John Galt Family Newsletter
October 2026
Welcome to October, John Galt Families!
We had a wonderful start to the school year in September, and it has been lovely to see our students settling into routines, building connections, and embracing their learning. We are now in the swing of things at JGPS, and we are looking forward to all the exciting learning opportunities and activities that October will bring!
As we move into another busy and rewarding month, please take a few moments to review the important information and upcoming events outlined below.
Thank you for your continued support, partnership, and for being such an important part of our John Galt community. Together, we make sure that every student matters and that all students feel safe, are kind, and work hard.
Wishing everyone a wonderful October!
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
October:
September 28th-October 2nd - National Truth and Reconciliation Week
4th - Sisters In Spirit Day
5th – Terry Fox Walk/Run (Postponed from Friday, October 2nd, 2026)
5th - World Teacher’s Day
7th - Junior Cross Country Meet - Rockwood Conservation Area
8th - Fire Drill #2 - 11 am
9th - Vaccination Clinic for Grade 7 and 8 students
12th - Thanksgiving Monday (no school)
16th - Developmental Language Disorder Awareness Day
20th - ECE Appreciation Day
21st – Photo Day
22nd - Fire Drill #3
22nd - Grade ½ Berry Class to River Run Centre
24th - 1 pm - JGPS Choir Performs at the University of Guelph Football game
26th - PA Day (no school for students)
27th-29th - Canadian Cognitive Abilities Test (CCAT) - Grade 3 Students
28th - NEW - Playground Committee Meeting in the JGPS Staffroom @ 6:30 pm
NEW - PLAYGROUND FUNDRAISING
Our John Galt students deserve an amazing new playground, and we are excited to begin this important journey! With the support of our JGPS families and wonderful community, we hope to create a space where our Jaguars can play, grow, build friendships, and make lasting memories for years to come.
Our fundraising goal will be determined following our first Playground Committee meeting.
We warmly invite anyone interested in joining the Playground Committee to attend our first meeting on Wednesday, October 28th, from 6:30–8:00 p.m. in the JGPS Staffroom. Your ideas, enthusiasm, and support are invaluable as we work together to make this vision a reality for our students.
Thank you for being part of this exciting journey and for helping us create something truly special for our JGPS community! ❤️
MESSAGE FROM OFFICE COORDINATOR JEANETTE TAVARES
Pizza and sub orders are due today, Sunday, October 4th, 2026.
Please visit School Cash Online to review pizza and sub orders and their respective deadlines.
Thank you for your support!
COMMUNICATION WITH THE SCHOOL
Strong home–school communication is essential to student success. Please check our school website regularly for important news, announcements, and Board information.
Safe Arrival: If your child will be absent or late, please contact the school before 8:25 a.m. at 519-824-4760, ext. 100.
If we have not received notification of an absence by 9:00 a.m., we will follow our Safe Arrival procedures to contact families and emergency contacts.
Please ensure that the office has your most up-to-date contact information.
SCHOOL ACCESS AND VISITORS
To help maintain a safe and welcoming environment for everyone, all parents and visitors are asked to:
Sign in and out at the office.
Wait to be met or escorted by a staff member before proceeding to classrooms.
Ensure that required criminal background checks are in place when volunteering with students.
Follow school policies and respect student privacy.
We appreciate your cooperation in helping keep our school community safe.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
Student entry bell: 8:20 a.m.
Yard supervision begins: 8:10 a.m. Please ensure students do not arrive before supervision begins.
Kindergarten students will line up in the fenced Kindergarten area once supervision is in place.
The front driveway is reserved for buses. Please use designated parking spaces or nearby side streets rather than leaving vehicles unattended in the bus area.
If your child will not be taking the bus, please inform their homeroom teacher and arrange an agreed-upon meeting place.
Thank you for helping us ensure safe and organized arrivals and departures.
SCHOOL CASH ONLINE
School-related expenses are available for online purchase through School Cash Online. We encourage families to register to enjoy the convenience of online payments throughout the school year.
How to register:
Select “Get Started Now” and follow the registration steps.
Respond to the confirmation email, select “click here,” sign in, and add each of your children to your household account.
UGDSB FAMILY PORTAL
The UGDSB Family Portal provides parents and caregivers with convenient, centralized access to child-specific school information. Log in using your existing username and password (refresh the webpage if needed).
The portal includes:
Absences and school bus information
Google Classroom assignments (Grade 4 and above)
Parent-teacher interview bookings
Report cards (recommended access; ConnectEd remains available)
School Cash Online and school events
Special reports, including IEPs
Student profiles, including class and teacher email information
Please note that the school website’s “Send Message” feature has been removed.
New Users or Password Assistance
Visit family.ugdsb.on.ca and select “Log in.”
Sign in using the email address provided to your child’s school.
For first-time access or a forgotten password, select “Forgot your password” and follow the email verification and password reset instructions.
Password requirements: At least 8 characters, including one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, and one number.
Recommended browsers: Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, or Firefox.
LIFE-THREATENING PLANS OF CARE
Families of students with Life-Threatening Plans of Care were asked to complete updated forms for the 2026–2027 school year.
Please review the accompanying letter explaining the updated forms and visit the Board’s website for the Life-Threatening Management forms and information related to Policy 518.
Letter: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bWtaY8E5ON_AEcUfJhLmZ3NHdNkXqNP1I8O_TcPilog/edit?usp=sharing
Website: https://www.ugdsb.ca/page/policy-518-students-with-life-threatening-medical-conditions
Thank you for helping us ensure that student health and safety information is current.
HEALTHY SNACK AND BREAKFAST PROGRAMS
We are pleased to share that JGPS has again received funding through Food and Friends to continue our Healthy Snack Program. Snacks will be available for students in the school kitchen.
Our Breakfast Program has also resumed! This year, we are offering a convenient grab-and-go breakfast each school morning from 8:10–8:25 a.m.
We are grateful for the support that helps make these programs possible for our Jaguars.
SCHOOL COUNCIL
School Council is a wonderful opportunity for families to become involved in school life, share ideas, support school programs and resources through fundraising, and provide valuable input to school administration.
Everyone is welcome to participate!
We anticipate approximately ten evening meetings throughout the school year, generally on the first Thursday of each month.
Next meeting: Thursday, November 3rd, at 6:30 p.m.
We look forward to welcoming new and returning families!
SKATEBOARDS, BIKES, AND SCOOTERS
For the safety of our school community, skateboards, rollerblades, and roller shoes are not permitted on school property.
Students riding bicycles or scooters to school are asked to walk them while on school property and secure them at the bike racks.
Thank you for your cooperation.
DOGS ON SCHOOL PROPERTY
We appreciate the many families who enjoy walking their dogs when bringing children to and from school.
To help ensure a safe and comfortable environment for everyone, we kindly ask that:
Dogs remain on a leash and on the sidewalk when arriving at or leaving school.
Dogs are not brought onto the school tarmac where students gather.
We have students and staff with allergies, as well as some who may feel uncomfortable around dogs. We appreciate your understanding and consideration.
This request does not apply to Service Dogs.
Thank you, JGPS families, for your continued support, communication, and partnership.
Together, we are building a welcoming school community where every student matters.
Have a wonderful October, Jaguars!
Every Student Matters @ JGPS
Be Safe, Be Kind, Work Hard @ JGPS