The Latest School News
School News for October 6
Dear Holy Redeemer Families,
This past week started off with a meaningful commemoration of National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, and ended with a triumphant Terry Fox Walk/Run. There are good things happening at Holy Redeemer!
Wishing you many blessings on this beautiful Sunday,
Paul Gautreau
Principal
PARENT PRESENTATION: Join award-winning educator and author Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe for a free virtual event on October 10th, 6:30-7:30 pm. Learn practical strategies to help your child thrive
and build resilience. Use this link to join the live event: https://www.youtube.com/live/LpnFAM9XQ4I
HALLOWEEN: Halloween is quickly approaching. Students are welcome to dress up to celebrate this fun day. That said, please no masks, weapons, violent, gory or culturally insensitive costumes. Also, please know that costumes may not look 100% after being worn for a full day of school.
LATE BUSES: This week we had a few late buses. If your child’s bus is ever late, it is best to check https://www.ottawaschoolbus.ca/ to find out the latest bus status information. You can also call the Ottawa Student Transportation Authority (OSTA) directly at 613-224-8800.
SPG4 CURE FUNDRAISERS: In addition to the upcoming Halloween Fundraiser to help find a cure for SPG4, a new Taekwondo Fundraiser is being organized for November 3rd. Click the links for details.
ON THE CALENDAR:
Oct 8 @ 10:30 ~ Thanksgiving Liturgy
Oct 10 @ 1:45 - Terry Fox Outdoor Activity Celebration
Oct 11 ~ PD Day ~ No school for students
Oct 14 ~ Thanksgiving Monday Holiday
Oct 15 ~ IEPs posted on Parent Portal
Oct 25 ~ Grade 6 Bake Sale
Oct 31 ~ Halloween
Nov 3 ~ NEW Taekwondo Fundraiser for SPG4 Cure
Nov 5 ~ Photo Retake Day
Nov 8 ~ PD Day ~ No school for students
Nov 14 ~ Progress Reports posted on Parent Portal
Nov 21 ~ Parent Teacher Interviews
School News for September 29
Dear Families and Guardians,
While September has been generally sunny and warm, the days are getting cooler, and the leaves are beginning to turn colour. How blessed we have been this September. May God continue to bless us all as we head into the month of October.
NATIONAL DAY OF TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION: To commemorate the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, we are encouraging staff and students, if possible, to wear orange shirts on Monday, September 30th. We are also marking the day with a special guest. Elder Jeannie Namagoose will be at school on Monday to help us to learn more about residential schools and Orange Shirt Day. Elder Jeannie will be presenting to Grade 1-3 students during Block 1, and to Grade 4-6 students in Block 2.
TERRY FOX: On Friday, October 4th, from about 10:15 to 11:00, students and teachers from Grades 1-6 will be walking or running around the perimeter of Hayward Park while Kindergarten students and their educators will be walking a loop inside the school yard. If you haven’t already done so, go to the Parent Portal and complete the Off Site Permission form. This form must be completed for Grade 1 to 6 students to participate in the Terry Fox Walk/Run. Also, if you would still like to donate, please go to https://schools.terryfox.ca/90327.
SCHOOL COUNCIL: The first meeting of the Holy Redeemer School Council took place last Wednesday evening. We are thankful to each of the school council members, listed below, for stepping forward!
Co-Chairs: Megan Mills and Allison Peterkin
Treasurer: Erin Stead
Secretary: Jess Hussey Best
Parish Rep: Naomi Reynolds
CSPA Rep: Emily Senft
Members at Large: Kelly Bean, Deirdre Waud
Teacher Rep: Erin McStravick
Principal/Vice-Principal: Paul Gautreau/Jennifer Divell
LUNCH PROGRAM: One of the first orders of business for our School Council was to work out the details for this year’s Lunch Program. The details will be shared very soon.
ON THE CALENDAR:
Sept 30 ~ Orange shirt day
Oct 4~ Popcorn Day #1 (for those who ordered)
Oct 4 ~ Terry Fox Run/Walk Day
Oct 8 @ 10:30 ~ Thanksgiving Liturgy
Oct 10 @ 1:45 - Terry Fox Outdoor Activity Celebration
Oct 11 ~ PD Day ~ No school for students
Oct 14 ~ Thanksgiving Monday Holiday
Oct 15 ~ IEPs posted on Parent Portal
Oct 25 ~ Grade 6 Bake Sale (Tentative)
Nov 5 ~ Photo Retake Day
Nov 8 ~ PD Day ~ No school for students
Nov 14 ~ Progress Reports posted on Parent Portal
Nov 21 ~ Parent Teacher Interviews
Have a great week!
Paul Gautreau
Principal
School News for September 22
Happy First Official Day of Fall,
For those of you who made it out to our Meet & Greet Open House, it was great seeing you! If you didn’t have the chance to make it, we have Parent-Teacher Interviews coming up on November 21st.
