Communications

The Agenda

Children are given an agenda book at the beginning of the year. This book is to be used daily as a means of keeping track of lessons and homework as well as specific assignments and reminders.

The agenda book is to be taken home every day, shown to parents at homework time and returned to school every day.

Parents may write brief notes to their child's teacher, such as "I would appreciate a call this evening"...The agenda book is designed to be a useful tool to support children's educational and organizational skills as well as a means to improve communication.

Lost agendas must be replaced at the cost of $7.00.

Friday Folder

The Friday Folder is used to send home to parents all newsletters and bulletins. These notices contain important information regarding the school, its calendar and special programs. Parents are encouraged to keep the notices in a special place for easy reference.

Report Cards

Three formal reports and one interim reports are issued during the year. The school calendar indicates report dates. Student led conferences and Parent/Teacher interviews are an important part of the reporting process.

Elizabeth Ballantyne School makes it a practice to invite all parents for interviews at the end of the first term and in subsequent terms at the request of either the teacher or the parent. The staff and principal are always available by appointment for consultation on parental concerns. Academic progress and student behavior are the primary topics of these meetings.

Parents are encouraged to maintain close contact with the school and are invited to make appointments whenever they have concerns or questions. You may use the agenda book to arrange an appointment.

Newsletters

The school publishes news letters which detail school activities and provides calendar information. Various special notices are also sent home as occasions arise.

The Governing Board records are public records which parents may read in the School Office.

The Newsletter will also be available on the official EBS website.

School Hours and Attendance

School and Office Hours

GRADES K-6

(A.M.) 9:00 TO 12:30

(P.M.) 1:30 TO 3:30

The School Office is open from 7:45 to 11:30 am. in the morning and between 12:30 to 3:45 pm. in the afternoon. You may contact the School Office by telephone at (514) 484 - 1006. A student monitor will be available to answer the phone during the lunch hour.

We ask that you not call between 9:30 and 10:30 am, as this is the busiest period of the morning.

Arrival and Departure

Teachers are on duty in the playground ten minutes before the 9:00 bell. Children must not arrive at school before that time for reasons of safety. Only children registered in the lunch program may be in the yard before 1:30 p.m. As children arrive at 1:30 pm, they should enter the schoolyard immediately upon arrival at school.

Recess and Lunch Hour

All children are expected to go outdoors during the morning and lunch recesses and should be dressed appropriately. If children are well enough to be present in school, they are expected to go outdoors. Parents should keep their children at home if the children are not well enough to go outside.

Attendance and Punctuality

Since each absence from school interferes with your child's progress, attendance must be regular. It is also important that your child be on time for classes from the very beginning of the year.

A pupil who has been late or absent from school must bring a note of explanation, signed by a parent or guardian, upon his/her return to class. If at all possible, appointments with doctors and dentists should be arranged after school hours, or on Professional Days.

Reporting and Verifying Absences (SAS)

The Safe Arrival System (SAS) is the quickest and surest method of accounting for your child's absence. On the morning of your child's absence, please call the "buddy" on page 1 of the Agenda- as assigned by the teacher. The buddy will inform the homeroom teacher. In the event that both your child and the buddy are absent, please notify another child from the class. Please do not call the office.

Regular and Early Dismissal

Should it be necessary for your child to be dismissed early, a written request is required and must be presented to the homeroom teacher. The student must check out at the office before leaving and must wait at the office to be picked up. For any change in a child's return home either at noon or after school, a note must be presented in the morning to the homeroom teacher and lunch monitor.

If a child who normally goes home for lunch does not return for the afternoon, parents must notify the school immediately.

Extended Vacations

Parents are encouraged to plan family vacations to coincide with the school calendar. It is very difficult to provide students with extra work to take on a holiday. The school should be advised prior to lengthy absences.

Children in the Building

Children are not allowed to enter the building in the early morning unless they are coming in for pre-arranged remedial work with a teacher.

Children must leave the building immediately when their class has been dismissed.

Children left at the park outside school hours are under their parents' supervision.

Use of the Telephone

Children may not use the school telephone except for emergencies. Things like forgotten library books or gym uniforms are last minute arrangements, and are not considered emergencies.

Visitors to the School

All parents, volunteers and visitors are required to go directly to the school office by the front door on Northview Avenue to pick up a visitors badge. This badge should be worn during the entire stay and returned before leaving. We are happy to have the monitor deliver a message, shoes or a lunch box to your child in his/her classroom.

School Uniforms

EBS has a compulsory school uniform for all children including Kindergarten. The school uniform is to be worn daily.

