Principal's Blog

September 30, 2024 🍎

Welcome to all new and returning Sir Adam Beck families,

Hope this finds everyone well and settling in to a wonderful year of learning.

I would like to start off by thanking Mr. Hogan (head custodian) and his team for the work they put in over the summer to prepare the school. The school looks fantastic. Thank you to Ms Huddleston and Ms Monaghan for the incredible job they have done in the office. Our staff spent the final weeks of August readying their learning environments and welcoming the many new and returning members of our team. Warm welcome to our new and returning staff at Sir Adam Beck.

Student Entry:

All staff were outside to greet students and parents on the morning of September 3th.

Entry for all students is 8:35AM. Dismissal for Kindergarten and ISP program students is 2:50 PM and for students in Grades 1-5 dismissal is 3:10 PM

We are working on safety and responsibility indoors and outdoors in our first month. Students are doing an excellent job with calm and orderly transitions to and from class, lunchroom/gym, outdoor learning and play and music.

We have enjoyed many highlights in our first month of school including our annual Terry Fox Walk/Run, Cross Country, soccer, Aussie-X and our assemblies to welcome us back to learning and to observe the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation.

The welcome coffee and first School Advisory Council meetings were a great success and we look forward to a year filled with learning, growth, friendships and enjoyment. Council supports our school in myriad ways - please do reach out to council if you would like to volunteer in any capacity. All are welcome!

Medical Alerts

During registration families shared vital information regarding severe allergy and medical conditions of their child. We encourage families to share this information directly with homeroom teachers on the first day. Please keep staff and the main office up to date on any changes to severe medical conditions. Students with epipens and inhalers are required to arrive to school each day with their medication and have a back up device housed in the main office. Please contact the main office to make arrangements.

Student Packages

This year student packages will be divided up between the TDSB’s online documents and hard copies of start-up items specific to our school. (School Council will also prepare their own packages and will be distributed at a date TBA). Each child will receive a package on the first or second day of school. We ask all families to do their best to complete and return these. In Grade 5, parents will have the opportunity again this year to "opt in" to receiving a personally assigned device for your child. Please do complete this form such that SAB students can receive this technology. Our first shipment of chromebooks at SAB is scheduled for October 28. Grade 5 parents still have time to complete the form - please call the office if any questions. This information provided in student packages is very important for safety and efficient school and home correspondence.

Sir Adam Beck is a cashless school. Registration is open now.

To register for School Cash Online, please visit https://tdsb.schoolcashonline.com select “Get Started Today” and complete the three registration steps. Once registered, you will receive an email notification when items become available online.

If you have questions about the registration process or using School Cash Online, please select the “Get Help” option on the top of School Cash Online web page. You can also contact the School Cash Online Parent Help Desk at 1-866-961-1803 and parenthelp@schoolcashonline.com. The Parent Help Desk is available to assist parents/guardians with the registration process, password recovery, accessing your account or payment issues.

We are excited to welcome back all, of our returning and new students and their families. We look forward to a year where joy, belonging and engagement are the foundation for academic achievement. At S.A.B. we strive to make each day a day filled with learning in an environment of positive relationships, mutual respect and the development of good character.

As the weather begins to turn, we wish you a wonderful change of seasons as your children too grow and thrive in learning.

In partnership,

Deborah Zamin

Principal / Directrice

June 28, 2024

Change is the road map for new ideas, new growth and new learning for staff, students and families of our community. The upcoming 2024-2025 school year will bring with it some staffing changes.

We would like to thank the following staff members for their contributions to École Sir Adam Beck Junior School and extend best wishes as they move on to their new adventures.

Thank you to long term coverage staff, both teaching and support staff, who helped to fill in this year:

Ms Alshawa (Mr Breaw), Mr Wenger (Mme Nolan), Mme Singh (Mme Romano), Mr Chire (Mme Brown), Ms Childs (CYW) and Mr Wright (Mrs Regan-Boriska).

Best wishes to Mme Sirait, Mme Farrugia and Mme Dibon-Smith who embark on leaves of absence next year, enjoy the time spent with your families.

Thank you and best of luck as you move on to your new schools: Ms Kwiecinski (ESL Itinerant), Mme Matthews, and Mme Mahaney.

Finally farewell and congratulations to our retirees. Thank you Mme Kitaygora, Mr Burazin, Mrs Myhal and Mrs Lortz for all that you have done over the many years at SAB!! Best wishes for health, happiness and new adventures as you move on.

Next September we welcome back Mme Grant (FDK FI), Mr Breaw (Grade 4/5) and Mme Romano (Gr 2 FI – in Ocotober).

We look forward to welcoming our new staff: Ms Zaph (English FDK), Ms Morris (English FDK),Ms Borromeo (Diagnostic FDK), Ms Wawrzkowicz-Mikosz (Diagnostic FDK), Ms Cauchi (Gr 2/3), Mme DaSilva (Gr 2/3FI), Mr Bhagirathi (ASD- ISP), Mme Akineza (Gr 4/5 FI), Ms Iordanov (Music/Drama) and Mme Zamin (Principal).

The staffing process to fill any remaining vacant teaching and support staff positions will occur over the summer.

Special thank you to Ms Huddleston for her tireless work this year supporting our students, staff and School Council. Thank you as well to Ms Monaghan for all your support in the office and school. Thank you to Mr Hogan and his custodial team on a great job keeping our school clean and operational.

Sir Adam Beck is a great place to learn and teach because of the great students, amazing staff and the families who support them. Thank you to our School Council for all that they did this year in supporting our staff and enriching the programming for our students through their fundrasing allocations. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our parents and guardians for your ongoing support during the past 13 years. It is with a deep sense of pride and gratitude that I end this year. It has been an honour and privelage to have been able to serve and support the students and families of the SAB community. I look forward to working together with Mme Zamin over the summer to ensure a smooth transition.

With much appreciation and best wishes for a great summer!

Regards,

Michael Kanalec

Principal

June 2024

The final month of the school year is upon us! May was an incredibly busy month as we opened our doors to showcase student learning during Education week. Thank you to all the staff who took leadership roles in organizing the various events and the entire staff for their support. The following week, our junior school ambassadors hosted student-led tours for our new FDK students and their families. Our grade 3-5 students completed their levelled swim program at the Alderwood pool and both of our junior softball teams enjoyed successful seasons. The track and field team continues to prepare for their upcoming competitions in June. Thank you to all the teachers and parents that have volunteered to support our athletes. A reminder to all athletes to please return your team jersey to the coaches as your season wraps up. The month wrapped up with a special dance workshop presented by the Community Dance Department at Canada’s National Ballet School. It was a wonderful experience which focused on providing a fun and interactive opportunity for our students.

The warmer weather allows more families to walk, ride and board to school. Please remind your child to wear a helmet when riding or boarding to school. We hope families that need to drive to school will continue to use the Eltham Drive, Kiss N Ride designated area to help lessen parking lot congestion. For the safety of all our students and families please drive with care and do not park in the yellow lined drop-off zone or areas designated as accessible parking areas. A special thanks to Gina Vivian and her team of volunteer staff and parents for running the Parent Safety Program at drop off and pick up in our main parking lot.

Thank you to the School Council for organizing this year’s staff appreciation day and to all the families that donated goodies for the event. We appreciate the recognition of the hard work and dedication our teachers and support staff put forth each and every day in providing a welcoming, safe and engaging learning environment for all of our students. On behalf of the students, staff and administration we would like to thank the School Council and all of the parent/guardian/caring adult volunteers for all your support this year. We could not have done it without you. Please join us at our volunteer appreciation tea on June 14^th.

As the month unfolds our thoughts will be with those students who will be Moving On to grade 6. We extend our best wishes and know that they will continue to make us proud as they venture off to middle school. Report cards will be distributed on June 26^th.

Best wishes for an amazing summer.

Keep well and stay safe.

May 2024

It is so hard to believe we are already heading into May. The warmer weather has brought excitement back to the school yard as students enjoy the playscape, four square, funnel ball basketball, soccer and a variety of tag games. As conditions change daily, please send your child to school prepared for spring showers and chilly mornings. Splash jackets, pants and rain boots are the best way to keep dry and comfortable throughout the day. Our SAB Knights athletes were busy this month with outstanding efforts put forth by our co-ed badminton, volleyball and soccer teams. Next up our softball and track field athletes will be preparing for their spring meets and tournaments.

The School Council Candyland Spring Dance and Fundraiser was a resounding success. Students, staff and parents/guardians danced to the sounds of DJ Burazin while enjoying refreshments and trying their luck at various games and fun activities. Thank you to the Council lead, Lisa Lorefice and her team of volunteers, Mr Burazin, the families that donated to the event and staff members that supported the event by attending or providing artwork to be displayed.

Next week is the beginning of Education and Children’s Mental Health Week. We look forward to sharing the joy, belonging and learning our students have experienced this year. We hope to see you at your child’s showcase of learning concert or FDK open classroom. Students performing in the evening showcases should report to their homerooms between 6-6:15PM on the evening of their scheduled show. Families are encouraged to take in the artwork and projects that are proudly displayed on our hallway walls.

Families of the new FDK students arriving in September have been invited to our annual FDK Information Evening and will have the chance to tour the school with our Grade 5 leadership ambassadors the week of May 13^th.

To the parents/guardians of our Grade 3 students please be advised that we will be administering the EQAO assessment from June 3-11, 2024. Please do not make travel plans during this time and ensure that your child is well rested, on time and in attendance during these weeks. Specific assessment dates will be communicated to each family as scheduling in finalized.

April 2024

Thank you to our School Council for supporting two wonderful learning opportunities this past month. The Big Crunch took place just before March break which highlighted the importance of eating healthy locally grown produce. We all crunched together on a delicious apple/carrot sourced by our Council and generously donated by our local No Frills store. The Council also sponsored the Planetarium presentation for every student to experience. Students marvelled at being taken into outer space in the planetarium dome set up in our gymnasium. Two very important Eco Schools initiatives were also highlighted this month that coincided with Earth Hour. The Big Gulp raised awareness about access to clean drinking water and the impact of single-use plastic bottles on the environment and the 7^th Annual Council clothing exchange was a huge success. Thank you to Becky Morley and her team of volunteers, 3008 lbs of clothing were collected and more importantly 2500 lbs went back into the community. Congratulations and thank you to the SAB community.

As we head into the final stretch of the 2023-2024 school year the planning and organization process for next September has already begun. I want to reassure parents that staff and administration put a great deal of time and thought into the organization of classroom groupings each year taking into account the Ministry of Education’s Primary Class Size which places a ‘hard cap’ of 20 students in Primary classes (Gr.1- 3). Teachers will meet with school administration to discuss the needs of each student. The following factors are taken into consideration:

The academic needs and learning style of the child
The social/emotional/behavioural needs of the child
Support programs - care is taken when placing children who are supported by special programs i.e. Special Ed., ESL
A range of ability levels of the students in the class
The class size (primary caps)
Parental input shared with the teachers regarding the following:

i) Academic needs and learning style of their child

ii) The social/emotional/behavioural needs of the child;

(Please note requests for specific teachers will not be entertained)

We appreciate your trust in our professional judgement in balancing the considerations mentioned above. The final decision for class placements is the responsibility of the Principal.

