Principal’s Message

Happy New Year!!!!  May this year bring blessings of health and happiness; as well as peace and comfort.  We were very happy to welcome back all the students and staff.  It has been a week since our return and already we have been very busy.

There are a few updates that are time-sensitive so please take a moment to go through this mid-month Newsletter.      

Stay Safe and Be Well!

Mme Al Koura

Catholic School Council

Our next meeting is on Monday, February 10th, at 7:00 pm.  This meeting will be a virtual meeting.  Please email the school patrick.high@ocsb.ca if you would like to join. All parents/guardians are welcome to attend.

Vice-Principal Updates

Mme Paula Joly will be off until January 22, and is returning on January 23rd.  In the interim, retired Principal, Michael Curry, will be in for her.  

Mr. Paul Tamburrini will be on leave February 3rd - March 7th.  Mr. Curry will be returning to cover Mr. Tamburrini’s leave as well.

Pathway Planning and Course Selection for the 2025-2026 School Year

Our Student Services team has prepared the following MEMO very important information, dates and deadlines for course selection for this upcoming fall, as well as Pathway Planning.  Please read through this memo with your child/ren.

High School Exams Memo

RSTs and Exam season is in full swing.  Please take a moment to read through this MEMO to explain the details for final assessments for Semester 1.

Cafeteria Closure

Our cafeteria will be closed for the week of January 27-30th, therefore cafeteria service is not available.  Please ensure your child/ren brings their own lunch for each of these days.  A reminder that UBER deliveries to students are not permitted. 

Friends of St Pat’s: Alumni Association

Below is the Business number for the charity.  Funds can be directed to the charity through pay deductions by quoting the name and BN.  If anyone wants to make a direct donation of cheques/cash, They can be directly mailed to: Friends of St Pat’s. Our mailing address is the same as the high school.  I will issue and mail tax donation receipts to anyone donating directly to us.

Registered Name: FRIENDS OF ST. PAT'S

Business No: 892956962RR0001CRA REGISTERED

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, however their attendance during that period is MANDATORY as final/extension assessments will take place during that period.  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 - 22, 2024

Semester 1 Examinations (Grades 10-12)                            January 23 - 29, 2025

Semester 2 RST Period                                                             June 2 - 18, 2025

Second Semester Examinations (Grades 10-12)                  June 19 - 25, 2025

Important Dates

Please mark your calendars for key dates for the 2024-2025 school year!

Grad Photo Retakes

January 17, 2025

Semester 1 RST Period

January 6 - 22, 2025

January Dress Up Day

January 20, 2025

Semester 1 Examinations

January 23 - 29, 2025

Special 7/8 Dress Up Day

January 27, 2025

First Day of Semester Two

February 3, 2025

Have a wonderful week!

Principal’s Message

Happy December!!!!!  We hope everyone is enjoying their PD Day and starting their countdown as we welcome the Advent season.  This season, we wait patiently for the arrival of Baby Jesus and celebrate all the sights and sounds of this festive season.    

Please note that any official school communications (e.g. notice of absences or late sign-ins, Newsletter etc.) will be coming from the school’s email address Patrick.High@ocsb.ca.  Take a closer look at the email address of communications in your inbox!   

A reminder to support our Christmas Campaign by reading the MEMO that was shared last week!!!!

Stay Safe and Be Well!

Mme Al Koura

Catholic School Council

Our next meeting is on Monday, February 10th, at 7:00 pm.  This meeting will be a virtual meeting.  Please email the school patrick.high@ocsb.ca if you would like to join. All parents/guardians are welcome to attend.

Uniform Reminder

The weather is getting colder and we are noticing more jogging pants, jeans and non uniform tops appearing in the building.  A reminder that our uniform policy is found on the school website as well as in the Student Handbook.  Please review the following:

UNIFORM INCLUDES

• black pants (no jeans, no jogging 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

Course Selection for the 2025-2026 School Year

It may seem early, but planning for the 2025-2026 school year has begun.  Our Student Services team has already begun their classroom visits to help guide students in their course tracking, pathway planning and course selection for next year.  Please take a moment to carefully read this MEMO from Student Services that explains what has been done thus far and what is to come.  To our current Grade 8 families, classroom visits are forthcoming shortly - check out the timelines in the memo!

European Trip 2025 - 2026

It's that time of year again! St Patrick's High School, in conjunction with EF tours, is in the planning process of a European Trip for the 2025-2026 school year! After a very successful trip to London & Paris last school year, we are gearing up to take our students across the pond once more. If your student is in grades 9-11 CURRENTLY, we are inviting them to come visit OR email Ms Bellefeuille (katie.bellefeuille@ocsb.ca) or Mr Carbonette (ben.carbonette@ocsb.ca) to be put on our emailing list. When the trip is officially launched, they will be the first to know. As parents, please email katie.bellefeuille@ocsb.ca with any questions you may have. 

This trip is designed not only to explore famous landmarks and immerse students in rich, diverse cultures, but also to bring history, geography, and languages to life in ways that no textbook can. Students will gain firsthand knowledge and develop greater independence, global awareness, and a deeper appreciation for cultures worldwide. 

We look forward to having your child join us on this life-changing journey!

Message from Ottawa Public Health - Reducing the Spread of Respiratory Illness

As we head into the colder months, OPH wants to support our schools and community in staying healthy and reducing the spread of respiratory illnesses. To assist with this, please read the following key messages document, “Reducing the Spread of Respiratory Illness”. (LINK)

School Photos

As you may know, Canada Post has initiated a strike as of November 15th.  Edge Imaging had put measures in place to maintain smooth operations and deliveries.  To adapt, they have temporarily disabled the mail-to-home option for families. Orders can now be delivered via ship-to-school or sent home using Purolator with priority shipping. 

The positive news for our school community is the extended opportunity to place ship-to-school orders.  The order deadline has been extended to the end of this month.  If you would like to have your photos delivered to the school, please ensure you put in your order soonest.

Inclement Weather: Snow Days

Winter is almost here and Bus Cancellations could be in our future.  If busses are cancelled, schools often remain open and students are welcome to attend.  As our school relies on OC Transpo, our office does not automatically mark all students as Absent Approved.  We recognize that some students will still attend (be it on foot, parent drop-off or OC Transpo) and as such, if you choose to keep your child at home, please inform the school so that their attendance is updated.  Due to the high volume of calls, we recommend you email the school at Patrick.High@ocsb.ca to report their absence.   

Intermediate Panel Update - Lunch Routines 

Remember that with the cooler weather coming, our Intermediate lunchtime routines are imperative, especially when it comes to bringing appropriate outdoor clothing and being where we are supposed to be.  Please ensure your child has weather-appropriate clothing (e.g. jacket, hat, mitts).
In order to maintain your child’s safety, they must remain in supervised areas at all times.  Hanging out in bathrooms, high school hallways or locker bay is NOT permitted.  Students must bring all they require for the lunch period (their lunch bag, jacket, mitts, hats etc) with them at the start of the lunch period and may not return to their lockers halfway through lunch when they transition between the cafeteria and the outdoors.  It is imperative that our 7/8 students follow these routines so that they are supervised as well as not interrupting the HS classes that are taking place in the main building.

Changes to the Google Chats from Learning Technologies Department at the Board

• Based on numerous instances of misuse of the tool, in addition to feedback and recommendations from the system, the following changes will be made to Google Chat.

  • All Students will move to “Blocked - Only Teacher Moderated”

    • K-6 (changed from completely blocked)

    • Gr. 7-12 (changed from open)

• Please note: Existing student chats will not be erased, but the ability to add members will be restricted. Students can remove themselves from a chat. We are working on being able to remove these existing chats.

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, however their attendance during that period is MANDATORY as final/extension assessments will take place during that period.  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 - 22, 2024

Semester 1 Examinations (Grades 10-12)                            January 23 - 29, 2025

Semester 2 RST Period                                                             June 2 - 18, 2025

Second Semester Examinations (Grades 10-12)                  June 19 - 25, 2025

Important Dates

Please mark your calendars for key dates for the 2024-2025 school year!

Grad Photos

December 16-19, 2024

Last Day of Classes before Christmas Break

December 20, 2024

Christmas Break

December 23, 2024

January 3, 2025

First Day of Classes after Christmas Break

January 6, 2025

Grad Photo Retakes

January 17, 2025

Semester 1 RST Period

January 6 - 22, 2025

Semester 1 Examinations

January 23 - 29, 2025

First Day of Semester Two

February 3, 2025

Have a great weekend!

Principal’s Message

A Blessed All Saints Day to everyone and Happy Diwali!  I hope you had a Happy Halloween There has been much excitement this week with our Spirit Week events and Halloween prep.  A big thank you to our Student Council for their hard work making this week extra special.  

With the changing weather, we are noticing students coming to school wearing black and gray jogging pants instead of their uniform bottoms.  I kindly remind everyone that our uniform bottom consists of black dress pants (regular or cargo-style), kilt, or black skirt.  Jogging pants and leggings are NOT considered uniform bottoms.  Black leggings may be worn until the kilt and skirt but not instead of the dress pants.  I thank you in advance for your support.    

We are getting ready for Remembrance Day and I invite our serving and retired members to take a look at the invitation below for our upcoming ceremonies on November 11th.

Our first round of Gr. 10 OSSLT (Literacy Test) will be administered starting on November 12th.  Any of our previously-eligible or new to St Pat’s (Gr.11-12) students will be participating in this Provincial requirement.  Please ensure your child has checked their email or spoken with their guidance counsellor to confirm if and when they are scheduled to write.  Our current Gr. 10 students will be writing their Literacy Test in the spring of 2025.

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 $490.76 towards our goal!

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 events, to support clubs and teams or to have a school community event like a guest speaker etc

The following two positions are still open: Fundraising Coordinator, and Treasurer. Please email the School Council at stpatschoolcouncil@gmail.com if you are interested in fulfilling either position.  

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We are currently in full swing with our Fundscrip Fundraising Campaign for Christmas! 

Deadline is November 21st for Gift Cards to be delivered to the school early December.

Please see the information link for more information on how to order Gift Cards to use as Christmas Gifts and everyday purchases. Fundscrip Information Form

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Our next meeting is a hybrid meeting (in person in the Learning Commons at St. Pat's and virtually online) please email the school patrick.high@ocsb.ca if you require the virtual link to attend. All parents/guardians are welcome to attend.

Our next meeting will be taking place on November 4th, 2024 at 7:00 pm in the Learning Commons.  A hybrid option will be available should you prefer to join us online.  Please contact the school for a link to the meeting. 

School Council would like to bring the following CSPA events to your attention:

1) Saturday, 

November 2, 2024, starting from 9:30 am - "Battling stress, loneliness and other things that can weigh us down! with guest speaker Aubrey Noronha". At the OCSB Office.  Child-minding is available. For more information and registration click Here. 

2) CSPA General Meeting - November 27, 2024, at 7 pm
Presentation: Mental Health
Board Report: Nicola Benton, Superintendent of Special Education & Student Services
Location: St Patrick’s High School
For information on CSPA meetings visit www.ottawacspa.ca and/or register on Eventbrite.

European Trip 2025-2026

It's that time of year again! St Patrick's High School, in conjunction with EF tours, is in the planning process of a European Trip for the 2025-2026 school year! After a very successful trip to London & Paris last school year, we are gearing up to take our students across the pond once more. If your student is in grades 9-11 CURRENTLY, we are inviting them to come visit OR email Ms Bellefeuille (katie.bellefeuille@ocsb.ca) or Mr Carbonette (ben.carbonette@ocsb.ca) to be put on our emailing list. When the trip is officially launched, they will be the first to know. As parents, please email katie.bellefeuille@ocsb.ca with any questions you may have. 

This trip is designed not only to explore famous landmarks and immerse students in rich, diverse cultures, but also to bring history, geography, and languages to life in ways that no textbook can. Students will gain firsthand knowledge and develop greater independence, global awareness, and a deeper appreciation for cultures worldwide. 

We look forward to having your child join us on this life-changing journey!

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 population, there will be two Assemblies in the morning.  If you would like to join us (one or both), 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.

Grade 11 World Religions Field Trip

On Wednesday October 23, our three Grade 11 World Religions classes had the opportunity to visit the Dormition of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church and the Masjid Ar-Rahmah Mosque. Both Father Alex and Imam Hasan were very hospitable and welcoming. Thank you for having us!

