School Policies

Curriculum

• Immersion program (Including français langue seconde, arts plastiques, sciences, musique, éducation physique)
• Ethics and Religious Cultures Course (ERC)
• Affiliated with the international organization “ Établissement Vert Brundtland”

Facilities

• State of the art computer lab
• Classrooms with IBM compatibles or Macintosh computers with Internet connections
• Library with librarian and volunteer support
• Music room
• Art room
• Gymnasium
• Large school yard

Professionals

• Speech and language pathologist
• Educational psychologist
• Spiritual and community animator
• Behavior technician
• Nurse
• Social worker
• Dental hygienist

Services

• Bussing
• Extended Day Program (including extra-curricular activities as well as before and after-school child care)
• Lunch supervision program
• Hot meals program
• Milk program
• Pelo (Jewish Heritage Program)

School Hours

Kindergarten

Cycles 1, 2, 3

Note: The school office is open from 8:30 to 4:30 on regular school days.

School Bus Safety Rules:

We urge you to discuss the following rules of conduct with your child for his/her safety as well as for the safety of other children.

• Be respectful towards the driver and fellow passengers
• Understand that the driver is the authority on the bus and responsible for the safety of all passengers.
  

Students must follow the school bus safety rules listed below:
• Wait for the bus to come to a complete stop before entering/exiting
• Enter in single file, do not push other students
• Find your assigned seat and remain seated at all times
• Keep the aisle clear of school bags and lunch boxes
• Do not shout or scream, talk quietly
• Do not drink / eat or leave litter on the bus
• Never put your head or arms out of the window
• Do not tamper with the emergency exit door / window
• Should you need to cross in front of the bus, keep a safe distance and watch for the driver’s signal, do not run.

Student Conduct on the Bus:

Depending on the seriousness of the offence, a student may have transportation privileges suspended immediately or as follows:

3 reports: warnings by the school administration
4 reports: suspension of bus service for 3 days
5 reports: suspension of bus service for 1 week
6 reports: suspension of bus service for the entire school year

HOMEWORK POLICY

Homework at Willingdon is an extension of classroom instruction, and is used to reinforce work done during class time. Homework that is assigned on a daily basis usually consists of completing work that has not been finished in school or practicing new skills that have been taught in the classroom.

Guidelines

• The teachers assign homework for students in the classes they teach. Team teachers and specialists make an effort to co-ordinate their schedules so that homework assignments will respect the maximum daily homework times. The teaching staff informs parents by way of the agenda of important tests, projects and presentations in order to facilitate students’ home study schedules.

• Assignments and information is written by the student in the agenda on a day-by-day basis (in some junior grades the information may be provided by the teacher).

• The agenda book is the major means of communication between teacher and parent. It enables constructive and efficient supervision of homework by the parent, and should be examined each day by both teacher and parent.

• Parents are encouraged to use the agenda to present concerns, questions, and feedback to the teacher on their child’s schoolwork. In particular, if the student cannot complete homework because of illness or other reason, the parent should advise the teacher through the agenda.

• Parents are encouraged to supervise the student’s homework in order to monitor progress and to encourage a positive attitude toward self-initiated and directed study. Providing a quiet place, an appropriate time for daily work, and organization of books and materials is beneficial to your child’s progress.

Homework Time and Guidelines by Cycle

Willingdon After-School Homework Program

An after-school homework program sponsored by the MELS is available to students who are nominated by their respective teachers. Once you are accepted in the program, attendance is mandatory. Parents are asked to respect the pick-up times scheduled at the end of the session.

The school must be informed, on a daily basis, of a student’s absence. The parent must call the school before 9:30 a.m. at ( ( 484-2881). The school secretary will call the home of each absent pupil whose parents have not called the school by 9:30 a.m.

●Your assistance is requested in order that disruptions to opening class procedures are kept to a minimum. Children who frequently arrive late cause numerous delays to their classmates. A child will be marked late if they arrive in class after 9:00.

●When a child is late he/she will have to report to the office for a late slip.

Dress Code Guidelines

 Students are to dress in a neat, clean, sensible fashion (T-shirts carrying suggestive messages, tank tops and tops with spaghetti straps are not permitted) and observe the appropriate dress needs for the weather. Students must have mittens, hats and boots for cold weather. During the warmer months, students should take special care to dress appropriately (shoulders and stomachs should be covered, appropriate length of shorts and skirts should be respected, etc…). Students are expected to wear suitable footwear at all times (slip-on shoes can be dangerous when running on the playground). Students should always have shoes at school. Walking about the school in bare or stocking feet is not permitted. Please,label all clothing.

 Physical Education

Children go to the gymnasium on a regular basis for physical education. It is a compulsory subject taught by a specialist.

 All students are expected to participate to the best of their ability. All studentsmust be dressed for gym - shorts, a short-sleeved shirt, socks, and running shoes that are tied or fastened.Jogging pants may also be worn but leggings may not be worn for Phys. Ed. Jogging suit tops or sweat shirts must be removed for the duration of the gym activity.
Watches, earrings, bracelets and necklaces must not be worn for gym activity. The school cannot accept responsibility for items of jewellery worn, removed, and lost on gym days.

