VISTA HEIGHTS PUBLIC SCHOOL Together we aspire!Together we aspire!

Ensemble pour réussir!Ensemble pour réussir!

89 Vista Boulevard, Mississauga Telephone: 905-826-1581 Principal: Kimberly May Vice Principal: Leah Romaniello Office Manager: Vanessa Kapsa School Council Co-Chairs: Nadia Persad and Jesse Melbye Trustee: Robert Crocker Superintendent: Gale Solomon-Henry

Dear Parents and Guardians: Welcome back! HAPPY NEW YEAR/BONNE ANNÉE 2019 to our students, parents and staff. I hope everyone enjoyed a fun and relaxing winter break with family and friends. Our December Food Drive, Gift Card Initiative and Mitten, Hat Scarf tree were all hugely successful. We collected 36 overflowing boxes of food for Eden Food For Change. They will also be taking the hats, scarfs and mittens to give to needy families (refer Page 5). Students and their families donated 103 Gift Cards to our local Salvation Army. The generosity of our community to those in need is truly an inspiration. A big thank you to all of our families for supporting our Vista Vibra-tions Move-a-thon Winter Ball. At last count we were passing the $6,000 mark and will report the final total in our next newsletter. We will use the money raised to support our Self Regulation & Mindful-ness Space, for additional technology for our classrooms and school and to provide enriching experiences for our students. A reminder that our line up bell rings at 9:10 a.m. Supervision be-gins on the playground at 9:00 a.m. Class begins for our students at 9:15 a.m. Students arriving after 9:15 a.m. will be marked late. It is important for students to arrive at school on time so they can get organized for the day and be ready to learn. Thank you for mak-ing getting to school on time a priority.

A Newsletter for Students, Parents, Staff and Community January 2019

School Hours for the 2018-2019 Year Line Up Bell 9:10 a.m. Classes Begin 9:15 a.m. E-Break #1 11:35 a.m. —12:15 p.m. E-Break #2 1:35 p.m. — 2:15 p.m. Dismissal 3:35 p.m.

Absenteeism and Lates Students are expected to arrive to school on time and to be present unless illness prevents attendance. Attendance is the responsibility of both the child and parents. Lost time can have a negative effect on your child’s progress.

SAFE ARRIVAL PROGRAM SchoolMessenger app (free from Apple or Google Play)

Download the SchoolMessenger app Tap Sign Up to create your account

Web and Mobile Web: go.schoolmessenger.com

Go to the above website Click Sign Up to create your account

Interactive Toll-free Phone Call the toll-free number: 1-855-209-6155 Listen to and follow the instructions to report an absence

http://schools.peelschools.org/1560 Follow us on Twitter @VistaHeightsPS

Help us refresh our board and school websites

In January, all students, staff, families and community members are invited to fill out an online survey to help the Peel District School Board update and redesign its board website (www.peelschools.org) and school websites. Share your thoughts, suggestions and experiences of our school and board websites by filling out a brief, five-minute survey on http://www.peelschools.org/websiterefresh. The survey will be available online until Jan. 31, 2019.

School Doors Remain Locked During the School Day We wanted to share a reminder with our school community. The front doors of our school will be locked during the school day. This is part of the Safe Welcome program, originally an-nounced by the Ontario Government in December 2012, for all elementary schools in Ontario. As part of this program, portable doors will also be locked during the school day. A camera and buzzer unit is located by the front door and will be linked to a monitor in the main office of the school. Anyone who wishes access to the school once the school day has begun—parents, Peel board staff and visitors—will request entry by pressing the buzzer. Staff in the main office will be able to see and speak to the person, and release the door lock to provide access. We have long had the practice for Peel schools that all outside doors, with the exception of the front door, would be locked during the school day. While we acknowledge that locking doors will not in itself prevent all risks to the safety of students and staff, it is an important step in providing an additional level of security. Thank you for your continued support for the safety and well-being of all students and staff in our schools.