• navy pants, skirt or tunic (no denim)
• white or navy school polo shirt or turtleneck with the EBS crest
• school cardigan or sweatshirt
• No other tops or sweatshirts are supposed to be worn in school.

There is a gym uniform for all students:

• navy sweat pants/shorts,
• school polo shirt and
• running shoes

Free Dress will be permitted only on the last Friday of every month and on special "theme days".

Uniforms can be purchased from

CUA, Inc. 3975 Ave. De Courtrai Suite 200, Montreal at (514) 904-1431.

Representatives from the company will visit the school to take orders, the dates will be posted in the Newsletter. Additionally, parents can contact CUA at anytime to place an order.

Homework

Homework is an essential part of our school programme. For consistent progress, homework and assignments must be done on time. Homework is used to reinforce work done during class time, as well as to practice newly acquired skills.

Parents and teachers must work together to help children develop good study habits and a responsible attitude. Your child should have a quiet place in which to work and a regular time which allows him/her time to complete all homework assignments.

If questions or difficulties arise, the teacher is the first person to contact.

The amount of homework a child has on any given night may vary according to the needs of the child, the events of the school day, and the teacher's own approach. The minimum amount of time which a child might spend ranges from about 15 minutes in cycle 1 to about 45 minutes in cycle 3. If your child appears to have no "official" homework on a certain night, we remind you that independant reading is always part of the homework routine.

Teachers explain their homework policy at Meet-the-Teacher night in September. Please feel free to ask questions that evening or at any time during the year.

Awards and Recognition

One of the methods of recognition is the Awards Program. Elizabeth Ballantyne School recognizes the All-Star Students, and monthly "special certificates".

All-Star Student

The names of the All-Star Students are posted each term based on the following:

• the student makes an exceptional effort in all subjects
• completes assignments on time
• participates well in class
• exhibits responsible behavior
• has a positive attitude
• cooperates with fellow students and staff

Cool Kids Certificate

These are given to recognize special positive behaviour or positive service to the classroom or the school. A Cool Kids Certificate may be presented to students who merit special recognition.

Prefects

At the beginning of the school year, Cycle 3 year 2 students are nominated by their peers to be prefects on the basis of their sense of responsibility, leadership and consideration for others. The Prefects act as hosts and guides at various school functions. They carry out specific and limited supervisory duties within the school and act as peer models of excellence.

Safety and Security

Street Safety

The M.U.C. provides a school guard at the corner of Westminster and Parkside weekdays at school entry and dismissal time. This person ensures that students cross in safety. It is expected that children will reciprocate by obeying the guard's instructions and by being polite at all times.

To help avoid accidents, you are urged to follow these guidelines:

1. Regularly re-emphasize pedestrian safety procedures to your children, e.g. co-operation with the school crossing guard.
2. Avoid driving on Northview Avenue at arrival and dismissal time. Park on an adjacent street, and walk with your child the last few meters to school. This will help to reduce the heavy volume of traffic outside the school's main entrance.
3. PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT THE AREA OF NORTHVIEW IN FRONT OF THE SCHOOL IS A NO-STOPPING ZONE. PARENTS WISHING TO DROP THEIR CHILDREN OFF AT SCHOOL SHOULD DO SO ON PARKSIDE. TICKETS COULD BE ISSUED FOR INFRACTIONS.
4. The law requires that you must wait behind a signaling school bus. Do not overtake the bus or back down the street or in a neighbour's driveway.
5. The parking lot is reserved for staff.

In warmer months, parents may permit children to ride bicycles to school. The law requires that your child wear a bicycle helmet at all times.

Bicycles must be parked beside the school but are vulnerable to vandalism or theft. It must be understood that the responsibility lies with parents. Skateboards and rollerblades are not allowed in the school.

Please note that there is no supervision provided at Strathearn Park or in the school playground after school hours. Parents should report to the MUC Police suspicious activity around the school after hours or on weekends.

THE SCHOOL IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR VALUABLE ITEMS BROUGHT TO SCHOOL SUCH AS MP3 PLAYERS, CELL PHONES, VIDEO GAMES ETC...

Fire Drills

School fire drill are held a number of times throughout the year. This is to ensure an orderly evacuation of the building, should it become necessary. Drills may be held outdoors; therefore, pupils are required to wear shoes at all times.

Lost and Found

Please clearly label all personal items belonging to your child. Parents are stongly encouraged to look through the lost and found at regular intervals. Items left in the lost and found for over a month will be discarded. The Lost and Found box is placed in the corridor near Room 17.

Health and Medical

Parents are required to inform the school if their child suffers from a health problem. The child's Medicare number must also be provided.

