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The Gregory Drive School Advisory Council is an advisory body comprised of the principal, parents, teachers, non-teaching staff as well a community member. The purpose of this group is to promote effective educational policies and procedures for our school. The Council provides a forum for parents, teachers, non-teaching staff and other community members to participate in decisions and recommendations for action. The Council operates within the policies of the Lambton Kent District School Board. Council meetings are held in the school library on the third Monday evening of each month with the exception of the months of December, March and June. They start at 7:00 pm and usually run about two hours. Everyone is welcome to attend any meeting at any time. The Board of Education has established policies for all aspects of school operation and management. Should you wish clarification of any area of interest or concern, you are asked to contact the school office. Parents may examine the Ontario School Record Folder (O.S.R.) on request by appointment with the school Principal. Health records may be seen by contacting the School Health Nurse. Changes of address, telephone number, custody status, job emergency contact person, doctor, etc. should be reported to the school secretary so that our records are always accurate and up to date. Our office is occasionally deluged by messages that we are expected to pass on to pupils. We respectfully ask that plans about going home with others, to grandmother's, skating, etc. should be finalized at home. Emergency situations are a priority, but frequently too many 'matter of fact' situations that need not involve office staff are called in and are interruptive to the classroom's activities. When you are visiting the school, please report to the office so that we know who is in the building. You will be required to sign in for security reasons. SAFE SCHOOL ARRIVAL PROCEDURE (Reporting Absences and Late Arrivals) In order to confirm the safe arrival of students in each elementary school, the Lambton Kent District School Board has implemented a Safe School Arrival Procedure. If your child is to be absent or late, please notify the school no later than 9:30 a.m. (by 1:00 p.m. in the afternoon) using one of the following methods: a) by telephone; the school has an answering machine service that is available 24 hrs. a day. b) by written note or verbal information sent with a sibling to give to the teacher or to the school office personnel. If no notification is given, the school office will contact the home or parent's and/or guardian's place of employment to confirm the whereabouts of the student. However, we ask that you make the initial contact; otherwise this can become time consuming for the office. Verbal notification when given by a sibling or a friend needs to be followed by a written note when the child returns to school. All students who arrive late must report to the office. Once students have arrived at school, they must remain there unless permission is granted from the school office. The parent(s)/guardian(s) should send a note if a child needs to leave for an appointment, etc. Since we do care about safety and welfare, pupils may be denied permission to leave without your written consent or phone call. We must have advance approval or consent of the parent or legal guardian and approval of school administration before a student is permitted to see, be interviewed by or leave with unknown or possible unauthorized person(s) appearing at the school office. It is our policy to make a sick or injured child feel as comfortable as possible while you are being contacted to determine your wishes in the matter. When an illness or an injury appears to be serious, the Principal or designate may take the child to the doctor or to the hospital emergency. An ambulance may be called to ensure that he/she is transported safely. At the beginning of the school year parents are required to fill in a Health and Serious Injury form. We will do our best to follow your guidelines. Sick children should not be sent to school. There is no supervision for students who cannot participate in outdoor recesses. The Lambton Kent District School Board has a policy concerning the administration of medication to students by school personnel. No medication will be given to students unless there is a written request and a statement and signature from the doctor indicating the proper procedure and administration of dosage. If you have a need for us to administer medication, please contact the school in order that the proper forms can be forwarded to you. Any pills, ventilators, or liquid medication must be given to the teacher who will have it stored in the office. We are not authorized to give aspirin, bufferin, cough medicine, etc. Any decisions about school closing or buses not operating are made by the Director or alternate at the Lambton Kent District School Board. Closing due to adverse weather conditions or other specified reasons will be broadcast on CFCO and CKSY Stations at 7:00 a.m. In the event that students are at school, we call home, the emergency contact or a neighbour or friend, to notify that children are being dismissed early. Please be sure that your child(ren) has a place to go should this occur. When feasible, radio stations make announcements. If parent(s) / guardian(s) is/are of the opinion that children are at risk going to, and coming home from school, it is ultimately their decision to allow their child(ren) to attend school. All student belongings should be identified and clearly marked. The school cannot take responsibility for personal belongings but will assist in whatever means possible in locating lost items. Found clothing items are placed in a receptacle outside the computer lab. Books, watches, etc. are brought to the office. P.A. announcements are made as necessary. It is the student's obligation to 'look for' and 'inform' teachers about missing articles. 1st Instructional Block 8:40-10:20 Nutrition Break/Outdoor Activities 10:20-11:00 2nd Instructional Block 11:00-12:45 Nutrition Break/Outdoor Activities 12:45-1:25 3rd Instructional Block 1:25-3:00 Dismissal 3:00 SUPERVISION There is no outdoor supervision of students prior to 8:25 a.m. Staff supervision for students outside starts at 8:25 a.m. This supervision is also provided at both breaks as well. Lunchrooms are monitored by two student volunteers per classroom. Teachers are available for assistance as they patrol the hall and the various classrooms. The safety of students is our primary concern. If your child is a bus student he or she will be eating at school. On the few days of the year that other arrangements are being made, parents will need to write a note or contact the office by telephone indicating lunch/bus arrangements for that day. A teacher cannot permit a student to leave the building at breaks without parental permission. Children who eat at school must follow certain expectations. Pupils must:
