Ridgewood Public School P.O. Box 89, Coboconk ON K0M1K0 November, 2013 Phone (705)454-3351 www.TLDSB.on.ca/schools/RidgewoodPS Trustee – John Byrne “Come Learn With Us” “Come Achieve With Us”

Responsibility: you are accountable for your actions and consider the consequences of your choices.

Principal’s Corner Wow! It is hard to believe that we are already at November! It is great to see all of the students working as hard as they are in class as I walk around the school. We have a focus at school this year around the healthy well-being of the students. We have always looked at the health and wellness of our students, but we are taking a closer look this year to ensure that we are doing what we need to for them and have things in place to support them. You have received a survey from the Health Unit that is going to provide us with data in moving forward to ensure that we are meeting the healthy needs of our students. Please take the time to fill this in and return it to the school. We have purchased some Drum Fit balls that classes will be using for gym, dance, music and wherever teachers feel they can fit them in. These Drum Fit balls are in essence, exercise balls with drum sticks that students can use for exercise, creating music or performing a dance routine. I am looking forward to hearing and seeing the great things the classes will be using these for. Our WE Team has done an outstanding job of collecting food for their WE SCARE HUNGER campaign for the Food Bank. I cannot believe how much food is in the front hallway! We had a great Take Me Outside Day on October 23rd. The students had a wonderful time participating in activities that our WE Team and Intermediate students organized and ran. It is great to see our Intermediate students put their leadership skills to work. Thank you to Ms. Newton and Mr. Wright for getting this day together. As we move into the colder weather, we ask that you ensure that your children are dressed appropriately for the weather each day. It is better to wear warmer clothing in the morning and then be able to take a layer off as the day warms up. We have a presenter coming in on November 7th to talk with our students about Bullying Prevention. Her name is Maria Hawkins and we are looking forward to her presentation. November 17 – 23 is Bullying Awareness Week and we will be doing some activities at the school to educate students about how to properly deal with the bully. Ridgewood Motto: Come Learn With Us Come Achieve With Us Mr. Greg Arkwright, Principal Ridgewood Public School

Ridgewood Remembrance Day Service – November 11, 2013 Ridgewood P.S. will be having their annual Remembrance Day service on November 11 at 11:00. Everyone is invited to attend. We will be having video presentations, singing, dramatic activities and wreath laying. This year's service particularly honours the veterans of the Korean War -- 1950 - 1953. We would be honoured to have parents and friends join us. We hope to have some veterans with us during this special service. Our thanks to all those who have bravely served our country now and in the past.

PARENT TEACHER INTERVIEWS – Wednesday, November 20, 2013 3:30 to 8:00 PM Forms will be sent home next week to be filled out and returned with a preferred time slot and we will do our best to give families times close to each other. First in first choice so get your forms in quickly. If this date does not work, an alternate date need to be scheduled with your child’s teacher.

SPOOKTACULAR HALLOWEEN FUNDRAISER! LITTLE CAESAR PIZZA KITS WERE A BIG HIT ONCE AGAIN! We beat our goal by selling 326 kits. Way to go and thank you all for supporting Ridgewood Public School. Winners of our incentive draws: Madison Ireland & John Austin Halloween Basket Rowan Eason & Caley Tufts Little Ceasar’s Stuffy + Jory Jewell & Oliver Potter Little Ceasar’s Bracelet +

RIDGEWOOD SCHOOL ADVISORY COUNCIL The next scheduled meeting will be Monday, November 25, 2013. We would love your input and ideas. Please come join us in the staff room @ 6:30 PM. They should continue to be held on the last Monday of the Month.

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! Take Me Outside Day was started 3 years ago by Colin Harris who wanted to create dialogue about the importance of outdoor education and to extend the learning environment beyond four walls and a desk. Since then many schools dedicate to spend a minimum of one hour outside on the TMO date in October. This year Ridgewood decided to join Mr. Harris’s initiative along with approximately 450 schools across Canada– from Labrador to Vancouver Island to the Yukon and Northwest Territories. Also participating were schools from around the world, including Poland, Czech Republic, Australia, South Korea, Belgium and Ireland.

Ridgewood’s Take Me Outside Day was a HUGE success with 100% participation from our students and our staff! Our We Team designed 15 organized fun-filled activities which we called Ridgewood’s Amazing Race! Our remaining Grade 7 and 8’s were leaders in the 15 teams that our staff helped organize from Kindergarten to Grade 8. It was really wonderful to see the older students be positive role models with the younger kids and natural leaders. We had a lot of laughs, a lot of rosy cheeks and a great afternoon of exercise and fun!

Junior Cross Country Congratulations to the Junior Cross Country team who travelled to Ken Reid Park on October 3rd. Everybody had a great day, ran their best, and were excellent ambassadors for Ridgewood Public School. We had some great finishes including Eldon Earle who placed 10th in the junior boys division. Congratulations runners for a great season! Jack Bruce, Jack Bryant, Maddox Burk, Moira Clements, Simon Cloutier Austin, Makaylah Coleman, Ryan Dettman, Eldon Earle, Emerson Earle, Camden Eason, Dylan Francisco, Willow Gould, Isaac Griffin, Patrick Hannivan, David Hardman, Desiree Lee, Easton Penna, Katelynn Smallwood, Jay Snake, Avery Sudsbury, Julia Sudsbury, Johnathan Wainwright and Colin Yoo.

Primary Cross Country Congratulations to the Primary Cross Country team who made Ridgewood proud once again this year at the County meet in Lindsay. Special mention goes to Avery Earle who placed in the top 10 of the Primary girls division. Other members of the primary team were: Makenna Blochlinger; Connor Brown; Jamie Bryant; Mason Coleman; Miah Earle; Keevan Fitch; Jackson Goulding; Annie Lightfoot; Austin Lightfoot; Kelly Lin; Regan Merklinger; Charlie Misner; Ethyn Porter; Abbey Powell; Lucas Williams; Zach Wilson and Isaac Yeo.

Congratulations Intermediate Girls! WOW! What a season! Mrs. Liscombe is so proud of all of your hard work, dedication and effort put into this team. You all worked hard and it definitely paid off. Their season started with the Zone tournament held on October 15th here at Ridgewood. The girls played extremely hard, beating Woodville 3-0, and Lady Mackenzie 2-0, a complete shut out for the entire day!! This placed them first in their zone to move on to County. County was held on October 24th at Dunsford. The girls played hard and battled the rain, snow, hail, puddles and MUD all day long and never gave up! Ridgewood is very proud of each and every one of you, for showing great sportsmanship and team spirit. Way to go girls!!

Labels for Kids Thank you for bringing in your Campbell’s Labels! It is becoming a huge success thus far and we, at Ridgewood, are looking forward to your continued support over the upcoming months. The Campbell’s Label drive will last until the end of the school year, so keep the labels coming! By providing us with your Campbell’s Labels, your are helping Ridgewood collect points that will go towards the purchase of various items for the school, such as: Fitness and Sports Equipment, Visual Arts Supplies, Musical Instruments, Books, Audio/Visual Items and other Educational Products. Please remember to include the UPC code on all the labels you submit. Eligible product labels include: V8 Beverages, Pace Salsa, Habitant, Gardennay, Prego, Ramen, Soup at Hand, Chunky to Go Bowls, Cambpell’s Soup, Broth and Chili, Goldfish Crackers, and Ready to Serve Soup.

**DON’T FORGET TO ENSURE WE HAVE YOUR UP TO DATE CRIMINAL REFERENCE CHECK! Criminal Reference checks must be renewed every other year and a Declaration is required for the year in between. If you are unsure if we have an up to date check on file, please feel free to contact Kathy or Susan in the office and they will gladly look it up for you. All checks must be done directly through the OPP office and it requires the individual to attend in person. Our office must supply you with a letter confirming your volunteer status to allow this service at no charge. We can send it home with your child if you call and give us your full name and birth date.

WINTER WEATHER – Help! Parents, please continue to guide your child(ren) in wearing appropriate clothing for our Canadian winters. We do continue to go out for recesses and lunches throughout the winter season! (If it is a particularly bitter day, we normally make our outdoor time shorter, but we still do go out). We also do our best to keep the inside of the school as clean as possible for our students and the community. At this time of year we expect our students to wear outdoor footwear outside and indoor shoes inside to assist with this. Dry socks, mitts, a change of clothes in their backpacks are always a good idea for backup in case of emergency. Thanks for your help! REMINDERS  Remember to check in at the office upon entering the school to sign in.  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.

Are you interested in upgrading your literacy skills? The Literacy Basic Skills Program is available to adults 19 years of age or older, who are interested in improving their basic reading, writing, and math skills. The Literacy Basic Skills Program is free and offers flexible scheduling. The program is available at the Alternate Education and Training Centres in Bracebridge, Gravenhurst, and Lindsay. For more information visit: www.anewstart.ca/our-programs/literacy-basic-skills/

Community Consultation Coming to Your Area

Help ’s education system go from Great to Excellent In-person, digital, and written community consultations are taking place in September, October and November 2013 across the province. This will form the basis for moving Ontario’s education system from “Great to Excellent.” Trillium Lakelands District School Board is hosting community consultations on the following dates:  Wednesday, November 6, 2013 from 7 to 8 pm at the Lindsay Education Centre, 300 County Road 36, Lindsay, ON

Please visit the school board website www.tldsb.ca to register. Submit your feedback and ideas online. For more information please visit www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/about/excellent.html

REGAL Fundraising Christmas Catalogue was sent home! Do some Christmas shopping by ordering Regal on-line with delivery direct to your door. Orders MUST be placed online at www.rps.shopregal.ca. Unfortunately we cannot accept paper orders. Orders are shipped within 7-10 days. Only by using the above website, does Ridgewood benefit through fundraising. Thank you so much for your support.

