Spirit wear is available for purchase until December 8, 2023
Spirit wear has arrived!! Take a look at the pieces we have available this year. Please visit www.tuckgear.ca and find St. Patrick's High School under the 'Schools' tab. Or simply go directly to: https://www.tuckgear.ca/pages/st-patrick-catholic-school to find our store. Here is a flyer that gives an overview of what is available.
The spirit wear store is open today through December 8, 2023. So get your orders in as soon as you can! We are hoping that items will be ready for Christmas, but we are not guaranteeing it.
Be aware that all orders are custom. As such, there are no returns, exchanges, or refunds.
Thanks!
Principal's Newsletter-- November 2023
Principal’s Message
Last week, we had a fun-filled Spirit Week organized by our Student School. Please take a look at the article further down for some fun pictures of our week. I am very proud of how our Student Council continues to bring forward the student voice and works collaboratively with staff to organize such great spirit-building activities.
This week, through our Treaty Recognition Week activities, we welcomed Kyrstin Dumont, Algonquin First Nations Anishinaabe Cultural Educator, into our classrooms virtually and will be spending parts of our day on Wednesday with Jason Simon, a Canadian former professional ice hockey player of Ojibwe descent who is from the Aamjiwnaang First Nation near Sarnia, Ontario We will culminate this week with our Remembrance Day ceremony! We thank all family and friends who have served, are serving or have lost a loved one - your sacrifices and dedication are not forgotten.
We are saddened by the ongoing International Conflict that is taking place abroad. I am aware that many members of our community are directly impacted. We continue to pray for a resolution and for strength for our leaders to find hope and dignity for all Palestinians and Israelis. Please see below for some resources available to help support our families as we navigate through this difficult time.
A reminder that this coming Friday is a PD Day!
Stay Safe and Be Well!
Mme Al Koura
Catholic School Council
St. Patrick's School Council would like to send a special 'Thank You!' out to all the Students, Families and Staff of St. Patrick's High School for your support during our McDonald's Fundraiser last Thursday. We were able to raise $538.85 towards our goal! We thank McDonald’s that rounded up their contribution to $600. Funds raised from our events will be used for a variety of Council-supported initiatives at the school , such as for the purchase of classroom resources, support for school events, clubs and teams, or to thank our Teachers and Staff with a Staff Appreciation Event.
We are still looking to fill the following positions: Treasurer, Secretary/Co-Secretary and Fundraising Coordinator(s). If you are interested in holding/sharing one of these positions, please email the school at your earliest convenience.
We would also like to confirm the following dates for our future meetings.
Monday, November 27th, 2023 - In-Person/Hybrid
Monday, February 26th, 2024 - Virtual
Monday, May 13th, 2024 - Format TBC
To join the November meeting virtually please email the school to get a link for the meeting.
Screenagers: Growing Up in the Digital Age
On Thursday, November 16th, St Patrick’s High School and the SPH Catholic School Council are inviting you to a FREE screening of “Screenagers: Growing up in the Digital Age”, the first of three movies. The screening will be taking place starting at 7:00 pm in the cafetorium.
‘Screenagers is about the impact of the digital age on children and how to help families minimize harmful effects and find balance.’
Please see the website for more information.
https://www.screenagersmovie.com
We hope to have you amongst us!
Helpful Resources for Parents to Help their Children with the International Conflict
Any student having a difficult time dealing with the recent conflict should be encouraged to connect with student services to explore supportive measures. For children struggling to cope, seeking the assistance of a mental health professional in their community might be helpful. Parents should know that we are here to help to provide support and to help parents and their children through these challenging times. In addition, some of the following resources may be helpful for parents:
Helpful resources
Please visit OPH's Parenting in Ottawa mental health page for information about the child and or youth mental health agencies.
If you have a youth in crisis, contact the Youth Services 24/7 Crisis Line (24 hours a day/7 days a week) at 613-260-2360. If outside Ottawa, toll-free, 1-877-377-7775.
Good Citizenship in our Community
We have received an increasing number of reports and/or complaints from community members and local businesses about the behaviours of our students when out and about while in uniform. Local businesses have shared numerous reports of shoplifting or loitering around their businesses. Community members are reporting rocks being thrown at their homes, garbage being thrown on their properties and even drivers speeding through neighbourhoods.