Nutritious Lunches Help Children Learn Use Canada’s Food Guide to help your child get nutrients and energy needed to have a successful school day. Try to give your child some choice about what to take

for lunch. If possible, get your child involved in preparing meals. Give your child a variety of healthy choices. Keeping your child interested in

lunch is the first step to making sure it is eaten. Make the food easy to eat. If it will take your child a few minutes to unwrap a

sandwich, it may be skipped. Resist the temptation to routinely send sweets, pop, chips and cookies in your

child's lunch. Save treats for special occasions. Try to avoid fast food or pre-packaged, convenience lunches, which are often

high in salt and fat. Do your best to role model healthy eating behaviours for your family. To speak to a registered dietitian about healthy food choices, call EatRight Ontario at 1-877-510-5102. For more information about the policy, visit http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/healthyschools. If you have questions about how we are implementing the School Food and Beverage Policy, please call the school.

TIME FOR SCHOOL A PARENT’S GUIDE TO REPORTING SCHOOL ABSENCES

All parents/guardians of elementary students need to report their children's absences or late arrivals from school via our automated School Messenger SafeArrival system.

Use one of the following methods to set-up your new SafeArrival account. Please ensure the number and email address that you are using to report your child’s absences are those that we have on file at the school.

SchoolMessenger app (free from Apple or Google Play) Download the SchoolMessenger app

Tap Sign Up to create your account

Web and Mobile Web: go.schoolmessenger.ca Go to the above website Click Sign Up to create your account

Interactive Toll-free Phone Call the toll-free number: 1-855-209-6155 Listen to and follow the instructions to report an absence

As always, please report your child’s absences before the start of the school day. Late arrivals and/or early departures should be reported as soon as possible. If your child’s absence is not reported in advance, the automated notification system will contact you and will provide an opportunity to verify the absence. By reporting your child absent in advance on the SafeArrival toll-free number, website or SchoolMessenger mobile app, you will not receive a call.

As always, if you have any questions or require any assistance, please contact the school.

Community Corner

Stay up-to-date with community-based opportunities

The Peel District School Board is pleased to introduce an electronic resource page on www.peelschools.org called, Community Corner, which contains links to information and re-sources in the community that may be of interest to students and their families. This site re-places our previous method of sending promotional materials about community clubs, camps, contests, fundraisers and events home with students on a regular basis.

How you can access Community Corner Visit www.peelschools.org/parents/communitycorner Click on the “Community Corner” button, found on the main page of school websites, as well as on www.peelschools.org.

All Visitors Must Report To The Office All visitors must report to the office. We will be happy to assist you if you have to pick up your child early. This is to ensure the safety of all our children.

Tree Nut / Peanut Allergies Please be advised that we have a num-ber of children attending Vista Heights Public School who have a serious, and in some cases life threatening’ allergy to peanuts and products that are derived from pea-nuts.

We would ask your co-operation in not sending peanuts or peanut products to school for snacks or lunches.

Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.

Medical Issues It is important for your child's teacher, and consequently the office, to know about any medical issues that your child(ren) may have.

If your child requires medication, please obtain the 'Administration of Prescribed Medication' Form A from the school office. Every Peel school has a school council—a group focused on helping students succeed. School councils provide a voice for parents and the com-munity and offer advice to the school principal on a number of topics. Our School Council is pleased to announce their fund raiser “Vista Vibrations Move-a-thon “Winter Ball” made $6000 and counting. The money will support initiatives within the school for our stu-dents. The Council would like to thank students, par-ents, guardians and the community for their sup-port of Vista Heights. They would also like to thank the parent volunteers who helped with decorations, money counting and supervision. It was a fun-filled event for students. Prize winners are on page 8 and posted on the bulletin board by the office. The top fund raising prizes, and the draws will be announced once all donation envelopes have been submitted.

Next School Council meeting Wednesday, February 6, 2019

6:30 p.m. in the Library.

Prevent Colds and the Flu. It's in Your Hands.

Hand washing is the most important way to prevent the spread of infection. Always wash your hands with soap and water when they are dirty. Clean your hands before: i. touching your eyes, nose or mouth

ii. touching/preparing food or drinks

iii. eating or drinking

iv. caring for someone in your home who can easily get sick (baby, elderly or someone who has an unhealthy immune system) first aid Clean your hands after: i. touching pets or other animals

ii. touching raw meat, particularly chicken

iii. touching surfaces such as a railing or grocery cart

iv. touching money

v. touching objects sick people have touched

vi. touching blood or body fluids such as urine, vomit or feces vii. contact with those who have a cold, the flu, diar-rhea or virus of any kind viii. changing diapers

ix. wiping your own or a child's nose

x. sneezing or coughing

xi. using a facial tissue

xii. using the washroom

xiii. removing gloves

xiv.Cleaning

xv. Gardening What to do when you cough or sneeze: i. cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve ii. put used tissues in the wastebasket clean your hands with soap and water or a hand sanitizer For more information call Peel Health at 905-799-7700 or visit www.peelregion.ca/flu.

Bus cancellation and closing schools due to bad weather

During the winter months, we may need to cancel buses or close schools because of inclement weather.

Information regarding details of cancellations or clo-sures will be available on Twitter @Peelschools, Facebook at www.facebook.com/peelschools, www.peelschools.org and www.stopr.ca or by calling 905-890-1010 or 1-800-668-1146. It is usually also announced on the radio and television stations listed below

VIRGIN RADIOFM99.9 BREAKFAST TELEVISION NEWS AM680 CFNY FM102.1/AM640 CJCL AM590 CHFI FM98.1 NEWSTALK1010 AM EZ ROCK FM97.3 CJBC (FR) AM860 FM Z103.5 FM93.1 FM Q107 CHIN FM100.7/AM1540 CBC99.1 CITYPULSE GLOBAL NEWS CITY NEWS CTV CFRB – (Bell Media)

One of the following messages will be announced:

Peel District School Board buses are cancelled This means that schools remain open for students and staff, but buses are cancelled. Bus cancellations could occur in all or parts of municipalities. Buses will remain cancelled all day. All activities that require busing will also be cancelled. Permits, night school classes, child care and other activities in schools will operate as usual.

All Peel District School Board schools and board offices are closed This means that all schools and Peel board offices are closed to students and staff. All activi-ties in schools and board offices are also cancelled, including child care, night school and permits.

All evening programs and permits at the Peel District School Board are cancelled This means that all activities in schools and Peel board offices are cancelled, including con-tinuing education courses and events. The buildings will be closed.

All weekend programs and permits at the Peel District School Board are cancelled This means that all activities in schools and Peel board offices are cancelled, including con-tinuing education courses and events. The buildings will be closed.

Hi there, Vista Heights raised 1,320 lbs. of food for Eden Food for Change! This is an astonishing number from an elementary school especially since so many of the items were from the needed list. PLUS there were so many winter clothing items of a really high quality, and things that are so in need. Eden Food for Change would like to convey their deepest thanks to the students and community, who should be really proud of themselves! We will be posting a thank you on our social media so please check it out. (On the internet at http://edenffc.org/foodbank , on Twitter (@EdenFood4Change) and on Facebook) Eden Food for Change wishes Vista Heights P.S. the happiest of holidays and a great New Year! Regards, Naz Zarifian Eden Food for Change

Winter Bus Safety

The following winter school bus safety tips will help to keep your child safe throughout the winter months.

Allow extra time to get to your bus stop. Wear bright clothing so the bus can see you in the early morning and late

evening. Stand away from where the bus stops. Buses need extra room to stop for

snow and ice. Use the handrail when boarding or exiting the bus to prevent slipping on wet or icy steps or road surfaces. Dress properly—winter clothing, hats, and boots will keep you warm. Don't throw snowballs at the bus or other children waiting for the bus. Don't slide on the snow or ice patches in driveways or on the street. Don't push or shove around the bus. Someone could fall down on the ice and get hurt. On very rare occasions, buses are late because of weather conditions or mechanical problems. Talk to your child about what to do if the bus is late. Here are some suggestions: When possible, wait with your child for the bus. Make sure your child knows a phone number where he can reach you or another trusted adult. Teach your child how and where to get help. Talk to your child about what a "safe" stranger is. Help your child set up a bus stop buddy system so your child has someone to wait with for the bus.

Pay school fees online using School Cash Online—register today! Our school offers School Cash Online, a safe and secure form of online payment, as it’s the preferred method of payment for all school fees. With a parent-friendly portal and an easy way to keep track of your child’s activity fees, you can use School Cash Online to pay for school items like field trips and pizza days directly from your computer or smartphone using eCheck, Visa or MasterCard.

