Glenn Gould HeadlinerGlenn Gould HeadlinerGlenn Gould Headliner From The Administration

York Region District School Board December 2014

Glenn Gould Public School 675 Vellore Park Ave Vaughan, ON L4H 0G5 Phone: 905-417-4517 Fax: 905-417-4540 Email: glenn.gould.ps@yrdsb.ca

Principal

Ms. Debbie Williams

Vice-Principal

Ms. Trish Yeates

E.O.A.A.

Mrs. Anna Lombardo

Secretary

Mrs. Rosemary Costa

Lead Caretaker

Mr. Don Legere

Superintendent

Ms. Becky Green

Trustee

Ms. Anna DeBartolo

Picture of school here

Daily Schedule

Supervision Begins

8:50 am

Entry Bell

9:00 am

Instructional Time

9:05-10:45 am

Morning Recess

10:45-11:05 am

Instructional Time

11:05-12:45 pm

Lunch

12:45-1:45 pm

Instructional Time

1:45-3:25 pm

Dismissal

The beginning of December marks one of the busiest and most exciting times in the school year. Progress report cards have gone home, parent/teacher/student conferences have taken place, and the first term is well under way. This is an ideal time for families to review student success and to set goals for the remainder of the first term. Parental input and support in the goal setting process goes a long way to ensuring that students sustain their efforts to achieve success. Considering such things as homework routines, and social goals, as well as academic achievement, will help students with their development. Families are encouraged to seek the input of teachers as they go through the goal setting process. Our Remembrance Day ceremony this year was a powerful reminder of the sacrifices that have been made for our peace. The Remembrance Day Committee put together a stirring ceremony that was attended by the student body, staff, parents and family members. The Last Post and Reveille was played by Mrs. Eriksen. Thank you to all who made this such a meaningful event. November was a busy month in many areas at Glenn Gould. As a staff, we continue to strive to assist our students to develop the necessary literacy skills to be successful in the world of school and beyond. There are a variety of instructional methods used in the classrooms and our school library continues to grow and be a great resource for our students and staff. Students are being taught with learning goals in mind and have success criteria to refer to as they engage in their learning activities. We also continue to focus on developing students skills in critical thinking in all areas of the curriculum, while creating an equitable and i n c l u s i v e l e a r n i n g environment in which all students can learn.

We know that December will be a very busy month at school as well as at home for both staff and students. The Glenn Gould Parent Council is sponsoring a food drive for the Vaughan City Food Bank. There will be a “Giving Tree” in the front hall where students and families can donate mittens, scarves and hats. Please send these items with your child to school who will then place them on the tree. It is the season for giving back to our community at Glenn Gould Public School.

As the winter weather comes to Glenn Gould, children will be naturally tempted to throw snow. Please support the safety of all of our students by reinforcing the school policy of no snowball throwing. This is always a difficult rule for young people to understand as the action of throwing a freshly made snowball is very appealing. It is important that the students understand that the rule is in place for everyone’s safety. We will make frequent announcements at school and teachers will reinforce the expectations in the classroom. We ask that parents support us by reminding their children that while at school, snow stays on the ground.

The Character Matters trait that is an area of focus for December is Empathy. When demonstrating empathy, we strive to appreciate the emotions of others, and to “stand in their shoes.” We demonstrate appreciation of and concern for the feelings of others as well as trying to understand the issues from different perspectives, even though we may not agree with them personally. On behalf of all of the staff at Glenn Gould Public School, have a wonderful and safe holiday season.

Character Trait for December is Empathy

December 2014 Page 2 Glenn Gould Headliner

From the ECO Team…

The ECO team would like to say thank you to everyone for their efforts in being more conscious when disposing their garbage. Please keep recycling and composting your waste when possible!

December's Eco theme is "Reduce Your Footprint". GGPS encourages students and parents to look for ways that they can reduce their footprint. How can you save energy (e.g. turn off lights when not in use)? Eco team members have been busy checking each classroom for any lights or monitors left on. They are completing an electrical audit and will report their results to the classrooms and the

school.

The Eco Team also challenged the school to "Ban the Bottle". They are encouraging students and staff to only use reusable water bottles. To help with this initiative, they sold GGPS water bottles for $5.00. Thank you to the Eco team members for all your hard work.

Character Assembly November’s Character Trait Recipients

Primary

Rosanna L., Shazil Z., Aman D., Anthony H., Sakina B., Julian L., Iniyaa P., Sannah N. Zain C., Vernay C., Chloe P., Seamus S., Meliya M., Minahil S., Marcus P., Evelyn P., Maksim L., Bilan M., Ibrahim U., Jasleen D., Sebastian P.,

Daniel O., Mirella B., Chloe H., Ethan T., Sallika V., Junior

Evin U., Caswinii G., Dirar T., Olivia R., Mathuran M., Thanossvi B., Lucky P., Duane N., Marian P., Brad P., Melda D., Alysha A., Cynthia F., Gavin B., Rayan M., Rishi S., Cairo C.

Intermediate Humza A., Ali I., Joyce A., Anish P., Katherine T., Jordan T., Juliana S., Khaleeq N.

We had a successful book fair in November and we would like to thank everyone for visiting the fair on the evening of student-led conferences. Each purchase made supports our school library and literacy programs.

The winner of the “Family Night” event was Trista T! She won $25 dollars worth of books from the fair and so did her teacher, Mr. LeNeve. Congratulations to them both! The book fair will return to Glenn Gould in the springtime.

Students will be able to sign out books to take home over the Winter Break. Students should continue with their daily reading over the two week break and library books will support their daily reading.

Forest of Reading books for 2015 are being ordered and should be here in the New Year. Look out for them as we begin to explore and read this year’s selection of great books by Canadian authors.

Mrs. Cucullo

Library News

The men at Glenn Gould P.S. participated in Movember to raise awareness for men’s health. This is a picture of our staff showing off their Movember growth in support of the great cause. We would like to thank the community for their support.

December 2014 Glenn Gould Headliner Page 3

Peanut/nut SAFE environments Why has my child asked me to avoid sending peanut and/or nut

products for lunches and snacks?

There are children in the school, daycare or camp who have a peanut/nut allergy. Peanut/nut allergies can be severe and may be fatal. Even tiny amounts of peanut/nut particles or residue can cause someone with a peanut/nut allergy to have a strong reaction. Without treatment, this person could die within minutes. “Peanut/Nut-Safe” environments can only be achieved when everyone is committed. That’s why your help and cooperation are very important.

What do I do?

The most important thing you can do is to avoid sending any foods from home that may contain peanuts and/or nuts. Check the ingredient list for peanut oil, peanut butter, peanut sauce, peanut flour, peanut meal, mixed nuts, ground nuts, goober nuts, goober peas, artificial nuts and mandolin nuts. There are many hidden sources of peanuts/nuts in foods. Some examples include cookies, chocolate, granola bars, some cereal bars, and some vegetable oils and shortening.

How do I know if a food contains peanuts or nuts?

• Read the labels to see if peanuts/nuts are present.

• Check the list of ingredients each time you buy a product. Remember, ingredients may change.

• Look for “may contain peanuts/nuts” on the label.

• Try to avoid products that do not carry a list of ingredients.

• Imported, non-Canadian products have different labelling requirements, so read the label carefully when choosing these products.

Glenn Gould is a nut-free school. Please refrain from sending any products that may contain nuts or nut by products. “Wow Butter” is also not allowed.

Please refrain from sending snacks to your child’s classroom.

Thank you for your support!

Health Corner

Exercise and Activity

Physical activity is an important part of good health. Try to encourage your child to do something active each day, such as a hobby,

play a game or be involved in sports.

To increase your child’s level of activity, try to:

• Limit the amount of time spent watching television or playing on electronic devices.

• Do something physical and active together.

• Encourage daily activity, not just exercise.

Healthy tips for school aged children

Suggestions include:

• Children need a variety of different foods each day.

• Snacks are an important part of a healthy diet for active children.

• Make snacks nutritious, not just high in energy.

• Enjoy talking and sharing the day’s happenings at meal times.

• Let children help with food preparation and meal planning.

Lost and Found

If you have lost an item of clothing, please drop by the school by Thursday, December 11, 2014 to look through our box. Any unclaimed article of clothing

will be donated to a clothing shelter.

WINTER IS COMING…..

Once the snow starts falling, the students will want to play with it. We ask that students be aware of snowball throwing. Students, please play safe, and leave the snow on the ground. Snowball throwing will not be allowed at Glenn Gould P.S.

As the weather starts to get colder, we ask that parents send their child(ren) to school dressed properly with appropriate hats, scarves, boots, snow pants etc.

Please label your child’s clothing to avoid it from being brought to our lost and found. Also, a pair of indoor shoes is required for all students.

Each year cases of head lice are found throughout our schools. In an effort to reduce the numbers of cases found and decrease the inconvenience to parents/guardians and students, the York Region District School Board requests your assistance. Throughout the year, please inspect your child’s hair and scalp. Periodic inspections during the year will help prevent the spread of head lice. If head lice is found, treatment needs to be done before you send your child to school. For more information, please call the Public Health Nurses at York Region Health Services Health Connection line, 1-800-363-5653

(Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.).

Page 4 December 2014 Glenn Gould Headliner

THE GLENN GOULD SCHOOL COUNCIL

Donations in December! December is all about donations. Our annual donation drive is currently underway. We are asking our school community to help teach our children about the gift of giving. The recipients of all donations will be both the York Region Children’s Aid Society and The Vaughan Food Bank. Both organizations are in desperate need of NEW items. Items in need are as follows:

The Vaughan Food Bank: Canned and boxed, jarred non-perishable food items

Toiletries, soaps, laundry detergents, razors Children’s diapers

York Region Children’s Aid Society: New unwrapped toys

Gift Cards Winter clothing for older children

Donations will be accepted until the week of December 10th. Our dance-a-thon winning classes have been determined. For raising the most funds in their division, the following classes will be awarded a pizza lunch.

Kindergarten: Ms. Patience Grades 1-3: Ms. Ciccone Grades 4-6: Ms. Boshan Grades 7,8: Ms. Rowe

Notices will be sent home confirming the date. We continue to need volunteers during the day. If you have the time and an interest in helping with any of our initiatives, please forward your contact information to the school office.

SUB LUNCH WEDNESDAYS

We are pleased to offer sub sandwich lunch delivered fresh every Wednesday from Subway Sandwiches. There are four sandwiches to choose from, veggie delight, turkey, ham and roast beef. Extra order forms are available in the office. Late orders will

be accepted. Prices are as follows:

6” sub $5.00 Juice $0.50 Snack Bag $1.25 Cookie $1.00

PIZZA LUNCH FRIDAYS If it’s a Friday and a school day, then it’s Pizza Lunch! Late orders will still be accepted. Extra forms are available in the office. For those who do not wish to purchase pizza on a weekly basis, we offer the option to our grades 1-8 students, to purchase pizza/snacks on the day of while supplies last.

Prices are as follows: Pizza Slice _$2.50 Juice_$0.50 Snack Bag $1.25 Cookie $1.00

Please bring exact change

Important dates for December: December 5 - Pizza Lunch

December 10 – Donations Due December 12 - Pizza Lunch December 19 - Pizza Lunch

Please join us for our next council meeting: Wednesday, January 21st 6:30pm 

December 2014 Glenn Gould Headliner Page 5

It was a solemn occasion as the Choir and the Senior Concert Band performed at the Remembrance Day assemblies. Students participated in reading, as well as a moment of

silence. Each class placed a wreath near the Canadian flag and our primary choir sang. Thank you to all parents who attended.

REMEMBRANCE DAY

The FDK and Primary students will be presenting a Winter Concert in December! Please join us in celebrating and supporting our children on Tuesday, December 16 or

Thursday, December 18. Details and RSVP information will be sent home with the children very soon. We hope to see you there!

Winter Concert

Traditions & Celebrations The kindergarten classes will be celebrating different traditions and celebrations by rotating through different holiday centres hosted by

each teaching team during the week before the winter break. We will be learning about Hanukkah, Christmas, Diwali, Chinese New Year, Eid, and Kwanza. Students will have passports and will read a story and com-plete a craft/activity with each rotation.

Kindergarten Trip to Round the Bend Farm

On November 5th, the Kindergarten students went on a trip to Round the Bend Farm located in Kettleby. This trip was part of our Science Inquiry, connecting to our big idea in science which states that children are curious and connect prior knowledge to new contexts in order to understand the world around them. Working in small groups, our students had a blast exploring the farm buildings, vegetable crops, livestock, and pumpkin school. They also enjoyed the bumpy wagon ride and the time playing in the hay maze! At the end of the fun-filled day, each student brought back a pumpkin with them. In addition, each classroom took vegetables that they harvested from the farm fields, and we were able to make soup. All students were given the opportunity to taste the soup. Yummy! :)

What a fantastic learning opportunity for all!

There has been an increase in parents bringing in lunches for their children. To reduce the traffic of parents bringing in lunches and the buzzing of the front door, we ask parents to pack their lunches in

the morning or to please drop off the lunches at 12:45 p.m. The office will open the doors at that time. We thank you for your cooperation.

