School Start Up SWL Community Update
Community Update Preparing for September 3
Principal Announcement:
Dear SWL families,
Sir Wilfrid Laurier staff is excited to welcome back students starting September 3rd. We are looking forward to another ROARING school year and hoping everyone is feeling refreshed and ready to learn after a wonderful warm summer.
A friendly reminder that the first day of school for Grades 1-8 will be Tuesday, September 3, 2024. Kindergarten students new to school will have a scheduled appointment time communicated by their child’s homeroom teacher on this day. Students and families will visit during their scheduled time on September 3rd. Year 2 Kindergarten students will attend school starting Wednesday, September 4th. Students will come to the Kindergarten gate, as per previous routines, during entry time.
Our main office is open from 9AM-3PM the week of August 26th for new registrations and scheduled student transition meetings for students receiving specialized services. Should you need to speak with the office for other questions or information, please connect through phone or email so we can assist.
Please review the parent portal during the week of August 26th for your child’s class placement. Due to our current class assigned numbers, we are not able to accommodate class changes or new requests at this time. Our SWL staff is dedicated in addressing student need and will support our students so they feel welcomed and safe in new classrooms this year.
Weather permitting, SWL students, Grades 1-8, will meet on the hard top on the first day of school during entry time, 8:35-8:50AM. Class signs will be up for students to locate their classroom line and teacher. The order will be from Grade 1 (starting near our pathway) to Grade 8 (near the portable area). Looking forward to seeing everyone back in September.
Please reach out to our school if you have any questions.
Respectfully,
K. Reilly-Scott
Principal
Hamilton Student Transportation System
Responsibility for getting to and from school rests primarily with the student and parents or guardians. The Education Act states that a board may provide transportation for pupils enrolled in schools operated by the Board. Transportation to and from school provided to students is a privilege and not a right. The HWSTS Member Boards’ Transportation Policies set out the terms and conditions under which the Boards may provide transportation. To check if your child is eligible for busing, please visit https://hwsts.mybusplanner.ca/TransportationEligibility .
We have been supporting HWSTS, our local transportation consortium, as they adopt a new platform for their Parent Portal. 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 3, 2024. Go to www.hamiltonschoolbus.ca and click on the “Parent’s Portal” on the Home page, OR “Bus Stop Finder” on the landing page. Learn more.
Thank you to our SWL Caretaking Team!
A special thank you to our dynamite caretaking team at SWL! Our team has worked extra hard this summer to support summer learning sessions and prepare for our September opening!
Umbrella Child Care
Before and After care is available at SWL site. Umbrella Child Care is organized through Umbrella Care only. Our main office does not manage registrations with Umbrella. Please review the link to contact Umbrella Care if you are seeking child care before and after school.
https://www.umbrellafamily.com
SWL Home-School Communication
We are committed to providing timely, relevant information about your child and the school in a variety of ways. Here are some of our key communication strategies:
1)Direct Contact: School staff will phone home if the need arises. Please feel free to phone the school to share pertinent student information with school staff as well. Parents are welcome to phone the school in order to arrange meetings with teachers to discuss school related issues or concerns. 905-578-4422.
2) Community Weekly Updates: SWL School updates are provided on the school website and through SchoolMessenger. Updates contain information regarding all areas of school life. The weekly community updates are particularly important in providing dates for upcoming events of all kinds.
3) School Website & School Messenger: A great deal of school information will be shared on our school website and through School Messenger during the coming year in regard to school events, school council, etc. A school calendar of upcoming events is also posted and updated regularly. You can subscribe to our website by clicking subscribe button on the left side of the home page screen. https://www.hwdsb.on.ca/sirwilfridlaurier/. Community weekly updates will be posted on our website as well.
4) Student Agenda: Our student agenda is designed to help students to plan and organize their work at school this year. Teachers will use it as a key vehicle of communication with parents/guardians. It also provides some basic information concerning the programs, policies and procedures at Sir Wilfrid Laurier Elementary School.
5) School Sign: The school sign on the front lawn is a great source of up to date information.
7) Parent Portal: HWDSB Parent Portal, is a protected parent log in space that contains important forms for families, student information (e.g, grades, schedule, homeroom teacher etc.).
Entry & Dismissal Parking Lot
Parking space is extremely limited. We are currently experiencing construction at the Recreational Centre attached to the school as well. This parking lot area is closed. Although we are a walking school, parents in special circumstances needing to drop their child off by vehicle are asked to park on the streets adjacent to the school (where it is unsigned). Our parking lot is closed for vehicles (unless a special circumstance has been communicated to the office) between the following times for student safety, 8:35AM – 8:50AM & 3:10PM -3:25PM.
Walk to School
SWL is primarily a walking school as only a few students require transportation due to distance from the school allowing for busing eligibility. Students that live within a walking distance from the school are encouraged to walk to school with parents/guardian or peers rather than be driven by vehicle.
Benefits of Walking to and from School
- Improved safety on our community streets
- Less congestion and pollution near the school
- Walking provides time for mindfulness and self-reflection
- Walking with a peer provides time for peer connection
- Exercise – feeling healthier and energized for school
- Adding more steps to your day
Students Requiring a Medical Plan of Care
If your child requires a specific medial plan of care (i.e., Anaphylaxis, Asthma, Diabetic, Special Medical Conditions) and you have not informed the office, please connect with the school the week of August 26 so we can support and provide families with correct forms and processes.
Our office will be sending home updated forms for families of students that currently have a medical plan of care at SWL. Any updates or new information can be included in these forms. If the plan has not changed a signature is all that is required.
Students requiring an epi-pen, must have one on person at all times and one stored at our main office. The epi-pen can be handed to the office starting the week of August 28th. Students that require an inhaler should have on person at all times. Inhalers can also be stored at our main office for support.
Administration of medications require parent/guardian permission and a doctor signature.
Communication regarding our First Week Back to School will be shared prior to the First Day. Enjoy the last bit of summer!
Updated on Saturday, August 24, 2024.