Hello,

Welcome back, Gloucester High School students and families! We're thrilled to begin a new school year and welcome you all to what promises to be a fantastic year of learning, growth, and community. Whether you are returning to us or joining us for the first time, we are excited to have you as part of the GHS community. GHS staff have been working hard to prepare for your child’s arrival, and we look forward to a successful and rewarding year together.

This year, a strong focus will be placed on supporting students in five key areas: Wellness and Safety, Reading for Understanding, Writing for Success, Critical Literacy for Life, and Math for Everyday.  We believe that long-term student success is built upon developing strengths in critical thinking, creativity,  curricular knowledge and the fundamental skills mentioned above, which can be applied to all of life’s challenges.

Table of Contents

First Day of School and Student Timetables 1

School Schedule 2

Voluntary School Fee 3

Parents, Students, and Community Electronic Forms 3

Personal Mobile Devices 3

Timetable Changes 4

Students on Spare or eLearning 4

Lockers 5

School Year Calendar 5

School Attendance Tips 5

Student Parking 5

Safe School Reporting Tool 6

Medical Needs 6

Food at School 6

School Council 7

Important Websites 7

First Day of School and Student Timetables

**Please note that despite September 2nd being an even day and usually considered a day 2.  Students will follow a Day 1 schedule on September 2nd and September 3rd.**

Grade 9

Tuesday, September 2nd, will be Grade 9 Orientation Day. On this day, you will be connected to a fantastic group of senior students who have been hand-picked to mentor grade nine students throughout the entire school year. These responsible older students are good role models and leaders within our school community; they are called Link Leaders. 

• You will receive an email from your Link Leader before their first day of school to invite you to the orientation and to make connections with you before school starts. 
• On Orientation day, all grade 9s will start the day together in the auditorium.
• During the morning, students will participate in a series of activities designed to help you feel comfortable at GHS.  
• Lunch will be provided -halal and vegetarian options will be available. 
• In the afternoon, the Link Leaders will help the grade 9 find their classes, distribute Presto passes, and give each student a GHS shirt.
• You will be assigned a locker on Wednesday, September 3, so please bring a combination lock.

Grades 10, 11, 12

Upon arrival at Gloucester on Tuesday, September 2nd, students can find their first-period class for Day 1 posted in the display cases in the main foyer.

After finding your name and class, please go directly to that classroom, where you will receive your complete timetable.

If your name is not on the posted list or you don't have an assigned homeroom, report to the main office to pick up your timetable.

School Schedule

Our school timetable is divided into 2 days.

School days with an uneven calendar date (e.g., September 7th) are considered Day 1.  

School days with an even calendar date (e.g., September 8th) are Day 2.

Voluntary School Fee

To support a vibrant school experience, Gloucester High School requests a voluntary Student Activity Fee of $25.00.

This fee is spent exclusively on enriching student life and directly funds a wide variety of activities and programs throughout the year, including:

• School Events & Community: The Welcome BBQ, student activity days, motivational speakers, and school-wide assemblies.
• Clubs & Athletics: Student Council activities, interscholastic programs, extra-curricular activities, and student clubs.
• Recognition & Development: Fine Arts programs, student recognition, leadership training, and student-initiated projects.

Your contribution helps us provide these valuable opportunities and create a more engaging and positive environment for every student. 

We can accept this voluntary fee through an online payment that is available at School Cash Online until the end of June each school year.

Parents, Students, and Community Electronic Forms

OCDSB Electronic Forms

Please take some time to review and complete the following important forms:

1. OCDSB 021 - Media/School Website Permission Form 
2. Appropriate Use of Technology Agreement
3. Appendix C: OCDSB Student Science Lab Safety Agreement

Personal Mobile Devices

As we start the new school year, our top priority is focused learning in the classroom. To support this, please review the following expectations for students with respect to personal mobile devices.  Personal mobile device refers to any personal electronic device that can be used to communicate or access the internet, such as a cell phone, smart device, and includes the use of headphones.

We understand that parents and caregivers may need to contact their children during the school day. Please call the main office, and we will ensure the message is delivered. In the event of an urgent or emergency, we will notify your child without delay. Students also have access to a phone in the main office to contact you.

• Personal mobile devices are not to be used during class instructional time. They can be used during breaks, as spares, or at lunch.

Additional resources and information about these changes can be found here: ocdsb.ca/mobiledevices

We appreciate your support and look forward to a successful, distraction-free school year.

Timetable Changes

Students may make a course change request by completing the  Course Change Form (must be completed by parent/guardian if student is under 18). This course change form will be shared with students via the Grade Google Classroom and teachers on the first day of school.  Students must continue to attend scheduled classes until they receive a confirmation from guidance that a change has been made. A request does not guarantee a change.

During the first week of school, students with courses missing in their timetables will be given priority. Students with missing courses in their schedules should come to the Guidance Office during those blocks ONLY. 

Course Change Form 

(inactive until September 2nd)

Students on Spare or eLearning

We want to help all students succeed in their eLearning courses. To ensure a productive and smooth start, all students with an eLearning course will have their work periods scheduled in the Library for the first few weeks of school. This dedicated space will provide a structured environment with access to resources and support to help them stay on track and meet their goals.

Lockers

Grade 9 Students: Students will be assigned a locker as part of the Link activities.  These lockers will be found in the hallway outside of the cafeteria near the woodshop classroom.

Grades 10, 11, 12:  Information will be shared by your first-period teacher about lockers.  You may use your locker on September 2nd if you have a combination lock.

School Year Calendar

Please use Gloucester High School’s Calendar (https://gloucesterhs.ocdsb.ca/our-school-landing/calendar#grid) to access our school calendar.

The OCDSB’s calendar can be accessed via the 2025-2026 Secondary School Year Calendar ocdsb.ca.  This calendar has information about final evaluation days, PD/PA days, holidays and more.

School Attendance Tips

If a student is absent from school, a parent or guardian should send an email about the absence to gloucesterhs@ocdsb.ca or call (613) 745-7176. In your message, please provide the student's first and last name, the grade, and the reason for the absence.  When possible, an email message should be sent to your student’s teachers informing them of the absence.

Morning Arrival: Class begins at 9:20 am; students are expected to be in their designated classroom no later than 9:15 am for the start of the day.

Late Arrival: Students who arrive after 9:20 am are to report directly to their class, where their teacher will record their late arrival.

Appointments: Students who need to leave early for appointments are to go to the Main Office to sign out.  Parents/Guardians' permission is required to sign out. For known absences, parents should send an email about the absence to gloucesterhs@ocdsb.ca or call (613) 745-7176 in advance.  Students are asked to inform teachers of their absence to ensure assigned learning can be completed.

Illness While at School: Students who become ill during the school day are to report to the Main Office. Parents/guardians will be contacted so that a pick-up can be arranged.

Student Parking

For those students who drive to school, you must register your vehicle with the main office.  Student-designated parking spaces are found near the tennis courts.

Safe School Reporting Tool

The Safe Schools Reporting Tool is a confidential and anonymous way to report a concern. You can choose to provide your name or remain anonymous.

A note on anonymity: If a situation is life-threatening or puts someone at serious risk, we will take all necessary steps to help, which may include attempting to identify the person who made the report.

This tool is available for all students in Grade 4 and up.

To make a report or for more information, visit: ocdsb.ca/report-it

Medical Needs

To ensure your child's safety, the OCDSB has created an electronic form for reporting life-threatening medical conditions. This new form is for conditions such as anaphylaxis, epilepsy, diabetes, heart conditions, asthma, and any other serious medical needs.

This electronic form replaces all previous paper forms (405, 616, 802, and 902). You can use a single form to report multiple conditions by simply checking all the appropriate boxes.

Please use the link below to access and complete the form:

OCDSB 963 - Plan of Care for Students with Life-Threatening Medical Conditions

When filling out the form, please make sure you:

• Complete all required fields.
• Upload a recent 'head shot' photo of your child.
• Include a photo of your child’s prescription(s).
• Click the 'submit' button once all fields are complete.

If you are providing medication to be stored in the main office, please ensure it is clearly labelled with your child's name.

Food at School

Our cafeteria will be open for lunch starting on the very first day of school.

Here are a few things to know about lunch:

Leaving for Lunch: Students are permitted to leave school property during the lunch period between 11:55 AM and 12:50 PM. However, they are expected to return to class on time for their afternoon periods, which begin at 12:50 PM..

Food Delivery: For safety and security reasons, food delivery services (e.g., Uber Eats, SkipTheDishes) are not permitted on school property.

Microwaves: Microwaves will be available for student use in the cafeteria

Breakfast & Snacks: Our Breakfast Program and Healthy Snack Program will also be available to all students between 8:30 AM and 9:10 AM.

School Council

The Gloucester High School Council serves as an important advisory body to the Principal. The Council is composed of students, parents, guardians, and community representatives who collaborate to:

• Advise on school improvement initiatives
• Raise funds to support school needs
• Celebrate student and school success

The Council generally meets eight times per year. All meetings will be held virtually until further notice.  Please look for further information on how you can get involved or reach out to joe.ross@ocdsb.ca to express your interest in joining the school council.

Important Websites

GHS Website - Use this website to keep up to date on the happenings at Gloucester, find ways to connect with your child’s teachers, guidance counsellor, or vice principal.

School Cash Online - Use this website for all payments related to school activities. This includes fees for sports teams, art supplies, field trips, and more.

Safe Schools Reporting Tool | Ottawa-Carleton District School Board - This website provides a way for students to share their concerns about school safety.