Message From The Principal

Dear Corpus Christi Community,

I hope you and your family enjoyed a safe, restful, and relaxing summer! As your new principal, I am beyond thrilled to join the Corpus Christi community. It is a privilege to step into this role, and I am truly looking forward to getting to know our students, parents, and community members as we partner together to make this a wonderful school year.

Our school building is looking fantastic! A huge shoutout goes to our incredible caretaking team, who worked tirelessly all summer to ensure our classrooms and hallways are sparkling clean, safe, and ready for a brand-new year of learning and growth.

To help your family prepare for a confident start, you will find some essential first-day information below. Watch for the first Newsletter once the year starts rolling! 

Important Family Action Items: Please take a moment to confirm you are signed up for SchoolMessenger and have opted in to receive GENERAL communications. This step is essential so you don't miss out on vital classroom announcements, principal updates, and school events once we get rolling! There are many other important To-Do items that can be found in this Parent Handbook. Please read through it carefully and complete all tasks prior to the start of school!

May God bless and guide our entire Corpus Christi school community as we begin this exciting journey together.

Your partner in education, 

Jacqueline Lawlor 

Principal, Corpus Christi School

First Day Information Grade 1-6

***As the school year starts before the long weekend this year, please notify the school as soon as possible if you have travel plans and will be away during the first week.*** 

On Tuesday, students in grade 1 to Gr. 6 are welcome in the school yard at 9:00 am. To help to ease the chaos of the first day, we do ask that only one parent/guardian join their child. Thank you for your understanding.

Grade 1 to Gr. 3 will meet in the yard near the primary doors by the play structure. Grade 4 to Gr. 6 will meet in the yard by the fence along Third Ave. Teachers will be holding up a sign and class list. 

Class Placements:

***You will receive an email Monday evening listing your child’s homeroom teacher so you know who you are looking for.***

Our educator team spends a great deal of time in late spring carefully constructing class lists to ensure balanced, successful learning environments for everyone. Because of the complex puzzle of factors involved, we are unable to accept requests for specific teachers or peer groupings. Rest assured, our primary goal is always to place every student where they will best grow and thrive. While students may not always land in a classroom with a preferred friend or past teacher, new groupings offer a wonderful opportunity to broaden their social circles and build lasting friendships. Framing this fresh start positively at home helps children cultivate resilience, adaptability, and confidence when navigating new dynamics. These skills will serve them well far beyond the classroom.

Please be aware that shifting enrollment may require us to reorganize some classes after the first six weeks to meet Ministry requirements. We will inform you if any changes become necessary.

First Day Information for Kindergarten

Families will receive an email by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, August 31st with their child’s class placement and details about the first day of school. 

Junior Kindergarten students (born in 2022) will begin with an Orientation Meeting the first week of school on either Wednesday or Thursday. The student and their parent(s) will meet with the teacher. This is your time to have all your questions answered. Students will then return home with their parent(s) and start their first full day the day after the orientation meeting. 

JK Orientation Date and Time: This was provided by mail end-June. Please reach out to the school if you did not receive it.

Senior Kindergarten students (born in 2021) will attend their Ontario Ministry of Education mandated Reading Screening appointment the first day of school (Sept. 2) and return home with their parent/guardian. Their first full day of school is Wednesday, September 2nd.

SK Screening Time on Sept. 1 was provided to you by email end-June. Please reach out to the school if you did not receive it.

Dismissal

To ensure a safe and smooth dismissal of all of our students at the end of the day, please follow the following procedure:

BUS: All students taking the bus will line up in the yard by the fence along Third Ave and board one bus at a time in a safe and timely fashion. Kindergarten students will be loaded on the bus first by an educator. 

WALKERS: Junior students who have permission to walk home alone or with a friend, may exit via the Third Ave gate, or at the back through the Mutchmor yard. Please ensure both your child’s teacher and your child knows their dismissal plan. 

All other junior and primary students are to meet their parent/guardian through the Mutchmor gate area. For the first few weeks, students in grades 1-3 are to wait with their teacher until the teacher has a visual of the parent/guardian picking them up. Please ensure both your child’s teacher and your child knows their dismissal plan.

Please note, kindergarten walkers MUST be picked up by a parent/guardian listed in our contacts for hand-off in the school yard by the play structure. Please let your child’s teacher know who will be picking them up.

Student Transportation & Bus Safety (OSTA)

Transportation for our school board is managed by the Ottawa Student Transportation Authority (OSTA). Please review the account setup steps and daily safety routines below:

Parent Setup & Action Items:

• View Routes & Schedule: Log into the OSTA Parent Portal using your school-registered email to check your child’s bus stop location and pickup/drop-off times.

• Subscribe to Delay Alerts: Sign up for email notifications regarding route delays and weather cancellations directly on the OSTA Website.

• JK & New Students: Families of Junior Kindergarten or new-to-Ontario students will receive a board email with instructions on logging into OSTA without an OEN number. If you have not received this email by Monday morning, please contact our main office.

• Opting Out of Busing: If your child qualifies for transportation but will not be using it (or is enrolled in the Extended Day Program/EDP), please complete the OSTA Opt-Out Form. Options are available to opt out of AM, PM, or both.

Daily Bus Routines & Safety

• Bus IDs & Backpack Tags: Buses display both an OSTA ID number in the window and a Corpus Christi color code—please help your child memorize both! Ensure your child’s backpack has a label listing their full name, phone number, home address, and school name.

• Kindergarten Yellow Tags: Kindergarten riders are issued a yellow plastic tag that must stay attached to their backpack all year. For safety, drivers will only release Kindergarten students to one of two pre-authorized caregivers listed on file.

• Bus Rules & Conduct: Students must listen to their driver and adhere to safety protocols. Misbehavior results in a written report to the Principal, and bus service will be suspended after three notifications.

Driving a bus is a very demanding job—thank you for helping us extend patience, kindness, and respect to our drivers every day!

Arrival & Dismissal Procedures

• Daily Schedule & Supervision: Morning drop-off is between 9:00 AM and 9:15 AM, and afternoon pick-up is at 3:45 PM. Please plan accordingly for local traffic, as staff supervision is only active during these hours. There is no supervision before 9:00 AM or after 3:45 PM.

• Parking & Traffic: School parking lots are strictly reserved for staff. There is no parking for parents/caregivers. If your child is eligible for busing, we strongly encourage using it! Otherwise, walking or parking a block or two away is a great way to avoid gridlock while getting a little fresh air.

• Gate Access for Walkers: Morning drop-off takes place at the Third Ave gate, while afternoon pick-up is located at the Mutchmor Yard gate.

• Front Entrance Policy: To prevent heavy congestion and keep our entryways safe, please do not use the front main office doors for routine drop-offs or pick-ups.

Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our school gates safe and running smoothly for all students!

Safe, Inclusive and Accepting Schools

To help ensure a smooth transition into a safe, joyful, and welcoming school year, please take a few moments to review the OCSB Code of Conduct together with your child. While expectations at school may naturally differ from routines at home, establishing a shared understanding helps every student contribute to a safe, caring, and inclusive community. Thank you for your partnership in making Corpus Christi a wonderful place for everyone to learn and grow!   

You can find all of OCSB’s policies on the board website, including the progressive discipline model.

Important Dates & Links: