Welcome Back!

What a joy it is to welcome our students to the 2025-2026 school year! We are so honored to lead the incredible team of educators here at St. Dominic, all dedicated to providing our students with a truly enriching and enjoyable learning experience. We can't wait to connect with you at the various events planned throughout the year. Here's to a fantastic school year ahead!

Warmly,

Carrie-Anne Gravel (Principal) and Kim Figura (Vice-Principal)

Parent Portal and School Messenger

It is important that all parents register on the OCSB parent portal.  If you have not yet done so, please visit the following site, for a step by step guide.  

In addition,  please be sure to register for School Messenger as all school messages are sent via Messenger. 

YOU ARE RECEIVING THIS NEWSLETTER TODAY BECAUSE THE EMERGENCY FEATURE OF MESSENGER WAS USED.  ALL FUTURE COMMUNICATION WILL BE SENT USING THE REGULAR FEATURE.  THIS MEANS IF YOU ARE NOT REGISTERED FOR SCHOOL MESSENGER YOU WILL NOT BE RECEIVING COMMUNICATION FROM THE SCHOOL.  

School Calendar

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

Parent’s Homework

Please have a look at the following document.  It contains many links that will be helpful to sign up for many school and school board applications.  

List of supplies

A list of school supplies was shared with families.  For easy reference, here are the lists of supplies per division.  

Kindergarten  Grades 1-3  Grades 4-6

Please label your child’s items.  An identified water bottle makes it so much easier to return to its owner! 

Reporting your child’s absence

Please be sure to inform the office of your child’s absence, either by calling the school at 613-424-3760 or by email at dominic@ocsb.ca.   Informing of us of your child’s absence is extremely helpful and also avoids an unnecessary attendance call from our automated service.  Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

School hours and tardiness

Our school hours are from 9:15 am to 3:45 pm, and it is crucial that students arrive promptly to make the most of their educational experience.

Attending school on time has numerous benefits for your child's academic progress and overall development. When students arrive punctually, they have the opportunity to settle in, prepare for the day ahead, and engage in valuable classroom activities right from the start. This sets a positive tone for the rest of the day and allows them to fully participate in all learning opportunities.

Regular and timely attendance also helps students build important life skills, such as time management, responsibility, and discipline. By consistently attending school on time, students develop a strong work ethic and establish a routine that will benefit them throughout their lives.  Of course, appointments do happen and we understand that scheduling them outside of school hours can be challenging.  

Student Illness

To help prevent the spread of common illness, please follow Ottawa Public Health guidelines if your child is sick.  Students can return to school when they are fever-free (without using fever-reducing medication) AND their symptoms have been improving for 24 hours. 

If they are experiencing symptoms of gastroenteritis (vomiting/diarrhea), they should stay home until they are 48 hours symptom-free.

OPH Respiratory Fact Sheet

School Fees

We will be keeping the school fees amount to $30 per student to a maximum of $75 per family. School fees help offset the cost of guest speakers, special presentations (e.g. Scientist in School, music performance) and various crafts.  Student fees can be paid via School Cash Online.

Drop off / Pick up

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. Thanks to those parents who have found a new routine.  Your cooperation is keeping everyone safe.  

Meet the Teacher Evening

We are excited to invite you to our  Meet the Teacher event on Wednesday, September 10th  from 5:00 to 6:00 pm. This informal gathering is an opportunity for you to drop in, meet our dedicated team of educators, and get a glimpse of where your child spends their day. Since educators are still getting to know their students, please remember that this evening is not a formal interview;  it is more an opportunity to connect, meet the educators and learn more about our school community. We look forward to seeing you there!

Terry Fox Run 

As is in past years, St. Dominic students will participate in the Terry Fox Run and will be  collecting donations for this very worthy cause.  Our run date is Friday, September 26th, 2025.  More details will be sent in a separate communication. 

Update on Recycling at School

This year, blue bin recycling for plastic, glass, and metal will no longer be available at our school. The contractor who previously serviced blue bin recycling for all four Ottawa school boards chose not to continue when the contract ended in July, and unfortunately, a replacement service has not yet been secured. While we share in your disappointment, we are hopeful that this service can be reinstated in the future.

Paper and mixed fibre recycling will continue as usual. In the meantime, we ask students to bring any plastic, glass, or metal recyclables back home for proper disposal in household blue bins. To help reduce waste, we also encourage families to embrace some of the following environmentally friendly practices:

• Boomerang Lunches: All wrappers, containers, and food scraps are returned home in your child's lunch bag. This allows families to see what has been eaten and to recycle or compost appropriately. 

• Litterless Lunches: When possible, pack snacks and meals in reusable containers, bottles, and cutlery, while avoiding single-use plastics or individually packaged snacks.

• Choose "Naked" Foods: Send fruits, vegetables, and snacks without extra packaging whenever possible.

• Reusable Water Bottles: Encourage your child to refill a reusable water bottle instead of bringing disposable plastic bottles.

Thank you for supporting our school’s efforts to reduce waste and for helping your child make environmentally responsible choices each day.

Smile - Picture Day 

 Mark your calendars!  St. Dominic’s picture day is October 23rd. 

Volunteers  

Your school needs you!  Please consider volunteering.  There are many tasks and activities which require volunteers, ranging from a few hours a week to once in a while, ie: field trips or school events.  Please note that all volunteers require a yearly Volunteer check.  The form is to be completed online and can be found at https://www.ocsb.ca/contact/volunteers/.

School Council News

We hope you had a restful and joyful summer! As we gear up for another exciting school year, the St. Dominic School Council would like to extend a heartfelt welcome to all returning families—and a special greeting to those joining our community for the first time. We’re so glad you’re here!

In the coming days, keep an eye out for important School Council information coming home with your child and landing in your inbox. You’ll learn more about who we are, what we do, and how you can get involved.

Being part of School Council is a fantastic way to connect with other families, stay informed about what’s happening at St. Dominic and within the OCSB, and make a meaningful difference in your child’s school experience. Whether you’re interested in volunteering, attending meetings, or simply staying in the loop, there’s a place for everyone. No formal role is required—just your presence and interest!

Our first meeting of the year will be held on Tuesday, September 23rd in the Learning Commons. We’ll be wrapping up last year’s business, holding elections for this year’s Council, and starting to plan for an exciting 2025–2026. We’d love to see many new and familiar faces there!

For more details or to reach out, feel free to email us at info@stdominicCSC.com or follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/stdominicCSC.

Let’s make this school year a great one—together!

“We are Called to Build Bridges”

“May we work together for unity in our communities, opening doors and building bridges in place of walls.”

Pope Leo

While the school will provide all the essentials for learning, students may require some personal items or have preferences for their own materials. Linked below are the lists by grade level for suggested school supplies:

• Kindergarten  

• Grades 1-3  

• Grades 4-6 

Registration for First Rider (formerly School Bus and Safety Pedestrian Day) is open!

All children entering the school system and/or taking the bus for the first time, or new residents to the City should plan to attend. The day’s activities are suitable for all elementary school-age children and everyone is welcome.

The event takes place on Sunday, August 24, 2025 at multiple school locations across Ottawa.

Visit OSTA's First Rider page for more details and to register. 

All OCSB elementary schools are closed throughout the summer. Register for school using our online form. If you have questions, contact our Admissions Department by email at admissions@ocsb.ca or by phone at 613-228-3338.