Welcome back to Bowmore next week- we're serving up coffee!

Can you believe summer's nearly over???

With school starting next week, here's a heads-up on what's in the works for September:

COFFEE'S ON DAISY! Bowmore School Council is pleased to be hosting a "Welcome Back" coffee on the first day of school, Tuesday, September 6th, 8 a.m. - 8:45 a.m. in the school yard. We'll be serving up coffee, juice and light snacks, courtesy of our soon-to-be neighbourhood coffee shop, Lazy Daisy's Cafe (opening soon at the corner of Coxwell & Gerrard). Many thanks to Bowmore mom and entrepreneur Dawn Chapman for her generosity!

• First day back to school: Tuesday, September 6 (But JK/SK entry days are staggered- check with the school about the day your kindergarten child starts if you aren't sure).
• Remember that school supervision starts in the schoolyard at 8:30 a.m. each morning, and ends at 3:25 p.m.
• Forget your child's teacher's name? Look up teacher/classroom assignments here (download the June newsletter and scroll to page 2)

---

Make that lunch litter-free please!

Bowmore students, teachers and parents worked hard last year to earn our school an "Eco-Gold" certification!

School lunches are a major source of waste in Ontario with the average student’s lunch generating a total of 30 kilograms of waste per school year. This means that an average of 8,500 kilograms (18,700 lbs) of waste is trucked to landfill from each school every year- that's the weight of two full-grown elephants!

Please help by ensuring that your child brings a litter-free lunch to school each day. Avoid ziplock bags and foil-wrapped individual packaging: Reusable containers, washable cloth napkins, refillable bottles and simple metal cutlery are healthier & cheaper over time. Save money, and the planet too!

Click here for more tips on how to reduce waste in your child's lunch.

---

Movie Night September 23: Mars Needs Moms

"Mom needs a little space!"
Starring Joan Cusack and Seth Green
Watch a video preview
WHEN: Friday, Sept 23 - 6 pm doors open / 6:30 pm movie starts
WHERE: Bowmore Junior Gym (use the side entrance, under "the bridge")
SUGGESTED DONATION: $2
Pizza, snacks and drinks will be sold for a modest cost. Remember to bring camp chairs!
A fun & inexpensive family night out that supports enriched learning experiences at Bowmore.

---

New vaccine schedule for Ontario children

This summer, three new vaccines were added to the schedule of publicly-funded vaccines available in Ontario:

• Rotavirus oral vaccine for infants 6-24 weeks of age
• Second dose of chickenpox vaccine for children 1-11 years of age
• Whooping cough booster vaccine for adults 19-64 years of age

Do you know if your children's vaccines are up to date? Remember that the TDSB requires records for all enrolled children, and that Ontario children are required by law to be immunized against measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, tetanus, and polio, as well as for pertussis (whooping cough) before age six.  Students between the ages of 14 and 16  require one needle for diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis. Read the TDSB fact sheet on immunization here.

If you have any doubt about your child's immunizations, please consult with your doctor.

Ontario's new immunization schedule, updated this month, is available here.

Join us July 12 to talk about saving our pool!

You can make a difference in our community, by helping to keep our Bowmore PS / Fairmount Park CC shared-use pool open! 

PLEASE JOIN US!

WHEN: Tuesday, July 12, 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.
WHERE: Fairmount Park CC
Kids welcome!

At the last meeting, we discussed creating a Fairmount Park CC Advisory Group. This meeting will be an opportunity to further define the role of this group in supporting community centre programmers (both aquatic and recreational) over the long haul, and to plan action NOW to protect our pool.

We know you're busy enjoying the summer! But this issue can't wait...
We've learned that the City of Toronto Community Development and Recreation Committee will debate the renewal of the lease at their September 14, 2011 meeting, and make their recommendation to Council. Deputations will be permitted. We need to make plans now to do whatever it takes to save our pool and community centre! Please join us.

Click here to read the Community Development & Recreation Committee's Background Document

---

Why we're worried about our pool - When 31 school pools were nearly shut down in 2008, it was community activism that kept them open. Today we face a similar crisis, as the City’s lease of 33 TDSB school pools...INCLUDING OUR BOWMORE / FAIRMOUNT PARK POOL...expires in December. Toronto City Council will decide whether to renew the leases in September. The leases are needed to keep the pools & community centres open. ASK YOURSELF:

• How does your family benefit from this pool?
• Will our community’s kids be safe swimmers without it?
• Is it important to our neighbourhood?
• Will this community centre be sustainable without the pool?

You can help to protect our pool by spreading the word: Forward this email, post on Facebook, talk to friends and neighbours! And please join us Tuesday July 12!
If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact us at bowmoresc@gmail.com

What a year it's been...

Have a wonderful summer, and we'll see you back at Bowmore in September!



Emergency Update on Fairmount Park / Bowmore pool

Please join us:
Thurs, June 23, 6:30 - 8 p.m.
Fairmount Park CC meeting room
An opportunity to meet the Fairmount programming staff, to find out what their challenges are, and to learn how Bowmore parents can help by promoting the facility and ensuring that the programs that are offered are of maximum benefit and use for our community.

The two other Community Centre/TDSB leased pools in the area (SH Armstrong and Earl Beatty) both have "Advisory Councils." Fairmount used to, but it was abandoned years ago. To protect our pool and community centre, we may need to reestablish such a group - and quickly.

If you love our pool, please join us for a short and  informative exchange of ideas.

June newsletter now online- Have a wonderful summer!

Only nine school days left! Last day of school is June 29.

