10 Pinestaff Road, Brampton, ON L6P 3X9 Phone 905-796-4572 Fax 905-796-4573

Principal—Mrs. P.Lone Vice-Principal—Ms. S. Bineesari Vice-Principal - Ms. C. Dell

Office Manager—Mrs. B. Elder Superintendent—Ms. Patrika Daws Trustee—Ms.Carrie Andrews

Walnut Grove P.S. Newsletter

Walnut Grove’s Daily

Schedule

Entry Bell 9:15

Period 1 9:15 - 9:55

Period 2 9:55 - 10:35

Period 3 10:35 - 11:15

Nutrition Break A 11:15 - 11:35

Nutrition Break B 11:35 - 11:55

Period 4 11:55 - 12:35

Period 5 12:35 - 1:15

D.P.A. 1:15 - 1:35

Nutrition Break C 1:35 - 1:55

Nutrition Break D 1:55 - 2:15

Period 6 2:15 - 2:55

Period 7 2:55 - 3:35

Dismissal 3:35

A Message from the Principal December always seems to be a fun and busy month at Walnut Grove. We are so

pleased to see so many activities and sports thriving again, and the students

participating in a variety of different things offered by our awesome staff. Please

take a look at the list of all of the different things your children are/can be involved in

at Walnut Grove!

Our students actively participated in Bullying Awareness Week (Nov. 16 – 22), and

I’d like to thank our Student Anti-Bullying Club for their announcements each morning.

It is so powerful to hear these important messages coming from our students – their

pledges to wipe out bullying were sent out using #Choose Action. Walnut Grove

remains committed to eliminating any type of bullying behaviour.

Once again, we will be collecting food for our Winter Food Drive, as well as hats,

mittens and scarves for the Mitten Tree. If you are able to give, we ask for donations

of non-perishable food items, and new, unwrapped hats, mittens and scarves. Our

Walnut Grove family CARES, and we want to support those who may be in need,

especially at this time of year.

Progress Reports will be sent home to parents on December 14, 2015. While many

parents have met with teachers in November, if you have not, and you have any

questions related to your child’s progress, please feel free to contact your child’s

teacher.

Finally, on behalf of our Vice Principals Mrs. Bineesari and Ms. Dell, I would like to take

this opportunity to wish you and your family a very happy holiday season, and a very

happy new year ahead.

Pamela Lone

December 2015

School Security

All parents and visitors entering

the school during school hours

must be buzzed in through the

front doors and sign in and out

at the office.

You are also reminded to wear

a visitor’s badge while you are

in the school. For safety rea-

sons, it is important that we

know who is in the school at all

times.

Closed for the Holidays!

Last Day of Classes - Friday, December 18, 2015

First Day of Classes in the New Year - Monday, January 4, 2015 Enjoy this

time family and friends!

Medication

If your child will require to take or have any medication (eg.

Epi-pens, inhalers) while at school due to asthma, allergies or

other medical conditions please inform the office. You will be

given a medical form that will need to be completed

by your family doctor and returned to school with

the medication. No medication can be administered

at the school without having a current medical form

completed and on file at the school.

Notifying the School of a Student Absence

Your child’s safety is very important to us, if your child

is going to be late or absent from school, please call

1-855-209-6155 or you can submit an absence

online at pdsb.schoolconnects.com.

Please call in lates and absences before 9:00 am. If you

do not call in and let the school

know that your child will be

absent, you will receive a syner-

voice call.

Late Arrivals

If a student arrives late to school, after the 9:15

a.m. entry bell, they must report to the office

to sign in and receive a late slip before going to

their class. Please help your child arrive to

school on time up establishing and encouraging

morning routines.

Monthly Character/Social Justice Focus

The character focus for the month of December is Cooperation. The Social Justice focus is Building Supportive Communi-

ties.

Cooperation is working together with others for one goal.

You show COOPERATION when you:

Participate with your best effort.

Assume positive intentions in others.

Follow the rules made by the group.

Respect the ideas and feelings of others.

Value the contributions of others.

Building Supportive Communities involves thinking about others as well as yourself. For many cultures,

December is a month of giving. What can communities do to help support each other during this and other times of the

year? How can students be supportive of each other within the classroom, and in the larger school? How can the school

help support the larger community? This theme helps students to reflect on ways in which we can support and care for

each other throughout the year.

