HAPPENINGS
HELEN WILSON PUBLIC SCHOOL
HOME AND SCHOOL TOGETHER WE BUILD
Follow us on Twitter @HelenWilsonPS
A Newsletter for Students, Parents, Staff and Community
9 Abbey Road
Brampton, ON L6W 2T7
Telephone: (905) 451-1165
Principal: Ms. Kimberly May
Office Manager: Susan Slack
School Council Co-Chairs: Nickie
Stockhill and Kate Lamb
Trustee: Kathy McDonald
Superintendent: Hazel Mason
It is hard to believe that the
school year is coming to
an end. Staff and students
have worked so hard this
year to accomplish their
academic, social and emotional goals. I feel so
proud of each and every
student and staff
member in this building, I
also feel lucky to be a part
of the Helen Wilson Community. A community of
staff and parents who each
day, help create magical
environments that inspire
self-awareness, belonging
and a sense of community.
Whether it’s through your
time, the relationships you
cultivate or simply your
smile, you help students
feel safe, welcomed, cared
for, engaged and included.
SAFE ARRIVAL PROGRAM
Call 905-451-1165
Please call when your child will be
absent from school. ** This process will change in September.
Please see page 3 of the
newsletter.
Volunteers, please also sign in/out
so that the Office can track visitors
in the building.
Absenteeism and Lates
We at Helen Wilson work each and every day
to inspire success, confidence and hope in each student. It is my wish that we have accomplished this
goal.
We would like to extend to all of you best wishes for a
safe and happy summer. For those students and staff
that are returning, we look forward to seeing your smiling, eager faces on September 6th. For our students
and staff that are moving on to new schools, we wish
you the best of luck and hope that what you have
learned and the memories you have created will
always hold a special place in your heart.
~ Ms. May
Helen Wilson STARs
JUNE 2016
Students are expected to arrive to
school on time and be present unless
illness prevents attendance. Attendance is the responsibility of both the
child and parents. Lost time can have
a negative effect on your child’s progress.
School Hours
Entry Bell
Classes Begin
Nutrition Break #1
Nutrition Break #2
Dismissal
8:30 a.m.
8:35 a.m.
10:15 a.m.—10:55 p.m.
12:55 p.m.—1:40 p.m.
3:05 p.m.
HONESTY, SAFETY, TEAMWORK, ATTITUDE and RESPECT
Helen Wilson Public School
Balanced Day Lunch Ideas for
September
Cool Lunch Ideas for the Balanced School Day
Packing meals for the balanced school day can be an easy and fun task. Meals can be balanced in
a variety of ways.
Examples - How to Organize Meals for Nutrition Breaks
Each child has their own unique eating habits, likes, dislikes and appetite. Talk with your child to see
what approach they would prefer when planning their meals for school. If your child does not eat
breakfast before school, this can be a time to add breakfast into their daily routine.
Try to include foods from at least 3 of 4 food groups from Canada's Food Guide for each break.
Example One
Example Two
Example Three
Break One
Snacks
½ of lunch + snack
Breakfast
Break Two
Lunch
½ of lunch + snack
Lunch
Easy Tips to Pack School Meals Your Child Will Eat
Label and Separate
Label each bag: Break One OR Break Two
Purchase one of the divided lunch bags (please see flyer),
Put dividers in the lunch bag so your child eats everything above the cardboard in the first break
and then lifts the cardboard and eats the rest at the second break.
Planning and Preparing Lunch
Send leftovers, like cold pizza, stew, macaroni and cheese or soup, for one lunch break in a thermos. Use other break for snacks.
When making weekend meals, make extra and freeze leftovers in individual portion size
Bake muffins, banana bread or cookies on the weekend to use during the week.
More Lunch Packing Ideas
Keeping Foods Hot and Cold
To keep foods hot use an insulated bottle or thermos. First, fill the bottle with boiling water and let it
stand for a few minutes. Then empty the bottle and fill it with steaming hot food.
To keep food cold, use an insulated lunch bag and pack a frozen drink that will thaw by lunch, or
use a freezer pack
Great food items to freeze are bottled water, drink boxes, reusable beverage containers or yogurt.
Healthy Drinks for a Healthier Lunch
Add 2 beverages. Choose from the following beverages most of the time: 100% unsweetened fruit
juices, white or chocolate milk, fortified soy beverage or water.
On pizza / subdays, make sure your child has either milk or juice to drink along with his/her sub or
pizza. Send healthy snacks for the other break.
IMPORTANT CHANGE COMING SEPTEMBER 2016
Report student absences through new SafeArrival system
Beginning Sept. 6, 2016, all parents/guardians need to report their
children’s full-day absences, late arrivals and/or early departures
from school via our new automated SafeArrival phone number at 1855-209-6155, online at pdsb.schoolconnects.com, or by downloading the mobile app for Apple and Android devices. For absences longer than 5 consecutive school days, please contact the school
office.
Parents are encouraged to provide an email address to schools. Parents who have an email address on file at school will receive an email invitation from Synrevoice Technologies during the week of August 29th. The invitation will include login information. Starting the week of August 29th, parents who do not have an email address on file
at the school can visit pdsb.schoolconnects.com and choose CREATE LOGIN to create your
account and receive login credentials that can be used online or with the mobile app. Parents
need to have a cell phone that is capable of receiving text messages to complete the setup process. The cell phone number must be on file with the school. All three options are available 24
hours a day.
There is no longer an absence reporting phone line at school. If you have any questions
or require any assistance, contact the school directly.
Preparing for the summer sun
Excessive exposure to the sun can lead to health concerns such as
sunburn and skin cancer. As summer approaches and the weather gets
warmer, it is necessary to apply sunscreen to protect ourselves from too
much sun damage and burns.
In summer, we are exposed to higher levels of ultraviolet (UV) rays.
This exposure is a risk factor for developing skin cancer and cataracts
later in life. The UV index is the measure commonly used in Canada to
assess the strength of the sun’s UV rays risk on a given day.
What is the UV Index?
The index scale ranges from 0 to 10. The higher the value, the more intense ultraviolet rays.
The UV index is calculated daily by Environment Canada using ozone and weather information. It can vary from day to day with changes in the ozone layer – the thinner the ozone
layer, the higher the index reading.
How to protect your family from the sun?
 Wear a hat (preferably with a broad brim), sunglasses and protective clothing on sunny
days.
 Use sunscreen with a SPF of 15 or greater whenever you're outdoors.
 Encourage your children to play in shady areas if they are outside for a long period of time.
Remember that sunburn can occur even on a cloudy day, as up to 80 per cent of UV rays can
penetrate light clouds, and 40 per cent of UV rays can bounce back from sand, water or con-
Summer activities that boost learning
Kindergarten to grade 4
Sorting and stacking – Teach classification skills with dinnerware. Ask
your child to match and stack dishes of similar sizes and shapes. Also have
your child sort flatware – forks with forks, spoons with spoons. This is like
recognizing the shapes of letters and numbers.
Comic strip writing – Use comic strips to help with writing. Cut the segments of a comic strip apart and ask your child to arrange them in order.
Then ask your child to fill in the words of the characters (orally or in writing).
Float and sink – Encourage hypothesizing (guessing). Use several objects
– soap, a dry sock, a bottle of shampoo, a wet sponge, an empty bottle. Ask your child which objects
will float when dropped into water in a sink or bathtub. Then drop the objects in the water, one by one,
to see what happens.
Grades 5 to 8
Follow the news – As a family, choose an important news event to follow for a
day or two. Ask each person to find as much information on the topic as possible – read newspapers, look at online news webpages, listen to the radio and
watch TV news. Then talk about what everyone learned.
Pro and con: what do you think? – Make a family game of discussing a special issue. For example, "Teenagers should be allowed to vote," or "There
should never be any homework." Ask your children to think of all the reasons
they can to support their views. Then ask them to think of reasons opposing their views. Which views
are most convincing? For variety, assign family members to teams and have them prepare their arguments pro and con.
Stretch, run, walk – Ask your child to do at least one kind of exercise every day. For example, run or
walk briskly for 10 minutes. Walk, when possible, instead of driving, for any distance less than a mile.
Have your child make a week-long exercise plan. Try to think of a modest reward for sticking to the
plan and exercise with your child.
Let your voice be heard – Promote good citizenship. Help your child write a letter to the editor of the
local newspaper about an issue affecting children – for example, suggest that a bike path be built near
the school or that a city event be planned for youngsters. Children are citizens, and their ideas are
worth hearing.
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 become familiar with the educational system in Peel. The centres are open all year—including the summer months.
In addition to providing literacy and numeracy assessments, We Welcome the World Centres provide newcomers with a host of services including: reception, orientation, interpretation and referrals.
At each centre, parents/guardians and students will discover:
 computer portals—guided introduction to the Peel Welcome to School Kits and other Peel resources
 settlement service information
 translation of materials to support the reception and assessment process
 age and grade appropriate educational and related program resources
 audio-visual materials to explain the adult education program
 professionally administered child-care (only available during assessment and orientation process)
 information about various community supports and programming available
For more information about the We Welcome the World Centre and the services they provide, call
905-366-8791.
40 hours to graduate – Start this summer
Since 1999, all students in Ontario secondary schools are required to complete a minimum of 40
hours of community involvement in order to receive a diploma. The purpose of this requirement is
to encourage students to develop an understanding of the various roles they can play in their community. Students are encouraged to start accumulating community involvement hours in the
summer before they enter grade 9.
Research shows that early involvement in community service helps students build a spirit of civic
responsibility which can be expanded as they move through secondary school. The aim of the 40hour requirement is to encourage students to become actively involved in making positive contributions to their community.
The community involvement component is an opportunity for students and parents to work together, independent of the school. With parent support, your teen is responsible for finding and completing 40 hours of community service.
Parents should provide assistance to their teen in the selection of community involvement activities. Here’s how to get started:
 Spend some time with your teen going through the list of eligible and ineligible activities in the
Peel District School Board’s “40 Hours” brochure. You can obtain a copy of the brochure from
your school or online at www.peelschools.org/students/40hours/
 View online resources at www.peelschools.org/students/40hours/
 Visit www.peelschools.org/students/40hours for available volunteer opportunities
Please note that the selection of the activities should take into account the age, maturity, and ability
of the student, and the location and environment of the proposed activity.
IDLE-FREE Zone
Our school is working to protect the health of our students and the health
of our environment. We ask you to show your support by turning off your
engine while dropping off or waiting to pick up your child at school.
The emissions that come from our tailpipes harm all of us, especially children who breathe more and at a faster rate than adults. By turning off
your car, our students, teachers and parents won't breathe in unhealthy
fumes as they enter school.
Air pollution also poses particular risks for our children with asthma. So, if you're going to be sitting still for more than 60 seconds, remember to turn your car's engine off. You'll not only improve our air, you'll also save money in fuel and vehicle wear and tear costs—then we can all
breathe easier.
On the road again—how to keep your cyclist safe
Here are some tips you can review with your child to ensure bike season gets off to a great start:
The right fit
 children should be able to straddle the bike with both feet on the ground
 a bike that is too big or too small can be a safety hazard
the helmet should fit—if it's too loose, it could fall off, if it's too tight, it's uncomfortable
Get noticed
 a young child's bike should be equipped with a bell and reflector
 older riders should have a light and/or reflectors
Follow the rules
 no riding on busy streets
 no riding at night
 stop for all STOP signs
Actions that cause injuries
 driveway ride out—not stopping and looking both ways before entering the street
 running the stop sign
 turning without warning
 cycling in the dark
 following the leader—one child goes through a stop sign or misses a parked car but the second cyclist doesn't
Peel board recognizes Crossing Guard Appreciation Day on
June 14
The Peel board will recognize the contribution of school crossing guards on
Crossing Guard Appreciation Day, June 14. The board encourages students,
parents and staff to take a moment to thank the neighbourhood crossing
guards who help to ensure a safe journey to and from school for thousands of
students every day.
2016 Peel Pride Family Picnic
The Peel District School Board's Make Peel Proud Spectrum Committee is
proud to be participating at The Peel Pride Family Picnic. Come and show
your Peel Pride as we help celebrate our region's LGBTQ communities at
Peel Pride's 2016 Family Picnic. Bring your family and friends to take part in
an all ages day full of fun and games. Don't forget to bring your blanket or
chairs, food, drink and sun-wear. Hope to see you there!
When: Saturday, July 16, 2016 (rain or shine)
Where: Donald M. Gordon Chinguacousy Park, Queen Street East and Central Park Drive in
Brampton
Time: Noon to 4 p.m.
Register today for Adult ESL or LINC classes
Do you know an adult that 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 parents 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 7) as well as the more experienced learner needing to prepare for an IELTS exam.
Classes are ongoing - Register anytime.
All learners that complete a session will earn a certificate of learning from the Peel District School
Board.
Classes operate from six locations in Brampton and Mississauga with three specially designed
adult centres at:
Bramalea - Adult Education Centre - 25 Kings Cross Road, Unit 3
Brampton - Adult Education Centre - #300 - 7700 Hurontario Street
Mississauga - Adult Education Centre - 100 Elm Drive West, Room 117
To learn more or to register, call 905-270-6000
Also visit www.peelschools.org/adulteducation or follow us on Twitter: @PDSBLearnESL
May’s Academic Pride Recipients
Teacher
Grade
Academic Pride
Mrs. Fraser / Ms. Medeiros
Ms. Hobson / Ms. Simpson
K1
K2
Hannah, Mohamed
Moriah
Ms. Nock/ Ms. Wong/ Ms. Branco
K3
Ivy
Mrs. Ford
Mrs. Rausch
Gr. 1
Gr. 1/2
Parth
Alex S.
Mr. Perrier
Gr. 2/3
Abigail
Mrs. Berry
Mr. Hodgkinson
Gr. 3/4
Gr. 4/5
Bella, Lucas, Callum, Jack
Yash
Ms. Hope
JELC
Achintya
Ms. White
HPJ
Sahib
May’s Star Recipients
Teacher
Mrs. Fraser / Ms. Medeiros
Ms. Hobson / Ms. Simpson
Ms. Nock/ Ms. Wong/ Ms. Branco
Mrs. Ford
Mrs. Rausch
Mr. Perrier
Mrs. Berry
Mr. Hodgkinson
Ms. Hope
Ms. White
Upcoming Dates…
June 3
June 7, 14, 21
June 13
June 22
June 24
June 27-29
June 30
Sept. 6
Sept., 27
Sept. 29
Oct. 12
Movie Night
Pizza Day
PD Day
Literacy Assembly
Year End Assembly
Jungle Sport
Last day of school
First day of school
PD Day
Terry Fox Walk
Picture day
Grade
K1
K2
K3
Gr. 1
Gr. 1/2
Gr. 2/3
Gr. 3/4
Gr. 4/5
JELC
HPJ
Stars of the Month
Dihein, Jessa
Kaylee
Mak
Gwen S.
Alex P. , Caeleigh
Leeland
Emora, Logan
Emily
Vaarij
Nadia