Eramosa Public School
5757 Fifth Line ✧ R.R. 1 ✧ Rockwood, ON N0B 2K0
Telephone 519-856-9529 ✧ Fax 519-856-4239
Website: www.ugdsb.on.ca/eramosa
Newsletter
Katrina Plazek,
June 2015 - Issue 10
Principal
Sheri MacKenzie,
Office Co-Ordinator
FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK…
You only have to look at the events calendar to realize what a busy month it is here at Eramosa PS.
This month we look forward to Track and Field at the school and at the district level. Our JK readiness
program is wrapping up (thanks to EWAG for running this program!), students are preparing for the
Talent Show, preparations are being made for the grade 6 graduation, the grade 6s will visit their feeder
schools, the grades 1-5 will enjoy the poetry festival and the grade 6 speeches, patrols will attend
training at Harris Mill PS, fieldtrips continue to take place that enrich children’s understanding of the
world around us, report cards go home and planning is already taking place for the next year!
As we head into the end of the year, the staff would like to thank everyone in our school community that
has made a positive contribution to the lives of our students, no matter how big or small. On June 24th,
we would like to invite all our volunteers to join us for a morning breakfast that will take place at the
school from 8-9:15 am. This is our opportunity to show you how grateful we are for your support and
dedication to the children. Come for a hot breakfast and if you are able to, join us afterwards for the
Talent Show starting at 9:30 am.
Katrina Plazek
GRADE 6 PARENTS – KEEP THE DATE – GRADE 6 GRADUATION CEREMONY
Grade 6 Graduation will be held on Monday, June 22nd from 6 – 7:30 pm.
Traditionally, flowers from the garden have been used to decorate the gym. If
anyone attending the ceremony this year has a sensitivity to the scents of peonies
and/or lilies, please let the office know. Grade 6 parents, if you have fresh flowers
in your gardens and you would consider donating a wildflower bouquet, please let
the office know. They can be dropped off early Monday morning on the 22nd.
DOUGH RAISING PROGRAM
If you are hungry for Domino’s pizza in the next week, and you order on-line using a
unique school order code (EPS014), Eramosa PS will earn 10% of the total food order
(excluding beverages, taxes and delivery charges). This program runs for 6 weeks from
April 27th- June 7th, 2015. Domino’s has provided our school pizza for the last two
years.
REPORT CARDS
Report Cards will come home Wednesday, June 24th. Please send the parent sign back
portion on Thursday, June 25th so it can be filed in the OSR.
SCHOOL YEAR CALENDAR
A copy of the school year calendar for elementary students is included in this newsletter. Please note
that the first day of school for students will be Tuesday, September 8th, 2015. The first day of school for
teachers will be a Professional Activity Day on Thursday, September 3rd.
ARE YOU MOVING?
This is a reminder that we would appreciate a call or a note from you if your children will not be returning
to our school in September, 2015. This information is very important as we make class
lists, plan our staffing and organize our school for the coming year. Also, if you know of
a family moving into our area, please let them know they can contact the school to
register. New student registration will take place Wednesday, September 2nd, 2015.
YEARBOOKS
Yearbooks will be distributed to students during the last week of school prior to the
holidays. Thanks for supporting this initiative. Special thanks again to everyone
who submitted photos; a huge thank you to our resident photographer, Mrs.
Knierim, and to Mrs. McKnight for coordinating the yearbook! Hopefully this will
bring back some wonderful memories in the years to come.
JUNIOR KINDERGARTEN ORIENTATION
We are looking forward to meeting all our new junior kindergarten students who will be attending
Eramosa on the morning of June 5th from 9:00 – 10:00 am. Parents and their children will meet in the
Foyer. Visitors will learn about the FDK program and curriculum that the children will be engaged in.
TIME OUTSIDE AND SUN EXPOSURE
It finally feels like summer! The children spend a good long time outside every day, so
please remember to apply waterproof sunscreen, send a water bottle and a sun hat. We are
all aware of the damaging consequences of too much sun exposure.
GRADUATING STUDENTS – NEW SCHOOL VISITS
Our grade 6s moving into grade 7 have been invited to orientation meetings. Rockwood will host the
students for a half day on June 17th. Students going into grade 7 at JD Hogarth visited the school with
their parents on May 7th, 2015.