Monthly Character Trait Winners

Each month students will be recognized for demonstrating the monthly character traits. The character trait for Novem-

ber was Peace and the students that were recognized are:

Kindergarten: Niko K., James E., Leah S., Joshua A., Elias S., Angad K., Ishan D., Parleen D., Jaspreet S., Gaurish B., Ju-

gaad S., Japreet J., Muhammad Ayaan S.

Grade One : Agamjot M., Jayden L., Aarya K., Pranay P., Jasleen S., Krish T., Shlok P., Ira D., Ruixing Z., Jordan H.,

Ekam S., Saheerthanan S.

Grade Two: Simar K., Sehajpreet K., Harveer S. Shreya S., Ashmeet B., Japji K., Davin N., Neiah W.,

Kazia A., Shivam S., Mahek M., Avin M.

Grade Three: Lakzan M., Shivam R., Manav K., Jasmine J., J.D. B., Amardeep S., Baksh S., Athena K.

Grade Four: Leon N., Jasleen K., Gurkirat P., Gurleen S., Nitish J., Taran P., Bhavna S., Daniyal W.,

Karishma G., Julia E.

Grade Five: Amjot B., Aarchi S., Shaan P., Vidhi P., Amneet B., Evette O., Tarsem S., Japnam D., Ashvini J., Aliza M.,

Smeem S., Harneer K., Sahib K.

Grade Six: Ahthesan M., Musharafa Y., Humreet G., Anoop G. J., Krisalee C., Deepika H.

Grade Seven: Eshwar S., Vanessa B., Dayna M., Salan B., Nithyla C. Jasmine T.

Grade Eight: Amanda A., Isaac O., Rohan D., Favour I., Raksha A., Andrew S.

Athlete of the Month: Estevan C.(1FC) Davin N.(2/3F) Saira B.(3/4F) Muneet G. (4B) Naila H. (5FB) Hartej C.(6A) Harmann T.(7C)

Veer P.(8C)

Bollywood/Bhangra Dance Club

We are happy to inform you that this year

Walnut Grove’s Bollywood and Bhangra club

has returned! The students will enjoy learning

and dancing to traditional and contemporary

Bollywood music. Our goal through this club is

to teach and develop dance skills which will be

showcased during our special assemblies

School Council News

School Council 2015-2016

Congratulations to our newly elected School Council for

2015-2016. The members who will be serving on Council

are:

Rajeev Kumar

Bob Nagra

Sandy Dhillon

Claudette Thompson

Alicia Clarke

Our first meeting was held on November 26, 2015. During

the meeting, positions of each member were determined, By-

Laws were reviewed, and a short meeting followed.

Next Meeting: Monday December 7, 2015, at 6:30 pm in

the School Library. New members are always welcome.

Volunteers at Walnut Grove

We love to have volunteers in our school. If you are interest-

ed in volunteering, please fill out the volunteer form that

came home with your child. Please note that a current crimi-

nal check is required for any type of volunteering, even field

trips. We look forward to working with you this year!

Volunteers Needed

At Walnut Grove we welcome and encourage participation of parents and community mem-

bers. There are many opportunities for you to be involved in our school. We appreciate any

time you may have available to help us at Walnut Grove.

To volunteer at our school, you must complete a short interview and a criminal record check.

A police background check is requires for all school volunteers in Ontario. Even if you want

to accompany your child on a field trip, you need this background check.

Once you have completed the process, you are on file with the Peel District School Board as

being a school volunteer. All returning volunteers will be mailed an Offence Declaration form

that must be filled out and returned to the board office each year. You will not be able to

volunteer with the Peel board until you have returned this form.

If you have any questions about criminal record checks or the offence declaration form,

please call the board office at 905-890-1010 ext. 2488.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Please complete the information below and return it to school.

Your Name: ___________________________

Your Child’s Name: _____________________

Grade:__________ Teacher: ______________________________

Phone Number: _________________________

Criminal Record Check completed ______ Yes _____No

I am interested in volunteering for the following:

PIZZA At Walnut Grove

Pizza days have started at Walnut Grove for this school

year. Pizza days for this term will be on the following days:

November 20, November 27th, December 4th, December

11th and December 18th.

