October, 2015
Ormiston Public School
Newsletter
E-Mail : ormiston_ps@ durham.edu.on.ca
Website : http://ddsb.ca/school/ormiston
Twitter : @OrmistonPS
20 Forest Heights Street
PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE
Whitby, ON L1R 1T5
(905) 430-8755
(905) 430-4709 (Fax)
Administration:
M. MacDonald —Principal
E. Campo —Vice-Principal
S. Oram—Secretary
Superintendent :
J. Bowyer
(905) 666-6373
Trustees :
C. Winters
(905) 430-6050
K. Zeppieri
(905) 668-7782
It’s October! We have had our first SCC meeting, practised safety drills, ran for Terry,
and teaching and learning are in full swing. Our enthusiastic staff and students make
Ormiston as wonderful place to learn and grow. Currently, we are examining our schoolbased data to finalize our direction for the 2015-2016 school year. We remain committed
to high academic standards as we continue to focus on Literacy, Numeracy and Student
Well-Being. We also continue to focus on the integration of technology at school to prepare students for the digital world in which we live. October is a busy month. Enjoy !
M. MacDonald
NEW HEALTH CURRICULUM
Please note that we are not introducing the Healthy Living section of the new Health
and Physical Education curriculum at this point. Parents will be notified, in advance,
when the implementation of the revised Health and Physical Education curriculum document will begin.
SCHOOL FUNDRAISER
Thanksgiving Holiday
Monday, October 12
This year we will not be running our magazine QSP fundraiser.
Instead, our school fundraiser will be beautiful greeting cards.
Information…and cards will be coming home with students...just
in time for Thanksgiving family gatherings.
No School
*****
S.C.C. Meeting
Tuesday, October 20
7:00 p.m.
All Welcome !
COMMUNITY SUPPORT NEEDED
You may have noticed that over the summer a brand, new storage shed was purchased
for our Kindergarten outdoor toys. The cost of the shed was entirely funded by our SCC.
Sadly, the shed was vandalized on several occasions before the school year even started
and again in the early days of September. The shed is now in such a state of disrepair
that it can not be secured. The school has filed a formal report with the Durham Regional Police Services. A report has also been filed with Crime Stoppers. We are seeking
your support in two ways. If you happen to be walking by the school and notice/hear
anything of a destructive nature taking place, please contact the police immediately.
Also, we are looking for a handy person to help with the repair of the shed. If you are
able to assist, please contact the school office. We are saddened that this damage has
taken place at our school. We hope that drawing on the strength of our community will
help put a stop to this destruction. Thank you.
Operation
Build Character
Ormiston Public School
Newsletter
OCTOBER’S CHARACTER TRAIT IS TEAMWORK !
September Focus—Teamwork
At Ormiston, we want to help prepare our students to be caring, contributing, responsible individuals.
We will focus on ten attributes that
will help you succeed in all that you
do.
Remember this quote…
“Character is who you are, when no one is looking.”
September—Respect
Author Unknown
October—Teamwork
November—Courage
December—Kindness
January—Optimism
February—Responsibility
March—Honesty
April—Empathy
May—Integrity
June—Perseverance
LUNCHTIME ROUTINES
Many of our Ormiston dragons remain at school for lunch. If your
child usually stays at school for lunch but will be going home on
any given day, please sign them out at the office for lunch
and sign them back in upon their return.
Students in Grades 4 to 8 received a note regarding lunch routines.
Junior and Intermediate who regularly stay at school for lunch are
required to provide a note if they are leaving school property during the lunch hour. Students must bring the note to the office and
sign out. Upon return to school, students must sign in before
12:20 p.m.
Thank you for your cooperation once again! The safety of students
is our #1 priority!
TERRY FOX RUN 2015
Our 22nd annual Terry Fox Run was an outstanding success! Once again, our school demonstrated outstanding spirit while raising money for cancer research. Our Dragons ran many, many laps. We have raised over $1600.00.
Many photos were taken to capture our Terry Fox Run 2015, which are on display in the school foyer. Below are just
a few pictures of our special day. Thank you to the parents and other family members who came out to cheer on the
students. What great memories!
Page 2
OCTOBER P.A. DAY AND THANKSGIVING
Ormiston Public School
Newsletter
Parents are reminded that there are no classes on Friday, October 9th for the first P.D. Day. The Ormiston
staff are thankful for a great start to the school year
and hope you enjoy the Thanksgiving weekend with
your family. Remember - no classes on Monday, Octo-
SPECIAL EDUCATION UPDATE
If your child has an I.E.P. (Individualized Education
Plan), watch for this year’s first draft to come home
later this month. Please carefully read over your child’s
I.E.P. and add your comments, suggestions or questions to the attached Parent Consultation Form. This is
an opportunity to be your child’s advocate and offer
revised or additional goals in your child's program.
Please remember to send the signed Parent Consultation Form back as soon as possible. Thank you.
GRADE 5 ACTION PASSES
The Durham Region Health Department is pleased to announce that the Grade 5 Action Pass will be avail-able in
Durham Region again for the 8th year. More than half of Canada’s children and youth are not active enough for optimal growth and development. Grade 5 students are being offered an Action Pass to generate an interest ifun physical
activity that can carry on into the future. It gives students free access to public swimming, public skating, and some
drop-in programs (programs vary by recreation facility). This pass may be used by students as many times as they
want from September 2015 to August 31st, 2016. Grade 5 students will be given a postcard which provides families
with information on how their child can obtain his/her Grade 5 Action Pass photo identification card. Stu-dents will
need to take the postcard, and proof of their address and date of birth to your local municipal recrea-tion centre or
Durham Family YMCA. For more information, please visit www.durham.ca/physicalactivity or contact Durham
Health Connection Line 905-666-6241.
HALLOWE’EN
Our annual Hallowe’en parade of costumes is scheduled for Friday, October 30th at 12:45
pm. Parents and family members are welcome to watch the parade in the front foyer and
lower halls of the school.
As Hallowe’en approaches, we are reminding our parent community that we have several
students at Ormiston P.S. with life threatening food allergies. Please help to keep all of
our students safe by not sending any food items to be shared. Students are encouraged to
bring their own healthy snacks.
Page 3
MAGAZINES
Ormiston Public School
Newsletter
While we are not running a formal magazine fundraiser, you are always welcome to renew subscriptions through
Ormiston! Magazines are great gifts. The holiday season is just around the corner! When you purchase a magazine
through QSP, you will support our school and promote reading at the same time. Every order counts! Shop on-line go to www.qsp.ca. Thank you for your support!
SCC NEWS
A message from your new S.C.C. :
First off, thank you to everyone who came out to our very first SCC meeting! We’re happy to have more members this
year, and that means that we can put on some spectacular events!
Our first event of the year is taking place on Oct. 8th. Dinner & a movie is back! We will be showing INSIDE OUT!
Admission is free as always. We will have pizza, snacks and drinks for sale starting at 5:30 and the movie will start at
6 in the gym. Feel free to wear your PJs and bring a sleeping bag to stretch out and enjoy a great movie with your
family and friends! Siblings are welcome. As a reminder, all children must be accompanied by a responsible adult.
Also, pizza lunches will be starting soon! Please watch out for pizza order forms coming out next week (if you don’t
see one coming home, feel free to pick an extra one up in the office) !
Our upcoming pizza days are Oct. 23rd and Dec. 4th.
As with all of our events, we can only provide fun activities if we have volunteers. We need help! Feel free to contact
one of the SCC members if you know one of us, or email us at [email protected] if you can volunteer for movie night or one of our pizza days.
Lastly, want the inside scoop? Want to find out more about what’s happening at Ormiston? Interested in what the
SCC does/is? We’d love to see more parents and guardians out to our next SCC meeting that is scheduled for Nov.
17th at 7 pm in the library (upstairs). Hope to see you there!
Page 4
Ormiston Public School
Newsletter
PARENT AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Parent and Community involvement is very important in supporting the success of all of our students, from our
youngest learners in Kindergarten to our Intermediate students.
Parents/guardians can become involved in our students' school lives by:
Checking agendas and school websites for updates
Helping with homework and discussing new learning
Reading and writing together at home
Communicating with teachers
Volunteering
Supporting school events and initiatives
Talking about their high expectations for success at school with their children
Consider joining the S.C.C. Please visit the school office for more information.
Mindful Parenting Conference
Become a calmer, more compassionate and responsive parent, better able to manage life’s everyday
challenges. Registration is now open for the Mindful
Parenting Conference for professionals and parents.
