September 3rd, 2017
September 7, 2017.
Welcome Back! I can’t believe how fast this summer has flown by! I am as excited to be back as I hope your children are! There is just something special and invigorating about starting anew! New backpacks, new pencils, new lunch bags! I hope that your summer was all that you hoped it would be, filled with recreation, a little relaxation and lots of family time. Hopefully many treasured memories were created.
I would like to extend a very warm welcome to both our returning families and our new families, and this year we have quite a number of new families. I am sure you will find that St Jacobs is a wonderful place to grow and learn.
Over the summer, I was able to complete hiring. Please join with me in welcoming back our returning staff members and giving a warm welcome those joining our St. Jacobs family:
Ms. Rohr Office Manager
Mrs. Scheuring Rm 6 FDK
Mrs. Schumacher DECE + extended day-before school
Ms Brown DECE + extended day-after school
Mrs. Pattison EA for extended day program
Mrs. Campbell Rm 14 FDK
Miss Guilli (Guenther) DECE – core day
Miss Hill Rm 5 FDK (teacher only class)
Mrs. Uttley Rm 13 Grade 1
Mrs. McCoy Rm 1 Grade 1/2
Mrs. Dziarski Rm 3 Grade 2
Miss Hea Rm 4 Grade 3
Mrs. Cross Rm 2 Grade 3/4
Mrs. Clancy Grade 3/4
Mrs. Holan Port 1 Grade 4
Mrs. Boyd Rm 8 Grade 5
Mr. Johnston Rm 12 Grade 6
Miss Hemmingway Rm 10 Gr. 8 homeroom
Mr. Deiter Rm 11 Gr. 7 homeroom
Mme Cross Core French, Gr 1 – 4/5
Mme McDonnell Core French, Gr 5/6 – 8
Miss Vanier Port. 2 Music
Mrs. Fitzpatrick Rm 9 Special Ed Resource
Mrs. Lebold Gr. 1/2 Phys. Ed. + SERT
Mrs. Good Educational Assistant
Mrs. Brubacher Educational Assistant
Mrs. Dewolfe Educational Assistant
Mrs. Hellerman Library Clerk
Mr. Funes Head Custodian
This year we will again be using School Day, an online communication tool that will make sure that all information from the school and your child’s teachers gets to your attention by delivering it to whichever personal communication device your prefer. Teachers will be able to send home reminders to their classes or to specific extracurricular groups as well. You will be able to complete all trip permissions/ordering/payments on-line as well. If you registered for School Day last year, you are all set to go. If you are new to the school, information about how to register will be sent home the first day. Please contact Mrs. Rohr if you need assistance.
Please visit our school website: www.stj.wrdsb.ca. Our website will be used to celebrate all of the wonderful activities and learning that is happening at our school. We encourage you to also sign up to receive e-notification to your personal device whenever we post something new to the website. I will also continue to publish the St. Jacobs Buzz Feed — a ‘Week-At –A –Glance’ feature to inform you of what is happening at school.
We are planning to hold our “Meet the Teacher” night on Wednesday September 13 from 6:00 to 7:00 pm. This event will be an opportunity to get together informally as a community and to meet the new teachers, visit your child’s classroom, and introduce yourself to his/her teacher.
The first meeting of our Home and School Association will be held on Wednesday September 20th beginning at 7 pm in our library. Becoming a member of the Home and School Association is a great way to become more involved and knowledgeable about what is happening at school and to have an impact on your child’s education. All parents are welcome, and encouraged, to attend.
We welcome parents who are able to volunteer at our school; there are many ways that you can help. However, we remind you all volunteers need to have a current police check on file in our office. You can now apply on-line for the police check. If you need information about how to apply online or a copy of the letter that will get you a discount on the police check, please contact Mrs. Rohr in the office. She will be happy to send one home to you.
The staff at St Jacobs looks forward to working with your children and providing them with a positive year full of enriching opportunities and challenges. We are dedicated to developing capable and responsible students in a safe and supportive environment. This can best be achieved through open communication with families, based on mutual respect and trust. As your child’s first and most important teachers, your involvement and support is a key factor in your child’s success at school. We encourage you to make an appointment to come into school and share any information or concerns you may have that will help us meet your child’s needs.
We look forward to seeing you at Meet the Teacher night on the 13th!
Ms Kathy Mathers
Proud Principal of St. Jacobs School
Homework Guideines
Developing responsibility and fostering independence are two essential prongs of character education for your child. One of the ways to teach these skills is through the development of homework habits.
Expectations:
The board guidelines suggest your child complete 10 minutes of homework times the grade level they are working at. For example, if your child is currently in grade 4, then they should be setting aside 4×10= 40 minutes for homework completion each school night.
What does “homework” consist of:
While on occasion, your child will come home with specific homework, assigned by the teacher, there are also many other activities that are considered homework. These include:
- Self-selected reading: Each student should be reading each and every day! In the primary grades, this will likely be reading their Home Reading book. It could also be listening to you reading to them. Don’t forget to discuss the material as you enjoy it together. In the junior and intermediate grades, your child should be reading for a minimum of twenty minutes daily. It may be that you and your child share reading a text together and then discussing what you have read. Choose a variety for genres including fiction: novels and short stories, graphic novels, comics, etc., and non-fiction including biographies, manuals, newspapers and magazines. Your child can also choose to read independently. It doesn’t matter what is read – just read for enjoyment!
- Honing Math Facts: memorizing and practicing math facts for accuracy and speed: addition, subtraction and multiplication and division. Make your own set of flashcards or use on-line versions.
- Keyboarding practice to develop 10-finger typing with speed and accuracy. Use one of the many on-line programs available such as DanceMat.
- Researching current topics of study for more depth of knowledge: This could be on-line, talking with parents, relatives, and/or neighbours, or visiting the library. Be sure to bring your findings to school to share with your teacher and classmates!
How are parents expected to help?
- With your child, decide on a regular time to complete daily homework. For older students, agree on break times, and the lengths of these breaks.
- Choose a place that is quiet and free of distractions. Equip this area with all of the tools that may be needed: pencils, pens, ruler, eraser, scrap and good copy paper, etc.
- Be a cheerleader! Encourage your child to “get down to it” and “stick to it” independently. You might need to refocus them on the task periodically. Praise them when they complete it!
- If your child struggles with completing any homework, put a note in your child’s planner to alert your child’s teacher to the need for the teacher to help your child with the learning.