2420 Homelands Drive, Mississauga, Ontario L5K 1H2

Phone (905) 822-2031 Fax (905) 822-4502

Website: http://schools.peelschools.org/1323 Follow us on Twitter @Homelands323

March 2020 Newsletter Mateja Drinovac Principal

Simone Wallace Vice Principal

Roberta Leonardi Office Manager

Robin Sciascia Office Assistant

Nina Jaiswal Superintendent (905) 366-8800

Brad MacDonald Trustee Wards 2 & 8 (905) 828-6929

Transportation Stopr.ca (905)890-6000 Attendance Check 1(855)209-6155 Safe Arrival Parent Portal pdsb.schoolconnects.com

Black History Month We are proud of the amazing way the rich culture, traditions, heritage and Black History was recognized and celebrated in our school throughout February. Many of our students were engaged in activities such as: Grade 6s learning about the contributions of Black Canadians and communities to Canada. Grade 7s exploring the rich heritage of Black Canadians in French and English. Some Gr. 8s classes did research about the people mentioned on the announcements. Others created journal entries, investigated poems by Maya Angelou, Audre Lorde and the documentary “Journey To Justice” to connect the issues to the Canadian Civil Rights Movement. In music, the students learned the pentatonic scale, played and sang spirituals and folk songs. Art Deco highlighted the introduction of radio that seemed to make Blacks and Whites separate but equal. The learning continues.

Important Dates

March 5, 12, 26 ~Pizza Days

March 2, 9, 23, 30 ~Pasta Mondays

March 8 ~ Daylight Saving Time Begins

March 16 - 20 ~ Spring Break

March 24, 25 ~Skills Ontario Presentation Gr.7,8

March 31 ~ Grade 8 Grad Photo Day

Upcoming:

April 1 ~ Grade 8 Grad Photo Day

The Homeland's Herald

Physical and Health Education

Tips for the Month:

1. Ensure your child is coming to school dressed

for the outdoor weather. He/she should be

wearing boots to school, and changing into

running shoes daily. Proper running shoes are

mandatory for gym for safety reasons.

2. Visit your local community center. Both South

Common and Clarkson offer registered

programs as well as free programs for students

to stay active.

3. Encourage outdoor play. You are never too

old to go tobogganing, go for walks or skating.

There are a number of outdoor rinks that offer

free skating time!

GYM CLOTHING: Please remind your child to bring his/her bag containing gym clothing (top, bottoms, and runners), and a stick of deodorant.

Sports Corner Tchoukball and other European Handball games begin in March. The focus will be on strategy, decision making, sportsmanship and active participation. Also, we have purchased some new exercise equipment that student will be trained to use appropriately. We have exercise balls, bosus, a ladder, steps (for box jumps or step ups) and currently one recumbent bike.

GRADUATION!

Wednesday, June 24th, 2020. Our Grade 8 Graduation will be at Erindale SS

on Wednesday, June 24th, 2020. The ceremony

will begin at 12:00 pm followed by lunch and a

dance. Further information will be provided

closer to the date.

Model UN Huge kudos goes to all the students who spent

Saturday, February 22nd at the King Model UN

competition in Oakville. Everyone did a great job

representing their countries. Congratulations to

Jacob G., Ben S., Hena S., and Christophe C.

for winning recognition for their work from the

judges. A special thank you to the two students

coaches of the team – Michelle W. and

Samantha C., as well as to the parents who

accompanied the students to the competition –

well done to everyone!

CANVAS In February, Canvas presented their SPEAK

OUT program to our students. The Speak OUT

program used interactive activities to educate

students on LGBTQ2S+ inclusion and challenge

homophobia and transphobia in schools. The

workshops focussed on actionable ways to

promote allyship in the students’ communities

through skill building and art creation. The

students created "I am..." statement art pieces

showing how they would be an ally or support

other people. As well students created "speak

out bubble art" representing how they can stand

up for and speak out for others around their

school and community.

CANVAS Arts Action Programs (CANVAS) is a

registered non-profit organization founded in

2014 to prevent gender-based and sexual

violence, homophobia and transphobia. Through

creative, compassionate workshop facilitation,

the students critically examine harmful norms,

learn about the struggles of marginalized groups,

and recognize their capacity to affect positive

change.

NO SCENTS

GUIDELINES – Be

Aware!

