MacLeod’s Musings

March 1, 2014 Volume #8, Issue #7

MacLeod’s Landing P.S.

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Dates and Events 1 The 19 Day Fast begins (Baha’i

Faith) 5 Ash Wednesday (Christianity) 6 FRIDAY Schedule 7 PA Day (No School) 8 International Women’s Day 9 Change Clocks 10 March Break begins 10 First Day of Lent (Christianity) 14 Sikh New Year’s Day (Sikhism) 16 Purim (Judaism) 17 St. Patrick’s Day 17 Holi (Hinduism) 17 Ghambar Hamaspathmaedem

(Zoroastrianism) 17 La Belle et La Bete performance 18 Skating (Grades 1 & 2) 20 Spring Begins 20 Spring Ohigon (Buddhism) 21 Naw Ruz (Zoroastrianism) 21 Twin Day 24 International Day for the

Elimination of Racial Discrimination

25 Scientist in Schools (Grade 7) 26 Birthday of Prophet Zarathustra

(Zoroastrianism) 27 McMichael Art Gallery Trip

(Spark, Hanks, Hughes, Ganesh)

28 Character Matters Assembly (9:15 am)

Brad Derry Principal 905-398-7945 Nadia Russiello Vice Principal 905-398-7945 Gayle Brocklebank-Vincent Superintendent 905-884-4477 Diane Giangrande Trustee 905-770-0826

From the Administrative Team: The past couple of months have been challenging with cold weather and lots of snow. We have spent many days inside due to cold and icy weather. We’re looking forward to the spring which we hope is soon to come. Please keep in mind that inclement weather and cold temperatures are very common in March and April. To assist in keeping your child safe and comfortable at school, we are encouraging parents to send their child to school dressed appropriately for the weather, and to remind your child to continue to wear appropriate outdoor clothing during recess times. March is also the month where we start to see a change in the weather. The snow begins to melt and the schoolyard becomes wet and muddy. As a result, we want to remind parents that it is important that students have a change of clothes in case they get wet and they also need a pair of indoor and outdoor footwear.

Teachers are working with students towards meeting curriculum expectations for the second term. We encourage parents to continue to keep in contact with their child’s classroom teacher as we work in partnership to support student learning. Sincerely,

B. Derry N. Russiello B. Derry N. Russiello Principal Vice-Principal

March Break

Monday, March 10-

Friday, March 14

If you are planning to take

your child(ren) out of

school early or are returning

from a vacation after March

17th, please inform the office

of your plans. This will help

with our Safe Arrivals

Programme.

Day Care Parking

We continue to have many parents using the parking lot off of Shirrick Drive in the mornings. Please DO NOT park in this lot between 8:45 and 9:05 a.m. as it is used by parents who are dropping off their children for day care. As well, many cars are being blocked off by others and they cannot leave the lot. Please park along Shirrick Drive or Silver Maple Road and walk your child to the school.

Bus Loop Parking

Please DO NOT park in the bus loop (at the front of the school) during the lunch hour or at any other time. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated!

Picking Your Child Up Early?

If it is necessary for you to pick your child up early from school, please send a note with your child to let his/her teacher know. Also, we ask that you try to avoid picking your child up early between 3:15 and 3:35 p.m. Since this is close to dismissal, our parking lot becomes extremely busy and our office staff is often busy preparing for the end of the day. Thank you!

Are You Moving?

Are you moving before next September? If so, please let us know as soon as possible. Please call our office with any information: 905-398-7945

.

Updating your Contact

Information

Throughout the year contact information often changes. Cell phone numbers, work numbers and emergency contacts often change. Please be sure to update us at the school. Should an emergency arise and we are unable to contact you due to outdated information it could prove disastrous. As soon as this information changes, please contact the school so that we can update our records.

March Break Library Programmes

The Richmond Hill Public Library is offering a range of children’s programmes during the March Break. To access these programmes, please visit their website at www.rhpl.richmondhill.on.ca

Kindergarten Registration

Schools across York Region began taking Kindergarten registrations during February. Registrations will be accepted in our office throughout the spring. If you have not yet registered your child for September’s Kindergarten class, please do so as soon as possible. If you know of a neighbor that has not yet done so, please encourage them to come in and see us at the school.