TALENT SHOW
Our annual Talent Show is shaping up to be a great one! Auditions, practicing,
perfecting and polishing are all in various stages under the direction of Mrs. Semanyk
and Ms. Nyman. The curtain will open and the performers will be ready to dazzle you
with their talents on June 24th starting at 9:30am, after the volunteer breakfast. Hope
you can join us!
FINAL ASSEMBLY
Our final assembly will be on Thursday, June 25th at 9:15am. One of the special events that morning will
be our School Year in Review slide show. Special thanks to Theresa Knierim for all her hard work in
preparing the Year In Review slide show. As well, we will be presenting a few student awards.
Congratulations to all our award winners!! Please feel free to join us!
POETRY FESTIVAL
On June 16th at 2:00 pm, Eramosa will be holding a Poetry Festival; a culminating
presentation featuring 2 students from each class (grades 1-5) who were selected as
class reps. All students selected, rehearsed and memorized a poem for their class, so
students will thoroughly appreciate the delivery from their fellow classmates! Several
Grade 6 speeches will also be presented.
PRIVACY
June is a month of school celebrations. We know that many families like to record special
events, and that these souvenirs will become even more cherished over time. To respect
the privacy of all families, please do not post photos or videos that show other children on
social networks like Facebook or YouTube. Thank you for your consideration.
LOST AND FOUND
Please remember to check our Lost and Found items before leaving at the end of June. Any unclaimed
items will be donated to a local charity in the first week of July. As well, over the
course of the year, various school items find their way home. Should you come across
any of these, i.e., books, physical education equipment, etc. please forward them to
the school.
DRESS CODE
As the warm weather arrives, we have happily put away our winter jackets, boots,
scarves and mittens. With the change of seasons, we ask parents to please review our school dress
code with your children. Pertinent sections are:
-
hats and caps need to be removed upon entering the school
-
for safety reasons, ‘flip-flops’ are not appropriate footwear for school
-
‘muscle shirts’, spaghetti straps, low-scooped necklines and bare midriffs are not
acceptable for school. Girls’ straps should be at least as wide as the width of two fingers;
boys’ sleeveless shirt straps should be at least as wide as the width of four fingers.
-
undergarments, including bra straps, should not be visible
-
shorts and skirts must be a reasonable length
Thank you for your support in helping us maintain a school climate that is conducive to learning, and
respectful.
ROCKWOOD PUBLIC LIBRARY SUMMER READING PROGRAM
On Monday, June 8th, Kiirstin from the Rockwood Library will be dropping by Eramosa PS
to tell students how they can spend their summer playing at Wellington County Library! This Summer
Reading Club runs from Thursday, July 2nd to Saturday, August 15th. Last summer, Wellington County
kids read over 46,000 books! To enrol your child in the FREE TD Summer Reading Club, please visit the
library when registration begins Saturday, June 13th.
JUNIOR BASKETBALL
On May 5th the Junior Basketball team travelled to Ross R McKay and participated in a fun half day
tournament. The kids showed team spirit and good sportsmanship!
Congratulations to all the students on the team for their hard work at practice and dedication to the team.
Way to go Eramosa!
SUMMER READING AND MATH
This summer don’t forget about math and reading! On a rainy, cool summer day (I know after the winter
we’ve had, hopefully they will be few and far between) check out these websites.
Parents of Elementary Students:
Find tips on helping your child with reading, writing and math, as well as tips on homework, talking to
teachers and more. Tips are available in multiple languages at Ontario.ca/abc123.
Parents of Secondary Students
Ontario schools are offering expanded programs to help meet students’
individual learning styles and interests, which will better prepare them for
graduation and beyond. Find out more about the Student Success program at
Ontario.ca/studentsuccess.
Information obtained from Parent Matters Ontario.ca/EDUparents
In a recent email, an advertising company quoted the following literacy experts in an effort to sell reading
materials:
The summer vacation period corresponds to roughly one-third of the academic year. [...] Children who
read during the summer months were less likely to experience summer reading loss and more likely to
have their achievement remain steady or to modestly increase."
(Richard Allington and Anne McGill-Franzen, Summer Reading, 2013, p. 8–9)
Luckily we have our RAZ kids programs which students can access up until the end of August. The
Rockwood Public Library is also offering many exciting summer programs.
OUR WELL AND DRINKING WATER
We are one of the 14 schools in our district that gets their drinking water from wells. All of our other
schools are on municipal water systems.
The Province’s Drinking Water System Regulation (Ontario Regulation 170/03) requires us to test the
water at our school regularly and provide an annual report. The report covers many aspects of the
drinking water system and includes information on its performance, operation and test results.
You can go to the board’s website www.ugdsb.on.ca/dw to see our annual report and those for the other
sites.
The regular testing helps ensure that the water supply in our schools continues to be safe and of a high
quality.
PLAYING AND HAVING FUN IN THE SUMMER SUN
The summer holidays are almost here and children will have more time to play inside and outside your
home.
Play helps children of all ages build social skills, be more creative, and solve problems. Children who
play often are happier and healthier.
Children need free time every day to play. It is important for children to choose how
they would like to play and what they would like to play with. Younger children may
choose to build with blocks, play chasing or tag games, paint, draw, make a puzzle or
play with dolls, cars or trucks. Older children might like building a fort, riding a bike,
playing ball, building with a construction set, or playing a board game.
Encourage your child to play actively more often than they play video games and
watch T.V. Children enjoy playing with water or sand, playing games like hide and seek, or with bean
bags, balls, skipping ropes or bikes.
Many children enjoy putting things together and taking things apart. Children also like to play games in
which they can pretend such as dress-up, puppets and role playing. What did you like to do when you
were a child?
Play is good for adults too. Adults who take time to “play” and relax are less stressed and happier. Have
some fun this summer!
For ideas about toys and play at different ages go to:
http://www.parents.com/baby/development/growth/how-they-play/
For information on pretend play go to:
http://www.hanen.org/Helpful-Info/Articles/The-Land-of-Make-Believe.aspx
For ideas for outdoor play go to:
http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/family/travel/play-outside-47060105#slide-29
NEWSLETTER SPECIAL EDUCATION
As summer approaches it is time to start thinking about what I can do as a parent to support my child’s
continuing education throughout their holidays. Upper Grand District School Board now allows for home
use of a student’s assistive technology. Please ask your child’s teacher about the “HOME USE OF
ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY PROTOCOL” form if you would like your child to bring their assistive
technology home for the summer.
Some programs that your child might want to use over the summer:
1.
Ontario Ministry of Education: Discover quick and easy tips that can be part of your everyday life
and will help your child's learning.
Learn more: http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/abc123/eng/tips/
Watch video podcasts: http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/abc123/eng/podcast/
2.
http://www.readingrockets.org/calendar/summer
This resource was designed to assist in helping students’ from losing progress in their reading
skills over the summer months. This link provides resources, articles and activities to encourage
kids to learn, read and have fun in the summer.
3.
https://webapps.ugdsb.on.ca/ug2go/
UG2GO, the virtual learning commons for the Upper Grand District School Board. UG2GO
provides 24/7 access to quality online subscription databases and websites for the UGDSB
community.
4.
Centre of Equitable Library Access:
http://iguana.celalibrary.ca/iguana/www.main.cls?surl=CELA-Home&theme=celadefault&lang=eng
Over 200,000 items available in accessible formats - approximately 85,000 items from CELA and an
additional 120,000 items from US based Bookshare.
June’s Environmental Theme: CARING FOR THE ENVIRONMENT:
ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP
Caring about the environment is all about “doing”. So get out there and start doing all the things you've
learned about this year. It's time for all of us to start Living Green 365 days a year and make a
commitment to environmental stewardship, so we can keep our Earth healthy!
Caring about our planet means being educated about our planet; learn as much as you
can. Earth needs smart people to take care of it! Be curious, ask questions, gather
knowledge and find solutions. You need to understand what the problems are in order to
fix them.
Every one of us is important when it comes to caring for the Earth and protecting it for the future. An
advocate is someone who publically speaks or writes or does actions to support an important cause.
