Information for Parents
Absences, Lates and Early Pickup
As part of our safe arrival policy, all students must be accounted for on a daily basis. If your child is ill or will be absent from school for any reason, please log the absence through SchoolMessenger using the app, calling 1-833-275-6702 or https://go.schoolmessenger.com/#/account/signup In the event that SchoolMessenger is not working, please phone the school at 519- 675-4428.
Automatic phone calls are made by the SchoolMessenger system twice daily. If you have not used SchoolMessenger and reported the absence, school staff will contact you about the whereabouts of your child. If staff is unable to reach a parent, phone calls will be made to emergency contacts.
When a student arrives late to school, they must enter through Door A (Main Front Door) and see office staff. Staff will sign the student in and ensure they get to class.
While sending the classroom teacher an email or writing an absence in the agenda is helpful for teachers, you must still enter the absence using SchoolMessenger.
We ask that you avoid picking up your child early from school, especially on a regular basis. Our 300-minute instructional day ends at 3:05 p.m. Missed time is missed learning. In the event you must pick up your child, please enter the early dismissal through SchoolMessenger. Please note that SchoolMessenger is not a live notification for office staff. Please have all early dismissals entered into the system by 12:00 noon whenever possible. An adult will need to come into the school and sign the student out at the office. Parents are asked to wait in the office for their student to meet them there.
Thank you.
Office Team
Allergy Awareness
The number of life-threatening allergies is increasing; we have many students with allergies. It is the parent/guardian(s) responsibility to provide the school with medical information about their child, an emergency plan and an adequate and up-to-date supply of epi-pens (or any other prescribed medication).
Forms are sent home in June with students who are known to have allergies or health needs. If your child has an allergy that the school in unaware of or you do not receive forms please call the school immediately to obtain the pertinent information or download the forms from our website. Updated forms signed by physicians and medications need to be sent to the school as soon as possible.
We are a nut aware school which means that we ask students to bring nut free food items. Since there are students that have allergies to other food products such as milk, melons, eggs etcetera, we ask that. In addition, students sharing food in the school is not permitted. Nut free does not mean it is safe for all students. Our staff does an excellent job raising awareness in their classrooms.
Dress Code
Please ensure that your child has clean, nonskid running shoes for use inside the school gym. In addition, a change of clothes that are proper for active participation such as shorts or track pants and a t-shirt are recommended for physical education classes. Please ensure that phys ed clothes are compliant with our dress code.
Daily school wear should be neat, tidy, free from rips or tears, inappropriate advertising and be modest. The specific dress code and code of conduct can be found in our Policies and Procedures document below. Please read over these important school policies with your child this week. Review dress code throughout the year as the weather changes.
Policy J 3.4 excerpt: Elementary Appropriate Dress Code Policy as defined as a standard of student dress in keeping with the Catholic Learning Environment, the Education Act and Regulations. Dress does not include short shorts/skirts, bare midriffs, exposing of undergarments, accessories such as chains, spiked bracelets or necklaces, flip flops, slippers, pajamas, hats, ripped clothing. Refer to LDCSB Policy J 3.4 for more information.
Medication
All medications, including medications for allergies, pain relief, antibiotics etc. require proper documentation. If it is necessary for your child to take medication during the school day, the parent/guardian must provide a completed LDCSB form authorized (signed) by the prescribing physician before any medication can be administered at school. This also applies to temporary medications such as antibiotics prescribed by a physician – the medication form still needs to be filled out and signed by the doctor.
If you are taking your child to the doctor and feel that a prescription may be written – you are more than welcome to pick up a form before you go to the doctor to save you a follow-up trip. The goal will be to have these forms available to you on-line for easy access/printing at home. All medication will be administered by school personnel and recorded as is required by the LDCSB policy.
For the safety of all children, students may not bring medication to school to self-administer. Forms are always available through the office. This includes all over the counter medications such as pain relievers, cough syrups and so on.
Personal Electronic Devices
The London District Catholic School Board (LDCSB) and St. Anne’s Catholic School are committed to ensuring safe, productive and engaging learning communities in our school. The use of portable electronic devices (PED) are permitted on school premises under limited conditions as authorized by the Principal for the sole purpose of enhancing academic achievement while respecting the dignity and safety of all members of our school community.
PEDs are wireless and/or portable electronic handheld equipment that can be used for the purpose of communication, entertainment, data management, word processing, Wi-Fi access, sound recording, image capture/recording, and information transmitting/receiving/ storing, etc. They include, but are not limited to:
- Mobile communication systems and smart technologies (cell phones, smartphones, I-phones, walkie-talkies, pagers, etc.)
- Portable internet devices (mobile managers/messengers, handsets, etc.)
- Handheld entertainment systems (video games, CD players, compact DVD players, MP3 players, iPods©, Walk-man TM, etc.)
- Digital or film cameras
- Digital or analogue audio recorders or video recorders (tape recorders, camcorders, etc.)
- Spy gadgets (spy cameras, covert listening devices, etc.)
- Any other convergent communication technologies that do any number of the previously mentioned functions.
The school and the LDCSB assume no responsibility for the theft, loss, recovery, repair or replacement for any PED brought onto school property, whether the item is lost, stolen or confiscated. It is the policy of the LDCSB that all personal communication devices shall be powered off and stored out of sight and not used on the school premises except for educational purposes as outlined by the classroom teacher.
School phones are available for students to contact parents in case of emergency or other urgent needs. Students are asked to use the school phones to communicate with parents to ensure permissions have been granted and communication amongst all parties is consistent. Please remind your son or daughter of this expectation and help us enforce this. If you need to contact your son or daughter please phone the school (not their cell phone if they have one); texts and calls distract your son or daughter and the learning environment of all children.
Online social networking, which involves any form of harassment, which is deemed to be conduct injurious to the moral tone of the school, including comments posted electronically, is not acceptable and falls under the school code of conduct.
School Access
For enhanced safety and security for students and staff, our doors are locked during school hours. The only accessible entrance is the main door. Please do not attempt to gain access through any other door. Press the buzzer located at the front door, and state your name and purpose when prompted. You will be greeted using the intercom; sign in at the main office as per the school and board procedures.
We will always do our best to greet you as soon as possible, however there are times when you may need to wait briefly if adults in the office are either on the phone or in meetings. We ask that you press the intercom button one time.
School Code of Conduct
This code of behaviour has been developed in co-operation with representatives of the St. Anne’s School community, including students, staff, and parents/guardians.
What is effective school discipline?
The Ministry of Education refers to the word discipline as that part of education that helps individuals to develop self-control with others. Discipline is the use of appropriate and positive behaviour by students in a given situation. To be effective, school discipline must be based on trust and respect.
- Behaviour is based on the teachings of Jesus Christ and, at all times, reflects our Catholic values.
- It is the responsibility of the school to incorporate the teaching of positive behaviour and our Catholic values into all aspects of the curriculum;
- Positive behaviour is based on co-operation, motivation and ownership;
- Teachers, parents, and students model appropriate behaviour and develop and support rules for conduct co-operatively with students;
- Expectations are visible, clearly communicated and enforced with consistency and fairness;
- Positive behaviour is based on open communication and co-operation between parents and schools.
- Everyone has the right to learn in a safe and supportive environment.
Standards of Behaviour
The standards of behaviour apply to all members of the school community, including students, parents and guardians, teachers or other school staff members, volunteers, and visitors. The standards of behaviour apply: on school property, while traveling on a school bus, in-school sports activities, in off-site school-sponsored activities, or in circumstances where engaging in an activity could have a negative impact on the school climate.
RESPECT, CIVILITY, AND RESPONSIBLE CITIZENSHIP
Under the Provincial Code of Conduct, all members of the school community must:
- Respect and comply with all applicable federal, provincial, and municipal laws;
- Demonstrate honesty and integrity;
- Respect differences in people, their ideas, and their opinions;
- Treat one another with dignity and respect at all times - especially when there is disagreement;
- Respect and treat others fairly, regardless of, for example, race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age or disability;
- Respect the rights of others;
- Show proper care and regard for school property and the property of others;
- Take appropriate measures to help those in need;
- Seek assistance from a member of the school staff, if necessary, to resolve conflict peacefully;
- Respect all members of the school community, especially persons in positions of authority;
- Respect the need of others to work in an environment that is conducive to learning and teaching;
- Not swear at any person at school – especially to a person of authority.
SAFETY
All members of the school community must not:
- Engage in bullying behaviours;
- Commit sexual assault;
- Traffic weapons or illegal drugs;
- Give alcohol to a minor;
- Commit robbery;
- Be in possession of any weapon, including firearms;
- Use any object to threaten or intimidate another person;
- Cause injury to any person with an object;
- Be in possession of, or be under the influence of, or provide others with alcohol or illegal drugs;
- Inflict or encourage others to inflict bodily harm on another person;
- Engage in hate propaganda and other forms of behaviour motivated by hate or bias;
- Commit an act of vandalism that causes damage to school property or to property located on the premises of the school.
BULLYING
Bullying is defined as: “a form of repeated, persistent, and aggressive behaviour directed at an individual or individuals that is intended to cause (or should be known to cause) fear and distress and/or harm to another person’s body, feelings, self-esteem, or reputation. Bullying occurs in a context where there is a real or perceived power imbalance.”
Reference: London District Catholic School Board “Bullying Prevention and Intervention” Policy Code A 3.5
St. Anne’s Catholic School will address any instances of bullying in an effective, differentiated and respectful manner in order to ensure the safety and well-being of all the children that attend our school.
Please click the following to review the LDCSB Safe Schools Policy (Code A 3.3) Progressive Discipline, Suspension and Appeals, Expulsion and Appeals.
Please click the following to review the LDCSB Board Code of Conduct (Policy J 5.5).
Student Agendas
These planners reflect our faithbased education system and prove to be a valuable tool. They are an excellent means of tracking homework, assignments, tests, and events. Planners are also an effective way to communicate information between home and school. Please make a habit of checking these nightly.
The cost of the agendas is subsidized by the school. There is a $7 charge per child towards the cost of the agenda. This will be collected by classroom teachers or you can pay on line during the first week of school.
Volunteers
Parents and community members who volunteer in our school are very important to us and we appreciate their generous giving of themselves. In accordance with Ontario legislation and LDCSB policy, all individuals wishing to volunteer must complete a Voluntary Screening Criminal Background Check. This includes parents or others who volunteer in the school, supervise on school trips/and or coach teams.
If you are interested in volunteering in any capacity, please contact the office. You will be provided with a letter to present to the police in order to initiate a Criminal Background Check. When approved, the statement is returned to the school and the original will be kept on file. This only needs to be completed one time. After the original check is on file, an Annual Declaration form may be signed at the school.
Sign up for School Messenger to report attendance and receive school news updates electronically!