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EEppiipphhaannyy ooff OOuurr LLoorrdd CCaatthhoolliicc AAccaaddeemmyy
3150 Pharmacy Avenue Scarborough, Ontario
M1W 1J5 (416) 393 – 5378
PARENT/STUDENT
HANDBOOK
Anchored in Faith, Hope, and Charity
Version 2015
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction
Toronto Catholic District School Board - Our Mission - Our Vision
The Epiphany of Our Lord Catholic Academy Community Map, TCDSB Symbol
1. Attendance and Supervision
Student Activities
1.1 School Day
1.2 Opening Exercises
1.3 School Calendar
1.4 Attendance/Punctuality & Safe
Arrival Program
1.5 Students Coming to School
When ill/Staying in at Recess
1.6 Supervision of Students
1.7 Lunch Procedures
1.8 Permission to Leave School
1.9 Permission Forms
2. General Information
2.1 Change of Address
2.2 TTC Student ID Cards
2.3 School Insurance
2.4 School Telephone
2.5 Visitors- Epiphany
Safety Program
2.6 Electronic Devices
2.7 Lunch Lady/Angel Foundation
2.8 Daycare Centre
2.9 Lost and Found
3. Health
3.1 Medication
3.2 Use of Inhalers
3.3 Life Threatening Allergies
3.4 Birthday Celebrations
3.5 Immunization
3.6 Head Injury Protocol
4. Safety
4.1 Drop-Off/Pick-Up
4.2 School Bus
4.3 Emergency Procedures
4.4 School Evacuation
4.5 Cross Walks
5. Student Activities
5.1 Excursions
5.2 Extra-curricular Activities
5.3 Running/Walking Club
5.4 Physical Education
5.5 Winter Dress
5.6 Valuables
6. Reporting to Parents
6.1 Homework Guidelines
6.2 Library and Classroom Materials
6.3 Accommodation vs. Modification
of Program and Instruction
6.4 Assessment and Evaluation
6.5 Work Habits and Learning Skills
7. Code of Conduct
7.1(a) Ontario Catholic Graduate
Expectations
7.1(b) Key Principles of the
Catholic Social Teachings
7.2 Standards of Behaviour
7.3 Roles and Responsibilities
7.4(a) The Progressive Discipline
Approach
7.4(b) The Suspension Policy
7.5 Expulsion Policy &
7.6 Police Protocol
7.7 Ontario Student Record
7.8 Child Abuse
7.9 Good Neighbour Policy
8. General Rules
8.1 Rules of the School Yard
8.2 Bullying
8.3 Appropriate Dress Code
9. Parents
9.1 CSAC
9.2 Home/School/Parish Connection
9.3 Invitation to Parents
9.4 Graduation Ceremonies
9.5 Parent Volunteers
10. Internet Use
10.1 School Website
10.2 Appropriate Use Policy
11. Conclusion
11.1 School Pledge, Mascot, and Crest
11.2 Rigor at the Academy
11.3 Final Words
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Principal’s Message
What is the "Epiphany of our Lord"? The short answer is quite simply:
The Epiphany celebrates God's revealing or manifesting of Jesus'
identity as true God, Messiah, and Savior of the world. It not only
commemorates the fact that Jesus appeared to save us, but that God
revealed the identity of Jesus to the world.
Throughout his mission on Earth, Jesus revealed Himself to people in
many forms and manners. He was always caring and generous to the
poor and suffering, and especially to children. After days of travelling
and talking to large crowds of people, Jesus entered one such town
and was swarmed immediately by children. Some tried to hold back the children, but Jesus
said to them, “Let the children come.” His words and the way he lived His life resonate
throughout this school – We are here to serve and in doing so, we say “Let the children
come.”
Our understanding and philosophy of education is inseparable from our understanding of the
very nature of our school system based on our Catholic beliefs and traditions. Thus, we
infuse ourselves with the Gospel message and spirit. This Christ-centered philosophy
permeates through all of our interactions with students, parents, and all our community
partners, as we grow in discipleship to love and serve others.
Epiphany of Our Lord Catholic Academy is built upon creating a positive and safe school
culture. Driven by Gospel values, we continue to advocate and work towards maintaining a
healthy and engaging atmosphere that promotes mutual respect and concern for the welfare
of others. Regardless of one’s learning style, we
strive to integrate students into the regular
classroom. We value differentiated teaching
strategies and forward-thinking to assist students
with a variety of challenges in order for all students to
meet with success at school and in life.
Understandably, it is faith that is at the core of our
system. It is fitting that the Toronto Catholic District
School Board’s next three-year pastoral plan “Faith,
Hope and Charity” continues in 2014-2015 with
Charity!
God Bless,
John Masciarelli Principal
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Introduction
The purpose of this Parent/Student Handbook is to provide all parents with a brief overview of
many of the common areas of parental inquiry regarding school practices and procedures here
at Epiphany of Our Lord Catholic Academy. While it is to be hoped that the majority of
questions have been addressed within the framework of this Handbook, parents are reminded
that the provision of an effective educational experience for all students is only accomplished
through a positive and informed home-school relationship. To that end, if any questions have
not been addressed, parents are always welcome to bring those concerns to the attention of the
administration of the school. We, in partnership with home, school and parish, provide a
meaningful educational and faith based journey for each and every child entrusted to us as gifts
by a loving God. It is our fundamental goal to provide a warm and welcoming environment in
our school, an environment founded on the fundamental principles of compassion, caring, and
kindness, as exemplified through the life of Jesus.
Toronto Catholic District School Board
The Toronto Catholic District School Board is proud to be a significant part of the fabric of
publicly-funded Catholic education in the Province of Ontario. We serve approximately
93,000 students in our 200 Catholic schools, and represent close to 475,000 Catholic school
supporters in the City of Toronto.
The Toronto Catholic District School Board is an inclusive learning community rooted in the
love of Christ. We educate students to grow in grace and knowledge and to lead lives anchored
in faith, hope and charity. At Toronto Catholic we transform the world through Faith, Hope,
and Charity.
We have a long and distinguished history of providing excellence in Catholic education for the
Toronto community. Catholic Social Teachings and the Ontario Catholic School Graduate
Expectations are foundational to our exemplary approach to teaching and learning in the 21st
century.
Catholic schools in Ontario have been educating students in mind, body and spirit in Ontario
since before the birth of the province. For nearly 170 years, they have provided educational
excellence, in a school culture imbued with the Gospel values of Jesus Christ.
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Catholic education has been the foundation for millions of students to develop their full
spiritual, academic, physical and social-emotional potential.
Ontario’s Catholic education system produces high levels of student achievement as evidenced
by the most recent results from EQAO testing. Further, graduates are taught the virtues and
values of the Catholic faith including community, responsibility, accountability, collaboration,
caring and family, making them not just good students, but good citizens.
While our schools adhere to Ministry of Education requirements, we do so
from a Catholic perspective. The curriculum is enhanced by Gospel values.
Teachers are professionally trained and committed to serving in Catholic
schools. At the heart of Catholic education is the person of Jesus. Faith
development is integral to every part of Catholic education, as students are
called to respect the dignity of all human persons in a caring community.
TCDSB also prides itself on the strong partnership that exists among the home, the school and
the parish. Through participation in the community and involvement with the parish, students
are guided by the Gospel values, principles and standards that reach into every facet of school
life.
OUR MISSION
The Toronto Catholic District School Board is an inclusive learning community rooted in the
love of Christ. We educate students to grow in grace and knowledge and to lead lives of faith,
hope and charity.
Our Mission describes who we are and why we exist. Our Mission reflects our values and
our beliefs and expresses the role of the Catholic School in Catholic education. In a
school community formed by Catholic beliefs and traditions, our Mission is to educate
students to their full potential by providing:
• leadership as the shared responsibility for education that exists among school, students,
families, parishes and the community
• a safe and welcoming school environment that is an exemplified Christian community
• role models of Gospel values and Catholic doctrines, teachings, and beliefs
• guidance in what students need to learn
• instruction in the learning process
• integration of Catholic, Christian beliefs into the total learning experience and • feedback on the student's proficiency and progress
“The truth seems to be that every child is infinitely beautiful.” - R.W. Emerson
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LIVING OUR VALUES
TORONTO CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD
MULTI-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN
To apply Catholic Social Teachings to all that we do
ACHIEVING EXCELLENCE IN GOVERNANCE
To lead and model best practices in Board governance
ONTARIO CATHOLIC SCHOOL GRADUATE EXPECTATIONS
A discerning believer formed in the Catholic Faith community who celebrates the signs and sacred mystery of God's
presence through word, sacrament, prayer, forgiveness, reflection and moral living.
An effective communicator who speaks, writes and listens honestly and sensitively, responding critically in light of
gospel values.
A reflective, creative and holistic thinker who solves problems and makes responsible decisions with an
informed moral conscience for the common good.
A self-directed, responsible, lifelong learner who develops and demonstrates their God-given potential.
A collaborative contributor who finds meaning, dignity and vocation in work which respects the rights of all and
contributes to the common good.
A caring family member who attends to family, school, parish, and the wider community.
A responsible citizen who gives witness to Catholic social teaching by promoting
peace, justice and the sacredness of human life.
STRENGTHENING
PUBLIC
CONFIDENCE
To create enhanced, regular
communications with all
stakeholders
FOSTERING
STUDENT
ACHIEVEMENT
AND WELL
BEING
To support our students in
meeting the Ontario
Catholic School Graduate
Expectations
PROVIDING
STEWARDSHIP
OF RESOURCES
To establish integrated
decision-making
structures to support
responsive and
responsible allocation of
resources
INSPIRING AND
MOTIVATING
EMPLOYEES
To create a learning and
work environment that is
equitable and diverse,
that supports
professional learning,
innovation and
collaboration
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Epiphany School Learning Improvement Plan 2012 – 2015
We recognize that inherent in all we do is a cycle of learning and
building capacity to improve and facilitate success for our whole
community - parents, students, and staff. Our school goals are
living, fluid, and will continue to evolve.
Goal #1 (Numeracy and Literacy): To increase student achievement in both literacy and numeracy tasks in a rich, non-threatening learning environment that promotes risk-taking in teaching and learning. We will nurture and model a set of beliefs in one’s behavior, outlook, and a mental attitude that will encourage and foster growth – a model of “rigor” and a “growth mindset”.
Goal #2 (Learning Opportunities): To foster student success by providing diverse and intentional opportunities to support differentiated learning (developing and implementing IEPs, accommodations, and modifications) with an emphasis on 21st Century teaching and learning fluencies – We’re moving beyond the rows of desks and paper & pencil tasks. We're stepping outside the four walls … The curriculum is the child and the world is our classroom.
Goal #3 (Student Engagement & Empowerment): Engage and empower students in authentic and meaningful parish and school community leadership opportunities to further develop Catholicity and implement relevant, authentic, and meaningful initiatives in this Year of Charity. We will continue to foster and strengthen our relationships with community partners in relevant and meaningful engagements in the school and to further put our name out there in the community. We will do good, because it is good to do!
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The Epiphany of Our Lord Catholic Academy Community
Epiphany of Our Lord Catholic Academy (formerly known as St. Cyprian Catholic School) was established in
2002. The original school opened in 1976. Enrolment currently stands at approximately 150 students. A daycare
facility is located in north end of the building on the first floor and provides daycare to children in our
community.
