RH Cornish Public School 494 Queen St.

Port Perry, Ontario L9L 1K2

http://www.ddsb.ca/school/rhcornish/ Follow Us on Twitter @RHCornishPS

R.H. Cornish P.S.

WELCOME TO THE 2015-2016 SCHOOL YEAR What a fabulous place to learn, live and work. The RHC community has made me feel so welcome in a very short time. I feel very fortunate to have joined such a fabulous team and community. Thank you to all of our students and families for supporting a great start to the 2015-2016 school year. We sincerely hope that all of you have had a wonderful summer! At R. H. Cornish P.S. we have an unwavering commitment to student achieve-ment and well-being. We continuously strive for a safe and accepting school cul-ture where everyone feels they belong. Your child’s success is very important to us. We look forward to working with you, the parents/guardians of our students. Communication between home and school is very important and we want to keep those lines of communication open. No one knows your child better than you and so we want to work alongside you as a team in helping your child to reach their full potential. If you have any questions, comments or concerns, we are always happy to hear from you. Please remember the best first point of contact is always your child’s teacher.

At R.H. Cornish, we have identified strategic priorities to continue to ignite stu-dent learning, and they are: Increase Student Achievement and Well-Being; Con-structively Engage the Community; and Advance Inspired Leadership. We want to create personalized learning environments for our students so that there is equity for all. We will strive to create classrooms that engage and inspire all of our students and help to prepare them for the demands of the future.

I encourage you to become involved in our child’s learning by reading at home, helping with homework, and/or joining us for School Community Council meet-ings, volunteering at the school. You are a key partner in making your child’s educational journey successful and we look forward to working together to ignite your child’s learning.

L. Bliss—Principal

Important Dates:

September

21– Safety Week

22 –Lifetouch Photos Gr. 6-8

Sept. 22nd @7:00 Gifted Testing info night

23-Lifetouch Photos Gr.K-5

25-Franco-Ontarian Day

28—QPS Assembly 1:00 pm

29—Photo Retake Day

October

1st—First SCC Meeting 6:30 pm in the library—all are welcome

19th—Bus safety presenta-tion

20th—IEPs go home

Parents and Guardians, please be aware that the Durham District School Board does NOT provide accident insurance coverage for student injuries. Families should recog-nize that there is always a potential risk of injury with field trips, sports and other stu-dent activities both on and off school grounds. Although precautions are taken to en-sure the protection of students, accidents can and do happen. Some injuries result in medical, dental or other expenses that are not covered by provincial health care or em-ployer group plans and can be very costly. As a parent or guardian, you become re-sponsible for these expenses.

In accordance with the Education Act we do make available a Student Accident Insur-ance Program for students. Participation in this program is voluntary and the costs are to be paid by the parent or guardian. For your convenience, we have arranged access to a Student Accident Insurance Poli-cy through Reliable Life Insurance Company. This program offers a variety of plans and benefits at affordable prices. Some of the benefits included are:

dental expenses (resulting from an accident)

fracture or dislocation

rehabilitation

emergency transportation

total and permanent disability

If your child participates in co-curricular activities or activities outside the school day, there is also a plan tailored to your needs. All rates are one-time annual premiums. The insurance agreement is between you and Reliable Life Insurance Company. For com-plete details please refer to the “insuremykids® Protection Plan 2014 Application Brochure” that was sent home with your child or visit the website at: www.insuremykids.com.

Any questions should be directed to Reliable Life Insurance Company toll free at

1-800-463-KIDS (5437).

WELCOME TO OUR NEW STAFF MEMBERS

We have had a number of staffing additions this year at R.H. Cornish. We would like to welcome the fol-lowing new staff members to our building:

-Mrs. Barker—Grade 1 French Immersion

-Mrs. Bliss—Principal

-Ms. Dabrowski—French Immersion Re-lease

-Mrs. Gordon—Grade 6/7 English

-Mrs. Robinson—Returning as an Educa-tional Assistant

-Mrs. Rigney—Instrumental Music

-Mme Shaver—French Immersion Release

-Mme Santiago—French Immersion Re-lease

-Ms. Samaha—Grade 8 French Immersion

-Mrs. Wilson—Administrative Assistant

STUDENT ACCIDENT INSURANCE

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HOME SCHOOL COMMUNICATION

Communication between home and school is vital to the support for each student. There are so many ways that our team would like to connect with you; found in the Wordle above. Many of our classrooms utilize Twitter on a regular basis to give glimpses into the classroom learning of your child(ren). Tweets can be used to jump start conversation at home or to connect with daily agenda items. Our expectation is that classroom web pages, through our school website, are maintained regularly and give you access to need to know information within you child(ren)’s classroom(s).