This year our pizza is coming from 2-4-1 Pizza.

Thank you to those families who have pre-ordered pizza for

the term. If you are paying for pizza by the week, please

note that pizza money needs to be in by WEDNESDAY. No

late orders will be accepted because we need to send our

numbers in to the pizza company on time.

If your child is away on pizza day, their pizza will not be

saved and there will be no refunds for the pizza.

Progress Reports and Term 1 Report Cards

December 14 – Progress Reports will be sent home

January 29 – Kindergarten Term 1 Report Cards will be

sent home

February 11 – Term 1 Grades 1-8 Report Cards will be sent

home

Teachers and parents are partners in a child’s education .

If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s

progress, please do not hesitate to contact the teacher.

Upcoming Events

You may wish to note the following dates on your family calendar;

November 23 at 1pm – Online applications become available for Early French Immersion

December 7 at 6pm – High School Information Night at Walnut Grove

December 7 at 6:30 School Council Meeting

December 11 – Safety Patrol Training

December 14 – Report Cards and IEPs go home

December 17 – Character Assembly

December 17 at 7 pm – Walnut Grove Choir sings at Brampton Beast Game at

PowerAde Centre

January 4 from 3:40-5:10 – Counting on You begins

January 4-22 – Grade 8 Core Selection Process

January 21 at 6:30 – School Musical “Snowbiz”

January 28 – Character Assembly

January 29 – Kindergarten Reports go home

January 29 at 4pm - Deadline for Early French Immersion applications

Walnut Grove’s School Success Goals 2015-2016

At Walnut Grove, our staff are committed to providing strong academic programs for students, which includes incorporating 21st

Century teaching and learning. As a new school community, we want to ensure success for each student in our school. We know

that success is not simply measured by grades – it is all encompassing. The staff at Walnut Grove have collaboratively developed

our School Success Goals:

Numeracy

By September, 2016, 75% of our Grade 3 and 68% of Grade 6 students will achieve levels 3 and 4 in Math, as measured by

EQAO. IF we support teachers in implementing a balanced math program, that incorporates 21st century T&L (inquiry based, tech-

nology, rich tasks, clear success criteria), through the lens of Social Justice, THEN students will engage more deeply in problem solv-

ing, make more meaningful connections, and effectively communicate the process, as well as their thinking and reasoning.

Literacy

By September, 2016, 75% of our Grades 3 and 6 students will be achieving at levels 3 and 4 in the Primary and Junior EQAO As-

sessments in Reading and 85% will achieve at Levels 3 and 4 in Writing. If we continue to focus on providing a balanced literacy

program, while integrating big ideas through the lens of Social Justice, Then students will become more deeply engaged, make

meaningful connections to the world around them and use critical thinking skills across the curriculum.

Bullying Prevention and Intervention

As a new school, our goal for the next two years is to create an inclusive, positive, engaging and accepting learning and working

environment by explicitly teaching problem solving strategies through the Character Attributes and a consistent school wide pro-

gram. Through the development of a student led committee, the school community will be developing leadership as well as being

able to look at themselves, community and world through a social justice lens. We are striving to involve our community mem-

bers to reinforce, recognize and celebrate pro social behaviours. We welcome our community members, as necessary partners in

supporting our students and school.

Mental Health Awareness

Our school goal will be to raise awareness about some of the mental health issues facing our students, staff and families. As a new

school community, we are becoming increasingly aware of the challenges that our stakeholders are facing in terms of pressures from

various sources, family issues and personal stress. Our goal is to train students, staff and families to identify and articulate feelings,

and develop strategies to deal with stress, fear and anxieties.

Activities Currently Running at Walnut Grove

We are all so proud of the diverse range of activities offered here at our school. These activities are only possible because our

teachers volunteer to run and organize them for our students, during Nutrition Breaks, before school and after school. Some

activities also involve coming out in the evenings. We are all so proud of the extra time our staff devotes to our students, to

ensure a well-balanced day for students.

“Snowbiz” currently auditioning for our winter Musical (January 21, 2015)

Minecraft

Lego and Construction

Counting on You (Tutoring)

French Club

Dodgeball

Yoga

Bollywood / Bhangra Dance Club

Volleyball

Soccer

Video Game Design Club

Benchball

Student Anti-bullying Club

Student Government

Handicraft Club

French Choir – Peel Music Festival

P.A.L.S. (Playground Activity Leaders)

Bus Monitors

Library Leaders

Student Announcers

Speed Stacking

Wolf Pack Athletic Council

Brampton Beast Fitness Challenge

And this is just the beginning of December! THANK YOU to our staff for providing these enriching activities for our students.

Look for more great activities in the coming months…

Spread the Warmth

Walnut Grove is proud to be continuing the 3rd annual hat, mitten and scarf drive. Please donate new items that will be

sent to a Peel organization to assist those in need.

Toys for Tots and Hat & Mitten Drive

Runs from December 1st to December 16th

The season of giving is upon us. Walnut Grove is excited to

continue participating in the 2nd

annual Toys for Tots pro-

gram, which helps financially disadvantaged families in the

region of Peel. We are looking for our wonderful community

to consider donating a new, unwrapped toy so that all chil-

dren have something special to wake up to during the holi-

days.

Save the date:

January 21, 2015

Winter Concert

featuring grades 3-4

and cast members

from grade 5and

matinee at

11:55AM-86:30PM

Student Goverment

Student Government will be holding a Grade 6-8 buy-out! Bring in a toonie and

choose from one of the following three activities for the afternoon:

Movie Games Room Dance

Student Government will be selling candy cane grams for $1 the week of Decem-

ber 11 at first NB in the forum. Come down and by your friends and peers a treat

with a special message. Candy grams will be delivered by student representatives

on Friday, December 18th. All proceeds will go towards a charity this holiday sea-

son.

Traffic safety in our community

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, pas-sengers 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.

Kiss and Ride

If you are dropping off or picking up your child please

obey all the rules of the Kiss N Ride lane. Children are re-

quired to always exit from the side facing the curb and

never from the side facing the lane for traffic. Please do

not park your vehicles in the Kiss N Ride lane. This slows

down the traffic flow. Thank you for your continued sup-

port.

Supervision

Yard supervision for students begins at 9:00 a.m. Students

should not be dropped off, or be arriving on school prop-

erty, prior to 9:00 a.m. When outside, students need to

play in their designated area and remain visible to the su-

pervisor in the schoolyard.

Bullying Prevention Week at Walnut Grove P.S.

This month Walnut Grove participated in a variety of activities for Bullying Prevention Week from November 18-22. All

classes participated in the I#ChooseAction pledge where students were to come up with something they would do trough-

out the school year to ensure that Walnut Grove is a happy and safe place to be. Students will continue to participate in

problem solving strategies throughout the year using our WITS program in order to learn how to talk about their feelings

and continue to build healthy relationships with their peers. A student led committee will also continue this year to advocate

for themselves and the needs of others.

WITS at Walnut Grove

Walnut Grove has adopted the WITS program to help our

students solve problems inside and outside of the school. We

have had presentations and lessons as well as strategies put

in place for all of our students to use so they know how to

deal with a problem when they are in trouble. Our winning

poster is showcased below and

can be found in every class

and area of the school so stu-

dents can easily remember

their WITS!

W-Walk Away

I-Ignore

T-Talk it Out

S-Seek Help

Everything you ever wanted to know about Mrs. Locke’s Music Class is

now available on-line through Twitter and Padlet!

How to access this information:

Download a QR Scanner

Scan the sections below that are appropriate to your young learner at home.

Have your child help!

Grade 3-4

Grade 4 – 5

Grades 6-8

Twitter

Grade 2 students from Mlle Quintiliani’s class have been learning about animals in Science. After creating books about an

animal of their choice, they thought it would be a great idea to create a poster about how to protect animals who are

threatened or endangered. The students used a student friendly app called Piccollage to create their posters. Here are

some examples of their work:

Written by the members of RAK Task Force:

Starting Dec. 1 the RAK (Random Acts of Kindness) Task Force will be needing your help to donate mittens, hats

and non-perishable food items for The Knight's Table food bank. We will also be partnering with Student Govern-

ment with the sale of candy-grams. The proceeds will be donated to the SEVA Food Banks. The class that do-

nates the most mittens, hats and food items will receive a movie day with popcorn!

