SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017

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1 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017 MESSAGE FROM THE ADMIN TEAM I would like to welcome everyone back to school and hope everyone had a fun and restful summer. As students at DP Todd, your education is all about you; ensure you engage fully and seek help when you need it we are here to support your learning. Parents and students are reminded the we continue to have our homework support room run by Mr. Pereira students can self-assign or be assigned by teachers for extra support as well as test and homework completion. You are also encouraged to become a dynamic member of your school community by joining a club or a sports team at DP Todd we value our school and community and want our students to do the same by contributing in a positive and active manner. As parents, you are in a unique position to support your child s learning. You are your child s strongest advocate. I encourage you to continue to take a role in your child s education and if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact the school. If your child is new to DP Todd, please feel free to drop into the office and introduce yourself to me and our Vice Principal, Ms. Sarah Petrisor. We are looking forward to yet another exciting year at DP Todd Secondary! Faith Mackay Sarah Petrisor Tracey Sullivan Principal Vice Principal Business Manager IMPORTANT: included with this Newsletter is a Student Information Verification form that we ask parents to review, make any updates required, sign, and return to the school office as soon as possible. Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act - FOIPPA If you require changes made to the FOIPPA permissions that you have previously given to the school please complete the form found on the front page of the DP Todd Website or stop by the office for a copy. Please note that you are responsible for notifying the school should the status of your consent change. September 6 - School Starts - 8:45-10:40 am September 14 - Grade 8 Open House - 7:00 pm September 15 - School Photo Day September 25 - Parent Advisory Council Meeting - 7:00 pm in the Library September 29 - Non-Instruction Day October 9 - Thanksgiving Day no school October 20 - Non-Instruction Day October 24 - Early Dismissal - 2:03 pm October 24 - Parent/Teacher Night 5:30 7:00 pm October 26 - School Photo Retakes D.P. Todd Secondary School Student Handbook All students will receive a Student Handbook on their first day of school. These books contain information about D.P. Todd including the regular daily bell schedule, block order, behaviour expectations, rules about Honour Roll and much more. Students are encouraged to take these books home and share this information with parents. The Student Handbook can be viewed on the D.P. Todd website or a copy can be picked up at the school office.

2 Wednesday, September 6 th is the beginning of the school year. We welcome you and remind you that this is a day in session for all students. Before 8:45 am Locate your name on the Homeroom lists posted on the windows at the entrances this will be your Block A 8:45-9:40 am Proceed to your Homeroom Block A class. During this time attendance will be taken, timetables will be issued and reviewed and lockers will be assigned. 9:45-10:00 am Block B class 10:05-10:20 am Block C class 10:25-10:40 am Block D class 10:40 am Students dismissed for the day For this first day of classes all students should have pen and paper. Subject teachers will discuss supplies and materials needed for each course. STANDARD SCHOOL CALENDAR FOR Non-instructional days - School District No. 57 dates are as follows: Tuesday, September 5 th Friday, September 29 th Friday, October 20 th Friday, November 24 th Monday, January 29 th Friday, April 20 th Monday, June 4 th School Opening Day September 6, 2017 Spring Vacation March 19-29, 2018 Thanksgiving Day October 9, 2017 Good Friday March 30, 2018 Remembrance Day Stat November 13, 2017 Easter Monday April 2, 2018 Winter Vacation Dec 18/17 - Jan 1/18 Victoria Day May 21, 2018 School re-opens January 2, 2018 Last Day of School June 28, 2018 Family Day February 12, 2018 Administrative Day June 29, 2018 D.P. Todd Secondary School Time Schedule for Regular Bell Schedule (Mon/Tues/Thur/Fri) Block Time A 8:45 10:05 am B 10:11 11:30 am Lunch Break 11:30 12:20 pm C 12:20 1:39 pm D 1:44 3:03 pm Wednesday Bell Schedule Block Time A 8:45 9:50 am B 9:56 11:00 am Lunch Break 11:00 11:50 am C 11:50 12:54 pm D 12:59 2:03 pm Teacher/Student Learning 2:08 3:08 pm Scent Sensitive School: Due to an increasing sensitivity of allergies and respiratory concerns with staff and students, D.P. Todd is asking that staff, students, and visitors focus on being scent sensitive. Scent sensitive involves: Using scent free personal care products Not applying scented fragrances in the school (i.e. at lockers or in change rooms) or prior to arriving at school Being considerate of those around you who may be sensitive to the effect of scented products Scan DP Todd s website to your smartphone.

3 DETENTION HALL Detention Hall occurs each school day from 3:10-3:40 pm and may be assigned to a student for a variety of misdemeanours such as tardiness, incomplete homework, inappropriate behaviour in class, etc. Students are to let their parents know during the day if they have a detention hall. Should a student not be able to attend a detention hall on a certain day, the student MUST speak to the teacher who assigned the detention to have the day changed. The teacher may then make the change in the detention hall book. Excuses such as I forgot will not be accepted. Extenuating circumstances will require a note from the student s parent or guardian on the next school day. Failure to serve a detention may result in the Vice Principal assigning the student to the next available Thursday School. The Vice Principal will monitor the number of detentions received by a student. A student receiving more than five detentions in a term will result in a student/parent/administration meeting. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter. Should you have any questions or concerns, please telephone the Vice Principal, Mrs. Petrisor, at GRADE 8 PARENT NIGHT On Wednesday, September 14 th we will be welcoming the parents of our grade 8 students to the school for the Grade 8 Open House starting at 7:00 pm. The meeting will begin in the library and then quickly move to the various classrooms. Parents will be able to meet their child s teachers and hear about the educational program that will be carried out in each class. Grade 8 students are encouraged to come along. STUDENT PHOTOGRAPHS Student photographs will be taken on Friday, September 15 th starting at 9:00 am. More information on packages and costs will follow. STUDENT ATTENDANCE At DP Todd, the staff is concerned with student attendance, and the impact of student absences on academic performance. Regular student attendance strongly correlates with academic achievement. Both excused and unexcused absences impact a student's potential success in a course. Simply put, if students are to learn, they need to be in all of their classes regularly. Parents and students should be aware that the learning and the work that occurs in a class cannot always be made up outside of the classroom. As a result, absences from class can be detrimental to the student s grades and some marks and assignments may be excused, deducted, or forfeited. When parents are aware in advance of a student absence, they are encouraged to request through their child, a PLANNED ABSENCE FORM (available in the school office). This will assist the teacher, where possible, to plan student work in advance of the absences. We request that parents assist in ensuring regular attendance in making holiday plans and medical/dental/other appointments outside of the school day whenever possible. As a part of the school's effort to promote regular attendance, parents/guardians will be contacted regularly by phone, letter, or meeting. Parents are requested to call DP Todd at when their children are away from school. This action will inform us of the legitimacy of the absence. Should parents prefer to write a note of explanation, please have your child bring the note to the office on the day of their return to school. Failure by a student to improve attendance will result in progressive discipline which may lead to withdrawal from the course. Through staff and parents working together to strongly encourage regular student attendance, we are promoting higher achievement at D.P. Todd Secondary School. Newsletters via Detach and Return to D.P. Todd Secondary School Please clearly print your address below to receive bi-monthly newsletters via If you received the DP Todd Newsletter via last school year you do not have to complete this again unless you wish to update us with a new address. Student Name: Grade: Parent/Guardian Address: Parent/Guardian Signature:

4 OFFICE TELEPHONE USAGE The office provides a student courtesy telephone to be used by students for emergency situations only; such as a call home because of illness. PARENT ADVISORY COUNCIL MEETING The first meeting of the Parent Advisory Council (PAC) will be held on Monday, September 25 th at 7:00 pm in the Library. All parents are welcome. School information updates and presentations on school programs will be a regular part of each monthly meeting. Your input on a wide variety of issues is valued. LOCKERS All lockers and locks will be assigned to students in their Homeroom class on the first day of school. School locks must be used except with prior administration permission. VALEDICTORY CEREMONY Eligibility Criteria for participation in the ceremony are as follows: 1. Students must have the potential to meet Ministry of Education graduation requirements by June of the current school year. 2. Students progress will be evaluated at the end of Term Three. At that time: Grad Transitions requirements must be complete. Any correspondence courses required for graduation must be 2/3 complete. At the time of the evaluation, exceptions to the above requirements will be considered by the Principal on a student-by-student basis. 3. Students receiving a School Leaving Certificate as a result of successful completion of their I.E.P. are eligible to participate in the Valedictory Ceremony. DP Todd Learning Commons (Library) If you have any School District #57 Textbooks at your home, please return them to the library. Any books that are not returned will need to be replaced. This can become very expensive. Please take a moment to check your son/daughter s textbooks for more than general wear and tear. Specifically, check for the following: water damage, stains, ripped pages, missing pages, excessive or rude graffiti and/or bar code damage. If these have not been noted on the inside of the front cover, then ask your son/daughter to bring it to the Library where the damage will be noted. Thus, when your child returns their textbook they will not mistakenly be charged for previous damage. Let s all work together to keep the textbooks in good condition for the next user. MEALS PROGRAM The DP Todd School Meals Program will continue this school year. The guidelines for enrollment remain the same; additionally, we still need your contributions to continue this worthwhile effort. Forms will be going out to parents whose child is presently on the list. Any students who are interested in the meals program please contact your Counsellor, Aboriginal Education Worker or Youth Care Worker. Parents can contact the school at for information and enrollment in the meals program.

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