Dear Families,
As we welcome the month of March, we look forward to the signs of spring and the renewed energy it often brings to our school community. Our students continue to be engaged in their learning, and we are proud of their growth, curiosity, and perseverance both in and out of the classroom.
February was a busy month filled with rich learning opportunities around Black History (see below), classroom activities on Kindness, and opportunities for students to demonstrate responsibility and teamwork. With warmer weather ahead, we hope to spend more time outdoors and encourage students to come dressed for changing conditions.
The planning is beginning for next school year, and our school is exploring a move from a traditional day timetable to a balanced school day, which would include two longer nutrition and outdoor breaks instead of one long lunch and two short recesses. This model is used successfully in most elementary schools in Limestone DSB and offers benefits such as improved student focus, fewer transition times, and healthier eating habits with 3, 100 minute blocks of instructional time. Our school's start and end time would remain relatively the same, with a potential shift by 5 mins at the end of the day due to bussing. No decision has been made yet as we consult with Tri-Board. Any input or questions regarding this potential change to a balanced school day can be sent to our school email nwbgh@limestone.on.ca
Thank you for your ongoing partnership. We wish all families a safe, healthy, and enjoyable month ahead.
Yours in Education,
Jennifer Osborne, Principal, and Tanyelle VanderSchoor, Vice-Principal
Throughout February, Ms. Cotman's grade 6/7/8 class has been recognizing Black History Month by spotlighting influential figures who have made positive contributions to shape Black History. Students have selected a figure who stood out to them this month to make a display to share our learning with the school, in hopes that other students will see our display, ask questions, and learn about new historical figures and their significance to Black History.
What's New!!
School Advisory Council Fundraisers
School Advisory Council has launched another new fundraiser to support school initiatives and student experiences. Funds raised will directly benefit our students and help enhance programs and opportunities across the school. On Saturday, March 14th, at the Napanee Dominos, $5 from every order goes back to the school when you use the code on the flyer. Thank you for eating at Dominos on March 14th!
SAC is kicking off our Purdy's Fundraiser. Order your spring treats through our custom link and up to 30% of your purchase goes directly to Newburgh Public School. Everything is made in Canada and packed at the Purdys Vancouver chocolate factory. Please order by March 10, 2026. Items will be delivered to the school and ready for pick-up on March 27, 2026 - just in time for Easter!
Start shopping: https://fundraising.purdys.com/campaign/000021746
Please share this link with family and friends or use the QR code in the attached poster - they can order directly online!
Kindergarten Registration and Out Of Boundary Registration
Do you have a child ready to start Kindergarten this September? If your child is four- or five-years-old by the end of December (2026), now is the time to register. For more information, please visit limestone.on.ca/kindergarten.
In Limestone, students may be permitted to attend any school within the board when there is available student space, upon submission and approval of the proper application. Please note only one application per student can be processed; please do not submit more than one application for multiple school locations. If multiple applications are submitted, families will be contacted to select which school application they would like processed, and all other applications will be removed from the system.
The board is not responsible for the provision of any transportation for students outside of their regular school boundary area. This applies to both students within Limestone’s geographic boundaries (out of boundary), and students who live outside of those boundaries (out of district).
Important Reminders
When dropping your child(ren) off in the morning, we kindly ask you to drop your child(ren) at the gate with Ms. VanderSchoor and not in the yard area or the front of the school where the buses are unloading. This will ensure a speedy drop-off and allow supervising staff to supervise students in the yard. If you have a message for the teaching staff, please use your child's agenda or contact the school directly. Thank you for your help with this.
Important Dates
All these dates can also be found on our school's website in the calendar section of the website.
Wednesday, March 4 - Grade 4/5, 5/6, 6/7/8 Field Trip
Tuesday, March 10 - Purdy Fundraiser Orders Due
Satureday, March 14 - Dominos Pizza day! Every Dominos Pizza purchase, $5.00 is donated to Newburgh School! Order away!
Monday March 16 - Friday March 20 - March Break - No school for students
Monday, March 23 - Term 2 IEP's go home to families for consultation
Friday, March 27 - Purdy Orders Picked up
Monday, March 30 - Grade 8 Graduation Photos
March 31 and April 1 - Rocks and Rings Curling for grade K-8
Friday, April 3 - Good Friday Holiday- No school for students
Monday, April 6 - Easter Monday Holiday - No school for students
Friday, April 17 - PA Day - No school for students
Upcoming School Presentations
Curling Physical Education Games
On March 31 and April 1 Rocks and Rings Curling Canada will be at Newburgh teaching students in grade K-8 about curling. Egg Farmers Rocks & Rings presented by Curling Canada is an interactive physical education program that transforms your school gym into an iceless curling rink for a full-day workshop. Our programs visit participating schools with unique floor curling equipment that provides a true curling experience. Your students will love learning about curling!
Kingston Frontenacs Discounted Tickets Opportunity
Kingston Frontenacs are offering the families of Newburgh PS the opportunity to purchase game tickets at a discounted price on the following days:
January 30th, February 21st, and March 18th
The If you are interested in purchasing tickets for any of the listed game days, please follow the link below.
https://am.ticketmaster.com/frontenacs/promotional-page?id=MTczNQ==
Newburgh Hot Lunch and Milkshake Days
Newburgh School will be offering pizza lunches and now hamburger lunches! Monies raised will go back to the school to support students. If you would like your child to participate in pizza or hamburger days, each can be ordered through School Day.
When there is a tri-board announcement that all buses are cancelled in the Limestone District School Board and it falls on a hot lunch day, the hot lunch day will be rescheduled. If your child attends school on that day, please prepare them a lunch.
March 3 Pizza Day
March 25 Pizza Day
March 27 Milkshake Day
April 8 Pizza Day
Curriculum Connection
Ministry and Board Resources for Math and Literacy
There are many resources available designed to support your students’ learning in math and literacy, offering engaging activities that can make learning fun and effective for students and families. Visit Limestone’s Online Learning Resources and Tutoring webpage to learn more.
Words Matter
We are thrilled to announce that our school has been chosen to participate in the Words Matter Campaign this year! This year-long initiative is designed to reduce the incidence and impact of harmful and discriminatory language in our school community. Our goal is to create a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment for everyone and gain tools to support your children in using words that uplift and empower.
The Words Matter Project seeks to address the nuances of language that can perpetuate harm, bias, and discrimination. By fostering open dialogue and education about the power of words, we aim to create a culture of mindful communication. This campaign will involve not just students and staff but also parents and caregivers, emphasizing the crucial role that families play in promoting respectful interactions.
School Advisory Council Fundraisers
Our next School Advisory Council meeting will be on Thursday, April 9th @ 6:15pm
Here are your 2025-26 SAC executive members:
Chair: Stephanie Cornish
Secretary: Patty MacDermaid
Treasurer: Maria Evans
Teacher Rep: Olivia Cotman
We warmly welcome all parents to be a part of any and every council meeting, whether you are an elected member or a parent who would just like to listen in and hear more about what is going on at Newburgh PS. Meetings usually include an administrator's sharing component, reports from members in particular positions (treasurer, chairs etc) and some discussion items. Babysitting for school age children will be available.
Your SAC is fundraising with Mabel’s Labels! If you’re not familiar with Mabel’s Labels, they are personalized, durable, waterproof labels. They are great for everything from shoes, clothing tags, water bottles and backpacks. To support our fundraiser, visit campaigns.mabelslabels.com and select Newburgh Public School (ON). You can pick out whatever labels or product you want, and it will ship directly to your house! The fundraiser doesn’t expire, so just keep it in mind whenever you need labels next.
Newburgh continues to offer our families a new secure portal to complete permissions and payments online. With School-Day: Permissions & Payments, you will be able to complete permission forms and payments from any web browser using your SmartPhone, tablet, laptop or desktop.
Through this online portal, you will be able to pay for items such as:
· Field trips
· Sporting events
· Student cards/athletic fees
· Hot lunch (where applicable)
The new easy-to-use portal will remove the risks associated with sending money to school with students, the frustration of lost or missing permission forms, and significantly reduce the amount of paper our school consumes.
If you have not yet signed up for School day, please call the main office and a secure code information sheet will be sent home with your child. Use the instructions in it to sign up for a School-Day account at www.school-day.com and connect to your child’s events and activities.
How Do I Report An Absence
Please use the Safe Arrival system to report your child's absence; do not call the school to report an absence. If your child is going to be absent from learning, please ensure you use the Safe Arrival system to report the absence. If your child will be late, please report a full day absence and then we will sign them in when they arrive. You cannot indicate a half day absence.
How to report your absence:
1. Toll-free telephone
- Call 1-855-257-9349 toll-free to report an absence using the automated phone system.
2. School Messenger App
- Use your mobile device to download and install the free SchoolMessenger blue app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store, the SchoolMessenger website portal, or from within the LDSB mobile app.
- The first time you use the app, you must select Sign Up to create your account. Please ensure you use the same email address your student’s school has on file. If you do not use that same email address, you will not be able to create an account, or may not be able to see the "Attendance" option. You may have already created an account when we introduced the Communicate broadcast system.
- Select Attendance, then select Report an Absence and follow the prompts.
3. SchoolMessenger SafeArrival Website Portal
- Visit the SchoolMessenger website portal.
- The first time you use the app, you must select Sign Up to create your account. Please ensure you use the same email address your student’s school has on file. If you do not use that same email address, you will not be able to create an account, or may not be able to see the "Attendance" option. You may have already created an account when we introduced the Communicate broadcast system.
- Select Attendance, then Report an Absence and follow the prompts.
Important School Information
Time | Activity/learning block |
|---|---|
8:45 a.m. | Supervision begins on the yard |
9:00 a.m. | Entry to school |
9:00 a.m. to 10:40 a.m. | 100-minute learning block |
10:40 a.m. to 10:55 a.m. | Recess |
10:55 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. | 50-minute learning block |
11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. | Lunch (20 minutes) and recess (40 minutes) |
12:45 p.m. to 2:25 p.m. | 100-minute learning block |
2:25 p.m. to 2:40 p.m. | Recess |
2:40 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. | 50-minute learning block |
3:30 p.m. | Dismissal |
Newburgh PS Staff 2025-26
Principal: Jennifer Osborne
Vice-Principal: Tanyelle VanderSchoor
Office Manager: Vicki Clement
(JK/SK) Leah Birk & Chantelle Shook (ECE)
(1/2) Hannah Sutherland
(2/3) Brianna Ziehl (Stephanie McEwen on leave)
(4/5) Ashley Morrow
(5/6) Cathleen Caza
(6/7/8) Olivia Cotman
French: Faith Moore
Student Support Teacher: Tanyelle VanderSchoor
Student Support Counsellor: Jamie Lopes
Special Education Coordinator: Matt Aylsworth
Planning Time Teacher: Karla Tynski
Educational Assistant: Crystal Blanchard
STEA (Short Term Educational Assistant): Jessica Crouse
Head Custodian: Melanie Hagerman
Night Custodian: Sonja Wood
STUDENT MEDICAL PLANS
We ask families to notify the school about their child's emergency medical conditions and complete the Plans of Care linked below. Updated Plans of Care for students with existing medical conditions will be sent home with your child on the first day of school.
https://www.limestone.on.ca/medical-procedures
PHYSICAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION CURRICULUM
The Limestone District School Board (LDSB) is committed to delivering health and physical education to all elementary students, using the Ontario Curriculum: Health and Physical Education, Grades 1-8, 2019. LDSB is committed to building positive school cultures that support student achievement and wellness. The Exemption from Human Development and Sexual Health Instruction, Grades 1 to 8 Procedure (the “Procedure”) was developed in response to the Ontario Ministry of Education’s Policy/Program Memorandum (PPM) No. 162 which requires school boards to develop a procedure that allows for students to be exempted, at the request of their parents/guardians, from instruction related to the Human Development and Sexual Health expectations found in Strand D of the Ontario Curriculum: Health and Physical Education, Grades 1-8, 2019 (the “Curriculum”). Classroom teachers will inform families of the timeline for delivering Strand D Human Development and Sexual Health Instruction, and an exemption letter will be provided. Below is a link to the expectations by grade.
2025-2026 LDSB School Year Calendar
A PDF version of the 2025-2026 School Year Calendar is available online.
Check out the School Mental Health Family Resources following the link below
DON'T FORGET YOU CAN ORDER NEWBURGH WEAR ALL YEAR LONG WITH THIS LINK
https://newburghpublicschool.entripyshops.com/
