Our Lady of Wisdom Catholic School 1565 St. Georges Street Orleans, Ontario K1E 1R2 TEL: 613-824-9700 FAX: 613-824-9010 Email: [email protected] Webpage: http://wis.ocsb.ca

STUDENT AGENDA 2016-2017 School Mission Statement

By learning, living and promoting the values of Jesus Christ in a safe and happy environment, the community of Our Lady of Wisdom Catholic School strives to provide the knowledge, skills and values which will enable each person to reach full potential in spiritual, intellectual, social, emotional and physical development as life-long learners who will contribute positively to Canadian society.

Our new spiritual theme this year is, "Sent to be the good news". This quote reminds us that we are called to go out to the world and spread the good news. As Pope Francis proclaims, this is Good News for all humanity. We are confident in Catholic Education that the gospel is at the core of our values and provides a view of life that can speak to our students, educators, parents and community.

I have reviewed the Agenda and the Our Lady of Wisdom Code of Conduct

STUDENT SIGNATURE:

PARENT SIGNATURE: _________________ Our Lady of Wisdom Name: ___________________________ Teacher: _________________________ French Teacher: ___________________

A warm welcome is extended to all OLW returning and new families. We look forward to a school year that is filled with many enriching learning experiences, fun-filled activities and opportunities to gather, pray and share together.

ABOUT OUR SCHOOL Opened in 1972, Our Lady of Wisdom School is located in Queenswood Heights, Orleans. Our Lady of Wisdom was the first east-end Catholic school and from this community grew many of the other Catholic schools in the area. We have a proud and cherished history. The Our Lady of Wisdom School community believes that a Catholic school is one in which the teachings of Jesus Christ are integrated into the day-to-day curriculum and social fabric of school life. The strength of our school comes from the Catholic faith that the staff, students and community share. Approximately 250 children attend Our Lady of Wisdom School. The staff is comprised of full-time and part-time positions with a total of thirty-two members. Principal: Mrs. Catherine Byrne Office Administrator: Mrs. Jaime DeMarchi-Calvi Teacher Designate: Mrs. Laurie Lambourne Our Parish: Our Lady of Wisdom School is one of eight schools that are part of Divine Infant Parish. Our current pastors are Rev. Waldemar Podlasz SDS and Father Matthew Keshwah.

OUR LADY OF WISDOM CATHOLIC SCHOOL COUNCIL The continuing role of the Catholic School Council at Our Lady of Wisdom School is to act as an advisory body and channel for communication among the parents, teachers and school community. The Catholic School Council supports the school's efforts to provide an educational and spiritual environment. The School Council enhances the learning environment by organizing a variety of activities for the school community and by providing additional materials/resources through their fundraising efforts. The School Council provides advice on a variety of issues and reflects the school community in composition and function. All parents are encouraged and welcome to attend the Council meetings held each month.

SCHOOL HOURS AND BELL TIMES 8:15 a.m. 8:30 a.m. 9:45 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. 11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. 1:30 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. 3:00 p.m.

Morning Supervision begins School Day begins Morning Recess Lunch Afternoon Recess Dismissal

SUPERVISION

Supervision begins at 8:10 a.m. and students are permitted to enter the school and their classrooms at that time. There is no supervision provided beforehand. Teachers supervise bus arrivals and departures, as well as recesses and lunch hour. Students are not allowed to leave the school grounds, unless accompanied by a parent/guardian, or when given written consent by a parent/guardian.

PARENTS, VISITORS, VOLUNTEERS

The safety and protection of students is of the utmost importance. Parents/Guardians, Visitors and Volunteers must sign in at the office and obtain a visitor badge to make them easily identifiable to students

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and staff. If a parent/guardian is picking up a child for an appointment, the office staff will alert the classroom teacher and the student will come to the office. Students will be called to the office to pick up items or to receive messages. All doors to the school are kept locked during the school day. All visitors will be buzzed in through the front doors.

SICK CHILDREN

If your child is ill, we suggest that they stay home where they can best recuperate and until they are healthy and able to fully participate in all school activities.

STUDENT ABSENCE

Please phone the school (613-824-9700) if your child will be absent or arriving late. The school answering machine is available at all times to take messages. Leave your child’s name, the teacher’s name and the reason for the absence. If your child will be absent due to travel/vacation plans, please send a note in advance to your child’s teacher as well as a copy to the office. Should your child be absent for several days, please indicate that information in your message and it will not be necessary for you to contact the school each day. In order to minimize our outgoing calls, your cooperation is appreciated.

PUNCTUALITY

Being punctual is a way we show respectful behaviour. It is imperative that students arrive at school with sufficient time to begin the school day in an organized manner. Students have free entry into the school and into their classrooms as of 8:15 a.m. Teachers take attendance at 8:30 a.m. After that time, the parent must sign in their child as late and the student must receive a late slip from the office to hand to the teacher.

STUDENT INFORMATION It is very important for the school to have up-to-date and accurate information about each child in case of an emergency or illness during school hours. Parents are asked to inform the office immediately of any change in home, work, cell, caregiver or emergency telephone number(s).

MEDICAL INFORMATION / ALLERGIES

Our Lady of Wisdom School has children with severe peanut/nut allergies, (anaphylaxis) which is a life-threatening condition and which requires the emergency use of an EpiPen. All parents are reminded not to send any food products that contain peanuts or nuts to school.

MEDICATION

If you need to send medication to school for your child, for example: inhalers or an EpiPen, a “Request and Consent for Administration of Medication Form” MUST be completed by the parent/guardian and signed by the student’s physician. Antibiotics and/or analgesics are treated in the same manner as daily medication. Since safety is the major concern surrounding the administration of any and all medication, please ensure that it is brought to the main office for secure storage; it is not to be sent in school lunches. Medication will only be administered by designated school staff. Staff members do not administer short term medication such as antibiotics and cough medicine. School Board Policy states: Staff will only administer medication when parents complete a form that includes parental permission, written instructions from an attending physician, and a signed release of liability allowing school staff to administer medication. Medication must be sent to the school in the original container.

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PERSONAL PROPERTY Our Lady of Wisdom cannot assume responsibility for personal property (bicycles, toys, CD players, MP3 players, ipods. clothing, jewelry, cellphones) brought to school by students. Students are strongly discouraged from bringing toys or electronic devices to school as they may get lost or broken. It is also helpful to write your child’s name on personal items (school bags, indoor shoes, clothing, etc…). Any cellphone brought to school must be kept in the student backpack and turned off.

SCHOOL PROPERTY

All school property (books, etc) should be treated with respect. It is each student’s responsibility to take care of textbooks and library books entrusted to his/her care. If any school materials are damaged or lost, students may be held responsible for their replacement.

LOST AND FOUND Please remember to label your child’s equipment and clothing. This will make it easier for our staff to find the rightful owner of lost articles. Lost and Found bins are located throughout the school. Students and parents/guardians are encouraged to check the Lost and Found areas for missing items and misplaced clothing. Unclaimed items are donated to charity.

PROHIBITED ITEMS At Our Lady of Wisdom School, all student activities (classroom, recess, extracurricular, etc.,) are intended to be of a learning and educational nature. Therefore, items intended for personal / individual entertainment or amusement are not to be brought to school. In addition, adhering to this policy greatly reduces the possibility of theft, loss or damage to the item. These include: • Personal listening devices (CD players, MP3 players, cell phones, radios, etc.) • Portable electronic games and/or cartridges • Trading / collector cards; Magazines / books of a non-educational nature (comics) • Fire crackers / laser pens

DRESS CODE

It is expected that all students present themselves in neat and appropriate attire for a Catholic learning environment. All students are asked to have an extra pair of shoes with white / non-marking soles for indoor wear at school. Hats, caps and bandannas are not to be worn inside the school. It is critical that children dress appropriately for both hot and cold weather. During our hot and humid temperatures, t-shirts, shorts and skirts may be worn. However, no spaghetti straps, tank tops (bare midriffs), muscle shirts, mini-skirts or short-shorts are permitted. The length of a skirt or shorts should cover a minimum of half the child’s thigh. Pajama bottoms and jeans that are ripped or torn are also not permitted. We appreciate your cooperation and support in this regard for all grades.

