Weekly Update - September 20-24th
Weekly Update - September 13-17th
Welcome Back! Septemer 2021
Welcome to the 2021/2022 school year!
On behalf of the St. Elizabeth Staff and myself, we look forward to seeing our
students return to St. Elizabeth on Tuesday, September 7th, 2021!
We know that many of you have questions about what this year will look like and what the regulations will be. We continue to work closely with both the Board and Ottawa Public Health in order to implement a plan for a safe return to school for both students and staff.
It does look very similar to last year as we already know that we will maintain cohorting, masks, and good hand hygiene.
Based on new OPH recommendations, Kindergarten students are now required to wear masks in school. All students will also need to wear masks on student transportation. Students should have two clean masks each day.
We are here for you! Together we will do our very best to keep schools open and create a safe, fun and academically successful year.
We look forward to seeing our Eagles on September 7th!
Take Care and God Bless,
Kim Izsak Jodi Ashton
Principal Vice Principal
What does your Child Need for School?
OCSB Suggested Items for Return to School
Personal size hand sanitizer (may be refilled at school)
Backpack and lunch bag
Pencil case with:
- glue stick
- pencils
- pencil sharpener which catches pencil shavings
- eraser
- crayons (primary) or coloured pencils (junior)
- 1 pair headphones or earbuds from a Dollar Store - Labelled with child’s name
- dry erase marker
- small blanket or mat - Kindergarten students only
2-3 snacks AND a lunch (healthy and nut-free)
2 Cloth or disposable masks each day
Wash reusable masks frequently
Full water bottle (labelled with student name)
Direct consumption from water fountains is not permitted
Appropriate footwear
One pair of shoes to be left at school for indoor use. (No laces if a child cannot tie their own shoes easily.)
Change of Clothes in a labelled bag - Kindergarten and Gr.1 students only
If your child is unable to zipper or button clothing independently, consider alternative clothing. (Practice at home)
First Day of School
The school yard will be staffed to receive students between 7:45 - 8:00 am. Our SK students will enter the school yard at the gate - Entrance A. All other students will enter the school from the appropriate assigned door. If you or your child are unsure of where to go or which door to use, please ask one of the orange-vested teachers. The assigned doors are as follows:
Entrance D (closest door to Kenzie St.) - 1A (Mr. Cook), 1B (Ms. Meldrum), 2 (Ms. Griffith), 2/3A (Ms. Bednarek),
Entrance C (main entrance) - 2/3B (Ms. Campbell), 3/4 (Ms. Melia), 4/5I (Mme Vega), 4/5E (Ms. Sorensen)
Entrance B (front of school -former Breakfast Club door) - Gr. 5/6E (Mr. Velasco), Gr. 5/6I (Mme Hughes), Gr. 6 (Ms. Haughian)
Entrance A (closest to gate to enter the school yard) - KPA (Mme Jackson & Mr. Lapierre), KPB (Mme O’Brien), KPC (Ms. Kathmann), Assessment Kindergarten (Ms. Murphy)
Teachers will email their students on Friday with a brief introduction and to let them know which door they should use on Tuesday. Students should check their school email accounts.
Getting Ready for School
- Practice wearing a mask for longer periods of time.
- Talk to your children about what social distancing is and what 1 and 2
meters looks like.
- Teach proper hand washing and hand sanitizer use with the reasons
why it’s important.
- Try to calm any fears about Covid and about being away from
home/family for the day.
- Check the bus planner website for updates and information. If you do not intend to use student transportation services this fall, please complete the Opt-out of transportation form - - If taking the bus, remind children of the importance of keeping their mask on, staying in their seat and sitting in their assigned seat only
- Now is the time to start going to bed earlier and establishing “school bedtime routines”
- Eliminate technology before bed.
- Make a list of lunch and snack ideas together as a family.
- Set up a family routine/ schedule/ calendar of events.
- Younger students can practice using their school bag and lunch
containers.
It is even more important this year to ensure that all personal items are labeled. This will cut down on lost and mixed up items.