Paul Gautreau
Principal
SCHOOL COUNCIL: The first meeting of the Holy Redeemer School Council will be taking place on Wednesday in the Learning Commons. If you are planning on attending the meeting, RSVP by completing this Google Form. By the way, if you had difficulty completing the form previously, it has now been fixed (I think!).
BOOMERANG SNACKS AND LUNCHES: In an effort to get students to think about the waste we produce, and to do our part for the environment, our school will be following the Boomerang snack and lunch program again this year. What this means is that all packaging and any food children don’t eat during the day will be sent back home at the end of the day. We also encourage your child to pack their snacks and lunch in reusable containers. Through the Boomerang Program we hope to help the environment out a bit, and perhaps more importantly, to help everyone to see themselves as stewards of God’s creation.
TERRY FOX UPDATE: We did it! Thanks to your generosity, we have already reached our Terry Fox fundraising goal and we are now looking to DOUBLE our donation goal! If you would like to donate, please go to https://schools.terryfox.ca/90327.
POPCORN: Our Grade 6 students will be selling popcorn this year to raise funds for their year end field trip. They will also be making a donation to the Kanata Food Cupboard/Stittsville Food Bank. Popcorn can be ordered through School Cash Online at https://ocsb.schoolcashonline.com/. Thanks in advance for your support!
RAIN: Rain is a real possibility this week. While students won’t be going outside if it is raining, they will probably still go outside if the rain isn’t that significant. As such, students should come to school ready to go outside, even if the dark clouds are looming.
HALLOWEEN FUNDRAISER TO FIND CURE FOR SPG4: A special Halloween Party fundraiser is being held on October 26th to help raise money to help find a cure for Jack, a Holy Redeemer student who was recently diagnosed with SPG4. For more information, please click here.
ON THE CALENDAR:
Sept 25 ~ Fete franco-ontarienne
Sept 27 ~Photo Day
September 27 ~ Bus Safety Presentations
Sept 30 ~ Orange shirt day
Oct 4~ Popcorn Day #1
Oct 4 ~ Terry Fox Run/Walk Day
Oct 8 @ 10:30 ~ Thanksgiving Liturgy
Oct 10 @ 1:45 - Terry Fox Outdoor Activity Celebration
Oct 11 ~ PD Day ~ No school for students
Oct 14 ~ Thanksgiving Monday Holiday
Oct 15 ~ IEPs posted on Parent Portal
Oct 25 ~ Grade 6 Bake Sale (Tentative)
Nov 5 ~ Photo Retake Day
Nov 8 ~ PD Day ~ No school for students
Nov 14 ~ Progress Reports posted on Parent Portal
Nov 21 ~ Parent Teacher Interviews
School News for September 16, 2024
Dear Holy Redeemer Families,
Students seem to have quickly settled into the routines of school over the past two weeks. It is great to see them working hard, playing with friends, and taking part in the many activities that make up each school day. One upcoming event that I am sure they are excited about is our Meet & Greet Open House this Thursday. No doubt they are excited for you to meet their teachers and see their classrooms. I also look forward to meeting parents, guardians and family members on Thursday. See you then.
Paul Gautreau
Principal
TERRY FOX FUNDRAISER: This year, our school is proudly taking part in the annual Terry Fox School Run to continue Terry's dream of a world without cancer. On Wednesday, we will be kicking off our fundraising efforts with an Assembly. On October 4th we will lace up our shoes for a school-wide walk/run. Finally, on October 10th, if we meet our fundraising goal, students will celebrate with a special Outdoor Activity Afternoon. Please support our school's fundraising efforts today by donating online at
https://schools.terryfox.ca/90327.
A MESSAGE FROM OTTAWA PUBLIC HEALTH: Given the increase in pertussis (whooping cough) cases locally, OPH is sharing a fact sheet that provides key information about the disease, its symptoms, transmission, and prevention measures.
KINDERGARTEN PARENTS: The Catholic School Parent Association is hosting a free webinar entitled Creating the Best Conditions for Growth and Learning, with Hannah Beach on September 17th. For more information, please visit the CSPA Eventbrite website at https://www.eventbrite.ca/o/ottawa-cspa-35352194143.
FIRE DRILL: Last week we had our first fire drill. Despite it being our first fire drill of the new school year, everything went smoothly. We will be having 2 more drills over the next few weeks.
THANK YOU FROM THE FRONT OFFICE:
Absences: Thank you for emailing us at holy.redeemer@ocsb.ca to let us know when your child is going to be absent.
Sign In & Sign Out: Thanks also for using our online “Sign In & Sign Out” form within 15 minutes of your child arriving late (after 8:30a.m.) or leaving early.
Picking Up: Finally, thank you for avoiding picking up your child at the office after 2:30 p.m.
