Dear Families

We are very excited that you will be joining our St. Clare Family! To those who have older students already in our school, we are looking forward to meeting another member of your family! 

Although we aren’t able to meet in person, we wanted to help your family fully prepare for this transition. We have created a book to introduce you and your child to our amazing staff. Our wonderful Catholic educators will make you feel right at home! Any item underlined in blue is a link to slide decks with important information. One will show you many of the places where your child will learn in our school. Another gives a schedule of the day, and some “essentials” to make your child comfortable and independent. The last is a link to the OCSB Kindergarten information page. Take your time to look through everything. If you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us through email at  Clare@ocsb.ca. 

We hope this book and the pictures will help your child to feel more comfortable beginning school.  It is always great to have a familiar face when coming to school for the first time!

Welcome to St. Clare! (click)

We look forward to meeting you and your child in September!

Take care

Martine Mitton, Principal, and the Kinder Team

Dear Parents/Guardians:

Our school community acknowledges the incidents of violence that have occurred in Canada, the United States, and throughout the world in recent weeks and days. We recognize anti-Black racism is deeply rooted in our society and occurs in our community and schools. We pledge to listen to those who are affected by racism and be part of the solution. We will continue to teach our students that all people are created in the image and likeness of God and have the right to be treated with dignity and respect.  Together, let’s  ‘Seek Justice, Love Kindness and Mercy and Walk Humbly with our God.’ (Micah 6-8). 

Manifestations of Your Light

Good and gracious God, 

Who loves and delights in all people, 

we stand in awe before You, 

knowing that the spark of life within each person on earth

is the spark of your divine life.

Differences among cultures and races 

are multicolored manifestations of Your Light.

May our hearts and minds be open 

to celebrate similarities and differences 

among our sisters and brothers.

We place our hopes for racial harmony 

in our committed action and in Your Presence in our Neighbour.

May all peoples live in Peace.

Amen. (Sisters of Mercy)

Supporting Your Child’s Mental Health and Well-Being

OCSB Mental Health Clinicians have developed tips to support your child during these stressful times to assist parents. 

Parent Pick Up of Student Belongings

Educators have collected and bagged student’s belongings and will  place the labelled bags in the gym for easy pick up. Students medication/epipens will be in your child’s bag.  Daycare belongings and a lost and found table will be at the exit of the gym.  There will be a bin in the gym to return library books and other school items.  Chromebooks are to be returned in the fall unless your child is transferring to a different school board.  I am resharing with you the link regarding the process for pick-up which has been approved by Ottawa Public Health.  Strict guidelines will be in place to protect all.  Retrieval of Personal Items 

Summer Learning

The Skills Builder Program is a literacy and numeracy support program for learners currently in grades 6, 7 or 8 who are presently achieving at level 2 or lower. During the program, students will receive encouragement, confidence building and daily support to improve reading, writing, numeracy, study and organizational skills that are required for success. This program will be offered online in July. If interested, please email the school to inquire about your child’s eligibility and registration process. 

Distance Learning and Report Cards

The St. Clare staff continue to provide distance learning opportunities to all students. Students are encouraged to continue to participate in these opportunities. Google hangouts are a great way to remain connected to staff and classmates!

Students can improve their marks right up until the end of June when report cards are distributed. The OCSB has received permission from the Ministry of Education to deliver report cards electronically this year. The board is currently working with vendors to ensure that the report cards can be delivered securely via email at the end of June.  Alternatives are being planned for those parents that do not have email addresses on file with their school.  

Grade Six Leavetaking

The Grade Six Leavetaking will be online beginning on Friday June 19 at 10:00 am. We hope that students and their families will dress for the event at home and tune in at that time so we all might be together in spirit for this important milestone in our students’ lives. As well, a “swag bag” of momentos, and a certificate of elementary school completion will be provided to students. Many thanks to Mrs. McKale and Mrs. Lloyd for organising the Grade 6 students’      “swag bags”.  A final Thank You to the St. Clare staff for all the work they put into the overall preparation for this ceremony.

Welcome to Kindergarten

Our virtual Welcome to Kindergarten presentation has been shared with all newly registered JK and SK students. It has also been posted on our website. If you have a child starting kindergarten in the fall and did not receive this information please send us an email. We look forward to welcoming our new Junior Kindergartens in September! 

