Emily Carr
December 2016
Message from Administration
Wrapping Up 2016
Congratulations to our students who had an opportunity to goal set for learning with their parents and teachers during the progress report conferences. Our goal in this reporting and conferencing process is two-fold. We wish to ensure that parents receive a clear picture of their child's progress to date and that students, with the support of teachers and parents, develop positive, specific and achievable goals for the remainder of the term. Our senior kindergarten parents are actively involved in visiting the classrooms and will receive or have already received a written goal setting form. Junior Kindergarten parents will be informed in the new year about their visits. We thank all families for continuing to support their child's school successes by encouraging exemplary attendance, homework completion and good study habits. We look forward to hearing about all the wonderful achievements throughout the term.
Cindy and Judi have appreciated meeting with parents both informally and formally over the last couple of weeks. We want our Emily Carr community to know that the invitation to connect with us is on-going and very much welcomed. Learning more about you and your families is important to us.
At this time of year, we like to remember those who make Emily Carr a wonderful place to be! Thank you to all our outstanding Teachers, ECE's and EA's for their dedication in providing students with opportunities to be creative and innovative, to learn, to grow and to explore in an inclusive learning environment. Thanks also to staff who put countless hours into our many extra-curricular activities. The office staff we thank for their organization, as well as their care and concern for students who may be sick, injured or who may need to connect with mom or dad. With Mr. K and his team -- Alex Lerke, Tony Silva, and Dijana Milivojevic -- for keeping this school in tip-top shape so we can be proud of this school sitting among all these beautiful homes. At Emily Carr, running the school so effectively would be difficult without parent support. Your volunteer support allows the school to provide experiences above and beyond what can normally be provided (i.e. field trips, pizza days, milk program, etc.). Your financial support is also critical to provide an enriching learning environment. Your contributions are very much appreciated in order to provide an increased number of chrome books and/or ipads for our classrooms. Indeed your support assists our efforts and is very much appreciated. Thank you so very much. Educating children today is, more than ever, everyone's responsibility.
On behalf of everyone at Emily Carr, we wish you and your family a very safe holiday season with an opportunity to reconnect as a family during the winter break. All the best for 2017.
Dates to Remember:
December 16th: Dance-A-thon
December 23rd: Last day of school before Winter Break
January 9th: First day back after Winter Break
Emily Carr’s Mitten Tree
In the Spirit of Giving…
Emily Carr will be collecting donations for Kerr Street Mission’s biggest campaign of the year – the “Christmas Wonders” program benefiting hundreds of local low-income families over the holiday season and beyond.
Families are invited to donate NEW mittens, hats, scarves, neck warmers, and pajamas (pjs needed for sizes infant to 8 yrs). The items will be collected and displayed in the front entrance of the school from December 1-22nd. Please help us grow our tree and keep local children warm this winter! Thank you for your support!
Emily Carr’s Parent Council
Things Happening in December
Candy Grams
Just in time for the holidays, Student Leadership will be selling Candy Grams. Show your friends you care and purchase them a Candy Gram for 25 cents. Each candy gram includes a candy cane, a personalized note, and delivery to the appropriate classroom the last week of school before winter break. When filling out your tags, be sure to include your friend's first name, last name, and their homeroom class. Student representatives will visit classes to help students in grades K-3 to fill out their tags. All proceeds will be donated to the Halton Learning Foundation, an organization that helps students in need (http://www.haltonlearningfoundation.ca/). Thanks in advance for your support!
Safety
As we continue to promote students using their scooters, bikes and skateboards to come to school, they are reminded that once on school property they are to walk. For the safety of all of the walkers and themselves, students are reminded to dismount and walk when on school property. Thank you for your continued support reminding your Emily Carr students about how to stay safe.
Destination: Celebration
Emily Carr is proud to present “Destination: Celebration!” our grade 4-8 Holiday Play!
This play celebrates Christmas, Hanukkah, Diwali, Kwanzaa, Ramadan, Chinese New Year, and the Winter Solstice, featuring the Interlink Choir, The Grade 8 Band, and a large and wonderful cast of grade 4-8 students!
On December 7, there will be a 1:00 pm dress rehearsal which is open to parents/guardians/family members. The grade 4-6 classes will be invited to attend this performance.
Parent Learning Session: Google
Parents, are your kids coming home talking about Google Classroom, Google Drive, the Cloud, Google Docs, Google Read and Write and you aren't sure what they are talking about? Then come and LEARN!
