Newsletter 

St. Isabel School Community Update

Terry Fox Fundraiser Update

On Friday, October 9th, our St. Isabel students took part in the Terry Fox Walk, Run, Roll to honour Terry’s legacy and support cancer research. 💚

Thanks to the incredible care, support, and generous donations from our community, we surpassed our school fundraising goal and raised $2,360!

A huge thank you to everyone who contributed and to all the families who joined us on October 9th to walk, run, and roll alongside our students. Together, we are keeping Terry’s dream alive!

📸Picture Retake & Class Photo Day - October 21st

All students who were absent on the original Picture Day will have their individual photos taken on Wednesday morning. Class photos will also be taken throughout the day.

If your child already had their photo taken and you would like a retake, please send back the original Proof card on Wednesday along with a brief note explaining what you'd like improved.

Parent Portal Information

Parent Portal School Cash Online - QR Codes to families preferred language access 

Upcoming Community Presentations

Join Hannah Beach virtually on October 19 at 6:30pm for a K–6 parenting workshop on practical strategies to help children thrive. Discover how play builds resilience and reduces anxiety, while learning to address the emotional root of aggression for lasting change.  registration link 

October’s Monthly CSPA meeting will take place on Wed, Oct 28th at OCSB Board Office beginning at 7PM. Learn about the practitioner services offered by the Special Education and Student Services Department and discuss effective  use of School Council agenda templates and a month-by-month to-do list. Register HERE.

Careers Beyond the Screen: The Apprenticeship Pathway in an AI World Parent Evening, with award-winning employment researcher Dr. Jon Callegher, is taking place on Wed, Nov 4th, at St Pius X High School beginning at 6:30 PM. Register HERE!

We are collecting our annual $30.00 Student Activity Fee to support class excursions, guest presenters, workshops, and enriching learning activities throughout the school year. Covering this one-time fee upfront avoids multiple collections later and allows teachers to plan meaningful curriculum events.

Payments are now open on SchoolCash Online, and we kindly ask families to submit them as soon as possible to assist with school planning. If your family is experiencing financial difficulty at this time, please reach out to the main office in confidence.

EQAO Scores

Our latest EQAO results are in, and we are thrilled with our outstanding achievement across the board! Even with such strong results, there is always room for reflection and continued growth.

As we look ahead, we are focusing on strengthening foundational math practices in all grades. We are emphasizing pencil-and-paper math routines to build strong problem-solving habits, while select classes are using M.I.N.D. Math to boost computational fluency (like mastering addition facts and times tables).

To support learning beyond the classroom, we invite families to check out the OCSB Math at Home resources for practical tools, activities, and ways to reinforce math concepts at home. 

⛅Dressing for the Weather

Please help your child dress for the weather! We love getting outside for fresh air whenever possible. Unless it is raining heavily, students will be going outside for recess. Sending your child with a jacket, sweater, hat, and gloves ensures they stay warm and enjoy their outdoor play, even on grey or drizzly days. 

Attendance Matters: Every Day Counts

Every day at school matters! Each missed day means missed lessons, hands-on practice, and time spent growing alongside classmates. While we know children need to stay home when they are sick, having your child present whenever they are healthy builds strong habits and supports their learning. Thank you for your continued support in helping our students arrive on time and ready to learn each day! 

Kindergarten Parents: If you are dropping off your child late (via the kindergarten gate outside) please also stop by the office to sign them in.

🧢Lost & Found Donation – Friday, October 23rd

Our Lost and Found is currently overflowing! If your child is missing hoodies, jackets, or other personal items, please remind them to check the display in the hallway this week.

Any items remaining at the end of the day on Friday, October 23rd will be donated to a local charity. Thank you for your help in getting these items back to their rightful owners!

🎃Halloween & Spirit Week!

With Halloween just around the corner, the countdown is on for parents to find the perfect costume for their children. As tempting as it may be to let kids dress up as anything they want, it’s important to take a thoughtful approach and consider whether a costume is culturally sensitive and appropriate.

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, cultural appropriation is "the act of taking or using things from a culture that is not your own, especially without showing that you understand or respect the culture." Halloween is a fun celebration, and with a little creativity and imagination, families can help their children choose costumes that reflect a culturally respectful approach. By being proactive, we can all help prevent uncomfortable situations at school and in our community—and ensure that Halloween remains a fun and inclusive event where all students feel safe and valued.

As you will see in the following Spirit Week flyer, students will also have the option to dress in fall colours!

Reminder: Please remember to leave masks, face paint, and accessories at home on Halloween dress-up day.

Halloween/Fall Spirit Week!