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September 2018

Love, Service, Peace, Excellence

Administrator’s Message

WELCOME BACK!

It is with great pleasure and excitement that we welcome both new and return-ing students, staff, and families to another school year. The staff has been hard at work planning, preparing curriculum materials, and creating faith-filled and welcoming learn-ing environments for all our students. Thank you to our custodial staff for their many hours of work over the summer - the school looks wonderful! Our secretarial staff, Ms. Cifa and Mrs. Cameron, have also worked countless hours to ensure that the 2018/2019 school year will be a great success – their commitment and dedication to St. Bernard of Clairvaux are both a gift and blessing to our school.

We would like to welcome back teachers and staff who are returning this year as well as staff who are brand new to our school. You will find a complete staff list in this newsletter

As a new school year begins, we are looking forward to working with all par-ents, students and staff as, together, we embrace the task of guiding students on the path of learning and achievement. As we move forward in the coming days and weeks, we welcome your input and involvement in the learning of your children. If you have any questions, feel free to contact your child(ren)’s teacher(s) or the office.

Together in Faith,

I. Sauvé P. Krolewski

“Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” ~ Matthew 17:21

St. Bernard of Clairvaux 3345 Escada Dr. Mississauga, ON L5M 7V5

Tel. 905-542-9203

Prayer for a New School Year

Dear God, Thank you for the gift of education in every form.

As our children prepare to start a new year May confidence be their foundation,

May grace be their guide and May hope be their compass toward a bright future.

I pray they would have eyes to see the needs of those around them and a heart to love well.

May they face each day with positivity knowing that no matter what comes their way

They do not have to face it alone. Amen.

From Your Catholic School Trustee Esther O’Toole

Welcome back! To new students and parents welcome to your new school. It is our hope that you will feel very welcomed at your school and will know that you can ask questions of your teachers, administrators or administrative assistants. We are so pleased that you have chosen a Catholic school for your child’s education. My children were educated in Catholic schools and so I know the remarkable benefits of a Catholic education.

To our new secondary students, I do hope that you will take the opportunity to join teams and clubs which I know will enhance your education at your school. Your four years will fly by so make each day count. Secondary parents are welcome to attend school council meetings and school events.

For those of you who are new to our schools, I would like to provide some information to help you understand Dufferin-Peel and our structures. First, as your elected Catholic trustee, knowing my communities is so crucial to my part in the decision making process at the Board of Trustees’ table. There is a long tradition in Dufferin-Peel of trustees being very knowledgeable about their communities and advocating for their students. And that happens because we visit our schools and speak to parents, students and staff.

As I visit school council meetings, I share important information with parents so that they are informed of the issues, pressures and great things happening in our Catholic schools today. I encourage you to attend your Catholic School Council meetings and in fact, put your name forward to be a voting member of your council. You will find information in your school office. I will endeavour to update you on information important to you by way of this newsletter.

Trustees are elected in the municipal elections every four years. There are eleven Dufferin-Peel Trustees. In total we serve 150 schools (124 elementary and 26 secondary). A new elementary school will open in January in Brampton to bring that number to 151. We have 11,000 employees and we are one of the largest employers in the region. We bus 20,000 students every day. We serve 81, 217 students in Mississauga, Brampton, Bolton, Caledon, Orangeville and Dufferin County. We will confirm our enrolment count in October. We work with 46 churches and missions and are blessed to have so many priests who work with our schools as partners. We are 100% EcoSchools certified. We have one of the highest graduation rates in Ontario and our students have exceeded provincial expectations in EQAO test scores in most areas.

This year our operating budget is $1.0 billion. We are totally funded by the Ministry of Education in what are referred to as Grants for Student Needs or GSN’s which are based on a per pupil amount. More will be explained in future newsletters. We do have shortfalls in our funding especially in the area of Special Education. Dufferin-Peel continues to have a strong commitment to our students who are diverse learners and so we move funding from other un-sweatered budget lines to support the shortfall. We will see what the new government provides in terms of the funding formula.

Many parents ask us about busing and why we do not have busing for certain programs. We simply do not have the funding. If we had it, we would be delighted to bus more students especially in our programs like French Immersion and Regional Schools. But we want to continue to offer these amazing programs and so we do. Busing is provided through a consortium for Peel and Dufferin-Peel. All busing is managed by STOPR. We continue to support courtesy busing which is decided upon in October once all the eligible riders are settled in. More information can be found on our Dufferin-Peel web site at www.dpcdsb.org

I am so proud to be Dufferin-Peel trustee and despite the many challenges, our schools provide quality educational opportunities in a Catholic environment for all of our students. Much thanks to our Catholic School Councils who have a long tradition of supporting student achievement. Again, please try to attend your Catholic School Council meetings as you will learn firsthand about all the great things happening in your children’s schools.

Your trustees are working on the Dufferin-Peel’s Multi- Year Strategic Plan. Many parents have had an opportunity to give input into that plan. Our work continues. I wish you all the best for this school year. Please do not hesitate to call if you have questions or concerns.

All the best and may God bless you always.

Sincerely,

Trustee Esther O’Toole 905-812-5163 Esther.otoole@dpcdsb.org

St Bernard of Clairvaux

Catholic Elementary

School

Principal Mrs. Isabel Sauvé

Vice-Principal

Mr. Peter Krolewski

Head Secretary Ms. Nadia Cifa

Assistant Secretary Mrs. Bonnie Cameron

Parish

St. Josephine Bakhita

3200 Thomas Street

Pastor– Father Mark Villaneuva

Tel: 289-997-2105

Trustee

Esther O’Toole Tel: 905-812-5163

Dufferin-Peel CDSB

Personnel

Director of Education: Marianne Mazzorato

Associate Director,

Instructional Services David Amaral

Associate Director, Corporate Services,

Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer

Daniel del Bianco

Superintendent: Mrs. Silvana Gos

905-890-1221

YMCA

Coordinator: Ms. Alicia Vetros

647-267-2400

Catholic School Council

WELCOME BACK! We hope our new and returning families had a

wonderful summer.

Your Catholic School Council (CSC) is already hard at work organizing

many initiatives for this school year. These include:

Lunch Programs

As parents, your CSC is sympathetic to the challenges of preparing

tasty, interesting and healthy school lunches every day. That’s why

we are happy to share several lunch options for students and staff

beginning the first week of October. Specifically,

LunchBox Orders (Tuesdays)

Pizza Day (Wednesdays)

Kidssentials (Thursdays)

Additional information will be sent home the week of September 17th.

Kernels Popcorn Fundraising Campaign

This school year we will be selling Kernels fresh popcorn to

raise funds for student and school resources. As in previous

years, we will offer the opt-out donation program in advance

of the campaign launch. Please be reminded that participation

is optional.

Additional information will be shared later in September.

Volunteers

It takes many people to run the numerous initiatives in a school of this size. From our weekly lunch programs to dances, to Spring Fling and everything in between -- CSC needs your help!

Please consider lending a hand if you can spare an hour or two each week. To participate: 1)Ensure you have a valid Criminal Reference Check (CRC) or Declaration on file in the school office; and, 2) Indicate your preference(s) on the letters that will be sent home later this month.

2018/2019 Catholic School Council

Have you considered joining our Catholic School Council? We are a unique group of parents and

guardians who share a passion for Catholic education and student success. Each Council term

runs from September to September (we break during the summer months). If you’re interested

in meeting new people and joining a dynamic group to support our school community,

please contact the school office for a nomination form.

Final 2017/2018 CSC Meeting

The final meeting for the 2017/2018 Catholic School Council will take place on Wednesday, Sep-

tember 19, 2018 at 6:30pm in the school library. All parents and guardians are welcome. We

hope to see you there!

St. Bernard of Clairvaux Catholic Elementary School Staff

2018 - 2019

FDK-A—F. Castelo & D. Corvinelli FDK-B— L. Childerhose & T. Schnarr

FDK-C—S. Ruta, M. Daminato & A. Potocnik FDK-D— N. Palmateer, N. Trudeau & C. Ager-Smyth

Gr. 1A— P. Bunde-van Kooten & C. Flynn Gr. 1B— A. Mauricette-Skyers & B. Penaloza

Gr. 1C— K. Guimaraes Gr. 2A—W. Manne

Gr. 2B—J. Craig Gr. 2C—E. DiChiara & K. Rose

Gr. 3A—C. Matos Gr. 3B—M. LeBrun

Gr. 3C— J. Anisko-Clutton Gr. 3D—S. DeMedeiros

Gr. 4A—R. Tomas-Zahhar Gr. 4B—A. Boles

Gr. 4/5A— M. Dorscht Gr. 5A—J. Magallanes-dela Cruz

Gr. 5B—L. Vitale Gr. 6A—L. Wilson Gr. 6B—J. Szafer

Gr. 6C—W. Hannah Gr. 7A—R. Bagley Gr. 7B—E. Gegeny Gr. 7C—C. Macri

Gr. 8A—S. Mooney Gr. 8B—C. O’Neill Gr. 8C—K. Salema

Needs Moderate/Needs Severe Class—J. Medeiros, F. Panetta, A. Marchese, S. Slatter, M. Daoud Special Education Resource Class—J. Kostoff

Special Education: D. Putzu, M. Dietz, A. Androulakis, J. Kostoff English as a Second Language: C. Androulakis, J. Larson

French as a Second Language: S. Fabbri, J. Larson, L. Cosentino/LTO Planning Time: M. Gibson, J. Larson, S. Brown, J. Antezza/LTO, T. Marano

Teacher-Librarian—T. Marano Technical Support—R. Bhattia

Speech-Language Pathologist—L. Mausser Psychological Associate—A. Stubbs Child & Youth Worker— H. Scobie

Social Worker—G. Grant Head Custodian—M. Calvan; Evening Custodians—Z. Reyes, E. Augustin; Evening Cleaner—D. Giove

Head Secretary—N. Cifa Assistant Secretary—B. Cameron

Vice-Principal—P. Krolewski Principal—I. Sauvé

School Schedule

8:45 a.m. Instructional day begins 10:11 a.m. Morning Recess 11:49 a.m. Lunch & Midday Recess 12:49 p.m. Afternoon instruction begins 2:12 p.m. Afternoon Recess 3:15 p.m. Dismissal

NOTE: It is important that ALL students begin their day of learning with their classmates. Parents/guardians are asked to ensure that students are ON TIME for school everyday. Morning announcements, prayers, and O Canada begin promptly at 8:55am. Students should already be in classes at this time.

Class Placements

With the Ministry of Education’s goal of reducing class sizes we, at times, find ourselves in a situation, where due to the enrollment, combined classrooms have to be created. New registrations have contin-ued throughout this past week. We ask for your patience as we work to accommodate all of our families and students within our school community. There may be a need to reorganize classes due to the enroll-ment. If this needs to occur it would be done on the P.A. Day scheduled for Friday September 14, 2018 If your child’s class is affected, further information will be forwarded to you. Our teachers are well-trained in working with students of various abilities and skills. Whether a straight grade or a combined class, they provide opportunities for students to work in large groups, in smaller designed groups, as well as directly one to one with their teacher. Throughout much of the curriculum, the skills, process and overall concepts taught are similar, varying in depth and breadth of the information presented. We will work as a school team to do all we can to meet the needs of all our students. We would encourage all parents to maintain communication with their child’s teacher throughout the year so that together we can work to help each child reach their potential.

For more information about combined grades see: http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/parents/combinedClassrooms/index.html

School Hours and Dropping off Students

School begins at 8:45 a.m. Teachers will be on duty beginning at 8:30 a.m. Therefore, please do not drop off your children at school before 8:30, as no supervision is available. This also applies dur-ing inclement weather days.

Attendance & Reporting Student Absences

Daily attendance and punctuality are very important. You are kindly asked to call the school on the days your child will be absent. This is a safety precaution that can save precious mo-

ments should there ever be an emergency situation. We thank you for your continued support in fol-lowing this procedure. Please continue to report student absences to the school office by calling 905-542-9203 and pressing 1 for attendance. Please indicate the date, your child’s name, teacher and grade when leaving a message.

Lunch Time Routines & Student Lunch Drop-off

Lunch begins at 11:49am. Parents/guardians who are dropping off lunches are asked to bring lunches ready for pickup from the Lunch Table by 11:35am. Please place your child’s lunch on the front foyer lunch table and label it with your child’s name using the labels provided. FDK lunches are placed in the bins labeled with the classroom teacher’s name. Gr. 8 Students will

come to pick up the lunches and deliver them to students at the bell.

We kindly ask parents not to stand in the foyer waiting for their children with their lunches, because again we are trying to con-trol and identify the people who enter our school. We also strongly encourage all parents to have their children help in packing a lunch the night before. This helps to minimize the traffic in and out of our school.

Students have 20 minutes to eat lunch. Therefore, it is important that students are given the opportunity to have their full 20 minutes to eat without rushing to do so. Parents who drop off lunches and keep students from returning to class to eat in a timely manner cut short the time their child needs to have the break they need before the afternoon classes begin. Parents are kindly asked to keep their interactions with their child short, to keep in alignment with school routines and to support good social growth and the building of relationships. We thank you in advance for your support and cooperation!

Student Illness

Students who are ill should be kept home where

they are most comfortable and can get better,

sooner. A child who is too ill to go out for re-

cess is too ill to be at school. Your co-operation

to keep your child home when he/she is ill is

greatly appreciated.

KISS AND RIDE PROGRAM

‘n’

Please follow these guidelines when using the

Kiss and Ride program at St. Bernard of

Clairvaux:

The Do’s:

Children are to be dropped off or picked up, using the drop off lane between the hours of 8:30 - 8:45 am and 3:15 – 3:30 pm. Due to the high volume of cars, and dependent on weather conditions, please consider arriving early.

As cars enter the school driveway, please proceed in a slow and cautious manner, around the perimeter of our parking lot. If you are parking, you can enter the parking lot and turn left into the lot. All traffic will flow in one direction. The drop off and pick up lane is directly in front of the kindergarten yard. Students are not dropped off or picked up in front of the school. This lane is reserved for buses only.

Please drive up to the very top of the kiss and ride lane to drop off and pick up your children to facilitate a steady flow of traffic.

Children are to exit the car in a safe and careful manner, with their backpacks ready to avoid a long wait time in the drop off lane. Children are to exit the vehicle on the right side of the car, onto the landing, for safety purposes and proceed to the school.

Cars are to exit the driveway in a slow and cautious manner and must turn right in order to ease the flow of traffic.

Cars may park in the parking lot in available spaces only.

The Dont’s: Do not turn left into the parking lot upon entering the school. Please follow the designated

route outlined on the asphalt. Do not double park in the parking lot Cars are not to enter the Kiss and Ride drop-off lane with any speed-they must proceed in a

very slow and cautious manner. Do not park or leave your vehicle unattended in the Kiss and Ride Lanes. Cars are not to stop at the turn point of the driveway and let children out-this is a very

dangerous and unsafe practice. It also causes a back log of cars. Please do not attempt to move into the drop-off lane from the drive thru lane. Under no circumstances are cars to access the bus lane or park in the bus lane; if you need

to enter the school, please use the parking lot.

