Walnut Grove PS
April Newsletter
Walnut Grove PS
Principal: P. Lone
Vice Principals: S. Bineesari, T. Maharaj
Superintedant: Patrika Daws
Trustee: Carrie Andrews
Email: walnutgrove.ps@peelsb.com
Website: http://schools.peelschools.org/1416/Pages/default.aspx
Location: 10 Pinestaff Road, Brampton, ON, Canada
Phone: 905-796-4572
Twitter: @WalnutGrovePS
About Us
Walnut Grove’s Daily Schedule
Entry Bell 9:15
Period 1 9:15 - 9:55
Period 2 9:55 - 10:35
Period 3 10:35 - 11:15
Nutrition Break A 11:15 - 11:35
Nutrition Break B 11:35 - 11:55
Period 4 11:55 - 12:35
Period 5 12:35 - 1:15
D.P.A. 1:15 - 1:35
Nutrition Break C 1:35 - 1:55
Nutrition Break D 1:55 - 2:15
Period 6 2:15 - 2:55
Period 7 2:55 - 3:35
Dismissal 3:35
School Security
All parents and visitors entering the school during school hours must be buzzed in through the front doors and sign in and out at the office.
You are also reminded to wear a visitor’s badge while you are in the school. For safety reasons, it is important that we know who is in the school at all times.
Student Absences
Your child’s safety is very important to us, for this reason please make sure to call the automated attendance line at 1-855-209-6155 for each day that your child is going to be absent from school or will be coming in late.
An attendance call can be made at anytime however you need to call before 9 a.m. for the current school day. Safe arrival calls will be made each day for students that have an unexplained absence.
Late Arrivals
If a student arrives late to school, after the 9:15 a.m. entry bell, they must report to the office to sign in and receive a late slip before going to their class. Please help your child arrive to school on time up establishing and encouraging morning routines
Medication
If your child will require to take or have any medication (eg. Epi-pens, inhalers) while at school due to asthma, allergies or other medical conditions please inform the office. You will be given a medical form that will need to be completed by your family doctor and returned to school with the medication. No medication can be administered at the school without having a current medical form completed and on file at the school.
Birthdays
There are several students and staff who have severe food allergies in our school. For that reason, we ask to you please do not send any food items as a treat for a birthday or special celebration. If you wish to celebrate, sending materials to support learning in our school such as pencils, crayons, books, etc. would be appropriate. Thank you for your understanding.
Kiss and Ride
We understand that there are a lot of cars in the morning and after school using the Drop Off lane. We are asking for your patience and understanding and to follow the guidance of the teachers on duty.
Please note that children should never exit from the driver's side and even if they are seated behind the driver they should exit from the curbside.
Thank you for helping us in making Walnut Grove a safe school for all of our students
Nutrition Break Routines
We encourage all students to remain at school during both Nutrition Breaks, to participate in the variety of extra-curricular activities offered. However, we recognize that some families want their children to come home for lunch. In order to ensure student safety at all times, we have established some expectations for Nutrition Break Routines:
· parents/guardians will be asked to complete a form indicating their wishes for daily routines for lunch for their children – these will be kept on file to ensure that routines are being followed
·anytime that those routines are changed, parents/guardians will be required to contact the school (by phone or in writing) indicating the change in routine
· if students go home for lunch, they are expected to remain home for the entire break (40 minutes)
· students are expected to return ON TIME for next period
STUDENTS WILLL NOT BE PERMITTED TO LEAVE SCHOOL PROPERTY AT NUTRITION BREAKS EXCEPT TO GO HOME FOR LUNCH WITH PARENT PERMISSION. Students will not be allowed to go to the plaza across the street, nor are they allowed to go to a friend’s house for lunch.
Help protect students with severe allergies by keeping lunches, snacks
peanut-free
Anaphylaxis is a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction that affects some children. We ask that you help us take care of these students by sending lunches and snacks for your child that are free from peanuts or nuts, because these foods are the leading cause of anaphylaxis.
Please read the label of any food you plan to send to school with your child. If the label says, "May contain nuts or peanuts," please do not send it to school.
You can get a complete copy of the Peel board's anaphylaxis guideline from the school office.
Supervision in Yard
Yard supervision for students begins at 9:00 a.m. Students should not be dropped off, or be arriving on school property, prior to 9:00 a.m. When outside, students need to play in their designated area and remain visible to the supervisor in the schoolyard.
Volunteers
Parents play an important role in the development and education of their children and in the success of the school community. At Walnut Grove, we welcome and encourage the participation of parents and community members, and are grateful for the countless hours our volunteers contribute throughout the school year.
To volunteer at our school, you must complete a short interview and a criminal record check. This Criminal Record Check must have been completed within the last 6 months, must include a Vulnerable Sector Screening (VSS) and must be an original copy. A police background check is required for all school volunteers in Ontario. Even if you want to accompany your child on a field trip, you need this background check.
Once you have completed the process, you are on file with the Peel District School Board as being a school volunteer. All returning volunteers will be mailed an Offence Declaration Form that must be filled out and returned to the board office each year. You will not be able to volunteer with the Peel board until you have returned this form.
If you have any questions about criminal record checks or the offence declaration form, please call the board office at 905-890-1010 ext. 2832.
Bring Your Own Device (B.Y.O.D.)
Walnut Grove students are welcome, with the permission of their parent/guardian, to bring a device from home to use at school for educational related purposes only. Students are expected to demonstrate good digital citizenship through the appropriate, responsible, legal and ethical use of technology. Parents are asked to sign a BYOD contract around the safe use of technology at school as outlined in the school’s code of conduct. Parents please look for this contract in your child’s agenda within the first few weeks of September.
If a student does not have access to a personal device, a school device (e.g., Net book, Chrome book, I Pad), may be made available for their use while on school property.
Principals' Message
Spring is finally here! We are hopeful that the nice weather stays, so that the children can enjoy being outside, playing on the field again. We have extended a very warm welcome to our new Vice Principal, Ms. Maharaj. She has greatly enjoyed meeting all of the students, staff and many parents in our school community. Ms. Maharaj will be at Walnut Grove Tuesday, Thursday and every other Friday, and she will be at Sir Isaac Brock the other days.
March was a busy month, and it went by very quickly, but I want to take this opportunity to say thank you to our families who supported our Professor Jamz Move-a-Thon. This was an important fundraiser, to help complete the Murals for all grade levels, and to help lower costs of bringing in guest presenters for our students. We still have a way to go to reach our goal, but the Move-a-Thon was helpful.
Students from Grade 2 – 8 participated in the “Arts Alive” program, aimed at helping students understand their feelings and emotions, and learn some strategies for managing stress, through drama, art and music. This is very important for our students, as we continue to support mental health and wellness. Students on the Junior Basketball teams represented Walnut Grove very well at the tournaments, playing hard and demonstrating exceptional team work! Thank you to Ms. Aly, Ms. Bening , Mrs. Bradley and Mrs. Shergill for coaching our students. We also had several Junior and Intermediate students participate in the Peel Technological Skills competition, under the direction of Mrs. Atkinson and Ms. Muntean – again, our students represented Walnut Grove extremely well and rose to the challenge! Ms. Leaton took the school finalists of the French Speech contest to the Board Office for the final Speech Contest. We are very proud of our students for reaching this level; they did very well in delivering their speeches and responding to questions afterward.
During the week of April 3 – 7, our French teachers have planned a French Café. Students from Grades 1 – 8 will visit the café, and practice their French speaking skills as if they were in an actual café. Thank you to our team of teachers for putting this altogether.
April 10th is Day of Pink in Peel. At Walnut Grove we are having “Pink Week,” where students will participate in different activities throughout the week. We are hoping that students and staff wear pink all week as a reminder that inclusiveness is common place at our school. We value all individuals, every day.
Easter is one of the holiest time on the Christian calendar. For those who celebrate Easter, I would like to wish all of you a very Happy Easter!
School Council News
Character at Walnut Grove
This month the Character focus is Responsibility. Our Equity focus is the Local and Global Community. Responsibility means being accountable for and reliable in your actions and commitments.
You show RESPONSIBILITY when you:
· Set goals, stay focused and stick with the task until completed.
· Do your share of the work.
· Recognize and learn from your mistakes.
