Hi,

I hope you are doing well.

Here is some information for this week:

Covid-19 Update

• We currently have ZERO cases of Covid-19 in our school

Updated Mask Mandates

• The Province announced earlier this week that as of November 15^th,  secondary students are no longer required to wear masks when they are in class or for Extra-Curricular activities
• They are still required to wear masks when they are in common areas such as hallways and school buses
• Please refer to the attached letter from the WQSB with these details
• Students can choose to continue to wear a mask in class if they prefer

Remembrance Day

• We will be hosting a virtual assembly on November 11^th in honour of Remembrance Day
• We are collecting photos of family members who have served or are currently serving in the armed forces
• If you would like to contribute a photo, please send it directly to jpiercey@wqsb.qc.ca by Monday November 8^th

Upcoming Dates

• November 15^th – PD Day – no school for students
• November 19^th – Student Progress Reports published to the parent portal
• November 26^th – PD Day – no school for students

Have a great weekend!

Tara Laine

Principal

D’Arcy McGee High School ~ Symmes Junior High School

819-684-7472 x 437001

Dear Families,

I hope you are all doing well.

Here is some information for this week:

Covid-19 Update

• We currently have ZERO active cases of Covid-19 in our school

Grade 9 Entrance

• Starting next week, grade 9 students will enter the school through the cafeteria doors
• There will be signage and staff support to direct the students while they adjust to this change

Daily Announcements

• Our daily video announcements are posted to our school website
• If you are interested in viewing them, you can find them here: https://symmesdarcy.westernquebec.ca/school/morning-announcements/

Walk for Wenjack

• I’m very happy to announce that our school exceeded our goal of 600km this week in our Walk for Wenjack
• Our staff and students completed a total of 797km!

Halloween

• Because Halloween is on a Sunday this year, we will be encouraging students to dress up on Friday October 29^th if they want
• Please remind your child that replica weapons and full face coverings are not permitted

Have a great weekend!

Tara Laine

Principal

D’Arcy McGee High School ~ Symmes Junior High School

819-684-7472 x 437001

This week is Secret Path Week and here are the activities that everyone can participate in as we all walk along the path towards reconciliation. We are challenging everyone to walk or run laps around the school all week long for our Walk for Wenjack. Our goal is to log 600km to represent the distance between the Cecilia Jeffrey Indian Residential School in Kenora and Chanie Wenjack’s home on the Marten Falls First Nation Reserve in Northwestern Ontario. Classes and individuals are invited to keep track of the laps they walk outside along our very own Secret Path indicated with purple markers. One lap is equal to 0.5km so 2 laps is 1km. Be sure to email Ms. Elst at telst@wqsb.qc.ca to log your kilometres or swing by the Resource Room (Room 162) to fill out a paper tracking form. You can also check out the Walk for Wenjack display outside of Ms. Laine’s office to see the progress of our walk in reaching our goal of 600km. Today at lunch you can join Ms. Legge in Room 242 to watch 2 of our featured documentaries about Indigenous rights and culture – Invasion & Turning Tables. On Tuesday at lunch you can join Ms. Legge in Room 242 to watch another excellent documentary about systemic racism – Spirit to Soar. On Wednesday we are asking everyone to wear purple, the colour of the Downie Wenjack Fund and Legacy Schools, as we honour all the children who were forced to attend Residential Schools. Then at 1pm you can join the group walk/run to help us log more kilometres for our Walk for Wenjack. On Thursday at lunch you can join Mrs. Ray in Room 163 to watch the Secret Path film and on Friday you can join Mrs. Ray again in Room 163 to watch the Secret Path documentary. Also, all week long we asking for donations of red dresses for the REDress Project that will be featured in the Cafeteria in May for the National Day of Awareness of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. If you don’t have a red dress at home to donate, you can always check out your local charity shop. Please drop off your dresses in the red box in the lobby of the main entrance. 

Monday, October 18^th to Friday, October 22^nd is Secret Path Week. We will be holding a Walk for Wenjack all week long with the goal of 600km to recreate the journey Chanie Wenjack would have had to travel in order to get home to his family. Classes and individuals are invited to keep track of the laps they walk outside around the school. One lap is equal to 0.5km so 2 laps is 1km. There will also be opportunities to view the Secret Path film and Indigenous documentaries during lunch, and to get involved in other cultural activities as we all work towards reconciliation. 

Dear Families,

I hope you are all doing well.  It’s amazing to me that September is over! 

Here is some information for this week:

Covid-19 Update

• we currently have ONE active case of Covid-19 in our school

Updated Measures

• Please refer to the letter from the WQSB regarding updated sanitary measures
• These measures pertain to elementary students but I thought it might be relevant to families with younger children

Annual General Assembly

• Thank you to the parents who participated in our Annual General Assembly this week
• Our 2021-2022 Governing Boards were formed and the names of the parents sitting at this table will be added to our website

Upcoming Dates

• October 11^th – Thanksgiving Monday – School is closed
• October 14^th – PD Day – no school for students
• October 15^th – PD day – no school for students

Have a great weekend!

Tara Laine

Principal

D’Arcy McGee High School ~ Symmes Junior High School

819-684-7472 x 437001

Dear Families,

I hope you are all doing well.

Here is some information for this week:

Covid-19 Update

• We currently have ZERO active cases of Covid-19 at our school
• Public Health noticed a typo in the previous health symptom protocol – please refer to the corrected attachment

National Truth and Reconciliation Day

• September 30^th is a day of reflection that is meant to honour the lost children and survivors of residential schools, their families and communities
• Recognizing this day is a vital part of the reconciliation process as we continue to learn about the tragic and painful history of Canada’s relationship with Indigenous peoples
• We encourage all students to wear orange on this day
• T-shirts will continue to be sold in the cafeteria at lunch time for $15
• All week, students will watch short videos about the impact of residential schools during the morning video announcements
• I have attached the videos to this email if you would like to preview them with your child
• We will be hosting a school wide virtual assembly on October 1^st as well

Student Vote!

• I have attached the results of the student vote campaign that was held earlier this week
• It was fantastic to see young people engage in the democratic process!
• Results

Quake Lab Equity Student Survey

• The QuakeLab Team is continuing to run diversity, equity, and inclusion audits of the WQSB
• The next phase of their work includes gathering information from students about their experiences at school
• Please encourage your child to complete the following survey:

Annual General Assembly

• Our Annual General Assembly (AGA) will be held virtually on Wednesday, September 29^th at 6pm for both Symmes and D’Arcy McGee parents
• The purpose of the AGA is to inform parents of the structures and routines of school as well as to elect the parent representatives to our Governing Board
• If you would like to attend the AGA and participate in the voting process for our Governing Board, please RSVP by sending an email the appropriate email address below:

symmesaga@gmail.com

darcyaga@gmail.com

• In the subject line of the email, please put your child’s name and grade
• If you would like to nominate yourself or someone else to sit on our Governing Board, please indicate this in the body of the email
• Only parents who RSVP by 4pm on Tuesday September 28^th will receive a link to the meeting

Reminder that September 30^th is school photo day!

Have a great weekend.

Tara Laine

Principal

D’Arcy McGee High School ~ Symmes Junior High School

819-684-7472 x 437001

Dear Families,

I hope you are all doing well.

Here is some information for this week:

Covid-19

• We currently have ONE active case of Covid-19 in our school

Updated Health Protocols

• Please refer to the attached document from Public Health that provides a roadmap if your child is experiencing symptoms of Covid-19
• Please continue to monitor your children for symptoms and do not send them to school if they are feeling unwell

Extra-Curricular Activities

• Students have been signing up for extra-curricular activities at school – we are very excited for these to start!
• Students who are 11 or 12 years old DO NOT have to provide proof that they have received two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine
• Students 13 years old and up MUST provide proof of vaccination in order to participate

Upcoming Sessions

I have attached information on the following two sessions offered by Connexions:

• Power of Gratitude
• Finding Balance

Student Vote!

• On Monday October 20^th, students will have the opportunity to participate in a National Student Vote initiative to support their learning of the democratic process in Canada
• Here are some resources to help students make the best choice for them:

• I will share the results of the student vote in my next update

Orange Shirt Day

• September 30^th is National Truth and Reconciliation Day/Orange Shirt Day
• Starting on Monday, we will be selling Orange Shirts in our cafeteria at lunchtime for $15
• The profits will go towards cultural programming in school as well as a donation to the Downie Wenjack Fund – https://downiewenjack.ca/

Have a great weekend!

Tara Laine

Principal

Symmes Junior High School/D’Arcy McGee High School

819-684-7472 x 437001

Dear Families,

I hope you are all doing well.

Here are some updates for this week:

Covid-19 Update

• We currently have TWO active cases of Covid-19 (communicated last week)
• We expect these cases to be resolved in the next few days

Public Health Guidelines for Symptoms

• Please refer to the attached document provided to us by the health care sector
• As usual, please keep your child home if they are unwell

School Fees

• Please visit https://symmesdarcy.westernquebec.ca/about/school-fees/ for information on 2021-2022 school fees
• Please contact Ms. Nadine Plourde (nplourde@wqsb.qc.ca, 819-684-7472 x 437009) if you have questions or would like to make a payment

National Truth and Reconciliation Day

• We will be recognizing National Truth and Reconciliation Day on September 30^th (students attend school)
• We will be delivering learning opportunities for our students in the spirit of reconciliation and to bring awareness to the difficult history Canada has with it’s Indigenous Peoples
• We will be selling Orange Shirts to staff and students in the coming weeks with the proceeds going towards Indigenous cultural programming in the school as well as making a donation to the Downie Wenjack Fund

Grade  9 & 10 (Non-Covid-19) Vaccinations

• Once again, our school nurse will be running a vaccination program for our grade 9 students
• Vaccines will also be made available to grade 10 students who need them
• These vaccines are Diphtheria-Tetanus booster and the Meningitis C Booster
• Grade 9s will be vaccinated on December 7^th, 2021
• Grade 10s who have not yet received these vaccinations through the CLSC will be vaccinated on December 6^th, 2021

Work-Oriented Training Pathway

• We are looking for local businesses to host student work placements as part of the Work-Oriented Training Pathway
• If you are interested in supporting this program, please reach out to the coordinator Ms. Jennifer Piercey at jpiercey@wqsb.qc.ca

Forms

• Your child will be bringing home the following forms next Thursday:
  • Publication Ban
  • Medical Form
• Please complete them and have your child bring them to Ms. Jessica Pilon’s office – room 126

Extra-Curricular Activities

• We are getting closer to starting up our extra-curricular activities!
• Students who choose to participate in athletics must be fully vaccinated
• In order to be proactive and ready once we start, please consider downloading the vaccination app with your child

(https://www.quebec.ca/en/health/health-issues/a-z/2019-coronavirus/progress-of-the-covid-19-vaccination/covid-19-vaccination-passport)  or printing a hard copy as this will be required before participation

• Students who are not yet 12 years old, will be eligible to participate without a vaccine
• Thank you for your continued patience as we work towards starting thigs up
• I will communicate with our community once we are ready to go and how students can share their vaccination proof

Annual General Assembly

• Our Annual General Assembly (AGA) will be held virtually on Wednesday, September 29^th at 6pm for both Symmes and D’Arcy McGee parents
• The purpose of the AGA is to inform parents of the structures and routines of school as well as to elect the parent representatives to our Governing Board
• If you would like to attend the AGA and participate in the voting process for our Governing Board, please RSVP by sending an email the appropriate email address below:

symmesaga@gmail.com

darcyaga@gmail.com

• In the subject line of the email, please put your child’s name and grade
• If you would like to nominate yourself or someone else to sit on our Governing Board, please indicate this in the body of the email
• Only parents who RSVP by 4pm on Tuesday September 28^th will receive a link to the meeting

Have a great weekend!

Tara Laine

Principal

D’Arcy McGee High School ~ Symmes Junior High School

819-684-7472 x 437001

Dear Families,

I hope you are all doing well.

It’s been a great first week at school!  Students are quickly adapting to our routines and it is so wonderful to have a full building again. We apologize as we know that there have been a few issues with buses this week.  We have been working with our transportation department at the WQSB to fix these problems.

Here is some information for this week:

Covid-19 Update

• We currently have ONE active case of Covid-19
• This student has not yet attended school this year

Behind The Mask

• Here is a link to a video introducing our Symmes teachers that we made for our Symmes students:

Covid-19 Vaccine Campaign

• You can review my previous communication regarding Covid-19 vaccines through the school on September 9^th on our website:

Upcoming Dates

• Monday September 6^th – Labour Day – school is closed
• Friday September 17^th – PD Day – no school for students
• Thursday September 30^th – School Photos

Have a wonderful long weekend!

Tara Laine

Principal

D’Arcy McGee High School ~ Symmes Junior High School

819-684-7472 x 437001