SACRAMENTAL AND RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION Religion is integrated within all aspects of the educational experience that makes “Catholic Schools, schools with a difference.” In collaboration with Divine Infant Parish, students regularly gather to celebrate Mass and pray together. The children in our school, with the help of parents, priests, staff, and our sacramental team are instructed and prepared to receive the Sacraments of First Eucharist (Gr. 2), Reconciliation (Gr. 2), and Confirmation (Gr. 6).

COMMUNICATION Each family will receive our Board calendar at the beginning of September. It highlights holidays and PD (Professional Development Days). Parents/Guardians are informed of school activities and events through

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classroom newsletters and monthly school newsletters which are posted on our website: http://wis.ocsb.ca. This Agenda, telephone conversations and parent/teacher interviews are communication tools that are used by teachers and parents/guardians. We also use Flashalert to send home newsletters, monthly calendars and important info. We strongly encourage you to sign up for Announcement Notifications on the school Website. We are also on Twitter - please follow us @WISCatholic. Information regarding Board activities and policies can be found on the Board website. www.ocsb.ca.

REPORT CARDS

New this year, all students (including Kindergarten students) will receive a Progress Report in

November, then Report Cards in February and June. Please refer to the School Board website for more about the Board’s Policy on Planning, Assessment, Evaluation and Reporting.

EMERGENCY SCHOOL CLOSURE

It is crucial that the school has up-to-date contact information. No child will be allowed to leave the school or the alternate site (Dunning-Foubert Elementary School) until either the parent/guardian or emergency contact person has been contacted. To keep parents/guardians and the community informed of closure details, public announcements will be made on local radio and television stations.

TRANSPORTATION

Entitlement Policy The Ottawa Catholic School Board provides transportation for students who reside, or whose caregiver resides, the following distances from their home school: Junior & Senior Kindergarten  0.8 km or more from their home school Grades 1 through 8  1.6 km or more from their home school Parents are responsible for the safety and supervision of children travelling to and at bus stops, which are located within a reasonable distance from the student’s home / caregiver location. Assigned Bus Over the summer, the Ottawa Student Transportation Authority (OSTA) prepares bus routes and provides each driver with a list of students on his/her route. Students must use the bus to which they are assigned and must get on/off the bus at the same stop. They may not go to a friend’s house, an appointment, etc., on another bus. All such arrangements must be made after the child has disembarked at their scheduled stop. If your child takes the bus and is being picked up instead, a note to that effect must be provided to the teacher in advance. Without a note, your child will be sent home on the bus. These measures have been put into place to ensure that your children are safely transported to and from school. Thank you for your cooperation. Route Changes If your child’s pick-up / drop-off location is changing, OSTA requires at least 5 days notice to implement the bussing change. Please phone the school to update your child’s database. For safety reasons, we are unable to accommodate a schedule of varying pick-up and drop-off locations. School bus drivers are NOT permitted to alter bus routes.

Bus Cancellations During the winter months, it is possible for transportation to be cancelled due to inclement weather. Our school does not close. If bus routes are cancelled, they will be announced over the local radio stations as soon as possible, and information will be posted on the School Board’s website at: www.ocsb.ca by 6:00 a.m. . If buses have been cancelled in the morning, they will be cancelled for the entire day. Parents who drop their children off at school on those days will be required to pick them up or provide them with written

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permission to walk home. Whether your child walks or is bussed, they are not automatically marked absent if buses are cancelled. It is imperative that parents of students who walk to school notify the school of

their child’s absence on a day where transportation is cancelled. IE: Snow days. Student’s Responsibility on the Bus • • • • • •

