The Burnt Elm Banner 85 Burnt Elm Drive, Brampton On, L7A 1T8 Phone 905-495-9368 Fax 905-495-9371

Principal—Mrs. W. Vokey Vice-Principal-Mrs. G. Gill

Office Manager-Mrs. S. Corbett Superintendent-Mr. Mark Haarmann Trustee-Mrs. S. Nurse

June 2015 EDITION

Welcome to the home of Benny

the Bengal!

A Message from the Principal

As June comes to pass, the end of another school year is just around the

corner. It has been a year of learning, fun and friends at Burnt Elm. As

we officially welcome the hot, summer weather, we are beginning our

final month of this school year. Mrs. Gill and I want to express our

thanks to the entire school community for your on-going support, inter-

est and commitment to our school.

We look forward to our upcoming BBQ and Fun Fair to be held on

June 10, 2015 (6:00 pm -8:00 pm). This event will be hosted by our Me

to We group and Parent Council. Proceeds from the ticket sales will go

to Free the Children and the Nepal Earthquake Fund. Ten percent of

revenues from the BBQ will go to Parent Council to cover costs for the

event and to provide a treat to our gr. 5 graduating class. We are excited

for the event and hope that you and your family will be able to join us!

The event will be held rain or shine.

It is with great appreciation that we say thank you and good-bye to a few

of our staff members from our school. We would like to wish Mrs. Robbins,

Mrs. Gaebel, Mrs. Singh, Mrs. Queensborough and Mrs. Dhawan well as they

move on to other school locations. We wish Mrs. Shirley Brown all the best in her

retirement. Further, we would also like to thank Ms. Heritage, Ms. Abraham, Ms.

Gaughan, Ms. Anthony, Ms. Simran Gill and Ms. Kendy Grant, who have been with

us in the capacity as long term occasional staff members, for their efforts. We thank

all of the above noted staff for their dedication to their students and pass on our well

wishes to them in their new positions or retirement years ahead.

Along with our thanks and best wishes to the aforementioned staff mem-

bers, we would like to thank our dedicated Parent Council - Ms. Cullen,

and Ms. Talanow, our council co-chairs, and Ms. Panwar, Mrs. Braun,

Mr. Boudreau, Ms. Kaur, Ms. Tilva, Ms. Kalia and Ms. Branco, the re-

maining members of our executive. We appreciate their dedicated efforts

to the students of our school. Our next year’s School Council election will

be held within the first 30 calendar days of the school year. We will con-

firm this date in the fall with you.

We wish all of our students and families a fantastic end of the school

year and a wonderful summer to follow!

The first day of school is September 8, 2015.

Math Tip

Explore your child’s thinking

process. Ask your child:

• Why did you…?

• What can you do next?

• Do you see any patterns?

• Does the answer make sense?

• Tell me in a different way.

Inserts:

Celebrating Faith and Culture

Register today for Adult ESL non-credit courses

3 Steps to quality summer child care

On the road again– how to keep your child safe

Preparing for the summer sun

Summer activities that boost learning

We Welcome the World

Idle Free Zone

40 Hours to graduate

What's Happening At Burnt Elm?

Schedule for 2015-2016

Gr. 1-5:

8:05 Outdoor Supervision Begins

8:20 Entry

10:40-11:20 Nutrition Break #1

12:40-1:20 Nutrition Break #2

2:40 Dismissal

Kindergarten:

8:05 Outdoor Supervision Begins

8:20 Entry

Lunch Break happens on a varied schedule

(students should bring lunch to school with

them)

2:40 Dismissal

First Day of School

First day of school for students

will be Sept. 8, 2015.

Teacher supervision in the school yard begins at 8:05

a.m. School starts at 8:20 a.m.

Grade 5 Farewell

We are almost at the end of the year and soon we will be saying

our farewell to the grade 5 students as they leave Burnt Elm to

experience their journey to Middle School. We will be having

our Grade 5 Farewell on June 24th at 11:30 a.m.

SK Graduation

Our SK students are looking forward to their graduations as

well. Here are the dates:

June 9th-Rm.101 and 102 (9:00 a.m.)

June 10th– Rm. 107, 108 and 109 (9:00 a.m.)

June 11th—Rm. 105 and 106 (1:00 p.m.)

June 12th—Rm. 103 and 104 (9:00 a.m.)

Are you Moving?

If you are planning to move and your

child will be attending a different school

in the fall, please visit our office for some

information.

Respectful Assembly

Grade 4 students are very busy preparing for our last character trait assembly scheduled for June 19th at 11:40 & 1:40.

The theme for this month is Respectful.

We show respect by:

-Speaking courteously to everyone

-Treating yourself and others with care and value

-Honouring the rules of your home, school, workplace and community

-Demonstrating value for yourself

-Taking care with other people’s property and belongings

Courtesy Bus Seats for 2015-2016

Courtesy transportation, which is assign-ment of ineligible students to available, empty seats on buses, will not be initiated prior to October 3.

What's Happening At Burnt Elm?

Congratulations to our grade 4 & 5 students who participated in our Playground Activity Leaders in Schools

program (P.A.L.S. Leaders) this year at Burnt Elm, for a job very well done! These students were selected by

their teachers to be trained and act as P.A.L.S. Leaders for our younger students. The P.A.L.S Leaders plan

and lead fun, safe activities on the playground during nutrition breaks.

Playground Activity Leaders in Schools, otherwise known as "P.A.L.S", was created by the Region of Peel

Public Health Department in 2003. It is a student-led playground leadership program that encourages all chil-

dren to participate in activities during recess, regardless of their gender, size, or ability. The P.A.L.S. program

provides leadership opportunities for our students in grades 4 and 5. In addition, this program helps to increase

physical activity, decrease conflict, reduce the incidence of playground bullying, and support our goal of inclu-

siveness. The P.A.L.S. motto is...."There is always room for one more!"