This one day conference will explore:
Saturday, November 7, 2105
Fee: $79 + hst/person
(includes 2 keynote speakers, choice of 2
breakout sessions and lunch)
✔ what mindful parenting is all about
Abilities Centre
✔ how it can positively impact family dynamics
55 Gordon St.
✔ practical strategies for dealing with kids of all ages
Whitby, ON
✔ ways to stay calm in the face of difficult behaviours
✔ stress management skills for parents & kids
For more information call LocalParent at:
✔ how to identify triggers that cause overreactions
905-372-1668
✔ how to slow down and enjoy your parenting journey
Learn about mindful parenting in action during sessions covering:
Page 5
MATH & LANGUAGE NEWS
Ormiston Public School
Page 6
Some Dates of Significance for October 2015
** Please bear in mind that this is not meant to be an exhaustive list and there may be diverse celebrations and religious
dates that are not addressed.
* - indicates observances that begin at sundown on the day prior to the date listed.
Women’s History Month October is Women's History Month in Canada, an opportunity for Canadians to learn about women's
and girls' valuable contributions to our country's history – and to the quality of our lives in the 21st century. For more information: http://www.swc-cfc.gc.ca/commemoration/whm-mhf/index-eng.html , http://www.nwhm.org/html/involved/donttellme/
index.html
Islamic History Month On October 25, 2007, the Parliament of Canada officially declared October as Islamic History Month in
Canada. This is intended to be a time for Canadians to celebrate and focus on Muslim cultural heritage and the over 1000 years of
Muslim contribution to world history and knowledge in order to build bridges between Canadian Muslims and other Canadians.
For more information and resources: http://www.islamichistorymonth.com
October 1 – International Day of Older Persons (UN) Living up to the Secretary-General's guiding principle of "Leaving NoOne Behind" necessitates the understanding that demography matters for sustainable development and that population dynamics
will shape the key developmental challenges that the world is confronting in the 21st century. Not addressing older persons means
not addressing 20 per cent of the global population by 2030, where there will be more people over 60 than children under 10, with
the most rapid change in age structures occurring in the developing world. If our ambition is to "Build the Future We Want", we must
address the population over 60 which is expected to reach 1.4 billion by 2030. For more information: http://undesadspd.org/
ageing/internationaldayofolderpersons.aspx
October 4 – World Communion Sunday (Christianity) First observed on October 1940, this observance was patterned after
the Worldwide Communion Sunday of the Presbyterian Church. The objective of this observance is for all Christian churches to have
a communion service on this day to increase awareness of the unity of all Christians despite the diversity of church denominations
and locations.
October 4 – Sukkot ends (Judaism)* Sukkot is also called the Feast of Tabernacles. This is a time for unreserved joy. Many
Jewish people will build a temporary shelter (tabernacle) called a sukkah (plural: sukkot), in which they will eat meals and/or sleep.
This commemorates the 40 years Israel wandered in the wilderness after leaving Egypt, and reminds them that God is the source of
their protection.
October 5 – World Teachers’ Day (Unesco) Teachers can be the most powerful force for ensuring equity of access to education,
offering hope and reinforcing resilience. “The United Nations' (UN) World Teachers' Day celebrates the role teachers’ play in providing quality education at all levels. This enables children and adults of all ages to learn to take part in and contribute to their local community and global society.” An excerpt from - http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/un/world-teachers-day For more information: http://www.unesco.org/new/en/world-teachers-day
Some Dates of Significance for October 2015 (cont’d)
October 5-6 – Simchat Torah (Judaism)* “Simchat Torah” means “rejoicing for the scripture,” and marks the beginning of the
synagogue’s annual Torah reading cycle. On this day, Jews give thanks for the Holy Scriptures. This is a joyous occasion marked by
marches and dancing with scrolls upon which the Jewish Scriptures, the Torah, are written. For more information: http://
www.chabad.org
October 11 – International Day of the Girl Child (UN) The United Nations has declared October 11 as International Day of the
Girl Child. Canada led the international community in adopting this day, along with the support of Plan Canada. This day makes a
difference in the lives of girls and young women as citizens and as powerful voices of change in their families, their communities and
their nations. For more information: http://www.swc-cfc.gc.ca/commemoration/idg-jif/index-eng.html
October 12 – Thanksgiving (Canadian) Canadian Thanksgiving is celebrated on the second Monday in October. Unlike the
American thanksgiving which commemorates Pilgrims and settling in the New World, the first Canadian Thanksgiving goes back to an
English explorer, Martin Frobisher, who had been trying to find a northern passage to the Orient, but, unsuccessful, he established a
settlement in North America. In 1578, he held a formal ceremony, in what is now called Newfoundland, to give thanks for surviving the
long journey. At the same time, French settlers, having crossed the ocean and having arrived in Canada with explorer Samuel de
Champlain, also held huge feasts of thanks. The Sunday before Thanksgiving Monday is often marked in Christian churches by services thanking God for his many blessings. On Thanksgiving Day many families gather to share gratitude for blessings, and a special
dinner.
