February Newsletter 2024
Principal's Message
Dear Parents and Caregivers,
Welcome to the month of February 2024. February came in like a lamb, but does that matter?
We are working on the character attribute – perseverance - this month. It is appropriate for February because many of us need this skill in order to make it through the cold and sunless days. Because it is fun, and often needed this time of year, to have something to look forward to, especially for students, we are going to start what we hope will be another new tradition at Brookside Public School and that is a tubing trip for students from grade 1 - 8! Check out this link River Valley Golf and Tube Slide. I applied for an outdoor education grant, which encourages outdoor winter play, and have received about $10.00 per student to offset the cost of this field trip. Our proposed date for this new adventure is February 27 2024. Details will follow, but in the meantime will you ponder this? We need volunteers to meet the supervision ratios. We can quite likely accommodate as many as want to join because we have the whole place to ourselves that day! There will be some room for parent volunteers to ride the bus and some will need to drive and likely would prefer this. So look for more information coming home soon and at the same time, if you can, start to make plans to join us!
Jennifer Cook, our grade ¾ teacher, has put together a team for the Coldest Night of the Year event. See the details within this newsletter. Will you join the team with your children? Will you sponsor us?
Thank you for all that you do to help to make Brookside a great place to be. As always if you have any questions, concerns, or ideas please feel free to contact me at: [email protected] or by calling the school.
Report Cards
Ontario Provincial Report cards (1-8) and Communication of Learning (Kindergarten) will come home with each student on Tuesday February 20, 2024. There is a portion of the report card that will need to be signed and returned with the envelope to the school. The 1st Ontario Provincial Report contains an evaluation of your child’s achievement of curriculum expectations, learning skills and work habits. This report describes your child’s achievement through letter grades or percentage marks and teacher comments. It is based on the focus of teaching and learning during the period of September to the end of January.
Valentine’s Day
February 14th It is - wear red, white, and pink day! Please do not send homemade baked goods to share. We have food allergies in our building. Your child(ren) may bring in pre packaged peanut-free treats for Valentines Day.
Pink Shirt Day
February 28, 2024 is Pink Shirt Day! The Pink Shirt Day Theme is “ Be Kind, Lift Each Other Up.” Each child will be encouraged to wear pink to take a stand together as a community that stands for kindness and respect.
Today our diversity is becoming more visible than ever as people continue to embrace their cultures, identities, and true selves in more open and direct ways; making the need to “Be Kind, Lift Each Other Up” and have greater acceptance, respect, and inclusion for everyone so important. Take a stand against bullying and be an advocate for kindness and inclusivity by wearing a pink shirt. Source: pinkshirtday.ca
During Pink Shirt Day, Ontario students, school staff, and parents are encouraged to learn more about anti- bullying and its effect on student learning and well-being. In our AMDSB schools, we all share a responsibility in working together to ensure that all students and staff feel welcome and safe.
Transitions
February is always an exciting time for us and a time of transition. So far we have 38 students registered for JK in September. On the other end of the spectrum our grade 8s are deeply involved in selecting their courses for high school and having visits from the high school staff. We appreciate that there are big emotions for parents at the beginning and the end of elementary school. Please reach out if you have any questions that we may be able to help you with.
School Council Meeting
Our next school council meeting will be held Thursday, February 7, 2024 at 6:30.
The Playground and Fundraiser/Grant Committee started to meet in January over TEAMS.
If your interested in more information on these committees or interested in joining please contact:
Playground Planning Committee: Miriah Drennen
Playground Fundraising Committee: Jessica Beyersbergen
If you would like to donate please reach out to our parent council or email [email protected] and we can get you the forms to fill out. Or if you know of a business that might be interested we have a letter you can send for requesting support in donations.
Mental Health and Wellness
Hi Brookside Families,
This month, we're diving back into social emotional learning, revisiting healthy relationships. For our elementary students, it's all about building positive connections, fostering communication, empathy, and cooperation. At home, let's champion perseverance this month. Encourage and teach your child to face challenges with determination and resilience. Try these activities:
Goal Setting: Set achievable goals with your child and celebrate small victories along the way. This builds a sense of accomplishment and reinforces perseverance.
Problem-Solving Games: Play games that require problem-solving, like puzzles or strategy board games. Emphasize the importance of sticking with it even when faced with challenges.
Storytime Reflections: Read books together with characters overcoming obstacles. Discuss the characters' perseverance and relate it to real-life situations.
Family Challenges: Introduce small family challenges that require teamwork and persistence. This fosters a supportive environment where everyone encourages each other.
Mark your calendars- February 28th is Pink Shirt Day! Join your Brookside Bulldogs in standing against bullying by wearing pink and promoting kindness.
Let's nurture resilient and compassionate individuals together!
Skills for Students-Having healthy relationships with others
February’s Lunch & Learn will feature:
Title: Nurturing Healthy Relationships Through SEL
Date/Time: February 14, 2024 from 12:00 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Presenter: Kristi Michel
Organization: Rural Response for Healthy Children
Description of Presentation:
Join Kristi Michel from Rural Response for Healthy Children to learn how caregivers can help
their children foster strong, positive peer relationships through the use of social emotional
learning strategies in the home. Healthy relationships are key to support positive mental health
both in and out of the classroom!
