GLEN PARK NEWSLETTER March 2017

Principal: Sheila Chichelnik Principal’s Message VP: Adam Thompson Superintendent: Leila Girdhar-Hill Over the past several weeks, our school highlighted many Trustee: Jennifer Arp examples of excellence and milestones of achievement. Our Safe Arrivals teachers engaged in a deep inquiry-based study of mathematics, 416-395-2468 teaching and learning, and sharing of best practices, in

collaboration with other schools and learning coaches. Our Wolfpack hockey teams exhibited talent and enthusiasm at the rd 3 annual Winter Classic Event at Baycrest Arena. Girls’ volleyball and boys’ basketball teams modelled the heart and soul

of true sportsmanship, team spirit, and perseverance as they battled their way to achieve much success.

Glen Park’s annual Underground Railroad drama presentation sparked tremendous praise and applause from participating parents, students and staff. Our students eagerly continue to work through spelling tests in preparation for the upcoming Spelling Bee, many of whom were awarded with spelling test certificates at the February Future Aces Assembly. “Scientists in Schools” programs embed a love of inquiry through Science, Technology, Engineering and mathematics (STEM), as they continue to work with students in different classes in March.

Parents Are important to a Healthy Such excellence and achievement is only possible through the School collaborative efforts of dedicated staff, parents, community partners, and students. Congratulations to each of our Glen Park families (students, parents/care-givers/guardians, and staff) who apply the creativity and vigilance that builds success and achievement. With much gratitude and appreciation. Listen, Talk & Participate

- Sheila Chichelnik Principal

Glen Park Winter Classic A special thank you to Executive Superintendent On February 24th, our school hosted our 3rd Beth Butcher and KidSport for also annual Winter Classic hockey event! Due to the coming out to support this event. Thank you to unseasonably warm temperatures, the event had Mr. Kennedy, Mme Ferraro and all the parent be moved indoors to Baycrest Arena for the volunteers for supporting this event and for first time. Teams from Armour Heights PS and continuing the Wolf Pack for another great Brock PS joined our two Wolf Pack teams along season! We hope that all our graduating players with our Alumni players and enjoyed a will continue to play in their future endeavours tremendous day of hockey. and we will be looking for new players coming up to join our Wolf Pack teams next year.

Underground Railroad We are so proud of our seventh annual Imaginary Journey of Escape on the Underground Railroad which took place on Tuesday, February 21st and Thursday February 23rd. The Grade 1/2 classes learned about the experiences of African slaves and their journey to freedom on the Underground Railroad.

This learning Each of our teams played a game in addition to addresses Social our Alumni playing a game against Police Studies curriculum Service 13 Division. TPS members have been expectations of the supporting our teams all season long by coming to Grade 1 curriculum. our early morning Thursday practices to help our Ms. Komolafe, CYW students learn the game of hockey. We were and Mme Sache, SK very excited to have Toronto Police Chief Mark teacher, lead an Saunders speak to our students on the ice about imaginary journey of escape through our school how hockey can help you in life and how, just like as inspired by Cassie’s dream in the age- former Glen Park student Brendan Kennedy took appropriate story we have been reading, “Aunt the initiative to start our hockey program 7 Harriet’s Underground Railroad in the Sky”, by years ago, they can achieve whatever they want Faith Ringold. if they put forth the right dedication and passion. The journey travelled through the darkened corridors and rooms of our school. Ms. Komolafe (Feb. 21st) or Mme Counja (Feb. 23rd) went in-role as conductor, Harriet Tubman, and Ms. Minten as an agent. Assisted by the light of

