Princess Margaret Public School

Good Evening Mustang Families,

Progress Reports went home today! Please check your child’s backpack. Important is in the report card envelope including our to sign up for parent/caregiver interviews online and attendance letters if applicable. Directions are also below for interview sign ups as well. You can also access report cards online. Please see the board website for instructions about the family portal.

It’s been a busy week here! Our intermediate volleyball teams played their first games and showed us true grit! Our choir, equity group, arts and crafts club, and student council continue to meet. We have a great staff who strive to provide opportunities to our students.

Please see the next email for the School Council minutes for November. Thanks to our wonderful and hardworking School Council who does so much for our school.

This week we learned from Major Soria, a guest speaker for Remembrance Day. She is an engineer in the Air Force. She offered a few life lessons that everyone can take away with them: take care of one another, be humble as change is hard, work hard but take time to relax and spend time with friends and family, and listen to your inner voice. Major Soria is a very interesting person and dedicated to protecting Canadians. We learned alot from her about radars. Please ask your grade 4-8 child about her presentation.

Interview Evening and Day: The window to sign-up for an interview begins November 17th 8:30am and closes November 27th at 830am. Please sign up for a parent-teacher meeting between these dates. Interview times are available either Thursday, November 27th from 3:00 - 7:00 PM and November 28th from 8:30 AM - 2:45PM. If a teacher is not available on the 27th or 28th, they will communicate alternate dates and times with you.
To sign up for a meeting:
*** Use UGDSB’s family portal at: UGDSB Family Portal or
1) Go to : www.ugdsb.on.ca/pti or use the UGConnect App - Parents
2) Enter your child’s OEN number (the OEN is on the progress report at the top) then their date of birth.
3) Select the teacher, day and time slot for your meeting
If you need assistance, please contact Mrs. Mckenzie, our office coordinator at 519-941-3731 ext 221. Our staff look forward to meeting with you and talking about your child’s progress.

PD Day Information for Elementary & Secondary Parents/Guardians:

Date: November 28, 2025
Length: Full Day
Elementary Topics: Parent / Teacher Interviews
Entity Hosting: Upper Grand DSB
Presenter(s)/Facilitator(s): Administrators/Individual
Elementary Description:
Teachers will be engaged in conducting scheduled parent/teacher interviews.

Period Equity Products: A reminder that period products continue to be available here for any students who need them. Our machine can be found upstairs in our use for all bathroom (single stall) or students can ask any staff member.

Important Dates:
November 13th: Progress Reports go Home & Posted online
November 17th to 21st: Bullying Awareness & Prevention Week
November 18th: Public Health Grade 7 CARD presentation
November 18th: Rescheduled (x2) kindergarten Officer Amy Presentation
November 20th: Extra School Council Meeting for Craft Fair
November 20th: Grade 7 Human Trafficing Presentation (letters to go home)
November 25th: Fall Grade ⅞ Vaccination Clinic at PMPS
November 27th: Progress Report Interview Night 3pm-7pm
November 27th to December 10th: Book Fair at PMPS
November 27th: Terra Cotta Cookie Pick Up in Library 3-5pm
November 28th: PD Day & Interview Day 830am to 250pm
November 28th: Classroom donations due for Class Holiday Baskets

Upcoming Spirit Days:
Board Spirit Days for Bullying Awareness Day:
Tuesday, November 18 – Odd Sock Day. Students and staff are welcome to wear mismatched socks to celebrate embracing our differences.

Friday, November 21 – Wear Pink. Students and staff are welcome to wear pink as a way of standing up to bullying.

-November 27th/25: Comfy clothes day or wear school coloursDon’t forget about our Mustang Spirit Cup!

We’ll see everyone for another day of learning on Friday. Thank you for your ongoing support of our school staff and school council. Donations to the holiday craft fair and School Cashonline food program, cracker drive, and fundraising initiatives such as the Terra Cotta Cookies are greatly appreciated. Princess Margaret PS is a great community who supports one another. #Mustang Proud
Andrea Papavasiliou, Principal

Hi Mustang families,

Just a quick reminder now that we’ve had our first snow bus day here in Dufferin County.

