Hilson Avenue Public School Kinderland
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Bi-Weekly Blast - Dec.3rd-Dec.14th

11/30/2018

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Inuit Presentation - Monday, Dec.3rd
The Kinder Team will be hosting a group of elders on Monday that will be informing the Kinder, grade 1 and grade 1/2 classes on Inuit culture. Kinder B will be receiving their presentation 10:50am. Kinder A will be receiving their presentation at 11:30am.

Last Day to donate to the Snowsuit Fund and Parkdale Food Market - This Friday!
Thank-you to all those that have donated to Hilson's Youth in Action Holiday drive. The last day to donate is this Friday, Dec. 7th. Keep those items coming in this week!

Dental Screening - Tues.Dec.11th
Kinders will have a quick visit with the dental hygienist who will look for any issues with their teeth. Parents will receive a letter home if the hygienist has any concerns.

Winter Showcase - 11am, Friday, Dec. 14th
Both the Kinder classes will be performing in this year's Winter Showcase. The parent performance will be at 11am on Friday, Dec. 14th. Plan to be there earlier to secure a seat as this is a popular event! The show is approx. 60-75 minutes in length with a variety of classes performing and MCs keeping the show moving. Although not all classes are performing, there will be a whole school presentation at 8:15am on Dec.14th that acts as a dress rehearsal for the parent performance at 11am. Mark your calendars in an effort to attend and be sure that your Kinder isn't late that morning.

Scholastics Book Orders - Please choose Ms. Espinoza as your teacher
Ms. Espinoza is now managing the Scholastics Book orders for both the Kinder Acorns and Kinder Beehive. When placing orders online, be sure to choose her as the teacher of your child's class to ensure that your book order is completed on time.

We are collecting....
For the biome - hair from brushes (human & animal), newspaper, the lint from your dryer.
For arts & crafts - # 6 plastic, usually used in clear takeout container
For sensory play - playdough, contact either Ms. Hallard (Kinder B) or Mme Raquel (Kinder A) if you are willing to make some (we can send you a recipe). Store bought is okay too!

Upcoming Events, Important Dates & Ongoing Reminders
Every Monday is KINDER B's Library Day, send your books in Note Totes every Friday
Every Tuesday is Pizza Day, place your orders by Friday night
Every Thursday is KINDER A's Library Day, send your books in by Wednesday
Every Friday is Lunch Lady, place your orders http://thelunchlady.ca/school/?oid=069F9AFF-47FD-4DD9-AC0D-D0664813C5E3
Monday, Dec.3rd - Inuit presentation - Kinder B -10:50am, Kinder A -11:30am
Friday, Dec.7th - ​Last Day to donate to Snowsuit Fund & Food Drive
Tues.Dec.11th - Dental Screening
Friday, Dec. 14th - Winter Showcase, middle block approx.11am start time
Friday, Dec. 21st - Last day of School before Winter Holiday break
Dec.22nd - Jan. 6th - Winter Holiday break - No School
Monday, Jan.7th - First Day back after Winter Holiday break
Fri. Jan.25th - PD Day
Fri.Feb.15th - PD Day
Mon. Feb.18th - Family Day
Tues.Feb.26th - Toonie Tuesday
March 10th -March 16th - March Break
Fri. April 12th - PD Day
Fri.April 19th - Good Friday
Mon. April 22nd - Easter Monday
Mon. May 20th - Victoria's Day
Fri. June 7th - PD Day
Thurs. June 27th - Last Day of School

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Bi-weekly blast - Nov.19th-Nov.30th

11/17/2018

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Snowsuit Fund & Food Drive - whole school assembly, Wed. Nov.21st 8:15am-8:45am, collecting items from Nov.19th to Dec.7th 
Students will attend an assembly on Wednesday morning to learn more about these 2 initiatives. Hilson families are encouraged to donate the following items. 
The Snowsuit Fund Of Ottawa
Clothing Donations: 
  • Knitted articles
  • Hats
  • Mitts
  • Gently used winter outerwear
  • Boots of all size.
Food Bank
Most needed items:
  • Baby Diapers
  • Baby Food & Formula
  • Canned Fish & Meat
  • Canned Vegetables & Fruit
  • Cereal (Whole Grains)
  • Dry Pasta (Whole Grain) & Sauce
  • Legumes (Canned or Dried)
  • Peanut Butter
  • Rice (brown)
  • Stews & Chili 

Parent-Kinder Team meetings - Thursday, Nov.22nd (pm) & Friday, Nov.23rd (am) 
The Kinder team has requested and confirmed all parent-team meetings. Families that  received a request were sent a pink slip with their date and time. If for any reason, parents did not receive their slip or need a reminder of when their team meeting is please send a message to your educators via Remind or your child's Note Tote. 
Please note that Friday, Nov.23rd is a PD DAY - there is NO SCHOOL for all Hilson students. 

Hilson School Council Movie Night - Friday, Nov.30th 
Come to school in the evening to watch a movie with your Kinder, their friends and families. Save the date for this fun family event! More info to come closer to the date. This is a school fundraiser and a great way to meet with members of the Hilson school community. 

Save the Date - Winter Showcase - Friday, Dec.14th, middle block approx. 11am
​Hilson will be hosting a Winter Showcase this year! This is always a fun event where classes from Kindergarten to grade 6 present on the Hilson mainstage in the gym. Both Kinder classes will have something to present! More info to come but for now SAVE THE DATE! 

