OPEN HOUSE TONIGHT!

4:00 – 5:00 Classes Open

5:00 – 6:00 Pizza Social

Good Morning Angels!

The St. Michael’s Staff is looking forward to seeing everyone tonight for our annual fall Open House!

Classes will be open for the first hour and pizza will be served, to families who have ordered, at 5:00, on the blacktop if the weather cooperates, or in the gym if it is raining.

Please remember to bring a non-perishable food item, if you are able, as we launch our Thanksgiving Food Drive tonight! All proceeds are going to our community partner, Langs.

Our wonderful Catholic School Advisory Council (Parent Council) will also be at the Open House with gently worn spirit wear that families are welcome to.

We are so looking forward to seeing everyone tonight!

-St. Michael’s Staff

Here are a few reminders Angels…

Photo Day is tomorrow!

Picture-Day-Tuesday-Sept.-26

Open House is on Thursday, Sept. 28!

School Cash Online is open to order pizza! Please bring your own drinks.

4-5 p.m.- Classroom Visits

5-6 p.m.- Pizza Social on the blacktop.

Hope to see everyone there!

Thanksgiving Food Drive Starts Sept. 28

Spirit Wear Donations (During Open House)

Pizza Orders for October will open on Tuesday, Sept. 26, on School Cash Online.

Please see the below message from Mrs. Best.

Pizza Days Oct. 2023

Spirit Wear Store is Now Open!

ST. MICHAEL SW FLYER 2023 (002)

Have a great evening, Angels!

-St. Michael Staff

Good Evening Angels!

Here are a few reminders about important upcoming events at St. Michael School.

Annual Terry Fox Run: Thursday, September 21. Please remember to donate through School Cash Online. Thank you!

Picture Day: Tuesday, September 26. (Please see flyer below).

Picture-Day-Tuesday-Sept.-26

St. Michael Open House: Thursday, September 28, 4:00-5:00 p.m. classroom visits, 5:00-6:00 p.m. pizza social. School Cash Online is now open for pizza orders (pepperoni or cheese)! (Thanks Mrs. Best!)

Spirit Wear Donations: Our Catholic School Advisory Council (Parent Council) is accepting donations of gently-worn, St. Michael’s spirit wear. Please drop items off at the office beginning Sept. 19 until Sept. 28 (Open House Night!). Please see their flyer below!

Thanksgiving Food Drive: Donations excepted September 28 (during Open House) until October 5.

St. Michael’s Spirit Wear Store: Now Open! (Please see flyer below).

ST. MICHAEL SW FLYER 2023 (002)

Orange Shirt Day: Friday, September 29. Please remember to wear your orange shirt if you have one!

Have a great evening, Angels!

-St. Michael’s Staff

St. Michael Catholic School

1150 Concession Road ● Cambridge ON ● N3H 4L6  

Phone (519) 653-3351 ● Fax (519) 653-3489

Website: https://stmichael.wcdsb.ca/

September 16, 2023

Good afternoon Angels, 

We had a fantastic second week together at St. Michael School. Students are learning, laughing, and enjoying time together in class and outside at recess. This past week our recess cart began and it was a hit! Our junior soccer and intermediate 3-pitch teams are in the swing of things, practicing new skills and having fun. A huge thanks to our coaches and Ms. Dixon for providing these opportunities for our students.

This Week … 

Tuesday, Sept 19: Meet our public health nurse: Meet Laura Baker! (Class visits in the Learning Commons)

Wednesday, Sept 20: Intermediate 3-Pitch Tournament

Wednesday, Sept 20: Wear your Blue & Gold Angels! It’s Spirit Day!

Thursday, Sept 21: Terry Fox Run (On Site, Raindate Sept 22)

Meet Laura Baker, Our Public Health Nurse Community Partner!

“Hello! My name is Laura Baker, l am a Public Health Nurse from Region of Waterloo Public Health.  I am excited to have the opportunity to work with St. Michael’s School and the surrounding community. My role is to listen and learn from the staff, students, and parents/caregivers of this community, to build on school strengths and identify opportunities to work together.

Please feel free to say hello when you see me at the school. I will also be attending the Open House and I welcome the opportunity to talk with you about how to strengthen this great school and community, and provide a sense of connection for all.” -Laura Baker

Laura will be hosting class visits to introduce herself and her role to students this Tuesday, September 19, in the Learning Commons. We look forward to working and learning together with Laura this year!

