Principal’s Message

Happy Halloween to all and thank you to everyone who supported our October Spirit Week!  The energy in the building was incredible, with so much creativity and joy!  Thank you to our Student Council for organizing this week for us and to Mrs Valiquette’s Period 1 Grade 9 Dance Class for putting on a sensational “Thriller” Flash Mob in the Mall this morning.  What a show!!!!!!  

A reminder that our Grade 9 students will be participating in Take Our Kids to Work Day this Wednesday, November 5.  This province-wide event provides students with an opportunity to experience firsthand the work place and possibly explore a future career.  

We continue to receive complaints from community members about our students causing disturbances on the various OC Transpo routes, local businesses and navigating local roads in an unsafe manner.  A reminder that we need to be good neighbours: follow traffic signs, cross at intersections in a safe manner, respectfully shop at local establishments and mind our manners when using public transit.  Our behaviours in our community come to reflect on our school’s reputation.

Stay Safe and Be Well!

Mme Al Koura

Catholic School Council

Thank you to everyone who came out to our first meeting of the year.  Our next meeting is this coming Monday, November 3rd!  We look forward to our continued collaboration throughout the year.

SPH Leadership Camp

Our recent SPH Leadership Camp brought students, teachers, and student mentors together for two incredible days of growth, teamwork, and faith in action.

Through engaging activities and guided reflections, campers strengthened their leadership skills, built lasting friendships, and discovered how to lead with empathy and purpose. The camp focused on three key areas:

- Team Building: working together to create trust and unity.

- Christian Leadership: learning to serve and inspire others through faith.

- Action Planning : developing ideas to help our school community continue to grow.

The experience reminded everyone that leadership isn’t about titles: it’s about building bridges that connect people, strengthen community, and reflect Christ’s love in everything we do.

We’re so proud of our student leaders and can’t wait to see the impact they’ll continue to make throughout the year.

Gr. 12 Biology Students Participate in Amgen Biotech Experience Program

We are thrilled to share that our Grade 12 Biology students took part in the Amgen Biotech Experience during the month of October. This incredible opportunity was made possible through a partnership between St. Patrick’s, Carleton University, and the Amgen Foundation.

During this program, our students had the unique chance to explore advanced laboratory techniques in the field of biotechnology. They gained hands-on experience with micropipetting, gel electrophoresis, genetic modification of bacteria, protein purification, and used their critical thinking skills to make hypotheses and analyze their results.

These advanced skills are typically introduced at the post-secondary level, making this experience truly exceptional for our St. Pat’s students. The techniques they learned have real-world applications, including the production of human insulin using bacteria to treat diabetes. This invaluable experience allowed our students to apply the theoretical knowledge from their SBI4U curriculum in a practical, hands-on setting.

We are looking forward to continuing this partnership with Carleton University next semester as we strive to continue to bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world scientific applications for all of our Science students.

St Pat’s Annual Christmas Craft Fair

Get ready for one of the most anticipated community events of the year! The Annual Craft Fair is back on Saturday, November 22, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Join us for a fun-filled day of shopping, creativity, and community spirit.

With over 100 talented vendors, there’s something for everyone. From handmade crafts and holiday decorations to jewelry, baked goods, and unique gifts you won’t find anywhere else. Whether you’re starting your holiday shopping or just looking for a great day out, this is an event you won’t want to miss!

Entry is just $2, and guests can also pay to enter our raffle for a chance to win one of several amazing gift baskets generously donated by our vendors. Come support local artisans and discover the creativity that makes our community shine!

From the Desks of the ESL Department

At St. Pat’s, our dedicated teachers provide outstanding support for our Multilingual Learners. We offer specialized programs that help students develop their reading, writing, and speaking skills in English. These programs include Lexia Reading, a Grade 7/8 English Literacy class for newcomers, and Education Through Music. Strengthening English skills helps every student succeed across all subject areas!

OSSLT - Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test

Successful completion of the OSSLT is a Graduation requirement in the Province of Ontario. Each year, Grade 10 students become eligible to write the OSSLT. Each eligible student will spend one morning in the Learning Commons writing the literacy test.

