Williams Parkway Happenings

Transcription

1 Williams Parkway Happenings June, 2016 What a great way to spend our last month of school celebrating together. Most importantly our graduates who have worked so hard for the past 3 years as they move on to high school. This month was filled with lots of wonderful activities that were planned for all of the students ranging from Camp Kilcoo to The Blue Jays game. Wonderful Achievement in Peel It was a pleasure to have our very own Alysha Frey present her speech on the impacts of social media to the Director Mr. Tony Pontes, fellow trustees, and members of the board. Mr. Pontes described her speech as a very fitting topic for today s time Alysha was amazing. Mrs. S. Patel, her teacher said that, I am very proud of Alysha and it was a wonderful experience to be a part of this great experience. Grade 8 Graduation

2 It is finally that time of the year, when we say goodbye and wish our grade 8 s luck as they move on to high school. To celebrate this prestigious and memorable occasion, we held a graduation ceremony followed by a dance at Red Rose Convention Centre. Let s bid farewell to our grade eight students, and wish them all the best on the next chapter of their lives, high school. Some of our 2016 recipients are; 2016 Valedictorian: Erika Miggiani, Principal s award: Jagatjot R, Vice Principal s Award: Ricky E, Jordan P, Malcolm W, O.P.C. Leadership Awards: Arleen H, Shreya J, Anamika S, Brooke S, IBT Business Award: Naomi B, Riya U, John Mudie Service award: Debbie T, and a great thanks to Mrs. Beams for working with Debbie throughout the years. Excellent Work! WP Working With the Community in Toronto Our Community Outreach group had the opportunity to go downtown Toronto with our Vice Principal Ms. Phipps. They went to The St. Francis Table location within the Parkdale community. Students helped to prepare meals, took orders, served the meals and did the clean-up afterwards. A great lesson for our young students to learn the importance of paying it forward. The 2016 House Team Winner is After an entire year of friendly competitions, house league points, and restless waiting, we finally have a winner! The winning house Team for are the Eagles!!! On June 23, 2016, to celebrate their victory, The Eagles participated in a fun day of activities and group challenges outdoors. A Big thank you to staff from the City of Brampton and some of our teachers who delivered a day of programming to our students. Everyone enjoyed their time to connect and have fun with each other. While this year Eagles may have been victorious, remember, there is always next year! Music News Spring Concert/Coffee House It was absolutely amazing watching the WP band and choir perform at

3 this year s Concert. The productions included; the choir singing, band performances and bucket drumming. The band performed songs such as "Shake It Off", "All About That Bass", "Everything Is Awesome" that took some of the teachers and parents down to memory lane. Mrs. Brown another Huge Congratulations on a successful performance. The proceeds raised went to support the WP Music Program to purchase 4 new instruments for next year's new band program! Mr. Peet took on the BIG role taking the lead for this year s Coffee House Production. Students were able to perform various songs, dances and acts in front of an intimate group in a cozy setting. The proceeds collected also helped the Music department. Great job Mr. Peet and all of our future Star Performers. South Asian Show peers through various speeches and multimedia presentations. We all also had the opportunity to see the traditional clothing of the south Asian community during a fashion show. The students of WP indeed explored an exotic culture from Asia. Curriculum Connections and Engaging Activities Grade 7-Junior Achievement- Dollars with Sense The grade 7 students had the wonderful opportunity to learn practical life skills, creating a personal profile about budgeting and prioritizing needs, wants and goals. This allowed students to make decisions about learning to use their money wisely for their future. Thank you to volunteers from The Royal Bank and teachers who spent an engaging day with the students. Main topics included: discussing money management, exploring different methods of payment, being a SMART consumer and being safe about online shopping. Celebrating our Grade 6 and 7 s Williams Parkway is a diverse and multicultural school. We celebrated one of our rich cultures by hosting a South Asian Show. Students performed cultural dances, played instruments, and educated their June 28, 2016 was a great day of celebrations. We had an afternoon assembly to celebrate the success of