Our students were very respectful and represented our school very well. They had an opportunity to explore both holy places - physically and spiritually - and they asked a series of amazing questions about Islam and Christianity. Well done Grade 11s! 

Career Week: November 4-8, 2024

Career Week offers students opportunities to explore different pathways. As a school, we will be offering students opportunities to participate in several activities.

Grade 9 students across Ontario will be participating in Take our Kids to Work Day on Wednesday, November 6. Information letters and consent forms were sent home to all Grade 9 students about this experiential learning opportunity. Please speak to your child about a suitable workplace connection. The school will approve absences for students who return their consent forms by Monday, November 4. Students who attend school on November 6, in lieu of a workplace connection, will be offered other career exploration activities in their regular classes.

LAUNCH is an annual virtual event hosted by OCSB & OCDSB in collaboration with many community partners also taking place on November 6. Participants can listen to presentations and panel conversations focused on a variety of post-secondary and career pathways. All sessions are virtual. Recordings will also be available a few days after the event.  Please see below for further details.

During Career Week, we will welcome several guests to our school. On Tuesday, November 5th, students are invited to a presentation at lunch by a flight instructor from International Flight Academy (Gatineau Airport) about flight training and careers in aviation. Many Gr. 12 SHSM students will complete First Aid / CPR training with Jordan Turcotte, a firefighter and Canadian Red Cross affiliate instructor. Eleanor Miller, athletic therapist, will also be here on November 7 to facilitate a sports wrapping and taping workshop to Health & Wellness SHSM students.

Many of our Gr. 11-12 students are at work placements through Co-operative Education. Throughout the week, we will highlight some recent co-op students' experiences during school morning announcements. 

Students are always welcome to reach out to our Guidance Team to discuss pathway planning: Mr. Chris Card (A-D), Ms. Follis (E-Me), Ms. Deveaux (Mf-Z), Ms. Logan (Program Support).

LAUNCH 2024 - Virtual Education and Career Conference for Teens.

To support career exploration and pathway planning, grade 10-12 students across the Ottawa Catholic School Board will have the opportunity to visit a Virtual Education and Career Conference on Wednesday, November 6th. The fair runs from 9am to 8pm so students may also attend on their own time if desired. 

The OCSB has partnered with the Ottawa Carleton District School Board and the Peel District School Boards to provide students the opportunity to explore many post-secondary institutions, associations, employers, and unions, spanning all pathways. Students will be able to interact with representatives who will be available to answer questions through a combination of pre-recorded videos and live chats.  Students will also be able to attend live presentations on a variety of topics, including scholarship application tips, budgeting for post secondary, careers in the trades, and many, many more.  Please see a complete list of presentations here.

We are also excited to announce that we will also have a keynote address by Aubrey Noronha Aubrey Noronha (NA-ROW-NA) is a recognized Character Education and Safe Schools Speaker who believes in the possibility of a safer and more emotionally connected school culture. Through his work, Aubrey seeks to instill his hope for the future into the minds and hearts of youth and caring adults.  

We encourage both students and parents to attend this event! Registration is now open, just click here to register. Parents will be able to access the conference with their child’s conference login credentials.

Intermediate School Athletics

We are happy and proud to share that our 7/8 Girls Volleyball team won first place at the Immaculata tournament on Tues Oct 22nd!!!  Thank you Coach Dobransky.  Congratulations!!!!

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 - 22, 2024

Semester 1 Examinations (Grades 10-12)                            January 23 - 29, 2025

Semester 2 RST Period                                                             June 2 - 18, 2025

Second Semester Examinations (Grades 10-12)                  June 19 - 25, 2025

Important Dates

Please mark your calendars for key dates for the 2024-2025 school year!

Catholic School Council Meeting

November 4, 2024

Civics/Careers Turnaround Day

November 6, 2024

Take Our Kids To Work Day

November 6, 2024

PD Day (No School)

November 8, 2024

Remembrance Day Ceremonies

November 11, 2024

7/8 Progress Reports

November 14, 2024

Bully Awareness and Prevention Week

November 18-22, 2024

H.S. Mid-Term Report Cards

November 19, 2024

7/8 Parent-Teacher Interviews

November 28, 2024

Early Dismissal Grades 7-12

November 28, 2024

PD Day (No School)

December 2, 2024

Have a great weekend!