LIFE THREATENING ALLERGIES September 2018 Dear Parents/Guardians, Welcome back to another school year. As we begin this year, in order to create a safe environment for all students, the issue of allergies must be addressed. As you are already aware, nut allergies are more common among children, and have life-threatening consequences for many students who suffer from this allergy. In order to keep every child safe, we are asking that you please refrain from sending nut related products to school in your child's lunch. This includes Nutella and WOW Butter. We hope that this does not cause too many difficulties for you and your family, but we are sure you can understand the need to ensure that all children feel safe in our school community. Very soon we will be updating our school community regarding any other life threatening allergies which we need to be aware of in order to collectively maintain a safe environment for all of our students. It is important for parents to read the packages and check the ingredients of the items you may purchase for your child’s lunch. This may seem like an inconvenience, but we are sure you would agree that the health and safety of our students is the responsibility of everyone in our school community. We look forward to your cooperation in making the coming year a safe one for all of our pupils. Yours truly, I. Sauvé P. Krolewski Principal Vice-Principal

St. Bernard of Clairvaux Catholic Elementary School

3345 Escada Drive Mississauga, Ontario L5M 7V5 Telephone: 905-542-9203 Fax: 905-542-9207

Website: www.dpcdsb.org/BRNRD

Busing and Courtesy Seat Policy

STOPR (Student Transportation of Peel Region) STOPR is providing bus transportation services for the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board. The STOPR website address is www.stopr.ca. This website provides access to up to date information regarding delayed buses and bus cancellations due to inclement weather. To check for eligibility for transportation, please access the STOPR website or call them at 905-890-6000. Students in grades JK to grade 1 must have a bus tag to ride the bus. These have been distributed to students. Please complete the transportation confirmation letters that have been sent home and return to the school as soon as possible.

Students who do not meet the eligibility requirements may apply for a seat in accordance with the “Courtesy Seat policy”. If you are interested in the Courtesy Seat policy for your child please submit your request in writing to the school office. Courtesy Seats (if available) will not be distributed until mid to late October. Please contact the school if you have any busing inquiries or requests. Courtesy seats will be offered to younger students first. Please note that if more families move into the area, who qualify for bus-ing, there may be a need to rescind the offer to make room for those students that qualify for busing. For further questions, please don’t hesitate to contact STOPR directly.

Kiss & Ride

You may enter the school and go through kiss and ride or turn left into the parking lot to park. Attached you will find a flyer indicating all the Do’s and Don’t’s for how to effectively use the Kiss & Ride program. Students are to proceed into the school yard ad-jacent the kindergarten yard upon arrival. We ask all parents to please review these procedures and if we all work together we will create a safe environment for all of our students. Remember always SAFETY FIRST. Thank you for continued cooperation and support!

Hepatitis B, Men. C and

Human Papillomavirus Vaccine (HPV) Each year, Peel Health vaccinates Gr. 7 & 8 students. The

first round of vaccinations will take place on November 6th . More information and permission forms will be forwarded to

parents once received by the school.

Student Accident Insurance

Please examine the student insurance information sent to you.

Please check the acknowledgement receipt of this brochure

on the Physical Education Form being sent home by your

child’s teacher. Parents may send the completed forms directly

to the insurance company if they wish coverage. In addition, the

Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board does not provide

accident insurance coverage for student injuries that occur

on school premises or during school activities.

You may purchase coverage for your child at

www.insuremykids.com or by calling toll free at 1-800-463-KIDS

(5437). Information about Student Accident Insurance will be

available to parents/guardians on the Board’s Internet Main Page

under the header “Students and Parents.”

Student Emergency Information

Your child will be receiving a

package which contains a num-

ber of forms requiring your atten-

tion. Of particular importance is

the Information Verification

Form. We ask that you take a

few minutes and check over this

information to ensure that it is

accurate. Please make any chang-

es needed directly onto the sheet and return to your child’s

teacher this week. Please add area codes for all phone num-

bers. There is also a section on the form that must be filled

out if you would like to receive school communication via e-

mail. ALL SHEETS NEED TO BE RETURNED TO THE

SCHOOL as soon as possible, even if there are no correc-

tions needed. It is very important that we have accurate

phone numbers and emergency contact persons in case we

need to contact you in an emergency.

Concussion Protocol

As per Ministry of Education direction, our Board has a Concussion

Protocol in place. Again this school year, ALL students who sustain a

head injury during the school day, however minor, will receive a

Concussions Are Serious pamphlet to take home. We ask parents/

guardians to review this pamphlet and seek medical attention for

your son/daughter if you feel it is required. As in previous years,

all head injuries will be logged and reported to parents/guardians

directly. We ask that you please inform the school as soon as possi-

ble if and when your son/daughter sustains a concussion as a result

of a school incident or as a result of an activity outside of school. Questions or concerns regarding this new policy

should be directed to the Main Office. Your cooperation and assistance in this regard are appreciated.

Eco School Message

As we begin a new school year, we continue to have the opportunity to be a part of a successful Ontario Eco Schools Program. The program aims to develop environment education and action within our community. We have improved upon our work every year starting with Bronze in our first year, followed by two Silver years and we have now attained a Gold level status, which re-flects the tremendous dedication and enthusiasm of our school. We are looking forward to another amazing year.

Tips For An Eco-Friendly Back to School

Reusable Water Bottles: Avoid all of the wasteful plastic and pollution that is created from single use plastic water bottles. The tap water in our schools is safe, tasty and free! Help us turn our throw-away culture into a culture of conservation.

Active and Safe Routes to School: It is encouraged that if you live close enough, and are able to, consider walk-ing with your child to school or allowing your child to ride a bike to and from school by following the Walk to School Route signs posted in the neighborhood. This will encourage a healthy and active living for all.

Paper Usage: Consider implementing a GOOS (Good On One Side) bin in your home to ensure that paper is used on both sides. Check notebooks from last year to see if they contain empty pages and can be used again.

Idle Free Zone: If you will be dr iving your child to and from school, please keep in mind that idling cars are harmful to the lungs of our students and our planet. Please turn off your car while waiting. Help us keep our air clean.

We will keep you informed over the course of the year as initiatives are being implemented and update you on our progress.

Newsletter Distribution

St. Bernard of Clairvaux Newsletters are available on our school website.

Newsletters are posted by the first Friday of the month. Help us reduce our

carbon footprint by accessing the newsletter online rather than requiring a

paper copy.

We will be forwarding communication (ie. Newsletters, letters, etc.) to parents/

guardians via email. Communication via email will be sent to households that have provided us with their email

addresses and have completed the Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) Consent Form. If you have not pro-

vided the office with your email address and would like to receive school information via email, please contact

the main office to be added to the distribution list.

Volunteers Needed!

Are you interested in volunteering at

St. Bernard of Clairvaux? Our volun-

teers support programs and activities at the school. We appreciate and rely on parents who can

devote a small portion of their time to help. You may pick up a volunteer form and a Criminal Reference Check

Form at the school office. People who volunteer in schools and attend tr ips are required to have completed

Criminal Reference Checks, which can be picked up from our school office and taken to Police Headquarters

listed on the form. Once the form is completed, your volunteer service can begin. We look forward to working

with you for the betterment and support of all students.

Student Agendas Once again this year, teachers have distributed agendas to the students in grades 1-8 that are used to

develop their organizational skills as well as facilitate communication regarding homework, deadlines

and special events. Please take some time to look over the agenda with your child, it is filled with use-

ful information, including the Catholic Code of Conduct. It is particularly important to emphasize that

the agenda is to be used daily to assist your child in organizing his/her time and to keep parents informed as to what

is happening in class and in the school. It is a great vehicle to jot down a short note to the teacher and the teacher can

respond in the same way. A letter will be sent home with your child(ren) with more information.

Before & After School Care: YMCA

Please be informed that we have the YMCA providing child care before and after school. For details you

may contact the school to speak with their staff or contact the YMCA program directly by calling 647-

267-2400. Drop off before 8:30 a.m. and Pick up after 3:30 p.m. will be through the FDK doors.