When a Child Becomes Ill

If a child becomes ill or is injured, the family will be notified as soon as possible. Arrangements will be made either to send the student home or to a hospital, if necessary. If parents cannot be reached, the decision to send the child to hospital will be made by the school. Ambulance costs will be charged to the parents. Parents must take over the care of their child as soon as possible.

Contact Person(s)

An emergency parent/relative/neighbour should be identified by all parents on the Student Personal Information Card. The school will contact this person if your child is ill during the day and parents cannot be reached.

IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PARENT/GUARDIAN TO ENSURE THAT THE SCHOOL HAS THE CORRECT ADDRESS AND UP-TO-DATE PHONE NUMBERS (HOME, BUSINESS AND EMERGENCY) AT ALL TIMES. IF ANY OF THIS INFORMATION CHANGES, THE SCHOOL MUST BE INFORMED IMMEDIATELY.

School Nurse

Elizabeth Ballantyne School receives the services of a school nurse from the CLSC. The school nurse conducts vision checks on students referred individually by teachers. She performs hearing tests if requested by the teachers. She is also responsible for informing parents of Kindergarten and new pupils when their medical records indicate incomplete vaccinations.

A Hepatitis A and B vaccination programme along with Gardasil (human papilloma virus)and Varivax(chicken Pox) is offered to all Cycle 2 YEAR 2 students at the school.

The nurse attends to various school health problems offers some health education. The nurse is available for consultation by telephone at the school number - (514) 484-1006 or at the CLSC at 485-1670.

Head Lice

Head lice is an ongoing problem for all schools. At Elizabeth Ballantyne, a team of parent volunteers has been trained by the nurse to check heads at intervals during the year. The first screening will be done in September. Parents will be contacted immediately should their child be found to have nits or lice. The parents are responsible for picking up their child immediately when contacted, and to give a shampoo treatment. All nits must be removed before the child is allowed to return to school, usually 24 hours.

Pupil Medication

When a child needs to take medication, written parental permission must be given to the teacher. Parents must send only one dose of medication, labelled with the child's name and with medical prescription attached. Please use Student Medication Waiver of Responsibility form at the back of the agenda or at the office.

Communicable Diseases

Parents are required to furnish immunization records for; Diphtheria, Whooping Cough, Polio, Measles, German Measles, Mumps and other communicable diseases. Parents who refuse to have their children immunized will be obliged to provide the school with a written statement of this fact.

Should a child become ill with any of these diseases, or with non-preventable diseases such as Scarlet Fever, Chicken Pox, Impetigo or Pediculosis (head lice), parents are required to inform the school. Any suspected cases of the above will be brought to all parents' attention by the school. Parents are expected to seek appropriate medical attention.

Bus Transportation

Transportation by school bus provided for:

1. Kindergarten pupils who live more than .8 km from their designated school.
2. Cycles 1-3 pupils who live more than 1.6 km from their designated school.

Children who are not eligible and who do not possess a bus pass may not board the bus at any time. Children who are granted an accommodation pass must follow the same school bus rules as all children. Accommodations passes will be granted at the discretion of the Principal.

Additional Information

Library

For more information about the use of the Montreal West Library, see Montreal West Library.

Lunch Program

On December 15, 1998, the E.M.S.B. adopted the noon-hour supervision policy which indicated that all children who stay for lunch are responsible for the payment of the lunchroom supervision fee. The fee for the lunch program for the year is $225.00 per child.

The lunch programme is open to all children who require it. Your child must be registered before he/she is permitted to stay. There is a supervising monitor and a team of monitors who are responsible for the supervision. The Governing Board oversees the lunch programme.

Pre-registration takes place in May. The Lunch Programme Coordinator is Joan Newsome, 489-1314.

Children who are enrolled in the lunch programme must bring their own lunch. Glass bottles and knives are not permitted. The programme is not intended for occasional or "emergency" use. Children in the programme who wish to leave the school grounds on a given day must be accompanied by an adult with written parental permission. All children must be dressed appropriately for the weather as they go outside for the last 40 minutes of the lunch hour. We encourage you to pack a healthy lunch and avoid junk foods (no soft drinks).

Daycare Program

EBS offers daycare facilities for all students of the school.

Click here for more details.

Parent Volunteers

Parents are welcome and strongly encouraged to volunteer in the school, either directly with the homeroom teacher, for various committees as well as for special projects. Each year a number of parents generously give their time to help students and staff. Interested parents and citizens are encouraged to communicate with the school office and/or specific teachers.

Parents' Concerns

Parents/guardians should first speak to the child's teacher. If the concern persists, parents should contact the principal.

The Governing Board and the Home & School Association, both parent organizations within the school, do not have the mandate to deal with individual parents' concerns regarding their children.