Dates to Remember

9 – Grade 8’s go to Barrie North

15 – 16– Primary Play

17 – Assembly- Primary 9:00- Jr., Int. 11:15

21 – Holidays Start

Principal’s Message

Dear West Bayfield Family and Friends,

It’s so hard to believe that December is upon us. It seems as though the first three months of school have gone by so quickly. Thank you to all of our families for a great first portion of the 2015-2016 school year. It was great to see so many families out to our Book Fair; thank you for your support again this year. Mrs. Helm will be able to make some great purchases for our library in order to support literacy for your child(ren).

Our Global Action team has started our Barrie Food Drive for the holiday season. Please consider donating non-perishable food items to the school. We are also collecting mittens and hats for our Tree of Warmth and unwrapped toys. A big thank you to those families who have already started donating!

Promoting an all-around healthy lifestyle is very important. During the week prior to the holidays, we will be providing the students at West Bayfield a school-wide healthy snack. We will be having a yogurt parfait day. Students will be served yogurt and fruit. More information will be coming home shortly with your child.

A reminder to our families that we have some students who are frightened of dogs. We ask that you respect our school rule that no dogs are permitted on school property. We have had situations where some of our youngest Broncos are afraid to head outside at the end of the day due to the fact that they many encounter a dog. We also have some students who are allergic to dogs. There have been times where families have tried to bring dogs into the school while picking up children at the end of the day. We are asking that this not continue. Thank you for supporting us while we continue to keep all of our student safe.

A reminder to all families that if you have a question, concern or comment, please do not hesitate to see us in the office or chat with us in the morning or at the end of the day when you see us out and about on the yard. We would be happy to answer your questions or help you to solve a situation that may arise.

As we enter a season of various celebrations from many different cultures we wish everyone all the best of cherished memories as you celebrate together with family and friends.

From our family to yours have a restful Holiday Break!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Pino Mrs. Case

Winter is on the way

As our winter months are quickly coming students are reminded to dress for the weather. Please ensure students have appropriate clothing. (hats, mitts, boots, snow pants ).

The guidelines for when student remain in doors are:

Both the Canadian Paediatric Society and the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU) recommend minimum temperature limits for outdoor play. These organizations and the SCDSB recommend that children be kept indoors if the temperature falls below -25°C, or if the wind chill is -28°C or greater (Canadian Paediatric Society, 2009). Exposed skin will begin to freeze at -27°C.

Popcorn

Popcorn Wednesdays are back again. Pay as you go- just $2.00 a bagevery WednesdayOR prepay for the entire year at just $1.60 per bag (that's $40 for 25 weeks of popcorn). Pre-paid orders are still being accepted - just email Mrs. Walters at and we will sign you up. (All proceeds are going towards our Intermediate year-end outdoor education trip).

Christmas Cheer

Once again our school will be participating in the Christmas Cheer Drive to support needy families in Barrie. We will be collecting non-perishable food items, new unwrapped toys, new books, Canadian Tire Money, mittens and hats from December 1 through December 12. Our goal this year is to collect more than the 2500 items. Thank you for your ongoing support of this initiative.

Primary Play

Our primary students have been working on their winter musical performance The Grumps.

All are welcome to attend with a donation to Christmas Cheer of money, new unwrapped gift ,toy, teenage beauty item, non-perishable food item or Canadian Tire money.

Performance times are:

1) December 15th - 2:00 p.m.

2) December 16th - 9:30 a.m.

Hope to see you there.

Pediculosis (Head Lice)

Parent/guardians should check their childrens’ heads on a weekly basis for head lice. At school we do our best to keep you informed of outbreaks of head lice reported to us by parents. It is the responsibility of each parent/guardian to monitor this situation and inform the school of an outbreak. Such reports will remain confidential but general notification will be sent home to affected classes.

Pediculosis Facts and Treatment

Head lice is spread primarily by direct head-to-head contact with an infested person: however, it is still recommended that parents discourage their children from sharing brushes, combs and hats. The eggs (nits) hatch in 7-10 days. Head lice can be passed on to others as long as there are any live lice. Head lice may be brown or grayish, with flat wingless bodies. They are small insects about 2-3 mm in length and about half as wide. They move quickly and shy away from the light, making them difficult to see. They bite the scalp to obtain blood which is their only means of survival. It is the biting which causes the infested person to feel itchy. Head lice can only survive for up to 56 hours if off the head. The nits are tiny and may be yellowish-white, brown or gray. They are glued to the hair near the scalp. Unlike lint of dandruff, they will not wash off or blow away. Eggs may be found throughout the hair but are most often located at the nape of the neck, behind the ears and at the crown. A magnifying glass and natural light may help when looking for them. Treatment: All infested family members should be treated at the same time. There are special crème rinses and shampoos which contain chemicals which kill the lice. Regardless of the product used, the nits must be removed manually. If you are treating others, wear plastic or rubber gloves. Read the package directions of the product you have chosen and follow them carefully. If you have questions about the product, ask your pharmacist or consult with your doctor. To help loosen the eggs after the treatment, a suggestion is to rinse hair with warm water and vinegar (half water, half vinegar). Keep hair wrapped in a wet towel and leave vinegar on hair for one hour.

