Understanding your child’s Ontario Student Record The Ontario Student Record (OSR) is an ongoing, confidential record of a student’s education progress. Authorized by the Education Act and protected by the Freedom of Information Act and Protection of Privacy Act, an OSR is established for each student enrolled in an Ontario elementary or secondary school. The record is housed at the student’s current school and moves with the student as they transition from one school to the next. If a student leaves Peel to attend another school in Ontario, the OSR is forwarded to the new school upon request. If the OSR is not requested or the student leaves Ontario, the OSR is housed in the last Peel school that the student attended. The OSR contains familiar documents that parents can view at any given time. OSR contents include: biographical data documentation file, containing (if applicable): verification of a custody arrangement, change-of-name order, placements decisions, suspension letters, psycho-educational assessment report, identification and placement decision letters, and registration forms information concerning special health conditions name(s) of student’s parent(s) or guardian(s) Ontario Student Transcript (secondary school only) – the cumulative record of a student’s successful completion of secondary school courses photographs may also be attached record of the student’s accumulated instruction in French as a second language, if applicable report cards school(s) attended Every student, and parents or guardians of students under 18 years of age have the right to examine the student’s OSR and receive a copy of its contents. Supervisory officers, school administration and teachers may also access a student’s OSR for the purpose of improving the instruction of the student. Written permission is requested for any outside agency or personnel to access the OSR. Contact your school principal for details of the procedure to review your child’s OSR. If you would like to learn more about your child’s OSR, visit the Ontario Ministry of Education web site at www.edu.gov.on.ca. Getting your questions answered If you have any questions, concerns or suggestions about your child's education, or about education in general, anyone with the Peel board is happy to help. Here are some of the people who can help you: If you have specific questions or concerns about the education of your son or daughter, the first person to talk to is your child's teacher. If possible, arrange a personal interview with the teacher to discuss your concerns and attempt to resolve the matter. Your child's teacher or principal can also give you more information about specific strategies being used to monitor your child's progress. If you need extra help, or have more general questions, your school principal is there to assist. Your school principal can help if you have been unable to resolve the issue with your child's teacher. All curriculum material is available in your child's school. If you still have unanswered questions or concerns, talk to your superintendent of education. If you have general questions about curriculum, call Curriculum and Instruction Support Services at 905890-1010 ext. 2559. If you have questions about special education programs or services, contact Special Education Support Services at 905-890-1010 ext. 2345. Of course, your local school trustee is elected to represent your interests and is always ready to hear and discuss your suggestions or concerns. If you don't know the name of your trustee, check the 'Meet your Trustee' section of the board's website at www.peelschools.org. If you still have questions, please email communications@peelsb.com or call Communication & Community Relations Support Services at 905-890-1010 or 1800-668-1146 ext. 2809. Schools use many strategies to keep children safe Peel schools provide a safe environment for staff and students to work and learn. The board has many procedures to ensure safety. To keep students safe, schools use many strategies including: requiring all parents and visitors to check in at the main office and obtain visitor passes the use of a "buddy system" – students can only leave the classroom if accompanied by another student (for example, going to the washroom) assigning teachers to supervise inside and outside the school during recesses, before and after school locking all exteriors doors, including the main entrance, during school hours [elementary schools only] encouraging staff to regularly review streetproofing skills with students expecting staff and students to report unidentified individuals to the office immediately holding fire drills and "lockdown" rehearsals having evacuation plans in place ensuring that all staff and volunteers have up-to-date criminal record checks working with the police to provide education on street-proofing We feel that it is important that you also take this opportunity to review safe procedures with your child. Peel Regional Police have provided the following safety guidelines: Tell your children to never go anywhere with a stranger, not to talk to strangers and never take anything from them. You also have to teach them what a "safe stranger" is in case they need help. A safe stranger includes a police officer, a cashier, a fire fighter. Develop a "what if" game for children to get them thinking about how they would respond if they felt threatened or afraid. Know who your children play with and where they go. This includes keeping a list of their friend's addresses and phone numbers. Do not leave your child in unsupervised locations, such as cars, parks, public washrooms, arenas, malls and plazas, etc. Teach your children where and how to get help. Go with them on their regularly travelled routes. Your child's body is private. Tell your children that no one may touch the area their bathing suit covers. If someone tries to touch them, they should tell you immediately. Teach your children to talk to you immediately when someone does anything that makes them feel strange or uncomfortable. Listen when your children are trying to tell you about something that bothers them and provide them with support and understanding. For more information about safety at your school, review your school handbook or speak to your principal or teacher. Subscribe to receive news from the Peel board Take advantage of our electronic subscription service to automatically receive a list of activities by email on a monthly basis. Subscriptions are sent the last week of the