March went out like a lion with cooler than expected temperatures. Please ensure your child has the appropriate spring weather wear – splash pants, boots and rain jackets along with a spare change of clothes.

March 2024

Thank you to all parents/guardians who attended interviews during the month of February. Ongoing home and school communication is integral to your child’s growth and we will continue to work in partnership to support every student in their learning. We appreciate all the very positive comments and feedback from parents and their ongoing support of our dedicated staff as we work together for the common goal of supporting every child’s success.

The month kicked off with our SAB Carnaval festival. Thank you, Mme Mahaney and the many staff and parent volunteers that made this week long celebration of French culture and tradition such a huge success. Bonhomme visited daily throughout the week and added to the excitement of the many events.

Many thanks to our School Council Equity team for sponsoring the Lunar New Year Author visit by Catherine Little. Ms. Little shared stories about the Chinese zodiac, culture and history as well as her own book, the Dragon’s Dilemma. The Council Sparkles and Sports Valentine’s dance night in support of the Grade 5 Moving On celebration was a huge hit. Thank you, Mr Burazin, for providing the sounds, lights and special effects that made the evening so much fun for all.

Our Knights athletes had an extremely successful month. The junior girls’ volleyball team played extremely well at their regional tournament and the coed ball hockey team were runners up in their conference finals earning the school another sports banner. Thank you to the athletes and coaches for a wonderful winter season.

The lost and found has become a happening place over the winter months. Please remind your child to reclaim misplaced items. All unclaimed items will be bundled up and donated on March 8.

Each year, as we transition from winter into spring we are faced with some erratic weather. Warm days followed by intense cold spells often results in icy or muddy areas on our playground and field. Please do exercise extra caution as you navigate the school property at drop off and pick up times.

We encourage as many families as possible to walk to school or alternatively to drop off school aged children (grades 1-5) on Eltham Ave adjacent to the north school yard.

From all of us here at SAB – we would like to wish all of our students and their families a wonderful and safe March Break

February 2024

We have arrived at the mid-way point of another school year. Thank you to the parent/guardian volunteers that continue to support our skating excursions and to the many who came in to read as part of our literacy week finale. We look forward to having our SAB Carnaval festival return next week and would like to thank in advance those who have donated items or signed up to volunteer.

During the month of February, the TDSB proudly recognizes African and Chinese Heritage Month. It is an occasion to celebrate the many achievements and contributions of peoples of African and Chinese descent to Canada and the world. The Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is one of the most significant holidays for Chinese communities around the world. The date is selected by the traditional lunisolar Chinese calendar and the celebration lasts 16 days. This year marks the Year of the Dragon, which begins on Sunday, February 10, 2024.

This year’s African Heritage theme is Our Black Is… Our Black Is Resilient, Community, Beautiful, Unity, Joy, Self-Determination, Excellence, Empowering, Purpose, Brilliance, Engaging, Creative, Belonging, Tenacious, Powerful, Faith, Audacious, Me…This open statement, “Our Black Is…” was selected as the 2024 African Heritage Month theme, as it is for Us as a Community to define. We invite our community to continue to boldly define ourselves. To kick off African Heritage month at the TDSB, we are excited to extend an invitation to all students, staff, and the TDSB community to join us in marking this significant month with entertainment, and noteworthy speakers at the African Heritage Month Virtual Launch on Thursday, February 1^st, 2024 from 10:00 – 10:45 a.m.
Link: https://www.tdsb.on.ca/stream/LiveWebcast-African-Heritage-Month.html

We are well on the way to the reporting period for the Provincial Report Card. We look forward to providing parents/guardians with the opportunity to discuss their child’s progress at the Report Card /Kindergarten Communication of Learning conferences. We know that children benefit most when parents/guardians and teachers work together as partners in learning. Report cards will be sent home on Monday February 12, 2024 and conferences will be scheduled that week and on the evening of February 15 and the morning of the PA Day, February 16^th. We will be opening our online booking system from Monday February 5^th – 9^th – please be sure to book your parent/guardian-teacher conference. A separate email will be sent out to all families with instructions. Please contact us immediately if you are unable to keep an appointment.

Kindergarten registrations will take place in February. If you have a child who was born in 2020 or know a family that is interested in registering, please have them register online: https://www.tdsb.on.ca/EarlyYears/KindergartenMonth Lastly, we would like to remind you of the extra-long weekend in February. Friday February 16 is a PA Day and Monday February 19 is Family Day. Please take this time to enjoy with your immediate and extended family as the purpose of this holiday is to emphasize and celebrate the importance of families being together.

January 2024

Happy New Year to all and best wishes to our students, families and staff for the upcoming holidays. Thank you to the entire school community for the overwhelming response to our food drive. Together we raised approximately 585 pounds of non-perishable food!! Thank you as well to Ms Paul’s class who helped to assemble 15 packages in support of The Shoebox Project, a Canadian charity that collects & distributes gift-filled Shoeboxes to local women experiencing or at-risk-of homelessness, and that celebrates diversity, builds awareness, challenges stigma while promoting equity. Your generosity will help to support many families in our community. Well done SAB!

The initial offers of placement for new Early French Immersion students who will be starting in September 2024 at SAB will be sent out to parents/caregivers in the coming weeks. Families in this wave of offers must respond by the deadline in the offer email to accept the placement. Subsequent offers will continue into the new year until the placement process is complete. Due to the volume of applications, it can take many weeks for all the families to hear. Families are encouraged to check their email frequently, including junk mail.

For families interested in enrolling their child into the Middle French Immersion Program which begins in Grade 4, there is an online process to apply. This program is available to English Grade 3 students and begins in September 2024. Applications open on January 8, 2024 and the deadline is February 2, 2024. Please see p. 4 for additional details.

