Trans Day of Visibility

Trans Day of Visibility is March 31st! 

This is a day to celebrate and honour transgender people and increase visibility and awareness of the transgender community's struggles and triumphs. We welcome and value all transgender students and staff members at Willow Park School. 

What is Gender Identity?

Gender identity describes a person’s internal and individual experience of gender. A person’s gender identity may be the same as or different from their assigned sex at birth. It can be a person’s sense of being a woman, man, both, neither or anywhere along the gender spectrum. 

For example, people whose gender identities match the sex they were assigned at birth are cisgender. People whose gender identities are different than the sex they were assigned at birth may use the word transgender (trans) or another term they feel more aligned with.

For more information, click 👇

Pronouns Matter

Pronouns are the words that replace people's names. Each person may like to be addressed with pronouns (ex. they, he, she, etc.) that reflect their gender identity. If you are unsure of a person's pronouns, it is okay to ask them what they prefer. 

For more information, click 👇

What is Gender Expression?

Everyone has a gender expression. This is how they outwardly express their gender to the world. It may mean expressing yourself as feminine, masculine, both, neither, or something else. A person's name, pronouns, titles, etc. are also parts of gender expression.

Learning Commons

Come up to the Learning Commons and borrow a book to learn more about the transgender experience. 

Neurodiversity Celebration Week

What is Neurodiversity Celebration Week?

Neurodiversity Celebration Week is a worldwide initiative that challenges stereotypes and misconceptions about neurological differences. It aims to transform how neurodivergent individuals are perceived and supported by providing schools, universities, and organisations with the opportunity to recognise the many talents and advantages of being neurodivergent, while creating more inclusive and equitable cultures that celebrate differences and empower every individual. (https://www.neurodiversityweek.com/)

ADHD

Did you know that attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental conditions among young people? Gymnast Simone Biles, singer-songwriter Scott Helman and YouTuber Jessica McCabe are all living with it and finding ways to thrive. (https://kidshelpphone.ca/get-info/many-people-live-with-adhd-here-are-some-things-to-know/)

Click 👇

Click 👇

Autism

Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition (i.e. uniqueness in how the brain develops and functions) that some people are born with. It can affect things like your communication and behaviour in different ways. It’s important to remember that autism can be very different from person to person. It can be a piece of your identity, just like any other part of what makes you, you! (https://kidshelpphone.ca/get-info/what-is-autism/)

Click 👇

Click 👇

Dyslexia

Dyslexia is a specific learning disability in reading. Kids with dyslexia have trouble reading accurately and fluently. They may also have trouble with reading comprehension, spelling and writing. (https://dyslexiacanada.org/en/dyslexia-basics)

Click 👇

Dyspraxia

Dyspraxia is a condition that causes children to appear clumsy and uncoordinated compared to other kids their age. They frequently drop things, break things, or bump into things.

Some kids with dyspraxia have trouble with fine motor skills, like using a pencil or eating with a spoon. Others struggle with gross motor skills, like catching a ball or riding a bike. Some have issues with both kinds of motor skills.

In kids with dyspraxia, there’s nothing wrong with their muscles. Instead, their problems with coordination happen because their brains have a hard time telling their bodies what to do. (https://childmind.org/guide/quick-guide-to-dyspraxia/)

Click 👇

Tourette Syndrome

Tourette’s disorder is a neurological disorder that causes children to make movements and sounds they cannot control. These are called tics. Tics happen suddenly and quickly. Kids with Tourette’s disorder have both motor tics (movements) and vocal tics (sounds). (Tourette’s disorder is a neurological disorder that causes children to make movements and sounds they cannot control. These are called tics. Tics happen suddenly and quickly. Kids with Tourette’s disorder have both motor tics (movements) and vocal tics (sounds). (https://childmind.org/guide/quick-guide-to-tourettes-disorder/)

Click 👇

Want to learn more?

Click 👇

Learning Commons

Come up to the Learning Commons and borrow a book featuring a character who is neurodivergent!

Pi Day is Thursday, March 14th!

 Pi Day is Thursday, March 14!

March 14 is an important date for math and science.

• Albert Einstein's birthday is March 14, 1879!
• It is the fourteenth day of the third month and can be written as 3.14 which are the first three digits of Pi!

What is Pi?

Pi has been represented with the symbol π for more than 250 years. Pi represents the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter. 

An Irrational Number

This ratio, or pi π, is an irrational number, which means it has no end when written as a decimal number. It goes on and on and on and on.

Fun Fact 

The most decimal places of Pi memorised is 70,000, and was achieved by Rajveer Meena (India) at the VIT University, Vellore, India on 21 March 2015. Rajveer wore a blindfold throughout the entire recall, which took nearly 10 hours.  (Guinness World Records)

Pie Day

Lots of people celebrate Pi Day by making and eating pies! Yum! (Note: if you get the message Video is Unavailable, simply refresh and it will play.) Click 👇

Sir Cumference and the Dragon of Pi

Click 👇

More Facts and Activities

Click 👇

Happy Pi Day! 

Ramadan Begins on Sunday, March 10th

Ramadan begins on Sunday, March 10th.

The Learning Commons is open over lunch for those students who are fasting and would rather not be around their peers while they eat. As well, the Conference Room is available for afternoon prayers. Please see Mrs. Dickson if you need more information. 

What is Ramadan?

Celebrating Ramadan

What does Ramadan look like for kids?

What is Ramadan?

Want to wish someone a happy Ramadan?

Ramadan Mubarak! or Ramadan Kareem!

More resources

International Women's Day

March 8th is International Women's Day!

This is a great opportunity to honour and celebrate those who identify as women and their achievements in Canada and around the world. 

The Government of Canada says . . . 

From early trailblazers to today’s powerful agents of change, from the long journey for women’s suffrage towards equality of rights and opportunities for all, women have and continue to blaze a trail to create a better, more equal world for everyone.

Take a look at this timeline to discover notable events in Canadian women’s history and learn more about the powerful women who created change.

Click 👇 

Heritage Minutes

There are many one minute videos highlighting achievements by Canadian women in history. Click 👇

Women of Impact

Check out this interactive map of Canadian women who have made an impact on our world. Click 👇

The Paper Bag Princess

Watch Canadian author Robert Munsch read his book. Click 👇

The Learning Commons

Come up to the Learning Commons and borrow a book featured on our blue haired lady. 

🎵 She had a marvelous time ruining everything . . . 🎵

New Books in the Learning Commons

Come on up to the Learning Commons and check out a new book from our display! 

We have over 100 new books on display including:

• fiction
• non-fiction
• fantasy
• historical fiction
• cookbooks
• graphic novels
• and more!

 Happy reading!