Measurement Word Problems: Created by class 4FA

1. Walnut Groves’ basketball court is 25 m long and 22 m wide. What is the area of the basketball

court? Use DPNEW to show your work.

2. Walnut Grove Public School has a new soccer field. The soccer field is 18 m long. The perimeter of

the soccer field is 68 m. What is the area of the soccer field? Use DPNEW to show your work.

3. The Asian Food center in Brampton has a perimeter of 36 m. The length of the Asian Food Center is

10 m. What will the width be? Hint: The Asian Food Center is a rectangle! Use DPNEW to show

your work.

4. Elyana built a rectangular dog pen that is 24 m long. The width of the dog pen is 16 m. What is the

perimeter and what is the area? Use DPNEW to help you solve the problem.

5. A new hot tub is being built at the Blue Mountain Resort. The builders know that the perimeter of

the hot tub should be 30 m. What might the length and width be? Use DPNEW to answer this ques-

tion.

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 at 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 pub-

lic 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.

Mental Health Corner

At Walnut Grove, one of our goals is to help support the well-being of our staff, students and parents. Every

month in our newsletter we will be providing information and resources to help support mental health in

our community. Below are some helpful websites that you can visit to help understand and support mental

well-being:

C o m m u n i t y I n f o r m a t i o n P a r t n e r i n P e e l :

http://peel.cioc.ca/record/CDRO293

inURhead: http://www.inurhead.ca

The ABC’s of Mental Health: http://hincksdellcrest.org/ABC/welcome

Teen mental Health: http://teenmentalhealth.org

Kids Help Phone: http://kidshelpphone.ca/Teens/home.aspx?gclid=CPnnobXMwbkCFYtDMgodCOUAcQ

eMental Health: http://www.ementalhealth.ca

Celebrating Faith and Culture

December 2015

December Luut'aa Aboriginal Spirituality

Sunset of December 6 to 14 Chanukah Judaism

December 8 Bodhi Day (Rohatsu) Buddhism

Sunset of December 11 to 30 the month of Masa'il Bahá’í

December 13 Birthday of Imam Agakhan Islam

December 21 Maun Agiyaras or Muanajiyaras Jainism

Eve of December 21 to 22 Yule Wicca

December 22 Tohji-taisai Shinto

Eve of December 22 to 23 Milad-un-Nabi Islam

December 25 Sanghamitta Day Buddhism

December 25 Christmas Christianity and Canada

December 26 Boxing Day Christianity and Canada

December 26 Zarathosht-no-Diso Zoroastrianism

December 26 to January 1 Kwanza African-Canadian commu-

nities

December 27 Amitabha Buddha’s Birthday Buddhism

December 28 Birth of Guru Gobind Singh Sikhism

December 31 to January 4 Ghambar Maidyarem Zoroastrianism

December 31 to January 18 the month of Sharaf Bahá’í

December Newsletter Blurb from the PE Department

A message from the WOLFPACK:

Wow! The Wolves had a fantastic “sporty” November and are looking forward to more athletics before 2016. The grade

1 Wolves started the school year with our first ever Benchball league which was a big success. The Hovius Hurricanes

took home the championship trophy when the league came to an end. Sporty November continued with the final games

for the grade 2/3 Soccer Team who put in many hours practicing in the gym to improve this season. The Intermediate

Dodgeball League is also coming to a bitter sweet end this month with team “Dodging Wrenches” clinching first place.

Both the students and teachers are looking forward to the All-Star Dodgeball game on December 14th. (Watch out, Teach-

ers!) Our grade 6 and 7/8 Teams are busy practicing for the upcoming Volleyball tournaments between December 7th-11

th.

Congrats to our grade 7/8 girls and boys’ Volleyball teams who bumped, volleyed, and spiked their hearts out at Castle-

brooke SS on November 19th at an exhibition tournament. Thanks to Coaches Aly, Chadha, Simone, Cici, Dumas, Guir-

guis, and Croft. Our Athletes of the Month are: Arjan N. (1FC), Karmine D. (2FB), Saham N. (3B), Julia E. (4FB), Sagana

Y. (5A), Arleen S. (5/6), Kriti G. (7C), and Jasleen T. (8C).

Keep working hard and playing harder, Wolves! AAAAWOOOOH!

Yours in Health,

Shayla C. & Inderveer K.

Ms. Sutton’s Grade 4/5 students love writing stories but they also LOVE math. We decided to join the two and cre-

ate fictional math stories like some of the ones we have read together. Here are some of the great pages from our

“Math Story Authors”! Books will be in the library in December if any students would like to read them.

Bus cancellation & 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 and television stations listed be-low and posted at www.peelschools.org and www.stopr.ca. Information will also be available on Twitter @Peelschools, Facebook at www.facebook.com/peelschools or by calling 905-890-1010 or 1-800-668-1146. VIRGIN RADIO FM99.9 CHUM AM1050 CFTR AM680 CFNY FM102.1/AM640 CJCL AM590 CHFI FM98.1 CFRB AM1010 EZ ROCK FM97.3 CJBC (FR) AM860 FM Z103.5 FM93.1 FM Q107 CHIN FM100.7/AM1540 CBC99.1 CITYPULSE GLOBAL NEWS CTV One of the following messages will be announced (highlighted text only): 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 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 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 Board offices are cancelled, including continuing education courses and events. The buildings will be closed.

Help your family stay warm this winter

Canada Safety Council recommends the following tips for staying comfortable and preventing hypothermia when working or playing outdoors:

Wear a warm hat—most body heat is lost through the head. Children should keep an extra hat at school.

Wear layered clothing. Layers allow warm air to stay trapped around the body. Protect your feet and hands. Wear loose waterproof boots. If the boots have liners, carry an extra

pair to replace damp ones or take an extra pair of socks. Invest in thick socks to keep your feet warm. Mittens are warmer than gloves. Carry an extra pair of mittens to school, on outings, etc.

Prevent dehydration and exhaustion, which can lead to hypothermia. Drink plenty of fluids and pace yourself when doing vigorous activities.

Stay fit by exercising and eating well—people who are fit are less susceptible to hypothermia. If you stay indoors, avoid moving from a hot environment to a cold one. Excessive sweating caused

from an extreme change in temperature increases the risk of developing hypothermia. Eat high-energy food such as nuts and raisins. A balanced diet will also help keep you warm and

healthy in the winter. If you are travelling (on the road or in the wilderness) carry emergency supplies.

It's time to register children born in 2012 for kindergarten

We inspire success, confidence and hope in each student…and it all starts in kindergarten! If your child was

born in 2012, he or she can start kindergarten in September 2016. You can register your child at any time

during regular school hours—just visit the school he/she will be attending to register.

Peel schools will also hold a Kindergarten Registration Week with special registration activities during Feb. 1

to 4, 2016. Visit Walnut Grove Public School from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Feb. 1, 2, 3 and 4 and from 5 to 8

p.m. on Feb. 4.

What you will need to bring to registration

Proof of child's age (one of the following)

· Canadian birth certificate

· Canadian passport

· citizenship card/certificate

· Permanent Resident Card

· confirmation of permanent residence

· work permit

· refugee permit

Proof of address (one of the following)

· Ontario driver's license

· utility bill

· bank statement/client slip (directly from financial institution)

· credit card statement

· federal government forms (e.g. Social Insurance Number, Service Canada docu-

ments)

· purchase agreement

Proof of custody – children must live with their parent(s) unless provided documentation sup-

ports an alternate living arrangement

Proof of immunization – proof that your child has been immunized/vaccinated

Help your teen plan for grade 9 course selections for 2016-17

Soon, current grade 8 students will select their courses for grade 9. Before they do, we want to ensure that they have the opportunity to consult with their teachers, guidance counsellor, if applicable, and their parents.

As our partners, families are encouraged to help prepare their teens for course selection. We encourage you to be-come familiar with the process by creating a myBlueprint account. Additionally, parents/guardians and students can review Chart Your Course, the Peel District School Board’s common course calendar, at www.peelschools.org/students/commoncoursecalendar. This guide will help you understand the course selection process and provide infor-mation on the courses and programs offered in Peel secondary schools.

You can also visit www.myBlueprint.ca/Peel, an online planning tool that includes the following:

high school planner for course selection

goal-setting

career spectrum for finding your learning style

occupation planner for exploring careers

post-secondary planner for opportunities after high school The grade 9 course selection process will be open from Jan. 4 to Jan. 22, 2016. If you have questions or are looking for

course suggestions, please contact your teen’s teachers or guidance counsellor.

