Kortright Hills Public School
23 Ptarmigan DriveGuelph, OntarioN1C 1B5(519)827-1601Fax (519)827-9251
Kirk Runciman, Principal
Anne Bonnar, Office Co-Ordinator
Julie Young, Vice Principal
Rosemary Coghlin, Administrative Assistant
Newsletter for February, 2013
From the Principal’s Desk
March Break is on the horizon, spring is just around
the corner, January has come and gone, and
February is upon us! First term has ended and report
cards go home on Friday, February 8, 2013. Report
card interviews may be arranged through your child’s
homeroom teacher. Please take the time to arrange
an interview and review your child’s progress.
We are all looking forward to the start of
second term with anticipation and a
“spring” in our step!
Kirk Runciman
Principal
A Warm Welcome from the Library
The FOREST of READING program has begun! All
students have been invited to participate in reading
a variety of nominated books; celebrating the best
Canadian authors and illustrators. Our school is
participating in six programs this year, each program
consists of ten books... that's 60 great new titles
for our library! Students who read at least 5 out
of the 10 nominated books in a single program will
be invited to attend a reading celebration and
vote for their favourite in late April! Votes from
our students will then be submitted to the Ontario
Library Association, along with those from schools
and libraries across Ontario. Forest of Reading
winners will be announced in May!
BLUE SPRUCE ~ Kindergarten - Grade 2
All Kindergarten, Grade 1 and Grade 2 students will
be visiting the library to listen to ten
fantastic picture books written by
Canadian authors over the next few
weeks. In April, each class will be
invited to a Blue Spruce celebration
and students will have the opportunity to vote for
their favourite book.
SILVER BIRCH EXPRESS ~ Grade 3 & 4
Grade 3 and 4 students are invited to read
a variety of books... three novels, one
graphic novel, two non-fiction books, and
four picture books. Students need to read
a minimum of 5 out of the 10 books to earn the
opportunity to vote for the Silver Birch Express
Award winner.
SILVER BIRCH FICTION & NON-FICTION
~ Grade 5 & 6
RED MAPLE FICTION & NON-FICTION
~ Grade 7 & 8
Students may choose to read from a set
of ten novels or ten non-fiction books.
Students may participate in both grade
appropriate programs (fiction and nonfiction), but they need to read a
minimum of 5 out of 10 books from each program to
earn the opportunity to vote for that program.
Upon completion of each book, all Grade 3 - Grade 8
students are asked to submit a reading response to
demonstrate their reading. Reading responses can
include blogging, book reviews, book covers, posters,
book trailers, summary, personal connection, or any
other creative way of sharing their thoughts about
the books. Reading responses do not have to be
written... video submissions are welcome too.
Students who are participating in the Forest of
Reading programs are asked to please return books
as soon as they have finished reading them so that
other students have access to them too. We do have
multiple copies of all of the novels, but the program
is very popular and we have over 130 students
participating (Grades 3 - 8). If families wish to read
the books together (shared reading or read aloud),
that is absolutely encouraged!
To view the books for each program, please visit the
library website Forest of Reading page. Links to the
blogs are also posted on the library website (
http://goo.gl/sDTuU ) or can be accessed through
UG2GO ( https://www.ugdsb.on.ca/ug2go ).
Thank you for your continued support of our library
programs!
Sheila Morgan
Teacher Librarian
sheila.morgan@ugdsb.on.ca
Library website:
https://sites.google.com/a/ugcloud.ca/khpslibrarylearning-commons/
Honouring Black History Month
Every year Canadians are invited to take part in the
festivities and events that
honour the legacy of Black
Canadians, past and present,
during Black History Month.
Black History Month exists to
remind us all of the rich
contributions within our society from people of
African and Caribbean decent, and of their ongoing
struggle for equity and social justice. This is a time
to celebrate the many achievements and
contributions of Black Canadians who, throughout
history, have done so much to make Canada the
culturally diverse, compassionate and prosperous
nation we know today. It is also an opportunity for
the majority of Canadians to learn about the
experiences of Black Canadians in our society, and
the vital role this community has played
throughout our shared history.