No Bus Days: We Are Open for Learning: A reminder that on no bus days, we are here for learning. A very small percentage of our students are bussed, so teachers carry on with a normal learning day. Our school is open for all who can safely make it here.

Call in if Absent: If your child (ren) will not be attending school, you need to call in their absence please. This helps Mrs. Mckenize with her safe arrival procedures in a timely manner. Thank you for your help with this.
Pizza Day/ Pasta Day on a no bus day? Yes, if a food day falls on a no bus day, pizza, pasta etc day will go ahead.

Cold Weather Information: Every year we get questions on when it is too cold for the students to be outside. There is no real concrete answer. Decisions depend on the amount of wind, sunlight, length of time out, etc. We do expect students to come dressed for the weather and to be outside. Please label your child’s clothing. Generally, we do not send the students out if the temperature is below -20. When it is cold outside we use our judgment and be aware of weather and wind conditions, the length of time spent outside, and the way children are dressed (we do have extra supplies in the office). In the morning, duty starts at 820am and that is the earliest students can be called in. We will monitor conditions throughout the day for outdoor learning and recess. Hopefully, this is helpful so that we can enjoy the outdoors and our Canadian winter. Please visit the Environment Canada website at: https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/weather-health/uv-index-heat-wind-chill-products.html#toc7 for more information.

Thanks for reviewing this information. Bundle up and get the shovels ready? Winter, here we come!

Andrea Papavasiliou, Principal

🎄 Believe It or Not... It's Almost Here! 🎄
29th Annual Holiday Craft Fair
📅 Date: Friday, December 6th
🕘 Time: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
📍 Location: Princess Margaret PS, 51 Wellington Street 

We can hardly believe it ourselves, but our beloved Holiday Craft Fair is just around the corner! This cherished community tradition is back for its 29th year, and we’re inviting all students, families, and friends to join us for a day filled with festive fun.

✨ What’s Happening at the Fair? We’ve Got Everything…. 

• 🍪 Cookie Decorating & 🎅 Photos with Santa

• 🛍️ Holiday Vendors – Find the perfect gifts!

• 🎁 Kids’ Shopping Room – A special place for little ones to shop for loved ones

• 🧺 Classroom Basket Raffle – Don’t forget to check with your child’s teacher about your class theme!

• 🍰 Bake Sale – Thank you for your delicious contributions!

• 🧘 Silent Auction – Incredible items up for grabs!

• ☕ Holiday Café – Enjoy coffee, tea, and treats

• 🛒 The Famous Bake Sale – Starts at 9:00 AM sharp!

We are so grateful to our School Council, Student Council, and all of our amazing community partners who are working hard to make this year’s fair unforgettable.

💡 Want to Help?
If you or a family member owns or works for a local business and would like to donate to our Silent Auction, we’d love to hear from you! Please contact our school office. 

Thank you for your continued support in making this event a magical experience for our school community. It is our biggest school fundraiser of the year! We can’t wait to share this event with you!  See you on Saturday, December 6th from 9am to 3pm.

Good Evening Mustang Families,

Students and staff have been taking some time this week to remember our courageous veterans and current military members who serve(d) Canada and protect(ed) our rights and freedoms. On Monday our grade 4-8 students will hear from our PMPS Live Stream Guest Speaker, Major V. Soria ( Canadian Air Force) and on Tuesday students and staff will gather to honour our veterans during our assembly. Our intermediates will travel to Centoph to participate in the Legion and Town’s Remembrance Day ceremony. Please note our flags will be lowered from sunrise until sunset on National Indigenous Veterans Day, which is Saturday, November 8th and again on Tuesday, November 11th for Remembrance Day. We are also flying our Remembrance poppy flag until sunset on November 11th.

