Greenbriar Middle School November-December 2016

Newsletter

From our Music Department… Greenbriar Family and Friends are invited to celebrate the Arts at our first joint

concert – Music Night 2016!

The Grade 8 Band and Choir have an amazing opportunity to perform at Chinguacousy S.S. The concert will also feature music performances by

Calderstone Middle School and Chinguacousy Secondary School.

Date: Thursday December 1, 2016 Location: Chinguacousy Secondary School

Start Time: 7:00pm* Admission: FREE**

**Chinguacousy will be accepting non-perishable food donations

*Student Performers: members of Grade 8 Band and Choir are expected to be at Chinguacousy S.S. at 6:30pm in order to prepare for the concert.

FROM the Library: "Thank you to all the amazing families that helped suppor t the Greenbr iar Library by

purchasing items from our Book Fair. We raised $1200.00 towards the purchase of new items for the library. I will be

purchasing lots of new titles for the library. These purchases include titles requested by both staff and students. Students can

look forward to reading titles like "Ghost" by Raina Telgemeier and "Lost and Found" by Shaun Tan.

The Forest of Reading program will begin in December. Students will be able to participate in a Canada wide reading

program. The reading material for this amazing program will arrive shortly.

Study Hall is now open every Monday and Wednesday. Students may come to the library to work during the lunch hour to

complete classroom assignments or catch up on missed work. The lab is also open to students during these lunch hours.

Superintendent: Ms N. Jaiswal

School Trustee: Ms C. Andrews

Principal: Ms M. Mulhern Vice-Principal: Mrs. C. Sciamanna

Office Manager: Mrs. P. Baird

Office Assistant: Mrs. L. MacKenzie

School Life

REMINDERS

Nov. 16: Parents/Guardians to return

completed and signed Course Selection Op-

tion Forms to homeroom teacher

Nov. 18: PD Day (Parent-Teacher Interviews)

Nov. 24, 25, and 28: Chinguacousy Guidance

Counsellors and Greenbriar Teachers to assist

Gr. 8 Students with entering courses in My

Blueprint. Please bring completed Course Selection

Option Form as a reference. This will take place in the

Greenbriar Lab

Nov. 30, Dec 1, Dec 2: Gr. 7 Finlayson Field Trips

Dec. 23: Winter Arts Showcase

Student Reminders

BREAKFAST CLUB We are pleased to announce that the Breakfast Club has returned to

Greenbriar! It began on Monday October 31, 2016. It will be held in the

gym, by the canteen doors on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from

7:45-8:10am.

Greenbriar’s Breakfast Club will adhere to the following “Student

Nutrition Program” Guidelines to ensure our students are served a healthy

and nutritious breakfast.

Fruits & Vegetables: We will include whole fruits and vegetables as

much as possible.

Grain Products: We will be serving whole grain or whole wheat items,

and limiting the amount of sugar per serving to only 8 grams in Granola

Bars, Cereals, and Baked Goods.

Dairy Products: We will offer yogur ts with a reduced sugar content.

Meat & Alternatives: We will not be serving Deli Meats or cured

meats.

At Greenbriar, Breakfast club is open to all students free of cost.

However, we would gladly accept donations of the items below.

Acceptable Donations (Following The Nutrition Guidelines)

Plastic Cutlery and/or plastic cups

Cereal Boxes

Muffin Mixes

Granola Bars

Crackers

Apple sauce

In November, we have served more than 200 students! Our breakfast

menu includes different combinations of oranges, grapes, celery and carrot

sticks, bagels, muffins and granola bars, yogurt, cheese strings, juices and

apple sauce.

Pizza Days are

Wednesdays (unless

otherwise stated) for

those who have pre-

ordered and pre-paid:

November 16

November 23

November 29 (Tuesday)

Order Forms for December will be

sent home the week of November 14.

*Please, ensure your food

donations are peanut free.*

My Blueprint Course Verification

Form will be sent home for Parents/

Guardians to review and sign. All

Verification Forms MUST be returned

back to your child’s teacher by

Friday, December 16, 2016.

