Woodroffe HS

Dear Students and Parents,

I am excited to join the incredible staff, students and families in the Woodroffe High School Community. For those of you I have not had the pleasure to meet, my name is Erin O’Grady and I will be the principal at Woodroffe for the 2024-2025 school year. I am pleased to introduce our administrative team:

• Principal - Erin O’Grady
• Vice Principal - Christy Armstrong (Students with last names D-M)
• Vice Principal - Dan Case (Students with last names A-C)
• Vice Principal - Lynn Pacarynuk (Students with last names N-Z)

Woodroffe High School is a vibrant, energetic learning community with a dedicated staff committed to the success of all students. We believe that a safe, caring and inclusive environment must be fostered in all of our spaces. We hope that you will consider taking an active role in our learning community.

We are very much looking forward to seeing both our returning students and all the new Tigers that will become part of the Woodroffe High School Community. We hope that all students and families had an enjoyable summer. To our incoming grade 9 students, we can’t wait to meet you and help you settle into a wonderful high school experience.  

I would like to share some important information that will help us all have a great start to the year:  

1. First Day of School - Grade 9’s
2. First Day of School - Grade 10, 11, 12
3. Timetable Concerns
4. Daily Schedule
5. Lockers
6. Voluntary Student Fees
7. Student Drop off & Pick Up
8. Chromebook Return
9. Student Transportation

First Day of School - Students in Grade 9:

On Tuesday, September 3rd, grade 9 students will participate in an orientation activity during periods 1 and 2. Grade 9 students are asked to go directly to the soccer field at the back of the school when they arrive on Tuesday. 

Student-leaders in grades 11 & 12 will be leading orientation activities, and school tours. Grad 9’s will receive their timetable and their locker as part of their orientation. 

Later this week, students in grade 9 should expect a phone call from one of our student-leaders, welcoming them to Woodroffe, and reminding them of what they can expect on the first day of school.

First Day of School - Students in Grade 10, 11 & 12:

Welcome back! The first day of school is Tuesday September 3, 2024. There will be lists posted inside the school indicating the room that each student should go to for their period 1 class. Students should plan to be in class prior to the bell at 9:00, as class will begin promptly at 9:00 am.  Student timetables will be provided in the first class.

OCDSB School Year Calendar:

The OCDSB has created a calendar with important dates for the 2024-2025 school year. Families can find a copy of the OCDSB Secondary School Year Calendar here. Please note that there is a final evaluation period at the end of each semester. Students are expected to be available to attend during the final evaluation period. 

Timetable Concerns:

It is normal that some student timetables will need to be changed or adjusted at the start of the year.  For example, a student may have completed a summer school course and now needs a different course; or perhaps a course is full, or, a student has selected two courses that are both offered in the same time slot. 

Students needing timetable changes should fill in the course change request form and book an appointment with their counsellor. If they have urgent issues, relating to missing a compulsory course, or being enrolled in a course they have already taken, they can come down to guidance in person in the first days of school to be seen.

The guidance team works very hard to resolve these issues and prioritizes those students without timetables or missing courses and then proceeds to students wanting to change electives etc.  Guidance will share with students the process to follow for timetable changes.

Daily Schedule:

Woodroffe High School follows a rotating schedule.  Morning classes alternate between being either the 1st or 2nd class of the day and afternoon classes alternate between being the 3rd and 4th classes.  On odd-number days (1st, 3rd, 5th…) students follow a Day 1 schedule.  On even-numbered days (2nd, 4th, 6th…) students follow the Day 2 schedule. For example, the first day of school (September 3rd) will be a Day 1, the second day of school (September 4th) will be a Day 2. 

Lockers: 

Students should purchase a high-quality combination lock to bring with them on the first day of school. We will have a small quantity of combination locks available to purchase for $10.00 (cash only). 

Students are invited to choose their locker and pay their voluntary school fee before the school year begins. Students who would like to do this should follow the schedule below on Thursday August 29th:

• Grade 12:     9 a.m.
• Grade 11:    10 a.m.
• Grade 10:    11 a.m.
• Grade 9: Students will receive their lockers on September 3 during orientation.

Voluntary Student Fee:

Voluntary Student Fees may be paid at any time, but we would ask that those students coming in on the locker registration day, pay the voluntary fee at that time, or, through School Cash Online (Voluntary Student fees). Fees are $10 for the first child and then $5 for an additional child. We use the money collected to support student activities that involve large numbers of students (e.g. grade-wide and school-wide activities). 

Student Drop Off and Pickup:

At the beginning and end of the day, all student drop off and pick up should be done via the lower parking lot at the doors adjacent to the cafeteria.  Please follow the large yellow arrows painted on the pavement.  Predictable traffic flow and student movement lowers the risk of injury for students.  Students attending appointments etc. during the school day may be picked up or dropped off at either the lower doors or the doors at the main entrance by the flagpoles. 

Student Parking: *NEW THIS YEAR*

Students who drive to school must register their car and get a parking pass. QR codes will be posted around the school for students to register their car. Students will receive their passes from the main office. Beginning the week of September 16, cars without a parking pass will be ticketed. 

Chromebook Return:

Some students were loaned Chromebooks over the summer in order to take summer school courses. Please return these Chromebooks to the library.

Student Transportation:

Only students who live more than 3.2 km walking distance to the school may receive Presto Cards for OC Transpo.  Cards will be distributed to those students that qualify for them on the first day of school. Students in Special Program Classes receive van transportation. Families can confirm transportation through the OSTA web page: http://www.ottawaschoolbus.ca/confirmation.

We look forward to welcoming all students on Tuesday, September 3rd!

I look forward to an excellent school year!

With kindness,

Erin O'Grady
Principal - Woodroffe High School
[email protected]
613-820-7186