BRANT AVENUE PUBLIC SCHOOL
64 Brant Avenue, Guelph, Ontario N1E 1G2
519-824-2671
Fax: 519-824-6159
Mair Ann Gault, Principal
Renate Smith, Office Co-ordinator
OCTOBER 2013
PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE
What an active little school we have!
Once again this year I have been
overwhelmed with all the positive things
happening in our building.
Here are some just to name a few:
-
-
-
-
-
Coffee Hour (every Friday 9:00
am in the community room – just
drop in with your pre-school aged
children!) - Hosted by the Brant
Neighbourhood Group
Action Read Parent and Child
Reading Program– Tuesday
mornings – Community Room
Zumba (Wednesdays) and
Yoga (Mondays) – Hosted by
Guelph Community Health Centre
Youth Nights – Starting soon!
Thursday nights – hosted by Brant
Neighbourhood Group
Community Garden Club –
Wednesdays after school – run by
Mr. Reeves
-
-
After School Program – Hosted
by the Brant Neighbourhood
Group – starting again soon
The Running and Reading
Program – hosted by Start2Finish
and community partners and
volunteers
Circle of Security Programstarting Oct. 24, 6:15pm hosted
by Canadian Mental Health
Association
All of these activities are FREE!
Additionally, on September 26th, our
school hosted a fabulous “Bring your
Parent or Guardian to Breakfast”
Open House event from 8:45 am to 10:30
am. The event was free of charge and
breakfast was provided by funds from a
Parent’s Reaching Out Grant and a
donation by Zehrs. The morning was
very well attended with approximately
400 people present.
After
breakfast,
parents
visited
classrooms, met their children’s teachers
and did some learning activities with their
children. This year we added a new
dimension to the morning. Many of our
community partners including: our
School Council, Brant Neighbourhood
Group, Guelph Community Health
Centre, The Running and Reading
Program, the Guelph Police, Public
Health,
Canadian
Mental
Health
Association, and Healthy Living Peer
Leaders set up booths in the library that
students and their parents and guardians
visited throughout the morning. The
event was a huge success.
I am so looking forward to the
adventures the rest of the year will
bring as we work together with our
students, their families and our
community partners.
Sincerely
Mair Ann Gault 
IMPORTANT – EARLY DISMISSAL
P.A. DAY
We are proud of our grade 3 and 6
students.
There will a Professional Activity
Afternoon on Friday, October 25th.
Please note that there is school for
students on the morning of October 25th.
Dismissal will be at 12:05 p.m. Bus
students will be boarding the bus at
12:15 pm and dropped off at their
regular bus stops. Please arrange to
have someone meet your child early.
As a staff, we continue to examine
student data and assessment to help
inform us how to improve teaching and
learning as a school.
WALK TO SCHOOL DAY
Walking is the world’s simplest and most
efficient exercise. International Walk to
School Day is on Wednesday, October
Please support W.D.G. Public
9th.
Health’s initiative in promoting good
health.
PROGRESS REPORTS/INTERVIEWS
Progress reports will be going home on
Thursday, November 14th.
This
progress report will provide students and
parents with early and specific feedback
on the progress made during the first two
months of school year. It will tell you
how your child is doing in all subjects
using words: “progressing very well”,
“progressing well”, or “progressing with
difficulty”.
Interviews will be held on Friday,
November 22nd. Please contact Mrs.
Smith, our school secretary, at
519-824-2671 to set up your interview
appointments.
EQAO RESULTS
EQAO has released the results of testing
carried out last May. Parents can view
our overall school results for grades 3
and 6 by accessing our school website:
http://eqaoweb.eqao.com/eqaoweborgpr
ofile/profile.aspx?_Mident=4189&Lang=
E and looking for the EQAO Results tab
located on the left side of the webpage.
BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL
SUPERVISION
Please be advised that outside
supervision does not begin until 8:40 in
the morning. We request that children do
not arrive at school before that time, as
there are no teachers/staff watching
them and colder weather is coming.
Also, outside supervision after school
ends at 3:30.
Please remind your
child(ren) to go directly home or to their
caregiver after school. We want to
ensure that your students are safely on
their way.
REMINDER
Before and after school our crossing
patrols put up traffic cones to remind
parents not to come into the parking
lot.
This is for the safety of our
students. Parents who drive into the lot
put our students and our patrols at risk.
If you are picking up your child(ren),
please ask them to meet you at the side
of the road in front of the school.
ABSENCES AND LATE ARRIVALS
It is very important that you phone the
school if your child is going to be late for
any reason. (There is an answering
machine on twenty-four hours a day so
please use this system to keep us
informed). We will contact you when
our attendance check indicates that your
child is absent and we have not heard
from you. When your child arrives to
school late, please make sure that they
check into the main office for a late slip.
SCHOOL COUNCIL
Our next school council meeting will be
held on Monday, October 21th starting at
6:30 pm in our staffroom. Everyone is
welcome.
restricted, legal documentation must be
on file at the school.
Your child’s
emotional and physical well-being is of
utmost concern to our school staff.
Please ensure that copies of any
Custody or Access orders affecting your
child are on file at the school office.
SPIRIT DAY
HEAD LICE
Thursday, October 31st will be Orange
and Black Day.
Students are
encouraged to wear orange and black
clothing to school. Please do not wear
costumes. Thank you.
NO DOGS ON SCHOOL PROPERTY
Please note that there are children who
have allergies to animal hair, and others
who have a fear of dogs. There is also a
possibility of a child being scratched or
nipped by a dog (perhaps excited by all
the children who enter and leave the
school at the end of the day). We have
also, unfortunately, had dog droppings
deposited on our school property. As
such, in order to prevent a potential
concern for students, please do not bring
you dog onto school property.
ELECTRONICS
The use of cell phones, pagers and laser
pointers on school property is not
allowed. Electronic devices such as
hand-held video games, MP3 players are
not allowed in classes or on the school
yard and students are discouraged from
bringing them to school. It is strongly
suggested that parents/students make a
co-operative decision about their child
bringing any items of value. These items
are attractive and the school cannot
accept responsibility for their safety.
CHILD CUSTODY ORDERS
Unless otherwise directed by a court of
law, both natural parents usually have
full access to students and their records.
If for some reason these rights are
When a child at Brant Avenue has head
lice an information sheet will be sent
home with the children in his/her class.
We do not identify the child in the letter.
This is a good time to check your
child(ren) carefully for head lice. Many
children are in close contact with other
children over the summer and as a result
these pests spread easily. If you do find
head lice on your child, we request that
he or she be treated before the child
returns to school. Instructions for a
second treatment should be followed 7 to
10 days after the first treatment.
VISITOR POLICY
All visitors/volunteers must report to the
school office upon arrival. Please use
the office counter clipboard to sign “IN”
and “OUT” of the school. Wear a visitor
badge while you are in the school away
from the office. When bringing a child
to/from school please wait for students at
the main office or in the front foyer. For
the safety of our students DO NOT
proceed to the classroom to pick up or
drop off a child.
CHANGE OF PLANS
If you have a change in your child=s
regular plan for going home at the end of
the day, please let the office know before
1:55 pm (our second nutritional break) if
at all possible. It is very difficult to get a
message to your children at the end of
the day, when classes are preparing for
dismissal or getting on the bus (if this is
applicable). This is especially true if there
is more than one child involved. Thanks
for your help in this matter.
SHOES AND WEATHER
TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM
As the colder weather soon approaches,
we are reminding children to dress for the
weather. Students are required to have
an indoor and outdoor pair of shoes.
The indoor shoes should be comfortable
and appropriate for gym, so running
shoes are perfect.
SCHOOL PHOTOS
School photos will be done on
Wednesday, October 16th. Remember
to send the prepaid package with your
child on picture day along with a big
smile. Please remind your child not to
share a comb or brush with classmates.
SAFETY ISSUES
As required in the Policy, we will be
teaching age-appropriate lessons to help
our students identify abuse and protect
themselves from abusive situations. The
goal is to provide children with the tools
they need to keep themselves safe. The
lessons cover a broad range of safety
issues including bullying, stranger
danger and abuse by a known and
trusted adult.
This will be taught over the course of the
year. For grades one, three and five, the
lessons will be team taught by our Child
and Youth Counselor and classroom
teachers. There is no formal program in
grades two, four and six, although the
safety concepts are reviewed by
classroom teachers informally.
We encourage you to discuss with your
child at home, the concepts taught in the
Child Abuse Prevention Curriculum.
For more information concerning the
Child Abuse Prevention Policy/Programs
please contact Mrs. Gault, Principal or
Mrs. Fonte, Child and Youth Counsellor.
In each newsletter this year, we hope to
write a little blurb about how technology
is being used at Brant Public School to
enrich student learning. This month we
are writing about technology in the
kindergarten classroom.
The students in Kindergarten A are really
enjoying the classroom iPad!
Mrs.
Garvey has been taking many pictures of
the students working.
The students
enjoy seeing these pictures on the
projector so that they can talk about their
learning and learn from one another!
