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eNEWS
April 2015
School Office
705-728-1302
Ext. 2
Safe Arrival
705-728-1302
Ext. 1
Principal:
Peter McKenna
Vice Principal:
Marci Morris
Office Staff:
Sandy Barker
Linda Winslow
Superintendent:
Chris Samis
Trustee:
Krista Mayne
Bienvenidos, Amigos de Mexico
For the last week of March, and the first week of
April, our school has been hosting 9 students and their
teacher from Mexico City. They have been visiting
Canada to learn more about our great country. They
were hosted by families in our area and have been on
daily trips to Wye Marsh, Toronto and the Niagara area. While in school they
have been participating in lessons to practice their English as well as spend some
time with Canadian students their age. Portage View would like to welcome them to
Canada, and to our school. When they leave after Easter, we wish them safe
travels home. I would like to extend a huge thank you to the families that welcomed
these children into their home as well. A big gracias (thank you) also goes out to
the grade 5 to 7 students that were “buddies” to our Mexican friends during their
time at school.
WALK OR WHEEL WEDNESDAYS
Good Friday — April 3rd
Easter Monday — April 6th
(no school)
Our school is promoting healthy and active living by
tracking the number of students in each class who walk
or use human powered transportation (scooter,
skateboard, bicycle) to get to school or to their bus
stop. The class with the highest percentage wins the
“Golden Boot”. Congratulations to Mr. Blanchard’s class
who has won the boot twice, Honorable mentions to
Mrs. Rankka’s and Mr. Urquhart’s students. We have
seen a slight increase in the number of walkers from
65% to 70%. As the nice weather approaches we are
anticipating a rise in these percentages.
We’re on the Web
http://
por.scdsb.on.ca
Wheel will, Wheel will Walk you!
eNEWS
Page 2
IMPORTANT STUFF
ATTENDANCE DOCUMENTATION
Thank you for continuing to call Safe Arrival
when your child is absent. This courtesy
allows our Safe Arrival program to run
efficiently. Parents are expected to call the
school when their child(ren) will be absent
or late. Ultimately it is the parent’s
responsibility to ensure that their child(ren)
arrive at school. We cannot guarantee that
the system will be foolproof and neither the
school nor the Safe Arrival Program accepts
legal implications from a parent’s voluntary
use of the program.
If you are aware in advance that your child
is going to be absent for an extended period
of time, we would ask that you send in a
written note to the classroom teacher.
AUTOMATED PHONE SYSTEM
Portage View has an automated phone
system with 2 lines — the main number (728
-1302) and a fax number. Calls to the school
are answered by an Auto Attendant and
callers are instructed to press “1” for Safe
Arrival (then they are answered by a Voice
Mail Box). To reach the school office the
caller is required to press “0” or remain on
the line.
BALANCED DAY SCHEDULE
Staff Supervision has been scheduled to
receive students from 8:40 – 8:55 am.
NOTE: SUPERVISION begins at 8:40 am.
Students should arrive no earlier than 8:40.
Entry Bell
Instructional Block 1
First Nutritional Break
Fitness Break
Instructional Block 2
Second Nutritional Break
8:55 am
8:55 – 10:35
10:35 – 10:55
10:55 – 11:15
11:15 – 12:55
12:55 – 1:15
Students may leave the school property at
the second nutritional break. The same
routine must be followed each day (home vs.
school for lunch), unless a note from home
is sent in signed by a parent.
Fitness Break
Instructional Block 3
Dismissal
1:15 – 1:35
1:35 – 3:15
3:15 pm
BUSING PROCEDURES
All bus arrangements are to be made
through the office not the bus drivers. If you
have to make alternative arrangements due
to care issues only, it is important that the
request is made in writing. Last minute bus
changes are difficult to accommodate and
may create confusion that can lead to a
dangerous situation. Your child will travel
home on the regular bus run unless we have
written authorization to proceed otherwise.
