LKS Spirit

It was one year ago today that I walked into Lambton Kingsway for the first time.  I vividly recall the busy and excited feeling in the building - it was the day the Stonegate baskets were being delivered and the entire school was buzzing with the true feelings of this season.  As I write this, the student council and parent council are collecting Stonegate baskets again and that same feeling is running through the halls.  This time, I am so honoured to be a part of that feeling.  Whenever I am asked about LKS, the first thing I tell anyone is how absolutely generous and giving the community is.  The students have strong sense of social justice and our teachers are continually looking for ways to give to our community.  We are so proud of our students! Whether it is a Seeds of Hope initiative or a Holiday Food Drive, they continually demonstrated their genuine empathy, kindness and caring for all.

Over the holidays (and always) I wish you all Peace, Hope, Love and Joy!

Grade 7 and 8 Vaccines

Toronto Public Health offers free immunization clinics to grade 7 and 8 students in the schools. Students in grade 7 are eligible to receive two-doses of Hepatitis B vaccine and one dose of Meningococcal vaccine.  Girls in grade 8 may receive three-doses of the Human Papillomavirus vaccine (HPV).  These vaccines are not publicly funded from your doctor's office.

The first round of these vaccines will be Monday, December 1, 2014.

Kiss 'n Ride Safety

PLEASE FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR CHILDREN ...

When dropping off your children, please remember, this is a KISS & RIDE APPROACH ... it's ONLY GOING TO GET BUSIER AS THE WINTER CONDITIONS DEEPEN ...

4 TIPS 

1. Please do NOT place your car in park, this is a temporary stop ONLY 
2. Please ONLY OPEN right side of doors to let your children out 
3. Please ONLY let your children out at the opening entrance of the parking lot, NOT beforehand, it is crucial to be patient to wait until you've edged your way up to this area BEFORE letting your children out 
4. Once your children are safely out of car, please continue to exit to keep the KISS & RIDE APPROACH moving for others. 

Number Conservation in Kindergarten

I had a wonderful morning in kindergarten inquiring with our youngest students!  We explored the number 5 and the concept of number conservation.  

Halloween Safety Tips

Hallowe'en provides an opportunity for parents and children to spend time together creating costumes, carving pumpkins, planning trick or treat activities and participating in family parties. Hallowe'en is a big event at schools and provides opportunities for parties, creative activities, art programs and impromptu history lessons. Hallowe'en is also a time for students, parents, and schools to take extra care to ensure safety and security.

TRICK OR TREAT SAFETY
If parents are concerned about trick or treating, here are some basic safety rules to follow:

• Children should NEVER eat any treats until parents have had a chance to go through them and inspect them. Parents should look for tampering of packages and discard any they believe to be unsafe or unknown.
• Have your child carry a flashlight.
• NEVER go into a stranger's house.
• NEVER trick or treat with people you do not know.
• Trick or treat only at homes you know.
• Children should always stay in groups if no parent is present.
• Younger children should ALWAYS be accompanied by an older person.
• Accompany your child when trick or treating.
• If you can not accompany your child then know the route your child will take.
• Flame resistant (retardant) costumes are in order. Keep costumes short and remind children to stay away from pumpkins with candles in them.
• Remind children to stay away from pets they do not know.
• Remind children of road safety rules. Cross only at corners. Do not criss-cross the road. Go up one side of the road and down the other side. Never cross between parked cars. Walk facing on-coming traffic if there is no sidewalk
• If adults are driving their children, drive slowly, with lights on and be cautious when pulling to the side of the road.
• Children should wear their own shoes when trick or treating. Wearing costume shoes/boots can be dangerous and uncomfortable.
• Remind children that not everyone celebrates Hallowe'en, and to avoid any homes that have no lights on. Also remind children not to run through neighbours yards or gardens.
• With older children, be sure to know what other events (such as parties) they plan on attending.
• Set time limits when children should return home.

French Programs Application Deadline

For families interested in the Toronto District School Board's French Immersion or Extended French programs, we offer an online process for applying to:

• Early French Immersion (EFI) which begins in Senior Kindergarten;
• Junior Extended French (JEF) which begins in Grade 4
• Middle Immersion which begins in Grade 4 (available in a limited number of schools)

TDSB guarantees an offer of placement in the program (not a specific school) to all on-time applicants.

Transportation is provided as per the Board's Transportation policy.

This year, there is an important change to the timelines for applying for these programs for September 2015.

• Applications for Early French Immersion (for a Junior Kindergarten aged child), must be completed online between November 3rd 2014 and December 5th 2014.  
• Applications for Junior Extended French or Middle French Immersion (for a child currently in Grade 3), must be completed online between January 5th 2015 and January 29th 2015.  

Offers of placement within your chosen program will be made to all on-time applicants in the weeks following the close of the application window.

Please note: families with an older sibling currently in a French program are still required to complete an online application for the new student.

Further information on French as a Second Language programs and the application process is available online at www.tdsb.on.ca/french.

From the Lunch Lady

       Dear Parents of Lambton Kingsway Junior Public School

We have been very happy to serve your school in the past and look forward to returning this year. If you have never used us before - here is a little bit of information.

My name is Anthony and I am proud to operate the local Lunch Lady kitchen that serves schools in your area.

Every lunch:

• meets or exceeds provincial nutritional standards
• is portion-controlled and designed with kids’ good health in mind
• is prepared daily with care in a local nut free, school safe commercial kitchen
• can be modified for kids with allergies or special food needs
• is delivered to your child’s school by a smiling Lunch Lady staff member
• includes all applicable taxes
• includes a contribution to your school
• gives busy parents a welcome break!

If you have any questions, allergy concerns or need my assistance once you receive the menu, please email me at

anthony@thelunchlady.ca          

Order at: https://order.lunchlady.ca

Great Things Happening at LKS

So many absolutely wonderful things are happening at LKS thanks to fantastic students, teachers, staff, parents and community volunteers!

Our grade 7 students arrived home safe after 3 days at Camp Manitou where they were engaged in fun and engaging activities that taught self-confidence, teamwork and leadership skills.  Thank you to Mr. Kuru, Mr. Ross and Mrs. Taylor for supporting these students for three days and two nights.  

Officer Rich came to LKS to speak with the Grade 8 students about Cyberbullying and the Grade 4 students about Internet Safety.  Officer Rich is always willing to spend time with the kids at recess and his police car is a big hit at recess.

As I write this, the Senior Boys' Football Team is preparing to leave for a tournament.  Thank you to all the teachers who have committed to supporting our students through the Fall Sports Teams.  We have Junior and Senior Boys and Girls Football, Junior and Senior Boys and Girls Softball, and Cross Country for students in Grades 1 to 8.  Simply amazing!

Mrs. Gibson and her Terry Fox Team of students and volunteers have been working exceptionally hard to run a very successful fundraising campaign.  We enjoyed our 5 km walk on a beautiful Fall day.  Students were enthusiastic and respectful of the neighbourhood as they walked to show support for the Terry Fox Foundation.  Because LKS has done such an incredible job raising money for Terry Fox over the past few years, they asked if they could film our school to show other schools how successful a fundraising campaign can be.  Way to go LKS!

Ms. Caddel and I hosted sharing assemblies today and we are looking forward to tomorrow's Kindergarten sharing assembly.  Congratulations to all our September Respect Award recipients.  Their glowing faces can be seen on the new Character Counts board in the office.  

As a precaution, a Public Health nurse will be coming in on Friday to check everyone's hair for Lice.

Picture day is next week  Kindergarten to grade 3 classes will be on Tuesday, September 30th and Grade 3/4 to 8 will be the following day, on Wednesday, October 1st.   

You can follow us on twitter @lksjms  

Anti-Spam Legislation

This is to inform you about the introduction of Canada’s new Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL), which takes effect on July 1, 2014. CASL prohibits the sending of any type of electronic message that is commercial in nature unless the recipient has provided consent first.

As a result, Toronto District School Board requires your consent to receive any electronic messages which contain advertising or promotions regarding school fundraisers, lunch programs, field trips, the sale of yearbooks, purchasing of student photos, books, prom or dance tickets, athletic events with an entry fee or similar events and offers. 

