LARKSPUR PUBLIC SCHOOL
111 Larkspur Road growing together today, for tomorrow Brampton, Ontario L6R 1X2 Phone: 905-799-2952 Fax: 905-799-8109 Website: http://larkspur.peelschools.org/1477 September 2, 2014 Newsletter
PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE
On behalf of the staff, I wish to extend a warm welcome to students and parents for the 2014-2015 school year. A special welcome to new families in our school community.
I would like to welcome back our teachers and share their teaching assignments with you.
Kindergarten: Ms. Bince, Ms.Campbell, Ms. Colmer, Ms. Culig, Ms. Hall, Ms. Malhotra, Ms. Robinson, Ms. Ruffolo, Ms. Scott, Ms. Siuksteris, Ms. Tingle, Ms. Al Lahham Grade 1: Ms. Adetunji, Ms. Dhillon, Ms. Johnson, Ms. Johnston Jones, Ms. Perras, Ms. Mason, Ms. Mcdonald, Ms. Prosper, Ms. Spalding, Ms. Uppal Grade 1-2: Ms. Sareen Grade 2: Ms. Bay, Ms. Brockhouse, Ms Lane, Ms. Pinkerton, Ms. Sood, Ms. Uppal Grade 3: Ms. Balatidas, Ms. De Luca, Ms. Lyons, Ms Moras, Ms. Reis, Ms. Ms. Sodiya-Perez, M Grade 4: Ms. Hilliard, Ms. Lee, Ms. Monken, Ms. Romer, Ms. Virk, Ms. Woodward Grade 5: Ms. Munro, Mr. Noon, Ms. Sabharwal, Ms. Ward, Ms. Webb French: Mrs. Butler, Ms Shadoff Computers: Mr.Naidu Music: Ms. Allegretti-Costa, Mr. Ciepela Library: Ms. Barr Special Education: Ms. Keller, Mr. Goel, Ms. Parente ESL/ELD: Mr. Kahlon, Mrs. Sandhu, Ms. Essex, Ms. Johnston-Jones Physical Education: Mr. Brophey, Ms. Kannenburg Planning Time: Mrs Hopkins, Mr. Mattson, Ms. Perras Educational Resource Facilitators: Mrs. Avornyo, Mrs. Caria, Ms. Da Silva, Ms. Fenech, Ms. Lewis, Ms. Smykal, Ms. Perry. Ms. Reid Early Childhood Educators: Ms. Abra, Ms. Bhullar, Ms. Dampson, Ms. Dhillon, Ms. Husain, Ms. Handan, Ms. Little, Ms. Mina, Ms. Murray, Ms. Soundy, Ms. White Administration: Mr. Teeter (Principal) Mr. Harris (Vice Principal) Mr. Pileggi (Vice Principal) Office Staff: Mrs. D’Angelo, Mrs. Morden, Mrs. Stockley Custodial Team: Ms. Tonner, Ms. Furtado, Mr. Mosey,
This first newsletter may be lengthy but it highlights some information which is important as we start the school year. Thank you to all who are able to translate this information for relatives, neighbours and friends.
We continue to register new students each day. We are having a staggered entry for our Kindergarten students who should all be in class by Friday, September 5th. It has become necessary to re-organize some classes due to changes in enrolment. Such a task is never easy and we are all committed to doing it in the least disruptive way possible. All classes and teaching assignments will be finalized by September 23rd which is designated as a re-organization and professional activity day so there will be no school for students. At Larkspur, by working together we CARE (Compassion and Respect for Everyone) as we focus on continuous student improvement. As parents, you can help your child be successful by reviewing the information pages in the front of our student agenda (Grades 1-5) and the pages given to our Kindergarten students; by working with the teacher as a team; by discussing school with your child and by taking an active role at home in reading, listening and providing learning activities and experiences and helping your child accept responsibility for his/her words and actions. We welcome parent involvement in our School Council. We look forward to working with our Superintendent of Education, Ms. Pat Noble and Trustee, Mr Jagdeep Mann as we work together today, for tomorrow. Through dedication, commitment, and hours of work, our staff will work to ensure student learning and excellence in programming. Children progress at different rates as they try to achieve the provincial expectations for each grade. Please contact your child's teacher if a concern arises and s/he will reciprocate should the need arise.
Supervision: a) Staff will be providing 10 minutes of supervision prior to the 8:30 a.m. start of our day and 10 minutes of supervision after our 2:50 p.m. dismissal time for students in Grades 1 to 5. Kindergarten supervision will be 8 minutes prior to entry and 10 minutes after dismissal. At 8:28 a.m. when there will be a bell to line up followed by a bell at 8:30 a.m. when the lines will enter the school. All students are expected to dismiss from school property by 3:00 p.m. unless they are registered in the "Y" program or attending an after hours school event. Students will not be allowed to wait in the front foyer or between the front doors to be picked up. There is no supervision provided past 3:00 p.m. Let’s work together to ensure the safety of our students. b) We will continue with two 40-minute nutrition breaks in addition to our 300 instructional minutes for our grade 1 – 5 students. Students will be eating twice for 20 minutes and then outdoors twice for 20 minutes. We will be continuing with a litterless lunch which means that students will not be disposing of anything at school. They will be bringing home uneaten food, garbage, and containers. We encourage re-useable containers and recycling of materials and a plastic grocery bag is a good thing to tuck in each day. This will eliminate the need for the garbage cans in classrooms to be dumped after each break. NUT and PEANUT ALERT: Please do not send any product with nuts or peanuts with your child to school. We have students at Larkspur who have life threatening allergies. Because of this, if you wish to bring in something special for your child's birthday celebration with his/her classmates, we encourage you to purchase something that can be used at school, such as pencils. Food products without a label indicating nut free will be turned away to ensure the safety of at risk students. It is nice to share but we want to avoid medical risks. c) Only buses will be using the front driveway. All other traffic will be directed back onto Larkspur Road using the east driveway in the morning. Pedestrians are asked to use the pathway at the east side of the school or to use the sidewalk at the west side of the building to access the playground area. Kindergarten children are expected to be delivered INTO their fenced Kindergarten playground. At the end of the day, vehicles will not be permitted to enter the parking lot after 2:30. Vehicles will need to be parked in designated parking spots and will not be allowed to depart for 10 minutes after our 2:50 dismissal which allows the majority of walkers to depart and move away from the east driveway. d) Our newsletters will be prepared for the first school day of each month. We will not be sending home a paper copy to everyone. It will be posted on our school's website by 3:00 p.m. on that day.
Here's how to retrieve our newsletter: The school’s website is schools.peelschools.org/1477. When you reach the site, you will see a menu on the left hand side. Click on Newsletters. Not all families have access to the internet. If your family requires a paper copy, please write a note and return it to your child's teacher before the end of September so that you won't miss the October and subsequent newsletters. e) Frequently, parents inform us that their family is going on a vacation for 2 weeks to 3 months or longer and will be taking their children out of school. These family vacation times can be a wonderful, enriching experience. They can also greatly affect a child's academic progress. Teachers will not create a "package" of schoolwork for the child to do while absent. If it is an extended time away from our school, the student may be demitted from the register. We cannot guarantee a student will be placed back in his/her original class when returning from an extended vacation providing the child resides within our boundaries.
I would like to thank the custodial team for the wonderful job that they have done over the summer months to clean and prepare our building for the arrival of our staff and students. They worked hard each and every day despite the heat and humidity.
Thanks to Ms. Stockley, Ms. D'Angelo, Ms. Morden and Ms. Rehanekfor all of their organization for our 2014-2015 school year opening. Our office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Please call the school and leave a message on our attendance voicemail if your child is going to be absent or late. It can be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It will save our secretaries from calling you to check on an absent child.
Along with Mr. Harris and Mr. Pileggi, I wish each and every student a successful school year.
Mr. Teeter
Larkspur Public School - Code of Conduct
Mission Statement GROWING TOGETHER, TODAY FOR TOMORROW. We are committed to the success of all students so that they may reach their full potential and contribute positively to the world community. Vision Statement Our Learning Community, in all stakeholders, will: Embrace equity and cultural diversity, celebrate individuality, encourage personal growth, apply principles of co- operation, collaboration and creative problem solving, promote effective leadership skills, model teamwork and consensus seeking and promote instructional transformational practices promoting student learning.
