ParentConnect is Coming to YOUR School This Fall! The Peel District - - PDF document

ParentConnect is Coming to YOUR School This Fall!

The Peel District School Board is excit- ed to announce that ParentCon- nect, our new parent portal, is launching this fall at your student’s school. ParentConnect is a safe and secure application that provides access to electron- ic services for your Peel student(s). From alerts to busing, absence reporting to earned credit his- tory, ParentConnect offers easy and convenient self-service access to important K-12 student information. Best of all, ParentConnect is mobile friendly so you have access when you’re on-the-go. Registration is easy. With the Student ID Number and a ParentConnect token passcode, you can access information about all of your children from one website, virtually any time! Watch for your unique ParentConnect token passcode via email, then go online and register. Want to learn more? Visit YouTube.com and search ‘Welcome to ParentConnect.’

The Peel B The Peel Board Recognizes

• ard Recognizes

Crossing Gu Crossing Guar ard Apprecia d Appreciatio tion n Day on Jun Day on June 13 e 13

The Peel board will recognize the contribution

• f

school crossing guards on Crossing Guard Appre- ciation Day, June 13. The board encourages students, parents and staff to take a mo- ment to thank the neighbourhood crossing guards who help to ensure a safe journey to and from school for thousands of students every day.

For more information on religious accommodation, visit our website at: www.peelschools.org/aboutus/equity.

Religious Accommodation Available to All Faiths, Reflects Board Commitment to Inclusion

All Ontario school boards are legally required to offer religious accommodation (as per the On- tario Human Rights Code) and have a religious accommodation procedure in place (as per the Ministry of Education’s 2009 Provincial Equity and Inclusive Education strategy). While the Peel District School Board has been providing religious accommodation to its students and staff for

• ver 15 years, the board has revised its formal Religious Accommodation Operating Procedure,

which has been in place since 2012. The Peel board recognizes and values the religious diversity within its community and is com- mitted to providing a safe, respectful and equitable environment for all, free from all forms of discriminatory or harassing behaviour, including those based on religion. Who can make a religious accommodation request? Parents of Peel students or staff of any faith background can make a religious accommodation request. How can a student or staff member make a religious accommodation request? Parents of Peel students or staff should contact their school principal or site supervisor in early September (or as early in the school year as possible) to submit a religious accommodation re- quest. What religious accommodation can be requested? For many students and staff in Peel schools, there are a number of areas where the practice of their religion that may result in a request for accommodation:  observation of major holy days, ceremonies, commemorations, and celebrations  school opening and closing exercises  prayer and rituals  dietary requirements  fasting  religious attire  modesty requirements  religious leave

Register today for Adult ESL or LINC classes

Do you know an adult that is interested in improving their English language skills for work, study or daily life? Through the Contjnuing & Adult Educatjon department, the Peel District School Board ofgers a wide variety of English language classes that help parents experi- ence success in Canadian English in both listening/speaking and reading/writjng. Courses are designed for a range of basic, intermediate and advanced English (Levels 1 to 7) as well as the more experienced learner needing to prepare for an IELTS exam. Classes are ongoing - Register anytjme. All learners that complete a session will earn a certjfjcate of learning from the Peel District School Board. Classes operate from six locatjons in Brampton and Mississauga with three spe- cially designed adult centres at: Bramalea - Adult Educatjon Centre - 25 Kings Cross Road, Unit 3 Brampton - Adult Educatjon Centre - #300 - 7700 Hurontario Street Mississauga - Adult Educatjon Centre - 100 Elm Drive West, Room 117 To learn more or to register, call 905-270-6000 Also visit www.peelschools.org/adulteducatjon or follow us on Twituer: @PDSBLearnESL

Three Steps to Quality Summer Child Care for Your Child

If you have a school-age child, finding summer child care can be a real challenge. But you can follow these three simple steps to help you choose a program that’s best for your family. It will mean a summer full of fun and learning for your child— and peace of mind for you.

Step 1

Call Child Care Info Peel 905-890-9432 or 1-888-836-5550 Child care experts provide specific information about summer camps and other child care providers in your neighbourhood. They can answer your questions and give you information to help you choose the program that’s right for your family. It’s a good idea to call the info line early to give yourself enough time to investi- gate potential programs and make your decision before the program fills up.

Step 2

Schedule an appointment to meet with the program director or to speak over the phone, so that you can get more information about the program. If possible, visit the program or the facility in which it will be held. The more information you have, the better you will be able to decide if this program is a good "fit" for your child and your family.

