News

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YearDisks not available — Refunds given

Due to circumstances beyond our control, Mr. Kuehn’s YearDisk will not be available this spring.  He may have this year’s edition ready for the fall.  We will put information on the school website and in the fall newsletters if this is a possibility.

In the meantime, all students who have pre-ordered YearDisks will receive a refund.

Putman Survives the Earthquake!

Greetings!  This is just a quick note to let you know that we survived the earthquake yesterday unscathed!  Staff and students responded quickly and calmly and the building is in great shape.  

Take care, 

Brent Smith, Principal

Putman volunteer receives OCDSB Community Award 
MikeOccasional teacher and consumate Putman volunteer, Michael Brackenbury, was the recent recipient of a Community Award for volunteerism. Each spring, the Community Award is granted in recognition of outstanding efforts of a member of the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board community in developing an iniative that directly supports the well-being of our students.

Mike Brackenbury has always demonstrated a strong commitment to the learning and well-being of students. He is a master teacher whose love of learning is contagious. He is also an excellent role model who has consistently demonstrated appreciation and respect of others and has stressed the importance of making a contribution.

Teachers, students, and the entire school community have been enriched by his presence. Mike first came to J.H. Putman Public School as a retired teacher working as an occasional teacher.

Golden ApplePutman teacher wins Golden Apple Award


Congratulations to J.H. Putman's own Gail Soffer, winner of  Majic 100's Golden Apple Award. Nominated by parents, Mrs. Soffer's daily efforts in contributing to the well-being and academic success of Putman students are recognized with the award, along with a $500 cheque. Mrs. Soffer plans to give the money back to the students. Congratulations Mrs. Soffer!

Social Justice Club holds silent auction
 logoBeyond Guilt, a student-run club committed to making a difference for people around the world living in extreme poverty, hosted a silent auction on Friday, May14th in the school gymnasium and cafeteria. Everyone was invited to this fun-filled event.  The silent auction hosted a guest speaker, a live band, and also selling food and refreshments.

>Read more about Putman's Silent Auction

>More details

>Beyond Guilt website


Second annual Electives Day April 16th

On  Friday April 16th, J.H. Putman held its second annual Electives Day in the morning!  Students were given the choice of various hands-on workshops to promote learning in all its forms and school spirit. Staff and volunteers shared their special skills with our school community. Sewing, martial arts, electronics, drum building and carpentry were among the many activities for which students signed up.


Pink2Pink makes colourful anti-bullying statement
Pink is traditionally viewed as the colour symbolizing hope and 'all things feminine'. Not so on Wedneday, April 14th, when J.H. Putman students and staff donned all manner of pink to make an Anti-Bullying statement.  A wave of pink swept over the school Wednesday, with the majority of students participating. Pink shirts, skirts, shorts, hats, ties, face paint, accessories, and even pink hair, set the stage for Putman's first Annual Day of Pink. Students were excited to create homeroom pledges, oaths, and dramatic skits, to consolidate their thoughts on the day's theme, "Bullying Stops Here!". Student Council opened the canteen to all wearing pink, and business was brisk, with profits being donated to charity.  Organizer, Gail Soffer, hopes to continue this special event each year, building an even stronger school community, but in the meantime, she thinks that each time we see each other wearing pink, the day's Pink Power message will be remembered.

>Read Pink Shirt Day background (CBC News)

>Read about anti-bullying Part 1
>Read about anti-bullying Part 2


Jazz Café rescheduled to May 4th

MUSICOur annual Jazz Cafe has been rescheduled to Tuesday, May 4, at 7:00 p.m.  Come and join us here in the Putman gym for an evening of jazz in a cafe-type setting.  Admission is $5.00, which includes coffee, tea, or juice and desserts.  


All funds raised from chocolate sales should already be handed in to Ms Read.  Thank you to all our supporters who bought chocolate or who donated money!  


Just a reminder that senior band rehearsals are now THURSDAYS from 3:00 - 4:00.  A BIG thank you to those of you who have had to reorganize your schedules.


Animation Club uses online software to create videos
Mrs. Susan Lee and the students in the Animation Club are thrilled with the GoAnimate software that is being used this year. Links to student animations will be posted on the JH Putman website as they are created.
>Watch these videos from Putman students.


Putman's new Vice-Principal meets School Council
Putman has a new Vice-Principal, Alexandra Vasilas. She joined School Council at its March 4th meeting. Parents were invited to join Council in welcoming Ms Vasilas to the school!


Ski Club a roaring success
A massive thank you to everyone who was involved in our ski club this year.  Every Thursday night for 4 weeks, Putman sent over 120 of our bravest students, parents, and teachers to the slopes of Vorlage for a fantastic season of downhill skiing.  A very special thank you to Brenda Gervais, our parent volunteer, who co-ordinated the registration and volunteers.  Another huge thank you to the staff who volunteered to come out every night.  This worthwhile activity would not be possible without the support of the Putman community!  Thank-you. 

