Winona Drive SPS Summer Program

Posted on March 6, 2017

Hello Parents and Caregivers,

Winona Drive Senior Public School will be offering (depending on enrollment) a summer school program. This program will include a focus on persuasive and report writing, learning to code using Scratch and other programs, and a Robotics component using Lego Mindstorm. The program will be half days from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

We would like to find out how many students would be interested in attending this summer program. Please fill out this survey.

https://goo.gl/forms/qbbBC2HiHsEchf1W2

Thank you!

 

Posted in Announcements, Intermediate (Grades 7-8), Junior (Grades 4-6)

Palmerston Public Library – March Break & Free Spring Programs

Posted on March 6, 2017

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

We wanted to update you on some exciting Palmerston Public Library programs of interest to the families in your school.

March Break:

Tue Mar 14, 2pm – Movie: The Secret Life of Pets, on a big screen @ the Library Theatre

http://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/detail.jsp?Entt=RDMEVT266218&R=EVT266218

Thur Mar 16, 2pm – Magic show, Magic Phil is awesome, the best I have seen, @ The Library Theatre!

http://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/detail.jsp?Entt=RDMEVT266219&R=EVT266219

Thur, Mar 17, all day Friday 10-6pm, Babysitting Red Cross class ages 11ish and up, costs 60$, includes a certificate, but is fantastic and we have the best Red Cross trainer Maureen, back by popular demand, last year we were fully registered, selling out quickly, several spots left.

Safe, welcoming environment.

http://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/detail.jsp?Entt=RDMEVT266227&R=EVT266227

Coming in April:

School-aged kids, teens, adults: TPL’s FREE Pop Up Learning Lab is staying @ Palmerston in April! Learn and play with Intro to 3D Design, 3D Printer Certification, iMovie, Makey Makey, Lego Mindstorms, Snap Circuits etc. Select program dates in April. Online registration through eventbrite opens several weeks prior to each program, ask for details. More info to come from us after March Break, there might be a couple of opportunities to arrange for special class visits with the lab demos.

Kids 9-12: Swallowing Clouds: A Physical Arts Workshop: Join professional artists in a community based arts program! Movement, Poetry, Music, Theatre, and Visual Arts. Six Thursdays at 4-6pm, April 20, 27; May 4, 11, 18, 25. Registration is open! We have had them before, they are great community partners, highly recommended, quality program.

http://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/detail.jsp?Entt=RDMEVT19546&R=EVT19546

Kids 3-5: STEM Storytime, suitable for Kindergarten age: It is never too early to have fun with Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM)! Join us for four interactive STEM Storytime sessions after school. Listen to fun stories and songs, then try simple fun hands-on experiments. Kids ages 3-5 with a caregiver. 4 Mondays, 4-5pm, April 24, May 1, 8, 15. Space is limited, registration is open!

http://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/detail.jsp?Entt=RDMEVT19681&R=EVT19681

Birding 101: Tips for Bird Watching in Toronto

This is mostly for adults, but I wanted to highlight it as it is such a great activity/hobby to enjoy with kids. Our guest speaker is an avid birder/photographer/retired librarian who is wonderful and generous in her presentation tips.

Tue Apr 25

6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Birding is fun,easy, and can be done anywhere. Learn everything you need to know to get started, from choosing binoculars and field guides,to where and when to bird in your neighbourhood, and what birds you are likely to find in the city.
Presented by Monika Croydon, a local bird enthusiast and a member of the Toronto Ornithological Club as part of Toronto Public Library’s Fragile Planet program series. No registration required. Call 416-393-7680 for more details.

Coming in May with our excellent public health nurse Nancy who parents know from Home Alone workshops:

Building Resilience in Children and Youth: A Workshop by Toronto Public Health

Tue May 09, 2017

6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Are you a parent/caregiver of a 10-14 year old? Would you like to learn how to help your child bounce back from challenges?

Come to a free workshop for parents and caregivers. Learn about resiliency, why it is important. Tips and strategies to help your child. In partnership with Toronto Public Health. Registration is required. Please register in person or call the branch for more information at 416-393-7680.

