Morning	8:40 a.m.	Morning session begins
	10:05 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.	Morning recess
	11:25 a.m. - 12:25 p.m.	Lunch
Afternoon	12:25 p.m.	Afternoon session begins
	1:50 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.	Afternoon recess
	3:10 p.m.	School day ends

 

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Dismissal Times

Teachers escort their classes to the outside exit doors at all dismissal times. Parents are asked to meet their child(ren) at these outside doors at dismissal times. Please do not try to meet your child at the classroom door.

Although general dismissal is 3:10 p.m. for students, from time to time, Grade 1 – 6 teachers may require students to stay behind for up to 30 minutes for remedial assistance and/or to complete work.

We at Tom Longboat Jr. P.S. strongly believe that patterns and practices, established while children are young, become a “way of life” and carry on through adulthood. Punctual attendance is an important expectation for all students. It has a direct effect on their work, attitude and sense of responsibility. When students arrive late at school, not only are they missing key learning time but they are also disrupting their classes.

• Entry bell for all students is 8:40 a.m. and 12:25 p.m.
• Students should arrive for school 5 minutes before the bell rings
• Students arriving after their entry bell are considered late

Students who arrive after their entry bell must report to the office before going to class in order to get a "Late Slip." They will be marked “late for school” in the official school register. Parents are required to sign the section in the student agenda marked “LATE.” If a pattern of lateness continues, a letter will be sent home with a copy placed in the O.S.R. (Ontario Student Record).

Please help your child to become responsible and to learn the importance of punctuality.

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SCHOOL VISITS AND PICK UP/DROP OFF OF STUDENTS

You are always welcome at Tom Longboat Jr. P.S. All visitors to our building are requested to report to the office first. Visitors and volunteers are requested to pick up an identification tag from the office before proceeding to the classrooms.

When waiting for your child to be dismissed, please wait at a pre-arranged exit. Please be punctual when picking up or dropping off your children to ensure proper supervision and safety. If you are unable to do so, we ask that you make other arrangements to have your child picked up.

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INCLEMENT WEATHER

In the event of extreme weather conditions, classes may be cancelled. Staff, however, will be expected to open the school and supervise children who arrive.

Local radio stations will announce if classes are closed. If severe weather conditions develop during the day, it may be necessary to contact parents (or emergency caregivers) to arrange for children to go home. Make sure you indicate your emergency arrangements to the school in September.

On rainy or very cold days, students should not arrive at school too early. They should arrive about 5 minutes before the bell.

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EMERGENCY INFORMATION

In September, parents are asked to complete a Student Data Verification Form for their children. Please inform us of any changes in this information during the year (e.g., work phone number, babysitter, etc.).

Let us know if there are any changes in the medical condition of your child. We must be aware of all allergy conditions and have access to emergency medication, if necessary. All emergency and health information is kept on file in the office for your child’s safety.

Our code of conduct states our expectations so that students will be safe, responsible and respectful members of our school and community.   Longboat students are:

SAFE

·        Follow school rules

·        Hands and feet to ourselves ·           

RESPONSIBLE

·        Put forth our best effort 

·        Arrive on time and prepared to learn

·        Accept responsibility for our behaviour 

·        Resolve concerns in a co-operative manner ·            

RESPECTFUL

·        Demonstrate respect for the beliefs and rights of others

·        Demonstrate a positive attitude 

·        Be polite to children and adults 

·        Respect the school environment and the property of others

Consequences for Misbehaviour

Students must be responsible for their actions. The following consequences may be invoked:

• reprimand/warning
• withdrawal of privilege
• parent contact
• counselling by support staff
• detention
• referral to the office
• in-school suspension (at office)

Birthday Celebration Policy - Allergy Alert!

There are students in our school with a severe life-threatening food allergy (anaphylaxis) to peanuts and other nuts. This is a medical condition that causes a severe reaction to specific foods and can result in death within minutes. 

In an effort to maintain a safe and inclusive environment, we are asking that parents do not send food treats to be shared with other students.

We understand that birthdays are important to every child and students like to celebrate with their classmates. Although it isn't necessary to send anything to school on your child's birthday, below are some examples of non-food treats that can be shared with the class:
• pencils
• erasers
• notepads
• stickers
• small toys
You may also want to send an item that your child can donate to the classroom for everyone to enjoy, such as a book, game, music CD, plant, etc.
We appreciate your support of this new school policy.

1. Parents must use the “drop-off driveway” when driving children to and from school. 
2. Do not park in the drop-off driveway as this is a fire route. Cars should stop only to drop off and pick up children.
3. For safety reasons, parents are asked not to use the staff lot for parking or dropping off students.
4. Please obey all “No Stopping” and “No Parking” signs on Crow Trail.
5. Do not park or drop off children near the crosswalk at any time. This is very unsafe for children who are crossing the street.

The Lunchroom

A lunchroom is available for students who are not able to go home for lunch. We encourage students to eat at home during the lunch hour if at all possible. All parents and students must read, fill out, and sign our lunchroom procedure forms before children can officially join the lunch program.  It is expected that children follow the lunchroom rules.

