9426 Wellington Rd. 124, R.R #2, Erin, Ontario N0B 1T0 Tel. 519.833.9621

Principal: Reena Anand, Vice Principal: Amanda Myer Office Coordinator: Jodi McKenzie & Dawn Dolson

Message from the Office

Where did January go? We had a busy first month back into the New Year and staff have been working hard on assessment and preparation for our upcoming report cards that go

home on Feb 15th. Please celebrate student success and achievements and ask your child what they think they need to improve on. Set some goals for the next term to work on. We would like to take this time to congratulate Mrs. Myer on her move to Principal at John Galt P.S. in Guelph. We welcome Mrs. Robertson into the role as Vice Principal and Resource starting February 6th. We had our annual Move-a-thon on January 31st

to raise funds for our playground structures. All students participated by dancing with their class in the gym. The theme was “Flashy and Formal”! Students were definitely dressed in their best flashy and formal wear and fun was had by all! A huge Brisbane thank you goes to Janet Groves for her flashy DJ skills and the parent volunteers for their help organizing this event, which is a big fundraiser for our school. Our goal was to raise $8000 to put towards a new playground structure. We met our goal and raised, $8352.60 and therefore our top fundraising students in Primary and Junior will get to throw a whip cream pie in Mrs. Myer’s face! Way to go Brisbane!!

Helping Your Child Succeed We look forward to reading about all the progress and areas of need for report cards. Please remember to continue to support your child’s learning by reading with them daily for 10-30 minutes in English to support language skills. Ask questions during the story such as “What do you think is going to happen next? Who is your favourite character? Why?” Continue to promote thinking asking questions of what happened during the text. Please remember that in French Immersion, we don’t start English instruction until grade 3 so parents are expected to help with language support at home. Merci beaucoup! If you are looking for great ways to engage your child in literacy please click on the following link. http://abclifeliteracy.ca/fld/15-minutes-of-fun

Report Cards

Report cards are scheduled to go home to parents

on February 15th 2016. Page 1 of the report card

(Grades 1-6) describes the Learning Skills and

Work habits that are associated with academic and

social success. The comments in this section of the

report offer suggestions for setting Term 2 goals.

Please review these comments carefully with your

child and celebrate the success they have

demonstrated in school.

Pages 2 and 3 of the report card deal with achievement. Please note that a “B” means that your child is meeting the provincial expectations

and a “C” means that he/she is approaching the provincial standard. If you have concerns or questions about your child’s report card, please contact your child’s teacher.

Programs at Brisbane

Chess Club has started up for primary and junior students. The club is working really hard to be ready for a county- wide tournament in Aberfoyle in April! We have a beginner and intermediate program. Thanks for Mr. Ferguson and Mr. Siegel for running these awesome programs!

Junior volleyball started and the tournament is February 15th at Erin P.S. Thanks to Mme. Sharma, Mrs. Geddes and Mlle. Humberstone for organizing the tournament and helping to coach the students! Mme. Zumbach will be getting the choir going again this month with a focus on having the students perform at the Dufferin Youth Festival of Arts that takes place in Orangeville.

Waste Audit Thank you to Mme Gagnon and the Waste Audit Team for sorting and weighing a day’s worth of waste. We had 24.6 kg’s of garbage, 43.1% of our waste was properly recycled so it can be made into something else and 28 trees were saved and recycled!! Bravo Brisbane!! Our daily student average of garbage produced is 6.7 kg and our daily student average of recyclable materials produced is 5.1 kg, let’s try to have our recyclables out weigh our garbage by our next waste audit!! Safety Issues

At Brisbane, we practice “safe hands, safe feet” to prevent students from pushing each other and causing injury. We ask that you review this expectation with your children so that we can keep children safe and secure while playing outside.

Sometimes students get too caught up in ‘the game’ and become aggressive, and/or respond to accidents in an aggressive way. Please help us in reinforcing the “Safe Hands, Safe Feet” expectation and review ways to deal with anger, frustration, and stress. Let your children know that we expect them to be kind, compassionate, and caring.

If they experience or witness an act of bullying, or possible bullying, at school they should seek immediate help from an adult.

Please help us reduce aggression in schools by educating your children about the negative effects of violent videos, music, computer games, and television programs. Help your children be more informed and critical users of media. Brisbane P.S. students are wonderful ambassadors for their school and community. We want to ensure this continues.

