Centennial Connection Jan 8, 2023

Dear Centennial Families -

Welcome 2023! What an exciting time of year where we review goals, set new ones, and reconnect with each other tomorrow. We are so excited to welcome students and families back to Centennial PS tomorrow after a 2 week break. We hope the time away from school had opportunity for time outside in nature, reading good books, and spending time together with family.

The last week before the holiday was packed with exciting learning around the various holidays and celebrations that take place in December: Winter Solstice, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Christmas. Many classes also participated in festivities, and enjoyed lots of outdoor play in the snow. Our "Cozy Day" had many staff and students participating - it was a lot of fun! Please scroll through this entire update as there are lots of great photos throughout.

We have a few updates to share with families:

- School Parking Lot: The school parking lot is designated for staff only between 8am and 4pm daily. This will ensure our growing staff have a place to park when they come to work. Families dropping students off are to park on the streets surrounding the school. Thank you so much for your help with this!

- Choices at 7 Programs and Applications for September 2023: The application process is now open for current Grade 6 students who are interested in applying for a position in the LDSB Choices at 7 Programs (ATLAS, LEAP, and Challenge) for Grade 7 in September 2023. There are also limited places available for current Grade 7 students who wish to apply to enter one of the programs for Grade 8 in September 2023. For more information about the application process and important deadlines, please visit http://bit.ly/Choicesat7LDSB

- Virtual Tutoring continues for students in Grades 1-10: Please use the following link to access the LDSB webpage https://www.limestone.on.ca/cms/one.aspx?pageId=27481883

What a great place Centennial Public School is and we can't wait to see you back tomorrow!

- Deborah Thompson, Principal & Centennial PS Staff

Upcoming Dates

Upcoming Events

Monday, January 9th: Back to School!
Monday January 16th: Class Photos being taken today
Monday January 23rd: KFL&A Dental Screening continues with flouride application for those who signed up
Monday January 23rd: School Council meeting 6:30pm
Friday February 3rd: PA Day - no school for students


Hands on learning	Beautiful friendships	Outdoor experiences

Hands on learning

Beautiful friendships

Outdoor experiences

Parking Lot

We are continuing to experience some challenges with the parking lot. We have increased staff at the school who need to have a space, and there have been some "near misses" with students and families using the parking lot. As such, the parking lot at Centennial will be for staff only from 8am-4pm daily. This will ensure that part time staff who arrive part way through the day will be able to find parking. Thank you for your help with this. Families who need to drive will need to park on Normal Rogers Drive as the parking lot and bus loop will not be available for parking.

Tutoring Opportunities

Limestone Tutoring Resources January 9 – March 30

Monday – Thursday 4:00 – 6:00 p.m.

As part of the Ministry of Education Tutoring Grant, LDSB is extending an afterschool drop-in Virtual Tutoring Program through the winter months for Limestone students in Grades 1 to 10.

Grade 1 to 6 - Build literacy and/or math skills. 3 tutors per night. (20 min sessions)

Grade 7 to 10 - Math skills and support. 3 tutors per night. (30 min sessions)

Grade 7 to 10 – Homework help. 2 tutors per night. (30 min sessions)

Student must be logged in to MS Teams using their Limestone account.
Click on link for age group and subject support. (links below)
Sessions are on a first-come, first-served model.
Wait in virtual lobby until tutor invites student into the session.

TEAMS Links

Grade 1-6 Literacy Link 1 Grade 7-10 Math Link 1

Grade 1-6 Literacy Link 2 Grade 7-10 Math Link 2

Grade 1-6 Literacy Link 3 Grade 7-10 Math Link 3

Grade 1-6 Math Link 1 Grade 7-10 HW Link 1

Grade 1-6 Math Link 2 Grade 7-10 HW Link 2

Grade 1-6 Math Link 3

See below for Guidelines.

1. The student must be logged in to MS Teams using their Limestone account. The student’s camera and microphone should be on so that the student and tutor can communicate effectively.

