September 2016

Principal: Mr. M. Odd Belfountain Public School

Office Manager: Mrs. B. Smith 17247 Shaws Creek Rd.

Superintendent: Mrs. M. Logue Caledon, ON L7K 0E8

Trustee: Mr. S. Cameron Phone: 519-927-5212

WELCOME TO A BRAND NEW SCHOOL YEAR!

Summer has flown by, and we are excited to start a new school year.

School Hours and Timetable This year, we will be on a five day cycle. Our school hours have not

changed for this year.

Supervision Begins: 8:15 a.m.

AM Entry: 8:25 a.m.

School Begins: 8:30 a.m.

Nutrition Break One: 10:30 to 11:10 p.m.

Nutrition Break Two: 12:50 to 1:30 p.m.

PM Dismissal: 2:50 p.m.

Morning Supervision Our morning supervision begins at 8:15 a.m. For student safety, students

should not be dropped off before supervision begins.

GET OUTSIDE BELFOUNTAIN!

We are certainly fortunate to have a wonderful outdoor learning

environment for our students in Belfountain. Our motto is “Get Out-

side,” and so we take every opportunity to be outdoors for our learning.

Students need to ensure they have appropriate footwear to take part in

outdoor activities every day at school. Students should wear good

running shoes to take part in outdoor and physical education activities,

and they should also have indoor shoes to change into for the classroom.

ALLERGIES AT SCHOOL

A number of our students and staff have food and other allergies that

present a significant health concern, including Peanuts, Tree Nuts, and

more. If your child has these allergies please make the office and your

teachers aware. If your child is highly allergic and has an epi-pen, this

should be carried by the child at all times. Spare epi-pens may also be

kept with staff at the school. Please help us keep all students safe in our

Learning for head, heart, and hands in our local built and natural environments.

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September 21 School Council Meeting — 6:00 p.m. September 27 PA Day — No school for students October 4 Picture Day October 5 Open House — 6:00 p.m. October 7 PL Day — No school for students October 10 Thanksgiving Day

Belfountain School Hours

Morning Entry: 8:30 a.m.

First Break begins: 10:30 a.m.

Second Break begins: 12:50 p.m.

Afternoon dismissal: 2:50 p.m.

Please call 1-855-209-6155 if your

child will be absent from school.

school by not sending your child with products which contain peanuts and/ or tree nuts. Check labels carefully

as spreads like Nutella and many granola bars do contain nut products.

MEDICATION AT SCHOOL

If your child requires medication during the school day, either on a pre-scribed short-term basis or on a long

term basis, please contact the school office. All medication to the Office. A form must be completed by your

physician before any medication can be administered at school. Please contact the school office if you have

any questions about the administration of medication at school.

BELFOUNTAIN PUBLIC SCHOOL STAFF 2016-2017

Below is a list staff list for our school. The organization of the school is tentative until reorganization is

completed at the end of September. Reorganization may be necessary in any Peel school, depending upon

distribution of students at each grade level.

BELFOUNTAIN SCHOOL COUNCIL

The Belfountain School Council is dedicated to improving and supporting student and school success, and to

providing support for our school community. Meetings are held five times during the school year. All parents

are invited to attend, and to participate on the Council, which is made up of parents, teachers, administration,

non-teaching staff, and community members.

Our next meeting is on Wednesday, September 21st at 6:00 p.m. We will be holding our School Council

elections at this time. We will be electing new School Council Co-Chairs at this meeting. Please consider

taking on this leadership role in the school. If you are interested in being a member of School Council, please

attend this important meeting.

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Ms. W. Brooker Kindergarten KBK

Mrs. B. Kinsella Kindergarten KBK

Ms. A. Broersma Grade 1/2 12B

Mrs. J. Haines Grade 4/5 45H

Mr. M. Spencer Grade 5/6 56S

Mrs. H. McCarthy Grade 2/3 23M

Ms. E. Laidlaw Core French / PT

Mrs. M. Caesar Library

Mrs. N. Windrim Planning Time

Ms. L. Brett BTA

Ms. S. Jordan ISSP/PT

Mrs. B. Smith Office Manager

Mrs. C. Barger Head Custodian

Mrs. J. Martin Night Custodian

Mr. M. Odd Principal

The meeting will be held in the Eco Lab. Come out and be a part of the Belfountain School Council.

