Walnut Grove PS
January Newsletter
Walnut Grove PS
Principal: P. Lone
Vice Principals: S. Bineesari, C. Dell
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
Welcome Back!
Happy New Year to all of our Walnut Grove families. We hope that you had a restful and enjoyable Winter holiday with your families and friends. I would like to thank all of our families who contributed to our Christmas and Holiday giving in December. Walnut Grove contributed a large amount of toys to “Toys for Tots,” as well as hundreds of mittens, hats and scarves to a Shelter. Our Food Drive was a huge success, and approximately 50 boxes of food items were delivered to The Knight’s Table, in person, by our “R.A.K” students (Random Acts of Kindness club).
Many of our families had an opportunity to celebrate the holidays with us at our Winter Concerts on December 14 and 20th. Our students gave outstanding performances – their drama and singing skills were at their absolute finest! As always, we owe a huge THANK YOU to our Music /Arts teachers: Mrs. Locke, Mlle. Li, Mlle. Leaton , Mrs. Amata, and Mrs. Dardis, for the incredible amount of time they put into preparing our students. Their commitment to the Arts allows Walnut Grove to continue to shine!
The New Year brings with it lots of exciting new activities and events. This cold month of January will be a little warmer with activities such as “Shark Tank” by our Inquiry Hour students, Family Movie Night, Chai and Chat, Character Assemblies, and many new and continued extracurricular activities and sports. We encourage all students to get involved in the many things that Walnut Grove has to offer, beyond academics – we want our students to have a healthy balance of work and play!
Character At Walnut Grove
January’s focus is on Anti-Bullying and The Rights of the Child
Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically, verbally, or online and excluding someone from a group on purpose. At Walnut Grove, we want all of our students and families to be aware of what bullying is and how to prevent it from happening. At Walnut Grove, we have many initiatives that are happening such as the Student Led Club, PALS, the Anti-Bullying Club, Friendship Club and Social Club. Together we can bring about awareness and stop bullying!
Rights of the Child:
Children have rights, too! What does every child have the right to? What is the difference between a "right" and a "need"? Caring adults have a responsibility to ensure that the children in their care have these rights. What about children in other countries? How can we help make sure that all children in the world have their rights? The United Nations created the Declaration of the Rights of the Child document, a wonderful resource for this theme.
Monthly Character Trait Winners
Kindergarten: Karm B., Aamirvir G., Keerat G., Harsika T., Neya S., Harkirt S., Mehar K., Nihithan G., Meher G., Rehman A., Saanvi R., Aarav T., Surhraj D., Yuvraj B., Baani S., Kunwarveer B.
Grade 1: Dilsirat G., Asvath Y., Kulnoor B., Saliha P., Jasmeet B., Viren S., Raza Z., Tiara P., Tanvir S., Roshan A.
Grade2: Krish T., Abhiroop S., Jaskirat B., Sahel A., Hamreet M. Amrin S., Amina B., Aaditya P., Gurshaan B., Venus K., Shlok P., Shruthi S.
Grade 3: Amneet G., Bilal Y., Japji K., Paavan S., Tarjni, Diajot, Nishan G., Devanshi C., Kazia A., Karman K., Davin N., Karmine D., Angelina A., Ian S.
Grade 4: Zaara A., Rashad, Saham N., Kismat G., Nidhi P., Parth P., Komlica J.
Grade 5: Mnroop H., Kalia N., Chatanpreet C., Salina B., Khushmeet P., Keeret M., Rumman, Mushariff, Kelvin S., Ishrat K., Apinaya J., Asselah M., Tanvi S., Karishma G.
Grade 6: Libinash, Karanjeet, Mehak, Saiyam, Tanvi T., Hudaa N., Malhaar S., Jasmine K., Jena N., Aryan, Shornelle, Mushaan H., Sameem S.
Grade 7: Sukhman S., Hartej C., Aaron R., Humreet G., Thanuja T., Prerna V., Manveer M., Aunonna K., Umer C., Jasmin T.
Grade 8: Kamya B., Hamza S., Aditya, Manreet D., Kriti G., Thilakshan S., Karan, Salan, Yash
School Council News
Our December School Council Meeting was cancelled due to the weather. Our next regularly scheduled School Council Meeting will take place on Wednesday, January 11, 2017, from 6:30 – 7:30 pm in the Staff Room. New members are always welcome to attend, as we continue to support the students and the school success goals.
What's Happening at Walnut Grove
School Success at Walnut Grove
Walnut Grove School Success Focus
Student success and achievement is at the heart of everything that we do at Walnut Grove. We set high expectations for staff and for students. We continue to refine our goals and set achievable expectations for our entire school community.
