Monthly Archives: February 2024

Pink Shirt Day

Grade 8 and SK Grad Photos

A reminder that Grade 8 and SK Graduation photos are on Monday, February 26!

Kindergarten Registration

IT’S TIME TO REGISTER FOR KINDERGARTEN!

Parents and guardians who are interested in registering their child for Kindergarten in September 2024 at Monsignor Haller are invited to review the following information: Kindergarten Registration

Shrove Tuesday

Thank you to Parent Council for making Pancake Tuesday a great success, the students loved them!

Ash Wednesday

On Wednesday we hosted classroom liturgies and distributed ashes to provide a meaningful opportunity for reflection, prayer, and spiritual growth among students and teachers alike. Encouraging individuals to make good choices and sacrifices during Lent fosters a sense of solidarity and commitment to living out the values of the Catholic faith in daily life. Wishing you all a blessed and fruitful Lenten season!

Black History Month

This week we celebrated Black History Month in our 3rd assembly. We honour the contributions, achievements, and struggles of the Black individuals throughout history. It’s an opportunity to educate, inspire, and promote diversity and inclusion within our school community.

Valentine’s Dance

We want to give a big “Thank you!” to the Spirit Squad, and Mrs. Rocco and her student helpers for all of their hard work on the Valentine’s Dance. Everyone had a blast!

Kindergarten Registration

Attention Kindergarten Parents

French Immersion Lottery Registration is NOW OPEN! All children born in 2018 are invited to apply for the French Immersion Lottery that is now open. This opportunity closes on February 4, 2024, at 9 pm. To apply for the lottery, look for the link on our website https://www.wcdsb.ca/programs-and-services/.

IT’S TIME TO REGISTER FOR KINDERGARTEN!

Parents and guardians who are interested in registering their child for Kindergarten in September 2024 at Monsignor Haller are invited to review the following information: Kindergarten Registration

No School Monday!!

Please note that this Monday, February 19, the school will be CLOSED for Family Day. Have we hope you all get a chance to relax and enjoy some quality time with your loved ones this weekend.

Upcoming PD Day Change

Please note that the Professional Activity (PA) Day, initially set for April 19, 2024, has been rescheduled to April 8, 2024. This adjustment is to prioritize the safety and well-being of our students and staff due to the Total Solar Eclipse expected on April 8, 2024.

It is important to remember that directly observing the Sun can lead to severe eye injuries, particularly during a solar eclipse.

For safe observation of a solar eclipse, it’s essential to use eye protection specifically designed for this purpose (conforming to the ISO 12312-2 standard). Regular sunglasses do not offer adequate protection for your eyes. Moreover, attempting to view any phase of a solar eclipse through the camera of a smartphone, a camera lens, binoculars, or a telescope without attaching a special solar filter to the front of the device can result in significant eye damage.

Total Solar Eclipse Safety Tips

A total solar eclipse is a rare and exciting natural phenomenon. However, it is crucial to view it safely to prevent any damage to the eyes. Here are some tips for safely experiencing the solar eclipse:

1. Use Proper Eclipse Glasses: Regular sunglasses, even very dark ones, are not safe for viewing the sun. Special-purpose solar filters, such as “eclipse glasses” or handheld solar viewers, must be used. Ensure they meet the ISO 12312-2 international safety standard.
2. Adult Supervision for Children: Ensure that children are supervised when using solar filters or eclipse glasses. Teach them the importance of not removing the glasses while looking at the sun.
3. Alternative Methods: For those who do not have eclipse glasses, using a pinhole projector is a safe way to view a projection of the eclipse. This can be a fun and educational activity to do with children.
4. Avoid Unsafe Methods: Do not look at the sun through a camera, a telescope, binoculars, or any other optical device while using your eclipse glasses or handheld solar viewer — the concentrated solar rays can damage the filter and enter your eyes, causing serious injury.
5. Check the Weather: If it is cloudy, you may not be able to see the eclipse. Use online resources to watch it live if the weather does not permit outdoor viewing.
6. View it Safely via Livestream: The eclipse can be viewed via livestream broadcast through the NASA Exploratorium.

