DCJA September Newsletter

At Donald C. Jamieson Academy we are so happy to have our staff and students back to school for another fun-filled year!

Everyone has certainly settled into the 2024-2025 school year and lots of learning and fun has already taken place.

Please take some time to check out our September 2024 Newsletter. It contains some important information for families, staff and students!

On Thursday, September 26, 2024, our staff are excited to invite students and their families to our school for a fun filled Welcoming Event!

Between 6 PM and 7 PM, families can visit our school and spend time exploring! They can use this time to meet our teachers, tour the building, and learn some interesting facts about DCJA! When they are finished exploring the school they can enter into a draw for a Family Prize Pack!

We cannot wait to see you all!

The Provincial Government is observing the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30, 2024. This includes the closure of all NLSchools offices and schools. This observance is being held to honour survivors and raise awareness of the tragic legacy of residential schools in Canada.

Staff and students are encouraged to wear orange on Friday, September 27, 2024, to mark the importance of this day.

When staff and students return to school on Tuesday, October 1, 2024, it will be Day 4 on the schedule.

There will be no classes for staff and students on Monday, October 14, 2024 in recognition of Thanksgiving!

WHEN

Friday, October 18, 2024 from 8:30 AM - 9:30 AM

WHERE

DCJA Parking Lot & Salt Pond Trail

MORE INFORMATION

The DCJA Breakfast Program serves approximately 200 students each day, costing the DCJA Breakfast Program approximately $200 daily. To help ensure that students at DJCA can continue to receive breakfast each morning, families are invited to join us for our annual Walk to Breakfast Fundraiser on Friday, October 18, 2024. Following a walk around the Salt Pond Trial, students, families and staff will be treated to a healthy breakfast in the cafeteria.

Details on making donations to this fundraiser will be shared in the coming weeks. Stay tuned!

Photo Day will take place on Wednesday, October 23, 2024. More information will be shared in the coming weeks.

Thank you to those families who have set up accounts for RYCOR and who have completed the necessary Social Media Consent Form & Acceptable Use of Technology Form. These are important forms for all students to have completed. At this time, approximately 60% of our student population have completed these mandatory forms.

If you have not set up a RYCOR account yet, or have an account but have not completed the forms, we ask that you do so as soon as possible.

If you have any questions or need assistance setting up your account, please contact the school at 891-1431.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Our Breakfast Program has officially begun at DCJA. Each day our students are enjoying fresh items prepared by our amazing volunteers!

We would like to take this opportunity to thank the volunteers who returned to our Program this year. Their dedication to the program is certainly appreciated by each and every one of our students! A special shout out goes to the DCJA Breakfast Program Coordinators, Ms. Dawn Brushett & Ms. Millie Lundrigan for their steadfast work in organizing and planning the meals and events associated with the DCJA Breakfast Program.

At this time, we are seeking volunteers to assist with this valuable program. Individual and group volunteers are welcome! If you or someone you know is interested in this rewarding opportunity, please reach out to the DCJA Breakfast Program Coordinators by emailing DCJABreakfastProgram@gmail.com.

Families are reminded that Popcorn will be available once a month and must be purchased in advance for the school year with a one time fee of $10.00. Orders can be placed online via RYCOR. The dates for Popcorn Days are listed below.

Students are kindly requested to bring their own eating utensils such as forks, knives, spoons, plates, bowls, and any other necessary items from home. Disposable items such as these are no longer available at our school.

Furthermore, please note that time is limited in our cafeteria at lunch time. To ensure students have time to eat please take some of these tips into consideration when preparing lunches.

DCJA is a scent aware building. Some of our students and staff are sensitive to scented products or have conditions which are impacted by scents. We ask that all staff and students avoid the use of scented items including:

• perfumes

• aftershave

• cologne

• scented hairspray, hair gels or other styling products

• scented face and body creams, lotions and sprays

• scented deodorant

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Within our school community there are several students who have potentially life-threatening allergy (anaphylaxis) to the following foods:

• peanuts/products with peanuts in the ingredients

• tree nuts (e.g. almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pine nuts,

pistachios, walnuts).

Please do not send food items containing these ingredients to school.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Earlier this month, students at DCJA participated in Bus Evacuation Drills that taught them what to do on the bus in the case of an emergency. In addition to this, we ask that you please take a few moments to review these School Bus Safety Tips with your child/children.

We are still accepting nominations for Parent/Guardian Representatives on the School Council. There are currently 3 positions available.

A Parent/Guardian School Council Member partners with other members of the School Council to advocate for the interests of all of the students at DJCA. They also represent the views of the parents/guardians of students at DCJA.

To be eligible for election, you must be the parent/guardian of a student at DCJA. Only parent/guardians of students at DCJA can nominate and vote for Parent/Guardian Representatives of the School Council.

If you wish to nominate a Parent/Guardian Representative for the DCJA School Council, nomination forms can be picked up at the main office.

As we bid farewell to Ms. Vivian, we welcome Ms. Stephanie Marshall into the role of Reading Specialist. Ms. Marshall has taught at DCJA for a number of years, most recently as the Grade 3/4 teacher. We wish her luck in this new position!

Furthermore, we would like to welcome Ms. Alicia Shave into the position of Assistant Principal. Ms. Shave has taught at the primary and elementary level for a number of years and most recently has worked as the Safe & Inclusive Schools Itinerant for our area. We are excited to have her join our team!