What's Happening At Grapeview
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
On Monday, September 30th, staff and students at Grapeview, and across the DSBN, joined together in wearing Orange to recognize the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Students engaged in meaningful conversations and activities to recognize the importance of this day.
Open House
Thank you for joining us at our Meet the Staff Open House this week! It was so great to see so many of our Grapeview families. We hope you enjoyed exploring your child’s classroom and other learning spaces around the building! Thank you for making this a wonderful community event. A special thank you to those parents that helped us move the pumpkins!!!
Terry Fox Walk
“40 years ago, a young man set out to make the world a little better by raising funds for cancer research. He set an incredible example of leadership and his legacy continues as students of all ages take up his cause each year by following in his footsteps. This year has many challenges for us and so we need our students to lead the way more than ever now. We invite all students to use Terry’s example of leadership, strength and determination to help lead the way to unleash their creativity and set great new examples of leadership, just like Terry did.”
We will be holding our Terry Fox walk/Run on the back field on Thursday, October 10th starting shortly after 1:35 pm till 3 pm. Families are welcome to join their children for the walk.
Please join us and continue the legacy of one of our greatest Canadian heroes on Thursday, October 10th. Please consider donating at: https://schools.terryfox.ca/GrapeviewPSStCatharines Thank you for joining us in the fight against cancer!
Pumpkins and Mums
Autumn is in full swing, and we still have a large amount of smaller sized pumpkins left. We also have some mums available for purchase (cash only)! Whether you're looking to decorate your home, support our school, or both, now's your chance! Please come into the office to purchase your pumpkin or mum. Pumpkins are $5 and mums are $15. Don't miss out—grab yours before they're gone!
Thank you for your support!
Parent Volunteer Association Meeting
Grapeview’s School Advisory Council (Parent Council) would like to extend an invitation to join us on October 22nd from 6:00-7:00 in the Learning Commons/Library.
Parent Involvement Conference - November 6, 2024
The DSBN Parent Involvement Committee is hosting its annual conference to support parent connection to schools. The focus of this year's event is, "Student Wellbeing in the Digital Age." This theme is a response to ongoing concerns with cell phone use and the increase in mental health concerns with students.
This conference is offered at no cost to families and hosts a variety of DSBN and community partner speakers who will be sharing relevant information that support student success and well-being. The conference also hosts an Educational Showcase where a variety of educational exhibitors promote their organization or service and families have an opportunity to ask questions and take away information. A light dinner and evening refreshments will be provided for all and childcare is available for children up to 12 years old. Pre-registration is required. Click the link below. https://pic-registration.dsbn.org/
Lunchtime Food Purchases
Each week at Grapeview the schedule for food sales will be as follows:
Monday: Popcorn $2
Tuesday: Cookies $2
Wednesday: Hot lunch (Starting in October) - See School Cash Online
Thursday: Popcorn $2
Friday: No Sales
Prevalent Medical
If you have a child with a prevalent medical condition (Anaphylaxis, Asthma, Diabetes, and/or Epilepsy or others) we want to make sure we have a current Plan of Care to support your child. All parents of children with prevalent medical conditions are asked to fill out the new Plan of Care and submit to the school. You can download the forms here dsbn.org/prevalent-medical-conditions. For more information, please contact Mr. Penner at jessop.penner@dsbn.org.
Student Verification Forms
During the first week of school, you will receive a computer printout of your child’s information on file. Please check this and make any changes, fill in any missing information, and return it to the school promptly. In the interest of health and safety, it is important that students’ medical and personal information is updated each year. Please let us know if any of the information changes during the school year to ensure we have the most up-to-date contact information.
Parental Agreements and Documents
Please inform the school if there are custody orders for your child. Any relevant custody orders must be kept on file at the office. Please ensure that the school always has the most recent custody orders for your child(ren).
Bell Times and Supervision
We have included our entry and dismissal times below for your reference. Please note that morning supervision begins at 8:40 before school and there is no supervision prior to this as teachers prepare for the arrival of students each day.
Parents/guardians dropping off or picking up a child, we encourage you to do so at the front entrance "kiss and ride". Primary students will be supervised both before and after school by staff members on duty. Teachers will meet their class at the morning bell and escort them to class. Kindergarten teams typically have students ready for pick-up in the kindergarten area by 3pm, and Gr. 1-3 teachers will bring students down just before the end of day bell to dismiss to a parent/guardian. Bus students will be brought to their designated areas by Mrs. Tymofie at end of day. Students who are walking may walk on the pathway between the school and playground to the backyard where their class meeting areas are. Parents are more than welcome to walk your child to and from these spaces.
If you ever have questions, we encourage you to find a staff member wearing a bright vest, where they can assist you or redirect you to someone who can!
Bell Times and Nutrition Breaks
Entry: 8:55 a.m.
8:55-9:45 am - Period 1
9:45-10:35am -Period 2
10:35-10:55am - 1st Fitness/Nutrition Break
10:55-11:15am - 1st Fitness/Nutrition Break
11:15-12:05am - Period 3
12:05-12:55pm - Period 4
12:55-1:15p.m. - 2nd Fitness/Nutrition Break
1:15-1:35pm - 2nd Fitness/Nutrition Break
1:35-2:25pm - Period 5
2:25-3:15pm - Period 6
Dismissal: 3:15 p.m
Need to drop off something for your child? Please buzz at the front entrance and Mrs. Clark or Mrs. Formica will allow you to come in, complete a label, and leave the item at the office, where your child will be called to pick it up (or in the case of our young friends we may bring it to them). We appreciate your support in making this a smooth process!
