Bayridge Bulletin - Aug 24, 2026

Welcome to the 2026-2027 School Year, Bears!

Dear Families,

We are excited to welcome you for the 2026-2027 school year! The first day of school for all students is Wednesday, September 2nd. School starts at 9:05 am and staff will be outside ready to greet students at their line up spot beginning at 8:50 am. There will also be vested staff present on the pavement to help students locate their class. Attendance will be taken once all classes head inside with their teachers.

All families will receive an email from their student's teacher on the afternoon of Tuesday, September 1st with class/school information for the first day of school.

Over the summer, various trades people, LDSB facilities services personnel, and our amazing custodial staff (Mr. Klein, Ms. Lyons, and Mr. Corea) have been hard at work! As a result, our school looks amazing - thank you! While you were gone, many school improvements were made:

• New windows (whole school) 
• New roofing (whole school)
• New doors to courtyard with accessible doors
• New courtyards (accessible, leveling, stonework, drainage)
• New flooring (classroom, Kinder cubbies, cozy corner, sensory room)
• New accessible entrance to the junior doors with sloped pavement
• New soccer poles on the junior yard
• New fencing across the primary yard
• New Kindergarten gate openings

And, there are more school improvements still to come this school year!

Main Office

From August 24-September 1, office hours are Monday through Friday 8:30 am - 2:30 pm. From September 2nd onwards, office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:15 am - 4:15 pm. Stop by and say hello to Mrs. Carroll, our office administrator. The office will be covered for an hour throughout the day. You can email us at bayri@limestone.on.ca or call 613-389-6900. Emails and phone messages will be answered within 48 hours. For immediate assistance, please call back and to speak to someone. Bayridge Public School is committed to providing a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment. Harrassment, discrimination, violence, or abuse towards staff will not be tolerated. Please review the LDSB Code of Conduct below - thank you.

Class Placements

Class placements and line-up spots will be communicated to families via Aspen (email) by staff on the afternoon of Tuesday, September 1st. Please note Tuesday, September 1st is a PA Day - there is no school for students. As always, starting class placements are subject to change if actual enrolment numbers require school reorganization. There has been lots of care, consideration, and collaboration with staff when working on class placements.

Arrival & Dismissal

When students arrive at school and are dismissed from school each day, they have an assigned meeting place. A picture of each meeting place will be sent in a welcome letter on September 1st by the classroom teacher. Students should go to their assigned meeting place each morning and stay there until the bell rings and their teacher arrives.  

The field will be available for play during recess later on in the day for junior and intermediate students – they are to remain on the pavement, the climber, or the picnic tables in the morning. Primary students may play on the climber and/or use the pavement before school.

To avoid congestion at the end of the day, we kindly ask that families (parents/guardians, early Kindergarten pick-ups, and non-BPS students) wait on the other side of the white line on the primary yard and on the fields on the junior and intermediate yards. Kindergarten families are asked to wait on the other side of the Kindergarten fence and not enter the yard.   

Only students who are registered through Tri-Board Student Transportation Services are eligible to ride. If your student would like to travel home on the bus with a peer, there is no guarantee this will be possible. Written permission is required from both families to the teacher or the office, and there must be enough room on the bus to accommodate this request.  

Please proceed with caution when dropping off/picking up your student in the parking lot. We kindly ask that you not move the pylons to park and that you “kiss and go” to keep vehicle traffic moving.  

Data Verificaton Forms & Computer Use Agreement

Hard copies of Data Verification Forms will be sent out in September to ensure we have the most up to date information in our Aspen database. If your contact information has changed over the summer, please provide us with an update via email before the start of school. A walking permission form will be sent out the first week via School Day while we wait to send home Data Verification forms. Families who have a student in JK or are new to BPS will receive a secure match key in order to access School Day.

Each year, we require families to sign off on our Computer Use Agreement in order for their students to access technology. This will be sent out on School Day in early September.

Lunchbox Lunch Program

We will be using Lunchbox for our Lunch Program for efficiency of ordering and delivering. The Lunchbox Lunch Program is available Tuesdays through Fridays. Please note, you are not obligated to order. All money raised supports our fundraising efforts for student resources. Although you are welcome to create an account and explore the www.lunchboxorders.net site now, please remember that class placements may change in the month of September as it requests a teacher name when you register. Tuesdays are Smoke ‘N Barrel, Wednesdays are Edo Japan (bowls and sushi), Thursdays are Boston Pizza & Pasta, and Fridays are Gino’s pizza and chicken fingers.  

