A COMET COMMUNICATION

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Thank you to everyone who was able to attend our BBQ and Open House last Thursday. It was great getting to greet and meet so many of our students' families and caregivers. We appreciate the ongoing support - the warmth, encouragement, excitement, and donations that helped cover the cost of the BBQ.

Thank you so much to Mr. Wartman, other staff members, and the many students who volunteered to help out! We love the sense of community at CPPS!

Over the course of Truth and Reconciliation Week, we spent time listening, learning, and reflecting on our own roles in reconciliation. On Friday, we wore orange shirts to honour the children who never returned home, the survivors of residential schools, and the ongoing impact on their families and communities. Thank you to Ms. O'Neill for sharing resources and to Ms. Yateman and Ms. Ridout for leading students in a collaborative art display focusing on how every child matters. We will continue to learn, reflect, and take action.

A heads-up that this week is Emergency Procedures Week at LCVI/Calvin Park PS. Throughout the week, we will review our emergency responses with a practice Fire Drill, Hold & Secure, and Lock Down.

Our students have been excitedly participating in a friendly yet competitive round of Coin Wars to raise money for the Terry Fox Foundation and cancer research. Donations are still being accepted, so please send in cash or coin donations with students, if you are interested. Thank you to Ms. Jackson's class for organizing this engaging and important fundraiser.

Calvin Park PS students will be taking part in our Terry Fox Run/Walk on Monday, October 2nd starting at 9:05am. Students have been sharing Terry Fox facts on the morning announcements each day, and there are ongoing class discussions about how a lot can be learned from Terry's endeavour.

Are you new to Canada or would you like to show your support for newcomers at our school? The School Advisory Council is hosting a Newcomer Families Gathering on Thursday, October 5 starting at 4:00 pm in the Cafeteria. We look forward to seeing you there!

Queen's University has gifted Calvin Park PS students over 400 tickets to watch an upcoming soccer game! We are incredibly grateful and excited!

On Thursday, October 5th, our students will be walking to Richardson Stadium to watch the Queen's Women's Varsity Soccer Team take on another local team, the RMC Paladins. The game will be played from 11:00am-1:00pm, and students will be back in plenty of time for bus departure.

This outing is considered to be part of a community walk as the stadium is located so close to the school. Please contact calvp@limestone.on.ca if your student has any medical reason that may make this walk challenging, so we can make alternate arrangements.

We look forward to a fun day of cheering on the Gaels!

For the past two weeks, LDSB's STEM Team has been piloting their new program with some of our Grade 7 and 8 classes. Students developed 21st century skills by coding their own rock, paper, scissors game using Micro:Bits, as well as creating their own treasure collection games, their own step counters, and their own storefronts. We are so thankful for the opportunity to learn from the STEM Team, and we cannot wait to welcome them back so even more students can have these awesome learning experiences.

Our next SAC Meeting will be on Monday, October 16th at 6:00pm in the school library.

23-24 Executive Members:

• Co-Chairs: Tiffany Emery & Melissa Hudson
• Secretary: Trisha Tulkan
• Treasurer: Paula Larrondo
• Indigenous Representative: not filled
• Community Representative: not filled
• Members at Large: Allison De La Lis, Shaima Fayiz, Melanie Glassford. Yanina Kanevsky

Meeting Dates:

• Monday, October 16th
• Monday, November 20th
• Monday, January 15th
• Monday, February 26th
• Monday, April 15th
• May and June dates will be finalized soon

All are welcome!

Monday, October 2 is Custodian Appreciation Day. A big thanks to Kelly Marshall, Head Caretaker, and the whole caretaking team: Wally Borsato, Rick Carquez, April Hale, Kyle Forkes, Steve Fowler, Dana Price, Aaron Riley, and Trevor Stevenson. This amazing team works hard every day to keep our school clean and well maintained. We appreciate all that they do!

School Spirit wear is here! Check out our online store to purchase school swag or Grad Gear. It’s only open for two weeks, so don’t miss out. Let’s deck the halls with Calvin Comet hoodies, t-shirts, and some grad gear to celebrate our class of 2024 grads. Please see the electronic versions of flyers (below) and click here to access the online store.

SPECIAL DEAL!! You can get three items for $60, tax included: Cotton Tee, Cotton Long Sleeve Tee, and Polycotton Hoodie!

The online store closes on October 12th.

Attention all volleyball enthusiasts! Tryouts are beginning this week. Please listen to the announcements and check the Activity Board for important dates.

We are reminding all members of our school community about the importance of refraining from wearing scents to school. Fragrances, perfumes, body sprays, colognes, and other strong scented products are not permitted at LCVI and Calvin Park, and we ask everyone to avoid using these products before coming to school.

This is a health and safety issue as exposure to perfumes and other scented products can trigger serious health reactions in individuals with asthma, allergies, migraines, or chemical sensitivities. We are committed to a safe and healthy environment for all students, staff, and visitors. If you could please reinforce this important reminder at home, we would be grateful. Thank you for your support.

• Questions about registration? Need to update an address or phone number?
• Call the office at 613-542-2796 or email calvp@limestone.on.ca

• Is your student going to be absent or late?
• Check out this webpage for more information
• Use the School Messenger App
  
• Use the School Messenger Safe Arrival Website Portal
  
• Call 1-855-257-9349 and use the automated phone system. Please do not call the school directly to report your student's absence as the office can be quite busy and the phones are not always answered during staff's breaks/lunches.
  

