Good evening Mustang Families,
Another great week of learning here at Princess Margaret! Mother Nature is certainly showing her force this winter, it was a shorter week than we all expected. I am writing earlier then usual because I want to remind everyone that Friday is a PD day for all students. There is no school as teachers write report cards and the school office will be closed.
A giant thank you to our School Council who is helping me bring a High Ropes course to PMPS in May. Each class will have the opportunity to have 100 minutes of instruction and activity. Thanks to their fundraising efforts, there will be no cost to families! Normally, this event would cost about $25 per student. Thank you Council and all of you for your support. Our next meeting for the School Council is February 5th at 6pm in the library. All are welcome!
As February begins next week, we are recognizing Black Heritage, Black Brilliance, and Black Futures month here at our school. We are learning about influential black role models 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. We’d also like to share with our school community our board’s equity statement as well:
As a school community, we have a responsibility to recognize, call out, and break down racism and oppression in all forms. The Upper Grand District School Board (UGDSB) is committed to removing systemic barriers that continue to impact students, staff, and families. This is not just a short-term project - it’s an ongoing commitment to making sure every student has a learning environment that is fair, just, and inclusive.
Thank you for your enthusiasm and support- this work is important year round, not just in February.
Scent Aware: All students, staff, and visitors please refrain from wearing perfumes, colognes etc. while coming to PMPS. We have students and staff who are triggered by strong scents and some have severe allergic reactions or asthma attacks as a result. Thank you for your understanding.
Parents/Caregivers in School During Day: A reminder to all of our families that all visitors to our building must check in with the office. Parents, caregivers, and siblings are not allowed to go down school hallways during the school day. Although your child knows you are a safe adult, not all school staff and students do. Thank you for your cooperation.
Emergency Food Programs: The Dufferin & Area Food Access Guide lists many local emergency and community food programs serving Dufferin residents.The Dufferin & Area Food Access Guide lists many local emergency and community food programs serving Dufferin residents. Download it here: Dufferin Food Access Guide 2024 (11 x 8.5 in)
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
Important Dates:
January 30th: PD Day- no school for students
-February: Black Heritage, Black Brilliance, and Black Futures month
-2nd: Term 2 and Q3 start today
-4th: Students will be in teams and assigned a country that reflects our PMPS community and they will create flags and a team cheer for our upcoming Olympic Play Day
-5th: National Sweater Day: Turn Down the Heat to Conserve
-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
Upcoming Spirit Days:
-Thursday, Jan. 29th: Division colours: JK/K, Gr. 1,2,and 3: BLUE Grade 4,5,and 6: RED Grade 7 and 8: BLACK Staff: Tye Dye
February 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
We have a great day of learning and fun planned on Thursday! Take care and we’ll see everyone back on Monday, February 2nd at 830am.
Andrea Papavasiliou, Principal
Just a quick reminder after our system closure and no bus days.
No Bus Days: We Are Open for Learning: A reminder that on no bus days, we are here for learning. A very small percentage of our students are bussed, so teachers carry on with a normal learning day. Our school is open for all who can safely make it here.
Call in if Absent: If your child (ren) will not be attending school, you need to call in their absence please. This helps Mrs. Mckenize with her safe arrival procedures in a timely manner. Thank you for your help with this.
Pizza Day/ Pasta Day on a no bus day? Yes, if a food day falls on a no bus day, pizza, pasta etc day will go ahead.
Cold Weather Information: Every year we get questions on when it is too cold for the students to be outside. There is no real concrete answer. Decisions depend on the amount of wind, sunlight, length of time out, etc. We do expect students to come dressed for the weather and to be outside. Please label your child’s clothing. Generally, we do not send the students out if the temperature is below -20. When it is cold outside we use our judgment and be aware of weather and wind conditions, the length of time spent outside, and the way children are dressed (we do have extra supplies in the office). In the morning, duty starts at 820am and that is the earliest students can be called in. We will monitor conditions throughout the day for outdoor learning and recess. Hopefully, this is helpful so that we can enjoy the outdoors and our Canadian winter. Please visit the Environment Canada website at: https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/weather-health/uv-index-heat-wind-chill-products.html#toc7 for more information.
Thanks for reviewing this information. Bundle up and continue to keep the shovels ready. Winter… we’ve got this!
