2019-2020-school-handbook.d178213528

PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE Dear Parents and Guardians, As our summer holidays come to an end a new school year begins We welcome back our families from last year and a special welcome to our new families joining our school community École St Peter School English Program serves the Dundonald neighbourhood Our French Program serves the Dundonald, Hampton Village, Westview and Elk Point neighbourhoods We look forward to the new opportunities we will encounter and the new friendships we will form Our talented staff will strive to meet the needs of your child(ren) We are committed to providing a strong academic program in a safe, caring and faith-centered environment I encourage you to become actively involved in our school Communication is very important; therefore, not hesitate to call me or drop in to see me Please take time to read through the Parent/Student Handbook with your child(ren) to become familiar with our school I look forward to seeing you and working together to provide a quality Catholic education for your children Yours in Education, Ken McIntosh, Principal HISTORY OF ÉCOLE ST PETER SCHOOL On April 13th, 1983 the Catholic Board of Education approved construction of a new elementary school in the growing neighborhood of Dundonald In March 1984 the school was officially named St Peter School St Peter School is named after the patron saint in commemoration of the visit to Canada by Pope John Paul II in 1984 St Peter’s true and original name was Simon, sometimes occurring in the form Symeon He was the son of Jona and was born in Bethsaida near the Sea of Galilee Peter was a fisherman with his brother Andrew St Peter is the patron saint of fisherman The name Peter comes from Cephas, meaning rock, which was selected by Jesus to indicate that he would be the rock-like figure on which the church would be built Peter was chosen by Jesus to exercise a very special leadership role within the early Christian Community Jesus told Peter that he was to exercise his leadership role as servant He said, “Feed my lambs, look after my sheep.” Given this choice by Jesus we have come to recognize Peter as the first Pope The Catholic Board of Education in Saskatoon named the school after St Peter with the hope that the dedication will be seen as recognition of the long tradition and the continued efforts of men and women who exercise a leadership role in the community of the church and the school today On September 3, 1985 the first classes were held in the new school 1ith 167 students and approximately 15 staff In the fall of 2017, we became a dual stream school offering both an English and French program for our Kindergarten to Grade students Today, École St Peter School has approximately 480 students and approximately 45 staff members We are grateful for the example of St Peter and are pleased to have our school named in his honour École St Peter belongs to the family of schools known as St Paul’s Roman Catholic Separate School Division #20, also known as Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools Religion is an integral part of the Catholic school program Each grade level receives the equivalent of 150 minutes per week of religious instruction Our school is served by St Peter the Apostle Parish MISSION STATEMENT Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools: a welcoming community where we nurture faith, encourage excellence in learning and inspire students to serve others, making the world a better place We love because He first loved us John 4:19 STAFF Principal V.P/Release Office Coordinator Secretary Kindergarten Kindergarten* Grade 1* Grade Grade 1/2* Grade Grade 2/3* Grade Grade 3/4* Grade 3/4 Grade 4/5 Grade 4/5* Grade Grade 5/6 Grade 6/7 Grade 6/7* Grade Grade 7/8* Grade 7/8 Grade Release Release Release Release K McIntosh JN Rapp L Johanson M Lalach A Treble (659-8206) E Smith-Windsor (659-8166) M Hamon (306-659-8210) C Frey (659-8225) S De Los Santos (659-8731) A Diakow (659-8205) M Istifo (659-8604) C Deibert (659-8094) M Sanche O’Brian (659-8660) C Blazieko (659-8618) / M Croteau L Kwasnica-Doll (659-8298) J Jackson (659-8476) J Saganski (659-8949) J Deschamps (659-8220) J Kostyniuk (659-8028) L Brown (659-8919) D Pilon (659-8470) D Todos (659-8530) S Gartner (659-8219) D Brillinger (659-8793) JN Rapp L Robert A Treble M Goodman Release K Wonsiak L.A.T T Brons L.A.T C Blazieko L.A.T.* L Robert Teacher Librarian JN Rapp E.L.O Catalyst R Carter Band D Strong Counsellor R Janzen Speech H Todres E.A.L A Painchaud-Redekop Educational Assistant J Hoiland Educational Assistant S Bueckert Educational Assistant/Library Clerk G Kashuba Educational Assistant P Biwer Educational Assistant J Poelzer Educational Assistant/Medical Facilitator C Derkson Educational Assistant T Garcia Educational Assistant J Schumacher Educational Assistant M Sarceno Educational Assistant C Derkson Head Caretaker C Blunt Assistant Caretaker A Miranda * French Immersion SCHEDULE OF SCHOOL HOLIDAYS AND PROFESSIONAL LEARNING DAYS (PLD) October 11th October 14th November 8th November 11th December 6th December 20th January 6th January 27th February 17th February 18th-21st March 9th April 10th April 13th-17th May 15th May 18th June 5th June 25th PLD Thanksgiving PLD Remembrance Day Staff Retreat Last day of classes before Christmas Classes resume PLD Family Day February Break PLD Good Friday Easter Break PLD Victoria Day PLD Last day of School for students SCHOOL DAY 8:55 a.m First bell 9:00 a.m Classes begin 10:30 a.m Morning recess 10:45 a.m Classes resume 11:45 p.m Lunch 12:25 p.m End of Lunch bell 12:30 p.m Classes resume 2:00 p.m Afternoon recess 2:15 p.m Classes resume 3:30 p.m Dismissal Students are welcome to go to their classrooms at 8:30 a.m each morning Students who are required to be at school earlier than 8:30 a.m are welcome to attend the Before and After School Program Please refer to the end of the handbook for further information We ask that students not arrive at school before this time so that proper supervision will be available Supervision on the playground begins at 8:40 a.m Note: All our exterior doors, with the exception of the front entrance, will be locked at 9:15 a.m for the remainder of the day All visitors are asked to enter through the front entrance and report to the office This will help prevent strangers from wondering through our school CODE OF CONDUCT Our Code of Conduct flows directly from our School Division’s Mission Statement Students, staff and parents share in the responsibility of conducting themselves in ways which reflect the vision of the Mission Statement Students ~ I have the RIGHT to participate in a Catholic School Community My RESPONSIBILITY is to model Christian values I have the RIGHT to feel safe and respected My RESPONSIBILITY is to be kind and to care for self and others in my words and actions I have a RIGHT to express my ideas and to listen to the ideas of others My RESPONSIBILITY is to share my viewpoint politely, and listen attentively when others speak I have a RIGHT to my own personal space and property My RESPONSIBILITY is to respect school property, my own property, and to accept the right of other persons to have safe personal space and property I have the RIGHT to learn in an inviting and caring school My RESPONSIBILITY is to attend school regularly, have a positive attitude, be punctual, and be prepared for learning I must try my best every day Staff ~ I have the RIGHT to participate in a Catholic School Community My RESPONSIBILITY is to model Christian values I have the RIGHT to feel safe and respected My RESPONSIBILITY is to be kind and to care for self and others in my words and actions I have a RIGHT to express my ideas and to listen to the ideas of others My RESPONSIBILITY is to share my viewpoint politely and to listen attentively when others speak I have a RIGHT to my own personal space and property My RESPONSIBILITY is to respect school property, my own property, and to accept the right of other persons to have safe personal space and property I have the RIGHT to learn and work in an inviting and caring school My RESPONSIBILITY is to set personal professional goals and to work collaboratively with others to develop a professional learning community Parents ~ I have the RIGHT to participate in a Catholic School Community My RESPONSIBILITY is to model Christian values I have a right to express my ideas and to listen to the ideas of others My RESPONSIBILITY is to share my viewpoint politely and to listen attentively when others speak I have the RIGHT to be involved in my child’s education My RESPONSIBILITY is to support and nurture my child’s learning I have the RIGHT to feel safe while attending all school activities My RESPONSIBILITY is to conduct myself in a caring, kind, and polite manner I have a RIGHT to my own personal space and property My RESPONSIBILITY is to respect school property, my property, and to accept the right of other persons to have safe personal space and property DISCIPLINE Catholic education is based on the principle of self-discipline This principle includes exercising good judgment and Christian understanding in personal and social relationships Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools support the following as guidelines in the development and understanding of the Code of Conduct of each school: Discipline is a set of skills that allows for effective learning; discipline is not a punishment Discipline enhances self-knowledge, self-esteem and self- confidence Discipline is part of the total teaching process which promotes the development of integrity, accountability, personal ethics and self-management Discipline policies adhere to generally accepted principles of fairness and equity Discipline policies guide intervention strategies for students Discipline