Dear Parents/Guardians,
As we navigate through our days, we continually assess and adapt our processes and procedures to improve our environment and support best practices. Thank you again for your questions, support and offers to help. We are very excited to have our parent community involved again at school.
The following Principals will be supporting the Owen Community this school year:
Acting-Principal - Caroline Rosenbloom (Aug 28 - Sept 15, 2023)
Acting-Principal - Sima Naymark (Sept 18 - mid Dec 2023\
Principal - Jill Kelsall (beginning mid Dec 2023)
If you have any question, feel free to contact the respective Principal.
- Mr Jenson Chow - Head Caretaker
- Ms. Meenu Tandon - Kindergarten
- Ms. Sharon Lee- FI Kindergarten
- Ms Julia Passarelli - Gr 4/5
- Ms Aileen Panagakos - French Core
- Ms Dara Schwartz- ESL
- Ms Adela Ching - FI 2/3
- Ms. Joyita Sen - ECE
- Ms Giovanna Marro - ECE
Dear Owen School Community,
On behalf of the Parent Council, we would like to welcome you to the new school year! We are looking forward to an exciting, inspiring and fulfilling year for everyone.
Who are we? We are a group of Owen parents/caregivers. We operate under the Rules of the Education Act and the policies and procedures set by the Toronto District School Board (School Council By-Laws link). We work very closely with Owen’s administrators.
The Executive Team consists of a Chair (or 2 Co-Chairs), a Treasurer and a Secretary. All members are elected within the first 30 days of the start of the school and nominations are open to anyone who wishes to take part and be involved.
What we do? We volunteer a few hours of our time every month to help with the school’s fundraising initiatives, after school programs, and various ways that would benefit our school’s learning environment and our community at large. The Chair(s) run the Parent Council meetings (about 6-7 of them per year), the Secretary records the minutes and the Treasurer is responsible for the Parent Council funds.
Why we do it? Because like you, we want the best for our children and our community. We believe in diversity of ideas, commitment to excellence and strong work ethic to help achieve our goals and help our children and community be the best they can be!
If, like us, you are looking to strengthen the learning environment at Owen, perhaps you are curious or want to learn more, we want to hear from you! We look forward to seeing you at our first Parent Council meeting.
We look forward to meeting with our parent community again soon. We will continue to run our Parent Council meetings using a hybrid model. We will make a zoom link available for those who cannot make it in person. We will arrange for babysitting if needed. Please complete the Parent Council Survey to help us with the planning of our first meeting.Parent Council will also conduct elections for the Parent Council Executive as well as share the many volunteer opportunities available. Whether it's helping out regularly or just when you have free time, we'd love to have you involved. Come to the meeting to hear more!
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Terry Fox Walk - Friday, September 22, 2023 @9:30 am
Every year, schools across Canada hold a Terry Fox event to raise money for cancer research. We are pleased to announce that Owen's Terry Fox Walk is here! Parents need to be sure to fill in the on-line Walking Excursion form in order for your child to participate on the neighbourhood walk.
We appreciate parents' generosity over the years and this year we will continue with past tradition in asking for parents and students to collect pledges from family and friends. You can donate directly through Owen's dedicated on-line donation page: https://schools.terryfox.ca/OwenPSNorthYork
OUR GOAL IS TO REACH $5 000. To date, Owen has collected approximately $170 000 for the Terry Fox Foundation!
If you would like to volunteer on the walk with your child's class, please contact your child's teacher directly. If you would like to help out at a post along the route (9:00am-11:00) please email paula.kuzic@tdsb.on.ca directly, and she will provide you with more information.
Thank you again for your continued support and generosity!
Terry Fox Committee
________________________________
Cross Country We will begin Cross Country training this Tuesday, Sept 12 and Thursday, Sept 14 at 8:20am.
Students in grades 2-5 are welcome to join Ms. Kuzic and Mr. Price on the Junior field. We will be training for several weeks, getting ready for the event in early October. Attendance is mandatory to be considered for the team.
Parents are welcome to attend and run with students. Parents are also welcome to help supervise high traffic areas like the parking lot and bus loops.
_______________________________
Parent Council will also conduct elections for the Parent Council Executive as well as share the many volunteer opportunities available. Whether it's helping out regularly or just when you have free time, we'd love to have you involved. Come to the meeting to hear more!
Terry Fox Walk - Friday, September 22, 2023 @9:30 am
Every year, schools across Canada hold a Terry Fox event to raise money for cancer research. We are pleased to announce that Owen's Terry Fox Walk is here! Parents need to be sure to fill in the on-line Walking Excursion form in order for your child to participate on the neighbourhood walk.
We appreciate parents' generosity over the years and this year we will continue with past tradition in asking for parents and students to collect pledges from family and friends. You can donate directly through Owen's dedicated on-line donation page: https://schools.terryfox.ca/OwenPSNorthYork
OUR GOAL IS TO REACH $5 000. To date, Owen has collected approximately $170 000 for the Terry Fox Foundation!
If you would like to volunteer on the walk with your child's class, please contact your child's teacher directly. If you would like to help out at a post along the route (9:00am-11:00) please email paula.kuzic@tdsb.on.ca directly, and she will provide you with more information.
Thank you again for your continued support and generosity!
Terry Fox Committee
We will begin Cross Country training this Tuesday, Sept 12 and Thursday, Sept 14 at 8:20am.
Students in grades 2-5 are welcome to join Ms. Kuzic and Mr. Price on the Junior field. We will be training for several weeks, getting ready for the event in early October. Attendance is mandatory to be considered for the team.
Parents are welcome to attend and run with students. Parents are also welcome to help supervise high traffic areas like the parking lot and bus loops.
_______________________________September 7, 2023
Re: Toronto Public Health Back to School Information
Dear Parent or Guardian,
As you prepare your child to return to school in September, here is some important health information from Toronto Public Health (TPH) for the upcoming school year.
Reducing the Spread of Respiratory Viruses and Communicable Diseases
To help protect our school communities during respiratory illness season, staff, students, and visitors are being reminded to:
- Stay home if they are sick or have symptoms of illness, even if they are mild.
- Use the provincial COVID-19 Self-Assessment Tool before attending school or work if they have any symptoms of illness.
- Wash or sanitize their hands often and cover their cough or sneeze with their elbow or a tissue.
- Stay up to date on vaccinations:
- Routine vaccines: Students need to be up to date with vaccinations against certain diseases as outlined in Ontario’s Immunization of School Pupils Act, or have a valid exemption. This includes vaccinations for measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, tetanus, polio, pertussis, meningococcal and chicken pox vaccines. Vaccines are available through your primary care providers or at a TPH vaccination clinic. Vaccinations need to be reported to Toronto Public Health.
- Hepatitis B, Human Papillomavirus (HPV) or Meningococcal vaccines: Students in grade 7 & 8 will be offered the hepatitis B, HPV, and meningococcal vaccines in school through TPH’s School Immunization Program. Students in grades 9 to 12 who missed these vaccines can still get them for free at a TPH vaccination clinic.
- COVID-19 boosters and Influenza vaccine: An updated booster for COVID-19 and an influenza (flu) vaccine will be available this fall. Both will be important to prevent serious illness from these viruses during peak respiratory illness season.
- As respiratory virus activity increases this fall, a well-fitted, high-quality mask in crowded indoor settings with poor ventilation, may be important, especially for those who are at higher risk of getting very sick.
Dental Screening Program
TPH Dental & Oral Health Services staff will be conducting dental screening for all elementary school grades. For children with identified dental care needs, TPH will assist families in the process of finding a dental provider and will provide information about good oral health habits.
School Health Services
TPH’s team of health professionals work to service school communities using the Healthy Schools approach, based on the Ontario Ministry of Education’s Foundations for a Healthy School. Our School Liaison Public Health Nurses provide consultation, resources, referrals, and other supports to Toronto schools.
More Information
Stay tuned for more information via your child’s school principal or visit toronto.ca/health to learn more about:
- Healthy Schools
- Health Information for School Age Parents & Caregivers
- Respiratory Viruses: Information for Parents & Caregivers
- Immunization – City of Toronto
- Resources to Support Parents & Caregivers – Sexual Health Promotion
- Mental Health Resources
Questions?
Contact Toronto Health Connection at 416-338-7600 or PublicHealth@toronto.ca.
Sincerely,
Nicole Welch BSc., MSc., RN
Director/Chief Nursing Officer
Child Youth Health and Development
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There have been some technical issues, but if you haven't already received one, an email will coming soon to the parent/guardian who is the primary or secondary contact (Priority 1 or 2). The email will include a link to complete these forms for each of your children. The sender will be “TDSB Online Form (noreply@tdsb.on.ca)” and the subject line will contain the School Name, Student Name, Date and name of the form (eg. TDSB School - John Doe - Sept 25: Start of Year Form 2021/2022).
Here is a tutorial for the Start of the Year forms that will help guide parents through this process.
- PR088 - Acceptable Use of Information Technology Resources
- PR511H - Walking Excursion - Immediate Community
- PR511E - Medical Information for Excursions
- PR511K - Physical Education Information and Intramural Information/Permission
- PR519A - Severe Weather Conditions: Permission to Leave School
- PR529B - Student Media Consent Release Form
- PR563 - Anaphylaxis
- PR571 - Code of On-line Conduct
- PR585 - Board Code of Conduct
- PR607 - Diabetes Management
- PR714 - Asthma Management
- TDSB Digital Learning Tool Consent Form (now mandatory for all grades)
Early Sign out - Please note that early dismals are a big disruption to the instructional time in the classroom. As the end of the day is extremely busy with busses, pick ups at the door, daycare pick ups and after school programs, we ask that parents do not disrupt the end of the day.
Please pick up children by 3:00 pm if they have to leave early to avoid disruption to last period. Sign out at the office before leaving. If students are leaving on a regular basis, please send a note stating the reason.
Our lunch hour begins at 11:55 am and ends at 12:55 pm.
Please go to your child's exit door and wait to pick up your child when the bell rings.
Students who were absent in the morning and entering school at lunch can go directly to their exit door and afternoon attendance will be taken then. Students do not need to sign in at the office unless it is after 12:55 pm.
TDSB Days of Significance
The list of Days of Significance that the TDSB recognizes can be found by clicking the link.
See what are students have been up to lately!
Please click here for the latest updates and newsletters.
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