Playground – Danger of Strangulation

Each year in Canada, thousands of children get hurt at the playground playing on slide, monkey bars or swings. Some children have died when their clothing or drawstrings got caught on playground equipment or fences. Some children have died when they became entangled in ropes or skipping ropes attached to playground equipment. Loose clothing, hoods, scarves, drawstrings, mitten cords, ropes and skipping ropes can strangle a child.

Safety Tips:

·  Remove cords and drawstrings on children’s hoods, hats and jackets

·  Tuck in all clothing that can get caught on playground equipment

·  Wear a neck warmer instead of a scarf

·  Take off bicycle helmets before using playground equipment. Bicycle helmets can strangle a child.

French Immersion and Extended French info nights and registration info
The Simcoe County District School Board (SCDSB) offers French Immersion (FI) and Extended French as a Second Language (EFSL) at select schools throughout the county. FI begins in Grade 1 and EFSL begins in Grade 5. These programs give students a bilingual education and the opportunity to become fluent in another language.

Information sessions will be held in January for parents of Kindergarten and Grade 4 students. A letter will be sent home to those parents with more details. Information session dates will be posted at www.scdsb.on.ca under Programs, French as a Second Language.

To apply for these programs, you must complete the online application form in January at www.scdsb.on.ca under Programs, French as a Second Language. The FI application form will be available from 9 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 18, until 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2016. The EFSL application form will be available from 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 20, until 9 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 21, 2016.

While every effort will be made to accommodate all FI applications, available space and staffing will determine how many students can be registered in the program. Applications will be processed in the order they are received electronically.

EFSL is an open access program. This means that any student starting Grade 5 in September 2016 will be eligible for the EFSL program, and all online applications will be processed. It is important to note that January 2016 is the last time students can register for the EFSL program in the SCDSB, as the EFSL program is being phased out. Parents who do not have Internet access at home, or who require other assistance accessing the online application, should contact the school.

High School information nights coming soon to a high school near you
Is your child starting Grade 9 next year? High school information nights happen this winter! Information nights give an overview of what’s new and what to expect, and are a chance to ask questions.

High school is an exciting time—there are so many programs, clubs and activities for students to try. Attend an information night to find out what’s offered at your local high school. See the info night schedule and more information on the SCDSB’s website at www.scdsb.on.ca/highschool.

Kindergarten Registration opens in January
Do you (or someone you know) have a child who was born in 2012? If so, it’s almost time to register them for Kindergarten in the SCDSB! Beginning on January 25, 2016, Simcoe County’s public schools will be registering children for Kindergarten for the 2016-2017 school year. Required registration documents include birthdate documentation, proof of address and record of immunization. For more information, visit www.scdsb.on.ca/kindergarten.

English as a Second Language – Register now for winter sessions
Do you or someone you know want to improve your English language skills? The SCDSB Learning Centres can help. English as a Second Language (ESL) classes for adults are offered at the Barrie and Bradford Learning Centres, and at the Allison Learning Centre (pending enrolment numbers). Please visit www.thelearningcentres.com or call for more information: Barrie 705-725-8360, Bradford: 905-775-4432 or Alliston: 705-435-7778.


Message from the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit: Healthy Celebrations
Healthy classroom/school celebrations are great opportunities for children to practice the healthy eating habits they learn in the classroom. Make it easier for students to choose healthy foods and provide a healthier option for your child’s next classroom celebration – here are some ideas:

·  Send a tray of watermelon slices, a box of clementine oranges or fruit kabobs.

·  Send a tray of whole grain crackers, cubes of lower fat cheese and grapes.

·  Prepare chocolate-dipped strawberries for Valentine’s day!

For more information you can call Health Connection at 705-721-7520 or 1-877-721-5720 and speak with a public health nurse or visit the health unit’s website at www.simcoemuskokahealth.org.

Holiday gift ideas from the Health Unit: Tooth-Friendly Stocking Stuffers

•  Sugarless gum

•  Popcorn

•  Two-minute timer for teeth-brushing time

•  Fun themed or light up toothbrush

•  Flavoured dental floss

•  Sports mouth guard