· Follow through with your commitments.
· Demonstrate initiative and perseverance in overcoming difficulties.
Things to consider when thinking about the Local and Global Community:
What makes us good citizens? How can the concepts we’ve been learning about make us more active, responsible citizens of the world, both toward other people and toward the Earth itself? This theme coincides nicely with Earth Day. How do different people and cultures show good citizenship toward the Earth? What lessons can be learned from these cultures and communities?
Character Trait Monthly Winners
Kindergarten: Ketan S., Japreet S., Dushawn A., Maya A., Aggum M., Saanvi D., Khaleel W., Ajeet K., Elias S., Avneet A., Vanessa S., Vishva V., Ravneet S., Angad K.,
Grade 1: Prabhjot S., Sai K., Bhavya B., Annie P., Baani B., Harkirat G., Melissa S., Roop M., Ardithya S., Sheena G., Aiyshaan N., Bela G., Pahul K.,
Grade 2: Gurneet S., Gaurav S., Kavya K., Amarveer K., Shivesh R., Yuvraj G., Jai K., Anushkaa G., Hakim S., Jiya D., Ravi K., Tishana J., Ruixing Z.,
Grade 3: Luvneet M., Parneet S., Shivam S., Riya B., Jaziba M., Navraj H., Jasmine S., Prabhveer K., Ackshay S., Jasraj G., Sahej P., Shivam P., Arianna P., Gurshan G.,
Grade 4: Bhavna S., Aijah M., Poshika K., Gurleen P., Joban D., Ashmit G., Gurnoor B., Saumyaa K., Guneet M., Gunwaris B.,
Grade 5: Krish S., Tuka N., Muneet G., Jia S., Kiranjit K., Khushpreet G., Muskan K., Zubair N.,Sohaali D., Rushil G., Silas K., Jayden A., Yashvir D., Sajan M.,
Grade 6: Jay A., Partap G., Simeranjeet G., Evette O., Vidhi P., Shiya W., Riyan K., Amneet B., Danielle Z., Sinthujan J., Naila H., Gurtaj V.,
Grade 7: Kavi P., Navrit H., Vincent L., Arshleen L., Ahthesan M., Farah A., Clives B., Humreet M., Ashita M., Amira Y.,
Grade 8: Dacia R., Sana M., Krish P., Divneet K., Sukhman D., Raghav S., Andrew L., Amrit S.,
Growth Mind Set Winners
What's Happening at Walnut Grove
Your Voice Counts
As a parent and our partner in education, your input is valued and appreciated. That is why we’re looking for your feedback. You’re invited to fill out an online survey to tell us what you think about Walnut Grove PS. Results will help us best meet the needs of our students and school community, and will guide our school improvement plans.
The survey is available at http://pdsb.me/yvcparent.
It will only take about 10 minutes to fill out the survey, and all you need is your child’s Peel student ID number or Ontario Education Number, which can be found on his or her report card. The survey is anonymous, so no one will know your answers.
The survey closes on April 13th, and results will be made available to parents after this date.
If you have any questions, please contact the Peel board’s Help Desk at 905-890-1010 ext. 2512 or by email at ssp.surveyhub@peelsb.com.
Thank you in advance for taking the time to share your thoughts with us. Your survey responses will help us ensure Walnut Grove remains a safe and welcoming place for your child to learn and grow.
Mental Health Corner
Mindfulness Related Apps for Kids
1. Breathe, Think, Do with Seasame (Age 4+)
Adorable monster de-stresses kids with Sesame Street style.
2. Settle Your Glitter (Age 4+)
Simple yet beautiful emotional regulation tools for kids.
3. Super Stretch Yoga HD (Age 4+)
Get kids moving and relaxing with warm video intro to yoga.
4. Breathing Bubbles (Age 5+)
Release worries and embrace joys with anxiety-fighting tools.
5. Drift Away (Age 9+)
Guide bubble through nature obstacles in soothing app.
6. Stop, Breathe and Think (Age 10+)
Appealing tool guides meditation and promotes compassion.
7. Smiling Mind (Age 7+)
Mindfulness exercises
8. Enchanted Meditation (Age 7+)
Mindfulness exercises
Math Mania Question for April
How many seats are inside this airplane? Justify your prediction using math vocabulary.
EQAO Night
EQAO 2017
EQAO’s elementary tests measure students’ ability to:
· make sense of what they read in different kinds of texts;
· express their thoughts in writing using appropriate grammar, spelling and punctuation and use appropriate math skills to solve problems.
The best way to support your child in writing the tests is by supporting his or her success at school throughout the year. You can use the test materials released at www.eqao.com to help your child become familiar with the format of the provincial tests and the types of questions asked.
Grade 3 and 6 students will be writing the EQAO on the following days:
· Grade 6 May 23-35
· Grade 3 May 29-June 1
News from the Music Department
Clubs –
Mrs. Locke continues rehearsing for Shake It Up Shakespeare. This year we will be performing “As You Like It”. The performance will be in May. Tickets will be made available online in the near future.
Mlle Li’s Grade 2 and 3 Primary Choir meets on Day 2 at 1st NB.
Units –
Mrs. Locke’s grade 3-8s have begin their strings unit. Grades 3-4 will play the ukulele and grades 5-8 will continue their studies in guitar. Please ask your child to share with you some of the rough copy performance videos from google drive. Here is an example of what you may see:
Mrs. Ferris' Grade 4 Class, their second class of ukulele
This month, Mlle Li’s Grade 3 FI classes as well as the Grade 5 FI classes will be performing at the Peel Music Festival at Eden United Church in Mississauga in April. 3FA and 3FB will be performing on Tuesday April 11 at 10:50am. 5FA, 5FB and 4/5F will be performing on Wednesday April 12 at 12pm. If you would like to attend the performance, admission is collected at the church and is four dollars for adults.
2FA, 2FB and 2FC are starting to work on their song presentations for the spring concert on May 4th. This month, the Grade 6’s are working on performing three-part percussion compositions incorporating everyday objects to make music.
This month, Miss Leaton's grade 1 students will continue to work on our performances for the spring concert on May 4.
Save the dates:
April 28, Character Assemblies
Tuesday April 11, 10:50 am at Eden United Church- 3FA & 3FB perform at Eden United Church for the Peel Music Festival
Wednesday April 12, 12pm- 5FA, 5FB and 4/5F perform at Eden United Church for the Peel Music Festival
Thursday May 4- Grade 1 and 2FI concert, 6:30-7:45
May 16 - Matinee performance of “As You Like It” (Shakespeare)
May 17 - Shake It Up Shakespeare at The Rose Theatre (tickets $10 and available through Mrs. Locke)News from the Wolf Den
MARCH
NEWS FROM THE WOLF DEN
Hey Wolves! March has been a really exciting and fun month for the Wolf Den. Firstly, thank you to all the Wolfpack members who helped in making Family Fitness Night a success! We hope that all the families that attended enjoyed the night and got many tips on how to stay healthy. We can’t wait to see you all next year! This March the Wolf Den has been bursting with basketball events. First of all, a sincere congratulations to the grade 7 and 8 Boy’s Basketball Team. The boys worked with great passion and talent making it to the first round of playoffs. The Girls’ Team played a stunning set of games as well. They worked together and didn’t give up till the end. Fantastic job girls! The grade 7 and 8 basketball intramural league was a blast! All the participants played with the right mix of dedication and skill. Keep up the hard work ballers and don’t forget: “Teamwork makes the dream work”. Another congratulations to the grade 6 Girls’ Basketball Team. The girls came in third, winning a bronze medal and making us all proud. Great job girls - your practices truly paid off. The grade 6 boys also played spectacular. The boys had a lot of enthusiasm and worked hard right to the end in their buzzer-beater almost victory. Congrats on your achievement, boys. This year the grade 4/5 girl’s and boy’s basketball tournament was hosted at our school, Walnut Grove. It was a huge success! Both of our teams made it to the championships and came in second overall. Fantastic job girls and boys - your hard work made a big difference and you were truly proud of your own accomplishments because success can come in many ways - not just with a gold medal. Congratulations and remember Wolves: “Don’t aspire to be the best on the team, aspire to be the best for the team”.
