Picture Day is Coming – October 12, 2023
Flames Family Update – September 25-29
Hello! Please ask a friend to help you translate this information. Thank You!
ሰላም! በጃኻ ነዚ ሓበሬታ እዚ ንኽትትርጕሞ ኺሕግዘካ ንፈታዊኻ ሕተቶ ። የቐንየለይ!
Hello Flames Families!
Autumn is in the air and OLOL is a busy place! Take look at what’s coming up this week.
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation/ Orange Shirt Day
We will be celebrating Orange Shirt Day on September 29th (Saturday Sept 30th is the official date). Orange shirt day’s purpose is to recognize the impact of the Residential school system for First Nations, Metis and Inuit families and communities. It is a show of support and understanding of the history of the school system that impacts many First Nations, Metis and Inuit people today. By wearing an orange shirt, we have an opportunity to bring awareness to the history of residential schools and to stand up against other injustices that may impact our children/students. Let’s turn our OLOL hallways ORANGE!
Rowan’s Law Day
Wednesday, September 27th is Rowan’s Law Day where we will continue to educate and raise awareness about concussions. Have you ever bumped your head or body? We likely all have! In sports and active games, there can be risks involved. Rowan’s Law was passed in Ontario in honour of Rowan Stringer. All schools in Ontario must have rules in place to support awareness and help coaches, teachers, and parents know when a child has suffered a suspected concussion. It also lets the child know that they should immediately stop participating in physical activities . #HitStopSit
Safe Arrival Program (Attendance)
Each school in Waterloo Catholic DSB has a safe arrival program to ensure that all students are accounted for each day. Parents/Guardians are required to notify the school as soon as possible if a student will be absent. An answering machine is available outside of school hours too.
Absent or Late: Please phone the school at 519-886-4810 and press 1 to leave a message providing:
- child’s name
- teacher’s name
- grade
- day(s) absent and reason for absence or late (*if ill a description of ALL the symptoms they are experiencing.)
It is a legal requirement for schools to verify the whereabouts of elementary children each morning and each afternoon. If the school does not know the reason for your child’s absence, a phone call will be made to you. Please help us limit these calls by notifying us of your child’s absence. The safe arrival program exists to ensure your child’s safety. If we cannot reach you we will call down the list of emergency contacts you have provided to the school. Thank you for calling us to report an absence before we need to call you/ your contacts.
Guest Speakers Are Coming to OLOL
- Chris Gray (4-8) – September 26 Chris is a retired pro wrestler turned motivational speaker. Chris will tell stories of his humble beginnings where he had the dream to one day wrestle in the same ring as his childhood heroes sharing the lesson – “You can be whatever you want to be … if you put in the work.”
- Tour For Humanity Holocaust Bus Tour (6-8) – September 27 As a part of the new Social Studies curriculum beginning in September 2023-24 school year, the Simon Wiesenthal Centre for Holocaust Studies is offering a student learning opportunity to come directly to our elementary schools.This customized bus travels to schools and organizations throughout Canada, engaging students, teachers and other community members from diverse personal and professional backgrounds. A creative outreach initiative, T4H teaches participants about historical and recent events, showing the connection between past and present-day hatred and its relevance on both a Canadian and global level.
- Steve Seftel (JK-3) – September 28 Steve Seftel, a local citizen and retired professional NHL hockey player, minor hockey coach, and mental health and wellness advocate has traded his passion for sticks and pucks for pens and paper with his first book, SHATTERED ICE; a personal story about the rigour of becoming a professional athlete, the euphoric wins, and the price of glory, both mentally and physically. Steve lives and continues to coach minor hockey in Waterloo, where he is focused on bringing out the best in aspiring young hockey players, and openly talks about his struggles with anxiety. Steve is committed to sharing his story, and educating players and parents on mental health wellness and awareness. Steve will be reading his newest picture book which will also be available for sale after reading (books will be sold at a reduced price of $10 for families who wish to purchase).
Thanksgiving Food Drive – Monday Sept 25 – Thursday Oct 5th
Looking for donations of non-perishable food items such as pasta, canned food, cereal, peanut butter, crackers, etc. Thank you in advance!
