Montessori Buzz – Oct. 27, 2020
Dear MA Families & Friends,
Notes from the Middlesex-London Health Unit
COVID notes
The Health Unit has shared a new decision-making tool for parents:
COVID-19-decision-tool-for-parents-caregivers Oct.26.pdf
Flu shot
Getting the flu vaccine during the COVID-19 pandemic
The flu vaccine will not protect you from COVID-19 or increase your risk of COVID-19 illness. Some of the symptoms of COVID-19 are similar to the flu and it may be hard to tell the difference. Getting the flu vaccine may help lessen the strain on the health care system during a busy time.
Who can get the vaccine – The flu vaccine is free and is recommended for everyone 6 months of age and older.
Where to get the flu vaccine – While the Health Unit does not offer community flu vaccine clinics, the vaccine is widely available at the following locations:
- primary care provider offices (family doctors, nurse practitioners, pediatricians)
- walk-in clinics
- participating pharmacies (for individuals 5 years of age and older)
- some workplaces
Before getting the flu vaccine – Call your selected location ahead to make sure the flu vaccine is available and see if an appointment is needed.
If you are having trouble finding somewhere to get your flu vaccine, try calling a few other places. The vaccine is delivered in batches and locations will receive more when they run out.
Halloween tips and suggestions
From the Health Unit: https://www.healthunit.com/news/celebrate-halloween-safely-covid-19
Here’s a link to the province’s information on Trick or Treating, including the two posters created: https://www.ontario.ca/page/how-celebrate-halloween-during-covid-19
- Welcome, Trick or Treaters: https://files.ontario.ca/welcometrickortreaters.jpg
- Sorry, See you next year: https://files.ontario.ca/sorryseeyounextyear.jpg
Reminder: Monthly Attestation due before Monday
Thank you for continuing to follow the many COVID processes and policies – for everyone’s health and safety. We want the in-school learning to continue!! 
Links to the Monthly Attestation are available on the Parent Portal under the RESOURCES tab / September Return to School Resources and your child’s Classroom Bulletin Board under DOWNLOADS. (Click the Show More / Show Less button under Downloads if you don’t see the link.)
Reminder: Halloween celebrations – please don’t send snacks, games, etc.
Just a friendly reminder for our families about our Halloween dress up day on Friday: we are not able to accept snacks/treats or games from student households at this time – but we will certainly still make it a fun event for your children! Thank you for understanding; we’re doing our best to keep everyone safe and healthy this year.
Reminder: Photo Retake Day is November 6
Photo retake day this year is Friday, November 6. If you would like for your child/ren to retake their photo (or if they missed the original photo day), please fill out the next available time slot on this Google Sheet link: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/11eB6R8fh_Do9FSuJiTNo1MnpoHa9GsLczakR-QN4Ilo/edit?usp=sharing
Retakes will be taken in the Colborne Street Gym so that we can maintain physical distancing protocols. If you are accompanying your child/ren, please remember to wear a mask.
Welcome, Baby Heald
Sara and her husband, Dan, welcomed their daughter, Gwendolyn Eduarda Heald on Friday, Oct.23. Gwendolyn was born at 10:50pm, 8lbs, 6oz. Mom and baby are at home and doing well!
FYI: Growing Chefs lunch program news
Our good friends at Growing Chefs! Ontario, have welcomed a new chef to their team as Sous-chef and leader of the Beet Cafe team and our Growing Chefs lunch program.
From Growing Chefs:
Chef Tim Drew has an impressive culinary background, a deep respect for farming, and a passion for plant based cooking. He will lead The Beet Café team in preparing healthy lunches through our school and camp lunch program out of our new space at The Grove at Western Fair District. He has been a dedicated volunteer at Growing Chefs! Ontario for years and we are so glad to have him on our team!
“I’m so excited to be working with you, I have a kid at home. I understand what they like to eat and what they don’t like to eat. We get him involved in making the food and he’s more excited about it. We dug up the carrots that grew in our garden this year and made a carrot soup for mom. He was super into eating that soup because he had seen it from start to finish. Get them involved, get them in the kitchen. I think that’s the best way to get kids comfortable with food.”
– Chef Tim Drew
And more great news from Growing Chefs
ALIVE Day in Junior High
By Ana Govedarica and Esa Islam
Even though the Junior High students were unable to go on our yearly trip to Algonquin Park, we were still able to experience the ALIVE program through a meeting with the ALIVE staff on Zoom.
On Thursday, October 15, the Junior High students participated in a multitude of workshops and activities with the ALIVE staff. Some of the workshops included, identifying nature around us, personal writing workshops, and WANTED posters for qualities wanted in friends. The students also practised their public speaking skills in one of the personal writing activities. This activity was called “Words of Power”.
The Words of Power activity involved the students sharing how their lives have changed since the pandemic and the positives that came out of it. Students also shared how they planned to move forward and how they would overcome these societal changes. Words of Power was a great practice for all, as everyone had shared their personal thoughts on the topic. It was really great to see everyone willing to be so vulnerable! On top of all of these thoughtful activities, ALIVE Day in Junior High was an especially exciting time for the students as they were allowed to dress up in their “camp attire” throughout the day.
Overall, ALIVE Day was an amazing experience for all of the students, and they were extremely grateful for the time that the ALIVE staff took out of their day to allow the Junior High students to experience the ALIVE program, even with our circumstances!
Photos
Westmount Toddler’s Kindness Tree
The Tree of Kindness in the Westmount Toddler classroom is filling up with many different kind acts recorded on the leaves. We love watching it “grow” as we take good care of each other, our work, and ourselves!
Casa 1 Pumpkin nailing!
Casa 1 is getting into the spirit as we glam up our pumpkin and we are very excited about our upcoming Halloween celebration!
Casa 2 outdoor language lessons
Friday was a perfect day to head outside. The Casa 2 students headed outside for their language lesson – building phonetic words! See our Photo album for more: https://montessori.myschoolapp.com/app/detail/album/photo/1239441
Upper Elementary tea party
A perfect way to spend the warm sunny Friday afternoon! Our Year Fives held an outdoor tea party in the courtyard. We discussed traditional tea ceremonies of Ancient China while sipping on mint green tea!