If you have any concerns or ques-

tions, please contact your child’s

Home Room Teacher, their Support

Teacher or the schools Guidance

Counsellor.

JOB OPENING Applications are being accepted for Lunchroom Supervisor positions at Greenbriar for the 2016-2017 school year. Lunch Supervisor duties in-clude the supervision of students both indoors and outdoors for 1 hour each day. This is a paid position with the requirement of a daily commitment from 10:56 am – 11:56 am. If you are interested in this position,

you are invited to attend the school to

pick up an application. Successful

candidates will require a Criminal

Record Check and 3 references.

Extracurriculars

Prevent the flu.

It’s in your hands

Hand washing is the most important way to prevent the spread of infection. Always wash your hands with soap

and water when they are dirty.

Clean your hands before touching your eyes, nose or mouth, touching/prepar ing food or dr inks, eating

or drinking, caring for someone in your home who can easily get sick (baby, elderly or someone who has an

unhealthy immune system) or first aid.

Clean your hands after touching pets or other animals, touching raw meat, par ticular ly chicken, touch-

ing surfaces such as a railing or grocery cart, touching money, touching objects sick people have touched,

touching blood or body fluids such as urine, vomit or feces, contact with those who have a cold, the flu, diar-

rhea or virus of any kind, changing diapers, wiping your own or a child’s nose, sneezing or coughing, using a

facial tissue, using the washroom, removing gloves, cleaning or gardening.

What to do when you cough or sneeze cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve, put used

tissues in the wastebasket, clean your hands with soap and water or a hand sanitizer.

For more information call Peel Health at 905-799-7700 or visit www.peelregion.ca/flu.

Student Safety Safe Arrival System To report your child’s absence, call, visit or download:

CALL: 1-855-209-6155

VISIT: pdsb.schoolconnects.com

DOWNLOAD the SafeArrival mobile app for Apple and

Android users. Planned absences should be reported in

ATHLETES OF THE MONTH (October)

Gr 6 Girls: Naomi 902; Naomie 606

Gr 6 Boys: Isaiah 602; Kahron 604

Gr 7 Girls: Jessica 704; Tisha 705

Gr 7 Boys: Marquese 701; Ayaan 704

Gr 8 Girls: Anik 801; Kayla 801

Gr 8 Boys: Isaac 902; Elijah 805

Hey Greenbriar: Volleyball season

is well under way at Greenbriar. The

Senior Boys and Girls teams are in

the middle of their NPPHEA league

schedules. The Junior Boys and

Girls teams have had tryouts and are

in the process of preparing for their December tour-

ney. Lunchtime volleyball intramurals have begun.

All players are reminded to check the Phys-Ed bulle-

tin board for practice schedules and game dates!!!

DrumAddicts

Practice!

Gr. 7’s going to Finlayson Field Centre:

Wed. Nov. 30: 702, 705, 904 and 905

Thu. Dec. 1: 703, 706, 902

Fri. Dec. 2: 701, 704, 903

Greenbriar’s DANCE CLUB

meets every Monday at lunch time.

Join us for some fun!

Help your teen plan for grade 9 course selections for 2017-18 Soon, current grade 8 students will select their courses for grade 9. Before they do, we want to ensure that they have the opportunity to consult with their teachers, guidance counsellor, if applicable, and their parents. As our partners, families are encouraged to help prepare their teens for course selection. We encourage you to become familiar with the process by creating a myBlueprint account. Every parent and student (grades 7-12) can have access to myBlueprint features such as:

High School – plan courses, track progress toward graduation, and instantly identify post-secondary eligibility for opportunities in every pathway

Post-Secondary– compare detailed information on apprenticeships, college programs, university programs and workplace sectors

Who Am I – complete surveys (including Learning Styles, Myers-Briggs Personality, Holland Interests, Knowledge, Motivations, and Compatibility)

Portfolios – create several portfolios (e.g. Career Portfolio) and share them with parents, teachers, or future employers. It’s simple to add work you have completed in myBlueprint or add pictures and videos

