Celebrate Peel Teaching Assistant and Early Childhood Educators’

Appreciation Day (November 7th)

In 2014, the board of trustees declared the last Wednes-day in October as the Peel Teaching Assistant and Early Childhood Educators’ (ECE) Appreciation Day. This year, the recognition day falls on Nov. 7, 2019. The Peel board ap-preciates the important work of teaching assistants and ECEs, and the contributions that they make in the lives of children, families and community members.

Say 'thanks' for Peel Custodial

& Maintenance Workers’ Day

on November 29th

In 2014, the board of trustees declared the last

Friday in November as the Peel Custodial and

Maintenance Workers’ Day. This year, the recogni-

tion day falls on Friday, Nov. 29, 2019. Take this

opportunity to thank the important work of custo-

dial and maintenance workers and their hard work

and commitment to well-being and safety.

Folkstone Public School celebrates Hindu Heritage Month in November

During Hindu Heritage Month, schools across Peel will participate in a number of activities that recognize and celebrate the rich heritage, histo-ry, culture and contributions of Hindu Canadians as well as Hindu com-munities from around the world. On April 9, 2019, as part of the board’s commitment to equity and inclu-sion, the Peel board approved a motion to recognize and celebrate Hindu Heritage Month in November. In addition to Hindu Heritage Month, the Peel board also approved a motion to recognize and celebrate Islamic Heritage Month in October, Indigenous Heritage Month in November, Sikh Heritage Month in April and Jewish Heritage Month in May. The board will continue to recognize Black History Month in February, Asian Heritage Month in May and Pride Month in June. The Province of Ontario declared the month of November as Hindu Herit-age Month in 2016. The month of November was chosen in recognition of “Deepawali” or “Diwali”, which is a significant festival in the Hindu com-munity. On October 4, 2018, a Member of Parliament introduced a Private Mem-ber’s Bill (PMB), Bill C-416 in the House of Commons to designate the month of October as Hindu Her-itage Month in Canada. The bill is currently going through sev-eral stages to become law.

Folkstone Public School Celebrates Indigenous Heritage Month in November

Schools across Peel will participate in a number of activities in November to recognize, celebrate and honour the rich heritage, culture, contributions and diversity of First Nation, Inuit and Métis communities across Canada.

On June 19, 2019, as part of the board’s commitment to equity and inclusion and to help better reflect student identity, trustees approved a motion to recognize and celebrate Indigenous Heritage Month in the month of No-vember. This month includes several dates of significance, including, Treaty Recognition Week, Indigenous Veterans Day, Louis Riel Day, and the Peel Community Cultural Indigenous Celebration and Pow Wow.

In addition to Indigenous Heritage Month, the Peel board has also approved a motion to recognize and celebrate Islamic Heritage Month in October, Hindu Heritage Month in November, Sikh Heritage Month in April and Jew-ish Heritage Month in May. The board will continue to recognize Black His-tory Month in February, Asian Heritage Month in May and Pride Month in June.

The House of Commons officially recognized June as National Indigenous History Month following a unanimous motion in 2009. In the month of June, Peel board schools and worksites will raise and/or display the flag of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation in the spirit of equity, inclusion and reconciliation. The raising of this flag is only one of the ways we help to create spaces that are inclusive, welcoming and safe for students, staff and families.

Bus Cancellation and Closing Schools Due to Bad Weather

During the winter months, we may need to cancel buses or close schools because of in-clement weather. Information regarding details of cancellations or closures will be announced on radio, television stations and will also be available on Twitter @Peelschools, Twitter @STOPRinfo, Facebook at www.facebook.com/peelschools, www.peelschools.org and www.stopr.ca or by calling 905-890-1010 or 1-800-668-1146. One of the following messages will be an-nounced:

Peel District School Board buses are can-celled

This means that schools remain open for stu-dents and staff, but buses are cancelled. Bus cancellations could occur in all or parts of municipalities. Buses will remain cancelled all day. All activities that require busing will also be cancelled. Permits, night school classes, child care and other activities in schools will operate as usual.

All Peel District School Board schools and board offices are closed

This means that all schools and Peel board offices are closed to students and staff. All activities in schools and board offices are also cancelled, including child care, night school and permits.

All evening programs and permits at the Peel District School Board are cancelled

This means that all activities in schools and Peel board offices are cancelled, including continuing education courses and events. The buildings will be closed.

All weekend programs and permits at the Peel District School Board are cancelled

This means that all activities in schools and Peel board offices are cancelled, including continuing education courses and events. The buildings will be closed.

