Dear Mustang Families,
Happy Diwali to all of our families and staff who are celebrating! If you have not seen it, please stop by and see our beautiful Diwali display. I’d like to thank Mrs. Rankoti, one of our fabulous EAs who with her daughters designed and built a beautiful display about Diwali. Tomorrow, wear bright colours to celebrate this holiday!
This week, we took the opportunity to recognize Treaties Recognition Week. We encourage you to ask your child about what a treaty is and why this week is important. Treaties are agreements between Indigenous Peoples and the Crown that helped to shape our shared history and relationships today. We also acknowledge treaties when we share a land acknowledgement. Unfortunately, the Crown did not honour the treaties that were created with many of our Indigenous Peoples. Learning about treaties helps students better understand the land we live on and the importance of respect, partnership, and reconciliation. Thank you for continuing these important conversations at home.
Students and staff have been taking some time this week and next to remember our courageous veterans and current military members who serve(d) Canada and protect(ed) our rights and freedoms. On Monday our grade 2-8 students will hear from an Army reservist guest speaker and on Wednesday students and staff will gather to honour our veterans during our assembly. Our intermediates will travel to Centoph to participate in the Legion and Town’s Remembrance Day ceremony. Please note our flags will be lowered from sunrise until sunset on National Indigenous Veterans Day, which is Sunday November 8th and again on Wednesday November 11th for Remembrance Day. We are also flying our Remembrance poppy flag until sunset on November 11th have a beautiful and respectful front entry display with cherished stories of our staff members’ relatives who fought in the war. We are also doing daily announcements honouring people like our Indigenous soldiers and John McCrae. Thank you to Mrs. Cairns and Mrs. Szabo who are working hard to honour our veterans.
Today’s visit from our Director& CE), Brent MacDonald and Superintendent, Roy Cousins was a tremendous success, and the feedback we received was phenomenal. They commented on how happy and engaged our students are and noted how our school's walls "speak" to the learning taking place each day. They were impressed by the meaningful student work on display, the clear learning goals throughout the building, the beautiful artwork, and the many special opportunities available to our students.
During their visit, they were treated to a wonderful performance by members of our Senior Band and enjoyed speaking with both students and staff. They recognized the dedication and hard work happening throughout our school and expressed their ongoing commitment to supporting the work we are doing.
A significant portion of our conversation focused on how we are supporting students who need help closing learning gaps. We were pleased to share the many interventions we have in place, including small-group instruction, the use of board-supported best-practice resources, and the upcoming launch of our Reading Tutor Program.
On that note, I wanted to share some important information with our community. Schools across the Upper Grand District School Board did not receive funding for the Reading Tutor Program this year. However, after careful consideration, I have made the decision that Princess Margaret will continue to offer the program by funding it ourselves. While our budget is limited, I believe deeply in the impact of this intervention. I am incredibly grateful to families who support our school initiatives, such as our pizza program, as those funds will help make this opportunity possible.
The Reading Tutor Program will support students in Grades 2 through 6 through targeted reading instruction, pre- and post-assessments, and the use of decodable texts designed to strengthen foundational reading skills, fluency, and comprehension. Because this program has been successfully implemented in the past, we know it helps students make meaningful gains in their reading achievement.
I want our community to know that your support of our school is directly benefiting students and helping us provide interventions that make a real difference. We are also fortunate to have a dedicated group of volunteers who are going to read regularly with some of our younger students in grade 1. Their time and commitment are greatly appreciated.
Parents and caregivers often ask me, "What is the most important thing I can do to help my child succeed?" Without hesitation, my answer is always the same: read with your child every night. Even a few minutes of reading together can have a powerful impact on literacy development, confidence, vocabulary, and a lifelong love of learning. Thank you for your continued support of our students and our school. Together, we are helping every child grow and succeed.
New trustee for Orangeville: The following are the certified results for the UGDSB in the Oct. 26 School Board Elections: Orangeville: Shelley Bergant (acclaimed). Congratulations to Ms. Bergant.
Online Signup for Parent-Teacher Interviews : The window to sign-up for an interview begins November 13th 8:30am and closes November 26th at 11am. Please sign up for a parent-teacher meeting between these dates. Interview times are available either Thursday, November 26th from 3:00 - 7:00 PM and November 27th from 8:30 AM - 2:30PM. If a teacher is not available on the 27th or 28th, they will communicate alternate dates and times with you.
To sign up for a meeting:
*** Use UGDSB’s family portal at: UGDSB Family Portal
Important:
Once you have signed up for an interview, it will be assumed that a parent/guardian will be participating in person. Please email the teacher if a phone call is your preference. You may receive a call from the School/Unknown Caller.
If you need assistance, please contact Mrs. Mckenzie, our office coordinator at 519-941-3731 ext 221. Our staff look forward to meeting with you and talking about your child’s progress.
Lost & Found: Please take a moment to check the Lost and Found for any missing items. We’ve had a number of belongings turned in recently, and we’d love to see them returned to their rightful owners.
November Communications Newsletter: The November Communications Newsletter is out! In this month's issue:
Treaties Recognition Week
Skilled Trades Open House
Screen Time
You can view the newsletter here: https://www.ugdsb.ca/page/communications-newsletter
Important Upcoming Dates:
***Ongoing Terra Cotta Cookie Fundraiser***
-2nd to 6th: Treaties Recognition Week
-9th: Guest speaker: Pr. Concepcion Grades 2-8 (email went home)
-11th: Remembrance Day
-11th: Progress reports go home
-13th at 830am- 26th 11am: Parent/Caregiver Sign Up for interviews (information will come home with progress reports).
-12th: Terra Cotta cookie fundraiser ends
-23rd & 30th: Diary Educator’s Program K-8 (letters will come home)
-25th: Grade 8 ODSS night 630-845pm
-26th: Interview Evening 3-7pm
-27th: PD Day (interview day)
-30th: Terra Cotta cookie pick up
-30th: Dairy Milk Presentations (K-2)
December:
-5th: 30th Annual Holiday Craft Fair at PMPS 9am-2pm.
-10th: ODSS guidance visit to PMPS (course selection Grade 8)
*** all dates are also posted on the bottom of our school website as well.***.
Spirit Days:
-November 6th: Wear Diwali Colours Day! The 5 day festival of Diwali begins on November 6th! To celebrate, wear red, gold, yellow, orange, or blue!
-November 11th: Remembrance Day: Let’s remember those who fought for our freedom and for our country by wearing red, black, or white. You can also wear a poppy ( we will provide one) ! As a class, you can also create a wreath to lay down during our Remembrance Day Ceremony.
-November 20th: Absurdity Day! This is an unofficial holiday that invites people to embrace the strange, the illogical, and the funny side of life! Whether you're wearing mismatched socks, a funny hat, or carrying your books in a laundry basket, remember that laughter helps bring our school community together.
-November 26th: Comfy Clothes Day! An opportunity to stay comfortable while learning and enjoying the school day! Remember to dress for the weather and wear appropriate footwear for outdoor activities and recess.
Reminders:
Holiday Craft Fair Kid-Preneurs: PMPS is excited to bring back the Kid-Preneurs Market, at our upcoming Holiday Craft Fair, on Saturday, December 5th! We invite all students who love making things with their hands, like bracelets, ornaments, decorative items, and other cool crafts, to show off their creativity and become a young entrepreneur at our craft market! Students can set up their own table in the designated classrooms, sell their creations, and keep the money they earn! Forms are available from Ms. Lyon or from the front office. All participating students must fill out a permission form. We cannot wait to see what your imagination and creativity brings to our Holiday Craft Fair!
Poppy: Please Make A Donation: All students will be provided with a sticker poppy on November 11th to help recognize and honour Remembrance Day. Please consider making a donation. All donations go to the Canadian Legion. Teachers will collect the donations from now until November 11th or you can donate through School CashOnline. Thank you.
Milk Sales: Milk is cash only ($1.25) and frozen yogurt pops are $1.00 and on sale each day at first recess. Freezie pops are also cash only. Thank you for your support.
Supervision: Please remember that students should not be arriving before 820am in the morning and need to be picked up/ or leave the school at the dismissal bell at 250pm. Our school day is from 830am to 250pm every day.
Spirit Wear: Spirit wear can be ordered at any time during the year now. Please visit http://princessmargaret.deco-apparel.com/
We’ll have another great learning day on Friday and then I hope everyone has an excellent weekend.
Andrea Papavasiliou
Proud Principal of PMPS