From the Principal Important Dates march 2015schoolweb.tdsb.on.ca/Portals/normaningram/docs/March...It’s been a great start to 2015 for the School Council, kicking off with the Oozakazoo

Sub Lunch (2

nd round of orders) 4

th

FAMILY SKATE NIGHT 5th

Popcorn Sale 6

th

Morning Coffee with our Trustee 11th

Pizza Lunch (still 1

st round) 12

th

PAJAMA DAY 13th

March Break (no school) 16

th – 20

th

School Council Meeting 7 p.m. 24th

Good Friday (no school) 3

rd

Easter Monday 6th

PINK DAY (Anti-Bullying) 8

th

Pizza Lunch (2nd round of orders) 16th

Community Clean-Up Day 17

th

Sub Lunch 14th

As I write this we have just experienced our umpteenth day of indoor recesses. Won’t somebody turn up the thermostat and at least let us venture outside for some fresh air? We love living in Canada, and embrace the white stuff, but the cold weather has really interfered with our outdoor activities over the past month! That is NOT to say that interesting things aren’t happening inside the school. Since my last newsletter in January students have enjoyed Scientists in the School, OOZAKAZOO, Popcorn Day, DrumFit Day, Pizza and Sub Lunches, 100th Day activities, the Grade 5 Bonanza, a Winter Playday, and of course the exciting learning experiences that happen every day. Parents have been updated through a January School Council meeting, Provincial Report Cards, and personal interviews, and had a chance to spend Family Day with their children. All that and more has kept everybody occupied during these bitterly cold days.

Thank-you, as always, for your part in making exciting things happen at Norman Ingram. We couldn’t do what we do without your help!

Norman Ingram Principal Office Administrator Norman Ingram School Co Chairs Megan Cooper Beverly Castellano Cayla Runka/Danielle Conway

Important Dates AprIL 2015

Important Dates march 2015

From the Principal

Edition #4 March 2015

Norman Ingram Public School 50 Duncairn Road, Toronto On M3B 1C8 416-395-2720 School Superintendent: Angela Nardi-Addesa 416-396-9174 School Trustee: Gerri Gershon 416-395-3408

Each month we focus on a different TDSB “Building Character” theme to help students understand and develop commonly held ethical values and characteristics. Our teachers have once again used videos and activities featuring the superhero Quazar from the program Build Character, Build Success, to teach children about the themes for January (TEAMWORK), and February (FAIRNESS).

In January our focus on TEAMWORK taught us that when we all work together we can achieve great things. This was evidenced in many ways both in classrooms and around the school. In our small school we only accomplish things when people work together!

Learning about FAIRNESS helped us to understand that sometimes fairness looks different for different people! We realized that some people need glasses or hearing aids to make life fair. Some people need artificial limbs or wheelchairs. Sometimes the fairest thing to do is to give everybody a little of what they want or need. Fairness does NOT mean giving everybody exactly the same thing.

During March we will focus on HONESTY. There is a poster in every classroom which lists a few ways to demonstrate Honesty. Please talk about those ways with your child, and encourage honesty in your home.

“To make your children capable of honesty is the beginning of education.” John Ruskin

We were looking forward to an exciting family event from 6 – 8 p.m. on Thursday, March 5th. However, due to mechanical issues over at the skating oval, we had to

cancel. Thanks to realtor and parent Jason Walker for attempting to sponsor this special evening! I guess we’ll just have to wait for next year. Meanwhile, look for Jason’s booth at our annual year-end barbecue.

After years of struggling to keep our large property clean with a shovel and a small snow-blower, Mr. Porter is thrilled to be able to put his new toy to good use. Next time you admire the clean and safe school walkways, you’ll know he actually cleaned them with a big smile on his face! Anything to keep our favourite head caretaker happy!

There has been much discussion in the media recently concerning the release of the Revised Health and Physical Education curriculum. In an effort to keep pace with the realities of the modern era, it is a welcome document for our teachers! The best way parents can get the true facts on just what will be taught is to read the important elements for themselves. Here are links to 4 pertinent documents which should answer many of your questions.

Myth vs. Fact Key Messages Curriculum Document: www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/health.html

Parent Guide: http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/HPEgrades1to6.pdf

This revised curriculum will be in place beginning in September, 2015, and our teachers will be given professional development to prepare to deliver the content. Please feel free to contact Mrs. Cooper for more information.

CHARACTER EDUCATION Nothing runs like john’s deere!


The Revised Health and Physical Education Curriculum

Family Skate Night

http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/health.html

http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/HPEgrades1to6.pdf

http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/HPEgrades1to6.pdf

Many thanks to our School Council executive for seeking out a grant to sponsor a presentation by parenting expert Dr. Karyn Gordon. The February 10th event drew many parents from our extended community, and her message about parenting in this age of over-indulgence was informative and extremely relevant!

Knowing just the right word to use can give a child real power. The number of words a child knows is actually related to his ability to think. Helping children learn new words will help them succeed in school. Answer yes or no to the questions below to see if you are giving your child “word power”: ___1. Do you talk about words? When reading books, discuss the meaning of unfamiliar words. ___2. Do you use new words for familiar ideas? “Let’s clean your room by categorizing your toys.” ___3. Do you play word games such as Scrabble together as a family? ___4. Do you have a “Word of the Day” when everyone tries to use that word at least three times during that day? ___5. Does your child have a personal dictionary where he writes new words and their meanings? How well are you doing? Each yes means you are giving your child word power. For no answers, try some of the ideas above!

(From Practical Ideas for Parents to Help Their Children. ISSN: 1046-0446)

The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority monitors hazardous ice conditions as thaw begins and are reminding everyone to be very careful around all bodies of water. The first hint of warming weather and the promise of spring thaw can bring extreme danger to the shores and surfaces of streams, rivers, ponds and lakes, according to Toronto and Region Conservation. As warmer temperatures arrive, stream banks become increasingly slippery and unstable. Lake and river ice weakens, becoming thinner or with higher flows breaking with little or no warning. During this time, the potential for flooding and ice jamming is high. Higher, faster-flowing water and extreme cold temperatures combine to create increased dangers on or near rivers, streams and ponds for people wishing to enjoy the seasonal changes. Parents and caregivers are being asked to keep children away from stream banks, ponds and lakes.

Mr. Whittington’s grade 5’s once again provided enough baked goods and enticing items to raise about $800 in support of their end-of-year trip to Camp Walden. Not only were there delicious treats to purchase, but there was a disco ball to accompany the music, and a cotton candy machine to top off the excitement! Thanks to everybody who donated baked goods to the cause, watched over their children as they baked goodies themselves, or sent in money to make purchases.

Dr. karyn Gordon


Are you helping your child develop Word Power?

Valentine’s Day Bonanza

High water warning

It’s been a great start to 2015 for the School Council, kicking off with the Oozakazoo fundraiser in January. We had a great turn out and lots of fun. Special thanks to Elizabeth Vogel-Szlendak and her team of organizers and volunteers who made it possible. Keep your eyes open for several upcoming events from the Council.

1. The second round of order forms will go home Pizza Lunch

Monday March 23rd

, and are due back on Friday, March 27th

.

New this round, the kindergarten students will also be

included in this fun and flavourful fundraising initiative!

2. With a special thank you to parent Robert Hashimoto, we will be launching a website for Norman Ingram Spirit Wear. All of those great items you saw in the raffle at Oozakazoo (t-shirts, flip-flops, beer glasses, etc.) will be available for purchase toward the end of March. You can order for the whole family with proceeds going to support literacy programs at Norman Ingram. This initiative is intended to enhance school spirit, but is also a fundraiser taking the place of “Leap for Learning” this year. Stay tuned for the website launch! 3. We have begun planning the annual Year-End Barbecue scheduled for Friday, June 19th. We will once again be in need of many volunteers to make the event possible. With over 400 attendees and lots of fun activities we require close to 50 adult volunteers to make the event safe and successful. Sign- up information will be in the May flyer. Looking forward

to seeing you all there!

During the last two weeks of March (March 23

rd - April 2

nd)

we will once again be holding our March Coin Challenge. We are challenging students from all classes to bring in coins in the hopes of raising $1000 to purchase two new pieces of technology. This endeavour has proven very successful for the past two years, wherein we met our goal each year. It is a quick and easy way to increase our list of available items for student use (eg. netbooks or i-pads.) Please start digging through the couch, check under furniture and raid those little hiding spots for any loose coins. The class which collects the greatest amount stands to enjoy an afternoon of fun and games as a prize!

Beginning readers work hard to figure out and say words. As their reading skills improve, however, they do more higher-order thinking. This goes far beyond pronouncing words. It involves understanding and using information. At this point, reading becomes learning! As your child begins to comprehend more of what he reads:

1. Summarize. Talk with your child about the material. Recall facts (such as main characters, setting and plot), but also go further. What problems did characters face? Why? How does the story progress from beginning to end? Why did things turn out the way they did? 2. Make connections. What has your child already learned or experienced before that relates to the story? How is the story like or unlike others he/she has read? If the story was about a mouse, for example, what does your child know about mice that matches or doesn’t match the story? 3. Solve problems. Consider how characters were affected by each other’s actions. Imagine things from different viewpoints. What if your child took each character’s place? Would he/she make the same decisions they did? How might this have changed the story? 4. Apply knowledge. What was the message or moral of the story? Did the author have a clear opinion? If so, what was it? Does your child agree? How can your child apply what he’s read to real life?


Four tactics to strengthen your child’s reading Comprehension

News from your School Council Co-chairs

March coin challenge

News From trustee gershon

We have had a very fun and exciting start to our second term in the music room. I would like to share with you a few things each of our classes have been working on, as they have made great strides in a short period of time.

The children in our Full Day Kindergarten Program continue to have a variety of musical experiences. They love learning simple rhythmic chants, rhymes, and fingerplays and take turns performing these chants for each other in small groups to build their confidence. We sing echo songs to develop our musical ears, and play many movement games to find the beat in our feet! The children are finding their singing voices, and it is a pleasure to watch them grow and develop these fundamental music skills. We will continue singing, moving, playing and listening to various styles and genres of music.

Ms. Frangos’s grade ones continue to learn how to identify, play and create their own rhythms using quarter notes, eighth notes, and quarter rests. We were inspired on Valentine’s Day to create a valentine rhythm. First, we came up with valentine words that had one sound, like heart, friend, and red, which represented the quarter note or ta. Then we came up with valentine words that had two sounds, like cupid, candy, and cupcake, which represented a pair of eighth notes also known as ti-ti. Next, we put the words together to create a rhythm. This is our final valentine rhythm. It took us a few tries, but we are proud of it!

Choc’late cup-cakes,

Can-dy hearts,

Hugs and kis-ses,

Peace and love! Parents, you can ask your child to chant and clap this rhythmic speech pattern they created as a class. I am sure they would be happy to share their creation with you!

In Ms. Lussier’s and Mrs. Mirebrahimi’s classes, the children have been learning to read and play simple rhythms and melodies using glockenspiels and recorders. They take turns playing in small groups and as a whole, along with fun accompaniments played on the bass metallophone and CD player. They have been focussing on learning and applying their fingering and breathing techniques, and are doing a great job with their new instruments!

Mrs. Higgins’ and Ms. Panela’s classes have been learning to play more complicated rhythms and melodies on recorders, using the notes B, A, G, C, and high D. Their favourite song so far is “Cuckoo’s 7 o’clock”, which is a fun yet challenging piece because of the many rests and new notes. Parents, feel

free to ask your children to share this quirky little tune with you. Impromptu performances in front of trusted and supportive loved ones can help build confidence and increase interest and enthusiasm in learning the recorder.

Ms. Lam’s students have been cruising through their recorder unit, as they are proficient players with the beginner scale and love a challenge! They have learned 7 songs already and are on their way to more advanced fingering like high and low D, high and low E, F and F#. They are so enthusiastic about this recorder program that they can set up their chairs and stands and have their music folders open and ready to go in under 4 minutes! Way to go, grade fours!

Over the past few weeks, Mr. Whittington's class has had the opportunity to learn some history in the music room! This new and engaging unit is a series of guided readings that describe the major points of jazz history and the biographies of some of the most prominent jazz legends, such as Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and Dizzy Gillespie. Their “Jazz Cats” recorder program is coupled with a History of Jazz unit and offers the children an excellent collection of music, where each song focuses on a different style of jazz from Dixieland to contemporary. Each song has a section for improvising (making up the melody). Students have had fun exploring the art of improvisation, and have learned to appreciate this art and their peers' recorder playing skills.

All children learning to play the recorder are strongly encouraged to practice on a daily basis for a minimum of 15 minutes. Junior grades can practice for 30 minutes each day. Taking the time to practice not only develops playing skills, but it teaches your child other valuable skills such as perseverance, responsibility, patience and dedication. If your child needs individual assistance, I am available for help during afternoon recess most days.

The choirs have now begun preparing for our Spring Concert in May. I would like to ask parents of our Primary Choir members to ensure that their children have their choir folders at school on Tuesdays. We have had three practices in this second term, and more than half of the children each week have come unprepared, making for frustrating and ineffective choir practices. Students have always been encouraged to take home their choir folders to practice their lyrics, but they need to remember to bring them back for rehearsals on Tuesdays. This standard practice promotes routine and responsibility, and your support is greatly appreciated!

All of our students will soon begin preparing new music for our Spring Concert. Details will follow in the next newsletter. Thank you parents, for your continued support of the music program here at Norman Ingram, and for your encouragement at home. We are partners in your child's music education!


THE PASQUA POST

Our team had a busy and fun season. Boys’ BasketballAfter months of hard practice, the boys got a chance to test their skills in their Divisional Tournament at Forest Manor Public School. The boys were certainly up to the challenge, going a perfect 4-0 en route to winning their pool and advancing to the North Conference Final Four. The boys played a great semi-final game, but ended up losing to the eventual conference champions by just a few baskets. It was a great game to watch. Well done boys!

The Norman Ingram team had a Girls’ Volleyballwonderful season. The girls and Ms. Campbell worked extremely hard practising and developing their volleyball skills and came in 1st place at their Divisional Tournament. They went on to the North Conference Championships but were defeated 15-13 in their final match. Congratulations to Aimee, Brooke, Chloe, Hope, Kalli, Katie, Kylie, Mai, Maya, Pada and Sarah for a great season!

, , and are all on deck for Soccer Ultimate Track & Field spring ... if we get a spring! Soccer will begin with some indoor training early in April and we will head out on the field for tryouts when the snow, ice, and mud feel like disappearing. Soccer will again be open to all grade 3, 4, and 5 boys and girls. Ms. Lussier will be starting up Ultimate Frisbee for our 5’s in the Gym after March Break, and Ms. Panela and Ms. Lam will attempt to get outside with the 2’s, 3’s, 4’s, and 5’s and hit the tarmac for some track training. It should be lots of fun.

Please watch for Tryout Permission Forms which will come home soon. Remember that children cannot try out for any team without a signed permission form!

GO FALCONS!!

If you had come to the school to visit on Friday, February 6th

you would have found every student in the gym at some point moving to the beat as they drummed on an exercise ball! Mrs. Pasqua organized a fabulous day of activity, led by a DrumFit expert, and we all had a blast! Many thanks to the School Council for sponsoring this great event. Here is some evidence – the smiles say it all!


SPORTS news From mr. WHittington

We love drumfit!

Spring will be here soon and we have a lot planned for the next couple of months. Earth Hour is just around the corner. This year, the official world-wide Earth Hour is Saturday, March 28th from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. TDSB will be involved in this event; however, it will take place on Friday, March 27th from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. As an Eco School, we feel it is important to participate in this event and do our part. During this hour, our school will turn off all classroom lights and computers. We will also not use any coffee makers, photocopiers, and even electric pencil sharpeners! We hope you will support Earth Hour with your family on March 28th. The World Wildlife Fund is the group supporting this wonderful event and they also have more information on the following website. http://wwf.ca/earthhour/ Remember, it is only for an hour! Earth Week will take place the week of April 20th. We will participate in the annual spring cleanup of our schoolyard and Duncairn Park on April 17th at 2:00 pm. During Earth Week students will plant seeds in their classrooms for our Footprint Garden. Each class will be in charge of planting a different fruit or vegetable, and will care for the seedlings in their classrooms until they are ready to be planted outside in early June. Students will also participate in a variety of eco lessons and activities. We are also very excited to announce a new special eco event happening at the end of April. We are putting our Norman Ingram students to an eco-challenge! We want to see what inventions students can make from recycled materials. More information about this event will be sent home before March Break. During our spring concert event in May we will have eco club members selling Norman Ingram reusable water bottles. Plastic water bottles are very harmful to our environment and we would like encourage the use of reusable water bottles whenever possible. The cost for each water bottle is $10.00 with the proceeds going to our annual eco initiatives, such as the cost of seeds and soil for our gardens.

