Semester 2 Reminders
Attendance Matters
We would like to take a moment to remind families of the importance of regular school attendance.
Why Attendance Matters
Consistent attendance plays a vital role in student success. Being present at school each day helps students stay engaged in learning, build positive routines, and maintain strong academic progress. Frequent absences can disrupt learning and make it difficult for students to keep up with coursework.
Signing Out of School
When a student signs out of school for the day, they must leave the building immediately. Students who are signed out are no longer under school supervision and may not remain on school grounds.
End of the School Day
Our instructional day ends at 3:10 p.m. Students are expected to leave the building by 3:30 p.m. unless they are participating in a school-approved activity or are under the direct supervision of a staff member. This expectation helps ensure student safety and allows for appropriate supervision after dismissal. Students should not be in hallways, classrooms, or unsupervised areas during these times.
We appreciate your support in reinforcing these expectations with your child. Working together helps us maintain a safe, organized, and respectful school environment for everyone.
Important Dates:
February
Feb 24 Semester 2 photos and Grad Retakes
Feb 26-27 Black History Month Gallery in Library
Feb 26 Newcomer Dinner Club
School News
Student Trustee Elections - Student Voice Matters
Each year, students in Grades 5–12 have the opportunity to elect two student trustees who will represent their voices across York Region District School Board.
Voting takes place between February 17-20, 2026. Voting closes February 20 at 4:00 p.m.
This is an important opportunity for students to participate in the democratic process and help choose the students who will represent their voices next year.
How to Vote
Details on how to vote will be sent to all eligible students through their GAPPS email account when voting opens on February 17. Please encourage your child to check their email for instructions.
Meet the Candidates
Students can learn more about the final four candidates and watch an all-candidates panel discussion at www.yrdsb.ca/studenttrustees. This is a great chance to hear directly from each candidate and their views and thoughts on issues that matter to YRDSB students.
Artificial Intelligence Guidelines
As technology like Artificial Intelligence (AI) becomes part of everyday life, we’re working to ensure students understand how to use these tools in ways that are safe, responsible and helpful for learning.
We are taking an approach by grade level:
· In Kindergarten to Grade 6, students will learn about AI - what it is, how it works and how to think critically about it. They will not use AI chatbot tools.
· In Grades 7-12, students will have access to Board-approved enterprise AI tools
beginning February 17, 2026. These approved tools, including Google Gemini, meet strict security and privacy standards and are education-licenced accounts.. These tools do not use student data to train AI models and provide a safe, controlled environment for learning.
York Region District School Board has developed guidelines for educators and students to support the effective, safe and responsible use of AI to support student learning. Students will learn about the importance of critical thinking, academic integrity and privacy and safety practices when using AI.
We encourage families to review these guidelines with their child(ren). For more information, please visit the AI pages on the Board website.
Student Exchange Program
In cooperation with the York Region District School Board and as the only approved student exchange vendor, ISE-Ontario offers students aged 13-17 the opportunity to participate in an exchange program. Students apply directly through ISE-Ontario and must obtain approval from their school Principal before participating. For more information, please visit the ISE-Ontario webpage.
MISSED YOUR GRAD PHOTO SESSION? 📸
Don’t worry — we’ve got you!
On April 18th and 19th, 2026, we will be at:
Aurora Preparatory Academy
📍 81 Industrial Parkway North
Aurora, ON
L4G 4C4
✨ Book your appointment online:
Click the link below and select Aurora.
GRADUATION PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIOS » Edge Imaging
Then type in your school’s name and book your session.
And… voilà! You’re all set 🎓
We can’t wait to see you there!
Board News
For more information visit: Centre for Black Student Excellence
Parent Connections
For more information visit: https://www2.yrdsb.ca/post-secondary-accessibility-fair