February Newsletter
Please mark the dates below on your February calendar in order to continue to
support school spirit, equity and connection by observing these special days:
February is Black History Month!-Ongoing activities throughout the month
February 1st – Celebrate Chinese New Year
February 14th – 18th – Random acts of kindness week and Valentine’s Day-Red and Pink Day (teachers will communicate the plans for their class)
February 17th– Reports Cards available online. Modified IEPs will be sent home
February 21st – Family Day – No School. We hope you enjoy the day with your family!
February 23rd – Anti-bullying Day-Wear a Pink Shirt Day
FROM THE OFFICE
Thank you very much for your diligence with daily COVID screening.
Public Health Daily COVID 19 Screening Link: https://covid-19.ontario.ca/school-screening/
When presenting with a symptom Public Health requires children to stay home for 5 or 10 days, depending on their age and vaccination status. Siblings must also stay home. For details, and flow charts that we use at school, please refer to:
Keeping your children home when they are sick is essential to keeping our school and community safe. We appreciate all the communication we have received from families about absences and timelines.
International Travel
Please note that if you are planning to travel out of the country, children who are not fully vaccinated cannot return to school for 14 days following your return. Please see these resources for more information:
- Federal Guidelines-Requirements for an unvaccinated child less than 12 years of age.
For 14 days after arrival, the child must not attend school, camp or day care
- COVID-19: Requirements for fully vaccinated travelers and unvaccinated children less than 12 years of age – Canada.ca
- Coronavirus disease (COVID-19)
- Further information on what your child can and cannot do can be found on the mandatory quarantine or isolation page.
WHY Survey
Beginning on February 14, the Upper Grand District School Board is collecting information on student health and well-being from youth, parents/guardians/caregivers and school staff. The Well-Being and Health Youth Surveys are designed to help us understand how well we are doing creating safe, welcoming, and inclusive environments in our schools. It also provides important information about the physical and mental health of youth in our area. More information will be sent on February 7th.
Lunch Orders
We had intended to send out lunch ordering information in January, but the events of the pandemic and the challenges around distribution within the school gave us pause. We are currently gathering information from our vendors and hope to have options available to families later this month.
Parent Council Message
|
Library Learning Commons Update
|
Black History Month
2022 Theme:
February and Forever- Celebrating Black History Today and Everyday
Image above and thematic ideas from:
https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/black-history-month.html
Every year Canadians are invited to take part in the festivities and events that honour the legacy of Black Canadians, past and present, during Black History Month. At Aberfoyle students will be participating in lessons that focus on these important themes.
Black History Month exists to remind us all of the rich contributions within our society from people of African and Caribbean descent, and of their ongoing struggle for equity and social justice. This is a time to celebrate the many achievements and contributions of Black Canadians who, throughout history, have done so much to make Canada the culturally diverse, compassionate and prosperous nation we know today. It is also an opportunity for the majority of Canadians to learn about the experiences of Black Canadians in our society, and the vital role this community has played throughout our shared history.
Wellness Works @ UGDSB
Brought to you by the Wellness Works Team!
This month at UGDSB our Wellness Work’s theme is Realistic Optimism. What is Realistic Optimism?
Realistic optimism is:
■ Believing that you will succeed with the right inputs like hard work and careful planning
■ The tendency to look at the favourable side of events
■ Expecting a positive outcome while preparing for obstacles and seeing ways to work around them
■ A relatively stable expectation that good things will happen instead of bad ■ A belief in the ability to learn and grow
(image from article “Realistic Optimism” by Chris Loper)
Realistic optimism is not about always seeing the positive. It is about recognizing that obstacles exist, focusing on what we can control, and looking for opportunities to problem solve even during times of struggle. Realistic optimism requires the cognitive flexibility skills explored in October. Here are some ways you can explore realistic optimism this month:
Self Talk: What we say to ourselves can shift our perspective. Ask kids to listen to that little voice in their heads and notice what it is saying. Identifying what they are saying to themselves is the first step. Next, prompt them to create new statements that are framed in a more positive tone. “I’m going to fail that test tomorrow” could shift to “I am going to do the best I can on that test tomorrow”.
Look for the Lesson: When something doesn’t go as planned, it can be easy to resort to blame. Often, that blame is turned on ourselves. Instead, look for the lesson. Intentional reflection can help highlight the possibility for personal growth inside of a challenging situation. What has this situation taught you? What have you learned? This is a great skill that adults can also model for their children.
SMART Goal Setting: Sometimes we set goals that are unrealistic or too vague, which leads to feeling failure when we don’t accomplish them. Setting goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely can help us celebrate small wins along the way, especially when connected to action tasks. Imagining what is possible and connecting it to the hard work needed to make it happen is realistic optimism in action!
| Links for Mental Health Support:
If you are in crisis and live in Wellington you can call Here247 at 1-844-437-3247 (HERE247) Kids Help Phone 1-800-668-6868 or text CONNECT to 686868 |
Environmental activities to help celebrate our planet
February 3rd is National Sweater Day! 
Make the Earth better by wearing a sweater
Celebrate National Sweater Day and save energy on February 3rd!
National Sweater Day is a way to learn about the importance of saving energy and to inspire you to use less energy all winter. Heating accounts for 80% of residential energy use in Canada. If all Canadians lowered their thermostats by just 2 degrees Celsius this winter, it would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by about 4 megatons – that’s equivalent to taking nearly 700,000 cars off the road! http://www.wwf.ca/events/sweater_day/
National Sweater Day is about thinking differently about how we use energy, where our energy comes from and how we can play an important role in fighting climate change by using energy wisely. It is designed to help raise awareness about renewable energy and change behaviours around energy consumption in Canada.
Ideas for your family to celebrate Sweater Day
- Turn down your thermostat and wear a sweater on Feb 4th – and every day this winter!
- Ask your children to brainstorm with you about ways to save energy at home. Make a pledge to implement as many as you can. For extra ideas go to:
https://www.ontario.ca/page/how-use-less-electricity-home
- Read a children’s book on conservation such as: Why Should I Save Energy? by Jen Green. Encourage lots of questions and find the answers together.
- Learn about Green Energy sources. What types of renewable energy are available in Ontario – Wind? Solar? Geothermal?
- Valentine’s Day is just around the corner – use recycled materials to create your cards this year! To learn more about how recycling saves energy go to Alliant Energy Kids:
https://www.alliantenergykids.com/UsingEnergyWisely/SavingEnergyAtHome
The Optimist Club of Puslinch
Family Day Winter Classic 2022
The Optimist Club will be hosting a fun winter day at the Puslinch Community Centre grounds in Aberfoyle on Monday, February 21st from 1-4 pm. Please visit https://www.optimistclubofpuslinch.com/ for more information.
Categories: News • Newsletters