Pupils must be seated at all times Respectful and courteous behaviour towards the bus driver and each other is expected Eating food is not allowed on the bus Quiet talking will ensure that the bus driver will not be distracted and everyone has a safe trip Do not open the windows of the bus without the bus driver’s permission Do not throw items inside the bus or out the window

Consequences • • •

The driver shall warn any pupil who misbehaves on the bus If misbehaviour is repeated, the driver shall notify the principal in writing by completing a bus incident report. Parents will be notified of those incidents. Bus privileges can be lost for a determined period of time due to inappropriate/persistent misbehaviour.

BICYCLES

If your child is riding a bike to school, they must disembark at the sidewalk, walk their bike to the bike stand, and lock their bike. All students riding a bike or on roller-blades must wear a helmet. Skateboards, scooters, roller-blades and wheelies are not permitted at school.

HEALTHY ACTIVE SCHOOLS

Our school encourages healthy eating (including eating healthy snacks). We encourage cooperative, inclusive play at recess and train our peacemakers to organize a variety of games for the primary students. During the year we promote exercise through many different class and school wide activities and special events.

RECYCLING

In order to promote preservation of the environment and to achieve our goal of 50% waste reduction, the OCSB is encouraging all students and staff to practice the three Rs of Reduce, Reuse and

Recycle, by decreasing paper waste and by bringing litterless lunches to school. Our Lady of Wisdom is now an ECO School and we were just awarded a Silver standing. Green Team members (Grade 1-6) complete garbage audits, promote litterless lunches, look after the green bins and ensure lights and computers are turned off. We are also working on re-designing the school yard.

SOCIAL MEDIA SITES AND ONLINE CONDUCT Social media sites can be effective communication tools. Where appropriate, school staff may choose to participate in school sanctioned online activities (Ottawa Health Department). Students are reminded that their personal online conduct should be similar to their face to face conduct and at all times should respect the school code of conduct. Students may be disciplined, including suspension, if their online behaviour results in a disruption to the school environment or negatively impacts our Catholic school climate. Online threats may be reported to the School Resource Officer at the Police Dept. Students are not allowed to use cell phones or other record or photo devices on school property. Any cellphone brought to school must be kept in the

student backpack and turned off.

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SCHOOL CODE OF CONDUCT Our Lady of Wisdom proclaims that all people are created in the image and likeness of God, and as such, has the right to be treated with dignity, respect and fairness. To this end, we promote a learning environment in which all members of the school community feel safe, included, and accepted. Our Lady of Wisdom Code of Conduct sets clear standards of behaviour that apply to our students as well as all individuals involved in our school community (parents/guardians, volunteers, staff, and third-party groups). These standards apply to students whether they are on school property, on school buses, at school-related events or activities, or in other circumstances that could have an impact on the school climate. Students: Students will be treated with respect and dignity. In return, through acceptable behaviour, they must demonstrate respect for themselves, others, and the environment. Students must also act as responsible citizens. Respect and responsibility are demonstrated when a student: • comes to school prepared, on time, and ready to learn; • shows respect for himself or herself, for others, and for those in authority; • refrains from bringing anything to school that may compromise the safety of others; and • follows the established rules and takes responsibility for his or her own actions. Parents/Guardians: Parents/Guardians play an important role in the education of their children and can support the efforts of school staff in maintaining a safe, inclusive, and accepting learning environment for all students when they: • show an active interest in their child’s school work and progress; • communicate regularly with the school; • help their child be neat, appropriately dressed, and prepared for school; • ensure that their child attends school regularly and on time; • promptly report to the school their child’s absence or late arrival; • show that they are familiar with the provincial code of conduct, the Board’s Code of Conduct, and school rules; • encourage and assist their child in following the rules of behaviour; and • assist school staff in dealing with disciplinary issues involving their child. Visit our school website for more information on our code of conduct - [email protected]