If you wish to allow your email address to be used for the above communications from us, please

provide consent by completing the online consent form

https://surveys.tdsb.on.ca/index.php?r=survey/index/sid/412281/lang/en

Click on the “School commercial electronic messages” box and then select our school name from the dropdown menu before submitting the form.

If you have children who attend other schools, you will need to submit a separate consent form for each school.

You will continue to receive school related non-commercial electronic messages. If you do not wish to receive commercial electronic messages no action is required.

You may choose to unsubscribe from commercial emails at any time by emailing casl@tdsb.on.ca.

For more information, please visit the TDSB website.

Wrapping It All Up

As we draw to a close, we are working hard to make sure the students are safe and enjoying their last few days in the class and outside in this beautiful summer weather.  We have been able to enjoy outside lunches and the students are doing a great job keeping the yard clean.  Please make sure your child comes to school prepared for learning with proper shoes for outdoor play and a hat and sunscreen.  Many classes will be involved in year-end celebrations and I look forward to joining them in recognizing how far they have come and sharing with them the joys of success.  

Report cards will be going home next week.  Please take some time to read the descriptive feedback your teachers have provided.  Summer is an opportunity for many different learning opportunities for students and a time for family to learn together.  

Thank you for such a warm and friendly welcome to LKS.  I have only been a part of this community since January, yet I feel like I have been a part of this extended family forever.  I am so thrilled to be a part of LKS, learning with your children, and getting to know you.  I look forward to being a part of the September start up and helping to form the amazing opportunities for our students.  

Happy Summer!!

June

First I need to apologize for not posting for a very long time.  The last month has been a whirl wind of activity both at LKS and in my own personal life.  Since coming to LKS in January, I have been continually amazed at the commitment of staff to student learning and development both inside and outside of the classroom.  The number of learning opportunities offered to the students through the efforts of staff and parents is truly phenomenal.  The collective accomplishments of the students in sports, social justice awareness and community involvement is remarkable and I am so very proud to be a part of it!

As the month of June begins, students will continue to be involved in many exciting learning activities and will be showcasing their learning in a number of ways.  This week we look forward to seeing the grade 6 to 8 instrumental performance with guest appearances from some grade 3 to 5 students.

Students will be spending more time outside with the warm weather upon us.  Students are encouraged to wear hats and sunscreen.

DAY OF PINK

TDSB Celebrates International Day of Pink

Today, staff and students from across the Toronto District School Board will be wearing pink to mark International Day of Pink - to show support for diversity and stopping discrimination, gender-based bullying, homophobia and transphobia.

LKS PC SOCIAL

Thank you to all those involved and who attended the Annual LKS Parent Council Social.  Although I could not stay for the entire night, I very much enjoyed speaking with many of you and admiring your beautiful "Black is the New Black" theme.  Ladies, you are all absolutely stunning!  I especially enjoyed the photobooth and will try to post the pictures Ms. Cadell and I took at the beginning of the night.  

Black History Month Inquiry

The students in all three grade 5 classes spent a significant amount of time investigating and inquiring into the historical, political, and cultural impact many African-American and African-Canadians have had on how we live today.  Their final culminating projects were showcased for all the students at LKS and for the parents as well.  Here are some pictures of the projects from Mr. Ross and Ms. Caliguri's classes.

School Climate Survey - Grades 4 to 6 Students and Parents

As part of the Toronto District School Board’s (TDSB) effort to prevent bullying and promote a positive school climate, the TDSB will be conducting online school climate surveys of students, parents/guardians/caregivers, and school staff at least once every two years. 

This spring, elementary schools students in grades 4 to 6 and their parents/guardians/caregivers are invited to fill out the school climate surveys.  The surveys ask questions about the safety, support for teaching and learning, interpersonal relationships, school environment, and student background.  The survey results will help schools and the TDSB find ways to promote a positive school climate and prevent bullying in all schools. 

The school climate surveys are voluntary and anonymous; we will not be collecting identifiable information such as your name, IP address, your child’s name or student ID.  All completed students responses will be sent directly to the TDSB’s Research Department for processing. 

Student Survey:

All students in Grades 4 to 6 will be asked to complete the online student survey at school.  The survey takes about 20 minutes to complete.  We would like you to encourage your child to participate in the survey, so that we will have sufficient information to plan and implement programs to improve the school climate and prevent bullying and harassment at school.  Should you decide not to have your child participate in this survey, please complete the section at the bottom of the form sent home and return it to your child’s teacher by Friday, April 11, 2014. 

Our school will be administering the student survey from Monday, April 14, 2014 to Friday, April 25, 2014.

Parent/Guardian/Caregiver Survey:

All parents, guardians, or caregivers of Lambton Kingsway JMS are invited to complete the Ministry of Education’s Survey for Parents and Guardians About Equity and Inclusive Education, and Bullying/Harassment.  The parent survey is available at www.schoolclimate.ca.  To access the survey you will be required to insert the following survey code specific to our school: 1-ZGL-004-A. 

We thank you for your support,

Mental Health and Wellness

Mental Health and Well-Being is essential to student success. We will make student mental health a priority at the Toronto District School Board. We know that one in five Ontario students has a mental health problem, we also know that schools can promote positive mental health, identify and intervene early to prevent the onset of problems and respond to children and youth in distresswww.mentalhealthcommission.ca.

The TDSB is actively working to improve the mental health and well-being of our students.

What is Mental Health?
Why Focus on Student Mental Health?

The World Health Organization defines mental health as a "state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community." (World Health Organization)

This is the ideal toward which we strive.

Focusing on child and adolescent mental health and wellness promotion, literacy and education has countless documented benefits. "Early signs of mental disorders frequently appear in adolescence yet they are often undiagnosed and go untreated. Young people with mental health disorders are at great risk for dropping out of school, ending up in jail and of not being fully functional members of society in adulthood."  (http://www.unicef.org/publications/files/pub_adolescence_en.pdf) 

TDSB GOALS

Dental Screening

We have scheduled our annual dental screening for May 6 to 13th. 

Toronto Public Health (T.P.H.) provides dental programs to children from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 8. 

To identify children with oral health problems, a screening program is offered to students in accordance with the Ontario Ministry of Health requirements for mandatory health programs. The screening is an assessment by a dental hygienist using sterilized instruments. The dental hygienist will assess the need for topical fluoride, scaling, sealant and any other obvious dental needs. 

As a follow up to the screening, only parents whose children are identified as requiring dental services will be notified. A note to that effect will be sent home with your child/ren for your information and action. You may also receive a phone call from T.P.H. dental staff to assist you in accessing care. 

Please be advised that this screening assessment does not replace the dental examination done by a licensed dentist. 

If you do not wish your child/ren to be screened, please inform the school. 

For additional information, visit http://www.toronto.ca/health/dental/children_youth.htm. 

Grade 8 Graduation Pictures

The Grade 8 students will be having their graduation pictures taken on Wednesday, March 26th.  

EQAO Parent Information Night

The students and teachers of grades 3 and 6 are starting to prepare for EQAO.  I will be hosting an information evening for parents of grades 3 and 6 parents on Monday, March 31st at 6:00 in the library.  This is an opportunity for you to learn about the provincial standardized test and how we use the information gathered from the tests to support your child's learning.  I look forward to seeing you there.

Author Visit

The students in grades 4 to 8 had the opportunity to hear Canadian author, Eric Walters, on Monday, March 17th.  It all began in 1993 when Eric was teaching a Grade 5 class.  His students were reluctant readers and writers and Eric began to write to encourage them to become more involved in literature.  His first novel, Stand Your Ground, was created for this class.  It is set in the school where Eric was teaching, Vista Heights Public School, and some of the features of the community of Streetsville and many of the names of his students were incorporated into the story.  Since his first novel Eric has literally exploded on the children’s and young adult scene.  Over the following years he has published over 80 more novels and picture books with more than ten scheduled for the coming years.  These novels have been enthusiastically received by children and young adults and critically acclaimed by teachers, reviewers and parents.  Eric’s novels have won more than 100 awards including eleven separate children’s choice awards.  He is the only three time winner of both the Ontario Library Association Silver Birch and Red Maple Awards – in which over 250,000 students participate and vote the winner.

