Viola Desmond Parent Weekly

Viola Desmond Public School Week of February 16th, 2021

Main Office: 905-619-7400

Safe Arrival Line: 1-844-350-2646

Please use the Safe Arrival line or School Messenger online reporting system to report when your child will be late, absent or getting picked up early.

Follow Us: Instagram and twitter: @violadesmondps

As we focus on Black Excellence in honour of Black History Month, we continue to find and embed ways in our curriclum initiatives to ensure students' identities are represented, celebrated, embraced and understood. This poem was shared by a kindergarten parent in Ms. Halcomb's and Ms. James' class and highlights the underlying goals of our programs.

#TeamViola #WeAreDefenders #StrongerTogether

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Black History Month is an opportunity to celebrate the incredible contributions of Black Canadians. This week we continue to focus on Black Excellence and Leadership. In our Primary Division, we are exploring identity, inventors, and artists. The grade 3s created art pieces inspired by Kehinde Wiley. Our Juniors are exploring Black leaders and musicians, and completing inquiry assignments. Our intermediates are continue to explore Canadian Black Leaders and their impact on communities, as well engage in critical discussions about current events and realities.

Today, you will be receiving your child's Kindergarten Communication of Learning or Term 1 Report Card. While this school year is unusual, we are proud of the learning opportunities that have been developed to enhance your child's learning experiences. Students have worked hard and teachers have captured their areas of strength and goals moving into term 2. Please check your email after 3 p.m. today. You will need your child OEN number to download your child's report card. It can be found at the top of a previous report card. Should you have any questions, please speak with your child's teacher.

Our school office is open but remains closed to visitors. Should you need to contact our secretaries, Mrs. Gill or Mrs. Hindle, or admin, please call 905 619-7400 or email us at Violadesmondps@ddsb.ca.

We thank you for following the safety procedures as keeping our school community safe is our top priority. We encourage all community members to wear a mask, to frequently wash/sanitize hands, cough/sneeze into your arm, avoid any gatherings with people outside your household and maintain appropriate physical distancing from others. Please read the important message below regarding mandatory masks for students and parents while on school property.

Being back in the building has been wonderful! Thank you for your on-going support of our initiatives.

Warm Regards,

Mrs. Brusselers and Mrs. Thomas - Administrative Team

Bell Times

8:35 a.m. - Morning Supervision Begins

8:45 a.m. - Entry Bell

10:05 a.m. - Staggered Morning Recess Begins

11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. - Lunch *Please note: Students going home for lunch must stay home for the entire lunch hour

2:00 p.m. - Staggered Afternoon Recess Begins

3:10 p.m. - Dismissal

Saftey Reminders

8 important reminders for the safety of all students, staff, and the community of Viola Desmond

1. When on school property, students (grades 1 to 8), staff, and parents/guardians must wear a mask.

2. Social distance whenever possible.

3. Complete the Daily Self-Assessment every day prior to attending school.

4. Students are encouraged to eat lunch at their own homes. Students who cannot go home at lunch are welcome to remain at school under supervision.

5. If a child is showing any symptoms they must stay home, and siblings must stay home as well. If a family member is showing symptoms, students must stay home.

6. When dropping students off, please do not remain at entry doors or gates, so we can maintain our physically distanced measures. Please clear space so that other students can enter school grounds in a safe manner.

7. During Drop-off and Pick-Up Times do not park illegally on Formosa Avenue or Turnerbury Avenue . This is a safety concern that has been flagged by many community members and our bi-law officer..

8. Students must leave school property promptly upon dismissal.

Is your child able to go home for lunch??

With changes to the safety protocols, students will not be permitted masking breaks during recess because social distancing cannot be maintained at all times when children are playing. It is highly recommended that students go home for lunch, if they are able to, so they can have a break from wearing their masks. Thank you for considering this request.

Upcoming Dates

February 17th - Cypher Black Male Empowerment Webinar Series
February 17th - Term 1 Reports emailed home; SCC Meeting at 6:30 p.m.
February 24th - Pink Shirt Day
February 24th - Parent Engagement Night - How to Talk to your child about Anti-Black Racism
February 28th - VIOLA Awards Virtual Assembly
March 12th - PA Day
April 2nd - Good Friday
April 5th - Easter Monday
April 12th to 16th - Spring Break

Bi-Law Officer and Road Safety

The By-Law Officer from the Town of Ajax observed the parking situation during entry and afternoon exit periods, and expressed significant concern due to many safety infractions observed.

The By-Law Officer has asked the school to remind parents and guardians to safely follow road rules and laws during high peak times of morning drop off and end of day pick up.
While the parking loops remain closed, parents are encouraged to park on Formosa, Turnerbury or the side streets during these times. You are encouraged to walk your child to school as well.
Please refrain from stopping in the middle of the side street to pick up your child. This poses a significant safety risk for on-coming traffic.
It is important to adhere to the reduced driving speeds within a school zone.
The By-Law Officer will be issuing tickets moving forward to infractions that have been observed.

Viola Desmond's School Climate and Well-being Survey

The School Climate/Well-Being Surveys have been created to allow schools to assess their Well-Being goals, and to gather data to inform the planning in Safe Schools, and to create, maintain and improve safe and caring learning environments. The survey is completed by staff, students and parents.