The Safe Arrival Program is in place in
elementary schools to ensure that children
arrive safely at school each day. Please be
advised that on days when buses are
cancelled due to inclement weather, calls
will not be made to families whose children
ride school transportation. Families of those
children who walk to school are asked to
report their child's absence to the school if
they will not be in attendance. An effort will
be made to call families of walking students
who are not present but on some days,
given the number of absent students, this
may be not possible.
PIZZA FRIDAYS
$2.00/slice
No need to pre-order.
Bring your toonie in
on Friday and
exchange it for a
slice of pizza.
DOORS LOCKED DURING SCHOOL DAY
SCHOOL YEAR CALENDAR
Our office staff, Ms. Barker and Mrs.
Winslow, take their
breaks from 10:35 to
11:15 am and 12:55 to
1:35 pm, and won’t be
available to answer
the door. During these
times, there may be an extended wait at the
door. If possible, please try to avoid visiting
the school during these times. It’s
important for you to know that we’ll always
take whatever precautions are necessary to
keep our school and students safe. If you
have any questions about safety procedures,
as always, please contact the office.
PA Days
Good Friday
Easter Monday
Victoria Day
Last day of school
INCLEMENT WEATHER SAFE ARRIVAL
June 5, June 26
April 3
April 6
May 18
June 25
FOLLOW US ON TWITTER
Portage View Public School —
@pvpspanthers
PVPS Library — @pawspvpstoread
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eNEWS
WHAT’S GOING ON AT THE ‘VIEW
Here is a list of some of the
many amazing opportunities
currently available for our
Panthers both during and after
school hours.
Activity
Grade
Coming Soon
Grade
Boom Whacker Music ........................... 4—6
Track & Field (Jr / Int) ............................ 4—8
Basketball (Jr Boys) .............................. 4—6
Ukulele ................................................... 6—8
Basketball (Jr Girls) .............................. 4—6
Bus Patrollers ....................................... 6—8
Choir ..................................................... 4—8
Girls on the Run ....................... (pre-selected)
Green Team.......................................... 4—8
Gym & Technology (after school) ............... 4
Hall Monitors ......................................... 5—8
Kindergarten Helpers ............................ 3—8
Leadership Team .................................. 6—8
Library Monitors .................................... 4—8
Lunch Helpers ...................................... 3—8
Office Helpers ....................................... 7 & 8
Peace Keepers ..................................... 5—8
PVHL (Primary Floor
Hockey League) .................................. 3
Shelf Elves ............................................ 4—8
Sign Language ..................................... 1—3
TO CELEBRATE
April 24th
Students ….
wear your
den t-shirts
on
April 24th.
Student Recognition Assembly
PANTHER DEN T-SHIRTS / MINI BACKPACKS
Panther Den T-shirts — $10
Mini-Backpacks — $5
Available for sale
in the office while supplies
last.
Den Colors
A-D = Blue
E-L = Green
M-P = Red
Q-Z = Yellow
Page 4
eNEWS
SCHOOL COUNCIL
School Council Meeting
April 13th — 6:00 pm
All Welcome!
Over $1100 was raised at our Boston
Pizza fundraiser on March 25, which
will be used to purchase a laptop.
Thank you to everyone who came out
and to our donors for their generous
silent auction items.
Stay tuned for our pizza night with
Dominos in May. Date TBD.
GRADE 8 GRADUATION
 Fisher Auditorium (Barrie Central Collegiate Institute)
 Tuesday, June 23, 2015 — 6:30 – 10:00 pm
 Students should arrive at Barrie Central Auditorium no
later than 6:00 pm. We will gather in the cafeteria, next to the auditorium.
 Graduation ceremonies will be followed by refreshments at Portage View.
 Students need to arrange their own transportation.
 After refreshments, we traditionally start the dance with a parent/graduate first
dance.
 After the first dance, only graduating students will be allowed to stay in the gym.
 Pick up is at 10:00 pm sharp. Students are usually in a hurry to get to the after
grad events.
MATH OLYMPICS
Keilan B., Shane K., Sarah J. and
Meygan T. will be participating in
math challenges and competing with
students from across Simcoe County
on April 10th at the Board Office.
ARE YOU MOVING?
