LORENVILLE LYNX NEWSLETTER

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1 WE RE BUILDING IT TOGETHER April, 2018 LORENVILLE LYNX NEWSLETTER Ongoing Events: Pizza Days every Wednesday until June 27 th Milk & Cookie every Friday Popcorn Tuesdays Upcoming Important Dates: April 2 nd - Easter Monday April 3 rd Light it Up Blue (Autism Awareness) April 11 th International Day of Pink April 22 nd Earth Day April 23 rd to 27 th Education Week April 23 rd & 24 th - Book Fair Browsing April 25 th - Den Day April 25 th Administrative Professionals Day April 25 th & 26 th Book Fair Buying Dear Lorenville Families, It s been my pleasure to work with you and your awesome children this year. We love it when parents/guardians are involved in the school, so please remember to join us in the Library for our monthly School Council meeting. Also please mark your calendars as School Council meets the first Monday of every month at 6:30pm in the Library. It s a great opportunity to meet new people and be a part of your child/s school. Our School Council is has started a Big Box of Cards Fundraising campaign. One student per family will have brought home a box of cards on March 29 th, along with a letter to parents explaining the program. We will be collecting orders for approximately two weeks. You can use the box to show family and friends the cards which is the best way to get orders. The top selling class in the school will enjoy a pizza party. There will also be a draw and five more great prizes to be won. Remember, the money raised with Big Box of Cards will be going straight back to the school for student initiatives. NJ Dwyer, Principal School Hours To report an absence: or pdsb.schoolconnects.com School Start 8:40 am* Morning Break 11:00 11:40 am Afternoon Break 1:00 1:40 pm Dismissal 3:00 pm** *Supervision begins at 8:25 am **Supervision ends at 3:15 pm Please ensure your child arrives to school on time. Late students must sign-in at the office. Attendance matters for all grades

2 Dear Lorenville Families, Our Athletics department is fundraising in an effort to support school athletic teams, athletic events, athletic tournaments, purchase of jersey s, etc. Available for purchase is our new "Keep It Cold" water bottles. These bottles are great to have in the classroom or to take along on schools trips and events. The price only $ Please log in at School Cash Online to make your purchase. We thank you in advance for your support. L IL LYNX AT THE LIBRARY Volunteer Criminal Record Check to cost $33 as of January 1 st, 2018 Peel Regional Police have advised us that as of January 1 st, 2018, Criminal Record Checks- Vulnerable Sector Check for adults, including those for volunteers, will cost $33. L'il Lynx story time is held once a month on the last Wednesday of the month from 9:00 a.m. 10:00 a.m. Our next L'il Lynx meeting will be on Wednesday, May 2 nd (moved one week later due to book fair). If you would like to join our L'il Lynx program, please contact Mrs. Walker at the school to let her know your child's name and age. If you have any neighbours that would be interested in the program, please let them know as well. We look forward to seeing you in the library! Lorenville Den Days. Did you know on Den days, students and staff get den points for wearing their assigned den colour. We re building it together and enjoying some team competition. If you are unsure of your den colour, check with the homeroom teacher. Lorenville Public School 10 Lorenville Drive Access Brampton, important ON L6X2Z9 student information through new online parent portal - Phone: as a one way communication tool to ParentConnect Fax: We are building it Together! Follow Lorenville Public School on Staff at Lorenville use Twitter complement current communication efforts. Principal: Mrs. Dwyer Vice Principal: Mr. Jones Vice Principal: Ms. Powell Office Manager: Mrs. Antonacci Superintendent: Dr. Gale Solomon-Henry Trustee: Mr. David Green

3 Important changes coming to SafeArrival system in May 2018 The Peel District School Board is currently using the SafeArrival system by Synervoice Technologies. As Synervoice has been sold to West Communications, there will be slight changes to our SafeArrival system and how you will report your child s absence from school. The phone number to report your child s absence will stay the same, but there are a few other changes. Beginning May 14, 2018, all elementary school parents/guardians need to report their child s full-day absences, late arrivals and/or early departures from school via our new School Messenger SafeArrival system. The phone number will stay the same: Website has changed to: go.schoolmessenger.ca Download a new app: School Messenger App (from Google or Apple) (please be sure to delete the old Safe Arrival app after May 11) Please continue to use our current Synervoice system until Friday, May 11, The new School Messenger SafeArrival will be live on Monday, May 14, Important to note: The transition to a new company and system will require parents to set up a new account with School Messenger SafeArrival as data will not be transferred from the old system to the new. More information on how and when to set-up your new account will be coming in the next month. Report Your Child s Immunization As a parent or guardian, you are responsible for reporting your child s immunizations so they can attend school. Doctors don t report immunizations to the Region. If you child has been immunized, you can report it online. To report an immunization you ll need to provide: The child s full name, address and date of birth The parent or guardian s name The date the child was immunized The vaccine the child received Report Your Child s Immunization ( You can also report a child s immunizations by phone at (toll free: )