Mrs. Garvey and the students have also
created some videos so that we can
watch our learning later and remind
ourselves of our great achievements!
ROOTS OF EMPATHY
This year at Brant Ave. Public School we
have a unique program that students in
Mrs.l
Pye-Clifford’s
classroom
community will be participating in, called
Roots of Empathy. Roots of Empathyis
an international program that was
developed to help children identify and
understand their own feelings as well as
the feelings of others.
It has shown
significant effects in reducing levels of
aggression and bullying among school
children while raising social and
emotional competence and increasing
empathy. During this program a Roots
of Empathy Instructor, Mrs. Berry, will
visit the students and teach them about
neuroscience, inclusion, infant safety,
emotional literacy and more! Students
will have the opportunity to engage with
an infant and watch as they grow and
develop throughout the year.
Baby
Brynn is our Roots of Empathy baby at
Brant this year and she will be visiting the
school 9 times over the school year.
Students
in
Mrs.
Pye-Clifford’s
classroom will observe her growth with
the rest of the school through pictures
and updates on the developmental
milestones that she has reached. All of
the students at Brant will have the
opportunity to follow Baby Brynn’s
development over the year through
pi8ctures and postings made on a school
bulletin board. We are very excited to
have such a great program here at Brant
Ave. and are looking forward to watching
Baby Brynn grow over the school year!
Please feel free to have a look at the
Roots of Empathy website for further
information at www.rootsofempathy.org.
LIBRARY BOOK EXCHANGE
The library is now open for weekly book
exchanges. If your child is in
Kindergarten to Grade 3 they will be
bringing home 1 book each week. Grade
4-6 students will be bringing home 2
books. To make sure library books are
not damaged or lost please find a
location in your home to keep the books
safe. If books are misplaced or lost you
will be charged a $5.00 replacement fee
for paperback books and a $10.00
replacement fee for hardcover books.
Each class has one scheduled visit to the
library each week. This is the day books
need to be brought back so that students
may sign out new titles.
MATHEMATICS IN EDUCATION
Everyday children go about their daily
lives exploring and discovering things
around them, and by doing so they’re
exposed to the world of mathematics.
And since mathematics has become
increasingly important in this
technological age, it is even more
important for our children to learn math at
home, as well as in school.
ATTITUDE IS IMPORTANT
How do you as a parent feel about math?
Your feelings will have an impact on how
your children think about math and
themselves as mathematicians. Take a
few minutes to reflect on these
questions:
Do you think everyone can learn
math?
Do you think of math as useful in
everyday life?
Do you believe that most jobs today
require math skills?
If you answer "yes" to most of these
questions, then you are probably
encouraging your child to think
mathematically. Positive attitudes about
math are important for your child's
success.
Mathematics as Problem Solving,
Communication, and Reasoning
Helping your child learn to solve
problems, to communicate
mathematically, and to demonstrate
reasoning abilities are fundamental to
learning mathematics. These attributes
will improve your child's understanding
and interest in math concepts and
thinking.
A problem solver is someone who
questions, investigates, and explores
solutions to problems. They stick with a
problem to find a solution and
understand that there may be different
ways to arrive at an answer and attempt
different ways to get there. You can
encourage your child to be a good
problem solver by involving him or her in
family decision making using math.
To communicate mathematically
means to use words, numbers, or
mathematical symbols to explain
situations; to talk about how you arrived
at an answer; to listen to others' ways of
thinking and perhaps alter their thinking;
to use pictures to explain something; and
to write about math, not just give an
answer. You can help your child learn to
communicate mathematically by asking
your child to explain a math problem or
answer. Ask your child to write about the
process she or he used, or to draw a
picture of how he or she arrived at an
answer to a problem.
Reasoning ability means thinking
logically, being able to see similarities
and differences about math concepts in
different domains and make choices
based on those differences or
similarities. You can encourage your
child to explain his or her reasoning
behind answers and encourage them to
ask themselves, “Does this make
sense?” As you listen, you will hear your
child sharing his or her reasoning.
Look forward to next month’s newsletter
more about how you can help you
child/children further develop these
attributes of a strong mathmetician.
CHILD AND YOUTH COUNSELLOR
Schedule for 2013-14
Monday – all day
Tuesday – am
Thursday – am
Friday – pm
OUR VISION
A community where individuals can
achieve their highest level of health.
Preparing lunches day after day can be a
challenge!
