MISSION Captain Michael VandenBos P.S.

STATEMENT Flying High for Excellence

OUR SCHOOL
COMMUNITY WILL
CREATE A SAFE
AND MOTIVATING
LEARNING
ENVIRONMENT
THAT EMPOWERS NEWSLETTER DECEMBER 2009
STUDENTS TO
BECOME
SUCCESSFUL
LEARNERS AND
TO ACQUIRE THE
SKILLS NEEDED
TO BECOME How amazing that our first term is coming to a close. Time truly flies when
RESPONSIBLE
you are enjoying what you do, being surrounded by amazing people (both tall
CITIZENS OF
TOMORROW and small) and are making a difference for children.
Our first term was filled with many opportunities for our staff and families to
3121 Country Lane make a positive impact on our students. We are fortunate here to have so many
Whitby, Ontario
L1P 1N3 parents and teachers who work extremely hard to make our school such a won-
derful place for children. I would like to say thank you to our staff members
Safe Arrival who offer a wonderful variety of learning opportunities and who have been very
Line busy recently discussing the assessment and evaluation of our students in or-
der to write first term report cards. The collaboration among all members of the
4pm to 8am VandenBos team is to be commended as it certainly enriches the learning envi-
905-665-2001 ronment for each student. I also want to say a big “MERCI” to our wonderful
CMV students who have worked hard this first term and to their families for the
Monique de Villers
Principal support at home and school. We value this partnership and look forward to
celebrating our achievements together.
Chris vanderMeer Today is a very special day as report cards are going home!!! We ask par-
Vice Principal ents to read through the report and note any questions that they may have to
Monica Porteous bring to the conference to help further build the home and school partnership.
Carolyn Copithorne Your involvement and partnership are invaluable towards the social-emotional
Admin. Assistants and academic growth of your child(ren). Report cards represent the final stage
of a process which includes the assessment and evaluation of your child’s pro-
John Bowyer
Superintendent gress with respect to the expected learning outcomes. Our Three-Way Confer-
905-666-5500 ences will take place on Thursday, December 3 (evening) and Friday, December
4 (morning). We are changing the format of our interviews this year by having
Anne-Marie Laginski
Admin Officer students take an active part in the conference; we encourage all parents to take
905-666-5500 this important opportunity to discuss their child’s progress: strengths, needs,
and next steps to help lay the foundation for a successful second term.
John Dolstra
The staff of Captain Michael VandenBos P.S. hope you and your family have
905-668-9595
Christine Winters a holiday season filled with good health, love and laughter. We look forward to
905-430-6050 continued academic and social success for our students as we begin 2010!
DECEMBER 2009 Page 2

Please make a thorough check of your child’s

As an Eco-school we are trying to achieve the
Gold level. To do this we need your help. Please head on a weekly basis to check for Head Lice.
bring litter-less lunches and participate in the boo- We have had a few classes affected in the last few
merang lunch program. This means any garbage weeks. Watch for itching behind the ears or in the
that is brought to school is to be taken home. Litter-
nape of the neck. If you detect Head Lice, please
less lunches allow you to buy things in bulk, reduc-
ing the amount of packaging, and reducing waste at contact the school.
school. You can also pack your child’s lunch in re-
usable containers. We are urgently looking for people to
take on the role of lunch supervisors. This
Items to avoid:
1. Koolaid Jammers (cannot be recycled) job is a one hour paid position which in-
2. Lunchables cludes monitoring students while they have
3. Processed snack foods (cheese, dunkaroos)
lunch in their classrooms and to monitor the
Items to include: schoolyard at noon. If you can spare even
1. Fresh fruits and vegetables
one day a week it would be most welcome. A
2. Cheese and crackers
3. Plain popcorn tuberculin test and a police check are re-
4. Yogurt quired. Applications may be picked up in the
5. 100% juice in reusable containers
school office.
Another way you can help us to achieve our Gold
level is to continue to bring in used batteries. Do
NOT throw them out as they are toxic and will harm
the environment when put into a landfill. We will
continue our battery collection into December. Bring
in your batteries when you come for your parent-
teacher interview.

Thank you for your help, The Eco-Club

A special thank-you to all

the support we have received
from parents since the begin-
ning of the year.
The library will be gathering
up all the books before the
holidays. New books can not
be taken out of the library af-
ter DECEMBER 8th, 2009.
Authors! Authors! Authors
Showcase is being resched-
uled for January 13th. Par-
ents will receive invitations at
the start of the new year. Au-
thor’s Showcase was unfortu-
nately cancelled.
DECEMBER 2009 Page 3

This season, the staff and students of Captain Michael Vanden-

Bos P.S. are being asked to donate for a ‘Twelve Days of Giving’
Drive. We will be donating non-perishable food items, as well as
hats and mittens collected from our ‘Mitten Tree’, to the Salvation
Army. These items will then be distributed to less fortunate fami-
lies in our community and will help improve the holiday season for
those in need. Collections will begin on December 1st, and our
drive will continue everyday until December 16th.
Thank you in advance for your support, and generous donations!
Sincerely, The VandenBos Philanthropy Club

In accordance with the SAFE SCHOOL PROGRAM, we remind parents to

use the front entrance closest to the office when visiting the school. If you
have to drop off items for your child, please deliver them directly to the office
and we will call your child down to prevent interruptions during classroom in-
struction time.
If you are volunteering in the school, please sign in at the office and use
the “Visitor” or “Volunteer” tags to identify yourself while in the school. Safety
is everyone’s responsibility.
Thank you for your support in this important matter.

15... Pizza Lunch

16... Kdgn Pizza Lunch
Christmas
DECEMBER 18... Hirja New Year
18... First of Muharram
2 ... Pizza $$$ Due 18... Early Dismissal - 1:50 Holidays
2 ... Report Cards go home 19... Last day of Chanukah
3 ... Parent/Teacher Interviews @night 24... Christmas Eve Dec. 21 - Jan. 1
3 ... International Day of Disabled Persons 25... Christmas Day
4 ... PA DAY - Parent/Teacher Interviews - am Return to
26... Boxing Day
6 ... National Day of Remembrance and Action on 26... Kwanza
School Jan. 4
..... Violence Against Women 27... Ashura
8 ... Skyloft Presentation 11:30-12 in library 31... New Year’s Eve
10 . Human Rights Day
10 . Intermediate Holiday Concert 7:00 p.m. Jan 11....Ski/Snowboard Club begins
11 . Twin Day Jan 12....JK & New Kdgn Pre-Registration @9:30am
11 . Talent Show - am Feb 4......Gr 8 Parent Info Night - 7pm @Donald Wilson SS
Feb 4......Gr 8 Parent Info Night - 7pm @Sinclair SS
12 . 1st day of Chanukah
DECEMBER 2009 Page 4

ECO BAGS ORDER Please make a note that

any orders will be sent
Student Name: home within 2 weeks.

Teacher

Room #

__ 1 Bag $3.50

__ 2 Bags $6.00

Safe Internet Use

Reading with Your Child
• Make Reading a Priority. Let your child know how important it is to read
regularly. Establish a regular time and place for reading.
• Read to Your Child. Make time to read to your child on a regular basis.
It is a great way to help develop a love of learning.
• Ask Your Child to Read to You. Have your child read aloud to you.
• Keep Reading Material Close By. Make sure children's books and
magazines are easily accessible. Keep a basket of books in the family
room, kitchen, or your child's bedroom to encourage him or her to read
more often.
• Visit the Library. Make visits to the library a regular activity and let your
children select their own books.
• Be a Reading Role Model. Read a lot. Let your child see you read and
hear you talk about your books.
• Do Your Research. Find safe and relevant sites and child-
friendly search engines for your child to use. Bookmark them for
easy access.
• Make an Agreement. Create an agreement with your child
that outlines which site he or she is allowed to visit, and which
areas and activities are off-limits. Involve your child in this activ-
ity.
• Stay Aware. Keep lines of communication open so you know
what Web sites your child is visiting. Pay attention to his or her
surfing habits. Let your child know that he or she can come to
you in case of trouble.
• Report Suspicious Activity. If you or your child encounter
suspicious or dangerous situations online, report them to your
Internet Service Provider and local police.