Snow pants, boots, jacket, neck warmer & hat! Always put your mittens on LAST! 
Snow season is upon us! Please encourage your child to dress themselves at home for outdoor play, zippers included. This makes cubbie transitions WAY easier for them. They feel independent and get out to play faster. If zippers are still a work in progress, get it started for them (put the mouse in the house/train in the station) & have them zip up the rest. Remind them to put their mittens/gloves on last as they need their hands to free to put on all the rest. 

Snow days & School buses
It is becoming more and more common for buses to be cancelled due to snow and freezing rain. If your child uses school transportation to get to school please check the OTSA twitter feed https://twitter.com/OttSchoolBus?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor for the most up to date information on inclement weather days. They will often have the info out prior to the school board or media.  Schools are open on Snow Days, they are considered a regular school day.  If buses are cancelled in the morning, they are also cancelled for the end of the day pick up. You are responsible for picking up your child on these days at 2:30pm. Give yourself a buffer to insure you get here on time as there is a lot of traffic on these days. It is always better on inclement weather days to be earlier than later therefore do not hesitate to pick up your child during outdoor end of day play which is from 2pm-2:30pm. This facilitates everyone ending their day at 2:30pm and getting home safely.  PLEASE NOTE - Snow Days are only considered a Snow day for children who take the bus. If your child is NOT a busser and is absent or late on a snow day,  it is considered a regular absence/late and marked that way in our attendance system. 

We are collecting....
For the biome - hair from brushes (human & animal), newspaper, the lint from your dryer.
For sensory play - playdough, contact either Ms. Hallard (Kinder B) or Mme Raquel (Kinder A) if you are willing to make some (we can send you a recipe). Store bought is okay too, we aren't that picky.
​ 
Upcoming Events, Important Dates & Ongoing Reminders 
Every Monday is KINDER B's Library Day, send your books in Note Totes every Friday
Every Tuesday is Pizza Day, place your orders by Friday night
Every Thursday is KINDER A's Library Day, send your books in by Wednesday
Every Friday is Lunch Lady, place your orders http://thelunchlady.ca/school/?oid=069F9AFF-47FD-4DD9-AC0D-D0664813C5E3
Wednesday, Nov.21st - Snowsuit Fund & Food Drive assembly, 8:15am
Thursday, Nov. 22nd - Parent-Kinder team meetings PM(4-6:30pm)
Friday, Nov. 23rd - PD DAY - No School - Parent-Kinder team meetings AM (8am-10:30am)
Friday, Nov. 30th - Movie Night (School Council)
Friday, Dec.7th - ​Last Day to donate to Snowsuit Fund & Food Drive 
Friday, Dec. 14th - Winter Showcase, middle block approx.11am start time
Friday, Dec. 21st - Last day of School before Winter Holiday break
Dec.22nd - Jan. 6th - Winter Holiday break - No School
Monday, Jan.7th - First Day back after Winter Holiday break
Fri. Feb. 2nd - PD Day
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Weeks of Nov.5th-Nov.16th

11/3/2018

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Scholastics Books Fair update
Thanks to all those that sent money in with their Kinder, came to the fair themselves and a VERY big thank-you to those that volunteered! The fair sold approx. $7000 worth of books! Way to go Hilson! Want to learn more about how the $ raised will benefit the school? Read all about it on the Hilson School Council facebook page - ​www.facebook.com/HilsonSchoolCouncil/

Please welcome....
Sharie Brodie, Hilson's acting principal while Ms. Kim MacDonald is on leave. Shari Brodie is a retired principal with many years at the OCDSB. Please give her a warm welcome. She will be starting at the school on Monday, Nov. 5th.

Kindergarten Initial Observation reports (Nov.8th) and Parent-Kinder Team Meetings (Nov.22nd & 23rd)
All Kinder students will be bringing home a Kindergarten Initial Observations report on Thurs. Nov. 8th. These are the Kindergarten version of the Progress Reports issued to gr.1-8 students. The Initial Observations document is a brief report that gives parents insight to the growth and next steps their child has achieved and is working towards. It reflects their first 6 weeks of school.
The Kinder team sent home parent-Kinder team interview requests on Friday, Nov. 2nd. As we have already met with Year 1 (JK) parents at intakes, we are prioritizing meeting with our year 2 (SK) parents. Parents are asked to return meeting request forms no later than Fri. Nov.9th.
Communication between parents and educators is always ongoing therefore if you are ever wanting to meet to discuss your child and their progress do not hesitate to either write a note in your Kinder's communication book or send a message via Remind.

Remembrance Day assembly - 10:50 am, Monday, Nov.12th
Both Kinder classes will be attending the Remembrance Day assembly on Monday, Nov.12th. Two representatives from each class will participate in the assembly by laying their class wreath. We will communicate with those parents once we have chosen the students who will be representing their class. Parents are welcome to join the school in commemorating this special occasion. Please arrive at the school no later than 10:45am if you plan to attend.

Sibling Photos & Photo Retakes - Tues.Nov.13th
InTouch photos will be returning to the school to take sibling photos on Tues. Nov. 13th. Please return the Sibling Photo slip that was sent home last week if you intend to have your children take this photo. They will also be taking retakes on this date. PLEASE RETURN YOUR PROOFS if you would like to have retakes done. Children who were absent on picture day will also have their photo taken on this date. Parents who would like to order photos should place their orders by Nov.8th.

