School Start Up – Sept 22th 2014

September 22^th, 2014—School Start UP

Hello parents and guardians and welcome to our first email update of the year! As part of our efforts to manage our office staff workload with one less team member, the traditional monthly newsletter will be replaced with a weekly update email, usually sent on Wednesdays. This email will contain short bits of information that highlight important upcoming dates and events. We believe you will find this timely news update very useful. Please note, as this is school start up, our first email will be considerably longer than our future messages.
Opening Day(s)

 
The first day of school is Monday September 22^nd, 2014. Please note advisory lists have been posted on our front entrance. Our schedule is as follows:

9 :00                           Grade 8’s to TA

10:00-12:00              All returning students join TA

On Tuesday September 23^rd our day is as follows:

8:30-10:50                Advisory

11-12:00                  School Assembly

11:50-12:40              Lunch

12:41-2:40                Resource/Guide Distribution

Wednesday September 24

Regular School Day / Photo Day

Photo Day

Photo Day has been re-scheduled to Wednesday September 24^th. Photo envelopes are being distributed to advisory teachers on Monday. Please send your student to school with his/her envelope on Wednesday. Even if your student is not purchasing a photo package, they need a photo for their Go Card etc.

Student Fees
A reminder that student fee and yearbook payments are being accepted on the parent portal.  Should you choose to not use the portal, you can send payment with your student on the first day of school.  (Cheques made payable to THSS, please note student name on your cheque).

Student Fees are $28
Combination Locks are $6  (used locks are available in the office for $3)

Yearbooks are $50 (optional purchase)

 
Learning Resources

Please make sure students bring back any outstanding learning resources to the office on Monday.

 
Timetable Changes

Our goal is to provide a seamless start-up for our staff and students. However, we have some classes, especially at the grade 9 and 10 levels, that are over 30. Our hope is to fix this through receiving additional staffing. Ideally we would have this staffing prior to school start up, but the strike has prevented us from having a truly accurate student count. This means that some students in our junior grades may see timetable changes due to staffing changes. While this is disruptive, it does mean smaller classes for our students. We thank you in advance for your patience.

Aboriginal Education

Who is an Aboriginal Student?

Aboriginal Ancestry is determined on a voluntary basis through self-identification. This includes First Nations (status or non-status), Métis or Inuit Ancestry. No documentation is required and the ancestry can go back several generations. Ministry of Education funding is provided to support the success of all Aboriginal students through culturally appropriate educational programs and services.

We encourage all students of First Nations, Metis, or Inuit Ancestry to complete a self-identification form as this allows you to access various supports and programs during the school year if you wish. Self-identification forms can be picked up at the school office.  Alternatively, you can download a copy of this form at the Aboriginal Education website:  http://schools.sd42.ca/abed/general-forms/

If you have any questions about this process please do not hesitate to contact:

Ron Lanzarotta

Principal, Aboriginal Education

Cell:  604-626-1911

Email: Ron_Lanzarotta@sd42.ca