• Does your child need to be picked up early?
• Having your child give a note to the office is our preferred method as the office can be quite busy and the phones are not always answered during staff's breaks/lunches
• You can also email calvp@limestone.on.ca

  
  

• Did you student's bus not show up or did it show up late? Do you want to check if their bus is cancelled or delayed?
• Sign up for bus status alerts on the Triboard website
• Let your student know that if they miss their bus at the end of the school day, they should return upstairs to the Calvin Park PS office so we can assist them

• Do you have a general inquiry that does not need to an immediate answer?
• Email calvp@limestone.on.ca

• Do you have a question about an assignment or subject?
• Contact your student's teacher via email or email calvp@limestone.on.ca, and we will pass along your message

• Do you need to get a message to your student throughout the school day?
• Students are not permitted to access their phones during the school day. Please call the office at 613-542-2796 or email calvp@limestone.on.ca, and we will pass along your message

• What should your student do if they do not feel well?
• They should let their teacher know and then come to the office to contact their guardian. There is a phone available for student use in the office, and office staff will be happy to assist

• When they are offered, how do I pay for hot lunches or field trips?
• The SchoolDay App is our preferred method of payment and can be done from the comfort of your home. Most students should have received their login information last year, but you can also email email calvp@limestone.on.ca for the necessary information
• We will send home passwords and login information for new students soon

At LDSB, we strive to put wellness first by prioritizing mental health.

Did you know that our students can access mental health support at school? Emily Landon is a Student Support Counselor (SSC) and Tiff Idems is a Mental Health Support Worker who provide support services to our students. Sometimes, students will tell us if they or one of their friends need help; at other times, we rely on students' caregivers to help us get the fuller picture. If you think your student would benefit from speaking to someone, please email propperc@limestone.on.ca, and Ms. Propper will help set up support. Also, please encourage your students to let their teacher know right away if any of their friends are talking about concerning topics or overwhelming stressors. They should not have to carry that weight alone, and help is available.

We are happy to partner with and/or support some community organizations, as well:

• Maltby Centre
• School Mental Health Ontario
• Youth Diversion
  
• Kids Help Phone
• KHSC Eating Disorders Program

Check out the PDF below for some terrific School Mental Health Ontario resources that you and your student may find useful. :)

Please see the attached flyer regarding an important opportunity for students and their families to purchase winter boots. Operation Warm Feet is returning to a one-day distribution for boots on November 25th from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 263 Weller Avenue. Each pair of boots will be $2.

Boots are available to Kingston youth and children born 2005 or later. (South Frontenac and Lennox and Addington have separate funding).

Note: In the past, this was a referral-based program handled by the school, but they have switched the process.

Questions? Please contact stephaniew@kchc.ca or 613.449.6225

A Multi-Faith Prayer Room is available to Calvin Park staff and students throughout the school year during the school day and after school (new this year).

Please note the location and timings:

• Daylight Savings Months: Tuesday, September 5 – Friday, November 3
• Locations and Times:
• 1:30-1:45 pm Lower Library
• 2:34-3:30 pm Lower Library (entrance is at the rear staircase inside the library)

Reminders:

• No cell phones are permitted in this space during prayer times
• Please respect others time of prayer and reflection

October is Hispanic-Latin American Heritage Month; Islamic History Month; Women's History Month; Learning Disabilities Awareness Month; and ADHD Awareness Month

This Week:

This week is Emergency Procedures Week at Calvin Park/LCVI.

• Monday, October 2nd: National Custodial Workers Recognition Day; Terry Fox Run at 9:00am; Grade 8 Girls Volleyball Tryouts at 9:55am; Grade 7 Boys Volleyball at 12:15pm; GSA Club in Room 216 at 10:15am

• Tuesday, October 3rd: Running Club from 9:55-10:35; Eco Club at 12:15; FTC Robotics Foundations after school

• Wednesday, October 4th: National Day of Action for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls; Student Council at first break; Grade 7 Girls Volleyball Tryouts at 9:55am; Indigenous Circle at 11:00am; Grade 8 Boys Volleyball at 12:15pm; FLL Robotics after school

• Thursday, October 5th: World Educators' Day; Running Club from 9:55-10:35; Queen's Soccer Game at Richardson Stadium; Robotics after school; Newcomer Families Gathering at 4:00pm in the Cafeteria

• Friday, October 6th:

Later:

• October 9th: Thanksgiving Day - no school
  
• October 10th: World Mental Health Day; Grade 8 Challenge Trip to RKY
• October 12th: Grade 7 Challenge Trip to RKY
• October 13th: 8A and 8E Trip to Gould Lake; Fort Henry Regional Road Race; Grade 7 CORE classes to BGC
• October 16th: Grade 7 LEAP and Challenge Tree Planting Trip with Little Forests; School Advisory Council at 6:00pm
• October 18th: Bus Driver Appreciation Day
• October 20th: Tour for Humanity at Calvin Park PS/LCVI
• October 24th: 8B and 7/8 Trip to Gould Lake
• October 27th: PA Day - no school for students

We look forward to recognizing, celebrating, honouring, and hosting many events this year. Please let us know if your family celebrates a holiday that is not listed. We are always excited to learn about our students' experiences, cultures, and traditions.

NOTE: Tryouts, practices, and club announcements are communicated to students in three ways:

1. On the morning announcements at 9:50am
2. On the Announcement Board located outside of the office
3. On the Activity Board located near the French office/Girls' bathroom