St. Andrews Catholic School
35 Cameron Street K0J 2A0 Killaloe Station, ON, Canada

Don’t forget tomorrow (Thursday, Nov. 19) is HAT DAY! Show your #SchoolSpirit

We hope everyone has a safe weekend, and next week, please remember to complete the screening questions with your child before leaving for school each morning! https://covid-19.ontario.ca/school-screening/

A reminder tomorrow (Wednesday) is PINK day. Wear as much pink as you can to take a stand against bullying and show that you are PEACEFUL. INCLUSIVE. NOBLE. KIND! #SchoolSpirit #PinkWeek

Imagine the impact if we were to love unconditionally as Jesus has asked of us. Part of our vision statement asks us to do just that. ...open to mystery and endless discovery in the Lord, we are called to love unconditionally. This week, acting as faith filled community builders, we can use warmth, hospitality, good humour and joy to welcome one another and recognize each person’s value as we express unconditional love for one another. Our focus today... How can we, as God’s people, act in a way that recognizes unconditional love and ensures that the spaces we share are love-filled, welcoming, safe and enjoyable for everyone?

Is your pre-teen or teen ready to care for children? Why not have them earn their Red Cross Babysitting Certificate from home. We have virtual courses Monday to Thursday this week at two different times to suit your family's busy schedule:) https://bit.ly/2PYjUvz

Be peaceful, inclusive, noble and kind. Be of one heart, be of one mind. All of God’s children are born to live free; Stand up together for you and for me! #PinkWeek #WeArePink

Remember to complete the screening questions with your child before leaving for school each morning! https://covid-19.ontario.ca/school-screening/

Update for Parents November 16, 2020 https://rccdsb.edu.on.ca///parent-update-november-16-2020/

PICTURE DAY IS FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20TH!

A reminder St. Andrews staff and students will be participating in our annual Terry Fox Run for Hope tomorrow (Friday Sept 25). Classes will be walking at various times throughout the day to ensure physical distancing. Donations accepted on School Cash Online.

A reminder there is a school council meeting today at 5:30pm via Google Meet. Contact us at [email protected] to receive the link to the meeting. All parents and guardians welcome to participate!

Please note the updated guidance on testing and isolation: Household members who do not have any symptoms must carefully self-monitor for any symptoms but can c...ontinue to attend school and work so long as they do not develop any new symptoms. Everyone must continue to pay close attention to the rules on physical distancing, mask wearing and hand-washing. See more

ATTN: Impt update to #COVID19 guidance for #RenfrewCounty + #SouthAlgonquin. Household members who DO NOT have symptoms can now self-monitor (not self-isolate). This means they can attend school or work with careful attention to physical distancing, masking and hand hygiene.

REMINDER TO STUDENTS & FAMILIES Please keep up the good work. Continue to follow RCDHU guidance physical distancing, masking, handwashing, etc., when you are ...away from school over the weekend to help keep our school communities safe and well and our schools open. https://www.rcdhu.com/novel-coronavirus-covid-19-2/

What do you do if you have #COVID19 symptoms? Or if someone is your house does? Below provides you with some guidance on what steps to follow to keep everyone safe. If you are a #RenfrewCounty or #SouthAlgonquin resident + require testing, please call VTAC at 1-844-727-6404.

Parent Update for September 18: Key messages in keeping our schools safe https://rccdsb.edu.on.ca//09/18/parent-update-september-18/

TIP OF THE DAY: Set a recurring reminder in your phone to complete the #COVID19 screening tool each morning before your kids leave for school each day. [https://covid-19.ontario.ca/school-screening/] #WeAreInThisTogether #WearAMask #PhysicalDistancing

Key reminders to parents, students and staff 1. Complete the screening tool every day at https://covid-19.ontario.ca/school-screening/. If you have any symptoms..., stay home and call VTAC to arrange to be tested. 2. Anyone in the same household as someone with symptoms must stay home and self-isolate until the symptomatic person receives a negative test. No test is necessary for anyone with no symptoms but DO self-isolate. 3. Once the negative test is confirmed, household contacts can return to work/school. 4. Once the person who was tested has received a negative test, they may return to school/work 24 hours after symptoms have started to improve and no fever.