We hope these tips are helpful for you and your family to safely experience this spectacular event. For more safety tips and information, please visit https://opto.ca/eye-health-library/solar-eclipse-safety.

Want to know more about immunization vaccines?

The Region of Waterloo Public Health is resuming the annual enforcement of the Immunization of School Pupils Act (RSO 1990) and its associated activities for the 2023-2024 school year. Enforcement has not taken place for the past four years due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Please click HERE to learn more about immunization vaccinations for your child(ren).

WCDSB Extended Day Program -March Break

Register for March Break poster for parents

Vaccination Clinics

Public Health will be in our school on March 6, 2024 from 3:30pm to 6:00pm to provide required vaccinations. The clinic is by appointment only. There will be no walk-in appointments available. To book your appointment, use https://portal.healthmyself.net/regionofwaterloo/guest/booking/form/04b3662b-6067-4cbd-8ea0-52223515bd1d#/yOa7/book/type/15096 This link is for members of our school community and must not be shared.

For your child’s vaccination appointment, you need to bring:

· A copy of your child’s vaccination record from their health care provider.

· Your child’s Ontario health card number (if applicable).

This clinic is for families who received a letter from Public Health indicating they were missing required vaccines. The clinic will provide the needed vaccinations and update your child’s vaccination record. Please note that after your child has been vaccinated, there is a recommended 15 minute wait time to ensure your child is feeling well.

• Guide for updating records:  “How to Report your Vaccine Record” – YouTube Video
• QR code to the vaccine reporting website with step-by-step instructions: Step-by-step guide to reporting vaccines – English
• Vaccine information on the Region of Waterloo Public Health website including a link to book a clinic appointment: Vaccines and Immunization – Region of Waterloo

ISPA_vaccine_reporting_steps-legal-handout-English

ISPA_vaccine_reporting_steps – Tigrinya

ISPA_vaccine_reporting_steps – Spanish

For anyone who needs assistance registering their child for kindergarten, we will be hosting an in-person Kindergarten registration tomorrow, February 21 from 4-7pm in the office.

Don’t forget to bring along your child’s proof of age, proof of address, and baptismal certificate.

Black History Month

We started off February with the recognition that it is Black History Month. The Canadian theme for Black History Month for 2024 is Black Excellence: A Heritage to Celebrate; a Future to Build. Want to learn more? Click for Gov. of Canada’s site. Students will be learning about the contributions, stories, accomplishments and lives of various inspiring black people.

Term 1 Report Cards & Communication of Learning: February 15th

Term 1 Report Card for your child in Grades 1 to 8 and the Kindergarten Communication of Learning for your child in Kindergarten will be distributed to students on Thursday, February 15th.  Report cards provide an important opportunity to celebrate your child’s growth in learning and focus on the next steps.   If your child has an Individual Education Plan, the IEP will be sent home along with the term one report card. Although formal interviews occurred in November, please feel free to connect with your child’s teacher if you have concerns or questions about your child’s progress or how you can support your child’s learning at home.

We value the partnership between home and school and encourage all parents/guardians to contact their child(ren)’s teacher(s) should they have any questions about their child(ren)’s academic, social, emotional, or spiritual development at school.

February is Black History Month

The Holy Season of Lent, Shrove Tuesday, and Valentine’s Day

Ash Wednesday (February 14) – Ash Wednesday is a very special day on our liturgical calendar. It marks the start of Lent and is a chance for us to make good choices and sacrifices in order to be better citizens of our world and our Catholic Community. We will be hosting classroom liturgies and distributing Ashes!

Valentine’s Day Because Valentine’s Day falls on Ash Wednesday this year, we will celebrate Valentine’s Day on Friday, February 16th. Valentine’s Cards and/or treats (erasers, pencils, stickers, etc… and prepacked food with ingredients labeled) are welcome and will be distributed on the 16th, Not on the 14th.  (No nut products please). Please remember that Valentine’s Day is a fun, loving day! We are happy to celebrate our friendships and have the children expressing their care for and friendship with each other on this day.  We encourage the children to be inclusive if they are handing out valentine cards, please bring one for every student in the class. We do not want to see any students feeling left out or excluded.

Our Spirit Squad is organizing a Valentine’s Day Dance for February 16th and we’ll be selling glow bracelets. Details will be sent home shortly.