Congratulations to our Athletes of the Month: Vaishvi (1FC), Gaurav (2/3), Lakshman (3FA), Sonya (34F), Manreet (5FB), Ling-Wei (6FB), Thanuja (7C), Harmann (8B)
What a splendid start to spring! Make sure to keep posted for the Grade 6 Basketball Intramural, Grade 4/5 Sports Club, Grade 3 All Sports, and many more.
Yours truly,
The Wolfpack
3D Printing Club
Under the guidance of Mrs. Puscas, Mrs. Buczkowski and Mrs. Locke, the 3D Printing Club’s first designs have been printed. We use the online software Tinkercad to design our items and then use the 3D printer in our very own Makerspace to print them! Each of the following key chains took a half hour to print!
Day of Pink
This month Walnut Grove will celebrate a Week of Pink. April 12, 2017 marks the International Day of Pink. It is a day where communities across the country, and across the world, can unite in celebrating diversity and raising awareness to stop homophobia, transphobia, transmisogyny, and all forms of bullying. We invite students to wear pink all week, to bring a dollar to participate in our photo booth, enjoy read-aloud from guest readers and to engage in conversations in their classes about the reasons to celebrate a Week of Pink!
Dear Parents and Families,
The Scholastic Book Fair is coming to our school and what better way to promote reading to our students than by supporting this important literary event!
We invite your entire family to participate by purchasing the latest and greatest in children’s books. Your support of this vital literary event is a key part of helping us obtain new books and resources for our library and classrooms.
You will find hundreds of quality books at our Book Fair with a wide assortment for all reading levels. Visit the Scholastic Book Fairs website at www.scholastic.ca/bookfairs to read reviews of the Featured Books. You can also watch book trailers and author videos with your child on the BookTube page.
Do not forget to mark the Book Fair dates on your calendar! We look forward to seeing you during our Scholastic Book Fair and thank you in advance, for supporting this great literary event. Thank you for believing in books and the impact of reading on your child’s future.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Parmar
French Speech Competition @ Walnut Grove
This year we had 24 students in Grades 4-8 Core French and French Immersion compete for a chance to represent our school at the Board wide competition. Thank you to all these students who put in so much hard work to prepare their speeches. Thank you to all the teachers for their help and support in organizing this event.
Félicitations/Congratulations to the winners who represented our school on Thursday March 30, 2017:
- Anshit M. - Ms. Deng's class (Grade 4-6 Core French)
- Dhruv K. - Ms. Tilling's class (Grade 4-6 French Immersion)
- Ashita M. - Ms. Leaton & Ms. Forrest's class (Grade 7-8 French Immersion)
News from the Peel District School Board
Celebrate Administrative Professionals’ Day
Wednesday, April 26, 2017
Peel schools will pay tribute to administrative professionals on Administrative Professionals’ Day on April 26, 2017. The day will be celebrated with special activities and events that provide teachers, students and parents an opportunity to thank the administrative staff who help support student success each and every day.
The Peel board appreciates the important job administrative staff do each school day and April 26 provides an opportunity to give these individuals the recognition they deserve.
Day of Pink
Day of Pink, the international day to celebrate diversity and inclusion to work towards ending homophobia, transphobia and all forms of bullying and discrimination, falls on the second Wednesday of April each year. As this conflicts with a holy day, in order to give all of our students an opportunity to be part of this important inclusion activity, the Peel District School Board schools will recognize Day of Pink on April 10 this year.
“Equity and inclusion is something that all Peel schools teach throughout the year and discuss with students daily—it is embedded in everything we do,” says Tony Pontes, director of education. “Day of Pink is just one more way for us to ensure students and staff learn, work and develop in environments that are safe, equitable, inclusive, respectful and nurturing for all.”
Day of Pink began when a high school student in Cambridge, Nova Scotia, was bullied with homophobic language because he wore a pink shirt to school. The next day, hundreds of students at his school stood up to bullying and wore pink to school to show their support for equity and inclusion.
Register today for Adult ESL or LINC classes
Do you know an adult that is interested in improving their English language skills for work, study or daily life?
Through the Continuing & Adult Education department, the Peel District School Board offers a wide variety of English language classes that help parents experience success in Canadian English in both listening/speaking and reading/writing. Courses are designed for a range of basic, intermediate and advanced English (Levels 1 to 7) as well as the more experienced learner needing to prepare for an IELTS exam.
