Dear Summit Heights Families,

We wish everyone who celebrates Passover a happy and joyous festival.  This important holiday commemorates the transition from slavery to freedom for people of Jewish heritage.  Often this means time with friends and family sharing a festive meal and ritual foods, and the retelling of the Exodus through stories and song.  Chag sameach!

This coming week is also Good Friday (April 2^nd), followed by Easter Monday (April 29^th).   We wish all those who celebrate Easter a very happy Easter!  Please note, there are no classes at Summit Heights on Good Friday and Easter Monday.

A reminder too that Spring Break happens during the week of April 12^th to April 16^th (again, there are no classes during this time).

Our School Advisory Council (aka Parent Council) is hosting another fun-filled virtual games night for students and parents!  On April 8^th, please join us at 7pm on Zoom for Games Night!  You can register (or ask questions) by writing an email to: summittrivianight@gmail.com

April 9^th is the International Day of Pink.  This important day raises awareness, education and action against bullying, discrimination, homophobia, biphobia, transphobia and transmisogyny.  Please join us in wearing pink on April 9^th.

April 21^st is the next virtual SAC (Parent Council) meeting.  The meeting begins at 7pm on Zoom.  Please inquire with our SAC for the link.

Since our last school update, we’ve had some changes to our school staff.  Mrs. Marchiori recently announced her retirement at the end of this school year.  Congratulations to Mrs. Marchiori on making this decision about this next phase of her life – we’re sure her last few months of her teaching career will be great and memorable!  We welcome back Mrs. Bower who has returning to her teaching duties here at Summit Heights and we thank Mrs. Clarke for filling in for her.  Welcome back too to Ms. Christie who was on leave earlier this year.  A warm welcome to Ms. Allen who is filling in for Ms. Samson.

With the warmer weather upon us, we have reminded our students via our morning announcements and in class several times this past week, that the many rules and protocols regarding safety for Covid-19 are still in effect.  These rules include:

• Completing the health pass before coming to school (paper-pass or app) on a daily basis.  For those who do not pass the check, they must stay home, contact our main office, and follow the direction of Toronto Public Health.
• Everyone on our school property must wear a PPE-mask.  Students may temporarily remove their mask when drinking, eating or during supervised mask-breaks arranged by their teachers.
• Maintain, as much as possible, 2m of social distancing from others.
• Practice proper hand hygiene, on a regular basis, including when coming into our school.
• For the time being, the only sports equipment/toys allowed during recess are soccer balls.  Students should play in groups of 3 or fewer (in their cohort) without goalies.  Exceptions to this rule can take place during supervised PE and DPA classes.
• Recesses will continue to be in cohorts and in designated (though rotated) areas of our school yard.  The importance of having the opportunity to be outside in the fresh air during the ongoing pandemic means that recesses (including the time before school) will continue to be outside, even during inclement weather.  If there is lightning or thunder in our area however, everyone will remain indoors for recess.

There are many more rules and protocols at our school, but these are ones that you can help remind your child about.

It’s very important that parents familiarize themselves with the TPH decision guide in regard to Covid-19 and schools.   This document (in pdf format) can be downloaded at this web site: https://www.toronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/9858-COVID-19-Decision-Guide-for-Schools.pdf

More information can be found at https://www.tdsb.on.ca/In-Person-Learning/Health-and-Safety/COVID-19-Guidance (including the most up-to-date health paper pass).

We must continue our best efforts in doing everything we can to remain healthy and stop the spread of Covid.  So far, parents (and students) have been very cooperative, supportive and understanding when following the directions set out by TPH, the TDSB and our school.  The health and safety of everyone at our school is our top priority, and we can only maintain this with your help.  Thank you!

A reminder for parents who drop-off or pick-up on Delhi.  Please remember to park/stop your vehicle facing the proper direction.  We’ve noticed improvement of this, so thank you parents – please keep it up!  In addition, please do not stop/park/drop-off or pick-up in the intersection at Delhi and Northmount (many students cross the street at this intersection).

Thank you for reading!

Mr. B. Mah,
Principal.

February is Kindergarten Registration Month.

Registration is for children who are turning 4 or 5 years of age in the 2021 calendar year.  Your first stop if the TDSB web site:

https://www.tdsb.on.ca/EarlyYears/KindergartenMonth

The next step is to contact our school to arrange a virtual meeting to finalize the registration.  We are currently arranging virtual meetings on the morning of Tues. Feb. 23rd and Thurs. Feb 25th.

