Register throughout the summer. School starts on Tuesday, September 3.
All OCSB elementary schools are closed throughout the summer. Register for school using our online form. If you have questions, contact our Admissions Department by email at admissions@ocsb.ca or by phone at 613-228-3338.
Weekly Update June 24 - June 28, 2024
Prayer for Summer Break
We are thankful for the learning, fun and friends of the school year. We are looking forward to the break of the summer holidays. May we enjoy the warmer weather, and thick grass under blue skies. This summer, God, may our breathing slow and our hearts open. God help us to be present to all that is so that we might best see all that might be.
Amen
Thank you
Thank you to the Grade 5 Parents who brought in food for the Grade 6 parents and students; it was much appreciated. A huge thank you goes to the Grade 6 Leaving Ceremony committee for all the work and effort that went into the Grade 6 evening. Finally, a huge thank you to the entire Grade 6 team. It was a very busy week, and that certainly can not come together without the assistance of the many staff members and students who made all of it possible.
Grade 7 Welcome BBQ - Holy Trinity
Please see more information here.
Parent/Guardian Message from OSTA
Are you Moving or Changing Daycare Providers?
Information accuracy affects OSTA’s planning. Any changes to your home or alternate addresses must be provided to your school. It is critical that parents and guardians provide their school with any changes to home/alternate addresses AS SOON AS POSSIBLE to avoid extended waiting for a transportation change in the fall.
Joint Custody and Transportation to Two Homes – Renewals
Important Deadline – Joint Custody renewals must be done every year. The renewal form for existing variable transportation arrangements (Joint Custody) is available online. https://www.ottawaschoolbus.ca
Renewal Joint Custody Forms must be submitted NO LATER THAN June 30 by at least one parent/guardian.
Empty Seats/Courtesy Seating for the 2024-25 School Year
Over the past few years, we have experienced significant disruption to our transportation services due to the driver shortage. Though we are cautiously optimistic that this coming fall's service will roll out smoothly due to our proactive measures, it is difficult to predict driver status. It is not uncommon for drivers to not return after the summer break or to resign early in the school year. As our first priority is to provide reliable transportation to eligible students, the Empty Seats/Courtesy program will NOT be reinstated in September.
We will re-evaluate this decision later in the fall when we have better visibility on the status of our services.
OSTA Parent Web Portal Closed
OSTA’s Parent Web Portal (Bus Stop Finder) will be closed from the end of June until mid- August. The portal will reopen with next year’s transportation information. Please regularly check OSTA’s website and social media pages for important transportation announcements, deadlines, and other vital information.
Not Using the Bus Next Year? Let OSTA Know by Declining Transportation
Decline today. Keeping OSTA informed is important as it allows us to better use available transportation services for those who need them. For more information, visit OSTA’s website.
School Zone Safety and Walk-A-Block
Help make your school zone safer. Reduce congestion around your school site by parking away from it and using #Walk-a-Block instead. Find your school map here.
School Bus and Pedestrian Safety Day
Learn all about school bus and pedestrian safety at OSTA’s safety day event on Sunday, Aug. 25, from 9am to 1pm Children can ride a real bus and participate in pedestrian safety training with the Ottawa Safety Council. For more information and to register, visit OSTA’s website. OSTA also provides extensive resources on its website, including several age-appropriate bus safety videos, which are easily accessible to parents/guardians.
Parents/guardians are encouraged to visit the website with their child(ren) prior to the start of the new school year.
Take the Wheel and Drive Yellow Today
Looking for a satisfying part-time job that fits your work-life balance? Take the wheel and drive yellow. Yellow school bus drivers are impactful workers who are highly valued by our communities for getting kids safely to school. Visit driveyellow.ca for more information on becoming a school bus driver.
Recognizing our Dedicated School Bus Drivers
As we look back on the challenges of the past school year, the shortage of school bus drivers stands out as a significant issue that affected many families, causing disruptions in transportation services. While efforts to recruit new drivers are ongoing, it's essential to recognize that retaining our current drivers is equally crucial in addressing this shortage.
Let's set an example for our children by teaching them to show respect and gratitude towards these essential workers. Recognizing the contributions of school bus drivers not only fosters empathy and kindness but also nurtures a culture of appreciation within our school community. Together, as parents, schools and students, we can create a supportive and respectful environment that honours the invaluable role of our school bus drivers. By collectively acknowledging and respecting these dedicated professionals, we can ensure our children's continued safety and well-being during their daily commute.
BusPlanner Web Account
Are you seeking information about your child’s bus stop location and pick up/drop off time? Once you have created a subscriber account in BusPlanner Web you can add your child. Simply input their OEN (Ontario Education Number) along with their birthdate, grade, and the school they attend, and you will have access to all of your child’s transportation information. The OEN can be found on your child’s report card or by contacting your child’s school.
OSTA Rebrand
OSTA is thrilled to announce the launch of its revamped brand identity and new website this summer. This transformation signifies a new beginning for OSTA, highlighting our dedication to leadership, modernization, inclusiveness, and community engagement. We aim to showcase our commitment to being a dependable and caring transportation provider. Our new website is modern, accessible, and user-friendly, ensuring seamless navigation for all users. It offers clear information about our services, policies, and updates. Stay tuned!
Summer Communication
As a commitment to transparency, OSTA will continue to provide bus driver status updates throughout the summer as it gears up for another school year. OSTA is dedicated to providing students with a safe way to travel to and from school while giving parents/guardians the peace of mind they deserve. Updates will be available on the OSTA website.
Dental Care
Has your child missed the school dental screening? Community Dental Screenings are held over the summer at Neighbourhood Health and Wellness Hubs. The calendar poster is attached.
Dental screenings and fluoride varnish applications are free for all ages. Registered dental hygienists can also support clients with the Healthy Smiles Ontario and Ontario Seniors Dental Care Plan enrollments.
For the full list of programs/services, schedule and locations of Neighbourhood Health and Wellness Hubs, please visit: www.OttawaPublicHealth.ca/NeighbourhoodHub
Math Survey
The Ministry is currently funding mathematics digital software in all boards in the province. As part of the follow up and reporting process, boards are asked to survey parents regarding the use of this digital software at home. We have embedded this parent/guardian survey within a new Math Website that highlights the digital tools at the elementary and intermediate/secondary level.
Math website and parent survey: https://sites.google.com/ocsb.ca/ocsb-math-at-home
If you have any questions, please contact the school.
New OCSB Math at Home K-12 Math site
Fundraiser Total
We are so pleased to say that both the Basket Raffle and Popsicle fundraisers for “Jack” have raised $1,352. Thank you Holy Redeemer Community. Our Grade 5’s raised $683 from their French Cafe and Entrepreneur project. They will be donating their proceeds to the Ottawa Humane Society.
National Indigenous History Month
It is National Indigenous History Month to honour the history, heritage and diversity of Indigenous peoples in Canada. It is also an opportunity to recognize the strength of present-day Indigenous communities. Please see the OCSB Indigenous History Month Website.
Summer International Languages
Registration is now open for our International Languages Summer program, which runs from July 3 to August 2, Monday to Friday. Parents can sign up their children (JK to grade 8) to maintain or learn an international language. Free for Ontario residents, the IL classes are offered at five locations in the city: Our Lady of Wisdom School in Orleans, St. Benedict School and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School in Barrhaven, St. Elizabeth School in Ottawa-West, and St. Gabriel School in Kanata. Some languages are offered virtually. Parents looking for full-day childcare arrangements in July can sign up their children for the paid afternoon camps, which start after the language classes. For more information and to register, visit Register for the Summer 2024 IL Elementary program.