Report Bullying

We take all incidents of bullying seriously. If your child is the victim of bullying or sees bullying behavior at school, please encourage

him/her to speak with someone at school or use our board’s online reporting tool. Report Bullying gives students and parents 24/7 access for reporting bullying. You don’t have to identify yourself – just your school – and your message gets sent directly to the school principal for follow-up. You’ll find the Report Bullying button on our school’s website Black History Month Every year Canadians are invited to take part in the festivities and events that honour the legacy of black Canadians, past and present, during Black History Month. Black History Month exists to remind us all of the rich contributions within our society from people of African and Caribbean descent, and of their ongoing struggle for equity and social justice. This is a time to celebrate the many achievements and contributions of black

Canadians who, throughout history, have done so much to make Canada the culturally diverse, compassionate and prosperous nation we know today. It is also an opportunity for the majority of Canadians to learn about the experiences of black Canadians in our society, and the vital role this community has played throughout our shared history. If you would like to learn or talk more with your child about Black History Month visit the Citizenship and Immigration website at: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/multiculturalism/blac k/index.asp

School Council School Council is a great way to be involved in the school community and make a positive contribution to your child’s education. Council meetings are held the second Tuesday of each month. Our next meeting is Tuesday February 7 th

@ 7:15p.m. in the library. All are welcome!

Winter Weather

Please remember that students need to wear appropriate clothing for outdoor recesses, DPA and Physical

Education (gloves, scarves, boots, snow pants, etc.) Please review the snowball and snow fort expectations with your child. There is no throwing of snow/snowballs. Also snow forts and sculptures are to be enjoyed during recess. Students should not destroy each other’s creations and they are to be shared. Please ask your children to check the lost and found box, located in the front foyer of the school for missing clothes. The main foyer is open to parents until 5:30 p.m. Feel free to drop by the school and check the “lost and found” box for missing items.

Upcoming Events: February 7

th School Council 15th Reports go home 15th Volleyball Tournament 20

th Family Day

Inclement Weather and Transportation When you hear the radio announcement, “All school taxis and buses in Centre Wellington and the Town of Erin will not be operating today”- your child’s bus or taxi is cancelled and the school is open. During inclement weather, please listen to: Erin Radio 91.7 FM; 1460 AM CJOY; 106.1 Magic FM; Oldies 1090 AM; 99.1 FM CBC; 105.3 Kool FM; Newstalk 570 AM; 96.7 FM CHYM; or, watch CKCO-TV. These stations will announce cancellations.

Bus cancellations are also reported on the Board website after 6:30 a.m. at: www.ugdsb.on.ca and on Twitter @STWDSTS

If you are at home with your children, consider checking out the following websites that are focused on learning and fun at the same time.

Nrich Maths: http://nrich.math.org/public/index.php

Discover Kids: http://kids.discovery.com National Geographic for Kids http://kidds.nationalgeographic.com

French Websites http://tfo.org/

Be sure to check out the Brisbane Public School web site (http://www.ugdsb.on.ca/brisbane) as well as UG2Go (www.ugdsb.on.ca) for additional fun and educational websites and activities.

Students use the same user names and passwords to get in the UG2GO site as they do at school.

Physical Activity Can Make You Smarter? Yep! It’s true! We have heard a lot about how exercise is important for children to remain healthy but research from Harvard Medical School (and many other studies) has shown that children do better in school if they get plenty of exercise. As it turns out, exercise has a positive influence on concentration, memory, behaviour, sequencing, and making priorities. According to one study in the Journal of Pediatrics, “school-age youth should participate daily in 60 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous physical activity that is developmentally appropriate, enjoyable, and involves a variety of activities”.

Other studies have found that even 20 minutes of activity such as walking can increase brain functioning. There are so many fun physical activities to do in the winter, tobogganing, skating, snow-shoeing, hockey. Why not build a snow man, a snow fort or make snow angels? Whatever you and your family decide it is important for children to exercise every day, the more, the better. It’s good for the brain and the body! (Information adapted from Journal of Pediatrics, Edutopia, Everydayhealth.com and Globe and Mail online)

John Howard Society – Bully Prevention

The bullying prevention program offered by the John Howard Society looks at each of the individuals involved in a bullying situation and the choices they must make.

The program has been designed to empower students, provide them with more detailed knowledge of the causes and effects related to bullying and increase accountability for our actions and choices.

This program will be starting on February 14th with our Junior students. Thanks to our CYC, Mr. Lyons for helping to organize this program.

Forest of Reading & Silver Birch

The Forest of Reading and Silver Birch Club are up and running again at Brisbane. Grades K-2 students will have the opportunity to read the Blue Spruce and Prix Peuplier books in their classrooms with their teachers. All classes who participate will be eligible to vote for their favourite book on our super fun VOTING DAY in April. Grades 3-6 students have been invited to join the Silver Birch Club which meets at second recess on Wednesdays. A huge thank you to parent council for helping to keep this wonderful program running each year. If you are available Wednesday afternoons to help with the club meetings please contact Mme Humberstone at dhumberstone@ugcloud.ca

Engaging Your Child in Science at Home!