a candle-lit lantern, Glen Park they lead participants to freedom into . Fun Fair Planning Participants brought silent voices, quiet feet and Planning is well under way for our June 1, 2017 imaginations! Together, participants escaped Fun Fair. We will be having a draw for gift along imaginary paths, through woods, over baskets, and are asking parents to contribute. bridges, across rivers. For those new to Glen Park, teachers pick themes for their baskets, and parents The children contribute theme related items. There will then prepared for this be a draw at the Fun Fair. Look for your child`s journey and were class theme coming home soon with further aware that the information. You can also help by donating success of their Canadian Tire Money toward the purchase of escape depended on prizes at the event. their ability to work as a team. Each If you have not already volunteered to help at child thought of an invisible gift to bring to help the night of the event, and are able to spare everyone escape safely. some time, please contact [email protected] and kindly provide your name and contact Courage, kindness, comfort, strategy, stillness, information. quiet feet and hope are examples of a few of these gifts. Their suitcases were packed and Primary Science ready to go. Thank you to the parents who In Science, we are recently learning about Air joined us. Through this brief dramatic and Water and prior to that, we explored the 3 experience we remembered, honoured and states of matter: Solids, Liquids and Gases. We celebrated the great and courageous endeavors read the book Bartholomew and the Oobleck, African people survived to gain freedom from written by Dr. Seuss. After that, we became slavery, and also remembered the courage of the scientists and made our own version of Oobleck Underground Railroad agents who offered (goop) in small groups and had a chance to touch assistance along the way. By stepping in role, I and feel the substance transform from a solid hope we will feel, if only in a very small way, into a liquid. It is exciting to be a scientist! what the slaves may have felt. Through drama, we can experience empathy for what the African people survived, and connect this empathy to our lives today by becoming citizens who better understand our roles and responsibilities From: Mrs. Fortino & all the Grade 2 students in towards creating a Mrs. Fortino's, Mrs. Schumacher's and Mrs. society that demonstrates greater equality for Koltun's classes. all peoples. In reality, only several slaves would have escaped together at a time. A silent journey was necessary for the slaves to escape successfully. Glen Park Alternative School Review spread to a lake then an ocean and affect the Public Consultation Meeting world. A review of Pathways in the Alternative School System is underway at the TDSB and public This situation can affect Toronto and I, because consultation meetings have been scheduled to in the future I want to have clean food, clothes, hear from parents/guardians in the TDSB and clean water. If I do have kids, I want them community. For more information, please visit: to be healthy, live their lives and have healthy www.tdsb.on.ca/Community/PublicConsultations/ kids as well. AlternativeSchoolReview I worry for Aboriginals as much as I worry for • Thursday, March 23 from 6:30 – 8 p.m. at my family in Jamaica with all the hurricanes and former Eastern Commerce CI, 16 Phin Avenue floods. Also Great Brittan (mainly England ) (Library) because of the separation from the European Union. Most importantly, I'm concerned for the • Tuesday, March 28 from 6:30 – 8 p.m. at people who live on aboriginal land in North Western Technical Commercial School, 125 Dakota because of Donald Trump's support of Evelyn Crescent (Library) the completion of a pipeline project. We have enough pollution in the world, we're killing Student Writing – Mr. Rezza’s class enough animals in the world. Look at the OUR TRIP By: Rhyanna government's mistakes with the oil spills. I hope On March the 2nd, Mr. Rezza's class and they don't build this pipeline! Monsieur Bichay's class went to Harbour front children's theatre to see Brundibar the Opera. WE SAY NO TO THE PIPELINE! Lucas in Mr. Bichay's class was in the play. He By: Viktoriya was the Milkman. This play's message was about If we build a pipeline underneath the sacred land the Holocaust and life back then and how people of the Sioux community it won't only effect the had to survive to eat food and buy milk and community but also Torontonians (people from bread. We also took the TTC there and we saw Toronto). The village may be far away, but that the lake shore. This play is important to see doesn't stop me from felling the way I'm because it’s a good subject to learn, and it is feeling. When I found out that a pipeline was good for us to learn history and what happened going to built under the community Sioux. I was back then. Mr. Rezza said "I got emotional at devastated. After all they are family. Thanks to the end”. Obama the pipeline was stopped for now, but we don't know what will happen later. BUILDING A PIPELINE By: Liam R. Building a pipeline underneath sacred Sioux land In the old days, the French and the British took is very disrespectful because Indigenous people over the land of the Aboriginals and treated went through this already hundreds of years ago them horribly. A lot was taken away from them when the Europeans came to North America, and it's all going to start over again if the they killed and tortured thousands of indigenous pipeline will be built. People will think that it's ok people. They don't need to suffer again. to do stuff like that, but it's not.

