Good evening Mustang Families,
Spring flowers, bring May flowers! We should have plenty of flowers after this week! Things are starting to really green up!
Thank you to all of our families who contributed to our cracker drive! Thanks to your generosity there were over 170 boxes of crackers collected. The cascading cracker event did not go as planned, as all the boxes were many different sizes and did not cascade. Lesson learned.
On April 22nd, we are proud to celebrate Office Coordinator Appreciation Day, and we have someone incredibly special to recognize!Our amazing Office Coordinator, Mrs. McKenzie, is truly the heart of our school. She is the friendly face that welcomes everyone through our doors, the calm and caring presence on busy days, and the person who somehow manages to help everyone—often all at the same time!Mrs. McKenzie goes above and beyond every single day for our students, staff, and families. She supports all students and staff with kindness, patience, and a wonderful sense of humour that brings smiles to our faces. She is truly the face of our school, and she makes everyone feel heard, valued, and welcomed.Our school would not run the way it does without her—and quite honestly, we couldn’t survive without Mrs. McKenzie! From all of us—students, staff, and families—thank you, Mrs. McKenzie, for everything you do and for being such an incredible part of our school community. Please join us in giving Mrs. McKenzie a big round of applause on April 22nd.
News from School Council:
Understanding Youth Today - Substance and Screen Use Parent/Caregiver Event May 6, 2026: This May, more than 10 local community partners are coming together to host an unforgettable event for parents and caregivers. On May 6, 2026, parents and caregivers are invited to attend the Understanding Youth Today: Substance and Screen Use event. Registration is required. Registration details are provided directly on the poster.
Rock Climbing at Princess Margaret: Please watch for a rock‑climbing permission form coming home for every student from Kindergarten to Grade 8. Thanks to the generosity of our School Council, a rock‑climbing walls and an obstacle course will be coming to Princess Margaret and will be set up in our gym from May 19 to May 22, as previously announced. There is no charge to families. To participate, each student must return a signed permission form, and clean indoor runners are required. Teachers will be sending the permission forms home this week. Please return the forms as soon as possible. Thank you—we are very excited to offer this fun and engaging experience for our students! More details are on the permission form.
Vision Screening From Public Health: Reminder of the Sight for Success initiative promoting awareness of vision health and supporting access to comprehensive eye assessments by licensed optometrists.
Important Dates:
April:
-21st: Badminton at PMPS 4-7pm
-21st: Grade 3 & 7 Swim to Survive
-22nd: OC appreciation day: Thank you to Mrs. Mckenzie for ensuring everyone is safe, for keeping our school running, and for all of the work that she does for our school nutrition program. She is kind, caring, funny, and dedicated.
22nd: Staff & Student Badminton Game
23rd:Shannon Paul, Indigenous Speaker (Szabo, Westlake, Patel) info to come home.
-24th: PD day (mental health & curriculum): No school for students
-27th: IPRCs full day
-28th: Island Lake Rowing Program Grades 6-8 (see email sent out April 14th)
-28th: Grade 3 & 7 Swim to Survive
-30th: Scientists in the School: Szabo 9am
May:
-1st: Patel & Christie: Nature Journaling workshop am
-4th to 8th: Education & Mental Health Week
-5th: Empowerment Day-am Grade 7-8s
-5th: Grade 3 & 7 Swim to Survive
-5th: Primary Trip to Orangeville Theatre K-¾
-8th: Accessibility Presentation (Lauren Pires) K-3s: 120-150pm & 4-8s 2-230pm ( info already sent home)
-11th: Optimist Bike Roadeo
-12th: ODSS visit for grade 8s 9am
-14th: Special Olympics (rain date May 15th)
-15th: Bee Ambassador K-¾ (letter to go home)
-15th: EA & CYC appreciation day!
-19th: Victoria Day- No school for students and staff
-19th to 22nd: Rock Climbing at PMPS/ gym in use all week (permission forms sent out)
-20th: JK Orientation for new students (see email sent)
-26th: Spring ⅞ Vaccination Clinic at PMPS
-28th & 29th: EQAO grades 3 & 6
June:
-1st & 2nd: EQAO continued grades 3& 6 ( EQAO make up 3rd & 4th)
-2nd: Family Fun Night 530-7pm
-4th: Compass Run @ PMPS- last block
-5th: PD Day: am curriculum & pm report card writing: no school for students
-9th & 10th: Intermediate Trip
-13th: Finale for Bike Roadeo: Alder Street
-17th: Grades ¾ (pm) & ⅘ (am) at Island Lake for Indigenous Learning
-22nd: PMPS Grade 8 Grad
-25th: Last day of School with students
-26th: PD day for staff (school improvement plans and transitions)
Upcoming Spirit Days:
-Wednesday, April 22nd: Earth Day (Dress like the world! Wear brown, blue, and green!)
-Friday, May 1st: Attitude of Gratitude day! Classes can create a sticky note door - writing things you are grateful for in your life. Stick the notes on your classroom door.