4 What you need to know about head lice What is head lice? Head lice are tiny insects that live on the scalp where they lay their eggs. They have three stages: the egg (nit), the nymph and the adult. Head lice do not spread diseases and cannot be spread between animals or pets and humans, only through direct contact between people. Head lice spread easily, especially where people are in close contact. They are very common among school-aged children or children attending child care, where they spread through direct hair-to-hair contact or directly by sharing things like hats, combs, hairbrushes or headphones. One of the first signs of head lice is an itchy scalp. However, children can have head lice for several weeks with no symptoms. If you think your child has head lice, check their hair for nits right away, then again after one week and after two weeks. What to do if your child has lice Parents are advised to keep their child at home until they have been treated for lice. Students may only return to school if they are nit-free. If your child has live lice, ensure that they avoid head-to-head contact with other children until the lice are gone. Children should not share combs, hairbrushes, caps, hats or hair ornaments. You should also check all family members for head lice. Be sensitive to your child s feelings and let them know that having head lice does not mean they are not clean. Head lice can be treated with the following approved insecticides: pyrethrin (found in R&C Shampoo + Conditioner) permethrin (Nix Creme Rinse or Kwellada-P Creme Rinse) lindane (Hexit Shampoo or PMS-Lindane Shampoo).

5 Healthy Body! Healthy Mind! When we invest in our physical health, will be able to combat stress and anxiety with greater success. This includes being: Well-rested Well-nourished Well-exercised Some Tips: Set a Sleep Schedule Set an alarm to go to bed! Our body likes a regular schedule. Bedtimes and wake times should not vary by more than one hour from one day to the next. Drink plenty of water - Many of us go through life dehydrated causing tiredness, low energy, and headaches. It s common to mistake thirst for hunger, so staying well hydrated will also help us make healthier food choices. More steps Step side to side. Start by doing it 10 times per foot. Do this while watching TV, working on your computer or brushing your teeth. Do it with your children to make it fun.

6 Celebrating Faith and Culture April 2018 DATE CELEBRATION FAITH AND CULTURE April Mmaal and Sucker Moon Aboriginal Spirituality April 1 or 8 (J) Easter or Pascha Christianity and Canada April 1 (J) Sunset of March 31 to April 6 Palm Sunday Pesach (Passover) Christianity Judaism Easter Monday Christianity and Canada April 2 or 10 (J) April 2 to 6 (J) Holy Week begins Christianity April 4 or 7 Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva s Birthday Buddhism April 5 (J) Holy Thursday (Maundy Thursday) Christianity April 14 (J) Good Friday (Holy Friday) Christianity and Canada April 8 Farvardegan Zoroastrianism April 9 to 27 Month of Jalál Bahá'í Eve of April 11 or 12 to April 12 or 13 April 11 to 12 Isra and Mi raj Yom HaShoah Islam Judaism April 13 or 30 Theravada New Year Buddhism April 13 or 14 Vaisakhi or Baisakhi Sikhism and Hinduism Saka and New Year s Day Buddhism and Hinduism April 13 or 14 April 18 Akshaya-tritiya Jainism

7 Sunset of April 20 to May 2 Ridvan Bahá'í April 24 Zarathosht-no-Diso Zoroastrianism April 28 to May 16 Month of Jamál Bahá'í April 30 to May 4 Ghambar Maidyozarem Zoroastrianism Celebrating Faith and Culture Backgrounder April 2018 The Peel District School Board is a mosaic of many cultures and faiths from all over the world. To commemorate this diversity, the board recognises special faith and culture days of our communities. April 2018 has several special faith and culture days to celebrate and remember: April - Mmaal and Sucker Moon in Aboriginal Spirituality Mmaal is celebrated by Nisga'a people of the Nass Valley in northwest British Columbia. It is the season when rivers again become accessible after winter. The Nisga'a people can launch their canoes and resume travel on the Nass River. The fourth moon of Creation is called the Sucker Moon by the Ojibwe people. It is believed that Sucker goes to the Spirit World to receive cleansing and teachings for this world during this period. April 1 or 8 (J) -Easter or Pascha in Christianity and Canada Easter, also known as Pascha, commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Christians attend special church services to celebrate the resurrection. In Eastern Christianity, the oldest and most important festival of the Christian year, it initiates the fifty-day period culminating in Pentecost. In Eastern Orthodox churches, the church year begins with Pascha. The holiday's name is derived from Pesach, the Hebrew name of Passover. While its origins are religious, many Easter customs are less serious and have more to do with celebrating the beginning of spring: Some of the traditional celebrations include: painting eggs in bright colours and pretty designs arranging/participating in Easter egg hunts giving and receiving chocolate Easter bunnies April 1 (J) - Palm Sunday in Christianity Palm Sunday is the first day of Holy Week leading up to Easter for Eastern Orthodox churches who follow the Julian calendar. It celebrates the story of Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem, where people spread palm branches and clothing before him. During Palm Sunday services, many churches distribute cut palm leaves, sometimes woven into the shape of a cross.

