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Monthly Archives: September 2022

IMPORTANT: Bus Cancellation notice “YELLOW Bus” route 143

This is the only bus cancellation at St. John’s for the week of September 26th – 30th.

Dear St. John’s families,

Please see the attached letter. Below, is a brief summary:

This letter is to inform you that your child’s bus, Route 143 / YELLOW Bus, is expected to be cancelled from Monday September 26, 2022 to Friday, September 30, 2022. It will start again on Monday, October 3, 2022.

Route143 YELLOW Bus Cancellation Sept23 letter

Tigrinya translation below

 

Thank you for making alternate arrangements for your child to attend school for the week of September 26th – 30th.

IMPORTANT: Bus Cancellation notice “YELLOW Bus” route 143

Dear St. John’s families,

Please see the attached letter. Below, is a brief summary:

This letter is to inform you that your child’s bus, Route 143 / YELLOW Bus, is expected to be cancelled from Monday September 26, 2022 to Friday, September 30, 2022. It will start again on Monday, October 3, 2022.

Route143 YELLOW Bus Cancellation Sept23 letter

Tigrinya translation below

 

Thank you for making alternate arrangements for your child to attend school for the week of September 26th – 30th.

September Newsletter

St. John’s Open House & Meet the Teacher

Tuesday September 20th    4:15pm – 5:30pm

Please join us after school for a quick meet and greet with your child’s teacher. This is an informal meeting, not parent-teacher interviews. We look forward to meeting you!

Picture Day!!

Pegasus will be at St. John’s CES on Wednesday September 21st to take each student’s picture. All students who are present on September 21st will have their individual photo taken regardless of whether you intend to purchase photo packages or not. We use these photographs for emergency purposes; therefore, each student needs to photographed so they are visible in our student database on Aspen. If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Medeiros in the main office.

We do our best to have all of the younger students photographed PRIOR to lunch. However, please send your child in an outfit that can be worn outside for play at each recess.

Important Letter: No Nuts allowed at school

Please take the time to review the attached letter regarding the province wide Anaphylaxis policy which clearly states No Nuts allowed at schools in Ontario.

No Nuts allowed at school

Upcoming events

Rowan’s Day: Wednesday September 28th

Rowan Stringer loved rugby. A competitive and keen athlete, she was captain of her high school’s team. Tragically, in May 2013, 17-year-old Rowan died as the result of multiple head injuries she sustained while playing rugby. In the week before her last game, Rowan was hit twice while playing, likely sustaining a concussion after each blow. Her concussions went unreported, and she continued to play. Rowan suspected something wasn’t right—she texted a friend about her condition and used Google to search for information about concussions. When she was hit again in her final game, Rowan suffered what is known as Second Impact Syndrome—catastrophic swelling caused by a second injury to a brain still healing from previous trauma. Rowan collapsed on the field on May 8, 2013 and died four days later.

Rowan’s Law, which came into effect in March of 2018, makes it mandatory for sport organizations and schools to inform themselves about the dangers of head injuries. Rowan’s Law helps protect the player and helps students, coaches, parents/guardians, teachers, and officials learn about preventing concussions.

In September 2019, the Ministry of Education updated its concussion policy (PPM 158) to be consistent with Rowan’s Law. Schools must comply with their school board’s existing concussion policy (which includes having a return to school and return to physical activity plan for any student who has a concussion).

Rowan’s Law is also about education. By increasing concussion awareness and knowledge, we can change Ontario’s culture around sports, physical activity, and injury. Encourage your kids to SPEAK UP, get the help they need, and take the time necessary for recovery, with the support of everyone around them.

On this day, we invite everyone to wear PURPLE…Rowan’s favourite colour… as a sign of solidarity to concussion awareness and education in Rowan’s memory. We will be sharing important information with all students on this day specifically, and throughout the year, as part of our health curriculum.

Terry Fox School Run: Thursday September 29th

Terry Fox said, “anything is possible if you try.” Inspired by his amazing example, we are proudly taking part in this year’s Terry Fox School Run. Please consider supporting our students as they try, and help us raise much-needed funds for cancer research. This year, we will be collecting Toonies for Terry, and we encourage all students to wear Red & White on this day.

