SUNNYSIDE PUBLIC SCHOOL

1042 Weber Street East

Kitchener, ON

N2A 1B6

Office: 519-896-1130

Attendance: 519-896-1130 ext. 1
  Attendance email: sun-attendance@wrdsb.ca

Fax: 519-896-0343

Website: https://sun.wrdsb.ca/

PRINCIPAL

John Howison

VICE-PRINCIPAL

Stacey Golubovic

HEAD SECRETARY

Chelsea Wyatt

Hello Sunnyside Families!

Thank you to all of you for your contribution to a fantastic start to our school year.  It has been so nice to see the students, hear the excited voices and feel the energy of a full school.  Our goal is to provide a safe and caring environment where all students can be successful. 

For Grade 7 students, there will be many changes from Grade 6 to Grade 7.  They will have a rotary schedule meaning much more movement between classes.  There is also increased independence before and after school as there is no Extended Day program.  All students have lockers and need to have and use a combination lock.  For Grade 8 students, much of what is contained below is the same as last year.  This handbook will help students and families learn about opportunities at Sunnyside, to help understand our rules and expectations and help support students to navigate a successful year. 

Please also check our website as information is regularly updated there: https://sun.wrdsb.ca

School-Day

Sunnyside staff and messages from WRDSB use a program called School-Day to communicate to families. Information will be sent home on how to sign up. 

Benefits include:

  • Ways to make school payments online with secure credit card/Interac payment processing.
  • Registering for extra-curricular events.
  • Completing permission forms instantly online

School Year Calendar

The first day of school for elementary and secondary students is Tuesday, September 3.  The last day of school for elementary students is June 29, 2027.

Bell Times:

8:15 am – Morning Entry Bell Rings

8:20 am – Start of Day

10:20 – 11:00 am – First Nutrition Break

1:00 – 1:40 pm – Second Nutrition Break

2:40 pm – Dismissal

Attendance/Lates:

The first bell rings at 8:15 am to let students in.  It is important that students arrive just ahead of that so they are ready to enter, get their things from their locker and be in their first class by 8:20 am for attendance.  

Attendance is taken twice during the day. Once at the start of the day and again after the first nutrition break. If your child is going to be away, please call 519-896-1130 or email sun-attendance@wrdsb.ca and let us know their name, class, date and reason for absence. 

If your child arrives late, please have them buzz at the main door and report to the office for a late slip before going to class. If your child needs to leave early for an appointment, please call the office and let us know, or send in a signed note with the date and time of departure. If your child will be away for more than 5 consecutive days, please call the office and request a prolonged absence letter.

School Buses:

Riding a bus is a privilege and adherence to proper behaviour on the bus is an expectation and a safety necessity. Progressive Discipline processes will be followed to deal with behavioural issues on the bus.  Repeated or severe infractions can result in removal from the bus for a period of time.

More information can be found at www.stswr.ca.

Communication between home and school:

We value our relationship with families and appreciate your support and engagement. If you need to speak to a teacher, please call 519-896-1130 and leave a message for the teacher and they will call back. You can also reach all staff through email. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have a question, feedback or a concern.

We use School Day as our main communication tool. Please make sure you have an account set up. 

Daily Schedule and Timetable

Sunnyside follows a 4-4-2 timetable meaning there are 4 30-minute periods in the morning, 4 30-minute periods after the 1st Nutrition Break, and 2 30-minute periods after the 2nd Nutrition Break before dismissal.  Students have a copy of their timetable and can share it with families.  Please see a blank schedule below.

Learning Priorities and Expectations

We pride ourselves in providing learning opportunities to help students reach their academic potential and acquire skills to be responsible citizens and to participate effectively in society.  At Sunnyside Senior Public School, we strive to achieve this in a number of safe, smooth, caring and learning ways:

  • Set personal goals and high expectations for learning – ALL students can learn
  • Help students to be able to articulate what they are learning and why
  • Embrace diversity and inclusion
  • Engage in technology, inquiry-based and active learning opportunities
  • Learn about global issues impacting our world
  • Ensure students are actively involved in and responsible for their learning
  • Make wise and safe choices for healthy living and daily functioning
  • Resolve conflicts peacefully and cooperatively
  • Understand and follow school expectations and procedures
  • Show respect for themselves, others and school property
  • Provide meaningful and varied curricular and co-curricular opportunities
  • Engage students, families, staff and communities
  • Foster wellness and well-being
  • Contribute to and maintain a positive learning environment for all students
  • Teach students to be accountable and responsible for their behaviour
  • Maintain a positive attitude and positive growth mindset by students and staff

Cell Phones:

Between 8:20 am and 2:40 pm cell phones must be turned off and locked in lockers. If you need to speak to your child during the day, please contact the main office. If students need to use the phone, they just need to ask a teacher or the office to use the phone and we will help them. 

Weather:

Outdoor breaks will continue, unless the weather gets very bad (colder than -20 degrees or significant rain).  Please make sure your child is dressed appropriately for the cold during the winter. In the case of a school closure due to inclement weather, instruction will be done online. School closures are communicated on all WRDSB media outlets and via School-Day.

