Fern Ave. Public School Blog

 Please visit fernforum.ca for all of the latest news and events related to Fern Ave School Council!

First of all -  THANK YOU  to everyone who came out for this year's Spring Fling! We raised around $15,000, and we couldn't have done it without all of our amazing volunteers, and of course everyone who bought tickets, bid on the silent auction & partied with us! Thanks also to our very generous sponsors - Nickel 9 Distillery and Laura Simpson! We can't wait for next year... IMPORTANT:  If you won a silent auction item, please ensure that you have paid for it via Auctria, and make sure you check your email/spam for a message from us about how to claim your prizes! If you won a prize and have not heard from us yet, please reach out to  fern aveschoolcouncil@gmail.com . UPCOMING EVENTS We are in the final stretch of the year, and there are a bunch of school council-led & supported events (and volunteer opportunities) coming up. Please mark your calendars for the following dates & if you're able to lend us your time (or baked goods), we would be so...

The Student Council is having a bake sale on Friday, May 16 at lunch! Baked goods needed! Sign up to contribute baked goods  here .

Fern's blog has been created to facilitate communication, share resources, promote school events, and foster community involvement, ultimately enhancing the school's educational experience.

Do you have a child in grade 8 and you want to help plan a memorable night for them?  Do you have a child in grade 7 and you want to chaperone to see what your child will be up to next year?  Do you love party planning with the most fun people?  Do you love decorating and seeing a vision come to life?  Join us in giving the Grade 8s an epic send off party.  Sign up here !

Our 13th Annual Spring Fling Fundraiser will occur on Friday, May 2nd, 2025, at St. Casimir’s,156 Roncesvalles Avenue, beginning at 7:00 pm. We are seeking donations to support our fundraising efforts. Your generosity will make a  significant difference, whether monetary contributions, goods, or services. We sincerely  appreciate your willingness to support our cause. If you or your business w ould like to donate, please get in touch with us at  fernaveschoolcouncil@gmail.com . The deadline for donations is April 30 th , 2025.

Calling all runners from  Kindergarten to Grade 8 and Families. Fern Running Club Meet on Fridays 8:30 – 9:00 a.m. School Track Starting Friday, April 4   ALL KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY AN ADULT. Grade Daycare students can be picked up from cafeteria at 8:25 . Please give permission to daycare to release your child. Refer questions to Mrs. Heller and Mme. Molder.  

The Parkdale Community Food Bank provides food to  13,000  area families a month, including our own friends and neighbours.  The need is greater than ever right now, and the PCFB is struggling to meet demand.   Help out your community, and especially those who are celebrating Eid at the end of this month.    Fern Ave. P.S. Food Drive  Fern Ave. P.S. will be collecting non-perishable items for Parkdale Community Food Bank starting Monday, March 24 until Friday, March 28.  You can drop off food and personal care items in bins in front of the office until Friday at 3:30pm.   Please ensure that the items are not expired.  Check out the list of suggested items here:  https://www.pcfb.ca/ food-drives   What about a cash donation?    Don't have time to shop?  The PCFB loves cash.  Cash donations let the food bank purchase specific items in bulk that they know they need.  Donate cash directly to the f...

Our next book is “Inkling” by Kenneth Oppel.  Mrs Heller and Mr. Enticknap

Do you love fun? Do you enjoy organizing chaos? Do you want people to whisper in awe, “Wow, they really pulled that off,” as you casually sip your coffee? If so, we need YOU! We’re on the hunt for a  Co-Chair  to help run  Spring Fling , our school’s biggest fundraiser of the year. Think of it as being the co-captain of a (very fun) pirate ship—steering the event, rallying the crew, and making sure we don’t sink. No previous fundraising experience is required, just a good attitude and a willingness to send a few emails while pretending to look busy at work. Perks include:  The satisfaction of raising money for an amazing cause  Possibly free snacks at planning meetings If you’re interested (or even just  curious ), email  edwards.bliss@gmail.com . Don’t wait—this kind of glory doesn’t come around every day!

FERN P.S SCHOOL COUNCIL PRESENTS: DANCE-A-THON - MARCH 6, 2025 The Annual Dance-A-Thon is back! On  Thursday, March 6th , every student in grades JK-6* will dance for a period during the day. This is one of Fern School Council’s biggest fundraising events of the year, and every dollar counts. All funds raised go toward  our continued delivery of in-school enrichment across the arts, STEM, eco, equity, athletics & more.  The top 3 classes that raise the most money WIN a pizza party!  HOW TO DONATE/RAISE MONEY The pizza party is a hot ticket item! Students are encouraged to get creative with their fundraising efforts. Team up for a hot chocolate stand, make a plea to your family/sports team/parent’s book club group chats… We have TWO easy ways to donate:  1. Complete the pledge form and send cash with your child on  March 6 . A parent volunteer will collect it and make sure your child’s class gets credit. 2. Donate on School Cash Online  VISIT: ...

