A Message from School Administration
St. John Paul II Catholic School is a vibrant learning community, where all children are supported in developing to their fullest potential in a safe and nurturing environment. It is a Catholic learning community built on the fundamental partnership between home, school and parish.
As parents/guardians you have chosen to provide your children with a Catholic education – an education which fosters and nurtures the search and acquisition of knowledge as a spiritual and academic journey; an education which views human life as the integrated parts of body, mind and spirit. At St. John Paul II Catholic School we celebrate spirituality through achieving, believing and striving to be the best we can in an inclusive Catholic environment reflective of our Catholic traditions.
The St. John Paul II Catholic School Community is committed to maintaining high academic standards throughout each grade, as well as promoting responsible and respectful behaviour. At all times we are expected to do our best to demonstrate our love for God by respecting each other and trying our best to achieve the expectations of our parents, teachers and our faith. We encourage students to get involved in all aspects of their school community – academics, extra-curricular and service. This helps to build self-confidence and a sense of value and purpose, as well as promoting positive relationships among all students. We manage student discipline with a Progressive and Restorative approach, giving the students the tools, they need to make amends for mistakes, while at the same time serving appropriate consequences for their actions. We believe in honesty, responsibility and accountability for our actions.
This Catholic school agenda provides our students and parents with important information about our school community. As well, it has been developed to help parents and educators work together to fully support the education and faith development of Catholic students. The agenda is an excellent communication tool between home and school. We encourage families to check the school website and subscribe to receive news & the on-line calendar to keep up to date on what is happening at St. John Paul II Catholic School. Follow us on twitter to see some highlights in our community.
Best wishes for a very successful school year
Sincerely,
Mrs. C. Faria, Principal
| Our Mission |
| We are called to celebrate and nurture the God-given talents of each student as we serve with excellence in the light of Christ. |
| Our Patron Saint, St. John Paul II |
| St. John Paul II was born Karol Józef Wojtyla on May 18, 1920, in Wadowice, Poland. He was ordained in 1946, became the Bishop of Ombi in 1958, and became the Archbishop of Krakow in 1964. He was made a Cardinal by Pope Paul VI in 1967, and in 1978 became the first non-Italian Pope in more than 400 years. He was a vocal advocate for human rights and used his influence to effect political change. His love for young people led him to establish World Youth Day, celebrated 19 times during his pontificate, which attracted millions of young people from all over the world. He died in Italy in 2005. It was announced in July of 2013 that he would be declared a Saint in April 2014. We join in celebrating St. John Paul II Feast Day on October 22nd. |
| Our School Prayer |
| Loving Father,
We praise you for our many blessings. |
| Catholic Graduate Expectations |
Our goal is to help students become proficient in the Catholic Graduate Expectations below:
Our student’s efforts will be recognized at our St. John Paul II Celebrates Assemblies. |
| Our Parish |
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St. Leo the Great Catholic Church Pastor: Father Mounir El-Rassi Mass Schedule: |
| Daily School Schedule |
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Yard Supervision - 8:05 a.m. Morning Yard Supervision is from 8:05 a.m. – 8:20 a.m. Students should not arrive before 8:05 a.m. |
| School Cash On-line and School Lunches |
| Our preferred method of payment for school related activities (i.e., trips, agendas) is CASH-ON-LINE. You will need your child’s OEN #, which can be found at the top on any report card. To register go to the school website at stjohnpaulii.dcdsb.ca and select the online school purchases tab, under the banner. Please register at www.healthyhunger.ca to order school lunches. |
| P.A Days and Holiday Calendar for the 2022/2023 School Year |
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Classes will begin on Tuesday, September 6, 2022 (following Labour Day).
Holidays: Labour Day - Monday, September 5, 2022 Thanksgiving - Monday, October 10, 2022 Christmas Vacation - Monday, December 26, 2022 – Friday, January 6, 2023 (Last day of classes will be on Friday, December 23, 2022. Classes resume Monday, January 9, 2023) Family Day - Monday, February 20, 2023 March Break - Friday, March 10, 2023 – Friday, March 17, 2023 (Classes resume Monday, March 20, 2023) Good Friday - Friday, April 7, 2023 Easter Monday - Monday, April 10, 2023 Victoria Day - Monday, May 22, 2023
P.A. Days: Friday, September 23, 2022 Monday, October 24, 2022 Friday, January 20, 2023 Friday, June 9, 2023 Friday, June 30, 2023 |
| Reporting Dates |
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Will be put on the EDSBY calendar when they are released. |
| St. John Paul II Catholic School Council |
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The St. John Paul II Catholic School Council is active in developing the partnership between school and home. All parents/guardians are invited to attend council meetings and are encouraged to get involved. Your participation is valued and supports many activities and information sessions that enhance student learning. The Catholic School Council endeavors to:
Elections for positions on the Catholic School Council are held annually in September. This year elections will take place following the Welcome back night on Thursday, September 15th at 7:00. Regular meetings are held throughout the year. All parents/guardians and guests are welcome to attend. Please check the Edsby calendar for meeting dates and times. |
| Volunteers |
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Volunteers are welcome at St. John Paul II Catholic School. Volunteers provide assistance in a variety of ways. Our school community is very appreciative of the support and the assistance we receive from our parents and community members. Please contact your child’s teacher or the school if you are interested in volunteering. As per the DCDSB’s Safe Schools Policy, all volunteers must have a police check with vulnerable sector on file at the school that is current within 12 months. If you plan on volunteering and have not yet provided us with this documentation, or if it is set to expire, we encourage you to get an updated check. We can provide you with a school letter to upload, which will reduce the cost of the criminal record check. If you require this letter, please contact the school office. |
| Anaphylaxis - Reactions to Allergies |
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An anaphylactic reaction is a severe, sudden, possible life-threatening allergy to such items as peanuts, nuts, bee stings, shellfish, latex, etc. When a student or adult is diagnosed with anaphylaxis, it is important for the school to take extra precautions to ensure the person’s well-being. It may become necessary to designate certain classrooms as “safe”, so that there is very little chance that the student will come into contact with the dangerous substance. Every September we have classrooms which will be designated “allergy alert classrooms” due to students with severe allergies to these foods/materials. In the past, we have had great support from the parents in these classes to ensure that lunches, snacks, etc. are “safe”. If your child is in a classroom that has been so designated, you will be notified in writing about the particular allergen(s). If your son/daughter has an allergy/anaphylaxis, please advise the school as soon as possible. Parents of anaphylactic students are required to annually update the Board Form “Protection of Anaphylactic Students: Individual Student Plan.” Though the information in this form, we develop the plan and safeguards that are necessary to protect our students and staff as required. We are currently a peanut/nut free school, as we have students with life threatening allergies. |
| Administration of Medication |
| The responsibility for the administration of medication for students is primarily the parents and/or guardians. There will be special cases and circumstances where a student must have medication during regular school hours. The office staff is authorized, if requested in writing on the appropriate Board form by the student’s parent or guardian, to administer medication. All prescribed medication to be administered must have the qualified medical doctor’s statement for documented use and the instructions clearly stated. The medication should be kept in its original container and will be securely stored in the office. No student is ever to keep medication in his/her possession while at school, except for puffers and Epi-Pens. |
| Kiss n' Ride/Parking Lot Safety |
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Safety is our number one priority at St. John Paul II Catholic school. Our Kiss n’ Ride program helps to ensure the safety of our students as they enter and exit the school grounds. It begins at 8:05 a.m. and runs until 8:20 a.m. and resumes at 2:50 dismissal. We recognize the necessity for being able to drop off and pick up your children in an efficient manner, and our staff strives to expedite that process. We need the co-operation of all community members to respect the traffic rules designed with the specific goal of keeping children safe. Please reinforce with your children the importance of using the crosswalk when walking to and from school. When using the Kiss n’ Ride program please enter the marked entrance in front of the school and pull up as far up to the flag pole as possible for unloading and loading. Please do not park your car in the kiss and ride lane or on the street between the parking lot and the Kiss n’ Ride, as this slows down the entire process. On occasion, you may have to wait for a few moments for the cars ahead of you. Please be patient. At the end of the day if your child is not ready for pick up, we encourage you to circle, to allow others to exit the Kiss n’ Ride promptly. Please be considerate of our neighbours and avoid blocking driveways while in line to enter the school. Walking Between Cars: Please do not walk with your child in-between cars that are in use. This is extremely dangerous and we do not want students to get into the habit of walking in between running cars. North Parking Lot: This area is reserved for buses and parking only. If you need to accompany your child into the school, or to the edge of the yard (behind the white line) please park your car in a parking spot. Please do not park in the bus/fire lane as it limits visibility of people crossing from the parking lot into the school. Thank you for your cooperation with this important safety concern. |
| Lunch Hour Procedures |
