Days of Awareness 2024-25
Please review the days of awareness calendar on the SCDSB website at
scdsb.on.ca/about/equity_and_inclusion.
Inclement weather and bus cancellation information reminder
All information regarding cancelled buses in Simcoe County is posted on
the Simcoe County Student Transportation Consortium (SCSTC)’s bus
information website at
www.simcoecountyschoolbus.ca. When
buses are cancelled, schools remain open for student learning, unless
otherwise noted. School staff are expected to plan for such emergencies
in order to transition students who are unable to attend due to
inclement weather to their online platforms (Google Classroom and/or
SCDSBhub [Brightspace by D2L]) and continue with academic programming.
It is always a family decision whether or not it is safe for their
child(ren) to leave for school under severe weather conditions.
The Consortium and bus operators try to make the decision to cancel
school buses before 6 a.m. and make every effort to post announcements
before 7 a.m. Inclement weather cancellations are effective for the
whole day and buses cancelled in the morning will not run at the end of
the day. You can follow the Consortium on Twitter @SCSTC_SchoolBus for
bus cancellations and other information. You can also subscribe to
receive bus delay notifications here:
scstc.ca/Subscriptions/Login.aspx.
Subscribe to Kindergarten Connections!
Will your child be turning four in 2025? If so, the SCDSB invites you to
subscribe to Kindergarten Connections! This is a monthly enewsletter
informing families of everything they need to know about preparing their
child for school, as well as registering them for Kindergarten in the
SCDSB. To learn more and subscribe, visit the Kindergarten page on the
SCDSB website:
scdsb.on.ca/elementary/planning_for_school/kindergarten
How is your infant, toddler, or preschool child developing?
Is your child meeting their milestones? Age-appropriate speech and
language skills are critical to your child’s ability to read, write, and
be successful in school as well as to their ability to engage with
their peers. Free services are available to support you with your
child’s development. Preschool speech and language programs are located
across the County of Simcoe. Call 705-739-5696 or 1-800-675-1979 to
complete a developmental screen. The earlier we work together the
better!
Licensed Winter Break school age child care programs
Child care programs for children in Kindergarten to Grade 6 are provided
by independent, third-party child care operators in some SCDSB schools.
To support your child care needs, some operators offer child care on PA
days and holidays, including over the Winter Break. Registration in
advance is required. Please contact the child care operator directly to
discuss fees and to register. More information and contact numbers can
be found at
scdsb.on.ca/elementary/planning_for_school/childcare_before_after.
Check out the SCDSB News video series
The SCDSB News is a weekly video series highlighting positive events,
initiatives, and learning happening within school communities across the
SCDSB. Follow the SCDSB on social media to catch all of these weekly
episodes!
The Indigenous Lodge at Eastview Secondary School opened with a special
ceremony for students, staff, and community. Join us as we explore this
new space designed to welcome and support students while encouraging
learning about Indigenous culture and history. Creating spaces like
these in SCDSB schools is how we are taking steps towards the ongoing
process of Truth and Reconciliation. Watch this video:
youtube.com/watch?v=a_qhy_2SksA
High school information events for Grade 8 students
Is your child starting Grade 9 next year? High school information events
will take place in person this winter! Student leaders and staff at the
school will give an overview of what’s new and what to expect. Learn
about courses offered, as well as information about teams and clubs.
Please visit the SCDSB website at
scdsb.on.ca/secondary/planning_for_high_school/high_school_information_nights to find details on your high school’s info night, and contact the school directly for more information.
Grade 1 French Immersion information
The Simcoe County District School Board (SCDSB) offers French Immersion
(FI) at select schools throughout Simcoe County beginning in Grade 1.
The goal of the FI program is to enable students to communicate in
French with a high level of proficiency, enabling them to function with
ease in both French and English. Upon graduation from the program,
students will communicate in French with confidence in a wide variety of
real-life situations.
Grade 1 FI family information nights are held annually in advance of the
application process for the following school year. This year, FI family
information nights will be held in person throughout the month of
November at the respective FI school locations.
The SCDSB board-wide electronic applications for the Grade 1 FI program
for all sites will open Monday, Dec. 2 at 9 a.m. and close at 4 p.m. on
Friday, Dec. 13. Entry into the FI program is determined through a
digitally randomized lottery system.
Visit the SCDSB website to learn more: scdsb.on.ca/cms/One.aspx?portalId=210982&pageId=12587752
Math learning at home
Practice math anywhere with Math at Home, an online resource for
parents/caregivers of SCDSB students from pre-school age to 16. This
resource is updated monthly with games, problems, and number talk
activities that reflect the math your child may be learning at school
each month.
