April 3rd Newsletter

Prayer

Wonderful Savior, please help us to use this newly revived springtime season to revive a newness in our hearts, our school, our homes, and in our lives. Help us to be more loving, generous, and thoughtful. Remind me of the beauty of spring, and what new beginnings mean. Present us with situations where we can support others and show compassion to those most in need.                                                                

Lenten Project

This year, St. Dominic’s Leten Project will raise money for donation to the Right to Play organization. Specifically, we will be donating money that supports play in Indigenous communities across Canada. 

Gr. 6 Students from Mrs. Cosgrove and Mrs. Sapinski’s classes have been designing kindness clothespins which they will be selling to students on Wednesday, April 9th. Cost: $2 for 3 pins 

Students will be encouraged to give away or exchange their pins with each other during our school wide designated pin exchange. Students may purchase more than 3 pins. All proceeds will be donated to Right to Play. 

Right To Play works with more than 70 Indigenous communities to improve access to community-led, culturally relevant play-based programs that empower First Nations, Inuit, and Métis.

Thank you for your support in raising funds for this year's Lenten Project!

Mrs. Cosgrove and Mrs. Sapinski

Easter Mass

Our Easter Mass will be held on April 24th at 11:00 AM. Parents are warmly invited to attend.

A Message from our Eco Club - Battery Recycling Challenge

Get ready to power up your recycling efforts! Our school is thrilled to announce our participation in the Ontario Schools Battery Recycling Challenge (OSBRC) which runs until May 9, 2025. This exciting competition, organized by Environmental 360 Solutions Ltd., aims to educate our students and families about the importance of proper battery recycling. By collecting single-use batteries, we'll be contributing to a greener environment and competing for fantastic prizes! Students can even participate in fun online missions for a chance to win gift cards and a family trip to Great Wolf Lodge. Please support our efforts by sending in your used batteries, remembering to tape the terminals on 6V, 9V, button cell, and primary lithium batteries. For more details and to register your child for the Student Missions, visit ww.rawmaterials.com/ontario-school-recycling-challenge/student/. 

Let's work together to make a positive impact!

Free French Tutoring

The Canadian Parents for French is offering free virtual French tutoring,  Please visit the following for more information and to register.  

Allergy School Policy

A reminder that the school’s allergy policy is in place to keep students and staff safe. Please remember that we never allow peanuts, nuts, fish, shellfish or sesame products. This includes sesame seeds on buns or bagels and hummus, which has tahini (a sesame product) as a main ingredient. Thank you for your diligence with this matter.

Spring has Arrived!

Spring is here, and with it comes the joys of rain, puddles, and mud! To ensure your child(ren) can fully enjoy outdoor activities, please send them to school dressed appropriately for the weather. Consider rain boots, waterproof jackets, and layers.

April 1st Presentation

Students from K-6 were fortunate to have a guest speaker, Aubrey Noronha provide an engaging and thought provoking presentation on “Truths about Skin Colour”  Aubrey was able to capture the attention of young and older students as we all reflected on the wonderful truth that we are all part of one big human family. 

Reporting your child’s absence

A friendly reminder to please inform the office of your child’s absence, either by calling the school at 613-424-3760 or by email at dominic@ocsb.ca. 

Lunch Box

You can still order lunch for your child from FB Burrito (Tuesdays) and Subway (Wednesdays). Place your order by 12pm each Sunday, either weekly or for multiple weeks in advance.

School Council News

Your school Council is organizing a Family Paint Night on Wednesday, April 30th at 6pm.   Space is limited so be sure to reserve your seat via School Cash Online.  Cost is $5 per person.  

Our next School Council will be Tuesday, April 15th at 6:30.  

St Peter School Council Invitation -Saved by the Bell Dance Party

The St. Peter’s School Council is organizing a Throwback Dance Party.  Adults who are interested in attending can purchase tickets using the following link.