Make sure you pack lunches that have all
four food groups in Canada’s Food
Guide:
Include at least:
•
One fruit or vegetable,
•
one serving of milk or milk
products (like cheese or yogurt)
•
One meat or alternative (like
sunflower seeds or hard- boiled
eggs)
•
One whole-grain item
Here are resources to help you:
•
Canada’s Food Guide
available from your school nurse
or www.wdgpublichealth.ca
•
Healthy eating on a budget. Visit
http://www.mhp.gov.on.ca/en/hea
lthy-ontario/healthy-eating/eathea
lthy-budget.asp
•
Healthy eating resources at
www.eatrightontario.ca
SCHOOL SAFETY COMMITMENT
The Upper Grand District School Board
is committed to providing safe learning
environments for all students, staff,
school visitors and community
members. When a student behaves
inappropriately, principals use
progressive discipline to help a student
take responsibility for their actions,
change their behaviour, and learn from
their mistakes.
When students' behaviour pose a
potential threat to safety or serious harm,
the Community Violence Threat Risk
Assessment Protocol (VTRA) helps
principals take further steps to protect
students' well-being.
More information is provided on the
UGDSB website.
When we improve what we eat, we can
make a big difference to our health and
well-being for years to come.
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
October 2013
1
2
9:00 Dental
Screening
6
7
8
14
15
21
5
9
10
11
12
9:00 John
Howard Society
Ministry
Mandated Day No School for
Students
16
17
18
19
24
25
26
9:00 Cross
Country Meet
9:00 PHOTO
DAY
THANKSGIVING
20
4
9:00 John
Howard Society
9:00 Vision
Screening
13
3
22
23
12:05 pm Early
Dismissal
27
28
29
Fluoride
Treatments
30
31
Assembly/Spirit
Day
October 2013
Preparing lunches day after day can be a challenge!
Make sure you pack lunches that have all four food groups in Canada’s Food Guide:
Include at least:
•
One fruit or vegetable,
•
one serving of milk or milk products (like cheese or yogurt)
•
One meat or alternative (like sunflower seeds or hard- boiled eggs)
•
One whole-grain item
Here are resources to help you:
• Canada’s Food Guide available from your school nurse or www.wdgpublichealth.ca
•
Healthy eating on a budget. Visit http://www.mhp.gov.on.ca/en/healthy-ontario/healthyeating/eathealthy-budget.asp
•
Healthy eating resources at www.eatrightontario.ca
When we improve what we eat, we can make a big difference to our health and well-being for
years to come.
Parent Involvement at School
There is a great deal of information and research out there that talks about Parent Involvement in
Schools. There are Parent Involvement Committees, Parent Advocacy Groups, Parents for Education
and Parent Councils. There is also the 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, parent responsibilities of work,
home and outside activities that require our attention. In today's world- parents are pressed for time.
So what do you say when you get that request from us, your children's school, to volunteer? How can
you fit it all in this school year? How do you stay involved in your child's education, manage all of your
other responsibilities and carve out even a minute for yourself?
The good news is that the research about Parent Involvement has shifted. While we used to talk about
parents being in the schools (which we'd still love to see happen), it now talks about ways that we can
work together to support your children's well being and learning. John Hattie (2009) suggests that you
can best support your children's learning by talking with them. When you do this, he suggests that
children will be more successful at school. As the start of the 2013-2014 school year begins, make it a
daily habit to talk with your children about their day at school. Other than the traditional, "What did
you do at school today?" try these questions to get more than the typical"nothing" response.
What
What
What
What
What
What
helped you learn today?
was hard for you today?
are you going to try to do differently tomorrow?
questions did you ask today?
questions could you have asked?
are you interested in learning more about?
As you children's teachers, educational assistants, principals, vice principals, office and custodial staff,
we value and want your support. Support however comes in many shapes and sizes. Being involved
includes more than attending Open House, Parent-Teacher interviews and meetings, reading the school
and classroom newsletters and volunteering. Being involved means being a partner in your children's
education. It means talking and working with your children's teacher to ensure your children are
coming to school each and every day this school year ready to learn. Support means being a listener,
asking questions, mentoring, being a coach, talking about school and being a co-learner (Building Parent
Engagement 2011) .
Parent Involvement means holding high aspirations and expectations for our children. (Hung & Ho,
2005) Expect the best from your children, hold the bar high and, this school year, when you ask, "What
did you do at school today?" don't accept "nothing" as a response. There's a lot going on in school and,
as partners in your children's education, we want you to know about our day at school!
The Friendship Place
35 Algonquin Drive
Guelph, Ontario N1E 3P2
Tel: 519-821-9243 Fax: 519-821-7519
Email: brant.ave.ng@gmail.com
Office Hours: Tues -Thu, 9-12 & 1-3
J31V-\NT A VBNlJB
Ne.lghbours .
