Walnut Grove Public School

Email: walnutgrove.ps@peelsb.com
Website: http://schools.peelschools.org/1416/Pages/default.aspx
Location: 10 Pinestaff Road, Brampton, ON, Canada
Phone: 905-796-4572
Twitter: @WalnutGrovePS

Walnut Grove’s Daily Schedule

Entry Bell 9:15

Period 1 9:15 - 9:55

Period 2 9:55 - 10:35

Period 3 10:35 - 11:15

Nutrition Break A 11:15 - 11:35

Nutrition Break B 11:35 - 11:55

Period 4 11:55 - 12:35

Period 5 12:35 - 1:15

D.P.A. 1:15 - 1:35

Nutrition Break C 1:35 - 1:55

Nutrition Break D 1:55 - 2:15

Period 6 2:15 - 2:55

Period 7 2:55 - 3:35

Dismissal 3:35

School Security

All parents and visitors entering the school during school hours must be buzzed in through the front doors and sign in and out at the office.

You are also reminded to wear a visitor’s badge while you are in the school. For safety reasons, it is important that we know who is in the school at all times.

Late Arrivals

If a student arrives late to school, after the 9:15 a.m. entry bell, they must report to the office to sign in and receive a late slip before going to their class. Please help your child arrive to school on time up establishing and encouraging morning routines

Medication

If your child will require to take or have any medication (eg. Epi-pens, inhalers) while at school due to asthma, allergies or other medical conditions please inform the office. You will be given a medical form that will need to be completed by your family doctor and returned to school with the medication. No medication can be administered at the school without having a current medical form completed and on file at the school.

Kiss and Ride

We understand that there are a lot of cars in the morning and after school using the Drop Off lane. We are asking for your patience and understanding and to follow the guidance of the teachers on duty.

Please note that children should never exit from the driver's side and even if they are seated behind the driver they should exit from the curbside.

Thank you for helping us in making Walnut Grove a safe school for all of our students

Nutrition Break Routines

We encourage all students to remain at school during both Nutrition Breaks, to participate in the variety of extra-curricular activities offered. However, we recognize that some families want their children to come home for lunch. In order to ensure student safety at all times, we have established some expectations for Nutrition Break Routines:

· parents/guardians will be asked to complete a form indicating their wishes for daily routines for lunch for their children – these will be kept on file to ensure that routines are being followed

·anytime that those routines are changed, parents/guardians will be required to contact the school (by phone or in writing) indicating the change in routine

· if students go home for lunch, they are expected to remain home for the entire break (40 minutes)

· students are expected to return ON TIME for next period

STUDENTS WILLL NOT BE PERMITTED TO LEAVE SCHOOL PROPERTY AT NUTRITION BREAKS EXCEPT TO GO HOME FOR LUNCH WITH PARENT PERMISSION. Students will not be allowed to go to the plaza across the street, nor are they allowed to go to a friend’s house for lunch.

Volunteers

Parents play an important role in the development and education of their children and in the success of the school community. At Walnut Grove, we welcome and encourage the participation of parents and community members, and are grateful for the countless hours our volunteers contribute throughout the school year.

To volunteer at our school, you must complete a short interview and a criminal record check. This Criminal Record Check must have been completed within the last 6 months, must include a Vulnerable Sector Screening (VSS) and must be an original copy. A police background check is required for all school volunteers in Ontario. Even if you want to accompany your child on a field trip, you need this background check.

Once you have completed the process, you are on file with the Peel District School Board as being a school volunteer. All returning volunteers will be mailed an Offence Declaration Form that must be filled out and returned to the board office each year. You will not be able to volunteer with the Peel board until you have returned this form.

If you have any questions about criminal record checks or the offence declaration form, please call the board office at 905-890-1010 ext. 2832.

