Summer Clean Up
Special thanks to our summertime custodial staff, Mr.
Mirabelli, Ms. Kennedy-Bourne and Mr. Covatto for all
they did during the summer to make the school look
great for the students! This year they worked under
adverse conditions around continuous construction and
with many classroom changes in the building in order to
be ready for the first day of school. Their hard work is
greatly appreciated.
Staff Changes
Welcome back to Mrs. Nolan and Mrs. Pizzolon. We are
very excited to have them back. Mrs. Nolan is joining
our Grade 3 team and Mrs. Pizzolon will provide
Planning Time and Special Education support to
students. We would like to extend a warm welcome to
Mrs. LaRosa and Mrs. Kennett. Both these teachers
come from other schools. Mrs. LaRosa will share her
musical talents in her Planning Time position and Mrs.
Kennett is one of our four Grade Four teachers. This
year as we move to Full Day Kindergarten, we have four
classes each with a teacher and a Designated Early
Childhood Educator. As a result, we have four new
DECEs, Mrs. Maharajh, Mrs. Cardarelli, Mrs. Malloy and
Mrs. Miranda. We would like to welcome them to our
school community. In addition, Mrs. Marcinkowski is
new to our school, working as the Child and Youth
Worker. We welcome all the newcomers to the
community, staff and students. We are looking forward
to a wonderful, exciting year.
Professional Development Day
A reminder that there will be NO SCHOOL FOR
STUDENTS on FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12. The day will
be devoted to reorganization of classes (if necessary)
and for curriculum and faith development for staff.
Reorganization Possible
Each year we begin the school year with classes based
on projected numbers of students provided to the school
by the Planning Department. Despite best efforts to
predict, inevitably, there will need to be adjustments to
meet Ministry class size guidelines. It is expected that
changes may occur at the end of next week. Please note,
the September 12th professional development day may
provide time for reorganization which would be
effective as of Monday, September 15.
Green Projects
Have you seen our garden?
With tender loving care, our garden at the east side at
the building has been able to produce numerous
vegetables. This is really due to the sustained care and
support provided by one of our parents, Mrs. Cardoza.
She has maintained the garden over the course of the
summer. We are inspired by the harvest of squash, corn,
sunflowers, zucchini among other foods. Thank you.
School Hours
Our school hours remain the same as
in
previous years for the beginning
and end of the day.
Due to
scheduling, we have had to adjust
lunch by one minute. Therefore,
lunch is between 11:31 and 12:31.
This year our Grade 6, 7 and 8 students will eat at the
end of the lunch break (12:11 – 12:31) and our Grade 1 –
5 students will begin eating their lunches at 11:31. We
have had success in reducing the number of behavioural
incidents in the yard by having fewer students in the
yard at one time. Therefore, recess times are staggered
in the morning and the afternoon with the Grade 6 – 8
students going outside at a time different from the Grade
1 – 5 students. This is part of our ongoing efforts to
provide a safe school climate for all students.
Kindergarten children have outdoor discovery every day
in the morning and the afternoon as part of their regular
program. We applaud students who are on time for
class and ready to learn! Punctuality is a valuable life
skill and we must do our part to help children learn the
value of punctuality. School begins at 8:30 a.m.,
therefore, it is important for students to be at school
before the school bell rings.
8:30
11:31
12:31
3:00
School Starts
Lunch
Afternoon classes begin
Dismissal
Lunch Time Procedures
We will continue to provide a table,
writing instruments and notepaper just
inside the front doors for parents who
are dropping their child’s lunch off at the school. Please
ensure that your child is aware that his/her lunch is
being dropped off at the school. In the event that your
child is unaware, all students have been instructed to
check the table at the front of the school if they do not
have a lunch or snack. We kindly request your
understanding that we will not interrupt classes to
notify students that their lunch has arrived. If we learn
that there is no lunch for a student, the office will
contact parents.
Once again we remind everyone that in providing care
for one another, we recognize that in many of our
classes there are students with specific allergies. We are
committed to providing a safe, caring, inclusive and
healthy school community, therefore your cooperation is
appreciated in selecting carefully the lunch products
that are safe for all students in the classroom. Students
are not to share lunch or snacks and we remind you that
we are not able to have food products brought into the
class, even for special occasions, to be shared amongst
the students in the classroom.
Front of the School Construction
When it is done, it will be great!
We are grateful for the hard work of the construction
crew who have been working diligently over the
summer to complete enough of the road to allow us
access to the front of the school for the first day of
school. They have worked long hours, six days a week to
make it happen. Sidewalks and lighting is still to be
installed. We hope that within the next two weeks they
will be finished but some of this is determined by the
unpredictable weather we might have over the next
little while.
In the meantime, we have limited access from Kingsview
to the parking lot. This allows us to have buses come
and go and we can also operate our Kiss and Ride. We
recognize that the closure of Bolton Heights from
Highway 50 to the parking lot has resulted in increased
traffic on Columbia Way with some huge backlogs in the
mornings. We continue to recommend drop off and pick
up, especially for older children from the Caledon
Community Centre.
School Projects
We are now into the two new classrooms which were
constructed last spring and over the summer. We also
had renovations of some classrooms to accommodate
our Full Day Kindergarten program.
We continue to plan for more school improvement
projects which we hope will begin shortly. A mural is
planned for the front foyer to recognize the canonization
of St. John Paul II, plans are underway to create an
outdoor space for learning, we are hoping to have lines
painted on our school yard pavement for recess
activities and we are also planning to offer the sale of
school T-shirts and shorts to help raise funds to replace
team Jerseys to reflect the new adjustment to the school
name. What a very busy year!
Birthday Invitations
We recognize that birthdays are special events which we
want to celebrate. Please be aware, that when birthday
party invitations are distributed at school to some
students and not to all, some people may be left feeling
excluded and hurt. We ask for your consideration to
support our inclusive community.
Terry Fox Run
We are very excited to be
planning a Saint John Paul II
Terry Fox Run this year. We
hope that all the students in the
school will contribute a “Toonie
for Terry”. Students will be running and walking around
the track next to the school. All students are invited to
participate. Please watch for more information to follow
shortly.
Student Monitors
We have been fortunate enough to be allotted funding
for two supervisors at lunch time. We are grateful for
the support of our current team of Student Monitors.
We appeal to the community, if there is anyone else
interested in helping us by supervising students at
lunch, please contact the office. This is a paid position.
Agendas
Each student in grades 1 through 6 will receive a school
agenda to assist them with the development of
organizational and time management skills and to
facilitate communication between home and school. An
important feature in the student agenda is the faith
dimension and reference to the liturgical calendar as
well as reference to the Catholic Code of Conduct,
progressive discipline, our Virtue’s Program and
homework policy. In addition, the first few pages
outline school expectations. Parents are encouraged to
read and review these expectations with their children.
Controlled entry
All doors of the school are locked throughout the school
day. Any visitors must buzz to get in through the front
doors. We ask for your patience as it is sometimes
difficult to balance the many demands of the office and
respond to the front door buzzer right away.
PLASP Program
The Peel Lunch and After School Program runs out of
Room 103 for school aged children and Room 102 for
kindergarten children after school. This year, there is
also a before school program offered for school aged
children. Please contact PLASP at 905- 890 – 1711 for
more information if you are interested.
Allergy Alert
As we begin a new school year we would like to inform
you that Saint John Paul II is an “allergen aware school”.
There are pupils in attendance who suffer from severe
and life threatening allergies to certain foods, such as
peanut and nut products and, in some cases, sesame
seeds, seafood or eggs. Exposure to the smallest
quantities can cause severe life threatening reactions.
We at Saint John Paul II School would appreciate the
cooperation of the entire school community by NOT
sending any lunches or snacks that could potentially
harm a pupil. Please make sure that all of your
children’s caregivers are aware of the food restrictions.
Students should be reminded not to share food items.
No food treats are to be sent to the school for
birthdays or special occasions. There are many
alternatives such as stickers and pencils. All food treats
sent for sharing will be returned for home use.
At Saint John Paul II we pride ourselves in providing a
safe and inclusive educational environment for all our
students.
Dress Code
Students and parents are reminded of our school dress
code. A certain level of modesty is to be maintained at all
times. Short-shorts are not allowed and generally shorts
should come to within a person’s fingers.. Pants are to
be worn at the waist. Boys should wear shirts or t-shirts
with a sleeve – muscle shirts or basketball jerseys are
not appropriate. Clothing with inappropriate sayings or
logos are not allowed. We remind girls that a long top
should be worn over leggings to maintain the
conservative dress code. We hope for the cooperation of
all within our community to maintain these standards,
despite the warm conditions.
Valuables
Students are reminded not to bring valuables, items of
importance or money to school. The school does not
accept responsibility for the above. Treasures, with a
monetary value or sentimental value, should not be
brought to school. Student clothing and play items
should be clearly marked with the child’s name. No
Personal Electronic Devices, including cell phones are
allowed on school premises.
Parents in the Schoolyard
In keeping with Dufferin-Peel School Board Policy, all
visitors to the school must report to the office.
Particularly in the first days of school, it is important
that we all work together to ensure that there are no
adults on school property other than those staff
members who are wearing orange safety vests. You may
be known to your child, but you are a stranger to other
children on the
playground.
Please
make
arrangements to meet your child at a specific place
at the end of the day. All students have been told to go
to the office or approach an adult in a vest if they do not
see their parent at the end of the day. By continuing to
work together, we can continue to ensure a safe
environment for your child. Thank you for setting the
example and adhering to this important guideline.
Kiss and Ride
Our Kiss and Ride ensures a safe arrival for your child at
school while providing convenience of drop-off. It is
open at 8:15 every morning. Students should exit from
the passenger side of the vehicle. Drivers should remain
in their vehicles in order to keep the line moving
smoothly through the Kiss and Ride. Please adhere to
the posted sign and do not park in the drive thru lane
nor double park in the parking lot. Also, please do not
have your child walk by themselves through the parking
lot as this is a safety concern.
Visitors
All visitors of the school are reminded that they must
report to and sign in at the office when first arriving.
Adults in the building who are not staff must wear
identification stickers for safety reasons.
To further ensure the safety of all students and to
minimize the traffic in school hallways at arrival and
dismissal times, we ask that parents meet their children
outside of the school and away from immediate exit
doors. Supervision is provided 15 minutes before the
start of the school day and students should not be in the
yard prior to staff going on duty.
Any student leaving the school during the day due to
appointments, etc, must be signed out at the office.
Please ensure that you send a note in this regard to
your child’s teacher.
Open House
We are watching the construction of Bolton Heights
closely to better determine when they might be finished
and we can more smoothly schedule our Open House.
Please watch for a notice when we are able to determine
a specific date for this event.
Storage of Medication
Some of our students require medications during the
school day. All medication is to be stored in the office
except where directed by a physician. Board Policy
requires that we have signed request/authorization
forms from the parents and the supervising physician in
the office. These forms are available at the office. We
have sent information home to each parent in this
situation for whom we are aware and we encourage you
to follow up. If you have not received these forms,
especially for epi-pens and puffers, please contact the
office.
When medication is approved for storage, it must be
labeled with the student name, name of medication,
prescription information and dosage. The medication is
to be brought to the school in the bottle that was
provided by the pharmacist. Please do not have
students deliver medication to the office.; it should be
brought in by an adult. Medication that is sent to school
without the proper documentation will not be stored
here. This also applies to over-the-counter medications
such as, Tylenol, aspirin, ibuprofen, cough medicine,
Benadryl and allergy medications. Please be reminded
that Epi-Pens have a shelf life of one year.
Student Insurance
As required by the Education Act and the Ministry of
Education, the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School
Board annually provides parents with information about
cost-effective student accident insurance coverage.
Although enrolment is voluntary, the board encourages
parents to take advantage of the inexpensive insurance
coverage, especially if their child/children participate in
sports, excursions/field trips or if parents do not have
dental insurance coverage. Enrolment is required in
writing - there are two options for enrolment:
1) Complete the traditional form and mail it in or
2) Apply On-line at www.insurmykids.com
Courtesy Seats
Application forms can be picked up in the main office.
