South Ridge Public School

NEWSLETTER
February

FROM THE OFFICE:

January brought us a great variety of weather, some bus cancellation days, cold, snow, rain and fog, and mud…lots of
mud. Happy February everyone! Let’s hope that the Groundhogs’ predictions are correct and that we are going to have
an early spring. The days are slowly getting longer and the sun will soon return, but while we are waiting for that,
please ensure your child has a pair of indoor shoes here at school. Our yard is quite muddy and they need clean shoes
for inside, for gym class and intramurals. As we continue to adjust to the wet, winter weather, please ensure that your
student is dressed appropriately for the day. Hats, mittens, scarves, boots, etc. are all encouraged for all grades.
Recess time can seem very long if you’re ‘underdressed’ and chilly. Also, due to the muddy nature of our yard, if your
child is prone to ‘falling’ please send an extra set of clothes to school – we have had many instances of muddy clothes
and requests for calls home.

KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION FOR SEPT 2024

If you have a child who will attend junior kindergarten next year, please register them now. To be eligible for junior
kindergarten, children must be four years of age by December 31, 2024. Pre-registration will be done online at
www.tvdsb.ca under “Parents” and then under “Kindergarten Program.”
Please note that registration must be done on a desktop computer.
Please share this information with friends, neighbours, and family
members who have eligible children. It is very important that all children
are fully registered as soon as possible so that accurate enrolment
information is available for staffing purposes.

VALENTINE’S DAY
With any special holiday comes various treats that your child(ren) may want to share with their class. Please
remember that we have severe allergies in the school. Unfortunately, homemade baked goods are not an option as we
cannot guarantee that they are nut-free or have been prepared in a nut-free environment. All treats must have the
peanut-free symbol on the label in order to be served. We greatly appreciate your cooperation in keeping all of our
students safe. Please watch for communication on classroom celebrations coming from our educators.

HOT LUNCHES
At the February School Council Meeting, council members voted to return to Domino’s for Pizza Days. We
will continue with Gino’s until the end of the month and will switch back to Domino’s in March. Just a
reminder to check your email regularly for School Cash Online notices about hot lunch orders. Lunch
orders are due at 8:00AM on the due date. We will not be re-opening School Cash Online for late orders.
FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD:
TVDSB Safe Schools and Well-Being is ringing in the 2024 new year with a
spotlight on student mental health.
Throughout December, training was provided to all grade 7-8 educators
to prepare for the new ministry mandated mental health curriculum. A
highlight from this curriculum is understanding the differences between mental health and mental illness. These
terms are often confused. Having regular conversations about mental health and well-being reduces stigma and
encourages access to support.

TVDSB has connections to many resources for mental health that we are thrilled to share with our communities!
TVDSB has created a one-page mental health crisis resource. These are divided into whole board contacts, as well as
region specific contacts. We are also pleased to share the School Mental Health Ontario resource for parents and
caregivers with you. Here you will find resources divided by topic from a provincially based body.

TVDSB Mental Health Crisis Resources

School Mental Health Ontario Parent and Caregiver Resources

The TVDSB Family Well-being Community Workshop Series has been created specifically to support parents and
caregivers. Here you will find topic specific webinars from multiple community agencies; such as London Police
Services speaking about cyber safety, “Supporting Social and Emotional Well-being in Early Years” with the Middlesex
London Health Unit and many more! To watch these recordings, to find out about upcoming webinars and to learn
more about how to support your child with mental health visit:
https://sites.google.com/gotvdsb.ca/familiescaregiversworkshops/home

ACTIVE WAYS TO GET TO SCHOOL

Active school travel is when children travel to and from school using active modes, such as walking, biking, and rolling
(scooter, skateboard, rollerblades). The benefits to active school travel include physical and mental health, school
success, community connection, environment and sustainability, air quality, and traffic and safety! Learn more at by
visiting http://activesaferoutes.ca/benefits #ActiveSchoolTravel
BLACK COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SESSION
The Thames Valley District School Board is hosting a Black Community Engagement Session at Sir Frederick Banting
Secondary School on Feb. 7 from 5-7 p.m. Please see the poster below for more information.

JOIN US AT THE NEXT SCHOOL COUNCIL MEETING

Interested in what’s happening with South Ridge’s School Council? Here are the remaining dates
for our upcoming School Council meetings for the 2023-2024 school year:
Monday, March 4
Monday, May 6
Monday, June 3
All meetings will take place at 5:30 pm in the library unless otherwise communicated.

Dogs on the Yard

Please remember that dogs are not allowed on school property. Please keep dogs on the front sidewalk. Our
Superintendent visited before Christmas and made us aware that even when leashed, they should not be on our
property. Dogs can be on the grass in the park next door. Thank you for helping us follow these protocols.
Dates to Remember:
Feb 9 Party Day - Wear your favourite party attire and Report Cards go home.
Feb 13 - Toonie Tuesday - Bring $2 for Thames Valley Caring Fund.
Feb. 14 – Red, White and Pink Day - Valentine's Day Dance
Feb. 19 – Family Day – school closed
Feb 21 - Freeze DNA Comic Art Visits Grade 2-8
Feb 22 - Executive Associate Director Riley Culhane and Superintendent Dennis Wright visit SRPS
Feb 23 - Backwards Day
Feb. 28 – Pink Shirt Day