June 2017 ATTENDANCE LINE 1-855-209-6155 INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Principal’s Message
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Staffing 2017-18
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2017/18 Arts Performances
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Awakening Brilliance
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Ice Cream Truck!
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Grade 5 Farewell
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Kindergarten Registration
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Medication Returns
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Parent Connect
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Meeting the New Teacher
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Library News
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Summer Office Hours
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Are You Moving?
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2017/18 School Year Calendar
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Geoquery
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Courtesy Seating
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Lost and Found
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School Cash Online
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Welcome The World
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Summer Activities
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Idle-Free Zone
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Preparing for Summer
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Summer Childcare
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Religious Accommodation
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Calendar
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Inspire Hope Spring has brought us many experiences that have inspired our students to explore a range of learning opportunities. Education Week was a great success thanks to our community speakers who came to share their various career pathways with students, and to our parents who came to watch, play and learn with their children. Our #LeviCreekComesTogether Pride Assemblies continue to allow students to share their learning in literacy, numeracy, the arts, physical education, social justice, innovation and creation. We are excited about what this last month of school has to offer. June brings us more time to celebrate our learning together as a community. Our Start With A Smile event brought in many new families to introduce their young children to our Kindergarten program for September and we have many events planned to celebrate our Grade 5s as they transition to Middle School. We are looking forward to the many activities that are planned in June to consolidate our learning, to come together as a community and to plan for a new school year ahead of us. Natalie Gonsalves Principal
Staffing 2017/18 Based on our predicted enrollment for September 2017, our staffing and class organization will be as indicated below: 5 2 2 3 1 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 1
Full Day Kindergarten classes Grade 1 classes Grade 1 French Immersion classes Grade 2 classes Grade 2 French Immersion class Combined grade 2 and 3 French Immersion class Grade 3 classes Grade 3 French Immersion class Grade 4 classes Grade 4 French Immersion class Grade 5 classes Grade 5 French Immersion class Special Education class
Please be aware that the class your child is assigned in June is tentative. Should our numbers increase or decrease significantly between now and the reorganization day in September, your child’s teacher and/or class may change.
You can follow us on Twitter @levicreekps
Awakening Brilliance Celebration The Creative Arts Series for the 20172018 school year, will once again be a wonderful opportunity for your child. This experience opens the imagination of children to world class performances in all genres of the Arts.
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Friday, June 16—Tuesday, June 27
Our annual Awakening Brilliance week will take place between June 16 and June 27. A week of fun filled, exciting events and activities have been planned by this year’s Celebration Team! Friday June, 16 Gr. 4 Medieval Faire Monday, June 19 Mississauga Choral Singers Gallery of Song Tuesday, June 20 Grade 5 Trip to Kelso Wednesday, June 21 Book Swap Grade 4 & 5 Junior Soccer Tournament Thursday, June 22 Play Day (outdoors all day), board games/BYOD if raining Please watch for Friday, June 23 more details in the Mystery Spirit Day fall. Class fun day/Board Games/BYOD day Rain date for Play Day Monday, June 26 Nature Scavenger Hunt Ice Cream! Tuesday, June 27 As part of our year-end Talent Show (gymnasium) celebration week, we will be Ice Cream Truck having an ice cream truck coming to Levi Creek on Tuesday, June 27th. For just $2, students will be able to purchase a small ice Parents are asked to pick up their child’s cream cone, a small medication/EPI pens from the office on or slushie, or a “Rocket” before the last day of school. Parents are popsicle. also reminded to pick up a new Medication Form for the upcoming school year. New A permission slip will be Medication Forms are required each year. sent home separately.
Medication Returns
Kindergarten Registration Kindergarten registration is ongoing. If you have a child who is eligible to attend kindergarten in September, please come to the school to fill out the necessary forms.
Grade 5 Celebration The close of the school year always brings mixed emotions for students and staff. It is difficult to say goodbye to friends, but it is exciting to move forward to new experiences, new friendships, and new learning. On Wednesday, June 28th @ 10 a.m., we will officially say farewell to our grade 5 students. Parents of grade 5 students are welcome to join us for this event. Please watch for additional information coming from your child’s teacher.
