Sir John A. Newsletter - Peel District School...

Sir John A. Newsletter 2015

Sir John A. Macdonald Middle School250 Centre Street, Brampton ON, L6V 2R4

905-457-5535Mrs. R. Manners, Principal

Ms. S. Omson , Vice-Principal(Acting) Mrs. K. Flear, Office Manager Mrs. H. Morrison, Secretary

Please find our newsletter online at our webpagehttp://schools.peelschools.org/1540/Pages/default.aspx

Principal’s Message

It appears that spring is finally here, and with that comes warmer days, yet cool mornings. Please remind your child to dress in layers. Also at this time of year we hold our annual Education Week from April 20th. This year’s theme is ‘Inspire Greatness Together’. We will have the entire school participating in Math Monday during the week. Every class, in all subject areas, will be answering numeracy based questions where they will utilize Reasoning and Proving in their answers. Finally we will be hosting a Parents/Guardians only evening on April 23rd, where a guest speaker will discuss adolescent brain development and tips about raising your adolescent child: Building Home-School Partnerships. Please join us for an informative evening with refreshments and giveaway prizes. Please be sure to look for the flyer in the next few days.

Dropping Off and Picking Up Your Child

Parents, we would ask that you please refrain from dropping off or picking up your child on school property. We have had several incidents were both students and staff have almost been hit by parents picking up their child, particularly in the front lane of the school, beside the bus lane. None of us here

want your child or our staff to be injured. We are sure that you would agree that safety for all must be our top priority. We ask that you refrain from entering the front lane or the rear parking lot between 8:30am –

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9am and 3pm – 3:30pm. We would ask that you park on the street on either side of the school, but not between the entrance and exit to the driveway as this is where our smaller buses wait to pick up students.

HAPPENINGS AT SJAM

Raise a Flag forAutism Awareness

In 1970 the Autism Society declared April as National Autism Awareness Month. On December 18th, 2007 the United Nations General Assembly adopted April 2nd as World Autism Awareness Day.

This year Autism Ontario is sponsoring a ”Raise the Flag” campaign to enhance awareness of the prevalence of Autism in our society. They sent us a flag that we raised on April 2nd to let our community know we support Autism Awareness.

Autism is a disorder that is identified using a Spectrum of social, educational and behavioural characteristics. For this reason it is often referred to as ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder).

In 2008, it was estimated that 1 in 88 children were thought to be on the Spectrum. This number is continually on the rise.

During the month of April, Sir John A. Macdonald Middle School will be dispersing information to help our school community gain a better understanding of ASD.

Ask your son or daughter what they have learned about Autism during the month of April. Encourage them to ask questions at school and share their experiences and learning with you at home.

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SJAM Idol rehearsals continue as students and staff prepare for the May 7th show. Please come out and show your support for our staff and students.

All students and staff will be participating in the recognition of the International Day of Pink on April 8th.

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Grade six Albion Hills Field Centre trip will take place from Wednesday, April 15th to Friday, April 17th. Students on the trip will leave the school at noon on the Wednesday and return to the school by 2:30 pm on Friday

An Ode to Albion Hills Field Centre

Come and experience the bloom of spring,

the glistening of a running stream.

The lively banter of good friends,

the warm fuzzy feeling it sends.

Warm cabin glowing in the wilderness,

and the gleaming moonlight stillness.

Nibbling roasted marshmallows, you admire,

amber coals and the crackling wood of the camp fire.

Emerging life, the egg shell is torn,

hearing the sound of chirping new born.

Hiking at dusk, the sun descends,

You stop in awe, your spirit transcends.

The awakening of nature from a sombre sleep,

a walk down an old growth forest creek.

Ponds, brooks and fallen trees,

the gentle wind and its soothing breeze.

The breath of new life trickles through,

the heavens above in shades of blue.

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Peering closely tiny creature now do scurry,

food they seek like ghostly shadows in a hurry.

Pushing back winter’s gloom,

its grip recedes, everywhere nature is in bloom.

Old man winter clings on to no avail,

At Albion Hills spring will prevail! Contributed by L. Morgadinho

We will have numerous field trips in the upcoming months so we ask that you please ensure you are receiving letters and returning signed permission forms back ASAP as it helps with smooth planning and it also makes our office staff’s work easier not having to hunt students down for forms and money.

Pizza continues to be sold on Wednesday at lunch. $2.00 per slice Cookie and Chip sales continue on Thursday and Fridays respectfully.

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SJAM girls basketball team participated at Castlebridge High School Senior Schools tournament. Our girls showed enthusiasm and sportsman ship. Way to go girls!

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The Grade 7 Dance Team performed March 25th at the Mississauga Living Arts Center. The dance featured 10 Grade 7 students from SJAM and 20 Kingswood students. Students had the opportunity to spend the day at the Living Arts Center rehearsing and preparing along with 30 other schools. They performed at night for over 1400 people! Miss Schad wanted to give a special shoutout to all of the dance members for all their hard work and dedication over these past few months. Students are as follows, Alexandra Alvarado, Shani Bisnott-Adekolu, Shalomi Herman, Jesaia Lambert, Jessica Lalor, Tomas Padron, Shyanne Reid, Ashraj Riar, Divyanshi Rowal, and Celina Singh. What a great experience and one we will all remember fo years to come! Way to go dancers

Attendance Line

This is a reminder to call the school if your child is absent or will be late.To reach this line, dial 905-457-5535 & Press 1 for Attendance.

