Welcome Back Newsletter

Wednesday, September 6th, 2023

Dear Students and Parents:

I would like to welcome everyone back from summer, and also take this opportunity to introduce myself.  This is my 11th year at Glenview Public School. I have been teaching since 2003, and I have taught Grades 5 and 6 during my time at Lakeshore Public School and Glenview Public School.  My family and I live in Burlington, not far from Mapleview Centre. My twin daughters attend Central High School . They are beginning Grade 9 there and are very excited to get back to school and see more of their friends and classmates.

Agendas:

I will be giving each student an agenda where they are able to record important information (e.g., homework due dates, upcoming events, forms/quizzes to be signed and returned). I ask that a parent is able to initial the agenda each day. You can also write a quick note to me if required (you can also reach me via email). 

Websites:

There are several websites that you should be aware of and visit. 

My website is full of useful information and I encourage you to check it frequently. I will have the agenda information listed everyday, along with the bi-weekly spelling words, interesting websites.  I also have a Twitter link to my class Twitter account that will have information and announcements about our class and the activities that we're doing.

The Glenview website is updated frequently. It has important announcements, useful links, and the staff website links.

I am a frequent "tweeter" as I find it an excellent medium to share information about what the happenings in our class, in our school, and in the community. I have a Twitter link on my website homepage (it is pretty hard to miss!). If you are on Twitter, I encourage you to follow me on Twitter (@MrBrandreth), and this will allow you to receive my tweets to your computer or personal device.

Halton District School Board: www.hdsb.ca

There are many resources on the board's website, your "go-to" spot for board-wide information about closures, bus-cancellations, and other board-level news.  

Contacting Me:

Should you need to contact me, there are numerous ways to do so. Emailing me (brandrethp@hdsb.ca) is probably the best method as I check it frequently. You can reach me at school by phone (905-634-6789) before and after school.

If you need to speak to me in person, please email or contact me to arrange a time to meet. We can also speak over the phone or via a Google Meet. I will be sure to set the time aside to meet with you as soon as possible.

Smartphones:

More and more students have smartphones nowadays. The use of phones at school should be for approved use only. There are times during instructional times where the use of smartphones and wifi-enabled devices could be used (e.g., "Google" some information, or spell-check a word, use it for research etc.). With that being said, I am by no means asking parents to go out and buy a device for their son/daughter! There are times when they could be a useful tool, but I do not structure my program around the use of them. We have frequent opportunity for the use of Chromebooks.

My class policy is that students should not use them during class time unless approved by me, and they should remain in his/her backpack, and they are to not come out during the school day (recess included) unless they have received approval from me to use them for a specific reason (see above).  If a student needs to use their phone for a particular reason during the day, such as sending a text to Mom or Dad (and not to their friend across the classroom), all they have to do is check with me, and it is almost never a problem for them to use it.

If you have any questions or concerns about this, please don't hesitate to speak with me.

Footwear:

I ask that all students have footwear that is appropriate for gym and QDF (Quality Daily Fitness) activities. Shoes with laces that are tied up (or can be tied up) are required. Crocs, flip-flops, boots, or "flats" are not appropriate and students will not be able to participate in these activities.

During the winter months, students should have outdoor boots that will keep feet warm and dry, while also having "indoor shoes" that they can change into for class and gym/QDF. There are few things more uncomfortable than having cold and wet feet during class with no dry indoor shoes to change into. Indoor shoes also help to keep the portable floor dry and clean.


I hope you are as excited about the start of the school year as I am.

Best Regards,

Mr. Brandreth