We have forms in the office for any students who missed an evening of skiing and therefore want to request a refund. 


Students perform at Capital Region Music Festival
On February 25th, the J.H. Putman Concert Band performed before adjudicators and audience at the Capital Region Music Festival.  They played three contrasting pieces which was followed by a 20 minute clinic with one of the judges.  The band earned a Bronze standard.  Let's hear it for our school band!  

 


Putman student places second in French Public Speaking semi-finals
On February 8th, J.H. Putman held its school finals for the French Public Speaking Contest.  In total over 170 students participated in the Concours d’art oratoire.  Congratulations to Tori Hendrycks, Li Lin Tong, Paige Doyle and Julian Parker who represented J.H. Putman in the School Board’s Semi-Finals on February 24th. Julian placed second in the French Immersion Intermediate category, Li Lin Tong received bronze and Tori received silver in the French Immersion Junior category.  

We are very  proud of Tori, Li Lin, Paige and Julian!  Félicitations!



School Council purchases
At a recent meeting, Putman's School Council voted to purchase over $3400 in equipment for the school, including two Elmo cameras and two digital projectors


Senior Band performs at Music Festival
MUSICThe senior band will be performing in the Capital Region Music Festival again this year.  Our performance date is set for Thursday, February 25, 2010.  All band members will need to be at Earl of March High School in Kanata by 6:30 p.m. for our performance time of 7:30 p.m.  More information will be coming home shortly.

Our annual chocolate fundraiser will begin shortly.  All proceeds go to support the band/music program at Putman.


After-school ski program offered
J.H. Putman is pleased to offer the 2010 After School Ski/Snowboard Club at Ski Vorlage in Wakefield, Quebec.  Busing services will be provided Bergeron Bus Lines and Wubs.  

Dates and Times
The program will run on the following four Thursday evenings assuming the weather is acceptable

January 21             January   28             February 4             February 18 


OCDSB announces new student transfer policy

Parents/Guardians of students who wish their child to attend a school other than their designated schools need to fill in a Secondary Student Transfer Application. The Board has approved a new Student Transfer Policy. Below is a link to the site explaining the policy (the actual policy is not yet available). For parents of students in Grade 8 who might be considering sending your child to a school other than their designated one, it should be required reading!


>Revised Student Transfer Policy

If you are unclear about which high school is the designated one for your address, you can use the “School Locator” tool.  Type in your street name and number and the school locator will find the available schools and programs for you. The following timelines will apply for the 2010-2011 school year:

Elementary Student Transfer Application Period Tuesday, February 16 to Friday, February 26, 2010

Secondary Student Transfer Application Period Tuesday, February 16 to Friday, February 26, 2010

Three seasonal fund raisers help Ottawa's needy
Socks for the Mission—Students brought in 450 pairs of new socks for the Mission and Homeless of Ottawa—far greater than the number expected. On Friday, December 11th, an old-time Sock Hop Dance Party was held in the gym as a reward for the school's generosity.  Presentations to each class by a staff member from the Ottawa Mission took place Tuesday, December 1st and Wednesday the 2nd to kick off Putman's first Sock Campaign for the Mission and Homeless of Ottawa.

PenniesPennies for Portions—As in previous years, Students’ Council sponsored Pennies for Portions, a campaign to raise money for food for the needy in the Ottawa area. Jars were placed in every classroom, and students were asked to contribute any loose change or bills. Student were told that if every individual contributed $2.00, Putman could donate enough money to feed over 200 hungry people in our community. This year, the Pennies for Portions campaign brought in $817.

Food Drive—Putman students contributed again this holiday season to the Ottawa Food Bank Drive. Student Council sold advance discounted tickets to the December dance for students who donated to the Food Bank. Regular cost of admission to the dance was $4.00, but only $3.00 was charged with a donation of non-perishable food.

IMG_4136Students' Council gets taste of real-life politics
Members of Students' Council gathered in the science lab recently to hear a special presentation by two senior provincial politicians.

Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, The Honourable Steve Peters, and The Honourable Jim Watson, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing and local MPP, addressed students in an hour-long session that included a slideshow, video presentation and a question and answer segment.

Students' Council President Paige L. was presented with an Ontario provincial flag, and Mr. Peters gave each Council member and staff advisor a series of Ontario lapel pins.

Ontario drops fall report cards in elementary schools
Screen shot 2009-12-28 at 1.24.50 PMOntario will stop issuing fall report cards to elementary school pupils starting next year. Teachers in Ontario have pushed for years to get rid of the report cards, which are usually issued in late October or early November, saying they come too soon after the start of the school year.

