January 30th – February 3rd

On By Parkview PS

Sunday, January 29th, 2023

Scholastic Book Fair:

Dear families,

Parkview is hosting a Scholastic Book Fair this week.  Each homeroom class will have a chance to visit the library twice, to look at, and make purchases at the Scholastic Book Fair. Please refer to the schedule below to find out when your child will be coming to browse or buy items at the Book Fair.  The Book Fair is open Monday, January 29th – Thursday, February 2nd. 

The Book Fair will be open on Tuesday and Thursday after school until 4PM for families that would like to come to browse after school.  During the school day, the Book Fair will be closed during 1st recesses and lunch recesses to avoid large crowds.

A portion of each sale from the Book Fair goes towards the school library.

Your child may bring home a wish list after their visit to the library, it is totally up to families to decide to send money or a cheque to purchase any items from a student’s wish list.  If you are sending a cheque, please be sure to make the cheque payable to Parkview Public School.

Kindergartens and grade 1 students will come to browse the Book Fair with a reading/Book Fair buddy from grades 6-8 who will help the student complete a wish list.

Thank you for your support of this literary fundraiser.

Here is the schedule for the Book Fair.

Save the Date Requests from School Council:

Thank you  to  our School Council for organizing the following activities for our students and families! Please save the following dates:

  • Movie Night for our Primary & Junior Divisions. On March 9th, Parkview will be showing the movie ENCANTO to our students in Grades 1 to 3. More details to follow via email
  • On April 27th, students in Grades 4 to 6 will watch the movie RAYA and the LAST DRAGON. Movies are free of charge.  More details to follow via email
  • On May 4th, psychologist Dr. Merry Lin will be sharing valuable parenting tips in a presentation entitled LOVING OUR KIDS TOO MUCH – Healthy Parenting Strategies. The 1 hour presentation will begin @ 7pm. More details to follow via email 
  • School Food Truck Fair on June  8th! More details to follow in the upcoming months!

If you are  interested in volunteering or are able to support with henna please email our School Council Chairs at parkview.ps@sc.yrdsb.ca for more information.

Brighten Up Winter Spirit Day: Bring some fun to school during the cold winter months! Parkview students are encouraged to wear exciting, brightly-colored clothing to school for Spirit Day! So take out the Tie Dye shirt that you put away and wear it this Thursday!

Feb 3- PA Day : There is no school for students on February 3, 2023

Black History Month: During the month of February, we deliberately reflect upon the legacy of African history in all its diversity, and we join all Canadians in celebrating Black History Month.  

The celebration of Black History Month has been a part of Canadian society since the 1950s. Lieutenant Governor Hal Jackman declared February as Black History Month in Ontario in 1993, and in 1995, the Honorable Jean Augustine made the same declaration in the House of Parliament in Ottawa. These declarations set the stage for acknowledging the contributions of Black people of African Heritage to the cultural, economic, political and social fabric of Canada dating back to the early 1600s. They have also increased our awareness that people of African and Caribbean Heritage are an integral part of Canadian history. 

During this month we are able to appreciate the significance of African people in world history by centering people of African, Caribbean, and Canadian heritage, famous and not so famous, who have influenced the nation and the world through their ideas, words and actions. 

Message from Our Trustee:

February 2023

I hope everyone has had a wonderful start to 2023, and enjoyed their winter break. 

One of the most important roles of school board trustees is communicating with the public. I hope to use this newsletter as one way to keep you updated on Board news, to communicate my role as trustee and how I can support you, and to answer some of the questions I am often asked as a trustee. 

Communicating with the public includes both sharing information and attending events to build relationships with families, but also ensuring I am available to you. If you have questions about Board policies or budget, concerns about your community, ideas and suggestions, or have a question and don’t know who to call, please feel free to reach out. I am happy to assist you. 

As I settle in my new role, I look forward to visit our schools in the coming weeks and meet in person our staff and parent councils to make myself available to them for any support.

Our Board of Trustees is made up of 12 trustees elected during the municipal election process, and one Indigenous trustee appointed through a separate process. As one of the new trustees, I am looking forward to connecting with families and fulfilling my roles to support student achievement and well-being. 

What do Trustees Do?