School Stuff
Kindergarten Registration
Kindergarten Registration will take place Monday,
February 4th to Friday, February 8th from 9:30 to
12:30 p.m. and from 2:00 to 3:00 pm. Due to a
staffing shortage, if you can come in the morning it
would be appreciated.
To register for junior kindergarten, your child must
be four years old on or before December 31st, 2013.
To register for senior kindergarten
(if your child is new to our school),
he/she must be five years old on or
before December 31st, 2013. If you
can’t register during this week, please
call the school office at 519-827-1601 to arrange an
alternate time. You must bring birth verification,
proof of address and your child’s immunization
record to register.
Family Day Holiday
The Upper Grand District School
Board will be observing Family Day on
Monday, February 18th and our school will be closed.
We hope you enjoy the day with your family!
March Break
Please remember that March Break for
students is from Monday,
March 11th to Friday, March
15th. School resumes on Monday, March
th
18 .
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 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.
Inclement Weather
It is a parent’s responsibility to determine whether
or not it is safe for their child(ren) to leave for
school in inclement or severe weather. Listen to
CJOY 1460 AM, CIMJ 106.1 FM, CKKW
1090 FM or CHYM 570 AM for weather
conditions.
You can also check the Board’s website
at www.ugdsb.on.ca by 6:30 a.m. for
information.
If a bus or taxi does not run in the morning, it will
NOT run in the afternoon. If a parent elects to
drive their child to school, they are responsible for
pick up too.
If your child’s bus is cancelled and you are not
driving them to school, please do NOT phone the
school. If your child usually walks to
school and you are keeping them
home due to inclement weather,
please phone the school and leave a
message stating that.
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.
Extra Clothes
Now that our weather is turning considerably colder,
it is a good idea to send along
some extra clothes with
your child. An extra pair
of dry socks and an extra
pair of mittens are always good things to
have tucked into the backpack
Fun in the Snow and Safety
This is a true story.....
A huge snow plow is clearing the
sides of the road when the operator
suddenly spots a child peeking his
head out of a snow bank just a few
yards ahead. A group of children are
playing in a tunnel they made in the show bank while
waiting for their school bus. The plow driver had
time to stop – this time.
Forts and tunnels are fun to build and the size of
snow banks at the edge of the road provides enough
of the white stuff to do this.
Passing snowplows and the debris
and ice they push can spell disaster
for a child who can be buried or
struck indirectly or directly. These
incidents often happen in early morning or evening
when it’s dark and children are playing. Plows are
loud and visibility is limited. Never assume an
operator can see you.
Remember – the edge of the road is not a play
area.
Thanks to the Wellington County OPP for this
message.
Student Absence
Please do not send your child to school
when he/she is not feeling well.
Students who don’t feel well, don’t
learn well. If you are keeping a child
home for any reason, please try to contact
the office with that information before
9:00 a.m. We have an answering machine that is
available every day, 24 hours a day. Please leave a
message at extension #200.
We have also had numerous parent notes requesting
that their child remain inside at recess time as (s)he
is still getting over being ill. In some cases there is
a need for them to stay indoors, i.e., broken limb.
Also, there are times when a doctor’s note is
required stating the reason why your child has to
stay indoors. It is not always possible to supervise
these children during recess and it
is expected that all children will go
outside at recess. Please consider
keeping your child at home an extra
day so (s)he can recover and return
prepared for the full school day.
Indoor Shoes
Parents are asked to ensure that all students have
indoor shoes (or running shoes). With the
wet weather outside, it is inevitable
that the floors will occasionally be
wet.
Not only is it unhealthy and dangerous for students
to walk around the floors of the school in socks,
students will not have a chance to change into their
footwear if there is a fire alarm or a drill.
