Dear Parents/Guardians,
We successfully made it through the first week of the implementation of the Hybrid Model of learning. It was a pleasure to welcome back to St. Mary, all of our remote learners and I’m so proud of the students learning face-to-face who quickly adjusted to moving into a new class. The staff have worked incredibly hard to navigate their virtual learning environments and to adapt to teaching both students at school and at home simultaneously. I’m sure you can appreciate that this is not an easy task and teachers will require some time to figure out what works best for all learners. Please be patient as we try our best and work together to meet the needs of all students. Teachers are truly doing the very best they can under these challenging circumstances.
Safety continues to be our number one priority at St. Mary. Thank you for ensuring your child(ren) have masks to wear at school every day. Students continue to wash their hands with soap and water or sanitize with hand sanitizer and they continue to be encouraged to stay physically distanced. Thank you also for ensuring that your children come to school with snacks and a lunch and you are not dropping off items that they may have forgotten at home. This procedure helps ensure that we are not mixing any cohorts and not allowing visitors into the school.
Thank you to all of the parents who completed a nomination form to be members of the St. Mary Catholic School Council. Our first Catholic School Council meeting will take place virtually on Wednesday, October 21 at 6:45pm. Copies of the Catholic School Council Agendas and Minutes are posted on our school website at smy@ycdsb.ca.
In closing, one of the main focus points for the St. Mary staff and students during the 2020-2021 school year is “growth mindset.” A growth mindset unlocks our ability to learn and grow especially during challenging times. It’s very evident how important a growth mindset is for all of us at this time of change! Parents are invited to watch this short video with their children and ask them about the inspiration they found in the story.
Please contact your child’s teacher or myself if you or your child needs support.
Stay strong! Stay healthy!
Mrs. D’Andrea