Joint Ward Forum

Ward 11 St. Paul's Trustee Shelley Laskin will be joining together with Ward 13 Don Valley West Trustee Gerri Gershon and Ward 14 Toronto Centre-Rosedale for a Joint Ward Forum on February 29th at Sunny View Jr. & Sr. P.S. at 450 Blythwood Road. Director John Malloy will be reporting on the TDSB 2016-2017 budget. The event takes place from 6:45 to 9:00 pm, and childcare will be provided.

School Council Meeting Tuesday, February 23rd

Please come out to our next School Council meeting, Tuesday, February 23rd, at 7 o'clock, in the McMurrich Library.

School Council meetings are a great way to find out what's happening at McMurrich. There will be updates from council and committees, as well as an update from the principal.

Refreshments will be available, and free childcare will be provided across the hall in Room 103.

All are welcome. We look forward to seeing you!

TDSB Parents as Partners Conference

Registration is now open for the 2016 Parents as Partners Conference!

This year, the Parent Involvement Advisory Committee (PIAC) and Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) join with the Mental Health and Well-Being Parent Partnership Committee and Model Schools for Inner Cities' Parent Academies to bring one inclusive conference to TDSB parents and caregivers.

The all-day conference takes place on Saturday April 16th at the Allstream Centre at the Exhibition grounds. There are dozens of sessions to choose from, including workshops on raising resilient children, helping children with hearing loss, giftedness, or developmental delays, dealing with stress, and keeping your family's unique "funprint" when times get tough.

The conference is free to attend, and includes lunch and childcare. All parents, guardians, and caregivers of TDSB students are invited to attend.

Registration is required - click here to register and select your sessions.

McMurrich Movie Night: Inside Out

Our second McMurrich Movie Night of the year is INSIDE OUT on Friday February 26th!

This movie may was chosen to be suitable for all ages, including our younger movie audience. Inside Out is rated G. A parents' guide to the movie is available here. The movie will be captioned for Deaf and hard of hearing students, and students will have access to the soundboard if necessary for using assistive listening devices.


McMurrich Movie Nights are a great way to get together with other families and the school community. Admission is only $5 for the whole family. Bring a picnic dinner, and there will be a concession stand available as well with treats for sale. Doors open at 6:00 pm and the movie will begin at 6:30 pm sharp!

This is a School Council event, and we're looking for volunteers to bake cupcakes and help at the concession stand. If you're interested in helping out, please contact us. We look forward to seeing you there!

Dance-a-Thon Volunteers needed!

McMurrich is looking for volunteers (no dancing shoes required) on February 24th for the Dance-a-Thon. Volunteers are needed to hand out glow bracelets, and motivate the younger kids to dance dance dance!

Volunteers can choose to help in the morning, afternoon or all-day. Extra help is needed for the kinders - because there are so many, we've had to split the classes up. Rooms 104, 109, and 100 will be participating in the 9:45am - 10:15am time slot. Rooms 102 & 103 will be participating 1:30pm - 2:00pm.

Please be in touch if you can volunteer at any time that day, but especially during the kinder times, both morning and afternoon!

McMurrich Movie night: Jurassic World

Our first McMurrich Movie Night of the year is JURASSIC WORLD on Friday January 29th!

This movie may not be suitable for all ages, but not to worry we're planning a 2nd movie night
on February 26th that will be more appropriate for our younger movie audience. Jurrassic World is rated PG 13. A parents' guide to the movie is available here. The movie will be captioned for Deaf and hard of hearing students, and students will have access to the soundboard if necessary for using assistive listening devices.

McMurrich Movie Nights are a great way to get together with other families and the school community. Admission is only $5 for the whole family. Bring a picnic dinner, and there will be a concession stand available as well with treats for sale. Doors open at 6:30 pm and the movie will begin at 7 o'clock sharp!

This is a School Council event, and we're looking for volunteers to bake cupcakes and help at the concession stand. If you're interested in helping out, please contact us. We look forward to seeing you there!

McMurrich Welcomes Refugees

The McMurrich community is hoping to sponsor a family of Syrian refugees - a big endeavour! Can you help out? We will need all kinds of help - financial, volunteering to halp with language and settlement, and household supplies.

