Newsletter from St. Mother Teresa

Report Card Dates

Grades 7-8 Report Cards are published on the Parent Portal on Wednesday, February 11th

Grades 9-12 Semester 1 Report Cards are published on the Parent Portal on Friday, February 13th

Parent-Teacher Interview Dates

Grades 7-8 Parent-Teacher Interviews will take place on Thursday, February 19th. Appointments will be available to book online from 2-4 pm and from 5-7 pm.

Grades 9-12 Parent-Teacher Interviews will take place after March Break on Thursday, March 26th. Appointments will be available to book online from 2-4 pm and from 5-7 pm.

Early Dismissal will be on both February 19th and March 26th for ALL students at 1:30 pm.

Data from our School Climate Survey indicate that 45% of our students have problems falling asleep, while 35% have problems staying asleep.

School Climate Survey data indicates that approximately 60% of students miss at least one day of school every two weeks.

Missing 10% of school can impact student success significantly.

Monthly Attendance Reports will continue monthly - you will receive the report for February at the beginning of March. This is not sent in judgement, rather as information in an effort to be collaborative. We hope that this data will help you to encourage your child to arrive to school on time in the morning and to each period throughout their day.

Please reach out to the school if you are concerned about your child's attendance.

Sports: A Year at a Glance

Grades 7-8

Sports: A Year at a Glance

Grades 9-12

Costa Rica 2027

Exciting opportunity for students currently in grades 8 through 11!

In February 2027, St. Mother Teresa staff and students will be travelling to Costa Rica to experience diverse ecosystems, cultures, and adventures in Costa Rica! Read more about this Adventure in Costa Rica.

Please note that there is a limit of 40 students accepted on this trip and registration is on a first come, first serve basis. Reserve your child's spot by paying the fully refundable $250 deposit through school cash online.

Parent Information Meeting: Tuesday, March 3rd at 5:30 in the Learning Commons.

Students Turning 18 Years Old

Reminder that as of Tuesday, January 20, 2026, Compass, the parent portal provider, will have blocked access for parents and guardians of students 18 and older. This is a legal requirement. Parents and students who are or will turn 18 during this school year will receive the following emails on January 14. The following emails were sent out centrally:

Parents who have been blocked in Compass can regain access by asking their child to log into the student’s portal account and sign the Over 18 - Parent Portal Consent Access. Once that form is submitted, their access will be restored with the overnight refresh.

To access a parent portal account:

Follow the steps in this video until you are in the Parent Portal Preview (1:35 mark)
Click on "Forms" on the left-hand side to access the links to the live Laserfiche forms
Complete and submit the 18+ consent form on behalf of the parent.

Your Ticket, Their Tomorrow: the CEFO 50/50 Raffle is back!

The Catholic Education Foundation of Ottawa (CEFO) is an independent charitable arm of the Ottawa Catholic School Board. Since 1999, CEFO has supported OCSB students and their families during times of personal tragedy and financial hardship.

Again this year, OCSB has partnered with BUMP to host the CEFO 50/50 raffle. Every ticket you purchase will help support a child in need in our schools. You can purchase 50/50 tickets online at the CEFO 50/50 raffle website from 8:00 am on February 2 until noon on Friday, February 27. The winner will receive 50% of the total money raised through ticket sales, with the other 50% going to CEFO.

Every ticket purchased helps provide urgent support to OCSB students and families facing financial hardship. Get yours before February 27 and make a difference in our community! Buy a Ticket

OCSB’s 2nd Student Census: First Week of March at SMT

Each student in the OCSB in grades 4 through 12 can complete the census at school. Answers are voluntary and confidential.

The information collected will help us:

Plan programs and services that support student success.
Understand language, cultural, and identity needs in our schools.
Improve resources for students with diverse backgrounds.
Guide equity and inclusion work.
Identify areas where additional support is needed; and
Create schools where every student feels safe, welcome, and included.

Need more info? Board Census Webpage and FAQ
- Note: If you prefer that your child not participate, an opt-out form will be available from Feb 2nd - 13th on our website, and a link will be sent directly to your email in February.

Summer School Preview: July 2 – July 23, 2026

Registration: Registration will officially open on Friday, March 13th, 2026.
Hours: Summer school hours: 8:30 am – 12:30 pm.

In-Person Reach Ahead Locations: St. Pius X Catholic High School (Central) and St. Matthew Catholic High School (East).

Credit Recovery: St. Pius X, St. Mother Teresa, St. Patrick, St. Matthew, and Holy Trinity.

Skills Builder Courses: English Numeracy & Literacy Support or Core French Literacy Support will be offered at St. Pius X and St. Matthew.

Indigenous Education: This will be offered at St. Pius X.

Conversational English & Literacy Development: Offered at St. Pius X, this is a 55-hour non-credit course for students entering Grades 9-12 who are beginner multilingual learners (ELD and ESL AO/BO) and have not yet earned a mainstream English credit.

Course Requirements: All courses are dependent on enrolment. Students are required to bring their own laptop.

High School Parent Information Night

Is your child going into high school in September 2026? If so, please join us on Wednesday, February 11th at 6pm.

Grade 9 Parent Session: Cafeteria Gym

Grades 10-12 Parent Session: Learning Commons (2nd floor)

Ski Club - New Date Added!

Due to a recent snow day, we have added a new date to Ski Club - Thursday, February 19th. This is an Early Release Day (7/8 Parent-Teacher Interviews) so our buses will depart SMT at 1:45pm - an extra hour of skiing!

Guest Speakers at SMT

There is an OCSB policy which requires principals to inform parents/guardians in advance of any guest speaker presenting to more than one class. This section will be included in each biweekly newsletter. Feel free to connect with the teacher organizing the guest speaker (the contact name would be indicated in the information letter linked) if you have any questions.