Lockdown & Fire Drill practices complete for the first term
On Thurs. Nov.1st, students practiced what we call a lockdown. This is an emergency procedure in case of an intruder in the school or a safety concern in the neighbourhood/city. The children did an amazing job! This practice concluded all our safety and emergency procedures for the first term. Students will practice them again in the 2nd term (spring).

Late arrival reminder
Please note that if you arrive to the Kinder gate and there are no educators or children outside - you are late! Please enter the school by the main entrance. Parents or students should not knock on the cubbie door for entry. We can not have children getting in the habit of opening that door. This is is a major safety concern. Mme Raquel and Ms. Hallard take note of who is in the line every morning by the 8am bell. If your child enters the classroom after the 8am bell, we mark your child late.

Lunch Lady update
Lunch Lady has consistently been late to deliver our Kinder meals over the last 3 weeks. We have spoken to them about how our Kinder lunch is earlier than the rest of the school. We eat at 12:50pm whereas the grade 1-6 eat at 1:10pm. This means that Kinders who order from Lunch Lady are often waiting up to 20 minutes for their meal. They are often very patient but for some this is a very long time, especially if they finished the contents of their lunch box shortly after outdoor play (11am). We are working on this issue with the company but ask that parents pack an extra snack to tie your Kinder over on Lunch Lady days or maybe reconsider ordering for the time being.

​We are collecting...
For the biome - hair from brushes (human & animal), leaves, cut garden ends, ornamental grasses, newspaper, the lint from your dyer.
For an art/dramatic play activity - large paper grocery bags/large cardboard boxes
For sensory play - playdough, contact either Ms. Hallard (Kinder B) or Mme Raquel (Kinder A) if you are willing to make some


Upcoming Events, Important Dates & Ongoing Reminders
Every Monday is KINDER B's Library Day, send your books in Note Totes every Friday
Every Tuesday is Pizza Day, place your orders by Friday night
Every Thursday is KINDER A's Library Day, send your books in by Wednesday
Every Friday is Lunch Lady, place your orders http://thelunchlady.ca/school/?oid=069F9AFF-47FD-4DD9-AC0D-D0664813C5E3
Thurs., Nov.8th - Kinder Initial Observations report goes home
Sunday, Nov. 11th - Remembrance Day
Monday, Nov. 12th - Remembrance Day assembly, 10:50 am, parents welcome
Tuesday, Nov. 13th - Photo Retakes
Thursday, Nov. 22nd - Parent-Kinder team meetings PM(4-6:30pm)
Friday, Nov. 23rd - PD DAY - No School - Parent-Kinder team meetings AM ()
Friday, Nov. 30th - Movie Night (School Council)
Friday, Dec. 21st - Last day of School before Winter Holiday break
Dec.22nd - Jan. 6th - Winter Holiday break - No School
Fri. Feb. 2nd - PD Day
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Week of Oct.22nd - Nov.2nd

10/21/2018

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Winter is coming! 
The weather looks chilly with highs ranging from 5-8 degrees over the next couple of weeks. Please be sure your child is dressed appropriately with a hat & mitts/gloves and a warm jacket. They spend 45 minutes to a hour outside between 10am-11am everyday. Many of our students are finding it hard to enjoy their outdoor play time because they are not dressed appropriately for the weather. We lend out hats and mitts/gloves to those in need but prefer that children bring their own to school with them. As always, be sure to label all outerwear. 

Pizza, Milk & Lunch Lady feedback
School Council's Napoli Pizza lunches prove to be very popular with both Kinder classes. A slice seems to be more than enough. Most children who have ordered milk seem to be happy to drink it. We encourage children who are not drinking their milk to take their full milk cartons home to parents. Lunch Lady continues to be a hit or miss. The orders are arriving slightly late at the school and some Kinders are not particularly fond of their meals. Chicken fingers and spaghetti orders tend to go over well. We encourage children to take home what they don't eat so that parents can see how much they've eaten and whether or not their child liked the order. 

Scholastics Book Fair  - Thursday, Friday & Saturday
Please scroll down to read more about this exciting event or log on to Facebook and check out the Hilson School Council page.  https://www.facebook.com/HilsonSchoolCouncil/​
Both Kinder classes will have an opportunity to shop at the Book Fair during school hours. If your child would like to purchase something, please send money in a small envelope or ziplock bag with their name and classroom on it. Kinders can generally find something they are happy with in the $5-$10 range. The book fair opens for at 8:20am and closes at 2:30pm, Thurs. & Fri. Parents are welcome to come and shop during these times. Families can shop together on Saturday from 11am-1pm. 

Halloween at Hilson - next week 
Students will be celebrating Halloween, Wednesday, Oct.31st. Students are welcome to wear their costume to school as long as their costume allows them to participate in all aspects of a regular school day. Parents are reminded that students will be eating their snacks, going out for recess and partaking in a variety of in class and whole school activities that day. Please take that into consideration when dressing your child for school on Halloween. Halloween pyjamas or black and orange clothing can be just as festive. Students wearing their costumes are reminded no masks, no weapon like accessories and small parts that can be misplaced or easily lost should stay at home.
Both Kinder classes will be joining in on a whole school activity on Halloween. They will be going to the gym to learn how to dance the Monster Mash. The Monster Mash is a Hilson tradition where the whole school learns some Thriller like dance moves to the Boris Pickett classic. In addition, Principal Kim and Vice-Principal Peter will be dressing up like a prince and princess and doing the Chicken Dance as a thank-you for raising so much money for Terry Fox. 

Fall back in time Nov.4th 
Clocks are falling back on Sunday, Nov.4th. Be sure to set your clocks back. Your Kinder will be happy to see some daylight again as they wake-up and get ready for school. 

Upcoming Events, Important Dates & Ongoing Reminders 
Every Monday is KINDER B's Library Day, send your books in Note Totes every Friday
Every Tuesday is Pizza Day, place your orders by Friday night
Every Thursday is KINDER A's Library Day, send your books in by Wednesday
Every Friday is Lunch Lady, place your orders http://thelunchlady.ca/school/?oid=069F9AFF-47FD-4DD9-AC0D-D0664813C5E3
Thursday, Oct.25th - Saturday, Oct. 27th - Scholastics Book Fair at Hilson
Wednesday, Oct.31st - Halloween
Sunday, Nov. 4th - Daylight Savings Time ends
Sunday, Nov. 11th - Remembrance Day
Tuesday, Nov. 13th - Photo Retakes
Thursday, Nov. 22nd - Parent-Teacher Interviews (Timing to de determined)
Friday, Nov. 23rd - PD DAY - No School - Parent-Teacher Interviews AM (Timing to be determined)
Friday, Nov. 30th - Movie Night (School Council)
Friday, Dec. 21st - Last day of School before Winter Holiday break
Dec.22nd - Jan. 6th - Winter Holiday break - No School
Friday, Jan. 25th - PD DAY - No School
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ColorCycle & Scholastics Book Fair

10/13/2018

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What is Color Cycle all about? 
​School Council in conjunction with Crayola is coordinating Crayola ColorCycle – an amazing program devised to turn used markers into energy! All around Hilson Avenue P.S students will be collecting used markers that are ready to be discarded. The markers will be sent to a facility where they will be converted into clean fuel. This fuel can be used to power vehicles, heat homes, cook meals and more!
In April 2018, we started the program at Hilson and in three short months we collected over 570 markers. That is over 7lbs of plastic that didn’t go into landfills. This school year let’s do our best to make sure every used marker goes into our drop off boxes.
Please help support our efforts by bringing your used markers – even non-Crayola brands -  to the drop-off boxes that are placed in classrooms and in the Grand Hall. 
Thank you in advance for participating! With your help, the Crayola ColorCycle program can keep tons of plastic out of landfills each year. Remember, don’t throw out that used marker—ColorCycle it!

Scholastics Book Fair Info
This year the Scholastic Book Fair is on October 25, 26 (from 8:20 am -2:30 pm) and on Sat, Oct 27th (11 am -1 pm) and we have three contest to get the kids excited about the Book Fair.

Bookmark and Book Cover Contest
For JK-3:
They can participate in a contest by designing a bookmark based on their favourite book (one entry per student). Blank bookmark templates will be made available from the library. 
They have until Friday, October 19th to submit their bookmark. We will draw winners on October 22nd and each winner will get $5 towards the Book Fair.  There will be a winner in each grade! 
All book covers and book marks submitted will be displayed in the Grand Hall during the book fair so kids, teachers and parents can check out the great art work that came out of these two contests.

Golden Ticket Contest 
The Golden Ticket contest was a hit last year!  The week of Oct.22nd, there will be a golden ticket placed under three seats in three classrooms. There will be an announcement made the day of the Golden Ticket contest for kids to look under their seats to see if they are a winner. Each winner will get $10 towards the Book Fair. 

SCHOOL COUNCIL NEEDS YOU! 
The Scholastic Book Fair is looking for volunteers for help on Oct 25, 26 or 27.
Please consider helping out!
Here is a link to the Book Fair spreadsheet to sign up:
https://docs.google.com/…/1e-dJBR14UAkiAKEkeIQWe84ih5…/edit…
Thanks in advance for your time! It is so greatly appreciated.

Thank-you to Nimi Benjamin (Adele & Issac's mom)  for taking the lead on both these initiatives on behalf of the School Council. Follow the Hilson School Council on Facebook to keep up to date. https://www.facebook.com/HilsonSchoolCouncil/​
Have an idea that you think the school would benefit from or want to get involved? Come to the next council meeting Tues. Nov. 13th at 6pm (babysitting available). ​

Upcoming Events, Important Dates & Ongoing Reminders 
Every Monday is KINDER B's Library Day, send your books in Note Totes every Friday
Every Tuesday is Pizza Day, place your orders by Saturday night
Every Thursday is KINDER A's Library Day, send your books in by Wednesday
Every Friday is Lunch Lady, place your orders http://thelunchlady.ca/school/?oid=069F9AFF-47FD-4DD9-AC0D-D0664813C5E3
Tuesday, Oct.16th - Photo Day
Thursday, Oct.25th - Saturday, Oct. 27th - Scholastics Book Fair at Hilson
Wednesday, Oct.31st - Halloween
Sunday, Nov. 4th - Daylight Savings Time ends
Sunday, Nov. 11th - Remembrance Day
Tuesday, Nov. 13th - Photo Retakes
Thursday, Nov. 22nd - Parent-Teacher Interviews (Timing to de determined)
Friday, Nov. 23rd - PD DAY - No School - Parent-Teacher Interviews AM (Timing to be determined)
Friday, Nov. 30th - Movie Night (School Council)
Friday, Dec. 21st - Last day of School before Winter Holiday break
Dec.22nd - Jan. 6th - Winter Holiday break - No School
Friday, Jan. 25th - PD DAY - No School


