Family Newsletter

We are so happy to be back to school learning together! We look forward to working with your family and we wish you and your child(ren) all the best for a highly successful school year.

Please note, this newsletter will be distributed electronically once a month via email. You can also view it on our website under FAMILY PORTAL | MONTHLY NEWSLETTERS https://skjh.nlesd.ca

Our Staff for 2022-2023

Administration Team:

Ms. Daisy Hardy - Principal

Ms. Cheryl Coates - Assistant Principal

Elementary Division:

Ms. Holly Rose - 6-1 English

Mr. Joe Philpott - 6-2 English

Ms. Leona Carew - 6-3 English

Mme. Samantha Budden - 6-4 EFI

Intermediate Division:

Mr. Jeremy Lodge - 7-1 HR, Math/Health

Mr. Chris Tobin - 7-2 HR, ELA/Socials/Religion

Ms. Lesleigh Von Borzowski - 7-3 HR, ELA/Socials/French

Ms. Sherry Potter - 7-4 HR, Math/Tech/French/Home.Ec

Ms. Heather Lucas - 8-1 HR, Science/Tech/Health/Religion

Ms. Melissa Hedderson - 8-2 HR, Math/Religion

Ms. Janet Critch - 8-3 HR, ELA/Teacher Librarian

Ms. Meghan O’Rielly - 8-4 HR, Science/FI/Sante

Ms. Stacey Walsh -Art/Technology/Religion/Health

Specialists Division:

Ms. Alanna Fitzpatrick - Music/Band/Home.Ec

Ms. Tammy O’Brien - Physical Education/Socials/Health

Ms. Cheryl Coates - Reading Specialist

Ms. Deanna Miles - Guidance/LRT

Ms. Catherine Blake - IRT

Ms. Susan Deir - IRT

Ms. Jennifer Wade - IRT (Department Head)

Support Division:

Ms. Jeanie Sooley - Secretary

Ms. Dawn Hanlon - Student Assistant

Mr. David Colbert - Student Assistant

Ms. Jennifer Thomas - Student Assistant

Ms. Tracey Hurley - Daytime Maintenance Custodian

Ms. Phyllis Newman - Custodian

Mr. Harrison Brooks - Night Custodian

Ms. Tamara Royal - Cafeteria

We will be doing scholastic book orders again this year at SKJH. Here are the details:

BROWSE BOOKS AT: scholastic.ca/clubshop

How to order:

If you select a book you can order it 1 of 2 ways –

i) Bring in your order and payment to Ms. Critch

ii) Order online at scholastic.ca/readingclub – use code: RC218296.

Here’s to a great year of reading!

All schools in our district have access to an automated system called School Messenger. This system can access all families by phone, email or text in a short period of time. This can be used to notify families of unexpected school closures. Messenger can only be effective if we have accurate contact information for each family. If your email, phone number or emergency contact number changes during the year, it is important that the office be notified so we can keep your information updated and accurate.

We will be doing the Fill the Tractor drive again this year!

Starting the week of September 26th we are asking families to donate non perishable food items to the local foodbank. For two weeks leading up to Thanksgiving our staff and students bring in food items for the local food bank. On the day before we break for Thanksgiving, all of our items are loaded in to fill a local tractor and brought to the food bank where we stock the shelves. If you are able to donate to this cause it would be greatly appreciated.

The Newfoundland and Labrador English School District (NLESD) supports the use of video/electronic security systems on district property to protect the safety and security of students, staff and visitors and to protect student and district property. St. Kevin's Junior High employs the use of a Video Surveillance system outside the school building. Please contact the school administration if you have any questions.

Please be aware of the allergies at SKJH, which include; peanuts, tree nuts and shellfish. We are also a scent free school.

We want to remind families that microwave services will be in operation this year. Chartwells will only be offering a pre-paid, pre-ordering canteen service at SKJH. Families will need to register for this service. Orders must be placed before 7am the day you wish to order.

