Please visit our website http://schools.peelschools.org/1328/aboutus/calendar/Pages/default.aspx at to check for any upcoming events, lunch days and so on. From time to time, we will send out automated voice mail messages to inform you of important events or timelines. Please do not automatically call the school back without first listening to the message. Information is sent out by email. Parents are not permitted on the playground during nutrition breaks without approval. If you are looking for your child, please come to the office.

PLEASE NOTE: Parents must report all absences in-

cluding full-day/half-day and late arrivals from the school by

calling 1-855-209-6155, or visit online

at go.schoolmessenger.com, or download the

SchoolMessenger mobile app (through your phone's app

store).

Please DO NOT send your child to school if they are

sick, THANK YOU for keeping us all well!

SHERIDAN PARK PUBLIC SCHOOL "Together striving to

be our best in mind,

body and character." "Ensemble, dans le

but d'achever notre

meilleur d'esprit, de

corps et de carac-

tère."

From the Office with a “View”

2280 Perran Dr.

Mississauga, Ontario

Phone: 905-822-2401

Fax: 905-822-0248 sheridanpark.ps@peelsb.com

Janet Jackowski

Principal

Michael Miller

Vice-Principal

Grace Piatek

Office Manager

Karthika Sujith

Office Assistant

Nina Jaiswal

Superintendent

905-366-8800 ext. 1224

Brad MacDonald

Trustee 905-890-1010

Tuesdays Pita Pit Thursdays Pizza Day Fridays Lunch Lady May 20 Victoria Day-NO SCHOOLNO SCHOOLNO SCHOOL May 30 Volunteer Breakfast June 6 Family BBQ

Celebrating Faith and Culture

Date Celebration Faith and Culture

May Yansa'altt and Flower Moon Indigenous

1-May Beltane Wicca

Sunset of May 1 to May 2 Yom HaShoah Judaism

2-May 12th Day of Ridvan Bahá'í

6-May Ramadan Islam

7-May Akshaya-tritiya Jainism

May 12 or 19 Sakyamuni Buddha’s Birthday Buddhism

May 17 to June 4 the month of 'Azamat Bahá'í

19-May Wesak Day/Buddha Day Buddhism

20-May Victoria Day Canada

May 21 to 24 Aboriginal Week Indigenous

Eve of May 23 to 24 Declaration of the Báb Bahá'í

24-May Zarathosht-no-Diso Zoroastrianism

Eve of May 28 to May 29 Ascension of Bahá'u'lláh Bahá'í

31-May Lailat ul-Qadr Islam

31-May Jumatul Widha Islam

May 10 or 17 Ascension Christianity

Allergy Alerts

The Peel District School Board has a progressive approach to making sure that students with severe food allergies are safe at school. If your child has anaphylaxis—a severe allergic reaction to a food, insect bites or medication—

please contact the office. We will work with you to develop a plan for keeping your child safe at school. We have several students, at our school with severe or life-threatening allergies to peanuts and nuts, as well as some dairy products and fish. We ask that you help us take care of these students by choosing lunches and snacks for your child that are free from peanuts or nuts. Please read the label of any food you plan to send to school with your child. If the label says, "May contain nuts

or peanuts," please do not bring it to school. You can get a complete copy of the Peel board's anaphylaxis guideline from our school office or from www.peelschools.org —click on the "Special Education" icon on the homepage. If you have any questions, please

feel free to contact the school office.

“Reflect, Respect, Responsibility” “Réfléchir, Respecter, Prendre la Responsabilité”

LUNCH REMINDERS

Lunch time is a very busy time in the office for the following reasons: Children may realize that they do not

have a lunch and need to use the phone, students may be collecting a dropped-off lunch, students may be

signing out to go home for lunch, and others may be ill and waiting for parent pick-up.

Please assist us by: Making sure your child has two snacks and a lunch every day, making sure you label

your child’s lunch with their name and class teacher. If you must bring in a late lunch, please place it on the

table in the foyer area. Let your child know that you will be dropping lunch, so that they know to come and

check the table before calling you.

Please avoid sending in food treats to celebrate your child’s birthday. This avoids the dangers as-

sociated with nut and other allergies and helps to keep our students and staff safe. In lieu of food, a donation

to a classroom library is highly recommended.

Celebrating and Promoting Children’s Mental Health

Children’s Mental Health Week is happening May 5-11 in Ontario. It’s a time to focus on the important ways

we can promote and nurture the mental health and well-being of our children.

