Dear Manhattan Park Families,
Thank you to the families who were able to join our November Parent Council Meeting. Your input in meaningful discussions is always welcomed and appreciated. Thank you, members, for organizing Pizza Lunches, Subway/LunchBox Lunches, Sip 'n Socials, Spirit Wear and sharing fundraising initiatives like MacMillan's Frozen Foods and Big Box Cards. These initiatives and events enable the school to provide students with varied experiences that help supplement classroom learning. Please join us on January 14 at 6:30 p.m. for our next meeting. The link to join is below. Thank you to the parents/guardians who have and continue to volunteer their time to support our co-curricular activities. Parent engagement can look many different ways. We are looking forward to having parent volunteers help support our upcoming Bam Dance program for students in Rooms 2, 3, and 5. We are also hosting a Tea Time event with the Social Worker for our parents with students in the Intensive Support Program. Thank you, Parent Council, for providing light refreshments.
With the guidance of Mr. Chen and our Public Health Nurse, our junior students have the opportunity to be a part of the Performing Arts Leaders Team. The Math and Soccer Club, provided by Ms. Kapilan, Ms. Wojtowicz and Mr. Babak, respectively, are also taking place at Manhattan Park outside of instructional times. Our Remembrance Day Assembly provided the school with an opportunity to remember those who sacrificed their lives for our freedom. Thank you to Mr. Canner, Ms. Karim, Mr. Chen, Ms. Rankin, and Ms. Kapilan's classes for contributing a short presentation to help us learn. Thank you to Ms. Wojtowicz, Mr. Chen, Ms. Karim, and Ms. Kapilan for organizing.
Please mark your calendar for our Holiday Market scheduled for Tuesday, December 16, from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. Please join us for an evening of fun crafts/activities, bake sales, and carolling. Thank you to the staff and Parent Council for collaborating to make this community-building event possible for the families of Manhattan Park.
Some families may have received a letter from Toronto Public Health indicating that your child is not in compliance with the Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA). Under ISPA, students who do not have up-to-date vaccinations or a valid exemption on file can be suspended from school. If you received such a letter, please report your child's immunization record to the Toronto Public Health online at toronto.ca/StudentVaccines.
The office is seeing an increase in the number of late arrivals in the morning. Please continue to help your child(ren) develop/maintain effective night and morning routines so that students are on time and ready for school. Arriving late to school disrupts the learning of others and is challenging for the student, as they miss important instructions and morning messages that are shared. Thank you for your partnership in supporting student success.
For safety reasons, please use the designated walkways and refrain from walking through the parking lot, which is also defined for staff use only. Thank you, parents, for helping to alleviate lunch drop-off congestion at the front office by dropping off lunches promptly. As some staff leave the building for lunch, parents arrive, and students pick up their lunches, we are working to keep the front foyer as calm and clear as possible for safety reasons. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.
Information on the process for entry to school for the next school year for all new Junior Kindergartens can be found here: https://www.tdsb.on.ca/EarlyYears/KindergartenMonth. After registering online, Ms. Marg, our Office Administrator, will contact families to schedule a time to bring in documentation to complete the registration and learn about our May/June Kindergarten Orientation.
There is much to be thankful for, and I wish everyone a safe and happy December. As the holiday season approaches and 2025 comes to a close, I wish everyone a healthy and bright new year.
Warmly,
Ms. Lin
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UPCOMING IMPORTANT DATES:
Sip 'n Social - Wednesday, December 3 right after school
Holiday Market - Tuesday, December 16, from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.
Holiday/Winter Break - December 22 to January 2, 2026
First Day of School after Holiday Break - January 5, 2026
Parent Council Meeting - Wednesday, January 14 at 6:30 p.m. Link to join: https://meet.google.com/jsu-ybdr-iae
PA Day (no school for students) - January 16