It’s that time of year again! The wonderful summer days of August are coming to an end, and an exciting new school year is just around the corner. I hope you’ve had an amazing summer filled with joy and unforgettable memories.
I am Aneta Prettie, the new principal of SCCS. I am thrilled for this opportunity to lead this amazing community. This is the start of my 20th year serving this wonderful school, and I am very excited to continue in this new capacity. I’m eager to see all our returning SCCS families and to warmly welcome all new families into our school community.
Let’s make this school year a fantastic one, filled with learning, growth, and wonderful experiences together!
FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
Students in Grades 1-8 will begin the school year on Wednesday, September 4th, with a full day of classes. The morning bell will ring at 8:35 AM, and students will be dismissed at 3:25 PM. Kindergarten students and their parents have scheduled meetings with their teacher on the same day, with meeting times already communicated to Kinder parents.
Students are encouraged to bring their school supplies on the first day. Musical instruments can be left at home for now. Parents are welcome to accompany their child into the school on September 4th to help with school supply drop-off. Starting September 5th, we ask parents to drop off and pick up their children outside at their designated doors. Parents entering the school are required to use the main front doors and always check in at the office. Kindergarten parents may drop off their child inside at their classroom door until September 13th, after which they will follow the same protocol as Grades 1-8 parents.
ASSIGNED ENTRANCE AND EXIT DOORS
Each student will be assigned a specific entrance and exit door at school. Please ensure that your child knows which door to use before the first day.
In the morning, between 8:15 AM and 8:35 AM, students can be dropped off at their assigned door for outdoor recess, where a staff member will supervise them until the bell rings at 8:35 AM. If your child arrives after 8:35 AM, please have them use the main front doors to enter the school, as all doors will be locked. At 3:25 PM, students will be dismissed through their assigned doors. Kindergarten students will be dismissed earlier, at 3:15 PM, through the main front doors. Any students not picked up at 3:40 PM will be sent to BASC.
Main Front Blue Doors: All Kindergarten students.
Doors at the Back of the School near the Play Structure: Grade 1 and 2 students.
Side Doors near Basketball Courts and Garbage Bins: Grade 5 and 6 students.
Side Doors near Transit Bus Shelter: Grade 3 and 4 students.
Front Doors near Greenhouse: Grade 7 and 8 students
SCHOOL OFFICE
Our school office is open Monday to Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. On Early Dismissal Days, which occur on the first Thursday of every month, the office closes at 2:30 PM.
Phone messages are checked every morning and throughout the day. For general attendance or inquiries, please contact our receptionist, Teresa Jaremowich, at tjaremowich@stccs.ca For specific inquiries, please reach out to the relevant staff members directly via email.
Please note that all entrance and exit doors to the school building are locked during school hours. Parents visiting the school should buzz in at the main front doors and check in at the office. For parents picking up their child from BASC between 4:00 PM and 6:00 PM, FOB access to the building is available. Forms to obtain a FOB can be picked up at the school office.
VOLUNTEERS
At the beginning of the school year, Child Abuse Registry Check forms will be sent home for parents to complete. Please ensure these forms are returned to the office once filled out. There is no cost to parents. Without a cleared Child Abuse Registry Check on file, parents will not be able to volunteer in any capacity for the 2024-2025 school year. This protocol is mandated by the Archdiocese of Winnipeg and must be followed by all Catholic schools. There will be many opportunities to volunteer throughout the year so submitting your forms now will ensure you are cleared to volunteer in the classroom and on field trips.
UNIFORMS PICK-UP DAY
Uniform pick-up day is August 29th from 10am – 4pm.
For any families that made a uniform exchange request prior to August 15th, the exchanges will be available for pick up at the school on August 29th between 10am and 4pm. Any new uniform orders received over summer (prior to August 15th) will also be delivered on that day. You will receive a shipping notice in your inbox if your order has shipped.
If you don’t receive a shipping notice, the order will ship on the next delivery to the school which is September 16th. Any questions may be directed to our uniform supplier at: uniforms@promosave.com
WEBSITE ACCESS
Please visit our website at http://www.stccs.ca to access important information. All parents have access to the Parent Zone, where you can find ALL forms and the updated school calendar for 2024-2025, and much more. Your login and password from last year should still work. All new families were sent out an email with notification to register. If you don’t have access or need assistance, please reach out to Linda Senderewich at lsenderewich@stccs.ca
POWERSCHOOL ACCESS
PowerSchool is our student information system, and parents can register to have access to the Parent Portal to stay informed about your child’s classes, assignments, and grades. We encourage parents to check the Parent Portal regularly to stay up to date. If you don’t have access yet, the Parent Portal Waiver is available on the school website. To access these forms, please log into your Parent Zone account.
STUDENT FEES
Student fees will be managed through Permission Click. Links to Permission Click can be found on our school website and will also be sent out via email throughout the school year. Lunch orders, payments for field trips, and many other things will also be handled through Permission Click.
Private Music Lesson Program (PML)
Registration is due September 16th, 2024! Registration packages and additional information are available on our website under the Parent Zone. This year, we’re offering lessons in flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, voice, piano, guitar, and violin. For more details, please contact our PML coordinator, Melissa Gingrich, at mgingrich@stccs.ca
PARKING AT SCCS
Our top priority is the safety of our students, and we’ve made significant efforts over the past year to ensure the safety of everyone in our community. Please follow the link to view more information on parking and drop off. https://www.stccs.ca/sccs-parent-information-zone/
Thank you for helping us keep our school community safe!
BASC (Before and After School Care)
The BASC calendar forms can be found on our school website under the BASC tab in the ParentZone. All schedules and payments are due at the start of the month or before your child attends the program. You can leave completed forms in the white school mailbox outside the front doors or hand them directly to Kim Furutani during drop-off or pick-up. Please ensure forms are submitted promptly. Teachers will be informed daily of which students are attending BASC after school.
BASC operates from 7:00 AM to 8:15 AM each morning, with charges applied accordingly. At 8:15 AM, students in Grades 1-8 will be dismissed outside for school recess. Kindergarten students will remain inside and be taken to their classrooms.
For morning drop-off at BASC, please text 204-880-8245, and Kim Furutani will meet your child at the front door to welcome them into the school. When picking up your child from BASC before 4:00 PM, please text the same number, letting Kim Furutani know who you’re picking up, so your child can be brought to the front doors by a BASC staff member. If you’re picking up after 4:00 PM, you’ll need a fob to enter through the front doors and pick up your child from BASC.
Any students not picked up by 3:40 PM after school will be sent to BASC, and parents will be charged BASC fees from that time until they are picked up. For Early Dismissal Days, students will be dismissed at 2:30 PM and students not picked up at 2:30 PM will be sent to BASC.
BUILDING & GROUNDS UPDATE
We have some exciting news to share about the improvements made to our school building and grounds. Over the summer, we installed a brand-new artificial turf field! This much-needed upgrade will provide our students with a safe and durable space to play during recess and allow our Physical Education classes to move outside when the weather permits.
Additionally, the new boiler system work that began in the spring is nearly complete. The four high efficiency condensing boilers are installed, and contractors are finalizing the work to ensure the school is ready for the cold weather this fall. Finally, several other smaller projects were completed this summer under the supervision of our Maintenance Manager, Nolly Sanchez. These include painting the gym walls and school hallways, shampooing carpets, waxing classroom floors, installing new student cubbies in the Grade 1-2 hallway, and much more.
WELCOME BACK BBQ
The staff and Board are eagerly anticipating the start of the new school year and are thrilled to invite you to our “Welcome Back to School BBQ” hosted by the Board of Directors on Friday, September 6th, from 3:30 PM to 6:00 PM. This event is a wonderful way for families to kick off the new school year and connect with one another. Fundraising chocolates and raffle books will also be available for pick-up at the BBQ. As with all our school community events, volunteers are always appreciated. Please click on the Sign-up Genius link below to see how you can help:
Our program which is offered to students in Grade 6-8 is almost full. If you are interested in this program, and require more information, please contact me directly.Please sign up using the Permission Click link:SCCS Parent Information Zone – St. Charles Catholic School (stccs.ca)
Thank you for taking the time to read my Update and Important Information Newsletter. Clear communication is key to our community’s success, and I appreciate your attention to these updates as we start the school year strong. The entire staff is actively preparing, and we are so excited for the first day of school and to see all of you again. I’ll be in touch regularly throughout the year with important updates and information. Each Friday, I will send out a Principal’s Weekly Update! Finally, my door is always open, and I encourage you to reach out with any questions or concerns. Enjoy the final days of summer, and I look forward to seeing everyone very soon. We’re going to have a fantastic school year ahead!
Aneta Prettie PRINCIPAL St. Charles Catholic School Phone: 204-837-1520 ext. 222