Mental Health: A State Of Well-Being Did you know that we ALL have mental health? It is more than just the absence of illness. Mental health is

defined as a state of well-being in which every individual realizes their own potential, can cope with the nor-

mal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to their communi-

ty (World Health Organization). Indigenous teaching reminds us that mental wellness is a balance of the men-

tal, physical, spiritual and emotional parts of ourselves and is enriched when individuals experience purpose,

hope, belonging and meaning in their lives (First Nations Mental Wellness Continuum Framework). A child’s

mental health is just as important as their physical health when it comes to success at school, in friendships

and in life.

Here are some key tips and strategies to nurture your child’s mental health and resilience from

your PDSB Mental Health Resource Team:

Safe, responsive relationships between adults and children is our greatest tool for promoting posi-

tive development and mental health in youth. When a child has consistent, caring adults in their life

both at home and in the community, when they know they are loved and valued no matter what, and

have someone trusted they can turn to when a problem arises, their resilience is bolstered.

Listen and validate feelings. Encourage children to talk about their thoughts and feelings, and show

lots of love and acceptance. Keep the conversation flowing by asking open-ended questions and spend-

ing quality time together at mealtimes and by participating together in activities your child enjoys.

Help Your Child Develop a Positive Sense of Self. A child’s self-perception is linked with their

mental health. Help them set realistic goals; praise them for effort as well as achievement by providing

genuine, realistic praise. Foster positive connections with their cultural or faith community. A child with

high self-esteem believes they are a good person, understands their positive qualities and strives for a

successful, happy life.

Model and Teach Healthy Ways to Manage Stress. While it’s important to try to protect your

child from overwhelming or toxic stress, not all stress is bad. In fact, some stress helps us motivate and

prepare us to perform our best, and there is bound to be some stress after a disagreement with friends

or being cut from a sports team. Give your child the tools they need to cope with stress and big feel-

ings in a healthy way: establish healthy habits including exercise, getting enough sleep and proper nutri-

tion; practicing gratitude and deep breathing, journalling or talking with a trusted adult are just a few

examples.

Notice Changes and Reach Out for Help. If you notice signs that your child feels sad or overly

anxious about normal situations like going to school or meeting new people, take note. A change in

mood or behaviour that lasts more than two weeks, impacting social problems, academic issues or fam-

ily problems could be sign of a mental health concern. Keep the lines of communication open with your

child’s teacher and other caring adults in their life to discuss observations. Remember, there is no age

too early for a child or family to see a mental health provider; in fact, it might benefit the whole family

by providing resources and support to caregivers who may be struggling, too.

Where Can I Get Help?

At school, your child can reach out to their teacher, coach, guidance teacher or school administrator as a

starting point, to talk about their mental health. Every PDSB school is also assigned Social Work and Psychol-

ogy staff to provide consultation and direct service to students, and assist students and families to get con-

nected to helpful resources in the community.

In the community, visit www.WhereToStart.ca to access mental health services for children and youth in

Peel. For a quick guide to mental health resources, visit bit.ly/PeelYouthResources.

For more tips on building mental health and resilience, visit bit.ly/ResiliencyTips

For updates and to follow along with the work of the PDSB Mental Health Resource Team, find

them on Twitter @MHRTPeel.

Adapted from Caring for Kids (2019) and Very Well Family (2018).

Denta

l Scre

ening

Sheridan Park PS puts the spotlight on Asian Heritage

In December 2001, the Senate adopted a motion proposed by Senator Vivienne Poy to officially designate May as Asian Heritage Month in Cana-da. In May 2002, the Government of Canada signed an official declaration to designate May as Asian Heritage Month. Throughout May, students, staff and parents from across Peel will participate in a number of activities that promote the understanding of the many contributions made by Asian Canadians.

What is an IEP?

Education is full of acronyms and IEP is one of many that a parent/guardian of a child re-ceiving special education support will encounter. An IEP is an Individual Education Plan. Developed at the beginning of the school year, it lays out the accommodations and modifications to the regular curriculum that help your child learn and be successful. No formal identification is needed but you, the parent/guardian should be involved in the development as you provide valuable input. It can be overwhelming so there are pamphlets, webpages, and Special Education Advisory Com-mittee (SEAC) representatives who can help you understand and make informed contri-butions. May is Better Speech and Hearing Month. Let's thank the professionals who help our children with their speech and language challenges. For more information, please visit www.peelschools.org/parents/specialed/iep

Register today for Adult ESL or LINC classes Do you know an adult who is interested in improving their English language skills for work, study or daily life? Through the Continuing & Adult Education department, the Peel District School Board offers a wide variety of English language classes that help adult learners experience success in Canadian English in both listening/speaking and reading/writing. Courses are designed for a range of basic, intermediate and advanced English (Levels 1 to 8) as well as the more experienced learner needing to prepare for an IELTS exam.

Classes are ongoing - Register anytime.