The school has very close ties to Epiphany of Our Lord Parish. The Parish represents a wide diversity of ethnic
backgrounds in our community. Our school is part of the old region called “Agincourt” located in the north-
western end of Scarborough (a multi-culturally diverse ethnic region) of the City of Toronto.
The Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB):
A community of faith anchored in hope with heart & charity Faith, Hope, and Charity
The official symbol of the Toronto Catholic district School Board
combines the cross, the anchor, and the heart representing the three
theological virtues of faith, hope and charity. It is based on the cross
and anchor symbol used by the early Christians in the catacombs, the
added heart representing humanity.
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1. ATTENDANCE AND SUPERVISION
1.1 The School Day
School Starts 9:00AM
D.P.A. (Daily Physical Activity) 9:05AM - 9:30AM
Morning recess 10:42AM - 10:57AM
Lunch hour 11:45AM - 12:45PM
Afternoon recess 2:10PM - 2:25PM
Dismissal 3:30PM
1.2 Opening Exercises
Each day begins with students singing “O Canada”, Sign of Peace, and a
Prayer/Reflection (in French and/or English) over the public address system.
We ask that visitors to the school respect this time by standing still for both our
National Anthem and the Prayers. School activities (i.e., club meetings, sport
practices, etc.) are announced at the end of the Opening Exercises.
1.3 School Calendar
Please visit our school website:
http://www.tcdsb.org/SCHOOLS/EPIPHANYOFOURLORD/
Here you can view the Monthly calendars and a calendar outlining both the various legal
holidays and Professional Activity days for the teachers at Epiphany of Our Lord Catholic
Academy for this academic year. On these days the school will be closed to pupil attendance.
Keeping the website and calendar as a ready reference, we hope, will be helpful for your future
planning.
You may wish to visit our school website for other relevant items like permission forms and
other documents you can view and print at your convenience.
1.4 Attendance/Punctuality & Safe Arrival Program
Students who arrive late for school must check in at the Main Office to ensure safe arrival and
to help in keeping accurate attendance profiles. Punctuality is very important. Lateness
disrupts the class, makes the student miss important parts of a lesson/unit, and promotes a lack
of responsibility. All late comers must report to the office. The parents of students who are
late on a regular basis will be notified.
If your child is going to be late or absent from school, as a courtesy, please call the school
and leave a message with our secretary or our answering machine before 9:00AM.
Please call before 1:05 p.m. if your child is going to be absent for the afternoon only.
Whenever a child is absent and we have not been informed, we will do our best to contact a
parent (at home and/or workplace) to confirm the safety of the child.
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Important note: To verify the safety of a child, if we are unable to contact a parent/guardian or
other contact numbers on file, we will contact Catholic Children’s Aid Society as a final
measure. When a child becomes sick or is injured at school, parents will
be notified. For this reason it is vital that we have up-to-date
information (e.g. current home and business phone numbers, health
card number, information concerning life-threatening allergies, etc).
Students are expected to arrive at least 5 – 10 minutes prior to the bell.
All students are to arrive prepared to work and learn. Preparation
includes the completion of daily assignments that are done to the best of
the individual student’s ability. Preparation also implies that the student devotes appropriate
time to study in advance of test situations.
When a child returns to school, it is the student’s responsibility to find out what work was
missed and complete it within a reasonable length of time. Extended absences, for reasons
other than health, require written notification to the student’s teacher and the Principal.
1.5 Students coming to school when ill/staying in at recess
As a general guideline, if a child is not well enough to go outside at recess,
she/he is not well enough to be at school. Although it may be an
inconvenience, a child in this condition should be kept at home. Children
should not be put in the position of seeking permission to remain indoors
during recesses. Such permission cannot normally be granted. All other
members of our school community (classmates, teachers, other adults) appreciate not being put
at risk by students who may be carrying contagious illnesses.
1.6 Supervision of Students
Supervision is provided during the recreation/recess periods of a regular school day. We,
however, become concerned about students who arrive on school property well before
8:40AM and are unsupervised by an adult.
For your child's safety, we recommend that you ensure that
your child does not arrive on school property before 8:40AM.
Students who need to come indoors from the yard must ask the
supervising staff for permission. Every effort should be made
to drop off your child before the 9:00AM bell rings as this will
provide your child with some socialization time with their
friends in the yard.
Please note that students remaining outside on school
property after 3:30PM are not supervised and will be
encouraged to go home immediately after the final bell.
No child is allowed in the school building before and/or after
school unless directly supervised by a staff member.
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1.7 Lunch Procedures
a) Children should go home for lunch if at all possible.
b) When students do stay for lunch, they are not permitted to
leave the school yard at noon unless they have a signed and
dated note from you, the parent, each time.
c) For everyone's safety and comfort, we ask the co-operation of you and your child in the
following:
1. No glass bottles ... the use of water bottles is encouraged
2. Out of respect for those who have life-threatening
allergies, we ask that you refrain from sending any items
containing peanuts, nut by-products, and
seafood/shellfish in your child's lunch.
3. Consideration and respect for others through good
manners and proper classroom comportment is
expected
Please note that in some instances it may be necessary to alter the lunch privileges of a student
who persistently chooses not to follow rules or endangers the welfare of another student. In
some cases, students will be asked to go home for lunch if they are unwilling to adhere to
lunch time expectations and/or is unable to comply to the rules and regulations.
d) To foster a sense of responsibility, every child should bring his/her own lunch to
school in the morning. If a lunch is forgotten, it must be dropped off at the Office and not
at the classroom door, so that classroom routines are not disrupted. Please ensure that your
child’s name is on their lunch when it is placed in the Office. Parents are not to ask their
child to come outside the school building (i.e., to the parking lot or along the loop) to
pick up his/her lunch – For the sake of safety, parents are asked to come into the
school and bring the lunch to the child or drop it off in the Office as noted above.
e) Staff will encourage students to eat their lunch, but a child will
not be forced to eat the lunch (i.e., kept in for recess until
finished). If a child brings home lunch uneaten, it was by his/her
own choice to do so and parents should discuss the matter with the
child.
f) If a student continues to be disruptive and non-compliant during the lunch period (after
being spoken to by a staff member), parents will be called in order to discuss alternative
solutions.
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1.8 Permission to Leave School
It is strongly recommended that appointments not be made during
school hours. If this is not possible, the student will require a note
signed by the parent/guardian and must bring it to school and give it to
the secretary.
Parents must come to the office and sign their child out. If the child
returns to school before the end of the day the parent must come to the office and sign the
child back in. Please, do not instruct your child to meet you in front of the school (outside) as
your child will not be allowed to leave unless the parent/guardian signs the child out in the
main office.
If you need to speak to your child’s teacher, you are encouraged to phone ahead of time
and set up an appointment to speak with the teacher (in person or phone call). This way
the teacher will be able to provide you with a time during his/her planning period -
the teacher is expected to be in his/her class during the instructional time during all
non-planning time.
1.9 Permission Forms
A permission form with a parent/guardian signature is required for any trips/activities
whereby a student leaves the school grounds (i.e., not including local community walks/sites).
Verbal confirmation over the phone will NOT be accepted in its place. If a student does not
have a signed permission form he/she will NOT BE ALLOWED TO ATTEND THE
EXCURSION/ACTIVITY. For more information, see section 5.1
2. GENERAL INFORMATION
2.1 Change of Address
Please inform the school immediately of any change in address or telephone number. It is
imperative that both the home and work addresses of parents and emergency contacts be
kept up to date in our files in case of an accident or sudden illness.
2.2 T.T.C./ Student Photo Identification Cards
All Metro Toronto students from age 13 are eligible to use
student fares. Student fares are valid on a 24 hour, 7 day per
week, 12 month per year basis. The identification cards
include the student's photograph, name and signature, the
name of the school and a serial number. Each card, at
nominal cost, is valid for one year. New cards are issued
each year. The photographs for the cards are taken in the fall.
Students will be informed beforehand of the exact date. If you miss the date, the TTC
has alternate sites on their website (usually The Sherbourne Station). Note – The TTC may
cease providing cards in the near future – please contact the TTC for more information.
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2.3 School Insurance
Insurance may be purchased for each child through an insurance carrier approved by the
School Board. Insurance information will be sent home in September.
Please mail insurance forms directly to the company should you wish
insurance for your child.
2.4 School Telephone
Parents are asked to use the services of the school for passing messages
on to children as little as possible. Also, please be aware that we
discourage students calling home unless we deem the reasons to be important or
emergency situations.
If a student does indeed need to call a parent, the student is discouraged from
using his/her personal cell phone without the permission of the Principal. Parents are asked to
discourage their child from calling parents with a cell phone – We allow students to use the
school phone for these purposes. This way we can keep track of which parents have been
called and for what purposes.
NOTE: If someone called you from our school and did not leave a message, given that we
have 10 phones on site, we cannot confirm who called and why (unless
we know about the call).
2.5 Visitors - Epiphany Safety Program
Please note that as of 2014-2015, the School Safety Program is in effect at
our school. All visitors (including parents, all parents) must report to the
main office upon their arrival. When picking up your children you must
report to the office and we will call down your child and then sign him/her out. Visitors must
sign in and wear a visitors badge while in the school. Parents are not permitted to come into
the schoolyard – before school, please wait outside the fenced area or on the park land just
behind the school. If you need to speak to your child you must report to the office and we will
then call your child for you. Also, please do not speak and/or approach another student (who is
not your child) as you are considered a stranger to the student. This is done for safety reasons
so that only staff members are interacting with the students when outside at
recesses/lunch.
2.6 Electronic Devices: Cell Phones/Ipods/Ipads/ Wii/PSP
At Epiphany of Our Lord Catholic Academy, we encourage the use of electronic
devices. However, such use must be within the confines of the classroom under
the direction of the teacher, within the Appropriate Use Policy of the TCDSB (see Section
10.2), and respect the rights and freedoms of others. Under normal, day-to-day situations,
students are NOT to use their cell phones to call parents – if students need to call parents
and conversely, if parents need to call their child, we request this be done through the
Office phones.
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Use of cell phones/ipods/digital cameras/video cameras and other recording devices must only
be used with the consent of the teacher and/or Principal for educational purposes. The use of
such devices must not contravene the Freedom of Information policy.
Students are not to use electronic devices during recess or other “free” times without
teacher permission – The rule of thumb here is:
a. If the teacher gives a student permission to use the electronic device for educational
purposes, no problem!
b. If a teacher does not give permission, a student cannot use the electronic devices.
It is a reality of the 21st century that such devices are with us and we need to safely and
properly use them. If certain electronic gaming devices do not have to come to school, please
keep them at home (i.e., PSP, ipod, mp3 player). If a student brings such devices to school, it
is the student’s responsibility to care for it and likewise, such devices should stay in the
student’s bag during instructional and free times.
Failure to adhere to this policy will result in the student being asked to put the
device away (or the Principal will be asked to hold it for the student until the
end of the school day), and if continued disregard for the policy continues, the
device will be given to the Principal, an Incident Report will be written (with
clear and defined consequences) and the parent will be notified of the
situation. For more information, see Section 10.2 (Appropriate Use Policy)
2.7(a) Cultural Lunches
From time to time, we will offer a variety of hot lunches (i.e., pizza, pasta,
Panini, samosa, spring roll, submarine, hot dogs, etc.) on certain designated
days. We typically send out an order form. You will have an option to choose
to order 2 weeks prior to the lunch. Your child can participate in these lunches
as little or as often as you wish. For more information, you can go to our
website.
