Welcome Back

The beginning of a new school year is always an exciting time for all of our school community. While students are eager to return, renew old friendships and begin new ones, our staff have been diligently preparing to engage your child(ren) with a variety of strategies that will guide them through the learning process. Our staff is committed to unlocking the potential in every student to help them be successful. As we finalize our preparations, we do so with the vision of CHE in mind: "Learning and Growing Together."

We are ready to welcome back all of our students, teachers, and staff for another fantastic school year!

Please take a few moments to look through this very important newsletter and familiarize yourself with our school and upcoming events.

Once again, welcome back! Let's have a GREAT year!

Sherry Maher & Kerri Norberg
Principal & Assistant Principal

Please see instruction below on how to access the Translation Feature (as a Smore User)

Over the past several weeks, a number of our teachers have generously given their personal time during the summer break to prepare for the upcoming school year. They have volunteered their time to organize classrooms, prepare learning materials, set up learning spaces, and make sure their students will be welcomed into a positive and well-prepared environment when school begins.

We want our families to know that this preparation is done voluntarily and without pay. Teachers are not paid for the time they choose to spend preparing their classrooms, organizing materials, or getting ready for the arrival of their students before the school year officially begins. Despite this, many of our staff willingly give hours of their own summer time because they care deeply about their students and want to be ready to give them the best possible start to the year.

To those staff members who have given their time this summer, please know how much your dedication is appreciated. Your commitment often happens behind the scenes, but it does not go unnoticed. The care and pride you put into creating welcoming, engaging learning environments are a true reflection of the kind of school community we strive to be at CHE.

We are incredibly fortunate to have such a dedicated and caring team. Thank you to our teachers and staff for the time you continue to give to our students and our school community. We look forward to welcoming everyone back and beginning another great year together at CHE!

We are excited to welcome several new staff members to Cowan Heights Elementary for the 2026–27 school year, along with a number of familiar faces who are returning to our school after spending time working elsewhere. With several retirements and staff members on leave this year, our CHE family has grown and changed and we are thrilled to welcome everyone to our school community as we begin another great year together.

Welcome to our new staff

Ms. Downton (Kindergarten EFI)

Mrs. Sullivan (Grade 1)

Ms. Jackman (Grade 2)

Ms. Hudson (Grade 2)

TBD (Grade 2 EFI)

Ms. Baggs (Grade 3)

Ms. Porter (Grade 3)

Mrs. Wicks (Grade 3 EFI)

Mr. Howlett (Grade 5)

Mr. Perry (Grade 7)

Ms. Bailey (Grade 7)

Ms. Walsh (IRT)

Ms. Hynes (TLA)

Mr. Whitten (Student Assistant)

Ms. Strowbridge (Student Assistant)

Mrs. McCormack (EAL)

MUN Intern- (FALL- 10 day)

Nathan Edwards - Mrs. Burke Grade 4

7:55 a.m. - Doors open for all students

8:05 a.m. - ALL students should be in their homerooms

8:10 a.m. - Classes begin

10:10 - 10:25 a.m. Recess

12:25 p.m. - 1:13 p.m. Lunch

1:15 p.m. - Classes continue

2:15 p.m. - Dismissal

All students are encouraged to use the school’s busing system. All students who reside within our designated catchment area have been assigned to a specific bus route and teachers have been notified of each student’s assigned route. Students are assigned to bus routes by the Department of Transportation based on their civic address. These decisions are not made at the school level.

Parents and guardians are reminded that a responsible adult must be present at the designated bus stop to receive Kindergarten students. If a responsible adult is not present when a Kindergarten student is dropped off, the student will be returned to the school and a parent or guardian will be contacted to arrange pickup.

If you would like to confirm your child’s assigned bus route you may log in to BusPlanner or contact your child’s homeroom teacher.

Student Transportation

If you have any other busing questions or concerns, please contact our Assistant Principal kerrinorberg@nlschools.ca

BUS #2 - 25-007-02 = Bus Company: Executive

BUS #3 - 25-007-03 = Bus Company: Executive

BUS #4 - 25-007-04 = Bus Company: Executive

BUS #5 - 25-247-05 = Bus Company: Hayes

Alt. Transportation Bus - 23-072-1 Bus Company: Burseys

This system allows families to make payments and complete forms online e.g., paying for a field trip fee, making a donation or completing permission forms.

Kindergarten to Grade 6 Families: Families of students in Grade K-6 will need to go to Rycor's NLSchools login page and create an account. Once created, they will be able to add their child to their account by entering their child's Student Number. Please reach out to your child's teacher for your child's student number.

Grade 7 Families: Families who have a student in Grade 7-12 AND a student in Grade K-6 can access their Rycor account through their Powerschool Parent Portal account by clicking on the School Fees and Forms link once logged in. Grade 7 Powerschool letters will be sent home the first week of school by your child's teacher.

