LARKSPUR PUBLIC SCHOOL growing together today, for tomorrow

111 Larkspur Road Brampton, Ontario L6R 1X2 Phone: 905-799-2952 Fax: 905-799-8109 Website: http://schools.peelschools.org/1477

NOVEMBER 2017 DATES FOR YOUR CALENDAR October 30 - November 3 Grade 3 Field Trip – Old Britannia Schoolhouse November 5 Daylight Savings Time ends November 6 School Council Meeting (6:30pm in Library) November 7 Picture Retake Day Grade 4 Field Trip – Mountsberg Conservation Area November 10 Larkspur Community Remembrance Day Assembly @ 9am Progress Reports go home (K-Gr.5) November 13 - 16 Grade 4 CCAT November 13 - 17 Scholastic Book Fair November 16 Parent/Teacher Interviews (3-8pm) November 17 Reporting to Parents Day (No School for Students) November 20 - 24 Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week November 24 Sports Jersey Spirit Day

PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE

Our first term is well underway, and students and staff have been working hard throughout the beginning of this school year to create a positive learning environment and set personal academic goals. On November 10th, Progress Reports for all students (Kindergarten through Grade 5) will be sent home. These reports outline how your child is progressing thus far this academic year. On November 16th and 17th, we will be hosting Parent/Teacher/Student interviews for all Larkspur families. Forms are being sent home to parents to schedule an interview time with each and every Larkspur family, as all interviews must be prearranged with your child’s teacher. We strongly recommend that your child attends these interviews with you. After all, it is about their progress! There will be NO school for students on Friday, November 17th, as teachers will be conducting Progress Report interviews. We look forward to seeing you then!

G. Harris J. Challinor S.Bloom Principal Vice-Principal Vice-Principal

Grade 3 Intramurals Grade 3 students have been meeting in the gym weekly to participate in a variety of Dodge Ball games. The enthusiasm and energy shown by students to date has been amazing. Fair play, following game rules, and demonstrating good sportsmanship has been the focus in these active sessions. Fitness Friends Some of Larkspur’s exceptional students have been participating in fun, interactive play sessions with select Grade 5 students in the gym. Tag games, riding scooter boards, and playing basketball; are a few examples of the types of activities being offered thus far. These interactive sessions are being used as a platform for our exceptional students to further develop their social, communicative and play skills; in an inclusive setting that promotes active living. Volleyball Team Tryouts The Larkspur Lion Pride is strong!!! Hear the Roar!!!!! Over 50 Boys and Girls have tried out for the Junior Boys and Girls Volleyball Teams. The Boys team is set and they are already practicing three times a week and. Girl’s tryouts continue and a team will be chosen in the coming weeks. The Boys and Girls teams practice every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday mornings before school from 7:45 to 8:30 am.

Larkspur Welcomes the Brampton Beast At the end of October, representatives from the Brampton Beast were at Larkspur to promote our school game event that took place at the Powerade Centre on October 29th. Students were treated to a shooting game, Q&A session, and a ball hockey game where Brampton Beast players challenged our own Larkspur staff members. Boomer, the Brampton Beast mascot, also made a special appearance much to our delight! Larkspur was well represented at the Powerade Centre as over 100 Larkspur students and family members were in attendance to cheer on the Brampton Beast. Congratulations to our school choir who performed both the Canadian and American national anthems prior to the game. Thank you to Mrs. Allegretti-Costa and Ms. Bince for working with our singers. Walk to School Wednesday Our final October walk had a "Halloween Theme" where Mr. Spencer, Mr. Brophy, Andrea and Emily from Mr. Cunningham's class, not only gave out stamps to those who walked to school BUT also gave out Hallowe'en Treats

Remembrance Day Our annual Remembrance Day Assembly will take place on Friday November 10th. Classes will be gathering in the gym at 9:00 a.m. Families are welcome to join us in the gym for the presentation.

Coming Soon: Scholastic Book Fair Our Library Learning Commons will be hosting our own Book Fair from Nov. 13th thru Nov. 17th. Students will have a chance to browse the Book Fair with their class with sales beginning on Wed., Nov. 15th. Students will be able to purchase books during periods 5-6 and 7-8 on Nov 15th and 16th. We will be open for purchases after school on Nov 15th until 4:00pm and on Nov 16th during Parent-Teacher interviews. A portion of all sales goes back to our school for the purchase of books. Thank you in advance for your support. A Nutritious Lunch Helps Your Child Learn Good nutrition comes from eating a balanced diet chosen from each of the four food groups in Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating: grain products, vegetables and fruits, milk products, and meat and alternatives. Children need to eat a variety of foods every day to be healthy. Try to avoid including treats such as candy in your child’s lunch. Dressing for the Weather A quick reminder to parents that Larkspur students go outside for recess breaks during the morning and afternoon. Please ensure your child brings warm clothing; hat, mitts/gloves, snow pants, winter jacket, scarf so that they are warm during our outside time. In the event of an extreme cold weather alert, we will be keeping students inside during these regularly scheduled outdoor times. Kiss & Ride Student Safety Program Morning Drop-off Parents are reminded of our Kiss & Ride lane located through the main parking lot of the school. We are asking that parents use extreme caution when travelling through our school parking lot in the morning. When dropping your child off please do not park in the parking lot. You may enter the drop off zone to allow your child to exit your vehicle, and then rejoin the flow of traffic. As always, please follow the direction of staff out on duty. If parents want to come into the school, please access an assigned parking spot in our main parking lot or along the street, and walk to the school. The front driveway is reserved for buses and emergencies. Afternoon Pick-up We do not allow cars to enter our school parking lot at the end of the day. Please find an appropriate parking spot on the street, unless you are accessing one of our handicapped parking spots with a proper permit. Parents are asked to walk onto school property to get their children using assigned walkways and crosswalks. Our primary concern during times of high traffic is Student Safety. Please help us ensure the safety of your child during these times by following proper procedures when dropping off or picking up your child from school.

Community Corner Stay up-to-date with community-based opportunities The Peel District School Board is pleased to introduce an electronic resource page on www.peelschools.org called, Community Corner, which contains links to information and resources in the community that may be of interest to students and their families. This site replaces our previous method of sending promotional materials about community clubs, camps, contests, fundraisers and events home with students on a regular basis. How you can access Community Corner

1. Visit www.peelschools.org/parents/communitycorner

2. Click on the “Community Corner” button, found on the main page of school websites, as well as on www.peelschools.org.

Train More. Rehearse More. Learn More. Peel District School Board program offers flexible school options for student athletes, artists Does your child/teen have an intense sports or arts training and competition schedule that makes it difficult to attend school regularly? The Peel District School Board’s Peel Region High Performers Program will offer flexible timetabling to accommodate student athletes and artists with demanding practice, competition, rehearsal and/or performance schedules. Information nights will be offered as follows:

Grades Information Night Location

4 to 5 Nov. 8, 2017 Britannia Public School 1145 Swinbourne Dr. in Mississauga

6 to 8 Nov. 30, 2017 Dolphin Sr. Public School 18 Brookside Dr. in Mississauga

The Peel Region High Performers Program is also available to students in grades 9 to 12 at Mississauga Secondary School. For more information about Mississauga’s program, please call 905-564-1033.

Applications open Nov. 6, 2017 For more information and applications, visit www.peelschools.org/HighPerformers.

