Regent Park News

March 2018

Principal’s Message

I think all of us are ready for the ice to melt and be able to get our school routines back to normal! Thank you to everyone for being so understanding in dropping off and picking up your children at different locations with the condition of our yard. We received a grant to make some changes to our Pri-mary yard and it is our hope that it will make a difference in terms of the ice and mud accumulation that makes this time of year so tricky.

Thank you for all your support during our fundraising activities such as the Dance-A-Thon. It was a great time and the kids loved it.

I wish all of our clubs and teams well as they compete in their various competitions and championships through the area and county. There are so many amazing things going on at this time of the year it is hard to keep track, but I know the stu-dents are taking full advantage of the opportunities.

Thank you to everyone for walking to school, or parking in the approved parking areas. Oxford St. and Brian Orser Arena is where I usually park when I need to park and the parking lot is closed.

Lastly, please go over online etiquette and digital responsibility with your child if they are spending a lot of time on Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat or chat rooms, etc. It is a good policy at home to approve all of your child’s friends on these sites as well as their texts, and teach them how to block any people who are not positive contributors. It is also a must to know your child’s passwords in order to monitor their activities and those of the people around them. This will help you get to know the true nature of some of the people that they may be hanging out with both in the school and outside the school (especially if they go to other schools). While you may be vigi-lant in monitoring your own child’s activities, there are a num-ber of students who navigate unsupervised on some of these digital platforms.

Have a Magnificent March,

Chris

Now accepting Kindergarten registra-tions

Do you or someone you know have a child who was born in 2014? If so, it’s time to register them for Kindergarten! Elementary schools are now registering children for Kinder-

garten for the 2018-19 school year. Required registration documents in-clude birthdate documentation, proof of address and immunization records. Visit www.scdsb.on.ca/kindergarten for more information.

Yard Conditions With our changing weather, please be prepared with extra clothes as the temperature becomes more spring like and the yard becomes wet and muddy. We may also need to change our arri-val/dismissal area for safety rea-sons depending on the conditions. If the yard becomes closed for this reason, our primaries will use the front doors.

Community Feast

Save the Date for Regent Park’s Community Feast!

Please join us for a potluck feast and fellowship in the Regent Park gymnasium.

Wednesday, April 11, 2018 from 5:00 to 6:30.

Details and invitation to follow.

Learning Support at Home

For younger students in Kindergarten to grade 3, Cuddle up and Read! Quiet times together are op-portunities to bond and read. Put some excitement into your voice. Encourage your child to read every other page. As you go, explain any new words or ide-as. For older students in grade 4-6, keep reading with your child. Kids are never too old to be read to or let your kids read to you. Read a variety of material magazines, newspapers, books, poems and comic books. For numeracy consider encouraging explora-tive math play at home. Invite your child to build, measure, and compare structures made with different sized cardboard boxes, build and describe structures in a sandbox, play jump-rope games or games like hopscotch, catch, and hide-and-seek. These simple activities will strengthen your child’s love of learning.

Chris Vandenberg Principal

Cara Thatcher Vice Principal

Dance-a-thon/Spirit Team

A wonderful fun time was had by all at our annual Valentines dance a thon. Profes-sorJamz had our students and staff mov-ing and grooving to some awesome mu-sic. Thank you to all the students and par-ents that help to support this fundraiser.

Our next spirit day will be March 29th. Dress up in your fa-vourite Easter pastel colours.

School Council

The next School Council Meeting will be held in the library on Wednesday March 7 at 7:00pm. If you would like to re-ceive minutes and agendas by email please let the school know and we will add you to the mailing list.

Speeches

On Friday, February 16th, Regent Park held its annual Oral Speaking Competition! Between the juniors and the inter-mediates, twenty-one students presented their speech in front of their peers, staff, parents, and judges.

All of the speeches were presented excellently, and they covered a wide variety of topics. Additional congratulations go to the top three from each level.

Junior: 1st Sophie D, 2nd Jacob H, 3rd Geor-gia S

Intermediate: 1st Peter S, 2nd Regan P, 3rd Sam S

Outerwear Donation

Thank you to Angelina W’s family for the donation of outer wear for the kindergarten students outdoor programs.

Child care programming available for March Break

The Simcoe County District School Board (SCDSB) sup-ports your child care needs by offering full-day child care programs in select schools across Simcoe County on PA Days and school holidays. Over 30 of our schools offer child care programs for children from Junior Kindergarten to 12 years of age, including care over March Break (March 12 to 16). The daily fee is $34.20 and a fee subsidy may be available to families who qualify. Registration in advance is required. Please contact the child care operator directly to register. More information and contact numbers can be found at www.scdsb.on.ca – click on ‘Schools’ and then ‘Before & After School Care.’

Teams & Clubs

Basketball - Watch for more information on both the boys & girls junior basketball team tryouts being held in March. The Intermediate Boys Basketball team has been having a very fun and successful basketball season. We are focusing on sportsmanship, team and character building. Our final tour-nament is Thursday March 1st at Severn Shores. GO TI-GERS!!!

Volleyball - Our intermediate girls volleyball season has ended. Thanks to everyone who came out to support the team. Great season girls!!!

Wrestling - The Regent Park wrestling team is well under-way this year! Thanks to parent coaches Mike Kitchen and Jeff Minten. Our practice schedule for March has been sent home with wrestlers, but if you still require one, or have any questions please contact teacher supervi-sors, Lisa Ligers or Sandi Bisset at the school! Goooooooo Tigers!!!

Chess - Big congratulations to all members of the chess team for competing in our in-school tournament on Febru-ary 14th and the city tournament on the 21st! Special men-tion to our medal recipients Sam S, Severyn D and Char-lotte C who will move on to the Simcoe East Chess Tourna-ment in April.

Packing a healthy school lunch A school lunch should give children the energy and nutri-ents they need to be ready to learn, be more alert and per-form better at school. When planning lunches keep these tips in mind:

include one serving from at least three of the four food groups from Canada's Food Guide

rather than buying pre-made lunch kits, make your own healthy lunch kit with divided containers and small, bite-sized cheese cubes, cooked chicken chunks, veggie sticks or fruit slices

get your kids to eat more veggies - send cucumber coins, zucchini sticks and pepper strips with dip

fill whole wheat or multigrain wrap/pits/tortilla shells with your child’s favourite foods such as hummus and grated carrot or sliced turkey with honey mustard don’t have them drink their fruit…send water instead

Cupcake’s for OSPCA

Our recent cupcake sale day on February 26th resulted in our donation to the OSPCA of $463.05. Thank you to all who supported this delicious fund-raiser.

Transition to High School

As student’s progress from elementary school to secondary school, important personal student information is shared which eases each student’s transition to secondary school. Sharing this information also improves our ability to pro-gram effectively to benefit all students. Select student infor-mation will be shared at different times as appropriate. The collection and use of personal student information for such purposes is authorized under Sections 170, 171, 190 Part X and Part XIII, of the Education Act. Please note that all information used for the transition process is limited, secure and protected at all times. Please contact Doug Paul, Superintendent of Education for this area, if you would like more information about the transition pro-cess at Regent Park Public School.

New Path offering child and youth mental health walk-in clinics

New Path now offers Child and Youth Mental Health Walk-In Clinics in five office locations throughout Simcoe County: Alliston, Barrie, Bradford, Collingwood and Orillia. The Walk-In Clinic provides a single session to children, youth and families who require support for emotional, relationship or behavioural challenges. The Walk-In Clinic can be ac-cessed by children, youth and families as often as they require support. Children, youth and families can self-refer by attending one of the walk-in clinic locations across the county. Dates and times of the clinics are posted on the New Path website (www.newpath.ca). For more infor-mation, contact New Path’s Central Intake Department at 705-725-7656 or from the 905 area code in Simcoe County by calling 1-866-566-7656.

Gilbert Centre programs for LGBTQ2S

youth and families The Gilbert Centre is a community-based, not-for-profit, charitable organization that provides programs and ser-vices to serve lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender indi-viduals and families in Simcoe-Muskoka. Visit the Cen-tre’s website at www.gilbertcentre.ca for more infor-mation about these programs:

LGBTQ2S Youth Connection drop-in groups LGBTQ2S Youth Connection is a drop-in and social space for lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, 2spirit, trans, asexual etc. and questioning youth. Groups are a place for youth to connect with each other and to community. Groups take place in Barrie, Midland and Orillia.

Parenting LGBTQ Youth sessions These free ses-sions, ‘Parenting LGBTQ Youth,’ are offered in April, May and June in Alliston, Barrie, Collingwood and Oril-lia. Dinner is provided. To reserve your spot, contact Jake at jakef@gilbertcentre.ca or 705-722-6778 ext. 107.

Stay healthy this school year

Colds and Influenza spread easily from person to person.

These germs can spread directly from person to person

when someone coughs or sneezes, or indirectly when

germs land on hard surfaces like door knobs, desks, key-

boards, or wet tissues and then are touched by someone.

These germs can then enter the body through the eyes,

nose or mouth. The most important thing you can do to

keep from getting sick and stop the spread of germs to oth-

ers is wash your hands with soap and warm running water

for at least 15 seconds. If your hands are not visibly dirty,

you can use alcohol based hand rub hand sanitizer for 15

seconds. Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or

cough into your sleeve or upper arm and stay home if you

are sick. Teach your kids to do the same! For more tips to

keep you and your family healthy this school year, contact

Health Connection at 1-877-721-7520 or visit the health

unit’s website at www.simcoemuskokahealth.org.

Get active and energized this March Break

March Break is the perfect opportunity to get your kids off their screens and moving! Children are spending less time being active and only seven per cent of Canadian kids get enough exercise. Health Canada recommends children and youth get 60 minutes of physical activity every day. Getting our daily dose of exercise not only helps to prevent health risks, it builds strong muscles and bones, develops positive body image and supports mental health. Here are ideas to get you and your kids moving this March Break:

Get outside and enjoy some fresh air as you explore your local trails, parks and toboggan hills, or build a snow-man!

Make a splash at a local community pool like the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka. Day passes are available for families to take advantage of recreational swimming. For older kids, March Break is the perfect time to enrol in aquatic leadership programs such as Bronze Medallion or National Lifeguard training. Train as a family by signing up for the YMCA’s Move to Give fundraising event, happening on April 7. Challenge the whole family to start training for a 5K run, indoor cycling or a triathlon and continue training together until the event. It will keep the entire family focused on a goal and it’s all for a great cause – supporting your community! For more information, visit www.movetogive.ca. Skating is a great sport for all ages – it’s low impact and helps improve coordination and balance. Check your local public arenas for family skate times. March Break is a great time to create healthy daily habits

for your children and the entire family. The YMCA of

Simcoe/Muskoka offers many opportuni-

ties to get fit as a family over the March

Break. For more information, visit your

local YMCA or

www.ymcaofsimcoemuskoka.ca.

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