STOPR (Student Transportation of Peel Region) has
established a procedure for granting courtesy seats.
Courtesy transportation is assigned on an annual basis
based on empty seats not occupied by eligible riders.
Requests for courtesy transportation must be submitted
to the school, by the parent/guardian each year, using
Courtesy Transportation Request Form (TF004) found
in the main office here at Saint John Paul II. The
completed form is due to the main office no later than
Friday, September 26, 2014. Students attending the
school under the flex boundary policy, must make their
own arrangements for transportation. A courtesy seat
may be granted if all of the following conditions are met:
The bus is not at capacity with eligible riders.
A seat is available on the bus;
The bus stop already exists in the current school year.
Transportation
Please see the distance chart below to
determine if your child qualifies for bussing.
As the students get older, it is an adjustment
to learn that the distance increases, so they may have
qualified for busing last year, but they may not qualify
this year:
JK-Gr.1
1.0 KM
Gr.2-4
1.6 KM
Gr.5-8
2.0 KM
The distance criteria for those eligible for busing is
determined by the Dufferin-Peel and Peel Boards of
Education and apply to all students. With the greater
efficiencies in transportation, only those who qualify for
busing are allowed to ride the buses. If there are limited
“courtesy seats”, these will be addressed in October.
Please adhere to the guidelines above and make
alternate arrangements to transport your
child if he/she does not qualify. Seats are
limited.
Helpful hints:
•Be at the bus stop at least 5 minutes ahead of pick-up.
•follow all directions from the driver, especially when
getting off and on the bus.
•go directly to a seat and stay seated until let off the bus.
•keep all belongings inside the bus.
•sit quietly at all times. Speak only in conversational
tones.
•No eating on the bus – this is very important as many
of the students riding our buses suffer from a variety of
life threatening allergies.
Parents of Kindergarten and Grade 1 students travelling
by bus need to be aware that in the interest of safety,
students will be identified for purposes of ensuring that
no child is released from the bus unless an adult is
present to receive them.
If there have been any recent changes in addresses that
may affect your child’s transportation ie. change of
address, daycare, etc. please notify the school as well as
transportation at 905-890-6000.
Please check
www.stopr.ca for any bussing changes (cancellations,
etc.).
We thank you in advance for your co-operation. Please
remember that only eligible students may take the bus.
Students may not bring “guests” with them on the bus.
School Council
According to Ontario Regulation 612, elections must
take place within the first 30 days of each school year.
Nomination forms are available at the office. All parent
nominations must be submitted no later than Friday,
September 20 at 4 pm. We welcome and encourage all
Parents/Guardians to participate on the School Council
and become more informed of school activities and
provide input on planned activities. We will schedule
the first School Council meeting for Tuesday, Sept. 30.
Personal Electronic Devices
Parents and students are reminded of the Dufferin-Peel
Catholic School Board’s policy banning all PEDs. iPODs,
cell phones and digital cameras. We thank you in
advance for discussing this expectation with your child
and for your support. These products distract from the
learning process and infringe upon the privacy of others.
It has been our experience that cell phones are often
misused the most.
Any cell phones or other
unauthorized electronic devices seen by staff, will be
confiscated.
Emergency Drills
In accordance with Ministry and Board regulations, 3
fire drills and 2 lock-down procedures are conducted at
the school. During a lockdown procedure the bells will
constantly ring inside the school. Please note, at this
time only Emergency Personnel are permitted to enter
the school. Practicing these drills is important for
student safety in case a real emergency occurs. We will
continue to prepare students in a judicious and
conscientious manner. For safety reasons, we ask that
students wear proper footwear at all times.
Safety of Students
At lunch time students need to stick to a routine of being
either at the school or at home. If there is an exception
to this routine, the school must be informed in writing
for each day of the exception. We remind families that
we are concerned about young students visiting Mr. Sub
at the Wellness Centre on their own. Once again we
remind you that with the presence of St. Mike’s
Secondary School, there are many young adults present
at that location. For the safety of our students, we
recommend that if your son/daughter is planning to
visit the Mr. Sub with their friends, there should be an
adult or parent present with the group.