Fern Ave. Public School Blog

The TDSB is proud to celebrate African Heritage Month and Chinese Heritage Month in February .

For families of Elementary students who indicated an interest in switching learning models in the December switching survey, students will have a final opportunity to switch in February 2021, where space is available.  The Toronto District School Board is committed to completing as many requests as possible, but please note that not all requests will be accommodated.  For more information, please read the full update .

We are pleased to share that the Toronto Foundation for Student Success is able to support students and their families through " Food for Kids" program.  This program supplies gift cards for grocery stores. If your family would like to be part of this program, please email me directly. The information you provide is strictly confidential and shared only with Toronto Foundation for Student Success.  R. Sardella Principal/Directrice

Kindergarten registration for September for Kindergarten 2021 will be open the first week in February. There are several ways you can register: online, by email, or an appointment.  Please visit bit.ly/2DkfTNk for more information.

We'd like to share a variety of wellness related resources with our Fern Community.  Taking care of your Mental Health and Well-Being is important. The TDSB offers a wide range of student and Parent/Guardian resources with links.  Please visit bit.ly/2YlvFQz .

Hello Fern Families:  On behalf of all the staff at Fern PS , we sincerely hope that our students and families are continuing to be safe and are well. This week our staff and students ended Week 4 of Remote Learning with great positive feedback from our students . Virtual January has come to an end! We appreciate the continued communication and collaboration of our families during this time.  THANK YOU to Ms. McGovern for organizing our daily morning announcements and all the students and families getting involved! You are awesome!  THANK YOU to all our Fern Staff for supporting Bell Let's Talk Day and supporting the Mental Health and Well - Being of all our students at Fern PS! You care!  THANK YOU to Adam, Jimmy, Chris, Chris and Diego , our school custodians , who have been cleaning, repairing and organizing our school facility - our students and staff will be impressed when they return to in-person school! You are the best!

Please click here for the latest Hearts and Minds Newsletter from the TDSB.

Please click the link below to order Fern Spirit Wear - store closes February 15th!  The clothing will be delivered to your home. https://fernavenue2021.itemorder.com/

Registration for all TDSB Kindergarten programs begins in February.  We look forward to welcoming you and your child at Fern PS in September!  To attend JK in September, children must turn 4 years old by December 31st, 2021 .  To attend SK in September, children must turn 5 years old by December 31st, 2021 .  Please visit www.tdsb.on.ca/kindergarten for more information about the Kindergarten program and registration requirements.

Bell Let's Talk Day is Thursday, January 28th and here at Fern PS we are joining in the conversation around mental health to help break the stigma and create a positive change.  This year's Bell Let's Talk Day shines a light on the actions that we can all take, because now more than ever mental health matters. Staff and students will be participating in activities and conversations next week to increase their knowledge and awareness on mental health coping skills to take care of their own mental health and wellbeing.

Family Literacy Day takes place every January 27th to raise awareness about the importance of reading and engaging in other literacy-related activities as a family.  Taking time every day to read or do a learning activity with children is crucial to a child's development, improving a child's skills dramatically, and can help a parent improve their skills as well.  Check out this year’s theme – Travel the world together! at: https://abclifeliteracy.ca/all-programs/family-literacy-day/

Holocaust Memorial Day is the day for everyone to remember the millions of people murdered in the Holocaust under Nazi Persecution, and in the genocides, which followed in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.  The theme for Holocaust Memorial Day 2021 is "be the light in the darkness". It encourages everyone to reflect on the depths humanity can sink to, but also the ways individuals and communities resisted the darkness to "be the light" before, during and after genocide.

There may be times when your child's teacher must be absent due to illness or other reasons.  When this happens, we do our best to ensure a supply teacher is assigned to cover the class for the day. Unfortunately, due to ongoing demands across our Board, supply teachers are not always available to cover every absence on any given day.  When a supply teacher is assigned, they will take attendance and follow the teacher's plans for the day. If a supply teacher is not available your child will work on asynchronous activities posted by the teacher.  Regardless of whether a supply teacher has been assigned to cover the classroom teacher's absence, your child's core French, Drama/ Dance, Health and Physical Education and Music classes will proceed with synchronous instruction as scheduled.  We will communicate with parents and guardians when a classroom teacher is absent, and let you know if a supply teacher has been assigned.

"There is always light, if only we're brave enough to see it. If only we're brave enough to be it."   - Amanda Gordon Hello Fern Families: It is hard to believe that we are heading into the last week of January. What a great week of teaching and learning! Thank you all for another successful week as we look forward to week 4 ahead! THANK YOU to our Fern community for your continued work and support as we continue remote learning.  THANK YOU to our very talented students for all their great work in the remote classrooms.  THANK YOU to our dedicate Fern staff for their organization, patience and engaging teaching of our students.  Remote Class Etiquette: Courtesy and Respect are key  Students use the designated platform to join meetings that are led by their teacher  Recording and/or posting any content from virtual meetings is not allowed (unless under the direction of the teacher)  Participating in Remote / Virtual meetings:  Know when to join your virtual meeting

Click here for information on the Virtual Open House for Hawthorne II Bilingual Alternative School.

Please click here for the November 2020 School Council Minutes.

 

Please note the next School Council is Thursday, January 28th, 2021 from 6:30pm - 8:30pm .  Our Superintendent, Dr. Debbie Donsky, will be joining us from 6:30pm - 7:30pm. Please send any questions for the Superintendent to: fernaveschoolcouncil@gmail.com by Monday, January 25 so that we may send them to her in advance.  I will send the Zoom link out the morning of the meeting.  Thank you,  Tricia

It has been wonderful seeing how our students have adapted so well to remote learning this school year. We kindly request that parents discuss with their children the proper use of the "chat feature".  Thank you for your support with this and thank you for your ongoing patience, understanding and support as we all work together to keep everyone safe and healthy.

Trustee Pilkey will be hosting a Ward 7 Forum on January 19th, 2021 from 7-9 pm . The topic for the evening will be " Equity".  Please join this forum and find out more about TDSB equity initiatives and how to support our school. Please click here for the flyer with registration information. 

Applications to the Middle Immersion Program for September 2021 are being accepted for students who are currently in Grade 3 in English Tracks. Please visit the TDSB website for further information about the online application process. The application deadline is January 29th, 2021 .  Please note: this program will replace the Junior Extended French Program as the Grade 4 entry program in TDSB starting in 2021-2022 school year.  https://www.tdsb.on.ca/Elementary-School/School-Choices/French-Programs/Application-Process/Middle-French-Immersion  

The Ontario Government has made financial support available for families during this temporary remote learning period through the Support for Learners Program.  Starting on January 11th, 2021 this Support for Learners Program has been extended until February 8th, 2021 https://www.ontario.ca/page/get-support-learners . 

It is important that we continue to consider and prioritize the mental health and well-being of our entire school community, inclusive of our students, families and staff.  At Fern , we care about the range of emotions and questions students of all ages may be experiencing in this uncertain time of COVID-19 pandemic and school closures. Both school-based staff and TDSB Professional Support Services share responsibilities for supporting students well-being. While at home there are a variety of resources for students and families on the TDSB website:  Mental Health and Well-Being Resources.    

As you are aware from recent TDSB and Ontario Government communications, as part of the new measures to help slow the spread of COVID-19 in the province, the government has said that all schools in Toronto including Fern PS will remain closed to students and staff until February 10th, 2021.   During this extended closure, Remote Learning will continue. Students will continue to follow our regular school schedule and their regular class timetable.  As we know, these continue to be unprecedented and challenging times- the staff at Fern PS would like to remind all our students and families that we are here for you, and our focus continues to be on the learning, mental health and well-being of all within our school community.