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Weeks of Oct.9th - Oct.19th

10/8/2018

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Great to see so many families at Hilson's Meet the Staff Open House! Thanks for coming! Your children were excited to show their classrooms and school off to their families. Follow Principal Kim and Vice-Principal Peter on twitter - https://twitter.com/hilsonavenueps?lang=en & on the school's newly updated website - https://hilsonaveps.ocdsb.ca/

School Council News
Hilson hosted its first School Council meeting after the Meet the Staff Open House (Thurs.Oct.4th) So far, they are operating without a chairperson, so please consider joining them and perhaps throwing your hat in the ring! You can also co-chair with a partner. Next meeting they will discuss possible fundraisers for this school year (beyond the usual movie nights and Spring Fling), so please consider bringing your ideas and leadership for these events. School Council will also be looking for parents to volunteer at their upcoming Scholastics Book Fair - Oct. 25th-Oct. 27th. This is a annual fundraiser for the school library. More info to come in the next couple of weeks.
Follow Hilson's School Council on Facebook to stay up to date with all council news: https://www.facebook.com/HilsonSchoolCouncil/

Best Offence is a Good Defence!
We share everything is Kindergarten! This includes germs and head lice. As the weather starts to get colder and we start to get into cold/flu and hat season it is a good time to review personal hygiene routines. Remind them to wash their hands frequently and not share hats with friends. Good practice is having your child get in the habit of washing their hands as soon as they get home to wash away classroom/aftercare germs. Show them how to wipe their noses with kleenex/tissues and dispose of tissues in the garbage as well as coughing into the inside of their elbow. These steps go a long way in keeping them healthy. Check your child's hair & scalp weekly, especially if you see them itching. It is also a good idea to keep long hair tied back. For those looking for extra protection, there are child friendly shampoos and sprays with tea tree oil that act as natural lice deterrents.

What to do if your child falls sick?
Please contact the school if your child has fallen ill - 613-728-4607. Children/Staff should be kept at home when they have symptoms of an enteric illness which includes vomiting and/or diarrhea, until their symptoms have been resolved for at least 48 hours. This is to allow them enough time to recover and be able to return to school and resume all regular activities. Symptoms of respiratory illness including fever, cough, sore throat, congestion, runny nose and/or sneezing until they are fever free for 24 hours and feeling better. It is important that children are able to engage in all aspects of the program upon their return including gym and outdoor play.

Photo Day is coming our way!
​Please mark your calendars - Tuesday, Oct. 16th is PHOTO DAY! Children will take a class photo with all their educators and then individual photos. Photo proofs of individual photos will then go home for parents to decide if they will like to order online or have retakes taken on Tuesday, Nov. 13th.

Upcoming Events, Important Dates & Ongoing Reminders
Every Monday is KINDER B's Library Day, send your books in Note Totes every Friday
Every Tuesday is Pizza Day, place your orders by Saturday night
Every Thursday is KINDER A's Library Day, send your books in by Wednesday
Every Friday is Lunch Lady, place your orders http://thelunchlady.ca/school/?oid=069F9AFF-47FD-4DD9-AC0D-D0664813C5E3
Tuesday, Oct.16th - Photo Day
Thursday, Oct.25th - Saturday, Oct. 27th - Scholastics Book Fair at Hilson
Wednesday, Oct.31st - Halloween
Sunday, Nov. 4th - Daylight Savings Time ends
Sunday, Nov. 11th - Remembrance Day
Tuesday, Nov. 13th - Photo Retakes
Thursday, Nov. 22nd - Parent-Teacher Interviews (Timing to de determined)
Friday, Nov. 23rd - PD DAY - No School - Parent-Teacher Interviews AM (Timing to be determined)
Friday, Nov. 30th - Movie Night (School Council)
Friday, Dec. 21st - Last day of School before Winter Holiday break
Dec.22nd - Jan. 6th - Winter Holiday break - No School
Friday, Jan. 25th - PD DAY - No School
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Week of Sept.24th to Oct.5th

9/25/2018

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What a weekend! Hope everyone has gotten sorted after the power outage and tornado. Some the of the Kinder team felt your pain as we were out of power for over 48 hours as well. Our thoughts go out to those that have family and friends who are dealing with property damage. Please let us know if your Kinder is experiencing any anxiety over the events of the weekend (new found fears of weather/the dark or imagery they may have seen of the damage). As always, we are here to help.

Terry Fox - Thursday, Sept. 27th - 10:50am assembly, 11:30am run on the main yard
Thanks to those of you who have donated to our Terry Fox fundraiser. We will be collecting money until the end of the week. Students have voted on class motivators. Kinder Acorns will be having a Wacky Wednesday (date to be determined) at $260 raised. Kinder BeeHive will be having a movie day for $350, if they reach $500 they get to throw pies in their teachers faces. Ms. Kim & Mr. Peter have volunteered to do some wacky motivators as well. The whole student body is voting on what they will do.
Kinders will be attending the Terry Fox assembly (their first whole school event) at 10:50am on Thursday. They will then be running on the main field at 11:30am. Parents are welcome to join us on the main field. If you choose to come, please be ready to walk/run with us to motivate your Kinder to complete a couple of laps. You can then cheer from the sidelines.

Orange Shirt Day - Friday, Sept. 28th
Schools across Canada commemorate Orange Shirt Day. The day was created during the St. Joseph Mission Residential School Commemoration Project in Williams Lake, BC, in May 2013. Former student, Phyllis (Jack) Webstad, told her story of her first day at residential school when her shiny new orange shirt, bought by her grandmother, was taken from her as a six-year old girl, which prompted the realization that many survivors have similar stories. Schools across Canada commemorate Orange Shirt Day by encouraging staff and students to wear any piece of orange clothing, design their own ‘Every Child Matters’ shirt, wear ribbons or orange stickers, or wear any kind of orange clothing or decoration.
As part of the Indigenous Addendum, the Kinder curriculum is to explore the earth and our interconnectedness to our environment. Students will learn about this through their weekly outdoor education time and through books that share creation stories.

Meet the Teacher - Thursday, Oct.4th 5pm-6:15pm
Hilson will be hosting its annual Meet the Teacher night next week. Please note this is a meet and greet event. Not a time to see how your child is doing in the program. Take this opportunity to come visit the Kinder classrooms, have your child show you around and walk you through their typical day. This is also a good time to meet your child's friends parents, take a tour of the school and introduce yourself to the school librarian, Katy Harrison, our new principal, Kim MacDonald and our new vice-principal, Peter Knight.
School Council will be hosting their first meeting right afterwards at 6:30pm. This is a great opportunity to get involved at your child's school and meet other parents who volunteer their time to make Hilson the great community it is. 

Note Totes
Note Totes are the ziplock bags your child couriers to and from school. They often contain school news such as forms to be signed, how to sign up for milk/pizza/etc and monthly Scholastic forms. They also house art work and any other class work your child chooses to do throughout the week.
Kinder A - Sends Note Totes home on Fridays and asks that they are returned on Mondays.
Kinder B - Send Note Totes home on Mondays with library books and asks that they are returned no later than Friday with library books.

Weekly Library Visits
The Hilson library has undergone a makeover! New carpet and some fancy new chairs and tables have been added. Be sure to check it out when you visit the school for Meet the Teacher.
Katy Harrison, our school librarian, opened the library to student exchanges last week. Ms. Hallard is the Kinder team contact for any library visit/book inquiries. Books are to be returned no later than the day before they are due.
Kinder A - visits the library every Thursday, books are due every Wednesday.
Kinder B - visits the library every Monday, books are due every Monday.

Milk and Pizza info
Hilson's milk program started Tuesday, Sept.25th. Those looking to sign up for milk will have to wait until the next session.
Pizza will start on Tues. Oct. 2nd. Please register your account at https://hilson.hotlunches.net/admin/?sid=&un=0
Pizza runs from Oct.2nd to Jan.29th. You can pay for a whole session or weekly. Be forewarned that if your order is not in by Saturday for that coming Tuesday, your child will not receive their pizza.

Outdoor wear
Please be sure your child is dressed for outdoor play. Check the weather. We are only outside for 15 minutes at drop off. Check to see what the forecast of the day is for 10am-11am & 2pm-3pm. We will take them outside to play unless it is heavy rain, below -25 or there is a weather warning.
Please DO NOT send your child with multiple pairs of outdoor shoes. This complicates things for them as they MUST take both pairs home at the end of the day. Our cubbie space is cramped and crowded. We do not have room for extra outerwear. In our experience, if your child has a choice of wearing rain boots or runners, they will wear whichever they prefer therefore make that choice at home with them.

Open snack & Designated Lunch 
Hilson's Kinder classes both have 3 opportunities to eat throughout the day. They can eat during both their morning (8am-9am) and midday (11am-12 noon) play blocks, this is referred to as open snack. They then sit down from 12:50-1:10pm at for a more formal whole class sit down lunch. Although we call the 3rd opportunity to eat lunch, many of your children are eating the bulk of their food during their open snack times. They are following their own body clocks and eating as much as they like during these times. Many of our Kinders are finding they have 1 item or nothing left at their designated lunch time and have said they they are still hungry at this time. Please chat with your child to see if this is the case. Keep in mind, milk, pizza and lunch lady are all delivered to the class during the last eating opportunity (12:50pm). Aftercare students are also given an additional snack at the WCC at around 3:15pm. Your child's eating will ebb and flow throughout the year, based on their own growth spurts, activity levels and changes in weather. You may need to adjust how much you pack based on this. 

If you love it, then you better put your name on it! If you want it, then you better label it! Please label your child's hoodies, outerwear, lunch containers, anything & everything that they bring to school that you want returned to your home. :)

Upcoming Events, Important Dates & Reminders
Monday, Sept.24th - Milk starts
Thursday, Sept.27th - Terry Fox Run (Whole School event, 10:50am assembly, 11:30am run on the main yard)
Friday, Sept. 28th - Orange Shirt Day (Truth & Reconciliation day of awareness to recognize our history of residential schools & its impact)
Tuesday, Oct.2nd - First Pizza lunch
Thursday, Oct.4th - Meet the Teacher, 5-6:15pm
Thursday, Oct. 4th - School Council, 6:30pm
Friday, Oct. 5th - PD DAY - No School
Monday, Oct. 8th - Thanksgiving
Tuesday, Oct.16th - Photo Day
Wednesday, Oct.31st - Halloween
Sunday, Nov. 4th - Daylight Savings Time ends 
Sunday, Nov. 11th - Remembrance Day 
Tuesday, Nov. 13th - Photo Retakes
Thursday, Nov. 22nd - Parent-Teacher Interviews (Timing to de determined) 
Friday, Nov. 23rd - PD DAY - No School - Parent-Teacher Interviews (Timing to be determined) 
Friday, Nov. 30th - Movie Night (School Council) 
Friday, Dec. 21st - Last day of School before Winter Holiday break
Dec.22nd - Jan. 6th - Winter Holiday break - No School
Friday, Jan. 25th - PD DAY - No School

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Hilson's Annual Terry Fox Event

9/14/2018

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2018 Hilson Avenue Public School Terry Fox Run
Here are the details about our upcoming Terry Fox Run. This is an amazing event & a fantastic organization to support!
Look out for pledge forms in Note Totes this week with a golden letter.
Last year our school raised a record $11,009.66 for the Terry Fox Foundation. We were one of the top 25 Elementary fundraisers in Ontario & the top elementary fundraiser in Ottawa! In the past 9 years, Hilson has raised a grand total of $34,944.51 for the foundation!

