Dear Norway Families,
I hope everyone had some time this summer to relax with family and friends, and that your children are excited to return to school, reunite with old friends and make new ones. I am excited to start my second year as Principal at Norway and continue to serve the Norway school community. I have come to know it as an engaged and vibrant school community and look forward to building even stronger relationships. There are a number of opportunities in the next few weeks for families to gather and build community, including School Council events and meetings (see below), and the upcoming Curriculum Night (date to be determined).
The following highlights some of the key information families need to know as we begin the 2024-25 school year. I will be providing important updates, on a regular basis, throughout the school year. On behalf of the staff at Norway, we look forward to welcoming your child(ren) on Tuesday for a year of great learning and growth!
Joel Krentz, Principal
Norway Basics …
- The school day for Grades 1-6 students starts at 8:45 and finishes at 3:15.
- For Kindergarten students, the school day starts at 8:55 and finish at 3:05.
- Lunch is from 11:30 to 12:30. Kindergarten students eat in their classrooms, and Grades 1-6 students eat in the gymnasium.
- Students from Grade 1-6 will have two 15-minute recess breaks, one in the morning at 10:05 and one in the afternoon at 1:50. Kindergarten classes will have a schedule for daily, outdoor play and exploration.
- Families with Kindergarten students can view the Welcome to Kindergarten presentation from last May, here.
- You can find the school daily timetable here and below.
- Norway’s school year calendar works on a 5-day cycle. You can access the calendar here.
First Day Procedures
School starts at 8:45 for Grades 1-6 students, and at 8:55 for Kindergarten students. On the first day of school, staff will be outside in the school yard to help students and their families locate their classroom teacher. Grades 1-6 students will meet on the pavement between the upper field and the school building. Along with classroom numbers on the pavement (same as the past school year), pylons with classroom numbers and teachers’ names will help you find your child’s meeting spot in the yard. Please note that Kindergarten students and families will meet their teachers in the Kindergarten play outdoor learning areas. Classes will take a little longer than usual to get into the building on the first day, but this gives students a chance to catch up and get to know one another and is all part of the excitement!
School Daily Timetable
Lunch and Snacks
Students are asked to pack a boomerang lunch everyday, along with snacks for snack breaks (our own snack program will not start up on the first day of school). Students should also bring a clearly labelled, refillable water bottle for use during the school day. We expect all students to stay at school during lunch on the first day of school, unless being picked up by an adult. Grade 6 students (only) will receive a lunch permission form on the first day of school from me. Parents/guardians can give permission for their child in Grade 6 to go home for lunch, and indicate which days, by completing and signing the form and returning it to their child’s teacher. Throughout the school year, if there is a day when your child needs to be picked up to go home for lunch, please inform the teacher, and provide a note for Kim in the school office. You can also email Kim at Kimberly.Grasby@tdsb.on.ca.
Allergies and Medical Concerns
Our policy on allergens including nuts, and particularly peanuts, is that we ask families to avoid sending their child with any of the main food allergens, and to adhere to classroom restrictions based on individual allergies in your child’s classroom. While we cannot guarantee a nut free environment, the school, and each teacher, will make sure that this information is shared with all families. If your child has any specific allergies, please inform the classroom teacher, and call the school office and speak with Kim Grasby to inform her as well. She will ensure that this information is reflected in your child’s record. She can also provide more information on the storage of extra epi-pens, as well as inhalers, for your child.
School Supplies
Classrooms will have the basic supplies your child needs to start the school year off. Your child’s teacher will be able to provide a more detailed list of supplies your child might be using during the school year, but there is not an immediate need to go out and buy everything. Your child’s teacher will share more during the first week of school. The one item that is necessary is a backpack. It should be large enough to accommodate your child’s lunch, water bottle, and some notebooks or folders. Indoor shoes will also be important as they will be used daily for gym classes and be necessary for rainy and snowy days.
Cell Phone Policy
As you may have heard, a new Cell Phone/Mobile Device Use in Schools policy was mandated by the Provincial Government and adopted by the TDSB. Some of our Junior students have their own cell phone or smart watch, primarily so that they can communicate with their families and let them know that they’ve arrived safely at school or home. While we appreciate the need for students to connect with their families, cell phones will not be allowed to be used during the school day and should be turned off and out of sight. This is in line with the new Cell Phone/Mobile Device Use in Schools policy that was mandated by the provincial government and adopted by the TDSB. You can read more about the new policy here. If there is a need for your child to contact you, or you to contact your child, Kim in the school office will be happy to accommodate a call or relay a message. We ask that you speak with your child about this to ensure that they use these devices at appropriate times and in appropriate ways.
The new Cell Phone/Mobile Device Use in Schools policy will involve a cultural shift in how students, parents, and guardians use technology. It will take some time, patience, and family support. In the end, it is about supporting the positive mental health and well-being of students and enhancing their focus on learning.
Dressing for weather
Students at Norway spend upwards of 90 minutes outside every day. Students are going to be outside as much as possible this school year for recess and lunch, even in normal rain. This means that indoor recesses will be limited to extreme weather events. These only include a) lasting, torrential rain, b) temperatures below -25 Celsius, and c) lightning. As the temperature fluctuates from season to season, we ask that you properly prepare your child(ren) to be outside in all weather conditions. A rain jacket, sweater or fleece, umbrella, rain boots, and change of shoes are all things you can consider when planning for the next day's weather conditions. As you might imagine, our youngest students in Kindergarten and grade 1 are most prepared for all weather conditions, while the older students the least prepared. Please help your child(ren) to understand the importance of staying warm and dry during extended outdoor times particularly in late fall, winter, and early spring. When there is heavy rain forecast, we will be monitoring the conditions carefully. If we deem the rain to be torrential, we have a plan in place to accommodate students in a safe and supervised way inside the school.
Norway School Council Welcome and Update
The Norway Council has its own mailing list for communications regarding Council activities and other events happening in the community. Lots of important information is shared, so it would be great to have everyone in the Norway Community subscribed!
Not on the Council Mailing List yet? Join now.
IMPORTANT COUNCIL FORMS: It is important that all families complete the Council Forms. These forms have information about Pizza Lunch and ways to get involved in the school. Please complete these forms by Friday September 22nd - COUNCIL FORM
SAVE THE DATE: Join us on Thursday September 12th from 4:30pm - 6pm for a Pizza and Dance Party. Pizza will be provided by the council, but feel free to bring a picnic and join in the dancing in the school yard. A great opportunity to meet other families in the school and learn more about Council.
Have questions, email us at norwayschoolcouncil@gmail.com