“Come one, come all to the Essex Winter Concert!

The Grade 3 to 8 students have been working very hard and want to strut their stuff.  Music and movement classes, the Essex choir, the band, the Steel Pan Band, and “Double Treble” will delight you with their talents, sharing winter celebrations and their many traditions.

We hope you can make it out to enjoy the festive evening and support our students.  The concert will take place on Wednesday, December 21st at 6 pm.

Hope to see you there!”

The Breim-Khouja family are doing well, and continue to settle into life in Toronto.

As mentioned earlier, they are living in an apartment in the Dupont and Lansdowne area. They are preparing for winter, and have many questions about how to manage it.  We have taken the kids for the first time skating and we look forward to tobogganing with them.

Mom Jihan and Dad Ali are taking regular ESL classes everyday, and say that they are really enjoying the lessons. They came knowing very little english, but since arriving have progressed in leaps and bounds.

The family continues to have many medical and dental appointments, as they get caught up with their healthcare. This often involves coordinating translation, so it can be complicated and take some extra time.

Three of the four kids are attending school, each at a different institution: Muhammed Ali (Grade 2), Loreen (ESL/Grade 7), and Farhad
(ESL/Grade 9). They are making good progress with their English language skills and are enjoying their school life. Yousef is too young to be in school, but attends daycare while his parents are at ESL. He is learning English, too!

Aside from simply getting to know the neighborhood and the routines of daily life in Toronto, the family have had some fun experiences with members of the sponsorship group, such as going to the Toronto Islands, going swimming at neighborhood pools,and getting together for a Thanksgiving feast.

The “BKs” have also made connections with other families in Toronto, including other Syrian families.

The Essex-Hawthorne sponsorship group is continuing to support the BKs, through organizational meetings, tutoring, assisting with the coordination of appointments, locating needed items, and more.

If you are interested in helping with this settlement effort, please contact the sponsorship committee at hawthorne2sponsorship@gmail.com In particular, we are always looking for Arabic or Kurdish translation support. We are also interested in finding someone who could tutor the oldest son. He has attended very little school, so needs both English and general literacy skills.

Dear TDSB Ward 10 Principals, Superintendents, current and former School Councils Chairs and Ward Reps (BCCed)

Please find the attached flyer (PDF) and Facebook event link (below) to bring to the attention of your school community for Thursday’s meeting and holiday celebration.

• December Ward Council and Holiday Celebration
• Thursday December 15th 2016
• 5PM to 8PM
• Arts Centre at Central Technical School
• 725 Bathurst St. (Entrance to Arts Centre is on Lennox)
• All are welcome! Child care provided.

Facebook invitation https://www.facebook.com/events/635369306626949/

Dear Families,

Please bring in new hats, mittens and socks for our Mitten tree.  You can find it in the front lobby of the school.  All donations will go to new refugee families that live in the area.

Also, to ADD to the holiday concert item: Please bring in new hats, mittens or socks for our Mitten tree when you come to our holiday concert.

Thank you for your support.

Hi Parents and Caregivers,

We are urgently seeking Lunchroom supervisors to start in our 2017 school year, beginning January 9^th.

Needless to say, a love of working with children is essential.

Please let your family and friends know about this opportunity, or submit your interest by contacting Leslie Tumangday at leslie.tumangday@tdsb.on.ca – or visit the Essex school office to apply. We hope to hear from you.

Thank you!

Hello Parents and Caregiver,

Please note the Parent Council updates for this month:

Essex Clothing Sale – Just in time for the holidays!

• Order online: Essex online portal to select the style of toque, hoodies, t-shirt (et al.) that best suits you (or) and your kids’ style.
• Deadline for orders is FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9^th

Payment can be made in 2 ways:

1. CHEQUE/CASH – Please return cheques or cash to your child’s teacher. Please place in an envelope with your name as well as your child’s name, grade & teacher’s name.  Cheques should be made out to “Essex Public School Parent Council”
2. Email Transfer. Email Transfers can be sent to parentcouncil@essexpublicschool.com. Please put in the notes your child’s name, grade & teacher’s name. Please make the security answer: ESSEX

Indigo Flip Give Fundraising Page!

Our group just started a fundraising page for Essex Public School on Indigo books, home décor, toys, gifts, and more.

Every time we shop online through our group’s fundraising page, Essex Public School earns cash back! It’s that easy.

Let your friends, family and colleagues know – if we work together, we’ll meet our $1,500 goal in no time. So please join our fundraising team by clicking: http://indigo.flipgive.com/campaigns/57681-essex-public-school/joins/intro?fundraiser_name=Kate

Missing Library Books!

