Dear
Students, Parents/Guardians:
We welcome our families back to another school year and extend a warm
welcome to students and parents who are new to St. John The Evangelist Catholic
Elementary School. We look forward to many exciting learning activities and
events and we ask God’s blessing for a successful year.
Our staff are committed to
providing the best possible education for your child during the months ahead,
whether that be in class, or in a virtual learning environment.
We know
that the unique challenges presented by COVID-19 have been difficult for
everyone, and most particularly our students. Please be assured that the health
and well-being of our students and staff are vitally important to us. We are
continuing to follow the direction of public health officials, the Ministry of
Education and our own Health and Safety Department, as well as the Board's
Mental Health and Psychology teams.
We will continue the great work at St. John The Evangelist, focusing on
student achievement and well-being, creating a safe and caring Catholic
learning environment that is equitable and inclusive, and building good
relationships with our parent community and parish. One of the initiatives we
will be working on this year is the continuation of the pastoral plan, Rooted
in Christ: We Belong, We Believe, We Become; focusing on becoming. Further, each month we will continue to focus
on a virtue to help students develop attitudes, qualities, and values founded
on our Catholic faith and traditions and mature into caring and responsible
citizens who promote social responsibility, human solidarity, and the common
good.
In a school community formed by Catholic beliefs and traditions, our
mission is to educate students to their full potential. We believe that the
education of our students is a partnership between parents, school staff and
the parish. The major purpose of a school is to help each student develop
her/his potential as an individual and as a contributing member of a society
who will think clearly, feel deeply, and act wisely. Together we will work to
provide an excellent Catholic education for all our students.
The safety of all our children is our priority at St. John The
Evangelist and the development of students’ literacy and numeracy skills is the
goal and focus of our programs. We believe that we are part of a learning
community that must provide a secure environment and foster character
attributes such as courage, excellence, and compassion while improving student
achievement.
The Ontario Curriculum has been developed by the Ministry of Education
to provide a challenging curriculum for each grade. In order for our students
to do well and meet the expectations outlined in the curriculum, our dedicated
staff identify our school's strengths and areas of need. We examine school data
(Running Records, Ontario Comprehensive Assessments, Report Cards, etc.) and
other assessment data (EQAO, CAT 4) to inform our instructional practices. The
school uses the School Effectiveness Framework to guide and support school
improvement and student success.
We also feel strongly that students need to develop organizational skills, time
management strategies, study skills, and independent problem-solving skills as
quickly as possible in their educational careers. Our explicit teaching through
the Student Agenda will assist them in acquiring these essential life skills.
Parents are invited to regularly review this planner with their child(ren) as
one method of keeping fully informed about her/his academic progress. Your
comments and suggestions are, of course, most welcome. We look forward to
working with you and your children this year.
At St. John The Evangelist Catholic School our Catholic School Parent Council
(CSPC) works closely with staff to supplement and enhance our students’
academic, athletic and spiritual school experiences.
We also work closely with our school parish priest, Father Maderak, and this
year will be celebrating mass virtually.
Finally, St. John The Evangelist is committed to promoting a healthy active
living and learning community focused on building awareness around the
importance of a healthy approach to life. One of the ways we provide this, is
by continuing to offer a morning snack to each student with the help of The
Angel Foundation for Learning and through the support of sponsors and
volunteers. As well, classes participate in Daily Physical Activities Physical
Education classes. Being active, eating well, and accepting themselves are keys
to a child’s health and well-being. Parents and caregivers can play an active
role in helping children develop healthy attitudes and habits that will last
them a lifetime.
We want to ensure that the
school year is as normal as we can make it for your children, and that all
students are given the opportunity to learn and succeed in whatever learning
environment you have chosen for your family.
Please
feel free to contact the school at any time with your concerns, as well as your
suggestions for improvement. As it has been so often said, "we are in this
together", and we are confident that with your continued support the
2020-2021 school year will be a successful and enjoyable one for all of us.
We look
forward to a great year of learning ahead.
May God bless us all as we journey together through this coming school year.
Antonietta Grossi
Principal
.