Our website is an important tool for sharing strategies and resources with you. Please stay tuned as we load information about the many exciting items on the calendar for the year ahead.

The strength of any school is built on the positive relationships between home and school, parent/guardian and teacher. You need to know what is happening with your child and our suc-cess improves with help.

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ATTENDANCE MATTERS

Thoughts for parents…. Kids are happier when they attend school on a regular basis. Getting to school on time provides opportunities for your child to…..

-connect with friends, make new friends and play -avoid missing important literacy instruction -get to know their teachers and other school staff -walk into the classroom as part of the group

Did you know.… Play time is very important for developing key relationships. Being on time every day helps to build self-esteem and a sense of belonging.

Three things to do to help get your child to school on time…. -talk to your child to develop a morning routine that works for them -talk as a family about what will work for everyone so your family can start their day on a positive note -if your child is struggling to get to school on time, talk to your teacher

SAFE ARRIVAL

It is the responsibility of parents to en-sure that their children arrive at school on time. Research indicates that students who attend regularly and are punctual will remain in school for a longer period. Attention to these two areas creates “a school is important attitude” with students and results in increased academic suc-cess. Parents are the key agents in en-suring that this happens. Regular attend-ance is important.

As part of our Safe Arrival Program, parents are asked to please phone the school if a student is going to be absent. The safe arrival phone number is (905) 985 – 8748.

Please call before 9:00 am. The line is available 24 hours/day, seven days/week.

Daily student attendance is recorded by teachers. We then contact the parents of the absent student if they are unaccount-ed for. The steps are: call the home/cell number, call parent work numbers, and then the emergency contact. Students who enter the school after 9:00 a.m. or 12:45 p.m. must come to the office for an admit slip. Parents will be notified by letter of persistent late arrivals. Habitual lateness is disruptive to teaching and learning and could result in detentions to make up time lost and/or a consultation to develop a plan of action with parents and students. This program helps us ensure that all R. H. Cornish students are safe.

Students too ill to go outside at recess are too sick to be sent to school. We are not able to supervise students over the recess break on an individual basis and expect that they will go outside.

Students being excused during the school day for appointments, etc. are expected to bring a note from their par-ents. Parents must sign out students at the office.

Thank you for your cooperation in helping to ensure the safety of all students.

LUNCHROOM SUPERVISORS

Student Verification Forms are being sent home soon. These forms contain important contact information such as parent/guardian contact info, lunch procedures, allergy and medical information. Please read them over carefully, make any changes in red pen or highlight the changes. Forms should be returned to the office as soon as possible so that we can update student information and ensure stu-dent safety. Please be sure to complete both sides of the form.

We are in need of more Lunch-room Supervisors. Our lunch-room supervisors are an im-portant part of the R.H. Cornish Team! This is a paid position which requires a one hour com-mitment per day during the lunch

hour, from 11:40-12:40pm. Su-pervisors work 1-5 hours per week, or can be on call for occa-sional absences. Please contact Mrs. Lavery in the office today at 905-985-4468. We look forward to having you on our team!

SCHOOL COMMUNITY COUNCIL (S.C.C)

Our SCC is active in wanting to enrich the school experi-ence of not only RH Cornish students but their families as well. For example, last year, our first annual family fitness night was a tremendous success. This free event for families highlighted activities available within our community and was run for families by families through the SCC. Please watch the SCC section of the school website for updates as well as meeting dates/times. There are many ways and lev-els of involvement. The SCC is made up of voting members (see back page for nomination information) as well as many committees that assist with various programs throughout the year. There are many opportunities to be involved in single initiatives/events (e.g., available to assist in May, or would like to help with QSP) if not able to make a commit-ment to attend scheduled SCC meetings Let us know how you would like to be involved; drop us a note on the form (on reverse).

