Centennial Connection Oct 16, 2022

Dear Centennial Families -

Although it was a short week we packed a lot into it!

We welcomed Kingston Fire & Rescue for an unannounced fire drill on Wednesday. Students and staff did a great job! Kingston Fire & Rescue said it was one of the best drills they had seen - quick and quiet exit of the school, with classroom doors closed, and everyone accounted for. We practiced our drills in September and we were prepared!

Students in the junior classes are learning all about government. This week Derek Ochej from the City of Kingston came to speak to classes about the municipal election and how the electoral process works. Thank you Derek for coming and speaking with us!

The Cross Country team did a fantastic job representing Centennial at the Regional Cross Country meet at Fort Henry. We had a number of students qualify for the final this coming week. Hats off to all runners and many thanks to the coaches and supporters!

We have had had a number of field trips and off-property experiences in the last weeks. These experiences are meant to enhance the learning in the classroom and provide students with the opportunity to see and learn new things.

Dieleman's fundraising catalogues were sent home this week. Please consider purchasing items if you are able. All funds raised go to support students and student experiences.

Parents and guardians are welcome to attend the School Council meeting on Monday at 6:30pm in the gym. Childcare available! The council is also organizing a Family Fun Halloween Dance on Wednesday October 26th. More details to come! We welcome all families to participate in the School Council!

We hope you are having a great weekend, and we look forward to seeing everyone back at school tomorrow!

-Deborah Thompson & Centennial PS Staff

Upcoming Dates

Monday October 17

School Council Meeting at 6:30pm in the gym - childcare provided

Tuesday October 18

Stephanie Sartor, school supervisor, visiting in AM

Some Junior classes to Grand Theatre in PM

Wednesday October 19

IEPs go home today

Thursday October 20

Mr. Caldwell's class to Elbow Lake

Cross Country Finals at Fort Henry Hill

Friday October 21

Grandma Judi - Elder - visiting Grade 1

Student Vote in Gr 5/6 today

Upcoming Dates:

Monday October 24 - PA Day

Monday October 24 - Diwali

Monday October 24 - Municipal Election - Centennial PS is a polling site in the gym

Wednesday October 26th - Family Fun Halloween Dance - more information to come!

Friday November 4th - Last day for Dieleman's fundraising

Friday November 4th - Photo Retake Day

The month of October intentionally holds space to recognize, celebrate and learn from the past and present contributions/experiences of multiple identities and cultural heritages, including Islamic History Month, Learning Disability (LD) Awareness Month, Hispanic/Latin American Heritage Month, Women's History Month and LGBT History Month.

School Day - WIN! WIN! WIN!

UPDATED School Day sign up forms went home with students last week, for families who have not yet signed up. WE WILL DRAW NAMES THIS WEEK FOR OUR FINAL 4 GIFT CARDS. Please sign up today!

Would you like to win a $50 grocery gift card? Then sign up for the School Day online payment system! We will be drawing names of families who have signed up for School Day to win a $50 gift card. Each week we will give out 4 gift cards so be sure to sign up! Everyone who has already signed up will be entered into the draw. As long as families have signed up they are eligible for the draw either this coming week or next week. Don't delay! Sign up today!


7 Grandfathers Teachings	Apple graphing	Reading with a co-op student

7 Grandfathers Teachings

Apple graphing

Reading with a co-op student


Kindergarten art	Bucket filling	Words to live by!

Kindergarten art

Bucket filling

Words to live by!

Staff List - Updated

We have had a number of staff changes since the start of September. Below is an updated list of the Centennial Staff.

Early Childhood Educators

Ghina El Haj

Elaine Locke

Jessica Hollywood

Educational Assistants

Sarah Hogan

Christine Berry

Jackie Ellerbeck

Jessica Hachey

Carly Fitzgerald

Dorothy Evans

Abby Caldwell

Maggie Young

Danielle McDonnell

Kristine Cotter

Tricia Zuber

Custodial & Office Staff

Jeanette Williams, Head Caretaker

Steven Struthers, Evening Caretaker

Janet MacWhirter, Office Administrator

Teachers

Jennifer Lalonde, JK/SK

Shelley Farndon, JK/SK

Leah Mighton, JK/SK

Tara Murphy, Grade 1

Christine Joannette, Grade 1

Emily Hetherington, Grade 2

Judy Beardall, Grade 2/3

Bev Hennessy (on leave), Tiffany Scott, Grade 3

Catherine Byers, Grade 3/4

Keith Cahill, Grade 4/5

Skot Caldwell, Grade 5/6

Lesley Graham, Grade 5/6

Michelle Girard, Grade 5/6

Zunaira Munir, School to Community

Lauren Honcoop, French

Kim Bigelow, French

Stephanie Pharoah, Planning time

Dan Blair, Planning time

Anna Schukei, ESL & Student Support Teacher

Deborah Thompson - Principal

Yard & Nutrition Break Supervisors

We have a terrific team of yard and nutrition break supervisors at Centennial PS but we are in need of some folks who would be able to work on a call-in basis. If you have an hour or 2 that you would be able to work, please let us know! These are paid positions. A CPIC with vulnerable sector screening is required. Please contact the school to find out more and to express your interest! cente@limestone.on.ca

Fundraising

Catalogues have gone home and many families have already started participating! Thank you! Dieleman's fundraiser will help raise funds for various school initiatives including providing support for student experiences as well as enhanced technology for students.

