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Attendance
The school day begins at 9:05 a.m. Our blocks are 50
minutes long, with a five minute passing period
occurring between each. There is a separate lunch hour
for junior students (Grades 7 and 8), and students in
Secondary III, IV and V (Grades 9-11). Please note that
our Sport Études program hours are from 8:10-12:00.
Students who are absent (including reasons such as
chronic illness, religious holidays, family vacations,
or sports training) have the responsibility to catch up
on information and work missed. It is the responsibility
of the student, with parental support, to be present for
the required course instruction. Students who have
been absent must bring a note from their parent/guardian
when they return to school (even though their homes
may have been called). This note must be dated, signed
and written in the parent's own handwriting.
Absence Procedure
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Attendance is recorded at the
beginning of each class.
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If a student has been absent, a note
signed by the parent is to be shown to the staff
member responsible for attendance beginning at 8:45
a.m. Students will then receive a yellow copy of the
Student Note, which must be shown to the teacher in
order to be admitted to class. Failure to have a
note the day following an absence will result in an
automatic lunch detention. Unexplained absences and
forgeries will be brought to the attention of
parents. Please note the attendance monitor will not
phone home in lieu of a proper note.
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Unexplained absences and forgeries
will be brought to the attention of parents and/or
administrator.
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Random phone checks may be made after
10:05 a.m. each day to verify absences.
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IT IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN FOR
STUDENTS TO LEAVE SCHOOL WITHOUT PARENTAL
PERMISSION. In the case of sudden illness,
contact with a parent must be made and the student
must sign out at the office before leaving school
property.
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Students who must leave school for
appointments, etc., must bring a note signed by the
parent in order to be permitted to leave school
before regular dismissal and MUST SIGN OUT AT THE
OFFICE BEFORE LEAVING SCHOOL PROPERTY.
Evacuation and Lock-Down Drills
During the course of a
school year, students and staff participate in drills,
both to evacuate the building (as in the case of a fire
drill) or to remain safely contained within classrooms
in the event an intruder enters the building (Lock-Down
drills). While most students are comfortable with
evacuation procedures, Lock-Down drills are relatively
new. Parents of students entering high school are
specifically encouraged to discuss these procedures with
their children so they are not taken unaware the first
time they participate in a drill of this nature.
During a Lock-Down drill, teachers are instructed to:
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Direct students to
the floor, below window level and, if possible,
under desks and away from the door.
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Check the hall and
pull into the class any students in the hallways.
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Close and lock the
classroom door.
Staff and students
remain in this position until they are given an “all
clear” message.
For a prolonged
evacuation of the school building, students are taken,
under staff supervision, to the Pointe Claire Arena,
located across the street from John Rennie.
Emergency Procedures for Parents
We would like to
inform parents of procedures that are in place for the
safety of your child in the event of emergencies.
We realize that many students have cell phones in their
possession and, in the event of an emergency at the
school; we are asking you, as parents, to support the
school by encouraging your child to maintain a sense of
calm and obedience by following all directives given to
them by their teachers.
It should be understood that the school administrators
and staff are ultimately responsible for the safety and
well being of all students. If a student leaves or does
not follow the directives given to them, that job
becomes more difficult and could potentially make a bad
situation worse.
In the event of an evacuation from the school, students
will be taken to the Pointe Claire arena. Please do not
attempt to pick up your child unless directed to by
someone designated by the school administration. Keeping
everyone calm in an emergency situation is not easy, but
is always preferable and much safer than the
alternative. Until the appropriate individuals have
analyzed the situation, any action taken on your part
may be detrimental to your child’s safety or even to all
the individuals concerned.
Please be assured that any actions taken by the school
are always in the best interest of the students. We
encourage you also to visit
John Rennie's website for any notices that may
be posted there.
School Closing
In the event that schools have to be closed due to bad
weather or other emergencies, the school board directly
notifies the following radio stations: CJAD 800/CJFM
95.9, CIMW 940 News/CFQR, Q92, CHOM-FM 97.7, and CBC1
88.5 FM. The following television stations are also
notified: CFCF-12 (11), Global-TV (03), and CBMT
Montreal (13). The school’s answering machine will also
have a message pertaining to the situation. Our school
board's service, "Connect Ed", may also be used
in either an emergency situation or for an important
message. You would receive a phone call with a message
from the Principal, with instructions regarding a school
closing, an urgent situation, or important reminder.