Staff, students, parents and visitors are asked to

remember that the Peel Board has “No Scents

is Good Sense” guidelines. In consideration of

those with allergies, staff, students, parents and

visitors are urged not to wear or use scented

products such as perfumes, deodorants,

lotions, shampoo or cologne. Thank you for

contributing to a healthy indoor air environment

for everyone.

Medications at School

Any students requiring medication at

school should come to the office and pick up an

Administration of Medication Form (Appendix A

and B) and a Plan of Care Form. The Plan of

Care form must be completed by parents and

the Administration of Medication Forms should

be completed by a physician and signed by the

parent/guardian. When completed please return

them to the office where they will be kept on file.

Keeping lunches and

snacks peanut-free

Anaphylaxis is a potentially life-

threatening allergic reaction that affects some

children. We ask that you help us take care of

these students by sending lunches and snacks

for your child that are free from peanuts or

nuts, because these foods are the leading

cause of anaphylaxis.

Please read the label of any food you plan to

send to school with your child. If the label says,

"May contain nuts or peanuts," please do not

send it to school.

You can get a complete copy of the Peel board's

anaphylaxis guideline at www.peelschools.org

under the Parent tab, under Student Health.

School Council Corner

Parents/Guardians: You can make a difference in your child’s education! Our tentative School Council Meeting will be on March 26th at 6:30 pm. (confirmation will be communicated via email). If you would like to know more or are interested

in joining our council, please contact Bradley

Knight at

homelandssnrps.council@peelsb.com

Lunchroom Supervisors

Appreciation Day on March 6

In 2017, the board of trustees declared the first

Friday in March as Lunchroom Supervisors

Appreciation Day. This year, the recognition day

falls on Friday, March 6, 2020. Take this

opportunity to thank the important work of

lunchroom supervisors, and their support and

commitment to helping to ensure that students

are safe and secure.

Using social media safely

With the growing number of social media sites, it

is no surprise that social media is the most

common form of communication for children and

teenagers. Posts, status updates, comments,

instant messages, video uploads, tweets and

texts have become a regular part of their lives.

While there are many positive benefits to using

social media, including staying connected with

friends and expressing your interests, students

must be cautious in their use of these networks.

Among the most popular social media platforms

used are Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat,

Instagram, YouTube and Whatsapp Messenger.

Many of these platforms are free and are

available on smartphones and other electronic

devices. These platforms are easy to navigate

and often allow information to be shared

instantly, not only with friends, but with

strangers. On social media, it is important to

remember that the world is watching.

Here are some tips, provided by the Canadian

Safe School Network and GetSafeOnline.org, to

keep your children safe and help them make

smart choices when using social media:

Set some boundaries for your child before

they get their first ‘connected device’

(mobile, tablet, laptop or games console).

Once they have it, it can be more difficult to

change the way they use it or the settings.

Have a conversation about what is

appropriate online behaviour and what

actions could have huge repercussions that

could damage their reputation and be

harmful to others.

Talk to your child about the kind of websites

they look at. Encourage them to speak to

you if they come across something they find

worrying or upsetting on websites, games or

social media.

Discuss with your child what is safe and

appropriate to post and share online. Written

comments, photos and videos all form part of

their ‘digital footprint’ and could be seen by

anyone and available on the internet forever,

even if it is subsequently deleted.

Explain to your child that being online

doesn’t give them anonymity or protection,

and that they shouldn’t do anything online

that they wouldn’t do face-to-face. Users

should only accept people they know in order

to protect themselves from spammers,

strangers and others who may be using

social networking sites to commit crimes.

Unlike when they’re meeting someone face-

to-face, children don’t always know who

they’re actually ‘talking’ to online, even if they

think they do. Tell your children they must

never email, chat, or text with strangers, and

it’s never okay to meet a stranger in the real

world.

Ensure your children set their privacy

settings appropriately. Take the time to learn

how privacy settings work on your children’s

favourite sites, and teach them how to

control their privacy.

Tell your children never to share personal

and private information with anyone online.

This includes, but is not limited to, his or her

full name, age, birth date, address, phone

number, social insurance number, credit card

information and parents’ full names.

Limit the amount of time that your children

spend on social media platforms and talk

about the importance of healthy and

appropriate use of technology.

