Message from Administration:

Can you believe the school year is half over?! Well, January has come and gone with a flurry of activity. Colder weather brought us back to the reality of a Canadian winter without the massive amounts of snow! Registration for our kindergarten program began January 15th and is ongoing. Parents are reminded to bring a birth certificate and proof of residency. Our character theme for

February is Initiative and March’s theme is Honesty.

The time has been well spent with a great deal of academic success and personal growth for our students. Our grade 8 students are considering important decisions about high school. They have been selecting courses and establishing the foundations of their secondary school careers. As well, our grade 3 and grade 6 students are starting to gear up for their EQAO assessments in May. Please note that there is no Community

Council meeting scheduled for February, 2016.

We are experiencing an enormous number of lates. I am asking parents to please help ensure that our students arrive at school before the first bell at 8:10am. This helps them prepare for the day, avoids disrupting the class and assists the office with the safe arrival program. Parents are also reminded to please drive slowly through our parking lot, both prior to the morning bell and during dismissal. Welcome back to Mrs. Lane this month, who is returning to her Grade 4 class and a big thank you to Ms. Needler for doing such an amazing job in her absence.

Feb. 2, 2016 Edition #6 Rogers Public School (905) 895-5441 Fax. 905-895-9708 Email Address rogers.ps@yrdsb.ca Website: http://rogers.ps.yrdsb.ca Trustee: Martin Van Beek 905-830-6776 School Council Chair : Aileen Gore/Satyne Ward Superintendent: Paul Carew (905) 895-5155 Principal : Brian Donnelly (905) 895- 5441

Initiative We act without being prompted by others. We are eager to do what needs to be done without having to be told to do it. We take the first step towards the achievement of a goal.

Mission: To advance student achievement and well-being through public education, which motivates earners, fosters inclusion, inspires innovation and builds community.

Vision: To be a leader in public education by empowering all students to become engaged and caring citizens of the

world. Values: Our School Board operates based on a set of values which guides our actions.

Important Dates

Feb. 1 PA Day

Feb. 11 Glen Marais Performance

Feb 12 Dance-a-thon

Feb. 15 Family Day Holiday

Feb. 17 Skating-Jr.

Feb. 18/25 Skating-Primary

Feb. 18 Report Cards Home

Feb. 19/26 Skiing Gr. 7&8

Feb. 24 Area Int. Boys Basketball- Mulock

Feb. 25 Area Int. Girls Basketball-Mulock

Feb. 29 Joys & Fears -Teen Years-Bogart PS

Alyson Schafer 7-8:00pm

Feb. 29 GNA

Mar. 2 Chess Tournament

Mar. 2 Skating-Jr.

Mar. 3 Skating-Primary

Mar. 3 Primary Family Math Night 6-7:30pm

Mar. 4 Skiing Gr. 7&8

Mar. 9-11 Camp Muskoka-Grade 7

Mar. 12 Dance-a-thon

Mar. 13 Daylight Savings

Mar. 14-18 March Break

Mar. 25/28 Good Friday/Easter Monday

Mar. 31 GNA

Mar. 31 Talent show - 7:00-8:00pm

Just a reminder that on a snow day – Buses & Lunch

Programs are cancelled, but the school is open. Please see page four for further details. Also, don’t forget the Family Day holiday on February 15th. The

school will not be open on this day!

Elementary School Front Door Security

Please remember to send your child prepared for the day. This will help minimize the number of people requesting to be buzzed into the school. If it is still necessary to drop off lunch/es, forgotten items, etc. for your child(ren), you will need to ring the buzzer, face the camera and wait to buzzed into the school. Please leave the clearly labelled items on the table outside of the office. Students may pick up forgotten items at recess or lunch breaks. Parents are still responsible for coming into the building to sign out your child/ren for any appointments taking place during the school day. Any efforts to make appointments outside of school hours will be appreciated. Also, a reminder that all visitors/volunteers to the school must sign in at the office. The front door is

open until 8:30am as well as after school until 3:30pm. Thank you.

Triple P Parenting Programs

Triple P has over 30 years of proven clinical research which supports its' success, and is currently offered in 26 countries world wide. They are proud to be providing families and caregivers in York Region the opportunity to access a variety of Triple P supports free of charge. For information, visit: http://www.triplepontario.ca/en/Default.aspx

Me To We

Me to We is selling candy grams again this year in a continued effort to support “Free the Children”. Candy grams will be sold during the first week of February.

