St. Edward School Belief Statement:
At St. Edward School we believe that everyone has the right to learn in a safe and positive environment.  As a community guided by gospel values we believe that bullying is not acceptable.

St. Edward School Handbook

  Student Rights & Responsibilities	 Religious Instruction
  Home & School Organization	 Student Attendance
  Noon Lunch	 Newsletter
 Subsidized Bus Program	 Assessment
 Student LED Conferencing	 Homework
 Routine & Student Expectations	 Playground
 Peer Mediation/Safe Positive Schools	 General Behavior & Expectations

The School Handbook was created to give our parents an overview of the procedures and policies that we have implemented at St. Edward School.  It is our hope that these policies will keep our school a save, positive environment in which to learn and play.

Students Rights and Responsibilities

1.    While I have a right to learn in this school, it is my responsibility to work up to my ability, ask questions, offer   answers, and not to disrupt others' right to learn.

2.    While I have a right to hear and to be heard, it is my responsibility not to talk, shout or make noises when others are speaking.

3.    While it is my right to be respected in this school, it is my responsibility not to tease, or to bug other people, or to hurt their feelings.

4.    While I have a right to be safe in this school, it is my responsibility to respect the personal property of others and to accept their right to privacy.

As a staff, we strongly believe in the above statements.  Students, who will not accept their responsibility will be dealt with in a fair, yet firm manner.  Consequences for inappropriate behavior will be implemented to provide a safe and sound educational environment for all students.

 

Religious Instruction

Each classroom will have approximately one-half hour per day of formal teaching of religion.  However, it is hoped that a Christian atmosphere will permeate throughout the school day by words and deeds.  As well, formal prayers will be recited daily.

There will be formal occasions when we celebrate the Eucharist together.  As well, there will be formal celebrations that will be related to the character of the religion program.

We will continue to assist the parents in sacramental preparation, including:  First Reconciliation, First Communion and Confirmation.

The school cannot assume full responsibility for the children to fulfill all their religious obligations and become practicing Christians.  Our hope is that the school can support the home in each child's spiritual development.

 

St. Edward School Community Council
We would like to take this opportunity to welcome you to St. Edward School. We invite you to come and check out our School Community Council. We meet once a month in the staff room at the North end of the school (by the gym). Our meeting dates can be found in the school newsletter. Our annual general meeting and elections are held in mid-September. Please feel free to contact us for free babysitting service at our meetings. These meetings are a great way to meet more parents in the school and to make the school a better place for our children!

Throughout the school year, we do a few fundraisers and hold a few social events for our families to meet and have some fun. Look for our first fundraiser, Schools Win Twice raffle tickets, beginning in early September. With these funds we are able to pay for many extra things each year at the school such as helping with bus transportation costs, READ club, Christmas goodie bags, Grade 8 farewell, classroom games, and staff appreciation week. In the past few years we have also paid for new playground equipment, choir risers for the gym, a new barbecue grill, and a laptop for school use.

We would love to see you at our meetings. We look forward to working with you!

Janet Jackson, President

St. Edward School Community Council

 

Student Attendance

Regular attendance is necessary if the student hopes to get the best results in his/her work.  If your child is absent from school or will be late, please notify the school by phoning any time (leaving a message on the answering machine if the phone is not answered) or sending a note indicating the reason for the absence or lateness.  The Office-Coordinator checks each morning and will be contacting you if we have not heard from you.

 

Noon Lunch

Students are encouraged to go home for lunch.  If it is impractical for students to go home, they may stay for lunch.  They will have a designated area for eating.  Those students who stay for lunch will be supervised and must follow the expectations that have been set for them.  If they are not followed , parents will be notified and the student will forfeit the privilege for a time. 

We will be selling milk / chocolate milk at noon.

Those students who stay for lunch may not leave the school grounds for any reasons.

 

Newsletters

Communication between the school and home of the events that are occurring is done in a bi-weekly school newsletter.  This newsletter is sent out every second Wednesday.

 

            Subsidized Bus Program

The Saskatoon Catholic Board of Education offers bus tickets at a subsidized rate for students who live more than one-half mile from their home school.  The tickets are available from the school office coordinator.  Please purchase bus tickets at the beginning of each month.  The cost of these tickets will be announced in the first newsletter in the fall.

 

Assessment

Teachers view evaluation as a continuous on-going process.  Many criteria are used in evaluating the effectiveness of the school program and the progress of our students.  The day-to-day performance of our students is one of the main criteria used in student evaluation.

From time to time the teacher sets units or chapter examinations to determine the learning development of the students.  This supplements the day-to-day evaluation.  Examinations also help the teacher to learn if a concept must be reviewed with one, some , or all of the students.

 

            Student - LED Conferencing

St. Edward is using the three-way conferences between parents, students and teachers.  In these student-led parent conferences, students are encouraged to take ownership and responsibility for learning.  Students will be setting goals and working through a set action plan throughout the year.  At the student-led conferences they will reflect and share with their parents their strengths and areas needing improvement.  They will do this through sharing of work and goal setting materials collected in their personal portfolios.

The Progress Report has been designed to communicate how well the student is acquiring knowledge, skills, and abilities in relation to the learning outcomes of the curriculum.

 

Homework

Homework may be assigned at any grade level at the teacher's discretion.  Homework has its place and purpose.  Some reasons a child may come home with work to do are:    to complete an assigned exercise,  to prepare a lesson for the following day,  to research a topic being studied,  or to review work that had been introduced that day.  We will strive for moderation when assigning homework.

 

        Routine and Student Expectations

Classroom Expectations:   1.    Be on time (in desk and ready to work).

                                        2.    Be prepared for class (materials: books, pens, etc.)

                                        3.    Assignments completed and handed in on time.

                                        4.    Respect other people, their property, space and ideas.

                                        5.    Work hard to produce the best quality work.

                                        6.    Respect rules specific to each other.

Non-Instructional Time:    

1.    Unless students are attending school team practices, students should not gather at school earlier than 8:30am.

2.    Remove wet footwear on the mats and carry footwear to their classrooms.

3.    There will be no running in the hallways.  Movement in the hallway should be quiet and orderly, especially during class time.

4.    Students are required to go outside throughout the day and so they need to dress accordingly to the weather conditions.  Students may be allowed to remain indoors when the temperature is extremely cold when recovering from an illness verified by a note from parents.

5.    Students ,may be in the gymnasium for free-time play only under the supervision of a teacher.

 

Playground

Students are expected to play safely so that their well being and those around them be assured.

Bicycles:    To minimize risk to others, students are required to exercise caution when riding their bikes onto the playground.  Riding bikes on the playground at recess is not permitted.  Bikes should be locked in designated areas only.

Skateboards and scooters:    must be carried on the playground and in the school.

Creative Playground Usage:    Children must be respectful of others and allow everyone to have their turn.

Play fighting:,    wrestling and tackle games are not permitted.  Consequences may be loss of privileges, confiscation of items, loss of recess, or community service.

 

Peer Mediation/Safe Positive Schools

St. Edward School has a peer mediation team made up of students in grades 5-8.  The peer mediators are outside at recesses to support and assist other students in resolving minor conflicts and guiding them to a reasonable and agreeable solution.  The peer mediation team is under the supervision of a teacher for support.  In the fall, there is a training session for those students continuing as peer mediators and those students who are new to the mediation team.

 

General Behavior and Expectations

Our students are expected to behave in a fashion that displays good judgment in school and on the playground, on field trips and during extra curricular activities.

1.    At liturgical celebrations, students are expected  to show appropriate respect for the occasion through prayerful silence and respectful participation.

2.    Students are to respect others, their property, space and ideas.

*    Fighting is unacceptable

*    Bullying tactics (verbal intimidation, pushing, tripping, spitting, foul language, disrespect to staff and students) are unacceptable.

*    Put downs are not acceptable.  Consequences may include counseling, parent notification or other measures deemed appropriate by staff.  Repeat infractions may result in detention, in-school or home suspension, or other consequences.

*    Students found responsible for damaging or stealing property of the school or others will be required to return the article or make restitution.  Students may be suspended and may be required to spend time doing odd jobs around the school to learn to care for property.

3.    Attire - It is expected that students will dress neatly and in good taste.  Some t-shirt and ball cap slogans may not be acceptable for school wear.  Students testing this rule may be asked to remove these items or to go home to change.

4.    Knives, matches and lighters, slingshots, and other dangerous items, water pistols and other toy weapons are not to be brought to school.  When discovered, these items will be confiscated.  Parents will be notified.

5.    Students staying at school for lunch are expected to remain in their desks in the classrooms, demonstrate appropriate eating manners and respect for supervisors.  Infractions may result in segregated lunches for offending students for a time.  Parents will be notified and repeat offenders may lose privilege to eat lunch at school.

6.    Students staying for lunch will not be permitted to leave the school grounds.

7.    Telephone Use - Students are required to get permission from their teacher to use the telephone.  Students are reminded that telephones are to be used for emergency use, or if a child needs to remain in school to complete work.  Calls to arrange social functions and visits to friends are to be made at home.

8.    School Cleanliness - Caretakers are responsible for the maintenance of the building.  However, everyone is responsible for school tidiness and cleanliness.  Cooperation is required in keeping desks and shelves tidy, picking up papers and books, cleaning boards, and depositing garbage in proper receptacles.

9.    Minor Misconduct

◊    If students choose to disregard student  expectations or school rules, consequences may involve discussions with the student; filling out a problem-solving form with an action plan; detention; community service; removal of privileges; or other measures deemed appropriate.

◊    Habitual misdemeanors may require increased parental involvement as well as involvement of the school counselor.

        Major Misconduct

◊    Major misconduct would include physical hurt to students or staff, serious verbal or non-verbal disrespect to students or staff, fights, theft, vandalism, racism, etc.

◊    Parents will become involved.  Consequences may include filling out a problem-solving plan with an action plan, removal or privileges, counseling, in-school suspension, out-of-school suspension or other measures deemed appropriate.