September 2015
PRINCIPAL NEWS
Welcome back. I hope you all had a wonderful summer break. My name is Darren Hale and I am thrilled to be joining the Laurelwoods community. I spent the last two years as the vice-principal of Elora Public School.
Prior to that, I taught at Mitchell Woods P. S. in Guelph, and at John Black P. S. in Fergus. I have heard wonderful things about the staff, students and parents of our school. Our teachers and support staff have worked incredibly hard to get the school ready for students. It is clear that the staff at Laurelwoods care deeply about the success of all the students in our building. The students have been so welcoming and polite as I have made my way around the classrooms and school yard.
Your children should expect a safe and inclusive learning environment. Students will be expected to make positive contributions to the school, and to treat each other with respect. Staff will remind our students of appropriate ways of dealing with conflict that they will inevitably face in their lives. Our school’s Code of
Conduct will be posted to our school website shortly. The highlights of this document have been sent home.
Please take a moment to go over this information with your child.
I would like for all our students to challenge themselves this year. Whether it’s joining a new activity, expanding their friendship group, or becoming more organized, setting clear, manageable goals and tracking the progress is incredibly rewarding.
Please feel free to contact me at the school with any questions or concerns you may have. I look forward to developing new relationships with this school community. On behalf of everyone at the school, I wish you all a wonderful school year!
Darren Hale
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In continuing with the tradition that we started last year, there will be 2 options for parents regarding the method by which you receive our monthly newsletter. Option #1: You could sign up to receive an email when the newsletter has been posted to the Laurelwoods website, http://www.ugdsb.on.ca/laurel . Once you are at the website, you click on “Newsletter” and then go to the bottom of that page to enter in your email address.
Option #2: For those families who do not have access to the Internet at home, we can send a copy home with your youngest child at the school. Please complete the form below and send it in to your child’s teacher to indicate how you would like to receive the newsletter. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.

:
Just a reminder that if your child will not be attending school or will be late on any given day, please call us at 519-940-3666 on the attendance line. Ext. 100 . Please include your child’s name, the bus number, the teacher’s name and indicate illness or absence for any other reason . It is the parent’s responsibility to notify the school if their child(ren) will be absent or late. We also request that you send a note ( include the bus number and teacher’s name ) or call the school before 2:30 p.m
. if you are picking your child(ren) up during the day or at the end of the day.
We would like to remind all parents to enter the building using the front door and to always check in at the office. Children entering and leaving the school during the school day must do so via the office. We thank you for your cooperation as we are continuing to work toward keeping all children safe at Laurelwoods.
Parent volunteers are a valuable resource to the school. We appreciate the many hours that parents provide in order to work with students and assist with many fundraising events at the school. If you wish to volunteer on a regular basis we require parents and guardians to complete a “Volunteer” form and provide a recent police check for us to keep on file. We ask that all volunteers report to the office to sign in upon arrival and to sign out when leaving the building. A special “volunteer tag” must be worn which will identify you to the students.
These tags can be picked up and dropped off at the office.
Please check your children under bright lights, parting and lifting strands of hair. Please also let the school know if your child has lice. Please treat your child and remove all the nits. Thank you for your help.
A reminder that parents must complete a permission form for their child before they ride their bicycles to school. These forms are available in the office. Students must wear protective head gear, use a bike lock and will not be dismissed until after the last bus has departed.
Student Accident Insurance forms will be sent home the week of September 14 th
. Please seriously consider this option. The Upper Grand District
School Board endorses this inexpensive accident insurance coverage. The school board does not carry accident insurance benefits for children. It is highly recommended that all students participating in school sports and extended field trips purchase student accident insurance.
For the safety and well-being of your child, it is critical that the school has your child’s information on file particularly local emergency contacts.
Please carefully review the student information forms that have been sent home with your child to make certain that they are accurate. If changes are needed, please cross out the old information and add the updated information to the form. As well, please make sure that you sign and date the bottom of the form and return these forms by Friday, September 18 th
.
