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Welcome to the 2023-2024 school year! We are thrilled to be welcoming new and returning students on Tuesday, September 5th. It is going to be a wonderful year! As a 7-12 community, we are excited to continue to build a collaborative Calvin Park/LCVI learning environment with expanded opportunities to challenge and empower our students.

It was our pleasure to meet and welcome many new Comets at our Open House last Monday. We hope students are feeling more comfortable in the space and are looking forward to Tuesday.

In preparation for our first day of school, please find below important information regarding school procedures:

• Our school day starts at 8:15am and ends at 2:35pm
• All Grade 7 students will meet in the cafeteria. Grade 7 students should go directly to the cafeteria when they arrive
• All Grade 8 students will meet at the top of the stairs near the Calvin Park office
• In both locations, teachers will greet students. They will have copies of classlists and will inform students of their teacher's name and location
• All bus transportation is organized by Triboard. Please contact Triboard to arrange for your student to take the bus or to see if you are eligible for bus transportation
• The front of the school gets very busy during drop-off and pick-up times. You may want to drop your student off farther down the street and have them walk the rest of the way
• Students should bring a water bottle, gym shoes, a hat for outdoor recess, and their lunch bag. Please label all items with your student's first and last name
• There will be many people around to assist students. Please let your student know that they can come to the office for assistance at anytime or go up to any adult in the building for support
• With over 200 new students coming to Calvin Park PS on Tuesday, there will be many people feeling anxious and excited. Those are completely normal and expected feelings, and we strongly believe that students will feel much more comfortable once they become accustomed to their new school

Once again, welcome to the 2023-2024 school year. If you have any questions, we encourage you to contact the school by phone (613-542-2796) or by email (calvp@limestone.on.ca). On behalf of the entire staff and administration team, we look forward to working together to support our Calvin Park Comets throughout the 2023-2024 school year.

At Calvin Park PS, we have three 100 minute blocks of instructional time, in addition to two nutrition breaks and recesses. Attendance and promptness are so important for students' learning. We encourage students to give themselves plenty of time to get ready and get out the door in the morning. If a student does miss a class, they should check in with their teacher and try to catch up as soon as possible.

LDSB 2023-2024 School Year Calendar

Please give a warm welcome to Calvin Park PS's new office administrator, Meghan Uzenko. Mrs. Meghan is excited to get to know all of the students and their families.

If you need assistance, here is a list of who to contact:

• 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 some community organizations, as well:

• Maltby Centre
• School Mental Health Ontario
• Youth Diversion
  
• Kids Help Phone

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

The Food Sharing program will continue this year with snacks available in coolers placed daily in each classroom. These snacks are for all students to enjoy; all Food Share items are free.

Lockers will be assigned by teachers within the first month and all locks will be provided. The majority of students will need to share lockers due to limited numbers. Students can decorate the inside of their lockers, as long as decor can be easily removed at the end of the school year by the students.

Combination locks are new to most of our students. Please check out the video below for detailed instructions. We primarily use three-digit combination locks, but one-digit locks are available, if needed.

Each year, medical plans of care must be updated. Students with anaphylaxis, asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, or another medical condition that may require an emergency response, need a medical plan of care. Your child will receive a new form on the first day of school. Alternatively, you may access fillable electronic copies of the forms here and send on the first day of school: Medical Procedures & Plans of Care

School Advisory Councils increase parental involvement in schools and promote greater understanding of the education process. Please mark on your calendar Monday, September 18th as the first Calvin Park/LCVI School Advisory Council elections meeting. We will meet in the Library starting at 6:00 pm. All are welcome!

If you would like to nominate yourself or someone else for a position, please click on the following link: School Advisory Council Nomination Form. Elected positions are for a 1 year term:

• Co-Chair (Calvin Park Parent/Guardian) & Co-Chair (LCVI Parent/Guardian)
• Secretary
• Treasurer
• Member at Large
• Indigenous Representative
• Community Representative

School Board Policy states that participation on school sports teams (both elementary and secondary) is conditional on obtaining at least the basic student accident insurance coverage for the student or proof of external private coverage through your family plan. The cost of basic coverage is approximately $17.00 per year. This covers the student while attending school during the school day. The time spent by students participating on school-sponsored teams is considered part of the school day, even if the games and/or practices are held outside of the regular school hours. It is recommended that all parents consider this program. Visit www.insuremykids.com to get this inexpensive and highly recommended insurance.

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 Room 211
• 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

We look forward to recognizing, celebrating, honouring, and hosting many events this year. Please add the following dates to your calendar, and 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

Students should be prepared for tryouts and practices to start right away.

This Week:

• Tuesday, September 5th: First Day of School! Grade 7's meet in the cafeteria, and Grade 8's meet at the top of the stairs
• Wednesday, September 6th: Sri Krishna Janmashtami
• Thursday, September 7th: Grade Assemblies during morning block
• Friday, September 8th: CORE group games at Compton Park

Later:

• September. 15th to the 17th: Rosh Hashanah
  
• September 18th: School Advisory Council at 6:00pm in the library - ALL ARE WELCOME
• September 19th to the 25th: International Week of Deaf People
• September 21st and 22nd: School Photo Days (more details to come)
• September 23rd: September 24th and 25th: Yom Kippur
• September 25th: PD Day - no school
• September 28th: Calvin Park PS Open House and BBQ
• September 29th: Orange Shirt Day
• September 30th: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation