The information below is for SCDSB families for the month of November.
Days of Awareness 2024-25
November 8th Indigenous Remembrance Day
November 11th Remembrance Day
November 13th World Kindness Day
November 19-25th Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week
Save the Date – November 30th
This year, Mundy’s Bay will be entering a float into the Midland Santa Claus Parade! We will be inviting students to participate in this fun community-building event. We hope to be able to fill our float with students; once the float is filled, older students will walk beside/behind the float. We will be sending out more information closer to the date regarding our theme and how to register. We hope to see you there!
We recently added two new options to our lunch program. Along with Pizza continuing to be offered on Wednesdays, we will now be offering Pasta/Noodles on Thursday, and Sub sandwiches on Friday. If you are interested in ordering, please do so through SchoolCash Online
Literacy Curriculum Night Wednesday, November 27th @ 5pm-7pm
Please join us for our Literacy Curriculum Night on Wednesday, November 27th from 5pm – 7pm. There will be Literacy activities, fun literacy games, a free pizza slice for everyone who registers, snacks and hot chocolate, take-home items and a draw for literacy games for those families who participate in all activities! We look forward to seeing you here for Literacy Night! Families are asked to register through SchoolCash Online by Friday, November 22nd.
Grade 7/8 Kelsey’s Night Fundraiser, Wednesday, November 20th
Are you looking for a night out? Please join us at Kelsey’s Restaurant on Wednesday, November 20th where our Grade 7/8 students and several Mundy’s Bay staff members will be acting as servers for the evening! A percentage of the sales will support our Grade 7 and 8 end-of-year trip.
Progress Reports and Conferences
Progress Reports will be going home on November 8th.
We will be hosting conferences the week of, November 11-15th, with our late night being held on Thursday, November 14th The link to book interviews online will be sent via email shortly. It is important for families to sign up and attend conferences to support student achievement. Please speak with your child’s classroom teacher if you have any questions.
Grade 1 French Immersion information
The Simcoe County District School Board (SCDSB) offers French Immersion (FI) at select schools throughout Simcoe County beginning in Grade 1. The goal of the FI program is to enable students to communicate in French with a high level of proficiency, enabling them to function with ease in both French and English. Upon graduation from the program, students will communicate in French with confidence in a wide variety of real-life situations.
Grade 1 FI family information nights are held annually in advance of the application process for the following school year. This year, FI family information nights will be held in person throughout the month of November at the respective FI school locations. The designated Grade 1 FI site for our school is MUNDY’S BAY PUBLIC SCHOOL. The information night for this school will be NOVEMBER 18TH 2024 at 6:00PM.
The SCDSB board-wide electronic applications for the Grade 1 FI program for all sites will open Monday, Dec. 2 at 9 a.m. and close at 4 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 13. Entry into the FI program is determined through a digitally randomized lottery system
Inclement weather and bus cancellation information reminder
All information regarding cancelled buses in Simcoe County is posted on the Simcoe County Student Transportation Consortium (SCSTC)’s bus information website at www.simcoecountyschoolbus.ca. Our school is in the NORTH ZONE. When buses are cancelled, schools remain open for student learning, unless otherwise noted. School staff are expected to plan for such emergencies in order to transition students who are unable to attend due to inclement weather to their online platforms (Google Classroom and/or SCDSBhub [Brightspace by D2L]) and continue with academic programming. It is always a family decision whether or not it is safe for their child(ren) to leave for school under severe weather conditions.
The Consortium and bus operators try to make the decision to cancel school buses before 6 a.m. and make every effort to post announcements before 7 a.m. Inclement weather cancellations are effective for the whole day and buses cancelled in the morning will not run at the end of the day. You can follow the Consortium on Twitter @SCSTC_SchoolBus for bus cancellations and other information. You can also subscribe to receive bus delay notifications here: scstc.ca/Subscriptions/Login.aspx.
Subscribe to Kindergarten Connections!
Will your child be turning four in 2025? If so, the SCDSB invites you to subscribe to Kindergarten Connections! This is a monthly newsletter informing families of everything they need to know about preparing their child for school, as well as registering them for Kindergarten in the SCDSB. To learn more and subscribe, visit the Kindergarten page on the SCDSB website: scdsb.on.ca/elementary/planning_for_school/kindergarten
How is your infant, toddler, or preschool child developing?
Is your child meeting their milestones? Age-appropriate speech and language skills are critical to your child’s ability to read, write, and be successful in school as well as to their ability to engage with their peers. Free services are available to support you with your child’s development. Preschool speech and language programs are located across the County of Simcoe. Call 705-739-5696 or 1-800-675-1979 to complete a developmental screen. The earlier we work together the better!
Licensed Winter Break school age childcare programs
Childcare programs for children in Kindergarten to Grade 6 are provided by independent, third-party child care operators in some SCDSB schools. To support your childcare needs, some operators offer childcare on PA days and holidays, including over the Winter Break. Registration in advance is required. Please contact the childcare operator directly to discuss fees and to register. More information and contact numbers can be found at scdsb.on.ca/elementary/planning_for_school/childcare_before_after.
Check out the SCDSB News video series
The SCDSB News is a weekly video series highlighting positive events, initiatives, and learning happening within school communities across the SCDSB. Follow the SCDSB on social media to catch all of these weekly episodes!
