School Handbook
BLUEWATER DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD
www.dnv.bwdsb.on.ca
Ecole Dawnview Public School
149 12th Avenue
Hanover.Ontario
N4N 2S8
Phone: 519-364-1891 Fax: 519-370-2915
Attendance Line: 519-364-1891 ext 100
Daily Schedule - Balanced Day
A warning bell rings at 8:48 a.m. A second bell rings at 8:50. Students must enter promptly to be in the class by 8:55 a.m. Pupils who arrive after 8:55 must report to the office. The playground is supervised for students who arrive by bus. Therefore, students who do not take the bus are not to be at school before 8:45 a.m. Early morning child-care is available with the First Base Before and After School program. The telephone number for information about the program is 372-2142 ext. 314. We have two Nutrition Breaks. The first is 11:05 a.m. until 11:45 a.m. This break has been designated as the lunch break. The second break is at 1:05 p.m. until 1:45 p.m. Students have a snack at this time. During each break, after the students have eaten, they will have an outside play period. This schedule provides longer, uninterrupted blocks of learning time. Dismissal is at 3:15 p.m.
Nutritional Break - 11:05 a.m. (lunch) - Outdoor Play begins 11:25 a.m. - classes begin at 11:45 a.m.
Nutritional Break - 1:05 p.m. (snack) - followed by a period of outdoor play - classes begin at 1:45 p.m.
Dismissal and Buses
Children who will not be going home the usual way need a note explaining the change. We need this parent/guardian's request in writing to ensure the safety of the children. Even a phone call is not a 100% guarantee of accuracy, since we cannot be sure who is making the phone call. Please, put any changes in writing. Due to the number of children on each bus, it is not possible to accommodate extra children on buses. Telephone calls to make bussing changes will only be accepted in cases of emergency. This procedure assists in ensuring the safety of the children who use bus transportation. If you have concerns about buses, please contact your bus driver, or Kunkel Bus Company at 364-2530.
Safe Arrival Program
As a parent/guardian you need to:
Report your child's absence by contacting the school
in advance by phone or note
at any time by leaving a message on the answering machine
Please include a reason for your child's absence when contacting the school.
Make sure the school has current phone numbers for home, work, cell and a local emergency contact.
When the school calls, it is necessary that the caller speak with an adult to confirm the child's whereabouts. If we are unable to confirm the safety and whereabouts of the student, the school will immediately contact the police.
If a child under the age of 10 years answers a safe arrival call from the school and is home alone, the principal or designate will be informed and appropriate CAS follow-up will occur.
4. If a child 10 years of age or older answers a safe arrival call from the school, the school will contact the parent for
confirmation.
5. If a child makes a call to the school about his/her absence, the school will contact an adult to confirm this absence.
6. Make sure your emergency contact knows you have given the school his/her number.
7. In the event of inclement weather, contact the school if your child does not travel to school on one of the cancelled buses,
and will not be attending school.
Parental Involvement
We hope that you will keep yourself informed of your children's activities by talking with them each day. Home room teachers will be sending you a class newsletter regularly so that you know what your children will be doing. You are also encouraged to talk with the staff, either by phone or by making an appointment for a visit, about your children's progress or school program. All school and classroom newsletter, along with other information are posted on our school website. Please visit our school website at www.dnv.bwdsb.on.ca
Volunteers
We always welcome volunteers in the school. Some volunteers work several times a week; others once a month. Please consider your personal timetable and think about the possibility of becoming a volunteer. If you are interested in working in our school as a volunteer, please let us know, either by contacting the school office or an individual teacher. Volunteers must sign in at the office each day they are in the school and also to sign out upon leaving so that we are aware of who is in the building. We will provide name tags to identify our volunteers. These are stored near to the area where volunteers sign in. A training session for volunteers will be held in October.
School Insurance
Each pupil is given an insurance envelope for parental consideration. Insurance of this type provides good coverage for active youngsters. This is an inexpensive but sometimes valuable item to purchase. Envelopes are to be mailed directly to the company. Please do NOT return them to the school.
Assessment/Reporting On Student Progress
Student achievement is reported to parents three times during each school year by way of the fall Progress Report and the Ontario Report Card in January and June. The reporting of student progress is based on the Ministry of Education Growing Success Policy. Parents and students are asked to comment on the third page of the report card and return the comments to the school. This process provides the student with the opportunity to create goals for the future and gives the parent a way of planning to assist the student in attaining those goals. Parents are encouraged to complete this activity when each report card arrives home. Ontario Curriculum documents are available for all subjects and grades. If you would like to have copies of any of the documents please contact the principal.
School Community Council
The schools in Hanover share an active School Community Council. The role and purpose of that council is always changing to fit the needs of our community. For this school year, we anticipate that many of our faithful SCC members will return and much of their good work will continue. We urge you to join this group as a way to get involved with the school and your child's education. Information regarding SCC meetings will appear in school newsletters.
Equal Opportunities
At Dawnview Public School, we strive to offer both boys and girls the same opportunities. We work to develop a learning environment that is free of narrow definitions for males and females in our society. We provide a co-educational physical education program for all students. We screen educational materials in an attempt to develop the unique interests and abilities of all pupils.
Child Abuse
The Child Welfare Act clearly makes it the duty of each school principal to inform all parents and staff members of the policy statement regarding suspected child abuse. Any staff members who have reasonable grounds to suspect abuse must inform the Children's Aid Society of their concerns.
Fundraising
We will have school fundraising events to raise money. We will attempt to schedule them to avoid conflicts. Due to cutbacks over the years, fundraising is more important than ever. Your support with these initiatives is greatly appreciated.
Supervision
Supervision begins at 8:35 a.m. for bus students. Those who walk should arrive at 8:45 a.m. and not before. Supervision is not provided before 8:45 a.m. for students who walk to school. At the end of the school day, there is supervision outside the school for bus departure and also for the crosswalk. Children who walk to school are to go directly home when dismissed. Staff members are on duty at all other times when students are outside.
Medication
No child should bring medication to school. Parents must carry the medication to school and fill in the necessary form, so that school staff can correctly administer it. All medication is stored in a secure location. A staff member will supervise the taking of all medication. Errors in administering medication can have serious consequences. Therefore, parents must provide, in writing, on the appropriate form, the following information:
- the name/type of medication
- the dosage/amount to be given
- the time to administer the medication
- frequency and duration.
If information is missing or incomplete, the medication cannot be administered at school.
Food Contract
We have a Food Contract for all students. Pizza is available on Fridays and milk is available on a daily basis for students in grades 1 to 6. The sale of these items provides an opportunity for children to have an alternative to their regular lunch. The proceeds from the sales support school activities. The purchase of these items is entirely voluntary. Information about our Food Contract is sent home with all students at the beginning of each term.
Peanut/Nut Allergies
We have students who have severe allergies to peanuts and other nut products. Therefore, any food containing peanuts and/or nut products should not be brought to school. Thank you for assisting us in making the school safe for everyone enrolled at Dawnview Public School.
Lost and Found
Please ask your child to check the Lost and Found if he/she thinks an item may have been lost while at school. All uncollected items in the lost and found will be donated to a charity at the end of each term. Parents are encouraged to stop in and look through the Lost and Found whenever they are in the school.
Student Records
Please assist us in keeping your child's records up to date. Contact our office to report changes in address, home, business, and emergency phone numbers. Cell phone numbers are very useful when we need to reach parents in the case of an emergency.
Traffic at School
Safety of our students is paramount at Dawnview. Do not park, drop off, or pick up students in drop off children in our bus loop. Observe the No Parking signs on the city streets. Also, do not leave your vehicle on school property with the motor running. We ask that you view the school as a"NO IDLE ZONE". Please take extra care when you are dropping off, and picking up, children at school. Use the cross walk at all times so that all children realize the need to follow safety rules. If you live close by, please help us to instill the merits of a healthy lifestyle by walking with your child to school.
Bicycles
Bike racks are provided for our students' use. Students are not permitted to play in the area of the racks. A bike should not be left at the school overnight. The school cannot be held accountable for lost or stolen bicycles. If your child plans to ride his/her bike to school, please make sure that he/she wears a helmet, and can safely manage the bike in traffic while observing all the rules of the road. We also suggest that the bike be locked.
Roller blades and skateboards are not allowed at school.
Freedom of Information
We like to recognize your child in as many ways as possible. Therefore, from time to time, we may post their best work in the hallways and classrooms, print their best efforts in the newspaper, publish a photograph of children engaging in some activity at school, enter good work in a competition, or simply announce his/her birthday. If you do not wish your child to be acknowledged in any of these ways, please contact us in writing with the specifics.
Respect for Property
Students in our school are expected to respect the property of others, whether it is something that belongs to a classmate or to the school. If students borrow library books, textbooks or other materials and they are lost or damaged, we expect the item to be replaced.
Emergency Situations
Minor injuries will be given first aid treatment, and the home will not be contacted unless you have specifically requested this on the medical information form.
For head injuries or others of a more serious nature, one of our staff will stay with the child until a parent, a parent's designate, an ambulance or a doctor is involved. If transport by ambulance is necessary and a parent is not available, the child will then be accompanied by a Dawnview staff member.
Fire/Code Red Plans are updated yearly and stored at the school. Students practice fire drills 6 times per year and code red drills twice a year.
If buses are cancelled in the morning, that information should be carried on CKNX 920 and FM 102. If buses do not run in the morning, they will not run at night, so please do not bring children to school and assume we will get them home. When buses are cancelled, all food contracts, school-related after school, and evening meetings are cancelled.
Visitors to the School
The school policy is to encourage members of the community to come and see our school in session. This is the best way to gain an understanding of the programs and learning experiences offered to our students.
All visitors must sign in at the office before visiting the school or playground. Please remember to sign out before leaving the building. We have volunteer tags that are kept in the office next to the Sign In book. If you wish to visit a classroom, please contact us in advance. Please do not feel that you need an open house or a special event to bring you to the school. You are welcome anytime.
Items from Home
Pupils are asked to leave valuable possessions such as a walkman, video games, and expensive toys at home. If it is necessary to bring valuables, the pupil is asked to leave the item at the office for safekeeping. Students should not leave valuable items on the coat rack or in a school bag or desk. They should not bring anything they cannot afford to lose.
Any sports equipment that is brought from home, such as ball gloves, skipping ropes, and soccer balls should be well marked with the pupil's name. For safety reasons, pupils are not allowed to bring baseballs and bats to school. Tennis balls are allowed on the playground on the condition that they are played with in a safe manner.
Dangerous objects such as knives, slingshots and guns of any kind are not to be brought to school for any reason. Serious consequences will result if any items such as these are brought to school.
Due to health and safety reasons, pets should not be brought to school. A visit to the school causes stress to the animal and potential allergic reactions for students.
Nutrition Break Activities
Throughout the year the students will have the opportunity to take part in various activities. These will include junior choir, intramural sports, games, and other activities.
Awards
Students will be recognized for a variety of achievements at assemblies. We want to focus on the positive accomplishments that have occurred at our school.
School Code of Conduct
At Dawnview Public School we value people and promote trusting cooperative relationships in a safe, supportive, and productive learning environment.
THE GOLDEN RULE: WE TREAT OTHERS AS WE WISH TO BE TREATED
Dawnview students, staff, parents, volunteers and community members will:
- treat others with respect and consideration;
- act responsibly and cooperatively.
RESPECT:
- actively listen to fellow students, staff, volunteers and other community members
- care about the feelings of others
RESPONSIBILITY:
- be responsible for our own learning and actions
COOPERATION:
- be agreeable at all times
- solve problems and make decisions that have positive results for everyone
CONSIDERATION:
- be considerate of how our actions will affect others and the environment in which we live
At Dawnview we learn from our experiences and realize the natural and logical consequences of our words and actions.
School Dress Code
Appropriate dress shows respect for the learning environment, consideration for others and a positive self-image.
It is the parents' responsibility to assist their children in using sound judgement and common sense when dressing for school. The guidelines are as follows:
clothing should be comfortable and not restrict movement
styles should not be distracting, revealing, suggestive, or disturbing to others
graphics, designs, or messages (actual or implied) must be appropriate and support the school Code of Behaviour as well as Board Policies. Profanity, advertising the use of alcohol, tobacco or drugs, or promoting violence, are not acceptable.
this also applies to personal items such as binders, pencil cases, jewellery, etc.
undergarments must not be visible
tops should be long enough that they can be tucked in (the midriff needs to be covered)
straps on tank tops need to be a minimum of two fingers in width
when bending or stretching, bottoms need to cover the entire seat (hand length is a good guideline - when standing at attention, the bottom of the fingers is level with the lower hem)
beach wear is not appropriate for school (tube tops, halter tops, swimwear, etc.)
gym clothing will be directed by the physical education teacher and must meet the requirements of the Dress Code for the school
footwear must be worn by students at all times; non-marking running shoes are needed for gym
students must remove jewellery when participating in gym class
hats may not be worn in classrooms
Parents are asked to choose clothing for young children that they can manage themselves when they are required to undress/dress independently.
All clothing items should be labelled to avoid confusion and loss. Children in the same class may have identical boots, snowpants, etc. Items of value should be left at home. The school cannot assume the responsibility for personal items that are lost. The final decision on the suitability of an item of clothing for school wear will be made by school staff. Exceptions to the dress code can be made for individual students for medical or religious reasons.
Litterless Lunches
Going"Green" takes effort from everyone. One small step that has a huge impact are Litterless Lunches. It takes a few more minutes to pack a litterless lunch but it is well worth the effort!
