Fern Ave. Public School Blog

Given the recent discussion at school council about what our school can do to help the Syrian Refugees settle into our neighbourhood, please click on the image below for information on an upcoming Town Hall on December 17th. This event is being put on by the Member of Parliament for Parkdale-High Park.

This message is sent on behalf of Sandy Spyropoulos, Executive Superintendent, Student Support Services and Care: Here you will find a copy of the December Edition of the Mental Health and Well-Being Belongs to Us Newsletter. This month’s publication features “Ready…Set…Go! Staying Physically Active Leads to Better Mental Health”. Thank you.

Dear Parents/Guardians, Our schools second immunization clinic is scheduled for Friday, February 19, 2016 in the AM. This clinic is for: Grade 7 and 8 students who require meningococcal vaccine. Please note that Meningococcal vaccine is now mandatory. Students who are not up to date can be suspended from school. Toronto Public Health nurses will immunize Grade 7 and 8 students who missed their hepatitis B vaccine at first clinic and Grade 8 female students who missed their HPV vaccine at first clinic. Thank you.

Auditions for A Night in Round Corners Fern Avenue's Original Musical! Will be held on Friday, January 8th, 2016 At 11:45-12:45 In the Music Room For Acting and Singing Candidates in Grade 7 and 8 Candidates should prepare a one minute section of a song and will read part of the script for their audition. Cast List and suggested Song Titles can be found outside the Music Room

Click here for the information night flyer at Humberside CI on January 12.

Here are two great resources for those of you with children studying in French. 1. French as a Second Language Advisory Committee News 2. Canadian Parents for French website

“We Are Giving” Sponsored by Fern’s FTC FTC will be selling hand-made items in support of our local and global initiatives. Locally we support Light Patrol: • we will be selling hand-made cards, pencil cases, bath bombs, and baked goods • these will help to support Toronto’s homeless and street-involved youth Globally we support FTC’s initiatives in Kenya: • we will be selling Rafiki Friend Chains for $11 • selling Rafikis helps a mama in Kenya earn and living and send her children to school Look for our table on: Dec 16th, Dec 17th, Dec 18th from 12:00-12:45 in the Front Hall Dec 17th from 6:00-7:30 at the Primary Concert “Be the Change You Wish to See in the World” Gandhi

Dear Parent/Guardians of Grade 8 Students, It is already time to start thinking of the Grade 8 Graduation, having said that I would like to invite all interested grade 8 parents to come together and form a graduation committee. The Graduation Committee is comprised of grade 8 parents who meet as a group and carry out certain responsibilities such as, decorating, set-up, invitations, photographs, program and most importantly fundraising. Each of these specific committees meets on a regular basis to plan its portion of the Graduation celebration, with meetings occurring to keep everyone informed and involved in the decision-making. The Senior Student Council will also have the opportunity to form a Student Graduation Committee and meet with Vera Ciric to discuss fundraising opportunities and input, making their graduation an unforgettable day and evening. Please email Vera at Vera.Ciric@tdsb.on.ca if you are interested in being part of this wonderful group. The first meeting wil

Sparkles in the Snow 2015 Featuring:  Students from Grades 1 to 4 and The Kestrels Singing Group Thursday, December 17th at 6:30pm Come celebrate with us!! Parents and Guardians, please bring your child to the school by  6:15pm !!

Click here for information on Junior Extended French and Middle French Immersion.

Parents please note entry into the Grade 7 Extended French Program is offered in 14 schools in the TDSB. Public information meetings will be held at the Extended French schools listed here .

Fern’s Free The Children is hosting a Movie Day on Wednesday December 16th at 1pm for grades 1 to 4 We are raising funds to help sponsor a Syrian Refugee family.  We are supporting the 40 Roncesvalles families who have already begun the process of sponsorship with Ryerson Lifeline Syria Challenge. We are asking for a suggested donation of $4 per child for the movie, popcorn and a drink.  A tax receipt will be issued for donations of $20 or greater. Please submit all donations to your child’s teacher.  If you would like a tax receipt, please click here and complete the form at the bottom and include in an enclosed envelope.  Cheques should be made payable to Ryerson University with a note in the memo: Ryerson Lifeline Syria Challenge: It Takes a Village Thank you in advance for your support. Fern's FTC

