Week 3 - September 18 to 22

Week 3 – September 18^th to 22^nd

Please take the time to share this information with your child/children.

It is a good way for families to connect with the school.

School Council meets on the third Monday of each month.

All parents are welcome to attend.

The Week in Review…

Thank you to all of our students and staff who participated in our annual Terry Fox Run in support of cancer research. Students participated with energy and enthusiasm even though it was a very hot and muggy day. We are still in the process of collecting the Toonies for Terry, and look forward to delivering the donations.

Each year in the Spring our grade 3 and grade 6 students participate in the Primary and Junior EQAO testing. Students, parents and teachers work diligently each day to improve achievement. EQAO released the results from the testing on September 20^th. The released results are for all students in the school, but it is important for our school community to recognize that for many different reasons, not all students in our school actually participate in the test. We feel a more realistic representation of our school’s performance is captured in the data set that is representative of the achievement of the participating students. Both data sets are presented for you:

EQAO Results – Spring 2017

	Number of Students	Reading (% at or above provincial standard)	Writing (% at or above provincial standard)	Math (% at or above provincial standard)
Grade 3: all students in the school	84	87%	90%	83%
Grade 3: participating students	77	95%	97%	90%
Grade 6: all students in the school	84	83%	81%	73%
Grade 6: participating students	76	92%	89%	79%

EQAO assessment data will be used as an additional source of information to support the improvement of student learning. We recognize the urgency around school improvement efforts, and will be engaging parents and staff in thoughtful discussions about the results from this assessment and other classroom assessment data to move the improvement planning agenda forward on behalf of all students. We need to look for sustained growth in achievement over time.

A big thank-you to the Yearbook crew which is led by Mr. Grant. The 2016-2017 yearbook was distributed this week. It looks amazing! If you know a student who is now in Grade 9, please remind them that they can pick-up their yearbook from the main office.

Can anyone identify the teachers holding the agendas?

Agendas were delivered to students during the first week of school. This is a reminder to log into your School Cash Online account to pay for the agenda. Thank you to all the families that have already paid for their child’s agenda.

                    

BHES is currently working with grade 7 and 8 students who will make up one of two teams (a Boy's Team and a Girl's Team) to enter the First Lego League competitions. The York Region qualifying competition will be held on December 2, 2017 at St. Robert’s Catholic High School. Our teams can practice and work during morning and lunch recess breaks in Room 109. They will also have practices on Monday and Tuesday after school until 5:00 p.m. or they can prearrange with Mr. Grant to work on their projects before school. The plan is for the two Intermediate teams to act as mentors for a Junior club that is scheduled to begin in the new year. We appear to have some very motivated students that are interested in taking part.

Lockdown/Hold and Secure drill has been moved to the week of September 25-29th.

The Week Ahead…

Date	Up-coming event/activity
Monday, September 25th	P.A. Day – No school for students. Health and Safety training for teachers.
Tuesday, September 26th	Compliance Day moves start today.
Wednesday, September 27th
Thursday, September 28th	Children in Action (CIA) – student delegates are attending We Day with Ms. Bowman. Meet the Teacher – 6:30 to 7:30 all families are welcome!
Friday, September 29th	Yom Kippur begins this evening

On-going Events

Cross Country
Intermediate Girls' and Boys' Volleyball
Choir - rehearses each Day 1 and 2 until early November
Band - pick up your Band music in the music room
First Lego League

Week 2 - September 11-15

Please take the time to share this information with your child/children.

It is a good way for families to connect with the school.

Week in Review…

The second week of school has passed by, and students and staff are settling into routines. We are continuing with our theme of School Safety.

We had our first Fire Drill of the year on Friday morning, and it went smoothly (Fastest exit time for a first fire drill in three years!). We run a total of 6 Fire Drills each school year in an effort to make sure we are safe in the case of a fire. Next week, we will be practicing a Lockdown. A Lockdown is a school emergency response to the presence or suspected presence of an armed intruder or other similar violent threat within the school. Later in the school year, we will practice a Hold and Secure. A Hold and Secure is a protective measures applied in school buildings under circumstances of a security concern due to threats to school occupants from events occurring near the school. All exterior doors are locked. The regular activities in the school continue. Access to and exit from the school are controlled.

A reminder to parents of our Safe Arrival and Dismissal Policy. Bayview Hill E.S. recognizes that monitoring student attendance is the joint responsibility of parents/guardians and school staff. Communication between parents/guardians, students and school staff members is essential to ensuring student safety. Parents, please make sure:

·         the school has complete and current emergency contact information;

·         you communicate with the school about any and all absences or lateness (preferably before 9:00 a.m.);

·         your child knows how they are getting home at the end of the day; and

·         you notify the school of any changes in safe departure plans for their child as soon as possible (preferably before 3:00 p.m.).

Jr./Intermediate choir met this week. New singers are still welcome.

