ÉCOLE ST.THOMAS
MANUAL FOR
PARENTS
STUDENTS
2008/2009
You shall love your neighbor as yourself
Aime ton prochain comme toi- même
Matt 22:39
LRCSSD # 89 Mission Statement
We give glory to God by educating children within a caring Catholic community. In God’s name we, in the Lloydminster Catholic School Division, provide opportunities for students:
v To address their individual needs, interests and gifts;
v To achieve their full potential, with emphasis upon service to others; and
v To meet the challenges of their life-long journey.
Central Office Staff and School Board
1. Central Office Staff
Director of Education………………………………………..Mr. Doug Robertson
Superintendent of Administration Mr. Tom Schinold
Superintendent of Instruction Mr. Aubrey Patterson
Superintendent of Student Services Mr. Kevin Kusch
Administrative Assistant Ms. Judy Gross
Transportation Coordinator Mrs. Charleen Herle
Secretary-Accounts Payable…………………………………. Mrs. JoAnn Lider
Receptionist…………………………………………………Mrs. Wendy Skoretz
Network System Analyst Mr. Armand Brockhoff
Computer Technician Mr. Alex Verganovsky
Educational Psychologist Mr. Dave MacLean
Speech Pathologist Mrs. Ronda Day
Clerical Data Entry………………………………………………Ms. Cathy Ross
Maintenance-Bus Supervisor Mr. Larry Weighill
AISI Coordinator Ms.Glenda Kary
Library Coordinator…………………………………………...Mrs. Cheryl Sikora
Cataloguing Technician Mrs. Susan Astley
French Language Coordinator Mme Huguette Kitchen
2. School Board Members
Chairman Mrs. Laurie Makichuk
Vice-Chair person Mr. Joe Halbach
Member Mrs. Christine Johal
Member Mrs. Roxanne Ludu
Member Mr. Kevin McKean
Member Mrs. Paula Scott
Member Mr. Brad Zerr
3. Office Information
Address: 6611B – 39th Street
Lloydminster, Alberta
T9V 2Z4
Telephone: (780) 808-8585 Fax: (780) 808-8787
Business hours: Monday to Friday from 8:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M (Closed at noon hour.)
Bus Coordinator’s phone information: Business 808-8585
École St. Thomas Mission Statement:
Avec Jésus, nous vivons, nous aimons et nous apprenons en français.
With Jesus, we live, love and learn «en français».
Staff Deployment
Principal……………………………………………………………...Lisa MarieKreese
Vice-Principal…………………………………………...………Mme Claudette Fidler
Kindergarten KA/KB………………………………………...Mlle Marie- Noëlle Benot
Kindergarten KC……………………………………………...Mme Anastasia Huculiak
Grade 1A………………………………………………………. Mme Marilyn Napper
Grade 1B…………………………………………………………. Mme Kelly Russell
Grade 2A……………………………………………………….. Mme Lisette Brochu
Grade 2B…………………………………………………………. Mlle Dana Sanders
Grade 3A………………………………………………………...Mme Rachel Jezowski
Grade 3B………………………………………………………… Mme Laura Anhorn
Grade 4A…………………………………………………. Mlle Melissa Beaulieu
Grade 4B………………………………………………………... Mlle Chantale Forcier
Grade 5A………………………………………………………Mme Andrea Fallscheer
Grade 5B……………………………………………………… Mlle Karine Hamon
Grade 6/7A………………………………………………………... Mlle Natalie Carrier
Grade 6/7 B……………………………………………………... Mr. Marc Neron
English…………………………………. Mrs. Ila Androschuk, Mrs. Carla McPherson
Tech Support …………………………………………………… Mlle Janelle Lepage
Learning Assistance Teacher…………………………………… Mme Yvonne Lucas
Librarian…………………………………………………………… Mme Aurelie Duret
Educational Assistants…………….………..Mme Roseanne Kaser, Mlle Nicole Kaser
Educational Assistants………………… Mme Heather Guenet, Mme Rita MacMillan
Educational Assistants………………………………… ……… Mme Nicole Samms
Secretary……………………………………………………………. Mme Sue Wagner
Counsellor………………………………………………………... Mme Robin Collins
Custodian……………………………………... Mme Edith Skanes, Mrs. Anne Howe
French Monitor …………………………………………………Niane Abdoul Demba
Band………………………………………………………………... Mme Lisa Binsfeld
Intern…………………………………………………………………….Danielle Faludi
Office Information
Address: École St. Thomas School Bell Schedule:
5216 - 44 Street 8:45 - students enter school
Lloydminster, Alberta 8:51 - all students are in their homeroom T9V 1R6 8:55 -school begins
Telephone: (780) 875-5366 10:25-10:45 snack and recess
Fax: (780) 875-8218 11:45 – 12:35 – noon hour
2:10 – 2:25 - recess
3:25 - dismissal
The St. Thomas family welcomes you! Have a great year!
