New Family Information

Daily Pick-Up and Drop-Off Times
School begins at 8:00am for Junior School and 8:15am for Senior School. Students not involved in an extracurricular activity are dismissed at 2:45pm for Junior School and 3:00pm for Senior School. After school activities take place after 3:00pm Monday through Friday. Times for practices, rehearsals or games will be outlined for students by their teacher or coach.

The Parking Lots and “Kiss and Go’s”
When dropping off your child at QMS, please be aware that young children may run unexpectedly across your path. Traffic travels in a counter-clockwise direction in both the Primary drop-off and pick-up area and the Intermediate and Senior drop-off and pick-up area. Please avoid blocking the flow of traffic at all times, as both of these entrance ways provide emergency access to the buildings.

Please respect all parking sign instructions, including reserved parking spaces.

Junior School Drop-off Times

*Families with siblings: Please drop ALL children at the LATEST time.

Senior School Drop-off Time

Junior School Pick-up Times

*Families with siblings: Please pick up ALL children at the YOUNGEST child’s pick-up time.

Senior School Drop-off Time

Our school bus supports South Cowichan (Mill Bay and Cobble Hill), Salt Spring Island (Crofton Ferry terminal), Nanaimo & Ladysmith, and Lake Cowichan.

Please reach out to Kim Stinka, Junior School Secretary at kstinka@qms.bc.ca to register for the bus.

Kindergarten – Grade 3
All Primary students will have the necessary school supplies given to them by their teachers on the first day of school. Please do not purchase any supplies for students in Kindergarten to Grade 3. The cost of school supplies is included with tuition fees.

Grades 4 – 7
Classroom supply lists for intermediate students are provided in the school Handbooks, these will be shared upon completion (and linked here when released) Please refer to this list for purchasing your child’s school supplies for the year.

All Grade 7 students are asked to bring their computer with the specifications outlined on page 31 of the School Handbook.

All ECE and Junior School students are required to have an Emergency Comfort Kit brought to the School in
September. Please ensure you provide one for your child. An itemized list can be found in the School Handbook.

Senior School (Grades 8–12)
Senior School students need to arrive on the first day with a binder for each subject (or large binder with dividers), paper and writing utensils. School supplies can be bought locally. Students may be required to purchase course specific materials; subject specific school supply lists, if necessary, will be provided by the teacher on the first day.

All students are required to have a laptop computer (School Handbook, page 31) and encourage to bring an agenda. All Grade 8–12 students are encouraged to keep a personal agenda to keep track of homework and school commitments.

For students Kindergarten to Grade 12: Mondays are known as Centennial (Formal) Days and therefore students will need to wear their Centennial (Formal) Uniform. Tuesday through Friday are generally Regular Uniform.

Communications will be shared with families if there are changes to the uniform during the week such as Spirit Days, sporting events, etc.

If you have had a family member (ie. sibling, parent, cousin) attend QMS then you will be in the same House. All other incoming students will learn their House assignments on New Student Orientation Day.

Our teachers are trained to deal with minor injuries. We have Registered Nurses onsite until 5pm each day for more significant illnesses and injuries. We also have an Athletic Therapist to support our student athletes. In an emergency, we are lucky to be located next to the Cowichan District Hospital.

For Day Students, we will reach out to parents/guardians if your child needs to go home due to illness or injury. While we ask that you have someone pick up your child as quickly as possible, our Health Centre has facilities to supervise your child in the care of a nurse until you can come.

For Boarding Students, the School Nurse will supervise ill and injured students and is available on-call 24 hours a day. The nurses coordinate health care services, including arranging for medical, dental, vision, and physical therapy visits. In an emergency, we will contact you as soon as we are able. For non-urgent care we will seek parent permission before accessing external care. We ask that all routine health care needs, such as dental cleanings and vision checks are completed when the student is at home.

You can visit our Food Services webpage for a list of what is being served this week in Glide Hall.

You will receive a Fee Invoice for the upcoming School Year in April. Noted on this Invoice will be payment options (amount and timing) available.

Payment may be made by pre-authorized charges to your credit card or bank account, by e-transfer, cheque or bank wire.

In August a forms package will be sent via email to complete. There will be a volunteer form within it. Please check off those opportunities that interest you and your family. Our first PA Meeting will be on Monday, September 9 at 8:15am in Karin Quinn Hall and we invite you to join us.

