ADS Newsletter
August 29th, 2025

Hello Acton Families!

I hope you had a wonderful summer holiday and are now gearing back up for the return to school. Many staff are already in the building providing tours, training our student leaders and setting up their classrooms. We are excited about seeing your students again!

Please have a look at the start-up information to help you get organized for day one.

I hope to see our Grade 9 parents on Thursday September 11th at 6pm. Come and see what your students are doing.

Start Up Information for Parents, Guardians and Students

The countdown to the first day of school, Wednesday September 3rd is on! Welcome to our newest students and their families, and welcome back to all of you who are already part of the Bearcat family! We are looking forward to an exciting year ahead together filled with learning, laughter, and new experiences. We're so happy to have you with us.

Last June we said goodbye to Secondary Vice-Principals Kate St. Onge and Jean-Marc Raymond. We wish them both a wonderful year in their new schools and look forward to getting to know our new Vice-Principal Mr. Tony Churchill. Mr. Churchill will be in the school for several weeks filling in for Curtis Morton while he is on leave. We are also grateful for the support of Mr. John Leckie (yes, our Department Leader of Phys Ed and fantastic coach) who will be an Acting Vice-Principal for 3 weeks as extra help. We are also looking forward to getting to know our new Grade 7s, transitioning our Grade 9’s into the high school, and welcoming back the Grade 8 and 10-12 students. We are one community school, and every student belongs at Acton District. We look forward to connecting with our students again and starting another exciting year at school.

We also welcome the following new teachers to our staff for our first semester:

Tarah Cambell teaching English

Nicole Trefethen teaching Tech Education

Anna Gruca teaching Visual Art, Yearbook and Tech

Grade 7/8 Students:

The elementary school day runs 9:00 am-3:20pm. Intermediate parents will receive their child’s homeroom teacher’s name on Friday August 29th via School Messenger. On the first day of school Grade 7 & 8 students will report to the back field where classroom teachers will meet them at 9:00 am. Intermediate teachers will have signs with their name and class code to help grade 7 & 8 students locate their teachers with ease. Intermediate teachers without home rooms will be available to help direct students if needed. Please remember that even in wet weather, intermediate students go outside for breaks daily so it is important that students are dressed appropriately to be outside. On the first day, students will be offered a pizza lunch during the first nutrition break.

All Grade 7 & 8 students are asked to remain at school during lunch for the first week. Intermediate students will eat in their classrooms and will be required to bring their lunch to school. Permission forms to allow grade 7 & 8 students to leave the property to go home at lunch will be sent home during the first week. With a completed permission form, grade 7 & 8 students will be allowed to leave the property at the second nutrition break (1:00 pm-1:40 pm) starting on Monday, September 8th.

Please view the new schedule for elementary classes and break times for this school year:

Grade 9-12 Students:

The secondary school day runs 8:40 am-3:20 pm. On the first day, teachers will bring our new students on tours of the school and explain schedules. Staff will be available in the front entrance to help direct students to class.

Please see the following schedule for Grade 9 Bearcat Activities on the first day. The grade 9s will follow both schedules posted for secondary students below.

First Day Schedule-Bearcat Crew → For GRADE 9’s ONLY

Grade 10-12 Students:

The Grade 10-12 students will join us later in the day. Classes start at 12:55 pm. Please see the schedule for the first day for this group. Pizza lunch is offered to this group at 12:00 pm in the cafeteria.

Timetables:

Updated timetables will be sent out to all families. Students who did not complete the required summer school courses or who were unsuccessful in the course(s) will need to see Student Services for a timetable adjustment. There may be a blank space on the timetable.

Lockers:

All students should bring a lock for their lockers which will be given to students on a request basis. Many students do not make use of a locker but if your student would like one, please direct them to the office staff to choose one.

Cafeteria Service:

Compass-Chartwell will no longer be servicing our cafeteria. Instead we have agreements with several food vendors in our community to provide lunches for students. Please look on schoolcashonline during the second week of September to order pizza, pitas, etc for your child. This plan patronizes our community businesses and our students do not need to leave the school to get their favourite foods. We are working on a few new vendors as well so stay tuned.

Our actual cafeteria will be used by students to prepare foods for fundraisers etc, they only need their practical food-handling certification to participate. We look forward to offering this new learning space for our students.

Verification Packages:

Verification packages will be sent electronically to all families.

Field Trip Expectations: Please take notice that all fees for field trips must be paid via our online Cashless system and parent permissions forms must be returned to the teacher at least TWO days before the trip. Form and fees coming in later will not be accepted and unfortunately your student will not be able to attend the trip. They will be given an alternate learning schedule for the school day. In the past families have sent permission forms and fees up to an hour before the trip. We are unable to accurately process these last minute attempts to include your student. We thank you for your understanding.

Student Engagement Fees (Grades 9-12):
As in the past, we are asking each student, in Grades 9 to 12, to pay the annual Student Engagement Fee of $40.00. Student Engagement Fees provide us with the financial resources needed to offer enriched opportunities for our students to engage in their high school experience.

