Week of October 23rd, 2023

 Digital Citizenship

Using social media responsibly is important for all of our students. Digital citizenship is the responsible use of technology and etiquette pertaining to social media use. We know that social media has become part of many students' daily lives, however, recently not all of our students have been using it in a responsible manner. Please remind your child(ren) that the use of social media is not permitted at school and when using it at home, please encourage your child(ren) to use it responsibly, ethically and carefully. We invite you to engage in discussions with your child(ren) that what they post can be harmful and can negatively impact others. Social media misuse can also have far-reaching and long-lasting impact. Part of our goal as a school is to help students become responsible members of our community. That’s why it is important to remind students from time to time about good digital citizenship by highlighting safe and positive use of technology, our school’s code of conduct, TDSB policies, and potential implications of misuse. Cyber bullying, sharing and saving inappropriate pictures and videos, and other types of misuse can result in serious school consequences. With your support and partnership, we can continue to encourage students to use social media in responsible and respectful ways.

School Cell Phone Policy

To ensure a safe and respectful environment at our school, it is important for students to have their phones turned off while on school property. If you need to contact your child during school hours or if your child needs to contact you for some reason, you can call the school at 416-393-0570.

Please take a moment to review our school cell phone policy. 

Davisville JPS Cell Phone Policy

Spectrum Alternative Cell Phone Policy 

Stem in Action with Spectrum Students    

Our Spectrum students showcased their STEM skills this past week! Students worked hard to design, create and build their own desk easels. What a work of art! This activity inspired conversations around entrepreneurship and creating an easel making business. What a wonderful way to inspire entrepreneurial thinking in our students.

Messages of Inspiration from Room 113

This week, Madame Gau and Madame Samuel's class spread a little bit of love and happiness around our school. The children drew pictures of rainbows, hearts and flowers and then relayed some positive messages to their educators about the images that were then written down on their pictures. These inspiring messages, thanks to Room 113, have been posted around our school walls, doors and windows for visibility by all. 

Toronto Zoo Excursion

                                                                  

Ms. Casselman, Ms. Kang, Madame Viner and Madame Gibson had the amazing opportunity to take their classes to the Toronto Zoo this past Friday! The weather was fantastic and the animals all appeared to be happy with their visit.  Students on the trip made their teachers proud by demonstrating respect to all adults, to the zoo staff and to one another. 

This trip was not only fun, but also educational in nature with curriculum connections with the Grade 1 Science unit "Needs and Characteristics of Living Things" and the Grade 2 Science unit "Growth and Changes in Animals". 

Here is a special thank you message shared by Ms. Casselman, Ms. Kang, Madame Viner and Madame Gibson:

"We would like to say a special thank you to all of our parent volunteers who joined us at the zoo! We are also thankful that our Davisville Parent Council ensured that we could enjoy our Friday snacks and pizza. This trip would not have been possible without all of the work of our special office administrator, Liby."

Poppy-Day Campaign Kick-Off with the Royal Canadian Legion and the TTC

Ms. Armus and Mme. Smegal's classes took a field trip to Leslie Subway Station on Friday October 27 where they participated in the poppy-day campaign kick-off with the Royal Canadian Legion and the TTC. Students were invited to sit in the audience of Veterans from Sunnybrook Hospital's K Ward flanked by an Honour Guard. Students participated by leading O Canada and listened to remarks by TTC executives and Royal Canadian Legion leadership. Five students from Mme. Smegal's class had the opportunity to go to the podium and read from a TTC Veteran's story. Some students were also interviewed for CBC Radio and TV news. The students were the first to receive poppies in this year's campaign, which were honorably affixed by veterans of the 2nd world war. The students were then given many keepsakes including lapel pins, paper Line 3 commemorative trains and stickers. It was a memorable and moving excursion for all.

 

  

Week of October 16, 2023

 

Claude Watson Arts Program

Dear Grade 8 Spectrum Students and Families,

If you are interested in Dance, Drama, Music, Film and Visual Arts, then join the open house being hosted by Claude Watson Arts Program on Monday November 13th at 6:30pm. For more information, visit www.claudewatson.ca. You can also email tara.leeblight@tdsb.on.ca. 

