MAY 2014 NEWSLETTER - York Region District School Board

Sam Chapman Public School
THE CHAPMAN CHAMPION
http://www.samchapman.ps.yrdsb.edu.on.ca/
May 2014
270 Alfred Paterson Drive
(905) 472-8374
A message from Administration….
There was a great turnout at the last School Council meeting of the year. We would
like to thank Gina Lalani for her years of service, dedication and inspirational leadership. Our Council is truly unique in so many ways and we are so grateful for all of your
hard work and dedication to student success over this past year. We have had a super,
outstanding year at Sam Chapman P.S. and we hope to see many of you at our Volunteer
Social which will take place on Wednesday, May 28th at morning recess. Invitations will
be forthcoming.
We recently completed our final mural for the 2013-2014 school year. The Gr. 4 students from Mr. Sum and Mme. Lam’s class worked with artist Karen Maxwell to create
a multi-disciplinary approach which included asking the students to think about our life
in the future and how we will use technology. The children spoke of what a wonderful
learning experience it was, how fun it was to work with Mme. Maxwell and also how cool
it was to paint on the school walls. Please consider checking out the mural at: https://
www.samchapmanimaginelavenir.tumblr.com
Speaking of the future...and this lovely Spring weather...we would like to give you a
gentle reminder to consider our environment by using school buses if your child is eligible, carpooling or walking to school. Our front loop gets very busy in the morning and
we are asking for your cooperation with this matter.
Last Friday, May 2nd, SCPS opened it’s doors to fellow teachers and administrators
for our first Instructional Rounds visit. The Instructional Rounds work is deeply connected to our learning as a school and our Board as we strive to achieve excellence and
success for all of our students.
Last, but not least, we are delighted to announce that Mme. Chu and Mme. Martial have
received their Smartboards which is an exciting tool that is used for authentic purposes.
We are looking forward to seeing some of you at our Ted Ed evening on May 15th and/
or our Much Music Family Dance on June 5th.
Greg Farrell, Principal
Deborah Joyce, Vice Principal
The Chapman Champion
Hours of Instruction for French Immersion
YRDSB offers a French Immersion program that is highly sought after. As we continue to implement recommendations from our recent French as a Second Language (FSL) review, we are
making a slight adjustment, based on our research, that will provide better consistency within our
schools while also better meeting student needs. Research shows the importance of time spent
learning in French at the beginning of a program. In Grades 1 to 3, YRDSB students receive 100
per cent of their instruction in French. Beginning in Grade 4, English instruction is introduced for a
number of subjects. Starting in the 2014-15 school year, weekly instructional time in Grades 4-8
will be shared equally between French and English language of instruction. Students will accumulate at least 5,000 hours of French language instruction by the end of Grade 8, which far exceeds
the 3,800 hours mandated by the Ontario Ministry of Education. YRDSB remains deeply committed to providing high quality and sustainable French as a Second Language (FSL) instruction
Thanks,
Christina Choo-Hum, Public Affairs & Communications
York Region District School Board
905.727.0022 ext. 2527
Summer Institute Home
The York Region District School Board’s Summer Institute is a program that offers academic, recreational and athletic
programs and activities with intentional links to the Ontario Curriculum for children and youth entering Senior Kindergarten to Grade 8.
Weekly sessions are offered at eleven elementary schools throughout the region from June 30, 2014 to August 8,
2014.
The Summer Institute is a summer program located at several selected schools around York Region and is supervised by and run through the York Region District School Board. It is being offered to community members as a component of The Performance Plus (P+) Family of Schools.
 The “Performance” in the program’s name refers to student achievement and well-being.
 The “Plus” in the program’s name refers to the additional resources and leadership that can enhance learning
in elementary schools in neighbourhoods affected by poverty.
 Additional resources and leadership bring school staff members, families and communities together to ensure
that every child is prepared to learn.
The York Region District School Board Summer Institute for Kids Program provides a variety of academic, recreation
and sports activities with intentional links to the Ontario Curriculum to reinforce skill development and curriculum expectations for students from kindergarten to grade eight.
Weekly sessions run at sites for either 4 or 6 weeks from 9:00 am - 3:30 pm with extended before and aftercare programs available at all locations. For more information go to www.yrdsb.ca and click on the SI Summer
Programs link.