Parent Council End of Year Thanks
Attention Grade 6 Parents/Guardians
The Parent Council had school merch designed just for your 2024 elementary school graduate. There are a variety of t-shirts available at www.northernphnxcreative.ca. Thank you for supporting the Parent Council.
Summer Skills Builder Program
The Summer Skills Builder program is offered in-person at All Saints High School and St. Pius X High School. The program is available for students currently in Grades 6, 7, and 8, and for students who wish to work on their Numeracy/Literacy Skills, or their Core French Literacy Skills. These programs look to support students who are achieving Level 2 or below in Math, Language Arts, or in French.
The link for registration is HERE.
Kindergarten Registration
Full Day Immersion Kindergarten online registration for 4-year-olds will begin and be open on January 15, 2024.
The following criteria must be met for registration:
Your child must be four-years-old on or before December 31, 2024. Original documents including his/her Birth Certificate and Proof of Address, Record of Immunization must be provided to Ottawa Public Health.
Please see the following link .
Hannah Beach summer and September session for new and present Kinder families
Lateness
We have noticed that lateness of students is occurring on a more frequent basis.
What can I do to help my child attend school?
1) Make a commitment to do what it takes to get your child to attend school every day and on time.
2 ) Help your child get organized by setting regular routines for getting ready for school, both at bedtime and in the morning.
3) Make sure your child has plenty of sleep as this will help increase her/his memory and concentration in school. Experts suggest 11 hours of sleep for 4-6 year olds and 9–10 hours for older children.
4 ) It may be best to remove the phone, television and computer from your child’s bedroom as it is hard to supervise, what s/he is doing or how late s/he is staying up, in the privacy of the bedroom.
5) If at all possible, set a regular time to do homework. Some children like to have their snack after school and then do their homework immediately so that it is finished. Others like to have some free time after school and then complete their homework right after supper. It is important for a parent to be available at that time to help them as needed.
6) Communicate with your child’s teacher regularly and attend all parent/teacher interviews. Studies show that children of parents who are involved in the school are more likely to graduate.
7) Talk to your child about her/his school day. You could say, for example, “Tell me something about your day?” or “What is happening in the book you are reading?”
8) Show your child you are interested in school and that school is important.
9) Try to schedule appointments outside of school hours. If your child refuses to go to school or if he or she complains of being sick frequently and has to go home, talk to your child and her/his teacher.
Bus Lanes
Most recently we have observed several cars in the bus lanes during the off limit times. We once again remind parents that these precautions are for the safety of our students, staff and you.
Drop Off /Pick UP If you are driving your child to school in the morning or picking them up at dismissal time, we ask you to park your car away from the school and WALK-A-Block. We ask that you do not enter the Bus Lane; these are off limits to all cars between 8:15 AM - 9:00 AM and 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Arrival / Dismissal Drop off / Pick up
In order to promote the safety of our students at Holy Redeemer Catholic School, we have developed and implemented a plan to ensure the safe arrival and dismissal of our children. Parents and school staff have a vital role in this process.
ARRIVAL: Children enter the drop off zone, which is located at the West end of the school . They do so between 8:15 - 8:30 a.m. The students will then cross over the school yard line. The Grade 1-3 students will walk to the Primary area (pavement area up to the middle door) and the Grade 4-6 students will walk to the pavement area past the middle doors and upper field area. Teachers will be in these designated areas. At 8:30 a.m. they will proceed into the school through their designated door, and be escorted with their teacher to their classroom. Please note that Parents/Adults are asked not to enter the school yard, and we ask that parents separate from their child at the school yard line and exit the school area immediately. Parents coming from the park area pathway are asked to walk along the sidewalk in the parking lot, and make their way to the front of the school, and then to the drop zone. We do not want parents to be in the backyard area of the school.
In the case of inclement weather, students will enter the school from designated doors, and be directed by staff to their classrooms. This occurs between the times of 8:15 - 8:30 AM. We ask for your full cooperation to implement them safely.