Swallowing Clouds Spring 2017 Palmerston branch flyer

Birding 101 April 25 2017
 March Break 2017 All programs
 STEM storytime Palmerston Spring 2017

Posted in Announcements, Intermediate (Grades 7-8), Junior (Grades 4-6), Kindergarten, Primary (Grades 1-3)

Garden Club

Posted on March 6, 2017

Garden Club

Attention all Essex and Hawthorne students from Grade 1-8 who love gardening:  We will be starting a garden club after March Break.  Garden Club will meet every Wednesday at lunch.  We will pick you up in the gym after you eat at 11:55 am.  The goal of the club will be to clean up and beautify the front gardens at our school.  Our first meeting will be on Wednesday March 8th.  We will hand out permission forms to go home and be returned in order to participate.
In addition, thank you to all parents who have supported the school gardens in the past.  We will also be looking for parent volunteers as spring continues to help us maintain our gardens and of course to help over the summer months.  If you have any questions, please email Jessica Haber at jessica.haber@tdsb.on.ca.
Many thanks
Sarah Hutchison and Jessica Haber
Posted in Announcements, Intermediate (Grades 7-8), Junior (Grades 4-6), Kindergarten, Primary (Grades 1-3)

Syrian Family Near Aleppo Needs Our Help

Posted on March 6, 2017

Hello Parents and Caregivers,

Six months ago, a Syrian family sponsored by our school community arrived in Toronto.

The four kids are in school and daycare and everyone is learning English and experiencing their first Canadian winter.

While the family is happy to be here – they are worried about their loved ones back home in Syria. This is particularly the case for J, the mother of the family, whose sister, her six kids and her husband are an hour outside of Aleppo.

They are desperate to get out. As J explains “There is no school, there is nothing for them. As the kids get older, they will be taken to fight. They need to get out.”

We want to sponsor them. We are putting together a group of five sponsorship to do this. To sponsor such a large family, we will need to raise approximately $60,000.

Because the federal government has put a cap on the number of Syrian refugees that Canada will welcome in 2017, we will be working with a Sponsorship Agreement Holder to manage this sponsorship. As a result, it is important for us to get the funds together so that we can move that process forward. If we are unable to sponsor this family, the money will be used to sponsor another family.

In this messed up world, it is difficult to know what to do. This won’t solve the crisis in the Middle East, nor here. But it will make a concrete difference in the lives of this family.

*If you’d like to get involved, helping with fundraising and/or settlement, please contact hawthorne2sponsorship@gmail.com

To make a tax deductible charitable donation, please do one of the following:

1. Mail a cheque directly to St. Clare’s Multifaith Housing Society. Please be sure to specify Syrian Refugee Sponsorshipon the subject line:

St. Clare’s Multifaith Housing Society

138 Pears Avenue – Box 801

Toronto ON

M5R 3K6

2. Donate online by going to Canada Helpsto support the Clare’s Multifaith Housing Society. Please be sure to specify Syrian refugee sponsorship in the comments section.

*Once you have made your donation, please send an email to hawthorne2sponsorship@gmail.com so that we can following up to ensure that your donation has been directed to the sponsorship fund and is being counted toward our goal.

Thank you!!

 

 

Posted in Announcements, Intermediate (Grades 7-8), Junior (Grades 4-6), Kindergarten, Primary (Grades 1-3)

