Good afternoon,

We hope that this message finds you well and that you have had a fun and restful summer. We are so excited to welcome students back to school on Tuesday, September 2nd! A warm welcome to all new families and staff who are joining the Crystal Bay school community.

Office

The school office reopened on Monday, August 25th. Note the change in regular hours 7:30 am - 3:30 pm. Join us in welcoming Rita West to the morning Office Assistant position. Her hours are 8-11:30 am. For any general questions, please feel free to call the school at 613-828-5376 or email crystalbaycentreforspeced@ocdsb.ca

As per OCDSB General Guidelines for Creating Safe and Healthy Schools for Anaphylactic Students [and Staff], Crystal Bay is a chalk-free and scent-free school. Please refrain from bringing/wearing any of these products when visiting the school. While it is impossible to create a risk-free environment, school staff, and parents can take important steps to attempt to minimize potentially fatal allergic reactions. Additionally, classroom teachers will advise you of considerations for anaphylaxis food allergens. Please reach out to your child/youth’s teacher if you have any questions. 

All visitors to the school are required to use the front door and report to the office to sign in. For student safety, the doors are locked at all times.

Schedule

8:35 am -Arrival/Playground supervision begins

8:50 am Classes begin

2:30 pm End of instructional day

2:35-2:45 pm Dismissal buses leave by 2:45

Updating Student Information

If there have been any changes to your address, please complete Student’s Address and Supporting Documentation Form. If you have a change in contact information, e.g., phone number, email address, please contact the school office to let us know. 

We ask that all families complete the Media/School Website Permission form required annually and medical forms as applicable by September 2nd.

Here is the approved 2025-2026 OCDSB School Year Elementary Calendar 

OCDSB 021 - Media/School Website Permission Form

All Parents/Guardians are asked to choose whether or not we can include their child's work, photos, and videos on communication platforms, as described below, when showcasing their talents and participation, or when publicizing school events and activities.

OCDSB 963 - Medical Plan of Care Form

Parents/Guardians are asked to give consent for the school to share a Plan of Care as necessary with individuals in direct contact with the student to attend to their well-being and medical needs at school and during school activities. 

OCDSB 988 - Handling of Prescribed Medication for Students with non-Life-Threatening Medical Conditions

This new form replaces the requirement of a signature of a healthcare professional with an upload of the original prescription label.

OCDSB 987 - Student’s Address and Supporting Documentation Form

Moved? Moving? Please complete the Change of Address information on the form and attach your supporting documents for your child's change of address. Please submit one form per student.

Student Attendance

A reminder of our Student Absence Management System. To report absences by phone, use the toll-free number 1-833-202-1417. To sign up for the app and to see additional information, please visit the webpage.

Ottawa Public Health shares important information on keeping your children healthy throughout the school year: Keeping Your Sick Child Home, Where to Seek Care when your child is sick, Routine Vaccination Schedule and Respiratory Illness Information. We ask you to please keep your child/youth at home when they are ill. To help reduce the spread of flu and respiratory viruses, we appreciate your support as we implement the following

Health Department of Ottawa-Carleton guideline indicating that a child who is vomiting, has diarrhea, and/or a fever, remains at home until he or she has been symptom-free for a period of 24-48 hours. If your child displays symptoms of illness while in school, it is our policy that you receive a telephone call from our office. 

School Supplies, Activity Fee and Field Trips

Student activity fees refer to voluntary fees that are used to supplement a student’s school experience. Crystal Bay staff have always worked very hard to provide meaningful excursions at a reasonable cost to families, by alternating between free and fee-paying trips. They also frequently request subsidization and are sometimes given discounts or free admission.

This year Crystal Bay is requesting a voluntary activity fee of $10 per student that goes towards supporting enhanced programming, as well as a field trip-specific amount of $10, for a total of $20 per student. We will not be asking parents/guardians for funds throughout the year to cover our field trip costs.  This voluntary field trip amount will only appear in School Cash online beginning on September 2nd for families to contribute.

As principal, it is my job to ensure the dignity of every student and parent is honoured in the school fee collection process. School fees are voluntary, and we will ensure that no student misses an outing or event for financial reasons. Please contact me confidentially if you have any questions or concerns.

Note that parents/guardians are responsible for providing medical/health supplies for personal use or consumption. Please send in wipes, diapers/briefs etc. with your child/youth.

You are encouraged to send a pair of shoes for indoor use and which may be left at school. Physical Education classes are an important part of your child’s/youth’s school day. To enable your child to participate safely in all the activities, it is recommended that they have a pair of well-fitting running shoes (with non-marking soles) that are suitable for playing indoor games. We also request that you send a change of clothes labeled with your student’s name.

