All Saints Blog Week of October 1st, 2018

Weather Disaster Relief for our Families
Thank you for all the calls offering support to our Family of Schools families that have been affected by our recent weather event. Our school guidance department, chaplaincy leader and administration have been communicating with all of the affected students and parents to determine immediate and long term support. While there are a number of agencies collecting for support, St. Isidore’s parish has established an aid effort called Tornado: Families Helping Families Fund and All Saints has coordinated with our elementary schools to focus on this effort for support. I would encourage you to direct any offers of assistance to this charity. Additional information can be found at this link.

School Council Meeting
The All Saints School Council meeting originally scheduled for September 24th was postponed because of school closures that day. We will be having the council meeting this Monday, October 1st at 7:00 in our learning commons.
Police and Peace Officers’ National Memorial Day 

Flags on all Ontario government buildings and establishments across the province were flown at half-mast from sunrise to sunset on Sunday, September 30, 2018 in observance of Police and Peace Officers' National Memorial Day. We salute these first responders in our community



Christian Community Day

This Friday, October 5th, the entire staff at the Ottawa Catholic School Board comes together to celebrate Christian Community Day. This is an opportunity to set academic and spiritual direction for the school year. Friday is a Professional Development day in all OCSB schools.

Math Homework Help

Homework Help is a valuable math resource for students in grades 7 to 10, as it allows them to access live, anonymous tutor chat sessions with certified Ontario teachers. In these sessions, the tutors will guide students to solve math questions after school hours. The live Homework Help chat room service is available for students from 5:30 PM to 9:30 PM Sundays to Thursdays.
https://homeworkhelp.ilc.org/about/index.php

Sacrament of Confirmation @ St. Isidore’s Parish
In the Archdiocese of Ottawa, children in grade six or higher may receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. Confirmation is the final step in the initiation process of the Church which began with Baptism and the Eucharist. In Confirmation we are strengthened with the gifts of the Holy Spirit in order to live out our baptismal call.
If your child is 12 or older and you wish to make this journey with your child to Confirmation this year, please join us: Wednesday, October 10, 2017 at 7:00 pm in the parish hall.
Father Matthew J. Keshwah, Pastor



There is a great deal of information on the CSPA website regarding information for parents and upcoming sessions. You can visit the website here.

Anxiety in School-Aged Children - Wed. Oct. 10, 2018
Speaker: Dr. Jean Clinton
St. Paul High School: 2675 Draper Avenue
7:00 - 9:00 PM
Both parents and teachers are expressing increased concern about the number of children exhibiting anxiety. This talk will explore what some of the causes may be and some strategies for helping.
Register Now: bit.ly/CSPAanxiety2018
Link to information: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yfj9MQ7Rq-oG1_csZtTE3NfkXsX3msro/view

Communications:
Check out our blog – allsaintschs.blogspot.ca and our twitter @AllSaintsOCSB (Mr. Kelly’s - @seankellyottawa) as well as our website ash.ocsb.ca for all that is happening at All Saints!
The OCSB 2018 - 2019 School Year Calendar has been approved by the Ministry of Education! Mark your calendars now with all the important dates for next year.

Coming Up:
October 2nd - Terry Fox Run for 7&8 students
October 5th - PD day - Christian Community Day for Staff
October 8th - PD day - Thanksgiving

Regular Schedule Tomorrow @ All Saints
All Ottawa Catholic School Board schools will be open Tuesday Sept 25. This includes before and after school care programs, child care centres, school extracurricular activities, and the use of schools by the community.  Transportation:  Yellow busses and small vehicle transportation to schools will be running.  For the most up to date information on any changes or delays to bus transportation in your area, go to ottawaschoolbus.ca   Safety first:  Due to delays and anticipated disruptions to service in certain areas, students should not be left unaccompanied during pick up or drop off at any bus stop until the school transportation vehicle has arrived.  Caution should be exercised for all students who walk to school.
We thank our community for its patience and ask for continued prayers for those in affected communities. For information about speaking to students about severe natural disasters, please access the following document: ocsb.ca/wellness

All Saints Blog Week of September 24th, 2018

All Saints Meet the Staff Evening

Thank you to all of our parent/guardian community for participating in our Meet the Staff evening last Thursday.  The session gave us an opportunity to share our direction for the year, introduce some of our staff, and provide classroom information going forward.  Our sessions for parents of grade 12 students put on by our student services department and 7&8 students supported by resource were well attended, and provided information and timelines regarding students in these grades.  Thank you to our Show Choir staff supervisors for organizing our BBQ, and some of our students and Ms. MacConnell for the bake sale.

Our student services department would be happy to further discuss any of the student support options that we reviewed with parents at our evening.  Please contact the school for further information.

Lead testing in water across the Ottawa Catholic School Board

Since 2007, the Ontario government has been requiring child care centres and schools to flush the plumbing in their facilities and test drinking water for lead. New amendments to Ontario regulation 243/07 took effect July 1, 2017 that require lead testing within these facilities for all designated fixtures used to provide drinking water and/or prepare food or drink for children under 18.  The water at All Saints has been tested with no concern to the public. Please see additional information in the following letter.