The list of events includes, but is not limited to:
Bearcat Crew - Grade 9 welcome & mentorship team
Clubs and Teams – support for events and activities
Acton Achievers Awards
Athletic Awards Banquet
Motivational Speakers
School wide events and activities

While payment of this fee is optional, please realize that without payment of these fees many of the opportunities students enjoy throughout the school year would not be possible.
Thank you for your support!

Please register for School Cash Online so you are aware of upcoming dances, graduation events, trips etc and make your payments so much easier over the course of the year. Here is the link for you.

Please Visit Our Website:

Please visit the 8 important icons at the bottom of the first page of the website for more information for parents.

https://act.hdsb.ca/

Transportation:

Our school is environmentally conscious and we encourage daily student exercise over vehicle emissions so all students are encouraged to walk or wheel to school if possible. If students are being dropped off by car, please refer to the drop off zone noted on the map below. Secondary students can be dropped off at the front of the school and then enter the school via the bus hallway or the front door. Intermediate students can be dropped off at the area indicated by the red star on the attached map and then are to walk around to the back field (inside the track).

If your child rides a bus, please check Haltonbus.ca for the AM and PM bus numbers as well as stop location/times. If your child is eligible for busing and is NOT riding the bus, please promptly fill in the Opt Out Form to ensure that seats are only being assigned to active riders. Having accurate bus lists helps to ensure riders are spread out on the bus seating plan. Eligible bus students can opt back into riding the bus at a later time if necessary. Courtesy seat applications are closed at this time.

Secondary Cross-country team:

There will be a meeting for all students interested the first Thursday after school outside the gym. See Ms. Shire for a medical form or if you have any questions. We will start running the second week back.

We are really looking forward to seeing everyone next week. If you have any questions, please feel free to call the school.

Sincerely,

Kelli Pfeiffer Tony Churchill John Leckie

Principal Vice Principal, Elementary Acting Vice Principal, Admin Support

Locker Request for Secondary Students

Secondary students can request a locker by seeing Mrs. Shortt in the main office starting September 4, 2025.

Note: You must have a lock in order to be assigned a locker.

Elementary students will receive their lockers from their homeroom teachers.

ADS Secondary
Sport Teams

Junior and senior boys volleyball will be starting up during the first week of school. See Mr. Leckie in the office for a form and more information.

See Mr. Evoy for information on the golf team.

Listen to the announcements for an update on cross-country.

2025-2026 - Student Engagement Fee-Secondary

Welcome to a brand-new school year! Whether you’re joining us for the first time or returning for another exciting year, we’re thrilled to have you as part of our Acton District High School community.

We are asking all students in Grades 9–12 to consider paying the optional $40.00 Student Engagement Fee. This fee goes directly toward enriching your high school experience—helping to fund many of the fun, meaningful, and rewarding opportunities students enjoy throughout the year.

Here’s just some of what your $40 helps make possible:

Bearcat Crew – Grade 9 welcome & mentorship events
Clubs & Teams – tournament entries, event costs, and equipment
Acton Achievers & Athletic Awards celebrations
Motivational Speakers and student workshops
School-Wide Events – spirit days, assemblies, socials, and more

We truly appreciate your support. These fees go a long way in helping us create a school culture that celebrates involvement, achievement, and school spirit.

Let’s make this year one to remember!

https://hdsb.schoolcashonline.com/Fee/Details/168448/181/False/True

🐾 Acton District School Spirit Wear is Here!

Show your Bearcat Pride with our new spirit wear!

Orders are now open through Friday, September 22.

Browse and order online here: Acton District Spirit Wear Shop

Don’t miss out—orders close after September 22!

Please visit our Student Services Page on our website for the most up to date information:

https://act.hdsb.ca/student-services

📢 Stay Connected: Join Your Grade’s Google Classroom!

All students are encouraged to join their Grade Google Classroom to stay informed throughout the school year. Each classroom is tailored to your grade and will be used to share important announcements, guidance updates, post-secondary planning information, volunteer and job opportunities, and more.

By joining, students can ensure they don’t miss out on key dates, events, and resources that support both academic and personal success.

🔑 Join using the code for your grade below:

Grade 9: n54uhqn6
Grade 10: rgbi47nv
Grade 11: xslvacpi
Grade 12: 4uxurjpz

We strongly recommend all students join as soon as possible. It's one of the best ways to stay in the loop and make the most of the school year!

📣 Student Services Update – New Way to Submit Your Community Hours!

Dear Students,

We’re excited to announce a new and improved way to submit your community service hours to Student Services! 💼✨

Starting Wednesday, September 3rd, all students will be able to submit their community hours online through our updated system. This change is designed to make the process faster, easier, and more convenient for everyone.

🔹 What’s New?