October 12 – 16 – DDSB ALLY Week (Canadian) Allies are people who are able to identify marginalization and barriers to equity of outcome, and are equipped to create change by acting together. For the last twenty years, the notion of the ‘ally’ has been rooted
in LGBTQ communities. Honouring the history of ‘allyship’, the notion of the ‘ally’ has grown to include all communities where discrimination exists. “Allies include men who work to end sexism, white people who work to end racism, heterosexual people who work
to end heterosexism, able-bodied people who work to end ableism, and so on. Part of becoming an ally is also recognizing one’s own
experience of oppression. For example, a white woman can learn from her experience of sexism and apply it in becoming an ally to
people of colour, or a person who grew up in poverty can learn from that experience how to respect others’ feelings of helplessness because of a disability.” An excerpt from - Anne Bishop - www.becominganally.ca
October 13– 21 Navaratri (Hinduism) * Navaratri is a festival dedicated to the worship of the Hindu deity Durga. The word
Navaratri means 'nine nights' in Sanskrit, nava meaning nine and ratri meaning nights.[2] During these nine nights and ten days, nine
forms of Devi are worshiped. The tenth day is commonly referred to as Vijayadashami or "Dussehra" (also spelled Dasara). Navaratri is
an important major festival and is celebrated all over India. Diwali the festival of lights is celebrated twenty days after Dasara. Though
there are total five types of Navaratri that come in a year, Sharad Navaratri is the most popular one. Hence, the term Navaratri is being
used for Sharad Navaratri here. For more information visit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navratri
October 14 - Al-Hijra (Islam) * Al-Hijra, the Islamic New Year, is the first day of the month of Muharram. It marks the Hijra (or
Hegira) in 622 CE when the Prophet Muhammad moved from Mecca to Medina, and set up the first Islamic state. For more information visit: http://www.islamicity.org/6321/muharram-the-start-of-the-islamic-calendar/
Some Dates of Significance for October 2015 (cont’d
October 17 - International Day for the Eradication of Poverty The observance of the International Day for the Eradication
of Poverty can be traced back to 17 October 1987. On that day, over a hundred thousand people gathered at the Trocadéro in Paris,
where the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was signed in 1948, to honour the victims of extreme poverty, violence and hunger. They proclaimed that poverty is a violation of human rights and affirmed the need to come together to ensure these rights are
respected. These convictions are inscribed in a commemorative stone unveiled on this day. Since then, people of all backgrounds,
beliefs and social origins have gathered every year on October 17th to renew their commitment and show their solidarity with the
poor. Replicas of the commemorative stone have been unveiled around the world and serve as a gathering place to celebrate the Day.
One such replica is located in the garden of United Nations Headquarters and is the site of the annual commemoration organized by
the United Nations Secretariat in New York. For more information visit: http://www.un.org/en/events/povertyday/
background.shtml
October 22 – Dasara/Dussehra (Hinduism) Dussehra is one of the major Hindu festivals of India. It is celebrated throughout the country with great zeal and enthusiasm. People all over the country participate in the occasion in their own way. It is the day
when Lord Rama killed the ten headed demon King Ravana and gave the throne of his kingdom Lanka to his brother Vibhishana.
Since that day, the day of Vijaya Dashmi is considered to be auspicious and festive by the people of India and is celebrated as the day
that symbolizes the victory of Good over Evil. For more information visit:
http://festivals.iloveindia.com/dussehra/dusshera-
significance.
