Newsletter 

Message From The Principal

Welcome back, St. Paul High School family! Whether you are stepping through our doors for the very first time or returning for another exciting chapter, we are absolutely thrilled to welcome you to the start of a brand-new school year.  We have a few changes in leadership that I'd like to point out:

• I am pleased to share that Mrs. Sharon Hollingsworth has been appointed Vice Principal of St Isabel Catholic School. We thank Mrs. Hollingsworth for her leadership and dedicated service to the St. Paul community and wish her every success in her new role.

• I am excited to welcome Mr. David Testa as Vice Principal of St. Paul High School and look forward to his leadership and contributions to our team.  Click here to see pictures of our new Administration and Student Services team.

• A special welcome to Richmond Guillermo, our new school Chaplain.  We are very much looking forward to having him here in the building as part of our St Paul family.  

At St. Paul, our school is so much more than a building—it's a vibrant community rooted in faith, personal growth, and academic excellence. Our incredible staff has been hard at work preparing a safe, inclusive, and joyful environment where every single student feels supported, challenged, and inspired to shine.  Special thanks goes out to our incredible custodial team who have made sure we are walking into a beautiful space!

We know that the best school years happen when we work together. To our parents and guardians: we are so grateful for your partnership and can't wait to collaborate with you to make this year truly unforgettable for your kids.

To help everyone get off to a smooth, confident start, we've put together a few essential details and key expectations below. Please take a quick moment to review them with your student.

I remain sincerely appreciative of the trust you place in our school and dedicated staff. We look forward to welcoming our students on Tuesday, September 1, 2026. Here’s to a wonderful year ahead filled with faith, connection, and success!

Alanna Vandewint

Communication Protocol

• All communication from both St Paul and the OCSB will be sent via SchoolMessenger.  Please see our school website for information, links, and announcements.

• All NEW Parents and guardians are asked to sign up for

  1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1.  a SchoolMessenger account

                    2. a School Cash Online account

                    3. the OCSB Parent Portal - view their child’s report card, IEPs etc... 

Welcome New Students

New Student Welcome Tour for New gr 9-12 students - August 26th, 12 - 1pm

Any newly registered new-to-St. Paul students in grades 9-12 are invited to join us for a tour and receive their schedule. Please report to Student Services on August 26 at 12:00pm.  See invitation here

Welcome BBQ for Gr 7s and new Gr 8s- August 27th, 11:00 am - 12:30 pm 

Any grade 7 student or new grade 8 student is invited to our Student BBQ and tour on August 27.  We ask parents to use the side parking lot to drop off and pick up your child.  See invitation here.

First Day Instructions 

Day 1 Instructions for High School

Students must follow the schedule posted in mystudentinfo.ca.  Please report directly to Period 1 when you arrive for the day.  

Please note that if you are scheduled for an eLearning course this semester, you are required to attend a Mandatory eLearning Information Session on Tuesday, September 1st, during your scheduled eLearning period.  Attendance will be taken, and participation is required regardless of whether you have taken an eLearning course before. This session will provide important information to ensure your success in the course, and our STP learning community. 

Day 1 Instructions for  Gr 7

Please log in to mystudentinfo.ca using your OCSB login credentials to access your homeroom teacher's name and classroom number. You can access this information immediately. (**Please note, if you are new to the OCSB, or you have trouble logging in, there will be staff available on the first day of school, inside the main doors, to assist with looking this information up).

Please meet your homeroom teacher on the front lawn (in the event of rain please proceed to the Cafeteria). Your teacher will be holding a sign with their name and homeroom number on it. You will be given your full schedule and assigned a locker during class time. 

Day 1 Instructions for Gr 8 

Please log in to mystudentinfo.ca using your OCSB login credentials to access your homeroom teacher's name and classroom number. You can access this information immediately. (**Please note, if you are new to the OCSB, or you have trouble logging in, there will be staff available on the first day of school, inside the main doors, to assist with looking this information up).

Please proceed up to the ⅞ hallway and make your way to your homeroom, where your teacher will be waiting for you. You will be given your full schedule and assigned a locker during class time.

How do you log into mystudentinfo?  Click here for instructions

Course Change Requests

Student timetables will be available to students through my.studentinfo.ca on August 31. Schedules may change several times as school approaches.  The only accurate schedule available to you is on my.studentinfo.ca on August 31st.

REMINDER: Students in grades 9 and 10 are not permitted to make elective changes.

If you are grade 11 or 12 inquiring about course change requests for next year, all course change requests must be submitted online through my.studentinfo.ca and will be open for course change requests starting on Sept. 1st at 8:00 AM.

Only requests made through my.studentinfo.ca will be considered. All course change requests are subject to availability. Students must follow their schedule as assigned until the course change is active. 

Please do not email your requests.