Step 3

When you are checking out summer programs, don’t be afraid to ask a lot of questions—it’s the best way to make sure you have all the information you need. In general, you will want to ask questions about the program, staff, health and safety practices, food provided, and costs. For more information, call Child Care Info Peel or visit www.cdrcp.com/ccip.html.

THE SAFETY OF STUDENT IS OUR TOP PRIORITY

Throughout the school year, incidents in our school communities happen. Our staff take precautions to emphasize street-proofing skills with your child. However, we feel that it is important that you take an

• pportunity to review safety procedures with your child.

Peel Police have provided the following safety guidelines if your child encoun- ters a stranger:

 Tell your children to never go anywhere with a stranger, not to talk to strangers and never take anything from

• them. You also have to teach them what a "safe stranger" is in case they need help. A safe stranger includes a

police officer, a cashier, a fire fighter, etc.  Remind your child to never walk alone—always walk with a group.  Develop a "what if" game for the kids to get them thinking of how they would respond if they felt threatened

• r afraid.

 Know who your children play with and where they go. This includes keeping a list of their friend's addresses and phone numbers.  Remind your children not to take short cuts through parks, ravines, or other secluded areas.  Your child's body is private. Tell your child that no one may touch the area their bathing suit covers. If some-

• ne does or tries to touch them, they should advise you immediately.

 Teach your children to talk to you immediately when someone does anything that makes them feel strange or

• uncomfortable. Listen when your children are trying to tell you about something that bothers them and pro-

vide them with support and understanding.

Tips for riding the bus:

 Take a seat as quickly as possible, put belongings under the seat and stay seated.  Never stick anything out of the window, including part of your body.  Refrain from eating on the bus. If a choking incident occurs, the driver may not be able to help immediately.  Wait until the school bus stops before standing up to exit the vehicle.  Tips for exiting the bus:  When getting off the bus, take two large steps away from bus. If you have to walk in front of the bus, do so at least three metres (10 giant steps) away from the bus.  The driver must be able to see students exiting the bus and will give a signal when it is safe to cross. If more than one student is crossing in front of the bus at the same time, they should cross in single file.  Children must never reach for something that is under the bus without the driver’s permission. Let the driver know that something is under the bus or wait until the bus moves out of the way.

Tips for walking to school:

 Help your child establish a safe, direct route to school. Avoid po-

tential safety hazards such as train tracks, busy intersections, and

reinforce what safety precautions to follow.  Stay on sidewalks whenever possible. If there is no sidewalk, walk on the left side of the road and walk facing traffic.  Cross streets at intersections and at crosswalks and learn to look to the left, the right, and the left again before proceeding.  Wait until traffic comes to a stop before crossing. Make sure drivers see you before you cross. Don't assume the driver will stop for you.

On On the the Ro Road ad Agai Again—How to Keep How to Keep You

• ur

r Cyc Cycli list st Safe Safe

Here are some tips you can review with your child to ensure bike season gets off to a great start: Th The Rig e Right ht F Fit it

 children should be able to straddle the bike with both feet

• n the ground

 a bike that is too big or too small can be a safety hazard

the helmet should fit—if it's too loose, it could fall off, if it's too tight, it's uncomfortable Get N et Not

• ticed

ced

 a young child's bike should be equipped with a bell and reflector

• lder riders should have a light and/or reflectors

Fo Foll llow

• w th

the R e Rul ules

 no riding on busy streets  no riding at night  stop for all STOP signs

Ac Acti tions ns Th That C t Cause I se Injur uries ies

 driveway ride out—not stopping and looking both

ways before entering the street

 running the stop sign  turning without warning  cycling in the dark  following the leader—one child goes through a

stop sign or misses a parked car but the second cy- clist doesn't !

Excessive exposure to the sun can lead to health con- cerns such as sunburn and skin cancer. As summer ap- proaches and the weather gets warmer, it is necessary to apply sunscreen to protect ourselves from too much sun damage and burns. In summer, we are exposed to higher levels of ultraviolet (UV) rays. This ex- posure is a risk factor for developing skin cancer and cataracts later in life. The UV index is the measure commonly used in Canada to assess the strength

• f the sun’s UV rays risk on a given day.

What is the UV Index?

The index scale ranges from 0 to 10. The higher the value, the more intense ultraviolet rays. The UV index is calculated daily by Environment Canada using ozone and weather information. It can vary from day to day with changes in the ozone layer – the thinner the ozone layer, the higher the index reading.

How to protect your family from the sun?

 Wear a hat (preferably with a broad brim), sunglasses and protective cloth-

ing on sunny days.

 Use sunscreen with a SPF of 15 or greater

whenever you're outdoors.

 Encourage your children to play in shady are-

as if they are outside for a long period of time.

 Remember that sunburn can occur even on a

cloudy day, as up to 80 per cent of UV rays can penetrate light clouds, and 40 per cent of UV rays can bounce back from sand, water or con- crete.

Kindergarten to grade 4

Sorting and stacking – Teach classification skills with dinnerware. Ask your child to match and stack dishes of similar sizes and shapes. Also have your child sort flatware – forks with forks, spoons with spoons. This is like recognizing the shapes of letters and numbers. Comic strip writing – Use comic strips to help with writing. Cut the segments of a comic strip apart and ask your child to arrange them in order. Then ask your child to fill in the words of the characters (orally or in writing). Float and sink – Encourage hypothesizing (guessing). Use several objects – soap, a dry sock, a bottle of shampoo, a wet sponge, an empty bottle. Ask your child which ob- jects will float when dropped into water in a sink or bathtub. Then drop the objects in the water, one by one, to see what happens.

Grades 5 to 8

Follow the news – As a family, choose an important news event to follow for a day or

• two. Ask each person to find as much information on the topic as possible – read

newspapers, look at online news webpages, listen to the radio and watch TV news. Then talk about what everyone learned. Pro and con: what do you think? – Make a family game of discussing a special issue. For example, "Teenagers should be allowed to vote," or "There should never be any homework." Ask your children to think of all the reasons they can to support their views. Then ask them to think of reasons opposing their views. Which views are most convinc- ing? For variety, assign family members to teams and have them prepare their argu- ments pro and con. Stretch, run, walk – Ask your child to do at least one kind of exercise every day. For ex- ample, run or walk briskly for 10 minutes. Walk, when possible, instead of driving, for any distance less than a mile. Have your child make a week-long exercise plan. Try to think of a modest reward for sticking to the plan and exercise with your child. Let your voice be heard – Promote good citizen-

• ship. Help your child write a letter to the editor of

the local newspaper about an issue affecting chil- dren – for example, suggest that a bike path be built near the school or that a city event be planned for youngsters. Children are citizens, and their ideas are worth hearing.

We W e Welco elcome the W me the Wor

• rld Centr

ld Centres es

The Peel District School Board’s We Welcome the World Cen- tres located in Brampton, Malton and Mississauga, are the first point of contact for all newcomer families to become familiar with the educational system in Peel. The centres are open all year—including the summer months— from Monday to Fri- day, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. In addition to providing literacy and numeracy assessments, the We Welcome the World Centres provide newcomers with a host of services including: reception, orientation, interpreta- tion and referrals. At each centre, parents/guardians and students will discover:

 computer portals— providing information on Peel re-

sources

 settlement service information  translation of materials to support the reception and assess-

ment process

 age and grade appropriate educational and related program

resources

 information about various com-

munity supports For more information about the We Welcome the World Centre and the services they provide, call 905-366-8791.

IDL IDLE-FR FREE EE Zone Zone

Our school is working to pro- tect the health of our students and the health of our environ-

• ment. We ask you to show your

support by turning off your engine while dropping off

• r waiting to pick up your child at school.

The emissions that come from our tailpipes harm all of us, especially children who breathe more and at a faster rate than adults. By turning off your car, our students, teachers and parents won't breathe in unhealthy fumes as they enter school. Air pollution also poses particular risks for our children with asthma. So, if you're going to be sitting still for more than 60 seconds, remember to turn your car's en- gine off. You'll not only improve our air, you'll also save money in fuel and vehicle wear and tear costs—then we can all breathe easier.

40 Hours to Graduate – Start This Summer!

Since 1999, all students in Ontario secondary schools are required to complete a mini- mum of 40 hours of community involvement in order to receive a diploma. The purpose

• f this requirement is to encourage students to develop an understanding of the various

roles they can play in their community. Students are encouraged to start accumulat- ing community involvement hours in the summer before they enter grade 9. Research shows that early involvement in community service helps students build a spir- it of civic responsibility which can be expanded as they move through secondary school. The aim of the 40-hour requirement is to encourage students to become actively in- volved in making positive contributions to their community. The community involvement component is an opportunity for students and parents to work together, independent of the school. With parent support, your teen is responsible for finding and completing 40 hours of community service. Parents should provide assistance to their teen in the selection of community involve- ment activities. Here’s how to get started:

 Spend some time with your teen going through the list of eligible and ineligible activi-

ties in the Peel District School Board’s “40 Hours” brochure. You can obtain a copy of the brochure from your school or online at www.peelschools.org/students/40hours/

 View online resources and volunteer opportunities at www.peelschools.org/

students/40hours/ Please note that the selection of the activities should take into account the age, maturity, and ability of the student, and the location and environment of the proposed activity.