Brookside Connect! March 2025!
Principal's Message
Hello Parent/Caregivers!
As we step into March, we welcome the signs of spring and the energy that comes with this time of year - like snow piles melting away! With just a few months left in the school year, we continue to be inspired by the dedication of our students, staff, and families in making our school a vibrant and supportive community.
As you already know, after the March Break, I will be taking on an acting role within the TDSB as an Interim Centrally Assigned Principal (Brookside PS Community Letter - Feb 2025). Although it will be difficult to leave the school to take on this acting role, I am proud that I will be working in a new role that gives me the opportunity to support vice-principals, principals, and superintendents in the TDSB. I look forward to the challenge and experience, but will miss our students and families greatly! On March 17, an Occasional Principal will be in place at Brookside (Ms. Wadden) and I am sure that her dedication to serving our families and community will equal or surpass my passion for this work. On the bright side, Ms. Sirbos will be remain your Vice-Principal and continue to do amazing work to support our students and families.
Save the Date: Wednesday, March 26th (6:30 PM to 7:30 PM) for our annual Love of Learning Night, hosted by Ms. Scott-Chin and Ms. Goring! See the flyer below.
As the weather begins to get warmer, please review our Traffic Safety Reminders.
Wishing everyone a fantastic month ahead and a restful March Break!
Eckleton Richards Jr. Sarah Sirbos
Principal Vice-Principal
Email: brooksidepublicschool@tdsb.on.ca
Follow us on X: @BrooksidePSTDSB
Website: schoolweb.tdsb.on.ca/brookside
Family Love of Learning Night - Wednesday, March 26th, 2025 (6:30 PM to 7:30 PM)
Brookside Public School will be having a “Love of Learning Night” that will be filled with fun, engaging, and educational math and literacy games for families to enjoy together while also building their knowledge to practice skills at home.
This will be a fun night that will:
• help develop a stronger connection between school and home
• bring together teachers, students, families, and school staff in a shared commitment to literacy & numeracy
• motivate students to engage with literacy and numeracy in a fun and meaningful way
• provide an opportunity for families to actively participate in their child's learning
• help create a literacy-rich home environment that supports a child's development and reinforces skills taught at school
Come join us for Family Love of Learning Night on Wednesday, March 26th, 2025 (6:30 PM to 7:30 PM)!
Table of Contents:
• Family Love of Learning Night - Wednesday, March 26th, 2025 (6:30 PM to 7:30 PM)
• Eco-Team
- Earth Hour
- Great Gulp / World Water Day
- Battery Drive
• Camp Kearney Trip - Grade 6 Our - Time at Kearney
• Brookside Student Council (BSC) Update!
• Art Club
• Brookside Global Citizens
• School Community Council
• Grade 7/8 Boys Basketball
• Ball Hockey
• Debate Club
• EQAO Math Night Webinar for Parents and Guardians - Grade 3 & 6 (March 6 & 26)
• Upcoming Parent/Guardian/Caregiver Engagement Session: Navigating Transitions
• ASD Afterschool Leisure Program - Spring Session
• Public Health Toronto - Protecting our school community from measles
• Google Calendar
• TDSB Days of Significance
- Greek Heritage Month
- Ramadan (February 28th - March 29th)
- International Women's Day - March 8
- International Day to Combat Islamophobia - March 15
- St. Patrick's Day - March 17
- International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination - March 21
- International Transgender Day of Visibility - March 31
- International Indigenous Languages Day - March 31
• Repeats and Reminders
- Kindergarten Registration
- Public Health Reminder: Reducing the spread of Respiratory Illnesses
Eco-Team
Earth Hour
Hey Bulldogs!
As Environmentalists for Brookside, the Eco Team is proud to present our new upcoming initiative, Earth Hour on March 21st! What is Earth Hour? Earth Hour is where the Brookside community can spend an hour learning about or going outside to reflect on the contributions and impacts we make to the environment. Ways to participate during Earth Hour are: conserving energy, reading books, watching videos, cleaning up the environment, choosing sustainable methods of travel, planting trees or plants, and many more that you may want. With this impact, we can improve the condition of our wonderful Earth. Eco Team out!!