Dieleman's is a catalogue fundraiser where families (and friends and coworkers, etc.) can order items online. Delivery is either directly to home or to the school for pick up. The fundraiser will start this week with catalogues coming home with every student. Some items for purchase include cards and wrap, gift items, chocolate, dip mixes, kitchen gadgets, etc.

Families are welcome and encouraged to participate in the fundraiser as you are able. All proceeds from the fundraiser will be used to support students at Centennial PS.

The last day for online orders from the catalogues is Friday November 4th.

Olivers Labels

Do you need a way to label your things that stay labelled? Do you need a way to show what's yours? Need a way to label your child's things so they don't get lost or mixed up? Support Centennial Public School Council by purchasing through the link. The school receives 20% of your purchase! All funds raised go to support School Council initiatives including student activities. Thank you!

http://www.oliverslabels.com/Centennial

School Website

The school website (https://centennial.limestone.on.ca/) has all of the Centennial Connection editions if you want/need to go back to anything!

E-Store

Want to look spiffy and show off your pride in being a Centennial PS Comet? Check out all of the clothing and accessories available at the Centennial Public School e-store at: https://specialtytrophies.ca/centennialps/

Students, Illness & Masking

A reminder for staff, students, and visitors in our schools to continue to self-screen every day before attending school using the COVID-19 school and childcare screening tool. Staff and students should stay home when sick. In addition, for a total of 10-days after the start of any illness symptom or positive Rapid Antigen Test (RAT), students and staff are expected to wear a well-fitted mask in all public settings (including schools and childcare, unless under two years old) and avoid non-essential activities where mask removal is necessary. Public Health continues to encourage people to mask in indoor, congregate settings like schools. We continue to work very closely with KFL&A Public Health as it relates to health and safety, and absences due to illness. KFL&A Public Health has created a helpful resource for school and childcare screening for families to use. If COVID-19 protocols change, they will be communicated directly with families and updated on Limestone’s COVID-19 Protocol Update webpage.

Tutoring Supports Available

LDSB will be offering virtual learning support for students in Grades 1-10 this Fall. Virtual literacy support will be available to students in Grades 1-3 and virtual Homework Help will be offered to Grade 4-10 students. After-school drop-in sessions will be offered through MS Teams to students in specific grades from Monday to Thursday each week until December 2022. Please continue to check your school website and the LDSB website for more details and information about this program.

In addition, TVO continues to provide curriculum-based, free digital learning resources for all Ontarians this year. This brochure provides an overview of TVO’s Digital Learning Resources (2022). Included in the resources available are:

Mathify Online Math Tutoring for Grades 4-12 https://www.tvomathify.com/students

Free 1:1 online math tutoring support with Ontario Certified Teachers. Available Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 9:00 pm, and Saturdays and Sundays, 3:00 to 9:00 pm. Students/families can sign up, select a tutor and start immediately

TVO Learn https://tvolearn.com/

Over 2,100 curriculum-aligned, grade and subject-specific learning activities from Kindergarten to Grade 8 (including for the new Science and Technology curriculum
Grade 9 to 12 searchable high school content for over 140 secondary school courses

Safe Arrival - How Do I Report An Absence?

Please use the Safe Arrival system to report your child's absence; do not call the school to report an absence. If you child is going to be absent from learning, please ensure you use the Safe Arrival system to report the absence. If your child will be late, please report a full day absence and then we will sign them in when they arrive. You cannot indicate a half day absence.

How to report your absence:

1. Toll-free telephone

Call 1-855-257-9349 toll-free to report an absence using the automated phone system.

2. School Messenger App

Use your mobile device to download and install the free SchoolMessenger blue app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store, the SchoolMessenger website portal, or from within the LDSB mobile app.
The first time you use the app, you must select Sign Up to create your account. Please ensure you use the same email address your student’s school has on file. If you do not use that same email address, you will not be able to create an account, or may not be able to see the "Attendance" option. You may have already created an account when we introduced the Communicate broadcast system.
Select Attendance, then select Report an Absence and follow the prompts.

3. SchoolMessenger SafeArrival Website Portal

Visit the SchoolMessenger website portal.
The first time you use the app, you must select Sign Up to create your account. Please ensure you use the same email address your student’s school has on file. If you do not use that same email address, you will not be able to create an account, or may not be able to see the "Attendance" option. You may have already created an account when we introduced the Communicate broadcast system.
Select Attendance, then Report an Absence and follow the prompts.