Sir John A. MacdonaldMiddle School

250 Centre Street, Brampton ON, L6V 2R4905-457-5535

Mrs. R. Manners, Principal Mrs. M Lane , Vice-Principal(Acting)

Mrs. K. Flear, Office Manager Mrs. H. Morrison, Secretary

Please find our newsletter online at our webpagehttp://schools.peelschools.org/1540/Pages/default.aspx

Principal’s Message

March Break begins Friday, March 13 and students (and staff) are looking forward totravelling, taking special day trips, sleeping in or just spending quality time with theirfamily. Trips and outings are a wonderful way to introduce children to new experiencesand ideas. Learning is all about making connections and the more memories studentsput in their ‘experience backpacks’ the more they have to draw on to make senseof their world.Inquiry-based learning is all about making connections. For students, the process ofteninvolves open-ended investigations into a question or problem, requiring them toengage in evidence-based reasoning and creative problem solving, as well as “problemfinding.” This year inquiry based learning is a focus of our school improvement planand teachers and students are actively engaged in this kind of purposeful learning. Our focus has and remains to be on mathematics and numeracy. Connections students make with real life and math are important as we try to embed a deep understanding that math is part of our everyday world. We would hope that you will take the time to point out every numeracy related experience you encounter this March break with your

child. New experiences and authentic inquiry are important in developing lifelong learners.We wish you the best during the March Break and look forward to hearing stories ofadventure, discovery and memorable family time.

‘March Break’ commence vendredi 13 mars, et les étudiants attendent avec impatience pour voyager, prendre des excursions d'une journée spéciale, dormant dans la maison ou juste passer du temps avec leur famille. Voyages et sorties sont une merveilleuse façon d'initier les enfants aux idées et aux nouvelles expériences. L'apprentissage se lie au sujet de faire des connexions. Apprentissage fondé sur la recherche consiste à effectuer les connexions. Pour les étudiants, le processus implique souvent des enquêtes ouvertes sur une question ou un problème, les obligeant à s'engager dans le raisonnement factuel et solutions créatives aux problèmes. Nous mettons toujours l’accent sur les mathématiques et nous encourageons les élèves de faire des connexions avec la vie réelle.

Dropping Off and Picking Up Your Child

Parents, we would ask that you please refrain from dropping off or picking up your child on school property. We have had several incidents were both students and staff have

almost been hit by parents picking up their child, particularly in the front lane of the school, beside the bus lane. None of us here want your child or our staff to be injured. We are sure that you would agree that safety for all must be our top priority. We ask that you refrain from entering the front lane or the rear parking lot between 8:30am – 9am and 3pm – 3:30pm. We would ask that you park on the street on either side of

the school, but not between the entrance and exit to the driveway as this is where our smaller buses wait to pick up students.

HAPPENINGS AT SJAM

SJAM Idol rehearsals are well on their way. The sound of music is alive in our halls every lunch hour. The talent and dedication of both students and staff is incredible! Make sure to mark your calendar and attend the show.

All students and staff will be participating in the recognition of the International Day of Pink on April 8th.

What is the Day of Pink?

April 8th, 2015 marks the International Day of Pink. It is a day where communities across the country and the world unite in celebrating diversity and raising awareness to stop homophobic, transphobic, transmisogynistic, and all other forms of bullying.The International Day of Pink was started in Nova Scotia when 2 straight high school students saw a gay student wearing a pink shirt being bullied. The 2 students intervened, but wanted to do more to prevent homophobic and transphobic bullying. They decided to purchase pink shirts. The next day they got everyone at school to arrive wearing pink, standing in solidarity against bullying and discrimination. The result was that an entire school took a stand and began working together to prevent homophobic and transphobic bullying.The message was clear: Anyone can bully and, anyone can be victimized by bullying, but together we can stop it.Each year on the second Wednesday of April, millions of people wear pink and take a stand. The Day of Pink is a symbol, a spark, that empowers and inspires youth across Canada to stand up against bullying and discrimination.

Brampton Recreation Centre is offering a second sessions of athletic activities in our Gym after March Break. Please refer to the Flyer sent home with all Gr.6 and 7 students. Please register on line.

Bhangra Dance lessons will be offered in April in our Gym. Flyers will be sent home before March break. Please return the completed form and payment to the Office.

We will have numerous field trips in the upcoming months so we ask that you please ensure you are receiving letters and returning signed permission forms back ASAP as it helps with smooth planning and it also makes our office staff’s work easier not having to track students down for forms and money.