LUNCHROOM SUPERVISORS

Please welcome our full-time Lunchroom Supervisors for this year: Mrs. Kathy Forestell, and Ms. Karen

Phangureh. We are very grateful for their commitment to this position. We are also looking for Supply

Lunchroom Supervisors who are able to fill in on occasion when our regular supervisors are absent. If you

are interested in this paid position, please contact our office to get more information.

BEFLOUNTAIN PS YEARBOOK COMMITTEE NEEDS YOU!

Hello Belfountain PS community! I am sure that in the past many of you have enjoyed our Belfountain School

Yearbook. Unfortunately, the Yearbook Committee is in desperate need of new members. There are 2 stages in

the production of the yearbook: taking the pictures, and editing on-line. If you are interested in helping with

this important role, please contact Rachel Scholz via email rachelscholz@hotmail.com

BELFOUNTAIN P.S. IS AN IDLE-FREE ZONE

Our school is working to protect the health of our students and the health of our environment.

We ask you to show your support by turning off your engine while dropping off or waiting to

pick up your child at school.

The emissions that come from our tailpipes harm all of us, especially children who breathe

more and at a faster rate than adults. By turning off your car, our students, teachers and

parents won't breathe in unhealthy fumes as they enter school.

Air pollution also poses particular risks for our children with asthma. So, if you're going to be sitting still for

more than 60 seconds, remember to turn your car's engine off. You'll not only improve our air, you'll also save

money in fuel and vehicle wear and tear costs—then we can all breathe easier.

PICK UP AND DROP OFF OF STUDENTS

Please use the south parking lot to pick up students at the end of the day after school and to

drop off students at the start of the school day in the morning. All our large and small busses

will be using the front laneway for loading and unloading of students. After arrival and

dismissal hours the front laneway may be used. Staff will be supervising these areas and

wearing safety vests to assist in student safety while getting on and off the busses.

CHARACTER ATTRIBUTES

In Peel, we focus on building the following character attributes with our students: Responsibility, Respect,

Inclusiveness, Cooperation, Caring, and Honesty. Throughout the school year, we will focus on each of

these attributes through assemblies, classwork, and whole school activities and celebrations. By building

students’ understanding of the traits and what they look like and sound like, we want to build a positive

climate for learning and working at Belfountain. We want to move from knowledge of the attributes in action.

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The first Character Attribute that we will be focusing on is Responsibility. Please take some time to

discuss with your students what responsibility looks like and sounds like at home and at school.

ATTENDANCE AND LATES

Regular attendance at school is very important for students to be successful. If your child will be absent, please

let the office know either by sending in a note in advance or by calling the automated SafeArrival system.

Students who have been ill should remain home until they are fully recovered and are able to participate in the

complete school program both indoors and outdoors. Punctuality is an important skill for students to learn.

Please make every effort to have your child arrive on time each day to avoid interruptions to the classroom for

both your child and for the class. However sometimes this is not possible; if you are going to be late and will

be dropping your child off after 8:30 a.m., please come to the office to sign in your child.

SUBSCRIBE TO BELFOUNTAIN PUBLIC SCHOOL’S WEBSITE http://schools.peelschools.org/1458/Pages/default.aspx

Want to keep up to date with what’s happening at Belfountain PS? Check out our school website where you'll

find:

the latest school news

contact information for school administration, superintendent and trustee

calendar

enrolment data

school hours

mission, vision and values

registration information

printable forms

frequently asked questions

volunteer information

EQAO reports

In an effort to support our work as an Eco-School, all future newsletters for the 2015-2016 school year will be

posted each month to our school website. Paper copies of the newsletter will be available upon request only.

Keep up to date by using our website subscription service. You can sign up to receive email notifications for

school newsletters, calendar events and volunteer job opportunities. You can also choose to be notified via

email and/or text message for critical news, such as school closures due to bad weather. Click on the subscribe

link on the left-hand side of the main page of our website or visit www.peelschools.org/schools/findyourschool

PROTECT YOUR KIDS—AND YOUR FINANCES

The Peel District School Board does not provide accident insurance coverage for student injuries that occur on

school property or during school activities including extracurricular sports. Each year, many of our families

spend thousands of dollars when their children are injured at school, on field trips, while participating in non-

school activities, or at home. If a student is injured, parent(s)/guardian(s) are responsible for any costs not

covered by provincial health care or their employer’s health plan. Please check with your provider regarding

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FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! @BelfountainPS

your coverage.

