Ridgewood Public School P.O. Box 89, Coboconk ON K0M1K0 June, 2014 Phone (705)454-3351

**Follow us on twitter @Ridgewood PS. You can also follow us on our Facebook page as well. www.TLDSB.on.ca/schools/RidgewoodPS Trustee – John Byrne “Come Learn With Us” “Come Achieve With Us”

Self control –means self discipline and taking charge of yourself. You act instead of react.

Principal’s Corner As another year is about to finish up, we wonder where the year has gone. It seems like yesterday that we were still shoveling snow! Our JK’s have a full year under their belts and are ready to become SK’s!

We are busily planning year end trips for classes, teachers are getting ready to prepare report cards for their students and we are planning graduation for our grade 8 students. Graduation is an exciting time for the graduates and their families as our grads are moving on to High School. For the staff here at RPS, it is with mixed emotions that we move into June. We are proud to see our graduates preparing for high school and the next step in their future but it is always sad that this means them leaving Ridgewood. We have created some lasting memories with the graduates and now we reflect on the great times that we have had with these young adults. I wish you all the best as you prepare for the last month of your elementary school career!

It is with sadness that we announce that we are losing two of our teachers at the end of June. Amanda Newton and Kady Liscombe were both declared surplus to our school and have secured or will be securing positions at other schools. Ms. Newton will be at Dunsford District Elementary School next year and Mrs. Liscombe will be on maternity leave for a year before returning to a new school . We wish you both all of the best!

With the warm weather here, we ask that students do respect our dress code. Students need to remember that this is a professional building and that they need to dress accordingly. Under garments should not be visible to be seen.

Our Character Trait for the month of June is Self-Control. Self-Control is the ability to exercise restraint or control over one's feelings, emotions, reactions, etc.

Remember the Golden Rule: Treat others the way you want to be treated.

Ridgewood Motto: Come Learn With Us Come Achieve With Us

Greg Arkwright, Principal Ridgewood Public School CONGRATULATIONS 2014 GRADE 8 GRADUATES Austin Aitchison Emma Bartley Katie Bowins Destiny Chin-A-Loy Austin Chupa Julien Cloutier Austin Alayha Crego Brayden Danilko Dylan Francisco Brook Greenlaw Patrick Hannivan Jake Hardman Mackenzie Hopkins Gauge Kellar Jasmine Kerr Will McKenney Lisa McMillan Dawson Moore Aaron O’Dell Alexander Retes Ashlee Robinson Courtney Roskammer Cameryn Shaw Katelynn Smallwood Taylor Smith Chloe South Brooke Trevena Lexi Vahey Michael Whalen CJ Wideman

GRADUATION Graduation Ceremonies will take place on Tuesday, June 24th at 7:00 PM in the Ridgewood gymnasium. Graduates should arrive between 6:30 and 6:45 in preparation for the ceremony. The ceremony lasts approximately 1 hour. Immediately following the ceremony, light refreshments will be served in the school library. An intermediate dance will then begin at 9:00 PM lasting until 11:00 PM. Parents are asked to be at the school by 10:50 in order to pick up their children by the end of the dance. Further information will go home with the graduates in the near future.

END OF YEAR CLAP OUT We invite everyone to join us for our annual clap out where we say goodbye to the graduates and staff who are heading out on new adventures. This special event will be taking place on the last day of school. Thursday, June 26th at 3:15. YEARS OF SERVICE PINS Congratulations to the following staff members who have been with Trillium Lakelands District School Board for 15 years: Alison Bowins, Jennifer Eason, Bill Foster, Shelly Hopkins and Beth Massey. Here’s to many more wonderful years here at Ridgewood.

