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Erin Mills News

erinmills.net Monday April 1st , 2019

Twitter : coming soon

Date Event Time Location

Hot Lunch Program

LunchBox Oct 22nd

Pizza Nova

LunchBox Oct 22nd

LunchBox Oct 22nd

11:20-11:40

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Monday

Tuesday &

Thursday Wednesday Friday

April 10th International Day of Pink --- ---

April 8-12 Education Week --- ---

April 15th School Council Meeting 6:30 pm Library

April 19th Good Friday - No school for staff and students --- ---

April 22nd Easter Monday - No school for staff and students --- ---

April 24th Celebrate Administrative Professionals’ Day --- ---

April 25th May 2nd

Me to We Public Book Sale Everyone is welcome

2:30pm - 4pm (Apr25) 6:30pm - 8pm (May 2)

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May 2nd Spring Concert 6:30pm - 8pm Gym

Dear Erin Mills MS Families, April is upon us and we are moving forward with some amazing events at EMMS. As we move into April, we call this our Prep month. There will be lots of preparations done among the staff for the upcoming Education Week (April 8-12) where all teachers will be celebrating the wonderful learning up until now, our Spring Concert at the beginning of the May, of course three days of EQAO ending the month of May with our Grade 6 team. To make this all happen teachers are preparing the students with their time management, organization, strong study habits and self-regulation skills. Recently this article came in my inbox: ‘Self-Regulation: Calm, Alert and Learning’ by Stuart Shanker. Below is an insert to the article: “There is a growing awareness among developmental scientists that the better a child can selfregulate, the better she can rise to the challenge of mastering ever more complex skills and concepts”. It’s important to unpack these executive functions for the students. To have students understand their strengths and needs of improvement. As well, have students experience errors and work through choices and still make it a learning moment. Throughout the month of April, we will be preparing students for some great learning in May. If you would like to read the whole article, please click on the hyperlink. We are very excited as we prepare for the last 3 months of the school year.

http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/childcare/shanker.pdf Please let the school know if you have any questions and/or concerns by calling the admin team at 905-820-9777.

Sincerely, Maria Kalantzakos Principal

Principal: Maria Kalantzakos VP: Mason Vandermeersch Office Manager: Jasminka Pavlovic

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School Council : Our next School Council meeting is on April 15th at 630pm. All parents are welcome to attend. To add items to the agenda

please email emmscouncil@gmail.com we want everyone's voices to be heard.

The next meeting will include a tutorial on how to use Google classroom as well as other items that we receive.

Student Safety and Teacher Supervision At EMMS, teacher supervision begins at 7:55 a.m. and ends at 2:25 p.m. Students are encouraged to plan their morning routine around this arrival time and to leave school promptly at dismissal time so that we can be certain of their safety. At the end of the school day, staff is on duty until 2:25 p.m. to assist students with boarding the buses and to see that they are on their way home. Students and their families should review their routines for entry and dismissal and talk about a contingency plan should unusual circumstances occur. Students should go directly to the office for help should they miss their bus. We appreciate the many families who update us with their current phone numbers for home, work, cell phones and emergency contact so that the office may help students when needed. 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)

1. Download the SchoolMessenger app 2. Tap Sign Up to create your account

Web and Mobile Web: go.schoolmessenger.ca

1. Go to the above website 2. Click Sign Up to create your account

Interactive Toll-free Phone

1. Call the toll-free number: 1-855-209-6155 2. 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.

Lunch at EMMS – Hot Lunch Program is here ~ LunchBox (Mon, Wed, Fri) and Pizza Nova (Tuesday and Thursday) We believe that offering a hot lunch program is beneficial to our students’ well-being and a convenient delight. We have heard the need for variety and are bringing that to our student body. We are using our locate businesses to further our partnership with our community partners.

Monday LunchBox Menu

Tuesday Pizza Nova $2 /slice

Wednesday LunchBox Menu

Thursday Pizza Nova $2/ slice

Friday LunchBox Menu

Subway

Cheese Pepperoni Gluten Free

Mac Sushi

Cheese Pepperoni Gluten Free

Boston Pizza

At this time, we are reviewing our lunch program by gathering feedback from students and parents. The goal is to provide a "Lunch Program" that allows a student to buy a hot and healthy lunch at school. Our lunch program will meet the Ministry Food & Beverage Policy guidelines. If busses are cancelled then lunches will not be delivered for that day (ie Snow Days ) credit will be applied.

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To support a safe climate, students are strongly encouraged NOT to go off school campus, to South Common Mall during their lunch time. In School Clubs and Programs Art Department: As March comes to a close students in all grades are submitting their finished projects. Portraits from Grade 8’s are finished and really express the inner emotion and personalities of the students. Students in Grade 8 are now starting mask making, looking for inspiration from various mask-making cultures from around the world. We will be making masks using plaster wrap, and I am asking students if possible if they can purchase a roll of plaster from Michaels, or DeSerres to supplement our existing stores of plaster. Grade 7 students have finished their positive and negative space projects and are now working on their drawing skills by sketching their own still life reference photographs. In Grade 6, students have completed their word art assignments and are exploring their camera skills with a macro photography assignment. Students will be taking macro photos from multiple angles of an object of their choosing, or taking multiple macro photos with a clear element of art theme in mind (e.g., colour, line, shape, texture, etc.).

ART Counting On You In ART Counting On You (COY) the group has completed their vinyl posters (printed by Nadine Winter at N.W. Expressions) and placed them in the girls washrooms around the school. The purpose of the posters was to provide the girls of Erin Mills a safe space that can not only inspire, but also provide some comfort them in times of need. The ART COY group has been busy planning our mural project and painting on the wall at the top of the main stairs has begun. The goal of this mural project is to work as a collective group to create a bold and colourful mural that reflects the dynamic and creative spirit of our school.

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Music Department: 2 streams of music programming

Performances Our students are focusing on preparing for our upcoming concerts and performances. The Junior and Senior Bands and small ensembles are rehearsing for the Spring Concert. A small group will also be preparing for a “road show” to our Feeder Schools in May. We will be demonstrating the instruments and telling the Grade 5s about the Erin Mills Music Department. Finally, the reward for a

year of hard work and rehearsals will be our trip to the Canada’s Wonderland music festival on June 12th! Spring Concert: Thursday May 2nd at 6:30 p.m. The concert will begin at 6:30 p.m. with our Junior Band. The Senior Band will perform as well. When the Junior Band concludes its performance, parents and students are asked to remain in the audience to support our Senior Band’s performances. A letter with more details will follow closer to the concert date. Canada’s Wonderland Festival: Wednesday June 12th. Both the Junior and Senior Bands will perform in the afternoon for an adjudicator. We will leave in the morning during period one and will return by around 6:00 p.m. A letter and permission form will follow with additional details. Band Rehearsals Junior Band: Thursdays 2:20-3:30 (Note practise is cancelled Thursday April 18th and will be on Wednesday April 17th for that week only) Senior Band: Tuesdays 2:30-3:30 (Note practise is cancelled Tuesday April 9th and will be on Wednesday April 10th for that week only)

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GPS The Grade 7 and 8 instrumental classes continue to make progress on the “GPS” tasks. Classes learned about the history of the blues and the 12 bar blues form. Class 8TM wrote 12 bars of rhythm and clapped the rhythm while a partner played a blues background. We will work through stages of the creative process in April and May by adding melody, revision through peer/teacher feedback and then performance.

Music Cares Grant A big thank-you goes to “Music Cares” Canada. This organization provided a grant to the instrumental department to repair instruments and to purchase new instruments. Four flutes, four clarinets and three trumpets have been refurbished and purchased for our department and will give opportunities for more students to learn an instrument. Math Thru Music COY Mrs. Phillips will begin the “Math Thru Music” COY sessions beginning April 2nd after school (Tuesdays and Thursdays). This program will introduce students to the craft of DJing while building strong numeracy skills. We look forward to seeing you at our Spring Concert! Mrs. McAlpine Mrs. Phillips (Instrumental Music) (General Music)

Me to WE News The Me to WE Club will be hosting a used book sale on Thursday April 25th and Thursday May 2nd. There will be a wide variety of quality books for all age groups at a cost of only $1. Students will have access to the book sale at lunch on those dates and parents and the public are welcome to visit our book sale from 2:30 - 4:00 p.m. on both days. The book sale will also be open during the Spring Concert on May 2nd. All proceeds will go directly to our 2018/19 Me to WE initiative of supporting "Opportunity in Sierra Leone". The money raised will be used to provide goats for families in need in Sierra Leone. One goat at a cost of $50 can provide both opportunity and empowerment. Please come out and support us by attending our book sale!! Thank you! Erin Mills Me to WE Club

Grade 6 Science Alien Projects All grade 6 classes had an opportunity to display and share their Alien Projects this month. Following their research of a specific planet, students were asked to create an alien with unique adaptations that would allow it to survive on the given planet. In order for the aliens to visit Earth, they also required an personalized Alien Passport. Thank you to all of the

students for their creativity and enthusiasm.