Terry Fox Run

St. Michael Catholic Elementary School is honoured to support the Terry Fox Run once again this year! Our date is Thursday, September 21. We are proud of this amazing tradition at our school and we are thrilled to announce that, to date, we have raised more than $10 000 for cancer research! Let’s keep it going! We are encouraging each student to donate a toonie for Terry through School CashOnline and if you would like to donate additional funds, please also follow the link below!

Donate to our school run here:

St. Michael Terry Fox Run 

St. Michael Feast Day Liturgy (1:00 pm) & Open House – September 28th from 4:00-6:00 pm
Did you know that (the week of) September 28th is St. Michael’s Feast Day?
Join us for an Open House to celebrate together as a school community! We are welcoming families and students to visit their classes and the school.
Pizza will be available for purchase this week through School Cash Online.
This evening is a chance to meet and greet. Please come in to say “Hi,” introduce yourself, and have your child show you around their room and the school!

4:00-5:00: classes will be open to meet and greet!

5:00-6:00: Pizza will be served on the blacktop to families who have made purchases. Please bring your own drinks. Parking is available in the Langs parking lot next to the school and on the surrounding streets (watch for no parking signs).

Food Drive: We will have a drop-off bin for any non-perishable items during our Open House. 

Spirit Wear Swap: Families are invited to browse the gently used spirit wear items on the night of our Open House. Thank you to our CSAC for organizing this! (More info to come!)

Liturgy (Sept 28, 1:00 pm, in our Gym): Our intermediate students have been planning and practicing for our Opening school liturgy which is also our Feast Day liturgy. Everyone Is Welcome!

PHOTO DAY

Our Photo Day is coming up on Tuesday, September 26th. 

More information will be shared this week. Bring your smiles! 

Catholic School Advisory Council 

Our first meeting was held on Tuesday, September 12 at 6 p.m. at St. Michael School. Our next meeting will be on Tuesday, October 3 at 6 p.m. in our Learning Commons. We will have a link available for those who would like to attend virtually. Meeting invitations and the agenda will be sent out before the meeting. Everyone is welcome!

The CSAC will be taking part in our Open House. They are organizing a Spirit Wear Swap! If you have any used spirit wear that you would like to donate or exchange for other spirit wear items, please drop these items off at the school. We will set these items out for exchange and repurposing on the night of our Open House. Everyone is welcome to take what is useful for their family.

Safety/Practice/Drills
Every year we practice a variety of drills, all of which are aimed at keeping the students and staff safe in the case of an emergency. The following is a list of drills including their purpose, frequency, and process:

• Fire drills – 6 per year; we practice safe evacuation of the school to be prepared should we ever experience a fire. The students walk quickly and quietly with staff out of the building through a designated path, out designated doors to a specific gathering spot. 

This past week we completed two successful fire drills. Students improved their evacuation time and remembered all of the safety rules for these drills. Way to go Angels! We will have another fire drill this week with the hopes of continuing to improve our time while also displaying such excellent safety skills.

• Lockdown Drills – 2 per year; we practice getting students and staff into as safe a position as possible, to be prepared should there ever be a real or perceived risk to safety in our school or immediate areas. Students gather in a corner of the room with their teacher, in a way that no one is visible from the door. The door is locked. 
• Tornado drills – 2 per year; we practice getting into a safe position to be prepared in case we ever experience a Tornado in the area, students sit (protecting their heads) against strong interior walls away from windows.

St. Clement’s Parish Update

Parish Letter to St Michael Catholic Elementary School (002)

D2L Parent Update: D2L Parent Information

A Few Reminders: 

• • Please be sure to return all start-up forms to the school ASAP and complete the required forms on SchoolCash.  
  • Please ensure you have returned the necessary medication and forms for any medical perils (anaphylaxis, asthma, diabetes, etc.) to the office. 

• We are a nut-free environment. We have students with life-threatening allergies to nuts and other allergens. Nut-alternative products are also not permitted.