PROVIDING A SAFE AND ORDERLY ENVIRONMENT Appropriate Behaviour Students will display respect and courtesy and abide by the rules established for the common good. At Larkspur we will: Be Caring -show compassion and kindness towards others -treat one another with dignity, respect and fairness Be Cooperative -work with others for a common purpose -play safely -resolve conflicts in positive ways Be Honest -be truthful and sincere in what you say and do Be Inclusive -treat others fairly and equitably ensuring a sense of belonging for all -take action to help others in need Be Respectful -treat yourself, others and the environment with respect -show respect through words, actions, and body language -move quietly and safely through the halls Be Responsible -take responsibility for your actions and being reliable in your commitments
Walk to School! We are promoting healthy students and a healthy environment by asking all Larkspur students to walk to school this year. We understand there are sometimes extenuating circumstances where parents are unable to walk their children to school. In these cases, it might be possible to partner up with a neighbour and have your child(ren) walk together in a group with friends. In rare cases, we are equipped with handicap parking along the front of the school. Weather should not deter students from walking, in these cases we encourage students to dress appropriately and continue walking. Our steps along the east side of the school have been replaced with a ramp, making it more accessible for parents with strollers. Our goal is to have less than 50 cars entering our parking lot on a daily basis.
Student Agendas Staff and students in grades 1-5 will once again be using the school agenda as a tool for student reminders and home & school communications. Please review the agenda with your child at the start of the year as it contains valuable school information for parents and students to review and then daily thereafter. Please encourage your child to be responsible for his/her agenda and to promptly provide you with information sent home by the school.
Medication to be Administered at School Please be aware that students may not take medication at school except under carefully regulated conditions. If your child must take medication at school in order to remain in school, you must follow the guidelines as regulated by the Peel District School Board. You must obtain a medication form from one of our secretaries, have the form completed and signed by the prescribing doctor, provide the Student Services office with the completed form and the medication in its original container with instructions for administering. Students who must carry Epipens or inhalers are asked to have one with them at all times and a second one in the office under the care of the office staff.
Allergies Some of our students and staff, considered healthy by all other standards, face what could be a dangerous challenge each day – an allergic reaction. We have people in our building allergic to nuts, strawberries and bee stings. For some of these allergies, a trace of the product on the hand of a friend or even a whiff of protein from a peanut butter sandwich may be enough to cause a violent allergic reaction in which vital body systems dramatically shut down. If you feel concerned/frightened, then you are experiencing what it is like to live with this condition – a severe and deadly allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. We have an emergency plan in place. It includes the administration of epinephrine to an exposed person via an EPIPEN. This can buy about twenty minutes of life until the person receives proper medical treatment. After discussions with staff and other knowledgeable parties in the medical community, it has been suggested that the best way to provide a safe environment is to enlist the support of all parents and students to help make the school an allergy safe environment. This means raising the awareness of all parents and students as to the consequences of exposure to allergens and to minimize their presence whenever possible. The ideal situation would be that everyone brings food free of allergens (e.g., peanuts, nuts, strawberries, etc.). Although it sounds simple, it means no such products of any kind at school or at home for anyone. Also, it would mean all families would have to pay careful attention to the ingredient labels of all other foods for hidden traces of these products. Children should be reminded not to share food and to wash their hands frequently. These behaviours are tough to monitor so the key to a safe environment will be awareness. We cannot create or guarantee a nut- free environment. We realize that this request for support and awareness poses an inconvenience but keep in mind the sincere appreciation for your support and understanding of this life- threatening allergy and the school’s commitment to providing a safe learning environment for everyone. Website for Parents The Ministry of Education has a website full of tips and resources that parents can use to help their children succeed in school. The website is accessible in a variety of languages. To access this site, go to www.ontario.ca/abc123
Volunteers at Larkspur We would like you to consider becoming a parent VOLUNTEER in our school to assist staff and students. Everyone can benefit from extra help. Each year, we depend on our volunteers to assist us in a wide variety of ways. If you would like to volunteer, please complete the attached form and return it to the office. In order to be a volunteer, even to go on one field trip with your child’s class, you MUST provide a satisfactory criminal records check to our Board office before you are able to interact with the children. Please speak with Mr. Pileggi if you require more information on volunteering at Larkspur.
High School Student Volunteers If you have a child in secondary school who would like to do his/her community hours in our school, we require a request at least one week prior to commencing the placement. Our Vice Principal, Mr. Pileggi, will meet with the student to make the arrangements when possible. We are not always able to accommodate the large number of students who apply.