Washrooms can and should be used prior to eating. Monitors excuse students as necessary. Infractions are recorded and reported to the teacher on duty. Home contact is made if warranted. NOON HOUR SALES There will be regular Food Days (i.e. hot dogs, pizza, etc.) every Wednesday. This is coordinated by the School Council. Ice cream and milk are sold Monday through Friday. Both items are sold at 75¢ each. Milk cards are available @ a cost of $7.50 which credits students for 10 milks. Children are cautioned to take good care of their money and not leave it unattended. Patrols are provided for the safety of your children. Please encourage respect for, and obedience of, our patrollers' requests. It is most important that Junior and Intermediate students use the designed crossings and set a good example for the younger students. Students displaying inappropriate and unacceptable behaviour at crosswalks or towards safety patrollers should expect to be disciplined by the school administration. While on school property, students must walk their bikes. It is advisable for all students to lock their bikes to prevent theft. The school cannot be responsible for lost or stolen bicycles. Students at Gregory Drive Public School are expected: 1) to try their hardest to maintain, and improve upon, the good reputation of the school in our community; 2) to be courteous and helpful to each other, to staff, and to visitors to the school; 3) to observe all safety rules, whether they walk to school or ride the bus; 4) to solve all arguments in a fair, non-violent way; 5) to show respect for school property; 6) to refrain from swearing, using abusive language, or gestures of a profane nature; 7) to refrain from fighting, including "play fighting"; 8) to be clean in person and habits, which includes the wearing of suitable clothing and footwear ( see Dress Code ); 9) to conduct themselves in such a way that they will not disturb others, risk their safety or well-being, or cause embarrassment to their peers; 10) to complete class and homework assignments. At Gregory Drive Public School all students have the right: - to receive a good academic and skill-based education - to be treated with dignity and respect - to be provided with success oriented activities which build on their interests and strengths - to regular learning activities carried on without undue interruption - to a fair hearing when they have been accused of doing wrong There are certain behaviours which are so detrimental to classroom order and discipline that they cannot and must not be tolerated. Listed below are those behaviours and suggested consequences. It is understood that any of the following will result in immediate removal from the class: 1) Insolence - defined as a direct comment by a pupil toward a teacher which reflects on the teacher's competence or racial or ethnic background; 2) Defiance - defined as direct refusal to carry out the instructions of the teacher; 3) Making a threat against a teacher or a student; 4) Swearing at the teacher or a student; 5) Hitting, kicking or biting a teacher or another child; 6) Use of racial or ethnic reference in order to belittle a fellow classmate; 7) Use of illegal substances (i.e. cigarettes, drugs, alcohol) will not be tolerated on school property or at any school-sponsored function. CONSEQUENCES Consequences for failing to live up to the expectations of the school may include any of the following and will be decided upon by the person in authority on the basis of the individual needs of the situation and the past record of the student. - referral to Police ( if laws are broken) - formal suspension( out of school) - referral to Behaviour Counsellor - conference involving principal, teacher(s), pupil and parents - behaviour contract - office referral to the home - restitution - removal from school teams - time out ( a short period of isolation from classmates) The staff, parents and students at Gregory Drive Public School feel that homework is an essential part of the educational process. Homework builds lifelong learning skills such as self-discipline, task commitment, time management, responsibility, independence, initiative and problem-solving. Homework will be appropriate to age, ability, special needs and grade level of students. Homework will support the expectations of the Ontario Curriculum. Homework is effective when it is actively supported in the home and when it represents an on-going, three-way communication which involves student, teachers and parents. Students in grades 4 to 8 should carry the Gregory Drive Public School Planner with them to every class and record assignments, due dates and instructions. Completion of homework will be reflected each term in the Learning Skills area of the Ontario Student Report Card. Primary Division- Grades 1,2,3 The primary child’s homework involves learning activities that last for short time periods. reading with a parent on a daily basis(include retelling of the story) sharing and completing tasks not finished at school learning the basic arithmetic skills in a variety of stimulating, interesting ways reviewing spelling or word lists currently presented at school practising printing skills review daily work Junior Division- Grades 4,5,6 sharing newsletters, forms, notices or daily assignments with parents reading for pleasure practising and reviewing concepts presented at school learning Math facts practising writing skills practising keyboarding skills conducting research and preparing presentations for projects, speeches or surveys studying for tests completing work that is missed due to an absence