Horseshoe Heights P.S. September 2025 Newsletter
HORSESHOE HEIGHTS P.S. SEPTEMBER 2025 NEWSLETTER
Principal’s Message
It is with great excitement and pride that I welcome you to the very first school year at Horseshoe Heights Public School! Opening a new school is a unique and special opportunity. Together, we have the privilege of not only beginning a new year of learning but also building the foundation of our school’s culture and community for years to come.
The start of the year will be focused on helping students feel safe, connected, and confident in their new environment. Establishing consistent routines and clear expectations will support students in making a smooth transition, and will give them the confidence to thrive both academically and socially. We want every student to feel a strong sense of belonging at Horseshoe Heights.
A key part of this will be the way we work together as a community. Families, staff, and students each play an important role in shaping a school. We hope that many parents will join us at our first School Council meeting so we can work together to build a great school!
We are also excited to share that our first major community event will be participation in the Oro Fair. This is a wonderful opportunity to showcase our new school spirit and begin building traditions that connect us not only within our walls but also across the community. We hope you will join us in celebrating this important milestone.
Thank you for entrusting us with your children and for being partners in this journey. I look forward to an incredible first year at Horseshoe Heights Public School—one filled with learning, growth, and the creation of memories that will last a lifetime.
Sincerely,
Dianna Wright-Drzazga
Principal, Horseshoe Heights Public School
Important Dates at Horseshoe Heights Public School:
Sept. 12 – Oro Fair
Sept 22 – Gr. 7 Low Ropes
Sept. 23 – Turnaround Day
Sept. 24, 25, & 29 – Book Fair in the Library
Sept. 25 – Horseshoe Heights Open House 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Sept. 26 – PA Day
Sept. 30 – Barrie Colts Pep Rally Assembly for students
Oct. 2 – Terry Fox Run (2nd block)
Oct. 3 – Terry Fox Raindate
Oct. 7 – Picture Day
Oct. 9 – Cross Country Regional Meet
Oct. 13 – Thanksgiving Monday
Open House
Mark your calendars! We are excited to be hosting our Open House on Thursday September 25th from 5:00 - 7:00 pm. We are excited to welcome families to see our beautiful new building, visit our book fair, and meet the Horseshoe Heights staff! Hope to see you there!
Book Fair
The Book Fair is coming to our Library September 24th, 25th, and the morning of September 29th! Students will visit the Book Fair with their class. Parents are welcome to visit the Book Fair during the Open House on Thursday, September 25.
School Council
School council is a committee made up of elected parents/guardians, community representatives, staff, and sometimes students that help to provide the community voice and parent/guardian perspective on important school topics. School council is a good way for parents/guardians to get involved in their child/children’s education while playing an important role in the partnership between home and school. School council nominations take place every fall.
Our school council election will be held at the beginning of our first meeting on September 29th at 6:30 pm. If you wish to become a voting member please fill out the nomination form (School Council Candidate Normination) and return it to Mrs. Wright-Drzazga at [email protected] by Friday Sept. 26th (or return it to the school office). Elected positions will include Chair / Co-Chair, Secretary and Treasurer and will be determined by election if required at the beginning of our first meeting.
Council Elections: 6:30 pm, Monday Sept. 29, Horseshoe Heights Library. Our first Council Meeting will begin immediately following the elections.
All parents are welcome to attend any council meeting. Council meetings will take place on Mondays from 6:30 - 7:30 in the library on the following dates: Sept. 29, Nov. 3, Dec. 1, Feb. 2, April 13, May 4
School council is a great way to stay informed, have your questions answered, and be involved at Horseshoe Heights. We hope to see you there!
Oro Fair
We are looking forward to the Oro Fair on Friday Sept. 12th. We ask that all parents ensure that the Oro Fair form be returned to their child’s teacher if it has not already been sent in. Students that are not attending the fair will be taking part in fair based activities at the school. We are looking forward to a fun afternoon for everyone! A reminder to families of the following schedule for picking up students on Friday:
To avoid traffic congestion in the school parking lot, please follow the schedule below.
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LAST NAME BEGINS WITH A-L
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LAST NAME BEGINS WITH M-Z
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11:40 – 11:55
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12:00 – 12:15
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Staff will be lined up with students at the front of the school. Parents are asked to find the classroom teacher to sign out their child.
