We hope your summer was absolutely legendary — whether you spent it chasing adventure, sleeping until noon like it was your full-time job, or heroically searching for the TV remote for two straight months. Whatever you did, we hope you did it well. You earned it.

Meanwhile, back at WCW, we did NOT rest. Floors have been scrubbed to a mirror shine, classrooms have been transformed, supplies have been organized, and we have successfully negotiated a peace treaty with the photocopier (terms are fragile — please send good vibes).

And that is not all — we have been busy outside too!  Coat’s Corner, our brand new outdoor classroom, is coming together beautifully and we cannot wait to take learning beyond four walls and into the fresh air. Nature, curiosity, and the odd butterfly taking over the lesson.

Oh — and did we mention the Gaga Ball Pit? That's right. It has arrived. It is magnificent. We are already predicting it will be the hottest spot on the school yard and that recess will never be the same again. If you do not know what Gaga Ball is yet — ask your kids. They will explain it very enthusiastically and probably challenge you to a game on the spot.

To our returning Wolf Pack families — welcome home! You know the hallways, you know the routines, and you definitely know which line at pickup moves fastest. Welcome back. We missed you. Mostly.

To our brand new families — WELCOME to William C. Winegard Public School, where the learning is deep, the community is warm, and the only thing louder than our students is how proud we are of them. You are going to love it here. We promise.

The 2026/27 school year is going to be something special. We have big plans, big energy, and a staff that showed up this week ready to absolutely pour everything they have into this community. We cannot wait to get started.

So lace up those shoes, find that backpack you definitely did not unpack all summer, and get ready — because the Wolf Pack is back in the building.

How Will I Know What Class My Child is In?

Families will receive an email on Friday September 4th indicating the class placement for your child. This communication is being sent centrally to all Parents/Caregivers of students in the UGDSB.  

***PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A TENTATIVE PLACEMENT***

Class lists have been created based on our current tentative school organization. As we head into September, some changes may be necessary to ensure William C. Winegard remains compliant with Ministry of Education requirements. Please note that school organization is determined by the District Staffing Committee of the Board — it is not something that can be adjusted at the school level. If any changes impact your child, we will reach out to notify you directly.

Friday September 4th - Tentative Class Placement Emailed

Tuesday September 8th - First Day Of School

What to Bring to School:

Please keep your child’s personal items to a minimum!  Students are asked to bring the following items clearly labeled with the student’s name:

• Knapsack or tote bag for personal belongings

• Personal water bottle

• Seasonal outdoor wear

• Indoor shoes 

*Personal mobile devices must be stored out of view and powered off or set to silent mode during instructional time, except when their use is explicitly permitted by the educator. 

First Day Procedures - Tuesday September 8th

Morning Drop Off:

• Please drop your child(ren) off at the tarmac area and have them line up at their class line.  There will be staff available on the tarmac to help direct any students.  Class lines have been marked with an orange dot.

• Teachers will be waiting at their class lines at 8:35am – 8:40 am on Tuesday, September 8th.   

• The school day will begin at 8:40am and end at 3:00pm.

• We will have a table setup at the front of the school if you have any questions or wish to drop off medications.

• We are encouraging families to walk, or park on the side streets and limit the use of the drop off zone.   

If your child takes the bus:

• Your child will be greeted by a staff member who will unload buses one at a time.  That staff member will ensure students know where they are meeting their teacher and will support by finding non-classroom staff who are available to help them if they become unsure of where to go.

• For more information, visit the STWDSTS website at https://stwdsts.ca. 

• It is important that bus families register on the transportation website to receive notification of late or canceled buses.

• If your child is now in Gr 7 they no longer qualify for bussing

• If you are opting out of taking the bus, please ensure your choice is updated with Transportation. 

2026/27 Office Team:

Principal - Chris Popofski 

Vice Principal - Ibrahim Akyol (Mondays, Wednesday Afternoon & Fridays)

Office Coordinator - Priscillia Zilio

Office Coordinator Assistant - Ann Rimkus (Monday & Tuesdays)

Class Meeting Location - Class Lines 2026/27

Entering the Building:

Students will enter and exit through the assigned doors.