As tuition mainly covers the operating costs of the school, our school relies on donations from our community to enrich the overall QMS experience for our students. By having families support the Annual Fund, you are making a personal commitment to the growth of our trailblazers. At QMS, it’s not just about what you give, but that you give. A charitable tax receipt will be issued for donations over $20.

All Day Students, including international day students must provide their own health/medical insurance.

Canadian Boarding Students are responsible to coordinate their own health insurance. You will need to ensure coverage starting the day of arrival at QMS. If you have questions about this, please email nurse@qms.bc.ca.

International Boarding students, as part of school fees QMS will purchase medical insurance for the student. They will have private insurance for the first 3 months and then will be covered through the BC Medical Services Plan (BC MSP). Families are responsible for any medical costs not covered by this insurance or can purchase their own additional insurance. Information about what is covered by BC MSP can be found at this website.

At Queen Margaret’s School we endeavour to provide a place where all students, staff and families feel safe and recognized. It is important that our teaching and learning reflects the diversity of our student body, community, nation and globalized world. We aim to live our values through the recognition of diversity, equity and inclusion by being brave, kind, curious, and true to ourselves—inside and outside of the classroom.

Equity means that we place value in treating people with fairness and in consideration of their individual needs.

This elevates all individuals to a place where they can be empowered in our learning environment. Diversity is represented by the characteristics that make us unique. These characteristics can be represented through race, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, language, age, mental health, appearance, religious affiliation, beliefs and diverse abilities.

Inclusion ensures that our diverse community can see themselves represented in the teaching, learning and opportunities that are presented at school. Inclusion ensures that everyone feels safe, heard and engaged. Inclusion ensures equitable access to resources. We further value the opportunities that inclusive practices present for enriching our own learning.

The day in Preschool and Junior Kindergarten begins at 8:15am and continues to 12:00pm for students registered for half days, and until 5:00pm for students registered for full days.

Students can be dropped off anytime after 8:15am until 9:00am.

Parents will walk their children in every day to their classroom located in the Primary Centre.

A list of items will be provided to ECE families in the weeks prior to school.

Key items include:

• A full change of clothes
• Indoor shoes (eg. slippers, or Crocs)
• Water bottle
• A Muddy-buddy
• A blanket for rest time (will remain at school and be washed weekly by QMS)
• Additional items based on season (eg. sun hat, sun screen, snow pants, snow gloves, toque)

We are committed to supporting your child’s unique health or developmental needs safely and with sensitively. We keep your medical records on file, and if necessary, your student will have a health plan in place.

Snacks and meals are nutritious, age-appropriate, and aligned with dietary restrictions or preferences.

Students in the ECE have morning and afternoon snack included, and will have the same meal as the K-12 students at lunch time. All meals are eaten in the classroom.

Preschool and Junior Kindergarten students staying for the whole day will have the opportunity to rest from 12:00pm to 2:00pm.

Some students will nap during this time period, while others will play or read quietly.

Calendars with the activities and special dates for the month ahead are posted outside the classroom, and are sent home monthly with parents.

Information from the days activities are written daily on the whiteboard outside of the classrooms.

Important information can also be relayed to parents at pick up and drop off.

The Junior School day begins at 8:00am and ends at 2:45pm. Attendance is taken in homeroom.

Students should bring their backpacks, a water bottle, a recess snack, and their school supplies. The first day of school will be a “settling in” day so if students do not have all their supplies, PE uniform etc., teachers will make accommodations for the day.

(Kindergarten families please refer to the gradual entry day instructions sent in a separate letter)

Primary students will line up with their Homeroom teacher in front of the Primary Centre. School staff will be available to direct students to their lines at the Primary Kiss and Go area. Intermediate students may be dropped off at the Intermediate Kiss and Go area in front of Founders’ Hall and may proceed to their Homerooms in The Learning Centre. School staff will be available to direct students should they need assistance.

As always, we are committed to maintaining a safe and healthy Junior School environment. We will continue to emphasize good hand hygiene, well-ventilated spaces, and adequate space in classrooms. We continue to be a mask friendly school, and students will have the choice to wear a mask through the day or during specific activities. This choice will be supported and treated with respect. Please also remember that maintaining a healthy school is a shared responsibility, and we ask that you keep your child home when sick and not fully able to participate in school activities.