Saturday January 27^th is Family Literacy Day. This year we will be kicking off literacy week by hosting the DuffleBag Theatre’s performance of La Belle et La Bête. The DuffleBag Theatre performs well-known stories in a new and fun way. They take stories and make them come alive through improvisation. We will wrap the week up by inviting parents and caregivers into our classrooms to read their favourite story to their child’s class. A sign-up schedule will be made available during the week of January 15^th. Thank you to our literacy committee for organizing the activities. Hope to see you there.

December 2023

We all took time to remember at our school wide Remembrance Day ceremony. Thank you to the Remembrance Day Committee for hosting a wonderful assembly. The ceremony reflected the Calls to Action of Truth and Reconciliation while ensuring the contributions of all Canadians were acknowledged and appreciated.

Student-led conferences were a big success. Thank you to the parents/guardians of all our students who participated by attending with their child. We look forward to helping our students become more independent learners and confident communicators as they develop an awareness of their own strengths and needs while planning next steps for their learning with their caring adults.

As we head into the colder months of the year, we will continue to introduce fresh air into our learning spaces by having windows opened slightly. We will continue to head outside for recess, DPA (daily physical activity) and physical education classes through the winter months. Proper boots, splash/snow pants and gear are essential. Please keep this in mind as your child gets ready for school each day by considering an extra layer of clothing to ensure comfort throughout the day.

This winter season students in grades 1-5 will have the opportunity to participate in recreational outdoor skating at the Sir Adam Beck rink. Please take time to check your child’s equipment and connect with your child’s teacher if there is a need to borrow skates or a helmet. Homeroom classes will notify families of their skating days/times and permissions forms will be emailed to families in the coming weeks

Our school remains a mask friendly environment. Thank you for the continued support in helping to slow the spread of the “triple threat’ illnesses this cold and flu season. We appreciate everyone’s effort in keeping their children home when they are not feeling well and having them return when symptoms have resolved. Arriving to school on time, healthy and ready to learn each day supports an uninterrupted instructional day.

From all of us here at SAB, we would like to wish all of our students and their families a joy filled and healthy holiday.

November 2023

Early French Immersion (JK entry) – November 6^th to December 1^st, 2023 (4 weeks) – central application process

For families interested in the Toronto District School Board's Early French Immersion Program, we offer an online process to apply. The entry point to Early French Immersion is Junior Kindergarten. An offer of placement in the program (not a specific school) is guaranteed to all eligible on-time applicants. While every effort is made to place students in the school identified as their area French Immersion school, this not always possible. Students may be redirected to another school with available program space.

Families with an older sibling currently in an Early French Immersion program and who will be in attendance next year are still required to complete an online application for the new student. They are asked to select the “sibling option” within the online application. Interested families can apply via the Application Link.

More information about the Early Immersion Program is available in 22 languages, or families may join one of the Information Sessions via live zoom webinar for more information about the application process.

A few reminders about the process and questions you may be asked at this point:

The deadline to apply to the program is December 1, 2023.
If a parent/caregiver cannot access a computer, please consider accommodating them at a school computer.
Please let parents/caregivers know the process is NOT handled on a first come, first served basis. All applications received by the deadline are managed with the same priority.
If parents/caregiver experience difficulties, they may contact us via email at: PARS_FSL_Admin@tdsb.on.ca
A parent/caregiver may still submit an application online after the deadline passes on December 1, 2023; the application will be marked as late, and the application will be on a waitlist subject to available space until the end of September of the entry year; there is NO guarantee of placement.
Placements in French Immersion are offered based on current home address of record in PowerSchool, not on location or enrolment in child care.

Below is a Q&A that may support some inquiries which you may receive from local parents/caregivers during this period:

When the online application system (PARS) opens…

How do I apply to Early French Immersion?

Please invite parents/caregivers to visit the online application site at: www.tdsb.on.ca/pars.
They will select the program from a drop-down menu on the right (Early French Immersion) and follow the prompts.
This process is not first come first served. In the weeks following the close of the application, offers of placement will be sent to the email address provided by the parent/caregiver.
Please encourage them to check this email frequently and follow the prompts in the message when the offer is made.
New support documents (Application Process Step-By-Step and Application Process – Tip Sheet) have been added to the website to help parents/caregivers with the application process.

My child is not in the TDSB and does not have an OEN. ALL families will be non-TDSB families who have child(ren) born in 2020.

For non-TDSB students, the parent/caregiver selects the “Non-TDSB Student” option on the PARS site and follows the steps to generate an identification number.
They must then continue the application process with this number.
New support documents (Application Process Step-By-Step and Application Process – Tip Sheet) have been added to the website to help parents/caregivers with the application process.

I can’t get on the website.

Please reassure the parent/caregiver that the application is not handled on a first come, first served basis.
If there is an internet issue, the parent/caregiver may try again. If there is a problem with the site, please let us know via email and assure the parent/caregiver that it will be taken care of, and they should try again in the next couple of days.
If the parent/caregiver cannot access the internet from home or has any other challenges using the on-line system, please offer them assistance at the school or have them call our office. With a DOB, anyone can submit the application for the parent/caregiver.

When will I hear?

Offers of placement will begin in the days following the application deadline and they will continue for the weeks following. Not all families in a given area will receive their offers of placement at the same time, but all will receive one.
Please encourage the parent/caregiver to check their email frequently (including their junk mail). Please do not offer a firm date when the offers of placement should be completed.

Is it a first come first served process?

No. All applications received by the deadline are treated with the same priority and are guaranteed a place in the program (we cannot guarantee placement in a given school).
All applications received after the deadline will be held on a waitlist and considered subject to available space until the end of September of the entry year.

Are we able to select a particular school or location for my child to attend Early French Immersion?

