A Message from the Administrative Team

Stonebridge PS

Principal

Yvonne Chan

Vice Principal

Tina Diavolitsis

~

Secretaries

Mrs. Clark

Mrs. MacLaughlin

Mrs. Mar

Lead Caretaker

Gary Dykes

Superintendent

R. Swarup

Trustee

Billy Pang

School Day Schedule

Entry Bell 8:55

Classes Begin 9:05

Morning Recess 10:45

Lunch Hour 12:45-1:45

Dismissal 3:25

168 Stonebridge Dr. Markham,

ONL6C 2Z8, 905 887-2427l:

Please follow us on our

twitter feed @StonebridgePS for

current school informationstone-

“Respect, Responsibility and Academic Excellence”

March 2015

Although February has only 28 days in the month, we know it has felt extremely long due to the cold and harsh weather conditions. Despite the terrible weather conditions, Stonebridge staff and students forged ahead with a wide variety of activities. We had a very successful Electives day for our Grades 5 to 8 students. We are most grateful to our staff and parent volunteers for their support. A special thank you to Mrs. Felix and Mrs. Hall-Kemp for organizing the events for this day. This is a huge organizational un-dertaking and we are most appreciative of all the support we have received from both staff and our parent community.

As well, we have felt some triumphs and defeats with our basketball tournaments as well as our Chess tournament. We are so very proud of how actively involved our stu-dents are in school activities and again are grateful to the teachers who support and lead these initiatives.

In just another week, we will be heading off for a week of rest and relaxation before em-barking on the final few months of this school year. When reflecting on the first half of the year, it seems that this is a very appropriate time to thank all the Stonebridge Staff for the hard work and dedication that they show on a daily basis at our school. This in-cludes our teachers and support staff as well as our office staff and our caretaking team. Thanks also to the many parent volunteers who are in the school on a regular basis supporting students and teachers. The commitment of all of our staff and parents to our students is a large part of what makes Stonebridge a special place to be!

Have a safe, restful and enjoyable March Break!

Yvonne Chan Tina Diavolitsis

Principal Vice Principal

Email: stonebridge.ps@yrdsb.ca Website: http://stonebridge.ps.yrdsb.ca

School Council email: stonebridge.ps@sc.yrdsb.ca

Attention

Parents of Stonebridge

There is absolutely NO PARKING IN THE STAFF

PARKING LOT FROM 8:30-9:15 AM and 3:00– 3:40 PM.

Thank you for your cooperation!

Please do not walk through the parking lot. Please use sidewalks only!!!!!!!!!!!

Ongoing Kindergarten Registration 2015-2016

The York Region District School Board welcomes you and your child to our education system. We are proud to be one of Ontario’s top achieving school districts and to provide quality educational programs for all our students. Kindergar-ten is a big step on the journey of learning and this is an exciting time for you and your child. We strongly believe that forming strong partnerships with our parent community is a main factor in achieving success; and encourage you to engage in your child’s education. The York Region District School Board’s mission is to unite in our purpose to inspire and prepare learners for life in our changing world community. We look forward to having your child join us and working with you toward his/her suc-cess. Required Documents:

Proof of child’s age (Birth Certificate/Passport) Must be born in 2011

Any legal documents related to custody arrangements if applicable

Proof of Residency of the student - two documents, one from each of the categories below showing the home ad-dress;

Category A - notice of tax assessment, current rental/lease agreement, agreement to purchase including proof of purchase provided before the pupil attends the school, or property tax bill, and

Category B - utility bill, bank statement or other official document. If you have questions about registration, please contact your local school.

Stonebridge School Council

The Stonebridge School Council hopes everyone has been bundling up and enjoying our Canadian winter.

Our next School Council meeting will be held on Wednesday March 11th from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM in the Learning Com-

mons. Also at our April 6th School Council meeting, our new Trustee, Mr. Billy Pang will be joining us for our meeting.

The Stonebridge School Council is pleased to present a special presentation on Education Quality and Accountability Office

(EQAO) on Thursday March 26th, 2015 starting at 6:30 pm in the Stonebridge Public School Gym. The presentation will last 30

-45 minutes followed by questions and answers. The guest speakers will be the Stonebridge PS Staff. The presentation will

cover various topics including strategies for parents, common myths and the Fraser Institute Rankings.