Congratulations to our junior volleyball team who represented us this week at their tournament this past week. They played with pride, good sports’people’ship, and increased confidence. Well done Mustangs.

A heartfelt thank you to our wonderful families who have generously contributed to our school’s food program.
Your kindness and support make a meaningful difference—every donation, big or small, helps fuel our students' learning and well-being here at Princess Margaret. We are truly grateful for your continued care and commitment to our school community.

Poppy: Please Make A Donation: All students will be provided with a sticker poppy on November 11th to help recognize and honour Remembrance Day. Please consider making a donation. All donations go to the Canadian Legion. Teachers will collect the donations from now until November 11th or you can donate through School CashOnline. Thank you.

Interview Evening and Day: Progress reports will be shared with families on November 13th, we would like to invite all parents/ guardians in for an interview. Please read the following to learn more about interviews. Online Signup for Parent-Teacher Interviews: The window to sign-up for an interview begins November 17th 8:30am and closes November 27th at 830am. Please sign up for a parent-teacher meeting between these dates. Interview times are available either Thursday, November 27th from 3:00 - 7:00 PM and November 28th from 8:30 AM - 2:45PM. If a teacher is not available on the 27th or 28th, they will communicate alternate dates and times with you.
To sign up for a meeting:
*** Use UGDSB’s family portal at: UGDSB Family Portal or
1) Go to : www.ugdsb.on.ca/pti or use the UGConnect App - Parents
2) Enter your child’s OEN number (the OEN is on the progress report at the top) then their date of birth.
3) Select the teacher, day and time slot for your meeting
Important: Once you have signed up for an interview, it will be assumed that a parent/guardian will be participating in person. Please email the teacher if a phone call is your preference. You may receive a call from the School/Unknown Caller. If you need assistance, please contact Mrs. Mckenzie, our office coordinator at 519-941-3731 ext 221. Our staff look forward to meeting with you and talking about your child’s progress.

By popular demand, our Terra Cotta Cookie fundraiser is BACK and orders are open!
Starting right now, you can order yours and start selling cookies to your family and friends using the fundraising webpage exclusively for our school: https://fundraising.terracottacookies.com/current-fundraisers/princessmargaretps/ No paper forms required! All orders must be placed on our webpage by midnight on Thursday, November 13th.

📚 Our School Book Fair is Coming Soon!: The annual Book Fair will run from November 27 to December 10, 2025 — kicking off during Progress Report Interview Night and continuing through the PD day on Progress Report Interview Day. After that, families are invited to stop by every day after school for 20 minutes to browse and purchase books and other fun items.It’s a great way to build excitement for reading and support our school library — we hope to see you there!
English: https://bookfairs.scholastic.ca/bf/princessmargaretschool11
French: https://bookfairs.scholastic.ca/bf/princessmargaretschool11

Important Dates:
November 3rd to 13th: School Council Terra Cotta Cookie Fundraiser
November 6th: School Council 6pm in the library
November 6th: Superintendent Visit 1045am-1215pm
November 10th: Live Stream Guest Speaker, Major V. Soria ( Canadian Air Force)- information sent home.
November 11th: Remembrance Day Assembly
November 13th: Progress Reports go Home & Posted online

We’ll see everyone for another day of learning on Friday.
Andrea Papavasiliou, Principal

By popular demand, our Terra Cotta Cookie fundraiser is BACK and starts TODAY!

Terra Cotta cookies come in 12 different flavour options, in boxes of 40 pre-made/pre-portioned frozen cookie dough drops, that can go straight from the freezer to the oven!! These cookies are an easy way to bake delicious cookies to share with your friends and family! The 12 cookie flavours are all peanut and nut-free and include 2 gluten-free choices and a vegan option! Starting right now, you can order yours and start selling cookies to your family and friends using the fundraising webpage exclusively for our school: https://fundraising.terracottacookies.com/current-fundraisers/princessmargaretps/ No paper forms required!

Every box of cookies sold raises funds for PMPS! Thanks to your support, this was our biggest independent fundraiser of the last two years. And if you don’t like cookies, this is a great way to contribute towards our Holiday Craft Fair Bake sale, coming up on December 6th!

The class that sells the most cookies will be awarded a giant, 3 pound cookie on the day our cookies are delivered!

All orders must be placed on our webpage by midnight on Thursday, November 13th. That means you have just ten days to order and sell cookies. You will need your child’s teacher’s name for the order page. If you have family and friends placing

orders on your behalf, please ensure they know the name of our school AND your child's teacher's name, for the order screen. This helps cookie distribution run smoothly. The cookie dough boxes will be available for pick-up in the school library from 3pm-5pm on Thursday, November 27th – the day before the P.A. Day! Thank you for supporting our school.

Good Evening Mustang Families,

What a week! The building is humming with excitement not only about the Blue Jays while they look to win the World Series but Halloween! We have some important updates this week. Please read below.

Please take a moment to fill out the WHY survey from Public Health and the UGDSB. We have partnered to create one survey to replace multiple surveys from the past. The new survey will provide the information we need to inform programs and supports for students. The results will also help identify opportunities to improve the well-being of children and youth in our community. It is vital to have parent voice in this survey. Students and staff are all doing the survey ( letter was sent home previously). Thank you in advance. Parent Survey: https://redcap.link/2026parentwhy

Please take a moment to check the Lost and Found for any missing items. We’ve had a number of belongings turned in recently, and we’d love to see them returned to their rightful owners.

PMPS is excited to bring back the Kid-Preneurs Market, at our upcoming Holiday Craft Fair, on Saturday, December 6th! We invite all students who love making things with their hands, like bracelets, ornaments, decorative items, and other cool crafts, to show off their creativity and become a young entrepreneur at our craft market! Students can set up their own table in the designated classrooms, sell their creations, and keep the money they earn! Forms are available from Mrs. Mikulik or from the front office. All participating students must fill out a permission form. We cannot wait to see what your imagination and creativity brings to our Holiday Craft Fair!

Bully Awareness and Prevention Week at the Upper Grand District School Board: From November 17 to 21, the Upper Grand District School Board (UGDSB) will be participating in Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week (BAPW). This week provides an important opportunity for students, staff, and parents/guardians to deepen their understanding of bullying, its impact on student learning and well-being, and ways we can all contribute to a safe, inclusive, and caring school environment. This year’s theme is “Power for Good.” Tuesday November 18 will be “Odd Socks Day” and Friday November 21st will be “wear Pink day.” For families currently navigating a bullying situation, there are a variety of resources and supports available on the UGDSB website to assist and inform. Resources and Links:
Bullying Prevention and Intervention Plan | Upper Grand District School Board
Report harm or Bullying
Promoting Relationships and Eliminating Violence Network
Get support with these mental health resources - Kids Help Phone
Pink Shirt Day
Bullying prevention in schools
BullyingCanada — giving bullied kids a brighter future
Bullying – we can all help stop it | ontario.ca

Sporting Teams & Participation: We have a number of sporting opportunities available to all of our students. Once a student tries out for a team, it’s important to read and sign the Athletics Code of Conduct. Coaches will send it home. All athletes will be given three grace incidents and then will not be allowed to try out or stay on the school team. It is important to understand that academics at school are the athlete’s first priority and that they must conduct themselves in a manner consistent with the board’s code of conduct. This has already been discussed with the intermediate division and teachers/coaches will clearly outline to the student when they have received a warning that counts as a grace incident. Thanks for your support.