Andrea Papavasiliou, Principal
#FamilyLiteracyDay #FLD2026
Good Evening Mustang Families,
It’s been another good week here at PMPS of learning new things and having fun while doing so. I want to thank all families who are making an effort to come to school, when safe, on no bus days. We are a walking school with the exception of about 8 students. We carry on with a regular school day full of learning. Students who miss school will need to get caught up on school work, similar to when sick. You will notice that the UGDSB is actively promoting this message at an elementary and secondary level.
Sideline basketball has started, intermediate basketball, choir, craft club, eco club, and inclusion club all continues. Thanks to our staff for providing these opportunities and for students who participate. There is very important information below, thanks for continuing to read my updates.
Important Safety Notice: Front Door and Letting Others in and Lunch Deliveries: So far, we believe the front-door system is working well. Thank you for your cooperation as our community continues to learn and adjust to this new entry process. As a reminder:
When the light is green, you may enter freely and report to the office
When the light is white, please press the buzzer and a staff member will assist you in gaining access to the building.
It is very important that once you have been granted access, you do not allow additional people to enter behind you. For example, yesterday a delivery person entered the building after being let in by a parent. The delivery driver became confused and attempted to access the library and hallway. This situation reinforces why we strongly discourage holding the door open for others, even if their reason for entry appears legitimate. For similar reasons, we also strongly discourage food deliveries from services such as Uber Eats, DoorDash etc. These individuals are not vetted members of our school community. As demonstrated yesterday, delivery drivers can sometimes be confused about where they are permitted to go. Additionally, lunches are sometimes left on the desk for extended periods of time when students forget to pick them up. Whenever possible, please consider packing your child’s lunch or dropping it off in person. Thank you for your understanding, cooperation, and continued attention to keeping our school community safe.
January 7th-30th : kindergarten registration is open. Please see our school website for more information and to register online. Please tell your neighbours as well.
-January 6th to 31st: Out of Area open in the UGDSB (see board website for details)
Professional Activity Day Description: January 30, 2026 Information for Elementary Parents/Guardians:
Date: January 30, 2026 Length: Full Day Elementary Topics:
● Term 1 Report Cards Entity Hosting: Upper Grand DSB Presenter(s)/Facilitator(s): Independent/Individual Description:
●(225 minutes) - Term 1 Reports as per Collective Agreements
Important Dates:
January 26th & 27th: Dairy Farmer’s Presentation: Grades K-⅚
January 30th: PD Day- no school for students
-February: Black Heritage, Black Brilliance, and Black Futures month
-2nd: Term 2 and Q3 start today
-4th: Students will be in teams and assigned a country that reflects our PMPS community and they will create flags and a team cheer for our upcoming Olympic Play Day
-5th: National Sweater Day: Turn Down the Heat to Conserve
-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
Upcoming Spirit Days:
-Friday, January 23rd: Dress like your favourite animal day! Are you going to be a tiger, a dog, maybe a cat, or…….? Let’s create our own PMPS animal kingdom
-Thursday, Jan. 29th: Division colours: JK/K, Gr. 1,2,and 3: BLUE Grade 4,5,and 6: RED Grade 7 and 8: BLACK Staff: Tye Dye
Notice of Guest Speaker, School Wide: Great news! We’ve been able to secure a Paralympic gold medalist to speak to our students. I’ve included a link to information about this athlete. I’m truly excited for our students—he brings an incredible message of resilience, hard work ,his life story (including leg and lung cancer) and the Olympic experience. https://paralympic.ca/athlete/andrew-haley/
A big thank‑you to our wonderful School Council for allowing us to use our PRO Grant to support this opportunity, as it strongly promotes inclusivity within our school community.
The presentation will take place virtually on February 12th from 11:15 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. This format greatly reduced the speaker’s cost, and he has also generously lowered his fee further knowing we are a school and recognizing the limitations of school budgets. We are excited to welcome Andrew Hayley to PMPS!
We have a great day of learning and fun planned on Friday! Take care.
Andrea Papavasiliou, Principal
In an effort to support Mrs. Mckenzie and ensure Safe Arrival procedures are completed in a timely manner, we will be sending out a mass phone call and text message to families whose child has not been reported absent for the day.
If you receive this phone call or text, please contact the school immediately so that we can confirm your child’s whereabouts.
Thank you for your cooperation and continued support in keeping our students safe.
