MISSION Captain Michael VandenBos P.S.

STATEMENT
OUR SCHOOL
Flying High for Excellence
COMMUNITY
WILL CREATE A
SAFE AND
MOTIVATING
LEARNING
NEWSLETTER FEBRUARY 2011
ENVIRONMENT
THAT EMPOWERS
STUDENTS TO
BECOME
SUCCESSFUL With the cold month of January come and gone, we enter into the second half of the school
LEARNERS AND year…already! Our students are very happy this year as we now have snow on the ground! This year looks
more like a typical winter in Canada and for that our students (especially the little ones) are very happy!
TO ACQUIRE THE
They are enjoying creating forts and rolling huge snowballs around the field and yes…they are hoping for
SKILLS NEEDED more at this point. Thank you to our teachers and lunchroom supervisors who do not enjoy the cold and
TO BECOME snow as much as our little ones but who nonetheless brave the weather to ensure the safety of our stu-
RESPONSIBLE dents.
CITIZENS OF February is a short month, and it seems that we have so many activities to keep students challenged and
TOMORROW engaged: The Philanthropy Club, Tutoring Club, Ski Club, Folk Dance Club, Intermediate Boys & Girls Bas-
ketball Team, etc are all in full swing! Our primary teachers are also busy preparing their annual con-
3121 Country Lane cert. This year this primary event will pay a special tribute to our school’s first 10 years! Get ready to
go down memory lane on Feb. 17 & 18! These two nights will be very special, full of songs, dances
Whitby, Ontario
and…funny characters!!!
L1P 1N3
Report cards will also be sent home early this year. Please mark February 16 on your calendar as we are
Safe Arrival Line sending the report cards home on that day. We would like to remind you to return the bottom portion
4pm to 8am of page 4 to your child’s teacher. If you have any questions or comments in regards to your child’s
905-665-2001 learning, please do not wait for the report card.
Also in February there is Family Day in Ontario and we are hoping that you will take advantage of this
family holiday by planning a special activity with your loved ones.
Monique de Villers
Principal

Jayne Krattiger
Vice Principal

Voula Phillips
Carolyn Copithorne
Admin. Assistants
There will be a French Immersion Parent Information
John Bowyer Night held on Wednesday, February 9th at 7:00 here at Cap-
Superintendent tain Michael VandenBos. This information meeting is held for
905-666-5500
parents who have children in SK and are interested in the
French Immersion Program.
Anne-Marie Laginski
Admin Officer French Immersion begins in grade one and is intended for
905-666-5500 students whose parents do not have a French background but
would like their children to become fluent in French. Al-
Kimberly Zeppieri
though the curriculum is the same as in the English language
905-668-7782
Christine Winters program, the language of instruction is French.
905-430-6050 A Board-wide information night will be held at the Educa-
Trustees tion Centre on Thursday, April 28, 2011.
FEBRUARY 2011
While it’s still a long way off, we would like to remind you of
the Winter Break dates. Students will be dismissed on
Thursday, March 10th at their regular time (2:50). Schools
are closed for the Winter Break from March 11th through
March 18th. Students return to school on March 21st.
Please note that this year students are not attending class
on the Friday prior to the March Break.
Unnamed Whitby School
For information regarding the new F.I. school, please
check this website:
http://unnamedwhitby.ddsbschools.ca
Page 2
Student Illness
We often receive requests from parents asking
us to keep their children indoors during recess
times because they are not feeling well. Unfortu-
nately, we do not have the staff or facilities to
supervise students who are sick or still recover-
ing from an illness. Students with heavy colds,
etc., which are serious enough to prevent them
from participating in physical education, recesses
or other outdoor activities, should remain at
home until their condition
improves.
This will benefit the
students concerned and
prevent the spread of
illness to others.
INDOOR SHOES
Students have been reminded that they must
have indoor shoes to wear in the classroom. This
ensures that the classrooms remain as clean and
as comfortable as possible, especially during the
wet season.
Student co-operation is greatly appreciated.
Please make sure that your child has a pair of
indoor shoes at school. Merci!
FEBRUARY 2011 Page 3

CHARACTER EDUCATION

The focus for the month of January was Courage. Class discussions centered on being
able to stand up and speak up for themselves, and taking risks even though success is
not guaranteed. This month, students from kindergarten to grade 6 participated in a
presentation entitled “The Power of One”. If you ask your child about it, they will have much to say.
The concept focused on you, the individual, and the power you possess in stopping bullying. The
presentation finished with an oath all students and teachers took, promising to speak up and be the
positive change. In the front foyer of the school, you will see a poster board with the oath printed
on it and the signature of all the students who attended the presentation.
The focus for February will be Empathy: understanding and respecting the feelings of others, act-
ing with kindness and compassion.