• Parents/Guardians are required to notify the school as soon as possible if their child(ren) will be absent. An answering machine is available outside of school hours too.  Please phone the school at 519-653-3351 and leave a message providing: your child’s name, teacher’s name, grade level, day(s) absent, and reason for absence.
• Parents/guardians are asked to refrain from dropping off student lunches as our office is a very busy place! (Mrs. Best needs a lunch too!!)  Please ensure that your child(ren) have a healthy lunch, two snacks, and a water bottle packed each day. This routine is also best established from the start of the school year so that our students benefit from a sense of belonging and stability. Thank you for understanding and your continued support!
• Parents/guardians are not permitted on the school grounds during the school day, including for drop-off and pick-up. Please ensure you have a pre-arranged meeting spot for your child(ren). A reminder that the Kiss & Drop is available for our JK/SK families for morning drop-off only.

***Let’s continue to be on time and use bus transportation when eligible. By doing this, we impact safety, the natural environment and make our office workplace a little less hectic. Thank you for your efforts!***

September 25 ~ Junior Soccer 

September 26 ~ School PHOTO DAY!
September 28 ~ St. Michael Feast Day Liturgy (1:00) and Open House, 4-6 pm

September 28 – October 5 ~ Thanksgiving Food Drive
September 29 ~ Every Child Matters ~ Orange Shirt Day

October 5 ~  First Pizza Day

October 3 ~  CSAC Meeting, 6 pm

October 6 ~  PD Day
October 9 ~ Thanksgiving Monday
Thank you for your continued support and have a great week!

-St. Michael School Staff

#Everyone Is Welcome

St. Michael Terry Fox Run 2023

Dear Families,

St. Michael Catholic Elementary School is honoured to support the Terry Fox Run once again this year on the morning of THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 21st (Raindate: Friday, September 22nd). All monies raised through our event will be forwarded to The Terry Fox Foundation to further the cause of cancer research. Our run/walk will happen in our schoolyard and this event will include music to keep the students motivated! Teachers and other staff members will be on hand to supervise, support, and cheer on students along the way.

We are very proud to be associated with The Terry Fox Foundation and believe that our involvement will launch a successful, positive, and meaningful school year. We are thrilled to have donated over $10,000.00, to date, to cancer research at St. Michael’s. Way to go, Angels! 

We are going completely paperless this year! All donations will be accepted through SchoolCashOnline and we are asking that each student contribute a Toonie for Terry. Additional donations are also accepted! Additionally, the class that has the most money raised will receive a pizza party! 

Please help to support our school during this important initiative and carry on Terry’s dream of a world without

 cancer. 

Thank you!

St. Michael Staff

                                                                                                         Friday, September 8, 2023.

St. Michael Catholic Elementary School

1150 Concession Road, Cambridge, Ontario

519-653-3351

Follow us on Twitter: @StMichaelAngels 

https://stmichael.wcdsb.ca/

#AllAreWelcome

Good evening Angels, 

We are off to a fantastic start at St. Michael School! It was wonderful to see the smiles in the school this past week. Our Angel Staff made our students feel welcomed and engaged and we thank them for all the care they have put into the start of this year. We would also like to share our gratitude to YOU for preparing your children for the start of school. Students are greatly enjoying our  GagaBall pit and Creative Playground. Students are quickly adjusting back to all the familiar school routines. We have many new students and families who have joined St. Michael and we are happy to welcome them as part of our Angel Community. We are rooted in the examples and teachings of the Gospel values which are a core aspect of our Catholic Education. We look forward to another year together!

Mandatory Forms ~ School Cash Online
There are many mandatory school start-up forms posted in School Cash Online for you to complete for EACH child in addition to those sent home in papercopy. Please return forms to school, and complete those found on SchoolCash Online, as soon as possible. 

If you are NOT registered for School Cash Online please sign up here: https://wcdsb.schoolcashonline.com/   

PARKING and DROP-OFF REMINDERS
Our parent community is incredible when it comes to supporting student safety. Thank you, families, for helping this past week with drop-off and pick-up and following all protocols, including not coming onto the yard. Also, please be reminded that the parking lot is not open for student pick-up or drop-off.  This helps to keep our Kiss and Drop area a safe place for our Kindergarten families.  Lastly, there is no supervision on the yard until 8:45 am. All students are asked not to be dropped off before this time to ensure optimal safety. The safety of your child(ren) is our main concern!

Spirit Wear Wednesdays
Staff and students are encouraged to wear their Angels spirit wear or Blue & Gold each Wednesday! Show your St. Michael school spirit!

