February 7th, 2025

Dear families and caregivers:

This week was a really busy one, and I am only getting to our weekly newsletter now.
Some important dates coming up next week are Term 1 report cards going home on Monday, February 10th, and our Kindergarten Vision/Hearing Screening happening on Wednesday, February 12th. February 13th is Black Brilliance Day and our students continue to engage in learning about Black Brilliance in their classrooms.
And last, but not least, the well loved red, white and pink day on February 14th, for anyone who wants to join in celebrating Valentine’s Day.
Have a wonderful weekend,
Ms Carolina Miranda

Thanks for your patience and kindness towards our New Parking Lot Attendant:

Ms Robb had an awesome first week here with us at Blair Rd as our parking lot attendant. Thanks to all the parents who adjusted and are still getting used to this new routine and staff member. I want to remind you that street parking is available on Bismark, and that you can walk the path towards our school grounds, by the city creative play structure, which leads you right into our tarmac area. This is a very safe and easy access to our school.

Putumayo Playground: 

While I was supporting a Kindergarten class, I had one of those magical moments that reminded me of why I love my job so much. I played some songs from a label I absolutely love called Putumayo Playground, which has songs from all over the world for kids. I used to play these for my students back in 2008, and for my own daughters too… And while I was in Bloom’s class, one of her little friends turned to me – face beaming – and said: “Ms. Miranda!! He is singing in Urdu!!!” It was such a heart warming moment, folks. If you click on the link, and scroll down their page, you will find their playlists available on Spotify and YouTube. They have a very rich repertoire of beautiful music for children from all over the world. I highly recommend them. 

WRDSB Famous for all the right reasons:

Blair Rd PS is #WRDSBFamous! Make sure to check out the full story of how WRDSB is supporting the Nutrition for Learning Program in our region, and how our school got to play a little (but super awesome and exciting!) part in that story – you might recognize a few familiar faces…

Appropriate School Language:

At Blair Rd PS, we are committed to creating a school environment where every child feels safe, respected, and valued. Recently, we have noticed an increase in students using harmful language, including racial slurs and violent phrases like “I’m going to kill you.” While some students may not fully understand the impact of these words, it is important that we address them together. As a school, we have been engaging students in discussions about the power of words—how they can either build a community of kindness or cause harm. We ask for your support in continuing these conversations at home by helping your child understand the difference between kind words and hurtful words, and reinforcing that certain language is never acceptable, especially in a school setting. By working together, we can ensure that every student feels safe, both emotionally and physically, in our learning environment. Thank you for your partnership in this important work.

Reflex Math Parent/Guardian Webinar

Reflex Math is an adaptive game-based learning system designed to help students improve their math fluency. The WRDSB has provided access to all students in Grades 2 to 7. We are excited to offer a free 45-minute webinar for parents and guardians, of grades 2 – 7 students, to support their child’s math learning at home through Go for the Green with Reflex. This session will help families understand how to monitor their child’s progress and effectively use Reflex Math at home. The webinar will be offered on the following dates:

  • Wednesday, February 19 | 1:00 PM – 1:45 PM
  • Wednesday, February 26 | 8:00 PM – 8:45 PM

Please register using this link.

Invitation: Childhood Honesty Research Study

Wilfrid Laurier University researchers are conducting a study on the development of honesty in children aged 4 to 8 (JK to Grade 3). This study has been reviewed and approved by the WRDSB Research Department. Families who participate will visit Laurier’s campus for an 80-minute session, where children will engage in fun activities while caregivers complete a questionnaire. Participation is voluntary, and families will receive a $15 thank-you gift, along with a small prize for children. If you’re interested, please check out the flyer  on School Day for more details and the sign-up link.

Community Flyers:

The WRDSB offers community organizations and not-for-profits the opportunity to share information on their programs and services with our schools on our Community E-Flyers website. Each week we will share the most recent flyers shared with the Board in this newsletter in hopes that you share this information with your community if you deem it appropriate.

Dates happening this week: 

  • Safer Internet Day, February 11, 2025
  • International Day of Women and Girls in Science, February 11, 2025
  • Magha Puja Day, February 12, 2025
  • Black Brilliance Day, February 13, 2025
  • Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2025
  • Nirvana Day (Parinirvana Day), February 15, 2025
  • Family Day, February 17, 2025
  • World Day of Social Justice, February 20, 2025
  • International Mother Language Day, February 21, 2025
  • Canada’s Human Trafficking Awareness Day, February 22, 2025