RCCDSB Director of Education announces retirement plan Director of Education for the Renfrew County Catholic District School Board (RCCDSB), Jaimie Perry, annou...nced today his retirement effective as of the end of January 2021. Perry will be concluding a 32-year career with the Board having served as an occasional teacher, teacher, department head, vice-principal, principal, superintendent and Director of Education. Perry notes, While I have witnessed many changes during this time, the Boards Vision Statement has remained a true constant guide for me personally and professionally and for our system as a whole. When we anchor ourselves in our faith and in each other, we can do remarkable things together. I am proud to have served with an RCCDSB community that is so committed to the success, growth and well-being of students. The impact and imprint that fellow colleagues, students, parents and broader community members have had on my journey is a true blessing for which I am grateful. Board Chair David Howard expressed thanks to Mr. Perry for the warmth, hospitality, good humour and joy that has characterized his leadership style. Jaimie is an outstanding leader who embraced the important work our Board does. We appreciated his continued commitment to maintain the quality of leadership we have become accustomed to at RCCDSB. He was integral in the implementation of our renewed Strategic Plan to continue nurturing the growth and success of our students and our schools, said Howard. Perry remains focused on ensuring the Boards start to the 2020-21 school year amidst the COVID-19 pandemic proceeds as safely as possible, and that the educational experience provided to students, both in school and in the online environment, is robust and faith-filled. The Renfrew County District Health Unit has been an invaluable community partner and guide over the past several months as we have collectively wrestled with evolving information to make our schools as safe as possible. And, of course, the RCCDSB team has dug in to ensure we implement protocols to make physical schooling safe and at the same time enhanced our online capabilities to support learners who have chosen that path. I have never been prouder to be part of this community than over the past several months. When we focus on the pronoun we and the preposition with, everything is possible. The Board will shortly commence the search for a new director to carry on the legacy of great leadership at RCCDSB. It is with saddened hearts that we regretfully accept Jaimies letter of resignation. We are grateful for Jaimies many years of dedicated service to our Board and extend best wishes for a long, happy, and well-deserved retirement, stated Howard. For more information please contact: David Howard, Chairperson, RCCDSB @ 613-735-1031

Now Hiring! Casual Caretakers for Renfrew, Barry's Bay and Madawaska Valley. If you are interested in these positions, please submit your application through www.applytoeducation.com . ***Applications sent through Facebook, or directly to Human Resources will not be considered.***

Please read the RCCDSB's Mental Health and Wellness newsletter for October

Now Hiring!! The RCCDSB has a vacancy for a Noon Hour Supervisor at St. Andrew's Elementary School in Killaloe. If you are interested in this position, please send your cover letter and resume to Katrina Burgess @ [email protected]

A new self-assessment tool for parents and students is now available: https://covid-19.ontario.ca/school-screening/

Students are reminded to dress for the weather.

We look forward to welcoming our students to school on Tuesday, Sept. 8. We encourage parents, guardians and students to watch Mr. OGradys video message and virtual tour. https://youtu.be/0fHyOs9cShQ

Please read our Welcome Back Letter to Parents and Guardians https://rccdsb.edu.on.ca//welcome-back-letter-to-parents-/

Please read the latest parent update from the Ministry of Education:

As of today, the Board schools are still scheduled for a September 8 start up for students. Anyone wishing to opt in or out of virtual learning should contact the Board office and they will be placed on a waiting list.

School year 2020-2021 bus info emails have been sent out to all families. If you have not received an email please check your junk folder or log into the parent... portal to check bus info (will need your child's OEN, birthdate, grade, & school) - you can find your child's OEN on an old report card. If you have already completed a survey from your school choosing at home learning or declining transportation - we are still working through removing these students from the bus don't worry about contacting us please just ignore the emails! https://portal.onthebus.ca/Login

The health and safety of students and staff is a top priority for the Renfrew County Catholic District School Board (RCCDSB) as schools are prepared for the 202...0-21 school year amid the COVID-19 pandemic. All elementary schools will open for conventional in-person teaching for Kindergarten to Grade 8 while the secondary school model will take a quadmester approach to learning when the school year begins for students on September 8. Two RCCDSB principals, Karen Keels, Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School, Renfrew, and Derek Lennox, St. Joseph High School, Renfrew, are working with Jaime Russell, RCCDSB Health and Safety and Plant Services Officer and Renee Rivard, RCCDSB Community Use of Schools and Plant Services Officer, to prepare their schools for a walkthrough with a team from the Renfrew County District Health Unit (RCDHU). The measures and protocols being implemented follow return to school direction issued by the Ministry of Education and approved by the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health for the safe reopening of schools. The Guide to reopening Ontarios schools provides information on protection strategies, special education, mental health, academics, transportation, masking, cohorting, and more. We have completed a walkthrough with some of our own plant personnel to determine that appropriate safety measures are in place for staff and students. Some of the measures include one-way stairwells, designated in/out doors, physical distancing signage, and plexiglass in key locations such as our office, shared Lennox. At Our Lady of Fatima elementary school, staff have been busy setting up classrooms to allow physical distancing of 1 metre between cohorted students, creating alternate recess schedules, posting signage, and planning coordinated procedures (e.g., for handwashing, dismissal, etc.) in order to maintain 2 metre distancing between non-cohorted students. Were working to set up classrooms to meet the recommended physical distancing within the space. There is also a lot of work involved in scheduling to ensure time for things to happen in a staggered way so students can maintain distancing. The plan for each school will need to facilitate the flow of students, stated Keels. During the August 11 walkthrough, members of the RCDHU team, Brian Brohart, Healthy Schools Coordinator, Darcy Greer, Public Health Nurse, Infection Prevention and Control, and Michelle Street, Coordinator of Healthy Environments were there to support the RCCDSB leadership team with issues such as student drop-off and pick up, cohorting, respiratory etiquette, disinfection protocols, and more. It was a very thorough day and everyone feels well prepared. With three weeks to go before students come back, schools are in very good shape, said Brohart after touring the primary and secondary model schools. Discussion and feedback from the day will result in a written report that will be used to finetune preparations for the safe reopening of schools across the Board. RCCDSB staff and administration have been working tirelessly since the province announced that boards needed to prepare for the different models of re-opening in September. Their hard work and collaboration will ensure that every school is prepared to the standards required by health protocols and ready to provide a safe school environment characterized by warmth, hospitality, good humour and joy, stated Jaimie Perry, RCCDSB Director of Education.

Are you new to the area? Have you had an address change (home, sitter, custody)? Your school board processes address changes over the summer months. Please let... us know your new info ASAP, check out how you can make an address change at: https://www.onthebus.ca//F.01.01_Student_Transportation_Re See more

We ask that all parents/guardians please complete the following survey in our preparation for September: Return to School Survey (https://forms.gle/xnJEFnEbgWNQUPKf7)

A Message from the Minister of Education to Ontarios Parents

Reopening of RCCDSB Schools July 31st, 2020 Update for Parents and Students The Renfrew County Catholic District School Board wishes to thank our families for... your patience as we awaited key provincial decisions to supplement and support our return to school planning which has been ongoing over the past few weeks. We anticipate a number of communication pieces over the coming days and weeks in order to prepare further for return to school. Please watch for regular updates. Parent Survey In light of Board and Ministry plans for return to schooling in September, all parents are asked to complete the survey found at this link to assist us in our preparations for September: Return to School Survey (https://forms.gle/xnJEFnEbgWNQUPKf7) Return to School Plan On July 30th, the province released its Guide to Reopening Ontarios Schools (https://drive.google.com//1aPsI6eyfaydv0U8_ouz6PxYH0G/view), which will further guide the planning the Board has undertaken to date. You can find the Boards Return to School Planning considerations to date here: Return to School Plan (https://docs.google.com//1wCIYX9FtZbDyIAgreLMqLhAAt6/edit). Some key notes for parents and students from the provinces Guide and our own Return to School Plan are listed below. Some key notes for parents and students. All elementary and secondary school students will be able to return to school full-time; The first day of school for pupils (except Kindergarten) is Tuesday, September 8th; The return to school is voluntary and based on parent choice - students who remain home will access remote learning; The school day has been altered to adhere to a number of public health guidelines including cohorting, minimizing numbers of contacts, adhering to physical distancing and practising safe hygiene including masks for grades 4-12; All students must be pre-registered by August 20th in order to ensure cohort integrity and contact tightness; While the Renfrew Joint Transportation Consortium is busy working on protocols for bussing, we are asking parents to consider arranging their childrens own transportation to and from school; Please expect a number of communications over the coming weeks on detailed safety protocols and related safety procedures on which our staff are actively working; Clear protocols will also be shortly communicated around suspected cases when these occur, ill students and outbreak management

