Information about school start up 2021-2022.

Kanata Highlands handbook

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Dear Parents/Guardians, Welcome back to Kanata Highlands Public School for the 2021-2022 school year. We are so excited to be welcoming all the students back, we have missed our virtual students! I hope this Hawk’s Guide Book will answer your questions and smooth the transition to the school year. Take the time to read through all the sections, and be sure to watch the videos to help support our new routines, in particular our drop off and pick up procedures. We have had to adjust our drop off and pick up times for students in order to ensure we can all enter and leave the school property safely.&nbsp; Student and staff safety is our number one priority this year. All our decisions are based on what is best for the well-being of our students.&nbsp; Start Dates Thursday September 9 - grades 1-6 Monday September 13 - All kindergarten students &amp; grade 1 - 6 students We know this has been a difficult and challenging time for all families. We are going to do our very best to ensure all students have an enjoyable and successful learning experience at KHPS! Together we can do this! Be Open ~ Be Curious ~ Be Kind Pauline McKenna, Principal&nbsp; Shawn Hocking, Vice Principal

Upon arrival in the morning, students will go directly to their designated classe line and wait for the morning bell for entry, 8:30 a.m. We will do our best to support students maintaining a physical distance of 2 meters apart. Students will wash their hands/sanitize after they coming in from recess. Students will have access to recess equipment (e.g. balls) provided by the school. Students are not to bring items from home. Students will be required to wear masks during recess, as we are not able to maintain appropriate physical distancing with all students. When individual classes are outside for learning, they will be able to remove their mask while maintaining physical distancing.

Why Do People Wear Masks | Little Ones Version | Jack Hartmann

Why Do People Wear Masks?  | Jack Hartmann| Face Mask Song

Appropriate clothing for outdoor learning and recess times (eg. raincoat, hat, etc. for extended outdoor learning time).

A reusable lunch bag with lunch and snacks for the day. Don't forget your filled water bottle.

A backpack to hold all personal items.

Students will be eating lunch and snacks in their classrooms, while seated at their desks. Hands will be washed before eating. Recycling and compost programs cannot run at this time. All waste and materials will be placed back in the children's lunch bags and disposed of at home. A suggestion would be to include a separate bag (eg. Ziplock) for waste to go home. Pizza, milk &amp; Lunch Lady programs will not run at this time. Please remember to include appropriate utensils. Students are not permitted to share any food. Ensure your child is able to open and close containers independently. Due to allergies, food items containing peanuts, tree nuts and all nuts should not be sent to school.

Coronavirus Song | Coronavirus Shoo! | Educational | Video & Animation | Protect against Covid-19

Parents are required to Screen Children Daily - We need to all work together, to ensure our school remains safe. Parents have a very important role to support us in screening their children every morning before they leave for school. Use the <a href="https://secureforms.ottawapublichealth.ca/School-Health-Sante-scolaire/COVID-19-Screening-Tool-for-Students">online tool</a> provided by Ottawa Public Health to do daily screening. We know that if we work together we will be able to set our students and staff up for a healthy, safe school year.&nbsp;

Stay connected with us through - <a href="https://twitter.com/KanataHighlands?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor">KHPS Twitter</a> - <a href="https://kanatahighlandsps.ocdsb.ca/">KHPS website</a> - <a href="https://ocdsb.ca/cms/one.aspx?portalid=55478&amp;pageid=32493360">OCDSB</a>

Staff are required to follow the protocol identified by the Ottawa Carleton District School Board and Ottawa Public Health: - If a child exhibits symptoms of COVID-19, the child will be placed in a small room in the office. - Parents will be called and are required to pick up their child immediately.&nbsp;Please have a plan in place for someone to be available to pick up your child promptly.&nbsp;Please notify the office with any changes to contact information for parents and emergency contacts. - When you arrive at school, use the door intercom to notify the office and your child will be escorted to you. - Parents will then follow the procedures outlined by Ottawa Public Health for next steps, which may include testing for COVID-19.

Cloth or reusable face masks. Masks are mandatory for all students in Kindergarten to Grade 6. We recommend bringing 2 masks per day so they can be changed if one becomes wet or dirty.

In order to ensure a smooth and safe arrival and departure for all students, please make every effort to adhere to your designated time slots. If your child must arrive or depart outside of your designated time, please maintain physical distancing while on the school grounds and parents are asked to wear a mask. Parents will not be permitted to enter the building. Please use the intercom at the front door to communicate with the office. Thank you for helping to ensure the arrival and dismissal safety of all students!