The Fall writing dates for St. Pat's will be Friday, November 14 to Friday, November 21.  Students will be contacted in the first week of November with their writing date. All eligible students have been added to a Hapara Workspace with videos, prep activities and practice questions.  Grade 10 students completed 4 prep periods between October 21 - 24 during class.  Please encourage your student to regularly review and/or complete these activities to help better prepare them for their upcoming OSSLT. If you have any questions, please reach out to our Student Success teacher, Pamela Roddick at pamela.roddick@ocsb.ca.

Paul Davis - School-Wide Presentations

Paul Davis is an Information Technology Specialist and Social Networking Safety Presenter. He has presented to nearly one million students, and thousands of parents, educators and law enforcement about social media, cyberbullying, privacy and safety online. With Internet-abled technology keeping us all both better connected and more vulnerable, Paul's goal is to promote awareness among all stakeholders, empower young people with tools to stay safe online, and promote critical thinking about how we all engage with the technology at our fingertips.

Paul will present at St. Patrick's High School to all students Grades 7-12 on December 3, 2025. Parents and guardians are encouraged to ask their children to share what they learned after this presentation at home.\

More information about Paul Davis can be found at www.socialnetworkingsafety.net, or on social media:

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/pauldavisSNS

Facebook:  facebook.com/pauldavistips

Memory Project: Grade 11 Visual Arts

Last month, we shared with you the on-going Memory Project that Mrs Frost’s students have been working on.  Here are some photos of their exceptional art work:

Remembrance Day

St. Pat's Remembers - On Thursday, November 11th we will be having our Remembrance Day Assemblies. 

We would like to invite any Parents or Guardians who are retired or currently serving in the Canadian Armed Forces to join us for this event. Due to the size of our school, we will be having two assemblies (divided by grades).

Assembly 1 ( approximately 8:30 - 10:00) Grades 7, 9, 11

Assembly 2 (approximately (10:05 - 11:15) Grades 8, 10, 12

Any students or family members that are currently serving or retired from the Canadian Armed Forces are welcome to join us for one or both ceremonies.  Please note that students serving in the Reserves, in Cadets and/or Scouts are invited to wear their uniforms on November 11th. 

Please RSVP to Pamela Roddick at pamela.roddick@ocsb.ca

TAS Students

Our grade 9 Tech and Skill Trades students have been learning about different aspects of Technological Education. They started with breaking down old computer hardware, identifying the components and rebuilding the PCs. In October, the students worked in groups to brainstorm, design, and 3D print tools and devices that could be helpful to others. They are learning project management skills and how to be creators in the tech world.

Showing off their 3D printed pen-holder attachment for clipboards.

Inspecting and reconstructing a PC.      Tearing down old computer hardware.

Cross-Curricular Project: English and Drama 

This fall, our Grade 10–12 Drama students collaborated with the Grade 9 English class on a project exploring three of Edgar Allan Poe’s classic tales: The Tell-Tale Heart, The Raven, and The Masque of the Red Death. The drama students performed the pieces in a Reader’s Theatre style, while both classes analyzed the texts together, exploring Poe’s use of theme, imagery, and tone.

This cross-curricular project supported our school’s SIP focus on building bridges across grades and subjects, fostering collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking. By combining analysis and performance, students deepened their understanding of literature and discovered the power of storytelling through both study and stage.

Athletics

Ultimate Frisbee

The new Ultimate team took home the ADV/BEG title at a tournament at Millennium Park in Orleans last week: The HS ultimate team wins a division title at the Garneau Ultimate Tournament. The ultimate program from grades 7-12 is running smoothly, with the fall season wrapping up at the end of October. The student-athletes are preparing for a nice off season, followed by the start of the winter season in January. In the meantime, the students have been busy fundraising for athletics at SPH! 

