March 2024 Newsletter

Principal's Message

I can't believe that we are already heading into March break in just over a week. We wish all families a great break and hope you get a chance to focus on your well-being and are able to have a break and spend time together as a family, whether that be near or far!

Please see below for all of the things happening at Tuck this month. Have a magnificent March!

Mr. G. Donaldson

Principal

John T. Tuck P.S.

JTT Dance-a-thon

Mark your calendars: The Dance-a-thon is happening on Tuesday March 26th! Every class will have an opportunity to "Dance their bots off" at this robot-themed event, and to raise money for some new and exciting robotics and coding equipment for the school. Start thinking about who you can get to sponsor your child to dance to help us meet our $15000 goal!

Spirit Week

As we head into the Spring Break, we plan to have some FUN next week! Please mark your calendars and help your child participate in our theme days next week:

Monday - Comfy & Cozy Day - wear your PJs, sweats, slippers, housecoats, etc...whatever is comfortable and cozy!
Tuesday - Sports Jersey Day - Pick your sports team and wear a jersey, or wear one of your own!
Wednesday - Fun & Fancy Hair Day - Time to change up your hairstyle...or maybe even add some creative props!
Thursday - Sparkles, Shines and Glitter Day - Own Anything sparkly and shiny? Wear it on Thursday!
Friday - Tacky Tourist Day - Get excited for the break by coming to school as a tourist. The tackier the better!

Ottawa Trip - Final Payment

We have 97% of our Grade 8 students registered to attend our Ottawa Trip in June. We are so excited to be able to offer this opportunity. As a reminder, the third and final payment for these students is due on March 1st. The final $200 payment is available on School Cash Online and we appreciate your prompt attention to this over the month to ensure we have the funds to pay Temple & Temple.

Yearbook Cover Contest

Our Yearbook Cover and Front Page contest is now open to all students, and any entries are due by March 24th. Please see here for details of the contest.

School Council Meeting

On Thursday March 7th, we have our School Council Meeting at 7:00pm in the school library. All parents are welcome to attend. The agenda has us covering topics such as the Dance-a-thon, and a parent engagement evening. We look forward to connecting with our Parent Council!

Jays Care Rookie League

Join our Toronto Blue Jays "Rookie League"! Our hope is to recruit students (GRADES 5-6) who are less inclined to join sports teams, have never been on a team, and/or would benefit from being a part of a team. If you're interested, please email your child's name to Ms Brausewetter (brausewettek@hdsb.ca) or Ms Meideiros (medeirosc@hdsb.ca).

When: Wednesdays at 8:15 am (begins on March 20th for 8 weeks)

Where: Large gym

Student Excellence

Each year, every school in the HDSB chooses one student to represent the graduating class at the Student Excellence Evening. This student will be recognized in a board-wide ceremony in May. This year's student representative excels in many aspects of being a both student and a young, active member of society. Not only does her academic profile make her a model student, but she is also a member of many Tuck teams, clubs and other groups. She has been a member of our flag football, volleyball, basketball, and badminton teams. She is a member of the concert band and a regular contributor to the leadership team. Outside of school she is an avid skier and also plays rep volleyball. Even with all of this she is still consistently looking for ways to improve herself and looking for new activities of which she can be a part. Congratulations to Juliet Wilson, Tuck's 2024 representative celebrating Student excellence.

JTT Parent Equity and Well-being Meeting:

Our next JTT parent equity and well-being meeting will take place on Monday March 18th at 9:30am in our library. All are welcome to join as we discuss the ways in which we can support equity, inclusion and diversity here at Tuck and in our Global community.

Winter Wellness Day

We are excited to share that our Intermediate Leadership Team will be hosting a Winter Wellness Day for all students in K-8 on Friday, March 8th! This event will be a fantastic opportunity for our students to engage in activities focused on wellness and physical education, led by our dedicated student leaders and groups of grade 8 students. The Winter Wellness Day will take place in both our large and small gymnasiums, where students will have the chance to participate in a variety of activities designed to promote wellness, collaboration and physical fitness. Our student leaders will guide students in grades K-7 through each station, ensuring a fun and engaging experience for all. A schedule has been created for the day, allowing each class to participate in the activities and learn from our Grade 8 leaders. Students are encouraged to dress in comfortable clothing and footwear that is appropriate for physical education activities (e.g., Yoga, soccer, badminton, fidget and slime making, board games etc..) We are looking forward to a day filled with fun, learning, and interactive experiences for all students!

Lit Quiz Regionals

Congratulations to our two Kids’ Lit quiz teams for their strong performance at the Kids’ Lit Quiz Regionals in Hamilton on February 7th. They fought hard against a number of challenging schools, had fun and learned a lot. We are extremely proud of Maggie, Dylan, Santiago, Blake, Nathalie, Cadence, Nicole, and Charlotte. We cannot wait until next year!

Run Club & Upcoming Charity 5k

Run club starts again after March Break. Senior Run Club will be for grades 6, 7 and 8 and Junior Run club will be for grades 2 through 5. Stay tuned to school announcements for more information. Both run clubs will be working towards participating in a spring 5k in support of charity. Non Run Club members and their families are welcome to join as well. More information will be coming soon.

Updating Student Information

It is necessary to notify the School Office of student information changes (e.g., address, phone number, contacts, etc.) in case of emergency. It is most important to ensure that the school does have a number for at least one emergency contact. It is essential that the school is able to make contact with a parent or designate at all times. Please contact the office if you have new contact information at any point throughout the school year.

HDSB Budget Input

The HDSB values input from parents/guardians, staff and community members and is encouraging participation in the budget development process for the upcoming school year through a short, anonymous survey. To provide feedback, please complete the 2024-2025 Budget Input Survey by Feb. 26, 2024 at 4 p.m. In recent years, the education sector has faced unprecedented challenges and funding pressures. The HDSB has budgeted for a $7.7 million deficit in the current year and is required by regulation to eliminate this deficit next school year (2024-2025). The HDSB is looking to identify savings and efficiencies to meet the regulatory requirement to balance the budget, while continuing to make investments in strategic priorities. As the HDSB tries to eliminate this deficit to balance our budget, we are seeking your input to help us understand how we can minimize impact and achieve our financial goals. Please visit the Budget Input webpage on the HDSB website for additional information.

Days of Significance this Month

Here are the days of significance listed in our HDSB calendar this month. 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 - Ayyám-i-Há (Intercalary Days)

1- Beginning of Bangladeshi Heritage Month

1 - HDSB Employee Appreciation Day

4 -Black Mental Health Day

6-8 - Purim

8 - International Women's Day (UN)

10 - Ramadan Begins

11 - 15 Spring Break (Day 1/5)

14 - Chet (Sikh New Year)

20 - Ostara (Spring Equinox)

21 - World Down Syndrome Day

21 - International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination