September 3rd, 2023
Good afternoon, Brigadoon Families,
I am trusting that this message finds you all safe and well, having enjoyed the summer break with your families and friends!
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The following information is a duplicate of what has already been shared via SchoolDay. This is being posted to our School Webpage in order to facilitate communication with the many new families, joining us next week, as some of them are not yet able to access the SchoolDay platform.
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In order to maintain efficiency, we ask that, until further notice, all general inquiries be directed to our general email inbox: [bgd@wrdsb.ca] as this will allow Office staff to see and respond to these questions as quickly as possible.
Please also remember that, once school begins next Wednesday, the best way to submit an absence for your child(ren) is to directly email the school’s attendance line: [bgd-attendance@wrdsb.ca].
This year, we are welcoming a large number of new students and their families into the Brigadoon Learning Community with current enrolment sitting just under 580 students. We are already at the maximal cap for every grade from Kindergarten right through to Grade 6. Being that we find ourselves in this position, there will be very little opportunity for students to be reassigned at this point in time.
Please note that there have reportedly been some system-wide technical issues with SchoolDay. It would therefore be wise, at some point today or tomorrow, to check the posted homeroom class assignments for your child(ren) to confirm placement prior to arrival on Wednesday.
Staff have been very busy getting the learning spaces and programs ready for students and there is a very positive, upbeat tone in the school!
We are very happy and excited to welcome students to Brigadoon P.S. next Wednesday, September 6th. Students can begin arriving at 9:10am. The Main Entry Bell rings at 9:25am. Nutrition Breaks remain the same as last year, @ 11:25am & @2:05pm. The instructional day ends at 3:45pm.
Please ensure, no matter the age of your child, that they all have food for two nutrition breaks, as well as indoor shoes that can be left at school.
KINDERGARTEN:
Kindergarten families are going to be gathering in the Peace Garden as soon as they arrive on property. The Kindergarten Team will meet all families in that location and help to get students organized and into the building. There will be additional personnel in the front area of the school property to help direct Kindergarten families to the correct area. We would ask that Kindergarten families, familiar with Brigadoon, generously assist new families to find their way to the Peace Garden area. The Peace Garden can be accessed by following the path to the right of the YMCA fenced-in play area. For the first few days, we are asking all Kindergarten parents to please ensure that they have confirmed with Homeroom Educators any transportation, pick-up and drop-off arrangements. Please note that we will not be able to accommodate parents and family members entering the Kindergarten student doors on Wednesday morning with their children.
GRADES 1-6:
All students in Grades 1-6 will be asked to gather on the back tarmac area next Wednesday morning. We are going to ask that students do not access the Lower Field area before school as this will make organizing students more challenging.
Once on the back tarmac area, students are invited to look for Homeroom Educators holding signs with Class Codes & Grades. Students should move toward those Educators whose signs correspond to their grade & homeroom assignment as confirmed on SchoolDay. Support Staff and non-Homeroom Educators will be wearing bright vests and will have clipboards with master lists of class assignments so that they can assist students.
When individual Homeroom Educators have gathered all students on their lists, they will enter the building as attendance-taking needs to happen in the classrooms directly at the outset of the day. We will not be able to accommodate parents and family members entering student doors on Wednesday morning with their children. Our goal is to ensure the safety of all students throughout this entire process.
On Wednesday, all Brigadoon Staff are going to make every effort to have students enter the building via their regular entry doors. These entrances will typically be the same doors through which parents can expect students to exit at 3:45pm each day. There are two primary and two junior entrances that will be used this year and all of them provide direct access to the main tarmac area. We are asking all students and family members to refrain from gathering along the front side of the school, between the building and Caryndale Drive as all of the entrances we will be using this year are in the main tarmac area, located at the far side and rear of the school.
Long-time parents and family members will remain in a calm and helpful stance, being generous in their assistance of the many new students and families who will be arriving.
Please note that, in the case of inclement weather Wednesday morning, all students will be entering through the Main Doors at the front of the school and then they will be directed to some of our larger, internal spaces for class organization.
Looking forward to seeing everyone on Wednesday!
Kind regards,
Mr. Pugh – Principal @ Brigadoon P.S.