Principal Update
Dear Families,
As September ends and October begins, we will recognize two important events. This week is National Truth and Reconciliation Week and on Tuesday September 30th we will recognize Orange Shirt day. On this day we are reminded of our responsibility to engage intentionally in learning about the Residential School System and the true history of relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in what is currently known as Canada. This is a day to honor the children who never returned home, to stand with Survivors, and to commit to reconciliation in our classrooms and communities. We will finish our week with the Terry Fox Walk/Run/Roll event for Cancer Research on October 3rd. More information on how to donate to this important cause is below.
We saw so many of our families at our Open House in September. The excitement of our students sharing their learning spaces with families is always wonderful to see. Our School Advisory Council held their first meeting of the school year this past month and school picture day took place. If you missed picture day, Picture Re-take day will be on November 19th .
Halloween is fast approaching! As some families may be heading out over the next few weeks to select costumes for Halloween, we wanted to offer these questions to help guide your child/children in their choices. Certainly, these questions would also be guiding principles for any "spirit day" that would involve costumes throughout the year. It is essential within our scope of providing a safe and welcoming place for all students to learn that we are mindful in all areas of our programming.
- Is my costume depicting and perpetuating a stereotype or stigma associated with a particular race, culture or religion?
- Does my costume include a replication of a garment that is a significant component of a particular religion or culture of which I do not identify with?
- Is my costume depicting a historical time-period where that look/costume is now considered offensive and discriminatory?
- Can I look in the mirror and confidently say that my costume choice would not be considered offensive to a particular race, ethnic origin, gender or religion?
Thank you for supporting these conversations at home. We are looking forward to a fantastic month ahead.
Yours in Education,
Jennifer Osborne, Principal
TERRY FOX RUN, WALK, ROLL 2025
On October 3rd, staff and students will be taking part in the Terry Fox's Marathon of Hope.
We are honored to support and continue the legacy of Terry Fox! We are proud of this tradition at our school and are looking forward to learning more about Terry Fox through various classroom activities and raising funds for cancer research. Through our participation, we hope to encourage leadership in our students and create positive agents of change in our wonderful school community.
Any amount of donation is greatly appreciated. To donate, visit: www.terryfox.org and follow the instructions below. It’s fast, easy and donors get a receipt immediately by email.
1. click “Terry Fox School Run”
2. click “Donate to a Student/School”
3. Enter the name of your school "Newburgh Public School" and follow the prompts to donate
Donations will be accepted until October 3rd.
We are very excited to be a part of this year’s Marathon of Hope. This is our opportunity to make a difference in the lives of those suffering from cancer. We hope you will join us!
Our first School Advisory Council meeting and election for Executive Positions was held on September 17th. Here are your 2025-26 SAC executive members:
Chair: Stephanie Cornish
Secretary: Patty McDermaid
Treasurer: Maria Evans
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.
Our next meeting we will take place on Wednesday October 15 @6:15
Newburgh Daily Timetable
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 |
October Important Dates
Tuesday, Sept 30 - Senior Soccer Tournament/ National Day of Truth and Reconciliation - Consider wearing an orange shirt
Friday, Oct 3 - Terry Fox Walk/Run
Monday, Oct 6, Oct 27, and Nov 3 - Grade 3 Swim to Survive
Wednesday, Oct 8 - Fire Department Presentation
Friday, Oct 10 - PA Day
Monday, Oct 13 - Thanksgiving Holiday
Wednesday Oct 15- SAC meeting
Thursday, Oct 16 - IEP go home for students
Monday, Oct 20 - Grade 4/5 Class Trip
Wednesday, Oct 22 - Dental Screening for JK/SK/Grade 2 classes
Friday Oct 31 - Hallowe'en
Newburgh Pizza Days
Newburgh School will be offering pizza lunches a few times each month. Monies raised will go back to the school to support students. If you would like your child to participate, pizza can be ordered through School Day for $3.50.
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.
October 8- Pizza Day
October 22-Pizza Day
November 5 - Pizza Day
Important Information
Emergency Procedures
Our Newburgh students will be practicing safety drills throughout the month of September. We will prepare our students and staff for fire safety and emergency procedures like hold and secure and lockdown drills. The Fire Department will visit our school October 8 to see our Fire evacuation in action and give a Fire Prevention Presentation in the gym for students.
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.
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
DATA VERIFICATION
Carefully review this information and make updates and/or corrections as necessary. Please return to your child’s teacher as soon as possible.
STUDENT ACCIDENT PROTECTION PROGRAM
The Limestone District School Board makes available Student Accident Insurance. Various affordable plans are available. Parents may enroll on-line at www.insuremykids.com or by completing the Student Accident Insurance package and mailing it directly to the company. Please note: participation in extra-curricular athletic activities requires parent signature verifying student accident insurance coverage through some insurance carrier.
AGENDA BOOKS
Agendas are provided by the Newburgh Public School to students in all grades to help students stay organized and instill a sense of responsibility. The expectation is that students record their homework and important events in their agenda daily,. Each night parents should confirm that homework has been completed by signing. Teachers will check the agendas for correspondence from parents.
MARTIAL ARTS LESSONS!
Terry Langevin Educational Systems is offering classes starting on Tuesday, September 9th during the lunch break (11:45-12:45). Please contact the office for a registration package.
GUITAR LESSONS
Guitar lessons will resume at Newburgh in September. Private 30 minute weekly lessons are being offered by experienced music teacher, Erika Hase. Lessons are $28. If interested text Erika Hase at (343)989-1579
BUS INFORMATION
Students may ride an alternate bus home to a friend’s house providing there is room on the bus and they have a note approved by the school. Please record in the agenda and include in your note the person’s name and address of the intended destination and bus number.
ALLERGEN AWARENESS
Thank you for packing nut-free snacks! Please communicate with teachers before sending any treats in for your student's class.
CPIC
If you intend to volunteer in any capacity this school year, please complete a CPIC via the OPP website. Please feel free to pick up a form from Mrs. Clement. It is free of charge if you are volunteering with the school.
TRI-BOARD TRANSPORTATION
If your child rides the bus, Tri-board should have sent confirmation of your child's route. If you were on a bus last year at the end of the year, you are set up for busing this year. You can also sign up for bus status alert emails at the Tri-board website to ensure you are notified of any late runs or cancelled routes.
If you are new to Centreville Public School and require transportation, you will need to fill out the bus form at https://triboard.ca
STUDENT ACCIDENT PROTECTION PROGRAM
The Limestone District School Board makes available Student Accident Insurance. Various affordable plans are available. Parents may enroll on-line at www.insuremykids.com or by completing the Student Accident Insurance package and mailing it directly to the company. Please note: participation in extra-curricular athletic activities requires parent signature verifying student accident insurance coverage through some insurance carrier.
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.
Click HERE to read the LDSB Concussion Flow Chart.
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/
