Calvin Park Public School

Dear Calvin Park Families,

We hope all families enjoyed a great summer. Welcome to the 2022-2023 school year! It was wonderful to see many families at our Open House on Tuesday. Our dedicated staff have been working hard to prepare for start-up, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back on Tuesday, September 6

As we embark upon our second year as an integrated Calvin Park/LCVI school community, we are excited to continue building a collaborative 7-12 learning environment with expanded opportunities for our students. It’s going to be a terrific year!

Below are many of the start-up routines you and your child will need to know as we begin the year. We are always here as well to answer your questions.

First Day of School Plan:

• Students will find out their class placements on the first day of school
• All Grade 7 students are to meet in the Cafeteria upon arrival at school. Staff will help to direct students to the Cafeteria.
• Grade 8 students are to proceed upstairs to the Calvin Park foyer (outside main office on second floor) where they will be directed to their class.

Calvin Park Staff Organization 2022-2023

Your child’s teacher will be in contact with you after the first day with information pertaining to their individual class.

Arrival:All Calvin students are to arrive between 8:00 and 8:15 a.m. and enter the front or side doors. TriBoard buses will arrive as per their schedules.Students will enter the school directly at Door B once they get off their bus.

Lunch and Food Service:Students will bring their own lunches and snacks.Food bins will be provided to the classes for all students to access. This option is available to all students. Students will eat lunch in their classrooms and staff will supervise in the halls and rooms.

Once regular routines are established, we will share Information and permission forms for off- property lunches. Also, later in the fall we will set up a schedule for Calvin students to purchase food from the LCVI student-run culinary food service in the Cafeteria- Stay tuned for more details.

Daily Schedule

8:15 a.m. - Period 1

9:05 a.m. - Period 2

9:55 -10:35 a.m. - Snack and First Recess

10:35 a.m. - Period 3

11:25a.m. - Period 4

12:15 - 12:55 p.m. - Lunch and Second Recess

12:55 p.m. - Period 5

1:45 p.m. - Period 6

2:35 p.m. – Dismissal

Electronic Devices: The first snack time is cell phone/tech free. Devices may be used outside once students are on their cohort area of the yard. We continue to encourage students to leave devices at home and spend time at the breaks interacting with peers as much as possible. If your child brings their own device to use in the classroom as a learning tool under the supervision of their classroom teacher(s), that is welcome. Each teacher will let your child know when devices (e.g., Phones) can be used and also where they are to be stored during instructional times. This is most often in their backpacks. Students may be asked for their device to be handed-in if there is inappropriate use and/or following rules is unsuccessful.

Dismissal: Students are dismissed at 2:35 pm.TriBoard bus students who have an early bus to catch will leave according to their bus times. All other students will dismiss at the end of the day and proceed with their individual home routines, e.g., city bus, walk, pick up by parent, etc. Please have your child make their teacher aware of their daily dismissal plan. If this changes on a particular day, please let your child’s teacher know. Parents, if possible, for safety reasons, please avoid parking in front of the school so it is as clear and as safe as possible for students crossing at the end of the day. Consider establishing a location for pick up for your child so they can meet you there.

Attendance: Attendance is completed daily first thing in the morning. Please report your child’s absence through School Messenger or call in their absence ahead of time. Thank you for taking the time to input that absence information into the system as it supports our office administrator greatly each day in the number of calls they receive.If your child is absent and you have not reported this to the school, you will receive a phone call.If your child has to leave early for an appointment or arrives late after an appointment, please send them with a note.

Lockers: Lockers will be issued by the classroom teacher during the first week of school. Locks are provided by the school. Grade 7s share lockers and Grade 8s typically get their own locker.

Extra-Curriculars: At Calvin Park, we offer a wide range of clubs and sports, and we encourage all our students to get involved. Students will hear information about extra-curriculars on daily announcements and information is posted on the bulletin board.

School Organization: As is the case every school year, school organization is tentative in the first few weeks of school. Schools are staffed each spring based on projected enrollment numbers generated by school board data. It is possible that Calvin Park may have to re-organize based on actual enrollment in the third week of September. This will be communicated to families within the first two weeks of school.

Tri-board Transportation/Busing: Busing is coordinated by Tri-Board Student Transportation Services, a consortium providing transportation services to all Limestone District School Board schools and nearby school boards within the region. Parents/guardians are always responsible for choosing whether to send their child to school on the school bus. Should inclement weather result in bus cancellations, schools remain open (unless otherwise stated), and parents/guardians are responsible for dropping off and picking up their child. Information on bus cancellations and/or delays is posted on Tri-Board Student Transportation Services' website, on its Twitter feeds and is often broadcast on local radio stations. You can also sign up to receive cancellation alerts on Tri-Board's website. The school board also attempts to post cancellations and delays on its website and Twitter feed (@LimestoneDSB). For more information, visit http://bit.ly/LDSBweatherguidelines

Medical Plans of Care: 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

Health & Safety: Please see Director Burra’s Welcome Back Message to families on August 30^th for more details about health and safety measures for this school year. Staff, students, and visitors should continue to self-screen every day before attending school using the COVID-19 school and childcare screening tool. Following public health guidance, individuals should stay home if they are feeling ill to prevent the spread of illness.

School Advisory Council: School Advisory Councils increase parental involvement in schools and promote greater understanding of the education process. Please mark on your calendar Monday, September 19th as the first Calvin Park/LCVI School Advisory Council meeting. We will meet in the Library starting at 6:30 pm. All are welcome!

InsureMyKids: 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.

164 Van Order Drive: Welcome to our new neighbours across the street! The Katarokwi Learning Centre and Katarokwi Elementary Learning Centre have recently relocated from 38 Cowdy Street to join existing programming at 164 Van Order Drive. The space is now fully utilized with Katarokwi Learning Centre, Katarokwi Elementary Learning Centre, Community Education, Educational Services, and Secondary Virtual School Staff within the building.

Threat/Risk Assessment Notification and Process: The Limestone District School Board and community partners are committed to making our schools safe for students and staff. As a result, schools will respond to all student behaviours that pose a potential risk to other students, staff, and members of the community. The Community Violence Threat Risk Assessment Process is designed to be proactive in developing intervention plans that address the emotional and physical safety of those involved. A Threat/Risk Assessment is initiated by the school administration or community partners when behaviours have been identified by staff or students that pose a potential risk to self and/or others. Please note: it is important for all parties to support the Violence Threat Risk Assessment Process. However, if for some reason there is a reluctance to participate in the process, by the student of concern or parent/guardian, the threat assessment process will continue in order to ensure a safe and caring environment for all. Families are asked to review the steps of a Threat/Risk Assessment online at http://bit.ly/LDSBthreatassessment

LDSB School Year Calendar: 2022-2023 Calendar

Upcoming Dates:

Tuesday, September 6: First Day of School

Monday, September 19:Calvin Park School Photos

Monday, September 19:School Advisory Council meeting at 6:30 pm

Monday, September 26: PA Day

Thank you for sending your child to Calvin Park! It will be a wonderful year for all.We look forward to welcoming all of our students on Tuesday, September 6. Please visit our website at calvinpark.limestone.on.ca for more information about our school and follow us on Twitter @CalvinPark_LDSB. If you have any questions, we encourage you to contact us by phone (613-542-2796) or by email ([email protected]).

Warm regards,

Calvin Park/LCVI Admin Team

Margaret Connelly, Principal;Carrie Propper, Vice-Principal;Suche James, Vice-Principal;Kate Myers, Vice-Principal