ON THE CALENDAR:
Sept 17 ~ Grade 1 & 2 Reading Screening
Sept 18 ~ Terry Fox Run Launch Assembly (sorry, families aren’t invited to this one)
Sept 19 from 4-5:30pm ~ Meet & Greet Open House
Sept 25 ~ Fete franco-ontarienne
Sept 27 ~Photo Day
September 27 ~ Bus Safety Presentations
Sept 30 ~ National Day of Truth and Reconciliation (Orange shirt day)
Oct 4 ~ Terry Fox Run/Walk Day
Oct 8 @ 10:30 ~ Thanksgiving Liturgy
Oct 10 @ 1:45 - Terry Fox Outdoor Activity Celebration
Oct 11 ~ PD Day - school closed
Oct 14 ~ Thanksgiving Monday - school closed
Oct 15 ~ IEPs sent home/posted on Parent Portal
Oct 25 ~ Grade 6 Bake Sale (Tentative)
Nov 5 ~ Photo Retake Day
Nov 8 ~ PD Day
Nov 14 ~ Progress Reports posted on Parent Portal
Nov 21 ~ Parent Teacher Interviews
September 8, 2024
Dear Holy Redeemer Families,
What a joy it was to see the school filled with students and staff this week! It was also wonderful to see everyone settling into the routines of the new school year. Many thanks to students, parents and staff for all you did to help make the first week of school go so well. The fantastic weather sure helped, too. Our school community is truly blessed!
Paul Gautreau
Principal ~ Holy Redeemer
SPIRITUAL THEME: The Ottawa Catholic School Board has just launched a new three-year Spiritual Theme: "Open Doors, Build Bridges, Nourish New Beginnings." During the 2024-2025 school year, we will be focusing on the first part, "opening doors”. By opening doors, we welcome Jesus and others into our lives. By opening doors, we also open ourselves to new opportunities and new experiences. Throughout this school year, watch for ways in which staff and students open doors at Holy Redeemer.
MEET & GREET OPEN HOUSE: On Thursday, September 19th, between 4:00 and 5:30 (new time!), we are inviting parents to drop into the school for our “Meet and Greet Open House”. There won’t be any formal presentations. Instead, the evening is intended to give you a chance to tour the school and meet some of the educators who work with Holy Redeemer students everyday. While the evening is geared towards parents and guardians, children are welcome to come, too. More information will be sent out early next week.
JOIN SCHOOL COUNCIL: The first meeting of the Holy Redeemer School Council will be taking place on Wednesday, September 25th at 6:30 p.m. in the school Staff Room. During this meeting, we will be holding elections (if necessary), as well as discussing some of the things the School Council will be doing this year. If you are interested in joining the School Council this year, please RSVP by completing this Google Form.
PARENT PORTAL FORMS: If you haven’t already signed into the Parent Portal, and completed the 4 required forms, please do so TODAY!!! Required forms include the Student Verification form, Photo Consent form, Technology Agreement form, and the Off Site Permission form. Having trouble signing into the Parent Portal, help can be found at https://red.ocsb.ca/parents.
AI IN THE OCSB: You may have read articles about how Artificial Intelligence is being introduced across the Ottawa Catholic School Board in the Ottawa Citizen, on Global News, or on CBC News. One of our first steps will be to present age-appropriate lessons about digital citizenship and the responsible use of technology to students. The lessons will be taking place this week and next. These lessons will complement the “Samaritans on the Digital Road” lessons that have been used across our school board for many years. For more information, please visit the OCSB AI Parent Webpage.
SACRAMENTAL PREPARATION: Students typically receive the sacraments of First Reconciliation and First Communion in Grade 2, and the sacrament of Confirmation in Grade 6. If you would like your child to receive any of these sacraments, please see the attached flyer for details about sacramental preparation meetings taking place at Holy Redeemer Parish on September 14.
ON THE CALENDAR:
Sept 14 ~ Sacramental Preparation Information Meeting for Parents of Grade 2 Students (10 a.m.) and Grade 6 Students (11 a.m.) at the church
Sept 19 ~ Meet & Greet Open House Evening
Sept 25 ~ Fete franco-ontarienne
Sept 27 ~ Photo Day
Sept 27 ~ Bus Safety Presentations
Sept 30 ~ National Day of Truth and Reconciliation (Orange shirt day)
October 8 @ 10:30 ~ Thanksgiving Liturgy
October 11 ~ PD Day
October 14 ~ Thanksgiving Monday Holiday
Oct 15 ~ IEPs sent home/posted on Parent Portal
P.S. More dates and events can be found on our School Website Calendar as well as on the OCSB School Year Calendar
Community Fundraiser for Jack
Dearest Holy Redeemer Community, efforts are ongoing to raise funds to support SPG4 research, treatment and/or trials for Jack, as well as any supports he may need on his journey with SPG4.
NEW: A special Halloween Party fundraiser is being held on October 26th to help raise money to help find a cure for Jack, a Holy Redeemer student who was recently diagnosed with SPG4. For more information, please click here.
More information and links to donate can be found here.
Also, please take a look at this CTV News story from June 2024.