Winona News – Sept 18

Important Dates

• Sept 19 – Provincial Day of Mourning
• Sept 28 – Fire Drill #2 (AM)
• Sept 29 – School Council AGM (6:30 pm)
• Sept 30 – National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (Orange Shirt Day)
• Oct 6 – Meet the Staff (5:30 pm – 6:30 pm) – SAVE THE DATE
• Oct 7 – Terry Fox Event
• Oct 10 – Thanksgiving (School Closed)

Provincial Day of Mourning – Day of Mourning for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II | Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (hwdsb.on.ca)

School Council – Our School Council is an active and key part of the school community.  We need your involvement to make School Council a success.  It is a great group of people who care deeply about this school and its students. Please note that you do not have to be an elected member of the School Council to attend meetings. All meetings are open to all parents/guardians who wish to attend.

The School Council Nomination Form is posted at this link.  The first meeting of School Council will take place at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 29, 2022, in the Library.  Please be sure to hand in your self-nomination form by September 28 (12 pm), if interested in an official role on School Council.

Volunteering at Winona – Whether it is helping out in a classroom, on an excursion, at sports events, in our school library, or on special event days, volunteers are important to us at Winona.

If you are interested in volunteering in any capacity you must complete a Vulnerable Sector Screening. This screening is easy to complete and can be obtained either by visiting the King William HPS location or applying online. Police Background Checks :: Hamilton Police Service :: Consumer :: Vulnerable Sector Scan (VS) (policesolutions.ca)

Once complete, your VSS does not need to be renewed for 3 years.  Bring your original VSS into the school office for verification and complete a volunteer package.

Contact and Information Verification/Forms – There are several items we ask families to complete on the Parent Portal.  You can access these items by selecting “Forms” from the menu.

• Student Information Verification – Review and update your contact information, address, email, and emergency contacts.
• Early Closure and Emergency Evacuation – Review and update your preferences in the event of a school closure.
• Permission Agreements – Complete the digital tool permission form and annual media consent.

Please reach out to our office staff if you require a print version to be provided or require support around the Parent Portal.

Cell Phones & PEDs – We recognize that many of our students are now coming to school with cell phones and other personal electronic devices (PED). We understand that some of our students carry phones for safety reasons and need to be accessible to their families before and after school hours.  Our expectation is that if students do bring cell phones to school, they remain in silent/do not disturb mode and are stored out of sight during instructional time.  As such, students will not be able to receive or send texts and/or calls during the instructional day. Students who need to make an urgent call during the school day can come to the office for assistance. Families that have time-sensitive messages to relay to their children, can access our school office by calling 905-643-4141.