Screen shot 2009-12-03 at 6.20.09 PMSecond Breakfast ushers in revised timetable—On December 1st, sudents ushered in the holiday fund raising season and a revised timetable by celebrating a Pyjama spirit day with a "Second Breakfast" of milk, cereal, fresh fruit and juice during morning nutrition break. The morning break was extended by ten minutes, spelling the end of afternoon recess for the remainder of the year.

New Schedule December 1st adds 10 minutes to morning break
Starting December 1st, a new daily schedule spells the end of the afternoon break, adding 10 minutes to the morning nutrition break instead. According to Principal Brent Smith, the half-hour morning recess will give students extra time to change to and from outdoor clothing and to prepare themselves for classes. The first day of the new schedule coincided with Pyjama Day, a spirit day that featured a "Second Breakfast" for students during the first half-hour morning nutrition break.

BUSInclement weather may lead to bus cancellations
Because of the inevitability of inclement winter weather, school buses may run late at times.  If buses are cancelled in the morning, they do not run after school. Therefore, if you drop your child off at school in the morning, you must come and pick them up at the 2:45 p.m. dismissal. The school remains open.  Please listen to local radio stations after 7 a.m. for cancellations.  For more information you can call the Ottawa Student Transportation Authority at 613-224-8800.

basketballIntramurals For All
The team names say it all! As part of our "Healthy and Active School" program, six teams have been set up to compete against one another in the gym three times per week. Organizer Mme Mel Kirby says the intramural games "create a community through intramurals that incorporates the concepts of physical activity, respecting others, friendship and school spirit."

finish_line_waving_md_clrImpressive showing in Cross Country
The Putman Cross Country Team had a very successful season this year.  They endured frosty mornings and torrential downpours all in the name of running!d.

ba_soccerltJ.H. Putman Public is a "Healthy and Active School"
The goal of the program is to enable students to make healthy choices about nutrition and physical activity on a daily basis. Working with Ottawa Public Health we can address healthy active living issues with students and provide skills to develop healthy food and activity behaviors.

soccerJunior boys soccer team win silver medal
The junior boys soccer team returned with a silver medal on Wednesday, losing in a shoot out to Briar green.  And a big congratulations to the junior girls soccer team for bringing back the regional Tier 2 banner and a gold medal at yesterdays soccer tournament


Girls touch football tournament
FOOTBALLThe location for the girls touch football tournament on October 16th is Trent Arlington Fields (Beside Knoxdale Public School on Bellman Dr.). Please park on Bellman or at the Trent Arlington Field House. There is not enough parking in the Greenbank/Knoxdale Parking lot to accommodate the tournament.



BUSImportant changes to bus routes Monday, October 5th
To assist with timing issues and overloads at Agincourt / J H Putman schools, the Ottawa Student Transportation Authority has had to split bus route L30 into 2 runs.  Because of the massive rearranging of stops the changes to the bus routes for these two schools will be in effect on Monday Oct. 5th.  

If you have any questions, please call the Ottawa Student Transportation Authority at 613-224-8800 (Central Division).


Music Program starts up with a fundraiser
And we're off.... Both the senior band and the jazz band have started rehearsing. All band members are now selling magazine subscriptions as our first fundraiser of the year.

puma1What have Putman Pumas been up to?
 October is a very busy month for the J.H. Putman Pumas.  After a tireless September of practices the Pumas are ready to use their skills against the competition.

Student Levy Goes a Long Way
In the next few days you will be receiving our annual voluntary request for a student levy contribution. This annual student fee allows us to enhance the programs that we deliver. 

Last year, student fees helped to support the implementation of our highly successful electives day, paid for student agendas, covered entry fees for academic contests and paid for extra supplies in science and the arts. We hope that the Putman community will continue to support this very worthwhile effort.

terryfoxsmallTerry Fox Run for cancer research
The weather has cooperated for all of J.H. Putman's fall activities, and the annual Terry Fox Run for Cancer Research was no exception.


ZZ531D89D9Students' Council Election News
The democratic process is alive and well as Putman students poured out in droves to vote in the annual student elections.

DSCF1632Survivor Day "the best ever"
The 9th annual Survivor Day, a fun day of team-building that took costumed students from one action-packed activity to the next, was also an exercise in team-building and cooperation.

Our Phys Ed Program described
The prime goal of education is to help people develop abilities which will allow them to lead enriched lives.  From a Physical Education perspective, this means having a body which allows a person to do what he/she wishes to do, whether that is job-related, recreation-related or coping with stress of everyday life.

Important information about the H1N1 Flu virus
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board has been working closely with Ottawa Public Health and other provincial agencies since the onset of the H1N1 virus in North America, and more specifically, in Ottawa.  This collaboration has given the district the ability to provide the most up-to-date information for schools and their communities in terms of the local situation and also the latest advice for managing the potential infection risk in schools.


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