École St-Thomas Mission Statement:
Avec Jésus, nous vivons, nous aimons et nous apprenons en français.
With Jesus, we live, love and learn «en français».
2008 – 2009 School Theme
“You shall love your neighbor as yourself” “Aime ton prochain comme toi-même.” Matt 22:39 will be our theme. We have used a rainbow in the past years as our symbol and we now progress to a boat as our symbol of our spiritual journey. The boat provides many analogies that will help us focus our students on the main theme of RESPECT. Using this basis of ethical behavior, we look forward to helping your child develop fully in all aspects of their lives. They will continue to set goals (emotional, spiritual, academic, social, physical and community) throughout the school year to learn the importance of the development of the whole person as a child of God. We use our “bonhommes” to track their progress and celebrate their successes. This year’s theme will challenge our students to see who they are and how they impact God’s world around them
General School Guidelines
School Terms
The school year is divided into three terms. A report card will be distributed at the end of each term.
Term one – September 2nd – November 28th
Term two – December 1 - March 13th
Term three - March 16th to June 24th
School Masses and Prayer Services
École St-Thomas prepares monthly masses and prayer services where the word of the Lord as spoken in scripture is delivered and often times re-enacted. All children will participate in the celebrations as this is NOT an optional activity. Classes are responsible for preparing the masses and services. The services and masses may be unilingual in English or French or bilingual. Masses will be held at St. Anthony’s Church and the prayer services are held at the school. You are welcome to join your children in these celebrations. Masses and services will generally be on the second or third Wednesday of the month. Please watch our newsletter for dates and times of our school celebrations.
Attendance and classroom visits
Ø Daily attendance at school for all children is expected. Parents should notify the school or the teacher by telephone or by dated note (by 8:45 a.m.) if their child will be absent. The contact should state the reason for the absence. If parents know that their child will be absent for several days, please notify administration in writing in advance.
Ø In the case of parents choosing to remove their child for holidays etc. it is expected the in-school administration is notified at least 2 weeks prior to the leave. Please note that parents are responsible for the child’s education during this absence. Clear communication with the teacher will be in the best interest of your child. There will be in these cases, information, lessons and materials that a child may not have the opportunity to regain. Teachers are not required to prepare materials in advance of a child’s absence. The family working with the teacher is the best way to guarantee the minimal loss of instruction.
Ø A dated note signed by the parent is required if parents are requesting permission for their child to remain indoors during recess due to illness.
Ø If you wish to remove your child during the school day, please sign them out and in upon their return, at the office. In order for us to know if your child is safe, we require the person taking them to come into the school to sign them out and in upon return.
Ø If your child is late for class, he/she is asked to stop at the office to let the secretary know he/she has arrived so that attendance may be adjusted and so that we are aware that they are in the school.
Ø All parents and visitors are asked to let the office know you are in the building. We want to ensure that there is the least amount of disruption to the learning environment possible and we do need to know who is in the school. Please wait for recess bells and breaks to enter the classroom so as to not distract your child during instruction. Clear communication is a cornerstone to an educational partnership.
Dress Code
Ø Students are asked to dress for weather conditions. Students should have two sets of shoes, one for outside and one for inside. (non-marking soles please). They should also wear winter boots or rubber boots for the appropriate inclement weather. They should wear toques, hats, gloves, mitts, scarves, and good winter coats and snow pants in cold winter weather.
Ø Students will be able to remain indoors if the wind chill factor is 1750 or more, or if the temperature dips below 25 degrees. Children must come to school prepared and communicate to a supervisor should they need to get extra clothes from inside during a recess.
Ø Students dress code - any decent clean attire is acceptable, but avoid short shorts, cut offs, and beach/sun wear clothing (e.g. spaghetti straps). A simple guideline to follow is, if the midriff, shoulders, buttocks or chest are showing when a student is walking, reaching, bending or moving around, this would be considered inappropriate. We want to encourage our students to wear clothing that does not distract others and promotes self-respect. Head paraphernalia is not allowed. Hats will sometimes be allowed during special activity days.