We are very proud of our school and want to maintain a positive relationship with our neighbours. Let’s show the community our Irish pride by being good neighbours.
Student Council - Spirit Week
I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate our Student Council for a very successful and FUN Spirit Week where students got to dress up to compete in a Halloween costume competition, a pumpkin decorating contest and they even got to attend a movie event after school. Our students and staff showed great spirit and lots of energy. They also displayed creativity when designing and decorating their pumpkins. These photos are but a snapshot of our amazing talent!
St Patrick’s Remembers: Remembrance Day
This Thursday, November 9th, 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 or Royal Canadian Mounted Police to join us for this event.
Due to the size of our school population, there will be two Assemblies:
Period 1 (8:50 - 10:00) and Period 2: (10:10 - 11:15).
If you would like to join us, please email: pamela.roddick@ocsb.ca to confirm your seat. In your email, please indicate which assembly (or both) that you would like to attend. In your RSVP email, please also indicate your formal title/rank.
Uniforms
With the changing weather and cold months to come, we ask that you support your child in arriving at school in proper uniform: black bottoms (dress pants, cargo pants, skirt - NO jeans, leggings or jogging pants) and a Top Marks top. Students are expected to be in proper uniform all day, every day. By choosing St Pat’s as your school, you are agreeing to wearing the uniform everyday!
*** BLACK JEANS, LEGGINGS AND JOGGING PANTS ARE NOT considered uniform bottoms. ***
Donation of used uniforms for families in need would be greatly appreciated to help replenish our Used Uniform supply.
Information from Ottawa Public Health
Please see below for important information and updates for families from Ottawa Public Health.
School Letter from Dr. Vera Etches
Routine Vaccination Schedule Immunizations
Ottawa Brain Bee Competition
The Brain Bee is a knowledge and trivia competition about the brain and neuroscience for high school students (grades 9-12). Participants receive free study material and prizes are awarded to the top participants. The student placing first in the Ottawa Brain Bee wins a paid summer internship at a Carleton University neuroscience lab and is given the opportunity to represent Ottawa at the Canadian National Brain Bee. The winner of the national competition wins a cash prize ($1500), a spot competing at the International Brain Bee, and many other perks. The top student at the international competition wins a cash prize and a global internship.
The 2022 Ottawa Brain Bee winner went on to place first at both the Canadian and the International Brain Bee!
The Brain Bee is currently in their recruitment phase for the 2024 Ottawa Brain Bee competition.
For more information, you can visit their local website (https://sfn-ottawa.ca/brain-bee/) or the National website (https://brainbee.ca/).
Click on this LINK for the poster!
Athletics
Our Fall sports are winding up, with many teams now entering their respective playoffs.
Varsity Boys Soccer has a record of 8-0 finishing league play in first place. They will play St. Matthew In the Championship game on Tuesday Nov 7 at 3:00 pm at home.
Varsity Girls Basketball are entering their playoffs with a record of 5-3. Play-off games begin the week of Nov 6. Our girls fought hard but lost in a nail-biter Monday after school.
Sr. Boys Volleyball team is undefeated so far this season, their record is currently 8-0 with playoff games beginning the week of Nov.6.
Varsity Hockey Team is mid-way through their season and have a record of 2-1-1,
Rugby 7's - Both our girls and boys teams represented us well in the league tournaments that were held last month.
Cross Country runners represented our school very well. After the East Conference Qualifier race all athletes advanced to the City Championships.
November brings the start of the winter season. Teams getting ready for league play include our Sr Girls Volleyball Team as well as our Sr and Jr Boys Basketball teams who are both looking to repeat as City Champions this year.
Black Star Tutoring Program
Our school is pleased to offer to students that self identify as Black to participate in the Black Star Tutoring Program for Grades 4-12 Black students at the OCSB.
If you are interested in having your child participate in this opportunity, please contact Mr. David Kajoba (david.kajoba@ocsb.ca) and/or Ms. Kat Follis (katrina.follis@ocsb.ca).