- Our academic focus continues to be on further developing and deepening Numeracy skills. Students will continue to be engaged in problem solving, making meaningful connections and applications to the world around them, and to communicate their mathematical thinking and reasoning. Literacy skills also continue to be a focus and are integrated in meaningful ways throughout all areas of the curriculum.
- 21st Century Teaching and Learning at Walnut Grove incorporates Inquiry-based learning, collaboration and the responsible and effective use of technology, to help further develop critical thinking skills in our students.
- We continue to focus on and build upon our Bullying Prevention and Intervention plan, with student-led committees and activities, aimed at raising awareness and reducing/eliminating any instances of bullying at Walnut Grove. We have numerous extracurricular activities and programs aimed at developing positive student behaviour and effective problem solving skills. We work toward ensuring that our school is a safe, positive healthy place to learn and work.
Grassy Narrows Fundraiser
Thank you to our amazing Walnut Grove community for all of their donations of clothing and hockey equipment to the Grassy Nations First Nations Community. Your generosity this holiday season is inspirational.
Letter from the Grassy Nations First Nations Community
Ms. Lone,
I wanted to extend my heartfelt thanks to the staff and students at Walnut Grove Public School for your recent support of our winter gear collection. Your generous donation of winter clothing and hockey equipment has been packed and shipped to Grassy Narrows First Nation in time for the holiday season.
As a result of your support, we were able to send 44 boxes filled to the brim with winter gear to the northern Ontario community.
I would also like to recognize the thoughtful efforts of Mrs. Jackson and her grade six class who I understand spearheaded Walnut Grove’s collection.
Thank you once again for your support of this important initiative.
Wishing you all a very happy holiday season and all the best for the coming year.
Sincerely,
Kim McLennan
Manager, Editorial Services
Corporate Relations & Communications
Ontario Power Generation
416-592-6936
Pizza At Walnut Grove
We will be switching our pizza ordering from the Lunch Box to our School Cash Online program. If you wish to order pizza for your child, please sign up for an account at https://peelschools.schoolcashonline.com/ . Click on "Get Started Today" and you will be able to add your children to your account and purchase pizza as well as pay for other things that may be happening at our school.
Grade 6 Electricity Experiments
News from the Handicraft Club January 2017
The handicraft club invites all community members who knit and crochet to join us to learn, teach and share our handiwork. The Handicraft Club meets every Friday at 1:15-2:15. All are welcome!
Mrs. Locke and Mrs. Puscas
We were honoured to have a trip to The Knight’s Table Food Bank. The Knights Table provides meals for those in need in Brampton. With the help of our Walnut Grove community, we have been proud supporters of this food bank since we opened. This year we donated 800 lbs of food -- enough to feed a family of four for a whole month!
We are very proud of our RAK team for their hard work during the Holiday Season to promote being charitable to those in need. RAK members also went caroling throughout the school in December to bring cheer to our staff and students using a jingle that was written by our very own members.
(Going to add a picture of the Toys for Tots pile)
News from the Music Department
Clubs – Mrs. Locke will begin auditioning for Shake It Up Shakespeare. This year we will be performing “As You Like It”. The performance will be in May.
Units – Thanks to all the students, parents and staff that come out to be part of “The Swinging Holiday” concert as well as “Flakes! The Musical”. Both concerts were a huge success and the Music Department is very grateful for everyone’s hard work, support and enthusiasm. Bravo!
This month Mrs. Locke’s grade 3-8s will be playing djembes, an African hand drum.
This month, Mlle Li’s Grade 3 FI classes as well as the Grade 5 FI classes will start preparing for their respective performances at the Peel Music Festival in April. As well, students will start exploring composition with a variety of instruments (i.e. boomwhackers and other percussion instruments).
This month, Miss Leaton's grade 1 students will continue learning how to read and write simple rhythms.
Save the dates:
January 26, Character Assemblies, everyone is welcome!
Follow us on Twitter:
@musicatthegrove
@Mlle_Li_musique
@missleaton
Winter Concerts At Walnut Grove
Mental Wellness at Walnut Grove
At Walnut Grove, one of our goals is to help support the well-being of our staff, students and parents. Here are some more websites that may be useful:
Ontario Centre of Excellence for Child and Youth Mental Health: http://www.ecellenceforchildandyouth.ca
Children’s Mental Health Ontario: http://www.kidsmentalhealth.ca
Anxiety BC: http://www.anxietybc.com
Care for Addiction and Mental Health: http://camh.ca/en/hospital/Pages/home.asox
Mind Check: http://www.mindcheck.ca
Mind your Mind: http://www.mindyourmind.ca
Caring for Kids: http://www.caringforkids.cps.ca/?gclid=CJPE1_fkwbkCFcwWMgod6nlA1A
News from the Peel District School Board
Bus cancellation & closing schools due to bad weather
During the winter months, we may need to cancel buses or close schools because of inclement weather.