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The Chapman Champion
As the weather is getting warmer, it is important to remind our
students and families of the appropriate dress code at Sam
Chapman P.S.:
For girls:
 The length of shorts and skirts should be at mid-thigh.
 Shirts and summer tops should have a shoulder width of two
inches at a minimum. (Not display visible undergarments)
 Tops should be long enough to cover the mid section.
For boys:
 No muscle shirts are allowed-there must be a shoulder width of
2 inches at a minimum.
 Shorts should be waist fitted. (Not display visible undergarments)
For both boys and girls:
 Flip-flops are discouraged for safety reasons
 Proper non-marking shoes must be worn for gym.
 Should not wear clothes that portray/display: alcohol, tobacco
or other drugs, profanity, sexually explicit words/pictures, symbols or pictures
 Should not wear caps, hats, bandanas or head coverings
(religious requirements aside)
Please discuss this dress code with your child.
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Eco-Quest
The Grade 7 and 8 students attended the Eco-Quest Exhibition on April 2nd in Toronto. They were introduced to how
questioning with an inquiring mind could be used to understand and find answers to daily questions pertaining to our
environment.
Future Building 2014
The Grade 7 and 8 students attended a one day exhibition, FUTURE BUILDING 2014, in Burlington on Wednesday
April, 9th. They were introduced to the various careers in the Construction Industry and were able to experience some
of them with some hands-on activities. Grade 7-12 students from various school boards attended the event that was
held for 3 days. The event will be in Central Ontario in 2015.
Math Gauss Test
The Math Gauss Test, developed and administered by the Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computing at the
University of Waterloo, will be held at Sam Chapman PS on May 14th for the Grade 7s, and on May 20th for the Grade
8. Grade 7 and 8 students from Ontario, Canada and around the world take part in this contest. The questions are
based on curriculum common to all Canadian provinces. Top students in the test will be awarded a certificate from the
University of Waterloo.
Participants preparing for the test can browse the CEMC website for some past questions (http://
www.cemc.uwaterloo.ca/contests/past_contests.html)
The Grade 8 students are getting ready for their Out-of-Province graduation trip that will be in May, and also for their
graduation day in June 2014. Congratulations Grade 8!!
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The Chapman Champion
Earth Day at Sam Chapman took many forms. Most classes
participated in a neighbourhood clean-up and some made
pledges to the EARTH to try to make it a better place for all.
Below are some samples of the pledges made. Students, perhaps you can translate some of these for your parents?
Cher monde,
Bonjour. Mon nom est Safa. Je voulais te dire merci pour être là pour tous les humains. Sans toi on
flotterait dans l’espace. Ca va aussi être difficile de boire de l’eau parce que tu auras une casque et ce
n’est pas facile de boire avec une casque. Beaucoup de personnes seraient aussi aveugles parce que
quand tu pleures dans l’espace les larmes restent aux yeux. Je veux aussi te dire merci pour l’air. Le monde
donne nous l’oxygène on a besoin pour respirer. Les enfants ne peuvent pas jouer, les adultes ne peuvent
pas travailler et la vie ne peut pas être vit. J’espère que tout le monde peut prendre soin des cadeaux que
tu nous offres.
Sincèrement,
Safa, Grade 4 Page 5
The Chapman Champion
Nos promesses à la terre par la classe de Mme Houde :
On va utiliser les deux côtés d’un papier.
We will use both sides of paper.
On va collecter de la pluie pour arroser nos plantes.
We will collect water after it rains and use it to water our plants.
On va réduire le montant d’eau qu’on utilise pour prendre un bain pour éviter le gaspillage
d'eau.
We will reduce the amount of water we use to take a bath in order to conserve water.
On vas utiliser des matériaux réutilisables (ex. utiliser une serviette pour sécher nos mains,
plutôt qu’un mouchoir).
We will use recyclable material (ex. using a cloth to dry our hands rather than paper towels).
Quand on reçoit des cadeaux, on va réutiliser le papier pour faire l'art.
When we receive gifts, we will reuse the paper for other purposes, including art.
Je promets de ne pas lancer les déchets partout, de ne pas utiliser la voiture quand on va quelque part proche, de se profiter des restes pour le composte et de garder notre planète propre pour les générations suivantes.
Merci pour nous protéger-maintenant c`est notre tour.
Brayden, Grade 4
Chère terre:
Parfois, les gens vous faites sale par fumer et lancer leurs déchets dans des habitats
des animaux, comme l’océan ou des forêts etc. Les gens vous traitent comme la poubelle.