RETIREMENT ANNOUNCEMENT – Mrs. Deb Fogwell Did you know that our own Mrs. Fogwell is retiring from teaching public school this year? She has been so active in our school community here at Ridgewood since 1992 with music classes, choirs, bands, concerts and musicals. It’s hard to believe she also has her own private music teaching business, for both violin and piano. Mrs. Fogwell attended high school in Brantford and she received her Honours Bachelor of Music from Western University in London, , Aldhouse Teachers College with performance degrees, ARCT, from The Royal Conservatory of Music in piano and violin. She also completed correspondence courses from Moody Bible Institute, Chicago. All this was done before the age of 22! We should not be surprised Mrs. Fogwell taught for the Peel Board for 3 years, for the London Parental Christian School in London, Ontario, for the Western Academy of Music, for the Brantford School of Strings, for the former Victoria County Board of Education and lastly for Trillium Lakelands. Mrs. Fogwell is mother to four girls, Kara, Jasmine, Lydia and Melody, and grandmother to Hunter, who is now 5 years old. She has been foster mother to more than 45 teens, sharing her homes first in Burlington, then London and now in Norland. She is an active member of Pioneer Baptist Church in Norland, both in music and in childrens’ ministries where her husband, Ross, has served as Pastor for 27 years. Mrs. Fogwell’s favourite activity is travel! She has visited several countries in South America, including a trip on the Amazon River. She has also seen the Caribbean, Germany, Israel, and the United States as well as Newfoundland, Quebec, Yukon, and British Columbia. Mrs. Fogwell is an avid reader and loves her morning walk on the Woodcock line and it seems she’ll soon have more time to pursue these activities. All the best to you in your retirement, Mrs. Fogwell. We sure will miss you!

**Be sure to stop in any time between 1 and 6 PM on Tuesday, June 17th to join us in congratulating Mrs. Fogwell on her retirement. Everyone is invited. Come wish her all the very best and reminisce about all the memories and everything creative and musical we have experienced here at Ridgewood with Mrs. Fogwell in the lead.

THANK YOU TO OUR VOLUNTEERS Thank you to the dedicated group of parents that organize and make possible our fundraising, hot lunches, milk program and breakfast club, and all other activities we have thrown their way this year. We couldn’t do it without you and we are so very grateful for your time and kindness. Please join us on Monday, June 16th , 10:00-11:00 AM for our Volunteer celebration. Please RSVP to Kathy or Susan – 705-454-3351 by June 9th if possible. We look forward to seeing you there.

BREAKFAST PROGRAM The final day for the breakfast program is Friday, June 20th. Many thanks to our wonderful volunteers and donators who have made our program such a huge success.

MILK PROGRAM The final day for the milk program is FRIDAY, JUNE 20th. Coupons from this year’s milk program will not be accepted after that date or in the 2014-15 school year. Anyone having EXTRA milk coupons can REDEEM them (for milk only) prior to June 20th. If you have a significant # of coupons to redeem, could you please contact the office so we can ensure that we have enough milk on hand. Thank you very much for supporting our milk program this year.

Family Fun Night and BBQ – Here at Ridgewood Public School Organized by your School Advisory Council for the enjoyment of the students and their families. Wednesday, June 4, 2014 5:30 - 8pm Bouncy Castles, Jousting Ring and more! Come on out and enjoy the fun!

Ticks Our playground is being sprayed for Ticks this weekend (after school close May 30th). Please continue to take time to check your children for ticks after they have been out of doors as the school grounds are not the only area to have ticks present.

Band News! The Ridgewood band has been busy in the last few weeks, and they are still looking forward to another performance. They travelled to Lady Mackenzie P.S. near the end of April to participate in the Trillium Lakelands Mass Band Event, along with 5 other elementary school bands. They were amazing, not only in their performance, but also in their positive and co-operative spirit that day. The sound of 150 young musicians all playing the same music was a real treat to the students at Lady Mack. The band also performed at our Music Monday celebration on Monday May 5, and once again showed their professionalism in every way. On Wednesday evening, May 14, the night of our musical, they performed the two pieces they had performed with the massed bands. And on Monday, June 9, they will be travelling to Canada's Wonderland to participate in the Festival of Music there. They will play 3 pieces before an adjudicator and be given some feedback from that experience. It's been a great year, working with Ridgewood's finest musicians. They have come faithfully to unending practices, and always been excited and keen to perform. Well done, students. The Band leaders are so proud of your accomplishments this year!

