ILPS Sept 2019 Welcome Back Newsletter
Dear Students, Parents and Guardians,
We hope you have had a wonderful summer ! A special welcome to families of our new students. We look forward to working with you and know that you will enjoy being a part of Island Lake Public School. Let us know if you have any questions or concerns. We want to ensure that your transition to your new school is a smooth one. Our new Vice-Principal, Mrs. Robertson, and I are excited to meet you all. Please drop in and say hello! Our office staff, Mrs. Dickson and Mrs. Lindsay have worked very hard to get our school ready for opening. Thank you both for helping our staff prepare for the first day!
Our Teachers, Early Childhood Educators and Educational Assistants have put a lot of effort into organizing classrooms and planning programs for the upcoming year. We are proud to serve our community and wish you all a wonderful year.
Sean Singh – Principal x223 Shan Robertson – Vice Principal x224
Message from the Human Resources Department Re: School Organizations:
Schools have built class lists based on their tentative organizations. Changes may be necessary at your child(ren)’s school in order that our Board remain compliant with Ministry parameters (see below). Any changes would be implemented by Monday, September 16th. Principals do not have the option of changing the school organization that is set by the District Staffing Committee of the Board. If changes affect your child(ren), you will be informed by the school.
Ministry of Education Parameters
*Full Day Kindergarten Class Size Average for the Board is 26 students
*90% of the Board’s primary classes with 20 or fewer students
*10% of the Board’s primary classes up to a maximum of 23 students
*Grade 3/4 classes have a cap of 23 students
*Junior/Intermediate Class Size Average for the Board is 24.5 students to 1 teacher
Safety Changes to the Parking Lot at Island Lake: Starting in September 2019 the parking lot will be closed from 8:15 – 9:00 am and 2:30-3:30pm. During these times only staff, school buses and those requiring accessible parking will be allowed into the lot. You will see two new signs at the parking lot entrance explaining this. Visitors can use the 15 minute parking in front of the school. Parking is also available on a number of side streets. A map of on street parking areas is available on the school website in the resources section.
If parking on a street, please do not block or park in residents driveways. Residents require free access in and out of their homes at all times. Please remember to obey all posted street signs. Parking in the lay-by lane in front of the school is limited to a maximum of 15 minutes between 8:00am and 6:00pm Monday to Friday.
Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our students safe.
Electronic Distribution of Newsletters
Parents will receive School newsletters, monthly newsletters and other school-related information electronically. This method of communication is designed to reduce our impact on the environment and to reduce photocopying costs.
Please ensure your email contacts are kept up to date in our records.
Backpack Check:Please look out for these items coming home the second week of school.
- Freedom of Information Letter-for your information. Please complete and return.
- Student Accident Insurance (send directly to insurer).
- Classroom newsletters
- School year calendar—is available on the UGDSB website— www.ugdsb.on.ca
- Student Admission/Information Form – coming soon. Please check for accuracy, update, sign & return.
Health & Safety
In our school, we have multiple students who experience severe allergic reactions to nuts, peanuts, latex or other products. If these children/adults are exposed to even a small amount of a nut product or through hand contact on desks etc., they may have a severe reaction which could be life-threatening. As a result, we need to take necessary precautions to avoid such risk as well as provide yearly training for staff on how to deal with such an emergency and administer EPI-pens.
We ask for community cooperation in providing an environment at ILPS that is free of nut and peanut products. Please discuss the reason with your child(ren) and avoid sending any items containing nuts/peanuts to school.
If your child has a life-threatening allergy or condition, his/her Life-threatening Management Plan needs to be updated yearly so that we have the most current information. Please ensure that you inform the office of any changes or if you are new to the school, ensure forms are returned promptly.
Medical forms are required to be filled out every year by those students who are on prescription medications. It is the policy of the UGDSB that a form be completed for students requiring medication at school. Also ensure that the medication is labeled, in the original container and is accompanied by clear instructions for administering.
School Security:We would like to remind parents that all visitors to the school during the day need to enter the building through the front door in order to check in at the office. Children entering and leaving the school property during the school day must do so via the office. If you are picking your child up or returning your child to school during the day, we ask that you sign out and in. We thank you for your cooperation as we continue to ensure that all children are safe at ILPS.
Asthma Friendly Schools Policy: Asthma is a very common chronic lung disease that can make it hard to breathe. The Upper Grand District School Board has a policy to provide support for students with Asthma. If your child has asthma, the policy requires an Asthma Management Plan (AMP) to be completed by parents, a child’s doctor and the principal of the school. A copy of this plan is available on the Board’s website under Policy 516. Parents are requested to complete the AMP and return it to the school as soon as possible at the beginning of the school year.
Smoke–Free Environment: The Upper Grand DSB provides a smoke-free environment for its students, staff and others while on school Board property, in accordance with the Smoke-Free Ontario Act. This policy refers to all forms of tobacco, and any processed form of tobacco that may be smoked, inhaled or chewed, including e-cigarettes.