Food Share Program

We will be offering the Food Share Program to all of our classes. All students can access this program. Please reach out if your student has dietary restrictions. More information will follow about Grade 7 & 8 students leaving school property for lunch on Fridays and the Grade 6-8 breakfast program.

School Supplies

Classroom supplies are provided to all students Kindergarten through Grade 8. Students will need to bring food for two 20 minute nutrition breaks (one in the morning and one in the afternoon), a lunch bag/box, a backpack, and indoor shoes. Indoor shoes are necessary to keep our classrooms clean. Outdoor shoes are not permitted to be worn in the gym for the safety of staff and students. Check the weather in the morning for appropriate dress for the day.

Karate Kids® Lunch-Time Program

The Karate Kids® Lunch-Time Program begins this fall. On Thursday, September 10th from 1:25–1:45 pm, staff from Tallack Martial Arts will be dropping by classrooms to chat with students about the program and hand out registration forms. Please note this program is optional. Karate Kids® will begin the following week on Thursday September 17th from 1:05 - 1:25.

Service Dogs

Only service dogs are allowed on school property - this is standard practice across the Limestone District School Board in order to keep you, your dog, and staff and students safe. Owners with dogs without visible identification will be asked to leave school property. Thank you for your understanding.

We can't wait to see you soon!

Be you, belong, believe, be a bear!

Ms. Stephen, Mrs. Asselstine, and The BPS Team

Medical Plans of Care for Prevalent Medical Conditions

This message is intended for the families of students with prevalent medical conditions(AP 314) where documentation is needed by the school:

Please read if your student is attending Bayridge Public School and has a medical condition. We are here to support students with medical conditions to fully access school in a safe, accepting, and healthy learning environment that fully supports their well-being.

In order to make sure we are able to support the needs of your child, we ask that you take the time to complete the appropriate medical forms that are applicable to each of your children.

All medical forms are accessible through the Limestone District School Board website, click HERE to access all the information and documentation we require you to submit to the school before September 2, 2026. Please email your student's completed medical forms tobayri@limestone.on.ca

Please note the following:

• Form 311 (B, C, D, E) is the Plan of Care, which is required by all students with Epilepsy, Diabetes, Asthma and / or Anaphylaxis. Please make sure to fill out the correct form(s) for your child’s medical condition. This is a fillable PDF document, which you can fill out online and email back to the school email bayri@limestone.on.ca
• Form 311-A General POC
• Form 311-B - Epilepsy Plan of Care
• Form 311-C - Diabetes Plan of Care
• Form 311-D - Asthma Plan of Care
• Form 311-E - Anaphylaxis Plan of Care
• Form 314-A1 is the Authorization and Request for Administration of Prescribed Medication. If your child requires medication during school hours, this form MUST BE completed and signed by the physician. As you will not know the teacher or room number, please leave that blank for the office to complete. Please have the physician email it directly to the school at bayri@limestone.on.ca
• Form 314-A2 is the Authorization and Request for the Administration of Prescribed Medication. This form is for you to sign and give permission to the school to administer the medication indicated on Form 314-A1. If this applies to your child, please sign, and email the form to the school.
• Form 314-A3 is the Authorization and Request for the Administration of an Epi-Pen. This form is only required for students with Anaphylaxis. If this applies to your child, please sign, and email the form to the school.
• Form 314-B1 is the Administration of Medical Procedures. This form needs to be submitted if there is a certain medical procedure that needs to happen during school hours. If this applies to your child, please complete the form, sign, and email the form to the school.

These forms are extremely important for us to receive back from you so that we can support the needs of your child. No medication or procedures can be administered at school without the authorization forms signed and filed at the school.

In accordance with Limestone District School Board Policy, students at risk for anaphylactic reaction, and have prescribed epi-pens, are always to carry an epi-pen on their person. Please ensure that your student has their epi-pen with them and readily available to staff when they are at school. We store the second epi-pen at the main office.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact the school. Thank you in advance for your attention to this important matter. We appreciate you gathering all this vital information and emailing it back to us in a timely manner so that we can fully support the needs of your student during the upcoming school year. Please email your student's medical plan and forms to bayri@limestone.on.ca.

Supplemental Forms:

Click below for necessary supplementary forms needed including:

• Form-314-A1: Authorization and Request for Administration of Prescribed Medication/Medical Procedures
• Form-314-A2: Authorization and Request Form for the Administration of Prescribed Medication
• Form-314-A3: Authorization and Request Form for the Administration of an Epi-Pen
• Form-314-A4: Asthma Management - Request and Authorization for the Administration of Reliver/Rescue Inhaler
• Form-314-B1: The Administration of Medication and/or Medical Procedures to Students: Record of Procedures

Medication (e.g., pills, inhalers, etc.) must be brought in/signed off by caregivers. Please do not send medication in your student's backpack.