High School Athletics

Both the Junior and Senior Rugby 7s teams concluded their seasons this week with impressive performances. The Seniors battled fierce top-tier competition to claim a hard-fought 3rd place finish, demonstrating resilience and skill against the best programs in the division. Our Seniors are now looking forward to potentially fielding a team to compete at the OFSAA level.

The Juniors dominated their season with a near-perfect record across 4 tournaments, culminating in a 1st place championship finish. This success was built on exceptional commitment to practice attendance, and a dedication to teamwork both on and off the field. Their commanding season marks the school's first 7s Rugby championship in over a decade, setting a new standard of excellence for years to come.

We are excited to build on this momentum in our Spring 15s seasons!

Our Junior Boys Rugby 7's team captured the Tier 1 NCSSAA championship this past week capping off a terrific season.

Other fall teams are preparing for their respective playoffs including Varsity Boys Soccer, Varsity Girls Volleyball and Sr Boys Volleyball teams.

Winter season teams are getting started as their seasons will be starting soon.  This includes the Jr and Sr Boys Basketball teams, Sr Girls Volleyball, Wrestling, and Hockey teams.

Immunization Surveillance

For the 2025-2026 school year, Ottawa Public Health (OPH) will be resuming their review of student immunization records as required by the Immunization of School Pupils Act.  Students may be at risk of suspension if their records are not updated within the given timeframe.  Please read this Immunization Letter from OPH to ensure your child is up-to-date on their immunizations.

GRADE 7 FAMILIES: Please note that our Gr.7 Immunization Days this fall are between November 12 - 14th.  Permission forms will be going home with your child the week of October 27th.  Please ensure they have the signed permission form on the day of their immunization as they hand-deliver the form to the nurse administering the injection.

Parent Portal Forms

It is very important that you are registered for the Parent Portal so that you can access important documents throughout the year.  Please read through the following steps to ensure you are up-to-date on required forms.

How to Complete Your Parent Portal Forms

Below is some useful information to help you complete the forms.

• Direct link to login to the Parent Portal. Remember to sign in with the same email address on file with the school. Please contact your school's office administrator if you have difficulty logging in.

• This video shows you where to find forms on the Parent Portal: Parent Portal Forms

• Follow these steps to review and update your contact information in the Student Verification form.

Why are these forms important?

Completing your Parent Portal forms ensures:

• We have your most current contact and emergency information

• Your child can take part in local field trips and classroom activities

• You've shared your preferences for how we use and share your child's name, work, or photo

• Your child understands expectations for using technology responsibly

Without your completed forms, your child may miss out on important opportunities like neighbourhood outings or access to school technology. 

Please log in to your Parent Portal account and complete these forms for each of your children.

High School Exams and RSTs 

Our Grades 10-12 students will once again be completing RSTs and/or Exams as a part of the final assessment of their courses.  Once again, Grade 9 students will only complete RSTs, they will NOT have exams as part of their final assessments.  Please watch for an update regarding their schedule during that period.  

RSTs will be completed in the final 2-3 weeks before exams.  We ask that families please take note of the following dates and to avoid any non-essential travel or absences during those periods.  It is critical that students complete the designated final assessments to be able to earn their credit.  

Semester 1 RST Period                                                            January 6 - 21, 2025

Semester 1 Examinations (Grades 10-12)                            January 22 - 28, 2026

Semester 2 RST Period                                                             June 1 - 17, 2026

Second Semester Examinations (Grades 10-12)                  June 18 - 24, 2026

Important Dates

Please mark your calendars for the following key dates:

P.D. Day

November 7, 2025

Remembrance Day

November 11, 2025

Gr. 7 Immunization

November 12-14, 2025

Dress Up Day (Non-Uniform)

November 24, 2025

SPH Hosting Special Olympics Basketball Tournament

November 26, 2025

7/8 Parent-Teacher Interviews

November 27, 2025

Early Dismissal 7-12

November 27, 2025

Special Assemblies 7-12: Paul Davis

December 3, 2025

P.D. Day

December 5, 2025

Have a wonderful day!