PROGRESSIVE DISCIPLINE & PROMOTION OF POSITIVE STUDENT BEHAVIOUR POLICY

The goal of this policy is the promotion of positive student behaviour that contributes to and sustains a safe, inclusive, and accepting learning environment in which every student can reach his or her full academic and spiritual potential. Progressive discipline is part of a whole-school approach which involves all members of the school community in maintaining respectful relationships throughout the school community. Progressive discipline involves the use of a continuum of prevention programs, interventions, supports and consequences that include learning opportunities for students in order to promote positive behaviour and healthy relationships. Our Lady of Wisdom provides a wide-range of supports to encourage positive student behaviour and healthy relationships including: • program modifications or accommodations • encouragement and positive reinforcement • individual, peer and group counseling

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• • • • • •

conflict resolution mentorship programs anti-bullying and violence prevention programs sensitivity programs student success strategies Board and community support programs

Our Lady of Wisdom is committed to addressing inappropriate student behaviour, including bullying and harassment, with a range of measures that are both corrective and supportive and that are progressively more serious. The continuum of interventions in our progressive discipline model begins at the classroom level, between the teacher and the student, and then includes additional resources and partners, including parent/guardian. Interventions may include: • teacher-student meeting • written reflective assignment • office referral • meeting with parent/guardian • referral to counseling • detention • restitution for damages/Restorative Practices • peer mediation • withdrawal from class • suspension • expulsion Visit our school website for more information on this policy – [email protected]

BULLYING PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION PLAN Our Lady of Wisdom recognizes that a whole-school approach to engaging the school community will help the school’s efforts to address inappropriate behaviour such as bullying, harassment, and discrimination and to maintain a positive school climate for student achievement and well-being. To this end, the following Ministry of Education definition of bullying is acknowledged:

Bullying - means aggressive and typically repeated behaviour by a pupil where, a)

The behaviour is intended by the pupil to have the effect of, or the pupil ought to know that the behaviour would be likely to have the effect of, (i) causing harm, fear or distress to another individual, including physical, psychological, social or academic harm, harm to the individual’s reputation or harm to the individual’s property, or (ii) creating a negative environment at a school for another individual, and

b) The behaviour occurs in a context where there is a real or perceived power imbalance between the pupil and the individual based on factors such as size, strength, age, intelligence, peer group power, economic status, social status, religion, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, family circumstances, gender, gender identity, gender expression, race, disability or the receipt of special education (“intimidation”) For the purposes of the definition of “bullying” above, behaviour includes the use of any physical, verbal, electronic, written or other means.

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Cyber- bullying For the purposes of the definition of “bullying” above, bullying includes bullying by electronic means (commonly known as cyber-bullying), including, a) creating a web page or a blog in which the creator assumes the identity of another person; b) impersonating another person as the author of content or messages posted on the internet; c) and communicating material electronically to more than one individual or posting material on a website that may be accessed by one or more individuals. Our Lady of Wisdom has based its bullying interventions, strategies, practices and programs on evidence from the school climate surveys and other relevant information and continues to seek input from all stakeholders in the school community on the effectiveness of these initiatives. Our school has identified and implemented the following practices and initiatives for bullying prevention: a) bullying prevention and intervention programs or activities that address the needs identified by the Safe and Accepting Schools Team; b) relationship building and community building programs that are present in the school, classroom and in the larger community; c) activities that promote a positive school climate; d) awareness raising strategies for students, e.g. social emotional learning, empathy, developing selfregulation skills; e) awareness raising strategies to engage parents in early and ongoing dialogue; f) links in the Religious Education & Family Life curriculum and other courses; and, g) caring adult and peer assistance programs. Our school will also: a) provide opportunities for regular check-ins with students at risk or affected by bullying; b) provide opportunities for teachers to develop effective classroom management strategies using progressive discipline; c) establish and maintain respectful and caring classrooms; and, d) align supervision plans to address where and when bullying happens. e) Our school recognizes the importance of using timely interventions and supports. To this end, we will: f) use teachable moments within a progressive discipline approach to address inappropriate behaviour, and consider mitigating and other factors; g) have in place processes and strategies to identify and respond to bullying when it happens; h) identify strategies for supporting all students involved in bullying; i) communicate to the school community the progressive discipline approach and the procedures in place to support students.

