School Hours:

Gr. 1-8 School Bell Times/Schedule

Attendance

Students need to attend school regularly.  If students are absent or will be late, parents are expected to use the school messenger toll-free phone number (1-844-305-3756) or go online www.tvdsb.ca/schoolmessenger to explain the absence.  Parents should report with school messenger before 9:00 a.m. if a student will be absent or late. Unexplained absences will be investigated as a part of our Safe arrival procedures. For more information on how to use/access the school messenger/safe arrival attendance system, please either contact the school or visit our website (http://www.tvdsb.ca/Masonville.cfm). It is imperative that parents inform the school when there are changes to their contact information. Because we are concerned with everyone’s safety as well as their attendance, students are expected to be at school. A doctor’s note may be requested for extended absences.

School Cash Online

This is our online payment system.  You and your parents can now pay online! 

www.tvdsb.ca/OnlinePayments

Benefits

• Convenient – Anytime, anywhere, online access. Now accepting debit and credit cards.
• Safe – Improves student and school safety by reducing cash on property and in transit.
• Secure – Payments are made directly by you, with a trusted website.

Also:

-          Instant receipts

-          Payment history always accessible

-          Improves the speed by which all payments can be received and reconciled.

Visiting the school

All individuals not presently staff or students of the school are to enter through the front entrance and are required to report to the office on their arrival to the school.  Please inform us of the nature of your visit and approximate length of time you expect to be in the school. 

Drop-Off and Pick-Up Procedures

Safe arrival and dismissal is important and will be enhanced by adhering to the following expectations:

1. Please keep our bus zone free of vehicles from 8:30 – 9:00 a.m. and 3:10 – 3:40 p.m.

2. A friendly reminder to parents to visit the office first if you are picking up your child early. We will call the classroom to have your child meet you in the office. You will then be asked to “sign out” your child as this information is important for us in order to know our students’ whereabouts.  Early pick-ups on a regular basis are strongly discouraged as we strive to protect instructional time and minimize distractions to the classroom.

Transportation

Southwestern Ontario Student Transportation Services (“STS”), is responsible for the coordination and delivery of school bus transportation across the Thames Valley District School Board.  STS works cooperatively with school boards, parents, schools and bus companies to deliver safe, effective and efficient student transportation.  Information about STS and individual students’ transportation arrangements can be found at www.mybigyellowbus.ca. In order to ensure a safe ride for all of our students, specific procedures are in place, e.g. remain seated and keep hands inside the bus, talk quietly, enter and exit bus in an orderly fashion, do not eat on the bus. It is a privilege, not a student’s right to ride on a school bus and in certain situations suspension of bus riding privileges may be necessary. Riding the bus safely is an expectation for all of our students; parents will be notified if discipline is necessary. Transporting large objects, i.e. large musical instruments, school projects or sports equipment is not permitted. Students are NOT permitted to ride on a bus other than the one to which they are assigned.

Inclement Weather/Bus Cancellation

In the event that buses will not be operating in the morning due to hazardous driving conditions, parents will be notified by local radio and television stations.  Most up to date information however, is available through www.mybigyellowbus.ca and the TVDSB websites.  In the event that buses are cancelled and your child will not be attending school that day, please notify the school of your child’s absence.  Parents who transport their children to school when buses are not operating are responsible for picking them up at the end of the day.

Masonville’s Home and School Association and School Council

We work closely with our parent groups and invite your participation. Our Home and School has been active in organizing special activity events, hot lunch, fundraising and more.  School Council acts as an advisory group for the principal on a number of items e.g. safety, code of conduct, and communication with our community.  Scheduled meetings will be posted on the Masonville school website.  Home and School also has their own separate Facebook group, which can be found at www.facebook.com/groups/Masonville Home and School Association.

Volunteers

We welcome volunteers at Masonville Public School. From helping out in the classroom to field trips, volunteers play a vital role in our school community. Volunteers require a Vulnerable Sector Screening Check for student safety. Interested volunteers are required to present a letter from the Principal to the police department along with their application or may complete an application online via London Police Services.  This letter is available in the school office. Please have your check done early in the year if you plan on taking part in voluntary school events. After having completed this check, an annual declaration is required.

Allergies / Peanut and Tree Nut Safe School

Please ensure that the school is aware of any allergies your child has. We do have students with food allergies, including severe peanut and tree nut allergies. Therefore families are asked to avoid sending snacks with nuts including peanut butter, peanut products, or peanut butter substitutes.  Please review all labels carefully. We strive to be peanut and tree nut safe.

Medical Conditions

An Individual Plan of Care (IPOC) found in the parent portal is needed for any student who has a prevalent medical condition (e.g., asthma, diabetes, epilepsy) or is at risk of anaphylaxis due to an allergy that may require immediate attention. This required documentation needs to be updated each calendar school year. Students should wear a Medical alert bracelet/necklace for such conditions as needed.

Medication

Parents may request that medication be administered to their child during school hours.  Such requests must be in writing and require an appropriate medical form (Authorization for Administration of PRN Prescription medication) obtained from the school office or in the parent portal. These forms require a physician’s signature and are to be completed annually in September.