Principal’s Message

We are fast-approaching the end of our first month of the ‘24-’25 school year and happily welcome the Fall season!  The beautiful weather has been greatly appreciated by students and staff alike as we continue to enjoy the outdoors for classes, lunches and after-school activities.  A reminder to display good citizenship when out in the community by being respectful with all neighbours and local businesses/services when out and about.  

For your convenience, reporting your child's absence via email is now our preferred method. A quick email to patrick.high@ocsb.ca lets us know your child is out and ensures a prompt and accurate attendance record. This helps avoid potential voicemail delays and allows you to easily include any important details about the absence in the message.

Take a moment to read through the various announcements below!

Stay Safe and Be Well!

Mme Al Koura

Catholic School Council

2024-2025 Catholic School Council Election

Our first Catholic School Council meeting took place on Monday, September 23rd at 7:00 pm. At that meeting, we elected our executive council. Let's welcome our Executive Council for the 2024-2025 Catholic School Council:

• Co-Chairs - Dawn Eady-Dowdall & Stephanie Keane

• Secretary - Kristen Lewis

• CSPA Rep - Nadine Robinson 

• Lillian Suarez and Marwa Al-Adhan

The following two positions are still open: Fundraising Coordinator, and Treasurer. Please email the school if you are interested in fulfilling either position.

Our next meeting will be taking place on November 4th, 2024 at 7:00 pm in the Learning Commons.  A hybrid option will be available should you prefer to join us online.  Please contact the school for a link to the meeting. 

CSPA Update:

CSPA Meetings, Agendas & Minutes

Find links to meeting information, including agendas, minutes, recordings and more.

ottawacspa.ca

The first General meeting was held on September 25, 2024, please visit the hyperlink in the title to see the Agenda. The October General meeting will be on October 23, 2024 at 7pm @ Divine Infant. Register for meetings and events via EventBrite.

Smudging Ceremony

 On Thursday, September 26th, the St Pat’s ISA welcomed Heather Godin and Alanna Trines (from the OCSB Indigenous Team) as well as Aunty Connie who led us in St Pat’s largest Smudging Ceremony.  We gathered in the Mall where we were invited into the Smudging ritual followed by singing and drumming led by Ms. Trines.  Members of our ISA were able to break bread together and to share in a cup of tea.  

Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM)

Things are starting up for our grade 11 & 12 Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) programs. There are four SHSM programs at St. Patrick’s High School including Health & Wellness, Hospitality & Tourism, Information & Communication Technology, and Transportation. This fall, students will have the opportunity to participate in various certifications including, but not limited to, Customer Service, Fire Safety & Extinguisher Use training as well as First Aid, CPR-C, & AED training. Many SHSM students have also been invited to attend the Level Up! event where they will have the opportunity to interact with professionals in various trades and explore various career pathways. Students in these programs will be provided various certification and experiential learning opportunities throughout the year.

Grad Retreat

Yesterday, Thursday September 26, our Grade 12 students enjoyed a beautiful, sunny day at Britannia Beach for their Grad Retreat. The first of many events for their final year at St Pat’s. The day was filled with team building activities, and amazing talks from our guest speakers Paul Racine, the Pat’s football coach, and David Kajoba, our Black Grad Coach, and reflective letter writing which went in our Grad Time Capsule and will be opened right before graduation. The pizza lunch and sunshine made the day all the more memorable. 

Meet the Teacher

I would like to thank all families that joined us on Meet the Teacher Night.  It was such a wonderful opportunity to meet new families and reconnect with returning families.  A special thank you to Linda LoFaro and her LARGE number of Staff and Student Volunteers that made our inaugural Meet the Teacher Night Barbecue an incredible success! 

From Ms LoFaro: A huge thank you to our student volunteers for their boundless energy and enthusiasm—it truly made the event special. Once again, the Irish family, including students and staff, united to create a memorable experience, which we are looking forward to repeating next year!

High School Athletics

The start of a new school year brings the beginning of the Fall sports schedule.