Heydon Park Secondary School (Invitation for Spectrum Alternative Families)

We are very excited to share some information about Heydon Park Secondary School with you.

Students and their families are invited to attend the Heydon Park Open House on Thursday, November 30 at 6:00 p.m. or book a virtual tour through the Guidance Office by emailing Kimberly.rosehart@tdsb.on.ca

Please refer to the flyer below for further information on the school:

HeydonFlyer

Early Reading Work at Davisville JPS

• 

Ms. Johnson's Room 216's Puffins have been busy learning about CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words through various word building activities during October literacy centres. With their growing knowledge of consonant and short vowel sounds, the students in the class are learning to segment (break apart) and blend (put together) the sounds to read and write so many new words.

As Ms. Johnson's literacy program demonstrates, we are gradually shifting our literacy practices at the school in order to better address our students' literacy needs. Our ultimate goal, in alignment with the Multi Year Strategic Plan, is to have our students reading to their full potential with confidence, fluency and enjoyment. 

 Family Literacy Night at Davisville JPS

Please join us for our upcoming Family Literacy Night to learn more about your children's literacy development as well as some strategies that you can apply and implement with any piece of text or book you read at home with your children. Please note that this is family friendly event where you can share the joy of reading and learning together with your child. Please refer to the flyer below for all the details surrounding this event.  

Family Literacy Night Flyer

Week of October 9th, 2023

Tragic Events-We Are Here to Support!

Dear Families,

We understand this is an unpredictable and challenging time for many of us in our school community. We are all deeply impacted by the tragic events that have unfolded in Israel and the Middle East. As many of our students, staff and families have connections to these tragic events through family, friends, lived experience, history and identity, we wanted to assure you that we are here to support you all. At Davisville JPS/Spectrum Alternative, we are committed to TDSB's anti-hate and and anti-racism strategy. 

As always, parents/guardians/caregivers are encouraged to contact the school administration for any additional mental health supports that they may require during this difficult time. We know this has been a very difficult time for many in our school community and we want to ensure that everyone is being supported to the best of our ability. Please contact school administration if further support is required:

David Finkelstein, Principal: David.Finkelstein@tdsb.on.ca

Mona Moftakhar, Vice Principal: Ramona.Moftakhar@tdsb.on.ca

Here are some additional resources that were shared by the TDSB to help ensure that our students, staff and families are supported.

Jewish Community Support and Resources

Arab Community Support and Resources

Mental Health Culturally Responsive & Relevant Resource Lists

How to help students after tragic events - Educators and student support staff - School Mental Health Ontario

Immediate Supports for Students

In addition, you can access the following tips created by TDSB Professional Support Services staff about speaking with children who are experiencing difficulties. 

 Family Literacy Night at Davisville JPS

Please join us for our upcoming Family Literacy Night to learn more about your children's literacy development as well as some strategies that you can apply and implement with any piece of text or book you read at home with your children. Please note that this is family friendly event where you can share the joy of reading and learning together with your child. Please refer to the flyer below for all the details surrounding this event.  

Family Literacy Night Flyer

Fostering an Identity Centered and Inclusive Space 

At Davisville JPS and Spectrum Alternative, we continue to create an inclusive space where all of our students, families and staff experience a sense of belonging and where all identities are celebrated and appreciated. This photo captures some of the work being done in Ms. Harnick's class and across other classrooms in our school, in order to create a a school environment where differences, diversity and multiple identities are celebrated within approaches to teaching, curriculum material and assessment strategies. We strive to create a school environment where our students are able to recognize their identities posted around the school and their classrooms. Thank you to Ms. Harnick's class for this beautiful display on our school walls. 

Alternative School Community Advisory Committee (Spectrum Alternative Families)

Please note that the first ASCAC (Alternative School Community Advisory Committee) meeting will take place on Monday, October 23, 2023, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on a virtual platform. 

The agenda for this meeting will include elections for the ASCAC Executive, see below for additional details.

If you are interested in attending, please fill out the ASCAC October 23 Meeting Registration Form. Deadline to register is noon on Sunday, October 22, 2023. For those who register, a confirmation email will be sent to you by 4 pm Monday, October 23 which will contain the virtual meeting link and any additional information.

ASCAC 2023-2024 Annual Executive Elections

Alternative school students and parents/guardians are​ welcome and encouraged to nominate themselves for the ASCAC Executive. As a member of the ASCAC Executive, you will vote on matters brought to ASCAC meetings in support of alternative schools. We are seeking volunteers to self-nominate for the following positions:

• Secondary Co-Chair- Open to parents/guardians of a student enrolled in a secondary alternative school (Grade 9 to 12).
• Student Elementary and Secondary School Representatives-Open to students currently enrolled in an elementary or secondary alternative school.
• Members at Large: Elementary and Secondary-Open to parents/guardians/caregivers of a student enrolled in either and elementary or secondary school. ASCAC aims to have 5-7 Members at Large, with representation from both the elementary and secondary school panel.

Elected members are required to attend at least 50% of the five formal ASCAC virtual meetings during the 2023-24 school year. The meetings will all be held virtually and following are the meeting dates for this school year:


Monday, October 23, 2023, from 6:30pm to 8:30pm
Monday, December 18, 2023, from 6:30pm to 8:30pm
Monday, February 5, 2024, from 7:00pm to 8:00pm
Monday, April 15, 2024, from 7:00pm to 8:00pm
Monday, May 27, 2024, from 7:00pm to 8:00pm

Elections will be conducted at the ASCAC October 23, 2023, meeting.

To nominate yourself for ASCAC, please click on ASCAC Election Form and complete the Google form by noon on Sunday, October 22. Self nominations will also be accepted at the October 23 meeting prior to the election. If the number of volunteers is equal to or less than the number of open positions, appointments will be made without a vote.

For additional information on ASCAC, please visit the Alternative Schools Community Advisory Committee website.

Week of September 25th, 2023

Orange Shirt Day and National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

September 30, 2023, marks the third National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The creation of this federal statutory holiday was through legislative amendments made by the Parliament of Canada. On June 3, 2021, Bill C-5, An Act to amend the Bills of Exchange Act, the Interpretation Act and the Canada Labour Code (National Day for Truth and Reconciliation) received Royal Assent.

Orange Shirt Day, established in 2013 by Phyllis Webstad, recognizes the legacy of the Residential Schools System for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit families and communities. By wearing orange, we acknowledge the truths of Residential Schools in Canada, we honour Survivors, and we remember the thousands of children who died, many of them buried in unmarked graves. 

This year, TDSB honoured Orange Shirt Day on Friday, September 29th. In recognition of Orange Shirt Day, many of our classes were enaged in learning where they honoured and acknowledged the legacy of residential schools. The students in Madame Gau and Madame Samuel's FDK class made orange hands to remember all of the children who were taken from their homes and forced to attend residential schools far away from their families. They also made feathers in memory of the children who were forced to assimilate to the dominate culture and give up their identities. 

In Ms. Kinshuk's and Ms. Moaven's FDK class, students learned about the land and conversations were fostered about the about the history of colonialism and Indigenous ways of knowing. 

At Davisville JPS/Spectrum Alternative, Indigenous perspectives and voices will be centered and embedded across the curriculum, and our goal is to ensure that Indigenous Education is a priority. By centering Indigenous perspectives across curriculum in all areas, we want to create inclusive spaces for students to see themselves reflected and affirmed within the school community.

Indigenous education is not just for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit students, but for all students and staff. When non-Indigenous people learn about the rich histories, cultures and contemporary contexts of diverse Indigenous peoples, cross-cultural understandings occurs and a common commitment is formed, leading to equitable and more inclusive learning spaces.

Davisville Sports, Upcoming Practices and Important Dates:

*TDESAA South Conference Cross Country Meet : Tuesday October 10th @ Sunnybrook Park

Here is a link to a document with important information around the upcoming meet date. Our school coaches will be sending home a letter next week with travel details. We have buses booked for the day. Please access this for information about the meet here: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/13arwpCPT_AkrkR2-TXPxZvAN2PGY8Rqaw7iJPI8k6JA/edit?usp=sharing

*Gr. 5/6 Boys Soccer Tournament: Wednesday Oct. 3 @ Nelson Mandela Park Public School

*Girls Soccer Tournament will take place at the Island School on October 19th, more information will be shared with all players next week

PRACTICES This week: 

*Primary (grade 2 and 3) Cross Country Practices : Tuesday 8am and Thursday 8am

*Junior (grade 4-6) Cross Country Practices: Monday @ lunch, Thursday afterschool. 

