Owen Family Update - Week of April 3, 2023

Dear Parents/Guardians,

Spring time is here and we had a glimpse of it this weekend.  This week will be very very wet so please ensure your children are dressed for the weather.  A reminder that students will be outside during light rain.

Owen is very busy getting ready to wrap up and prepare for the end of the school year and at the same time, welcome new registrations and organize for the new school year.

Please see below for information if your child will be moving to another school.

We have also had the stomach flu go through our Owen classes.  If your child is sick, please arrange for your child to stay home.  The more we can do to help prevent the spread of illness, the less chance of others will get sick. 

This is a short week. If your child will be absent for an early or extended vacation, please email our safe arrival at owen@tdsb.on.ca. 

Happy Passover and Happy Easter to those families who celebrate!

~ Your Friendly Admin Team

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After School and Lunchtime Programs – SPRING 2023

Last Day to Register!

Please see the following link for our After School and Lunchtime Programs for the Spring time.  We've had great enrollment for our programs.  Please note registration ends Monday April 3rd. Anyone requesting a later registration will need to contact the vendor directly.

Please keep in mind that the vendors are responsible for the students during the after school program.  The office is closed at 4:30 pm and will not be able to open the doors.  Only the vendors will be responsible to bring the students to the front at the end of the program.

If you have any questions about the program, contact the vendors directly.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hxOZaTwTZR8uRzVvn-t95YDnOv0kagZcRZ-3BmYxKu8/edit?usp=sharing 

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Moving Out of Owen for September 2023?

As we are beginning the process for next year please let us know if your child will be moving to another school.  We want to make sure their Ontario Student Records (OSR) or any other important information gets forwarded to their new school.  If students are moving out of the province, their OSR will stay at Owen and can be retrieved if they return to Ontario.

Grade 5 students graduating will also need to complete this form.

Please complete the form by Monday April 24th, 2023.

https://bit.ly/MovingOutOfOwen-2023

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Next Meeting - Monday April 24th 2023

Where:  Owen PS - Staffroom
When: Monday March 27th 2023
Time:  6:00 pm - 7:45 pm.

TOPIC - Dealing with Anxiety with Mege Ebifegha (School Social Worker) and Jennifer Haugh (Itinerant Child & Youth Counsellor)

In this session, we will be able to learn how anxiety manifests itself in different ways. Behaviours may be different based on how children respond to stress and triggers.  Come learn about different strategies to help support your child to cope with anxiety.This is a great opportunity to ask questions and share experiences with other parents.

Please register at https://bit.ly/ParentNetworkGroup 

Childcare will be available.  If you require childcare, please fill out this form.

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Yearbook Cover Contest - Due May 2nd 2023

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Registration Information

Program Dates: July 4 to July 28, 2023

• Registration is online. To fill out an application, please click on the registration form link for a school below.
• Most classes run for three (3) hours from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., except for four (4) full day sites that run 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. which include: Greenholme JMS, Oakridge PS, Rose Avenue JPS and Yorkwoods PS.
• The remote (online) program is NOT associated with a particular school. Students who are registered will be grouped by grade and assigned an online teacher.

Health and Safety

The TDSB takes direction from the Ministry of Education and Toronto Public Health related to Covid-19 protocols. We will continue to keep you informed of any direction changes that impact our programming, which may include the transition to fully remote. All established health and safety precautions will continue through the summer. For more information and resources about in-person learning, please visit, TDSB Health and Safety Section.

Devices for online learning

The Continuing Education Department will not be supplying students with digital devices for its summer programs. For TDSB students who need access to a device for the summer, they may request to borrow one from their home school. Non-TDSB students will need to provide their own digital devices to support their online learning. Here is more information about TDSB digital learning tools.

Please note - there are limited spaces available for both in-person and remote programs.

For more information check out the TDSB Elementary Summer School Website.

