School Hours

8:05 am Supervision Begins

8:20 am Classes Begin

11:20-12:20 pm Lunch

2:20 pm Dismissal

Calderstone Office

P: 905-913-1162 Fax: 905-913-2620 Office Open: 8:00 am-4:00 pm

Jennifer Lording Sharon Dhanoa Jannet Giftopoulos

Principal Vice Principal Office Manager

Superintendent: Patrika Daws 905-451-2862

Trustee: Carrie Andrews 647-473-1858

Follow us on Twitter @CalderstoneMS

Web: Calderstone.peelschools.org

Mission Calderstone’s mission is to develop good citizenship and love of learning

through a diverse, caring, supporting and inclusive environment which develops the whole student and empowers all members of the community to take

ownership of students success.

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Volume 8. Issue 8

April/2019

SafeArrival Student Absence Reporting

Please ensure to report all absences through SafeArrival System.

Three Ways:

P: 1-855-209-6155

Web: go.schoolmessenger.ca

SchoolMessenger App

Bussing Information:

Parents can now sign-up to receive automatic e-mail notifications for delays or cancellations for their children’s bus run. Go to www.stopr.ca and click on the “bus de-lays and cancellations” link and then click “subscriptions” to sign-up for this service.

April 2 Autism Awareness Day

April 9 Grad Pictures

April 2, 3, 4, 8 Grade 8-Kortright Centre

April 10 Day of Pink

April 11 Grade 7-Peel Art Gallery Trip

April 11 Grade 6-Kortright Centre

April 19 Good Friday-no school

April 22 Easter Monday-no school

April 30 Grade 7 & 8 Band Students (TSO)

May 1 Arts Night-Castlebrooke Family of Schools

May 1 Grad pictures re-take

Upcoming Dates

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Calderstone Middle School Goes Pink on April 10

On Wednesday, April 10, 2019, Peel District School Board schools will recognize Day of Pink. Unlike Pink Shirt Day, which is meant to combat all forms of bullying, we celebrate Day of Pink in Peel to specifically combat homophobia, transphobia and biphobia.

“Equity and inclusion is something that all Peel schools teach throughout the year and discuss with stu-dents daily—it is embedded in everything we do,” says Peter Joshua, director of education. “Day of Pink is just one more way for us to ensure students and staff learn, work and develop in environments that are safe, equitable, inclusive, respectful and nurturing for all.”

Day of Pink began when a high school student in Cambridge, Nova Scotia, was bullied with homophobic language because he wore a pink shirt to school. The next day, hundreds of students at his school stood up to bullying and wore pink to school to show their support for equity and inclusion.

On this day, students, staff and families from across Peel may wear pink and participate in a number of activities. Here is a list of events happening at our school:

Discussion/Circle Questions

Weekly questions will be provided on the e-announcements to help foster meaningful and engaging discussions in the classroom.

PINK on a Cart

Throughout early April, students will have an opportunity to purchase pink gear (glasses, socks, shirts, boas, etc.) during lunch. They can wear these items on Wednesday, April 10th to show their ally-ship.

STORY TIME

Throughout the Month of April our SAFE club will be visiting classes to read an LGBTQ2+ picture book to help foster understanding and accelerate acceptance in their peer groups by creating a safer environment for LGBTQ2+ young people, and their families.

CANVAS Workshops - April 8, 9 & 11

Each class will participate in an 80 minute workshop, which uses arts-based education to strengthen inclu-sive spaces, celebrating all gender and sexual identities and inspiring a strong culture of consent. First, stu-dents gain a greater understanding of gender norms and LGBTQ2+ inclusion, combating homophobia and transphobia in their schools. Second, students will learn essential skills in communication, challenging vio-lence/harassment, and supporting their peers.

Guest Speaker

A guest speaker from the Get REAL Movement will be coming to consolidate the month's awareness on LGBTQ2+, and creating safe spaces that celebrate identity. For more information, please see http://www.thegetrealmovement.ca/stats/.

BOOK TASTING WORKSHOPS - Throughout the Month of April

Calderstone will be hosting a 'Book Tasting' Workshop in the library. Classes can sign up to come and sample some fabulous books which convey the messages inclusiveness, acceptance and diversity.

Butterfly Identity

At Calderstone, we believe that each student is a special and complex individual, whose identity is a mosaic made up of all of the little pieces that make them unique. We will be taking part in a school-wide lesson to help students celebrate their right to individuality.