IEP Generation for Exceptional Students Each school year, the teacher(s) of students who have been identified as an Exceptional Student by an Identification Placement Review Committee (IPRC) must develop an Individual Education Plan (IEP). This is an individualized generated plan based on the Ontario Curriculum in partnership with the student, his or her family and the school. A basis for the IEP involves goals that the parent and student see as fitting for the present school year. In order to generate these goals, parents will be contacted to seek input via a questionnaire. IEP’s will be shared with parents early in the fall.
Bussing Bussing is based on the distance a student lives from school. You will be informed if you qualify for bussing. Bussing pick up times will be recorded on your child’s bus card. Your child’s teacher and Vice Principal Mr. Pileggi will hand out these cards. Please have your child ready and waiting at the bus stop at least 5 minutes prior to the time indicated. The times will be inaccurate for the first couple of weeks as the drivers learn their routes and stops. No student is allowed to ride the bus without a card and signed rule sheet. Students are expected to demonstrate good behaviour while riding the bus to and from school and on field trips. Drivers will not leave Kindergarten children at a stop if a parent/guardian is not there to meet them. If there is nobody there, the child(ren) will be returned to the school, where you will need to pick up your child. Your assistance in making bussing at our school a safe and enjoyable experience is greatly appreciated.
Safe School Practices We will continue to have fire drills and lockdown practices this year.
We are asking all of our parents to meet their children outside at the end of the school day. Visitors including parents who enter the building must sign in at the main office and wear a Visitor's Badge. Parents should say "good-bye" to the children outside so that they may enter with the staff. When moms or dads or grandparents come into the building with the children, it is sometimes difficult for the child to let go and it is difficult for us to know if we have an intruder or someone with ill intentions roaming the school. We can't recognize everyone. Please help us protect your children. Also, please don't walk your dog along with your child(ren) to school. In a crowd or with many children, pets may become anxious and in the confusion may bite someone.
School Council Below is information pertaining to the formation of our School Council. If you are interested in being a member of our school council, please call the school and plan to attend our first meeting. Questions & Answers about School Council How does the school council function? Council must meet a minimum of 4 times per school year All meetings are open to the public Chair of the council will be a parent/guardian elected by council members Council provides informed advice to the school Principal Agendas are set and minutes are kept with an annual review created Money raised is held in a school's School Activity account and must be used to benefit student learning What are the responsibilities of a council member? To focus on the learning for all students To maintain a school-wide perspective on issues To represent and communicate the views of the school community To attend and contribute regularly at council meetings What are the benefits to being on council? FOR THE SCHOOL Your involvement can provide new insights, fresh ideas, and a different perspective FOR THE MEMBER You can meet new people, learn new skills, and find out more about the school
E-mail guidelines improve communication between you and your child's teacher Parents often ask us how they can use e-mail to communicate with their child's teacher. The Peel board has developed guidelines to help you determine how to use e-mail effectively to keep in contact with the school.
Remember, e-mail is just one way that staff can communicate with you. There are many situations when a phone call or a face-to-face meeting may be better. Let your child's teacher know if e-mail is one of your preferred ways of keeping in contact.
Your child's teacher will use e-mail to keep in touch with you about the following kinds of topics: general information about class activities arrange for meeting/telephone call regarding a student issue including a general description of the issue, e.g. "I would like to arrange a meeting to discuss your daughter's attendance" follow-up on an issue that has previously been discussed