Placement in French Immersion via the central application process is based on current home address of record in PowerSchool.
An offer of placement will be made based on the child’s current home address of record in PowerSchool prior to the application deadline.
If the address changes between the application deadline and the fall of the entry year, there is no guarantee of placement in the new area.

Fall is the perfect season to go out for a walk/run. We encourage our families to continue walking to school as much as possible each week in support of our Eco schools Walk to School initiative. This helps to decrease the cars on the roads around our school and alleviates the congestion in our busy parking lot. If your child is bussed to school or you are unable to walk to school, please consider other creative ways that can be done at home to decrease automobile travel.

The month of October was a busy one for our SAB athletes. The cross country and soccer teams made strong showings in their tournaments and meets. For more details, please see the SAB Athletics update on page 14. Congratulations to our athletes of the month: September: Nora P. (Room 122), Aarav A. (Room 209), Dylan D. (Room 211), Oliver B. (Room 210) and Grant K (Room 214), October: Artem K (Room 122), Remi M. (Room 121), Brooke N. (Room 211), Bo M. (Room 210) and Mayuri M. (Room 207)

Over the upcoming weeks teachers will be connecting with parents/guardians as part of the upcoming reporting cycle. Progress reports will be coming home on November 13^th. Students in grades 1-5 will have the opportunity to present as part of the student-led conference format. Details of the online booking system will be announced soon via an email sent to all SAB families.

Fall and winter weather conditions will be arriving shortly. Our classes will continue to go outside regularly throughout the day. Please check the forecast daily and help your child select the appropriate outerwear. We appreciate everyone’s effort in keeping their children home when they are not feeling well. On pages 11/12 of the newsletter, we have included an important message from Toronto Public Health regarding a number of steps that can be taken to help keep children and others safe from an increase in respiratory viruses among children, including Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), Influenza and COVID-19. Thank you for helping to keep our school community healthy this winter.

Families who will be trick or treating are reminded to carefully review the Halloween Safety Tips in addition to being extra cautious on this busy dark night. We ask that Halloween treats be kept at home and not sent to school as part of your child’s lunch. Treats sent in to support the Candy for Kids campaign are welcome.

October 2023

Welcome back once again to all our returning and new families. September has whisked by and we have all settled into our new routines. Thank you to the families that have returned the SAB hard copy and TDSB online data verification packages. If you are still not able to access the online forms please contact the office for assistance.

During the first month we held two successful practice fire drills and one lockdown drill. This week we will hold our final fall fire drill. Discussions around the importance of these rehearsals every fall and spring are discussed in each homeroom classroom in an age-appropriate manner.

Our Terry Fox walk/run on September 21^st was a huge success. To date we have raised $2325 dollars. Thank you to the parent/guardian volunteers who came out to help supervise the event. Donations are still being accepted at https://schools.terryfox.ca/SirAdamBeckJuniorEtobicoke

On September 29th we wore Orange to honour the second annual National Day of Truth and Reconciliation. By wearing orange we acknowledge the legacy of residential schools in Canada and we honour the survivors.

September also included an active athletics calendar. The running and kilometre club kicked things off and helped to prepare our cross country athletes who will be heading to Centennial Park to compete in the West Conference meet on October 4th. The grade 4/5 boys and girls soccer teams have also been training and awaiting details of their regional tournament.

We continue to navigate COVID-19, cold and flu season. Please continue to monitor your child for symptoms and keep students that are not well home until their fever has broken and symptoms have improved for 24 hours.

The home and school connection as well as the relationship with our families and our Alderwood Centre partners has always been the strength of our community. This year we are thrilled to be hosting our in-person Council welcome back bbq and open house on Tuesday October 3, 2023.

We continue to promote the health and safety benefits of being outdoors, this means rain or shine - warm or cold. Please make a point of checking the daily forecast in order to assist your child in selecting the appropriate outdoor gear for that day.

On behalf of all the staff at SAB we would like to wish all our students and their families a wonderful Thanksgiving long weekend. Continue to keep well and safe,

September 2023

Welcome back SAB families.

Hope this finds everyone well on the heals of a wonderful summer break.

I would like to start off by thanking Mr Hogan (head custodian) and his team for the work they put in over the summer to prepare the school. The school looks fantastic. Thank you to Ms Huddleston and Ms Monaghan for the incredible job they have done in the office. Our staff have been in this week readying their learning environments and welcoming the many new and returning members of our team. Warm welcome to our new and returning staff:

Kathy Botham – Library and Sepcial Education
Feroza Hamid – DECE Room 116
Maureen Huddleston – Office Administrator
Ayumi Monaghan – Acting Secretary mornings
Matthew Breaw -Gr 4/5 Room 214
Keith Reinhart – Primary ISP Room 118
Shontelle Sargeant – CYW Primary ISP Room 118
Leslie-Ann Giorgio – Dance & Physical Education
Katernina Seitaj – ESL Room 203
Simran Singh – LTO Gr ½ FI Room 121
Agnieska Moore – Lunchroom Supervisor Room 113
Katie Hyatt - Lunchroom Supervisor Room 116
Glory Silalhi - Lunchroom Supervisor Room 119

Best wishes to Mme Romano who has embarked on her maternity/parental leave a little ahead of schedule.

First Day Student Entry:

All staff will be outside to greet students and parents on the morning of September 5^th.