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ParentConnect is coming to YOUR school this fall! The Peel District School Board is excited to announce that ParentConnect, our new parent portal, is launching this fall at your student’s school. ParentConnect is a safe and secure application that provides access to electronic services for your Peel student(s). From alerts to busing, absence reporting to earned credit history, ParentConnect offers easy and convenient self-service access to important K-12 student information. Best of all, ParentConnect is mobile friendly so you have access when you’re on-the-go. Registration is easy. With the Student ID Number and a ParentConnect token passcode, you can access information about all of your children from one website, virtually any time! Watch for your unique ParentConnect token passcode via email, then go online and register. Want to learn more? Visit YouTube.com and search ‘Welcome to ParentConnect.’
Summer Office Hours The school office will open August 28th between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Please note that the Voice Mail System will not accept messages for staff after June 30th, 2017.
2017-2018 School Hours Our start and end times will remain the same. Supervision begins at 9:00 a.m. Students will enter the school at 9:10 a.m. Instruction will begin at 9:15 a.m. Please Note: First nutrition break will be at 11:05 a.m. Second nutrition break will be at 1:05 p.m. All students will be dismissed promptly at 3:35 p.m.
Meeting The New Teacher On the last day of school, Thursday, June 29, the students will be given the opportunity to visit their new classroom, to meet their new teacher, and to say hello to their new classmates. Please be aware, however, that these placements are
Library News June 16th is the final day to return all library materials. Missing or damaged materials may result in a notice home requesting a replacement fee. Thank you to all the parents and students who came out to support our school Book Fairs. Keep reading and enjoy your local library!
ARE YOU MOVING?? Parents are asked to notify the office in writing if their child/ren will not be attending Levi Creek in September. Please indicate on the attached form, the date your child will be moving and the name of the school your child will be attending in September so that we can update our records, transfer your child, and finalize our class lists. Please be aware that students who have moved outside our boundaries will not be placed on a class list for September 2017. Students who have moved outside our boundary are encouraged to register at their designated school.
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2017-2018 Elementary School Year Calendar First day of classes for all students: September 5, 2017 Last day of classes for elementary students: June 29, 2018 The number of instructional days for elementary and secondary students: 187 The number of professional activity days for the elementary and secondary: 7 School holidays: Labour Day: September 4, 2017 Thanksgiving Day: October 9, 2017 Winter Break (inclusive): December 25, 2017 to January 5, 2018 Family Day: February 19, 2018 Spring Break (inclusive): March 12-16, 2018 Good Friday: March 30, 2018 Easter Monday: April 2, 2018 Victoria Day: May 21, 2018 Elementary professional activity days: Professional Activity/Reorganization: September 26, 2017 Professional Learning: October 6, 2017 Reporting to Parents: November 17, 2017 Assessment, Evaluation and Report Card Writing Day: January 22, 2018 Professional Learning Day: February 9, 2018 Assessment, Evaluation and Report Card Writing Day: June 11, 2018 Professional Learning Day: June 29, 2018
GEOQUERY You can access individual bus information for your child by logging onto the Geoquery website at http://businfo.stopr.ca. Information for the 2017-2018 school year will be available after August 28, 2017. Once you are on the main page: 1. click ‘Student Login’ 2. enter your child’s OEN number (9 digit number found on the front of your child’s report card) 3. enter the street, house number, school, and grade 4. click ‘Login’ This site will give you bussing information for your child such as; eligibility to ride the bus, bus stop location, bus number/route. You may also check to see if the bus is delayed. *Unfortunately if your child is starting Junior Kindergarten, their information will not be accessible on the website in August. However, the kindergarten bus routes will be posted at the front windows of the school on September 4th and will remain for the weekend.
COURTESY SEATING If you are interested in courtesy seating for your child, please fill out a Courtesy Seating Request form available in the office in October 2017.
LOST AND FOUND As the end of the school year approaches, it is a good time to check the Lost and Found for your child’s items. We will be removing all items and donating to a charity at the end of the school year.