What kind of “Earth Advocate” are you? Choose from the following list:
• A) Activist: I want to help others to change their habits to help the Earth. I want to host an event
or make a website that encourages others to Live Green. I want to write letters to our government
to ask them to make positive changes.
• B) Motivator: I will help others change their habits by being a role model that others can follow.
People will see me living green and making a difference and be motivated to do the same.
• C) Educator: I will research environmental issues and tell other people what I learn. I will be
curious and ask questions and gather knowledge and find solutions to environmental problems
that I will share with others.
So decide what kind of “Earth Advocate” you are. You can be more than one type!
Slogan of the month: Live Green 365 days a year!
TALKING ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH JUNE 2015 – SUCCESSFULLY SHIFTING
FROM SCHOOL TO SUMMER
It is an exciting time of the year. The weather is getting warmer, days are getting longer and summer is
just around the corner. School is wrapping up and it is time to think about how to have a good transition
from school routines to summer vacation. You and your family may be looking forward to summer as a
break from the routine and as an opportunity to have some summer fun. The challenge lies in shifting
gears to a different routine and a schedule that may change as often as every day or every week,
depending on your summer plans.
The shift from school year to summer break represents a transition phase for all children and youth,
easy for some, but more challenging for others, particularly those children and youth who
experience anxiety or have difficulty with transitions. The regular routine of school may be a much
needed structure in their lives that is sometimes missing in the summer. School can provide a
consistent schedule and social contacts, which can be helpful and supportive for children with certain
mental health concerns. Summer can be unpredictable and isolating. The potential unstructured nature
of the summer, at times, can increase underlying anxiety. The loneliness and isolation can contribute to
feelings of depression. So a good transition to summer is important and can lead to a more positive, fun
summer experience.
Here are some practical tips to make a smooth transition from school to summer!
Post the summer schedule. Have your child or youth contribute to a family calendar. Together, you
can determine what to put on the calendar. Hang the calendar in a central location. Be sure to note
blocks of unscheduled time as well; that way, you can anticipate free time to use as you wish – even
if it’s just to enjoy a break in the action.
Be prepared to be spontaneous. Keep a running list of places and people to visit when time permits
and the mood strikes. Summer – free from homework and tutors – is a good time to stop by the
library, bike trail, or concert-in-the-park that you can’t seem to get to during the school year.
Revamp – but don’t eliminate – your child’s daily routine. A daily routine gives most kids a sense of
structure and security.
Prepare your child for their scheduled activities. If possible, visit the locations where
they will be during day camp or day care in advance. Have your child talk to counselors,
caregivers, as well as other kids who have enjoyed those same situations and settings.
Encourage summertime learning. Summer outings may present opportunities for your
child to learn about history, geography, and nature. Look for “teachable moments” and encourage
her to listen, read, take photographs, collect postcards, and keep a journal of her adventures. This
type of learning can boost the self-esteem of a child who struggles in school.
Get outside and enjoy the summer. Try to limit the amount of time online, watching TV, or playing video
games. Be active and get plenty of sleep and exercise. Being outside, such as going for a walk or
playing in the park elevates our mood and makes us feel less anxious.
Hope you have a wonderful, relaxing, fun summer. However, if you find mental health challenges to be
increasing or causing more difficulties over the summer, seek out mental health or addiction supports for
your child/youth, you and your family.
Summer resources for Mental Health and Addiction supports:
Your family physician and family health teams in Guelph, Wellington, Dufferin are excellent resources.
Summer School: Mental Health and Addiction Nurses will be available for drop in supports at UGDSB
Summer School locations at JF Ross CVI and Westside SS.
Canadian Mental Health Association WWD: Tuesday Walk In - 1:30-7:00, 485 Silvercreek Parkway,
Guelph.
To access Addictions, Mental Health and Crisis Services: 1 844 HERE 247 (1 844 437 3247) for
Children and Youth in Guelph/Wellington and for Adults in Guelph, Wellington and Dufferin.
http://here247.ca/
Dufferin Child and Family Services: Tuesday Talk In – 1:00-7:00 pm, 655 Riddell Road, Orangeville.
