The Simcoe Star - October 27th to 30th

HELLO JG SIMCOE PS FAMILIES,

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us for our Glow Dance on Friday night! We loved seeing our Simcoe Stars and their families out for an evening of dancing, fun, and some amazing costumes! The Glow Dance was also an important fundraiser for our school. Funds raised will help us rent school buses for upcoming field trips, making it possible for more of our students to enjoy meaningful learning experiences beyond the classroom.

A special thank you to our School Advisory Committee and JG Simcoe staff for all of their work in making the evening possible. We were also thrilled to welcome back some of our JG Simcoe alumni, now high school students, who generously volunteered their time to help with the event. We love seeing our former Stars continue to give back to their school community! 💙💛

***REMINDERS***

• There is no school tomorrow, Monday, October 26th, due to a PA Day. We look forward to welcoming everyone back on Tuesday, October 27th!
• Picture Day is Wednesday, October 28th!

Thank you, as always, for supporting JG Simcoe PS and helping us create wonderful opportunities for our students!

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THIS WEEK

• Monday, October 26th:
  • PA Day - School is closed
  • Tutoring has been moved to tomorrow night
• Tuesday, October 27th: (Day 2)
  • YMCA Program for Grades 3-5 from 3:00pm - 5:00pm
  • Kingston Bright Futures Tutoring from 3:00pm - 4:00pm
• Wednesday, October 28th: (Day 3)
  • Picture Day! Say cheese :)
  • Grade 7 Off-Property Day
  • Girls Inc. after school (off-site) from 3:00pm - 5:00pm
  • Running and Reading from 2:50pm - 4:50pm!!
• Thursday, October 29th: (Day 4)
  • Grade 8 Off-Property Day
  • Girls Inc. after school from 3:00pm - 5:00pm
• Friday, October 30th: (Day 5)
  • Spirit Day: Wear orange and black to celebrate Halloween weekend!
  • Youth Symposium (see poster at the end of this newsletter)

 UPCOMING DATES OF SIGNIFICANCE

• Tuesday, November 3rd to Friday, November 6th: Tim Horton's Camp In-School Program Visits Older Grades
• Monday, November 16th: Picture Retake Day and Class Photo Day
• Wednesday, November 18th: Grade 6-8 Kingston Frontenacs Game vs. Ottawa 67's
• Thursday, November 19th: Gould Lake for some classes
• Wednesday, November 25th: Dessert Bingo!! 4:00pm - 6:00pm; Snow Play Safety Presentations
• Friday, November 27th: Special Olympics Sports Day at Duncan McArthur Hall

 2026-2027 SCHOOL YEAR CALENDAR

ATTENDANCE MATTERS

JG SIMCOE PS CLOTHING AND SPIRIT WEAR

• School clothing is sold online at this link: https://specialtytrophies.ca/4g/JGSIMCOESTORE/ Items can be delivered directly to the school :)

OPERATION WARM FEET - BOOTS FOR $5!

• Also, please contact us if your student requires a winter coat. We are signing students up for coats now and have a limited amount to disperse as provided by community partners. Thank you!

SALVATION ARMY CHRISTMAS HAMPER

• The Salvation Army Christmas Hamper program partners with community-based organizations, service groups and churches to ensure individuals and families throughout greater Kingston are supplied with the food needed to prepare a festive Christmas meal.
• Throughout the month of November, qualified individuals may complete an application by contacting the Community and Family Services at (613) 507-4151

**NEW** - E-SCOOTERS

• This information was shared by the City of Kingston:
  • E-scooters are easy to find, but they aren't toys and aren't designed for kids. In Ontario, you must be at least 16 years old to ride wherever e-scooters are permitted. 
  • In Kingston, e-scooters are not currently permitted.
  • The City is developing a Micromobility Regulations Strategy — with updated rules around e-scooters, e-bikes and other lightweight, rideable transportation — to support safe, accessible and sustainable travel around Kingston. The strategy, which considers public engagement feedback and research into best practices, will be presented to Council for consideration later this year. 
  • Find out more at Micromobility Regulations | Get Involved Kingston by Communications & Public Engagement.