Parents & School Community Members - Support

Online Payments & Forms Support - School Community Members

RYCOR for Families - Google Drive (K-6 only)

RYCOR for Families - Google Drive (Gr 7-12 only)

RYCOR for Families - Google Drive (Both K-6 and Gr 7-12)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/182xvPXaC10_oRspq0GHV1FWVQzlvyTJP/view (setup guide)

If you have a change in address, phone number and or emergency contact(s), please email Ms. Dunn courtneydunn@nlschools.ca.

Cowan Heights Elementary is very fortunate to have Ms. Susan Perry as our Director of Schools again this year. We would like to thank her for her support and guidance. We look forward to working with her again this school year.

We realize the significance of the first day of school, especially kindergarten.

Our MEET & GREET for all our Kindergarten students/families, for September 9, 2026, will take place in your child's classroom 8:45 - 9:00 a.m. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE KINDERGARTEN DOORS WILL NOT BE OPEN UNTIL 8:40 a.m. (see picture below for specific door).

We request that a maximum of 2 family members be present for this.

The Meet & Greet will allow families an opportunity to see their child's teacher, have photo opportunities, and a chance for students to meet their classmates in a welcoming, safe environment. Please keep in mind that some families will not want their child(ren) in pictures.

By 9:00 a.m. we kindly ask all family members to exit the building through the staff entrance (see picture below). Students will be dismissed at 2:15 p.m. Teachers will lead students outside for pick up.

*Busing will start for Kindergarten Students on Thursday, September 10, 2026.

IMPORTANT NOTICE

Avalon KinderStart/Kindergarten Registration Rescheduled

September 29, 2026

KinderStart/Kindergarten registration for families of Family of Schools 7-10 (formerly the Avalon Region) will take place on Wednesday, October 7 and Thursday, October 8. Updated catchment viewers will also be in place for the rescheduled dates. The registration platform will open at 9:00 AM (NL time) and will be ongoing for both English and Early French Immersion programs simultaneously. More information can be found on our Kindergarten

February 5, 2027

March 5, 2027

April 9, 2027

April 30, 2027

****Possible 5th Session May 14 , 2027

*All KinderStart Sessions will take place during the morning.

*There will be no Kindergarten classes during the above dates.

Further details regarding each session will be sent out later in the fall.

Thanksgiving - Performed by Grade 1 - October 8, 2026

Remembrance Day - Performed by Grade 5 - November 5, 2026

Winter/Christmas - Performed by Grade 2 - December 17, 2026

Kindness - Performed by Grade 3 - February 25, 2027

Music Month - Performed by Grade 4 - May 6, 2027

DARE - Performed by Grade 6 - TBD

Kindergarten YEAR END Celebration - TBD

Grade 7 Leaving Field Trip - TBD

If you would like more details regarding these performances, please contact our Music Teacher arlenegosse@nlschools.ca

We use the Responsive Teaching and Learning Model to guide instruction. With Universal Design for Learning at the forefront of Responsive teaching and learning, we use the principles of this model in order to effectively instruct a diverse group of learners.

When Universal Design for Learning is being fostered and implemented, it creates a positive and motivated group of students. This model empowers our students to learn and achieve. They experience high quality teaching and the best conditions for learning to meet their individual needs.

The RTL Model with students at its center, allows for all students to achieve and grow as learners. Students are empowered to take ownership of their learning and to make purposeful contributions to their learning environments.

Comprehensive Assessments

A Service Delivery consultation will be made if the following occurs:

-Intensive interventions are in place for an extended period of time but the student is still experiencing learning difficulties or progress has stalled.

-Team questions if the prescribed curriculum is appropriate for a student either because the student is experiencing difficulty or exceeding prescribed curriculum expectations.

If you have any questions, please contact our Student Support Services Department Head, Ms. Curtis bernicecurtis@nlschools.ca

We value open communication and the strong partnerships we share with you in supporting your child’s education. As we move into what promises to be a busy and exciting school year, we would like to take a moment to remind families of the importance of scheduling meetings in advance with teachers or members of the administration.

Schools are dynamic and busy environments and our daily schedules are carefully planned to meet the needs of all students. In addition to teaching, staff regularly participate in a variety of scheduled meetings throughout the week. These include meeting for: Teaching & Learning Teams, School Development, School Council, Service Delivery Team, Grade-Level and Divisional meetings, as well as planning for Individual Education Plans (IEPs), Individual Support Services Plans (ISSPs), data analysis, and more. Given these commitments, we are unable to accommodate unscheduled visits or impromptu meetings during the school day. We kindly ask that families contact the school in advance to schedule a meeting if you wish to speak with a teacher or member of the administrative team. Doing so helps ensure that your concerns are given the attention they deserve, while also respecting the time and responsibilities of our staff. We understand that emergencies can arise, and in those situations, we will always do our best to support you as promptly as possible.

