ROAD SAFETY AT THE BEGINNING and END OF THE SCHOOL DAY
Several of the bus companies that do pick-ups and drop-offs here at Huron are now contacting me, as well as the police, asking for support around the fact that drivers are not leaving the bus zone empty. We would like to remind everyone who drives that there is a clearly indicated “SCHOOL BUS LOADING ZONE” that must be kept clear for all the buses that either pick up, or drop off at our school. Please DO NOT park your car in this area which is just south of sidewalk leading to the front doors and extending south all the way to the driveway into the parking lot.

It is very possible that there could be multiple buses arriving at the same time to pick-up and drop off students so this whole area MUST be kept clear of cars. Our bus drop off and pick up times are from 8:15 – 9:00am and from 3:15 – 4:00pm. Please make sure the area is kept clear of all cars during these times. And a reminder to all drivers that if a bus has its lights on you must not pass the bus in either direction! Thank you for your co-operation with this.

SILVER BIRCH® READING CLUB
Begins for Huron Students in Grades 3-6! The Ontario Library Association has nominated 30 Canadian books for the Silver Birch Awards. Junior students are invited to be part of a lunch-time club on Days 1 and/or 3 with Ms. Tuff and Ms. Will Stork. We will eat while exclaiming over, recommending and reading good books – a book lover’s dream! Students then will meet with expert staff readers to chat about the book they’ve read and earn stamps on a reading passport and the chance to vote for the books deserving of the Express, Non Fiction and Fiction Silver Birch awards in April. After the votes are counted across Canada, club members will get to meet the authors and be a part of the awards ceremony at the Harbourfront Center on May 13th. Our Kindergarten to Grade 2 students are not left out from the reading fun! They are reading 10 picture books nominated for the Blue Spruce awards in class and will get to vote on their favourite book too.

KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION
Huron will be holding our Kindergarten Registration Day on Tuesday February 10th, 2015. Please help us spread the word within the local community. Children born in 2011 will be registering for Junior Kindergarten, and if not already in school children born in 2010 can register for Senior Kindergarten. (If a child in already in Junior Kindergarten you DO NOT need to register for Senior Kindergarten.) Please see the attached flier for more information about the documentation you need to bring with you in order to register. And again, please help us spread the word about this important date. Feel free to print the flier and put it up around the neighbourhood. Please note – at this time we are only registering children who are IN DISTRICT for Huron. Families who live out of district are welcome to drop off a completed Optional Attendance form.

WINTER WALK TO SCHOOL
The Huron Eco-Team is organizing a Winter Walk to School Day on WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 11th. Mark the date on your calendars and look for more information coming soon.
Remember if you live too far away to walk all the way you can park a few blocks away from the school and walk the rest. We look forward to seeing you outside and walking on February 11th.

DANCE-A-THON
Mark your calendars early, our next fundraiser, our Annual Dance-A-Thon, will be happening on THURSDAY MARCH 5th, during the school day. More information about the Dance-A-Thon as well as pledge forms will be coming soon. Mark the date on your calendars and dust off your dancing shoes in preparation.

NEEDING LUNCHROOM SUPERVISORS
We are again in a situation where we are encouraging people to think about adding their name to the temporary lunchroom supervisor roster with the TDSB. Although we are fully staffed in terms of our permanent positions but at the present time, whenever a lunchroom supervisor is away there are very few, if any, people available on the temporary roster that we can ask to work and fill the vacancy.

We do of course appreciate and value the parents/caregivers who volunteer their time to help, and we love it when you do, but understandably TDSB staff members must also be present and this is why we really need names on the temporary roster that we can call to help. So think of your own situation; but also think of relatives, neighbours and friends, and if anyone is interested in learning more about the process and helping out in this vital capacity please contact the school and let us know (416-393-1570). Remember we’re not looking for people to be available every day, instead your name would be on a list of people we could call whenever a lunchroom supervisor is absent.

NEEDING LUNCHROOM SUPERVISORS
We are again in a situation where we are encouraging people to think about adding their name to the temporary lunchroom supervisor roster with the TDSB. Although we are fully staffed in terms of our permanent positions but at the present time, whenever a lunchroom supervisor is away there are very few, if any, people available on the temporary roster that we can ask to work and fill the vacancy.
We do of course appreciate and value the parents/caregivers who volunteer their time to help, and we love it when you do, but understandably TDSB staff members must also be present and this is why we really need names on the temporary roster that we can call to help.

So think of your own situation; but also think of relatives, neighbours and friends, and if anyone is interested in learning more about the process and helping out in this vital capacity please contact the school and let us know (416-393-1570). Remember we’re not looking for people to be available every day, instead your name would be on a list of people we could call whenever a lunchroom supervisor is absent.

KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION
The time is upon us to start thinking about Kindergarten Registration for September 2015. Huron will be holding our Kindergarten Registration Day on Tuesday February 10th, 2015. Please help us spread the word within the local community. Children born in 2011 will be registering for Junior Kindergarten, and if not already in school children born in 2010 can register for Senior Kindergarten. (If a child in already in Junior Kindergarten you DO NOT need to register for Senior Kindergarten.) And again, please help us spread the word about this important date. Feel free to print the flier and put it up around the neighbourhood. Please note – at this time we are only registering children who are IN DISTRICT for Huron. Families who live out of district are welcome to drop off a completed Optional Attendance form.

WINTER WALK TO SCHOOL
The Huron Eco-Team is organizing a Winter Walk to School Day on WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 11th. Mark the date on your calendars and look for more information over the next couple of weeks.
Remember if you live too far away to walk all the way you can park a few blocks away from the school and walk the rest. We look forward to seeing you outside and walking on February 11th.

DANCE-A-THON
Mark your calendars early, our next fundraiser, our Annual Dance-A-Thon, will be happening on THURSDAY MARCH 5th, during the school day. More information about the Dance-A-Thon as well as pledge forms will be coming soon. Mark the date on your calendars and dust of your dancing shoes in preparation.

JUNIOR EXTENDED FRENCH and MIDDLE FRENCH IMMERSION FOR GRADE 3 FAMILIES
Before the winter holidays all Grade 3 students were given to take home a hard copy of the information about the Junior Extended French Program and the Middle French Immersion Program. Both programs begin in Grade 4. Applications for Middle French Immersion and Junior Extended French are completed on-line. There is no paper application. The application process will run from Monday January 5th, 2015 and the deadline for applications is Thursday January 29th, 2015.

For more information please visit: www.tdsb.on.ca/ElementarySchool/SchoolChoices/FrenchPrograms

PA DAY – FRIDAY JAN. 23rd
Don’t forget that this Friday, January 23rd, 2015 is our next PA Day. On this day there will be NO SCHOOL for STUDENTS. A reminder to everyone that if you scroll down to the very bottom of Huron Happenings every week there is a listing of all holidays and PA Days for the entire school year.

SCHOOL COUNCIL MEETING
Just a reminder that our next School Council meeting is planned for TUESDAY JANUARY 20th, 2015 at 6:00pm. All parents/caregivers are welcome and invited to attend these meetings. As always, childcare and pizza will be provided for children. Please find attached the agenda for our next meeting on January 20th, 2015.

NEEDING LUNCHROOM SUPERVISORS
We are again in a situation where we are encouraging people to think about adding their name to the temporary lunchroom supervisor roster with the TDSB. Although we are fully staffed in terms of our permanent positions but at the present time, whenever a lunchroom supervisor is away there are very few, if any, people available on the temporary roster that we can ask to work and fill the vacancy.

We do of course appreciate and value the parents/caregivers who volunteer their time to help, and we love it when you do, but understandably TDSB staff members must also be present and this is why we really need names on the temporary roster that we can call to help. So think of your own situation; but also think of relatives, neighbours and friends, and if anyone is interested in learning more about the process and helping out in this vital capacity please contact the school and let us know (416-393-1570). Remember we’re not looking for people to be available every day, instead your name would be on a list of people we could call whenever a lunchroom supervisor is absent. Thank you everyone for giving this some thought.

JUNIOR EXTENDED FRENCH and MIDDLE FRENCH IMMERSION FOR GRADE 3 FAMILIES
Before the winter holidays all Grade 3 students were given to take home a hard copy of the information about the Junior Extended French Program and the Middle French Immersion Program. Both programs begin in Grade 4. Applications for Middle French Immersion and Junior Extended French are completed on-line. There is no paper application.
The application process will run from Monday January 5th, 2015 and the deadline for applications is Thursday January 29th, 2015.

For more information please visit: www.tdsb.on.ca/ElementarySchool/SchoolChoices/FrenchPrograms

Extra copies of the information given to the Grade 3 students are available in the Office.

KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION
The time is upon us to start thinking about Kindergarten Registration for September 2015. Huron will be holding our Kindergarten Registration Day on Tuesday February 10th, 2015. Please help us spread the word within the local community. Children born in 2011 will be registering for Junior Kindergarten, and if not already in school children born in 2010 can register for Senior Kindergarten. (If a child in already in Junior Kindergarten you DO NOT need to register for Senior Kindergarten.) And again, please help us spread the word about this important date. Feel free to print the flier and put it up around the neighbourhood.

Please note – at this time we are only registering children who are IN DISTRICT for Huron. Families who live out of district are welcome to drop off a completed Optional Attendance form.

OPTIONS FOR NEXT YEAR
As you may recall, on January 9th I sent an email to the parent community regarding some of the different schooling options that the Toronto District School Board offers for students at all grade levels. Please check out the TDSB website at: www.tdsb.on.ca/ElementarySchool/SchoolChoices for more information about the many options available.

STAFF CHANGES

Please join me in welcoming Ms. Lunette Edwards, our new JK/SK teacher who is working with Ms. Johnson in Room 3. Ms. Edwards has been teaching JK/SK at another school previous to joining us here at Huron and we welcome her now to the Huron community. Over the holidays our afternoon caretaker Indo was transferred and unfortunately for us his last day at Huron was Friday Jan. 2nd so we didn’t get a chance to say a proper good-bye. The good news is though that Indo’s transfer was also a promotion and we wish him the best of luck at his new school. Joining us now here at Huron is Mr. Rashad Kazi. Rashad will be here from 3:00-7:00pm every day so please say “hi” to him when you see him at the end of the school day. Ms. Darlene Eriksen who has been working as an Educational Assistant (in the mornings) and Lunchroom Supervisor since September joins us now in the afternoons as well, working as a secretary in the office. We are delighted to have Ms. Eriksen supporting us in this capacity as well. Lastly Mr. Ray Sharma joins the staff at Huron as a Lunchroom Supervisor, replacing Ms. Eriksen. Mr. Sharma is just beginning his career with the Toronto District School Board and we’re glad that he’s chosen to do so at Huron.

NEEDING LUNCHROOM SUPERVISORS

We are again in a situation where we are encouraging people to think about adding their name to the temporary lunchroom supervisor roster with the TDSB. Although we are fully staffed in terms of our permanent positions but at the present time, whenever a lunchroom supervisor is away there are very few, if any, people available on the temporary roster that we can ask to work and fill the vacancy.
We do of course appreciate and value the parents/caregivers who volunteer their time to help, and we love it when you do, but understandably TDSB staff members must also be present and this is why we really need names on the temporary roster that we can call to help. So think of your own situation; but also think of relatives, neighbours and friends, and if anyone is interested in learning more about the process and helping out in this vital capacity please contact the school and let us know (416-393-1570). Remember we’re not looking for people to be available every day, instead your name would be on a list of people we could call whenever a lunchroom supervisor is absent. Thank you everyone for giving this some thought.

ROAD SAFETY AT THE BEGINNING and END OF THE SCHOOL DAY

We would like to remind who has a car at school during either the morning drop-off or for pick-up after school that there is a clearly indicated “SCHOOL BUS LOADING ZONE” that must be kept clear for all the buses that either pick up, or drop off at our school. Please DO NOT park your car in this area which is just south of sidewalk leading to the front doors and extending south all the way to the driveway into the parking lot. It is very possible that there could be multiple buses arriving at the same time to pick-up and drop off students so this whole area MUST be kept clear of cars. Our bus drop off and pick up times are from approximately 8:15 – 9:00am and from 3:15 – 4:00pm. Please make sure the area is kept clear of all cars during these times. And a reminder to all drivers that if a bus has its lights on you must not pass the bus in either direction!

NEXT PA DAY

Mark your calendars – our next PA Day is Friday January 23rd, 2015. On this day there will be NO SCHOOL for STUDENTS. A reminder to everyone that if you scroll down to the bottom of Huron Happenings every week there is a listing of all holidays and PA Days for the entire school year.