CAUTION: PLEASE BE SAFE USING OUR SCHOOLGROUNDS

• Please note that JG Simcoe PS is set to receive new drainage and pavement during the summer of 2027
• In the meantime, please use caution when accessing our school grounds due to potential hazards: uneven or broken areas of pavement, poor drainage, potential for ice, etc.
• Please let us know if you observe any additional concerns so we can action them immediately. Thank you for helping to keep our staff, students, and community safe!

SUPPORTS FOR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES

As students navigate the school year, they experience a wide range of emotions and situations. Help is accessible through community resources. We encourage families to check in with their students, offer opportunities to talk if needed, and reach out for support whenever necessary. We also have a Student Support Counselor at our site from Monday-Thursday who can help support your student while collaborating to see which resources will be most useful. Please contact the office with inquiries.

Resources 

• Supporting Your Child’s Well-being 
• Caring for yourself while caring for others. A parent’s guide to self care. 
• By Your Side (parent/caregiver resources to support mental health learning) 
• Maltby Centre 
• One Stop Talk 
• Kids Help Phone 
• 211 

REPORTING ABSENCES

• There are four options for families to use to report a student's absence:
  • SchoolMessenger App on your phone
  • SchoolMessenger website portal
  • call the automated attendance phone line at 1-855-257-9349
  • call the school at 613-544-4087
• On the apps, always enter "lates" as a full days even if the student will only be absent for half a day. It will adjust automatically once the student arrives and signs in at the office
• For more information on how to report an absence, please watch this video: https://youtu.be/IW205rwkYsc

HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND SEXUAL HEALTH EXPECTATIONS

• As part of LDSB's ongoing commitment to transparency and collaboration with families, this message outlines the purpose and distribution timelines for Forms 325-A, 325-B, 325-C, and 325-D, all of which support the implementation of the Human Development and Sexual Health component of the Health and Physical Education (HPE) curriculum for Grades 1-8.
• Families can request to have their child or children exempted from instruction related to Human Development and Sexual Health expectations by completing and returning an exemption form for each child by completing Form 325-B five school days before the start of instruction.
• Prior to instruction, your child's classroom teacher will inform parents/guardians when the expectations related to Human Development and Sexual Health in Strand D will be covered.
• For a more detailed overview of this process, please refer to Administrative Procedure 325: Exemption from Human Development and Sexual Health Instruction (listed under the Policies and Procedures section of the LDSB website), or contact the school.

TRIBOARD

• To apply for bus transportation, please go to www.triboard.ca and click on the "Apply" tab and choose "Apply Online". Please let us know if you require assistance submitting the request
• Sign up on the Triboard website to receive bus delays and cancellations. They will get emailed or text directly to you. This will be especially important during snowy weather.  

MEDICAL PLANS OF CARE

• Our primary goal is to keep our students safe. If a student requires medication at school (daily medication, inhalers, EpiPen, etc.) or if a student has medical needs that we should be aware of (allergies, asthma, epilepsy, diabetes, etc.), please connect with the office right away to complete the necessary paperwork 

 OUR SCHEDULE

INDIGENOUS EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY EVENTS

Last week many students from Gr4-8 helped Little Forest Kingston plant at Starr Reid Park. Everyone helped to plant hundreds of native plants and trees to help create a "Little Forest" for our community.

Each week, we will share our "Words of the Week" (as shared in the image above).

• • To hear the pronunciation click on the word for the audio link:
  • Ojibwe
  • Mohawk (no audio this week)

• Smudging: Each morning, our Indigenous Education Teacher, Cassidy Pilutti, leads a voluntary smudge that is open to any students and staff who would like to participate. Smudging is a traditional Indigenous practice that involves the burning of sacred medicines and is used as a way to cleanse the mind, body, and spirit, encourage positive thoughts, and prepare for the day ahead. We are grateful to Ms. Cassidy for providing this welcoming opportunity for our school community to gather, reflect, and begin the day in a good way.