To access services for Children and Youth in Dufferin: 519 941 1530. http://dcafs.on.ca/
Family Counselling and Support Services: Walk-in, Wednesday, 1-7, sliding scale, based on ability to
pay, but will not turn anyone away. 109 Surrey St E, 519 824-2431.
KidsHelpPhone 1 800 668 6868. http://www.kidshelpphone.ca/
Dr. Lynn Woodford is the Mental Health and Addiction Lead for Upper Grand District School Board
Follow me on twitter: @drlynnwoodford
THE WORLD WE LIVE IN IS RAPIDLY CHANGING
The world we live in is a rapidly changing, information and technology intensive, globalized world. While
this may seem overwhelming at times (particularly to those of who entered this world well before this
was true), it is also rich with the potential for redefining learning in ways that were previously
unimaginable.
To best equip today's learners with the 21st century knowledge and skills they need today and for their
futures we must respond by:
• Engaging students as partners in their own learning
• Harnessing the capacity of technology to engage learners and to optimize and amplify student
learning and achievement
•
•
Emphasizing and teaching important higher-order skills such as critical thinking, communication,
collaboration, creativity and entrepreneurship
Supporting educators in preparing our students for a rapidly changing, technology-driven,
globalized world
Answers to the questions of: How do I do that? and What does that look like? are being discovered now
and in real time. Educators, students, schools and parents are acting as co-learners as they inquire
together about how to effectively and responsibly navigate learning in modern environments. As we are
discovering, inquiry leads to more questions and requires a mindset that sees failures as iterations.
In the co-learning contexts, adult stakeholders are responsible for modelling a growth mindset and being
lifelong learners. Students and children may know more about how the technology works and what is
out there, but adults asking guiding questions to help students become critical consumers and
responsible creators in the digital world are the key in navigating today’s learning in a safe and effective
way.
Keywords to search to enhance your own learning: “21st Century Competencies” “digital citizenship”
“growth mindset”, “SAMR”, “TPACK”
Sources referenced: About 21st Century Learning in Ontario http://www.edugains.ca/newsite/21stCenturyLearning/index.html
-Jen Apgar
SUMMERTIME LEARNING
With the end of the school year on the horizon, it’s a natural time to reflect with your child about their
learning. As they get feedback on their work, it can be easy to stay focused on the grade they’ve
earned. But help them to remember that there’s so much more than just the number or letter that
describes their achievement. Here are some suggestions to help guide conversations with your child to
get them thinking more deeply about their learning:
Questions to get started (based on Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle)
• Why do you think you’re learning about this/to do this? If you want to have a more broad
discussion about school in general, be direct and ask your children why they think we should go to
school in the first place. It’s a great question for not just your young thinker, but to everyone around the
table. When I’ve asked this question in classrooms throughout our board, I’ve heard a range of
response, from "To learn facts", "To get ready for high school" and "To learn the basics" to "For making
friendships", "To learn about the different ways we learn" and "To better understand the world".
• How can you make this happen? In other words, how does your child think they do their best
learning? Help them to understand that it’s not about just doing what is being asked of them, it’s also
about thinking and asking questions.
•What will we see that shows us you’re learning? Children seem to struggle, at least initially, to
answer this one or at least to move beyond what they think we want to hear, such as “I will sit quietly” or
“I will raise my hand”. With time and a bit more prompting, however, I often hear from students that what
should be seen in classrooms is "Teachers and students working together", "Each person feeling
responsible for themselves and to each other" and "Pride in myself". Can your child describe what
should be seen at home that illustrates their learning?
What does it mean to learn?
Go back to why—no matter who you talk to when asking why we go to school, you inevitably end up
talking about learning. Do we all have the same understanding about what it means to learn? Don’t
underestimate your child’s ability to enter into a philosophical conversation. In talking to students about
this, from kindergarten through to Grade 8, I’m always amazed at the depth of their responses when
asked questions like
What is learning?
Is the point of learning different in elementary than it is in high school?
Who’s responsible for the learning? Is it just one person?
Do adults still learn?
Do you think it’s still important to learn even when you’re very elderly?
