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 Ontario 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 Toronto 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 Canada. 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.