INDIGENOUS SELF-IDENTIFICATION

• The Limestone District School Board (LDSB) invites students to voluntarily and confidentially self-identify as Indigenous. Elementary and secondary students with First Nations, Métis, and/or Inuit ancestry can self-identify.
• School board self-identification is based on any degree of Indigenous ancestry (Status, Non-Status, Métis citizenship, etc.). Self-identification can be withdrawn at any time. LDSB, in accordance with the Ministry of Education, Ontario, does not require proof of identity to self-identify.
• https://www.limestone.on.ca/indigenous-self-identification

CONCUSSION PROTOCOL

• Every school board has a concussion protocol to ensure the safety and well-being of all students. Please check out LDSB's protocol here: https://www.limestone.on.ca/concussion_protocols
• 2025 11 03 Concussion Code of Conduct for Interschool Sports Parent Guardian
• 2025 11 03 Concussion Code of Conduct for Interschool Sports Students

CELL PHONES

• Just like last year, students are not permitted to use cell phones during school hours (this is a province-wide mandate). If needed, students can use the office phone to call home, and you can call the office at 613-544-4087 if you need to pass along a message to your student 

INSURANCE

• The LDSB requires that students have student accident insurance in order to participate in extra-curricular activities. Before students will be allowed to participate in these events, parents/guardians must confirm their own coverage for items not covered under the Provincial Health Plan, or purchase an insurance plan (www.insuremykids.com)

 ALLERGEN AWARENESS

• Our school is NUT FREE
• Thank you for packing nut-free snacks! Please communicate with teachers before sending any treats in for your student's class, just in class there is a student-specific allergy

SCENT-FREE SCHOOL

• Please note that we are a scent-free building, and all staff and students should refrain from wearing perfumes, colognes, or using strong fabric softener. We have multiple members of our school community who get migraines and/or other ailments when they are around strong scents. Thank you for keeping our community safe!

CROSSWALK

• Please remind students to:
  • dismount their bikes, scooters, and skateboards, and to walk them across the crosswalks
  • hold balls securely when walking across the crosswalks
  • follow the instructions of the crossing guard and wait until it is an appropriate time to cross
  • walk at a normal pace without running or skipping
  • treat crossing guards kindly and with respect
• Thank you!

PARKING

• Please avoid parking in the red or yellow zones as noted in the image below. This will help us keep our students safe :) Please remember to drive slowly through our zone and allows buses time to load students appropriately. Thank you for helping to keep our Simcoe Stars safe!

TECHNOVATION AT QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY

• Technovation@QueensU connects local youth aged 12–18, particularly girls and young women, with Queen’s University student mentors to explore technology and entrepreneurship. Through hands-on workshops and mentorship, students turn a community problem they care about into a technology-based solution, such as a mobile app or an AI project. No previous coding experience is needed.
• Students develop coding and business skills and practise presenting their ideas. They can work individually or in teams of up to five, with the opportunity to enter the international Technovation Girls competition, subject to its eligibility criteria.
• Interested students can sign up now to be notified when 2026–27 registration opens. Please share these links:

1. Get the 2026–27 registration reminder

2. Student registration portal — use once registration opens.

3. Program information and eligibility

SO THANKFUL TO PLAY! CHARITABLE GAMING ASSOCIATION!

• JG Simcoe PS is proud to be part of Charitable Gaming. Funds raised at Play! Gaming & Entertainment Centre help support our programs and make a difference in our community. #CharitableGaming #CGaming #OntarioCharities #Ontario
• Did you know that our school benefits greatly from Play! Charitable Gaming Association? Through Kingston Play!, we can afford sporting and outdoor equipment, additional craft supplies and books, additional Lexia accounts, and more! We are SO THANKFUL to this community partner for supporting our Simcoe Stars in so, so many ways!

 COMMUNITY EVENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES