St. Dominic School

Prayer 

Loving God,

As we welcome the quiet days of November, we pause to give thanks for the blessings that surround our school community. In this month of remembrance, we hold close in our hearts the loved ones who have gone before us, trusting them to Your eternal peace and perpetual light.

We also remember with deep gratitude the men and women who served and sacrificed for the peace and freedom we cherish today.

Amen.

Halloween

Halloween spirit was in full swing at St. Dominic on October 30! Our youngest Dragons led the festivities with a vibrant costume parade, followed by a brave walkthrough of the Grade 6 haunted house. The celebration wrapped up with an afternoon dance party and a successful popcorn fundraiser, with our Grade 6 students raising over $300. A huge thank-you to our school community for making it such a festive success!

Remembrance Day

Poppies are available for sale in the office, with all proceeds supporting our local Legion. Donations to the Legion are also being collected at School Cash Online, until the evening of the 11th. Parents are invited to attend our Remembrance Day Ceremony; please arrive by 10:35 a.m. as the ceremony will promptly begin at 10:45 a.m.

Progress Reports and Parent Teacher Interviews

Progress Reports will be available on November 11th.  Parent-Teacher Interviews will be the following Thursday, November 19th from 4 to 5:30 and 6 to 8pm.  Information on how to book your interview time will be shared separately.

St. Dominic Pasta Push

Our Pasta Push is in full swing! Students are having a wonderful time participating in daily spirit dress-up days while bringing in non-perishable dry pasta and pasta sauce. All donations go directly toward stocking the shelves at The Cumberland Resource Centre to support local families in need. Thank you to our school community for your incredible enthusiasm and generosity!

St. Dominic Clothing Order

The St. Dominic School clothing store is now open.  There is clothing in a variety of sizes and styles to suit everyone in the family. They look great and are perfect for spirit days. Orders received before November 16th, 2026 can be shipped to the school free of charge and will arrive in time for Christmas. Check out the link and get your orders in - St. Dominic Clothing Thank you for supporting the school.

Clear your closets and spread some holiday cheer! 

The Grade 6 class is hosting our annual Christmas Store on Friday, December 11th, to raise funds for their exciting year-end festivities.

This special event allows students from all grades to experience the joy of independent holiday shopping! They will be able to buy gifts for their families for just a dollar or two, and our Grade 6 students will even wrap the treasures so they are ready for under the tree. To make this a success, we need the help of our amazing St. Dominic community. We are now accepting any new or gently used items you would like to donate. 

Items We Are Accepting:

• Gifts & Novelties: Toys, books, games, puzzles, dolls, stuffies, and fidgets.

• Home & Stationery: Notebooks, photo frames, framed art, mugs, candles, decorations, and Christmas knick-knacks.

• Gear & Accessories: Sports gear, gadgets, and jewelry (please, no used earrings).

• Wrapping Supplies: Wrapping paper, gift bags, jewelry-sized bags/boxes, ribbons, bows, tissue paper, and rolls of tape.

The Importance of school attendance

Consistent attendance is vital for your child's success, as each school day builds their academic foundation and develops essential social skills. Regular presence ensures they benefit from continuous learning and engagement with peers and teachers. Even minor disruptions like frequent late arrivals or early departures can hinder their grasp of concepts. Let's work together to provide every child with the full advantages of an uninterrupted school day.

Picking your child up early

A reminder that if you need to pick your child up before the regular dismissal time of 3:45 p.m., please notify the school office by 3:00 p.m. This allows us to have your child waiting for you upon arrival. For a smooth transition, early pick-ups are best facilitated before 3:15 p.m. This allows our teachers to wrap up the school day with fewer disruptions. 

If you are unable to arrange for an early pick-up of your child by 3:15 p.m., please plan to pick them up at the regular dismissal time of 3:45 p.m.

If you wish to pick up your child during the lunch outdoor recess, please be aware that it can be difficult to find your child in the yard unless we are made aware before 11:50.