October 23–Ashura (Islam) The Day of Ashura is on the tenth day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar and marks the climax of the Remembrance of Muharram. Shiite celebrations of the Day of Ashura have traditionally included masochistic rituals
which have been condemned by many religious authorities recently under the claim that such practices are wrong or unislamic. This
day is commemorated by Sunni Muslims (who refer to it as The Day of Atonement) as the day on which the Israelites were freed
from the Pharaoh (called 'Firaun' in Arabic) of Egypt. According to Sunni Muslim tradition, Ibn Abbas narrates that Muhammad
came to Medina and saw the Jews fasting on the tenth day of Muharram. He asked, “What is this?” They said, “This is a good day,
this is the day when Allah saved the Children of Israel from their enemy and Musa (Moses) fasted on this day.” He said, “We are
closer to Musa than you.” So he fasted on the day and told the people to fast. However, Shi'a Muslims reject these stories and maintain that Ashura is a day of great sorrow due to the tragic events of Karbala. For more information visit: https://en.wikipedia.org/
wiki/Day_of_Ashura
October 24 United Nations Day UN Day marks the anniversary of the entry into force in 1945 of the UN Charter. With the ratification of this founding document by the majority of its signatories, including the five permanent members of the Security Council,
the United Nations officially came into being. 24 October has been celebrated as United Nations Day since 1948. In 1971, the United Nations General Assembly recommended that the day be observed by Member States as a public holiday. For more information
visit: http://www.un.org/en/events/unday/
October 31 – Hallowe’en (Celtic) The tradition of Halloween dates back to the time of the Celtic people. On October 31st, Celtic herd-keepers would gather and honour their chief god Samhain, the Lord of the Dead. The Celts believed that the spirit world
became more active and alive when the natural world of plants was withering and dying. In order not to be harmed by these spirits,
the Celts lit hilltop bonfires and put candles in their windows to scare them off and to show them which way to go. For more
information visit: http://ancienthistory.about.com/cs/celtsmyth/a/lochalloween.htm
PARENT’S CORNER
Ormiston
Public School
20 Forest Heights Street
Whitby, ON L1R 1T5
Phone: 905-430-8755
Fax: 905-430-4709
In an effort to cut down on paper, we’ll be using this space to advise you of activities
within our community. Please visit the Information Display located in the office or contact the numbers outlined below.
ACTIVITY
AGES
Station Gallery Various
Ages
WHEN
WHERE
Various Times
Whitby Station
Gallery
CONTACT
whitbystationgallery.com
905-668-4185
E-mail: ormiston_ps@
durham.edu.on.ca
Website: http://ddsb.ca/
school/ormiston
Twitter : @Ormiston PS
We’re on the Web ! Please visit us @
http://ddsb.ca/school/ormiston
A LOOK AHEAD ...
OCTOBER
17
S.C.C. Meeting @ 7:00 p.m. All Welcome !
7—26
Greeting Cards Fundraiser
18
Progress Reports home
8
Blue Jays Spirit Day; S.C.C. Dinner & A Movie
Night (5:30—7:00 p.m.)
20
P.A. Day (No classes for students)
26
S.C.C. Dinner & A Movie Night (5:30—7:-00 p.m.)
9
P.A. Day (No classes for students)
12
Thanksgiving Holiday
14
Clinic #1—Hep B/ Men C/ HPV (Gr. 7 & 8)
15
Blue Jays Spirit Day
19
Federal Election (Ormiston is a polling station)
20
S.C.C. Meeting @ 7:00 p.m. All Welcome !
22
Blue Jays Spirit Day
23
Picture Retake Day (a.m. only); S.C.C. Pizza Lunch
29
Blue Jays Spirit Day; Volunteer of Distinction Cere
mony 7:00 p.m.
30
Hallowe’en Parade (12:45 p.m.)
31
Hallowe’en
NOVEMBER
11
Remembrance Day
DECEMBER
4
S.C.C. Pizza Lunch
10
Holiday Concert
18
Early Dismissal @ 2:10 p.m.
21
December Vacation to January 3, 2016
JANUARY
4
Welcome Back to School !
12
JK / New to K Telephone Registration Begins @
9:30 a.m.
19
S.C.C. Meeting @ 7:00 p.m. All Welcome !
22
P.A. Day (No classes for students)