Spread the word - Book Sale November 13 & 14

Community members, family members, and everyone is welcome. We will have books for adults, children, and puzzles and games. Invite folks from your network - the more people come, the more books we can sell!

School Council is looking for donations for our fundraising book sale on November 13th-14th! We are accepting donations of new or used books and puzzles for any age and any topic. Donations can be dropped off at the office.  

We are also looking for volunteers for the book sale. If you are interested in helping, please send an email to alyssa.daigle@ugdsb.on.ca

We appreciate all your support!

Attendance Suggestions for Parents/Guardians

Every day counts! Here are are some different tips and strategies about Routines and the Environment at Home: that families can try at home to help encourage school attendance. 

• Consistent Routines:

  • Practice consistent bedtime and morning routines with your child. 

  • Parents can model the same routine at home, as it helps students stick to the routine of coming to school each day.

  • Having a set schedule for sleep and nutrition is key to a good morning and feeling good about coming to school.

  • Preparing for school at night so that the morning is less hectic can be helpful.  Organizing clothing, packing backpacks and including favourite foods can be reassuring.

  • Putting out clothes and making lunch the night before can help get your child out the door in the morning.

• If your child does refuse to attend school, try having no screens/devices during the time when they are at home. Make staying home as boring as possible!

  • Shutting down the home Internet can be helpful if this is a draw for your child to stay at home.

• Night Time:

  • Creating an environment conducive for improved sleep hygiene (e.g. dark room, quiet, sound machine, light in morning, consistent bed and wake times).

  • Ensuring at least 30 minutes of screen-free time before bed and removing all electronics from bedrooms before bed can be helpful. 

Limiting screen time before bed is key to winding-down and getting a great night’s sleep!

Inclement Weather - message from the City of Guelph

The City of Guelph administers the adult school crossing guard program. We will endeavour to provide a safe, reliable service to all elementary children attending schools in the areas where established sites are currently listed. However, in extreme weather conditions, the likelihood of a decreased level of service to a point where the city no longer feels it can be provided at adequate levels of safety or reliability is very high.

We value our city guard staff and have a policy in place that guards do not work under the following conditions:

• When school buses are cancelled for our city

• Temperatures colder than -30° Celsius or wind chill below -35°

• Snow amounts in excess of 25° centimetres in one snow event

• Significant freezing rain

• Thunderstorms

DATES TO NOTE:

November 1 - Clocks go back 1 hour

Toonie Tuesdays for Free to Achieve Fund  - Starts Tue. Nov. 3

November 9 - Picture Retake Day

We’d like to recognize these special days being observed in our school and local community: 

November 1 - All Saints’ Day - Christianity

November 2-7 - Treaties Recognition Week  

Brant Bears: Be Kind - Be Safe - Work Hard

Student Insurance

If an accident happens, is your child covered? Parents/guardians can purchase Student Accident Insurance directly through either of these providers:

www.insuremykids.com or call toll free 1-800-463-5437

www.studyinsuredstudentaccident.com or call toll free 1-833-560-0527.

For more information visit the board website: Accident Insurance | Upper Grand District School Board

Spread the word - Book Sale November 13 & 14

Community members, family members, and everyone is welcome. We will have books for adults, children, and puzzles and games. Invite folks from your network - the more people come, the more books we can sell!

School council is looking for donations for our fundraising book sale on November 13th-14th! We are accepting donations of new or used books and puzzles for any age and any topic. Donations can be dropped off at the office.  

We are also looking for volunteers for the book sale. If you are interested in helping, please send an email to alyssa@ugdsb.on.ca

We appreciate all your support!

IEP (Individualized Education Plan)

If your child has an IEP (Individualized Education Plan), a digital copy is now available online. Information about how to access the document was sent home with your child this week.

Digital IEP Access for Parents/Guardians on the UGDSB Family Portal:

• IEPs will be available for access as of October 20, 2026 through the UGDSB Family Portal

• An instruction doc specific to accessing IEPs has been developed to guide Parents/Guardians through the initial setup of their UGDSB Family Portal account and accessing IEPs. 