Adopt-a–Family
Congratulations to all of our Kortright Hills families
who donated to Adopt-a-Family. As a result of your
generosity, we were able to provide our families with
a beautiful Christmas this year. Thanks to all for
your donations.
Grade 8 Parents
Please help us to keep your records up-to-date. If
your home telephone,
workplace/business and cell phone
numbers change, please contact the
office immediately.
Course option sheets for Centennial CVI were sent
out on Wednesday, January 30th. Please complete
and return them as soon as possible. If you have any
questions, please contact your child’s homeroom
teacher. Course option sheets are also
available for College Heights Secondary
School. A parent information night will
be held at Centennial on Thursday,
February 7th, at 7:00p.m.
Head Lice Watch
Sabrina’s Law
Information Updates
Winter is the time of year when head lice is most
common in our school. To try to keep it under
control, we ask parents to periodically check their
children’s hair and inform the school if head lice are
found.
Visitor Reminder
Adults entering the building are asked to come to
the office and sign in. If you are staying
to volunteer or as a visitor for an
event, 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.
Class Disruptions
A major goal for staff is to keep
disruptions in the classrooms to a
minimum during the school 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. 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.
Sabrina’s Law, an Act to Protect
Anaphylactic Pupils came into
effect January 1, 2006. Each
student with a life-threatening allergy
must have a detailed Life Threatening Illness
Management Plan. All staff have copies of these
plans and have training in the administration of the
epi-pen. Parent volunteers must be aware of these
plans as well. If you are volunteering in a classroom,
please check with your child’s teacher about any
students who have a Life Threatening Illness
Management Plan.
Allergies
Many students suffer daily from allergies. Reactions
to allergic substances vary from relatively mild
irritations, such as itchy eyes, sneezing, scratchy
throat, etc., to potentially fatal
conditions where the sufferer
experiences breathing problems
and/or anaphylactic shock. A
student who is allergic to
peanuts often falls in this
second category. There are
students at Kortright Hills P.S. who
react to nuts. Please be aware that
there may be restrictions in your
child’s class to protect a student with
such an allergy. We ask you to abide by any
restriction(s) that may be imposed in these cases
and in the case of nuts or nut products, we ask that
you avoid sending any to school.
Thank you for your co-operation.
Soy Butter
An Ontario company has created a product called
“Wow Butter”. It was previously known as “School
Safe Soy Butter”. It is meant as a safe replacement
and alternative to peanut butter. The problem is
that it would be difficult to tell the difference
between a peanut butter sandwich and that of one
made with “Wow Butter” or “School Safe Soy
Butter”. It could give students who cannot tell the
difference, the false impression that it is safe to
bring peanut butter sandwiches to school. This could
create a lot of confusion as well as a very unsafe
environment for our peanut anaphylactic student and
staff population. It may also require teachers to
spend more time monitoring lunches. Allowing this
product in the school, could easily make peanut/nut
allergic staff and students very uncomfortable and
undermine the safety of the classroom. Please do
not send this product to school with your child.
School Council
The School Council would like to remind parents that
food program installment cheques were deposited on
January 7, 2013. The final installment will be
deposited on April 2nd, 2013. As well, a reminder that
our school is participating in The Lunch Lady this
year. Parents can sign their children up online at any
time at www.thelunchlady.ca in order for them to
receive hot lunches once a week.
School Council is continuing to run our Mabel’s Labels
fundraiser. Please visit our website at
http://kortrighthills.mabelslabels.com to find labels
that will work for school, camp and daycare.
If you haven’t done so already, please take some
time to visit the KHPS library and look at the Parent
Resource Lending Library. The School Council has
purchased books on many subjects that parents may
be interested in. All Kortright parents are
encouraged to peruse the shelves and borrow some
books.
The next meeting of the School
Council is on Monday, February
25th, 2013 in the school library.
