unnecessary delays in your child’s educa-

tion by having to sign-in at the main

office upon arriving to school after the

entry bell has rung. Arriving on-time will

also reduce any unnecessary interrup-

tions for office staff as they try to ensure

that attendance is collected and the

morning routines of the school flow

smoothly. Thanks, in advance, for your

attention to this important matter!

If you wish to accompany your child to

school, please note the following

suggestions:

Arrive at school from 8:45 a.m. – 9:00

a.m. - at this time there is far less con-gestion. Teachers are on duty beginning at 8:45 a.m.

Consider dropping your child on the

sidewalk on Pearson Ave or parking

on a side street and crossing at the

crosswalk with your child.

Please do not stop in the middle of

the road and have your child exit

your car to run between parked

cars, as this is dangerous for the

child and blocks traffic.

Please remember the staff parking lots

are for staff only. Please park in desig-

nated areas on Pearson and West-

wood.

Encourage your child to walk to school with

friends or family (i.e. one of our school slo-

gans is “Make every Wednesday a Walking

Wednesday!”)

Working together and being courteous to

others will enable us all to have a safe drop

off and pick up!

Sincerely,

Tim Gervais, Principal

Sherry Zarif, Vice-Principal

As the winter weather continues, and as we encourage our students to enjoy outdoor play, please remind your child/ren to dress appropriately for cold temperatures. Dur-ing more extreme weather (-15 degrees Celsius), please note that we will keep the students indoors, or modify the length of the recess, as appropriate. On slippery or snowy days, our custodians will do their best to keep walkways clear of snow and ice at entry and exit times. Please be sure to stay on marked pathways to reduce the risk of slipping. Please be reminded that your child will bring home their Term 1 Report Card on Thursday, February 18th, 2016. Our staff has worked diligently to provide meaningful comments for each child outlining their strengths, as well as next steps throughout the report card. As parents and educators, we know that there is a strong correlation between learning skills (Responsibility, Organization, Independent Work, Collabo-ration, Initiative and Self-Regulation) and academic success. We know that these skills translate into success well beyond the classroom as well. As part of reviewing your child’s report card, we encourage you to take time to discuss these important skills with your child and set meaningful goals for improvement. At all times, please feel free to contact your child’s teacher to discuss his or her academic progress, and the next steps we can develop together in ensuring continued achievement and well-being.

One of the skills we continue to reinforce

with students is punctuality. Currently we

are experiencing an ongoing issue with

many students arriving after the instruc-

tional day has begun. Parents and guardians

are encouraged to support the best learning

conditions for their children by ensuring

that students are present and in class when

learning begins! This is a life skill that we

must instill in our children if we want

them to practice it as adults. Having

children arrive on time will assist with

Principal’s Message

Y O R K R E G I O N Y O R K R E G I O N

D I S T R I C T D I S T R I C T

S C H O O L S C H O O L

February, 2016 Volume 1, Issue 6

The Howitt Herald

Principal

Tim Gervais

Vice-Principal

Sherry Zarif

Administrative Assts.

Debbie Lagzdin

Mary Anne Bernardinis

Superintendent of

Schools

Michael Cohen

905-884-4477

Trustee

Carol Chan

905-881-8762

School Council Co-Chairs

Hayley Brunswick

Xiaobo Wang

Inside this issue:

Planning for

September, 2016

2

Primary Class Size

Reduction 2016-17

2

Message from our

School Trustee

3

Rainbows©

at CHPS

3

School Council

News

4

Kids Kitchen news 5

February, 2016

School Calendar

6

March, 2016

School Calendar

7

School Email:

charles.howitt.ps@yrdsb.ca

School Web Site:

www.charleshowitt.ps.

yrdsb.edu.on.ca

School Telephone #:

905-889-2522

Page 2 The Howitt Herald

Kindergarten Registration

Registration for September, 2016 is now underway. Chil-

dren born in 2012 are eligible for Junior Kindergarten this September. If you know of anyone in the community with

kindergarten-age children, please share this information with them and encourage them to register promptly.

Documents that are required for registration are as follows:

Proof of child’s age (birth certificate OR passport

and landed immigrant papers) plus

Proof of Residency (purchase or rental agreement ) Richmond Hill Tax Assessment indicating Public

School Support

and

Utility bill or bank statement showing address

Applications cannot be accepted without these

documents.

