School Life

Home/School Communication

Beginning September 2020, the traditional 'agenda book' will be replaced with digital communication via our website, Google Classroom, email, and telephone communication.

Athletics

Students are involved in daily physical activity and school teams that include; soccer, volleyball, basketball, cross country running, three pitch, track and field. For more information please see our Clubs and Sports page.

Excellence in Learning

Students come to school interested in learning and staff provide students the support they need to succeed.

Living our Faith

The students of St. Joseph school live their faith through daily discussions regarding the Catholic Virtues, the Catholic Graduate Expectations and appropriate grade level Catechesis.

Social Justice

The school community is supportive of local and global social justice issues.

Attendance Expectations

If you are not feeling well, please tell your parents before coming to school.  If you are too ill to go out at recess, you are too ill to be at school.  Please rest at home until you are better.  If you become ill or are injured at school, let your teacher know.  You will be sent to the office where we will call your parents/guardians.  Cell phones cannot be used to call parents during the school day. 

Punctuality and regular attendance on the part of the student is important to the process of learning. Both the individual student and his or her classmates may be impacted as a result of this issue. Parents will be contacted when late attendance and punctuality become a concern. Board attendance counsellors will be involved if attendance and punctuality do not improve after parent contact has been made by the school. If you child is late for school, they must report to the Office to receive an admission slip. 

When your child is going to be absent from school, for any reason, please contact the school at 905-372-6879.

SAFE SCHOOL ARRIVAL PROGRAM

The St. Joseph Safe School Arrival Program is designed to ensure that you arrive safely at school.  When you are absent from school (or are going to be very late), remind your mother, father, or guardian to call the school and report your absence or late arrival.  The school’s answering system is always on; please have your parent or guardian leave your name, grade, teacher, reason for absence, and how long you will be absent.

If we do not receive a call to explain your absence, we will do the following to ensure that you are safe:

LATE ARRIVAL

Being on time for school is very important.  Being late may mean that you have missed some important information and your late arrival may disrupt the class.  You are late for school if you are not in the school yard area when the bell rings.  Your teachers are required to record late arrivals in the Ontario Register of Daily Attendance as well as on the Provincial Report Card.  If you are late, report your arrival to the office and get a late slip before going to class.  Give the late slip to your teacher.  Remember, students who are 10 minutes late each day miss an average of 500 minutes of instructional time each year. Students who are 20 minutes late miss 1000 minutes or 16 hours of instruction time each year.

To see the our Board's full Attendance Expectations click here

Co-curricular Activities

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

For safety reasons, proper attire is expected to be worn in the gym:

-running shoes (with non-marking soles)

-a short sleeved shirt, and shorts

-Clothing items, such as a belt or scarf, must not dangle.  Long hair must be tied back.  Earrings, watches, and rings must be removed.  A note from a parent/guardian is required to temporarily exclude a student from regular Physical Education classes.  Exclusion from this part of the school program for more than one week, requires a note from the family physician.

For more detail, please see our Clubs and Sports page.

INDOOR SHOES

For health and safety reasons, indoor footwear must be worn at all times at school.  Each student should have a pair of labeled indoor shoes which can be left at school.

Code of Conduct

The School Code of Conduct outlines student behavioural expectations and responsibilities.  Some of these are to:

The School Code of Conduct includes basic respect for others and their property and does not tolerate any form of violence.  Our Code of Conduct also includes consequences when rules are not followed.  These are designed to help you develop self-discipline.  Students will be given positive reinforcement, praise and encouragement in recognition of their efforts and cooperation.

 If you act inappropriately in the school yard, at lunch, or elsewhere in the school, a staff member may assign the following options as part of Progressive Discipline:  detentions, loss of recess, parent contact, office referral or suspension.

SCHOOL EXPECTATIONS

Follow our school's guiding principles:

Students are expected to:

 

CLASSROOM EXPECTATIONS

You are expected to:

SUCCESS FACTORS FOR SCHOOL

NOTEBOOKS/FOLDERS

The process of keeping a notebook/notes has many important learning purposes.  It helps you to:

CARE OF SCHOOL & SUPPLIES

The school buildings, contents (i.e., desks, textbooks, library books, washrooms, gym equipment, etc.), and school grounds, deserve the same respect as one’s personal property.  Students who destroy, deface, or otherwise damage property will be required to make restitution and appropriate consequences will be applied.

The school provides you with a wide variety of supplies such as workbooks, pencils, erasers, rulers, art materials, textbooks and library books.  Do not doodle, write, highlight or place other marks in books.

We expect you to treat all supplies with respect and to replace or pay for items which are lost or damaged while in your care.  You are responsible for all items and books assigned to you.

Your best efforts should be reflected in printing, handwriting and work habits.  The cover of each notebook/binder/folder should have: your name, subject area (all correctly spelled), and with no other markings on the cover.  You are responsible for correcting any errors and for completing unfinished work.

DRESS CODE

At St. Joseph, we ask that students dress appropriately for school, and respect themselves and others in their manner of dress.  Clothing that has objectionable words, signs or logos is not acceptable for school wear.  Material must be opaque and cover private areas.

LUNCH TIME PROCEDURES

If you stay at school for lunch, you are not permitted to leave the school property which ensures your safety.  

If you eat lunch at school, you are expected to:

SCHOOL YARD & RECESS SAFETY

The school yard is supervised by staff.  During recesses, you may not enter the school without permission from the supervisor on duty.

To ensure the safety of all students during recess and in our playground area, we:

We encourage you to bring a “litter free” lunch.  Do not bring glass containers with lunch or snacks to school.  Remember our school is a PEANUT/NUT FREE SCHOOL.

HARASSMENT

Harassment is unwanted, uninvited, inappropriate, conduct or attention.  It may involve remarks, gestures, or actions that make a person feel unsafe or uncomfortable.  This can include these actions in person or on phones and internet.  The remarks, gestures or actions may occur over time, and in a way that causes the victim to be upset and feel that she or he cannot come to school, make use of the school, or learn properly.  At St. Joseph, everyone deserves, and should always receive, understanding and respect.

Inappropriate comments, actions or ridiculing by an individual or group, that leaves someone fearful or uncomfortable about coming to school, will be addressed and subject to consequences.

WHAT CAN SOMEONE WHO IS BEING BULLIED DO?

Tell a friend what is happening.  It will be harder for the bully to pick on you if you have a friend with you for support.

Say “NO” firmly, then turn and walk away.

Try not to show that you are upset or angry.

Don’t fight back.

Think of funny or clever replies in advance.

Stick with a group.

Practice “walking tall” in a mirror.

Tell school staff, your parents and other adults - you need their help.  Don’t suffer in silence.