Macdonald Drive Junior High
Email: macdonalddrivejrh@nlesd.ca
Website: mdjh.info
Location: 110 Macdonald Drive, St. John's, NL, Canada
Phone: 709-753-8240
X/Twitter: @mdjh
Welcome to MDJH
A big welcome to our new and returning students!
We’re hard at work already for the 2024-25 school year.
Here is a message to our MDJH family from the admin team. It has a lot of information concerning our first week back, and some upcoming important dates later in the month. Please see the attached files to view the opening letter and the family and student handbook & code of conduct.
Safety During School Drop-off and Pick-up
Doors open at 7:45 am; dismissal is at 2:10 pm.
Due to congestion in the parking lot during commute times before and after school, we have instituted some policies to help ensure the safety of students and staff.
Drivers please note that traffic is ONE-WAY around the school. The EXIT ONLY is next to Macdonald Drive Elementary off Toronto Street. The ENTRANCE ONLY is a little farther up Toronto Street. The ENTRANCE has TWO lanes:
- The left lane, closest to the field, is to be used for student drop-off and pick-up. Students MUST be dropped off at the Student Entrance. They cannot be dropped off at or use the Main Office Entrance.
- The right lane is ONLY for buses, special transportation and vehicles that are heading around the back of the school. This lane then branches off with one lane for buses going toward the Student Entrance and the other lane heading to the back of the school.
School buses have the right of way at all times.
- When buses move to leave the drop-off area, ALL traffic must stop to allow the buses to exit the parking lot.
- Please do not pull out in front of a bus.
- Please ensure you STOP at the stop sign (at the end of the drop-off area) and allow buses to have the right of way.
- At the end of the day starting at 2:00 until the buses leave, there is no vehicle access to the back of the school. School buses have been instructed to pull ahead and block traffic, so there are no vehicles moving around the school while the students are exiting the building.
Traffic flow
Cars coming off of Macdonald Drive onto Toronto Street and those coming down Toronto Street in the opposite direction should use the “zipper method” and allow one car at a time from each direction to enter the lanes. Buses still have the right of way.
Once in the Drop-off lane next to the school, cars should move as far forward as possible in a line all the way up to the STOP sign. This ensures that traffic is moving efficiently, and alleviates the congestion on Toronto Street. Please do not stop directly in front of the door and let your child out if there is space in front of you.
- After the Drop-off lane STOP Sign, you can TURN LEFT only. Due to the one-way traffic, there is no right turn.
If you arrive before the doors open in the morning or before students are dismissed, DO NOT park and wait in front of the student entrance or across either of the crosswalks. Parents are asked to move ahead and park their vehicles in the parking lot for MDJH or MDE. This is the cause of much of the congestion.
Student safety and school security
- Before and after school, students MUST use the Student Entrance, NOT the Main Office Entrance. However, during the school day, including recess and lunch, students MUST use the Main Office Entrance (the Student Entrance is locked at this time).
- Students must use the crosswalks, and NOT cross in between buses.
- Students are NOT to walk along the median or wait on the median to be picked up.
- Students who have medical reasons (i.e. using crutches) may also use the bus lane around the building to the Main Office Entrance.
- If you drop your child off on Toronto Street, stop your vehicle after the crosswalk and have your child use the crosswalk behind your car. Do not stop with the crosswalk in front of you. Your car blocks the ability of drivers behind you to see your child crossing.
Let’s all work together to ensure that MDJH is a safe place to be! Thanks for your cooperation.
Bussing
Busses have started their runs as scheduled by our District. Bus planner routes are online at https://nlschools.mybusplanner.ca/ under the transportation portal. Questions regarding busing should be directed to our District transportation team as schools are not involved in transportation decision making.
How to Report Student Absences
With SafeArrival, you are asked to report your child’s absence in advance using any of these 3 convenient methods:
- App: Using your mobile device, download and install the SchoolMessenger app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store (or from the links at go.schoolmessenger.ca). The first time you use the app, select Sign Up to create your account. Select Attendance then Report an Absence.
- Web: Use the SafeArrival website (go.schoolmessenger.ca). The first time you use the website, select Sign Up to create your account. Select Attendance then Report an Absence.
- Phone: Call the toll-free number 1 (844) 408-9360 to report an absence using the automated phone system.
Please Note: The phone number and email that we have on file in PowerSchool must match the one you use for SafeArrival School Messenger.
There is only one option right now to choose for being absent, and that is for a full day. If your student will only be absent for a portion of the day, then choose a full day, and School Messenger will automatically adjust the absence to a partial day when classroom attendance data is uploaded at the end of the day.
To download this information as a letter, please click here.
RYCOR
This year, parents/guardians will use RYCOR to fill out forms and pay school fees online. This can be accessed through your PowerSchool Parent Portal account by clicking on the “School Fees and Forms” link.
If your student is new to MDJH, they received their PowerSchool account and parent portal login information on the first day of school. For help with PowerSchool, please contact the school.
There are FOUR forms for the beginning of year procedures that need to be filled out in RYCOR. They are:
- Media Consent Form
- Student Demographic Form
- Acceptable Use of Technology Agreement Form
- Chromebook Agreement Form
Please see the link below for more information.
https://www.nlschools.ca/studentsfamilies/rycor.jsp
Important Allergy Update for 2024-2025 School Year
This is a reminder to our school community that MDJH has students with serious and life-threatening allergies. To ensure their safety, please refrain from bringing or consuming the following items on school premises:
- eggs
- all nuts
- all fish
- kiwi
- highly traceable and spreadable dairy "finger foods" (such as cheesies, cheesy poufs, and buttered popcorn)
- scented products and sprays
- latex balloons
For more information, please refer to the posting on our website.
In addition, students and staff are reminded to always wash their hands after eating and to clean up eating areas, as we have several severe allergies to foods that are difficult to ban due to their common nature. Families are also reminded to inform their child’s Homeroom teacher of any allergies or medical needs during the first days of school, or prior to, if possible. Allergy and medical forms need to be updated and submitted to the school at the beginning of each school year. You can find the necessary forms here: https://mdjh.info/medical-forms/.
Social Media Awareness
It has come to our attention that some students are using apps such as Snapchat, Little Miss, Omegle, Discord, ChatRoulette, Instagram, and TikTok inappropriately. Students are using these apps to invite inappropriate activity, bully, and impersonate others. This is a criminal offence and will warrant an RNC investigation with your youth if detected in any capacity.
It is a necessity to chat with your youth regarding proper social media usage.
Thank you in advance for your support and cooperation.
Connections Night September 19
On Thursday, September 19, from 6:30- 8 pm, we are hosting our Connections Night. This replaces the typical curriculum night that has traditionally been a part of the start of the school year. We want to make the evening less formal and still allow you to meet and greet with teachers and staff.
Teachers will be sending home curriculum information in advance of the evening so that you still have all the important information. We really want to make sure that families have the opportunity to get to know the wonderful teachers and opportuniti4es at MDJH.
You will be provided with a map to help direct you around the school.
Thank you, and we look forward to seeing you on Thursday!
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day
September 30 is National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. We will wear orange shirts on Friday, September 27, to recognize this event.
September 30 is a nation-wide day to recognize, honour, and learn about the history of indigenous children who were sent away to residential schools.
The “orange shirt” in Orange Shirt Day refers to the new shirt that Phyllis Webstad was given by her grandmother for her first day of school at St. Joseph’s Mission residential school in British Columbia. When Phyllis got to school, they took away her clothes, including her new shirt. It was never returned. To Phyllis, the colour orange has always reminded her of her experiences at residential school and, as she has said, "how my feelings didn’t matter, how no one cared, and how I felt like I was worth nothing. All of us little children were crying, and no one cared."
Phyllis chose orange to remind us that "Every Child Matters," This message promotes inclusivity and a message of anti-racism. This year, more than ever, we have felt the impact of how these schools affected our country as a whole.
MDJH is encouraging all students and staff to wear orange on September 27.
Be on Time
Our school opens at 7:45 am and homeroom begins at 8:05 sharp! Students should get to school a few minutes prior to the 8:05 bell in order to get their class materials and head to homeroom. The homeroom period is a very important time for teachers to take attendance and for announcements to be made. Late students can be very disruptive to this process. When a student is late, it recorded. When a student is late three times, they will get a detention.
Video Surveillance
It is District policy to advise the public when video surveillance is used in schools. Our school uses video surveillance in many of the public spaces in our school such as hallways, exits, and entrances. Video surveillance is intended to complement other forms of monitoring and promotion of secure and safe environments for our students and staff.
Breakfast Club Donations and Volunteers
We are looking for items for our breakfast club to support our learners. These items need to be peanut-free. Ideas include Breton crackers, granola bars, and special K Crisps.
Also, we are still looking for parent volunteers. If you are interested, please contact jenniferriggs@nlesd.ca
Updated Cafeteria Menu
The updated cafeteria menu for the 2024-25 school year can be found at https://mdjh.info/school-information/cafeteria-menu/.
Please note that cafeteria service started this year on Monday, September 9.
Student council elections for president and vice-president will be held Thursday, September 26. Any student interested in running for president or vice president of MDJH’s 2024-2025 student council must see Mme Sauvé (room 222) or Ms O'Brien (room 110B) for a nomination form. There will also be forms in the office. Nomination forms are due on Thursday, September 19.
Candidates should have strong leadership and communication skills. They should also demonstrate a good work ethic, respect for school policies, and a commitment to student council activities/meetings. Students who are up for this commitment are encouraged to put their names forward.
Elections for class rep will take place Tuesday, October 1.