A request for prolonged absences from gym class requires a medical certificate sent to the administration.

Transportation will be provided for students residing within our school boundaries. 0

Kindergarten: must live more than 0.6 km from school

Grade 1 to 6: must live more than 1.4 km from school

 Bus Passes:

If your child is eligible for bus transportation, the English Montreal School Board Transportation Department will mail you a bus pass before the beginning of the school year.

 Accommodation Bussing:

If a student has not received a bus pass, the parent is to come to school and fill out an “Accommodation Request Form”. This form places the student on a list for review at which point he/she may get accepted, and therefore benefit from accommodation bussing. This will only occur should there be room on the school bus. A student receiving accommodation bussing who disrespects school bus safety rules will be removed immediately from the bus and the warning procedure outlined in student conduct on the bus will not be followed in this case.

Playground Supervision

Supervision by teachers takes place between 8:50 and 9:00a.m. and for students who go home for lunch between 12:50 and 1:00 p.m. Students should leave home so that they will arrive at school during the above times. On rainy or very cold mornings, the teachers on supervision will open the doors at 8:50 to allow children to wait in the lunchrooms for the call-in bell at 9:00. The school is not responsible for students arriving before the above times.

Upon arriving, students remain in the playground and do not enter the building unless by appointment. When the bell rings, students are to line up in their respective class places in the yard. Parents are requested not to remain in the playground when they deliver their child (children).

While students may use the yard after 3:30 parents should understand that there is no supervision by the school personnel. Therefore, the school cannot be held responsible for any incidents involving the safety of their children in the yard after school. We request that all students and adults leave the school yard by 4:00 p.m., so that the Extended Day Program can have use of the yard at that time.

LUNCH PROGRAM

• If a student has forgotten his/her lunch, he/she should report to the monitor and an effort will be made to provide the student with a lunch as nutritious as possible.

• Parents are asked to co-operate with the school nutrition policy by giving the children nutritious snacks and lunches, free of nuts/peanut products.

• Soft drinks are forbidden at school. Students are to bring fruit juices, milk, etc., in reusable containers if at all possible.

• All students are expected to enter the lunchroom in an orderly fashion, remain seated while eating, talk quietly with their friends and follow instructions given by the monitors.

• Students who stay for lunch on an occasional basis must have written permission and pay $1.50 each time.

• After due notice to the parents, repeated misbehaviour may result in a child being suspended from the lunch hour program.

• Parents are encouraged to pack lunches in reusable lunch and drink containers.

• Parents of all students who stay at school during the lunch hour period are required to pay supervision fees.

LUNCH FEES

One Child $200.00
Two Children $286.00
Three children or more $358.00

An invoice will be sent home in early October.

Visits and Appointments to School

Parents and other visitors to the school are requested to report to the office upon arrival. Parents are requested not to disturb classes during teaching time. You may make appointments by sending a note to the teacher or phoning the school office at 484-2881.

Should you have any questions or concerns to be addressed to the Administration, please call the office for an appointment.

Newsletter and Notices

Many notices are sent home during the year from the administration, the Parent Committees, and the Extended Day Program. Parents are kept informed of special activities, field trips, reporting sessions and special events. You are also invited to check our Web site at www.emsb.qc.ca/willingdon on a regular basis.

We now have an email-based distribution list. Please make sure we have your email address at the start of the year.

• In the event that a parent decides to take their child out of school for a vacation or any other non medical related absence during the school year please inform the administration. You will be asked to complete a "Vacation Request" form.
• It must be understood that the teacher is NOT obliged to assign homework, tests or projects in advance.
• Upon return to school, the teacher is NOT obliged to arrange for “recuperative” schooling. Therefore, the parent must assume full responsibility for possible academic consequences.

Parents are asked to label clothing, lunch boxes and school bags to simplify the return of these belongings to the students.

The “lost and found” area is located off the Royal Street lunch room. Parents are to check this area if their child has lost something.

Expensive items, example: Cellular phones, Gameboys, Walkman radios, etc… are not permitted in the school, as the school is not responsible for loss of these articles. (See “Code of Behaviour” #9 on page 5 of this agenda).

Lost and found articles will be sent to charitable organizations 4 times throughout the year.

• The School Nurse is present at school two days per week. Her main purpose is to provide health promotion and education programs and to assist families with regards to social and health problems. She can be contacted at the school or at the N.D.G. C.L.S.C. 485-1670.

• Parents are required to inform the school if their child suffers from health problems. The child's Medicare number and an emergency telephone number must be provided for the school.

• Please note that written permission from parents must be sent to school before any prescribed drugs or medication will be administered to students. In addition, written instructions from the doctor/hospital/clinic must also be sent to school.

• Parents are required to inform the school of diseases such as Scarlet Fever, Chicken Pox, Impetigo or Pediculosis(head lice). Any suspected cases of the above will be brought to the attention of the parents in your child’s class. Parents are expected to seek appropriate medical attention or take the necessary action to rid the child of the disease.