The Annual St. Pat’s Craft Fair
We at St. Pat's are excited to announce that the Annual St. Pat's Craft Fair will take place on Saturday, November 25th this year! Our craft fair has grown over the years to include over 100 vendors who bring a wide range of handmade products. As a community event, the craft fair offers our students a great opportunity to get involved while accumulating volunteer hours towards their graduation requirements. Each year our student volunteers are the highlight for vendors! At last year's craft fair there were over 100 student volunteers who helped vendors get set up, run errands for them, as well as help them return their materials to their vehicles at the end of the day. Those St. Pat's smiles have become a staple of the craft fair and one which returning vendors look forward to. The first craft fair took place in 2018 and since then, the proceeds have been used to support various groups, teams and initiatives within the school. Admission to the craft fair is $2 and there will be a concession stand run by the St. Pat's Dance Team, available for those that wish to nibble on something or have a drink as they peruse the many, incredible vendors and their products. Vendors include many local artisans and crafters, including a few that are from our school community. Make sure to mark November 25th on your calendars and come out to support this year's St. Pat's Craft Fair.
Grade 9 Assessment Schedule During the Exam Period (Reminder)
Following our schedule last June, grade 9 teachers will extend the assessment/evaluation process of grade 9 students into the exam period. This will involve student activities, primarily work associated with the students’ rich summative task (RST) taking place during a final class (120 minutes in duration) during the high school exam period. The following is an example of what this schedule would look like:
Student timetable
Student schedule during the exam period
Period 1
English
Period 2
Math
Period 3
Phys Ed.
Period 4
Religion
1st day of exams
continuation of English RST
2nd day of exams
continuation of Math RST/EQAO
3rd day of exams
continuation of PE RST
4th day of exams
continuation of Religion RST
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 8 - 24, 2024
Semester 1 Examinations (Grades 10-12) January 25 - 31, 2024
Semester 2 RST Period June 4 - 19, 2024
Second Semester Examinations (Grades 10-12) June 20 - 26, 2024
Community Services for Families in Need
The OCSB has created a document with a list of Community Services that families can access for various needs that they may be facing. Please take a moment to review this document Community Services for Families in Need
News from the Religion Department
On Friday, November 3rd, students from all Grade 10 religion classes, both English and French, participated in our anti-bullying retreat in the chapel in Lockerbay. This is great preparation for ANTI-BULLYING WEEK later on this month. Students played games, watched a powerful documentary, and were able to share with their peers as they analyzed how they can be the "hands and feet'' of God and be an ALLY at our school for their peers.
Verification Forms, Consent Forms and Use of Technology Forms
A reminder that Verification Forms, Consent Forms and Use of Technology forms MUST be completed online through the Parent Portal. Please note that these updated documents help us maintain accurate records in order to be able to reach you in case of an emergency or to communicate updates, as well as your child’s photo(s) being included in the yearbook.
We appreciate your prompt attention to this matter.
Parent Portal: https://ca.schoolcash.net/OttawaCatholicSchools/Login
School Messenger: https://go.schoolmessenger.com/#/account/signup
School Cash Online: https://ca.schoolcash.net/OttawaCatholicSchools/Login
Important Dates
Please mark your calendars!
Civics/Careers Turn-Around Day
November 8, 2023
Remembrance Day School Ceremonies
November 9, 2023
PD Day
November 10, 2023
Remembrance Day
November 11, 2023
Academic Awards (H.S.)
November 15, 2023
H.S. Mid Term Report Cards
November 21, 2023
7/8 Parent-Teacher Interviews (Early Dismissal)
November 23, 2023
H.S. Last Day for Course Withdrawal
November 24, 2023
H.S. Full Disclosure
November 28, 2023
Advent Liturgies
December 7, 2023
PD Day
December 8, 2023
Have a great day!
School Uniform Policy
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. All bottoms will bear the TOP MARKS tag.**
UNIFORM INCLUDES
black pants
Tartan skort
black skort
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
girls may wear a plain white ladies’ camisole under a uniform shirt or blouse; (plain white implies no writing, no logos, no diagrams)
camisoles may not be worn with sweater cardigans unless under a TOP MARKS shirt or Blouse;
skirts and kilts must be worn at a respectable length and such that undergarments are not visible;
Pants and shorts are worn such that undergarments are not visible;
shirts, blouses, and sweater must be worn so shoulders and torsos are covered;
Hats and bandanas are not permitted;
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;
students must be in proper uniform for any off-site excursions or activities unless otherwise approved by Administration;
Clothing or accessories that are deemed to be gang related in the opinion of Ottawa Police are unacceptable and not allowed in the school;
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.