Together In Faith: Catholic Graduate Expectations 

Catholic education views human life as an integration of body, mind, and spirit. Rooted in this vision, Catholic education fosters the search for knowledge as a lifelong spiritual and academic quest. The expectations of Catholic graduates, therefore, are described not only in terms of knowledge and skills, but in terms of values, attitudes and actions. The Catholic Graduate Expectations will be the focus of our Student of Month awards this year. September’s Catholic Graduate Expectation is: I am a collaborative contributor!

The Graduate is expected to be:

• A discerning believer 
• An effective communicator 
• A reflective, creative and holistic thinker  
• A self-directed, responsible, lifelong learner  
• A collaborative contributor
• A caring family member 
• A responsible citizen  

-Taken from Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations…  

IMPORTANT REMINDER: ST. MICHAEL IS A SCENT-FREE SCHOOL!  

This is a reminder that in keeping with our wcdsb board policy, students and visitors to St. Michael must remember not to use scented products at school. 

Please share this information with your child(ren) as we have staff members and students with severe scent allergies and we want to ensure that everyone has a safe school environment. Thank you for your help with providing awareness, and for helping to maintain a safe school for everyone!

Crossing Guard Shortage

Please be aware of the crossing guard shortage and talk about road safety with your child(ren). “The City of Cambridge is working through a shortage of crossing guards. As you may have noticed, the following location is currently vacant: Concession/Langs.”

Please take extra care when crossing at this intersection.

The City of Cambridge Needs YOU!

“Crossing Guards are an integral part of a school community and our community will need one to help children cross at Concession/Langs. We’d love it if the right candidate came from within our community. Could it be you? Apply now!.” -City of Cambridge Recruiting. 

Mental Health Matters: Start the School Year Well!

As we move into the 2023-24 school year, we are reminded of the importance of directly addressing and supporting the mental health and wellbeing of our students. Please see the linked Caregiver Updates: Caregiver Handout Mentally Healthy Return to School 2023-24.pdf

Save the Date: School Picture Day
SMILE! Our school picture day is scheduled for Tuesday, September 26th. More information will be sent home in the upcoming days. 

School Communication:

Be sure to subscribe to our School Newswire. This is where our Angel Update is posted each week with important dates and school information. Link to subscribe: https://stmichael.wcdsb.ca/newswire-subscribe/

Mark Your Calendars:

September 12 ~ First School Council (CSAC) Meeting (See attached nomination form)

September 20 ~ Intermediate 3-Pitch (Rain Date, September 28)

September 21~ Terry Fox Run (Rain Date, September 22, on-site)

September 25 ~ Junior Co-Ed Soccer (Rain Date, September 27)

September 26 ~ School PHOTO DAY!

September 27 ~ Rowan’s Law Day, Wear Purple

September 28 ~ St. Michael Opening Liturgy 1 pm and Open House 4-6 pm (more details to follow soon!)

September 29 ~ Every Child Matters ~ Orange Shirt Day

October 6 ~ P.A. Day (AM- Curriculum Implementation/Literacy, AM- Kindergarten- Program planning/Play & Inquiry, PM- Anti-sex Trafficking & IEP Development and Monitoring)

October 9 ~ Thanksgiving Monday

St. Michael School fosters the spiritual, academic, physical, social, and emotional growth and development of all students. We anticipate a year of exciting learning opportunities for all children and look forward to collaboratively working with you as we journey through 2023-2024 in Faith!

School Council Letter 2023-2024 (Nomination form included)

Caregiver Handout Mentally Healthy Return to School 2023-24

Student Planner Agenda School Pages St Michael 2023 2024

-St. Michael School Staff

#AllAreWelcome

St. Michael Catholic Elementary School

All Are Welcome!

Happy Long Weekend Angels!

As we all look forward to Tuesday, we wanted to give you a few important back-to-school reminders. We can’t wait to see our Angel students this coming week!

A very special warm welcome to our new families who are joining the St. Michael school community!

Please join us in welcoming: Ms. Crawford (Educational Assistant), Mr. King (Educational Assistant), Ms. Rivas (Night-Time Custodian), and Mrs. Wadel (Primary Planning Time Teacher). 

