530 Prospect Street, Box 430, Palmerston, ON, N0G 2P0
519-343-3520
“Be The BEST That You Can Be”
“Fais De Ton Mieux”
2013-2014
Newsletter #7
March 1, 2014
MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Walking Safety
Parents are requested to discuss the following expectations with their child(ren):
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time to be home
route to be taken
what is acceptable on the way home (e.g., stopping to play, going to a friend’s house)
ice safety
general traffic safety (e.g., look both ways, walk facing traffic, use of sidewalks,
cross at the crossing guard or intersection)
respecting private property
dealing with others (i.e., street smarts)
looking out for others
Please remind students to follow school rules as they walk back and forth from school to home. We all
want our children to stay safe and behave well.
Rough Play
We have two paid lunch time supervisors. Teachers and support staff such as Educational Assistants
also monitor students’ behaviour when they are eating and playing during recess. We have clear expectations
for students at snack and lunch time, as well as when they are playing outside. It is important that we have a
safe learning and playingenvironment for students and everyone else here at Palmerston P.S.
I am concerned about continued rough play by some students on our school yard. Parents, please talk
to your child(ren) about our “No body contact” rule. I want students to have the opportunity to benefit from
fresh air and exercise, so school and home need to work together to ensure that students do not miss recess
because of rough play. Through reminders from their classroom teachers and announcements over the P.A.
students receive frequent reminders about our expectations for outside play.
Staff also remind students regularly about taking responsibility for their words and actions and “living
above the (responsibility) line” by making good choices, being accountable for what they say and do and
demonstrating a willingness to resolve conflicts appropriately and work towards positive solutions for social
problems. Our school teaches children that when they try to deny, justify, blame others for their words and
actions or give up, they are living below the responsibility line. That is how students learn from their mistakes
and become more responsible classroom citizens.
When a student does an inappropriate action, we use a “Progressive Discipline” system to teach him or
her to behave and follow school rules. Consequences can range from a simple warning and counselling in the
office to a phone call home or an in-school detention. If rough play continues parents will be contacted
through a phone call, or a note may be included in the agenda. Students may spend time in the office doing
related work such as writing out our school rules or completing a Safe Schools letter. If the inappropriate
behavior warrants it, we do use full school suspensions.
“Zero Tolerance” is a misunderstood term; basically, it means that the school will consider and respond
to each issue reported. Bill 157 does not allow us to use the term “Zero Tolerance”, but instead we use our
“Hands Off Policy.” We must consider mitigating circumstances such as age, provocation, special learning
differences, the student’s ability to control or to anticipate consequences of their actions and words, age of
the student, etc. Every incident is considered individually and we consider consequences very carefully before
applying them. We appreciate the support of parents when we call home to explain to the parents about the
incident and they promise to discuss it with their son and daughter. We can help to curb unacceptable and
inappropriate behavior in our school, on the yard and on the buses by working together with our parent
community.
Skating
Our classes are all going skating on Wednesday or Thursday at the arena. If you have not received a
blue permission form, please check with your child’s teacher.
We are looking forward to another great month at Palmerston PS.
JUNIOR/SENIOR KINDERGARTEN
2014-15
We are still looking for JK/SK students for September. If you have a child or know someone
who has a child born in either 2009 or 2010 please contact the school to register. We need to have
an accurate number of students in order to know how many teachers and classrooms we will need
for next year.
MARCH BREAK
Have a great March Break. March Break starts Friday, March 7th and students return to school on
Monday, March 17th.
REMINDERS TO PARENTS
1. Please notify the school if you have changed any of your personal information including your address,
phone number, place of employment including phone number and emergency contacts. It is very
important that this information is kept up-to-date in our files.
2. Please notify the school if your child is a bus student and not going home on the bus. If we don’t have
a note from parents or a phone call that they are not on the bus they must get on the bus to go home.
REPORTING ABSENCES
When you call the school to report your child’s absence please press 100 to leave a message. Please
do not leave a message regarding your child’s absence on the teacher’s mailbox as they quite often do not
retrieve their messages before going to class in the morning.
Please call the school on “no bus” days if your child is not a bus student and is not coming to school.
Your child is expected to attend unless you feel it is unsafe.
There are no “attendance optional” days. It is still a regular school day on the days that some students
are going on a trip or to a sports tournament. Please call the school on those days if your child is not going on
the trip or playing in the tournament and is not coming to school. It is expected that your child attend school
on those days.
RECEIVE NEWSLETTERS AND NOTIFICATIONS THROUGH EMAIL
Palmerston Public School is participating in a project to improve communication with parents. We are
giving you the opportunity to manage your own email subscriptions. This new e-mail program will let you
know when the monthly newsletter is available online, and alert you about important school events or news.
To participate in this program, go to www.ugdsb.on.ca/palmerston and look for this picture on the
right side of the page (near the bottom)
Once you have signed up, a confirmation email will be sent to the address you’ve submitted.
It should arrive within 60 seconds. Your subscription will be activated once you click the
confirmation link inside the email.
If you don't receive the confirmation email, make sure you check your spam mail folder, it
might be hiding there. If the confirmation email does not appear in either your inbox or
spam folder, add palmerston.ps@ugdsb.on.ca to your web-based contact list (GMail, Yahoo, Rogers,
Sympatico, etc.), and then re-submit the subscription request.
WATER SAFETY MESSAGE
One of the many roles of the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority is to monitor water and ice
conditions. Most areas still have large amounts of snow on the ground for this time of year. In some areas, it is
the deepest snow pack we have seen since 1982. As we move into spring, we are encouraging you to discuss
with your children the need to stay away from rivers, streams, ditches and ponds.
Many watercourses have large snow drifts hanging over top or even on the ice making it difficult to see
where the water actually is. Warmer temperatures during the day and cold temperatures at night work to
create thin ice conditions. As the snow and ice melt, rivers, streams and ditches will fill with cold, fast flowing
water and banks will become slippery. Children are attracted to water so discussing the above with them is
extremely important. Gentle reminders will help to keep your children safe as we navigate the spring season.
THE NEW ONTARIO CURRICULUM
Ontario=s newly revised French As a Second Language Curriculum (Core French, Extended French, and
French Immersion), to be implemented in September 2014, strives to foster ALifelong Language Learning@. It=s
vision is as follows:
Students will communicate and interact with growing confidence in French, one of Canada=s official
languages, while developing the knowledge, skills, and perspectives they need to participate fully as citizens in
Canada and in the world. (The Ontario Curriculum: French As A Second Language, 2013)
In order to help all students meet their full potential during and after their academic career, the curriculum
advocates teaching language that is meaningful and relevant to students= real-life experiences and interests. It
promotes twenty-first century learning skills such as effective communication, critical and creative thinking,
and intercultural awareness.
The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), a tool for defining, tracking and
recognizing progress in learning a language, is integrated across the new curriculum. It encourages French As A
Second Language (FSL) learners to describe their level of proficiency using AI can@ statements and FSL teachers
to assess the proficiency of their students.
Upper Grand District School Board continually strives to promote high quality education. In doing so,
Core French and French Immersion teachers have been invited to attend professional development sessions to
raise awareness about the CEFR and to share best practices in the classroom. An FSL committee made up of
the Principal of Program, both Elementary and Secondary Curriculum leaders , as well as School
Administrators attended a Ministry of Education session in February to further deepen its understanding of
the new curriculum. The Board=s official rollout to its FSL teachers will take place this coming spring.
Available Resources
1. The Ontario Curriculum: French As A Second Language
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/fsl
2. CEFR: Common European Framework -http://www.hdsb.ca/Downloads/CEFR_For%20Web_Dec%202010.pdf
3. Canadian Parents for French - http://cpf.ca/
4. FSL Homework Toolbox - http://www.fslhomeworktoolbox.ca/
The Program Department
TALKING ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH!
Let me introduce myself. I am Dr. Lynn Woodford, Psychologist, the Mental Health and Addiction Lead
with the Upper Grand District School Board and I like to talk about Mental Health! It is an exciting time in our
schools and communities where we can all make a difference in our children and youth’s mental well being, as
well as understanding and supporting mental health concerns.
Mental well-being and mental health concerns are closely linked to academic and social outcomes.
Students who experience mental health and/or addiction concerns often struggle academically and may not
be able to demonstrate their full academic potential unless provided with appropriate understanding and
support. At Upper Grand District School Board we are talking about mental health, promoting positive mental
health and supporting students with mental health concerns.
As part of Ontario’s plan to enhance children’s mental health and wellness (“Open Minds, Healthy
Minds”), the Upper Grand District School Board has developed its own Mental Health and Addiction Strategy. I
am thrilled to be the lead on this project.
The UGDSB Mental Health and Addiction Strategy guides the schools to promote awareness of mental
health needs, supports and services; to build capacity among students, staff and parents; and to collaborate
with community partners to provide support for students and their families. We are promoting positive
mental health, creating a culture of caring and empathy regarding mental health and addictions, and enabling
all to collaborate with community partners in a coordinated, responsive and effective manner. Students need
support and guidance from caring adults in their families, at schools and in their communities. These include
ongoing secure relationships with parents as well as formal and informal relationships with teachers, mentors,
coaches, peers, youth volunteers and community members. Ensuring positive student mental health is a
shared responsibility of students, parents, community partners and all staff. The Upper Grand District School
Board is working to de-stigmatize mental health issues and promote positive mental health.