Prevent the flu. It's in your hands. Hand washing is the most important way to prevent the spread of infection. Always wash your hands with soap and water when they are dirty. Clean your hands before:

i. touching your eyes, nose or mouth ii. touching/preparing food or drinks

iii. eating or drinking iv. caring for someone in your home who can easily get sick (baby, elderly or someone who has an

unhealthy immune system) v. first aid

Clean your hands after:

i. touching pets or other animals ii. touching raw meat, particularly chicken

iii. touching surfaces such as a railing or grocery cart iv. touching money v. touching objects sick people have touched

vi. touching blood or body fluids such as urine, vomit or feces

vii. contact with those who have a cold, the flu, diarrhea or virus of any kind

viii. changing diapers ix. wiping your own or a child's nose x. sneezing or coughing

xi. using a facial tissue xii. using the washroom

xiii. removing gloves xiv. cleaning xv. gardening

What to do when you cough or sneeze:

i. cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve ii. put used tissues in the wastebasket

iii. clean your hands with soap and water or a hand sanitizer

For more information call Peel Health at 905-799-7700 or visit www.peelregion.ca/flu.

#chooseACTION on Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week The Peel District School Board will recognize Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week during the week of Nov. 20 to 24, 2017. This year, we ask our Peel community to ‘#chooseACTION to be inclusive’ in their classes, offices, schools, or communities, in order to make these spaces better places for everyone. The Peel Board would like to hear about the big and small actions, the pledges, the promises and the attitudes that our Peel community value, and ask that you take a moment to share your #chooseACTION moments on social media.

Across the Peel board, schools use many programs and initiatives to prevent bullying and to intervene when bullying happens. Though the programs vary, their messages are consistent. Students are taught to:

define bullying identify forms of bullying identify the shifting roles in bullying relationships, for example the person who bullies, the

target, the bystander or the trusted advocate determine how to safely “choose action” to prevent and intervene in bullying and

harassment understand that bullying is a relationship problem with relationship solutions determine positive ways to interact with others in an accepting, inclusive way demonstrate character attributes and be a leader to help maintain positive and safe school

communities

Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week is one of the key items contained in Bill 13: The Accepting Schools Act, that came into effect on Sept. 1, 2012. For more information, visit www.peelschools.org/aboutus/safeschools/bullying or www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/safeschools/prevention.html

Winter bus safety The following winter school bus safety tips will help to keep your child safe throughout the winter months. Allow extra time to get to your bus stop. Wear bright clothing so the bus can see you in the

early morning and late evening. Stand away from where the bus stops. Buses need extra room to stop when there is snow and ice. Use the handrail when boarding or exiting the bus to prevent slipping on wet or icy steps or road

surfaces. Dress properly—winter clothing, hats, and boots will keep you warm. Don't throw snowballs at the bus or other children waiting for the bus. Don't slide on the snow or ice patches in driveways or on the street. Don't push or shove around the bus. Someone could fall down on the ice and get hurt.

On very rare occasions, buses are late because of weather conditions or mechanical problems. Talk to your child about what to do if the bus is late. Here are some suggestions: When possible, wait with your child for the bus. Make sure your child knows a phone number where he can reach you or another trusted adult. Teach your child how and where to get help. Talk to your child about what a "safe" stranger is. Help your child set up a bus stop buddy system so your child has someone to wait with for the bus.

Nov. 24 opportunity to say 'thanks' to Peel Custodial & Maintenance Workers’ Day In 2014, the board of trustees declared the last Friday in November as the Peel Custodial and Maintenance Workers’ Day. This year, the recognition day falls on Friday, Nov. 24, 2017. Take this opportunity to thank the important work of custodial and maintenance workers and their hard work and commitment to well-being and safety.

Book Your Child's Back-to-School Eye Exam Ontario Reminding Parents about the Importance of Vision Care Ontario is reminding parents to make an optometry appointment for their children. Eighty percent of classroom learning is visual. An annual comprehensive eye exam can identify vision problems and treatment options to help students reach their full potential. Children who have trouble seeing can encounter difficulties at school because their motor skills, social development, attention span and ability to read, write and learn may be affected. Some conditions such as lazy eye are most effectively treated at a young age. The Ontario Association of Optometrists recommends that every child have their first eye exam at 6 months of age to ensure proper vision development, again at ages 2 to 3, and subsequently every year thereafter. Contact your optometrist if you have concerns about your child's vision or notice any of the following behaviour:

Does not make eye contact

Closes or covers one eye

Squints or frowns when looking far or near

Rubs or touches their eye(s) a lot

Blinks more than usual

Reacts strongly to light

Turns or tilts head when viewing objects

Trips, falls or bumps into things often. Don’t forget, OHIP covers comprehensive eye exams for kids until they turn 20. And Year 1 kids qualify for complimentary glasses through the #EyeSeeEyeLearn program. For more information or to find an optometrist, visit https://www.optom.on.ca/.