Thank you to our AMAZING teaching staff and support staff who have been planning and preparing for the new school year. They have created welcoming learning spaces for all our students, and we are grateful to be working with such amazing educators.

Thank you to Mrs. Best, Mrs. Starr, Mr. Gibson, and Ms. Rivas who have been working to ensure that we have a smooth start and transition to the 2023-2024 school year!

Class Placements:

To support our transition back to school, families will have received classroom teacher information through SchoolCash online. Please know that class lists continue to be tentative due to ongoing registrations which impact enrollment and staffing. Staffing and classroom changes will be directed by the Board office and may occur during the first two weeks of school. Our staff takes great care in considering students’ needs when creating class placements. Together as partners in education, we can ensure a positive start-up for our Angel students. 

Class Assignment Instructions:

1. If you have multiple children you will need to log onto each cash online account to see who their teacher is.
2. Please no parents/guardians/caregivers on the schoolyard; staff, and students only. 
3. A reminder that pets are not allowed on school property including the path beside the parking lot. 
4. On the first day of school, children are to go to the back schoolyard. Their teacher will be waiting with a sign that has the grade and teacher’s name. 
5. Please review with your child(ren) what they will have to do and who their teacher is. Please know that additional staff will be on the yard to assist students in locating their classrooms.
6. All bus students will be supported by staff.
7. After school, all students in the school building will be dismissed from the back of the school. No parents/guardians/caregivers on the schoolyard. Exception: Parents of Grade 1 students are allowed on the grass area on the first day of school to discuss the dismissal routine with the classroom teacher. 
8. If your child is not a bus student, remember to arrange your after-school meeting spot/pick-up location. 
9. When on your child’s Cash Online Account please complete all back-to-school forms for each child. 

We have many staff members who will help your kiddos find where they need to go. We can’t wait to see you Angels!

Reminder: Kindergarten SK students do not start school until Wednesday, September 6th. JK families will have received information about visits and staggered entry via email.

Medical Plans of Care:

If your child has medical concerns or a life-threatening condition you will be receiving their Medical Plan of Care the first week of school. Please read the Verification Copy of the Plan of Care carefully, sign, and return it to school as soon as possible. Please note that students with anaphylaxis require two current Epipens for school. Please label the Epipens, send to school with your child(ren), or drop off at the office. If you have any questions, please let us know.

Also a reminder to all families that we are a NUT-FREE school. 

School Supplies:

Please do not go out and purchase large quantities of school supplies. If you are looking at getting something, please get a sturdy backpack, a lunch bag, a reusable water bottle, and a pair of indoor shoes. Anything else can be purchased AFTER being in the classroom and seeing what may be required. Most school supplies will be provided by the school.

Transportation: 

• Please find important information from STSWR, and bus eligibility on their website: 

https://www.stswr.ca/ 

• If your child is bus-eligible but they are not riding please fill out the DO NOT RIDE form online as soon as possible.

If you have any questions related to bussing, please visit the Student Transportation website bpweb.stswr.ca for more information.

School Communication:

Be sure to subscribe to our School Newswire. This is where our Angel Update is posted with important dates and school information. Link to subscribe: https://stmichael.wcdsb.ca/newswire-subscribe/

We look forward to seeing everyone on Tuesday, September 5th!

Monday, September 4th: Labour Day (No School)

Tuesday, September 5th: Welcome back Angels (Grades 1 – 8)  

Tuesday, September 5th: JK scheduled visits

Wednesday, September 6th: All SK students attend school 

Wednesday, September 6th: SPIRIT DAY! Wear your BLUE & GOLD!

Thursday, September 7th: Pre-scheduled groups of JK students will begin

Friday, September 8th: Pre-scheduled groups of JK students will begin

Friday, September 8th: All CashOnline Forms Due 

Save the Date: Thursday, September 28 is our Opening School Liturgy and Open House (4-6 pm). More info to come!

Enjoy the rest of your long weekend together!

-St. Michael School Staff

Labour Day Communication Sept 2 Newswire (1)

St. Michael Catholic Elementary School

1150 Concession Road

Cambridge, Ontario

519-653-3351

Follow us on Twitter: @StMichaelAngels 

Sign up for Newswire: https://stmichael.wcdsb.ca/

Heart of the community—success for each, a place for all.   Waterloo Catholic District School Board