Diploma Pickup

Graduating student diplomas/awards will be available for pickup at the school on Monday, July 8th. 

If you are not able to pick up your diploma/awards on the scheduled date, please contact the main office to arrange a date for pickup when the office is open.

Thanks very much & congrats grads!

Weather Conditions

Hot and humid conditions are expected next week.  Hot and humid air can bring deteriorating air quality and can result in the Air Quality Health Index approaching the high-risk category. The risks are greater for young children, pregnant women, older adults, people with chronic illnesses and people working or exercising outdoors. Effects of heat illness include: swelling, rash, cramps, fainting, heat exhaustion, heat stroke and the worsening of some health conditions. Staff and students should drink plenty of water even before feeling thirsty and stay in a cool place.Those working outdoors should take regularly scheduled breaks in a cool place.

For more information:

Keep children cool! Protect your child from extreme heat

Extreme Heat (WDGPH)

Outdoor air quality (WDGPH)

Download the WeatherCAN app to get local warnings issued by Environment Canada, including:

•       heat warnings and
•       air quality health index (AQHI) notifications (check your app settings to add this feature)
•       Check Environment Canada’s map for current alerts
•       Know the signs of heat-illness and how to respond
•       Be familiar with the health messages for different AQHI readings

Link to WDGPH Extreme Heat Reminders:

Policy 521 Admission and Registration – Public Consultation and Policy Feedback

Public consultation on this new draft policy is now open.  Feedback will be received until July 12, 2024 at 4:00 p.m. EST.  Policy 521 Admission and Registration

This new policy addresses the registration process for students attending UGDSB schools and outlines how students may be able to attend a school that is different than their designated home school or who reside outside the jurisdiction of the Upper Grand District School Board. Under this policy, applications for Out of Area (OOA) and Out of District (OOD) attendance will be limited to those schools which are designated annually as being “open” to new OOA and OOD students. This change in process will allow enrolment to be balanced across the board’s schools and help to ensure an efficient use of space while supporting the board’s long-term accommodation planning.

A change in the approvals process for OOA and OOD attendance will see those students who are approved being permitted to remain at the same school until graduation or for the remainder of grades at that school. This will support stability and continuity for these students and families. This policy will replace Policy 501 – Out of Area and Out of District Attendance and there will be multiple procedures developed to operationalize this policy.

June Communications Newsletter

In this month’s issue we have information about:

• National Indigenous History Month
• Pride Month in the UGDSB
• Every Day Counts! Student attendance tips for families
• And more!

Download the newsletter here: https://www.ugdsb.ca/community/communications/communications-newsletter/

Co-Curricular Gala

Westside Co-Curricular Gala is coming up!

Get your tickets today on School CashOnline – price goes up June 3rd.

Celebrating Pride Month in the Upper Grand DSB

Dear Students, Parents/Guardians and UGDSB Community,

This week, the Upper Grand District School Board is kicking off Pride Month. As we approach this important time, it’s essential that we come together to ensure our schools are supportive, inclusive spaces for all students.

During June and throughout the year, the UGDSB celebrates the joy of identity and recognizes the contributions of 2SLGBTQIA+ students, staff, and families. Every student, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, deserves to feel seen, valued, and respected.

To mark our commitment, the Pride Flag will be flown at every school and workplace across the UGDSB, with flag-raising ceremonies planned. However, Pride Month is about more than just symbols. Our schools will host a variety of events and activities to celebrate diversity, promote understanding, and ensure inclusivity.

Pride Month activities are for everyone and demonstrate our commitment to human rights and creating a safe environment for all students. It’s important that we recognize the diverse experiences within the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and work to make every student feel comfortable expressing their authentic selves.

Let’s make our schools places where every student feels accepted, valued, and celebrated for who they are.

Wishing you all a wonderful Pride.

Sincerely,

Ralf Mesenbrink
Chair of the Board

Peter Sovran
Director of Education

Alicia Ralph
Human Rights, Equity and Accessibility Commissioner

Important Information about Busing for the 2024-25 School Year From STWDSTS

Newsletter https://stwdsts.ca/newsletter/

First Rider Program https://stwdsts.ca/first-rider-program/

Opt Out https://stwdsts.ca/opt-out-of-busing/

Parent Portal Subscription https://stwdsts.ca/parentportal/

Eligible for the Bus? https://www.findmyschool.ca/TransportationEligibility

Please note that parents will not be able to access their Parent Portal Student Info for NEXT YEAR busing, until August 20, 2024. 

Please also note that once school starts in September, it can take 5-10 business days to arrange busing.  We have a call centre who helps us field calls and we do our very best to assign students as quickly and safely as possible.  Please do not provide parents with my email address or my direct extension during startup.  They will need to call through our main line 519-824-4119 and talk to our call centre.  Please be aware there will be changes to busing for the Fall and so families are asked to check their busing information in August and frequently after that as minor changes to scheduled bus stop times can occur throughout the course of a school year. We also ask that students are waiting 5-10 minutes prior to their pickup times as drivers will not wait for students who aren’t at their stop on time.

UGDSB policy updates for May 2024

At the May 14, 2024, Board Meeting, the following policy items were approved:

• Policy 406 – Health and Safety (annual review; no change)
• Policy 417 – Violence in the Workplace (annual review; no change)

The following policy was rescinded:

• Policy 113 – Director of Education Performance Appraisal

The following new draft policy was released for public consultation until July 12, 2024:

• Policy 521 – Admission and Registration

This new policy addresses the registration process for students attending UGDSB schools and outlines how students may be able to attend a school that is different than their designated home school or who reside outside the jurisdiction of the Upper Grand District School Board.

This policy will replace Policy 501 – Out of Area and Out of District Attendance.

You are invited to review the policy draft and submit online feedback at www.ugdsb.ca/board/policy. The deadline for public input is July 12, 2024 at 4 pm EST. Persons without internet access may call 519-822-4420 (or toll-free 1-800-321-4025) ext. 544 to request a printed copy of the draft document.

All policy document are available on the board website (www.ugdsb.ca/board/policy/).

For more information on all policy items, please see the Policy & Priorities Committee Report that is attached to the May 14th Board meeting agenda.

Transportation Newsletter Fall 2024

The newsletter has lots of helpful information to plan for students transportation starting in fall 2024.

STWDSTS 2024-2025 NEWSLETTER ENGLISH.pdf

Parents & Caregivers:

On May the 3^rd, the following announcement was made to students in response to numerous community complaints and concerns in and around the school.   Please help reinforce this message at home with your student(s)…

As we welcome the warmer weather, let’s remember to be good neighbors and uphold our commitment to creating a safe and respectful environment for everyone. This means refraining from bringing water guns, silly string, or any other objects that could invade personal space onto school property or at any school-related events, both indoors and outdoors. Additionally, let’s ensure that all waste is disposed of properly in the garbage or recycling bins, and that we are mindful of our environmental impact.

Furthermore, for those driving to school, please remember to be mindful of pedestrians and follow all traffic safety laws. Dangerous driving behaviors will not be tolerated and will be reported to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).

Let’s all do our part to promote safety, respect, and responsibility in our school community.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Stay safe and have a great day!

May Communications Newsletter

In this month’s issue we have information about:

• Every Day Counts! Student attendance tips
• Mental Health and Education Week
• Public Health webinar on cannabis and other drugs
• And more!

Download the newsletter here: https://www.ugdsb.ca/community/communications/communications-newsletter/

Letter to families from the Minister of Education on changes to Provincial Code of Conduct

Please see below for a letter from the Minister of Education, to Ontario parents/caregivers. To download a copy of the letter, please click here.

Dear parents,

For the first time in nearly a generation, our government successfully negotiated agreements with all teachers’ unions and averted strikes in schools. This allowed us to deliver on our promise to parents to bring stability to classrooms and keep kids in class.

As kids benefit from three more years of uninterrupted learning, I have heard from many of you, teachers and students alike, about concerns about the alarming rise of youth vaping in schools and the persistent use of cellphones as a distraction from learning in class.

That is why we are rolling out Canada’s most comprehensive plan to counter these threats.

To help reduce distractions in our schools, starting this September, we are denying cellphone usage during instructional time so that students can focus on getting back to basics and learning foundational skills like reading, writing and math.

Our youngest learners in kindergarten to Grade 6, who may have phones, will now be required to keep phones on silent and out of sight for the duration of the day.

For students in Grades 7 to 12, phones can be with the student. However, they will only be permitted during instructional time if explicitly allowed by the educator.

We will also commit to having report cards include comments on students’ distraction levels in class. We recognize that some parents want to communicate with their children during school, and the policies listed above will still permit that during non-instructional time or when an educator gives permission.

When it comes to cellphones, Ontario’s policy is: out of sight and out of mind.

We are also removing social media websites from all school networks and devices to help strengthen in-person relationships, communication and social-emotional skills.

We have also announced a strict anti-vaping policy in schools where parents are immediately informed, and the vapes in a student’s possession will be given up and disposed of. There are immediate consequences for students caught in possession of illegal substances, and Public Health Units can also be engaged to support education, prevention and enforcement, when necessary. We are also providing funding to schools to install vape detectors so they can better enforce these new rules.

We are also increasing wrap-around supports for students to support learning, addictive behaviours and implementation, as well as dedicated training for teachers and supports for 2

parents on how best to manage this change. I encourage you to read the updated Provincial Code of Conduct that outlines these changes.

No matter how strong the policy is, we can’t do this alone.

To truly change behaviour, we are asking for your support and collaboration to hold conversations at home about the new expectations and the importance of respecting school staff and the rules as we head into September.

Change will come when we all work together and stand by teachers, principals, and education workers as they implement these new measures. Your co-operation will help ensure students can get back to basics, focus on their studies, and prepare for the jobs of tomorrow.

By doing so, we restore common sense, where the focus remains on academic achievement and the safety of your child.

Thank you,

The Honourable Stephen Lecce
Minister of Education

Letter to families from the Minister of Education on changes to Provincial Code of Conduct

Please see below for a letter from the Minister of Education, to Ontario parents/caregivers. To download a copy of the letter, please click here.

Dear parents,

For the first time in nearly a generation, our government successfully negotiated agreements with all teachers’ unions and averted strikes in schools. This allowed us to deliver on our promise to parents to bring stability to classrooms and keep kids in class.

As kids benefit from three more years of uninterrupted learning, I have heard from many of you, teachers and students alike, about concerns about the alarming rise of youth vaping in schools and the persistent use of cellphones as a distraction from learning in class.

That is why we are rolling out Canada’s most comprehensive plan to counter these threats.

To help reduce distractions in our schools, starting this September, we are denying cellphone usage during instructional time so that students can focus on getting back to basics and learning foundational skills like reading, writing and math.

Our youngest learners in kindergarten to Grade 6, who may have phones, will now be required to keep phones on silent and out of sight for the duration of the day.

For students in Grades 7 to 12, phones can be with the student. However, they will only be permitted during instructional time if explicitly allowed by the educator.

We will also commit to having report cards include comments on students’ distraction levels in class. We recognize that some parents want to communicate with their children during school, and the policies listed above will still permit that during non-instructional time or when an educator gives permission.

When it comes to cellphones, Ontario’s policy is: out of sight and out of mind.

We are also removing social media websites from all school networks and devices to help strengthen in-person relationships, communication and social-emotional skills.

We have also announced a strict anti-vaping policy in schools where parents are immediately informed, and the vapes in a student’s possession will be given up and disposed of. There are immediate consequences for students caught in possession of illegal substances, and Public Health Units can also be engaged to support education, prevention and enforcement, when necessary. We are also providing funding to schools to install vape detectors so they can better enforce these new rules.

We are also increasing wrap-around supports for students to support learning, addictive behaviours and implementation, as well as dedicated training for teachers and supports for 2

parents on how best to manage this change. I encourage you to read the updated Provincial Code of Conduct that outlines these changes.

No matter how strong the policy is, we can’t do this alone.

To truly change behaviour, we are asking for your support and collaboration to hold conversations at home about the new expectations and the importance of respecting school staff and the rules as we head into September.

Change will come when we all work together and stand by teachers, principals, and education workers as they implement these new measures. Your co-operation will help ensure students can get back to basics, focus on their studies, and prepare for the jobs of tomorrow.

By doing so, we restore common sense, where the focus remains on academic achievement and the safety of your child.

Thank you,

The Honourable Stephen Lecce
Minister of Education

Gr.12 Information

Please see the link below regarding important information & events occurring for grade 12 students.. 

→ Grade 12 Letter To Parents

Every Day Counts! Student Support Week 4:

This week, let’s discuss some things to do if all the strategies you’ve tried so far to encourage regular attendance at school with your child haven’t worked.

• Be consistent! Don’t give up. And know that there are supports for parents if you need them. “Put on your own oxygen mask, before others.”
• There are resources available within schools and community supports if there are other barriers to attendance such as having enough food for lunches.
• Here’s a great resources with existing handouts and evidence based information: https://www.attendanceworks.org/

For more information, please visit the UGDSB website: https://www.ugdsb.ca/parents/student-attendance-at-school-tips-and-strategies-for-families/