December News

Mr. Darryl Beck, Principal; Mrs. Jacqueline Slowey, Vice-Principal Mrs. Lynn MacDonell, Office Administrator; Mrs. Martha Woods, School Council Chair

1401 Dover Road Cornwall, ON K6J 1V6 613-932-4131

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A Message From the Director, David K. Thomas, and Chair of the Board, Greg Pietersma:
Recently you may have learned in the news that the members of the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario (ETFO), the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation (OSSTF), as well as members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) are currently in a labour dispute with the Provincial Government. The dispute centres on Bill 115, which stipulates provincially-imposed changes to terms and conditions of work that were previously negotiated at the local level. In response, the unions may take various forms of job action including: withdrawal of certain services (e.g. some administrative tasks), work to rule, and strike action. We want to assure you that the Upper Canada District School Boards number one priority is to provide a safe learning environment for all students and along with all staff we remain committed to student safety and learning in our schools. To keep you informed the Upper Canada District School Board has introduced a new blog, called Students First, Always! To access this blog, please go to the following link: studentsfirstalways.ca. Highlights of the Students First Always! blog include:

Facts about what is happening in our schools Information about contract talks Links to websites (ETFO, OSSTF, CUPE, Ministry of Education and People for Education) Links to the Directors blog and the Chair of the Boards blog An opportunity to view FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) An opportunity to ask questions or make comments

We encourage you to regularly check out the Students First Always! blog to access accurate and important information in real time and in a convenient manner to help you to stay informed about what is happening in our schools. As always if you have any specific questions do not hesitate to call the Principal of your childs school. School Council Update: Preparations are underway for this years Holiday Family Fun Night, on Tuesday, December 11th, from 5:00-7:00pm. Our School Council, staff, and students are working hard to prepare an evening of fun and entertainment, with plenty of activities for the whole family. There will be a silent auction table, and you will also be able to get your picture taken with Santa. A small donation to Champions for Kids would be appreciated. Our next School Council meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 15th at 6:00pm in room 67. All are welcome to attend! Athletics: On Friday, November 30th, members of the junior ultimate chicken team took part in their tournament at the Benson Centre. After finishing 2-2 after round-robin play, the Cougars went on to beat East Front in the semi final, sending them to the championship game. In the final game against R.O., Viscount dropped a close decision, by a margin of 7-6. Congratulations to all team members on a great effort! Our next school sport will be co-ed volleyball. Lost and Found: Our lost and found has been on display for the past two weeks, and shortly, any unclaimed items will be donated to charity. Next time youre in the school, please take a moment to have a look for any misplaced items. Also, just a reminder to parents and guardians: It is always a good idea to label your childs belongings. Have a safe and happy holiday season! The Christmas Break begins on December 22nd. Students return to school on January 7th, 2013.