Learning Commons News

Forest of Reading

Kindergarten through Grade 3 classrooms are reading the Blue Spruce picture books as a class. Some classes

are working on memory books to remember their favourite stories. Grades 4 through 6 students can participate

in the Reading Club to read the Silver Birch books, they meet on alternate Tuesday mornings in the library with Mrs. Anderson. Grade 7 and 8 students can choose Red Maple books when they come to the library for book

exchange.

Author and Illustrator Janet Wilson

Author and illustrator Janet Wilson came to visit us in February. She is a well-known Canadian artist, author of

books for children and youth, and inspirational speaker. Many of her books have been nominated for the Silver Birch non-fiction award. She is passionate about child activism and writes about how children can change the

world.

We would like to acknowledge financial assistance from the Ontario Arts Council through the Writers Union of

Canada. Following her presentation one of our Grade 5 students said the following, "You have shown us another side to our world and how we are so lucky to have our rights, peace and education. Your books are an

inspiration!"

MBA MBA MBA

A Word From Our Students

Grades 1 and 2 Classes Go Skating!

(written by students in Ms. Kang’s Gr. 2 class)

I like skating because it looks very pretty and it is just like riding a two wheeler bike but just with thinner wheels. I get frustrated when I first get on the ice because I am not used to it. From my experience from skating the best part of it was helping other people skate but the worst part is when my lace came off. Hopefully it will not happen again but without that part I had fun. I went to skating it was fun. I like skating because I can skate really fast. The thing that I don’t like about skating is that I fall a lot.

Scientists in the School

On Tuesday, February the 12th the Grade One students in Mrs. Mako, Mrs. Dimma, Mrs. Rye-Brown/Mrs. Sana-Christie, Mrs. Fineman, and Mrs. Rampersad’s class had the opportunity to participate in a science workshop called “Energy Makes it Happen” presented by Scientists in the School. This half day program, led by a Scientist in the School instructor helped our students better

understand the concepts of energy and matter, reinforcing many of the expectations found in our Grade One Science Curriculum. Our young scientists explored the impact energy has on our daily lives through art, drama, and hands on experiments. They investigated thermal energy by making a bubble grow, and used a real thermometer to explore the effect of colour on heat absorption. They built a class circuit to make light, and learned how to become an energy wizard and conserve energy in their house. Through the creation of a pinwheel they learned about the energy that wind can provide us. Students learned about the importance of sun protection and ultra-violet rays while making and experimenting with their UV bead bracelet. Finally, our students unleashed their inner Picasso as they created abstract paintings using solar power and a turn table. Our day was a success thanks to the support we received from parents and our grade eight volunteers who helped monitor and teach at learning centres provided by the Scientist in the School’s expert. Comments from Mrs. Mako’s Grade 1 students: “We made a magic bracelet that had a UV bead in it. The bead changes colour in the sun. The bead gets darker or changes colour if the sun is too strong, or if you are in the sun for too long. The sun gives us energy, but it can be bad if we don’t wear sunscreen.” “The sun helps us with almost everything. We did a play to talk about energy.” “We dipped the end of a bottle in liquid soap. Then we held onto the bottle and the heat from our hands made a bubble grow at the top of the bottle. “

Golden Garbage Bins Awards for February!

Wow! What a month it has been for our eco-schools initiative. Our first two golden bins were handed out on Friday, February 28th during the Character Matters Assembly.

In the primary division, Mrs. Roldan's class edged out Ms. Kang and Mrs. Dimma's classes for the bin by only a few short points. For the junior/intermediate division, Ms. Spark's class won, with Mrs. Ganesh's class following a close second. Classes were marked on the overall tidiness of their rooms, as well as their eco-friendly waste procedures.

We can't wait to see which classes will win for March, as every week counts towards the grand prize winners of a pizza party in June! Go MLPS!

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1.

TRANSPORTATION ELIGIBILITY Did you know that students’ bussing eligibility changes throughout their school career? Your son’s/daughter’s eligibility to ride the school bus may change according to his/her grade and distance from home to school. Below are the provisions for eligibility identified in the Board’s Transportation Policy #680:

All YRDSB students in JK-3 who live within 1.2 km of their school are not eligible for transportation

All YRDSB students in Grades 4-8 who live within 1.6 km of their school are not eligible for transportation

All YRDSB students in Grades 9-12 who live within a transit served area are not eligible for transportation To view Board Policy #680: Student Transportation, please visit www.yrdsb.edu.on.ca . For more information about bus transportation and to determine your son’s/daughter’s eligibility please visit www.schoolbuscity.com.

