Welcome Back to DCJA!

Classes for the 2026-2027 school year will begin on Wednesday, September 9, 2026. Doors will open at 8:05 a.m. and homeroom will begin at 8:25 a.m. Students will be dismissed at 2:30 p.m.

Parents/guardians will be permitted to accompany their child/children to school and their classroom for the first day only. These families are required to use the Parent/Guardian Drop off entrance (see the memo below) and are asked to be as prompt as possible when dropping off their children as the parking lot will be very busy. Parking will be very limited and will be directed. We ask for your patience and cooperation with this as safety is our top priority.

Please note that you will receive an email from your child's homeroom teacher on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, welcoming your child to their class.

• Please take some time to review this Arrival & Dismissal Procedure Memo.

• Bus Portal is now open. Please check it out here to view important information about bus routes. If you require your child's student number, please contact the school at 891-1431.

• Courtesy seating is available for students who wish to travel on a different bus in the evening, as well as for those students who reside in two homes. If you wish to apply for courtesy seating, please complete this form. Please note that the school administration will complete the review/approval process of all applications after Friday, September 18th, 2026. Until that time alternate arrangements will need to be made for those students wishing to avail of courtesy seating.

**REMINDER**

- Parents/guardians are asked to communicate to their child’s homeroom teacher via a note if their child will be dismissed in a different manner than normal. Phone calls or emails throughout the day will not be accepted as we can not guarantee that the proper messages will be relayed. This policy will be strictly adhered to this year. We thank you in advance for your understanding and cooperation in this matter.

- Between the hours of 8:45 AM and 2:00 PM, all student drop-offs and pick-ups must take place through the main entrance, and students must be signed in or out at the office. If you need to pick up or drop off your child outside of these hours, you will be required to wait in the designated line on the side of the building.

The classroom placement process is very complex and many factors enter into the decision making process. Our staff takes class placement very seriously. The task for each grade level team is to develop balanced classrooms based on the knowledge they have about their students. We assure you that each grade level team (with assistance of specialists, guidance counselor, instructional resource teachers) takes much time, effort and care in developing class rosters that result in offering all children a quality educational experience. The following are factors that are taken into consideration:

• the program needs of the child (IEP, ISSP, Student Assistant Support, Reading/Numeracy Interventions, etc.)

• a balance of academic achievement levels

• behavior factors regarding each student

• social needs and the compatibility of students with others in the classroom

• independent work habits and leadership skills

Once balanced rosters are created, teachers are assigned by the school administration. Since our number one goal is to create balanced classrooms, we are unable to honor requests for students to be placed with specific friends, teachers or classes. Thank you in advance for your understanding and support of this process and be assured we do all we can to ensure thoughtful placement of each child.

At DCJA we use the Rycor Payment & Form System to collect online payments and forms from our students. This system allows parents/guardians, staff and other school community members to make payments to the school online as well as complete necessary school forms online. If you do not have a RYCOR account set up, we ask that you do so as soon as possible. More information regarding setting up a RYCOR account can be found here.

All RYCOR forms will be available on Wednesday, September 9, 2026. Please note that the completion of these forms at the beginning of the school year is very important as they are used on a regular basis throughout the school year. Thank you in advance for your support and cooperation!

At DCJA we are pleased to offer a variety of healthy breakfast items to our students each day.

The Breakfast Program will officially get underway on Thursday, September 10, 2026.

🍌Recess🍌

At DCJA, students eat their recess in their classrooms from 10:30 a.m. until 10:45 a.m.

Popcorn will be available once a month and must be purchased in advance for the school year with a one time fee of $15.00. Orders can be placed online via RYCOR on Wednesday, September 9, 2026. The dates for Popcorn Day are listed below.

🌮Lunch🌮

At DCJA, students eat their lunch in the cafeteria. Primary students eat from 11:40 a.m. until 12:05 p.m., and elementary/junior high students eat from 12:05 p.m. until 12:30 p.m.

Although there are no cafeteria services available, microwaves and a water re-filling station are available. Please keep in mind the following tips when packing lunches for students and remember to pack a reusable water bottle!

Scent Free Environment

DCJA is a scent aware building. Some of our students and staff are sensitive to scented products or have conditions which are impacted by scents. We ask that you avoid the use of scented items including:

• perfumes

• aftershave

• cologne

• scented hairspray, hair gels or other styling products

• scented face and body creams, lotions and sprays

• scented deodorant

Allergy Aware School

Within our school community there are several students who have potentially life-threatening allergy (anaphylaxis) to the following foods:

• peanuts/products with peanuts in the ingredients
• tree nuts (e.g. almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, walnuts).

• kiwi
• fish/shellfish

Please do not send food items containing these ingredients to school.

Smoke Free & Vape Free Environment

DCJA and its grounds are a smoke, tobacco and vape free environment. This applies to staff, students and visitors.

• Families are encouraged to take a few moments to review the DCJA Student Handbook.

• Families are encouraged to check out our website on a regular basis for important updates.

• Class supply lists are available here.

• If your child requires medication throughout the school day, please contact the school prior to the first day of classes to arrange for the appropriate documentation.

• At DCJA, outdoor play occurs during lunch time on a daily basis (weather permitting). Also, many homeroom classes take advantage of our outdoor classroom, greenhouse, and other outdoor spaces around our school on a regular basis. Students are asked to dress appropriately for the weather of each season. Furthermore, all students are expected to have a separate pair of indoor and outdoor footwear.