Martina Asta

Melissa Brown

Tel: 905-791-6025

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SIB Bobcat

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Sir Isaac Brock Public School

Newsletter

November 2016 http://schools.peelschools.org/1417

SIB Students Partner Up with the City of Brampton Parks Department On Tuesday October 18th, SIB’s Grade 4 and 5 Eco leaders, Grade 3 Terracyclers along with Grade 7 Me to We club had the opportunity to partner up with the City of Brampton Parks department to help celebrate Parks Week. The students had a chance to rotate to various activities which included clay seed ball making, litter clean-up, tree and flower observation. SIB students were really excited to finish off the event with tree planting. Our school received a certificate from the City of Brampton, as well as each student participant received a Park Heroes t-shirt. We look forward to continuing this partnership with the City of Brampton.

Sir Isaac Brock Mural to be Displayed at Ontario Legislature

Twelve Sir Isaac Brock students submitted a collaborative mural to an Ontario Youth Arts Program

contest. Their artwork has been selected to be displayed at the Ontario Legislature from December

2016 through March 2017.

The Grade 7 and 8 students chose the artist Drake as the

subject of the mural because of his positive image,

messages for youth, and support of the GTA. The mural

itself is composed of 12 individual canvases which are

bracketed together to form one larger piece.

Each work of art showcases the uniqueness of each

student while simultaneously displaying the diversity of our

student body. Functionally, the combination of the pieces

highlights our strengths which can only be seen in

teamwork and reinforces that we are stronger when we

work together. Though the final image creates Drake’s

portrait, the individual voices of each student can still be seen.

First School Book Fair a Huge Success!! Thank you to all those students and families that came to our first book fair of the year and made a purchase. We surpassed our goal of $2500 and made close to $4000! $600 worth of books was taken right out of the book fair and put in our library for students to enjoy reading. Scholastic gave the school back just over $800 in cash, which will be used to purchase resources for our new MakerSpace. Many $5 prizes were handed out to students and the grand prize of $25 went to Tirth in Ms. Gaur’s class. Tirth’s win also allowed Ms. Gaur to pick $25 worth of books for her classroom! Look out for our next book fair in April 2017.

Once again a big THANK YOU to all our SIB families!! GO BOBCATS!

Follow the library on twitter @sib_library

Does Your Child Carry an EpiPen? Free EpiPen waist packs can be obtained by entering in your child’s EpiPen lot number on the following site:

http://www.epipen.ca/en/waistpack

EpiPen Canada will send you a free waist pack so that your child can carry an EpiPen on their person at all times. This is particularly important in a school setting, when students have more than one learning classroom (gym, music room, library, etc.).

Our School's Plan and Focus to Improve Math Achievement

Numeracy is the curricular focus in the Peel District School Board. As such, our school has used the math results from last year's EQAO to help us develop a plan to improve students' math skills. We developed a school-wide Theory of Action which highlights changes that will be made to improve teaching and learning. Our school's Theory of Action is: If we model and explicitly teach problem solving strategies for the purpose of making student thinking visible then students will be able to apply their knowledge to solve real life math problems. At Sir Isaac Brock, students will be provided with opportunities to investigate math concepts and ideas through

problem solving and guided by teachers to help them understand the math principles involved.

Teachers are also teaching and supporting students to learn the basic operational skills.

Important Dates to Remember

November 8th—Photo Re-Take Day November 10th—Gr. 1-8 Progress Reports Sent Home November 11th—Remembrance Day November 17th—Parent/Teacher Interviews (Evening) November 18th— Parent/Teacher Interviews (Morning) November 18th—PA Day (no school for students) November 25th—Scrabble Spirit Day December 1st —School Council Meeting 6:30-7:30 pm (in the Library) All Parents are welcome to attend; Babysitting provided

Celebrating Faith and Culture DAYS OF COMMEMORATION & CELEBRATION

DATE CELEBRATION FAITH AND CULTURE

November Gwilatkw and Freezing Moon Aboriginal Spirituality

November 1 Birth of the Báb Bahá'í

November 1 All Saints' Day Christianity

November 1 Samhain Wicca

November 2 Birth of Baha’u’lláh Bahá'í

November 3 -21 The month of Qudrat Bahá'í

November 5 Gnan Panchami Jainism

November 11 Remembrance Day Canada

November 14 Dev Diwali or Lokashah Jayanti Hinduism and Jainsim

November 14 Birth of Guru Nanak Sikhism

November 16 Louis Riel Day Aboriginal Spirituality

November 22 - December 10 The month of Qawl Bahá'í

November 24 Martyrdom of Guru Teg Bahadur Sikhism

November 25 Day of Covenant Bahá'í

November 27 Ascension of 'Abdu'l-Bahá Bahá'í

November 27 or 28 (J) First Day of Advent (Christmas fast) Christianity

November 27 First Sunday of Advent Christianity

Remembrance Day Assembly We will be having a Remembrance Day Assembly on Friday, November 11th. All children will receive a poppy. Students are invited to make a small donation. On this day of remembrance, may we, as a community, join together to remember the soldiers and citizens who

gave their lives for the freedom we all enjoy.

News from the Gym Athletics The month of October was a busy one for our student athletes. Our boys/girls soccer teams competed in the NPPHEA tournaments at Sandelwood Fields early in the month. Both teams placed well and represented our school with great pride! Our cross country team was also in action this month, as they took on the Division A NPPHEA schools at Heart Lake Conservation area. Our 28 runners were truly inspirational as they all achieved a Personal Best in distance and placed well in their categories. Well Done BOBCATS! November will continue to be a busy month as our volleyball teams are gearing up for their competitions in late November and early December. In total, 45 students will compete in four different NPPHEA tournaments. Get ready to Bump, Set and Spike!

Intramurals The Intramural Program at S.I.B. continues to develop and engage more of out students in physical activity. Our sport leagues range from basketball, volleyball and indoor soccer. Students have an opportunity to play their sport of choice in a fun, safe and inclusive environment. A special thanks goes out to the members of the Bobcat Athletic Council who have been hard at work during their nutrition breaks refereeing.

SPARK Every morning before school, a dedicated group of teachers make the gym open to our Grade 7-8 students to increase their fitness and spark their brains for the day ahead. Over 40 students walk, ride, or run to school in the early hours of the day to take advantage of this great program. Special shout out to Ms. Shandal, Ms. Gill, Ms. Parr, Mr. Miller and Mr. Noon for helping out with Spark!

Brampton Beast Ticket Giveaway We are very lucky to have the support the local Brampton Beast ECHL as they have donated season tickets to our school! Tickets will be given away weekly through different challenging trivia questions. Go Beast Go!

Remember to follow us on twitter @SIB_PE

From the Music Room Students have been very busy the past few months learning new songs on keyboards, ukuleles, bucket drums, and recorders. In addition, they have been learning songs for the Remembrance Day Assembly to be held on November 11th. This year we have a student from Castlebrooke S.S. who will be joining us to play The Last Post and Reveille, on the trumpet, at the assembly. After weeks of auditions, rehearsals are now under way for SIB’s upcoming spring musical, Seussical Jr., which will be performed in April 2017 by students in Grades 4 to 8. Our talented cast members have been working diligently with Ms. Skea and Mr. Meilleur during both nutrition breaks. Excitement is building as students and staff members are beginning to work on building sets and props for the musical. Further details about the musical will be announced in the next few months. Stay tuned! Also, there will be a winter concert on Thursday, December 15th from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. This concert will be performed

primarily by our students in Grades 1 to 3. Details and ticket availability will be announced soon.

November 25th Opportunity to Say 'Thanks' to Peel Custodial & Maintenance Workers Day

In 2014, the board of trustees declared the last Friday in November as the Peel Custodial and Maintenance Workers’ Day. This year, the recognition day falls on Friday, Nov. 25, 2016. Take this opportunity to thank

the important work of custodial and maintenance workers and their hard work and commitment to well-being and safety.

#ChooseAction on Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week The Peel District School Board will recognize Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week during the week of Nov. 20 to 26, 2016. This year, we ask our Peel community to ‘#ChooseAction to Be the Difference’ in their classes, offices, schools, communities or world, in order to make these spaces better places for everyone. The Peel Board would like to hear about the big and small actions, the pledges, the promises and the attitudes that our Peel community value, and ask that you take a moment to share your #ChooseAction moments on social media. Across the Peel board, schools use many programs and initiatives to prevent bullying and to intervene when bullying happens. Though the programs vary, their messages are consistent. Students are taught to: define bullying identify forms of bullying identify the shifting roles in bullying relationships, for example the person who bullies, the target, the

bystander or the trusted advocate determine how to safely “choose action” to prevent and intervene in bullying & harassment understand that bullying is a relationship problem with relationship solutions determine positive ways to interact with others in an accepting, inclusive way demonstrate character attributes and be a leader to help maintain positive and safe school communities

Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week is one of the key items contained in Bill 13: The Accepting Schools Act, that came into effect on Sept. 1, 2012. For more information, visit: www.peelschools.org/aboutus/safeschools/bullying/ or www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/safeschools/prevention.html.

Is French Immersion Right for my Child? If your child will be starting Grade 1 in September 2017, one of the important choices you will make is whether you want to apply for the French Immersion (FI) program. What is the program like? What are the advantages and disadvantages of the program? One way to help answer these questions is to attend the information meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016 at 7 p.m. at the French Immersion school your child would attend. To find out the FI school your child would attend: visit our website www.peelschools.org/French

call the school in your area

call 905-890-1010 or 1-800-668-1146 ext. 2212 Online Application The application form for Grade 1 French Immersion for the 2017-18 school year will be available online at www.peelschools.org/French on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2016 at 1 p.m. The deadline to register is Friday, Jan. 27, 2017 at 4 p.m. Applications received after that date will be put on a waiting list. A French Immersion enrolment cap is in place. This means that a specific number of spots are available for students entering grade 1 French Immersion. A random selection process will be used to identify students gaining entrance into the program. For more information about the random selection process visit www.peelschools.org/French. Important Dates Information meeting Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016 at 7 p.m. Application process opens Thursday, Dec. 1, 2016 at 1 p.m. Application deadline Friday, Jan. 27, 2017 at 4 p.m. For More Information visit www.peelschools.org/French call your nearest French Immersion school talk with parents who have children in the French Immersion program visit the Canadian Parents for French website at http://on.cpf.ca

Subscribe to Receive News from the Peel Board Take advantage of our electronic subscription service to automatically receive updates from the Peel District School Board. Subscribing is easy ¾ just visit our website at www.peelschools.org and click on the subscription link under "Quick Links." 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 posted on our Twitter (@Peelschools) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/peelschools) accounts, as well as, on www.peelschools.org and www.stopr.ca. You can also subscribe to receive: News releases Keep up with the news at the Peel board. Subscribe to receive Peel board news releases to learn more about board news and school events. Board agendas Learn more about Peel board meetings by subscribing to receive agendas. Meetings of the board are open to the public and are held on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month. Board highlights Briefing is a newsletter with highlights of decisions made by trustees at board meetings. It is sent out on the second and fourth Thursday of every month and immediately following any special board meetings. Job postings for non-teaching staff Learn about each new non-teaching job that is posted on the Peel board's Job Board.

Parent Resources Help You Support Your Child’s Learning At the Peel board, our mission is to inspire success, confidence and hope in each child. There is no doubt that families play a vital role in helping us achieve this goal. As our partner in education, we hope you'll stay connected to your child's learning throughout his or her entire school experience. Visit www.peelschools.org/parents/helpyourchild to explore all resources available to parents. There you will find easy-to-navigate buttons that connect families to tip sheets and web pages on a number of different topics, including math, homework, special education, EQAO and mental health.

Bus Cancellation & 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 and television stations listed below and posted at www.peelschools.org, school websites and www.stopr.ca. Information will also be available on Twitter (@Peelschools), Facebook (www.facebook.com/peelschools) or by calling 905-890-1010 or 1-800-668-1146. VIRGIN RADIO FM99.9 CHUM AM1050 CFTR AM680 CFNY FM102.1/AM640 CJCL AM590 CHFI FM98.1 NEWSTALK 1010 AM EZ ROCK FM97.3 CJBC (FR) AM860 FM Z103.5 FM93.1 FM Q107 CHIN FM100.7/AM1540 CBC99.1 CTV BREAKFAST TELEVISION GLOBAL NEWS CITYPULSE 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 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 Board offices are cancelled, including continuing 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 Board offices are cancelled, including continuing education courses and events. The buildings will be closed.

Train More. Rehearse More. Learn More. New 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 new Peel Region High Performers Program will offer flexible timetabling to accommodate student athletes and artists with demanding practice, competition, rehearsal and/or performance schedules. Peel Region High Performers Program will open in September 2017. Information nights will be offered as follows:

Applications are now available at: www.peelschools.org/HighPerformers.

Grades Information Night Location

4 to 5 Nov. 2, 2016 at 6:30 p.m. Britannia Public School 1145 Swinbourne Dr. in Mississauga

6 to 8 Nov. 9, 2016 at 6 p.m. Dolphin Sr. Public School 18 Brookside Dr. in Mississauga

Prevent 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) v. 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, diarrhea 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.

*NEW* 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 resources in the community that may be of interest to students and their families. This site replaces 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.

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 when there is

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.

Peel Board Students Have Choice Explore program options at www.makingmyway.ca Students have different needs, interests and abilities—our schools offer great educational opportunities to help all students achieve. For students looking for a more focused, specialized program, here are some options: Regional programs start in grades 6, 7 and 9 Students in regional programs still complete all of the requirements of the Ontario curriculum, but there is an increased focus on an area of interest. Programs include: Actively in Motion (AIM) Advanced Placement Arts Arts and Technology Graphic Design Management: Flexography Sports International Baccalaureate International Business and Technology Strings SciTech International and Executive Leadership Academy Truck and Coach Technology More options for Peel Board Students co-operative education programs provide workplace experience extended French starts in grade 7 dual credit programs allow student to earn college credits at the same time as secondary school credits alternative programs are available for students who need flexible school hours, are dealing with unique

situations, or require more support For more information about regional programs, Specialist High Skills Major programs and other programs of choice available to Peel board students, visit www.makingmyway.ca.