2.7(b) Snack Shack
Epiphany of Our Lord Catholic Academy students participate in a “Snack Program” that is
partially funded by The Angel Foundation for Learning, The City of Toronto, and Foodshare.
We are truly blessed for their involvement! For a nominal monthly donation (typically $10 per
month), students receive a healthy snack every day – that’s right, healthy and delicious!
2.8 Childcare Centre
Parents using the Daycare facility (YMCA) must pick-up and drop-off
children through the Daycare at the north end of the building. The school
doors are locked for security reasons.
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2.9 Lost and Found
All students’ belongings should be marked with the student’s name. If
articles are found, students will bring them to the Lost and Found box (on
the stage). All unclaimed articles will be donated to a local clothing charity at the end of each
term.
3. HEALTH
3.1 Medication
We are not permitted to dispense non-prescription medications to
students, nor can we administer any type of prescription medication
unless we have signed authorization from both parent and the
prescribing physician. Forms are available from the school office and
will be kept on file. Any information regarding allergies or other illness
should be on record in the office. From time to time requests are made
to complete a course of medication during school hours. Please contact
the school office before sending any medication to school with your
child. It is not advisable to send your child to school with any
medication in his/her bag to “take at lunch time” or take “if they have a headache.”
The school needs to be aware of any health problems that might rise to an emergency situation.
Please inform us if your child has any serious health problems which might restrict his/her
activities at the school or any other conditions that might, give rise to an emergency situation,
for example, cardiac problems, epilepsy, respiratory difficulties, haemophilia, bee sting
allergy, peanut allergy, etc., if your child requires an Epi-Pen or puffer. (Please also see the
next sections)
3.2 Use of Inhalers
If your child requires an inhaler, please complete the Health Forms that are sent
home at the beginning of every school year and inform your child’s teacher. The
inhaler must remain with your child at all times. You can opt to have the
inhaler kept in the office for easy access for your child and staff.
3.3 Life Threatening Allergies
Sabrina’s Law, An Act to Protect Anaphylactic Pupils came into
effect on January 1, 2006. Anaphylaxis is a severe, potentially life
threatening allergic reaction often triggered by insect stings or certain
types of food, the most common being peanuts, tree nuts, seafood,
and/or egg and milk products. An anaphylactic shock episode is a
medical emergency and must be treated immediately. Reaction symptoms may include hives,
vomiting, drop in blood pressure, difficulty breathing, disorientation and even
unconsciousness. Children experiencing an anaphylactic reaction will require an injected
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medication, usually epinephrine, through an Epi-Pen (or Allerject). Medical aid must also be
obtained through a 9-1-1 call.
There are ways in which we can reduce the risk of an anaphylactic episode
including, food restrictions, no sharing of food, and checking labels to make
sure treats are “safe to share”. However, we must never assume that no
allergen would ever enter the school, therefore we must remain vigilant.
Children should also never encourage or invite someone to eat a food item
that may trigger a reaction. Cross-contamination is also a serious problem
and care must be exercised. This is why we discourage parents from bringing
in food for other students (i.e., birthday cakes).
If your child suffers from a life-threatening allergy, make sure you complete the Health Forms
sent home early in the school year. Please, keep the school informed if any changes are
needed - the paperwork is updated on an annual basis. Students are also advised to wear a
“Medic-Alert” bracelet (Free if you ask). If your child requires the use of an EPIPEN, please
inform your child’s teacher immediately.
Please note: The school keeps 2 Allerject cases (new epinephrine injector for emergency
life-threatening situations). If you wish to purchase Allerject as opposed to Epipens,
please visit the website for more information (www.allerject.ca) and talk to your doctor.
YOUR CHILD’S EPIPEN MUST REMAIN ON HIM/HER AT ALL TIMES AND A
SPARE ONE MUST BE LEFT IN THE OFFICE – WHEN IT COMES TO HEALTH
AND WELFARE OF A STUDENT, AND IN THIS CASE THE LIFE, THIS IS NOT
OPTIONAL.
It is advisable to have a parent or other adult relative of an anaphylactic student
accompany all class trips where possible. Parents shall be informed as early as possible in
order to research excursion sights for allergic risks.
A minimum of two (2) EpiPens® or Allerjects must accompany the student on all
excursions.
We appreciate your support in creating a healthy and safe environment for all children.
3.4 Birthday Celebrations
Due to the high number of life-threatening allergies, we recommend that
parents not send birthday cakes, cupcakes, etc. As this is a class-by-class
situation, we ask that parents please speak to your child’s teacher regarding
this matter.
3.5 Immunization
The Immunization of School Pupils Act, 1982, states that “parents/guardians are
required to complete the prescribed program for immunization…”. Failure to do
so will result in suspension and/or expulsion from school by the Public Health
Department. We therefore urge all parents/guardians to make sure that their
children have the required up-to-date immunizations. Please be advised that an
up-to-date immunization card is required for initial school registration.
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3.6 Head Injury Protocol
Whenever a child suffers a head injury, appropriate medical action will
be taken and a phone call to parents will be made to notify them of the
situation. Parents will be notified usually when an event occurs whereby
a student is injured beyond the normal scope of school play and some
further medical attention may be needed – we are educators, not doctors
... so we implore parents to seek medical attention when needed.
4. SAFETY
Fundamental to our entire approach at Epiphany of Our Lord
Catholic Academy is our commitment to the safety of all of our
students. As we proceed through the school year, we frequently
include safety reminders to our students both during daily
announcements in school and through monthly newsletters to
parents. We treat all safety topics extremely seriously. As a school
community, we promote the policy that proper education and
information are critical elements in the practice of good safety
habits. Please note that, throughout the year, staff and students will
participate in general safety exercises such as Fire Drills, Bomb Threat Procedures, Emergency
Lockdown and Evacuation procedures, Bus Safety procedures, and many others. We are very
appreciative of the support of parents with respect to all matters pertaining to safety issues.
4.1 Dropping off/Picking up students at the school
If you regularly walk your child to and from school, please make
arrangements with your child to wait for you at the Office or just in front of
the main doors.
Parents of Kindergarten students are asked to drop off the child(ren)
outside in the Kindergarten play area (Supervision begins at 8:40AM).
Children are not to be brought into the class. Staff will pick up children
outside. If late, the parent is to bring the child to the office to let the
secretary know, or else the child will be marked absent.
Parents are asked to stay outside the fenced areas of the school yard as we wish to have only
students and staff in the school yard – this is a safety protocol put in place to limit the adults in
the yard to only staff of Epiphany of Our Lord Catholic Academy.
Epiphany of Our Lord Catholic Academy’s school population is approximately 150 students.
Many of our students, from kindergarten to grade eight are picked-up and dropped off at
school within a ten minute period of time. Please use the Kiss’n Ride loop area in front of
the school.
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Parents can ask his/her child to meet in the Kiss’n Ride loop or, in the case
of younger students, parents can safely park and walk to school to pick up
or drop off their children. Most students can be picked up along the Kiss’n
Ride loop – Do not pass the STOP sign when school buses are on site.
However, when all buses are gone, you can pick up your child anywhere
along the Kiss’n Ride area.
Between the hours of 8:00AM to 4:30PM, there is absolutely No Parking everywhere along
the Kiss’n Ride area. You may stop to wait for your child along the Kiss’n Ride loop, but
please do not get out of your car and leave it unattended at anytime. Please, be considerate,
respectful, and courteous as a model for your child. Sometimes, we have aunts, uncles, and
grandparents picking up a student and these individuals may not be
familiar with the routines/rules of the Kiss’n Ride loop – be patient
and we will endeavour to assist.
Please, do not park/stop in front of the Fire Gates at the north
end. This is a fire route and your car will be tagged or towed by
municipal by-law enforcement officers – The fine is $250 and we
know this from experience ... a costly experience for one of our
parents!
4.2 School Bus
Safety on the bus is of great concern to everyone. Children are
expected to:
-Obey the bus driver at all times
-Stay seated until the bus reaches the child’s stop
-Be careful and use common sense in getting on and off
-All students are to be at their bus stop ready for pick-up
-Students are to travel only on their designated bus
Any activity that may distract the driver is not permitted as it
endangers
the safety of all. Students must be especially careful when leaving the bus. It is very important
that the driver is able to see students. Transportation privileges will be revoked for any
student whose behaviour in any way poses a threat to the safety and well-being of others
– this includes but not limited to bullying, teasing, physical violence and any
contravention to the safe schools safety regulations. Bus drivers will document and report
to the Principal and student or group of students failing to act appropriately and safely on the
bus.
The bus is an extension of the school and thus the same rules apply. Students sign up for
bussing and if they do, they must take the bus everyday. They cannot pick and choose when
they want to take the bus or walk home. Students choosing to walk home with friends during
some days (i.e., hot days, etc.) will forfeit the regular use of the bus.
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Occasionally, school buses are canceled due to snow conditions and other severe weather/road
conditions. This will be announced on most radio stations early in the morning. Although bus
service may be canceled for the day, schools remain open to receive students. It is up to
parents to consider safety conditions before sending their children to school – commonsense is
your guide and a phone call to the school is always an option too.
Of note, School Buses are not personal taxi cabs and they do
not stop where you deem the best for your personal
purposes – School buses are mandated by the City of
Toronto, TCDSB, and the company regulations as to where
pickup/drop-off locations are designated; School bus drivers
cannot and will not modify in any manner (regardless of
how small the change might be) the location of a particular
pickup/drop-off locations for the personal convenience of a
parent or caregiver.
4.3 Emergency Procedures
In the case of inclement weather, please check your local news station for an
announcement of school closing. If the TCDSB declares a school closure during
the school day, no child will be sent home without contacting a parent or guardian
and obtaining parental permission for the child to leave the school grounds. Staff
will remain at school until all children have been safely picked up by a parent or
designate.
For weather-related closures or cancellations., you can also visit the TCDSB at:
http://www.tcdsb.org/FORPARENTS/WeatherRelatedIssues/Pages/default.aspx
4.4 School Evacuation
In the case of a school evacuation, Epiphany of Our Lord Parish is identified as our holding
site. This may change, depending on the severity of the evacuation. Any changes will be
posted on doors or on our answering machine. Students will remain there until the disaster
situation has ended or until they are picked up by a parent or designate.
During the emergency, please contact the Public Affairs Department of the School Board at
416-222-8282 or the local police at 416-808-4200 for up-to-date information. Information may
also be available via radio or television.
4.5 Crosswalk
Please assist us by reminding your child constantly, that streets should be crossed
only at points where it is safe to do so. Also, please encourage your child to use
the cross walk directly in front of the school. Our Crossing Guard is there for
your child – Please, encourage your child(ren) to listen to the Crossing
Guard’s directions and show respect and courtesy. She is there for your children!
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5. STUDENT ACTIVITIES
5.1 Excursions
Epiphany of Our Lord Catholic Academy students participate in educational field trips which
are a valid extension/enrichment of the school program. Parents will be notified of all
educational field trips well in advance, in writing (except for local walking excursions).
Written parental permission must be received in order for a child to participate in the
excursion. If students do not have a signed permission form he/she will NOT BE ALLOWED
TO ATTEND THE EXCURSION.
Please note: Where the safety and well-being of a student or group of
students is put into question for whatever reason, an excursion can
and will be cancelled at the discretion of the Principal and a letter
will be sent home to inform parents.
From time to time, parents have volunteered to drive students on
educational field trips or to sports activities. School Board insurance
requires such parent volunteers to carry at least $1 million public liability insurance as well
each driver must complete a Volunteer Driver Form to be kept on file in the main office.
5.2 Co-Curricular Activities
Extra-curricular Activities and Athletics:
The students have many and varied opportunities to participate in extracurricular activities-
activities that are considered to be “above and beyond” the regular instructional day. Such
activities are voluntary both on the part of the students and staff. These co-curricular activities
include both athletic and academic related activities (i.e., soccer, W5H, basketball, running
clubs, volleyball, etc.). House-league sports may also be offered during
recess and lunch times as supervision permits. Should we not have
sufficient parent volunteers to help drive to games, we may forfeit our play
in any given tournament.
For Parents:
Parents attending a sporting event with our students will not be permitted
to sit with/near students on the court/field/area of play. Parents who are
representing Epiphany of Our Lord Catholic Academy will act in a manner
that is respectful and befitting a representative of the school. We ask that
parents have no contact with other students/parents/staff from other schools. Parents are to be
role-models for the students and should not act in a manner which contravenes the moral tone
of the school. The coach is the coach and any questioning from parents
of “coaching” decisions (whether right or wrong) will result in the
immediate removal of the team from representing the school in further
competitions.
For Students:
All students are encouraged to try out for school teams. Participating in
such activities not only builds school spirit and community, but
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promotes personal wellness, a healthy lifestyle, and the development of social skills.
Remember, it is a try-out and making the team is never a guarantee. Any
issues with a student being on or not on a team, will result in the
immediate cancellation of the team from competition.
Practices are scheduled at different times and may involve your child
staying after school hours or arriving before school hours. Coaches
provide the dates and times for practices and tournaments. It is a
student’s responsibility to further provide his/her parents with this
information. Also, it is important that parents communicate with their
child(ren) to ensure a mutually agreeable pick-up after school. Students participating in any
school related events both in and outside of school are expected to demonstrate proper and
respectful behaviour at all times. Students should consider themselves representatives of
Epiphany of Our Lord Catholic Academy and conduct themselves accordingly:
1) Maintain a very good to high academic standard which
includes work habits, assignments complete and up to date
and classroom conduct. Teachers/Principal may deny a
student participation in any sports event if the above
obligations are not met.
2) Attend practices as scheduled and participate fully with a
positive attitude, outlook and demeanor.
3) Follow the instructions of the teacher/coach (respectfully).
4) Students must conduct themselves in an exemplary
manner, demonstrating Christian values. Students are
considered to be representative of the school and must behave accordingly. Students
must strive to understand, respect and follow the rules at all times. Failure to comply
with the standard herein set, will mean automatic removal from the team.
5) Behave in ways that show respect for the other student team members and other team
players, coaches, teachers, referees, parents/guardians and spectators as well as
facilities and property. Enjoy the game as an individual as
well as a team.
6) Exercise self-control and self-discipline at all times. Recognize that
officials are human and mistakes are guaranteed to happen – it’s not
the end of the world.
7) Conduct themselves with honour and dignity. Recognize that the
chances of losing are greater than winning – and learn to lose with
dignity and class. 8) Be co-operative and a “good sport” with a positive attitude. No put
downs or negative comments to others.
9) Be generous in victory and gracious in defeat.
10) Report all incidents of vandalism, theft, or injury promptly.
11) Students who are unable to adhere to the guidelines noted above, regardless of athletic
ability, talent, and pedigree, will not be permitted to participate in team activities and
participation will be discussed with parents. An Incident Report will be written as well.
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12) Students who are suspended from school (or in other situations which contravene the
code of conduct), will not participate in team activities while under suspension and
future participation will be reviewed and discussed with parents.
5.3 Running/Walking Club … Daily Physical Activity (DPA)
To encourage personal wellness, maintain fitness levels, and foster a healthy lifestyle, as part
of our daily physical activities, we have a “DPA and Running/Walking Club”. This club
involves aerobic activities consisting of a least 20 minutes per day of running, walking, and/or
indoor/outdoor fitness activities every day.
Those students interested in trying out for any sports team (especially Cross Country and
Track & Field) must participate in these physical events as training opportunities.
Of note, if your child is unable or unwilling to participate in the DPA and Running/Walking
Club, participation in Cross Country, Track & Field and other sporting endeavours is not
possible given the physical exertion required for these events. In this way, we feel confident
that those students who commit to working on fitness/well-being and those students using the
R/W Club as training opportunities will be properly prepared for the sports teams.
5.4 Physical Education
Physical Education is an integral part of the curriculum. Only under rare
circumstances is one exempted and the report card will indicate such. If
there are extenuating circumstances, please inform us by note and provide a
doctor’s note if necessary. It is expected, for reasons of health and freedom of
movement, that pupils change into or wear loose, light clothing. These should
include shorts, T-shirts and running shoes with non-marking soles. All jewelry should be
removed for these activities. Proper footwear (running shoes) must be worn at all times – For
health and safety reasons, if running shoes are not worn, the student cannot partake in physical
education activities (i.e., no open-toed shoes, flip-flops, or slippers are acceptable).
5.5 Winter Dress
Please remind your children of the importance of dressing warmly
(boots, gloves, hat, etc.) during the winter season.
Unless the weather conditions are particularly bad, recesses will be held as
scheduled. Cold weather alone does not warrant cancellation of the recess
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periods. Recess periods are intended to provide students with opportunities to get out into the
fresh air to burn off some excess energy in play activities which, in turn, makes them more
alert and ready to continue studies when they return to class. Note: Should the temperature (with wind chill) dip below -15 degrees Celsius, it would be indoor recess.
5.6 Valuables
Students are to leave all valuables at home. This includes jewelry, money,
cards, collections, radios, ipods, MP3 players, cell phones and other
electronic equipment. These items are extremely difficult to locate after they
are lost. Please note that the Board’s Insurance Policy does not cover the
property owned by staff or students. If your child is found using the cell phone (without
permission from the Principal) on school property after several warnings, it will be placed in a
safe place and returned to the student at the end of the day. Likewise, a call will be made to the
parent/guardian to inform parents of the improper use of his/her cell
phone.
6. REPORTING TO PARENTS
Parents can expect to receive periodic reports, both oral and written,
on the performance and progress of their child. All written reports are
maintained in the student's Ontario Student Record. Parents will
receive an Ontario Progress Report (November), and two Ontario
Provincial Report Cards (March, June). Periodically, some teachers may also utilize what is
called “21st Century Interim Progress Report” whereby a child’s progress in various academic,
work habits & learning skills and other notable areas are communicated to parents.
Please do not hesitate to contact the school at any time throughout the year, to discuss your
child's progress or if you just want to touch base with the teacher.
6.1 Homework Guidelines
Children are often asked to complete some tasks begun in class as well
as to read or be read to on a regular basis.
Academic demands on students begin to increase during the
primary/junior grades (3-6) and the intermediate grades (7-8).
Homework can occur on a regular basis with an expectation of about
30-60 minutes per night on average. There may be evenings when more
or less is assigned. Please be aware that work is not assigned to “keep
kids busy at night”.
Most, if not all, of the work will be completion and extension of classroom activities. In
addition, there will be assigned project work that will require more independent organization
and execution by the students after school hours. The work is for students to complete and not
for parents to do – Can you help your child? - YES ... But, do not do all the work for him/her.
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Homework is an opportunity for parents, students and teachers to work
together to improve academic performance and so communication
between home and school is fundamentally essential. Parents are
encouraged to contact teachers with regard to homework if there are any
questions or concerns.
Every partner is accountable – student, teacher, and parent. In the end, a student can
only be graded on personal performance and delivery of a finished product – The
student is reminded to “show what you know!”
Regardless of the grade, a major goal is to explicitly and consistently have your child
develop and sound work habits and continue to strengthen proficient learning skills.
When it comes to homework, the rule of thumb is:
10 - 15 minutes per grade (not including nightly reading for pleasure)
Gr. 1 = 15 minutes
Gr. 2 = 30 minutes
Gr. 3= 40 minutes
Gr. 5= 50 minutes
Gr. 6 = 1 hour
Gr. 7 = 70 minutes
Gr. 8 = 80 minutes
6.2 Library and Classroom Materials
It is the child's responsibility to look after books
and other classroom materials, but sometimes a
reminder from a parent is helpful. Textbooks cost,
on the average, approximately thirty to forty dollars.
In a time of financial restraints, we cannot afford to
lose books. Students will be asked to make a
donation to help replace lost or damaged books.
6.3 Accommodation vs. Modification of Program and Instruction
All school programs and instruction are based on The Ontario Curriculum expectations stated
for each subject and grade as well as TCDSB approved programs and initiatives. Religious
Studies and Family Life form the backbone for all instruction programs and any materials used
are approved by the Canadian Council of Catholic Bishops for use in schools. A Vocal Music
program is offered and supported by a vocal music teacher. For grades 7 and 8, students
participate in Instrumental Music (strings). French as a Second Language (FSL) instruction is
provided for students in Grades 1 - 8. Physical Education & Health is also provided for all
students.
These numbers are merely guidelines. You, as the parent know
your child best and can choose the amount of time devoted to
completion of work on any given night. Every family is
different with various things going on at night. Homework
should not be a stressful endeavour; The best way to approach
homework is to talk to your child’s teacher at your
convenience. Homework is NOT busy work.
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Accommodations in a student’s learning may be provided by the
classroom
teacher. However, in some cases, with the use of an Individualized
Education Plan (IEP) program modifications are made in order for a
student to garner success and achievement.
Essentially, when a student has “accommodations” in his/her program,
it allows the opportunity for a student to continue to work at grade level
with the teacher providing some “differentiated learning opportunities
and instruction”. An IEP may or may not be necessary.
If a child has a “modification” to his/her program, this means, a student is working on
expectations from a grade level other than the one he/she currently assigned to. Students with
“modifications” must have an IEP in place. TCDSB also offers commencing in grade 5, a
weekly pull-out program for students who are identified as “Exceptional – Gifted”. Students
are tested in Grade 4 to see whether he/she qualifies. In all programming issues – IEP,
modified programs, accommodated programs, Gifted programs, etc. – there is always school-
parent communication, consultation, and meetings to address the needs of the student.
6.4 Assessment and Evaluation
The TCDSB is committed to student and program assessment that is comprehensive, valid,
informative, equitable, collaborative, and redemptive in nature and focused on the pursuit of
both creativity and excellence. The results of assessment will be reported to students and
parents so as to provide appropriate feedback in an accurate, relevant
and accountable manner.