Each month I will be writing a column about mental health and well-being in the hope of providing parents
with information to increase awareness of mental health issues and promote well being in our children and
youth and within our schools, families and communities. I hope you find these columns interesting and useful.
Look forward to Talking About Mental Health with you each month!
FROM STUDENT TRANSPORTATION SERVICES
Parents of new students registering for kindergarten for September 2014 should not be calling
Transportation to register their child for school bus transportation. The information comes to Transportation
electronically through Maplewood downloads from the information that the Office Coordinators enter in
Maplewood. However, if a parent is looking for transportation to/from a sitters they will need to contact
transportation AFTER MAY 1ST to provide sitter information. Parents of new kindergarten students will receive
a letter in the mail towards the end of August informing them of their child’s transportation information.
After the first year parents will then be able to go to www.findmybus.ca to access their child’s transportation
information each year starting mid-August using the student’s OEN for login.
This procedure also applies to students new to the school throughout the year no matter what grade
they are in. Until students are registered in Maplewood the Transportation Technician cannot set up
transportation.
MATH GAMES TO PLAY AT HOME
Do you read with your child every night? Is it a positive experience that creates a love of reading
between you and your child?
Do you play a fun math game with your child every night? Is it a positive experience that creates a love
of math between you and your child?
Does your child bring home a library book from school? Does your child bring home a math game from
school?
Did you answer these questions differently? Do you view reading differently than math? Are you
looking for a way to make practicing math skills at home more fun and exciting for your child? There are lots
of online computer games and apps that make practicing math skills more engaging for your child.
Beginning this month, and from now until June we will be including some math games in our newsletter that
you can play at home with your children. Math continues to be a focus at our school and within our board
and we hope it will be a focus for you at home as well.
1. Go to https://www.prodigygame.com/Canada/ for a free online Math game that supports Mental
Math abilities and builds confidence with problem solving questions.
2. “Race to 10, 50 or 100” Roll the dice and add up each turn. First one to 10, 50 or 100 wins. Multiply
the numbers for older students.
3. “Guess my number” Place a sticky note on your child’s back and have them guess the number by
asking only yes/no questions (Is it bigger than 500, is it odd/even, etc.)
4. Play dominos, cribbage or yahtzee
Send us an email with your favourite math game, so that we can share the word with all our families and
send a message to our students, that learning math happens every day all around us.
BABYSITTER TRAINING - AGES 11 & UP
The Kidproof Babysitter's Training course is packed full of advice, guides, tips, and information based
on real life experiences. This course has tons of activities and hands-on practice to increase student
confidence and provide skills needed to be the best babysitter possible. Each student receives a Babysitter's
Handbook and wallet card upon successful completion.
Friday, March 7th from 9am-4pm at Moorefield Fire Hall
To register please call Continuing Education - 519-323-4840
Jessica Terpstra
$50.00
BUS LOADING ZONE
We still have some safety issues around our bus times. Some parents still drop off their children in the
bus loading zones in front of the school. When you stop your car to drop off your children in the bus loading
zone you are putting the safety of your children as well as other children in jeopardy. Please be considerate
and drop off and pick up your children in the appropriate areas. If you are picking up your children at the end
of the day remind them to cross the street with our adult crossing guard.
MONDAY
3
TUESDAY
Day 4
10
MARCH BREAK
4
Day 5
Pizza Day
Gr. 7/8 Math Bridges 3:30
– 5:00 pm
11
5
WEDNESDAY
Day 1
Grilled Cheese
Pizza Orders for Term 3
due
12
6
THURSDAY
Day 2
13
FRIDAY
7
MINISTRY
MANDATED DAY
14
17
Day 3
18
Day 4
19
Day 5
20
Day 1
22
Day 2
24
Day 3
25
Day 4
26
Day 5
27
Day 1
28
Day 2
31
Day 3
Pitas
6:00 pm Raz Kids
Presentation
6:30 pm School Council
Meeting
Pizza Day
Gr. 7/8 Math Bridges 3:30
– 5:00 pm
Pizza Day
Gr. 7/8 Math Bridges 3:30
– 5:00 pm
Hot Dogs
Little Caesar’s orders due
(Gr. 6/7 trip fundraiser)
Spring & Sibling pictures
Panda Pride Assembly
MARCH BREAK MOVIES
WED. MAR. 12, 2014
DOUBLE FEATURE
SPIRIT
2:00 PM
ENDER’S GAME
6:45 PM
FREE ADMISSION
DONATIONS ACCEPTED TOWARDS
1ST PALMERSTON SCOUTS
NORGAN THEATRE
PALMERSTON