February 2025 Newsletter

Principal Message

As we wrap up Term 1, please note that Report Cards will be coming home on February 18th and will capture the learning from September to February.  

Our staff has spent the first term assessing and evaluating our students and focused on both Math Monitoring and Literacy Monitoring.  For Math Monitoring, we have focused on multiplicative thinking across all grades and staff have tracked students using Alex Lawson's continuum of Numeracy Development to not only track student thinking, but also pinpoint next steps in learning along the continuum.  

In Literacy, we have been tracking students reading levels, using a phonics based approach to learning to read.  Staff use multiple assessment tools including phonological awareness surveys, PM benchmarks and Benchmark Assessment Systems to pinpoint reading levels and next steps for each student in their classroom to inform next steps for teaching.  

Should you have any questions about your child's progress in Math and Literacy, or any other subject, please don't hesitate to reach out to our staff who can share your child's progress in more detail, as needed.  We will continue to monitor students who are not at grade level and provide tier 2 interventions in the classroom, and possibly tier 3 interventions outside of the classroom, when required.  Should an intervention outside the classroom be necessary, we would always work with parents and inform them of our plans of support.  Throughout term one, we are very proud of our students and their consistent high overall achievement in our classrooms.

Please take the time to read all about everything happening in our school this month. Have a Fantastic February!

Mr. G. Donaldson

Principal

John T. Tuck P.S.

Graduation - Save the Date

We are planning on a Graduation Celebration for our students on Tuesday, June 24th – Please reserve the evening! We will begin with a ceremony at 7:00 pm in the large gym at John T Tuck, followed by a dance for the students only in the Small Gym.  In planning for this event, please keep in mind that this event is designed to celebrate your child's elementary school years. It is not a formal occasion requiring fancy attire such as tuxedos, elaborate dresses, and limousines. A pair of dress pants, a collared shirt and dress shoes would suffice (a tie is optional). For those who choose to wear a dress, something simple is perfect. When choosing a dress (and shoes), please remember that students must be able to confidently walk across the stage, up and down the stairs, stand and sit with ease, and be comfortable at the dance. Final planning of the evening will take place later in the spring. If you have any questions, please talk to Mr. Ridge or Mr. Donaldson at the school.  

Student Sign Out

When signing out your child, we ask that you first communicate with your child's homeroom teacher and have them ready to leave at the beginning or end of break time, rather than interrupting class time.  Times to pick up children that do not interrupt the learning of others to call into the classroom would be 11:00am, 11:40am, 1:20pm and 2:00pm.  If you are not able to notify the teacher in advance, please do not call the school office before arriving at the school for us to get your child out of class.  We will call the student down once you have arrived in order to maximize learning time.  It is mandatory that all parents come into the office to sign students out – due to safety concerns, we are not able to send your child out to you while you wait in the car.  We try to avoid interrupting instructional time as much as possible; therefore, we kindly ask that, unless it is absolutely necessary, you wait until dismissal at 3:40 p.m. to pick up your child(ren).  We will not be calling students down for early pick-up past 3:30 p.m. Thank you for your understanding as we keep our kids safe and learning!

Rubik's and Game Club

Exciting News, Tuck Students! Do you love solving puzzles, cracking codes, or playing games? Then this is for YOU! We are thrilled to announce the Rubik's Cube and Game Club, taking place every Monday from 1:20 PM to 2:00 PM in the library, in January to April! This club is open to Grade 4 to 8 students, and everyone is welcome—whether you're a speed-cubing pro, a curious beginner, or just someone who loves having fun with friends. Come test your skills, learn new tricks, and enjoy a variety of games in a relaxed and fun environment. Bring your friends, or make new ones as we twist, turn, and strategize together! Don’t miss out on the fun. A special thank you to our Parent Council who has generously supported this amazing club - Mrs Hunt and Mme Palumbo

Winter Walk Day

National Winter Walk to School Day is February 5th. Please consider leaving the car at home and enjoying a cool walk to school, on this day and every day! Winter Walking Tips:

• Keep hands and head covered to prevent heat loss.

• On really cold days wear a scarf over your face and mouth.

• Wear warm, waterproof boots.

• Wear a warm coat that deflects the wind.

• Wool clothing helps to retain the heat.

• Wear clothing or carry knapsacks with reflective material – it’s important to be seen.

If possible, change wet clothes at school – tuck an extra pair of socks and mitts into knapsacks. It's Winter! Don't hibernate... walk to school and celebrate!

Kindergarten Registration

For children born in 2020 or 2021, we will be accepting registrations for September 2025.  Parents are reminded to register at their existing home school. To determine your home school, please visit  the HDSB School Locator.  JK/SK Kindergarten registration application began in January for the 2025-26 school year. Our hours for registration are 8:30am to 4pm. To register for Fall 2025, Junior Kindergarten children must be 4 years old by December 31, 2025, and Senior Kindergarten children must be 5 years old by December 31, 2025.  Please ensure that your child is registered as soon as possible so that we can be staffed appropriately for the new year. If you have neighbours who have school-aged children, we ask that you let them know of these timelines to help us prepare our staffing for the following year. Families are invited to learn more about Kindergarten in the Halton District School Board, the Kindergarten Program, play-based learning, community resources in Halton and before and after school care through the Kindergarten webpage on hdsb.ca. When you are ready to register, you can contact our School Office at 905-637-3881 or by emailing our Registration secretary, Mrs. Mistry at mistrym@hdsb.ca. 

Anaphylaxis protocol

We wanted to share this reminder message about the HDSB commitment to creating and sustaining an allergen reduced environment.  To that end, our Anaphylaxis Protocol directs: 

• Refrain from bringing in food items to the school/classroom that “may contain” allergens, (e.g., peanuts, tree nuts, etc.) 

• Baked goods should not be brought in as they may contain allergens as a result of cross contamination from other products

• When buying food products to bring into the school the food ingredient labels must be read. 

• When ordering food from a commercial source, request a list of ingredients. 

• Do not bring in food items where the commercial source cannot guarantee that the food is allergen free (e.g., peanuts, tree nuts, etc.)

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, March 6, 2025 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.

Parent Involvement Committee Conference

The HDSB invites parents, guardians and community members to attend the 2025 Parent Involvement Committee Conference: Getting Connected on Saturday, Feb. 8, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Elsie MacGill Secondary School in Milton. This free event will feature informative workshops, community partners and displays and a keynote address by Dr. Alex Russell, Ph.D., C.Psych., Clinical Psychologist and author of Drop the Worry Ball: How to Parent in the Age of Entitlement. Lunch will be provided and free childminding for children aged 4-12 is available. Transportation within Halton may be available to those who require it. Learn more and register by Friday, Jan. 24: https://bit.ly/3C9xSqf 

Days of Significance this Month

Our newsletter includes 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 - Beginning of Black History Month

1 - Imbolc

2 - Setsubun

2 - Vasant Panchami

12-13 - Tu B’Shevat 

12 - Māgha Pūjā Day

15 - Nirvana Day

17 - Family Day (Schools Closed)

22 - Human Trafficking Awareness Day

25-28 - Ayyám-i-Há (Intercalary Days)

26 - Pink Shirt Day (Anti-Bullying Day)

28 - Losar Tibetan New Year