Horseshoe Heights P.S. December 2025 Newsletter

Principal’s December Message:

As we approach the end of the calendar year, I want to take a moment to reflect on the wonderful start we’ve had to our school year and the incredible work our community has accomplished so far in the opening of Horseshoe Heights. We are so very proud of the hard work, growth, and positive spirit our students have shown. We are equally grateful for the strong partnerships with our families, which were especially evident during our recent parent-teacher interviews. Your support and collaboration are vital to student success, and we truly appreciate the time and commitment you bring to our school community.

Over the last month, we have had lots of excitement in our athletic programs, including volleyball, basketball, and intramural sports. Our students have shown dedication, teamwork, and sportsmanship as they represented our school in its very first competitive season. A heartfelt thank you to the coaches who have generously shared their time and talents with our athletes: Intermediate Boys Volleyball – Mrs. Flamino, Mrs. Tolley, Intermediate Girls Volleyball – Mrs. King, Junior Boys Volleyball – Mrs. Haughton, Mrs. Evans, Mr. Haughton, Junior Girls Volleyball – Mrs. Crawford, Ms. Young. We are grateful for their leadership and the encouragement they provide our young athletes.

Looking ahead, we are excited for the upcoming concerts that will bring festive cheer to our school community. Our Grade 1–4 students have been preparing enthusiastically under the direction of Mrs. Douglas, and we look forward to sharing their hard work and joyful performances. Our Kindergarten concert is also on the way, and we extend our thanks to our dedicated Kindergarten teaching team for creating such a special event for our youngest learners.

Throughout the month of December, we are also running our holiday cheer drive under the leadership of Mrs. Cain and the Learning Centre students. Thank you to all of our families for your incredible generosity as we work together to support members of our wider community during this season of giving.

On behalf of the entire Horseshoe Heights staff, I extend warm wishes to all of our students, families, and community members for a joyful December. Whether you are celebrating holidays, enjoying winter traditions, or simply taking time to rest and connect with loved ones, may this season bring peace, happiness, and renewal.

Warmest wishes,

Dianna Wright-Drzazga
Principal, Horseshoe Heights School

Important Dates at Horseshoe Heights P.S.:

12 Days of Holiday Cheer Drive continues until December 9^th

December 9 – Holiday Concert for Grades 1-4, 7 p.m.

December 10 – Holiday Concert for Grades 1-4, 11:50 a.m.

December 11 – Parents Night Out Fundraiser, 5 – 7:30 p.m.

December 15-19  All About my Faves Spirit Week

December 22- January 2     Winter Break

You’re invited! Holiday Concerts at Horseshoe Heights:

Please join us for an evening of music and celebration as our students share the joy of the season! Our holiday concert will feature performances by the grades 1, 2, 3 & 4 students, including festive songs, instrumental pieces and a few surprises sure to warm your heart. Come celebrate the magic of the holidays with family, friends and community spirit.

WHEN:  Tuesday December, 9^th 2025 @ 7 pm

                Wednesday December 10^th 2025 @ 11:50

WHERE: Horseshoe Heights Gymnasium

We are collecting donations for our music program at this holiday event as well as on SchoolCash Online. 

A very big Horseshoe Heights Thank You to Chantelle from Breens Lumber for helping with the entire Kindergarten Craft for the Kindergarten Holiday Concert! We appreciate you, Chantelle!

Horseshoe Heights Parent’s Night Out Fundraiser on December 11^th :

Need a little time for yourself this holiday season? We’ve got you covered! Drop off your Kindergarten to Grade 5 students for an evening packed with festive fun, hosted by our amazing Grade 8 Student Leaders with support from Mrs. Flamino and Mr. Cook.

Here’s what’s in store for the kids:

• High-energy dancing in the gym
• A fun school-wide scavenger hunt
• Creative Playdough challenges
• BINGO with prizes
• Pass-the-parcel game
• Holiday crafts and more!

A light dinner of cheese pizza and water will be served.

