Our staffing model for 2015-2016 has been approved by the Board. Unfortunately, for the first time in my years here at Brown P.S. we are in a surplus position which means we will be losing staff. Anything can happen between now and September and we remain optimistic that we will be able to hold on to all of our staff.
The next few weeks will involve teachers being placed into teaching positions for next year and teachers accepting other opportunities through the Board’s vacancy process. We have a number of teachers returning from leaves and a number of teachers who will be leaving us as the other teachers return back to Brown. There will be some changes once again next year and we look forward to the exciting opportunities that our staffing model and staffing will bring. The staffing model will be released to our community in the June newsletter.
MOVING?
If you are moving before September, please let the main office know as soon as possible. As we start planning for school organization for next year, we need to have enrolment data that is as accurate as possible since it affects staffing and class organization.
TRANSITIONS: FROM GRADE 6 TO GRADE 7
By now, the majority of our students have received acceptances into the schools they have applied to under optional attendance or outside our Board. The pathway for our French Immersion students is Glenview P.S. The pathway for our English stream students is Deer Park P.S. as long as they live within the district boundary for Deer Park; otherwise, students will be directed to their homeschool for Grade 7.
Quite often, students in the French Immersion program opt to go to the English stream. As long as the student lives within our boundary, the transition for students leaving French Immersion to go to English will be to Deer Park P.S. Please let your child’s classroom teacher know your intentions for next year as we will be meeting with the receiving schools to discuss our students.
FACULTY STUDENTS
Throughout the year we have had many Faculty students doing their practicums with our students. We would like to thank our many Faculty partners and our staff for mentoring our future teachers.
GO CANADA
GO Canada is a company that offers internship placements to young adults who want to live and work in desirable bustling cities. In the past few months we have welcomed students from Japan who are working with our Brown P.S students and learning English at the same time. We welcome two new students from Japan to Brown for the months of April, May and June. Welcome to Koki and Yukari. They will be working with our English stream students.
THE NICER WEATHER IS HERE
We continue to encourage our students to wear appropriate clothing to school based on the weather forecast. As the nicer weather approaches, we ask students to have their shoes on at all times when indoors and especially when outside in the school yard to prevent any accidents or infections.
High Water Levels Brings Increased Risks
The Toronto and Region Conservation monitors hazardous ice conditions as thaw begins and are reminding everyone to be very careful around all bodies of water. The first hint of warming weather and the promise of spring thaw can bring extreme danger to the shores and surfaces of streams, rivers, ponds and lakes, according to Toronto and Region Conservation.
As warmer temperatures arrive, stream banks become increasingly slippery and unstable. Lake and river ice weakens, becoming thinner or with higher flows breaking with little or no warning. During this time, the potential for flooding and ice jamming is high.
Higher, faster-flowing water and extreme cold temperatures combine to create increased dangers on or near rivers, streams and ponds for people wishing to enjoy the seasonal changes. Parents and caregivers are being asked to keep children away from stream banks, ponds and lakes.
GRADE 6 GRADUATION TRIP: JUNE 10-12 IN THE NIAGARA REGION
Parent Information Evening Tuesday April 14, 7:00 PM in the library
Our Brightspark Tour Guide will be presenting the itinerary and important information to our students during a Lunch and Learn session in May. All deposit payments for the trip are currently due. The contingency plan has been sent home and further information about what students should bring on the trip will be sent home after the Lunch and Learn session.
HEADS-UP: EQAO ASSESSMENT FOR GRADES 3 & 6
May 25 to June 5, 2015
The Ministry of Education conducts a province-wide assessment of all students in Grade 3 and Grade 6. Students are assessed in the areas of math, reading and writing. Please note that Grade 3 French Immersion students only do the math portion of the EQAO testing. The assessments will take place during the period from May 25 to June 5. Please make every effort not to book appointments for your children in these grades during the testing days. Many of our students are currently practising many strategies for taking the test and learning from past tests. Parents interested in obtaining more information may do so. EQAO provides educators, parents and students with an abundance of easily accessible quality resources. The tools, guides and sample tests are free and can be obtained online by visiting www.eqao.com.
More information will be sent home to the parents of students in these grades as we move closer to the testing dates.
