Good evening Mustang Families,
I am sending this week’s email out a little earlier, so that I can remind everyone of Easter Weekend. This means no school for students on Friday and Monday.
News from Our Inclusion Crew (student group) : On International Day of Pink, April 8th join us in showing solidarity and standing up against bullying and discrimination! We invite anybody and everybody to speak out against gender stereotypes, 2SLGBTQ+ discrimination and bullying. Show your support by wearing pink!
Winter or Spring? One day it is warm, the next frigid. A reminder that it is a good idea to keep a close eye on the weather, so students know what to wear in the morning. Another good idea is to pack an extra pair of pants and socks in children' s backpacks as the snow melts and we have a return to mud. This avoids us having to call home for a pant or sock request during the day.
I cannot believe that it is April today. This school year has moved along quickly. The next three months will fly by too. Below are some important dates to note.
Important Dates:
April:
-2nd: World Autism Day
-2nd: Custodian and Maintenance worker Appreciation Day! Thank you to our incredible custodian team: Sheila, Helena, and Maria for always taking care of us and our building.
-3rd-6th: Good Friday & Easter (no school) Happy Easter to those who celebrate!
-7th: Elementary Skills Canada: Junior Robotics Club (Go PMPS go!)
-8th: International Day of Pink: Anti Bullying & Anti-Homophobia: Wear Pink!
-14th: Mayor Post to Hickey’s grade ⅚ class 9am (info sent home)
-24th: PD day-no school for all students
-21st: Badminton at PMPS 4-7pm
-21st: Grade 3 & 7 Swim to Survive
-22nd: OC appreciation day: Thank you to Mrs. Mckenzie for ensuring everyone is safe, for keeping our school running, and for all of the work that she does for our school nutrition program. She is kind, caring, funny, and dedicated.
-24th: PD day (mental health & curriculum): No school for students
-27th: IPRCs full day
-28th: Grade 3 & 7 Swim to Survive
-30th: Scientists in the School: Szabo 9am
May:
-1st: Patel & Christie: Nature Journaling workshop am
-4th to 8th: Education & Mental Health Week
-5th: Empowerment Day-am Grade 7-8s
-5th: Grade 3 & 7 Swim to Survive
-5th: Primary Trip to Orangeville Theatre K-¾
-8th: Accessibility Presentation (Lauren Pires) K-3s: 120-150pm & 4-8s 2-230pm ( info already sent home)
-11th: Optimist Bike Roadeo
-12th: ODSS visit for grade 8s 9am
-14th: Special Olympics (rain date May 15th)
-15th: Bee Ambassador K-¾ (letter to go home)
-15th: EA & CYC appreciation day!
-19th: Victoria Day- No school for students and staff
-19th to 22nd: Rock Climbing at PMPS/ gym in use all week (permission forms will be sent out at the end of April)
-26th: Spring ⅞ Vaccination Clinic at PMPS
-28th & 29th: EQAO grades 3 & 6
June:
-1st & 2nd: EQAO continued grades 3& 6 ( EQAO make up 3rd & 4th)
-2nd: Family Fun Night 530-7pm
-5th: PD Day: am curriculum & pm report card writing: no school for students
-9th & 10th: Intermediate Trip
-13th: Finale for Bike Roadeo: Alder Street
-17th: Grades ¾ (pm) & ⅘ (am) at Island Lake for Indigenous Learning
-22nd: PMPS Grade 8 Grad
-25th: Last day of School with students
-26th: PD day for staff (school improvement plans and transitions)
Upcoming Spirit Days:
-Thursday, April 2nd: Raise awareness and show support! Wear red and blue, celebrate neurodiversity.
-Friday, April 10th: Cascading Crackers!! Which classroom can bring in the most boxes of crackers to overflow Snacker the Cracker? Can you help your class cause a cascade of crackers???
-Wednesday, April 15th: Wordsearch Wednesday! Student council members will bring a wordsearch to each class with spring words to find.
