A Message from the Principal’s Desk

It takes a village to raise a child. Nigerian Proverb

November 2016

Derry West Village P. S.Derry West Village P. S.

620 Twain Avenue

Mississauga, Ontario

L5W 1M1

Tel: 905 565-5762

Fax: 905 565-0173

Safe Arrival Line: 1-855-209-6155

Principal: Ms. Grewal

Upcoming Dates:

Character Attributes in Action

at DWVPS!

The theme our school will be focusing on during

November is Respect.

“Respect” Student Recognition

Assembly: To be announced

Families are welcome to attend!

As part of the reporting process for students in Grades 1 to 5, you will receive your child’s Progress Report Card on Friday, November 11, 2016 and a scheduled three-way conference. The Board- wide parent conference dates for the elementary panel are on the evening of Thursday, November 17, 2016 and the morning of Friday, November 18, 2016. Reporting for our Full Day Kindergarten students will involve a conference where our Kindergarten Teaching Teams will be sharing their observations and conversations about our Year 1 and Year 2 students. There is no written report for Kindergarten stu-dents for the November 2016 reporting period. The purpose of the parent-student-teacher conference is to discuss the progress the student has made thus far, and to set goals for future success. And as such, the student is a very important part of this meet-ing. The conferences usually range in time from 15 to 20 minutes. It is important to prepare for the conference to make the best use of that limited time. Should you re-quire more time please communicate that with your child’s teacher. Below are some helpful tips for you to make the most of your parent-student-teacher conference: 1. PREPARE

Read your child’s Progress Report Card. Make notes about your questions and concerns. If you require an Interpreter or are bringing one with you, please share your questions with him/her prior to the conference. Talk to your child about the report and ask “What do you want to ask the teacher?”. Make a list of the ques-tions.

2. ASK QUESTIONS Arrive on time. Bring your child and the list of questions. During the conference the teacher(s) will review your child’s Progress Report Card and may show you samples of your child’s work. This is a good time for your child to share his/her thoughts about the teaching and learning happening in the classroom. You may at any time ask questions that are relevant to your child’s learning such as: What does my child do well? What skills does he or she still need to develop? If my child needs extra help is he/she getting it? How much time should my child be spending on homework? How does my child get along with the other students? How can I help my child at home? What is the best way to contact you if I have more questions?

3. FOLLOW UP

Talk to your child about the information shared at the conference. Stress the positive things the teacher said. Discuss the areas that need improvement and

together create a plan as to what needs to be done. Ensure everyone has a

part in that plan – your child, the teacher and you.

Ms. J. Grewal

According to the Peel District School Board - Climate for Learning and Working, the definition of Respect is to treat others, yourself, and the

environment with high regard and value.

You are showing Respect when you:

Speak Courteously to everyone.

Treat yourself and others with care and value.

Honour the rules of your home, school, workplace and community.

Demonstrate value for yourself, your body and your rights.

Take care with other people’s property and belongings.

Also see our on-line calendar (click here) November 11th & 25th:

Pizza Days

November 11th:

Remembrance Day Assembly at: 10:50 a.m.

Parents are welcome

November 11th:

Grades 1-5 Progress Report Cards go home

November 17th:

Photo Retake Day

November 18th:

Professional Activity Day-Parent/Teacher Interviews

November 21st-25th:

Bullying Awareness Week

December 26th-January 6th:

Winter Holidays

Terry Fox Run/Walk raised….

Remembrance Day

On Friday, November 11, 2016 Derry West Village P.S. will be holding a Remembrance Day service in the gym. The purpose of this service is to recognize and honour the many contributions and sacrifices made on our behalf by all members of our Canadian Armed Forces personnel. The service will begin at 10:50 a.m. and conclude with the playing of “The Last Post”. Parents are welcome to attend. We will be asking students for a Poppy donation with all the proceeds going to the Royal Canadian Legion. If you have questions, please contact the school office. To learn more about Remembrance Day and the Poppy campaign, please visit: www.legion.ca

All the donations are in and thanks to the very generous spirit of the Derry West Village community, our school raised $1750.00!!!! That is unbelievable!!!! We have forwarded this amount to the Terry Fox Foundation so they can continue to search for a cure for cancer. We genuinely thank you for your support!!!!

