Parent Information
Student Health
STUDENT HEALTH
CLSC Pierrefonds assigns a community health nurse to Beechwood. When the nurse is at school her role is to work in collaboration with the school personnel to promote, maintain and protect the health of Beechwood students.
MEDICATION
You must fill out a medical form for all medication which must be administered by a staff member at the school. Under no circumstances will the school administer any prescription medication or non-prescription medication without the parent’s written permission. The drug must be sent to school in its original container and come directly to the office. Please do not put medication in your child’s lunch box.
FIRST AID POLICY
The LBPSB is responsible for the well-being of students during school-organized activities. In the case of an accident or sudden illness, parents will be notified as soon as possible. Should immediate hospital treatment be necessary and the parents are unable to pick up the child, the school will arrange for the transportation and supervision of the child at the parents’ expense. At no time will the child be left without supervision.
Parents are required to inform the school if the child suffers from a handicap, a recurring ailment or allergy. If the child requires an Epipen, the parent must supply one to be left at the school. Students with severe allergies should also carry an Epipen on their body at all times.
Parents must provide the child’s medicare number and the name of a person to call in an emergency. It is the parent’s responsibility to take over the care of their child as soon as possible.
PARENTS OF KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS
If your child has not yet received his/her 2nd booster shot (due at 4-6 years), this should be done as soon as possible, either through your family doctor, pediatrician or the CLSC Pierrefonds. Please notify the school of this date as soon as completed.
PARENTS OF GRADE 4 STUDENTS
CLSC will offer Hepatitis B vaccinations free to all grade 4 students on a voluntary basis. Parental consent is required. The vaccination consists of three injections administered over a period of several months. The school nurse will be sending home the appropriate information.
HEAD LICE
Our entire Beechwood school community is here to work together and support students and parents in addressing all lice issues. Many families have experience in identifying and eliminating this unfortunate nuisance. Please do not be embarrassed, about 3% of school children aged 3-11 across North America are affected by lice. While the experience will no doubt be overwhelming, following appropriate procedures will greatly reduce the likelihood of ongoing issues.
When we all return to school after a break, this is the time to check your child’s hair and scalp for lice, especially if he/she has attended summer camp or was away for a holiday break.
Head lice appear in the school from time to time and the excellent cooperation we receive from all parents during a lice alert successfully limits the infestation. We endeavour to do all that we can as a school community to control any lice outbreak.
Prevention of Head Lice: Regular combing, specifically with a metal fine-toothed comb, can help in the early detection of head lice. The use of an efficient ‘detector’ comb, which can also remove lice, can help in minimizing the probability of head lice infestation.
How are lice transmitted? Lice are transmitted indirectly through clothing or through direct contact with an infected person. Children are asked to place their hats and scarves inside their coat sleeves as well as never to pile up their clothing together with that of other children’s. Those with long hair are asked to keep it tied. Hairbrushes or combs should never be shared.
What should I do if my child has lice? Inform your school principal so that steps may be taken to avoid a serious school problem.
What should I do if my child has lice?
- Inform your school principal so that steps may be taken to avoid a serious school problem.
- Use a metal fine-toothed comb to remove nits (eggs) and lice from the hair. This step is crucial as the shampoos do not necessarily destroy the eggs – they must be taken out of the hair (metal does better at breaking the eggs away from hair).
- Give treatment with special shampoo available at a pharmacy. Follow bottle instructions precisely.
- Wash all bed sheets and clothing. Vacuum carpets and sofas.
- Stuffed animals should be put away in a garbage bag for 14 days.
- Check hair daily for two weeks after treatment. The fine-toothed comb is necessary when checking your child’s hair.
- All nits (eggs) must be removed.
During a lice outbreak at school:
- The school nurse will work with our parent volunteers to check students, specifically in classes where lice was reported.
- The school nurse will re-check students after they have begun the treatments to eliminate the eggs and lice when they return to school.
- Children with long hair must tightly tie up their hair everyday.
- Children will be allowed to wear hats during the school day.
- NO SHARING of hats or clothes between students.
- Any parents wishing to support and assist our school community can contact the school office. A team of prepared parents can be an excellent resource and will help the nurse to check students and teach our community how to best handle an infestation.
Transportation
SCHOOL BUS TRANSPORTATION
Kindergarten students who live more than 0.8 km and all other students living more than 1.6 km from the school are eligible for school bus services provided they live within Beechwood’s transportation zones. With safety in mind, the following school bus guidelines have been set:
- Always be at the bus stop 10 minutes early.
- Carry your bus pass at all times.