Your child will be bringing home information that outlines the guidelines that Boards of Education must follow when protecting the personal information of their students. Please read this information, complete page three and return it to your child’s teacher by September14 th
.
We remind parents that in order to avoid accidents, students should have a pair of
“indoor” shoes when they are at school.
We have had students slip and fall in the gym after wearing their “indoor” shoes outside during a wet or snowy recess. Having a pair of indoor running shoes helps to reduce the risk of injury. We ask that you purchase running shoes with non-marking soles. We appreciate your support with this matter.
Students in grades 1 to 8 will utilize a school agenda this year. We appreciate your contribution of $6.00
to help cover the cost. Agendas are an excellent form of communication between home and school.

If your child will not be taking the bus after school, please follow the procedure below:
1. If you know the night before that you will be picking up your child(ren) the next day, please write a note to the teacher indicating that you do not wish your child(ren) to take the bus, please include the bus number. Once the teacher receives your note, the note is sent to the office. The office will produce a “bus slip” which is a 3-part form. One copy informs the bus driver, one copy reminds the child(ren) and teacher(s) at 3:15 p.m., and the final copy is kept for reference at the office.
2. Should something arise during the day creating the need for you to pick up your child, please telephone the school prior to 2:30 p.m. This will allow office staff to complete the necessary paperwork required so that the bus driver, student(s) and teacher(s) are informed of the change in transportation arrangements using a “bus slip”. Students being picked up by parents will report to the front foyer at 3:15 p.m. Parents are asked to check in at the office and remain in the front foyer to meet their child(ren). Please do not proceed to the classrooms.
3. Students will not be permitted to travel on a different bus for the purpose of birthday parties, for
“one time babysitting”, or just to visit with classmates after school. Most of the buses servicing Laurelwoods are at capacity and cannot accommodate additional students.
We appreciate your support with regards to the above bus policy
Our school bus drivers are trained professionals who are committed to providing a safe environment for your child while they are traveling to and from school. Please share the following information with your child(ren) and encourage them to respect safety first when traveling on the bus. The Upper
Grand District School Board endorses the following bus protocol:
•
•
•
• follow the direction of the bus driver be at your stop at least 5-10 min. before your pick up time stay seated when the bus is in motion no eating, drinking or using
• inappropriate language keep books, lunch bag and school bag on your lap
It is the policy of the Upper Grand District School
Board for an “Administration of Medication” form to be completed for students requiring medication at school. The Board’s interpretation of medication includes: Tylenol, allergy medication, and any prescribed medications. The storing of medication in lunch kits or book bags is not permitted with the exception of asthma inhalers and epi-pens. This is due to safety concerns for other children coming in contact with the prescribed medication. Should you require a medication form, please inform your child’s teacher or the school office.
Students will once again be able to purchase milk from the vending machine this year.
The milk tokens for the machine will be sold at a cost of $17.00 for twenty or individually for $1.00.
Students will deposit the tokens into the vending machine and receive their choice of a 250ml. carton of chocolate or white milk. Parents wishing to include their children in this milk program are asked to make cheques payable to Laurelwoods E. S. If you have any questions about the program, please contact the school office.
The “Breakfast Club” at Laurelwoods has been in operation since the school opened and has provided breakfast for many children since that time. The program is one that is offered nationwide to various schools. The Breakfast Club continues to be a wonderful place for children who may need a little “extra” something first thing in the morning.
Over the years, the program has been helped through our school volunteer program. If you have any questions, or would like more information about how to contribute, please feel free to call our Child and Youth Counsellor – Danielle Cellucci.
Volunteers are needed, so if you are looking at doing some volunteering, please call!

Schools have built class lists based on their tentative organization. Changes may be necessary at your child(ren)’s school in order that our Board remain compliant with Ministry parameters (see below). Any changes would be implemented by
Monday, September 21 st
at the latest. Principals do not have the option of changing the school organization that is set by the District Staffing
Committee of the Board. If changes affect your child(ren), you will be informed by the school.
