Fern Ave. Public School Blog

Our neighbours at Queen Victoria Public School urgently need our help! Queen Victoria P.S. has an urgent need for winter coats. Kids are coming to school without them in this weather. If you have winter coats or jackets or snow pants in good used condition, please bring them to Fern. We will organize a box in the front foyer and get them to Queen Vic ASAP. We are mainly collecting kids stuff, but if you have a decent warm winter coat for an adult you’re willing to give away, they can find a use for it. As much as we appreciate the value in reusing things that only need a minor repair such as a zipper, because of the urgency involved, please only bring things in good condition that don’t require repair. School Council Exec

Dear Parent/Guardian: In an effort to improve the health of young children, Toronto Public Health is offering dental screenings to child care centres.  This service is to identify children who are at risk for dental diseases.  The most common chronic disease affecting this age group is tooth decay.  Untreated, this condition can lead to unfavourable consequences such as inability to eat, sleep and learn. The dental screening will be done by an oral health staff member using sterilized instruments.  The families whose children are identified as being at risk for dental diseases will be offered support referred for appropriate care.  Children who live in the City of Toronto who cannot afford to pay for dental care, may be eligible for services offered by Toronto Public Health. Please be advised that this screening assessment does not replace the dental examination done by a dentist. If you do not want your child/ren to be screened, please inform the homero...

News from the Principal's Office: Important Dates: Feb. 4th - Strings Music Assembly for Junior/ Senior students (AM) Feb. 8th - Grade 8 Graduation Photos Feb. 11th - New aquatics Instructor commences at Fern /  Welcome Jon Henderson Feb. 12th - 1st Term report cards go home  Feb. 13th - Parent Council 6:30-8:30 pm staffroom /  Scholastic Book Fair - Library Feb. 14th - Parent/Teacher interviews evening /  Senior Dance/  Scholastic Book Fair - Library Feb. 15th - PA DAY (AM parent /teacher Interviews) / no school for students/ Scholastic Book Fair- Library Feb. 18th - Family Day - no school   /  Enjoy! Feb. 19th - Welcome back Mr. Dibon-Smith room 201 Feb. 19th - Dental screening all week in staffroom Feb. 20th - Concours d'Art Oratoires ( French speaking competition Gr. 4-8) Feb. 25th - Officer Janet - Presentation for Senior students /  gangs/drugs March 4-8th -  Island Natural Scienc...

Introducing the first ever FERNCON! Saturday February 23rd, 10am - 2pm @ Fern PS We need as many DM’s that we can muster up to run some Dungeons & Dragons adventures for players of all levels with pre-made characters. If this is you, please reach out to Laura Watts @ laura.ashby.watts@gmail.com More details about FERNCON coming soon.

News from the Principal's Office: Music by the Lake for grades 6, 7, 8 :  Applications are due this Saturday!   Go to the following website https://sites.google.com/a/tdsb.on.ca/music-by-the-lake/ , Music by the Lake (MBTL)  is an 8 day residential and vocal camp for TDSB students in grade 6, 7 and 8. It will take place from Saturday May 25th to Saturday June 1st, 2019 . Music by the Lake is a life changing experience for many young musicians.  Their participation in MBTL continues to develop their appreciation of music, and their musicianship ( from a week of playing and singing 4 hours a day, seeing professional performances every night, and performing for the entire camp in a small ensemble concert).   It also develops their ability to think critically and to work as a part of a team.  The MBTL application is now happening online. Links to information and application on the website: https://sites.google.com/a/tdsb.on.ca/music...

Hello Fern families! One of our wonderful Fern parents, who also happens to be an executive chef, has approached School Council with a new and exciting fundraising idea: A Taste of Roncy! The event will be a high-end gala dinner, including 5-7 courses plus wine pairings, prepared and served right in our school, with local ingredients sourced from local businesses, and using servers and kitchen staff from the Culinary Arts Program at George Brown. We had hoped to hold it this winter in our gym, but construction has delayed us and now we’re considering holding it next September.  But before we pull the trigger on this event, since we’ve never attempted a fundraiser like this, we would like to do a bit more market research about your level of interest.   Please take a moment to click on the link below to our three question Survey Monkey survey.  https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BTGVZ36 Thank you for your time! School Council Executive

Dear Parents/Guardians, Our grade 8 graduation photo day is Friday, February 8, 2019 . Our photography partner, Edge Imaging, provides a wide selection of products to capture your child's true personality in this important milestone. Your child will be bringing home a flyer containing all of the photo day details. In the meantime, please visit www.edgeimaging.ca for answers to frequently asked questions. Some tips to be best prepared for Grad photos: Please have your child come to school with a white dress shirt. A black or dark tie for boys is encouraged. The photographer will have extra white dress shirts and ties available ‎for students that don't have one. If you child will be wearing makeup, nail polish or jewellery, keeping it light and neutral ensures a traditional portrait. Thank you.

Dear Parents/Guardians,  Due to an issue with the theatre, the grade 7 and 8 field trip to see Rising Above has been postponed to a later date. If the date is not convenient for the classes, the money will be refunded in full.  Sorry for any inconvenience, please let you child know that they don't need to be at school early on Monday.  Classes will continue as usual. Thank you.

