Susan Nixon, Principal 905-936-4951 Safe Arrival Press 1

TOTTENHAM TIGER NEWS

Susan Nixon, Principal 905-936-4951 Safe Arrival – press 1

October 2015

Twitter - @TottenhamPS Website - tot.scdsb.on.ca

Principal’s Message

“Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” By Henry Ford

Character Education is a partnership among family, school and community to build a positive, caring and supportive school environment where attributes of good character are taught, modeled, practiced and celebrated in everyday actions. As we focus on the October character trait of Cooperation, I am proud of the way our students are making an effort to respectfully get along with others, help others, and have a positive attitude about working together. We all have a responsibility to be positive role models and to celebrate the positive way in which we want to see, hear, and feel character education growing at TPS!

Tottenham students and parents will frequently hear me express my pride and appreciation in this great school and all that is being accomplished here. Over the past few weeks, I have felt particularly proud of:

 the parents and School Council members who volunteer their time to support programs and students AND all the new volunteers interested in helping at TPS this year,

 the way students on our athletic teams are training to be positive ambassadors for our school by demonstrating good sportsmanship,

 the caring manners and respectful behavior that our students are demonstrating through their actions and their words!!

 the awesome staff team and their genuine caring for our students!

As a staff team, we thank parents for their commitment and partnership in respectful behaviour and enthusiasm for learning. Thank you for helping your child to come to school each day well rested, having eaten a nutritious breakfast, and on time. We know that these ingredients are keys to your child’s daily success and happiness at school.

I encourage all parents to use the Agenda Planners as a positive communication tool between yourself and your child’s teacher(s). I also invite you to contact your child’s teacher should you have any questions or concerns that you would like to discuss. Your partnership is vital to the achievement and success of your child! It is a privilege to work together with you to nurture your child to be all that they can be!

Best wishes for a beautiful time of Thanksgiving with your dear families on the long weekend. We have so much to be thankful for and I value your partnership in teaching our students the importance of appreciating all that we have!

Sincerely,

(Mrs.) Susan Nixon…New Playground Installation is beginning this week! 

“I will not judge people because of where they live, the color of their skin, their abilities, or their beliefs. I can and will find and celebrate the good in all people.” By: Children’s Diversity Pledge

REVISED 2015/2016 Tottenham P.S.

Staff Team

Grade 7/8-Mr. Marques Kindergarten-Ms. Ibscher

Grade 7-Mrs. Howland Kindergarten-Miss. Palframan

Grade 6-Mr. Miller Kindergaraten- Mrs. Kennedy

Grade 5-Mrs. Wiken French-Mr. Bettridge

Grade 4-Mr. Stephenson SERT-Mrs. Sandoval

Grade 3/4-Mrs. McLeish SERT-Mrs. Pulice

Grade 2/3-Ms. Beatty Library-Mrs. Goronovsky

Grade 2-Mrs. Nicoll Planning Time-Ms. Lee

Grade 1/2-Mrs. Keeler Planning Time-Mr. Klassen

Grade 1-Miss. Black Planning time-Ms. Cochrane

EA’s-Ms. Bilodeau, Ms. VanderZee, Ms. Selig, Ms. Craig

DECE’s-Ms. Gertzbein, Ms. Roberts

Custodians-Mrs. Zona, Mr. Houser

Admin. Assistant-Ms. Donnelly

Principal-Mrs. Nixon

A Heartfelt Thank You to

Our TPS Educators on

World Teachers’ Day

Monday, October 5, 2015

World Teachers’ Day is October 5

Monday, October 5 marks World Teachers’ Day – an international event celebrating the work educators do every day around the world. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) established World Teachers’ Day in 1994 to recognize the efforts of teachers worldwide. During the month of October, take the time to let your child's teacher know he or she is truly appreciated!

“Tell me and I forget.

Teach me and I remember.

Involve me and I learn.”

By: Benjamin Franklin

Requests for letters from the Main Office

Requests for letters of education verification for government agencies and other organizations, (i.e. Revenue Canada, Social Services, and/or confirmation of attendance letters, etc.) must be made by the parent/guardian/adult student, in advance and in writing, and must be verified with proper identification and/or documentation. Forms are available on the Simcoe County District School Board website under Student>Transcripts> Transcript and/or Education Verification Request Form. Please be advised that processing these requests may take up to 10 business days, so please plan accordingly. Thank you for your understanding.

Fire Prevention Week

October 4th – 10th is Fire Prevention Week in Canada. The theme this year is,

HEAR THE BEEP!

WHERE YOU SLEEP!

Did you know that roughly half of home fire deaths result from fires reported between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., when most people are asleep? Working smoke alarms save lives. If there is a fire in your home, smoke spreads fast and you need smoke alarms to give you time to get out. In fact, smoke alarms can increase your chances of surviving a fire by up to 50%.

The key message of this year's Fire Prevention Week campaign, October 4-10, is to install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each separate sleeping area, and on every level of your home, including the basement. Larger homes may need more alarms.