8 Sunset of March 31 to April 6 - Pesach (Passover) in Judaism Pesach, or Passover, commemorates the liberation of the Jews from Egypt and slavery. It is celebrated for eight days. Pesach begins at dusk (before sundown) on April 10 th. The first and last two days of the festival are full holidays - work is not done by followers. A highlight is the Seder (meaning "order") meal held in each family s home on the first evening of Pesach, when the story of their deliverance is recounted as narrated in the Haggadah (the Telling, the Story). Matzah (unleavened bread) is eaten throughout the festival, as are other foods that contain no leaven and are symbolic to the struggle. There is a great spring cleaning in the home before the festival to ensure that no trace of leaven is left in the home during Pesach. April 2 or 9 (J) - Easter Monday in Christianity and Canada Easter Monday is the day following Easter and is celebrated as a holiday by followers of Christianity. Adherents celebrate it with many traditions depending on their country of origin. Egg rolling competitions and dousing each other with water are a few of the traditional celebrations. April 2-6 (J) - Holy Week begins in Christianity Holy Week is the period from Holy Monday to Easter Sunday. In Eastern Orthodox Christianity it is also known as Great Week. It is the last week of Lent. Each of the days of Holy Week has its own traditions of services. April 4 or 7 - Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva's Birthday in Buddhism This day is celebrated by followers of Mahayana Buddhism as the birthday of the enlightened one who is most compassionate like Buddha and is known as Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. The celebrations include visiting the temples and offering prayers. April 5 (J) - Holy Thursday (Maundy Thursday) in Christianity Holy Thursday (Maundy Thursday) is remembered as the time Jesus ate a final meal together with his followers. On the evening of Maundy Thursday, Christians remember Judas' betrayal of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. The end of Lent is observed differently by the various Christian denominations. Followers of the faith mark this period with prayer, fasting and abstinence. April 6 (J) Good Friday (Holy Friday) in Christianity and Canada

9 Good Friday commemorates the execution of Jesus by crucifixion. It is a day of mourning for followers of the faith. During special Good Friday services, Christians meditate on Jesus' suffering and death on the cross, and what this means for their faith. April 8 - Farvardegan in Zoroastrianism Zoroastrians following Fasli calendar celebrate this ten day Farvardegan or Farvardingan festival honouring the dead. Followers of the faith believe that guardian angels of humans and spirits of departed souls (fravashis) return to earth during this period and accept the hospitality of relatives. April 9 to 27 - the month of Jalál in Bahá'í In the Bahá'í calendar, there are 19 months of 19 days each. Each month represents an attribute of God. April 8 is the Feast Day for the beginning Jalál, the second month of the Bahá'í calendar, signifying "glory." The Bahá í day starts and ends at sunset. The first day of each month is known as a Feast Day. Eve of April 11 or 12 to April 12 or 13 Isra and Mi raj in Islam Mi`rãj al-nabiy commemorates the journey of the prophet Mohammed from Mecca to Jerusalem and his ascension to the heavens on the night of 27 th of Rajab (seventh month of the Hijra calendar). This festival is also known as Lailatul-Miraj, Isra Miraj, Isra, Me'raj and Laylat al- Mi'raj. On his return Mohammed imparted this knowledge to mankind. It was in this Ascent that five daily prayers (salat) were made obligatory for Muslims. The holyday will be observed from the eve of 22 nd or 23 rd. Sunset of April 11 to 12 Yom HaShoah in Judaism This Holocaust remembrance day is a Jewish holiday. Shoah" is the Hebrew word for destruction and is another name for the Holocaust. The anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising of 1943 is the date chosen to commemorate the six million Jews who died during World War II. In Israel, a morning siren sounds stopping all activity, and people stand in honour of those who died. Jews around the world hold memorials and vigils, often lighting six candles in honour of the six million Holocaust victims. Many hold name-reading ceremonies to memorialize those who perished. April 13 or 30 - Theravada New Year in Buddhism In Theravada countries, Thailand, Burma, Sri Lanka, Cambodia and Laos, the New Year is celebrated for three days from the first full moon day in April. In Mahayana countries the New Year starts on the first full moon day in January. However, the Buddhist New Year depends on the country of origin or ethnic background of the people. For example, Chinese, Koreans and

