Community Support
Joint ventures with our community have resulted in some tremendous support that has benefited Emily Carr M.S., most especially the students.
Emergency Dismissals
Occasionally it is necessary to dismiss students early. For their safety, please ensure that you inform the school if any changes to your child's alternate arrangements are made. It is very important that our school records are current and accurate. Severe weather is the most common for school closures. All school closures will be announced on all local radio stations as well as through the OCDSB Twitter and Facebook accounts. You can also call the Ottawa Student Transportation Authority at 613-224-8800 or click here for up to date information on school bus delays or school closures.
Emily Carr School Council
The council consists of parents and guardians, school administration and staff. Community representatives may also attend. Council welcomes parents and guardians to their monthly meetings. Please watch the Emily Carr calendar for dates and topics.
Extracurricular Activities
A number of activities outside the regular school day are offered to students such as participation on sports teams, Student Council, clubs, etc. Late buses are not provided for students involved in these activities. Students must arrange their own transportation home.
Field Trips
A number of field trips are planned annually by individual class teachers and often by groups of teachers and classes. These trips are an integral part of the school program and as such are directly linked to the learning outcomes of the unit being taught. Trips are run on a cost-recovery basis. As such, costs to students are assessed based on the transportation costs and any charge for admission. We often require volunteers in order to participate in a field trip. Permission forms will be sent home for these activities, requiring parental signature. Permission forms can also be found on the school calendar which is posted on the home page of our website. The school seeks your co-operation in returning these forms as promptly as possible; deadlines will be strictly enforced in order to allow teachers to plan more effectively. For the 2020-2021 school year, all field trips are virtual and permission forms are not required.
Fundraising
Most of the fundraising at Emily Carr Middle School is managed by the Emily Carr School Council. On occasion, students will initiate some fundraising ideas to support a community organization or a special event. At times, ECMS Staff also fundraise to support clubs and teams.
Library
There are many opportunities to use the library. When borrowing from the library, students are responsible for returning, in good condition, any book(s) they have signed out. Borrowing privileges may be suspended until overdue books are returned.
Ottawa Public Health
Global pandemics have made us all very aware of how quickly infections can spread and the role we each play in keeping our communities, families and ourselves healthy. You play an important role in keeping your children, as well as, the staff and students of your school healthy. If your child becomes ill, it is important to let the school know the reason for your child’s absence. It is important to report the following symptoms: diarrhea, vomiting, fever, cough and/or headache, so that clusters of the same illness can be quickly identified and measures taken to reduce the spread. Proper hand cleaning is the most effective method for preventing the spread of germs, infections and communicable diseases. Studies have shown that people do not wash their hands properly or often enough.
What you can do:
Wash your hands; it is your best defense against the spread of illness.
- Keep children at home when they are sick. Ottawa Public Health recommends: Respiratory illness: stay at home for 5 days from the beginning of the symptoms. Gastro intestinal illness: stay at home for 48 hour after the last bout of vomiting or diarrhea. This is to prevent the spread of the bacteria or viruses that may be causing the illness.
- Get the Flu shot.
- Keep yourself healthy: eat healthy food; be active; get plenty of sleep; don’t share anything that touches your mouth and stay home when you are sick.
Student Dances
A few times a year, students participate in dances during the instructional day. These afternoons usually include a dance or game room activities, and study hall, all of which are supervised by staff. This is an opportunity for students to actively engage in developing leadership and interpersonal skills, as well as to build a sense of community.
Student Photographs
Early in the fall individual photographs are taken and will be available for sale by Lifetouch. The photographer will return in the spring to offer photo packages to our grade eight students on their leaving. Purchasing these packages is optional. Due to Covid-19 photo day has been delayed.
Transportation
Information regarding bus transportation can be found on the Ottawa Student Transportation Authority (OSTA) website.
Please note: Students who are not entitled to regular bus service are not permitted to ride the school bus. Students also can NOT switch to another bus even with a note from home due to insurance/ liability issues.
Volunteer
Volunteers
Volunteers - you can make a difference at our schools
OCDSB schools and families benefit from the participation of volunteers within our day-to-day activities. The involvement of parents/caregivers, seniors, retirees, and university students in volunteer roles help to connect our community to our students’ learning. Through School Councils, volunteers support lunch programs and/or special events; through school staff, volunteers support classroom learning activities such as reading buddies, field trips, sports, and many other experiences! Whether you can share one hour a week or more, your gift of time enriches the lives of the children in your community.
As part of our onboarding process, volunteers are screened either by the Principal or through our partner, Ottawa Network for Education (ONFE) / Volunteers in Education team. The Ottawa Network for Education (ONFE)’s Volunteers in Education (VIE) program is a central referral and volunteer screening agency for the OCDSB. Learn more about ONFE’s Volunteers in Education (VIE) program
Once a volunteer has completed their screening, a prospective volunteer will be contacted by the Principal or designate to arrange for an introductory conversation and to learn about the volunteer role / field trip responsibilities. If a volunteer requires accommodation we ask that you contact the Principal in advance.
Interested in participating as a volunteer?
There are two ways to get involved!
- Apply to Volunteer through Ottawa Network for Education (ONFE). Request to be matched with your child’s school/a school near your home. ONFE screening is valid for up to five years, and schools receive a list of screened volunteers at the start of each school year.
Obtain a Vulnerable Sector Police Reference Check (email the Principal to request a letter of introduction). Complete the screening process with the School Principal to be matched to an upcoming school activity. Volunteers may be asked to complete screening through ONFE at peak periods.
Please take a minute to read through our Policies and Procedures to ensure you are aware of the expectations.
PR 555 SCO VolunteersPolicies and Procedures