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10 Independent & Free Press,Thursday, December 22, 2011 2FCÏ0CEGML?J `Santa' received nearly 4,000 letters this year Continued from pg. 1 The letters to the North Pole have been part of the school board for the past 20 years. Each year, children in Kindergarten to Grade 3 send a letter to Santa before Christmas, using the board's internal email/chat system called Chatt. The Grades 4 to 6 French Immersion students are also encouraged to send a letter­ even if they are non-believers­ in order to practice their literacy. Davis's job is to make sure each child receives a response. This year there were 3,600 letters from English-speaking students and another 250 from the Frenchspeaking students. Each response is personalized to the sender and in his or her language. "As the chief elf, as Santa Claus, I co-ordinate everything. This year I had about 50 elves, if I may call them that, who are teachers, administrators, secretaries, researchers," Davis said. Each elf or responder volunteers his or her services to the initiative. "It is a way for the students to do some more hopefully authentic writing to an extra person," Davis said. "It's interesting to see the different trends of what the kids have asked for over the years." Teachers are asked to inform their students that the letters are more than just a place for them to send a list of Christmas-gift wishes. "We're not just looking for a list. You know `I want, I want, I want' We want to Municipality of Halton www.halton.ca Halton Hills Christmas & New Year's Day Household Waste Collection Notice 2FCPCÏGQÏno change to your household waste collection schedule due to Christmas Day 1SLB?WÏ"CACK@CPÏ Ï MVGLEÏ"?WÏ +MLB?WÏ"CACK@CPÏ Ï?LBÏ,CUÏ7C?PhQÏ"?WÏ 1SLB?WÏ January 1). .JC?QCÏNJ?ACÏWMSPÏU?QRCÏ?RÏRFCÏASP@Ï@WÏÏ? K Ïon your regularly scheduled collection day. Please check your 2011 Waste Management Guide and Collection Calendar for your collection area details, or visit www.halton.ca/waste to use our "Search by Address" tool. Halton Waste Management Site will be closed Sunday, December 25, 2011 and Sunday, January 1, 2012 Regular Operating Hours Open Monday to Saturday Ï? K ÏRMÏÏN K Ï0CEGML?JÏ0M?BÏÏ+GJRML Wrapping Paper Do not place wrapping paper in the Blue Box. Wrapping paper is not accepted in the Blue Box because it often contains dyes that contaminate the other acceptable papers. As well, some wrapping paper contains foil and plastic which cannot be recycled. $MPÏKMPCÏFMJGB?WÏFGLRQÏ?LBÏRGNQÏPC?BÏMSPÏ@JMEÏ www.haltonrecycles.ca. Christmas Trees (urban areas only) Christmas tree collection occurs once in the month of January. Remove all tinsel, lights, decorations, tree stands and plastic bags from Christmas trees prior to collection. Ensure trees do not become stuck or frozen in snow banks. Please check your 2011 Waste Management Guide and Collection Calendar for your collection area details, or visit www.halton.ca/waste to use our "Search by Address" tool. send a more personalized response so tell us a little more about yourself," he said. The students ask Santa some questions, such as what are his favourite cookies or reindeer or how many elves he has. In terms of gift wishes, he said he reads things such as video games, electronics, iPhones and some children even asked for their own debit or credit cards. There are also students of a non-Christian faith who do not celebrate Christmas, but send letters. "Those students took the time to write to Santa Claus so we make sure that we write back to them and we acknowledge the fact they don't celebrate Christmas," Davis said. When the school board began using the Chatt system 20 years ago, Davis was on board immediately. "At that time it was intended for student usage because back then, email was not even in the lexicon. It was something interesting for the kids to do," he said. As the board started thinking of ways to engage students in the internal messaging system, letters to Santa was one of the thoughts. Once the letters began, they never stopped. "When I took this over in 1994, we had about 350 letters all told. It's now gone 10-times that," Davis said. "This is a technology of 20 years ago and it's been self sustaining. It's just continued. Obviously, it's successful." Cadillac New Year's Eve 2012 @ g n i c n a D e n Li Party Favo urs 2012 Calendars 2FCÏÏ5?QRCÏ+?L?ECKCLRÏ%SGBCÏ Ï!MJJCARGMLÏ!?JCLB?PÏ will be mailed to all houses in mid January 2012. Stay Connected! @haltonrecycles haltonrecycles.ca Essential services available during the holidays &?JRMLÏ0CEGMLhQÏ?BKGLGQRP?RGMLÏMDÍACQÏUGJJÏAJMQCÏDMPÏRFCÏFMJGB?WQÏ ?RÏÏN K ÏMLÏ$PGB?WÏ"CACK@CPÏÏÏ?LBÏUGJJÏPCMNCLÏ?RÏÏ a.m. on Monday, January 2, 2012. All essential services will remain available during this time. If you need assistance with a Regional service during the holidays, please dial 311 or call Access Halton toll DPCCÏ?RÏÌÌ&*2-,Ï ÌÌÌ ÏÏ -LÏ@CF?JDÏMDÏ0CEGML?JÏ!MSLAGJÏ?LBÏQR?DDÏ'hBÏJGICÏRMÏUGQFÏWMSÏ?Ï Merry Christmas and a safe, happy and healthy holiday season! Cadillac NYE Dinner Buffet · 13 course buffet dinner · private dining area Dinner Tickets include: Champagne Toast, Party Favours Gary Carr Regional Chair only $ 25 00 WOW! Early Bird Party & Tickets only $ Limited Tickets Available 20 00 Halton Regional Meeting Schedule Dec 26 - 30 Offices closed for holidays Meetings can be viewed at www.halton.ca Champagne Toast at Midnight $100 VIP Bottle Service Available The hottest party of the year - Don't Miss Out!!! Visit www.nashvillenorth.ca for tickets! 905-702-7677 or 647-625-6250 or BBM 2847BA50 www.facebook.com/nashville north For more information please email us at: info@nashvillenorth.ca 221211 Please let us know as soon as possible if you will have an accessibility or accommodation need at a Halton Region hosted event or meeting. 1151 Bronte Road, Oakville, Ontario L6M 3L1 "G?JÏÏMPÏÌÌÏkÏ2MJJÏ$PCCÏÌÌÌÏkÏ227ÏÌÌÏkÏUUU F?JRML A?