*Girls Soccer Practices: Monday Oct. 2 after-school and Wednesday October 4th @ 8am

Late After-School Pick-Ups

Now that we are heading into October, this is a great time to review after-school pick up procedures. This way we can minimize any confusion and maximize student safety. Please review the following after school procedures for students attending Davisville JPS:

• At dismissal time, we ask for your cooperation and support by ensuring that you pick up your child(ren) as promptly as possible. Our school yard needs to be cleared by 4:00 pm to allow for our after care program to use our yard and access our playscape. Therefore, we kindly ask that families vacate the premises by 4:00pm. 
• Please note (as per the image above) that families can regain access to our playground at 6:00pm.
• At the end of the day, it is important that students are picked up by a trusted person; this may be a parent, caregiver, grandparent, daycare provider, babysitter, older sibling, etc… This should be arranged with the teacher, so they know who to be looking for and to release to an authorized person and should be discussed with the student ahead of time, so they can identify the person picking them up. 
• Students should be picked up at 3:25pm. If students are not picked up after school at this time, they will be supervised by Door 5 in our vestibule area (inside entrance of school) with a staff member until you arrive. Beyond 3:40pm, students will be taken to the office and asked to wait until an authorized person comes to pick them up. During this time, you may receive a phone call from us to clarify on timing or pickup. ***It is very important that parent(s)/caregivers try to pick up their child as close to 3:25pm as possible on a daily basis. We appreciate your support on this. 

Ward Forum for Parents/Caregivers (Multi-Year Strategic Plan)

There will a Virtual Joint Ward Forum for parents/caregivers and community members on Tuesday October 3, 2023 from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm via Zoom. Attached you will find the Ward 5, 8 and 11 Virtual Joint Ward MYSP flyer.

Registration Open! Parents & Caregivers as Partners Conference

Join us at our annual Parents and Caregivers as Partners Conference on October 21 and 22, 2023. Parents, guardians, and caregivers are invited to participate in a weekend of learning, connection, and engagement and to learn strategies to support your child throughout the year.

Visit www.parentsaspartners.ca to register, for more information and updates.

As last year, we have partnered with the TDSB’s Outdoor Education team and the City of Toronto to bring a unique experience to the conference. All of these in-person sessions are scheduled between 2:00 and 3:30 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday. Transportation from central sites is available to all venues, leaving the location at 1:00 p.m. and returning at 3:30 p.m. More information will be provided as we approach closer to the date.

Week of September 18th, 2023

Yom Kippur

For those in our community who are observing Yom Kippur this weekend, we wish you a meaningful holy day and a blessed new year.

Identity Affirming Space

At Davisville JPS and Spectrum Alternative, it is important for us to ensure that students have an opportunity to share their identities and learn about others’ identities in positive and affirming ways. In their classroom instruction, our staff are looking for ways to consider and incorporate multiple identities within their approaches to teaching, curriculum material, and assessment styles. We aim to create an environment in our school where students are able to recognize their identities within the material posted around the school and classrooms, the themes and big ideas pulled from the curriculum, and the differentiated approaches used by educators.

 

Spectrum Trip to Island Natural Science School

On Monday September 18th, our Spectrum Alternative students and staff traveled to the Island Natural Science School for a 3-day overnight trip, where they engaged in an outdoor program focused on sustainability and environmental stewardship. Students interacted with their environment through photography, gardening, and storytelling, all while building community with their peers. What a great way to kickstart the new school year! 

Newcomer Settlement Services at Davisville JPS  

Settlement Workers in Schools (SWIS), also known as SEPT, offers settlement services to newly arrived families. Settlement Workers deliver individual/family services or group programs that help participants to understand and to successfully transition into the education system and to accelerate the settlement process. Settlement Workers are placed in different schools and library sites across the city to connect newcomers to resources and services in their community. 