Once again, the Fern Community is having a food drive at this time of year to support the Parkdale Community Food Bank. This food drive offers an opportunity for students to both discuss the need of food banks and to help by making a positive difference during this holiday and new year season. Unfortunately, the use of food banks is on the rise again in 2015 in the GTA. The reasons for Food Bank use can vary widely from person to person and from family to family. The fact that people who use food banks use 75% of their money on housing leaves them with less than $6 per day for all other expenses. This can create a cycle of constant poverty. The need for Food Banks can also stem from other issues such as lost income, disability, being a new immigrant or becoming a single parent. The group that uses food banks which has grown the most in the GTA this year are seniors. As more people each year require Food Banks to improve their food security, the need for donations also rises. Donati

Dear Parents and Guardians of Grade 8 Students, Thank you for filling out the interest form for the Montreal Trip. 95% of returned forms indicated an interest for Montreal so we will go ahead and book the trip with BrightSpark Travel for June 15-16. Our PARENT INFORMATION SESSION will be on Wednesday, December 16th at 6:30 p.m. inside the Fern auditorium. There will be a parent package that will be sent out if you are unable to attend. At any time, please e-mail Mr. Nikolajevic (bogdan.nikolajevic@tdsb.on.ca) or phone the school (416-393-9130) if you have any questions in regards to the trip.

Parkdale Public School is holding their annual winter fair this Saturday, December 5th. Support the Fern Parent’s in the Artisan Market. And support Parkdale’s fundraising efforts through their silent auction, their bake sale, and more.

Hello Fern families, The Eco Team met on November 24th at lunch and we gathered up some new members and are wondering if anyone new wants to join. We meet every Tuesday in room 204 from 12:00 to 12:45 p.m. and are looking for parent volunteers who would like to join us. In the Eco Club we come up with new ideas to help the environment and raise money for the school by making fundraisers. If you would like to help, please contact teachers Tina Tse or Sonia Mably by calling the school at 416-393-9130 or via email: tina.tse@tdsb.on.ca or Sonia.mably@tdsb.on.ca Thank you, Nohr and Axel Fern Eco Club Members

Please click here for the update on progress reports.

Please click here for the November Mental Health and Well-Being newsletter from the TDSB.

Just a reminder that there will be a School Council Meeting this Thursday, December 3rd, in the staff room at 6:30 PM. Child care will be provided. Thank you.

Please click on the image below for information on the Direct Ask Campaign regarding funding for Fern activities outside of the TDSB budget. Thank you!

WHO: Fern students and staff WHAT: Special drop-in lunch featuring a student favourite – cheese and bean tortellini with tomato sauce, garden salad (bread, fruit and milk included) WHEN: Monday, December 7th WHERE: Cafeteria HOW: Bring $3.75 cash (and your appetites!) WHY: So that you might consider joining the hot lunch program. Click here for full details

Dear Grade 8 Parents/Guardians,  A Montreal Excursion Consultation form was sent home with the grade 8 students on Wednesday, November 25, 2015.  Please respond as soon as possible or contact Mr. Nikolajevic at bogdan.nikolajevic@tdsb.on.ca , if you have any further questions or concerns. Thank you.

Dear Parents/Guardians, Just a reminder that on line applications for Early French Immersion (for a Junior Kindergarten aged child) close on Thursday, December 03, 2015 . Should you have any further questions please call our main office. Thank you.

Click here for the January Lunch order form. A reminder that orders are due by Wednesday, December 16th for lunches starting Monday, January 4th, 2016.

Get your holiday shopping done and help support Fern and our community! Our friends at Scooter Girl Toys have offered to donate a percentage of your total purchase the weekend of December 05-06 to the Fern Parent Council Fundraising team. Remember to mention that you are a Fern Parent. Thank you for your support and see you there! Click  here  for the poster. Scooter Girl Toys 187 Roncesvalles Avenue Toronto

Red Nose Campaign In Support of Students in Need Dear Parent/Guardian, Fern Avenue Public School will be participating in the Red Nose Campaign to assist Toronto students in need. From December 1st to December 18th our school will be selling flashing red noses for $3.00 each. All proceeds will go to the Toronto Foundation for Student Success (TFSS) to help provide food, warm clothing and other essentials to Toronto students in need. The TFSS is the independent charitable foundation for the Toronto District School Board that has been supporting our students for over 15 years. For more information about TFSS and their programs, please visit tfss.ca . We encourage our students to participate and help support this great cause. Noses will be on sale during recess in the main foyer and during the Winter/Holiday concert. We are also encouraging our Fern Families to wear their RED NOSE to our upcoming Winter/Holiday concerts (December 11, Kindergarten/December 17, Primary/Junior) as a

Please click here for the November newsletter.

