Please click on the link to view the newsletter.March 2019 Newsletter

New Phone Number, Web Address, Phone App Coming for Reporting Absences

At KPR, student safety is our highest priority, and we thank families for adopting the automated safe arrival system to help ensure students arrive safely at school each day. 

Starting this September, we will be introducing a new automated Student Absence Reporting System.  Therefore, you will need to create a NEW account to report your children’s absences online. 

You will receive an email in August with instructions on how to create your new account and download the mobile app.  You also will receive a magnet in September with the new Student Absence Reporting System details.  Unfortunately, since ownership of the reporting software has changed, we cannot simply transfer your child’s information to the new system.

Watch for more information in the summer.

Many parents and guardians have been wondering what effect the legalization of marijuana will have on  KPR schools. In short, KPR schools will treat cannabis in much the same way they treat alcohol: students of any age will not be allowed to use marijuana at schools, on school buses or field trips. 

 Once the new federal law comes into effect this October 17:

• non-medical marijuana use will be legal only for those age 19 and older 
• any student, at any age, could be suspended for possessing or being under the influence of cannabis at school
• any student who shares marijuana with others younger than 19 could be expelled from school
• it will be illegal for adults to use cannabis on, or within 20 metres of, school grounds
• it will be illegal to drive under the influence of cannabis, and drivers age 21 or under will not be allowed to have any cannabis in their system.

 If you have any questions about cannabis at school, please speak with your principal or vice-principal.  Further information on the new law is available at Ontario.ca/cannabis.  Information on how to talk to your child about cannabis can be found at Cannabis Information – CAMH.

KPR wishes everyone a happy holiday. We hope that this time allows for some much needed rest for students, staff, parents and guardians, and allows families opportunities to celebrate together.

While the holidays can be joyous, they can also be difficult for some.  We wanted to provide families with some resources you may find useful over the holiday season. Our mission is that all students remain safe, and this includes their mental and physical well-being.

Mental health is a state of well-being; it is relevant to all of us.  According to the Mental Health Commission of Canada, in any given year, one in five people in Canada experiences a mental health crisis or illness.  It is important to us that we remind everyone to use resources that are accessible to all.  These include:

• the Be Safe App, a free mobile app that aims to help young adults make healthy decisions during a crisis; it can be downloaded onto cell phones from https://besafeapp.ca/
• Kids Help Phone, also available 24/7, at 1-800-668-6868 or text “CONNECT” to 686868
• Four County Crisis line, available 24/7 for Northumberland and Peterborough County residents at 1-866-995-9933
• Durham Mobile Crisis Services, available 24/7 for anyone experiencing a crisis, at 905-666-0483 or 1-800-742-1890
• Connex Ontario Mental Health Helpline, provides information about mental health services in Ontario 24/7, at 1-866-531-2600 or www.connexontario.ca
• Ontario 211, a free helpline that connects people to community and social services in your area, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, by calling 2-1-1.

Your family also has access to your closest hospital, as well as to regional supports serving specific areas of KPR.

Let's keep our mental health and the mental health of those we love and care about in the forefront.  We encourage you to use community support services if you ever find yourself or someone near and dear to you struggling and in need of assistance.

Once again, we wish everyone season’s greetings, a Merry Christmas, and safe holidays.

Starting high school in September? We invite current Grade 8 students, parents and guardians to join us at Grade 8 information nights to learn about the variety of programs available to help learners meet with success.

Several schools have already held their open houses; parents can contact those schools directly for program and registration information. Contact information is available in the Find A School section of www.kprschools.ca

The following open houses are coming up:

              Bowmanville High School, Bowmanville – January 16, 6 p.m.
              Kenner Collegiate Vocational Institute, Peterborough – January 16, 7 p.m.
             Clarington Central Secondary School, Bowmanville – January 17, 6 p.m. 
             Courtice Secondary School, Courtice – January 17, 6:30 pm.
              Port Hope High School, Port Hope – January 17, 6:30 p.m.