Brain Break Bins were raffled off this week. Congratulations to the following lucky classes:

Ms. Iordanous, Ms. Ellis, Mr. Chapman, Ms. Leder, Ms. Ali and Mr. Halfin. A big thank-you to School Council for their fund-raising efforts to create the bins, and to Ms. Matthews for pulling this all together.

Daily Physical Activity or DPA happens in classes on days when there is no scheduled gym class. Thank you to School Council for their fund-raising efforts to purchase items to go into each class, and to Ms Matthews for purchasing, organizing and distributing the materials.

The Week Ahead…

Monday, September 18^th

·        7:00 p.m. School Council Meeting/Election in the Learning Commons

Tuesday, September 19^th

·         7:25 a.m. Intermediate Girls Volleyball Tryout

·         3:45-5:00 p.m. Intermediate Boys Volleyball Tryout

Wednesday, September 20^th

·         Navaratri Begins

·         School-wide Terry Fox run

Thursday, September 21^th

·         Rosh Hashanah

·         7:25 a.m. Intermediate Boys Volleyball Tryout

·         3:45-5:00 p.m. Intermediate Girls Volleyball Tryout

Friday, September 22^nd

·         Rosh Hashanah

Week 1 - September 5-8

Please take the time to share this information with your child/children.

It is a good way for families to connect with the school.

Week in Review

The first day of school is always an exciting day for students, parents and staff. Some of us are really excited to be back at school and some of us are really nervous. Our transition back into our school routines will continue for the next few weeks. We need to make sure we have bus routines, entry and exit routines and the timetable flowing well so that we can focus on the important work of student learning and achievement. As always, we appreciate your flexibility and understanding as we work through the first few weeks of the school year.

As I mentioned earlier, we have had a few construction projects around the school, and one of our concerns was what impact this would have on our gardens. I am happy to report that not only did our gardens survive, they thrived! For those who are not aware, our gardens are faithfully maintained by Gail and Bill Hogarth. I am willing to say that we easily have the best looking school gardens in the region. Thanks, Gail and Bill.

On Thursday, September 7^th, Ms. Galpin and Mr. Carlin led all students through a very important Caring and Safe Schools Assembly. We talked about progressive discipline and bullying. We challenged each class to discuss what a caring and safe school would look like, feel like and sound like. We also asked students to consider what Bullying looks like, feels like and sounds like, and what they can do to prevent bullying. We can’t wait to see what the students come up with. Information that was shared with the students can be found in the Guide to the School Year 2017-2018 booklet that was sent home with each student.

A Look Ahead…

The following are events will be happening at the school next week:

Monday, September 11

• Any student in Gr 4-8 interested in trying out for cross country are asked to come to the gym at 1:10 p.m.
• Stem Minds after school LEGO (Room 236) and/or Robotics (Learning Commons) program starts

As the school year unfolds this list will lengthen…

Welcome Back to the 2017-2018 School Year

Dear Families,

On behalf of the staff at Bayview Hill E.S. we would like to welcome you to a new school year. This time of the year always brings a sense of renewal as we get ready to learn and grow in such a wonderful community.

Over the summer, we saw the removal of two portables, our bus loop was paved, the paving stones around the school were removed, we had an upgrade to our existing elevator and a new lift was installed to provide access to our stage. The elevator installation will progress into the school year with limited interruption to our school day. We are also happy to announce that the grass seed that was planted in the Spring has grown in nicely.

Newly paved bus loop.

New stage lift.

More yard space with the removal of two portables.

The grass has grown in nicely.

We have a new elevator.

Teachers have been braving the construction to get into their classes to get them ready for Tuesday morning. We thank them for all their hard work.

With nearly 740 students entering the school, our goal is to get students into the school and into classes safely. For this reason, when the entry bell goes at 8:55 a.m., please be sure you have your child/children at their appropriate entry door. Teachers will collect the students from that grade, and then bring them into the school to be organized into classes. Parents will not be invited into the school at this time. Parents, please have a plan for how your child is going home at the end of the day, and make sure your child understands it (plan a meeting spot). Also, if you are planning on meeting your child at the end of the day remember that the front parking lot is closed to all vehicles except official school vehicles.

Parents are reminded of their responsibility to know their child's bus route number, pick up and drop off times and the bus company servicing their child's bus route. To obtain this information parents must visit www.schoolbuscity.com.

On Tuesday, September 5, 2017

If your child is in:

SK: In the morning, please bring your SK child to the Kindergarten playground at the south end of the school. Staff will be there to direct you to their entry door (Doors A, B or C). The entry bell will ring at 8:55 a.m. Classroom teachers will call out their class lists, and then the children will enter the building. Parents are asked to leave the Kindergarten playground at that time.

SK students arriving by bus will be met at the bus by school staff and escorted to the Kindergarten playground.

