Emily Carr
March 2018
Message from Administration
We are extremely proud of the Grade 8 Band for their impressive showing at the Golden Horseshoe Music Festival on Thursday, February 22nd. Their achievement of GOLD standard speaks to their level of commitment. Emily Carr students were also commended for their exceptional behaviour and professional demeanor. We would like to take this opportunity to thank Mrs. Barber, Mrs. Sims and Mrs. Heinmiller (as well as Mr. Barber) for their time and devotion to our budding musicians. Congratulations again to the Grade 8 Band for their hard work and dedication!
Term One Reports
Term One Reports were sent home on Monday, February 26. This is a great time to review the Report Card with your child in order to celebrate their successes and select goals for future growth. If your child’s teacher would like an interview, an Interview Request Form was included with the Report Card. If you wish to request an interview with your child's teacher, please contact the teacher directly to arrange this.
Parking Lot Progress
Thank you to families for making adjustments to their morning procedures over the last month. We have definitely seen a difference in the parking lot. Thank you to our Parking Lot Committee volunteers who have been educating families about parking lot procedures and helping to ensure the safe arrival and departure of EC students. This is a friendly reminder to encourage more families to arrive at 7:55am as the parking lot is virtually empty from 7:55 to 8:05. It is through our collective efforts that we make EC a safe and happy community for all.
Bus and Fire Route (Front Doors of School)
The Bus and Fire Route Loop at the front of the school is not for parking. This is a friendly reminder to not park or leave your car in the loop at any time. Municipal By-Law Officers regularly patrol the neighbourhood. Parking in the Bus and Fire Route can result in a ticket infraction of well over $100.
A Musical Note by Jean Barber
The Grade 8 Band competed at the Provincial Golden Horseshoe Music Festival on February 22nd at Redeemer University College. The adjudicators were impressed with what a mature sound they had for such a young band. We are very pleased that they achieved a GOLD standing and an invitation to Nationals (a Canadian music festival). We are very proud of their achievement. BRAVO!
The Grade 8 Band performed well on Thursday, March 1 as part of the Black History celebration. They are now working on new pieces, one which is our new commissioned piece. They will also be preparing to compete at the National level, on Thursday, May 17th.
The Grade 7 Band will begin on Thursday, March 8. The students are excited to start their band career.
The Blue Jays’ Choir continues to meet each week as they prepare for the April 4th game. Please order your tickets before March 8th. It will be an exciting night!
Our Interlink Choir continues to meet on Mondays as they prepare for their concert on Wednesday, April 18th. We will be celebrating 30 years as an Interlink Choir.
We have a choir of Grade 4 to 6 students preparing to participate in this year’s Halton Showcase, on April 12th in Hamilton. Mrs. Barber will be conducting the Finale of 600 students. We also have three Grade 8 students participating in the Halton bands.
World Down Syndrome Day
CCAH Steel Pan Band visits EC
Have Your Say: HDSB Engagement Survey
Board invites students, staff, parents/guardians and community members to complete Engagement Survey
Beginning February 5 and running through March 9, 2018, students, staff, parents/guardians and community members are invited to participate in the Halton District School Board’s community engagement survey: Have Your Say. The survey will be available via https://www.haveyoursayhdsb.ca/.
1st Annual Emily Carr PS Math Night
Wednesday March 28, 2018: 3pm - 5pm
Come join us for an afternoon of fun and educational math activities.
At a Glance:
3 pm: Check in and pick up your growth mindset passport
3:10 pm - 4:45 pm: Explore interactive math stations that will deepen your understanding of how your child learns. Stations include:
Understanding Dreambox
Primary and Junior Number Talks
Puzzles and Challenges
Mathematical Language
Measuring Art Show
5 pm - Event concludes. Don’t forget to pick up your goodie bag on the way out!
Please RSVP - http://evite.me/7U6fREJHxs
Grade 8 Rube Goldberg Machines
The 8's were asked to design a Rube Goldberg Machine using their knowledge of simple machines to pop a balloon. Each group had to design a device that had 7 steps and include 3 different simple machines using a variety of materials. The projects were very creative and although they didn't all work and groups were frustrated at times, it was a great learning experience and a lot of fun.