End of Year Mass

I hope that many of you will be able to join us virtually for our end of year mass with the other parish schools. Father Anthony will be celebrating the mass which will be livestreamed on Friday June 12th at 11:00 am. Here is the link to the mass:  Livestream: Divine Infant Parish Elementary Family of Schools Year End Mass with Fr. Anthony  

Stay in Touch

We thank all of our families for their continued support during this difficult time. We pray this email finds you all well and in good health. Messaging from St. Clare School and the Ottawa Catholic School Board will be shared directly to your email address through School Messenger. You may also follow the school on Twitter. Should you wish to communicate with staff, including myself, email is the best method. The school account is Clare@ocsb.ca

Take care,

Martine Mitton

Principal

Dear St.Clare Families,

Happy June! 

With another month of distance learning ahead of us, and the practices of physical distancing in place to keep us safe, June 2020 will be a June like no other.  While we cannot recreate the much loved traditional activities of June at St. Clare (Fun Fair, field trips, swimming classes, track and field, and the opportunity to gather together to put closure to the school year by praying together in liturgy), we can find joy in the good health of the community, the (albeit) brief opportunities to connect in Google hangouts, the memory of the times shared with friends prior to March 13, and the promise of recovery from all of this disruption to our lives in due time. The spirit of the St. Clare Community remains strong.

Welcome to Kindergarten

Typically our youngest registrants visit the school for an opportunity to explore play-based literacy and numeracy tasks and meet teachers and friends. This year the  Welcome to Kindergarten presentation has been made virtual and will be shared with all newly registered Kindergarten students.  A copy will be available on the St. Clare website for those who have not yet registered.  

End of Year Liturgy

Join in the community on Friday, June 12, for a year-end mass. Father Anthony will preside over a mass for St. Theresa, Divine Infant, St. Clare, Our Lady of Wisdom, St.Francis of Assisi and Convent Glen Catholic Schools.

Livestream: Divine Infant Parish Elementary Family of Schools Year End Mass with Fr. Anthony

Grade Six Leavetaking

The Grade Six Leavetaking will be online beginning on Thursday June 19 at 10:00 am. We hope that students and their families will dress for the event at home and tune in at that time so we all might be together in spirit for this important milestone in our students’ lives. As well, a “swag bag” of momentos, and a certificate of elementary school completion will be provided to students. Many thanks to the School Council and St. Clare staff in preparation for this event and gifts.

Celebrating Excellence Award Winner

We would like to congratulate this year’s Celebrating Excellence Award Winner, Emmalynn! Emmalynn brings so much joy to the St. Clare School community. Emmalynn greets her many friends and educators with cheerful enthusiasm. She enjoys learning and discovering from the moment her school day begins and is an eager participant in circle time. She absolutely loves listening to music and reading her favourite books. Emmalynn’s adorable smile brightens everyone’s day! We are so proud! 

Retrieval of  Personal Items

St. Clare School is going to begin this process starting Monday, June 15, 2020. We will be allocating specific time frames for retrieval of student items. You will receive an email later this week indicating the time and instructions for pick up. If you are unable to make the designated time that your family has been given please send an email to Martine.Mitton@ocsb.ca (prior to your retrieval date) and we will try to make alternative arrangements for the pick up of your families items. Thank you for your patience with this.

Online Registration is Open for New Students

Do you still need to register your little one for Kindergarten? Unsure how since schools are closed? You can now register online! Submit your application and once OCSB schools reopen you can complete the process! Visit https://www.ocsb.ca/register/ to get started!

Stay in Touch

We hope you’re doing well and free from worries and the health concerns brought on by Covid-19. Do stay in touch with the school. Messaging from St. Clare School and the Ottawa Catholic School Board will be shared directly to your email address through School Messenger or you may check announcements on the St. Clare Website. You may also follow the school on Twitter. Should you wish to communicate with staff, including myself, email is the best method. Please send emails to staff through the school account Clare@ocsb.ca. I can be reached at Martine.Mitton@ocb.ca

Take care, 

Martine Mitton

Principal

Dear St.Clare Families,

Happy Victoria Day! 

How will you celebrate? We are blessed with lovely weather which inspires us to move outdoors to walk, bike and garden, respecting social distancing rules and Ottawa Public Health guidelines, of course. 

Thank you to all parents and educators who have been working so hard to ensure that St. Clare students have the opportunity to continue their learning while at home. In this unprecedented time, our community has come together creating a vision of distance learning not considered possible before March. It has been a learning curve for all.  An expected announcement on Tuesday, May 19, 2020, should bring further information, specifically the government’s decision on whether students will head back to the classroom in June.  

Behind the scenes, school operations continue. Planning for leavetaking for our grade six students is progressing. Milk refunds have been distributed. Teachers have submitted orders needed for rich learning tasks (e.g. technology, school supplies) for next year and deliveries are being received. Staffing, school-wide scheduling and class assignments are all underway for the 2020-2021 school year. Whatever form school takes upon return, St. Clare School will be ready.