A message from Dr. Laura Bourns, Deputy Medical Officer of Health, Ottawa Public Health

As illnesses such as influenza, COVID-19, and other respiratory viruses become more common during the fall and winter months, there are steps you can take to help keep you and/or your child healthy and reduce the spread of illness in schools and the community. Please read the important information below from Ottawa Public Health.

Get vaccinated

• Vaccination remains one of the best ways to protect against serious illness.

• Flu and COVID-19 vaccines are now available for everyone aged six months and older who live, work, or attend school in Ontario.

• Ensure your child’s routine immunizations are up to date and reported to Ottawa Public Health.

Stay home when sick

• If your child is ill, keep them home until:

  • symptoms are improving;

  • fever has been gone for at least 24 hours without medication (48 hours for vomiting or diarrhea);

  • they can participate in normal activities. 

Practice healthy habits

• Wash hands regularly and cover coughs and sneezes.

• Consider wearing a mask if recovering from illness or if you wish to reduce the risk of infection and transmission.

Learn More

• OttawaPublicHealth.ca/RespVirus

• OttawaPublicHealth.ca/Immunization

• Respiratory Illness Factsheet – Ottawa Public Health & neighbouring health units

• Where to Seek Care – Ottawa Public Health & CHEO

Thank you for helping to keep our community healthy this respiratory season.

School Council News

Thank you to everyone who participated in our Pumpkin Decorating Contest! We loved seeing all of the creative entries and hope everyone had fun. Be sure to check out our Facebook page to see the pumpkins! Our two winners, randomly selected by draw, have now been notified. Congratulations!

A few upcoming School Council reminders:

• Pizza Session #2: Watch for School Cash Online to open soon and get your orders in! Our next pizza session will run through December and January.

• Next School Council Meeting: Tuesday, November 24 at 6:30 p.m. at the school. All parents and guardians are welcome!

• Cookies & Carols: Save the date for December 11 at 6:30 p.m. in the school gym. All families are welcome! More details will follow, but mark your calendar now for this wonderful annual Christmas tradition at St. Dominic.

Thank you for your continued support of our school community!

 Good Shepherd Parish News

The CWL of Good Shepherd Parish will be hosting their anticipated Christmas Craft Fair on Saturday, November 7th.  Doors are open from 9am until 2pm.  Grab a coffee and a muffin! And shop for an array of items made by our talented crafters.  Visit the bake table full of delicious goodies and stop by our “Lunch Room” for a bowl of delicious homemade soup.  We look forward to seeing you there!

Refresh, Renew, Respond: Is your child preparing for First Communion and Reconciliation this year?  If so, you may want to participate in an interactive adult faith program that will be held on the same dates and times as the children’s preparation classes.  Each session is one hour in length, beginning after the 11:15am mass.  The 4 sessions include: Building the Relationship, Sacrament of Reconciliation, The Mass, The Eucharist.  Parents/guardians are asked to attend at least one of the 4 sessions, and are most welcome to attend all 4.  The first session will be held on November 8th at 12:30pm.  A light lunch will be provided. 

Upcoming Important Dates

Remembrance Day Ceremony: November 11th

Progress Reports available on the Parent Portal: November 11th

Parent-Teacher Interviews: November 19th

PD Day: November 20th

Here is a link to this year’s school board calendar. 

Be sure to visit our school website regularly! 

Please view this document to know more about our Extended Day Program

Please see information letters from the Church regarding both First Communion and Confirmation

Friday October 9

Friday September 4

Tuesday August 25

Our school uses SafeArrival to report student absences. SafeArrival is designed to make it easier, faster, and more convenient for families to report absences and late arrivals.

With SafeArrival, there’s no need to call the school and leave a message. Instead, you can quickly and securely report your child’s absence in one of three ways:

• Using the SM Home App: Download and install the SM Home app from the Apple App Store or Google Play.

• Online: Visit home.schoolmessenger.ca.

• Phone: Call the toll-free number 1-844-478-2598 and follow the prompts

Further detailed instructions are available on the OCSB website.