We are very proud of our P.A.L.S. Leaders at Burnt Elm! We would like to thank them all very much for their

hard work and dedication to the program throughout the year. Together, these students have all made a huge

difference in making recess inclusive and fun! A big “thank you” goes out from Mrs. Vokey, Mrs. Gill and all

of the students in grades 1 and 2, in appreciation for all the exciting games and activities that were organized

by our P.A.L.S. Leaders!

Thank you very much from Ms. Folorunsho and Ms. Boparai!

Please enjoy the photos of Burnt Elm’s PALS Teams!

BURNT ELM CELEBRATES

the

PLAYGROUND ACTIVITY LEADERS (P.A.L.S)

Team 1: Shajeeven, Eshan, Vanshika, Karimah, Cindy,

Harleen, Harish, Arya M., Rasleen, Ashka, Arya T.

Team 1: Shajeeven, Eshan, Vanshika, Karimah, Cindy,

Harleen, Harish, Arya M., Rasleen, Ashka, Arya T.

Library Learning Commons Update

It is that time of the year when the Library Learning Commons be-gins end year procedures. The final due date for Burnt Elm Library books is June 12. Please have your child look around the house for misplaced books and return them to the library.

Thank you!

Team 3: Ridha, Joshua, Sama, Tia, Mehak, Harsimranjot,

Pamjeet, Saumya, Komal, Jasleen, Stephanie Team 4: Prishil, Devonea, Nathaniel, Armaan, Mehak V.,

Pamneet, Harleen, Simrat

Team 5: Sahil, Amuthan, Mya, Arjun, Puja, Allisa,

Celeigh

Celebrating Faith and Culture June 2015

DATE CELEBRATION FAITH AND CULTURE

June Miso'o Aboriginal Spirituality

June Aboriginal History Month Aboriginal Spirituality

June 1 or 2 Nisfu Sha’ban Islam

June 2 Poson Buddhism

June 5 to 23 the month of Núr Bahá'í

June 7 All Saints Day Christianity

June 15 to 19 Aboriginal Week Aboriginal Spirituality

June 16 Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Sikhism

June 17 or 18 Ramadan Islam

June 21 National Aboriginal Day Aboriginal Spirituality

June 21 Litha Wicca

June 24 to July 12 the month of Rahmat Bahá'í

June 24 St. Jean Baptiste Day Christianity and Canada

June 27 Multiculturalism Day Canada

June 29 to July 3 Ghambar Maidyoshem Zoroastrianism

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. Summer courses begin July 6, 2015.

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

Bramalea

Adult Education Centre

25 Kings Cross Road, Unit 3

Brampton

Adult Education Centre

#300 - 7700 Hurontario Street

Mississauga

Adult Education Centre

100 Elm Drive West, Room 117

To learn more, visit www.peelschools.org/adulteducation.

Twitter: @PDSBLearnESL

3 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 sum-mer 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 investigate 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.

On the road again—how to keep your cyclist safe

Here are some tips you can review with your child to ensure bike season gets off to a great start:

The right fit

children should be able to straddle the bike with both feet on 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 noticed

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

older riders should have a light and/or reflectors

Follow the rules

no riding on busy streets

no riding at night

stop for all STOP signs

Actions that cause injuries

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 cyclist doesn't

Summer activities that boost learning

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 objects will float when dropped into wa-ter 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 per-son to find as much information on the topic as possible – read newspapers, look at online news web-pages, 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 convincing? For variety, assign family members to teams and have them prepare their arguments pro and con.

Stretch, run, walk – Ask your child to do at least one kind of exercise every day. For example, 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 citizenship. Help your child write a letter to the editor of the lo-cal newspaper about an issue affecting children – 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.

The Peel District School Board’s We Welcome the World Centres located in Brampton, Malton and Mis-sissauga, are the first point of contact for all newcomer families to become familiar with the educational system in Peel. The centre are open all year—including the summer months. In addition to providing literacy and numeracy assessments, We Welcome the World Centres provide newcomers with a host of services including: reception, orientation, interpretation and referrals.

At each centre parents/guardians and students will discover: computer portals—guided introduction to the Peel Welcome to School Kits and other Peel resources settlement service information translation of materials to support the reception and assessment process age and grade appropriate educational and related program resources audio-visual materials to explain the adult education program professionally administered child-care (only available during assessment and orientation process) information about various community supports and programming available

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

IDLE-FREE Zone

Our school is working to protect the health of our students and the health of our environment. We ask you to show your support by turning off your engine while dropping off or 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 engine 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

Since 1999, all students in Ontario secondary schools are required to complete a minimum of 40 hours of community involvement in order to receive a diploma. The purpose of this requirement is to encour-age students to develop an understanding of the various roles they can play in their community. Stu-dents are now able to start accumulating community involvement hours in the summer before they enter grade 9.

Research shows that early involvement in community service helps students build a spirit of civic re-sponsibility which can be expanded as they move through secondary school. The aim of the 40-hour requirement is to encourage students to become actively involved 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 involvement activities. Here’s how to get started:

Spend some time with your teen going through the list of eligible and ineligible activities 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 at www.peelschools.org/students/40hours/

Visit http://www.peelschools.org/students/40hours/volunteerjobboard/ for available volunteer oppor-tunities

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.

Peel board recognizes Crossing Guard Appreciation Day on June 9

The Peel board will recognize the contribution of school crossing guards on Crossing Guard Apprecia-tion Day, June 9. The board encourages students, parents and staff to take a moment to thank the neighbourhood crossing guards who help to ensure a safe journey to and from school for thousands of students every day.