John Wanless Junior Public School

Current News

The past week saw many of our students attend a number of open houses. We hope that all of these visits were informative and assisted families in making their choices for next year. Throughout the course of the week our tryouts also continued for both slo-pitch teams. On Tuesday our students were fortunate enough to participate in assemblies brought to us by Toronto Wildlife. Track practices as well as the skipping club also kept our students active. Of course tonight will also be very special as our Family Fun Night will take place on the field from 5-8 pm.

The coming week will be extremely busy with six separate fieldtrips taking place throughout the week. Our track and field athletes will also have the opportunity to participate in the first of potentially three track and field meets with the first taking pace on Thursday. Friday will also bring excitement as our Jump Rope for Heart Event will take place along with the first of Freezie Fridays.



Kindergarten Open House for New Students
Is your child starting Kindergarten at John Wanless this September? Please join us with your child at our Kindergarten Open House on Friday, May 24, from 1:00-2:00 pm. You will have a chance to connect with the school administration, Kindergarten teaching staff, and members of the SAC executive. You and your child can tour the school and see some of our Kindergarten classrooms in action! The session will begin in the library.
 


JUMP ROPE FOR HEART
We are excited to announce that John Wanless Public School will be participating in the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s Jump Rope for Heart! Here’s what you need to know...
What:
● Online fundraising for the Heart and Stroke Foundation
● Promoting an active and healthy lifestyle!
When:
● Fundraising has started and will run until May 31st..
● Friday, May 17th is our JUMP ROPE FOR HEART EVENT 🙂
How:
● Students can fundraise by clicking the link... Jump Rope for Heart LINK (they will need a parent/guardian’s help to join)
● Once on the webpage, you can donate to the school or your child can create their own participant page and try to earn gift card incentive prizes for their fundraising efforts. We are usually one of the top fundraising schools in the province! Way to go, JW! Our school goal is $5000 (last year we raised over $6000!!!)
● Kids can earn gift cards for their fundraising efforts this year, which will be sent via email directly from the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
We hope that you take part in this healthy school initiative, whether it be fundraising or getting outside and skipping! Please email Ms. Blaney (talia.blaney@tdsb.on.ca) or Miss Sherwood (kathryn.sherwood@tdsb.on.ca) with any questions.
 
PRIMARY SKIPPING CLUB
Calling all Grade 1-3 Skippers! Wanless teachers will be running a 2 week Skipping Club on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 8 a.m. as a lead-up for our school Jump Rope for Heart. The teachers will meet the skippers on the Map of Canada and start the day with some fitness and fun! Parents are welcome to stay and help turn ropes :)
Skipping Club will run on May 7th, 9th, 14th and 16th. Looking forward to some super skipping!
Miss Sherwood, Ms. Blaney, Ms. Talesnik, Ms Patterson and Ms. Almanova

Eco Team Update
Our eco team members have been working hard with the classroom waste audits.  We are still noticing a lot of snack wrappers and pencil shavings in the recycling bins.  Snack wrappers go into the garbage and pencil shavings go into the compost or garbage.  We will continue to collect dead batteries, dead markers, Royal Canin pet food packaging and snack wrappers until the end of the school year.  We have just started our Tree Stewardship program where a class is responsible for  one of our trees.  Each class will be doing a variety of activities to help keep their tree healthy.  If you have any extra mulch at home you would like to donate towards this program, please bring it to room 212 and I will distribute it to the classes who are involved. Thank you for any support you can provide for our Eco Schools program.

Equity Update
On April 16th, the John Wanless Equity Team brought in author and advocate, Michael Jacques to speak to all students in grades 1-6.  Michael is a young man with autism and an intellectual disability.  He is the author of Can't Read, Can't Write. Here's My Book and co-author of I Belong Can I Play? His books encourage us to embrace and celebrate our differences.  If you are interested in learning more about Michael's journey or would like to purchase one of his books, please visit his website https://www.heresmybook.com/

Kindergarten Registration
Registration for English Kindergarten programs has begun at TDSB schools in February. For September 2024, children who will be four by December 31, 2024, can start Junior Kindergarten. Families may choose to register using the online registration system or by booking a face-to-face meeting directly with the school. More information and a link to the online registration form (beginning on February 1, 2024) is available at www.tdsb.on.ca/kindergarten.

Child care spots available for September 2024


Full Day Kindergarten Before and After School (FDK) Program

We have 1 spot available in our Full Day Kindergarten Before and After School program.


Nursery Program   

We have 4 spots available in our Nursery program.


If you are interested in having your child(ren) attend the above programs for September 2024, please contact (416-488-8571) the child care directly and speak to Fiona, Angie or Jenny. 


Eco Team Update:
Many thanks go out to all of our students and staff who supported our initiatives throughout the week. Our daily activities culminated with our school and local community clean-up on Friday.

Absence Reporting
Parents are reminded that should your child be away from school, please call the ABSENCE REPORTING Line at 1-833-250-2290. Many thanks!

Lost & Found
With varied temperatures, our Lost & Found is overflowing with sweatshirts and hoodies.  Missing a water bottle or a lunch bag?  Chances are it's there.  Please take a moment to look at the Lost & Found.  It is now located in the front foyer off Fairlawn under the stairs.


Reinforcing our Visitor Policy
All adults (volunteers for example) coming to John Wanless during the instructional day are reminded to sign in at the office prior to going to any classroom location. We thank you in advance for this! There is a sign-in book located in the office for this purpose.

Students Leaving school at lunch
We would like to remind parents that if you are giving permission for your child to leave campus on their own at lunch, you MUST provide us with a written notice which we will keep on file in the office. Parents are also reminded that for those students who stay at school at lunch, if there is a special occasion when they are given permission to leave, parents must notify both the classroom teacher as well as the school office in writing in advance. Thank you all in advance!