Peace Tree Club

The Grade 5 and 6 Peace Tree Ambassadors enjoyed presenting their Poem for Peace at the Junior/Intermediate Sharing Assembly. The Peace Tree Club will be launching on Friday, December 5th, 2014. Ms. Awal

and Ms.Bergart look forward to supporting the grade 3-8 students throughout the school year. We will be focusing on the themes of inclusion, diversity and anti-bullying.

“There is no greater community of spirit than that between the artist and the listener at home, communing with the music”

About Glenn Gould

Glenn Gould was known as a writer, composer, conductor, and broadcaster. He was a prolific contributor to musical journals, in which he discussed musical theory and outlined his musical philosophy.

We’re on the web!

http://www.glenngould.ps.yrdsb.ca/

Teacher Websites Ms. Monsier http://teacherweb.com/ON/GlennGouldPublicSchool/Monsier/ Ms. Rowe http://teacherweb.com/ON/GlennGouldPublicSchool/Monsier/ Ms. Vilardo Edmodo.com

Staff members begin duty in the morning at 8:50 a.m. Students should not arrive at school before that time as there is no supervision for students. The bell rings at the end of the school day at 3:25 p.m. Students must be picked up at this time as there is no supervision available after school. Students are not to be left on their own on the back tarmac area. In the event that parents/guardians are not able to pick up at 3:25 p.m., we ask that you make alternate arrangements for pick up with a neighbour or friend and contact the school office to advise.

SUPERVISION BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL

December 2014

Glenn Gould 

Glenn Gould Headliner Page 6

Cyberbullying Awareness

The Government of Ontario has designated the week of November 17 as Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week. During this week, schools across York Region will be focused on addressing cyberbullying. York Region District School Board has been working collaboratively with York Regional Police and the York Catholic District School Board to develop resources to support school-wide cyberbullying awareness initiatives. Cyberbullying is the use of electronic devices and or the internet to threaten, embarrass, socially exclude and harass. Cyberbullying can occur through various forms of social media, including: texting, email, chats, websites, instant mes-saging, cell phones and through pictures/video clips. Cyberbullying is often aggressive behaviour that can be intentional or unintentional, direct or indirect. It may include: mocking, insults, threats, racist, homophobic comments, gossiping, spreading of rumours, excluding, humiliating and shunning.

How to tell if your child is being cyberbullied? Computer avoidance Computer obsession Change in behaviour at home Change in behaviour at school/school avoidance Kids will either want to be on the computer to see if anything else is being written for others to see or not want to May experience nightmares

If you’d like to learn more, watch our Change The Culture of Cyberbullying video on the Board’s YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/YRDSBMedia. Join us in saying #yeswewill change the culture of cyberbullying through your favourite social media tools.

As a reminder, you can also report instances of bullying using our Report it! tool available on our website.

Page 7 Glenn Gould Headliner December 2014

The staff of Glenn Gould Public School

would like to wish you and

your family a healthy and

happy holiday season.

छुिट्टयों की शुभकामनाएँ

Shub Naya Baras

ਹੈਪ੍ਪੀ ਹੋਿਲਦਾਯ੍ਸ

Mutlu Yillar

Nathar Puthu Varuda Valthukkal

Sung Tan Chuk Ha

Message From Our Trustee

As we near the end of 2014, I hope everyone has had a great school year so far and found opportunities to get involved with the life of the school. Partnerships with families are essential to student achieve-ment and well-being, and to creating a caring and supportive learning environment in which students can thrive.

There are many ways for families to get involved – from volunteering with the school and getting involved with the school council to attending school events, communicating with your child’s teacher and supporting learning at home. However you choose to get involved, know that you are making a difference.

Earlier this year, the Board of Trustees reviewed and revised our Multi-Year Plan, the plan which guides system direc-tion. The plan continues to have a sharp focus on student achievement and well-being, the delivery of effective and sustainable educational programs and the stewardship of Board resources.

Thanks to your support and the hard work and commitment of our staff, students, families and community partners, we continue to move forward in achieving our goals. As an elected trustee and an advocate for high quality public educa-tion, I am committed to ensuring the highest quality public education possible for our students and their families.

Best wishes to everyone for a safe and happy holiday season and a wonderful start to the new year. I hope you are able to enjoy time with family and friends.

Linda Aversa

Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

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Pizza Lunch

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Pizza Lunch

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16 Primary Winter

Concert

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Primary

Winter

Concert

19 Pajama day

Pizza Lunch LAST DAY

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30 31 1 2

Winter Break Ends

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Monday

1

8

15

22

Winter Break Begins

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Sunday

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14

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Return to School

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