Fern Ave. Public School Blog

Attached you will find a letter outlining some staffing announcements. Once again, have a wonderful summer holiday. We look forward to seeing everyone in September. uploads/Fern%20Final%20Letter.doc

A Garden Avenue student reported that a man approached her as she left her home on Marion Avenue for school this morning. He asked for money, saying his car had been vandalized. Description: - Brown male - approx 5'8 tall - age 25-35 - dreads - wearing baggy black knee length parachute pants - black t-shirt with green neon logo - hoop earring Police were called and they are investigating. The safety of the students remains top priority at each and every one of our schools. I again want to emphasize to students, staff and parents the importance of awareness and the need for extra care in even the most ordinary and everyday routines. (Please note that our computer system was down all day and a paper copy will be sent out tomorrow)

Please note that the pool, daycare and parenting centre at Fern Avenue Public School are open. The school continues to operate as usual. Thank You!

Here is the final newsletter of the school year! Enjoy! uploads/JuneNewsletter.pdf

Yesterday everyone on the Fern School Community email list* received a survey from the communications committee in their email inbox. If you have not completed it yet, this is a reminder to please do so - it should not take more than a couple of minutes to fill out. The purpose of the emailed survey is to get a sense of how well communications are working, and provide a benchmark against improvements being planned for next year. The level of response will also give us a sense of how well email surveys can work, for getting feedback and opinions from parents and staff on other topics in future. Your participation is very much appreciated! Amy Stein , parent volunteer * Not on the email list? Click here to subscribe.

Thank you to all the parents who contacted our Trustee Irene Atkinson on the topic of keeping our pool open. Trustee Atkinson has heard loud and clear from the parents of the Fern community that we want to keep our pool open. She is in support of keeping the pools open and she will be voting in support of keeping Fern pool open. She would also like to convey the information that she provided at the Ward 7 meeting: - New permit rate of $50/hour was in effect as of June 29th. - Fern is only permitted for 150 hours, which in 2008/09 brought in $3,100. - The operating cost of your pool for 2009/10, not including aquatics instructors, is $83,047 The School Council has had an active campaign for the last 2 years in trying to keep our pool open. John Richmond our School Council Chair is also looking for anyone who interested in taking action on this issue. Please feel free to contact John Richmond, Chair, Fern School Council at: smarty_panz@yahoo.com. Thank you, Craig Tsuji Principal

Come in and check out the Fun Fair photos, now on display in the front foyer. These fantastic pictures taken by Ann Wright, can be purchased in two sizes. 4" x 6" = $1.00 5" x 7" = $2.50 Orders are due by Friday, June 19. Submitted by Dianne Nicholson , Fern parent volunteer

This is a reminder for the senior division that Ms. Basu's grade 8 class will be sharing the results of its Fern Avenue Public School oral history project in a special presentation on Thursday, June 18, at 9:30 am in the auditorium. Throughout the year, students have interviewed four former students who graduated between the years 1936-1976. This message was sent by Julie Glenn, a Fern parent volunteer.

Thank you to everyone who contributed their favourite dishes and who volunteered their time and energy to make the Staff Appreciation Luncheon a big success. With so much else going on at the school this past week - Fun Fair, Music Night - your efforts were truly commendable! Thank you again for your support. Best regards, Evangeline Adams , parent volunteer

Dear Fern Community, The TDSB Trustees will again be voting on the future of our pool at their next meeting June 27. Our pool is a community pool in the true sense of term - it is used by community groups and is a hub for social and recreational activity. It is part of the school curriculum and very much appreciated by our students on the Fern swim team. Once again we need to raise our voices in defense of our pool. Please call or write Ward 7 Trustee Irene Atkinson and the TDSB itself to let them know how much we love our pool. Anyone interested in taking action (in the past we have been to the Legislature at Queen's Park for example) on this issue please feel free to contact John Richmond, Chair, Fern School Council at: smarty_panz (at) yahoo (dot) com. And "thank you" to everyone who has so far made their voices heard... Submitted by John Richmond , Chair, Fern School Council

Budget:  The Fern School Council approved the budget for 2009 - 2010 at the June 11 School Council meeting. Thanks to all those who participated in the process.  Most especially our Treasurer Sally Brady and our Secretary Carol Paulker. The Council has budgeted approximately $13,000 in expenses for 2009 - 2010  with a surplus of approximately $1,500 (please note this does not include money already put aside for the playground and the COC Opera Trust). This year's budget represents a roughly 30% decline in spending over  2008 - 2009 and we hope parents will be able to help us with additional fundraising in the coming year. Thanks again and we look forward to working with everyone again next year. Events:  Fern parent volunteers were once again involved in two recent very successful events - the Spring Concert and the Fun Fair. A special thanks Diane Nicholson and the other organizers of the Fun Fair - the feed back received from both parents and students was excellent.  Everyone had...

The Fern School Council invites you to participate in the Fern School Council Budget for 2009/2010. You’ve contributed to fundraising events at Fern. Voice your opinion on how we should spend our money, and participate in making these important decisions. We welcome your ideas, questions, concerns, and participation! Thursday, June 11, 2009 7:00 – 8:00 pm in the Auditorium Other Agenda Items 8-9 PM (1) Approval of Agenda (2) Approval of Minutes from May 21, 2009 (3) Reports: Chair (John Richmond), Treasurer (Sally Brady) – Budget allocation (4) Principal’s Report and Discussion (Craig Tsuji) (5) French as a Second Language Advisory Committee (Lise Snelgrove) (6) Committee Reports (7) Other Business Childcare available in the Parenting Centre Snacks provided Submitted by Carol Pauker , School Council Secretary

Today, on Friday June 5, 4 – 8 pm, students, along with their friends and family, are invited to an evening of fun in the Fern schoolyard. All money raised from the Fun Fair event goes toward funding great programs for your children right here at Fern. Bounce in four huge castles and play games designed for every age and size! Eat pizza and candy floss. Enjoy delicious baked goods at the bake sale! Drink gourmet coffee in our Bistro. Become a Guitar Hero! Do the cake walk and win a cake to eat on the spot! Get your face painted, sing karaoke and much, much more! Be sure to check out the Silent Auction. Bid on gift baskets, artwork, crafts, gift certificates and passes to a variety of attractions. Thank you to the students, school staff, parent volunteers and everyone who has volunteered their time and energy for this great annual event!

Some of our Fern parents are putting on a staff luncheon for the staff of Fern Avenue on Thursday June 11, 2009. They are looking for interested parents to make and provide their favourite dish for the luncheon. Parents are asked to bring their dish after 9am/before 11:30am on June 11. If parents could also provide serving utencils that would be great! Please don't forget to label all of your items. If you are able to provide a dish for this luncheon or are able to volunteer your time to set-up and/or clean up please contact Vangie Adams at evangeline.adams@hotmail.com . Thank you!

End of School Year Up-date For Parents Regarding H1N1 Influenza Virus Since the new H1N1 influenza virus began to circulate in Toronto in late April, Toronto Public Health, the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care and others have been providing information to schools, day cares and parents about this virus. At this point, we know that: Influenza is commonly seen in schools and day cares every year. As expected, students and children attending a number of Toronto schools and day cares have become infected with the H1N1 influenza virus. H1N1 influenza is not being seen in more children than would happen during a regular influenza season. H1N1 influenza causes illness very much like regular seasonal influenza. People who are ill with H1N1 influenza can get fever, chills, cough, sore throat, headache, muscle aches, fatigue, and sometimes nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea. Most people infected with this new virus have recovered without the need for medical care. As with seasonal infl...