Principal’s Message April 15-19

Posted April 15, 2024

Principal's MessageGood morning Paisley families,

Dear Families,

Please remember to check our school website regularly for updated news and events. As part of the website, you will also have access to our school calendar with important dates.

Class Building for 2024-2025 School Year

 The planning process for the 2024-2025 school year will begin soon. Over the next couple of months, the staff at the school will spend many hours developing class lists based on a detailed set of criteria, focused on student learning and success for the following year. We take this process very seriously and do our best to plan for the success of all of our students at Paisley Road. 

 In this complex process, we take the following into account. 

  • learning partners
  • ability groups – learning groups
  • needs of students
  • friendships
  • separating some students due to relationship issues depending on the number of classrooms.
  • balance of gender/non-binary
  • behavioural needs/ dynamics between students
  • combined classrooms are not streamed (for example, a ⅔ split is not high achieving grade 2’s and low achieving grade 3’s) 

 

We will not be taking any class placement requests for September 2025. If your child has an exceptional circumstance that is not covered above and requires consideration when doing class placements, please email us directly.

Every Day Counts! 

Is your child struggling with attending school? We are here to help! Throughout the month of April we will be sharing tips and strategies with parents/guardians to help encourage regular school attendance – because Every Day Counts!

This week, we are going to focus on strategies around attitudes and beliefs – try some of these tips at home!

  • Keep in mind that attendance issues can quickly escalate.  Parents/guardians need to intervene and reach out for support as early as possible before it becomes the norm.
  • Keep the expectation in your home of attending school and staying all day.  Don’t give up. Even if your child is anxious about school, ensure the expectation of regular attendance doesn’t change.  Work with the issue, not around it.
  • Talk to your child to find out what is behind them not wanting to go to school.  Anxiety can show up in a lot of ways and one of them can be not wanting to go to school. Encourage your child to talk back to their anxiety!  Tell themselves they can do it!
  • Ask questions about your child’s worries about school.  Although you know your child well, try not to assume you know the answers.  Keep an open mind. Validate your child’s concerns.
  • If your child is having difficulty with attendance try setting a goal with them such as if they attend for a certain amount of time, they can have a special treat or do a special activity.

For more information, please visit the UGDSB website: https://www.ugdsb.ca/parents/student-attendance-at-school-tips-and-strategies-for-families/ 

Categories: News