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Pay school fees online—register today! The Peel District School Board is excited to announce that your child’s school now offers a new, preferred method of payment for all school fees. School Cash Online is a safe and secure form of online payment that allows you to pay for your child’s school items, like field trips and pizza days, from your computer or smartphone using eCheck, Visa or MasterCard. Register now By registering, you’ll have the ability to: Keep track of your children’s school item and activity fees Check account history Print or view receipts Make donations to school fundraisers online and instantly receive a tax receipt Pay for school fees with the click of a button For more information and to register, visit https://peelschools.schoolcashonline.com. If you have any questions, please contact the school directly.
The Peel District School Board’s We Welcome the World Centres located in Brampton, Malton and Mississauga, are the first point of contact for all newcomer families to become familiar with the educational system in Peel. The centres are open all year—including the summer months. In addition to providing literacy and numeracy assessments, We Welcome the World Centres provide newcomers with a host of services including: reception, orientation, interpretation and referrals. At each centre, parents/guardians and students will discover: computer portals—guided introduction to the Peel Welcome to School Kits and other Peel resources settlement service information translation of materials to support the reception and assessment process age and grade appropriate educational and related program resources audio-visual materials to explain the adult education program professionally administered child-care (only available during assessment and orientation process) information about various community supports and programming available For more information about the We Welcome the World Centre and the services they provide, call 905-366-8791.
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Summer activities that boost learning Kindergarten to grade 4 Sorting and stacking – Teach classification skills with dinnerware. Ask your child to match and stack dishes of similar sizes and shapes. Also have your child sort flatware – forks with forks, spoons with spoons. This is like recognizing the shapes of letters and numbers. Comic strip writing – Use comic strips to help with writing. Cut the segments of a comic strip apart and ask your child to arrange them in order. Then ask your child to fill in the words of the characters (orally or in writing). Float and sink – Encourage hypothesizing (guessing). Use several objects – soap, a dry sock, a bottle of shampoo, a wet sponge, an empty bottle. Ask your child which objects will float when dropped into water in a sink or bathtub. Then drop the objects in the water, one by one, to see what happens.
Grades 5 to 8 Follow the news – As a family, choose an important news event to follow for a day or two. Ask each person to find as much information on the topic as possible – read newspapers, look at online news webpages, listen to the radio and watch TV news. Then talk about what everyone learned. Pro and con: what do you think? – Make a family game of discussing a special issue. For example, "Teenagers should be allowed to vote," or "There should never be any homework." Ask your children to think of all the reasons they can to support their views. Then ask them to think of reasons opposing their views. Which views are most convincing? For variety, assign family members to teams and have them prepare their arguments pro and con. Stretch, run, walk – Ask your child to do at least one kind of exercise every day. For example, run or walk briskly for 10 minutes. Walk, when possible, instead of driving, for any distance less than a mile. Have your child make a week-long exercise plan. Try to think of a modest reward for sticking to the plan and exercise with your child. Let your voice be heard – Promote good citizenship. Help your child write a letter to the editor of the local newspaper about an issue affecting children – for example, suggest that a bike path be built near the school or that a city event be planned for youngsters. Children are citizens, and their ideas are worth hearing.
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.
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Preparing for the summer sun Excessive exposure to the sun can lead to health concerns such as sunburn and skin cancer. As summer approaches and the weather gets warmer, it is necessary to apply sunscreen to protect ourselves from too much sun damage and burns. In summer, we are exposed to higher levels of ultraviolet (UV) rays. This exposure is a risk factor for developing skin cancer and cataracts later in life. The UV index is the measure commonly used in Canada to assess the strength of the sun’s UV rays risk on a given day. What is the UV Index? The index scale ranges from 0 to 10. The higher the value, the more intense ultraviolet rays. The UV index is calculated daily by Environment Canada using ozone and weather information. It can vary from day to day with changes in the ozone layer – the thinner the ozone layer, the higher the index reading.
How to protect your family from the sun? Wear a hat (preferably with a broad brim), sunglasses and protective clothing on sunny days. Use sunscreen with a SPF of 15 or greater whenever you're outdoors. Encourage your children to play in shady areas if they are outside for a long period of time. Remember that sunburn can occur even on a cloudy day, as up to 80 per cent of UV rays can penetrate light clouds, and 40 per cent of UV rays can bounce back from sand, water or concrete. Three steps to quality summer child care for your child If you have a school-age child, finding summer child care can be a real challenge. But you can follow these three simple steps to help you choose a program that’s best for your family. It will mean a summer full of fun and learning for your child—and peace of mind for you. Step 1 Call Child Care Info Peel 905-890-9432 or 1-888-836-5550 Child care experts provide specific information about summer camps and other child care providers in your neighbourhood. They can answer your questions and give you information to help you choose the program that’s right for your family. It’s a good idea to call the info line early to give yourself enough time to investigate potential programs and make your decision before the program fills up. Step 2 Schedule an appointment to meet with the program director or to speak over the phone, so that you can get more information about the program. If possible, visit the program or the facility in which it will be held. The more information you have, the better you will be able to decide if this program is a good "fit" for your child and your family. Step 3 When you are checking out summer programs, don’t be afraid to ask a lot of questions—it’s the best way to make sure you have all the information you need. In general, you will want to ask questions about the program, staff, health and safety practices, food provided, and costs. For more information, call Child Care Info Peel or visit www.cdrcp.com/ccip.html.
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Religious accommodation available to all faiths, reflects board commitment to inclusion All Ontario school boards are legally required to offer religious accommodation (as per the Ontario Human Rights Code) and have a religious accommodation procedure in place (as per the Ministry of Education’s 2009 Provincial Equity and Inclusive Education strategy). While the Peel District School Board has been providing religious accommodation to its students and staff for over 15 years, the board has revised its formal Religious Accommodation Operating Procedure, which has been in place since 2012. The Peel board recognizes and values the religious diversity within its community and is committed to providing a safe, respectful and equitable environment for all, free from all forms of discriminatory or harassing behaviour, including those based on religion. Who can make a religious accommodation request? Parents of Peel students or staff of any faith background can make a religious accommodation request. How can a student or staff member make a religious accommodation request? Parents of Peel students or staff should contact their school principal or site supervisor in early September (or as early in the school year as possible) to submit a religious accommodation request. What religious accommodation can be requested? For many students and staff in Peel schools, there are a number of areas where the practice of their religion that may result in a request for accommodation:
observation of major holy days, ceremonies, commemorations, and celebrations school opening and closing exercises prayer and rituals dietary requirements fasting religious attire modesty requirements religious leave participation in daily activities and curriculum
For more information on religious accommodation, visit our website at www.peelschools.org/aboutus/equity.
Mon
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18
25
12 PD DAY
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Day 9
Day 10
Day 4
Nature Scavenger Hunt
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MSC Gallery of Song 10am
5
4
Tue
Day 10
Day 5
Day 1
Day 5
Talent Show 10 & 2 Ice Cream Truck
27
Grade 5 Trip– Kelso Summer Solstice
20
Volunteer Tea 10:00-10:45
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6
Follow us on Twitter @levicreekps
Sun
Day 2
Day 6
Day 7
Day 3
Day 7
Day 2
Last Day Of School
29
28 Day 6 Grade 5-Farewell– 10:00 am
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#LCCT-Responsibility
15
8
Play Day
Day 1
Day 8
Group Photo Gr. 5 9:15am
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Thu
Book Swap Junior Soccer Tournament
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Featuring: Jack Grunsky! FI, Gr. 4 & Gr. 5 -10 am only
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Gr. 5 to David Leader 9:15-10:30
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Wed
Day 3
Day 8
Day 4
Day 9
30 PD DAY
???Mystery Spirit Day???? Class fun day
23
Pizza Day FDK Parents at play Medieval Faire
16
9
Pizza Day
2
Fri
24
17
10
3
Sat
Attendance Reporting: 1-855-209-6155 or pdsb.schoolconnects.com
June 2017
