Newsletter 

Message from the Principal

Dear Families, 

Welcome back! Our St. Francis of Assisi school team is so excited to welcome our students and families to the 2026–2027 school year! We are working hard to prepare our school and classrooms and are looking forward to welcoming our Grades 1 to 6 students on Tuesday, September 1, and our Kinder students staggered throughout the week. 

Our board theme this year, Nourish New Beginnings, invites us to approach the school year with hope, care, and a renewed commitment to supporting one another. Your collaboration and support are greatly appreciated as we partner together to create a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment for every student and staff member. Through strong partnerships with our families, we look forward to nurturing a year filled with learning, growth, connection, and new opportunities for all.

We extend a warm welcome to all of our returning St. Francis families, and a special welcome to the new families and staff joining our community this year! We are grateful to have you as part of our Phoenix family and look forward to working together to make this a joyful, successful, and memorable year.

We can't wait to greet your children next, and begin another wonderful year together!

Welcome back, St. Francis!

Sincerely,

Ms. Allison Wawryn

Principal

First Day of School: Arrival and Dismassal

We have some new faces in the building this year. The full staff list can be found on our School Website / Contact page / Our School Team. It is updated regularly as new staff is hired. 

You can expect an email on Monday, August 31st (afternoon) from your child’s teacher. This email will come via school messenger, so please ensure you are signed up. Should you not receive the email, don’t worry as staff will be available to help your child upon arrival.

Arrival: On the first day of school (Tues. Sept. 1) students in Gr. 1 to 6  may arrive with starting at 9am. Students taking a bus will be directed by staff. Whether your child takes the bus, walks or gets dropped off,  staff will be present to help your child find their class group.  

Dismissal: Students who take the bus or go to childcare will be dismissed to their correct location. All other students will be picked up at the gate, by the parking lot.  

Back to School Checklist Grade 1 to 6     

Suggested shopping list: 

-School Bag (mandatory)

-Lunch Kit (mandatory)

-Indoor Running Shoes for the classroom and gym (mandatory)

-a Pencil Case (easily transportable)

-Crayons or Coloured Pencils (pack of 12)

-Calculator (Gr. 4 to 6 only)

Staff will ensure students have tools to use in class (eg. pencil, eraser, ruler, glue stick, scissors). However, if you prefer to outfit your child with these specific items feel free to do so. 

Notebooks, duotangs and paper will be provided by the school. 

There may be a very few specific ‘optional’ items that the teacher may request. If this is the case, it will be communicated to you once school starts from the classroom educators.

Teachers always appreciate extra glue sticks, ziplock bags and kleenex boxes, should you be willing to donate them to the classroom. Thank you in advance!

Back to School Checklist JK/SK

IMPORTANT REMINDER about the first day of school for ALL Kinders.  PLEASE READ 

All OCSB schools will be administering a reading screening for SK/Year 2 students. You should have recevied an email with a scheduled timeslot in June. Once the screening is completed your child will return home for the remainder of the day and start school Wednesday, September 2nd for their first full day. 

All NEW to school SK and JK children are scheduled to meet with teachers on either Wednesday (2nd) or Thursday (3rd).  Newly registered families would have received an email in June with a timeslot. At this meeting, you are encouraged to bring along your child’s school supplies/items (see general list below). Your child will begin school the day after they visit. If you do not know your scheduled time, please contact the school during the week of August 24th and someone will be glad to assist you. 

Please visit the OCSB Kindergarten website. There you will find more details about the Kindergarten program, an FAQ document, and be able to take a 3D tour of our Kindergarten classroom for you and your child to explore!

Kinder first day essentials:

-Backpack - Regular size: it should be big enough to hold their lunch kit. Your child should be able to independently pack their school items, lunch bag, etc. into it.

-Lunch bag - make sure containers and items fit easily.

-Yoga mat (you can get one at Dollarama) and a small blanket for quiet time (no sleeping bags or pillows please).

-Indoor sneakers/runners (velcro, no laces) to be left at school. Please print your child’s name clearly on the inside. 

-Change of clothes in a labeled ziploc bag (underwear, socks, pants and a shirt).

Educators always appreciate extra glue sticks, ziplock bags and kleenex boxes, should you be willing to donate them to the classroom. Thank you in advance!

Mandatory Sign-Up So You Can Stay Connected & Informed

School Messenger - This will ensure you always get communication from the school, board and/or educators. 

This Welcome Back Newsletter was shared via EMERGENCY send.  This is a feature only used in an emergency situation. Going forward communication/newsletters will NOT be sent to you this way and you risk missing important information from the school, so please be sure to sign up for School Messenger ASAP!

For those new to the school, please wait until your child’s first full day of attendance before signing up for SCO & Parent Portal (links below).

School Cash Online (SCO) - This will allow you to pay for events and/or food days once they begin. No CASH or CHEQUEs will be accepted. 

Parent Portal (EnCompass) - This will ensure you have digital access to your child’s report cards & for some, Individual Education Plans (IEP’s) this school year. If you have trouble creating an account please make sure the information you are entering is the same as what is in the school database at registration. If changes are required please email francis.assisi@ocsb.ca. You may also use the chat button on the bottom right of the login screen for 7days/24hr assistance.

If you need assistance, please call the school when school begins and Ms Steeves (our OA) will be happy to assist you.  

1.Student Information Verification *This is required every year* 

Please log into the PARENT PORTAL HERE to verify that all information is correct. If there are any changes to be made, please fill in the form and email the school with the correct information. Let us know which information to remove and information to add. Should any information change over the course of the school year, please ensure you let us know. 

2. Responsible Use of Technology Agreement *This is required every year* 

Please log into the PARENT PORTAL HERE to review the Acceptable Use of Technology Agreement. Please read over this with your child/ren. Both student and parent initial and sign. 

3. Consent for Use & Disclosure of Information *This is required every year* Please log into the PARENT PORTAL HERE to review the Consent for the Use and Disclosure of Student Information. 

4. Off-School Property Permission *This is required every year* Please log into the PARENT PORTAL HERE Complete the following Electronic Permission Form regarding off-school property activities. One form must be completed for each child. 

OSTA - Bus Transportation 

Please visit ottawaschoolbus.ca for all information and questions related to school buses. There is a parent login at the top of the main page. Please sign up and login to be informed about late or cancelled busses. 

Bus seats are automatically assigned to your child based on your home address. If your address is not up to date with the school, the school bus information will be incorrect. Check your Parent Portal to ensure we have the correct address for you. 

All kindergarten students will be provided with a yellow plastic name tag that must be attached to their backpack. Please do not remove this tag. This helps the driver identify the kindergarten students who cannot be released off the bus without a parent meeting them at the stop. OSTA advises that the same person must meet their kindergarten child at the stop every day. OSTA will only accept two alternate names and the driver will only release the child to 1 of 2 people on file.

Class Lists 2026-2027

The organization of our school is driven by student enrollment. Families often come and go throughout the summer months. With this movement, the organization of our school could be impacted, and therefore, class lists may be subject to change until final staffing numbers are confirmed and shared with schools later in September.

Much thought is put into creating class lists and it is a collaborative effort. Sometimes we gain staff, but sometimes we lose staff due to student population, and we are required to make adjustments and re-organize classes and teachers. While we do not foresee this being an issue at our school this year, we wanted to mention it just in case. 

Dress for the Weather

Outdoor play is an important part of every child’s day. Fresh air and active play support physical health, social skills, creativity, and overall well-being.

Outdoor Play Reminder: We go outside in all kinds of weather! Please send your child with the right clothing for the weather.

With the right clothing, students can enjoy the outdoors comfortably and safely in every season.

Drop Off and Pick Up Information

Please remember: For safety, there are no car drop offs or pick-ups near the Junior exit in the small paved area: please do not use Charlemange as a pick up or drop off. That area must stay clear for student and pedestrian safety. 

Instead, please use the Kiss & Ride or park a block away and walk to meet your children.

OSTA has prepared Walk-A-Block maps that show pathways and quiet side streets within a 5-10 minute walk of our school. When parking on a side street, remember to park away from pathway & driveway entrances and intersections and watch out for pedestrians.  A short walk before and after school is a great way to get some exercise and fresh air. 

Kiss & Ride: If you are using the Kiss & Ride, please drive all the way down the roundabout to drop off and/or pick up your children safely. Do NOT drop off/pick up half way toward the roundabout. This prevents students from running between cars, and keeps our Kiss & Ride running safely and smoothly. 

Thank you for helping us keep school safe for all students.

Sacramental Preparation Gr 2 & 6

Volunteer in Our School

Important Dates

Students with Medical Conditions

If your child has a medical condition, please see below.

In order to best care for your child, parents/guardians must download and print the OSCB Life Threatening Medical Condition and Request and Consent for Administration form and provide it to the school at the beginning of the school year. This form must be updated every school year and/or if the information or medication dosage changes. 

In the link provided please also download and print out the corresponding Plan of Care Form that pertains to your child. The Plan of Care Form must be filled out by all new students or if there are any changes to an existing student's plan of care.

If there is no change to your Plan of Care then you can skip it and download and print out the Annual Review Form which can be found at the bottom of the first link.

Please hand in all applicable forms to the front office at St. Francis of Assisi.

If your child no longer has a medical condition please go on to your Parent Portal, log-in, under the purple banner select Forms, select OCSB Student Verification for the child you want to make the change for. Fill out the areas only where there is a change and click submit.

Medication must be sent to school in the original container with your child's name clearly on the label.

Epipens and Asthma Inhalers – Two are recommended , one with the child and one at the office.

Please fill in the linked forms for your child ​and send them ​in to the office. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the school.

All the above information and more can be found at ocsb.ca/parents/student-health/​.

Mental Health

By your side: Parent/caregiver resources to support mental health learning and well-being for every family

Key topics in the Parent/Caregiver Learning Hub include:

• understanding mental health

• promoting mental health at home

• supporting mental health at school

• stress and anxiety management 

• substance use prevention 

• navigating digital technology use 

• reaching out for help

Learn more

Neighbourhood Health & Wellness Hubs

Full schedule for services and locations of Neighbourhood Health and Wellness Hubs: OttawaPublicHealth.ca/NeighbourhoodHub