The student agenda is a valuable learning tool for students and families. Students need to have their agenda with them at all times. It is considered a textbook for every class and should be completed on a daily basis. Using your agenda to record homework and upcoming tests and assignments will help you develop valuable organizational skills. Parents, please review your child?s agenda daily. At times it will include communication from your son or daughter's advisor and will allow you to monitor their homework and assignment completion. Upcoming dates and events will also be recorded in order to keep you better informed.

A school is a place that promotes responsibility, respect, civility and academic achievement in a safe learning and teaching environment. Here at Cardinal Heights we have both the Ontario Code of Conduct and the Safe Schools Policy of The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board to guide us in maintaining a safe school. We are also fortunate to have excellent and collaborative relationships with the Hamilton Police Service and Hamilton Fire Department.

These relationships help us to be pro-active in our safety awareness and to respond appropriately if something occurs that is unsafe.

It is the policy of the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board for all elementary schools to have an arrival check program as part of the daily procedure of school. When your child(ren) are absent from school, please call the school and inform us. We have an answering machine available 24 hours a day.

Please call 905-385-5344

We applaud those students that demonstrate regular attendance and punctuality. Given today's curriculum demands, being present at school is critical to success. Combine this with the fact that patterns or habits that begin in school often continue into adulthood, it becomes doubly important that regular attendance and punctuality be a priority for all.

Severe weather or other emergencies may cause the school to be closed. Local radio stations will begin to announce school closures at approximately 6:00 am (CMHL 900, Oldies 1150, CHAM 820). Please listen for these announcements from the Hamilton Wentworth District School Board. Please complete the Student Information Sheet early in September and return it to the school. An emergency contact is essential.

Students who would like to go home for lunch may do so on one of the nutrition breaks. At all other times we will require a signed/dated note from your child(ren) if they will not be staying at school for the nutrition breaks. Nutrition Break routines and expectations will be reviewed with all students on the first day of school and a form will be made available to all families.

Safety depends heavily on student behaviour while traveling on school vehicles and as such it is essential that students act responsibly. This also extends to areas of student pick up and transfer points. Pupils are the responsibility of and under the protection of their parents until they enter the vehicle. Parents must exercise reasonable care for the safety of the child or children while waiting for or departing from a vehicle. Any vehicle engaged by the Board is viewed to be an extension of the classroom. As a result, all related school policies, i.e. safe schools, zero tolerance, procedures and expectations are in effect the moment a student enters the vehicle. All transported students are accountable to the school principal, who has the authority to ensure that an appropriate level of conduct and discipline is maintained for all riders. The Education Act does not mandate school boards to provide transportation. Transportation is a privilege of the Board to provide or rescind where appropriate and, as such, this privilege is to be respected by all parties. To this end, inappropriate behaviour may lead to the withdrawal of transportation services. The creation and maintenance of a safe transportation environment is a goal that The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board is committed to.

As outlined in the above Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board Code of Conduct on School Related Vehicles, their teachers, bus drivers and principals regularly review the expectations with the students. Safety is our #1 concern. The bus drivers must be able to focus their attention on the road at all times. Students are expected to stay seated and be cooperative. Students must have a note from their parents if they will not be riding the bus at the end of the day.

We have students in our school who are anaphylactic. Anaphylaxis is an allergic reaction that is so severe it can be fatal. Please help to keep all our children safe by not bringing these products into the school. Please double check lunches and snacks. Nut Free School is posted on the bulletin board and on the classroom walls. Medical emergency procedures are posted in every classroom for the teacher?s information. Medical emergency procedures are reviewed with the staff, principal and families.

If your child has an appointment or other special arrangements please come to the office and the secretary or principal will call your child to the office.

The HWDSB is currently developing a policy for the use of personal electronic devices in schools. While the policy is under development the following guideline will provide direction for students and staff regarding the use of these devices at school: Electronic devices include video-recording devices, IPods, MP3Players, text messaging devices. All electronic devices are to be turned off and put away during instructional times. Use of electronic devices in a manner that negatively impacts the moral tone of the school may result in consequences under Part X111 (Behaviour, Discipline, and Safety) of the Education Act. The school is not responsible for damage or loss of personal property.

We have a bicycle rack at the front entrance of the school. Bicycles are to be parked in the bike racks and locked as a precaution. For the safety of the students, we ask that you keep skateboards and roller blades at home.

In keeping with Board Policy, the staff is not allowed to keep or administer any medication to a student without first receiving a signed form from a parent and doctor. We must also have a proper medication/prescription label on the container indicating proper dosage. Mrs. MacDonald will be happy to speak with you regarding any medication needs.

We seem to collect a number of lost items. The lost and found boxes are located in the school. Each student may visit these boxes to search for and claim his/her belongings.

At the end of each term, the items in the boxes will be displayed so parents and students can claim them.

Items not claimed at this time will be given to charitable organizations.

The school newsletter comes home the first week of each month. We make every attempt to communicate the ongoing events, programs, special events and accomplishments of the students and the school. Included in each newsletter is the monthly calendar to post on the refrigerator.

We are fortunate to have numerous parents and community members willing to participate in our school.

Please call Mrs. S. MacDonald to make arrangements to volunteer. There are a number of roles you can become involved in to assist the children of Cardinal Heights School.

For your safety and the safety of our students, we ask that you sign in at the office when you come into the school.