Explore It! - After School Opportunities

The following information is from :

Dear Lambton Kingsway Parents,

Welcome to Explore It! - the premier provider of lunch and after-school programming in the GTA.

We’re so happy to be bringing our fun and educational programs to Lambton Kingsway during the Spring 2014 term and we sincerely look forward to meeting all of you soon! 

Please take a look at the program information below - there is everything in plain text in the body of this email as well as an attached e-flyer. You can register your son or daughter for any of our fantastic Spring programs immediately by following this link:

www.exploreitall.ca/registrations

We're here to help - so please feel free to contact our office with any questions you may have at;

Phone: 416-417-0477

Email: register@exploreitall.ca

 

Register online at www.exploreitall.ca/registrations before March 21

Register early to Explore with us - spots are limited and are sure to fill up fast!

 

BOATsmart!®

Mondays After School for students aged 11 and up - starting March 31

$125 plus HST

Do you want a license to boat? If you operate any motorized recreational watercraft in Canada you are required to obtain a Pleasure Craft Operator Card, commonly known as a boat license. The Operator Card is required regardless of age, size of boat or engine horsepower – it’s the law! Junior boaters can obtain the official Transport Canada Pleasure Craft Operator Card (which is valid for life!) by taking our accredited BOATsmart!® Safe Boating Course and Boating License Exam. Explore the fun of boating with us!

 

Hip Hop & Break Dance

Tuesdays After School for all students JK – grade 6 - starting April 8

$113 plus HST

Hip hop and break dancing are both high energy, upbeat, street styles of jazz. Students will Explore the coolest dance moves in a fun and supportive environment. In this course, participants will start off by learning basic break-dancing and hip hop moves, and then each student will develop his or her own style. Dance like they do in all the hottest music videos!

LEGO® Land

Tuesdays After School for all students JK – grade 3 - starting April 8

$113 plus HST

It’s time to get creative - because there are an infinite number of possibilities to build with LEGO®!  In this program we’ll have fun while exploring the problem solving, and engineering skills needed to create with LEGO®.  Students will work on their own creations as well as complete in fun team challenges and projects to create awesome bridges, cities, towers, castles, airplanes, boats and so much more. Explore what you can do with LEGO®!

 

LEGO® Animation

Wednesdays After School for all students grade 3 – 6 - starting April 10

$113 plus HST

Making a movie is easier than you think! You’ve seen amazing stop motion movies all over the internet – they are incredibly popular and everyone loves them. If you ever wanted to be the writer, director and producer of your own Lego movie, this is the club for you. From story boards, character development and set design to filming and narration – you’ll get to explore all aspects of movie making in this club – with Lego!

 

Confirmation / Cancellation emails will be sent out before the program start date.

Please contact Explore It! with any questions about the above programs.

 

Register online at www.exploreitall.ca/registrations before March 21

Register early to Explore with us - spots are limited and are sure to fill up fast!

 

Kiwanis Music Festival

The grade 6 to 8 students have been exceptionally busy over the past few weeks with a number of learning experiences that support the academic curriculum.  One of these amazing opportunities has been participating in the Kiwanis Music Festival.  Thanks goes to Mr. Samowtoka and Mr. Goldberg for all their expertise, dedication and direction.  The final results were:

6 Band - 3rd place with a silver mark of 84
7 Band - 2nd place with a silver mark of 85
Orchestra - 2nd place with a bronze mark of 81

Follow us on Twitter

You can now follow us on Twitter!  LKS on Twitter @LKSJMS 

Grade 8 Science Showcase

The Lunchroom was turned into a Science Showcase this week, as the grade 8 students displayed their hard work.  The students were demonstrating the culmination of inquiry, learning and creating.  The students worked in groups to develop and create a hydraulic system with real-life applications.  The results were incredible!

CONGRATULATIONS!!

Some of the curriculum expectations that were met as a result of this fun investigation are:

• assess the social, economic, and environmental impacts of selected technologies that are based
• on the properties of fluids;
• analyse how the properties of fluids are used in various technologies, and assess the impact of these technologies on society and the environment;
• investigate the properties of fluids; 
• demonstrate an understanding of the properties and uses of fluids.use technological problem-solving skills to design, build, and test devices that use pneumatic or hydraulic systems.