Electronic Devices

 Cell phones, pagers, MP3 players, camera phones, iPods, etc. are not to be used on the yard or during school time unless approved by teaching staff for a specific educational purpose. 

• loss of instructional time
• taking pictures of other students on school property (violates freedom of information legislation)
• access to age inappropriate language and/or images
• cyberbullying
• safety of students from strangers

Please discuss the appropriate use of technology with your student.  The consequences for using cell phones or ipods on the yard or during instructional time without staff permission include removal of the device to the office, parent contact, and/or possible suspension for persistent opposition to authority. When students B.Y.O.D. (bring your own device), they are expected to place them face down, turned off, in the right hand corner of their desk, may be asked to keep them in their backpack or may be asked to deposit them in to a basket on the teacher’s desk at the beginning of class.  They may use them when the teacher directs them to do so. The school includes lessons throughout the year on a variety of media, and it is our goal for students to understand when, where, and how it is appropriate to use technology. 

Awards and Assemblies

Masonville P.S. gathers during the year as a community in the gym to share educational experiences which include character education/spirit assemblies, guest speakers, and fund raising for charities and school projects. Masonville P.S. provides students with opportunities to win “Gotcha” awards for showing character and excellence in learning goals.  Students receive “Gotcha” tickets and are then entered into a monthly draw which is presented in front of the school at the assembly.  “Gotcha” awards are sponsored by our Home and School Association.Individual students, school teams, artists, dancers, and student leaders are also celebrated at monthly assemblies.  Community members are welcome to join us for our monthly assemblies and celebrations.

Extra-Curricular

Masonville Public School offers a number of activities, clubs and leadership opportunities for our students to become involved including but not limited to: band, cross-country, track and field, student parliament, volleyball, book club, soccer, dance club, library club, eco-club, yearbook and more.

Library -Learning Commons Resources

The resources of the Masonville library are for the enjoyment and use of all students and staff. Each individual accepts the responsibility when borrowing items that he/she will return them on time and in the same condition as borrowed.  Students will be asked to pay for lost items.

Lunch Break

Statistics show that well-nourished children learn better.  Our daily lunch hour runs from 11:45-12:45 p.m.  Students eat in classrooms from 11:45 to 12:05, then proceed to the playground until 12:45.  Students are expected to demonstrate good manners and follow the rules of the eating areas.  Parental permission is necessary for students to leave school property during the lunch hour.  (Note: Grade 7 & 8 students may leave on Friday for off site lunch only with written parental permission.)

Telephone

Students are permitted to use the telephone in the main office only when given permission by their teacher, an administrator or the secretary. Calls will be limited to necessary matters.

Bikes, Skateboards, Rollerblades and Scooters

Students are expected to always walk bikes or scooters and refrain from using roller blades, heelys or skateboards on school property.  Bicycles should always be locked and helmets, as required by law, must be worn.

Masonville Public School: Kiss and Ride Zone

Picking Up and Dropping Off Grade 1 - Grade 8 Students:

1. Enter off Hillview Blvd. at the East Driveway.
2. Turn left into the staff parking.  Do NOT enter the bus zone.
3. Turn left again and pull forward as far as possible to pick up your student. DO NOT PARK OR LEAVE YOUR VEHICLE.
4. Exit onto Hillview Blvd at the West Driveway.

 Before school and after school over 600 people are exiting the school at the same time.  The safety of students is our priority.  Students will walk to their bus, or they will walk to the kiss and ride zone to be picked up without crossing any driveways.

 KINDERGARTEN DRIVERS MUST PARK IN THE PARKING LOT OR ON THE STREET AND ESCORT/PICK UP KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS TO/FROM THE GATE.

Student Concussion Policies

 In response to Ministry of Education requirements and in support of our existing school safety procedures, schools are required to follow certain steps whenever a student suffers a concussion or whenever a concussion is suspected.  Parents can access Concussion Policies and Procedures through the board website or by contacting the school and requesting a copy.  As with any potential injury, our first goal is prevention; concussion awareness and prevention is part of ongoing professional training for staff and is integrated into students' Health and Physical Education curriculum.

Since concussion can affect a student's ability to learn or to participate in activities, schools will work with parents and medical contacts to assist any student who has suffered concussion.  If an injury occurs on a weekend or after school, parents are asked to inform the school so that appropriate accommodations and support can be provided.

Miscellaneous Items

• Valuables such as money, radios, ipods, cell phones, or items of sentimental value should be left at home. (Hard balls, baseball bats, and laser pointers are not allowed).
• Students should enter and leave the school only at appropriate bell times, on the direction of teachers, and use the designated doors and routes for their class.
• Students should not walk in the parking lots coming to or leaving the school grounds.
• Food outdoors attracts bees and wasps and results in litter on the yard.  Eating on the playground is discouraged.  Litter must be discarded in the bins provided.

Character Education

Background
In 2006, the Ministry of Education formally introduced their Character Development Initiative for Ontario schools. By the end of the 2007-08 school year, they had released the document, Finding Common Ground, which lays the foundation for Character Development programs in all Boards across Ontario. During the 2016-2017 school year, Masonville Public School established a Character Development Program that will be looking at each of these traits on a monthly basis.