Please also remember that your child’s teacher is your first point of contact for most classroom-related matters. If further discussion is needed after that, we are more than happy to arrange a follow-up meeting by appointment.

Thank you for your understanding, and your continued support.

We are a scent-free school. Please be mindful when using hair products, hand sanitizer, perfumes etc.

Please note that there maybe more items added to the below allergy list.

We have many students with severe, life-threatening allergies and we must ensure our school is free of:

Nuts (including peanuts, tree nuts and nut products)

Eggs

Peas

Sesame Seeds (including products containing sesame oil, seeds, tahini, and hummus)

*Please alert your child’s teacher as soon as possible if your child has any serious medical conditions or life threatening allergies. There is also a place for this data on the student data sheet.

We ask that families refrain from sending in food items which contain any of the above products. The district has determined that given the similarities in appearance, texture and taste of Soy Butter products, they are also restricted in our schools where a student has a peanut allergy.

Please help keep everyone safe by following this policy.

The office is a very busy place and we ask families for their cooperation when visiting CHE.

All visitors must:

- page into the office from the main foyer.

- remain in the porch if picking up/dropping off students and/or items (students will be paged to the foyer to meet you).

- arrange an appointment/meeting to meet with staff members unless it is of an urgent nature.

*Sometimes students innocently open the door for visitors. In order to keep everyone safe at CHE, we ask you NOT to enter the building unless you have gained access by office staff. Simply buzz in and we will direct you of what to do next. There are many privacy and safety measures we have to take to ensure all 500 people in this building are safe.

If you wish to have your child(ren) participate in school lunch, please complete the registration form at https://orders.schoollunch.ca/SchoolLunchAssociation/#register

As of right now, registration and menu ordering are set to open in early September.

Our breakfast program will begin Monday, September 21 , 2026 as a Grab & Go program. Breakfast will be available to all students on the first and second floor.

This year our Breakfast Program will operate on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. If more funding and volunteers become available then we can resume daily service.

A HUGE thank you Mrs. Lannon and our breakfast program volunteers for helping put together grab and go breakfast options for all of our students.

If you would like to volunteer, please contact kerrilynnlannon@nlschools.ca

All volunteers must have a current certificate of conduct and a vulnerable sector.

https://www.policesolutions.ca/checks/services/rnc/index.php

Should you have any further questions please email CRSC-INQ@rnc.qov.nl.ca or call 709-729-8033

Please contact Ms. Dunn for a volunteer letter to avoid the $30.00 fee.

WE NEED YOU! We would like to give our students the opportunity to join extra curricular activities. For this to occur, we will require support from our school community. There are many benefits to encouraging your child to join these activities:

• They are social - students can make new friends, spend time with their group of friends and learn team skills

• They are active - students are doing something they enjoy

• They boost students’ confidence

• They can learn a new skill or improve an existing one

If you would like to volunteer, please contact the school 709-745-1700

All volunteers must have a current certificate of conduct and a vulnerable sector.

When you click "Reason for Request" choose "Volunteer", you will then be prompted to upload the Volunteer Agency Letter. .

Please contact Ms. Dunn for a volunteer letter to avoid the $30.00 fee courtneydunn@nlschools.ca

Athletics

If you are interested in coaching a sports team or an afterschool athletics group, please contact Ms. Careen meagancareen@nlschools.ca

If you are interested in volunteering for our Winter Friday Night Soccer Program , please contact Mme Morris daniellemorris1@nlschools.ca

Grade 7 - will have their own lockers and a combination lock will be provided (by their homeroom teachers) for usage this year. Students should keep their personal items (coats, cellphones etc.) in their lockers. No outside locks are permitted. Students should store their personal devices in their lockers. Please note cellphones are NOT permitted during class time.

All locks must be returned before the last day of school.

Technology resources are intended for educational purposes.

• Students in grades K-6 = cell phones are NOT permitted in school. If your child needs to carry one, they must keep it in their locker. This will reduce distractions and students can focus on acquiring foundational learning skills. Cell phones may be confiscated by staff and held until the end of the day.
• Students in Grade 7 who bring a personal electronic device to school must switch it off and store out of sight during instructional hours. Students can access their devices during recess and lunch breaks.

Individual exemptions to the policy may be provided for medical and educational reasons.

Responsible Student Use of Personal Electronic Devices Policy

1734378803122.pdf

It is important for everyone to follow traffic laws and rules set by the school for our parking lot.

Everyone's safety is your business!

Please remember to park in an appropriate spot and back in for everyone's safety.

The start of the school year is a busy time for families. We appreciate your patience with all the documents you are required to complete. All School Start Up forms will be sent through our RYCOR system on the first day of school. Please complete during the first week of school.

