Mark Your Calendars

Jan. 9 - Welcome Back! Jan. 11 - French Immersion Information Night at Jeanne Sauvé 6:30pm Jan. 12 - School Skate

(Gr. 1 - 8) 11:00am

Jan. 12 - Celebration Assembly 9:00am

Jan. 20 - PA Day No School for Students Jan. 23 - 27 - Literacy

Week Jan. 24 - 27 - Book Fair Jan. 27 - Family Literacy

Day Jan. 31 - Gr. 7

Immunizations Jan. 31 - DSBN Academy Open House

6:30pm - 8:00pm

Principal’s Message

Greeting Parents and Families of Edith Cavell Public School,

My name is Dave Holmes and I’m extremely happy to join the staff at

Edith Cavell school as the new Principal. I’m very passionate about

education and I look forward to partnering with you to provide our

students with an engaging, student-centered elementary school ex-

perience. As a parent of two boys, I recognize the importance of a

strong home-school connection. Parents are every child’s first

teacher and I believe that by working together, we can make sure

your child’s social, emotional, and academic needs are met.

Before joining Edith Cavell, I was the Vice-Principal of Lakeview

School in Grimsby for 2.5 years, and before that Vice-Principal at

Senator Gibson School in Beamsville for 2 years. Before moving into

School Administration, I was a Learning Resource Teacher and home-

room teacher of primary, junior and intermediate grades. I have

been part of the DSBN for 17 years.

I am thrilled to be working alongside our Vice-Principal Danielle

Mikolic, whose knowledge of the school and community will be an

asset to me. I am excited to be working closely with the staff of

Edith Cavell to continue to support the well-being and academic

achievement of all the students.

Thank you for the opportunity to work with your families in this role!

Please do not hesitate to reach out to me if you have any questions

or ideas to continue to make Edith Cavell a great place to be.

Yours in Education

Mr. D. Holmes

January 2017

EDITH CAVELL PUBLIC SCHOOL

1 Monck Street

St. Catharines, ON L2S 1L5

905-684-6545

Please visit our website at http://edithcavell.dsbn.org

Principal: Mr. D. Holmes Vice Principal: Mrs. D. Mikolic

Page 2 January 2017

WINTER REMINDERS Please make sure that your child comes to school dressed appropriately for outdoor play

this winter. Except in extreme cases recess and lunch breaks will continue outdoors to

provide our children a much-needed change of pace and scenery. They should wear a

scarf, hat, mittens and a warm winter coat. Extra dry mittens and snow pants are a

good idea to have at school. Depending on the wind chill factor, outdoor breaks may be short-

ened as appropriate.

Throw No Snow The safety of our students is a prime concern at Edith Cavell. Throwing snow is a major safety

concern during the winter months. Here at Edith Cavell, we have a rule of no snow throwing.

(This includes face washing, snow down coats, kicking snow at others, no activities that involve

ice or snow of any kind etc.) Strictly adhering to this rule – including the walk to

and from school - can we ensure a safe school yard for all our students. Students

who throw snow will be subject to an action of strict consequence. Please discuss

this policy with your child. Thanks for your cooperation!

Page 3 January 2017

FRENCH IMMERSION REGISTRATION

The French Immersion program (offered at

French Immersion sites) is open to all students

in Senior Kindergarten interested in enrolling

for the 2017-2018 year. If you want your child

to develop a high proficiency and fluency in

Canada’s two official languages, French Im-

mersion has a great deal to offer.

FEATURES OF THE FRENCH IMMERSION PROGRAM: Development of French language skills in

speaking, listening, reading and writing

from grades one to twelve; Designed to be a second language program

for children whose first language is NOT

French; Current enrolment of over 2,000 elemen-

tary students; Certificate of French Immersion Studies

awarded upon successful completion of the elementary and secondary Immersion pro-

gram; Promoting understanding of different cul-

tures; Providing additional opportunities for em-

ployment using French as the working lan-

guage; An increased ability to communicate and

interact with confidence in French. Registration will open January 9th, 2016 at 12:00 p.m. and will close February 21st,

2017 at 9:00 a.m. For more information about French Immersion in the District School Board of Niagara visit www.dsbn.org/fi or speak to your school prin-

cipal.