JK: In the afternoon, JK children will arrive at 2:00 p.m. for their afternoon introduction. Parents will be asked to bring their child to the Kindergarten playground between 1:55 and 2:00. Teachers will call out their class lists and students will enter the class (Doors A, B or C). Parents will leave the Kindergarten playground and walk to the front of the school to enter the building and go upstairs to the Library for refreshments and an opportunity to “get acquainted” from 2:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Mr. Carlin and Ms. Galpin will be there to greet/mingle and answer questions.

At the end of the day (3:30 p.m.), FDK staff will escort JK/SK bus students to the front hall for bus lines. FDK teachers will dismiss JK/SK walkers to the Kindergarten playground and supervise safe dismissal.

Grade 1, 2 and 3 (+3/4): In the morning, please bring your child/children to Door D. The entry bell will ring at 8:55 a.m. At that time, teachers will escort the Primary students into the school and organize them into classes. Parents are asked to leave the playground at that time.

Grade 1 students arriving by bus will be met at the bus by school staff and escorted to Door D. All other bus students will walk to Door D.

Staff will be assigned to talk to parents before the entry bell rings to make sure their child/children know how they are getting home at the end of the day (being picked up/walking with ___________, going to Family Day or going home on bus # __). It is very important that families make a clear plan for where their child will be going at the end of the day.

Grade 4 and 5:  In the morning, please bring your child/children to Door E. The entry bell will ring at 8:55 a.m. At that time, teachers will escort the students into the school and organize them into classes. Parents are asked to leave the playground at that time.

It is very important that families make a clear plan for where their child will be going at the end of the day. For example, being picked up, walking with ___________, going to Family Day or going home on bus # __.

Grade 6: In the morning, please bring your child/children to Door F. The entry bell will ring at 8:55 a.m. At that time, teachers will escort the students into the school and organize them into classes. Parents are asked to leave the playground at that time.

It is very important that families make a clear plan for where their child will be going at the end of the day. For example, being picked up, walking with ___________, going to Family Day or going home on bus # __.

Grade 7 & 8 Classes:  In the morning, please bring your child/children to Door G. The entry bell will ring at 8:55 a.m. At that time, teachers will escort the students into the school and organize them into classes. Parents are asked to leave the playground at that time.

It is very important that families make a clear plan for where their child will be going at the end of the day. For example, being picked up, walking with ___________, going to Family Day or going home on bus # __.

We are so very excited to begin another school year, and look forward to re-connecting with returning students and their families. We are also very eager to meet those who are new to the Bayview Hill community. See you all on Tuesday morning!

Sincerely,

Mike Carlin                                                          Cindy Galpin

Principal                                                               Vice Principal

A School Council Thank You!

School Council received this thank you note from Grade 3 and 6 Character Leaders in Ms Leader's and Ms Jacob's class. The letter says it all, but we thought you might like to see it as well. Remember to thank a School Council member when you see them as so many positive events happen in our school as a result of their dedication.

School Buses Cancelled - January 17, 2017

Due to the freezing rain warnings, school bus and taxi transportation has been cancelled for all YRDSB Schools today - January 17, 2017. Remember, when buses are cancelled in the morning, they are also cancelled in the afternoon. Please make sure your child knows how they are getting home at the end of the day. Traffic around the school is typically challenging, but it is more so on a stormy day. Parents are asked to park on side-streets and walk to the school to pick up their child/children.

Please drive safely.

French Immersion Information Sessions and Registration

Information sessions for the French Immersion (FI) program will take place at French Immersion schools on January 19, 2017 at 7 p.m. Please visit YRDSB’s website in January 2017 (http://www.yrdsb.ca/Programs/fi/Pages/Program-Locations.aspx) to find the FI program location for your elementary school location. FI registration will begin January 20, 2017. Parents or guardians of Senior Kindergarten students entering Grade 1 in 2017, and wishing to enrol in the FI Program, can visit or call the school office and request an Office Index Card - short version. The Office Index Card must be signed by the principal of the home school. Parents or guardians then take this form, along with one piece of identification showing their address to the designated FI program location to register between January 20 and February 10, 2017. This eliminates the need to provide duplicate enrollment information or to pre-register.

YRDSB’s FI Accommodation Plan provides long-term consistency and equity of access to all students in York Region and will enable YRDSB to continue to offer the FI program to all who wish to enrol. The FI program will be offered in Dual Track or Single Track settings, in a variety of configurations. In order to meet community needs and optimize available space in our schools, a community's Grade 1-8 FI program may be provided over more than one school during the course of a student's FI education. This will allow flexibility in addressing community needs and the opportunity to use existing space in schools. More information is available on the Board’s website: www.yrdsb.ca. Please note: Some of the FI accommodation plans will require facility modifications or the development of new schools and will require short-term transition plans that might include overflow while we work toward the long-term vision. Overflow refers to situations in which the Board directs students to attend a school other than their community school or optional program for a specific period of time, as defined in Policy #108.