19Leeder Lane,Petawawa, on K8H 3H5

Valour

JK-12 School

19Leeder Lane,Petawawa, ON K8H 3H5

Telephone: (613) Fax: (613)

Our Mission

At Valour, we take pride in developing the whole child. Education for our community has high academic expectations in a bilingual culture with character education embedded in all that we do. We provide a learning atmosphere that has entry levels based on student readiness with a focus on collaborative learning in an inquiry based classroom. Rich learning activities will support the development of higher order thinking skills in a 21st century technology environment. Staff collaboration and learning will guide the journey of each student toward the successful achievement of their life goals. We will encourage our students to be creative, empathetic, compassionate and caring in all aspects of their life. We will model Valour as our core character trait and celebrate and nurture our community to live a life that is courageous. Valour as a name and character value will be the essence of all that we do each day in our school. It will guide and give purpose to our lessons, our spirit and our activities. Together, we will create citizens that will shape our community to be one of respect, care, empathy and activism. Together we will help all of our students meet success in our world. Together, we will create our future.

Character Development

Valour will help our students develop the following character virtues:

Respect (honour, consideration, acknowledgement)

Responsibility (accountability, trustworthiness)

Caring (empathy, compassion)

Honesty (truthfulness, integrity)

Perseverance (purposefulness, determination)

Initiative (leadership, resourcefulness)

Optimism (hopefulness, joyfulness)

Courage (bravery, conviction)

Why do we recommend each student from Grades 1 to 8 have an Agenda?

Valour recommends agendas to all our grade 1-8 students to help students:

organize tasks and activities
manage their time and plan for assignments/tests
maintain a close link between teacher and parents/guardians.

We require that students keep their Agendas with them throughout the school year. Students who lose an agenda are expected to replace it. Individual teachers may ask parents to sign or initial the Agendas on a daily or weekly basis

WELCOME!

Welcome to Valour. This is our inaugural year and we are so pleased to have you and your family as part of our school community. I hope that everyone had a wonderful summer filled with activities that engaged both the mind and the body.

At Valour, we pride ourselves on creating a learning environment that all students can access regardless of their level of learning. We plan and implement lessons that will engage all students and foster growth and the achievement of the expectations for their grade.

The definition of Valour will be our Character Education theme each and every day. We want our students to display courage in all that they do, to persevere through adversity and never ever give up.

Thank you for being an active member of our school community. I look forward to working with everyone.

Sincerely

Bryan Baird, Principal

BALANCED SCHOOL DAY
–Classes begin at 9:20 am
–Classes end at 3:40 pm
INSTRUCTIONAL TIME 9:20pm-10:20am
NUTRITIONAL/ACTIVITY BREAK 10:20 am – 11:00 am
INSTRUCTIONAL TIME 11:00am- 1:00pm
NUTRITIONAL/ACTIVITY BREAK 1:00 pm – 1:40 pm
INSTRUCTIONAL TIME 1:40pm-3:40pm

THE SCHOOL YEAR 2014-2015

A school year calendar will go home with students the first week of September 2014.

Important dates to remember:

(Dale to Fill in)

September 2nd Labor Day

September 3rd First Day of School

October 11th Provincially Mandated PA Day

October 14th Thanksgiving Day

November 15th Parent-Teacher Interviews

Dec. 23-Jan. 3rd Christmas Break

January 31st PA Day

February 17th Family Day

March 7th Provincially Mandated PA Day

March 10th – 14th March Break

April 18th Good Friday

April 21st Easter Monday

May 19th Victoria Day

June 9th PA Day

June 27th Last Day of Classes

June 28th Provincially Mandated PA Day

ANAPHYLAXIS (and Allergies)

Each year at Valour we have a number of students with life-threatening allergies (anaphylaxis). If your child is in a class with an anaphylactic child, a letter will be sent home informing you about the specific allergy and any steps we would like you to take to help ensure a safe learning environment.

**Please note that Valour is a nut-free and fragrance-free environment.

ATTENDANCE

It is the parent/guardian’s responsibility to ensure the child arrives safely at school. To help ensure a child's safety, parents are asked to telephone the school before classes start if their child will be absent that day.

For your convenience, we have an answering service, which will allow you to leave a message.

Students who are not in the classroom by instruction time are considered late and will need to get a late slip from the office prior to entering class. Any student arriving after the beginning of class should use the front doors of the school. Parents are encouraged to promote punctuality with their child. Tardiness not only affects the student’s learning, it also interrupts others in the classroom. The school is required to send letters home if a student is frequently late.

When a student returns to school, after being absent, a note signed by a parent or guardian to explain the absence is required. The classroom teacher keeps these notes on file. Please note that a child is excused from attendance at school only if the child is unable to attend school by reason of illness or other unavoidable cause.

Please do not send notes asking for your child to stay inside during recess. If a child is well enough to come to school, (s) he is expected to go outside for recess. In extenuating circumstances, we will endeavour to accommodate students who have a note from a physician.

A student who does not participate in a field trip or outing with a class is expected to be at school and arrangements will be made for such students.

Students are not to leave the school grounds once they have arrived at school in the morning and after nutritional breaks (except in grades 6 and up if parents have sent in a signed permission form.)

BICYCLES/IN-LINE SKATES/SCOOTERS

Bicycles, and in-line skates &/or scooters are to be WALKED/DISMOUNTED ON SCHOOL GROUNDS. Lock bicycles in racks at the front of the school immediately upon arrival in the yard. Students need to remove their in-line skates upon arrival on the school grounds and change into street shoes. Scooters are to be folded and stored while on school property.

CHARACTER ASSEMBLIES

Assemblies celebrating students who have demonstrated outstanding character (see the Character Virtues) are planned on a monthly basis. The assemblies also recognize student achievements in academics, sports, and the arts and will include student performances. Please refer to our newsletters for any set times and dates. Parents are encouraged to attend.

DISCIPLINE

Valour staff work as a team to promote a positive, safe learning environment for our students. Students attending this school must be able to feel safe from harassment and physical threat.

All students are expected to follow the school and classroom rules as well as uphold Pinecrest’s principles of responsibility, which are:

Students are responsible for their own behaviour,

Students are responsible for their own learning,

Students are responsible for treating all persons with consideration and respect,

Students are responsible for contributing to their classroom and school, and

Students are responsible for the environment – for treating it with care so others may enjoy it.

Prevention is the key to a positive school climate.

Valour undertakes to assist students in developing self-discipline.

When inappropriate behaviour occurs, measures will be applied that are both corrective and supportive. This progressive discipline approach includes:

Early and ongoing intervention,

Addressing the inappropriate behaviour,

Provide opportunities for the student to learn from the choices he or she makes, and

Parental awareness and involvement.

At all times, the school will act in accordance with the Code of Conduct established by the Renfrew County District School Board under the Education Act of the Province of Ontario.

DRESS CODE

All students at Valour are to dress appropriately for school.

Students will not wear short-shorts, muscle shirt, mesh shirt, or bare midriffs.

Students in grades 4-12- no spagetti straps. Straps on shirt must be a minimum of three fingers (students fingers) wide.

The hem of shorts and skirts are to be no shorter than mid thigh. A rule of thumb is; students fingertips should touch the fabric of the shorts/skirt when their hands are naturally at their sides.

There will be no logos or crests that display alocohol, tobacco or illicit drug symbols.

Clothing or bags that promote racism, violence, sexism and/or are sexual in nature are not appropriate for school.

Pants must be pulled up high enough that underwear is not exposed.

For safety and health reasons students are not to wear coats in class.

For safety and health reasons students must wear shoes in school.

Indoor footwear is required for all elementary students. Indoor footwear is not to go outside on the yard.

Students in violation of the dress code will be referred to administration.

Gym Wear

Proper non marking shoes must be worn in the gym

Some elementary and all secondaryPhysical Educationclasses are required to change into proper gym attire. Valour gym shirts and shorts may be purchased through the school.

Cold Weather

Students are expected to go outside during the winter months unless the temperature is below -20C with the wind chill. Please ensure your child dresses warmly.

Please ensure your child has a warm coat, hat, mitts or gloves and winter boots.

We recommend sending an extra pair of mittens and socks in case the first pair get wet.

EMERGENCY CONTACTS

It is important that parents provide the school with current work telephone numbers for parents (if applicable), as well as two other people to contact in the event of an emergency (i.e. illness, emergency closure of school). Please call the school to update this information whenever necessary.

EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

Each year a variety of extra curricular activities are offered. Student participation is subject to our Student in Good Standing policy.

Students in grades 7 & 8 have the opportunity to represent the school on school athletic teams such as volleyball, basketball, badminton and track and field.

Students in grade 5 and up can be members of the cross-country team and the track & field team.

Please note that fees may applied in order to carry out our extracurricular program.

FIELD TRIPS

Field trips provide an opportunity for students to visit places of interest on the Base and off. Despite the many educational benefits derived from field trips, only those students, who are students inGood Standing in the classroom, on the yard and throughout the school, will be invited to go on field trips.

FIRE DRILLS & EMERGENCY EVACUATIONPROCEDURE

Each classroom has a sheet showing fire exits from the building and a sign, stating the exit to be used, prominently displayed. Students are to walk on the right hand side of the hall to the exit.

It is important that students stay together as a class and move well away from the building until further instructions are received.

Fire drills may be conducted at any time without previous warning.

In the event of an emergency, students from Valour Pwill be evacuated to the Petawawa Civic Centre. Teachers will make sure all students are accounted for and no student will be dismissed until a parent or caregiver can be contacted.

FUNDRAISING

Each year the school seeks to raise funds in the community to supplement its budget. These funds are used in a variety of ways to enhance the learning and social experience of the students. Parents are notified in advance and participation is voluntary.

ILLNESS

In fairness to all, please do not send your child to school if there are definite signs of ill health in the morning. We have neither the facilities nor the personnel to care for sick children. Good health is necessary for effective learning. Students who are ill should receive proper medical attention and should not attend school until their health is reasonable.

Students who become ill during class time should advise their teacher. Our policy is to get ill students home as soon as possible. Our practice will be to call parents and ask that the students be picked up or given parental permission to go home. For this reason, it is important that parents keep work and emergency phone numbers current.

LOST & FOUND

Every year, clothing and footwear of great value are left unattended in different areas of the school. We will make every effort to remind students to respect their own and other people’s property. However, students continue to “lose” their possessions. To aid in the return of these items, please label all clothing and footwear whenever possible. School lost and found is located in the hallway behind the main foyer and in the intermediate wing. Items not claimed will be given to a local charity.

LUNCH/NUTRITIONAL BREAKS

There will be two nutritional/activity breaks throughout the school day. The first one will be in the morning with a 20 minute nutrition break and a 20 minute activity break. The second one will be in the afternoon with the same 20/20 minute break. Students, in grade 8are allowed to leave the school grounds, only, if they have WRITTEN permission from their parent/guardian. Students who choose to leave must do so for the duration of the 40 minutes.

MEDICATION FOR STUDENTS

On occasion we have been asked by a parent to ensure their child receives prescribed medication. Please be aware that in order to do so, we require the completion of the Request for Administration of Medication at School form. Medication should be sent to the school in the original prescription container indicating the student’s name, amount and time such dosage is to be administered.

NEWSLETTERS

In order to keep close communication with families, the school distributes a newsletter on a regular basis. Parents are invited to submit articles to be printed in our newsletter.

PARKING

To ensure student safety, parents are asked not to park or stop in the bus-loading zone in front of the school. For parent convenience, there is 15-minute parking in the visitor parking area. Parents are not to park in the drop off loop at the main entrance or to park in the bus loading zone at any time. Cars must be parked in visitor parking when you are picking up your child at any time.

SCHOOL CLOSURE

In the case of inclement weather, listen to STAR 96.7 FM or go to for bus cancellations and/or school closure. Valour operates as usual on days when busses are cancelled. In the rare event of a school closure during the school day, students will be sent to the sitter/emergency contact if a parent cannot be reached.

SCHOOL COLOURS/LOGO

Our school colours are Forest Green, White and Black. Our logo was designed with student input and is located in the front of this book. We are the Voyageurs.

SCHOOL TEXTBOOKS/LIBRARY BOOKS

In a time of limited budgets, we are fortunate to have acquired a good supply of new library books. We would appreciate your co-operation in keeping our textbooks and library books in good condition.

Students are responsible for all books borrowed from the school and will be required to replace any lost or damaged books.

SCHOOL SUPPLIES

A suggested list of school supplies is placed in the June report card and parents who register during the summer months are given a list.