School Council

The School Council of Derry West Village Public School is a vital group of parents involved in the life of our school. Thanks to the many parents who came out to our meeting last month. We are very happy that you have chosen to join us. Working together, we can make a difference and enhance our children’s experiences at Derry West Village P.S. This year’s Co-Chairs are Mr. Ramapriyan Gopal and Mr. Aadil Aderbehman. Mrs. Sangita Iyer is our Secretary. On behalf of our learning community, we would like to thank them for taking on these important roles and for demonstrating their commitment to Der-ry West Village Public School. Please think about becoming a member of our School Council. It is an excellent opportunity for you to learn about what’s going on at Derry West Village, meet other parents and share your thoughts and ideas about school success.

Our School Council Meeting Dates are: Wednesday, November 2, 2016 Wednesday, January 11, 2017 Wednesday, February 1, 2017 Wednesday, May 3, 2017

Our next meeting will be on Wednesday, November 2, 2016 in the library from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. We are looking forward to meeting you!

Photo Retake Day

On Thursday, November 17th, 2016 students may have their school photograph taken if they were absent on the

original day or they may have their picture taken if parents were not satisfied with the quality of the photograph. Don’t forget to bring your smile!

Safe Arrival for student absences

All absences need to be reported to SafeArrival in one of the following ways: 1. You can call into an automated, interactive telephone system via a toll free number at 1-855-209-6155. 2. You can log into a website at pdsb.schoolconnects.com to access a SafeArrival Parent Portal. You will need to set

up an account before you can report the absence. 3. You can download the SafeArrival mobile application for Apple and Android devices.

All absences need to be reported before 8:30 a.m.

If an absence is not reported, parents will receive an automated call asking them for confirmatuion. If the call is not an-swered, the system will repeat calling five times to each provided cell and home number on file. Please note you must lis-ten to the message and confirm receipt or the system will continue calling.

Locked accounts – For security reasons, you will be locked out of the system for 12 hours after nine failed attempts. Please wait 12 hours before attempting to login again.

Detailed safe arrival instructions are located on our school website at derrywestvillage.ps@peelsb.com.

CCAT Testing

Each year, the Peel District School Board conducts a region-wide standardized testing program, at the Grade Four level. During the week of November 7th, 2016 students in Grade Four at Derry West Village Public School will be taking the Canadian Cognitive Abilities Test (CCAT). This aptitude test predicts a student's potential for learning academic material. It answers the questions "Can the students learn it?" It measures reasoning skills and problem-solving abilities common to a number of subject areas. Test results will be shared in February 2017 once the school receives them. Your child’s Grade Four teacher will provide you with the necessary information.

Morning Entry

Halloween Candy

The Derry West Village P.S Wolves soccer team took part in the annual Agnes Taylor P.S. Co-ed 4/5 Soccer Tournament in Brampton. Derry West Village P.S. began the tournament with a 5-0 win over Kingswood P.S. In the second game, Derry West Village faced H.F. Loughlin P.S. and finished with a 6-0 victory.

The semi-finals became a nail-biter between Derry West Village P.S. and host Agnes Taylor P.S. Down 1-0 early in the match, Derry West Village P.S. battled back and scored 2 goals to win the game 2-1.

In the finals, the two undefeated teams faced off with Derry West Village P.S. taking on Conestoga P.S. Derry West

Village P.S. won the game 4-0 to become tournament champions for the third year in a row!!!

Great effort and sportsmanship was demonstrated by all of our students. The team of Navdip, Kareem, Gurvir, Am-mar, Reid, Kevin, Nikhil, Hasan, Mekayel, Nasibe, Harleen, Selam, Alisha, Tilosana, and Laiba represented Derry

West Village Public School very well. GO DERRY WEST GO!!

DWV Soccer News

To Blog? Or To Vlog?

The junior students will be starting to blog or vlog this month. Grade 5 students will blog or vlog about a favourite book they have read. Information will be provided to the students during library/computer period. The blogging/vlogging group will be meeting Ms. Lappan in the computer lab on Day 4s at 12:56 p.m. Happy Blogging/Vlogging Ms. Lappan Teacher Librarian

Our morning entry bell rings at 8:35 a.m. Students are highly encouraged to enter school at this time as it allows them five minutes to take off their coats, prepare their belongings and get to class on time. Students who arrive after 8:35 a.m. are rushing and often begin their day in a hurried state. If your child is late for school, parents need to walk their child to the office and sign him/her in. A pattern of late arrivals, even by just a few minutes has a negative impact on the learning of all students in the classroom, by causing unnecessary disruptions. Please ensure your children get to school on time. If that means getting up a few minutes earlier or organizing backpacks and lunches the night before, it is important to do so.

As you are aware, we have students in the school with life threatening food allergies, so we kindly request that you do not send any Halloween candy to school with your children. Students may enjoy their treats at home.

Tech Club

EQAO Results

Ontario’s education system is in a period of continuous improvement. Everything from the knowledge and skills being taught to the way instruction is delivered to the role of technology in modern learning is constantly being re-examined. Student assessment is a necessary part of this improvement cycle, and EQAO will remain at the forefront, leading ef-forts to fashion a relevant, dynamic and innovative provincial assessment program that’s right for Ontario. Whatever the future holds, honest, reliable and transparent information about how our students are achieving in specific areas of their learning will be vital to the system’s ongoing progress.

In early June 2016, our Grade Three students wrote the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) Assess-ments in Reading, Writing and Mathematics for the Primary Division. EQAO’s assessments measure the achievement of all students in Ontario’s publicly funded schools at important stages in their education. One of the assessments’ key strengths is the fact that they assess every student against the learning expectations outlined in The Ontario Cur-riculum and report on achievement in relation to the provincial standard. EQAO’s assessment results are just one piece of information about students’ achievement. These scores are not in-cluded in students’ grades and do not appear on the report cards. Regular assessments conducted in the classroom remain the fundamental method of assessing and supporting students throughout their education. With all this as-sessment data, teachers can identify your child’s strengths and provide strategies to help your child improve in the areas that require extra work. Students who wrote the EQAO assessments have received their Individual Student Report outlining their results. Derry West Village Public School’s EQAO results have fluctuated from previous years’ results. We are examining the EQAO data to determine where our students excelled and where they were challenged. With this information we will create a teaching and learning plan to address the discrepancies and continue on the path of student success.

The percentage of all students at or above the provincial standards (Levels 3 and 4): 2015 - 2016

Derry West Village Public School - Primary Results Reading: 64% Writing: 69% Mathematics: 53% Peel District School Board - Primary Results Ontario - Primary Results Reading: 73% Reading: 72% Writing: 76% Writing: 74% Mathematics: 61% Mathematics: 63%

* NEW* Community Corner

Stay up-to-date with community-based opportunities The Peel District School Board is pleased to introduce an electronic resource page on www.peelschools.org called, Community Corner, which contains links to information and resources in the community that may be of interest to students and their fami-lies. This site replaces our previous method of sending promotional materials about community clubs, camps, contests, fundrais-ers and events home with students on a regular basis. How you can access Community Corner 1. Visit www.peelschools.org/parents/communitycorner

2. Click on the “Community Corner” button, found on the main page of school web-sites, as well as on www.peelschools.org.

In 2014, the board of trustees declared the last Friday in November as the Peel Custodial and Maintenance Workers’ Day. This year, the recognition day falls on Friday, Nov. 25, 2016. Take this opportunity to thank the important work of custodial and maintenance workers and their hard work and commitment to well-being and safety.

Nov. 25 opportunity to say ‘thanks’ to Peel Custodial & Maintenace Workers Day

Traffic safety at Derry West Village Public School

Safety is a top priority at our school. Here is a list of traffic tips to keep students, staff and parents safe while commuting to and from school:

Respect traffic signs and road markers around the school.

Drive slowly and with caution on and near school property. Adhere to the posted speed limits on any surrounding streets

used by students on their way to and from school.

Always yield to pedestrian traffic. Wait for students, staff members and parents to cross before driving past them.

When dropping your child off at the school, use the Kiss'n'Ride area. This is a supervised area that is designed to keep

students safe.

Do not double park or do anything else to block traffic or draw your child off the curb and into traffic. Do not take shortcuts

over curbs.

Have your child ready to exit the car when you reach the curb. Say goodbye to your child before you park at the curb to let

your child out of your car.

During regular drop-off times, students are to remain in the car until it is safe for them to exit the car onto the curb.

Follow the directions of staff or volunteers on duty in the school parking lot and treat staff, students, volunteers, passen-

gers and other drivers with respect.

Consider parking off site and walking a short distance to school. This will give you time to talk to your children about their

day, review new vocabulary words, math concepts, etc.

Remind your child to only cross the street at an intersection or crosswalk. They should never “jaywalk” by crossing in the

middle of the street.

Students who bike to school should always wear a helmet, and follow all traffic laws. They should only cross the street at

a crosswalk or intersection—never in the middle of the road.

# Choose Action on Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week

The Peel District School Board will recognize Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week during the week of Nov. 20 to 26, 2016. This year, we ask our Peel community to ‘#ChooseAction to Be the Difference’ in their classes, offices, schools, communities or world, in order to make these spaces better places for everyone. The Peel Board would like to hear about the big and small actions, the pledges, the promises and the attitudes that our Peel community value, and ask that you take a moment to share your #ChooseAction moments on so-cial media. Across the Peel board, schools use many programs and initiatives to prevent bullying and to intervene when bullying happens. Though the programs vary, their messages are consistent. Students are taught to:

define bullying

identify forms of bullying

identify the shifting roles in bullying relationships, for example the person who bullies, the target, the bystander or the trusted advo-

cate

determine how to safely “choose action” to prevent and intervene in bullying & harassment

understand that bullying is a relationship problem with relationship solutions

determine positive ways to interact with others in an accepting, inclusive way

demonstrate character attributes and be a leader to help maintain positive and safe school communities

Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week is one of the key items contained in Bill 13: The Accepting Schools Act, that came into effect on Sept. 1, 2012. For more information, visit: www.peelschools.org/aboutus/safeschools/bullying/ or www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/safeschools/prevention.html.

Parent resources help you support your child’s learning

At the Peel 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.

Subscribe to receive news from the Peel board

Take advantage of our electronic subscription service to automatically receive updates from the Peel District School Board. Subscribing

is easy ¾ just visit our website at www.peelschools.org and click on the subscription link under "Quick Links."

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 posted on our Twitter (@Peelschools) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/peelschools) accounts, as well as, on www.peelschools.org and www.stopr.ca.

You can also subscribe to receive:

News releases Keep up with the news at the Peel board. Subscribe to receive Peel board news releases to learn more about board news and school events.

Board agendas Learn more about Peel board meetings by subscribing to receive agendas. Meetings of the board are open to the public and are held on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month.

Board highlights Briefing is a newsletter with highlights of decisions made by trustees at board meetings. It is sent out on the second and fourth Thursday of every month and immediately following any special board meetings. Job postings for non-teaching staff Learn about each new non-teaching job that is posted on the Peel board's Job Board.

Train More. Rehearse More. Learn More. New Peel District School Board program offers flexible school options for student athletes, artists

Does your child/teen have an intense sports or arts training and competition schedule that makes it difficult to attend school regularly? The Peel District School Board’s new Peel Region High Performers Program will offer flexible timetabling to accommodate student athletes and artists with demanding prac-tice, competition, rehearsal and/or performance schedules.

Peel Region High Performers Program will open in September 2017. Information nights will be offered as follows:

Applications are now available at: www.peelschools.org/HighPerformers.

Peel board students have choice Explore program options at www.makingmyway.ca

Students have different needs, interests and abilities—our schools offer great educational opportunities to help all students achieve. For students looking for a more focused, specialized program, here are some options:

Regional programs start in grades 6, 7 and 9 Students in regional programs still complete all of the requirements of the Ontario curriculum, but there is an increased focus on an area of interest. Pro-grams include:

Specialist High Skills Major programs start in grade 11 Specialist High Skills Major programs allow students to focus their learning on a specific economic sector, while meeting the requirements to graduate from secondary school. Students gain sector-recognized certification and career-relevant training. The programs support the transition after graduation to apprenticeship training, college, university or the workplace. Peel board schools offer Specialist High Skills Major programs in the following area.