Ministry of Education Parameters:
• Full Day Kindergarten Class Size Average for the
Board is 26 students
• 90% of the Board’s primary classes with 20 or
fewer students
• 10% of the Board’s primary classes up to a
maximum of 23 students
• Grade 3/4 classes have a cap of 23 students
• Junior/Intermediate Class Size Average for the
Board is 25.2 students to 1 teacher
A new year has started and this is a good time to show your school spirit by purchasing some Lightning Wear. It’s easy to do! Just log into http://www.archbolds.ca/store and click the login button on the top, right of the page. Our username
Is Laurelwoods.es@ugdsb.on.ca
. Our password is
Lightning (capital L). Click on the items you want, write in the “comment” section size, colour and logo preferences and you are all set. You will receive a confirmation call from Archbold’s confirming your choices. Your clothes can be sent to Laurelwoods with No Delivery Charge. Any questions? Please call Charmaine at Archbold’s 1-888-941-6775.
8:45 am – Entry
8:45 am – 10:25 am Instructional Time
10:25 am – 11:10 am BREAK/Snack (students
have snack 15 min./outside
30 min.)
11:10 am – 1:10 pm Instructional Time
1:10 pm – 1:55 pm BREAK/Snack (students
eat lunch 20 min. /outside
25 min.)
1:55 pm – 3:15 pm Instructional Time
3:15 pm Dismissal
rd
The theme this year is Feathered Friends! The
Grand Valley Agricultural Society invites all families to come out and enjoy all that the Fair has to offer- something for everyone! Join in the Parade on
Saturday or bring your pet to the Pet Show on
Sunday! There are too many events to list… Fair books will be available from local businesses, the
Grand Valley Library or visit the website: www.grandvalleyfallfair.ca
to view the entire fairbook and read about more information.
Advanced Discounted Tickets will be available at both Orangeville Scotiabank branches for $6.00 per day.
See you at the Fair!
Win A Dairy Queen Gift Certificate:
After your family has read this newsletter, please sign and detach this coupon. “Our family” must include at least one parent/guardian who has read the newsletter. This coupon must be placed in the yellow mailbox in the front hall of the school. A ballot will be drawn from the yellow mailbox each month indicating the winning family for the month. This month’s draw will be held on Wednesday, September 30 th
, 2015.
Our family has read the newsletter corresponding to this draw.
Family Name: ___________________________
Child’s Name: ____________________________
Parent’s Signature: _________________________

KA
KB
Gr. 1a
Gr. 2a
Gr. 2/3b
Gr. 3/4a
Gr. 4/5b
Gr. 5/6a
Ms. S. Panter
Ms. L. Gaudette
Mrs. C. Gard
Mrs. A. Rayfield
Ms. K. Kennedy
Ms. P. Michels
Mrs. C. Matthews
Mr. D. Gordanier
Gr. 6/7
Gr. 7/8a
Gr. 7/8c
Ms. M. McDonald
Mrs. S. Jordan
Mr. C. Johnson
Head Care Taker
Office Coordinator
Principal
459
481
458
Mr. M. Watson
Ms. K. Gardhouse
Mr. D. Hale
479 French
466 Resource
453
406
Resource
456
462
482
487
Librarian
CYC
EA
EA
Ms. L. Neumann
Ms. L. Turk
Mrs. Chalifoux
EA Ms. T. Surridge
DECE Ms. S. Brailsford
DECE Mrs. J. Reynolds
484
455
469
Ms. D. Kerr
Ms. D. Cellucci
452
227
Ms. C. Marshall 420
Ms. J. Tupling 419
485
480
483
230
221
223
When sending funds to the school for
Any personal belongings brought to school are the payment of milk, class trips, etc., please make sure that you send the correct amount as the school does not have cash on hand to make change. Cheques made payable to Laurelwoods Elementary School are preferred.
Please do not combine school and food payments on one cheque. Any overpayment will be considered a donation to the school. student’s responsibility. Students are encouraged to leave expensive items at home.
Personal electronic items may be brought to school. As a national leader in the use of educational technology, the UGDSB is committed to supporting creative and innovative learning.
