CASTOR VALLEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Q1. Who can I contact to report late school bus drop-offs, pick-ups and other school bus issues?
Q2. What is the Castor Valley Elementary School Council (CVESC) and how do I become a member?
Q4. Why does the CVESC need my email address?
Q5. What is a Parent Class Rep?
Q1. Who can I contact to report late school bus drop-offs, pick-ups and other school bus issues?
A1. The Ottawa Student Transportation Authority (OSTA) is responsible for the management and administration of all home to school transportation of eligible students of the Ottawa-Carleton District and the Ottawa Catholic School Boards.
To report late school bus drop-offs, pick-ups and other school bus issues, contact the OSTA at admin@ottawaschoolbus.ca.
For school bus cancellations and more information about the OSTA, visit their web site Ottawa Student Transportation Authority.
Q2. What is the Castor Valley Elementary School Council (CVESC) and how do I become a member?
A2. The purpose of Council is, through the active participation of parents and guardians of students enrolled in the school and other representative members, to improve student achievement and to enhance the education system’s accountability to the school community.
Council appoints a Nominating Committee at the June General Meeting.
The election of school council members takes place during the first 30 days of the school year. The number of parents who may be elected to Council is limited to a maximum of twenty.
To become a member, contact Council Co-Chairs Heather Wilson or Kim Sheldrick-Bates.
For more information, see the Castor Valley Elementary School Constitution.
Q3. I am not a member of the CVESC. How do I ensure any ideas or suggestions I have reach the Council? Who can I contact for school and classroom-related information?
A3. CVESC contacts are located on the “Contact” tab of the website, or you may use the following links:
- CVESC Members;
- Parent Class Representatives and Coordinators (CVESC has one Parent Class Representative for each class and a Parent Class Rep Coordinator for each of the Primary, Junior and Intermediate Divisions. With this structure, the School Council hopes to increase the number of parents involved at Castor Valley and provide all parents with an accessible and familiar contact who can provide them with school-related information and represent them and their ideas to Council); or
- Feedback/Comments.
Q4. Why does the CVESC need my email address?
The CVESC needs your email address:
- to inform the parent community about school events and programs by distributing our newsletter and other communications electronically (a 2009/10 goal of the CVESC);
- to be “GREEN”. Consistently reducing the amount paper our Council uses can make a huge difference, both to the environment and to our pocketbooks because conserving resources and cutting down on waste saves money; and
- to reduce the amount of volunteer time required to copy and distribute paper material.
The Council will:
- keep your email private;
- send one email per family, not per child; and
- use paper for communication where required or requested.
To submit your email address, make changes or corrections, or if you are receiving multiple copies of the same email, please use the following:
Q5. What is a Parent Class Rep?
A5. Each class has an assigned Parent Class Representative to provide each teacher with a parent contact who can assist them with class-related communications. The Parent Class Rep program will be continued in the 2010-2011 school year, but with some important changes based on teacher and volunteer feedback. The role of the rep will to be:
- Distribute class-specific information to parents via email (e.g. teacher newsletter, field trip information, guidelines for class celebrations, reminders for spirit days)
- Recruit specific classroom volunteers (e.g. a construction expert, an artist),
- Request specific supplies or materials (e.g. red tablecloths, old catalogues/magazines) and
- Assist with the creation and tracking of Character Recognition certificates.
(Note: Requests will vary depending on the individual teacher’s needs)
In addition, the Parent Class Rep will be on the distribution list for School Council information so that he/she can answer questions as an informed parent representative. This role is a great fit for someone who wants to be involved in and informed of what is happening at Castor Valley. The role does not require you to be physically present in the school. Attendance at School Council Meetings is also not mandatory, however ALL are welcome!
If you are interested in being a Parent Class Rep next year or if you have any questions about the role, please contact:
Jen Danby McDonald
jdanbymcdonald@hotmail.com
613-821-7967
