Monthly Archives: September 2023

ALTAR SERVER TRAINING: Any child in grade 4 or above is invited to become an altar server at St. Mary of the Visitation Parish.  We will have a training session for new Altar Servers on Saturday, September 30^th at 11 a.m. in the church.  One parent is required to attend with their child.

STARTING THIS THURSDAY: What is the meaning of life? Who is Jesus Christ? Why does any of this matter? Big questions require big answers. In The Search, Chris Stefanick and experts from the fields of science, medicine, psychology, art, and religion help you find answers to these pressing questions. The Search will challenge and invite you to consider the Catholic faith’s answers to such questions. The six-week series will run on Thursday evenings at 7:00 p.m. in St. Mary’s  parish centre starting September 28. Registration is not required.  Everyone is welcome.

Dear Saint Gabriel Families,

We are excited to have the option for families to order Hot Lunch for their children throughout the school year. Deliveries will begin next week on Tuesday, September 20th. (orders for next week are due by Sunday, September 17 at noon)

Orders can be placed through SchoolCash Online, then select the Lunchbox button. Orders must be placed by noon on Sunday of a given week. 

Options include:

Tuesdays – rotation of East Side Mario’s, Osmow’s, Quesada, Swiss Chalet 

Thursday – Domino’s Pizza

Fridays – rotation of Subway, Harvey’s

How to Order

1. Login to your SchoolCash Online account using your existing credentials. If you don’t currently have an account, contact the school to set one up.
2. Go to the Items Page in your child’s SchoolCash Online account, scroll to the Lunchbox banner, and click ‘Order Now’.
3. Confirm your phone number and student allergy information then click ‘Update’.
4. Press the ‘Order Now’ button beside your child’s name.
5. Place your child’s lunch order(s) on your school’s ordering calendar by clicking the blue date for the scheduled vendors.

The following credit cards are accepted: Visa, MasterCard, Discover, Debit MasterCard, or Visa Debit.

Visa and MasterCard prepaid cards are also accepted.

 Reminders

• The weekly deadline to place lunch orders for the upcoming week is Sunday at 12:00 pm; we are unable to accept any orders after this deadline.
• If you need to make any updates or changes to your lunch orders, please do so before Sunday at 12:00 pm for the upcoming week.
• For any order cancellations, please notify us 2 days prior to the delivery date. If this is not possible, please contact your school to make alternate arrangements for the meal.
• If there is a school closure, lunches will be cancelled, and a credit will be issued to your Lunchbox account within 3 business days.

Please note: Hot Lunches are an option for families, not a requirement.

Hi Wing Nation!

What a great first day! The school community students, parents and staff are awesome!

As our school population is continuously growing with 22 classrooms and over 510 students, members of the school community are reminded that changes in class size and configuration can change until the second week of September. In the event this happens, families of any affected changes will be notified.

Please save the date! Meet the Teacher Night is back and is scheduled for Wednesday, September 20. We will have an Open House drop-in from 5:30 – 6:45 pm for you to meet your child’s (ren) teacher and to see their classroom. School Council will be providing a bbq. More info to follow. 

Morning Drop-Off

Student safety continues to be our number one priority at Saint Gabriel School. We are reminding families with children in grades 1 – 8 to please drop off students at the top of the stairs, located off of Guelph Ave on the public sidewalk. Students will then be able to continue to the tarmac with a clear siteline for families.

Families with students in JK/SK, are asked to continue bringing students directly to the Kindergarten gate, for hand-to-hand drop off. 

Afternoon Pickup

The following classes will be dismissed out the front doors:

• Mrs. Mendonca
• Mrs. Chevalier
• Mrs. Castillo
• Mrs. Barry
• Ms. Hotzwik

Please meet your child at a predetermined spot on the front lawn or front walkways to help reduce congestion as classroom teachers dismiss your child from the front doors, one class, at a time. Please do not wait directly under the covered area by the front doors where students exit the school to allow for visibility of all parents and guardians.

School Parking

Parking in the school lot is for staff, buses and special transportation only. Please use street parking during morning dropoff and after school pickup.

Family Pets – Please remember that dogs are not allowed on school property. 

Thank you for your continued support in keeping our students safe,

Saint Gabriel Staff

September 1st, 2023 

Dear Parent(s) / Guardian(s):

Please see below for helpful info to support a smooth transition for the upcoming school year.

1. Student Verification Form (sent home first day of school)

Please check that all information on this form is correct and up to date ( i.e. parent work numbers, cell numbers, emergency contacts, etc.) The emergency contact person is someone other than a parent.  We will make every effort to contact both parents before using this emergency contact. Please make any necessary changes in any colour other than black.

2. Student Plan of Care Verification Form (sent home first day of school)

Please update the student plan of care if you have received this during the first week of school. Make the necessary changes and send back to us signed. Please note, plan of cares are for life threatening conditions only.

3. Student Accident Insurance

Student Accident Insurance is made available for all students on a voluntary basis. If you wish to purchase the plan, go onto this website to complete.  www.insuremykids.com

4. School Cash Online Registration Instructions – New Students

It is imperative that all families REGISTER, we no longer accept cash in the school. Notification will be from the email account you use when you register. Thanks for your cooperation, and once again please feel free to call the school office should you have any questions with School Cash online. Please click the link for instructions to sign up. SCO Instructions

5. Newswire

Please go to Saint Gabriel website  https://stgabriel.wcdsb.ca/ and sign up for Newswire, you will receive important information throughout the year. This is how we will communicate to all families. 

6.   Calendar

Please click on link below to access our School Calendar to see events that are happening throughout the year https://stgabriel.wcdsb.ca/ 

7.   Please sign onto SCHOOL CASH ONLINE to complete these required forms and add to your cart to show you finished reviewing all the forms. These forms need to be completed by September 15th.

• Emergency Dismissal – Mandatory

• Responsible use of Technology and electronic data access  (JK to 3) – Mandatory

• Responsible use of Technology and electronic data access (Grade 4 to 8) – Mandatory

• Student Personal Information, Collection/Use/Disclosure Notice – Read only

• Use of Student Images, Video or Voice Recordings including media use – Mandatory

• Walks Around the Neighbourhood – Education Excursion Consent – Mandatory

• Lunch Arrangement Letter – Mandatory

• School Agenda Books – $6.00 – Mandatory (Gr. 2-8)

• Violence Threat Risk Assessment Pamphlet (Review and add to your cart) – Read only – Mandatory

• Critical Medical Alert

• School Council Nomination Form – optional (due by September 13th)

• Informed Consent/Permission Form for Intramurals (grades 1-8) – Mandatory

•  Concussion Code of Conduct – Parent/Guardian – Mandatory

• Concussion Code of Conduct – Student Athlete – Mandatory

8. Please click on the link below to fill out the “Do Not Ride” form if your child is in the bussing zone, but requires partial or no busing.

STSWR – Do Not Ride – Student Transportations Services of Waterloo Region – Optional