If your child is sick in the morning you are encouraged to call the school, email your child’s homeroom teacher or email Ms. Sooley at jeaniesooley@nlesd.ca to report the absence. If you require support to encourage your child to attend or medical conditions necessitate prolonged absences please reach out to Ms. Hardy, Ms. Coates or our school counsellor, Ms. Miles.

Our Grab and Go breakfast has been a huge success this year, with many students availing. We'd like to thank our student volunteers who are helping out at lunch to bag items and who have come in in the morning to toast bagels and waffles. This year we are hoping to serve warm items on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Any parents who would like to volunteer to help at lunch time to bag items or in the morning to prepare are welcome, please contact deannamiles@nlesd.ca.

• As well, next week we will be hosting our annual Walk to Breakfast on Wednesday, October 5th. Students will participate in a walk around the community in the morning and then return to school for breakfast. This is a big fundraiser for our breakfast program - any students/parents who would like to donate can do so online at https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/75125 (please designate SKJH as the school) or bring their donation to school that day.

• On Thursday, October 6th we will participate in the Provincial Wide Smoothie Day. Students can expect a delicious, refreshing smoothie for breakfast - always a great hit at SKJH!

The Parking lot speed is 15 km/h. The entry to our parking lot is next to the Needs/Greco and exit is by the church. It is ONE WAY ONLY. As a reminder, the entrance to the parking lot is a double lane. The right side leads to the back of the school or the bus lane.

Parking spaces are provided for you to park and wait for pick up or drop off

if taking longer than a quick moment. Please do not park or wait in the bus lane. Right of way is always to the buses.

Skateboards, scooters, bikes etc are permitted to be driven to and from

school; students are reminded that they should be wearing helmets.

We want to remind our students to come dressed for all weather conditions. Our Grade 6

students will be availing of outside play as much as possible. Furthermore, our Grade 7 & 8 students will be going outside for the second half of lunch this year.

Some owners of local restaurants and other businesses close to the school have been reporting that some of our students are using inappropriate language and being disrespectful towards their employees and other members in the community. Please speak to your child about their expected behavior when visiting these places. Also, please talk to your children about the dangers of crossing the Main Road. They should be mindful of two way traffic and please remind them to use the crosswalk. Safety should be everyone’s main priority.

This year we have 4 school buses servicing the students at St. Kevin’s Junior High. The District is excited to continue the Student Transportation Parent Portal. If you are a parent, please go to the Parent Portal and create an account. You will require your child’s student number to create an account. This can be located on your child’s past report card, it was sent home last spring or you can contact the main office.

This Portal will let you know if your child is eligible for busing or not, and if eligible, it will provide you with your child's transportation schedule (bus route, assigned bus stop location and projected pickup/drop off times). You will also be automatically signed up to receive email notifications about routing changes applicable to your child(ren) throughout the school year.

Our bus routes are on the district’s website at www.nlesd.ca. Please review the bussing brochure with your children - .NLESDBusingbrochure2022.pdf

For lots of information please visit us on:

twitter - @stkevjr

website - https://skjh.nlesd.ca/

1. Celebration of Orange Shirt Day - Thursday, September 29th

2. National Day of Truth and Reconciliation - September 30th- No school

3. Thanksgiving Holiday - Monday, October 10th

4. Remembrance Day - Friday, November 11th.

5. PL Day for Staff/ No school for students - Monday, November 21, 2022

6. Report Cards released - Friday, December 2.

7. Parent Teacher conferences - Thursday, December 8.

8. December 21 - Last Day - Christmas

9. January 3 - School Reopens (Day 5)

10. April 6 - Last Day - Easter

11. April 17 - School Reopens (Day 3)

12. May 22 - Victoria Day

13. June 22 Last Day - Summer

14. June 23 - Administration Day

Principal: Daisy Hardy
Assistant Principal: Cheryl Coates
Secretary: Jeanie Sooley
Guidance: Deanna Miles

Email: daisyhardy@nlesd.ca
Website: https://skjh.nlesd.ca/
Phone: (709)745-8980
Twitter: @stkevjr