Bikes, Scooters and Rollerblades: Safety First

A safety reminder to all students that bikes, scooters and roller blades are to be walked both on and off the school

property. Bikes are to be locked in the bike racks. We do not have facilities to store or secure roller blades or

scooters, so there is an added risk of damage or theft and they are not encouraged to be brought to school. The

school is not responsible for these items. Your cooperation is appreciated.

St. Bernard of Clairvaux is

on TWITTER!

Follow us

@StBernardDPCDSB

You can also follow us on Twitter at

@DPCDSBSchools

Our School Website

We have updated our website. This site

will be continually updated and has in-

formation for parents regarding school calendar information,

newsletters and school updates. Visit www.dpcdsb.org and

link onto the Elementary site at St. Bernard of Clairvaux

Catholic Elementary School @ www.dpcdsb.org/BRND.

A special thank you to Mrs. Marano & Mrs. Anisko-Clutton

for overseeing this site. TERRY FOX WALK/RUN

Our annual Terry Fox Run will take place

in on Friday, September 21, 2018. More

details about this important event will

follow. Thank you to Mrs. Gibson for organizing this

event!

Picture Day Classroom and individual student photos will be

on Wednesday, October 24th. Photo retakes are on November 12th.

No Child Without MedicAlert Program

This program offers a free MedicAlert membership to students who attend our school and are between the ages of 4 to 14. If

your child has a medical condition, allergy or is required

to take medication on a regular basis, then you should

consider a MedicAlert membership through this program.

For further information pick up a brochure at the school

office, or visit www.nochildwithout.ca. If your child is al-

ready part of the program but his/her medical condition

or contact information has changed, call 1-866-679-3220.

Safety First The safety of all children is a primary concern. All schools have a buzzer entry system. All visitors, including parents must come to the office through the front door, ring the buzzer and await a re-sponse. In doing so, we will be able to welcome you, ask you to sign in and wear a visitor tag while in the building. Not only with this process help to keep our students safe, it will allow our staff to get to know parents more quickly. We thank you for your cooperation in this very important protocol. In instances where your child is picked up early from school, we will verify that the person picking up the child is an authorized person for pick up. Photo identification will be required for individuals not

on the authorized list, whom parents request a special pickup.

Custody of Children On occasion we are faced with difficult situations in which non-custodial parents arrive at school asking to visit with their child or take their child our of school. In order to assist us in making correct decisions in order to serve and protect each child, we ask that you make the office aware of any legal custody arrangements, visitation rights and special instructions that have been agreed upon. Please note that we require legal documentation of these arrange-ments, not merely a not a note from a parent.

Allergies and Anaphylaxis

St. Bernard of Clairvaux is an allergen aware school. We have a number of students in our school who have severe allergic life

threatening reactions to peanuts, peanut butter, peanut oils, any peanut/nut by-products and dairy products. As in the past,

we are asking you to not put any child at risk, therefore, are requesting that TREE NUTS, PEANUTS, PEANUT BUTTER, PEANUT

OILS, ANY PEANUT/NUT BY-PRODUCTS NOT BE BROUGHT INTO THE SCHOOL. WE ASK THAT YOU READ THE LABELS OF ALL

FOOD ITEMS SENT TO SCHOOL. A letter will be sent home which will address this issue for each particular class. We are asking

parents not to send food items to school when celebrating your child’s birthday since there are many non-food alternatives

such as pencils, stickers, etc. We thank you for your continued understanding and support for safety of all our students.

Storage/Administration of Medication

Parents are responsible for ensuring that all medication and forms are updated annually. If

your child requires medication please have all pertinent forms

completed and returned with the medication to the office as soon

as possible. A reminder that children are not allowed to keep any

medication in their desk, backpack or classroom (with the exception

of an epi-pen or puffer, if allergies are severe). All dispensing of

medication requires medical permission and must be stored in the

office. Please see Mr. Krolewski for further information.

Professional Activity Days

Friday, September 14, 2018 is a

Professional Activity Day for

staff. There will be no school for

students. Staff will be involved

in re-organization and faith development.

Curriculum Evening &

Open House BBQ

We invite you to visit us on Thursday September 20th, 2018.

More information will be forthcoming. We are looking forward to

meeting all parents/guardians and families.

Kidssentials the Catering Service for Kids on Thursdays!

Kidssentials is very different from other companies. They serve food fresh onsite and they don’t pre-package anything that will get soggy or mushy. They mix and serve the hot food the same as you would at home.

Meals contain only the highest quality ingredients and freshest produce 100% Nut Free facilities and products - menus always include allergen-free entrées (gluten, soy, egg, sesame, sea-

food, and dairy free) Earth friendly - compostable & recyclable packaging and cutlery, and online/paperless ordering 5 entrée options per lunch date, including vegetarian and vegan

options Healthy snacks and beverages are also available to order Please watch for the green and pink Kidssentials postcard and the pa-per order form that will be sent home with your child. To view the menu and to place your lunch order online you will need to create an account at www.kidssentials.com/parents. It is important to note that meals are available by pre-order only. Tired of making lunches, but still want your child to receive a fresh, nutritious, delicious, and affordable home-style meal? Take a break from packing lunch by ordering Kidssentials. For more information about Kidssentials meals and any allergy related inquiries please contact Kidssentials directly. 905.855.1914 / mail@kidssentials.com / www.kidssentials.com/contact

Pizza Days and Lunch Box Order

Forms Coming Soon!

Soon we will be sending home the order forms for our

pizza days. We hope to provide pizza every Wednesday

and Lunch Box Orders on Tuesdays. If you would like

to volunteer to assist with coordinating these programs

for our students please let the office know.

It’s Hearing and Vision Screening time!!!

School Screening Association will be visiting our school this year to conduct their clinic. Your child’s hearing and Vision should be screened every year. Growing children are very susceptible to middle ear problems and one of the best ways to prevent hearing loss is early detection of middle ear function issues. There are two ways to have your child’s hearing tested: 1. You can talk to your child’s doctor and ask for a referral to a Ear, Nose and Throat Specialist (Otolaryngologist) – this service is covered by OHIP. 2. You can make an appointment with an Audiologist – referral by your family physician is not required. However, if the Audiologist is not in a hospital clinic, the visit may not be covered by OHIP and a fee upwards of $50 maybe charged.

Your child’s hearing is not being monitored unless they are being seen by an Audiologist or and E.N.T.

Free vision screening is included with the Hearing Clinic. Eye examina-tions are covered by OHIP.

A fee of $15.00 is collected to help offset the cost of bringing this clinic to our school.

A permission form will be sent home with your child approximately 2 weeks before the clinic date. Please fill out the form, include $15.00 fee and return to the school prior to the clinic date.

Fire Drills, Lock Down and Shelter in Place Procedures

We are required to conduct three fire drills in the fall and three

in the spring. We are also required to practice two lock down

drills and one shelter in place drill during the year. Lock down

drills involve students moving away from the classroom door to

a location within the classroom away from windows. Lights are

turned off and the doors are locked. Shelter in place drills in-

volve a response to an environmental or weather related situa-

tion. These practices are to ensure that students and staff are

prepared in case we should need to go into lock down or shelter

in place. Lock down and shelter in place would be initiated by

police and Board security personnel.

Extraordinary lives start with a great Catholic education.

www.dpcdsb.org

September 4, 2018

Revised Grades 1-8 Health & Physical Education Curriculum

The Ontario Ministry of Education recently announced direction to school boards regarding teaching of the Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1 to 8: Health and Physical Education.

As per Ministry direction, the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board (DPCDSB) will be teaching The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1-8: Health and Physical Education, Interim Edition (re-issued 2018) in a way that conveys, respects and models Catholic principles to our students.