We also recognize the unique abilities and styles of each child and
underscore the belief that home and school are key partners. Students
participate in many and varied forms of assessment throughout the
school year. Teachers use a variety of ongoing assessment techniques
and strategies to develop a profile or pattern of performance to identify
the level of achievement as per the Ministry of Education stated
expectations for each grade as well as support the delivery of a distinctively Catholic
curriculum in order to arrive at an evaluation of the performance and achievement. Assessment
and evaluation will be based on the achievement levels outlined and provided in each
curriculum document.
At the start of the year, teachers will communicate to you and the students their work
expectation, requirements and procedures. Assessment and class assignments require students
to demonstrate their best independent and from time to time group learning. It is an ongoing
and integral part of the classroom learning process.
From time to time, students will also participate in board or province wide assessments.
TCDSB students participate in a number of standardized tests including CCAT (Canadian
Cognitive Abilities Test) in grade 4, CAT/4 (Canadian Achievement Test, Version 4) currently
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in grades 2, 5 and 7. These assessments compare an
individual’s performance against a normative population and
can help to identify areas of strength and weakness in either an
individual or program area.
The Provincial Assessment in Reading, Writing, and
Mathematics, also known as EQAO, is administered to students
in grades 3 and 6 typically in late May or early June. Individual and school results are provided
in the fall of the following school year. Standardized and Provincial assessments can support
and improve student learning and provide a further glimpse into your child as a learner.
Although many organizations will use this data for their own purposes, the goal of such
assessments is not to rank or compare students, classes, schools nor do these
assessments stand on their own.
Teachers complete The Elementary Progress Report and The Provincial
Report Card with parent-teacher interviews offered twice during the year.
These reports describe student achievement of the curriculum expectations
in each subject and more importantly, there is a separate section for
reporting on the student’s development of work habits and learning skills
required for effective learning.
The Provincial Guide for Grading defines the provincial standard as:
Level 1 (D): Student has demonstrated very little of the required knowledge and skills
outlined for the grade and achievement is far below the provincial
standard. A modified program may be necessary.
Note:
An “R” or below 50% means that the student has not demonstrated the required knowledge
and skills and signals the need for significant additional learning.
An “I” would indicate that for whatever reason, there is insufficient information for the
teacher to adequately assess performance of knowledge and skills.
Level 2 (C): Student work is below the provincial standard and only meets some of the
required knowledge or in limited ways. Differentiated instruction may be required.
Level 3 (B): This means that the student has demonstrated most of the required knowledge and
skills outlined for the grade and achievement
meets the provincial standard.
Level 4 (A): The student’s work exceeds the provincial standard for the grade; that is, the
required knowledge, skills, and achievement is at a superior level and
learning can be enriched with differentiated instruction.
Students receive an Elementary Progress Report in the early fall
(November) and then every student receives The Ontario Provincial
Report Card twice during the remainder of the year - once in the late
winter (February) and then at the end of the year (JUNE).
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6.5 Work Habits and Learning Skills
To support student success we all need to work together as a team.
Epiphany of Our Lord Catholic Academy strives to create and provide a
caring and supportive environment that encourages all students to reach
their full potential, values the individuality of each student, recognizes
the varied learning preferences and styles of each student and
encourages all students to learn.
As parents you are the first and forever teachers and there are a number of ways in which you
can support, enhance, and continue to nurture the learning and work that takes place in school.
Be sure to:
1) Establish homework routines and expectations
2) Talk about school and the importance of a good education
3) Read with and to your child
4) Monitor extra-curricular activities, avoid “over doing it”
5) Praise genuine efforts; celebrate success
7) Be available to help – but don’t take over the work
8) Set realistic and positive goals
9) Speak positively about the teachers, being supportive of
the position they hold
10) Listen to your child, but talk to the teacher. Keep the lines of communication open
with your child and with your child’s teacher. Let your child know that you and the
teacher are on the same page.
Homework includes the practice and reinforcement of skills as well as
the preparation and application of new curriculum content. Parental
support and involvement has a direct impact on a child’s school
success. Homework assignments provide the opportunity for you to
see and support what your child does in school and provides an
extension of the classroom setting. Establish a routine, provide a
regular time and place for homework each evening. Please remember
that homework is NOT busy work.
Each classroom teacher will outline homework expectations early in the school year. As stated
earlier in this document, a homework guideline that children should have is about 10 – 15
minutes of homework in grade 1 and increasing on average by about 10 – 15 minutes per
grade. Parent-child interaction shouldn’t always have to be about school or doing homework!
The Agenda is an excellent organizational tool which assists in planning school work,
recording homework and assignments, remembering special or needed items,
time management, and communicating with the teacher. Students should keep
their agenda up-to-date and parents are encouraged to review the agenda on a
regular, if not daily, basis. Agendas are recommended for our Grade 2 to 8
students and they are typically ordered in June of the previous year. Teachers
hand out agendas in September.
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Test preparation is essential. Encourage your child to begin test
preparation in advance of the test. Have them look over their notes,
text books or spelling words daily. Review should include skimming
and scanning previously read text, new vocabulary and terminology,
identifying key points or main ideas as well as focusing on important
details and facts, and constructing study notes.
Help your child to budget and schedule his/her study time over several
nights so that there is not last minute panic or cramming. Do the same
with projects. There is nothing worse than rushing around when the cry for Bristol-board is
heard late in the evening the night before the project is due.
Any requests for homework for an ill child should be made in the morning
to allow the teacher time to prepare the work for pick up by dismissal time.
Classroom instruction and homework go hand-in-hand and it may not be
possible for the absent child to successfully complete all of the work
assigned to the class. If a child is sick, he/she is sick – any missed work can
be done upon the student’s return to school and with the assistance of others
in the classroom and with the teacher’s support, work can be attended to
during recesses or other free time.
7. CODE OF CONDUCT
7.1(a) Ontario Catholic Graduate Expectations
Epiphany of Our Lord Catholic Academy is a place that promotes responsibility, civility, and
academic excellence in a safe learning and teaching environment. A positive school climate
exists when all members of the school community feel safe, comfortable, and accepted. All
students, parents, teachers, and staff members have the right to be safe, and to feel safe in their
school community. With this right comes the responsibility to contribute to a positive school
climate. We focus on prevention and early intervention as the keys to maintaining a positive
school environment in which teachers can teach, students can learn, and we can all be proud of
at home and school.
The Epiphany of Our Lord Catholic Academy Code of Conduct sets clear standards of
behaviour. These standards of behaviour apply not only to students, but also to all individuals
involved in Epiphany of Our Lord Catholic Academy community - parents, students,
volunteers, teachers, and other staff members - whether they are on school property or not -
and whether it is during school time or not.
In the end, any circumstance or incident whether on school grounds or not that could
have an impact on a member of the school community or an effect on the school climate
is considered to be relevant to the moral tone of the school.
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The Epiphany of Our Lord Catholic Academy Code of Conduct seeks to reflect the values of
the Ontario Catholic Graduate Expectations, creating students who are:
Discerning believers formed in the Catholic
Faith Tradition – integrating faith in life and
action, reflecting on the Word of God and
Catholic social teachings in their actions;
Effective communicators – actively listening and
communicating in light of the gospel values;
Reflective and creative thinkers –
acknowledging the fundamental grace inherent in
our world and solving problems and evaluating
situations with an informed, Catholic conscience
focused on the common good;
Collaborative team members – who fully
develop their talents while respecting the rights,
responsibilities, and contributions of others;
Caring family members – who bring the love,
compassion, and care of family life into the school
community; and
Responsible citizens – acting morally by
witnessing Catholic social teaching and accepting
responsibility for one’s actions and acknowledging
the need for forgiveness.
7.1(b)Key Principles of Catholic Social Teaching
Catholic social teaching is a central and essential
element of our faith. Its roots are in the Hebrew
prophets who announced God's special love for the
poor and called God's people to a covenant of love and
justice. It is a teaching founded on the life and words of
Jesus Christ, who came "to bring glad tidings to the
poor . . . liberty to captives . . . recovery of sight to the
blind" (Lk 4:18-19), and who identified himself with
"the least of these," the hungry and the stranger (cf. Mt
25:45). Catholic social teaching is built on a
commitment to the poor.
This commitment arises from our experiences of Christ in the Eucharist. Catholic social
teaching emerges from the truth of what God has revealed to us about himself. We believe in
the triune God whose very nature is communal and social. God the Father sends his only Son
Jesus Christ and shares the Holy Spirit as his gift of love. God reveals himself to us as one
who is not alone, but rather as one who is relational, one who is Trinity. Therefore, we who are
made in God's image share this communal, social nature. We are called to reach out and to
build relationships of love and justice.
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Catholic social teaching is based on and inseparable from our understanding of human life and
human dignity. Every human being is created in the image of
God and redeemed by Jesus Christ, and therefore is invaluable
and worthy of respect as a member of the human family. Every
person, from the moment of conception to natural death, has
inherent dignity and a right to life consistent with that dignity.
Human dignity comes from God, not from any human quality
or accomplishment.
Our commitment to the Catholic social mission must be rooted in and strengthened by our
spiritual lives. In our relationship with God we experience the conversion of heart that is
necessary to truly love one another as God has loved us.
In the end, we are asked to be disciples - to act in accordance to what
is right and just. Essentially ... Do good because it is good to do!
7.2 Standards of Behaviour
Respect, Civility, and Responsible Citizenship
All members of the school community must:
Respect and comply with all applicable federal. provincial and municipal laws
Demonstrate honesty and integrity,
Respect differences in people, their ideas, and their opinions,
Always treat one another with dignity and respect, and especially when you don’t agree
Treat others fairly, regardless of race, gender, age, place of origin, colour, and ethnic origin
Respect the rights of others, opinions and ideas
Show proper care and regard for school property and the property of others,
Take appropriate measures to help those in need,
Seek assistance from school staff, if necessary, to resolve conflict peacefully,
Respect all members of the school community
Respect the need of others to work in an environment that is conducive to
learning/teaching,
No use of inappropriate or offensive language
Safety
All members of the Epiphany of Our Lord Catholic Academy Community
must not:
Engage in bullying behaviours,
Be in possession of any weapon, including firearms,
Use any object to threaten or intimidate another person,
Cause injury to any person with an object,
Be in possession of alcohol or illegal drugs,
Inflict or encourage others to inflict bodily harm on another person,
Engage in hate propaganda and other forms of behaviour motivated by hate or bias,
Commit an act of vandalism that causes extensive damage to school property or to property.
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7.3 Roles and Responsibilities
Epiphany of Our Lord Catholic Academy is not just
the building and the facilities; it is a Christian family
made up of staff and students working together. What we wish to have is a genuine Christian
family spirit with everyone--staff and students--doing his/her share to make Epiphany of Our
Lord Catholic Academy a safe, caring community. To succeed in working towards this goal,
each of us must consider how he/she can contribute towards making Epiphany of Our Lord
Catholic Academy a safe, caring community ... together we can achieve wonders.