St. Patrick’s High School

2525 Alta Vista Drive

Ottawa, ON  K1V 7T3

Phone: 613-733-0501
Email: Patrick.High@ocsb.ca
Website: sph.ocsb.ca
Twitter: stpatricksIRISH

Principal’s Message

We are well into the 2025-2026 school year and are already looking ahead to Letters of Intervention for High School students this month.  Please see the calendar of important dates at the end of the newsletter for important upcoming dates, including our first Early Dismissal for Grades 7-12.  

We have noticed an increase in Uber Eats or Skip the Dishes deliveries to the school.  Please note that students are not to use these services during the school day.  This could pose a safety risk to students with strangers coming onto school property or into the building; and can also be a distraction from class when deliveries are being made during class time. 

Thank you to our HS Student Council who have created this excellent calendar that can be posted on your home fridge to remind families of upcoming Dress Up (non-uniform) days.  

Stay Safe and Be Well!

Mme Al Koura

Catholic School Council

On Monday, September 22nd, the St. Pat’s School Council held their elections for the 2025-26 school year, and we are pleased to announce that the following positions have been acclaimed:

Chairperson: Stephanie Keane

Secretary: Kristen Lewis

CSPA representative: Nadine Robinson

Fundraising coordinator: Beverley Adams 

Parent-at-large: Lillian Suarez

The Vice Chairperson and Treasurer roles remain open.  If you are interested, please send an email to stpatschoolcouncil@gmail.com with a subject line of “re: Catholic School Council Treasurer Position” or “re: Catholic School Council Vice Chairperson Position”.

Thank you to everyone who came out to our first meeting of the year, we hope to see more new faces at our next meeting on November 3rd!  We look forward to working with you this upcoming school year.

Truth and Reconciliation Week at St. Patrick’s and Orange Shirt Day

This year the members of our Indigenous Student Association (ISA) shared knowledge about the 8th Fire prophecy during Truth and Reconciliation Week. The ISA members shared teachings each morning this week connected to the 8th Fire prophecy ~ an Anishinaabek teaching that tells of a future of peace, collaboration and understanding. The ISA students shared their role in this prophecy and invited all students and staff through their homerooms this week to share their own possible contributions to this vision of the future.

As a school, the students built a fire that is now on display in the Mall after being unveiled on Orange Shirt Day. The fire represents the intentions of each homeroom after learning about their role in the 8th Fire prophecy.

Our Grade 11 NBE students and members of the Indigenous Student Association also took part in two powerful learning opportunities in honour of Truth and Reconciliation Week. Students were deeply grateful to have heard first-hand from Residential School Survivor David Decontie and Day School Survivor Claudette Commanda with the event hosted by Claudette's granddaughter, Quill Nottaway Cote at the Canadian Museum of History. The Grade 11 NBE students also attended a meaningful public honouring ceremony hosted by Makatew Workshops at the Diefenbunker. The ceremony included the lighting of a sacred fire, cultural presentations, and traditional teachings shared by Knowledge Keepers and Elders, along with reflections from community leaders. Students were also honoured to hear the words of Residential School Survivor Shirly Caibaiosai.

Gr. 7/8s Excursion to the Ottawa 67’s Game

Our Grade 7/8 students will be attending the Ottawa 67’s game, against the Brampton Steelheads, on October 29th at TD Place.  The cost of the trip is $23 per student.  Students must return their completed permission form to their homeroom teacher by Friday, October 17th.  School cash online is now available and will be closing on Friday October 17th. If you are not already registered for online payment, follow the link on the St. Patrick’s website or go to https://ocsb.schoolcashonline.com.  

Unfortunately there are no extensions on this deadline as tickets need to be reserved for the game!!

Personalized Attendance Reports

You will have received your child’s personalized attendance report by now.  If you have any questions or concerns about these reports, please reach out to your child’s vice-principal directly.  We hope that this will be a useful tool at home to support conversations about the importance of good attendance and punctuality at school.

Academic Awards Ceremony

On October 9th, we will celebrate our current Grade 10, 11 and 12 students who were on the Honour Roll or achieved the highest grade in a course for the 2024-25 school year. Congratulations to all our recipients!!!!

Memory Project: Grade 11 Visual Arts

Our grade 11 Visual Arts students will be participating in the Memory Project this semester. This is a non-profit organization that invites art teachers and their students to create hand-drawn portraits for children around the world who are facing substantial challenges, such as neglect, abuse, war, violence, loss of parents, and extreme poverty. Mrs. Frost's grade eleven students have participated in this project since 2015. Our students have sent numerous portraits to children in Afghanistan, Syria, Nigeria, Cameroon, India, Malawi, and now, Honduras. This is an opportunity for students to make personal connections with children around the world, and a clear demonstration of our Board theme of "Building Bridges".

Remembrance Day

St. Pat's Remembers - On Thursday, November 11th we will be having our Remembrance Day Assemblies. 

We would like to invite any Parents or Guardians who are retired or currently serving in the Canadian Armed Forces to join us for this event. Due to the size of our school, we will be having two assemblies (divided by grades). More information will follow in the next newsletter. If you have any questions or would like to join us, please email:  pamela.roddick@ocsb.ca 

Athletics

Ultimate Frisbee

The ultimate program is up and running. St Patrick’s high school now offers ultimate frisbee from grades 7-12. SPH Intermediate went 6-0 in their OCIAA tournament to win a division title for the school. Mr. Atallah, the head coach, admired the commitment of our SPH students to athletics, movement and sportsmanship. The students displayed great talent and understanding of the game and treated their teammates with compassion and humility. A great day, and a great start to the ultimate program, which begins its fall season with two tournaments in October. Stay tuned!

High School Athletics

A new season of Fall athletics has already begun!  Many teams have had try-outs and have started their seasons, or will be very soon.  Current teams include: Varsity Girls Basketball, Sr. Boys Volleyball, Varsity Football, Boys and Girls Rugby 7's, Varsity Boys Soccer, X-Country Running, Varsity Hockey and a new team for us the Varsity Girls Field Hockey Team.  Schedules and scores can be found at www.fatdog.ca.

Immunization Surveillance

For the 2025-2026 school year, Ottawa Public Health (OPH) will be resuming their review of student immunization records as required by the Immunization of School Pupils Act.  Students may be at risk of suspension if their records are not updated within the given timeframe.  Please read this Immunization Letter from OPH to ensure your child is up-to-date on their immunizations.

GRADE 7 FAMILIES: Please note that our Gr.7 Immunization Days this fall are between November 12 - 14th.  Permission forms will be going home with your child the week of October 27th.  Please ensure they have the signed permission form on the day of their immunization as they hand-deliver the form to the nurse administering the injection.

Parent Portal Forms

It is very important that you are registered for the Parent Portal so that you can access important documents throughout the year.  Please read through the following steps to ensure you are up-to-date on required forms.

How to Complete Your Parent Portal Forms

Below is some useful information to help you complete the forms.

• Direct link to login to the Parent Portal. Remember to sign in with the same email address on file with the school. Please contact your school's office administrator if you have difficulty logging in.

• This video shows you where to find forms on the Parent Portal: Parent Portal Forms

• Follow these steps to review and update your contact information in the Student Verification form.

Why are these forms important?

Completing your Parent Portal forms ensures:

• We have your most current contact and emergency information

• Your child can take part in local field trips and classroom activities

• You've shared your preferences for how we use and share your child's name, work, or photo

• Your child understands expectations for using technology responsibly

Without your completed forms, your child may miss out on important opportunities like neighbourhood outings or access to school technology. 

Please log in to your Parent Portal account and complete these forms for each of your children.

High School Exams and RSTs 

Our Grades 10-12 students will once again be completing RSTs and/or Exams as a part of the final assessment of their courses.  Once again, Grade 9 students will only complete RSTs, they will NOT have exams as part of their final assessments.  Please watch for an update regarding their schedule during that period.  

RSTs will be completed in the final 2-3 weeks before exams.  We ask that families please take note of the following dates and to avoid any non-essential travel or absences during those periods.  It is critical that students complete the designated final assessments to be able to earn their credit.  