As a publically funded Catholic school system, the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board (DPCDSB) teaches all curriculum through a Catholic faith lens. Certain parts of the Health and Physical Education Curriculum, including the topic of Human Development and Sexual Health (referred to in The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1-8: Health and Physical Education, Interim Edition, as Growth and Development), are addressed as part of Family Life Education, rather than as part of the Health and Physical Education program.

These areas are taught using the Fully Alive program, which was developed with the approval of the Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Ontario (ACBO) in collaboration with educators and families. In Catholic elementary schools, the topic of Human Development and Sexual Health, which is referred to in the above referenced Interim Edition as Growth and Development is only one of several themes in the Family Life program supported by the Fully Alive resource. This topic area is covered in Theme Three of the Fully Alive resource: Created Sexual, and is typically taught in DPCDSB elementary schools during the winter/spring. For more information about the Fully Alive Program, visit the ACBO website at www.acbo.on.ca.

The Catholic educational community and its partner organizations and associations, including the Institute for Catholic Education (ICE), continue to maintain close contact with the government to ensure that as Health and Physical Education Curriculum consultations are initiated, the perspectives and priorities of Catholic schools are clearly communicated.

Once the government’s review process has been completed, and when a revised Health and Physical Education Curriculum is provided by the Ministry of Education, ICE will address any aspects of the Fully Alive program that require updates or revision at that time.

We will continue to keep our DPCDSB families updated on this important issue.

Please note that, as no changes were made to the secondary-level curriculum, secondary teachers will continue to teach the 2015 Health and Physical Education curriculum.

Marianne Mazzorato, Ed.D. Director of Education

Virtues Initiative

A Catholic Faith Community is rooted in a set of common beliefs which are inspired by the life, mission and teaching of Je-sus. As a Catholic Community we are called to learn, to grow and to become more like Jesus in the way we see and treat others. Our Catholic faith plays an important role in helping us shape schools that are safe, caring and inclusive. Catholic School education provides us the opportunity to integrate virtue formation into all areas of our school life within the con-text of our faith. St Bernard of Clairvaux School will again focus our attention on the Catholic Virtues. This program is de-signed to help us nurture virtue and character development in the lives of our students. Each month, the entire school will focus on a different virtue. Classroom activities, school wide activities and assemblies will focus on the nurturing of a specific virtue. We would appreciate your support in discussing these virtues with your child and encouraging behaviours that demonstrate these virtues. Here is a list of the virtues we will be nurturing this school year:

September: Faith October: Empathy

November: Conscience December: Hope

January: Self Control February: Respect

March: Kindness April: Love

May: Acceptance June: Fairness

Virtue Assemblies Staff and students at St. Bernard of Clairvaux are gathering regularly to recognize the many gifts, talents, effort and excellence of our students at Virtue Assemblies. Classes will present our virtue of the month to our community and students may be recognized with the following; “Student of the Month Award” goes to the student who has displayed academic excellence throughout the month. They have excelled in one or more of the following areas; their daily work, tests and quizzes,

assignments and projects, class participation and/or homework assignments. This award is not solely for the student who leads the class academically, but for a student, who through their hard work and determination is making the kinds of gains that deserve to be acknowledged. The classroom teacher will decide each month as to which student will be recognized for his/her effort and achievement. All academic areas can be considered, but the teacher may wish to focus on one or a few academic areas at a time. “Living My Faith Award” goes to the student who has displayed gospel values through their actions and words . Each month, the classroom teacher will choose a student who has exemplified our virtue of the month. It is our hope that the recognition of actions such as: helping others, working cooperatively, being a positive role model, offering assistance and sharing gifts and talents, being non-judgemental and accepting of others, respecting differences, being considerate of oth-ers’ feelings, displaying respect, and helping to solve problems and disagreements in a caring and considerate manner, we will create the kind of school atmosphere where everyone feels safe, valued and free to grow spiritually, academically and physically. Join us for our September Virtue Assembly on September 28th in our gym: Gr. 1-5 at 9:15am & Gr. 6-8 at 1:15pm. All parents/guardians are welcome! Please sign-in at the office and obtain a Visitor Sticker upon your arrival.

St. Josephine Bahkita Parish

3200 Thomas Street at Oscar Peterson Boulevard

Phone: (905)826-1143 FAX: (289)-997-2104

Email: parishoffice@stjosephinebahkita.ca

Website: www.stjosephinebahkita.ca

MASS SCHEDULE

Saturday Vigil Mass 5 p.m.

Sunday Mass 7:30am, 9:00am, 11:00am, 12:30pm

Tuesday and Thursday 7:30am

Monday, Wednesday and Friday 7:00pm

Our Virtue of the Month: FAITH God created us to live together as a family rooted in Christ. A faithful person … • prays from the heart whenever they can • learns from Bible stories • believes that there is good in everyone • knows that we are all created and loved by God FAITH believes the incredible, sees the invisible, and receives the im-possible. A faithful person believes that God’s plan for us includes the right to be safe, cared for, and included, especially at school. FAITH is the great virtue of believing and trusting in God. Our faith helps us to remember the importance of God in our lives, and calls us to deepen our relationship with God, when things are going well and when they are not. The apostles said to the Lord, “Make our faith greater.” The Lord answered, “If you had faith as big as a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, “Pull yourself up by the roots and plant yourself in the sea!” and it would obey you.” Luke 17:5-6

Let us pray …for the grace and strength to be people of faith, people who can truly believe that God’s plan for us includes the right to be safe at school. AMEN.

Sacraments Information regarding dates and registration for sacraments will be forthcoming. We, as always, encourage any new families to our school community to contact the parish to inquire about regis-tering for these sacraments. The sacramental celebrations will be held at St. Josephine Bakhita Parish. We thank Fr. Mark and his parish team for their continued support in the faith life of our students and their families!

Our Parish Team

We look forward to continuing to work closely with Father Mark and the Parish Team at

St. Josephine Bakhita Church. They are instrumental in the faith development of our children and

play a key role in their preparation and receiving of the Sacraments. Parents/guardians are

welcome join us in celebrating our Opening School/Thanksgiving Mass which will take place on

Thursday, October 11 at 10:00 a.m.

Papal Prayer Intention for September: Young People in Africa

Each year, the Holy Father asks for our prayers for a specific intention each month. You are invited to an-

swer the Holy Father's request and to join with many people worldwide in praying for this intention each

month. ”That young people in Africa may have access to education and work in

their own countries.”

The Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations

Catholic education views human life as an integration of body, mind, and spirit. Rooted in this vision, Catho-

lic education fosters the search for knowledge as a lifelong spiritual and academic quest. The expectations

of Catholic graduates, therefore, are described not only in terms of knowledge and skills, but in terms of

values, attitudes and actions.

Vision of the Learner—The Graduate is expected to be:

1. A discerning believer formed in the Catholic Faith community who celebrates the signs and sacred

mystery of God’s presence through word, sacrament, prayer, forgiveness, reflection and moral living.

2. An effective communicator who speaks, writes and listens honestly and sensitively, responding critically in light of gospel

values

3. A reflective, creative and holistic thinker who solves problems and makes responsible decisions with an informed moral

conscience for the common good.

4. A self-directed, responsible, lifelong learner who develops and demonstrates their God-given potential.

5. A collaborative contributor who finds meaning, dignity and vocation in work which respects the rights of all and contrib-

utes to the common good.

6. A caring family member who attends to family, school, parish, and the wider community

7. A responsible citizen who gives witness to Catholic social teaching by promoting peace, justice and the sacredness of human

life.