Entry for all students is 8:35AM. Dismissal for Kindergarten and ISP program students is 2:50 PM and for students in Grades 1-5 dismissal is 3:10 PM

Teachers will meet their students outside in their designated reception areas:

Kindergarten FDK Playground: Rm 113 Nolan/Haralabidou, Rm 114 – Bangma/Jama ,

Rm 115 – Sirait/Williams

Kindergarten Naturalized Area South - Room 116 Burazin/Nelson North

Kindergarten Naturalized Area North Room 119 – Lortz/Hamid

West Colas: Rooms 120 - Pappalardo, 210 – Kitaygora , 212 - Brown
West Colas Doors – Room 118 – Reinhart/White
East Colas: Room 121 - Singh, 122 – Farrugia (Ovalles) , 206 - Shazand, 208 - Harwood,

209 – Myhal , 211 - Paul

Sail Shade area adjacent to the outdoor rink: Room 213 - Ceni
Outdoor Rink Fence West Room 207 – Dibon-Smith
Outdoor Rink Fence South East Room 214 - Breaw

Medical Alerts

Student Packages

Sir Adam Beck is a cashless school. Registration is open now.

We wish you a wonderful Labour day long weekend.

June 2023

It is hard to believe that we are heading into the final month of the school year. May was an incredibly busy month as we opened our doors to showcase student learning during Education week. Thank you to all the staff who took leadership roles in organizing the various events and the entire staff for their support. The following week, our junior school ambassadors hosted student led tours for our new FDK students and their families. Our grade 4 students completed their Swim to Survive program at the Alderwood pool and our Grade 5 students enjoyed being exposed to a wonderful outdoor education overnight experience at the Etobicoke Outdoor Education Centre. Congratulations to our junior softball teams on their successful seasons. Our track and field team is preparing for their upcoming competitions this month. Thank you to all the teachers that have volunteered to support our athletes. A reminder to all athletes to please return your team jersey to the coaches as soon as possible.

The warmer weather allows more families to walk, ride and board to school. Please remind your child to wear a helmet when riding or boarding to school. We hope families that need to drive to school will utilise the Eltham Drive, Kiss N Ride designated area to further decrease parking lot congestion. For the safety of all our students and families please drive with care and do not park in yellow lined drop off drop off zone or areas designated accesible parking areas.

Mme Monpierre is retiring. After an outstanding career as a teacher (grades 1 - 10), following a distinguished career as a translator-interpreter for the federal government, and as a press attaché in a publishing company in France, Mme Monpierre has accepted the position of Principal at an independent school, in Ontario. Mme Monpierre will continue to bring excellence, dedication and leadership in her new role. We want to thank Mme Monpierre for the many lives she has touched at Sir Adam Beck, and wish her the best in her new endeavour.

On behalf of the students, staff and administration we would like to thank the School Council and all of the parent/guardian/caring adult volunteers for all your support this year. We could not have done it without you. Please join us at our volunteer appreciation tea on June 16^th.

Best wishes for an amazing summer.

Keep well and stay safe.

May 2023

The School Council Hollywood Spring Dance and Fundraiser was a resounding success. Students, staff and parents/guardians danced to the sounds of DJ Burazin while enjoying refreshments and trying their luck at various games and fun activities. Thank you to the many Council volunteers, Mr Burazin, families that donated to the event and staff members that supported the event by attending or providing artwork to be displayed.

Today is the beginning of Education and Children’s Mental Health Week.

We look forward to sharing the joy, belonging and learning our students have experienced this year. We hope to see you at your child’s showcase of learning concert or FDK open house this week. Grades 1-5, student performers should report to their homerooms between 6-6:15PM on the evening of their scheduled show. Families are encouraged to take in the artwork and projects that are proudly displayed on our hallway walls.

Families of the new FDK students arriving in September have been invited to our annual FDK Information Evening and will have the chance to tour the school with our Grade 5 leadership ambassadors.

To the parents/guardians of our Grade 3 students please be advised that we will be administering the EQAO assessment from May 23 to June 1st, 2023. Please do not make travel plans during this time and ensure that your child is well rested, on time and in attendance during these weeks. Specific assessment dates will be communicated to each family as scheduling in finalized.

April 2023

Thank you to our School Council for the wonderful enrichment opportunities provided to our students this past month.Every student was able to enjoy three sessions of Junglesport this past week.It was amazing to see the strength and agility displayed as students climbed, balanced and zip lined with joy.We were all treated to the Shoestring Opera who performed a wonderful rendition of the Magic Flute. Finally we crunched and gulped in support of two very important EcoSchools initiatives highlighting the importance of eating healthy local grown produce and raising awareness about access to clean drinking water and the impact of single-use plastic bottles on the environment.

As we head into the final stretch of the 2022-2023 school year the planning and organization process for next September has already begun.I want to reassure parents that staff and administration put a great deal of time and thought into the organization of classroom groupings each year taking into account the Ministry of Education’s Primary Class Size which places a ‘hard cap’ of 20 students in Primary classes (Gr.1- 3).Teachers will meet with school administration to discuss the needs of each student.The following factors are taken into consideration:

The academic needs and learning style of the child
The social/emotional/behavioural needs of the child
Support programs - care is taken when placing children who are supported by special programs i.e. Special Ed., ESL
A range of ability levels of the students in the class
The class size (primary caps)
Parental input shared with the teachers regarding the following:

i) Academic needs and learning style of their child

ii) The social/emotional/behavioural needs of the child;

(Please note requests for specific teachers will not be entertained)

We appreciate your trust in our professional judgement in balancing the considerations mentioned above.The final decision for class placements is the responsibility of the Principal.

Wishing all of our students, families and staff a wonderful long weekend.

March 2023

Many thanks to our School Council Equity team for hosting the Freedom School series of presentations. Part two and three take place this month on March 1st and 22nd. Our students and staff very much enjoyed the School Council sponsored presentation by Joaquin Nunez. The Cuban/Brazilian carnival experience gave us all an opportunity to participate in percussion exercises, vocal chants, harmony parts and traditional dance steps, and learn about various percussion instruments used in styles such as the Samba and Conga.