GLOW Girls Club Event
Emily Carr Newcomer Parent Group - Feb. 9th
Our Newcomer Parent Group met on Friday, February 9 to discuss many topics of interest including the Term 1 report card, Mental Health and Wellness resources, Health Curriculum and upcoming events with our ESL teachers and Settlement Specialist. We had lots of great questions and discussion with the group. We welcome any parents that would like to come out and join us for our next meeting!
Canadian Olympian Visits Emily Carr PS
Grade 1 and Grade 5 Learning Buddies
World Tour Night Date and Information for Families
Emily Carr is hosting our 8h Annual World Tour Multicultural Evening on Wednesday, May 9th from 6:00-7:30pm. Please plan to attend with your family, it is a wonderful evening with country displays, dance and music performances and fun activities for all! This year we also hope to include a “National Dress” clothing parade from various cultures.
We are also looking for performers so if you know of an individual or group that would be willing to perform cultural dance, music or routine (example: martial arts, Chinese yo-yo) please let us know.
A letter will be sent home in mid-April asking families to participate by hosting a country display. You are welcome to join with other families to do this. It is a wonderful opportunity to get involved in our community and learn about other cultures or your own culture and heritage. High school students can earn volunteer hours by helping with or hosting a display or assisting at the event.
Please consider participating and sharing in this wonderful evening with our school. For more information, or if you have questions, please contact Mrs. Hassall at hassalll@hdsb.ca.
EQAO Testing Dates for Grade 3 and Grade 6
Students are assessed on their Reading, Writing and Math skills at the end of the primary and junior level years. The dates for the writing of the EQAO test for Grade 3 and Grade 6 are:
Grade 6:
Tuesday, May 22
Wednesday, May 23
Thursday, May 24
Grade 3:
Friday, May 25
Monday, May 28
Tuesday, May 29th
Dates to Remember
Monday, March 6th - School Council Meeting
March 12th to March 17th - March Break
Wednesday, March 28th - 1st Annual Emily Carr PS Math Night
Emily Carr Public School
Website: https://sites.google.com/a/hdsb.ca/emily-carr/home
Location: 2255 Pine Glen Road, Oakville, ON, Canada
Phone: (905) 827-3928
March 2017 - Celebrations, Observances and Days of Significance
March 1 - Purim (Judaism)
The jolly festival of Purim is celebrated every year on the 14th of the Hebrew month of Adar (late winter/early spring). It commemorates the salvation of the Jewish people in ancient Persia as recorded in the Megillah (Book of Esther). Like Hanukkah, the Feast of Purim has developed into more of a national holiday than a religious one, although it starts with specific prayers and a reading of the book of Esther. The celebration also involves giving gifts of food to friends, charity to the poor, and a big meal. There are also music, dancing, parades, and people dressing in costume.
March 1 - Last Day of Ayyam-i-Ha (Baha’i)
Ayyam-i-Ha is a multiple-day Baha’i festival that is joyously celebrated in countries and territories all over that world. It typically falls around the end of February and beginning of March Ayyam-i-Ha, or the Intercalary Days, is a period dedicated to socializing, being hospitable, giving generously to the poor and needy, and preparing for the upcoming month of fasting.
March 1 - Median Poya Day (Buddhism)
Median Poya Day is celebrated over a period of 8 days, mainly in Sri Lanka. This marks Buddha’s first visit to his hometown Kapilavastu, following his enlightenment.
March 1-2 - Holi (Hinduism)
Holi is an ancient Hindu religious festival, known as the festival of colours or the festival of love. The festival is said to signify the victory of good over evil, and the arrival of spring. It's celebrated all over India and now around the world, and is all about partying and enjoyment.
March 2-4 - Hola Mohalla (Sikhism)
Hola Mohalla is a Sikh festival that is celebrated every year in the month of March, a day after Holi. Hola "Mohalla" derives its name from Punjabi word “Mohalla” implies an organized Procession in the form of an army column accompanied by war drums and standard-bearers, and proceeding to a given location or moving in state from one Gurdwara to another.
March 2-20 - Nineteen Day Fast (Baha’i)
The month of fasting, during which Bahá’ís from the age of 15 abstain from food and drink between sunrise and sunset that leads to Naw Ruz -the New Year. It is a time of prayer, meditation, and spiritual rejuvenation for people of the Baha’i Faith.
March 8 - International Women’s Day (UN)
International Women’s Day is a time to reflect on progress made, to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who have played an extraordinary role in the history of their countries and communities.
March 13 - Holi (Hinduism/Sikhism)
In Hinduism, Holi (also called Holaka or Phagwa) is an annual festival celebrated on the day after the full moon in the Hindu month of Phalguna (early March). It celebrates spring, commemorates various events in Hindu mythology and is time of disregarding social norms and indulging in general merrymaking. Holi is probably the least religious of Hindu holidays. During Holi, Hindus might attend a public bonfire, spray friends and family with colored powders and water.
March 14 - Sikh New Year (Sikhism)
The Sikh New Year begins with Chet 1 which in the Common Era calendar is March 14. The years of the Nanakshahi Sikh calendar start with the birth of Guru Nanak in 1469. The calendar is based on the length of the tropical solar year, instead of the lunar cycle, meaning the dates will not fluctuate from year to year.
March 17 - St. Patrick’s Day
St Patrick's Day is a public holiday in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador on the nearest Monday to March 17th each year. It remembers St Patrick, a missionary who converted many of Ireland's inhabitants to Christianity in the 5th century. His feast day also celebrates Irish culture. St Patrick's Day is not a public holiday in other parts of Canada. Schools, organizations, businesses, stores and post offices are open as usual. Some organizations may arrange St Patrick's Day parties, but these do not usually disrupt normal affairs. The most widely-seen St Patrick's Day symbols are the colors green, and sometimes orange, and the shamrock. The shamrock is a symbol of Ireland and a registered trademark of the Republic of Ireland.
March 18 - New Year Vasant Navratri (Hinduism)
Navratri is a nine-day festival which holds immense significance for the Hindus. Moreover, it is also one of the most ancient festivals. As most festivals are intertwined with their seasonal aspect, Navratri is hardly an exception. Navratri is held at the two most important junctions of the year - during the onset of spring season and again during the commencement of the winter season. Navratri is celebrated four times in a year, but the most significant in terms of public celebration and elaborate rituals are Chaitra and Sharad Navratri. Chaitra Navratri marks the first day of Luni-Solar calendar of the Hindus, which generally falls in March or April.
March 21-24 Naw Ruz/Nawroz/Navroze - New Year (Baha’i) (Islam) (Zoroastrianism)
Naw-Ruz (`New Day') is the Bahá'í,Iranian/Persian New Year, which occurs on the date of the vernal equinox, about 21 March. It is one of the nine Bahá'í holy days on which work is suspended. About 300 million people worldwide celebrate Nowruz, with traditions and rituals particularly strong in the Balkans, the Black Sea and Caspian Sea regions, the Caucasus, Central and South Asia, and the Middle East. Events may include folk dance performances, special concerts, and tree planting ceremonies.
Naw-Ruz is celebrated rather like the Christian Easter, with many symbols indicating spring and renewal. On the day of Naw-Ruz the family gathers in new or freshly cleaned clothes. The table is decorated with fruit, cakes, coloured eggs and other treats, as well as symbolic objects such as a holy book and a mirror. Among the best known customs of Naw-Ruz is the haft-sin - the `seven S's'. These are seven objects beginning - in Persian -- with the letter `S', such as hyacinths, apples, lilies, silver coins, garlic, vinegar and rue, decoratively arranged on a table. A great deal of time is spent exchanging visits with friends and relations.
March 20 - Ostara (Ladyday) - (Pagan/Wicca)
Ostara is the Spring Equinox, when the days and nights are equal length. The spring equinox usually falls around March 21st or 22nd. Ostara corresponds roughly with the Christian Feast of Annunciation, also called Gabrielmas, and the English quarter-day called “Lady Day”, both of which fall on March 25. Pagans celebrate Ostara with various rituals celebrating fertility, nature and new growth. Egg races, egg hunts, egg eating and egg painting are common activities. A man and a woman might be chosen to act out the roles of Spring God and Goddess, playing out courtship and symbolically planting seeds.
March 20 - International Day of Happiness What is the International Day of Happiness? It’s a day to be happy, of course! Since 2013, the United Nations has celebrated the International Day of Happiness as a way to recognize the importance of happiness in the lives of people around the world. The UN just launched 17 Sustainable Development Goals that seek to end poverty, reduce inequality, and protect our planet – three key aspects that lead to well-being and happiness. The United Nations invites each person of any age, plus every classroom, business and government to celebrate the International Day of Happiness each year on March 20.
