Upcoming Events:

• Wednesday June 25: Grade 6 Leaving Ceremony (1:30 PM)
• Thursday, June 26: Kindergarten Communication of Learning  / Gr 1 - 6 Report Cards sent via email 
• Thursday, June 26: Water Activity Day (Gr 1 - 6)
• Friday, June 27: Last day of school / School closes for the summer
• Monday, August 25 -  School office opens
• Friday, August 29 -  Information on class assignments sent to parents
• Monday, September 1 -  Labour Day (School closed)
• Tuesday, September 2 -  First day of school

Quick Links:

• Please report your child’s absence or late arrival using School Messenger, or by calling 1-833-202-1417

Final Bobcat Banner of 2024 / 2025:

With only one week remaining in the school year, this marks our final Bateman Bobcat Banner of 2024/2025. It has truly been a pleasure and a privilege to teach your child(ren) over the past year. We've worked to provide a relevant, engaging, and challenging program, and we've valued your partnership as we work together towards that goal.

As you know, this newsletter is bittersweet for me, as I will be moving to a new school after this summer. Serving as Principal at RBPS has been an incredible honour, and I've cherished every moment of being part of this vibrant community. I've been consistently inspired by the dedication of our staff, the enthusiasm of our students, and the support of our families. Thank you for making my time here so rewarding.

To those who are moving on from Robert Bateman, including our Grade 6 families, the Grade 3 families leaving the PSN class, we wish you all the best, and sincerely hope that the time you spent as Bobcats will serve you well in the future.

On behalf of the entire staff, I wish you all a safe and relaxing summer with family. For those of you who are returning next year, I am confident you will continue to thrive under the leadership of Ms Melissa Collins, and I look forward to hearing about all the great things to come for Robert Bateman PS in the years ahead.

Jeff Griesbach (Mr. G)

Attendance For Final Week of School :

If your child(ren) will be away from school this week, could you please let us know, either by  using School Messenger, or by calling 1-833-202-1417: thank you in advance for letting us know who will be away. 

Second Term Progress Reports 

On Thursday, June 26, you will receive an email inviting you to view your child(ren)’s Term Two Progress Reports (or Communication of Learning for Kindergarten students). 

These reports will be available through the online portal. You will need your child(ren)’s Ontario Education Number (OEN) to access the report cards; it can be found on previous report cards. If you do not have your child’s OEN, please contact the school office by email, robertbatemanps@ocdsb.ca to receive this information.

Staff Farewells

The end of the school year means saying goodbye not just to our Grade 6 students, but to staff members who will be leaving the RBPS family.

We say farewell to Mme Selena Coupland, who was scheduled to return in September after her maternity leave, but will instead be moving to another school as part of a slight reduction in the number of projected EFI classes at RBPS next year: we thank Mme Seeina for all she has done at RBPS, and wish her all the best at her new school

In addition, a number of staff joined us this year on temporary assignments for 24/25. As those assignments come to an end, we say farewell to Ms Marwa Alameddine, Ms Farzan Fatemi, Mr Matthew Blundell, Mr. Alexander Thomas, Ms Emma Thom, Ms Sarina Parisee, Ms Suad Hussein, Ms Ghusoun Bondok, and Ms Fiona Johnstone: we appreciate all you have done for our Bateman Bobcats, and we wish you all the best in the future. 

Staff Appreciation Luncheon

On behalf of all the staff, I would like to extend our sincere thanks for the *very* generous luncheon organized on June 13 by the RBPS School Council and provided by our parent community. All the staff at RBPS were touched by your generosity and thoughtfulness.

Thank You RBPS Volunteers

We are very fortunate and grateful to have many parent and community volunteers here at Robert Bateman PS. Volunteers do everything from reading with students to serving pizza, participating on field trips and helping with special projects. The fact that our volunteers make time in their busy lives to contribute to the life of the school is something we all appreciate, and we hope that many of our volunteers will be able to join us again in September. 

Thursday, June 26: Water Activity Day

On Thursday, June 26, the Grade 1-6 students at RBPS will take part in a water activity day (the Kindergarten students have their water activity day scheduled earlier in the week). Please send your child(ren) with a swimsuit and change of clothes if you would like them to participate (Note: children will not be swimming, but will get wet). Students also have the option of not participating.

Roots of Empathy New Parent Volunteer Needed for September

Will your family be welcoming a new addition in the next few months? If so, consider volunteering for the Roots of Empathy program at RBPS. Roots of Empathy is an award-winning program for elementary school children that independent research shows increases empathy, reduces aggression and bullying, and increases caring, kindness and inclusiveness. The Program is centred around you and your baby's loving relationship, with a Roots of Empathy Instructor guiding a discussion with children, encouraging them to read your baby's emotional cues and take your baby's perspective. Your baby is the "Tiny Teacher". The children learn to identify and name your baby’s feelings, reflect on and understand their own feelings, then bridge to understand the feelings of others. The development of emotional literacy helps children understand how their behaviour or words can hurt others, and enables children to make friends and build positive relationships. You can learn more about this program by watching this video.

If you would like more information, please reach out to our Learning Support Teacher, Ms Leanne Shackleton at leanne.shackleton@ocdsb.ca 

Free Community Dental Screenings From Ottawa Public Health 

Has your child missed the school dental screening?  Community Dental Screenings are held over the summer at Neighbourhood Health and Wellness Hubs.  The calendar poster is attached. 

Dental screenings and fluoride varnish applications are free for all ages.  Registered dental hygienists can also support clients with the Healthy Smiles Ontario and Ontario Seniors Dental Care Plan enrollments. 

Here’s a short video that highlights the dental services available in the community.

For the full list of programs/services, schedule and locations of Neighbourhood Health and Wellness Hubs, please visit: www.OttawaPublicHealth.ca/NeighbourhoodHub

Ottawa Public Library Summer Reading Program 

The Ottawa Public Library participates in Canada’s biggest, bilingual summer reading program for kids of all ages and interests. Kids can take part anywhere—at local public libraries across Canada as well as at home, online, or wherever summer takes them. Talk to your local public library staff to find out how students or families can join. Click here for more information.

Curriculum Connections

The OCDSB aims to bring parents into the education process by supporting parent involvement. The links below seek to provide parents tools and ideas about how to support their child’s learning in areas that reflect curriculum expectations, including over the summer.

June Building Bridges

Kindergarten   Grade 1    Grade 2   Grade 3   Grade 4   Grade 5   Grade 6

RBPS Activities (In every Banner, we highlight a different activity at RBPS.)

Activity Name: Track and Field Meet

What is it?: On Friday, June 20, over 50 of our incredible Grade 4-6 students proudly represented Robert Bateman at the regional track and field meet! Our young athletes showcased their skills and determination in a variety of events, including the 100m, 400m, 800m races, as well as various jumping and throwing competitions. We were so proud to see them demonstrate outstanding sportsmanship and encouragement towards their teammates and competitors alike. A huge thank you goes out to our dedicated coaching team, Mme Boudreau, Ms. Horning, and Mme Irus, for their tireless work in preparing our athletes over the past few weeks and for making this memorable event possible!