SUMMARY OF BEHAVIOUR CODE Rule and Rationale 1.

Respect Yourself

Everyone is unique and special. By showing good judgment, you can always be proud of yourself, your actions and your work. Life-long goals to strive for include a determination to be your best, do your best, look your best

Expectation - You are expected to: A.

B. C. D. E.

complete all class and home assignments on time, to the best of your ability. be honest in all your relationships and actions. arrive at school on time wear neat appropriate clothing be confident and express your feelings and concerns to your peers and/or teachers at appropriate times.

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Consequences of Misbehaviour may include: A.

B. C. D. E. F. G. H.

completion of work on your time: recess, after school, at home, during free activity time. completion of consequence sheets detentions contact home by phone or letter making up for lost time withdrawal of special privileges apology - written and/or oral restitution/return of stolen

F. 2.

Respect Others

A.

Everyone has the right to be treated with respect and kindness, to feel safe at school, to be part of a happy, peaceful, healthy learning environment.

3.

Respect Property and Equipment

All school property and equipment is here for the benefit of everyone. Careless use can result in the loss of that property and equipment or in accidents.

A. B. C. D. E. F. G. H. I.

time out use of consequence sheets detentions contact with parents/guardians tracking of behaviour contracts loss of privileges suspension from the bus suspension from school

A. B.

keep all school areas tidy keep valuable or sentimental items at home (cell phones, electronic games) label all personal items walk your bike on school property take care of all your property/equipment as well as school property/equipment: books, pencils, desks, floors, library resources, gym equipment replace lost or damaged equipment or property handle all equipment carefully and only with permission use yard equipment properly

A. B. C. D. E. F. G.

loss of privileges to use the property or equipment loss of personal items time out restitution service contact with parent/guardian consequence sheets

be a responsible school citizen by picking up and disposing of litter recycle cans and bottles use only student designated areas be supervised by a teacher/teaching assistant at all times leave all school areas neat and ready for others to use remain within school boundaries take care of school landscaping

A. B. C. D. E. F. G. H.

picking up litter cleaning areas left untidy loss of use of an area detention consequence sheets use of tracking sheet contact with parent/guardian time out

C. D. E.

G. H. Respect the Environment

A.

It is our role as members of a community to keep our environment clean, safe and beautiful. Each one of us must do his/her part to keep our school building and school yard attractive, neat and safe.

items

use good manners at all times. Be polite, considerate, kind. B. use appropriate language at all times C. obey all school authority D. respond quickly when the bell rings E. walk quietly through the school F. listen carefully and be cooperative G. consider the safety of others when using yard equipment H. follow posted schedules I. follow all washroom, library, bus rules J. be willing to negotiate and compromise K. respect the personal space of others L. do not throw stones or snowballs

F.

4.

make your own decisions.

B. C. D. E. F. G.

BENEFITS OF APPROPRIATE BEHAVIOUR

The safe, respectful and caring community that exists at Our Lady of Wisdom is the result of everyone accepting responsibility in a positive manner. Some of the positive consequences used at Our Lady of Wisdom are: • individual praise and recognition • special activities by the teachers • public praise (morning • parental contact announcements, awards, • individual incentives and rewards certificates, and newsletter • classroom incentives and rewards recognition • school incentives and rewards

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CONSEQUENCES / NEXT STEPS When possible, the consequences for infractions of expected behaviour are incremental. Depending on the nature of the infraction, this may not always be possible. All consequences are subject to Ministry and Board Policy. Possible consequences include: • time out • written “Think Sheet” • in school community service • apology (written or oral) • restitution for lost, damaged or stolen • detentions (for homework, class work, material behaviour) • involvement of Board personnel • parental contact • alternate learning day in school • withdrawal of special privileges • out of school suspension • school administration involvement • parent/teacher/administration/student conference