Our Knights athletes had an extremely successful month. The junior girls’ volleyball team will be heading to the conference championship later this week and our junior coed ball hockey team has advanced to the TDSB City Championships. We wish both teams best of luck!

The lost and found has become a happening place over the winter months. Please remind your child to reclaim misplaced items. All unclaimed items will be bundled up and donated on March 10.

Each year, as we transition from winter into spring we are faced with some erratic weather. Warm days of thaw followed by intense cold spells often results in large icy areas on our playground and field. Please do exercise extra caution as you navigate the school property at drop off and pick up times. We would like to welcome Chris Hogan to the Sir Adam Beck team. Mr Hogan has joined us this week as our new head custodian.

Due to ongoing concerns regarding our parking lot during the morning drop off it is very important that we all follow the rules by driving slowly, utilizing designated parking spaces and not parking or idling along the drop off curb. We encourage as many families as possible to walk to school or alternatively to drop off school aged children (grades 1-5) on Eltham Ave adjacent to the north school yard.

From all of us here at SAB – we would like to wish all of our students and their families a wonderful and safe March Break

February 2023

It is hard to believe that we have arrived at the mid-way point of another school year. During the month of February, the TDSB proudly recognizes African Heritage Month. It is an occasion to celebrate the many achievements and contributions of peoples of African descent to Canada and the world. The chosen theme for 2022-2023 is Black Joy. To kick off African Heritage month at the TDSB, we are excited to extend an invitation to all students, staff, and the TDSB community to join us in marking this significant month with entertainment, and noteworthy speakers at the African Heritage Month Virtual Launch on Wednesday, February 1st, 2023 from 10:00 am - 10:45 am, Zoom Webinar Link:

https://tdsb-ca.zoom.us/j/97398652590

Thank you to parent/guardian volunteers that continue to support our skating excursions and to the many who came in to read as part of our literacy week finale. As the snow accumulates the markings on our 2 designated accessible parking spaces often get covered up. Please remember that these parking spots are reserved for vehicles displaying accessible parking permits issued to the individuals that require accessible parking. Please do not use accessible parking spots at drop off or pick up times.

We are well on the way to the reporting period for the Provincial Report Card. We look forward to providing parents/guardians with the opportunity to discuss their child’s progress at the Report Card /Kindergarten Communication of Learning conferences. We know that children benefit most when parents/guardians and teachers work together as partners in learning. Report cards will be sent home on Monday February 13, 2023 and conferences will be scheduled that week and on the evening of February 16 and the morning of the PA Day, February 17^th. We will be opening our online booking system from Monday February 6^th – 10^th – please be sure to book your parent/guardian-teacher conference. A separate email will be sent out to all families with instructions. Please contact us immediately if you are unable to keep an appointment.

Kindergarten registrations will take place in February. If you have a child who was born in 2019 or know a family that is interested in registering, please have them register online: https://www.tdsb.on.ca/EarlyYears/KindergartenMonth

Lastly, we would like to remind you of the extra-long weekend in February. Friday February 17 is a PA Day and Monday February 20 is Family Day. Please take this time to enjoy with your immediate and extended family as the purpose of this holiday is emphasizing and celebrating the importance of families taking time to be together.

January 2023

Happy New Year to all and best wishes to our students, families and staff for the upcoming 2023 year. Thank you to the entire school community for the overwhelming response to our food drive. Together we raised close to 600 pounds of non-perishable food!! Your generosity will help support many families in our community. Well done SAB!

With much gratitude and thanks, we honoured Mme Warburton on her retirement. Students and staff sang, Merci, to her at our holiday sing along. Thank you again Mme Warburton and best wishes to you!

We welcome Mme Sophie Shazand who was the successful candidate in the staffing process and will be taking over the grade 2 French Immersion classroom. Mme Shazand was born and raised in Paris and has a passion for the Arts. In the 90s, Mme Shazand moved with her family to Montreal and then to Toronto in 2007. She has extensive work experience with children and students of all ages and all levels and has worked in various school settings both in the public (Viamonde & TDSB) and the private sector (CIMF in Montreal & TFS in Toronto). Please join me in welcoming her to the SAB team.

The initial offers of placement for new Early French Immersion students who will be starting in September 2023 at SAB have been sent out to parents/caregivers. Families in this wave of offers had until December 21, 2022 to accept the placement online. Subsequent offers will continue into the new year until the placement process is complete. Due to the volume of applications, it can take many weeks for all the families to hear. Families are encouraged to check their email frequently, including junk mail.

For families interested in enrolling their child into the Middle French Immersion Program which begins in Grade 4, there is an online process to apply. This program is available to English Grade 3 students and begins in September 2023. Applications open on January 9, 2023 and the deadline is February 3, 2023. Please see p. 6 for additional details.

Friday January 27^th is Family Literacy Day. We look forward to inviting parents and caregivers into our classrooms to read their favourite story to their child’s class. A sign-up schedule will be made available during the week of January 16^th. Hope to see you there.

On the final six pages of our newsletter, we have included the Hearts and Minds TDSB Psychological Services winter newsletter. The issue highlights the neurodiversity of complex needs students, and the community supports and resources available.

December 2022

Mme Warburton was thrilled to once again organize SAB’s participation in the ‘Tis The Season’ Art Show at the Assembly Hall. Please drop by to admire the 13 amazing entries produced by our students – the show runs until December 14^th.

As we head into the colder months of the year, we will continue to introduce fresh air into our learning spaces by having windows opened slightly. We will continue to head outside for recess and physical education classes through the winter months. Proper boots, splash/snow pants and gear are essential. Please keep this in mind as your child gets ready for school each day by considering an extra layer of clothing to ensure comfort throughout the day.

This winter season students in grades 1-5 will also have the opportunity to participate in recreational outdoor skating at the Sir Adam Beck rink. Please take time to check your child’s equipment and connect with your child’s teacher if there is a need to borrow skates or a helmet. Homeroom classes will notify families of their skating days and times.

