1. Art and Diseño

Jack Miner P.S.
144 Whitburn Street
Whitby, ON L1R 2N1
Phone: 905-668-3249
Fax: 905-668-4906
Grayson Hefford
Principal
Suzanne McLean
Vice-Principal
Website: http://
jackminer.ddsbschools.ca
Follow us on Twitter
@JackMinerPS
Special Interest
Articles
Kindergarten Telephone
Pre-Registration Date
PA Day
Grad Photo Day
Gr 8 High School Parent
Information Night
Durham District School
Board Survey
Whitby Superintendent:
John Bowyer
905-666-5500
bowyer_john@durham.
edu.on.ca
Area Officer:
Greg Island
(905) 666-6373
Island_greg@
durham.edu.on.ca
Trustees:
Kim Zeppieri
(905)-668-7782
zeppieri_kimberly@
durham.edu.on.ca
Christine Winters
(905)430-6050
winters_christine@
durham.edu.on.ca
January 2015
From The Office
On behalf of the staff of Jack Miner P.S. we wish all our
families a happy and healthy 2015! We hope you all
have had a wonderful holiday and we are looking forward to an amazing year at Jack Miner P.S..
Thank you to all of you who helped support needy families over the holiday
season. Through your generosity we were able to deliver winter clothing
and toys to local Whitby families.
Thank you to all of the families who supported our Student Council basket
raffle again this year. We had incredible support from our families and were
able to raise over $1400.
Over the next few months, our electives and ski club programs will be
running. Electives are running on Fridays, January 16, 30 and February 6.
Ski club is running on Thursdays, January 22, 29 and February 5, 12, 19.
With the winter season in full swing, please ensure that your children are
coming to school dressed to play outside during recess breaks. When the
weather is extremely cold we either stay inside or modify the time outside,
however with temperatures above –20 the children will be outside.
Mark Your Calendar
January 13th - JK/SK Telephone Registration
January 16th - Pizza Day
January 23rd - PA day. (no school for students on that day)
January 27th. - Grad Photo Day
January 28th - Recognition Assembly
February 3rd - Dance-A-Thon Kick-Off Assembly
Page 2
Kiss ‘N Ride and Parking Lot Safety
Thank you for your cooperation in ensuring a safe and efficient
parking lot before and after school. Just a reminder to please use
our Kiss ‘n Ride when dropping off your child(ren).
All children should be dropped off and picked up at the west side
of the school. Please be cautious as you pull into and exit our
school parking lot. Thank you for your co-operation in ensuring the safety of all of our students.
Grade 1 French Immersion
Beginning in Grade 1, the Durham D.S.B. offers, at no additional charge to parents, an optional French Immersion program for non-Francophone students. A DDSB French Immersion Parent Information Night is scheduled for 7:00 pm on Wednesday, February 4th,
2015 at Julie Payette P.S. (300 Garden St., Whitby). For parents unable to attend
this meeting, an additional French Immersion information evening will be held at
the Education Centre (400 Taunton Rd. E.) in Whitby on Thursday, April 23rd,
2015 at 7:00 p.m. For more information regarding French Immersion, please call
What is a Growth
Mindset?
There is a really damaging myth around the idea that
some people are born with a ‘Math Brain’, and some
are not. This has been completely disproved by research, but many students and parents believe this.
It is really important to communicate ‘Growth MindSet’ messages to students. Help them know that everyone is a math person, and the latest research is telling
us that students can reach any levels in Math because
of the incredible growth potential of the brain.
You can learn anything
7 Math Messages to Give Your Children
1. EVERYONE can do math.
2. Mistakes are valuable.
3. Questions are really important.
4. Math is about creativity and making sense.
5. Math is about connections and communicating
6. Math is about learning not performing.
The most valuable thing you can make is a
mistake - you can’t learn anything from being perfect.
Adam Osborne
7. Depth is more important than speed.
Jo Boaler
Special Visit from Christine Elliott
On Wednesday December the 17th, we had the honor of welcoming Christine Elliott to Jack Miner.
It was a great experience for all of our grade 5 students as they were given an opportunity to ask her
their questions pertaining to what they wanted to learn about politics. We look forward to seeing her
again on our trip to Queen’s Park on February 19th
“Christine Elliott, our local MPP came in a spoke to all of the grade 5 students. She spoke to us about how
the government is run and what it was like. She allowed us to ask her questions about her job, her life and
what it was like to be in politics. I thought this experience was pretty cool.” Molly K.
“Christine Elliott came in to speak to us. I thought that it was cool and interesting to learn about government.
There was a lot of facts and interesting laws that she discussed.” D. Xu
“This was a once in a life time opportunity that I was glad to be a part of. I am happy to have had the opportunity to learn about this unit and to have met someone who is in politics. She answered all of our questions and did not judged any of them. I learned about how government works and the house of commons. I
also learned a bit about her life. I am thankful for this opportunity.” Michael D.
Jack Miner is awarded the SPEAK UP Grant
Jack Miner is one of the successful candidates for the Ministry of Education "Speak Up" Grant applied for by Ms. Wallace and Ms. Whitbread to support strengthening relationships in our intermediate classes based on Gardner's Intelligence from an artistic and mathematical perspective.
SpeakUp projects give students a chance to get involved in making their school a better place to
learn. This is our chance to SpeakUp and take action on the issues that are important to us.
Jack Miner Recognition Assemblies
Each 6 weeks, Jack Miner staff and student leaders hold Recognition Assemblies, acknowledging and
celebrating school and student successes. Jack Miner students are recognized for excellence in the
areas of the 4As; Achievement, Arts, Athletics and Attitude.
Our next Recognition Assembly will be on Jan. 28, 2015.
Skiing Dates at Skyloft
Thurs.
Thurs.
Thurs.
Thurs.
Thurs.
Jan. 22
Jan. 29
Feb. 5
Feb. 12
Feb. 19
Robotic Fun!
Mustache Madness!
Holiday Concert Cheer!
Dates of Significance
January is Tamil Heritage Month
January 1
January 1
January 3
January 5
January 6
January 15
January 19
January 19-23
January 27
Last day of Kwanzaa (African American/Canadian)
New Year's Day
Mawlid al-Nabi
Birthday of Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti (Sikhism)
Epiphany (Christianity)
Nativity of Christ (Orthodox Christian)
Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr.
Martin Luther King Day
No Name Calling Week
International Day of Commemoration in
Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust UNESCO
Calendar of Events
Jan. 1
Jan. 5
Jan. 13
Jan. 15
Jan. 16
Jan. 19
Jan. 22
Jan. 23
Jan. 27
Jan. 28
Jan. 29
Jan. 30
Feb. 3
New Years Day
Welcome Back To School
Telephone Registration for JK/SK Registration 9:30 AM
Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday
Pizza Day
Electives PM
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Ski Club
P.A. DAY - NO SCHOOL
Gr. 8 Grad Photos
Family Literacy Day
SCC Meeting @ 7:00 PM
Recognition Assembly
Ski Club
HPV 2nd Dose for Gr. 8 Girls
Menactra for Gr. 7-8 students
Electives PM
Dance-A-Thon Kick-Off Assembly
SCC Reminder
Please check the school website for the minutes of each meeting.
Our next meeting is January 27, 2015 at 7 pm in the Library.
Please note that the Regional S.C.C. is having an engagement night at the Durham District
School Board on January 27, 2015 from 7:00 pm —9:00 pm. The theme for the evening
is Male Voices with Keynote Speaker Jeff Perera.
Community Invited to Participate in
Durham District School Board Survey
January 7 – 18, 2015
The Durham District School Board (DDSB) is currently conducting a survey and invites all
members of the community to participate. The brief, online survey covers a series of multiple
choice questions regarding the DDSB’s strategic plan. The information shared through the
survey will be used by the DDSB to improve its ongoing efforts to communicate openly and
proactively throughout the
organization and with the community.
The brief survey can be found online at or via the Durham District School Board’s website at
www.ddsb.ca. The survey will be open until January 18, 2015 and everyone is invited to participate.
Paper copies of the survey can be made available upon request by calling the DDSB’s Communications Department at 905 666 6407 or 1-800-265-3968 ext: 6407.
The Durham District School Board thanks everyone for their participation in the survey. Results will be shared on the DDSB’s website, www.ddsb.ca in the coming months.
Outdoor Winter Safety:
Staying Safe During Winter Activities
Temperature and weather
Children should not play outdoors if the temperature or the wind chill factor falls
below -25°C (-13°F). When it is this cold outside, exposed skin can freeze in a few
minutes. Always check the weather forecast before children go out in the cold. Just
because it is mild in the morning does not mean it will remain so in the afternoon.
Even mild temperatures have their own danger: your child may get wet because of
melting ice and snow, and ice surfaces may break more easily.
Clothing
All winter activities require layers of warm, dry cold-weather clothing.
Dress in three layers:
1. Thin moisture-wicking materials such as polyester should be next to the skin.
2. Next is a middle insulating layer of wool or fleece.
3. An outer water- and wind-proof layer made of nylon or Gore-Tex. An outer layer should be
removed just before starting strenuous activity to avoid overheating, which will make your child wet
from sweat. Layers should go back on during rest to stay warm. Include a hat, mitts, a tube scarf
and waterproof boots.
Stay hydrated, take breaks and use sunscreen
Always make sure children drink plenty of warm fluids to help the body maintain its temperature. If
hot drinks are not available, drink plenty of plain water. It is easy to get dehydrated in the cold,
often without noticing. Take frequent breaks from the cold to let the body warm up.
Use sunscreen even on cloudy days.
Key Points

Check the weather forecast before going out for a days activity.

