Ventura Park PS BLOG

Recognizing signs of stress and building resiliency in your teen in pandemic times:  Join fellow school parents for a presentation from Sick Kids on recognizing signs of stress or mental illness and building resiliency in your teenager, especially during pandemic times. For details, see flyer. To register, complete this Google Form. 

We are so happy to have our students back at Ventura Park Public School but as we move ahead we need your continued support.

• wear a mask
• wash your hands regularly
• keep social distance
• avoid playdates or gatherings with friends

Forgotten items can not be dropped of and will not be accepted. For example:

• lunches
• snow pants
• water bottles
• projects

Public Health is not allowing us to accept drop offs. Thank you for your ongoing cooperation.

VPPS Team

Dear Ventura Park Families,

WE ARE SO EXCITED TO WELCOME YOUR CHILDREN BACK TO SCHOOL ON TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16! We wanted to share a few reminders with everyone as we get ready to return to face to face learning.  Please remember that our office is staffed every morning to answer any questions you may have. 

NEW​ MASK REQUIREMENTS!

• All students in grades 1-8 are ​required ​to wear a two layer mask (a 3 layer mask is recommended) at all times inside other than when eating and drinking.
• Students will be wearing masks at recess time as we cannot guarantee a 2 metre distance between students. 
• Please send your child(ren) with a few masks daily.  Wearing them outside in the winter weather may cause them to get damp and they will become uncomfortable.  Please wash reusable masks after use. 

BORROWED TECHNOLOGY

• If your family borrowed technology during our school closure, please send any borrowed Chromebooks back to school with your child(ren) no later than Friday, February 19th. Your prompt return of the technology is appreciated, as we rely on our Chromebooks for daily classroom programming.
• Students should bring borrowed Chromebooks to the Office when they arrive at school in the morning. Please be sure to return the charger cable along with the Chromebook. 
• All technology will be sanitized upon return.

REMINDERS

• Drop-offs of student belongings, materials, lunches etc. cannot be accepted. Please ensure that your child(ren) have all of the materials they need for the day when leaving for school in the morning. 
• If you are dropping off your child(ren) late, please ring the bell and the student will enter on their own. Parents must remain outside.  

Sincerely,    

Greg Farrell – Principal

Melanie Chamberland – Vice Principal

Stay home! Stay safe! Stay positive! 

Dear Families,

On Wednesday, February 3, 2021 the Minister of Education announced schools in York Region will re-open for in-person learning on Tuesday, February 16, 2021. 

York Region Public Health reassures you it is safe to return to school. York Region District School Board and York Region Public Health are working closely together and taking all appropriate steps for the health, safety and well-being of our school community. This includes updating our screening guidance and implementing more stringent protocols. 

Please visit york.ca/safeatschool for up to date information on public health measures related to school reopening. 

Updated screening guidance

Effective immediately, all students and staff are required to complete a York Region Public Health school and child-care screening tool. Daily confirmation of screening will be required for staff and secondary students.

Effective immediately:

• If a student or staff member has ONE symptom of COVID-19 they are required to stay home from school and child-care and get tested for COVID-19 at an Assessment Centre
• If anyone in a household has travelled outside of Canada, everyone must stay home from school and child-care until the 14-day quarantine period has finished, except for essential reasons
• If anyone in your household is sick and has not tested negative for COVID-19, or does not have an alternative diagnosis from a health-care provider, all others in the household must stay home from school and child-care until the results are known or an alternative diagnosis is provided
• If someone in the household is identified as a high-risk/close contact of a confirmed COVID-19 case, the whole household is required to stay home from school for the 14-day quarantine period, except for essential reasons**

** Please note: Individuals in a dismissed cohort do not need to have the rest of their household stay home from school or child-care unless contacted by Public Health. Public Health will work with the affected school or child-care setting to identify individuals within cohorts that may be at increased risk of exposure to provide further direction.

Health and Safety Measures

As we have previously communicated, there are some new health and safety measures in place, including:

• Masks are now required for students in Grades 1-12. Students in kindergarten are strongly encouraged to wear masks. 
• Masks are now required outdoors, during recess as well as common areas, in addition to in-class.
• Students are discouraged from congregating before and after school.
• York Region Public Health is recommending that students wear three-layer masks. Two layer masks are permitted if they are clean and fit appropriately.
• Families dropping off and picking up their children at school are reminded to wear masks and not congregate while on school property. 
• Please continue to reinforce hand hygiene practices

What happens if there is a case of COVID-19 in my child’s class?

Any staff or children who have had close contact with a probable or confirmed COVID-19 case in a school will receive a letter from York Region Public Health advising them to stay at home for 14 days. Certain individuals may receive more instructions from Public Health if the investigation reveals the student/staff/essential visitor is at increased risk of exposure. These individuals will receive a phone call from Public Health to outline any additional requirements, including isolation of household contacts. The identity of any person who contracts COVID-19 is protected under privacy legislation and cannot be shared. You would want this same privacy if your family was affected. We remain committed to respecting the privacy of all students and staff.

Inclement Weather

Families are reminded that, in the event an inclement weather day is declared, schools will be closed to in-person learning and learning will take place remotely. Virtual School students are not affected by inclement weather days. 

We are all looking forward to seeing students in-person next week. It is our commitment to continue to prioritize safety and well-being for all students and staff. 

Hello VPPS Community,   It’s an exciting February here at X Movement, with new content on the X Movement Classroom digital platform every single school day this month!  Valentines Day is just around the corner, and you can celebrate in the classroom or at home with our Valentines Day Dance-A-Thon series of videos.

New Content Every Single School Day in February!

New This Week to X Movement Classroom:   To kick off the month we have a range of new content this week. Advanced Fitness with Olive, more X Fusion focusing on Self-Regulation with Sloth, and a fun dance with the rockstar Energizer JD to finish off Friday with some FUN!

Advanced Fitness: Squat Challenge   Advanced Fitness: Cardio Workout

X Fusion: Mood Meter   X Dance: Zombie Tutting

Valentine’s Day Dance-A-Thon (Free Content):   We’ve released a series of dance activities to celebrate Valentines Day, FREE for everyone – even those not on the X Movement Classroom platform. Forward this email resources to any fellow teachers, parents or principals to spread the LOVE!

X Movement Classroom aligns with the dance curriculum!   Did you know that dance content on X Movement Classroom aligns with the Ontario curriculum? Keep a look out for Curriculum Assessment Tool attached to X Dance videos, available as a Free Download for Teachers!

Please see attached instructions to access this program and enjoy!

Students currently in grade 4 and 5 who are interested in arts@baythorn please remember that the application closes tomorrow, Friday, February 5^th  at 4pm.

For information they can visit:

http://www.yrdsb.ca/schools/baythorn.ps/arts/Pages/default.aspx