Listen Ignore

PEACEMAKING TIPS - Make Good Choices:

Compromise Walk Away

Apologize Make a Plan

Discuss Cool Off (count to 10) Ask Someone to Help

Coping with Conflict: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Remain cool Look at both sides of the problem (yours and the other person’s) Deal with that one problem only - look at the problem, not the person Do not use physical violence or verbal insults Talk it out. Tell how you feel using “I” messages: • Use the other person’s name (John) • Tell how you feel (I feel angry) • Identify the problem (When you take my ball…) • Tell what you want (Please stop)

Avoid These Hazards:

Put Downs Bringing up the Past Making Excuses

Name Calling Bringing in Friends Blaming

Interrupting Trying to Win Getting Angry

Look for solutions together so that both people win.

DEVELOP RESPONSIBLE HOMEWORK HABITS 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Know your teachers’ homework policy and what is expected of you regarding homework. Return assignments to school on time. Have a “Homework Drop Spot” - a place where you put your completed work each night. Set up a study area - a table or desk, a chair, a lamp, a wastebasket and supplies. Create a study survival kit. Include items such as: pencils, coloured pencils, crayons, pencil sharpener, eraser, glue, tape, paper, stapler, scissors, ruler, dictionary, and thesaurus. Complete and follow a schedule for daily work time. Start by listing times for extra-curricular activities. Choose the best time each day to do your work and schedule it into your day just like activities are scheduled.

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6.

Work on your own as much as possible. Ask your parents/guardians for help only after you’ve made a real effort to do the work. 7. Reward yourself for success: Watch a special TV show, play a computer game, fix a snack, play with a friend. 8. Remember to plan project assignments so that everything is not left until the day before the work is due. 9. Review your notes as often as possible. Doing this helps you remember the information given in class. 10. Read (15-20 minutes) and write (journals, diaries, stories) each day. 11. Master basic math facts. 12. Study for spelling dictations and unit tests.

It is important to establish a consistent daily homework routine. While primary students require more parental involvement, junior students should learn how to work on their own. If your child is taking an unreasonable length of time to complete homework (approximately 10 minutes per grade level), contact their teacher.

WEB RESOURCE SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS Student Portals: Free access to digital tools and resources All OCSB students in Kindergarten to Grade 12 can quickly and easily access digital tools from home or school through our Student Portal. We encourage parents to participate in your child's learning by accessing the portal as well. Discover the rich resources that your child is using on their educational journey. The JK-6 portal offers age-appropriate resources such as Dreambox, Raz-Kidz, CBC Curio and Discovery Education. While the main page of the Student Portal is open for public access, some areas are password protected or might require a username and password to log in. A list of all the usernames and passwords required to access the digital resources can be found on the Student Portal. Click on the Student Portal tab on your school’s website OR go to https://sites.google.com/a/ocsbstudent.ca/k-6/ • • •

On the left side you will find the Useful Links menu. To access information about the different licensed digital resources, click on Software Links & Passwords from the menu on the left. If prompted for a login, enter your Google Apps for Education username and password: o The username fits the following pattern: [email protected] o The password is your network password. If you need this password reset, please ask your classroom teacher for help.

Username: ___________________ @ocsbstudent.ca Password: To be kept in a private safe place Reminder: Passwords are not to be shared amongst friends or peers.

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READING STRATEGIES THAT GOOD READERS USE Fix-It Strategies – Look for familiar spelling patterns and word parts to help you decode longer words. Check the pictures. Sound the word out. Skip the word and read on.

Synthesize – Combine what you

Make and Confirm Predictions – Think

Evaluate - Make judgments about what you

about what might happen next in a story. Read to find out whether you are right. Make a new prediction as you read.

read and think about why you made those judgments. Be able to justify your answers using information from the text.

Create Mental Images (Visualize) –

Read Ahead – If you are having trouble

Picturing in your mind what you are reading can help you understand and enjoy a text. Pay attention to descriptive detail.

understanding something in a selection, such as who a certain character is, don’t give up! Keep reading. The meaning may become clearer when you have more information.

know with new information to understand the text. You will put the pieces together to see them in a new way.

Ask Questions – Learn to ask yourself good

Reread to Clarify – If something doesn’t

questions as you read. This will help you check your understanding and focus on important ideas in the selection.

make sense, you may have missed an important point. Try reading the passage again or going back to an earlier part of the text.

Determine Important Information -Tell

Use Context To Confirm Meaning –

or list the main points of the text or the main things that happened. This will help you understand and remember what you read.

After you read an unfamiliar or difficult word, ask yourself whether what you read makes sense in the sentence and whether it fits what is happening in the text. By paying attention to the words around unfamiliar words, you can learn

Summarize - A good reader pays attention to sequence in order to make decisions about relationships or events in the text. Wrap up your thinking to remember the important parts by using words: first, next, then, after that, later on, finally.

many new words.

Use Text Structure and Format – Find

clues to meaning by looking at how the author organized the information. Is it arranged in time order? By main idea and details? Look at the headings, captions, diagrams and charts

Make

Connections – Use your prior knowledge to help you understand the text. Make text to self, text to text and text to world connections.

Adjust Reading Rate – Think about the type of text you are reading. A text that has a lot of fact and details may have to be read more slowly than a story about a character your age.

Draw Conclusions – Good readers use what is written to form ideas about what is NOT written, but implied by actions, words and/or events.

Think about the Author’s Purpose – Knowing why a text is written (to entertain; to inform; to persuade) helps the reader generate an idea of what to expect and helps the reader to predict what the author might say.

Make Inferences – Questioning as you read

will help you draw conclusions, make predictions and reflect on what you are reading. Good readers put what they already know together with what is written in the text to understand the total picture of the story.

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USE THE ROPES STRATEGY When completing a reading response, use the ROPES Strategy:

RESTATE the question in your answer OPINION give your opinion PROOF give proof to support your opinion EXAMPLE give another example SUMMARIZE your answer

WRITING TRAITS IDEAS:

What is my message? Is my message clear? Did I try hard to make it interesting? Do I have enough information?

SENTENCE FLUENCY:

Did I use sentences? Do my sentences begin in different ways? Did I use some long and some short sentences? Does my paper sound smooth as I listen to it?

ORGANIZATION:

How does my paper begin? Do I have an interesting lead? Did I tell things in order? Does everything link to my message? How does my paper finish? Do I have a satisfying ending sentence?

WORD CHOICE:

Have I used some words that I really love? Can my reader tell what my words mean? Have I used any NEW words? Did I try not to repeat words too many times?

VOICE:

Do I really like this paper? Does this writing sound like me? How do I want my readers to feel? My favourite part is _____

CONVENTIONS:

Did I leave spaces between words? Did I use a title? Did I use periods, question marks and capital letters in the right places? Is it easy to read my spelling? Could another person read my paper?

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MATH: PROBLEM-SOLVING STRATEGY READ THE PROBLEM:

Note key words What is known What is unknown Restate the question

EXPLORE:

Organize the information Picture the problem Think about a similar problem

CHOOSE A STRATEGY:

Draw a diagram Look for a pattern Solve a simplified problem Make an organized list, table or chart Experiment- guess, check and revise Work backwards Use logical reasoning Write equations

SOLVE:

Carry out your strategy Think of the big steps Then do little steps Always think ahead

LOOK BACK:

Check your answer Does it make sense Reflect on the solution The process used is key, not the answer

CLUE WORDS FOR ADDITION:

CLUE WORDS FOR MULTIPLICATION

sum total in all all together plus perimeter

how much product total area times how many

CLUE WORDS FOR SUBTRACTION

CLUE WORDS FOR DIVISION

how many fewer how many left difference how much more take away minus less

share distribute quotient average how many each

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