We are looking forward to an exciting and enriching month!

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Autism Awareness Day-April 2, 2019

Join Calderstone in celebrating World Autism Awareness Day on Tuesday, April 2nd, 2019. World

Autism Awareness Day was initiated by the United Nations to raise worldwide awareness and ac-

ceptance. Autism is a neurological condition that affects communication and social skills. It is a

spectrum disorder meaning that there is a wide variety of characteristics and sensitivities a person

with autism may have. Just as no two people are alike, no two people with autism are alike.

People with autism may:

Have a strong memory

Be very good at noticing fine details

Be passionate and knowledgeable about certain topics

One thing that can be done to help foster communication with a person with autism is to ask him or

her about their interests. People with autism may also have particular sensitivities to different

experiences such as hearing loud sounds. They may exhibit sensory needs through repetitive

behaviours such as movements or phrases. They may also have difficulty looking another person in

the eyes when speaking to them, but are very much listening. All people with autism have the same

feelings as those who do not have autism. They may not always communicate their feelings

appropriately or in a timely fashion, and may not always respond in a way we may expect. Having

said that, their feelings are valued and equal to all!

We are proud to celebrate all of our differences at Calderstone and in our community and value the

uniqueness that each student and their family contributes. We are learning about autism in our

classrooms and are creating an art piece that will be displayed in the school. Calderstone students

and our community is invited to join the World Autism Awareness Day 2019 initiative by wearing

light blue on Tuesday, April 2nd. Our goal is to normalize autism in our school community

and further educate our students about celebrating all of our differences through understanding

and acceptance!

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Our Grade 7 and 8 music classes have been composing their own creative song using the bucket

drums. Using their prior knowledge from first term about the Elements of Music of Dynamics, tempo

and texture, the students are creating their own interpretation to pictures. Ms. Ma is pleased with the

unique ideas and creativity the students have demonstrated and will use some songs for future SOM

assemblies! Our Grade 8 band is working on their most "impossible" song of the year, "Mission Im-

possible!" They are enjoying learning how to play in 5/4 rhythm and learn brand new notes over a

continuous riff. Our Grade 7's are having fun stomping with their feet in their new song "Zombie

Stomp" which features various section solos and new notes. What an exciting beginning to term 2

so far!

Calderstone Athletics

There’s never a quiet moment at Calderstone with kids constantly keeping themselves fit and healthy

with our physical education program! Over the past few months, our students have been able to

showcase their strengths and their love for sports as they’ve attended several NPPHEA

tournaments and even brought home some banners! In addition, we have almost 60 students taking

part in our COY program on Mondays and Tuesdays after school which focuses on staying healthy

through being active and eating well. Twice a week the students get a chance to play a variety of

active games and sports and learn to make healthy snacks here at school. When the gym isn’t being

used for COY, we have Mr. Sauro running a grade 6 Badminton club, Mr. Douglas and Mr. Gurung

running junior basketball teams and we have basketball intramurals everyday at lunch! We also have

teachers running our FitSpirit program that encourages our grade 6-8 girls to stay active and healthy

as they train for either a 5k or 10k run in May! Way to go Calderstone!

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Once again, Calderstone students are excited to compete in The Peel Skills Challenge (PSC)

conducted by Peel District School Board. It is board-wide event that enables students to get the real

hands-on learning experience in the world of technology, robotics, electronics and much more. Our

students are going for Lego Robotics competition at both elementary and intermediate level on April

3rd and 4th. At Calderstone, the goal of Robotics Club is to give interested students an opportunity

to demonstrate their skills and showcase enthusiasm for their potential career pathway including

robotics and modern technology.

Along with the PSC competition, Calderstone students are also getting an opportunity to compete in

a friendly STEM-related competition organized by Computer Engineering Teachers Association

(CETA). It is called Junior Robotics - Build A Robot - "my ROBOT's got Talent" competition which

is happening on April 30th and May 30th.

Calderstone is so proud of our future Robotics Engineers!!

Celebrate Administrative Professionals’ Day

Wednesday, April 24, 2019

Peel schools will pay tribute to administrative professionals on Administrative Professionals’

Day on April 24, 2019. The day will be celebrated with special activities and events that pro-

vide teachers, students and parents an opportunity to thank the administrative staff who

help support student success each and every day.

