Saturday 19 December 2020

Owen Family Update - Week of December 21, 2020

Hello Owen Families,

Merry Christmas and Happy Kwanzaa to our families who celebrate. This is a joyous time to celebrate with families and look forward to a prosperous new year.

As we reflect on the start of this school year we started with many unknowns. Our start was delayed, students were entering school with masks and regular school activities were done at a distance. This was not how we expected to be at school.

However, we worked together as a community, staff worked hard to keep our spaces clean and trained students to learn how to be at school during a COVID pandemic. The efforts of everyone created an environment where students learn to respect the routines and are able to learn and play with friends in a safe and happy way. This can only happen through the efforts of us all.

Wishing you all a safe and healthy New Year. Happy Holidays from our Owen Staff!

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Extending your Vacation?

If your child will be away after January 4th or will need to quarantine, please notify the office so we can mark the absence appropriately. Absences can be emailed at owenps@tdsb.on.ca.

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Holiday Hampers: Thank you!

Thank you Owen families for your generosity during this holiday season. We have been able to raise over $1500 tin gift cards o help families in the community. This has truly shown our Owen spirit!

Thank you!

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Middle Immersion French Program

From January 4-29, 2021, current grade 3 students, not already enrolled in Early French Immersion, can apply to start Middle French Immersion in September 2021, their Grade 4 year. Information about this NEW program is available in 22 languages here.

Middle French Immersion offers 100% French instruction in grades 4 and 5. In grades 6-8, 75% of the instruction is in French with English and Science taught in English. If necessary, for timetabling, specialist subjects, like gym, may be taught in English. In high school, Middle and Early French Immersion students will be in the same immersion program and will do 10 credits in French.

Middle French Immersion is being offered at 40 elementary schools across the TDSB. All on-time applicants are guaranteed a placement in the program but are not guaranteed a specific school. Bussing or TTC tickets are provided for elementary students according to TDSB transportation policy and procedures.

Apply here.

Virtual information sessions are being held January 14, 21, 27, 2021. Details here.

Step 1: Apply between Jan 4-29, 2021

Step 2: Check the email you provided on the application regularly, including junk mail folders, for an offer of placement. Carefully note the deadline for responding in the offer of placement email.

Step 3: Accept the placement by the deadline.

Further French program information is here.

Note: the grade 4 entry Extended French program is no longer being offered. During January 2021, current grade 6 students can apply to enter the Extended French program in September 2021, their grade 7 year. Applications are made directly to the Extended French grade 7 school. Watch for details here.

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Preparing for Learning @ Home

We are looking forward to returning to school on Monday January 4th 2021. However, in anticipation of an announcement by the ministry or the board, staff are prepared for remote learning at home. Staff have sent either work or devices home with your child on Friday. This work is only for the start in January, not work to be done over the holidays. We hope this time is used for families to spend quality time together, disconnect from technology and work and enjoy the holiday season together.

If we are pivoting to remote learning, we will send out a message to our families as soon as we know. You will want to be familiar with your child's Brightspace or Google Classroom.

Technical Support for Parents:

- Brightspace

- Google Classroom

The TDSB Parent Support Line (416-396-9100) and the Student WebChat will be closed during the Winter Break and will re-open on Monday, January 4 from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.

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Staying Safe over the Break

We care about our Owen families and look forward to returning to school with staff and students healthy and all ready to go.

Please take a look at the COVID-19 Holiday Guide by TPH to help you and your family get through the holidays.

During the Winter Break, if you are reporting a case of COVID-19, please contact the TPH Health Connections Line at 416-338-7600. This telephone number will be monitored during the winter break.

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Exciting things are happening in the Explore It! Online Programming with Holiday Workshops, an upcoming Winter Schedule and more! Check them out here:

http://www.exploreitall.ca/online-holiday-programming/

You can take a Workshop Online, exploring and engaging in programs such as:

Homemade Holiday Gifts

Story Time Yoga

Creative Kids Yoga

Digital Art

Creative Drawing

Family Baking Club and more!

And - Adults can now join the Explore It! Lead Instructor, Elizabeth for online Yoga!

Elizabeth is a certified Yoga Instructor and Yoga Alliance member at the RYT-500 level and is bringing her practice to you at home!

All classes until the end of December are free - roll out your mat and get moving!

Find all the above info and more (Winter term programming will launch online next week!) here:

http://www.exploreitall.ca/online-holiday-programming/

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Student News!

See what our students have been up to lately at Owen!

And staff de-stressing with some low impact badminton.

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Please click here for the latest updates and newsletters.

Sunday 13 December 2020

Owen Family Update - Week of December 14, 2020

Hello Owen Families,

Happy Hanukkah to our families celebrating the Jewish Holidays! Here's to a bright and festive Hanukkuah during the Festival of Lights. Thank you Ms Tobin and Olivia for putting together this beautiful display at school. Our Gr 1s loved playing the Dreidel Game.

