invitation to celebrate excellence · team at ray lawson public school, please forward your resume...
TRANSCRIPT
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Upcoming Dates - Highlights include:
APRIL 2019 PREVIEW-
April –Celebrating EXCELLENCE @ RLPS! Education Week-April 8-25th
Tues. April 16th ...8:30-10 a.m. Cele-
brating Student Leadership and Class
Visits for families
Wed. April 17th ...6:30-7:30 p.m.
What Parents Need to Now-Using
Social Media and Video Games Safe-
ly and Wisely
Thurs. April 18th ...1:30 p.m. Ray
Lawson Grade 4,5,6 Public Speaking
School Finals…All welcome!
Thurs. April 25th…6:30 p.m. “Take
Action” Concert Night ...all Grade
4,5, and 6 students performing.
MAY 2019 PREVIEW
May 6th ...All welcome…11 a.m.
Music Monday LEAP ASSEMBLY,
Thurs. May 9th...5:45 p.m. Welcome
to Kindergarten Family Night…new
families to Year One K
Wed. May 15th …Grade 5/6 Gauss
Math Competition Club
Wed. May 15th …6:30 p.m. School
Council, Library, all welcome
May 22nd-May 30th …Grade 3 and 6
EQAO Assessment…every day
Thurs. June 6th...…1:30 p.m. Volunteer
Appreciation and Tea
Included in the Lawson Link:
LOTS of School News!
April/May Student/Community
Activity Calendars are sent home and
on-line
April/May Student Co-Curricular
Activity Schedules on school site
INVITATION to CELEBRATE EXCELLENCE
Education Week is officially April 8th - 12th, but we are celebrating excellence all month. Please join us when you can. YOU ARE INVITED!
Here’s what’s happening:
Mon. April 8th ...9 a.m. Professional French Play Performance
10:45 a.m. Roberta Bondar Band Program visiting
Tues. April 16th ...8:30-10 a.m. Celebrating Student Leadership
Presentation and Class Visits for families
**NEW**
Wed. April 17th ...6:30-7:30 p.m...What FAMILIES Need to
Know-Using Social Media and Video Games Safely and Wisely
Thurs. April 18th ...1:30 p.m. Grade 4,5,6 Public Speaking
Finals “Excellence in Eloquence”
Thurs. April 25th…6:30 p.m. “Take Action” Concert Night ...all
Grade 4, 5, and 6 students performing.
This is a great time to get to know your school better and to cele-
brate all the wonderful things happening in our classrooms and
school. We are so proud of our school and community and we love
to have our families visit.
Research tells us that the more parents are involved in their chil-
dren’s education, the more successful they are.
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Ray Lawson Student Leaders raise almost $2100.00 for homeless people
An outstanding team of student leaders and teachers walked for the homeless in
Brampton on Friday, February 22nd. This remarkable achievement adds to the caring
work of the Ray Lawson Me to We Team whose mandate is to help others who need
extra support and a helping hand. Thanks for "locking on" and helping others be suc-
cessful! We are all so proud of you.
Me to We Weaving Club: More Global Service at Ray Lawson P.S.
Thank you to our families and students for saving plastic milk bags. This is helping us to reduce plastic
waste as well as to help others in need in our global community. Believe it or not, plastic milk bags can be
weaved together to make strong and comfortable sleeping mats and pillows. As we complete the sleeping
mats, they will be delivered to “Milkbags Unlimited” who arrange to ship them to communities in Africa,
South America, India and the Caribbean. Please continue to send clean and dry milk bags to school so we
can continue our weaving and good service of others! (outer milk bags only please) THANK YOU FOR
YOUR SUPPORT!
Let’s ACE EQAO! WE WILL CONTINUE TO ACHIEVE EXCELLENCE!
THANK YOU for attending our EQAO on our FAMILY LEARNING NIGHT! The
EQAO Practice book provided is BETTER than EVER! Research shows Level 3s
and 4s on Grade 3 and 6 EQAO predict future success in school. Teachers and stu-
dents have been working on sample grade 3 and 6 curriculum-based questions in read-
ing, writing, problem solving and mathematics. As parents, please stay involved. We believe students, par-
ents and teachers working together add to student success and confidence. We are very proud of our Ray
Lawson students’ hard work and dedication!
OUR GOAL is Level 3, a Strong B in Reading, Writing and Math
With the help of our families, and the daily instruction from our outstanding teach-
ers, we aim to achieve student success in becoming good readers, writers, problem
solvers, thinkers and awesome people. How do we achieve a strong B across the cur-
riculum? Practise. Teaching strategies. Practise. Review. Practise. Learning new
strategies. Praise. Encouragement. High expectations. When we all work together, great things happen. Be part of goal setting with your child. Thank you for your teamwork.