SPRING FLING: A NIGHT AT THE CLUBHOUSE -- MAY 2! SAVE THE DATE AND BOOK YOUR SITTER We're thrilled to announce that the Fern's parent community's largest and most exciting fundraiser, the annual parent party  Spring Fling , is just around the corner! This year's event will be held on  Friday, May 2 at St. Casimir's Church Hall, 156 Roncesvalles.   This year's theme:  A NIGHT AT THE CLUBHOUSE .  So dig out your club's attire and get ready to hit the dance floor: Tennis togs? Rugby shorts? Debate club blazer? We can't wait to see how creative you get!   It promises to be an unforgettable evening, but we need your help to make it a success!  Whether you can lend a hand for an hour or the entire evening, we have opportunities for everyone, including: Silent auction coordination (or just helping us collect items from area businesses) Serving refreshments Event setup and decoration Ticket sales and check-in Event teardown And more.... If ...

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND! TEACHER POTLUCK ON PARENT-TEACHER INTERVIEW NIGHT! Thursday, February 13 Word from Admin and staff is that last term's potluck supper on parent-teachers interview night was so very appreciated.  The teachers were so, so grateful.  In fact, the event was so popular that word has spread to other schools, and they're all jealous and trying to figure out how to pull it off;) Since we have another Parent-Teacher interview night coming up on  Thursday, February 13 , we are going to try to replicate last term's astonishing success.   We will need lots of help to get us there!  Volunteers are needed to bring food, set up and clean up after.  Note changes from last time:   We're planning the meal to be available for teachers from  5:30pm -- 7:30 pm , which means we will need folks to drop off food between  3:45-5:15  at the latest.  If you need a morning drop-off on Thursday Feb 13, please contact  equi...

Feb 1st  is the  Parent Involvement Advisory Committee Annual Conference ,  1-5 pm at Woburn CI Attend for workshops, hands-on sessions, panel discussions and networking. Feb 18th  is the next  Occupational Therapist and Physiotherapist Drop-in Q&A ,  12:30-1:30 pm Feb 24th  is a  Mental Health & Well-Being Parent Partnership Committee Meeting

Welcome Back Fern families.  The CRA extended the charitable donation deadline for 2025 to February 28, 2025.  So we've gone ahead and extended the deadline of the Catch Up Fund!   The  Fern Catch up Fund  offers parents and community members a simple, effective way to contribute to the initiatives that our School Council supports including  -Arts performances  -Science facilitators and equipment - New team shirts and equipment for our teams and clubs - Purchases of technology - Parent workshops  …and more. And, because we are running this appeal through the TDSB School Cash Online, your donation to the  Fern Catch Up Fund  will be tax-deductible.  Donate here: https://tdsb. schoolcashonline.com/Fee/ Details/457/153/false/true? school=701&initiative=185 OR log into  tdsb.schoolcashonline.com , select "Make a Donation" and choose Fern Ave Jr & Sr PS.  Click the arrow next to "Initiative" and choose "School Coun...

The Fern Catch Up Fund Direct Appeal If you haven't seen it already, check your kid’s backpack for a flier about the  Fern Catch Up Fund !   We know that some folks don’t necessarily have time to participate in things like bake sales, movie nights etc. to fundraise for their kid’s school: they would prefer to donate directly.  As the year draws to a close, we invite our Fern families who are in a position to give a little extra to donate to the  Fern Catch Up Fund.   What is it? The  Fern Catch up Fund  is a special year-end giving campaign that offers parents and community members a simple, effective way to contribute to the initiatives that our School Council supports to enhance your child's education. What does the money pay for? In the past, we've spent money on things like  -Arts performances  -Science facilitators and equipment - New team shirts and equipment for our teams and clubs - Purchases of technology - Parent workshops...

Help Collect a Thousand Toys for West End Families. Fern   Ave Public School, together with local businesses Umoja Soccer, Guardian Pharmacy, Scooter Girl Toys, and other area schools (Garden Ave. P.S., Dr. Rita Cox - Kina Minagok P.S. and Ursula Franklin Secondary, to name a few) are committing to collect a thousand toys to be distributed to local families, with vouchers being distributed at the PCFB, Romero House, area schools*, and other community agencies.   It was magic last year to see the village come together to support the incredibly diverse group of families who came in to do their "shopping."  You don't have to celebrate Christmas to want something special for your kids this time of year! We want to replicate last year's magic, so if you are in a position to do so, please drop off new, unwrapped toys, games, books, puzzles, art supplies etc (for kids aged 12 and under) in the front foyer before the end of the school day  FRIDAY, DECEMBE...

Thanks everyone for all your amazing contributions to our winter clothing drive for week one.  We delivered a whole bunch of stuff to Romero House for the recently arrived families they support.   This week, December 2-6, fundraiser and food drive for the Parkdale Community Food Bank! We're collecting  non-perishable  food, toiletries, baby supplies, pet food & household supplies.  Here's the list of some of the most sought after items: Hot/Cold Cereal Canned or Dry Beans Dry Pasta & Pasta Sauce Canned Fruits & Veggies Treats! candy, cookies, dried fruit etc. Snacks! chips, crackers, granola bars etc. Baking products; flour, cake mix, oats etc. -- large packages can be divided by the PCFB Dog/Cat food; dry in small packages or canned. Baby products; formula, baby food, diapers,   wipes Hygiene products; soap, deodorant,   incontinence products,  shampoo,   conditioner, menstrual products Drop off is in front  o...