Hillsdale Elementary School

Hillsdale Elementary School

September2017

Newsletter #1

HOME OF HUSKIES

______Shelley Clark, Principal, @PrinSClark

From the Principal’s Desk:

We had a wonderful start-up week! We hope your child(ren) came home with positive stories of their classroom experiences this week – new teacher, reconnecting with friends, engaging learning activities and recess fun!

“Welcome Back-to-School” from the staff of Hillsdale ES. We are looking forward to a productive school year of teaching and learning with some fun thrown in.

Several essential forms are included with the September Newsletter and we ask you to read, sign and return the forms listed below to your child’s teacher by September 29th:

*Permissions and Acknowledgements

*Anaphylactic Students – Urgent Notice

*Student Information Computing Technology Appropriate Use Agreement

*School Council Nomination

*Student Accident Insurance Brochure (do not return to the school; follow the directions in the brochure)

Also in this Newsletter is information about GIFTED SCREENING.

At the beginning of this school year, our school is implementing “HAPPY @ HILLSDALE: Setting the Stage in the First Nine Days”. Each day’s topics will be announced and then teachers hove discussion and activities for the students to co-create school-wide expectations and review routines. The list of topics for each day can be found overleaf on the NEWSWIRE that was sent home the first day of school.

The numbers are important this time of year. In June, teachers who know your student(s) best, made recommendations for class placements based on a variety of factors including students’ strengths, needs, and social factors. Due to obligations of the teachers’ contract, classes must have balanced numbers. Once class lists are finalized at the end of August, it is very difficult to move a student to another class. In most cases, we are unable to move a student into a classroom without moving another student out. It only takes a few days for students to feel comfortable with a new group of students and / or a new teacher. Parents/guardians can make the positive difference to assist students to adjust.

It is also important to know that at the beginning of every school year, in some schools in our system, there may be a significant discrepancy between the projected numbers the Board directs Principals to staff for in the Spring, and the REAL numbers of students who walk through the doors of our school in September. Sometimes, the projected numbers and the real numbers match closely, and other times, due to factors beyond the control of the Board’s Planning Department – things like students moving into or out of a school community – the numbers are not close. Ministry guidelines and contractual obligations come into play as well. What all of this means is that a school may need to re-organize – an increase in students may mean an increase in staff; a decrease in students may mean a decrease in staff. In either scenario, some or many students will be moved to a new teacher and a new classroom on a designated day in September.

School Council is an important consultative and advisory body in every school. As Principal, I will be communicating the School Action Plan to Council as well as other Ministry / Board / School information and initiatives as they arise throughout the school year. School Council helps to identify priority projects, supports general school needs, and assists with fund-raising activities to support school priorities. If you are interested in becoming a member of this year’s School Council, please complete the nomination form included with this school newsletter and return it to the school via your child’s classroom by Thursday, September 29th. TheInaugural School Council Meeting for the 2017-2018 school year will occur the evening of Monday, October 2 at 6:15 pm in the Library

I have organized important information for you to be aware of at the beginning of the school year alphabetically, so I call it the ABCs of Hillsdale ES. The “ABCs” are SCDSB policies and procedures that are implemented in SCDSB schools. You may wish to refer to the ABCs throughout the school year.

In closing, I would like to

THANK YOU, HILLSDALE PARENTS & GUARDIANS, FOR ALL YOU DO TO SUPPORT YOUR STUDENTS AND HILLSDALE STAFF AS THE SCHOOL YEAR PROGRESSES.

Looking forward to a wonderful school year!

Shelley Clark, Principal

Anne Manuge, SAS-E

DATES TO MARK ON YOUR CALENDARS:

Sept. 20 – Terry Fox Assembly, 3rd Block

Sept. 27 – Community Meet & Greet (details to follow)

Sept. 29– Hillsdale ES Forms Due

Sept. 29 – Terry Fox Run 3rd Block

Oct. 2 – School Council Inaugural Meeting

Oct. 9 – Thanksgiving Monday

Oct. 12 – School Picture Day

Oct. 13 – Immunizations: Gr. 7 Hep B

Oct. 20 – PA Day

SCDSB MISSION & VISION

MISSION: We inspire and empower learning for life

VISION: A community of learners achieving their full potential

SCDSB is a Character Board

Hillsdale is a Character School

This year, our monthly assemblies will focus on a Character Trait as below:

September – Respect

October – Responsibility

November – Courage

December – Caring

January – Optimism

February – Inclusiveness

March – Empathy

April – Honesty

May – Integrity

June – Cooperation

Growing Success

Here are the six Learning Skills & Work Habits from Growing Success, the Ministry policy document that guides assessment and evaluation of students.

Responsibility

Organization

Initiative

Collaboration

Independent Work

Self-Regulation

These Learning Skills & Work Habits are a focus of instruction as they are the skills and habits students need to have / develop to succeed in school and in life.