Happy New Year! Please bring in your leftover holiday wrap cardboard tubes in support of STEM Night Tuesday, March 26th . There will be a collection box set up outside the office all next week January 21-25th . Thanks for your support! The Fern Stem and Eco Committees

New this year, parents will report their child's immunization information online. To promote this new process, Toronto Public Health has created a resource for parents to send electronically to parents. When providing immunization information, parents will: 1.  Report online www.toronto.ca/studentvaccines 2.  If unable to report online, mail Public Health a copy at Toronto Public Health-Immunization 235 Danforth Avenue, 2nd floor.  Toronto, ON M4K 1N2.  Print the child's name and birthdate on the record.  They accept and translate foreign immunization records. 3.  If requesting an exemption, call Public Health  at 416-392-1250 Thank you, Vera Ciric

Requesting parent volunteers for the upcoming Book Fair! If you are interested, please contact Madame Jamieson at Tara.Jamieson@tdsb.on.ca

Calling all parents of Grade 7 & 8's. Grade 7 and 8 is a tricky time in the life of our kids. They're big, but they're still so little. They want independence, but still need a lot of back-up. And puberty... ugh. In addition to all of the strangeness of being 12, every grade 7 at Fern shows up on the first day of school to a new environment: Howard and Garden kids to a new school, Fern kids to classrooms half full of new kids. It's a high stress situation for many children, regardless of where they spent their Primary and Junior years. Then just like that, in Grade 8 they have their eyes on graduation and high-school. The reality is that most parents of grade 7's and 8's are not hanging around the playground at drop-off. Our kids don't need or want us to come to the yard, so, especially if you are new to Fern, the opportunities to meet other grade 7 & 8 parents are limited. School Council would like to better address the needs of gra...

For Parents/Guardians of Students in the Extended and Immersion French Programs and those students in the English Program for whom Humberside is their Home School, there will be a parent Information Session/Open House on Tuesday, January 22nd at 6:00PM .

Students in the French Extended and Immersion Programs and those students in the English Program for whom Humberside is their Home School will go to the HCI Open House on January 22 . A Permission Form will be going home Monday and Tuesday with all the details. Please sign it and have your child return it to their Home Room teacher. Thanks. Mr. Rodriguez

The Communications Committee is seeking a new chair. We are responsible for maintaining this notice board, sending out weekly email newsletters and generally supporting the School Council initiatives. If you ever find yourself thinking of ways to improve communications within the school community, here is an opportunity to act on it! This role is ideal for someone who is detail-oriented and comfortable using (or learning to use) web technology. The time commitment is about two to three hours per month, and is flexible in terms of timing/location. You do not need to be at the school, but you do need to have good computer access. Please email the committee via fernnoticeboard@gmail.com if you are interested. Michelle Stewart, Chair, Communications Committee (parent volunteer)

Dear Parents and Guardians of Gr. 8 students, A letter went home today informing you about our Montreal trip at the end of the year. We will have an information session on January 17th, at 7:00 p.m. in the school auditorium. If you did not receive the letter from your child please pick up an additional copy at the office. Regards, Bogdan Nikolajevic

Happy New Year Fern families! There is a lot going on at Fern these days. Construction, painting the stairwells, hiring a swim instructor... Plus we have a very full calendar of School Council events between now and June including Pub Night (date to be confirmed -- hopefully late January), our first ever Gala Dinner fundraiser event March 1, STEM Day and Night March 25 and 26, Spring Fling May 25, Fun Fair June 8, along with Fern Fun Flicks events, an Earth Day Celebration, and parent education workshops. We'd also love to get more parent engagement on issues like finding ways to get the Grade 7 and 8's more engaged with the school community, outreach to our feeder schools, Howard and Garden, and outreach from our destination high-schools, Parkdale and Humberside. In a school this size, getting information out effectively is always a challenge. Want to know about the construction? The hiring of a swim instructor? Our Playground fundraising? What is this Gala Dinner of...

Click here for information on the upcoming Open House at Spectrum Alternative School on January 30.

How to Register Kindergarten Registration will begin at Fern Avenue Public School on February 6, 2019. We look forward to welcoming you and your child! You may choose to register in person at our Fern Office or by using our new online registration system.   Children who will be four by December 31, 2019, can start Junior Kindergarten in September 2019 . Please note: Only parents or legal guardians can register a child for TDSB programs.   In Person Registration   Step 1 Call Vera Ciric the Office Administrator and book an appointment and or stop by any time after 10am and before 3:30pm. Step 2 Please make sure you have the following documents: Proof of age (birth certificate, Canadian passport, Canadian Citizenship card or certificate or baptismal record) Proof of address, including any two of ...

Dear Parent/Guardians, The head louse is an insect that lives and breeds on the head.  This is a common occurrence in school aged children,  It is spread directly by head to head contact and indirectly by contact with the child's personal belongings.  These include clothing, hair accessories and head gear. We ask that you take the following precautions: 1.  Inspect your child's hair and scalp frequently.  The louse may be brown or grayish, with a flat, wingless body 1-2 mm in length with six legs.  The eggs may be yellow, brown. or white teardrop shaped, are glued to the hair near the scalp and are called "nits."  It is usually the eggs which are first noticed. 2.  If your child complains of an itchy scalp, you should check for lice and or nits.  Some children do not experience an itchy scalp. 3.  If you discover your child has lice or nits, please notify the office. 4. When the student returns following treatment, the stude...

Calling Grade 6 students! Information for the Swansea Extended French Information Night can be found here .

Grade 8 students are asked to send in a baby picture of themselves for inclusion in the yearbook. Pictures can be sent to olga.moraleslizcano@tdsb.on.ca .

Dear Parents/Guardians, We are in need of Parent Volunteers in our Library.  If you have some time, a valid Police Check and are interested in volunteering please contact us in the office and we will get you set up with our Librarian Madame Jamieson. Thank you.