SAC NEWS

Freezie Friday's

 Freezie Friday's are back with the Spring weather! Freezies will be sold for $2 in the school yard at lunch and after school on May 17, May 24, May 31, and June 6 (Thursday). Please come out and buy a freezie to support the Grade 6's as they raise money for their graduation in June.

Fun Fair - Sponsorship and Volunteer Opportunities
We are seeking enthusiastic parents and high school volunteers to help with the Fair! If you or someone you know would like to volunteer some time during the event, please reach out to johnwanlessfundraising@gmail.com or fill out the form here. MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR JUNE 14th!
 
Hot Lunch Program

John Wanless is pleased to welcome back The Lunch Lady on Wednesdays and Fridays this year! Hot lunches must be ordered by Monday night (for Wednesday delivery) and Wednesday (for Friday delivery). Order today at thelunchlady.ca
 
Woodward Meats
SAC has once again partnered with Woodward Meats. For every purchase using the custom link, John Wanless SAC receives 6% of sales. That money goes right back to our classrooms! Order today at www.woodwardmeats.com/fundraisers/2023-John-Wanless-SAC

John Wanless SAC is on Instagram!
Don't miss any SAC event updates and school reminders - follow on Instagram today! @johnwanless

 

Archived Information

School Day Schedule for 2023-24 and bell times

8:41  Am Entry for all students- Lines for each class (Grades 1-6) will be identified in the yard
8:45 -9:25 Period 1
9:25 -10:05 Period 2
10:05 -10:20 Recess for all Grade 1-6 students
10:20 -11:00 Period 3
11:00 -11:30 Period 4
11:30-12:27 Lunch for all Grade 1-6 students (Students in grades 4-6 eat in the lunchroom from 11:30-11:50 before going outside); students in Grades 1-3 play outside first and then eat in the lunchroom from 11:50-12:10). All students will be outside from ~12:10-12:27. Students will be picked up by their respective teachers at 12:27 or as we have done so this year, from their respective lines outside. Please note that kindergarten lunch will run from 11:15- 12:27. Students who stay at school during lunch will eat in their classrooms.

12:27  PM Entry for all students
12:30 -1:10 Period 5
1:10 -1:50 Period 6
1:50 -2:05 Recess for all students
2:05 -2:45 Period 7
2:45 -3:15 Period 8
Dismissal for all Grade 1-6 students is at 3:15PM
Dismissal for Kindergarten students is at 3:00PM.

Staff List

Classroom Locations                          Grade              Room

Ms. George                                           JK/SK A              101

Ms. Klug                                                JK/SK B              113

Ms. Kussner                                          JK/SK C              115

Ms. Stamatiou                                       JK/SK D               111

Ms. Mamann                                         JK/SK E                003

 

Mr. Burton                                            1 A                          104

Ms. Fagan                                             1 B                         102

Ms. Talesnik                                          1C                         109

Ms. Flemington                                     1D                         103

Ms. Hood                                               1/2A                      110

Ms. Petropoulos                                   1/2B                      210

Ms. Maharaj                                           2A                        207

Ms. Almanova                                      2B                         201

Ms. Rendell-Dean                                2C                         202

Ms. Grant                                             3D                         205

Ms. Dempsey                                       3A                        204                                                                        

Ms. Zarpellon                                       3B                       206

Ms. Jaklitch                                          3C                       204

Ms. Chau                                              3/4                       215

Ms. Labell                                            4A                        219

Ms. Wolk                                              4/5                       213

Mr. Murray                                          5A                        220

Mr. Sherman                                       5B                         211

Mr. Gaunt                                            6A                         217

Ms. Ng                                                 6B                        221

Mr. Sturm                                            6C                        218

Ms. Patterson                              Spec Ed & ESL         214A

Ms. Hunter                                     Lib & Prep               LIB

Mr. Singh                                         ISP                          214

Ms. Sherwood                             Health/Phys Ed        GYM

Ms. Blaney                                    Health/Phys Ed       GYM

Ms. Lowe                                      0.5 Arts/Lit AM          212

Ms. Willingham                                Music                     222

Ms. Yousefi                                      French                    209

Mr. Parkes                                     0.5 Special Ed          AM

Ms. Nejati                                         DECE                     115

Ms. Foscarin                                    DECE                     113

Ms. Zhang                                        DECE                     101

Ms. Lau                                            DECE                      111

Ms. Limbada                                      EA                          

Ms. Vecchio /Ms. Sinclair                 EA-ISP                  214

Ms. Rocci                                           LRS

Ms. Chen                                            LRS

Ms. McLeish                                      LRS

Ms. Dadon                                         LRS

Mr. Emuri                                           LRS

Ms. Paridel                                         LRS

Other LRS (3)                                     TBD

Mr. Frazer                                            Head Caretaker

Mr. Di Tomaso                                     Caretaker

Mr. MacEachern                                  Caretaker

 

Ms. Marsella                                                  Office Administrator

Ms. Olephir                                                   Office Secretary 

Mr. Parkes                                                    Vice-Principal  (PM)

Mr. Boross-Harmer                                      Principal       

Welcome to John Wanless Public School

John Wanless Public School is located north of Lawrence Avenue, between Yonge Street and Avenue Road. Our TDSB mission is to enable all students to reach high levels of achievement and to acquire the knowledge, skills, and values they need to become responsible members of a democratic society. This includes:

  • a strong commitment to student achievement and success;
  • a strong commitment to ensuring that student voice is incorporated in all that we do;
  • a strong commitment to ensuring that equitable practices permeate all that we do within our school community
  • a safe and caring learning environment;
  • continued commitment to ongoing professional learning for staff;
  • encouraging life-long learning; and
  • collaborative partnerships with parents and the school community.