A Message from Administration
Welcome to a new year at St. Bernard Catholic Elementary School. We look forward to a year filled with promise and many learning opportunities for your child. The staff of St. Bernard Catholic Elementary School wishes to work co- operatively with you in a partnership between home, school and parish. The growth of each child’s spiritual, intellectual and emotional self is at the core of the partnership.
We look forward to your involvement in your child’s education. Close communication with the staff is encouraged. Your child’s agenda book is only one of the vehicles you may use to communicate with the educators or the administration. You may also wish to become involved in our Catholic School Council or as a volunteer at the school. Please contact the school for more information or visit our website at: https://stbernard.dcdsb.ca
You will find our school philosophy, code of conduct, dress code and other pertinent information in the following pages. Please review the school policies with your child. Details about upcoming events and school activities will be contained in our school’s monthly newsletters and/or sent to you by individual classroom educators.
Christ being our model, we move forward in hopes of creating a truly Catholic environment -striving for new goals and accepting new challenges in the spirit of Christ.
Yours in partnership,
J. Harvey Principal
Email: StBernardCS@dcdsb.ca
Twitter: @STBernardDCDSB
| St. Bernard | ||||||||
| St. Bernard, whose feast day is August 20, was a monk and a priest who often had to leave the solitude of his monastery to fight heresy, to reconcile quarrelling cities, to defend the Pope, and to help the Church in his turbulent 12th century. Born in 1090 at Fontaines, France, Bernard was the third of seven children of noble parents in Burgundy. He found court life empty and longed for a life of prayer, study and recollection. At the age of 22 he went to the Benedictine Abbey of Citeaux and surprised them by bringing along his uncle, four brothers and 25 friends to enter this Order. At 25, he was chosen to be the first abbot of Clairvaux, a place which was to become well known as the centre for the reformed monastic rule. He started with 12 men, but this group later grew and spread to 700, as he founded numerous houses in Europe and as far away as England, Spain, Sweden and Ireland. He often had to travel in various causes, defending the rights of the Church against kings and princes, urging bishops to reform their diocesan clergy, defending the Pope against those in schism, denouncing abuses and disorders in the Church. He defended the Jews when they were attacked, saying: "The Jews are for us the living words of Scripture." Bernard wrote profusely, including 530 letters, 332 sermons, 14 treatises and a life of St. Malachy. It was his writing that earned him the title later as Doctor of the Church. His advice and deep spirituality helped many. His devotion to Mary is well known. He died in 1153 and was canonized 21 years later, the first Cistercian monk to be placed on the calendar of saints. His life and writing influenced thousands after him |
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| School Prayer | ||||||||
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God is a peace-filled presence in our midst; Make us instruments of your peace. Grant us the grace to see Jesus in all people. Peace comes with forgiveness; Help us to take the first steps of forgiving. Holy Spirit help us to be a people of love, joy and peace.
Amen. |
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| School and Parish Community | ||||||||
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St. Bernard Catholic School is a vibrant school community of approximately 300 students and 23 teachers and support staff. We are supported in our educational efforts by the parish of Holy Family Catholic Church and Father Leo. J. Austin Catholic Secondary School. These partnerships are consolidated with open and regular communications and the sharing of numerous events and celebrations. Home, school and parish cooperate in forming the heart and spirit of our school community.
At St. Bernard Catholic School, every day begins with prayer. School Masses and Liturgies are scheduled regularly throughout the school year to celebrate the gift of our school and its uniqueness as a Catholic community of living and learning. |
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| Parish Information | ||||||||
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St. Bernard Catholic School’s home parish is Holy Family Catholic Church. The Parish invites you to come celebrate the Sacred Liturgy each weekend and to take part in all Parish social events. In this way, we will become a truly caring, Christian community.