We live in a competitive world. At Ray Lawson we believe in helping our students become independent and
capable students and good citizens- leaders for the future. We have high expectations of all of our stu-
dents and ourselves. Please continue to work with your teachers, Mrs. Standring and Ms. Okazawa in helping
your child reach these goals. They are already such awesome people- let's continue to help them be ready
for the future; independent, confident and super successful learners! Excellent school attendance (and proper rest, exercise and healthy eating) helps in student success. There are 7 to 8 lessons daily. Missing
a day is missing a lot of instruction and practise.
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Parent and Community Volunteer TEA –
See YOU on Thursday, June 6th, 1:30 p.m.
~Celebrating our Many Dedicated Volunteers and
Lunch Supervisors ~ Please MARK the DATE! We have many parent and community volunteers working with us at Ray
Lawson P.S. We couldn’t do it all without you! You have remained a very special part of our success
and our Ray Lawson Family. Your help in our classrooms, the office, the library, lunch supervision
and around the school makes a BIG difference in the lives and learning of our students. Mrs. Stan-
dring, Ms. Okazawa, and Mrs. Phillips look forward to “Thanking and CELEBRATING YOU”!
It’s never too late to become a volunteer! Call Mrs. Standring, or Ms. Okazawa at 905-451-3819 to find out more!. WE ALWAYS NEED MORE VOLUNTEERS!
Lunchroom Supervisors Needed!
Hiring for August 2019 to June 2020 If you would like to become part of the Lunchroom Supervision
Team at Ray Lawson Public School, please forward your resume
to Vice Principal, Lisa Okazawa. Interviews will be held as posi-
tions arise.
Energy-E-Break#1 10:10 am to 10:50 p.m. AND
Energy-E-Break#2 12:50 pm to 1:30 p.m.
Rate of Pay = $14.00 per hour.
Offence Declaration required for returning volunteers
Parents play an important role in the development and education of their children
and in the success of the school community. At (insert name of school), we wel-
come and encourage the participation of parents and community members, and are
grateful for the countless hours our volunteers contribute throughout the school year.
To volunteer at our school, you must complete a short interview and a criminal record check. A
criminal record check is required for all school volunteers in Ontario. Even if you want to accompany
your child on a field trip, you need this record 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 receive an Offence Declaration form that must be
filled out and returned to the board office each year. Completing the Offence Declaration will en-
sure that you can continue volunteering in the next school year. Expect to receive the form in mid-
February. Please ask at the office if you need any assistance or do not receive the forms in the
mail.
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Grade Six Classes—United Nations Sustainable Goals and EQAO
“Grade 6 has been a great year for students and staff,” says Mrs. Marshall, a grade 6 teacher.
The goal for the grade 6 students this year is to bring a difference to the world by being com-
passionate and understanding role models. This year’s grade 6 teachers want the students to
focus on the global goals of peace, justice and strong institutions by promoting peaceful and in-
clusive environments, not only at Ray Lawson, but in our community and world. The grade 6 stu-
dents have been working hard on all the Global Goals by participating in events such as the Cold-
est Night Of the Year and by donating food, clothes and money to charities and standing up for
others’ rights. This year, the grade 6 students have had amazing opportunities and leadership
clubs to participate in. Recently, the grade 6 students have had a chance to create their own
poems and submit them for the COSTI Refugees and Human Rights Poetry Competition. In addition,
the grade 6 students are understanding how to make their own decisions and become great 21st
Century role models.
Grade 6 students this year are working very hard and are preparing for
EQAO assessments in the spring. “I feel prepared for the test because we
are practising through a book that will help us in our test,” says Shivam, a
grade 6 student. “I feel a little nervous, but I’m prepared. I’m sure many
students will do great on the test because of this year’s grade 6 teachers
and the way they teach. We’re always learning something new!” says Rimple,
another grade 6 student. The grade 6 teachers are giving helpful tips and techniques to the
sixth grade students to help them perform above and beyond the provincial standards in their
everyday learning and during EQAO.
