Mission

Statement

“In partnership, we are

sowing the seeds for the

future and harvesting

the rewards of

scholarship and

citizenship”

OCTOBER 2013

Stanley Mills P.S.

286 Sunny Meadow Boulevard

Brampton, Ontario L6R 3C3

Phone: (905) 789-0925

Fax: (905) 791-9092

Principal: Paul C. Fiorini

Vice-Principal: Elizabeth England

Office Manager: Barbara Lyons

Office Assistant: Mary Bayaborda

Superintendent: Pat Noble

Trustee: Harinder Mahli

School Website:

http://schools.peelschools.org/1487

INSIDE:

Starshine Assembly

Mosaic Mix

Hot Lunches

Breakfast Club

Bus Driver Appreciation

Ontario Student Record

World Teacher Day

Walk to School Month

Lockdown

School Attendance

Going Green

S.T.A.R.S.H.I.N.E. Theme of the Month: Trying Our Best/

Perseverance!!!

A Message from the Principal:

October has arrived and we are all very excited about the month ahead at Stanley Mills.

In review of our September start-up, we had a minimal reorganization which has made

our start to the 2013/14 school year a very successful one!

During the month of October, we are celebrating the S.T.A.R.S.H.I.N.E. theme of

“Trying our best/Perseverance”! Our staff and students have honoured the memory of

our great Canadian hero Terry Fox through art work, writing, as well as participating in

our annual Terry Fox Walk. We would like to thank all our families who have already

donated to our “Toonies for Terry” Cancer Research fundraiser. In our November

newsletter we will publish our fundraising total. Looking forward to sharing our great

results!

Introducing the Going Green Initiative at Stanley Mills:

This month in our newsletter you will find a tear off marked, “Going Green at Stanley

Mills”. With the support of our School Council, we are offering families the choice of

accessing our newsletter electronically. This can be done through our school’s website

at: http://schools.peelschools.org/1487

By opting to access our newsletter online, you will be helping our school to get closer

to meeting our environmental goal of reducing paper usage at Stanley Mills. Please

support our “Going Green Initiative” at Stanley Mills and go electronic!

As a reminder, the following dates are important to note during the month of

October:

October 9th: Photo Day at Stanley Mills. Please remember to bring your smiles. ☺

October 11th

: Professional Learning Day: No school for students.

October 14th: Thanksgiving Day: No school for staff or students.

October 25th: S.T.A.R.S.H.I.N.E. Assembly at 1:30p.m. Please join us in our

gymnasium.

Wishing you all a wonderful October and on behalf of our staff and students at Stanley

Mills, you are wished a very happy Thanksgiving!

Sincerely,

Paul C. Fiorini Principal

Congratulations to our Starshine Award winners for the month of September

For “Successful Beginnings”

1A Mr. Stepien Asma 1B Ms Bhamby Sehajpreet 1C Ms Fong Harrini 1D Ms Kahlon Kareen 2A Ms Pandya Anoop 2B Ms Quinlan Modasir 2C Ms Chadha Eshan 2D Mr. Salter Sia 3A Ms Nelson Aneela 3B Mr. Williams Sheldon 3C Ms Mavi Karamveer 3D Ms Zolis Dhyey 4A Ms Tulk Anureet 4B Ms Ghosh Jatan 4C Ms Phillips Sukhman 5A Ms Carvalho Nicholas 5B Ms Dutkiewicz Vinne 5C Mr. Stockden Marwa

Oct. 16 opportunity to say 'thanks' to bus drivers Peel schools will pay tribute to bus drivers on Bus Driver Appreciation Day on Oct. 16. The day will be celebrated with special activities and events that provide teachers, students and parents an op-portunity to thank the people who safely transport over 36,000 students to and from school each day. If your child rides the bus to school, take this opportunity to thank the bus driver for his or her contri-bution and ask your child to do so too. The Peel board appreciates the important job bus drivers do each school day and Oct. 16 provides an opportunity to give these individuals the recognition they deserve.

WE ARE EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE HOT LUNCHES ARE COMING TO STANLEY MILLS !!!!!!

Hot lunches will be offered through Kidssentials Hot Lunch Program the company that already provides our pizza lunch program. Order forms and details have already gone home or you can order on line by visiting www.kidssentials.com.

We wish to support the Stanley Mills “Going Green Initiative” and do not require a paper copy of the newsletter.