IN-SCHOOL SUPPORT TEAM AND SCHOOL SUPPORT TEAM - REFERRAL PROCESS/SUPPORT SERVICES
The In-School Support Team consists of our school Special Education team, the classroom teacher(s) and Administration. The School Support Team consists of the Administration team, school psychologist, school social worker, speech-language pathologist, classroom teacher(s) and parents. Referrals can be made to either Psychology Services, Social Worker services, Occupational Therapy, Speech-Language and Attendance.
When students experience difficulty learning in the regular classroom environment, consultation with a member of Support Services can provide ideas and information to teachers and parents/guardians to help the student become a more effective learner. In their roles as members of the School Support Team, staff can assist teachers in understanding why a student is having difficulty and make suggestions for changes to a student's program which would enable that student to work more effectively within the regular classroom. These changes to program can involve either instructional strategies and/or behavioural management techniques.
Sometimes, a student's progress continues to be poor, despite modifications made to the program by the classroom teacher. When that happens, the school may request a referral to one of the Support Services for that student in order to allow a staff member from Support Services to work directly with the student. This formal referral is required by law to be signed by the parents/guardians (or when appropriate, student), to ensure their agreement with the referral. This referral is only made after consultation with the Support Services staff member receiving the referral. Following the referral being received by Support Services staff, parents/guardians will be contacted to inform them about the nature of the referral and to obtain their informed consent for the referral to be followed up.
The referral is made on the Support Services Referral Form. Please note that there is a separate referral form for Occupational Therapy/Physiotherapy Services.
PARENT ACADEMY CONFERENCE
Are you a parent or caregiver interested in exploring topics like maintaining a healthy lifestyle and managing stress, supports and services for newcomers to Canada, and navigating the TDSB school system?
Join hundreds of parents from across the city on Saturday, April 18 or Saturday April 25 for the annual Model Schools for Inner Cities Parent Academy Conference. The Parent Academy Conference is facilitated by parents for parents on self-identified topics that support skill development, access to economic opportunities and informing parents on the most effective ways to navigate the education system with their children. A number of community agencies and other partners are featured at the conference such as Toronto Public Health, Toronto Public Library and TDSB Newcomer, Youth and Kids.
There is no cost to participate in the Parent Academy Conference. This year, the conference will be taking place on two separate days – Saturday, April 18 at Cedarbrae C.I. and Saturday, April 25 at Thistletown C.I. Light breakfast, lunch, child-minding, interpreters and transportation will be offered at both locations. For more information, including the full list of workshops and how to register, visit www.tdsb.on.ca/modelschools
STAFF PARKING LOT AND AVENUE ROAD DRIVEWAY ISSUES AGAIN
Our staff is experiencing parking issues once again in the Poplar Plains Rd. parking lot. Just a reminder to the parent community that this parking lot is strictly for our teaching and support staff only. Please use the Kiss ’N Ride program to drop off your children or park on Lynwood Ave. and walk your child/children to the school yard. The Avenue Road driveway continues to be an issue with unauthorized cars parking in this narrow driveway which is only for Board personnel.
Police and parking authority presence in the area will begin again as we continue to have parking issues in the morning and after school. I would like to stress that the parking areas, particularly the staff parking lot and the Avenue Road parking lot are off limits except for authorized personnel. Cars will be tagged and towed.
While I would like to thank parents for their co-operation regarding the Avenue Road driveway and the Staff Parking lot, we still have a few parents that may not be aware of our policies and remind them to please stay out of the Avenue Road driveway and staff parking lot area. This includes our Day Care parents. We have been informed that a number of students are being dropped off in the staff parking lot and left to walk alone through the parking lot. Other parents have been dropping their children off on Avenue Road holding up traffic. Others have been using the Avenue Road driveway which is off limits. These are all unsafe practices and must STOP. We are fortunate to have a Kiss ’N Ride Program here at Brown P.S. and encourage parents to take advantage of this program. Our school buses pick up and drop off students on Poplar Plains Road and we ask parents to be aware of the bus loading zone area.
PROBLEMS WITH OUR NEIGHBOUR 17 LYNWOOD AVE.
On occasion balls fly into our neighbours’ backyards. We are advising parents and students that if a ball ends up in the backyard of 17 Lynwood Avenue, DO NOT go knocking on this neighbour's door. This neighbour does not want to be disturbed to retrieve balls. We have made attempts to have the balls returned; however, we have not been successful in our attempts with this neighbour. The police services are involved and will retrieve the balls and return them to our school. Please respect the neighbours’ wishes and do not disturb them.