All students are offered a spot on the bus. If you decide to drive your child to school, we will have to make adjustments with drop off and pick up times in order to manage the limited space in our parking lot. We may adjust these times at a later date, depending on traffic flow. School buses - 8:20 - 8:30am Students will be unloaded and will go directly to their designated entrance to line up with their class. Student Walkers/Bikers - 8:15 - 8:30am - will use the side school path next to Trillium Woods and will enter the school yard using the gate by the kiss and ride. Bikes can be locked to front fence. By car - if your YOUNGEST child is in Gr. 4 to 6 - 8:15 - 8:30am - parent to drop off using kiss and ride. Parent please remain in car. Student will exit and go to their designated class line up. By car - if your YOUNGEST Child is in Kindergarten - 8:30 - 8:45am - parent to drop off at kiss and ride. Parents are asked to remain in car if possible. By car - if your YOUNGEST Child is in Gr. 1 - Gr. 3 - 8:30 - 8:45am - parent to drop off at Hawk's Lane. Parents are asked to remain in car.

Optional - A personal bottle of unscented hand sanitizer and a small package of tissues.

A reusable water bottle Water fountains will ONLY be used for refilling water bottles. Please label the water bottle.

Appropriate shoes for indoor use.

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Basic school materials (pencils, erasers, etc.) will be provided to students as needed. However, you may wish to create a pencil case containing a personal set of materials. These items cannot be shared between students.

Our school has some chromebooks for each classroom, which will be cleaned between each use. Your child is also welcome to bring their own device to use in the classroom. Please note that it is the student's responsibility to look after the device and take it home each day.

Frequent handwashing

When students enter or leave the classroom, they will clean their hands either with soap and water or with hand sanitizer.

Throughout the school, there will be floor markings reminding students to keep 2m apart.

Students in Kindergarten to Grade 6 and all staff are required to wear masks. 

Water Filling Stations &amp; Water Fountains Students are not permitted to drink directly from the water fountains. They can only use the water filling stations to fill up their water bottle.

Please ensure that your child comes to school with one labelled, filled water bottle!

PLEASE DO NOT PARK IN OUR PARKING LOT. Please use your assigned lane as indicated below. YOUNGEST Child Kindergarten - 2:40pm - pick up child at kiss and ride. Parent to stand at the driver's door with name of child on a white paper (use large letters). Child will be brought to car. YOUNGEST Child Grade 1 - Gr. 3 - 2:40 - 2:50pm - pick up at Hawk's Lane. Parent to stand at the driver's door with name of child on a white paper facing the staff (use large letters). Child will be brought to car. Youngest Child Grade 4 - 6 - 3:00pm - pick up at kiss and ride. Parent to stand at the driver's door with name of child on a white paper facing the staff (use large letters). Child will be brought to car. Student Walkers/Bikers - 3:00 - 3:10pm - will exit school through front door, and walk/bike along Trillium path. Parents can meet students on the path. Please be very careful crossing Terry Fox Drive. Bus and EDP - students will be dismissed at 3:00pm to access buses and EDP program. Buses leave at 3:10pm. Please wear a mask and model physical distancing practices of 2 m while waiting for your children.

Students will keep their backpacks, lunches,  and school supplies in their personal workspace in the classroom.

Students' desks will be spaced apart. Each child will have their own workspace and cannot use the workspace of another student.

School supplies will not be shared between students. Math manipulatives, books will be shared with sanitization of hands.

In the meantime, sing with us our Hawk song!!

We’re a new school in the forest Making new friends&nbsp;all around us Like when a small smile makes a heart open We might only be one school But we’ve made an explosion! And all the learning that we see using technology We can face the world today Can you hear us when we say - Chorus - Making friends and having fun being outside in the sun Believe in me believe in you There’s so much that we learn Everybody gets a turn Believe in me believe in you And all the learning that we see using technology We can face the world today Can you hear us when we say - Chorus - We’re a new school in the forest Making new friends&nbsp;all around us Like when a small smile makes a heart open We might only be one school But we’ve made an explosion!

Chorus: This is our Hawk’s song Kanata Highlands This is the best school We have our HighJinx Look all around, there’s forest We’re all so mindful And everyone here is open, curious and kind Kanata Highlands, it’s the best place to be!&nbsp;

No Visitors or Volunteers (at this time) The Kanata Highlands staff look forward to meeting with you and discussing your child's education. At this time only students and staff are permitted in the building. We will use email, telephone and Google Meet to interact with you and answer your questions.

Please wear a mask and maintain physical distancing at all times on school property while waiting to pick-up/drop-off your children.

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