Victoria Terrace P.S. News
500 Victoria Terrace · Guelph, ON · N1M 2G5
Phone: 519-843-2720
FAX: 519-843-1558
Principal: Mrs. K. Kowch
Office Co-ordinator: Mrs. D. Wilson
APRIL 2014
From the Principal’s Desk
The lack of spring weather at Victoria Terrace P.S. has not dampened the spirits of the staff and students, and
we are prepared to carry on with renewed anticipation for the longer days and warmer weather that is sure to
come sooner or later! I hope you all had a wonderful March Break, and are looking forward to sharing in the
many exciting learning experiences that are being planned for the last three months of the school year.
We have just wrapped up our 21-Day Kind Every Time Challenge, and collectively, the VT students
accumulated over 6,222 random acts of challenge since the beginning of February – awesome! We are also
being kept up-to-date with the North American total counts by province and state, and look forward to June
when we can celebrate our part in the completion of this challenge with other schools on our continent!
Just a reminder that Grade 3 & 6 students will once again be writing the Primary and Junior annual EQAO
Provincial Assessment of Reading, Writing and Mathematics. The test will be administered by the classroom
teachers between Monday, May 26th and Thursday, June 5th. We ask parents of Grade 3 & 6 students to make
every effort to avoid having their child miss school during this time, and please avoid scheduling any
appointments on these days if at all possible. If you have any questions, please contact your child’s teacher or
the office.
Be sure to watch for the beautiful additions to our fenced areas and the bulletin boards in the hallways as
evidence of our attempt to bring some colour and creativity to VT, and to show that spring is actually here,
despite what Mother Nature is showing us!
Mrs. K. Kowch
Together for Autism
World Autism Day was agreed upon by the United Nations in 2007. It is intended to bring the world’s
attention to autism, a pervasive disorder that affects tens of millions, by encouraging member states to take
measures to raise awareness about autism throughout society and to encourage early diagnosis and early
intervention.
April is Autism Awareness month and in recognition of and in support of students in our school, people in our
community and the one in every one hundred and sixty-six children who have Autism, Victoria Terrace staff
and students will celebrate World Autism Awareness Day by wearing BLUE on Wednesday, April 2nd. This day
is meant to “highlight the need to help improve the lives of children and adults with autism who suffer from
the disorder so they can lead full and meaningful lives.”
Victoria Terrace is proud to have students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) as part of our school
community, and is honoured to be helping the Autism Society of Ontario raise funds for research by engaging
students in some fun activities. All it will take for students to be able to participate is some spare change, a
loonie or a toonie. With our help, perhaps one day a cure will be found for Autism, a neurological
development disorder that affects the functioning of the brain. Watch for some exciting events planned for
students throughout the month.
For further information about autism check out some of these resources:
www.worldautismawarenessday.org
1. My Brother Charlie (Peete)-Children’s Book
2. Anything Typical (Baskin)- Teen
3. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night (Mark Haddon) – Adult
4. Thinking in Picture (Temple Grandin) – Adult
5. Emergency (Temple Grandin)- Adult
Dress for the Weather!
As the weather improves and spring blossoms, we are sure to experience rainy days and more temperate
weather. Please ensure your child is properly prepared for school with appropriate clothing and footwear. An
extra pair of socks is always handy to have, and just a reminder that even in the nicer weather, we still require
students to have indoor shoes and outdoor footwear. Thanks so much for your help in keeping our classrooms
and learning areas clean!
Spring Drills
We are required each year to conduct fire, tornado and secure & hold (lockdown drills) on a variety of
occasions, to keep students mindful of the emergency procedures that are in place at Victoria Terrace P.S. We
have just completed our first of two lockdown drills this past week, and students did a fabulous job of
following the routines set out by their teachers. In the next three months, we will continue to practice these
drills, to ensure that students remain calm and composed during any emergency situation.
If you do not have a tornado or fire plan for your home, you might consider creating one to ensure that your
family knows what to do in case of an emergency.
