January 24th, 2025

Dear families and caregivers:

January has been a bit of an unexpectedly busy month, with our students readjusting to school routines. This includes me, and I am hoping to have my newsletters out to you on Fridays from here on.
In terms of school culture and important school related events, our students will be engaged in learning about Black History and Black Brilliance in February. We have purchased the educational resources from the Saidat Show to engage our entire school community in this learning. She has a wonderful YouTube Channel and Instagram page that you can also check out with your children and learn with them as we embark on this journey. I want to remind you that Term 1 report cards go home on February the 10th.
Our staff is currently working hard on report cards, while also planning lots of other wonderful opportunities for your children such as a French concert for students from grades 1 to 6, Grade 6 Celebration, Welcome to Kindergarten event, and so much more!
Stay warm, and have a wonderful weekend –
Ms Carolina Miranda

New Library Page on our Website

Ms Schmidtt has taken the time to update our Library Page on our school website, with clear guidelines around library loan periods, and policies around late books as well. Please take a look by clicking on it. Here is the link.

Attendance Reminders From The Office

The office has noticed an increased number of lates and absences. To help with safe arrival, please inform the office if your child will be absent or late by emailing blr-attendance@wrdsb.ca or calling 519-621-5620 ext 1 before 9:25 AM. Please include the student’s first and last name, teacher’s name, and reason for the absence/late in all messages.Please remember that the parking lot is NOT OPEN for pick up and drop off in the morning as we have buses dropping off students and staff needing to park. Here is our Drive to 5 map provided by STSWR outlining available parking around the school www.stswr.ca/wp-content/uploads/Blair-Road_Parking-MapLayout-updated.pdf

All late students must be signed in at the office. When signing in on the iPad please include the first and last name of the student. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.

Pizza Orders Now Open

Pizza orders for February are now open on School – Day. This ordering period covers 4 Thursdays in February the 6th, 13th, 20th, and 27th. Ordering will close Thursday, January 30thTo order:

  • Click on “Products”
  • Select “Pizza Orders for February”
  • Select EACH date you would like to order pizza and toppings
  • Add to cart

Repeat for each student. Click on your cart to check out.

NOTE: If your child is absent on pizza, they will miss their order that day. The pizza will not be saved or re-distributed to friends or siblings. If you have any questions or concerns about your School – Day account or ordering pizza please contact the main office.

Supporting Families in Need

Our community prides itself in being a kind, welcoming and supportive community. Caring for our students is a top priority for our staff, as well as for our School Council. If your family is in need of either compassionate lunches, or winter wear, or you are aware of a family who is in need of these kinds of supports, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. There are many ways to go about this – you can contact the main office, you can get in touch with me directly via email at carolina_miranda@wrdsb.ca, you can connect with your child’s teacher, or you can reach out to School Council  – we are all here to support one another and care for the students at our school community.

WRDSB Psychology YouTube Channel

At the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB), psychology staff work with students, staff and parents to support learning and development, as well as helping to address mental health concerns. Each school in our system has access to a psychological services consultant who is dedicated to providing assessment, consultation and intervention support. Psychology staff play an integral role in providing a deeper understanding of why a student may be struggling and developing strategies in collaboration with parents and teachers to support their specific learning needs. They have created a YouTube channel with videos such as Understanding Psych Assessments that are for informational purposes. If you have concerns about your or your loved ones mental health, please speak to a mental health professional or your doctor. Have ideas for future videos, comments, or questions? Email us at psychologyvideos@wrdsb.ca

Autism Direct Funding Application

Families residing in Waterloo Region who have a child under the age of 18 with an ASD diagnosis are eligible to apply for Autism Direct Funding to potentially receive up to $500 that can be used in three possible ways.

  1. To cover the cost of summer camp programs (all camp programs are eligible i.e., inclusive and specialized programs)
  2. To pay for Respite support (e.g., to give caregivers a break) or 1-1 support (e.g., Support Worker at a camp program)
  3. To pay for Recreation/Leisure/Skill Development Programs

*Note – Not every applicant is guaranteed to receive funding.  Priority applicants will be those who are not yet receiving Special Services at Home funding. Please click on the link above for further information. 

Art Supply Donations Welcome – Ongoing! 

Do you have extra art supplies at home that are gathering dust? We are excited to announce that our school is now accepting donations of gently used or new art supplies! If you have any paints, brushes, paper, markers, or other materials in excess, we’d love to put them to good use in our classrooms. Our wonderful School Council Co-Chairs have kindly offered to organize and distribute the supplies, ensuring they find their way into the hands of our students and teachers. Your contributions will help support creativity and art education throughout the school.

Donations can be dropped off at the main office, and we sincerely thank you for your generosity!

Community Flyers:

The WRDSB offers community organizations and not-for-profits the opportunity to share information on their programs and services with our schools on our Community E-Flyers website. Each week we will share the most recent flyers shared with the Board in this newsletter in hopes that you share this information with your community if you deem it appropriate.

Dates happening this week: 

  • World Day for African and Afrodescendant Culture, January 24, 2025
  • International Day of Commemoration in memory of the Victims of the Holocaust, January 27, 2025
  • Family Literacy Day, January 27, 2025
  • Isra’a and Mi’raj, January 27, 2025
  • National Day of Remembrance and Action Against Islamophobia, January 29, 2025
  • Lunar New Year, January 29, 2025
  • National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Mosque Attack and Action Against Islamophobia, January 29, 2025
  • Black History Month / Black Brilliance Month, February 1-28, 2025
  • Psychology Month, February 1-28, 2025
  • World Interfaith Harmony Week, February 1-7, 2025
  • Imbolc, February 1, 2025
  • World Hijab Day, February 1, 2025
  • Groundhog Day, February 2, 2025