We find ourselves in the month of June already, wondering where the year went! There are so many wonderful things to celebrate and be proud of. Our students excelled in many areas this year, including Academics, the Arts, Sports and Athletics, and through Technology and 21st Century learning. Our murals in the hallways are coming along well – by the end of June, we will have completed murals from the Grade 7 and 8 students, who worked on “The Wolf Den” across from the Gym. We will continue our Mural project throughout next year, until all students in the inaugural year have had the opportunity to leave their mark on the school.

I would like to take this opportunity to say farewell to any students and families who are leaving Walnut Grove, as well as, to staff members who are moving on to different locations.

I’d like to wish a very fond farewell to our Grade 8 graduating class. What an amazing group of students who have excelled in so many ways since Grade 6. They are well prepared for the challenges and the exciting opportunities that high school will bring!

On behalf of the Vice Principals Mrs. Bineesari and Ms. Dell, I would like to wish all of our families a safe and happy summer. See you on September 5th!

It’s hard to believe that the 2015-16 school year is nearly over. June is always a busy and exciting time. As the school year draws to a close, it’s important to reflect on the achievements and successes of staff and students over the past year and to recognize how You Inspire.

In my role as board trustee, I have the pleasure of visiting schools and witnessing the magic that happens each and every day. From fundraisers to student performances and showcases during Education Week, to celebrating our diverse communities with Black History Month and Asian Heritage Month events and the incredible academics and extracurricular achievements by students, it amazes me how you inspire success, confidence and hope, each and every day in every aspect of school life. To see staff brimming with enthusiasm, the determination and hard work of students on the road to success and the support and guidance provided by our administrative staff and community members is truly inspiring.

Thank you to students, staff and community members for an outstanding school year. Have a safe, fun-filled and relaxing summer!

Carrie Andrews

Wards 7/8 Trustee

Monthly Character Trait Winners

Each month students will be recognized for demonstrating the monthly character traits. The character trait for March was Respect and the students that were recognized are:

Kindergarten: Guransh C., Sabiq A., Abdirizak G., Arjun A., Maya A., Kye C., Ashmeen J., Gurnoor T., Sahej G., Aiyeshaann N., Jassica D., Kabishan S., Sounish M., Ekroop B., David M.,

Grade One : Tejal S., Swaraj S., Jovan H., Arshdeep G., Krish M., Gary W., Jasraj B., Mehar K., Josh J., Surleen S., Devan B., Rishan G., Elanah G.,

Grade Two: Hrishi T., Niiethavan S., Shreya S., Harveer S., Massee S., Karman D., Dewaan B., Leila B., Ruhani B., Haya S., Arianna P.,

Grade Three: Agam S., Heetayu R., Krish J., Jasleen, Arnav, Navjot, Bhakti C., Gurnoor B., Harjot, Vinushant,

Grade Four: Krish S., Itee G., Avneet D., Rudra P., Simran K., Chatanpreet C., Kumanan T., Aria C., Saleena B., Anjali S.,

Grade Five: Simran, Shiya, Vatsh, Partap, Auvleen, Jay, Jot B., Zayna G., Aliza, Aryan, Rheanna O., Marcus H., Gurtaj V.,

Grade Six: Brayden B., Emily C., Jaiveer S., Simran G., Aaryan B., Jaziba C. Krishna S. Manveer M.,

Grade Seven: Darcia R., Sana M., Sarah O., Jason B., Gunjan S., Japjit, Sukhman

Grade Eight: Harpaul D., Neetu M., Richie J., Ikamjeet G., Avneet S.,

Every year we must say good-bye to various staff members who move on to different locations and different positions. This year, we say farewell to the following Walnut Grove staff:

• Ms. Binsky (Gr. 7)

• Mme Winger (Core French)

• Mrs. Hall (Teacher Librarian)

• Mlle Cici (Core French)

• Ms. Massis (Gr. 8)

• Mrs. Thapar (Long Term Occasional Teacher)

• Ms. Hewitt (LTO

• Ms. Lewis (LTO)

• Ms. Sutton (LTO)

• Ms. Ricci (LTO)

• Ms. Mithra (LTO)

• Ms. Sachdeva (LTO)

• Ms. McIntyre (LTO)

• Ms. Chiarrappa (DECE)

• Ms. Drouillard (T.A.)

