Robert Bateman PS

Bateman Bobcat Banner

Monday, September 11, 2023

Upcoming Events:

• September 15-17: Rosh Hashanah (Shanah tovah to those celebrating)
• Tuesday, September 19, 6:30 - 7:30 PM: RBPS School Council meeting
• Friday, September 30: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
• Friday,  October 6: PA Day (No School for Students)
• Monday,  October 9: Thanksgiving Monday  (No School for Students)

Welcome to the first Bateman Bobcat Banner of 2023/2024. Every 2nd Monday, we will share the Bobcat Banner via email and post a copy to the RBPS website. The Bobcat Banner has news about upcoming events and activities, showcases student work, along with other information we hope will be of interest to the Robert Bateman Community.

Transportation

Thank you for all of your support in helping our first week back to school go so smoothly. We especially appreciate your patience during drop-off and pick-up. 

The turning circle is for school buses and OSTA vans only between 8:10 - 8:30, and from 2:45 - 3:10. Parents are welcome to park in the turning circle if they are picking up or dropping off students in the middle of the school day. The staff parking lot is for staff only at all times. Please do not cross the bus lane, but instead cross at either the north or south end of the school.

Arrival Time

Thanks to all the parents / guardians who support their child(ren) to arrive at school between 8:15 and 8:30 AM. Our opening exercises (O Canada and daily announcements) take place at 10:20, just before first recess, so that students can jump right into learning as soon as they arrive. When students arrive late, they miss the first part of the lesson, and interrupt instructional time. We appreciate your support in helping your child(ren) to arrive on-time.

Early Pick-Up and End-Of-Day Dismissal

If your child has an appointment during the day, please let the office know (either by email or by phone) so we can have them in the office ready for pick-up.

Given the business at the end of the day, we would ask that you not pick up your child between 2:45 and 3:00 PM. During this time, students may be in transit to the various locations to prepare for dismissal, loading of busses and vans, or transitioning to EDP. 

If your child has an appointment right after school, we would request that you either collect them at the regular 3:00 dismissal, or collect them from school earlier at 2:30 PM. For Kindergarten: parents are welcome to wait outside the gate prior to dismissal.

Ongoing Assessment

As we welcome students back to school, teachers in all grades will give students opportunities to review and practice their academic skills after the summer break. In addition, teachers will administer a variety of assessments, to help us to learn more about our students. The data from these assessments allows us to shape instruction so it is most helpful for each individual student, and for the class as a whole. Frequently, our in-school Learning Support Team of Ms Shackleton, Ms Menicucci, and Ms Horning will assist teachers with individual and group assessment in their classes, particularly at the start of the year. Please note that these early assessments will not be reflected on students’ Progress Reports or Report Cards. This type of diagnostic assessment is also known as ‘assessment for learning,’ and is an important tool to improve student achievement. To learn more about assessment, evaluation, and reporting in Ontario schools, please review the Ministry of Education Growing Success document. 

School Council 

Please join us for the Annual General Meeting and first School Council meeting of the 2023-2024 school year. This meeting will take place on Tuesday September 19, 2023 starting at 6:30 pm. Parents and Guardians are invited to attend, vote, and welcome to run for positions on the School Council. We will continue to hold our meetings using a hybrid model, so parents can attend either online or in-person. We hope to see you there.

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (Saturday, September 30)

During September, students and staff at Robert Bateman School will join people across Canada in observing National Truth and Reconciliation Day. We will hold an assembly, in addition to other activities throughout the week.  Leading up to September 30th and beyond, students at RBPS will continue to learn about the legacy of residential schools and their aftermath, in an age-appropriate context. We will make use of age-appropriate resources provided by the OCDSB Indigenous Education team, and our librarian, Ms Green, continues to build our collection of First Nations, Metis, and Inuit resources. We will share more information on our upcoming activities as we get closer to September 30.

Student Accident Insurance

Creating a caring and safe environment for our students is our top priority. Unfortunately, despite all reasonable precautions being taken, accidents can still happen. Some injuries may result in medical, dental or other expenses that are not covered by provincial health care or employer group plans and caregivers become responsible for these expenses.

The OCDSB does not provide student accident insurance and encourages all caregivers to consider purchasing accident insurance or student accident insurance for incidents that may not be covered by the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) or any additional medical plans they have.

Student accident insurance is available for purchase, on a voluntary basis. Caregivers may apply online at insuremykids.com or call 1-800-463-5437. The accident insurance coverage options range from $17.00/year to $33.00/year. All plans provide 24/7 coverage and a variety of important accident benefits (benefit limits differ based on plan selected). If you have any questions, please call Binks Insurance Brokers directly at 613-226-1350.

Staff Profiles  (In every Banner, we profile a different staff member…)

Staff Name: Darla Fuller

Role: Vice-Principal (Gr 1/2 Early French Immersion (EFI) Teacher)

Time at Robert Bateman: 2 weeks

Background:

I have been teaching since 1997, first starting in Alberta, and then moving to Ottawa about 24 years ago with my husband who works in high-tech. All four of our children currently live at home with us in Kanata, three attending Carleton University, and one in high school. I have a passion for literacy, and spent my last year-and-a half as a literacy instructional coach with our board. When I am not at school, my family and I love playing sports together - especially basketball - and spending time involved in music at our local church. 

I am so excited to join the RBPS community! Go Bobcats!

Interesting Fact:

I grew up on a farm in northern Alberta, where, in addition to farming, my parents were both teachers…My mom was my kindergarten teacher, and my dad was my grade 7 homeroom teacher. 

Robert Bateman Staff of 2023/2024

Here is the amazing Robert Bateman Staff of 2023/2024

 RBPS Staff: 2023-2024