EQAO Assessment Dates

The Education Quality Accountability Office has set the dates from May 26

th

through to June 6th

as the period in which our students are to complete the EQAO assessment. MacLeod’s Landing P.S. staff members will be administering the assessment throughout this period with our grade 3 and 6 students. We ask that parents of these students ensure that the testing period is free of appointments. This will enable us to gather a complete set of data for each child.

The Student Transfer Process

Student transfer request forms (P108) are available at the school office should you be considering this for next year. At a meeting in May, these requests will be considered by the principals of the Oak Ridges and Richmond Hill elementary schools. Parents and guardians will receive the results of the assessment of transfer requests in June so that they can make alternative arrangements for child care. Transfer requests are assessed according to the following criteria:

1. There is accommodation in that particular school; 2. The parents or guardians supply transportation to the

school; 3. The transfer is in the best interests of the student in the

opinion of the principals and the superintendent of education;

4. The transfer will not jeopardize the program in the sending or receiving schools in the opinion of the principals and the superintendent of education.

Please note that due to our need to comply with the guidelines as set out by the Ministry of Education around primary class size reduction, it may be difficult for us to support these requests. In some cases transfers cannot be considered until the end of September when compliance and reorganization are complete.

REMEMBER

Daylight Savings Time begins

Sunday, March 9th .

Set your clocks

FORWARD ONE HOUR

March 21st is

Twin Day!

Lost and Found

We have a collection of clothes, shoes, boots, lunch bags and coats in our Lost and Found. Please check, or encourage your children to check for lost items. Just prior to the March Break, unclaimed items will be bagged and donated to those in need.

Report Cards

If you have not returned the acknowledgement portion of your child’s Report Card, please do so as soon as possible.

February 21, 2014 Dear Members of the York Region District School Board Community: As you may be aware, our current director of education will be retiring as of July 31, 2014. The important responsibility of selecting his successor now becomes the task of the Board of Trustees. We have engaged the services of Laverne Smith & Associates, a leading Canadian firm that has worked extensively with school boards and other public sector organizations across the country. Dr. Laverne Smith, our consultant, will be assisting us by gathering input from you, the educational community. Your input into the qualities and characteristics that you would like to see in the new director of education is critical. Please take a few minutes to complete the linked online survey which comprises four questions. The survey results will be submitted electronically directly to Laverne Smith & Associates. All responses will be held in strict confidence by the consultant. Please submit your response by Tuesday March 18, 2014. If you require more time to complete the survey, responses will continue to be accepted after this deadline. Thank you in advance for your time and input. Yours truly, Anna DeBartolo Diane Giangrande Co-Chairs of the Search Committee for Director of Education York Region District School Board

Respect Responsibility Courage Empathy Optimism Initiative Honesty Fairness Integrity Perseverance Inclusiveness

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1

2 3 4 5 6 7 8

9 10 11 12 13 14 15

16 17 La Belle et La Bete

performance

18

Grade 1 & 2 Skating

19 20

21

Twin Day

22

23 24 25

Scientist in Schools

(Grade 7)

26 27

McMichael Art Gallery

Trip (Spark, Hanks,

Hughes, Ganesh)

28

Character Matters

Assembly

(9:15 a.m.)

29

30 31

March 2014

BUS ROUTES HOTLINE

1-877-330-3001

www.schoolbuscity.com

Integrity

We are truthful and sincere. We ensure consistency between what we say

and what we do as well as between what we believe and how we behave.

Updated: 3-Mar-14

International Day for the

Elimination of Racial

Discrimination

International Women’s Day ASH WEDNESDAY

NAW RUZ HOLI

St. Patrick’s Day

CHANGE CLOCKS

SPRING BEGINS

MID-WINTER BREAK

PA DAY

(No School)

MacLeod's Landing Public School

Tel: (905) 398-7945 Fax: (905) 398-0842

Website: www.macleodslanding.ps.yrdsb.edu.on.ca

eMail: macleod’s.landing.ps@yrdsb.edu.on.ca

THE 19 DAY FAST BEGINS

FIRST DAY OF LENT SIKH NEW YEAR’S DAY

PURIM

GHAMBAR HAMASPATHMAEDEM

SPRING OHIGON

BIRTHDAY OF PROPHET

ZARATHUSTRA

FRIDAY SCHEDULE