policies are dynamic and flexible ADMINISTERING THE CODE With these understandings about discipline as guidelines, students, staff, and parents must also understand that interventional consequences are intended to be educational – a growth experience Consequences: Interventional consequences which are related, reasonable and respectful may include: Checking for understanding  Action plan – consists of three parts: “Stop” – students reflect on their behavior and write what happened “Think” – student reflects on how this problem could have been avoided “Go” – what is the plan so the behavior does not occur again? Action plans are sent home to be signed by the parent(s) as a means of communication and tracking student behaviour Discussing, problem-solving, reviewing, counseling Loss of privileges, detention, reprimand Referral to Student Services Restitution, community services Alternative programming, alternative placement Referral to community agencies Removal from class, suspension, expulsion When the principal suspends a student, the principal will follow the appropriate School Division policies and legislation A student may be suspended for such behavior as: Intimidation, harassment, or behavior that threatens the safety of staff or students Theft or damage to school or others’ property Possession at school of illegal drugs or alcohol Overt opposition to authority This code of conduct is intended to assist students, staff and parents/guardians in establishing appropriate expectations for personal and social conduct This will happen if all individuals accept personal responsibility for their attitudes and actions ANTI-BULLYING POLICY Our school community has developed an Anti-Bullying Policy If you would like a copy of the policy, please drop by the office or accessing our school website at www.gscs.sk.ca/studentsandfamilies/schools/pet and click on “About Our School” to access the policy CLASSROOM EXPECTATIONS Punctuality, be on time Be prepared – students should have all materials necessary for classes (notebooks, texts, writing materials, gym gear) ready at the start of each class Notebooks and binders should be neat and well organized All homework should be completed on time Assignments are completed on time and reflect the best of the student’s ability 4 Students shall follow the school Code of Conduct and behave in a respectful manner that provides a positive environment for learning SCHOOL LUNCH POLICY Students who walk to school are encouraged to go home for lunch when possible Those students who stay for lunch are asked to follow our lunch expectations in order to enjoy the privilege of eating lunch at school Many children in our school have a variety of allergies, the most common one being a nut allergy We ask parents and students to use due care when packing snacks and lunches to include nut-free food NOON LUNCH SUPERVISION/EXPECTATIONS Supervision begins at 11:45 p.m and runs until 12:10 p.m The following expectations are required for students who stay for lunch:  Students will stay seated for the entire lunch period  Students may sit with friends as long as they talk in a respectful, inside voice  Students will stay in the classroom unless they have permission from a supervisor to go to the washroom or water fountain  Students will clean up their area after the recess bell  Students will be respectful to one another and to the supervisor  Students going home for lunch should not return before 12:10 p.m  Students are to eat lunch in their own classroom Note: ►Parents will fill out a “Noon Lunch Break Registration” form for each child at the beginning of the year and return it to their teacher to inform the plan during the lunch break ►Students require a written note to go off the school grounds for lunch if they usually eat their lunch at school ►Students who leave the school for lunch are welcome back once they have finished their lunch NUTRITION POLICY The Greater Saskatoon Catholic School division-wide Nutrition Policy guides us at École St Peter School to encompass all foods and beverages consumed by students every day at school and at all school-sponsored events The Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools is committed to promoting, offering and role modeling healthy nutritious foods in its schools Well nourished students are more likely to achieve their academic potential, physical and mental growth, lifelong health and well-being Schools share the responsibilities with the home and community to educate and provide healthy and nutritious foods As we move toward educating our students about healthy living, we ask your cooperation in ensuring that your child has a healthy, nutritious lunch each day We ask that treats with little nutritional value such as pop, candy and chips be avoided as part of their regular lunch École St Peter School staff encourages students to consume water to promote hydration We ask that students bring their