Welcome to the 2025-2026 School Year

All the staff here at Brant Ave PS are so excited to welcome back our returning students and to meet our new Brant Bears! 

We hope you find this information helpful as you plan your return to our wonderful school.  

     See you soon,

     Kelley Jones, Principal

FIRST DAY PROCEDURES

Morning (drop off at 8:45)

→ Kindergarten students head to the Kindergarten yard to be greeted by their educators. If needed, students will be met off the bus and brought to the yard

→ Grade 1-6 students meet on the tarmac at the back of the school at 8:45 am. Brant Ave Staff will be wearing bright vests and name tags so they are easy to find. Grade-by-grade lists will be posted with student’s first names (and last initial if needed) alongside their class assignment so that it is easier to find your teacher and your line-up space. Please do not take pictures of the lists, for confidentiality reasons.

→ Other staff will be outside to answer any questions and help students find their way

→ We hope it will be sunny, but if there is rain, students will meet in the gym

Late Arrivals and Absences

→ Come through the front door and check in at the office to sign your child in

→ If your child is going to be late or absent, please call the office (519-824-2671). There is voicemail that can be accessed 24 hours a day.

→ Your child’s safety is our priority! If we are not informed by an adult of the reason for a child’s absence, we will call parents (home, cell, work). If we still cannot get a hold of someone, we call emergency contacts and/or have police do a wellness check

End of Day (3:15)

→ Pick up your Kindergarten student in the Kindergarten yard (or they are brought to the bus or the after care program by an adult or trained bus patroller)

→ Students in Grade 1-6 are dismissed out the back doors

→ Please do not plan to meet your child at the front of the school or in the office. Bus students will be waiting there so it is a crowded and busy space

DATES TO NOTE  

• Tuesday, September 2nd - PA Day, no school for students

• Wednesday, September 3rd - First day of school for students

• Wednesday, September 10th - School Council Meeting (6:30 pm)

• Thursday, September 18th - Meet the Teacher Night (5:00-6:30 pm)

ARRIVE ON TIME, STAY ALL DAY! SCHOOL TIMES 2025-2026

Drop-off: 8:45 am

Break #1: 10:30-11:15 am

Break #2: 12:55-1:35 pm

Pick up: 3:15 pm

SCHOOL SUPPLIES

All students, Kindergarten through Grade 6, should have the following labelled items:

• backpack for personal belongings

• lunch pail and reusable food containers

• reusable water bottle 

• indoor shoes suitable for gym class 

• outdoor footwear (shoes, rainboots, snow boots) depending on the season

We provide all students with supplies such as pencils, erasers, paper and notebooks.  It is not necessary for parents to purchase these. Other supplies such as scissors, glue sticks, rulers, markers and crayons are in all classrooms to be shared among students.

Some children prefer to have their own supplies to keep in their desks. If you choose to purchase items for your child, we recommend the following:

Kindergarten: all supplies are shared; donations welcome

Primary: pencil case, pencils, erasers, glue stick, scissors, washable markers, crayons, inexpensive wired headphones or earbuds

Junior: pencil case, pencils, erasers, glue stick, scissors, pencil crayons,

washable markers, highlighters, blue/black/red pens, 3-hole punched lined paper, calculator, ruler, protractor, inexpensive wired headphones/earbuds

MEDICATION AND PLANS OF CARE

1) In order to take medication at school, a consent form must be given to the Office.

2) If your child has health concerns of any kind, please tell your child’s teacher or the office and we will take the necessary health protection steps, including the possibility of creating a Plan of Care (i.e., Anaphylaxis, Asthma, Diabetes) to share with school staff who might interact with your child.

SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION 

1) Visit stwdsts.ca/parentportal for your child’s busing times, location and bus route.

2) Is your child’s bus late or cancelled?  

ON YOUR PHONE -  BusPlanner Delays App for both iOS and Android 

• Delay and cancellation notices for specific routes or runs

• School closure announcements for weather-related shutdowns

• General notices for all subscribers.

CLASS PLACEMENTS

Staff have spent a great deal of time developing classes based on a detailed set of criteria, focused on student learning and success. We take this process seriously and do our best to plan for the success of all students. Please understand that your child’s class placement is considered tentative and will not be changed at this time. 

HOME/SCHOOL COMMUNICATION

Each Friday, the ‘Brant Family Weekly’ update is sent by email, posted on the school website at ugdsb.ca/brantave and made available via the UGConnect app.

Please consider downloading UGConnect from the App Store/Google Play as it comes with many benefits, including up-to-date information about school news, event calendars, and school closures. Push notifications will alert parents to new information in real time. You can also access and manage your SchoolCashOnline account through the app in a fully secure environment. 

Our regular package of information will come home in the first week of school.  Two forms (Student Information Verification Form and the Consent to Share Personal Information) need to be returned to your child’s teacher as soon as possible. 

Please make sure to update your email address and phone numbers on the Verification Form to receive email communications and any important calls.

Classroom teachers often use Google Classroom to support home and school communication. Teachers will be providing specific details on this with you, as well as the best way to reach them. We look forward to connecting with you this year!

CELL PHONES AND STUDENTS

Cell phones, smartwatches and wireless headphones must be stored out of view and powered off or set to silent mode throughout the full instructional day, except when an educator has given permission for their use, during a specific class on a particular day.  Appropriate uses include: research, planner, calculator, music for work periods.

Texting during the school day is not permitted at any time, even responding to a parent. All home-school communication must be from the school office. Earphones must not be worn outside of the classroom, and may only be worn in the classroom with the teacher’s permission. Absolutely no cell phones or cameras in washrooms.

SCHOOLYARD SAFETY

PARKING LOT - The parking lot cannot be used for student pick up or drop off. 

WALK YOUR WHEELS -  If students are riding bicycles or scooters to school, they must be walked on the property and locked at the bike racks. 

DOGS OFF PROPERTY - Families might choose to walk their dogs when they bring their children to/from school.  We ask that the dog be on a leash and that they stay on the sidewalk when you arrive at school. Please do not bring your dog onto the school playground or tarmac where the students are gathering; we have a number of students and staff who have allergies and some who are timid of dogs.  

SCHOOL COUNCIL

We are a group of parents and caregivers who work with the admin and school staff to support our staff, to advocate for our students, and to enhance our children’s school experience. All are welcome! Join us virtually or in the school library for executive elections on Wednesday, September 10th at 6:30 pm. More dates to follow.

Why Join?

• stay connected with what’s happening in the school

• help address issues that are important to parents and school administrators

• contribute to a positive and caring atmosphere in the school

• contribute your skills and knowledge - any amount of time is appreciated

• meet others and build relationships with other families and teachers in your school community! 

STUDENT FEES AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT

From time to time, there is a student cost for a field trip, special program, or participation in a team or club. Please note that there are funds available to help when the cost of a program or activity may be a barrier. Connect with the office for private, confidential assistance with covering student fees at any time.

REPORT BULLYING OR IDENTITY-BASED HARM

We take all incidents of bullying seriously. If your child(ren) is the victim of bullying and/or identity-based harm, please encourage them to speak with someone at school or use the board’s online reporting tool. The Report Identity-Based Harm and/or Bullying tool gives students and parents 24/7 access for reporting. 

You don’t have to identify yourself – just your school – and your message gets sent directly to the school principal for follow-up. You’ll find the Report button on our school’s website. 

Is conflict the same as bullying? People may sometimes confuse conflict with bullying, although they are different. Conflict occurs when two or more people have a disagreement, a difference of opinion or different views. Conflict between students does not always mean it is bullying. Children learn at a young age to understand that others can have a different perspective than their own, and developing the ability to gain perspective takes time and the process continues into early adulthood. 

In conflict, each person feels comfortable expressing his or her views, and there is no power imbalance. Each person feels able to state his or her viewpoint. How people deal with conflict can make it positive or negative. Conflict becomes negative when an individual behaves aggressively by saying or doing hurtful things. Then the conflict is an aggressive interaction. 