By: Athieban & Sabbresh
Great Gulp / World Water Day
Hey Bulldogs! As it’s the month of March, the ECO Team has a new initiative. Introducing the Great Gulp (World Water Day) on March 24th! World Water Day is where we recognize the amount of water being used positively and negatively in the world. There are many ways we as a community can conserve water. This includes turning off water at unnecessary times/ needs, fixing water leaks at your home, using reusable water bottles, and many more! When doing these initiatives, it can improve conserving water for future generations, help the living animals and humans as they are important in our lives. Eco Team Out!Eco Team: Great Gulp / World Water Day
By: Athieban & Sabbresh
Battery Drive
Hey Brookside! Throughout February to April, it is Battery Drive time. The Eco Team will be doing a Battery Drive because batteries can cause landfills to become toxic to our earth! So that is why we will be taking used batteries 🔋! So Brookside, bring us your used/unwanted batteries, so Brookside can recycle them by going to stores like staples, etc. Also, a special thank you to everyone for making our environment more eco-friendly and our earth a better place! 🔋
By Kavinash & Sharmi
Brookside Student Council (BSC) Update!
The Brookside Student Council has planned a few things for March. A spirit week would be held from March 17 to March 21. Also, an assembly will be held on March 18, educating students about important topics that need to be covered. If dates are changed, the Brookside Student Council will notify students.
Poomiha & Akshara
Camp Kearney Trip - Grade 6
Our Time at Kearney
From February 18th to February 21st, the Grade 6 students were on an exciting outdoor excursion that took place at SOES (Kearney). We had lots of fun as a class by engaging in activities that helped us learn new skills while appreciating the natural resources that we have. Some of these activities consisted of hiking, playing predator and prey, playing indigenous and cooperative games, skiing, snowshoeing, and skating.
At Kearney, we went on many hikes and walks. On the very first day, we walked in waist deep snow to see a beautiful view of Peter’s Lake! Not only that, later in the excursion, we had the magnificent opportunity to go on a solo walk at night. As I was walking during my solo walk, I enjoyed the night sky. The stars glowed as I walked. On one of the walks, we did Wolf Howling, but sadly, we did not get a response. All the hikes were tiring, but beautiful!
If you ask anyone who went to Kearney with our group, they would say that predator and prey was an enjoyable cooperative game. Some of us were carnivores, while others were omnivores or herbivores. The game taught us about survival skills and how easy we humans have it. We were outside for so long playing in the forest in waist deep snow! Since we were all tired after our fabulous game, we had a cookout at the campfire. We roasted hot dogs, and had a delicious lunch.
Have you ever seen somebody skate really well for the first time in their life? Well that was more than half of our class! Even though it took a while for everyone to get their skates on, it was worth the wait. When we got started, there were a few experienced skaters, but towards the end of the skating session, there were a few more because of our class’s ability to teach and work together. Overall, everyone enjoyed their opportunity to go skating.
Kearney is a welcoming place for everyone. The food was great and we learned about conservation and appreciation for what we have. We all had a great time, and we encourage future grade 6 students to attend next year. From thrilling outdoor activities to indoor free time with your friends, Kearney is a place of unforgettable memories. We really appreciate the teachers and supervisors, Ms. Steward, Mr. Park, and the two University volunteers for making this trip possible! We wish we could go again!
Rishigan - Grade 6
Art Club
Feb Student Workshop: Origami
Hey Brookside! For February workshop, we did origami! Origami is a Japanese art of folding paper. The name ori means “folding” and kami (kami turning into gami because of Rendaku, which is the phenomenon that changes the pronunciation of compound words in Japanese ) means “paper”. Origami discourses the use of glue, cuts, or marking on the paper, intending to only fold the paper into sculptures.
By Hashini
Brookside Global Citizens
The Global Citizens are working on the kindness campaign where there are mini kindness activities like: Kindness Bingo, Caught You Being Kind Board, and even class visits. This initiative helps students understand the power of being kind and how it impacts others. With all the staff and students support we hope we make a difference in our community.
Nihashini
School Community Council
Please join us for our next School Council Meeting on Monday, March 24, 2025, at 6:30, in the Library.
Regards,
School Council Co-Chairs
Neerajah Ponnampalam and Andrew Ariyaratnam
Email: 4073SC01@tdsb.on.ca
Grade 7/8 Boys Basketball
The Intermediate Basketball Season was an amazing one! It was full of ups and downs and many exciting moments. The tournament was held on Tuesday February 18, at Brookside. Even though we lost our first two games, we never gave up. When it mattered most, we won the most important game, which helped us move on to the qualifying final. Our team worked hard, played together, and showed great effort to keep our season going.
In the qualifying final, we played against John Buchan Senior Public School, but sadly lost. However, we conquered Ellesmere-Statton Public School, which made us proud. Everyone on the team played their part and gave their best effort into every game.
A big shoutout goes to: Aahil for scoring at the free-throw line; Rogethan and Ellalan for showing great game skills; Calvin, Abiran, and Maaran for shooting the shots that mattered the most; Ashwinthan, Anojan, Viren, and Ghuru for playing strong defense; and lastly to Habbibullah and Athuzen, as they were the ones who got key rebounds. We didn’t win it all, but we played our hearts out and showed that we are a great team! We couldn’t have done it without our wonderful coaches, Mr. Richards, Ms. Holman, and Mr. Thibideau. Go, Bulldogs!
Ashwinthan
Ball Hockey
On Wednesday, February 12, the 2 Grade 7/8 Co-ed Ball Hockey Teams participated in a tournament against St. Alexander Mackenzie and each other. Brookside Team 2 placed second in the tournament and advanced to the East Conference Finals. Great job to both teams! You held strong against people that have probably been playing ice hockey all their life. Great season, Brookside Team 1!
On Wednesday, February 19, the Grade 7/8 Co-ed Ball Hockey team went to the East Conference Finals against Joseph Howe Sr. PS. Unfortunately, we will not be moving on. We appreciate everyone's determination and dedication to the team. You should all be proud of yourselves and each other for holding up against incredibly strong teams. Great season Bulldogs!!
~Arushi
Debate Club
Students have been working hard for the past few weeks to come up with a debate. This week, the students had their first debate. As March Break is cutting close the debate club has come to an end. Thank you for your support and hopefully we might have one next year.
By Nihashini
EQAO Math Night Webinar for Parents and Guardians - Grade 3 & 6
EQAO staff will discuss math questions that Ontario students encounter when they participate in Ontario’s large-scale assessments. These assessments are taken by all Ontario students in Grades 3, 6 and 9. During the webinar, EQAO staff will show how these math questions help assess the skills students are learning in their math classes. Staff will also share valuable insights from the past three years of assessment results, which can help parents and guardians support their children’s math learning.
Registration Link
(2 Dates - March 6 & March 26)
Upcoming Parent/Guardian/Caregiver Engagement Session: Navigating Transitions
The following are the dates for the upcoming parent/caregiver/guardian session being offered by the Special Education and Inclusion Department. These repeat sessions will focus on the support and services available for students with special needs and disabilities, both within the TDSB and through external organizations.
Date: Wednesday, March 5th - Day (AM)
Time: 10:00 am - 11:30 am
Date: Thursday, March 6th - Evening (PM)
Time: 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
Click here for the Flyer
March Learning Sessions for Staff and Families
Learning and engagement sessions continue to be made available for both staff and families, providing valuable opportunities to explore inclusive and anti-ableist practices and implement concrete strategies in the classroom and at home. These sessions are designed to support student achievement and well-being. Please click this link to access the sessions being offered.
ASD Afterschool Leisure Program - Spring Session
ASD Afterschool Leisure Program - Spring Session LINK
Public Health Toronto - Protecting our school community from measles
Travelling for March Break? Measles is just a plane ride away.Measles continues to spread in many parts of the world and in Canada. If you are planning to travel over March Break, get the best protection for you and your loved ones by staying up-to- date with your routine vaccines, including the measles vaccine.
These vaccines are available from your health care provider or at a Toronto Public Health (TPH) community clinic for school-aged children, by appointment. Visit TPHbookings.ca for more information.If you are unsure of your child’s vaccination status, check their yellow card (Ontario Immunization Record), TPH’s Immunization Connect Ontario (ICON) or by speaking with their primary health care provider.
To learn more, visit toronto.ca/immunization.
Questions?Contact TPH at publichealth@toronto.ca or 416-338-7600, Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for more information. Service is available in multiple languages.
Calendar
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TDSB Days of Significance
March is Greek Heritage Month
Here in the TDSB, we celebrate March as Greek Heritage Month or Hellenic Heritage Month. March 25th, is celebrated as Greek Independence Day. We recognize the many achievements of Greek Canadians to Canada. This year marks 10 years of celebrating Greek Heritage Month at the TDSB, because of this, the theme for this year is ‘Odyssey - A Decade of Celebrating Greek Heritage Month.’ Let’s learn a little more about the history of Hellenic Heritage.
