Dear Mustang Families,
It’s been a great week at PMPS again this week. Our volleyball teams are busy, our garden club is cleaning out the gardens for winter, choir is sounding great, band is coming along quickly, our grade 8s went to Career Day at the argiculture centre, and our grade three students are preparing to write the CCAT test next week. Thank you to all of our families who supported our donut fundraiser. Your support is appreciated.
IEPs: If your child has an IEP, please remember to return the consultation page to your child’s teacher.
FYI: Memorial for the late Honourable Hilary M. Weston, 26th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario - Friday, October 17, 2025: Our flags will be lowered from sunrise to sunset on Friday, October 17, 2025, the day of the memorial service for the late Honourable Hilary M. Weston, 26th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, who passed away on August 2, 2025.
YMCA Before and After Care: If you are a parent/caregiver who drops off or picks up from the YMCA please use the front door only. This is for safety reasons and helps staff secure the building. Please also do not park in the fire route and bus route at any time. Bylaw has been by and it is a $125 ticket. Thank you for your cooperation.
Video Surveillance Reminder:The purpose of video surveillance at UGDSB schools is to serve the safety and security needs of the board and is not intended to infringe on anyone’s right to privacy. Please take some time to read the policy. Policy 203.
Weather & Being Dressed Appropriately: It’s that time of the year when it feels like summer on some days and winter on others. Please make sure to be checking the weather in the morning so children are appropriately dressed for the weather. Children go outside in light drizzle and snow. Storing an extra set of pants and socks is a good idea in your child’s backpack, as this avoids a call home for wet pants. If your family needs help purchasing boots and warm winter wear, please contact your child’s teacher or Mrs. Papavasiliou (PapaV). Check out our free items starting tomorrow in our front foyer (see email sent previously).
Orangeville District Secondary School (ODSS) will be hosting its Grade 8 Information Night on Wednesday, December 4th at 630pm. Grade 8 families please mark your calendars and make sure you attend this important event.
Grade ⅞ 2nd Recess & Lunch: A reminder to our grade ⅞ families that students must remain off property from 1230-110pm. If they have permission to leave, that no outside drink or food is to come back and up to classrooms, and that permission to leave for lunch must be arranged prior to the start of the school day with a parent/caregiver, not during the school day. Please understand that we are not responsible for your child’s safety when they are off school property. Thank you for your support. If you have any questions please contact your child’s teacher.
Important Upcoming Dates:
-October 17th: 2025: Officer Amy Visit to Grade 7/8s classes
-October 20th, 2025: Happy Diwali to those who celebrate!
-October 20th to November 21st: WHY Survey completion for students, staff, and parents/caregivers (letter went home to all grade 4-8 families)
Parent Survey: https://redcap.link/2026parentwhy (link will be active as of October 20th)
-October 21st, 2025: ECE (Early Childhood Educator) Appreciation Day. Thank you to Mrs. Bradford and Mrs. Taylor, the best ECEs around!
-October 21st, 2025: Public Health Fluoride Treatment- all grades (info sent home)
-October 22nd-23rd, 2025: Grade 3 CCAT Testing (info sent home in September)
-October 23rd, 2025: Officer Amy Visit to kindergarten classes (Rescheduled from the 15th as Officer Amy presented at the Careers Day for the Intermediates)
-October 23rd, 2025: Class Pictures and retakes
-October 24th, 2025: PD Day ( AI Cyber Training, Keeping Schools Safe, and Progress Report writing (No School for Students)
-October 29th: Donut Fundraiser Pick Up
-October 31st: Halloween
November 3rd to 7th: Treaties Recognition Week
November 3rd to 13th: School Council Terra Cotta Cookie Fundraiser
November 6th: School Council 6pm in the library
November 6th: Superintendent Visit 1045am-1215pm
November 13th: Progress Reports go Home & Posted online
November 17th to 21st: Bullying Awareness & Prevention Week
November 18th: Public Health Grade 7 CARD presentation
November 20th: Extra School Council Meeting for Craft Fair
November 25th: Fall Grade ⅞ Vaccination Clinic at PMPS
November 27th: Progress Report Interview Night 3pm-7pm
November 28th: PD Day & Interview Day 830am to 250pm
November 28th: Classroom donations due for Class Holiday Baskets
December 2nd: Junior Division Trip to Theatre Orangeville
December 4th: Grade 8 Information Night at ODSS 630pm
December 6th: PMPS 29th Annual Christmas Craft Fair 9-3pm (Please plan to attend)
December 9th: Grade ¾ & Grade ⅘ Fire Safety Presentations
December 10th: Grade ⅚ & Grade 6/7 Fire Safety Presentations
December 16th: Holiday singing assembly
December 16th: Grade ¾ & Grade ⅘ Library Visit
December 19th: Holiday singing, performances, and award assemblies
December 22nd to January 4th: Holiday Break (No School for Students)
Upcoming Spirit Days:
-October 22nd: Celebrate accomplishments and contributions of Canadian Women throughout history (wear purple, green, and white)
-October 31st: Halloween: Orange and Black or costumes
Don’t forget about our Mustang Spirit Cup!
