Bully or Buddy ?

Today our school Resource Police Officer presented an anti-

bullying program to the whole school. It is called W.I.T.S.


The W.I.T.S. Primary Program teaches children in 

Kindergarten to Grade 3 to make safe and positive 

choices when faced with peer conflict. 



The W.I.T.S.  acronym:

Walk away, Ignore, Talk it out, and Seek help - 

provides a common language that 

children and the adults in their 

environments can use to talk about and 

respond to peer victimization.


 - See more at: www.witsprogram.ca 

SPEECH & LANGUAGE ASSESSMENTS for JK's

All the Kindergarten teams have been spending every moment, since school began, getting to know each and every child. We need to identify the unique strengths and needs of every student in order to extend and enrich their learning.

We are in the midst of completing a basic assessment of your child's speech and language abilities. A teacher may be contacting you in the near future if we identify a potential  concern. You will receive a copy of the assessment when we recommend your child be assessed by an experienced Speech & Language pathologist.

Please keep in mind that we are assessing much more than speech articulation, which is often age-appropriate. More importantly, we observe and assess language structure, grammar, expressive & receptive abilities and how they process information.

It can be difficult for parents who have become accustomed to their child's speech patterns and idiosyncrasies to determine areas of need. If you observe and listen carefully to your child with heightened awareness, let us know if you notice any areas of concern.

If your child is "flagged", which means we recommend further assessment, please book an appointment at a "First Words" clinic as soon as possible. There is usually a long waiting list (8-9 months) if your child requires further testing or therapy.

Click: "First Words" screening clinics to find a location & date of your choosing.

Thank you in advance for your immediate response when notified about a concern. Other factors that can hinder language development are medical, so we always request your child have both a hearing and vision exam to rule out any issues in this regard. 

IMPORTANT DATES!

MEET THE TEACHER NIGHT  Wednesday, September 16,                                    - 6 to 7 pm. 
Please meet Holy Redeemer staff and our new Principal, Mr. Derek Rodgers in the gym at 6 pm.

We will be gathering in the gym for introductions. Then you will be free to "meet & greet" the staff, as well as
explore the school.

Naturally, after only one week of school, this is not the time for any in-depth discussions or teacher feedback on your child's progress. This is simply a brief, informal "hello" that offers you the opportunity to see where your child spends their day.

All the Kindergarten Teams look forward to seeing you.

~     ~       ~       ~      ~       ~       ~      ~       ~      ~      ~      ~
MARK THE DATE!!

PICTURE DAY is Thursday, OCTOBER 8!

POLICY & PROCEDURE

Dear Parents & Guardians,

Now that the excitement of the first week of school is behind us, please be aware of OCSB yard "safety procedures". 

We kindly request parents stop at the "school-yard boundaries" where children should say "good-bye" and move into the yard to be supervised by teachers.

Please do not leave your child unsupervised prior to the 8:15 duty teacher 's arrival.  We also ask that you have your child in the yard prior to the 8:30 bell, preferably by 8:25, so he or she can comfortably transition into their school day.

Official boundaries for students start just before the Kindergarten doors on the west side, extend to the back field (almost to the path) wrapping around the entire back perimeter of the grassy field and around the baseball diamond and portables, looping towards the side paved yard near the parking lot. The school yard is for staff & students ONLY.

This means parents should NOT enter this student zone.

The reason we ask that you respect this policy is to keep our school yard safe for all children. Although some teachers may know a particular adult is a legitimate parent in the school, other teachers and, more importantly, the children do not know that. Therefore, in order to make students more aware of, and willing to quickly report the presence of a "stranger" in the yard, we can not have any adults (other than staff) within these boundaries. Thank you for your cooperation in this regard.

This week we will be placing pylons at the Kindergarten side boundary to help remind you of this safety rule.

We also request that all parents stay outside the school unless they need to talk to teachers or office staff. Separation anxiety in young children is frequently heightened when parents come into the school environment & then attempt to leave their child there. It is always better to say "good-bye" when everyone is doing so - outside!

Please avoid bringing strollers and younger siblings inside the school, near doorways or cubby areas, as this creates additional chaos and a potential hazard zone for students entering and preparing for their day. If you need to talk to your child or a teacher please do so outside to keep the hallways clear.

Thank you so much for your cooperation.

Sincerely,
The Kindergarten Team

WELCOME to KINDERGARTEN!

There  are four JK-SK blended groups, colour-coded: RED, BLUE, GREEN, & PURPLE. Three of the groups will include a full time Early Childhood Educator (ECE), Blue Group will have one teacher that teaches both French and English, while all the other classes will have one French teacher, and one English teacher each. Blue Group will also have an Educational Assistant. 

Please keep in mind that classes are organized based on registration numbers in June, therefore a lot can change over the first couple of weeks of September when class size numbers and special needs are confirmed. Thank you for your understanding and patience as we settle such changes in consultation with the OCSB  authorities. 


Please ensure your child has the following items:
- x2 small, healthy snacks 
- a healthy lunch 
- indoor shoes (velcro or slip-on) to be kept at school* 
- an extra set of clothes in a labelled ziploc bag 
   (Include: pants, socks, shirt, underwear)
- a small blanket & mat to rest on at "Quiet Time"
- a 4x6 family photograph (for the classroom 'family tree')
- JK's only: a small, wallet-size (face only) photograph to be placed at their cubby.

- Activity fee: Please register to pay online. 
(Senior Kindergarten students will be receiving an agenda; the cost will be covered in the activity fee.)

- There is 30 minutes of "Quiet Time" scheduled into the daily program so that everybody will have an opportunity to rejuvenate their energy levels.  To facilitate this calming time, each child will require a mat to rest comfortably on the floor of the room. 

*  Please make sure to have a mat at school for your child's first full day. *

We are suggesting a yoga mat (or something similar) labeled with your child's name. We also suggest a small (crib-size), comfy  blanket to help your child relax after a stimulating morning. [FYI: "Quiet time" is not meant for sleeping but sometimes this does occur.]

Thank you for your consideration and preparation for the exciting year ahead!
The Kindergarten Team

WELCOME to Holy Redeemer School! We're a TEAM!

We are very excited to be your child's teachers this year.  Together, we are looking forward to a wonderful year of learning. Each class has a TEAM of facilitators made up of teachers, Early Childhood Educators (ECE), and possibly, an Educational Assistant (EA).  Also, the Office Administrator, Cathy O'Brien, our Resource teachers, Mrs Moss & Mrs.McCaffrey, and our Principal, Mr. Rodgers, all play important roles in your child's school life. You, the parent, are the most vital member of our TEAM.

We will be using this blog to communicate important information to you throughout the school year.  We will be posting information about events at school, special dates, and various reminders to ensure you are included in whatever is happening throughout the school year. We encourage you to subscribe by email to the blog so you won't have to remember to visit it to keep up-to-date, the news will simply arrive.

Each class will also have a Twitter account where more specific learning inquiries, events, news or creations will be posted. If you do not want your child's face to appear in our Twitter posts, please send a note clarifying this. 

[FYI: Our "followers" are the class' parents.] 

This year we are introducing a new feature to keep you informed, it is a private app that will remind you by text message of any upcoming events at school. Details to follow.

We look forward to working with you and your child to foster a love for learning, and an intrigue for inquiry.  Above all, we are committed to ensuring that each child is aware that they are a “valued” member of our inclusive classroom community, each 

with their own unique gifts and talents to share.

Please do not hesitate to contact us at the school at 613-591-3256 or send a note if you have any questions or concerns.   

Sincerely,

the Kindergarten Teams

FAMILY PHOTOGRAPH please!

We are seeking a 4x6 family photograph from each child.    
We will post this photograph on a classroom family tree, where students can share their families with friends
or simply visit  the photo whenever they want to connect with them.

Please note that an earlier message mistakenly requested a 5x7 size photograph when a 4x6 is the preferred size and is actually being requested!  [*However if you have already prepared a 5x7 size then that is fine too.]


We also request that all Junior Kindergarten students bring in one wallet-size photograph to be posted at their cubby. [We had asked for 2 wallet size photos but one is sufficient.]

Thank you for your help in this regard. 

School PAYMENT Online

 For safety and efficiency reasons, Ottawa Catholic School Board  would like to reduce the amount of cash & cheques coming into our school. 

All payments to the school (activity fee, pizza, etc.) will now be done on-line. It takes less than 5 minutes to register. 

Please visit our school web-site (red.ocsb.ca) and follow the step-by-step instructions, so you will begin to receive email notifications regarding upcoming events involving your child(ren). 

If you are unable to register on-line, please call the school.