10 Vietnamese celebrate late January or early February according to the lunar calendar, whilst the Tibetans usually celebrate about one month later while the Burmese, Cambodian, Sri Lankan and Thai Buddhists celebrate their New Year on this day. April 13 or 14 - Vaisakhi or Baisakhi in Sikhism and Hinduism Celebrated throughout India, Vaisakhi has special importance for Sikhs. On this day in 1699, Sikhs believe that Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru, created the Order of the Khalsa and gave the five articles (kes, kara, kirpan, kangha, kachha) of the faith for amritdhari or initiated Sikhs. This is the holiest day of the year for followers of Sikhism. Sikhs celebrate this day by visiting gurudwaras and distributing kada prasad. Processions led by the Panj Piaras or the five religious men, are taken out. Kirtans and recital of passages from the Granth Sahib are also organized in gurudwaras. On this day, the farmers also commence cutting their harvest.the day is celebrated with Bhangra and Gidda dances in Punjab. Vaisakhi, the first day of the Hindu solar year, is celebrated differently in the many regions of India. The farming communities in the northern states of India celebrate it as an agricultural and harvest festival. For people in Himachal Pradesh, it is a religious celebration and for many others - Bengal and southern states it is the New Year's Day with its distinct customs and traditions. April 13 or 14 - Saka and New Year s Day in Buddhism and Hinduism The Saka calendar s New Year s Day is a religious and cultural celebration for Sri Lankan, Indian, Burmese, Kampuchean, Laotian and Thai Buddhists. The Saka calendar is a lunar calendar based on the Hindu astronomy of the holy Vedas. This New Year's Day is celebrated also by Hindus in many Southeast Asia countries, such as India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia over two days. The exact date of celebration is determined by astrologers. New Year's Day observations, traditions and customs vary based on adherent's country however common to all are feasts, gift giving, religious ceremonies and spending time with family and friends. April 18 - Akshaya-tritiya in Jainism Akshaya-tritya (Immortal Third) celebrates the day when Lord Rishabha broke his first year-long fast by drinking sugar cane juice. Jains who fast on alternate days for six months, or a year, break their fast by sipping fresh sugar cane juice. People who perform the austerity of Varsitap (fasting for a year on alternate days or longer period at a time) complete the austerity on this day by taking sugar cane juice. This day is considered to be very auspicious for going on a pilgrimage to Shatrunjay (located in Gujarat, India).

11 Sunset of April 20 to May 2 - Ridvan in Bahá'í The festival of Ridvan, considered the "most great festival" in Bahá'í, is a 12-day celebration that starts at sunset April 20 and runs until sunset May 2. The most important date on the Bahá'í calendar, Ridvan (pronounced "Riz-wan") commemorates the public declaration of the prophethood of Baha'u'llah, the acknowledged founder of the Bahá'í faith. The first (April 21), ninth (April 29) and 12 th (May 2) days of Ridvan are all major Bahá'í holy days. Bahá'ís suspend work on the ninth day (April 29). April 24 - Zarathosht-no-Diso in Zoroastrianism In April each year, Zoroastrians following the Qadimi calendar, commemorate the anniversary of the death of Prophet Zarathustra (Zoroaster), the founder of their faith. Scholars say he lived between 1500 and 1000 BCE in northeast Iran. April 28 to May 16 - the month of Jamál in Bahá'í In the Bahá'í calendar, there are 19 months of 19 days each. Each month represents an attribute of God. April 28 is the Feast Day for the beginning of the third month of Jamál, which signifies beauty. The Bahá í day starts and ends at sunset. The first day of each month is known as a Feast Day. April 30 to May 4 - Ghambar Maidyozarem in Zoroastrianism Followers of Zoroastrianism celebrate six seasonal festivals, known as the Ghambars. These are associated with agricultural seasons. Ghambar Maidyozarem, the mid-spring feast, celebrates the creation of the sky and the harvesting of the winter crop. Ideas for celebrating special faith and cultural days in your school 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

12 - 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 Ashley Bigda, Community Relations Officer at , ext or her Ashley.Bidga@peelsb.com