March 21 - World Down Syndrome Day
Down syndrome is a naturally occurring chromosomal arrangement that has always been a part of the human condition, exists in all regions across the globe and commonly results in variable effects on learning styles, physical characteristics or health. Adequate access to health care, to early intervention programms and to inclusive education, as well as appropriate research, are vital to the growth and development of the individual. In December 2011, the General Assembly declared 21 March as World Down Syndrome Day to raise public awareness of Down Syndrome.
March 21 - International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
We need to fight racism everywhere, every day. But on 21 March – proclaimed by the General Assembly as the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination – all eyes are on the issue. The Durban Declaration and Programme of Action is the most comprehensive framework for fighting racism and related forms of intolerance and discrimination. It represents the firm commitment of the international community to tackle these issues, and serves as a basis for advocacy efforts worldwide.
March 22 - World Water Day
World Water Day is marked on 22 March every year. It’s a day to celebrate water. It’s a day to make a difference for the members of the global population who suffer from water related issues. It’s a day to prepare for how we manage water in the future. In 1993, the United Nations General Assembly designated 22 March as the first World Water Day. 23 years later, World Water Day is celebrated around the world every year, shining the spotlight on a different issue. Join the movement.
March 25 - Palm Sunday (Christianity)
Many Christian churches hold special services on Palm Sunday where congregation members receive blessed palm leaves, which symbolize victory and joy. Palm Sunday is observed among many Christian churches as part of Holy Week in Canada. It is the last Sunday during the Lenten period, as well as the Sunday before Easter Sunday. Palm Sunday events and traditions have been observed in Canada for many years.
March 25 - International Day of Remembrance of Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade
For over 400 years, more than 15 million men, women and children were the victims of the tragic transatlantic slave trade, one of the darkest chapters in human history. Every year on 25 March, the International Day of Remembrance for the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade offers the opportunity to honour and remember those who suffered and died at the hands of the brutal slavery system. The International Day also aims to raise awareness about the dangers of racism and prejudice today.
March 28-April 5 -Ramayana (Hinduism)
Ramayana Week begins nine days before Ramanavmi or Ram Navami, the birthday of Lord Rama. In North India, the Ramayan week coincides with the Chaitra Navratri. In South India, it is known as the Ramnavami festival and is also celebrated for nine days. In 2017, Ramayana week is from March 28 to April 5, 2017. Many devotees read the entire Ramayana during these nine days. During this period several temples and Hindu spiritual associations organize Akhand Path – non-stop recital – of the great epic Ramayana.
March 30 - Good Friday (Christianity)
Good Friday occurs two days before Easter Sunday. It is the day when Christians commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, which plays an important part in the Christian faith. It is also a statutory holiday in all Canadian provinces and territories except Quebec, where it is partially observed. Christians may attend special church services, even if they do not attend church regularly during the rest of the year. Good Friday is a day of mourning and quiet prayer among many Christians.Hot cross buns are a traditional treat on Good Friday. These are small bread-like buns, made from dough that contains raisins, currants and other dried fruit. For Canadians who are not Christians, Good Friday is the start of a three or four-day weekend. This is a welcome spring break, which some people use to visit family or friends. It is also a popular time to take a short vacation.
March 31 - Pesach/Passover (Judaism)
Passover (Pesach) lasts for eight days in Canada. Many Jewish people mark Passover with family members and close friends. Others choose to take a Passover vacation at a hotel or resort. Many people spend Passover with family and close friends. They may spend more time at their local synagogue and eat some meals with members of their community. Those who may find it difficult to organize Passover observances are invited to other people's homes for some or all of the Passover period.
March 31 - Sakyamuni Buddha’s Nirvana Day/Magha Puja Day (Buddhism)
Nirvana Day is an annual Buddhist festival that remembers the death of the Buddha when he reached Nirvana at the age of 80. It is also known as Parinirvana Day. Buddhists may celebrate Nirvana Day by meditating or by going to Buddhist temples or monasteries. As with other Buddhist festivals, celebrations vary throughout the world.