NEW AND RETURNING GREYHOUNDS: Hover over and click on the various images in the photo above to enter our virtual school.
A welcome video and Parent Information can be found here: Welcome to GMS
Read a letter from Mrs Eddy and Mrs Kondric: WELCOME LETTER
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DAILY COVID SELF-ASSESSMENT: EVERY student must complete the COVID SELF ASSESSMENT before leaving home each day. This will be key in keeping the virus out of the school. Please take the time to thoroughly review the screening tool with your child each morning, and if they are exhibiting any symptoms, keep them home.
STUDENT ILLNESS: If your child stays home due to signs/symptoms of COVID-19, they either need to be tested (with a negative result) or self-isolate for 14 days prior to returning to school. Please see the flowchart from Public Health for a thorough breakdown on how to proceed. Any siblings will also need to stay home until test results are received as well. If your child is ill, you can call and leave a message OR email the school at ABSENTgoul@ocdsb.ca. This helps us complete our safe arrivals check in a timely manner each day.
HALLOWEEN: On Friday, October 30th, Goulbourn will celebrate Halloween-Covid Style as per OCDSB guidelines based on OPH input.
1. Simple costumes, no accessories, no costume mask, no makeup
2. No change of clothes at school
3. No distribution or exchange of treats, or sharing of food (i.e. no class parties)
4. No costume parades
5. Continue to respect the distancing /cohort instructions
6. Students in grades 6-8 are required to wear their face mask with their costume.
7. Alternatively, students are welcome to dress in orange and black.
INFORMATION GATHERING: All families are asked to complete the following electronic forms (Media Release , Acceptable Use of Technology and Student Verification. There are also two paper forms to fill out (Emergency Closure and Voluntary School Fee) which were sent home the first week of school.
PICK UP AND DROP OFF: Review and print out the GMS drop off and pick up plan. Reminders:
1. Once you are in the drop-off/pick-up zone, please watch for direction from staff. Only start moving forward when a staff member gives you the signal to do so. We are always waiting until students are completely clear from all vehicles before we start moving cars.
2. During the morning drop-off, please do not let your child out of the car until a staff member gives you the signal (green ‘unload’ sign or thumbs up).
3. Please ONLY TURN RIGHT when leaving our parking lot. When you wait to turn left, it causes us to slow down the process which is frustrating for others. We recognize that the right turn does add time to the process for you, but we ask that everyone work with us to make this as smooth as possible.
MEET THE TEACHER: Each teacher is in the process of setting up a Virtual Meet the Teacher event. They will contact you directly to share the date/time of the event for their classes. We hope you can join them to learn a little more about your child’s class.
MASKS: Please review with your child the importance of wearing their mask and keep a safe distance from other people. We will be very firm about ensuring students follow these expectations. All students coming to school at GMS will be expected to wear a mask while at school. It is very important that your children understand this is an expectation for everyone. In order for exceptions to be made, a note from their doctor must be provided indicating the reason for the necessary exemption. We understand that this will be difficult for the students to get used to. With 2 weeks before we start school, it might be a good idea to have your children start practicing wearing their masks. This is important in the work we are doing to minimize the risks for students and staff at GMS.
SCHOOL SUPPLIES: You can find the list of recommended supplies here. Please note that all items should be labelled and must fit inside the students desk. Items will not be shared between students. Cubbies and lockers will not be available for students to store their belongings. Additionally, a labelled water bottle will be required as water fountains will not be used for drinking purposes. As much as possible, learning will take place outside, so please prepare to dress your child for the weather.
IMMUNIZATIONS: Those students who were supposed to receive their immunizations in the Spring at school can book a time with Ottawa Public Health to get those completed. The information can be found here.
STUDENT HANDBOOK: This year, our Student Handbook is a virtual one. Please take some time to review it with your child. Once you have reviewed it with them, complete the link here.
VIRTUAL LIBRARY: Mrs. Judd has created a website for families to access a wide variety of online resources. Please take a moment to check it out: Virtual Library