1. education
2. school

Minesing Central Public School
7 Huron St. Minesing, ON L0L 1Y0
705-728-1944
Administrative Team: Sonia Kadela, Principal
Christopher Kemp, Vice Principal
Office Team: Joanne Noble & Shannon Priest
http://min.scdsb.on.ca minesingcentral@scdsb.on.ca
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Newsletter #10
May 2015
Commit to Character Trait for May—RESPECT
Never look down on anybody unless you are helping them up—Jesse Jackson
___________________________________________________________________________________
PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE
Spring has sprung here at Minesing and regardless of the slightly cold weather outside we have been actively pursuing
our eco-school, inclusivity, wellness, and athletic, artistic and academic goals! We had a great turn-out for our Health
& Wellness evening with Dr. Marcia Benjamin. The children had a wonderful time in their wellness activities while
parents benefitted from Dr. Benjamin’s words of wisdom. Earth Day was marked with a school-wide assembly and
clean-up. Thanks to our Mustangs who participated in scouring the fields to pick up litter and beautify our school
yard! All of our students are excited by our implementation of the ‘Golden Broom Award’ which is awarded weekly to
the homeroom who keeps their classroom tidy and clean as well as separating recyclables and composting into the
appropriate bins. We are seeing a real change in the pride that students are taking in keeping their classrooms neat
and clean. Anti-bullying was recognized by all of our students during the recent ‘Day of Pink’ when many of our
students wore pink to stand up against bullying of any kind. Our student athletes have been busy training and
competing in the sports of basketball and rugby, while our artists prepare for our Arts Showcase which will be an
all-day event on May 7th. In the classrooms, we remain focussed on Math and Literacy through the use of technology.
Teachers are working to connect our students to their learning through a ‘Growth Mind Set’.
Thanks to all of our staff for their hard work and extra hours that they put into enriching student life here at
Minesing as well as to our School Council for their ongoing support and volunteerism.
We are gearing up for an energetic month of May including our Arts Showcase and Book Fair on May 7th. We wish
our grade 8 students ‘Bon Voyage’ as they will be travelling to Quebec City from May 26 th to May 29th. Good luck to
our grade 4 students who spend time at Camp Geneva from May 27th to May 29th. Finally, our grade 3 and 6
students will be writing EQAO tests scheduled between the dates of May 25th and June 4th. We ask that grade 3 and 6
parents and guardians not schedule appointments or remove your children from school during this time. Regular
attendance at school is important for all children and we would like to make the most of our two remaining months at
Minesing! Thanks to all of our parents and guardians for your support in our ongoing efforts with your children.
Class Placements
We will shortly begin the process of class placements for the fall of 2015. Please be aware that a great deal of time and effort is
spent in organizing classes for the following year. There are many variables that are considered in the process. It is important to
recognize that we aim to place each child in the optimal learning environment, while balancing classes appropriately. If you have
information about your child that you feel is pertinent in the placement process (student conflicts, learning styles, etc.) please
inform Ms. Kadela in writing by Monday May 4 th. Please refrain from making specific teacher requests as this leads to unbalanced
classes in terms of behaviour and student performance. Class organizations will be finalized in late August, yet enrollment
changes may result in a re-organization by the third week in September.
SCHOOL COUNCIL MESSAGE
Thank you to all the families who came out to our night with Dr. Marcia Benjamin. It was a
well attended night and we received so much positive feedback. Ultimately, we hope you went home with a wealth of information.
We would also like to thank Mr. Frankcom for taking the time to find cost effective ways of fixing our basketball nets for
the outside playground. We appreciate his time as well as the school community who continuously support our fundraising efforts.
We are gathering data to review our lunch programs offered here at Minesing. We encourage you to take the time to complete the lunch survey by going to this link: http://kwiksurveys.com/s/6r5lr7mzc7h4zmn515777
One survey per family please.
We hope you can make our next council meeting on Wednesday, May 13th at 6:30pm. Please note the change. Hope to see
you there.
