CISVA SPIRITUAL THEME “Seeking Truth, Healing and Reconciliation”
Dear Parents,
Welcome to a new school year! We are very excited to start our 2022-2023 school year with all our regular programming restored. These last two ½ years of COVID have been trying times, but we are grateful to all our students, parents, and staff for successfully navigating the pandemic. We have now moved from COVID protocols into communicable disease protocols, which will be a milder approach to student and staff health protocols. We will be sharing these guidelines with you soon. Again, welcome back and we look forward to a great year “Seeking Truth, Healing and Reconciliation!”
AFTER SCHOOL CLUB SURVEY
Many families have inquired about our After School Club hours. Following is a survey to assess the needs and the demand. The availability and schedule of this program will be determined once we receive your responses. Please note availability will also depend on staffing.
https://forms.gle/75KQcyAbLtxsEHPF8
Our After School Club will begin after the data from the Parent Survey is collected. The cost for this is $5.00 per 30 minutes per student until 4:30 p.m. In the event you are late for pickup (after 4:30 p.m.), the cost will be an additional $10.00 per student per 30 minutes.
We will no longer be accepting same day attendance requests. All students must register for at least one regular day and can then drop in any other days (M-W). Please email the office (office@myolosschool.com) if you are interested in using this service.
After School Club will be located in the lower hall. Children are to be picked up from there. You can access the lower hall by entering the school parking lot off Pender Street. Once you arrive, please wait at the door and we will bring your child to you.
IMPORTANT SEPTEMBER DATES!
SEPTEMBER 6, 2022 – FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL – 12:00 P.M. DISMISSAL – NO AFTER SCHOOL CLUB
The first day of school will be Tuesday, September 6th at 8:45 a.m. Students will be dismissed at 12:00 p.m.
SEPTEMBER 14, 2022 – GRADE 6 MASS 9:00 a.m.
This is the opening school Mass to honour the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, the patroness of our school. Please join us for this beautiful liturgy.
SEPTEMBER 18, 2022 – OUR LADY OF SORROWS PARISH FEAST MASS
Feast Mass will be held on Sunday, September 18, 2022, at 7:00 p.m., followed by a procession. OLS students will be leading this Mass procession. Information will go out first week of school.
SEPTEMBER 22, 2022 – BOOK FAIR AND READ-A-THON ASSEMBLY
Our Read-a-Thon and Book Fair assembly will take place on Thursday, September 22nd. Students will receive their record and pledge sheets at the assembly. We will also be sending home our Parent Volunteer Signup Form. Please check your child’s bags for this information and please help to make our Book Fair and Read-A-Thon another great success!!
SEPTEMBER 22, 2022 – TERRY FOX RUN
The annual Terry Fox Run will be held on Thursday, September 22nd. Further details will be sent home shortly.
SEPTEMBER 25, 2022 – COMMISSIONING SUNDAY MASS
On Sunday, September 25th at 11:30 a.m. there will be a Commissioning Mass for all Staff Members of Our Lady of Sorrows School. This will be our first Choir Mass as well. All families are encouraged to attend our regular Sunday Family Masses as their regular obligations to our Catholic School Community. Thank you!
SEPTEMBER 26, 2022 – INDIVIDUAL PHOTOS
Students will have their Individual Photos taken by Artona on Monday, September 26th. Please ensure your child comes to school in full uniform on this day. They must also have their gym strip under their uniform if there is gym that day.
SEPTEMBER 26 – 30, 2022 – SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIR
The annual OLS Book Fair will begin on Monday, September 26th and will end on Monday, October 3rd. Further information will be sent home with students shortly.
SEPTEMBER 28, 2022 – MEET THE TEACHERS NIGHT
The first Mandatory Parents’ Meeting will be held in person on Wednesday, September 28th. We will begin with a Welcome Back BBQ and Social at 6:00 p.m. The actual meeting will begin at 6:45 p.m. followed by one 15 minute session in the classroom. Please mark your calendars. This will be the first Mandatory Meeting as indicated in the Policy Manual and Registration Guide! Do not forget to visit the Book Fair in the Library that evening.
SEPTEMBER 29, 2022 – ORANGE SHIRT DAY
Orange Shirt Day will be held on Thursday, September 29th. This day is to honour Indigenous children who were sent to residential schools in Canada. Orange Shirt Day challenges us to witness and honour the stories of Survivors and their families, and to commit to meaningful discussion and the ongoing process of reconciliation.
SEPTEMBER 30, 2022 – NATIONAL DAY FOR TRUTH & RECONCILIATION – STAT HOLIDAY
There will be no school on Friday, September 30th. This day is to honour Indigenous children who were sent to residential schools in Canada.
REMINDERS!!