The meeting starts at 7:00pm. All
are welcome to attend.
From The Lunch Lady
Was healthier eating a New
Year’s resolution at your house?
If so, do you have a plan of
action? It’s easy to decide you
want to change … but knowing where to start and
following through is another matter altogether.
They say it takes 21-28 days to build a new habit and
in most cases 7 -8 offerings before for a child will
accept a new food. Nothing instant about that! But
don’t get discouraged. What counts is that you are
consistent and repetitively offer healthier options.
Here are some tips for success when it comes to
promoting healthier eating at home
• Always have a bowl of fruit on the table at
mealtime [read on to find out why]
•
Include something new when preparing your
meals.
•
Serve small amounts of the new item – There
can always be seconds!
•
Be a good role model - make sure you eat
what you prepare
•
Be casual when new foods are not eaten and
resist the urge to nag or bribe to achieve
your goal
•
DO NOT offer substitutes.
•
Remind anyone who did not finish their meal,
that there is a bowl of fruit on the table if
they are still hungry
•
In a few days try it again…. and again… and
again
It works!
FEBRUARY 2013
SUNDAY
Jan 27
3
MONDAY
Jan 28
Day 1
4
Day 1
12:40 Mad Science
TUESDAY
Jan 29
Day 2
5
Day 2
12:40 Go Girls
WEDNESDAY
Jan 30
THURSDAY
Day 3
Jan 31
Day 4
9:00 Kindergarten Vision Screening
11:30 Centennial Visits Re: Course
Selection
12:40 Mad Science
9:00 Kindergarten
Vision Screening
6
12:40 Mad Science
7
Day 4
Gr 1,2 & 3’s
“The Safe Side”
Day 3
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
1
Day 5
9:00 Graduation
Pictures
2
8
Day 5
1st Term Report Cards
Go Home
9
15
16
********* Kindergarten Registration *********
10
11
Day 1
12
Day 2
12:40 Go Girls
12:40 Mad Science
17
18
Family Day
School is Closed
13
Day 3
8:45 River Run Gr 1&2 (Bear Hunt)
11:50 VIP Gr 6’s Peer Pressure
1:45 VIP+ Gr 7’s Internet Mobile &
Social Networking Safety
2:30 VIP+ Gr 8’s Open Forum &
High School Resource Officers
14
Day 4
Valentine’s Day
6:30 Patrol Hockey
Game (Guelph Storm)
12:40 Mad Science
19
Day 1
20
Day 5
Day 2
21
Day 3
Day 2
28
Day 3
Science Olympics
Gr 5’s
22
Day 4
Mar 1
Day 4
12:40 Go Girls
12:40 Mad Science
24
25
Day 5
12:40 Mad Science
26
Day 1
12:40 Go Girls
27
12:40 Mad Science
23
February 2013
Winter Walk to School Day February 6th 2013
Walk to school or at school for daily physical activity, a healthier environment, safer streets, making
friends and ... having fun! Can’t walk to school? Hold a Winter Walk Day during school. Walk to the
local skating rink for a skate or hold a Winter carnival in the school yard at lunch.
TIPS FOR DRESSING FOR WINTER WALKING
• Keep hands and head covered to prevent heat loss
• On really cold days wear a scarf over your face and mouth
• Wear warm, waterproof boots
• Wear a warm coat that deflects the wind
• Woollen clothing helps to retain the heat
• Wear clothing or carry knapsacks with reflective material – it’s important to be seen
• If possible, change wet clothes at school – tuck an extra pair of socks and mitts into knapsacks
• Below -25oC is considered too cold for walking so move your walk in-doors or select another day
for outdoor activities or walking to school
The Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines suggests 60 minutes of moderate-to vigorous-intensity
physical activity daily. Make walking a part of your day.
Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health
1-800-265-7293 | www.wdgpublichealth.ca
info@wdgpublichealth.ca