All learners who complete a session will earn a certificate of learning from the Peel District School Board. Certificates of completion at Canadian Language Benchmark level 4 and greater can be sub-mitted as proof of language proficiency for Canadian Citizenship applications. Classes operate from six locations in Brampton and Mississauga with three specially designed adult centres at:

Bramalea - Adult Education Centre – Bramalea Secondary School, 510 Balmoral Dr, Brampton,

Door #33

Brampton - Adult Education Centre - #300 - 7700 Hurontario Street, Brampton

Mississauga - Adult Education Centre - 100 Elm Drive West, Mississauga, Room 117

To learn more or to register, call 905-270-6000, then press 2 Also visit www.peelschools.org/adulteducation or follow us on Twitter: @PDSBLearnESL

Peel schools honour police officers during Police Appreciation Week

The Peel District School Board will pay tribute to police officers by holding Police Ap-preciation Week from May 13 to 17, 2019. Peel students and staff will show their appreciation for the tremendous job being done by police to protect schools, homes and communities. Po-lice Appreciation Week coincides with National Police Week. National Police Week pays tribute to the work of police officers across Canada. During this week, students, staff and parents in schools throughout Brampton, Caledon and Mississauga will honour the work of police officers and thank them for enhancing public safety and security.

May 15 – Celebrate Peel IT Support Staff and Media Support Ser-vices Appreciation Day This year, the Peel District School Board will recognize the contributions of its IT support staff and media support services on May 15, 2019. The Peel board appreciates the important work of these individuals to ensure that innovative, reliable and adaptable solutions are available to support student success through equitable access to technology. We thank them for providing quality service and for supporting students and staff every day.

We Welcome the World Centres

The Peel District School Board’s We Welcome the World Centres located in Brampton, Malton and Mississauga, are the first point of contact for all newcomer families to be-come familiar with the educational system in Peel. The centres are open all year—including the summer months— from Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. In addition to providing literacy and numeracy assessments, the We Welcome the World Centres provide newcomers with a host of services including: reception, orientation, in-terpretation and referrals.

At each centre, parents/guardians and students will discover: settlement service information age and grade appropriate educational and related program resources information about various community supports translation of materials to support the reception and assessment process computer portals— providing information on Peel resources

For more information about the We Welcome the World Centre and the services they pro-vide, call 905-366-8791.

Using social media safely With the growing number of social media sites, it is no surprise

that social media is the most common form of communication for

children and teenagers. Posts, status updates, comments, instant

messages, video uploads, tweets and texts have become a regular

part of their lives. While there are many positive benefits to using

social media, including staying connected with friends and express-

ing your interests, students must be cautious in their use of these

networks.

Among the most popular social media platforms used are Face-

book, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, YouTube and Whatsapp Mes-

senger. Many of these platforms are free and are available on smartphones and other electronic devices. The-

se platforms are easy to navigate and often allow information to be shared instantly, not only with friends,

but with strangers. On social media, it is important to remember that the world is watching.

Here are some tips, provided by the Canadian Safe School Network and GetSafeOnline.org, to keep your

children safe and help them make smart choices when using social media:

Set some boundaries for your child before they get their first ‘connected device’ (mobile, tablet, laptop

or games console). Once they have it, it can be more difficult to change the way they use it or the set-

tings.

Have a conversation about what is appropriate online behaviour and what actions could have huge re-

percussions that could damage their reputation and be harmful to others.

Talk to your child about the kind of websites they look at. Encourage them to speak to you if they

come across something they find worrying or upsetting on websites, games or social media.

Discuss with your child what is safe and appropriate to post and share online. Written comments, pho-

tos and videos all form part of their ‘digital footprint’ and could be seen by anyone and available on the

internet forever, even if it is subsequently deleted.

Explain to your child that being online doesn’t give them anonymity or protection, and that they

shouldn’t do anything online that they wouldn’t do face-to-face. Users should only accept people they

know in order to protect themselves from spammers, strangers and others who may be using social

networking sites to commit crimes.

Unlike when they’re meeting someone face-to-face, children don’t always know who they’re actually

‘talking’ to online, even if they think they do. Tell your children they must never email, chat, or text

with strangers, and it’s never okay to meet a stranger in the real world.

Ensure your children set their privacy settings appropriately. Take the time to learn how privacy set-

tings work on your children’s favourite sites, and teach them how to control their privacy.

Tell your children never to share personal and private information with anyone online. This includes,

but is not limited to, his or her full name, age, birth date, address, phone number, social insurance num-

ber, credit card information and parents’ full names.

Limit the amount of time that your children spend on social media platforms and talk about the im-

portance of healthy and appropriate use of technology.

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 announced 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 be-gun—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 per-son, 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.

Time for school - A parent’s guide to reporting school Absences and Late 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 SafeArri-val 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.