Students who are currently in our Junior Kindergarten

classes do not need to register for Senior Kindergarten.

Notice: Students new to Canada must first make an appointment to visit the Board’s Reception Centre be-

fore registering at our school. Please call them at 1-888-811-0229

to make an appointment.

The reception centre is located at:

South Hill Shopping Centre

9325 Yonge Street

Primary Class Size Reduction-2016-17

The Board continues to respond to the Ministry of Education’s mandated requirements related to primary

class size. This has allowed us to make great gains in reducing the number of students in our primary classes.

As we begin planning our classes for next year, we need to work within the framework established by the Min-

istry of Education. On a board-wide basis, 90% of primary classes must have 20 or fewer students, and only

10% may have up to 23. The full day Kindergarten classes may be as large as 30 students with a teacher and a

early childhood education worker. One result of this policy is the necessity of split grade classes, and we

expect this to be the case in 2016-2017 as well.

As we proceed through the planning process, I will be sure to keep you informed as to how our school will be meeting with Ministry requirements.

Initiative

Initiative describes the nature to take the first step in

something (adjective). Initiative is the act of taking the

first step. (noun) An example of initiative is someone who

is always first to start a new project.

"Things may come to those who wait, but only things left by

those who hustle."— attributed to Abraham Lincoln

Are you planning on moving?

The process of preparing for a new school year involves

predicting student enrolment and structuring the organi-

zation of classes and teachers to match the enrolment.

We ask that families assist us with these prepara-

tions by informing the office (in writing) if you are

moving out of the Charles

Howitt area. Please include

the last day of attendance and

the school your child(ren) will

be attending. This will also fa-

cilitate in the transfer of your

child’s records (OSR).

Thank you!

Character

Calendar

Respect, Responsibility, Honesty, Empathy, Fairness,

Initiative, Perseverance, Integrity, Courage, Optimism

Page 3 The Howitt Herald

Student Bussing Eligibility

Dear Parents/Guardians,

Did you know that students’ bussing eligibility changes

throughout their school career? Your son/daughter’s eligibil-

ity to ride the school bus may change according to their

grade and distance from home to school. Below are the pro-

visions for eligibility identified in the Board’s Transportation

Policy #680: • All YRDSB students in Grades JK-3 who live within 1.2 km

of their school are not eligible for transportation • All YRDSB students in Grades 4-8 who live within 1.6 km

of their school are not eligible for transportation • All YRDSB students in Grades 9-12 who live within a tran-

sit served area are not eligible for transportation.

To view Board Policy #680 Student Transportation, please

visit www.yrdsb.edu.on.ca. For more information about bus

transportation and to determine your son/daughter’s eligibil-

ity please visit www.schoolbuscity.com

*Please note: As Yonge Street is a major roadway, all

students living east of Yonge Street are eligible for bussing

regardless of age.

Message from our Trustee

Although winter still feels far from over some days, we are

now halfway through the school year. With report cards

coming home, this is a good time to review progress and cele-

brate what your children have learned both inside and outside

of the classroom. This is also a good time to set goals for the

months ahead.

One of our goals set out in the Board of Trustees’ Multi-Year

Plan is to “continuously increase student achievement and

well-being through a culture of caring and learn-

ing.” Developing this supportive culture includes engaging

parents/guardians and other members of the school commu-

nity in public education and working together to create safe

and supportive school environments that enable students to

thrive.

As parents/guardians, there are many ways you can get en-

gaged in your child’s education and support their learning,

including talking with them about school, communicating with

teachers, attending school events or school council meetings,

and volunteering in the school. However you get involved,

know that you are making a difference.

On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I wish you all the best an

enjoyable and successful second term.

Sincerely,

Carol Chan, YRDSB Trustee

Rainbows©

Hello Charles Howitt Community! I am very happy to

inform you that our school, Charles Howitt P. S., is a

Rainbows © Canada site.

Rainbows© is a Grief Support Group for children who

are experiencing loss from death, separation, divorce,

terminal illness, or foster care, etc. This is NOT coun-

seling or therapy, but it is support for children to talk

about their feelings and begin their journey to healing.

We will begin a session immediately after March

Break. If you feel your child would benefit from being

part of our support group, or for more information,

please feel free to call me directly at

(905) 889-2522 x 119.

Sincerely,

Ms. S. Vescio

CHPS Teacher Registered Director,

Rainbows Canada

Additional P.A. Day

A PA day has been added to this year’s

calendar. This PA day will be on

Friday, May 6, 2016.