Attendance and Safe Arrival
Attendance is taken twice daily. Please help us to ensure the safety of our students by reporting your child’s absence or if they will be arriving late to school. For students arriving late and needing a parent or guardian to escort them into the building, please bring your child in and enter the main office to check in with Mrs. Formica or Mrs. Clark.
How can I report my child’s absence or late arrival?
Whether it’s an illness, a medical appointment, extended at home learning or other important event, there are times when students may need to be away from school. Using the Safe Arrival system, parents will be able to report daily absences, and even schedule absences in one of three ways:
1. Call toll-free before bell time: 1-866-606-5567
2. Logging on to the web portal (https://go.schoolmessenger.ca/#/account/login ). Using this website, you can set up your account to report and schedule absences.
3. Using your smart phone or tablet. Simply download the SchoolMessenger app. The app is compatible with both Apple and Android devices.
Please report all absences prior to bell time for the current day.
If your child has an upcoming appointment, you can also schedule future absences by using one of these three methods.
Please do not contact the school directly to report your child’s absence. For more information, please visit: https://dsbn.org/safearrival/
If you are changing your child’s pick-up time, the office must know by 2:30 pm as it gets busy near the end of the day and some classes may be extending their learning outside at that time.
Student Transportation
Transportation is provided by Niagara Student Transportation Services (NSTS). For updated school bus rules and protocols, visit nsts.ca. Parents/guardians/students eligible for transportation must notify NSTS that they intend to use transportation in order to receive service. Students that Opted-In in the previous school year are automatically Opted-In for this school year. Verify the Opt-In status of your child and complete the Opt-In/Opt-Out Transportation Form if you need to change their status from what is displayed in your child’s transportation record. Opt-In to Transportation is required for an eligible student to be assigned to the bus. Only riders authorized by NSTS are allowed to ride the bus. Bus drivers are authorized to transport only students listed by NSTS on the passenger manifest and seating plan to ride their bus. Consider signing up under “My Subscriptions” in the parent portal to be notified through email of any delays in your child’s transportation.
If you haven’t already done so, please download the BusPlanner Delay app for easy access to your child’s transportation updates. Download the app on the Apple App Store or Google Play Store!
To view transportation arrangements, visit nsts.ca and sign-in to the Parent Portal. For questions about transportation, visit nsts.ca, email general@nsts.ca or call 905-357-6787
Recognizing and Respecting Creed Diversity
The District School Board of Niagara (DSBN) is committed to fostering diverse, equitable, and inclusive learning and working environments that promote acceptance and protect individuals from discrimination and harassment based on the protected grounds under the Ontario Human Rights Code. Creed and/or religion is one of the grounds that is both an individual right and a collective responsibility. The DSBN recognizes and embraces the creed diversity represented in its students, staff, and community members.
As we start our school year, I invite you to share with me your family’s most significant creed-based holiday(s). We will work together through the accommodation request process as Grapeview recognizes the importance of families celebrating their creed and/or religious beliefs and practices.
The DSBN has created a Family Guide: Recognizing and Respecting Creed Diversity to support families in requesting accommodations. This guide has also been translated into the following languages; Arabic, French, Hungarian, Korean, Mandarin, Spanish, Urdu and Vietnamese, which can be viewed on the DSBN Equity webpage. For a list of Days of Significance, please refer to the Days of Significance Calendar.
Parental Agreements and Documents
Please inform the school if there are custody orders for your child. Any relevant custody orders must be kept on file at the office. Please ensure that the school always has the most recent custody orders for your child(ren).
Mental Health Family Supports
As we begin the school year, some students typically experience a variety of emotions; some may be excited, others may be nervous or worried, and most will have mixed feelings. There are many ways that parents and caregivers can help prepare students for a mentally healthy return to school. The DSBN has compiled some high-quality, current resources, which are available on our website at https://www.dsbn.org/programs-services/well-being/parent-resources. We encourage our families to visit the Parent Resources page frequently throughout the school year to access updated information.
School Cash Online
With School Cash Online, you will be able to approve permission forms for trips and sporting events, request Rapid Antigen Tests, and will be able to make payments for activities and events such as hot lunches online.
Register for School Cash Online:
School Cash Online is a safe, reliable portal that will ensure the security of your information. The system is already active. You are able to gain access through the School Cash button which has been placed on our school website. We are asking that you click on the button and follow the simple instructions to register. Registration should take less than five minutes. If you registered last year, you do not need to register again! If you require some assistance registering for School Cash Online, please call the office and we will be happy to help get you set-up and ready to go!
Gryphon Spirit Wear is Here!
We are excited to remind you of our very own Grapeview Tuck Shop where students and families can browse a wide variety of Gryphon spirit wear items for purchase. To visit the store and check out the latest items including Champion brand gear, click HERE.
Grade 8 Grad Hoodies are available for personalization and purchase on the Online Tuck Shop as well. Three delivery options are possible, including delivery to the school at no additional cost. See the site for details.