Register for Extended French by Jan. 29, 2016

If your child will be starting grade 7 in September 2016, one of the important choices you will make is

whether you want to consider Extended French (EF). To find out more about the program, visit

www.peelschools.org/French

The application form for Grade 7 EF for the 2016-17 school year will be available online at

www.peelschools.org/French as of Monday Nov. 23, 2015 at 1 p.m.

The deadline to apply is Friday, Jan. 29, 2016 at 4 p.m. Applications received after the deadline will be

placed on the school’s waitlist.

The EF school for our area is Sir John A. Macdonald P.S. The phone number is 905-457-5535

How to get more information

Visit the Peel board website—www.peelschools.org/French.

Call Walnut Grove P.S. at 905-796-4572.

Visit the Canadian Parents for French website at http://on.cpf.ca/.

Apply for French Immersion by Jan. 29, 2016

If your child will be starting grade 1 in September 2016, one of the important choices you will make is wheth-

er you want to consider French Immersion (FI). To find out more about the program, visit

www.peelschools.org/French

The application form for grade 1 FI for the 2016-17 school year will be available online at

www.peelschools.org/French as of Monday, Nov. 23, 2015 at 1 p.m. The deadline to apply is Friday, Jan.

29, 2016 at 4 p.m. Applications received after the deadline will not be included in the random selection pro-

cess and will be placed on the school’s waitlist.

The FI school for our area is Walnut Grove Public School. The phone number is 905-796-4572.

Enrolment cap and random selection process

As there is a grade 1 FI enrolment cap in place, there are a limited number of spots available for students en-

tering the program. The cap is set at 25 per cent of all Peel students enrolled in grade 1.

Spots are not assigned on a first come, first served basis. A random selection process system is used to identify

students gaining entrance into the grade 1 FI program.

All students who apply by the deadline will be assigned a rank using a computerized random selection pro-

cess. Once students have been assigned to all available spots, remaining students will be placed, again in rank

order, on the school's waitlist. Each school has its own waitlist.

How to get more information

· Visit the Peel board website—www.peelschools.org/French

· Call [name of school] at [phone number].

· Visit the Canadian Parents for French website at http://on.cpf.ca/

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 emotion-

al 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 obvi-

ous. 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 elemen-

tary school. That’s because important learning occurs daily, right from the start of class. And because you establish pat-

terns 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 being 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 opportuni-

ties 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 effective strate-

gies 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 bathroom, dress-

ing, 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 hygiene behav-

iours 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 wheth-

er 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 hap-

pening 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 attendance, so will

your child.

Show interest in your child’s education by asking about the school day, celebrating school successes, attending 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.

Special technology offers for Peel board students, parents and staff

Does your child need a computer or tablet for school? Equity of access to technology is a key priority for the Peel board. That's why we've worked with a number of technology companies to offer discounted devices to Peel families and staff.

Renewed Computer Technology

(RCT) offers low-cost, quality refurbished computers to families with a low-income. Qualified applicants can purchase:

desktop for $60

laptop for $150

Peel families now have access to the following exclusive offers from VIG Solutions:

Intel Dual Core, 2GB, 160GB computer with a 17-inch LCD monitor -- $110

10-inch netbook with 1GB ram, 160GB hard drive, Wi-Fi capability and Windows 7 -- $60.

Taxes and shipping will be applied to product costs, and all items come with a six-month warranty. To purchase

products, visit www.refurbitstock.ca/peel and enter peelregion before proceeding.

Microsoft

Microsoft offers reduced pricing on select products. For more information, visit http://

The Peel board’s initiatives are part of the ongoing effort to create greater equity of access to technology for Peel students, par-ents and staff and do not represent an endorsement of any company or product. For all BYOD information, visit www.peelschools.org/aboutus/21stcentury/byod.

Follow @Peelschools on

Twitter to:

learn about our schools and programs

find out if buses are cancelled during bad

Weather

share the Peel smile

Follow @Peelschools on Insta-gram where we share motiva-

tional and inspirational #PeelProud moments.

Our school is on social media too!

Follow us on Twitter @walnutgroveps

Follow us on social media

Social media is the easiest and fastest way to stay connected to the amazing things happening in the Peel District School Board.

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