Les personnes vont juste dire que c’est juste une roche ou juste une pièce de papier et
ce n’est pas vivant, mais ce que je pense est que toutes les choses ont une vie et tu dois
les traiter comme tu veux être traité. Alors même si c’est juste une roche ou une pièce
de papier, je le traite comme je veux être traité, avec soin, le respect et la gentillesse.
Même chose avec la terre, je la traite avec le respect, la gentillesse et le soin. Pour aider, je vais en premier améliorer les choses dans ma famille avant que commence avec
les autres, je vais les enseigner de ce qu’on doit faire/améliorer et ce qu’on doit arrêter! Je vais essayer de participer dans un nettoyage de printemps. Je vais essayer de
ramasser tous les déchets quand je le vois pour garder notre terre en bonne santé. Si je
vois quel qu’un qui ne fait pas les bons choix, je vais les expliquer les conséquences qui
vont arriver. Je vais essayer d’être conscient et de ne pas gaspiller l’eau. Je vais demander mes parents d’utiliser une voiture seulement quand c’est nécessaire. Je vais faire
mon possible de suivre ces règles et si par accident je brise une de les, je vais essayer
de le réparé.
Sincèrement, quelqu’un qui vit sur toi.
Tharin, Grade 4
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SAFE ARRIVAL PROGRAM
Through a directive from the Ministry of Education and Training, all School Boards
are to implement a safe arrival program in their schools. The York Region District
School Board has been working very closely with the York Regional Police to ensure the safety of our students.
The safe arrival program at Sam Chapman P.S. depends on parents to notify the
office in the event of their child’s late arrival or absence. All parents and guardians
are reminded to please call the school (905) 472-8374 and leave a message if your
child is going to be absent or late. Please leave your child’s name, teacher’s name
and the reason for the absence. This phone operates 24 hours a day so please call
the moment you know that your child will be absent or late.
If a student is not in school and the school office has not received notification from
the parents, the school will take the following steps:
Step One:
Call the student’s home. If there is no answer the school will,
Step Two:
Call the parents at work or cell phone. If there is no response the school will,
Step Three:
Call the emergency contact person. If the contact person cannot be reached and/or
does not know where the student is then
Step Four:
The school will notify the York Regional Police that a child is missing.
Please remember to call the school if your child will be late or absent. You may
be interested to know that the secretary often spends over an hour daily following up on the numerous unreported absences. Each year we are forced to
contact York Regional Police to assist in finding a ‘missing child’. In each case
the child is usually found with his/her parent. Please help out by being conscientious about phoning the school when your child is going to be absent.
Student Absence—Please call the Office ASAP (24hr answering machine)
at 905-472-8374 for every student absence and/or late.
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EXTRA CLOTHES
PLEASE!!
Please send your child to school
with an extra set of season appropriate clothing (pants, top, socks,
shoes, etc). Some of our younger students may still have the
odd “accident” and as the season changes and the weather
can be wet we often have students who slip or fall into mud
or puddles and require a change of clothes.
Pa
ge
Co
nt
en
t Punctuality is Important!!!
Punctuality is a life-skill that is valued by school, employers in
the work-force, and society. The bell rings at 8:05 a.m. at Sam
Th
Chapman P.S. and classes begin at 8:05 a.m. Students are exe
Yo
pected
to be in class by the beginning of our opening exercises.
rk
Supervision outside begins at 7:50 a.m.
Re
gi
Students
must enter using their grade designated doors (not the front doors)
on
when
the first bell goes at 8:00 a.m.
Di
str
Help your child start each school day ready to learn!
ict
Sc
Several
strategies will be used to help students who are repeatedly late to
ho
school.
Parents will be contacted and we’ll work together on a plan to supol
Bo timely arrival.
port
ar
Severe cases will be referred to the York Region District School Board’s
d’
s
Attendance
and Counselling Services.
Su
RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT REGULAR SCHOOL ATTENDANCE
m
m
ISer IMPORTANT FOR ACADEMIC SUCCESS.
InPLEASE
PLAN FAMILY VACATIONS DURING SCHOOL VACATION TIMES.
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tu
te
is
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THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
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STUDENT SAFETY IS OUR #1 PRIORITY
STUDENT DROP OFF & PICK UP:
We encourage all of our students to walk to school where possible or
take the bus to and from school where eligible. We have approximately 9 buses that come into
and go out of the school everyday. It is critical that we follow the procedures outlined below to avoid putting students in danger.
