May - Teston Village Public School

Teston Village Public School
80 Murray Farm Lane, Maple, Ontario L6A 3G1
Tel: (905) 417-0555 Fax: (905) 417-8368
E-mail: teston.village.ps@yrdsb.edu.on.ca
Principal
Mr. David Nimmo
Vice Principal
Mr. Blair Salvisburg
Superintendent of
Schools
Mrs. Dianne Hawkins
Trustee
Ms. Anna DeBartolo
60 Wellington Street
West, Aurora, Ontario
L4G 3H2
(416) 969-7170
Ext. 2829
From the Office: May 2013
The temperature is warming up and with it brings blues skies, green
grass, flowers and leaves. Please make sure that you send your children
dressed appropriately for the warmer weather. As the temperatures
increase children tend to sweat more, please make sure your
children take baths/showers regularly. Also a reminder that Teston
Village Public School is a Scent Free school!
Help get Teston Village in shape! Have your children walk to
school with their friends! Too many parents continue to drive their
children to and from school. This is not good, as children need
daily exercise and what better way to get that exercise than by
walking to and from school!
Inside this issue:
Kindergarten Registration 2
Kindergarten Orientation 2
EQAO Dates 2
Literacy Corner 3
Summer Institute 3
Health Corner 4
Jump Rope for Heart 4
Parenting Corner 5
Eco Corner 6
Anxiety Workshop 6
Important Dates 7
Character Corner 7
Garbage Can Award 7
Attendance Award 7
Class Placements 7
Calendar 8
May also brings our yearly Provincial testing, the EQAO for grades 3
and 6. This year the testing will begin May 27 th , 2013, and run until
June, 7 th , 2013. The test will be 3 days for the grade 3’s and 3 days
for the grade 6’s. Please make all appointments during this time after
school so your child will be present for the testing.
This time of year becomes very busy with many activities occurring at
school for our students and outside school activities such as sports
teams. It becomes extremely important for parents to make sure that
your children stick to nightly routines and get plenty of rest. This will
help ensure that students are ready to learn at school. Please check
the Important Dates section of the Newsletter to learn about what’s
happening at Teston!

Teston Village Public School Page 2
Kindergarten Registration
Little Children, Big Step
Unique, experimental, capable, creative – eager to learn and make friends. The best you have to send us – your child – deserves
the best education program possible. In York Region, that means attending a York Region District School Board kindergarten
program.
*Registration began on February 1st, 2013.
**Documents required for registration include:
Proof of child's age (birth certificate/passport)
Proof of residency (for child and parent guardian)
Citizenship and immigration status (for child and parent/guardian where applicable)
Direction of school support form
Children born in 2009 are eligible for junior kindergarten this September. Children born in 2008 and not currently attending
public school are eligible for senior kindergarten in September.
As space is limited, some children may be required to attend a school outside their neighbourhood. Please note that all required
documentation must be submitted and complete in order for your child to be enrolled. Please call your local public
school for full details about required documents and kindergarten orientation sessions.
EQAO ASSESSMENT DATES
Grades 3 & 6
Welcome to Kindergarten Orientation
Our Welcome to Kindergarten session will be held
on Wednesday May 8th from 9-11am in the Gym.
This session is being held for our new Junior Kindergarten
parents and students that are registered
to begin school in September 2013.
A reminder for this event will be sent to you
around the middle of April, 2013. At that time,
please register your child as space is limited.
Please be aware that the EQAO testing for Grades
3 and 6 will be during the weeks of May 27th to
June 7th, 2013. We are asking participating families
to please avoid scheduling appointments, vacations
etc. during these times. We certainly want
our students to give their very best effort on
these assessment tests and ask that you encourage
them as well. Please note the tests are based on
the curriculum taught over the entire year and not
a specific topic. Also, students will be applying skills
and knowledge that they have acquired to date and
really reflect learning from Kindergarten to present.
We look forward to meeting you and your child.
The morning will be filled with lots of useful information
as well as many great learning activities!
See you Wednesday, May 8th, 2013.

Teston Village Public School Page 3
Literacy Corner
“What if I don’t speak English or my English is very limited
How can I support my child’s oral language development”
Many students in Ontario classrooms come from families whose first language is not the language of instruction.
These students come from families/and or cultures with rich oral traditions what involve storytelling, the
retelling of family histories, songs, etc.
When parents talk with their children about an experience, they help shape the way children respond to the
experience and the knowledge they gain from it, and they help expand their children’s store of concepts and
relocated vocabulary. These benefits occur equally when parents speak to their children in their first language.
The skills and knowledge developed in the first language are transferred to and benefit the student’s learning
of English.
Research indicates that students benefit academically, socially, and emotionally when they are encouraged to
develop and/or maintain proficiency in their first language while they are learning English. For most students,
language provides a foundation for developing proficiency in additional languages, serves as a basis for emotional
development and provides a vital link with the student’s family and cultural background.
A strong foundation in their first language can help ELL students to:
develop mental flexibility
develop problem-solving skills
communicate with family members
experience a sense of cultural stability and continuity
understand cultural and family values
Taken from A Guide to Effective Instruction in Reading( Ministry of Education)
Discovery Public School Presents Summer Institute 2013
July 2nd –August 9th
Join us for Summer Learning
During the literacy block, students are engaged in fun and enriching learning activities that address reading,
writing, media and oral communication expectations from the Ministry of Education curriculum documents
under the supervision of YRDSB Teachers and Administrators .
Contact Information:
before July 1– phone 905 890-401x240
after July 1-phone 905 417-1622
Email: discovery.si@yrdsb.edu.on.ca
Cost for YRDSB students: $100 to $115 per week
Hours: 9:00am –3:30pm
Extended Day Childcare Available from 7:30-6:00pm
visit www.yrdsb.edu.on.ca
click on “summer programs”

Teston Village Public School Page 4
Nutrition and learning… is there a link
The food choices children make can influence their health and learning ability. In Nova Scotia,
Grade 5 students who ate a healthy diet that included a variety of foods, with an increased fruit
And vegetable intake and lower caloric intake or fat were more likely to pass reading and writing tests.
Today, many children are eating too much fat, sugar and salt, and not enough vegetables, fruit and whole grains.
This could be affecting how well they are doing in school. To help get your family on the road to healthy eating, try
the following:
Encourage children to choose most foods from the four food groups in Canada’s Food Guide.
Children are influenced by their parents’ eating habits and attitudes towards food if, they see you eating
healthy foods, they will likely follow suit.
Keep ready-to-eat, healthy foods on hand for the times when hunger strikes ( e.g., fruit cups, yogurt, cheese strings).
Involve children in planning meals, packing lunches and selecting snacks; use this as an opportunity to talk about healthy
choices.
Set ‘ nutrition ground rules’ so children know what to expect. For example, everyone in the family eats breakfast,
milk or fortified soy beverage is served with meals and after school snacks come from two out of the four food groups .
iVeuglers PJ., et al.,2008. Diet Quality and Academic Performance. Journal of School Health, 78(4): 209-2115
A healthy lunch includes at least three of the four food groups
from Canada’s Food Guide. A Healthy snack includes at least
two of the four food groups from Canada’s Food Guide
For Health-related information call York Region
Health Connection at 1-800-361-5653 or visit www.york.ca
BREAKFAST PR0GRAM
Teston Village will be providing breakfast to students who miss breakfast at home, or who arrive at school and are still hungry.
This will give students the opportunity to start their day with a full stomach to maximize learning.
Breakfast will be provided from 8:00—8:15 a.m. in the kitchenette.
Come and join the group and start the day off right !!!!
A special thank you to Mrs. Bolton’s Milk Helpers for
Term 2. Rizwan, Memoona, Gina, and Faizan.
Without your help your fellow students would not have
received nutritious milk from the Teston Village Milk
Teston Village PS will be hosting its annual Heart & Stroke
Jump Rope for Heart on Friday May 17th. All grades will be
participating in this fun event. This will be an outdoor event
therefore please dress your child accordingly. This year
Teston Village is hoping to raise $5000 for this great cause.
Remember to be safe when fundraising. DO NOT go door to
door. Fundraise only within your family and friends.
Program.
Please do not send any glass bottles to school with
your child. This includes nail polish. The glass may
break causing injury.

Teston Village Public School Page 5
It’s time to remind children about being safe in our community.
This is a good time for parents to learn about and review ways to protect their children from potential dangers.
Here is what children need to know:
Their name, age , telephone number, address, city and province. This can be done through
rhyme or song.
How to contact their parents at any time, by memorizing cell or work numbers.
How and under what circumstances to call 911.
To never approach or enter a stranger’s vehicle. A responsible adult would never ask a child
for directions or any other questions for that matter.
Make sure they know they have a right to say “no” to an adult, especially when the adult is
asking them to do something they have been taught is wrong or feels uncomfortable.
Reminding children of this right is important because children are taught from a young age to
respect adults.
To always tell parents where they will be and never to enter someone’s home without their
parents permission.
If home alone , never admit it when answering the phone. Never answer a knock at the door
or speak through it. Adults can be very persuasive. Teach your child to call you if there is a
knock at the door and if they fear for their safety, teach them to call 911. Make sure they
know that police officers are there to help them and would not get mad if it were a false
alarm.
If they think they are being followed or are in danger they should run home or to a public
place. If someone grabs them , they should try to get away, yelling and screaming while doing
so.
It is important to play in safe areas, never take shortcuts and stick with a buddy whenever
possible.
It is never to early or too late to teach children the importance of personal safety. Common sense,
communication
And consistency are the keys. Remind children to alert a responsible adult if something strange happens
that makes them feel uncomfortable. Remember , crime prevention is everyone’s responsibility.
For more information on this subject, contact the York Regional Police Community Services Bureau at
1- 866-876-5423 ext 7980, or by e-mail at info@yrp.ca or visit www.yrp.ca

Teston Village Public School Page 6
Eco Corner
Anti Idling Campaign
Car Idling is when drivers do not turn off their vehicles when they are stopped or parked. This is something that happens
At T.V.P.S as parents drop off and pick up their children everyday. The T.V.P.S Eco Club is encouraging our community to
turn off their cars when dropping off and waiting for their children. By doing so, community members will save money by
saving fuel, reduce wear and tear on engines, protect drivers’s health and the health of children an improve air quality.
Air Pollution: Exhaust from idling vehicles can enter the school through air intakes, doors and open windows. By turning
off your car, air pollution in and out of the school will be reduced.
Wasted Fuel and Money: Idling vehicles waste fuel and money. Turn off your car and save!
Engine Wear and Tear: Extended idling causes engine damage. Engine manufacturers generally
recommend no idling to keep your vehicle running smoothly.
The T.V.P.S Eco Club challenges each member of our community to turn off your car. If you are
stopped or parked at the school or elsewhere in town. Please support our Anti Idling Campaign and help cut down on air
pollution.
Thank you
T.V.P.S. Eco Club

Teston Village Public School
Page 7
Class Placements for 2013/2014
We have begun our plans for the school organization for the
2013/2014 school year. Teacher assignments will not be finalized
until the end of the year as we continue to grow.
In late May, our staff will meet to discuss student placements for
next year. Both the sending and receiving teachers will have input,
as well as special education teachers, reading recovery
teachers, ELL teachers , along with any other teachers who work
with your child. Our staff will carefully consider each individual
child when deciding class placements. The following criteria are
used for placing students into classes:
Class size, based on Board-allowing staffing formula
Balance between male and female students
Matching the student’s learning style with the teacher’s
instructional style
Coordinating students with special education/ELL staff
Combining/separating students for optimal learning
Pertinent input from parents/guardians which would assist
staff in making their decisions.
May
…..Important Dates …..
08 - “ Welcome to Kindergarten”
Orientation
12 - Mother’s Day
13 - Scholastic Book Fair
17 - Jump Rope for Heart
20- Victoria Day - No school
23- Volunteer Appreciation Tea
27- EQAO Starts Gr. 3 & 6’s
If you have any special requests regarding class placement,
please notify the office, in writing to Mr. Nimmo, before May
24th, 2013. We will attempt to accommodate all requests; however,
due to the nature of the task, it is not always possible. This
is a difficult task, but it is important for you to know that we
have experience in placing each student in the best possible
learning environment.
Character Corner
This months trait is: Honesty
We behave in a sincere, trustworthy,
and truthful manner
Are You Moving
Please let us know if you are planning a move. This information
helps us immensely when planning for next year. Please notify the
school office, or send a note in with your child as soon as possible.
Volunteer Tea
We, the staff and students at Teston Village Public
School, would like to show our appreciation to all those
who have volunteered with student activities this year.
We invite all of our volunteers to an appreciation tea
May 23rd, 2013
1:00 - 2:30 pm
In the School Library
Did you remember to call the school
If you child is sick you must call the school ( 905 417-0555) and
report the absence everyday. Your child’s safety is our number one
concern and the office must account for every child everyday.
There are over 550 students at Teston Village and it is a very big
job to ensure we know where every student is on a daily basis.
Please help us by calling in your child’s absence. You can leave a
message on the school’s voicemail if you wish to call before 8:00
am.
Thank you for your cooperation!
GOLDEN GARBAGE CAN AWARD
CONGRATULATIONS TO
Mrs. Hunt’s Gr. 3 Class
FOR THE CLEANEST CLASS FOR THE MONTH OF MAY
ATTENDANCE AWARD
CONGRATULATIONS TO
Ms. Nakalamich’s class
FOR BEST ATTENDANCE FOR THE MONTH OF MAY