See below for timing for Band Camp. Information regarding instrument choice and rental, and Band Camp on August 29, 2024 (for all students who are new to Band) will be sent out from the Junior School Secretary in mid-August.

Private music lessons are available on campus after school. Information will be sent out about private music lessons in mid-August.

Families with children from Kindergarten to Grade 3 will receive a communication from Kim Stinka, Junior School Secretary, in June with a programming request form. Spaces in the after school program will be confirmed in Mid-July

If you would like to pick up your child early, please communicate directly with your child’s Homeroom teacher, and copy Kim Stinka, Junior School Secretary at kstinka@qms.bc.ca.

Pick up with then be arranged directly from the Primary Centre or the Junior School Office in the TLC II.

All absences should be communicated with the Homeroom teacher, copying Kim Stinka, the Junior School secretary at kstinka@qms.bc.ca.

There are multiple Lost and Found spots on campus. The ones for Junior School students can be found in the Primary Centre, beside the TLC II Library, and in Founder’s Hall (the Gym).

Families with students in Grade 4-7 will receive an email from Kim Stinka, Junior School Secretary, every 4 to 6 weeks with a link to register for after school clubs. Sports will be registered for at school with the Junior School Athletic Director.

The Junior School Office is located in the TLC II, next to the Grade 2-7 Library.

All students from Kindergarten to Grade 12 can take the bus. Our Primary students will be walked to and from the bus by a staff member before and after school.

Students in the ECE (Preschool and Junior Kindergarten) are able to take the bus, provided they are with an older sibling. Please contact Kim Stinka, for more details at kstinka@qms.bc.ca.

The Senior School Day begins at 8:15am and ends at 3:00pm. Attendance is taken during Faculty Advisory (FA).

QMS employs a differentiated, student-centred assessment model at the Senior School level. Assessment requires teachers to make reference to specific criteria in the curriculum and determine what students know? What can they do? And what do they understand? When reporting focusses on where students are in their learning and what students need to do to improve, it can be valuable in helping parents, guardians and students focus on growth rather than only the outcomes. Assessment at the Grade 8-12 level is standards-based. Students will be provided with ongoing feedback and an understanding of their learning according to the curricular competencies, content and big ideas.

Standards-Based Assessment (SBA) along with British Columbia’s Proficiency Scale is a framework that empowers high school students to achieve success by focusing on specific learning objectives, rather than outcomes first. “Students who can identify what they are learning significantly outscore those who cannot.” (Robert J. Marzano) SBA is an educational system that focuses on assessing students’ proficiency in specific learning standards or objectives. It offers a more detailed view of your child’s academic strengths and areas that need improvement. Please view the information handout here.

Queen Margaret’s School is committed to ongoing communication of student learning. Teachers use a variety of assessment methods and apply student evidence of learning to determine what level of achievement best describes performance, process and progress. There will be a cumulative assessment period scheduled at the end of each course. As demonstrated by research, examinations are not always the most appropriate assessment for every course. As such, teachers may choose to offer an end-of-course cumulative examination, project or performance assessment at their discretion based on the learning objectives for each course. Homeroom teachers, classroom teachers and faculty advisors communicate student progress through a variety of channels. Queen Margaret’s school strives for a student-centered environment where assessment for learning provides students with clear information, exemplars, learning goals and descriptive feedback to support growth. Formal Report Cards will be issued in December, March and June. Students in Grades 8-12 also participate in ongoing self-assessments aligned with the BC Core Competencies.

As part of updated graduation requirements, students in the BC Graduation Program will complete three provincial assessments in Grades 10–12. These assessments focus on the demonstration and application of numeracy and literacy.

Grade 10 Numeracy Assessment 

Grade 10 Literacy Assessment

Grade 12 Literacy Assessment 

Provincial Graduation Assessments use a four-level proficiency scale for reporting student achievement results. All provincial assessment results will be reported on students’ transcripts.

New students will be able to select their courses beginning in May. New families will be contacted directly by our post-secondary counselling team to help provide guidance with course selection.

