Strong Start Volunteers Needed!
Please see attached information regarding the Strong Start reading program.
Strong Start Volunteer Opportunity 2022
Terry Fox Parent Letter
Hello Holy Spirit Families. Please see attached letter for information about our Terry Fox national school walk day. Additionally, there is a link embedded in the letter where you can make your donations.
Thank You
Terry Fox Parent Letter 2022
Anticipated Transportation Service Interruptions
Dear Parents and Families,
We want to share an important update about school buses. Due to the ongoing bus driver shortage and lingering impacts of the public board’s cyber attack on our shared bus planning software, some routes will need to be temporarily cancelled.
Most bus routes are operating normally. However, some routes are experiencing more frequent and prolonged delays (30 minutes or greater).
This temporary measure will be effective Monday, September 19, 2022 and will continue until Christmas, at which time our need for cancellations will be reviewed.
We understand the significant impact this decision will have on our students and their families and caregivers. Student Transportation Services of Waterloo Region (STSWR) does this only as a last resort. We hope that this proactive message will allow families and caregivers to better prepare for and react to the cancellation of bus routes.
Please note that delays have not been caused by our current bus drivers. When they are late, it is because they are trying to support students on bus routes that have no driver, with the best of intentions. They do not have to do this. They are trying to help. Please be kind to them!
What Happens If A School Bus Route is Cancelled?
Effective September 19, 2022
A school bus route will be cancelled when the driver shortage causes a route to be late by more than 30 minutes consistently. Affected students and families will be informed immediately of the cancellation period. Cancellations are done on a week to week basis.
Supporting Student Learning
If a school bus route is cancelled, families are responsible for transporting their children to and from school each day.
Where this is not possible, students should access asynchronous learning materials posted by their classroom teacher on their Learning Management System (LMS), either D2L or Google Classroom. Additional activities can be found here: .
Families should contact their school to let them know if they are unable to get to school. The school can also help families to sign out a Chromebook if necessary.
Stay Informed
Families will be informed the day prior to any cancellation. Cancellations will be posted on the STSWR website with an expected return date.
- Register for notifications on the STSWR parent portal
- Check the Bus Delays page on the STSWR website
The Bus Delays page will be updated with cancellation information each afternoon by 4:30 PM.
Questions?
Please contact Student Transportation Services of Waterloo Region (STSWR).
CPIC Recruitment Poster
CPIC Recruitment poster (Sept 2022)
Traffic Safety and Parking Reminders
Please see attached link to Traffic Safety and Parking Reminders.
Thank you for all that you do to keep our students, staff and community safe.
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1HWF-v_3XOrvkSm0zH7YrcvDhmNQlFU1RRDazP1Amvjk/edit?usp=sharing
Emergency Communication – Transportation
Due to a software malfunction, STSWR and our bus operators will not be able to post late notices on websites for transportation routes that are not running on schedule. Further, late notices cannot be sent to parents via e-mail or text message as normal.
We apologize for this late notice and the issues it will create to your schedules.
Special Message from Director of Education Tyrone Dowling
Special Message from Director of Education Tyrone Dowling
Dear Waterloo Catholic Families,
We are excited to be welcoming you and your family back for the start of the 2022-23 school year. We offer a special welcome to all families joining us for the first time this year. We hope that all of you had a great summer and are looking forward to the new opportunities this year will bring.
If you need information about registering for school, please CLICK HERE .
We look forward to joining with you this year in the name of Catholic education to support the academic success and faith formation of all of our students. We are thankful for the opportunity to work together with you to provide the very best educational opportunity possible for your child and family.
I am writing to you today to provide important information to assist with your planning as we approach our first day of school next Tuesday, September 6, 2022.
COVID Health and Safety Protocols
On August 5, the Ministry of Education released the Health and Safety protocols for the start of the school year. Most protocols and guidelines remain unchanged to those that were in place at the end of June. We continue to work with our local public health officials to ensure we are aligned with the most up-to-date guidance and hope to minimize any potential disruptions to learning throughout this school year.
The following is a summary of what you can expect in September:
Ventilation – Over the past several years, significant upgrades have been made in school ventilation systems to support a healthy learning environment. Our custodial and maintenance staff have been working throughout the summer to ensure our schools are safe, clean and that the ventilation systems have been inspected and properly maintained to welcome staff and students back. UV or combination UV/HEPA filtration units will continue to be present in all classrooms and learning spaces throughout this school year.
Daily Screening – Staff and students are asked to continue to screen each morning before school using the COVID-19 school screening (ontario.ca) resource, and stay home when feeling unwell or exhibiting symptoms. We ask that screening become part of your personal daily routines. The daily screening requirements and related guidance may change throughout the year and notification of any changes will be communicated to our community.
Masking – Continuing with the protocols in place in June – and based on the advice of the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health – masks will remain optional for students, staff and visitors in schools, and on student transportation. We continue to support a mask-friendly environment in our schools and workplaces and recognize there are times when staff or students may need to wear masks in alignment with provincial or federal guidance or may choose to wear masks if there is a high incidence of illness in our community. Masks will continue to be available upon request to staff and students in the 2022-23 school year.
Rapid Antigen Tests – Rapid Antigen Test kits will continue to be available to staff and students in schools as needed.
For more information about school start-up routines, please watch for updates from your school this week.
Thank you for your ongoing support of Catholic Education. We look forward with anticipation to the new opportunities this year will bring.
I wish you all the best as we begin this school year in the coming week.
Sincerely,
Tyrone Dowling
Director of Education