Our school Terry Fox run will take place on school property RAIN or SHINE!…just like Terry’s Marathon of Hope. Please make sure your child is dressed appropriately to be outside for 30 minutes to an hour (depending on grade). Please give if you can, and support our run by encouraging your child to participate to the full extent of their ability.

National Day for Truth & Reconciliation: Friday September 3oth

We look forward to learning about and honouring Indigenous culture on what was previously known as “Orange Shirt Day”. This will be a year long commitment, not just a day connected to a coloured t-shirt. We recognise our privilege and responsibility to educate our ourselves first, and then our students, in order to repair harms caused in the past and to do right in the future. We will commit to be part of reconcili-ACTION this year at St. John’s.

Please help your child find something orange to wear on Friday September 30th.

CSAC: Catholic School Advisory Council

Our first meeting will be on Monday October 3rd from 6:00pm to 7:30pm. Meetings this year will be held in person in the school Learning Commons. The first meeting will be an introduction to CSAC for all our community members.

The primary purpose of a Catholic School Advisory Council is to focus the resources of an entire community on the well- being and effective learning of our students. CSAC acts in an advisory capacity to the principal.  Anyone in the school or broader community is welcome to attend and to observe CSAC meetings. These meetings deal with many issues important to the school community; however, they are not forums for the discussion of parent-teacher-student issues. These concerns will be referred to the Principal.

Our CSAC is always looking for dynamic individuals in our community to be part of the team. Please see our school website and click on School Council for a thorough review of the roles and responsibilities of our CSAC members. All are welcome!

Honouring the Life of Queen Elizabeth II While Respecting Equity & Inclusion

WCDSB NewsWire communication…

In the days since the death of Queen Elizabeth, there has been much discussion around the world (including here in Ontario) regarding fitting gestures in communities and schools, to mark the passing of a Sovereign who has served the Commonwealth, and as Canada’s head of state, for seven decades.

Each time the Queen appointed a new Canadian governor general — including Her Excellency, the Right Honourable Mary Simon, our first Indigenous governor general — we were reminded of Canada’s unique relationship to the Commonwealth countries around the world, and the United Kingdom.

Accordingly, at the direction of the Ontario government, the Waterloo Catholic District School Board will honour Queen Elizabeth on Monday September 19th at 1:00 pm with a moment of silence in our board offices and throughout our schools.

As always, teachers will need to use their professional judgement to consider the complicated and complex relationship that has existed between the Crown and Indigenous and racialized Canadians, which may impact students in our schools.

In every setting, it will be important to strike an appropriate balance between an observance of respect, and a recognition of how certain rituals of remembrance may impact individuals and communities whose lived experience is not one of support for the British Monarchy.

In a faith-based educational setting such as ours — in which our schools stand as “heart of the community”, and promoting “success for each” and creating “a place for all” is a hallmark of all we believe and do — we hold space for both our continued action on Truth and Reconciliation, equity and inclusion, and a dignified recognition of the woman who so selflessly gave to our nation; our Queen.

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Important Message from Student Transportation Services of Waterloo Region

Important Message from Student Transportation Services of Waterloo Region

Dear Parents and Families,

We want to share an important update about school buses. Due to the ongoing bus driver shortage and lingering impacts of the public board’s cyber attack on our shared bus planning software, some routes will need to be temporarily cancelled.

Most bus routes are operating normally. However, some routes are experiencing more frequent and prolonged delays (30 minutes or greater).

This temporary measure will be effective Monday, September 19, 2022 and will continue until Christmas, at which time our need for cancellations will be reviewed.

We understand the significant impact this decision will have on our students and their families and caregivers. Student Transportation Services of Waterloo Region (STSWR) does this only as a last resort. We hope that this proactive message will allow families and caregivers to better prepare for and react to the cancellation of bus routes.

Please note that delays have not been caused by our current bus drivers.  When they are late, it is because they are trying to support students on bus routes that have no driver, with the best of intentions.  They do not have to do this.  They are trying to help.  Please be kind to them!

What Happens If A School Bus Route is Cancelled?