Keeping Our Schools Safe & Orderly

(We have been instructed to share the following message with our community.) In accordance with the principal’s responsibilities under the Education Act to ensure a safe and orderly learning environ-ment, the school has the right to search school property, such as lockers and desks, without notice to or permission of any person. From time to time, the police may be invited onto school property to conduct their own searches and these searches may be conducted without notice or permission of any member of the school community as per our Joint Board and Police Protocol. When conducting a search of school property, persons or personal property, the police are respon-sible for conforming to all legal requirements with respect to searches.

Moving?

If your child currently attends Rogers, but you anticipate moving between now and the new school year, please let us

know your plans as soon as possible. Although it may seem early, we are already working on student numbers for next year.

Community Corner Remember to check out The Town of Newmarket, Spring 2016 Edition for information on Special Events and Swimming at the following website: www.newmarket.ca

Believe It or Not!

As this long, cold winter drags on, just remember that it is only 6 more weeks until Daylight Savings time. Mark your calendars!

Sunday, March 13, 2016 is Daylight Savings Time. Remember to turn your clocks forward! Just on time for March Break, Monday, March 14 to Friday, March 18, 2016. Enjoy your break!

Valentine’s Day Dance-A-Thon On February 12, 2016 students will be participating in our 3rd annual Dance-a-thon to help support our school. There will be spot prizes for dancing and showing Valentine’s Day spirit! A letter and pledge form was recently sent home with details. Thank you for your support!

Family Math Night for Primary

students When: Thursday March 3, 2016

6:00pm-7:30pm School Gym...Free!

Come on out and enjoy a fun and edu-cational evening of math with your

family. Enjoy some snacks and some quality family time together. Watch for

further information coming home shortly. Please RSVP to your child's

teacher.

THANK YOU for Supporting our

QSP

on-line Magazine Fundraiser!

Thank you for supporting our school by purchas-ing or renewing subscriptions on-line at www.QSP.ca Each subscription that we sell brings profit to our school. This can be done all year long, so if you have any magazines expir-ing soon or wish to try a new one, you may still do so and support our school! Remember if you renew with publishers directly, the school does NOT receive profits. Thank you for NOT renewing with publishers. If you have any questions about your subscriptions, call QSP Customer Service at 1-800-667-2536.

Report Cards On Thursday, February 18th, 2016, your child will be receiving his/her first term report card. Please take the time to read the comments, complete your sec-tion of the report, and return it to your child’s teacher. It is very important to remember that we are striving to have our students attain the provincial expectations in all subject areas.

KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION

If you have a child who will be registering for kindergarten for September 2016, registration began on

January 15, 2016 and is ongoing. All children who were born on or before December 31, 2012 are eligible to attend

Junior Kindergarten beginning September 2016. We ask that you inform any friends or neighbours that do not pres-

ently have children attending Rogers Public School and do have an eligible aged child. Please pass this information on

to them where possible, or have them call the school.

At the time of registration, a parent must provide

Birth Certificate

Proof of Residency i.e. current Municipal Tax Bill, Offer of Purchase or Rental Agreement.

Note: Students new to Ontario must first make an appointment to visit the Boards

Reception Centre before registering at our school. Please call them at: 905-883-5241

Newmarket Cares for Kids Newmarket Cares for Kids is a local non-profit organization whose aim is to promote and facilitate the participation of children ages 3-18 in physical and cultural activities, regardless of their ability to pay for services. Opportunities with local groups featuring dance/acting and musical theatre, ka-rate, and music are offered subject to availability. In some cases, transportation through a local taxi company may be available. Call (905) 716-1447 now to register for programs.

REMINDER - PEANUT AND NUT BAN Numerous students attending our school have life threatening allergies and will experience anaphylactic shock if they are exposed to even a tiny amount of peanut oil, peanuts or nut products. Therefore, Rogers P.S. MUST be a PEANUT AND NUT-FREE ZONE. What this means is that no peanut or peanut products of any kind may be brought into the school. If you have any further ques-tions about whether or not certain foods are dangerous to students with peanut allergies, please call the school or you can log onto this website: www.foodallergy.org

Suggestions - Peanut Safe Lunches and Snacks

Crackers/cheese, pickles and Pepperettes or Kolbassa Hot Lunches in a Thermos: Soup, macaroni, spaghetti, stew, zoodles, rice, mini ravioli Make your own mini pizza—pita pockets, cheese, pepper-oni, sauce or pizza pockets Cheese or cold meats sandwiches or breadsticks with side dish of cold meat