Food and lunch expectations, sending money to school
Ø Please note that we must remain FISH & NUT FREE (peanuts and all tree nuts, coconut, and all types of fish) Please REFRAIN from sending any FISH & NUTS or products with traces of nuts or fish to school. We wish to ensure safety for all students in our school. Please do your best to check your labels as we have students whose lives may be at risk if they consume nuts/fish or products with traces of nuts or fish. Also sunflower seeds or seeds of any kind are expressly forbidden in the school.
Ø Students are to eat their lunch in their respective home rooms. They have to remain in their seats during this time and are responsible for cleaning up afterwards. They must ask permission of the supervisor if they wish to leave the room. Students in Grade 1 and 2 should be provided with lunches that do not require a microwave.
Ø Parents that are bringing lunch to their children are asked to check in at the office. We thank you for respecting that instructional time is from bell to bell and that parents should not enter the classroom to deliver lunches until after the 11:45 bell.
Ø Periodically, it is necessary to send money to school with your child. Parents are asked to place it in a sealed envelope/baggie and indicate the child's name, grade, and the purpose of the money. If sending a cheque, please make it payable to: St. Thomas School unless otherwise specified.
Active play, boundaries, play areas, bus loading, child pick up
Ø We encourage our students to remain “IN MOTION” at recess. There is play equipment in buckets for them to use. We ask that electronic games etc. are left at home as we encourage active social play.
Ø There are out of bound areas for students unless accompanied by a teacher: staff room, supply rooms, sports supply room, storage rooms, behind the desk in the office and the copier room.
Ø Use the phone for emergency purposes only. Please note that students will only be allowed to phone home for emergencies (illness, lunches). We wish to minimize the time spent on the phone by students for calls regarding play dates, Band instruments, projects, gym clothes etc. If such items are forgotten it is understood by the students that they will bring it the next day. For special circumstances where the call is essential, the student must request their teacher’s authorization in their agenda. Seeing the signature in the agenda will help to ensure that only very important calls are being made home or to your work and that time is not wasted on the phones.
Ø Student cell phones are NOT to be turned on during the school day.
Ø Students are asked to enter and leave the school by their respective entrance/boot areas. (Kind. - Main entrance; Gr. 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B- West Central; Gr. 4A, 5B - North East; Gr.4B, 5A – East Central; Gr. 3A, 3B, 6/7A, 6/7B – South Entrance).
Ø Student safety is a primary concern for staff and parents. Students are not permitted to leave the school grounds during the instructional time unless removed by a parent or guardian. We strongly discourage our senior students leaving during the lunch hour without parent accompaniment. If gr. 7 students MUST leave on occasion they are required to present a dated signed note from their parent who will assume responsibility for their child during their absence from the school property. We encourage parents to educate their children about the dangers of leaving school property (strangers, drugs, traffic etc.)
Ø Children crossing the street to meet parents must use the crosswalk.
Ø Please note that children are free to play on both sides of the school WEST and EAST and they may move from one to the other at recess. They are NOT allowed to remain on the SOUTH and NORTH sides of the school as they are not in direct view of the supervisors. Due to the proximity of the HWY16 we will continue to educate students and ask your cooperation, regarding safe play.
Ø Students will exit the school by their respective door at the end of the school day and find their bus line. They will wait in the line for their bus to arrive at which point a supervisor leads the line to the bus. This system is a safe way to ensure that everyone approaches the bus with caution and that the driver is ready to load.
Ø Students waiting for parental pick up are asked to wait by the flag pole. They are instructed to wait for a visual contact prior to leaving for the vehicle.
Administration of Medication
The Lloydminster RCSSD No.89 Board of Education believes that it may be necessary to administer medication and other health-related services in our schools. LRCSSD has a duty to accommodate, to a reasonable extent, those pupils who require health and personal care practices in order for them to attend school regularly in recognition that every student has the right to an education. Please advise the school administration about health matters that personnel will need to know to best provide for your child. Please note that teachers/staff cannot administer and/or store medication unless the proper documentation has been put in place with the school administration.
If your child cannot self-administer a single dose at school and the arrangements have not been made, the parent must administer the medication.
Our school is registered with a MedicAlert program and registration forms can be picked up from the office. This program offers free MedicAlert identification for students.