The Triboard Transportation service, coordinators of school bus operations for Kingston and the surrounding areas, have cancelled all bus service for Friday, January 27th.  All exams / culminating activities scheduled for today have been moved to Monday, January 30th.  Additionally, buses will be running on Wednesday, February 1st to accommodate students writing exams for period four classes. The new schedule will be as follows:

Grades 9 & 10
Monday, January 30th - Period Two - 8:40-10:10
Tuesday, January 31st - Period Three - 8:40-10:10
Wednesday, February 1st - Period Four - 8:40-10:10

Grades 11 & 12
Monday, January 30th - Period Two - 8:40-10:40
Tuesday, January 31st - Period Three - 8:40-10:40
Wednesday, February 1st - Period Four - 8:40-10:40

Exam return day will occur on Monday, February 6th instead of Thursday, February 2nd to allow time for teachers to complete the marking of exams.  An updated schedule for Monday, February 6th will be posted soon.

The Kingston Public Health Unit has issued an influenza advisory to members of our extended school community.  With laboratory confirmation of Influenza B in our region, it becomes our responsibility to prevent unnecessary transmission of this virus.  Please read the accompanying letter for suggestions regarding diagnosis, treatment and incubation times so that responsible decisions can be made to limit the outbreak in our area.

Click here to download the KFLA Health Unit Influenza advisory (PDF)

As semester one winds down, culminating activities become a prominent focus for both students and staff.  Please refer to the schedule below to plan for upcoming course activities:

Grades 9-10
Thursday, January 26 - Per 1 CA 8:40 to 10:10
Friday, January 27 - Per 2 CA 8:40 to 10:10
Monday, January 30 - Per 3 CA 8:40 to 10:10
Tuesday, January 31 - Per 4 CA 8:40 to 10:10

Thursday, January 26 - Per 1 CA 8:40 to 10:40
Friday, January 27 - Per 2 CA 8:40 to 10:40
Monday, January 30 - Per 3 CA 8:40 to 10:40
Tuesday, January 31 - Per 4 CA 8:40 to 10:40

* Students must be in full uniform during the exam period.

Please note:  students with lockers down the "dark hallway" will not have access to their locker until senior exams are completed at 10:40 AM.

In the event of a severe weather day, where buses are cancelled, all culminating activities will be moved one day ahead (ie. a Thursday “snow day” moves Thursday Culminating Activities to Friday).

Wednesday, February 1 - Course Reconciliation Day (final opportunity to complete Summative Assessments)

Thursday, February 2 - Exam Return Day

Friday, February 3 - P.D. Day

Monday, February 6 - Semester II begins (full day)

In case of inclement weather, please listen to the radio stations for notification of bus cancellations.  Should there be a cancellation, the scheduled exam days move ahead one day (eg. if buses are cancelled on Wednesday, exams scheduled that day will be written on Thursday; Thursday exams will be written on Friday, etc.).

Students are to bring their textbooks to their exams in the gym and book room staff will collect them.

RETURNS:
Thurs. Jan. 26 – Tues. Jan. 31 prior to the start of your exam.  Returns can also come to the Library during exam week.

You must bring your timetable to pick up Semester II books.

PICK UPS:
Wed. Feb. 1 - Fri. Feb. 3, 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Pickups in the Bookroom only.

Students are encouraged to pick up their textbooks for Semester II the week of February 1 to 3 if at all possible. The bookroom will have very limited hours once Semester II classes begin (morning 8:00 – 8:30, lunch hour, and 2:30 – 3:00). You must bring your timetable to pick up Semester II books.

Dear Friends, Parents and Alumni of Regiopolis College, Notre Dame Convent & High School, and Regiopolis - Notre Dame High School,

I am very grateful to you for the wonderful support and prayers that have come to us over the many years that this great school has been in existence. Today I am very pleased to announce that there will be a 175th anniversary reunion for all alumni and friends to take place at the school and at various locations throughout the city October 5 - 7, 2012.

We are inviting interested alumni who wish to assist us with this celebration to contact me at the school prior to the end of June. We anticipate that this will be a momentous occasion and we hope that as many alumni as possible will be able to return and so we expect this to be a substantial undertaking. If you are volunteering to assist in the organization of this event please be aware that it will involve a significant commitment of time.

Chapel Renewal:
A special project that we are undertaking is the construction of a new Chapel for Regiopolis - Notre Dame and we are looking for your support for this project so that we can have it ready for an official opening celebration over the course of the reunion weekend.

Jennifer Henderson and Shaniqua Liston have taken a leading role in preventing bullying at RND. Jennifer started a Facebook page called The Reminder Project that already has several hundred hits and she excitedly rhymes off the names of the countries of ‘Likes’ – United States, Australia, Germany, Bermuda, Switzerland, Scotland, Poland and Austria. “I hope the message can be spread and shared,” she said. “Share the love.” The site is dedicated to raise awareness of anti-bullying issues.

To help spread the word, she has made wrist bracelets in several colours to sell in hope of supporting an agency that will support anti-bullying initiatives. Bracelets, she said, are a trend, that show that people are part of a group. “These bracelets will show you are part of a loving and caring community.” The Reminder Project is named to “remind people how much they are loved,” says Jennifer. “Everybody needs a reminder that they are special.”

Shaniqua heard an inspirational speaker at a workshop discuss bullying and decided to take action. She helped to organize and act as a facilitator for the retreat for Grade 9 students at Rideau Acres with activities and discussions. She was inspired by a friend who struggled with bullying issues. “Dealing with bullying and to go to school is very tough,” she says. The retreat “made the students see you are not the only one, you are never alone.”

"We are very proud of Jennifer and Shaniqua for their initiative to develop and lead separate anti-bullying activities within the Regiopolis-Notre Dame community and the greater community at large. These young ladies are supporting the school's anti-bullying initiatives by working to increase awareness and to have students become proactive about being respectful to self, others and the environment.

On Saturday, December 9th, twenty one senior students and two teachers left RND to be fully immersed in a new and fascinating culture - that of the Republic of Cuba. . The trip was a unique coming together of both sightseeing and volunteering, which proved to be especially rewarding.

As many students learned, awareness of Cuba’s culture and history is vital to fully understanding present day life for Cubans. We were grateful to have been introduced to several different perspectives of Cuba before departing on the trip, including those of a philosophy professor and Cuban doctor. Our interest in and perspectives of Cuba were only expanded by this trip. The group visited numerous cultural landmarks, as well as well as a cooperative farm, an excellent symbol of the native Cubans resilience and ingenuity. In the Cuban Capitals some highlights of the trip were the Capitol building, University of Havana and Plaza de la Revolucion. The trip represented a tremendous volunteering opportunity, which the students certainly rose to. School supplies and sports equipment were donated to a rural hurricane- damaged school. Together with an International School of Havana (IHS) grade eleven class, we upgraded the school’s computer room, as well as by painted and refurbished their courts and other parts of the school.

The students on the trip rose to the challenge of their various tasks, accomplishing much in the day we spent at the school, and during other visits to rural villages. Our joining up with the IHS also proved rewarding in further expanding our horizons. We visited the IHS and participated in a stimulating class discussion. We laid the foundations of what will hopefully grow into long friendships with fellow students there, showing that friendship truly knows no borders. In Henry Miller’s words “One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.” This trip served to prove that RND’s IB students were ready and able to expand their horizons and expand a helping hand. In short, it was a resounding success which the participants will look back on with a proud smile on their face.

The  January 2012 newsletter has been released.  In an effort to comply with RND's Ecoschools goals, the regular newsletter is not being distributed as a hard copy.  If you wish to register for email receipt of the newsletter, please fill out the registration form on the RND Newsletter page at www.reginotredame.ca.

To read the newsletter online, or to download a copy of the January newsletter in pdf format, please click here.  Alternatively, you can navigate using the menu at the top of the page:  RND News → RND Newsletter.

According to the Police/School Board Protocol it is important to note that in the case of possession of an illegal drug police must be notified. Notification should be as soon as possible. Upon police arrival the illegal drug shall be taken into their possession.

The Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board and community partners are committed to making our schools safe for students and staff, volunteers and visitors.

The Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board will respond to all student behaviours which pose a potential risk to other students, staff and members of the community. It is hoped that early intervention measures by the school board and community team members will prevent school violence.

The effective implementation of the protocol will support collaborative planning to prevent traumatic events. In addition, the timely sharing of information about students who pose a risk for violence towards self and/or others will ensure that supportive and preventive plans are put in place.

To read a letter to parents concerning the Community Threat Assessment Protocol, please click here.