Centennial Connection Sept 29, 2024

Dear Centennial Families -

It was wonderful to meet so many families at the Meet & Greet and Barbecue on Wednesday evening. A big thanks to the Lakeshore West Lions Club for sponsoring the barbecue, and to both the School Council and Public Health who had displays set up in the main hallway. As always, if you have any questions about your child's programming or progress, please reach out to the classroom teacher or educator team.

We had a lot of activity and excitement in the school this week! We had another emergency practice where students learned about and engaged in a lock down procedure. Everyone did a great job! We also had the Terry Fox event on Friday afternoon. Centennial community you are amazing! The goal was to raised $1000 and that amount was beat! Congratulations on donating a collective $1151 to the Terry Fox Foundation! WOW!!! What a community! Thank you!

We continue to engage in excursions and learning off property and we are grateful that we receive funds through bingo funds. These bingo funds help to offset the costs of trips by paying for the transportation costs. We continue to welcome volunteers to help at bingo events at the Play! Gaming and Entertainment Centre. If you are able to help out, there is some training. We would love to have your help! Please email the school at cente@limestone.on.ca for more information.

This coming week students will engage in more learning about Orange Shirt Day and the impacts of colonialism and residential schools. Students and staff are encouraged to wear orange on Monday to demonstrate their understanding and support. This week students who have been training for the last several weeks in the after school running club will have the opportunity to participate in the Lancaster After School Invitational. Students in the running club have been training diligently several times a week for the last few weeks and their stamina and speed are developing. Way to go team! Many thanks to the volunteer coaches for all of their time and organization.

A reminder of the Ministry of Education directive that students are not to have cell phones out at school. We have a great system of having students place their cell phones into a lock box in each classroom at the beginning of the day and they are returned at the end of the day. A reminder that student cell phones must be in backpacks when students are on the property waiting for the entry bell and when walking to buses at the end of the day.

Finally, we really appreciate the families are driving slowly on Norman Rogers Drive! Thank you! We have lots of families who walk, and who park in the neighbourhood and walk to the school and we notice and appreciate the slower speed of traffic. Could we ask please that you do not make U-turns on Norman Rogers? The city is considering making this an official no U-turn zone and for safety it is best if cars do not try to turn around in the middle of the street. Thank you for your help with this!

We hope all families are enjoying the beautiful weather this weekend! See you tomorrow!

-Deborah Thompson, Principal & the Centennial PS Team

Monday September 30 - Truth & Reconciliation Day (Orange Shirt Day)

Monday September 30 - Associate Superintendent Steve Hedderson visits Centennial PS

Wednesday October 2 - Custodians Day

Thursday October 3 - Trip to Apple Orchard - Grade 1 and 1/2 classes

Thursday October 3 - Trip to Gould Lake - Gr 2/3 and 6

Thursday October 3 - Lancaster Cross Country Race (after school)

Thursday & Friday October 3 & 4 - Rosh Hashanah

Saturday October 5th - World Educators Day

Monday October 7th - Regional Bus Patroller Training - Centennial PS hosting

Wednesday October 8th - School Photo Day

Wednesday October 9th - Bus Safety Presentations

Wednesday October 9th - Indigenous Family Night (see info below)

Friday October 11th - PA Day (no school for students)

Saturday October 12th - Yom Kippur

Monday October 14th - Thanksgiving Day (no school for students)

Tuesday October 15th - Energy Conservation workshops in various classes

Wednesady October 16th - Farndon/Aylesworth & Rosser classes to Pumpkin Patch

Thursday October 17th - IEPs go home for students who have them

Wednesday October 23rd - Museum of Healthcare workshop

Wednesday October 30th - Farndon/Aylesworth & Mennie/El Haj kinder classes to Little Cat Creek

Thursday October 31st - Black & Orange Day

Friday November 1 - Diwali

Monday November 4 - Grade 5/6 Trip to Grand Theatre

Tuesday November 12 - Photo Retake Day & Class Photo Day

Friday November 15 - Progress Report Cards go home

Friday November 22 - PA Day - no school for students

We are sharing the information below so that all students, parents/guardians, families and staff, are aware of the expectations and approach at Centennial Public School.