This information is collected every two years. As parents, your voice matters as we develop our plans to ensure your children have the best possible learning experience . Please take a moment to complete the survey - only one completed survey per family is required. You will need to complete it in one sitting. When you click on the 'submit' button, it will take you back to the DDSB Homepage. If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Brusselers or Mrs. Thomas at Violadesmondps@ddsb.ca.

Please click on Viola Desmond's Parent School Climate Link to access the survey.

February is Black History Month

Every February, Canadians are invited to participate in Black History Month festivities and events that honour the legacy of Black Canadians, past and present.

It was initiated in Canada by the Ontario Black History Society and introduced to Parliament in December 1995 by Jean Augustine, the first Black woman elected as a member of Parliament. Black History Month was officially observed across Canada for the first time in February 1996.

Parent Engagement Series: How to talk to your children about anti-Black racism.

Wednesday, February 24th

The DDSB is very excited to welcome Bee Quammie - https://www.beequammie.com/ as the keynote speaker for our Parent Engagement Series.

Ms. Quammie, a thought leader, acclaimed writer, social media influencer AND also a DDSB parent, will be helping us to learn “How to talk to your children about anti-Black racism”.

Ms. Quammie will deliver this virtual keynote presentation and will then host a Question and Answer session.

This will be followed by a choice of four interactive breakout rooms in which parents, students, school leaders and guests will be able to dig more deeply into this and related topics.

Please register at: https://ddsb.zoom.us/webinar/register/7716111629351/WN_5bO39lhrSKuz7tV1ZgrX3Q

Mandatory Masks for Students in Grades 1 -8 and Parents

Reminder: Masks are required to be worn by students in Grades 1-8 while at school. This includes while outside when physical distancing cannot be maintained. Kindergarten students are strongly encouraged to wear masks! Due to the cold weather, students should bring multiple masks to school in case they get wet or dirty.

It is also mandatory for parents and guardians to wear masks while outdoors on school property as physical distancing is not always possible when dropping and picking up your children.

In the interest of everyone’s safety, we are requiring that you please wear a mask. Thank you!

Reporting an Absence

As we return to in-person learning, this is just a reminder that there are 3 ways to report an absence:

Go to the SchoolMessenger website;
Online or on your smartphone through the SchoolMessenger app
Calling 1-844-350-2646

Thank you!

Some Dates of Significance

February is:

Basant Panchami/Saraswati Puja (Hinduism) - February 16th

In India, Vasant Panchami is one of the major Hindu religious festivals and is a widespread public holiday. It is a holiday that marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring. On the Hindu Calendar, it falls during the month of Magh, which corresponds to sometime in January or February on the Gregorian Calendar.

The main religious figure of Vasant Panchami is the Hindu goddess Sarasvati, the “goddess of wisdom”. Sarasvati is supposed to embody all of the sciences, arts, and crafts. And thus, school children will offer her their pencils, pens, and notebooks to be blessed before they go off to use them at school for the year ahead.

Source

Ash Wednesday (Christianity) - February 17th

Ash Wednesday, in the Christian church, the first day of Lent, occurring six and a half weeks before Easter (between February 4 and March 11, depending on the date of Easter). Ash Wednesday is a solemn reminder of human mortality and the need for reconciliation with God and marks the beginning of the penitential Lenten season. It is commonly observed with ashes and fasting.

World Justice Day - February 20th

Social justice is an underlying principle for peaceful and prosperous coexistence within and among nations. We uphold the principles of social justice when we promote gender equality, or the rights of indigenous peoples and migrants. We advance social justice when we remove barriers that people face because of gender, age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture or disability.

International Mother Language Day (UN) - February 21st

International Mother Language Day has been observed every year since February 2000 to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism.

Languages are the most powerful instruments of preserving and developing our tangible and intangible heritage. All moves to promote the dissemination of mother tongues will serve not only to encourage linguistic diversity and multilingual education but also to develop fuller awareness of linguistic and cultural traditions throughout the world and to inspire solidarity based on understanding, tolerance and dialogue.

Every two weeks a language disappears taking with it an entire cultural and intellectual heritage.

Linguistic diversity is increasingly threatened as more and more languages disappear. Globally 40 per cent of the population does not have access to an education in a language they speak or understand. Nevertheless, progress is being made in mother tongue-based multilingual education with growing understanding of its importance, particularly in early schooling, and more commitment to its development in public life.

“I raise up my voice-not so I can shout but so that those without a voice can be heard...we cannot succeed when half of us are held back.”

― Malala Yousafzai

Daily Self Assessment

Students, with the help of parents/guardians are also required to complete a self-assessment of their health and symptoms of COVID-19 and must not enter the school if they are displaying any symptoms.

Hand Sanitizing and Handwashing Hygiene

Hand washing and sanitizing routines will be more frequent for our students. Staff will model, instruct and monitor hand washing and sanitizing.

Stay connected - Follow us on twitter @violadesmondps!

Many parents have made inquiries about teaching and learning plans. We will do our best to provide resources and communications through our school twitter account (@violadesmondps) to keep you up-to-date.

Page updated

Report abuse