We continue to collect bottle caps of all sizes and colours. Our plan is to collect as many as possible and

turn them into an art installation we can be proud of. By collecting these bottle caps we are also preventing them from ending up in our landfills. This masterpiece will take time to complete so we will be collecting caps for the rest of this year and probably most of next year! Here’s a great example of an art installation created using bottle caps – just think what we could do!

Thank-you for supporting all of our ECO initiatives! Remember, go green, stay green!

We were lucky to be the recipients of some funding for improvements around the school this year, thanks to our superintendent and the Facilities Department. Among other things, we say a huge thank-you for new blinds in the gym, along with some carpentry work to rehang all of our sports banners. Here are some before and after shots. We are thrilled with the new look!

ECO NEWS From Ms. Lussier


Gym transformation

http://wwf.ca/earthhour/

Although we hope that you will be spending a large part of your March Break enjoying “face-to-face” time with your children, we know that they will be trying to negotiate some media time. No problem! During those “rare” moments, let them explore some of the great FREE educational websites that they have been using in our school library. They make learning fun!

National Geographic Kids

National Geographic Kids features games, crafts and recipes, science experiments, videos, and animal information. This site will keep kids engaged while learning.

Prodigy

Prodigy provides engaging math games that are aligned with the Ontario curriculum. It actively adapts to keep students learning at their own pace, with a learning algorithm that automatically identifies knowledge gaps and scaffolds students through difficult concepts.

ABCya

This website provides grade level activities which incorporate math and language arts while introducing basic computer skills. Many of the kindergarten and first grade activities are equipped with sound to enhance understanding.

Wonderopolis

Discover a new wonder each day. Wonders are amazing facts and intriguing questions such as: Where does wind come from? or How are waves created?

Fun Brain

There are many educational games here designed to build on skills that kids are working on in school. Explore Math Arcade, Mad Libs and online graphic novels.

Pottermore

This site is for kids who are fans of Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling created this virtual world so kids can embark on an interactive journey through Harry's story. Kids need to register with a name and email address to use Pottermore, but they're assigned a user name so no personal information is revealed. Users can comment on each chapter, but the site has strict guidelines about what's acceptable. It is a magical place for Potter fans!

Spatulatta

This a cooking website for kids that has more than 350 video recipes for kids to watch and try. There are also food-related craft ideas, basic cooking tips, and safety information. One of the site's best features is “The Recipe Box”, a search tool that kids can use to look for recipes by meal, holiday, ingredient, or cuisine.

NGA Kids

NGAkids interactives offer an entertaining and informative introduction to art and art history. It features a variety of art-making tools that encourage exploration and creativity. These computer-based activities are suitable for all ages.

Don’t forget to visit the Toronto Public Library for P.S.lots of fun activities happening over the March break. Our very own Don Mills branch has a great line up!

Monday- Magical IncrediBRENT

Tuesday- Movie (Big Hero 6)

Wednesday- Mobile Ontario Planetarium

Thursday- (puppet show) Histoires et Marionnettes

Friday- Superhero Academy

Enjoy your March Break!

Library news From Ms. Innocente


http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/

https://www.prodigygame.com/Canada/

http://www.abcya.com/

http://www.wonderopolis.org/

http://www.funbrain.com/

http://www.pottermore.com/

http://www.spatulatta.com/

http://www.nga.gov/kids/kids.htm

We took advantage of the only sunny day in February and had an impromptu winter carnival. It was wonderful!

Documents

From the Principal Important Dates march 2015schoolweb.tdsb.on.ca/Portals/normaningram/docs/March...It’s been a great start to 2015 for the School Council, kicking off with the Oozakazoo