This is a big year… Hilson’s 10th Terry Fox Run! Our 2018 school wide goal will be to fundraise a total of $3540.00 or $10 per student.
Event Details:
Date: Thursday, September 27th
Time: 10:50 assembly, 11:30 - 12:00 run

Every year the Hilson staff gets a little wild with their fundraising motivators to entice students & their families to donate. Each class sets a class goal and if the class reaches their goal, teachers follow through on their promised motivators. Last year, the Kinder team let the Kinders paint the pavement on the play structure yard and dressed up as fairies for the day. The year before Ms. Saraj & Ms. Espinoza let the Kinders paint their clothes, Mme Raquel let the Kinder team cut 8 inches of her hair (to donate to Wigs for Kids) & Ms. Hallard ate crickets! What will we do this year?!

Donations can be made online directly to Hilson’s Terry Fox page:
https://secure.terryfox.ca/registrant/TeamFundraisingPage.aspx?TeamID=823269#&panel1-1
Cheques must be made out to The Terry Fox Foundation.... NOT to the school!
Cash donations can be sent in with your child, please put the $ in the pledge envelopes you receive.
​
Upcoming Events, Important Dates & Reminders
Monday, Sept.17th - Hilson's Annual Terry Fox fundraiser  starts 
Wednesday, Sept.19th - Online payment for milk due
Monday, Sept.24th - Milk starts
Thursday, Sept.27th - Terry Fox Run (Whole School event, more info to come)
Friday, Sept. 28th - Orange Shirt Day (Truth & Reconciliation day of awareness to recognize our history of residential schools & its impact)
Thursday, Oct.4th - Meet the Teacher, 5-6:15pm
Friday, Oct. 5th - PD DAY - No School
Monday, Oct. 8th - Thanksgiving
Tuesday, Oct.16th - Photo Day 
Wednesday, Oct.31st - Halloween 
Friday, Nov. 23rd - PD DAY - No School
Friday, Dec. 21st - Last day of School before Winter Holiday break
Dec.22nd - Jan. 6th - Winter Holiday break - No School
Friday, Jan. 25th - PD DAY - No School
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Weeks of Sept.10th-21st

9/11/2018

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Drop off & Pick-up Procedures
Now that everyone has had their first couple of days of school, we ask that parents always drop off at the Kinder yard gate (along the parking lot) between 7:45-8am. In our experience, it is best to keep the drop off short & sweet. There are 3 educators available at drop off to help you. You can kiss & go or encourage them to go drop off their backpack in their cubbie and come back to give you a last goodbye. If your child is having difficulty at drop off, give yourself time to make it smooth. We are better able to help you earlier (7:45am) than later (8am).
If you are picking your child up early, please note you need to sign them out at the office. You can then come to retrieve them from the classroom.

Label Everything!
Trust us when we tell you that most of our Kinders do not recognize their belongings once they are off their bodies or out of their backpack/lunch bag. Please label their outerwear, even their sweatshirts, their ice packs, lunch containers that you care to have back, etc. This makes life easier for all of us and ensures that we can get things back home with your child. A quick sharpie of initials can go a long way.

Dress your child for the day - not the just in case
Our cubbie area is crowded & shared by about 60 people. We do not have space to store extra outdoor clothes. Please dress your child for the weather of the day, drop them off wearing those clothes. In our experience, your child will be able to identify what they wore to school and keep track of it. If it comes in their backpacks, they find it tricky to put back in when it all spills out throughout the day. Please simplify what they are bringing to school with them. We do go out in all kinds of weather so check the forecast. We are outside from 10am-11am & then again end of the day 2pm until 2:30pm (aftercare until 3pm). Again, label everything!

We foster independence in Kindergarten
Please take the time to practice self-help skills at home with your Kinder. For example, how to pack their backpack and their lunch bags. Show them what to put in first, which way their lunch bag fits in, how to put their sweater/jacket in with their lunch bag, where their water bottle goes, how it locks, how to fit their containers in their lunch bags, etc. This not only fosters their independence but makes for smoother transitions throughout the day. It is also part of the Self-Regulation/Well-Being and Problem Solving frames in the Kindergarten curriculum. Your child will feel accomplished and like a big kid when they've mastered these skills. A little practice at home goes a long way!