Shrove Tuesday

On Tuesday, February 13th, we will celebrate Shrove Tuesday with a school-wide Pancake treat served in the morning.  In an effort to reduce waste and to be environmentally responsible, students are asked to bring a reusable plate and fork in a Ziplock bag.  Parent council has organized volunteers to cook pancakes for our students, enjoy!

Attention Kindergarten Parents

French Immersion Lottery Registration is NOW OPEN! All children born in 2018 are invited to apply for the French Immersion Lottery that is now open. This opportunity closes on February 4, 2024, at 9 pm. To apply for the lottery, look for the link on our website https://www.wcdsb.ca/programs-and-services/.

IT’S TIME TO REGISTER FOR KINDERGARTEN!

Parents and guardians who are interested in registering their child for Kindergarten in September 2024 at Monsignor Haller are invited to review the following information: Kindergarten Registration

Want to know more about immunization vaccines?

The Region of Waterloo Public Health is resuming the annual enforcement of the Immunization of School Pupils Act (RSO 1990) and its associated activities for the 2023-2024 school year. Enforcement has not taken place for the past four years due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Please click HERE to learn more about immunization vaccinations for your child(ren).

School Climate Survey at WCDSB:

The Waterloo Catholic District School Board (WCDSB) is committed to providing safe, caring and inclusive places for everyone in our schools.  One way to find out how we are doing is to ask students about their health and well-being. To collect this information, we will administer the Middle Years Development Instrument (MDI) sometime between February 15th and March 8th.  This is an opportunity for us to learn more about the students we support and help us identify our school communities’ needs.  All students at Monsignor Haller between grade 4 and grade 8 will be invited to participate. Any student may choose not to participate, to stop participating, or to skip a question at any time. Parents/guardians can also ask that their child be exempt from participating in the MDI survey.

You can more here: https://www.wcdsb.ca/school-climate-survey/

Term 1 Report Cards and Kindergarten Communication of Learning

Term 1 Report Cards and Kindergarten Communication of Learning will be sent home electronically to families on Thursday, February 15th, 2024.
Report Cards and Kindergarten Communication of Learning support student learning by providing opportunities to:

• establish a positive relationship between teachers, parents/guardians, and students;
• involve parents and guardians as partners in a conversation about learning and assessment, and what each can do to support a child’s learning;
• identify concerns about student progress and develop strategies to improve student learning.

This reporting system provides descriptive feedback that is clear, specific, meaningful, and timely to support improved learning and achievement. Communication between home and school about student achievement should be continuous outside of the formal reporting periods and throughout the year. We value the partnership between home and school and encourage all parents/guardians to contact your child’s teacher(s) should you have any questions about their academic, social, emotional, or spiritual development at school.

A Note About March Break

Looking a little further down the road, it is important to note that Friday, March 8 is a board holiday, meaning that all schools will be closed.

Our Extended Day program will still be open on March 8, and it will be open throughout the March Break for families who are currently registered in the program. Families who are currently in the program still need to register for March Break. Click here for information about the March Break Extended Day program, and click here for specific information about how to register. The registration deadline is February 2nd.

Have an awesome day Hawks!

Dear Haller Hawk Families, 

This year, Valentine’s Day and Ash Wednesday fall on the same day. We will observe Ash Wednesday with a liturgy in the morning and will postpone celebrating Valentine’s Day as a school on Friday February 16 with a dance! Students are invited to dress in red, white, or pink. 

We want our Hawks to light up the gym while they dance! Glow Sticks will be available for purchase on School Cash Online until Wednesday, February 14th.Glow Sticks will be 2 for $1, but you may purchase as many as you would like! 

We will also be selling “friendship gram” bracelets in support of our Nutrition for Learning program and the “It’s Cool to Be Kind” campaign. Bracelets are available for purchase on School Cash Online until Friday, February 23rd. They are $2 each or you may buy 3 for $5. Bracelets may be bought for students themselves or to be handed out for Valentine’s Day or on Wednesday February 28th for Pink Shirt Day! 

Thank you for your ongoing support, and we look forward to seeing all our Hawks on the dance floor!