When students use their own technology as part of an enriched academic experience, they engage more deeply and actively in the learning process.
For safety and efficiency reasons, we want to reduce the amount of cash and cheques coming into our school. School related expenses such as pizza days, field trips, spirit wear, yearbooks etc. will be available for online purchase. More information will be available soon. Visit ugdsb.SchoolCashOnline.com - click “Get Started
Today”!
School Cash Online Benefits:
Bring Your Own Device ( BYOD) empowers students to become the experts with the device they have and to customize it to their learning needs. If the devices the students use beyond the school day are the same ones they use for school, the students can seamlessly switch from personal use to learning anytime, anywhere. The learning activities on the device are accessible to the students 24-hours-per-day, 7- days-per-week.
We provide a stable network rich digital content and tools to support learning from school and home.
 Convenient: Make payments anytime
Online!
 Easy to Use: Fill a shopping cart and check out.
 Safe: No need to send cash or cheques to school.
 Secure: Our website is protected and PCI compliant
 Save Time: It takes less than 5 minutes to register.
Students have access to a variety of rich digital resources and tools to support their learning from anywhere and at anytime any pace and individual path.
There are financial limits to the amount of technology the Board can provide, and so BYOD supplements in-school equipment. Students will use electronic devices under the direction of their teachers. These devices should not be used during outdoor recess times. Contact your child’s teacher or the principal if you have any questions.

Parents or guardians are responsible for expenses related to student injuries on school premises during school activities. Accidents can and do happen and the costs involved might not be fully covered by Provincial Health Care or employer group insurance plans.
The Upper Grand District School Board is empowered under the Education Act to offer
Accident and Life Insurance for students.
Information will be sent home with respect to
Student Accident Insurance offered by the Old
Republic Insurance Company of Canada (“Old
Republic”). You should receive the Director’s letter, an Acknowledgment to be signed by parents (and returned to school) and a Student Accident
Insurance Application form (to be mailed directly to
Old Republic). Old Republic offers a variety of options, including family rates and multi-year plans, at affordable prices. The cost must be paid by parents or guardians.
Subscription is directly through Old Republic by mail or online. Questions should be directed to Old
Republic at 1-800-463-5437 or www.insuremykids.com
Terry Fox (July 28, 1958 – June 28, 1981) was a
Canadian athlete, humanitarian, and Cancer research activist. In 1980, with one leg having been amputated, he began a cross-Canada run to raise money and awareness for Cancer research.
Although the spread of his cancer eventually stopped his run and cost him his life, his efforts have made a huge impact worldwide. The annual
Terry Fox Run, first held in 1981, has grown to involve millions of participants in over 60 countries and is now the world's largest one-day fundraiser for Cancer research; over $600 million has been raised in his name.
At Laurelwoods, we will be holding our annual Terry
Fox Run on September 30 th
, at 2:00 p.m. We will be walking/running rain or shine! Please donate a
Toonie for Terry and become part of the Marathon of Hope and help find a cure for Cancer!
International Walk to
School month (IWALK) is an annual global event taking place each October.
It celebrates active transportation and its benefits such as: increasing physical activity, decreasing traffic congestion, improving safety, developing a sense of community, promoting social interaction, and preserving the environment.
International Walk to School Day October 7 th
IWALK week is October 5-9 or
Walk/wheel to school all month!
It is important to keep your child’s immunization records up-to-date with Public Health. Students who do not have up-to-date immunization records, may be suspended from school. Please report your child’s immunizations to Public Health by calling 1-
800-265-7293 ext.4396.
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 restricted, legal documentation must be on file at the school. Please ensure that copies of any custody or access orders affecting your child are on file at the school office.
School Council members are wishing all students and families a successful start to another great year at Laurelwoods. School Council meetings are open to all parents and guardians of children registered at the school. Our first meeting and elections will be held on Thursday, September 24 th
at 6:30 pm.
Friday, October 2 nd
, 2015 is picture day. Remember to bring your smiles!! More information will be sent home closer to picture day.