-Wednesday, April 22nd: Earth Day (Dress like the world! Wear brown, blue, and green!)
-Friday, May 1st: Attitude of Gratitude day! Classes can create a sticky note door - writing things you are grateful for in your life. Stick the notes on your classroom door.
We have another great day of learning on Thursday ! Happy Easter for those who celebrate. A reminder that it is Easter weekend for those who celebrate this weekend. There is no school on Friday April 3rd and April 6th.
Thanks for your ongoing support.
Andrea Papavasiliou, Principal
Our latest fundraiser, with “Make it Sow” seeds of Canada, has launched!
This fundraiser offers a unique way to support our school, with a variety of high-quality, fun-themed seed packets, perfect for growing beautiful flowers, delicious herbs, or fresh vegetables, all while promoting the mission of our School Council: To support the mental health of our students through outdoor learning.
Colour product brochures went home with students last week. You can order through the on-line fundraiser page here: https://makeitsow.com/shop/#code-submission Be sure to use our unique ordering code, exclusively for PMPS: PMPS_2026
There are many mental health benefits for children from gardening, including reducing stress through contact with nature outdoors, teaching responsibility by caring for living things, and boosting self-esteem through tangible accomplishments.
This fundraiser runs until Friday, April 17th. Every sale helps to support important programs for our students. We are proud to offer seeds that are locally sourced with care, ensuring a successful growing experience for our supporters!
Please ensure you include the student’s name when you place your order! There is a section for this on the order screen. This will help to facilitate a smooth distribution process at the school, when you pick up your seeds. Thank you for your support!
Good evening Mustang Families,
Spring, it’s around the corner, Right?
I hope everyone had a great March break and to those who celebrate, a blessed Eid. It is certainly nice to have everyone back learning.
A reminder that it is a good idea to keep a close eye on the weather, so students know what to wear in the morning. Another good idea is to pack an extra pair of pants and socks in childrens’ backpacks as the snow melts and we have a return to mud. This avoids us having to call home for a pant or sock request during the day.
Parking lot reminders: Our parking lot is closed from 815am- 310pm everyday- all vehicles except for school buses and those with special needs parking permits, may not enter during this time . Please no parking in special needs parking without a permit, no stopping, no parking in the bus loop or no parking zones, do not block the exit from our parking lot by parking across the exit to the street and please be kind to staff who are helping to enforce these rules, including By Law who come out consistently but randomly. They have issued several tickets this year and they are expensive ($125 in some cases).
Please be a cautious driver while on the street: Making three point turns, stopping in the middle of the street, double parking, turning around in our exit, driving too close or too fast past parked cars that might have children exiting them, and having verbal disagreements with other drivers is unsafe. Please remember we all have the same goal; to have our students and families attend school safely, and this includes before and after school pick up and drop off. As the nice weather begins to become more consistent, please consider walking or parking on a side street or the Go Bus parking lot (old train station). Thank you for your support. The OPP, school and board staff, members of the Town, and County have plans to meet to discuss PMPS road safety and parking in the coming weeks.
Accessibility Week Assembly – May 8: As part of our commitment to fostering an inclusive and respectful school community, we will be recognizing Accessibility Week with a special presentation for our students on May 8th. We are pleased to welcome a guest speaker, Lauren Pires, who will be sharing her personal experiences living with an invisible disability. Lauren was born with Central Core Disease, a rare neuromuscular condition, and is an inspiring speaker who focuses on themes of resilience, belonging, and celebrating what makes each of us unique. Students will attend one of two assemblies:
Kindergarten–Grade 3
Grades 4–8
This presentation will provide students with an opportunity to learn about accessibility, build empathy, and develop a deeper understanding of the diverse experiences of others. Through hearing a real-life perspective, students will be encouraged to reflect on how we can create a more inclusive and supportive community for everyone. If you have any questions or would like more information, please feel free to let me know.
Important Dates:
-April 1st: Elementary Skills Canada: Junior Robotics Club (Go PMPS go!)
-2nd: World Autism Day
-2nd: Custodian and Maintenance worker Appreciation Day! Thank you to our incredible custodian team: Sheila, Helena, and Marie for always taking care of us and our building.
-3rd-6th: Good Friday & Easter (no school) Happy Easter to those who celebrate!
-8th: International Day of Pink: Anti Bullying & Anti-Homophobia: Wear Pink!
-24th: PD day-no school for all students
Upcoming Spirit Days:
-Friday, March 27th: World Water Day, Wear blue in honour of water
-Wednesday, April 1st: Easter Colours (Wear pastel colours and accessories!)
-Thursday, April 2nd: Raise awareness and show support! Wear red and blue, celebrate neurodiversity.
-Friday, April 10th: Cascading Crackers!! Which classroom can bring in the most boxes of crackers to overflow Snacker the Cracker? Can you help your class cause a cascade of crackers???
-Wednesday, April 15th: Wordsearch Wednesday! Student council members will bring a wordsearch to each class with spring words to find.
-Wednesday, April 22nd: Earth Day (Dress like the world! Wear brown, blue, and green!)
-Friday, May 1st: Attitude of Gratitude day! Classes can create a sticky note door - writing things you are grateful for in your life. Stick the notes on your classroom door.
Milk Sales: Our wonderful Student Council continues to sell milk. The milk costs $1.25 each.
We have another great day of learning on Friday ! A reminder that it is Easter weekend for those who celebrate is next weekend. There is no school on Friday April 3rd and April 6th.
Thanks for your ongoing support.
Andrea Papavasiliou, Principal
Good evening Mustang Families,
Another fantastic week at Princess Margaret! We were honoured to welcome back Andrew Healey, decorated Paralympian, world champion, and Commonwealth champion. He spoke to our students about the Paralympics and held an engaging Q&A session, where our students asked thoughtful and insightful questions.
To learn more about all the incredible Olympic and Paralympic events we've enjoyed over the last month, please check out the article published on the Board website today: https://www.ugdsb.ca/article/14811
Our intermediate curlers also attended their bonspiel this week and represented Princess Margaret with pride. Congratulations to all of them! I would like to also congratulate our junior PMPS speech winner, who represented us at the Orangeville Lions Club and won first place! She is now onto the next competition. Well done! We’d also thank a young kindergarten student who wanted to clean up our school yard and a local trail this past weekend. He collected several bags of garbage with his parents. What an incredible act of generosity.
Most importantly, everyone is now ready for a well‑earned March Break. A reminder that there is no school from March 16th to March 20th. We look forward to welcoming everyone back on March 23rd at 8:30 AM. We hope all of our families enjoy a safe, restful, and enjoyable break! Happy Eid to all of our families who are celebrating over the break as well. We hope you have a blessed Eid with family and friends.
Ice & Water Safety: It's that time of year again. With the more mild and wet weather we have been experiencing it is time to remind students and families to stay off the ice on ponds and bodies of water near schools. The ice on local bodies of water is not safe, and we are encouraging everyone to stay off the ice. The Grand River Conservation Authority has shared water safety messaging on their website: GRCA Flood Warning and Flood Watch as well as GRCA Water Safety
Extra Pants & Socks: It’s a great idea this time of year to pack extra socks and pants. Mud and puddles are everywhere and this avoids a call home during the middle of the day.
Important Dates:
13th: Dairy Farmer Presentation kindergartens 9am-940am and 940am-1020am
16th to 20th: March break
-25th: Superintendent Visit to PMPS, Mr. Viverios
-26th: Grade 7 Metis Virtual Presentations
-April 1st: Elementary Skills Canada: Junior Robotics Club, chosen team.
-2nd: World Autism Day
-3rd: Custodian and Maintenance worker Appreciation Day! Thank you to our incredible custodian team: Sheila, Dino, Helena, and Marie for always taking care of us and our building.
-3rd-6th: Good Friday & Easter
-8th: International Day of Pink: Anti Bullying & Anti-Homophobia: Wear Pink!
-24th: PD day
Upcoming Spirit Days:
-Friday, March 13th: Wear gold and green and other accessories for St. Patrick’s Day
-Monday, March 23rd: Crossing Guard Day! Make a thank you card to show your appreciation.
-Friday, March 27th: World Water Day, Wear blue in honour of water
-Thursday, April 2nd: Raise awareness and show support! Wear red and blue, celebrate neurodiversity.
Reminders:
Ministry Approved School Year Calendars 2026-2027: The Ministry has approved the UGDSB elementary and secondary calendars for the 2026-2027 school year. They are now posted on our board website, and can also be accessed here:
Elementary - Cycle Day Calendar
Elementary - Calendar
Secondary - Calendar
EQAO Writing Dates for Grade 3 & 6 Students: Students in Grades 3 and 6 will be writing EQAO on:
• May 28
• May 29
• June 1
• June 2
We have very limited flexibility for makeup sessions this year, and we want to ensure that students and teachers have the full amount of time to work through the curriculum and not write too early in May. Please avoid scheduling family trips or appointments during these dates . More detailed information about EQAO will be shared with families closer to, but for now, please save these dates.
Ramadan: As we continue to celebrate the holy month of Ramadan, we want to extend our best wishes to all students and families observing this important time. Ramadan is a special period of reflection, prayer, and fasting for many in our school community, and we recognize its significance. To support our students who are fasting and engaging in daily prayer, we want to remind everyone that we do have a prayer space in our school, in room 105. This space is available for students who wish to participate in prayer in a quiet and respectful environment. If your child will be utilizing the prayer space and/or needs other accommodations due to feasting etc., please let your child’s teacher know so we can ensure they know where the prayer space is located and provide the needed accommodations. Happy Ramadan or Ramadan Mubarak.
Have a terrific break everyone. Be safe and have fun!
Andrea Papavasiliou, Principal
Dear PMPS Families,
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.
Dear PMPS families,
Get ready to cultivate some serious funds for our school! PMPS School Council is excited to announce that our seed fundraiser is launching soon, offering a fresh, green way to support our school initiatives!
This is not just any fundraiser; it's a chance to offer high-quality, eco-friendly seed packets that appeal to everyone—from seasoned gardeners to those just looking to add a little beauty to their space. Think vibrant flowers, delicious herbs, and fresh vegetables, all while earning great profits for our school.
Mark your calendars! Our seed fundraiser will run from Wednesday, March 25th, to Friday, April 17th. The seeds will be delivered to our school, for pick-up, sometime the following week. That date will be confirmed soon. This gives us plenty of time to grow our success together!
Here is a quick peek at why you'll love this fundraiser:
· High-Quality, Canadian-Made Seeds: The seeds are sourced with care, ensuring a successful growing experience.
· Fantastic Profit Margins: Designed to help us reach our fundraising goals faster.
· Simple & Convenient Process: No forms, on-line payments, no minimum orders.
· Fast & Free Shipping: Products arrive quickly and will be packaged by order.
· Fully Bilingual: All materials and the online resources are available in both English and French.
We are putting the finishing touches on everything, and you'll receive all the details, including how to sign up and access your fundraising materials, very soon.
In the meantime, start spreading the word to your members, families, and friends! This is going to be a fun and impactful way to raise the funds we need for impactful programs, equipment, and resources for our students!
Stay tuned for our official launch materials, including a full colour brochure, unique on-line ordering code for our school, and keep an eye out for social media posts!
Happy Growing,
Princess Margaret School Council
School Council Minutes March 2026
Please see our PMPS March 2026 School Council Minutes.
Have a great weekend.