Tara Marshall-Sutton and Lori Closs-Phillips
M-M-M-M-M-M-M-M-M-M-M-M-M-M-M-M-M-M-M-M-M-M-M-M-M-M-M-M-M-M-M-M-M-M-M-M-M-M-M
LUNCH PROGRAM
You can pre-arrange directly with a sibling or
someone else, to pick up your absent child’s lunch
at 1:10 in the main hallway. The office cannot
make these arrangements for you.
Child Care Options in Ontario
The Ontario government recently launched an
advertising campaign to raise public awareness
about child care options in this province. The
campaign’s objective is to support and empower
parents, so they can choose child care that suits
their family’s needs. It provides information
about different types of care, and indicators of
quality in child care settings.
For more information and resources about child
care options in our province, visit
www.ontario.ca/childcare
For more information about child care in our
schools, including before and after-school care
Options, visit SCDSB’s public website at
www.scdsb.on.ca
And then click on ‘Schools’-Before and After
School Care.
MINESING SCHOOL IS GOING PAPERLESS!
Beginning in September 2015, Minesing School will
be implementing a paperless system for our lunch
and milk programs wherein ordering for these
programs is done through the School Cash Online
system. The use of School Cash Online alleviates
the problem of lost orders and missed deadlines
and will also ensure that cash and cheques will no
longer need to be sent to the school for these
orders. In preparation to move towards the online
payment system, your child’s registration form
which includes their student number, has been sent
home with today’s newsletter. If you have already
registered and have been using School Cash Online,
no further action is required. Check out
https://simcoecounty.schoolcashonline.com
for more information.
SUMMER SCHOOL REGISTRATION
IS NOW OPEN!
This year, the eLearning summer options have
been expanded to include Grade 10 Civics and
Careers, Grade 12 English, Grade 12 Chemistry
and Families in Canada. Also offered is the opportunity for students to travel and earn credits
with the summer EduTravel program or to experience camp at the YMCA’s Geneva Park location
while earning leadership credits. Summer school
program details and locations can be found at The
Learning Centre’s website:
www.thelearningcentres.com
Online registration for current SCDSB students is
available through the student portal.
SIGNING YOUR CHILD IN/OUT OF SCHOOL
When a student arrives late to school, they
should be directed to the office for an admit to
class slip. It is not necessary to accompany your
child to the classroom at this time. When
signing your child OUT, please come in to the
office and sign the clipboard so that we are
aware that your child has left the building and
with whom.
Parents should not be going directly to the
classroom areas. A note is always required by
the teacher if your child will be LATE or EXCUSED EARLY from school and students must
always check IN and OUT at the office.
Bradford Green House Fundraiser
We are fortunate that Bradford Greenhouse has
again allowed us to participate in their school
fundraiser. You just have to tell the cashier,
Prior to inputting the sale, that you want your
sale to benefit Minesing School. Sales from April
15—October 15 will benefit by way of a gift card
for the purchase of Bradford Greenhouse products for school improvements and special events.
Thank you for your support.
EDUCATION WEEK—CELEBRATING PUBLIC
EDUCATION
BOOK FAIR
Spring
Scholastic
Book
Fair
Students who normally ride the bus must also
have a note for “alternate” end of day arrangements/pick-up. Any arrangement that is different from your child’s normal routine must always have a note sent to the teacher.
Students without a note will be dismissed to go
home as per their usual routine/bus. We cannot
accept a student’s word that there is an alternate arrangement. End of day dismissal can be
quite hectic and your co-operation in this matter
will ensure that all students arrive at the proper
destination and do not miss the bus. Thank you
for your assistance in this matter.
is
coming!
Wednesday, May 6 from 9am-5pm
Thursday, May 7, during our Arts Showcase from
9am-8pm and finishes on
Friday, May 8 from 9am-12.
Education Week, May 4 to 8, is a province-wide
celebration of student achievement and excellence in education. It is an opportunity to recognize the work and accomplishments of Ontario’s
publicly funded schools. Our school will be celebrating this week by opening our doors all day on
Thursday May 7th from 9am-8pm to view our Art
Showcase and visit our Book Fair.
TRANSPORTATION ITEMS TO NOTE
ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION
ARRANGEMENTS
Simcoe County District School Board Policy states that
students who travel on the bus are permitted to travel on
an alternate bus or to an alternate stop in emergency situations only. After school visits, after school jobs,
birthday parties and sleepovers are not acceptable reasons for riding to another stop. Parents are responsible
to transport their child(ren) in these cases.
Parents must supply a written request to the office in
advance stating the date, bus route # and reason for
the request before permission may be granted.
For insurance reasons, ONLY bus students may ride
the buses.
Bus Route Changes
Please be advised that students may not switch bus
routes or stops without consent. Parents need to submit
a letter to the office, outlining the requested change and
reasons for the change. A decision will then be made by
the transportation consortium after evaluating your request. The transportation department assigns students
to bus stops according to the home or permanent daycare
address.
PARENT REMINDERS
Parents are responsible for:
1. Ensuring the safety and conduct of your children
while waiting at and while travelling to and from the designated bus stop.
2. Ensuring that your children are at the bus stop prior
to the scheduled arrival time of the bus – five minutes is
recommended.
3. You or your designate must be available to get your
primary aged child off the bus after school. Drivers are
not permitted to linger at bus stops, make unscheduled
stops along their routes or return back to your stop. If
there is no parent or designate to get your child off the
bus at your stop when the bus arrives, the bus driver
must continue on and will return to the school where you
will have to pick up your child at the end of the
route. This not only results in upset to your child and inconvenience to the bus driver, but may also necessitate a
staff member staying beyond regular school hours to supervise your child until you are able to be contacted and
your child has been picked up. If you have an emergency and are unable to pick up your child from the
bus, please remember to call a designate and inform
the school. Thank you for ensuring your child’s bus experience remains a safe and pleasant one.
Late bus information is relayed via the local radio stations. Please listen for this information. A bus that is 5
to 15 minutes late is not necessarily a concern. Factors
such as weather, train crossings, construction, etc. can
sometimes affect these schedules.
MINESING CENTRAL HAS TALENT!
Come one, come all to witness the amazing talent
right here at Minesing Central School.
We will be holding two DAYTIME performances
this year on:
MONDAY JUNE 15TH @
11:30—1:10 & 1:50—3:00
There will be no evening performance this year
HELP PREPARE YOUR CHILD TO WRITE THE
EQAO TESTS
Students in elementary and secondary schools across
Ontario write provincial assessments in reading, writing
and mathematics each year. The assessments are developed and scored by the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO). Each student that completes a
provincial assessment receives an Individual Student
Report (ISR) which describes the student’s achievement. School and board achievement data is used to improve teaching practices and to support student learning. Further information about the provincial assessments, including resources to help prepare your child for
the test, can be found at www.eqao.com.
Grade 6 students on May 25—May 29th
Grade 3 students May 29—June 4th.
All students need to be in attendance.
Please avoid booking medical appointments, etc. at
this time.
Proposed 2015/2016 School Year Calendars
On the SCDSB website (www.scdsb.on.ca) under
‘Schools’ - ‘School Year Calendar’, you will find the proposed 2015-16 Calendar, pending Ministry approval.
These calendars were approved by the Board in February for submission to the Ministry of Education. They
are awaiting final approval by the Ministry, which usually
occurs in early May. The finalized calendars will be
posted on the webpage above once they are approved.
Circle of Learning Parent Academy
Free workshop on May 13 on RESILIENCE
Eye See.. Eye Learn
Offers Eye Exams and Free Glasses to JK
Students.
The Eye See..Eye Learn program provides comprehensive eye exams by local optometrists to
Junior Kindergarten (JK) students. The eye exams are covered by Ontario Health Insurance
Plan (OHIP) when parents show their child’s
health card. There is no out-of-pocket cost for
the eye exam and if the child requires a pair of
glasses, they will receive them free of charge.
The Eye See...Eye Learn program was developed
to raise awareness among parents about the importance of having their children’s eyes checked
upon starting school. The Ontario Association
of Optometrists recognizes the important link
between eye health and learning, and recommends comprehensive eye examinations for all
children entering kindergarten. All children can
receive an annual comprehensive eye exam covered by OHIP until their twentieth birthday.
The new program for children born in 2011 will
begin on July 1, 2015. For further information
and a list of participating optometrists in your
area, visit: www.eyeseeeyelearn.ca
PRESENTATION:
Working Together to Make our Kids
Successful - May 7th
Dr. Bruce Ferguson will focus on how the community, school and family can work together to
support children as they develop and grow into
healthy citizens at this free event for all parents on May 7. Dr. Ferguson is a Senior Consultant and the founding Director of the Community Health Systems Resource Group at The
Hospital for Sick Children (Sick Kids).
This event is free to all parents in Simcoe County. It takes place May 7 from 6:30-8PM at Liberty North in Barrie (100 Caplan Ave.). Simultaneous language interpretation services will be
available for those who request. Register at:
www.smcdsb.on.ca/families/parent_workshop
As a parent/guardian, you were your child’s first
teacher and you are still his or her most important
teacher. Your involvement in your child’s education
has an impact on success. The final Circle of
Learning Parent Academy event for this school
year, Resilience: Nine things kids need from their
families, schools and communities, takes place on
May 13th.
Find the workshop locations, times and descriptions
on the SCDSB website:
www.scdsb.on.ca/circle of learning.
You can also register at this link. The Circle of
Learning Parent Academy is hosted by the Simcoe
County District School Board’s Parent Involvement
Committee and made possible with the support of
the Ministry of Education through a Parents Reaching Out Grant.
POPCORN IN MAY
Please be advised that our popcorn Thursday’s will
now be continued for the first 2 weeks of May.
Remember your toonie on Thursdays and thank you
for supporting our Grade 8 fundraiser.
FROZEN YOGURT UPDATE:
Due to circumstances out of our control, frozen yogurt will not be distributed on May 1st.
Yogurt will resume on May 8th and if you ordered
yogurt for May 1st, you will now receive that yogurt
on May 15th.
Thank you for your patience & support.
Springwater Public Library
Minesing Branch
705-722-6440
Hours:
Tues: 1-7
Thurs: 1-5
Fri: 9-5
Story time: will be held at the
Minesing Library on Fri. May 1 & 15th
at 10:30 for children 21/2 to 5 yrs. of
age.
Ontario Early Years: will visit the
Minesing Library on Fri. May 8 & 22
from 10:30-11:30 for children 0-6 yrs
of age. This program is free.
Summer Reading Program: The
theme for the summer reading program for summer of 2015 is “PLAY”.
Registration will begin Tues. Jun. 2.
The program will run in Minesing July
21-24 from 9:00-12:00. This is a free
program and numbers are limited,
please register early.
After School Craft: for the month
of May will be held on Thurs. May 21
from 3:45-4:45 for students 5 years
and up. The theme for this month is
“Corking”. Cost is $3 and numbers are
limited.
Family Movie Night: Fri. May 22 @
6:30. The Library will feature the
movie Paddington. Cost is $3 for
Movie, popcorn and water. Please call
Library to pre-register.
St. John’s Ambulance Home Alone
Course: will be held on Fri. June 5
from 9:00-12:00 for ages 7-12. Cost
is $39. Participants will learn to deal
with phone calls, recognize hazards
and follow home safety procedures.
They will learn first aid basics,
healthy eating, fire safety & how &
when to use 911.
MATH CORNER
Growth Mindset in Math
In general, a growth mindset is the belief that
intelligence and ‘smartness’ can also be learned
and that the brain grows from experience and
effort. The opposite, a fixed mindset, is the
idea that you are smart, or you are not. In math,
that translates into “some people are good at
math, and some are not.” Did you know that
praising efforts rather than intelligence or results can impact your child’s ability to persevere
in challenges?! The goal is to have children thrive
on challenges and see failures, not as a sign of
low intelligence, but as a learning opportunity. Brain research tells us that making mistakes
actually wires more connections into the brain!
When a person has a growth mindset, they accept challenges, see their efforts as worthwhile,
and are open to learning from mistakes. Students
with a growth mindset achieve at higher levels
than those with fixed mindsets. How can you
help? Some simple ways:
Adding “yet” when they claim they are “not good
at this” (Respond: “You are not good at
this yet.”)