Smudging is the tradition of using sacred smoke from sacred medicines (e.g., tobacco and sage) that forms part of the indigenous culture and spirituality. Smudging is allowed in schools under the Smoke-Free Ontario Act. Parents will be informed using the school’s usual forms of communication when smudging is going to occur in our school. Participation by staff and students is optional in a smudging ceremony.
Students leaving for lunch: Students must remain on site during the school day unless a parent or guardian comes to pick them up or if they have written permission in advance to leave the grounds at second break (all students must remain on school property for first break). Students will not be permitted to use the phone to get permission to leave the school grounds. We do caution parents against granting permission for their children to leave the school during the second nutrition break to go to unsupervised locations (the mall, other homes, etc.). Students are required to finish their lunch prior to returning to school if they have gone out to a store or restaurant. Hopefully this will minimize garbage in the school yard. Those going home for lunch will need to bring a signed note, whether for one day or the whole year.
Be On Time!! It is always a bit of an adjustment to move from relaxed summer schedules to responding to bells. One of our school goals every year is to reduce the number of students arriving late in the morning. Being on time minimizes interruptions to instructional time and helps everyone have a positive start to the day. We ask for family support with this goal for the current school year and with establishing morning routines that allow for your children to arrive on time for the 8:45 entry bell. Staff are on duty at 8:30am. If there are concerns in this area, we or the new Board attendance counsellors will be contacting you to discuss them early in the school year.
Bikes, Skateboards, Rollerblades, Scooters and Wheelie Shoes Skateboards, scooters and rollerblades can be used as transportation to and from school. For safety, we ask that students carry them when they are on school property. Students should walk their bicycles when on school property. We ask that students do not wear wheeled shoes at school unless the wheels have been removed. We thank you for helping to keep the playground and school building safe for our students.
School Agendas : Some classes have ordered agendas for student use. The cost of the agendas is $6.00. This must paid online at https://ugdsb.schoolcashonline.com/ Please remember to check the agenda daily for homework and important reminders.
Labeling Clothes/Belongings: Please use a permanent marker to identify your child’s clothing/belongings. This will help keep the number of items in the “lost and found” bin to a minimum. It will also make it easier for your child to get ready to go outside during breaks and to go home at the end of the day.
Student Absences and Pick Ups: Please call the office (519-941-3292) before 8:45am if your child is going to be absent from school. Voice mail is available 24 hours a day. When calling, let us know:
- The name of your child;
- Your child’s class and teacher; and,
- The reason for the absence.
If students are being picked up during the day, parents will need to come to the office to sign out their child. If you are picking up your child at the end of the day, and your child would normally take the school bus home, please inform the office before 2:15. Parents of kindergarten students who ride busses, please make sure to inform the office (not just the teacher) of pick ups as we need to account for all students.
Appropriate Clothing: Weather can be unpredictable in September. Unless there is heavy rain, extreme cold or an electrical storm, students go outside for recess. All children should come to school with a sweater or jacket in their backpacks in case the weather becomes unseasonably cold.
Two sets of footwear are also required—one for indoor use and the other to wear outside. Running shoes are the safest choice for footwear. For safety reasons, flip flops and shoes without backs are strongly discouraged.
Playground Safety: Rest assured that our playgrounds are fully supervised. Nonetheless, accidents do happen. To minimize risk, discuss the following precautions with your child:
- Tie back long hair;
- Zip up jackets;
- Remove drawstrings on hoods and jackets;
- Wear a neckwarmer, rather than a scarf, in cold weather;
- Do not tie skipping ropes to slides and climbers;
- Do not throw stones or other objects on the playground;
- Do not play tag on or around climbing equipment;
- Respect the rights of others by taking turns on the equipment;
- Wear running shoes.
Student Accident Insurance:As a parent or guardian, you are responsible for expenses related to student injuries on school premises or during school activities. Accidents can and do happen, and the costs involved may not be fully covered by Provincial health care or employer group insurance plans.
The Upper Grand District School Board is empowered under the Education Act to offer Accident and Life Insurance for students. A brochure will be sent home the second week of school.
Information on plans offered by the Board through Old Republic Insurance Company will be available. A variety of options, including family rates, are available at affordable prices. The cost must be paid by the parent or guardian.
For today’s active children who participate in field trips, co-curricular and other school activities outside the school day, Student Accident Insurance is valuable. You can subscribe by mail or apply on-line. Questions should be directed to Old Republic Insurance Company at 1-800-463-KIDS (5347) or www.insuremykids.com.
Checklist and Reminders:
Please:
- Send only nut free items with your children and encourage them not to share their food and drinks with other students.
- Update the student admission and information form and return it to the school as soon as possible (form will be coming home very soon).
- Mail student accident insurance package directly to Old Republic Insurance Company.
- Review bus and playground safety rules with your child.
- Return signed, Freedom of Information sheets.
- Inform the office immediately if your child has a life-threatening allergy.
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