Important Upcoming Dates

Friday, April 4th: PD Day (no school for students)

Tuesday, April 15th: School Council Meeting

Friday, April 18th: Good Friday (school is closed)

Monday, April 19th: Holy Monday (school is closed)

Prayer

Loving God, 

As our Lenten journey draws near, grant us the wisdom to grow in faith and the courage to stand for justice. May our hearts be open to creativity and our spirits find rest in your love. Amen                                                                   

School Clothing Order

We are once again offering a group order for the school Spirit Wear.  Please shop the collection here.  Orders received by Thursday, March 20th will be eligible for free shipping to the school. There is an option on the order form to not have the clothing distributed to the student, in case you want to make it a gift or surprise.  If you have any questions, please contact dominic@ocsb.ca

EQAO Math Night for Parents and Guardians

The Education Quality and Accountability Office will be hosting 2 EQAO Math Sessions for Parents and Guardians on March 6th at 12pm and March 26th at 6pm.  EQAO staff will discuss math questions that Ontario students encounter when they participate in Ontario’s large-scale assessments in the Spring. These assessments are taken by all Ontario students in Grades 3, 6 and 9. During the webinar, EQAO staff will show how these math questions help assess the skills students are learning in their math classes. Staff will also share valuable insights from the past three years of assessment results, which can help parents and guardians support their children’s math learning.  Parents are to register using the following link Registration

A Message from our Eco Club - Battery Recycling Challenge

Get ready to power up your recycling efforts! Our school is thrilled to announce our participation in the Ontario Schools Battery Recycling Challenge (OSBRC) which runs until May 9, 2025. This exciting competition, organized by Environmental 360 Solutions Ltd., aims to educate our students and families about the importance of proper battery recycling. By collecting single-use batteries, we'll be contributing to a greener environment and competing for fantastic prizes! Students can even participate in fun online missions for a chance to win gift cards and a family trip to Great Wolf Lodge. Please support our efforts by sending in your used batteries, remembering to tape the terminals on 6V, 9V, button cell, and primary lithium batteries. For more details and to register your child for the Student Missions, visit ww.rawmaterials.com/ontario-school-recycling-challenge/student/. 

Let's work together to make a positive impact!

Kindergarten Registrations

We are still accepting registrations for kindergarten for the 2025-2026 school year. If you have a child who will be starting kindergarten, we encourage you to register them as soon as possible. Please spread the word to your friends and family who may also have children ready for kindergarten. We can't wait to welcome your little ones to our school community!  Registrations are to be completed and submitted online and can be found using the following link.  

Arriving to school on time is important

Being on time for school is essential for student success. Chronic lateness adds up to missed learning opportunities, making it harder for students to keep up with lessons and engage fully in class. Arriving on time helps set a positive tone for the day, promoting responsibility and good habits that will benefit students beyond the classroom. While we understand that some appointments cannot be scheduled outside of school hours, we encourage families to prioritize punctuality whenever possible to support student learning and success.

Ash Wednesday Ceremony

Parents are invited to join us for our Ash Wednesday Ceremony, Wednesday March 5th.  The ceremony will begin at 9:45.

Drop off / Pick up

A reminder that the parking lot and the bus lane are not accessible to parents at the start of the day between 8:50 and 9:15 and again at the end of the day between 3:20 and 3:45.   If you are driving your child during these peak hours please park on the side streets and walk.  Your cooperation is keeping everyone safe.

Reporting your child’s absence

A friendly reminder to please inform the office of your child’s absence, either by calling the school at 613-424-3760 or by email at dominic@ocsb.ca. 

Lunch Box

You can still order lunch for your child from FB Burrito (Tuesdays) and Subway (Wednesdays). Place your order by 12pm each Sunday, either weekly or for multiple weeks in advance.

School Council News

Tuesday March 4th is Shrove Tuesday, also known as Mardis Gras, or Pancake Tuesday.  It is a day of festivity and feasting before the 40 solemn days of Lent, which begins on Ash Wednesday.  To mark Shrove Tuesday, St. Dominic Catholic School Council volunteers will be serving students a pancake and syrup which they can “rip & dip”.  This should be considered a snack not a meal so children should eat breakfast and bring their lunch and snacks as usual.  If you would prefer that your child not be served a pancake, please let your child’s teacher know.

Our next school council meeting is Thursday April 17th at 6:30pm at the school. There is NO meeting in March due to March break.

