November 2015
What an exciting, historic month for Canada! The swearing in of any Prime Minister is an event to be remembered. Many students at Mineola have been involved in learning about the election process and were keen to learn about the important swearing in ceremony, made public for the very first time!
STAFF AT MINEOLA
We are pleased to introduce our staff for the 2015-16 school year:
JK/SK – Ms.PetrovicMs. Johnson
K/1 - Mrs. Clarkson & Mrs.Bartokova
Gr. 1 FI – Mme CloseMrs. Watson
Gr. 1 FI – Mme JooMs. Warwick
Gr. 2 FI – Mrs. Heffernan & Mme Hovenden
Gr. 2/3 – Mrs. Douzenis
Gr. 2/3 FI – Mme Hooton
Gr. 3 FI – Mlle Ciente & Mr. Rogerson
Gr. 3 FI & Gr. 4 FI – Mrs. Remtulla & Mme Lavigne-Bruce
Gr. 4/5 – Ms. Reither
Gr. 4 FI – MmePallin & Mr. Tam
Gr. 5 FI – MmePallin & Mrs. van Essen
Gr. 5 FI & Gr. 6 FI – Mrs. Hsu & Mlle Mackay
Gr. 5/6 – Mrs. Babensee-Beattie & Mrs. Goddard
Gr. 6 FI – Mr. Adam & Mrs. Hortop
Library - Mrs. van Essen & Mme Warwick
Support – Mrs.James & Ms. Robertson
Phys. Ed. – Mr. Adam & Mr. Tam
Music/Drama/Dance – MlleCourville & Mrs. Goddard
Core French – MlleCourville
Education Resource Facilitators – Ms. Ellison, Ms. Molana, Mr. Roach
Front Office Staff – Mrs. Lucchesi & Mrs. Selitsanos
Custodial Staff –Mr. Angell, Mrs. Cappobianco,Mr. Lupton, Ms. Luscott
Field Office Support Staff – Mrs. Birmingham, Mrs. Gleason-Kennedy, Mrs. Hunter, Ms. Kruus
Administrators – Ms. Howard & Mrs. Vaisar
Together we are working to inspire success, confidence and hope in each of our students!
REMEMBRANCE DAY 2015
Our Remembrance Day ceremony on November 11thwas a very thoughtful and touching tribute. We honoured those who have served and continue to serve Canadians, both at home and abroad, and those who have died so that we may live in peace and freedom today. Thank you to all our staff and students for their most valuable contributions.
SCHOOL HOURS FOR 2015-2016
School Office 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Entry bell9:13 a.m.
Class starts9:15 a.m.
a.m. recess10:35 a.m. – 10:50 a.m.
Lunch 12:00 noon – 1:00 p.m.
Class Starts1:00 p.m.
p.m. recess 2:20 p.m. – 2:35 p.m.
Dismissal 3:45 p.m.
If a child arrives at school after 9:15 a.m., an adult must escort the child to the front office to be signed in. All doors are locked at 9:15 a.m. Parents must ring the bell at the front door to gain entry.
Please do not leave a child unattended in the parking lot or on the playground!
STUDENT DROP-OFF & PICK-UP
Parents, please note that our Kiss’n’Ride lane, entry from Crossfield Bend, is available in the mornings only, for student drop-off. Please ensure that your child is on the passenger side of your car, and is ready to get out quickly to help ensure a smooth flow of traffic through this lane. We provide supervised drop-off between 9:00 – 9:13 a.m.
For the utmost efficiency, particularly in cold or rainy weather, 3 to 4 cars should unload at a time. Thank you for your assistance in this regard.
PARENT PARKING
Please note that the parking lot by the Kiss’n’Ride is for staff use only.
The parent parking lot is to the north of the school.
THE LANE IN FRONT OF THE SCHOOL IS FOR BUSSES AND EMERGENCY VEHICLES ONLY, FROM 9:00 A.M. TO 4:00 P.M.
Afternoon pick-up routines: If your child does not take the bus, please make arrangements with your child so they know where to meet you at the end of the day (i.e., at the yellow post, at the corner of CrossfieldAngelene, etc.). Cars may not stop in the south site parking lot unless they are in a designated parking spot. This is for safety reasons.
The area directly around the school does get very congested, and we thank you for your patience and cooperation in following the routines.
AGAIN, PLEASE DO NOT DRIVE THROUGH THE BUS LANE AT THE END OF THE DAY!
FOOD AT SCHOOL
A reminder to all that we are a “Nut Free” and a “Shellfish Free” school.
Please be very sure to not send any food products containing nuts or shellfish. This includes “Nutella” which is very dangerous for our allergic students and staff.
As well, we are a “Scent Free” school. Please refrain from using scented body and/or hair sprays if you are coming in to our school.
Thank you so much for helping to keep us all safe!
DOGS ON SCHOOL PROPERTY
Although we love dogs too, lately there have been a lot of dog owners who have neglected to clean up after their pets. This has posed a huge problem, as our students are used to running freely on the yard during recesses, and unfortunately, many of them have stepped in … ‘you know what’ – which causes a lot of grief, both in and out of the school. If you have a dog, please pick up their mess. If you see someone who is not doing so, please ask them to. Thank you all for your support and consideration!
VISITORS TO THE SCHOOL
Please note that during regular school hours, all entry doors are locked. All parents and visitors must enter through the front doors and come to the office. Unescorted visitors may not be in the hallways. In this way, we are all working together to keep our children safe. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
STUDENT ABSENCE
Parents are asked to please phone the school as early as possible and leave a message to report a child’s absence. Please call 905-755-8840 and speaking slowly and clearly, leave the child’s name and state the reason for absence (illness, appointment, etc.). Thank you.
SUBSTITUTE LUNCHROOM SUPERVISORS
Currently we are looking for additional substitute Lunchroom Supervisors at Mineola. The hours are between 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. when one or more of our permanent supervisors is away. Please contact Mrs. Vaisar in the office if you, or someone you know, are interested in the position(s).
DECEMBER DATES TO REMEMBER
December 2 – Skating for grades 3 & 4, 5 & 6
December 2 – School Council
December 3 – Skating for grades 1 & 2
December 14 – Progress reports go home
December 15 – Christmas Concert featuring Kindergarten & Grade 1 students
December 17 – whole school assembly and carol sing
December 18 – last day of school for 2015
January 4 – Welcome back and Happy New Year 2016!
PLEASE REMEMBER TO SEND IN:
- A pair of running shoes to wear indoors
- A bag containing a change of clothes, labeled with the child’s name
Subscribe to receive news from the Peel board
Take advantage of our electronic subscription service to automatically receive a list of activities by email on a monthly basis. Subscriptions are sent the last week of the month, plus bonuses throughout the year. Subscribing is easy just visit our website at and click on the subscription link under "Quick Links."
During the winter months, we may need to cancel buses or close schools because of inclement weather. Information regarding details of cancellations or closures will be posted at and
You can also subscribe to receive:
News releases
Keep up with the news at the Peel board. Subscribe to receive Peel board news releases to learn more about board news and school events.
Board agendas
Learn more about Peel board meetings by subscribing to receive agendas. Meetings of the board are open to the public and are held on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month.
Board highlights
Briefing is a newsletter with highlights of decisions made by trustees at board meetings. It is sent out on the second and fourth Thursday of every month and immediately following any special board meetings.
Bus cancellation & closing schools due to bad weather
During the winter months, we may need to cancel buses or close schools because of inclement weather.
Information regarding details of cancellations or closures will be announced on radio and television stations listed below and posted at and Information will also be available on Twitter @Peelschools, Facebook at or by calling 905-890-1010 or 1-800-668-1146.
VIRGIN RADIO FM99.9CHUM AM1050CFTR AM680
CFNY FM102.1/AM640CJCL AM590CHFI FM98.1
CFRB AM1010EZ ROCK FM97.3CJBC (FR) AM860
FM Z103.5FM93.1FM Q107
CHIN FM100.7/AM1540CBC99.1CTV
CITYPULSEGLOBAL NEWS
One of the following messages will be announced (highlighted text only):
Peel District School Board buses are cancelled.
This means that schools remain open for students and staff, but buses are cancelled. Bus cancellations could occur in all or parts of municipalities. Buses will remain cancelled all day. All activities that require busing will also be cancelled. Permits, night school classes, child care and other activities in schools will operate as usual.
All Peel District School Board schools and board offices are closed.
This means that all schools and Board offices are closed to students and staff. All activities in schools and board offices are also cancelled, including child care, night school and permits.
All evening programs and permits at the Peel District School Board are cancelled.
This means that all activities in schools and Board offices are cancelled, including continuing education courses and events. The buildings will be closed.
All weekend programs and permits at the Peel District School Board are cancelled.
This means that all activities in schools and Board offices are cancelled, including continuing education courses and events. The buildings will be closed.
Winter bus safety
The following winter school bus safety tips will help to keep your child safe throughout the winter months.
- Allow extra time to get to your bus stop.
- Wear bright clothing so the bus can see you in the early morning and late evening.
- Stand away from where the bus stops. Buses need extra room to stop when there is snow and ice.
- Use the handrail when boarding or exiting the bus to prevent slipping on wet or icy steps or road surfaces.
- Dress properly—winter clothing, hats, and boots will keep you warm.
- Don't throw snowballs at the bus or other children waiting for the bus.
- Don't slide on the snow or ice patches in driveways or on the street.
- Don't push or shove around the bus. Someone could fall down on the ice and get hurt.
On rare occasions, buses are late because of weather conditions or mechanical problems. Talk to your child about what to do if the bus is late. Here are some suggestions:
- When possible, wait with your child for the bus.
- Make sure your child knows a phone number where he can reach you or another trusted adult.
- Teach your child how and where to get help. Talk to your child about what a "safe" stranger is
- Help your child set up a bus stop buddy system so your child has someone to wait with for the bus.
Parent resources help you support your child’s learning
At thePeel board, our mission is to inspire success, confidence and hope in each child. There is no doubt that families play a vital role in helping us achieve this goal.As our partner in education, we hope you'll stay connected to your child's learning throughout his or her entire school experience.
Visitto explore all resources available to parents.There you will find easy-to-navigate buttons that connect families to tip sheets and web pages on a number of different topics, including math, homework, special education, EQAO and mental health.
Celebrating Faith and CultureNovember 2015
Date
/ Celebration / Faith and CultureNovember / Gwilatkw / Aboriginal Spirituality
November 1 / All Saints' Day / Christianity
November 1 / Samhain / Wicca
November 4 -22 / The month of Qudrat / Bahá'í
November 10 or 11 / Diwali / Hinduism
November 11 / Diwali/Lord MahavirNirvan / Jainism
November 11 / BandiChhor Divas / Sikhism
November 11 / Remembrance Day / Canada
November 12 / New Year’s Day/Day of Enlightenment / Hinduism and Jainism
November 13 / Birth of the Bab / Báhá'í
November 14 / Birth of Baha’u’lláh / Báhá'í
November 16 / Louis Riel Day / Aboriginal Spirituality
November 16 / GnanPanchami / Jainism
November 23 - December 11 / The month of Qawl / Bahá'í
November 24 / Martyrdom of Guru TegBahadur / Sikhism
November 25 / Dev Diwali or LokashahJayanti / Hinduism and Jainsim
November 25 / Birth of Guru Nanak / Sikhism
November 26 / Day of Covenant / Bahá'í
November 28 / Ascension of 'Abdu'l-Bahá / Bahá'í
November 28 (J) or 29 / First Day of Advent (Christmas fast) / Christianity
November 29 / First Sunday of Advent / Christianity
ng any special board meetings.
Grade 1 students
them to. unning freely on the yard during recesses, and unfortunately, many of