December 14 – 18

On By Parkview PS

Families play a critical role in keeping our school safe, please ensure that you screen your child daily prior to sending them to school.

Use the link below:

https://covid-19.ontario.ca/school-screening/

If your child is feeling unwell or displaying symptoms they must remain home. Please ensure that you complete the attendance accordingly so that the school is aware of the reason for your child’s absence. Our windows will remain open, therefore it is important that your child dress in layers at school.

When picking up or dropping your child off at school, parents/guardians and caregivers must wear a mask while on school property and maintain a 2 m distance from other families and staff.

Thank you for your continued support, it is through a strong partnership between home and school that we can continue to keep Parkview safe. We all have a role to play in caring for our school community.

在維護學校安全方面，家庭的作用至關重要。請參照鏈接中的指示，在每日送孩子到校前，先自行檢查孩子的狀況是否與表單中的描述一致  https://covid-19.ontario.ca/school-screening/ 

再次感謝您一直以來的支持和配合！

We wish you and your loved ones a very safe and happy holiday!  We’re looking forward to seeing everyone back in the new year.  Our scheduled date of return is Monday, January 4th, 2021.

As we look ahead to a very happy 2021, we will have our annual New Year’s Eve spirit day this Friday! Please dress up in New Years Spirit Wear to celebrate the New Year coming up in a couple of weeks. At around 2:45 we will have a school wide countdown and play Auld Lang Syne over the PA.

Chanukah
Chanukah (Festival of Lights) celebrates religious freedom by commemorating the victory of the Jews over Antiochus who tried to outlaw the practice of Judaism. Starting on the evening of December 12, candles are lit in increasing numbers for eight nights in a “Chanukiah” which is a special candelabrum containing nine candles. This year, Chanukah began the evening of December 10th and will go until December 18th.

Christmas
Christmas (Western calendar) is on December 25th and celebrates the birth of Jesus about 2000 years ago in Bethlehem. Christians believe that Jesus of Nazareth is the son of God, and accept him as their Saviour and Lord. In many families, Christmas Eve (December 24th) is often celebrated with big dinners, visiting and carol-singing, often followed by midnight church services.

Kwanzaa
Kwanzaa named after the Swahili word for “first fruits” is a seven day cultural celebration initiated by African Americans starting on December 26th. Each day a candle is lit and placed in a seven-cup candelabrum called a kinara that sits on a straw mat adorned with fruit and vegetables. The participants discuss the principles or Nguzo Saba of Kwanzaa: unity, self-determination, collective responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith. On the final night of the celebration, friends and relatives gather for a feast known as Karamu.

Yule
Yule is on December 22nd and in most traditions, the Sabbat that begins the Wiccan Year. This is the Winter Solstice—the shortest day and longest night we will experience in the Northern Hemisphere.

A Message from our School Council Co-Chairs

Dear Parkview Families,

We hope you and your loved ones are keeping safe and healthy.

Although our Council meetings look different this year, we are continuing to support the school from a safe distance. To date, we have been able to support the school with funds to be used for items to keep the students engaged and safely distanced while learning in the classroom and while outside. 

Should you need to reach out to the Parkview P.S. School Council, our email is parkview.ps@sc.yrdsb.ca 

Our next meeting is scheduled for January 11, 2021  at 7:00 p.m.  An RSVP will be shared when we return in the new year with more information.  All are welcome.

As we approach the holidays, we want to take a moment to wish you and yours a very safe and restful time. 

Flora Ho & Ivy Liang

Co-Chairs, Parkview P.S. School Council

A big thank you to students, families and staff for the many donations of non-perishable food items. This is just a fraction of what we dropped off today! The Markham Foodbank is so appreciative of your generosity given the overwhelming request for support they have received.

Grade 8 Transition Information
The workshop below will be held at 2 different times in Dec.16th :  10am-11:30am/ 6pm-7:30pm in 5 different languages. Participants will complete the registration form and indicate their prefer languages. Depending on their language selection,  participants will receive meeting links( meeting ID & pass code) by email in order to enter different virtual meeting rooms. 

Interested Grade 8 students and their families can register by clicking here.

UHS STEM Program
The STEM application is now open for all YRDSB students to apply. If you have students who are interested in this program, please share this link with them: https://bit.ly/UHSSTEMAPP

The STEM Program Application Form will close on at 3:00 pm on Thursday, January 7th, 2021. Only applications submitted by this date will be considered.

All successful applicants will be notified via email if they secured a spot in the STEM Program the week of January 25, 2021. 

  • All pathways are honoured (e.g. skilled trades, college, and university)
  • There is no criteria to apply (e.g. No grade 8 report cards, no entry test)

If your child has more questions, we encourage them to; read our brochure https://bit.ly/STEMBrochure; send us an email Unionville.hs@yrdsb.ca ; or give us a call 905-479-2787.

School Model Change Request
We recognize that some families will be looking to request a change in their school program model from face-to-face learning to virtual school or from virtual school to face-to-face.  In January 2021, a School Model Change request form for families requesting a change will be shared.  

Only families requesting a school model change will need to complete this form. The deadline to submit your school model change request will be communicated in January.

Staff will continue to work diligently to provide the best program for each child and to maintain the reduced cohort class size in face to face classrooms.  

Financial support for Parents/Guardians
The government is providing financial support to help parents and guardians with additional costs during the 2020-2021 school year during the second wave of COVID-19. 

Eligible parents or guardians will receive a one-time payment of:

  • $200 for each child up to age 12
  • $250 for each child or youth up to age 21 years with special needs

This is a new program, and all parents or guardians who are residents of Ontario with eligible children will need to submit a new application for each child.

As of today, eligible parents or guardians can go to Ontario.ca/SupportforLearners for more information and to apply for the one-time financial support. The deadline to apply is January 15, 2021.

All communication from the school comes via:

We would like to remind all of our families that our goal is to work together to support the well-being of all our students. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or concerns. We look forward to working in partnership with our Parkview Community.

Please visit our School Website for all up-to-date school information.