Centennial Connection Dec. 11, 2022

Dear Centennial Families -

Classrooms throughout the school continue to be incredible places of learning, where students are engaging in lots of various activities to consolidate much of the learning from the term. There is also a lot of fun happening with culminating activities, excursions off school property and field trips, and class-based spirit days.

Thank you to all families who contributed to the Jingle Bell Walk Food Drive last week. It is not too late to participate if you have some items you wish to donate. We are asking that all donations be brought in this week as the Grade 3/4 class will be using the items as part of their data management unit to sort and graph the items. Food items will be distributed to families in our community during the last week of school for 2022 before the school holiday break.

Hats off to the Boys Volleyball team who did a great job of representing the school last week at the Boys & Girls Club. Many thanks to the staff who were coaches and supporters of the team, and to the many staff who volunteered their time. It was a short but terrific season with students developing some great skills!

We continue to have many students away with illness. Thank you for making sure you are screening your child/children before coming to school each day so we minimize the spread.

https://www.ontario.ca/school-screening A reminder that when students return to school from illness that they are to wear a mask for 10 days following the onset of symptoms. Thank you for your help with this! If your child will be away, please submit their absence through the Safe Arrival/School Messenger App or by calling to toll-free number. Detailed information about how to use the App and the system are listed below, along with a video. Please do not call the school directly to report absences.

We look forward to welcoming families who wish to participate, to the Family Movie Night on Wednesday. Doors open at 6pm and the movie will start at 6:30pm. Admission is $2 per person of $5 per family. All proceeds go to the School Council which supports student learning. We are also working to pay off the loan that supported the redevelopment of the Kindergarten yard several years ago. Students must be accompanied by an adult.

We hope everyone is enjoying the beautiful fresh snow today. Don't forget that we do go outside for 2 recesses everyday and outdoor gear helps to ensure comfort and fun on the yard!

Wishing everyone a fantastic end to the weekend and a fabulous week ahead!

-Deborah Thompson & Centennial PS Staff

Upcoming Dates

Monday December 12 - Day 1

Photo Rekates- AM

Some junior classes to LCVI for Microscopes Workshop

Wednesday December 14 - Day 3

Family movie night - 6pm - 8pm (doors open 6pm; movie at 6:30pm)

Canteen available (cash only). Students must be accompanied by an adult

Friday December 16 - Day 5

Grade 1 classes to Library

Upcoming Dates:

Wednesday December 21st - Cozy Day

DECEMBER

Sunday, December 18th - Monday, December 26th: Hanukkah
Sunday December 25th - Christmas Day
Monday December 26th - Kwanzaa
Friday, December 23rd-Sunday, January 8th: Winter Break

Facility Update

If you have been on the school yard you may have noticed some work being done. Facility Services from the LDSB is prepping an area of the yard to receive a portable classroom at some point this spring. We are continuing to experience significant growth in our enrollment and we expect this to continue next year. Centennial Public School is a great place to be - word is getting out!

Science of Reading - Continuing the Learning

Staff at Centennial PS are continuing to engage in learning about the Science of Reading, and it is impacting our instruction as well as student learning. Take a moment to ask your child about "code packs" and "secret passwords" - great things are happening!

Beyond the learning that staff did at the PA Day a few weeks ago, each teacher also has the opportunity to work with a Literacy Coach every day for a week at a time. Our third block of coaching with Mr. Gillespie starts tomorrow and we love having him at Centennial as our collaborative work supports student learning.

Spirit Day - Wednesday December 21, 2022

Classes throughout the school are engaging in lots of class-based activities and spirit days. For example, the junior division is cooking soup together and having a festive lunch. Some primary classes are doing special crafts and activities, and everyone is invited to participate in the school-wide Spirit Day on Wednesday December 21st. "Cozy day" means you can wear whatever you feel most cozy in - a warm sweater, comfy pajamas, a favourite toque. If you wish, dress up and have fun!

School Council

The School Council meeting dates for the new year are:

* January 23rd

* February 27th - this will possibly be virtual to see if it would make it possible for more parents/guardians to attend. Decision on this will be made at the January meeting.

* April 17th

* May 15th

* June 12th

School Day

Many families are signed up for School Day! If you haven't yet, please sign up as soon as possible as moving forward all permissions and payments will be done using this online system.

Each student has received a notice that has a code specific to them, for sign up. Just a reminder that an O with a line through it is actually the number and not the letter.

If you need any help signing up for School Day just let the office know!

Please note that School Day is the only way that permissions and payments will be possible moving forward. We can no longer accept cash payments or paper permission forms.

Sign up for Triboard notices

This week one of the Centennial PS buses was cancelled by TriBoard Student Transportation. Families can sign up to receive notifications about delays and cancellations by going to the TriBoard website at: https://triboard.ca/

Indigenous Self Identification

Please see the link below for more information and to self identify, if you wish.

https://ldsb.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9U2iaUl9GIFILb0

Virtual Tutoring Opportunities

The links for the afterschool virtual tutoring have been updated.

UPDATED Links for MS Teams Virtual Tutoring (beginning November 14)

Virtual tutoring for LDSB students in Grade 1-10 is available through MS Teams from 4:00 to 6:00 pm on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from October 11 until December 15, 2022.

Tutoring will not be available on PA Days or holidays.

**Students must be logged in their Limestone Microsoft account to participate**

Grade 1-3 Literacy

Grade 4-6

Grade 7-10 Homework Help

Gr. 1 to 3 Link 1

Gr. 4 to 6 HW Link 1

Gr. 7 to 10 Link 1

Gr. 1 to 3 Link 2

Gr. 4 to 6 HW Link 2

Gr. 7 to 10 Link 2

Gr. 1 to 3 Link 3

Gr. 4 to 6 Literacy Link 1

Gr. 7 to 10 Link 3

Gr. 1 to 3 Link 4

Gr. 4 to 6 Literacy Link 2

Gr. 7 to 10 Link 4

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

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.

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

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/

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.