Pizza continues to be sold on Wednesday at lunch. $2.00 per slice Cookie and Chip sales continue on Thursday and Fridays respectfully.

Attendance Line

This is a reminder to call the school if your child is absent or will be late.To reach this line, dial 905-457-5535 & Press 1 for Attendance.

Extended Vacation or Absence from School

If you will be taking your child out of school for a vacation or they are absent for an extended period of time, please pick up a form from the office to be completed and

returned.

Dates to Remember

Date EventMarch 16 – 20 (inclusive) March Break

March 24 Grade 8 Dental ScreeningApril 13 - 17 Grade 6 trip to Albion HillsApril 20 - 24 Education Week

April 23 Raising Resilient Teens 6pmMay 7 Spring Concert 7pm

May 11 PD Day – No SchoolMay 18 Victoria Day – No SchoolMay 21 Grade 7 parents/students mtg for Grade 9

course selections in fall 2015May 25 – 28 Grade 7 trip to RockwoodMay 25 - 29 Grade 6 EQAO

May 28 Open House for Grade 5 students and Extended French students

May 29 Cops for CancerJune 8 Report Card Writing Day – No School

June 10 - 12 Grade 7 trip to OlympiaJune 15 Grade 8 Graduation Ceremony – 5:30pm

Mayfield SS AuditoriumJune 25 Grade 8 Grad Dance 1pm – 3pmJune 26 Last Day of School/Reports Go Home

Mr. Lapiccirella collecting the outer bags from four liter bags of milk to help the homeless

The milk bag mats offer people without beds, an invaluable, durable and washable alternative to sleeping on the often cold and damp ground. Not only can these milk-bag

mats provide comfort as a bedding alternative, but have been used by health care professionals as a make-ready substitute for an operating bed/table where resources

are scarce. It takes approximately 400 milk bags to make an adult sized mat. For quite some time, all across Canada, a community of volunteers, schools, churches and

businesses have been collecting milk bags. The milk bags used are the ones that hold the three smaller bags of milk. The bags are cut into strips, tied together, and then

crocheted or woven into mats. Why Canadian milk bags? They don’t disintegrate, are

very strong, don’t retain moisture, have a life span of 25 years, are UV ray resistant, are washable and are very colorful. We are looking to the community of Sir John A.

Macdonald families to donate their unused milk bags whenever possible in order to help in this endeavor. All milk bags will be collected and donated to a local community group

that will transform the milk bags into mats for the homeless. Below is a link to a You tube video which shows how milk bags are transformed into sleeping mats.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTz3i7pYvWk

Conference helps parents make a difference in numeracy and beyond'

The Peel District School Board is hosting its annual parent conference on Saturday, April 18, 2015 at Fletcher’s Meadow Secondary School in Brampton. This year, Numeracy & Beyond: Parent Conference, will focus on numeracy—25 out of 60 workshops help with math. Parents will still have the opportunity to attend workshops on other topics, including literacy, special education and science.

This free learning event is open to Peel parents of students at all grade levels.

Space is limited. Registration closes March 27.

Stay up-to-date!

For more information, visit www.peelschools.org/parents/conference

Help your family stay warm this winter

Peel Public Health recommends the following cold weather guidelines for preventing cold-weather injuries:

1. Reduce amount of time children (grade 8 and under) spend outdoors when the temperature is –20 degrees Celsius or colder, with or without the wind chill. Keep children indoors when the temperature is -25 degrees Celsius or colder, with or without wind chill. Some medical conditions may increase sensitivity to cold. Parents should consult their physician (Source: Environment Canada).

2. Allow indoor breaks if children say they are feeling cold or during extreme temperatures.3. Ensure children are dressed warmly, covering exposed skin: insulated boots, winter weight coats,

mittens, hats, neck warmers.4. Change wet clothing or footwear immediately.5. Although these conditions are unlikely to occur during the school day, ensure that all staff are

able to recognize and treat symptoms of frostbite and hypothermia. Given plenty of warm fluids to prevent dehydration.

6. When children are outside, be watchful for shivering or signs of numbness in faces, ears, hands or feet.

7. Educate children in dealing with cold weather: drinking plenty of fluids, dressing warmly, and recognizing signs of cold injury.

Apply for a position on the board's French as a Second Language Advisory Committee

The Peel District School Board is currently seeking parent members for its first French as a Second Language Advisory committee. The committee will meet three to four times during the school year to provide input and feedback in an advisory capacity to the board regarding the development and implementation of French programs and initiatives.