Overall, the grade 6 students and staff have had a blast and are having a strong final year at
Ray Lawson P.S. By Nancy, Riya, Swarlin and Jasleen, Class 601 and 602
Student Voice Student writers share their views
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Student Voice Student writers share their views
The Arts at Ray Lawson
Here at Ray Lawson, Ms. Nunes and Ms.Allingham, our Music and Dance teach-
ers tell us that the students are progressing well in terms of music and the
arts. Before, students would have difficulty recognizing the rhythms and playing them on instru-
ments. However, now, almost every student can recognize rhythms and play them. In addition,
the juniors will be having a spring concert this spring and the concert will be all about global is-
sues such as Poverty, Homelessness, Gender Equality and more. The junior students will express
these issues by creating a dance that represents how you can make a change in the world with
simple tasks. The teachers have also stated that music is beneficial for students of all ages. It is
shared that music classes can help enhance focus and responsibility in students. In addition,
“Music can help better develop the learning skills that we are looking for in students, such as col-
laboration, critical thinking, and responsibility,” states Ms. Nunes. “Sometimes parents are in-
vested in Math and Science and may not realize the potential of music”. As for the spring con-
cert, “TAKE ACTION!”, on Thursday, April 25th, 6:30 p.m., it will be another great a memory
that for many years to come! By Jasnam and Harveen, Class 601
Physical and Health Education
At Ray Lawson Public School, we have a wonderful Physical Education (PHE) Pro-
gram where we learn from our awesome teachers how to stay fit and active while
being safe and having fun. We also have a great health program where we learn to stay healthy
by making good food choices. The Lawson Lions find our Phys-Ed classes enjoyable to help make
them more fit. A fellow Lawson Lion, Gurrarmaan, says “I like PE because it gives us the chance
to have fun while being active. For example, we play fun games like grounders and it makes us
more fit, while having fun.” Also, we have intramurals for everyone and at each morning an-
nouncements, a grade and a game is advertised to remind anyone from that grade, that they are
welcome down in the gym at E-break to play a game that is fun and keeps them energized At our
school, we also have various sports teams such as: soccer, basketball, cricket, volleyball, handball,
flag football and hockey. These are teams that students, above grade 3 can try out for. While
the school year is going on, there will be a section of the year where our school will start having
practices for a particular sport. After a few practices, our teachers will select the best players
they think are fit for the team. After the teams are assembled, there will be a tournament
where surrounding schools compete. All the schools that compete will have their own team that
represents their school. These tournaments happen each year, so some of the newer students
get a chance to show their talent and be involved. Since we have this fabulous program, you
should be participating in the many physical activities available to Ray Lawson students.
By Yash, Class 602
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Student Voice Student writers share their views
Free By Jasleen, Class 601
We share the same sky and we’re connected by the seas, but I fight to be free.
While you walk on the fields and cement with beds of flowers,
I sink deeper into the soil for hours and hours.
What I thought would never happen in a million years is now my reality.
Even if I try with all my might I can still remember those terrible nights.
I’ve lost my family and I’ve lost my home.
I fight to exist through these violent gloomy days.
I pray and hope these times will not stay.
Miracles do happen and I do believe,
for tomorrow is a new beginning, another chance to try.
We need to change our world.
Soon, maybe tomorrow I will run freely with the flowers and feel the nice breeze.
I will be free, and not a refugee.
They're not alone By Riya, Class 602
68.5 million refugees in need
Fighting without any greed
Only have choices that will harm
But with a good heart they will only disarm
Survivors of pernicious strive
But grateful to be alive
They're not alone
They have the same blood flowing through their veins
Why treat them differently
If they are one of us
They're not alone
A faded discoloured and bygone sign read “war, bombing, discrimination”
If this their only way
So which path should they pick
This time flicking a coin won't do the trick
So hapless that they can't be free like a grebe
They're not alone
We are very proud of Jasleen and Riya for writing their poems to be submitted in a poetry competition for the United Nations (COSTI). Good luck, Jasleen and Riya!
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IMPORTANT PARENT INFORMATION—ParentConnect
Online parent portal to access important student information
The Peel District School Board is excited to announce the launch of ParentConnect, an online parent portal to access important student information. The pilot program was introduced at select schools and phased in to all Peel schools on Feb. 23, 2018. What is ParentConnect? ParentConnect is a safe and secure website, created by the Peel District School Board, that acts as a single point to stay informed and to access all electronic services provided to Peel board parents and legal guardians. The parent-friendly website will allow you to:
view school-based alerts and information
access real time absence reporting
view current and historic elementary report card information
get up-to-date busing information
review secondary school credit history and diploma status and more
To learn more about the benefits of ParentConnect, visit our school website or www.peelschools.org/parentconnect
Peel Learning Foundation aims to create hopeful tomorrows for Peel board Students In partnership with the Peel District School Board, the Peel Learning Foundation was created to enable Peel board students to achieve personal excellence by providing resources to help them overcome barriers. In its first year, the foundation will support Peel board students through:
Student Emergency Needs program Depending on the need, the foundation will support individual students with food and clothing, medical supplies, eyeglasses
and transportation costs, or where there is an emergency situation that requires a compassionate response. Student Backpack program The foundation will provide backpacks filled with school supplies that students need to fully participate in regular classroom
work. The backpacks will be provided to students in need in a respectful and confidential manner. They are tailored for students in kindergarten to grade 3, grades 4 to 8, and grades 9 to 12.