If the government's construction makes a Also it may be a hazard to the people there, mistake after building the pipeline, it can spill because if the pipeline leaked or exploded people and kill plants, animals, animal habitats, trees there will have to drink and use the dirty water. and more. The oil might make it to a river and It may not seriously affect people from Toronto Glen Park but they are like relatives and friends. If there High Water Levels Brings Increased Risks was a problem like, let's say there was an The Toronto and Region Conservation monitors earthquake in Russia, I would make sure that hazardous ice conditions as thaw begins and are they were okay, because my family lives there reminding everyone to be very careful around all and if anything happens to them I would be bodies of water. The first hint of warming super sad. Do the indigenous people deserve weather and the promise of spring thaw can this? Do the animals, their habitats and plants bring extreme danger to the shores and deserve this? I think not. It is time that the surfaces of streams, rivers, ponds and lakes, government owns ups to what they did and are according to Toronto and Region Conservation. doing and they have to stop making mistakes and Higher, faster-flowing water and extreme cold blaming others for what they did. The indigenous temperatures combine to create increased people shouldn't have to experience the pain and dangers on or near rivers, streams and ponds for sadness they did before, and I really hope that people wishing to enjoy the seasonal changes. the pipeline project will be STOPPED! Parents and caregivers are being asked to keep children away from stream banks, ponds and Junior Skating lakes. Over the course of the four Tuesdays in February, all of our junior classes went skating Outstanding Win at Forest Hill Arena. Each class got to go twice By: Rebecca and all students who didn’t have, got outfitted On Thursday March 2nd, 2017, the grade 5 girls’ with helmets and skates (Thank you Mme volleyball team went to North Prep JPS to Ferrero!). The students enjoyed a morning of compete against Baycrest and North Prep. Our physical exertion while practising their balance players were: Elina, Rebecca, Ava, Stephanie, and improving their endurance. Sylvie, and Rachel. Special shoutout to our amazing team captain Iya, who always got the ball over the net. The first game against North Prep was a tough one, we lost 25-20. The second game we lost 25-4. But when we played against

Baycrest, we won the first game 25-17 and the

second game 25-22. It was a close one. The Our hockey team members got to show off their exciting quarter-final game is happening on th skills as well. It is amazing to see progress even March 8 , 2017. That will be a different story. after a couple of weeks. Hopefully some of our Grade 4 and 5 students have been inspired to join the hockey teams next year, or at least continue skating on their own. Glen Park Grade 6 Girls’ Volleyball Tournament 2) avoid taking shortcuts through parks and By: Hannah fields and walk in well-lit, well-travelled On February 22nd the grade 6 girls’ volleyball areas team got ready for their tournament. The 3) keep valuables such as cell phones, teams that participated in the tournament were expensive jewelry, money, laptops and Faywood, North Prep and Summit Heights. We personal music devices (ipod, M3P players, successfully won 5 out of 6 games, which CD players) out of sight as much as brought us to a tie with Faywood. We played a possible when in public places nail biting tie breaker agme, up to 15 points and 4) be aware of suspicious behaviour; if unfortunately we lost by only 2 points. We are approached, try to remember what the very proud of the Grade 6 girls. The girls that person or car looked like so it can be participated in the amazing tournament were reported to a teacher, Vice Principal, Hannah-our team captain, Rochelle, Zeniyah, parents or the police if necessary. Viktoriya, Quman, Lauren, Lilly, and Sophia. The team would also like to thank Mme Bourassa, Ms. Parents can also help by keeping school contact Rathore and Ms. Fortino for giving up their time information up-to-date, including cell and to help us improve. business numbers. It's important for our staff to have this information to know who to contact Working Together for a Safer Community in cases of emergencies. One of the best parts of living in our community is the variety of activities we can enjoy in our Budget Ward Forums and Community parks and public spaces all year round. With Consultations spring and March Break around the corner and Community consultation is a very important part the days getting longer, students may be of the TDSB's budget process. There are a spending more time outside. This is a good time number of ways you can get involved in the to remind everyone to take extra care in TDSB’s 2017-18 budget. enjoying all the outdoors can offer. Trustees will be holding ward forums to hear feedback from students, parents and the As you know, we are fortunate to have a number community. Visit www.tdsb.on.ca/budget for the of safety measures, programs, and policies that list of ward forums. contribute to a safe and caring school. However, If you are unable to attend a budget ward forum most incidents happen away from school and in person, the TDSB will also be hosting an online outside school hours. All parents, students and budget forum on Monday, March 20, 2017 from staff are reminded of the need to be aware and 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. To access the forum, please alert at all times, even in the most ordinary and visit www.tdsb.on.ca on March 20 and click on everyday routines. Our staff regularly speak to the banner on the home page. During the online students about how to stay safe. I know that you budget forum, you will be able to ask questions too will want to help ensure our community is as and have them answered by TDSB budget staff. safe as possible. You can also provide your input by completing the online budget survey. The survey was Here are some tips that you may find helpful created to give parents, students and the when discussing safety with your child: community the opportunity to provide feedback 1) travel with at least one other person on the TDSB’s 2017-18 budget. Visit whenever possible www.tdsb.on.ca/budget to access the survey.