As a student of Centennial Public School, students are expected to:

➔ treat all people with respect and dignity, and in a positive, supportive manner;

➔ demonstrate acceptance for individual differences, ethnicity, race, religion, gender, orientation;

➔ demonstrate respect for yourself and others by refraining from the use of inappropriate, or offensive language and physical contact;

➔ be courteous and respectful to all staff members and everyone in the school environment;

➔ be punctual and maintain regular attendance;

➔ come to every class prepared with all the necessary tools - pens, pencils, etc.;

➔ be responsible for completing homework and assignments and always trying your best;

➔ respect the property of others, school property, and the environment;

➔ accept consequences for inappropriate behaviour.

In most instances of inappropriate behaviour, a reminder from a staff member or a collaborative discussion will correct the behaviour.

Progressive discipline is the whole-school approach that utilises different stages of interventions, supports and consequences that include opportunities for reinforcing positive behaviour, while helping students make good choices. This involves:

● Mitigating and other factors being taken into consideration prior to assigning a consequence;

● When inappropriate behaviours occur, a range of interventions, supports, and consequences may occur.

This approach gives students opportunities to learn from their mistakes and to focus on improving behaviour;

● Some consequences may include: reminder, warning, discussion, detention, written reflection, discussion with the principal/teacher, parent/caregiver involvement, volunteer service, making restitution (including full payment for damage/vandalism), implementation of behaviour management/safety plan, suspension, expulsion, referral to police. In some circumstances, short-term suspension may be a useful tool. In the case of a serious incident, long-term suspension or expulsion may be the consequence.

October is International Walk to School Month!

Encourage your students to join the global movement by walking or wheeling to school. It’s a great way to promote health and reduce traffic around the school.

Join the fun this October with the free Hop! App. Track walking trips, distance travelled, steps taken, and greenhouse gases averted. The Hop! App does not actively track students or require a smartphone. Students simply log in on the Hop! App website and enter their distance travelled.

The School Council meeting on Monday started with elections. The executive for 2024-2025 is listed below:

Chair – Laura Gillam

Co Chair – Christina Helmer

Treasurer – Adam Jeziorski

Secretary – Emma Barken

PIC Representative – Rena Petrick

Members at Large: Nicole Pitts, Virginia Venditti, Terri Macdonald

Many thanks to all parents/guardians who attended. The School Council meetings are open to all parents/guardians and all are welcome! The next meeting is Tuesday October 15th at 6:30pm. Meetings will likely take place on Mondays, but due to Thanksgiving and other events on Mondays in October, the meeting will take place on a Tuesday.

Cell phones are not allowed in classrooms and all classrooms grade 3-6 have a lock box. Students place their phones in the lock box at the beginning of the day and get it back upon dismissal.

Students are reminded that cell phones need to be in backpacks when coming onto the school yard, and when going to the bus at the end of the day.

Thank you to all parents and guardians for your support in this!

Are you looking to be a yard supervisor or occasional staff member at Centennial? We are looking for caring, dedicated occasional staff who have flexible schedules, a CPIC with vulnerable sector and an interest in supporting students. Please email cente@limestone.on.ca to learn more.

Indigenous Family Night - Wednesday, October 9, 2024

We invite Indigenous students and their families to join us in celebrating Fall and the Harvest

at our Indigenous Family Night. The event will take place on Wednesday, October 9th, from

5:30 to 7:30 pm at the Kingston East Community Centre, 779 Hwy 15, Kingston. Please see

the attached poster for more information. To RSVP, please send an email to Pat Vanderholst

at: vanderholstp@limestone.on.ca Transportation is available.

Are you interested in participating in Tallack’s Martial Arts but funds are an issue? Let us know! We have scholarships available for several students.

Please email cente@limesotne.on.ca

Hot Lunch - Orders Due by Sunday Noon

Once again this year we are using LunchBox to provide families with some options for hot lunch, should they wish to participate. Orders are due by NOON on Sunday for orders being delivered the following week.

