January 2024 Newsletter

Principal Message

We hope that this newsletter finds you well, and you are enjoying the holiday season with us. As winter hits us, please ensure that your children are appropriately dressed for outdoor play at school. This includes our youngest and oldest students. As a reminder, if the temperatures dip below -20, we are required by board policy to keep students inside during break, however we will try to get students outside and active as much as possible. In addition, please keep in mind that supervision starts at 9:05 am, so students should not be arriving before then, and will not be permitted to enter the school until the 9:05 am bell.

Often in winter, neighbourhood traffic seems to be getting busier. Once again, we reiterate that students are encouraged to walk to school or take the bus. If that is not possible, students should be dropped off on a neighbouring street to walk the rest of the way. Unfortunately, elementary schools are built with only enough parking for the staff, therefore we can not have parents parking in our lot during drop off or pick up. In addition, entry to the school is on the other side. You may have also noticed the new stop sign installed in front of the school to help keep our students safe, and remind parents to follow the rules of the road and refrain from u-turns or 3-point turns on Spruce as well as only allowing students out of the car on the same side as the sidewalk. Thank you for helping make drop off and entry safe at our school, and ensuring that students get to school on time.

Please see below for several reminders, announcements and celebrations as we head into 2024.

Mr. G. Donaldson

Principal

John T. Tuck P.S.

Creative Playground - Closed

This is a reminder that the Creative Playground will be closed during the Winter Months as it is not safe for use once the snow hits. Not only is there typically ice and snow on the surfaces causing a slip, trip and fall hazard, the winter boots that our students wear do not provide enough traction for the equipment to be safe. We ask that you help us by ensuring that your children are not accessing the creative before and after school as we dismiss during the Winter months. Thank you for your help in keeping all of our students safe at school.

Grade 8 Ottawa Trip

This is a reminder that the second payment for the Grade 8 Trip is due by January 15th, and is $250. The final payment of $200 can be made any time, but is not due until March 1st. We are looking forward to a great trip with our students in June!

School Council Meeting

On Thursday, January 18th, we have our School Council Meeting at 7:00pm in the Library Learning Commons. All parents are welcome to attend. We will be looking at the council and school budgets, allocating Council Funds and discussing PRO Grant options for parent events. We look forward to connecting with our Parent Council!

Grad Photos

Grad Photo Day is scheduled for Wednesday, January 24th in our Library. Grade 8 students will be asked to wear a white collared shirt or blouse, and may choose to wear a dark coloured tie. Graduation gowns will be provided. Students will be given the opportunity to purchase a Grad Composite and folder keepsake prior to photos being taken. More information to come.

Junior Ski Trip

We are excited to share that Tuck students in grades 4, 5, & 6 will once again be invited to learn to ski at Chicopee Resort in Kitchener. Last year we had approximately 200 students participate in ski lessons, and most students had never skied before. This year, we look forward to giving junior students the opportunity to continue to develop their skills, as each year they learn a little more! The trip has been booked for February 28th, 2024. Mrs Hunt will provide more details after the break.

Dental Screening

If your child is in JK or SK, a Registered Dental Hygienist (RDH) from Halton Region Public Health will be visiting our school on Thursday, January 25, 2024 to look at your child’s teeth. The RDH will take a quick look in your child’s mouth using a no-touch technique with a clean, sterilized dental mirror. A Post Screening Notification will be sent home in your child’s backpack with their screening results. If you DO NOT want your child to be screened, please contact Halton Region Public Health within 10 business days of the screening date by emailing OralHealthProgram@halton.ca or calling 311 and provide your child’s first and last name, date of birth, name of school and grade level. If your child is in a grade other than JK or SK and would like to participate with the dental screening, please contact Halton Region Public Health by emailing OralHealthProgram@halton.ca or calling 311 and provide your child’s first and last name, date of birth, name of school and grade level.