Good evening Mustang Families,
It’s March! This school year feels like it is flying by! Does anyone else feel the same?
This week was another wonderful week at Princess Margaret!
One of the highlights for me personally was watching our students celebrate Holi. A very generous staff member taught us about their holiday traditions, made both sweet and savoury treats for our students, led a lesson on Holi, and even shared colours so everyone could take part in the celebration. It was such a joyful and inclusive experience for our school community. We need more reasons to celebrate in life, that’s why recognizing and learning about as many holidays and traditions as possible is really important.
Another highlight was watching two of our students who have been working so hard on their SPCA drive for animals. They created announcements, made posters, collected blankets and money, and even baked muffins to support the SPCA. This week, the SPCA came to pick up all the donations. The girls’ enthusiasm was heartwarming and showed that even our youngest students can make a big difference. Thank you to all the families and staff who supported their efforts.
It’s been great to see our students enjoying our class sets of snowshoes and cross country skis. Thank you to School Council (and all of you) who have helped us build these sets. They have been very well used this winter. Congratulations to our basketball teams who have been practising and playing hard the last two months. I am very thankful for our coaches.
Ramadan: As we continue to celebrate the holy month of Ramadan, we want to extend our best wishes to all students and families observing this important time. Ramadan is a special period of reflection, prayer, and fasting for many in our school community, and we recognize its significance. To support our students who are fasting and engaging in daily prayer, we want to remind everyone that we do have a prayer space in our school, in room 105. This space is available for students who wish to participate in prayer in a quiet and respectful environment. If your child will be utilizing the prayer space and/or needs other accommodations due to feasting etc., please let your child’s teacher know so we can ensure they know where the prayer space is located and provide the needed accommodations. Happy Ramadan or Ramadan Mubarak.
Ministry Approved School Year Calendars 2026-2027: The Ministry has approved the UGDSB elementary and secondary calendars for the 2026-2027 school year. They are now posted on our board website, and can also be accessed here:
Elementary - Cycle Day Calendar
Elementary - Calendar
Secondary - Calendar
March Communications Newsletter: The March Communications Newsletter is out!. In this month's issue we have information about:
School Year Calendar updates
Policy updates
Sustainability features
And more!
You can view the newsletter here: https://www.ugdsb.ca/page/communications-newsletter
Important Dates:
5th: School Council Meeting 6pm, Paralympian Andrew Healy talking to Council (virtual)
9th: Szabo Fire Presentation 935-1025am
10th: 115pm-215pm, Paralympian Andrew Healy Presentation (virtual)
10th: Pozinak & Ditchburn Fire Safety Presentation 935am-1025am
12th: Indigenous Speaker for kindergarten classes, Mrs. Pozinak’s class, Mrs. Christie’s class, and Mrs. Hickey’s class ( letter has been sent home with details)
13th: Dairy Farmer Presentation kindergartens 9am-940am and 940am-1020am
16th to 20th: March break
-25th: Superintendent Visit to PMPS, Mr. Viverios
-26th: Grade 7 Metis Virtual Presentations
Upcoming Spirit Days:
-Friday, March 13th: Wear gold and green and other accessories for St. Patrick’s Day
-Monday, March 23rd: Crossing Guard Day! Make a thank you card to show your appreciation.
Reminders:
EQAO Writing Dates for Grade 3 & 6 Students: Students in Grades 3 and 6 will be writing EQAO on:
• May 28
• May 29
• June 1
• June 2
We have very limited flexibility for makeup sessions this year, and we want to ensure that students and teachers have the full amount of time to work through the curriculum and not write too early in May. Please avoid scheduling family trips or appointments during these dates . More detailed information about EQAO will be shared with families closer to, but for now, please save these dates.
Milk Sales: Our wonderful Student Council continues to sell milk. The milk costs $1.25 each.
We have a great day of learning and fun planned on Friday! Have a great weekend once it gets here. I am very hopeful that spring is just around the corner!Remember to ‘spring ahead’ this weekend! Next week we’ll have sunsets after 7pm!
Andrea Papavasiliou, Principal
Last week, we had the incredible opportunity to welcome Olympian Claire, a synchronized/artistic swimmer who represented Canada at the 2024 Paris Olympics. It’s safe to say our Primary, junior and Intermediate students were truly inspired after meeting her. She was so gracious with her time, sharing videos of her team competing, showing her Pan American medal, and even allowing students to hold it and see her swimming costumes up close. One of the sweetest moments was watching some of our Junior and Intermediate students stay behind to make connections with Claire and some of our students even got autographs.
Now that the Olympics have wrapped up, we’re excited to look ahead to the Paralympics. A reminder that Andrew, decorated paralympian and world champion will be visiting us virtually on March 10th to speak with students about the Paralympics and disabilities. He will also be presenting to the School Council on March 5th at 6:00 PM. Please join us if you are able!
Important Dates:
4th: Kindergarten Fire Safety Presentations 935am-1025am
6th: School Council Meeting 6pm, Paralympian Andrew Healy talking to Council (virtual)
9th: Szabo Fire Presentation 935-1025am
10th: 115pm-215pm, Paralympian Andrew Healy Presentation (virtual)
10th: Pozinak & Ditchburn Fire Safety Presentation 935am-1025am
12th: Indigenous Speaker for kindergarten classes, Mrs. Pozinak’s class, Mrs. Christie’s class, and Mrs. Hickey’s class ( letter has been sent home with details)
13th: Dairy Farmer Presentation kindergartens 9am-940am and 940am-1020am
16th to 20th: March break.
EQAO Writing Dates for Grade 3 & 6 Students: Students in Grades 3 and 6 will be writing EQAO on:
• May 28
• May 29
• June 1
• June 2
We have very limited flexibility for makeup sessions this year, and we want to ensure that students and teachers have the full amount of time to work through the curriculum and not write too early in May. Please avoid scheduling family trips or appointments during these dates . More detailed information about EQAO will be shared with families closer to, but for now, please save these dates.
Upcoming Spirit Days:
-Friday, Feb. 27th: Board Game day! Bring in your favourite board game and enjoy game stations in your classroom.
-Wednesday, March 4th: Wear bright colours for Holi (Hindu festival of colours)
-Friday, March 13th: Wear gold and green and other accessories for St. Patrick’s Day
-Monday, March 23rd: Crossing Guard Day! Make a thank you card to show your appreciation.
-Friday, March 27th: World Water Day, Wear blue in honour of water
-Thursday, April 2nd: Raise awareness and show support! Wear red and blue, celebrate neurodiversity.
Reminders:
Free webinar series for parents/caregivers: Supporting Your Child’s Mental Health from School Mental Health Ontario:
We are excited to share a valuable opportunity to support your child’s well-being. School Mental Health Ontario is offering a free webinar series as part of the By Your Side Learning Hub, designed to help parents and caregivers navigate important topics to support their children’s mental health.
This expert-led series will provide insights and practical strategies on:
✅ balanced device use
✅ vaping
✅ body image
✅ anxiety
The webinars will also include answers to questions that parents/caregivers can provide ahead of the webinar, giving you the chance to ask questions and gain practical guidance.
📅 Sessions run March to June
💻 Register for free today
English and French sessions will be offered on each topic. All webinar recordings will be uploaded to the By Your Side Learning Hub.
Milk Sales: Our wonderful Student Council continues to sell milk. The milk costs $1.25 each.
We have a great day of learning and fun planned on Friday! Have a great weekend once it gets here.
Andrea Papavasiliou, Principal
Do you enjoy delicious muffins? Would you like to help support animals in need?
If so, we will be selling muffins during first nutrition break on Monday in Room 211.
All proceeds will be donated directly to the Orangeville SPCA.
(These are parent/student baked)