RCCDSB mourns passing of former Director John Stunt The Renfrew County Catholic District School Board (RCCDSB) is saddened by the passing of Former Director of ...Education and provincial and national advocate for Catholic education, John Stunt on Thursday, July 23. Mr. Stunt joined the RCCDSB as a supervisory officer in 1981 and became Director of Education in 1989, serving until 2000. Following his retirement from the Board, he served as Executive Director for the Ontario Catholic School Trustees Association (OCSTA) for more than 10 years. John was truly dedicated to the promotion and protection of Catholic education, and worked hard to ensure that the legacy of excellence was maintained and enhanced into the future both here in Renfrew County and beyond, noted RCCDSB Trustee/former Chair Bob Schreader who worked with Mr. Stunt for many years. Among his many significant contributions during his time with the Renfrew County Catholic District School Board, Mr. Stunt was a founder of the boards Dominican Republic Experience, the architect of the Boards Vision Statement and led a successful campaign in 1997 to head off amalgamation of the Board with a larger entity therein preserving a strong local voice for Catholic education. Mr. Stunt was involved with the Ontario Principals Association, served six years on the executive of Ontario Catholic Supervisory Officers Association (OCSOA), and was the first Chair of the OCSOA Religion Committee. He was a recipient of OCSOAs B. E. Nelligan Award and received an Honorary Lifetime Membership Award from the Ontario Association of Parents in Catholic Education (OAPCE). Mr. Stunt was also a member of the Ministers Working Group on the Royal Commission on Learning, a member of the Institute for Catholic Education committee, executive member of the Council of Directors of Education and served several years on the Board of Directors of the Institute for Catholic Education and as Executive Director of the Canadian Catholic School Trustees Association in Ottawa. John was an outstanding leader and contributor to Catholic education. We pay tribute to his long-time involvement and steadfast support at local, provincial and national levels as we extend our condolences to his family, said Dave Howard, RCCDSB Chair.

Bus Routes for all the 2020-2021 scenarios are currently "under construction". Help our planning team out by making all address (Home, Sitter, Custody) changes ...early in the summer. Check out our Request Protocol for details on who to contact: https://www.onthebus.ca//F.01.01_Student_Transportation_Re See more

Has your family had a change in address (home/sitter/joint custody) since March 13, 2020? If you haven't already let your school know about the change check ou...t our Student Transportation Protocol to find out how you can make a change over the summer: https://www.onthebus.ca//F.01.01_Student_Transportation_Re See more

Parent Update July 13, 2020 The RCCDSB has recommended a revised school year calendar that begins the school year with 3 professional activity days to provide... staff time to train for enhanced safety protocols related to COVID-19. The number of instructional days for pupils for school year 2020-21 remains the same as any other year (See the Draft 2020-21 School Calendar). The Board continues to wait for further direction from the province regarding the school year and how many students will be permitted in school buildings and in classes. The Board continues to plan for 3 possibilities: A. normal school-day routine with enhanced public health protocols B. modified school-day routine based on smaller class sizes, cohorting and alternative day or week delivery at this time this model considers students attending 2 days one week and three days the next with a maximum of 15 students in any class at any one time C. at-home learning with ongoing enhanced remote delivery Particularly with regard to Model B, the modified school-day routine, the Board will continue to work very closely with the Renfrew County District Board, the Renfrew County District Health Unit and the Renfrew County Joint Transportation Consortium on the best and safest way to deliver instruction. The Board continues to be hopeful that a regional approach allowing as many students as possible to safely engage in face-to-face learning as often as possible will be permitted.