Information regarding details of cancellations or closures will be announced on radio and television stations listed below and will also be available on Twitter @Peelschools, Facebook at www.facebook.com/peelschools, www.peelschools.org and www.stopr.ca or by calling
905-890-1010 or 1-800-668-1146.
VIRGIN RADIOFM99.9 CHUM AM1050 CFTR AM680
CFNY FM102.1/AM640 CJCL AM590 CHFI FM98.1
NEWSTALK1010 AM EZ ROCK FM97.3 CJBC (FR) AM860
FM Z103.5 FM93.1 FM Q107
CHIN FM100.7/AM1540 CBC99.1 CITYPULSE
GLOBAL NEWS CTV BREAKFAST TELEVISION
One of the following messages will be announced (highlighted text only):
Peel District School Board buses are cancelled.
This means that schools remain open for students and staff, but buses are cancelled. Bus cancellations could occur in all or parts of municipalities. Buses will remain cancelled all day. All activities that require busing will also be cancelled. Permits, night school classes, child care and other activities in schools will operate as usual.
All Peel District School Board schools and board offices are closed.
This means that all schools and Board offices are closed to students and staff. All activities in schools and board offices are also cancelled, including child care, night school and permits.
All evening programs and permits at the Peel District School Board are cancelled.
This means that all activities in schools and Board offices are cancelled, including continuing education courses and events. The buildings will be closed.
All weekend programs and permits at the Peel District School Board are cancelled.
This means that all activities in schools and Board offices are cancelled, including continuing education courses and events. The buildings will be closed.
Winter bus safety
The following winter school bus safety tips will help to keep your child safe throughout the winter months.
Allow extra time to get to your bus stop.
Wear bright clothing so the bus can see you in the early morning and late evening.
Stand away from where the bus stops. Buses need extra room to stop when there is snow and ice.
Use the handrail when boarding or exiting the bus to prevent slipping on wet or icy steps or road surfaces.
Dress properly—winter clothing, hats, and boots will keep you warm.
Don't throw snowballs at the bus or other children waiting for the bus.
Don't slide on the snow or ice patches in driveways or on the street.
Don't push or shove around the bus. Someone could fall down on the ice and get hurt.
On very rare occasions, buses are late because of weather conditions or mechanical problems. Talk to your child about what to do if the bus is late. Here are some suggestions:
When possible, wait with your child for the bus.
Make sure your child knows a phone number where he can reach you or another trusted adult.
Teach your child how and where to get help. Talk to your child about what a "safe" stranger is.
Help your child set up a bus stop buddy system so your child has someone to wait with for the bus.
Help your family stay warm this winter
Peel Public Health recommends the following cold weather guidelines for preventing cold-weather injuries:
- Reduce amount of time children (grade 8 and under) spend outdoors when the temperature is –20 degrees Celsius or colder, with or without the wind chill.
- Keep children indoors when the temperature is -25 degrees Celsius or colder, with or without wind chill. Some medical conditions may increase sensitivity to cold. Parents should consult their physician (Source: Environment Canada).
- Allow indoor breaks if children say they are feeling cold or during extreme temperatures.
- Ensure children are dressed warmly, covering exposed skin: insulated boots, winter weight coats, mittens, hats, neck warmers.
- Change wet clothing or footwear immediately.
- Although these conditions are unlikely to occur during the school day, ensure that all staff are able to recognize and treat symptoms of frostbite and hypothermia. Given plenty of warm fluids to prevent dehydration.
- When children are outside, be watchful for shivering or signs of numbness in faces, ears, hands or feet.
- Educate children in dealing with cold weather: drinking plenty of fluids, dressing warmly, and recognizing signs of cold injury.
Nutritious lunches help children learn
Use Canada’s Food Guide to help your child get nutrients and energy needed to have a successful school day.
Try to give your child some choice about what to take for lunch. If possible, get your child involved in preparing meals.
Give your child a variety of healthy choices. Keeping your child interested in lunch is the first step to making sure it is eaten.
Make the food easy to eat. If it will take your child a few minutes to unwrap a sandwich, it may be skipped.
Resist the temptation to routinely send sweets, pop, chips and cookies in your child's lunch. Save treats for special occasions.
Try to avoid fast food or pre-packaged, convenience lunches, which are often high in salt and fat.
Do your best to role model healthy eating behaviours for your family.
To speak to a registered dietitian about healthy food choices, call EatRight Ontario at 1-877-510-5102.
For more information about the policy, visit http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/healthyschools. If you have questions about how we are implementing the School Food and Beverage Policy, please call the school.
It's time to register children born in 2013 for kindergarten
We inspire success, confidence and hope in each student…and it all starts in kindergarten! If your child was born in 2013, he or she can start kindergarten in September 2017. You can register your child at any time during regular school hours—just visit the school he/she will be attending to register.
Peel schools will also hold a Kindergarten Registration Week with special registration activities during Feb. 6 to 9, 2017. Visit Walnut Grove PS from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Feb. 6, 7, 8 and 9 and from 5 to 8 p.m. on Feb. 9.
What you will need to bring to registration
Proof of child's age (one of the following)
Canadian birth certificate
Canadian passport
citizenship card/certificate
Permanent Resident Card
confirmation of permanent residence
work permit
refugee permit
Proof of address (one of the following)
Ontario driver's license
utility bill
bank statement/client slip (directly from financial institution)
credit card statement
federal government forms (e.g. Social Insurance Number, Service Canada documents)
purchase agreement
Proof of custody – children must live with their parent(s) unless provided documentation supports an alternate living arrangement
Proof of immunization – proof that your child has been immunized/vaccinated
Middle School Regional Learning Choices Programs
Regional Learning Choices Programs offered by the Peel District School Board empower students by providing an opportunity to develop and explore skills in a particular area of interest. These programs are open to all students who meet the criteria for acceptance.
Information Nights
Students and their families are encouraged to attend the information night for the program of their choice to receive more information about the program and application details. If you are unable to attend the information night, program details and information about the application process are available through the school.
How to apply
The application process for elementary regional programs opens in mid-January 2017. Application dates for middle school programs vary from school to school. The application window for our secondary regional programs has closed for this school year.
Visit www.peelschools.org/RegionalPrograms to learn more about our programs, application process and transportation eligibility.
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.
Help your teen plan for grade 9 course selections for 2017-18
Soon, current grade 8 students will select their courses for grade 9. Before they do, we want to ensure that they have the opportunity to consult with their teachers, guidance counsellor, if applicable, and their parents.
As our partners, families are encouraged to help prepare their teens for course selection. We encourage you to become familiar with the process by creating a myBlueprint account. Additionally, parents/guardians and students can review Chart Your Course, the Peel District School Board’s common course calendar, at www.peelschools.org/students/commoncoursecalendar. This guide will help you understand the course selection process and provide information on the courses and programs offered in Peel secondary schools.
You can also visit www.myBlueprint.ca/Peel, an online planning tool that includes the following:
high school planner for course selection
goal-setting
career spectrum for finding your learning style
occupation planner for exploring careers
post-secondary planner for opportunities after high school
The grade 9 course selection process will be open from Jan. 4 to Jan. 22, 2016. If you have questions or are looking for course suggestions, please contact your teen’s teachers or guidance counsellor.
Apply for Extended French by Jan. 27, 2017
If your child will be starting grade 7 in September 2017, one of the important choices you will make is whether you want to consider Extended French (EF). To find out more about the program, visit www.peelschools.org/French
The application form for Grade 7 EF for the 2017-18 school year will be available online at www.peelschools.org/French as of Thursday, Dec. 1, 2016 at 1 p.m.
The deadline to apply is Friday, Jan. 27, 2017 at 4 p.m. Applications received after the deadline will be placed on the school’s waitlist.
The EF school for our area is Sir John A. MacDonald. The phone number is 905-457-5535
How to get more information
Visit the Peel board website—www.peelschools.org/French.
Call Sir John A. MacDonald at 905-457-5535.
Visit the Canadian Parents for French website at http://on.cpf.ca/.
Apply for French Immersion by January 27, 2017
If your child will be starting grade 1 in September 2017, one of the important choices you will make is whether you want to consider French Immersion (FI). To find out more about the program, visit www.peelschools.org/French
The application form for grade 1 FI for the 2017-18 school year will be available online at www.peelschools.org/French as of Thursday, Dec. 1, 2016 at 1 p.m. The deadline to apply is Friday, Jan. 27, 2017 at 4 p.m. Applications received after the deadline will not be included in the random selection process and will be placed on the school’s waitlist.
The FI school for our area is Walnut Grove PS. The phone number is 905-796-4572.
Enrolment cap and random selection process
As there is a grade 1 FI enrolment cap in place, there are a limited number of spots available for students entering the program. The cap is set at 25 per cent of all Peel students enrolled in grade 1.
Spots are not assigned on a first come, first served basis. A random selection process system is used to identify students gaining entrance into the grade 1 FI program.
All students who apply by the deadline will be assigned a rank using a computerized random selection process. Once students have been assigned to all available spots, remaining students will be placed, again in rank order, on the school's waitlist. Each school has its own waitlist.
How to get more information
Visit the Peel board website—www.peelschools.org/French.
Call Walnut Grove PS at 905-796-4572.
Visit the Canadian Parents for French website at http://on.cpf.ca/.