4 our grade 6 and 7 students. Mrs. S. Patel in her speech for the Student of the year quoted, Congratulations to all of the students sitting here, you are all a great group to teach. Some of our successful recipients are: Grade 6 Students of the Year Jessica P, Esther P, Grade 7 Makayla T, Serb S, Grade 6 Most Improved Julia B, Most Improved Grade 7, Umar B, Gurjot C. Great Work! home! Doing so in a supportive and safe environment was a beneficial opportunity of a lifetime. Many memories were created during the week. We look forward to next year s trip already! Electives/Trip Week Camp Kilcoo On June 13-17th, 187 grade 6/7/8 students experienced a week of fun, outdoor activity, and adventure at Kilcoo Camp. Located in Minden, Ontario. Kilcoo Camp is one of the most prestigious camps in Ontario and the opportunity for our students to experience all that camp has to offer is priceless. While challenging their comfort zones and channeling their enthusiasm our students and staff participated in various activities such as canoeing, archery, games, fire building, environmental games, fishing, cottage games and aerial courses. For many students, this was their first time staying away from As numerous students were gone to camp Kilcoo, students remaining had the opportunity to enjoy various activities. During electives, students had the opportunity to pick two funfilled activities that they desired to participate. Some of these activities included; henna, animation, trivia, board games, sports, origami, etc. The W.P. family also gathered in the gym, to enjoy a movie!! We thoroughly adored watching Teenage Ninja Mutant Turtles It was a day filled with excitement and great pleasure Mahip said. Bowling The students of W.P. went bowling on June 16 th, During the trip, students had the opportunity to challenge their friends in a game of Bowling at Brunswick Bowl. This was surely an exciting, entertaining, and engaging experience.

5 Wonderland The students of W.P. had the chance to relish a warm summer day at the famed Canada s Wonderland. They enjoyed many rides, and had a great time bonding with their fellow peers. Blue Jays Day June 14, was a special day at the Roger s Centre that welcomed over 40,000 visitors, majority celebrating School Safety Day. WP students had the opportunity to watch the Blue Jays play the Phillies. Our victorious Jays won the game with a score of Sports at WP Baseball The athletic panthers of W.P. bring yet another banner back to the school, and make us all proud! Overall, the girl s baseball team came in 2 nd in the entire tournament, to be precise, the girls won 5 rounds and lost just 2. It is claimed that the championship round was extremely close. All in all, it is no surprise that W.P. has some athletic talent! Conclusively, Congratulations to this group of talented young athletes, who never gave up claimed Mrs. Hogarth. The boys team started off the season with a practice, during the tournament the boys had a lot of fun. Great season Team! Track And Field To appreciate and celebrate Williams Parkway s athletic talent, we hosted a Track and Field Day. This day was filled with physical activities for our students to compete in, or just simply enjoy the exquisite day! Some of the activities included; discus throw, running events, long jump, and javelin. While, all of our students performed brilliantly and demonstrated great sportsmanship, there were some who stood out. Medals were given out to appreciate their success; Darrien and Akash were a few of the top in the school. There were additional ribbons handed out to other students as well. This was surely a day filled with friendly competition, enjoyment, and great spirit. Our top athletes also

6 performed at the track meet at Chinguacousy park. Girl s Soccer Williams Parkway's athletic ability has already proven itself to be exceptional, and girls soccer is no exception. It is claimed that this group of athletic girls were energetic and positive. It is clear that the girls enjoyed this friendly competition. "The girls had a lot of fun, they played a tough pool" stated their enthusiastic coach, Mr. Peet. The athletes of W.P., all age or gender, have absolutely made us proud. This was without a doubt a successful year in terms of sports for W.P! Girls On The Go go fishing at Professor s Lake. The previous months the girls learned about fishing equipment and safety procedures. It was definitely a new learning skill and experience for the girls. Technology News/IBT News Mme. McNeilage and her animation group have worked to create various projects using animation technology. They use the program Toon Boom to create story boards, which result in a final animated video clip. Mme. McNeilage presented the great creations of our creative animators during a school wide assembly. Their work is greatly appreciated. The girls of The Girls On The Go group have participated in a variety of fun activities throughout the year. Some of which were; self-defence, healthy eating, crafts, Yoga, aerobics, dance, team-building workshops etc. As you can tell girls on the go promotes a healthy lifestyle for the young ladies to pursue, and builds healthy relationships. This month, the girls had the fantastic opportunity to IBT Band Performs at Wonderland The Wonderland band Performance was a success. The adjudicator applauded all 3 bands for all of their hard work, dedication and talent! The adjudicator got up on stage with the choir and sang and danced with them! Everyone enjoyed the day.

7 It seems like just yesterday it was a brand new year at Williams Parkway, and here we are at the end of this unquestionably divine school year! A message from all of our staff at Williams Parkway: Have a Safe and Happy Summer with your family and friends. We will see you back on September 6, June Writers and Photographers Student: Mahip Sasan Teachers: Mrs. S. Patel, Mrs. Baraniecka, Mrs. Brown, Ms. N. Patel, Mrs. Mr. Vallance, Ms. Marchant, Ms. Flynn, Mr. O Reilly, Mr. Peet, Mr. Marcovivi, Mrs. Brown, Ms. Phipps) (Photography: Mrs. Gill, Mrs. Hogarth, Mr. Banerjee, Mrs. Brown) First day of school will be September 6, Have a Safe and Happy Summer! Williams Parkway School Website: ges/default.aspx

8 Peel Board News world. To commemorate this diversity, the board recognizes the special faith and culture days of our communities. July 2016 has several special faith and culture days to celebrate and remember. Celebrating Faith and Culture July - Xmaay in Aboriginal Spirituality Xmaay is celebrated by Nisga'a people of the Nass Valley in northwest British Columbia. It is the season when Nisga'a people gather ripe summer berries. July 2016 Evening of June 30 July 1 - Lailat ul-qadr in Islam Lailat FAITH ul-qadr AND is the CULTURE holiest night of DATE CELEBRATION the holy month of Ramadan. It is also called the "Night of Power," as Muslims believe July Xmaay that Prophet Muhammad Aboriginal Spirituality first received Evening of June 30 to Lailat-ul-Qadr God's revelation Islam (Qur'an) on this night. July 1 Followers spend the night in worship. July 1 Jamatul Widha Islam July 1 Canada Day July 1 - Jamatul Canada Widha in Islam Jamatul June 29 to July 3 Ghambar Maidyoshem Widha also known Zoroastrianism Juma-tul Widha is July 6 Eid ul-fitr observed on the Islam last Friday of the holy July 9 Martyrdom of the Bab month of Ramadan. Bahá'í Prayers offered on this July 11 Imamat Day Friday are extremely Islam significant to followers July 12 to 30 the month of Kalimát of the faith. They Bahá'í believe that any lapses in July 18 Navroze prayers during Zoroastrianism the year can be July 19 Asalha Puja Day recompensed Buddhism by offering heartfelt prayers July 19 Poson on this day in the Buddhism mosque. July 19 Vassana Buddhism July 19 Guru Purnima July 1 - Canada Hinduism Day Canada and Jainism July 22 Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva s On July 1, Canada Buddhism will celebrate its 149 th Enlightenment year since Confederation. Canada Day July 23 Khordad Saal celebrates the Zoroastrianism events that occurred on July July 30 Oh-harai-taisai 1, 1867, when Shinto the British North America July 31 to August 18 The month of Kamál (BNA) Act created Bahá'í the Canadian federal government. The BNA Act proclaimed "one July 2016 Dominion under the name of Canada," hence the original title of the holiday, The Peel District School Board is a mosaic of "Dominion Day." Dominion Day was many cultures and faiths from all over the