month, plus bonuses throughout the year. Subscribing is easy just visit our website at www.peelschools.org and click on the subscription link under "Quick Links." You can also subscribe to receive: News releases Keep up with the news at the Peel board. Subscribe to receive Peel board news releases to learn more about board news and school events. Board agendas Learn more about Peel board meetings by subscribing to receive agendas. Meetings of the board are open to the public and are held on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month. Board highlights Briefing is a newsletter with highlights of decisions made by trustees at board meetings. It is sent out on the second and fourth Thursday of every month and immediately following any special board meetings. Job postings for non-teaching staff Learn about each new non-teaching job that is posted on the Peel board's Job Board. Procedures help keep students safe at school Peel schools provide a safe environment for students and staff to learn and work. The board has many procedures to ensure safety including regular fire drills, evacuation plans, criminal record checks for new staff and volunteers and lockdown drills. Together with Peel Police and the Dufferin-Peel Catholic School Board, the board developed a lockdown procedure to help keep schools safe during a potentially serious or violent incident. Every school will review the key points of the lockdown process with students. We rehearse the drill twice per year to make sure staff and students know what to do if we have to initiate a lockdown. During the rehearsal, the principal will make an announcement to "initiate lockdown procedure." The school bell will ring continuously for a period of time. Students and staff inside the school will: go to the closest room, close the door and lock it, if possible turn off the lights and lie down on the floor away from doors and windows remain on the floor quietly until further directions are given Students and staff outside the school will: move as far away from the building as possible remain outside until further directions are given Depending on the situation, students and staff outside the building may be directed to an evacuation site. When the rehearsal is over, the principal will make another announcement. During lockdown rehearsals or in a real lockdown situation, students and staff must not use cell phones. Cell phones can create a safety hazard by attracting attention to the area of the school where the phone is being used. In the unlikely event of an actual lockdown, police ask that parents do not go to the school. For safety reasons, you will not be allowed to enter a school that is in lockdown. In some cases, police will designate a Parent Information Site for you to attend and get up-to-date, accurate information. To find your Parent Information Site or get further details during a real lockdown, visit www.peelschools.org or listen to local media. If you have any questions about our lockdown drill, or any of the procedures we have in place to keep students and staff safe, please call the school. Peel board trustees accountable to the community The Peel board, like every public school board in Ontario, is governed by a board of trustees. Trustees are elected by public school taxpayers every three years during municipal elections. The next municipal election will be held in October 2014. Newly elected trustees and their contact information will be distributed following the election. The Peel board currently has 12 trustees representing three municipalities: Stan Cameron email: stan.cameron@peelsb.com Caledon 905-880-1162 Beryl Ford email: beryl.ford@peelsb.com Brampton 7/8 905-793-0800 David Green email: david.green@peelsb.com Brampton 1/3 905-495-4579 Steve Kavanagh email: steve.kavanagh@peelsb.com Brampton 4/5 905-457-3132 Brad MacDonald email: brad.macdonald@peelsb.com Mississauga 2/8 905-593-3547 Janet McDougald, Chair email: janet.mcdougald@peelsb.com Mississauga 1/7 905-278-1402 Suzanne Nurse, Vice-Chair Jagdeep Mann email: suzanne.nurse@peelsb.com Brampton 2/6 905-495-3423 email: jagdeep.mann@peelsb.com Brampton 9/10 416-816-1140 Sue Lawton email: susan.lawton@peelsb.com Mississauga 3/4 905-625-8084 Meredith Johnson email: meredith.johnson@peelsb.com Mississauga 9/10 416-706-9215 Jeff White email: jeff.white@peelsb.com Mississauga 6/11 905-267-0764 Rick Williams email: eric.williams@peelsb.com Mississauga 5 905-814-6180 What do trustees do? advocate for the needs of the community to other members of the board help members of the community address concerns about the school system set policies in the areas of curriculum, facilities, human and financial resources explain the policies and decisions of the board to the community evaluate the board's achievement of its goals and objectives and monitor its implementation of new policies participate in budget development, approve budget decisions and monitor its progress protect the future of the board by always considering the long-term effects of decisions Visit www.peelschools.org and check out the ‘Meet Your Trustee’ section to subscribe to board meeting agendas and minutes and read highlights from board meeting. Protect your kids—and your finances Each year, many of our families spend thousands of dollars when their children are injured at school, on field trips or at home. For pennies a day, this can all be avoided. The Peel District School Board does not provide accident insurance coverage for student injuries that occur on school property or during school activities—this includes extracurricular sports. If a student is injured, parents are responsible for any costs not covered by provincial health care or their employer's health care plan. Please check with your provider regarding your coverage. To help protect your family, the Peel board has arranged to have student accident insurance available exclusively through Reliable Life Insurance Company. This program offers a variety of plans and benefits at affordable prices. The coverage can include: dental expenses, and future costs (resulting from an accident) total and permanent disability paralysis/loss of use of limbs special disability benefits ambulance fees The provincial health care system does not cover costs which are commonly related to accidents including dental work, ambulance fees, casts and crutches, and physiotherapy. All of these are covered by Reliable Life’s student accident insurance plan. It is strongly recommended that all families consider this coverage, especially if your child participates in extracurricular activities. Annual plans, which provide 24 hours a day, 365 days a year coverage, range from $13.50 to $31.00 per year. Through the application only you can be covered for the school day only as low as $8.00 per year. Family rates for three or more children are available. The insurance agreement is between you and Reliable Life Insurance Company. You can apply for coverage online at www.insuremykids.com. For more information call Reliable Life Insurance Company toll free at 1-800-463-KIDS (5437). Join our school council—share your ideas Every Peel school has a school council—a group focused on helping students succeed. School councils provide a voice for parents and the community and offer advice to the school principal on a number of topics. We are holding school councils elections on [insert date] If you would like to know more or are interested in joining our council, please contact [insert details]. How to register at a Peel school Here’s what you need to know about registering your child for school Who can attend? The Peel board serves children age 4 and older. Our schools Peel has more than 240 elementary and secondary schools. You can find the name and location of your local school by calling our Planning and Accommodation department at 905-890-1010 or 1-800-668-1146, extension 2212. Where to register If your family is new to Canada, your child may need an orientation interview to register for school. To assist you with registration, we offer three Welcome Centres. Please call 905-3668791 to talk to our staff and book your appointment. There is no fee for registration. Documents to bring to registration Proof of child's age Canadian birth certificate Canadian passport citizenship card/certificate Permanent Resident Card Record of Landing confirmation of permanent residence work permit refugee permit Proof of address purchase agreement utility bill bank statement/client slip (directly from financial institution) credit card statement federal government forms (e.g. Social Insurance Number, Service Canada documents) Ontario driver's licence Proof of custody – children must live with their parent(s) unless provided documentation supports an alternate living arrangement Proof of immunization – proof that your child has been immunized/vaccinated Missing documents? If you are missing some documents, you can still visit the We Welcome the World Centres, and our staff will help you with all registration requirements. Your child’s first day of school Once the orientation interview is complete, you will get an appointment card with the date your child can start school. Please bring this card with you on your child’s first day, so that he or she can receive a new school schedule to complete the registration process. International students International students attend the Peel Academy for International Students at Clarkson Secondary School. The academy provides a unique, world-class program that integrates students from around the world into the dynamic and welcoming learning environment at Clarkson. International students interested in our program should visit www.studyincanada-peel.ca or call 1-800-668-1179 ext. 1252. Visit [insert school name]’s website [insert website address] [insert school logo or screenshot of your school website here] Want to keep up to date with what’s happening at [insert school name]? Check out our school website where you'll find: the latest school news contact information for school administration, superintendent and trustee calendar enrolment data school hours mission, vision and values registration information printable forms frequently asked questions volunteer information EQAO reports Keep up to date with our website subscription service Our new website also features a subscription service where you can sign up to receive email notifications for school news, calendar events and volunteer job opportunities. You can also choose to be notified via email and/or text message for critical news, such as school closures due to bad weather. Click on the subscribe link on the left-hand side of the main page of our website. Kobo offers special rates for Peel board students, parents and staff Does your child need a tablet for school? The Peel District School Board and Kobo are working together to help make the purchase of new technology more accessible for Peel students, parents and staff. As a part of the relationship, Peel families now have access to the following exclusive offers: kobo arc 7” HD - $135 with free shipping kobo arc 10” HD - $199 with free shipping To learn more, or to purchase a Kobo product visit www.kobo.com/peel or www.peelschools.org/aboutus/21stCentury/byod/devices and enter promo code KOBOPEEL at checkout. The Peel board’s initiative with Kobo is part of the ongoing effort to create greater equity of access to technology for Peel students, parents and staff and does not represent an endorsement of the product. Keep students safe in school parking lots Many elementary schools offer a Kiss N’ Ride program, where parents/guardians can drop off and pick up their children at a designated area on school property. The program was established to provide a convenient and safe option for our students and parents driving to school. To ensure the safety of staff and students, we ask all parents/guardians be mindful of the following guidelines: There is no parking and no waiting in the Kiss and Ride lane. Pay attention to the traffic in front of you and pull forward as cars move forward. If you choose to park in the parking lot, please escort your child to or from the nearest foot patroller and use the main crosswalk. Vehicles entering the Kiss N’ Ride lane must stay in the designated lane, unless otherwise directed by a staff member or volunteer. The Kiss N’ Ride program is only available to students who are able to disembark independently. Have your child ready to exit the car when you reach the curb. Students may only exit from the passenger (right) side of the vehicle. After picking up or dropping off your child, leave promptly so that others can get in behind you. If your child is not waiting for you at the main crosswalk at the end of the day, please circle the parking lot if permitted and rejoin the line or park in a designated parking space to wait. Always respect traffic flow and abide all traffic laws and signs. Ask your child’s teacher or principal to learn more about our school’s specific Kiss N’ Ride procedures.