Grief Resources

Is your child experiencing loss and grief?  Here are some resources recommended by our School Board Counsellors:

http://www.kprschools.ca/en/students/well-being/mentalhealth/grief.html

Do you have concerns about your child’s social, emotional or mental health that may be hindering their ability to thrive at school?

KPR schools have skilled clinicians who can support your child and you in finding answers. School Board Counsellors have professional degrees and specialize in work with children, youth and families. Please contact your School Principal for more information.

http://www.kprschools.ca/en/students/well-being/mentalhealth/schoolboardcounsellorservices.html

Mental health is an important part of our overall well-being.  Students experiencing mental health issues may have problems with mood, focus, behaviour and their ability to relate to peers, maintain friendships, do well in school and participate in activities.

But where can parents and guardians go for help if they are concerned about their child's or teen's mental health?  For more information, and suggestions for helpful resources, visit: 

http://www.kprschools.ca/en/students/well-being/mentalhealth.html

Mathify (formerly known as Homework Help) is a free math resource that connects students in grades 7 – 10 with Ontario certified math teachers.  This interactive, online support is available after school from 5:30 pm–9:30 pm, Sunday to Thursday.  Tutoring is live and provides 1:1 support using digital tools such as a shared white board, audio chat, text chat, and offers an image upload.

Registering students for this additional support is easy and we encourage all Grade 7-10 mathematics teachers to register students for Mathify.

Setting up a student account

Using their school board email and Ontario Education Number, students can create an account in TVO Mathify. 

The following is a short tutorial on how to register students and an overview of Mathify:  http://bit.ly/KPRMathify

Live online tutoring 

What students can expect:

• Ontario-certified math tutors available 5:30 pm–9:30 pm ET, Sunday to Thursday
• Voice and text chat options
• Anonymous & secure online learning space
• Compatible on all devices

The Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board invites everyone in the community to join us at three evening events being held in honour of Black History Month.

All interested community members are invited to attend the public events. Registration is not required for any of the following special presentations:

An Evening with Nadine Williams
Friday, February 22
6:30 p.m.
Dr. G.J. MacGillivray Public School
75 Meadowglade Rd., Courtice
Award-winning Poet, Author & Speaker

Africville Remembered
Wednesday, February 20
7 p.m.
Kenner Collegiate Vocational Institute
633 Monaghan Rd.S., Peterborough
Screening and Discussion of the National Film Board Documentary Remember Africville
Co-presented with Community Race Relations Committee of Peterborough

 An Evening with Karl Subban
Tuesday, February 26
6:30 p.m.
East Northumberland Secondary School
71 Dundas St., Brighton
Author, Speaker, Retired Principal, Father of 3 NHL Players

Many individual schools also are planning activities for students, from Black History Month announcements and displays on famous African Canadians, to special events.

IMPORTANT NOTICE for Students and Families Assigned to Campeau Bus Lines Routes

This note provides an important update on contract negotiations between Campeau Bus Lines Ltd. and Unifor, the union representing the company’s school bus drivers.

As part of the negotiations process, Unifor has advised the company that they may be holding a strike vote meeting on Thursday, February 7. Unifor also stated that, in the event of job action, the union is committed to giving parents and the public 72 hours’ notice. Therefore, if a strike vote is taken and if the drivers vote to strike, the earliest possible service disruption would be Monday, February 11.

Student Transportation Services of Central Ontario (STSCO), therefore, encourages families of students who ride Campeau buses to:

• check the stsco.ca website often, and stay tuned to local news media, for any possible updates
• consider having alternative plans for getting their children to school in case of a possible strike

• follow @stsco_ca on Twitter for latest news.

We will provide further updates as information becomes available.

**Please note: this message applies only to schools and families served by Campeau buses.

Friday, February 8, 2019

IMPORTANT UPDATE for Students and Families Assigned to Campeau Bus Lines Routes

This note provides an important update on contract negotiations between Campeau Bus Lines Ltd. and Unifor, the union representing the company’s school bus drivers.

We have learned that negotiations are continuing and that the union did not hold a strike vote Thursday evening. Given Unifor’s assurance that it will give families 72 hours’ notice if a strike is imminent, this means that Campeau busing will continue as usual this Monday, February 11.

We will follow the situation closely, and we remain hopeful for a positive outcome.  We urge families who rely on Campeau yellow bus service to check our website at stsco.ca, to follow us on Twitter @stsco_ca  and to stay tuned to local news media, for any possible developments. We will provide further updates as soon as we are aware of any changes.

**Please note: this message applies only to schools and families served by Campeau buses. Parents and guardians can check on the Parent Portal at stsco.ca to confirm if their child rides a Campeau bus.

Wednesday, February 13, 2019

IMPORTANT UPDATE: Strike notice issued by Campeau Bus Lines drivers

This note provides an important update on contract negotiations between Campeau Bus Lines Ltd. and Unifor, the union representing the company’s school bus drivers.

Strike notice has now been given by the union. If a strike proceeds, Tuesday, February 19 is the earliest that service would be affected.

 Fortunately, talks are scheduled to continue this week, and we remain hopeful that an agreement can be reached before Tuesday. If an agreement is reached by early Tuesday morning, busing will continue as usual. If an agreement is not reached by early Tuesday morning, all Campeau Bus Lines routes will be cancelled for the duration of the strike, starting Tuesday, February 19.

Student Transportation Services of Central Ontario (STSCO), therefore, encourages families of students who ride Campeau buses to: 

• consider having alternative plans for getting their children to school in case of a possible strike
• check the stsco.ca website often, and stay tuned to local news media, for any possible updates
• follow @stsco_ca on Twitter for latest news.

We will be following the situation closely, and we remain hopeful for a positive outcome. We will provide further updates as soon as we are aware of any developments.

**Please note: this message applies only to schools and families served by Campeau buses. Parents and guardians can check on the Parent Portal at stsco.ca to confirm if their child rides a Campeau bus.

Friday, February 15, 2019 

IMPORTANT UPDATE: Campeau drivers voting on tentative deal this weekend

This note provides an important update on contract negotiations between Campeau Bus Lines Ltd. and Unifor, the union representing the company’s school bus drivers.

Unifor has announced that its bargaining committee reached a tentative agreement with Campeau, and its members will vote on the matter this Saturday, February 16. The union says that, if the deal is accepted by its members on Saturday, a strike will be averted.

We remain hopeful that the deal will be accepted and that busing will continue as usual on Tuesday, February 19. We cannot guarantee that will be the case, however, until after Unifor announces the results of its membership vote on the weekend.

If the drivers vote to accept the tentative agreement – a move which their bargaining committee is recommending unanimously – busing will continue as usual on Tuesday. If the tentative agreement is not supported by the drivers, Campeau buses likely will not run.

We will continue to follow the situation closely, and we remain hopeful for a positive outcome. We continue to urge families who rely on Campeau yellow bus service to check our website at stsco.ca, to follow us on Twitter @stsco_ca and to stay tuned to local news media, throughout the weekend for the latest developments.

**Please note: this message applies only to schools and families served by Campeau buses. Parents and guardians can check on the Parent Portal at stsco.ca to confirm if their child rides a Campeau bus.

The Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board invites all students, staff and community members to join us for an evening of Métis fiddling, this Thursday, February 21 at 7 p.m. at Bowmanville High School, 49 Liberty St.N., Bowmanville. The performance is free.  It was originally scheduled during Indigenous Peoples Awareness Month, but had been delayed due to inclement weather.

It's great to see all the school buses running today, with ratification of the agreement between Campeau Bus Lines and Unifor, and a beautiful, sunny start to the week!

There's a new date for Africville Remembered, one of three free Black History Month  events organized for the community by KPR.

Africville Remembered has been rescheduled to:

    Thursday, March 21
    7 p.m.
    Kenner CVI
    633 Monaghan Rd.S., Peterborough

The evening will include screening of the documentary Remember Africville, followed by a panel discussion including Community Race Relations Committee of Peterborough representatives.

All KPR staff, students and community members are welcome to attend on March 21, International Day for Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

Evening Kindergarten Information Sessions for parents and guardians, cancelled earlier this month due to inclement weather, have been rescheduled as follows. Both events run from 5:30-7 p.m.

              Roger Neilson Public School, Peterborough – Thursday, February 21

              Duke of Cambridge Public School, Bowmanville – Wednesday, March 20       

Families that had registered for the sessions were contacted earlier with the new dates. 

Further information and online registration is available at http://www.kprschools.ca/en/our_schools/resources/elementaryprograms/kindergarten/registrations.html

It’s census time! KPR’s Every Student Matters Census is under way for all grades, to help us better understand, and meet the needs of, our students. Here are some details for families, based on the grades their children and teens attend.

JK-6 Families
Families with Kindergarten - Grade 6 students received personalized Every Student Matters Census postcards in report cards last week.

We hope you can take a few minutes to complete this voluntary Census for each of your children in K-6 at www.kprschools.ca/census .

If you would like assistance completing the Census, please join us at Census Completion Evenings organized for 6-8 p.m. on the following dates:

• East Northumberland Secondary School on Tuesday, February 26
• Peterborough Collegiate & Vocational School on Thursday, February 28  
• Courtice Secondary School on Monday, March 4^th

Grades 7-12 Families
Grade 7-12 students will be asked to complete the Every Student Matters Census over the next two weeks in class. Information about this voluntary Census was sent home in recent report cards.

To see a copy of the Census, please visit www.kprschools.ca/census

You may wish to discuss the Census with your child or teen, to ensure they understand the questions. For example, one of the questions asks each parent’s occupation. Students often know where their parents work, but may not know what they do. Students also have the option to skip any questions that they do not wish to answer.

We Need Your Voice!
The Every Student Matters Census will help us to better understand the backgrounds, experiences and needs of our students and school communities. The data collected from both students and parents will provide the school system, parents, and the community, with valuable information to improve our programs and services for the benefit of all students. Information on individual students and families will remain confidential.

 For more information, please contact census@kprdsb.ca

Thank you for your assistance with this important project for our students.

The Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board is pleased to offer the two-day Mental Health First Aid Course to parents and guardians of KPR students ages 12-18. The free, two-day course will be offered in Port Hope on Thursday, March 21 and Friday, March 22, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Mental Health First Aid for Adults who Interact with Youth focuses on mental health problems and first aid for young persons. Participating parents and guardians will learn to:

• Recognize the symptoms of mental health problems or crises as they develop in youth, including anxiety, mood disorders, substance abuse, psychotic disorders, eating disorders and non-suicidal self-injury.
• Provide initial help when facing a mental health problem or crisis.
• Guide youth and adults who support them toward appropriate professional help.
• Learn how to accommodate young people who are in distress or are recovering from a crisis.

Space is limited to 24 participants, as determined by the Mental Health Commission of Canada. Please register by March 15 at  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mental-health-first-aid-workshop-for-kawartha-pine-ridge-dsb-parents-tickets-57733124329

Please see the attached flyer for more information, and register early to avoid disappointment.  If there is enough interest, KPR will offer the course again in the future.

KPR has trained close to 800 staff members in Mental Health First Aid as part of our wide-ranging focus on student well-being, and, now, it’s parents’ turn. The two-day Mental Health First Aid workshop for parents and guardians of KPR students ages 12-18 will be held March 21-22 at Port Hope HS. All available spaces for the program have been filled. There is a waiting list, however, in case of cancellations, and KPR may offer the program again if there is sufficient interest in our community. To be placed on the waiting list and register your interest in attending a future session, please visit bit.ly/2EQWbsu

All are welcome to attend Africville Remembered, a free documentary screening and discussion with the Community Race Relations Committee of Peterborough, Thursday, March 21 at 7 p.m. at Kenner Collegiate Vocational Institute, 633 Monaghan Rd.S., Peterborough.

The event, originally organized during Black History Month in February, was rescheduled due to inclement weather. It is being cohosted by the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board and the Community Race Relations Committee of Peterborough, with the date of March 21 chosen as it is the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

Pre-registration is not required for this free, drop-in community event.

The Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board invites two parent members from each school council to attend the annual dialogue session with Trustees and senior administration.

This evening is an opportunity to extend our appreciation and thanks to school council members for their dedicated support of students and schools throughout the year.

This year’s dialogue will include facilitated conversations, as part of the Board’s strategic planning consultation process.

Dinner and refreshments will be provided.

Date: Thursday, May 2, 2019

Time: 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Location: Dalewood Golf Club

7465 Dale Road • Cobourg, Ontario • K9A 4J7

Agenda

6:00 p.m. Dinner

6:15 p.m. Welcome, Thank You, Introductions

6:20 p.m. Strategic Planning Discussions

Please RSVP to:

Tina Huffman at: Tina_Huffman@kprdsb.ca 1-877-741-4577, ext. 2018 by Tuesday, April 30, 2019

Today’s students are growing up with something positive their parents rarely experienced: more open, honest discussions on mental health.

As part of this positive trend, and in honour of Mental Health Week May 6-12, the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board has introduced new mental health and wellness resources for students, including an updated web page, videos and BE WELL guidebook.

BE WELL was produced and curated by and for secondary students, with support from KPR professional staff.  Student Trustees Aidan Hussey and Lindsey Keene, and Mental Health Lead Dr. Deanna Swift, introduced the new guidebook at a Be Well Conference, which brought together student leaders from every high school in the Board.   

This student-produced, student-curated handbook is being placed in all KPR secondary school guidance offices. It also has been posted on a redesigned student well-being web page at http://www.kprschools.ca/en/students/well-being/mentalhealth/MentalHealthStudentResources.html , where it is available 24/7 to everyone wishing to access it.

Also in honour of Mental Health Week, KPR invited staff members to participate in a free, three-hour SafeTALK workshop to build skills in suicide intervention. In addition to being invited to the workshops, all staff members received information on suicide prevention, including an electronic copy of the Board’s Suicide Prevention and Intervention Protocol.

Meanwhile, individual schools and communities across KPR are planning a variety of mental health initiatives, continuing efforts that are part of the year-round focus on student well-being.

Wondering what your school does to support mental health? Ask your principal.

We need your input on student achievement and success!

In the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board, we believe in the power of public education to improve the lives of students, and to make our communities stronger.

Every four years, we consult with students, parents, staff and community partners about educational priorities to help us develop our strategic plan.

To gather your feedback, we are asking for your thoughts on one open-ended question. It is quick and easy to participate!

After you respond to the question, you can read and assign a star rating to the ideas shared by others. You will also be able to learn what is important to others by seeing the highest rated thoughts.

The Question: What are the most important things for KPR to consider as we prepare our students for their future success?

Please click here to participate.

Your input is valuable to us! Thank You!

Students: your mental health matters. As we head into summer, it's the perfect time to remind everyone that you are important, you matter, and there is help available for you if you are struggling with your mental health.

This spring, KPR's student leaders worked with staff to curate and produce a wonderful resource to support their peers.  BE WELL - Your Mental Health Matters: A Student's Guide to Resources and Help is available 24/7 to offer resources, advice for students from students, and a list of the places where students can find immediate help and support in a  crisis.

The student mental health web page, through which the BE WELL guide can be accessed, also offers access to well-being apps and other helpful tools.

Please remember, help is always available.