Hello Fern Families: On behalf of the staff of Fern P.S. we would like to thank our students and parents/guardians/families for your ongoing support as we continue to work together to ensure success in Remote Learning. This week we moved forward with Week 2 of Remote Learning. With this, we see how hard students, staff and families are continuing to work to adjust to constantly changing times and new norms.  THANK YOU to our students for your resiliency and adaptability in pivoting to remote learning : You are amazing!  THANK YOU to all our Fern staff for your efforts, time and energy in supporting our students and their families: You are Incredible!  THANK YOU to all our parents/guardians for your support, patience and smiles as you juggle supporting your children at home and your own work: You are wonderful!  THANK YOU to Ms. McGovern and all the staff and student leaders who are the voices of our morning announcements! You rock!  We remind our Fern school community to stay s

Art in Action has some frost-free inspiration for you to spark your creativity this chilly winter. Stay cozy and warm inside with Art in Action and receive the supplies to create 4 unique paintings - one to do each week. Each lesson includes a live class with a teacher. To register or learn more please click here . Create your own handmade cards for someone special this Valentine’s Day. Everyone needs a little bit of love right now and you can learn how to create beautiful cards with your own artistic magic to send or give to loved ones! Join Art in Action on two Friday nights on January 29 & February 5 at 7 pm .  Follow along with our step-by-step process, ask questions, interact and spark your creativity. Register today!

Western Technical Commercial School program applications are closing at the end of this month! If you are a Grade 8 student interested in applying to Design Studio, Robotics, Leadership, or Culinary Arts, please be reminded that applications are due by January 29th, 2021 .  WTCS Open House Information https://sites.google.com/tdsb.on.ca/wtcs/western-2020-virtual-open-house   WTCS Application Process https://sites.google.com/tdsb.on.ca/wtcs/western-2020-virtual-open-house/open-house-application-process Optional Attendance Form ( click here )  Design Studio (Cyber Arts) - "Specialized Program" (all applicants applying to Design Studio are required to fill out an Optional Attendance Form )   Robotics Engineering - "Regular Program"   Leadership (Non-Profit) - "Regular Program"  Culinary Arts (Hospitality and Tourism) - "Regular Program"

The date for Delta Alternative Virtual Open House is Wednesday, January 27th at 7:00 PM.   Please click here for the flyer with more information.

Hello Fern Families:    ...The Ontario Government announced that elementary schools will remain closed to in-person learning for 2 more weeks. As a result, Fern PS will remain closed and students will continue to participate in remote learning until Friday, January 22nd, 2021 . The government is deferring the return to in-person learning to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 in the face of record high daily case counts and rising community rates. Fern students are expected to return to in-person learning on Monday, January 25th, 2021 .  We understand this is not the news families had hoped for, but recognize the need to take steps as directed by medical experts and health officials in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Please be assured that at Fern we remain committed to providing the best possible education for all our students, while ensuring the safety and well-being of students and staff.  The mental health and well-being of students continues to be important during the

Grade 6 families, Spectrum Alternative school was established in 1978 and has a tradition of providing an excellent academic program with an emphasis on project work that integrates language arts, visual arts, drama and technology. Spectrum students develop strengths in time management, personal responsibility and creative collaboration. Spectrum offers a small-school environment with students in Grades 7 and 8.  Click here for the application form, and more information can be found here: https://schoolweb.tdsb.on.ca/spectrum/Admissions-Applications

We would like to invite current grade six students to our Virtual Open House on Thursday, January 28th, 7PM.   City View is a small, social justice and arts based school for grade seven and eight, located in the west end of Toronto.  This is a short one minute teaser video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPsp9PqXBeg   You can find the Zoom Link for our Open House here: https://www.tdsb.on.ca/OpenHouses   Or Join on January 28th at 7PM using this Zoom Meeting link for our Open House here: https://tdsb-ca.zoom.us/j/94568030085?pwd=VkNHSzJXS2JyQlFBeTJ0bmM0N1Yzdz09    This is their website: https://schoolweb.tdsb.on.ca/cityview

High Park Alternative School's Open House will take place virtually on January 13 at 6:30pm . Please click here for the flyer and log in details.