Owen Family Update - Week of November 8th 2021

Dear Owen Parents/Guardians,

On Friday the winners were announced for the Decorated Door contest and the Pumpkin Mania contest.   What creative students and staff we have!  Students came up with amazing designs and created amazing character pumpkins! 

The votes are in, and the class with the best decorated door is.........

                Room 103 - M Duench and Mme Chantal’s class!

And a special shoutout to Room 117 - Mme Morris who came in a VERY VERY close 2nd place.

The grand prize winner for the Pumpkin Mania is....Cinderella - Sasha A (Gr 4 Burchell)

The Runners Up are:

Kat from the Incorrigible Series  - Ajaya M (Gr 4FI - M Price)

and 

Dora the Explorer - Eeva M (Gr 1FI - Mme Bourassa-Wilson)

Congratulations to all!

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Owen Dry-fit T-Shirts

Thanks to Barry Cohen and Parent Council, all students and staff received an Owen T-shirt for free!  Friday was our Owen Spirit Day and it was so great to see everyone participate.  Even our Virtual Learning class.  It was great to see the Sea of Blue!  See the photos below.

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Photo Retakes - November 25th 2021

Missed photo day at Owen?  No worries.  You can do a retake on November 25th in the morning.  Students in Ms Nowell's VL2/3 class may come in before 9:10 am to take their photos if they wish.  Others will be called down to the library during the school day.

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SickKids COVID-19 PCR Saliva Testing Program

SickKids willl begin hosting weekly drop-in info sessions every Wednesday at 12:00PM & 6:30PM from November 3rd to December 1st.

School staff, students, and parents are all welcome to attend. We hope to address all questions and inquiries regarding the SickKids COVID-19 PCR Saliva Testing Program, and we look forward to bringing you guest speakers throughout the month of November! 

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JK and SK French Immersion Registration (deadline Nov 26, 2021)

Please take note of the application deadline dates set for this year for each French program area:

 

• Early French Immersion (JK & SK entry) – November 1^st to November 26^th, 2021 (4 weeks) – central application process
• Note: For entry in September 2022 only, children who will be entering JK or SK are eligible to apply for Early French Immersion during the online application period in November 2021. Moving forward (2023), the only entry point for Early French Immersion will be Junior Kindergarten.

 

• Middle Immersion (Gr. 4 entry) - January 3^rd to January 28^th, 2022 (4 weeks) – central application process

 

• Grade 7 Extended French – January 3^rd to January 28^th, 2022 (4 weeks)  – locally managed school application process
• Note: This program is currently phasing out. The last cohort to begin the Grade 7 entry Extended French starts in September 2022.

 

This will help support the Planning Department meet their timelines for local school projections.

 

Early French Immersion – Application Process & Timelines

For families interested in the Toronto District School Board's Early French Immersion Program, we offer an online process to apply. The entry point to Early French Immersion is moving to Junior Kindergarten. There will be one transition year wherein students who will be entering Junior Kindergarten and Senior Kindergarten in 2022 will be eligible to apply to the Early French Immersion program during the November 2021 application period. Moving forward (2023), the only entry point for Early French Immersion will be Junior Kindergarten.

An offer of placement in the program (not a specific school) is guaranteed to all on-time applicants. While every effort is made to place students in the school identified as their area French Immersion school, this not always possible. Students may be redirected to another school with available program space. 

 

Families with an older sibling currently in a French program and who will be in attendance next year are still required to complete an online application for the new student. Please select the “sibling option” within the online application.

Virtual Information Sessions for the Early French Immersion application and placement process are available in November. For more information about French programs, the application process and important dates, interested families may visit www.tdsb.on.ca/french or click on Application Process. For details, please see the downloadable information package or click here for Early French Immersion flyers in 22 languages.