Student Fee
At All Saints High School, we collect a student fee to augment some of the program, club and activity costs that support student involvement outside of the classroom. Our School Council manages a portion of this fee, and last year they were able to support school greening and recycling, drama activities, professional learning opportunities for staff, student leadership initiatives and many others. Our Student Council has been involved with suggestions for areas of spending, and this year, a portion will support student-led learning in the classroom. In addition, the school uses the funds for 

• school clubs
• school teams
• Academic and Athletic Awards
• Leadership Camp
• social justice initiatives
• guest speakers and school-wide presentations

Grants - Awards - Contests

Skills Canada is recognizing Canada’s Top Trade and/or Technology Teachers - Grade 9/10 and 11/12.  Students can nominate their technology program teachers (national awards -$1000 cash prize for school).  Deadline - October 5th.https://t.co/nwQ1MeFzEZ  

There is a great deal of information on the CSPA website regarding information for parents and upcoming sessions. You can visit the website here.

Anxiety in School-Aged Children - Wed. Oct. 10, 2018
Speaker: Dr. Jean Clinton
St. Paul High School: 2675 Draper Avenue
7:00 - 9:00 PM
Both parents and teachers are expressing increased concern about the number of children exhibiting anxiety. This talk will explore what some of the causes may be and some strategies for helping.
Register Now: bit.ly/CSPAanxiety2018

Link to information:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yfj9MQ7Rq-oG1_csZtTE3NfkXsX3msro/view

Communications:
Check out our blog – allsaintschs.blogspot.ca and our twitter @AllSaintsOCSB (Mr. Kelly’s - @seankellyottawa) as well as our website ash.ocsb.ca for all that is happening at All Saints!

The OCSB 2018 - 2019 School Year Calendar has been approved by the Ministry of Education! Mark your calendars now with all the important dates for next year.
Coming Up:
September 24th - School Council Meeting
October 2nd - Terry Fox Run for 7&8 Students
October 5th - PD day - Christian Community Day for staff

All Saints Blog Week of September 17th, 2018

Grade 9 Orientation: Our Amazing Race

Our grade 9 students were involved in an All Saints tradition this past week, participating in The Amazing Race activity. This provided students an opportunity to explore important skills such as teamwork, resiliency and participation as they participated in a number of activities. Staff also went over some important points regarding what students would need to know to be successful throughout the year. We also encouraged students to bring a strong level of enthusiasm to their classroom work and the clubs, sports and activities they will involve themselves with this year. Thanks to the many staff who participated in this activity, and a special thank you to Ms. Hay for her organization.

Celebrating “7’s”
In addition to our grade 9 orientation last week, Friday saw a celebration of our youngest students in our All Saints family - our grade 7’s. Our day began with a presentation by our school resource officer Constable Lee on appropriate use of the internet and social communication. This served as a great connection to the work students are completing in Religion class around “Samaritans on the Digital Road”. The afternoon provided us with a chance to build community and enthusiasm among our grade 7 homerooms. Teachers lead spirit activities with their classes, performing some singing and dance moves. Former CFL player and journalist Ken Evraire spoke to our 7’s about good choices and “being in the right place at the right time”. We appreciate the contributions of our entire grade 7 staff with a special thank you to our organizers, MC’s for our “concert”, and Ms. Abrams for providing a sweet “cupcake” finish to the day. A great start to the year 7’s!

Meet the Staff Evening
Our Meet the Staff Open House will be held on Thursday afternoon (September 20th) from 4:30 to 6:30. We invite all parents/guardians within our All Saints Community to join us for information about the school, and to introduce yourself to your son/daughter’s teachers, educational assistants, administrators and guidance counsellors. Please review the following schedule:
4:30 to 5:15 - BBQ fundraiser for our Show Choir group ($5 combos)
4:30 to 5:00 - the 7/8 resource team would like to invite any family of students with IEP's to a presentation about the resource model at All Saints. This will take place in the Learning Commons on the 2nd floor.
5:20 to 5:45 - Address (school administration, School Council Chair, Student Services)
5:45 to 6:30 - grade 7&8 teachers remain in cafeteria, 9-12 staff in the wood floor gym (arranged alphabetically by last name - please bring your son/daughter’s schedule or teacher information)
6:00 - 6:30 - Graduation information (meeting in our learning commons): student services personnel will focus on graduation requirements, post secondary options, scholarships and awards, important dates and communication strategies.
We will also have representatives from Staples on hand to discuss family technology purchasing options.
A representative from St. John’s Music will be available to discuss rental options for music/band students.

Please understand that the Meet the Staff evening organization does not allow for specific discussions with teachers regarding individual student needs. Do know that you can contact a staff member at the school at any point if you require a lengthier discussion.