Is French Immersion right for my child? If your child will be starting grade 1 in September 2018, one of the important choices you will make is whether you want to apply for the French Immersion (FI) program. What is the program like? What are the advantages and disadvantages of the program? One way to help answer these questions is to attend the information meeting on Thursday, Nov. 23, 2017 at 7 p.m. at the French Immersion school your child would attend. To find out the FI school your child would attend:

visit our website www.peelschools.org/French

call the school in your area Online application The application form for Grade 1 French Immersion for the 2018-19 school year will be available online at www.peelschools.org/French on Friday, Nov. 24, 2017 at 1 p.m. The deadline to register is Friday, Jan. 26, 2018 at 4 p.m. Applications received after that date will be put on a waiting list. A French Immersion enrolment cap is in place. This means that a specific number of spaces are available for students entering grade 1 French Immersion. A random selection process will be used to identify students gaining entrance into the program. For more information about the random selection process visit www.peelschools.org/French. Important dates Information meeting Thursday, Nov. 23, 2017 at 7 p.m. Application process opens Friday, Nov. 24, 2017 at 1 p.m. Application deadline Friday, Jan. 26, 2018 at 4 p.m. For more information

visit www.peelschools.org/French

call your nearest French Immersion school

talk with parents who have children in the French Immersion program

visit the Canadian Parents for French website at http://on.cpf.ca

Parent resources help you support your child’s learning

At the Peel 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. 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.

Give what you can on United Way Giving Day – Nov. 15, 2017 At the Peel District School Board, our mission is to inspire success,

confidence and hope in each student – each and every day. Yet we know

that there are many needs in our community that we can’t address on our

own, like providing food for families that may go without or supporting

communities after a crisis. That’s why we are holding a board-wide giving day in

support of United Way of Peel Region, a key partner and supporter of Peel families.

This year, the Peel board has declared Nov. 15 as United Way Giving Day to raise much needed funds for

United Way of Peel Region and the network of social service agencies it supports. Whether it’s providing

shelter for a mother and her children in Brampton, matching a child who is at risk with a mentor in

Caledon, or funding a breakfast program in Mississauga for youth that would otherwise go hungry,

United Way of Peel Region offers hope and possibility to thousands in our community.

A donation of:

$2 may go towards a warm winter coat for a child.

$10 supports a child with interactive, recreational outings for one year, including

healthy snacks and transportation, to help them build their social skills and self-esteem.

$25 matches a teen with a caring adult mentor who will meet with him or her several

times each month for fun activities.

This is a completely voluntary campaign and any contributions are welcome. Whether you send a loonie,

toonie, cheque made out to your child’s school, or donate through School Cash Online, your

contribution will make a difference. Pledges of $25 or more will automatically receive a tax receipt from

United Way of Peel Region. To receive a receipt, you must fill out the pledge form on the back and send

it to school with your donation by Dec. 15, 2017.

Thank you for lending a helping hand to those who need it most. Together, we can Inspire Possibility!

United Way Giving Day Wednesday, November 15, 2017 Make cheques payable to the school All proceeds go to the United Way of Peel Region. Pledges of $25 or more will automatically receive a tax receipt if a complete address is provided below and pledge form is submitted to your school by Dec. 15, 2017.

Attach your School Cash Online receipt to this if donation was made online.

Name Address City/Province Postal Code Amount Pledged

Receipt Requested