The Faculty Advisory role is a central part of Queen Margaret’s School’s personalized and student-centered education. Each Faculty Advisor (FA) will work closely with their students to help them reach their full potential during their time at QMS. Faculty Advisory affords teachers the opportunity to build relationships with their students and act as liaisons between their families and classroom teachers. It also provides our students with an important advocate within the school community.

Faculty Advisor and Parent Contact:

• Faculty Advisors will contact parents to give a general update on their child a minimum of five (5) times throughout the year.
• Please direct initial requests for academic updates or general questions about school life to your child’s FA. After this initial update, parents are asked to direct specific academic concerns to the particular subject teacher. A list of the teachers will be made available by your FA. You may request an update on academics at any time.
• Students who have multiple concerns may be referred to our counselling department by the FA. The school counsellor may then be designated as the primary contact person.

Our Post-Secondary Counsellors will support the academic success of your child by providing information needed for graduation, assisting with course selection, providing entrance requirements for post-secondary institutions, assisting in the post-secondary application process, providing post-secondary scholarship information and discussing career choices.

Our Post-Secondary Counsellors will meet with each student individually many times during their Grade 8 through Grade 12 years. Parents may be involved by attending graduation and postsecondary information sessions, having contact through email, telephone conversations and personally arranged meetings. The Post-Secondary Counsellor, in consultation with the student’s parents, will arrange tutors if academic assistance is required.

Students may be referred to a counsellor by a parent or teacher or may self-refer during a difficult time. School Counsellors will refer students and families to community services when necessary. The ongoing health and wellness of our students and staff is a priority at QMS.

Our counsellors have an open-door policy, and QR codes are available around the Senior School which lead to the Jayne App for booking an appointment with the team.

Our Health Team also hosts a robust microsite that we invite all our families to utilize to access resources and information on mental, physical and emotional wellness. Visit wellness.qmslife.com.

Every student, faculty and staff member at QMS belongs to a school house. Upon acceptance into the School, each student is assigned to one of the three Houses for their duration at QMS. The three houses are: St. Hugh’s (Green), St. Michael’s (Red), and St. Gabriel’s (Gold). Multiple House Spirit events are held each school year. Activities include dress-up days, intramural sports, fundraising and focus on house pride.

In the Senior School, each house is run by a Spirit Captain and student leaders. These students organize various activities throughout the year to promote school spirit. House points are awarded in the Senior School for numerous initiatives including helping around the school and supporting teachers in extracurricular activities. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the Spirit Cup.

In Senior School, students arriving after 8:15am must go to the Senior School Office to sign in. The student will not be allowed in class without informing the Senior School Secretary.

If a student is absent, their parent/guardian must email reception@qms.bc.ca prior to 8:00am. All requests for homework should be made by 8:30am of that day to the Homeroom Teacher or Faculty Advisor (FA).

Academic concerns can be directed either to the students’ Faculty Advisor (FA); Graeme Smith, the Director of Academics; or the Post-Secondary Counsellors Carol Ingledew and Sue Barzo.

Students will have a presentation by school staff, and then be sent a selection sheet online where they will be able to choose co-curricular activities. These emails are sent three times a year: the first week of school, the beginning of December, and the first week in March. A full list of co-curriculars appears in the QMS School Handbook.

New boarding students are required to arrive on Campus on Monday, September 1st.

Boarding rooms are reserved for students only. We encourage parents to have a “Kiss and Go” approach to dropping off their students in boarding on move-in day. The first evening in boarding is carefully planned as an important team building event to help students transition to their boarding life. We ask that students do not stay with their parents after boarding opens. If you anticipate that you or student will need more time to say goodbye, please plan to arrive in the Cowichan Valley a couple of days prior to their first night.

QMS recommends that each boarder have access to Canadian funds for spending and expenses during the academic year, accessible via their credit card or bank card. The amount of spending money is a personal choice. Please do not bring any large sums of cash; we do not hold cash for students. Some items can be charged to your account at the School Store. If you are a Team QMS equestrian rider you may require a higher amount for trips and shows you may be participating in.

It’s very easy to get money if you have a bank card (debit) or credit card. You will find ATMs (Automatic Teller Machines) at banks, shopping malls, convenience stores, etc. The boarding staff can tell you where the closest ATM is. To open a Canadian bank account you will need your offer letter from QMS that shows your new address, photo ID (passport) and a copy of your study permit. A bank may also ask for a second piece of ID, such as a credit card.