Peel Public Health Shares Tips to Help

Prevent the Flu

It’s flu season and we want to make sure students stay as healthy as possible

this year! Influenza (flu) spreads easily from one person to another and Peel

Public Health has some tips to help reduce the risk of catching the flu and

spreading it:

Get your annual flu shot: The flu shot is your best defence against the flu.

There are many locations across Peel where you can get your flu shots:

Family Doctors’ offices

Walk-in clinics

Pharmacies

Peel flu clinics

Keep children home when they’re sick: If your child develops flu-like signs

and symptoms (fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills

and fatigue), keep them home from school. Contact your health care

provider if symptoms are severe.

Practice good hygiene: Help your child get into the habit of covering their

nose and mouth with a tissue when they cough or sneeze and throw tis-

sues in the trash. Cough or sneeze into a sleeve or elbow, if they don’t

have a tissue. They should also avoid touching their eyes, nose or mouth.

This is how germs are spread.

Wash your hands: Encourage your child to wash their hands often with soap

and water or use hand sanitizer, especially after they cough or sneeze.

For more information, call Peel Public Health at 905-799-7700 or visit

www.peelregion.ca/flu.

Give what you can on United Way Giving Day – Nov. 14, 2019

At the Peel District School Board, our mission is to inspire success, confidence and hope in each student – each and every day. Yet

we know that there are many needs in our community that we can’t address on our own, like providing food for families that may go without or supporting communities after a crisis. That’s why we are holding a board-wide giving day in support of United Way Greater Toron-to, a key partner and supporter of Peel families.

This year, the Peel board has declared Nov. 14 as United Way Giving Day to raise much needed funds for United Way Greater Toronto and the network of local, Peel social service agencies it supports. Whether it’s providing shelter for a mother and her children in Bramp-ton, matching a child who is at risk with a mentor in Caledon, or funding a breakfast pro-gram in Mississauga for youth that would otherwise go hungry, United Way offers hope and possibility to thousands in our community.

A donation of:

$2 may go towards a breakfast program for a child from a low income family.

$10 supports a child with interactive, recreational outings for one year, including healthy snacks and transportation, to help them build their social skills and self-esteem.

$25 is enough to provide a daily homework club that gives children and youth access to computers, peer support and mentors.

This is a completely voluntary campaign and any contributions are welcome. Whether you send a loonie, toonie, cheque made out to United Way Greater Toronto, or donate through school cash online, your contribution will make a difference. Pledges of $25 or more will re-ceive a tax receipt from United Way Greater Toronto. To receive a receipt, you must fill out the pledge form on the back and send it to school with your donation by Dec. 13, 2019. If you donate through School Cash Online, attach a copy of your receipt to your completed pledge form.

Thank you for lending a helping hand to those who need it most. Together, we can help those in poverty which wouldn’t be possible without your continued support – your local love can change.

Stan Cameron Peter Joshua

Chair of the Board Director of the Board

#chooseACTION on Bullying

Awareness and Prevention Week

The Peel District School Board will recognize Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week, November

17 to 23, 2019.

Bullying is a form of harassment. The World Health Organization says, “Bullying…demands the con-

certed and coordinated time and attention of health-care providers, policy-makers and fami-

lies.” (Prevention of Bullying, 2010) Bullying is a relationship problem, with relationship solutions.

Each year, across the Peel board, students, staff and families engage in learning and program-

ming opportunities focussed on actively disrupting bullying, by creating positive and safe Climates

for Learning and Working, built on a foundation of healthy relationships.

This year the Peel board community will ‘#chooseACTION to STOP hate’ in their classrooms, offic-

es, schools and communities, in order to make these spaces better places for everyone.

Establishing and maintaining a positive Climate for Learning and Working requires all of us to ac-

tively intervene on assumptions, stereotyping, bias, discrimination and hate. We must proactively

act and speak in ways that are inclusive, accepting of others and values difference.

Throughout the week, we will be highlighting the importance of being an upstanding bystander

by acting to stop hate:

Step 1: Stop the Action

Step 2: Name it

Step 3: Explain the impact/harm

Step 4: Ask the person causing the harm to change their

behavior

Step 5: Support the person harmed.

The Peel board would like to hear about the big and

small actions, pledges, and promises our Peel community

values, and ask that you take a moment to share your

#chooseACTION to STOP hate” moments on social me-

dia.

Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week is one of the key

items contained in Bill 13: The Accepting Schools Act, that

came into effect on Sept. 1, 2012. For more information,

visit www.peelschools.org/aboutus/safeschools/bullying

or

www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/safeschools/prevention.html.

