School

Principal

Mari Murray
Email: MaMurray@cheo.on.ca
Phone: 613-737-7600, ext. 4308

Office Administrator

Lynette Hickey
Email: lhickey@cheo.on.ca
Phone: 613-737-7600, ext. 2934

Liaison Teachers

Jennifer Bygrave
Email: jbygrave@cheo.on.ca
Phone: 613-737-7600, ext. 4306

Ginette Fournier
Email: gfournier@cheo.on.ca
Phone: 613-737-7600, ext. 4307

Janice Woolgar
Email: jwoolgar@cheo.on.ca
Phone: 613-737-7600, ext. 4305

CHEO School's 2024-25 Educational Team:

• Mari Murray, Principal
• Lynette Hickey, Office Administrator
• Kamar Abidi Educational Assistant (French Program)
• Sarah Bell, Educational Assistant
• Jennifer Bygrave, School Liaison (English Program)
• Lyn Cleofas, Teacher
• Carolyn Fornataro, Teacher (Core French/Outdoor Education)
• Ginette Fournier, School Liaison (French Program)
• Nikki Griffin, Educational Assistant
• Talia Hunter, Literacy/Numeracy Resource Teacher
• Carolyn Johnston, Teacher
• Sharon Leggatt, Educational Assistant
• Johnathan Lynch, Educational Assistant
• Shae Lynch, Educational Assistant
• Crystel O’Neill Educational Assistant (French Program)
• Anna Peacock, Teacher
• Jacquie Pinard Teacher
• Emily Rideout, Educational Assistant
• Céline Sabourin Teacher (French Program)
• Vivian Touzel, Educational Assistant
• Mieke Vanneste, Educational Assistant
• Janice Woolgar, School Liaison (English Program)

All visitors to CHEO School must sign in with the Office Administrator at the school office (room 127).

Office Administrator:
Lynette Hickey
Email: lhickey@cheo.on.ca
Phone: 613-737-7600, ext. 2934

The Office Administrator will greet you and ask you to sign-in. School staff will be notified of your visit to the school. The school doors are always locked for the safety of our students.

Limited parking is available for short visits to the school. Please inform the Children’s Treatment Centre front desk receptionist of your visit, where a parking pass will be provided. For larger school functions and events, families are asked to park in the pay parking areas. If this presents a challenge for your family, please contact the school Principal.

• 8:30-9:10am: Arrival/Play-Based Learning
• 9:10-10:30am: Instructional Block
• 10:30-11:10am: Nutrition Break/Recess
• 11:10-12:30pm: Instructional Block
• 12:30-1:20pm: Nutrition Break/Recess
• 1:20-2:45pm: Instructional Block
• 2:45-3:00pm: Dismissal to Bus

Getting to and from school safely

Your child will be greeted each morning at the bus/van and escorted at the end of each day. No child is left alone at any time.

If your child is going to be absent from school, please let us know.  You may email or call the school at any time:

Email:Lhickey@cheo.on.ca
Phone: 613-737-7600 ext. 2934.

If your child is absent from school and we have not heard from you, we will call you to ensure that they are home and safe.

Pick-up and drop-off

A parent or childcare provider must be present for both morning and afternoon pickups. Have your child ready five minutes before their scheduled time. Routes may vary due to weather, traffic, and the number of students.

If no one is available to receive the child, the driver will try to contact you. If contact is not possible, the child will be returned to the school or, if closed, to the bus base.

Late or absent?

Parents and families are requested to inform the school if their child will be late or absent. Please report absences by 8:00 AM each day to the Office Administrator by leaving a message on our absence reporting line at (613) 737-7600, Ext. 2934. Be sure to state the reason for the absence. You can call the absence line at any time.

All absences will be recorded. If your child is expected to be absent for an extended period (more than 15 days), please provide a written explanation for the absence, as this is required by the Ministry of Education.

If you need to pick up your child during the school day, you must notify either the Office Administrator or the classroom teacher. Children will only be released to individuals who have been authorized by signed parental permission. It is essential to have up-to-date legal custody agreements on file for each student, which clearly state any access arrangements. In case of any conflicts, these agreements will be strictly adhered to by the principal.

CHEO School facilitates but does not directly plan or provide transportation. Transportation is provided to and from CHEO School, in the morning and after school, and is organized by the school office through partnerships with area school boards.

Students use wheelchair-accessible buses or vans with necessary car seats or booster seats.

Notify the CHEO School Office Administrator at least five days in advance for alternate pickup/drop-off locations or if you are moving.

If your child shows symptoms of illness such as vomiting, fever, diarrhea, nasal discharge, runny nose, or heavy congestion, please keep them at home for 24-48 hours after the symptoms have ceased.

Immediate notification to the school is required if your child contracts chickenpox, measles, whooping cough, or any other suspected communicable diseases. CHEO School will adhere to the Ottawa Public Health guidelines in all cases of suspected communicable disease.

Should your child exhibit any of the mentioned symptoms while at school, parents or families will be contacted immediately. Many of our students are particularly vulnerable to respiratory infections, and our priority is to ensure the safety and well-being of all students at all times.

Students who require medication during school hours must have an Administration of Medication Authorization Form on file. This form must be completed and signed by the student’s family. It is mandatory for educational assistants to have this signed authorization along with a photo of the prescription label that details the medication administration procedures before they can administer any medication.

Educational assistants will administer medication strictly according to the doctor's prescribed instructions. Each administration will be recorded daily in the Student Medication Log, kept in the classroom’s safety cupboard. This record will then be stored in your child's school record folder.

All medications must be securely stored in a locked box within the safety cupboard. Educational Assistants are the only school staff authorized to administer medication. Students on placement and volunteers are strictly prohibited from administering medication.

For safety and compliance, all medications must be in their original pharmacy-labeled containers. No other containers will be accepted for medication storage or administration. This policy is communicated to parents every September during school registration.

Parents and families are welcome to attend activities and meetings offered by the CHEO School Council. Currently, the School Council hosts events throughout the school year and parents, families, students and staff are encouraged to attend. If you would like to participate and/or assist with the planning of events, please contact the school Principal.

• Primary Exceptionality: Physical disability, with possible secondary complex needs associated with the physical disability.
  • Note: The Education Act describes physical disability as "A condition of such severe physical limitation or deficiency as to require special assistance in learning situations to provide the opportunity for educational achievement equivalent to that of students without exceptionalities who are of the same age or development level."
• Must have the potential to participate in and benefit from the treatment of complex needs in two or more of the following therapy areas:
  • Physiotherapy
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Speech and Language Therapy
• Must be a client of the Children’s Treatment Centre.
• Requires a multidisciplinary classroom team to develop strategies, promote independence, and utilize adaptive equipment, aiming to prepare for transition to a public education setting in grade 1.
• Must demonstrate potential to actively participate in the Ontario Ministry of Education Kindergarten Program within a full-day classroom setting.
• Must be 4 years of age by December 31 of the admitting school year.

The admissions committee meets in February to evaluate applicants for the September intake. Parents will be informed of their child’s placement between March and April. Admissions outside the regular school calendar year may be considered for extenuating circumstances.

It is important to note that submitting an application does not guarantee acceptance as CHEO School may receive more referrals than we have spaces. For more information please contact CHEO School Liaison Services, or CHEO School Administration.

Steps:

• Applications are submitted by the referring therapist to the Admission Committee by January 31.
• The Admission Committee reviews each application and decisions are made by April 1st.
• During the Admission Committee process, children are ranked according to the levels of their need for therapy (PT, OT, SLP) and their potential to respond to therapy and Kindergarten learning.
• A final review will determine those children recommended for acceptance to the school program.
• The final decision will be made by the Principal of CHEO School Authority.