Saint Michael's Catholic School Douglas

Good Monday morning, everyone! We hope you had a safe and warm weekend. Please remember to complete the COVID-19 screening questions before leaving for school each morning https://covid-19.ontario.ca/school-screening/

Congrats @jackquinn_19. SMS is very proud of you & we wish many more blessings on the journey!

P.I.N.K. Week begins tomorrow! We will strive to remind students of the importance of being Peaceful, Inclusive, Noble & Kind and about the impacts we have on one another. Our Board’s 2020/2021 goal of focusing on that part of our Vision Statement that reads, Open to mystery and endless discovery in the Lord, we are called to . love unconditionally is very fitting. We will end the week on Friday with PINK day. Students are encouraged to wear as much pink as possible that day.

We will remember them.

Our Online Auction Fundraiser begins this Wednesday! We have so many AMAZING items to auction off, all donated by incredibly generous local businesses and community members- stay tuned for all the details! #TAPRenfrew #communityfundraiser #smalltownbigheart

While not yet being able to safely gather as a school community inside the Church, She served as a perfect backdrop for a Thanksgiving prayer service lead by our amazing Gr. 7/8s. Many thanks to Fr. Lund for joining & reminding us to live our thanks this Thanksgiving. #SMSProud

Our amazing Gr 8 students did a wonderful job leading our virtual Remembrance Day Service and each class was able to have a wreath laid at the Cenotaph beside the school. #LestWeForget

Wishing our SMS students and families a lovely Thanksgiving weekend.

Congrats to local boy & SMS grad @jackquinn_19. We are very proud of you Jack! #SMSProud

While not able to host a community Remembrance Day Service at the cenotaph this year, SMS will have a virtual service lead by our amazing Gr 8 students streamed into all classrooms & we will safely lay some wreaths. #LestWeForget

https://twitter.com/StMikesRCCD/status/1313081446085595137

Important Notice: Revised Screening Tool October 1st, 2020 The Ministry of Health has just released a revised COVID-19 Screening Tool for Children in School and... Child Care (https://covid-19.ontario.ca/school-screening/) and we have also received this guidance from the RCDHU: In order to avoid putting an impossible demand on Family Physician’s offices and on VTAC, in the event that you or your children become unwell with symptoms that may be related to COVID-19, parents should monitor a child's illness and keep them out of school or daycare if they are sick. Adults should stay off work if they are sick. The new Ontario screening questionnaire has separated Major symptoms in Question 1 and Minor symptoms in Question 2. If a person has a Major symptom listed in Question 1 (Fever, Cough, Shortness of breath, Loss of taste/smell) then you WILL need a COVID-19 test and should self-isolate. You can call VTAC 1-844-727-6404 to schedule a COVID-19 test. However, if you are concerned about how sick you or your child is then you should call your Family Physician. If you do not have a Family Physician or cannot access your Family Physician, then call VTAC to schedule a telephone appointment with a VTAC Family physician. As always, if you feel that you or your child is seriously ill, then call 911 or go to the nearest Emergency Department. If a person has 2 or more Minor symptoms listed in Question 2 (Sore throat, runny nose, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or fatigue) then you WILL need a COVID-19 test and should self-isolate. You can call VTAC 1-844-727-6404 to schedule a COVID-19 test. If a person has just 1 Minor symptom, they should stay home for 24 hours to be monitored to see whether the symptoms get better or worse. If they start to feel better and symptoms are improving, they can return to school/child care when well enough to do so and no COVID-19 testing is needed. If your child is currently home under the conditions identified above and will now pass the revised screening tool, they may return to school tomorrow. All staff and essential visitors to schools are reminded to continue to complete the COVID-19 Screening Tool for Workplaces (http://www.health.gov.on.ca//workplace_screening_tool_guid)

Thank you for all that you do for us Dianne & Ashley! #nationalcustodianday

We want to express our gratitude to all the bus drivers who make it possible for our students to get to/from school each day. Thank you for stepping up to meet the unprecedented challenges this year has brought. We are very grateful to have you!

Please note the updated guidance on testing and isolation: Household members who do not have any symptoms must carefully self-monitor for any symptoms but can c...ontinue to attend school and work so long as they do not develop any new symptoms. Everyone must continue to pay close attention to the rules on physical distancing, mask wearing and hand-washing. See more

RCCDSB Director of Education announces retirement plan Director of Education for the Renfrew County Catholic District School Board (RCCDSB), Jaimie Perry, annou...nced today his retirement effective as of the end of January 2021. Perry will be concluding a 32-year career with the Board having served as an occasional teacher, teacher, department head, vice-principal, principal, superintendent and Director of Education. Perry notes, While I have witnessed many changes during this time, the Board’s Vision Statement has remained a true constant guide for me personally and professionally and for our system as a whole. When we anchor ourselves in our faith and in each other, we can do remarkable things together. I am proud to have served with an RCCDSB community that is so committed to the success, growth and well-being of students. The impact and imprint that fellow colleagues, students, parents and broader community members have had on my journey is a true blessing for which I am grateful. Board Chair David Howard expressed thanks to Mr. Perry for the warmth, hospitality, good humour and joy that has characterized his leadership style. Jaimie is an outstanding leader who embraced the important work our Board does. We appreciated his continued commitment to maintain the quality of leadership we have become accustomed to at RCCDSB. He was integral in the implementation of our renewed Strategic Plan to continue nurturing the growth and success of our students and our schools, said Howard. Perry remains focused on ensuring the Board’s start to the 2020-21 school year amidst the COVID-19 pandemic proceeds as safely as possible, and that the educational experience provided to students, both in school and in the online environment, is robust and faith-filled. The Renfrew County District Health Unit has been an invaluable community partner and guide over the past several months as we have collectively wrestled with evolving information to make our schools as safe as possible. And, of course, the RCCDSB team has dug in to ensure we implement protocols to make physical schooling safe and at the same time enhanced our online capabilities to support learners who have chosen that path. I have never been prouder to be part of this community than over the past several months. When we focus on the pronoun ‘we’ and the preposition ‘with’, everything is possible. The Board will shortly commence the search for a new director to carry on the legacy of great leadership at RCCDSB. It is with saddened hearts that we regretfully accept Jaimie’s letter of resignation. We are grateful for Jaimie’s many years of dedicated service to our Board and extend best wishes for a long, happy, and well-deserved retirement, stated Howard. For more information please contact: David Howard, Chairperson, RCCDSB @ 613-735-1031

Key reminders to parents, students and staff 1. Complete the screening tool every day at https://covid-19.ontario.ca/school-screening/. If you have any symptoms..., stay home and call VTAC to arrange to be tested. 2. Anyone in the same household as someone with symptoms must stay home and self-isolate until the symptomatic person receives a negative test. No test is necessary for anyone with no symptoms but DO self-isolate. 3. Once the negative test is confirmed, household contacts can return to work/school. 4. Once the person who was tested has received a negative test, they may return to school/work 24 hours after symptoms have started to improve and no fever.

A reminder that all students & staff must pass the COVID-19 self-assessment tool before coming to school each day. If you don’t pass, please contact Renfrew County VTAC for next steps. #SafetyFirst #SlowTheSpread