own water bottle to use during class time Energy drinks and soft drinks are often high in caffeine, sugar and additives The contents of these beverages have a negative impact on students’ health, learning abilities and behavior As a result, these types of beverages are discouraged at École St Peter School MILK PROGRAM White milk and chocolate milk will be available in the milk room on a daily basis Prepaid cards are available at the office for a cost of $20.00 (20 milk) Students will purchase their milk using the prepaid cards PLAYGROUND EXPECTATIONS Students are not permitted in the following areas:  staff parking lot and the grass area along side the parking lot  front of school Schedule for the playgrounds: St Peter Creative Playground: K & 1’s (morning, lunch and afternoon recesses) Dundonald Creative Playground: Gr & 3’s (morning and afternoon recesses, lunch recess closed) Hands Off Policy – games such as tackle football, “play fighting”, wrestling or activities deemed rough are not permitted Bicycles – To minimize risk to others, students are required to exercise caution when riding their bikes on the playground to and from school Bikes are to be locked up in the designated bicycle racks in front of the school and are not to be used at recess Bolt locks are recommended over cable locks Skateboards, scooters, and roller blades which are used for transportation to and from school must be carried on the school property and placed in the student’s locker Skateboards, scooters and roller blades at recess are not permitted Note: The school cannot ensure safekeeping nor does it accept responsibility for damage, loss or theft to the items mentioned above DRESS CODE It is expected that students will dress in good taste Halter, tube, strapless or spaghetti-strap tops are not permitted Also, midriffs must be covered Ball caps are not to be worn in school other than outside at recess TECHNOLOGY All students will sign a “Student Technology Acceptable Use Policy” that outlines the use of technology to support student learning Please refer to our School Website under “Encouraging Learning” to view “Student Technology Acceptable Use Policy” If students choose to bring their cell phone, or any other technological device to school, it will only be used during class time with their teacher’s permission If a student requires the use of a phone, they can ask their teacher to use the classroom phone Students are prohibited to take pictures at school Students not have consent to take pictures or videos Our parents only provide the school consent, through the Media Consent form, to take pictures and videos for school purposes If students have difficulty with these expectations, they will lose the privilege to bringing their electronics to school STUDENT BUS TRANSPORTATION First Student Canada provides bus transportation to our school for students living in the neighbourhoods we serve who live beyond 1.2km from the school Contact First Student Canada @ 343-2125 for any questions or concerns For information on any cancellations or delays with a bus, you can call their HOTLINE at 306-343-3300 or their website at https://saskatoon.firststudentinc.com ATTENDANCE-SAFEARRIVAL To help ensure your child arrives safely at school, our school uses a system called SafeArrival to make reporting absences easier for parents and guardians This new system will also reduce the time it takes to verify student attendance and easier (and faster) for staff to respond to unexplained student absences You have three convenient ways to report absences, and you can report planned absences in advance On your mobile device, download and install the SchoolMessenger app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store (or from the links at https://go.schoolmessenger.com) The first time you use the app, select Sign Up to create your account Select Attendance then Report an Absence Use the SafeArrival website, https://go.schoolmessenger.com The first time you use the website, select Sign Up to create your account Select Attendance then Report an Absence Call the toll-free number 844-425-7221 to report an absence using the automated phone system If there is an unreported absence, parents/guardians will be contacted via the SchoolMessenger Communicate automated notification system The automated notification system will attempt to contact parents at multiple contact points until a reason is submitted for the absence Email communication will come from broadcasts@schoolmessengermail.com Please ensure you have this email address on your approved sender list so it won’t be filed as junk or spam FAMILY LIFE PROGRAM Our School offers the Family Life Program “Fully Alive” to grades to The program is based on the following five themes at each grade level: Created and Respected by God Living in Relationship Created Sexual: Male and Female Growing in Commitment Living in the World PHYSICAL EDUCATION Desirable health