Showing Respect at the Oro Fair
Following the school parade, there will be a short presentation and speeches by the Oro Fair Committee and local dignitaries. We have reviewed with students that we show respect by remaining quiet and attentive during these opening ceremonies, and we ask that families reinforce this message at home.
Spirit Wear
Spirit wear will be sent home with students Thursday unless you have already indicated that you will be picking it up.
Didn’t get a chance to order spirit wear this summer? No problem - our spirit wear store will be open again soon. We will send out the link in the next few days.
Cell Phone Policy
Cell phones are not permitted to be used by students at school during the school day unless explicitly authorized by an educator for educational purposes. Cell phones must be stored out of sight and on silent mode during the school day. Please review this policy with your child if they will be bringing a cell phone to school.
Why this Policy Matters:
- Personal mobile devices frequently distract students, leading to reduced focus and engagement in lessons. On average, students receive over 240 notifications per day
- Increased Anxiety & Depression: Constant digital connectivity, especially through social media, has been linked to a sharp rise in adolescent mental health challenges.
- Cyberbullying: Cellphones can contribute to bullying outside of adult supervision, creating a harmful environment for students.
- Social Isolation: Rather than connecting face-to-face, many students default to their screens— limiting authentic communication and relationship-building.
Hot Lunch Program
Our hot lunch program will be up and running the week of September 29th.These will be available to order through Lunch Box on School Cash Online so be sure you are registered and ready to place your order.
School Yard Equipment
At our council meeting we will begin to talk about fundraisers that will support purchasing items for our school yard including items such as basketball nets, pavement games, etc.
In the meantime, we are looking for donations of some playground balls (no hard baseballs please) while we are working towards putting the larger ticket items in place. Thanks in advance for any donations!
Terry Fox Run
It’s the 45th anniversary of Terry Fox’s Marathon of Hope. This year, our school is going all out to fundraise for cancer research! We’re super excited to take part! Please support our student’s fundraising efforts and donate today at:
Horseshoe Heights Public School Fundraising Page: https://schools.terryfox.ca/HorseshoeHeightsPSOroMedonte
Barrie Colts Night
Please join the Horseshoe Heights community for our Barrie Colts Night Out on Thursday, October 9th!
We will be cheering on the Barrie Colts as they take-on the Ottawa 67’s. Our amazing Horseshoe Heights Choir will be singing the national anthem! Wear your hockey jerseys, Colts team colours or Horseshoe Heights spirit wear!
Game time is 7 p.m. at the Sadlon Arena, and tickets are $26 each (available on SchoolCash Online). A portion of all ticket sales will be returned to Horseshoe Heights as part of our fundraising efforts this year.
For families wishing to sit together, please make ONE order on school cash online. The number of seats ordered in one order will ensure your seats are together in our Horseshoe Heights section.
Tickets will be distributed a few days prior to the game and will go home in your child’s agenda.
We look forward to seeing you at the game!
Information and updates from the SCDSB
This month, the SCDSB is sharing information related to the following topics:
- School board communication with parents/guardians
- SCDSB Code of Conduct
- Creating safe and welcoming spaces for students, staff, and visitors
- Safe Arrival system for SCDSB schools (elementary)
- Absence reporting system for SCDSB schools (secondary)
- SCDSB 2025-26 Student Handbook
- SCDSB Human Rights and Equity Office
- Use of Traditional Indigenous Medicines
- National Day for Truth and Reconciliation – Sept. 30
- Universal Otis-Lennon School Ability Test screening process (elementary)
- School council nominations for 2025-26 school year
- Annual notice to adult student or parent(s)/guardian(s) of students under the age of 16
- Standard acknowledgment and permission form/student information computing technology appropriate use agreement 2025-26
- Student accident insurance 2025-26
- Updating student information on file at the school
- Volunteering in schools during the 2025-26 school year
- Procedures help keep our school safe
- Student dress code
- School bus ‘Bus Tag’ program helps students get to and from school safely
- YouthReach
- SCDSB offers free Self-Reg Parenting Course – registration now open!
- Five tips for a healthy start back to school
- September PA Day
To read this information, visit the SCDSB website: https://www.scdsb.on.ca/news/current_news/information_and_updates___sept__2025