Happy Canada Day

Parent Update June 30, 2020 Dear Parents, With the conclusion of the 2019-20 school year, we continue to face uncertainty as we think about what school will l...ook like in September. It is our hope that under the direction of our Public Health officers we can reopen our schools and welcome back students to the fullest extent possible. Possible Scenarios for School Re-opening in September The provincial government has released a document to guide school boards in the reopening of schools. Called Approach to the reopening of schools for the 2020-2021 school year, the document requires boards to plan for 3 possible models: A) normal school day routine with enhanced public health protocols B) modified school day routine based on smaller class sizes, cohorting and alternative day or week delivery, or C) at-home learning with ongoing enhanced remote delivery While it is the hope of our Board that we can soon return to a normal routine with all students in attendance, we are planning for all scenarios. Current physical distancing requirements of 2 metres do not make it possible for us to have more than 15 pupils in a classroom, which is typically 750 to 800 square feet. Should we be required to activate model B, we are exploring a model that has been widely discussed in the media: a group of students attending Monday and Tuesday and the other group of students attending Thursday and Friday. Wednesdays would be used for enhanced cleaning. We recognize the ongoing difficulties for students and families when physical attendance at school continues to be not possible or only part-time. Our Board and its schools commit to examining in detail where and how we can maximize student attendance at school where parents want that option. Additionally, we will work hard to ensure that if we are required to implement model B, families can have their children attend on the same days. As you can appreciate, planning for these multiple scenarios is complex and we will work closely with the Renfrew County District Board with our shared transportation services. Transportation We want families to be aware that the Renfrew County Joint Transportation Consortium is also planning for September and is also under physical distancing requirements that may only allow 24 students on a 72 seat bus. As you can appreciate, given those numbers, the provision of transportation to everyone who has ordinarily accessed it will be very challenging. Voluntary Attendance Please be assured that in either model A or B above, the return to school in the fall of 2020-21 will be voluntary and based on parent choice. For parents who choose not to send their child back to school, we will be prepared to continue to offer remote education. This requirement will be in place for as long as public health circumstances require adapted delivery of education. In our recent parent survey to which over 500 responded, you told us that your experience from March to June of this year with remote learning ranged from very successful to very difficult. We are reviewing your comments carefully and will continue to improve our remote learning approach, should it be necessary. No matter what your familys experience and engagement in emergency distance learning, our RCCDSB staff look forward to meeting your child(ren) where they are with their academic development. Final Thoughts Our Board continues to engage in planning for the reopening of schools. We will await further direction from the Ministry of Education and health authorities as we pursue options that will meet the following criteria: the provision of a robust, 21st century, educational journey that prepares students for their future and enhances their sense of well-being wherever they are learning from, an educational experience for students and a workplace for staff that occurs in a safe school environment characterized by warmth, hospitality, good humour and joy Our Board wishes to thank our students, families, employees and indeed all Renfrew County residents for the significant effort in keeping the COVID-19 pandemic largely at bay to date. We urge the Ministries of Education and Health to consider a regional approach to school reopening in September that considers the local data regarding COVID-19 while ensuring proper safety protocols to minimize risk to students and staff. While our celebrations will be different this year, please accept our best wishes for a wonderful Canada Day and a healthy start to the summer break period.

Mrs. Corrigan & Mrs Pecarskie would like to share a special photo show for our Kindergarten students and their families. Enjoy your summer! https://drive.google.com//1QDLC-CN_PdG_-B9jaevCK-gyo/view

Congratulations to our Year 2 Kindergartens moving up to Gr. 1. We are so proud of you!!!

Wishing all our students and their families a safe and happy summer! Renfrew County Catholic District School Board https://youtu.be/TOugMUhKoFQ

St. Andrews extends our best wishes to our graduating class of 2020! We look forward to our Celebration of Learning later this week! #Grad2020