Is French Immersion Right for

My Child?

If your child will be starting grade 1 in September 2020, one of the important

choices you will make is whether you want to apply for the French Immer-

sion (FI) program.

To find out the FI school your child would attend, visit

www.peelschools.org/French or call 905-792-2266.

Grade 1 French Immersion important dates for the 2020-21 school year

The Peel board has a limited number of spaces available for students inter-

ested in grade 1 French Immersion. At this time, the grade 1 FI enrolment

cap is set at 25 per cent of all Peel students enrolling in grade 1. A random

selection process is used to determine which students will be offered spaces

in the grade 1 FI program.

For more information:

visit www.peelschools.org/French

call your nearest French Immersion school

connect with families who have children in the

French Immersion program

visit the Canadian Parents for French website at http://on.cpf.ca

Information night

Attend the information meeting at the French Im-mersion school your child would attend

Thursday, Nov. 21, 2019 at 7 p.m.

Applications open Monday, Nov. 25, 2019 at 8:30 a.m.

Application deadline

Applications received after this date will be put on

Friday, Jan. 31, 2020

Regional Learning Choices Programs Unlock Passions

Regional Learning Choices Programs offered by the Peel District School Board empower students by providing them with opportunities to develop and explore skills in a particular area of interest. Regional programs are open to all stu-dents who meet the criteria for acceptance. Students and their families are encouraged to attend the information night for the program of their choice to receive more information about the program and application details.

Transportation is not provided for students in regional programs. If students have been accepted into a regional pro-gram and they live within the school boundary, they are eligible for busing only if they meet the distance criteria out-lined in the board’s Transportation Policy #39. All regional programs include annual fees, including a non-refundable $40 application fee, except the Regional Skilled Trades and Transportation Engineering and Technology programs, which are offered at no cost. For more information about program information nights, busing, fees and the application process, visit www.peelschools.org/RegionalPrograms

Important dates to note:

Applications open Applications close

ELEMENTARY Jan. 27, 2020 at 8:30 a.m. Feb. 10, 2020 at 3 p.m.

SECONDARY Nov. 11, 2019 at 8:30 a.m. Nov. 25, 2019 at 3 p.m.

Programs Schools offered at Starts in grade:

6 7 9

Actively in Motion (AIM) Royal Orchard MS

Advanced Placement Central Peel SS, John Fraser SS

Arts Earnscliffe Sr. PS (starts in grade 6), Queen Elizabeth Sr. PS (starts in grade 7), Cawthra Park SS, Mayfield SS

Arts and Technology Morning Star MS

Graphic Design Management T.L. Kennedy SS

International Baccalaureate Bristol Rd. MS, WG Davis Sr. PS, Erindale SS, Glenforest SS, Har-old M. Brathwaite SS, Turner Fenton SS

International Business and Tech-nology

Allan A. Martin Sr. PS, Lisgar MS, Williams Pkwy Sr. PS, Mead-owvale SS, North Park SS, T.L. Kennedy SS

International and Executive Lead-ership Academy

T.L. Kennedy SS

Regional Skilled Trades Judith Nyman (starting in September 2020), West Credit SS

SciTech Centennial Sr. PS, Macville PS, Tomken Rd. MS, Chinguacousy SS, Port Credit SS

Sports Applewood Heights SS

Strings Central Peel SS, Port Credit SS

Transportation Engineering and Technology

Bramalea SS

After 18 years, the Peel District School Board is revamping its annual parent

conference. After hearing from participants, we are changing the tradition-

al full-day workshop model to a multi-evening speaker series focused on a

specific subject, where parents and caregivers will hear from a keynote

speaker followed by a panel who will take audience questions. We will also

invite Peel board departments, groups and community partners to share

their information in an exhibitor area.

The Engage. Educate. Empower. Speaker Series is co-presented by the Peel

Elementary Teachers’ Local. Without their support, this free learning event for

parents/caregivers would not be possible.

*These free events are open to all Peel board parents of students at all

grade levels.

Reserve your spot for the first session starting Oct. 7, 2019 at

www.peelschools.org/parents/conference.

Date and Time Location Topic and Speaker

Monday, Nov. 4, 2019 5 to 8 p.m.

HJA Brown Education Centre, 5650 Hurontario St., Mississauga

Digital citizenship and online

safety featuring Jesse Miller

Wednesday, Jan. 22,

2020

Chinguacousy Secondary School, 1370 Williams Pkwy., Brampton

TBA

Wednesday, Feb. 26,

2020

Mayfield Secondary School, 5000 Mayfield Rd., Caledon East

TBA