Our school library inventory revealed a large amount of missing/outstanding library books.  Please take some time to look around your home and return any books to our library as soon as possible.  Thank you!

Upcoming Dates – Mark your Calendars

• January 31 – “Monkey Bunch Concert” in partnership with Hawthorne.  Free music performance after school in the gym.  Pizza will be on sale for the night.
• February 24 – Annual Bingo Night.  Great prizes, lots of fun, and a huge fundraiser for our school.

* Our next Parent Council Meeting will be held on January 25 (6pm Book Club – The Dolphin Way; 6:30 pm Parent Council Meeting in the library).  Please note – As always, snacks and child care will be provided.

* November’s Parent Council Minutes are available on our school blog.

Essex Parent Council Meeting Notes – Wednesday, November 23, 2016

Principal’s Report

• Library Inventory Completed: 2,400 books are missing!  Please check your homes for outstanding school library books.  Our school now has a three-year goal to build up our school library.  Looking to include more diversity into our collection (e.g., aboriginal, inclusivity, etc.) and to apply for Indigo Love of Reading Grant to help purchase more texts.
• A Digital Learning and Technology Committee has been created: Their goal for the end of this school year is to ensure that the school is fully wireless ($12,000 to complete this – looking for funds from both Hawthorne and Essex Parent Councils) and purchasing a class set of Chromebooks for our junior/intermediate students.
• School Safety Audit: School continues to wait for completion.  Info to be shared when available.
• School Staff have begun their Professional Learning through Inquiry, focusing on: “Enhance student achievement and engagement by creating an environment where there is equity of access and a sense of belonging for all of our students.
• “PALS” (Playground Activity Leaders): Began this Monday, November 28, 2016.  Several junior students have been trained how to play/teach various primary recess games.  They will wear coloured pinnies during recess and help to initiate play with the younger students.  This is a wonderful program for all ages; increase physical activity for all, fosters inclusivity, and peer mentoring for our older students.
• Peer Leaders Program continue this school year: Students from Harbord come over to Essex to work with the students in Grades 7-8.   Our Grades 7-8’s then go on a tour of Harbord to see classes/school.  This program helps ease the transition to high school for our older students.

Treasurer’s Update

• “Fresh From the Farm Fundraiser” raised about $500 for our school. Thank you to all who participated.
• Funds this year have been earmarked for: 1 Scientists in the School Program for each classroom, 2 Artists in the School Programs for each classroom, Grade 7/8 trip, teacher classroom materials funds, Glee Club, Grade 8 Graduation, skating equipment, Lunar New Year Celebration, Lunch Buddies, 2 Lice Screenings (and anything else that arises over the year – such as funds for ensuring the school is wireless).

Consent Seminar

• Parents raised concern about issues in the Kindergarten and Grade 1 playground (kissing, “girlfriend”/”boyfriend”) around healthy relationships. Discussions emerged around how to address this; School and Parent Council will look into workshops geared for younger children around healthy relationships at school, look to school social worker to work in the classrooms.

Essex Spirit Wear is Here!

• Please look for order forms coming out next week. There is a very short order time, likely one week, to hopefully ensure clothing can get home before the holidays.  Gift ideas?

Upcoming Parent Council Events

• “Monkey Bunch Concert”, in partnership with Hawthorne, on January 31, 2017. Free live music performance in the gym.  Pizza and snacks will be on sale for the event.
• Annual Bingo Night on February 24, 2017. Come out for a great night of bingo, friends, and wonderful community prizes.

Upcoming Parent Council Meetings

• January 25, 2017: Book Club (The Dolphin Way) at 6pm, Parent Council at 6:30pm
• February 21, 2017 at 6:30pm
• April 27, 2017 at 6:30pm
• May 24, 2017 at 6:30pm
• June 22, 2017 at 6:30pm

Hi Parents and Caregivers,

Great news! We’ve just established a fundraising page for Essex Public School via Indigo.ca books, home décor, toys, gifts, and so much more.

How it works:

• Every time we shop online at Indigo through this fundraising page, Essex Public School earns 15-20% cash back! Seriously – it’s that easy!

Let your family, friends – and all of your colleagues know! If we work together, we’ll meet our goal of $1,500 in no time! Remember, all of the money we raise will be used to benefit our kids’ school and education!

So please, join our fundraising team now! Click this link! And remember: Indigo offers FREE shipping with orders over $25.

Happy holidays – please enjoy the lead up while supporting Essex PS via Indigo.ca!