African Heritage Month

African Heritage Month is a time for TDSB staff and students to learn about and pay tribute to the many ways in which Black Canadians and people of the African Diaspora have helped shape our society, and to recognize the invaluable contributions they have made to our province, country and world. Throughout the month of February, TDSB schools will engage in local initiatives, and participate in a variety of community events that reflect this history of a people and the countless triumphs and struggles they have experienced over hundreds of years. TDSB's Equitable and Inclusive Schools site provides many opportunities to reflect, celebrate and bring to life the rich legacy of the African Diaspora for our diverse local school communities. 

TDSB's Mental Health Strategy

TDSB's Mental Health Strategy 

On 28 January Director Donna Quan announced the TDSB's Children and Youth Mental Health and Well-Being Strategic Plan.  This plan delivers on the commitment made as part of the Years of Action 2013-2017 to direct and align resources to support student achievement and well-being. 

This year the Board will expand anti-stigma programs, support schools in developing local mental health plans and provide administrators and educators with tools that promote student mental health.

TDSB students are fortunate to benefit from a range of mental health and wellness supports that have existed for many years and we are confident that the four-year strategic plan will support our efforts in creating Healthy Schools.  Healthy Relationships will help to create a culture where mental health and well-being is integrated into every aspect of our students' school experience.

Please read more about the TDSB's Children and Youth Mental Health and Well-Being Plan at www.tdsb.on.ca/mentalhealth

LKS Olympics

We are looking forward to the Winter Olympics.  Several classes are following the athletes through a hands-on, e-newspaper experience.  The student council has organized what promises to be a fun-filled LKS Winter Olympics day on Friday, February 7th.  Many of the activities will be outside, so please remember to dress your child for a morning or afternoon outside, participating in Olympic inspired activities.  I will be looking after the Hot Chocolate station!

Parent/Teacher Interviews

I am starting to get to know many of the students and parents at LKS but I have a long way to go.  Please feel free to pop in and introduce yourself to me while you are at your Parent/Teacher interviews.

Percussion Discussion

What an amazing show!  The grade 1 to 5 students of LKS continue to amaze me.  Their showcase of talent last Thursday night was truly inspiring.  Thank you to Dr. Grant and Mr. Samotowka for such an fantastic demonstration of the learning happening at LKS!  Thank you, as well, to the parents who came out to support and encourage your children.  The gym was packed and it was standing room only.  Your support and involvement make a big difference.

Kindergarten Sharing Assembly

I was so excited to attend my first Kindergarten Sharing Assembly at LKS this week!  Our youngest students presented a poem entitled, I Have a Cold!  Their voices were loud and clear and their actions matched the feelings of the poem perfectly.  We also handed out certificates for January's character attribute, TEAMWORK.  Congratulations to all the kindergarten students for their hard work and thank you to the kindergarten team for supporting our youngest learners as they start their incredible learning journey.

We were later visited by Mrs. Burn's class and treated with a Lunar New Year Dragon Parade.  Gong Hei Fat Choi!

Percussion Discussion

The primary students, along with Dr. Grant, have been working exceptionally hard to present A Percussion Discussion.  Their hard work will be showcased Thursday, January 30th at 6:30.  Some grade 6 to 8 students will also be performing for us!

Movie Night

We are so excited to be showing our second movie, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2, on February 20th, 2014 at 6:30 p.m. in the gym. 

Doors will open at 6:00 p.m. and the movie will begin promptly at 6:30 p.m.

Snacks (candy, popcorn, drinks) will be available before the movie! 

Please do not bring food from home!

Bring something comfortable to sit on like a pillow, bean bag or blanket (no chairs please)…you can even wear your pajamas!

All children/students must be accompanied and supervised by an adult! No students will be allowed entry on their own!

-------------------------------------

We will only accept PREPAID TICKETS! Please return this completed portion to your teacher by February 7^th.  Cash or cheque payable to Lambton Kingsway.

Name_____________________

Teacher/Grade___________________

# of Tickets($5/ticket) ____  Amount Paid $___________

Tickets will be returned to you by the 13!

(Brought to you by LKS Staff! All proceeds will go to fund extra-curricular events)