Spirit Week
Our students will be celebrating their first spirit week from Sept. 17th to 21st. We have some theme days coming up, and our student council has some activities planned for lunch hours. We encourage all of our students to participate!
Monday - Hat Day

Tuesday - Twin Day

Wednesday - Western Day

Thursday - Grade Colour Day

Friday - Rocker vs. Rapper

Carp Fair this Weekend
We recognize that the Carp fair is being celebrated this weekend. Friday, September 21st remains a regular school day at All Saints and we would ask parents/guardians to please notify the school if their son or daughter is to be away. In addition, Ottawa Public Health has asked area schools to share the following information:

Hello parents, As you may know, later this week is the Carp Fair. Many of our students attend this fair with friends and/or family. While this fair brings our community together in a fun atmosphere, it can also present safety concerns. We encourage all parents to have a discussion with their teens about risk taking behaviours whether that pertains to their child or a friend. Open dialogue is key to discuss potential situations involving: drug and alcohol use, consent and even how to ensure safety among friends.

For more ideas and information on talking to your teen, please visit
www.parentinginottawa.ca.
Please also encourage your teen to check out
www.thelinkottawa.ca/partysafe.
Be safe and have fun!

Social Insurance Number application session
On Thursday September 27th, a client representative from Service Canada will be at All Saints to register students who do not yet have a Social Insurance Number. In order to attend the 'SIN clinic' students must sign up in student services before September 26th. Appointment slips with the time slot will be provided to the the students on the morning of September 27th. If you have any questions, please see Ms. Muldoon in the co-op office.

Student Fee
At All Saints High School, we collect a student fee to augment some of the program, club and activity costs that support student involvement outside of the classroom. Our School Council manages a portion of this fee, and last year they were able to support school greening and recycling, drama activities, professional learning opportunities for staff, student leadership initiatives and many others. Our Student Council has been involved with suggestions for areas of spending, and this year, a portion will support student-led learning in the classroom. In addition, the school uses the funds for

• school clubs
• school teams
• Academic and Athletic Awards
• Leadership Camp
• social justice initiatives
• guest speakers and school-wide presentations

All Saints Catholic School Council
The first general meeting of the All Saints School Council will take place on Monday, September 24th at 7:00pm in the school learning commons (library). We hope to see many new parents at our meeting at the end of the month. If you are interested in running for a position on the council, you may review the information required in the following forms and send the information required in an email to All Saints High School (AllSaints.High@ocsb.ca)

School Council Parent Nomination Form
School Council Parent Self-Nomination Form


There is a great deal of information on the CSPA website regarding information for parents and upcoming sessions. You can visit the website here.

Anxiety in School-Aged Children - Wed. Oct. 10, 2018
Speaker: Dr. Jean Clinton
St. Paul High School: 2675 Draper Avenue
7:00 - 9:00 PM
Both parents and teachers are expressing increased concern about the number of children exhibiting anxiety. This talk will explore what some of the causes may be and some strategies for helping.
Register Now: bit.ly/CSPAanxiety2018

Link to information:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yfj9MQ7Rq-oG1_csZtTE3NfkXsX3msro/view

Communications:
Check out our blog – allsaintschs.blogspot.ca and our twitter @AllSaintsOCSB (Mr. Kelly’s - @seankellyottawa) as well as our website ash.ocsb.ca for all that is happening at All Saints!

The OCSB 2018 - 2019 School Year Calendar has been approved by the Ministry of Education! Mark your calendars now with all the important dates for next year.
Coming Up:
September 24th - School Council Meeting

All Saints Blog Week of September 4th, 2018

Purchasing Options for Student Technology
As we continue the implementation of Deep Learning across the Board, and increasingly seek out opportunities to leverage digital to support learning, access to enough devices in each classroom is sometimes an issue. Our Board has been investing in technology for many years and will continue to do so, but the demand is rapidly increasing as students are starting to do more and more of their schoolwork online using the collaborative tools available.

BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) is a strategy that has been successfully implemented in many of our schools to help support student access to technology. Many families are seeking advice as they consider purchasing a device for their child to use both at home and at school over the next few years. As a result, we have been working with Staples Canada to provide OCSB families with access to an online portal  where they can find information and pricing on a few models of Chromebooks that have been specifically recommended by our Learning Technologies Department.  These recommended devices are the same durable machines we are using in classrooms, with full keyboards, cameras and touchscreens that also flip over to act as a tablet and were not previously available from Staples.

Please see the parent letter outlining the program here.

All Saints Community Expectations
As part of our orientation activities over the first few days of school, we meet with individual grades and classes to go over our school philosophy, board theme, basic procedures and other community expectations. These expectations are available on our school website at sites.google.com/a/ocsb.ca/ash/; click on the “our school” tab and scroll down to the links on the bottom left hand side. These meetings with students at the beginning of the year allows us to answer any questions they might have about the expectations.


New Twitter Handle!
To create some consistency across the board, we have changed our Twitter handle from @allsaintschs to @AllSaintsOCSB. Please follow us to see what is happening at the school!