To assist us with planning our classes for
next year, it is very helpful if we receive
information about anticipated family
moves. Please call the school office and
leave a message or send a note in with
your child to the office. Thank you.
POPCORN FUNDRAISER
Every Thursday at the beginning of
2nd nutrition break, Mrs. Valks will be
selling popcorn in the main hall. The
proceeds will benefit the grade 2 field
trip to Ripley’s Aquarium. Popcorn will
be sold for $1/bag in the following 5
flavors: salt/butter, kettle corn, dill
pickle, white cheddar and salt/vinegar.
April — Inclusion
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eNEWS
PAINT THE TOWN PINK!
APRIL 6-10, 2015
The International Day of Pink is a Canadian anti-bullying event held annually on
the second Wednesday of April. All students and staff at Portage View are
asked to wear PINK on April 8th to celebrate diversity and raise awareness to
prevent bullying!
HEY KIDS! Get ready to be
Our school is excited to take part in the
Jump Rope for Heart program. Last
year, we raised more than $5000 for
the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
Watch for the pledge envelopes to
come home the beginning of April.
Envelopes and pledges will be due back to
the school by May 1st.
In the past, with the money we have
raised for the Foundation our school has
earned heart smart points towards
equipment for indoor and outdoor play
at school.
Students are asked to seek donations
from people they know. DO NOT GO
DOOR TO DOOR! Online pledges are
also available. The code/link for this is
posted on our school website:
por.scdsb.on.ca
- May 15th
AUTISM ONTARIO’S “RAISE THE FLAG” CEREMONY
Autism Ontario is the province's largest collective voice representing the autism community, supporting thousands of families across
the province. They are dedicated to providing ASD information and education, supporting research, and advocating for programs
and services.
Their Raise the Flag campaign, through the simple act of raising a flag, unites families, schools, communities, government and
professionals in recognizing World Autism Awareness Day, and brings to light the struggles and triumphs of people on the autism
spectrum.
On April 2, 2015 at 11:30 am, you are invited to join local families and Autism Ontario representatives at City Hall in Barrie for a
"Raise The Flag" ceremony. Autism Ontario is excited to have you participate and celebrate their great cause. Let's continue to
make our school and community a more inclusive place for people with autism!
In support of World Autism Awareness Day on April 2nd, we ask our
students and staff to wear blue to help raise this awareness.
Page 6
eNEWS
KINDERGARTEN FUNDRAISER
TIFFIN CENTRE
Kindergarten classrooms are
participating in a weekly “cupcake”
fundraiser. Proceeds from the
sales will be used for kindergarten
classroom enhancements.
Kindergarten and grade 1 students will be going on a
field trip to Tiffin Centre on April 8th. The students
will take a tour of a working sugar bush which
displays the First Nations and modern-day methods
of making maple syrup through stories,
demonstrations and hand-on activities.
SIGN IN PROCEDURES FOR LATE STUDENTS
Late students arriving
between 9-9:15 am are to
enter through the back
doors of the main hall.
Office clerical staff will
be there to assist with the
sign-in procedure.
Students arriving after
Notes
Every morning, I am out in our Kiss
n’ Ride waving cars along and
welcoming our students. A big
thank you to those parents who
continue to use our Kiss n’ Ride
efficiently by following the
rules. We do, however, continue
to face challenges keeping
everyone moving through in an
organized and efficient
manner! Kindly follow our
expectations when using the Kiss n’
Ride:

DO NOT LEAVE YOUR
VEHICLE UNATTENDED IN
THE KISS AND RIDE! If you
want to drop off or pick up your
children in the yard, you will need
to park in a parking spot in the
parking lot as the Kiss n’ Ride is
not a waiting area.
STUDENTS
9:15 due to appointments
etc., will need to ring the
intercom at the front
door to gain entry and
sign in at the office.
We have safety patrollers to
escort young students around to
the back of the schoolyard.
 Have students ready with their
back packs etc. before getting
into the car. Having to get
things from the trunk etc. takes
extra time and causes backlog.


Please pull your car up as far as
possible in the Kiss n’ Ride. The
parking lot gets backed up
quickly. In an effort to keep
things moving, please pull up!

Remain in the queue and leave
as soon as you have dropped
off or picked up everyone.

Be aware of all the people
around you. Children may run
to/from their parents without
looking or they could slip. Please
be aware and drive with extreme
caution.

Please be respectful to our
staff. We are just doing what
we can to maintain a safe
environment for all of our
students.
We understand that mornings and
dismissal times are very busy on
our property. Consider walking to
and from school – the fresh air
and exercise helps students
perform better at school and at
home. If you continue to drive to
and from school, adhering to the
above expectations will help ensure
everyone’s safety. Thank you!!
eNEWS
Page 7
S.C.D.S.B. NEWS
Out Grant to support parent
engagement.
Do you (or someone you know) have a
child who was born in 2011? Registration
packages are available for pick up at
the school office. Required registration
documents include birthdate
documentation, proof of address and
record of immunization. For more
information, visit www.scdsb.on.ca/
kindergarten.
April 30 event for parents highlights
social media safety, cyberbullying and
digital citizenship
On Thursday, April 30, all Simcoe
County District School Board parents
and students are invited to attend an
evening event with Chris Vollum. Chris, a
well-known speaker on the topic of social
media, will speak about the potential of
online communication among youth and
how to use it for positive and meaningful
connections. His talk will help parents
develop the skills to communicate with
their children and minimize the risk of
bullying, cyber-bullying and loss of
reputation. He will highlight opportunities
and platforms with which students may
build a positive social presence and
reputation.
Register now for spring 2015 Triple P
Parenting programs
The SCDSB’s Continuing Education
Department, in partnership with Parents
as Partners, is pleased to offer new
spring Parenting Programs available April
through June. These are free for all
parents who have children in school. For
more information, visit the Learning
Centres website at
http://thelearningcentres.com/ and then
click on ‘Parent’.
Circle of Learning Parent Academy Free workshops to help you boost your
child’s success
As a parent/guardian, you were your
child’s first teacher and you are still his or
her most important teacher. Your
involvement in your child’s education has
an impact on success. Register to attend
workshops throughout the year designed
to help you support your child’s learning
and development.
Upcoming workshops include:
 April: Math 101 - all parents can
support their children in math
 May: Resilience: Nine things kids need
from their families, schools, and
communities
Find workshop dates, times, descriptions
The event will take place from 7 to 8:30 and register online at
pm at Nantyr Shores Secondary School, www.scdsb.on.ca/circleoflearning.
1146 Anna Maria Ave. in Innisfil. If
The Circle of Learning Parent Academy
parents and students are not able to
attend in person, the presentation will
is hosted by the Simcoe County District
also be livestreamed via the following
School Board’s Parent Involvement
link: https://plus.google.com/events/
Committee and made possible with the
cs0u4bms6ofivnft85phtt7o88c.
support of the Ministry of Education
This event is brought to you by a
through a Parents Reaching Out Grant.
Ministry of Education’s Parents Reaching
Pack a rainbow in your kid’s lunch!
The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit
would like to remind parents about the
importance of a school lunch full of
colourful veggies and fruit. Try some of
these tasty kid-friendly ideas to ensure
they will eat what you pack:
 Add grated carrot to egg or tuna
salad
 Pack veggies or fruit in small bite size
pieces for easy eating
 Prepare veggies and fruit with
different tools that change the shape
and add interest to your child’s lunch.
Use melon ballers, vegetable crinkle
cutters, cookie cutters or even an egg
slicer to make some great shapes
 Use a shake of cinnamon on cut fruit if
it tends to turn brown - they will enjoy
the new flavour to their favourite
apple or banana pieces
If your kid is a dipper, add a small
container of yogurt or pudding for fruit
dipping or cottage cheese or hummus
for veggie dipping
For more information you can call Health
Connection at 705-721-7520 or 1-877721-5720 and speak with a public health
nurse or visit the health unit website at
www.simcoemuskokahealth.org.
eNEWS
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eNEWS
‘CHECK OUT’ WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE LIBRARY
The Forest of Reading®
Our early primary students have now
heard all ten books of the books in the
Blue Spruce program. They will soon be
participating in a game show activity to
recall and review these books and will
then have a chance to vote for their
favourite book. These students have
participated enthusiastically in this
program and enjoyed listening to a
variety of books written by Canadian
publishers, authors and illustrators.