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Students who stay for lunch are expected to observe and follow the guidelines, which have been established and clearly explained, to them. Please send you child(ren) with a lunch and a water bottle daily this will help minimize classroom disruption and maintain safety protocols. Please avoid bringing snacks, lunches and water bottles late to the school to ensure students are in compliance with classroom routines surrounding nutrition breaks. Students in Gr. 1-8 go outside to play from 11:05-11:45. Students are expected to remain in the playground area (weather permitting) for the duration of the time. Students eat their lunch in designated classrooms for 20 minutes at the end of lunch from 11:45-12:05. Kindergarten students eat from 11:05-11:35 and go outside for 30 minutes. NO STUDENT staying for lunch is allowed to leave the school yard without written permission from a parent/guardian. The park is out of bounds during all recess times, including lunch time, due to lack of supervision. It is preferred that students do not go out to local establishments at lunch hour, due to safety concerns. Should parents/guardians insist that students go out for lunch unsupervised, please limit that request to intermediate students only. If you need to speak with your child during the school day, please go to the office. We do not want anyone on the yard or the perimeter. This is for safety purposes, and thank you in advance for your cooperation in keeping our school a safe place for staff and students. |
| Dress Code |
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We encourage all parents/guardians to monitor how their children dress for school each day. Often, students have not had enough experience to determine how weather conditions may change during the day and, as a result, they may come to school ill-prepared. Only with constant guidance can our students learn to dress properly for the weather conditions and the learning environment. The Dress Code for St. John Paul II Catholic School reflects the understanding that school is a student’s place of work. Students are expected to be dressed appropriately. The standards of dress for students at St. John Paul II Catholic School are reviewed with the Catholic School Council as outlined by Board policy. The guideline outlined applies to all in-school situations, on the school grounds and while attending all school-related activities and events. The following are the acceptable standards of dress for students at St. John Paul II Catholic School:
A phone call may be made to alert parents if a Dress Code concern persists. The final decision regarding the dress code will be at the discretion of the principal or designate. This dress code will be enforced by all staff members and all Dress Code Infractions will be addressed with discretion and respect. |
| DCDSB Safe, Caring, and Healthy Elementary Schools |
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The Durham Catholic District School Board recognizes that a school should be a place that promotes responsibility, respect, civility, and academic excellence in a safe learning and teaching environment. A positive school climate exists when all members of the school community feel safe, comfortable, and accepted. It is the responsibility of all members of the school community to work together to create a positive learning environment where all members feel supported. |
| Access to Premises |
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Parents/guardians are asked to phone the school to discuss an issue with teachers or administrators. This way the staff member can attend to the issue when they are able. In keeping with the Board’s Access to School Premises Policy, all doors will remain locked during school hours. Our Safe Welcome Program provides an intercom and camera at the main door of the school for parents to communicate with the office. This enhances the safety of students and staff. We encourage you to limit the visits to the school, as it causes disruptions to student learning. Anyone coming into the school must first sign in at the office and obtain a Visitor’s badge. Parents/guardians are not allowed access to the school yard before school, during recesses and the lunch hour. At recess time, the school yard is well supervised and staff will question anyone whose presence is not expected. Each member of staff is wearing photo ID and is identified on duty with a safety vest.
If a parent/guardian needs to pick up his/her son/daughter during the school day, this must be facilitated at the office. The office staff will call the student down to the office to be signed out. Notifying your child’s teacher and calling the school in advance will expedite this process. If you send a friend/relative/designate to pick up your child, please advise the school in advance and ask the designate to provide photo identification at the office. If the student returns to school before dismissal, he/she must sign back in at the office so that his/her attendance can be monitored. |
| Make Every Day Count – Attendance Matters |
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Attending school regularly helps children feel better about school—and themselves. Now is the time to start building this habit so your child learns right away that going to school on time, every day is important. Good attendance will help children do well in high school, college or university and in the world of work. Did You Know? Absences can add up quickly. A child is considered chronically absent if he/she misses just two days every month! Research shows:
School success goes hand in hand with good attendance! What You Can Do:
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| Safe Arrival – Automated Attendance |
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The Durham Catholic District School Board has an automated attendance system, called Safe Arrival, for reporting student absences. Safe Arrival reduces the time it takes to verify student attendance making it easier for you to report your child’s absence and easier for staff to respond to unexplained student absences. Parents are able to report their child’s absence quickly and conveniently using three different methods: 1. Parents can log into a website: go.schoolmessenger.ca to report student absences. 2. Parents can call into the automated interactive telephone system using the toll-free number 1-844-288-7628 through which absences can be reported. 3. Parents can download the SafeArrival app for iOS and Android smartphones. Search for the keyword school messenger in the Google Play store or the Apple App store. Select Canada, select sign up, enter your email address that is on file with the school, enter a password. All three methods are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Future absences, like doctor’s appointments can be reported ahead of time. For more information, please visit the school website. |
| Restorative Schools |
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We believe that safety begins with positive connections between the students, staff and parents. To foster these relationships, staff in the Durham Catholic District School Board use restorative practices, including classroom circles and small group conferences to build community within the classroom and the school. Restorative Practice is rooted in the same philosophical approach as Canada’s Native Aboriginal communities. It rests on the belief that it is best to do things with people, rather than to them. When conflict arises, using restorative practice engages students in a fair process that responds to behavior in ways that strengthen and repair the relationship. It is collaborative rather than adversarial in nature. The aim of restorative practice is to hold individuals accountable for their actions while restoring and repairing any relationships amongst each other and within the community that may have been harmed. Catholic Restorative Schools will:
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| School Code of Conduct |
| Please click here to read the Code of Conduct |