We are in our last week before the holiday break. We hope our Owen families have an opportunity to spend quality time during the break. As the lockdown continues in the city, we hope that all our parents who are front line workers are able to have some special time with their families. We appreciate all that you are doing to keep the rest of the community healthy and safe, and providing us the ability to access necessities we need for our own families. Thank you!

If you are extending your break or require a quarantine after the holiday break, please email our safe arrival at owenps@tdsb.on.ca.

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Holiday Hampers: Final Day!

Every year Owen has put together Holiday Hampers for St. Vincent de Paul to support some of our Owen families and families within the community. During this pandemic holiday season, we will continue to support these families with gift cards to various retailers to help them through the holiday season.

If you’d like, you can donate gift cards from any of the following places. You can donate in denominations of: $10, $25 or $50. You can also donate multiple denominations. Fundraising will end Monday December 14th, 2020.

Thank you for sharing the holiday spirit and lending a helping hand!

~ Owen Office Staff

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Middle Immersion French Program

Apply here.

Virtual information sessions are being held January 14, 21, 27, 2021. Details here.

Step 1: Apply between Jan 4-29, 2021

Step 2: Check the email you provided on the application regularly, including junk mail folders, for an offer of placement. Carefully note the deadline for responding in the offer of placement email.

Step 3: Accept the placement by the deadline.

Further French program information is here.

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Apply for Support for Learners Funding

Several parents have contacted the school to confirm school data about their child. If there are any changes to address or name changes, please let the office know. In some cases if information does not match our school system, this may have an impact of your applicaiton.

For more information click on the Support for Learners link.

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Tamil Heritage Month: Poster Challenge

The month of January is recognized by the TDSB as Tamil Heritage Month. This coincides with one of the most important festivals celebrated by Tamils in South Asia and all over the world. Traditionally, during this month, Tamils, irrespective of their religion, celebrate Thai Pongal, a harvest festival that offers prayers of thanks to the sun and nature for giving bountiful crops.

A poster challenge is being organized for all TDSB students to participate in. Please see the attached document for FULL details.

Deadline: All entries must be received by Thursday, December 17, 2020 by 3:00 pm to tdsbtamilheritagemonth@gmail.com

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Student News!

See what our students have been up to lately at Owen!

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Please click here for the latest updates and newsletters.

Sunday 6 December 2020

Owen Family Update - Week of December 6, 2020

Hello Owen Families,

On Friday, your child came home with these beautiful fanny packs donated by Barry Cohen. A big thank you to Barry and his team. It's a generous gift that will be very useful for our students! We wanted parents to see the fanny packs students will be using at school to keep their extra masks and other items during recess and throughout the day. Please add a few extra clean masks in their fanny packs and have them return them back to school on Monday. With the wet weather, the extra masks are very helpful.

Thank you again Barry Cohen and to Mike Youssef and family for organizing this for the school. The little helpers did a fantastic job!

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Superintendent Chasty's Retirement:

We would like to thank Superintendent Chasty for all his support and work he has done in our Learning Network, and in particular with Owen PS. We wish him well as he explores a new part of his life after TDSB. Mr. Chasty, you will be missed!

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Holiday Hampers:

Thank you to those who donated through School Cash-Online. Unfortunately we are not allowed to do our fundraising collection in this way. Elizabeth has refunded everyone who has donated.

We are permitted to collect gift cards.

Thank you for sharing the holiday spirit and lending a helping hand!

~ Owen Office Staff

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Hour of Code

This year we've learned that Computer Science is more important than ever to build the future we want, and creating that future takes all of us! Join us for Hour of Code 2020 this year, Dec. 7-13. Learn more about our Hour of Code.

We have been sharing these Creativity Videos with our students during our morning announcements to inspire them to be creative. You can try the Activities by Grade at home with your child and see how they can expand their own thinking.

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Neighbourhood Break-Ins

There had been few unfortunate break-in cases in our neighborhood. Most recently, on Munro, Gordon Road and Upper Canada had been the victims of these crimes.

These are pictures captured by the security camera. If you have any information (license plate number or etc), please contact the police. Watch out for Ford F-150 Blue Truck.

Thank you parents for looking out for one another!

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What's Up Walk In Clinics: Free Virtual Mental Health Counselling

Thanks Catherine Lyall (Owen School Social Worker) for providing this resource.

Need to talk?

Free Virtual Mental Health Counselling

To be connected to a counsellor for a telephone or video session please call MHTO at 1-866-585-6486 Monday to Friday 9AM – 7PM.

Immediate mental health counselling for children, youth, young adults and their families, and families with infants is available at the What’s Up Walk-In® Clinic.

No issue is too small or too big. We can help.

For contact information, hours and language preferences visit,

https://www.whatsupwalkin.ca/service-providers/

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Grade 5 Parent Grad Committee:

The parent grad committee has started to gather ideas for ways to celebrate our grads. Please add your name to the link below so they can collect information and connect with the parents of the graduating class.

https://forms.gle/qgzb3c4KqZtwgyLW9

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