Dear Mustang Families,
It’s been a great week at PMPS again this week. Our grades 4-8 had a blast playing sledge hockey and learning all about this accessible sport. Thanks to our School Council for paying for our ice time. Our intermediate football team also represented us proudly at their tournament this week! Well done Mustangs! A reminder that there is no school for students on Friday, October 25th, 2024 as staff will be engaging in math and mental health professional development.
Our NEW Princess Margaret website is: https://uppergranddsbon.sites.thrillshare.ca/o/pmps. Our Twitter/ X page is: @margaret_ps . Our school council also has a Facebook page and an Instagram page: @princessmargaretps. Make sure your UGDSB mobile app is up to date! Download the new mobile app - it’s everything Upper Grand in your pocket. For the latest updates, please sign up for notifications! Download for Android https://aptg.ca/V7pmln Download for iPhone https://aptg.ca/370LCh . Staying connected during the school year is key.
Community Recognition Board: We are #MargaretProud. If your child has done something wonderful in our community or accomplished a big goal, please send in a picture and a short note and/or a clipping from the newspaper or online site to me, Mrs. PapaV. We have a board celebrating our amazing PMPS students across from the gym.
Sporting Teams & Participation: We have a number of sporting opportunities available to all of our students. Once a student tries out for a team, it’s important to read and sign the Athletics Code of Conduct. Coaches will send it home. All athletes will be given three grace incidents and then will not be allowed to try out or stay on the school team. It is important to understand that academics at school are the athlete’s first priority and that they must conduct themselves in a manner consistent with the board’s code of conduct. This has already been discussed with the intermediate division and teachers/coaches will clearly outline to the student when they have received a warning that counts as a grace incident. Thanks for your support.
Attendance: Do you know as of October 17th, we have averaged 2.62 absences per student and 1.59 lates per student? It is important to address attendance concerns early. Attendance letters with more information about support will be coming home shortly. If you have concerns or we can help, please reach out to myself or your child’s teacher.
Important Upcoming Dates:
-Friday, October 25th, 2024: PD Day: No school for students. Teachers are working on math professional development and mental health training in the morning, and writing progress reports in the afternoon.
Elementary Topics:
Mathematics
Mental Health
Progress Reporting
Entity Hosting: Upper Grand DSB
Presenter(s)/Facilitator(s): Independent/Individual
Description:
Morning (75 minutes) - Mathematics and Mental Health: Overall, the professional development resources that will be provided help teachers implement a comprehensive, differentiated math program with a focus on small group instruction, data-driven decision-making, and independent practice tools. Staff will also learn about trauma informed classroom practices.
Afternoon (150 min): Progress Reports as per Collective Agreements.
-October 28th to October 30th, 2024 (new dates): Grade 3 CCAT Testing (information and consent forms were sent home in mid September)
-Monday, October 28th: Grade 7 vaccinations (information sent home previously)
-October 28th and October 29th: Grade 7 & 8 Kids Help Phone Presentations (email with information sent home by classroom teachers with more information)
-November 4th to 8th: Treaties Recognition Week
-November 4th; Acadience Early Reading Screener results must be sent home (SK-grade 2 teachers)
-November 6th: Take Our Kids to Work Day (Prearranged prior through principal)
-November 7th: School Council 6pm
-November 11th to 15th: Bullying Awareness & Prevention Week
-November 11th: Remembrance Day
-November 13th: Progress Reports Go Home
-November 14th: Get Real: Anti- Black Racism Presentation (Gr4-8s) (information sent home)
-November 19th: Picture Retakes and Class Photos
-November 20th: Officer Amy, OPP (Grades 4,5, & 6)- information will be sent home
-November 21st: Officer Amy, OPP (Grades 7 & 8)-information will be sent home
-November 21st: Extra School Meeting for Holiday Craft fair 6pm
-November 22nd: Superintendent Visit
-November 25th: Book Fair opens at PMPS
-November 26th: Fire Prevention: Landry and Hickey (information coming home)
-November 27th: Fire Prevention: Fendley & Westlake (information coming home )
November 28th: Dairy Farmer Presentations ( K- Grade 3) (information coming home)
-November 28th, 2024, from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM: Orangeville District Secondary School (ODSS) will be hosting its Grade 8 Information Night
-November 28th: Interview evening (more information to come)
-November 29th: PD Day, interviews - no school for students
Upcoming Spirit Days:
October 24th: School colours
October 31st: Orange and Black or costumes (more details will be coming home)
Reminders:
YMCA Before and After Care: If you are a parent/caregiver who drops off or picks up from the YMCA please use the front door only. This is for safety reasons and helps staff secure the building. Thank you for your cooperation.
Video Surveillance Reminder:The purpose of video surveillance at UGDSB schools is to serve the safety and security needs of the board and is not intended to infringe on anyone’s right to privacy. Please take some time to read the policy. Policy 203.
Weather & Being Dressed Appropriately: It’s that time of the year when it feels like summer on some days and winter on others. Please make sure to be checking the weather in the morning so children are appropriately dressed for the weather. Children go outside in light drizzle and snow. Storing an extra set of pants and socks is a good idea in your child’s backpack, as this avoids a call home for wet pants. If your family needs help purchasing boots and warm winter wear, please contact your child’s teacher or Mrs. Papavasiliou (PapaV).
Back by popular demand, PMPS School Council is excited to present this year's first fundraiser: Terra Cotta Cookies!
Terra Cotta cookies come in 12 different flavour options, in boxes of 40 pre-made/pre-portioned frozen cookie dough drops, that can go straight from the freezer to the oven!! These cookies are an easy way to bake delicious cookies to share with your friends and family! The 12 cookie flavours are all peanut and nut-free and include 2 gluten-free choices and a vegan option! Starting, October 11th, you can start selling cookies to your family and friends using a fundraising webpage exclusively for our school: https://fundraising.terracottacookies.com/current-fundraisers/princessmargaretps/ No paper forms required!
Every box of cookies sold raises funds for PMPS! Thanks to your support, this was our biggest fundraiser of the year last year. And if you don’t like cookies, this is a great way to contribute towards our Holiday Craft Fair Bake sale, coming up on December 7th!
The class that sells the most cookies will be awarded a giant 3 lb cookie on the day our cookies are delivered!
All orders must be placed on our webpage by 4pm on Friday, November 1st. If you have family and friends placing orders on your behalf, please ensure they know the name of our school AND your child's teacher's name, for the order screen. This helps cookie distribution run smoothly. The cookie dough boxes will be available for pick-up in the school library from 3pm-5pm on Monday, November 18th. Thank you for supporting our school!
Milk Sales: Student Council continues to sell milk, Monday to Friday 1st break only for $1.25. Milk sale profits support our Student Council.
Bathroom Behaviour: We have been having a tough time in the bathrooms. Some of our students believe it is okay to over-stuff toilets and urinals with toilet paper and other items, slide under doors so the stalls remain locked, or urinate in inappropriate places. Please review with your child(ren) appropriate bathroom use and the need to report to their teacher if they see misbehaviour. Our custodian is doing her best, but this has caused a lot of unnecessary work, closures to bathrooms, and calls to our plumber. Thank you in advance for your support.
HALLOWEEN: Many schools celebrate Halloween with costume dress up and/or black and orange. Halloween is a day that is not observed by all students or staff. With this, it is considered a choice to participate as are all spirit days. Alternate and supportive accommodations are provided for students if school events take place (e.g. parade). Please reach out to your child(ren)’s teacher to speak more about accommodations.
Costumes: It is our responsibility to ensure that all school community members (e.g., students, staff, parents in our building…) avoid using identities and cultures as costumes. This includes appropriative costumes/cultural stereotypes (i.e. cultural garments), black/brown face, transphobic costumes (i.e. man dressed as a woman), body-shaming and objectifying costumes, and costumes that joke about situations that have caused harm (i.e. COVID pandemic). Such costumes perpetuate stereotypes and can cause harm that can further marginalize and oppress community members. We also ask that violent, scary, and bloody costumes are also not worn, as these costumes scare some students. All props and accessories stay at home as well, so they are not lost. If costumes violate the above criteria, students will be asked to remove their costume and parents/guardians will be notified. Thanks for helping to make our school a safe and inclusive environment for all. Teachers will provide more guidance about the details around Halloween (e.g. when costumes should be worn etc).
Parent Resources:
Dufferin Parent Support Network: Please check out https://www.dpsn.ca/ for free parenting workshops. The Dufferin Parenting Support Network is a great organization of parents supporting parents.
DCAFS Behaviour Solutions: DCAFS offers a wide range of services designed to meet the unique needs of each child and family. They believe that every child deserves the chance to reach their full potential, and they are committed to helping them do just that. If you're looking for support for your family within a safe and welcoming community, look no further than DCAFS! Please see the link for some different workshops and events: https://behavioursolutions.dcafs.on.ca/events .
We have a great day of learning on Thursday planned. On Friday, there is no school for students. Have a great weekend.
Andrea Papavasiliou, Principal