November had our school working together to recognize the

commitment and sacrifice of many men and women during our

Remembrance Day assembly. It was wonderful to have so many of our

community join us.

The warm clothing drive to support families in need was well

supported by many families. Thanks to the Student Leadership team

and Madame Croteau for collecting and organizing this worthwhile

event.

A big thank you to the members of School Council for all their

work this fall and to our team of fundraisers and our pizza volunteers

for all their efforts. The whole community is welcome to review the

minutes on the school website. A special thank you, as well to

our school lunch assistants, their dedication and patience is

appreciated!

The choirs, band and many classrooms have been working very hard

to prepare for our Holiday concert ‘Sounds of the Season’ being

presented on Wednesday, December 18th at PE Trudeau High School

at 6:30 p.m. Watch for more information next week.

Our final assembly of the year will be on Thursday morning at 8:45

a.m. when our classes will be having a short holiday sing along.

I would like to wish everyone a wonderful holiday season. This is a

time when we can relax a bit more and reconnect with our families

and friends. Take time to enjoy our Canadian winter.

We look forward to seeing you on January 6th, 2014!

Brenda Manning

The Crosby Chronicle 2013-2014 The Newsletter of Roy H. Crosby Public School December

in our SCHOOL

From the Principal’s desk

This month’s trait is Empathy. We strive to sense and appreciate the emotions of others, to "stand in their shoes."

We demonstrate appreciation of and concern for their feelings. We try to

understand issues from their perspectives even though we may not agree with

them personally.

Roy H. Crosby P.S.

115 Drakefield Road, Markham, ON

L3P 1G9 905-294-2910

Fax 905-294-2918

Principal

Mrs. Brenda Manning

Administrative Assistant

Mrs. Leeanne Arbour

Lead Caretaker

Mr. Rob Seaver

School Council Chair

Mrs. Lesli McKee

roy.h.crosby.ps@sc.yrdsb.edu.on.ca

Superintendent

Mr. Dan Wu

905-940-7800

Trustee

Mr. Allan Tam

416-898-9607

School Website

http://royhcrosby.ps.yrdsb.ca/

NEW

Math Fun

PRIMARY STUDENTS

Ministry of Education– Parent Guide JK-3 Mathematics

http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/document/brochure/earlymath/

JUNIOR STUDENTS

Rainbow Schools FSL Homework Toolbox & Study Skills & Work Habits

http://www.fslhomeworktoolbox.ca/lookandlisten/mathematics/intro_to_math.php

Online Math Dictionary

http://www.amathsdictionaryforkids.com/

Math is Fun

http://www.mathsisfun.com/

Information sessions for the French Immersion (FI) program will take place at Franklin Street Public

School on January 16, 2014 at 7 p.m. FI registration will begin January 17, 2014. In order to streamline

the registration process, parents or guardians of Senior Kindergarten students entering Grade 1 in 2014,

and wishing to enrol in the FI Program, can visit or call the school office and request an Office Index Card

- short version. The Office Index Card must be signed by the principal of the home school. Parents or

guardians then take this form, along with one piece of identification showing their address to Franklin

Street Public School to register between January 17 and February 14, 2014. This eliminates the need to

provide duplicate enrollment information or to pre-register.

YRDSB’s FI Accommodation Plan provides long-term consistency and equity of access to all students in

York Region and will enable YRDSB to continue to offer the FI program to all who wish to enrol. The FI

program will be offered in Dual Track or Single Track settings, in a variety of configurations. In order to

meet community needs and optimize available space in our schools, a community's Grade 1-8 FI

program may be provided over more than one school during the course of a student's FI education. This

will allow flexibility in addressing community needs and the opportunity to use existing space in schools.

More information is available on the Board’s website: www.yrdsb.edu.on.ca. Please note: Some of the FI

accommodation plans will require facility modifications or the development of new schools and will

require short-term transition plans that might include overflow while we work toward the long-term

vision. Overflow refers to situations in which the Board directs students to attend a school other than

their community school or optional program for a specific period of time, as defined in Policy #108.

French Immersion

Kindergarten Registration to Commence January 17th, 2014

Kindergarten registration will commence on January 17, 2014 for the 2014-15 school year. Registration

forms are available on YRDSB’s website: www.yrdsb.edu.on.ca. Children who turn four or five years old

during 2014, live within the school boundary and whose parents are public school tax supporters will be

eligible to register for kindergarten. A kindergarten information session for parents is being planned for

this spring. For more information please visit the YRDSB website or contact your local school.

All students have received a copy of the 2013-14 Learning Calendar. Please note that on Thursday, June 26th, 2014 an early release day will take place to allow elementary teachers and support staff to participate in activities in the afternoon of that day in support of student achievement and school planning.

Students will attend school during the morning of Thursday, June 26th, 2014 only. More details will follow closer to the date.

Lunch is from 12:25-1:25 p.m. Students will eat in their own classrooms from 12:25-12:50 p.m. School Assistants supervise the classes and areas. Outdoor lunch recess is from 12:50-1:25 p.m. All students are expected to go outside unless they are involved in a special activity. Students are expected to: 1. remain seated during lunch and behave with courtesy and respect;

2. ask permission if it is necessary to leave the room;

3. follow the school assistant’s instructions;

4. clear off your desk and push in your chair before leaving the room. Once again, we ask that parents and caregivers refrain from dropping off lunches for students. Lunches should be sent with your student. If a lunch needs to be dropped off, please leave the labeled lunch on the table inside the front doors. The procedure may be changing on February 3rd with the front doors being locked at all times.

Please remember: No Nuts. Also remind your child not to share food as some students have other food

allergies and sensitivities.

Kindergarten Registration

2014 Early Dismissal

Lunchtime Routines

All students from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 6 are expected to go out for every recess unless the

principal or vice-principal decides that weather conditions are so poor that it would be detrimental for

them to be outdoors. Students are to come to school ready for winter and prepared to be outdoors up

to 40 minutes after lunch. We always monitor the weather and, in extreme conditions e.g. wind chill;

we keep the students indoors or shorten the recess breaks.

We often receive requests from parents asking us to keep their children indoors during recess times

because they are not feeling well. Unfortunately, we do not have the staff or facilities to supervise

students who are sick or still recovering from an illness. Students with heavy colds, etc., which are

serious enough to prevent them from participating in physical education, recesses or other outdoor

activities, should remain at home until their condition improves. This will likely benefit the students

concerned and prevent the spread of this illness to others.

Please make sure that your children are dressed properly for our invigorating winter days. It is advisable

for students to bring extra pants and socks. A change is often necessary due to the wet and cold weather

of the winter months. To avoid adding to our clothing collection in the Lost and Found, please be sure to

label all articles of clothing. Boots, hats, mitts/gloves, scarves, and snow pants for the younger children

will help make recess an enjoyable time.

The development of learning skills and work habits needed to succeed in school and in life begins early in a child’s schooling. As students move through the grades, they develop and then consolidate their learning skills and work habits in preparation for post -secondary education and the world of work. Strong learning skills and positive work habits are often an indicator of future success in school, at home, and in life in general. Learning skills and work habits will look different in individuals as they grow and mature. The following are sample behaviours which are designed to help identify strengths and support growth of those learning skills and work habits. Responsibility Consider how well your child: - fulfills commitments in learning environments; -completes and submits class work, homework, and assignments according to agreed upon timelines; and -manages his/her behaviour.

Learning Skills and Work Habits

Weather Watch

Independent Work Consider how well your child: -monitors, assesses, and revises plans to complete tasks and meet goals; -uses class time appropriately to complete tasks; and - follows instructions with minimal supervision.

Message From Our Trustee Allan Tam

As 2013 draws to a close, I hope everyone has had a wonderful school year so far. As

a trustee, I am always very proud to hear about the great things happening in our

schools, thanks to the hard work of our students, staff and community members.

