Dear Families:

Happy August! This week we moved back into the school after a relaxing and rejuvenating summer.

I am Jessica Outram, the new Principal at Dr GJ MacGillivray. For the last four years I was Principal at Colborne Public School. Prior to that I worked in high schools for 15 years. Working in a big school is exciting and I’m thrilled to be joining the Dr GJ MacGillivray team!

Our Administrative team also includes two vice principals: Tamara Best and Christy Thompson.

We are committed to student safety, well-being, and achievement. If you would like to share your wishes for our school community for the upcoming year, please click here for a short survey.

We will send you another email at the end of next week with notes about the first day of school. This is a good time to start getting your child ready for school routines. Here is a short article you may find helpful.

We have a new Student Absence system.  You will see this information go out a few times over the next couple weeks.

New Phone Number, Web Address, Phone App for Reporting Absences

Hello to all KPR families!  This message is about the new automated Student Absence Report System that will be introduced in all KPR schools starting in September 2018.

This change means you will need to create a NEW account to report your children’s absences online.

To create your new account and register your children for the new automated system, please visit studentabsence.kprdsb.ca .  If you use the mobile app, please search for SchoolMessenger (one word) on Google Play Store or Apple App Store.

Once you have re-registered your child, you once again will be able to inform the school of your child’s upcoming absences at:

·         studentabsence.kprdsb.ca

·         1-844-434-8119

·         the SchoolMessenger mobile app on your cell phone or tablet.

Every family is receiving a magnet with the new web address, phone number and mobile app info.  Re-registering will allow you to report all of your children’s upcoming absences at a time that’s convenient for you - 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Sincerely,

Jessica Outram

Principal

Dr GJ MacGillivray

We want to make our dismissal at the end of the day safer for students and families.

As of Friday, September 7, 2018 we will be implementing a new dismissal routine in order to ensure student safety.  Please keep in mind this is a new routine and will take everyone time to adjust. Thank-you for your patience and flexibility.

The biggest changes are where students are exiting and where you can pick them up. The changes in routine affects our students in Grade 1 to Grade 3.

An email was sent through Edsby on Thursday, Sept 6 with details.

We had some technical difficulties with the September Newsletter the first time it was posted.  Hopefully this link will work better!

Thanks!!

Enjoy the October Newsletter!  

Please click the link below to view.

With winter comes unpredicatable weather.  See the memo below from STSCO for more information.

Click the link below to find out what is happening at MacGillivray during the month of November.

Due to the inclement weather conditions on Friday we have rescheduled picture retakes for November 22.

Can you believe it is already December!  Time sure flies when you're having fun!

Click the link above to find out what is happening at MacGillivray during the month.  It's going to be a busy one!

New Phone Number, Web Address, Phone App Coming for Reporting Absences

At KPR, student safety is our highest priority, and we thank families for adopting the automated safe arrival system to help ensure students arrive safely at school each day. 

Starting this September, we will be introducing a new automated Student Absence Reporting System.  Therefore, you will need to create a NEW account to report your children’s absences online. 

You will receive an email in August with instructions on how to create your new account and download the mobile app.  You also will receive a magnet in September with the new Student Absence Reporting System details.  Unfortunately, since ownership of the reporting software has changed, we cannot simply transfer your child’s information to the new system.

Watch for more information in the summer.

Many parents and guardians have been wondering what effect the legalization of marijuana will have on  KPR schools. In short, KPR schools will treat cannabis in much the same way they treat alcohol: students of any age will not be allowed to use marijuana at schools, on school buses or field trips. 

 Once the new federal law comes into effect this October 17:

• non-medical marijuana use will be legal only for those age 19 and older 
• any student, at any age, could be suspended for possessing or being under the influence of cannabis at school
• any student who shares marijuana with others younger than 19 could be expelled from school
• it will be illegal for adults to use cannabis on, or within 20 metres of, school grounds
• it will be illegal to drive under the influence of cannabis, and drivers age 21 or under will not be allowed to have any cannabis in their system.

 If you have any questions about cannabis at school, please speak with your principal or vice-principal.  Further information on the new law is available at Ontario.ca/cannabis.  Information on how to talk to your child about cannabis can be found at Cannabis Information – CAMH.

KPR wishes everyone a happy holiday. We hope that this time allows for some much needed rest for students, staff, parents and guardians, and allows families opportunities to celebrate together.

While the holidays can be joyous, they can also be difficult for some.  We wanted to provide families with some resources you may find useful over the holiday season. Our mission is that all students remain safe, and this includes their mental and physical well-being.

Mental health is a state of well-being; it is relevant to all of us.  According to the Mental Health Commission of Canada, in any given year, one in five people in Canada experiences a mental health crisis or illness.  It is important to us that we remind everyone to use resources that are accessible to all.  These include:

• the Be Safe App, a free mobile app that aims to help young adults make healthy decisions during a crisis; it can be downloaded onto cell phones from https://besafeapp.ca/
• Kids Help Phone, also available 24/7, at 1-800-668-6868 or text “CONNECT” to 686868
• Four County Crisis line, available 24/7 for Northumberland and Peterborough County residents at 1-866-995-9933
• Durham Mobile Crisis Services, available 24/7 for anyone experiencing a crisis, at 905-666-0483 or 1-800-742-1890
• Connex Ontario Mental Health Helpline, provides information about mental health services in Ontario 24/7, at 1-866-531-2600 or www.connexontario.ca
• Ontario 211, a free helpline that connects people to community and social services in your area, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, by calling 2-1-1.

Your family also has access to your closest hospital, as well as to regional supports serving specific areas of KPR.

Let's keep our mental health and the mental health of those we love and care about in the forefront.  We encourage you to use community support services if you ever find yourself or someone near and dear to you struggling and in need of assistance.

Once again, we wish everyone season’s greetings, a Merry Christmas, and safe holidays.

New Kindergarten families are invited to attend one of our five, free upcoming regional Kindergarten Information Sessions.  Current Kindergarten families are also welcome to attend.   Parents and caregivers will learn about the Kindergarten Program and the new provincial Kindergarten report card.   Attendees will also have the opportunity to meet with community agencies and partners that serve families, and together, we will provide strategies to help prepare your child for Kindergarten and support your child at home.  

January 29th - Brighton Public School

January 30th - C.R. Gummow Public School

February 5th - Harold Longworth Public School

February 7th - Duke of Cambridge Public School

February 12th - Roger Neilson Public School

All sessions are 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

http://kprdsb.ca/content/dam/kpr/documents/KindergartenParentInfoSession2019.pdf

Starting high school in September? We invite current Grade 8 students, parents and guardians to join us at Grade 8 information nights to learn about the variety of programs available to help learners meet with success.

Several schools have already held their open houses; parents can contact those schools directly for program and registration information. Contact information is available in the Find A School section of www.kprschools.ca

The following open houses are coming up:

              Bowmanville High School, Bowmanville – January 16, 6 p.m.
              Kenner Collegiate Vocational Institute, Peterborough – January 16, 7 p.m.
             Clarington Central Secondary School, Bowmanville – January 17, 6 p.m. 
             Courtice Secondary School, Courtice – January 17, 6:30 pm.
              Port Hope High School, Port Hope – January 17, 6:30 p.m.