Students are encouraged to wear their coziest holiday pajamas for extra festive vibes!

Date: Thursday, December 11
Time: 5:00 PM – 7:30 PM
Location: Horseshoe Heights School

Cost: $25 per child ($20 per child for families with multiple children attending)

Reserve your child(ren)’s spot on SchoolCash and give yourself the gift of a relaxing evening while your kids make holiday memories!

This is our School Council newsletter debut! As you might know, council is made up of parents/guardians and educators who are committed to improving the school experience for students. There are elected voting members, but anyone that has a connection to the school is welcome to participate in the monthly meetings. The next one is happening on Monday, December 1 at 6:30 p.m. in the multi-purpose room on the first floor.

Going forward, School Council will be using the newsletter to keep you updated about our ongoing initiatives and key areas of focus. School council meeting minutes are always available under the Parents > School Council tab on the Horseshoe Heights webpage, and if you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact Jeff, School Council Chair, via email at [email protected].

Thank you to everyone who filled out our survey regarding the school yard. School Council is compiling the results from families and staff and will be collaborating with the school to develop a vision for the school yard. Exciting details will come as we plan and prioritize this multi-year project.

School Council is continuously working with the school to identify, prioritize, and fill in funding gaps for our new facility. The school administration has done a great job stretching the initial funding to fill our school with musical instruments, sports equipment, and learning tools, but as we all know, more is still needed. As you’re preparing for Christmas, please consider supporting Horseshoe Heights through some of these initiatives:

• FlipGive allows you to purchase physical and online gift cards with a 1-6% kickback to our school. Shop here: Horseshoe Heights FlipGive

• Mabel’s Labels gives the school 20% back on your online purchases. Shop here: Horseshoe Heights Mabel's Labels, select Fundraising > Support a fundraiser > and search for Horseshoe Heights

• Epicure helps with season your dinner and returns a 15% commission to the school. Shop here: HHPSEPICURE

Thank you to all the families who participated in the silent auction during teacher interview week. We raised $3,400 from the bids! We will update you on the success of the poinsettia sales in the next newsletter. For those who want to contribute outside of formal fundraising activities, donations are always welcome via SchoolCash Online, or hand deliver a cheque to the office and a tax receipt will be issued to individuals or businesses.  

Sincerely,

Horseshoe Heights School Council 

Horseshoe Heights Holiday Cheer Drive:

The 12 days of Holiday Cheer Drive is in full swing at Horseshoe Heights! Thank you to all families who are sending food, new toys, and new books. Our students are doing a wonderful job helping to tally the items as the top three classes win a Pizza Party, a Popcorn Party, or a Candy Cane Party!

Families are also welcome to make a monetary donation by following this link:

https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/barrie-district-christmas-cheer/

Horseshoe Heights will continue to collect much needed food and toys for the Cheer Drive until December 9^th.

Information and updates from the SCDSB 
This month, the SCDSB is sharing information related to the following topics: 

• There’s ‘snow-place’ like school! Attendance matters
• Provide your feedback on the proposed SCDSB 2026-27 school year calendar
• High school information events for Grade 8 students
• Registration for Grade 1 French Immersion this December
• Support your child(ren) in learning math
• SCDSB families invited to explore math games and activities at Family Math Nights in February 2026
• Subscribe to Kindergarten Connections!
• Check out the SCDSB News video series
• Licensed Winter Break school-age child care programs
• Holiday markets
• SCDSB offers free Self-Reg Parenting Course – registration now open!
• Culminating Task Days and Feedback, Recovery, and Improvement Days (secondary)
• School playground structures are closed for the winter
• Winter safety reminder
• Reminder about sledding safety at school 
• Enabling Multi-Factor Authentication on Student Devices
• YouthReach
• Stay healthy this school year!

To read this information, visit the SCDSB website: https://www.scdsb.on.ca/news/current_news/info___updates_from_the_s_c_d_s_b_-_december_2025