As we begin a new school year, we want to emphasize the importance of consistent school attendance for your child's success. Studies show that students who miss excessive amounts of school often face learning and social-emotional challenges. Regular attendance is crucial for their academic progress and overall well-being.

As educators, we are committed to supporting our students and their families. However, we must follow protocols when attendance issues arise. If a student's attendance does not improve despite our efforts to work with the family, we are required to report the situation to Child Youth Services and NLSchools. Continued lack of improvement may necessitate further reporting to the police. Please understand that these measures are in place to ensure every child receives the best possible education.

Our goal is to work collaboratively with you to support your child's educational journey. We understand that students may occasionally need to miss school due to illness, and we appreciate your communication with your child's teacher in these instances. Maintaining open lines of communication is essential for us to work as a team to ensure regular attendance.

In addition to attendance, punctuality is crucial. Arriving on time sets a positive tone for the day and ensures your child does not miss important instructional time. Much learning occurs in the first 15-30 minutes of school, with our main learning blocks starting at 8:10 a.m. Please make every effort to ensure your child arrives on time (8:05 a.m.), ready to learn. We know that no child enjoys walking into a lesson or activity late. By ensuring regular attendance and punctuality, you are helping to create a positive and productive learning environment for your child and their peers.

We would like to remind everyone of the importance of maintaining respectful communication with our staff at all times. When addressing concerns related to your child, it is crucial that the tone and manner of our communication remain respectful and constructive.

We understand that receiving a call or email regarding your child's behavior, attendance, lateness, etc. can be distressing. Please know that these concerns are not a reflection of your care for your child. Rather, they are procedural obligations designed to facilitate open and honest communication between families and teachers.

It is important to emphasize that intimidating, bullying, or aggressive tones, gestures, or behaviors are unacceptable and go against our Safe and Caring Schools policy. At Cowan Heights Elementary and NLSchools, we strive to create and promote a safe and caring learning environment for all students and staff. Each member of our school community plays a crucial role in achieving this goal.

In accordance with the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development’s Safe and Caring Schools Policy, which governs all schools in our district, parents and guardians have specific responsibilities in maintaining a safe and caring school environment:

4.1.5. Parent responsibilities:

4.1.5.1. Support the efforts of the school in creating and maintaining a safe, caring, and inclusive learning environment.

4.1.5.2. Participate in the implementation of the provincial Safe and Caring School Policy and the school's Code of Conduct.

4.1.5.3. Model positive social behaviors both in person and online.

4.1.5.4. Be familiar with the provincial Safe and Caring Schools Policy and the school's Code of Conduct.

4.1.5.5. Encourage and assist their children to abide by the school's Code of Conduct.

4.1.5.6. Practice positive social interactions both in person and online.

4.1.5.7. Engage in positive, nonviolent conflict resolution.

We all need to model appropriate behaviors, and our staff deserves to work in a safe and caring environment. Respectful and constructive communication is vital in addressing any concerns that may arise regarding your child. It is imperative that we engage in dialogue with mutual respect, understanding, and a shared commitment to the well-being of our students. Together, we can work collaboratively to address any concerns or issues and support the academic and personal growth of our students in a safe and nurturing environment.

Simple school-spirited theme days at CHE help foster a sense of community, encourage creativity, and enhance school spirit. Continuing this school year, every Monday CHE will show its school spirit by having Motivational Monday. Students and staff are encouraged to wear CHE school colors. Come dressed in yellow and/or blue. Students and staff can also wear any CHE school clothing they may have.

September

8 - School Reopens for Staff

9 - School Reopens for Students

15 - Dot Day (details to come from your child's teacher)

21 - Grab & Go Breakfast

24 - Open House/Curriculum Night

29 ORANGE SHIRT DAY (at CHE) - EVERY CHILD MATTERS

30 - National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (TBD if a school holiday)

October

7 - Kids Eat Smart Fundraiser

8 - Thanksgiving Assembly (11:00 a.m.)

9 - Family of Schools PL- CHE CLOSED

12 - Thanksgiving Day Holiday (NO School)

19 - CHE CLOSED- PL Day for Teacher

26 - Picture Day

November

11- Remembrance Day Holiday (NO School)

30 - CHE CLOSED- PL Day for Teacher

December

8 - Report Cards Ho Home

9 - Family of Schools PL- CHE CLOSED

10 - Family Conferences for Term 1

14 - Hero's Holiday Feast

17 - Christmas Concert

Professional Learning Days:

Family of Schools Closeouts - October 9 and December 9

CHE Professional Learning (school closed) are as follows:

October 9 - FOS 9 CLOSEOUT

October 19 - School Development - Literacy

November 23 - Reporting/PLJ

December 9 - FOS 9 CLOSEOUT

January 29 - Teacher Wellness

March 8 - Reporting/PLJ

June 7 - Reporting