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Before a test or an exam, many people experience some level of stress. A little stress before an exam or test can be a good thing. It can help motivate students to work hard and focus. However, too much stress can get in the way of a person’s ability to study and perform on tests and exams.

At Notre Dame, students have many resources available to them when it comes to helping with stress and anxiety.  We encourage students to talk to any of the caring adults in the building for help.  For information about relieving stress, you can also check out this LINK.   

Please take a look at the January 13 edition of the Principal Update email or our social media for the exam schedule. 

Please book vacation or appointments so they do not conflict with these very important dates, including January 29 and 30 that could be used if there is a snow day.   In general, it is very important not to miss class time in January at all because of RSTs (final projects), exam reviews, and exams in courses.   

GRADE 9 STUDENTS 

Grade 9 courses do not have final exams.  All grade 9 students will complete summative assessments (Rich Summative Tasks or other assessments) between 8:45 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. each day.  Vacation and work arrangements are expected to be made around this timetable.  Attendance will be taken.  Students are expected either to leave the building after their summative assessment time or to study quietly in the cafeteria. 

GRADE 10 TO 12 STUDENTS

Many grade 10, 11 and 12 courses will have final exams in their courses. Students can see their teachers for more information about exams in each course. 

GRADE 7&8 STUDENTS 

Students in grades 7&8 follow their regular schedule during the high school exam period.

EXAM ATTENDANCE

Students with exams are expected to be in their exam room by 8:45 am.  All exams will begin at 9 am.  Students in grade 10, 11, and 12 courses are only required to attend on days in which they have a scheduled exam. Students are expected either to leave the building after their exam or to study quietly in the cafeteria. 

*INCLEMENT WEATHER DURING EXAMS

In the event of an "inclement weather day” during the high school exam period where yellow school bus transportation is canceled, exam schedules at all OCSB schools for all students will be affected (not just for school bus riders). The missed exam (or grade 9 assessment) will be written the following school day. All other exams (and grade 9 assessments) will be bumped by one day. For example, if Tuesday were declared an inclement weather day, then all  of those exams would be written on Wednesday, bumping all exams one day.  During a snow day, the school will be open, but exams and grade 9 assessments will not be written.

E-LEARNING EXAMS 

There will not be any formal, supervised exams for e-learning, rather, all final exams/summative assessments will be completed by the student in the same way they have completed assessments throughout the semester. Students taking e-learning courses will receive information about their exam/summative assessment directly from their e-learning teacher. 

CREDIT INTERVENTION DAYS FOR GRADES 9-12 

This is especially important for students who may be at risk of not achieving the credit. Teachers will be contacting students and parents if credit intervention is necessary for a specific course.

Grade 9 Math EQAO is happening on January 15 & 16. An email went out to families of students who are participating. Please be on time!

Please join us on December 19 between 7:45am  and 8:30am for a coffee and a morning treat. School staff will be invited to join us as well.  This is a great opportunity to share a few laughs and get to know a little more about the school.  

To help us know how much coffee and food to order, please click here to let us know you are planning on attending. 

Each Christmas, Notre Dame High School, with the help of members of our parish and school communities, supports many children from Notre Dame and our feeder schools to have a more joyful and secure Christmas break. 

If you would like to donate to help make the holidays a little brighter for people in our community in need, head to school cash online and look for ND's Christmas Blessings where you can join us in our Christmas giving. 

Do you ever wonder about life after high school for your children?  What should you be telling them to consider for career exploration?  What do they know about pathway planning?  If so, LAUNCH is for you!

Parents and grade 10-12 students across the Ottawa Catholic School Board will have the opportunity to visit the LAUNCH Virtual Education and Career Conference for Teens on Wednesday, November 6.  

The OCSB has partnered with the Ottawa Carleton District School Board and the Peel District School Boards to provide students the opportunity to explore many post-secondary institutions, associations, employers, and unions, spanning all pathways. Students will be able to interact with representatives who will be available to answer questions through a combination of pre-recorded videos and live chats.  Students will also be able to attend live presentations on a variety of topics, including scholarship application tips, budgeting for post secondary, careers in the trades, and many, many more.  Please see a complete list of presentations here.

We are also excited to announce that we will also have a keynote address by Aubrey Noronha. Aubrey Noronha (NA-ROW-NA) is a recognized Character Education and Safe Schools Speaker who believes in the possibility of a safer and more emotionally connected school culture. Through his work, Aubrey seeks to instill his hope for the future into the minds and hearts of youth and caring adults.  

Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024 from 9am to 8pm 

Registration: Students, educators and parents must register on the Landing Page prior to the event. 