We are now in the process of inviting parents to apply for eight available positions on the committee.

Members will be selected based on the following criteria: demonstrates a keen interest in public education and French as a Second Language programs understands the importance of parent, family and community engagement has experience working with French language/cultural organizations demonstrates advocacy and community development skills has a present level of involvement in the education system reflects the diversity of the community

If interested, visit www.peelschools.org/parents/involved/french for an application and more details.

Visit the Maple Syrup Sugar Bush at Jack Smythe Field Centre

Enjoy the beauty and wonder of nature as spring blossoms. The Jack Smythe Field Centre offers an exceptional family experience with a visit to its Maple Syrup Sugar Bush. The March Break program runs from Wed., March 18, to Sat., March 21, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The Sugar Bush program has been established for more than 15 years and provides families with an educational activity and a hands-on experience. The program is run by Peel District School Board teachers and staff during March Break.

Families are invited to get involved as spring comes to life in the following activities:

help tap trees and empty sap buckets sample some freshly made maple syrup hike along our trails and feed the friendly chickadees by hand learn how pioneers collected and produced syrup compared to modern-day operations visit the sugar shack where the sap boils and clouds of sweet smelling steam billow out of the

chimney

The cost is $5/adult and $4/child 12 and under (cash only). Lunch will be available for purchase. It will include: hot chocolate, cookies and hot dogs for you to roast over an open fire.

Directions to Jack Smythe Field Centre, 14592 Winston Churchill Blvd., Terra Cotta:

North on Mississauga Road, left on King Street (you will see Credit View Public School on your left), right on Winston Churchill Boulevard (you must pass Terra Cotta Conservation Area on your left) and proceed to the top of the hill and left into the Jack Smythe site.

For more information, please contact the Jack Smythe Field Centre at 1-905-877-7771.

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, WeChat, Vine and Kik 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.

Register today for Adult ESL non-credit courses

Do you know an adult in Peel that is interested in improving their English language skills for work, study or daily life?

The Peel District School Board offers Adult ESL courses at three locations in Brampton and Mississauga. Winter courses begin February 2, 2015.

To learn more or to register, call 905-270-6000. Registration is ongoing and continues after courses have started.

BramaleaAdult Education Centre 25 Kings Cross Road, Unit 3

BramptonAdult Education Centre

#300 - 7700 Hurontario Street 

MississaugaAdult Education Centre 100 Elm Drive West, Room 117 To learn more, visit www.peelschools.org/adulteducation.

Twitter: @PDSBLea

PLEASE SCROLL DOWN!

Sir John A. Newsletter 2015

Kids’ CBC hosts a free family kite festival event on March 21 & 22

This free family event will feature an exciting day full of fun for kids as they make kites, rangoli designs, spin tops, hear South Asian stories and enjoy a digital gaming zone and more. They will also meet and greet with their favourite Kids’ CBC characters including host Patty, Daniel Tiger, Bookaboo and Super WHY!

The kids will have a chance to appear on camera, as Kids’ CBC camera crew captures fun moments of the day to be featured on-air and on the Kids’ CBC YouTube Channel

Saturday March 21, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.Mississauga Central Library301 Burnhamthorpe Road West, MississaugaSunday March 22, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.Bramalea City Centre25 Peel Centre Drive, Brampton

For more information on the event and Kids’ CBC, visit www.cbc.ca/parents.

Celebrating Faith and Culture Happy Celebrations!!March 2015

DATECELEBRATION FAITH AND CULTURE

March Xsaak Aboriginal Spirituality

March 1 Intercalary Day Bahá'í

Sunset March 1 to 20 Alá (Fasting month) Bahá'í

Eve of March 4 to 5 Purim Judaism

March 5 Latern Festival Buddhism

March 5 Magha Puja Buddhism

Match 5 Holi Hinduism

March 6 World Day of Prayer Christianity

March 6 Hola Mohalla Sikhism

March 14 New Year Sikhism

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Sir John A. Newsletter 2015

March 16 to 20 Ghambar Hamaspath-meadem Zoroastrianism

March 17 St. Patrick's Day Christianity

March 20 Vasant Navratri and New Year’s Day Hinduism

March 20 Shunki-sorei-sai Shinto

March 20 Lady Day (Ostara) Wicca

March 21 Eid e-Navroz Islam

March 21 Naw Ruz Bahá'í

March 26 Khordad Saal Zoroastrianism

March 28 Sri Ramnavami Hinduism

March 29 Palm Sunday Christianity

March 29 to April 4 Holy Week begins Christianity

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