With the school year well underway I hope you have had an opportunity to get

involved with the school community. There are many different ways to get

involved. Our great schools become even better when everyone in the school

community – families, students, staff and community partners – feels welcome and

engaged in the school.

We will begin 2014 with a renewed Mission, Vision and Values statement. They are being updated to

better reflect the school communities we serve, and the changes we have seen in education over the

past decade. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their views.

As we enter the winter months, on behalf of the trustees and staff of the York Region District School

Board, I would like to wish you and your families a safe and happy holiday season, and a wonderful start

to the new year.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanza, Happy Eastern Christmas to families who are

celebrating these faith days during the holiday season.

Allan Tam

Trustee Markham Area 3 (Wards 4 & 5)

Trustee Message

The next meeting is Monday, December 9th at 7:15 p.m. in the Library.

Please join us!

FOOD BITES December 2013

A Guide to Fats

Once upon a time, our ancestors ate without much thought about fat. Then times changed and it was considered that fats are bad and low fat was the way to go. Now again as we gain more knowledge and information, we know that fats are essential to our health and well-being, and not all fats are created equal. Let’s take a closer look at the types of fats and the best cooking uses of different kinds of fats.

Benefits of fat Some fat in our diets is vital. Fats are nutrients that give us energy. They help us absorb fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. They are important for growth development and cell functions and some cannot be made by our body processes. They also assist in the proper functioning of our brains and nerves and maintain healthy skin and other tissues.

Types of fat Fats are made up of fatty acid molecules containing carbon, oxygen and hydrogen. The more hydrogen than carbon a fat has, the more saturated it is.

Unsaturated fats: are liquid at room temperature and considered the “good fats”. 1. Monounsaturated fats – come from seeds, nuts such as avocado, olive, peanut and canola oils. 2. Polyunsaturated fats – come from vegetables, seeds or nuts such as corn, safflower, sunflower and sesame oils.

Saturated fats: are mainly animal fats and are solid at room temperature. These include butter, cheese, whole milk, egg yolks and fatty meats. Some plant fats are also in this category including coconut and palm oils. Once thought to be the “bad fat” and to be avoided, there is now evidence that shows that not all saturated fats are bad and eating the right ones can actually make you healthy. For example, ghee (clarified butter) and coconut oil have many health benefits and have a higher smoking point.

Trans fats: are produced when liquid oil is made into a solid fat through a process called hydrogenation. This process makes oils more stable and less likely to spoil. These would include margarine and shortening. Trans fats should be avoided altogether as they are known to cause major health problems such as heart diseases to cancer. Trans fats are often found in baked goods, fried foods, snack foods and pre-mixed products (such as cake mix, pancake mix, chocolate drink mix).

Cooking with fats There are many different types of oils and fats to choose from when cooking. Choose oils for your cooking based on taste, texture and smoke point. The smoke point of an oil or fat is the temperature at which it gives off smoke when heated. A fat starts to break down when it exceeds the smoke point and is not good for consumption. Some fats are better choices for different types of cooking.

Type of cooking Best choices

High heat cooking Light olive oil (light in colour and taste not calorie content), Canola oil, Coconut oil, Peanut oil, Avocado oil, Grapeseed oil, Sesame oil, Sunflower oil, Palm oil

Sautéing Extra virgin olive oil, Safflower oil, Ghee,

Baking Butter, Extra virgin coconut oil, Canola oil, Almond oil, Grapeseed oil, Palm oil

Dressings/dips Extra virgin olive oil, Avocado oil, Flaxseed oil, Wheat-germ oil, Grapeseed oil, Hemp oil

Did you know? Kid’s Kitchen serves hot lunches at your school. Leave the lunches to us! Take a break from making lunches and place your orders with Kid’s Kitchen today. Lunches are delivered fresh and hot to children at the school at lunch time. Allergies? No problem, we take care of it all. For more information visit www.kidskitchen.ca or call us at 905-944-0210.