Welcome back to all returning parents and a warm welcome to new parents at Essex. After a relaxing summer, we are ready to start planning to make this year a great one – and we need your help!

There are many opportunities for parents to get involved in the Essex community, meet new people and contribute toward enhancing the kids’ experience at school. You could:

• Attend Parent Council meetings – held approximately once a month at around 6:30 pm. Have your voice heard on on-going school issues and plans.
• Join the Pizza Lunch committee – help facilitate registration and/or come to the school for an hour a few Fridays to help distribute pizza to the kids
• Join the Fundraising Committee – a group of parents who plan and execute the major fundraising events of the year including Bingo Night, Spring Fling, Garage Sale, etc. Come and share your thoughts & ideas!
• Join the Health and Wellness Committee, the School Maintenance and Safety Committee, The Garden Committee or the Communications Committee – New members are needed to share their ideas and enthusiasm!
• Come out and do a volunteer shift at one of our fundraising events like Bingo Night or Spring Fling

The first Parent Council meeting of the year is on Tuesday, September 22 at 6:30pm in the library (second floor). A light dinner/refreshments will be served and all parents are welcome and encouraged to attend. Free childcare is available.

If you can’t make it to the meeting, but are interested in getting involved, please contact parentcouncil@essexpublicschool.com

The Parent Council raises funds which support technology upgrades for the school, The Kindergarten Outdoor Area,  the Grade 7 & 8 Montreal Trip, The Ski Trip, Scientists in the Classroom (all grades), Lunch Buddies, Lice Checks and many more initiatives which enhance our kids’ experience at Essex. Come and do your part in making sure our kids have the best year ever!

September 22, 2015 Agenda.

Dear Families

Welcome to another great season of cross country!  We encourage your child to come try out. Teams are a great way to get to know your peers and feel a part of our school communities.  X-Country is open for all students from grades 1-8. 

Our first practice will be Tuesday September 15th at 8:15am on the track.  After that, practices will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8:15am SHARP. Grades 1-3 will practice at the track and grades 4-8 will run to Christie Pits most days.  If it is raining, practice is cancelled.

The first meet will be held at Ashbridges Bay on either Oct. 7th, 8th  or 9th.  We will confirm the date as soon as we get the information.  This is the only meet for grades 1 and 2. For grade 3-8 runners who qualify, there will be conference finals held at Ashbridges Bay on Friday, October 16th. If your child qualifies for the City Finals (woo hoo!), you will be responsible for taking him or her to the meet at Centennial Park on Thursday, October 22nd.

Looking forward to a great running season!  See you next week.

Your coaches,

Ana Neves and Jessica Haber

Sign-up is Wednesday September 16th from 3:30-6:00pm. First day of class is September 23. Classes run every Wednesday 3:30-6:00pm. More information in the flyer below.

This fall we will be offering the following languages for JK-Grade 8 students at our school:

• Cantonese
• Portuguese
• Spanish
• Mandarin Simplified (new)
• Italian (new)

International Languages 2015 Flyer.

Hi Everyone,

I’m very pleased to announce that our final tally for Spring Fling 2015 is IN! From the wonderful efforts of both the Essex and Hawthorne communities, we jointly raised $8,247.34 from this year’s festivities! This incredible total will go directly towards the improvement our joint-school outdoor play spaces. Thank you to everyone at both schools who made this amazing community-building event happen. See you all next year and have a GREAT summer!

Best,

Samarra Khaja
Essex Co-Treasurer & Fundraising Chair

You will receive your child(ren)’s summary of marks in the mail at the address your school has on file for your child(ren).
The summary of marks will be mailed during the week of July 13, 2015. This also applies to KG students who will received their placement letter at this same time.  Included in the envelope will be your child’s classroom for next year, along with an updated staff list.

Congratulations to everyone at Hawthorne and Essex. We achieved Platinum status from Eco Schools.

In other great news, our Eco Guardians club made finger puppets from used materials and sold them to raise $91 for the David Suzuki Foundation.

Do your kids want to celebrate the end of another great year with their classmates? Say goodbye for the summer or make plans together? Come one, come all to Christie Pits park on Thursday, June 25 between 5 and 7 PM. Bring finger foods if you have them, run the kids in the park and raise a toast to having made it!

June 18, 2015

Dear Essex P.S. and Hawthorne II Bilingual Alternative School Communities:

At the Toronto District School Board meeting on June 17, 2015 a series of administrative moves were approved as part of the Transfer, Promotion and Placement process. These moves of Principals and Vice-Principals will be effective September 1, 2015.

Vice-Principal Natalie Patterson has been granted a leave of absence for the next school year. Ms. Patterson has been devoted to Essex and Hawthorne schools. Essex and Hawthorne have been very fortunate to have enjoyed the tremendous leadership Ms. Patterson has provided. Her hard work and thorough attention to detail along with her warm, caring way have been appreciated by the students, staff, parents and community. We will miss Ms. Patterson and wish her all the best in the future.

We are pleased to announce the transfer of Leslie Tumangday to Vice-Principal at Essex Public School and Hawthorne II Bilingual Alternative School. Ms. Tumangday has been the Vice-Principal at Dovercourt Public School for the past year. She is dedicated to student achievement and well-being. Ms. Tumangday has a background in Technology, Special Education and served as a Literacy and Numeracy coach.

Please join us in extending best wishes to Natalie Patterson and offering a warm welcome to Leslie Tumangday.

Yours truly,