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TDSB’s Summer Music & Art Camp 2023

The TDSB Summer Music and Art Camps are open to young artists and musicians of all skill levels and offers a variety of programs including band, orchestra, strings and individual instruction. Campers will have the opportunity to improve their skills, make new friends, and perform in a final concert at the end of the camp. Don’t miss this chance to spend your summer making music and having fun!

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Summer Camps 2023

Interested in summer camps in French?  For more information check out their website.

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Next Meeting: Wednesday April 26th

6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

Staffroom

Join us for our second last Parent Council meeting. We will be discussing:

• class models and an overview of the process
• Learning Opportunity Index and what this means to Owen
• change in parent council executives
• ways to encourage more parent involvement
• upcoming events
• other important announcements

If you can't make it in person, you can join us virtually. Here is the information on how to connect. You can also find the link on the school calendar.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://tdsb-ca.zoom.us/j/95361423972?pwd=aVEwdEp6MHVnUXNUSG45NXdDY3R1dz09

Meeting ID: 953 6142 3972
Passcode: 707448
One tap mobile
+16473744685,,95361423972#,,,,*707448# Canada
+16475580588,,95361423972#,,,,*707448# Canada

Dial by your location
        +1 647 374 4685 Canada
        +1 647 558 0588 Canada
Meeting ID: 953 6142 3972
Passcode: 707448
Find your local number: https://tdsb-ca.zoom.us/u/acrDTnE9aY

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Spring Fling - Thursday May 25th 2023

We are very excited to bring back our family fun Spring Fling event! This will be the biggest event of the year! A carnival that has always been enjoyed by our students, their siblings and families.

Save the date.  Come join us for games, crafts, food, dance and special activities. More details to come.  Volunteers are needed to help make this a fun and successful event!

Where:  Owen PS school yard

When: Thursday May 25th 2023

Time:  4:00 pm - 7:00 pm

WE NEED YOU!  These events can only run when parents are involved as this event is run by our Parent Council.  You can help in many different ways and donate your time based on your own schedule.  You can be a lead to organize a segment or be a helper to put things together or run an event the day of Spring Fling.  Here are some areas we will need help in:

- games

- food - pizza/freezies/juice/popcorn

- body stickers/tatoos/henna

- ticket sales

- bottle bonanza/bake sale

- volunteer organizer (parents and/or MS or Highschool students)

- sponsorship coordinator

These are just to name a few.  If you are able to help out to make this a successful return of our Spring Fling, please fill in the form below.

Here is a link for parent volunteers and a link for student volunteers for middle or high school students.

Need more information? If you have more questions about Spring Fling, please contact Parent Council Co-chairs Yassamin and Evelyn at OwenPSParentCouncil@gmail.com. 

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Marvelous & Mind-Boggling Math

aka M&M Math

Click here to play

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Kindergarten Concert - Save the Date!

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Hot Lunch Options

Hot lunches are back at Owen! Please refer to these flyers for more information on ordering.  Please note the dates of your orders as some students are arriving at school without lunch on these dates.  Any questions you have about concerns with the orders, please contact the vendors directly.

 Kid's Kitchen March flyer (For Friday lunches)

April is coming soon ... and we are announcing a new monthly special!

 

Chicken Shawarma Wrap

(halal friendly)

 

or 

 

Falafel Wrap 

 

 

All Specials are available on the days we service your school from April 3 - 28, 2023. http:///www.kidskitchen.ca

Hero Burger Flyer (For Monday lunches) 

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Pizza Lunch - Thursday April 6th, 2023

Please note that pizza's are pre-ordered and cannot be requested the day of.

If you have questions about School Cash Online, please contact nahid.vashghani@tdsb.on.ca.

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Please help with our April Front Foyer Displays

During the month of April, the TDSB Observes

• Genocide Awareness Month
• Latin-America History Month (see also October Hispanic Heritage Month)
• Sikh Heritage Month
• World Autism Month

A number of families also celebrate

• Ramadan
• Easter
• Passover

If your family observes these or any other days of significance or heritage months and you wish to lend some decorations that we could put on display, please send these in with your child's name on them (so we can return them) to the attention of Ms. Richter-Glinos.  If you have time to help put together the displays please email hella.richter-glinos@tdsb.on.ca.  