All the Best,
Hannah DeBruyn
Brookside School Council
Mental Health Liaison
Coldest Night Of the Year Walk
It's cold out there, and on Saturday February 24, we are going to do something about it. Together with thousands of Canadians across the country, We will be walking and fundraising to support people and families experiencing hurt, hunger, and homelessness in our community. We are inviting Brookside students and their families to join our team, Brookside Bulldogs, and participate in the Goderich walk. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Please click HERE to join our team or donate to Huron Homelessness Initiatives. The event will begin at the Goderich Legion, 56 Kingston Street Goderich at 4:45 and will conclude at 7. The route is around the Square uptown in Goderich. There are 5km and 2km options.
Waivers:
All participants must register online and accept the electronic waiver.
- Adults accept the waiver automatically when they register online.
- Youth/Children under 18 need a waiver signed by their parent or guardians
- You may also bring a filled-out printed waiver.
- Waivers will also be available at check-in on CNOY Day.
For more information, please check out the site https://cnoy.org/location/goderich or contact Jen Cook [email protected]
Tim Horton’s Smile Cookie Campaign
We had $2365.62 donated on behalf of the Smile Cookie Campaign to go towards our food security program at Brookside.
March Food Orders
March Pizza and milk orders will be due on School Cash Online by February 20,2024. We appreciate that parents complete pizza and milk orders online by the deadline date each month. It is a huge job to tabulate the enormous school orders in a timely manner, so please do not ask us to accept late orders. Late orders will not be accepted.
Grade 8 Save the Dates:
Grade 8 Graduations Pictures are February 23,2024
Grade 8 graduation will be held on Friday June 21, 2024 @ 7:00pm in Brookside gymnasium.
Student Absences and Attendance
Attendance at school is vital to the development of skills and the learning continuum. Each school day builds on a set of progressive skills and connections between teacher and student and attendance is a key component to identifying learning strengths and needs.
We kindly ask that you contact the school to report an absence due to illness, appointments, vacation or other events. Long term absences should be communicated with the Principal.
Please Continue to use the new Safe Arrival System Reporting options below.
- Use the SchoolMessenger (SafeArrival) website: go.schoolmessenger.ca.
○ The first time you use the website: i. Select “Sign Up” to create your account. **Important: You must use the email address that you provided to the school in order to set up your account. ii. Select “Attendance” iii. Select “Report an Absence” Please continue to use the Safe Arrival System to report your attendance for your child.
- If you have not already done so download the App onto your personal device by going into your Google Play Store or the Apple App Store.
○ Once you download the app:
- Tap Sign Up to create your account. **Important: You must use the email address that you provided to the school in order to set up your account.
- Select Attendance from the menu, and then iii. Select Report an Absence.
○ Please do not adjust the notification settings in the app as it will impact the other messages you receive from the school via text and email.
- Call the toll-free number 1-844-518-5459 to report an absence using the automated phone system.
These are really simple to use to report your student absent for the current day or future days ahead. As for reporting a Weather Day; using a weather day will not be accepted if the school is open and buses are running. If you do not feel comfortable sending due to weather conditions please use the Personal day option. You may also email [email protected] but we are encouraging our families to use the School Messenger reporting system.
Your support in helping us with the efficiency of these calls, managing the safety of all students and maintaining accurate attendance records is greatly appreciated.
Inclement Weather Reminder
When buses are canceled due to weather, the school usually remains open for students and staff that are able to get to the school safely. On days when the buses are canceled and the school remains open, please ensure that staff members are in the building when dropping off your children. We will do our best to staff the building during these events, but the weather can certainly cause issues with the timely and safe arrival of staff.
Supervision is not available outside of these times.
Students must be signed in and out at the office and contact with an adult must be made.
Students are not to be dropped off prior to 8:45 a.m. and need to be picked up by 3:05 p.m.
School Bus Provider: Montgomery Bus Lines Phone: 519-357-9191
Please download the Bus Planner App called BP Delays on your phone and turn on your notifications to be notified of your child(s) bus delays or cancellations.
Important Dates:
February 1 - Elmira Chicken Orders and Spirit Wear are available on School Cash
February 1 - March Milk and Pizza Orders available on School Cash
February 2 - PD day
February 7- School Council Meeting in Library @ 6:30pm
February 9 - Spirit day- All One Color Day! Wear your House Color!
February 14 - Valentine's Day - Wear Red, White and Pink Day
February 15 - Elmira Chicken and Spirit Wear Orders Closes on School Cash
February 19 - Family Day. There is no school for staff and students. Enjoy the day!
February 20 - March Milk and Pizza Orders Due on School Cash
February 20 - Senior volleyball at CHSS (Snow Date Feb 22,2024)
February 20 - Report cards go home
February 23 - Grade 8 Grad Photos
February 27- Tubing Trip for Grades 1-8
February 28 - Pink Shirt Day (Anti Bullying)
March Break - Last Day of School is Friday March 8, 2024 and school will return after the break on Monday March 18, 2024.