Greek history includes the Stone Age, the Mycenaean civilization, the Persian Wars, the Hellenistic period, and more. Greek is the oldest written language. Like everything else, Greek history begins with the Stone Age hunters. Later, the Mycenaean civilization came in. They were the first speakers and writers of Ancient Greek. Their civilization ended around 1200 BCE. The Persian Wars, fought between the Achaemenid Empire and the Hellenics, lasted from 499-499 BCE. There were 4 key battles fought between the Persians and the Greeks, Athenians, and Spartans, all of which were won. 2 other key events was the Ionian Revolt when in 499 BC, the Ionians revolted against the Persian rule. Another key event is the Battle of Lade where in 494 BC the Athenians, Spartans, and other Greek cities were defeated by the Persians at Lade. Quite a while later, the Hellenistic period began. This period lasted from 323 BCE until 31 BCE. Greek ideas and culture spread throughout, from the Eastern Mediterranean to Asia, because of the empire the Alexander the Great built, stretching from Greece to India. The current civilization is the Western Civilization. Now that we know the base-line of the history of Hellenistic History, let’s move on to the fun stuff.
Greek Mythology!
Greek Mythology is a collection of myths and legends from Ancient Greece. The gods' family tree is complicated, they’re all related to each other in one way or another! For example, Zeus, King of the Gods and Lord of the Sky, and Hera, Goddess of marriage, family, childbirth, and women, are married, but did you know that they’re technically siblings? Yeah, they have the same father, Kronos. Along with Hera being his sister, his siblings are also Poseidon, Hades, Demeter, and Hestia. Zeus also had children with people other than Hera(their children are Hebe, Hephaestus, and Ares). He had Persephone with Demeter. Strangely, Hades, who is Zeus’s brother, married Persephone. Zeus and Leto, a Titan and Goddess, gave life to the twins, Apollo and Artemis. Athena was born differently. She was born in Zeus’s brain and came out fully grown with full battle armor. Aphrodite is the Daughter of Dione, a titaness, and Zeus. Hermes is the son of Maia, daughter of a Titan, and Zeus. Dionysus is the son of Semele, mortal turned goddess, and Zeus. These are the main gods and goddesses and their connections with each other. Of course, there is another version of how Aphrodite was born. It is said that she was born of sea foam after Uranus was thrown into the sea by his son, Kronos. Now, you see the connections between the Gods and Goddesses, or at least the major ones. There are many stories about how the intense family tree came to be, but we won’t get into that.
Two epic and famous poems by Homer are the Iliad and the Odyssey. This is where much of the mythology came from. You probably know some of the Gods and Goddesses I stated in the previous paragraph, yes? Greek Heritage and Mythology has influenced the culture, arts, and literature of the Western civilization and remains an important part of the Western heritage and language.
~ Arushi
Ramadan (February 28th - March 29th)
BROOKSIDE BROOKSIDE!!! Guess what?? Ramadan is coming soon! But you may ask, what is Ramadan? Let me tell you all about it. Ramadan starts on evening of Fri, Feb 28, 2025 – Sat, Mar 29, 2025. Okay, now I will tell you what Ramadan is. Ramadan is a special month for Muslims, when they fast from sunrise to sunset, meaning they don’t eat or drink during the day. It’s a time to pray, be kind, and help others. Muslims believe this month is when God gave the Quran to Prophet Muhammad. The last few nights are extra special, and at the end of Ramadan, there’s a big celebration called Eid al-Fitr, where families eat, give gifts, and have fun! Thank you for listening and now I hope you now know what Ramadan is!
International Women's Day - March 8
International Women’s day is celebrated on March 8. In 1911, at a conference held in Copenhagen, a woman named Clara Zetkin proposed the idea of International Women’s Day. She believed that every year there should be a Women’s Day in every country to advocate for their demands. In 1975, International Women’s Day was celebrated and recognized for the first time by the United Nations. It is celebrated to celebrate women’s achievements, educate and raise awareness about women’s equality. It’s a global day to recognize and celebrate women’s and girls social, economic and cultural achievements. It is a time to reflect on the progress that was made, to call for change and celebrate the acts of courage and determination by women.