Daily Student Attendance

Parents are asked to use SafeArrival to report their child’s absence (full day) or lateness. You can also email or call the office when their child is absent or approved late at 613-820-9705. 

How to sign a student out early:

• Provide a written note to your child indicating what time they are being signed out that day. The student will show this to their teacher to dismiss them from class

OR

• Call 613-820-9705 in the morning. The sign-out will be input into our system for the classroom teacher to see. 

Please note that the office will only interrupt a class in the event of an emergency to call a student down to sign out. Please remember that lunch time is unstructured time and students cannot be located during the lunch period. Phys Ed classes are often outside or participating in activities that make it hard to track down students. Please ensure that plans are discussed with your student prior to coming to school so they are prepared to sign out at the requested time.

IMPORTANT: All students must report to the Main Office prior to leaving the school.

Transportation

Transportation Information from OSTA - New Information - Please review

Please create an account and access the OSTA BusPlanner website to view your child’s transportation eligibility. If the BusPlanner indicates that your child is eligible for transportation, Grade 9-10 students can pick up their School Board pass on Wednesday, August 26, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Grades 11-12 students can pick up their passes between 12pm and 2:30pm. Please review the new changes to Presto from OSTA.

Drop-off and Pick-up at School: Throughout the School Year

School zones are often congested areas.  There will be staff supervisors to help direct you to drop your child off if necessary in the loop in front of the school. Please remember you are encouraged to “walk a block” by OSTA.  Please ensure that your child arrives at school by 7:50 a.m. each morning. Homeroom warning bell rings at 7:55 am. Students that arrive after 8:00am must sign in in front of the office.

Life-Threatening Medical Conditions and Non-Life-Threatening Concerns 

If your child has asthma, a concussion or head injury, diabetes, epilepsy or seizures, a life-threatening allergy, or any other life-threatening medical condition, please follow the steps Here to complete and submit the documentation. If your child does not have one of the above medical conditions but has a medical concern that you believe the school should be aware of, please submit these details. This information will be added to your child’s medical and health information in PowerSchool. Please review the Plan of Care message. 

Updates from Student Services 

Students with Individual Education Plans 

The Resource team and Guidance Counsellors updated student profiles to share with classroom teachers for IEP updates. Parents with new diagnoses or assessments should reach out to their student's Vice Principal.  Resource teachers will be reaching out to their families within the first few weeks of school. 

• Student timetables are currently being finalized, and a number of changes are in progress. Timetables will be available starting on August 31 via my.studentinfo.ca. 

• Students must continue to attend classes according to their schedules until the change has been approved.

  • Please note that we cannot accommodate friend requests

• Guidance appointments will be available starting the first week of school and can be scheduled through my.studentinfo.ca starting on Tuesday, September 1st. 

• Please note that response times may be longer at the beginning of September as the team support the school’s start-up.

Cell Phones Please Review Policy Here 

In keeping with the Ministry of Education directive regarding cell phones, St. Paul HS has implemented a cell phone protocol to support student learning and mental health. The following is an excerpt from the Student Handbook, p. 11: “Students must turn off their cell phones and keep them out of sight during instructional time. Instructional time will be defined as the four (4) seventy-five-minute course blocks each day. Therefore, students should also not be on their phones if they leave class during instructional time (e.g., to take a body break or to use the washroom). It is recommended that they leave their cell phones in their lockers instead of keeping them on their person…” Consequences will be assigned if students breach the policy. 

Students should report to the main office should they need access to a phone to contact a parent or guardian. 

General Student Information

Student Handbook

The 2026-2027 St. Paul Student Handbook is linked HERE for your reference. The handbook can also be found on our website. Please review prior to the start of school. 

Student Fees

During the first week of school, families will receive a request for student fees via School Cash Online. They are $10/student with a maximum of $25 per family.  Note this does not include a yearbook.  Information on that will come out shortly.  

Cafeteria and Lunch

The cafeteria will be open as of the first day of school for breakfast and lunch purchases; otherwise, students should bring lunch. High school students may leave school grounds during lunchtime but must return in time for P3.  Gr 7&8 students are not permitted to leave school grounds during the lunch and recess break.  

Lockers

Lockers are assigned on the first day of school. Please bring a quality combination lock. Locks that require a key are not permitted. Lockers are to be kept locked and secured at all times.  

Chromebooks

We encourage bringing personal Chromebooks or laptops. Chromebooks will be assigned to students who are in need of a device.

Photo Day

Photo day is scheduled for Thursday September 24, 2026 and retakes are on October 20, 2026 

Catholic School Council - First meeting and elections

The Catholic School Council will meet on September 24 at 6:00pm in person at the St Paul Learning Commons. Our council is a great way to help support your child’s school!  We are always looking for new members.  Our council meets quarterly.  If you are interested in joining the meeting please email the Principal (alanna.vandewint@ocsb.ca).

Important Dates