November 2022

The month of October was a busy one for our SAB athletes. The cross country and soccer teams made strong showings in their tournaments and meets. Congratulations to our October athletes of the month: Marcus R (Room 122), Caeden F (Room 206), Vivienne C.S (Room 212), Mallory R (Room 207) and Josie R (Room 207)

Our first in-person monthly assembly was held last Friday. Mme Brown’s and Ms. Paul’s classes showcased their learning with presentations that focussed on inclusion, culture and diversity. Earlier in the month we celebrated and learned more about Diwali. Thank you to volunteer parents, Purvi and Japmeen for organizing the school-wide craft and to visiting author Zenia for sharing her storybook with our primary grades.

Families who will be trick or treating are reminded to carefully review the Halloween Safety Tips in addition to being extra cautious on this rainy dark night. We ask that Halloween treats be kept at home and not sent to school with your child. Keeping Halloween goodies at home helps to keep our allergy sensitive students safe.

Fall and winter weather conditions will be arriving shortly. Our classes will continue to go outside regularly throughout the day. Please check the forecast daily and help your child select the appropriate outerwear.

Over the upcoming weeks teachers will be connecting with parents/guardians as part of the upcoming reporting cycle. Students will be encouraged to take on a more active role in the conferences. Details of the online booking system will be announced soon via an email sent to all SAB families.

We appreciate everyone’s effort in keeping their children home when they are not feeling well.

October 2022

During the first month we held two practice fire drills. Over the next two weeks we will complete our rehearsals by holding our final fire drill as well as our fall lockdown drill. Discussions around the importance of these rehearsals every fall and spring are discussed in each homeroom classroom in an age-appropriate manner.

Our Terry Fox walk/run on September 28^th was a huge success. To date we have raised over $2000 dollars. Thank you to the parent/guardian volunteers who came out to help supervise the event. Donations are still being accepted at https://schools.terryfox.ca/SirAdamBeckJuniorEtobicoke

On September 30th we wore Orange to honour the second annual National Day of Truth and Reconciliation. By wearing orange we acknowledge the legacy of residential schools in Canada and we honour the survivors. Our primary and junior students participated in Si l'heur chi la chwiiziin Michif! It's time for a Michif kitchen party! A presentation celebrating and exploring Métis culture in both French and English. We all enjoyed learning some basic Western Michif songs, Red River jigging, spoons and clogging.

September also included an active athletics calendar. The running and kilometre club kicked things off and helped to prepare our cross country athletes who will be heading to Centennial Park to compete in the West Conference meet on October 3. The grade 4/5 boys and girls soccer teams have also been training and awaiting details of their regional tournament.

On behalf of all the staff at SAB we would like to wish all our students and their families a wonderful Thanksgiving long weekend. Continue to keep well and safe,

September 2022

We would like to thank the entire staff and our families for their support as we wrap up our first full 5-day cycle. Students, staff and families are settling into their new routines.

Each year as we start up there are three very important messages that are sent out.

TDSB Online Start Up Forms

Last week families should have received an email from the TDSB (Permission Click) inviting them to complete a series of important permission/information forms. Please complete these as soon as possible. Let your child’s teacher or the main office know if you have not received this email.

Sir Adam Beck Specific Start Up Package

Yesterday an envelope containing your child’s start up package was sent home – Please note these are due back to your child’s teacher by Friday September 16, 2022.

Reminder to please notify your child’s teacher if there are serious medical conditions that they should know about. Ie. Anaphylaxis, asthma, allergies etc

School Council Welcome Back

Welcome SAB families to the 2022/2023 school year! This package introduces you to our School Council and its activities, including the long-awaited school lunch programs.

The package contains the following:

School Council Welcome Letter
School Council Self-Nomination Form
Lunch Lady Information Sheets – online orders only

If you have any questions about Council, please email sabschoolcouncil@gmail.com

Please feel free to reach out to your child’s teacher, the main office or administration with any questions.

Looking forward to a wonderful year of learning and growth.

Good morning SAB families,

We hope that everyone enjoyed their summer break. We look forward to welcoming back our returning and new students and families.

Please note that this year the first day of school for students is Wednesday, September 7. The entry bell rings at 8:35AM for all students.

Students and families will be greeted by staff wearing supervision vests on the first day of school. We will continue to utilize designated reception and dismissal zones for each class.

First Day Reception Areas

Kindergarten (FDK) classes will be received in the kindergarten yard/naturalized area.

Room 113 Mme Nolan/ Suzie Catarino east yard,

Room 114 Mme Bangma/Sanja Kermeci central yard,

Room 115 Mme Sirait/Mme Williams west yard,

Room 116 Mr Burazin/Ms Nelson south naturalized area,

Room 119 Ms Lortz north naturalized area.

Students in grades 1-5 will meet on the west and east colas (playground area at the back of the school).

West colas:

Room 120 Mme Ovalles Gr1/2 FI,

Room 212 Mme Brown Gr3/4 FI,

East Colas:

Room 206 Mme Warburton Gr 2 FI,

Room 207 Mme Dibon-Smith Gr 4/5 FI (south rink fence)

Room 208 Ms Bishop Gr 1,

Room 209 Ms Myhal Gr 2,

Room 210 Mme Kitaygora Gr 4/5 FI,

Room 211 Ms Paul Gr ¾,

Room 121 Mme Romano (Owsianka) Gr ½ FI,

Room 122 Mme Monpierre Gr 1 FI

Room 213 Mme Ceni Gr 3 FI (sail shade area)

Room 214 Mr Nait-Djoudi/Mme Pappalardo Gr 4/5 (west rink fence)