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Update # 6
Published on Nov 8, 2016 10:53
Hello Everyone:
November's weather has treated kindly so far. Hopefully these mild temperatures stay with us for awhile longer.
This update will focus on three areas:
1) Progress Reports
2) Remembrance Day
3) School Safety Procedures
Progress Reports
Progress reports will go home on Nov. 16 with students in grades 1 - 8. These reports are designed to show a student's development of the learning skills and work habits during the fall of the school year. They differ from the provincial report cards that go home in February and June in that they do not contain specific grades for achievement of the curriculum expectations. The progress reports are more general and are designed to indicate a student's general progress in working toward the achievement of curriculum expectations.
We strongly encourage that all parents attend a parent/teacher interview. As we have over the past 3-4 years, our school will use ?parentteacherinterview.com to arrange interviews. A hardcopy letter will go home with each student tomorrow, (Wednesday, November 9) with instructions and passwords to use this online site. The site will be open for you to schedule your interview beginning at 6:00 am on Nov 10 and will continue to be open until Nov. 16. I strongly encourage you to arrange an interview with your child(ren)'s teacher(s).
Remembrance Day
November 11 is an important day in our country. Staff have been discussing topics associated with Remembrance Day with our students and have organized a school service in honour of our men and women who have served our nation so well. This coming Friday, I would like to invite you to come to our school for a 10:30 am service. We will have songs, poems and a military guest speaker as part of our agenda.
In the afternoon, students in grades 6, 7 & 8 will listen to Holocaust survivor Eva Olsson present her thoughts on the importance of acceptance and peace. If you have a few moments, google her name for a more thorough overview of her work. Ms. Olsson has recently returned from Alberta where she had 18 speaking engagements. Ms. Olsson is in her mid 90's, however her passion for sharing her experience has motivated her to continue to share this very important message. Her presentation will begin at 1:45 pm. Feel free to join us if you can.
School Safety Procedures
To date, we have conducted 3 Fire Drills and 2 Emergency Lockdown drills with officers from the Barrie City Police here for consultation. All 5 of the drills have gone very well and we believe our students and staff are prepared. We will conduct a "Severe Weather" drill in the early spring. A revised "Bomb Threat" protocol is being reviewed and once it has been finalized, our staff and students will engage in a drill.
Another safety precaution feature in our school is the expectation that all visitors (parents, delivery people, trades people, Board Office personnel etc) are expected to sign in at the office before entering the hallways of our school (no matter how short the visit is or the time of day). It is extremely important that this protocol be followed by everyone....even if you are well known to the staff.
I expect staff to approach any adult who is in the school or on the yard who does not have a "Visitors" pass to inquire if they have signed into the office. I am discussing this safety precaution with you because there are still times when people (mostly parents) go to classrooms to drop items off or to discuss an issue with the teacher. Please understand that this precaution is not intended to be "unwelcoming". It is in place to ensure that only people who should be around our students are. If this protocol isn't followed by everyone, the safety of the building is compromised.
If you would like to discuss with me anything to do with our safety preparedness, please give me a call.
I look forward to seeing you at our Remembrance Day service or parent/teacher interviews.
Rich
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