Principal:
Under the direction of the Toronto Catholic District School Board, the principal takes a
leadership role in the daily operation of a school. The Principal provides this leadership by:
Demonstrating care for the school community and a commitment
to academic excellence in a safe teaching and learning environment,
Holding everyone under his/her authority accountable for his or
her behaviour and actions,
Empowering staff, students and parents to be positive leaders in
their school community,
Teachers and Other School Staff Members:
Under the leadership of the principal, teachers and other school staff members maintain order
in the school and are expected to hold everyone to the highest standard of respectful and
responsible behaviour. As role models, teachers and school staff uphold these high standards
when they:
Help students work to their full potential
Empower students to be positive leaders in their classroom,
school and community,
Communicate regularly and meaningfully with parents (i.e., as a
first step, discussing any concerns directly with parents)
Maintain consistent standards of behaviour for all students,
Demonstrate respect for all students, staff, parents, volunteers,
and community partners,
Prepare students for the full responsibilities of citizenship.
Students:
Students are to be treated with respect and dignity. In return, they must demonstrate respect
for themselves, for others, and for the responsibilities of citizenship through
acceptable behaviour. Respect and responsibility are demonstrated when a
student:
Comes to school prepared, on time and ready to learn,
Shows respect for himself/herself, and for others
Refrains from bringing anything to school that may compromise safety
Follows the established rules and takes responsibility for his/her actions
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We believe that the expectations above are achievable and aligned with three broad character
traits – Responsibility, Reliability, and Respect. To this end, we provide a code that attempts
to encourage and promote the Catholic graduate expectations. The three character traits
present a simple yet comprehensive way of promoting these
values.
Responsible
Students are responsible for keeping their textbooks neat
and tidy. Students will be held accountable for purposely
defacing any book.
Students will be neat, clean and appropriately dressed following our Appropriate Dress
Code Policy as it pertains to outdoor and indoor activities and gym lessons. T-Shirts and
sweatshirts are preferred attire for gym lessons. If non-compliance is an issue, the
parents/guardians will be notified.
We will use a progressive discipline format to deal with any non-compliance of the
appropriate dress code policy. While in the school building, students are not to wear hats,
caps, or any other head covering.
Students are not to bring to school any toy weapons or replicas of weapons.
Students are to refrain from bringing items to sell or trade (e.g., trading cards, etc.)
Students are not permitted to leave the school grounds during recess or lunchtime. Parents
must pick up their children at school if they wish to take them out for lunch. We
discourage bringing fast food lunches to the school on a regular basis.
Without teacher’s permission: No iPods, or electronic games are to be brought to the
school. Please see section 2.6 for further details on electronics policy.
Students will not throw or kick snow, ice, and stones
Students who ride the bus will be responsible for: marshalling in the designated
outdoor and indoor areas, getting on and off the bus in an orderly fashion, be
reasonably quiet on the bus, be courteous to the bus driver and obey his or her
instructions immediately, and be courteous and respectful of all persons on the
bus.1
Reliable
Students are to arrive on time for school, prior to 9:00AM, and head directly to their lines
when the bell rings. Students arriving late must receive a late slip from the school office.
If a student is absent from school, his/her parents/guardians are requested to call the school
and provide a reason for the absence. This is a fundamental aspect to the effectiveness of
our “Safe Arrival Program”.
Students are responsible for providing all communication and correspondence from the
school to their parents.
Students are to arrive prepared for the school day with all their homework completed and
supplies ready for the day.
Students are encouraged to participate fully in all school liturgies and masses.
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Respectful
Students are to be polite – using the key words to success: Thank you, excuse me, pardon
me, please, and you’re welcome.
Students are to follow the lunch rules, sitting quietly and speaking in a quiet manner.
Students must demonstrate respect for oneself, for others, and for
private property.
Students must respect the learning process of others as well as
themselves.
Students are to respect and adhere to their classroom expectations
Parents/Guardians:
Parents /guardians play an important role in the education of their
children, and can support the efforts of school staff in maintaining a
safe and respectful learning environment for all students. Parents
fulfil their role when they:
Show an active interest in their child’s school work and progress,
Communicate regularly with the school (i.e., a first step is to talk
to the classroom teacher if there are any concerns that arise)
Help their child be neat, appropriately dressed with uniform, and
prepared for school,
Respect and adhere to the Provincial legislation, TCDSB, and School anaphylactic protocol
by not sending to school with their children, food products that contain allergens such as nuts,
milk, fish, eggs, or toys and other material products that contain allergens such as latex, etc.
Will enter the school only through the main doors, use the buzzer to announce their
presence and reason for being at the school, and proceed to the office to sign in and/or be
allowed to proceed further into the school,
Will not loiter inside the school (exception: inclement weather),
Will wait in the designated areas (i.e., the perimeter of the yard) for
their child.
Will wait for their children near the office and not by classrooms or in
the hallway,
Will not admit anyone into the school,
Ensure that their child attends school regularly and on time,
Promptly report to the school their child’s absence or late arrival,
Inform the school office of any change in the routine drop-off and pick-
up of their children (e.g., another individual other than the customary person will be picking-
up the child on a given day),
Show that they are familiar with the TCDSB’s Code of Conduct, the Epiphany of Our Lord
Catholic Academy Code of Conduct, and miscellaneous safety rules that are implemented in
response to an unforeseen and unsafe situation,
Encourage and assist their child in following the Codes of Conduct
listed above and all other safety rules of behaviour,
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Community Partners:
Through outreach, partnerships already in place may be enhanced and new partnerships with
community agencies and members of the community may be also created. Community
agencies are resources that our school can use to support our initiatives and students, and
deliver prevention or intervention programs. The police/school board
protocol, for example, is an effective way of establishing linkages between
schools and community agencies and of formalizing the relationship
between them.
7.4(a) The Progressive Discipline Approach
Ontario Ministry of Education Safe and Accepting Schools
"...And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love
kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" - Micah 6:8
The Ontario government is committed to a safe and inclusive school environment. Safe
schools are needed for student success and academic achievement.
Preface
A consistent and firm application of the Epiphany of Our Lord Catholic Academy Code of
Conduct is achieved through collaboration, transparency, consistency, and consultation. This
is a process which is constantly evolving and an opportunity to learn and grow to be the best
we can be.
Key Concept
1. The Epiphany of Our Lord Catholic Academy Progressive
Discipline plan is founded on the premise of a welcoming teacher
with an engaging program meeting a student in the school.
A welcoming teacher:
- is prepared and knowledgeable about students and curriculum
- has effective classroom management strategies
- feels connected and supported by the school and is nurturing
An engaging program reflects:
- understanding of multiple intelligences and learning styles
- differentiated instruction and honours differentiated learning
- multi-disciplinary approaches to learning and student success in all areas of development
2. An effective progressive discipline plan is established and developed by all
members of the school community under the leadership of the Safe School Action
Team.
3. An effective progressive discipline plan is practised with a unified school-wide
approach.
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Progressive Discipline at Epiphany of Our Lord Catholic Academy
At Epiphany of Our Lord Catholic Academy, we believe that an optimal
learning environment requires good classroom management and the support
provided by a school-wide progressive discipline plan.
Progressive Discipline is a strategy in whole-school approach that promotes
positive student behaviour and enables the school administrator to choose from a continuum of
interventions and supports to address inappropriate student behaviour. Positive student
behaviour is promoted at school by helping students make good choices.
Discipline can be defined as supporting students to make the right
decisions. It refers to instruction, correction, self-control and orderly
conduct. Consistent and logical consequences, rather than punitive
measures are important in order for students to learn that they can control
their own behaviour by making appropriate choices.
The interventions and consequences applied to instances of inappropriate behaviour must be
made after consideration of a student’s history, age, level of remorse and any other mitigating
factors that apply. In a progressive discipline approach, consequences are designed to support
the pro-social development and future behaviour of the person responsible for the action.
Furthermore, if there is/are a victim(s) involved, they are not forgotten – part of progressive
discipline takes in the consideration of the victim.
The progressive discipline approach is used when addressing issues of student conduct. When
inappropriate behaviour occurs, we will utilize a range of interventions, supports, and
consequences that are developmentally appropriate, that include opportunities for students to
learn from mistakes, and that focus on improving behaviour. In some circumstances, short-
term suspension may be a useful tool. In the case of a serious incident, long-term suspension
or expulsion, which is further along the continuum of progressive discipline, may be the
response that is required. Of note, there are instances where incidents require Police
involvement and involvement of other agencies (i.e., Catholic Children’s Aid Society). In
some circumstances, involvement of these agencies is not optional and must be legally
pursued by the Principal. Furthermore, due to the serious nature of some
incidents, it is not out of the realm of possibilities that such incidents
require automatic and mandatory suspension and/or expulsion.
We are extremely proud of our students; however, when inappropriate
behaviours do take place, it is our intent to deal with it promptly and
directly, in a spirit of impartiality and fairness. A wide range of supports
and consequences have been developed to allow for the latitude necessary
to deal with the unique circumstances of each situation and the individual needs of each
student. Consequences must have a positive effect on the student’s journey through
reconciliation, either formally or informally with the school community and those affected by
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the person’s behaviour. Interventions, therefore, should be selected in direct response to
individual skill development needs. On those occasions when a student chooses not to respect
the rights of others, one or more of the consequences along the progressive discipline
continuum may be utilized.
Behaviour and Consequences –There are a number of different
responses to minor or major issues. Each situation develops in a
context with particular students. The school endeavours to deal
with students in an equitable and fair manner. The structure of the
process of discipline, however, is progressive.
Example: A student fails to listen to his or her teacher in the classroom (persistent opposition
to authority).
Progressive Discipline has several important elements, including:
Engaging parents — ongoing dialogue with parents about
students’ achievement and behaviour
Helping students learn — students have opportunities to
learn from the choices they make
Offering supports — early intervention and on-going support
for students is critical
Schools help prevent inappropriate behaviour by implementing pro-active programs such as
bullying prevention, character education and citizenship development.
How does it work?
An Incident Report is generated – parents get a copy and a copy is
placed in the student’s OSR (Ontario Student Record). Possible
consequences along the progressive discipline continuum (intervention
may occur at any point in this model):
1. Discussion with the classroom teacher
2. Verbal warning
3. Meaningful consequence
4. Detention/ staying in at recess/lunch hour.
5. Telephone contact with parent(s)/guardian(s)
6. Discussion with the principal (Incident Report)
7. Telephone call with parents by the principal
8. Withdrawal from class and/or activities
9. Suspension and/or Expulsion
At any point in the process, students may be directed to other support staff (i.e.,
Educational Assistants). Parents will be included in this process. Major or
more serious discipline issues (such as violent incidents) may accelerate
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responses and interventions to a more advanced level along the progressive discipline
continuum.
Parents are always our best support in dealing with ongoing or major difficulties. Parents will
be contacted to discuss ongoing issues or major discipline challenges.
7.4(b) Suspension Policy
The following are but a few of the more common infractions which will necessitate the
generation of an Incident Report and the possibility of a suspension:
bullying behaviour non-compliance
inappropriate touching inappropriate language
fighting swearing
vandalism inappropriate use of electronic devices
possession of a weapon skipping class neglect of duty
opposition to authority classroom behaviour theft
bus behaviour sexual misconduct teasing/threatening
inappropriate use of social media (i.e., Facebook posts/comments, YouTube)
7.5 Expulsion Policy
A principal has a duty to consider the safety of all students. Under legislation (Bill 212), the
principal is required to suspend a student for up to 20 school days if the principal believes that
the student has engaged in an activity for which the student might
ultimately be expelled by the school board. The principal will consider
the mitigating and other factors in determining the length of the
suspension. A program for suspended pupils is offered to the student’s
family if the suspension is more than five school days.
An expulsion is a decision made by a board that prohibits a student
from attending a school or all schools of the Toronto Catholic District School Board. A
student who is only expelled from his/her school will be assigned to another school of the
Board. Students who are expelled from all schools of the Board will be offered a program for
expelled students. In both these cases, if the student attends the school or program to which
he/she was assigned, the student remains a pupil of the Board.
These are some of the infractions in which a student shall be expelled from school:
Possession of an object used as a weapon; possession of a weapon (i.e., a knife, firearm); or
possession of a replica weapon
Use of a weapon to cause or to threaten bodily harm to another person,
Physical assault on another person
Sexual assault,
The police will be involved in many cases where the student is subject to a mandatory suspension or expulsion.
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7.6 Police Protocol
The TCDSB has revised its Local Police/School Board Protocol which details
a common approach for responding to school related occurrences as required
by the Safe Schools Act, 2000. The protocol between the Toronto
coterminous Boards and the Toronto Police Services outlines procedures on
how the police and school board personnel will interact to ensure that the
students’ rights are protected and the victims are safe and treated justly.
7.7 Ontario Student Record (O.S.R.)
Each student who attends school in the Province of Ontario has an established Ontario Student
Record. This is a continuing record, which shall be used for the improvement of instruction for
your child by the school personnel. If, at any time, you wish to review the content of this
record, please contact the Principal and make an appointment to do so.
7.8 Child Abuse
All professionals have a legislated duty to report suspected cases of child abuse. When there
are reasonable grounds to suspect that a child may be suffering from physical harm, sexual, or
emotional abuse, all school staff are legally bound by Ontario Law to report to the Catholic
Children’s Aid Society.
7.9 Good Neighbour Policy
At Epiphany of Our Lord Catholic Academy we have a "Good Neighbour
Policy" which reflects our commitment to our community. We will
exercise appropriate discipline and take the necessary steps and
actions when the behaviour of our students disrupts the safety and
orderliness of our surrounding geographic area and neighbouring
homes.
8. GENERAL RULES
8.1 Rules of the school yard
1. Students must stay inside the school yard during school hours except by permission of the
Principal. Those who go home at noon hour may not leave again once they have returned to
the school yard. Students can lock their bikes at the bike rack located at the front of the school.
2. No student may remain indoors during recess or noon hour without the permission of a
teacher. Students wishing to use the washroom or water fountain must
first have the permission.
3. When the bell rings, students must stop what they are doing and move
quickly and quietly to their lines. No pushing, shoving or other
misconduct in the lines or on the stairs will be tolerated.
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4. For safety reasons, these are some of the more common activities that are NOT allowed in
the yard during school hours:
a) sliding on iced-over areas
b) climbing fences, walls, etc.
c) throwing snowballs, ice, stones, sand, etc.
d) playing with hard balls, hockey sticks, racquets, baseball bats, etc.
e) riding bicycles, rollerblades, skateboards, scooters, or ripstix
f) rough or aggressive play
Physical contact is NOT permitted on school property. Children must keep their hands and
feet to themselves. The NBC Rule (No Body Contact) is in effect. If a child becomes
involved in a conflict with another student, words must be used to tell the other person to stop.
If the situation is not resolved, the staff member may refer the incident to the Principal and an
Incident Report will be issued.
8.2 Bullying Definition
Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behaviour among school-aged
children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. In order
for a behaviour to be considered “bullying”, it must:
a. be aggressive;
b. include an imbalance of power to control or harm others (i.e.,
strength, access to embarrassing information, popularity);
c. be repetitive in nature (behaviours happen more than once).
There are 3 types of Bullying:
Verbal Bullying ... saying or writing mean things (Example: teasing, taunting, name-calling,
inappropriate sexual comments, threatening to cause harm)
Social/Emotional Bullying ...involves hurting someone’s reputation or relationships
(Example: leaving someone out of an activity/event on purpose, telling other friends not to be
friends with someone, spreading rumours about someone,
embarrassing someone in public)
Physical Bullying ... involves hurting a person’s body or possessions
(Example: spitting on someone, tripping, pushing, making mean or
rude hand gestures, taking or breaking someone’s things)
Any student engaged in bullying will face consequences (beginning
with an Incident Report) according to the Progressive Discipline
approach. Should any incident be motivated by hate, “expulsion”
from the school does become a consideration.
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8.3 The “Appropriate Dress” Code
As you know, the Toronto Catholic District School Board
has implemented a common dress code in all elementary
schools. Epiphany of Our Lord Catholic Academy’s
Appropriate Dress Code came into effect well before all
other schools in TCDSB adopted this policy.
All TCDSB Elementary Schools currently have the
following combination of tops and bottoms with the same
colour scheme:
Navy Blue: pants, shorts, skorts, skirts, dress, sweaters, hoodies, fleeces, cardigans.
White (collared): golf shirts, blouses, dress shirts, turtle necks, mock turtle necks
The Appropriate Dress Code Policy calls for clothes items that navy and white - not baby
blue, nor any other shades of blue or off-white or beige. These items are not to have any
graphics, unless it is the Epiphany of Our Lord Catholic Academy crest or a TCDSB crest. If
in the past, you have purchased an Epiphany of Our Lord Catholic Academy vest, hoodies, or
sweat top, your child would definitely still be encouraged to wear such items especially during
the colder months of the year or during physical education classes. During the school year,
accessory items will be sold (gym clothes, hoodies, fleece jackets, etc.) to provide students an
opportunity to wear such items for physical education classes and on colder
days. On days when we have "CASUAL DAYS", students can wear their very
own TCDSB VIRTUE T-SHIRTS (either Blue or Pink). If a uniform shirt is
in the wash, as a courtesy and consideration for parents, students can wear the
Virtue shirt for the day, but these shirts are not to be worn on a regular basis or
be considered the “regular uniform”.
Repeated failure to comply with the Appropriate Dress Code will result in an Incident Report,
removal from class, and a phone call home for parents to bring a change of clothes.
9. PARENTS
9.1 Catholic School Advisory Council (CSAC)
The Epiphany of Our Lord Catholic Academy Catholic School Advisory Council
(CSAC) is a group of parents/guardians and staff members who work together to
maintain a positive learning environment for our school. Parents/guardians make
up the majority of the membership and are elected by the school community.
Regular meetings are scheduled and noted in our monthly newsletter, on our school
website and on the school signage in front of the school. An Annual General Meeting as well
as an election for School Council executive members in held in the fall. All parents/guardians
are welcome to attend any or all council meetings which are held monthly at the school. We
especially extend a warm welcome to any parents who are new to our school and we
encourage them to consider attending these very enjoyable, relaxed, and not unduly long
meetings!
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The council meetings provide an opportunity for parents/guardians:
i) to have active participation in the education of their children with the full
support of the principal and teachers
ii) to help the principal and teachers bring appropriate community resources to the
school
iii) to have meaningful input and participate in the life of the school
iv) to receive and discuss information from the Toronto Catholic District School
Board initiatives, policies, goals, plans, etc.
v) to co-ordinate fundraising activities in co-operation with the
principal and staff in order to provide resources that are outside
of the standard curriculum and therefore, not fully funded by the
School Board Budget
vi) to provide advice to the principal, and where appropriate, to the
School Board, as necessary (via CPIC).
The Epiphany of Our Lord Catholic Academy CSAC (Catholic School
Advisory Council) is an integral part of our school community.
9.2 Home/School/Parish Connection
Parents, be mindful of the importance of the connection between the home, the school, and the
parish. As a Catholic school community, our commitment to our lives in the church is very
important. We are very fortunate at Epiphany of Our Lord Catholic Academy to have a
wonderful parish team at Epiphany of Our Lord Parish. With the support of the clergy and
parish staff, the students will experience several church
celebrations regularly throughout the year. Parents, grandparents,
and other community members are always invited to join us in
those celebrations. Parents are the first teachers of their children
in the faith, and the task of teaching the faith is ongoing. School
and Parish staff can assist in the teaching of the faith, but the true
faith lessons must continue to be founded in the home. The best
teaching style for the parent is in the daily and weekly practice of
the faith and in regular attendance at mass: leadership by
example.
9.3 Invitation to Parents
Partnership with the parent community is always welcomed. If you have any questions or
concerns, or if you would simply like to visit for a few moments, please remember that you are
always welcome to drop in to see us. We are very interested in discussing any issues in a
dignified, courteous, and respectful manner. Please call ahead to arrange an
appointment, if it is critical that you see us at that time. Otherwise, if it is a
random chance that you have taken to just ‘drop in’, sometimes it might be
impossible to meet with us because of previous commitments we may have.
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9.4 Graduation Ceremonies
Epiphany of Our Lord Catholic Academy acknowledges that
graduation exercises are an important recognition of a student’s
transition from elementary to secondary school. Graduation
exercises celebrate the human journey of each student. The student
throughout his/her years in the Catholic school system has
experienced an education that fosters learning as a lifelong spiritual
and academic quest. This learning is defined not only in terms of
knowledge and skills, but also in terms of values, attitudes, and actions.
It is the policy of Epiphany of Our Lord Catholic Academy that the elementary graduations
shall be acknowledged by appropriate exercises that celebrate our Faith, the Ontario Catholic
Graduate Expectations, Catholic Social Teachings, and recognize those partners who have
contributed to this milestone in each student’s life journey.
All graduation celebrations shall, if possible, include a Mass with the
graduates, their teachers, and where possible, their families. The
local pastor shall be invited to participate in elementary school
graduations.
Graduation exercises shall respect the inclusion of a prayer or
liturgical reflection; time constraints; cost and financial stress on
families to participate; appropriate language and subject matter in
speeches and addresses; that the event is for the students, therefore
inclusion of guest speakers and presenters shall be kept to a
minimum. Award presentations are to be carefully structured to
ensure that the student receiving the award most closely embodies
the intent of the award; the purpose and application of the award is clearly understood by the
community;
The graduating class will receive a written explanation of all awards by the end of
first term (December/January) so that all members of the graduating class have
clear understanding of the intent and purpose of the awards. The awards are
based on academic achievement, discipleship, and Catholic Social Teachings, and
Graduate Expectations. Awards presented by other partners are determined by
the Partners, Principal and the Grade 8 teacher(s), if necessary. The awards are
not a competition and no vote will be taken by students and/or staff to determine
“a winner”.
The guest list for graduation exercises should reflect a balance between the necessity of the
guest’s presence, their role at the event, and a respect for their personal time. Special guests
shall be acknowledged but not necessarily invited to address the audience or make
presentations. Such guests can include: School Trustee, City Councillor, MPP, MP, and
TCDSB officials.
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Epiphany of Our Lord Catholic Academy shall make every effort to hold
graduation no sooner than the Friday prior to the last week of school.
Staff who specifically supervise a graduation dinner/dance should not incur costs.
The number of awards in the Epiphany of Our Lord Catholic Academy graduation
is expected to be proportionate to the number of graduates. It should explicitly
stated and clearly understood that not everyone may have earned the privilege or met the
academic standard to receive an award. The only certificate that all students will receive upon
graduation is the Graduation Diploma.
The School (Administration, Staff) will provide leadership in organizing
graduation exercises that honour the Catholic education which the graduates
have received and acknowledge the individual success of each graduating
student.