Your Help, Please -- Daycare Needed
We have some Victoria Terrace P.S. families who are looking for daycare, both for the next three months and
for the next school year. Although a Board survey was conducted with our families of young children, it was
determined that there was not enough interest to warrant a before and after daycare program at the school.
If you are currently providing daycare or plan on it in September, either before and after school and/or during
the day, please feel free to place an ad with your information on the bulletin board in the Community Use
foyer.
Earth Day – Tuesday, April 22nd
Victoria Terrace is proud to be a “Gold ECO School”, and is currently working on
achieving “Platinum Status”. An on-going focus for the school is the collection of
compost and recycling fine paper, plastic and cans. It will soon be time for students
from Victoria Terrace to do their annual creek/community clean up! Watch for your
child(ren)’s clean-up date in the class newsletter or their agendas to make sure they
are appropriately outfitted for the task!
Earth Day is just around the corner! April 22nd has been recognized as Earth Day since the early 1970’s and
was originally created to highlight the need for all of us to be involved with environmental protection.
Although many of our communities organize neighbourhood clean-ups and earth friendly activities for us to
participate in on Earth Day, more and more schools are trying to make the environment a focus in the day to
day lives of students and staff. One way is through the participation in Ontario EcoSchools.
Ontario EcoSchools is an environmental education and certification program for grades K-12 that helps school
communities nurture environmentally responsible citizens while reducing the environmental footprint of
schools. Schools that have opted to participate in this rigorous program create a “Green Team” consisting of
students and teachers. In some cases, parents, principals and custodians also participate to create a team that
truly reflects the entire school community. This Green Team takes a leadership role in the school. Students are
empowered to take a close look at how the school is conserving energy, minimizing waste, greening up the
school grounds, engaging in environmental stewardship and environmental leadership. The purpose of this
program is to engage students throughout the year by having them collect data about their own school, create
action plans, educate others about how to make some change, and then follow up and report the results back
to the school community. The goal is to create environmentally conscious citizens who think about their
impact on the environment as they walk through their day to day life at school, at home and in the
community.
Since our school is working toward “Platinum Status”, our Green Team, headed up by Mrs. Collier and Ms.
Mark, are working with students to actively engage them in things like litterless lunches, re-useable water
bottle use and reducing landfill waste. Parents can help by supporting students in their participation in these
initiatives and by modelling environmentally conscious actions at home. Having conversations with your
children about your choices and actions are a great opportunity for them to understand how important we are
to the environment. By supporting our children to grow up green, we are helping to create a more sustainable
future.
Please also look forward to hearing more about our school-wide inquiry on “garbage” – taking the students’
lead on what they wonder about garbage and how we can learn more about sustainability in our school, our
community and around the globe.
For additional information about Ontario EcoSchools, please check out their website at:
http://www.ontarioecoschools.org/ Connie Bender, Elementary Curriculum Leader
Continue to Collect…
Pop can tabs, Canadian Tire money, print cartridges/ old cell phones
Creative Playground Use
This spring, the weather is presenting some new challenges on our yard. Due to continued snow cover and
frozen ground, we are unable to meet the creative playground early opening date of April 1st. This means that
the creative structures are OUT of BOUNDS to students AT ALL TIMES including before and after school. As
Policy 307 states, “It is the position of the UGDSB that all playground equipment cannot be safely operated
during the following winter conditions: freezing temperatures, snow build-up, ice or freezing rain, frozen
ground cover, periods when students are wearing winter clothing.”
As soon as we are able to access the area, we will request for a pea gravel till and top-up, allowing the ground
to breathe and release the frost. When the ground is thawed, the weather is warmer, and it is safe to do so,
we will announce the playground open for use. Please remind your child to listen for announcements telling
them they can return to play in this area.
Our playground is designated for users ages 5-12 and we do not provide supervision, maintenance and
inspections outside of school hours.
Safety rules to be observed are:
• No fighting
• No touching – keep hands, feet and body to yourself
• No eating on the playground equipment
• No throwing sticks, stones or other objects
• No tag, chase games or running in the area of the playground structure
• No outdoor play equipment to be used within the playground structure e.g., balls, skipping ropes,
string, etc.
• No scarves or loose drawstrings are permitted on playground equipment
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 with first aid training must be notified immediately.
We know how much our students enjoy the play structures. We make safety during play our primary concern
and will be reminding students and staff on a regular basis about the playground rules. We hope you will
reinforce them at home with your child.
Let’s Move…
Who says school is all in your head? Keeping fit and taking care of your health is every bit
as important as taking care of your education. Walking to school is great exercise and a
great way to keep your body, as well as your mind, active. Have your child walk to school,
and please help us reduce traffic congestion near the school!
Late for School…
Parents are reminded that entry to the school in the morning is 8:45 a.m. and in the afternoon it is 1:35 p.m.
This gives students plenty of time to prepare themselves for class. Please help us stress how important it is to
be on time. The vast majority of lates are avoidable. Together we can help our students understand the value
of being on time and prepared. Also, please remind them that they must come to the office for a late pass.
The pass will let the teacher know that the office is aware of the student’s arrival and that will save a call
home. Thank you for your cooperation.
Eight Keys to Success
The staff and students at Victoria Terrace P.S. work very hard every day to be mindful of the “Eight Keys to
Success”, and they are posted in all classrooms as a constant reminder of the importance of these life skills
from childhood right through to adulthood. Please continue to support your child with these values, and
consider using the same wording to model and reinforce these concepts at home.
Ownership: It’s always a much easier thing to look at a situation and think how it could have been if someone
or something was different. Instead, guide your child to take responsibility and be accountable for his/her
actions, and the part that he/she played in creating the problem.
Speak with Good Purpose: Your words need to be as kind as your actions. Teach tolerance and understanding
by remembering not to say hurtful things to others. Remind your child to pause and to think about the words
he/she says and to imagine how he/she would feel if someone called him/her those names. Encourage your
child to go a step further and stand up to classmates who speaks that way. (“I feel sad that you said... Please
don’t say that.” Walk away.)
Flexibility: Change isn’t easy for anyone, but it is a fact of life. We can’t always control the situations we are
in, based on circumstances that have nothing to do with us. Encourage your child to be open to change or a
new approach, and recognizing that there might just be a more positive outcome on the other side. Just go
with the flow!
Integrity: Having integrity is knowing in your heart what is right, and knowing how to treat others well.
Examples: we value honesty, so we tell the truth. We value kindness, so we treat each other kindly. When your
values and behaviour match, you have integrity. You know the right thing to do – just do it!
Failure Leads to the Sweet Smell of Success: Failure, although disappointing, can also be viewed as an
opportunity to simply provide you with the information you need to learn from your mistakes, and succeed in
the future. Encourage your child not to be afraid of making a mistake, but to recognize that there is always a
lesson to be learned from doing so, and in taking steps to improve the next time. This will also help to build
resilience in your child and a problem solving spirit!
Commitment: With busy lives, sometimes juggling too many things can become overwhelming. Instead, try to
help your child to be mindful of “less is more” – not trying to do too many things, but doing whatever you do
well. Help your child to follow through on promises and obligations, and doing whatever it takes to get a job
done to the best of his/her ability.
Balance: Keep your mind, body and spirit in alignment.
This Is It: If your child decides to be unkind, it is hard to take something back. This is why it is necessary to
always have integrity. Should a difficulty arise, your child can always take ownership for his/her actions. It is
important to teach your child to focus his/her attention on the present moment, making the most of whatever
life has to offer here and now. Life is not a dress rehearsal… have fun and enjoy it!
Child Abuse Prevention Policy and Program
The Upper Grand District School Board places a high priority on the safety of our students. The Child Abuse
Prevention Policy is evidence of our commitment to this priority. The following is a quote from this policy:
“Every citizen in the community shares a responsibility for our children. School officials and teachers share this
collective community responsibility for creating safe and nurturing environments for children. Under the Child
and Family Services Act, this responsibility includes the legal requirement to report to the local Children’s Aid
Society any suspected child abuse or other situations where a child may be in need of protection. Teachers and
other Board employees have a special opportunity to know and understand children during their most
influential years of development. They are in a unique position to be able to see early signs of maltreatment,
and to know or hear about the abuse and neglect that is often suffered by children.”