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Extended Vacation or Absence from School

If you will be taking your child out of school for a vacation or they are absent for an extended period of time, please pick up a form from the office to be completed and returned.

Dates to Remember

Date EventApril 2 Autism Awareness DayApril 8 Day of Pink

April 3 - 6 Easter Weekend – no schoolApril 13 - 17 Grade 6 trip to Albion HillsApril 20 - 24 Education Week

April 23 Raising Resilient TeensBuilding Home-School Relations 6p.m.

May 7 Spring Concert 7pmMay 11 PD Day – No SchoolMay 18 Victoria Day – No SchoolMay 21 Grade 7 parents/students mtg for Grade 9

course selections in fall 2015May 25 – 28 Grade 7 trip to RockwoodMay 25 - 29 Grade 6 EQAO

May 28 Open House for Grade 5 students and Extended French students

May 29 Cops for CancerJune 8 Report Card Writing Day – No School

June 10 - 12 Grade 7 trip to OlympiaJune 15 Grade 8 Graduation Ceremony – 5:30pm

Mayfield SS AuditoriumJune 25 Grade 8 Grad Dance 1pm – 3pm GymJune 26 Last Day of School/Reports Go Home

Inside the Dream helps students celebrate their graduation in style by providing gently used formal attire to help alleviate that financial burden of graduation expenses. If you have a child who is graduating this June and would benefit this wonderful service and

please contact Ms. Welsh at the school 905 457 5535 x 407 and she will register your child.

You will need to provide an email address so that the Inside the Dream organizers can send your son/daughter their invitation. Please allow some time for the invitation to be sent.

Visit the Inside the Dream website for more information www.insidethedream.org

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Alternatively, if you have any formal wear (dresses, suits, dress shirts, shoes, costume jewellery ...) that you would like to donate to the program please drop off at SJAM.

Help us to encourage and enhance parent involvement in Peel

Apply for a position on the board's Parent Involvement Committee

The Peel board’s Parent Involvement Committee (PIC) meets regularly throughout the school year to review the board’s plans for parent involvement as they relate to parent, family and community engagement, and to make suggestions to schools, councils and the board regarding additional parent outreach.

As mandated by the ministry, the purpose of Peel board's PIC is to: support, encourage, and enhance meaningful parental involvement within schools and across

the district, including, outreach to parents who find involvement more challenging work collaboratively with the school board to support student success seek out the advice and ideas of school councils, and other parents and partners as they

plan and implement strategies to involve more parents at the regional level develop strategies for enhancing parental engagement and outreach

Parent application packages will be made available on April 8 at www.peelschools.org/PIC. Forms must be returned by April 24, 2015.

Peel board celebrates public education during Education Weeks – April 13 to 24

Peel public schools will host hundreds of special activities and events to celebrate Education Week 2015. To give schools plenty of time to hold activities, this celebration of education will be held for two weeks from April 13 to 24. The theme for this year's focus on education is Inspire. Greatness. Together.

In addition to inviting parents and community residents to visit their classrooms during the week, Peel schools are hosting open houses, plays/musicals, storytelling, environmental activities, awards assemblies, talent shows and much more.

One of the highlights of Education Week is the presentation of Awards of Excellence. The award recipients are students, volunteers, staff and community partners who have made outstanding contributions to

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public education in Peel. The awards will be presented to 31 deserving recipients at the Showcase of Excellence ceremony on April 22 at 7:30 p.m. in the board room, HJA Brown Education Centre, 5650 Hurontario St., Mississauga.

More than 800 individuals will also be honoured during Education Week with Awards of Distinction for their contributions to their school or workplace.

Earth Week – April 20 to 24, 2015

Earth Week encompasses the international celebration of Earth Day on April 22. This is the most celebrated environmental event worldwide. Initiated in 1970, this event has been considered the birth of the environmental movement.

Each year, more than 6 million Canadians join 500 million people in over 180 countries in staging events and projects to address local environmental issues. In Canada, Earth Day has grown into Earth Week and even Earth Month to accommodate the profusion of events and projects. Here are some ways that you can celebrate earth week with your family:

create a backyard or schoolyard habitat plant a garden or tree start a recycling program at home organize a carpooling campaign in your neighbourhood to reduce air pollution pick up trash in your neighbourhood read a book about an endangered species make a visit to your local zoo, aquarium or museum visit a local park, wildlife area or farm to provide a fun opportunity to learn about the

environment and life

Tentative 2015-16 School Year Calendar now available

The Peel board's 2015-16 school year calendar (pending Ministry approval) is now available online at http://peelschools.org/calendar/schoolyear. Please note that these are tentative dates that will be approved by the Ministry of Education in late spring.

Parent resources help you support your child’s learning

At the Peel District School Board, our mission is to inspire success, confidence and hope in each child. There is no doubt that families play a vital role in helping us achieve this goal. As our partner in education, we hope you'll stay connected to your child's learning throughout his or her entire school experience.

In October 2014, the Peel board sought input from families to help guide the development of resources that help parents and caregivers support their children’s learning. The result is a new Help Your Child online resource centre on the Peel board’s website with the topics families said were important to them.

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Visit www.peelschools.org/parents/helpyourchild to explore all resources available to parents.There you will find easy-to-navigate buttons that connect families to tip sheets and web pages on a number of different topics, including math, homework, special education, EQAO and mental health.

Conference helps parents make a difference in numeracy and beyond'

The Peel District School Board is hosting its annual parent conference on Saturday, April 18, 2015 at Fletcher’s Meadow Secondary School in Brampton. This year, Numeracy & Beyond: Parent Conference, will focus on numeracy—25 out of 60 workshops help with math. Parents will still have the opportunity to attend workshops on other topics, including literacy, special education and science.

This free learning event is open to Peel parents of students at all grade levels.

Stay up-to-date!For more information, visit www.peelschools.org/parents/conference.

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Keeping children safe in and around storm sewers, waterways

Rising and fast moving water in lakes, ponds and creeks is increasingly likely during spring. Children playing in and around storm sewers and watercourses, entering storm sewers through the outfalls, and entering storm sewers through access covers is dangerous. The following information will help keep children safe:

water flows in storm sewers and watercourses are unpredictable and may change quickly toxic gases may be present in and around storm sewers and watercourses access is restricted, making rescue attempts are difficult tragic falls could take place

Please review this information with your children and let them know how dangerous storms sewers and waterways are.

Register today for Adult ESL non-credit courses

Do you know an adult in Peel that is interested in improving their English language skills for work, study or daily life?

The Peel District School Board offers Adult ESL courses at three locations in Brampton and Mississauga.

To learn more or to register, call 905-270-6000. Registration is ongoing and continues after courses have started.

BramaleaAdult Education Centre 25 Kings Cross Road, Unit 3

BramptonAdult Education Centre#300 - 7700 Hurontario Street

MississaugaAdult Education Centre 100 Elm Drive West, Room 117 To learn more, visit www.peelschools.org/adulteducation.

Twitter: @PDSBLearnESL

Kindergarten registration continues at Peel board

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Parents can book an appointment to register their children

Children born in 2011 can start kindergarten in September 2015. Parents can contact their local Peel District School Board school to make an appointment to register their child. To find out which school their child will attend, parents can call 905-890-1010/1-800-668-1146 ext. 2212 or visit www.peelschools.org and click on ‘Find Your School’. School contact information is available on the Peel board website at www.peelschools.org/schools/all.

Parents should bring the following to registration:

Proof of child's age Canadian birth certificate Canadian passport citizenship card/certificate Permanent Resident Card confirmation of permanent residence work permit refugee permit

Proof of address Ontario driver's license utility bill bank statement/client slip (directly from financial institution) credit card statement federal government forms (e.g. Social Insurance Number, Service Canada documents) purchase agreement

Proof of custody Proof of immunization

It is important for parents to know that required immunization information forms must be completed before children are allowed to attend class. Parents should contact Peel Health at Peel Public Health at 905-799-7700 (Caledon residents can call toll-free at 905-584-2216):

for information about the immunization schedule in Ontario to verify that your child's record is up-to-date to obtain exemption forms if your child has not been immunized for medical reasons or because of

conflict of religion or conscience for information about how to have your child immunized if you do not have an Ontario health card

and can't afford a doctor's fee for immunization

For more information, visit www.peelschools.org/parents/kindergarten.

Celebrating Faith and Culture- Happy Celebrations!April 2015

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DATECELEBRATION FAITH AND CULTURE

April Mmaal Aboriginal Spirituality

April 2 Mahavir Jayanti Jainism

April 2 or April 9 (J) Holy Thursday (Maundy Thursday) Christianity

April 3 Sakyamuni Buddha’s Nirvana Day Buddhism

April 3 or April 10 (J) Good Friday (Holy Friday) Christianity and Canada

Sunset of April 3 to 11 Pesach (Passover) Judaism

April 4 Theravada New Year Buddhism

April 5 or April 12 (J) Easter or Pascha Christianity

April 5 (J) Palm Sunday Christianity

April 6 or April 13 (J) Easter Monday Christianity and Canada

April 7 or 8 Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva’s Birthday Buddhism

April 8 Farvardegan Zoroastrianism

April 9 to 27 Month of Jalál Bahá'í

April 13 or 14 Vaisakhi or Baisakhi Sikhism and Hinduism

April 13 Saka and New Year’s Day Buddhism and Hinduism

Sunset of April 15 to 16 Yom HaShoah Judaism

Sunset of April 20 to May 2 Ridvan Bahá'í

April 21 Akshaya-tritiya Jainism

April 25 Zarathosht-no-Diso Zoroastrianism

April 28 to May 17 Month of Jamál Bahá'í

April 30 to May 4 Ghambar Maidyozarem Zoroastrianism

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