Kicking off the season include the following teams: Varsity Football, Sr Boys Soccer, Jr Boys Soccer, X-Country, Varsity Girls Basketball, Varsity Girls Rugby 7's, Sr Boys Rugby 7's, Jr Boys Rugby 7's, Sr Boys Volleyball and Varsity Hockey.  All team schedules and results can be seen on www.fatdog.ca.

International Languages Secondary Program

Did you know that you can learn or master a language other than English and French while earning credits towards your high school diploma? The International Languages Secondary program with OCSB offers courses in languages such as Spanish, Arabic, Punjabi, Ukrainian and more.  Classes are held virtually or in-person every Saturday morning, from 9 am to 12:30 pm. For more information, check out the brochure in the guidance counselors' office or visit 2023-2024 IL Secondary (Credit) program.T

Messaging from Ottawa Public Health

This information below was shared by our Communications Department on all the Board's social media channels, before the start of school. Now that we are a few weeks into the school year, could you please send this letter from Dr Etches to your families through your normal channel (next newsletter, etc)? It is provided in English and French. 

LAUNCH 2024 - Virtual Education and Career Conference for Teens.

To support career exploration and pathway planning, grade 10-12 students across the Ottawa Catholic School Board will have the opportunity to visit a Virtual Education and Career Conference on Wednesday, November 6th. The fair runs from 9am to 8pm so students may also attend on their own time if desired. 

The OCSB has partnered with the Ottawa Carleton District School Board and the Peel District School Boards to provide students the opportunity to explore many post-secondary institutions, associations, employers, and unions, spanning all pathways. Students will be able to interact with representatives who will be available to answer questions through a combination of pre-recorded videos and live chats.  Students will also be able to attend live presentations on a variety of topics, including scholarship application tips, budgeting for post secondary, careers in the trades, and many, many more.  Please see a complete list of presentations here.

We are also excited to announce that we will also have a keynote address by Aubrey Noronha Aubrey Noronha (NA-ROW-NA) is a recognized Character Education and Safe Schools Speaker who believes in the possibility of a safer and more emotionally connected school culture. Through his work, Aubrey seeks to instill his hope for the future into the minds and hearts of youth and caring adults.  

We encourage both students and parents to attend this event! Registration is now open, just click here to register.

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 - 22, 2024

Semester 1 Examinations (Grades 10-12)                            January 23 - 29, 2025

Semester 2 RST Period                                                             June 2 - 18, 2025

Second Semester Examinations (Grades 10-12)                  June 19 - 25, 2025

Important Dates

Please mark your calendars for key dates for the 2024-2025 school year!

Orange Shirt Day AND Dress Up Day

September 30, 2024

7/8 Immunization Clinic

October 1-3, 2024

H.S. Letters of Intervention 

October 10, 2024

Opening Liturgies

October 10, 2024

PD Day

October 11, 2024

Thanksgiving Day

October 14, 2024

Grade 12 Grad Assembly (Period 1)

October 16, 2024

Leadership Camp

October 17-18, 2024

H.S. Parent-Teacher Interviews

October 17, 2024

Early Dismissal Grade 7-12

October 17, 2024

H.S. Fall Academic Award Ceremony

October 23, 2024

Photo Retakes

October 25, 2024

Have a great weekend!

Principal’s Message

It is the end of our first week of school and it was a busy one!  We were so happy to welcome our students this week and to help them get settled into their new routines.  We held our grade-level assemblies on Wednesday and Thursday, where we reviewed our Board’s new 3-Year Spiritual Theme (Year One is Open Doors), use of technology expectations, uniforms, new Cell Phone policy and many other day-to-day operational items.  The Athletic program is already in full swing with fall sports team try-outs already happening.  The school atmosphere is full of energy and we are happy to be back into the daily swing of things!!!!

Stay Safe and Be Well!

Mme Al Koura

Catholic School Council

A little reminder about the upcoming first Catholic School Council meeting.

Our first Catholic School Council meeting will take place on Monday, September 23rd at 7:00 pm. At this first meeting, we will elect our executive council; confirm the dates of our future meetings; and vote to pass the recently revised Constitution. Note: only executive members can vote. Click here to see a list of the eligible council positions.

