PLEASE READ AND NOTE
Drop Off Time
Time is called at 8:25 a.m. and classes commence at 8:30 a.m. for Grades 1 to 6. For Kindergarten students, school starts at 8:30 a.m. with outdoor recess. All children are expected to be at school by their respective start times. The playgrounds are supervised from 8:15 a.m.
Pick Up Time
School ends at 3:30 p.m. (Dismissal begins at 3:15 p.m. for Kindergarten students without older sibs).
Parking, Drop Off and Pick-Up Routines
We are located in an ideal, central location and it is imperative that we maintain good relations with our immediate neighbours and surrounding community. In order to achieve this, we ask that all parents and caregivers respect our parking procedures:
- Parking is not permitted at any time on Poplar Plains Road and it is illegal to leave your car unattended on this road. Parking on Cottingham Street is not permitted before12:00 p.m. Parking on all other surrounding side streets is not permitted before10:00 a.m. EXCEPT BOULTON DRIVE, one street west of the school. Therefore, a quick “park and dash” into the school is NOT an option during morning drop off. Parents wishing to accompany students into the school in the morning should park on Boulton Drive and walk over.
- In order to facilitate a safe and speedy morning drop off, A Morning Greeter Program is in place. Each morning, from 8:15 a.m. until 8:45 a.m. two adults (one parent and one teacher) greet each car as it approaches the main gate on Poplar Plains. The children are quickly escorted from the car to the school gate and the attendant ensures that the driver moves on to make way for the next car.
- Every Mabin family helps out with morning greeter duty. Parents will receive information on the date of their duty several weeks prior to the duty. Weekly reminders are also posted in our weekly newsletter, The Choosing Times. This is an important responsibility and parents must make arrangements with another family to cover this duty if they are unavailable on the date indicated.
- PLEASE DO NOT STOP IN THE NO-STOPPING ZONE IN FRONT OF # 47 P0PLAR PLAINS ROAD. Emergency vehicles must have access to this house at all times.
We provide two Pick-Up options for parents and caregivers:
- If you wish to meet your child(ren) in the schoolyard at the end of day, please park legally on any one of the side streets and walk to the school. Please be considerate of our neighbours and do not block driveways.
Or
- Please tell your child(ren) to watch for your car at 3:30 p.m. When the teacher at the gate sees your car pull up, (s)he will let your child(ren) leave the school premises. Our Traffic Volunteer or a Mabin teacher will walk your child(ren) to your car.
Phone Messages
Please phone important messages only. Social arrangements and changes should be made between parents at home. Changes to pick-up arrangements should be phoned to Ext. 245 for Grades 1 - 6 or Ext. 225 or 226 for Kindergarten.
Lates and Absences
If your child is to be absent, please phone the school as early as possible. Messages should be left with your child's teacher on voicemail, preferably before 8:15 a.m. This is a safety and planning issue.
Students who are late are at a disadvantage as they miss out on the early morning welcome and news sharing as well as important instructions. We strongly encourage parents to assist their children’s learning by bringing them to school on time. If your child is late, please phone your child’s teacher. For safety reasons, late students should sign in at the school office upon arrival.
Lunches and Snacks
Apart from the weekly hot- lunch options, children bring their own lunches to school. We are a NUT FREE school and committed to protecting students with anaphylactic food allergies. Please support us in ensuring that no peanut butter, nut cookies, granola bars or food containing peanut oil comes to school. Please read ingredient labels. Students are not allowed to share their lunches with one another and are expected to wash their hands after lunch.
We encourage healthy eating habits, which supports our approach of developing the whole child. As an environmentally friendly school, we also encourage litter free lunches (with labeled containers).
Please DO NOT send pop, candy bars, or gum. These are not permitted at school. Children from Grade One and up should bring in healthy snacks for mid-morning “pick-me-ups.”
Clothing
Clothing should be practical and easily washed. PLEASE LABEL ALL PERSONAL ARTICLES. If clothing is labeled even with magic marker, we can facilitate a reunion between the child and the piece of clothing. Misplaced items are put in our school Lost and Found that is cleared at the end of each school term. Unclaimed and unlabeled items will be donated to organizations in need.
Birthdays
In order to avoid the inevitable hurt feelings of those who are not invited to birthday parties, we request that you either invite the whole class, all of the boys or all of the girls or send specific invitations by mail. Please remember, excluding one or two can create unnecessary upsets. This is a very sensitive issue with children and we feel it is important our students learn to respect others and develop empathy. If you are picking up a large number of children at the school for birthday parties, please leave the details with the Pick-Up Changes voicemail at Ext. 245. Please supervise the children in the schoolyard until 3:45 p.m. and then bring around buses, taxis etc. for the children to board.
Illness
Children should return to school only when they can participate fully, including outdoor play. Any illness, especially a contagious illness, should be reported to the teacher immediately.
Medical Forms
Medical forms (one per child) should be returned to school as soon as possible before school starts to inform us of any changes in medical information, changes in phone number or address, and to ensure that your child may attend any school outings as soon as school starts. PUBLIC HEALTH FORMS (immunization forms) are also required for children who are new to the school.
Note: These forms do not need to be filled out or signed by a doctor.
Communication
Parents and teachers form an important team working together to insure that children have the most successful learning experience. Clear and ongoing communication between home and school ensures this team works effectively. All matters pertaining to the teaching program or to specific children should be discussed first with the appropriate classroom teacher or specialist and then, if necessary, with the Principal.
Extended Care (3:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.)
Offered on full school days only, excluding the last day of each term. For information or for inquiries about availability, please call Ext. 240.