practices and participation in recreational activities are an important priority in our school Each child is to receive the equivalent of 30 minutes per day of physical activity, with some activities scheduled indoors and some outdoors The major objective is to promote a lifestyle that includes physical activity for fitness Students, therefore, need to come to school prepared to participate in physical education activities which includes appropriate shoes and clothing REPORTING PERIODS Students’ learning is continually assessed using a variety of methods throughout the year Each student has their own portfolio which stores samples of daily work, assignments, tests, projects, and other important data Reporting periods will take place in November, March, and June During the November and March reporting periods the parents, the student, and the teacher meet to discuss the student’s progress This is referred to as 3-way conferencing Research has indicated that this form of conferencing is a valuable tool in the communication process between home and school Also, each student will develop a portfolio to showcase his or her work Progress reports will be distributed following the 3-way conferences STUDENT LEARNING MODEL The purpose of a Student Learning Model is to ensure that all students in our school have access to the learning supports they require to achieve the academic progress they are capable of attaining This model begins with access to quality core instruction and assessment for all students The learning needs of most of our students will be addressed through quality core classroom instruction However, for some students who are not achieving as expected, additional and increasingly intensive instruction and assessment will be needed The learning model integrates assessment with instruction and intervention in a systematic, multi-level process to ensure that there is consistency in the support provided to students who are not achieving to their potential These additional supports for students are provided by school teams working in collaboration with the classroom teacher and communication with the parents/guardians LEARNING ASSISTANCE Sometimes students individually or in small groups require assistance in their learning The Learning Assistance Teachers work with students and teachers to provide support and to adapt or modify programs when necessary Parents will be contacted when this support is required ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE (EAL) Assistance is provided to those children who enter school with little or no English language background If your child requires E.A.L support, please inform your child’s teacher COUNSELING SERVICES We provide counseling services approximately half days per week to assist students Parents may request this service or parents will be contacted when it is evident students could benefit from this service COMMUNICATION Parents will be informed through a newsletter that will be sent electronically to the email address you have provided Every second Wednesday, you will receive an email with the newsletter attached Newsletters are also available on our school website at www.gscs.sk.ca/studentsandfamilies/schools/pet SchoolMessenger: SchoolMessenger Communicate automated notification system This system is able to send out information to parents in an instant using the phone numbers you have provided us on the “Student Data Verification” form you complete at the beginning of each year We will use SchoolMessenger and emails to communicate information in a timely manner SCHOOL LOCKDOWNS An emergency may prevent the safe evacuation of a school and require a specific response to protect students and staff in the building In this instance, staff institutes a school lockdown Depending on the danger, two different lockdown levels may be used A Perimeter Lockdown is used when an emergency happens near the school and requires an enhanced level of safety School exterior doors are locked to ensure that no individuals leave or enter the building Individuals are only allowed to exit and enter via the front doors of the school with the approval of school administration A School Lockdown alerts staff and students that an imminent danger exists inside or just outside the school School personnel lock classroom doors and windows Students and staff move away from windows and doors and remain in their classrooms until directed by emergency personnel that it is safe to leave Parents are not to come to the school during a lockdown so they won’t compromise the emergency procedures put in place for the safety of students and staff SHELTER IN PLACE During a shelter in place, staff and students remain in the school Staff members secure the school, including windows and the ventilation system No one is allowed to enter or leave the building until the appropriate public safety agencies declare it safe to so For example, a shelter in place may occur during severe weather or if there is a hazardous material spill in the neighbourhood EVACUATION In the case where we would have to evacuate our students and staff, we would walk over to Dundonald School If we would have to evacuate our neighbourhood, we would be transported to Bishop Mahoney High School as an alternate safe location In the event of an evacuation, school staff will attempt to contact parents and guardians Information is also shared with the media and updates are provided via radio and television newscasts WHAT WOULD JESUS DO? PROGRAM Part of our Safe Positive School focus is to recognize good choices students make through a program we created called “What Would Jesus Do?” (WWJD) When staff see student(s) doing something Jesus would (making good choices) they will receive a slip of paper which has the symbol of a fish on it The fish is a symbol early Christians used to identify themselves as followers of Jesus On this piece of paper, the staff member would sign it and would explain the good choice The student would then put their name on the slip of paper and place it in the fish bowl in their classroom At the end of each month, we would draw one student from each classroom The students who are drawn will receive a pizza lunch at school At the beginning of the next month, we will start the process all over At the end of the year, we will have a draw(s) of all the names of students that have accumulated throughout the year at our year end assembly for various prizes sponsored by our Catholic School Community Council We thank Pizza Hut who provides the pizza for our lunch as a donation to our school ST PETER – CATHOLIC SCHOOL COMMUNITY COUNCIL (CSCC) The role of the CSCC is to support the school and its children and contribute to enhancing the well-being of students and their learning The size of the council can range from to people Our members are elected at the Annual General Meeting held in June All parents are welcome to attend our CSCC meetings Parents are informed of the meetings through our school newsletter MEDICATION POLICY Parents should contact their child’s teacher when their child requires medication at school As well, many children in our school have a variety of allergies, the most common one being a nut allergy We ask parents to use due care when packing snacks and lunches and to avoid sending nut-based foods to school STUDENT ACCIDENT INSURANCE Our Board has purchased insurance for all students for ‘school hours’ or while students are on a school sponsored activity There are two parts to this coverage The first is coverage for costs of treatment (ambulance, dental, fiberglass casts, etc.) and the second is a ‘fracture indemnity’ intended to pay for miscellaneous expenses related to the accident It is the parent’s responsibility to file the claim Claim forms can be obtained from the school or the website (www.iapkidsplus.com) or the broker – Marsh Canada Limited 306-683-6950 BEFORE & AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM Phone Number: 306-665-1450 The Before and After School program is offered by the Boys and Girls Club of Saskatoon During the school year, their program is to provide a safe and fun place for kids to be Once families are registered with the program, children may attend as often or as little as needed The program is located in the Band/Music room There is a side entrance off the staff parking lot to drop off and pick up your children Hours of Operation from: Monday to Friday 7:15 a.m.–8:55 a.m and 3:30 p.m.–6:00 p.m COMMUNITY NURSE Our Community Health Nurse is Kristine Noble-Ginther She will perform immunization, health assessment and follow-up, and will function as a resource person/counselor in Health, AIDS Education and Family Life She may be contacted any day of the week through the Saskatoon Community Health Unit, South-East Health Centre Phone: 306-655-4804 COMMUNICABLE DISEASES Communicable diseases can spread rapidly through a classroom To control the spread of these diseases, children who have a fever, diarrhea, or rashes should not attend school until they are well and /or have been treated by a doctor Children who have been in contact with a communicable disease should be kept at home at the first sign of illness Children with the following should not attend school until they have been treated: Lice (pediculosis); Sore Throat (Strep Throat); Scabies; Scarlet Fever; Ringworm; Eye Infections; Impetigo Children who have the following diseases must have a ‘RELEASE SLIP’ before they are allowed to return to school: RED MEASLES, GERMAN MEASLES, MUMPS, WHOOPING COUGH, and HEPATITIS “A” This “RELEASE SLIP” can be obtained by calling the Saskatoon Community Health Unit at 306-655-4686 If you have any questions regarding Communicable Diseases and their control, call our Community Health Nurse, Kristine Noble-Ginther at: West Winds Primary Centre, 311 Fairlight Drive, S7M 3Y5 Phone 306-655-4804