Week of September 14 - 18, 2026

Students have transitioned very well into their new class and successfully learning the new routines. We are enjoying 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 receive a copy of their board-issued email and new password for this year. They will then practise logging in to their Chromebook using their new password. Once we have practised that a few times, we will learn how to login to their new Google Classroom (coming soon).

A copy of your child's login information will be sent home once they are comfortable logging in and using these features. This may take a few weeks until we all become comfortable with all of this new learning.

In the meantime, you are 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

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

St. Gabriel Meet the Teacher Open House:

Please join us on Thursday September 17 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.

Dismissal Routine:

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.

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 Math unit for both grades is about numbers. In Grade 2, students will begin with a review of how to read, count, represent, compose and decompose, add and subtract whole numbers up to and including 20. In Grade 3, students will focus on representing numbers and place value up to and including 999. 

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 our writing to make it clearer and more interesting.

In phonics, last week we learned about the long a vowel. This week, we will learn about the long i vowel sound as in the words ice, bike, side, ride, five, and kite. The long vowel sound is the same as the vowel's name, I. The vowel i says its own name, I, when there is a silent E at the end of a word. Reminder: The E does not make a sound so we say it is "silent" ("silent E" or "bossy E"). 

No new heart words this week.

Please have your child practise the heart words we have learned so far in class: the, I, a, said, to, do, of, see, he, be, me, from, you, what, have, look, book, are, was, your, want, go, no, so, goes, says, they, their, were, talk, walk, could, should, would, or, for, *who, *by, *my.

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.

**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:

This week, your child will bring home some phonics homework to help review skills. Please have your child return this homework next Monday, September 21st. The reading homework should be kept at home for the week to practise reading more than once per week. The program used by grades 2 and 3 is the UFLI Phonics program. Thank you in advance for supporting your child at home by helping them review their phonics skills when the home practice is sent home.

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.

In addition, your child may occasionally 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.

Looking Ahead:

Thursday, Sept. 17 - School Meet the Teacher Open House 4:30 - 5:30

September 23- First Popcorn day - sign up using schoolcash online

Wed., Sept. 30th - National Day for Truth and Reconciliation/Orange Shirt Day

Thurs., Oct. 1st - School Terry Fox Walk