Sun Safety Tips

Written by: Nicky Praseuth

Summer is here and it is very important to be safe from the sun when you are outside! From 11am to 4pm, the sun’s rays are the strongest during that time and it is not advisable for children to be outside or exposed; keep in mind that the sun’s rays still remain strong even when there’s shade.

Make sure you and your children/campers are covered! Sunburned faces and scalps will not result to a fun summer. So make sure to wear hats, UV protected sunglasses, loose clothing, and of course sunscreen.

Sunscreen should be applied 30 minutes before going outside and be reapplied every 2-3 hours. Remember to generously apply sunscreen all over, paying extra attention to the nose, ears, hands, feet, shoulders, and neck.

For more information, click here http://www.toronto.ca/health/cancerprevention/pdf/sixrecommendations.pdf

Feeling the Heat? Here are some tips on cooling down...

Posted by Adam Kertesz

Great, fun article in the National Post on some cheap, easy ways to stay cool.
(Hint: if interested in any of these ideas, click on the article to gain access to their links!)


"[...]Even if you don’t have an air-conditioner, never fear. The National Post is here with some tips to keep you cool and comfortable even when the concrete is literally hot enough to fry and egg. Seriously, go try it. Then cool off afterward with one of our wallet-friendly suggestions.


Public pools and splash pads are open across the city

In this extreme heat, who cares if splash pads are meant for kids. Slap on some sunscreen, grab a pair of flip-fops, the kiddies if you happen to have them, and head out to one of the many fun-filled fountains. Check here for a list of splashpads across the GTA. If you’re looking for a more submersive experience, jump into of the city’s many public pools.

Take an extended ride on the subway

If you’re relying on fans and cold showers to cool off at home instead of central air, grab a good book and try the more human way — a ride on the TTC. In the middle of the day, the Yonge-University line is a dead zone, so why not indulge in the underground air conditioning? For $3 you can ride the rails for the length of the line and get some reading done in the meantime.

The LCBO and Beer Stores are air-conditioned

A frozen margarita is a great way to enjoy summer to its fullest, but if beer’s more your taste both the LCBO and the Beer Store offer air conditioning so strong you barely have to chill your drinks after leaving. Stop in on your way home from the subway as a break from the heat. You not only get to drink your reward, but beer bottles fit perfectly into the nape of your neck, which sends a sweet, ice-cold, certified chill down the spine. Ah, there’s nothing like the smell of hops on a July afternoon.

Take in a matinée

The only place where the ai -conditioning might be stronger than a liquor store is a movie theatre. Many theatres offer discounted weekday matinée ticket prices. Notably, Rainbow Cinemas offers $7 matinees and Bloor Cinema members enjoy $5 matinees (non-members can pay a $9 ticket fee that includes a membership for next time). Toy Story 3, anyone?

Centre Island is only a ferry ride away

For some seemingly inexplicable reason, Centre Island is degrees cooler than the heart of the city. The ferry costs just$6 roundtrip, and the breeze off the water and the view of the city skyline are worth far more than that — just ask anyone who belongs to the Royal Canadian Yacht Club. The ferry terminal is located a southern-most tip of Bay Street at Queen’s Quay. Grab a picnic at St. Lawrence Market and head over to the south side of the island. The beach facing across Lake Ontario is the coolest part of the island.

Delight in some ice cream or gelato

Skip the ice-cream truck (most of their wares are available in the grocery store for far less) and splurge on a treat that doesn’t come from a factory. One great spot is Delight on Queen Street West, which offers fair-trade and organic chocolates as well as homemade scoops. Their strawberry ice cream actually tastes like fruit, instead of the ubiquitous pink stuff, so at least you’ll get some vitamins with the cream. If you’re really looking to cool off, nothing works better than lemon gelato. That being said, as someone who spent a summer scooping for a genuine gelateri, you need to make sure it’s the real deal. Dolce Gelato in Little Italy is as authentic as anything you’ll find in St. Mark’s Square.

Bonus tip: Find a summer read at the library

All 99 of Toronto’s public libraries are air-conditioned and have hundreds if not thousands of possible summer reads. If you’ve got a sullen, suddenly-out-of-school teenager, the TPL also has plenty of programming for your teen. Here’s a list of branches and hours.



Read more: http://news.nationalpost.com/2010/07/05/five-cheap-ways-to-stay-cool-in-toronto/#ixzz0suohovIV

Toronto Parks are finally Smoke-Free!

posted by Mitch Zeltzer


Based on an amendment to a Toronto Municipal Bylaw, smoking is not allowed within a 9 metre or 29.5 foot radius of play areas.


So from now on, when you and your children visit one of the 833 playgrounds in Toronto parks, you will be able to take a deep breath and enjoy the great outdoors, as the City of Toronto make a great step toward a smoke-free city!  


According to the City of Toronto website, here are some of the reasons for this change:

1. Second-hand smoke harms your child’s growing body.
2. Seeing a caregiver or loved one smoking increases the chance your kids will try smoking.
3. Young children could eat toxic cigarette butts or choke on them.
4. Your child has more smoke-free places to play, now that both the schools and Parks, Forestry & Recreation playgrounds ban smoking.
5. Cigarette butts release harmful toxins into the ground and take a long time to decompose or biodegrade.

Click here for more information.

An incredible display of sportsmanship

Posted by Adam Kertesz

In a world where sportsmanship has sadly lost much of its meaning, and we seem to have lost all hope in our future generations, here is an inspiring story that shows how truly compassionate high school students can be.

Here is the link to a fantastic article by Rick Reilly at espn.com, but to paraphrase: In Indianapolis, a junior varsity girls softball team (Roncalli) was completely dominating a game against a team (Marshall) from an inner city school playing their very first game in school history. The Marshall team showed up with very little equipment, and most of them (including their coach!) have never even seen a game before. Roncalli then did what NO ONE would expect them to do: an inning and a half into the game, after not losing a game for 2.5 years- THEY forfeited the game. And what happened next was just amazing to watch:

"The Marshall players did NOT want to quit," wrote Roncalli JV coach Jeff Traylor, in recalling the incident. "They were willing to lose 100 to 0 if it meant they finished their first game." But the Marshall players finally decided if Roncalli was willing to forfeit for them, they should do it for themselves. They decided that maybe -- this one time -- losing was actually winning.

That's about when the weirdest scene broke out all over the field: Roncalli kids teaching Marshall kids the right batting stance, throwing them soft-toss in the outfield, teaching them how to play catch. They showed them how to put on catching gear, how to pitch, and how to run the bases. Even the umps stuck around to watch."

So the next time you hear about pro athletes getting arrested, fighting with fans, refusing to shake hands with their opponents; or about kids getting into fights, laughing at their opponents when they score a goal, refusing to shake hands with their opponents (because their 'heroes' the pro athletes did the same thing)... think about the girls in this story and how little a 2.5 year winning streak meant to a team that in one afternoon, probably without even realizing it, changed the lives of that Marshall team. The players on both of these teams all walked away that day not just as better players, but as better people too.

It's all about perspective!

posted by: Mitch Zeltzer

This is one of those videos that can blow your mind, and really get you thinking...  Enjoy!



Too often we only try to see things from one perspective, our own!  To be a true team player you must put yourself in other people's shoes and really try to understand where they are coming from.

Cooperative Learning Conference (GLACIE)

posted by Mitch Zeltzer

If you want to learn more about Cooperative Learning and the incredibly effective strategies and structures  you can bring to your classroom, the GLACIE conference is a must!

"GLACIE is proud to present its 25th annual Cooperative Learning Conference, Achievement through Active Engagement, to be held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on May 27 and 28, 2010. This worthwhile event will provide an opportunity for educators to come together to learn and share structures and strategies of Cooperative Learning through active participation."

read more and register at: www.glacie.ca

The coolest 'Make a Wish' ever

Not much to say about this except, turn your speakers on,maybe grab some Kleenex, and enjoy.

Deep down, everyone wants to be a superhero...