Skipping Team Results Mrs. Oke and Mrs. Liscombe would like to congratulate all of the skipping team members on a very successful day of competition at I.E Weldon High School on May 8th. The event was recorded by Walter Keokebakker and his crew. It is split up into six parts and although we were not able to record the entire event, the majority of it is on Youtube! If you go to Youtube and type in the search bar, "TLDSB Skipping Event", the videos will pop up. The following are some of the events that RPS placed within the top 10! At this competition there were 17 schools, 46 teams and 660 athletes!! Way to go Ridgewood!! • Primary Single Rope Team placed 7th: Jamie Bryant, Makenna Blochlinger, Abbey Powell, Avery Earle • Junior Single Rope Team placed 9th: Desiree Lee, Jenna Campbell, Julia Sudsbury, Tabitha Lothian • Intermediate Double Under Team placed 9th: Kailyn Brooks, Avery Sudsbury, Natasha Austin, Moira Clements • Primary Freestyle Pairs: Makenna Blochlinger & Kelly Lin placed 3rd • Miah & Avery Earle placed 4th • Junior Freestyle Pairs: Emma Lee & Jenna Campbell placed 10th • Intermediate Freestyle Pairs: Natasha Austin & Annabelle Cloutier Austin placed 6th • Jillian Walker & Hope Fehr placed 10th Primary Master Speed Rope: Makenna Blochlinger placed 3rd

Chess On March 28, the Ridgewood Chess team travelled to Haliburton to participate in the TLDSB chess tournament. We had students from grade 3-8 participating. The team did exceptionally well and two students received invitations to participate in the provincial championships held in Toronto on April 6, 2014. Lucas Williams placed first in his division at Haliburton and Thomas Munns placed second in his division. Both participants received the honourable invitation. Thomas Munns travelled to Toronto and placed exceptionally well in the category finishing in tenth place overall. Congratulations to all students who played chess and to those who made the official competition team. Coach-Mrs. Bowins

Robotics The robotics team has been up and running since January and on May 16 the final team of 7 participants will travel to Bracebridge to participate in the TLDSB Ropbotic Competition. We will be competing in a robot music video and a sumo bot competition. Good luck to the team and results to follow! Coach-Mrs. Bowins

Dress Code Students shall avoid wearing any clothing which, in the opinion of school staff, is inappropriately revealing or which has inappropriate messages or graphics. The display of bare stomachs or undergarments will not be permitted. This must include all grades to be fair and avoid confusion. A backup outfit can be quite handy should something happen and a change of clothing required. This could save parents an unexpected trip to the school at an inconvenient time. We thank you for your support and cooperation. Cell Phone/Electronic Device Privileges Just a reminder that cell phones and electronic devices brought to school are to be used for educational purposes only. Your support in keeping these valuable and useful devices from being a disruption to class, your child’s education and protecting the privacy of others is greatly appreciated.

School Bus Cancellations-Late busses In the event of school bus service cancellation, the following notifications are sent out and parents can access any of these for the information. Every attempt will be made to have the decision made by 6:15 a.m. BOB FM - 91.9 FM Country 105 - 105.1 FM www.tldsb.on.ca website ****Staff & parents can subscribe to receive late, delayed and cancelled school bus information. Go to mybustoschool.ca Delays and Cancellations to register!

Medication The school will not administer medication unless it is a prescription authorized by a doctor. The school will provide a form that must be completed prior to administering the meds. Medication should be in its original container.

Sunscreen UV rays are present all year round and can reflect off surfaces such as concrete to double your exposure. At Ridgewood we strongly suggest that students wear hats outside with wide brims and that sun screen be applied in the morning and sent for further applications later in the day. Please ensure that your child knows how to apply the sun screen.

**Custody and Access Papers Required Please be advised that legal papers /custody agreements are required for each school record. Over the years, this may have been overlooked or forgotten but we do require an up to date copy for each OSR. If custody of your child is anything other than both or joint, we require legal documents on file. Please ensure a copy of this document is submitted to the office as soon as possible. It is urgent that students have this information in their file before entering high school and also to ensure any special circumstances are noted and adhered to.

REMINDERS  Remember to check in at the office upon entering the school to sign in - late students require a late slip.  Parents who are picking up students after school are asked to wait in the foyer or outside the Primary doors until the bell has rung.  It is important that Parents notify the school by phoning 705-454-3364 24 hour safe arrival line or send a note or call the office prior to the date of absence.  A note is always required when a student has ―other than normal‖ plans. Whether different bus stop on the same bus, walking into town after school, riding their bike (helmet always required), picked up from school etc. A phone call is acceptable when necessary however a note is preferred. The closer it is to 3:30, the busier and the more difficult it is to relay the information on time to students.  Please remember that siblings should not be staying to watch team practices unless accompanied by a parent – coaches must concentrate on the team and should not be expected to supervise other students.

**DON’T FORGET TO CHECK THE LOST & FOUND!

**DON’T FORGET AN UP TO DATE CRIMINAL REFERENCE CHECK IS REQUIRED TO VOLUNTEER in the school, classroom and on field trips!

Boys & Girls Clubs of After School Program @ Ridgewood P.S $25/ Week 3:25 pm – 6 pm! Programming Includes: Gym activities, arts & crafts, cooking, homework support, sports, computers, snacks.

Susan DeNure Biking Camp Funding Provided By: Susan DeNure Sports Fund Location: Ridgewood Public School, Coboconk Ages: At least 7yrs but less than 15yrs Day: Monday to Friday starting July 21-25, 2014 Time: 8:30am – 4:30pm Cost: $50 per week - each child receives a helmet to keep and bikes are provided for daily camp use. *Financial Assistance options available for all participants—contact Trevor Tompkins or Joshua Williams Registration: Register now online at www.bgckl.com/register or at the Boys & Girls Club, 107 Lindsay St. South, Lindsay Note: Full week registration only! For Registration inquiries please contact our office staff at (705) 324-4493 & press 0 For Program information please contact Trevor Tompkins @ (705) 324-4493 ext. 217 or [email protected] or Joshua Williams @ (705) 324-4493 ext. 211 or [email protected]

City of Kawartha Lakes Public Library - Special Events For information and to register please contact the Library Branch, check website or pickup brochure.

2014 Junior Naturalists Summer Camp The Junior Naturalists Camp provides an opportunity for children aged 6 to 10 to learn more about the environment. The camp runs from July 28 to August 1 at the Minden Cultural Centre and from August 11 to 15 at the Lloyd Watson Centre, Wilberforce, every day from 10 am to noon. The fee is $10.00/day or $45/week. Children can sign up for one or more days or the entire week. Young nature enthusiasts will take part in a variety of activities that explore our natural world. Every day has a different nature theme and includes an educational component, outdoor activities, games and crafts. The camp is led by Irene Heaven, an experienced outdoor educator. She is assisted by a student and volunteers from the Haliburton Highlands Field Naturalists. A limited number of subsidies are available. Contact Irene Heaven at 705-286-3181 or email [email protected]

Norland Fireworks Ward Park Sat. June 28th $10.00 per car.

Norland Summer Festival Ward Park July 11th, 12th, 13th.

Coboconk Lions Concerts in the Park Members of the Coboconk Lions Club are very proud of the renovations completed this past year in our Lions Park in Coby. The Lions Club will be presenting three afternoon concerts in the park. The concerts are free and following the concerts there will be free hot dogs and drinks. Our first concert on Saturday, June 28th (3:00 - 4:30) will feature Gary Peters. Gary is a local musician who has a great love for country music. Gary grew up in a musical household. Gary's repertoire is all Country and much of it is traditional; satisfying the crowds who come to listen and dance to his music. The second concert on Sunday, August 3rd (3:00 - 4:30) immediately follows our Annual Duck Derby Race. A very popular local group, Seabreeze have been entertaining audiences with their blend of music for many years. Seabreeze plays a variety of country songs, some old time rock and roll, east coast and Irish tunes. Our third and final concert on August 30th (3:00 - 4:30) features a band called Northline. This group is a regular at Jake's Bar and Eatery in Lindsay. Northline play Country, Blues, and 50's - 60's Rock and Roll. Bring your friends, guests and family to our new in the park amphitheatre; come and enjoy the Lions Concerts in the Park. For more information please call Paul at 705 454 1415 We Serve - Help Us, Help Others

Help Support Your Walk-in Clinics!! Bigley’s 4th Annual Walk for the Cause THIS YEAR’S GOAL! 100 WALKERS TO RAISE $20,000.00

On June 14th we challenge you to experience the joy of walking with us again to support our community walk–in clinics operated by the Kawartha North Family Health Team (KNFHT). Your support ensures that our community has better access to health care. The walk-in clinic is currently open Tuesday and Thursdays from 5- 8 p.m. at 100 East St S (at Mill St.) in and on Friday from 9:00am – 12:00pm at the Pharmasave on Colborne St. It takes $100.00 per hour to run the walk in clinic – a cost the Ministry of Health is unwilling to fund. All proceeds from the event go directly to the Walk-in clinics. To participate in the event simply fill out a registration form (minimum cost $25.00 per adult & $10.00 per Child 14 and under) Sponsorship forms are also available so friends and family who may need to use the walk-in clinic can support you in the walk. Participation and Sponsorship forms are available at the KNFHT offices, as well as in store at Bigley Shoes & Clothing. If you choose to preregister you may do so on line at www.bigleyshoes.com or in person at Bigley’s (Pre- registration is recommended). If you are unable to walk, but would like to give, donations would be welcomed. Donations can be made at Bigley Shoes and Clothing or on line at www.bigleyshoes.com All donations and sponsorships of $20.00 or more will receive a charitable receipt from the KNFHT, a registered charity. Participants will meet at Bigley Shoes & Clothing between 9:30 and 10:15 a.m. After an inspiring warm-up, the walk will commence at 10:30 a.m . on the designated route. The walk will end back at Bigley Shoes & Clothing. Participants will also receive a t-shirt and other sponsored goodies.

Safe Kids Week is an annual public awareness campaign designed to raise awareness about the frequency and severity of preventable childhood injuries. Safe Kids Week 2014 is running from June 7 to 14 and is focusing on the theme of water safety and drowning prevention.

More resources are available on the Parachute Canada website: http://www.parachutecanada.org/programs/item/safe-kids-week-2014-resources Did you know 570 children drowned in Canada in the last 10 years? This equals the number of children in 10 full school buses (Parachute Canada, 2014).

Tips to keep children safe this summer: Supervision is key; 90% of shallow water drowning among children occurred when an adult was absent.

Stay within sight and arms reach when a child is in or near water including: pools, bathtubs, lakes, rivers and streams.

Put down your electronic devices; listening isn’t enough to prevent drowning. Most drowning is silent and occurs in just a few seconds.

Swimming lessons allow children to gain confidence around water. Remember, lessons don’t provide kids with special protection; supervision is always needed.

Young children and weak swimmers should wear life jackets in or around the water. You and your child should always wear life jackets when riding in a boat.

Fence your pool; 7 out of 10 cases of child drowning can be prevented with four-sided pool fencing.

Be prepared: get trained in water skills, swimming skills, CPR and first aid.

For more information see www.parachutecanada.org/injury-topics/topic/C3