Helping
~-OOD rtR()l)P
\__
o October 2013 0
New Walking Group
Bring a friend and join us in the
community room on Thursdays from
llam -12pm for our walking group!
We will walk through the neighbourhood, weather
permitting! This group will be a no excuse walking group
as we will walk to a video in the community room should
it be too cold or hot, raining or snowing!
Neighbourhood Group Snack
Program
The Neighbourhood Group is offering extra
school snacks for school age children JK grade 12. Families are able to access the
snack program twice monthly on Tuesday, Wednesday
or Thursday between 1 and 3pm. School snacks include
fresh fruits and vegetables, yogurt, cheese and grain
products. Please call or drop by for more information.
Women's Yoga- Every Monday
6:15-7:15pm
StretchJ toneJ and relax your body
at
free
weekly
WomenJ s
YogaJ
Mondays from 6:15-7:15pmJ at Brant
Avenue Public School in the gym
Indoor Zumbal
Are you ready to party yourself into shape?
Zumba is an exhilarating, effective, easy-tofollow,
Latin-inspired
fitness
program!
Children welcome to participate! Led by the Brant
Healthy Living Peer Leaders, Kathy and Revee, with
assistance from Shin. Join us Wednesdays, 6:307:30pm at Brant School Gym. Call Peggy at
519-821-6638 ext. 376 for more information.
COFFEE HOUR
THERE WILL BE A COFFEE
HOUR IN THE COMMUNITY
ROOM AT BRANT AVE
PUBLIC SCHOOL EVERY
FRIDAY FROM 9- 10:30AM. PLEASE JOIN
US THERE FOR GOOD COFFEE AND
GREAT CONVERSATIONS!
BRANT COLLECTIVE
KITCHEN
Cost is $5 per one serving of all 5
dishes. Child care and subsidy are
available. Please call Friendship Place to register.
Calling all Gardeners!
The Brant Healthy Living Peer
Parent Outreach Worker
Do you have children or are you a care giver to children
between the ages of o-18years? Are you looking for
support for your family? Katie, the Parent Outreach
Worker may be able to assist you with support or
referrals in the community such as food, housing,
parenting, child behaviour, health and many others. If
you have any questions you can come and see her at
Friendship Place or contact her at (519) 362-6362.
Leaders looking for neighbours
to help harvest the Brant School
Community Garden in
September and October, and plan for next summer. No
experience necessary! For more information or to
register: call Peggy: 519-821-6638 ext. 367 or Gayle:
519-829-3773
Brant Ave. Neighbourhood Group Calendar
October 2013
Sunday
Monday
"There is only
one happiness
••coffee Hour,
Walking Group
and Action Read
take place at
Brant Ave PS in
the Community
Room
in life - to love
and be loved."
- George Sands
6
7
Women's Yoga
6:15-7:15pm
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
1
2
Leadership
Team Meeting
6-8pm
3
Early Years, New Life
Church
9:30-11 :30am
4
5
Zumba
6:30-7:30
**Walking Group
11am-12pm
9
Zumba
6:30-7 :30
10
Early Years, New Life
Church
9:30-11 :30am
8
Free Bread
**Action Read
9-llam
** Coffee Hour 9 -10:30am
11
12
PO DAY
No Coffee Hour
NO Walking Group
13
14
THANKSGIVING
MONDAY
15
Free Bread
NO Early Years,
St. David & St.
Patrick Church
9:30-11:30am
**Action Read
9-llam
16
GARDEN FRESH
BOX 1-3pm and
6:30-7 :30pm
17
Early Years, New Life
Church
9:30-11 :30am
Zumba
6:30-7 :30pm
**Walking Group
llam -12pm
23
24
Early Years, New Life
Church
9:30-11 :30am
18
19
**Coffee Hour9 -10:30am
NO Women's
Yoga
6:15-7:15pm
20
21
Collective Kitchen
9:30am -12pm
Early Years, St.
David & St. Patrick
Church
9:30-11:30am
22
Free Bread
**Action Read
9-llam
Zumba
6:30-7 :30pm
**Walking Group
llam -12pm
Women's Yoga
6:15-7:15pm
27
28
Women' s Yoga
6:15-7:1Spm
Early Years, St.
David & St. Patrick
Church
9:30-11 :30am
29
Free Bread
**Action Read
9-llam
30
Zumba
6:30-7:30pm
31
Early Years, New Life
Church
9:30-11:30am
**Walking Group
llam -12pm
25
Y.i PO DAY
**Coffee Hour9 -10:30am
26