• Ms. Kuttiyappan (T.A.)

• Mrs. Germano (T.A.)

We welcome the following staff members to our Walnut Grove family

• Ms. Jia (Gr. 5 French Immersion)

• Ms. Deng (Gr. 6 English to French Immersion)

• Ms. Vassel Gr. 7 English to French Immersion)

• Mrs. Bhatia (Gr. 7)

We will also be interviewing and hiring Occasional Teachers (LTO), throughout June, for the numerous teachers who will be away on leave as the school year begins. We will have a complete staff list in the September newsletter.

Senior Girls Floor Hockey

Mrs. Chadha & Mrs. Beattie would like to recognize the Snr. Girls Floor Hockey team for their hard work and dedication. We really enjoyed coaching you. It was admirable to see how you all encouraged and helped to build each other up in every practice and during the tournament at Sir Isaac Brock P.S. Although we didn't win very many games, you displayed excellent sportsmanship by accepting winning and losing graciously. This is what the Wolf Den cares most about!

Senior Boys Ball Hockey

Congrats to our grade 7 and 8 students who were a force to be reckoned with at the Century Gardens board-wide tournament this year. Ms. Simone and Ms. Ricci watched our team play with heart and hustle and are congratulated for their outstanding teamwork. Our bronze medal can be found hanging in the Wolf Den. A big thank-you and farewell goes out to our graduating players who have been a big part of this team for 3 years strong.

Cross Country Team

Ms. Dumas, Mrs. Chadha & Mrs. McKenzie really enjoyed our running practices around the neighbourhood/school each week. After several practices we noticed a significant improvement in the teams’ ability to run longer, by walking less and running faster too! It's incredible what the body can do when you challenge it and put it to the test. A big thank you to all members for attending the practices and not giving up even on those few hot days we got. We had a successful FUN day at the Cross Country Meet where our team competed against over 50 other schools in Peel at Heartlake Conservation Area. Rayjeanee in Mrs. Leaton's grade 6 class came in 5th for the division 5 girls race!!! All other members did extremely well too as they beat over 50+ runners in the other races. We look forward to coaching you again next year!

A Message to the WOLFPACK!

We’d like to thank our Wolfpack members for a great year full of hard work and fun times. You were determined to improve our Health and Athletics Programs and make the Wolf Den a safe, positive, and awesome place to be in each day. Congratulations on helping us to develop a solid program for all future Wolves.

We hope you all have a fantastic summer full of fitness, family, friends, and fun!

A big congratulations to the Grade 7 and 8 students who wrote the GAUSS Waterloo Math Contest on May 11, 2016.

The AWARD for OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT goes to the top scorers in Grade 7 and Grade 8: Aarav T., in Grade 7 & Karan B., in Grade 8

The AWARD of DISTINCTION goes to the students who scored in the top 25% in the school: Sharon Y., Sithyla C., Luvpreet P., Aarman T., Thanish P., Andy C.

The AWARD of PARTICIPATION goes to all the Grade 7 and 8 students who participated:

Jaskirat P

Vidhi P

Sapna S

Sabina R

Sonika S

Deep S

Simran D

Jashandeep M

Jasmeet D

Janvi J

Japjeet M

Anoushka A

Tarnvir S

Chelsea C

Sundeep P

Shiriram K

Navishka B

Amrit S

Jasmine T

News from the Walnut Grove Music Department:

We have had a very successful and busy year here in the Music Department. We would like to commend all the students who put in considerable time and effort to prepare for our in-school performances, such as the Grades 3-8 "SnowBiz Musical" and the Grade 1 and 2 "Celebration of the Arts". We also had numerous performances outside of school, such as the Brampton Beast Choir performance at the PowerAde Center, the Grade 2 and 4 choral competition at the Peel Music Festival in Mississauga, and the Grade 5-8 "Shake It Up Shakespeare Festival" at the Rose Theatre.

We would like to thank the many teachers and our administrative staff who supported us in our artistic endeavours. We would also like to thank the parents who took the time to come out and support our kids in action on the stage.

Camp Focus is a non-profit organization that uses the STEAM philosophies (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) to provide students in the community an interactive and educational summer camp program at a subsidized rate. Camp Focus runs from Monday July 4th to Friday August 5th and will be held at Castlemore Public School this summer. Some of the weekly themes include Minecraft, Lego, Robotics, Media Magic, Worldly Cooking and Makerspace. Please visit the website for more information.
http://www.communityrootsinc.com/

Dear Walnut Grove Community,

At walnut Grove we learned many things that we need in high school such as cooperation, responsibility, honesty, respect, organization, and being kind to others. Also, at this school we met new friends and new teachers that helped us reach our potential for all our subjects and taught us how high school will be. This school has helped us understand what it is to be involved in our community and how to treat our environment through the presentations in our assemblies.

Sincerely,

Deep, Davjit, Rohan

Dear Walnut Grove Community,

Our favourite moment during this past school year was playing outside during nutrition break. The projects were alright, but Mr. Kuehn made some of them fun and most of them were interactive. For example, the hydraulics project we didn’t finish. We were able to study hydraulics as well as use a variety of tools to construct a hydraulic. During the school year we also learned a lot of new information. Our favorite subjects were science and health class. We enjoyed when the lady came in and talked to us about the cyber health. Although some classes were dry, we still learned a lot in math class. Intramurals were really enjoyable and sports teams were fun and competitive. They will be good memories forever. We are now prepared for high school and look forward to the future.

Your students,

Andy, Yaw, and Hassan

Dear Grade 8s,

This is to all our friends that have been with us when we needed help and to all the teachers that have helped us become who we are today. We wish to one day come back to the school as visitors and see what our school becomes. Since this will be the last time with our peers and teachers, we will sincerely miss everyone. With all these memories we can say that our Walnut Grove experience was a good one.

Sincerely,

Richie and Nicholas

Dear Walnut Grove Staff,

Thank you for guiding us through the roller coaster we call middle school. It has seriously been a bumpy ride through every school year, but we would not have made it without out all of your wise words and encouragement. Every staff member in our school has made each individual student shine and help them become the great person they are. You have shown us our strengths, our weaknesses, and always lead us down the right path. We thank you for devoting your time and energy to help us look towards our future as high school students.

Yours sincerely,

Japjeet and Favour

Dear Grade 8 Friends,

We are thankful for all the new friends we’ve made throughout the years at Walnut Grove. We grade 8’s have evolved into a very successful students with everyone's participation and collaboration. I can say that we have made a special friendship bond that will stay throughout our lives. We have learned so many lessons together not as friends but, as family. A final thank you and farewell for all of our fellows classmates, we will be heading on our separate paths but we can always look back and know that we all started this journey together as a wolf pack. AAWWWOOOOOHHHH!!!

Sincerely,

Jasmeet, Simran, and Sakshi

Dear Grade 8 Friends,

Thank you for the amazing moments and memories we all shared as the class of 2016! We have been here together from the start, from day one, building this school to what it is now. We are all very close and very grateful to know each other by name and personality. Some of us are on our adventure to Castlebrooke Secondary while others are on their own journeys to other schools. Going to a new place will be difficult for some, but remember that Walnut Grove students will always have your back. We may drift apart, though we will always remember each other in our hearts. Thank you for an amazing, energetic, and creative year!

Your loving classmates,

Hayat, Sabina, Bella ❤

Dear Walnut Grove Community,

A huge thank you to the Walnut Grove community for giving us the best grade 8 year ever! This year we were involved in many extra-curricular activities. We were involved a hockey tournament and we came 3rd place. On Fridays Ikam and I sometimes helped out by handing out pizza to other students. Mr. Kuehn also gave us a great year to remember. Our class worked on many different science labs and experiments. Overall this was our best school year yet and we hope that our school earns many more sports banners. Thanks you staff and students we had a great time in Walnut Grove.

