DUKE OF CONNAUGHT

SEPTEMBER 2016

In This Issue: Welcome Back!

Improvement Plan and to set Principal’s Message Principal’s Message: learning goals for all students.

Welcome back after a Our school improvement plan Curriculum Night spectacular summer! The aligns with the TDSB Vision for students have come back ready Learning. French Read Up! to learn with amazing energy! We are developing our

I am looking forward to Pathways for learning: six week Day of Peace meeting families on Curriculum frameworks with stated learning

Evening September 22nd .It is goals and measured outcomes. Orange Shirt Day exciting to be These are part of the valuable “We are off to a fantastic year SAC learning parts of the of learning.” community overall Duke Athletics here at the assessment

Duke of Connaught. We have of student learning. Teams and Anaphylaxis had some staff changes since the clubs have started up and it is last newsletter. We welcome great to see the students running, Space Tomatoes teacher Nkiru Azza and CYW Lisa singing, and problem solving.

Drapper into our ASD program, Thank you to the teachers and Environmental Art Sue Seguin and Desiree parents for organizing all of our Dates to Remember: Baghdassacian as ECEs in our wonderful extra-curricular

French Immersion kindergarten activities. Sept 20 SAC Meeting classes, Sophia Souaid is leaving We are off to a fantastic year Sept 21 Day of Peace for maternity leave. We wish of learning. Thank you for Sept 22 Curriculum Sophia all the best! working with us as we move Night I am looking forward to forward to the goal of success for all students. Sept 26 Photo Day working with School Council this Sept 29 Movie Night year. The election and first Sincerely, Sept 30 Orange Shirt meeting is on September 20th. Day The election of SAC is at 6:00 and Beverly O’Brien D Oct 6 Terry Fox the meeting starts at 6:30 p.m.

Teachers are working very hard as we develop our School

[Edition 1, Volume 1] SEPTEMBER 2016

Curriculum Night

Parents and guardians are welcome to attend our annual Curriculum Night, which is set for next Thursday, September 22nd. The event starts at 5:00 with a pot luck in the Cafeteria, hosted by the SAC. At 5:30 we will gather in the Woodfield Gym for an Official Welcome and at 6:00 pm parents can visit individual classrooms until 7:00 pm. This is always an excellent way to establish a positive collaboration and relationship between home and school and an opportunity for parents to explore the classroom environment. We hope to see you on the 22nd!

French Read Up Program Underway

Mime Chan and our parent volunteer, Julia Purdy are supervising the French Read-up Program this year. It runs each Tuesday from 3:10-4:00, starting next Tuesday, September 20th. If you are unfamiliar with the program, it is an after-school French reading and borrow-a-book program. Teachers, parent and student volunteers read leveled readers with students who are part of the program. Students do not need to sign up ahead of time to join. They simply meet at the Danny Kitchen (3rd floor Woodfield) and they submit their name to Julia (or one of the helpers) and they can then be part of the book borrowing list and borrow book bags of leveled readers for the week. Participants are asked to return the book bags the next Read-Up day. Grade 5 French immersion students are especially invited to be student volunteers to read with the little ones! It would be a great opportunity for them to practice Grade 7 and 8 students attended an informative their own reading and own a leadership role! I presentation by MADD

September 2016

International day of Peace: September 21

Wednesday, September 21st is International Day of Peace -- and a day to be mindful of the conflicts going on in the world -- both local, regional and globally. In the past, Duke of Connaught has held an assembly drawing on important ideas to promote peace. The assembly will feature music and presentations by students.

Duke of Connaught Observes Orange Shirt Day: September 30th

The school will hold three assemblies to recognize the impact residential schools had on First Nations communities. In 1973, Phyllis Webstad, a member of the Stswecem'c Xgat'tem First Nation in British Columbia, was forced to attend St. Joseph's Mission Residential School, as her relatives before her. She entered the school wearing a brand new orange shirt which was immediately confiscated by the staff and replaced with a uniform. She never saw the shirt again, and began to associate the colour with the traumatic experiences in the school and the loss of language and cultural identity she suffered.

In 2013, Webstad transformed her negative experiences into something positive by creating a Nationally recognized Orange Shirt Day. Celebrated annually on September 30th, this day acknowledges the residential school system in Canada, honours those who survived, and remembers those who did not. It is a day to demonstrate, by wearing orange, that all students matter. Ultimately, wearing orange shirts on September 30 is a visual reminder of our shared past as Aboriginal and non- Aboriginal peoples in Canada, and provides an opportunity for dialogue between Aboriginal and non- Aboriginal peoples in shaping our shared future.