9 officially renamed "Canada Day" by an Act of Parliament on October 27, June 29 to July 3 - Ghambar Maidyoshem in Zoroastrianism Ghambar Maidyoshem, also known as the mid-summer feast, celebrates the creation of water, the sowing of the summer crop and the harvesting of grain. July 6 - Eid ul-fitr in Islam Eid ul-fitr is the first day of the 10 th month (Shawwal) in the Islamic calendar and follows Ramadan, the month of fasting. It is a time of rejoicing. Eid is a day of peace, forgiveness and thanksgiving when Muslims assemble to celebrate and to offer their gratitude to Allah. July 9 - Martyrdom of the Bab in Bahá'í This Bahá'í holy day commemorates the events surrounding the death of the Bab by a firing squad in Persia at noon on July 10, To commemorate this day, Bahá'í followers read special prayers at noon and suspend work for the day. July 11 - Imamat Day in Islam On this day, Ismaili Shia followers of Islam commemorate the anniversary of the succession of their present Imam, the Aga Khan, who ascended the throne of religious leadership on July 11, July 12 to 30 - the month of Kalimát in Bahá'í In the Bahá'í calendar, there are 19 months of 19 days each. Each month represents an attribute of God. July 12 is the beginning of Kalimát, the seventh month of the Bahá'í calendar, signifying "words." The Bahá'í day starts and ends at sunset. The first day of each month is known as a Feast Day. July 18 - Navroze in Zoroastrianism Noruz (also known as Pateti or Navroze) is New Year's Day for Zoroastrians who follow the Qadmi calendar. It will be the year 1386 YZ for adherents. Temple-worship, feasting and community interaction are central to Noruz celebrations. Auspicious symbols adorn doorways of homes. On the traditional Noruz table believers display: a copy of the Gathas a lit lamp an afrigan a bowl of water containing live fish a shallow earthenware plate with sprouted wheat or beans for prosperity flowers for colour a silver coin for wealth painted eggs for productivity sweets and rosewater in bowls for sweetness and happiness seven foods beginning with 'sh' and 's' to symbolise creation "Sal Mubarak," meaning Happy New Year, is the greeting offered. July 19 - Asalha Puja Day in Buddhism Asalha Puja Day also known as Dharma Day, marks the beginning of Buddha's first teaching to his original five disciples. The event is also known as "The First Turning of the Wheel of the Dharma (Dharmachakra)". Dharma Day is usually celebrated with readings from the Buddhist scriptures and reflecting on their content. Dharma Day also commemorates Kwan Yin (a Buddhist goddess), - the Bodhisattva of Compassion's "setting on the path" of Dharma. July 19 - Poson in Buddhism The Poson festival commemorates the anniversary of the introduction of Buddhism to Sri Lanka by Buddha's disciple

10 Mahinda (son of Emperor Ashoka) in 3 rd century B.C. The festival is celebrated annually on the full moon day in June. July 19 - Vassana in Buddhism Celebrated on the full moon, Vassana marks the beginning of the three-month Rains Retreat for Buddhist monks and nuns in the Theravada tradition. Monks are prohibited from leaving the temple during the retreat. July 19 - Guru Purnima in Hinduism and Jainism. Guru Purnima also known as Vyas Purnima, is celebrated on the full moon day in the month of Ashadh (July or August). It commemorates Ved Vyas, the sage who is considered the original guru (one who helps dispel darkness) by Hindus. He classified the Vedas and wrote the Puranans and the Mahabharata, the significant Hindu scriptures. Adherents of both faiths offer puja (worship) and read the scriptures on this day. July 22 - Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva's Enlightenment in Buddhism. Mahayana Buddhists offer prayers to Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, who embodies the compassion of all Buddhas on this day. Adherents reflect on his Day of Enlightenment and practice his taught path to achieving enlightenment (spiritual realization and attainment) by chanting mantras, reading sutras and meditating. This day commemorates Avalokitesvara's ordination in the path of the Buddha and practice of the Bodhisattva. July 23 - Khordad Saal in Zoroastrianism Zarathushtra (Zoroaster in Greek; Zarthosht in India and Persia) is the founder of Zoroastrianism. Historians and religious scholars generally date his life sometime between 1500 and 1200 BCE. His birth anniversary, Khordad Saal, is recognised by members of the Zoroastrian faith following Qadmi calendar on this day. July 30 - Oh-harai-taisai in Shinto The Shinto Grand Purification Ceremony is observed twice a year to obtain purification from sins and offences committed during the proceeding half year. As part of the ceremonies, Japanese worshippers typically walk through a large ring of woven grass upon entering the shrines for observances. July 31 to August 18 - The month of Kamál in Bahá'í. In the Bahá'í calendar, there are 19 months of 19 days each. Each month represents an attribute of God. July 31 is the beginning of Kamál, the eighth month of the Bahá'í calendar, signifying "perfection." The Bahá'í day starts and ends at sunset. The first day of each month is known as a Feast Day. Celebrating Faith and Culture August 2016 DATE August July 31 to August 18 August 1 August 1 or 2 August 5 August 6 and 19 Sunset of August 13 to 14 August 17 August 17 or 18 August 17 August 19 to September 6 CELEBRATION Wiihoon The month of Kamál Civic Holiday Lammas Farvardegan Transfiguration Tishah B Av Dharma Day/Ullambana Raksha Bandhan Navroze The month of Asmá'

11 August 22 Khordad Saal Farvardegan or Muktad Zoroastrianism days are annual ten August 24 or 25 Sri Krishna Janmashtami days prayer ceremonies Hinduism that followers of August 30 Paryushan Parva the faith undertake Jainism for the fravashi of their departed relatives. Fravashis are ever present spiritual essences in the world. Zoroastrian followers of the Qadmi calendar begin the observance from this day. They observe cleanliness and purity at the highest level during these days. August - Wiihoon in Aboriginal Spirituality Wiihoon is celebrated by Nisga'a people of the Nass Valley in northwest British Columbia. It is the season of Sockeye with big heads and noses. It is important to the Nisga a people for late summer salmon runs. July 31 to August 18 - The month of Kamál in Bahá'í. In the Bahá'í calendar, there are 19 months of 19 days each. Each month represents an attribute of God. July 31 is the beginning of Kamál, the eighth month of the Bahá'í calendar, signifying "perfection." The Bahá'í day starts and ends at sunset. The first day of each month is known as a Feast Day. August 1 - Civic Holiday in Canada Civic Holiday also known as Simcoe Day in honour of the first Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada, John Graves Simcoe, is celebrated on the first Monday of August. In Ontario it is one of two provincial public holidays. August 1 or 2 - Lammas in Wicca Lammas, also known as Lughnassadh, is the first of three harvest festivals celebration. Many followers consider it the beginning of the fall season. Spring fruits and seeds are reaped at this time. Baking bread, especially made of corn first of the harvested crop is very sacred to this Sabbat. Lugh, the Sun God, begins to lose his strength at this time and eventually dies at winter solstice. August 5 - Farvardegan in Zoroastrianism August 6 and 19 - Transfiguration in Christianity.Transfiguration is the feast celebrating the transfiguration of Jesus in the presence of his three apostles Peter, John and James while praying on Mount Tabor. The Eastern tradition of Christianity celebrates Transfiguration on the 19 th. Susnset of August 13 to 14 - Tishah B'Av in Judaism. Tishah B'Av is a major fast day for followers of Judaism. The fast commemorates the destruction of the First Temple built by King Solomon by Babylonians and the Second Temple by Romans 656 years apart forcing Jewish people into exile. August 17 Dharma Day/Ullambana in Buddhism. Ullambana festival chiefly reinforces the concept of filial piety. It signifies the importance of performing "good deeds" to accumulate spiritual merit. Most significant is to share the merit with the departed souls. Most believers pray to their departed relatives and their living parents and elders on this day. August 17 or 18 - Raksha Bandhan in Hinduism. Raksha Bandhan or Rakhi festival is celebrated on the full moon day in the month of Shravan tenth month of Hindu calendar. The day commemorates the relationship and bond between brothers

12 and sisters. On this day, sisters tie Rakhi (a bracelet made/woven from silk or cotton thread) on their brothers wrist for protection and also as a blessing. August 17 - Navroze in Zoroastrianism Noruz (also known as Pateti or Navroze) is New Year's Day for Zoroastrians who follow the Shenshahi calendar. It will be the year 1386 YZ for adherents. Temple-worship, feasting and community interaction are central to Noruz celebrations. Auspicious symbols adorn doorways of homes. On the traditional Noruz table believers display: a copy of the Gathas (scriptures) a lit lamp an afrigan a bowl of water containing live fish a shallow earthenware plate with sprouted wheat or beans for prosperity flowers for colour a silver coin for wealth painted eggs for productivity sweets and rosewater in bowls for sweetness and happiness seven foods beginning with 'sh' and 's' to symbolise creation "Sal Mubarak," meaning Happy New Year, is the greeting offered. August 19 to September 6 - The month of Asmá' in Bahá'í. In the Bahá'í calendar, there are 19 months of 19 days each. Each month represents an attribute of God. August 19 is the beginning of Asmá', the ninth month of the Bahá'í calendar, signifying "names." The Bahá'í day starts and ends at sunset. The first day of each month is known as a Feast Day. August 22 - Khordad Saal in Zoroastrianism Zarathushtra (Zoroaster in Greek; Zarthosht in India and Persia) is the founder of Zoroastrianism. Historians and religious scholars generally date his life sometime between 1500 and 1200 BCE. His birth anniversary, Khordad Saal, is recognised on this day by members of the Zoroastrian faith who follow the Shenshahi calendar. August 24 or 25 - Sri Krishna Janmashtami in Hinduism. Sri Krishna Jayanti, also called Gokulashtami or Janmashtami, commemorates the birth of Krishna. This festival is a two-day celebration. The main celebrations in temples are held at midnight the time of his birth on the first day. Followers fast on this day. Processions or rathyatras are taken out by devotees for communal prayers and celebrations. Pooja on the first day lead into festivities on the second including feasts and raas, a dance with two sticks in a circle. August 30 - Paryushan Parva in Jainism Paryushan celebrates spiritual awareness and practice. It is the most important festival for followers of Jainism. Shwetambar Jains celebrate it for eight days, and Digambar Jains celebrate it for 10 days. It is the period of repentance for the acts of the previous year and of austerities where Jains remember and practice the doctrines of their faith, including nonviolence, a non-attachment to the material world, and a belief that every living thing has a soul and spirit. Many fast for the whole week and practice abstinence. Ideas for celebrating special faith and cultural days in your school

13 If you have a colleague who celebrates one of these days, don't forget to offer them best wishes! If you have students in your school who are followers of any of the listed religions: - Make sure the dates are included on your school calendar - Have your principal announce the day over the PA system - Hold an assembly to talk with students about the importance of these days - Include a mention of these days in your school newsletter - Include information on your school website - Display student artwork announcing these days or depicting their ideas about these days - Invite a member of a local faith group to come in and discuss the significance of this day with students - Have class discussions about these days - Ask some of your students who celebrate certain holidays to write a short essay on how they celebrate this day at home. Have them read it to the class to share this celebration with the other students. - Have parents offer a cultural session Questions? If you would like any more information on how to celebrate these days, please call Varsha Naik, Community Liaison Coordinator at , ext or her varsha.naik@peelsb.com