What's in this month's newsletter:

• Teacher room and grade assignments
• Swim Team results & Super Swim Meet June 21/2
• Gr 2 student essay on butterfly project
• Great response to launch of Bowmore's first-ever cricket team!
• Kids' perspective on the meaning of hope (grab your hankies!)
• Mathematica results: Bowmore's kids aced it!
• Bowmore students honoured at the Regional Heritage Fair
• Bowmore student appointed to Minister's Student Advisory Council (only two kids from entire TDSB!)
• Cyberbullying: Do you know the warning signs?
• Local Grade 9 Orientation Dates
• Library update: Governor General's Award-winning author visiting Bowmore next year!
• Our local library has summer kids' programs!
• Results of Primary/Junior & Senior Area Track Meets (the kids wore their new jerseys & rode buses paid for by parent fundraising!)
• Bowmore Dance Party: We raised over $4,000 to pay for Bowmore Athletic needs! Thank you to our volunteers who worked so hard!
• May Eco-Hero: Claire G!
• Bowmore has achieved Gold certification in our EcoSchools Audit! Way to go, students & staff!!!

MARK YOUR CALENDARS:

• TODAY! Friday, June 17- FINAL Movie Night: Gnomeo & Juliet!
• Tuesday, June 21- Primary Swim Meet
• Wednesday, June 22 - Junior Swim Meet
• Thursday, June 23 - Fairmount pool discussion / meet the staff
• Friday, June 24 - Gr 8 Graduation
• Tuesday, June 28 - Gr 6 Graduation
• Wednesday, June 29 - Last Day of School
• September 6 - Back to School!

Read the newsletter here

---

Neighbourhood Family Events This Summer:
We now have THREE Farmers' Markets in the neighbourhood! - A fun way to get yummy, fresh and locally-produced foods. Sundays: Leslieville Farmers' Market (NEW!) / Tuesdays: East York Farmers' Market / Thursdays: East Lynn Farmers' Market
Beach Ribfest This Weekend June 17 - 19
Beach Sandcastle Contest  June 26
Red, White & Vinyl Festival, Fireworks at Ashbridges Bay July 1
Beach Jazz Festival July 15 - 24: Lineup just announced!
Festival of South Asia, Gerrard India Bazaar July 16 - 17
Taste of the Danforth August 5 - 7
Tommy Thompson Park Butterfly Festival August 27

Protect our pool!

Do you love our School Pool?

Picture it closed next year.

NEW! UPDATE JUNE 7: 

We learned a lot at the Aquatics Working Group meeting last week. The most important lesson: During the last battle to save the school pools, the pools that survived were the ones with the most passionately committed parents.

IF YOU LOVE OUR POOL, please SIGN THE PETITION (located in the school office) by THIS THURSDAY MORNING.  OR, if you prefer, please email us at bowmoresc@gmail.com with your short statement about why pool programming at Fairmount Park matters to your family and to our community! We will share your commitment with Toronto Lands Corporation / Toronto Council / Toronto Parks & Recreation.

-------------------------

When 31 school pools were nearly shut down in 2008, it was community activism that kept them open.

Today we face a similar crisis, as the City’s lease of 33 TDSB school pools...INCLUDING OUR BOWMORE / FAIRMOUNT PARK POOL...expires in December. Toronto City Council will decide whether to renew the leases in the fall. The leases are needed to keep the pools open.

Please plan to attend one or both of these meetings, and spread the word to your friends, family & neighbours! Tell the City that our pool must be protected!

1. TORONTO SPORTS COUNCIL
   AQUATIC WORKING GROUP
   SECOND AQUATIC SUMMIT
   Wednesday June 1, 2011, 5-7 p.m.
   Central YMCA, 20 Grosvenor Street
   (by Wellesley Subway)
   www.torontosportscouncil.ca
    
2. TORONTO RECREATION PLAN
   COMMUNITY CONSULTATION
   (TORONTO EAST YORK)
   Thursday June 9, 2011, 7 p.m.
   Wellesley Community Centre (Gym)
   Space is limited: register at rsp@toronto.ca
   or call 416-338-6608
   www.toronto.ca/parks/engagement/serviceplan
   (if you cannot attend, please fill out the
   online survey at the above link)

ASK YOURSELF:

• How does your family benefit from this pool?
• Will our community’s kids be safe swimmers without it?
• Is it important to our neighbourhood?
• Will this community centre be sustainable without the pool?

You can help to protect our pool by spreading the word: Forward this email, post on Facebook, talk to friends and neighbours!

WANT TO HELP EVEN MORE? If you can help distribute flyers, please contact us at bowmoresc@gmail.com

LET'S WORK TOGETHER TO PROTECT OUR BOWMORE/ FAIRMOUNT PARK COMMUNITY POOL!

Bowmore Spirit Wear: Still a chance to order!

Do you have your Spirit Wear yet?

Did you miss your chance to pick up Bowmore Spirit Wear at Living &  Learning? Well no worries, you get another chance at  Bowmore Dance Party 2011 on June 8!

Youth T-shirts $12 / Adult T-shirts $15
Youth Hoodies  $25 / Adult Hoodies $30

CASH ONLY.
IF YOU ORDERED SPIRIT WEAR AT LIVING & LEARNING, your items will come home in your kid's backpack in time for Dance Party!

All money raised through Spirit Wear will support Bowmore athletics, including new (and much-needed!) jerseys, a new scoreboard, and safe transportation to competitions.
Go Bowmore Go!!!

(Cute kids not included)