Good evening Mustang Families,
As February continues, we are recognizing Black Heritage, Black Brilliance, and Black Futures month here at our school. We are learning about influential black icons on our daily announcements, during classroom activities, and through school displays. We are proudly flying the Pan African flag for the month of February to recognize this month. Walking from classroom to classroom students are participating in read alouds, reading independently, writing poetry and biographies about black brilliance. Please ask your child all about it.
Our junior and intermediate classes have worked very hard on their speeches and will be picking the students who will represent them at our school wide speak off next week.. Public speaking is no easy task, but our students are doing it with confidence and grace. Our curling team continues to learn the game. Our primary students are also getting excited about the 100th day of school. Our grade 6-8 students go to Hockley Valley early next week to enjoy some skiing and snowboarding. The Olympics is in full swing already at PMPS and we are excited about our upcoming guest speakers and play date.
February Communications Newsletter: The February Communications Newsletter is out! In this month's issue we have information about:
Black History Month
2026-27 School Year Calendars
National Sweater Day
And more!
You can view the newsletter here: https://www.ugdsb.ca/page/communications-newsletter
Important Dates:
-February: Black Heritage, Black Brilliance, and Black Futures month
-5th: School Council meeting in library 6pm
-6th: The Winter Olympics start! Go Canada!
-6th: Director and SO visit 9am-945am
-10th: Grade 6/7 to ⅞ Ttrip to Hockley
-12th: Paralympic Guest Speaker (virtual) 1115am-12pm
-13th: Olympic Play date: Opening ceremonies after entry, outside activities middle and last block, with the closing ceremony on the tarmac
-16th: Family Day: No School
-18th: -10th: Grade 6/7 to ⅞ Trip to Hockley
-18th: Term One Report cards and IEPs with Term Two goals go home
-20th: Olympic Guest Speaker (in person) 130pm
-25th: Pink Shirt Day- Across Canada. Stand Up Against Bullying
Upcoming Spirit Days:
-Friday, Feb. 6th: 1st Day of the Olympics: Dress as an athlete from one of the Olympic sports OR dress like a snowflake/snowperson
-Friday, Feb. 13th: PINK, RED, WHITE Day! Wear pink, red, or white today to show your love of Valentine’s Day
-Friday, Feb. 20th: Wear Canadian memorabilia or red and white! Olympian guest speaker will be at our school to share with us (more information below)
-Friday, Feb. 27th: Board Game day! Bring in your favourite board game and enjoy game stations in your classroom.
Reminders:
More Good News! In addition to our Paralympic guest speaker on February 12th, we are excited to announce that we will also have an Olympic guest speaker visiting our school on February 20th at 1:30 p.m. in person. Her name is Claire Scheffel, a synchronized swimmer who represented Canada at the Paris Olympics. Claire will be speaking about her road to the Olympics, her life experiences, the obstacles she faced, and the hard work and resilience that helped her succeed. She will also share her experiences competing at the Olympic Games. To find out more please visit: https://olympic.ca/team-canada/claire-scheffel/
Public Feedback Staff, students and families in our district are invited to take a few minutes to provide their input on the UGDSB’s draft 2026-2027 School Year Calendars via an anonymous online survey: https://my.thoughtexchange.com/scroll/331068739/welcome
Milk Sales: Our wonderful Student Council continues to sell milk. The milk costs $1.25 each.
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/
Community Support: Hill of Headwaters Collaborative has a new opportunity for anyone in the community who may require access to care providers. Check out the link for Details: https://hillsofheadwaterscollaborative.ca/caredays
We have a great day of learning and fun planned on Friday! Take care and we’ll see everyone back on Monday! Have a great weekend.
Andrea Papavasiliou, Principal