Late Arrival:

Students who arrive late will come through the front door (Buzzed in) and check in at the office. If there is any communication that needs to come to the office, please call the school at 519 824-3661.  Parents/guardians please remind your child to check into the office before going to the classroom. 

Recess Information:

We will continue with staggered recess breaks and lunch times.  During recess times, students will have full access to the school yard.  

Staggered Recess:

At our school, we implement a staggered recess to ensure a safe and enjoyable break for all students. The first portion of the recess (10:20 - 10:40) allows our Junior students and Kindergartens to play outside, while the Primary students, and Intermediates have their snack time inside. After the first group finishes their outdoor time, they come inside to eat (10:40 - 11:00), while the second group—Primary (Downstairs), and Intermediates—heads outside for their recess. This approach ensures that all students have enough space and time to enjoy their breaks, both outdoors and indoors.  We repeat the process for the second break as well (12:40 to 1:20).

Students who are in split grades across a division (example ¾ - Gr 4 can go out with juniors), will be given the option to which recess they would like to go out.

Recess/Nutrition Break Times:

Nutrition Break 1

Nutrition Break 2

Lunch Procedures:

• Wash hands before and after eating.

• No sharing food.

• Use water bottles and filling stations.  

• Students eat in their classrooms.

• School is nut/scent free

• Students will not be permitted to go off-site for lunch.

Litterless Lunches:

We will be promoting a litterless lunch model and using the boomerang model that helps to reduce garbage in the school.   

End of Day Procedures:

• Students will be dismissed in a similarly organized manner to how they enter the building and classroom with teacher support to reinforce expectations as we build routines. 

• Grade 1-3 students will line up at their assigned class line up location at the bell.  This would be a good meeting spot for a parent/guardian or sibling to pick up.  

• Protocol for bus students:  

  • Students will be directed to the bus lines marked in the foyer to line up with their bus group. If students are outside with their class they will re-enter through their assigned entry door and go to their assigned bus area in the foyer. 

• No unstructured play in the school yard after school

• Students must leave school at the bell 

• After school community program:  

  • Students will leave with the walking students and meet the after school program at the agreed upon location on the hardtop.  

    • Bull Dog outside the front door

    • YMCA just down from the Kindergarten doors

Communication with the School:

Staying connected has never been more important — and we are making it as easy as possible! Every Friday we will be sending out our weekly "5 Things" email — think of it as your Wolf Paw of the week — five key things happening at WCW in the upcoming week that you will not want to miss.

To make sure you never miss an update, please ensure the school has a current and working email address on file for your family. This is our primary way of keeping you in the loop and it only works if we can actually reach you!

Not an inbox person? No judgment — we get it. All of our communications are also posted to our school website every week, so you can catch up whenever works for you.

Bookmark these links and keep them handy:

🐾 WCW School Website: www.ugdsb.on.ca/winegard

🐾 UGDSB Board Website:www.ugdsb.ca

Classroom teachers will be using Google Classroom to support home and school communication. Teachers will be providing specific details on this with you.

Access to the School:

All parents and visitors must be buzzed in at the Front Door:

• Sign in at the office

• Wait to be escorted or met by a staff member to go to a classroom 

• Sign out at the office upon leaving

• Visitors/volunteers working with students must have a criminal background check 

• Visitors are bound by relevant school policies

• Privacy should be protected when working with students

• In the event of an emergency that requires the building to be evacuated, assemble at the designated place which is displayed in each room 

Another year, another chance to show the world what this Wolfpack is made of. We are stepping into 2026/27 stronger, more connected, and more excited than ever — ready to take on everything this year has in store. The adventures are waiting, the challenges will make us better, and the achievements are going to make us proud.

Let's make this the best year yet.

Work Hard, Be Kind, and Leave a Positive Paw Print.

The WCW Team