Welcome Back Knights! (7-12)

August 23rd, 2024

Dear La Salle Families,

The team at La Salle has been working hard to ensure a smooth start up to your child's school year! Our school is sparkling and we are ready to go thanks to the hard work of our custodial and clerical team! Starting Monday student services staff will be in to help with timetable changes and any new registrations. Grade 7 and 8 students will receive an email on Tuesday September 3rd with their class placements.

Monday August 26th, grade 7/8 students who would like to visit, Kristy, one of the schools amazing EAs will be available to tour the classrooms with students who are eager to see the space again before class startup. Wednesday August 28th is grade 9 orientation drop in from 9am to 11am. Students will get a tour of the school, their timetable, a lock/locker, and a t-shirt. Please bring $20 to cover Grade 9 Day at Grass Creek Park and the cost of the lock. This year, our first professional development day is Tuesday September 3rd, which means the first day of class is Wednesday September 4th.

We have seen a large number of new registrations come into our school in June and over the summer months. A big welcome to our new families and students! We hope you feel welcomed and look forward to getting to know you better.

This newsletter is packed with useful information such as the school year calendar, what to bring to school, reporting when student(s) will be away, as well as school climate goals including information about cell phones and vaping.

As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to call the school at 613-546-1737 (Secondary) and 613-542-9733 (Intermediate).

Jen Grasse, Mike Payne & Kirsti Siltanen,

The La Salle Admin Team

Coming up:

August 28th - Grade 9 Drop in orientation 9am to 11am
September 3rd - PD Day & Grade 7/8 classes will be emailed
September 4th - First day of school
September 11th - Photo Day!
September 18th - Kingston Transit Orientation for Grade 9 students
September 24th - First School Advisory Council Meeting (all welcome)
September 23rd - 29th - International Week of the Deaf
September 30th - National Day of Truth and Reconciliation
September 30th - Orange Shirt Day - Every Child Matters

Start Up Information

Main Office Hours: Secondary (9-12) General office hours are 7:30 am to 3:30 pm.

Intermediate (7-8) General office hours are 7:45 am to 2:45 pm

School Hours: Our school day starts at 8:15 am and ends at 2:35 pm.

Grade 7-8 Schedule:

8:15 - 9:55 - Instruction
9:55 - 10:10 - Nutrition Break/Recess
10:10 - 11:50 - Instruction
11:50- 12:50- Recess/Lunch
12:55 - 2:35 - Instruction

Grade 9-12 Schedule:

8:12 - Warning Bell
8:17—9:35 - Period 1
9:35-9:43 - Break
9:43-10:58 - Period 2
10:58-11:58 - Lunch
11:58-1:13 - Period 3
1:13-1:20 - Break
1:20-2:35 - Period 4

Bus Departure 2:42

What should my child(ren) bring to school?

As always, our school will provide the necessary supplies your child will need for learning. Parents are welcome to send students with their own supplies, however, this is not a requirement.

Here is a list of items that students should bring to school:

Labelled water bottle (students are encouraged to use the filling stations) and lunch bag with lots of snacks (as we do not have an onsite cafeteria)
Pencil case (You may want your personal pencils/pens, eraser, crayons/pencil crayons, scissors, ruler, calculator for older grades etc.) We will have school supplies for individual use in classrooms.

PREVALENT MEDICAL CONDITIONS

If you have NOT completed paperwork for your child for a medical condition that staff need to be aware of, please complete and return ASAP

What if my child has a prevalent medical condition?

This tab is intended for those families who have children with a prevalent medical condition and who have not yet submitted paperwork to the school for their plan of care. Please click below to access the paperwork appropriate for your child's needs, including the administration of daily medication given at school.

School Advisory Council

School Council Meeting:

Our first meeting will be on Tuesday, September 24th from 6:30 - 7:30 pm. This meeting will take place in student services. Please email Jen Grasse (Principal) at grassej@limestone.on.ca if you wish to attend. All are welcome.

School Messenger

SchoolMessenger App: Download the SchoolMessenger App to stay connected. Use your mobile device to download and install the free SchoolMessenger blue app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store, the SchoolMessenger website portal, or from within the LDSB mobile app. *New families will be able to create their account after the first day of attendance.

The first time you use the app, you must select Sign Up to create your account. Please ensure you use the same email address your student’s school has on file. If you do not use that same email address, you will not be able to create an account.

