Parent's Guide

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Child: Grade: School:

Tel.:

Principal: Teacher:

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Student profile 1. Academic pathway

4. Catholic pathway

Achieve academic success to enter the job market and pursue chosen careers.

Students will:

Mature in the Catholic faith.

Students will:

• • • •

want to learn; learn how to learn; succeed in their studies; and possess broad general knowledge.

2. Personal pathway Experience healthy and harmonious development.

Students will: • possess self-knowledge and self-esteem; • practice healthy habits; • demonstrate respect for people and the environment; and • contribute to the well-being of others.

• know the foundations of the Catholic faith; • have a personal connection to the Catholic faith; • participate in society using their Christian values as a guide.

5. Francophone pathway Know and promote the Franco-Ontarian community and worldwide Francophone culture.

Students will: • use and master the French language; • make Francophone culture part of their identity; and • contribute to the vitality of Francophone culture in their community.

The Student Profile is explained at www.ecolecatholique.ca, under CECCE/Student Profile/

3. Professional pathway Make a positive and responsible contribution to a diverse society.

Students will: • make life and career choices consistent with their interests and passions; • lead a balanced life; • participate in society as people who feel comfortable using both official languages; and • help build a more equitable and just world.

Our vision To be an educational leader recognized for the excellence of its schools, its openness, its innovations and its involvement in the community.

Our mission To equip each student for academic success, personal development, responsible citizenship and commitment to the Catholic Faith and the Francophone community.

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Part I: How does the school operate?

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Admitting students Administering medications Dress code for students School expenditures Educational, cultural, and athletic outings Student transportation

Part II: How is my child evaluated?

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Homework Evaluating and communicating student performance

Part III: How can I participate in my child’s education? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Volunteering in schools Fundraising School councils Complaints

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Part I: How does the school operate?

Admitting students The CECCE intends to ensure that it’s elementary and secondary schools accept children and youth who are eligible to receive French-language education under section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Ontario Education Act and regulations.

Therefore, it admits into its elementary and secondary schools students who meet the following criteria:

Place of residence The CECCE admits students: • who reside in Ontario within the boundaries of the Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-Est (CECCE); • whose mother or father (or guardian) resides within its boundaries.

Language The mother or father (or guardian) must meet at least one of the following linguistic criteria: • have French as the first language learned and still understood; • have received his or her elementary instruction in French in Canada; • be the parent (or guardian) of a child who has received or is receiving instruction at the elementary or secondary level in French in Canada.

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Religious affiliation Elementary school In its elementary schools, the CECCE admits Catholic students whose parent or guardian is a Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-Est taxpayer. Other Christian denominations may also be eligible. Ratepayers may direct their school support to the CECCE by completing the application for direction of school support available on our website under Registration/Documents to provide. Please see adm 13 for more information at www.ecolecatholique.ca/Registration/Who can attend?/ Secondary school In its secondary schools, the CECCE admits Catholic students whose parent or guardian is a Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-Est taxpayer. The CECCE also opens its doors to members of all other religious affiliations in its secondary schools. However, all students must respect the Catholic character and values of the school and its programs.

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Student’s age Elementary school To be admitted to elementary school, students must:

Dress code for students

• be four years of age by December 31 of the current school year to enrol in junior kindergarten;

The school principal, in cooperation with students and staff and in consultation with the parent-based school council, establishes a student dress code and includes it in the school’s behaviour code.

• be five years of age by December 31 of the current school year to enrol in senior kindergarten;

School expenditures

• be six years of age by December 31 of the current school year to enrol in grade 1.

Secondary school Students must have successfully completed their elementary studies.

Administering medications No medication is administered at school except in cases where the student could not attend school without the medication or would be unable to take responsibility for taking the medication. The CECCE and its schools encourage parents to ask their family physicians to prescribe medications that children can take before and after the school day, whenever possible.

Expenses covered by schools Schools cover the following expenses: • School supplies at the elementary level (J.K. to grade 6), i.e. elementary schools supply the pens, pencils, erasers and other supplies purchased at the start of the school year. Parents are responsible for replacing school supplies that are lost, damaged, or used up during the school year.

• Educational materials (textbooks, musical instruments, tools, pieces of equipment), i.e. educational materials are lent to students as part of their educational program, for the semester or the school year.

• Complementary activities conducted as part of the educational program.

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Expenses covered by parents (or guardians): school fees Schools may ask parents (or guardians) to defray the school expenditures listed below through school fees, either annual or one-time, as the case may be: • Required school expenditures: In response to parent’s expectations and needs, school fees are set at a maximum of $35 per child, from J.K. through grade 12.