- Find your assigned seat quickly, without pushing other students.
- Keep the aisle clear.
- Remain seated, talk quietly. Do not eat, drink or leave trash on the bus.
- Behave respectfully at all times.
- Always listen to the bus driver’s instructions.
- Keep your head and arms inside the school bus.
Each bus driver carries a book of reports which are to be completed following an infraction. A bus driver will generally give several warnings before issuing a report. Multiple infractions may lead to suspension or removal of bussing privileges. If for any reason a parent does not want a child to take the bus home on a particular day, a note must be sent to the class teacher to that effect. Students are not permitted to take a friend’s school bus. They may however, get off at a stop other than their assigned stop with a written permission note from the parent/guardian co-signed by the Principal. Only students registered for bussing are permitted to ride on a bus.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR KINDERGARTEN/GRADE 1 PARENTS
It is expected that parents assume the responsibility of supervising all Kindergarten/Grade 1 students as soon as they get off the bus. The drivers will not drop off Kindergarten/Grade 1 students if no one is there to meet them and they will be returned to school. They must also have their purple bus tag displayed on their school bags.
TRANSPORTATION BY PARENTS
The safety of our students is one of our greatest concerns at Beechwood. In order to facilitate our supervision, we thank parents for not entering the school yard. Students should arrive at school between 7:55am and 8:05am, while there is outdoor and hallway supervision. Students should go directly into the school using only the front entrance on Shelborne Street. Kindergarten students will be received by their teachers at the Kindergarten door. Students who are dropped off on Sunbury Street at the rear of the school will be expected to walk along the path so that they can enter the school through the front door. Please note that the rear entrance is only used for students registered for the Daycare Program, from 7:00am – 7:50am.
Please review the following safety rules with your children:
- Don’t walk or run between parked cars.
- Always cross at intersections.
- Always look both ways before crossing the street.
- Make sure the driver sees you before crossing.
- Never walk in front or back of a school bus.
The following are safety reminders for parents, for each of the areas surrounding our school. Your assistance and cooperation is required to ensure the security of our students.
DROP-OFF & PICK-UP BY PARENTS
Beechwood Parking Lot
Please park in the Visitor’s Area only in our school parking lot in the morning. Walk with your children; do not let them run ahead, without supervision. Please be sure to look several times when parking your vehicle in the parking lot, so that you have a clear view while entering and exiting from the parking spot. It is a violation to block the walkway leading from the parking lot to the school with your vehicle. Never park in the driving lanes. Do not reverse out of the parking lot – it is hazardous for both pedestrians and cars that are entering. Please be courteous.
Beechwood Bus Lane
Drivers must stop when bus lights are flashing. The bus lane should only be used as a drop off lane in the morning after the school buses have left. There is NO passing in the bus lane.
The first, second and third cars in the bus lane should drop off their children in the YELLOW SPACES; drivers should leave promptly allowing the next cars to advance and drop off their children. The white zone is a waiting zone. It is to be a rolling Drop Zone.
It is dangerous to create a second driving lane with so many students arriving at the same time.
To ensure that all students arrive safely and on time, have your child ready with all their school gear, to exit through the passenger side of your vehicle.
If you need to bring your children to the school door, please park the car elsewhere.
- The Bus Lane is only to be used as a drop-off lane.
- There is no parking in the Bus Lane before or after school hours.
- WAIT, STOP, DROP, and GO.
Anselme-Lavigne Street
When parking near the crosswalk, leading to the entrance close to the basketball courts, please be vigilant when reversing, as students may be walking across the intersection from or towards Gariépy Street.
Shelborne Street
This street has No Stopping signs. Drivers have been ticketed. Beechwood assumes no responsibility for drivers parking illegally. The bus drivers have a commitment to deliver our students at a specific time and to then pick up their high school passengers. Please help them do their job safely by leaving sufficient room for the buses to manoeuvre. Please hold onto your children, if you have to walk across the bus lane.
Sunbury Street
Respect our Beechwood neighbours, do not block or park in their driveways. Do not obstruct traffic on the road by stopping to let your children disembark. Do not park or stop your vehicle in the area immediately in front of the entrance that is designated as a No-Stopping Zone. Sunbury can be difficult to navigate during winter. The road narrows considerably with the snow banks and the parked cars. Please be considerate and create a safe path on the street for pedestrians and drivers. For the security of all our Beechwood students and staff, please drive slower, be cautious, think safety and be sensible when it comes to delivering and picking up your children at school. If there are multiple drivers in your family, please inform them of these very important safety rules.