Register now By registering, you’ll have the ability to: Keep track of your children’s school item and activity fees Check account history Print or view receipts Make donations to school fundraisers online and instantly receive a tax receipt Pay for school fees with the click of a button

For more information and to register, visit https://peelschools.schoolcashonline.com. If you have any questions, please contact the school directly.

P.L.A.S.P.

Vista Heights has P.L.A.S.P everyday before and after school. Before school care begins at 7:30 a.m. and after school care runs until 6 p.m. Children participate in re-creational activities and are provided with a substantial, healthy snack daily. For more information, or to inquire about a before or after school program, please call 905-647-484-4372 or visit www.plasp.com

The City of Mississauga wants to Improve Road Safety for You

To help improve road safety, the City of Mississauga is looking for input on ride sharing and has implemented crossrides. Crossrides Crossrides and bicycle signals have arrived in Mississauga to help improve traffic safety for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians. Crossrides allow cyclists to stay on their bikes while crossing through intersections. They may be located where multi-use trails or cycle tracks cross a road. Crossrides are identified with a line of painted squares on both sides of the crossing, and may

also include painted bicycle marks. Cyclists do not need to dismount when crossing at a crossride. To learn how to use crossrides and bicycle signals safely, and for more information, visit www.mississaugabikes.ca/crossrides-and-bike-signals.

Train More. Rehearse More. Learn More.

Peel District School Board program offers flexible school options for student athletes, artists

Does your child/teen have an intense sports or arts training and competition schedule that makes it difficult to attend school regularly? The Peel District School Board’s Peel Region High Performers Program will offer flexible timetabling to accommodate student athletes and artists with demanding practice, competition, rehearsal and/or performance schedules. The Peel Region High Performers Program is available to students in grades 4 to 12 at Britan-nia Public School, Dolphin Senior Public School and Mississauga Secondary School.

Applications are open

For more information and applications, visit www.peelschools.org/HighPerformers.

Vista Vibrations Move-a-thon Winter Ball Prize Winners

The Following Prizes will be announced once all pledge envelopes have been turned in so every child who has participated will have a chance at the prizes.

Top Pledge Winner for a Samsung Tablet 2nd Highest Pledge Winners for a DanCoTech Action Camera: Junior & Primary

Draw for $100 Ruth’s Chris Steak House Certificates

At Each Grade Level

Kindergarten Best Outfit—Manvika Koturu—Hobbs K2A

Best Outfit—Malek Ahalwani—Greenslade K1A Best Dancing—Emerson Kornbluth—Greenslade K1A

Best Dancing—Mohommad Haq—Theodorou K5A

Grade 1

Best Outfit—Julia Ghnaimeh—Wilson 1DF Best Outfit—Egor Tchemelnko—Darling 1CF Best Dancng—Hannah Burgess—Wilson 1DF Best Dancing—Lucas Tavares—Wilson 1DF

Grade 2

Best Outfit—Nikita Pai—Benjamin 2BF Best Outfit—Ryan Sood—Matthews 2DF

Best Dancing—Salaudeen Oltunde—Simick 2AF Best Dancing—Caprice Medunic—Faubert 2BE

Grade 3 Best Outfit—Rossi Darmanin—Cauz 3CF

Best Outfit—Skylar Burgess –Whittaker 3DF Best Dance—Lizzie Strobel—Clarke 3AE Best Dance—Nathan Peng—Polyzois 3BE

Grade 4

Best Outfit -Kymanii Henry-McCormack—Woerlen 4BF Best Outfit—Vaishakh Nair—Pellegrino 4BE

Best Dancing—Panya Yu—Woerlen 4BF Best Dancing—Miguel Araujo—Pellegrino 4BE

Grade 5 Best Outfit—Mckenzie Smith—Paquali 5AE

Best Outfit—Amelia Johnson—Pasquali 5AE Best Outfit—Paige Tutton—Rivard 5BE Best Outfit—Owen Bajin—Rivard 5BE

Best Dancing—Sara Perdomo-Zuloaga—Wahi 5AF Best Dancing—Simer Nagpal—Rivard 5BE

Best Dancing—Cayden O’Hearn—Wahi 5AF

Teacher with the best Dance Moves—Mr. Matthews 2DF

3 Way Tie

2 Way Tie

Help Your Family Stay Warm This Winter

Canada Safety Council recommends the following tips for staying comfortable and preventing hypothermia when working or playing outdoors:

Wear a warm hat—most body heat is lost through the head. Children should keep an extra hat at school.