Parent resources help you support your child’s learning

At the Peel 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. Visit

www.peelschools.org/parents/helpyourchild

to 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

Bus cancellation and 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, television

stations and will also be available on Twitter

@Peelschools, Facebook at

www.facebook.com/peelschools,

www.peelschools.org, Twitter @STOPRinfo and

www.stopr.ca or by calling 905-890-1010 or

1-800-668-1146.

One of the following messages will be announced:

Peel District School Board buses

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 Peel 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 Peel

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 Peel

board offices are cancelled, including continuing

education courses and events. The buildings will

be closed.

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.

Report your child’s

immunizations to the Region of Peel online

When registering for school for the first time,

parents and guardians are required to provide

up-to-date immunization information for their

children. This includes registering for

kindergarten.

You can update your child’s immunizations

online. The online immunization tool allows you

to attach a photo of the immunization record.

When reporting online, an Ontario Health Card is

required.

Report immunizations online at:

www.peelregion.ca/immunize

After you report your immunizations online you

will be given a reference number. Keep this

number for your records. You will need to give

this number to your child’s school when

registering.

If you do not have online access or your child

does not have an Ontario Health Card, take a

copy of the immunization record to the school.

Make sure your child’s name and date of birth

are visible on the record.

Call Peel Public Health at 905-799-7700 if your

child does not have an immunization record or if

you have any questions about immunization

exemptions.

For more information, visit

www.peelregion.ca/immunize

Peel Public Health shares tips to help prevent the flu

It’s flu season and we want to make sure

students stay as healthy as possible this year!

Influenza (flu) spreads easily from one person to

another and Peel Public Health has some tips to

help reduce the risk of catching the flu and

spreading it:

Get your annual flu shot: The flu shot is

your best defense against the flu. There

are many locations across Peel where

you can get your flu shots:

Family Doctors’ offices

Walk-in clinics

Pharmacies

Peel flu clinics

Keep children home when they’re

sick: If your child develops flu-like signs

and symptoms (fever, cough, sore throat,

body aches, headache, chills and

fatigue), keep them home from school.

Contact your health care provider if

symptoms are severe.

Practice good hygiene: Help your child

get into the habit of covering their nose

and mouth with a tissue when they cough

or sneeze and throw tissues in the trash.

Cough or sneeze into a sleeve or elbow,

if they don’t have a tissue. They should

also avoid touching their eyes, nose or

mouth. This is how germs are spread.

Wash your hands: Encourage your child

to wash their hands often with soap and

water or use hand sanitizer, especially

after they cough or sneeze.

For more information, call Peel Public Health at

905-799-7700 or visit www.peelregion.ca/flu.

Keep your child’s eyes healthy

Did you know that vision problems in children

often go unnoticed because kids don’t know any

different? As many as 10 per cent of

preschoolers will have vision difficulties that can

affect the development of their sight if not

treated. However, if caught by the age of 5,

treatment will be most effective.

The Region of Peel recommends regular eye

exams for your child to help find eye problems

early and get the right treatment.

The best way to ensure good eye health is to

have your child’s eyes checked by an

optometrist. Yearly eye exams for children 19

and under are covered by OHIP.

What to expect at your child’s eye exam

An optometrist will complete:

General vision testing in both eyes. Eye muscle testing. Eye coordination testing. A general health assessment of the front

and back of the eyes. If needed, the optometrist will write a prescription for glasses for your child. For information on overall vision health, common

signs of a possible eye problem and the

programs available to you within Peel, visit

www.peelregion.ca/vision-health

“Getting Through Long Winter

Months- How to Stay Connected

and Feel Hope for Spring”

From the PDSB Mental Health Resource Team

It’s February! We are another month closer to Spring. Yet with February being the shortest month of the year, it can often feel like the longest, with days feeling more dark and gloomy. As parents, we often put ourselves last, but what if we use February as a time to focus on small ways we can take time for ourselves for self-care? Here are a few tips on how to bridge the winter hurdle of February and embrace connection and hope for Spring. Stay connected with nature and maximize daylight exposure: Bundle up and spend time outside and take advantage of natural light whenever you can. Go for a walk, park your car a little further away to maximize time outside, get off at a transit stop early, track your walking mileage, if you have a dog, try a take the dog on a new route or stay out a little longer, or help someone with limited mobility and offer to walk their dog. If you have limited mobility “staying active helps you: have some control over what you do: Focus on what you can do—not on what you can’t; have more energy and strength to do things for yourself “ (from myhealth.alberta.ca Staying Active with Limited Mobility). Stay connected socially: Reach out to family and friends- by phone or in person- make a plan to spend time together over the Family Day Weekend. Go for coffee, go somewhere new you haven’t been before, call a friend you haven’t spoken to in a while, help

