MQP Welcome Back Memo
School Opening Memo for September 2022
Welcome back to the 2022-2023 School Year! Welcome to our Kindergartens, returning students and the new students who will be joining us. We look forward to another exciting year at MQP!
School Opening
School will reopen for all students on Wednesday, September 7th. Doors will open for our students in Grades 1-6 at 7:50am and at 10:00am for our kindergarten students.
Kindergarten Students
A detailed memo regarding specific opening day procedures for our kindergartens was distributed on Tuesday, August 30th.
Daily School Schedule:
7:50am: Doors Open
8:10am: Instruction Begins
9:40am- 9:55am: Recess
11:25am: Lunch
12:10pm: Afternoon Instruction Begins
2:10pm: Dismissal
Protocol for First Day of School:
It has been practice for the past nine years at MQP that caregivers do not accompany their children to class inside the building on the first day of school, with the exception of the caregivers of our Kindergarten students who are permitted to accompany their child to the classroom door on the first day only.
We feel it is important to provide a rationale for this past practice as we have many new families joining our school this year. MQP has a student population of approximately 650 students and our stairways and hallways are very narrow with traffic flowing in one direction only. When we invited caregivers into our building on the first day of school in the past, the school was overcrowded and students became overwhelmed and stressed. At MQP we strive to have our students come through the door on the first day of school with excitement and it is a day that they share with our staff following the summer break.
Caregivers of students who will not be travelling on the bus are welcome to park in the lower parking lot of our school and walk their children to the student entrance door where they will be greeted by our staff.
Again this year, staff will be assigned at each entrance and wing to greet students upon their arrival to escort them to their new class safely and efficiently. This practice works extremely well for our school and we are asking for your cooperation in allowing this to happen again this year.
Bussing
Our buses will begin their runs on Wednesday, September 7th. Please visit the NLESD parent portal: https://nlesd.mybusplanner.ca to check your child's eligibility for bussing, as well as the routes, list of stops and estimated pick up times. Please note, students travelling on school buses are required to be at the designated bus stop at least 10 minutes before the scheduled pick up time.
Grade Level Supply Lists
A reminder that all Grade Level supply lists are posted on our school website https://mqp.nlesd.ca
Bus Courtesy Seats
If your child is not eligible for the bus, we will be looking at the possibility of issuing courtesy seats. However, this process takes time and cannot be completed during the first couple of weeks of school. In order to issue a courtesy seat, it is important that all eligible students are seated first. Once we are aware of the availability of seats on each bus we can begin issuing courtesy seats. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, however, we expect your total cooperation. Please email completed courtesy seat forms to kimberlyleonard@nlesd.ca
Allergy Alert
We have students and staff at MQP with severe life threatening allergies to: all fish and shellfish products, all tree nut products, peanuts including peanut butter and all peanut butter products, kiwi, and eggs. Nutella products will not be permitted. Also, since it is very difficult to distinguish between peanut butter and Wow /Soy butter, the NL English School District does not permit any food items containing these ingredients in schools. We also have students, who in addition to the allergies listed above, have allergies to bananas, legumes, beans, lentils, split peas, green peas, wheat and dairy. Although these allergies do not constitute a school wide ban it is our responsibility to create awareness.
It is the practice for our teachers of individual classes where such allergies are a concern, to send home specific details and reminders throughout the school year. Please exercise extreme caution when providing snacks/lunches for your children when coming to school. Let’s do our best to create a safe learning environment for all.
Please note: If your child has a diagnosed allergy by a medical doctor and you have not already done so, please contact the guidance counsellor, Ms. Ashley Pittman at ashleypittman@nlesd.ca to complete the necessary forms. Also, these forms must be completed each school year and can be found on the NLESD website.
Covid-19 2022-23 School Update
Students, teachers and staff should expect schools to reopen under the same conditions as in June 2022:
● Masks continue to be recommended in schools. The prevalence of illness-related absences will be monitored throughout the school year and, if necessary, masking requirements may be introduced at a school or regional level to maintain in-person classes.
● Students, teachers and staff should stay home if they become sick. However, people with COVID-19 symptoms related to other known causes (e.g. runny nose due to allergies or lingering cough from prior illness) can still attend.
● All students, teachers and staff should stay up-to-date on their vaccinations. These are key to minimizing disruptions during the school year by lessening self-isolation timeframes and allowing for a faster return to the classroom.
● Parents, especially of Kindergarten students, should ensure their children start the vaccination process as soon as possible. For more information, visit www.gov.nl.ca/covid19/vaccine.
If Your Child Falls Ill During the School Day
If illness is observed in a student during the school day, the child’s parent will be contacted for immediate pick up. Thank you for your cooperation.
Daily COVID-19 Screening
Parents are required to screen their children for symptoms of COVID-19 prior to arriving at school each day. The screening tool can be found here. If you are uncertain about your child’s symptoms and whether you should send your child to school, please call 811 for guidance.
Class Lists
Class lists were completed by our teachers in June, 2022. Extensive work has gone into this process and all students are placed accordingly. Please respect their professional judgement. Therefore, there will be no changes made to class lists for this school year. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.
Cafeteria Services
Welcome back to Chartwells who will continue to be our Cafeteria Provider this year. Services will begin on Monday, September 12th. Menus will be posted on our website. Online ordering only.
National Holiday
The Provincial Government has announced it will join the Federal Government in observing National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Friday, September 30th. Therefore, there will be no school for students on this day. Monday, October 3rd will be Day 5 on our schedule.
Information Updates:
Please stay tuned for regular communication from MQP via our website, newsletters and School Messenger email updates. You can also follow us on Twitter @MQPSchool
We look forward to seeing you all on September 7th!