Sincerely,

Rajan and Ikamjeet

Dear Grade 8 Friends,

Who knew that this year would pass by so fast! Honestly we, the class of 2016, will always be remembered. We are the second group of students to graduate from our school, our home, Walnut Grove Public School. We had such an amazing year and so many memories are never to forget. Now, we are no longer pre-teens, we are officially teenagers arriving to this big place ahead of us called high school. Some of us are all going to the same high school, while many others are not. However, we will always remember each other, as a family. Some people were new to our school, but they were always welcome by us who were here from James Grieve Public School (our holding school) and we made them feel at home. We will be remembered for our passion for sports, councils, and meetings. Most importantly we’ll remember our school song, mascot, and positive vibes for our school. We personally loved the sports because our school is so positive and we always had a good time during the tournaments. After our tournament, no matter what our standing our school would always congratulate and appreciate our hard work. Overall, this was the best grade 8 year a grade 8 could ever have. Just remember our fellow classmates, "We are not friends, we are family."

Sincerely,

Jashan, Karan, and Shiriram

Our final School Council Meeting of the year will take place on June 16, from 6:00 – 6:45 pm in the Staff Room. We will be wrapping up the school year, and discussing election procedures for September, 2016. School council elections are tentatively scheduled for Thursday, October 6th,

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the School Council for their continued support and their dedication to the students and the community of Walnut Grove Public School. Thank you so much to : Raj Kumar, Co-Chair; Sandy Dhillon, Co-Chair; Bob Nagra, Secretary; Claudette Thompson, Member.

School Council Election Timelines for the 2016-2017 School Year

September 12 Nomination Packages to be sent home to families

September 19 Nomination Packages due back in the school Office

September 26 Biographies of Nominees for School Council sent home

October 6 School Council ELECTION DAY

October 13 First School Council Meeting

IMPORTANT CHANGE COMING SEPTEMBER 2016

Report student absences through new SafeArrival system

Beginning Sept. 6, 2016, all parents/guardians need to report their children’s full-day absences, late arrivals and/or early departures from school via our new automated SafeArrival phone number at 1-855-209-6155, online at pdsb.schoolconnects.com, or by downloading the mobile app for Apple and Android devices. For absences longer than 5 consecutive school days, please contact the school office.

Parents are encouraged to provide an email address to schools. Parents who have an email address on file at school will receive an email invitation from Synrevoice Technologies during the week of August 29. The invitation will include login information. Starting the week of August 29, parents who do not have an email address on file at the school can visit pdsb.schoolconnects.com and choose CREATE LOGIN to create your account and receive login credentials that can be used online or with the mobile app. Parents need to have a cell phone that is capable of receiving text messages to complete the setup process. The cell phone number must be on file with the school. All three options are available 24 hours a day.

There is no longer an absence reporting phone line at school. If you have any questions or require any assistance, contact the school directly.

Our school is working to protect the health of our students and the health of our environment. We ask you to show your support by turning off your engine while dropping off or waiting to pick up your child at school.

The emissions that come from our tailpipes harm all of us, especially children who breathe more and at a faster rate than adults. By turning off your car, our students, teachers and parents won't breathe in unhealthy fumes as they enter school.

Air pollution also poses particular risks for our children with asthma. So, if you're going to be sitting still for more than 60 seconds, remember to turn your car's engine off. You'll not only improve our air, you'll also save money in fuel and vehicle wear and tear costs—then we can all breathe easier.

40 hours to graduate – Start this summer

Since 1999, all students in Ontario secondary schools are required to complete a minimum of 40 hours of community involvement in order to receive a diploma. The purpose of this requirement is to encourage students to develop an understanding of the various roles they can play in their community. Students are encouraged to start accumulating community involvement hours in the summer before they enter grade 9.

Research shows that early involvement in community service helps students build a spirit of civic responsibility which can be expanded as they move through secondary school. The aim of the 40-hour requirement is to encourage students to become actively involved in making positive contributions to their community.

The community involvement component is an opportunity for students and parents to work together, independent of the school. With parent support, your teen is responsible for finding and completing 40 hours of community service.

Parents should provide assistance to their teen in the selection of community involvement activities. Here’s how to get started:

• Spend some time with your teen going through the list of eligible and ineligible activities in the Peel District School Board’s “40 Hours” brochure. You can obtain a copy of the brochure from your school or online at www.peelschools.org/students/40hours/

• View online resources at www.peelschools.org/students/40hours/

• Visit www.peelschools.org/students/40hours for available volunteer opportunities

Please note that the selection of the activities should take into account the age, maturity, and ability of the student, and the location and environment of the proposed activity.

Kindergarten to grade 4

Sorting and stacking – Teach classification skills with dinnerware. Ask your child to match and stack dishes of similar sizes and shapes. Also have your child sort flatware – forks with forks, spoons with spoons. This is like recognizing the shapes of letters and numbers.

Comic strip writing – Use comic strips to help with writing. Cut the segments of a comic strip apart and ask your child to arrange them in order. Then ask your child to fill in the words of the characters (orally or in writing).

Float and sink – Encourage hypothesizing (guessing). Use several objects – soap, a dry sock, a bottle of shampoo, a wet sponge, an empty bottle. Ask your child which objects will float when dropped into water in a sink or bathtub. Then drop the objects in the water, one by one, to see what happens.

Grades 5 to 8

Follow the news – As a family, choose an important news event to follow for a day or two. Ask each person to find as much information on the topic as possible – read newspapers, look at online news webpages, listen to the radio and watch TV news. Then talk about what everyone learned.

Pro and con: what do you think? – Make a family game of discussing a special issue. For example, "Teenagers should be allowed to vote," or "There should never be any homework." Ask your children to think of all the reasons they can to support their views. Then ask them to think of reasons opposing their views. Which views are most convincing? For variety, assign family members to teams and have them prepare their arguments pro and con.

Stretch, run, walk – Ask your child to do at least one kind of exercise every day. For example, run or walk briskly for 10 minutes. Walk, when possible, instead of driving, for any distance less than a mile. Have your child make a week-long exercise plan. Try to think of a modest reward for sticking to the plan and exercise with your child.

Let your voice be heard – Promote good citizenship. Help your child write a letter to the editor of the local newspaper about an issue affecting children – for example, suggest that a bike path be built near the school or that a city event be planned for youngsters. Children are citizens, and their ideas are worth hearing.

The Peel District School Board’s We Welcome the World Centres located in Brampton, Malton and Mississauga, are the first point of contact for all newcomer families to become familiar with the educational system in Peel. The centres are open all year—including the summer months.

In addition to providing literacy and numeracy assessments, We Welcome the World Centres provide newcomers with a host of services including: reception, orientation, interpretation and referrals.

At each centre, parents/guardians and students will discover:

• computer portals—guided introduction to the Peel Welcome to School Kits and other Peel resources

• settlement service information

• translation of materials to support the reception and assessment process

• age and grade appropriate educational and related program resources

• audio-visual materials to explain the adult education program

• professionally administered child-care (only available during assessment and orientation process)

• information about various community supports and programming available

  For more information about the We Welcome the World Centre and the services they provide, call 905-366-8791.

Excessive exposure to the sun can lead to health concerns such as sunburn and skin cancer. As summer approaches and the weather gets warmer, it is necessary to apply sunscreen to protect ourselves from too much sun damage and burns.

In summer, we are exposed to higher levels of ultraviolet (UV) rays. This exposure is a risk factor for developing skin cancer and cataracts later in life. The UV index is the measure commonly used in Canada to assess the strength of the sun’s UV rays risk on a given day.

What is the UV Index?

The index scale ranges from 0 to 10. The higher the value, the more intense ultraviolet rays.
The UV index is calculated daily by Environment Canada using ozone and weather information. It can vary from day to day with changes in the ozone layer – the thinner the ozone layer, the higher the index reading.

How to protect your family from the sun?