Upcoming Important Dates:
October 6th – PA Day
October 9th – Thanksgiving
October 10th – Catholic School Advisory Council Meeting (6pm)
October 12th – School Picture Day
November 13th – PA Day
November 20th – Progress Reports
November 23rd – Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences (pm)
December 25th – Christmas Break Begins
January 8th – Back to School New Year 2024
January 19th – PA Day
February 15th – Term 1 Reports
February 19th – Family Day
March 8 – 15th – March Break
March 29th – Good Friday
April 1st – Easter Monday
April 19th – PA Day
May 20th – Victoria Day
May 31st – PA Day
June 25th- Term 2 Reports
June 27th- Last Day of School
June 28th – PA Day
Here’s to another great week!
The Staff at OLOL
New Method of Enforcement in School Zones – Kitchener Bylaw
MESSAGE TO FAMILIES:
Starting next week, the City of Kitchener will be using a new tool to enforce school zone parking.
Officers will be scanning license plates using a License Plate Recognition (LPR) vehicle in school zones. This technology scans license plates for offences and is activated by the officer on arrival of school zone areas. The vehicle will automatically take pictures of offences, and any offence will be mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle later that day.
This technology has been used with success in municipalities such as Brampton and Toronto, and Kitchener hopes to have the same success they have had.
For more information on the City of Kitchener’s parking by-laws, please visit their website.
REMINDER: Sacramental Preparation & Registration Night
A note from Our Lady of Lourdes Parish:
FIRST RECONCILIATION, FIRST HOLY COMMUNION AND CONFIRMATION: If Our Lady of Lourdes Church is your regular place of worship and you have a son/daughter in grade 2 or grade 7
at Holy Rosary School or Our Lady of Lourdes School, and you would like him/her to receive these sacraments at Our Lady of Lourdes Church please join us for a registration meeting.
Please remember to bring a copy of your child’s baptismal certificate.
REGISTRATION MEETING:
First Reconciliation & First Eucharist: Thursday, September 28 at 7:00 p.m. Mass followed by meeting with (parents & students)
Confirmation: Tuesday, September 26 at 7:00 p.m. Mass followed by meeting with (parents & students)
Flames Family Update: September 18-22
Hello Flames Families,
We are excited to showcase our new school theme this year “THIS IS WHY WE ARE HERE”. At THIS school, we are a family and we will continue to celebrate our relationships with students and with you through our faith.
We are so grateful to be part of a school team focused on developing the whole child — mind, body and spirit — through a commitment to high expectations, collaboration, and inclusivity for all. Students are at the heart of everything we do.
We have the privilege of educating our children in a Catholic school system; this is a truly awesome responsibility and one which we will not take for granted. We place great value on our three cornerstones of community– school, home, and church. As adults, we must teach, model, and live the Gospel values in all our actions. Students need to experience and witness our faith, not only in Religion and Family Life classes, but in the day-to-day life of the school. Our Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations are central to all our conversations and planning at Our Lady of Lourdes.
Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations
Each month, a different grade level will highlight one of the seven Catholic Graduate Expectations across the school community. Students provide examples of how we can emulate these qualities and live our lives like Jesus. We will recognize and celebrate these qualities in our students through daily recognition of our BLAZING FLAMES at Our Lady of Lourdes.
September: I am a collaborative contributor
When we are team players, we know that ‘Together is Better’, and we will live our lives like Jesus. Some of the guiding questions we will use this month are:
- Am I a team player?
- Do I cooperate with others in all that I do?
- Do I value everyone’s work I respect and listen to others?
- Do I think of others before myself?
- Do I follow rules of fair play?
- Do I work hard in school so that I can build my community and make it a better place?
Source: https://iceont.ca/resources/ocsge/
Lunch Days Are Back!
We are once again offering optional hot lunches for families to purchase. To place an order, families are asked to go through their School Cash Online accounts. Please see the guide below for complete instructions on how to order optional hot lunches. Lunch Box 2023-2024
If you require any further information or assistance please do not hesitate to reach out.
Start Up Forms & Agenda Fee
If you have not already completed the start-up forms on School Cash Online, please do so today! Also, please ensure that you carefully review the Student Verification Form (paper copy sent home). Families/guardians are asked to verify and, if applicable, make changes to the information that the school has on file, such as updating medical information, etc. Please return this form to school so that we can update our files.