Reminders:
Emergency Response Training & Spring Drills: The safety and well-being of our students is our highest priority. Although I hope that an incident that requires a 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 in the springtime:
● 3 fire drills
● 1 lockdown drill
● 1 tornado drill and 1 evacuation 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 reach out to me.
Climber & Playground Safety: Students are reminded that running shoes must be worn on all climbers.. Crocs and sandals are not permitted on the climbers or while playing games like football and soccer. Thank you so much for your cooperation and for reinforcing this message with your children.
Dogs on School Property: As the weather starts to improve, please remember that dogs or other pets are not allowed on school property. Some of our students have a fear of dogs and other animals. Please wait with your dog or other pets off school property for your child(ren). Thank you for your support.
IMPORTANT MESSAGE: JK Orientation This email went home to all of our new JK students for next year. Please pass along to friends who may have missed it: Thank you for registering your child for junior kindergarten September 2026 at Princess Margaret Public School. We are excited to welcome them! Please see the attached link for important information on our Kindergarten Orientation that is coming up on May 20th, 2026 .We hope to see everyone then! 2026 Kindergarten Orientation Information
Thank you.
The PMPS Kindergarten Team
A friendly Reminder As Year End Trips Come Up: School Volunteers: The UGDSB updated their School Volunteers Policy (205) a couple of years ago now. If you are volunteering in our school or plan to in the future, it is important to note that the following is required: a volunteer application, a volunteer agreement, an interview, a reference check and a vulnerable sector check (VSC) /offense declaration. A VSC will be required for field trip supervisors, volunteer drivers, classroom volunteers working with students, volunteer coaches/advisors. Please note: all volunteer drivers will need to complete a 508-3 Transportation of Students in Privately Owned Vehicles, a signed volunteer agreement, and a VSC/ Offense Declaration. The school will be able to provide letters that parents/guardians can use to apply for a VSC. Please note if you completed this process and we have your information on file, you will only need to complete an offense declaration. Please stop in the office if you are interested or ask your child’s teacher. VSC are taking some time to complete lately- sometimes up to 6 weeks.
Professional Activity Day Description:
Information for Elementary and Secondary Parents/Guardians:
Date: April 24, 2026
Length: Full Day
Elementary/Secondary Topics AM: Tackling Racism (Upholding Human Rights, Anti-Black Racism , and Indigenous Racism)
Elementary/Secondary Topics PM: School Resource Officer Program, Literacy & Mathematics, AI Learning Modules
Entity Hosting: Upper Grand DSB
Description:
Elementary / Secondary Morning (150 mins):
Tackling Racism (Upholding Human Rights) (75 mins)
This session examines how racism operates across school systems and everyday interactions, grounded in Ontario’s human rights obligations. Participants will build practical skills to recognize, interrupt, and respond to racism, reinforcing their role in creating safe, inclusive, and accountable learning environments.
Tackling Indigenous Racism (75 mins)
This session explores the ongoing impacts of colonialism and Indigenous-specific racism in education. Grounded in human rights and reconciliation, participants will strengthen their ability to recognize and disrupt harmful practices while fostering respectful, culturally responsive relationships with Indigenous students and communities.
Elementary / Secondary Afternoon (150 mins)
School Resource Officer Program (10 mins)
This session will focus on understanding:
Supporting Children and Students Act 2025 and implications for school communities
Police / School Board Protocol
Emergency Procedures and Responses
Police & Community Partner Presentations in Schools
Laser Focus Literacy & Mathematics (70 mins)
Schools will engage in a focused block dedicated to Literacy and Mathematics aligned with their specific school improvement goals. Teams will use this time to analyze data, reflect on student needs, and plan targeted instructional strategies to support student achievement. Educators will draw on board-supported resources and professional learning (e.g., Let’s Go! UGDSB Learn modules, continuums, and assessment tools) to strengthen practice in both literacy and numeracy.
AI Learning Module (70 mins)
Staff will engage in a focused block dedicated to AI Literacy designed to navigate the evolving role of technology. Educators will explore an AI Literacy Module on the Let’s Go! UGDSB Learn site. Core concepts include: AI Fundamentals, Ethics and Human Rights, maintaining a Human-Centred Mindset, and the Art of Prompting, to build a foundational and critical understanding of AI. Learning will also include reviewing the UGDSB AI Literacy Guidelines, ensuring that AI use remains grounded in math comprehension, language skills, human rights, and sustainability. Teams will use this time to align AI applications with professional expectations, drawing on these resources to support innovative, ethical, and effective instructional strategies across all grade levels.
Presenter(s)/Facilitator(s):
Independent/Individual
Milk Sales: Our wonderful Student Council continues to sell milk. The milk costs $1.25
Thanks for taking the time to read through my weekly emails and your continued support. We’ll see everyone on Friday for another day of great learning before the weekend.
Andrea Papavasiliou, Principal