NEW Boys & Girls Clubs of AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM AT RIDGEWOOD PUBLIC SCHOOL! Cost: $25/ week Program Hours: End of School till 6:00 pm Programming includes: Nutritious snack, homework support, active games, crafts, and more! To Register for the Program: Contact the Boys & Girls Club(705) 324-4493. Ongoing registration can be completed at the Ridgewood After School Program from 3-6PM..

Homework Help www.homeworkhelp.ilc.org Remember, math students in Grades 7 to 10 will have access to live interactive online math assistance. This site is called Homework Help and it is free, real-time math tutoring by certified Ontario teachers. Homework Help also offers a wealth of supporting math resources and tools available 24/7!

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

KidsHelpPhone 1-800-668-6868 or kidshelpphone.ca TLAC 2014 – Student Applications will be available soon! What is TLAC? TLAC is an arts camp for Grade 7 through 12 students that will take place May 19th to 23rd, 2014.! TLAC camp has been in operation since 2003. It offers specialized instruction for Music, Drama, Music Theatre, Dance, and Visual Art within an exciting camp experience. The arts camp is set up as a typical high school day with 4 periods. There are nightly evening concerts featuring performances from major artists, a presentation from a local visual artist and art display. This enriched arts experience is enhanced by the summer camp atmosphere. Deadline for applications is December . Check with your school office for an application package. See the board website, http://tldsb.ca/parents/board- events/trillium-lakelands-arts-camp/?layout=item for more information or contact Rebecca MacDonald at [email protected]. Applications are accepted on a first come completed, first served basis. A waiting list will be kept for any forms received over and above our maximum capacity. Applications that are not complete will be returned, so take your time and complete all sections accurately! We are very excited about the new programs in this year’s schedule!

Oral Health Staff from the Health Unit will visit your child’s school on November 29 & December 2, 2013 Dental screening assessments will be provided for

If you would like your child included, please send a request letter to the school or contact the health unit) Parents who do NOT wish their child to be screened are required to advise the school in writing! [Any child excluded from the screening program will not be eligible to use the CINOT Program] The screening will be conducted by a Registered Dental Hygienist following strict, approved infection control standards. This screening does not replace your child’s regular visit to the dentist. The Health Unit wants to see all children, even if they visit their dentist regularly. You will be advised if any dental care is recommended. The Dental Screening Program

ment Program (CINOT)

If you have any questions regarding this program, please contact the Health Unit’s Oral Health Department. Northumberland City of Kawartha Lakes Toll Free County & Haliburton County 1-866-888-4577 (905) 885-9100 (705) 324-3569 Ext 247 Personal and personal health information under this program are collected under the authority of the Health Protection and Promotion Act R.S.O. 1990, c.H.7 and will be used for reporting purposes, program planning and evaluation, and to determine eligibility for publicly funded oral health programs available through the health unit. Questions about this collection should be addressed to the Medical Officer of Health, 200 Rose Glen Road, Port Hope, Ontario L1A 3V6 (905-885-9100, or toll free at 1-866-888-4577)

Indoor Soccer (Grades JK to 2) Spikes Volleyball (Grades 3 to 8) Location: Ridgewood Public School, Coboconk Ages: Grades JK to 2, Grades 3 to 4, Grades 5 to 8 Day: Tuesdays starting November 12 for Grades JK to 2 from 6:00-7:00pm & Grades 3 to 4 from 7:00- 8:00pm & Grades 5 to 8 from 8:00-9:00pm Cost: $35 per person for 6 weeks (Minimum Registration Required) *Financial Assistance options available for all participants—contact Trevor Tompkins Registration: Register now at Boys & Girls Club at 107 Lindsay Street South, or at Ridgewood Public School on Tuesdays from 6:00-9:00pm Note: Children must be registered before they can attend program which includes completed registration form, program selection form and payment. 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]

*Remembrance Day Service Sat. Nov. 9th @ the Norland Old School Community Center @ 11:00. Lunch to follow at the Norland Recreation Center.