École Kincardine District Senior School

Welcome to Semester 2/ Term 2 for our KDSS Students & Families,

As we move into the second half of our school year, we want to extend a big thank you to our students who have been respectful of the restrictions that have been in place to ensure students and staff remain healthy and able to participate in fact-to-face learning here at KDSS. We welcome those students and staff who are new to KDSS as they become part of our Knights Team for the remainder of the year! 

We are excited that some of our extra-curricular activities are able to resume and we look forward to additional changes as we move through the next few months.  

Reminders:
-  Instructional Time begins @ 8:50 am for all students
-  Students need a late slip to gain entry into their classes if they are late.
-  Final Semester 1 Reports go home to families on Friday Feb 18th
-  Final Term 1 Report Cards go home on Friday Feb 25th for Elementary Students.

Course Selection for our Grade 8 -12 students will be taking place over the next month, please take a few minutes to chat with your child about their selections and interests.  

If you have any questions or concerns please call.

Ms. Maguire

Good afternoon!

This is to inform you that we have been made aware of one positive case of COVID-19 at KDSS. I wanted you to first hear this directly from me as this information may soon be circulating in the public.

While I understand that this news may cause some anxiety, I wanted to reassure you that there is currently no risk to our students and staff resulting from this particular case of community transmission. Due to the unique circumstances surrounding this case, Grey Bruce Public Health has determined that there is no impact or risk to the school community. The school will remain open, and no bus routes are involved.

As always, public health is the lead for managing all cases and will directly contact ONLY those who may have been exposed as identified through contact tracing.

In addition, as we are heading into winter, I am attaching the instructions for signing up for bus notifications.  This is the easiest way to be notified about any bus disruptions.  Please see this attachment.

And lastly, our KDSS Home & School Association is doing a fundraiser!  They support KDSS and its students in many different ways so please consider making a donation or getting involved! Here is the document for your viewing and participation. 
The next Home & School meeting is Thursday December 9th at 7PM. Click here for the link to the meeting.

Happy December!

Good afternoon,

At the request of the OPP, KDSS entered a Hold & Secure early this afternoon.  This meant that external doors were locked but all other activities inside the school carried on as normal as possible.

The Hold & Secure is used in times of a potential threat in the community but there is no threat within the school.

Police and KDS staff worked together and, at 2:45, the police allowed us to lift the Hold and Secure and resume a regular schedule.

We recognize that this caused a lot of anxiety within the school and Kincardine community but we are very proud at the way our students behaved and followed the direction of staff.

There will be a lot of activity on social media regarding this incident and we ask that the privacy of all of our students be respected.

Thank you and have a pleasant evening.

November 10, 2021

KDSS will honour Remembrance Day on November 11th at11AM.  We are restricted from doing full school assemblies so teachers will lead their classes by following the CBC coverage or their own local event.  Biographies of local veterans have been prepared for students to make a local connection to this day or remembrance and recognition.

Sports are up and running at KDSS!  Aside from volleyball, basketball, track and field and baseball, we also have a thriving intramural dodgeball season going at lunch in both elementary and secondary. 

Our next Home and School meeting is November 18th from 7PM to 8PM.  Please use this linkto join in via MSTeams.

There is a PA Day on Friday November 26th. Elementary parent teacher interviews will be conducted Thursday November 25th from 4PM to 7:45PM and Friday November 26th from 9AM to 11:30AM. The interviews will be virtual and the link will be sent out shortly.

After a long isolation, Hindu families in Grey-Bruce are keen to celebrate Diwali, festival of lights

By Chandra Shekhar Tripathi

November Month being the Hindu Heritage month in Ontario. This week, the Hindu community around the world began celebrating their biggest festival, Diwali. This five day festival started on November 2^nd, with the main day of festivities occurring on November 4^th. The first day is Dhanteras which sets the mood of celebration by paying homage to Lord Dhanwantari, who is associated with the science of Ayurveda and natural healing practices of the Vedic period. The second day is Narkasur Chaturdas, which celebrates Lord Krishna’s triumph over the demon Narkasur. The third day is celebrated by worshiping the goddess of prosperity, Ma Lakshmi and lighting diyas (candles). The fourth and fifth days are celebrated as Govardhan Puja, and Bhai dooz, which remind us the importance of the environment and family relationships, respectively. The festival benefits all by uplifting the human spirit, maintaining happiness by balancing health, wealth, relationships, and preserving the environment.

Diwali is celebrated by Hindus around the world and has a lot in common with other global holidays. The gatherings, gift exchanges, fireworks, and lights of Diwali are reminiscent of other celebrations such as Christmas, Hanukkah, and Chinese New Year.

The core message of the festival centers around the triumph of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance. Diwali has its unique significance, drawing from different legends and traditions of the Vedic era. It's also a time when daylight is really dwindling and the days are growing shorter, especially in the northern hemisphere. During this time we are in need of company, light, sweets, and festivities. You can wish anyone you know, from your neighbours to your coworkers – Happy Diwali.

Wishing everyone Shubh (happy) Diwali!

Dear parents and guardians of Grade 9 students,

The Take Our Kids to Work Day is an annual national program of the “Learning Partnership” in which grade 9 students are hosted by parents, friends and/or relatives at workplaces across the country.  The Take Our Kids to Work Day enhances the student’s understanding of the realities of working life and supports them in their exploration and planning of their career paths. It helps students make more informed choices.

What does this mean for you and your Grade 9?  This is an opportunity for them to accompany you or another trusted adult to a workplace for a day to gain insight into what the workplace is like.

The day to do this is Wednesday November 3^rd, 2021.

We do ask that any workplaces be safe for our students.  Students can be spectators or get involved in the day’s activities as long as they are appropriate for their age and responsibility.  Please be aware of any privacy issues at your workplace.

We really hope that you take advantage of this opportunity and that you and your child learn something new!

Have a great weekend!

To All KDSS Students...

This is a reminder of PHOTO RETAKE day - tomorrow (Wednesday, October 20th) at KDSS, from 8:30am onward. Photo retakes are for all students, grades 7 - 12 (including students with study periods, or students in remote learning or co-op).

Students (and families) may access their school photos at photovisions.ca using the code on the card they were given on picture day. The office can provide the code if it has been misplaced. If a retake is necessary, please prepare to have your picture taken tomorrow.

Also, please join us for the Home and School Meeting on November 18th at 7PM. We will send a virtual Teams invitation out closer to the date.

Please see the attached letter from Grey Bruce Public Health and two supporting documents from the Ministry of Health for sending through SchoolMessenger to parents/guardians of students in Grades 6-12. 

The letter serves as a notification to parents/guardians that public health will be assessing COVID-19 immunization information for eligible students (i.e., individuals born in 2009 or earlier) to support case, contact, and outbreak management in schools. 

If you have any questions or concerns,  please contact Public Health.

Thank you
   

Hello,

We need to let you know about a number of updates around KDSS.  This information is also on the school website (www.kdss.bwdsb.on.ca).

• Reorganization at the elementary level
  • Due to an increase in enrolment in elementary, we are having to do a reorganization of classes. If your child’s placement is changing, we will let you know via email by the end of the day tomorrow.  The new placements will start on Thursday September 30^th.

   

• COMMENCEMENT ANNOUNCEMENT for grade 12 graduates...

  Hello KDSS Graduates of 2021!

  Congratulations!

  To make it official, we will be having a Drive-Through Graduation at KDSS. Although this will not be a traditional graduation ceremony, we want to recognize the hard work and resilience of each and every one of you (in addition to being safe).

  NOTE: A YouTube recorded ceremony of the graduates and their accomplishments will also be available for viewing on October 8th.

  Drive-Through Event.....

  When: Friday October 8th, 2021 anytime between 5PM and 7PM

  Where: River Lane, in front of KDSS, for diploma pickup and a photo opportunity

  What to wear: Students may come dressed however they like, formal or informal. Staff on site will be dressed casually.

  Safety Protocols:

  Every attendee must complete and pass the Provincial School Screening tool (https://covid-19.ontario.ca/school-screening ) before attending.

  Masks must be worn by all attendees.

  Please attend with one car per graduate. Graduates must be in separate cars (except for siblings).

  Cars will enter the bus loop at the east end of South St. (beside the student parking lot) and will weave their way to the front of the school. Please remain in the car until the graduate reaches the photo opportunity and the handing out of diplomas. Feel free to cheer on the graduates and make some noise!

  The graduate has the choice to exit the car to receive his/her diploma and awards, or they can be placed in the trunk of the car or handed through the window. That is up to you and your comfort level.

  Once the graduate has received his/her diploma, family members may take a photo (or two!). Finally, cars will be directed to exit onto Durham St. From River Lane.

  We look forward to seeing our graduates and extending our congratulations and best wishes on October 8th. We are all looking forward to a great evening of celebration!

   

• Truth and Reconciliation Day September 30th
  • KDSS students are engaging in activities this week to learn and reflect on Truth and Reconciliation, and to challenge and explore matters for more understanding. Below is an Acknowledgement created by a student at KDSS. Please stay tuned for daily posts.
  • We encourage all students and staff to wear an orange shirt on Thursday in recognition of the learning that we all have ahead.

• Concussions
  • The last Wednesday in September is #RowansLawDay! At our school, we’ll be sharing Rowan’s story & teaching our students & staff how to identify the signs & symptoms of concussions! #HitStopSit. Join us! A FREE Toolkit is available from @OpheaCanada! https://teachingtools.ophea.net/.../rowans-law-day...

September 9, 2021

Hello!  Welcome to Day 3!

It has been a busy start-up but so nice to have the hallways and field buzzing with activity again. We are still sorting through protocols and procedures in order to find the balance between keeping your child safe and providing a positive learning environment.

Here are a few updates:

• Visitors to the school are for emergency purposes only at this time.  Anyone who enters the building is to go directly to the office where they will complete an attestation about their vaccination status.  This information will be held securely by the school board.

• Extracurricular sports and clubs are currently ‘on pause’ as our senior admin team figures out how to have students mixing beyond their class groups in a safe manner. We sincerely hope that the pause is a short one!

• Please see this letter regarding vaccine clinics to be held in the school.  There is also an information sheet here and a consent form for those 12 to 17 years old.

• Did you know that mental health support is available on the Bluewater DSB website?  It isn’t all that easy to find so you can use this link to get there directly. Bluewater students can seek help for themselves or report a friend who they are worried about.

• School Photo Day is September 17^th

• Student H&S forms will be distributed next week.  We ask that you update any information that may have changed over the summer so that we can contact you quickly and efficiently if needed.

A message from the KDSS Home and School:

Welcome to the Home and School. Our first meeting is by MS Teams on Thursday September 16, 2021 at 7 PM. Please email Andrew Riddick at [email protected] for the meeting link. Your home and school meets on the third Thursday of every month to advocate for our students. All are welcome, hope to see you there. Please contact President Jenny Sinclair at [email protected] or vice-president Cathy Lunn at [email protected] or by text at 226-930-0075, for any questions you may have.