We will access the school newsletter electronically at

http://schools.peelschools.org/1487 Student Name: ____________________________________ Teacher Name: ____________________________________

Please fill in the form below and return it to your son/daughter’s teacher

Thank you

COME ON BOARD AND JOIN US TO HELP THE ENVIRONMENT WITH THE STANLEY MILL’S “GOING GREEN INITIATIVE”

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GOING GREEN AT STANLEY MILLS

October Xlaaw Aboriginal Spirituality

October 5 Sharad Navratri Hinduism

October 6 World Communion Sunday Christianity

October 11 or 12 Durgashtami Hinduism

October 12 - 16 Ghambar Ayathrem Zorastrianism

October 13 or 14 Vijaya Dashmi/Dassehra Hinduism

October 14 Thanksgiving Day Canada

October 14 Waqfatu’Arafat Islam

October 15 or 16 Eid-ul-Adha Islam

October 16 – November 3 The month of 'Ilm Bahá'í

October 18 Kathina, Pavarana, Anapanasati and

Founders' Day

Buddhism

October 20 Birth of the Báb Bahá'í

October 20 Installation of Guru Granth as Guru Sikhism

October 22 Karva Chauth Hinduism

October 31 Halloween Canada

Sunset of October 31 -

November 1

Samhain Wicca

Understanding your child’s Ontario Student Record

The Ontario Student Record (OSR) is an ongoing, confidential record of a student’s education progress. Au-thorized by the Education Act and protected by the Freedom of Information Act and Protection of Privacy Act, an OSR is established for each student enrolled in an Ontario elementary or secondary school. The record is housed at the student’s current school and moves with the student as they transition from one school to the next. If a student leaves Peel to attend another school in Ontario, the OSR is forwarded to the new school upon request. If the OSR is not requested or the student leaves Ontario, the OSR is housed in the last Peel school that the student attended. The OSR contains familiar documents that parents can view at any given time. OSR contents include: biographical data documentation file, containing (if applicable): verification of a custody arrangement, change-of-name order, placements decisions, suspension letters, psycho-educational assessment report, identification and place-ment decision letters, and registration forms information concerning special health conditions name(s) of student’s parent(s) or guardian(s) Ontario Student Transcript (secondary school only) – the cumulative record of a student’s successful comple-tion of secondary school courses photographs may also be attached record of the student’s accumulated instruction in French as a second language, if applicable report cards school(s) attended

Every student, and parents or guardians of students under 18 years of age have the right to examine the stu-dent’s OSR and receive a copy of its contents. Supervisory officers, school administration and teachers may also access a student’s OSR for the purpose of improving the instruction of the student. Written permission is requested for any outside agency or personnel to access the OSR. Contact your school principal for details of the procedure to review your child’s OSR. If you would like to learn more about your child’s OSR, visit the Ontario Ministry of Education web site at www.edu.gov.on.ca.

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Celebrate World Teacher Appreciation Day

Saturday, October 5, 2013 Since 1994, parents and students from around the world have celebrated World Teacher Appreciation Day to commemorate the work of teachers and their contributions to society. During the week of October 5, take the time to let your child's teacher know he or she is truly appreciated. Thank your child's teacher and let them know they are making a difference.

October is International Walk to School Month!

Our school is participating in International Walk to School Day on Wed. Oct. 9. On this day, walk, bike, blade, scooter, skip or hop to school….but don’t drive! International Walk to School month is part of the Active & Safe Routes to School program. Visit www.saferoutestoschool.ca/ for more information.

Procedures to keep students safe

Peel schools provide a safe environment for students and staff to learn and work. Staff have been trained on what to do if faced with an emergency situation. Here are the responses schools may take to an emergency situation, depending on the type of threat. A school will initiate a lockdown if there is a major incident or threat of violence in or near the school. During a lockdown students and staff inside the school will:

go to the closest room, close the door and lock it, if possible turn off the lights and lie down on the floor away from doors and windows remain on the floor quietly until further directions are given

Students and staff outside the school will:

move as far away from the building as possible remain outside until further directions are given

Every school will review the key points of the lockdown process with students. The drill is rehearsed twice per year to make sure staff and students know what to do in the unlikely event of a real lockdown. The term hold & secure will be used when it is necessary to secure the school because of a situation outside and not related to the school. During hold & secure, classes continue normally inside the school, with the ex-ception that all exterior doors and windows are locked and no one enters or exits the building without ap-proval from police or the school. This means parents/guardians will not be allowed to enter the building. The term shelter in place will be used for an environmental or weather-related situation where it is necessary to keep everyone within the school to protect them from an external situation. During shelter in place, no one will be allowed to exit the building.

Our lockdown practice drill is scheduled for Thursday, October 10 at 1:30 p.m.