Join us Monday, January 16th, 2017 from 6-7 pm at Emily Carr for our first Parents' Google Learning Session!
Bring your own technology or borrow one of our school Chromebooks as we teach you what these programs can do and how to navigate through these amazing programs. You'll get a sense of what your children are discussing and you might even be confident enough to try these programs yourself!
We look forward to hosting you and helping you learn the technology and programs we use in classrooms at school! Technology today can be daunting and overwhelming; let us help you learn!
Video Dance Party Dance-a-thon
On Friday, December 16, Emily Carr will be having our “Winter Fun” VIDEO DANCE PARTY Dance-a-Thon!
This fundraiser is to purchase chrome books and iPads for our classrooms! In order to reach our goal, we challenge each student to raise $25. Remember that every dollar helps, and that 100% of the money raised will be used to purchase technology for the classrooms! The top three fundraisers will receive 1) A Splatter Party 2) A Winter Session and 3) A Winter Break Camp from 4Cats Oakville West www.4cats.com/westoakville/ . If you do not wish for your child to participate in the dance, please contact the office. Alternate activities will be provided for students who are not dancing. If you would like to volunteer to help with this event, please email Jen Howse at jennifer@millington.ca
Otis Lennon Results
A Musical Note
A Musical Note
By J. Barber
The Emily Carr Grade 8 Band, Grade 8 Bucket Drummers and the Interlink Choir are preparing for our December Winter Concert/Play on Wednesday, December 7th.
The Interlink Choir will finish for this year after the concert. A new schedule for 2017 will be handed out in the new year.
The Emily Carr Grade 8 Band continues to rehearse as they prepare for their competition at the Golden Horseshoe Musicfest, February 23rd. Their rehearsal schedule is posted on Edsby each week. Regular attendance is very important as they prepare for Provincials.
Have a great holiday!
SR Girls' Volleyball
The senior Girls' Volleyball team travelled to Mississauga on November 4th and 5th to participate in the Provincial Cup. Thirty-six top teams from all across Ontario played for the Championship. The Lady Thunderbirds played their best Volleyball of the whole season and wound up winning 6 of their last 8 games to bring home a Banner and a medal. Congratulations girls.
Mr.K and Mme Black
December 2016 Holidays and Observances
December 2 Int. Day for the Abolition of Slavery
The International Day for the Abolition of Slavery is observed today by the United Nations.
The focus of this day is on eradicating contemporary forms of slavery, such as trafficking of persons and child labour or use of children in armed conflicts. This day was instituted on the 2nd of December, 1949 in hopes to raise public awareness of the importance of this worldwide issue.
December 3 Int. day for Persons with Disability
Since 1992, the United Nations International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) has been celebrated annually on 3 December around the world. This day is observed to continue to lay the foundation for a future of greater inclusion for all persons with disabilities and to continue towards building a more inclusive and equitable world for persons with disabilities.
December 6 National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women
In 1991, the Parliament of Canada declared December 6th to be the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.The day now represents a time to reflect on the phenomenon of violence against women in our society. It is also a day for communities and individuals to speak out against all forms of violence against women and its impact on victims and their families and friends. In Ontario, candlelight vigils, memorial services, and other events are held throughout the province.
December 10 Human Rights Day
Human Rights Day is observed every year on 10 December. It commemorates the day on which, in 1948, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This year, Human Rights Day calls on everyone to stand up for someone's rights! Many of us are fearful about the way the world is heading. Disrespect for basic human rights continues to be widespread in all parts of the globe. It starts with each of us. Step forward and defend the rights of a refugee or migrant, a person with disabilities, a woman, a child, indigenous peoples, a minority group, or anyone else at risk of discrimination or violence.
December 11 or 12 - Milad-un-Nabi -
Birthday of Prophet Muhammad
Today is the birthday of Prophet Muhammad. Sunni Muslims observe the Prophet Muhammed's birthday on the 12th day of the Islamic month of Rabi' al-awwal, while Shi'a Muslims mark it on the 17th of this month. Muhammad is believed to be the last prophet. Mawlid, or Milad, is celebrated with large street parades in some countries. Homes and mosques are also decorated. Some people donate food and other goods for charity on or around this day. Others listen to their children read out poems about events that occurred in the Prophet Muhammad's life. Mawlid is celebrated in this way in many communities across the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia.
