It is that time of year again, as you know the holiday concert is Thursday, December 12. We are looking for some festive treats and fruit! Please drop off on Wednesday, December 11 after school in the Safe Arrivals room beside the office. Or you can bring along treats to the gym before either of the concerts begin at 9:15 a.m. or 1:00 p.m. A table will be set up for you to place your goodies. Please label your plates and tins, and you can return to pick them up on the 13th, after school, in the safe arrivals room beside the office. Looking forward to seeing you at the concert!
DRAMA PERFORMANCES
On December 16 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., there will be Drama performances based on the Social Studies units we've been studying by the following classes: Hazan, Pietrobon, Mankiewicz, Merenda, Abdelsayed, Padassery.
LUNCHMOM CONTINUES
Almost 200 nutritious and yummy hot lunches have been served to our grade 4-6 students every week since October! A big thank you to Ms. Christakis, Mr.Costa, and Tricia and her team at the TheLunchMom for making the new hot lunch pilot at Brown a success!
TheLunchMom hot lunch program will continue to be offered to grade 4-6 students after the holidays. You can sign up for any day(s) or the whole week. Go to TheLunchMom.com to sign up or just print the forms below and ask your child to drop them off at the office. Deadline: Monday, December 16.
A few things to remember:
- Please discourage your child from "sampling" TheLunchMom food if you have not signed them up. It sometimes causes food shortages for paying children. A name checking system is in place, but your help in this matter is appreciated.
- Remember to email TheLunchMom when you know your child will miss more than one lunch a term. Tricia will ensure you receive a rebate if you let her know beforehand.
- TheLunchMom donates a portion of the hot lunch fee to Brown School. On behalf of the fundraising committee, thank you for supporting Brown!
RAINBOW LOOM CLUB
Our Rainbow Loom club had a terrific start and continues to be a huge success. The children have been learning new patterns and even sharing some of their own creations. In the new year an opportunity will be given for those children in grade 3-6 to join the club. The club runs on Tuesdays at 12:05 p.m. in the library. Please listen to the announcements to find out when signup will take place. Have a wonderful holidays and a happy New Year!
MO BRO THANK YOU
The Brown School Movember team would like to extend a great big hairy Mo thank you to everyone for your support of this year’s Movember campaign. Together, we raised $777.77 and helped change the face of men’s health. We gathered a lot of momentum throughout the month and although our Mo’s may be gone, they provided us with many Mo laughs, Mo itches and Mo memories. They will long be Momembered. We now await for the return of the Mo’s, next Movember...until we Mo meet again.
FOREST OF READING PROGRAM
Brown School will be starting the Forest of Reading in January 2014. Check out the link for more details of this exciting program. Last year, the junior students that read the Silver Birch books had the chance to play the Battle of the Books. If you think you can help us read the books, we would love your help.
Happy reading to all,
Marie-France Gagnon
WORLD CHANGERS UPDATE
November was another busy month for World Changers with an impromptu initiative to raise funds to support relief efforts following Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. World Changers spread the word amongst their student community, launched a "Toonie for Typhoon" fundraising initiative and held a dance to raise further funds at the end of the month. Many thanks to the many hands who brought the dance together with lights, DJ, and requisite smooth moves on the dance floor by various staff and all students grades 3 - 6. Altogether we were able to raise almost $1300! Well done Brown School!
Ms. Christakis also helped to facilitate our annual Warm Clothing drive in collaboration with our sister school, J. R. Wilcox. Thank you to everyone who contributed jackets, sweaters, coats, hats, scarves, mitts and boots - no doubt they will be much appreciated.
Our Holiday Hamper initiative wraps up this week with each class in the school having been assigned a family to support through the holiday season. Thank you to everyone in the Brown community for continuing to make this such a successful endeavour. The TDSB Social Work team tell us that the contributions are much appreciated.