• Wear a hat (preferably with a broad brim), sunglasses and protective clothing on sunny days.
• Use sunscreen with a SPF of 15 or greater whenever you're outdoors.
• Encourage your children to play in shady areas if they are outside for a long period of time.
• Remember that sunburn can occur even on a cloudy day, as up to 80 per cent of UV rays can penetrate light clouds, and 40 per cent of UV rays can bounce back from sand, water or concrete.

Here are some tips you can review with your child to ensure bike season gets off to a great start:

The right fit

• children should be able to straddle the bike with both feet on the ground
• a bike that is too big or too small can be a safety hazard
• the helmet should fit—if it's too loose, it could fall off, if it's too tight, it's uncomfortable

Get noticed

• a young child's bike should be equipped with a bell and reflector
• older riders should have a light and/or reflectors

Follow the rules

• no riding on busy streets
• no riding at night
• stop for all STOP signs

Actions that cause injuries

• driveway ride out—not stopping and looking both ways before entering the street
• running the stop sign
• turning without warning
• cycling in the dark
• following the leader—one child goes through a stop sign or misses a parked car but the second cyclist doesn't

If you have a school-age child, finding summer child care can be a real challenge. But you can follow these three simple steps to help you choose a program that’s best for your family. It will mean a summer full of fun and learning for your child—and peace of mind for you.

Step 1

Call Child Care Info Peel

905-890-9432 or 1-888-836-5550

Child care experts provide specific information about summer camps and other child care providers in your neighbourhood. They can answer your questions and give you information to help you choose the program that’s right for your family.

It’s a good idea to call the info line early to give yourself enough time to investigate potential programs and make your decision before the program fills up.

Step 2

Schedule an appointment to meet with the program director or to speak over the phone, so that you can get more information about the program. If possible, visit the program or the facility in which it will be held. The more information you have, the better you will be able to decide if this program is a good "fit" for your child and your family.

Step 3

When you are checking out summer programs, don’t be afraid to ask a lot of questions—it’s the best way to make sure you have all the information you need. In general, you will want to ask questions about the program, staff, health and safety practices, food provided, and costs.

For more information, call Child Care Info Peel or visit www.cdrcp.com/ccip.html.

Do you know an adult that is interested in improving their English language skills for work, study or daily life?

Through the Continuing & Adult Education department, the Peel District School Board offers a wide variety of English language classes that help parents experience success in Canadian English in both listening/speaking and reading/writing. Courses are designed for a range of basic, intermediate and advanced English (Levels 1 to 7) as well as the more experienced learner needing to prepare for an IELTS exam.

Classes are ongoing - Register anytime.

All learners that complete a session will earn a certificate of learning from the Peel District School Board.

Classes operate from six locations in Brampton and Mississauga with three specially designed adult centres at:

• Bramalea​ - Adult Education Centre - 25 Kings Cross Road, Unit 3

• Brampton - Adult Education Centre - #300 - 7700 Hurontario Street

• Mississauga - Adult Education Centre - 100 Elm Drive West, Room 117

To learn more or to register, call 905-270-6000

Also visit www.peelschools.org/adulteducation or follow us on Twitter: @PDSBLearnESL

The Peel District School Board's Make Peel Proud Spectrum Committee is proud to be participating at The Peel Pride Family Picnic. Come and show your Peel Pride as we help celebrate our region's LGBTQ communities at Peel Pride's 2016 Family Picnic. Bring your family and friends to take part in an all ages day full of fun and games. Don't forget to bring your blanket or chairs, food, drink and sun-wear. Hope to see you there!

When: Saturday, July 16, 2016 (rain or shine)

Where: Donald M. Gordon Chinguacousy Park, Queen Street East and Central Park Drive in Brampton

Time: Noon to 4 p.m.

The Peel board will recognize the contribution of school crossing guards on Crossing Guard Appreciation Day, June 14. The board encourages students, parents and staff to take a moment to thank the neighbourhood crossing guards who help to ensure a safe journey to and from school for thousands of students every day.