Dismissal: Our students will be staggered in their dismissal beginning at 2:50 and ending at 3:00 p.m. They will exit from their designated doors, and make their way to the drop off zone area. If parents are here to pick up their child, we ask them to wait on the sidewalk to the North, and the area directly in front of the school. The area in front of the school can be a heavy traffic area, and become very congested when you are waiting. That is why we suggest the sidewalk to the North. Our JK/SK students will be escorted to the drop off zone area beginning at 2:50 p.m. and handed directly to Parents/Guardians. If Parents/Guardians are here to pick up JK/SK students, please stand to the West side of the drop off zone. Once you have your child, please exit the area immediately. We ask that you do not congregate on school property. From 2:55-3:00 p.m. our Grade 1- 3 students will be escorted to the drop zone area. Once again we ask Parents/Guardians to stand to the West side of the drop off area. Once you have your child, please exit the area immediately. At 3:00 p.m. our Grade 4-6 students will be escorted to the drop zone area. Once again we ask Parents/Guardians to stand to the West side of the drop off area.
Parking
Parking has always been a major concern at Holy Redeemer. We received many reports of unsafe situations in front of the school last school year, and in our parking lot involving our students over last year. We want to be proactive and avoid these situations. We ask our Parents to “walk a block”. This means parking on one of the adjacent side streets, and walking over to the school to pick up your child. We also ask that you do not use our parking lot during pick up time, and drop off. This area is part of our Bus Loading Zone which occurs between 8:00 - 8:30 AM and 2:30 - 3:15 PM. We ask that no cars be in this area at this time to ensure the safety of both our students and staff.
Online Payments
For safety and efficiency reasons, we want to reduce the amount of Cash & Cheques coming into our school. School related expenses will be available online for you to make the payment.
Parents please register.
Here is how:
Step 1 Go to this website:
https://ocsb.schoolcashonline.com
Step 2 Register by selecting the “Get Started Now” and follow the steps
Step 3 After you receive the confirmation email, please select the “click here” option, sign in and add each of your children to your household account.
Additional Resources for Families
At the OCSB, we strive to create a supportive and nurturing environment for all students. We understand that a child's mental health is just as important as their physical health, and that families play a crucial role in supporting their well-being.
Here are a few helpful strategies and resources to navigate challenges while promoting well-being this summer.
Good Family Strategies:
Routine is key: As much as possible, stick to regular routines for meals, sleep, and family activities. This provides structure and a sense of security for your child.
Family traditions: Continue to enjoy cherished family activities and traditions as well as creating new ones. These moments of connection and shared experiences can boost mood and create happy memories. (See some great ideas here - July 2024 Wellbeing Calendar and August 2024 Wellbeing Calendar)
Thought-Changing Strategies:
Challenge negative thoughts: Help your child identify negative thoughts and challenge their validity. Talk through situations and encourage them to focus on more realistic and positive perspectives.
Gratitude practice: Encourage your child to practice gratitude. Take time each day to reflect on things they're thankful for, big or small. This can shift focus towards the positive aspects of life.
For additional support, please visit:
OPH’s Parenting in Ottawa mental health page for information about child and or youth mental health agencies.
Youth Services 24/7 Crisis Line: If your child is experiencing a crisis, please contact the Youth Services Crisis Line at 613-260-2360 (Ottawa) or toll-free 1-877-377-7775 (outside Ottawa) for immediate assistance.
Kids Help Phone: Kids Help Phone provides 24/7 counseling and referral services across Ontario. Your child can call 1-800-668-6868 or text CONNECT to 686868 to access these free resources.
Additional Mental Health Resources (About Kids Health, Anxiety Canada, School Mental Health Ontario, Counseling Connect)
Phone line support for youth -Phone Line Supports
Remember, you are not alone.
There are many resources available to help you support your child's mental health. Please see this sheet containing Tips For Wellbeing This Summer for a few ideas on maintaining mental health and well-being.