Please read the newsletter embedded below to learn more about settlement workers and the services and supports they provide. The contact information for the settlement worker at Davisville JPS can also be found in the newsletter: 

Newcomer Services-Newsletter

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day September 30, 2023

September 30 is National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Together we recognize the legacy of Canada’s residential school system and continue to learn the many truths of these institutions.

Orange Shirt Day, established in 2013 by Phyllis Webstad, recognizes the legacy of the Residential Schools System for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit families and communities. By wearing orange, we acknowledge the truths of Residential Schools in Canada, we honour Survivors, and we remember the thousands of children who died, many of them buried in unmarked graves.

This year, TDSB will honour Orange Shirt Day on Friday, September 29th.

Curriculum Night

Our Curriculum Night for Davisville will take place on Thursday, October 12th, 2023. For our Spectrum Alternative families, our curriculum night has been scheduled for Tuesday, October 3rd, 2023. More information about these nights will be forthcoming soon. We look forward to seeing our families that evening. 

Week of September 11th, 2023

Wishing our Jewish students, staff and school community a very happy new year! May your year be full of love, health and happiness. Shana Tova to all those celebrating! 

Drop Off and Pick-Up Routines

Morning drop off and dismissal is a busy time at our school. Here are some key points to be aware of when planning pick up and drop off of students: 

• Supervision starts at 8:40 am every morning for students in Grades 1-6. At this time, staff will be on duty. Therefore, we encourage families not to drop students off before 8:40am, as there is no guaranteed supervision available.
• Our playground area will not be supervised by staff before the start of school (i.e., 8:40-8:55am). Therefore, please ensure that you supervise your child(ren) should they wish to use the playscape area during this time. 
• At dismissal time, we ask for your cooperation and support by ensuring that you pick up your child(ren) as promptly as possible. Our school yard needs to be cleared by 4:00 pm to allow for our after care program to use our yard and access our playscape. Therefore, we kindly ask that families vacate the premises by 4:00pm. 
• Please note (as per the image above) that families can regain access to our playground at 6:00pm.

Upcoming Dates and Events

Here are some upcoming dates and information about school wide events and sports activities/try-outs:

• Our Davisville School-Wide Terry Fox Run/Walk/Wheel is on Thursday September 21st!! You are welcome to watch and cheer on your child from outside of the school yard. We are hoping to raise over $3500.00, so if you would like to donate, you can send cash with your child or donate online: https://schools.terryfox.ca/DavisvillePSToronto. We will continue to collect donations until the end of September.

• The Cross Country Season is upon us! Davisville has already started tryouts and practices for students in Grades 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.  We realize there were some technical difficulties last week, but we encourage you to keep trying to complete the online permission through the EMA system.  Below are some important practice dates and times: 

Primary Gr 2 & 3 Cross Country Practices this week:

• Tuesday Sept. 19th @ 8am - Km Club running
• Wednesday Sept 20th @ 8am - Running Games
• Friday Sept 22nd @ 8am - Km Club running

Junior (Grades 4-6) Cross Country Practices this week:

• Monday Sept. 18th at lunch
• Wednesday Sept 20th at 3:25 - 4:30pm

Girls and Boys Soccer Sign Ups and Tryouts This Week!

We are starting a new Soccer Season this year. Students in Grades 4-6 are eligible to sign-up and tryout. The first tryout for Girls Soccer will be on Thursday Sept. 21st. A sign up sheet will go up in the gym on Monday and more information will be shared next week. The Boys' sign up sheet will also go up next week and the 1st tryout will be during the following week.

Curriculum Night

Our Curriculum Night for Davisville will take place on Thursday, October 12th, 2023. For our Spectrum Alternative families, our curriculum night has been scheduled for Tuesday, October 3rd, 2023. More information about these nights will be forthcoming soon. We look forward to seeing our families that evening. 

First Week of School News

Welcome 

Dear Davisville JPS/Spectrum Alternative Families,

Welcome to the new school year! If you are returning, welcome back. If you are new to our school, we are glad to have you join our school community. We know that you are going to enjoy being part of this vibrant school community! Parent/caregiver voice is always welcomed at Davisville JPS and Spectrum Alternative. Building strong partnerships between schools, educators and families is key to ensuring the success and well-being of all students. 