Dress appropriately for the temperature and the activity you will be doing.

Use well-maintained, well-fitting equipment, including the appropriate safety helmet for your
activity.

Keep activities suited to children’s age and abilities and stay alert for hazards.
Page 2
Grade 8 parents…..it is time to think
about next year already.
There are several parent information sessions at the local high
schools that you should be aware of. You must attend the high
school that is for your designated home school. For example; Jack
Miner Public School feeds into Donald A. Wilson Secondary
School. The students who are in the gifted program at Jack Miner attend Anderson C.V.I. if they are
continuing in the Gifted Program. Otherwise, students must return to their home school. There are
some dates for you to mark on your calendar.
Parent Night at Anderson CVI for parents of students in the Gifted Program-January 14, 6:30 at
Anderson CVI.
Sinclair Secondary School Parent Information night: January 27 at 7pm at Sinclair Secondary H.S.
Henry Street High School Parent Information night: Feb. 12th at 7pm at Henry St. H.S.
Donald A Wilson Secondary School Parent Information night: Feb. 12th at 7pm at Wilson H.S.
Anderson CVI Parent Information night (if you have missed the earlier night) Feb. 5th at 7pm at Anderson H.S.
The Greening Corner
Did you know that many bird species stay in Canada year-round? You can help birds make it through
the winter by providing shelter and food. The Ecoschools Team would like to share some ways to
make your backyard bird-friendly in this cold January weather:
1.
2.
3.
Build a birdhouse. Use the right nest box dimensions for the hole and box size depending upon
the species of bird you want to attract. Keep the exterior either natural wood or light in colour to reflect heat, and never paint or finish the interior walls.
Feed the birds. Find out if your favourite bird likes seed mixes, suet mixes, or fruits like raisins
and chopped apple. Maintain your feeders and change seed regularly to keep it from getting
mouldy.
Throw old bread in the green composting bin. Old baked goods are prone to mould, and fill a
bird’s belly without meeting its nutritional needs. Toxins produced by the mould can kill birds.
Offer dry seed, grains or fruits instead.
Check out www.Nature Canada.ca to look at more tips for helping our feathered friends!
Just a Reminder ……..
Junior Kindergarten /New to Kindergarten
Telephone Pre-Registration



Pre-registration starts at 9:30 AM on Wednesday, January 13, 2015
Children currently registered in JK will automatically be registered for SK
All other children need to register
Please note that Jack Miner Public school is an all day every day early years school. We also have
before and after school care at our school.
Jack Miner’s telephone number is: 905-668-3249
Your child must be 4 years of age by December 31, 2015 in order to qualify for Junior
Kindergarten.
If you are registering for Senior Kindergarten, your child must be 5 years of age by
December 31, 2015.
Thursday, May 7th, 2015, 6:00 p.m. to 7:15 p.m.
NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIPTION
Dear Families:
We are committed to open communication with our school community. To support the effective
and timely sharing of information, we are currently seeking to create a database of email addresses
of our school community. If you are interested in being notified by email when the newsletter has
been posted to the website, please visit our website at www.ddsb.ca/school/jackminer.
There, in the bottom right corner of the website, you will see a newsletter subscription feature.
Simply add your email address in the box and click “sign up”. You will be sent an email and asked
to verify your subscription. Once verified, you will begin to receive email updates. Please note,
you can unsubscribe at any time simply by using the unsubscribe feature on any email you receive
through this channel.
We strongly encourage families to subscribe so we can keep everyone updated.
Sign up is voluntary. Your email address will only be used to share our newsletter and other such
important information on a timely basis. Your contact information will not be shared with anyone.
You can unsubscribe at any time through the convenient links.
Please note transportation or school closure information will not be sent from this service. Please
visit www.dsts.on.ca for transportation delay or cancellation information, as always.
Ongoing and regular communication with our Jack Miner families, we believe, is the best way to
facilitate open, easily accessed communication and maintain positive partnerships between home
and school.
Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact the school.
Community Connections
Information Flyers are available in the Office
Station Gallery Arts Infused: Winter 2014 Program