Would you like more information about your School Com-munity Council? Please come out to our next meeting Thursday, October 1st at 6:30 pm in the school li-brary. 4

STUDENT VERIFICATION FORMS

SIGN UP FOR OUR E-NEWSLETTER

Durham District School Board recognizes that technology con nues to evolve providing students with personal wireless technologies. As a school team, we en-courage students to embed technology in their learning and to develop their digital ci zenship skills. Teachers will clearly iden-

fy for students mes when personal technologies are appropriate for use dur-ing learning ac vi es. Any personal elec-tronic devices that are used inappropriate-ly inside school during the normal school day are disrup ve to the teaching and learning environment.

The privacy and personal dignity of others could be violated by the inappropriate use of personal electronic devices to text mes-sage, social network, and/or share digital media. Outside of educa onal purposes, it is the prac ce of the Durham District School Board that the use of personal electronic devices are prohibited during the school day on school property (e.g., calls/texts home or to friends). It is an ex-pecta on that communica on during the school day (e.g., call home) be made using

a school phone when it is a safety issue. Social plans should be made ahead of me and are not an appropriate use of phones during the school day.

Field trips and a er school events are an extension of the classroom, and the ex-pecta ons of the use of personal electron-ic devices apply. Staff may approve the use of this technology for purposes of edu-ca on and communica on, such as calling parents for pick-up or taking photos of trip highlights. In keeping with the Freedom of Informa on and Privacy Act, the filming or taking pictures of others without their expressed permission is prohibited: The use of recording devices is not permi ed unless approved by the school. Further, the taking of photos or filming while at school or at school related ac vi es is prohibited unless approved by Durham District School Board staff and used for educa onal purposes. These expecta ons apply to co-curricular programs.

ELECTRONIC SAFETY AT RHC

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Paper copies of future newsletters will only be sent home to those families who request a paper copy (please see last page of newsletter for tear off section). If you would like to sign up for our newsletter electronically, follow these steps. Go to the school website at: http://www.ddsb.ca/school/rhcornish and scroll down to the bot-tom of the screen and enter your e-mail address and click go!

During September, many students and teachers across all divisions and streams read The Dot/Un bon point pour Zoé by Peter Reynolds, explor-ing the story’s messages of creativity, courage and goal-setting. On Sep-tember 15th, Cornish joined the over 1.8 million students in 83 countries around the world, creating and celebrating our own artistic interpretations of dots as we discussed how we can “Make Our Mark” on the new school year. Thanks to everyone who showed their spirit that day by wearing Pol-ka Dots, and don’t forget to drop by the Library to see the wonderful art-work on display!

CORNISH STUDENTS CELEBRATE INTERNATIONAL DOT

Safety and Planning in Advance

Meet the Teacher BBQ

Durham District School Board

Superintendent—Anne Marie Laginski

AnneMarie_Laginski@durham.edu.on.ca

Area Officer—Greg Island

Greg_Island@durham.edu.on.ca

905.666.6905

Trustee—Carolyn Morton

Carolyn_Morton@durham.edu.on.ca

905.986.5525

Coaches’ Corner Cross-Country Cross-country for students in grades 3-8 has already started. Cross country practices are held before school and at lunch. All students interested are welcome to try out! Kids can see Mr. Mereweather for more info. Listen for announcements!

Cross-Country Area Meets:

Lisa Carlson—October 1st after school

Area Meet—October 8th in the afternoon

Junior Girls Soccer

Soccer tryouts for Junior Girls (grades 4-6) have started. Our next practices are Wednesday, September 16th and Friday, Sep-tember 18th. Once the team is chosen, the first game will be on September 28th.

Intermediate Girls Volleyball

Try-outs are currently taking place on Tuesday and Thursday nights after school until 4:30 p.m. There may also be some lunch try-outs booked as well.

Student safety is our main priori-ty. Every one of our students has been trained to tell a staff member if they see an adult in the building without an identification tag. When you are visiting the school, please begin your visit in the school office. We will provide you with a tag that indicates you have stopped at the office.

With almost 800 students, the school office is a very busy place. In an effort to ensure that stu-dents are aware of their after-school procedure, we kindly ask that you plan in advance when possible. We recognize that last minute changes in plans occur, but it is very difficult to ensure messages regarding changes in plans get to our students before

the bell. If a call to the school needs to be made to changes plans, please call prior to 3:00 pm so that there is enough time to get messages to students before they are released at the end of the day.

This year’s Meet the Teacher BBQ, originally planned for September 24th, has been postponed. As soon as we have a new date, we will let all parents/guardians know.