Crackers/Cheese “Christie” brands (Wheat Thins, Bacon Dippers, Triscuits, Vegetable Thins) President’s Choice (Chippers, Vegetable crackers) Premium soda crackers, gold Fish Crackers, cheese strings

Cereals (Dry Cereal- sometimes nice for a snack) Eg. “General Mills” Cheerios (Apple Cinnamon, Plain) or Nutri-grain bars

Fruits & Vegetables Apples, oranges, bananas, grapes, peaches, kiwi Carrot sticks, celery sticks, cucumbers, red/green peppers (Nice to have with a vegetable dip)

Suggestions for occasional treats. Some of the fol-

lowing snacks are high in sugar so trying packing peanut free arrowroot or oatmeal cookies with fruit yogourt or pud-ding.

Cookies - Christie - Oreo, Fudgee O’s, Chips Ahoy,

Chocolate Chunk, Peek Freans Jam Filled, Assorted

Pack, Tea Biscuits, Shortcake

Chocolate Bars/Snacks/Chips Smarties, Kit Kat, Aero, “No Name” Whole or Half Moon-chocolate cakes or carmel cakes “Lays”, “Humpty Dumpty” or “No Name” potato chips or pretzels President’s Choice nacho chips and salsa fruit roll-ups, fruit by the foot, Dunkaroos

IMPORTANT NOTES It is very important when shopping to carefully read the labels. Many generic brands contain traces of peanuts and product ingredients do change periodically. For more information and lunch suggestions please visit the following website: http://www.toronto.ca/health/pdf/nm_peanut_allergies.pdf

Lost and Found Clothing

1) Remember to Dress for the weather. 2) Label all Clothing. 3) Check the Lost and Found as soon as some-

thing goes missing !

Milk Milk tickets are on sale every Wednesday for the first 10 minutes of morning recess in Room 117. Six milk tickets for $4.00 or $.75 each.

Black History Month

When I found I had crossed that line, I looked at my hands to see if I was the same person. There was such a glory over everything. -- Harriet Tubman, 1845 on her first escape from slavery February is Black History/African Heritage Month - Every February, many schools across York Region take part in festivities, celebrations, and events that hon-our contributions of Canadians of African heritage. We will be hosting Glen Marais on February 11th as part of Black History month. We owe the celebration of Black History Month to Dr. Carter G. Woodson who launched Negro History Week in 1926 as an initiative to bring attention to the contributions of Americans of African heritage. Dr. Woodson chose the second week in February because February marks the birthdays of Frederick Douglas and Abra-ham Lincoln, two men who greatly influenced the lives of African Americans. This month and throughout the year, our principals, managers, and staff are encouraged to highlight and vali-date the contributions of Canadians of African heritage that have helped make our country the wonderfully diverse nation that it is. We are proud of the many activities in our schools that recognize the contributions made by people of African decent. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. -Martin Luther King, Jr.

Last Minute Requests/Messages

Phone calls requesting that messages be delivered to students before the end of the day can be

problematic in a busy school and in a busy office. Please try to make after school plans or babysit-

ting arrangements prior to students’ coming to school. The school office not only responds to tele-

phone calls but also to student injuries/illnesses, visitors’/staff inquiries as well as other workload

priorities. Thanks for your support and understanding.

We can see clearly now, the storm has gone… On a snow day – Buses & Lunch Programs are cancelled, but the school is open

A reminder to listen to your local radio stations to find out if school buses are running when severe weather conditions are experienced. Regardless of the weather, the school is always open. Parents are reminded it is your decision whether to send your children. However, should buses be cancelled and you choose to drive your child/ren to school, YOU ARE ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR PICKING THEM UP AT 2:45 p.m. If buses are cancelled in the morning, they are also cancelled for the afternoon (even if weather improves) For safety reasons, you may choose whether or not to send your child to school; however, if you keep him/her home and your child is NOT bussed, you MUST call the school and report the absence. Our Safe Arrival Program dictates that we know where all absent students are – if we cannot reach you, we will contact your emergency contact person. If we cannot reach that person, we are obligated to contact the police. Once students arrive, they are expected to stay. Students are not allowed to come to the office and use the phone - a few hundred kids, 3 phone lines, 2 secretaries (who are using all the phone lines to check on the absences) creates a great deal of confusion in the office. You can, however, make arrangements ahead of time to pick up your child at lunch. When buses are cancelled –there are:

NO Lunch Lady Lunches, Pasta Lunches or Pizza Lunches.