We do not pick up students at Vancouver International Airport. Students need to ensure that their flight arrives in either Victoria or Nanaimo BC.

Once your flight has been confirmed, your itinerary can be sent to our Transportation Coordinator, Mavis Weatherbee, at mweatherbee@qms.bc.ca who will then confirm your pick-up time and meeting point, once you have obtained your luggage.

Students will need to bring their own pillows, sheets (twin size), and blankets, as well as towels, and toiletries. We recommend pre-ordering items online and have items shipped to the school (during July and August). All parcels that QMS receives over the summer will be held in the boarding house for your arrival.

Most students will have a roommate, however the majority of Grade 11-12 students have single rooms.

While we do not share this information prior to arrival, you will have plenty of time to connect when you arrive!

Everything on the uniform list, and home clothes/casual clothing. Don’t forget to bring your PJs! For occasions such as Christmas dinner or other special events you’ll need some more formal or ‘smart casual’ clothes.

Your toiletries and personal care items. Other good things to bring would be pictures/posters for your room. Bringing a lamp and alarm clock will be very useful.

We celebrate cultural dinners and it would be wonderful if you brought any traditional dress you may have.

You should not bring medications, unless they are regular prescription medications. All medications for symptom relief (examples: pain, cold viruses, allergies, stomach aches) are provided free of charge by the School Nurse. If you require regular medication, please contact nurse@qms.bc.ca before arrival to make a plan for treatment.

Living in the house with you are 4 boarding staff members (2 in Denny and 2 in Geoghan). They are all nice and understanding so if you have any problems, feel free to approach them for help because that’s what they’re there for!

If you are moving in one day before school opens which is likely, casual clothing that is

appropriate for school is fine. You will have time set aside to get all your uniform prior to classes starting.

House staff are available 24 hours a day if any medical issues or major problems come up during the night, but this will be rare. There is also always a security guard on duty at night too. There are ‘emergency’ numbers posted on the main floor of the dorm.

There are different timings for different year groups for when tech must be handed in and these are displayed in the boarding house for you. You’ll get used to the routine very quickly, so don’t worry! Your sleep habits will change for the better.

You can spend time with your friends, catch up with Prep that you haven’t completed, read, exercise and much more. You may use your phone at times but with society becoming more aware of the potentially negative impact of social media, talking and interacting with your friends are more important and encouraged.

You can also play board games, talk to the teachers/ friends/other people, play sports, practice or listen to music, read books, watch movies, revise, relax, or almost everything. It is recommended that you use your free time wisely. You can also sign out for local leave during times.

The laundry schedule will be published, and you simply follow the timings. Please also ensure that you have your name on every clothing item.

The School Nurse will supervise ill and injured students and is available on-call 24 hours a day. The nurses coordinate health care services, including arranging for medical, dental, vision, and physical therapy visits. In an emergency, we will contact you as soon as we are able. For non-urgent care we will seek parent permission before accessing external care. We ask that all routine health care needs, such as dental cleanings and vision checks are completed when the student is at home.

You can ask anyone in the boarding house! Your allocated faculty advisors will be very helpful. There is always a member of staff on duty who you can ask questions to. But if the questions are about settling in or basic things like queries about school life, you should just ask the other boarders. The Head of House and House Prefects are always there to help.

You will get placed in a ‘family’ group if you are new to the school. They will be responsible for making sure you know your way to classes, briefing an average day at school to you and, they will help you get to know people who already attend QMS, so you can make new friends.

Breakfast sign in is at 7:15 am. Dinner sign in is at 5:30pm. You must go to all meals – breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

On Fridays, Sundays, and Sundays, there will various activities planned locally and trips around the island. We also have on-site activities that are fun.

You will be asked to fill out a REACH boarding request by the Wednesday of each week.

You will need to arrive with a form of payment (bank card or credit card), and we can provide the locations of nearby ATMs. We do not give out pocket money.

This all depends on your year group. But unless you get a single room, you are very likely to change rooms every year and sometimes roommate changes occur. This would be in consultation with the House Director. You don’t get to choose which room you get or who you share with because it’s impossible for it to be fair if requests like this are granted. The House staff will have a system for who shares with who, either by grade or based on group dynamics.

You can but you don’t really need to because you get all the food you need provided by the School.