Genocide Awareness Month

During the Month of April, TDSB observes Genocide Awareness Month.  Genocide Awareness is part of the Combatting Hate and Racism Student Learning Strategy.  

"Strategic Directions:

• Create a Culture for Student and Staff Well-Being

• Transform Student Learning

• Provide Equity of Access to Learning Opportunities for All Students

• Build Strong Relationships and Partnerships Within School Communities to Support Student

Learning and Well-Being"

https://www.tdsb.on.ca/Leadership/Boardroom/Agenda-Minutes/Type/A?Folder=Agenda%2F20220302&Filename=5.pdf

Latin America History Month

"Latin America History Month is proudly recognized at the TDSB during the month of April because of a motion passed through our Board of Trustees in 2016. This year the theme to mark Latin America History Month is (Decolonizing) Latin America History Month & Beyond:  Honouring & Uplifting the Real Hxstories and Multiplicities of Our Identities."  https://www.tdsb.on.ca/home/ctl/Details/mid/43823/itemId/90

Sikh Heritage Month

"Sikh Heritage Month has proudly been recognized at the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) during the month of April since 2016. The TDSB became the first school board in Canada to designate April of each year as Sikh Heritage Month. This designation matches the recognition by the Province of Ontario that proclaimed the Sikh Heritage Month Act in December 2013, and the recognition proclaimed by the Government of Canada on April 30, 2019. Sikh Heritage Month is recognized nationally across Canada.

Sikh Canadians have lived in Ontario since the turn of the twentieth century. They have made significant contributions to the growth and prosperity of Ontario and their traditions and culture continues to be a vibrant part of every aspect of life of Canadians today." https://www.tdsb.on.ca/home/ctl/Details/mid/43823/itemId/89

Autism Awareness Month

April is Autism Awareness Month in the TDSB and April 2 is World Autism Awareness day.

The goal of these observances is to make the world a more neuro-inclusive place.  "We are moving away from the narrative of curing or converting autistic people and instead focusing on accepting, supporting and including autistic people, and advocating for their rights. "

 https://www.un.org/en/observances/autism-day.  

What is Ramadan?

"Ramadan is the most sacred month of the year in Islamic culture. Muslims observe the month of Ramadan, to mark that Allah, or God, gave the first chapters of the Quran to the Prophet Muhammad in 610, according to the Times of India. During Ramadan, Muslims fast, abstain from pleasures and pray to become closer to God. It is also a time for families to gather and celebrate."  https://www.livescience.com/61815-what-is-ramadan.html

What is Passover?

"Passover 2023 will be celebrated from April 5 - April 13. The first Seder will be on April 5 after nightfall, and the second Seder will be on April 6 after nightfall. Passover is celebrated by eating matzah (unleaven bread) and maror (bitter herbs). For the duration of the 8 (or 7 days in Israel) of Passover, which celebrates the emancipation of the Hebrews from Egyptian slavery, chametz (leaven) is strictly avoided."

https://www.chabad.org/holidays/passover/pesach_cdo/aid/871715/jewish/What-Is-Passover-Pesach.htm

What is Easter?

"Easter is the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus from the tomb on the third day after his crucifixion. Easter is the fulfilled prophecy of the Messiah who would be persecuted, die for our sins, and rise on the third day (Isaiah 53)"

https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/undertanding-the-history-and-symbols-of-easter-1256039.html

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Days of Significance

We are always looking for families to create displays in our front foyer to share their special cultural holidays.  If you would like to share your special holiday, please contact the office and we'll arrange a time for you and some students to help with the display.

Some Days of Significance in the coming week are:

If you have a particular day that you would like to bring our attention to, please contact hella.richter-glinos@tdsb.on.ca. 

The list of Days of Significance that the TDSB recognizes can be found by clicking the link.

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Student News

See what our students have been up to lately.

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 hella.richter-glinos@tdsb.on.ca .

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