Just a reminder that should buses be cancelled, hot lunches are also cancelled and credit will be provided to account.

To create an account and order hot lunches, use the guide below and linked here: Get The Guide

Just a reminder that if you are bringing your child to school or picking up, that there is no parking on the north side of Norman Rogers Drive. Last week we were out reminding parents and guardians of this. Cars that are parked on the north side are subject to a ticket and we don't want you to get one! Please park on the south side of Norman Rogers to the east or west of the school. There is no parking in front of the school as that is a bus loading zone.

The parking lot is for staff only. Please do not drive into or through the parking lot. Walkers are encouraged not to walk through the parking lot, for safety reasons.

There are many places to park on neighbouring streets that only take a few moments to walk to the school from. Thank you for your help with this important safety matter.

We will be working hard to promote regular attendance, at Centennial and all across the Limestone District School Board. We will be sharing information about how to set up healthy habits and we will be reaching out to families as attendance concerns arise. We want to work with you to promote regular attendance at school. If there is a way we can help you, please let us know!

We have experienced significant growth in our school population, including staff. As such, we are kindly requesting that parents and guardians do not park in the school parking lot at any time during the hours of 8am and 4pm.. We have some part time staff who arrive at various times throughout the day and they need to be able to park and get into the school to begin teaching on time. Please note that there is one entrance and one exit to the parking lot to ensure safety and flow of traffic.

Please also do not park directly in front of the school as that is a bus loading zone. There are parking spaces available along Norman Rogers drive to the east and west of the school, and along a number of side streets close to the school.

Thank you for helping to ensure that students can arrive safely to school. There are crossing guards on both Johnson Street and Norman Rogers Drive to help families cross these busy road ways. We appreciate their hard work!

Students go outside for 2 recess breaks, and sometimes are outside with their class for various learning activities. Students are encouraged to wear sunscreen during the warmer months, and have a sun hat outdoors.

We go outside for recess rain or shine and as such, students should come to school prepared to go outside even if it is lightly raining. In the event of heavy rain we will remain indoors, but we try to be outside for recess whenever possible.

Students have the opportunity to eat twice during the day at school. Lunches and snacks must be nut free please. This includes no peanut butter or nutella, or any kind of granola bar with nuts in it.

A reminder that Centennial participates in "Boomerang Lunch" which means that everything a child brings to school in their lunch bag, is returned home at the end of the day. In this way, parents/guardians can easily see what a child has or hasn't eaten in a day. Wrappers, containers, etc., will be sent home.

School Board Policy states that participation on school sports teams (both elementary and secondary) is conditional on obtaining at least the basic student accident insurance coverage for the student or proof of external private coverage through your family plan. The cost of basic coverage is approximately $17.00 per year. This covers the student while attending school during the school day. The time spent by students participating in school-sponsored teams is considered part of the school day, even if the games and/or practices are held outside of the regular school hours. It is recommended that all parents consider this program. Visit www.insuremykids.com to get this inexpensive and highly recommended insurance.

Throughout the year, we may ask for parent/guardian volunteers on school trips or for various classroom and school activities. The wait time for obtaining a CPIC (background check with vulnerable sector screening) can be lengthy. As such, if you think you would be willing to assist with a trip or school event in the future, please consider obtaining a CPIC with vulnerable sector screening completed, beforehand.

To get a Vulnerable Sector Check you may be required to provide a letter from the school indicating that you will be volunteering. We can send this to you! Just email us at cente@limestone.on.ca and we are happy to provide you with the letter.

Link to City of Kingston Police Check Request Here

Students will have 2 recesses and 2 nutrition breaks. Recess is outside on a particular yard (we will flip/flop the space each day so students in Grades 1-6 have the opportunity to play on both parts of the yard each day). All staff will be wearing safety vests so they are easily recognizable. Nutrition breaks happen in classrooms.

We have several students with life-threatening allergies. A reminder that our school is nut aware: please ensure that your child's snacks and lunch do not contain any nut products. Classroom teachers will communicate any additional food allergies that families will need to be aware of. Thank you for your support in keeping all of our students safe!