Reminders:
A reminder that IEPS went home on October 15th: If your child has an IEP, a copy of it went home on the 15th. There was a letter that accompanied the IEP which explains more. A reminder about digital IEP Access for Parents/Guardians on the UGDSB Family Portal: After a successful pilot last year with secondary schools and some elementary schools, digital access to IEPs for Parents/Guardians will be expanded for all students with IEPs. 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.
HALLOWEEN: Many schools celebrate Halloween with costume dress up and/or black and orange. Halloween is a day that is not observed by all students or staff. With this, it is considered a choice to participate as are all spirit days. Alternate and supportive accommodations are provided for students if school events take place (e.g. parade). Please reach out to your child(ren)’s teacher to speak more about accommodations.
Costumes: It is our responsibility to ensure that all school community members (e.g., students, staff, parents in our building…) avoid using identities and cultures as costumes. This includes appropriative costumes/cultural stereotypes (i.e. cultural garments), black/brown face, transphobic costumes (i.e. man dressed as a woman), body-shaming and objectifying costumes, and costumes that joke about situations that have caused harm. Such costumes perpetuate stereotypes and can cause harm that can further marginalize and oppress community members. We also ask that violent, scary, and bloody costumes are also not worn, as these costumes scare some students. All props and accessories stay at home as well, so they are not lost. If costumes violate the above criteria, students will be asked to remove their costume and parents/guardians will be notified. Thanks for helping to make our school a safe and inclusive environment for all. Teachers will provide more guidance about the details around Halloween (e.g. when costumes should be worn etc).
UGDSB Job Fairs - Educational Assistants;UGDSB Job Fairs focusing on EA Supply and Emergency EA recruitment is quickly approaching! If you could kindly share the job fair posters with your communities!
Orangeville & Area Job Fair - October 22, 2025
Professional Activity Day Description: October 24, 2025
Information for Elementary Parents/Guardians Date: October 24, 2025 Length: Full Day
Elementary AM Topics:
AI Cyber Security Month (50 minutes)
Keeping Schools Safe (50 minutes)
Upholding Human Rights and Tackling Racism (50 mins)
Elementary PM Topics:
Progress Report Writing
UGDSB Family Portal: This fall, the UGDSB is launching the UGDSB Family Portal to all families across the board. The Family Portal puts bus updates, report cards and more in one secure place for families. Many tools use single sign-on and more are being added. The portal is equipped with language translation. Information about the Family Portal will be sent out centrally to all families starting next week.
Our Princess Margaret website is https://www.ugdsb.ca/PrincessMargaret/ and our Twitter/ X page is: @margaret_ps . Our school council also has a Facebook page and an Instagram page: @princessmargaretps. Staying connected during the school year is key.
Spirit Wear: Spirit wear can be ordered at any time during the year now. Please visit http://princessmargaret.deco-apparel.com/
Parent Resources:
Dufferin Parent Support Network: Please check out https://www.dpsn.ca/ for free parenting workshops. The Dufferin Parenting Support Network is a great organization of parents supporting parents.
DCAFS Behaviour Solutions: DCAFS offers a wide range of services designed to meet the unique needs of each child and family. They believe that every child deserves the chance to reach their full potential, and they are committed to helping them do just that. If you're looking for support for your family within a safe and welcoming community, look no further than DCAFS! Please see the link for some different workshops and events: https://behavioursolutions.dcafs.on.ca/events/
We’ll see everyone for another day of learning on Friday. Have a great weekend.
Andrea Papavasiliou, Principal