Job Search – find real-world job and volunteering postings that relate to occupations of interest

Goals – add interactive SMART goals and action plans

Resumes & Cover Letters – record experiences, build a resume, write a cover letter

Occupations – compare comprehensive information on occupations

Money – build a budget to track income and expenses Additionally, parents/guardians and students can review the Chart Your Course document , Peel District School Board’s common course calendar (found at www.makingmyway.ca). This guide will help you understand the course selection process and provide infor-mation on the courses and programs offered in Peel secondary schools. The grade 9 course selection process will be open from Nov. 14 to Dec.2, 2016. If you have questions or are looking for course sugges-tions, please contact your teen’s teachers or guidance counsellor.

Peel Board News

*NEW* Community Corner

Stay up-to-date with community-based opportunities

The Peel District School Board is pleased to introduce an electronic resource page on

www.peelschools.org called, Community Corner, which contains links to information and resources in the

community that may be of interest to students and their families.

How you can access Community Corner:

Visit www.peelschools.org/parents/communitycorner

Click on the “Community Corner” button, found on the main page of school websites, as well as on

www.peelschools.org.

A Parent's Guide to High School

Get ready for what could be the most exciting and important years your teen spends in school. For the first

time, teens will have to make choices about what they will study and what career pathway to choose.

Whatever path your teen chooses, we want to make sure your entire family is ready to meet the challenges

and embrace the many opportunities that await your teen upon graduation.

Our Parent’s Guide to High School will provide you with a snapshot of what you need to know to help your

teen be successful. To view the online booklet, visit www.peelschools.org/parents/helpyourchild/

Immunization Peel Public Health has begun its annual immunization record review process. Letters will be sent directly to students who have incomplete records. Updated lists of affected students will be sent periodically to schools. Schools will be contacted directly by Peel Public Health with instructions and support materials. Suspensions will begin in February/March 2017. Please update your child’s immunization records to avoid inconveniences.

Your Voice Counts The Your Voice Counts (YVC) survey will be open to staff, students (grades 4 to 12), and parents/guardians in March of 2017. The purpose of the survey is to help inform school success planning by answering the question, What do staff,students, and parents/guardians think about their school? The survey consists of 47 questions and takes approximately 10 minutes to complete online. The YVC survey will be open from March 1, 2017 – April 30, 2017, so please mark your calendars!

As you know, how instructional time is used is extremely important to students' success. Of late, we have had frequent requests to interrupt classrooms for a variety of reasons. These distractions negatively impact the quality of instruction. I would respectfully request that where possible, you make every effort to arrange appointments for students after school hours (8:20 am to 2:20 pm), so that students do not need to be called down to the office. Alternatively, please send a note to the homeroom teacher, requesting that the student be dismissed at a particular time. In this case, students can make their way to the office at the pre-arranged time. As well, I ask that parents/guardians do not call the school to request to speak with students un-less there is an emergency. If a message needs to be relayed to a student, it will be passed along during a lunch break or after school. Fewer interruptions to classes during instruction will support all students and their learning. I very much appreciate your attention to this matter. Thank you.

A note from the Principal...

“Explorer in Residence”

Greenbriar hosted presenter Jill Heinerth who discussed a variety of topics con-nected to the Ontario Curriculum. The presenter shared topics such as Global climate change, geology, water conservation, marine biology and archaeology. In addition, she talked about technologies including: undersea exploration tools, photography, filmmaking and discovery learning. We enjoyed this opportunity to complement the instructional work of our Greenbriar staff.

School Success

High Expectations for Achievement During the month of October, Greenbriar staff continued to focus on refining Numeracy assessment and instruction.

Teachers examined patterns within our EQAO results and collaborated in the development of lesson plans involving rich

and open-ended tasks that would make students thinking visible, and are now in the process of implementing the lessons.

At each grade level, teachers will be given an opportunity to debrief the results of their lessons and review student work to

identify key learning and next steps.