Important Dates:
October 31st: Halloween
November 3rd to 7th: Treaties Recognition Week
November 3rd to 13th: School Council Terra Cotta Cookie Fundraiser
November 6th: School Council 6pm in the library
November 6th: Superintendent Visit 1045am-1215pm

We’ll see everyone for another day of learning and fun on Friday. A reminder that our clocks fall back Saturday night. For everyone that celebrates Halloween, have fun trick or treating and be safe! And remember… Go Jays Go!
Andrea Papavasiliou, Principal

Good Evening Mustang Families,

It’s been a great week at PMPS again this week. I am sending our weekly update earlier, to remind everyone that Friday is a PD Day. There is no school for students. Remember that tomorrow is also our school wide Blue Jays Spirit Day and Class Photo Day/ Retakes. These class pictures will be memorable when everyone is in blue, white, and/or Jays gear! Go Jays Go!
Students celebrated Diwali this week. One of our classes had a student who wanted to share her celebrations. She shared the meaning of the Festival of Lights, made beautiful diyas and created colourful mandalas. Students had fun celebrating and learning together. I also had the pleasure of hearing our choir sing on Wednesday and to listen to our band playing a song. It’s hard to believe that students have only been singing and practicing their instruments since mid September. Everyone sounds great!

A reminder that our Student Council continues to sell milk for $1.25 at 1st lunch. All profits benefit our students.

Community Recognition Board: We are #MargaretProud. If your child has done something wonderful in our community or accomplished a big goal, please send in a picture and a short note and/or a clipping from the newspaper or online site to Mrs. PapaV. We have a board celebrating our amazing PMPS students across from the gym.

Snacker the Cracker Monster is back: We need your help as our cracker supply for our nutrition program is running low. We are asking for help re-stocking our shelves with more boxes of crackers. Extra boxes of crackers will be stored so we can continue to provide snacks to students all year long. We kindly ask that donations be peanut-free! Donations can be fed to Snacker the Cracker Monster located near the school's front entrance. Thank you for your continued support and for those who have already donated!


Important Dates:
-October 22nd-30th, 2025: Grade 3 CCAT Testing (info sent home in September)

-October 23rd, 2025: Officer Amy Visit to kindergarten classes (Rescheduled from the 15th as Officer Amy presented at the Careers Day for the Intermediates)

-October 23rd, 2025: Class Pictures and retakes

-October 24th, 2025: PD Day ( AI Cyber Training, Keeping Schools Safe, and Progress Report writing (No School for Students)

-October 29th: Donut Fundraiser Pick Up

-October 31st: Halloween

Upcoming Spirit Days:
-October 31st: Halloween: Orange and Black or costumes
Don’t forget about our Mustang Spirit Cup!


Reminders:
HALLOWEEN: Many schools celebrate Halloween with costume dress up and/or black and orange. Halloween is a day that is not observed by all students or staff. With this, it is considered a choice to participate as are all spirit days. Alternate and supportive accommodations are provided for students if school events take place (e.g. parade). Please reach out to your child(ren)’s teacher to speak more about accommodations.

Costumes: It is our responsibility to ensure that all school community members (e.g., students, staff, parents in our building…) avoid using identities and cultures as costumes. This includes appropriative costumes/cultural stereotypes (i.e. cultural garments), black/brown face, transphobic costumes (i.e. man dressed as a woman), body-shaming and objectifying costumes, and costumes that joke about situations that have caused harm. Such costumes perpetuate stereotypes and can cause harm that can further marginalize and oppress community members. We also ask that violent, scary, and bloody costumes are also not worn, as these costumes scare some students. All props and accessories stay at home as well, so they are not lost. If costumes violate the above criteria, students will be asked to remove their costume and parents/guardians will be notified. Thanks for helping to make our school a safe and inclusive environment for all. Teachers will provide more guidance about the details around Halloween (e.g. when costumes should be worn etc).


Professional Activity Day Description: October 24, 2025
Information for Elementary Parents/Guardians Date: October 24, 2025 Length: Full Day

Elementary AM Topics:

AI Cyber Security Month (50 minutes)
Keeping Schools Safe (50 minutes)
Upholding Human Rights and Tackling Racism (50 mins)

Elementary PM Topics:
Progress Report Writing

We’ll see everyone for another day of learning on Thursday. A reminder that Friday is a PD day and there is no school for students. Have a great weekend.
Andrea Papavasiliou, Principal