Catholic Education Week: May 5—10, 2019 The theme for CEW 2019, LIVING AS JOYFUL DISCIPLES, draws upon previ-ous documents on Ontario Catholic education, namely, “This Moment of Promise” (1989), “Fulfilling the Promise” (1993) and “Our Catholic Schools” (2006-2007). In the section of Renewing the Promise entitled, “A Community that Forms Joyful Disciples,” we read: “Our Catholic schools help to form joyful disciples as hearts and minds are opened to the transforming love of God and to the flame of faith in action. On a daily basis, Catholic schools demonstrate the joy of believing and witness the Good News to the communities that they serve.”

The sub-themes for Catholic Education Week 2019 are as follows:

Monday: Rooted in Prayer / Enracinés dans la prière

Tuesday: Living in Community / Vivre au cœur de la communauté

Wednesday: Doing Justice and Creating Hope / Semer la justice et inspirer l’espérence

Thursday: Journeying Together in Faith / Cheminer ensemble dans la foi

Friday: Sharing the Good News/ Partager la bonne nouvelle

+Loving God,

We thank you for our Catholic school community where we can journey in faith together.

Help us to accompany each other in our learning as we grow,

living as joyful disciples of Jesus and bringing good news to the world.

May your love speak to our hearts, helping us to bring hope to others and a commitment to justice in all we do.

We make this prayer through Jesus, our Lord and teacher.

Amen.+

NOMINATION FORM FOR ELECTION OF PARENT MEMBERS Name of School: Please complete the following and return to our school office by Name Address Telephone Child’s Name 1 I am an English Separate School elector or spouse (Note: To be eligible, a candidate

must be an English Separate School elector or spouse.) Yes No 2 I am an employee** of the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board and I work at

this school. Yes No 3 I am an employee** of the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board but I work

elsewhere in the Board (i.e. not at this school). Yes No **Note: “Employee” includes parents/guardians who work as Student Monitors and/or Emergency Supply Instructors. This is self-nomination. (name): It is not necessary to receive a nomination from another parent. This is a nomination made by another parent: I nominate to be a parent representative on our Catholic School Council. Signature of Nominee Name (print) Signature of Nominator Name (print) Signature of School Official Date Please attach a brief biography (one or two paragraphs).

The Ministry of Education has many tools

to help both teachers and parents.

Visit www.edu.gov.on.ca and discover

how you can help your child succeed in school.

Printed on recycled paper06-377

ISBN 978-1-4249-3388-4 (Print)ISBN 978-1-4249-3390-7 (PDF)

© Queen’s Printer for Ontario, 2007

Cette publication est disponible en français.

This publication is available on the Ministry of Education’swebsite at http://www.edu.gov.on.ca

AN INTRODUCTION TO

COMBINEDGRADES

HOW CAN I HELP MYCHILD SUCCEED?

Get involved in your child’s school lifeAsk about their day – school work, friends,their teacher. Let them tell you about the bestpart of their day, and about what was not sogood. This will help you share their successesand uncover any problems.

Stay connected with the schoolTalk to your child’s teacher. Ask questions. Thiscan be as simple as sending a note to schoolwith your child. Or check with the school tosee if you can volunteer to help.

Make learning funLearning is not limited to the classroom.Simple activities can build your child’s skillsand confidence. Talk about prices on a trip tothe grocery store to help older kids withmath. Make reading fun for younger ones bypointing out the words all around you – onstreet signs, posters, even cereal boxes!

123

WILL MY CHILD GETENOUGH INDIVIDUALATTENTION?

Every day, in both single-grade classes and combined grades, teachers work with large groups, small groups, and individual students.But students in combined classrooms also benefitfrom a broader support structure.

Younger children can ask students from the highergrade for help. Older students learn by explainingproblems to their younger peers. In fact, peertutoring can help higher achieving and older students reinforce their knowledge and positivesocial behaviours.

HOW CAN THE TEACHERTEACH MORE THAN ONEGRADE AT A TIME?

Teachers use many different strategies to teachstudents in combined grades. They may:

Introduce a common topic then give eachgrade a different task or problem.

Break students into groups to study differentproblems and report back to the class. Thesegroups can be flexible, including students withvaried interests and skills.

Bring students together for activities likehealth, physical education, and the arts.

The Ministry of Education has developed strategiesthat help teachers reach a range of learners. Forexample, teams from every school in Ontario havebeen trained in differentiating instruction. This is astrategy that looks at the individual learning needsand progress of each student. The teacher canthen identify the range of needs in the classroomand plan a program that meets the needs of allthe students.

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HOW WILL A COMBINEDCLASS AFFECT MY CHILD?

ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT

Several studies have found that students in combined classes do just as well as students in single-grade classes. In fact, some students actually do better in language and reading.

IMPROVED SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

Canadian studies show that children in combinedclasses have more opportunities for emotionaland social growth. The rich social environmenthelps students:

Learn how to work on their own and as partof a team

Build leadership abilities as they work together and help each other

Develop decision-making skills, and becomemore self-motivated and responsible

Learn in an environment that reflects the real world. The diverse ideas and opinions of classmates help expand students’ perspectives.

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WHAT IS A COMBINEDCLASSROOM?

Combined classes group children from two ormore consecutive grades in one classroom. Schoolscombine classes for a variety of reasons. Thisincludes organizing classes to meet student learningneeds and combining grades to balance class size.

All classrooms include students with a range ofskills and abilities. Combined classes are neitherbetter nor worse than single-grade classes. Theyare simply one of the many ways schools meetstudents’ academic and social development needs.

HOW ARE STUDENTS CHOSEN FOR COMBINEDCLASSES?

Principals and staff consider a variety of factorswhen grouping children into classes, including:

Learning styles

Social skills

Academic needs

And many other factors

All classrooms, whether single-grade or combined,include students performing at a range of achieve-ment levels. In every case, schools strive to createa classroom environment that will support theneeds of all students.

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© 2018 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated

w

September 2018

Reading with your child each day helps him grow as a reader. And just a few minutes here and there really add up. Consider these sug-gestions for fitting more reading into busy days.

Mealtime practiceServe up a side of

reading! During break-fast, keep the cereal box on the table. You can help your child read the name of the cereal, the slo-gan, and any riddles or activities. While you make dinner, invite him to read a familiar storybook aloud, or let him browse through a cookbook for words he recognizes (milk, pizza).

School daysTogether, read the papers your young-

ster brings home from school, perhaps a story he wrote in class or an announce-ment about a field trip. Also, post the school calendar on the refrigerator. Read it regularly with your child, and have him

Family reading routines ■ There Is No Dragon in This Story

(Lou Carter)Dragon really wants to be a hero. He trav-els from fairy tale to fairy tale offering to rescue the characters, but everyone sends him away. Then, a giant’s sneeze blows out the sun, and Dragon finally gets his chance. (Also available in Spanish.)

■ Keena Ford and the Second-Grade Mix-Up (Melissa Thomson) Keena Ford’s new teacher makes a

special cake for each student’s birthday. When Keena’s birth-day gets marked on the wrong date, will she tell the truth or

celebrate anyway to get the cake? The first book in the Keena Ford series.

■ The House That Jane Built (Tanya Lee Stone) In the 1800s, a woman named Jane Addams was determined to make life better for those in need. This biography tells how she founded Hull House, a community center in Chi-cago, and helped people find housing and jobs. Addams then went on to become the first woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize.

■ The Wing Wing Brothers Math Spectacular! (Ethan Long) Humor + math = learning fun in this comic book–style story. Five duck brothers put on a comedy show. As they juggle pies and spin plates, read-ers can compare amounts, learn math facts, and more. Part of the Wing Wing Brothers series.

Things I can write about

highlight upcoming events like back-to-school night or picture day.

A reading surpriseLike a tooth fairy who leaves money, be

a reading fairy who leaves reading material for your child. Tape comic strips to the bathroom mirror for him to read while he brushes his teeth. Place a poem on his pil-low so he can enjoy it before bed. And stash a few books or magazines near his seat in the car.♥

Your youngster’s life is full of creative writing material, whether she’s picking apples or riding her bike. Encourage her to collect story ideas with these steps.