Sincerely,
Andrea Papavasiliou
Principal
Jodie Mckenzie
Office Coordinator
#BlackHistoryMonth #BHMCanada #BlackBrilliance
Energy Drinks: We would like to bring to your attention a concern we have noticed during the school day. Some students have been coming to school and/or returning from second lunch with highly caffeinated energy drinks. While these beverages are widely available, they are not recommended for children and adolescents. High levels of caffeine and other stimulants can lead to side effects such as increased heart rate, headaches, stomach discomfort, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and disrupted sleep. These effects can significantly impact students’ well-being and their ability to learn and self-regulate. Given the age of our students, energy drinks will not be allowed to be consumed in class. If students arrive with these drinks, they will be asked to put them away. We appreciate your support in reinforcing healthy choices by encouraging students to bring water, milk, or other appropriate beverages to school. Our shared goal is to create a safe, focused, and supportive learning environment for all students. Thank you for your support. Andrea Papavasiliou, Principal
Good Evening Mustang Families,
It’s been another good week here at PMPS. Mother Nature certainly is making it an interesting winter! Our intermediate students continue to learn from the Family Transition Place presentations, students in grade 6/7, kindergarten, and ¾ snowshoed while embracing winter weather, our curling team had their first practice at the Orangeville Curling Club, and our junior/intermediates have started speech writing. Our grade 6-8 band continues to use their instruments and are making great progress. PMPS is a great place to learn and have fun!
January 7th-30th : kindergarten registration is open. Please see our school website for more information and to register online. Please tell your neighbours as well.
-January 6th to 31st: Out of Area open in the UGDSB (see board website for details)
Professional Activity Day Description: January 30, 2026 Information for Elementary Parents/Guardians:
Date: January 30, 2026 Length: Full Day Elementary Topics:
● Term 1 Report Cards Entity Hosting: Upper Grand DSB Presenter(s)/Facilitator(s): Independent/Individual Description:
●(225 minutes) - Term 1 Reports as per Collective Agreements
Important Dates:
January 26th & 27th: Dairy Farmer’s Presentation: Grades K-⅚
January 30th: PD Day- no school for students
Upcoming Spirit Days:
-January 16th:Dress like a tourist! Get out those fanny packs and cameras, hats, Sunglasses, etc.
-Friday, January 23rd: Dress like your favourite animal day! Are you going to be a tiger, a dog, maybe a cat, or…….? Let’s create our own PMPS animal kingdom
-Thursday, Jan. 29th: Division colours: JK/K, Gr. 1,2,and 3: BLUE Grade 4,5,and 6: RED Grade 7 and 8: BLACK Staff: Tye Dye
Congratulations to the class with 70% participation in our December spirit days - Mrs. Pozniak’s grade 1 and 2 class
Milk & Popcorn Sales: Our wonderful Student Council continues to sell milk. The milk costs $1.25 each and popcorn costs $2.00 Milk sale profits support our Student Council and popcorn sales support our grade 8 grad.
Reminders:
No Bus Days: We Are Open for Learning! A reminder that on no bus days, we are here for learning. A very small percentage of our students are bussed, so teachers carry on with a normal learning day. Our school is open for all who can safely make it here. If your child (ren) will not be attending school, you need to call in their absence please. This helps Mrs. Mckenize with her safe arrival procedures in a timely manner. Thank you for your help with this. If a no bus day falls on a pizza day, we go ahead with our pizza day.
Parking Lot Safety
Please remember that our front parking lot is closed during morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up. This is clearly marked with signage. Parents should not enter the parking lot, park in the special needs spaces unless they have a permit, or stop in the bus loop. Before the break, we had an incident where a parent parked in a designated special needs space without a permit and then pulled out without looking, nearly hitting another parent and child. Safety is our number one priority, and we need everyone’s cooperation to keep our students and families safe.
Additionally:
The bus loop is never to be used for parking. It is a fire lane and must remain clear at all times.
The Town of Orangeville has issued tickets to parents for these violations. The fine is $125, and unfortunately, this is a town matter—I cannot intervene.
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.
Andrea Papavasiliou, Principal
Good morning,
Due to inclement weather, all UGDSB schools including and offices are closed today, Jan 15th/26 to staff and students. This includes PMPS. Students are to shift to remote learning, where possible.
Hello Princess Margaret families,
We want to let you know that we have a selection of new and gently used jackets, snow pants, scarves, and hats are available in our front foyer. If you need something, please feel free to come in and take what you need, but please leave the hangers.
Thank you,
Andrea Papavasiliou
Principal
