Spirit Wear Order Form

The order form for the new Clairlea Panthers spirit wear is coming home today, or you can download a copy. Orders due March 9, 2012.

Hope everyone had fun at pancake day! Thank you to the hard-working, early-rising volunteers, especially Todd the batter man, who hopefully didn't get repetitive strain injury, and of course the organizers: Hope and Christina.

The Drummond Report: People for Education's Analysis

Last week, noted economist Don Drummond released his report to the Ontario government on how to restore Ontario's fiscal stability. 

Education represents about one-fifth of the provincial budget ($21.9 billion in 2010-11), so naturally the report looks at areas to cut costs. To learn more about this, read the Drummond Report, then consider taking a look (or listen) at People for Education's analysis. 

What do you think? 

School Council meets Wed. Feb 15

The School Council meets next Wednesday, February 15, 7:00 pm at the school. All welcome. Childcare in the gym. If you are a voting member, please make every effort to attend, as a quorum of 50% +1 is required.

Advantages of bilingualism

Parents who speak a language other than English at home, and parents of students in French immersion, may be interested in this York University study, which found that "bilingual children – regardless of the languages they speak – show cognitive advantages over their English-only peers, although they may experience weakness in areas like vocabulary acquisition."

Youth Privacy

The Privacy Commissioner of Canada has a new web site focused on online privacy for youth. 

The site offers: 

• a tip sheet for parents, on talking to youth about online privacy risks
• a video for teens
• a privacy quiz
• resources for teachers

Thanks to People for Education for alerting us to this new site via their latest newsletter.

Feb 7 is Safer Internet Day

Tomorrow is Safer Internet Day.

According to the Safer Internet Day website (these figures seem to be from Europe):

• 26 per cent of children report having a public social networking profile.
• Children of all ages are lacking digital skills –confidence is often not matched by skill!
• 12 per cent of European 9-16 year olds say they have been bothered or upset by something on the internet…
• …however, 56 per cent of parents whose child has received nasty or hurtful messages online are not aware of this.
• One in eight parents don’t seem to mediate their children’s online activities…
• …while 56 per cent of parents take positive steps such as suggesting to their children how to behave towards others online.
• 44 per cent of children think that parental mediation limits what they do online, 11 per cent say it limits their activities a lot.

Helping one another stay safe online:

• Teachers’ engagement with children’s internet use is least among 9-10 year olds.
• 36 per cent of 9-16 year olds claim that they definitely know more about the internet than their parents.
• 73 per cent of children say their peers have helped or supported their internet use.
• 44 per cent of children claim to have received some guidance on safe internet use from their friends, and 35 per cent say that they have also provided such advice to their friends.
• Yet, children say they receive most online safety advice from parents (63 per cent), then teachers (58 per cent), other relatives (47 per cent), then peers (44 per cent).
• Parents get internet safety advice first and foremost from family and friends (48 per cent).
• 87 per cent of children use the internet at home.

Canadian Parents for French - newsletter

Canadian Parents for French (Ontario) has released its Winter 2012 newsletter, which features the following:

§  FSL Homework Toolbox;

§  Mlacak and McGillivray Award Winners;

§  Gift of Two Official Languages;

§  French Immersion: Stick With It;

§  Le concours d'art oratoire;

§  Your Board @ Work;

§  French Fiction is Fun Contest;

§  Notice of AGM;

§  Call for Nominations.

Pancake Day - volunteers & griddles needed

Click here to download and print this form.

Fun Fair - Silent auction donations?

Clairlea PS is hosting a Christmas-themed Fun Fair on Saturday May 26.

Can your company provide a donation for the silent auction? Would they be interested in sponsoring an event? Contact Ginnie for more information or a referral letter.