Holy family Catholic Church 91 Ribblesdale Drive Whitby, ON L1N 6Z3 (905) 665-6470 Pastor: Fr. Laszlo
Mass Schedule: |
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| School Information | ||||||||
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| 2022-2023 School Year Calendar | ||||||||
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September 1, 2022 - P.A. Day September 6, 2022 - School begins September 23, 2022 - P.A. Day October 10, 2022 - Thanksgiving December 26 - January 9, 2023 - Christmas Break January 20, 2023 - P.A. Day February 17, 2023 - P.A. Day February 20, 2023 - Family Day March 10–17, 2023 - March Break April 7, 2023 - Good Friday April 10, 2023 - Easter Monday May 22, 2023 - Victoria Day June 9, 2023 - P.A. Day June 28, 2023 - Last Day of School June 29,30, 2023 - P.A. Days |
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| Parking | ||||||||
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The parking lot on the south west side of the property is our visitor parking. The parking lot to the north of the school is staff parking. |
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| Inclement Weather Conditions | ||||||||
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If weather conditions force the cancellation of transportation services or classes for our students, notification will be given by all local radio stations. Please note that when only the transportation has been cancelled, the school will remain open and classes will proceed. If buses are cancelled in the morning, they are cancelled for after school as well. Please check the local radio stations (KX96, CKDO 1350, CFRB 1010, CHUM 1050 or 680 News). Cancellation information will also be posted on the Board’s website at www.dcdsb.ca. Parents are encouraged to subscribe to ‘Track Your Child’s Bus on the transportation website www.dsts.on.ca to receive notification of delayed or cancelled buses. St Bernard is in Zone 4. |
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| Lunch Procedures | ||||||||
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Lunch Break is 11:15 to 12:15 with outdoor recess from 11:15-11:50 and inside to eat lunch 11:50-12:15. All children who are within walking distance are expected to go home for lunch if able. This provides a change of pace in their day and serves as a refresher for their afternoon program. We realize that in some cases, it is necessary for students to remain at school. Students who must stay for lunch are expected to observe the following guidelines, which have been clearly explained to them. Staff members and a Lunch Hour Supervisor supervise students during the lunch hour. Students who remain at school during the lunch hour are expected to stay on school property for the entire duration of the school day. Children normally staying for lunch are not allowed to leave the schoolyard without written permission from the parent/guardian given to the child’s teacher. A note must be provided to the child’s teacher each time permission is given for the child to leave the property at lunch. Only students in Grade 7 and 8, with written parent permission, will be permitted to leave the school for lunch without an adult signing the child out. This greatly assists the staff in safeguarding the students and provides accurate information as to the whereabouts of all students in our care. We highly discourage parents from allowing their child to leave the school grounds to go to the store or other areas around school during the lunch hour period. The schoolyard is the safest place for your child during the lunch hour. In our attempt to reduce the amount of garbage we generate at the school, we would encourage all students to bring a “garbage-less” lunch to school daily. |
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| Anaphylaxis – Reactions to Allergies | ||||||||
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An anaphylactic reaction is a severe, sudden, possible life-threatening allergy to such items as peanuts, nuts, bee stings, shellfish, latex, etc. When a student or adult is diagnosed with anaphylaxis, it is important for the school to take extra precautions to ensure the person’s well-being. Due to severe allergies, St. Bernard Catholic School has Nut Free Classrooms to help protect some of our students from experiencing anaphylactic seizures as a result of severe allergies to peanuts and peanut based products. It is highly recommended that parents refrain from sending any food with nuts to school. Parents are asked to check that all food items do not contain any trace of peanut or peanut oil products. |
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| Administration of Oral Medication | ||||||||
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The Durham Catholic District School Board recognizes that it will occasionally be necessary to administer oral medication to students at school. Under these special circumstances, parents/guardians will be asked to sign a consent form giving permission for school personnel to administer the medication. (This includes over the counter and prescription drugs). All medication must be brought to the office. No student is EVER to keep mediation in his/her possession while at school. |
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| Bicycles, Skateboards, and Roller Blades | ||||||||
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Students are encouraged to walk to school. Bicycle racks are provided at the north side of the school for those who wish to ride their bikes. Please remind your child that riding his/her bike to school is a privilege. Tampering with or damaging other students’ bicycles is prohibited. Bicycles are to be walked once on school property (this includes the front and back of the school). The bike should then be brought to the rack and locked immediately. Skateboards, scooters and roller blades are not to be ridden on school property. The storage and safe keeping of skateboards, scooters and roller blades is not the responsibility of classroom teachers. Students should be reminded that helmets are mandatory and that they are bringing these items to school at their own risk. |
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| Curricular Information | ||||||||
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| Parent Community Involvement | ||||||||
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| Dress Code | ||||||||
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We encourage all parents to monitor how their children dress for school each day. Often, our young people have not had enough experience to determine how weather conditions may change during the day and, as a result, they may come to school ill-prepared for these conditions. Only with constant guidance can our students learn to dress properly for the weather and the learning environment.
In all matters related to appropriate clothing, the Principal will make the final decision. All Dress Code infractions will be addressed with discretion and respect. The Durham Catholic District School Board recognizes that a school should be a place that promotes responsibility, respect, civility, and academic excellence in a safe learning and teaching environment. A positive school climate exists when all members of the school community feel safe, comfortable, and accepted. It is the responsibility of all members of the school community to work together to create a positive learning environment where all members feel supported. |
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| Access to Premises | ||||||||
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Parents/guardians are welcome to visit the school to discuss an issue with teachers or administrators. In keeping with the Board’s Access to School Premises Policy, all doors will remain locked during school hours. Our Safe Welcome Program provides an intercom and camera at the main door of the school for all visitors to communicate with the office prior to entering the school. This enhances the safety of students and staff. Please remember that anyone coming into the school must first sign in at the office and obtain a Visitor’s badge. (Parents/guardians are not allowed access to the school yard before school or during recesses and noon hour.) At recess time, the school yard is well supervised and staff will question anyone whose presence is not expected. Each member of staff is wearing photo ID and is identified on duty with a safety vest. If a parent/guardian needs to pick up his/her son/daughter during the school day, this must be facilitated at the office. Members of the office staff will call the student down to the office to be signed out. If parents send a friend/relative/designate to pick up their child, please advise the school in advance and ask the designate to provide photo identification at the office. If the student returns to school before dismissal, he/she must sign back in at the office so that his/her attendance can be monitored. |
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| Make Every Day Count – Attendance Matters | ||||||||
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Attending school regularly helps children feel better about school—and themselves. Now is the time to start building this habit so your child learns right away that going to school on time, every day is important. Good attendance will help children do well in high school, college or university and in the world of work.
Did You Know? Absences can add up quickly. A child is considered chronically absent if he/she misses just two days every month!! Research shows:
School success goes hand in hand with good attendance!
What You Can Do:
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| Safe Arrival – Automated Attendance | ||||||||
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In June 2018, The Durham Catholic District School Board adopted a new automated attendance system, called Safe Arrival, for reporting student absences. Safe Arrival reduces the time it takes to verify student attendance making it easier for you to report your child’s absence and easier for staff to respond to unexplained student absences. Parents are able to report their child’s absence quickly and conveniently using several methods: 1. Parents can log into a website: go.schoolmessenger.ca to report student absences. 2. Parents can call into the automated interactive telephone system using the toll free number 1-844-288-7628 through which absences can be reported. 3. Parents can download the SafeArrival app for iOS and Android smartphones. Search for the keyword school messenger in the Google Play store or the Apple App store. Select Canada, select sign up, enter your email address that is on file with the school, enter a password. 4. Parents can call the school phone number and press option 3 to connect to the Safe Arrival system. All methods are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Future absences, like doctor’s appointments can be reported ahead of time. For more information, please visit the school website. |
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| Restorative Schools | ||||||||
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We believe that safety begins with positive connections between the students, staff and parents. To foster these relationships, staff in the Durham Catholic District School Board use restorative practices, including classroom circles and small group conferences to build community within the classroom and the school. Restorative Practice is rooted in the same philosophical approach as Canada’s Native Aboriginal communities. It rests on the belief that it is best to do things with people, rather than to them. When conflict arises, using restorative practice engages students in a fair process that responds to behavior in ways that strengthen and repair the relationship. It is collaborative rather than adversarial in nature. The aim of restorative practice is to hold individuals accountable for their actions while restoring and repairing any relationships amongst each other and within the community that may have been harmed.
Catholic Restorative Schools will:
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| Code of Conduct | ||||||||