Effective September 19, 2022

A school bus route will be cancelled when the driver shortage causes a route to be late by more than 30 minutes consistently. Affected students and families will be informed immediately of the cancellation period.  Cancellations are done on a week to week basis.

Supporting Student Learning

If a school bus route is cancelled, families are responsible for transporting their children to and from school each day.

Where this is not possible, students should access asynchronous learning materials posted by their classroom teacher on their Learning Management System (LMS), either D2L or Google Classroom. Additional activities can be found here: .

Families should contact their school to let them know if they are unable to get to school.  The school can also help families to sign out a Chromebook if necessary.

Stay Informed

Families will be informed the day prior to any cancellation. Cancellations will be posted on the STSWR website with an expected return date.

The Bus Delays page will be updated with cancellation information each afternoon by 4:30 PM.

Questions?

Please contact Student Transportation Services of Waterloo Region (STSWR).

Student Transportation announcement

Please see the announcement from Student Transportation Services:

Due to a software malfunction, STSWR and our bus operators will not be able to post late notices on websites for transportation routes that are not running on schedule.  Further, late notices cannot be sent to parents via e-mail or text message as normal.

We apologize for this late notice and the issues it will create to your schedules.

First Day of School reminders

Welcome back Thunder!!!

The staff at St. John’s CES are very excited to begin a new school year with your child. As we approach this new year, please know that our first priority is, and always will be, the mental health and well-being and physical safety of your child. We understand there are a number of concerns and questions about what this continued COVID reality will look like in schools. Please continue to check our St. John’s school website and WCDSB website for up-to-date information.

Class lists & change requests

Please note that we will not be making any changes to our classroom assignments at this time. There are a multitude of factors that come into play when creating class assignments including individual needs, new students to our community, multilingual learners, special education needs, students returning from remote learning, and provincial class limits. It is not possible, at this time, to make any changes. The school board may adjust our classroom allocations based on enrollment fluctuations by the end of September. This would be the only reason for classroom assignment changes in the next few weeks.

As a community of educators, we are highly aware of the mental health and well-being needs of all our students. We take this component of our work very seriously, and our board level support staff have invested a tremendous amount of time and effort to prepare our work for the year ahead. We will all face challenges this year as we continue to exist in a COVID environment. We will work together to meet these challenges with a positive attitude and well-being for all as our priority. Students can engage with friends from other classes including those who are in different grades.

We will get through this together. Thank you for supporting the decisions regarding class assignments as they have been made in the best interests of all.

Bell times, entry, and dismissal

  • safe arrival time each day is 8:45am; students cannot arrive before this time as there is no supervision available
  • our school day begins at 9:15am and ends at 3:45pm for all students
  • all Kindergarten students should be dropped off in the gated yard on Strange Steet
  • students in Grade 1-8 should arrive on the blacktop each day
  • upon arrival to the school, yard supervisors will be responsible for supervision of students
  • parents/ guardians are asked to wait off the blacktop at the beginning and end of day; you are welcome to wait (on foot/ bike) for your children in the parking lot or along the fence on Strange Street (Kindergarten)
  • if you are driving your child to school, please park at Cherry Park or in designated areas within the neighbourhood; the school parking lots are for staff only

Parking lots are for staff only

  • The parking lots are for staff only. Thank you for respecting that staff need to have easy access to the school throughout the day. Student safety is also a priority. We cannot have moving traffic in the lots while students are arriving and departing school each day.

Transportation

  • all information regarding transportation is available for families via Student Transportation Services
  • John’s CES does not coordinate this information
  • Please check stswr.ca for more information; we do post updates on our school NewsWire service and school website
  • Parents/ guardians should review the How to Guide for Student Transportation Services

Do Not Ride bus forms

If your child is bus eligible but you do not want them to ride the bus please make sure you have completed the DO NOT RIDE form. We need to have an accurate record of who our bus students are for health and safety reasons. You can update this request throughout the school year should your transportation needs change.

Dogs on Property

There is a clear WCDSB policy that dogs are not allowed on school property. Your fury family members are, of course, welcome on city sidewalks. Please make sure that you say goodbye to your child at the sidewalk if your fur baby is along for the drop off. Much appreciated!

