Owen Family Update- Week of June 13th, 2022

 Dear Owen Parents/Guardians,

We were paid a special visit from Ms. Rosenbloom last week, and she is recovering very quickly.  She fully expects to be present for our grade 5 graduation ceremony on June 28th.   

This week will be very busy, with some of our students heading on field trips, writing and/or preparing for EQAO's,  and our final parent council meeting of the year at 6:30 pm on Wednesday.    

With the expectation being that we are fully opened next year, we would love to have more parents become a part of our amazing Owen team.  If you are interested, please come out to our parent council this week, and get a feel for what takes place.   

The link can be found here. 

As a reminder, you need to email the office and your child's classroom teacher PRIOR to the start of the school day of any early pick-ups or appointments.  This also shouldn't be done during the last period of the day.   Please help our office staff out with this, as sometimes, they are at work in other areas and unavailable to help.  

- Sima and Jamie 

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Virtual Pride Assembly

There will be a school-wide virtual assembly to celebrate Pride Month on Wednesday, June 15th at 1pm. The Grade 2 French and English classes at Owen are responsible for preparing this assembly! The link has been changed to our parent council link.

Additionally, the grade 2 class will be selling "Rainbow Rocket" candy on Tuesday June 14th for $1.

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Information about the ordering of yearbooks will be coming out this week. Stay tuned for an update from our classroom teachers.

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Kids Kitchen Hot Lunch Program

Do you want to order a hot lunch for your child?  You can find details for Kids Kitchen Hot Lunch Program by visiting their website.

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National Indigenous History Month 

June is National Indigenous History Month and June 21st is National Indigenous Peoples Day, a time to celebrate and learn from First Nations, Métis and Inuit people about the diverse cultures, histories, experiences, creations, perspectives, and achievements.

Join the Urban Indigenous Education Centre (UIEC) throughout the month of June for opportunities for staff, students and educators to engage with Indigenous artists, authors, and speakers through various virtual workshops and panel discussions.

All month long, the UIEC is hosting several events and celebrations with Dr. Elder Duke Redbird, Dr. Pamela Palmater, Ange Loft, David A. Robertson, Becky Han and others, along with Two-Spirit & Indigiqueer Pride.

During the month of June, the TDSB recognizes National Indigenous Peoples Day, which is celebrated on Tuesday, June 21. This year, UIEC will have a board-wide virtual celebration on Friday, June 17.

This is a day of significance for many Indigenous Peoples in the country we call Canada today. It marks the day when the Sun is closest to the Earth. It is the longest day of the year and the shortest night. Many First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples celebrate the Summer Solstice. It is a time that reminds us to remain grounded, humble and appreciative. It is usually celebrated by coming together with family and community for a feast. Traditional foods are an important aspect of the feast as they signify connection to the land and animals.    

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                     Family and Caregiver Early Literacy Website

As part of our commitment to early reading, Early Years has developed a family and caregiver website to encourage families and caregivers to explore early literacy in their home and community.  This website supplements the Family and Caregiver Guide that was released last week that outlines the vision of early reading in the TDSB in partnership with families and communities.  Both the website and the Guide are led by our vision of families and provide an overview of foundational early reading skills and essential instructional approaches.  Suggestions of strategies for families and caregivers are shared in both resources that  extend, respond and honour children’s competencies in early literacy behaviours.

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 Student News

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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