Earl Haig P.S. will be recognizing Orange Shirt Day tomorrow, Wednesday, September 30th. Please consider sending your child to school in an orange shirt (or other piece of orange clothing) on Orange Shirt Day.
For families doing virtual learning or homeschooling this year, the Every Child Matters website has some excellent teaching resources and activities to help navigate discussions on the harm of the residential school system in Canada to Indigenous children and communities and its ongoing effect on survivors.
Here are some additional resources that may be beneficial for all families in continuing the conversation on residential schools and to affirm the importance of reconciliation:
Warrior Kids Podcast (hosted by Dr. Pam Palmeter, Mi’kmaq lawyer and Indigenous educator)
From Sea to Sea to Sea: Celebrating Indigenous Picture Books This is a booklist of picture books written (and often illustrated) by Indigenous authors for a variety of ages. Some of the books are available en français and are noted as such.
Please take a moment to watch this video of Phyllis (Jack) Webstad sharing her story about having her new orange shirt taken from her as a young child:
CANCELLED: Our Wellness Wednesday: Raising Sexually Healthy Teens & Tweens discussion led by Jennifer Katz, RN, Sexual Health Promotion, Toronto Public Health that was scheduled for Wednesday, February 12th is cancelled. The re-scheduled date will be announced shortly.
Bakers we need your help! Our annual Valentine’s Cupcake Sale is Thursday, February 13th. We need cupcakes of all shapes, colours, and flavours to make the event a success. Will you bake for the event? We sure hope so!
All baked goods must be nut free.
Cupcakes that address dietary conditions (i.e. wheat-free, gluten-free, dairy-free) are especially appreciated, but please make sure to include a note listing the ingredients.
Please bring your cupcakes to the office the morning of the 13th.
The delicious treats will be sold to the students in the afternoon for a $1 each. Proceeds go towards funding various school initiatives. Thank you!
All are invited to attend the school Remembrance Day Assembly on November 11 at 9:10 in the morning. Poppies and poppy stickers will be available. Donations to the Poppy Fund are welcome.
French Immersion (for Senior Kindergarten 2016-217)
Earl Haig will be hosting an information evening on November 19 at 6 pm for those interested in Senior Kindergarten French Immersion for the next academic year. Registration is open now and must be completed by December 3, 2015. For more information or to begin the registration process visit http://bit.ly/1eC6wmg
PA Day – No classes on November 13th
A reminder that next Friday, November 13th is a PA Day. If you are still looking for something to occupy your little Eagle on the 13th, here are some local activities:
Danforth/Coxwell library is showing the Disney feature ‘Inside Out’ at 2PM. Free!
S. Walter Stewart library has a craft session called “Make a Button or Two” at 2PM. Free!
How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice – and fundraise. The Toronto Beaches Children’s Chorus is showing the Iron Giant at the Fox Theatre as a fundraiser for their trip to Carnegie Hall in June 2016. Visit http://www.foxtheatre.ca/schedule#1447390800 for the schedule, which includes Goosebumps for the older, cooler, students.
Pumpkin Patch Report
A sure sign that Fall is in full swing at Earl Haig is the arrival of the Annual Pumpkin Patch, and once again, this year’s event was a huge success! Thanks to the fantastic volunteers who got up in the wee hours of the morning to unload pumpkins, bake muffins, and spend the day with our community selling all of the orange beauties and baked goods! We raised $1166.23 which will go towards enriching the learning environment of all Earl Haig students. A special thank you to Wendy Cullen (our #1 lunchroom lady) who started the Pumpkin Patch tradition 10 years ago – long live the Earl Haig Pumpkin Patch!
Bordenball Champions!
This fall a team of 17 grade 6-8 Earl Haig girls were conference finalists at the TD East Bordenball championships. Way to go girls! Earl Haig is proud of you, as is Mr. Taylor.
Which leads us to the second us the second question …what the heck is Bordenball? Bordenball is a high intensity sport that melds the skills of European handball, ultimate frisbee and basketball. Designed at Camp Borden (hence its funny name) to intensify soldier’s workouts. According to Mr. Taylor, its an excellent game to enhance girls fitness, play outside and develop the skills for basketball.
Way to go Earl Haig Bordenball girls!
Getting to know…Principal Andrew McLachlan
Principal McLachlan
Mr. McLachlan is one of the Danforth’s own, a Danny Boy as they (well, only me really) would say. As a child Mr. McLachlan played in East Lynn Park, cross country skied in Taylor Creek and spent hours at S. Walter Stewart Library. In fact, before coming to Earl Haig, Mr. McLachlan (or Mr. McDanny as some (again, only me) call him) was the principal at nearby Gledhil P.S., the very school he attended as an elementary student!
An owner of 12(!) bicycles, Mr. McLachlan personifies an active, outdoor-loving lifestyle. As a student at Queens University, he studied Outdoor and Experiential Education. He then began his teaching career at a Toronto Outdoor Education Centre, where among other things, he tapped trees to make maple syrup, hiked provincial parks and kept bees.
As a classroom teacher, Mr. M advocated the importance of getting students out in to the world to ‘learn on their feet’, allowing them to “grow as whole people”. And for the kids here at Earl Haig, he sees a world of opportunity to connect with our vibrant community and explore all that Toronto has to offer, from The Beach to the ROM.
With his first few months at Earl Haig under his belt, Principal McLachlan is very appreciative of the warm welcome he has received. He enjoys being able to visit each classroom to engage with the students and teachers (and is especially impressed with how many kindergarten students can properly pronounce “McLachlan”!) He looks forward to getting to know each student at Earl Haig by name.
If you have any questions about the school, or if you just want to chat about the neighborhood, Principal McLachlan invites you to stop by his office.
School Photo Re-take Day – November 10 from 9-12 in the morning.
Next School Council Meeting – Tuesday November 17 at 7:00.
Stay in touch – You can get all sorts of updates via our Twitter account @EarlHaigCouncil and Facebook page http://on.fb.me/20yB1TH
The Eagles' Nest 