John McCrae Public School

Hello September 2023

Posted September 5, 2023

Welcome back to School! We hope you all had a wonderful and restful summer break. As we embark on a new academic year, we are thrilled to see familiar faces and extend a warm welcome to all the new students joining our school community.

We believe that ongoing and open communication between home and school is crucial for the success of our students. Together, we can provide them with the best possible education and create a supportive and nurturing environment where they can thrive. Our dedicated staff members are committed to working collaboratively to ensure that our students receive a high-quality education that caters to their individual needs.

We take great pride in the diversity and strength of our school community. It is through the collective efforts of parents, teachers, students, and staff that we are able to create a vibrant and inclusive learning environment. Your input holds significant importance to us, and we hold your suggestions in high regard. We actively welcome your engagement and urge you to openly share your thoughts, worries, or inquiries with us.

Let us embrace the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead. With your continued support and involvement, we are confident that this will be a remarkable year filled with growth, achievement, and memorable experiences for our students.

We look forward to a fantastic year ahead!

Sincerely,

Farhan Hussain/Lynn-Michelle Fortier/Kathy Lambkin 

Handbook

Please consult the Handbook for information about our school.

• Staff List

Parent/Guardian Signature Package

Forms will be going home with each student during the first week of school (some are for information only, while other forms need to be completed and returned to the school as soon as possible). Make sure to check out your child’s information on the Student Verification Form and update if necessary, including adding a local emergency contact. – Click here 

Throughout the school year, School Council runs ongoing school-based programs, hosts events, and raises funds to enhance learning for all JMC students. This is a great opportunity to get involved and be a part of our amazing community. It is also your chance to provide input on where you would like to allocate money raised during the school year. The first School Council meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 19th between 6:30-7:30 p.m in the Learning Commons. 

We welcome all members of the school community, new and old, to come and see what Parent Council is about.  The night will consist of a Meet and Greet, elections, and planning for the upcoming year. 

If you are unable to make the meeting but are still interested in volunteering, please email us at [email protected] as there are many ways to support our school. 

At this meeting we will vote in the following roles:

Chair/co-chair

Treasurer

Secretary

Voting members

Dogs on School Property

Please note that there are children who have allergies to animal hair, and who have a fear of dogs.  There is also a possibility of a child being scratched or bit by a dog (perhaps excited by all the children who enter and leave the school at the beginning and end of the day).  In order to prevent a potential concern for our students, please do not bring your dog onto school property during school hours. 

Please note that this does not apply to Service Dogs.

Open  House

We invite you to join us this evening for our Open House event where you can visit your child’s classroom. The event will take place on September 28th from 5:30 to 6:30 pm. We look forward to welcoming you!

Proactive Healthy School Strategies: 

As a school board, we want to remind everyone of the importance of many standard  protective strategies to help keep staff and students safe and healthy. Each of the measures listed below provide some benefit in reducing spread of illness; 

• Frequent handwashing
• Respiratory etiquette
• The UGDSB will continue to support students, staff and visitors to our schools and respect their individual choices about masking
• Standalone HEPA filter units will continue to be used in classrooms

School Year Calendar 

Click here to view the Calendar

Medication at School

If your child requires medication while at school, the following applies: all medication (both prescription and non-prescription drugs) must be kept in a secure place in the office. We must have a completed form with a parent signature before school personnel can administer any medication at school. If your child requires any medication, including an EpiPen or asthma inhaler, forms need to be filled out and a Plan of Care completed. Please don’t hesitate to ask questions.

Students with Life-Threatening Medical Conditions

UGDSB Policy 518 (Students with Life-Threatening Medical Conditions) outlines the roles and responsibilities for all in the educational community to support students with possible life-threatening medical conditions. The prevalent medical conditions covered under this policy are: Asthma, Anaphylaxis, Diabetes and Epilepsy/Seizure Disorders. If your child has one of these, or any other life-threatening medical condition, please visit: www.ugdsb.ca/board/policy (and look for Policy 518) or contact the school ASAP. We will work with you to develop a Plan of Care to support your child.

Life-Threatening Allergies

We have children in our school board with potential life-threatening allergies (called anaphylaxis) to various foods and other materials.  Anaphylaxis is a medical condition that can cause death within minutes. In recent years, anaphylaxis has increased dramatically among students. Although this may not affect your child’s class directly, we are letting you know so that you are aware that we aim to create an allergy safe environment at our school. If your child is in a classroom with an anaphylactic child, or your child has anaphylaxis, you will be informed by the classroom teacher. Our school has procedures in place for the prevention and management of anaphylactic reactions. If your child has health concerns of any kind, please tell your child’s teacher or the office and we will take the necessary health protection steps. Thank you for your understanding in ensuring an allergy-safe environment for all of our students. 

Proactive Healthy School Strategies

Schools will continue to employ multiple protective strategies (i.e., handwashing and sanitizing) to support healthier and safer environments for students and staff. Each of the measures listed below provide some benefit in reducing spread of illness;

• Parents/guardians are asked to perform a daily screening of their child(ren) for COVID-19 BEFORE leaving for school
• All students who are experiencing symptoms identified in the screening tool that are consistent with COVID-19 must not attend school and should follow the guidance provided in the screening tool
• The UGDSB will continue to support students, staff and visitors to our schools and respect their individual choices about masking
• HEPA filter units will continue to be used

Early Student Pick-Up

If there is a change to your student’s normal end of day routine, please notify the office no later than 2:30pm so we have time to get the message to the student/classroom teacher. If possible, early pick-ups should be arranged for before 2:45pm. Likewise, if your student will have a regular early pick-up or late drop-off due to music/sport lesson, appointment, etc., please notify the office in writing and a standing note will be made in our files.

