Welcome to our school community!

We believe that all families are composed of individuals who are competent and capable, curious, and rich in experience. We know our families love their children and want the best for them. Families are experts on their children. They are the first and most powerful influence on children’s learning, development, health, and well-being. Families bring diverse social, cultural, and linguistic perspectives. Families should feel that they belong, are valuable contributors to their children’s learning, and deserve to be engaged in a meaningful way.

Welcome to Kindergarten Event You will be invited to our school this year in the spring, where we can gather in community and get to know each other! There will be an opportunity for you and your child to participate in activities together and ask questions. Let’s get ready to Talk, Create, Read and Play!

Early Learning Kindergarten Program 2024 – 2025

The Kindergarten Program is delivered over a two-year period. Teachers and Early Childhood Educators focus on instruction that moves students along the continuum to achieve the expectations by the end of Year 2.

For Kindergarten Programme visit:  www.edu.gov.on.ca/kindergarten

Kindergarten Curriculum Information

A Typical School Start-up Schedule -School Visits and Staggered Entry

• All Year 1 (JK) students and new Year 2 (SK) students will visit the teacher on Wednesday, September 4th with their parents for fifteen minutes. They will have an opportunity to visit their classroom, meet their teachers, and learn about their first day of school.
• All Year 2 (SK) students start school on Thursday, September 5th and continue daily after that.
• Year 1 students will attend EITHER Thursday, September 5th, OR Friday, September 6th for the full day.
• All students will attend Monday, September 9th and continue daily.
• You will receive an email confirming your child’s classroom placement, your visit time, and a staggered entry date before Sept. 4th.
• Please subscribe now to Newswire on our school’s website (Our Lady of Lourdes) to stay connected and informed. Click the above link and scroll down so you can see where to enter your email.

Safe Arrival

• Walkers – Children are dropped off in the fenced yard located in front of the school. School starts at 8:30 am.
• Parents must stay with their child until supervision begins at 8:15 am. Parents wait outside of the fenced area.
• Bus students – will be walked to the kindergarten yard by an educator.
• Extended Day – when dropping off your child, please press the buzzer at the front door of the school and wait to be let in.

Safe Dismissal

• Bus Students – An educator will walk students to the bus at the end of the day.
• Walkers – Parents/Guardians/Siblings will wait at the fenced yard gate for the educators to dismiss the walkers at 3:00 pm.
• Extended Day Students– when picking up your child, please press the buzzer at the front door at the front door of the school and wait to be let in. Students will be in Room 115.

A Typical Day in Kindergarten

Throughout the day in a Kindergarten Classroom, your child may be participating in many of the following activities:

Daily Routines and Activities

• Entry and morning routines
• Circle time with large & small group lessons
• Literacy Activities
• Numeracy Activities
• Student-Directed Inquiry
• Physical Education
• Music/ Art/ Drama
• Library
• Outdoor Play
• Religion/ Family Life/ Christian Meditation
• School-Wide Celebrations

Lunch / Snacks

• Please provide healthy food for morning and afternoon snack as well as lunch each day
  ***Our school board is a NUT FREE facility***
• Please pack reusable containers that the children can open independently
• Please send reusable water bottles that do not spill when they are tipped over
• Healthy Eating and Nutrition Breaks
• Our school proudly participates in the Nutrition for Learning Program

School Supplies (Please Label Everything!)

• A big school bag that can hold their lunch bag. For more information: Your Child’s Backpack
• A lunch bag with snacks and lunch (reusable containers ☺)
• A reusable water bottle
• Indoor shoes (Velcro/Slip-Ons)
• Change of clothes in a labelled bag. For more information: Dressing for Independence
• Toys from home must stay at home

Transportation

• Bus routes organized by the bus company. For more information:  Student Transportation Services of the Waterloo Region-Kindergarten
• Please subscribe to www.stswr.ca for bussing information, delay notifications, cancellations, etc.
• Bus information will be mailed to parents
• A bus name tag will be attached to your child’s backpack
• Parent/Guardian must meet their child at their bus stop
• Bussing begins Wednesday, September 4th, 2024

Home/School Communication

• Mailbags – please check for information and return each school day
• Contact your child’s teacher anytime- a note in the mailbag or a phone call to school (519-886-4810)
• Classroom information and updates available online on your child’s online classroom. To access, visit: www.wcdsb.ca  and click the D2L link at the bottom of the website
• Subscribe to School Cash Online (School Cash Online) and Newswire on our school’s website (Our Lady of Lourdes) to stay connected and informed

Readiness for School

• Please inform the school if your child is a Multi Language Learner, or if they have special education needs, health concerns, or transition concerns. For more information: Early Identification and Community Supports
• Please complete your child’s immunization records with Waterloo Public Health. For more information: Region of Waterloo Immunization Reporting
• Practice listening and following directions
• Check-ups are recommended before September to review sight, hearing, and speech
• Students should be independent regarding washroom routines. For more information: My Toilet Learning
• Community Organizations that can help develop these skills include: Early Years Centres, Library, YMCA, Family Compass Waterloo Region. For more information: Welcome to Kindergarten Community Supports
• Please refer to the Provincial Site

Extended Day Program

• Registration is open to all children ages 3 to 12.
• The before and after-school programs are led by Early Childhood Educators and will provide an integrated school day. Extended Day Flyer

Extended Day Information  

  https://www.wcdsb.ca/our-schools/register-for-school/extended-day-program/

Resources

• EarlyOn
• Looksee Checklist by NDDS
• Our Lady of Lourdes Welcome to Kindergarten Slideshow and Information

Information

If you have not registered your child for school yet, please click HERE to start the online registration process.

If you have any questions, please get in touch with us!  We are here to help!