To help keep you all abreast of school and board wide events, we will be releasing a weekly school blog every Sunday. The blog will allow our families to stay informed on school happenings and helps keep our community connected.  In addition to the school blog, Twitter is another platform that will be used to engage and communicate with our families.  

Please follow us on Twitter at @davisville_jps & @SpectrumAltern2

Morning Drop Off

Adult supervision starts at 8:40am every morning for students in Grades 1-6. You will see a staff member walking around in a safety vest if there are issues or concerns that need to be addressed. We encourage families not to drop students off before 8:40am, as there is no guaranteed supervision available.

Punctuality/Late Arrivals

Students are expected to arrive at school on time and line up with their classes. Students arriving late in the morning must enter through the front doors and sign in at the office for a late slip that they will take to their classes. This allows us to maintain adequate attendance of who is in our building.

Visitors/Volunteers

If you are a visitor or volunteer to our school, please make sure you sign in at the office and take a visitor badge. It is also important to sign out upon your departure and return the visitor badge to the office. 

Early Student Pick-Up Form

Please note that if you are picking up your child(ren) early from school for an appointment or any other reason, you will need to complete the Student Pick Up Form embedded below. To help minimize class interruptions, it is important that the teachers and staff working with your child(ren) are aware of the arrangement ahead of time. Completing this form also helps us ensure that students are picked up by someone with proper authorization. Once this form is completed, we will do our best to ensure that your child is down in the office ready for pick up at the requested time.

Davisville/Spectrum Student Pick Up Form

Allergies

Some of our staff and students have severe allergic reactions to certain foods and food products. A very common allergy in our school is a severe reaction to peanuts and nut products. Please remember that Davisville JPS/Spectrum Alternative are allergen aware and allergen-safe schools. For the well-being and safety of students and staff with allergies, please do not send any food items to school which may contain nut products and remind your child(ren) not to exchange/share food with others at school. Please read food labels carefully. 
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Non-Food Items & Special Occasions

Should you wish to celebrate special occasions in the classroom, please only send non-edible treats/non-food items to school to share with other students. There are many alternatives to bringing in food for birthdays and special occasions. Some suggestions for families include stickers, pencils or erasers, donating a book or board game in honour of your child’s birthday to the class.

Davisville and Spectrum School Wide Terry Fox Run (Thursday Sept. 21, 2023

“I’ve said to people before that I’m going to do my very best to make it, I’m not going to give up. But I might not make it… if I don’t, the Marathon of Hope better continue.”

-Terry Fox

The students at Davisville and Spectrum will be participating in the Terry Fox Run,Walk or Wheel on Thursday September 21st. Our Kindergarten students will run/walk/wheel around the school track from 9:35 am - 10:00 am. Junior classes (Grade 4-6) and Spectrum students(Grade 7/8) will be participating from 10:35 am- 11:25am. Primary classes (Grade 1-3) will be participating after lunch from 12:50 - 1:30pm. All participants will be supervised by their teachers and other staff members.

Parents/guardians who would like to cheer on the students are please asked to watch from behind the fence so that we can maintain the safety of our students.

To commemorate the Terry Fox Run, our students and staff are invited to wear RED and WHITE for Canada! Terry is a Canadian Icon and this is a way to honour him. 

This run is an annual event to raise funds in the fight to find a cure for cancer. Last year, we raised $2874.00 and our goal this year is to raise over $3500.00! We are asking that each student make an online voluntary contribution of at least $2, “A Toonie for Terry”. If you and your family would like to make a larger contribution we appreciate your generosity to this worthy cause. Donations can be made online at https://schools.terryfox.ca/DavisvillePSToronto.

Toonies will also be collected at school during the week of our run for anyone who cannot make a contribution online. We will continue to collect donations until the last day in September.

As a little incentive, for every $1000 we raise, the Davisville students will be awarded an extra 15 minute recess!!! Let’s go Davisville, together we can make a difference!

If you have any questions, please contact our Terry Fox Committee Members:

Ms. Harnick at gillian.harnick@tdsb.on.ca or Ms. Francesca at francesca.piccione@tdsb.on.ca.

Let’s keep Terry’s dream to find a cure for cancer alive.

Snack Program

We are hoping to launch our snack program on the week of September 18th. Please stay tuned for further information on this in our next weekly blog.