We are happy to support families with anything related to students' medical needs, such as plans of care or medication - please reach out.

2026-2027 Student Portal Now Open

The student portal has been updated with tentative busing information for the 2026-2027 school year. Please check the portal HERE for your student’s busing details before September, even if you are not expecting a change.

School Timetable - Balanced Day

Tentative Staff Organization: 2026-2027

The School Advisory Council (SAC) Needs You!

SAC Elections & September Meeting Date

It's that time of year - parents/caregivers! School Advisory Council (SAC) elections for Executive Positions are coming up very soon! The first SAC Council Meeting of the 2026-2027 school year and Elections will take place on Wednesday, September 16th at 5:30 pm. The elections will take place first with the SAC meeting following afterwards.

Please use the link below to submit nominations or drop by the school to pick up a hard-copy nomination form. Nominations are anonymous and you can nominate yourself or someone else for a position. If you are nominating someone, please ensure they are up for the position and have agreed to your nomination. The person you nominate must be available to be present at the meeting. Your nomination does not count as a vote; you must be present to vote. Nominations (for others and self) can be accessed HERE and are due by 12:00 noon on Wednesday, September 16th.

Positions for election are:

Chair/Co-Chair: Represents, works with and provides support to all school community and council committee chairs. This person works closely with the school principal and VP, school staff and parents to enrich the education of all students. Additionally, they preside over and conduct monthly council meetings, set agendas and schedule meetings (in consultation with the VP/Principal). The chair promotes discussion amongst council members and the community, receives and reports on correspondence sent and received by council. Acts as coordinator between the school board and council. Receives documentation from board and keeps council advised of board decisions, activities etc. Supports programs, initiatives and activities led by other council members and contributes to the monthly council newsletter.

Vice Chair: Presides at meetings in the absence of the chair or upon the incumbent’s inability to serve. Responsible for overseeing all sponsored events and programs.

Treasurer: Works with the council and coordinators in developing an operating budget, keeps a full and accurate account of receipts and expenditures and serves as the liaison with the Board of Education. Additional responsibilities include depositing/disbursing funds on behalf of the council, the preparation of monthly financial statements, and the preparation & filing of all necessary financial reports.

Secretary: Attends scheduled council meetings, records, maintains and distributes minutes of meetings, keeps non-financial records of council.

Fundraising Coordinator: Plans, manages fundraising activities of council. Works closely with the treasurer.

Event Co-ordinator: Plans, manages events of council. Works closely with the treasurer.

Volunteer Co-ordinator: Plans, manages volunteer opportunities of council.

Inclusive Education Co-ordinator: Helps ensure that school programs, policies, and community events welcome and support students of all backgrounds, abilities, and identities. Act as a bridge between families and the school to champion equity and accessibility.

Indigenous Representative: This is a newer position with the SAC and will evolve and grow organically.

PIC (Parent Involvement Committee) Representative: PIC is an important advisory group that connects parents with their school board’s Chief Executive Officer and trustees. Attends monthly meetings at the Board Office alongside other PIC representatives and reports back to SAC members.

Member-At-Large: Attends meetings and participates in many aspects of council activities, as prescribed by council. Voting member.

Bingo Representative: (elected in the Spring). Manages all of the Bingo Fundraising, scheduling, and meetings through Play! Gaming & Entertainment for a one year period. 

Everyone who is part of our Bayridge PS family is welcome to attend any of our meetings this year.

We look forward to hearing your voice!

All meetings take place at Bayridge PS from 5:30-7 pm. Our SAC Dates are:

1. September 16, 2026
2. October 14, 2026 
3. November 11, 2026 
4. December 9, 2026 
5. January 20, 2027 
6. February 17, 2027 
7. March 24, 2027 
8. April 14, 2027 
9. May 12, 2027 
10. June 9, 2027 

First Week Schedule

Monday, August 31st

• Summer Break

Tuesday, September 1st

• PA Day (no school for students)

Wednesday, September 2nd (Day 1)

• First Day of 2026-27 School Year - Classes begin for all students - Grade K-8

Thursday, September 5th (Day 2)

Friday, September 6th (Day 3)

• Spirit Day - Wear your Bear Wear: blue or green BPS t-shirt or our school colours to show off your school spirit!