September 2016

SAC

Welcome back to Duke from signs to try and guide you from the [email protected]. If you would your School Advisory Council main doors. like to stay on top of school news executive. It was a pleasure to Also, next Thursday, September through our weekly Need-to-Read meet so many new parents and 22nd is Curriculum night and the emailed newsletter, you can catch up with friends at our coffee SAC pot luck. Details will follow subscribe by visiting our website at morning last week. We are in the Need-to-Read. www.dukesac.ca. We now have currently preparing for our first We are excited about our first over 500 parents who subscribe. SAC meeting of the year and the movie night of the year being held The current executive would last SAC meeting for the current on Thursday, September 29th. Join like to thank everyone who has executive. The elections for the us at 5:30pm in the Woodfield volunteered and/or supported new executive will take place at gym. Pizza and treats will be events run by SAC. Your help and 6:00pm on Tuesday, September available. enthusiasm has been essential to 20th and the SAC meeting will All parents are members of our success this past year. See you follow at 6:30pm. You can find us School Council. If you wish to get soon at Duke. in the staff room. We will post more involved, please email us at

THANK YOU!

We have been the generous benefactors of a significant donation of plants from a Duke parent and neighbour, Shelby Hallman. She owns a landscaping company called Earth & Sole. She donated 14 grasses and 14 lavender plants to the school. She is also donating her time and the soil. Our job now is to ensure that they are watered for one week once planted to ensure great growth. That shouldn’t be a problem for a Platinum Eco School!

Remember Movie Night on September 29th – hope to see you there!

September 2016

Duke of Connaught P.S. offers many extra-curricular sports teams. Teams are determined as the season approaches. Please stayed tuned and check out the Duke of Connaught Athletics Page on our website.

Current Sports Opportunities

Gr. 1-8 Running Club/Cross Country - Mme. May. Mme. Chan, Mr. McIntyre, Ms. Meijer and Papoff. Gr. 5/6 Girls' Slo- Pitch - Ms. Hodgins and Ms. Gothreau Gr. 5/6 Boys' Slo -Pitch - Ms. Oliveira and Mr. Aishford Gr. 7/8 Girls' Slo- Pitch - Ms. Hodgins and Ms. Gothreau

Gr. 7/8 Boys' Slo-Pitch - Ms. Oliveira and Mr. Aishford

Please have your son/daughter check the Phys. Ed. bulletin board by the SH Gymnasium for information and practice schedules.

Duke of Connaught's 15th annual Terry Fox Event is scheduled for October 6. Volunteers are needed. If you are able to assist with our school event which runs between 12:45-2:45pm, please contact Ms. Oliveira @ 416-393-9455.

Duke at the World Cup of Hockey! On Wednesday, September 14, 180 Duke of Connaught students had an opportunity to attend the Future Goals

Presentation at the Air Canada Centre. This field trip highlighted some of the global nuances from the countries participating, and shared some of the science, math, and engineering concepts and careers involved in the game of hockey. The Future Goals Showcase was be hosted by NHL Network Anchor, Kevin Weekes, and

Connected Anchor, Evanka Osmak. It included a guest appearance from the President of the Maple Leafs, Brendan Shanahan. Whether students explored the chemistry behind making ice, learned about the technology required to create the in-game experience, or watched an on-ice skills competition, this event was a once in a lifetime learning experience, and a great way to kick off the new school year.

September 2016

Anaphylaxis is a serious allergic reaction which can be fatal. It is a medical condition that causes a severe reaction to specific foods or other causes that can result in death within minutes. It has been estimated that more than 600,000 Canadians are at risk of anaphylaxis. Food allergy alone affects up to 6% of young children and up to 4% of adults. While peanuts and peanut products are the most common foods to cause anaphylaxis, shellfish, fish, eggs, sulphites, milk, sesame seeds, soy or any other food can cause this dangerous condition. In recent years, anaphylaxis has increased dramatically among students. The TDSB has created a policy and procedure to further support Sabrina’s Law introduced in January 2006 and to take care of our students at risk of anaphylaxis. Under Sabrina’s Law, the TDSB has developed:

Strategies to reduce exposure to allergens Procedures to communicate with parents, students and staff about life-threatening allergies Regular training opportunities for all staff to deal with life-threatening allergic reactions Emergency procedures to cope with the anaphylactic student, including readily-accessible treatment

Each school also has its own individual plan for each student at risk of anaphylaxis, which includes maintaining a file of the student’s medications and emergency contacts. If your child suddenly becomes ill or has an allergic reaction, school staff will take the appropriate action. Please ensure the school has the most up-to-date emergency contact information.

School Drop-Off

When dropping your child off in the morning, please be sensitive to the needs of busses that are dropping students off in the morning on Woodfield and taking them home at the end of the day. There are 5 busses that come to the school each day and they require sufficient space along the curb to be able to safely allow children to board and exit the bus.

Police Checks:

Many hands make less work. If you are interested in volunteering at the school, please pick up a Police Reference Check Form. If you are already on the system, you will need to do an Annual Declaration.

September 2016

Mrs. V with her space tomato –t he seeds spent time at the International Space Station!

Thanks to the students under the direction of Mr. Darkhor who designed and created this masterpiece in the office – an environmental statement we can be proud of!