COVID Health and Safety Protocols

On August 5, the Ministry of Education released the Health and Safety protocols for the start of the school year.  Most protocols and guidelines remain unchanged to those that were in place at the end of June. We continue to work with our local public health officials to ensure we are aligned with the most up-to-date guidance and hope to minimize any potential disruptions to learning throughout this school year.  

The following is a summary of what you can expect in September:  

Ventilation – Over the past several years, significant upgrades have been made in school ventilation systems to support a healthy learning environment.  Our custodial and maintenance staff have been working throughout the summer to ensure our schools are safe, clean and that the ventilation systems have been inspected and properly maintained to welcome staff and students back. UV or combination UV/HEPA filtration units will continue to be present in all classrooms and learning spaces throughout this school year. 

Daily Screening – Staff and students are asked to continue to screen each morning before school using the COVID-19 school screening (ontario.ca) resource and stay home when feeling unwell or exhibiting symptoms.  We ask that screening become part of your personal daily routines.  The daily screening requirements and related guidance may change throughout the year and notification of any changes will be communicated to our community.    

Masking – Continuing with the protocols in place in June – and based on the advice of the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health – masks will remain optional for students, staff and visitors in schools, and on student transportation.  We continue to support a mask-friendly environment in our schools and workplaces and recognize there are times when staff or students may need to wear masks in alignment with provincial or federal guidance or may choose to wear masks if there is a high incidence of illness in our community. Masks will continue to be available upon request to staff and students in the 2022-23 school year.  

Rapid Antigen Tests – Rapid Antigen Test kits will continue to be available to staff and students in schools as needed.  

Safety protocols

  • staff will review and rehearse all safety protocols with students
  • signage, both written and pictorial, will be placed throughout the school to remind students of our protocols
  • routines and rules are necessary to keep everyone safe

Visitors and Volunteers

  • Please use the buzzer at the side entrance of the school facing the church rectory; wait for a staff member to greet you on the speaker or at the door
  • We will be welcoming volunteers to our school community this year; please call the office if you would like to complete a volunteer package
  • Volunteers will need to have a Vulnerable Sectors Criminal Reference check completed before working in the school

Grade 1-8: Classroom set up, student materials, Chromebooks

  • although we are no longer providing a learning kit for every student, we will continue to provide all basic school supplies (e.g., pencils, erasers, crayons, markers, highlighters, pens, scissors, glue sticks, etc.) for students
  • student learning materials will not leave school
  • please do not send in additional materials from home unless specifically requested by the teacher
  • school Chromebooks will be wiped down after each use
  • students who are able to bring their own personal device for learning purposes are encouraged to do so
  • if your child is bringing a personal learning device (including a cell phone) you must complete the appropriate paperwork online to assume responsibility for proper use

Lunch Hour: 12:00pm – 1:00pm

  • please make sure your child has a lunch before they leave home in the morning
  • please send a refillable water bottle with your child; this is the only liquid they will be allowed to keep on their desk during the day (i.e., no sports drinks, juice, coffee, etc.)
  • Grade 1-3 students will eat from 12:00pm – 12:20pm; Grade 4-8 students will eat from 12:40pm – 1:00pm
  • this staggered lunch schedule will reduce the number of students on the yard at one time
  • Students are encouraged to go home for lunch if they live close enough to school; they should return at 12:55pm (5 minutes before afternoon classes begin)
  • Please make sure the proper forms are completed on School Cash Online
  • We will be starting our Pizza days at the end of September; please stay tuned for more information!

Outdoor learning

  • outdoor learning will be encouraged as often as possible for all grade levels
  • please make sure your child has appropriate clothing for outdoor play and extended periods of time outdoors

Recess procedures

  • please do not send equipment from home; all recess equipment will be provided for students this year
  • we need to control the amount of equipment on the yard to reduce the incidence of accidents for both staff and students

We look forward to seeing all our students on Tuesday September 6th.

Wishing you continued health & wellness,

 Tonya Reesor                               

Principal

Important Transportation details from Student Transportation Services

Please click on the links below for critical information from Student Transportation Services.

Anticipated Transportation Service Delays

Student Transportation Services of Waterloo Region (STSWR) continues to navigate challenges related to a shortage of school bus drivers in some parts of Waterloo Region. This will have an impact on school bus operations in September.

As a result, some schools will be impacted by bus delays. Waterloo bus operators and STSWR are working diligently to minimize the impact on students and families. Recruitment efforts by the bus operators are ongoing.

We appreciate your patience and understanding. We continue to work together with our Waterloo bus operators to serve our students.

Stay Informed

Parents and caregivers can sign up for delay and cancellation notifications through our Parent portal.

School Bus Driver Employment Opportunities

Are you a stay at home parent, retiree, or have a flexible home-based business? If you enjoy working with children, this could be the perfect, secure, part-time job for you!

Learn more about becoming a School Bus Driver on our School Bus Driver Employment Opportunities page.

How to access your child’s transportation details

Transportation details for the 2022-2023 school year will be available on Monday August 29, 2022.

For greater security, our student login portal now requires you to have an account in order to see your child’s transportation details; if you already have an account with us to subscribe to notifications in the past, you can use the same credentials to login for transportation details. If you don’t already have an account, use our guide to create one. Student Login for STSWR

See our complete Student Login Guide here.

Quick Guide

In order to create a new account, you need a personal email address.

Note: when you create your account, you will be asked to enter an 8-character password that contains at least one upper case letter, one lower case letter, and one special character ($&#$@).

Once your new account is created, you will need to confirm the account from your email inbox.

To add a child to your existing or new account, log in and then click on “add student” and be ready with the following information:

  • Your child’s Ontario Education Number (OEN)
    • The OEN can be found on your child’s report card
    • Use the numbers only, no space, no dash
  • Enter your child’s birth date (dd/mm/yyyy)
  • Enter your child’s street number (house number only, no spaces)
  • Select the school your child is attending from the drop down menu

Your child will be added to your account and you will see their bus details.

***If you are having difficulty with the student login portal please see our complete Student Login Guide here***

Please note that any address changes must be completed at your child’s school.

Follow us on Twitter @STSWR.

Living, Learning & Looking Forward: COVID Info & Resources

COVID-19 PROTOCOLS – Fall 2022

On Wednesday the Ontario government released a new set of COVID protocols, and an updated daily screener that has been divided into a screener for those who are non-immunocompromised and those who are immunocompromised. Please review the following information carefully. Here is the link: 

https://www.wcdsb.ca/living-learning-looking-forward/
Management of Cases and Contacts of COVID-19 Document: Sept. 6 2022 management_cases_contacts

 

Daily Screening for Non-Immunocompromised:  COVID-screening-non-immunocomprised_en-V5-2022-08-31

 

COVID-19 Daily Screen for Immunocompromised People:  COVID-screening-immunocompromised_en-V5-2022-08-31
In the community (including in schools and childcare settings), it is the responsibility of the individual with COVID-19 symptoms or a COVID-19 positive test to determine who their close contacts are and to notify them of their potential exposure.

 

If You Test Positive / Isolation Requirements
If you test positive for COVID-19 and have symptoms, you must:
Isolate until symptoms have been improving for 24 hours (or 48 hours if gastrointestinal symptoms) and there is no fever present.

 

If you test positive for COVID-19 and do not have symptoms:
You do not have to isolate and may attend work / school, and you are not required to wear a mask – although wearing a mask is recommended. If symptoms develop. You must isolate immediately.

 

Once your symptoms have cleared, you must:
For a total of 10 days after your symptom onset, continue to wear a well-fitted mask in all public settings (including schools and childcare).

 

Isolation Requirements for Close Contacts of Positive Cases
A close contact is defined as an individual who has a “high-risk exposure” to a confirmed positive COVID-19 case, an individual with COVID-19 symptoms, or an individual with a positive rapid antigen test result.

 

“High risk exposures” include:
  • Anyone living in the same household during the infectious period.
  • Anyone who has had direct contact with infectious body fluids of the case (e.g., coughed on or sneezed on)
  • Anyone who has been in close proximity (less than 2 meters) for at least 15 minutes or for multiple short periods of time without consistent and appropriate use of masking.
If you have had a “high risk exposure”, you must:
For a total of 10 days after the last exposure to the COVID-19 positive case or individual with COVID-19 symptoms, wear a well fitted mask in all public settings, self-monitor for symptoms and self-isolate immediately if you develop any symptom of COVID-19 and seek testing.
 
