Author: Terry

Holy Name of Mary Catholic School

September 3, 2019

Principal: Mrs. Terry Marquez

http://www.alcdsb.on.ca/school/namm

Welcome Back

Welcome to the 2019 2020 school year! I hope that families had a relaxing summer and that students are eager and excited to return to school.
The Holy Name of Mary School team is happy to begin a new school year with all of our families. In particular, we welcome our new families. Our school is a great community of educators working together to provide a rich learning environment for all students. I encourage you to become involved in our school through School Council, volunteering in the Breakfast Program and special events like the Christmas Dinner, Pancake Tuesday and year end BBQ.
Over the summer, our school has undergone various changes! We have a fresh coat of paint and some new flooring in many of the general use areas of the school. With this bright and cheery atmosphere, we can’t help but be energized for the new school year. As well, the School Board IT department has been working hard to improve our internet signal. A new tower has been placed near the school which will help improve connectivity and speed.
One focus for our school year is to promote regular and consistent school attendance for Kindergarten to Grade 8. We know that parents want their children to do well in school and success begins with regular attendance. Students need to be present and engaged in order to learn. It is important to show up for school on time and stay for the whole day; although we understand that appointments are required from time to time.
We have several new staff members joining Holy Name of Mary this year. We welcome Mary Wringe Grade 3-4 teacher, Jessica Pemberton French teacher, Carley Sutton Arts Teacher for Grade 5-6, Moira McLelland as Learning Resource Assistant. Laura Meilenner will be teaching Kindergarten to the end of December. The Grade 7-8 class will have a consistent supply teacher, Samantha Taylor, until the position is filled.
The staff of Holy Name of Mary looks forward to working with each of you as we work to ensure a school year built on the foundations of respect, acceptance and care.
Terry Marquez,
Principal

September PA Day
Please note that Friday, September 27th is a PA day. There will be no classes for students that day.

Staff List
Principal
Mrs. Marquez
Secretary
Mrs. Brennan
Caretaker
Mr. Brennan
SERT
Mrs. Patterson
Kindergarten
Ms. Meilenner
ECE
Mrs. Hayes
Kindergarten/Grade 1
Mrs. Vader
Grade 2/3
Mrs. Kennelly
Grade 3/4
Ms. Wringe
Grade 5/6
Mrs. Murphy
Grade 7/8
To be determined (see Welcome Back Message)
FSL
Mme Pemberton
Itinerant Arts
Ms. Berry
Itinerant Arts—Gr/ 5/6
Ms. Sutton
Learning Resource
Assistant
Mrs. McLelland
Child Youth Worker
Ms. Prevost
Educational Assistants
Mrs. Hollands
Mrs. Vivian

Holy Name of Mary Catholic School

Yard Supervision
9:00 AM Supervision
9:15 School Begins
11:15 – 11:30 Recess
12:30 – 1:30 Lunch
3:30 – 3:45 Recess
3:45 Dismissal
Ride the Bus Safely
It is a new school year and everyone wants it to be a safe one. If you ride the bus, please remember to follow your bus driver’s instructions and rules to ensure the safety of all students. Please review the bus expectations with your child which are outlined in the student/parent handbook in the Agenda.

Pizza, Milk & Subs

We are happy to continue offering a daily milk program, pizza lunches on Monday and subs on Thursday. Again, this year, we will ask parents to order and pay monthly for milk and pizza using School Cash Online at www.alcdsb.schoolcashonline.com.
Subs can be ordered weekly again using School Cash Online.
The Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board is again offering School Cash Online as its preferred method of payment for all school fees, everything from field trips to yearbooks. School Cash Online allows parents to pay school related fees safely, quickly and easily. By using School Cash Online, you help increase efficiency and security at schools. Teachers and secretaries are then able to focus on helping students, and not counting cash. School Cash Online shows all of the school fees available to your student online for purchase. You can also stay informed of upcoming events and keep track of which school fees require your attention. Holy Name of Mary Catholic School will begin using School Cash Online exclusively for all items purchased through the school. No money will be accepted at the school from students. If you have any questions regarding School Cash Online, please contact the office and we will be happy to help.

School Cash Online

School Website and Newsletter

School information, news and calendar will be posted on the school website. We can be found by going to the ALCDSB website, Find a School and using the drop down menu to select Holy Name of Mary. Alternatively, this is the address: http://www.alcdsb.on.ca/school/namm/Pages/default.aspx
We encourage families (mom, dad, grandparents) to use our school website in order to keep up with school news. We will post feature stories to keep you up to date with current school events. A calendar will show up-coming school and classroom activities such as field trips, mass days, holiday & P.A. Days and so forth.
Please register to receive emails alerting you of new information by signing up for the newsletter on the school website. When you sign up, you will receive a confirmation email. You will not be fully registered until you accept the confirmation email. You can unsubscribe from the newsletter when your child/children no longer attend Holy Name of Mary Catholic School.
If you require assistance, please contact the office.

Holy Name of Mary Catholic School

Open House

Our Open House is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, September 24 from 5:30-7:00 p.m. We invite families to join us for a barbeque and your child can show you his/her classroom. We look forward to seeing you on September 24th.

Picture Day

Students will have their school pictures taken on Tuesday, September 17th. Picture retakes will take place on Tuesday, October 22nd.

Safe Arrival & Signing In/Out at the Office

Parents/Guardians are reminded to call the school to let us know if your child will be absent or late on any particular school day. Your assistance is greatly appreciated. You can leave a message if you need to, before or after office hours.
If your son/daughter is late for school, they MUST be signed in at the office. If your child has an appointment and needs to leave early, they MUST be signed out at the office. For safety purposes it is essential that we know when students arrive and when they leave.

FRESH GRADE NEXT
Fresh Grade is updating the software and will be called Fresh Grade Next. Teachers will not be able to post artifacts or document learning during the transition phase which is expected to take a couple weeks. We will notify you when teachers have access to Fresh Grade Next.

To ensure a safe environment for our students and to maintain an awareness of people entering and exiting the building, we ask that all parents and visitors come directly to the main office. We ask that parents or visitors do not go directly to the classrooms.

Peanut Safe School

Holy Name of Mary is a peanut safe school! We have students who are allergic to peanuts and nut products.
In order to keep our students safe, we are asking for your assistance by not sending snacks or lunches that contain nuts. This may sound simple, however, it requires an extra effort to read labels to ensure that food taken to school is peanut/nut free. Thank you for your diligence.

Student Information Forms

Student Information Forms have been sent home today. Please highlight changes on the form and return it by Friday, September 20th. It is essential that we have one form on file for each child. Please inform us of any changes to telephone numbers or emergency contact information.

Holy Name of Mary Catholic School

School Councils provide a vital role in the education system in Ontario. Holy Name of Mary Catholic School Council is an advisory group that is mandated by the Ministry of Education to provide a forum through which parents/guardians and other members of the school community can contribute to improve student achievement and school performance. Membership on School Council includes representation from parents/guardians, the parish, the community, teaching and non- teaching staff and school administration. The role of any school council is to work, as part of the school community, to improve student learning.
The Holy Name of Mary School Council is a dynamic and integral part of this school community. All parents are encouraged to become involved with School Council. As vital members of this school community, your involvement and input are encouraged to help meet the needs of all our children.
There will be a Catholic School Council Meeting on
Tuesday, September 24 following the Open House to set up our Executive.
All are welcome to attend.

Criminal Background Check

The Board requires that parent volunteers produce a Criminal Background Check that is current (within 3 years). If you anticipate that you would like to serve as a volunteer in our school, or be a chaperone for a school activity or field trip, you are encouraged to initiate the process as soon as possible in anticipation of a possible delay. You will need a letter from the school, so contact the office for assistance.

Breakfast Program Volunteers
Holy Name of Mary Catholic School is looking for volunteers to help out with our breakfast program. Volunteers would help prepare and serve a light breakfast between 8:30—9:30 a.m. Please contact the school if you are able to volunteer—even one day a week.

We’re on the Web! Sign up for a newsletter email!
http://www.alcdsb.on.ca/school/namm/Pages/default.aspx

Holy Name of Mary Catholic School