What’s Happening

Month of March, 2020

http://davidleeder.peelschools.org

Twitter: @DLMS_MS

THE DAVID LEEDER COMMUNITY IS AMAZING It has been my privilege to support David Leeder Middle School as a half time vice-principal for the past several weeks. I must commend all our staff and students for the focus on learning that is evident every day here in the middle school. The atmosphere of good will and cooperation had made it possible to engage in activities that are meaningful and address the curriculum requirements as we go forward.

S. Paas Acting Vice-Principal UPCOMING EVENTS Please continue to review Peel Board Labour Update Site www.peelschools.org/labour.for possible school closures.

SPOTLIGHT ON BLACK HERITAGE During the month of February we have recognized Black History Month. Our staff integrated Black history with projects or curriculum with an emphasis to highlight Black communities and leaders. We started the month with an assembly when we welcomed Orlando Bowen on February 5th. He shared his story and our students were spell bound as they engaged in his interactive presentation, encouraging empowerment and student leadership. For more information about this motivational speaker Orlando Bowen, please see http://www.orlandobowen.com/ and https://onevoiceoneteam.org/our-team/ Our students are amazing. Under the leadership of a grade eight student, Zaida, they led two student assemblies which progressed through the highlights of Black History of eights decades. The assembly included poetry, music, visuals, and student scripted narration celebrating and recognizing the struggles and accomplishments of black communities.

NEWS FROM SCHOOL COUNCIL - MEETINGS AND COOKIE SALES

School Council will be continue their fundraising by selling cookies ---during lunchtime in the

Atrium. They are offering Chocolate Chip, Fudge Chip and White Chocolate for $1.50 EACH.

New – they will also be offering a gluten free cookie!

ANOTHER PIZZA DAY IS COMING… … but this will be after March break. Thanks for your patience.

2019-2020 Council Meeting dates Cookies Sales

March 13th and 27th

April 15th April 10th and 24th

May 20th May 8th and 22nd

June 18th June 5th and 19th

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David Leeder Middle School, 6900 Gooderham Estate Boulevard,

Mississauga, L5W 1B4 (905) 362-1340

Principal- Sandra Takyi x 401

Vice-Principals- Tracey Lai Thom x403, Steve Paas (Half-Time) x405

Superintendent- Dr. Gale Solomon Henry 905 366-8800 x1304

Trustees- Robert Crocker (Wards 6 and 9) 416-528-1312;

Susan Benjamin (Ward 5) 647-268-1435;

Nokha Dakroub (Wards 9 and 10) 289-914-0214

Lunchroom Supervisors Appreciation Day on March 6

In 2017, the board of trustees declared the first Friday in March as Lunchroom Supervisors Appreciation Day. This year, the recognition day falls on Friday, March 6, 2020. Take this opportunity to thank the important work of lunchroom supervisors, and their support and commitment to helping to ensure that students are safe and secure.

Bus cancellation and 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, television stations and will also be available on Twitter @Peelschools, Facebook at www.facebook.com/peelschools, www.peelschools.org, Twitter @STOPRinfo and www.stopr.ca or by calling 905-890-1010 or 1-800-668-1146. One of the following messages will be announced: 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 Peel 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 Peel 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 Peel board offices are cancelled, including continuing education courses and events. The buildings will be closed.

Report your child’s immunizations to the Region of Peel online When registering for school for the first time, parents and guardians are required to provide up-to-date immunization information for their children. This includes registering for kindergarten. You can update your child’s immunizations online. The online immunization tool allows you to attach a photo of the immunization record. When reporting online, an Ontario Health Card is required. Report immunizations online at: www.peelregion.ca/immunize After you report your immunizations online you will be given a reference number. Keep this number for your records. You will need to give this number to your child’s school when registering.

If you do not have online access or your child does not have an Ontario Health Card, take a copy of the immunization record to the school. Make sure your child’s name and date of birth are visible on the record. Call Peel Public Health at 905-799-7700 if your child does not have an immunization record or if you have any questions about immunization exemptions. For more information, visit www.peelregion.ca/immunize

Peel Public Health shares tips to help prevent the flu It’s flu season and we want to make sure students stay as healthy as possible this year! Influenza (flu) spreads easily from one person to another and Peel Public Health has some tips to help reduce the risk of catching the flu and spreading it:

Get your annual flu shot: The flu shot is your best defence against the flu. There are many

locations across Peel where you can get your flu shots:

Family Doctors’ offices

Walk-in clinics

Pharmacies

Keep children home when they’re sick: If your child develops flu-like signs and symptoms

(fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue), keep them home from

school. Contact your health care provider if symptoms are severe.

Practice good hygiene: Help your child get into the habit of covering their nose and mouth

with a tissue when they cough or sneeze and throw tissues in the trash. Cough or sneeze into

a sleeve or elbow, if they don’t have a tissue. They should also avoid touching their eyes, nose

or mouth. This is how germs are spread.

Wash your hands: Encourage your child to wash their hands often with soap and water or use

hand sanitizer, especially after they cough or sneeze.

For more information, call Peel Public Health at 905-799-7700 or visit www.peelregion.ca/flu.

International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

In the Peel District School Board, we #ChooseACTION each and every day to proactively eliminate racism in all forms and be inclusive in our school communities. We use an anti-oppressive stance to support and maintain a safe and positive Climate for Learning and Working for staff, students and community well-being. This important day, which we will recognize as a board on Tuesday, March 24th, will help lead the work we all do in our schools with our students in support of equity and inclusion.

History of the Day: On March 21st, 1960, Afrikaner police opened fire and killed 69 Indigenous South African people at a peaceful demonstration in Sharpeville, South Africa. They were protesting the apartheid "pass laws" that severely restricted the movement and freedom of Indigenous South Africans. Proclaiming the Day in 1966, the General Assembly of the United Nations called on the international community to redouble its efforts to eliminate all forms of racial discrimination. Peel District School Board Focus: This year supports and resources focused on Anti-Black Racism and Islamophobia have been curated and provided to schools. Educators are encouraged to use this sampling of tools throughout the year in our schools and classrooms. Our goal is to proactively eliminate racial discrimination every day. For more information and for activities to commemorate the day with your children please access the resources: www.peelschools.org/aboutus/equity

Using social media safely

With the growing number of social media sites, it is no surprise that social media is the most common form of communication for children and teenagers. Posts, status updates, comments, instant messages, video uploads, tweets and texts have become a regular part of their lives. While there are many positive benefits to using social media, including staying connected with friends and expressing your interests, students must be cautious in their use of these networks. Among the most popular social media platforms used are Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, YouTube and Whatsapp Messenger. Many of these platforms are free and are available on smartphones and other electronic devices. These platforms are easy to navigate and often allow information to be shared instantly, not only with friends, but with strangers. On social media, it is important to remember that the world is watching. Here are some tips, provided by the Canadian Safe School Network and GetSafeOnline.org, to keep your children safe and help them make smart choices when using social media:

Set some boundaries for your child before they get their first ‘connected device’ (mobile, tablet, laptop or games console). Once they have it, it can be more difficult to change the way they use it or the settings.

Have a conversation about what is appropriate online behaviour and what actions could have huge

repercussions that could damage their reputation and be harmful to others.

Talk to your child about the kind of websites they look at. Encourage them to speak to you if they come across something they find worrying or upsetting on websites, games or social media.

Discuss with your child what is safe and appropriate to post and share online. Written comments, photos and videos all form part of their ‘digital footprint’ and could be seen by anyone and available on the internet forever, even if it is subsequently deleted.

Explain to your child that being online doesn’t give them anonymity or protection, and that they shouldn’t

do anything online that they wouldn’t do face-to-face. Users should only accept people they know in order

to protect themselves from spammers, strangers and others who may be using social networking sites to

commit crimes.

Unlike when they’re meeting someone face-to-face, children don’t always know who they’re actually ‘talking’ to online, even if they think they do. Tell your children they must never email, chat, or text with strangers, and it’s never okay to meet a stranger in the real world.

Ensure your children set their privacy settings appropriately. Take the time to learn how privacy settings work on your children’s favourite sites, and teach them how to control their privacy.

Tell your children never to share personal and private information with anyone online. This includes, but is

not limited to, his or her full name, age, birth date, address, phone number, social insurance number,

credit card information and parents’ full names.

Limit the amount of time that your children spend on social media platforms and talk about the

importance of healthy and appropriate use of technology.

Talking With Children and Youth About Mental Health Concerns From the PDSB Mental Health Resource Team

It can be challenging to talk about mental health concerns - especially to our own children! As parents (like others), we sometimes avoid the conversation because we don’t know how to start, or we worry that by expressing concerns, we will make the situation worse. However, it is important to remember that acknowledging and discussing worries, concerns, or changes in behaviour openly and honestly with our children is more likely to open up lines of communication rather than worsen the situation. Here are some tips to consider if you want to talk to your child about mental health concerns:

To begin the conversation, find a quiet time when you are unlikely to be interrupted.

Reassure your child that they can be open and honest, without you getting angry (even if you become scared or worried by the information they disclose).

Describe the changes that you have noticed in your child’s mood, behaviour, or reactions. For example, “I have noticed that you are crying more often since school started” or “I have noticed that you seem more frustrated recently.”

Try to label or “name” your child’s emotions and thoughts. For example, “I wonder if you’re feeling sad about losing your friendship with Sam” or “I wonder if you are thinking that this cannot be fixed.”

Allow your child time to reflect and respond. Silence is okay.

Be persistent. If your child responds with “nothing is wrong...leave me alone,” reassure your child that you are there for them. Give your child some time and revisit the conversation again.

If your child tells you anything that makes you increasingly concerned, reassure them that you are glad they told you, offer to help them find the right professional to talk to, and reinforce that you will be there for them throughout the journey.

Remember, for many children and youth, everyday loving support from caring

adults will be enough to help them thrive.

However, some children and youth require additional help. Ask your child’s teacher or Principal about the mental health supports and services offered within schools. There are also community resources that provide mental health support to children, youth, and families.

To access child and youth mental health services in the Region of Peel, visit wheretostart.ca.

The Mental Health Resource Team has also created a Peel Youth Mental Health Resources handout that you can access here: bit.ly/PeelYouthResources.

Consider the Kids’ Help Phone Resources Around Me service (web: kidshelpphone.ca).

Make an appointment with your family doctor or nurse practitioner to ask about additional supports.

For updates and to follow along with the work of the PDSB Mental Health Resource Team, find them on Twitter @MHRTPeel.