The provincial health care system does not cover costs which are commonly related to accidents including

dental work, ambulance fees, casts and crutches, and physiotherapy. All of these are covered by Reliable

Life’s student accident insurance plan.

It is strongly recommended that all families consider this coverage, especially if your child participates in

extracurricular activities. Annual plans, which provide 24 hours a day, 365 days a year coverage, range from

$13.50 to $32 per year. Through the application only you can be covered for the school day only as low as $8

per year. Family rates for three or more children are available.

The insurance agreement is between you and Reliable Life Insurance Company.

You can apply for coverage through paper application or online at www.insuremykids.com. For more

information call Reliable Life Insurance Company toll free at 1-800-463-KIDS (5437).

UNDERSTANDING YOUR CHILD’S ONTARIO STUDENT RECORD

The Ontario Student Record (OSR) is an ongoing, confidential record of a student’s education progress.

Authorized by the Education Act and protected by the Freedom of Information Act and Protection of Privacy

Act, an OSR is established for each student enrolled in an Ontario elementary or secondary school. The record

is housed at the student’s current school and moves with the student as they transition from one school to the

next. If a student leaves Peel to attend another school in Ontario, the OSR is forwarded to the new school upon

request. If the OSR is not requested or the student leaves Ontario, the OSR is housed in the last Peel school

that the student attended.

The OSR contains familiar documents that parents can view at any given time. OSR contents include:

biographical data

documentation file, containing (if applicable): verification of a custody arrangement, change-of-name

order, placements decisions, suspension letters, psycho-educational assessment

report, identification and placement decision letters, and registration forms

information concerning special health conditions

name(s) of student’s parent(s) or guardian(s)

Ontario Student Transcript (secondary school only) – the cumulative record of a

student’s successful completion of secondary school courses

photographs may also be attached

record of the student’s accumulated instruction in French as a second language, if applicable

report cards

school(s) attended

Every student, and parents or guardians of students under 18 years of age have the right to examine the

student’s OSR and receive a copy of its contents. Supervisory officers, school administration and teachers may

also access a student’s OSR for the purpose of improving the instruction of the student. Written permission is

requested for any outside agency or personnel to access the OSR.

Contact your school principal for details of the procedure to review your child’s OSR.

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If you would like to learn more about your child’s OSR, visit the Ontario Ministry of Education web site at

www.edu.gov.on.ca.

GETTING YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED

If you have any questions, concerns or suggestions about your child's education, or about education in general,

anyone with the Peel board is happy to help. Here are some of the people who can help you:

If you have specific questions or concerns about the education of your son or daughter, the first

person to talk to is your child's teacher. If possible, arrange a personal interview with the

teacher to discuss your concerns and attempt to resolve the matter. Your child's teacher or

principal can also give you more information about specific strategies being used to monitor

your child's progress.

If you need extra help, or have more general questions, your school principal is there to assist.

Your school principal can help if you have been unable to resolve the issue with your child's

teacher. All curriculum material is available in your child's school.

If you still have unanswered questions or concerns, talk to your superintendent of education.

If you have general questions about curriculum, call Curriculum and Instruction Support Services at 905-

890-1010 ext. 2559.

If you have questions about special education programs or services, contact Special Education Support

Services at 905-890-1010 ext. 2345.

Of course, your local school trustee is elected to represent your interests and is always ready to hear and

discuss your suggestions or concerns. If you don't know the name of your trustee, check the 'Meet your

Trustee' section of the board's website at www.peelschools.org.

If you still have questions, please email communications@peelsb.com or call Communication & Community

Relations Support Services at 905-890-1010 or 1-800-668-1146 ext. 2809.

SCHOOLS USE MANY STRATEGIES TO KEEP CHILDREN SAFE

Peel schools provide a safe environment for staff and students to work and learn. The board has many

procedures to ensure safety. To keep students safe, schools use many strategies including:

requiring all parents and visitors to check in at the main office and obtain visitor passes

the use of a "buddy system" – students can only leave the classroom if accompanied by another student

(for example, going to the washroom)

assigning teachers to supervise inside and outside the school during recesses, before and after school

locking all exteriors doors, including the main entrance, during school hours [elementary schools only]

encouraging staff to regularly review streetproofing skills with students

expecting staff and students to report unidentified individuals to the office immediately

holding fire drills and "lockdown" rehearsals

having evacuation plans in place

ensuring that all staff and volunteers have up-to-date criminal record checks

working with the police to provide education on street-proofing

We feel that it is important that you also take this opportunity to review safe procedures with your child. Peel

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Regional Police have provided the following safety guidelines:

Tell your children to never go anywhere with a stranger, not to talk to strangers and never take anything

from them. You also have to teach them what a "safe stranger" is in case they need help. A safe stranger

includes a police officer, a cashier, a fire fighter.

Develop a "what if" game for children to get them thinking about how they would respond if they felt

threatened or afraid.

Know who your children play with and where they go. This includes keeping a list of their friend's

addresses and phone numbers.

Do not leave your child in unsupervised locations, such as cars, parks, public washrooms, arenas, malls and

plazas, etc.

Teach your children where and how to get help. Go with them on their regularly travelled routes.

Your child's body is private. Tell your children that no one may touch the area their bathing suit covers. If

someone tries to touch them, they should tell you immediately.

Teach your children to talk to you immediately when someone does anything that makes them feel strange

or uncomfortable. Listen when your children are trying to tell you about something that bothers them and

provide them with support and understanding.

For more information about safety at your school, review your school handbook or speak to your principal or

teacher.

PROCEDURES HELP KEEP STUDENTS SAFE AT SCHOOL

Peel schools provide a safe environment for students and staff to learn and work. The board has many

procedures to ensure safety—including regular fire drills, evacuation plans, criminal record checks for new

staff and volunteers and lockdown drills. Together with Peel Police and the Dufferin-Peel Catholic School

Board, the board developed a lockdown procedure to help keep schools safe during a potentially serious or

violent incident.

Every school will review the key points of the lockdown process with students. We rehearse the drill twice per

year to make sure staff and students know what to do if we have to initiate a lockdown.

During the rehearsal, the principal will make an announcement to "initiate lockdown procedure." The school

bell will ring continuously for a period of time.

Students and staff inside the school will:

go to the closest room, close the door and lock it, if possible

turn off the lights and lie down on the floor away from doors and windows

remain on the floor quietly until further directions are given

Students and staff outside the school will:

move as far away from the building as possible

remain outside until further directions are given

Depending on the situation, students and staff outside the building may be directed to an evacuation site. When

the rehearsal is over, the principal will make another announcement.

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During lockdown rehearsals or in a real lockdown situation, students and staff must not use cell phones.

Cell phones can create a safety hazard by attracting attention to the area of the school where the phone is being

used.

In the unlikely event of an actual lockdown, police ask that parents do not go to the school. For safety reasons,

you will not be allowed to enter a school that is in lockdown. In some cases, police will designate a Parent

Information Site for you to attend and get up-to-date, accurate information. To find your Parent Information

Site or get further details during a real lockdown, visit www.peelschools.org or listen to local media.

If you have any questions about our lockdown drill, or any of the procedures we have in place to keep students

and staff safe, please call the school.

PEEL BOARD TRUSTEES — ACCOUNTABLE TO THE COMMUNITY

The Peel board, like every public school board in Ontario, is governed by a board of trustees. Trustees are

elected by public school taxpayers every three years during municipal elections. The next municipal election

will be held in October 2018. The Peel board currently has 12 trustees representing three municipalities:

What do trustees do?

advocate for the needs of the community to other members of the board

help members of the community address concerns about the school system

set policies in the areas of curriculum, facilities, human and financial resources

explain the policies and decisions of the board to the community

evaluate the board's achievement of its goals and objectives and monitor its implementation

of new policies

participate in budget development, approve budget decisions and monitor its progress

protect the future of the board by always considering the long-term effects of decisions

Visit www.peelschools.org and check out the ‘Meet Your Trustee’ section to subscribe to board meeting

agendas and minutes and read highlights from board meeting.

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Trustee Ward(s) City Email Phone #

Stan Cameron

Caledon stan.cameron@peelsb.com 905-880-1162

Janet McDougald

Chair

1 and 7 Mississauga janet.mcdougald@peelsb.com 905-278-1402

Suzanne Nurse

Vice-Chair

2 and 6 Brampton suzanne.nurse@peelsb.com 905-495-3423

Learning for head, heart, and hands in our local built and natural environments.

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Learning for head, heart, and hands in our local built and natural environments.

http://schools.peelschools.org/1458

Learning for head, heart, and hands in our local built and natural environments.

http://schools.peelschools.org/1458