The Council is also busy preparing for our second Science and Technology Fair. The students will be given registration forms the

first week of March from their homeroom teachers. The registration deadline is March 27th. Students can register individu-

ally or in groups of up to three. The Fair will take place on April 23rd. Please check out the registration form for more informa-

tion.

Last year’s Science and Technology Fair was wonderful success due to support from parents, teachers and staff of Stonebridge

P.S. Volunteers are needed on April 22nd and 23rd to help the Fair run smoothly. If you are able to help, please send an email

to stonebridge.ps@sc.yrdsb.ca.

Upcoming Presentations and Events Hosted by the School Council

March 26th Demystifyig EQAO

April 23rd Science and Technology Fair

May TBD Transition to High School with Stonebridge Alumni

May 21st Fostering Motivation: Solutions for Overcoming Perfectionism by Shyamalu Kiru

Minutes from our February minutes are available at: http://www.yrdsb.ca/schools/stonebridge.ps/SchoolCouncil/Documents/

Meeting%20Minutes_2015-02-11.pdf

Ms. K's Grade 2 class had the

pleasure of welcoming Scien-tist In School (SIS) educator

Crystal Rank on Feb 10th. We learned about Simple Ma-

chines as we experimented

with Pulley, Lever, Inclined Plane, Wheel & Axle, Screw

and so much more! Special thanks to the wonderful par-

ent volunteers who made the day so much more enjoyable-

we couldn't

have done it without you!

The Stonebridge chess teams showcased their talents at the Thornhill/Markham Area Tourna-

ment, hosted by the Math and Chess Association, on February 20th. With the highest score,

players from the junior division brought back the championship banner for the junior division.

Congratulations to Jason S. (Grade 4), Robert D. (Grade 5) and Albert L.(Grade 6), who will

be moving forward to play in the Regional Tournament in March.

Special thanks goes to Mrs. Chow and a team of dedicated chess coaches who are con-

tinuing to work with our students to make the game of chess an exciting and rewarding ex-

perience for our students.

Winter Activity Day @ Stonebridge!

On Wednesday, February 25, the grade 5 to 8 students at Stonebridge participated in a

variety of activities such as skiing, snowboarding, tubing and bowling. It was a fun-

filled day of active participation where students learned and practiced skills in agility,

coordination and balance. For some, this was their first experience trying a new sport

and for others, they continued to practice and improve on their existing skills. The

weather was a little chilly but the sun was shining and everyone dressed warmly for

the temperatures. Thank you to all the parents, students, and Stonebridge staff who

made the day such a success, much fun was had by all!

Wear PURPLE on PURPLE DAY March 26!

March 26 is recognized by the Canadian government as Purple Day. This is a day of epilepsy awareness, a day where Canadians are encouraged to wear purple to promote a greater awareness of epilepsy and to support the 300,000 Canadians living with epilepsy. Purple Day was founded in 2008 by nine-year-old Cassidy Megan of Nova Scotia whose dream it was to raise awareness of epilepsy. We applaud this young Canadian’s leadership in launching an initiative that supports awareness and inclusivity in Canada and around the world. So wear purple, Stonebridge, in March and especially on March 26.

Girls Intermediate Basketball On February 13, our intermediate girls basketball team competed in the area tournament at Unionville High School. Throughout the tournament, the girls demon-strated incredible perseverance, teamwork and skill. They worked together, cheered each other on and supported one another all day. In our first game against Union-ville P.S. the girls played hard and even though they fell short at the end, the highlight of the entire day occurred when a half court basket made it in before the buzzer! All season the girls have represented Stonebridge well. Coming in third at the areas was an accomplishment all of the girls should be proud of! At the end of our season we hosted a tournament in which our girls played hard and gritty. Because of their unwavering determination, the girls came in first and kept the pennant at home! Congratulations on a wonderful season ladies! A special thank you to those parents who helped with the driving!

On Friday, February 20th, your intermediate boys’ basketball team made their way to Unionville High School to com-

pete in the annual area tournament. Starting in the wee hours of the morning, your boys played their first game

against William Berczy at 8:30am. Yes, 8:30am! It might have been a little too early for everyone as the boys came

out slow and out of rhythm. Game 1, Berczy 20, Stonebridge 13. Just like that, having lost their first game, the team now

needed to win the rest of their games for any chance to make the playoffs. Not only did they have to win, they had to win

big. With that in mind, the team’s next game was against Donald Cousens. With a win-or-go-home attitude, your boys came out

flying and rolled over Donald Cousens, winning by 17 points, 43 to 26. Next was Buttonville. Again, the team needed to win big

with the hope of claiming the wildcard position. After scoring a season high 43 points against Donald Cousens, your boys took

it to the next level by beating Buttonville 49 to 20, a 29 point margin of victory. And with that, your boys won the wildcard

spot and advanced to the semi-finals. In the semi-finals, Stonebridge had the chance to make up for their lost to Berczy ear-

lier that day. With a new found commitment to defence, Stonebridge blasted past Berczy, upping their season high with a

dominant 51 point game (beating the top team in our pool by 15 points) to advance to the finals. Now standing in their way of

becoming the champions was Lincoln Alexander. As the finals progressed, Stonebridge was looking good heading into the sec-

ond half with the lead. UNFORTUNATELY, as the game continued… 4 of our 5 starters had to sit out for a lengthy time with

various injuries. The bench stepped it up, and kept the team in the game as the game finished tied 37-37. Heading into over-

time, our starters stepped back onto the court; bodies hurt, but their will unwavering. As much as the mind is able and wants

to be able, Stonebridge ultimately lost by one bucket in overtime. It was a very emotional day for all; truth be told, the lost

was hard to accept. However during the entire tournament, the growth, commitment, and most of all, their willingness to be

coached, proved that you’re Stonebridge boys are not just simply great athletes, but are also individuals committed to learn-

ing. Your coaches could not be more proud of how the team performed. Congrats to the East Area finalists: Jonathan , Cole

S., Cole F., Jonathan S, Eric Y., Marco L., Martin L., Kelvin D., Nicholas T., Michael Z., Ben F., Lance U., Sahir C., Ashu T., and

Ben L. Also, thanks to Karthik for managing the equipment.

Ms. Heath, Mr. Kong, and Mr. Ng

At this time we are asking parents to

be aware that the time frame for

grade 3 and 6 EQAO testing will be

held anytime during this time frame,

May 25th, 2015—June 5th, 2015.

Please refrain from booking appoint-

ments, vacations etc during this

time. Thank you.

Upcoming Dates

Mar 11 School Council

March 13 PA Day– No School

Mar 16-20 March Break– No School

Mar 26 EQAO Parent Presentation

6:30 PM in the gym

Mar 27 Gr. 8 Girls HPV/Gr.7 Hep B

Apr 2 Gr. 8 Grad Photos

Perseverance

We stick to a goal and work hard even in the

face of obstacles and challenges. We com-

plete all tasks and assignments.

Congratulations to Megan C. in Grade 8 who out of 1400 applicants was

one of 140 students selected as a Legislative Page at Queen’s Park this

spring for her riding. This is a very prestigious honour and we congratu-

late Megan for her achievements . The work she has done to support the

elections demonstrates the leadership qualities our Stonebridge students

are capable of!

Art Club Update:

Art Club Schedule and current projects:

Day 1- grade 4 at lunch recess

-acrylic painting

Day 2- grade 1 at first recess

-Book marks and bird houses

-self portraits

Day 3- grade 2 at first recess

-Laminated book marks

-self portraits

-Shading, Stipple, Hatching, Cross Hatching Techniques

Day 4- grade 5 & 6 at lunch recess

-Acrylic painted wooden containers

Thursdays intermediate art club

-Clay containers

Day 5- grade 3 at first recess

-self portraits

-book marks

-watercolour painting

Day 5- grade 7 & 8 at lunch recess

-Acrylic painted wooden containers

Looking for Art Club Volunteers:

Those parents who would like to volunteer to help out with Art

Club please contact Ms. Scherle x229.

Please get a "visitor pass" in the front office and come and enjoy

art with our Stonebridge artists!

SAFETY ALERT: KISS & RIDE

CONCERNS AT STONEBRIDGE!

We have recently experienced serious safety concerns in the

Kiss and Ride area and are looking to our parent community

for their support. Safety continues to be a priority at Stone-

bridge however some of the safety rules we have put in place

are not being followed. We remind parents to adhere to the

following procedures during morning and after school pick up:

Parking in this area is not permitted in the morning,

at lunch or after school

Cars must follow the cars in front of them and not

cut in front of other cars

Parents must drop of their child without getting out

of the car as we have assistants who will escort

your child to their appropriate yard as needed

Cars must not be left unattended under any circum-

stances

It is extremely dangerous for our staff and students when

parents cut in front of other cars and abandon their cars to

walk their child to their class. We urge you to please work

with us in the interest of the safety of our students to keep

this area moving freely. We have also asked police to monitor

this area closely. Thank you for your attention to this mat-

ter.

Art News...

Dimensional Clay Unit:

Thank you to all parents who brought in

supplies and donated sponges, kabob

sticks for our clay success! Students will

be glazing their works of art in March

and they will be fully fired and ready for

home in April when out of the second kiln

firing.

Upcoming Art Gallery Walk:

Parents, Please save your son's/

daughter's art work for the school wide

Gallery Walk which will take place June

4th, 2015.

Charleston! The Musical

The Intermediate students of Stonebridge

have auditioned, been cast and are now rehearsing

this year’s musical. The students are hard at work

memorizing lines, singing songs and learning dance

moves!

Charleston! is set in the Roaring Twenties when

flappers were kicking up their heels and jazz was

the cat’s meow.

Please join us May 6th or 7th when we perform this

mad cap musical. Information

regarding times and ticket sales will be communi-

cated in the near future.

AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE TO ALL PARENTS AND GUARDIANS REGARDING AFTER

SCHOOL PICK UP

In recent months, we have had an increase in the number of students who are waiting in the office to be picked up after

school. We understand that many of you have busy schedules, run on tight timelines and are stuck on the road. We fully ap-

preciate and respect how challenging it can be at times to meet your child on time. Unfortunately, we do not have anyone in

the office available to supervise your child in the office after school. For this reason, it is imperative that if you are unable

to pick up your child right at 3:25, we ask that you make alternate arrangements ahead of time to have them picked up by a

friend or neighbour that you have given permission to. Although the office does close at 4:00 pm, the number of students

waiting after school has impacted the ability of our own office staff to meet their own scheduled pickups and appointments on

time. We ask for your support in this matter in helping us ensure that your children go home safely and on time. As always,

please know the safety and well-being of your children is our first priority. We hope we can work together to resolve this is-

sue.

Inclement Weather

SCHOOL BUS CANCELLATION NOTICE DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER

School bus service may be cancelled from time to time due to inclement weather and/or poor road condi-

tions. In these cases, parents and students should develop alternate care/transportation arrangements.

Since busing schedules begin by 7:00 a.m. or earlier, all cancellation decisions must be made by 6:00

a.m. to ensure the safety of our students. Cancellation decisions are made by the Board and will only be

made after thorough consultation with school bus companies servicing York Region.

Please note: If buses are cancelled in the morning, they will not operate in the afternoon. There-

fore students transported to school by parents in the morning will need to be picked up by par-

ents at the end of the school day..

Parents, students and school staff are asked to access the following radio and television

stations after 6:00 a.m. to receive bus cancellation information:

RADIO AM Stations - 590, 640, 680, 860, 1010, 1050, 102.1, 1540, 1580,

FM Stations - 88.5, 89.9, 92.5, 93.1, 94.1, 94.9, 95.9, 97.3, 98.1, 99.1, 99.9, 101.1, 104.5, 100.7, 107.1

TELEVISION CITY TV, THE A-CHANNEL, CFTO TV, THE WEATHER NETWORK, GLOBAL

A bus cancellation message will also be available at www.schoolbuscity.com and by

calling 1-877-330-3001.

Late School Busses

Please remember to check www.schoolbuscity.com in the morning and click on Late Bus Report before your

children leave for the bus stop to make sure the bus in on time, especially on days when the traffic may be

worse due to a snowfall the night before etc. If your child is late due to the bus they will not be recorded as

late.