African Heritage Month – February at Essex

Posted on March 6, 2017
Hello Parents and Caregivers!
During February, Essex Public School and Hawthorne II recognized African Heritage Month in many colourful ways.
The month was kicked off with “Black History Music Moments” on the PA system.  Each morning, a song would be played by an African American/Canadian performer.  Students got a short history in music, from Scott Joplin up to present artists, like Drake.  A student would then read an announcement about the artist.
Next, on February 6th, storyteller Kalale Dalton spoke to all Essex primary students from K-2.  She captured the attention of her young listeners with great stories and legends.   Artist Cyesha Ford came to the school to do art/writing workshops with the grade 7 and 8 students.  She will make an art installation for the front foyer with the students’ work – coming soon!
The month was celebrated with a Recognition Assembly, led by several teachers and students.  Classes presented their work on African Heritage month. Ms. Da Costa’s grade 7 and 8 students celebrated African Heritage with a history of African American dance followed by a swing dance presentation.  Ms. Cervinka’s class created posters based on Martin Luther King’s “I have a Dream” speech .  Ms.Tanya Bates’ class from Hawthorne presented a slideshow of their work on equity, which was pictures and words, accompanied by the Sam Cooke song, “A Change is Gonna Come.”
A very special thank you to parent Marlon Merrano who made many of these presentations possible by introducing us to the artists, storytellers and dancers.  And a special thank you to Essex school council for funding the storyteller and artist!
Please see attached photos!
Posted in Announcements, Intermediate (Grades 7-8), Junior (Grades 4-6), Kindergarten, Primary (Grades 1-3)

Hawthorne and Essex Community Syrian Refugee Sponsorship Project

Posted on March 1, 2017

Join Together with the Hawthorne and Essex Community to respond to the ongoing refugee crisis – We Can Make A World of Difference!!!

Joining together to respond to the ongoing refugee crisis, the Hawthorne and Essex community wants to  sponsor a refugee family fleeing Syria.  Recently we surveyed our community’s interest and received enthusiastic support.

With wars and struggles escalating overseas, it is time to move forward with our campaign!

We are calling upon the Hawthorne and Essex community to help raise $30,000 to sponsor a refugee family from Syria.  We need 60 families to pledge $500 to make this possible.

Please reach out to interested friends, families and co-workers.

We have three families who have agreed to be sign the legal documents to commit to the sponsorship.  We need two more.  Can you help to make this happen?

As we prepare to welcome the family to Toronto, we will also need help finding housing, clothes, and general support.

Please see below for links to general information about the sponsorship process.

We now can collect donations online and issue tax receipts

Please visit the following link to donate:

https://donate.mcccanada.ca/registry/hawthorne-essex-community-refugee-sponsorship

Additional Resources:

Please print this poster and distribute it in our community: Syria Refugee Sponsorship Poster

For more information or to get involved

Please send an email to: hawthorne2sponsorship@gmail.com.

You can also ask to join our Google Group to help our committee organize our efforts.

General Information on Sponsoring a Syrian Refugee

The Lifeline Syria website has great information on the sponsorship process.

The community at Dewson public school in Toronto has put together a website about their project, including a very helpful FAQ page that will answer most of your questions about the process.

Our two schools are now listed on the 1000 schools challenge page at: http://schoolswelcome.wix.com/1000schoolschallenge#!participating-schools/pt7km

There are also great resources on the “Links for Educators and Parents” page at: http://schoolswelcome.wix.com/1000schoolschallenge#!special-links-for-educators/vdpyq

Posted in Announcements, Intermediate (Grades 7-8), Junior (Grades 4-6), Kindergarten, Primary (Grades 1-3)

FUNDRAISING UPDATE: BINGO NIGHT and LOBBY BOOK SALE

Posted on February 27, 2017

Thank you to everyone who came out last Friday night to our annual Bingo Night! There was a lot of fun and excitement around the terrific prizes and raffle.

We managed to raise $ 1,800 for the school!

Thank you to all the local businesses and parents who donated the fantastic prizes, to the animated bingo callers (staff and parents) and lastly to all the volunteers, without whom it would not happen. Thank you!

And also to note that the Book Sale in the lobby has raised $ 255.00 over the last couple of weeks. Thank you to all who supported it.

Parent Council

Posted in Announcements, Intermediate (Grades 7-8), Junior (Grades 4-6), Kindergarten, Primary (Grades 1-3)

Rescheduled Spring Fling Meeting, March 6

Posted on February 26, 2017

Hello Parents and Caregivers,

The people have spoken. We have changed the upcoming Spring Fling meeting time from 2pm to 7pm. We hope that in so doing we are able to attract more parents and caregivers into participating to help organize this event.