A few reminders about the process: 

• The deadline to apply to the program is November 26, 2021.
• If a parent/caregiver cannot access a computer, please email the principal to access a school computer at school
• The process is NOT handled on a first come, first served basis. All applications received by the deadline are managed with the same priority.
• If parents/caregiver experience difficulties, they may contact them via email at: fsl_pars_admin@tdsb.on.ca
• A parent/caregiver may still submit an application online after the deadline passes on November 26, 2021; the application will be marked as late and the child may be held on a waitlist; there is NO guarantee of placement.

Below is a Q&A that may support some inquiries which you may receive from local parents/caregivers during this time period:

 

When the on-line application system (PARS) opens…

 

How do I apply to Early French Immersion?

1. Please invite parents/caregivers to visit www.tdsb.on.ca/pars. They will select the program from a drop-down menu on the right (Early French Immersion or Middle French Immersion) and follow the prompts. This process is not first come first served. In the weeks following the close of the application, offers of placement will be sent to the email address provided by the parent. Please encourage them to check this email frequently and follow the prompts in the message when the offer is made.

 

My child is not in the TDSB and does not have an OEN.

1. For non-TDSB students, the parent/caregiver selects the “Non-TDSB Student” option on the PARS site and follows the steps to generate an identification number. They must then continue the application procedure with this number.

I can’t get on the website.

1. Please reassure the parent/caregiver that the application is not handled on a first come, first served basis. If there is an internet issue, the parent/caregiver may try again. If there is a problem with the site, please let us know via email and assure the parent/caregiver that it will be taken care of and they should try again in the next couple of days.
2. If the parent/caregiver cannot access the internet from home or has any other challenges using the on-line system, please offer them assistance at the school or have them call our office. With a DOB and OEN, anyone can submit the application for the parent/caregiver.

When will I hear?

3. Offers of placement will begin in the days following the application deadline and they will continue for the weeks following. Not all families in a given area will receive their offers of placement at the same time, but all will receive one. 
4. Please encourage the parent/caregiver to check their email frequently (including their junkmail). 

Is it a first come first served process?

1. No. All applications received by the deadline are treated with the same priority and are guaranteed a place in the program (we cannot guarantee placement in a given school). 
2. All applications received after the deadline will be held on a waitlist.

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Reading Mentors - Volunteers needed!

For English and French

Reading is a life skill and our goals in TDSB is to have all students reading by the end of Grade 1.  With the pandemic and online learning, students may not have had the same opportunities for reading as they do in person at school and therefore we do see gaps in children's reading.

We are looking for parent volunteers to read to students regularly for 10-15 mins at school in both English and French.  All volunteers must show proof of vaccination to Ms Rosenbloom or Mr Parkes prior to the start of volunteering.

If you are interested, please complete the following Reading Mentor Form.

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Throwing Away Old DVDs?

Owen would love to collect old Disney or other kid friendly movies for our rainy indoor days to lunchtime.  If you have any old DVDs that are in good shape, please send them with your child to school.  We will have a box in the office for donations.

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Indigenous Education Month

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Hindu Heritage Month

To learn more about the Hindu contributions to Canada please click on the link below.

Hindu Heritage Month

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Diwali

Diwali, or Dipawali, is India's biggest and most important holiday of the year. The festival gets its name from the row (avali) of clay lamps (deepa) that Indians light outside their homes to symbolize the inner light that protects from spiritual darkness. This festival is as important to Hindus as the Christmas holiday is to Christians.

Click here for more info

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Remembrance Day

Canadians recognize Remembrance Day, originally called Armistice Day, every 11 November at 11 a.m. It marks the end of hostilities during the First World War and an opportunity to recall all those who have served in the nation’s defence.

Harold Sedore, the grandfather of Mr. Parkes, was forced to give up his Indigenous Status and Identity to defend Canada in the Second World War. 

    

                           You can read all about our Indigenous Soldiers by clicking here.

 

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Owen Students

  

If you have photos, student work or family activities you would like to share on the Owen Online for next week, please email them to jamie.parkes@tdsb.on.ca.

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