The Indigenous Lodge at Eastview Secondary School opened with a special ceremony for students, staff, and community. Join us as we explore this new space designed to welcome and support students while encouraging learning about Indigenous culture and history. Creating spaces like these in SCDSB schools is how we are taking steps towards the ongoing process of Truth and Reconciliation. Watch this video:
High school information events for Grade 8 students
Is your child starting Grade 9 next year? High school information events will take place in person this winter! Student leaders and staff at the school will give an overview of what’s new and what to expect. Learn about courses offered, as well as information about teams and clubs. Please visit the SCDSB website at scdsb.on.ca/secondary/planning_for_high_school/high_school_information_nights to find details on your high school’s info night, and contact the school directly for more information.
Math learning at home
Practice math anywhere with Math at Home, an online resource for parents/caregivers of SCDSB students from pre-school age to 16. This resource is updated monthly with games, problems, and number talk activities that reflect the math your child may be learning at school each month.
In November, activities in school and on Math at Home may include grade-level tasks related to measuring objects and identifying and sorting shapes, figures, and angles.
Visit scdsb.on.ca/MathAtHome to support your child’s math learning at home!
Join us! A learning series for parents/guardians with Pine River Institute (PRI)
Mental health and well-being continue to be a key strategic priority within the SCDSB. We are pleased to continue our partnership with the Centre for Family Initiatives at Pine River Institute (CFI@PRI) to provide several curated learning sessions focused on student mental health and well-being to SCDSB families.
There are four webinars planned for parents/guardians and other caregivers during this school year. To join in this learning, please visit the SCDSB website to register: scdsb.on.ca/about/well-being___mental_health/pine_river_institute_learning_series
Emotional development
Dec. 5, 7-8 p.m.
Gain a new perspective on how children maturate and its significance for mental health. Learn how Pine River views social and emotional development as crucial to well-being.
Nov. 19 is Eat Well to Excel Day in Simcoe County
Eat Well to Excel is a Simcoe County non-profit community partnership that supports our school’s student nutrition program. The funding provided by Eat Well to Excel allows us to supply students with access to healthy snacks during the school day.
The pandemic and increasing food costs have caused a significant financial strain on many families in our region and new data shows that one in three kids in Canada are at risk of going to school hungry. Kids that are hungry struggle to retain knowledge and keep focused throughout the day. They are also at an increased risk of experiencing poor mental health and a compromised immune system. With your support we can maintain and hopefully improve our program to provide a consistent supply of healthy food to our students.
You can make a donation by visiting eatwelltoexcel.ca. You can either support the county-wide program or direct your donation to our school. Please include our school’s name in the comment box to ensure the donation goes directly to our program. A tax receipt will be emailed to you.
For more information about Eat Well to Excel visit eatwelltoexcel.ca.
I Read Canadian Day
I Read Canadian Day is celebrating it’s third year on Nov. 6, 2024. This day is a nationwide initiative that celebrates the richness, diversity, and scope of Canadian literature by encouraging individuals to read Canadian books for just 15 minutes. Schools, libraries, bookstores, and other organizations may host activities and events on this day to highlight Canadian literature. For more information visit ireadcanadian.com/day and sign up for free to participate.
A curated list of Canadian titles can be found on Sora, the SCDSB’s digital library. To access the desktop version visit soraapp.com/welcome or use the Sora app.
Simcoe Muskoka Family Connexions in need of foster homes
Simcoe Muskoka Family Connexions is in need of families in our communities to open their homes to children and youth requiring foster homes. By opening your home, you can make a difference in their lives by keeping them close to their family, school, and community. Help us keep kids close to home. If you or someone you know is interested in fostering, please visit familyconnexions.ca or check out a few of our videos to better understand what it takes to become a foster care provider: familyconnexions.ca/fostering-resources/.
Information provided by Simcoe Muskoka Family Connexions.
Outdoor play
Active play supports development in many ways, especially when the play is outdoors, self-directed, and fun. Students can explore boundaries and problem-solve, develop social skills, resolve conflict, and practice controlling their emotions and behaviors. Active play outdoors in the fresh air and nature helps to improve mood and lower stress. Support your child in playing outside with friends in the neighborhood and in your local green spaces.
Information provided by the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit.
November PA Day
Please note that Friday, Nov. 15 is a PA Day for all SCDSB students. Please refer to the 2024-25 School Year Calendar on the SCDSB website for more information: scdsb.on.ca/elementary/planning_for_school/school_year_calendar.
Below is a summary of the activities planned for the Nov. 15 ELEMENTARY PA Day:
Length: Full day
Topic: Communication to parents/guardians about student progress through
parent/guardian-student-teacher conferences
Host: Simcoe County District School Board elementary schools, including
Grades 7 and 8 in Grade 7-12 secondary schools
Presenter(s)/facilitator(s): Elementary educators
Elementary educators will meet with students and parents/guardians to discuss student progress thus far this school year, including areas of strengths and next steps for improvement.
Designated Early Childhood Educators (DECE) (150 min.)
DECE staff will engage in learning to build their expertise in ensuring students receive the necessary foundational reading skills that are critical to future success. A portion of the time will be led synchronously by the Early Years team and follow up work will be completed asynchronously.