MindWare Academy
985 Pinecrest Rd K2B 6B4 Ottawa, ON, Canada

Well ... didn't see that coming. They have postponed March Break until April for the school boards. Not sure what we are doing - we will keep you posted. It's never dull this year.

Best birthday wishes ever! Thank you primary class. Even if I can't get them in person, they are every bit as precious.

Good morning MindWare. A lot of parents and students have been asking what my plans are when I step down in June. I am shifting gears and moving into the field of mental health. I have been studying to become a Therapeutic Arts Practitioner, Eco-Art Practitioner, Healing Arts Coach and Therapeutic Play Practitioner - a lot going on here! Please check out my Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/Tides-of-ChangeFinding-Purpose-through-Art-Nature-and-Play-101049348604375 I am not scheduling online groups/individuals yet, but will be this spring, so stay tuned. I owe this passion to all of the kids that I have done art with and had the honour of witnessing the healing that happened as a result of creating and playing.

Gratitude is so important for mental health. Is there something you were grateful for yesterday, other than kids returning to school? For me it was getting to play outside in the snow with my kiddos again!

February is Black History Month.

Good information as we head into cold and flu season. Also remember - change masks and wash them daily!

If your child tests POSITIVE for #COVID19, they must self-isolate for a minimum of 10 days, and ALL other members of the household must also self-isolate for at least 14 days. Learn more about the self-isolation instructions here: http://ow.ly/V0cm50CdHtN

15 years ago we started a MindWare tradition of sitting down and enjoying an amazing Thanksgiving lunch that each class helped prepare. This year we couldn’t do that however, it doesn’t make us any less thankful for our incredible MindWare family. Amazing, caring staff, parents who are so supportive and the most incredible kiddos ever! Thank you everyone for working hard to keep our little community safe during this time - a lot of disinfecting and rule following, but it continues to pay off. May you have a beautiful weekend and may each of you find those little things to be thankful for.

A great post from OPH - we know this is scary and frustrating and we are all doing our best. Sometimes Karen and I don't have the answer right away, but neither does Public Health and they are the experts. Sometimes we need to sit tight and wait for their direction. Nothing is coming directly from me or Karen, every single decision is coming from Public Health. Again, I know it is difficult and it isn't going to get easier soon. Patience and understanding go a long way as we figure this out. Thank you and have a wonderful weekend.

I stand corrected - it would seem that OPH has the power to override Ontario and they are still telling schools that children MUST be symptom free for 24 hours even with a runny nose as we are a hotspot in Ottawa - because we weren’t all confused enough! Changing daily

Things keep changing - hope this clarifies where OPH stands as of today.

Students still need to stay home at least 24 hours and monitor, but a negative test is not needed for the sniffles now. However, with numbers rising, it is always best to give extra time to make sure.

New information on how to know if you should send your child to school and what to do with those runny noses!!

Today is Orange Shirt Day. OPH encourages everyone to think about the survivors of Indian Residential Schools and their families. Click on these links to learn ...more about the impact and legacy of colonization: Books - https://bit.ly/2FQWB56 Events - https://bit.ly/360G2yM Ottawa Public Library / Bibliothèque publique d'Ottawa See more

Tomorrow is Orange Shirt Day. Wear your orange shirt to school.

Copy of the form for return to school - this is for symptoms related to ongoing issues or to say that the test was negative. Positive tests are dealt with using very different protocols.

Important information. Karen has also emailed this to all parents. Again - things change daily! Thanks everyone

The best place to store your mask when you are not using it is a clean, closable container. Use a paper bag or plastic container instead of a lanyard to best protect yourself from #Covid19

All kids must be symptom free for 24 hours

Keep doing what we are doing MindWare - small bubbles and keeping sick kids home.

This is why we need to keep our bubbles small

FYI important COVID-19 testing update: new East-end care clinic coming to the Ray Friel Community Centre on 10th Line Rd in Orléans. Thanks to our community partners for making this happen.

More good info from Public Health

An important read - things change daily - it really is one day at a time. Thank you for your ongoing patience as we all navigate this

Thanks MindWare parents for being so understanding and amazing!

Thank you everyone for a great first week back. With compassion, patience, a sense of humour and determination we made the week a success. The smiles and laughter from the kids made it all worth it!! Enjoy the weekend.

I know it is so hard when we also have allergies, anxieties, ongoing medical conditions, etc, but maybe this guide will help.

Definitely our goals as we head back to school. Looking forward to seeing our kiddos!

An interesting graphic that shows the importance of face masks but also ventilation. Not only are we encouraging outdoor learning whenever possible, we also have two large medical grade Hepa units and individual classroom ones to help clean that air!! We are trying to take every step possible to keep our kids and staff safe.

Great tool to decide if it is safe for your child to attend school

I am so excited to introduce our new grade 4/5 EA - Brandon Wilson. He has a special place in my heart because he was once a little one at MindWare and in my class 10 years ago! College grad with 2 diplomas and ready to now be a staff member. Crazy how things work out and how connected we all stay!