Coming Up

September

• September 7: Anniversary of the London Township Treaty
• September 10: Tallack Martial Arts Visits Classrooms
• September 11-13: Rosh Hashanah
• September 17: Karate Kids® Lunch-Time Program Begins
• September 18: School Bus Safety Presentations
• September 19: Powley Day
• September 20-21: Yom Kippur
• September 22: Grades 4-8 Student Council Indigenous Opportunity / Fall Equinox
• September 25-October 2: Sukkot
• September 28: Fall Photos – Edge Imaging
• September 30: Orange Shirt Day / National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

October

• October: ADHD Awareness Month / Hispanic Heritage Month / Islamic Heritage Month / Women's History Month / K-2 Cyber Awareness Month (Provincial) / Learning Disabilities Awareness Month
• October 1: BPS Open House & Scholastic Book Fair
• October 4: National Day of Action for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People
• October 2-4: Shemini Atzeret/Simchat Torah
• October 16: PA Day
• October 25: Anniversary of the Haldimand Treaty of 1784
• October 29: Individual Retakes & Class Photos – Edge Imaging 

November

• November: Indigenous Education Month / National Indigenous Disability Awareness Month
• November 1: All Saints Day
• November 2-6: Treaties Recognition Week
• November 7: Inuit Day
• November 8: Diwali / Bandi Chhor Diwas / Indigenous Veterans Day
• November 9: Grade 7 & 8 Immunization Clinic
• November 9-15: Rock Your Mocs
• November 13: Progress Reports & COLs to Families  
• November 16: Louis Riel Day
• Novemeber 20: PA Day
• November 24: Birthday of Guru Nanak Dev Ji

December

• December 4-12: Hanukah
• December 9: Big Bear Creek Land Claim Anniversary
• December 21: Winter Solstice
• December 24: Christmas Eve
• December 25: Christmas

January

• January 4: National Ribbon Skirt Day
• January 15: Birthday of Guru GObind Singh Ji
• January 29: PA Day

February

• February 6: Lunar New Year
• February 7-March 8: Ramadan
• February 10: Ash Wednesday
• February 12: Term 1 Report Cards & COLs to Families
• February 14: Have A Heart Day / National Day of Remembrance for MMIWG2S+
• February 21: International Mother Language Day

March

• March 9: Anniversary of the Longwoods Treaty
• March 9-10: Eid-ul-Fitr
• March 20: Nowruz (Ismailis) / Nowruz / Spring Equinox / Two-Spirit Celebration & Awareness Day
• March 21: Naw-Ruz
• March 22: Holi / World Water Day
• March 22-23: Purim
• March 26: Good Friday
• March 29: Easter Monday
• March 31: National Indigenous Languages Day

April

• April 1: Graduation Photos – Edge Imaging / Anniversary of the Simcoe Deed / Treaty 3½
• April 14: Vaisakhi
• April 21-29: Pesach/Passover
• April 21-May 2: Ridvan
• April 22: Mother Earth Day
• April 23: PA Day
• April 30: Holy Friday

May

• May 5: Red Dress Day / National Day of Awareness for MMIWG2SLGBTQQIA+ Peoples
• May 10: Bear Witness Day / Spirit Bear's Bearthday
• May 16: Eid-al-Adha / Moose Hide Campaign Day
• May 19: Anniversary of the McKee Treaty of 1790
• May 20: Wesak
• May 27: Discover Kindergarten 4:30-6 pm & Scholastic Book Fair
• May 31: PA Day

June

• June: National Indigenous History Month
• June 3: Anniversary of the Final Report of the National Inquiry into MMIWG 10-12: Shavuot
• June 6: Anishinaabe Giizhigad / Anishinaabe Day / Blue Jean Jacket Day
• June 14-15: Ashura
• June 21: National Indigenous Peoples Day
• June 25: Term 2 Report Cards & COLs to Families
• June 29: PA Day

Concussion Protocol

LDSB is committed to helping all students succeed and lead safe, healthy, and active lives. As part of its commitment to student safety, injury prevention, and well-being, the Ministry of Education supports concussion awareness, prevention, identification, management, tracking, and training in schools through legislation, policy, and resources. Click HERE for more information on the LDSB website.

The office calls home for all students who have a head injury/suspected concussion. If a student has one or more symptoms of a concussion they are given an orange bracelet are will not particiapte in physical activity (i.e., physical education, DPA, recess) until cleared (signed off) by a caregiver and/or medical professional. We encourage all students with symptoms of a concussion to be picked up from school and monitored by a caregiver and assessed by a medical professional.

Click HERE to read the Flow Chart.