How do I report an absence?

Please use the Safe Arrival system to report your child's absence; do not call the school to report an absence. If your child is going to be absent from learning, please ensure you use the Safe Arrival system to report the absence. If your child will be late, please report a full day absence and then we will sign them in when they arrive. You cannot indicate a half day absence.

How to report your absence:

1. Toll-free telephone

Call 1-855-257-9349 toll-free to report an absence using the automated phone system.

2. School Messenger App

Use your mobile device to download and install the free SchoolMessenger blue app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store, the SchoolMessenger website portal, or from within the LDSB mobile app.
The first time you use the app, you must select Sign Up to create your account. Please ensure you use the same email address your student’s school has on file. If you do not use that same email address, you will not be able to create an account, or may not be able to see the "Attendance" option. You may have already created an account when we introduced the Communicate broadcast system.
Select Attendance, then select Report an Absence and follow the prompts.

3. SchoolMessenger SafeArrival Website Portal

Visit the SchoolMessenger website portal.
The first time you use the app, you must select Sign Up to create your account. Please ensure you use the same email address your student’s school has on file. If you do not use that same email address, you will not be able to create an account, or may not be able to see the "Attendance" option. You may have already created an account when we introduced the Communicate broadcast system.
Select Attendance, then Report an Absence and follow the prompts.

School Climate

Good news! Many of the changes mentioned in the updated PPM 128 policy are already in place at La Salle. Between student and staff voice, as well as board and ministry policy there are certain expectations put in place to help ensure schools are a safe place for all and classroom time is valued for academic learning. As a school we will continue to use and reinforce our cell phone policy (see the chart below) in grade 7/8 classes cell phones should be away in lockers. At the secondary level, classroom teachers are to set out clear expectations at the start of the term and be consistent throughout the semester. All classes are equipped with cell phone hotels as phones are to be away unless the teacher has asked for them to be pulled out for instructional and/or research purposes.

Vaping and congregating in washrooms is still not appropriate and as we are aware, vaping has the potential for detrimental health consequences. Students vaping on school property are subject to disciplinary action. Parents and guardians will be notified and public health as required. You may be wondering about vape detectors, as per the ministry release of the PPM 128 in May, we will provide updates as we receive further direction from the school board and ministry. Please let your child(ren) know that staff will continue their supervision roles by being in and out of washroom common spaces as required.

The human rights reporting tool poster as (see above) is posted in our halls and classrooms. When someone has experienced or witnessed having these rights violated we encourage them to report to a trusted adult and/or complete the human rights reporting tool by scanning the QR code provided. We will continue to ensure our school is a safe place to be for everyone. Slurs and epithets are not acceptable. Discrimination, bullying including verbal, social, physical or cyber as well as symbols of hate are in violation of the Human Rights code. If you or your child have questions or concerns please reach out to us.

Our school climate goal is to ensure a safe space that encourages respectful interactions.

Policy/Program Memorandum 128 | Education in Ontario: policy and program direction

Read the Ministry of Education's direction and expectations for district school boards and school authorities. Direction is issued as policy documents called Policy and Program Memoranda (PPM), which are all given a specific number.

ontario.ca

Service Dog

This note is to advise that a Service Dog will be attending La Salle Intermediate with a student in order to accommodate the student’s needs pursuant to the Human Right Code. (The Service Dog is trained to provide service in a manner that does not disrupt the learning environment for others and is identifiable by its vest or harness). An orientation session will be provided for all students, to explain the role of Service Dogs as working animals, not pets, and to identify how the Service Dog will be integrated into our school community. We respect the needs of all students in providing a safe and inclusive learning environment. Please let us know if you have any specific concerns regarding the presence of a Service Dog in our school.

Academic Integrity

In the age of digital technology and tools, it is very tempting for students to submit information that is not representative of their own thinking and growth. With tools such as grammarly, chat GPT and much more, we know students need to know how to use these tools but also know that they are enough and have great ideas on their own. Staff will continue to educate students on classroom expectations for assessments. Students completing formative work is crucial to receive feedback and also not be tempted to use tools now readily available to them. Ms. Cubitt, our librarian, is working with other schools to develop resources and possible workshops regarding academic integrity and proper citation as another means to help support students in an ever changing climate of learning and assessment. If you or your child are ever unclear of the expectations please reach out. Below is one of the tools we use in the office to help educate as well as the board's current academic integrity chart.