KISS and RIDE:
We ask those parents who drive their children to drop them off on Alfred Paterson Drive
(‘Kiss and Ride’) where we will have a teacher on duty from 7:50 - 8:05 a.m. who will direct the
students to the safe area behind the school. We only allow children to exit the vehicles on the
right-hand lane, beside the curb. Exiting on the driver side of the vehicle would put them in
harms way into passing traffic. The other lane is only used once your child has entered or exited the vehicle and you are ready to drive away. There should be no need for parents to exit
their vehicles as there is no parking in this lane. Please have students ready to exit the car
on their own with their bags. (give your hugs & kisses at home!) When you enter the Kiss and
Ride lane, please pull your vehicle up as far as possible to allow for other vehicles to enter.
There is absolutely NO PARKING in the Kiss and Ride lane. If you need to walk your child into
school then please park on the street.
STAFF PARKING LOT:
Please do not enter the staff parking lot unless you arrive after 8:00 am. Note that there is
no supervision other than your own and we ask you to park your car and accompany your child
into the school through the front door and to the office for a late slip.
BUS LOOP:
Please note the bus loop is used for buses ONLY (no cars may enter)
TEACHER SUPERVISION:
Teacher supervision is available outside in the morning from 7:50—8:05am and after school
from 2:35—2:50 pm. Please do not drop off your child prior to that time or arrive late to pick
up your child at the bus stop or the school at the end of the day. If an emergency happens,
please inform us and we will be sure that your child will wait for you in the office. Please make
sure that the office is notified of any last minute changes in your child’s pick-up routine.
On rainy days, students enter the school from the rear entrance and wait in their designated
hallway.
If you require any information on bussing, please visit the website at
www.schoolbuscity.com
Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our children safe!
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BIRTHDAYS!
A birthday is a special event. At Sam Chapman P.S. we announce all birthdays over the PA during morning announcements. As many of our students have severe food allergies, inGreg Farrell, Principal
tolerances and dietary restrictions we ask that you do not
Deborah Joyce, Vice Principal
send in any food with your child. Also, in an effort to eliminate any issues of inequity, we ask that you do not send in any
loot bags or gifts for the class. This places undue pressure on other families who may not be in a financial position to do the same for their child.
Instead, we would like to suggest that you donate a French book to the
classroom library so that all children may enjoy the gift. We will label the
book with your name and it will remain in the class for all to enjoy!!
Thank you.
VISITOR SIGN-IN
All visitors to the school must report directly to the office and sign in. Please do
not go directly to your child’s classroom to
pick up your child. If you wish to speak with
your child’s teacher, please call in advance to
make an appointment to make sure they are
Greg
Farrell, PrincipalThank you.
available.
Deborah Joyce, Vice Principal
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CHARACTER MATTERS AT
SAM CHAPMAN P.S. !
During the month of April we focused on the character trait of INTEGRITY. “We are truthful and sincere. We ensure consistency between
what we say and what we do as well as between what we believe
and how we behave”.
One student from each class has been recognized with a character
award for demonstrating this trait in a significant and ongoing way.
We will also be recognizing students who exhibit a strong and consistent effort to speak French in the classroom.
INTEGRITY Award winners for April are:
Grade 1: Vaamanan, Jessica, Abigail, Nishta, Alessio, Ethan, Inaya
Grade 2: Kaya, Cynthia, Zarius, Sara, Jiabei, Colin
Grade 3: Selena, Nicholas, Shayan, Sophia
Grade 4: Adam, Alexandra, Samuel
Grade 5: Aaron, Neelab
Grade 6: Mika, Vani
Grade 7: Jasmyn, Christopher
Grade 8: Rick
The character trait for May is Courage. “We face challenge directly.
We seek help from others when necessary. We do the right thing
even when it may be unpopular. We are able to recognize risks and
danger and do not take unwise risks to gain the approval of those
around us”.
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STUDENT BUSING ELIGIBILITY
Did you know that students’ bussing eligibility changes throughout their school career? Your son/
daughter’s eligibility to ride the school bus may change according to their grade and distance from home
to school. Below are the provisions for eligibility identified in the Board’s Transportation Policy #680:
• All YRDSB students in Grades JK-3 who live within 1.2 km of their school are not eligible for transportation
• All YRDSB students in Grades 4-8 who live within 1.6 km of their school are not eligible for transportation
To view Board Policy #680 Student Transportation, please visit www.yrdsb.edu.on.ca.