Please join us at Faema on Dupont Monday March 6th at 7pm;  meetings generally take 90 mins.

It takes a lot of effort to plan and bring the Spring Fling to life. We could really use the help – and it’s a lot of fun to organize this event!
We hope to see you there!
Posted in Announcements, Intermediate (Grades 7-8), Junior (Grades 4-6), Kindergarten, Primary (Grades 1-3)

Parents as Partners Parent Conference – Saturday, April 1, 2017

Posted on February 26, 2017

 

TDSB Parents as Partners Parent Conference – Saturday, April 1, 2017

Registration is now open!

Welcome parents/guardians and caregivers of TDSB students!

This year, the Parent Involvement Advisory Committee (PIAC), Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC), Mental Health and Well-Being Parent Partnership Committee and Model Schools for Inner Cities’ Parent Academies are thrilled to join together to bring one all-inclusive conference to TDSB parents and caregivers.

Who: ALL parents/guardians and caregivers of TDSB students are invited and welcome to attend.

What: Parents as Partners Conference 2017 is a FREE conference. Whether your child is just beginning on their educational journey in elementary school or closer to graduation and planning for the future, there are informative and empowering sessions for parents/guardians and caregivers of students of all ages and all stages of education.

Where: Allstream Centre (105 Princes’ Blvd, Toronto, ON M6K 3C3). Transportation is available and can be chosen when you register.

Why: The Parents as Partners Conference 2017 is planned by parents, for parents and on offer will be a selection of sessions that cover a broad range of topics to provide parents with useful information and resources to help your child improve their achievement and well-being at school and at home.

For more information, please visit: http://www.parentsaspartners.ca

Posted in Announcements, Intermediate (Grades 7-8), Junior (Grades 4-6), Kindergarten, Primary (Grades 1-3)

Mental Health and Wellbeing Conference – Wednesday March 1

Posted on February 26, 2017

Hello Essex Community,

We are excited to be hosting this year’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Conference on Wednesday March 1st from 5:00 pm to 8:30 pm at Lord Dufferin Public School.

It is our goal to reach out to as many families as possible and are looking forward to a great turnout of families from our school community.

The event will feature booths from community agencies, mini-workshops, a Keynote Speaker, networking, and friendly company.

The Mental Health and Wellbeing Conference will work towards both creating a greater awareness and offering educational opportunities surrounding Mental Health issues. We especially look forward to the breakout sessions where we can connect one-on-one with each other. This event is barrier-free with no cost to participants. We encourage all to attend.

For your reference, please see the itinerary below

  • 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm Dinner, Registration, Childcare registration
  • 6:00 pm Keynote speaker – Heather Johnson Toronto District School Board
  • 6:30 pm Breakout Sessions #1
    1. General awareness on early childhood symptoms: Library – Cam H
    2. Mind fullness and Meditation Room 207
    3. Anxiety- TDSB: Room 130 (Heather Johnson)
    4. Mindset and Skills to support your child’s Well Being and their achievement in reading TDSB: Learning coach Heather Room: 127
    5. Connecting with Your Teen’ workshop: Public Health: Room 219
    6. Helping Your child do well in life and School: Public Health Room 216
  • 7:10pm Breakout session #2
    1. Mind fullness and Meditation: Room 207
    2. Anxiety- TDSB: Room 130 (Heather Johnson)
    3. Mindset and Skills to support your child’s Well Being and their achievement in reading TDSB: Learning coach Heather Room: 127
    4. Connecting with Your Teen’ workshop: Public Health: Room 219
    5. Helping Your child do well in life and School: Public Health Room 216
  • 8:00 pm Close of Activities
  • Wellness Group Meditation

We are looking forward to a great day of community participation.

Please help spread the word.

Michael Papathanasakis, Essex Community Support Worker

Posted in Announcements, Intermediate (Grades 7-8), Junior (Grades 4-6), Kindergarten, Primary (Grades 1-3)

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