Each student in grades 1-8 have received a student agenda. Student agendas are a great organizational and communication tool for students and families. Students received their agendas on the first day of school. This year the cost of the agenda is $6. Payment can be made through School Cash online. If you are NOT registered for School Cash Online please sign up here: https://wcdsb.schoolcashonline.com/
Terry Fox Walk
This year, our school is proudly taking part in the annual Terry Fox School Walk to continue Terry’s dream of a world without cancer. Our Terry Fox Walk to raise money for cancer research will be held on Friday, September 22nd. Donations are accepted at https://schools.terryfox.ca/38221
School Sports
Our Intermediate Boys & Girls 3-Pitch teams will be heading off to represent OLOL on Thursday September 21st in the Intermediate 3-Pitch tournament. As well, our Junior Co-Ed soccer team heads off to their tournament on Thursday September 28th. Thank you to all of our coaches for making this opportunity available to our students. Good luck, Flames!
Classroom LMS (D2L)
Each classroom teacher will be/has created a learning management system for communicating with families. An LMS is the D2L learning platform and is designed to communicate with families. Please log in if you haven’t already to navigate the classrooms and see what your child(ren) will be learning this term. Having difficulty logging in – check out the parent link here: www.wcdsb.ca/parents
Upcoming Important Dates:
September 22nd – Terry Fox Walk
September 26th – Chris Gray Presentation DARE TO DREAM for grades 4-8
September 27th – Holocaust Tour Bus @ OLOL for grades 6-8
September 29th – Orange Shirt Day – wear orange/shirt
October 6th – PA Day
October 9th – Thanksgiving
October 12th – School Picture Day
November 13th – PA Day
November 20th – Progress Reports
November 23rd – Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences (pm)
December 25th – Christmas Break Begins
January 8th – Back to School New Year 2024
January 19th – PA Day
February 15th – Term 1 Reports
February 19th – Family Day
March 8 – 15th – March Break
March 29th – Good Friday
April 1st – Easter Monday
April 19th – PA Day
May 20th – Victoria Day
May 31st – PA Day
June 25th- Term 2 Reports
June 27th- Last Day of School
June 28th – PA Day
Here’s to another great week!
The Staff at OLOL
LunchBox Order Guide 2023-2024
Please see the attached Order Guide for Lunchbox Orders for the 2023-2024 School Year and Our Lady of Lourdes School.
Parking Lot Closed Sept.14-15
Good Morning Flames,
Please be advised that the Our Lady of Lourdes Church parking lot will be CLOSED TODAY and FRIDAY for repairs. Families are encouraged to park on the surrounding streets, and walk to the yard. Street parking is NOT AVALIABLE at the Lourdes St. doors or Roslin Ave doors, as these are both designated bus zones and are required for bus drop off and pick up.
Thank you for your assistance,
OLOL Staff
Lunchbox Orders Starts Monday, September 18th
Lunchbox_School_Flyer 2023-2024
Great news!
LunchBox deliveries begin on Monday, September 18th. Please refer to the flyer for details.
CATHOLIC SCHOOL ADVISORY COUNCIL (CSAC) Nomination of Parent Candidate Form
APSC001-01F_CSACNominationParentCandidateExtended
Attached please find the CSAC Nomination of Parent Candidate Form.
Please return any forms to the school, attention Principal Erin Stevens,
Thank you for your continued support.
SACRAMENTAL PREPATATION & REGISTRATION NIGHT
A message from Our Lady of Lourdes Church:
FIRST RECONCILIATION, FIRST HOLY COMMUNION AND CONFIRMATION: If Our Lady of Lourdes Church is your regular place of worship and you have a son/daughter in grade 2 or grade 7in Holy Rosary School or Our Lady of Lourdes School, and you would like him/her to receive these sacraments at Our Lady of Lourdes Church please join us for a registration meeting.Please remember to bring a copy of your child’s baptismal certificate.
REGISTRATION MEETING:
First Reconciliation & First Eucharist: Thursday, September 28 at 7:00 p.m. Mass followed by meeting with (parents & students)Confirmation: Tuesday, September 26 at 7:00 p.m. Mass followed by meeting with (parents & students)