February 24th, 2025

Dear families and caregivers:

Again, things have been busy here at Blair Rd PS. I have had to be away more often that I would like to on some mandatory Human Rights Training, but this is now done, which allows me to be back to a more regular sense of routine by being in the building more regularly.
Please see some updates below. Looking forward to our last week of February!
Have a wonderful week,
Ms. Carolina Miranda

Our School is a Polling Station on February 27th:  

As you may know, Blair Rd PS will be hosting a polling station on Thursday, February 27, 2025. Our school will remain open on election day and as always, measures will be taken to ensure everyone’s safety. Voters will need to line up outside and the Elections Ontario staff will manage the flow of community members. As we have seen in previous years, the voter turnout during school hours is usually lower than in the evening. We ask our community members to be patient, as we support all efforts to ensure a safe and efficient election experience for everyone involved. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Students will be enjoying a Play by our Drama Club this week:

This week our Drama club is putting on a performance about Kindness to all of our students. I am looking forward to watching the performance myself, as Kindness is one of our Blair Bandits Character Traits. All parents of students involved in the Drama Club have also been invited to attend.

Pink Shirt Day is on Wednesday, February 26: 

The Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) invites all students, staff, and community members to wear pink and show their commitment to creating safe, positive and inclusive school environments. By wearing pink, we send a message of support and stand together against bullying.  Pink Shirt Day is an opportunity for us to come together and make a difference in the lives of those around us.  Having students experience a caring learning environment that addresses their well-being is crucial to their:

  • Development
  • Sense of belonging

We recognize and appreciate the relationship between student mental health and academic success. Pink Shirt Day is an annual anti-bullying campaign that has grown across Canada and around the world as a way to symbolize bullying will not be tolerated. To learn more about how Pink Shirt Day began in Canada, visit the Pink Shirt Canada website. Together, let’s stand up for WRDSB students, friends, loved ones, and everyone else around us who has been a victim of bullying. Participate in Pink Participating is easy! You can wear pink: 

  • In your hair
  • As a piece of clothing
  • As a cool accessory
  • Even a pink background picture for your virtual learning environment

It is one small way you can positively contribute to the well-being of those around you.

Skating Races is on Friday, February 28th: 

The 93rd annual Galt Skating Races are being held on the evening of Friday, February 28. The races run from 7:00 pm until about 9:30 pm. Everything is organized for the evening event (thanks to Mr. Bolton and Mrs. Ellis), and we have parents who will be organizing things at the rink (getting jerseys on kids, putting race stickers on kids, ensuring kids are ready for their races……). We look forward to see our students in action! Tickets will also be sold at the door for $2.00.

Bus Safety Presentation last week: 

Last week our students had a great time watching a presentation on Bus Safety. In partnership with Student Transportation Services of Waterloo Region, your school board and the Ministry of Education, Intertrain offered us a bus rider safety programs for this school year! Each presentation was 30 minutes in length, in the gym and the students met their robot bus – which was definitely a highlight of the presentation!

Roland Bibeau – French Concerts were a huge success!

Last week we had Roland Bibeau perform for our students in the gym. He has been writing and performing English music for children and their families for the past 25 years. To make a long story short, one day he met singer song-writer Étienne, started using the French language he had learned as a child and is now able to put on French concerts. The concert was a huge success and our students had a blast! Thanks to Mme. Pasel for this wonderful opportunity.

Code of Conduct: 

A reminder that all of our WRDSB schools have a code of conduct posted on all of our doors. It is an expectation that anyone involved within our school community will observe and follow this code of conduct. Please take a moment to get familiar with it if you haven’t noticed it posted by our doors yet or visit ontario.ca/schoolrules to learn more about the Provincial Code of Conduct.

Ramadan Begins on Saturday:

First of all, happy Ramadan to all of our students and families celebrating it. If your child needs an alternative environment during our nutrition breaks, please don’t hesitate to contact us so that we can accommodate them.

Pizza Orders Now Open on School Day:

Pizza orders are now open for the month of March.

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: 

  • Canada’s Human Trafficking Awareness Day, February 22, 2025
  • Mahashivaratri, February 26, 2025
  • Pink Shirt Day, February 26, 2025
  • Losar, February 28, 2025
  • Ramadan, February 28-March 29, 2025