All of the sessions will also be recorded and shared on our OCSB LAUNCH website following the event. 

Grades 9-12: Guardian/Parent-Teacher Conference Booking Instructions

Interviews will take place on Thursday, October 24 in person. 

Booking an Appointment:

CLICK HERE or scan the QR code to book an interview with your child’s teacher(s). It is important that you enter your details accurately.

Event code, if asked, is: bvg8t 

1. Fill in your contact information and click "Continue to Make Appointments"

2. Click on the name of a teacher with whom you wish to schedule an appointment

3. Click on an available time at which you wish to have your meeting

4. Repeat Steps 3 and 4 until you have scheduled all the teachers you wish to meet

5. Click on "My Schedule" (top left of the page)

6. Email, print out, or copy down your schedule 

• In Person & Drop-In Parent Teacher Conferences will be held in the Wood Floor Gym.

• There will be early dismissal on Thursday, October 24 at 1:30 due to interviews. All after school activities will be cancelled, including ND after 3.

Eagle Wear is on sale.  For those new to ND, this Eagle Wear is Notre Dame branded clothing such as sweat shirts and hoodies that students can wear as approved uniform.  Visit tuckgear.ca to order yours today. Deadline to order is October 18.

Are you interested in the Ottawa Catholic School Board’s approach to artificial intelligence?  For more information, please visit our AI at the OCSB webpage. 

All students who are eligible for an OC Transpo Presto Card can pick them up at the school at the following times. Please read the following times carefully.  Presto cards will NOT be issued outside of these times. 

• Wednesday, August 28 from 8:30 am - 11:30 am or 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm

• Thursday, August 29 from 10:00 am - 11:30 am or 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm

• Friday, August 30 from 8:30 am - 11:30 am or 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm  

Students who do not get a chance to pick up their card at this time will be able to get them during the first week of school.  

Those unsure about their eligibility for transportation can use this link: https://ostabusplanner.ottawaschoolbus.ca/TransportationEligibility.  Grade 9 students should check to make sure they still qualify.  The distance to qualify for grade 9 students is not the same as the distance for students in grade 7&8.

Please note the school does not determine eligibility for transportation and will not be able to provide a Presto card for students who do not qualify.  

The students of Notre Dame are incredibly respectful and inclusive.  With Hallowe’en just around the corner, it is important to continue being so by taking a thoughtful approach to costumes. Costumes must not be worn if they appropriate culture.  Costumes need to follow the expectations and spirit of the student dress code.  There is no expectation that students will wear costumes. 

Congratulations to the elected executive of our Catholic School Council. Thank you in advance for representing Notre Dame families so well.  

Chair:  Natacha Ruiz Tardif

Vice-Chair: Lori Goodyear

Secretary:  Ann-Marie Haley

Treasurer: Natacha Ruiz Tardif

Our next meeting will be virtual October 9, 2024 at 7:00 pm.  For a meeting link to join us, please click here. 

As a school council member, you contribute to the education of students in our school.  Strong education requires partnerships involving parents, students, teachers, principals, educational assistants, support staff, school boards, government, and the community.  When you are involved on the council, you are part of a team working to support high-quality education for our children. Your participation will make a difference.

Please note: Grade 9 - 12 students’ examinations and Rich Summative Tasks (RSTs) WILL NOT be rescheduled for holiday or travel convenience, and all appointments should be scheduled so as not to conflict with exams and RSTs. If a medical problem arises, a Vice-Principal must be contacted prior to the exam or RST.   

Students and Parents/Guardians can refer to the OCSB website for the Grade 9 - 12 calendar. These calendars identify the first and last day of school, PD days, Statutory Holidays, Board Holidays, and High School exams.

For a full list of all reporting dates, please see this link. 

ND Science Wear is back!  Uniform approved tshirts, hoodies, and crewnecks.  Customizable and available in 4 different colours.  You can even personalize it and add your name to the sleeve.  Go to the Tuck Gear website and click on ND Science.  Order deadline is September 29!  See Mrs Ferguson in room 103 if you have any questions. 

tuckgear.ca

School administration will be meeting with all students from grades 7 to 12 to deliver a presentation.  The main  message: all of the Notre Dame community will work together to create a caring environment where we can engage in productive, meaningful work.  The focus is on learning and safety.  We all will work together to be safe and ensure the safety of others (physical, emotional, spiritual, and mental).  

If ever a student or their family feels that a student needs support, please reach out anytime to the vice-principals.  To remain anonymous, our Board provides students with OCSB Connect so that they can make anonymous reports about anything that makes them or other students feel unsafe at school.  You can follow this link to learn more about OCSB Connect. 

Would you like to get more involved in daily life at Notre Dame?  We are looking for people like you to join ND staff and students in the following activities and initiatives. 

Community Gardens

Do you have a Greenthumb?  Behind the school, we have garden beds that are tended by some of our science and religion classes.  If you would like to join us, do a little gardening, impart some wisdom, and bring home some produce, please click here. 

Breakfast and Lunch Program

We operate a grab and go breakfast and lunch program.  Volunteers are needed to prepare food (eg// make sandwiches, cut veggies, bag items).  You are also welcome to join us to serve the students.  We serve 100s of students daily.  To join us or learn more, please click here. 

Yearbook

This one is pretty self explanatory.  If you would like to help with the creation of this year’s book, please click here.   At the moment, we do not have a yearbook in production because we need more support.  We are looking for anyone with graphic design or artistic skills to help a teacher and a group of students create a yearbook.  

Other Areas? 

Do you have any talents to share and would like to volunteer?  Please click here and we start a discussion.

School Council

A great way to get involved is to join the School Council.  See the next section for more information. 

On September 30th, Orange Shirt Day, our school community will come together to honour the thousands of children who attended residential schools and reflect on meaningful ways we can all contribute to advancing reconciliation.

To start the day, Gramma Jo, an Algonquin Elder, will lead students in a prayer and smudging ceremony. As part of this ceremony, she will smudge newly purchased blankets, which will then be placed at various stations for classes to visit throughout the day. At these stations, students will engage with Indigenous art, stories, and picture books, reflecting on their role in the reconciliation process.

For more information on smudging ceremonies, click here.  

Dress Code for Orange Shirt Day: students are invited to wear an Orange Shirt (not red, not peach - Orange) or remain in uniform.  We will have orange shirt shaped stickers for all students to wear to show their support if they do not own an orange shirt.   Students wearing an Orange Shirt must wear uniform bottoms (pants, skirt or kilt).  This is not a dress down day.

You are invited to join our Catholic School Council.  Our first meeting will be at 7:30 pm on Thursday, September 12 in person in the Learning Commons at Notre Dame.  All are welcome.

As a school council member, you contribute to the education of students in our school.  Strong education requires partnerships involving parents, students, teachers, principals, educational assistants, support staff, school boards, government, and the community.  When you are involved on the council, you are part of a team working to support high-quality education for our children. Your participation will make a difference.

Elections will take place at this meeting to establish the executive committee members.  Please join us to nominate, volunteer, and/or cast your vote. 

We invite you to join us for our annual Meet the Teacher Night on Thursday, September 12.  It will begin at 5:30 pm.  High school teachers will be in the wood floor gymnasium and Intermediate teachers will be in the cafeteria.  Please bring your student schedule so you know which teachers to meet.   Teachers will be available to meet until 7:00 pm. 

Edge Imaging will be at ND to take school photos on Friday, September 13. School retakes are on Wednesday, October 16. Students must be in uniform.

On Friday, August 30, all families will receive personalized emails with information about student schedules and other ‘first day of school’ information.  Please check spam folders if you do not see the email by the end of the day on Friday.  

Your child is invited — please RSVP by Oct 22, 2024. 

We’re thrilled to partner with EF Educational Tours Canada to offer this incredible experience. Please register for our upcoming information session on October 22 to learn more: https://rsvp.eftours.ca/kr9jswd.  

When students travel, they expand their understanding of the world, gain self-awareness, and build confidence—key skills for becoming global citizens. We would love for your child to join us on this journey.

During the session, we’ll cover:

• How this experience will benefit your child

• What we’ll see and do on our trip

• What’s included in the tour package.

• Our commitment to safety and affordability

• How to secure a spot during EF’s risk-free enrolment period

Make sure to register and attend this meeting to learn more about this exciting opportunity!

📅 Date: Thursday, August 29  

🕚 Time: 11 AM - 1 PM  

📍 Location: Head to the back of the school  

We welcome students new to Notre Dame to join us on August 29, 2024.  The orientation activities will take place from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm.  New students and their families are welcome to join.  Please help us in our planning by letting us know here if you plan on attending. 

For school, students will need: notebooks, school uniform, and a lock for their locker. We recommend a good quality lock that will withstand frequent use. 

We are a Bring Your Own Device school, so we do encourage students to bring their Chromebooks or laptops to school if they have them.

Returning students are asked to return outstanding borrowed Chromebooks, other devices, textbooks, or sports jerseys as soon as possible.  They can be dropped off in the main office.