee: Members: $10, Non Members: $15, Registration at the Door:
$20