►Printer Toner Cartridges ~ inkjet, bubble jet., laser

►Canadian Tire $ ~ needed to purchase items for the school
►Campbells Labels ~ from soups, vegetables ~ Campbell products
►Plastic Hangers ~ needed for our lost & found items
The above items support the students of Captain VandenBos
►Old Eye Glasses ~ frames, lenses for the Lion’s Club
►Old Cell Phones ~ any old cell phones go to the Denise House
►Pop Tabs ~ to go towards the purchase of wheelchairs
DECEMBER 2009 Page 5

Schoolhouse Playcare offers an exciting before and after school program

for children aged 6-12 years. Our qualified staff provide a safe and stimulat-
ing learning environment where your child can participate in activities such
as arts & crafts, science experiments, building/construction and physical
activity. A variety of nutritional snacks are also provided. We are located at
Captain Michael VandenBos P.S. and are open from 6:45 -8:15 am and
2:50-6:30 pm. Please contact Brandy at 905 665-0342 for more information.

Are you looking for great holiday gifts for family and
friends? Go shopping at www.qsp.ca and support our
school at the same time! Subscriptions can be sent to
any Canadian address! (Use Code #9838). Remem-
ber, if you have a question regarding your magazine
orders, please call QSP Customer Service at 1-800-
667-2536. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED
SUPPORT!

HIN1 Update ~ Access to H1N1 Vaccine:

Community H1N1 flu vaccination clinics have
been expanded to 8 sites across Durham
Region. For a complete list of clinic locations,
dates, and times please visit www.durham.ca.
If you require any additional information, please
visit the webpage “This year it’s a different flu
season” at (www.durham.ca) for important
information links or call the Durham Health
Connection Line: 1-800-841-2729 or 905-666-
6241.
Daily clinics (except Sundays) will be held
Monday to Friday’s: 2:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. and Saturdays from
10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., in Whitby at 3050 Garden St. Whitby
(Garden & Rossland)(formerly Truestar Fitness). For further details on
priority groupings, clinic dates, times and additional clinic locations
please visit www.durham.ca or call the Durham Health Connection
Line at 905-666-6241.
DECEMBER 2009 Page 6

VandenBos has been chosen to participate in a new, international education program for grade
seven students! The Aqua-Links program is a partnership between the Toronto Zoo, the Ontario
Federation of Anglers and Hunters, educators, and students from Ontario and East Africa.
Since 1990, the Zoo has been working in East Africa with endangered fishes of Lake Victoria.
This new program allows educators and students opportunities to discuss and learn about the Great
Lakes of their regions. This program will begin at VandenBos this January with Mrs. Hewitt’s science
students and will include presentations to students by a zoo biologist, a communication link with East
African classes via the internet, and a classroom aquarium to raise Atlantic salmon eggs for spring
2010 release.

Just a reminder that we will begin taking pre-registration information for next year’s Junior Kinder-
garten and new to Kindergarten students beginning at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, January 12, 2010.
Please pass this along to any of your neighbours/friends, who live within our school boundaries
(Williamsburg area, south of Twin Streams), with small children who may not be aware of this informa-
tion. Thank you.

Registration for the Grade 1 French Immer-

sion program is accepted during the Senior
Kindergarten year after the French Immersion
Parent Information Night on Wed. February 3,
2010 at each elementary
school offering the French
Immersion program.
A Board-wide informa-
tion night will be held at
the Education Centre on
Thursday, April 29, 2010.
DECEMBER 2009 Page 7

Have a child in Grade 7 who doesn’t quite

understand how to add fractions? Or maybe
your teenager is struggling with a geometry as-
signment? Extra help is now available. In Octo-
ber and November all grade 7-10 math students
in the Durham District School Board were regis-
tered for access to Homework Help, where cer-
tified Ontario teachers are online 20 hours a
week to provide free math tutoring.
Students can log in Sunday to Thursday,
5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., for one-on-one confiden-
tial help. There are interactive discussion rooms
for each grade where they can view the current
lesson, watch tutors draw on the whiteboard -
and then type their own question for on-the-spot
help.
Other math resources on the website include videos of teachers leading students through the top 20
most commonly asked math problems, interactive math tutorials and highlights of best sessions. All stu-
dents have a virtual locker, where their work is saved in video format for viewing anytime.
Want to check out the site? Go to http://Homeworkhelp.ilc.org and create a guest account. You can
view the wonderful math resources or enter a room and watch the tutors in action! For more information or
questions regarding Homework Help or any other e-Learning resources, please contact Monique Muller at
muller_monique@durham.edu.on.ca or 905-666-8080 ext 5255.

With winter right around the corner, parents are

reminded to listen to the following radio stations for Y92-FM The Rock KX96-FM EZ ROCK CHFI-FM
up-to-date information on school closures due to in- 91.9 94.9 FM 95.9 97.3 FM 98.1
clement weather. When buses are cancelled in the CKDO
CBC/CBL- CHUM FM CICX-FM Q107
morning, noon and afternoon transportation will 107.7 FM
FM 99.1 104.5 105.9 107.1 FM
1580 AM
not operate.
Students who are dropped off by parents in the
morning will have to be picked up again by parents at CKLY
CITY TV GLOBAL TV
91.0 FM
dismissal time, 2:50 p.m. Please call the school if
your child will not be attending school on bus
cancellation days. Durham Student
CFRB Transportation
In cases of extreme weather, please listen to one CFTO Services (DSTS)
1010 AM
of the local radio/TV stations for notices of transporta- www.dsts.on.ca
tion cancellation.
DECEMBER 2009 Page 8

As part of our continued focus on literacy this year, students at VandenBos will once again have the opportunity
to develop and strengthen their writing skills by participating in the “Holiday Post Office” letter writing activity. This
school-wide initiative will provide a framework designed to encourage and enhance writing skills learned in the
classroom. Students will have the opportunity to write and exchange letters within our school community.
Parents can also participate in this event by writing to their children at the school between December 9th and
December 17th. To address a letter, please use your child’s first and last name, their room number, the name of
their street (see address key below), VandenBos Village, HOH OHO. Letters can be written in English or French
and can be mailed in the boxes in the front foyer at the school.

Snowman Trail / Star Avenue /

sentier des bonhommes de neige avenue des etoiles

101 Mrs. Skirving 108 Mrs. Murray

102 Mrs. MacKenzie 110 Mrs. Pereira

103 Mme Sawyer Mme Pokupec Mme Laszlo 111 Mme Blanche

Office Mme Monique Mr. vanderMeer Custodian’s Mr. Barrow

Ms. Porteous Mrs. Copithorne Mrs. Craggs Office

104 Mr. Sallie Mrs. Seedhouse 112 Mlle Goss

106 Mme. Maheux 113 Mme Jacquie

107 Mrs. McLeod Mme Clark 115 Mme Hamilton

Candy Drive / promenade des bonbons Reindeer Boulevard / boulevard des rennes

200 Mme Julie 208 Mrs. Ratnayake

201 Mme Gantley 210 Mrs. David

202 M Prieur 212 Mme Bourque

203 Ms. Rogers 213 Mme Sadeek

204 Mme Nadin 214 Mme Leonardis Mme Bourrie

205 Ms. Olson Mme Hofmann 215 Mme Hogenbirk

206 Mrs. Hensen-Hewitt 216 Mme Waugh

209 Mme Cournoyer (Library) 217 Mme Bevan

218 Mme Power

Gingerbread Lane / ruelle de pain d'épice Gingerbread Lane / ruelle de pain d'épice

P1 Mrs. Sinclair P6 Mme Rioux

P2 Mme Glover P7 Mrs. Belmonte

P3 M Trinier P8 Mme Gendron

P4 Mrs Oates P9 Mrs. Lyon Mrs. Blea

P5 Mr. August Mrs. Rout P10 Mrs. Koubridis

P12 Mr. Sanderson

DECEMBER 2009 Page 9

** Please bear in mind that this is not meant to be an exhaustive list and there may be other celebrations and religious dates that are not ad-
dressed. *indicates observances that begin at sundown on the day prior to the date listed.

