Staff was welcomed back to school Sept. 2nd. We have been busy organizing and planning for the return of students.  We also held our first professional development day focused on well-being (on Sept. 3rd).

We hope you have had a safe and restful summer. After having summer break, we are excited to welcome students back to our building! The first day of school for students is Tuesday, September 7.

All families have been contacted by phone call or email to communicate what teacher(s) your children have.  You can find out information about the class your child is in by checking PowerSchool Parent Portal.

Just a reminder to bring in $35.00 if the school purchased supplies for your child.

In a news conference last week, the province shared the details for a safe return to school as we continue to live with COVID-19. You can learn more about the plan and the related public health measures here.

What to Expect

This year, routines will be similar to previous school years before COVID-19. Subjects such as music, physical education and instrumental music will be delivered much as they have in the past. Students and staff will be permitted to use cafeterias and participate in food programs

To ensure schools are as safe as possible, core public health measures will remain in place. These include:

•      frequent hand washing and sanitizing;

•      cleaning of high-touch surfaces; and

•      staying home if you are feeling sick.

As an additional layer of safety, all students, staff and visitors will be required to wear masks inside schools to start the school year. Schools will transition away from mandatory masks once the province reaches Phase 5 of its re-opening plan. Of course, we will communicate any changes with families in advance.

Arrival

●       Arrival time (between 8:20-8:30).

●       Parents /guardians are asked not to drive or park your vehicle on school grounds. Students can be dropped off on Arklow Street where they can follow the sidewalk and follow the pylons to the school. Access to the driveway of the school is restricted to school personnel at drop off and pick up times. 

●       All students travelling to school by bus are required to wear a mask.

●       All students and all staff will be required to wear a mask.

●       You can find out which class your child is in by checking PowerSchool Parent Portal. All families have been contacted by phone call or email to communicate what teacher(s) you children have.

●       Staff will be available in the front of the school on the first day to direct students to their classroom. A Picture of class entrances are located below.

Students will line up at the 8:20 bell to enter the school.

Playground doors: Pre-Primary and Grade Primary/One

Main doors: Grades 1/2 and 2

Back doors: Grades 3/4 and 6

Bottom doors: at the front of school 4/5

●       We will have teachers outside the school to welcome students and direct them to their door on opening day and each morning.

●       Students will sanitize their hands once they enter their classroom and ensure their mask is on.

●       Students will wash their hands or use alcohol based sanitizer each time they enter and exit the classroom, before and after washrooms and before and after eating times.

●       Students arriving late will enter at the main doors. They will need to check in the office before making their way to their classroom.

●       Students that arrive after 8:30am will be marked absent. We ask that students arrive on time for school to be best ready for their day and to not miss important start of day instructions, which also impacts their learning.

Please notify the office and/or classroom teacher if your child will be leaving school early on that day. Pickup for students leaving early will be through the main doors.

Recess

Recess is going to look the same as past years. All students will go outside between 10:00 and 10:15.

Lunch

Students will eat lunch in their classrooms. Your child’s lunch should be something they can manage independently to avoid unnecessary handling of items by others. All recycles and garbage from student lunch bags will go back home with students.

We ask that students have their lunch with them when they arrive to school. We know that sometimes circumstances arise that lunches need to be dropped off, but would appreciate it if students were able to bring their lunches in the morning.

Lunch is 60 minutes. Students will eat first and then go outside for the remainder of lunch.

Dismissal

·         Students are dismissed at 2:30. Exit doors are the same as entrance doors.

·         Students in Excel will be picked up at the main doors.

Here are a few things you can do to help prepare your child for this school year:

·        Reinforce regular hand washing and sanitizing

·        Practise appropriate mask wearing to ensure students are comfortable wearing their mask. Public Health has encouraged all of us to socialize the wearing of masks as a measure to protect our collective health. Here is a link to a video that you can watch with your children before the first day of school: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/video/covid-19-wear-non-medical-mask-face-covering-properly.html

We appreciate your support and collaboration to make the 2021-2022 school opening a success.

Class Configurations:

Current class configurations this year include 7 classrooms. Our classes consist of some combined grades (a class made up of students from 2 grades). With provincial recommended caps (P-2 is 22, 3-6 cap is 27). The reality is your child will quite likely be in a combined classroom at sometime during their elementary years. It is therefore important that parent/ guardians understand how these classes work.

In every grade there are children working at different levels within the program expectations, whether that be a combined grade or a straight (single) grade. Outcomes that are part of that grade level are the same whether being taught in a combined or straight grade. The manner in which they are taught may differ from class to class.

With a few classes currently at or above cap, there may be changes to configurations prior to September 30. This means that your child may be moved into a different class. You will be informed by the school, prior to any changes being made. 

School Cash Online

Families:

Paying school-related fees is about to get easier!

We’re excited to let you know that HRCE is launching a new system that will allow you to make payments electronically, with the click of a button. From lunch orders to yearbook fees, you will be able to make all payments safely, securely and quickly through SchoolCash Online.

Our school will post items for purchase and assign school fees relevant to your child. You can make all purchases and payments from your phone, tablet or computer. We would like families to register as soon as possible.

To get started, please register for SchoolCash Online. It’s free and takes less than two minutes. You will receive an email once items are posted for purchase.

Visit https: //hrce.schoolcashonline.com/ and click Register to get started.

Need support? Connect with the SchoolCash Online help desk at: schoolcashonline.com/Home/Support

We hope that SchoolCash Online makes paying school-related fees more convenient!

See you on Tuesday, September 7th!

Jimmy Hurley & Jarred Gates

Principal    Vice-Principal