Masking, Physical Distancing & RAT Testing

 

Masks are not required for students, staff and visitors in schools, school board offices, or on student transportation.

 

The WCDSB continues to support a mask-friendly environment in schools and workplaces, and recognize there are times when staff or students may need to wear masks in alignment with provincial or federal guidance or may choose to wear masks if there is a high incidence of illness in our community. Masks continue to be available upon request to staff and students in the 2022-23 school year.

 

There are no longer any physical distancing or cohorting requirements.

 

Rapid antigen tests are provided to staff/students upon request, and/or upon return from an unplanned absence. Schools are being supplied accordingly.

 

Re-Entering Canada After Foreign Travel
Federal Government International Travel Requirements

 

You must isolate for 10 days starting on the day you enter Canada, if you:
  • know that you have COVID-19 or
  • show signs and symptoms of COVID-19 or
  • have received a positive result for any type of COVID-19 test taken less than 10 days before the day on which you enter Canada or
  • have any other reasonable grounds to suspect you may have COVID-19
Isolation ends after the 10th day from the day on which you entered Canada.

 

Positive Case Reporting
There is no provincial public health requirement for workers who test positive or have isolated due to COVID-19 symptoms to provide proof of a negative test result or a positive serological test result to their employers in order to return to work. It is expected that students and staff who have tested positive or who have symptoms of COVID-19 will follow public health isolation recommendations.

Special Message from Director of Education Tyrone Dowling

Special Message from Director of Education Tyrone Dowling

Dear Waterloo Catholic Families,  

We are excited to be welcoming you and your family back for the start of the 2022-23 school year. We offer a special welcome to all families joining us for the first time this year. We hope that all of you had a great summer and are looking forward to the new opportunities this year will bring.

If you need information about registering for school, please CLICK HERE .

We look forward to joining with you this year in the name of Catholic education to support the academic success and faith formation of all of our students.  We are thankful for the opportunity to work together with you to provide the very best educational opportunity possible for your child and family.   

I am writing to you today to provide important information to assist with your planning as we approach our first day of school next Tuesday, September 6, 2022. 

COVID Health and Safety Protocols

On August 5, the Ministry of Education released the Health and Safety protocols for the start of the school year.  Most protocols and guidelines remain unchanged to those that were in place at the end of June. We continue to work with our local public health officials to ensure we are aligned with the most up-to-date guidance and hope to minimize any potential disruptions to learning throughout this school year.  

The following is a summary of what you can expect in September:  

Ventilation – Over the past several years, significant upgrades have been made in school ventilation systems to support a healthy learning environment.  Our custodial and maintenance staff have been working throughout the summer to ensure our schools are safe, clean and that the ventilation systems have been inspected and properly maintained to welcome staff and students back. UV or combination UV/HEPA filtration units will continue to be present in all classrooms and learning spaces throughout this school year. 

Daily Screening – Staff and students are asked to continue to screen each morning before school using the COVID-19 school screening (ontario.ca) resource, and stay home when feeling unwell or exhibiting symptoms.  We ask that screening become part of your personal daily routines.  The daily screening requirements and related guidance may change throughout the year and notification of any changes will be communicated to our community.    

Masking – Continuing with the protocols in place in June – and based on the advice of the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health – masks will remain optional for students, staff and visitors in schools, and on student transportation.  We continue to support a mask-friendly environment in our schools and workplaces and recognize there are times when staff or students may need to wear masks in alignment with provincial or federal guidance or may choose to wear masks if there is a high incidence of illness in our community. Masks will continue to be available upon request to staff and students in the 2022-23 school year.  

Rapid Antigen Tests – Rapid Antigen Test kits will continue to be available to staff and students in schools as needed.     

For more information about school start-up routines, please watch for updates from your school this week.   

Thank you for your ongoing support of Catholic Education.  We look forward with anticipation to the new opportunities this year will bring.

I wish you all the best as we begin this school year in the coming week.

Sincerely,

Tyrone Dowling

Director of Education

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