Welcome Back!

To our Ancaster Meadow families, 

The beginning of our 2023-2024 school year is fast approaching, and we are looking forward to welcoming our students and school community!  

 

Class Placements 

As of Monday, August 28th, you will be able to access the Parent Portal where you can view the name of your child’s teacher for the 2023-2024 school year.  

The process of class placement is a collaborative effort that takes place over several weeks. A considerable amount of time and thought goes into placement decisions, including current and potential friendships, student success and student achievement.  

Please note, changes to class placements are not being considered at this time. Our dedicated and caring staff will work with you to support students in transitioning to their new classrooms. If you have any specific concerns about your child, please reach out to your child’s teacher. 

 

The First Day of School  

Grades 1-8 Students 

The first day of school for grades 1-8 is Wednesday, September 6th. Students will be greeted by their new teachers on the playground. Teachers will have signs with their names on them, along with class lists. This is where students can gather to meet with their new classmates and prepare for 9:15 am entry. 

To access high level supervision sightlines for the safety of all students, we ask that parents/guardians stay off the main playground at drop off and pick up times. If you require assistance, please look for staff members who will be wearing safety vests, and they will be happy to help. 

 

Kindergarten Students 

On Wednesday, September 6th, all students new to kindergarten will have an opportunity to have a scheduled visit with the kindergarten team to ensure they feel comfortable and supported as they transition to school. Families who are registering new kindergarten children will be provided with a time to visit their new classrooms and educators. All JK (Year 1) and SK (Year 2) students begin full day attendance on Thursday, September 7th. Educators will be outside their respective classrooms to greet students and families on the enclosed kindergarten playgrounds. 

 

Personal Devices 

Please review our procedure at Ancaster Meadow for personal devices: https://www.hwdsb.on.ca/ancastermeadow/cell-phone-tech-policy/ 

  

Parking Lot 

To help promote an active lifestyle and reduce congestion in our parking lot, we strongly encourage students to walk or ride bicycles/scooters to and from school. Our parking lot will be closed for a time before and after school to permit safe access for school buses and to allow our students and staff safe entry/exit.  

If you have an exceptional circumstance that requires the use of the parking lot during these times, please contact the office to request an Ancaster Meadow Parking Pass, which can be displayed on your dashboard. **The yellow passes are no longer valid. 

 

Bell Times and Supervision  

Supervision at Ancaster Meadow begins at 9:00 am and ends at 3:50 pm.  

Our bell times remain the same this year. https://www.hwdsb.on.ca/ancastermeadow/bell-times/ 

 

Nutrition Breaks 

Our school is organized on a Balanced Day schedule, meaning we have two nutrition breaks. Students have 20 minutes to eat and 20 minutes to play at each break. Please be sure to pack enough food for two breaks. Drop-off or delivery of food is strongly discouraged, to minimize interruptions to instruction.  

Ancaster Meadow’s Nutrition Program will continue this year. Classroom bins with healthy snacks will arrive in each classroom prior to first nutrition break and will remain until the end of second nutrition break. 

 

Dogs 

Please note that dogs are not permitted on school property during the school day, including drop off and pick up. Thank you. 

 

Communication 

Please subscribe to Ancaster Meadow’s webpage for all school news and coming events: https://www.hwdsb.on.ca/about/media/subscribe/. The school Twitter (X) account is @ancastermeadow. 

 

School Cash Online 

To pay for school related items, please visit School Cash Online .  

 

Book Fair  

Our fall Scholastic Book Fair will take place September 11th – 15th.  

 

Meet the Teachers 

Our educators are eager to engage with the school community early in the year. We will be hosting a Meet the Teachers event during the second week of school. We know that there is always a possibility of class reorganization in early October as student enrollment fluctuates, and your child’s placement could change. In the event this occurs, further introductions will be made possible.  

Stay tuned for details regarding Meet the Teachers. 

 

Lost & Found 

We hope to reduce the number of lost student items! I’m sure families would be happy to not have to replace gloves, hats, pants, boots, shoes, hoodies, and so on. Please consider writing your child’s name on as many items as possible. If you are interested, Ancaster Meadow has established a fundraising campaign with Mabel’s Labels. Here is the link: campaigns.mabelslabels.com (select Ancaster Meadow). 

 

Transportation  

If your child qualifies for transportation, please follow the steps listed to access your child(ren)’s information via the online portal. Please keep in mind that last minute changes sometimes do occur and that it is important to re-check the information prior to sending your child(ren) to their assigned pickup location on September 6, 2023. Go to www.hamiltonschoolbus.ca and click on the “Parent’s Portal” on the Home page, OR “Bus Stop Finder” on the landing page. Families of new JK students should have received information in the mail about transportation.  

Learn more.  

Limited Courtesy Transportation will be available in early October for exceptional circumstances. Courtesy Transportation Request Form 

 

Plan of Care 

You will be contacted if your child has a Plan of Care currently on file at the school to update if required. If your child is new to the school or has had a change in a medical condition, and requires a new Plan of Care, please complete and return the relevant form(s) to the office as soon as possible. Forms can be found here: https://www.hwdsb.on.ca/ancastermeadow/forms/ 

 

We are looking forward to a great year together. Enjoy these last days of summer! 

Yours sincerely,

K.Dunford (Principal)

R.McNicholls-Ramrattan (Vice-Principal)