December 3 - International Day of Disabled Persons (United Nations) ~ First declared in 1992, this day
reminds people of the special concerns, rights and needs of people with disabilities. December 3 is also the
anniversary of the adoption of the World Program of Action concerning Disabled Persons in 1992. For more
information see: http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/enable/disiddp.htm

December 6 - National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women ~ This day was
established in Canada by parliamentary consensus in 1991 to recognize and oppose violence against
women. This national day commemorates the tragic deaths of 14 young women who were killed on this date
in Montreal in 1989 simply because they were women. For more information and to order resource material,
see: http://www.swc-cfc.gc.ca/dates/dec6/index_e.html

December 10 - Anniversary of the UN Declaration of Human Rights ~ On December 10, 1948 the Gen-
eral Assembly of the United Nations adopted and proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. To
view the Universal Declaration of Human Rights please go to: http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html

December 12 - 19 - Hanukkah (Judaism)* ~ Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights and the Feast of Dedication,
commemorates a victory that took place more than 2000 years ago. In 164 B.C., a band of Hebrews, led by
Judah Maccabee, recaptured the temple in Jerusalem from the ruling Syrians. Their mission was to clean
and purify their temple as well as to re-light the holy temple lamp, called the Menorah. Hannukah means
"dedication" and by re-lighting the Menorah they were re-dedicating the temple to God. The story goes that
they only had enough oil for the lamp for one day, but that, miraculously, the lamp burned for eight days–just
enough time to make and consecrate new oil. This is why Hanukkah lasts for eight days. A special candle
holder called a "chanukkiyah" is often used in Hanukkah celebrations. It has a place for nine candles (eight
of them to represent each day of Hanukkah and the ninth is known as the "shammus" or worker candle).
Each day the shammus is lit before sundown and then used to light the correct number of candles for the
day of the festival. At Hannukah, some Jewish children receive a present for each of the eight nights along
with gifts of money. Oily foods are eaten at this time to commemorate the oil used to light the menorah.

December 18 – First of Muharram (Islam) ~ The first of Muharram (first month of the Islamic year) cele-
brates the migration of Mohammed and his followers in 622 CE, from Mecca to Medina, where they estab-
lished the first Islamic community.

December 24 - Christmas Eve (Christianity) ~ In many Christian families, Christmas Eve is a night of
great celebration, which often includes big dinners, attending special church services, and visiting friends
and family. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day tend to be given more importance in Western Christianity
than in Eastern Christianity.

December 25 - Christmas (Christianity) ~ In the west, Christmas is the most widely observed Christian
festival of the year. It celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ over 2000 years ago. No one knows the actual
birth date of Christ, but in 336 A.D. the Catholic Church declared that it would commemorate Jesus’ birth on
this date. This date is celebrated in different ways around the world, with traditions as diverse as the cultures
from which they come. Many of the customs associated with Christmas such as lighting of candles and ever-
green decorations were adapted from customs associated with earlier solstice celebrations.

December 26 - Jan. 1st - Kwanzaa (African American) ~ Professor Maulana Karenga started Kwanzaa in
1966 to encourage African Americans to celebrate the beauty of their African heritage. The time is cele-
brated by decorating with African art and fabrics, and wearing African clothing. Each of the 7 principles of
Kwanzaa, called the Nguzo Saba (Swahili for “seven principles”) is thought about and celebrated on each of
the 7 days of the festival. The Nguzo Saba are: Umoja (unity), Kujichagulia (self-determination), Ujima
(collective responsibility), Ujamaa (cooperative economics), Nia (purpose in building the community),
Kuumba (creativity), and Imani (faith). A special seven-pronged candle holder, the kinara, is used for Kwan-