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.
During the month of April, students in grades one, three and five will be taught either the C.A.R.E. kit put out
by the Red Cross society or the new “Kids in the Know” Personal Safety program by their classroom teachers
with the support of the Child and Youth Counsellor. There is no formal program in grades 1, 3 and 5, 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 regarding the Child Abuse Prevention Policy and/or Programs please contact Kim Kowch,
Principal or Rhonda Spindley, Child and Youth Counsellor.
Special Education Survey
Does your child have an IEP? If so the Special Education Department would like your feedback about special
education supports and services.
A survey for parents will be posted on the Upper Grand District School Board website from April 14- April 30th.
This survey is for parents who have children at the Upper Grand District School Board with Individual
Education Plans (IEPs). The information from the survey will be used to help in the planning of special
education supports and services.
Responses will be kept as confidential and used in summary reports. Thank you for watching for this.
Math Games
Dear Mom, Dad, Grandma and Grandpa and of course the dog and anyone else living at our house,
I heard about these fun math games to play at home. Do you think we could try them out? I think math is
really important and I just need some extra practice.
Guess My Number
Goal: Can you guess the number I’m holding?
One player takes two playing cards. The cards can be ordered any way.
Be sure no one else can see the cards!
All other players take turns guessing what the number is by asking math questions.
"Is it even?" "Is it odd?" "Is it greater than 10?" "Is it a factor of 20?" and so on.
The payer holding the cards can only answer with a "Yes" or "No", until the actual number is guessed.
Let’s Get Loonie
(Materials: 2 dice, coins 8 pennies, 2 nickels, 4 dimes, 6 quarters and 1 loonie.)
Roll the two dice and add the two numbers together.
Take that amount of money from the centre.
(Try to always have the least number of coins in front of you at a time).
Object: to be the first player to get “Looney”.
On the Way Home from Soccer or Baseball
How many goals/runs were scored in the game?
How many more goals/runs did we need to get to make 10, 18, and 25?
How many players are on the team? If they each have one sibling how many children would that be? What if
half of them had 2 siblings? Now how many children would that be?
It cost $50.00 to fill up the van with gas. How much would 5 tanks cost? What about 8 tanks?
And for those nights that get rained out, how about some old favourites.
Puzzles, Pay Day, Monopoly, Rummoli, Phase 10 or Payday.
Two for Two is What You Do!
Brushing your teeth two times a day for two minutes each time helps
prevent cavities.
If you don’t have dental insurance and can’t afford care, we have free
dental services for your children at Public Health. At our dental clinics, we provide free cleanings for children.
We can help children with cavities and other urgent problems get the treatment they need. For more
information about our dental services, call our Dental Line at 1-800-265-7293 ext. 2661 or visit
www.wdgpublichealth.ca
Talking About Mental Health - Helping Your Family Deal with Stress and Anxiety
Everyone experiences stress during their daily lives and there are times in our lives when we feel anxious. This
is normal. It happens to all of us. However, some of us and some of our children/youth are anxious more of
the time and to a greater degree and this can be challenging for the children, youth and their families.
The good news is that there a lot of positive things that you can do as parents to help reduce the stress and
anxiety that you and your child/youth feel. Here are some tips!
Listen: Take time to listen to your child/youth’s thoughts and feelings. Being heard is very important and can
make someone feel less distressed by talking about it.
Talk: Let your child/youth know that they are not alone. Lots of people feel stressed and anxious. It is normal,
harmless and temporary.
Share: You as a parent experience fear, stress and anxiety. Model how you cope with stressful situations with
positive coping strategies.
Support: Let your child/youth know that you care and support them as they struggle with stress and anxiety.
Practice: Practice calming strategies with your child/youth when they are calm. Practice every day so calming
becomes a habit.
Encourage: When stress arises, encourage your child/youth to use their calming strategies. Praise your
child/youth for using their calming strategies.
Model: Be a good role model for your child/youth. Create a positive, predictable environment at home. Use
your own coping strategies. Allow your children to observe how you face and deal with stress in a positive
way. You are the single most important influence in your child’s life.
Here are a couple of calming techniques that you can practice with your child/youth:
1. Calm Breaths: When we are anxious we breathe faster, which actually makes us more anxious. By calming
our breath we are sending signals to our brains and bodies that things are going to be OK.
Take slow deep breaths.
Breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth.
For younger children they can blow bubbles or pretend to.
For older children/youth guide, they can imagine breathing in calm and breathing out worries or
tension.
Keep taking calm breaths until the breath is smooth, deep and calm.
Have the child/youth notice what it feels like to be calm.
2. Muscle relaxation: When we are anxious, our bodies become tense. By relaxing our bodies, we are sending
signals to our bodies and our brains that it is going to be OK.
Sit or lie down.
Tighten up one part of your body (e.g. your legs).
Hold the tension for 10 seconds.
Relax your body.
Allow the tension and tightness to drain away.
Repeat tightening and releasing different parts of the body.
Tighten your whole body, hold for 10 seconds then release.
Lie or sit for a moment allowing your body to be totally relaxed.
Have your child/youth notice what it feels like when their body is relaxed.
Hope these tips are helpful. The best thing that you can do is practice relaxation techniques every day with
your family to build coping skills and to have calmer, happier children, youth and families.
For more information:
http://anxietybc.com/parent/index.php
http://www.mindyourmind.ca/wellness
For children and youth:
KidsHelpPhone.ca 1 800 668 6868
24 hour phone line and website for children and youth.
If you are concerned that your child/youth is experiencing excessive anxiety, you can talk with your school or
community mental health provider:
CMHA WWD: 1 844 HERE 24 7 (1 844 437 3247) - For Guelph/Wellington Children and Youth Services and
Guelph/Welllington/Dufferin Adult Services
DCAFS: 519-941-1530 for Dufferin Children and Youth Services
May 4-11, 2014 is Child and Youth Mental Health Week. Next time I will share some information and activities
that are coming to your schools and communities.
Dr. Lynn Woodford, Psychologist, is the Mental Health and Addiction Lead for the Upper Grand District
School Board.
SUNDAY
MONDAY
APRIL 2014
6
13
20
7
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY THURSDAY
SATURDAY
Autism Awareness Month
1
2
WEAR BLUE FOR
AUTISM – Please
donate $2 to the
cause.
3
4
9 – 11:30 a.m.
Grades 3-6 trip to a
play at Fergus
Grand Theatre
5
EASTER BREAKFAST
@ JAMES MCQUEEN
9:00 – 11:00
Lots of Bunny Fun!
8
9
FreezeDNA Comic
Book cartooning
Assembly
10
11
MacMillans order
forms go home
12
17
3/4C trip to
Guelph Civic
Museum –
Medieval Times
24
Skipping team
trip
14
School Council Mtg
7:00 pm in Library
15
16
Skipping team trip
21
Skipping team trip
22
EARTH DAY
23
EASTER MONDAY
No school
FRIDAY
Skipping Team trip
18
GOOD FRIDAY
No school
19
25
MacMillans orders
are due
26
Beach Day
27
28
29
30
May 6 – Math Night & Art Show from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.
May 8 – Pickup for MacMillans from 3 – 5 p.m.
May 8, 15, 22 – Grade 3 Swim to Survive
Skipping team trip
Please remember to check the school’s website for the latest and greatest VT newsletter at http://www.ugdsb.on.ca/VictoriaTerrace/newsletters.htm.
If you require a hard copy of the newsletter, please send your request in writing to Mrs. Wilson at the office. Thank you for being GREEN!
Cookie Sales will be held in the foyer every Friday for $1.00 each. There will be a choice of oatmeal, oatmeal chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin. Proceeds
from cookie sales help benefit the school programs. For more information on the cookies, please visit www.terracottacookies.com