In November, activities in school and on Math at Home may include
grade-level tasks related to measuring objects and identifying and
sorting shapes, figures, and angles. Visit
scdsb.on.ca/MathAtHome to support your child’s math learning at home!
Join us! A learning series for parents/guardians with Pine River Institute (PRI)
Mental health and well-being continue to be a key strategic priority
within the SCDSB. We are pleased to continue our partnership with the
Centre for Family Initiatives at Pine River Institute (CFI@PRI) to
provide several curated learning sessions focused on student mental
health and well-being to SCDSB families.
There are four webinars planned for parents/guardians and other
caregivers during this school year. To join in this learning, please
visit the SCDSB website to register:
scdsb.on.ca/about/well-being___mental_health/pine_river_institute_learning_series
Emotional development
Dec. 5, 7-8 p.m.
Gain a new perspective on how children maturate and its significance for
mental health. Learn how Pine River views social and emotional
development as crucial to well-being.
Learn more about PRI by visiting their website at
pineriverinstitute.com.
Nov. 19 is Eat Well to Excel Day in Simcoe County
Eat Well to Excel is a Simcoe County non-profit community partnership
that supports our school’s student nutrition program. The funding
provided by Eat Well to Excel allows us to supply students with access
to healthy snacks during the school day.
The pandemic and increasing food costs have caused a significant
financial strain on many families in our region and new data shows that
one in three kids in Canada are at risk of going to school hungry. Kids
that are hungry struggle to retain knowledge and keep focused throughout
the day. They are also at an increased risk of experiencing poor mental
health and a compromised immune system. With your support we can
maintain and hopefully improve our program to provide a consistent
supply of healthy food to our students.
You can make a donation by visiting
eatwelltoexcel.ca.
You can either support the county-wide program or direct your donation
to our school. Please include our school name in the comment box to
ensure the donation goes directly to our program. A tax receipt will be
emailed to you.
For more information about Eat Well to Excel visit
eatwelltoexcel.ca.
I Read Canadian Day
I Read Canadian Day is celebrating it’s third year on Nov. 6, 2024. This
day is a nationwide initiative that celebrates the richness, diversity,
and scope of Canadian literature by encouraging individuals to read
Canadian books for just 15 minutes. Schools, libraries, bookstores, and
other organizations may host activities and events on this day to
highlight Canadian literature. For more information visit
ireadcanadian.com/day and sign up for free to participate.
A curated list of Canadian titles can be found on Sora, the SCDSB’s digital library. To access the desktop version visit
soraapp.com/welcome or use the Sora app.
Simcoe Muskoka Family Connexions in need of foster homes
Simcoe Muskoka Family Connexions is in need of families in our
communities to open their homes to children and youth requiring foster
homes. By opening your home, you can make a difference in their lives by
keeping them close to their family, school, and community. Help us keep
kids close to home. If you or someone you know is interested in
fostering, please visit
familyconnexions.ca or check out a few of our videos to better understand what it takes to become a foster care provider:
familyconnexions.ca/fostering-resources/.
Information provided by Simcoe Muskoka Family Connexions.
Outdoor play
Active play supports development in many ways, especially when the play
is outdoors, self-directed, and fun. Students can explore boundaries and
problem-solve, develop social skills, resolve conflict, and practice
controlling their emotions and behaviours. Active play outdoors in the
fresh air and nature helps to improve mood and lower stress. Support
your child in playing outside with friends in the neighbourhood and in
your local green spaces.
For more information, visit
simcoemuskokahealth.org/Topics/PhysicalActivity/Active-Play/After-School.
Information provided by the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit.
November PA Day
Please note that Friday, Nov. 15 is a PA Day for all SCDSB students.
Please refer to the 2024-25 School Year Calendar on the SCDSB website
for more information:
scdsb.on.ca/elementary/planning_for_school/school_year_calendar.
Below is a summary of the activities planned for the Nov. 15 elementary PA Day:
Length: Full day
Topic: Communication to parents/guardians about student progress through
parent/guardian-student-teacher conferences
Host: ¬ Simcoe County District School Board elementary schools, including
Grades 7 and 8 in Grade 7-12 secondary schools
Presenter(s)/facilitator(s): Elementary educators
Elementary educators will meet with students and parents/guardians to
discuss student progress thus far this school year, including areas of
strengths and next steps for improvement.
Designated Early Childhood Educators (DECE) (150 min.)
DECE staff will engage in learning to build their expertise in ensuring
students receive the necessary foundational reading skills that are
critical to future success. A portion of the time will be led
synchronously by the Early Years team, and follow up work will be
completed asynchronously.