Wear layered clothing. Layers allow warm air to stay trapped around the body.

Protect your feet and hands. Wear loose waterproof boots. If the boots have liners, carry an extra pair to replace damp ones or take an extra pair of socks. Invest in thick socks to keep your feet warm. Mittens are warmer than gloves. Carry an extra pair of mittens to school, on outings, etc.

Prevent dehydration and exhaustion, which can lead to hypothermia. Drink plenty of fluids and pace yourself when doing vigorous activities.

Stay fit by exercising and eating well—people who are fit are less susceptible to hypothermia.

If you stay indoors, avoid moving from a hot environment to a cold one. Excessive sweating caused from an extreme change in temperature increases the risk of developing hypothermia.

Eat high-energy food such as nuts and raisins. A balanced diet will also help keep you warm and healthy in the winter.

If you are travelling (on the road or in the wilderness) carry emergency supplies.

Online parent portal to access important student information

The Peel District School Board is excited to announce the launch of ParentConnect, an online parent portal to access important student information. The pilot program was introduced at all schools in the 2017-18 school year.

What is ParentConnect?

ParentConnect is a safe and secure website, created by the Peel District School Board, that acts as a single point to stay informed and to access all electronic services provided to Peel board par-ents and legal guardians.

The parent-friendly website will allow you to:

view school-based alerts and information

access real time absence reporting

view current and historic elementary report card information

get up-to-date busing information

review secondary school credit history and diploma status and more

To learn more about the benefits of ParentConnect, visit our school website or www.peelschools.org/parentconnect

Regional Learning Choices Programs Unlock Passions Regional Learning Choices Programs offered by the Peel District School Board empower students by provid-ing them with opportunities to develop and explore skills in a particular area of interest. Regional programs are open to all students who meet the criteria for acceptance. Students and their families are encouraged to attend the information night for the program of their choice to receive more information about the program and application details. Transportation is not provided for students in regional programs. If students have been accepted into a re-gional program and they live within the school boundary, they are eligible for busing only if they meet the dis-tance criteria outlined in the board’s Transportation Policy #39. All regional programs include annual fees, including a non-refundable $40 application fee, except the Truck and Coach program which is offered at no cost.

Important dates to note:

Applications open Applications close

Elementary Jan. 28, 2019 Feb. 11, 2019

Secondary Nov. 5, 2018 Nov. 21, 2018

Programs Starts in grade: 6 7 9

Actively in Motion (AIM) – Royal Orchard MS

Advanced Placement – Central Peel SS, John Fraser SS

Arts – Earnscliffe Sr. PS (starts in grade 6), Queen Elizabeth Sr. PS (starts in grade 7), Cawthra Park SS,

Arts and Technology – Morning Star MS

Graphic Design Management – T.L. Kennedy SS

International Baccalaureate – Bristol Rd. MS, WG Davis Sr. PS, Erindale SS, Glenforest SS, Harold M.

International Business and Technology – Allan A. Martin Sr. PS, Lisgar MS, Williams Pkwy Sr. PS, Mead-

International and Executive Leadership Academy – T.L. Kennedy SS

Regional Skilled Trades – West Credit SS (starting in September 2019)

SciTech – Centennial Sr. PS, Macville PS, Tomken Rd. MS, Chinguacousy SS, Port Credit SS

Sports – Applewood Heights SS

Strings – Central Peel SS, Port Credit SS

Truck and Coach Engineering and Technology – Bramalea SS

Apply for French Immersion by Jan. 25, 2019

If your child will be starting grade 1 in September 2019, one of the important choices you will make is whether you want to consider grade 1 French Immersion (FI).

The application form for grade 1 FI for the 2019-20 school year will be available online at www.peelschools.org/French as of Friday, Nov. 23, 2018 at 1 p.m. The deadline to apply is Friday, Jan. 25, 2019 at 4 p.m. Applications received after the deadline will not be included in the random selection process and will be placed on the school’s waitlist.

The FI school for our area is Vista Heights. The phone number is 905-826-1581.

Enrolment cap and random selection process

The Peel board has a limited number of spaces available for students interested in grade 1 French Immersion. At this time, the grade 1 FI enrolment cap is set at 25 per cent of all Peel students enrolling in grade 1. A random selection process is used to determine which students will be offered spaces in the grade 1 FI program.

It is important to note that applicants are not offered space in grade 1 FI on a first come, first serve basis. A computerized random selection process will randomly assign a rank to each application that is received by the deadline.

Once students have been assigned to all available spaces, remaining students will be placed, again in rank order, on the school's waitlist. Each school has its own waitlist.

How to get more information

Visit the Peel board website—www.peelschools.org/French. Call [name of school] at [phone number]. Visit the Canadian Parents for French website at http://on.cpf.ca/.

Apply for Extended French by Jan. 25, 2019

If your child will be starting grade 7 in September 2019, one of the important choices you will make is whether you want to consider Extended French (EF). To find out more about the program, visit www.peelschools.org/French

The EF school for our area is Green Glade P.S. The phone number is 905-822-8386

Online application

The application form for Grade 7 EF for the 2019-20 school year will be available online at www.peelschools.org/French on Friday, Nov. 23, 2018 at 1 p.m.

The deadline to apply is Friday, Jan. 25, 2019 at 4 p.m. Applications received after that date will be put on a waiting list.

Please note that if you are currently enrolled in grade 6 French Immersion, please do not apply for grade 7 Extended French as you will continue grade 7 in the French Immersion program.

For more information visit www.peelschools.org/French call your nearest Extended French school talk with parents who have children in the Extended French program visit the Canadian Parents for French website at http://on.cpf.ca

Traffic Safety in Our Community Safety is a top priority at our school. When dropping off your child near the school the following traffic tips will help keep students, staff and parents safe while commuting to and from school.

Respect traffic signs and road markers around the school.

Drive slowly and with caution on and near school property. Adhere to the posted speed lim-its on any surrounding streets used by students on their way to and from school.

Do not pass other cars in a school zone.

Always yield to pedestrian traffic. Wait for students, staff members and parents to cross be-fore driving past them.

Do not double park or do anything else to block traffic or draw your child off the curb and into traffic. Do not take shortcuts over curbs.

Have your child ready to exit the car when you reach the curb. Say goodbye to your child be-fore you park at the curb to let your child out of your car.

During regular drop-off times, students are to remain in the car until it is safe for them to exit the car onto the curb.

Follow the directions of staff or volunteers on duty in the school parking lot and treat staff, students, volunteers, passengers and other drivers with respect.

Consider parking off site and walking a short distance to school. This will give you time to talk to your children about their day, review new vocabulary words, math concepts, etc.

Remind your child to only cross the street at an intersection or crosswalk. They should nev-er “jaywalk” by crossing in the middle of the street.

Students who bike to school should always wear a helmet, and follow all traffic laws. They should only cross the street at a crosswalk or intersection—never in the middle of the road.

Give school buses priority, stopping to allow them to enter and exit traffic, and always stop if their lights are flashing.

Kiss N’ Ride Program Vista Heights, like many elementary schools, offers a Kiss N’ Ride program, where parents/guardians can drop off and pick up their children at a designated area on school property. The program was established to provide a convenient and safe option for our students and parents driving to school. To ensure the safety of staff and students, we ask all parents/guardians be mindful of the following guidelines:

When dropping your child off at the school, use the Kiss'n'Ride area. This is a supervised area that is designed to keep students safe.

Do not stop or leave your car at any time while in the driveway or the Kiss N’ Ride lanes. If you need to enter the school park in a designated parking space so as to not block traffic or im-pede it’s flow.

There is no parking or waiting in the Kiss N’ Ride lane. Pay attention to the traffic in front of you and pull forward as cars move forward. If you choose to park in the parking lot, please escort your child to or from the nearest foot patroller and use the main crosswalk.