For more information about bus transportation and to determine your child’s eligibility please visit
www.schoolbuscity.com.
Reporting Your Child’s Absence
You MUST call in your child’s absence and notify us of their late arrival everyday!
We have a 24 hour absence reporting line
905-472-8374.
Clearly state and SPELL your child’s name, their teacher’s name and the reason for absence .
If we do not know where your child is, we must call the police!
When calling in please indicate whether the absence is an illness, a medical appointment, an injury, a vacation or a
parent withdrawal (a day off).
Thank you for your cooperation.
If your child forgets their lunch, homework, shoes, etc. please put a
note on the item with your child’s name and leave it on the table
outside the Office. We are not able to interrupt the class of the
students to let them know you have brought these things in for
them. All students should know to check this table for forgotten
items.
Your cooperation is appreciated!
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SAM CHAPMAN PUBLIC SCHOOL STAFF LIST
2013/2014
Grade Level
1A
1B
1C
1D
1E
1F
1G
2A
2B
2C
2D
2E
2/3A
3A
3B
3C
3D
Teacher
Dhunna, Daisy
Nicholson, Nancy
Konate, Dramane
McDonough, Erika
Mashooque, Sariya
Renton, Tanya
Naroski, Tess
Chu, Jennifer
Brabender, Trista
Kaba, Khadija
Gross, Marie-Clare
Martial, Katherine
Belfiore, Patricia
Cere-Williams, Karine
Houde, Blaire
El-Geries, Wassim
Rankine, Nicole
4A
4B
4C
5A
5B
6A
6B
Lam, Gillian
Robinson, Erin
Sum, Edward
Ah-Teck, Jean Claude
Rahman, Samena
Argento, Silvana
Gourley, William
7A
7B
8A
Hoekstra, Hajnalka
Johnson, Karen
Hung, David
English
Library + Prep
Prep
Music
Sert + Prep
Phys Ed + Prep
Phys Ed + Prep
Principal
Vice Principal
EOAA
Secretary A
Lead Custodian
Custodians
Macklin House Before/After
Staff Room
Jonker, Tanya
Kapp, Maret
Najarian, Nanig
Woodger, Tim
Robinson, Marla
Roy, Mike
Mahmood, Amjad
Farrell, Greg
Joyce, Deborah
Canner, Lori
Donnelly, Kathleen
Jeremy Sutherland
Dalvin Ong, Sue Gilbert
Tech Room
Science Room
Art Room
Conference Room
Room
LTO (Howes)
LTO (St. Clair)
LTO (Petrin)
(LTO)
(Literacy/Numeracy Lead)
(LTO)
LTO (Lilly)
LTO (Saunders)
(Tech Lead)
(Positive Climate Lead)
(LTO)
(Tech Lead)
(Positive Climate Lead)
(The Arts Lead)
105
109
108
106
103
104
113
202
207
203
208
206
220
110
211
209
112
Voicemail
1058
1098
1088
1068
1038
1048
1138
2028
2078
2038
2088
2068
2208
1108
2118
2098
1128
216
217
221
P6
P3
P2
P1
2168
2178
2218
326
323
322
321
218
219
204
2188
2198
2048
212
526
213
119
215
134
134
501
502
2128
5268
2138
1198
2158
1348
400
5018
5028
5008
5058
5258
500
505
525
116
110
111
110
204
213
130
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MAY DATES TO REMEMBER:
May 1—Field Trip—Gr. 3—Heritage School House
May 7—Field Trip—Gr. 3—Heritage School House
May 8—Sushi Lunch
—Jump Rope for Heart—Kick-off Assembly
May 12-16—Field Trip—Gr. 8—Ottawa & Montreal
May 14—Field Trip—Gr. 4—Bruce’s Mill
May 15—Field Trip—Gr. 3—Heritage School House
—Field Trip—Gr. 4—Bruce’s Mill
—TED ED CLUB MEETING 7:00-8:30
May 19—Victoria Day Holiday—NO SCHOOL!
May 21-23—Field Trip—Gr. 6—Camp Pinecrest
May 27—Jump Rope for Heart Event
May 29—Sushi Lunch
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