Individuals or organizations who are interested in learning more about and supporting the foundation can visit www.PeelLearningFoundation.org. You can also follow the foundation on Twitter and Facebook and use the hashtag #CreateHope to join the conversation.
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April - Earth Month
At Ray Lawson P.S., we have two dedicated student leadership teams, Green
Team and Recycling Team, that focus on the important work of raising aware-
ness and taking action for the school, local and global environment.
Earth Month encompasses the international celebration of Earth Day on April
22, 2019. This is the most celebrated environmental event worldwide. Initiated in 1970, this event
has been considered the birth of the environmental movement.
Each year, more than 6 million Canadians join 500 million people in over 180 countries in staging
events and projects to address local environmental issues. In Canada, Earth Day has grown into Earth
Week and even Earth Month to accommodate the profusion of events and projects. Here are some
ways that you can celebrate earth week with your family:
create a backyard or schoolyard habitat
plant a garden or tree
start a recycling program at home
organize a carpooling campaign in your neighbourhood to reduce air pollution
pick up trash in your neighbourhood
read a book about an endangered species
make a visit to your local zoo, aquarium or museum
visit a local park, wildlife area or farm to provide a fun opportunity to learn about the environment
and life
Ray Lawson P.S. Goes Pink on April 10th — Day of Pink
On Wednesday, April 10, 2019, Peel District School Board schools will recog-
nize Day of Pink. Unlike Pink Shirt Day, which is meant to combat all forms of
bullying, we celebrate Day of Pink in Peel to specifically combat homophobia,
transphobia and biphobia.
“Equity and inclusion is something that all Peel schools teach throughout the year and discuss with
students daily—it is embedded in everything we do,” says Peter Joshua, Director of Education. “Day of Pink is just one more way for us to ensure students and staff learn, work and develop in environ-
ments that are safe, equitable, inclusive, respectful and nurturing for all.”
On this day, students, staff and families at Ray Lawson may wear pink to honour Day of Pink. Our
teachers engage students in lessons and activities provided by the Peel Board to promote inclusion
and diversity in our community.
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Using Social Media Safely
On Wednesday, April 17th from 6:30-7:30, you are invited to join us for an
important discussion: “What Families Need to Know—Using Social Media and
Video Games Safely and Wisely”. While there are many positive benefits to
using social media and on-line platforms, including staying connected with friends
and expressing your interests, parents and students must be cautious in their
use of these networks. We look forward to an informative evening to address
the points below and answer any questions or concerns you may have as parents.
With the growing number of social media sites, it is no surprise that social media is the most com-
mon 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. 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:
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. One hour of screen time per day is a
healthy and essential limit so they are able to achieve a balance of exercise, play, work, family
time and sleep to grow up in a healthy and positive way.
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 availa-
ble 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 us-
ing social networking sites to commit crimes.
Unlike when they’re meeting someone face-to-face, children don’t always know who they’re actu-
ally ‘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.
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Keeping children safe in and around storm sewers, waterways
Rising and fast moving water in lakes, ponds and creeks is increasingly likely during
spring. Children playing in and around storm sewers and watercourses, entering storm
sewers through the outfalls, and entering storm sewers through access covers is dan-
gerous.
The following information will help keep children safe:
water flows in storm sewers and watercourses are unpredictable and may change quickly
toxic gases may be present in and around storm sewers and watercourses
access is restricted, making rescue attempts are difficult
tragic falls could take place
Please review this information with your children and let them know how dangerous storm sewers and
waterways are.
Brampton Public Works Poster Competition
To celebrate National Public Works Week May 20th -24th, the City of Brampton Public Works depart-
ment have invited Ray Lawson students in grades 1-4 to draw a poster that shows what workers do and
the machines they use. The theme is "It Starts Here"; healthy communities start with public
works. It is celebrated across North America. The winner gets to meet the mayor of Brampton, wins
a pizza party for their class and the winning design is printed on a city truck and on t-shirts for the
whole school to wear! Below are just a few of the fabulous posters created by our students. Thank
you to our staff and students for participating and collaborating with our community partners!