Student Agendas All of our students in grades 2 to 8 were given agendas this week. The cost of these comes directly out of our school budget. If you are able, a dona-tion of $5.00 would be greatly appre-ciated. We want to keep our costs low, but at the same time, we want to ensure that we have money left for other great initiatives that meet our student needs. The agenda is a great way for your child to stay on top of

their assignments, and also to keep track of what’s going on at school. It is also a great communication tool between you and the teacher. Please take time to review the agenda each night with your child. This is an important life skill that we are teach-ing our children at a young age. By showing your interest in their agen-da, you communicate to your child

that you think school is important, and that you care about what hap-pened in their day. Every child needs to know that their parents believe this and that they support them in their education. We are partners in the educational journey together. Please work with us to help your children thrive!

RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATIONS AND MODIFICATIONS The Durham District School Board Equity and Inclusive Education Policy #4107 is a commitment to embracing diverse social realities; while maintaining positive, safe and inclusive environments for all students and staff. The policy is a reflection of Ontario’s Eq-uity and Inclusive Education Strategy, supporting all areas of Durham District School Board principles, practices, and guidelines. R. H. Cornish P.S. supports this policy through inclusive activities in our school and school com-munity.

We value and respect all members of our school com-munity and as such ensure that resources are provided that reflect the work being done to address anti-discrimination and inclusive education. These issues are discussed in the Ministry of Education's Curriculum docu-ments to promote fairness,

healthy relationships, and ac-tive, responsible citizenship. The Durham District School Board's school libraries and classroom resources reflect inclusivity and serve to foster sensitivity towards individuals and groups that have tradition-ally been and/or are currently being marginalized within the broader society. These re-sources serve to identify and remove barriers that may exist for various groups and fami-lies. They may touch on topics of ethnicity, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, family status and marital status. Our goal is to provide students with opportunities to promote equity and social jus-tice.

Our Guidelines and Proce-dures for the Accommodation of Religious Requirements, Practices, and Observances was produced in compliance

with requirements of Ontario’s Equity and Inclusive Educa-tion Strategy. The document is produced within the con-texts of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Ontario Human Rights Code. This document outlines how staff can create and maintain equitable and inclu-sive environments within schools. It also outlines the process for providing religious accommodations as the need arises. You may ask to re-view a copy here at the school or online at http://www.ddsb.ca/AboutUs/EquityInclusiveEducation/Pages/default.aspx. If you anticipate that your children may require religious accom-modation at any point during the school year we ask that you inform the school as early as possible.

Be Allergy Aware…

Please remember that we have many different needs in our

school and we do our best to ac-commodate for everyone so that

school can be a safe place. Some of our staff and students have life-threatening allergies to certain foods. With this in mind, we ask that the following foods or their by-products not be brought to school: All nut products includ-ing peanut butter and anything that contains nuts. “Wow” butter is not an accepted alternative since there is no way we can know if it is safe. There may be spe-cific allergies in certain classes and we ask that some foods be restricted from these rooms. You will be notified by the homeroom teacher.

If you would like to continue to receive a paper copy of the school newsletter rather than looking at in on-line, please com-plete this form and return to the school office.

Child’s Name: __________________________________ Teacher: _________________________________

(Please complete for oldest child only)

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Thank you to all of our grade 6 – 8 students who applied to be one of our lunch leaders. This is a leader-ship position in our school which pairs older students with students in kindergarten to grade 3 to assist in the classrooms while students eat their lunch. It is not too late to sign up! Applications are in the of-fice.

LUNCH LEADERS

R.H.CORNISH PUBLIC SCHOOL ONTARIO EARLY YEARS HUB

494 Queen St, Port Perry, On September 2015

Days Þ

Time ß

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

9:00am = 12:00pm

Mini Chefs

0-6 years 10:00- 11:30 am

Play to Learn

0-6 years 9:30- 11:30 am

Play to Learn

0-6 years 9:30-11:30 am

Play to Lean

0-6 years 9:30 – 11:30 am

12:00- 1:00pm

CLOSED FOR LUNCH

CLOSED FOR LUNCH

CLOSED FOR LUNCH

CLOSED FOR LUNCH

CLOSED FOR LUNCH

1:00-4:30

Baby Play to Learn 0-6 years

1:15-2:45 pm

Closed 4th Monday afternoon for Infant Hearing Screening

Focus on Infants

0-12 months 1-2:30 pm

Durham OEYC Staff Trainings

1-4 p.m.