December 21 - Yule/Winter Solstice
In the Northern Hemisphere, the December Solstice is the Winter Solstice and the shortest day of the year. Although winter is the season of dormancy, darkness and cold, the December Solstice marks the "turning of the Sun" and the days slowly get longer. Celebrations of the lighter days to come and nature’s continuing cycle have been common throughout cultures and history with feasts, festivals and holidays around the December Solstice. For thousands of years, the First Nations peoples noted the shifting of seasons. To acknowledge the vast complexity of the earth’s cycles, people celebrated through ceremony what is considered the longest night. It has always been a time when people reflect on their spirituality and prepare themselves to greet the New Sun with intentions of living a vision that is anchored to spirit and a new light.
December 25 - Christmas Day
December 25 is known as Christmas Day all over the world and many people in Canada spend the day with close relatives or friends. It is customary to exchange gifts, enjoy a special festive meal and, perhaps, attend a special church service. However, some people, particularly in Quebec, do some or all of these things on Christmas Eve as well as, or instead of, on Christmas Day. The traditions centered on Christmas gifts in Canada vary a lot between families. In some families, a mythical figure called Santa Claus brings gifts. It is a time of giving to those who are in need and to show love for friends and family. Many Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus of Nazareth in Bethlehem on December 25, although the true date and year of his birth is unclear. The tradition of celebrating his birth at the end of December may come from the widespread European tradition of celebrations around the winter solstice.
December 25- January 1 - Chanukah
Many Jewish communities in Canada observe the first day of Hanukkah, which marks the start of Hanukkah, also known as Chanukah or Festival of Lights. Hanukkah is an eight-day Jewish observance that remembers the Jewish people's struggle for religious freedom. Hanukkah is a time for gift-giving so some people give gift baskets to others. Some organizations coordinate events -- such as a Hanukkah Party -- for children. These events often include singing, drama, and entertaining activities involving the dreidel, which is a toy used for games. Many Jewish Canadians prepare and eat special meals together.
December 26 Kwanzaa
Kwanzaa is a holiday honoring the culture and traditions of people of African origin. It is celebrated by people from a range of African countries and their descendants. Kwanzaa consists of a week of celebrations, which ends with a feast and the exchange of gifts. During the celebrations, candles are lit and a wooden unity cup is used. Originally the people observing Kwanzaa did not mix any elements of other festivals into their celebrations. However, in recent years, it has become increasingly common for people to mix elements of Kwanzaa with Christmas or New Year celebrations. For instance, a family may have both a Christmas tree and a Kwanzaa candle stick on display in their home. This enables them to include both Christian and African inspired traditions in their lives at this time of year.
Inclement Weather
Inclement Weather Reminders:
During the winter months, inclement weather may cause the disruption of bus transportation and regular school operations. In case of poor weather, the decision to close schools and/or cancel buses is communicated to parents beginning at 6:30 a.m.
It is always a parent’s decision whether to send their child to school on inclement weather days.
Since communication is key in alerting families to the status of school operations and busing, we use a variety of methods to communicate this important information including:
Primary Methods of Communication
- Halton District School Board website - banner posted on homepage
- Halton Student Transportation Services
- Telephone recording through the Board’s main switchboard at 905-335-3665 or Toll free at 1-877- 618-3456
- Television Stations: CHCH, CITY TV, CP24
- AM Radio Stations: CFRB 1010 AM, CJOY 1460 AM, CHML 900 AM,
- CKOC 1150 AM, CHWO 740 AM, AM680NEWS, CHAM 820 AM.
- FM Radio Stations: CHFI 98.1 FM, WAVE 94.7 FM, Y108/107.9 FM, CING 95.3 FM, KLITE 102.9 FM, CBC 99.1 FM, CIMJ 106.1 FM.
- Twitter - School closures and bus cancellations will be tweeted to followers at @HaltonDSB
Email messages on Inclement Weather Days
The Home Notification System will email the parents of approximately 60,000 students (between 6:30 and 7:30 a.m.). Parents are reminded there are several reasons these emails could be delayed, including the limitations of parent’s Internet Service Provider (ISP) receiving our messages, spam protection, as well as other GTA school boards sending messages that morning. For this reason the Home Notification System is supplementary to TV, radio, website and social media.
Emily Carr Public School
Website: http://ecs.hdsb.ca/
Location: 2255 Pine Glen Road, Oakville, ON, Canada
Phone: 905 82703928