Online Submission Form: Submit your hours directly from your phone or computer — no need to hand in your paper forms!
Upload Documentation: Attach your signed Record of Community Involvement Hours form or a photo of the form in just a few clicks.
Instant Confirmation: Receive an email confirmation as soon as your hours are submitted.

🔹 How to Submit:

Visit: Acton District School - Community Involvement
Fill out the required details
Upload your supporting documents
Click submit — and you're done!

We know your time is valuable, and we’re committed to supporting your involvement in the community.

If you have any questions or need assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to
Mrs. Norton in the guidance office.

Thank you for all the incredible work you do in and around our community! 💙

Sincerely,
Student Services Team

Terry Fox Run
Thursday, September 25

This year is the 45th anniversary of Terry Fox’s Marathon of Hope. Schools all across Canada are joining in and we’re one of them! Our Terry Fox Run is coming up soon, and while it’s a fun way to get involved and show school spirit, it’s also about something much bigger: raising money for cancer research. Every dollar you raise helps scientists get closer to finding a cure and help families affected by cancer.

Our school will be heading out to run/walk in Terry’s honour to continue what he started. Details regarding when each class/grade will run will be shared with students closer to the big day.

Here is our fundraising link for this year.

https://schools.terryfox.ca/ActonDSActon

We will also be selling T-shirts to students through schoolcashonline.

Every dollar counts! As an added incentive, our local Giant Tiger has pledged $500 for our fundraiser! We are so grateful!

School Cash Online

At Acton District., we use School Cash Online for all payments made to the school. It is recommended that you set up your account so you are prepared for any fees that pertain to your student throughout the school year.

Some of the benefits of using School Cash Online include:

· Ability to pay by credit card and Visa debit or echeck(out of bank account)

· Receive reminder emails so you never miss a payment due date

· See only items available to purchase online that are applicable to your student(s)

· Uses Google Translate in over 100 languages to assist you when making purchases

· Make an online donation and receive your tax receipt by email

· Support available 24 x 7

Visit hdsb.schoolcashonline.com to sign up today and have the ability to track all payments made. You will need the Halton student number for your student (not the OEN) in order to set up an account. Please contact the school at 519.853.2920 if you don’t have your student’s number.

Secondary Pizza Day May 15th, 2025

Extended Absence Reminder

Parents/guardians who withdraw students during school time are advised that, depending on the timing and length of the absence, academic performance of your student may be affected. It is the student’s responsibility to catch-up on missed work.

In secondary school, any absence that is longer than 3 consecutive days is referred to as an extended absence. If you know that your student will be away for more than 3 consecutive school days, please print this Planned Absence Form and fill it in with the information requested 2 weeks prior to the planned absence (hard copies are available in the office). Students should ask their parent/guardian and teachers to fill in the form and once it is complete, the form should be handed in at the main office. The Vice Principal will then review the form and it will be given to the attendance Administrative Assistant for attendance to be entered (absences longer than 3 days are not able to be entered into School Messenger by parents). If you have any questions about this process, please reach out to the main office at 905-847-6875. Thank you.

Halton Learning Foundation (HLF) Month has come to a close! We thank all families who have provided support to HLF throughout this month. Your generosity helps make a lasting difference in the lives of HDSB students.

Each year, HLF supports more than 3,000 students in the HDSB by providing financial support that removes educational barriers and providing the essential resources students need to focus on schoolwork and thrive to their full potential. HLF’s goal is to ensure that they can continue to say ‘yes’ to every request for support received.

There’s still time to make an impact. To learn more or continue the support for HLF Month, visit the HLF Month webpage on the HLF website (haltonlearningfoundation.ca).

Are you an HDSB parent/guardian who could use some help?

If you are an HDSB parent/guardian who needs assistance, please contact your child’s teacher or principal.

Mental Health & Well-Being Information Sessions for Parents/Guardians

The HDSB has announced additional Mental Health & Well-Being Information Sessions for parents/guardians this Spring. We ask that schools help us promote these sessions through social media and newsletters.

HDSB Post-Secondary Exploration Event at Sheridan - Oct 1 and 2, 2025

The Halton District School Board will again partner with Sheridan College to offer a multi-pathway exploration event for Grade 11, 12 and 12+ students and families on October 1 and 2. Where possible, schools are asked not to schedule evening events for senior students on these dates. Tickets will be available to families in early September (a messenger will be sent by School Programs) and a promotional flyer will be shared with schools for their end of year/summer messaging by early June.

Mental Health Supports for students:

Support Services are available to students year round! If you find yourself in need with your mental health and well-being over the break, you are not alone. Be sure to use one of the resources that are available to you:

ROCK 24 hr crisis line support: 905-878-9785
COAST (16+): 1-877-825-9011
Kids Help Phone (up to age 24): 1-800-668-6868 or text 686868
9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline (24 hr support for all ages): call or text 9-8-8.
One Stop Talk Connect with a Therapist: www.onestoptalk.ca or 1-855-416-TALK
Visit HDSB Student Support Services website.