The dates for reporting to parents/guardians are:

Progress Report – November 10, 2017

T1 Report – February 16, 2018

T2 Report – June 27, 2018

THE ABCs of HILLSDALE

ACCIDENT INSURANCE, 2017-2018:

Student injuries at school, during school events, and extra-curricular athletics are NOT covered by the Board or its insurance company. While every precaution is taken to provide a safe learning environment, accidents CAN and DO happen.

It is ESSENTIAL that all those participating in extra-curricular activities have adequate insurance coverage for ALL INSTANCES OF INJURY.

The Simcoe County District School Board has selected the “insure my kids” program through Old Republic Canada as an option for students/parents/guardians to consider with regards to purchasing student accident insurance coverage for the upcoming school year. The coverage is for 24 hours a day. This insurance offers a variety of plans and benefits at reasonable annual prices. Coverage can be purchased online at

Included with this NEWSLETTER is this accident insurance brochure.

AGENDAS: It is important for you to take a few minutes to review the SCDSB pages at the front of your child’s AGENDA within the next few days for students in Gr. 1-8. Here you will find SCDSB guidelines and policies that apply to all students in our system. The Agenda is an excellent tool for your child to track his or her academic obligations and reminders. Parents/guardians are welcome to use the Agenda as a communication tool. The school is not able to replace lost or damaged agendas.

ANAPHYLAXIS: Within our school community there are students who have a life-threatening allergy (anaphylaxis) to peanuts and other food allergens. Unfortunately, because of the nature of this particular allergy, it is not just a question of whether or not these students ingest the product. Even touching peanut residue or inhaling airborne peanut proteins could cause a reaction.

Although these children show admirable restraint and maturity in dealing with their allergy by refusing offered and tempting foods, it is not enough. There are many common areas within the school where all students attend and handle the same items, such as gym equipment, library books, computers, etc.

We feel the best way to reduce the risk of reactions is to respectfully ask for the co-operation of parents/guardians to please not send peanut butter or products with peanuts, walnuts or other tree nuts listed in the ingredients to school. See letter included with this Newsletter.

APPOINTMENTS: Students who are being picked-up during the day for an appointment must be signed-out of the office. The office will page your child’s teacher to send your child to the office “ready to go home”.

BEFORE & AFTER SCHOOL Y PROGRAM:

This program, so convenient to our working parents, is available here at Hillsdale. The program begins at 7:00 am in the morning. After school, your child will be supervised until 6 pm in the evening. PA Day, Winter and Spring break care is also available at particular schools in our system. For information and registration, please call 705-718-7140. Fee assistance may be available through the County of Simcoe at 705-722-3132.

BICYCLES & SCOOTERS: We accommodate bicycles and scooters as a means of student transportation to and from school. However, it is not safe to ride the scooter or bicycle on school property at arrival or dismissal (or recess) times. There are buses, van, and students arriving and exiting our school parking lot. If a student will not abide by the expectation, we will inform the student and his/her parents/guardians that the student is not to bring the scooter or bicycle onto school property until that student is prepared to show they will consistently follow the expectation.

BUS TAG PROGRAM: The Simcoe County Student Transportation Consortium’s Bus Tag program supports safety for JK/SK and other school identified students. The program helps match students to their assigned afternoon school bus and identifies that they must be met by a parent or guardian at their afternoon bus stop.

The program provides a colour coded Bus Tag with the assigned p.m. route number to be attached to the student’s backpack and a colour coded route card with route number in the windows of the school bus that the Bus Tag is matched to. The program can also provide tags for students who remain at an on-site daycare to make sure they don’t get on a bus in error. For more information, visit main.simcoecountyschoolbus.ca and click on the ‘Safety’ tab.

BUS SAFETY TIP FOR STEPTEMBER:

A reminder to drivers as children return to school this fall, and school buses are back on the roads:

• Take caution – be extra cautious in the vicinity of school buses and around school bus loading and unloading zones
• Pay attention – Watch for school buses’ distinctive chrome yellow colouring, flashing red lights and stoparms. Drivers travelling in both directions on a road without a median must stop for a stopped school bus that has its upper red lights flashing
• Know the repercussions – Any driver that fails to stop for a school bus with its lights flashing is subject to a fine of up to $2,000 and six demerit points for a first time offence
• Be empowered – Anyone who witnesses a driver failing to stop for a school bus can report the incident to the police

Visit the SCSTC web site at and click on the ‘Home’ button then the ‘Safety’ tab for more details.

CONNECTED WITH THE SCDSB: Keep connected with the SCDSB! For media releases and event information, visit the “News” section under “About Us” at the SCDSB’s website: The SCDSB Education Centre can be reached at 705-734-6363. Follow the SCDSB on Twitter @SCDSB_Schools, Facebook, facebook.com/SCDSB and Instagram, Instagram.com/scdsb. Through SCDSB’s Sharing Simcoe blog, the board shares stories of some of the amazing people involved in our schools. The blog features stories and tips from our own in-house experts and experts it works with in the community, as well as good news stories about our schools.

