Middle School Update

• Grade 8 students stay home.

• Grade 7 students wear school uniform (including blazer).

• Bring only a backpack, pencil and/or pen, notebook or lined paper, labelled water bottle, and snacks (if desired). No other school supplies are needed for the August 29 orientation day. A backpack will be needed to transport the school laptop home.

• Students who would like to participate in Grade 7 football this term are asked to meet after school on August 29 from 2:45-3:30pm in Coristine Hall (the dining hall), to receive their uniform and equipment. Contact Coach Brydges if you want to play but can’t attend that meeting.
• Students participating in Bantam soccer and Cadet football pre-season training can consult with their coaches/schedules for their afternoon practice times starting after 2:45pm.

Wednesday, August 30: Grade 8 students attend for the full day, from 8:10am - 2:45pm.

• Grade 7 students stay home.

• Grade 8 students wear school uniform (including blazer).

• Bring only a backpack, SHS laptop and charger from Grade 7 (if you have one), pencil and/or pen, notebook or lined paper, labelled water bottle, and snacks (if desired). No other school supplies are needed for the orientation day.

• Students participating in Bantam soccer and Cadet football pre-season training can consult with their coaches/schedules for their afternoon practice times starting after 2:45pm.

Thursday, August 31: All Grade 7&8 students attend for the full day, from 8:10am - 2:45pm.

• Regular classes begin.
• Grade 7&8 students bring all labelled school supplies
• Lockers will be assigned to students.
• Students participating in Bantam soccer and Cadet football pre-season training can consult with their coaches/schedules for their afternoon practice times starting after 2:45pm.
  

• First day of Phys Ed from 1:30-2:45pm. All students need to have SHS gym clothes and gym shoes at school that day.
• Students participating in Bantam soccer and Cadet football pre-season training can consult with their coaches/schedules for their afternoon practice times starting after 2:45pm.
  

Lockers and School Supplies: New lockers are being installed in Middle School hallways this week! Grade 7&8 students can bring labelled school supplies to school on Thursday, August 31, please not before. Lockers will be assigned to students on Thursday, August 31 and they can only leave supplies at school at that time. For those of you interested in locker organization, we'll provide suggestions about additional locker shelves in the coming weeks!

Uniform: The Middle School uniform will be in effect for Grade 7&8 students beginning on August 29. Refer to our Dress Code for details. In Middle School, dress shorts (not athletic shorts) and short-sleeved, blue, crested Selwyn House dress-shirt may be worn in the place of dress pants and long-sleeved dress-shirt on any day, if preferred. A belt, dress shoes, and SHS tie are required every day. Each student needs a SHS blazer for every assembly and for some special events. If your son will not be wearing his blazer to school each day, he can leave it in his locker. Please label every item of clothing!

Arrival and Dismissal: The Middle School Daily Schedule outlines arrival and dismissal times. Grade 7&8 students use the west entrance of the Lucas building (under the archway at the corner of Cote St. Antoine and Stanton) at arrival and dismissal times each day. The front entrance to the Lucas building (at reception) is reserved for guests and staff. Supervision for MS students inside the school will begin at 8:00am daily.

Pick-Up and Drop-off Traffic: The Traffic Circulation Memo details the student pick-up and drop-off guidelines for Selwyn House, including designated no-parking zones and times for the City of Westmount and Selwyn House.

School Calendar: Our ten-day block class schedule runs from Monday to Friday on Week 1 and Week 2. The weeks are fixed for the year and are noted on the school calendar. The school calendar is continually revised and updated.

COMMUNICATION WITH SELWYN HOUSE:

• Weekly Updates: Each Thursday during the school year at approximately 4:30 p.m., Grade 7&8 parents and students will be emailed a “MS Update”. Throughout the year, this Update will keep you informed about upcoming school-wide and MS events, special dress days for students, links to required forms, and more. The Updates and referenced documents are also posted weekly on our website under Academics>Middle School.

• Student Email: During the school year, students are expected to check and respond to their school email at least once (but preferably more) each day. Coaches and teachers rely on it!

• mySelwyn: This school portal provides parents and students with information on upcoming tests & assignments, homework, grades, athletic schedules, school calendar, student directory, school resources, and more. We'll notify you in the first week of classes when mySelwyn is opened to parents and students for the 2023-24 school year.

The Selwyn House library is open between 8am and 5pm daily. MS students can use the library as a space to do homework and group projects or socialize and play games during morning and lunch recesses and after school. Our librarians Ms. Soukhodolskaia and Ms. Kuhn can offer research assistance and book suggestions. Students are encouraged to browse and borrow books all year long!

Breakfast service begins on Tuesday, September 12: Our kitchen will offer an optional breakfast service of hot and cold food and drink items to all SHS students between 7:15-8:00 a.m. on school days. Student purchases will be logged and billed to corresponding Selwyn House accounts. No cash will be accepted. Throughout the year, on occasions when we cannot offer breakfast service due to special school events in the dining hall, we will notify families on our school calendar or via email.

Terry Fox Run - Friday September 15: All Selwyn House students will be participating in this annual event - rain or shine! Please read the following Parent Information Letter for specific details about what to wear and bring, event timing, and fundraising efforts. Let's see which House can reach their goal first this year!

Visit last week’s “Back To School” Update for news and action items you may have missed, such as:

• Laptop Rental Agreement (for students entering Grade 7 and new-to Grade 8) before August 30

• Impact Test (concussion baseline test) before September 1

• Jazz Band - email Ms. Beech if your son is interested in joining this arts class.

• SHS Important Dates 2023-24

The Gryphon Sale (of SHS apparel) will be held Wednesday, September 6 from 7:00 - 11:00 a.m. in the Rossy Agora. Gently used uniform donations are always welcome, and can be dropped off during school hours in the bins located just inside the front doors of the Lucas building (at reception).

Homework Supervision for Grades 7&8: This program (we call “Focus”), will be held in a Middle School classroom from 2:50-5:50pm on Monday-Thursday afternoons and from 2:50-4:30pm on Fridays. Students will be able to arrive and begin work at any time during these hours, including after physical education. If your son has difficulty getting his homework done in a timely and conscientious manner, this is a way to offer him some support to begin the year properly. If you are interested in having your son participate, please contact Ms. Beech for more information (fees, etc.). Focus will begin on Thursday, September 7.

Community Service Opportunity: On Saturday, September 9 Selwyn House will be participating in the BDO Cedars CanSupport Dragon Boat Race. We are looking for students to paddle for Team Selwyn as we support the Cedars Cancer Centre and improve awareness about local cancer care services. Click here for more details and to paddle with us!