Dear Greenleaf Families,
Welcome back to a new, and very different, school year. While we are looking forward to welcoming students back to Greenleaf, we understand that this return to school is filled with many different emotions.
To ensure a safe return for all students, communication will be key. As a school team, we are committed to providing detailed communication to ensure that our families are well informed. In turn, we ask that all families take the time to read through important information that will be shared over the coming weeks.
There will continue to be system level communication to ensure a consistent message for all HWDSB families. In addition, we will be providing school specific updates. Later this week, we will be sharing a school outline of specific plans and routines. Please do not hesitate to reach out to the school if you have any questions. We are here to help and to support students and their families as we navigate this upcoming transition together.
As per the latest system communication, please note the updated staggered entry below.
Another important reminder is that a one-time attestation form must be completed for each student prior to them being able to re-enter the school. These attestation forms can be found in the parent portal. If you are having difficult accessing the portal, please contact the school for support.
Lastly, I would like to share two important school updates.
First, at the end of each school year we always have the difficult task of saying farewell to staff. In June, we said farewell to Ms. Vanschie (EA), Ms. Butterfield (FSL), Ms. Purba (Grade 3/4), and Ms. Stephens (Grade 3). While their time with our community was short, we are so thankful for their service and their impact. We also said farewell to Mr. Cotoi (FSL), who was the successful candidate for a 1.0 permanent position in our board, and Ms. Guidotto (FSL), who has returned to her full-time role in the board supporting second language learners. They will be missed, but we wish each of them the best in their new roles this year. We would also like to let the community know that Ms. B. Woods will not be returning to Greenleaf this September. We wish Ms. B. Woods all the very best, and thank her profusely for her many years of service at HWDSB. Last but not least, Mr. Stuive has served as a member of Greenleaf’s wonderful custodial team since 2011. We would like to congratulate Mr. Stuive on his upcoming retirement, and thank him immensely for his many years of service to our school community!
Second, I would like to share an exciting update! Thanks to our wonderful school council, who, through amazing fundraising efforts and a successful grant application, raised enough money for us to build an outdoor classroom. What great timing! This classroom is currently being built on the back field, just outside of our primary wing. We look forward to having this space ready to go for the fall. On behalf of our entire school community, I would like to say a huge thank you to our school council for supporting this project and making it possible.
As we strive to keep the school as safe as possible for staff and students, access to the school will be very limited for parents, guardians, caregivers, volunteers and visitors. The school is officially open as of this week, and school staff are available to support families. We will continue to support families remotely as much as possible. Protocols regarding school access will be shared later this week.
While we know that this fall will have its challenges, we continue to be grateful for this incredible school community in which we have the opportunity to work and serve.
We look forward to welcoming students back to school soon, and thank you in advance for all of your support as we continue to work closely together.
Sincerely,
Ms. L. Snell Ms. D. Barlow
Principal Vice-Principal