***NEW*** In anticipation of the 2025-2026 school year, referrals for children born in 2021 will be accepted at First Words if the child has a referral date (completed package received at Intake) before April 1st, 2025. Referrals after this date will not be accepted.

Children born in 2021 and referred in early 2025 will receive a speech and language assessment and possibly a short intervention block at First Words in the summer of 2025.

PLEASE READ THIS COMMUNICATION FOR ALL THE DETAILS ABOUT THE FIRST WORDS PROGRAM

November 6, 2024

Dear Parents/Guardians:

Now that the school year is well underway, we want to remind you of the importance of safe driving practices around the school, especially during drop-off and pick-up times. Please be mindful of students crossing the road at the crosswalks and adhere to all traffic signs and speed limits. With the winter months approaching, this is incredibly important.  

In particular, we ask that you do not let your children out of the car on the sidewalk driving into the Minto parking lot where other cars are waiting to enter the parking lot. This creates a hazardous situation for your child and other students. Recognizing the crosswalk is right at the gate to enter and exit the schoolyard, please be extra vigilant in that area.  Student safety is of utmost importance.

Your cooperation in following these guidelines ensures the safety of all our students. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

Jody Prevost

Principal

Thank you for attending 'The Power of Relationship and Play with Hannah Beach'.  We hope you gained some knowledge, insight and valuable tips and resources.

As discussed, below you will find the link to the recording.

It will be available for viewing until January 5th, 2025.

https://fb.watch/wpU8Fmqae1/

We’d also like to share the link to Hannah’s monthly blog below,

a great resource with changing themes each month.

https://hannahbeach.ca/get-inspired/blog/ 

http://OttawaCSPA.eventbrite.com 

STEMquest (www.stemquest.ca)is a local, family-owned business based in Orleans, Ottawa. We offer hands-on, interactive STEM education experiences for children, focusing on fostering curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking skills. Our programs include after-school activities, birthday parties, school outings, and community robotics workshops. Through our robotics sessions, children get first-hand experience in controlling and programming robots, giving them a deeper understanding of technology in a fun and engaging way. 

STEMQUEST BROCHURE

Letter from Vera Etches, Medical Officer of Health September 2024

Here are some important reminders about respiratory illness season, fall vaccines, and routine vaccines. Also available in French.

Letter from Celia El-Sayegh, RN, BSCN School Board Liaison Nurse, Immunization and School Partnerships Branch, Ottawa Public Health November 18, 2024

As we head into the colder months, we want to support our schools and community in staying healthy and reducing the spread of respiratory illnesses. To assist with this, we’re sharing a key messages document, “Reducing the Spread of Respiratory Illness”.

Dental Screening

Has your child missed the school dental screening?  Community Dental Screenings are held over the summer at Neighbourhood Health and Wellness Hubs.  The calendar poster is attached is attached to this link. 

Dental screenings and fluoride varnish applications are free for all ages.  Registered dental hygienists can also support clients with the Healthy Smiles Ontario and Ontario Seniors Dental Care Plan enrollments. 

For the full list of programs/services, schedule and locations of Neighbourhood Health and Wellness Hubs, please visit: www.OttawaPublicHealth.ca/NeighbourhoodHub

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Barrhaven STEM Learning Centre:  is an after-school supplemental education service that parents trust and students love in Barrhaven. We offer after-school classes in Math, English, French and sciences for kindergarten to Grade 12 students. We successfully helped a number of students gain admittance into an IB program in the last few years and they let us know that our courses provided excellent training.

BARRHAVEN STEM FLYER

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Community Services for Families in Need

Hello,

And just like that, it's almost Christmas.  The excitement is in the air and we make our final preparations.  Enjoy this time because it is all so fleeting.  We need to focus on the real meaning of Christmas, when Christ, our Lord came to earth as an infant in a lowly stable, to save us.

Enjoy the time with your family - some will not be as fortunate.If you know of someone who is alone, see if you can add an extra plate to share your Christmas dinner with them.  It doesn't take much effort but it means so much to the ones you invite.

Four items to flag;

1 - Please come join us to set up the gym for our Christmas celebrations - we need to put the altar on the stage, put up a tree and the manger and many other extra things to help us transform our space for Christmas.  We will gather at 3:30 pm.

2 - Consider bringing a poinsettia with you tomorrow

3 -  The parish office will be closed between December 23rd to January 3rd inclusively.

5 - We will need extra help to take down the gym on Sunday, January 5th after the 10am Mass.

Please click on the link for the bulletin; https://saintandrewparish.ca/wp-content/uploads/pdf/bulletin.pdf

Have a wonderful and blessed Christmas.

Janice

Father Pierre wanted to share with you our Christmas Mass schedule for both St. Monica and St. Andrew Parishes. We'd like to encourage families and staff to join us during the Christmas holidays and remind our parish families who we are and our connection to our community.  When my kids were in elementary school, we had a Principal that always said that it takes a village to raise a child. I'd like to take it one step further... I believe it also takes a village to raise a Church and the community that supports it. Let's encourage our school families to create and raise our Church community.

God Bless you all and Merry Christmas

Milva

Milva Calla

School Age Sacraments Coordinator

St. Andrew and St. Monica Parishes

2080 Merivale Road

Nepean, Ontario

K2C 3H1

SACRAMENTAL PREPARATION for Fall 2025 Registration Form

Communion for School Age Children - information about dates for Sacraments

CONFIRMATION 

Scan the QR codes in the link below to access resources to support children’s mental health

SMH-ON Resources