from school Intermediate Division- Grades 7&8 reading independently each night sharing newsletters, forms, notices or daily assignments with parents organizing and studying notes regularly, in all subject areas conducting research and preparing presentations for projects, speeches or surveys as needed or assigned using the student planner to organize homework and for communication with parents assuming personal responsibility for completeness and quality of schoolwork identifying a study buddy to arrange for work that is missed due to an absence from school be aware of assignments posted on the Homework Calendar Bulletin Board How Parents Can Help With Homework instill routines by setting aside time each night for your child to spend on homework provide a place to study and work which meets the needs of the child be available for assistance when necessary help your child balance homework time with other after-school activities help your child choose appropriate books to read listen to your child read communicate with your child’s teacher encourage use of the Gregory Drive Public School Planner and check them regularly Studies show that irregular attendance is one of the leading causes of poor school work. Punctual and regular attendance is not only compulsory, but is essential if the student is to make good progress and maintain positive attitudes about coming to school. Consistent attendance is mandatory once the student is registered in school. The chief purpose of a good evaluation system should be to determine progress, and to find the pupil's area of strength and weakness so that appropriate programs of review, re-teaching or enrichment may be provided. The evaluation of student progress and skills development is an ongoing procedure. Student progress in all classroom activities, are monitored daily and is based on individual student effort and achievement. Report cards will be sent home with the pupils three times during the year: 1st term -December 2nd term -March 3rd term -June Home-School Conferences will be scheduled shortly after the first report. Conferences for the second and final reports may be arranged upon request. The parent(s)/guardian(s) is/are encouraged to contact the classroom teacher(s) at any time if there is a concern or if staff can be of assistance with homework. Please keep in mind that students have the responsibility to come to the teacher for assistance and to obtain assignments and work missed because of absence. STUDENT / CLASSROOM CONCERNS Always contact the classroom teacher first. If the concern persists arrange for a conference with the Principal. Problems and misunderstandings can usually be resolved through frank and fair discussion. CONTACTING TEACHERS When you wish a teacher to contact you regarding a question or concern please call the school office. The secretary will take your name and telephone number and the teacher will contact you. The secretary can also inform you about a teacher's availability during a preparation period which may be convenient to both parties. Students may always seek extra help from their teachers if they do not understand an assignment. If work is difficult, or if they have been absent and have missed assignments and class discussions, they should arrange for assistance from their teacher(s). This can be before or after school, or at a time convenient during the school day. A teacher will sometimes request a student to stay after school if it is apparent that the student is having difficulty with his/her work. This is not to be thought of as a punishment, but rather as a desire of the teacher to help them make the progress of which he/she is capable. In addition to the classroom teachers, your children benefit from a number of support persons when a need exists. The following is a list of personnel: C Psychologist and PsychometristChildren who are experiencing serious difficulty coping with school work or who are having social problems are referred by the classroom teacher on a priority basis. The parent(s) / guardian(s) is/are contacted when such testing or counselling is done in order that there may be a co-operative effort between home and school. C Attendance and Behaviour CounsellorOur attendance counsellor is called to the school to assist families whose children do not attend on a regular basis. Students who have problems adjusting to the school setting will be counselled by the Behaviour Counsellor. The counsellor visits the school once every two weeks. Our school's counsellor is Beth Oliver. C Speech Correction TeacherChildren who experience speech problems are offered training to correct poor speech patterns. Students are referred by classroom teachers. The parent(s) / guardian(s) is/are also involved, in order that corrective exercise may be carried on in the home. As a result of re-organization, speech therapy will be offered by Board therapists or Kent Chatham Home Care Program therapists at the school. C Public Health NurseThe Public Health Nurse from the Kent-Chatham Health Unit visits our school periodically. The purpose of this service is to assist the staff and students to establish and maintain a health program in the school as well as to co-ordinate health services to students. C Learning Resource TeacherThe Learning Resource Teacher is available to students who have been referred by their classroom teacher and to students who have been identified by the Identification, Placement and Review Committee. This program provides students the extra academic assistance that they need. Since Physical Education is an important part of a child's development, students in grades 7 to 8 must have the necessary equipment for each Physical Education period. Proper equipment includes shorts/jogging pants, T-shirts, and non-marking running shoes. The shoes should be kept at school and used indoors only. Only those with valid medical reasons supported by a doctor's certificate will be excused from Physical Education classes. All other students are to have, and use, running shoes for gym use. There are a number of areas that students can choose to get involved in if they wish... 1. Team sports such as soccer, volleyball and basketball. Try-outs are announced over the P.A. system. 2. Intramurals for grades 1 to 8 during breaks (i.e. soccer, volleyball, floor hockey, badminton, etc.)
4. Monitors for lunchroom, classroom, office, noon hour sales, desk clean up, JK/K classroom, etc... (grades 6, 7 & 8). 5. Safety Patrol (grades 6, 7 & 8). CODE OF BEHAVIOUR FOR SPECTATORS AT SCHOOL GAMES Team sports is an opportunity for our students to learn about fair play as well as an exercise in skill development. The fair-play philosophy emphasizes: - respecting the rules - respecting officials and accepting their decisions - respecting the opponent - providing all participants with equal opportunities - maintaining dignity under all circumstances To support this philosophy and also to help our students to become successful and respectful citizens we ask that all spectators abide by the following code of conduct: 1. CHEER IN A POSITIVE MANNER 2. RESPECT OFFICIALS DECISIONS 3. DO NOT INTERFERE WITH THE COMPETITION 4. KEEP OFF THE PLAYING AREA 5. BE COURTEOUS AND RESPECTFUL Our school operates several Fund-Raising Activities during the school year. The funds raised are used for a variety of projects/activities. In all cases the total amount of funds raised benefits children of all grade levels. The School Council coordinates fund-raising as well (i.e. geranium sales, food days, etc...) Appropriate school dress and personal hygiene are most important. Students must use good judgement in selecting clothes to wear. T-shirts with offensive sayings or illustrations are not tolerated. Short shorts, halter tops, mesh tops, tube tops, revealing tops with spaghetti straps, muscle shirts and apparel that exposes the bare midriff are unacceptable. All clothing is to be free of profane language and any reference to sex, alcohol, drugs or violence. Spandex shorts are not appropriate school attire for students over the age of 10. Hats are to be removed once students enter the building NOTE: The school reserves the right on final decisions in regards to Dress Code. During inclement weather, footwear that is worn outside, cannot be worn inside. Students require shoes for use inside. This is an effective means to reduce dust in the halls and classrooms for the many children that suffer from allergy problems. It is necessary that children have a pair of shoes reserved for gym use only. These can also be used in the building when they change from their boots or muddy shoes. Students are encouraged and told to use these facilities prior to classes and when they leave the classrooms for breaks to minimize the interruption to class activity. Teachers will use common sense and compassion in allowing students to use the washrooms. Any related health problems should be reported to the teachers by the parent(s) / guardian(s). Our school and the Board strongly support the use of voluntary assistance. The aims of the Voluntary Assistance Program are: 1. to strengthen school and community relations through positive participation 2. to provide an opportunity for interested community members to participate in a school's program 3. to assist teachers in providing more in-depth assistance for individual students 4. to enable the teachers to broaden the regular program and enrich the children's experiences Teachers will coordinate volunteers as needed throughout the year. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer at our school please contact the school office. Volunteers must abide by School and Board Policies and Regulations and respect student confidentiality. The Student Council will be organized early in the school year. The Council's function is not only to give the student body a voice in planning social events, but to assist the staff in all matters pertaining to the smooth operation of the school. It is the objective of the library to obtain and supply the staff and students of Gregory Drive with up-to-date and informative materials that are geared to the varied grade levels and cover the current educational curriculum. As well, it is our continuing goal to promote the importance of reading to the entire school community. With these goals in mind, a loss of any library material is a loss to the school community as a whole. Staff and students must sign and date a library card for each piece of library material that they remove. All materials are due one week from the 'check out date'. At that time the materials may be returned or checked out again. Any student not returning library materials will be forfeiting their opportunity to sign out any future materials until all outstanding materials are returned. This procedure continues until the one month mark at which time a letter will be sent home asking for the return or reimbursement of the outstanding library materials. Only through support and cooperation from the entire school community can this library continue to provide the highest quality of materials that are beneficial to all. Student use of liquid paper - due to health concerns, cost and property damage - will not be allowed. A single line drawn through unwanted work with a ruler should be used in lieu of liquid paper. At Gregory Drive Public School, lockers are provided for the use of pupils in classrooms which do not have cloakrooms. Since there are not enough lockers to go around, pupils must share lockers. The staff assigns lockers and locker partners. LOCKER REGULATIONS Students will: 1. Use their own locker which is assigned by their homeroom teacher. 2. Put a combination lock on their locker and keep the locker closed and locked at all times. 3. Give the combination of their lock to their homeroom teacher. . 4. Keep their locker clean and tidy. 5. Not put books in their locker. 6. Store lunches in their lockers but have no opened food containers or drinks there.
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