DRESS CODE: There are lots of ways to dress for school. Students are expected to respect the guidelines when dressing for school. Our school is a safe space. We work to be equitable and inclusive, and understand that students may choose to express themselves through their clothing choices. Student clothing cannot pose a safety concern or conceal identity. Exceptions are granted to students who wear head coverings or other garments/objects for the purposes of religious observance, medical or sensory needs, or other reasons protected by the Ontario Human Rights Code.

The SCDSB dress code is available in the student agenda and online at If you have questions about the dress code, you can contact the principal or the SCDSB Equity and Inclusive Education Team at 705-728-7570.

GUEST WIRELESS: We have “Guest Wireless” available at our school for personal devices (laptops, iPods, etc.). Once parents/guardians have signed the Appropriate Use Agreement included with this newsletter. Individual students may use Guest Wireless using their Hillsdale username and password. Students may use guest wireless on their own electronic devices at school provided the classroom teacher is aware and has approved and has defined a purpose for its use. School staff cannot be responsible for LOST or DAMAGED devices.

HOMEWORK: The SCDSB Homework Policy establishes that home work is

-Assigned in a purposefully planned manner directly related to classroom instruction and Ontario Curriculum expectations

-An engaging and relevant learning activity that can be independently completed by the student

-Differentiated by student strength and needs

-Provides an opportunity for teacher feedback;

-Be sensitive to scheduled holidays and days of religious significance

Homework is not intended to interfere with family life. Balance is the key to health and overall love of learning.

Types of Homework include:

Work Completion

Practice

Preparation

Extension

INDOOR SHOES: In order to maintain a clean, safe, learning environment in our classrooms, we ask that students remove their outdoor footwear before they enter classrooms. We ask that a pair of labeled shoes / slippers / sandals be kept at school for use in the classroom. Proper gym shoes MUST be worn for physical education classes in our school gym. It is most practical if your child’s indoor shoes are running shoes appropriate for gym use. High-soled shoes, sandals, etc., will NOT be permitted in Gym class. No bare feet or sock feet. Please arrange to havethis 2nd pair of “indoor shoes” available as soon as possible.

MEDICATION: Requests for school personnel to administer prescribed medication to students must be made through the school office and an authorization signed by the Doctor must be submitted. Without this authorization, doctor prescribed medication will not be administered.

Students with life-threatening conditions (allergies, asthma, etc.) may carry their epi-pens or inhalers with them at any / all time(s). Please let the office know if your child will be carrying their epi-pen or inhaler with them. Otherwise, Epi-Pens for peanut allergies will be stored in the classroom the student eats lunch in. All other medication will be stored at the office

The Principal may, upon written parent or guardian request, and, without the authorization of a physician, administer non-prescription medication to a student.

NUTRITION BREAK ROUTINE:

PLEASE ATTEND TO THE PERMISSION FORM REGARDS INTERMEDIATE STUDENTS (Gr. 7 & Gr. 8) BEING ABLE TO LEAVE SCHOOL PROPERTY AT 2ND NUTRITION BREAK ONLY (this is a Board standardized routine this school year). Students who have this permission must sign-out when leaving and sign-in by 1:45 pm. School staff cannot be responsible for the activities students undertake when they are off school property for lunch.

PARENT PORTAL
The SCDSB Parent Portal is a secure online tool that provides parents/guardians (of students less than 18 years of age) with quick access to their children’s attendance and grades and includes the option to sign up for email notifications. To access the Parent Portal, parents/guardians will need their child’s SCDSB Pupil ID Number, which can be found on the Student Information Verification Form, as well as an Access ID. The Access ID will be provided in a sealed letter this fall with instructions on how to create an account. If you lose the Access ID, you can visit us in the school office and we’ll provide it to you after verifying your identity.

PERSONAL TECHNOLOGY DEVICES:

Electronic devices may be used by students for classroom learning experiences. These experiences are directed or approved by the classroom teacher and once the parent/guardian and student have signed the Appropriate Use Agreement (included with this newsletter), their use may be encouraged by their teacher.

As outlined in the “Student Information Computing Technology Appropriate Use Agreement” please be aware of the following:

*If your child comes to school with a device (iphone, ipad, cell phone, camera, etc.) the school will NOT investigate their damage or loss or replace damage

*Our students must not takespontaneous pictures with their personal phones or devices while at school unless it is part of assigned classroom work. We cannot protect the privacy of other students if pictures are taken at school that wind up on a social networking site such as Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. School discipline extends to online inappropriate activity between students in Safe Schools legislation.

*If a student needs to call home, or you need to get a message to your child, the temptation to text exists for both of you; however, we would prefer to facilitate this communication. Texting your child during instructional time is an interruption to instructional time. If your child has a phone or other device at school, it needs to be out of sight unless it is being used for an educational purpose determined by the teacher or at a designated device time such as Nutrition Break. We will be disappointed to discover that a child is signing-out or a parent has arrived for pick-up and neither the classroom teacher or office staff was notified because all of the communication occurred between the child and the parent/guardian without staff knowledge. We will call home for a child who is not feeling well and notify classroom staff if you are picking up your student so that the student can be sent to the office for your convenience.