Time for school - A parent’s guide to regular school attendance

Elementary school is a wonderful time in the life of a child, a time of great strides in learning and in social and emotional development. Many things affect your child’s success, from the quality of his or her teachers, to the makeup of the class. One of the most important factors is your child’s regular and timely attendance. Getting to class on time, and avoiding absences, are critical if your child is to get the most out of school. It seems obvious. But the fact is that elementary students tend to miss and average of eight or more school days during the year. What can you as a parent do to help ensure your child’s proper attendance?

Is your child missing more? Why does attendance matter? First, understand that getting to school–every day and on time–matters at every level, perhaps even more so in elementary school. That’s because important learning occurs daily, right from the start of class. And because you establish patterns early on. By being punctual and responsible, children are acquiring positive habits about school attendance. Some other things to consider: By being late, children miss important social time with their peers before school begins. Students who are late often feel embarrassed or self-conscious. Late arrivals can disrupt the routine of the classroom. A last-minute rush can be stressful for the child, and get her to school in the wrong frame of mind. Missing even five or 10 minutes of the day can make it harder for the student to understand the material be-ing taught. Frequent absenteeism leads to gaps in a child’s skills and knowledge base, cause the child to fall behind his peers and hurt his self-esteem. Too many missed school days can increase isolation, as the child stands out from her classmates and misses opportunities to develop socially. Absenteeism makes it tougher for the child to develop a good rapport with the teachers.

When Time is Ticking Few homes run like clockwork. The morning routine, especially, can be a mad scramble. But there are ef-fective strategies for getting your little one up and out the door on time. Get your child to bed at a reasonable hour. Set realistic and consistent schedules and rules at home. Getting ready for school should be part of the child’s overall routine, something that’s expected of him every day. The night before school, do whatever is necessary to shave time in the morning, such as setting out clothes, packing lunch, and setting schoolbags at the door. Have a set morning routine that the child can easily follow, i.e washing hands and face, going to the bath-room, dressing, making the bed, brushing teeth, and eating a healthy breakfast. Avoid any distractions that can slow the child down, like TV or games. If you’re running late regularly, set your alarm to get up earlier.

Is it a sick day? Children do get sick sometimes – they are still developing natural resistance to certain infections, their hy-giene behaviours are still developing and germs spread more easily in a classroom. So some missed school is unavoidable, for the child’s own well-being, and the protection of her classmates. But there are ways to cut down on sick days. Teach your child about proper handwashing, after going to the bathroom, playing outside or wiping his nose. Follow other healthy habits, from eating nutritious food to getting enough sleep. Some symptoms make school attendance uncomfortable, like a fever, vomiting, or diarrhea. But if you’re unsure whether your child is sick enough to miss school, talk to your doctor. Some children pretend to be sick to avoid school. Ask yourself is the child’s symptoms are vague, (i.e. a headache, upset stomach, fatigue), if your child tends to miraculously recover just after school starts or ends, or if the illness is happening during stressful times at school or at home. Allowing your child to remain home when there’s no real illness sets a bad pattern. If you decide to keep your child home, inform the school and keep the child in bed or doing quiet, low-key activities. A day off from school shouldn’t be a holiday, it should be a time to recuperate from illness, so the child can return as soon as possible.

Set the right example Children follow the lead of their parents. If you place an importance on regular and prompt school atten-dance, so will your child. Show interest in your child’s education by asking about the school day, celebrating school successes, at-tending school events and parent-teacher interviews, volunteering at school, and communicating with your child’s teacher. The more you value school, the more your child will. Provide a home environment that encourages learning and curiosity. Treat the school hours with respect. If you have to make an appointment for your child, arrange it before or after school or, if that’s not possible, at the very beginning or end of the day. When it comes to planning family trips, some parents will factor in the schedule in the higher grades, but think little of pulling their child out of school. If anything, younger students can be affected more when they miss an extended period, finding it tough to relearn classroom routines and rejoin their peer group. Learning is cumulative, building on the skills and concepts that were introduced before. And this process is ongoing. Family trips can be wonderful learning experiences themselves. But if they must occur during the school year, please save them for scheduled breaks. If your child resists going to school, for no apparent reason, talk to him or her about any possible problems with the school, teacher or other kids. However, don’t give in to coaxing, pleading or threatening and keep the child at home. That creates a bad precedent.

Need more information? If you have any questions regarding any of the issues raised here about lateness or attendance, or if you’re looking for other tips on getting your child to school, please talk to us. By working together, we can help support a more successful school experience for your child. Visit our website at www.peelschools.org.

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