Make sure you and your family:

1. Test smoke alarms monthly.

2. Change the batteries once a year.

3. Replace smoke alarms after 10 years.

4. Develop and practice a home fire escape

plan with everyone in your household.

Ontario law requires that working smoke alarms be located on every storey of the home and outside all sleeping areas. Only working smoke alarms save lives. In fact, smoke alarms can increase your chances of surviving a fire by up to 50%.

For more information and fun resources for kids, visit:

At Tottenham P.S., we will be practicing our Fire Drills throughout the month of October.

“SMOKE ALARMS…

a sound we can’t

live without!

FAMILY GYM NIGHT

Our students and their families are welcome to come out for Family Gym Night on Friday Oct. 23rd from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. Students and their parents will have an opportunity to play some basketball, floor hockey, and volleyball. Gym mats, scoop ball, bowling, and skipping ropes will be available for our younger students. This is a FREE opportunity for our students to bring a parent to school and have some fitness fun in the gym together.

Hope to see you there. 

Re-organization Balances Class Sizes

Each year, our school starts off with a certain number of classes and teachers - these numbers are based on estimates made the previous spring about how many students will be enrolled during the next school year.

As you may be aware, the Ministry of Education has class size goals that all school boards are required to meet. When the Simcoe County District School Board organized its schools in the spring, they adhered to this ministry expectation. Each September, the board compares actual enrolment numbers to the numbers projected by the board in the spring. At times it is necessary to re-organize classes.

After re-organization, some students may move to another class in order to balance class sizes. In some cases, it may be necessary to move teachers to a new school. If your child was affected by a change, you would have received a letter with details following re-organization. Please be assured that these changes will not affect the quality of education your child will receive at Tottenham Public School.

Free MATH Help for Students

in Grade 7 to 10

Homework Help is a free online math help resource for students in Grades 7-10. Homework Help provides FREE, live one-on-one tutoring from Ontario teachers, and is funded by the Ontario government and administered by TVO. Students can ask their math questions during chat room hours, Sunday to Thursday, 5:30 – 9:30 p.m. For more information and other math resources, visit:

Bus Cancellation Information

Although fall has just arrived,

winter is just around the corner

in Simcoe County. With it comes

the possibility of severe weather, challenging winter driving conditions and, as a result, possible bus and school event cancellations.

All information regarding cancelled buses in Simcoe County is posted on the Simcoe County Student Transportation Consortium’s bus information website at

Our school is in the

South Simcoe County Weather Zone.

When buses are cancelled, please remember that schools are still open (unless otherwise noted) for student learning.

The Consortium, in conjunction with bus operators, will make the decision to cancel school buses before 6 a.m. and as such, will make every effort to post announcements between 6 and 7 a.m. Parents should also note that inclement weather cancellations are effective for the whole day and buses cancelled in the morning will not run at the end of the day.

You can also subscribe to receive bus delay notifications here: and you can follow the Consortium on Twitter @SCSTC_SchoolBus.

Head Lice Are a Nuisance

Head lice can be a challenging problem for schools and families, especially during the fall season as the weather changes, children begin to have sleepover parties, and hats are being worn. Please assist in controlling this frustrating nuisance by following these steps:

 Check your child’s head on an on-going basis and at least once per week. Look for live lice and nits (small whitish eggs).

 If head lice are detected, PLEASE assist us by calling the school. We would be happy to give you a full information package to help you with a treatment plan.

 When a case of head lice is detected in your child’s classroom a general alert note will be distributed. Upon receipt of this notice, please do a thorough screening of your child’s head. REMEMBER – the 1st sign is itching.

 Encourage your child to avoid contact with classmates, save hugs for home, do not share combs, brushes, or hats and tie hair back or up (boys included!).

 Remember that lice do not jump or fly, and they especially love clean hair. Putting gel in the hair can be a deterrent.

School Council Meeting

Please mark your calendars and plan to attend our next parent’s School Council meeting on Monday, October 5th, @ 6:30 p.m. Come and learn more about our great school, and be a part of the decisions that impact our students.

FREE CHILDCARE IS AVAILABLE!!!

BRING A NEIGHBOUR!!

Your School Council will be hosting

TREAT FRIDAY’S

Again this year

Everything for $1.00

Fresh Popped Popcorn

LAYS Baked Chips

Frozen Yogurt

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Safe trick-or-treating tips

Halloween is a fun and exciting time, but safety should be the number one concern. Here are some tips to help keep your child(ren) safe.

Don’t forget our Costume Parade at 9:45 am.

• Wear a properly fitted costume that is bright and non-flammable. Use reflective tape on your costume so you can be seen in the dark.
• Use face makeup or enlarge the eyes on your mask so you can see well. When wearing a mask, push it up on your head while walking.
• Teach children to visit the front door of well-lit homes and never go inside.
• Help your child plan a route and a time to be home.
• Younger children should go trick-or-treating with an adult. Older children are reminded to trick-or-treat in groups.
• Remind children to always walk on the sidewalk (or on the left side of the road if there are no sidewalks), and obey traffic and pedestrian signals.
• Have an adult check treats at home before allowing children to eat them.
• Teach children their home phone number and how to call 9-1-1 if they have an emergency or become lost.

For more safety tips,

visit Health Canada’s website at:

and search for ‘Halloween Safety.’

Protect your Family during

Cold and Flu Season

You may have heard of a nasty

cough that has been hospitalizing

some children in the United States. It has now been detected in Canada, including Ontario. This particular bug is called the Enterovirus D68, a cousin of the family of common cold viruses. For most people including most children, this virus will cause mild illness similar to the common cold. Symptoms include fever, runny nose, sneezing, cough, and body and muscle aches. Most people don’t need a visit to the clinic or the hospital, and will get better on their own. There is no specific antibiotic or antiviral medication or vaccine for D68.

The virus spreads like the common cold, by droplets from sneezing or coughing and from nasal mucus. It can also be picked up by touching surfaces that have been contaminated. For more information,

visit the Health Unit’s website at

WASHING HANDS IS IMPORTANT!

School Grounds Smoke-Free 24/7

This is a reminder to students, parents, guardians, and community members that under the Smoke-Free Ontario Act it is against the law for any person to hold lit tobacco or to smoke anywhere on school property at any time. Please respect this law when visiting the property for purposes such as to pick up students, to meet with staff and to attend school performances and sports events. Your actions encourage youth to obey the law and to choose tobacco-free lifestyles. Have questions? Contact the Health Connection at 705-721-7520 or 1-877-721-7520 or visit

Together We’re Better

We feel very proud and privileged to be part of such a rich multicultural community at TPS!

Making a Difference at Tottenham P.S.

Thank you students for the way that you continue to make a difference every day in your words and actions! We are proud of the positive tone &

culture in our school!

…remember the little boy

and the starfish!

We need your Help to Keep

Students SAFE at

Arrival and Dismissal

The safety of our students is our top priority. Arrival and dismissal are busy times at our school. We need to work together with parents/guardians and childcare providers to make sure students are safe.

Here are key points to be aware of when planning pick up and/or drop off of students:

• Supervision starts fifteen (15) minutes before bell time and ends fifteen (15) minutes after bell time. School staff will contact the parent/guardian, followed by emergency contact, for any student who is not picked up within this time. If late pickup happens often, additional support services may be involved.
• If parents/guardians arrange for other people to pick up their children, like a private childcare provider, the parent/guardian is responsible to ensure the alternate person/program is picking up on time.
• Designated bus loading zones are out-of-bounds during arrival and dismissal times, with the only exception being Simcoe County Student Transportation Consortium buses. Private childcare providers will be asked not to use these areas. Parents are also not allowed to drop off or pick up in the bus zones.
• Once buses have departed and the loading zone has been opened up by school staff, vehicle traffic may begin to flow through the area to pick students up. Traffic must be in constant flow in this area at all times, meaning no unattended parked vehicles in this area.
• Unattended vehicles must be parked in an approved parking space, outside of the kiss and ride area, with the engine turned off.

A full description of the Supervision, Arrival and Dismissal Procedures is available at – Parents – Safe and Healthy Schools – Procedures.

October is International

Walk to School Month

Did you know that October is International Walk to School month? It is a great way for children to get their recommended 60 minutes of physical activity each day and also gives parents and staff a chance to be part of a worldwide event that celebrates the many benefits of walking. Get in on the fun and try these activities:

• Create a walking group/“bus” to and from school
• Create a fun walking challenge for your school community involving students, parents and teachers
• Create and sign a Walk to School pledge

Check out the website at

You can also call Health Connection at 705-721-7520 or 1-877-721-7520 and speak with a public health nurse or visit the health unit website at

A reminder from the Health Unit…

Please Update your Child’s Immunization!

The Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA) states that The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit is required by law to keep an up-to-date immunization record on file for every student who attends elementary or secondary school. As of July 1, 2014 ISPA has been updated and includes the following vaccines:

• Varicella (chickenpox) two doses for children born in or after 2010
• Meningococcal (meningitis)
• Tetanus, diphtheria, polio and pertussis (whooping cough) - at least 4 doses
• Measles, mumps and rubella - after the first birthday

The health unit does not receive immunization information directly from doctor’s offices. Parents need to contact the health unit each time students receive a vaccine from their health care provider. If a student’s immunization record on file with the health unit is not up to date, the health unit will mail a notice asking for immunization information or proof of a valid exemption. If the information requested is not given to the health unit, the

student may be suspended from school. If your child is due for immunizations, an appointment can be made with your health care provider or at a health unit immunization clinic by contacting Health Connection at 705-721-7520 or 1-877-721-7520. Up-to-date immunization information can be provided to the health unit by a secure online form, mail, fax or by dropping off a copy at a local health unit office.