Dates to
Remember:
Dec. 9 - Grade 4 &
4/5 Trip to Walker
Living Campus
Dec. 16 - Electrici-
ty Presentation
Dec. 20 - Grade 7
Immunization
Dec. 24 to Jan. 8
- Winter Break
DECEMBER 2016
The important thing to note is that Dream-
Box Learning makes calculated curriculum
adjustments based on students’ unique input
and demonstrated proficiencies. If students
are hesitant about providing this information,
then DreamBox Learning does not make
these required adjustments.
For this reason, if students make a habit of
exiting lessons by using the “Stop” button,
instead of completing the lessons, then
DreamBox won’t assign them new, easier to
understand lessons in a timely fashion. In
worst-case scenarios, where a student keeps
exiting the same lesson repeatedly and
doesn’t try doing any other lessons, Dream-
Box can stop offering other lessons entirely!
If your child is saying that his or her lessons
are too hard, then watch him or her use
DreamBox for a while, to see if he or she is
using the “Stop” button when frustrated. If
he or she is, coach him or her on when it is
and is not appropriate to use “Stop” mid-
lesson. Then encourage your child to push
through every lesson, even if it is a little diffi-
cult or he or she has to guess or make mis-
takes, and you should see more appropriate
lessons being offered. Remember, too, that
the “Help” button is always available—one
click repeats the lesson instructions, while a
second click gives more detailed instructions.
Used in this manner, the “Help” button can
help a child who is stuck on a difficult activity,
and will not have a negative impact on the
child’s score for the lesson.
WHAT IF THE LESSONS IN DREAMBOX GET TO HARD?
DreamBox Learning usually needs some time
to adjust to students’ instructional levels
when they first start. When students begin
using DreamBox Learning for the first time,
they start at a level one grade prior to their
current grade. For this reason, it’s actually
common for a student’s first experience with
DreamBox Learning to be “too easy.”
Keep in mind, though, that this is by design—
DreamBox is, as always, testing children to
see what they already know! So, if your child
thinks the lessons are too easy, then the best
thing he or she can do is complete the les-
sons as quickly as possible, and to the best of
his or her ability. By doing so, DreamBox
Learning will determine that your child finds
this material too easy, and will adjust his or
her pacing and lesson placement accordingly.
For best results, encourage your child to seek
out the yellow-bordered lessons marked
with gold stars (in the Primary Environment)
or the lessons marked with gold coins (in the
Intermediate Environment). These lessons
give students the best and fastest opportuni-
ty to prove their existing knowledge, and
thus they can move forward more quickly.
WHAT IF THE LESSONS IN DREAMBOX ARE TOO EASY?
3691 Dorchester Rd.,
Niagara Falls, ON
905-354--3916
Principal -
H. Nunnenmacher
Secretary -
S. Mannella
ORCHARD PARK PUBLIC SCHOOL
Our Lost
and
Found is
overflow-
ing. Items will be
out on display until
Dec. 23rd. Please
stop in to see if an-
ything belongs to
your child. Un-
claimed items will
be donated to a
charity in need.
Students are challenged to use
Dreambox for a minimum of 20
minutes a day over the holidays!
FRENCH IMMERSION REGISTRATION
SCHOOL COUNCIL UPDATE
French.
Registration will open on January 9th, 2016.
For more information about French Immersion in the Dis-trict School Board of Niaga-ra visit www.dsbn.org/fi or speak to your school princi-pal.
Parents and Guardians of Senior Kindergarten students interested in attending French Immersion in Grade 1 next September are invited to attend an information session at John Marshall Pub-lic School, 3910 St. James Ave., Niagara Falls on Thurs-day, January 12 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
The French Immersion pro-
gram (offered at French
Immersion sites) is open to all
students in Senior Kindergar-
ten interested in enrolling for
the 2017-2018 year. If you
want your child to develop a
high proficiency and fluency
in Canada’s two official
languages, French Immersion
has a great deal to offer.
Features of the French Im-mersion program:
Development of French language skills in speaking, listening, reading and writing from grades one to twelve;
Designed to be a sec-ond language program
for children whose first language is NOT French;
Current enrolment of over 2,500 elementary students;
Certificate of French Immersion Studies awarded upon success-ful completion of the elementary and second-ary Immersion program;
Promoting understand-ing of different cultures;
Providing additional opportunities for em-ployment using French as the working lan-guage;
An increased ability to communicate and inter-act with confidence in
We’ve had a great start to the year! Our first fundraiser of Little Pizza Caesar Kits has just finished. Thank you to all who participated and helped out with it! If you have any sugges-tions for fundraising for next year, please email our Fundraising coordinator Erin at
Due to the fundraising efforts in the past and ongoing Bingo, Nevada and pizza days, so far this year School Council has been able to provide the teachers with a start up fund, sponsor the Primary Arts Week, purchase magazines and the Forest of Reading Books for the Learn-
ing Commons, purchase two FM Speaker systems and 15 new Chromebooks with storage bins.
Our next event will be a movie night in January. More details to follow in the New Year!
Our next meeting will be Tuesday, January 24th at 6:30pm. Come join us and be a part of
great things happening at OP!
When we all work together we get amazing things done!
We welcome Mrs.
Barlow who is filling
in for Mrs. Robinson
until the holidays!