The schoolyard just got a little brighter with Brown School's participation in the Red Nose Campaign. The Red Nose Campaign is in support of the Toronto Foundation for Student Success (TFSS). The sale of these noses ($3 each) will help brighten the future of many students in need here in Toronto. All proceeds will go to the programs supported by the TFSS that provide TDSB students with food, warm clothing and other necessities. The need is great and your support is truly appreciated.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact one of the parent co-chairs: Allison Fortier <allisonfortier@rogers.com> or Laura Finch <laura.finch@me.com>.
AVENUE ROAD ARTS SCHOOL
Looking for an inspiring Winter After School Program for your child? With pick-up at the Brown School office, the Avenue Road Arts School has the perfect, high-quality arts program for your child JK to Grade 6.
What are your child’s interests? Architecture, Cartooning or Clay? Or maybe Acting for Film & TV, Musical Theatre, or Pop Cover Tunes? At the Avenue Road Arts School, your kids will have the opportunity to explore and exercise their creative muscles.
For 20 years, we have enjoyed a close relationship with the Brown School community. In fact, hundreds of Brown students have benefitted from taking arts classes right next door. After the regular school day, your child is personally escorted directly from the Brown School office to the Arts School.
To celebrate the Arts School 20th anniversary, Metro Hall is hosting a large-scale children’s exhibit of work produced at the School. All students attending classes will have their work on display for thousands of passersby to admire! Stay tuned for more information about this exciting event.
Registration If you register for an After School program before December 15, you will be eligible for one of two great prizes including the Jumbo Book of Outdoor Art created by ARAS faculty for KidsCan Press, and a colourful basket filled with art materials. To register visit www.avenueroadartsschool.com or call 416-961-1502.
Drop in anytime for a tour of the Avenue Road Arts School so you can see for yourself what we have to offer. Winter Classes begin January 6th and run through March 8th. PA Day Camps are also available. The next one is on Friday, December 20th.
DEMAR'S SLAM DUNK BOOK CLUB
DeMar Slam Dunk Book Club has seen over 1,200 boys complete our In School Saturday Book Club Program. There is no question the appearance of Toronto Raptor DeMar DeRozan is an important attraction to the program as is basketball.
DeMar gives the program “star” power and instant credibility with the kids, and yes even the parents! His appearances are always eagerly awaited and his openness and relaxed nature with the kids is a unique part of the program success.
Reading remains our major focus and surprisingly every year the boys amaze us with their dedication and commitment to this part of the program. Each student is given a duo-tang notebook which like an agenda is used to record the books they read and keep their book reports organized. The boys are required to read a minimum number of books for each grade level. This year the average number of books read was 6 per student with average length being 35 pages for grades 1-3, and 135 pages for grades 4-6. The most popular and requested book was Diary of a Wimpy Kid. In addition the older boys were asked to research some sports related information on the internet, which they seemed to enjoy and which of course gets them reading. This year we are including a Comic Book Portion to our Program, which will satisfy the fantasy interest that boys seem to thrive on!
Why do we do this? There is tremendous research showing that boys do not read to the same level as girls in elementary school. The risk to boys who are not literate, reads like a resume for individuals wanting to gain entrance to a detention center. We simply have to get the message across that reading is as cool as a jump shot, a slap-shot, a home run or a touchdown. Our Slogan is: Practice is to the Game, what Homework is to the Test.
We utilize young men from the Boyz2Men high school mentoring program in our community. They serve as assistant coaches, reading buddies and mentors. These young men are paid an hourly honorarium and are responsible for 10-12 boys in each group.
The Rawlinson Road CS Program will take place: Saturdays from January 25 to April 26 to coincide with the EQAO testing calendar.
There are 2 sessions, please choose the session(s) for your child:
Grade 1-3 session is 9:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
Grades 4-6 session is 12 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.
Fees are $5/day or $50 for the 10 weeks.
Cheques/money orders can be made out to: Fund An Event Enterprises
You may register by mail:
Big League Book Club,
296 Fairlawn Ave. Toronto,
Ontario M5M 1T1;
or email: bigleaguebookclub@yahoo.ca.
Online Registration will be available January 2014.