Classes are ongoing - Register anytime.
All learners that complete a session will earn a certificate of learning from the Peel District School Board.
Classes operate from six locations in Brampton and Mississauga with three specially designed adult centres at:
Bramalea - Adult Education Centre - 25 Kings Cross Road, Unit 3
Brampton - Adult Education Centre - #300 - 7700 Hurontario Street
Mississauga - Adult Education Centre - 100 Elm Drive West, Room 117
To learn more or to register, call 905-270-6000
Also visit www.peelschools.org/adulteducation or follow us on Twitter: @PDSBLearnESL
Help us to encourage and enhance parent involvement in Peel
Apply for a position on the board's Parent Involvement Committee
The Peel board’s Parent Involvement Committee (PIC) meets regularly throughout the school year to review the board’s plans for parent involvement as they relate to parent, family and community engagement, and to make suggestions to schools, councils and the board regarding additional parent outreach.
As mandated by the ministry, the purpose of Peel board's PIC is to:
support, encourage, and enhance meaningful parental involvement within schools and across the district, including, outreach to parents who find involvement more challenging
work collaboratively with the school board to support student success
seek out the advice and ideas of school councils, and other parents and partners as they plan and implement strategies to involve more parents at the regional level
develop strategies for enhancing parental engagement and outreach
Parent application packages will be made available on April 10, 2017 at www.peelschools.org/PIC. The deadline to submit an application is May 1, 2017.
Parent resources help you support your child’s learning
At the Peel District School Board, our mission is to inspire success, confidence and hope in each child. There is no doubt that families play a vital role in helping us achieve this goal. As our partner in education, we hope you'll stay connected to your child's learning throughout his or her entire school experience.
Visit www.peelschools.org/parents/helpyourchild to explore all resources available to parents.
There you will find easy-to-navigate buttons that connect families to tip sheets and web pages on a number of different topics, including math, homework, special education, EQAO and mental health.
Keeping children safe in and around storm sewers, waterways
Rising and fast moving water in lakes, ponds and creeks is increasingly likely during spring. Children playing in and around storm sewers and watercourses, entering storm sewers through the outfalls, and entering storm sewers through access covers is dangerous. The following information will help keep children safe:
water flows in storm sewers and watercourses are unpredictable and may change quickly
toxic gases may be present in and around storm sewers and watercourses
access is restricted, making rescue attempts are difficult
tragic falls could take place
Please review this information with your children and let them know how dangerous storms sewers and waterways are.
April - Earth Month
Earth Month encompasses the international celebration of Earth Day on April 22, 2017. This is the most celebrated environmental event worldwide. Initiated in 1970, this event has been considered the birth of the environmental movement.
Each year, more than 6 million Canadians join 500 million people in over 180 countries in staging events and projects to address local environmental issues. In Canada, Earth Day has grown into Earth Week and even Earth Month to accommodate the profusion of events and projects. Here are some ways that you can celebrate earth week with your family:
- create a backyard or schoolyard habitat
- plant a garden or tree
- start a recycling program at home
- organize a carpooling campaign in your neighbourhood to reduce air pollution
- pick up trash in your neighbourhood
- read a book about an endangered species
- make a visit to your local zoo, aquarium or museum
- visit a local park, wildlife area or farm to provide a fun opportunity to learn about the environment and life
Health and Physical Education Curriculum supports the physical, emotional and social well-being of students
Working together to keep our students safe and healthy
The Peel District School Board implemented the Ministry of Education’s revised Health and Physical Education (HPE) curriculum in the 2015-16 school year. The curriculum is divided into four elements that work together to support the physical, emotional and social well-being of students:
active living
movement competence
living skills
healthy living
Peel staff will again teach the human development and sexual health component to students, beginning spring 2017. This provides time for teachers to develop strong relationships with their students prior to this phase.
Advance notice letters will be sent home with students two weeks prior to the human development/sexual health lessons. Families can submit religious accommodation requests at any time prior to the lesson by contacting the school directly.
To get more information on how the HPE curriculum will be taught, please visit our website at www.peelschools.org/HPE.