Semester 1 RST Period                                                            January 6 - 21, 2025

Semester 1 Examinations (Grades 10-12)                            January 22 - 28, 2026

Semester 2 RST Period                                                             June 1 - 17, 2026

Second Semester Examinations (Grades 10-12)                  June 18 - 24, 2026

Important Dates

Please mark your calendars for the following key dates:

National Custodial Workers Day

October 2, 2025

World Teachers Day

October 5, 2025

H.S. Letters of Intervention Sent Home

October 9, 2025

PD Day

October 10, 2025

Thanksgiving Day

October 13, 2025

Grade 9-12 Parent-Teacher Interviews

October 23, 2025

Grades 7-12 Early Dismissal

October 23, 2025

Dress Up Day 

October 27, 2025

P.D. Day

November 7, 2025

Have a wonderful day!

St. Patrick’s High School

2525 Alta Vista Drive

Ottawa, ON  K1V 7T3

Phone: 613-733-0501
Email: Patrick.High@ocsb.ca
Website: sph.ocsb.ca
Twitter: stpatricksIRISH

Please click here for more information: 

Important Information for the 2025/2026 school year

SCHOOL UNIFORM POLICY

The school uniform at St. Patrick’s High School is both a source of pride and identification for the school.  By registering at St. Patrick’s, a student is agreeing to uphold the uniform regulations from the time they arrive at school until the end of the school day, including the lunch break.  Students who fail to comply with school uniform expectations may be sent home to change into the school uniform or they may be assigned a consequence.

Uniform clothing is ordered through TOP MARKS, our supplier.  Orders are placed through the company, and clothing is sent directly to students’ homes by courier.

Our Supplier information is below:

Top Marks  www.topmarks.ca  

St Patrick’s High School  code PAT02

Toll free 1-800-667-7105 (customer service)

**School Uniform consists of garments produced by TOP MARKS for St. Patrick’s High School.  All tops will bear a St. Patrick’s logo.  

UNIFORM INCLUDES

• black pants 

• Tartan skort (Top Marks)

• black skirt

• black cargo shorts,  

• white polo shirt / white blouse or white long or short sleeve shirt with St Patrick’s school logo

• St. Patrick’s V-neck sweater, Crew neck sweater, or rugby shirt are permitted; older versions of the uniform (i.e. the St. Patrick's Intermediate hooded sweatshirt) are no longer part of the uniform

• 7/8 physical education uniform includes black gym shorts and a grey t-shirt and is mandatory for all grade 7 and 8 students.

PLEASE NOTE

• solid black tights or leggings may be worn under uniform skirts or kilts; pants, jeans or sweatpants are not permitted under the kilt

REMINDERS

• students may wear a plain white T-shirt under a uniform shirt or blouse; wearing a hooded sweatshirt  under a school long- or short-sleeved shirt is not permitted

• 7/8 physical education uniform includes black gym shorts and a grey t-shirt and is mandatory for all grade 7 and 8 students.

• Hats, ball caps, toques, bandanas and other headgear are not to be worn anywhere inside the school.  Students are permitted to wear headwraps and durags if this is an expression of the student’s culture and/or religion. The colour of these items can be school colours: black, yellow, green, grey and white. 

• Students must be in proper uniform for any off-site excursions or activities unless otherwise approved by Administration

• the last Monday of each month (with the exception of June) may be designated a “Dress Up Day”  to support a designated charity.  Students are reminded to exercise good taste in the selection of their “dress up” apparel.

• every Wednesday is designated St. Patrick’s Spirit Day.  Students may wear their St. Patrick’s school team or club shirt, with proper uniform bottoms;  

• any clothing or accessory that is deemed to be inappropriate in the opinion of the Administration is unacceptable and is not allowed in the school.

Wearing clothing with culturally insensitive messages or images is not in keeping with our Catholic value of promoting a safe, caring and inclusive school community.  All students are encouraged to wear respectful clothing at all times when on school property or on a school related activity.