Grades 4-6 Rubik's Cube Club

Are you ready to embark on an exciting puzzle-solving adventure? Look no further than the Rubik's Cube Club! We'll even provide you with a variety of Rubik's Cubes. Joining this club will not only provide you with endless fun but also enhance your problem-solving skills, critical thinking abilities, and perseverance. By joining the club, you'll have the opportunity to learn from experienced cubers, exchange tips and tricks, and participate in friendly competitions. So join Mrs. Hunt and Mme Palumbo every Wednesday during 1st Break to unlock a world of brain-teasing challenges and endless possibilities!

Grade 2 French Immersion

In the Halton District School Board, the entry point for the French Immersion program is Grade 2, where 100% of the instructional day is taught in French. Students from John T. Tuck can enrol for Grade 2 French Immersion at Pineland PS if they wish. In the Halton District School Board, the entry point for the French Immersion program is Grade 2, where 100% of the instructional day is taught in French. To help address any questions you may have before registering your Grade 1 child(ren) for the French Immersion program, we have posted information about the French Immersion program on the HDSB website, along with the following resources for your perusal.

Grade 2 French Immersion Information
Registering for French Immersion (opening on Dec. 1, 2023)

Registration opens Dec. 1, 2023 and can be completed through the Google Form. The deadline for submitting the registration form is Jan. 31, 2024. No registrations will be accepted after this date.

Calling all 3-year-olds!

Starting school is a big step for children and parents/guardians, and we want to make that transition as smooth as possible. This fall, the HDSB is welcoming future students and their families to a virtual Kindergarten experience at kindergarten.hdsb.ca to learn more about making the first school experience a happy one. Due to current public health restrictions, traditional in-person Kindergarten Open Houses are not possible this year. Instead, we have created a virtual experience for three-year olds and their families.

At kindergarten.hdsb.ca, three-year olds can explore a Kindergarten classroom to see what their future classroom might look like next September. There are videos to watch, pictures to view and fun activities for kids. Parents/guardians can learn about the Kindergarten program at the HDSB, play-based learning, community resources in Halton and before-and-after school care. Families can also sign-up to receive a welcome package from the HDSB including a free children’s book.

Registration for Kindergarten begins in January 2024 through our school office. Further information will be shared in the new year. To begin Kindergarten in September 2024, children must be four years old by Dec. 31, 2024 for Junior Kindergarten (Year 1) and must be five years old by Dec. 31, 2024 for Senior Kindergarten (Year 2).

Out of Area Requests

Halton students seeking placement at schools other than their home schools, do so by way of Out of Area transfer requests. Applications for other schools are being accepted at your home school from December 1, 2023 - January 31, 2024. Not all schools are open to Out of Area requests. John T Tuck is a closed school to Out of Area students. For a list of schools open to and Out of Area transfer and to obtain a copy of the registration form you can go to the HDSB website at www.hdsb.ca and view the Transfer Schools within Halton page. For an up to date listing, you can also put your address in the HDSB School Finder.

Inclement Weather

With cooler weather approaching, we are writing to provide you with information on how decisions are made on days of inclement weather. If your child is bused to school, please ensure you know which transportation zone you are located in. We encourage all families to review the HDSB Inclement Weather Reminders. A printable version of this information is also available.

Days of Significance this Month

Our newsletter will now include all days of significance listed in our HDSB calendar at the bottom of each month's issue. We encourage families to share your traditions and celebrations with your child's classroom teacher, fostering a rich tapestry of learning, celebration and understanding.

1 - New Year's Day

1- Beginning of Tamil Heritage Month

5 - Twelfth Night

6 - Feast of the Epiphany/Dia de los Reyes (Three Kings Day)

7 - Orthodox Christmas Day/Feast of the Nativity of Christ

7 - Baptism of Jesus

13 - Lohri

13 - Maghi

14 - Orthodox New Year’s Day

15 - 18 - Thai Pongal

15 - Makar Sankranti

17 - Guru Gobind Singh Ji Birthday