Information Night for Parents of Grade 8 Students

Sinclair Secondary Donald A. Wilson
School Secondary School

Information Night for parents of Grade 8 students

Information Night for parents of Grade 8 students
who will be attending Donald A. Wilson Secondary
who will be attending Sinclair Secondary School in
School in September 2011 will be held on Thursday,
September 2011 will be held on Thursday, Feb. 10,
Feb. 17, 2011 in the library at Wilson SS.
2011.

SPIRIT DAY FUNDRAISERS!!

February
3 ...........Grad Photos The Athletic Council will be working closely with the SCC and the
9 ...........French Immersion Information Night 7:00 Lunch Lady to promote our future “Spirit Days” at VandenBos.
9 ...........Ski Club Each month, we will be having a “Spirit Day” to help raise funds for
10 .........Gr 8 Parent Night 7pm @ Sinclair S.S. our Athletic Department. The Lunch Lady will be providing a
10 .........S.C.C. Meeting “special” lunch on the “Spirit Day” and $1.00 from each lunch that is
11 .........JK/SK Grad Pictures purchased will come back to VandenBos!! The food that will be pro-
15 .........Empathy Workshop Grade 7
vided will have some connection to the “Spirit Day”!!! Wednesday,
14 .........Valentine’s Day
14 .........Teachers Appreciation Day February 16th will be “JERSEY DAY”!!!!! There will be announce-
15 .........Intermediate Choir 12-2 Pickering Town Centre ments and reminder notices that will be sent home each month!!!
16 .........Ski Club Stay tuned for more information!!
16 .........Report Cards go Home
17 .........Primary Concert 6:30 Thank you for your support!!!!
17 .........Primary Concert 6:30
Ms. Loach-Perry & Mr. Sanderson
17 .........Gr 8 Parent Night 7pm @ D,A, Wilson S.S.
17 .........Popcorn Day
21 .........Family Day Holiday
March
11-18…. March Break
FEBRUARY 2011 Page 4

TIPS FOR PARENTS: STUDYING JUNIOR KINDERGARTEN

AND SENIOR KINDERGARTEN
REGISTRATION
Studying can be broken down into two categories: passive and ac- Registration began on January 11. Parents
tive. Most students study passively; that is, they sit in a quiet
should call the school to register their
space and read over their notes for a specific period of time.
child for JK & SK. To attend JK, a child
This is referred to as ‘passive studying’. It is the beginning of the
process but it is not the end. must be four (4) years old by December
Students are encouraged to study actively. This can be accom- 31, 2011 (born in 2007), and to begin SK, a
plished on their own or with someone else. Once the work has child must be five (5) years old by Decem-
been reviewed, a partner (parent/sibling/friend) would then ask ber, 31, 2011 (born in 2006). Students
questions, have them draw a diagram, write the solution to a prob- currently enrolled in Junior Kindergar-
lem, etc. By studying actively, students are required to verbalize ten will be automatically placed in Sen-
what they have learned, further reinforcing their knowledge ior Kindergarten for September.
which will lead to a longer retention period. If on their own, they
can review their notes and create questions for them to be an-
swered the next day, which would test their retention skills. All
questions should be answered aloud in this scenario; Encourage
your students to study actively; it is good practice and prepara-
tion for future learning.

You’re Invited……..

Dressing for the Weather Captain Michael Vandenbos P.S.

With cold weather upon us, please ensure that your child is dressed for Intermediate Choir
the weather. Recess can seem very long for a child who is not dressed
appropriately. We would recommend sending along extra Performs in
clothing for children of the younger grades for those days
when it is really wet and slushy outside. Choir Festival Canada

The school doors open at 8:15 a.m. yet supervision outside Feb. 15th, 2011
starts at 8:05 a.m. For children who arrive at school early, it is important
to be dressed appropriately. Children are also outside for two recesses 12:00—2:00 p.m.
(15 min./10 min.) as well as for 30 minutes at lunch time.
Pickering Town Centre
Please remember to label everything! Fewer clothes
would end up in our lost and found box if a name could
be found on the piece of clothing. We have many lost
items that need to find their home. If you have a
moment, please drop by and check our lost and found
areas, you might be able to find a few of your treas-
ures!