Emily Carr
March 2017
Message from Administration
We are excited to share with our community a couple of great accomplishments achieved by our Emily Carr Students. Miss Marino's grade 1/2 class participated in this year's HDSB Reads Creative Response Contest and received 2nd place for their dance performance. All Halton students were invited to read "Finding Winnie" by Lindsay Mattick and interpret the story in creative ways. Miss Marino's students not only won 2nd place, but they have been asked to perform live at a special author event held at Burlington Central High School at 6PM on March 9th. Please contact Miss Marino for more information if you would like to attend the event with your family.
We are also extremely proud of our Grade 8 Band (expertly directed by Mrs. Barber)! On Thursday, February 23, they competed at Provincials. Not only were the students commended on their fantastic behaviour and professional demeanor, but they won GOLD! We would like to take this opportunity to thank Mrs. Barber, Mrs. Sims and Mrs. Heinmiller (as well as Mr. Barber) for their devotion to our budding musicians. Congratulations again to our Grade 8 Band for their hard work and dedication!
As you are aware, Term One Reports were sent home on Monday. This is the perfect time to review the report with your child in order to celebrate his/her successes and pick goals for future growth. If your child’s teacher would like an interview, an Interview Request Form was included with the Report Card. Alternately, if you wish to have an interview with your child's teacher, please contact the teacher to arrange this. We know that having a strong connection between school and home is vital to our students' success.
February was a busy month full of winter activities. We were excited to be featured on the board website and on The Weather Network for our Winter Walk to School campaign. Thank you to our Winter Walk parent committee who brought us music, balloons and a great atmosphere. Keep it up! We’d like to continue to reap the positive benefits of this eco-friendly campaign.
Finally, we would like to welcome Mrs. Bush back to Emily Carr from her maternity leave. We are also welcoming Ms. Maurice, who will be working mornings in Class 1-1. At this time, we also would like to say goodbye to Ms. Eldridge and to wish her all the best in her future positions.
Dates to Remember:
March 2: Popcorn Pre-orders due
March 3: Pita Lunch
March 6: School Council (7pm)
March 9: Popcorn Sales begin
March 10: PA Day (No school for students)
March 13- 17: Spring Break
March 31: Newcomer Session
Mark Your Calendars:
April 3: School Council (7pm)
April 12: Choir sings at Blue Jay's Game
April 18: Jump Rope Assembly
April 26: Grade 1-3 Play "Happy Birthday Canada"
Save the Date!
Save the Date! Emily Carr's 7th Annual World Tour Multicultural Night will be back on Wednesday, May 10th from 6:30-8:00pm. This event has become a great tradition in our Emily Carr community. We welcome all families to come out and enjoy the evening of culture, dance, music and foods of the world! We will be looking for families to host country/culture tables, student dance/musical performers and high school volunteers. More information and details about how to get involved will be sent home in early April.
Newcomer Session- March 31st
For our Newcomer Parent Session:
Have you been in Canada three years or less? Please come and join us....
Friday, March 31st from 8:15-9:45am for our Emily Carr Newcomer Parents Group. Come and learn about the school and community, have an opportunity to ask questions and make connections with other parents.
Our Emily Carr ESL teachers and Settlement Specialist will be there to share information and answer your questions.
Coffee, tea and snacks will be provided.
Even if you could not join us for our last session, please come - all are welcome to attend!
Student of Excellence
Congratulations to Jayla on being Emily Carr's 2017 Student of Excellence! Our Student of Excellence stands out in so many diverse ways. To say that she is a champion for compassion, empathy and positive school culture is an understatement. Jayla truly wants our school to be a safe, engaging and supportive place. She has shown her passion by getting involved in many of our sports teams over the years, including volleyball, track and cross country. Jayla demonstrates her leadership skills by volunteering her time with Grade 8 band and our younger athletes, always encouraging them to achieve their personal best. Her impressive ability to see the positive attributes in others is truly inspiring and encourages everyone at our school to make thoughtful choices each day. She is an advocate for others, no matter who the person is or what social circles they move through. Jayla is a hard-working student who shows perseverance and dedication to her studies and is interested in learning new things that challenge her. She uses her strong moral compass to help others make the right choices and to consider the bigger picture with maturity and resolve. To give an award to such a genuine, hard-working and well-rounded young lady is truly our honour. Although Jayla will no longer grace us with her smile, kind heart and amazing sense of humour when she graduates this year, we are proud that she will continue to bring her many gifts to her high school community.
Google Apps for Learning Part 2
SAVE THE DATE! Please join us on Monday, April 3, 2017 at 6pm in the Emily Carr Library for Google Apps for Learning Part 2. You will have the opportunity to explore and create Google Docs, Google Slides and other applications. Please bring technology or if needed, school ChromeBooks can be provided. YOU DID NOT HAVE TO PARTICIPATE IN PART 1 TO JOIN US FOR PART 2.
Battery Drive
The Me to We Club will be holding a battery drive for the month of March. Bring in your old batteries to be recycled, and keep them out of the landfill. Batteries are also a great source of Zinc that many children in developing nations need to fight off basic infections. Help support the environment and make a difference.
A Musical Note by J. Barber
The Grade 8 Band competed at the Provincial Golden Horseshoe Music Festival on February 23rd 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).
The Grade 8 Band performed well at two assemblies on Tuesday, February 28 as part of the Black History celebrations. They are now working on new pieces, one which is our new commissioned piece.
The Grade 7 Band will begin on Thursday, March 2. The students are excited to start their band career.
The Blue Jays’ Choir continues to meet each Wednesday as they prepare for the April 12th game. We are pleased that we sold almost 400 tickets for this special outing.
Our Interlink Choir continues to meet on Mondays as they prepare for their concert on Wednesday, March 29th. We will be celebrating Canada 150 by singing songs of Canada.
Council's Corner
Winter Walk Day
Thank you to everyone who participated in our Winter Walk to School Day! What a fun way to reinforce our commitment to active transportation to school! Congratulations to those who were featured on The Weather Network… you did a great job representing Emily Carr!
Family Night
Thank you to Lynn Petruskavich and her team for another excellent Family Night at Emily Carr! This year, our theme was “Hygge” which is all about comfort, and finding beauty in the everyday. We had a fantastic night learning about Hygge through student performances and visual displays.
We got our “groove on” with a family dance class and enjoyed Hygge comfort food in the form of pastries and soup shots. Thank you to Miss Marino for her Hygge Photo Booth. Families and friends enjoyed having a photo taken in the ultimate Hygge comfort scene. Your donations to H2O For All will make a difference in the lives of many!
CARRnival
Planning has begun for our annual CARRnival, but we need more help! If you are able to volunteer your time and efforts, please contact Cheryl Sharpe at pcsharpe1@gmail.com and she will put you in touch with the committee. See attached flyer for how you can help!
Next Meeting
School Council typically meets on the first Monday of every month. Our meetings take place in the staff room at 7:00pm. Please know that all parents and guardians are welcome to attend our meetings. We would love to hear from you. Our next meeting is Monday, March 6th.
September 2017
It is hard to believe that we are already starting to look at staffing for next year. If you know that your child will not be attending Emily Carr in September, we ask that you notify the office as soon as possible. Our staffing is determined by how many students are enrolled/registered. Staffing changes occur right through until September, therefore having accurate numbers reduces the chance of reorganzing in the fall.
How to Learn Math for Students
Are you interested in taking a self-paced class with your child? Together you will learn really important information on the brain and learning with new evidence on the best ways to approach and learn math effectively. This powerful course will correct misconceptions and negative experiences with math; it will be a wonderful opportunity to connect with your child in how to effectively approach math. Best of all this course is free! If you want to learn from Jo Boaler and her team of researchers use the below link.
Parent and Student Math CourseWhat's Happening around EC
Genius Hour
This year in Grade 6, all the students participated in the "Genius Hour". Genius Hour is a project that you get to do on stuff that you are curious about or on any questions you have, anything you have passion for! From topics such as how do LED Screens Work?, How to make cookies?, to What is Animation?, there were a lot of things that you could choose from. My classmates and I had so much fun making these. The teachers gave us a month and a few weeks to work on our project. Students had to develop an inquiry question based on their topic and research it. They were asked to create a visual presentation based on the research to share with the class. Sharing our projects were awesome to do, and seeing other peoples' creations were really nice to see. I hope that the future Grade 6's will enjoy doing this project just as much as we did.
Submitted by Gavin
Scientists in The School
On February 22, the grade 6 students of Emily Carr got the opportunity to work with Scientists in the School. They learned about the 4 forces of flight, as well as had to complete science experiments for each one. As an example, they had to build a propellor and test how it would work. This demonstrated that you need to have them at an angle and that you can’t have too many or too little blades on the propellers. They came up with various solutions, some had too much drag, others not enough thrust. They also did an experiment where they poured hot red water into a jar of water and then added in blue cold water too. That helped them to understand that hot air rises and cool air goes down, and even though water is not involved with flight, air is and it is the same principle. They saw that when the red water to the top of the water while the cold water flowed down to the bottom. Those are the kind of things that they learned while they were there and they also had a lot of fun in the process. They now know many more things about flight and the properties of air and they would recommend it to you too.
Submitted by Jovan
March 2017 - Celebrations, Observances and Days of Significance
March 1 - Ash Wednesday (Christian)
Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent. Its official name is “Day of Ashes,” so called because of the practice of rubbing ashes on one’s forehead in the sign of a cross. Since it is exactly 40 days (excluding Sundays) before Easter Sunday. Lent is intended to be a time of self-denial, moderation, fasting, and the forsaking of sinful activities and habits. Ash Wednesday commences this period of spiritual discipline. Ash Wednesday and Lent are observed by most Catholics and some Protestant denominations.
March 1-19 Period of the 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 3 - World Wildlife Day (UN)
World Wildlife Day is an opportunity to celebrate the many beautiful and varied forms of wild fauna and flora and to raise awareness of the multitude of benefits that conservation provides to people. At the same time, the Day reminds us of the urgent need to step up the fight against wildlife crime, which has wide-ranging economic, environmental and social impacts.
March 5 - Shri Rama Navami (Hinduism)
Rama Navami is a Hindu festival in India, which celebrates the birth of the Hindu God Ramato King Dasharatha and Queen Kausalya. Rama is the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu. He was also the hero of the Ramayana, which is the Sanskrit epic of 24,000 stanzas.
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 12 - 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 Hanukah, 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 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 attend a public bonfire, spray friends and family with colored powders and water.
March 13 - March 15 - Hola Mohalla (Sikhism)
Holla Mohalla - a Sikh festival 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 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 17 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 colours green, and sometimes orange, and the shamrock. The shamrock is a symbol of Ireland and a registered trademark of the Republic of Ireland.
March 20 Naw Ruz/Now ruz - (New Year) (Baha’i) (Islam)
Naw-Ruz (`New Day') is the Bahá'í and Iranian 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 recognise 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 programmes 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 - World Poetry Day
Poetry reaffirms our common humanity by revealing to us that individuals, everywhere in the world, share the same questions and feelings. Poetry is the mainstay of oral tradition and, over centuries, can communicate the innermost values of diverse cultures. In celebrating World Poetry Day, March 21, UNESCO recognizes the unique ability of poetry to capture the creative spirit of the human mind.
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 - 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.
Emily Carr Public School
Website: http://ecs.hdsb.ca/
Location: 2255 Pine Glen Road, Oakville, ON, Canada
Phone: 905 827-3928