Epiphany of Our Lord Catholic Academy Graduation Guidelines
1.1 School traditions and community preferences need to be considered when planning the
occasion; however the complexity of the event must not place an undue burden on staff or
families.
1.2 Graduation celebrations held off school property and/or after school hours shall be planned
in consultation with administration, school staff and parents.
1.3 Valedictorian addresses shall be reviewed in advance by the principal or designate to
ensure appropriate language, content and style in order to respect the dignity of the occasion.
1.4 The following template shall be used for graduation exercises. The program shall include
a page listing the names and titles of the School Administration, the Trustee, the Director of
Education, and the Superintendent. Also to be included in the program are the Board/School
Mission statement and Vision statements (MYSP) and 3-year pastoral plan.
1.5 The following is the template for the event:
Welcome and Prayer (if not proceeded by a Mass)
Introduction of Guests (Guests not presenting awards and VIPs only at this time)
Greetings – Principal to welcome everyone in attendance (parents, grand-parents, aunts,
uncles, all other family members, staff of Epiphany, friends, students, and Parish Priest).
The Principal will also acknowledge greetings from TCDSB Chair of the Board, Area School
Trustee, TCDSB Director of Education, Superintendent of Education for Epiphany.
Principal to introduce Special Guest Speaker to address the students (if applicable)
Principal’s Opening Address (5-10 min)
Conferral of Diplomas & Cross - School Principal shall
confer all diplomas - Superintendent, Director, Trustee, or
others may be asked to accompany the Principal.
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Awards – School and Community - Board chair /trustee in attendance or other official will
be asked to present an award; No personal speeches/remarks by the presenter of the award.
Valedictory Address (five to seven minutes maximum)
Closing Remarks and thank you to individuals (and for what they did): CSAC, Students,
Church, volunteers, staff of Epiphany … and “Anyone I miss, I’m sorry”
Closing Prayer
The Awards are as follows*:
- Package: CSAC Letter, Epiphany Pin, City of Toronto & MPP Certificates (if provided)
- Trustee’s Award for Christian Living (Presented by Trustee/or representative/Principal)
- Athletic Leadership Award (Presented by Principal)
- The CSAC Award (Presented by CSAC Representative)
- OCSGE Awards (if available)…The OCSG Expectations [7 medals]
- Christian Spirit Award (and 10 Virtue Medals)
- Rocco Colangelo Volunteer Award (Presented by Rocco Colangelo/Principal)
- Academic Achievement Awards: The Literacy Award, The Arts Award, The Math
Award, The Science & Technology Award, The French Award
- Most Improved Academic Achievement (Presented by Gr.8 Teacher)
- Epiphany Honour Roll … Overall Average of 80%+ (Presented by Gr.8 Teacher)
- Ontario Scholar (90% +) … Straight A Student Award (Presented by Principal)
- Class Valedictorian Award
*Awards are subject to change and determined by the Grade 8 teacher(s) in
consultation with the Principal, other teachers, and CSAC
1.6 Consideration will be given via consultation between school and CSAC
as to location of Awards – Church, Church Hall, and/or a private reception hall (limited space)
1.7 Consideration will be given via consultation between CSAC and School as to the rental of
gown and cap for the ceremony at minimal expense to school and parents.
1.8 Consideration will be given to rental of hall for the celebration of graduation – dinner and
dance for the graduates. Parents to drop-off and pick-up at arranged time. Supervision is to be
provided by school administration and school staff (i.e., teachers, EAs, etc.). The facility will
also provide security and privacy for the event.
1.9 Consideration will be given as to a fee for Graduation – cover cost of grad year book, cap,
gown, church fee, hall rental, awards, dinner, dance, DJ. Consultation between school and
parent council (CSAC) will take place in order to establish the cost every year.
2.0 Graduation procedures and protocols are to be reviewed by CSAC and school every year
and decision for the year to be set in place by the end of October of that year.
2.1 Parents of the graduating class are to be notified of the procedures for the year by the first
term of school (December/January).
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2.2 Staff are to be notified (by first term: December/January) in order to make arrangements
should they wish to attend the graduation ceremony.
2.3 Those wishing to assist in preparation of the graduation events are most welcome to step
forth and be counted and be heard in meetings and during the various events. If any
stakeholder in the school community or group decline to participate/assist and also attend
meetings to get things in motion, then he/she/they should respect the process set in place
(consultation between school administration and CSAC) and keep negative comments and
unjust criticisms to oneself/themselves. Please respect the good work done by those stepping
up to do good for our students – As Jesus reminds us, “Anyone who has no sin in their life
should step forward and throw the first stone.”
This sentence is often cited as a reminder to avoid
judging others when there are faults in your own
life that need to be addressed.
2.4 Any CSAC member with a child in the
graduating class must declare oneself in a
“conflict of interest” and must excuse him/herself
from any vote on the matter in which there is a conflict of interest.
9.5 Parent Volunteers
At Epiphany of Our Lord Catholic Academy we welcome parent volunteers in our school
programs and activities. We have been fortunate to have enthusiastic and committed parents
who willingly contributed their time and effort to our school. Your participation in the school
will inevitably enhance the learning environment of the school. The TCDSB policy does
mandate that anyone wishing to volunteer on a regular basis must have a Criminal
Background Check completed prior to being able to volunteer.
From time to time we might have student volunteers from the local secondary schools. These
students work under the direction and guidance of the classroom teacher. Student-teachers
may also be present for a time in your child’s classroom. Student-teachers are supervised by
the classroom teacher and provide opportunity for your child to experience another teacher.
10. INTERNET USE
10.1 School Website
Visit our great school website regularly throughout the school year. It is our intention to keep
the website up to date and informative.
The address is
http://www.tcdsb.org/SCHOOLS/EPIPHANYOFOURLORD
10.2 Appropriate Use Policy
The TCDSB provides for student and staff, use of an electronic communication system.
Teachers will instruct students about specific rules for using TCDSB electronic systems
including the Internet, the Intranet and e-mail. Students are expected to follow the rules and
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procedures and may use TCDSB equipment only after a Student
Access Agreement is signed and filed at the school. Parents may
view the TCDSB Appropriate Use Policy on the TCDSB website at:
www.tcdsb.org or you can view the AUP on the school website.
A disciplinary process is in place should there be a failure to comply
with the TCDSB Appropriate Use Policy. For example the student
password may be disabled for failing to follow teacher instructions
and directions for computer use, viewing, creating and/or circulating
inappropriate or offensive materials or using computers without teacher permission or
supervision.
Children need to know and use responsible on-line behaviour. Cyber-bullying or the spreading
of malicious messages or images is not uncommon. This hurtful behaviour is often cloaked
under the guise of “freedom of speech” or anonymity. Unfortunately, students and parents are
not aware that such matters start as small school issues, but sometimes become significantly
more serious and could potentially become Police matters.
We strongly suggest that at home computers be located in
highly visible areas and the use of MSN, Twitter,
FaceBook or other be monitored closely. Talk to your
child about their online activities and friends just as you
would talk to them about their other activities.
It cannot be stressed enough that: Any activities that
transpire during non-school hours are also covered under the TCDSB Appropriate Use
Policy as any activity that affects the moral tone of the school is covered in this policy.
Any cyber-bullying or inappropriate activity using photos, sexting, text messaging, instant
messaging, FaceBook posts/comments, Twitter posts/comments, etc. making reference to any
staff member and/or student and/or student’s family are considered serious contraventions of
the Appropriate Use Policy, the Safe Schools Policy, and Canadian Privacy Laws – students
are subject to suspension and possibly expulsion.
As such, should any internet/social media activity undertaken
by a student contravene any Ontario Provincial Laws or Federal
Laws, they become legal issues and will be dealt with by the
appropriate authorities in conjunction with the school. The
ramifications of such activity may very well go beyond the
scope and jurisdiction of the school and it is for this reason that
we want to further encourage parents to take it upon themselves
to know what his/her child is doing on the internet when at
home or when not at school (i.e., at a friend’s house).
If similar types of such actions as noted above are undertaken, the school will give the matter
the attention it deserves (i.e., call to parents/guardians, call the Police, etc.).
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11. CONCLUSION 11.1 School Pledge, Mascot and Crest
I pledge today and every day to do my best in all I do.
I promise to do good because it’s good to do.
I will respect myself, respect others, and respect God.
I will treat others the way I want to be treated, because we all belong to God’s family.
I am here to learn all I can, to try my best, and be all I am.
I know that life is work – and I will work in all I do to be all I can!
The Husky is free-spirited, good-natured, very playful,
athletic, and agile. The Husky loves the great outdoors
and requires vigorous exercise, especially in cool
weather. The husky loves to go running every day,
always, for he is independent and born to run. If
something catches his interest, he'll be gone. Teaching
him to work as a team to accomplish a task gives the
husky a purpose in life. Without such exercise, mental
activity, and lots of companionship, the husky can be
incredibly, destructive and get in trouble. The Husky is
inclined to use his intelligence in clever and innovative
ways. This is why we are the Epiphany Huskies!
Respect Self Respect Others Respect God
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11.2 Rigor at the Academy Epiphany of Our Lord Catholic Academy is an educational institution with rigorous academic instruction – students actively explore, research, and solve complex problems to develop a deep understanding of core academic concepts. “Rigor” does not mean more and longer homework assignments; Rather, it means more time and varied opportunities for each student to develop essential learning skills and apply work habits of mind as they navigate more sophisticated and reflective learning experiences. Students weigh evidence, consider varying viewpoints, see connections, identify patterns, evaluate outcomes, speculate on possibilities and assess value.
Rigor is the process of:
Creating an environment in which each student is expected to learn at high levels
Each student is supported so that he/she can learn at high levels Each student is expected to demonstrate learning at high levels
Rigor means our classrooms are MOTIVATING
Rigor means our lessons are ENGAGING
Rigor utilizes a “GROWTH MINDSET” on a daily basis
Rigor is something that can be LEARNED, PRACTICED, and used in all aspects of life, not just in school
Rigor is a set of STANDARDS, PRACTICES, and EXPECTATIONS that we establish for our students and for ourselves
The Seven Essential Survival Skills (Learning Skills and Work
Habits) which we explicitly teach, practice, and learn are:
Critical Thinking and Problem-solving Collaboration across networks and leading by influence Agility and adaptability Initiative and entrepreneurialism Effective oral and written communication Accessing and analyzing information Curiosity and imagination
For more information, please visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NS2PqTTxFFc
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Rigorous work begins with a clear message:
School work is important.
Yes, work is hard, but you can do this.
We will help you to succeed.
Life is work, but it’s worth working for.
11.3 Final Words
This document is a living document – with the constant and ever-changing trends, attitudes,
and technological advances in our society. It is constantly being changed and modified to suit
the needs of the school staff, students, and families. Something we will be looking at for the
near future is the creation of a “House System” in the school in order to further foster team
spirit, student leadership, school spirit, and collaboration.
At the end of the day, the passion, the Christ-centered philosophy, and the moral tone of this
document remains grounded in the teachings of Jesus Christ, our Catholic beliefs and
traditions - through all of our interactions with students, parents, and staff as we all grow and
serve others, it is imperative to keep to keep this in our heart, mind, in visible in our actions.
Thank you and God Bless.