In addition to communicating with the public, we are also responsible for:

Establishing a Multi-Year Strategic Plan. This plan sets out our priorities as a school board and guides our direction and decision making as a system.

Setting policy. Policies govern the operation of our schools and organization, including field trips, school transportation, homework, caring and safe schools and much more. You can find out which policies are up for review in our meeting agendas, or which policies are out for comment on the website. Your participation in this process is important to ensuring our policies are serving our communities and align with our priorities. 

Setting an annual budget. I look forward to sharing more information about this process with you in the coming months as we engage in budget consultations. 

Participating on Board and Advisory Committees. You can find the dates and agendas for these meetings on the Board website. You are welcome to attend and observe any public Board, Advisory and Board Committee meetings. 

Hiring the Director of Education. This process is governed by the Director of Education Selection Policy, and we will keep you updated as this process progresses. In the meantime, I am deeply grateful to Interim Director of Education Scott Yake for his commitment and service.

Advocating for quality public education. I became a school board trustee because I believe in public education. I believe in the potential of each and every one of our students and our responsibility to nurture their learning, growth and achievement. Our decisions as a board are centered on our commitment to deliver the best for our students. 

What’s Happening in YRDSB

Kindergarten registration opened January 20 for families with children who will start Kindergarten in September 2023. 

French Immersion registration is open from January 20-February 6 for students entering Grade 1 in September 2023. 

Student trustee elections are currently underway. All students in Grades 5-12 will have an opportunity to vote for the student trustees who will represent them next school year. 

In February, we recognize Black History Month, celebrating the contributions of Black people to the fabric of our society. I encourage you to visit the Board’s Centre for Black Student Excellence webpage and newsletter to learn more about upcoming events during Black History Month and what’s happening in the Board to celebrate Black excellence. 

Family Day and the March Break are also approaching and we hope everyone enjoys the break.

There are a number of other events for families coming up and I encourage you to check the Board calendar.

New Schools

One of the other questions I am asked, particularly in growing communities is about new schools or capital projects. I can let you know that in our municipality the following capital projects have received approval:

There are many ways you can stay up-to-date with what’s happening in our school board. Visit the newsroom or website homepage at www.yrdsb.ca. Listen to our podcast. Follow the Board on Twitter, Instagram or YouTube. Read your school newsletters and emails. I look forward to staying connected with you. 

Ed Law

Trustee, Markham Wards 3 and 4

Supporting Children with Special Needs: Inclusive School and Community Services (ISCS) in Partnership With Community Living York South, is offering an information series titled –  Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorder.  Sessions will be delivered in English, Chinese and Tamil on different dates for families.  Additional information can be found here.

Toonies for Tummies- Gift Cards and Vouchers: If you’re able, please donate a toonie at your local grocery store and help buy a child a healthy breakfast. Our sponsor and retailer partners enable the campaign so that 100% of your donations go towards feeding hungry children. To learn more, visit https://groceryfoundation.com/pages/toonies-for-tummies

Federal Housing Tax Benefit: Information about the one-time federal tax benefit for families that qualify can be found here.

Newcomer Youth Program: YRDSB is offering programming for youth who are newcomers to Canada.  Sessions begin in March of 2023.  Review the following link for details. 

Meet & Greet for Farsi Speaking Families:  Alexander Mackenzie H.S. will be hosting a meet & greet for Farsi speaking families to learn more about various supports offered by the board.  Refer to this link for more information.

Three Part Series on Poverty: Parents and guardians are invited to join this 3 part series on poverty in York Region.  The following link provides more information.

Triple P Parenting Series: York Region District School Board in partnership with York Hills Centre for Children, Youth and Families, is offering free parenting workshops.  Many familiar parenting problems have simple solutions that can be applied with some effort and focus. Triple P’s easy-to-understand, practical strategies have been shown to help families in all types of situations.  The next workshop is scheduled for January 31st.  Please use this link if you would like to learn more. 

Upcoming Dates: 

Jan. 30th – Feb. 2nd: Scholastic Book Fair @ Parkview

All February: Black History Month 

February 2nd: Spirit Day

February 3rd: Professional Activity Day

February 2oth: Family Day

February 22nd – 24th: Grade 7 trip to Lake St. George

Upcoming Faith Days:  For faith observances this month, please see the YRDSB Multifaith Calendar

All communication from the school comes via: