Princess Margaret Public School

Good Evening Mustang Families,

It’s been another good week here at PMPS of learning new things and having fun while doing so. I want to thank all families who are making an effort to come to school, when safe, on no bus days. We are a walking school with the exception of about 8 students. We carry on with a regular school day full of learning. Students who miss school will need to get caught up on school work, similar to when sick. You will notice that the UGDSB is actively promoting this message at an elementary and secondary level.

Sideline basketball has started, intermediate basketball, choir, craft club, eco club, and inclusion club all continues. Thanks to our staff for providing these opportunities and for students who participate. There is very important information below, thanks for continuing to read my updates.

Important Safety Notice: Front Door and Letting Others in and Lunch Deliveries: So far, we believe the front-door system is working well. Thank you for your cooperation as our community continues to learn and adjust to this new entry process. As a reminder:
When the light is green, you may enter freely and report to the office
When the light is white, please press the buzzer and a staff member will assist you in gaining access to the building.

It is very important that once you have been granted access, you do not allow additional people to enter behind you. For example, yesterday a delivery person entered the building after being let in by a parent. The delivery driver became confused and attempted to access the library and hallway. This situation reinforces why we strongly discourage holding the door open for others, even if their reason for entry appears legitimate. For similar reasons, we also strongly discourage food deliveries from services such as Uber Eats, DoorDash etc. These individuals are not vetted members of our school community. As demonstrated yesterday, delivery drivers can sometimes be confused about where they are permitted to go. Additionally, lunches are sometimes left on the desk for extended periods of time when students forget to pick them up. Whenever possible, please consider packing your child’s lunch or dropping it off in person. Thank you for your understanding, cooperation, and continued attention to keeping our school community safe.

January 7th-30th : kindergarten registration is open. Please see our school website for more information and to register online. Please tell your neighbours as well.

-January 6th to 31st: Out of Area open in the UGDSB (see board website for details)

Professional Activity Day Description: January 30, 2026 Information for Elementary Parents/Guardians:
Date: January 30, 2026 Length: Full Day Elementary Topics:
● Term 1 Report Cards Entity Hosting: Upper Grand DSB Presenter(s)/Facilitator(s): Independent/Individual Description:
●(225 minutes) - Term 1 Reports as per Collective Agreements

Important Dates:
January 26th & 27th: Dairy Farmer’s Presentation: Grades K-⅚
January 30th: PD Day- no school for students
-February: Black Heritage, Black Brilliance, and Black Futures month
-2nd: Term 2 and Q3 start today
-4th: Students will be in teams and assigned a country that reflects our PMPS community and they will create flags and a team cheer for our upcoming Olympic Play Day
-5th: National Sweater Day: Turn Down the Heat to Conserve
-6th: The Winter Olympics start! Go Canada!
-6th: Director and SO visit 9am-945am
-10th: Grade 6/7 to ⅞ Ttrip to Hockley
-12th: Paralympic Guest Speaker (virtual) 1115am-12pm
-13th: Olympic Play date: Opening ceremonies after entry, outside activities middle and last block, with the closing ceremony on the tarmac

Upcoming Spirit Days:
-Friday, January 23rd: Dress like your favourite animal day! Are you going to be a tiger, a dog, maybe a cat, or…….? Let’s create our own PMPS animal kingdom
-Thursday, Jan. 29th: Division colours: JK/K, Gr. 1,2,and 3: BLUE Grade 4,5,and 6: RED Grade 7 and 8: BLACK Staff: Tye Dye

Notice of Guest Speaker, School Wide: Great news! We’ve been able to secure a Paralympic gold medalist to speak to our students. I’ve included a link to information about this athlete. I’m truly excited for our students—he brings an incredible message of resilience, hard work ,his life story (including leg and lung cancer) and the Olympic experience. https://paralympic.ca/athlete/andrew-haley/
A big thank‑you to our wonderful School Council for allowing us to use our PRO Grant to support this opportunity, as it strongly promotes inclusivity within our school community.
The presentation will take place virtually on February 12th from 11:15 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. This format greatly reduced the speaker’s cost, and he has also generously lowered his fee further knowing we are a school and recognizing the limitations of school budgets. We are excited to welcome Andrew Hayley to PMPS!

We have a great day of learning and fun planned on Friday! Take care.

Andrea Papavasiliou, Principal

Energy Drinks: We would like to bring to your attention a concern we have noticed during the school day. Some students have been coming to school and/or returning from second lunch with highly caffeinated energy drinks. While these beverages are widely available, they are not recommended for children and adolescents. High levels of caffeine and other stimulants can lead to side effects such as increased heart rate, headaches, stomach discomfort, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and disrupted sleep. These effects can significantly impact students’ well-being and their ability to learn and self-regulate. Given the age of our students, energy drinks will not be allowed to be consumed in class. If students arrive with these drinks, they will be asked to put them away.  We appreciate your support in reinforcing healthy choices by encouraging students to bring water, milk, or other appropriate beverages to school. Our shared goal is to create a safe, focused, and supportive learning environment for all students. Thank you for your support. Andrea Papavasiliou, Principal

Good Evening Mustang Families,

It’s been another good week here at PMPS. Mother Nature certainly is making it an interesting winter! Our intermediate students continue to learn from the Family Transition Place presentations, students in grade 6/7, kindergarten, and ¾ snowshoed while embracing winter weather, our curling team had their first practice at the Orangeville Curling Club, and our junior/intermediates have started speech writing. Our grade 6-8 band continues to use their instruments and are making great progress. PMPS is a great place to learn and have fun!
January 7th-30th : kindergarten registration is open. Please see our school website for more information and to register online. Please tell your neighbours as well.
-January 6th to 31st: Out of Area open in the UGDSB (see board website for details)

Professional Activity Day Description: January 30, 2026 Information for Elementary Parents/Guardians:
Date: January 30, 2026 Length: Full Day Elementary Topics:
● Term 1 Report Cards Entity Hosting: Upper Grand DSB Presenter(s)/Facilitator(s): Independent/Individual Description:
●(225 minutes) - Term 1 Reports as per Collective Agreements

Important Dates:
January 26th & 27th: Dairy Farmer’s Presentation: Grades K-⅚
January 30th: PD Day- no school for students

Upcoming Spirit Days:
-January 16th:Dress like a tourist! Get out those fanny packs and cameras, hats, Sunglasses, etc.
-Friday, January 23rd: Dress like your favourite animal day! Are you going to be a tiger, a dog, maybe a cat, or…….? Let’s create our own PMPS animal kingdom
-Thursday, Jan. 29th: Division colours: JK/K, Gr. 1,2,and 3: BLUE Grade 4,5,and 6: RED Grade 7 and 8: BLACK Staff: Tye Dye
Congratulations to the class with 70% participation in our December spirit days - Mrs. Pozniak’s grade 1 and 2 class

Milk & Popcorn Sales: Our wonderful Student Council continues to sell milk. The milk costs $1.25 each and popcorn costs $2.00 Milk sale profits support our Student Council and popcorn sales support our grade 8 grad.

Reminders:

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. 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. If a no bus day falls on a pizza day, we go ahead with our pizza day.

Parking Lot Safety
Please remember that our front parking lot is closed during morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up. This is clearly marked with signage. Parents should not enter the parking lot, park in the special needs spaces unless they have a permit, or stop in the bus loop. Before the break, we had an incident where a parent parked in a designated special needs space without a permit and then pulled out without looking, nearly hitting another parent and child. Safety is our number one priority, and we need everyone’s cooperation to keep our students and families safe.
Additionally:
The bus loop is never to be used for parking. It is a fire lane and must remain clear at all times.
The Town of Orangeville has issued tickets to parents for these violations. The fine is $125, and unfortunately, this is a town matter—I cannot intervene.

Parent Resources:
Dufferin Parent Support Network: Please check out https://www.dpsn.ca/ for free parenting workshops. The Dufferin Parenting Support Network is a great organization of parents supporting parents.

DCAFS Behaviour Solutions: DCAFS offers a wide range of services designed to meet the unique needs of each child and family. They believe that every child deserves the chance to reach their full potential, and they are committed to helping them do just that. If you're looking for support for your family within a safe and welcoming community, look no further than DCAFS! Please see the link for some different workshops and events: https://behavioursolutions.dcafs.on.ca/events/

Community Support: Hill of Headwaters Collaborative has a new opportunity for anyone in the community who may require access to care providers. Check out the link for Details: https://hillsofheadwaterscollaborative.ca/caredays

We have a great day of learning and fun planned on Friday! Take care.

Andrea Papavasiliou, Principal

Good morning,
Due to inclement weather, all UGDSB schools including and offices are closed today, Jan 15th/26 to staff and students. This includes PMPS. Students are to shift to remote learning, where possible.

Hello Princess Margaret families,
We want to let you know that we have a selection of new and gently used jackets, snow pants, scarves, and hats are available in our front foyer. If you need something, please feel free to come in and take what you need, but please leave the hangers.
Thank you,
Andrea Papavasiliou
Principal

Good Evening Mustang Families,

Happy New Year! Welcome back! I hope you and your family had a great holiday season. I am glad to have our students and staff back, they have settled back in nicely. We have a number of great things going on here at PMPS. Some examples include our curling team has been selected and will be training starting next week! Older students have been practising for a basketball shoot out, our grade 8s will have an ODSS visit for grade 9 course selection next week and grad photos, and Family Transition Place have started their series of presentations and workshops with our intermediates. Thank you to our School Council for supporting this important work and for already helping us book this programming for the 2026/2027 school year as well. We have an amazing School Council! Thanks to all our families who support our fundraisers such as cookie dough and Holiday Craft Fair which helps Council support our school.
January 7th-30th : kindergarten registration is open. Please see our school website for more information and to register online. Please tell your neighbours as well.
-January 6th to 31st: Out of Area open in the UGDSB (see board website for details)

Important Dates:
January 5th: Family Transition Place (FTP) presentations begin on Mondays or Thursdays for 8 weeks for grades 6/7 to ⅞ (information previously sent home) * FTP is no longer able to provide workshops from grades 5 to ⅚ as they are short staffed.
January 7th-30th:: Kindergarten registration begins for 26/27 school year
January 6th to 31st: Out of Area open in the UGDSB (see board website for details)
January 12th: GET REAL Inclusivity Workshop Grades 4-8 (letter went home)
January 13th: ODSS visit for grade 8s (course selection)
January 14th: Grad Photos (grade 8)
January 26th & 27th: Dairy Farmer’s Presentation: Grades K-⅚
January 30th: PD Day- no school for students

Upcoming Spirit Days:
-January 9th: Dress like your favourite hobby day! Dress like an artist, sports star, musician, etc.
-January 16th:Dress like a tourist! Get out those fanny packs and cameras, hats, Sunglasses, etc.
-Friday, January 23rd: Dress like your favourite animal day! Are you going to be a tiger, a dog, maybe a cat, or…….? Let’s create our own PMPS animal kingdom
-Thursday, Jan. 29th: Division colours: JK/K, Gr. 1,2,and 3: BLUE Grade 4,5,and 6: RED Grade 7 and 8: BLACK Staff: Tye Dye
Congratulations to the class with 70% participation in our December spirit days - Mrs. Pozniak’s grade 1 and 2 class

January Communications Newsletter The January Communications Newsletter is out! In this month's issue we have information about:
Information about Kindergarten Registration
Winter Walk Day
And more!

You can view the newsletter here: https://www.ugdsb.ca/page/communications-newsletter

Reminders:

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.

Slips, Trips & Falls: Please make sure that your child(ren) and you are wearing appropriate footwear for our wintery weather. This helps prevent slips, trips, and falls inside and outside our school.

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. 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. If a no bus day falls on a pizza day, we go ahead with our pizza day.

Parent Resources:
Dufferin Parent Support Network: Please check out https://www.dpsn.ca/ for free parenting workshops. The Dufferin Parenting Support Network is a great organization of parents supporting parents.
DCAFS Behaviour Solutions: DCAFS offers a wide range of services designed to meet the unique needs of each child and family. They believe that every child deserves the chance to reach their full potential, and they are committed to helping them do just that. If you're looking for support for your family within a safe and welcoming community, look no further than DCAFS! Please see the link for some different workshops and events: https://behavioursolutions.dcafs.on.ca/events/
Community Support: Hill of Headwaters Collaborative has a new opportunity for anyone in the community who may require access to care providers. Check out the link for Details: https://hillsofheadwaterscollaborative.ca/caredays
We have a great day of learning and fun planned on Friday! Take care.

Andrea Papavasiliou, Principal

Subject: Important Reminders for Mustang Families
Good evening Mustang families,
I hope everyone enjoyed a wonderful holiday and that the new year is off to a great start! I wanted to share a few important reminders to help keep our school community safe:
Parking Lot Safety
Please remember that our front parking lot is closed during morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up. This is clearly marked with signage. Parents should not enter the parking lot, park in the special needs spaces unless they have a permit, or stop in the bus loop.
Before the break, we had an incident where a parent parked in a designated special needs space without a permit and then pulled out without looking, nearly hitting another parent and child. Safety is our number one priority, and we need everyone’s cooperation to keep our students and families safe.
Additionally:
The bus loop is never to be used for parking. It is a fire lane and must remain clear at all times.
The Town of Orangeville has issued tickets to parents for these violations. The fine is $125, and unfortunately, this is a town matter—I cannot intervene.
No-Bus Days
On days when buses are cancelled, if your child will not be attending school, please call the office. Mrs. Mckenzie had nearly 70 calls to make on the last no-bus day, which significantly slows down our Safe Arrivals process. Our goal is to account for every child quickly, and your help makes this possible.
Thank you for your ongoing support and cooperation in keeping our school community safe.
Have a great evening,
Andrea Papavasiliou
Principal