Kinders LOVE Playdough!
We are looking for parents to make playdough for our classes. You can use your own recipe or the one below. Please send a message via Remind to Raquel (Kinder A) or Sabrin (Kinder B) if you are interested in making a batch. We will then assign you a date to send it in with your child.
playdoughrecipe.pdf
File Size: 43 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
Upcoming Events, Important Dates & Reminders
Wednesday, Sept.19th - Online payment for milk due 
Monday, Sept.24th - Milk starts 
Thursday, Sept.27th - Terry Fox Run (Whole School event, more info to come)
Friday, Sept. 28th - Orange Shirt Day (Truth & Reconciliation day of awareness to recognize our history of residential schools & its impact)
Thursday, Oct.4th - Meet the Teacher, 5-6:15pm
Friday, Oct. 5th - PD DAY - No School
Monday, Oct. 8th - Thanksgiving
Friday, Nov. 23rd - PD DAY - No School
Friday, Dec. 21st - Last day of School before Winter Holiday break
Dec.22nd - Jan. 6th - Winter Holiday break - No School
Friday, Jan. 25th - PD DAY - No School
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Week of Sept.4th-7th

9/1/2018

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 Staggered start to Kindergarten - Do you know when your start date is?
Tuesday, Sept. 4th & Wednesday, Sept. 5th - NO SCHOOL for Kinders! Intake interviews will be taking place with all Year 1 (JK) parents and new to Hilson SK parents. 
Thursday, Sept. 6th - First day for ALL Year 1 (JK) students! If your Year 2 (SK) child is registered for aftercare at the Westboro Children's Centre this is also their first day of school. 
Friday, Sept. 7th - First day of school for all remaining Year 2 students! This is the first day of school for Year 2 (SK) students NOT registered in aftercare. 

Back to school essentials for ALL Kinders - Year 1 (JK) & Year 2 (SK) 
Please be sure your child arrives to school with:
Large backpack - Backpack should be able to fit a large hardcover book, lunch bag and sweater or fall jacket. Keep in mind we are an early start school therefore your child may arrive to school with a sweater/jacket but find it too warm out to wear it during afternoon play. They should be able to fit their lunch bag, sweater/jacket and water bottle in their backpack. Having a backpack large enough to fit a large hardcover will make library books easier for your child to bring to and from school. Have your child practice putting their personal items inside, zipping up and unzipping their backpack.
Reusable lunch bag, easy to open containers & reusable water bottle that locks - Hilson encourages a litterless lunch, having a reusable bag, containers and a water bottle facilitate this. Please ensure your child can independently open and close everything. Taking the time to show them how to use everything allows them to be more independent during open snack times and lunch time, allowing them to eat without waiting for help. It also reduces mess as they are less likely to spill the contents of their containers and water bottle if they know how to close everything properly. **Hilson is a nut-free school (K-6). Kinder B parents - Room 144 is also a mustard free class. Please check labels for mustard in ingredient lists, including mustard seed. Think salad dressings, condiments, dips & anything that may use mustard as a natural food dye.**
Ziplock with extra change of clothes - It is not uncommon for Kinder students to need an extra change of clothes. Bathroom accidents, water table play, snack table spills, playing in mud/puddles/sand during outdoor play are just some of the reasons. Please pack a pair of bottoms (pants/leggings), t-shirt, underwear & socks. Label everything, even the socks and underwear. Your child will most likely not recognize any of these clothes, labelling them will greatly help the Kinder team. Feel free to double up on extra clothes if you feel your child would benefit from them. This creates backup in case there are 2 accidents in a day or week. 
Indoor running shoes, preferably velcro - These shoes will be your child's primary pair of shoes at school. Your child should be able to easily put these shoes on and off. Kinders visit the gym twice a week therefore these shoes should be comfortable to run in. **Please note, ideally these shoes stay in your child's school cubbie at the end of the day. Aftercare parents, it is best to have another pair of shoes for your child to wear at the Children's Centre. This facilitates things for your family as you won't need to lug a pair shoes to and from school and aftercare everyday. They are less likely to lost in the shuffle.** 

School Supplies & class donations 
The Kinder team will be collecting school supplies during intakes and during the first few days of school. Glue sticks, markers, pencils, pencil crayons, erasers & scissors are all shared items and do not need to be labelled. Items in bold are most needed at the moment. Families that would like to donate craft supplies (pompoms. stickers, foam shapes, washi tape, googly eyes, glitter glue), kleenex boxes and playdough (homemade or store bought) are more than welcome to. These added supplies are always appreciated. 

OCDSB School Calendar 
Hilson Avenue Public School follows the OCDSB School Calendar for all holidays, PD Days and breaks. Please mark these dates in your calendar or bookmark this link for handy reference. 
https://ocdsb.ca/UserFiles/Servers/Server_55394/File/Elementary/Calendar/2018-2019/School%20Year%20Calendar_Elementary_2018-2019.pdf


Upcoming Events, Important Dates & Reminders 
Monday, Sept. 3rd - Labour Day 
Tuesday, Sept. 4th - Intake interviews for incoming Year 1 (JK) parents and any new to Hilson Year 2 (SK) parents
Wednesday, Sept.5th - Intake interviews for incoming Year 1 (JK) parents and any new to Hilson Year 2 (SK) parents
Thursday, Sept. 6th - First Day of School for all Year 1 Kinder students (JKs) ​& all registered WCC aftercare year 2 students (SKs)
Friday, Sept. 8th - First Day of school for all remaining Year 2 (SK) students
Friday, Oct. 5th - PD DAY - No School 
Monday, Oct. 8th - Thanksgiving 
Friday, Nov. 23rd - PD DAY - No School 
Friday, Dec. 21st - Last day of School before Winter Holiday break 
Dec.22nd - Jan. 6th - Winter Holiday break - No School 
Friday, Jan. 25th - PD DAY - No School 
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