Please note that Central Toronto Academy will be hosting its Grade 8 Open House on Thursday, November 26th from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. (digital flyer here ).

Want to purchase some Fern Athletic wear but not sure which colour of hoodie, size or style suits you well. Come on out this Wednesday, November 18th from 3:15 to 4:00 PM in the down stairs gym and check out the samples. Once you figured out you want don't forget your order form and cheque payment. Go Falcons Go!!!

The Bully and The BeanStalk Thursday Nov. 19th. In the Fern auditorium Show Time: Primaries 12:55 - 2pm Show Time: Juniors 2:25-3:25 Parents welcome to attend too !! In support of teacher requests to bring more live performances to all the students at Fern we are pleased to bring you Michael McMurtry's one man rendition of the classic Jack and the Beanstalk. The play teaches a valuable lesson about empathy, self-assertion and "inner" strength, and features Michael's signature parade of colourful characters, clever staging, musical diversions and audience participation. A magical coming -of-age story that will captivate audiences of all ages. The Arts collective showcased Michael's show "Cinderfella" at an evening performance two years ago and it was truly amazing! Not only is seeing live theatre a invaluable experience for children but seeing one man play each character brings the whole experience up to another level. Fern A

Fern Parents! We have revived the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Committee (“STEM”) at Fern to broaden the school’s participation in these subjects. We want to build on the great arts and eco foundation at Fern in the many ways these areas overlap with STEM (when arts are added into the mix, the acronym becomes STEAM). The STEM Committee’s goals are threefold: 1) To get kids excited about science, math, and creative problem solving 2) To replace and improve Fern’s technology 3) To increase and vary parent engagement in the school community We want to seek ways to enhance the science and math curriculum at Fern, and to support the staff and administration to expand STEM-based extracurricular activities such as clubs or a school science fair. We want to see our kids excited about these subjects, and learn how to create technology rather than just be consumers of it. We also want to bring Fern’s technology in line with the technology at other schools in the TDSB. As

On behalf of the Parkdale Collegiate Parent Council I wanted to extend an invitation to your Gr 8 students and parents to attend the two Parkdale Collegiate Open Houses. On Friday Nov 27 Parkdale Collegiate will be open during the day for Gr 8 tours to allow students to visit the school, meet the teachers and talk with student representatives. We will be holding a second Open House on Thursday, December 3rd, 2014 at 7 p.m for individual students and parents to see first hand the amazing benefits of attending PCI. The sessions will provide information about Parkdale's regular academic and our world renown International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program. Recognized as the leader in international education, the IB program fosters the knowledge, skills and attitudes that enable students to excel in university. It is a rigorous university-preparation program designed to equip students with the skills necessary for a 21st century workforce. The IB program is well recognized by

Fern Avenue PS Spirit Wear is happening again at Fern Avenue. Please note Orders are due to Vera in the main office by Monday, November 23, 2015 . Click here for the order form. Please choose size carefully and note NO CASH Cheques are payable to: 4th Quarter Inc.

Karen Kain School of the Arts is an Arts focused Middle School. Students can only access the program through the audition/workshop process. Our Parent/Guardian and Student Information Night is scheduled for Wed. Nov. 25, 2015 at John English Junior Middle School beginning at 6:00PM. Please click here for more information.

Short memorable performance by grade 7s from Remembrance Day assembly will be repeated for senior students. Parents welcome to attend. 10:30am, Thursday 12 November Auditorium

Dear Parents/Guardians, Our Local Legion branch has generously provided poppies (or poppy stickers for the kindergarten and primary grades) for students to wear on November 11th, Remembrance Day. The Poppy Campaign provides: Emergency needs for veterans and their dependents Medical equipment for local hospitals, drop in centers, meal-on wheels and transportation services for veterans and the elderly Refurbishing of housing accommodation and care facilities for veterans If you wish to help support our veterans in the community, all donations will be greatly accepted on their behalf by Vera in the main office. Thank you.

The Parent Involvement Advisory Commitee ( PIAC ) is holding their 9th annual conference on Saturday, November 14th. This one-day conference is open to all TDSB parents and school council members. The conference is free, however registration is required. Click here for more details.

Please click here for information regarding Progress Reports.

Dear parents and guardians, Please see below for the latest update from the board: Labour Update from TDSB

Click here for the Western Tech Open House flyer. Click here for more information.

A review process has been underway since last spring with respect to Secondary Gifted Intensive Support Programs (ISPs). The review process considered revising the program boundaries for the secondary Gifted ISPs in order to: Address equity of access to secondary Gifted ISPs across the District; Introduce the program in regions of the city where no program currently exists with a more reasonable proximity to student home addresses; Address accommodation pressures at a number of the current Gifted ISP secondary schools due to increased growth at the elementary level. This review process included four community consultations as well as Local Feasibility Meetings that concluded on September 28, 2015. Click here to read more about the recommendations the Board has approved. Click here for a map of Gifted Secondary Attendance Areas.

Many Halloween treats contain peanuts or nut products that could cause severe reactions in some of our students. We ask that these treats not be brought to school. Your assistance is strongly urged in ensuring that our school remain safe for all students. Thank you.

IMPORTANT! In consultation with Health Canada, a Canada-wide recall has been issued for all lots of the Allerject epinephrine auto-injectors by Sanofi Canada. A similar recall is taking place in the United States, where it’s sold as Auvi-Q. Allerject is used as an emergency treatment by patients who are at risk and/or have a history of serious allergic reactions such as anaphylaxis. This recall is due to issues that may potentially affect the delivery of the required amount of epinephrine. Please inform the parents of any student in your school using this product. Parents should contact their health care provider or pharmacist for more information about this recall. More information about this recall is available on the Health Canada website  or by contacting the Public Enquiries Line toll free at 1-866-225-0709.

Thank you to the  Fern Arts Collective for their support in organizing and hosting Professor Wick's Incredible Magic Factory. Over $1000 was raised, GREAT JOB everyone!!!

Click here for the updated December Lunch order form. A reminder that orders are due by Monday November 16th for lunch starting December 1st.

Dear Parents/Guardians, PLEASE JOIN US TOMORROW OCTOBER 29, 2015 FOR A PERFORMANCE BY YOUR CHILDREN IN KINDERGARTEN!!! We've been doing something special in kindergarten for the past week.  Dance artist Jessica Runge has been a guest in our school, working with all of our English Kindergarten students in a dance residency supported by the Ontario Arts Council and Fern's School Council. Jessica is a Toronto based professional dance artist who has over fifteen years of experience teaching creative movement to children (more at jessicarunge.com). In her classes children learn a variety of age-appropriate movement based exercises and games. During this visit to Fern, the children are imagining they are astronauts.  Each class is working in small groups to create outer-space themed dances. Thank you Jessica, and thanks also to all who have made this program possible for our students! PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE: 12:50-1:50 PM   Room 110 Performance 1:50-2:50 PM     Room 109

23 October 2015 Dear Parents/Guardians, We are writing to update you about the continued impact of the ongoing, province-wide legal job action currently being undertaken by members of three unions:  Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) which represents elementary teachers  Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) which represents school support staff including custodians, school office staff, Educational Assistants, Early Childhood Educators and others Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF), Professional Student Services Personnel Unit which represents education workers (not teachers) including Attendance Counsellors, Child and Youth Counsellors/Workers, Social Workers, Speech-Language Pathologists and others These unions are currently in contract negotiations with the Government of Ontario and the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association . Details of the duties and services no longer being performed during this job action can be found at www.

Grade nine information nights at high schools are proceeding as planned.   Click here for dates and times.

Claude Watson School for the Arts is a TDSB grade 4-8 school focused on the arts. Each year they audition Grade 3 students for entry into their Grade 4 program. Parents and students who are interested in auditioning for CWSA are encouraged to attend one of their information sessions. Claude Watson School for the Arts Parent Information Sessions: Monday, November 2, 2015 or Tuesday, November 3, 2015 130 Doris Avenue (Yonge and Sheppard) 7:00PM Please note:  Parking is limited

Mark your calendars for the next Parent Council meeting on Thursday November 5th at 6:30pm in the auditorium.

Senior Students :  Our Senior students will be having a Halloween Dance on the afternoon of Friday October 30th in the Auditorium.  There will be great music and lots of cool dancing. Students are encouraged to dress up for the dance. Our senior students also have the option of participating in our annual Halloween parade occurring at 10:30am on October 30 th . Junior Students :  Our junior students will be participating in our annual parade. Students will be participating in our parade along our outdoor track at 10:30am on Friday October 30th. For the remainder of the day, the juniors will remain in their classrooms and may celebrate through organized activities when not in rotary classes or swimming. Primary Students:   Our primary students will be participating in a parade along our outdoor track at 10:30am on Friday October 30, 2015. For the remainder of the afternoon, primary students may be playing games/activities and eating snacks in their classrooms when not in ro

Click here for important information on the ongoing, province-wide legal job action currently being undertaken by members of ETFO, CUPE and OSSTF.

Click here to read the October 2015 Fern Newsletter.

Our fourth annual food drive, We Scare Hunger is just around the corner! Your children can drop off canned goods to the box in their classrooms,  starting October 21rd, running to October 30th . Food Banks Canada has suggested a few key items: •canned fish •canned meat •canned stew •canned soup •canned beans •canned fruit •canned vegetables Food banks are an important method of addressing hunger in Canada. Each month, close to 850,000 people turn to food banks for help; more than one-third are children and youth. Thanks for supporting We Scare Hunger! Members of Fern's FTC

Opens: Monday November 2, 2015 Closes: Thursday December 3, 2015 The application process for all Early French Immersion programs is on line . The website for the one-line applications is: www.tdsb.on.ca/pars All applicants who apply on time are guaranteed an offer of placement in the program but not in a particular school. Fern is hosting their Senior Kindergarten French Immersion information night on: Wednesday November 18, 2015 6:30-7:30pm in the Auditorium

Join us on  Thursday, October 29th   for  Professor Wick’s Incredible Magic Factory! This show is a wonderful blend of mechanical wizardry, music and comedy delivered by an outlandish cast of “steampunk” characters! — The magic carpet ride starts at 6:30 pm! — Tickets are $5 and can be purchased in the office, from an Arts Collective member in the schoolyard or at the door! — A light dinner and home-baked desserts will be for sale in the foyer beginning at 5:45! — Bring Your Own Water Bottle! — Invite your friends and neighbours! “ How many impossible things have you believed in lately ?” - Professor Wick Professor Wick's World of Wonders — Majinx www.majinx.com/world-of-wonders

Please click here for information on upcoming Secondary School Information Evenings for Grade 9.

Please click here for information outlining French programs and application deadlines.

For those interested families, photo retakes will take place on November 4th beginning at 9:00am. Please return proofs to the school with a note to indicate that retakes are requested. Thank you.

Junior Boys Book Club The teachers would love to have more members join them. They have lots of exciting things planned this year! Cookies are served at every meeting. They meet every other Monday at lunch (remind your child to listen to announcements). The next boys book club meeting will be on Monday, October 26 . The book they are starting with is The Hunchback Assignments by Arthur Slade. Every boy interested should find a copy through the public library, from a book store or from a friend. They can start reading up to the end of chapter 20 by the next meeting. If any of the boys have questions they should speak to Ms. Douglas or Mrs. Heller.

Just a reminder that Friday October 9th is the deadline to drop off backpacks for Malawi! Fern Ave P.S is proud to be working with Canadian Musician Feist to deliver backpacks to children and teens with HIV/AIDS in Malawi. A collection bin has been placed outside of the office and we would love for you to drop off your gently used and new backpacks. The backpacks can be large or small, new or used - the bags will be used by students with HIV/AIDS to carry books and medicine to school and it is important that they are all unique so that kids are not singled out for carrying "medicine bags". Our goal is to collect 100 backpacks and so far we only have around 40 so please drop off a backpack if you can. For more information you can contact Kim Morrison at kimmymorrison39@yahoo.com

Wednesday, October 7th 6:30 to 8:30 pm Fern Auditorium Childcare will be available in Room 105 on the main floor. Look forward to seeing you there!

Phew! Has your family finally settled into a routine? School, homework, hockey, gymnastics, music lessons….Let us take care of one meal for you with a heathy, nutritious - and delicious - hot lunch every day. The Fern Food Committee has been receiving positive reviews from the lunch program participants, after some menu changes took effect this Fall. Items such as vegetarian pizza, chicken cacciatore, and crispy panko-breaded sole have been popular. Simply sign up for Fern’s hot-lunch program for lunches starting in November. To save even more time, sign up for the rest of the year right now! Click here to download the order form and here for the menu. Hard copies are also available on the bulletin board outside of room 103. The deadline for your order is Thursday, October 15th to begin lunch on Monday, November 2nd. If you’d like to learn more about Fern’s lunch program, click here or contact fernlunchprogram@gmail.com .

Please note due to permit issues the Parent Council Meeting to be held on Wednesday, October 7th from 6:30 to 8:30 pm has been re located  back to the AUDITORIUM  and not the STAFFROOM as initially posted. Child care will be available in  ROOM 105 on the main floor. We apologize for any confusion and look forward to seeing everyone at the meeting. Thank you.

Last year, the federal government enacted Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) which prohibits the sending of commercial e-mail to people who have not consented to receive it. Unfortunately, their definition of “commercial” is broad enough so that it could be interpreted to include any messages from the school that promote, advertise or offer for sale anything including: school pictures, yearbooks, uniforms, food programs, event tickets or entry fees, fundraising events or items, or similar events or offers to sell goods and services. Last year we continued using our old mailing list, but excluded such messages from our regular e-mail newsletters. This year, we have decided to build a new, compliant mailing list from scratch, and the TDSB has determined that this requires a signed E-mail Consent Form from every individual who wishes to receive e-mail from the school. These forms were sent home today with your children, but you can also download a copy from  here . If you wis

Please note the Parent Council Meeting to be held on Wednesday, October 7th from 6:30 to 8:30 pm has been re located to the  STAFF ROOM  and not the auditorium as initially posted. Child care will be available in the library. (room 212). Thank you.

Dear Parent/Guardian, Student verification forms were sent home for you to review the current information we have on file for students.  Please return the verification forms at your earliest convenience with any corrections or additions to your personal information.   Kindly highlight or add any corrections with a coloured pen. This is very important for our records and for emergency situations.  We also ask that any outstanding forms initially sent home with the "Welcome Back Package" be returned as soon as possible to your child's teacher. We appreciate your support and cooperation with the paperwork and office at this time. Thank you.

Dear Parent/Guardian: Toronto Public Health provides dental programs to children from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 8. The Dental Screening Team will be at Fern from  Wednesday, October 21 to Wednesday, October 28, 2015. To idenify children with oral health problems, a screening program is offered to students in accordance with the Ontario Ministry of Health requirements for mandatory health programs.  The screening is an assessment by a dental hygienist using sterilized instruments.  The dental hygienist will access the need for topical nuoride, scaling, sealant and any other obvious dental needs. As a follow up to the screening, only parents whose children are identified as requiring dental services will be notified.  A note to that effect will be sent home with your child/ren for your information and action.  You may also receive a phone call from T.P.H. dental staff to assist you in accessing care. Please be advised that this screening does not replace the dental examination done

Dear Parents/Guardians, All children aged 12 and under are eligible to ride the TTC for free.  The TTC Child Proof-of-Age card is available for children who may be tall for their age, or appear to be older than 12 years old. Children can carry the card to prove that they are not required to pay fare. Please ask your child to see Vera in the office if this applies to them. Thank you!

Fern Ave P.S is proud to be working with Canadian Musician Feist to deliver backpacks to children and teens with HIV/AIDS in Malawi. A collection bin has been placed outside of the office and we would love for you to drop off your gently used and new backpacks. The deadline for donations is Friday, October the 9th . If you have any questions, please contact Kim Morrison at kimmymorrison39@yahoo.com Read on for the letter from Leslie Feist explaining the project:

Please click here for the September newsletter.

Fern Ave. P.S. is holding its annual Terry Fox Run on Friday, Sept. 25 (with a rain date of Monday, Sept. 28 ). This is a great opportunity to learn about Terry Fox and his story and to use his examples of perseverance, dedication and empathy to follow. The JK/SK students will have their running activity in the morning. Students in Grades 4-6 will run from 1:00 to 1:20; Grades 1-3 will run from 1:40 to 2:00 and Grades 7-8 will run from 2:45 to 3:15. Family members who are available and interested are welcome to join their child/children for this event. Please check in with your child's teacher when arriving. All Fern students will participate and donations are optional. Families who wish to donate to the Terry Fox Foundation can do so online at www.terryfox.org . Families who have collected pledges or who wish to make a small donation can drop it off directly to the office. Please do not give money or forms to teachers. Thank you very much, Andrew Fennell Archdekin

Come and see what is new this year at Fern! Parent Council Meeting Wednesday October 07 6:30 - 8:30pm Auditorium (Across the hall from the main office) Childcare will be provided. Exciting roles are available on the Parent Council Executive. We will be electing a new executive committee at this meeting, including: Chair/Co Chairs, Vice Chair, Treasurer, Secretary and Ward 7 Representative. Please look for the memo that will be sent home Monday September 21st . If you are interested in seeking a role, please send a small blurb about yourself & the role you are interested in and submit to the office by Thursday October 1st. The School Council meeting is a forum for parents, caregivers, the principal and others to discuss school issues and ways to improve the school. The Council also fundraises to help provide classroom programs in art, music and science, just to name a few. Each member at the Council meeting has a vote so please come out and support Fern!

Dear Parents/Guardians: Student Safety is of utmost importance and parents need to be notified as soon as possible if their child has not arrived at school. The Safe Arrival Program complies with the  Education Act  and related Ministry of Education policies in respect of student attendance in order to maximize students’ academic success and well-being.     Many of you are now aware Fern Avenue PS has moved to an automated safe arrival program.    Automation will allow our families to be contacted in a timely manner allowing us to confirm absences much sooner than using a manual system.  This system reports allows us to better track student absences/lates and also help to send messages to the parents/guardians regarding their child’s attendance in a timely manner.   The system call-out will work as follows:   Parents/guardians identified in TDSB’s Student Information Systems who has access to student records, and emergency contact with priority 1 or 2 will receive a call.

IT'S  PHOTO DAY AT FERN AVENUE P.S For Best Results BRING YOUR BEST SMILES on  Monday, September 28, 2015 . More information on how to order your child's photos is coming soon.....

Dear Parents/Guardians, Each year Toronto Public Health provides free hepatitis B and meningococcal vaccines for Grade 7 students through vaccination clinics in Schools.  Meningococcal vaccination or a valid exemption is required for school attendance.  Hepatitis B vaccine is voluntary but highly recommended. Please note TPH also provides free human papillomavirus vaccine to Grade 8 female students through vaccination clinics in school.  Starting in September, the Ontario Ministry has modified their recommendations to a 2-dose schedule for Grade 8 girls, ages 9-13.  Two doses for this age group provide the same protection as a three-dose series.  Three doses are still needed for individuals who receive their first dose on or after their 14th birthday and for persons with a weak immune system. Please read carefully the vaccine fact sheets and sign consent forms sent home today. Signed Consent Forms are to be returned to the school by Friday, September 18, 2015. Our schools first

Dear Parents/Guardians, Under Regulation 521/01 of the Education Act, school boards must obtain police record checks (PRC) on all existing and new employees, service providers and others who come into contact with our students.  Once a record check has been collected, school boards are required to collect, on an annual basis, Offence Declarations (a form to update a person's information to file by declaring any new criminal code convictions). The intent of the legislation is to ensure that schools and classrooms are safe places for students. New Volunteers  (18 years of age and over) The TDSB values the tremendous contributions of our parent and community volunteers who give so much of their time and effort to make our school's better places.    In order to promote and support volunteerism in our schools, while protecting the safety of students, we ask that you follow the following steps to obtain a PRC Vulnerable Sector Screening: For Volunteers  who live in Toronto 1. The vol