Thank you to the grade two students
who participated in a focus group; book
hacking “The Most Magnificent Thing”
written and illustrated by Ashley
Spires. For photos of some of the
amazing things these students created
please visit our school website. I think
these students would all agree that this
was a fantastic opportunity and a
learning experience that required
reading, collaborating, planning, creating
and book hacking! As teachers we knew
the activity was a success when the
students didn’t want to stop for lunch or
go out for recess and when a student
spoke to us on the way out of the
library saying “this is the best day ever!”
Tech Talk
The computer carts and ipads have been
in high demand this month both in the
library and in our classrooms.
Mrs. Wright’s class used the green
screen and the Do Ink app to create
book talks that included their favourite
part, a star rating, and summary of a
book they had read.
Grade 7 students have shared their
learning in geography by creating a,
documentary using the green screen..
Our Google Apps for Education
(GAFE) accounts are being used in a
variety a ways. Our Kindergarten/grade
one class uses google documents each
week to read their daily message and
journal their thoughts including inserting a
picture to go with their ideas. Each
student is also learning to log into their
own Google Drive to view photos, videos
and work that has been collected over
the year.
writing a recount. They then added a
pirate picture of themselves that was
created using our green screen to their
writing.
The Silver Birch Express group has been
using Google Classroom to post thoughts
and ideas about the books they have
read and to respond to posts that others
in the group have made online. These
students are currently researching
information about one of the Silver Birch
authors and will be creating a
presentation using Google Slides to share
their learning with grade 3 and 4
students.
Grade three students used a graphic
organizer that was shared with them by
their teachers using Google Docs to
organize their thoughts and ideas before
Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @pawspvpstoread
HOCKEY LEAGUE
It was an exciting end to the grade
1/2 floor hockey season. The
Winter Hawks played Team Canada
for the opportunity to hoist the
PVHL cup. Both teams played their
best and the outcome was not
decided until the final buzzer. It was
a game that matched the red hot
offense of Team Canada against
the terrific defensive play of the
Winter Hawks. In the end Team
Canada won the game and came
away as champions of the 2015
PVHL. Every team played well
throughout the season and deserves
recognition. Congratulations to all
teams for their fine effort,
teamwork, and sportsmanship.
Mr. von Althen and Mrs. Valks
PV
HL
Page 10
eNEWS
Sun
5
12
19
26
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
1
2
3
After School Club
3:15-4:45 — Gr. 4
Popcorn—$1/bag
12:55-1:15
Good
Friday
8
9
10
Sat
4
6
7
Easter
Monday
Choir—10:55-11:15 Kdgn / Grade 1 to
Popcorn—$1/bag
Tiffin Centre
12:55-1:15
Girls on the Run
3:30-4:45
Grad Retake Photos Girls on the Run
3:30-4:45
After School Club
3:15-4:45 — Gr. 4
Math Olympics
9:00-3:15
Board Office
13
14
17
18
School Council
Meeting 6:00 pm
Choir—10:55-11:15 After School Club
3:15-4:45 — Gr. 4
Girls on the Run
3:30-4:45
Girls on the Run
3:30-4:45
20
21
23
24
25
Choir performs at
Barrie Music
Festival—11:00 am
Choir—10:55-11:15
Popcorn—$1/bag
12:55-1:15
PAWS to Celebrate
9:15-10:20
27
15
22
Girls on the Run
3:30-4:45
28
Choir—10:55-11:15
Girls on the Run
3:30-4:45
16
11
Girls on the Run
3:30-4:45
29
30
Girls on the Run
3:30-4:45
Noteworthy Dates:
 May 21
 June 5
Track Meet
 June 10
Welcome to Kdgn
 June 23
Grade 8 Grad
 June 25
Last Day of School
P.A. Day