Cell Phones in Schools

We encourage students and families to use the office phones whenever possible, if they need to contact each other throughout the school day. However, we understand that there are certain circumstances in which a cell phone may be deemed necessary.

When can students use a mobile device: If a student is in Grade 6 and below, they can bring a mobile device to school but will only be able to use it before and after school.

If a student is in Grades 7-12, they must keep their personal mobile devices stored out of sight (i.e., in the teacher's locked closet) and either powered off or set to silent mode during instructional time, except when an educator grants explicit permission for use under the specified circumstances.

What parents/caregivers can do: You can teach your student about finding a healthy balance in using technology by limiting screen time at home. You can also:

• Read Media Smarts’ tips for managing your kids’ screen time
• Explore Centre for Addiction and Mental Health’s (CAMH’s) services and resources if you have concerns about your child’s use of technology
• Explore School Mental Health Ontario resources to help you manage your child’s screen time

Student Clothing

The Limestone District School Board is committed to upholding human rights and creating an equitable, inclusive, and accessible school climate that ensures all students and staff feel safe, comfortable, and accepted. Administrative Procedure 352: Student Clothing has been updated to reflect this commitment.

The Student Clothing Administrative Procedure will be applied in a fair and consistent way throughout schools in the LDSB in an effort to respect student clothing decisions within parameters and in accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code.

Student Accident Insurance

The Limestone District School Board 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.

Each year a Student Accident Insurance Plan is made available to all students on a voluntary basis. The plan provides protection for dental damage due to accidents, fracture benefits and other important coverage, which are not covered under the Provincial Health Plan. Some parents may have dental plan coverage through their workplace but many of these plans are limited in one way or another, while this accident coverage is not. You should compare plans to make sure you have the coverage you need or desire.

In making this plan available, the Board wishes to make its position clear in the matter of insurance. Under the Education Act, the Board is not permitted to provide insurance coverage for accidents to pupils, therefore, the Board recommends consideration of this plan to any parent who wishes to obtain this kind of insurance. Although the policy has all the advantages of a group plan, it is essentially a direct contract between the parent and the insurance company.

A family plan is also available for three or more students which permits the enrolment of students in the family who are attending schools outside the jurisdiction of this Board as long as at least one child in the family is attending a school within the Limestone District School Board.

If you wish to subscribe to this insurance, you may do so by completing the form handed out to students the first week of school and mailing it directly to Reliable Life Insurance Company in the stamped envelope provided. Or, for your convenience, you may purchase directly online at www.insuremykids.com.

Human Development & Sexual Health

Parents/guardians play an important role in their children’s learning. As such, the Ministry of Education requires the Limestone District School Board to inform parents/guardians when instruction related to Human Development and Sexual Health will occur. Please read the list of expectations by grade before exempting your student from this strand in the Ontario health curriculum using Form 325-B.

Form 325-A - Notice of Period of Instruction Grade 1 to 8

Form 325-B - Exemption Letter Parent Request

Form 325-C - Principal Acknowledgement of Exemption Request

Form 325-D - List of H.D. and S.H Instruction Expectations by Grade

Creed-based Accommodations

LDSB is committed to fostering an inclusive learning environment that promotes acceptance and protects freedom of creed for all individuals. This Administrative Procedure stipulates the process of requesting creed-based accommodation. LDSB will take all reasonable steps to ensure freedom of creed-based beliefs and practices consistent with the Code. It is expected that students and their families will help the Board to understand their creed-related needs and will work with the Board and its schools to determine appropriate and reasonable accommodations. Should your student require a creed-based accommodation, please reach out to the school to set up a time to meet and complete Form 106A: Creed-based Accommodation Request Form. More information can be found HERE.

School Trips and CPICs for Volunteers

Throughout the year, we may ask for parent/guardian volunteers on school trips or for various classroom and school activities. The wait time for obtaining a CPIC (background check with vulnerable sector screening) can be lengthy. As such, if you think you would be willing to assist with a trip or school event in the future, please consider obtaining a CPIC with vulnerable sector screening, beforehand.

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 HERE.

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.

Safe Arrival - Reporting a Student's Absence

There are three 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

**Always enter "lates" as a full day even if the child will only be absent for half a day. It will adjust automatically once the student arrives.
For more information on how to report an absence please watch the video below or contact Mrs. Carroll in the office.

Resources for Families

Order 'Bear Wear' Online

Bear wear is always available to families - order online here!

We Have an Early On Centre at Bayridge PS

Get more information on LDSB's website about the Early ON Child and Family Centre located in Bayridge PS.