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Dufferin Parent Council March Newsletter

We hope everyone who attended the Adventure Putt evening had a great time.  The next social event will be a resurrection of the ever-popular Funfair, scheduled for Thursday May 8^th.  We will need dozens of volunteers for this occasion, so if you’re able to help, please let Rahno Simpson know by contacting her at rsimpson70@sympatico.ca. Thanks!

For those of you wondering what happened to the promised Half Pints basketball presentation last month, we’re wondering the same thing!  The group did not show up on the arranged date, and any attempt to contact them has been futile.  So, Mme McArthur is working on bringing in someone else with an anti-bullying message before the end of the school year.  Stay tuned!

For those of you with internet access, feel free to access DPC info via the school website, http://school.gedsb.net/duf.  You’ll find minutes of our meetings, as well as copies of past newsletters which haven’t always made it into the paper edition of the monthly school newsletter. 

Next time you’re in the school, make sure you check out the Parent Resource Library which is on the bookshelves on the far left wall of the library.  In the past few years, DPC has purchased numerous excellent parenting books about topics such as substance abuse in children, bullying, “play”, and discipline.  We have a DVD on stranger safety which is excellent for the little ones, and Ron Morrish’s “Secrets of Discipline:  12 Keys for Raising Responsible Children”.

Finally, we’d like to make you aware of the DPC’s Student Bursary Fund.  The purpose of the fund is to sponsor a student’s participation in an educational or recreational activity that they would not otherwise be able to attend based on financial restrictions.  Up to $100 per year per child is available. Applications are available through the school secretary, or your child’s teacher.

February Parent Council Newsletter

We’d like to start off by thanking you very much for your support of our recent magazine and gift fundraiser, which brought in over $7000 to the Dufferin Parent Council (DPC).  These monies are put back into the school for many activities which enhance student learning and fun.   By now, most magazines should be arriving in the mail.  If you have questions, please do NOT call the school office; call the QSP customer service hotline at 1-800-667-2536 and they will assist you.  You can also order magazines online and support our school anytime by visiting www.qsp.ca and entering our online account number: 7364.

Some of the monies raised are being used to bring a very exciting group to Dufferin on February 11^th – the Half-Pints.  Students will be sure to enjoy this group of basketball stars (including some of Dufferin’s own, we hear!) who come with a great anti- bullying message that will stick with the students for years. 

Unfortunately, the bus trip to the Raptors game had to be cancelled, but DPC is planning another fun family night.  Keep your eyes open for notices about an evening at Brantford’s newest attraction, Adventure Putt.  We hope we get a fantastic turnout for this event.  See you there!

Dufferin Parent Council December Newsletter

Dufferin Parent Council has some fun social events planned for this Winter. We are arranging a bus trip to see a Raptors game and hopefully some French movie nights.

As always, we will be doing some fundraising, with monies raised going towards classroom and library supplies as well as enhancing the playground in terms of safety and fun. We also like to subsidize special school activities, such as the recent Mad Science Day. One of our fundraising initiatives is the ever-popular pizza days. We have had a number of problems lately, however, with people not sending in their money by the stated deadline, or sending it in for children who are not scheduled to be at school on pizza day. Please read the forms carefully – it will be greatly appreciated by our hard-working volunteers!

Some of you may not be aware that the DPC has started a Parent Resource Library. When you come in for your Parent-Teacher interview, come to the library and check out some of the very interesting videos and books that are available for you to borrow. The two most recent additions are Silken Laumann’s "Child’s Play", and Sandra Dean’s "Hearts and Minds: A Public School Miracle".

Another school year has come to a close, we say farewell and good luck to some familiar faces and are ready to greet a new generation of students.

Through a renewed mission and vision Ecole Dufferin Parent Council was able to have a clearer direction to focus their efforts on.

The Parent Council goals for 2006-2007 were to enhance and strengthen the learning potential of the students within the areas of "Academics, Arts and Activity".

The Parent Council supported the students and staff in the area of "Academics" through the addition of literacy resources for the primary grades and assessment kits for teacher to evaluate the students learning potential. New projector screens were purchased and installed to assist with teaching strategies.

The purchase of "Tribes" workbooks was continued this year, this support along with the commitment of the teachers for this program made Dufferin one of the only schools within the GEDSB to have near 100% training and certification of their staff.

What a wonderful collection of "Arts" presentations and workshop were offered to the school population through support of the Parent Council. Gemfest was once again a highlight for many children. Author Chris Robertson was an inspiration for our students. We were musically enriched through presentations by "Tribal Thunder", the "Little String Orchestra", and the opera "The Magic Flute". Inuit artists shared their art and culture with the students.

"Active" participation was supported through the purchase of a new electric ball pump, scoter boards and two new basketball standards, which were a much welcomed addition to the playground. To support safe outdoor play the Parent Council has financed the repair to the play structure perimeter, and matched funds with the Board of Education to plant 6 new shade trees strategically throughout the playground.

Parent Council was successful in their application for the "Parents Reaching Out" grant. Through funds granted to the Parent Council a series of parent workshops were presented, and a parent resource library was also established.

All the regular standing committees of the Parent Council have been busy doing their part to support the children, staff, and parents at Ecole Dufferin.

Thank you all for taking such an active part in your child’s education, looking forward to next year.

Respectfully

Rosemarie Press

Chair, Ecole Dufferin Parent Council