Welcome to the John Brant Public School Website

Welcome to Kindergarten Information 2022-2023
Welcome to DSBN Kindergarten	What does learning look like	John Brant Placemat	A Typical Day in Kindergarten	The Kindergarten Environment

Can't wait to meet our new kindergarten friends!

Start up information...

Dear Parents/Guardians,

The time has arrived, and we are excited to get back to teaching and learning! As a staff, we have been busy developing all the necessary precautions and measures associated with opening and preparing the school and classrooms for the children for next week. We recognize that students have been away for an extended period and there will be some nervousness in the beginning few days, however, the overwhelming majority of students will quickly recognize the familiarity of routines and procedures. We have done our utmost with the guidelines provided by Public Health, the Ministry of Education, and our Board to prepare for the safe arrival of the children.

Below is a link to the Parent Return to School Guide that was made available to you last week on both our school and Board websites. This document contains critical information to help clarify our return to school plan and all the procedures and precautions implemented. Please ensure that you have read this guide. Elementary Guide - School is Back 2021-22 - District School Board of Niagara (dsbn.org)

Some additional points of information:

ENTRY 9:00 a.m.

The school day begins at 9:00 am and students will be gathered into their designated outdoor area with their cohort and teacher (map attached). Students will learn this area on the first day. There is no need for students to be at school anytime prior to 8:45 am as there is no supervision. Upon arrival, students will go directly to their assigned area and remain there until a staggered and controlled entry into the building occurs. We have designated three drop-off areas as parents do not have access to the school yard.

Drop-off Areas:

Kindergarten: if you are dropping off or picking up a kindergarten child it will be the front sidewalk along the kindergarten play area. Once you have dropped off or picked up your child, please exit the school grounds.

Grades 1-8: we have designated two points of drop-off/entrance.

§ The back gate along South Mill is the preferred drop-off as it avoids congestion of parking lot and allows for ease of access for students to their designated outdoor class space.

§ The parking lot is the least desirable as it creates the potential for parking lot congestion. Parking spaces are limited, however, should you choose, students need to be dropped-off/exiting the vehicle nearest the gate at the back corner of the gym, NOT at the front of the school. We cannot have students exiting the vehicle at the front sidewalk as this would cause unsafe conditions at the sidewalk and Ridge Road. All are encouraged to walk, when possible.

DISMISSAL- 3:20 p.m.

Kindergarten:

Kindergarten students will be dismissed in the same manner as drop-off. They will all be gathered in their designated spaces with teachers, to be handed over to parent/guardian at the sidewalk. Again, we ask that once you have gathered your child, please exit the school grounds to avoid unnecessary congestion.

Grades 1-8:

The back gate along South Mill is the exit spot for student pick up. All parents meeting a child in Grades 1-8 will need to do so at the back gate on South Mill. *For Grade 1 parents, staff will accompany the children for an exchange at the gate. The procedures we have put in place for dismissal are done so with student safety and a controlled exit in mind. We appreciate that it may not be the most convenient, however, with the limited accessibility to school grounds for parents, this process is necessary. We appreciate your cooperation and understanding.

FITNESS and NUTRITION

In our past practice, there were 2 forty-minute nutrition and fitness breaks whereby the school was divided into two populations: half outside, while the other half ate and after twenty minutes they switched. In order to greatly reduce congestion and maximize space, we have staggered these breaks to allow fewer students to be participating in the fitness and nutrition break at any one time. Students will still have two fitness and nutrition breaks, however, there will be fewer students out on the yard. Students will always remain with their own class during the nutrition portion of break and will then have opportunity to be outside for the fitness portion and mask break. At this point we are encouraging all students to remain at school to during the fitness and nutrition breaks. Of note: it is imperative that students come to school fully prepared for the day as parent drop-offs will not be permitted under the current limitations of access.

PARENT ACCESS

Our desire is to always remain a welcoming and inclusive environment. All schools across the DSBN will be initiating protocols for parent/visitor access for safety purposes. No parents/visitors shall have access to the school without a scheduled appointment and having completed the COVID Visitor Self-assessment, located at the top of the DSBN website (red button) and on our school website on the right (blue rectangle). We encourage communication between home and school and our teachers are fully prepared to make themselves available via phone or virtual meetings. We encourage these methodologies as a way of reducing school visitors. We thank you for your cooperation.

DAILY HEALTH ASSESSMENT

Outlined in the Parent Return to School Plan, it is necessary for parents to be completing a daily self-assessment of their child’s health in order to maintain as safe and healthy and environment as can be. We ask that no child be sent to school unwell.

RETURN OF TECHNOLOGY

Any students who have borrowed technology for online learning, please bring it to the school when you return next week.

TRANSPORTATION · For updated school bus rules and protocols, visit nsts.ca. NSTS is following Ministry of Education and local public health guidelines for student transportation

· Students who opted-in to ride the bus in the 2020-21 school year will be automatically assigned a seat for the 2021-22 school year

· Students who are eligible for the bus and did not ride last year, must notify NSTS if they intend to ride the bus this year to ensure they have a seat assigned. Visit nsts.ca and sign-in to the parent portal to view your Opt-In to Transportation status. Complete the Opt-In to Transportation Form if you need to change your status · To view preliminary transportation arrangements, visit nsts.ca and sign-in to the parent portal For questions about transportation, visit nsts.ca, email [email protected] or call 905-357-6787

WEEKS AHEAD

A great deal of thought and planning has gone into the development of classes. Striking a balance between student relationships and optimal learning environment connected to student-learning profiles, group chemistry and teacher strengths is always at the forefront. It is, however, not possible to ensure each student is in the same class as all their friends. You will be receiving an email from your child’s teacher on or by Thursday, September 2nd introducing themselves as well as any other pertinent classroom information they may wish to share. As our population adjusts over the coming days/week, it is important to note that there may be need for a reorganization classes to accommodate these changes in population. Any changes that need occur families will be contacted directly. Changes will only occur as a result of change in student population, not to accommodate placement with friends.

There will be frequent communication being sent home electronically over the coming weeks to keep you updated. We will be using our school website and email as our primary methods to communicate. Please ensure that your email address is up to date and accurate. School Cash Online will become an important tool supporting verification of certain documents- permission to participate forms, Use of Technology etc.. Please make yourself familiar with this application located on our school website.

There are bound to be things that will arise that were not foreseen, and as usual, we will remain adaptable and solutions oriented. Cooperation, flexibility and adaptability will be key traits as we move through these uncertain times in order to create the best environment possible for our children.

Thank you for your time and cooperation. Have an enjoyable long weekend and we are looking forward to seeing you next week.

S. Webb

 

Inclement Weather Message for Families

There are times in Niagara when weather conditions are so poor that we must cancel student transportation, and/or close schools to preserve the safety of students and staff.

The decision to cancel transportation and/or close schools is not taken lightly; a variety of factors are considered when making this choice. To learn more about how these decisions are made, please go to https://www.dsbn.org/inclementweather.

Transportation Cancellations:
Information about transportation delays and cancellations are posted to https://portal.nsts.ca/Cancellations.aspx. When transportation is cancelled, information is shared before 6:00 am on the day of the cancellation. There are times when transportation is cancelled, but schools remain open. If, on those days you feel it is best for your child to stay home, please report your child’s absence https://dsbn.org/safearrival/ so we can make sure they are safe at home.

School Closures:

When the decision to close schools is made, it refers to all schools: both in-person and virtual schools. School closure information is shared before 6:00 am on the day of the school closure. You will find it on dsbn.org, all school websites, DSBN social media, and local media share the news widely as well.

Student Work on School Closure and Transportation Cancellation Days:

For elementary students - On days where transportation is cancelled and/or schools are closed, please visit your child’s school website and click on the “Learn From Home” button. There you will find optional asynchronous learning resources.

For secondary students – Students will be able to access online materials for their courses. If it is a culminating activity day, special arrangements will be made and communicated to students centrally. 

 

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Keeping our School Safe and Healthy

If you have a child with a Prevalent Medical Condition (Anaphylaxis, Asthma, Diabetes, and/or Epilepsy) we want to make sure we have a current Plan of Care to support your child.  

The Plan of Care form is a new document that replaces the Emergency Action Plan. All parents of children with Prevalent Medical Conditions are asked to fill out the new Plan of Care and submit to the school.

You can download the forms here dsbn.org/prevalent-medical-conditions.

For more information, please contact the school.

FOOD ALLERGY/ANAPHYLAXIS-SAFETY MESSAGE

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Grand Opening - October 3, 2016

On Sunday October 2nd, Grade 7 and 8 students participated in the Landscape of Nations Ceremony at Queenston Heights. Here are some pictures from our special day!