JUNIOR VOLLEYBALL
my, Aiden, Milos, Maguire, Carter, Jace, Alex, Copper, Vlade, Noah, Jacob and Mar-
cus
Ms Lane and Miss DiLibero are super proud of all of our play-ers! Thank you to Ms Lane and
Miss DiLibero for taking the time to coach both of these
teams.
Both our Junior Boys and Girls had a great season in volley-ball and proved they were
teams with dedicated and hard working students. Alt-hough the season was short, both teams were beginning to show great skill development
and commitment to the sport. Serves were fantastic and there were a number of rallies to be seen. In the end, both
teams placed third with excit-ing consolation games against
Greendale.
A huge congratulations goes out to Junior Girls’ Team: Se-renity, Edyn, Kaydence, Maia, Grace, Avery T., Maddy, Pip-
er, Rachel, Sophie, Avery,
Tatum and Oliva
Junior Boys’ Team: Cole, Jim-
We want to take
a moment to wish
all of our families
a wonderful holi-
day and a
Happy New
Year!
Whether you
are cele-
brating
Christmas,
Chanukah, Kwanzaa, Eid Al-
Adha or another special event
this season we wish you time to
spend with friends
and family to makes
some wonderful mem-
ories.
The Orchard Park Staff
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!
If your child is going to be absent,
please be sure to notify the office
prior to 9:00 a.m. We have an an-
swering service available for your
convenience. If you need to phone
in the evening or early morning
please feel free to leave us a mes-
sage. If your child is absent and we
do not receive a call, Mrs. Mannella,
our secretary, will phone
you and your contacts (if
needed) to ensure that
your child is safe.
STUDENT ABSENCE
CLEAN YOUR HANDS
Cleaning your hands is the most effective way to prevent the spread of germs. Regular hand
cleaning with soap and water, or an alcohol based hand sanitizer will reduce the risk of getting
sick.
Cleaning your hands should occur:
Before preparing meals
Before eating
After using the washroom
After coughing or sneezing
After blowing your nose
After playing with pets
After playing outdoors
Use warm water and soap and lather and scrub for at least 15 seconds if your hands are visibly
dirty.
For more information, talk to your school nurse or go to www.niagararegion.ca/health.
DRESSING APPROPRIATELY
Now that the cold weather is starting to arrive it is important that students are
dressing appropriately. Hats, hoods, scarves and mittens/gloves are particu-
larly useful in keeping the extremities covered. Also proper winter boots give
protection from the cold as well as from slips and falls. Winter coats and snow
pants help to keep students’ bodies warm.
Please encourage your child to dress appropriately. The expectation is that students will be out-
side unless advisories are received from the School Board indicating extreme weather conditions.
Indoor Shoes: With winter coming and students wearing boots, it is important for safety reasons,
that students have indoor shoes to wear in school. It is also very helpful if they can leave the
shoes at school so they are always readily available.
RECESS PROJECT
The Recess Project has gotten off to a great start! These past 4 months have flown by, filled with
new friends, new games, and new connections with the outside community. Our grades 1-3 have
particularly warmed up to us, offering to help with clean up even after the bell goes. An over-
whelming number of grades 4-8 have consistently volunteered their recesses as "Junior Recess
Leader Heroes" and lead activities for other students to play outdoors. Our presence extends
beyond the playground as the children pull us into their classrooms to play games, such as Piction-
ary, while they eat. Our team has extended beyond the original two coordinators, as we wel-
comed an additional two Brock placement students. We have also had the opportunity to wel-
come the Niagara College Knights Volleyball team which played a game with our Intermediate
volleyball team members. As well as the Lady Lions, that cheered 20 students through their rou-
tines. For the winter months, we've introduced some indoor clubs to keep the children engaged,
such as Minute to Win-it, Craft Club, Intramural Handball, and Fitness Fridays! We look forward
to grow the program within the Panther community! Thank you for welcoming us into the school this
year!
WINTER RULES
When the snow is on the
ground and ice is all around
we have some winter rules
that we ask our students to
follow in order to avoid inju-
ry.
Snow is to stay on the ground.
No throwing or kicking snow.
Students are not to be sliding
on the ice.
The playground equipment is
off limits until the spring.
Please talk to your child
about these rules and the
importance of following them.
Thank you to everyone for
contributing to our Village of
Hope Fundraiser. We have
collected many school supplies
for a school in need.
Special thanks to our Student
Voice Team for organizing this
worthy fundraiser!
Check out our Website!!
http://orchardpark.dsbn.org/
Thank your child’s teacher this holiday with a tribute gift to the Foundation. All proceeds provide basic necessities for DSBN students! An acknowledgement holiday card will be sent to your teacher in your child’s name! Visit efnniagara.ca to donate! Or call 905-641-2929 x 37712 or email [email protected]
Orchard Park will be collecting food donations for Project SHARE again this year. Every year the Orchard Park community comes
together to help those that need some help. Our donations help many put food on the table and we are always so proud of this food
drive. Project SHARE provides emergency food to an average of 100 families per day in Niagara Falls. According to Project
SHARE's website they are in need of the following for their emergency food program: Fruits and Vegetables (fresh, frozen or
canned), Peanut Butter, Baby Food (including rice cereal/pablum), Baby Formula, Protein Items (meat, fish, beans, eggs, cheese) and
Boost/Ensure. But, please keep in mind that Project SHARE welcomes all food donations to help fill their shelves especially during the
holidays! What do you and your children like to eat? Those are the items they need at Project SHARE.
Thank you for helping such a worthy cause! If you would like more information about Project SHARE please visit
their website by clicking on their logo.