Glen Park Parents as Partners Conference Award. The deadline for nominations is Tuesday, You’re invited to our annual Parents as Partners March 21, 2017 at 4 p.m. All nominees will Conference! Registration is open. receive a personalized letter congratulating The Parents as Partners Conference 2017 is on them on their nomination as well as informing Saturday, April 1 and all parents are welcome! them of those who contributed to the This free conference – planned by parents, for nomination. The winners are additionally parents – includes a variety of workshops and celebrated at an awards ceremony in May. resources that will help any parent support their www.tdsb.on.ca/excellence child in their achievement and well-being at school and at home. Valentine’s Day Keynote speakers include John Malloy, Director This Valentine’s Day, our students showed of Education at the TDSB, and Itah Sadu, an excellent spirit by dressing in Valentine’s Day award-winning storyteller and author. colours and participating in different classroom Transportation, childcare, lunch and translators activities. Our Snack Program staff also got are all provided. into the spirit by making Valentine’s Day treats www.parentsaspartners.ca for the students. Fun was had by all!

Continuing Education - Community Programs Registration for Learn4Life spring classes is now open and classes begin Saturday, April 1. Take up a new hobby, learn a language, and meet people in your community. Put your hands to work and decorate and glaze your own pottery or sculpture. Stay active with full body boot camp classes, tennis and golf. Gain knowledge on how to invest in the stock market or prepare your taxes. Please refer to our brochure for a complete list of our offerings. www.learn4life.ca Facebook.com/TDSBLearn4Life @TDSB_ConEd Continuing Education – Summer Music Camps Enrich your child’s summer vacation with music Nominate Someone for an Excellence Award! camp. Through three unique programs – Summer Staff at the Toronto District School Board are Sounds, DownTown Summer Strings and Toronto among the most dedicated and qualified in Summer Music Camps – the TDSB offers band, Canada. Every day, nearly 39,000 professionals strings and orchestral experiences for students support our students and help them achieve from Grades 3-9. Registration is open now. their very best. We want to recognize those For more information please visit staff who go above and beyond every day in www.tdsbsummercamps.ca @TDSB_ConEd support of students, staff, parents and the community. The Excellence Awards is our opportunity to honour and celebrate outstanding TDSB individuals and programs. We invite you – staff, students, parents, community members – to nominate a TDSB staff member or team whose work has made a difference in your life or the lives of those around you for an Excellence Glen Park Our Glen Park Super Spellers for February: Ella, Chloe, Chelsea, Arjun, John, Dylan, Ruwayfi, Richard, Brianna, Joseph, Jesica, Adrianne, Priscilla, Chris, Ethan

Our GLEN PARK SUPER ACES for February: Evan, Isabella, Helen, Lyzandra, Isis, Tanya, Gabby, Kevin, Lake, Liam, Erin, Ement, Sasha, Dana, Salih, Alyssa, Roshaun, Maddie, Izabella, Brandon, Chris, Sarah

Glen Park