Principal's Message
It is with great enthusiasm and hope that I welcome everyone in the community as I look forward to serving you based on the three guiding pillars: Listening, Learning, and Living in Faith. The pastoral theme of 2024-2025 academic year is “Living in Hope.” As we focus on this main theme and the Catholic Graduate Expectations during the school year, I will strive to model as well encourage everyone in the school community to listen carefully and share the God-given talents and time in service of each other.
Please take time to review the content of this student handbook with your child/children and explain to them the importance of following the Code of Conduct.
As a team, the staff and I are committed to the strategic priorities of the Durham Catholic District School Board: Support Faith and Well-being, Advance Human Rights and Equity, and Improve Student Learning. Our team will continue to collaborate to nurture, support and inspire students on their road to becoming compassionate, confident and responsible Catholic graduates. The School - Parish - Home triad is the crucial determinant in the achievement and well-being of each student. The school team look forward to working in partnership with you for a successful school year!
Mrs. Paul
Principal
| School Day Hours | ||||
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7:45 a.m. - Yard Supervision Begins |
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| St. Teresa of Calcutta – Our Namesake and Inspiration | ||||
| In 1948, St. Teresa became the first Catholic nun in 300 years to be allowed to work outside the convent. St. Teresa began her missionary work amongst India's poor and homeless. In her long life of service St. Teresa was responsible for the creation of more than 445 Missionaries of Charity houses, providing shelter for the homeless, food for the starving, medicine for the sick, and comfort for the dying in nearly one hundred countries worldwide. She was beatified on October 20, 2003. St. Teresa's feast day is celebrated on September 5. Her legacy inspires us as we work together to support students as they develop in body, mind, and spirit. She was canonized St. Teresa of Calcutta by Pope Francis on September 4, 2016. | ||||
| St. Teresa of Calcutta School Prayer | ||||
| Mother Teresa, Lead us to understand who we truly are through God's words. Inspire us to believe in ourselves and others. Guide us to care for each other by our actions. Help us to accept one another as one family, and Teach us the full meaning of "Sharing our Love." Amen. |
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| Parish Information | ||||
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St. Bernadette Catholic Church 21 Bayly Street East, Ajax, ON L1S 1P2 Phone: (905-683-1533 E mail: office@stbernajax.com
Pastor: Fr. Chris Lemieux Associate Pastor: Fr. Daniel Lee
Weekend Masses: Saturday 5:00 PM Sunday 8:30 AM 10:15 AM 12:00 PM 5:00 PM 7:00 PM |
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| Childcare Partner - P.R.Y.D.E. Learning Centre | ||||
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P.R.Y.D.E. Learning Centre 15 Fishlock St. Ajax, ON L1Z 1H1 |
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| Student Illness | ||||
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Parents are required to complete the Covid-19 screening each morning prior to sending children to school. The Covid-19 screening tool can be found on the DCDSB website. In fairness to all, please do not send your child to school if there are definite signs of ill health in the morning. We have neither the facilities nor the personnel to care for sick children. Good health is necessary for effective learning. Students who are ill should receive proper medical attention and should not attend school until their health is reasonable. Students who are ill should tell their teacher immediately. It is important that students who are ill go home as soon as possible. Our practice will be to call parents/guardians and ask that students be either picked up or given parental/guardian permission to go home. For this reason, it is important that parents/guardians keep work and emergency numbers current in the school's family information form. |
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| School Year Calendar - Important Dates | ||||
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School Holidays and Professional Activity (PA) Days
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| Monthly Catholic Graduate Expectations (CGE) and Virtues | ||||
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| Pick Up and Drop Off | ||||
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Parents/guardians who are dropping their children off and picking up students in the drive thru lane are asked to keep the line moving. If you are required to get out of your car, please PARK in a parking spot. Parking in the laneway creates safety issues and a backup of traffic. Please be courteous to others on our school property. Remember that safety comes before convenience. Do not park your vehicle along the sides of the driveways as these are fire routes. Supervision outside takes place from 7:50 to 8:05 a.m. We encourage you to try to arrive before 8:05 a.m. to avoid peak traffic times. When students arrive before the bell (morning and lunch) they are to enter the schoolyard and not come through the school. For pick up in the afternoons, you are asked to PARK until your child is ready. We ask that you encourage your child to make his/her way to the pick-up area immediately upon dismissal to reduce the amount of wait time. |
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| Durham Student Transportation Services (DSTS) | ||||
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Durham Student Transportation Services (DSTS) Office: (905) 666-6295 or 1 (800) 240-6943 Automated Telephone Line: (905) 666-6979 or 1 (866) 908-6578 Website: www.dsts.on.ca Durham Student Transportation Services (DSTS) is responsible for the management of all home to school transportation for eligible students in Durham Region. The DSTS automated phone line is the easiest way to obtain accurate information. You will need to have your child’s date of birth and student OEN number (9 digit student number found on your child’s report card). Safety Expectations:
Riding a school bus is a privilege. The students must exhibit proper and safe behaviours while riding the bus. If an infraction occurs, a warning letter may be sent home. For repeated infractions, your child may be suspended from riding the bus for a designated period of time. Alternate transportation arrangements will be the responsibility of the parent/guardian during this time. Cancellations Due to Weather Conditions:
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| Signing Your Child In and Out of School | ||||
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The safety of our students is of utmost importance. Along with our regular attendance procedures, students are required to be signed in and out of the school, during the regular school day, if they are coming or going outside of the regular entry and dismissal times. To help facilitate this process, we ask that we communicate the message to the classroom teacher vis Edsby so that classroom educators will be aware and send students down to the office at the required time. |
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| Bike Safety | ||||
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Students may ride their bicycles or skateboards to school with their parent/guardian’s permission. It is required by law that helmets are worn, and this is the expectation for all students who choose to ride their bicycle or skateboard. Once on school property, students must walk for the safety of themselves and others. Bicycles can be locked in the bicycle racks.
