Parent Information

The staff at Oakwood is committed to providing educational programs of the highest quality that meet the varying needs of all our children.

Curriculum expectations and standards are set by the Ministry of Education. Curriculum documents set out what students are expected to know and what they should be able to do at each grade level and establish consistency across the province.

Teachers realize that the various subject diciplines relate to each other and share common information in isolated bits. In fact, just the opposite is true. Therefore an integrated, thematic approach to teaching and learning is used in each classroom. There is also an emphasis on problem solving and the application of knowledge and skills to real-world situations.

Throughout the year, newsletters, parent information sessions and presentations will serve to acquaint parents with specific, grade level curriculum. The goal is to work co-operatively with parents to create an environment that nurtures productive, independent learners.

Contact between home and school is important and essential. Should you have any concern or want to relay information or positive feedback, school personnel are always available. If there is a concern for your child's well-being, it is always best to talk with your child's teacher first. The teacher will return your call the same day if he or she is teaching at the time of your call.

Many teachers have websites or another electronic format to share current events occurring in your child's classroom. You are encouraged to download the HDSB Mobile app and follow us on Twitter @OakwoodHDSB

Parent-teacher conferences are an effective way to communicate. These can be arranged upon request when more in-depth discussions are required. School and classroom newsletters will help keep parents up to date with activities as they are planned.

The Principal is also able to talk to you about school policy, general school routines or about your child's progress.

Teachers strive to provide a clear, accurate assessment of each child's progress. Answers to the following questions are the result when parents and teachers communicate effectively:

• How is my child getting along with others?

• Does my child have a positive self concept?

• How is my child achieving in relation to the academic standards of the present grade?

• Is my child meeting the behavioural expectations of the school?

• What are my child's specific strengths? What are the goals for improvement?

• What is being done to support my child?

• How can the family be supportive?

Parents will be notified of each child's academic and social progress at regular intervals throughout the school year. It will be clearly communicated when a child is experiencing significant difficulty.

Many factors influence the pace at which a child is able to successfully handle the prescribed work at each grade level. In all classes there could be children working: at their grade level, above their grade level, and below their grade level.

When a child is not successfully completing the required expectations for their grade level, parents and school staff will collaborate to determine what modifications in programming may be in the best interest of the student.

Oakwood Public School and the Halton District School Board believe that homework is an aid in developing life-long learning skills such as self-discipline, task commitment, time management, responsibility, independence, initiative and problem solving. Homework is one means of demonstrating and building the partnership between home and school that research shows leads to more consistent academic success.

Primary children (K-2) will experience infrequent homework, although teachers will gradually introduce the concept to foster responsibility and the beginning of good study habits.

Junior children (Grade 3-6) should expect homework on many, but not all, school evenings. You can assist your child by establishing a consistent homework routine - same time, same place - each day!

Board Homework Guidelines state that for Grade 1-6 students, 5-10 minutes of homework per grade on most nights (plus Read Aloud or Silent Reading) is appropriate.

Students are expected to know and adhere to Oakwood's school rules. School rules and classroom expectations will be clearly defined and consistently applied. As well, each family will receive a copy of the Halton District School Board's Safety and Wellbeing Policy, which addresses more serious issues. Students will receive guidance and training at school that enables them to demonstrate appropriate behaviour.

Discipline is a shared responsibility between home and school and it is our collective advantage to develop self-disciplined individuals to ensure a safe and secure environment for all.

Oakwood uses an automated attendance check system. Morning and afternoon attendance is taken by teachers daily. This information is compared with the information submitted by parents through our automated attendance notification system and the system will notify parents if the child is marked absent but the absence was not reported by the parents. If you are notified that your child is not at school when you believe they should be here, please call the school immediately so that we can double-check and work with you to determine if your child is safe at school.

The playground will be supervised by teachers for fifteen minutes before school begins, at dismissal times, and during both nutrition breaks. In the interest of safety, it is suggested that students arrive at school as closely as possible to the supervision schedule. Students who attend Halton Food for Thought's breakfast program should arrive no sooner than 7:30 a.m. and no later than 8:00. In the case of rain or severe cold, children will be admitted to school upon arrival and supervised indoors.

We encourage students to return home for lunch if it is practical to provide them with a break in their day. We realize that circumstances make it necessary for many students to remain at school during the noon hour.

Students who remain at school for nutrition breaks eat in their classrooms for 20 minutes, supervised by teachers and adult lunch supervisors. We expect students will show the same courtesy, co-operation and respect to these supervisors as they do toward our regular staff.

During the exercise portion of the break, students go outside on the playground, supervised by lunch supervisors and our school staff.

Driving To and From School

Everyone wants to ensure the safety of their child to and from school and sometimes this results in parents driving their children. We ask that parents consider the safety of all children. The fewer cars that come in and out of the school parking lot, the safer it is for students.

Since the driveway into the school is quite narrow, it is unsafe for cars to stop or park there to pick up or drop off students. Parking here also limts the accessibility to our school by fire or ambulance emergency vehicles and further jeopardizes student safety. This area is posted under By-law 1981-66 and drivers will be subject to a $50 fine.

Parents who must drive children should use the parking lot or park around the corner on Bartos and then walk the children to entry-exit doors.

Please assist us in ensuring the safety of all children.

Bicycles

Bicycle racks are provided for those who ride their bicycles to school. All bicycles must be placed in the racks and it is strongly advised that they be locked. The school cannot assume responsibility for loss or damage. For safety's sake, no bicycle riding is allowed on the school grounds.

Roller Blades/Scooters/Wheelies

Roller blades, scooters and wheelies are a wonderful means of transport to school, but they can be dangerous in crowded environments. Therefore, we ask those students who use these means of transports to school to change into their shoes at the bike rack and walk on to the playground. Students are welcome to use the school black-top areas after regular school hours or on the weekends.

Crossing Guards

We will be stressing traffic safety rules at school throughout the year. As the first days of school are so important in establishing safety routines for walking to and from school, would you please support our efforts and stress the safety rules as your children leave for school.

Crossing guards are on duty in the following locations:

Kerr Street/Stewart

Bartos/right out front of the school

Stewart/Queen Mary Drive

Crossing guards are on duty one-half-hour before and after school and during the noon hour.

Students must cooperate with and respond respectfully to the crossing guards.

The health of our children is important to us all. If your child is not feeling well, consider whether he/she will be able to sit in a classroom and learn well. Often a day or two at home will shorten the duration and severity of the illness. Also consider the well-being of the other children. Colds and coughs are so easily passed among classmates that it becomes a 'merry-go-round' of shared infections and re-infections.

The Halton Regional Health Department has issued the following information regarding the more serious childhood diseases. Children with these diseases should remain at home and away from others as shown.

Chickenpox:

for 5 days after the rash begins, or until all blisters have crusted

Diarrhea:

until 24 hours after diarrhea stops (Health Dept. may require a longer period of exclusion from school depending on the cause.)

Impetigo:

until the antibiotic prescribed by the doctor has been taken for at least 24 hours

Measles:

for at least 4 days after the rash begins

Mumps:

for at least 9 days after the swollen glands first appear

Pink-Eye (Conjunctivitis):

until the antibiotic prescribed by a doctor has been taken for at least 24 hours

Ringworm:

until treatment has been started

Rubella (German Measles):

until at least 7 days after the rash first appears

Scarlet Fever:

until antibiotic treatment has been taken for 24 hours

Strep Throat:

until antibiotic treatment has been taken for at least 24 hours

Whooping Cough (Pertussis):

until antibiotic treatment has been taken for at least 5 days. If no treatment is given, for 3 weeks from when cough began.

Lice:

let the school know. Think of other possible contacts over the last few months and tell them. Check all family members. At a drug store, ask for a shampoo or rinse which kills lice and eggs. a product which is made from Synthetic Pyrethroids. Follow instructions carefully. Your child may return to school with a note signed by the parent/guardian stating he/she has been treated. Continue to check hair at the scalp for signs of head lice or live eggs for two to three weeks.

School Records

It is extremely important that the information in our office records is accurate and up to date. If you change your address, home or work telephone numbers, or place of employment, please inform the school. Up to date information is essential should the school have to contact you in the case of an emergency or illness.

We must also have on file the name and telephone number of a person to call should we be unable to contact you in the case of an emergency. Please be sure that your child knows who the emergency contact person is and feels comfortable with that person should they need to fill in for you in the case of an emergency.

Transfers

Please notify the school several days in advance if you are moving and will be transferring your child to another school. This will provide us with sufficient time to prepare the documents required to register at the new school.

Student Insurance

Student accident insurance forms are sent home early in September. These forms should be mailed directly to the Insurance Company. Your insurance from last year is in effect until September 30th of this year.

An annually updated and signed authorization must be on file in the school office before school personnel can administer medication to an elementary school child. The appropriate forms may be obtained from the school office. All medication will be stored in a locked cupboard and a log of medication given will also be kept. If your child has a life threatening allergy please make sure you inform the school. Click here to view Oakwood's School Wide Anaphylaxis Plan.

The Halton District School Board provides many services to assist both the teacher and the home in their work with students. Psycho-educational assessments, assistance of social workers and child care specialists are available by referral from the school.

Halton Food for Thought (HFFT) is dedicated to feeding the success of our students, one healthy, happy student tummy at a time.

In partnership with the Halton Catholic District School Board and the Halton District School Board HFFT will continue to adapt to ensure healthy food is available to students during the school day in accordance with Public Health, safe food handling and Ministry of Education guidelines. More details on the format of HFFT Student Nutrition Programs to follow.

We want all children to reach their full potential and lead healthy, active lives.

To help ensure student success, please consider supporting, or donating to Halton Food for Thought.

To learn more about HFFT Student Nutrition Programs, visit their website.

A wide variety of extra curricular activities take place throughout the school year for the student's enjoyment. These will occur before school in the morning, at lunch time, and occasionally after school hours. Teachers will contact parents to secure permission for students to participate in any activity outside of regular school hours. Look for information in our school newsletter and encourage your child to participate.