Please fill out this survey and return it to the school office by Friday 29 January.

School Council Meeting Thursday January 14th

Please come out to our next School Council meeting, Thursday, January 14, at 7 o'clock, in the McMurrich Library.

There will be updates from counciland committees and an update from the principal.

Refreshments will be provided, and free childcare will be available across the hall in Room 103.

Everyone is welcome and we look forward to seeing you!

Fundraising time!

On November 26, we kicked off our Annual Fall Fundraiser to increase access to technology in our school.  Our goal is to raise $16 000 which will enable us to fund 60-70 devices including: desktop computers for our classrooms and library lab and mobile computer labs of laptops which can move from class to class. 

If you’ve participated in our previous fall fundraiser, you might notice a few changes: 

• Magazine Sales (QSP) sales will be online only. You will not receive a catalogue - reducing our paper consumption and administration!

• New option to contribute via direct donation (online or cheque) for a tax receipt
• Communication with kids will focus on benefit to the school community (rather than prizes)
• Classroom prizes will replace individual prizes

You still have access to an amazing variety of magazines at competitive prices for new or renewed subscriptions!

How can I support this fundraiser? Glad you asked! You have options:

1. Purchase Magazines by visiting  www.QSP.ca.   ENTER OUR ONLINE ID: 3721354
2. Make online donation by visiting:   https://www.canadahelps.org/en/pages/mcmurrich-technology-plan/ All donations will receive tax receipt
3. Make donation by cheque.  All cheques payable to McMurrich School. Be sure to provide details on the summary form attached to ensure all eligible donations receive tax receipts. (going out with paper copies)
4. Reach out to friends and families to ask for their support.  They can support our success by purchasing magazines (you can email them from within QSP) or making a donation (eligible for a tax receipt).

Prizes

School Wide Prizes

• Reach 25% of fundraising goal $4000 – School wide double recess
• Reach 35 % of fundraising goal $5600 – School wide double recess
• Reach 50% of fundraising goal $8000 – School wide Freezie snack
• Reach 75% of fundraising goal $12000 – School wide double recess with Freezie snack
• Reach 100% of fundraising goal – School wide movie afternoon with popcorn and juice boxes, PJs are optional!

Class Prizes

• Any class with greater than 75% of students participating wins an Awesome Surprise Box
• Top class in each division will receive Super Awesome Surprise Box

Questions and Answers:

What other fundraisers will we have at McMurrich this year? The fall fundraiser will focus on our technology goal, we will host additional fundraisers to support enrichment including scientist in the school, field trips, athletics, clubs as well as families in need.  All funds raised will be spent in accordance with School Council budget.

• Pizza Lunches (throughout the year)
• Dance a Thon (February)
• Fun Fair (June)
• Silent Auction (June)

How did we decide that technology was a priority for our fundraising dollars?

School Council engaged our teachers, principal and parents in the discussion. Access to technology in our school is a joint priority between the School Council budget and School budget.  We’ve also heard great early feedback from students on the positive impact that technology is having on their learning. 

Why do we need to raise funds for computers, doesn’t the TDSB provide computers for our kids?

We have all heard about the challenges the TDSB faces with budget. In reality, the amount of funds available for technology is never going to allow us to get to our goal.  Our dedicated teachers and administrators are always on the look out for grants and programs which offer technology, but all of these fall short of the need.  Fundraising allows us to accelerate our progress and ensure we meet the need.

How will the funds be used? Last year, we raised $16 000 which was used to purchase 60 new devices in our school including 7 iPad minis, 33 desktops and mobile computer lab with laptops which can move from class to class.  Together with the plan for this year, we will bring our grand total to over 120 new devices and offering our kids a significant increase in their access to technology in the school.

School Council Meeting Tuesday November 24th

Please come out to our next School Council meeting, Tuesday, November 24, at 7 o'clock, in the McMurrich Library.

There will be updates from counciland committees and an update from the principal.

Refreshments will be provided, and free childcare will be available across the hall in Room 103.

Everyone is welcome and we look forward to seeing you!