Vehicles entering the Kiss N’ Ride lane must stay in the designated lane, unless otherwise directed by a staff member or volunteer.

The Kiss N’ Ride program is only available to students who are able to disembark inde-pendently.

Have your child ready to exit the car when you reach the curb. Students may only exit from the passenger (right) side of the vehicle.

After picking up or dropping off your child, leave promptly so that others can get in behind you.

If your child is not waiting for you at the end of the day, please circle the parking lot if permit-ted and rejoin the line or park in a designated parking space to wait.

Peel board trustees accountable to the community The Peel District School Board, like every public school board in Ontario, is governed by a board of trustees. They are elected by public school taxpayers every four years during municipal elec-tions and are directly accountable to the community. The current 12 trustees have been elected to serve from Dec. 3, 2018, to Nov. 30, 2022:

What do trustees do?

advocate for the needs of the community

help members of the community address concerns about the school system

govern and set policies for the board

explain the policies and decisions of the board to the community

evaluate and review the board’s achievement of its goals, objectives and strategic plan

participate in budget development, approve budget decisions and monitor its progress protect the future of the board by always considering the long-term effects of decisions Visit www.peelschools.org and check out the ‘Meet Your Trustee’ section to subscribe to board meeting agendas and minutes and read highlights from board meeting.

Trustee Ward(s) City Email Phone #

Carrie Andrews 7 and 8 Brampton carrie.andrews@peelsb.com 647-473-1858

Susan Benjamin 5 Mississauga susan.benjamin@peesb.com 647-268-1435

Stan Cameron

(Chair) Caledon stan.cameron@peelsb.com 905-880-1162

Robert Crocker 6 and 11 Mississauga robert.crocker@peelsb.com 416-528-1312

Nokha Dakroub 9 and 10 Mississauga nokha.dakroub@peelsb.com 289-914-0214

Will Davies 2 and 6 Brampton will.davies@peelsb.com 647-218-0295

David Green 1 and 5 Brampton david.green@peelsb.com 905-495-4579

Sue Lawton

(Vice-Chair) 3 and 4 Mississauga susan.lawton@peelsb.com 905-625-8084

Brad MacDonald

2 and 8 Mississauga brad.macdonald@peelsb.com 905-593-3547

John Marchant 1 and 7 Mississauga john.marchant@peelsb.com 905-599-5646

Kathy McDonald

3 and 4 Brampton kathy.mcdonald@peelsb.com 905-796-8163

Balbir Sohi 9 and 10 Brampton balbir.sohi@peelsb.com 416-828-4330

Trustee Ward(s) City Email Phone #

Minding Your Mindset

From the PDSB Mental Health Resource Team

With the beginning of a new year, you may be thinking about the resolutions and goals you want to set for both you and your family. Your mind is a powerful force that has the potential to help you exceed even your loftiest goals, but it also has the potential to hinder you from reaching your goals. It’s all a matter of mindset.

What Do You Mean By Mindset?

“Mindset” refers to a series of beliefs that people hold about themselves and the world. It’s the reason people think and act the way they do and it influences their outlook on life. Your mindset has a big impact on your overall wellbeing and sense of achievement in life.

Types of Mindset

There are two different types of mindsets. People who possess more of a growth mindset are likely to stick with a task even when it proves difficult. They tend to believe that they can learn and de-velop through dedication and hard work. They are also more likely to: Welcome challenges

Be open to new ways of learning

View mistakes as opportunities for learning

Recognize their weaknesses and work to improve them

People who possess more of a fixed mindset are likely to shy away from challenges. They tend to believe that traits like intelligence or talent are set at birth, and as a result, likely unchangeable. They are also likely to: Engage in negative self-talk (“I can’t”)

Avoid tasks where there is a risk of failing

Struggle to accept setbacks

Try to hide or justify their mistakes

Changing Your Mindset Is Possible

Feel like you could be stuck in a fixed mindset? Here are some tips for developing a growth mind-set.

Instead of “I can’t do it,” try “I can’t do it…yet.” If you believe that you can, you have a better

chance at succeeding, even if it doesn’t happen right away.