2. The student should have the materials they need with them (e.g., students should have their homework assignment). The student should try to set up in an area in the home with minimal distractions for the tutoring

3. If a tutor is already working with a student, subsequent students will be placed in the lobby of the meeting and then be admitted on a first-come, first-served basis once the tutoring session for the previous student is completed. Tutoring sessions for Grades 1-6 will be about 20 minutes long and may be extended, if no other students are waiting. For Grades 7-10 sessions will start at 30 minutes and may be extended if no students are waiting.

4. No tutoring on PA Days or Holidays.

Online Tutoring and Learning Resources

Several tutoring and learning resources are available online to support students and families, including:

Ministry of Education Learn at Home
Ministry of Education Curriculum and Resources for Parents
TVO Learn at Home Resources (English) - Over 2,100 curriculum-aligned, grade, and subject-specific learning activities from Kindergarten to Grade 8 (including for the new Science and Technology curriculum) and Grade 9 to 12 searchable high school content for over 140 secondary school courses.
TFO IDÉLLO, apprendre à la maison (French)
TVO Mathify - Free 1:1 Grade 4 to 11 Math Tutoring with Ontario Certified Teachers. Available Monday to Friday 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and Saturday and Sundays 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Students/families can sign up, select a tutor, and start immediately.

Technology Support for Virtual School/Remote Learning
If you require technology support, please visit our Virtual School / Remote Learning Technology Support webpage.

Additional resources to support virtual learning options:

Choices at Seven

The LDSB provides various opportunities for students going into Grade 7. All grade 6 students at Centennial will go to Calvin Park PS unless students apply for a different option such as ATLAS, LEAP, Challenge or Late French Immersion.

Some information is provided below and more information is available on the LDSB Choices at Seven website: https://www.limestone.on.ca/programming/choices_at_7

December 19, 2022 - January 13, 2023

All online applications for Challenge, LEAP, and ATLAS are due by Friday, January 13, 2023, by 4 p.m. Applications will not be accepted after the deadline.

January 18-27, 2023

All applicants will receive an email on January 18, 2023, outlining, in detail, the next steps of the application process (i.e., task requirements, how to submit tasks, etc.). This step if the application process must be completed by 4:00 p.m. on Friday, January 27, 2023.

Notification on Friday, March 3, 2023

All applicants who have completed the application requirements are notified by email if they are accepted, placed on the waiting list, or if they have been declined. Notifications will be sent out on Friday, March 3, after 3:30 p.m.

Acceptance by Friday, March 10, 2023

The deadline for students to accept or decline the offer to a Choices at 7 program is Friday, March 10, 2023, at 4:00 p.m.

Choices at Seven - Specific Dates

CHALLENGE:

December 19 - January 13:

Application (2 minutes – basic information only – Microsoft Form link that is on the website)

January 17-January 27 :

Students are given a task (1 page written or a video) to complete

January 17 - Feb 10:

Educator reference – educator/school team is asked to evaluate student on a scale based on each program trait (traits are listed on the website)

After Feb 17

Report card assessment (we will pull this centrally)

LEAP:

December - January 13:

Application (2 minutes – basic information only – Microsoft Form link is on the website)

January 17-27:

Students are given an artistic task (there will be some choice)

January 17 - Feb 10:

Educator reference – educator/school team is asked to evaluate student on a scale based on each trait (traits are listed on the website)

After Feb 17

Report card assessment (we will pull this centrally)

ATLAS:

December - Jan 13:

Application (2 minutes – basic information only – Microsoft Form link is on the website)

January 17- 27:

Student/SST survey done together (5-10 minutes)

January 17 - Feb 10

Educator/school team survey

After Feb 17

Report card and IEP (if applicable) assessment (we will pull this centrally)

EXTENDED FI:

Application information is on website. Students are encouraged to apply by April, 2023.