1. Let your child decorate a box. She might cover it with stickers or wrap it with construction paper and draw pictures.

2. Together, brainstorm topics she could write about, like becoming a big sister or visiting a new playground. She can write or draw each idea on a slip of colored paper and store it in her box.

3. Have her pull out a slip for inspiration when she wants to write a story, or before school if she knows she’ll get to write on a topic of her choice that day.♥

Read-aloud favorites

St. Bernard of ClairvauxIsabel Sauve, Principal

© 2018 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated

To provide busy parents with practical ways to promote their children’s reading, writing,

and language skills.

Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated

128 N. Royal Avenue • Front Royal, VA 22630800-394-5052 • rfecustomer@wolterskluwer.com

www.rfeonline.com

ISSN 1540-5648

O U R P U R P O S E

September 2018 • Page 2

Nursery rhyme phonics

Walls. Hang poster board on her bedroom wall, and let your child design a sign using crayons. She might write her name and draw a border of flowers, for exam-ple. Also, consider getting a small dry-erase board from the dollar store. Use it to play hangman or to leave mes-sages for each other.

Outdoors. Encourage your youngster to make a crayon

rubbing on a tree. She can hold paper against the bark and rub it with the side of an unwrapped crayon to see the pat-tern. If you have a wooden fence, suggest that she decorate it with sidewalk chalk. She can hose it off when she’s done.♥

Stand up and write!

Writing on a vertical surface strengthens your child’s arm and wrist muscles and improves the coordination she needs for hand-writing. Plus, it’s fun. Try these tips.

Windows. Have your youngster use dry-erase markers to draw and color shapes on a window, turning it into “stained glass.” Be sure to take a photo of her work before she cleans the window!

Playing with letter sounds prepares your youngster to decode new

words. Read this nursery rhyme together, and do the activities that follow.

Hey, diddle, diddle,The cat and the fiddle,The cow jumped over the moon.The little dog laughed to see such sport,And the dish ran away with the spoon.

Rhyming wordsHave your child tell

you which words rhyme (diddle and fiddle, moon and spoon). He could cir-cle the letters they have in common (iddle, oon).

My magic reading wand

My daughter Brianna came home excited about the special pointers her teacher lets students use while they read.

I asked the teacher about this. She explained that children enjoy touching the pointers to each word as they say it aloud—and this helps them match written words to spoken ones. Then, as they become more experi-enced readers, they slide the pointer under the words (rather than tapping each one) so they read smoothly.

I suggested to Brianna that we find pointers to use at home. We filled a plas-tic jar with items like a bubble wand, a chopstick, a paintbrush, and a pencil with a heart-shaped eraser.

Brianna is always on the lookout for more “magic reading wands.” When she finds one, she can’t wait to try it out. I love that such a simple thing is boosting her reading skills.♥

Vocabulary-boosting conversations ●Q I’ve heard that kids with bigger vocabularies

have an easier time learning to read and write.

How can I help my son learn more words?

●A You’re right—a good vocabulary does help

with reading and writing. Kids absorb many words

just by hearing them regularly, so try weaving new

words into everyday conversations.

When you talk to your son, use bigger words to

expand on what he says. For instance, in response to “That siren is loud!” you

could say, “You’re right. It’s earsplitting.” Or if he says, “I let the air out of the bal-

loon,” you might reply, “It deflated really quickly.”

Then, encourage him to use the new word often to help it stick in his mind.

“What else can you think of that makes an earsplitting noise?” To jog his memory

you might say, “Remember that jackhammer? That was earsplitting, too.”♥

Letter soundsAsk him to listen for specific sounds.

Can he tell you which words have a C sound (cat, cow) or a D sound (diddle, fiddle, jumped, dog, laughed, dish)? Where in the word does he hear the sound—beginning, middle, or end?

Silly swapsLet your youngster make up his own

verse by changing some of the words. Example: “The horse jumped

over the star. . . . And the fish ran away with the car.”

Note: Try these ideas with other nursery rhymes from library books or websites.♥

© 2018 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated

September 2018Building Excitement and Success for Young Children

Get your youngster off to a terrific start to the school year math-wise with activities that build her number sense. What’s number sense? It’s the basic understanding of what numbers mean and how to work with them. Try these suggestions.

Set up games When you play board

or card games, involve your child with the setup. There’s likely to be math on the table! For instance, tell her that each person needs 1 token or 12 cards. She will practice counting, one-to-one correspondence (one object for each number)—and character traits like helpfulness and cooperation.

Count your exercises Here’s a way to combine counting and

physical activity. Have regular “family fit-ness moments” where each person does 10 jumping jacks, 15 sit-ups, or other exercises. The key? Your youngster counts aloud to keep track of your “reps” (that’s

Math talk“Let’s add 3 flowers to the vase.” “We have

zero light bulbs left.” Help your child become familiar with math words and phrases by weaving them into regular conversation. This also shows him that math is an important part of daily life. More examples: half, equal, more than, less than, first, second, length, height, combine, take away.

Make a weather board Have your youngster decorate a bulle-tin board or a space on the refrigera-

tor to show the weather. She could cut out weather sym-bols from con-struction paper

(sun, clouds, raindrops, snowflakes, lightning bolts). Each day, she can hang up a background to match the sky (blue, gray) and add symbols that show what’s going on outside.

Book picks Billions of Bricks (Kurt Cyrus) is a

rhyming story that encourages your youngster to count the bricks at a construction site.

A little moth teaches a curious kit-ten named Oscar about sources of light and explains what causes day and night in Oscar and the Moth: A Book About Light and Dark (Geoff Waring).

Q: What did one calculator say to the other?

A: You can count on me.

Begin with number senseTOOLS & TIDBITS

Just for fun

My “life list” of animals Encourage a lifelong interest in ani-

mals with this simple idea. Suggest that your child begin—today!—to keep a “life list” of all the animals he sees.

He can jot down the name of each animal he notices, whether he’s outside playing, walking in a park, or on the way to school. He might add details like the animal’s color, body covering (fur, scales, feathers), and what group it belongs to (mammals, reptiles, birds).

Not sure of the animal’s name or group? He could draw a sketch or take a photo. Then, look it up together online or in a library book.

“repetitions” in exercise talk). Idea: To work on writing numbers, she could keep a family exercise log.

Do math on-the-go Insert math into everyday moments

when you’re out with your child. Trying to find her new friend’s home? Ask her to read the house numbers until she comes to the right one (say, 127). Need 4 avoca-dos for tonight’s guacamole? Ask her to count them at the grocery store. It won’t be long until your youngster understands how numbers relate to real life.

St. Bernard of ClairvauxIsabel Sauve, Principal

© 2018 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated

To provide busy parents with practical ways to promote their children’s math and science skills.

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September 2018 • Page 2

lining up your crayons from one end to the other. Let your youngster count his cray-ons and then yours—the number will probably be different. Ask him why (the crayons aren’t all the same size).

2. What would happen if the crayons were all equal in length? Now have your youngster measure the book a few times

with new crayons to find out. (He’ll use the same number of crayons every time.)

3. Give your child a strip of cardboard to create a ruler using a unit of measurement he picks. Perhaps his ruler will be 12 jelly beans or 6 pretzel sticks long. Now take turns naming a household item and predicting how many long it is using the unit he chose. He can use his ruler to check the estimates.

What can I measure with?

How many jelly beans long is a paper towel? How many pretzel sticks wide is your youngster’s backpack? Using familiar objects to measure things around the house will prepare your youngster to use standard measurement units like inches and centimeters. Here’s how.

1. Show your child why it’s important to measure with same-size units. Each of you can get used crayons (worn down to various lengths) and measure the same book by taking turns

Q: It seems like my daughter isn’t being taught math the same way I was. Why has it changed?

