Week of September 15 - 19, 2025

We had a great second week of school! Students have transitioned very well into their new classroom and we are thrilled to be getting to know each other.

Here are a few updates and reminders:

Technology News:

We have received our class set of Chromebooks. Each student in our class has been assigned their own class Chromebook to use. Over the next couple of weeks, the students will practise logging in to their Chromebook using their board-issued email and new password for this year. Once we have practised that a few times, we will learn how to login to the Student Portal to access their Grade 2/3 English Hapara Workspace (coming soon).

In the next week, I will be updating our class Hapara Workspace. In order to login to their Hapara Workspace from home, students must use their school board email account (firstname.lastname@stu.ocsb.ca) and new password which will be issued this week. A copy of your child's login information will be sent home soon. You are also asked to complete our school board's Responsible Use of Technology agreement form for your child/children. Instructions can be found HERE

Reminder to Parents to complete forms on Parent Portal

Every SEPTEMBER Parents MUST complete the following documents.

• Consent for Use and Disclosure of Student information

• OCSB Student Verification form (ONLY if there are changes)

• Responsible use of Technology

Please log into the Parent Portal to access each form.

**IMPORTANT TO DO**

Visit  “Quick Links” on our  SCHOOL WEBSITE  for links or see below.

1. Please sign up for School Messenger to receive important updates.  LINK 

NOTE Please select ‘general' to receive Weekly news from Principal/Office and "teacher to parent messaging" in order to receive emails from teachers. This step must be completed for each child.

2. Please sign up for School Cash online. LINK

3. Please sign up for the Parent Portal with the OCSB. This is where you will access report cards etc. LINK

4. If you would like to volunteer in our school please complete the necessary Vulnerable Sector Check paperwork. LINK

Please review with your child and complete the Accessible Use of Technology online submission. Instructions can be found HERE

Support on using the ocsb parent portal : Parent portal – The Ottawa Catholic School Board

St. Gabriel Meet the Teacher Open House:

Please join us on Thursday September 18 between 4:30pm - 5:30pm for our St. Gabriel Meet the Teacher. You will be able to tour the school, see your child's class, and meet their educators. This will be a ‘drop-in’ format so you can come and leave as you need between the hours of 4:30 and 5:30. We encourage your child(ren) to come and be your tour guide.

Our Topics and Learning This Week:

In Math, we have almost completed our first units on counting. Both the Grade 2s and 3s will have an assessment task this week in order to assess their learning during our skip counting units. Our next unit will be on patterning. To begin, our focus will be on growing (increasing) patterns. In Grade 2, the learning for students is to identify, extend, and describe growing number patterns and represent them in different ways. In Grade 3, students will also learn to find, describe, represent, and create growing number patterns using charts, number lines, and pictures.

Link to Grade 2 Increasing Patterns Parent Summary Letter#1 here

Link to Grade 3 Increasing Patterns Parent Summary Letter #1 here

In Language, we will continue to explore how to write a complete sentence and how to write a paragraph. We will spend some time in the coming weeks learning how to develop interesting opening and closing statements, and detailed sentences in between. We will practise adding adjectives and descriptive words to writing to make it clearer and more interesting.

In Family Life, we have been discussing how we are each unique, with unique names, unique likes and dislikes, and unique family traditions. In Religion, we are working on our Samaritans on a Digital Road unit and learning how to be positive digital citizens who model the gospel values during their online citizenship. This unit is also part of our Media Literacy unit in Language.

**Reminder to please send an email to your child's teacher or call the school to let us know if there are any changes to your child's usual routine (picking up early for an appointment, picking up in person rather than taking the bus, etc.). This will help ensure smoother transitions and allow us to keep your child safe.

Homework:

Occasionally, your child may bring home some of their unfinished classroom work to complete at home, or work in which they need to make their corrections or review concepts with you at home. In the coming weeks, your child will also bring home phonics or grammar homework. Thank you in advance for your support with this and for helping your child return this work to school when finished.

If possible, the recommendation is that Grade 2 students should be reading or reviewing concepts for 20 minutes at home daily. The recommendation for Grade 3 students is that they should be reading or reviewing concepts for 30 minutes daily at home if possible. The students can read aloud to a parent/guardian, or they can be read to by an adult. The focus should be on reading fluency and comprehension. You can help your child develop these skills by reading to them so they can hear what a fluent reader should sound like. You can help develop their reading comprehension by asking them questions before, during, and after the reading (regardless of whether they read to you or you read to them). Some examples of questions you could ask before reading: Look at the front cover. What do you think the story will be about? What is an author/illustrator? During and after reading a fiction book: Who are the main characters? What is the setting in the story? What is the problem? How do you think the character feels? How do you think it will end? Is there a hidden message or moral of the story? Who is your favourite character and why?

Looking Ahead:

Thursday, Sept. 18 - School Meet the Teacher Open House 4:30 - 5:30

September 24- First Popcorn day - sign up using schoolcash online

Friday, Sept. 26 - School Terry Fox Walk (rain date Oct. 3)

September 30th - National Day for Truth and Reconciliation/Orange Shirt Day