Ross R. MacKay
Public School
35 Trafalgar Road, R.R.# 2
Hillsburgh, ON N0B 1Z0
Website: http://www.ugdsb.on.ca/rossrmackay
Principal: Mr. P. Huddleston
Office Coordinator: Mrs. E. Lantz
Principal’s Message
Dear Parents & Guardians:
Mid November, you will receive an Elementary
Progress Report that outlines how your child is
progressing towards achievement of the
curriculum expectations.
On Thursday, November 20th evening and all
day on Friday November 21st, there will be
interviews for all students and parents with the
classroom teacher.
The progress report is just a ‘jump off’ spot for
discussions at these interviews, so it would be
extremely beneficial for both student and
parent to attend. When parents are seen as
partners in education, students become more
engaged and motivated to strive for their very
best at school.
Ongoing communication throughout the school
year also ensures that expectations are clear
and misunderstandings are minimized. Please
plan to attend an interview with your child’s
teacher to help clarify expectations or, if you
wish, to share information that would help
better understand your child’s current situation
and learning experience.
Phone: (519) 855-4957
Fax: (519) 855-6901
November, 2014
Our goal is to ensure that students are happy,
healthy, engaged, and experiencing positive
interactions on a daily basis.
If you would like more information about the
report card, please use this Ministry website
link .
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/parents/reportCa
rd.html.
Ross R. students are very fortunate to have
teachers who are not only experts in their sport
area, but are enthusiastic encouragers.
Without these teachers’ support many of our
extra programs would not run.
Thank you Mrs. Miller, Mr. Gaidies and Mme
Pearce for investing your time and enthusiasm
for cross country running and soccer. Your
support is invaluable.
Students enjoyed showing off their orange and
black/costumes on October 31st. The parade
was wonderful.
As always, please feel free to contact me at the
school to share good news stories, questions,
or concerns.
Yours sincerely,
Mr. Huddleston
Get Your Flu Shot
The flu is a respiratory illness that spreads
quickly from person to person. Common flu
symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat,
muscle pain, joint pain, and weakness.
The flu is more serious for the very young and
elderly. They can get the flu from school-aged
children who don’t seem sick but may have a
mild case. Get your free flu shot. It protects
everyone. Visit www.wdgpublichealth.ca to find
a flu clinic near you.
If you don’t like needles, there is an alternative.
FluMist is a nasal spray available for children
and adults ages 2 to 59. FluMist is not
available at drop-in clinics. Call 1-800-2657293 to make an appointment. There is a cost
of $20 for the vaccine.
Friday, November 21, 2014
Parent Teacher Interviews
(No classes for students.)
Prescheduled parent meetings
with staff.
Dates to Remember
•
Monday, November 3, 2014
Lockdown Drill
•
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
School Council at 6:30 p.m.
•
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Remembrance Day
•
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Vision Screening for JK/SK
•
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Superintendent Talbot visits
Ross R. MacKay
•
Thursday, November 13, 2014
Progress Reports Home
•
Monday, November 17, 2014 
Thursday, November 20, 2014
‘Bag-to-School’ runs all week
•
Thursday, November 20, 2014 
Friday, November 21, 2014
Book Fair in Learning Commons
Make a difference in the lives of children and youth:
say 'yes' to participate in the
2014 Ontario Child Health Study
and School Mental Health Surveys
The 1983 Ontario Child Health Study told us that
1 in 5 children and youth experienced
serious mental health challenges.
This estimate is outdated as is much of what we
know about child and youth mental health in
Ontario. The 2014 Ontario Child Health Study will
tell us about the mental health status and needs of
children and youth living in Ontario today.
From October 2014 to May 2015, Statistics Canada
will be inviting 7,000 families with children aged 4 17 years to complete an interview in their home. At
the same time, McMaster researchers will be
conducting School Mental Health Surveys in 240
Ontario schools to help us learn new ways of
promoting and addressing student mental health
needs.
Together, these studies will be the first of their kind
in Canada
to examine the influence of family, community and
school environments
on child and youth mental health.
The results will be used to develop programs and
services to improve the mental health of young
people in Ontario. Results from the 1983 Study
were partially responsible for over 3 billion dollars
of investment in federal and provincial programs
and services, resulting in the creation of
programmes such as the Ontario Early Years
Centres.