All school supplies that students need for their learning and work will be provided by Centennial Public School. Sometimes students prefer to have their own pencil case with pencils/markers, but it is not a requirement.

Students do need to come to school with:

- Indoor, non-marking athletic type of shoes

- Water bottle with child's name clearly marked (we have bottle filling stations, not fountains)

- Nut-free snacks and lunch

Please label all items!

Sometimes students want to bring items to school to show friends, or have things stored in backpacks that need to remain at home. This is just a reminder that students should not bring the following items to school:

- items of value (sentimental or monetary)

- any kind of weapon (for example, a Swiss Army knife)

- any kind of toy that could be a replica weapon (for example, a toy gun)

- electronics of any kind

- jewelry

- make-up

- anything scented

- anything with nuts (please ensure all lunches and snacks are nut-free)

- toys and stuffies

Thank you for keeping these items at home. Sometimes a quick check of a backpack can ensure that treasures do not come to school. Thank you for understanding that we are not responsible for lost, broken or stolen personal items.

Students are to come onto the school yard between 8:50am and 9:05am each morning. Families are reminded that they are not to arrive earlier than 8:50am as there is no supervision on the yard before that time. Parents/guardians who drive students must park on the street as there is no/limited parking in the school parking lot. Please note that there is no entrance on the west side of the school. That is for pedestrians only.

Student pick up happens at the exterior doors of the school at 3:25pm.

Please see the link below for more information and to self identify, if you wish.

https://ldsb.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9U2iaUl9GIFILb0

Do you need a way to label your things that stay labelled? Do you need a way to show what's yours? Need a way to label your child's things so they don't get lost or mixed up? Support Centennial Public School Council by purchasing through the link. The school receives 20% of your purchase! All funds raised go to support School Council initiatives including student activities. Thank you!

http://www.oliverslabels.com/Centennial

Want to look spiffy and show off your pride in being a Centennial PS Comet? Check out all of the clothing and accessories available at the Centennial Public School e-store at: https://specialtytrophies.ca/centennialps/

Please use the Safe Arrival system to report your child's absence; do not call the school to report an absence. If you child is going to be absent from learning, please ensure you use the Safe Arrival system to report the absence. If your child will be late, please report a full day absence and then we will sign them in when they arrive. You cannot indicate a half day absence.

How to report your absence:

1. Toll-free telephone

• Call 1-855-257-9349 toll-free to report an absence using the automated phone system.

2. School Messenger App

• Use your mobile device to download and install the free SchoolMessenger blue app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store, the SchoolMessenger website portal, or from within the LDSB mobile app.
• The first time you use the app, you must select Sign Up to create your account. Please ensure you use the same email address your student’s school has on file. If you do not use that same email address, you will not be able to create an account, or may not be able to see the "Attendance" option. You may have already created an account when we introduced the Communicate broadcast system.
• Select Attendance, then select Report an Absence and follow the prompts.

3. SchoolMessenger SafeArrival Website Portal

• Visit the SchoolMessenger website portal.
• The first time you use the app, you must select Sign Up to create your account. Please ensure you use the same email address your student’s school has on file. If you do not use that same email address, you will not be able to create an account, or may not be able to see the "Attendance" option. You may have already created an account when we introduced the Communicate broadcast system.
• Select Attendance, then Report an Absence and follow the prompts.

Stay Up To Date! Please check the following regularly...

Centennial PS Twitter https://twitter.com/centennial_ldsb?lang=en

Centennial PS Website https://centennial.limestone.on.ca/

LDSB Website https://www.limestone.on.ca/

LDSB Twitter https://twitter.com/LimestoneDSB

LDSB Facebook https://tinyurl.com/wbhjtku

LDSB Instagram https://instagram.com/limestonedsb?igshid=1epyma6c0g5qd

"We treat others the way we want to be treated"

"Show Up! Stand Up! Never Give Up!"

Email: cente@limestone.on.ca
Website: https://centennial.limestone.on.ca
Location: 120 Norman Rogers Dr, Kingston, ON K7M 2R2
Phone: 613.546.5517
Twitter: @Centennial_LDSB