School fees cover the cost of a student’s agenda, ID card (if applicable), certain field trips, etc.

• School expenditures for some optional secondary school courses (visual arts, outdoors activities, music, drama, foods): Schools are required to cover at least 50% of the expenses, with parents (or guardians) responsible for the balance.

The CECCE has set the following maximum fees: • Visual arts: $15 • Drama: $20 • Outdoor activities: $100 • Music: $20 • Food: $35 • Optional school expenditures: Parents (or guardians) must cover the costs associated with their child’s voluntary participation in any specialized program at the secondary level or any extracurricular activities, as well as optional school expenditures such as student photos.

• Supplies at the secondary level (grades 7 to 12): Given the variety of courses offered at the intermediate / secondary levels and students’ personal preferences with respect to school supplies, parents (or guardians) and students are responsible for supplying all the school supplies needed for their courses.

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Educational, cultural, and athletic outings The CECCE encourages educational, cultural, and athletic outings because of their educational value and curriculum-related educational goals.

Before their children may participate in an outing the school, parents (or guardians) must provide the school with their consent. In order for parents to be able to give informed consent, the form they receive must be accompanied by a letter outlining the location to be visited, the means of transportation used, any risks or activities likely to influence their decision, and the name of the person in charge, should they wish further information. Once it is completed and signed, this form must be returned to the school before the activity is held.

During outings, the school principal ensures that there is adequate adult supervision. Activities must take place under the supervision of a qualified CECCE teacher, subject to some requirements contained in the applicable administrative directive adm 12 available at www.ecolecatholique.ca/School Board/Policies/.

Although the CECCE encourages parents to take part in outings, teachers retain primary responsibility for student safety.

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Student transportation Students are entitled to school transportation if the distance between their home and school exceeds: • Junior/senior kindergarten

0 km

• Grades 1 to 6

1.5 km

• Grades 7 and 8

2.5 km

• Secondary level

3.0 km

• Pembroke secondary level

2.5 km

As a general rule, students are not required to travel on foot more than 0.5 km from their home to the nearest school bus stop.

Normally, the duration of bus travel must not exceed one hour for students in junior kindergarten to grade 8 and one and a half hours for secondary students.

Each student has the same departure and arrival points, five days a week, all year. Parents or guardians of students in grades 7 to 12 who share custody of their child and live at two separate addresses may apply for school transportation every year.

Transportation is provided for safety reasons to: • elementary (K-grade 5) students who, to get to school, must cross a busy public thoroughfare with a speed limit over 50 km/h; • secondary (grades 9 to 12) students who, to get to school, must cross a busy public thoroughfare with a speed limit over 60 km/h;

• elementary or intermediate students who, to get to school, must cross a railway line; • elementary or intermediate students who, to get to school, must cross an arterial road designated by competent authorities as a truck route; • elementary or intermediate students who, to get to school, must take a main artery with no sidewalk and with a speed limit of 50 km/h and/or a traffic flow of at least 600 vehicles an hour; • students who must take a main artery that has not been designated as a municipal or regional road.

These provisions only apply where there is no alternative route that bypasses the aforementioned situations without exceeding the prescribed walking distances.

For further information, contact the Transportation Service at 613-746-3654 or toll free at 1-888-230-5131, extension 3654.

Parents are encouraged to talk to their children about their responsibilities and the safety rules to be followed aboard buses (ask for a copy of the Guide du Transport scolaire from your child’s school).

Parents must ensure that children arrive at their bus stop five minutes before pick-up time.

Parents of a junior or senior kindergarten student are required to ensure that a responsible person accompanies their child to and from the bus stop.

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Part II: How is my child evaluated?

Homework The homework and assignments students are required to complete are part of their learning, since these types of work allow them to apply the skills and knowledge acquired in school and to increase their level of independence, sense of responsibility, and ability to manage and plan their time.

Moreover, homework and assignments are an excellent means of promoting success at school. Homework, or assignments done at home, fall into four main categories:

1. Practice homework (strengthening learning) Practice homework, which is often presented in the form of drills, allows students to strengthen their mastery of content studied or performed in class. These exercises must pose a challenge and make use of the skills to be strengthened. They are effective when they meet students’ individual needs and enable them to apply their learning in various situations. For some skills, such as reading, writing or mastering mathematical concepts, practice and repetition strongly support long-term learning.

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2. Exploratory homework and assignments (preparing for learning) Homework or assignments of this type prepare students for the material to be taught in upcoming classes.

Students can thus come to class with a rudimentary understanding of the subject at hand, which can increase their level of interest and facilitate their comprehension.

3. Application homework and assignments (expanding knowledge) Through concrete applications, this type of homework allows students to put classroom learning into practice and to expand their knowledge in various situations.

Since the emphasis is on production, students are asked to complete assignments that allow them to build on previously acquired knowledge and competencies. This type of homework allows students to put the concepts learned in the classroom into action, and often involves more individualized homework or assignments.

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4. Research homework and assignments (organizing knowledge) This type of work allows students to explore new subjects using various research tools and gives free rein to their imagination and creativity. It encourages them to develop their ability to analyse, synthesize and evaluate data and conduct research, and allows them to delve more deeply into the concepts learned in class. In addition to helping students acquire research techniques, the homework and assignments of this type give them the chance to make use of resources available in their families and communities. This type of work may also occasionally be carried out in small groups, which encourages the development of teamwork skills.

Reading is a basic skill that is the cornerstone of learning in all school subjects. Since reading ability develops with practice, students should, in addition to their homework, devote time every day to reading books or other texts that meet their personal interests and abilities.

The involvement of parents in homework and assignments is key to their children’s academic success. Parents’ responsibilities include supervising their children’s homework, creating an environment that encourages working and studying, showing interest in their children’s schoolwork, and making education a priority. Parents are always welcome to help their children but must not do the work for them. If a child is experiencing difficulty meeting homework and assignment requirements, parents must inform the teacher immediately.

Because each student is unique, the time needed to do homework and assignments will vary from one individual to another. Nevertheless, the average daily period devoted to homework and assignments, not counting free time for studying or reading, should be approximately: • J.K./S.K. occasionally, up to 10 minutes • Grades 1 to 3 up to 25 minutes • Grades 4 to 6 up to 45 minutes • Grades 7 to 10 up to 60 minutes • Grades 11 and 12 depending on program needs If the time a student is spending on homework and assignments becomes problematic, it is important for the parents to inform the teacher.

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Why have homework?

that students know: ic performance, provided em ad ac on e nc lue inf ive Homework has a posit of learning). requested work (meaning • Why they have to do the ctly (nature of tasks).

• What they have to do exa s and processes useful ting the activities (strategie ple com lly sfu ces suc ut • How they must go abo for performing tasks). edule and routine). get down to work (daily sch sly iou ser st mu y the en Wh • efforts (daily, weekly mit the final result of their sub and rk wo the te ple • When they have to com or monthly deadlines). of our website at Parent support/ section ts/ ren Pa the it vis on, ati For more inform call 613-746-3837. www.ecolecatholique.ca or

Homework support (SOS

Devoirs)

a solution to the daily tre-Est (CECCE) has found Cen du es iqu hol cat les The Conseil des éco challenge of homework! schools (and their parents) Ontario French-language ing end att 12 to 1 questions about des gra All students from ts and parents who have den Stu e. vic ser ork ew rs hom or via e-mail! can use the free SOS Devoi phone, over the Internet, tele by rs che tea m fro rs answe to 9:00 p.m. homework can now obtain Monday to Thursday, 4:30 io, tar On in ere wh any m IRS fro • Call toll-free 1-855-DEV-O ms of help. , to find various other for h • Visit www.sosdevoirs.org ts reason and work throug blackboard to help studen nic ctro ele an s use r che In chat mode, a tea hours problems themselves. r will answer you within 24 nday to Thursday, a teache Mo m Fro e. tim any at ns E-mail your questio eived. of of your question being rec rnet, starting the third week telephone and over the Inte by , rge cha of e fre red SOS Devoirs is offe e. Be sure to use it! il the second Thursday in Jun September and running unt

*Service available in French

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only

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Evaluating and communicating student performance Evaluation is an important aid in helping students strive to fulfill the CECCE’s Student Profile and to advance in their academic, personal, professional, Catholic, and Francophone pathways.

Definitions: Diagnostic evaluation: Evaluation conducted to identify the point at which students should start their learning. The goal is to determine whether they have mastered the skills considered necessary to undertake new learning.

Evaluation of students’ performance is used to verify that the student is meeting the objectives of the Ontario Curriculum.

The “competencies to be developed” at the elementary level and the “skills to be developed” at the secondary level are evaluated separately from performance in the various subject areas.

Formative evaluation: Evaluation conducted during the learning process with the goal of enhancing the quality of learning-related decisions and of adjusting the educational strategies employed, as needed.

A student’s performance is determined based on their performance in each of the competencies evaluated.

Summative evaluation: Evaluation conducted at the end of a unit, with the goal of determining students’ level of performance in relation to the criteria set out in the general student performance chart.

• be constructed so as to focus on the targeted skills;

Evaluation tasks: Activities assigned to students (e.g. projects, oral presentations, tests) to determine their level of performance.

Principles: Formative and diagnostic evaluations are not used to determine student performance.

Summative evaluation is administered at the end of a learning unit, with formative evaluations administered during the unit.

Daily homework, in the form of application exercises, is similar to learning activities and should be the subject of feedback or formative evaluation.

The evaluation tasks used to assess students’ performance must: • be designed around the targeted expectations; • be new and separate from learning tasks and formative evaluations; • allow all possible levels of performance to be identified; • allow each student’s individual performance to be evaluated; and • reflect the activities and standards for success discussed during the learning process.

Summative evaluation is designed to be transparent to students and their parents.

Students must receive feedback within a reasonable timeframe following an evaluation activity.

Evaluation results and academic performance are private information intended for students, their parents and the school administration. Students may communicate their results to other students but may also elect to keep this information to themselves; teachers must respect this choice.

Long-term homework or assignments may be the subject of summative evaluation.

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atholiques c s le o c é s e d il y at the Conse it r io r p a is d o Early childho ECCE)! du Centre-Est (C

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BIG benefits for

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PRESCHOOLERS

g the school year development for ever yone durin e ic rv se e fre ional and social A ot • em l, ra ltu cu , ical in French , cognitive, phys • A quality day, ent for language nm ro vi en g in at • A stimul our schools ogram in many of • A breakfast pr needs s n’ special needs ilored to childre • A schedule ta for children with es ic rv se al on si es g children hools* • Accessible prof to meet the needs of very youn in most of our sc on s rs ur pe ho m ed ifi oo al sr qu as • A after cl rvice before and • A day care se tion • Free transporta /. ents/Child Care holique.ca /Par at ec ol ec w. w w te at 8-230-5131 *visit our Web si or toll free 1-88 55 25 474 3Call 61

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Part III: HOW CAN I PARTICIPATE IN MY CHILD’S EDUCATION? Volunteering in schools Parent and community volunteering is encouraged but remains optional.

“Parent volunteer” means a parent (or guardian) who has a child attending the school where volunteering takes place and who agrees to perform, without compensation, a support task for an activity organized by a class, the school or the CECCE. The procedure is very simple.

Contact your school’s principal at your earliest convenience to schedule an interview and to submit your references, proof of criminal record check, and tuberculosis screening test.

“Community volunteer” means a member of the community who does not have a child attending the school where the volunteering takes place and who agrees to perform, without compensation, a support task for an activity organized by a class, the school or the school board.

Encourage your family and friends to call our partner program Volunteers in Education, offered by the Ottawa Centre for Research and Innovation (OCRI/CRIO), at 613-828-6274, extension 135.

OCRI has offered to conduct free criminal record checks on community volunteers.

In each school, tasks are assigned to volunteers by the school principal, and the assignments must comply with the restrictions and requirements set out in the policies and procedures of the CECCE. Volunteer management is based on procedures related to screening, training, monitoring, and evaluating volunteers and recognizing their contributions.

Volunteers are expected to: • provide support for school activities, at the request and under the supervision of school board staff, primarily the school principal; • never take on the role of identifying students’ learning strengths or difficulties or evaluating their progress; • respect the Catholic and Francophone character of the school.

Fundraising The CECCE recognizes the usefulness of fundraising as a way for schools to support charities, community service organizations, and school activities and programs. In principle, therefore, the CECCE is in favour of guided student participation in fundraising activities.

Under no circumstances may fundraising contradict the school board’s philosophy or classroom activities.

The CECCE does not allow students from junior kindergarten through grade 3 to canvass door-to-door.

The CECCE allows students in grades 4 through 6 to canvass door-to-door, provided they are accompanied by a responsible adult. Students in grades 7 through 12 may canvass door-to-door unaccompanied by an adult, provided their parents have been informed. Any such canvassing activities must be voluntary.

The CECCE favours the following fundraising activities: • • • • •

the sale of services offered by students; entertainment; the sale of raffle tickets for an item; the sale of an item or a contractual service; charitable donations.

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ION

SCHOOL/FAMILY COOPERAT

to cooperate: for parents and teachers s son rea of er mb nu a There are influenced by their parents 1- Children’s attitudes are sible for their children 2- Parents are legally respon ortant resource for teachers behaviour.

3- Parents can be an imp rts to change their children’s effo in ed olv inv be to s ent 4- schools need par ère/McGraw-Hill, 1997 nications et relations entre

Goupil, Georgette, Commu

l’école et la famille, Cheneli

in a variety of ways: rticipation at the school pa y tar un vol d an e fre ir school and the Parents can offer the ispensable for bringing the ind is ing eer unt Vol . ing unteer munity members • Involvement through vol that parents and other com role l rea y ver the on sed ba community together. It is . ool sch the at y can pla nteerism in schools, p. 42 Côté, R., 1993 report on volu gs foster parental ation groups. These meetin orm inf and n sio cus dis g, • Involvement in trainin cific needs. m guidance based on spe ère/McGraw-Hill, 1997 involvement by offering the l’école et la famille, Cheneli re ent s tion rela et s tion nica Goupil, Georgette, Commu vileged setting for school council being a pri the s, ure uct str ive tat sul this also requires a • Involvement through con sit on the school council, but to t righ a e hav s ent Par . parents to be open-minded this type of involvement sibilities. This task requires pon res must and ies dut ted demic environment, which recognition of the rela decisions made in the aca the t por sup to er ord in and open-hearted be fair to all students. r for the CECCE

Claudette P. St-Pierre Lecture

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School councils The CECCE believes that school councils are an excellent way to:

School councils may also examine and discuss other subjects, including:

• support participation by parents, students, staff, and members of the community in guiding and continually improving student performance;

• school life and student learning; • a school’s educational plan; • the organization and grouping of courses offered by a school; • the local school year calendar; • the goals and priorities of school programs and the curriculum of study; • the development of a school profile; • budget priorities of schools and the school board, especially for infrastructure improvement projects; • strategies for communications between the school, parents and the community; • ways of communicating students’ academic results to parents and the community; • extracurricular activities; • services offered by schools and community partnerships concerning social, health, and food services; • the use of school facilities by the community; • the coordination of local services offered to youth; • policies and administrative directives related to the operation of school councils; • initiatives related to student performance or the school system’s accountability to parents.

• promote increased participation by parents in their children’s education; • make the educational system more accountable to parents.

School councils are advisory bodies. Their primary function is to advise school principals and/or the CECCE, as applicable.

The CECCE and/or principals must consult school councils on the following subjects: • policies, administrative directives, and implementation programs regarding: - a school’s of conduct; - a school’s dress code; - the distribution of funds among school councils; - school council fundraising activities; - the dispute resolution process within school councils; - the reimbursement of expenses incurred by school council members.

• School board quality improvement programs for student results on provincial tests; • the way these programs are communicated to the public; • development of the school’s principal and viceprincipal profiles.

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Complaints Openness and communication are important values to the CECCE. We strive to offer quality services, to maintain a climate of respect, and to ensure a safe environment for students and their parents/guardians.

Parents and guardians: we invite you to contact us and to read the complaint handling procedure, which is designed to ensure that solutions are found within a reasonable timeframe. We assure you that your complaint will be handled in an open-minded, objective and confidential manner.

Step 1: Contact the staff member concerned

Step 3: Contact the superintendent of education

You file a complaint with the person best placed to intervene, indicating the corrective action that you are requesting.

Action:

The superintendent of education becomes familiar with the information provided by both parties, the corrective action implemented, or the solutions proposed.

Result:

He or she maintains the decision made at the preceding step or makes a new decision.

Action:

Result:

The person concerned acknowledges receipt of your complaint within three business days and proposes corrective action or supplies the relevant explanations within a reasonable timeframe.

The situation is addressed and the complaint is resolved, or, if you remain dissatisfied and the problem persists.

You may appeal the decision to the next administrative level.

Step 4: You may file a complaint with the director of education Action:

The director of education studies the request for an appeal (submitted in writing), becomes familiar with all aspects of the matter, and determines whether the complaint is valid.

Result:

Final decision from the director of education.

You may appeal the decision to the next administrative level.

Step 2: Contact the vice-principal/principal Action:

The vice-principal/principal becomes familiar with the information provided by both parties, the corrective action implemented, or the solutions proposed.

Result:

He or she maintains the decision made at the preceding step or makes a new decision.

You may appeal the decision to the next administrative level.

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