• A group of parent volunteers under the direction of the nurse and the administration will check the hair of all students at intervals during the school year to limit as much as possible the spread of head lice.

• The School Board policy requires parents registering at any of the Board's schools to furnish immunization records for their children. Parents, who refuse to have their children immunized, are obliged to provide the school with a written statement to this effect.

• Should a student become ill or injured during the school day a parent 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 student to the hospital will be made by the school. Parents must take over the care of their child as soon as possible. The school will not be responsible for the cost of Urgence Santé, and parents are advised to obtain insurance protection.

• If your child has a fever or an upset stomach, they should remain at home. You, the parent, are the best person to decide when your child is well enough to function well in school.

• An allergy table is provided in the lunchroom. It is an option for parents whose child has a food allergy. At the allergy table, the children are discouraged from sharing food and a monitor remains close by. A school Epipen is available in the lunchroom and at the office. We ask for your cooperation in ensuring that foods containing peanuts and nuts not are sent to school due to the significant number of children with peanut allergies.

STANDING PARENT COMMITTEES

GOVERNING BOARD

The Governing Board is the legal body of the school as defined in The Education Act. Members are elected to this committee at a General Meeting held in September. It meets on a regular basis. It works closely with the Administration to advise and work to achieve the goals of the school as expressed in The Mission Statement, The Educational Project and The Success Plan.

PARENTS' ADVISORY COMMITTEE  

The Parents Advisory Committee is also a recognized body in The Education Act. Members are recruited at the General Meeting in September; however, it is always open to new members. It also meets on a regular basis. This committee serves as an open forum for parents to bring their concerns, explore issues and focus on projects to provide the best possible opportunities and environment for our students.

WILLINGDON HOME AND SCHOOL ASSOCIATION

The Willingdon Home and School Association is the committee that has been granted the mandate to oversee and execute all fund-raising activities by the Governing Board. It is a very active committee who welcomes all to get involved in any way they are able. The committee meets on a regular basis. It is a committee that works tirelessly to offer the students of Willingdon School enrichment and a wealth of opportunities. The Executive is elected at the final meeting in June of the previous year. Some of the major events and activities are listed below.

EXAMPLES OF HOME AND SCHOOL ACTIVITIES

Library volunteers : These volunteers allow the school library to be open five days a week.

Publicity : Every family receives a monthly newsletter. Home & School members also receive the minutes of each meeting. As well, flyers concerning Home & School events are sent home as these activities come up.

Fund Raising & Social Events: Willingdon's Home & School Association organizes a variety of events during the school year. These include the monthly pizza lunch, carolling, book fairs, Cabaret Night for the nutrition fund, year-end Fun Fair, etc. The money and food collected through carolling goes to the NDG Food Bank. Proceeds from all the other events go back to the school to buy books for the library, and for extras not covered in the school's budget.

Extra-Curricular : Through the extra-curricular program, Willingdon students are able to participate in a variety of lunch-time and after-school activities. The courses offered include ballet, drama, computer, sports club, art, violin, etc. A brochure outlining the courses, prices and times is sent home early in the school year.

HOME AND SCHOOL EXECUTIVE: 2009-2010

 President Mary Ann Orlando the.orlandos@videotron.ca
Vice President Alison Cheal pabarbeau@yahoo.com
Treasurer: Terri Tomalty daveter@ca.inter.net
Secretary: Margaret Jackson creationsmaja@vdn.ca
Membership Linda Babins linda.babins@gmail.com

Should you wish to communicate with members of the Home and School executive you are asked to email them directly at the email address above.

WILLINGDON EXTENDED DAY PROGRAM

The Willingdon Extended Day Program provides safe, affordable, quality child care to Willingdon students before and after their regular school day. Homework supervision plus a variety of extracurricular courses, games and activities are incorporated into the program. This is a non profit program. When possible, financial aid will be available to families requiring assistance. Our mandate is to provide affordable before and after school relief to working parents while striving to include quality enrichment programs within this framework. The program is located in the school. Morning hours: 7:15-9:00. After school hours: 3:30-6:15.

For more information contact Christy Savage at 487-8269.

Educational visits or field trips to locations outside the school are planned by individual teachers to emphasize various educational goals in their programs. These visits cover a wide variety of places and themes. Information about such excursions is sent home to parents and involves varying costs. As a rule, the greater the distance, the greater the cost since transportation is the major expense.

Parents are requested to submit payment for field trips well in advance of the event since the school must make payment for tickets when reservations are made. The school does not receive a refund on tickets purchased; therefore, we have adopted a NO REFUND policy when a student does not participate in the planned outing. All groups are accompanied by teachers and a sufficient number of parent volunteers to ensure proper supervision.

Parents are requested to supply their child with the appropriate clothing depending on weather requirements.

Please note that since a field trip is a privilege, good behaviour is a prerequisite for all students.

 In order to be eligible to participate in a field trip, all fee payments including lunch supervision fees and school supply fees must be up to date.

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