Your child's teacher will not use e-mail to discuss any of these issues: any sensitive student information that would normally be discussed face-to-face or by phone personal information about other students specifics about a sensitive student issue which was not initiated by the parent or had not previously been discussed with the parent other staff the staff member's performance
SCHOOL YEAR CALENDAR 2014-2015 The school year begins (First day of classes for students)...... Tuesday, September 1, 2014 The School year ends...... Friday, June 26 2015 The number of instructional days for elementary students...... 188 The number of professional activity days for the elementary panel...... 6
SCHOOL HOLIDAYS Labour Day...... September 1, 2014 Thanksgiving Day...... October 8, 2014 Winter Break (inclusive)...... December 22, 2014 to January 2, 2015 Family Day...... February 16, 2015 Spring Break (inclusive)...... March 16, 2013 to March 20, 2015 Good Friday...... April 3, 2015 Easter Monday...... April 6, 2015 Victoria Day...... May 18, 2013 PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITY DAYS – ELEMENTARY In-school Professional activity/reorganization/teacher planning...... September 23, 2014 Professional Activity Day………………………………………………………………October 10, 2014 Reporting to Parents...... November 14, 2014 Report Card Writing/Assessment Day...... January 19, 2015 Professional Learning Day...... May 11, 2015 Report Card Writing/Assessment Day...... June 8, 2015
Larkspur Public School (K – Gr. 5) 111 Larkspur Road Brampton, Ontario L6R 1X2 Tel: 905-799-2952 Fax: 905-799-8109
Attendance Reporting: 905-799-2952 – Press 7
School Hours Grades One through Five Kindergarten Supervision starts 8:20 a.m. Students Enter 8:30 a.m. Supervision Starts 8:22 Period 1 8:30 – 8:50 a.m. Students Enter 8:30 (Tugra Time/DPA) Teaching Block A 8:30-11:00 Period 2 8:50– 9:30 a.m. Kindergarten Lunch/ Teaching Period 3 9:30 – 10:10 a.m. Block B 11:00-12:20 Nutrition Break 1 10:10 – 10:30 a.m. Teaching Block B 12:20 – 2:50 Gr. 1, 3, 5 eat Students Dismissed 2:50 Gr. 2, 4 play Supervision ends 3:00 Nutrition Break 1 10:30 – 10:50 a.m. Gr. 1, 3, 5 play Gr. 2, 4, eat Period 4 10:50 – 11:30 a.m. Period 5 11:30 – 12:10 p.m. Period 6 12:10 – 12:50 p.m. Nutrition break 2 12:50 – 1:10 p.m. Gr. 1, 2, 5 eat Gr. 3, 4 play Nutrition break 2 1:10 – 1:30 p.m. Gr. 1, 2, 5 play Gr. 3, 4, eat Period 7 1:30 – 2:10 p.m. Period 8 2:10 – 2:50 p.m. Students dismissed 2:50 p.m. Supervision ends 3:00 p.m.
Understanding your child’s Ontario Student Record The Ontario Student Record (OSR) is an ongoing, confidential record of a student’s education progress. Authorized by the Education Act and protected by the Freedom of Information Act and Protection of Privacy Act, an OSR is established for each student enrolled in an Ontario elementary or secondary school. The record is housed at the student’s current school and moves with the student as they transition from one school to the next. If a student leaves Peel to attend another school in Ontario, the OSR is forwarded to the new school upon request. If the OSR is not requested or the student leaves Ontario, the OSR is housed in the last Peel school that the student attended.
The OSR contains familiar documents that parents can view at any given time. OSR contents include: biographical data documentation file, containing (if applicable): verification of a custody arrangement, change-of-name order, placements decisions, suspension letters, psycho-educational assessment report, identification and placement decision letters, and registration forms information concerning special health conditions name(s) of student’s parent(s) or guardian(s) Ontario Student Transcript (secondary school only) – the cumulative record of a student’s successful completion of secondary school courses photographs may also be attached record of the student’s accumulated instruction in French as a second language, if applicable report cards school(s) attended
Every student, and parents or guardians of students under 18 years of age have the right to examine the student’s OSR and receive a copy of its contents. Supervisory officers, school administration and teachers may also access a student’s OSR for the purpose of improving the instruction of the student. Written permission is requested for any outside agency or personnel to access the OSR.
Contact your school principal for details of the procedure to review your child’s OSR.
If you would like to learn more about your child’s OSR, visit the Ontario Ministry of Education web site at www.edu.gov.on.ca.