At Tom Longboat, we have established Boomerang Lunches (also known as “Litterless Lunches”).  This is where ALL GARBAGE will be sent home with the student in an effort to reduce waste at the school.  In order to minimize garbage, we would like to suggest the following:

• Reusable lunch bags
• Reusable containers
• Reusable water bottles
• Healthy foods with no packaging

One of the biggest producers of garbage (and producers of sticky spills) is juice boxes.  Often these products have a significant amount of sugar in them which is not a healthy option for students.  We are recommending reusable water bottles be brought to school on a daily basis.  This will eliminate any of the garbage produced by juice boxes, and prevent a sticky situation in a lunch bag when it is sent back home.  Thank you for your support in our efforts to be more environmentally-friendly!

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House League & Co-Curricular Activities

The children in Grades 1 to 6 have the opportunity to join a variety of clubs and teams throughout the school year. They are urged to take part in the many activities offered. To ensure continued involvement in co-curricular activities, children must be punctual and well behaved. In addition, a behaviour contract will be signed by parents and students which outlines specific expectations.

Students are invited to try out for school teams and, if chosen, are expected to attend regular practices which are supervised by the coach. Please be aware that inter-school games are usually conducted after 3:15 p.m. Therefore, the children on these teams will not be arriving home at their usual time. Coaches will endeavour to provide parents with schedules and locations of games in an effort to minimize any inconvenience caused by a late arrival home. Parents are encouraged to attend the games as spectators.

Valuables and Labelling of Articles

Students are requested to leave walkmans, roller blades, skateboards, expensive toys, personal communication devices (i.e., video games, iPods, cell phones, cameras) and other valuables, and trading cards at home. Students should not bring money to school unless it is to pay for a trip, book, or a “special day.” The school is not responsible for misplaced articles; however, every effort will be made to help students find their lost treasures. Please make sure that all articles your child brings to school are properly labelled with his/her first and last name, (e.g., clothing, lunch boxes.) Unfortunately, there is no “secure place” to leave bicycles at the school. Historically, they have been vandalized and stolen on a regular basis. Therefore, in order to avoid the trauma associated with incidents of theft and vandalism, bicycles are not permitted on school property during school hours.

 

Textbooks and Classroom Books

Books are supplied to students by the school. Students are responsible for returning these materials in good condition at the end of the year. Replacement or repair charges will be administered if pupils do not take care of these books.

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Library Resource Centre

Our school library is fully computerized. Students visit the library on a regular basis as part of the classroom curriculum and to exchange library books for home reading. Replacement or repair charges will be administered if pupils do not take care of these books.

Please encourage your child to read at home. Please read to your child on a regular basis. Language development is directly related to the quality of language dialogue and reading that goes on in the home. Read together and learn together.

You are your child’s first and most important teachers. We invite you to take an active role in his/her education.

Pay attention to your child’s character at home and at school

• Virtues such as hard work, responsibility and respect are essential to academic and social success.

Keep in close contact with your child’s teacher.

• Meet with them, phone, and write to them using your child’s agenda.
• Work as a partnership.

Look after your child’s health.

• Ensure that your child gets a good night’s sleep and eats a nutritious breakfast every day.
• Make use of our Breakfast Program, if needed.

Control the television, video/computer games, and Internet usage.

• Monitor what your child watches on television, the kinds of video/computer games he/she plays, and what Internet sites are being accessed.

Check your child’s agenda every day.

• Review it with your child, sign it after you have verified that the homework is complete, and communicate with the teachers, when necessary.
   

Attendance: Regular attendance is important. Please inform the school each day that your child will be absent.

Class Times: 8:40 to 3:10 p.m.

 

Lunch: 11:25 a.m. to 12:25 p.m.

Children should not arrive before 8:30 a.m. or 12:20 p.m.
Please be on time!

Snacks: The children are asked to bring a nutritious snack each day (i.e., fruit, vegetables, crackers and cheese). Please pack these in a reusable plastic container. Please do not send a drink. The children can get a drink of water at any time.

Birthdays: If you wish to celebrate your child's birthday (this is optional), please do not send food items.  If you would like to send something to be shared with other students, please send non-food items such as pencils, erasers, stickers, etc.

Bags: To prevent work and letters from getting lost on the way home and to carry the daily snack, we suggest that each child should have a backpack. This should be labelled with your child's name. Please check your child’s bag every evening.

Physical Education: We will be having physical education on a regular basis. The children must wear running shoes in the gym. They may NOT wear necklaces.

Library: Our students visit the Library once per week.

Labels: Please put your child's name on all removable clothing … coats, sweaters, sweatshirts, running shoes.

Clothing: Play clothes are suitable for school. Worrying about keeping clothes clean can affect a child's participation. Please encourage your children to dress themselves.

Shoes: For safety reasons, the children must have something to wear on their feet at all times … shoes or slippers. They cannot wear boots in the classroom or in the gym.

Thank you for your co-operation.