February 17, 2017: Panther Press

UPCOMING DATES  Family Day - no school  February 20th  Kindergarten Registration  February 21th - 24th - please call to make an  appointment  French Speech Arts  February 22nd  English Speech Arts  February 23rd  Black History Month Assembly  February 28th  Parent Council  March 6th, 9am  March Break - no school  March 13th - 17th  School Dance  March 31th - PM  EQAO (for grades 3&6)  May 24th - June 1st (please refrain from  booking appointments during this window)

2017 JUNIOR SWIM TEAM NEWS  Our 2017 Team is up and "Swimming" again! Practices are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday during the lunch hour. Also, the dates of our upcoming Swim meets have been scheduled! *Tues March 7th @Keele *Wed March 29th @Brown *Mon April 3rd @Hillcrest These meets will begin between 9:45-10:00a.m  Also.... the dates are set for TDESSA City "Semi" /"Finals" & are as follows: City Semi-Finals, Monday April 10th @ Harbord C I  City Finals, Thursday April 13th@ Rosedale Heights These two meets will begin at 8:30 a.m sharp!  Parents please note: If your child is unable to attend any one of these meets (especially the semi-finals / finals) please let coaches know ASAP so we can make necessary adjustments to event sheets. Go Brown!

NEEDED: COMMUNICATIONS CO-CHAIR Join a fun and dynamic team of parents in helping get the "news out"! We are looking for someone to join our communications team. The team works in tandem to coordinate with other committees and administration to send out email blasts and the weekly Panther Press. Technology background necessary. Ideally an active volunteer in Brown Parent Council and available for Parent Council meetings. Training is provided. The full description of roles and responsibilities can be found as Item 18 here:  http://brownschool.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Parent-Council-Roles-and-Responsibilitiesv2-1.pdf Please contact Amanda Demers (mandademers@gmail.com) or Joanna Onoszko (onoszko.joanna@gmail.com) for more information.

ANOTHER SKATING PARTY - SUNDAY, MARCH 5 Mark your calendars! We were so happy to have such a successful skating party last weekend that we have scheduled the next skating party for Sunday, March 5 from 4-6 pm at Ramsden Park, 1020 Yonge Street (just by Rosedale subway station).  Brown Junior Skating Party at Ramsden Park This is a free event and everyone is welcome! We hope to see you there!

ATLANTIS SWIM SCHOOL - LESSONS AND FREE SWIM SESSIONS     Atlantis Swim School runs swim programs at our own Brown School Pool. SWIM LESSONS From bubbles to butterfly, they teach children 4 months and up how to safely swim in small, fun, and dynamic classes, and evaluate them using the criteria put forth from the Red Cross swimming program. Since 1986, their classes have taught children the essentials of swimming, how to stay safe in and around water, advanced techniques for competing or eventual life guarding, and everything in between. Next Swim lesson sessions begin March 20th. For more information, please click on the following link: https://pedalheads.com/AtlantisSwim/locations/Ontario/toronto-brown-junior-public-school FREE SATURDAY SWIM Saturday, February 4 @ 11:00 am - Sunday, May 28 @ 1:00 pm Atlantis and Pedalheads is hosting a Free Swim every Saturday from 11:00am to 1:00pm for children of any age! Parents are welcome to enjoy the free swim with their child as well. We will have life guards and highly qualified instructors on site during the free swim as well. Come out and enjoy a free swim on us!

CROSSING GUARDS  Calling all Grandparents, Retirees, or anyone interested! Toronto Police Service School Crossing Guard Association is looking to hire school crossing guards! If you know grandparents and/or retirees in the neighborhood who are interested in helping out and getting some fresh air throughout the school day, please have them contact: Officer Wai Lau P.C. #3765 School Crossing Guard Coordinator 53 Division Toronto Police Service 416-808- 5327

KISS AND RIDE  Please keep the following in mind during morning drop-off: This is a gentle reminder that Kiss & Ride is a drop off zone, on Poplar Plains Road, for students grades 1-6 only. Kindergarten children must be walked to their classrooms. This program is staffed completely by Brown parent volunteers, from 8:25-8:40am.  A few reminders for all parents: There is no parking in the designated Kiss & Ride drop off area, or in the school bus zone between 8:25am and 8:40am for ANY reason.   When using Kiss & Ride, drivers must stay in the vehicle; volunteers will open the doors for your child(ren) on the passenger side of the car. If you must enter the schoolyard or your child is not able to walk in alone you need to park on one of the side streets where parking is permitted.  Parking in the Kiss'n'Ride zone is NOT permitted. For safety reasons, the Avenue Road Driveway is only to be used by TDSB Facilities staff, and Brown Administration. Please note that the parking lot off Poplar Plains is for Brown School Staff only. Our program relies on volunteers. Please be courteous with our Kiss & Ride volunteers!               Morning Parking is available in the neighbourhood in these areas: 10 minutes parking on Lynwood between Avenue Rd. and Poplar Plains on Warren Road VERY LIMITED parking on Poplar Plains near Lynwood on Balmoral Ave East and West of Poplar Plains, and East of Avenue Road On Clarendon Avenue.