Knowledge vs. Wisdom
My favourite homework for students is to have them ask their family the difference between knowledge
and wisdom. I promise that this conversation will not only shed light into your child’s thinking but will
also allow your family to discuss values that are important to all of you. It’s also a great lead into the
upcoming summer holidays and the learning and wisdom that can develop with each day. As Miles
Kington has said, “Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is knowing not to put it in a
fruit salad”.
Andrea Higgins
WELLINGTON COUNTY LIBRARY – ROCKWOOD BRANCH, JUNE PROGRAMMES
Minecraft Madness! (Grades K- 6)
Come out and explore Minecraft in real life! Crafts, games and activities inspired by those awesome 8-bit
characters. Meet other fans, talk strategy, and just have fun! Please register.
Friday, June 5, 1:30 pm
Pre-release Movie: Cinderella (All Ages)
Experience the magic! See Disney's new live-action Cinderella on our big screen for free. Please
register.
Saturday, June 6, 1:00 pm
Page Turners Book Club (Grades 1- 4)
Read together and come to discuss at this parent-child book club. Please register.
Tuesday, June 9, 6:30 pm
TD Summer Reading Club Registration Begins
Sign up for your FREE summer reading club package starting today! Registration can take place at any
time during the length of the reading club. Ages 3 – 12 years.
Saturday, June 13, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Just Dad and Me (3-5 years)
Kids, bring your favourite big guy to the library for a special Father's Day-themed story time. Stories,
rhymes, and activities are fun for everyone! Please register.
Monday, June 15, 6:30 - 7:15 pm
Rockwood branch library
85 Christie Street Rockwood, ON
519.856.4851 • www.wellington.ca/Library
ROCKWOOD PUBLIC LIBRARY SUMMER READING PROGRAM
On Monday, June 8th, Kiirstin from the Rockwood Library will be dropping by Eramosa PS to tell students
how they can spend their summer playing at Wellington County Library! This Summer Reading Club
runs from Thursday, July 2nd to Saturday, August 15th. Last summer, Wellington County kids read over
46,000 books. To enrol your child in the FREE TD Summer Reading Club, please visit the library when
registration begins Saturday, June 13th.
SCHOOL YEAR CALENDAR 2015 – 2016
The calendar can also be found online on the UGDSB website at www.ugsdb.on.ca.
Eramosa Public School
June 2015
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
1
-Gr 4 Habitats
trip
-Day of Vesak
2
- Hotdog Day
3
-Track & Field
@ Eramosa
4
-Track & Field
raindate
-Pizza Day
5
6
*Buddhism
-Nisfu Sha’ban
*Islam
-Corpus Cristi
P.A. Day
No School for
Students
*Christianity
7
8
-Rockwood
Library
Presentation
9
-Bus Patrol
Training Trip
-EPSAC Mtg
7pm Library
10
-1/2A, 2/3B,
3/4A Thatcher
Farms trip 1pm
11
12
-Math Game
Friday
13
-Feast of St.
Anthony *Christianity
-Pizza Day
-Pita Day
14
15
-Track & Field
County Finals @
Erin PS
16 -1pm Poetry
Festival &
Grade 6
Speeches
-Hotdog Day
-Martyrdom of Guru
Arjan *Islam
21
Happy Father’s
Day!
22
-Grade 6
Graduation
6:00-7:30 pm
23
-National Aboriginal
Day *Aboriginal
28
29
17-Gr 6 Visit to
Rockwood PS
-2/3B & 3/4A
Jungle Oasis
trip
18
-Track & Field
County Finals
Raindate
-Ramadan begins
*Islam
19
-Visit from
Fergus Fall Fair
Ambassador
- Last Pizza Day
20
-New Church Day
*Christianity
24
-Report Cards
go home
-Volunteer
Breakfast 8am
-Talent Show
9:30am
-Play Day 1pm
25 -Year End
Assembly
9:15am
-Last Day of
School!!
26
P.A. Day
27
No School for
Students
30
First Day of School for students
for 2015/2016 is
Tuesday, September 8th, 2015.
TRANSPORTATION NEWSLETTER
Fall Startup September 2015
Follow STWDSTS on Twitter!
STWDSTS will be using Twitter beginning
August 2015. You will be able to follow
us @stwdsts. Please make sure you
connect with us to hear about inclement
weather, cancellations and important
information.
IMPORTANT
.
New geographic areas have been
assigned to STWDSTS technicians.
You can find your technician by area at:
http://stwdsts.ca/home/schools/
JUNIOR, SENIOR KINDERGARTEN & NEW STUDENTS
If your child is new to the Ontario school system and has been registered
at a school prior to the end of June, transportation information will be
mailed to your mailing address on August 24, 2015.
NEW TO THE AREA (i.e. not registered at a school yet)
If you are new to the area please contact your school to register your
child. STWDSTS will not be accepting new student information over the
phone for security reasons. Any new students throughout the summer
will not receive transportation arrangements until they are registered at
their home school. Once this occurs, you can contact your school
directly to obtain your new busing information. Please note that
during start-up, busing could take up to 2 weeks to be arranged.
BUSING INFORMATION FOR EXISTING STUDENTS
If your child is an existing student, go to www.findmyschool.ca and
login to this secure site with your child’s OEN number (located on report
card), school name, birth date and house number. This will be available
after August 24h.
Subscription Service
Delays & Cancellations
Each year in August, due
to possible route changes or
e-mail alterations, we are
asking parents to resubscribe so you have the
most current, up to date
information.
To subscribe go to: https://
www.findmyschool.ca/
subscriptions/login.aspx and
follow the instructions.
BUS TAGS!
What are they?
Students in JK, SK and Gr
1 who ride a school bus will
receive a tag from their
school showing the student’s afternoon bus route
number and bus stop
location.
The identifying tag
should be worn
(preferably on his or her
backpack), by your child
every day throughout
the year.
This tag will assist drivers
in identifying students who
are required to be met by
a parent or guardian when
they are getting off
the bus.
Tags will be distributed at
the beginning of the school
year by your child’s school.
FAQ’s
How do I change my student's bus information AFTER
September?
Service de transport de Wellington-Dufferin Student Transportation Services
(STWDSTS) will no longer be accepting any changes to student information over the
phone for security reasons. Parents are asked to contact their school administration
directly about any changes to their address. All information will come from the school to
STWDSTS and will be consistent across the board.
Will my child be assigned to a school bus?
Transportation is assigned according to School Board policy. Your child must live within
your school’s attendance boundary and live further from school than the Maximum
Walking Distance assigned to your child’s grade level. Refer to STWDSTS Policy 002
Transportation Eligibility or go to www.stwdsts.ca and click on “Are you eligible”.
Can my child receive transportation from an alternate
address?
Both your home address and the alternate/caregiver address must be within your
school’s attendance boundary and meet the distance criteria for transportation. Be sure
to advise your school about alternate arrangements. The alternate address must be
used consistently 5 days per week and there must be room on the alternate bus.
Refer to STWDSTS Policy 034 - Transportation for Child Care.
May a student temporarily ride another bus while parent(s) or
guardian(s) are away?
All temporary transportation requests shall be refused, except under extraordinary
circumstances where the personal well-being of a student is at stake. Refer to STWDSTS
Policy 029 - Temporary Transportation Requests.
How do I apply for courtesy transportation?
Courtesy transportation is assigned based on the youngest of age (grade), then travel
distance to school, using available seats and existing stops. Courtesy assignments are not
done prior to October 31st of each year. To apply, refer to STWDSTS Policy 017 Courtesy Transportation and Form TF006.
Can my child’s bus stop be changed?
Requests for changes to bus stops should be submitted in writing for consideration (Form
TF033). Requests for changes to accommodate parent/caregiver convenience or health
issues will not be considered. No changes to bus stops are considered during the first
four weeks of school. All students are required to walk to/from their bus stops. Refer to
STWDSTS Policy 009 – Walking Distances to Bus Stop.
Who is responsible for my child’s safety prior to boarding the
bus and after disembarking from the bus?
The parent or guardian is responsible for their child’s safety prior to boarding the bus and
after they disembark from the bus. Refer to STWDSTS Policy 005 – Responsibilities of
Parents and Guardians.
Where do I find STWDSTS Policies?
Our policies can be found online at http://stwdsts.ca/home/policies/.