Important Upcoming Dates

Wednesday, February 26th: Pink Shirt Day

Tuesday, March 4th: Shrove Tuesday

Wednesday, March 5th: Ash Wednesday (Liturgy 9:45am)

Thursday, March 6th: Grade 6 Leave Taking Photos

Friday, March 7th:  Last day of school before March break

March 10th - 14th: March break, no school

March 17th: First day after March break; St Patrick’s Day

Prayer

Dear God, 

During this Black History Month, we come before you with grateful hearts. We give thanks for the resilience and strength of people of African descendants throughout history and for the contributions they have made to our society. Help us to honor their legacy by working towards unity, justice, and equality for all. Guide us to make choices that promote love and understanding, and to reject prejudice and discrimination. May we see the beauty in our differences and celebrate the shared humanity that unites us. In your name we pray, Amen.

French at the OCSB

Are you trying to make a decision regarding your child’s French pathway? Do you have questions about what to expect in the various French programs at the OCSB? Please join the Ottawa Catholic School Board’s French Consultants to learn about some of the myths surrounding the learning of French as a Second Language. Find out how you can support your children on their French language learning journey! On February 6th 2025 at 6:30 p.m., join us virtually or in person at Lester B. Pearson Secondary School.  Please register using this link. 

School Bus Cancellations

If your child rides the bus please be sure to use the OSTA app to be informed of bus cancellations.  You can find the app at ottawaschoolbus.ca.  As was communicated earlier, this is how OSTA now communicates cancellations.  

Kindergarten Registrations

We are now accepting registrations for kindergarten for the upcoming school year. If you have a child who will be starting kindergarten, we encourage you to register them as soon as possible. Please spread the word to your friends and family who may also have children ready for kindergarten. We can't wait to welcome your little ones to our school community!  Registrations are to be completed and submitted online and can be found using the following link.  

Knights of Columbus Free Throw Competition

We are very proud of our St. Dominic Dragons who represented our school at the Knights of Columbus Free Throw Competition.  A huge congratulations to Clare (Grade 6) and Austin (Grade 5) for their amazing performances! We wish them the best of luck as they advance to the District Competitions next week. 

Drop off / Pick up

A reminder that the parking lot and the bus lane are not accessible to parents at the start of the day between 8:50 and 9:15 and again at the end of the day between 3:20 and 3:45.   If you are driving your child during these peak hours please park on the side streets and walk.  Your cooperation is keeping everyone safe.

Black History Month

February is Black History Month, and we have a variety of activities planned throughout the month.  Students will have opportunities in and out of the classroom to learn about and to celebrate the many contributions of Black Canadians. 

Dressing for the Weather

Please ensure your child is dressed appropriately for spending time outdoors, as a significant portion of the day is spent outside. To help reduce lost items, please clearly label all of your child's outerwear, including coats, hats, and mittens, with their name or initials. 

Reporting your child’s absence

A friendly reminder to please inform the office of your child’s absence, either by calling the school at 613-424-3760 or by email at dominic@ocsb.ca.  

Lunch Box

You can still order lunch for your child from FB Burrito (Tuesdays) and Subway (Wednesdays). Place your order by 12pm each Sunday, either weekly or for multiple weeks in advance.  Please note that you can cancel your order up to 2 days before the delivery date. 

School Council News

Pizza Thursdays

We have successfully wrapped up our first session of Pizza Thursdays (last pizza day was January 30) with 332 children getting pizza every other Thursday since October. It was a great success including our fantastic new vendor, The Dough Bros! Session #2 is open for purchase now through School Cash Online until February 6th at 11:59pm. Session #2 runs February through June so make sure to order now if you want in on Pizza Thursdays!

Giving Tree

We had our first (now annual) Giving Tree through the month of December which provided families the opportunity to purchase, for the classrooms and yard, some of the most needed and requested items by our teachers and school staff. A huge thank you to our school community for their generous giving – we were able to distribute items to classes and for the outdoor yard which have been put to great use since returning from the holiday break.

School Council Meetings

Our next School Council meeting is taking place Thursday February 20 at 6:30pm at the school. All parents and guardians are welcome!

Important Upcoming Dates

Friday, January 31st: PD Day, therefore no school for students

Friday, February 7th: Winter Play Day

Thursday, February 13th: Report cards will be made available to parents via the portal