By: Akshara and Poomiha
Holi (Hinduism) - March 14
Holi is an important annual Hindu two-day festival celebrating the beginning of spring. There are quite a few diverse accounts as to the origins of Holi, but it is primarily considered a festival celebrating the triumph of good over evil and devotion over ambition, as well as a rural and agricultural festival of fertility. Holi is traditionally known as the “festival of colour” because the sprinkling of coloured powder (called abeer or gulal) is a major component of the celebrations. Water balloons containing gulal are tossed at friends and neighbours in the spirit of fun, and Indian drums (dhola) and songs often accompany the festivities.
Holi is usually celebrated with a great deal of zest and verve, as it is a time to remember the brightness and splendor of living, and a time to spread joy, colour, and love. Holi is more commonly called Phagwa by Indo-Trinidadians and Indo-Guyanese.
Further Reading: http://www.religionfacts.com/holi
International Day to Combat Islamophobia - March 15
The International Day to Combat Islamophobia, on March 15, aims to raise awareness about the growing prejudice and discrimination against Muslims worldwide. Established by the United Nations in 2021, the day highlights the need to address Islamophobia, which often results in violence, social exclusion, and harmful stereotypes. The date was chosen in memory of the 2019 Christchurch mosque shootings in New Zealand, which claimed the lives of 51 Muslim worshippers. This day serves as a reminder for all to engage in actions that promote understanding, respect, and tolerance towards Muslims, and to stand against hate and discrimination in all forms. Through education, solidarity, and advocacy, the day encourages global unity in the fight against Islamophobia.
By Nihashini
St. Patrick’s Day - March 17
St. Patrick's Day is a Roman Catholic Irish celebration recognizing the anniversary of the death of St. Patrick. St. Patrick is considered a Patron Saint of Ireland from the 4th century who was kidnapped as a teenager and enslaved in Ireland. After escaping captivity, in 432 he returned to Ireland on a quest to convert followers to Christianity. He founded numerous churches and schools in Ireland. The shamrock is considered the universal symbol of St. Patrick’s Day and in connected to the Christian religious concept of the Holy Trinity. In Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day is part of a 5-day celebration.
International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination - March 21
Each year on March 21, International Day for the Elimination Of Racial DIscrimination it respects the day police in Sharpeville, South Africa, fired and killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration against segregation in 1960. Even though a lot of racism in the world has been erased, The Indigenous peoples and other racialized races face racism, harassment, and discrimination to this day. This day is a wake up call to eliminate all types of racial discrimination, injustice, systemic racism, and hate. Racial discrimination is the term of treating people unfairly only because of their race, religion and their language. Racial discrimination can be anywhere in your daily life, including your house, workplace, and school. We can fight Racial Discrimination by educating ourselves of what to do about Racial Discrimination and also fight against it whenever you see it. You should encourage anti-racism and equality everywhere, everyday. Racial Discrimination is also involved with people’s health, they can get treated like they are garbage and get paid less from their jobs because of what they identify as, like your ethnicity. Racism still remains a huge problem in this world and interferes with daily life so we must fight against these wrong terms. Racism is nothing more than lies bunched up together used to hate on someone.
- Jagesh
International Transgender Day of Visibility - March 31
On March 31st it is International Transgender Day of Visibility. On this day we recognize transgender people and the discrimination they faced. This day started when a transgender activist named Rachel Crandall Crocker. Rachel said “I wanted a day where we could celebrate the living, and I wanted a day that all over the world we could all be together.” This day is celebrated all around the world. Last year (2024) marked the 15th anniversary of International Transgender Day of Visibility. So Brookside on March 31st lets recognize all transgender people.
Lakshara and Raghavi
International Indigenous Languages Day - March 31
March 31st is International Indigenous Languages Day. This day is celebrated to honor the Indigenous languages in Canada. These languages show Indigenous people ‘s CULTURE AND HISTORY. These also convey WISDOM and traditions no matter what their age is. This day is also to recognize the wrong things that Canada has done to the Indigenous peoples. So Brookside on March 31st lets all recognize International Indigenous Languages Day.
Raghavi and Lakshara.
Repeats and Reminders...
Kindergarten Registration
Registration for all TDSB English Kindergarten programs begins in January. Families have the option of registering their child online at www.tdsb.on.ca/kindergarten or in-person at the school. With both options, families will be invited to come to the school to validate registration information and participate in a Welcome to Kindergarten event hosted by the school.
Public Health Reminder: Reducing the spread of Respiratory Illnesses