Power Failures
In the event of a power failure, all students are to
remain in the classroom or other teaching stations in
which they are located at the time. Should a power
failure occur between class periods, students are to go
directly to the teaching station of the class period
that is about to begin. Students are to remain in the
classroom, and await specific instructions from an
administrator before leaving.
Report Cards
There are four formal reports to parents each year.
Achievement and attendance are reported class-by-class
together with those comments that individual teachers
feel to be appropriate. Evaluation in each class is
cumulative, based on the day-to-day work of the student.
Class tests, essays, laboratory reports, oral
presentations, special projects, etc., all form a part
of the evaluation process.
Teachers will present their students with a course
description, including the method of evaluation they
will be using and the weighting to be given each item.
Teachers will be available to meet with parents at least
once during the school year to discuss their child’s
progress. Full-year courses may offer interviews twice
per year. Specific dates for these interviews will be
printed on the student reports and are listed on the
school calendars.
Each term, please
sign and return the report card envelope to the school.
The contents are for your retention. Students will be
charged $1.00 for any unreturned envelope.
In addition to the formal report cards, teachers may
communicate with parents via the student agenda, e-mail,
or phone calls home. John Rennie teachers are also
provided with copies of Early Warning Letters, which
they may use during the term to inform parents of
specific areas of concern.
Textbook Receipts
At the beginning of
the year, when textbooks are distributed, a receipt is
filled out by student and signed by teachers. In
addition to the serial number of the book, student name
and other identifying information, the condition of the
book is also indicated. The student and the teacher sign
the textbook receipt, acknowledging the condition of the
book. If the book is returned in a lesser condition, due
to abuse of the book, the student will be charged a
repair fine upon return of the book.
Homework and Studies
Homework consists of a variety of different activities
to assist in student growth. The statement, ‘I have no
homework’, is not accurate; studying is as important as
written homework. Reading of assigned activities,
studying, thinking about what was taught, as well as the
making and highlighting of notes is vital. John Rennie’s
Work at Home Policy (homework) can be viewed
here.
In Cycle I, students should be prepared for 60 to 90
minutes of homework at night. In Cycle II, students
should be prepared for 90 to 150 minutes of homework at
night. In Cycle II, during restricted days (the last 10
school days of each term), students should be prepared
for an increase in the amount of study required each
night.
Student Fees
An individual billing is issued for each student and
fees are collected prior to the first day of school. The
invoice includes the basic student fee and additional
fees for the various courses chosen. The basic fee
subsidizes the agenda, library, student life activities,
student council, extra-curricular activities, student
I.D. card, and consumable material costs. Individual
course fees are necessary to help ensure that quality
education is maintained for our students.
Student Accounts
Student accounts have been created to cater to the needs
of both students and their parents. By participating in
our various fundraisers, your child will accumulate a
percentage of their total sales that will be deposited
into their student accounts. The money can then be used
to offset the cost of many school events and activities:
school dances, field trips, grad activities and school
fees.
Transportation
If you have general busing questions, or for information
on yellow school bus availability in your area, please
contact the school board’s Transportation Department at
514 422 3001. You may also visit the
transportation website.
Student Parking
Limited student parking is available in the rear parking
lot for Secondary V students only. A student wishing to
bring a car or motorcycle to school must first register
the vehicle in the principal's office. Safety and
courtesy are essential to maintaining this privilege.
Please note that it
is strictly forbidden to park in the fire lanes around
the school building at any time. The city of Pointe
Claire is vigilant about ticketing offenders.
Cafeteria
The cafeteria offers a varied menu, including breakfast.
Meal cards are available for purchase in the cafeteria.
Like a gift certificate, students may apply any amount
of money towards one and the cashier will issue a card
with the amount indicated on it. Your child keeps the
meal card and presents it each time they make a purchase
in the cafeteria, until the total value of the card is
used up.
For a copy of the
school’s cafeteria menu and a list of prices for the
school year 2009-2010, please
click
here, or visit the LBPSB Food Service and
Nutrition Education website at:
http://nutrition.lbpsb.qc.ca
Smoking
Smoking is not permitted on school property. Failure to
comply will result in consequences as indicated in the
Student Code of Conduct
and the Quebec Tobacco Act. |