Nutrition Breaks:

Students must stay on school grounds at all times. Students are not permitted to leave the property at break times.  Both breaks are 20 minutes outside followed by 20 minutes in homeroom classes for eating.  

Chromebooks

Students either opt-in to use a WRDSB device or bring their own.  More information can be found here: https://www.wrdsb.ca/learning/programs/elementary-school-information/chromebooks/

Students must also read and agree to follow the WRDSB Responsible Use Procedure.  It will be shared with students at the start of the year and can be found here: https://schools.wrdsb.ca/school-year-information/required-reading-and-resources/responsible-use-procedure-rup/

School Clothing

Sunnyside is committed to providing a safe, friendly, learning environment for all of its students. Attire is not only a reflection of the individual student, but also affects the general learning environment. Students have the responsibility to wear clothing that projects a positive attitude of pride in self, school, and the community. 

Families are an important part of the elementary dress policy and we ask for the support of all families in our efforts to maintain the outlined standards.

Additional information regarding the WRDSB guidelines on student dress can be found using the following link: WRDSB Policies 

Allergies

 

We do have several students with life threatening allergies. Please also refrain from wearing or sending heavily fragranced and perfumed sprays.

Sunnyside Public School Code of Conduct

Outlined below are the expectations that exist for Sunnyside students.  They allow all students to be successful and feel safe at school.

Teachers and administration have a responsibility to communicate these expectations and enforce the consequences. This information will be shared with students by staff and should be reviewed by students / caregivers on a regular basis.  Students are expected to abide by these expectations and to accept the consequences if they do not abide.  

Sunnyside students are expected, with parental and staff support, to develop the self-discipline and social skills necessary to act in ways that respect the needs, feelings, heritage and rights of all students, staff and volunteers.  

Members of the school community will:

Treat each other with kindness and respect

This expectation is for everybody who visits, calls or interacts with one another.  Visitors to the office are expected to treat staff and students with kindness.

Support learning and keep distractions out of class

Students are at school to learn and staff are here to support that happening.  Distractions in the classroom such as violations of the WRDSB Responsible Use Procedure, repeatedly disrupting learning or preventing the teacher from doing their job of teaching and students from learning will be addressed by all staff.  This includes arriving at each period on time and with the rest of the class.

Help others when needed

Help looks like many things – it can be supporting one another to find the right class, head outside and inside at break, encouraging performances and sports and many other things.  When someone is in need, the expectation is to help out.

Members of the school community will not:

Bully, cyberbully, or encourage others to do so

All members of the Sunnyside community are expected to support each other and respect differences.  This includes bullying, physical contact and other forms of intimidation.

Harm others, including harm with the motivation of hate or discrimination

Incidents of hate speech or discrimination of any kind will be taken very seriously. Such incidents will be dealt with using the policies, guidelines and procedures outlined by the WRDSB’s DIRECT tool by stopping, interrupting, naming, and reporting discriminatory behaviour. (D – Dialogue I – Identify R – Reinforce E – Educate C – Communicate T – Transform)

Use a personal mobile device during class unless permitted by an educator

Cell phones should be off and away in lockers during the day.  They should not be in pockets, used in the bathroom or during nutritional breaks.  Repeated use or violation of this will be handled by the principal or vice principal.

Use, share or sell vape, nicotine and/or tobacco products on school property

The Smoke-Free Ontario Act prohibits smoking or holding lighted tobacco or cannabis, and the use of electronic cigarettes (vaping) at schools or on school grounds.  Members of the school community will not use, share or sell vape, nicotine or tobacco products at Sunnyside or any other WRDSB site.

There are several infractions for which a suspension may be imposed by an administrator. 

The following behaviours will not be tolerated within the Waterloo Region District School Board on school property or in school-sponsored or related activities. 

  • possessing alcohol, illegal and/or illicit drugs or being under the influence of any of these substances
  • uttering a threat to inflict serious bodily harm on another person
  • swearing at a teacher / person in position of authority
  • committing an act of vandalism that causes extensive damage to school property
  • bullying behaviour
  • any act considered by the principal to be injurious to the moral tone of the school
  • any act considered by the principal to be injurious to the physical or mental well-being of any member of the school community
  • any act considered by the principal to be contrary to the Board or school Code of Conduct

Suspensions are a minimum of one school day and a maximum of 20 days. Administration will consider mitigating factors before imposing a suspension.

Student Support and Mental Health:

At Sunnyside we have a very capable and caring staff, including Special Education, Guidance Teachers, and a Child and Youth Worker. It is important to remember that these are education professionals, and not licensed mental health professionals or psychologists.  If your child is experiencing difficulties and needs help, we are happy to  help direct you to the appropriate support. Some options are listed below.

NEED HELP?

Kids Help Phone – www.kidshelpphone.ca   1-800-668-6868

Crisis Centre of Waterloo Region (24/7) – (519) 744-1813

Youth Support Line – (519) 745-9909

Distress Centre – (519) 745-1166

K-W Counselling – (519) 884-0000

Mosaic Counselling – (519) 743-6333

Front Door – www.frontdoormentalhealth.ca

Communication is important to us.  Please call or email with any questions/concerns.

John Howison (Principal) and Stacey Golubovic (Vice-Principal)