There is no school for students

on this day.

Family Day

Parents are reminded that there

is no school on

Monday, February 16, 2015.

March Break

The Winter Break runs from

Monday March 14-Friday, March 18.

Schools are closed during this week

Easter

Good Friday - Friday March 25

Easter Monday– Monday March 28

Schools are closed on these days

Page 4 The Howitt Herald

School Council

School Council Important Date Reminders Friday, Feb. 12th - Valentine's Day Dance-a-thon Fundraiser. A toonie to help cover the cost of the D.J. would

be appreciated. Extra donation forms are available in the office for those collecting donations. For every $10

raised you can enter an exciting raffle! Raffle prizes can be viewed in our front hall display. Dress in Pink &

White & Red! All money raised will continue to support our school community. Letter and donation forms to

follow this week. All donations are due Friday February 12th 9:00 am. Tuesdays - Gino’s Pizza, session 2 order forms will be sent home last week in February. Thursdays - Sub Lunch continues. Next session has already been collected and will be-

gin February 18th. Mon/Wed/Fri - Kids Kitchen is available - order on line

Next School Council Meeting - Monday March 7th at 7:00 pm Everyone is welcome Save The Date Fun Fair 5:00-8:00 pm - Thursday, June 2nd - If you would like to help with our planning or volunteer for that

evening, please contact Hayley @ hayleybrunswick@rogers.com

This Newsletter is being sent on behalf of the York Region District School Board and/or your child’s school in compliance with the Cana-

dian Anti-Spam Legislation. If you no longer wish to receive commercial electronic messages, you may unsubscribe at any time. If you no

longer wish to receive any emails from Charles Howitt P.S., please contact the school directly to have your email deleted from your

child’s Student Information Record.

Healthy Schools

Page 5 The Howitt Herald

Page 6 The Howitt Herald

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2 Day 1

Pizza Lunch

3 Day 2

School Council

7:00 p.m.

4 Day 3

Sub Lunch

5 Day 4 6

7 8 Day 5

Lice Squad

9 Day 1

Lice Squad

rechecks if

necessary

Pizza Lunch

10 Day 2 11 Day 3

Last sub lunch in

this session

12 Day 4 Valentine’s

Day Dance-a-

thon fundraiser

13

14 15

Family

Day

Schools are

closed

16 Day 5

Pizza Lunch

17 Day 1 18 Day 2 Term 1 Report

Cards go home

New Session for

Sub Lunch starts

19 Day 3 20

21 22 Day 4 23 Day 5

Pizza Lunch

24 Day 1 25 Day 2

Sub Lunch

26 Day 3

Cadence-

Prologue

Performance

Gr. 4-8

27

28 29 Day 4 1 Day 5 Author Visit-

Eric Walters

Jr./Int.

Workshops

Pizza Lunch

2 Day 1 3 Day 2

Sub Lunch

4 Day 3 5

February 2016 York Region District School Board

30 Pearson Avenue, Richmond Hill, L4C 6T7

Email Address: charles.howitt.ps@yrdsb.edu.on.ca Telephone: 905-889-2522 Fax: 905-889-9694

Website: www.charleshowitt.ps.yrdsb.edu.on.ca

Page 7 The Howitt Herald

30 Pearson Avenue, Richmond Hill, L4C 6T7

Email Address: charles.howitt.ps@yrdsb.ca

Telephone: 905-889-2522 Fax: 905-889-9694

Website: www.charleshowitt.ps.yrdsb.edu.on.ca

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

29 Day 4 1 Day 5

Author Visit-

Eric Walters

Jr./Int.

Workshops

Pizza Lunch

2 Day 1 3 Day 2

Sub Lunch

4 Day 3 5

6 7 Day 4

Grad Photos

School Council

Meeting 7:00 pm

8 Day 5

Last day for this

pizza session

9 Day 1 10 Day 2

Sub Lunch

11 Day 3 12

13 14 15 16 17 18 19

20 21 Day 4 22 Day 5 23 Day 1 24 Day 2

Sub Lunch

25

Good

Friday

Schools are

closed

26

27 28

Easter

Monday

Schools are

closed

29 Day 3 30 Day 4 31 Day 5

Sub Lunch

1 Day 1

March 2016 York Region District School Board

March Break - schools are closed