Policies and Procedures

On the first day of school, forms will be sent to all parents/guardians to review, sign, and submit. These include a student a Media Consent form, and an Acceptable Use of Technology form, and Digital Tools Agreement Form.  All forms must be submitted by Wednesday, September 10th

This year all forms and payments will be collected using the Rycor. For additional information on how to access Holy Trinity High School’s Rycor platform, please visit the NLSchools website (Click Here)

Due to privacy regulations, prepopulated Demographics sheets will not be distributed this year. Please contact our office staff directly to update your contact information (especially their cell phone numbers) and the Emergency Contact information if it has changed from the previous school year 

In the event you are unable to pick up your child when required, and we are unable to reach you, the emergency contact will be used as the alternative.

Families are asked to please contact our office staff by email (holytrinityhigh@nlesd.ca) or phone (709) 437 -5563 to report an absence. 

Student Attendance – Family Expectations 

School attendance is mandatory where students are expected to attend all classes, be prepared, and punctual.   Consistent attendance is crucial for academic and social success.

• Students are actively engaged and able to fully benefit from the educational opportunities we provide. 

• Keep pace with their lessons and assignments, but also develop important life skills such as responsibility, time management, and perseverance. 

• Being present and engaged in the classroom allows students to participate in discussions, collaborate with peers, and build strong relationships.

If your child is absent or late they will be recorded as ‘unexcused’ until we receive communication from their family granting permission for the absence. 

If you are picking up your child prior to the end of the school day, you may use the intercom at the main entrance and a member of our office staff  will begin the process to sign out the student. Alternatively, parents/guardians can visit  the office to sign out their child.  

We respectfully ask that you provide prompt notification of your child’s absence(s) so that attendance records are accurate and teachers are able to effectively support your child in a timely fashion.

Late Arrivals

If a student arrives late to school for either the first period or the fourth period (after lunch), they must use the intercom to gain entry to the Main Office. Students who arrive after 9:20 or 1:20 will be required to check in at the office. Prior to this time students may proceed to class where they will be recorded as late unexcused. Members of our office staff will then update attendance once communication has been received from families. 

Students who are frequently late for class may be required to serve detention or participate in intervention strategies collaboratively determined between the school and family.

HTH Truancy  - Intervention and Support Strategies

HTH will respond to truant behavior using escalating levels of intervention and support consistent with our HTH Accoutnability Framework. If a student demonstrates consistent difficulty in attending their classes on time and intervention plan like the one outlined below will be followed: 

If a student is late and/or absent unexcused from class more than three (3) times a week, they may be assigned detention or other intervention strategy. The student will be provided notice by a member of our administrative team prior to the day they are expected to attend detention.

Detention is  30 minutes in length. It is advisable for students attending detention to bring their lunch from home that day.  If students are absent from their assigned detention they will serve it on the next school day or a day determined by the administration.  If they are absent again, then they may be suspended for no more than one school day. If late behavior becomes habitual, families will be contacted by the administration, a meeting will be arranged, and guidance may be called upon for support.

Classroom Setup

Teachers may create seating plans for their classes that change throughout the year and  students may be assigned desks as personal work spaces in a classroom. Seating plans are at the discretion of our classroom teachers, in collaboration with the administration, our Service Delivery Team, and the student’s wider teaching and learning team.

To align with the Safe and Caring Schools Policies and Procedures, all classroom doors will remain open and in the locked position. We will continue to follow the Provincial Government’s Natural Ventilation Protocol.

Common Areas 

Please note that students will not be permitted to gather in common areas such as the main lobby, washrooms, or hallways. With over 700 students at HTH, we will make every effort to minimize congestion and crowding in indoor common spaces. 

Students are expected to make stops at their lockers short, and to not visit the washroom between classes. During lunch, students can eat their lunch in the cafeteria or at the benches we have placed in our hallways. Please note, that food will no longer be permitted to be eaten in our library. However, our library will remain open for student use for studying or other organized activities. 

Locks and Lockers

On the first day of school, Wednesday, September 4th, locks and lockers will be assigned to all grade 9 students.  Locks and lockers will be assigned to senior high students who choose to have them. Students are advised to take a picture of their locker combination and to refrain from sharing this information. Lockers are expected to be locked. Locks will be returned to the homeroom teacher at the end of the year.  Students not returning their locks will be charged a replacement fee. Please note, our student population exceeds the lockers available, and sharing may be required. 

Student Washroom Use

School washrooms are common areas in the school.  As such, our school washrooms have been designated a capacity of 2 - 4 people. If a student accesses the washroom and the capacity for the washroom has been reached, they are to go back out in the hall and wait for another student to leave the washroom before re-entry. 

If groups of students are loitering in our school washrooms, or multiple students are in one stall, families will be contacted regarding the concern. If the student habitually loiters in a washroom, a family meeting may be required or the student will be placed on suspension. 

We ask that you please review the following expectations with your child prior to beginning of school: 

To create safe spaces for all, we will…  

Washrooms

• Use the washroom for its intended purpose.
  These spaces are not for breaks, long conversations, vaping/smoking, etc. 

• Adhere to washroom capacity limits and wait patiently outside the washroom when there are too many people.

• Sanitize or wash hands as we exit the space.

• Maintain respectful distance from others and allow for privacy; maintaining a limit of one person per stall or urinal

• Avoid visiting the washroom between classes. Students must seek permission from their teacher at all times with the exception of lunch.
  
  

Washroom and Hallways

• Respect the time of others by returning to class as quickly as possible.

• Treat the environment with respect - showing proper care and regard for school property and supplies.

• Use language that respects the dignity of all and is appropriate for school.

• Place all garbage in the garbage can.

Nutrition Break and Cafeteria Service 

Nutrition Break takes place between 11:10 - 11:15 during our Period 2 class. Students should bring a suitable snack they can eat comfortably at their desk. Every effort should be made by students to clean up their desk once they have eaten - removing all trash and cleaning up minor spills. 

Holy Trinity High is currently seeking new vendors for our cafeteria service. Until a vendor is established there will be no lunch service provided on site at this time. Families are asked to pack a lunch for their child, or make other arrangements. Additional information will be made available if a vendor is awarded the Food Services contract. 

Food Delivery Services

Food deliveries which are made to the school by companies like DoorDash and Skip the Dishes are the responsibility of the student/family placing the order. Each year we experience a number of deliveries which are being made to our office that are not being collected by students in a timely fashion or occurring during instructional time. 

While our staff will do what we can to accommodate, students should be aware that we will not be seeking out students who do not pick up meals. Students should monitor deliveries and meet their drivers at the main entrance when they arrive at the school. All orders should be placed to arrive at the beginning of our lunch (12:15 - 12:30). Office staff and administration will not be responsible for receiving or distributing food delivery orders. 

Transportation - Bus Services

There is a Student Transportation Parent Portal (BusPlanner) and parents were provided their sign in information last year. If you do not have this information please email Stephanie Chaytor (stephaniechaytor@nlschools.ca) to request the Bus Portal Letter.

All students are eligible for busing. Please use the following links to determine your child’s bus route and stop. Late transfer are asked to contact our office staff for assistance if they do not appear in the NLSchools BusPlanner

• Bussing information can be found at NLSchools BusPlanner

• Click this Link for Holy Trinity High’s Bus Routes 

School Parking - Student Drivers and Visitors 

Parking spaces in our lot are numbered and assigned to staff, students and visitors

Staff Members: 1 - 37 and 71-93 

Visitors: 30-31 and 74-76

Students: 38-60, 66-70

We recognize that our parking situation is not ideal. There are approximately 27 numbered student parking spaces available.  There is also a grass area behind the school where students have traditionally parked their vehicles. These are not parking spaces, but have been used by students for this purpose. Please be advised that this area is not maintained by our staff or contractors and students park here at their own risk.

For the 2025/2026 school year we have decided to continue our current practices regarding student parking permits. This includes a return to a first-come, first-serve model. Students who intend on using our parking lot will be required to register their vehicle with the administration and will be subject to the following conditions: 

Students who are driving to school will be required to sign an HTH Parking Agreement which outlines their responsibilities  and obligations. This will include, but is not limited to, the safe operation of motor vehicles, adherence to parking lot rules, the creation of a respectful environment for our school neighborhood, and adhere to HTH’s Expectations and Obligations.

The HTH administrative team reserves the right to revoke parking privileges if a student…

• is absent or late unexcused for five (5) or more school days in one calendar month.

• is found to be smoking or vaping on school property.

• drives in a reckless or disrespectful manner.

• engages in behavior that violates HTH’s expectations and obligations. 

Depending on the circumstances, a warning may be provided to students prior to privileges being revoked. Holy Trinity High does not take any responsibility for articles left in vehicles or damage done to vehicles while parked on school grounds.

Registration for student parking can be found here: Click Here. Please share this link with your student driver. Registration will take place throughout the year as students earn their licenses. A limited number of spaces are available for students with special circumstances or live outside of our school zone. Please contact Stephanie Chaytor (stephaniechaytor@nlschools.ca)  for additional information. 

Medical Updates

Please make every effort to connect with our administrative team regarding updates to your child’s medical needs. Students with anaphylaxis are required to have updated documents submitted to the school each year. In addition, conditions which require medications to be administered or potential first aid interventions (ie. epilepsy, diabetes, etc.) must be documented with the administration. 

Please connect with Cindy Sullivan (cindysullivan@nlschools.ca) as soon as you are able. If your child will require accommodations due to a recent, developing or chronic medical condition (ie. vision impairment, deaf and hard of hearing, mobility issues impacting writing, play, etc.) please contact Elizabeth Norman (elizabethnorman@nlschools.ca)

As the use of cell phones during instructional time does not support optimal learning environments for students, we are encouraging parents, guardians and families to have thoughtful discussions with their children and teenagers about the use of cell phones while at school.

Student Expectations (Summary)

• Cell phones can not be used during instructional time. Recess and lunch are the only times during our day that device use is permitted.

• Teachers may require students to place personal devices in a safe and secure location in the classroom. Students may also use their lockers. This will be required for assessments. 

HTH will follow a system of escalating levels of intervention and NLSchools policy  if phone or device use becomes problematic. Should a student consistently not meet expectations, device privileges will be revoked on a temporary or permanent basis. Escalation is based on severity and frequency. Please note, students who bring their personal devices to school, do so at their own risk. HTH will not take responsibility for lost, stolen or damaged devices.  

HTH will follow NLSchools policy which identifies consequences for 1st, 2nd and 3rd infractions. On the 3rd infraction a family will be asked to collect the device directly from a member of our office staff. A meeting may be scheduled at the same time to discuss options for intervention and support.

Please note that this policy is under review by the HTH administration. In consultation with our school community, and informed by emerging NLSchools and EDU policies, updates will be made throughout the school year. 

Holy Trinity High School is committed to providing a safe, caring and inclusive learning and working environment by promoting respect, responsible citizenship and academic excellence. A positive school climate exists when all members of the school community feel safe, comfortable and accepted. 

Holy Trinity High School is a school composed of many different people. In order for this community to thrive, its members must make an effort to work together in harmony and mutual respect. All of us bear an important responsibility to be conscious of the needs of others, and to be thoughtful about how we are contributing to the life of the community. Holy Trinity High has specific expectations that enhance our school community.

The Standards of Behaviour outlined apply to all members of the school community, including students, parents and guardians, school staff, volunteers and visitors when:

• On school property. 

• Traveling on a school bus that is under contract to the school and/or school board.

• Participating in extracurricular activities.

• Participating in off-site school-sponsored activities.

• Engaging in an activity which will have an impact on the school climate. 

Standards of Behaviour 

All members of the school community are expected to:

• Respect and comply with federal, provincial and municipal laws.

• Demonstrate honesty and integrity.

• Respect the rights of others and treat one another with dignity and respect at all times, celebrating diversity in economic status, national or ethnic origin, religion, culture, appearance, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or ability.

• Show proper care and regard for school property and the property of others. 

• Take appropriate measures to help those in need.

• Demonstrate best effort during all school-based activities. 

HTH - Accountability Framework (Full Document)