Participation in the 1983 Ontario Child Health Study
was over 90%. Make sure you are heard in 2014
as well. Let's make our province a better place for
children and youth. If invited to participate, please
say ‘yes’ to the 2014 Ontario Child Health Study
and School Mental Health Surveys.
www.ontariochildhealthstudy.ca
Breakfast
Club
The Ross R. MacKay Public School Breakfast
Club has been underway for over a month and
are happy to announce that we have been
providing hot, nutritious breakfasts to over 30
students each morning that we serve breakfast!
We were very pleased to introduce hot
oatmeal, fresh baked muffins and fruit and
yogurt smoothies to our Club members recently
and all were a huge hit! All food that we
prepare is in keeping with tight nutritional
standards and all is prepared in the school
kitchen.
This year I am thrilled to have two wonderful
ladies that have agreed to help me run
Breakfast Club, they do all the cooking and
clean-up each Monday, Wednesday and
Friday. A huge thank you to Daniella Wright
and Jacqueline Holm for preparing delicious
and healthy food, keeping the kitchen spotless
and most of all, being so friendly and helpful to
our Club members!!
Unfortunately, our funding for Breakfast Club
was reduced this year and we are surviving on
a surplus from the past two years. While we
cannot accept food donations at Breakfast Club
we would greatly appreciate any monetary
donations. A small collection box that asks for
support for our Breakfast Club has been placed
in the school office and we welcome any
donations. We are also happy to accept
coupons, especially for bagels, eggs, milk and
Iogo yogurt.
Thanks for your continued support!
Linda Campbell
Breakfast Club Co-ordinator
Message from the
Lunch & Milk Program
Thank you to all students that purchased our
Halloween cupcakes. All proceeds will be used
for students needs within the school.
We will be posting monthly lunch orders on our
school website. These forms can be printed
and sent in with your child prior to the due date.
Having online forms available will help with
those who have misplaced their forms or did
not receive an order form.
December Lunch Order Forms are due:
Friday, November 14th, 2014
Please ensure your orders are submitted into
the school on time.
Thank you,
Cherie Jardine
Lunch & Milk Coordinator
Ross R. MacKay Public School
519-827-4556
Ross R. MacKay is endeavouring to post
updates to its website and Twitter in addition to
communications sent home.
Please check regularly to keep informed:
School Website:
http://www.ugdsb.on.ca/RossRMacKay/
Twitter:
RossRMacKayPS@RossRMacKayPS
Save energy –
show your
COURAGE by being a
leader!
Saving energy and reducing the
use of
electricity is necessary to help our
planet.
Electricity is a type of energy that was discovered
over 100 years ago. One of the most common ways
to make electricity is by converting other energy
sources, such as coal, natural gas, and oil or solar,
wind and falling water. Right now we get most of our
energy from nonrenewable energy sources, which
include the fossil fuels — oil, natural gas, and coal.
Unfortunately the burning of fossil fuels to produce
power causes air pollution an is linked to global
warming and climate change, which is the gradual,
harmful, increasing temperature on our planet. But
the good news is that recently Ontario became the
first province in Canada to no longer make electricity
using coal-fired power plants! And we as individuals
can also help solve this problem by learning more
about it and making energy conservation one of our
goals at school and home.
Did you know? Turning off the lights in one
classroom for one hour keeps over two pounds of
pollutants out of the environment. Let’s remember
to turn the switch off whenever we leave an empty
room.
We all can make a difference in helping the
environment. Demonstrate your courage in making
a difference and conserving energy by enforcing
the following tips at home. Set your home’s
thermostat a few degrees lower in the winter or a
few degrees higher in the summer. Your family will
save money and reduce greenhouse emissions.
Turn off lights and all electronics (like computers,
televisions, stereos, and video-games) when you
leave a room. Use machines like washers, dryers,
and dishwashers only when there is a full load and
after 8pm when energy consumption is lower. Open
your blinds or curtains on sunny winter days to let
the sun shine into and warm your home. In the
summer remember to close them and keep the hot
sun out. It takes courage to make changes to your
own habits and help others to do the same. But
you have what it takes to be an environmental
leader!
Global Warming is not Cool! - Let’s go green,
everyone!