Message From Our Human Resources Department Regarding 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 remains compliant with Ministry parameters (see below). Any changes would be implemented by Monday, September 18th, 2023. 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 FDK Classes with 29 or fewer students; 10% of FDK classes up to a maximum of 32 students under certain circumstances
• 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

Read more

Smoke and Vape-Free Environment

The Upper Grand DSB provides a smoke and vape-free environment for its students, staff and others while on Board property, in accordance with the Smoke-Free Ontario Act and Board policy 208. 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.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the principal.

School Emergency Response Training and Drills

The safety and well-being of our students is our highest priority. Although we hope that an incident that requires a response from emergency personnel will never occur in our school, we must be prepared to respond quickly and effectively in case it does.

Each year our school must conduct drills to ensure staff and students are prepared in the event of a real emergency.

The following number of drills are required each school year:

• · Three (3) fire drills in the fall and three (3) fire drills in the spring
• · Two (2) lockdown drills
• · One (1) tornado drill
• · One (1) bomb threat drill

For each of these drills, there is an education component to explain why they are necessary. All drills are conducted in a manner that is sensitive to the needs of our students.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to your child’s teacher.

Reminder for Parents/Guardians: Accidents Happen – Be Prepared with Student Accident Insurance

Parents and guardians are responsible for expenses related to student injuries on school premises or during school activities. Accidents can and do happen and the costs involved might 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. Read more :Student Accident Insurance 

Bus Behaviour

Bus students are reminded:

1. To follow the directions of their driver.
2. To be at their stop 5 minutes before pick-up time.
3. To stay seated while the bus is in motion.
4. No smoking, eating, drinking, chewing gum or swearing. 
5. To keep books, lunch boxes, and other bulky items on their lap.
6. Students are responsible for any deliberate damage done to the bus.
7. Whenever possible, leave the last row of seats vacant.
8. Personal radios and recorders may be used with headphones. Radios with speakers are not permitted.

Bus Reminder: Bus Transportation is provided to students based on the distance their home is from the school. Students who are placed on a regularly scheduled route must travel this route and no other. Bus students may not switch buses for any reason. In addition, students who walk to school may not travel on a regularly scheduled bus route.

Video Surveillance Cameras

As an added security measure, please note that video surveillance cameras have been installed in several areas of our school. These areas are clearly marked with signage and video cameras are not being used in areas where students, staff, or authorized visitors have a high expectation of privacy including change rooms, washrooms, and staff rooms. Information obtained through video surveillance provides us with an additional way to enhance the protection of students, staff, the public, and property. Should you have any questions, please refer to the UGDSB Video Surveillance Policy 203.

Terry Fox Run

Please stay tuned for more information regarding our Terry Fox Run.

Bring Your Own Device

Parents/students will make a decision about their child bringing technology to use at school. Laptops, tablets and hand-held devices are allowed within classrooms with permission from the teacher, for educational use only. These electronic devices are not allowed in areas that are not directly supervised, such as the hallway, school yard, washrooms and the lunchroom. Please review the school Code of Conduct, Use of Technology section for more information or see Policy 318 The Responsible Use of Digital Technologies. The school is not responsible for damages that might occur to devices.

Grade 7 and 8 Introduction letter

Click here to read more.

Scent Sensitivities

Just a reminder that we do have staff and students that have scent sensitivities (including scented hand sanitizers, perfumes, colognes, etc.). Please avoid the use of scented products in our building. Thank you!

Report Bullying Information

We take all incidents of bullying seriously. If your child is the victim of bullying or sees bullying behavior at school, please encourage him/her to speak with someone at school or use our board’s online reporting tool. You’ll find the Report Bullying button on our school’s website. 

Distinguishing Between Conflict & Bullying

Is conflict the same as bullying? People may sometimes confuse conflict with bullying, although they are different. Conflict occurs when two or more people have a disagreement, a difference of opinion, or different views. Conflict between students does not always mean it is bullying. Children learn at a young age to understand that others can have a different perspective than their own, but developing the ability to gain perspective takes time and the process continues into early adulthood. In conflict, each person feels comfortable expressing his or her views, and there is no power imbalance. Each person feels able to state his or her view point. How people deal with conflict can make it positive or negative. Conflict becomes negative when an individual behaves aggressively by saying or doing hurtful things. Then the conflict is an aggressive interaction. Conflict only becomes bullying when it is repeated over and over again and there is a power imbalance. Over time, a pattern of behaviour may emerge where the person who behaves aggressively in the conflict may continue or even make it worse. The person who is the recipient of the aggressive conflict may feel less and less able to express his or her point of view and feel more and more powerless. That is when negative conflict may turn into bullying. A school will respond to bullying and conflict differently. For example, in the case of a conflict, a school staff member may try to have the students come together to tell their side of the story and help them resolve the situation together. In the case of bullying, a principal will consider progressive discipline, which may include suspension or expulsion.

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