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| Lunch Hour Routines | ||||
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Students will enjoy a recess break outside (weather permitting) from 10:50–11:25 a.m. and a lunch break from 11:25 – 11:45 a.m. For your convenience, lunches may be left on the desk placed in the front vestibule with your child’s name clearly labelled. Students who have to stay for lunch are expected to observe and follow the guidelines which have been established and clearly explained to them. No child staying for lunch is allowed to leave the school yard. |
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| Co-Curricular Activities | ||||
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Our school has a wide range of co-curricular activities. Most of these programs are conducted during the lunch hour in order to allow for maximum participation. Although there is an accepted degree of competition, the emphasis in our co-curricular activities is on participation. We encourage all students to take part in an area of interest to them. |
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| Lost and Found | ||||
| A lost and found box is located by the gym. Students are encouraged to place any found articles in this location. Likewise, students are advised to look in the lost and found box for any lost articles. Periodically, lost articles are placed on tables in the hall to encourage and aid students in claiming their possessions. Any items that remain unclaimed at the end of each term are packaged and given to the Diabetes Association. Please encourage your child(ren) to check the lost and found when an article has been misplaced. Labelling all personal items also assists in locating the owner of found items. | ||||
| Parent Volunteers in the School and Policy Vulnerable Sector Checks | ||||
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Parent volunteers are welcome and are a vital part of our school community. Volunteers provide valuable assistance in classrooms, during school trips, and support special programs and events in the school. If you are interested in volunteering in the school, a Police Vulnerable Sector Check is required. Once completed, the documentation is good for one year from the date of issue. A letter is available at the office to reduce the cost of this service. |
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| St. Teresa of Calcutta Catholic School Council | ||||
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The purpose of the Catholic School Council (CSC) is to advise the principal on matters set out by the Ministry of Education and the DCDSB. CSC is composed of parent representatives, the principal, and teaching and non-teaching representatives. Elections will be held during the first meeting in September and meeting dates will be posted. |
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| Anaphylaxis Alert | ||||
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Anaphylaxis is a serious and rapid allergic reaction which can be LIFE THREATENING. Foods are amongst the most common causes of an allergic reaction, but medications, insect stings, latex and exercise can also cause a reaction. Several students in our school have an anaphylactic allergy to various allergens. To help ensure their safety, nuts and products containing nuts are not permitted in the school. For classrooms that have students with anaphylactic allergies, signs will be posted advising of the specific allergies. We ask that you carefully read food labels before sending snack and lunch items with your child. Your cooperation is essential in keeping all of our students safe and we thank you in advance for your support and understanding. If your child has an anaphylactic allergy, it is essential that you inform the school and provide updated medical information and medication at the beginning of each school year and if medical conditions change. Please contact the school for more information on the required documents. |
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| Birthdays and Celebrations | ||||
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In order to maintain the safety of all students and considering the student allergies, the school guideline is that no homemade food is allowed for distribution in the classroom. All store-bought food items must contain the ‘peanut free/nut free” label and individually wrapped. A great alternative to food items is fun pencils, erasers, or books. Permission from the classroom teacher is before sending any loot bags or treats for the entire class. |
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| Medical Concerns and Oral Medications | ||||
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Parents must notify the school of any exceptional health conditions and the accompanying requirements. Important health information must also be included on the Student Information Forms. If your child has any health conditions or medical requirements, please inform the office and complete the appropriate information and consent forms. In special cases, where a student must regularly have medication during school hours, consent forms must be completed. In most cases, all oral medications will be kept in the office. |
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| Asthma Medication and Ryan's Law | ||||
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Ryan's Law, 2015, was recently passed by the Ontario Legislature. This piece of legislation is an important step to support the well-being of students with asthma in Ontario schools. Over the course of the next school year, the Durham Catholic District School Board will be working to implement the requirements of this legislation and developing a more formal process to identify students with asthma and their asthma medication.
If your child has asthma, you will be required to complete the “Administration of Oral Medication”. This form provides specific details and instructions on the administration of the required medication for your child and gives parental consent to store and administer this medication at school. With your permission, your child will be allowed to carry his/her asthma medication on his/her person at all times. You are encouraged to provide a fanny pack or pouch to facilitate this. Permission will need to be renewed each school year along with any updates to your child’s medical information. |
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| Dress Code | ||||
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Health, safety and modesty forms the basis of our dress code policy which will be enforced on a daily basis Students are expected to:
All Dress Code infractions will be addressed with discretion and respect. |
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| Electronic Devices | ||||
Students should not bring electronic devices to school unless directed by a teacher. These items are a distraction to learning and tend to be very expensive. The school cannot be responsible for lost or stolen items should they be brought to school. Students who use these devices during the school day will have them taken away and returned at the discretion of the principal or vice-principal.
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| Homework Policy | ||||
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Part of the nightly homework routine should include time for reading, whether it has been directly assigned or not. Ongoing review of concepts and studying for quizzes or tests is also appropriate and necessary. In order to ensure that we continue to have assessment for and as learning, homework will only be work that should otherwise have been finished in class and the end stages of in-school assignments, projects, or practice activities. (A good rule of thumb is that homework should not be any longer than 10 minutes times the grade level.) Students may be assigned incomplete work due to planned absences. Children need time to be children and to have the opportunity for family time. Consequently, homework will not be assigned during holidays. Weekend homework will be kept to a minimum (unless assigned and due earlier in the week). |
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| DCDSB Safe, Caring, and Healthy Elementary Schools | ||||
| The Durham Catholic District School Board recognizes that a school should be a place that promotes responsibility, respect, civility, and academic excellence in a safe learning and teaching environment. A positive school climate exists when all members of the school community feel safe, comfortable, and accepted. It is the responsibility of all members of the school community to work together to create a positive learning environment where all members feel supported. | ||||
| Access to Premises | ||||
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During school hours, all parents and visitors are required to report to the main office. If you are dropping off or picking up your child, or dropping off any items during the school day, you are asked to wait in the main office or front foyer. To maintain the safety of all students and protect instructional time, parents and visitors are not permitted in the school hallways, classrooms or schoolyard unless by special invitation. In this case, you are required to sign in at the office.
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| Make Every Day Count – Attendance Matters | ||||
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Attending school regularly helps children feel better about school–and themselves. Now is the time to start building this habit so your child learns right away that going to school on time, every day is important. Good attendance will help children do well in high school, college or university, and in the world of work. Did You Know? Absences can add up quickly. A child is considered chronically absent if he/she misses just two days every month!! Research Shows:
School success goes hand in hand with good attendance! What You Can Do:
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| Safe Arrival – Automated Attendance | ||||
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The Durham Catholic District School Board uses an automated attendance system, called Safe Arrival, for reporting student absences. Safe Arrival reduces the time it take to verify student attendance making it easier for you to report your child's absence and easier for staff to respond to unexplained student absences. Parents are able to report their child's absence quickly and conveniently using three different methods:
All three methods are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Future absences, like doctor's appointments can be reported ahead of time. |
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| Restorative Schools | ||||
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We believe that safety begins with positive connections between the students, staff, and parents. To foster these relationships, staff in the Durham Catholic District School Board use restorative practices, including classroom circles and small group conferences to build community within the classroom and the school. Restorative Practice is rooted in the same philosophical approach as Canada's Native Aboriginal communities. It rests on the belief that it is best to do things with people, rather than to them. When conflict arises, using restorative practices engages students in a fair process that responds to behaviour in a way that strengthens and repairs the relationship. It is collaborative rather than adversarial in nature. The aim of restorative practice is to hold individuals accountable for their actions while resorting and repairing any relationships amongst each other and within the community that may have been harmed. Catholic Restorative Schools will:
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| School Code of Conduct | ||||
| Please click here to read the Code of Conduct. |