School Breakfast/Snack Program

We continue to benefit from our partnership with Ottawa Network for Education’s School Breakfast Program in support of our daily snack program and work experience opportunities. All students may participate. Komal will continue as the coordinator, and Sherry will support work experience again this year. Please advise your child/youth’s teacher of any dietary restrictions. 

Swim Program

The swim program will start mid-September at the Deborah Anne Kirwan at Clifford Bowey School. Teachers will notify you regarding the day and time of the swim program and send you the link to complete the online field trip permission form. On swim days, please send a swimsuit, personal flotation device, and towel in a bag, clearly marked, with your child’s/youth’s name. 

School-Home Communication

Your child/youth’s educator team will be reaching out by email to welcome students on Tuesday, September 2nd. Teachers will communicate with parents/guardians regularly. Please share your preferred method of contact (e.g., email, phone, communication book). We are happy to request a Multicultural Liaison if translation would be helpful. If you call the school during instructional time to speak to the teacher, we will take a message and have the call returned when the teacher is not in class.

School Transportation (OSTA)

Transportation providers will communicate directly with families regarding bus pick-up and drop-off times. Please sign up with OSTA at ottawaschoolbus.ca for email alerts and cancellation notices. In the past, some of our buses/vans have been canceled at the last minute. By signing up for alerts and notices, you will be notified directly by OSTA as soon as important information is shared.

Please notify your driver (or carrier) if you do not require transportation either from home or from school (i.e., if you pick your child during the day from school for an appointment). The school is not responsible for communicating this information to the driver. 

School Council News

The next School Council meeting for the year is Tuesday, September 16th, 2025 6:30 to 8:00 pm. All are welcome to join via http://meet.google.com/fgr-bunz-kpg . If you have questions, please email sc-crystalbaycentreforspeced@ocdsb.ca

Interested in joining the School Council… please complete the 25-26 Crystal Bay School Council Nomination Form. Elections will take place at our September meeting.

Email sc-crystalbaycentreforspeced@ocdsb.ca 

OCDSB School Council News website includes OCDSB School Council Monthly News

FlipGive  https://flipgive.app.link/teams/join?fundraiser_name=Lillian

Mabels Labels Team code: BWTTVY and campaigns.mabelslabels.com  -search for Crystal Bay’s name.

Donations can be made on our school website. 

A Message from School Council:

Help our students thrive!

This past year, the Ottawa Carleton District School Board reduced discretionary funding that principals use to purchase items for special education students. The impact at Crystal Bay is amplified because all our students require this support and amount to approximately $10,000 less annually. One way that you can help offset this cut is by making a donation to Crystal Bay School: https://give.stratly.com/crystal-bay-centre-for-special-education/campaigns/general-donation. 

Please consider sharing this link with family or friends who would like to support student learning at Crystal Bay! If you're interested in helping with additional fundraising, please reach out sc-crystalbaycentreforspeced@ocdsb.ca or attend the next School Council meeting on the third Tuesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. 

Community

Developmental Services Ontario (DSO) Creating Your Individualized Housing and Support Plan Free Virtual Workshop Series: Sept 9, 16 and 23, 2025 

This three (3) session workshop series is designed to help you begin creating an individualized housing and support plan for you or a family member with a developmental disability. Register 

Service Coordination Support SCS Express SUBSCRIBE June issue here

Autism Ontario August Provincial Newsletter here.  Autism Ontario August Adult Newsletter here  

Families Matter Cooperative The Family Scoop Visit their website

Bank of Canada Museum Sensory Sundays 

Looking ahead

25-26 Elementary School Year Calendar

Aug 25: Crystal Bay School Office opens

Aug 27-28 Summer Transition Program

Sept 1: Labour Day holiday

Sept 2: First Day of School for staff and students

Sept 16: School Council Mtg 6:30-8 pm

Sept 25: Meet the Educator 4:30-6:30 pm

Sept 26: Picture Day (retakes Oct 23rd)

Sept 29: PA Day No school for students note this is a Monday

Sept 30: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

On behalf of the entire team at Crystal Bay, we are excited to be partners with you in your child/youth's educational journey.

We are looking forward to a wonderful year ahead, filled with authentic learning, memorable experiences, and meaningful connections. Our partnership is essential to your child/youth's success, and we believe that strong collaboration between home and school is key. This year, we want to especially encourage you to be an active part of our school community. We'll be reaching out with various opportunities for you to get involved. We invite you to reach out by phone (613 828-5376) or email. 

We look forward to welcoming everyone back to school on September 3rd. 

~Kathryn and Trisha

Kathryn Ferguson

Principal kathryn.ferguson@ocdsb.ca

Trisha Yourth

Vice Principal trisha.yourth@ocdsb.ca