someone out. Staying connected to our social relationships boosts our mood. Try a new activity (outside or inside) with your child or adolescent that does not involve technology! A final note in relation to keeping current with world events: While it is important to stay current, we are bombarded with the same messages and graphic images by all forms of media which takes a toll on our mental health. Be mindful that young ears are listening and watching and they may not voice any fears they may be experiencing. Try and limit your media time, reassure your child/teen (and yourself!) there is lots of good in the world, and check in to see if they have any questions or worries about current events. If you’re concerned about your child’s mental health, or have questions about how to talk to your child about difficult topics, visit bit.ly/SupportingChildrensMH for further information and links to school and community resources. For updates and to follow along with the work of the PDSB Mental Health Resource Team, find them on Twitter @MHRTPeel.

International Day for the

Elimination of Racial

Discrimination

In the Peel District School Board, we

#ChooseACTION each and every day to

proactively eliminate racism in all forms and be

inclusive in our school communities. We use an

anti-oppressive stance to support and maintain a

safe and positive Climate for Learning and

Working for staff, students and community well-

being. This important day, which we will

recognize as a board on Tuesday, March 24th,

will help lead the work we all do in our schools

with our students in support of equity and

inclusion.

History of the Day:

On March 21st, 1960, Afrikaner police opened

fire and killed 69 Indigenous South African

people at a peaceful demonstration in

Sharpeville, South Africa. They were protesting

the apartheid "pass laws" that severely restricted

the movement and freedom of Indigenous South

Africans. Proclaiming the Day in 1966, the

General Assembly of the United Nations called

on the international community to redouble its

efforts to eliminate all forms of racial

discrimination.

Peel District School Board Focus:

This year supports and resources focused on

Anti-Black Racism and Islamophobia have been

curated and provided to schools. Educators are

encouraged to use this sampling of tools

throughout the year in our schools and

classrooms. Our goal is to proactively eliminate

racial discrimination every day.

For more information and for activities to

commemorate the day with your children please

access the resources:

www.peelschools.org/aboutus/equity

2020 March Break Maple

Syrup Days at the Jack

Smythe Field Centre

Open House

Wednesday, March 18 -

Saturday, March 21

10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Enjoy the beauty and wonder of nature as spring

blossoms. Jack Smythe Field Centre offers an

exceptional family experience with a visit to the

Maple Syrup Sugar Bush. Join in on an authentic

Canadian tradition.

For a number of years, the Peel Field Centres

have invited the public for an awe-inspiring visit

to our outstanding Maple Sugar Bush during the

March break. Individuals and families are invited

to get involved as spring comes to life. Help

empty sap buckets, tap trees or sample some

freshly made maple syrup as we celebrate the

new syrup season. Take a hike along our

tranquil trails and feed the friendly chickadees by

hand.

Discover the importance of Ontario’s first harvest

and witness some of the many ways both sweet

water and maple syrup are made in this region.

Your visit would not be complete without a trip to

the sugar shack where the sap will boil and

clouds of sweet smelling steam will billow out of

the chimney. Have a taste of the freshly made

syrup: it’s going to be sweet!

The cost is $5.00/adult and $4.00/child 12 and

under.

Lunch will be available for purchase. It will

include: hot chocolate, cookies and hotdogs for

you to roast over an open fire. Please note that

all payments are “cash” only.

For more information, please contact the Jack

Smythe Field Centre at 1-905-877-7771.

Directions to Jack Smythe Field Centre, 14592

Winston Churchill Blvd., Terra Cotta:

North on Mississauga Rd.

Left on King St. (You will see Credit View P.S. on your left)

Right on Winston Churchill Blvd. (You will pass the Terra Cotta Conservation Area on your left) to the top of the hill

Left into the Jack Smythe site.

Boys Soccer MVP and Coach

The winning Soccer team members with their trophy

GRADE SIX FI ~ Le Petite Prince 8th Planet Project