Central Weekly Update – February 12-16, 2024

Central Families,

A reminder that Report Cards will be going home with students this Friday. If there are any questions or concerns about Report Cards please be sure to reach out to your child’s teacher or teachers to arrange an appointment to discuss your child’s progress as there are no designated parent-teacher interview dates this term.  A reminder also that next Monday, February 19th is the Family Day Holiday so there will be no school that day. We hope you enjoy some quality time with family members on this day!

Our first Popcorn day was a great success! Thank you to Ms. Veronica for organizing this! The students and staff were thrilled with their bags of popcorn and shared how delicious it was! They are already asking when the next Popcorn Day will be. It will be on Friday, March 8th.  Families can start to order beginning this Tuesday, Feb 13 and please be sure to place your orders before Friday, March 1st as we are unable to process orders after the deadline. Thank to all families that are switching to cash online. If you require any assistance setting up cash online (placing orders and paying online) please contact the office at 905 522 9690. Thank you1

A reminder that there will be a School Council Meeting this Tuesday, February 13 in Rm 215 at 3:30pm. Unfortunately we will not have childcare available however, we are happy to accommodate children in the meeting space with some colouring and a few activities. Please join in person or remotely by clicking on this link –  Central School Council Meeting

We look forward to seeing those that can join us. Please let us know if you require an interpreter and will do our best to arrange for this. Thank you!

UPCOMING EVENTS AT CENTRAL :

Tuesday, February 13 in Rm 215 at 3:30pm or join  remotely by clicking on this link –  Central School Council Meeting

Friday, February 16th – Report Cards go home

Monday, February 19th – Family Holiday – NO SCHOOL

Thursday, February 22 – Parent Engagement Session at Central – 9-10am in the Library (all parents/ guardians welcome ) – light refreshments will be served and the topic of discussion will be: Answering Questions and Exploring Report Cards – interpreters will be available – more details will be shared later this week. Thank you!

Wednesday, February 28th – 9am – Pink Shirt Day and Kindness Assembly for students and staff

Kindergarten registration began on Monday, February 5th for the 2024-2025 school year. This can be done online at: https://www.hwdsb.on.ca/kindergarten/ or by contacting our office administrators at 905 522 9690. There is an HWDSB Child Information Form on this website that can also be competed (it is optional) to tell educators more about your child before they enter Kindergarten. Please be sure to let any family or friends that are in our school catchment know about the Kindergarten registration. Also if you require a language interpreter to support with this process or for any other reason please be sure to let the office know (905 522-9690) and we will book one for you. Information about Before and After Care at Central can be found at:  https://www.hwdsb.on.ca/kindergarten/childcare/  by calling Phone: 905.522.9922. Thank you!

As we have had several very cold days and students do go outdoors for recess please be sure to send your child with mittens or gloves and remind them that they must wear these while outdoors and if they get wet we can lend pairs out to students where necessary.

Please also make sure that students are dressed appropriately for the weather (hats, mittens, winter boots etc.).  Be sure to check our Lost & Found located just inside the entrance for any missing items. 

Please be sure to update our school office at 905 522 9690 and your child’s teacher if any of your contact information (phone numbers, emails or addresses) has changed or if you would like to add a contact to your emergency pick up list.  This way we can ensure the safety and supervision  of all of our students. Thank you.

We do have supervision on the playground from 8:30-8:45am and again from 3:05-3:20pm. Please try to be on time for drop off as the office becomes very busy at this time and students arriving late are missing out on class instruction and interrupting lessons that have already started.  The school day ends at 3:05pm so please be sure to pick students up at this time. All Kindergarten students are dropped off and picked up in the Kindergarten area off of Park St.

A reminder that the play structure and our front gardens (along Hunter Street) will continue to be closed for Central students at this time.

We also ask that those driving to the school be mindful of the congestion in our parking lot. Our school buses must be able to enter and depart from the parking lot in a timely manner so please drop and leave as quickly and safely as possible.  We encourage walking where possible and if in the parking lot please park in a spot (not an accessible spot unless you have a permit) if you are escorting your child to the playground so that buses and those dropping and leaving can do so easily and safely.  Please be patient and avoid honking horns and driving around vehicles where possible for safety.  Thank you.

Please contact the school using SafeArrival   (click for more details) to report student absences or if you need to pick up your child from school early for an appointment. We are experiencing a high level of families arriving late and leaving early without using the Safe Arrival system and this is causing a lot of disruption to student learning and in the office and delays for families that are waiting for their children.  A reminder that we are unable to answer the door during announcements at 9am so please support us by having students at school by 8:45 am.   

1. Go to the website go.schoolmessenger.ca or
2. Call the toll-free, interactive telephone system at 1-844-506-4350.
3. Download and install the free SchoolMessenger app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store (or from the links at go.schoolmessenger.ca).

As per our school board Health & Safety policy we will need to practice a  number of lockdown, fire and bomb threat drills over the next few weeks so please let your child’s teacher know if there are any sensitivity issues or concerns and like our teachers and staff pleas discuss the importance of practicing these drills with your children to ease any anxiety or stress. Thank you.

 

Please support us to ensure the safety of all by exercising caution in our parking lot which becomes a very busy area during arrival and departure. As we have school buses that need to enter the lot and families that need to park in our Accessible Parking spots to drop off students please be sure to not park in these designated parking spots and do not block other vehicles in. If you are dropping off or picking up students please do not block the driveway (either park in a spot or drop off where the entry is at the fence near the front door and then exit as soon as possible). A reminder that there is 10 minute parking on Park St and parking on Bold St. as well. 

Please drive in to the school from Bay St. and make an immediate right turn and follow a circle around the parking lot as it is one way traffic only. Drop off /pick up students, make sure that they get to the playground at entry and to your vehicle safely and then circle around the parking lot to exit on Bay St..  Please avoid backing up as this creates a lot of congestion and can be unsafe as many students enter the school through the Bay St entrance. Dismissal is at 3:05pm so please be sure to be at the school to pick up your child or children on time. The alternate is to park on Park St. as there is a 10min drop off zone.

An important safety reminder to families that we have a crossing guard at Bay and Bold Street every morning and afternoon. Please cross where the crossing guard is for everyone’s safety. Thank you!

Please be advised that the Hamilton Wentworth District School Board communications department will send messages directly to families if the weather results in schools closing early and students needing to be picked up.

A reminder that if you need to come to the school please be sure to ring the door bell at the entrance and the office staff will assist you. We ask that parents not enter the building without informing the office. Students and staff have been informed that they are not to allow anyone to enter and as our students from the portables come and go through this entrance we want to ensure  the safety of all and secure access to the school at all times.

We invite families to keep up with communications from HWDSB by subscribing to email updates on our website:   https://[email protected] . Check out the HWDSB Back-to-School page for general information about the start of school at: https://www.hwdsb.on.ca/back-to-school/ If you have school-specific questions, please reach out by calling us at 905 522-9690 or emailing us at [email protected].

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 Wednesday, September 6, 2022. Go to: ww.hamiltonschoolbus.ca and click on the “Parent’s Portal” on the Home page, OR “Bus Stop Finder” on the landing page. Learn more here: https://www.hwdsb.on.ca/blog/new-student-transportation-portal/

School-wide concerns can be addressed by the principal. Addressing a Concern : click here – Addressing-Concerns-HWDSB . Please be sure to request an interpreter through the school if you require one. Our staff will happily assist you with ensuring that you are able to effectively communicate with the school at all times.

Please be sure to subscribe to our school website for update and notifications. You will automatically receive emails though our school messenger account if you have provided our office staff with your email address. Please be sure to keep updated by checking your emails for messages from the school.  For assistance using the parent portal or the website please contact our school office at 905 522-9690.

Yours sincerely,

Mr. G. Carey – Principal, Central Elementary