Getting your questions answered If you have any questions, concerns or suggestions about your child's education, or about education in general, anyone with the Peel board is happy to help. Here are some of the people who can help you:
If you have specific questions or If you still have unanswered questions or concerns about the education of your son concerns, talk to your superintendent of or daughter, the first person to talk to is education. your child's teacher. If possible, arrange a If you have general questions about personal interview with the teacher to curriculum, call Curriculum and Instruction discuss your concerns and attempt to Support Services at 905-890-1010 ext. 2559. resolve the matter. Your child's teacher or If you have questions about special education principal can also give you more programs or services, contact Special information about specific strategies being Education Support Services at 905-890-1010 used to monitor your child's progress. ext. 2345. If you need extra help, or have more Of course, your local school trustee is elected general questions, your school principal is to represent your interests and is always ready there to assist. Your school principal can to hear and discuss your suggestions or help if you have been unable to resolve the concerns. If you don't know the name of your issue with your child's teacher. All trustee, check the 'Meet your Trustee' section curriculum material is available in your of the board's website at www.peelschools.org. child's school. If you still have questions, please email [email protected] or call Communication Services at 905-890-1010 or 1-800-668-1146 ext. 2809. Schools use many strategies to keep children safe Peel schools provide a safe environment for staff and students to work and learn. The board has many procedures to ensure safety. To keep students safe, schools use many strategies including: requiring all parents and visitors to check in at the main office and obtain visitor passes the use of a "buddy system" – students can only leave the classroom if accompanied by another student (for example, going to the washroom) assigning teachers to supervise inside and outside the school during recesses, before and after school locking all exteriors doors, except the main entrance, during school hours encouraging staff to regularly review streetproofing skills with students expecting staff and students to report unidentified individuals to the office immediately holding fire drills and "lockdown" rehearsals having evacuation plans in place ensuring that all staff and volunteers have up-to-date criminal record checks working with the police to provide education on street-proofing We feel that it is important that you also take this opportunity to review safe procedures with your child. Peel Regional Police have provided the following safety guidelines: Tell your children to never go anywhere with a stranger, not to talk to strangers and never take anything from them. You also have to teach them what a "safe stranger" is in case they need help. A safe stranger includes a police officer, a cashier, a fire fighter. Develop a "what if" game for children to get them thinking about how they would respond if they felt threatened or afraid. Know who your children play with and where they go. This includes keeping a list of their friend's addresses and phone numbers. Do not leave your child in unsupervised locations, such as cars, parks, public washrooms, arenas, malls and plazas, etc. Teach your children where and how to get help. Go with them on their regularly travelled routes. Find out where the pay telephones are and show your child how to use 9-1-1 (no coins required). Your child's body is private. Tell your children that no one may touch the area their bathing suit covers. If someone tries to touch them, they should tell you immediately. Teach your children to talk to you immediately when someone does anything that makes them feel strange or uncomfortable. Listen when your children are trying to tell you about something that bothers them and provide them with support and understanding. For more information about the safety at your school, review your school handbook or speak to your principal or teacher. Subscribe to receive news from the Peel board Take advantage of our electronic subscription service to automatically receive a list of activities by email on a monthly basis. Subscriptions are sent the last week of the month, plus bonuses throughout the year. Subscribing is easy just visit our website at www.peelschools.org and click on the subscription link under "Quick Links." 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. Procedures help keep students safe at school Peel schools provide a safe environment for students and staff to learn and work. The board has many procedures to ensure safety ¾ including regular fire drills, evacuation plans, criminal record checks for new staff and volunteers and lockdown drills. Together with Peel Police and the Dufferin-Peel Catholic School Board, the board developed a lockdown procedure to help keep schools safe during a potentially serious or violent incident. Every school will review the key points of the lockdown process with students. We rehearse the drill twice per year to make sure staff and students know what to do if we have to initiate a lockdown. During the rehearsal, the principal will make an announcement to "initiate lockdown procedure." The school bell will ring continuously for a period of time. Students and staff inside the school will: 1* go to the closest room, close the door and lock it, if possible 2* turn off the lights and lie down on the floor away from doors and windows 3* remain on the floor quietly until further directions are given Students and staff outside the school will: 4* move as far away from the building as possible 5* remain outside until further directions are given Depending on the situation, students and staff outside the building may be directed to an evacuation site. When the rehearsal is over, the principal will make another announcement. During lockdown rehearsals or in a real lockdown situation, students and staff must not use cell phones. Cell phones can create a safety hazard by attracting attention to the area of the school where the phone is being used. In the unlikely event of an actual lockdown, police ask that parents do not go to the school. For safety reasons, you will not be allowed to enter a school that is in lockdown. In some cases, police will designate a Parent Information Site for you to attend and get up-to-date, accurate information. To find your Parent Information Site or get further details during a real lockdown, visit www.peelschools.org or listen to local media. If you have any questions about our lockdown drill, or any of the procedures we have in place to keep students and staff safe, please call the school. o Protect your kids—and your finances Each year, many of our families spend thousands of dollars when their children are injured at school, on field trips or at home. For pennies a day, this can all be avoided. The Peel District School Board does not provide accident insurance coverage for student injuries that occur on school property or during school activities—this includes extracurricular sports. If a student is injured, parents are responsible for any costs not covered by provincial health care or their employer's health care plan. Please check with your provider regarding your coverage. To help protect your family, the Peel board has arranged to have student accident insurance available exclusively through Reliable Life Insurance Company. This program offers a variety of plans and benefits at affordable prices. The coverage can include: dental expenses, and future costs (resulting from an accident) total and permanent disability paralysis/loss of use of limbs special disability benefits ambulance fees The provincial health care system does not cover costs which are commonly related to accidents including dental work, ambulance fees, casts and crutches, and physiotherapy. All of these are covered by Reliable Life’s student accident insurance plan. It is strongly recommended that all families consider this coverage, especially if your child participates in extracurricular activities. Annual plans, which provide 24 hours a day, 365 days a year coverage, range from $13.00 to $31.00 per year. Through the application only you can be covered for the school day only as low as $6.00 per year. Family rates for three or more children are available. The insurance agreement is between you and Reliable Life Insurance Company. You can apply for coverage online at www.insuremykids.com. For more information call Reliable Life Insurance Company toll free at 1-800-463-KIDS (5437). How to Register at Peel school Here’s what you need to know about registering your child for school Who can attend? The Peel board serves children age 4 and older. Our schools Peel has more than 230 elementary and secondary schools. You can find the name and location of your local school by calling our Planning and Accommodation department at 905-890- 1010 or 1-800-668-1146, extension 2212. Where to register If your family is new to Canada, your child may need an orientation interview to register for school. To assist you with registration, we offer three Welcome Centres. Please call 905-366- 8791 to talk to our staff and book your appointment. There is no fee for registration. Documents to bring to registration Proof of child's age Canadian birth certificate Record of Landing Canadian passport confirmation of permanent citizenship card/certificate residence Permanent Resident Card work permit refugee permit Proof of address purchase agreement credit card statement utility bill federal government forms (e.g. bank statement/client slip Social Insurance Number, Service (directly from financial institution) Canada documents) Ontario driver's licence Proof of custody – children must live with their parent(s) unless provided documentation supports an alternate living arrangement Proof of immunization – proof that your child has been immunized/vaccinated Missing documents? If you are missing some documents, you can still visit the We Welcome the World Centres, and our staff will help you with all registration requirements. Your child’s first day of school Once the orientation interview is complete, you will get an appointment card with the date your child can start school. Please bring this card with you on your child’s first day, so that he or she can receive a new school schedule to complete the registration process. International students International students attend the Peel Academy for International Students at Clarkson Secondary School. The academy provides a unique, world-class program that integrates students from around the world into the dynamic and welcoming learning environment at Clarkson. International students interested in our program should visit www.studyincanada-peel.ca or call 1-800-668-1179 ext. 1252. Peel board trustees accountable to the community The Peel board, like every public school board in Ontario, is governed by a board of trustees. Trustees are elected by public school taxpayers every three years during municipal elections. The Peel board currently has 12 trustees representing three municipalities: Stan Cameron email: [email protected] Caledon 905-880-1162 Beryl Ford email: [email protected] Brampton 905-793-0800 7/8 David Green email: [email protected] Brampton 905-495-4579 1/3 Steve Kavanagh email: Brampton 905-457-3132 [email protected] 4/5 Brad MacDonald email: Mississaug 905-593-3547 [email protected] a 2/8 Janet McDougald, email: Mississaug 905-278-1402 Chair [email protected] a 1/7 Suzanne Nurse, Vice- email: Brampton 905-495-3423 Chair [email protected] 2/6 Jagdeep Mann email: [email protected] Brampton 416-797-6718 9/10 Sue Lawton email: [email protected] Mississaug 905-625-8084 a 3/4 Meredith Johnson email: Mississaug 416-706-9215 [email protected] a 9/10 Jeff Whit email: [email protected] Mississaug 905-267-0764 a 6/11 Rick Williams email: [email protected] Mississaug 905-814-6180 a 5 What do trustees do?
Trustees advocate for the needs of the community to other members of the board, help members of the community address concerns about the school system, set policies in the areas of curriculum, facilities, human and financial resources explain the policies and decisions of the board to the community evaluate the board's achievement of its goals and objectives and monitor its implementation of new policies participate in budget development, approve budget decisions and monitor its progress protect the future of the board by always considering the long-term effects of decisions
Visit www.peelschools.org and check out the ‘Meet Your Trustee’ section to subscribe to board meeting agendas and minutes and read highlights from board meeting.