DEAR SIMCOE STAR FAMILIES,
We had a wonderful first full week of school, and students are settling into routines well. Soccer has kicked off, two classes visited the Fall Fair, and the Grade 7 and 8 off-property days went very well. Teachers are eagerly completing beginning of the year screeners and getting to know their new learners. Please see below for some important information, reminders, and upcoming events.
MEDICAL PLANS OF CARE
· If your student requires a medical plan (i.e., Asthma, Anaphylaxis, Diabetes, Epilepsy, etc.) or is required to take medication at school, please follow the link below and have all paperwork completed by your family doctor as soon as possible.
· https://sway.cloud.microsoft/PC6b6O4i3hywfrpX?ref=Link
DATA VERIFICATION FORMS
· Data verification forms have been sent home. Please update phone numbers, email addresses, addresses, and those contacts who have permission to pick up your student from school, as needed. Please have your student return the form to their teacher. Thank you!
SMOKING AND VAPING
· Please do not smoke or vape on school property. You must be 20 metres away from the school. We have many staff and students with asthma, other respiratory disorders, and who are medically fragile. Thank you for helping us keep everyone safe.
THE SCHOOL ADVISORY COUNCIL (SAC) NEEDS YOU!
· Our first SAC meeting of the 2025-2026 school year and SAC elections will take place on Monday, September 22nd, 2025, at 4:00am. All are welcome!
· Positions for election/nomination are:
o Chair/Co-chair
o Vice Chair
o Treasurer
o Secretary
o Fundraising Coordinator
o Indigenous Representative
o Divisional Representatives
· Nominations (for others and self) can be accessed HERE and are due by 12:00 noon on Monday, September 22nd. Email jgsim@limestone.on.ca with any questions
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)
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND SEXUAL HEALTH
· As part of LDSB's commitment to ongoing transparency and communication with families, please follow the link to Form 325-D on the LDSB website. It outlines the Human Development and Sexual Health curriculum expectations 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 (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 the Human Development and Sexual Health expectations 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.
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
SMUDGING
· Starting this week, students will have the opportunity to smudge daily. This is voluntary
· Smudging is a ceremony practiced by Indigenous peoples across Turtle Island (North America). It is done using one or more of the traditional medicines (Sage, Sweetgrass, Tobacco, Cedar) which are lit to smolder to create a smoke to cleanse the body, mind, and spirit. Smudging also clears spaces of any negative energies. Smudges are conducted for a variety of reasons, including, but not limited to during an event, for personal reasons, for a class, or to cleanse a space. It is also important to note that there are no religious views attached to a smudging ceremony.
· The Indigenous community member or staff leading the smudging ceremony will explain the process and how to participate. During a smudging ceremony, participants are asked to sit or stand in a circle, and the smudge bowl is taken to each person in the circle. Every participant can engage in the smudge or can respectfully pass. Participants can draw the smoke over their head to think good things, their eyes to see good things, their ears to hear good things, their mouth to say good things, and their heart to feel good things and walk in a good way. Every individual person will smudge in their own way and that is respected during the ceremony.
· As said above, those who do not wish to smudge are under no obligation to participate and can respectfully pass when the smudge bowl is brought to them. If a student has asthma or a reaction to strong scents, they may wish to pass. It’s important to also acknowledge that smudging is not a practice done by all Indigenous peoples and communities. Community members may decline to lead a smudge if it is not their practice. Likewise, Indigenous students or staff may wish to respectfully decline participating in a smudging ceremony.
· You can find more information here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1E-LV0NPXBiBjGwuM92OKbWHXBHk2P-Ty/view?usp=sharing
ALLERGEN AND SCENT AWARENESS
· Thank you for packing nut-free snacks! Please communicate with teachers before sending any treats in for your student's class.
· We have some staff and students alike who get migraines triggered by strong scents. Please avoid wearing perfume and cologne and using strong scented laundry detergent. Thank you!
LICE CHECKS
· Head lice are common among school-aged children, and early detection and treatment help prevent them from spreading to others. Regularly checking your child’s hair and treating right away avoids unnecessary discomfort or embarrassment. By working together as a school community, we can keep everyone healthy and comfortable. Please reach out to the school if you have any questions or need assistance
THIS WEEK
· Monday, September 15th (Day 4):
o Spirit Day! Wear blue, yellow, or any JG Simcoe PS gear
o You can buy Simcoe swag here: https://specialtytrophies.ca/4g/JGSIMCOESTORE/
o Girls Inc. after school
· Tuesday, September 16th (Day 5)
o YMCA group after school
· Wednesday, September 17th (Day 1)
o Grade 7 Off-Property Day (must return permission form)
o Girls Inc. after school
· Thursday, September 18th (Day 2)
o Grade 8 Off-Property Day (must return permission form)
o Grade 7 Immunization Paperwork Due
o Girls Inc. after school
· Friday, September 19th (Day 3)
UPCOMING DATES OF SIGNIFICANCE
· Monday, September 22nd:
o School Advisory Council Meeting and Elections at 4:00pm
· Thursday, September 25th:
o Terry Fox Run
· Monday, September 29th:
o Bus Safety Presentations
· Tuesday, September 30th:
o Orange Shirt Day and National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
· Monday, October 27th: Picture Day
· Tuesday, December 2nd: Picture Retake Day and Class Photos
· Monday, March 2nd: Grade 8 Graduation Picture Day
COMMUNITY EVENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES
