Parent Peek at the Week
Week of June 6th, 2022
A Message from Mrs. Sampson.....
Dear Parents/Guardians of Kawartha Heights Public School,
It is with mixed emotions that I announce to you today, that I will be retiring from Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board. My last day at Kawartha Heights will be June 29th, 2022.
Over the past three years it has truly been a gift to work as Principal of such an amazing school! There is so much to be proud of and grateful for in our community - most importantly your children, our phenomenal staff and you - our amazing families. It has been without a doubt a challenging bunch of years – but due to the fantastic partnership and teamwork we have in our community, we’ve weathered the storms and have always ensured the children are at the centre of all we do together.
I am pleased to announce that Brooke Ostapek will be taking over as Principal of Kawartha Heights. Ms. Ostapek is currently the Principal of Norwood District Public School and I know you will join me in wishing her a warm welcome.
I want to thank each and every one of you for your unending support, guidance and laughter through the years. Kawartha Heights is truly a special and unique school and I will greatly miss being part of it on a daily basis.
Sincerely,
Jennifer
Important Dates
Monday, June 6th - Day 1
- 9am - 1pm: EQAO for Grade 3 and 6
- 6:30pm - Last School Council meeting of the year
Tuesday, June 7th - Day 2
- 9am - 1pm: EQAO for Grade 3 and 6
- 1:40 pm: VIP for Grade 6’s (the gym is not available at this time)
Wednesday, June 8th - Day 3
- 9am - 1pm: EQAO for Grade 3 and 6
- 9am - 1pm: EQAO for Grade 3 and 6
Friday, June 10th - Day 5
- PA Day for Reporting; no school for students
- No Cougar Courage awards this week
Upcoming Dates:
- June 17th - Jump Rope for Heart
- June 28th - Grade 6 Leaving Ceremony at 9:15am
- June 29th - Last day of school and rain date for the Grade 6 Leaving Ceremony
- June 30th - PA Day
Covid Daily Screener and Updated Resource
For your reference, the screener can be found at: https://covid-19.ontario.ca/school-screening/
EQAO
This week, Grade 3's will be writing in the first 100 minutes and Grade 6's will be writing in the middle block. The students in Grades 2, 4 and 5 who are in split classes with these grades will be supervised and learning with other staff during this time.
Our schedule for this week includes:
Monday, June 6th: EQAO day 1 (Language A and Math 1)
Tuesday, June 7th: EQAO day 2 (Language B and Math 2)
Wednesday, June 8th: EQAO day 3 (Language C and Math 3)
Thursday, June 9th: EQAO day 4 (Language D and Math 4)
Please let Mrs. Sampson know if you have any questions about EQAO!
Jump Rope for Heart
Once again this year, we are going to be holding our Jump Rope for Heart event on Friday June 17th!!! Students are encouraged to sign up on our school fundraising page. This will allow them the chance to earn prizes AND support this great cause!
Students can go to the below link to join our school fundraising page.
https://secure-support.heartandstroke.ca/site/SPageServer?pagename=jfh_register
Staff are currently developing the plan for how/when each class will jump, but I can guarantee it will be a fun event for all!
Please see the Parent Letter below for more information.
School Council
The meeting begins at 6:30pm and we meet virtually on WebEx. If you'd like to hop on and join us, the link is: https://kprdsb.webex.com/meet/jennifer_sampson.
Below you'll find our agenda. We'd love to have you join us! You will also find the minutes from our May meeting for your reference.
From the KPR Board Office
Dear KPR families,
As we enter the last month of this school year, we have many things to recognize and celebrate. June is a busy month, filled with graduations, exams, sports, concerts and other school-based events. We appreciate school staff and volunteers who support these important activities for students and families.
June is Pride Month and we are proud to fly the Pride flag at all KPR schools this month. While KPR's commitment to safe, welcoming and accepting schools is practised every day, Pride Month is an important opportunity to show our commitment and allyship to the 2SLGBTQIA+ community!
June is also National Indigenous History Month, an opportunity to close the learning gaps that impact our understanding of Indigenous history, culture and perspectives. Schools will be reflecting on and honouring the history, and future, of Indigenous peoples in Canada.
Filipino Heritage Month, Italian Heritage Month and Portuguese Heritage Month are also recognized in June! Let’s deepen our understanding of the rich culture, heritage and contributions of these diverse communities. We welcome students and families from these communities, and all communities!
As we celebrate the cultural vibrance and diversity in our schools and classrooms, we also recognize our responsibility as a school board to foster an inclusive work environment for staff - one that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve and aligns with the Ministry of Education’s Equity Action Plan. As part of this work, KPR completed a Staff Census during the fall and we would like to share the results with you.
The Staff Census 2021 Report captures and illustrates the data that was provided. With a completion rate of 78 percent, the results from this census present a strong representation of the diversity of our workforce, helping the Board to better understand who its employees are and identify gaps in representation. We look forward to addressing the recommendations in the report, to address gaps, and remove barriers where they exist.
We continue to focus on supporting inclusive, welcoming environments in our schools, where everyone can feel a sense of belonging.
Sincerely,
Rita Russo
Director of Education
KPR NEWS
Summer School
Summer School registration is now open. Summer school gives students in Grades 9-12 an opportunity to get ahead or catch up with programs and classes. We also offer Grade 8 students an opportunity to advance in their learning and earn a high school credit through the Summer START program. At KPRDSB, summer school courses are available in-class, through eLearning or as a cooperative education credit. Students and families are encouraged to speak to their Guidance Offices to discuss summer school plans.
Disconnecting From Work Policy
In December 2021, the province updated the Employment Standards Act as part of a strategy to support and encourage all Ontarians to work towards greater work-life balance. The new legislation requires organizations to have a policy on Disconnecting From Work. KPR’s Disconnecting From Work policy was approved at this week’s Board Meeting.
Through the policy, staff will be strongly encouraged to reduce work related email and telephone contact after regular work hours. We understand that families have busy schedules, and personal and professional obligations during the day, and may need to reach out during the evening to contact the school or their child’s teacher. Although staff are not obligated to respond or initiate communication after-hours, they will do their best to follow up on the next working day. There are certain times in the year that school staff will reach out after-hours for progress reports, or for scheduled meetings, but the expectation is that they are not regularly responding to emails or messages into the evening.
The safety of students is our top priority and when there is an urgent situation, staff will continue to respond (as needed) after hours.
Disconnecting from work helps to maintain a positive and resilient workforce, which in turn supports positive learning environments for students and their families. Thank you for your support.