Challenge accepted! The next time you are faced with a tricky task, try to embrace it. You

might struggle along the way, but each new try will lead to more success.

Work hard. Many of the goals you set for yourself won’t come easily. They will require hard

work. But, when you work hard for something, the rewards feel really good.

Setbacks are opportunities for learning. Believe it or not! Making a mistake does not

mean you have failed, but you may need a different strategy. Achieving perfection on

the first try is often unrealistic.

Be open to new ways of doing things. By tackling a challenge in a new way, you may be

very surprised (and happy) with the outcome.

Remember! Mindsets can change over time and we as individuals are not typically all growth or all fixed, all of the time. However, fostering a growth mindset from an early age can help children and youth to experience and enjoy life to its fullest. When children and youth learn that putting forth effort, accepting challenges, and overcoming difficulties can make them smarter or stronger, they tend to try harder and achieve more. When children and youth know that their brains are capable of growing and improving, they can unlock their full potential and amazing things can happen! For updates and to follow along with the work of the PDSB Mental Health Resource Team, find them on Twitter @MHRTPeel. Adapted from Reach Out Australia (2018).

Excel Hoops basketball preparation program to open September 2019

Open Information Night will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2019 Initial Men’s tryouts will be held on Sunday, Jan. 27, 2019 Initial Women’s tryouts will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2019

The Peel District School Board will enter into a partnership agreement with Ex-cel Hoops to offer a basketball preparation (prep) program. Beginning Septem-ber 2019, the basketball prep program will be offered at Turner Fenton Second-ary School in Brampton and will be geared towards student athletes who train year-round in basketball. The basketball players, who are selected by Excel Hoops to be a part of the prep program, will be registered as Turner Fenton students. They will be expected to meet the full academic re-quirements of their courses and adhere to Turner Fenton’s Code of Conduct. Excel Hoops will be hosting an Open Information night on Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2019, for par-ents and prospective players to ask questions and learn about everything the program will have to offer. Tryouts will kick off on Sunday, Jan. 27, 2019 for the Men’s team and Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2019 for the Women’s team. For more information and to apply for the prep program, visit www.excelhoops.com.

Applications to submit Education Week Award nominations now open!

Each year, as part of Education Week, the Peel District School Board recognizes individuals for their exemplary contributions to student success by presenting them with an Education Week Award. There are three Education Week Awards: Award of Distinction, Award of Excellence and Education Champion Award. The nominations are open to everyone, including current and former staff, current and former students, parents/guardians, community members and volun-teers. The applications to submit a nomination is open from now until January 18, 2019 at 4 p.m. Families, students, community members and volunteers who wish to submit a nomination may do so by contacting their school. Education Week Award recipients will be recognized during Education Week from April 8 to 12, 2019. Below is a brief overview of the criteria for each of these awards: Award of Distinction: The Award of Distinction is presented to recipients for their above-and-beyond contributions to student success at their school/worksite. Award of Excellence: The Award of Excellence recognizes individuals who have made extraordinary, significant con-tributions to student success at their school/worksite and to public education in Peel. Education Champion Award: The Education Champion Award honours an individual who has made significant and lasting contributions to public education at the provincial, national or international level. Please note that group nominations will not be accepted for Education Week Awards. For more information on the Education Week Awards or award criteria’s, please contact your school principal or supervisor.

UPCOMING DATES

January 7 First day back to school

January 14-18 Kindergarten Registration (Dec 17 from 5-8 pm also)

January 21 Professional Development Day—no school for students

January 22 Kindergarten students at Playtown

January 25 Final Day for French immersion registration

January 30 Character Counts Assembly—Inclusive

Follow @Peelschools on Twitter to: learn about our schools & programs

find out if buses are cancelled during bad weather share the Peel smile

February 6 School Council Meeting in Library at 6:30 pm

February 8 Professional Learning Day—no school for students

February 11 Family Day—No School

February 20 Grade 5 Ski Trip to Glen Eden

February 28 Character Counts Assembly—Cooperative

Follow Peel schools on Facebook at www.facebook.com/peelschools.

Follow @Peelschools on Instagram where we share motivational and inspirational #PeelProud moments.