Conflict becomes bullying when it is repeated over and over again and there is a power imbalance. Over time, a pattern of behaviour may emerge where the person who behaves aggressively in the conflict may continue or even make it worse. The person who is the recipient of the aggressive conflict may feel less and less able to express his or her point of view and feel more and more powerless. That is when negative conflict may turn into bullying. A school will respond to bullying and conflict differently. For example, in the case of a conflict, a school staff member may try to have the students come together to tell their side of the story and help them resolve the situation together. In the case of bullying, a principal will consider discipline, which may include suspension or expulsion. 

EMERGENCY RESPONSE TRAINING AND ANNUAL DRILLS

I am writing to provide you with some information regarding emergency drills that we will be conducting this school year. The safety and well-being of our students is our highest priority. Although we hope that an incident that requires response from emergency personnel will never occur in our school, we must be prepared to respond quickly and effectively in case it does.

Each year our school must conduct drills to ensure staff and students are prepared in the event of a real emergency.

The following number of drills are required each school year:

• Three (3) fire drills in the fall and three (3) fire drills in the spring

• Two (2) lockdown drills

• One (1) tornado drill

• One (1) bomb threat drill

For each of these drills, there is an education component to explain why they are necessary. All drills are conducted in a manner that is sensitive to the needs of our students.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the school office.

SMOKE AND VAPE-FREE ENVIRONMENT

The Upper Grand DSB provides a smoke and vape-free environment for its students, staff and others while on Board property, in accordance with the Smoke-Free Ontario Act and Board policy 208. This policy refers to all forms of tobacco, and any processed form of tobacco that may be smoked, inhaled or chewed, including e-cigarettes.

Smudging is the tradition of using sacred smoke from sacred medicines (e.g., tobacco and sage) that forms part of the Indigenous culture and spirituality. Smudging is allowed in schools under the Smoke-Free Ontario Act. Parents will be informed using, the school’s usual forms of communication, when smudging is going to occur in our school. Participation by staff and students is optional in a smudging ceremony.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the principal.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ORGANIZATIONS

Schools have built class lists based on their tentative organizations. Changes may be necessary at your child(ren)’s school in order that our Board remains compliant with Ministry parameters (see below). Any changes would be implemented by Monday, September 15th. Principals do not have the option of changing the school organization that is set by the District Staffing Committee of the Board. If changes affect your child(ren), you will be informed by the school.

Ministry of Education Parameters

• Full Day Kindergarten Class Size Average for the Board is 26 students

• 90% of Full Day Kindergarten classes with 29 or fewer students

• 10% of Full Day Kindergarten classes with up to 32 students, under certain circumstances

• 90% of the Board’s primary classes with 20 or fewer students

• 10% of the Board’s primary classes up to a maximum of 23 students

• Grade 3/4 classes have a cap of 23 students

• Junior/Intermediate Class Size Average for the Board is 24.5 students

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITY DAY DESCRIPTION

Date: September 2, 2025 Length: Full Day

Elementary & Secondary AM Topics:

• Mentally Healthy Return to School

• UDL - Literacy & Math

• Tackling Racism

• Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Elementary & Secondary PM Topics:

• UGDSB School Staff Policy & Procedures Overview and Keeping Students Safe

• Student-Well Being, School Safety and Violence Prevention

Entity Hosting: Upper Grand DSB 

Presenter(s)/Facilitator(s): Independent/Individual

Elementary & Secondary Description:

Elementary and Secondary staff will build a strong foundation for the year by engaging in professional learning that prioritizes a mentally healthy return to school for all students. They will deepen their understanding of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), with a particular emphasis on strategies that support literacy and mathematics. Teachers will use UDL to identify and challenge racism, reflecting on their own practices and implementing strategies that foster equitable and inclusive classrooms. In addition, they will explore how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can help teachers streamline their own professional learning. In the afternoon staff will review various policies and information related to health, safety, student well-being, and keeping students safe.

ACCESSIBILITY SUPPORTS & TRANSLATION SERVICES

Everyone is welcome at our school. If you or a family member need accessibility supports (preferred seating, large print) or an interpreter please contact the office.