Ask questions that focus on their effort and
choices and get them to reflect on satisfaction of that effort (e.g. What did you
learn today? What mistake did you make
that taught you something? What did you
try hard at today?)
Model this yourself as you share about your day
GRADE 8 GRADUATION
The date for graduation has been set to
Wednesday June 24, 2015 at 6:30 PM
Stay tuned for more details on ticket distribution
HEALTH UNIT MESSAGE:
Prevent the bite from Mosquitos & Ticks
West Nile virus is spread to humans by the bite
of an infected mosquito. Lyme disease is an infection caused by a bacteria spread by the bite
of an infected blacklegged tick. It’s important
you and your family take precautions to reduce
the chances of being bitten by a mosquito or a
tick. Steps to protect yourself include:





Wear long pants and a long sleeved t-shirt
Wear closed footwear and socks. Tuck your
pants into your socks
If hiking or spending time outdoors, check
for ticks on exposed areas of your skin or
clothing
Use a personal insect repellant that has deet
(following manufacturer’s directions for use)
Apply to skin and outer clothing. Avoid your
eyes and mouth, as well as cuts and scrapes.
Put a tick and flea collar on your pet and
check them for ticks periodically
When choosing a repellant, consider a product
that meets your needs, and only use personal repellents that are registered in Canada. Never
use a product labeled as an insecticide on your
body. For more information about West Nile or
Lyme Disease, visit the Simcoe County District
Health Unit’s website at:
www.simcoemuskokahealth.org or call
Health Connection at 705-721-7520 or
1-877-721-7520.
YMCA CHILD CARE
Minesing Central Public School
YMCA Child Care gives your child the opportunity to learn, grow, make new friends, try new
Activities, and have fun! The YMCA at Minesing
Central School currently has spaces available in:
-Toddler room
-Preschool room
-Before & after school rooms
Hours: 7am to 6pm
Meals & Snacks provided.
For more info contact: 705-725-5453
sue_mcallister@ymca.ca
JUST A REMINDER
If you are moving away over the summer holidays,
please advise the school of your move as we are
starting to plan class placements. Thank you.
ART SHOWCASE
To celebrate Education week, our school is having
an "Arts Showcase" on May 7th, 9am. until 8 pm.
During this time, parents are welcome to visit our
school (signing into the office if it is during
school hours) to see the art that will be in the
hallways. A book fair will also be open in the library during this time.
Several classes will be putting on presentations,
and if your child's class is doing this,
you will receive further information from their
teacher.
Come out and enjoy our "Arts Showcase"!
IT’S A BIKE RODEO!!!
ATTENTION Students and Parents…
Please SAVE THE DATE for Minesing Central
School’s first Bike Rodeo! The event, sponsored
by the Huronia West OPP will take place the
evening of June 10, 2015 from 5-7pm. We are
making plans for a fun and exciting event! Be
sure to mark your calendars and watch for details and forms to follow. Volunteers are needed,
so please contact the office if you are interested
in helping.
May 2015
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
1
Gr. 3 Swim to Survive
4
5
6
Int. Slam Poetry
11
12
13
Gr. 4’s to Wye Marsh
Gr. 6 K.I.D.S. Final @
Elmvale (a.m.)
New JK Orientation
5:45-7:00 p.m.
Minesing hosting
County Slam Poetry
18
7
8
ARTS SHOWCASE &
BOOK FAIR 9:30 a.m.
8:00 pm.
Gr. 5’s to Ste. Marie
Among the Hurons
14
15
Gr. 1’s to Duntroon
County Rugby
School Council Mtg.
6:30 p.m.
19
VICTORIA DAY
HOLIDAY
20
21
22
JK/SK to Big Curve
Acres a.m.
Gr. 2’s to Tiffin Centre
Character Assembly
2 p.m.
25
26
27
28
29
EQAO begins today
until June 8th
Gr. 8’s to Quebec
Gr. 8’s @ Quebec
Gr. 8’s @ Quebec
Gr. 8’s return from
Quebec
Gr.4’s to Geneva Park Gr. 4’s @ Geneva Park
Gr. 4’s return from
Geneva Park