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Community Update - May 26

Posted On Friday May 26, 2023

Good afternoon, Bellwood Community, the home of the Bobcats where we Belong, Believe and Succeed!!

We had another great week at Bellwood PS with a lot of great things happening this week.  Our Grade 3 student completed the EQAO Provincial Assessments this week and did a great job persevering through for 3 full days.

Our ARTs assemblies was a great success!  The Band and Bell choir sounded amazing under the tutelage of Mrs.  Otway!

Mrs. Otway also took the Band and Bell Choir to play at Canada’s Wonderland this past week.  They did a great job and had a wonderful day!

Mrs.  Otway also took two of our students to the Cypher Conference this week at Durham College.

A huge shout out to all of the students and to Mrs.  Otway!

Mrs.  Barber, Mr. Marshall, Mrs.  White and Mr.  Ledsham took our athlete’s who made it to the Area finals for Track and Field at the Civic this week.  The students did very well.  A huge thank you goes out to Mr.  Marshall for organizing and for the teachers helping to supervise this event, Mrs.  Barber, Mrs.  White and Mr. Ledsham.

We would also like to thank all of  the staff who helped to train and practice with the students so that they would be ready for the Area Meet!

It has been a very busy week for our students!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Please see below for our weekly updates;

Bike to School Week/Month

Bike To School Week is coming soon! Schools across Ontario will be celebrating during the last week of May. ???? 

Bike to School Week is a celebration of cycling and active transportation, promoting and supporting getting to school using your own power!
Communities that embrace active school travel help kids lead healthier lifestyles and improve their school performance, while also reducing traffic and pollution and making school zones safer for vulnerable road users. Also, being able to bike to school with friends is just plain fun!

 

Thursday, June 1st, 2023 is “Walk and Roll to School Day”! Elementary Schools across all Durham Boards are encouraged to promote biking (or wheeling or walking) to school, having a school member take a picture of the bike rack/scooter parking area after the morning bell that day, and emailing the photo to activetransportation@durham.ca (by June 9th) for the school to be entered to win a bike to raffle off at a future school event!

 

We will be setting up stations similar to Walk to School Day on Thursday June 1, 2023 so we can enter the contest for a chance to win a bike!  Stay tuned for more Information!!

 

Freezie Sales to Support our Grade 8 Graduation Celebration

To support our Graduation Celebrations for our Grade 8 students, the Grade 8 classes will be hosting Freezie sales on the following Days;

  • Wednesday May 31, 2023
  • Wednesday June 7, 2023
  • Wednesday June 14, 2023

Freezie’s will cost $1:00

Additional Fundraising for Grade 8 Graduation

All proceeds from Treat Fridays on May 12, May 19 and May 26 will go towards our Grade 8 Graduation.  As well as all proceeds from our Pizza Days on May 11, May 18 and May 25 will go towards our Grade 8 graduation.

Grade 8 Graduation Information

  • Our Grade 8 Graduation Ceremony will be held Thursday June 22, 2023 starting at 6:30 p.m.
  • Our Grade 8 Graduation trip will be held on Wednesday June 28, 2023
  • We will be having a clap out for our Grade 8 grads on the last day on school on June 29, 2023

Have Your Say in DDSB’s Next Strategic Plan!

  1. The Durham District School Board is inviting all community members to have their say in the next multi-year strategic plan.
  2. We encourage you to complete the Multi-Year Strategic Plan survey and participate in upcoming community consultation events.
  3. Learn more about the DDSB’s next Multi-Year Strategic Plan and upcoming feedback opportunities on the DDSB website.
  4. Your time and effort completing the survey makes a difference. Should you have any additional questions, please email MYSP@ddsb.ca or reach our voicemail line at 905-666-6975.

We look forward to hearing your thoughts and ideas on the future direction of the DDSB!

Great Beginnings:  Afrocentric Program 2023-2024

The Early Years department is pleased to share that the Great Beginnings Afrocentric Program will be offered this summer at Viola Desmond Public School in Ajax! The Great Beginnings Afrocentric Program is a play-based, developmentally appropriate program that will enhance children’s social, emotional, physical, cognitive, language, math and literacy skills. This program is designed for children who are not currently attending an early learning program, nursery school, preschool or child care and will be entering Junior Kindergarten (Year One) at a Durham District School Board School in September. The goal of the program is for every child to enter Kindergarten healthy and secure, emotionally and socially competent, eager and confident.

We ask that you please share the attached information package with your incoming Year 1/JK families that may be interested in participating in this incredible program! The package includes additional information about the program and a copy of the application form that families are required to complete and submit to express their interest in attending. For additional program information, please see below:

What: 

Great Beginnings Afrocentric Program

Where: 

Viola Desmond PS

When: 

Monday, July 17th, 2023 to Friday, August 11th, 2023

9:00-12:00, Monday-Friday*

*Note: The program will be closed on Monday, August 7th

Applications are being accepted until Friday, June 2nd, 2023!

Please click on the link for more information Great Beginnings Afrocentric Program 2023 Monday memo.pdf 

Fostering Resilience in Children:  Supporting Mental Health and Well-Being Saturday May 27, 2023 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Featuring Keynote Speaker, Perdita Felicien Perdita Felicien is an Olympian, World Champion, 10-time National Champion, TV Host and bestselling author of, My Mother’s Daughter. During her illustrious career as a 100-metres hurdler, she earned numerous honours, including Canada’s Athlete of the Year and Keys to the City of Pickering. In her inspiring talks, Perdita explores what it means to chase a dream and overcome the “hurdles” life can put before you.

Click the link for more information Durham Partners 2023 Symposium Flyer AODA.pdf 

Kiss and Ride

We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for making our Kiss and Ride a safe drop off zone for our students.  There are just a few reminders.

  • Drop off and pick up should only be done in the Kiss and Ride unless you have parked and are walking your students to their line ups
  • Please do not cross in between the cars in the Kiss and Ride.  This is a safety hazard and we want to keep everyone safe especially our students, your children.
  • Please do not park in front of the kindergarten enclosure at the front of the school or in front of the garbage hut, we will be asking you to go back through the Kiss and Ride
  • The parking lot in front of the school is for parents
  • The parking lot at the east end of the school is for staff only.  Please do not park in the staff parking lot as this causes issues especially for our supply staff.

Save the Date

  • Freezie Sales - May 31, June 7 and June 14
  • P.A. Day Friday June 2 No school for students
  • Abilities Track Meet June 16
  • Intermediate Ultimate Frisbee June 19
  • Junior Ultimate Frisbee June 20
  • Grade 8 Graduation Ceremony June 22
  • Year End Assembly June 27
  • Grade 8 Graduation Trip June 28
  • Report Cards go home June 28
  • Last Day of School and Grade 8 Clap out June 29

Summer Day Camps

Dates of Significance:

June’s National Indigenous Histories Month

In 2009, June was declared National Indigenous History Month in Canada following the passing of a unanimous motion in the House of Commons. National Indigenous Histories Month provides opportunities for educators and their students to engage in learning about the diverse and sophisticated contributions of Indigenous Peoples. 

It is also an important time to provide educational opportunities related to understanding the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the responsibilities that Canadian citizens have in fulfilling the calls to action in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action.

June is Pride Month

The first Pride celebration held in Toronto was just three years after the Stonewall Riots in New York in June 1969, an event that sparked the gay liberation movement, and was a fairly modest affair — a picnic on the Toronto Islands.
Within a few years, thousands were attending the annual Gay Pride parade, and by 2011 more than 1.2 million attended Pride Toronto. At WorldPride 2014 in Toronto, the fourth WorldPride and the first in North America, an even larger crowd gathered. A lot has happened in the years since the Stonewall Riots. The lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning (LGBTQ) community in Canada has made major strides toward mainstream acceptance and legal equality, with notable progress in health care, the right to adopt, and the right to marry. There is still a lot of work to do to ensure that people who are LGBTQ are respected and enjoy the same rights to equality and freedom as everyone else. We each have a part to play in making this happen.

June is Italian Heritage Month

June 1st marks the beginning of Italian Heritage Month in Canada, where we honour and celebrate the exceptional contributions of Canadians of Italian origin in shaping our society.
Canada is home to more than 1.5 million Canadians of Italian descent, which makes it one of the largest Italian diasporas in the world. Italian Heritage Month is the perfect time to recognize and showcase the rich culture and heritage of Italian Canadians, as well as their ongoing contributions to building a stronger, vibrant and more inclusive Canada.

June is Portuguese Heritage Month

Today marks the start of Portuguese Heritage Month in Canada, when we recognize the immense contributions Canadians of Portuguese origin have made to the growth and development of our country.
Canada is home to one of the biggest Portuguese diasporas in the world, with almost half a million people of Portuguese descent. This community hails from many different Portuguese regions and they have kept their individual traditions, language, and culture alive. Throughout our history, members of the Portuguese community, Luso-Canadians, have influenced every aspect of our national fabric and made Canada a stronger and better country.

June is Filipino Heritage Month

Ontario is home to a large and vibrant Filipino community. Since the first Filipino immigrants arrived in Canada in the 1930s, Filipino Canadians from across Ontario have made and continue to make significant contributions across all fields, including in science, education, medicine, broadcasting, law, politics, business, sports and culture. June is a significant month for the Filipino community. Each year in June, Filipino people around the world celebrate Philippine Independence Day in commemoration of their nation gaining independence on June 12, 1898.
 

Your Admin Team,
 

Sharon Knights and Gavin Ruddock