Please join me in wishing Mrs. Bogaert all the best  in her new adventure. She will be retiring in June after 32 years of teaching.  Mrs. Bogaert has been a much-loved staff member at St. Clare.  We  will miss you! Thank you, Mrs Bogaert.

Online Registration is Open for New Students

Do you still need to register your little one for Kindergarten? Unsure how since schools are closed? You can now register online! Submit your application and once OCSB schools reopen you can complete the process! Visit https://www.ocsb.ca/register/ to get started!

Stay in Touch

We hope you’re doing well and free from worries and the health concerns brought on by Covid-19. Do stay in touch with the school. Messaging from St. Clare School and the Ottawa Catholic School Board will be shared directly to your email address through School Messenger or you may check announcements on the St. Clare website. You may also follow the school on Twitter. Should you wish to communicate with staff, including myself, email is the best method. Please send emails to staff through the school account Clare@ocsb.ca. I can be reached at Martine.Mitton@ocsb.ca.

Take care, 

Martine Mitton

Principal

Dear St.Clare Families,

Fifty-nine days, or 8 weeks and 3 days. It has been a long time since we gathered as a community of learners and families and colleagues. We are feeling the loss and separation. We have also found time to celebrate small joys - rediscovered time with our immediate family members, smiling connections with classmates on a Google hangout, and all “the feels” that come with an opportunity to do small things with great love. A term has been coined for the ups and downs of our moods during quarantine; most of us have felt we are on a “coronacoaster” of emotion.

Should you or your family need support during this time, there are some available resources. On the front line, are classroom teachers, educators and specialized support staff. They are available to support distance learning, suggest routines and strategies for work completion and answer any questions you may have around learning and technology. 

The Ottawa Catholic School Board has additional supports should you require them, including support with devices such as Chromebooks, and support to students and their families through mental health professionals such as social workers and psychologists. Should you require access to board staff supports, or find yourself in need of anything, please send me an email at Martine.Mitton@ocsb.ca 

The Catholic School Parent Association has some online events that may be of interest to parents. Registration and topics are released weekly and will be held on May 14, May 21 and May 28 at noon each week. See CSPA to register. These are online events and a LINK will be sent to all those who register. Questions can be sent to ottawacspa@gmail.com.

Online Registration is Open for New Students

Do you still need to register your little one for Kindergarten? Unsure how since schools are closed? You can now register online! Submit your application and once OCSB schools reopen you can complete the process! Visit https://www.ocsb.ca/register/ to get started!

Stay in Touch

We hope you’re doing well and free from worries and the health concerns brought on by Covid-19. Do stay in touch with the school. Messaging from St. Clare School and the Ottawa Catholic School Board will be shared directly to your email address through School Messenger or you may check announcements on the St. Clare Website. You may also follow the school on Twitter. Should you wish to communicate with staff, including myself, email is the best method. Please send emails to staff through the school account Clare@ocsb.ca. I can be reached at Martine.Mitton@ocsb.ca.

Take care, 

Martine Mitton

Principal

Dear St.Clare Families,

It’s hard to believe that we’re now in the month of May! Thanks to everyone for your work during a very unusual and unprecedented month of April. 

This week the Ministry of Education announced a new return to school date of Monday, June 1st for students. Please know that this date may be extended if it is still determined that it is not safe for staff and students to return to school environments. There are provincial groups working on the logistics of what a return to school would look like; no doubt you have heard of some proposals in the news. At this time, no details have been shared, other than the requirement for the plan to be approved by Public Health to ensure the safety of staff and students. 

We know that everyone continues to do their best with learning at home.  Please continue to adapt the suggestions from staff to suit your family needs and schedule.  Thank you for continuing to maintain contact with your child’s classroom teacher.  Your feedback, questions and/or concerns are valuable and assist with planning so please don’t hesitate to contact us at the email addresses at the end of this newsletter.

Emma Paxton, Creator emma@imagistic.co.uk   

Used with permission

Catholic Education Week Activities  

I am so very thankful as a proud Catholic educator that we have a choice to support learning in a faith-filled environment.  The OCSB celebrates Catholic Education Week with a twist this year as we go virtual. The theme this year is Igniting Hope.   Each day has been identified with a different focus which you can choose to explore with your family in a number of ways…  draw a picture, perform and act of kindness, write and/or send a message of hope, or perhaps find something in nature.  If ever there was a time when the world needed a little hope, we are certainly living it now.  

• Monday - For the ones we love - send a message of hope to someone in your family

• Tuesday - For the ones who teach us - send a message of hope to your teacher(s)

• Wednesday - For leaders - send a message of hope to a leader in your community/world (government leaders, school board leaders, your parish priest, Archbishop Prendergast, Pope Francis) 

• Thursday - For those in need and those who care for them - send a message of hope to a nursing home, hospital, The Mission, Shepherds of Good Hope, frontline and healthcare workers

• Friday - For yourself - send yourself a message of hope - for today and the future 

Link to Virtual  CEW mass at 10 am on May 5th, from the Basilica in Ottawa

Online Registration is Open for New Students

Do you still need to register your little one for Kindergarten? Unsure how since schools are closed? You can now register online! Submit your application and once OCSB schools reopen you can complete the process! Visit https://www.ocsb.ca/register/ to get started!

Stay in Touch

We hope you’re doing well and free from worries and the health concerns brought on by Covid-19. Do stay in touch with the school. Messaging from St. Clare School and the Ottawa Catholic School Board will be shared directly to your email address through School Messenger or you may check announcements on the St. Clare Website. You may also follow the school on Twitter. Should you wish to communicate with staff, including myself, email is the best method. Please send emails to staff through the school account clare@ocsb.ca. 

Happy Mother’s Day - Sunday, May 10th

To all the moms, On behalf of the staff, you are wished you a lovely day and some time to pamper yourself with your favorite activity.  You are in our prayers for an awesome day with your family.  

Take care, 

Martine Mitton

Principal

Dear St. Clare Families,

Today, Education Minister Stephen Lecce announced that all publicly-funded schools, including all Ottawa Catholic Schools, would remain closed until at least May 31, 2020. The extension is based on expert advice from the Chief Medical Officer of Health and health officials on the COVID-19 Command Table. While this is appropriate to ensure the safety of all, it is sad that we cannot gather as a school community. When I speak with staff, parents and students, everyone remarks on how we miss one another. We will continue to do our part to flatten the curve.

Ideas for Extending Deep Learning at Home

Education within the OCSB focusses not only on the mastery of literacy and numeracy skills. Deep Learning seeks to develop the “Six Cs”: character, citizenship, collaboration, communication, creativity and critical thinking, within a faith-filled context. Here are some ideas that you may wish to use at home.

Citizenship is the skill that allows your child to connect with people with diverse world views and perspectives diplomatically. 

Challenge your child to think about others in their neighbourhood and how they might be feeling, things that they might be experiencing that are different from their experience.  

How can we help them?  A prayer, a message in the window, a picture on the driveway...

Character is one of the more apparent skills that your child will need throughout their whole life. 

How is your child interacting with others at home?

Have some discussions about the importance of traits like perseverance, resilience, humility and kindness.

Communication is an essential skill that will help your child interact with others, express their thoughts, feelings and ideas. 

How can your child express their thoughts, perspectives and opinions in a productive way?  

Schedule some time to work specifically on listening skills.  Make it a game.

Critical thinking is the ability to thoughtfully evaluate information and arguments by seeing patterns and making connections. 

Provide opportunities for your child to ‘figure it out’.  Do not be quick to give them a solution.

Ask them to explain their thinking.  Why might that work?  What else could you try?

Collaboration is a skill that allows your child to work well with others. 

Living in times of physical distancing creates a wonderful opportunity to practice collaboration within the family.

A family game or project can help your child to recognize their own unique talents and abilities while accepting, valuing and building upon the strengths that others bring to the table.

Creativity is a valuable skill that God has placed in each of us. It allows your child to take an dea and turn it into a reality. 

“think outside the box,” be resourceful, and take risks to come up with innovative ideas and solutions to problems.

Ask your child to design a machine that would clean their room, a way to save water, a city that doesn’t need electricity

Online Registration is Open for New Students

Do you still need to register your little one for Kindergarten? Unsure how since schools are closed? You can now register online! Submit your application and once OCSB schools reopen you can complete the process! Visit https://www.ocsb.ca/register/ to get started!

Stay in Touch

We hope you’re doing well and free from worries and the health concerns brought on by Covid-19. Do stay in touch with the school. Messaging from St. Clare School and the Ottawa Catholic School Board will be shared directly to your email address through School Messenger or you may check announcements on the St. Clare Website. You may also follow the school on Twitter. Should you wish to communicate with staff, including myself, email is the best method. Please send emails to staff through the school account Clare@ocsb.ca

Take care, 

Martine Mitton

Principal