As parents we have the wonderful opportunity and

responsibility for nurturing our children’s

growth. Parents play a key role in the physical,

emotional, and intellectual development of their

child. As parents we can usually find time to read a

story to our children, thereby instilling a love of

literature, but we are often at a loss as to how to

instill a love and appreciation for Science. Science

encourages problem solving skills, curiosity and

questioning, creative and critical thinking,

observational skills and reinforces both literacy and

math skills….and it’s FUN! Here are some ideas for

fostering Scientific skills in your children.

Salmon are Back!

Our salmon came in last week and the local species

awareness team of Brisbane’s Earth Heroes will be

taking care of them; watching for eggs to hatch in

the upcoming weeks; monitoring the temperature.

It is our 3rd year participating in Ontario’s Bring Back

the Salmon reintroduction project. We look forward

to teaching our students about the salmon program!

6 Tips to foster Scientific Thinking at Home

1-See science everywhere. Parents can take opportunities to ask "What would happen if …?" questions or

present brainteasers to encourage children to be curious and seek out answers. Children need to know that

science isn't just a subject, but it is a way of understanding the world around us.

2-Lead family discussions on science-related topics. Dinnertime might be an ideal time for your family to have

discussions about news stories that are science based, like space shuttle missions, severe weather conditions, or

new medical breakthroughs. Over time, children will develop a better understanding of science and how it

affects many facets of our lives. Movies and TV shows with science-related storylines are also great topics for

discussion.

3-Encourage girls and boys equally. Many girls are left out of challenging activities simply because of their

gender. Be aware that both girls and boys need to be encouraged and exposed to a variety of subjects at a very

early age.

4-Do science together. Children, especially elementary-age children, learn better by investigating and

experimenting. Simple investigations done together in the home can bolster what your child is learning in the

classroom. Check with your child's teacher on what your child is currently learning in class and what activities

you can explore at home.

5-Connect science with a family vacation. Family vacations are a great way to explore science. It could be a

hiking trip where you explore nature or a discussion on tides during a beach vacation.

6-Show excitement for Science!

Reference:

"NSTA Science Matters: Tips for Busy Parents - National Science ...."

http://www.nsta.org/sciencematters/tips.aspx.

Talking About Mental Health

February 2017 Tests and Stress

Taking tests is stressful for most students. However, there are lots of ways

that your child and youth (and you!) can decrease the stress related to tests.

Anticipate stress and be ready for it.

Practice relaxing activities every day so during stressful times you already know

how to cope.

Eat well

Learning and remembering takes a lot of energy. Keep healthy snacks close by so

you can refuel easily with what your body needs to feel good and think clearly.

Sleep

During sleep, our brains make connections and consolidate our learning. Research

has shown that during sleep, our brain cleans out toxins to allow for more

learning to occur the next day.

Drink lots of water

Hydration is very important for good brain function. Cut down on caffeine, which

contributes to the stress response and to poor sleep.

Move

Activity increases energy, stimulates brain growth and increases mood. Take

regular active breaks; even 5 minutes of walking outdoors can make a difference.

Pause and relax

Take time to relax. Do some deep breathing. Listen to music. Meditate. Go

outside. Write in a journal. Do some stretches. Go for a walk. Draw or doodle.

http://youth.anxietybc.com/relaxation has some great examples of how to relax.

Connect

Talk to your friends.

Talk to your parent or a caring adult about how you are feeling.

At school, you can talk to your teacher, principal or CYC for support.

Laugh!

Laughter is a great release and allows our brains to recharge and reset.

Dr. Lynn Woodford is the Mental Health Lead for the Upper Grand District School Board.

Follow me on Twitter @drlynnwoodford.

Monthly Environmental Activities to help celebrate our planet

February 2nd is National Sweater Day!

It is vital to teach our children to respect and take care of the environment.

Celebrate International Sweater Day on February 2nd!

“National Sweater Day is a fun way to learn about the importance of saving energy and to inspire you to use less heat all winter. Heating accounts for 80% of residential energy use in Canada and is a significant source of emissions. If all Canadians lowered their thermostats by just 2 degrees Celsius this winter, it would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by about 4 megatons – that’s equivalent to shutting down a 600 mega watt coal-fired power station or taking nearly 700,000 cars off the road!” http://www.wwf.ca/events/sweater_day/

“National Sweater Day is about valuing energy. It’s a chance to think differently about how we

use energy, where our energy comes from and how we can play an important role in fighting

climate change by using energy wisely, not wastefully. It is designed to help raise awareness

about renewable energy and change behaviours around energy consumption in Canada.” --

World Wildlife Fund Canada

Ideas for your family to celebrate Sweater Day!

Turn down your thermostat and wear a sweater!

Ask your children to brainstorm with you about ways to save energy at home.

Make a pledge to implement as many as you can.

Research the differences between climate and weather. Ask your child to

characterize some different climate types (polar, tropical, coastal, etc.).

Read a children’s book on conservation such as: Why Should I Save Energy? by

Jen Green. Encourage lots of discussion and questions.

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner - use recycled materials to create a

your cards this year!