Barbara Reid Public School Newsletter, February 28, 2025

Important Dates

March 4: Sub lunch for those who ordered
March 5: Ash Wednesday
Pizza lunch for those who ordered
March 6: Plates & Bowls lunch for those who ordered
March 7: Litterless Lunch Day
March 10 - 14: March Break (no school)
March 18: Sub lunch for those who ordered
March 19: Pizza lunch for those who ordered
March 20: Plates and Bowls lunch for those who ordered
March 20-21: Nawruz; Naw-Ruz
March 21: Litterless Lunch Day
March 25: Sub lunch for those who ordered
March 26: Pizza lunch for those who ordered
March 27: Plates and Bowls lunch for those who ordered
March 28: Litterless Lunch Day

February is Black History Month.
March is Bangladeshi Heritage Month, Hellenic Heritage Month, and Persian Heritage Month 

A Message from the Office

Technology: We invite families to review the Use of Technology Agreement with children. This Agreement is designed to ensure a safe and supportive school environment, and extends to interactions with other students outside of instructional time. All families were required to sign this Agreement in September as part of the School Start-Up package and is described in the Guide to the School Year 2024-2025.

Cell Phones: Students are reminded to review expectations about mobile personal devices established at the beginning of the school year. Students who need to contact parents/guardians have access to school phones with staff supervision.

Safe Driving: With the very cold temperatures we have been experiencing recently, many more students are being dropped off to and picked up from school. Please help us ensure students and staff are safe at crosswalks and in the school parking lot, and help us keep traffic moving:

• Do not wait for a “preferred space” in the pick-up/drop-off area => move into the first space available when directed to do so.
• Do not enter the pick-up/drop-off area until Kindergarten students have been picked-up in order to help minimize congestion.
• Do not park, pick up or drop off students on the crosswalk Special Education Information and translated versions of important documents can be accessed on the YRDSB page. or in the middle of the parking lot.

Our priority in the parking lot and at intersections where students cross is student safety; we recognize that may require additional patience at times. We are immensely grateful for the care our town crossing guard provides to our students, and we appreciate the consideration that BRPS community members extend to others by waiting patiently, and following staff direction.

Reminders

Snacks and Lunches: Please make sure snack and lunch items are nut-free, peanut-free, and sesame-free. Student Absences need to be communicated to the office as soon as possible via Edsby or by calling the school at 905-591-3800. If picking up students during the day (e.g., for medical appointments, etc.), please try to do so outside the recess and lunch times. Recess: 11:10am - 11:40am Lunch: 1:00pm - 2:00pm Special Education Information and translated versions of important documents can be accessed on the YRDSB page.

Tune in YRDSB: Supporting Black Students

In this episode of Tune In YRDSB, we discuss the important work to support Black students in our schools.
Four YRDSB staff members explore the importance of creating spaces where Black students feel seen, heard and valued, reflecting on the effects of mentorship, allyship, culturally relevant curriculum, community engagement and much more!

Representing

When we talk about representing in math, we mean using different tools and methods to understand and communicate mathematical concepts. Here are some ways students represent math:

• Concrete Models: Concrete models include objects like blocks or counters. They can be used in many ways. For example, when learning about multiplication, students might create groups of objects to represent repeated addition.
• Pictures and Diagrams: Students can draw pictures to visualize math problems or to record what they did with concrete models.
• Tables: Students can track data and/or organize information in tables. A table of values can show how a pattern grows or shrinks.
• Graphs: Graphs help students see patterns and relationships. A bar graph, for example, can show how different quantities compare.
• Words and Symbols: Math can be expressed using words (like “add,” “subtract,” or “multiply”) or symbols (like +, -, ×, ÷). These symbols help us write mathematical expressions and equations.

Representing helps students understand math better. When they can visualize a problem or concept in different ways, it becomes more
clear.

For example, imagine you skip count by 2s, starting at 0. You represent this using blocks and a number line and realize that you always land on even numbers (like 2, 4, 6, 8, etc.). The visual and concrete representations help students “see” the math.

You can support representing at home by asking your child to show their thinking in different ways. When they’re working on a math problem, see if they can build a model, draw a picture, or write a mathematical expression to show their thinking. You don’t need special tools. Try representing math situations with household objects or toys. 

Chinese Arts and Literary Festival 2025

The Chinese Arts and Literary Festival (CALF) is organized by the Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto. In line with the mission of the Centre, the festival aims to deepen participants’ understanding of Chinese cultural heritage, promote appreciation and respect for cultural diversity, and chance social harmony. Through creative and cultural engagement, the festival seeks to inspire participants to connect with Chinese culture, develop their skills, and contribute to the multicultural fabric of Canadian society.
中華學藝節（CALF）由大多倫多中華文化中心舉辦。秉承大多倫多中華文化中心的
宗旨，中華學藝節旨在加深參加者對中華文化遺產的認識，促進對文化多樣性的理
解和尊重，並增進社會和諧。中華學藝節期望參加者通過創意和文化參與，激發他
們與中華文化的聯繫，發展他們的技能，並為加拿大社會的多元文化作出貢獻。 

From the Board

Dear Families,

As we begin our planning for the 2025-2026 school year, we kindly ask you to inform the school office if your family has plans to move over the summer, or if your children will not be returning in September for any reason. This information helps us to ensure a smooth transition for all students and to make necessary staffing arrangements for the upcoming academic year.

Your cooperation is greatly appreciated and helps us in planning effectively for the new school year. Thank you for your support.

Winter Weather

With winter weather here, we want to share a few important reminders. Dress for the weather: Students should come dressed appropriately for the weather and for outdoor play. Students can stay warm by wearing layers of loose-fitting clothing, a hat, scarf, jackets, snow pants and mittens or gloves. Students may also want to bring extra pants and socks in case they get wet. Recess: If students are well enough to come to school, they are expected to go outside for recess. Our students benefit from spending time outside and being active. We monitor weather conditions throughout the day. If there are extreme weather conditions, we may consider a shortened or indoor recess. Bus or School Cancellations When an extreme cold or inclement weather day is declared, school transportation (including buses and taxis) is cancelled in the morning and afternoon. Schools will remain open. Please notify the school if your child will not be attending school on those days. Students will not be penalized for missing school on these days. There may be rare instances when emergency weather events occur and we need to close all schools and Board locations. Please take the time to make plans in the event of an emergency school closure. Information about transportation cancellations and Board closures will be shared through local media, Board and school websites and on X @YRDSB.

Our process for extreme cold, inclement weather and emergency weather days is outlined in the Board's Severe Weather policy.