Safety Precautions

When the ground is frozen and there are icy conditions, there are a number of safety precautions we take at Centennial PS to help keep students safe. The forest is closed due to icy/slippery rocks and the uneven pavement. The climbers are also closed. We will open the forest and/or climbers depending on the weather and will communicate this to students through the daily announcements. The climbers will continue to be closed due to the frozen ground; we will make decisions about the forest based on the weather and conditions. For at least the start of this week the forest will be open for students.

Canada Dental Benefit

Canada Dental Benefits Information:

The benefit allows families to receive up-front, direct payments up to $650 per year, per child, for two years (totalling up to $1300) for dental care services. Canada Revenue Agency will be processing the applications and payments for the benefit.

Families are eligible if they meet the following criteria:

Age: child(ren) under 12
Family income: adjusted net income of less than $90,000. Note: Applicants need to have filed income tax and currently receive the Canada Child Benefit (CCB) for their child.
Dental insurance: do not have access to private dental insurance. Note: Families who are already covered by Healthy Smiles Ontario will still be eligible for the interim Canada Dental Benefit if they incur out of pocket costs for dental care services for their child.
Dental expenses: have, or will have, out of pocket dental care expenses.

Visit Canada.ca/Dental for more information.

School Council

The School Council meeting dates for the new year are:

* January 23rd

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

* April 17th

* May 15th

* June 12th

School Day

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

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

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

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

Sign up for Triboard notices

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

Indigenous Self Identification

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

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

Students, Illness & Masking

A reminder for staff, students, and visitors in our schools to continue to self-screen every day before attending school using the COVID-19 school and childcare screening tool. Staff and students should stay home when sick. In addition, for a total of 10-days after the start of any illness symptom or positive Rapid Antigen Test (RAT), students and staff are expected to wear a well-fitted mask in all public settings (including schools and childcare, unless under two years old) and avoid non-essential activities where mask removal is necessary. Public Health continues to encourage people to mask in indoor, congregate settings like schools. We continue to work very closely with KFL&A Public Health as it relates to health and safety, and absences due to illness. KFL&A Public Health has created a helpful resource for school and childcare screening for families to use. If COVID-19 protocols change, they will be communicated directly with families and updated on Limestone’s COVID-19 Protocol Update webpage.

Olivers Labels

Do you need a way to label your things that stay labelled? Do you need a way to show what's yours? Need a way to label your child's things so they don't get lost or mixed up? Support Centennial Public School Council by purchasing through the link. The school receives 20% of your purchase! All funds raised go to support School Council initiatives including student activities. Thank you!

http://www.oliverslabels.com/Centennial

E-Store

Want to look spiffy and show off your pride in being a Centennial PS Comet? Check out all of the clothing and accessories available at the Centennial Public School e-store at: https://specialtytrophies.ca/centennialps/

Safe Arrival - How Do I Report An Absence?

Please use the Safe Arrival system to report your child's absence; do not call the school to report an absence. If you child is going to be absent from learning, please ensure you use the Safe Arrival system to report the absence. If your child will be late, please report a full day absence and then we will sign them in when they arrive. You cannot indicate a half day absence.

How to report your absence:

1. Toll-free telephone

Call 1-855-257-9349 toll-free to report an absence using the automated phone system.

2. School Messenger App

Use your mobile device to download and install the free SchoolMessenger blue app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store, the SchoolMessenger website portal, or from within the LDSB mobile app.
The first time you use the app, you must select Sign Up to create your account. Please ensure you use the same email address your student’s school has on file. If you do not use that same email address, you will not be able to create an account, or may not be able to see the "Attendance" option. You may have already created an account when we introduced the Communicate broadcast system.
Select Attendance, then select Report an Absence and follow the prompts.

3. SchoolMessenger SafeArrival Website Portal

Visit the SchoolMessenger website portal.
The first time you use the app, you must select Sign Up to create your account. Please ensure you use the same email address your student’s school has on file. If you do not use that same email address, you will not be able to create an account, or may not be able to see the "Attendance" option. You may have already created an account when we introduced the Communicate broadcast system.
Select Attendance, then Report an Absence and follow the prompts.