CLASSROOM TEACHERS FOR 2022-2023
Kindergarten: Mrs. Corrado
Grade 1: Mrs. McKenna
Grade 2: Mrs. De Amaral
Grade 3: Mrs. Matterson
Grade 4: Mrs. Guzzo
Grade 5: Mrs. Rossi
Grade 6: Mr. Basso
Grade 7: Mrs. Crescenzo
PE: Mr. McCloskey
Learning Resource (Primary): Mrs. Bortignon
Learning resource (Intermediate): Mrs. Woodman
ADST: Mr. Stocker
Music: Mr. Kanabe
OFFICE HOURS
Please note that our office hours for the 2022-2023 school year will be as follows: 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
OFFICE EMAIL
For all absentees and inquiries, please email office@myolosschool.com.
RECESS AND LUNCH BREAKS
Primary and Intermediate grades will have the same recess breaks. Lunch breaks will continue to be staggered.
All Grades
Morning recess 10:15 – 10:30 a.m.
Grades 1, 2, 3, 4
Lunch recess 11:55 – 12:20 p.m.
Grades K, 5, 6, 7
Lunch recess 12:25 – 12:50 p.m.
**Please ensure all students are to be prepared with proper jackets and footwear daily.
**No sharing of snacks or lunches. Please ensure you are packing all necessary items in their school bags. Please include a water bottle daily.
STUDENT SAFETY
Student safety is very important! Please arrive early and drop off prior to 8:45 a.m. The playground area is supervised from 8:15 – 8:45 a.m. and 2:50 – 3:05 p.m. Please follow drop-off zone rules! Please do not block the driveways as we have regular deliveries and drop offs in the morning as well! Also, please refrain from gatherings and bringing dogs into the playground areas or school as it contravenes the Health By-laws. They are fine to wait outside the playground, however we do not wish students on the front grass areas as it is unsafe. Thank you for your understanding!
PLEASE FOLLOW THE DROP-OFF CONES AND SIGNS!
Pre-school families will drop off at the Slocan entrance gate next to the Preschool. See Pre-school letter.
ABSENTEES & LATE NOTICES
If your child is going to be absent or late, our two preferred methods of notification are as follows:
- visit our website (https://ourladyofsorrows.ca/lates-absences/) and fill in all the requested information. Please note the new top tap ‘LATES & ABSENCES;’ or
- email us at office@myolosschool.com.
If you do not complete one of the options above, upon your child’s return to school, you must send a note to the classroom teacher explaining the reason for the absence. Please ensure you include all dates absent. If you have more than one child, we require a separate note for each one. This information is required for our annual Attendance Audit which determines our government funding for the year.
UNIFORMS
Please read the Policy Manual, which is included in the students’ Agendas. See page 7, item #7. Teachers will be starting uniform checks by next week. Please ensure all uniform items comply with the Uniform Policy. As of October 3rd, your child is required to come school in regular (not summer) uniform.
Please Note: Sweaters or vests are mandatory for all school functions such as Masses, School Assemblies, Para-liturgies, and Fieldtrips when representing the school.
MONTHLY AND WEEKLY NEWSLETTERS
This year, we will continue with the weekly newsletter and monthly calendar. In order to keep you up to date on issues and remind you of special dates, there will be a weekly bulletin sent home via email as well as posted on our website: (www.ourladyofsorrows.ca). This will usually be sent every Wednesday, so please ensure you check your emails regularly. If there is a change in your email address, please contact the school and provide us with the new one as soon as possible. The monthly newsletter will be sent home with the oldest child as a hardcopy.
VISITORS
For the safety of our students and staff, all visitors and parents are required to report to the school office where a “Visitor” tag will be issued if needed. We ask that all parents/visitors only use the Main School entrance on Slocan Street to enter the school. During instructional time, parents are not to go to their child’s classroom. Any supplies or lunches (labelled with child’s name and grade) are to be left at the office. It is your child’s responsibility (not the office staff) to retrieve their lunch or supplies from the school office. We also wish to restrict calls home for supplies and lunches, so please have your child review daily routines and help them to prepare for their day prior to bedtime. We encourage your children to bring all necessary items to school daily.
EXTREME WEATHER AND SNOW WEATHER PROCEDURES
If you are unsure of what to do on a snow day, review the Extreme Weather and Snow Procedures instructions which are located under the Documents – School Information & Procedures section on our homepage (www.ourladyofsorrows.ca). Please do not call the school after 8:00 a.m. as all the information will be available online. Our website will be updated by 7:15 a.m. as it is difficult to predict how extreme the weather will be. Thank you for your diligence.
NEIGHBOURHOOD PARKING
Please be kind and respect all local parking and road speed signs for the safety of the children! Out of respect for our neighbours, DO NOT park in front of their houses or block driveways.
Especially, do not backup or drive the wrong way in drop-off zones. Please leave enough distance between cars!
Again, we are all in this together,
Let us continue to be vigilant and safe.
Thank you for your patience,
Sincerely,
Pasquale Balletta
Principal