The Peel board appreciates the important job administrative staff do each school day and

April 24 provides an opportunity to give these individuals the recognition they deserve.

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April - Earth Month Earth Month encompasses the international celebration of Earth Day on April 22, 2019. This is the most celebrated environmental event worldwide. Initiated in 1970, this event has been considered the birth of the environmental movement.

Each year, more than 6 million Canadians join 500 million people in over 180 countries in staging events and projects to address local environmental issues. In Canada, Earth Day has grown into Earth Week and even Earth Month to accommodate the profusion of events and projects. Here are some ways that you can celebrate earth week with your family:

create a backyard or schoolyard habitat

plant a garden or tree

start a recycling program at home

organize a carpooling campaign in your neighbourhood to reduce air pollution

pick up trash in your neighbourhood

read a book about an endangered species

make a visit to your local zoo, aquarium or museum

visit a local park, wildlife area or farm to provide a fun

opportunity to learn about the environment and life

Earth Hour

On Friday March 29th students and staff participated in

Earth Hour. For 60 minutes classes shut off their lights and

all use of technology as a simple way to show that

Calderstone wants to be part of a solution and send a

powerful message that together we can make a difference

for our future in hopes that climate change is no longer a

threat. Students either continued to learn regular

curriculum or got an opportunity to participate in fun

activities that can also be enjoyed at home.

Earth Day Clean Up

Students and Staff on April 23rd, 2019 will get a chance to give

back to our community in an Earth Day clean up. Students will

be walking around our school property and within our

community to connect with nature. Our goal is to show and

allow the students to get involved in the importance of taking

care of our community one piece of litter at a time. We hope

you will join us on April 23rd and cheer our students on.

Together we can make a difference!

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Peel board celebrates public education during Education Week April 8 to 12

Peel public schools will host hundreds of special activities and events to cele-

brate Education Week 2019. To give schools plenty of time to hold activities,

this celebration of education will be held from April 8 to 12. The theme for this year's focus on

education is We Inspire.

In addition to inviting parents and community residents to visit their classrooms during the week,

Peel schools are hosting open houses, plays/musicals, storytelling, environmental activities,

awards assemblies, talent shows and much more.

One of the highlights of Education Week is the presentation of Awards of Excellence and

Education Champion. The award recipients are students, volunteers, staff and community part-

ners who have made outstanding contributions to public education in Peel. The awards will be

presented to 34 deserving recipients at the Showcase of Excellence ceremony on Monday, April

15 at 7:30 p.m. in the boardroom, HJA Brown Education Centre, 5650 Hurontario St., Mississauga.

More than 1,000 individuals will also be honoured during Education Week with Awards of

Distinction for their contributions to their school or workplace.

What is Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC)

Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) is a legislated committee that makes

recommendations to the board on matters affecting the education programs and services for

students with special needs. SEAC meets monthly during the school year and consists of three

trustees and representatives from organizations within Peel.

An important focus for SEAC members is to bring forward the views of their organizations and

assist parents in navigating the school system. You can reach out to your trustees or the

appropriate organization to discuss any matters regarding special education or join us at one of

our monthly meetings. All meetings are open to the public and includes a set time for questions

from the community.

For more information about SEAC and the meeting schedule visit, http://peelschools.org/parents/

specialed/specedac/Pages/default.aspx

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Did you know that 1 in 5 students in Peel Region face barriers related to poverty that

prevent them from fully participating in school.

In partnership with the Peel District School Board, the Peel Learning Foundation was created to enable Peel board students to achieve personal excellence by providing resources to help them overcome barriers.

In its first year, the foundation will support Peel board students through:

Student Emergency Needs program

Depending on the need, the foundation will support individual students with food and cloth-ing, medical supplies, eyeglasses and transportation costs, or where there is an emergency situation that requires a compassionate response.

Student Backpack program

The foundation will provide backpacks filled with school supplies that students need to fully participate in regular classroom work. The backpacks will be provided to students in need in a respectful and confidential manner. They are tailored for students in kindergarten to grade 3, grades 4 to 8, and grades 9 to 12.

Individuals or organizations who are interested in learning more about and supporting the founda-tion can visit www.PeelLearningFoundation.org. You can also follow the foundation on Twitter (@PeelLearningFDN) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/PeelLearningFDN), and use the hashtag #CreateHope to join the conversation.

Keeping children safe in and around storm sewers, waterways

Rising and fast moving water in lakes, ponds and creeks is increasingly likely during spring. Chil-dren playing in and around storm sewers and watercourses, entering storm sewers through the outfalls, and entering storm sewers through access covers is dangerous. The following information will help keep children safe:

water flows in storm sewers and watercourses are unpredictable and may change quickly

toxic gases may be present in and around storm sewers and watercourses

access is restricted, making rescue attempts are difficult

tragic falls could take place

Please review this information with your children and let them know how dangerous storms sew-ers and waterways are

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Using social media safely

With the growing number of social media sites, it is no surprise that social media is the most common form of communication for children and teenagers. Posts, status updates, comments, instant messages, video uploads, tweets and texts have become a regular part of their lives. While there are many positive benefits to using social media, including staying connected with friends and expressing your interests, students must be cautious in their use of these networks.

Among the most popular social media platforms used are Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, YouTube and Whatsapp Messenger. Many of these platforms are free and are available on smartphones and other electronic devices. These platforms are easy to navigate and often allow information to be shared instantly, not only with friends, but with strangers. On social media, it is important to remember that the world is watching.

Here are some tips, provided by the Canadian Safe School Network and GetSafeOnline.org, to keep your children safe and help them make smart choices when using social media:

Set some boundaries for your child before they get their first ‘connected

device’ (mobile, tablet, laptop or games console). Once they have it, it can be more difficult to

change the way they use it or the settings.

Have a conversation about what is appropriate online behaviour and what actions could have huge repercussions that could damage their reputation and be harmful to others.

Talk to your child about the kind of websites they look at. Encourage them to speak to you if

they come across something they find worrying or upsetting on websites, games or social

media.

Discuss with your child what is safe and appropriate to post and share online. Written com-

ments, photos and videos all form part of their ‘digital footprint’ and could be seen by anyone

and available on the internet forever, even if it is subsequently deleted.

Explain to your child that being online doesn’t give them anonymity or protection, and that they shouldn’t do anything online that they wouldn’t do face-to-face. Users should only accept people they know in order to protect themselves from spammers, strangers and others who may be using social networking sites to commit crimes.

Unlike when they’re meeting someone face-to-face, children don’t always know who they’re

actually ‘talking’ to online, even if they think they do. Tell your children they must never

email, chat, or text with strangers, and it’s never okay to meet a stranger in the real world.

Ensure your children set their privacy settings appropriately. Take the time to learn how

privacy settings work on your children’s favourite sites, and teach them how to control their

privacy.

Tell your children never to share personal and private information with anyone online. This includes, but is not limited to, his or her full name, age, birth date, address, phone number, social insurance number, credit card information and parents’ full names.

Limit the amount of time that your children spend on social media platforms and talk about the importance of healthy and appropriate use of technology.

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Celebrating Faith and Culture

April 2019

DATE CELEBRATION FAITH AND CULTURE

April Mmaal and Sucker Moon Aboriginal Spirituality

Eve of April 1 or 2 to April 2 or 3

Isra and Mi’raj Islam

April 5 Vasant Navratri and New Year’s Day

Hinduism

April 8 Farvardegan Zoroastrianism

April 9 to 27 Month of Jalál Bahá'í

April 13 or 14 Vaisakhi or Baisakhi Sikhism and Hinduism

April 13 or 14 Saka and New Year’s Day Buddhism and Hinduism

April 14 Theravada New Year Buddhism

April 14 or 21 (J) Palm Sunday Christianity

April 14-20 or 22-26 (J) Holy Week begins Christianity

April 17 Mahavir Jayanti Jainism

April 18 or 25 (J) Holy Thursday (Maundy Thursday)

Christianity

April 18 or 20 Nisfu Sha’ban Islam

April 19 or 26 (J) Good Friday (Holy Friday) Christianity

Sunset of April 19 to 27 Pesach (Passover) Judaism

Sunset of April 20 to May 2 Ridvan Bahá'í

April 21 or 28 (J) Easter or Pascha Christianity

April 22 or 29 (J) Easter Monday Christianity and Canada

April 24 Zarathosht-no-Diso Zoroastrianism

April 28 to May 16 Month of Jamál Bahá'í

April 30 to May 4 Ghambar Maidyozarem Zoroastrianism