NO Special Events days or field trips.

Please send a lunch with your child.

There may be a modified program in your child’s class due to numbers of students attending and absences of some

teachers. Dress for the weather – bus cancellation does not mean automatic indoor recesses or early entry into the school.

A reminder that all bus cancellations, inclement weather and school closure information is now available on our school website; www.rogers.ps.yrdsb.ca and Board website; www.yrdsb.ca as well as www.schoolbuscity.com

Healthy Schools It’s Cool to be Healthy Club would just like to remind everyone that we are not

only what we eat, but also what we think and how we act. It’s important to keep

our food clean, and our thoughts and actions positive. Stay healthy!

February Smoothie Favourites:

Latest from the Library FAMILY LITERACY NIGHT

Rogers was proud to host a second fundraiser at Chapters in Newmarket, in celebration of Family

Literacy Night, on Wednesday, January 27th from 7-9:00pm. What a special surprise to have our own MRS PARKER join us for the evening as our mystery celebrity storyteller! Many thanks to all our

families, friends, and community members for coming out and supporting our school.

CHESS

Mr. McArthur is back for a second session of Chess Club, starting Wednesday, February 3rd over the lunch hour in our library. The Optimist Club is hosting their annual Chess Tournament on Wednesday, March 2nd from 9-3:00pm. They

accept up to 24 students from each school, 3 per grade (1-8). Entry fee is $7.50 each, first come, first served.

FOREST OF READING Ms. Willaert, Mrs. McDonald and Mrs. Fleming are hosting Forest of Reading on Mondays at first recess. Interviews

have begun this month in preparation for voting in the Spring. Blue Spruce activities are being conducted in class with

all primary students using a passport booklet to track their progress. Students are encouraged to go on the Forest of Reading Website to peruse student activities inspired by the books. The Festival of Trees takes place at Harbourfront

on Tuesday, May 17th (Red Maple) and Wednesday, May 18th (Silver Birch) so mark your calendars! Only students who have read 5 titles in one category are eligible to vote and attend the festival. Further information will be sent

home.

SKATING

Primary classes will be skating February 18/25th & March 3rd and Junior classes will be skating February 17th & March 2nd this year. The schedule and permission forms have been distributed.

Please consider donating skates that no longer fit. Helmets will not be shared or on loan. A bus has been booked for Primary classes only.

Cell Phones & IPODS Casual use of cell phones is not permitted at school. If parent(s) wish that their child(ren) carry these at their own risk, for communication purposes going to/from school, then students must turn off their phones once at school and store them in lockers/other safe place. Phone calls and texting from cell phones are not permitted during the school day. Any calls to parents/guardians during the school day, must be made with permission, from phones housed in the classroom or our main office, under the supervision and knowledge of school personnel. Pictures with personal cameras/cell phones are not be taken. The school has cameras for picture taking purposes with permission of staff. As well, students in Grades 4-8 only are allowed to bring IPODS at their own risk. These are to be used at recess only and under teacher discretion. Please note that students are only permitted one ear bud in at any given time.

Green Smoothie Number 1156

2 cups water

½ bunch dinosaur kale

1 large pear, chopped with core

¼ cup cranberries

1 medium mango, peeled

and chopped

½ apple

Blend in blender for 1 minute or

until smooth. Garnish and enjoy!

Serves 2-3.

Banango Smoothie

2 frozen bananas

1 ½ cups frozen mango chunks

1 cup orange juice

Blend all ingredients in blender

until smooth. Enjoy! Serves 2-3.

This Newsletter is being sent on behalf of the York Region District School Board and/or your child’s school in compliance with the Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation. If you no longer wish to receive commercial electronic messages, you may un-subscribe at any time. If you no longer wish to receive any emails from Rogers Public School, please contact the school directly to have your email deleted from your child’s Student Information Record.

Additional Elementary and Secondary P.A. Days

As a result of provincial labour negotiations, a P.A. Day has been added for all York Region District School Board elementary schools on Friday, May 6, 2016 and secondary schools on Friday,

June 3, 2016. You can see the full updated school year calendars on YRDSB’s website.

These additional P.A. Days are mandated by the Ministry of Education. On these dates, teachers will be taking part in professional development on provincial education priorities identified by the Ministry of Education.