PD Day Info

Monday, October 26th is a PD Day, there is no school for students.

In the morning, staff will be working on Curriculum Implementation (150 minutes) inclusive of: Literacy, Mathematics and Artificial Intelligence (AI).

. In the afternoon, staff will be given time to work on Progress Report Cards (per collective agreements).

October 30th Spirit/Halloween Day

On October 30th, students may choose to wear their everyday clothes, to wear black/orange/fall colours, or to dress in a costume.

Costumes need to follow the UGDSB dress code and code of conduct (appropriate for school; not representative of another culture/religious beliefs/gender/socioeconomic status; no weapons or violent references); needs to be safe (i.e., not a tripping hazard, use face paint or make up instead of a mask); props/accessories need to be left at home so they are not lost or left at school)

Halloween Dance

On Friday October 30th, Student Council will be hosting a Halloween Dance for the school in the gym. Classes will be brought down by their teachers at their designated time throughout the day. Glow sticks will be available for purchase for $1. Please bring cash if your student wishes to purchase one.

Celebrated ECE’s - Tuesday, October 20, 2026

ECEs support families, help children become positive members of society, and have a long-lasting impact on their lives. We are so lucky to have Ms. Zorzi as part of our Brant Bears Community helping and supporting our students! Thank you Ms. Zorzi!

DATES TO NOTE:

Monday, October 26th - P.A. Day - No school for students

Monday, October 26th - Spirit Wear orders are due - No late orders will be accepted.

Friday October 30th - Spirit/Halloween Day & Halloween Dance - dress in your costume or black & orange! 

We’d like to recognize these special days being observed in our school and local community: 

October 26 - Municipal Election Day

October 31 - Samhain - Wicca

November 1 - Clocks go back 1 hour

Brant Bears: Be Kind - Be Safe - Work Hard

As a school community we raised $385 for the Terry Fox Foundation! 

Amazing job Brant Bears!

Running and Reading Club

Running and Reading Club is back at Brant and is starting up for the 2026-27 school year! Ran by volunteers from Start 2 Finish Canada, the club meets weekly on Thursdays in the gym from 3:15-5:15 (beginning Oct 22). Students spend time with the volunteer coaches running, playing games, doing character education, and practising reading! At the end of the school year, students travel to Toronto to participate in a 5K race, reading challenge, and celebration. This week, students in Grades 3 to 6 were invited to take home registration forms (the program is available for Grades 1-6 but a focus is placed on students in 3-6).  Forms are due to the school on Thursday, October 13. There are 25 spots in the program currently and Start 2 Finish will reach out to your family if your child is selected to be part of this year's club. If your child is not selected, they will be added to a waitlist in case spots open up as the year progresses. See the attached poster for more information and reach out to Mr. Hepburn (Teacher Champion for the program alongside Ms. King and Ms. Brooks) at colin.hepburn@ugdsb.on.ca if you have questions.  

Spirit Wear

Spirit Wear is now available on School Cash Online! Please note the order deadline, Monday October 26th at midnight. We will not be accepting any late orders. If you have any questions or difficulties please reach out to Ms. Drinkwater in the office and she would be happy to help!

Keep the Donations Coming!

Our School Council is looking for donations for our fundraising book sale this November 13 and 14! We are accepting donations of new or used books and puzzles for any age and any topic. Donations can be dropped off at the office. 

Fire Prevention Week

Fire Prevention Week occurs this year from October 5-9 and this year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign, “Charge into Fire Safety, Lithium Ion Batteries in Your Home”, works to educate everyone about using these batteries safely. With fires involving lithium-ion batteries on the rise, this campaign stresses how important it is to BUY, CHARGE, and RECYCLE safely when it comes to lithium-ion batteries. Our Fire Department partners would like to provide you with these 3 tips to use batteries safely:

Buy only listed products. Look for a safety certification mark such as ULC, ETL, or CSA. This means it meets important safety standards

Charge devices safely. Always use the cords that came with the product to charge. Follow the instructions from the manufacturer. Buy new chargers from the manufacturer or one that the manufacturer has approved. Charge your device on a hard surface. Don’t overcharge your device. Unplug it or remove the battery when it’s fully charged.

Recycle batteries responsibly.   Don’t throw lithium-ion batteries in the trash or regular recycling bins because they could start a fire. Recycle your device or battery at a safe battery recycling location. Visit call2recycle.ca/programs/ to find a recycling spot near you.

We’d like to recognize these special days being observed in our school and local community: 

Thanksgiving - Mon. Oct. 12 - No School for Students

Developmental Language Disorder Awareness Day - Fri. Oct. 16

Today is World Teachers' Day! Thank you UGDSB teachers for your dedication, skills, and hard work!

Does your child have any potentially life-threatening medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes, anaphylaxis, epilepsy and other conditions that pose a serious medical risk? Plans of Care recently went home with students - please reach out if you need one and didn’t get one.

Brant Ave School Council Book Sale

Our School Council is looking for donations for our fundraising book sale this November! We are accepting donations of new or used books and puzzles for any age and any topic. Donations can be dropped off at the office. More information to come and thank you for your support!

Community Clothing Closet

The Clothing Closet is open for shopping every Thursday from 9:30am to 12:00pm (Doors close at 11:45 am) & 5:00 – 7:00pm (Doors close at 6:45 pm). Drop in and browse at 400 Victoria Rd. N, Guelph.

DONATIONS:  The Clothing Closet gratefully accepts clean, quality clothing, shoes, and linens, which can be dropped off at New Life Church, 400 Victoria Rd. N, Guelph. Please do not leave donations outside.

Donation hours are subject to change, due to holidays or staff absences. Please consult our website for the most updated information.

In general, we accept on: Mondays / Wednesdays / Fridays 9:30-2:30 and Thursdays 9:30 – 2:30 & 5:00-6:30.

Drop-in programming

Our Child andYouth Counsellor, Ms. Fonte, runs drop-in programming in the learning commons during first break four days a week. All children are welcome! Here are the themes:

Mindful Mondays… will consist of guided meditations, deep breathing techniques, zen colouring, and a variety of calming strategies.

Take Turns Tuesdays… will consist of a variety of both card and board games 

Thoughtful Thursdays… will consist of teaching kindness, sharing kindness, and activities that relate to the themes and celebrations in the school that month

Fun Fridays…will consist of maker space activities and/or colouring

A Message from WDG Public Health - Energy Drinks and Young Children: What Families Should Know

Energy drinks, like Monster®, Red Bull®, Rockstar® are widely available and often marketed as products to boost energy and performance. However, these drinks are not recommended for children because they can contain a lot of caffeine and other ingredients that can affect children's health and well-being.

They can cause:

Trouble sleeping

Fast heartbeat

Headaches

Feeling nervous, worried, or restless 

Support Everyday Habits - Children get the energy they need from healthy daily routines. You can help by:

Offering water throughout the day.

Encouraging physical activity and a good sleep routine.

Providing regular meals and snacks.

Making water, milk, and smoothies easy choices at home. 

We’d like to recognize these special days being observed in our school and local community: 

Sisters in Spirit Day honouring missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and gender diverse people - Sun. Oct. 4

World Teachers’ Day - Mon. Oct. 5

3-4 *Simhat Torah - Judaism

We hope you can join us at our Meet the Teacher Open House on Wednesday, September 23rd from 5:00-6:30.

Picture Day will be Thursday September 24, 2026. 

Brant Ave will be having our Terry Fox run on Friday, September 25th at 10:00am.  Please have your child(ren) dress for the weather with running shoes. You are able to donate online at School Cash Online at https://www.schoolcashonline.com/. Please consider donating to this great cause. 

Brant Ave School Council Book Sale

Our School Council is looking for donations for our fundraising book sale this November! We are accepting donations of new or used books and puzzles for any age and any topic. Donations can be dropped off at the office. More information to come and thank you for your support!

We’d like to recognize these special days being observed in our school and local community: 

20-21 *Yom Kippur - Judaism

21-25 Truth and Reconciliation Week

25 Franco-Ontarian Day

25-27 *Sukkot - Judaism