In the month of November, teachers are sharing their work with the school's instructional coach to extend their

professional learning in Numeracy. In addition, a “focus group” of teachers will represent the Greenbriar staff at a grade 5

to 8 network launch on November 22nd where they will deepen their mathematical content knowledge and learn new ways

to establish cross-curricular connections between numeracy and other content areas. The “focus group” will later share

their learning with colleagues during staff meetings and grade level team meetings.

At Greenbriar Middle School we contribute to students’ success by setting high expectations for achievement for all.

School Council

Join our school council

Share your ideas

Every Peel school has a school council—a group focused on helping students succeed. School councils provide a voice for

parents and the community and offer advice to the school principal on a number of topics.

Our first meeting was on October 4, 2016. Thank you to all the parents who attended.

Our School Council Chair for the 2016-2017 School Year is Mrs. E. Hutchison.

If you would like to know more or are interested in joining our council, or to connect with our School Council please

e-mail Mrs. Hutchison at greenbriarsnrps.council@peelsb.com

Next Meeting Dates (at 6:00 pm) December 19th February 13th May 15th

Greenbriar Awards

As you know, Greenbriar has a long standing tradition of providing deserving students with awards. My under-

standing is that the current awards program was initiated in 2002. As reflective practitioners we examine exist-

ing practices with a view to continually improve and enhance them. Our climate committee has been working

on revisiting the existing awards, articulating some clear criteria for each of the awards, potentially retiring

some awards, re-naming some and also possibly adding others to the mix.

Our goal is to increase our own understanding of who qualifies for the award; be transparent with all stakehold-

ers; and increase all students' access to the awards which will increase inclusion and equity. It is important for

all students in our learning community to have access to awards that are given.

As you know, thoughtfully establishing criteria takes time. The climate committee has been involved in several

meetings to do this work. At a later date we will be inviting students' contributions and share the updated infor-

mation with parents and other members of our School Community .

Acknowledgements / Student Leadership

WEB Leaders participated in a Leadership and Adventure Program with Link Crew Leaders

from Chinguacousy Secondary School at the Upper Canada College Norval Outdoor

School. WEB Leaders were involved in a variety of cooperative games, trust exercises,

group initiative tasks and high ropes programs. The WEB Leaders had a fantastic time and

will use this experience to plan for future events at Greenbriar.

The first Grade 8 trip of the year was to Cold Creek Conservation Area in Nobleton. Students participated in a variety

of team-based challenges that promoted problem solving, collaboration and fitness. The Grade 8 students had a blast!

Happy

Hallowe’en!

A number of other specialized programs that extend beyond the regular curriculum are available to Peel high school students. Learn more: Co-operative Education Program Dual Credit Programs Explore High Skills Extended French/French Immersion For more information about program information nights, busing, fees and the application process/dates, contact the school or visit www.peelschools.org/RegionalPrograms.

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 students 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 program and they live within the school boundary, they are eligible for busing only if they meet the distance criteria outlined in the board’s Transportation Policy #39. All regional programs include annual fees, including an $40 application fee for all regional programs. The application process for secondary regional programs opens Nov. 9, 2016. Application dates for mid-dle school programs vary from school to school.

Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program Peel Region High Performers Program Regional Co-operative Education Programs Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) Programs

Programs 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 – Gordon Graydon Memorial SS

International Baccalaureate – Bristol Rd. MS, WG Davis Sr. PS, Erindale SS, Glenforest SS, Harold M. Brathwaite SS, Turner Fenton SS

International Business and Technology – Allan A. Martin Sr. PS, Lisgar MS, Williams Pkwy Sr. PS, Gordon Graydon Memorial SS, Meadowvale SS, North Park SS

International and Executive Leadership Academy – TL Kennedy 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

Truck and Coach Engineering and Technology – Bramalea Secondary School

STUDENT TRANSPORTATION OF PEEL REGION (STOPR) BUS CANCELLATIONS/SCHOOL CLOSING DUE TO BAD WEATHER

2016 – 2017 SCHOOL YEAR During the winter months inclement weather may cause disruption of bus transportation and regular school operations. A decision to cancel school transportation and/or to close schools is usually made by 6:00 a.m. and will be announced on the following radio and television stations: VIRGIN RADIOFM99.9 CHUM AM1050 CFTR AM680 CFNY FM102.1/AM640 CJCL AM590 CHFI FM98.1 NEWSTALK1010 AM EZ ROCK FM97.3 CJBC (FR) AM860 FM Z103.5 FM93.1 FM Q107 CHIN FM100.7/AM1540 CBC99.1 CITYPULSE GLOBAL NEWS CTV BREAKFAST TELEVISION We will be communicating one of six standard messages to the radio stations. The six an-nouncements and their effect on the transportation system are as follows: (Please note that the highlighted text only will be communicated by the radio stations).

“THE DUFFERIN-PEEL CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD BUSES SERVING

ST. ANDREW, ST. BENEDICT AND ST. PETER ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND R.F. HALL SECONDARY SCHOOL ARE CANCELLED FOR TODAY.”

“THE DUFFERIN-PEEL CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD BUSES AND PEEL DIS-TRICT SCHOOL BOARD BUSES IN THE TOWN OF CALEDON ARE CANCELLED FOR TODAY”.

This means that ALL buses which operate into, out of, and within the Town of Caledon are cancelled for the entire day.

“THE DUFFERIN-PEEL CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD BUSES AND THE PEEL

DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD BUSES IN THE TOWN OF CALEDON AND THE COUNTY OF DUFFERIN ARE CANCELLED FOR TODAY”.

This means that all runs listed under announcements #l and #2 are cancelled. Individual schools will be notified if this cancellation affects their school.

4. “THE DUFFERIN-PEEL CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD AND THE PEEL DIS-

TRICT SCHOOL BOARD BUSES IN THE CITY OF MISSISSAUGA ARE CANCELLED FOR TODAY.”

This means that ALL buses which operate into, out of, and within the City of Mississau-ga are cancelled for the entire day.

“ALL DUFFERIN-PEEL CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD AND PEEL DISTRICT

SCHOOL BOARD BUSES ARE CANCELLED FOR TODAY.” This means that ALL transportation services provided by the Dufferin-Peel Catholic Dis-

trict School Board and the Peel District School Board, including buses, vans and taxis have been cancelled for the entire day.

“ALL BUSES ARE CANCELLED AND THE SCHOOLS AND OFFICES OF BOTH THE DUF-

FERIN-PEEL CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD AND THE PEEL DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD ARE CLOSED”.

This means that ALL Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board and Peel District School board schools and offices are closed to all students and staff.

Note: For Secondary School students Riding Public Transit, cancellation of service

will be communicated by the respective transit property over the radio. Please be advised that Public Transit rarely cancels and that the level of service on days with inclement weather is unpredictable.

Greenbriar Middle School

1140 Central Park Drive

Brampton ON L6S 2C9

905-791-2332

Coming up in December

Dec. 1: Joint Concert at Chinguacousy featuring

the Greenbriar Band and Calderstone School’s

Band

Dec. 7, 14, 21: Pizza Days

Dec 19: School Council Mtg 6pm

Dec. 23: Winter Arts Showcase

Dec 26 to Jan. 6 inclusive: Winter Break

Jan. 9: Return to School

November 2016 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1

**Pizza Day for those signed up

2

Grade 8 Cold Creek Trip for 803/804/904

3

Grade 8 Cold Creek Trip for 802/806/903

4

Grade 8 Cold Creek Trip for 801/805/902/905

5

6 7

Picture re-take Day

8 9

Pizza Day for those signed up

10 11

Remembrance Day “We Remember” at 10:08 am—come join us. Progress Report Cards sent home

12

13 14 15 16

Pizza Day for those signed up

17

Parent/Guardian Teacher Inter-views evening

18 PD DAY

Parent/Guardian—Teacher Interviews morning

19

20 21

22 23

Pizza Day for those signed up

24 25

THANKS to Peel Custodial and Maintenance Workers Day!

26

27 28 29

**Pizza Day for those signed up

30

Grade 7 Finlayson Trip for 702/705/904/905