A: If you talk to people from different generations, you’ll probably find they were all taught math in different ways—and today’s generation is no exception.

Your daughter is learning concepts rather than just memorizing facts. She’s also using different approaches like draw-ing pictures or acting out problems. And she’s being prepared for more advanced math. For

Ways to make a number

Here’s an activity that lets your child see how many ways there are to express the number 6, the number 12—or any number.

Together, go through old maga-zines, and cut out pic-tures with var-ious numbers of objects. Mix up the pictures in a bag, pull one out, and ask, “How many?” The simple answer might be “6 bananas.” But what other way could your youngster express that number of bananas? Take turns coming up with answers, such as:

• 2 groups of 3 bananas

• 3 groups of 2 bananas

• 1 banana + 5 bananas

• 9 bananas – 3 bananas

When you run out of possibilities, pull out another picture, and start over. Tip: Let your child glue each picture onto a sheet of paper and write the options as you go. He’ll have a record of all the ways to make that number.

Let’s have a magnet raceHold a “race” with your

youngster so she can discover how magnets “pull” items across the floor.

You’ll need: masking tape, magnets, small household objects (metal paper clip, plastic paper clip, building block, safety pin, eraser, penny)

Here’s how: Mark a start line and a finish line on the floor with tape. Each player selects any object and places it at the start line. On “Go,” players hold their magnets close to—but not touching—their items and try to move them to the finish line.

What happens? Some objects will follow a magnet while others won’t.

Why? The invisible force from a magnet attracts objects like metal paper clips because they’re made of iron, a magnetic metal. It won’t attract items made of plastic or ones that don’t contain iron.

Tip: As you race with different objects, have your youngster sort them into piles of mag-netic and nonmagnetic. What can she tell you about how they’re alike or different?

That isn’t how I learned math!

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example, if she can explain why 6 + 4 = 10, she’ll be able to talk herself through solving 60 + 40 = 100.

Ask your child to teach you to solve problems she brings home. This rein-forces what she’s learning and shows you more about today’s math. Also, try to

attend math nights or send any questions you have to her teacher. The more comfortable you are with how your daughter is learning math, the more you’ll be able to support her.

®

Home&SchoolWorking Together for School Success CONNECTIONSeptember 2018

© 2018 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated

The story of your child’s school year is about to unfold. A strong opening chapter will help to set the tone for a great year. Try these strategies.

Introduce the characters

Your youngster’s teacher will play an important role in his life this year. Write her a short note, and attach a picture of your family. You might mention your child’s hobbies, favorite school subjects, and family members’ names. Also, find out how the teacher prefers to be contacted. Getting to know each other now will help you work together in future “chapters.”

Get to know the settingInvite your youngster to tell you about

his classroom, the library, and other places at school. What decorations hang on the walls? What books or games are on the shelves? When possible, see for yourself by going to events like book fairs and

Attendance adds up

Students who attend school regularly tend to have better attitudes toward school—and they’re more likely to read at grade level. Try to schedule your child’s doctor and dentist appoint-ments outside of school hours. Also, be sure to create a backup plan for getting her to school if she misses the bus or you can’t drive her.

The importance of integrityWhat would your youngster say if a classmate asked him to cheat? Talk to him about how to respond if he’s pressured to share answers or let oth-ers copy his work. For example, he could say, “Let’s study together so we both do well,” or “I don’t want to risk getting a zero.”

The average child with a parent in the military moves every two to

three years. Encourage your youngster to introduce herself to all new students. If you’re a military family, contact your school liaison officer and the school counselor about programs available to help your child adjust.

Worth quoting“All the world is a laboratory to the inquiring mind.” Martin H. Fischer

Q: What has two legs but doesn’t walk?

A: A pair of pants!

A great beginning SHORT NOTES

DID YOUKNOW?

JUST FOR FUN

Routines that stickLittle habits make a big difference in

the kind of day you and your youngster have. Here are things each of you could do to create routines for smooth days.

Your child can: Make a picture chart of what she needs to do every morning, afternoon, and evening. She might draw a backpack as a reminder to show you papers she brings home. A picture of a violin could prompt her to practice her instrument.

You can: Have her go to bed in time to get 9–11 hours of sleep and to eat a healthy breakfast in the morning. Set aside downtime after a busy day (perhaps 20 minutes when she gets home) so she’ll be recharged for homework, chores, and family time.♥

math nights. Idea: Encourage him to draw you a picture of his classroom to hang on the refrigerator.

Enjoy the plotAttend back-to-school night to find

out what your child will learn this year. Then, plan family outings or activities related to the topics. If he’ll study your state’s history, you could visit historic sites. Or if there’s a plant unit, let him help you work in the garden or plant seeds in pots.♥

St. Bernard of ClairvauxIsabel Sauve, Principal

© 2018 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated

To provide busy parents with practical ideas that promote school success, parent involvement,

and more effective parenting.

Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated

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Home & School CONNECTION® September 2018 • Page 2

Boost your child’s attention

span with these hands-on ideas that use everyday materials:

● Create a “spiderweb.” Have everyone stand in a circle with one person holding a ball of yarn. That person grasps one end of the yarn and tosses the ball to any other player. Your youngster must pay attention so he’ll be ready when the ball comes his way. Toss it back and forth enough times, and your child will be delighted by a giant web of yarn!

● Try this classic game that requires focus. You’ll need three cups and a small toy like a plastic frog. While your youngster watches, put the toy under one cup. Now slide the cups around for 30 seconds, constantly mixing up their

order. Can your child tell you which cup the toy is under? Then, let him try to stump you. Idea: For a bigger challenge, increase the time or add more cups.♥

Attention stretchers

Strengthen social skills

School is more pleasant for everyone when children share classroom materials and com-promise to solve problems. Consider this advice for improving your youngster’s social skills so she learns to get along with others now and later.

Practice sharingDo activities with your child that require

sharing. For example, color together, and let her

practice asking for the pur-ple or the green crayon nicely. She could say, “May I use that when you’re done?” And you might reply, “Sure, I’ll give it to

you as soon as I finish col-oring this dragon.”

Learn to compromiseYour youngster and her class-

mates may disagree on how to approach a group project or a science

experiment. Help her prepare by look-ing for ways to find middle ground at

home. Say she and a sibling argue over what book they’d like you to read at bedtime. They could take turns choosing a story every other night or ask you to read one chapter from each book. If they can’t compromise, offer a suggestion like reading a book you pick.♥

Smart money management

Q: We’ve started giving our third-grade daughter a

small allowance. How can we teach her to be

responsible with her money?

A: Learning to manage money wisely will give your

youngster financial skills to use throughout her life.

Encourage her to write a budget for herself.

She could list inexpensive items she asks you

to buy for her, such as hair accessories or

slime-making supplies. She can also include

something she wants to save up for and gifts

she’d like to buy others for birthdays and holidays.

Help your daughter look up prices of the items. Then, she should decide how

much money to save each week. Consider letting her open a savings account, too.

You can show her how to check the balance—she’ll feel pride as she watches her

savings grow.♥

Outdoor magic I used to play outside all the time

when I was little, but my sons never seem interested in leaving the house. One day, while reminiscing with my sis-ter about all the fun we had outdoors as kids, an idea struck me.

I labeled a bin “Out-door fun” and put it near the front door. Then, I asked my boys to fill it with things to play with outside. They found a yo-yo, balls, a Frisbee, a jump rope, and sidewalk chalk. I added a magnify-ing glass, a jar for collecting rocks and other treasures, and a bucket and shovel for digging in the dirt.

Having this bin in plain sight reminds my sons how much fun it is to play out-side. I love seeing them using their imag-inations outdoors and getting exercise. And surprisingly, they’re not asking for screen time as often.♥

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