Information for Parents

Registering at Glashan

For more information, please contact the office at 613-239-2264. More details about the school and the process of registering, including cross-boundary transfers, will be shared at the information evening for grade 6 parents held each year in early February. Check the Glashan calendar for more details.

Basic Rules and Expectations

Scooters and Skateboards

Scooters and skateboards may be stored in the student’s locker during school hours and must not be used on school property.

Bicycles and Rollerblades

Bikes must be secured at racks. The school cannot be responsible for lost or stolen property. For safety reasons, bicycles must be “walked” on school property. Rollerblades must be removed before entering the school grounds. Students are asked to wear helmets while riding bikes and rollerblading.

Laser Pointers

Laser Pointers are prohibited.

Computer Security

Students will use the Computer lab only when supervised and must follow the OCDSB Policy that states “any unauthorized access to computer files/programs may result in disciplinary action that may include suspension”. Appropriate use of the Internet is required and an Acceptable Internet Use form must be signed by each student.

Hats

Hats or caps will not be worn in school, except for religious reasons.

Gum

Gum will not be chewed in the school building.

Allergies

Glashan is a scent-free zone. To show respect for those with environmental sensitivities please do not bring aerosol sprays, colognes or perfumes to school.

Valuables

The school cannot take responsibility for valuable items that are lost, stolen or damaged at school. Students are not to carry large sums of money or bring items of personal value to school e.g. electronic devices, jewelry, etc.

Electronics

Many of our students own cell phones and/or MP3 players. These are expected to be turned off and stored in lockers. Cell phones and other electronic devices may only be used in class to work on an assignment and with teacher permission. We expect students to follow our school board’s computers and Internet policy at all times. We encourage students to keep expensive electronics at home to avoid loss, theft and damage.

Dress Code

All students have the right to express themselves in school through their choice of clothing, hair styles, jewelry, and accessories.

While a student’s style is their choice, we want to keep school a place where everyone can feel comfortable.

Visit ocdsb.ca/dresscode for information about the OCDSB student dress code. See the dress code poster for a brief look at what the dress code includes and what it doesn’t.

Student Handbook/Agenda

Part of the responsibility that comes with being an intermediate student is keeping track of upcoming assignments, projects, and assessments. With multiple teachers and subjects, this becomes more challenging than it was in earlier grades. Students are encouraged to buy an agenda.

Nutrition Breaks

The Nutrition Breaks at Glashan are 45 minutes long and are set up as follows.

First Nutrition Break

10:45 - 11:00:Students are assigned to a room (grade 7s on the 2nd floor and grade 8s on the 1st floor) where they are to eat their lunch or snack. Students may also choose to go to room 108 where food is often available for purchase at reasonable prices. Muffins and smoothies are some of the items that are usually sold at this time.

11:00 - 11:30:After returning their lunch boxes to their lockers, students are to choose where they spend the next 30 minutes. The expectation is that once students make a choice, they get to that location as soon as possible and are not wandering the halls:

In a team practice or meeting (some practices may start right at 10:25 in which case the student would need to eat during the second break)
Outside on the school yard
In a supervised classroom (some staff open their rooms at this time to allow students to catch up on work or get extra assistance)

Second Nutrition Break

13:30 - 13:45:Students are assigned to a room (grade 7s on the 2nd floor and grade 8s on the 1st floor) where they are to eat their lunch or snack. Students may also choose to go to room 108 where food is often available for purchase at reasonable prices. Chili, pasta, spring rolls, hamburgers and other nutritious foods are usually sold at this time.

***Students may also choose at this time to go off school property to purchase their lunches. The expectation is that if students make this choice, they either eat at the place where they bought their food or that they eat outside on the yard.

13:45 - 14:15:After returning their lunch boxes to their lockers, students are to choose where they spend the next 30 minutes. The expectation is that once students make a choice, they get to that location as soon as possible and are not wandering the halls:

In a team practice or meeting (some practices may start right at 12:50 in which case the student would need to eat more during the first break)
Outside on the school yard
In a supervised classroom (some staff open their rooms at this time to allow students to catch up on work or get extra assistance)

Field Trip Procedures

For every activity off school property, students will receive a field trip permission form. Without the parent’s written consent on the appropriate OCDSB form, the student cannot participate in the activity.In accordance with the procedure set out by the OCDSB, we are unable to accept handwritten notes or telephone calls.Should a child not be permitted to participate in an out of school activity for behavioural reasons, a refund will not be given.

Attendance/Lates

Attendance

Students are expected to attend school regularly, be on time for all classes, and be prepared with the required learning materials. Such a practice promotes strong academic achievement and success in school. The Education Act requires that all students attend regularly. School begins at 8:45 a.m.

If your child will be absent (or late) please call the school on our absentee line (613-239-5944) or e-mail the school at [email protected]

If we receive no advance notification, the home will be contacted each time the student is absent. When a pupil returns to school after being absent, a note signed by either parent, explaining the reason for his/her absence, is to be brought to school.

Late Arrival

Any student who arrives at school after 8:45 a.m. must sign in at the office. They may be assigned a nutrition break detention for an unexcused late. Excused late incidents would include medical appointments, traffic due to accidents or similar exceptional circumstances. Unexcused late incidents include sleeping in, missing buses, and delays at lockers.

* For an updated list of current Board Policies and Procedures, kindly visit the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board website at:http://www.ocdsb.ca .

Yard Supervision

The school yard will be supervised from 8:30 in the morning and until 3:30 after school. Students should not be at school outside these times unless they are taking part in a supervised activity.

Lockers at Glashan

For most of our grade 7 students, having a locker is a new experience and part of the increased responsibility that comes with being in middle school. Owning a quality combination lock and practicing using it before coming in September is encouraged. Lockers are expected to be maintained and kept in order with students taking home, recycling or throwing out items that they no longer need at school. Lockers will be assigned in September and are usually close to your child's homeroom class. For more information, please contact your child's homeroom teacher.

Locks and Lockers Procedures

Lockers are assigned to students in September. Students should purchase a combination lock before school starts. Dudley combination locks are recommended.COMBINATIONS MUST BE KEPT CONFIDENTIAL.The homeroom teacher and the office will keep lock combinations on file. Students are not permitted at their lockers between classes, unless their supervising teacher has given special permission. Lockers are considered OCDSB property and a search of such property by school administration is lawful at any time there is reasonable cause to do so. It is the student’s responsibility to keep the locker in good shape and to avoid vandalizing or displaying inappropriate pictures/words in the lockers.

Honour Roll

Achieving the academic distinction that come from making the Glashan honor roll is a noteworthy goal that many of our students set for themselves each year. Awarded twice a year (January and June), the honor roll requires that students attain an 80 percent average. Honors with distinction are awarded to students who attain an average above 87%. Subjects such as English, French, Mathematics, and Health and Physical Education, and the Arts (Drama, Dance, Music, Art) are averaged separately to provide one mark. Subjects such as Science, Geography, and History are also awarded one mark each. A typical report card will therefore have seven subjects, sometimes eight. Students are awarded a certificate each time they attain the honor roll and those students who are able to be on the roll both terms will receive a Glashan G medal. For more information, please contact your child's homeroom teacher.

Homework and Study Policy

At Glashan Public School, we believe in the importance of homework as a vehicle to assist in the formation of lifelong habits. These curriculum-related tasks are given in order to complete, review, reinforce, apply, integrate and extend classroom learning and help to develop personal responsibility in the areas of self-discipline, time management, and prioritizing. Students are expected to record homework in their agenda daily or refer to the class website/blog daily for homework assignments and other reminders.

Report Cards

Reporting on student progress happens three times a year. A progress report is sent home in November while full report cards are sent home in January and June. In grades 7 and 8, a student's achievement of the curriculum expectations is measured in percentages instead of with letter grades. For more information on what the reports look like, please go to the Ontario Ministry of Education's information page.

Textbooks

Students will be lent the textbooks they will need for their classes. These textbooks remain the property of the school. Students must take good care of these and return them at the end of the year, or at any time they are requested by the teacher. (Replacement cost will be required for lost texts.)

Telephone Calls

Students may use the office telephone in the event of emergencies or illness. To respect classroom learning time, students will not be called to the telephone to receive personal messages.Cell phones may not be used during school time and are expected to be turned off and in lockers.

Medication/Illness

Medication Procedures

OCDSB regulations require that a Medication Consent form (obtained from the office) must be completed each school year by the family doctor and returned to the school before any medication can be administered at school. The Medical Officer of Health has directed that no internal medication, including aspirin, is to be dispensed to a student without a medical doctor’s order.

Procedure in the Event of Student Illness

If a student becomes ill at school, the office will contact the parents immediately. If the parents cannot be reached, an effort will be made to reach the emergency contact person. Parents are asked to ensure phone numbers are updated.

Emergency Closing Procedures

In the event of school closure due to weather or plant failure, etc. Local radio stations will broadcast this information. Please discuss with your child, where he or she should go in the event of an early closing. In case of school evacuation, students will be housed at Centretown United Church.

Other Information

School Council

The Glashan School Council is an advisory group of parents, staff representatives and community members whose goal is to support students in their pursuit of excellence. At monthly meetings, opportunities arise to share ideas and to develop on-going initiatives. All contributors are valued. Elections take place in September.

Lost and Found

Our lost and found box is located in the basement stairwell. Periodically unclaimed items are displayed in the first floor hallway and later, the left-overs are donated to a charity.

Student Information Record

Your support in keeping the office informed of any changes in information (e.g. emergency contact persons, work place phone numbers, and health allergies) is appreciated and expected.

A Note to Parents

We believe that the student agenda or class website will prove beneficial to our students in many ways. They will give each student a concrete understanding of what he/she can expect from the school and what the school expects from him/her. We hope that parents will also find these planning tools beneficial. Be sure to refer to the agenda or class website in order to know what your daughter/son is expected to do at home that night. If you have comments or questions, please write a note in the agenda, or email the teacher.

Glashan PS