If you are unable to attend this first meeting but have an interest in one of the council positions, please send an email to the school office with a subject line of “re Catholic School Council” and indicate your position of interest by no later than 3 pm on Monday, September 23rd.

This meeting will be hybrid. For virtual attendance, please email the school to get a link for the meeting and for those joining in-person, meet us in the Learning Commons. 

We look forward to working with you this upcoming school year.

International Languages Secondary Program

Did you know that you can learn or master a language other than English and French while earning credits towards your high school diploma? The International Languages Secondary program with OCSB offers courses in languages such as Spanish, Arabic, Punjabi, Ukrainian and more.  Classes are held virtually or in-person every Saturday morning, from 9 am to 12:30 pm. For more information, check out the brochure in the guidance counselors' office or visit 2023-2024 IL Secondary (Credit) program.T

Uniforms

A reminder to all parents that students are expected to be in full uniform on the first day of school.  Parents are encouraged to submit their uniform orders in asap (if not already done).  Here is the LINK for Top Marks in case you have not ordered yet!!!  A reminder that black jeans, black jogging pants and black leggings (when worn without the skirt/kilt on top) are NOT acceptable uniform bottoms.  The Top Marks top is a mandatory uniform item, to be worn daily - NOT under a non-unform top.  More details are found in the Student Handbook as well as on our School Website.

We are counting on parental support to encourage your child/ren to be respectful of the uniform expectations.

Used Uniforms 

Families who might have gently used uniform pieces at home, be it that your child has outgrown them and/or they no longer need them, are being asked to consider donating these items to the school.  Our office would greatly appreciate the donations so that we can support other families within our community.

Lunch Time 

A gentle reminder that although local businesses are happy to welcome our High School students in their establishments at lunch, students must be mindful of their behaviour so as to represent our school community with pride. 

St Pat’s students are also reminded not to be found on our neighbouring school’s (Ridgemont) property at any time of our and/or their school day.  

Lockers

We have already received many opt-in requests for lockers from our Grade 11 and 12 students.  In case you missed it in last week’s newsletter, here is the link to the form.  Students must be logged into their OCSBStudent account to be able to access and complete the form.  Starting September 9th, lockers will be randomly assigned through my.studentinfo.ca for those who are assigned one.  Lockers will be assigned based on first come, first served basis or individual needs of the student.  

Meet the Teacher

REMINDER: You are invited to our Meet the Teacher event that will be taking place on Thursday, September 19th.  This year, we will begin with a Family BBQ between 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm.  The Meet the Teacher will run between 5:00 pm and 7:00 pm.  This is an opportunity to meet your child/children’s teachers.  An opening gathering will take place at 5:00 in the cafeteria before you can meet Intermediate staff in the 7/8 gym and the High School staff (for both Semester 1 and 2) in the main gym.  Please use this LINK to pre-order your BBQ items using School Cash Online.  We look forward to seeing and meeting you!

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 - 22, 2024

Semester 1 Examinations (Grades 10-12)                            January 23 - 29, 2025

Semester 2 RST Period                                                             June 2 - 18, 2025

Second Semester Examinations (Grades 10-12)                  June 19 - 25, 2025

Important Dates

Please mark your calendars for key dates for the 2024-2025 school year!

Last Day to Request Course Changes for Semester 1

September 11, 2024

Picture Day

September 12, 2024

Meet the Teacher

September 19, 2024

PD Day

October 11, 2024

Thanksgiving Day

October 14, 2024

Have a great weekend!

Dear Parents and Guardians:

The new school year is almost here. I hope you have had a great summer break.

We are offering 3 dates next week for students wishing to pay their student fees early, (online or in person) to pick up their presto cards before the first day of school.

Students who do not wish to pay their student fee early or are out of town on these days will receive their presto cards on the first day of school.

The $45.00 student fee includes the purchase of a yearbook and subsidized student events and activities that take place throughout the year. We are encouraging students to pay online using https://www.schoolcashonline.com if possible and to bring their receipt for presto card pick up.

If you have more than one student attending St. Pat’s, the fee for any additional students is $30 per student, i.e. 2 students total fees would be $75 or 3 students would pay $105.

If you do not have a school cash online account please create one and add your student to your profile.

If you are coming in person to pay your fees, please note that the school now has the ability to accept any form of electronic payment i.e. debit and credit card payments.

This year we are offering 3 dates for this event:

Tuesday August 27th - 9:00 am to 12:00 pm : Grades 7 and 8

Wednesday August 28th - 9:00 am to 12:00 pm : Grades 9 and 10

Thursday August 29th - 11:00 am to 2:00 pm : Grades 11 and 12

This will take place in the main gym, the entrance will be at the side of the building near the main parking area.

If you have students in different grades, you can pay their student fees and pick up their presto cards on the same day, you do not have to come on multiple days.

We will be holding Parent-Teacher Interviews for Grades 9-12 on Thursday, October 20th.

Appointments from 2:00 – 5:00 pm will be held in person at the school. Appointments from 6:00 –

7:30 pm will be held by phone or virtual meeting. This term, you will be able to schedule your

Parent-Teacher Interviews online. If you wish to schedule a meeting with any of your child’s teachers,

please follow the instructions printed further down the page. You will be able to schedule appointments

until October 19 th at 11:00 pm.

Instructions

1. Go to the St. Pat’s scheduling webpage at https://parentinterview.com/s/stpat

2. Enter the Parent Code (printed below) and click “Sign In” (please make a note of your Confirmation #)

3. Fill in your contact information and click “Continue to Make Appointments”

4. Click on the name of a teacher with whom you wish to schedule an appointment

5. Click on “Available” for a time at which you wish to have your meeting

6. Repeat Steps 4 and 5 until you have scheduled all the teachers you wish to meet

7. Click on “My Schedule” (top left of the page)

8. Print out, email or copy down your schedule

The Parent Code for this term is

PAT2022

Do not share this code with anyone outside your school community

Should you wish to delete an appointment you have made, click on "Delete" beside the meeting you

wish to have removed from your schedule. If you misplace your schedule, you may use your

Confirmation # to retrieve your schedule from the website at any time. If you need help using the

service, please email support@parentinterview.com

We look forward to speaking with you.

The provincial government has revised the high school graduation requirements to include mandatory online courses. Students still need to earn 30-course credits to receive their Ontario Secondary School Diploma, but at least two of those credits need to be from e-learning courses. 

Who’s affected?

The new requirement applies to any student currently in grade 10 or below. It does not affect students currently in grades 11 and 12.

Why the change?

The new requirement is intended to help students become familiar with working and learning in a fully online environment. e-Learning courses help develop digital literacy and other necessary transferable skills that will serve students well in all aspects of their lives.

What counts as an e-learning course?

An e-learning course is any asynchronous grade 9-12 online learning credit course delivered entirely using the internet. It does not require students to be present with one another or with their educator in the school or online. Because courses taken through St. Josephine Virtual High School are synchronous, they do not meet the criteria for this requirement. 

Advantages of e-learning

In addition to developing students’ digital fluency and skills, e-learning courses have several other benefits. Students have access to a broader selection of courses and are not limited to those offered by their home school. Because the courses are asynchronous, students have greater flexibility and can choose to learn when best suits their schedule.

e-Learning at the OCSB continues to grow

The OCSB has offered e-learning courses since 2014. Both course offerings and participation have grown significantly since then. This year, 13% of students in grades 11 and 12 are enrolled in e-learning courses.  When surveyed, 89% of current OCSB e-Learning students said they would take another e-learning course. Next year, we will offer 42 e-learning courses. These are designated with a J or a V in myBlueprint. Students can also talk to their guidance counselor to access additional courses offered by school boards across Ontario. 

Can my child be exempted?

Despite its advantages, e-learning is not for everyone. Parents/guardians may opt out their child from the mandatory e-learning graduation requirement. Log into the parent portal and complete the Mandatory e-Learning Opt-out form to exempt your child from the graduation requirement. By completing the form in the Parent Portal, all your child’s student information will be automatically filled in. 

If you do not have a parent portal account, you can use this link to access the Mandatory e-Learning Opt-out form. 

Students who opt out of the e-learning courses will need to complete all 30 of their credits through in-person courses. Students will be reminded of the e-learning requirement and the option to opt out each spring during the course selection period.