Thank you!

Dear Summit Heights Families,

We hope you are having a fantastic long weekend!  Happy Family Day, Happy Valentines’ Day and Happy Lunar New Year!

The staff and I are beyond excited to be welcoming your child back to in-person learning at our school on Tuesday, February 16^th!  We’re very pleased that our students were able to successfully engage in online learning since early January, but the last time we saw each other in person was late December – so we are looking forward to seeing everyone!

Your child’s teacher has likely communicated about the return to in-person learning, including reminders about what to bring back to school, routines, on-going homework or assignments that are due, etc.  This email has additional reminders for the return to school.

Health and safety Reminders
There are updated Toronto Public Health guidelines, which stipulates that everyone in a household must now complete the updated COVID-19 screening daily.  There student screening tool has been updated and can be downloaded from here: students

The screening tool has the updated regulations on what to do if someone in the household has a symptom.   As always, it is vitally important for the health and safety of our entire school community to keep Mr. Mah informed of any cases where someone in your household has developed a symptom; please email him at bill.mah@tdsb.on.ca if needed.

All students, staff and visitors (which includes parents) must wear PPE masks while on the school property (indoors and outside).  In addition to wearing masks while indoors, students are to wear masks outdoors (e.g., during recess) unless they can clearly maintain at least 2m of distance from everyone else.  Our staff will organize supervised  outdoor ‘mask-breaks’ for our students (it’s during these times that you may see students outside without masks on).

Please remember to send your child to school with at least 2 masks per day (more if possible), along with a ‘fanny-pack’/waist pouch so they can store their mask during mask-breaks.

Reminder of School Logistics:

• February 16^th will be a Day 1 in our 5-day school cycle.
• Please remember that entry and classes begin at 9:10am.  The 9:08am bell signifies when students should line up at their entrance doors (and at this same time parents and caregivers are to step back from the lines so our staff can clearly see, greet and direct the students).
• The school buses will be running as usual (unless there is inclement weather, so please check the TDSB bus portal if this applies to your child): https://busplannerweb.torontoschoolbus.org/Login?ReturnUrl=%2FSubscriptions%2FChildTransportInfo
• A reminder that if your child is going to be absent from school, pleas call the 24hr absence line (416-395-2923) and leave a message with your child’s name, their grade, teacher and reason for the absence.
• Drop-off/Pick-up
  • A reminder that the bus loop in front of the school is for school buses only
  • You may drop-off (“kiss ‘n ride”) in the parking lot (near the large yellow banner)
  • Do not park in the intersection of Delhi and Northmount
  • If parked on Armour or Delhi, please park in the same direction as the flow of traffic
• Please use discretion when asking to access the indoor areas of our school, we are limiting the number of visitors into our building. Please be prepared to buzz our main office from the front doors and we will come to meet you.

Reminders to please bring:

• Those who borrowed a chromebook during this phase of online learning are asked to return the device on the first day their child returns to in-person learning.  Using your discretion, if your child is capable, please have them return the device to the classroom teacher.  Mr. Mah will drop by, check off that it’s been returned and pick-up the device.  If this isn’t possible, please buzz the main office from our front door and we will come to meet you to collect the device.
• Outdoor toys/sports equipment is limited to soccer balls only at this time.  Students who bring a soccer ball must keep the participants to those in their classroom cohort and limit the number to up to 2 other people, and not use their hands.
• Please remember to bring back borrowed school textbooks and other borrowed learning materials.
• Send your child with indoor shoes to be kept at school
• Remember to dress your child appropriately for the winter weather.  The students will be outside for recesses, outdoor learning and supervised mask breaks.

March Break has been moved to April!
March Break — originally scheduled for March 15 to 19, 2021 — has now been delayed by approximately a month in hopes of reducing community transmission of COVID-19. On the advice of public health officials, the break is now scheduled for April 12 – 16, 2021.

Kindergarten Registration
The TDSB is now accepting registrations for Kindergarten (for September 2021).  Parents should first visit the TDSB website for more information and to electronically register, https://www.tdsb.on.ca/EarlyYears/KindergartenMonth

The “in-person” (but virtual) portion for Summit Heights Kindergarten Registration will be announced soon!

Thank you for reading this email, we look forward to seeing you in person (with masks on) soon!

Sincerely,

Mr. B. Mah,
Principal.