Help Spread the Word
Please help us spread the word. ALL parents need to sign up for School Messenger to ensure they will receive all regular emails and updates from the school. https://www.ocsb.ca/contact/schoolmessenger/. If you already have an account you do not need to register again, although we recommend you check your account to make sure all the appropriate boxes are checked.
School Website and Twitter
We continue to make communication one of our top priorities. Weekly Memos will be sent via email. Please visit our Website: https://sel.ocsb.ca/ regularly for weekly updates and announcements and follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/StElizabethOCSB
We use this account to share pictures of the great learning that is happening in our school. We encourage you to follow us!
School starts again on September 7. Have a wonderful summer!
Weekly Update — June 14-18
St. Elizabeth Grade 6 Leaving Ceremony - June 21st
Our virtual Grade 6 Leaving Ceremony will take place on Monday, June 21 at 9:30 am. Please be sure to check your email for links that will be sent out beforehand. We look forward to having you join us to honour our Class of 2021. A schedule with your child’s arrival time for the afternoon will be shared in advance, so that Grade 6 students can receive their certificates, a special gift, and have a special photo taken.
Uniforms for Notre Dame
Families must submit their order by June 30th!
See here for the details and to order.
Retrieval of Personal Items - June 22nd and June 23rd
On Tuesday, June 22 and Wednesday, June 23rd, students will be permitted to return to the school. Detailed information and schedules will be shared shortly outlining instructions and directions, as we must adhere to OPH protocols to keep everyone safe. This will be an opportunity to return borrowed devices, any outstanding library books and retrieve student materials and medication.
Family Resources
Please visit OPH’s Parenting in Ottawa mental health page for information about child and or youth mental health agencies. If you have a youth in crisis, contact the Youth Services 24/7 Crisis Line (24 hours a day/7 days a week) at 613-260-2360, if outside Ottawa toll-free 1-877-377-7775.
Students and families can also contact Kids Help Phone, which offers 24/7 counselling and referral services across the province. To use this free resource, children can call 1-800-668-6868 or text CONNECT to 686868.
Other resources:
Breakfast kits for families
OCSB Mental Health Summer Programs
Virtual Wellness Group
An exciting group for students who want to learn some skills, meet new people and have some fun while doing it!
Topics include:
Motivation and Goal Setting
Sleep Hygiene and the Importance of Routine
Healthy Tech Use
Problem Solving
Five online sessions will be completed over two weeks during July. Click here for more information and to register.
Parent Webinar: Coping with Children's' Transition; Stress and Resilience
The Mental Health Worker Team at OCSB is holding this webinar for parents on supporting students’ mental health during this transition back to in person school. This 45 min webinar, followed by a 15 min Q&A will cover the following topics:
Recognizing and understanding student stress and worries
Coping strategies to manage stress and teach our children
Healthy habits to build with your child before school begins
Supporting students in building resilience
Click here for more information and to register.
National STEAM Summer Camp
A week of fun virtual events and exciting real-world experts in the STEAM field! July 19-23, 2021. For all students entering grades 7-12.
IBM STEM for Girls Program is pleased to collaborate with Industry Partners (ATCO, Telus, Fortinet, Palo Alto Networks and Security and others), to provide students with an opportunity to participate in STEAM activities. In doing so, our goal is to help build their confidence and expand their knowledge around the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) field through fun and engaging workshops.
These fun and engaging sessions will take place through a virtual National STEAM Summer camp, which will be hosted on WebEx for the week of July 19th-23rd. Each day will dedicate a few hours in which IBM and other partners will facilitate fun and interactive activities such as digital art, building chatbots, creative technical writing, cyber security, making ice cream, and lots more.
All students, entering grades 7-12, will have the option to choose from a variety of sessions and will be able to choose to attend as many as they would like. Each activity will have recommended ages and supplies required (where applicable).
Click here for more information and to register.
Coming Up
June 21 - National Indigenous Peoples Day
June 21 - Grade 6 Virtual Leaving Ceremony
June 21 - Last day of online instruction
June 22-24 - online instruction
June 25 - Report Cards available in the Parent Portal
Find the Info
Communication is one of our top priorities. Please follow us on Twitter to stay up-to-date and see what is happening! @StElizabethOCSB and visit our website: sel.ocsb.ca
