Margaret Twomey Public Newsletter & Upcoming Events
Pizza Hut Reading Program
The program has started and calendars should be returned to the school at the end of the month. Please take some time to read with your children and/or have them read to you.
School Council Meeting
Next Meeting, Dec.1 7pm
Are you interested in knowing more about what is happening at the school? Want to have an opportunity to express your ideas, questions and concerns about school activities/policies (e.g. early literacy programming, EQAO testing, food and beverage policy, extracurricular activities, etc.), and be more involved in your child’s education?
If so, consider joining us for our upcoming School Council Meeting. Research shows that “…good schools become better schools when there is a strong connection with parents…” and School Councils are one way to develop this connection. At this particular meeting we will be discussing our goals, concerns and ideas for this year as well as the School Improvement Plan. If you are not able to attend but have questions about the council or issues that you wish to have addressed please feel free to talk to any of our current members: Pearl Cooper (Chair), Crystal Rieck (Vice Chair), Margaret Cousins (Secretary), Kim Bananish (Treasurer), Annette Heath, Wanda Edwards, Jen Hansen-Conway, Shirley Cooper, Corinne Skworchinski, Shelley Anthony (Teacher Rep), Heidi Patterson (Principal). Men are welcome to join too!
Fire Bag Supplies
Each classroom has a fire bag. In the event of a fire in the school the teacher would grab the bag and distribute extra clothing to your child to keep warm while arrangements are made for shelter. Please send something that your child can put on over their regular clothes as well as a pair of mitts and hat.
Student Accident Insurance
Forms were sent out to those parents who participated in this program last year. Parents can enroll online at www.insuremykids.com
Canada Post Santa Letter – writing program
Children may visit the on-line website at www.canadapost.ca/santascorner where they can play games, do fun activities and even send Santa mail.
UNICEF
Once again UNICEF pledge sheets were available to students at Halloween. To date, only 21 students have returned their envelopes but have collected a total of $1,212.50. The grade 8 class ran a UNICEF information session at noon one day and charged a silver collection. They raised $65.30. Ms. Oussoren coordinated our hot dog lunch last week and raised another $214.65. So our total for Unicef todate is $1,492.45 . Thank you for your generous support in this worldwide relief effort. (It is NOT TOO LATE to turn in pledge sheets.)
Head Lice … Just an up-date as we have no reported cases at this time…
It’s that time of year again. The following information is provided by the Thunder Bay District Health Unit.
Head lice are a nuisance but not a health hazard. They don’t result from a lack of cleanliness, anyone can get head lice. School children get them more often because they are frequently in-head-to head contact.
What to Look For:
- these tiny, flat insects have no wings and cannot jump or fly
- they are just 1-2 mm long, greyish brown in color and very hard to see
- eggs are laid close to the scalp and are the size of a pinhead, they may look like dandruff but they are firmly glued to the hair and cannot be flicked off
- itching and scratching are common signs
Treatment
- treatment products can be purchased at the pharmacy, follow product directions
- shampoo treatments should be done twice, 7 to 10 days apart
- head lice products kill the head lice and many of the eggs (nits)
- after treatment it is imperative that all nits are removed
To Remove Nits
- bright natural light will help you see the nits
- comb hair and starting with a lock of hair, use your thumbnail against your first finger to strip the nits from the hair starting at the roots right down to the tips
- pin that lock of hair back and continue until all nits are removed
Cleaning Personal Items
- wash combs and brushes, headgear, pillow cases, sheets and towels in hot water
- use of insecticide sprays are not needed
Student Information
It is important for the office to have current up-to-date information on all of our students. If your phone number, address or work number changes please call the school to let us know. Also, if emergency contact information needs to be changed or updated, please contact us.
Thank You to Parents
A huge thank you to those parents who call the school to let us know their son or daughter is absent. The safe schools act requires us to contact home when a child is away, so even if your son or daughter has been home sick for a number of days, we need to call. We have experienced some increase in absenteeism this flu season and your quick call to the school in the morning makes taking attendance much easier. So please, keep calling. The office is open at 7:45 a.m. daily to take calls.
Cross Country Running
Has finished for the season. Congratulations to the 6 runners (JJ Baisch, Melanie Dupres, Jessie Page, Joey and Daniela Senese and Colin Tsubouchi ) who represented our school in the race at St. Hilary’s in Red Rock. Jessie Page was recognized as our team’s nominee for the Gyven Bourdreau Award for Dedication to Running. Congratulations to her and to all those dedicated runners who came out for practices three times a week. See you in the spring!
Christmas Choir
Students from grades 3 and up who are interested in joining a Christmas choir are asked to stay after school on Wednesday, November 10th for our first rehearsal. Weekly rehearsals will be held every Wednesday, after school (2:45-3:45), until Christmas. Special thanks to Margaret Cousins was has offered her time and talent to direct the choir.
Grade One Pen Pals
Our grade one students have Pen pals. They have written them letters telling them about ourselves (ages, likes, dislikes, etc.) We also sent the same letters to another school which we should hear back from soon as well. One class is from Raymond, Iowa and the other class is from Elmwood Park, New Jersey.
Roots of Empathy
Mrs. Goodmurphy’s class is participating in the “Roots of Empathy” program this year.
The goals of the program are to:
- foster the development of empathy
- to develop emotional literacy
- to reduce levels of bullying, aggression, and violence and promote children’s pro-social behaviours
- to increase knowledge of human development, learning, and infant safety
- to prepare students for responsible citizenship and responsive parenting.