Parent Information Night:

Jeanne Sauvé French Immersion Public School 91 Bunting Road, St Catharines, L2P 3G8

Wednesday, January 11, 2017 at 6:30 p.m.

OPEN HOUSE Tuesday January 31, 2017

6:30pm – 8:00pm

The DSBN Academy is a Grade 6 to Grade 12 public school designed to support and em-power students to be the first in their family

to graduate from college or university.

Come learn more about the opportunities of-

fered at DSBN Academy. All families are wel-

come! Please see below for the dates, times

and locations.

Parent Information Sessions

Admission Requirements

DSBN Academy recruits and enrolls students from all 13 municipali-ties within the Niagara Region. Eligible applicants must meet the following requirements, both at the time of application as well as at

enrollment:

Student must be entering Grades 6, 7 or 8 in September.

Student would be the first in their family to graduate from a college or university program. If a sibling of the student has attended a post-secondary institution but the parent(s)/guardian(s) have not, the student is still considered a First Generation Student.

Student must be achieving current grade level expectations or just below.

Student has demonstrated the potential for achieving "good" or "excellent" learning skills, particularly initiative, independent work and responsibility.

Student must be willing to attend a school location that may be out of his/her community.

Student understands that there is a mandatory after-school program which includes enrichment opportunities and academic supports.

Families must understand that it is a single track pathway be-ginning in grade 9 (Academic Level Only).

Families understand that there is a parent engagement require-ment of 15 hours each year.

Applicants must submit a completed application by February 6, 2017.

January 10 Harriet Tubman, St. Cath. 6:30 - 7:30pm

January 12 Diamond Trail, Welland 6:30 - 7:30pm

January 16 Valley Way, Niagara Falls 6:30 - 7:30pm

January 19 McKay, Port Colborne 6:30 - 7:30pm

January 24 Senator Gibson, Beamsville 6:30 - 7:30pm

January 26 Peace Bridge, Fort Erie 6:30 - 7:30pm

January 31 Open House at DSBN Academy 6:30 - 8:00pm

Page 4 January 2017

Junior Co-ed Volleyball

Hip, hip hooray!!! Congratulations to our junior co-ed vol-

leyball team for an amazing season resulting in first place

overall in our league and a championship title. The team

moved on to play in the DSBN Co-ed Tournament and again came out as semi-finalists!

We are so proud of each and every team member for demonstrating perseverance,

sportsmanship, hard work and a positive attitude during games and practices. It has

been a pleasure to coach such a wonderful team and to watch their growth and skill

development throughout the season. Way to Knights!

Thank you to our Coaches, Mrs. Topp and Mrs. Mooney.

Bus Delays and Cancellations In case of bus delays or cancellations parents can check out the

NSTS website (www.nsts.ca) for a list of delays. While there, you can

subscribe to the delays and cancellation notification system. You will need your child’s name and

the bus route number. When you subscribe to the notification you will receive an email for any

delay greater than 10 minutes.

To subscribe, click the delays and cancelation link at the top right hand side of the screen. From

there click the subscriptions button (top right). You will then be asked to enter the following:

your email information

confirm your email address via your email

subscribe to a route number

click the appropriate route and then subscribe

If your child rides on more than one bus, you can then add the other route so you will receive no-

tification for both buses.

This information is kept current each day and updated as needed. By subscribing you will re-

ceive notification as soon as it is received by transportation.

If you need any assistance setting things up please call transportation at 905-346-0290 and they

will be more than happy to help you.

January 2017 Page 5

INCLEMENT WEATHER PROCEDURES There may be times during the school year where inclement weather or other situations could cause

transportation cancellations or school closures.

At times when student transportation has been cancelled and schools remain open, the decision of

whether or not to have children in school on that day rests with the parent or guardian.

Should you decide not to send your child to school in the event that transportation is cancelled but schools remain open, or if your child is ill or late, please ensure that you call your child’s school to

inform them of your child’s absence.

A key resource in any emergency is the DSBN Emergency Information form that you filled out at the be-ginning of the school year. Please let the school know of any changes in contact information or proce-

dures you wish to be followed throughout the school year.

Information about transportation cancellations and school closures will be available as soon as it is avail-

able through the following channels:

Websites: Subscription Features: http://www.dsbn.org/inclementweather/ DSBN Facebook or Twitter

www.nsts.ca NSTS Transportation Delay or Cancellation Alerts

Phone: Niagara Student Transportation Services 905-346-0290 Voice Auto Attendant

Radio Stations: CKTB (610 AM) St. Catharines WAVE (94.7 FM) Hamilton CHTZ-FM (97.7 FM) St. Catharines K-LITE –FM (102.9 FM) Hamilton CHRE (105.7 FM) St. Catharines Y-108 (107.9 FM) Hamilton 2Day FM (105.1 FM) Niagara Falls/Fort Erie CKOC (1150 AM) Hamilton GIANT FM (91.7 FM) Welland CHML (900 AM) Hamilton

Radio Stations:

* CHCH - Hamilton * CITYTV Breakfast Television * CTV Toronto * Cogeco Channel 10 (Jack.Custers@cogeco.com)

How Long Must My Child Stay Home When Sick?

Please keep your child at home and away from others if he or she has any of these symptoms:

* Fever * Vomiting

* Diarrhea * Rash

* Sore throat * Frequent coughing or sneezing

* Yellow / green discharge from the nose, ears, or eyes

Contact your family doctor for a diagnosis. Your doctor will advise you about care and treatment if a communi-cable disease is diagnosed. For more information, please contact the Infectious Disease Program at 905-688-8248

ext. 7330 or 1-888-505-6074 or www.niagararegion.ca

Please remember to call the school and report your

child’s absence.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Please advise the office of any address, phone numbers and e-mail changes, so that we have the most current information in our system. This helps with contacting parents in regards to general information, student illness where they need to go home, other emergencies and bus delays, just to mention a few.

As we move forward into the upcoming months we

strive to become paperless in our communication

home. By providing us with your e-mail, newslet-

ters and such can be sent to you instead of paper

copies, which this will help save on paper. Most

current events and information are also uploaded

to our school website and we ask that all our fami-

lies who have internet please visit our website.

This tool is a great way to learn about upcoming

events and important dates. School newsletters

and calendars are also uploaded to our website.

Page 6 January 2017

Suggestions for January Literacy and Numeracy Activities at Home

If your new year’s resolutions include spending more time together as a family or providing more learn-

ing opportunities for your child, here are some ideas to help you accomplish both!

Game On: Set up a family board game night where a different game is played each week. Have each

member of the family involved in reading instructions and game cards and keeping score.

Sharpen Your Mind: Do crossword puzzles, word jumbles, suduko and word searches when you have a

spare moment: waiting in line, waiting at the bridge, travelling to grandma’s house.

Reading Buddies: Encourage your child to practice reading to the family dog, cat, goldfish or young sib-ling. Pets are great listeners and don’t make a judgment if a mistake is made. Baby’s brainpower bene-fits from being reading aloud to and they love the sound of a family member’s voice and the closeness

of sharing.

Get the News! Read news articles and magazines and then discuss current affairs together.

Travel the World: Take your children to the library and use your library card as a passport. Check out books on different countries to learn about their geography, celebrations and traditions. Record your

journey on a world map.

Author, Author! Write your own adventure: Write a short story as a family with alternative endings written by each family member. Research and write your family’s history: Use the Internet, family let-

ters and documents as resources, and interview your relatives.

FROM YOUR SCHOOL NURSE

Anyone can get head lice. Check for head lice weekly as part of your regular routine. The best way to avoid the spread of lice is by avoiding head-to-head contact. Remind your children not to share combs, brushes, hats, scarves or anything used on the head.

Checking for lice Use a bright light (a magnifying glass may help) Part hair in small sections and look near the scalp Head lice are tiny grey/brown insects that live only on the scalp of humans. They crawl quickly but cannot fly or jump. Adult female lice glue eggs on the hair shaft close to the scalp.

If you find lice Check all the people that live in your house Treat all cases at the same time to stop the spread of lice Inform the school and/or daycare so classmates can be checked Tell anyone in close contact with your child (family members, friends, baby-sitters)

Getting rid of lice

Treatment products are to be used only on those who have head lice, as they do not prevent lice. Talk to a health professional about products and methods available. Follow instructions carefully. The Wet Combing Method helps find and remove head lice by combing through hair soaked with conditioner, using a fine-toothed comb. For more information on Wet Combing Method or on lice visit: www.niagararegion.ca/health search lice or all the Parent Talk Line at 905-688-8248 or 1-888-505-6074 ext. 7555