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Student Council:

Math and English Café The Erin Mills Student Council is opening a Math and English Cafe once a week from 10:40 to 11:20 in the library to help grade six and seven students who may be struggling in these subjects. The Math and English Cafe will be open every Wednesday from 10:40 – 11:20. Come on out and get some extra help in a safe and inclusive environment.

Erin Mills Gaming Opportunity Do you like playing board games? The Student Council is working to set up a board game drop in every Friday from 10:40 to 11:20. This opportunity will be available to all students. In order to move forward with the lunch games opportunity, the Student Council is looking for donations of gently used or new board games to add to our collection. All donations will be accepted as soon as possible. Please drop off your donations at the Erin Mills Middle School Office/attention Mrs. Arczewski

A Reminder about Volunteering At Erin Mills MS (All are welcome) We encourage parents to become active in our school community and for some family members working in our school or on a field trip is a viable option. Since September 2001, our Board requires that all volunteers have a Criminal Record Check (CRC). Parents wishing to accompany students on a class field trip need to have a completed a recent CRC. Thank you in advance for your interest in possibly volunteering at our school. To volunteer at our school, you must complete a short interview and a criminal record check. A police background check is required for all school volunteers in Ontario. Even if you want to accompany your child on a field trip, you need this background check. Once you have completed the process, you are on file with the Peel District School Board as being a school volunteer. Beginning this year, all returning volunteers will be mailed an Offence Declaration Form that must be filled out and returned to the board office each year. You will not be able to volunteer with the Peel board until you have returned this form. If you have any questions about criminal record checks or the offence declaration form, please call the board office at 905-890-1010 ext. 2488. 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 closures will be announced on radio, television stations and will also 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. One of the following messages will be announced (highlighted text only): 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 activities 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 continuing education courses and events. The buildings will be closed.

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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 continuing education courses and events. The buildings will be closed. Safe Arrival/Attendance at School

All students are expected to attend school regularly. Students should be in line, ready to enter the building at 8:05 a.m. for morning entry and 11:40 p.m. for lunch entry. If your child will be late or absent from school, please contact the School Messenger at 1-855-209-6155 or go.schoolmessenger.ca or download the School Messenger mobile app for Apple and Android users. This line is dedicated to messages regarding late or absent students and is available 24

hours a day. When children return to school after an absence, they are responsible for connecting with their homeroom teacher and their rotary teachers to "catch up" with any missed work or assignments. All classrooms have a section of the blackboard devoted to homework and assignment due dates and routines students follow when absent. Students that are late must have a note from a parent explaining the reason for being late.

Celebrating Faith and Culture April 2019

DATE

CELEBRATION FAITH AND CULTURE

April Mmaal and Sucker Moon Aboriginal Spirituality

Eve of April 1 or 2 to April 2 or 3

Isra and Mi’raj Islam

April 5 Vasant Navratri and New Year’s Day Hinduism

April 8 Farvardegan Zoroastrianism

April 9 to 27 Month of Jalál Bahá'í

April 13 or 14 Vaisakhi or Baisakhi Sikhism and Hinduism

April 13 or 14 Saka and New Year’s Day Buddhism and Hinduism

April 14 Theravada New Year Buddhism

April 14 or 21 (J) Palm Sunday Christianity

April 14-20 or 22-26 (J) Holy Week begins Christianity

April 17 Mahavir Jayanti Jainism

April 18 or 25 (J) Holy Thursday (Maundy Thursday) Christianity

April 18 or 20 Nisfu Sha’ban Islam

April 19 or 26 (J) Good Friday (Holy Friday) Christianity

Sunset of April 19 to 27 Pesach (Passover) Judaism

Sunset of April 20 to May 2 Ridvan Bahá'í

April 21 or 28 (J) Easter or Pascha Christianity

April 22 or 29 (J) Easter Monday Christianity and Canada

April 24 Zarathosht-no-Diso Zoroastrianism

April 28 to May 16 Month of Jamál Bahá'í

April 30 to May 4 Ghambar Maidyozarem Zoroastrianism

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If you require a hard copy of the newsletter after September -- please let the admin team know immediately