More options for Peel board students

co-operative education programs provide workplace experience

extended French starts in grade 7

dual credit programs allow student to earn college credits at the same time as secondary school credits

alternative programs are available for students who need flexible school hours, are dealing with unique situations, or require more support

Our guidance counsellors can help students determine which courses will best meet their needs, interests and abilities—contact the school to make an appointment. For more information about regional programs, Specialist High Skills Major programs and other programs of choice available to Peel board students, visit www.makingmyway.ca.

Grades Information Night Location

4 to 5 Nov. 2, 2016 at 6:30 p.m. Britannia Public School 1145 Swinbourne Dr. in Mississauga

6 to 8 Nov. 9, 2016 at 6 p.m. Dolphin Sr. Public School 18 Brookside Dr. in Mississauga

Actively in Motion (AIM)

Advanced Placement

Arts

Arts and Technology

Graphic Design Management: Flexography

International Baccalaureate

International Business and Technology

International and Executive Leadership Academy

SciTech

Sports

Strings

Truck and Coach Technology

Arts & Culture

Business and Entrepreneurial Studies

Construction

Environment

Health and Wellness

Hospitality and Tourism

Information and Communications Technology

Justice, Community Safety and Emergency Services

Manufacturing

Non-Profit

Sports

Transportation

Early Literacy

R - Be a role model to your child

E - Enjoy reading together

A - Allow your child to choose their books

D - Read daily

Play and Language Everyday activities and play help prepare your child for school. Play is the “work” of children. Through play, your child will explore and discover the world and his or her role in it.

Week 1 Set up opportunities for your child to be messy with glue, flour, water, play dough, paint and crayons. Encourage creativity by proudly displaying their creations and asking them to tell you all about them. Week 2 Go outdoors and build forts with fallen leaves, snow or cardboard boxes. Look for rocks to build an Inukshuk. Week 3 Involve your child in helping you with household chores – e.g., folding clothes, setting the table, sorting the laundry – “Let’s put all the white clothes in the washing machine first.” Week 4 Provide opportunities for your child to make personal choices about play activities. “What do you want to do this afternoon? Play outside at the park or stay here and play with your blocks or Lego?” Decision-making will encour-age your child’s sense of confidence and enjoyment.

November Family Activities

November: Talk to your child in your first language

“The most recent evidence suggests that intensive support for the home language during the preschool years will help – not hurt- long-term attainment in English. Young children can learn nursery rhymes, songs, extended vo-cabulary, and early literacy skills in English and their home language with adult support.” (Espinsoa, 2008 Foun-dation for Child Development) Deux Grandes Yeux Two Big Eyes Deux grandes yeux pour regarder, Two Big Eyes to see, Un petit nez pour respirer, One little nose to breathe Une bouche pour gouter, One mouth to taste with, Un grand cœur pour aimer! One big heart to love with! Ideas for Parents:

Encourage use of your first language.

Read to your child in your first language.

Make your own books by turning photo albums into stories with pictures and words.

Borrow dual language books from the library.

Play language games like “I Spy” in your first language.

Is French Immersion right for my child?

If your child will be starting grade 1 in September 2017, one of the important choices you will make is whether you want to apply for the French Immersion (FI) program. What is the program like? What are the advantages and disadvantages of the program? One way to help answer these questions is to attend the information meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016 at 7 p.m. at the French Immersion school your child would attend. To find out the FI school your child would attend:

visit our website www.peelschools.org/French

call the school in your area

call 905-890-1010 or 1-800-668-1146 ext. 2212

Online application The application form for Grade 1 French Immersion for the 2017-18 school year will be available online at www.peelschools.org/French on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2016 at 1 p.m. The deadline to register is Friday, Jan. 27, 2017 at 4 p.m. Applications received after that date will be put on a waiting list. A French Immersion enrolment cap is in place. This means that a specific number of spots are available for stu-dents entering grade 1 French Immersion. A random selection process will be used to identify students gaining entrance into the program. For more information about the random selection process visit www.peelschools.org/French. Important dates Information meeting Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016 at 7 p.m. Application process opens Thursday, Dec. 1, 2016 at 1 p.m. Application deadline Friday, Jan. 27, 2017 at 4 p.m. For more information visit www.peelschools.org/French call your nearest French Immersion school talk with parents who have children in the French Immersion program visit the Canadian Parents for French website at http://on.cpf.ca