Week 21 @ EMPS - Friday, February 6, 2026

Mittens and Melodies Concert

The Mittens and Melodies concert was a wonderful success! Thank you to our talented students, dedicated staff, and supportive families for making the evening such a memorable celebration of music and community!

Speech Competition @ EMPS!

Students in grades 6 to 8 have spent the past few weeks learning about different ways to communicate through debate and public speaking. This journey culminated in a Speech Competition, where representatives from each class competed for the opportunity to represent the school at the upcoming York Region Skills Challenge. Congratulations to Maira S. for her first-place victory! She will represent the school at the competition. A special mention goes to Lorenzo and Ellie for placing in the top three. Félicitations, les Aigles!

STEM Update !

robotics tshirt design

The LEGO® Robotics team put their creation, creativity and problem-solving skills to the test in this week's competition. The team proudly placed fourth overall representing our school with confident, teamwork and ingenuity. We are so proud of this group and can't wait to see what they build next.

A special shout out goes to Jayden (Grade 8) who designed the official competition T-shirts worn by every team and coach at the event. With over 180 teams and at least four participants and a coach per team... that's a LOT of shirts and an incredible accomplishment! Felicitations Jayden!

Carnaval arrives @ Elder's Mills!

Bonjour Bonhomme!

All staff and students are invited to join in the fun! See the list of Spirit Days our Student Advisory Council has planned for the week!

Term 1 Report Cards

Electronic copies of report cards will be distributed electronically to families/caregivers and available on the Family Dashboard. New! Only Grade 4-8 students will receive student report cards via their GAPPS accounts.

Access Report Cards in the Family Dashboard When Available

Schools will be sharing student report cards for all students Kindergarten to Grade 12 in the Family Dashboard. You will receive an email when your child’s report card is available.

For families who do not yet have a Family Dashboard account, you can sign up for an account at any time at family.yrdsb.ca. You can find information on how to create an account on the Board website or in this instructional video.
For families who have a Family Dashboard account, but have forgotten their password: from the login screen, select “forgot password” to create a new password.

The Family Dashboard gives parents/guardians secure one-stop access to information and applications related to your child’s education. It is designed to make it easier for families to engage with their child’s education.

Please note, you can still request a printed copy of your child’s report card if you prefer by contacting your child’s school.

Updated Contact Information

We also want to remind families that it’s important that the school has updated contact information for students and parents/guardians, including home address, phone numbers, email address and emergency contacts. This will ensure that the school can contact families in case of emergency, and also that you continue to receive important communications and updates from the school. Please contact the school directly with any changes.

Ramadan @ EMPS:

Elder's Mills is committed to supporting student needs during the Holy Month of Ramadan.

During this time, we usually experience an increase in the number of students who wish to access prayer space.

To provide us with an indication of student needs and to support communication with classroom teachers, please fill out the form, Ramadan 2026 - Prayer Space, if you wish for your child to be excused from class during prayers.

As in previous years, space will be provided during snack and lunch for students observing the fast for Ramadan.

Merci.

EXTREME COLD WEATHER (YRDSB POLICY/PROCEDURE)

Cold temperatures and the presence of ice and snow make winter in Canada a naturally more hazardous season. When severe weather occurs, such as blizzards, freezing rain or extreme wind chill, conditions that are already challenging can become even more dangerous. As with all severe and hazardous weather, knowing what to expect and how to prepare your child is essential.

Winter temperatures in the minus teens and even minus twenties are not uncommon for many Ontario students to face as they travel to and from school. Health authorities, such as York Region Public Health Services, advise that risks arising from cold weather come from prolonged exposure of unprotected skin.

Strategies

Refer to Environment Canada’s Information about Cold Weather or Environment Canada's Information about Wind Chill Index
Students are to come to school ready for winter and prepared to be outdoors for both recess (20 mins) and lunch recess (40 mins).
When temperatures and/or wind chill reach minus 20 degrees Celsius or colder, students will remain inside for indoor recess/lunch recess.
When temperatures and/or wind chill reach minus 18-19 degrees Celsius, the outdoor portion of recess/lunch recess will be shortened.
Students with health concerns, such as, but not limited to, heavy colds, coughs and flu, which are serious enough to prevent them from participating in physical education, recesses or other outdoor activities, should remain at home until the condition improves.
Children need to be dressed properly for our invigorating winter days. It is advisable for students to bring extra pants and socks. A change is often necessary due to the wet and cold weather of the winter months. To avoid adding to the clothing collection in the Lost and Found, parents/guardians should be advised to label all articles of clothing, including but not limited to, boots, hats, mitts/gloves, scarves, and snow pants.
Remind your child to engage in physical activity while outdoors, such as walking or playing, to increase metabolism – which generates more body heat.

A Shared Commitment to Respectful Communication

Our school values strong, respectful partnerships between students, staff, families, and our wider community. We recognize that questions and concerns may arise, and we are committed to listening and working together to support student learning and well-being.

We kindly remind all members of our school community that interactions with school staff, whether in person, by phone, or in writing, are expected to reflect the York Region District School Board’s Code of Conduct. This includes communicating in a civil, respectful, and professional manner, even during times of disagreement or frustration.

Our staff are dedicated professionals who work collaboratively to ensure a safe, inclusive, and supportive learning environment for all students. Respectful communication helps us address concerns more effectively and maintain a positive working and learning environment for everyone.

We appreciate your cooperation and continued partnership as we uphold these shared expectations.

Bus Loop Safety:

The bus loop is reserved for our school buses and operations. For safety reasons, parents must use the Kiss'n'Ride area when dropping off or picking up any time during the instructional day.

The Pick-Up Deadline:

If a parent plans to pick up their child (rather than having them take the bus), they need to notify the main office no later than 2:30 PM. This way, it gives the staff enough time to communicate the change appropriately. Otherwise, the child will go home on their regular bus to ensure a safe and orderly dismissal.

Parents arriving to pick up their child between 3:00 - 3:15 will be re-directed to wait in the Kiss'n'Ride/School Parking Lot until regular dismissal time at 3:15 p.m.

Medication at School:

Parents are advised to inform the office if their child needs to be taking any medication during the school day. This includes pain medication, allergy medication. The medication must be brought to the office upon arrival to school, labeled with the students name and in original packaging. A Self-Administration of medication form will need to be completed and submitted together with the medication. Copies of the form can be requested from the office or found at the link.

Yearbook

Staff and students are collaborating to create a 64-page, full-colour yearbook filled with highlights and memories from the school year. Yearbooks are $32.00 and are now available for purchase through School Cash Online.

Yearbook Photos - Consent

Yearbooks chronicle the activities of the school and student body. They are produced for sale (hard copy or digital) to students and the school community. School yearbooks may be placed in the school library in hardcopy or electronic format.

Class photos, photos of your child's participation in school clubs, activities and events, work products by your child, and your child's achievements may be published in the yearbook along with their grade and full name.

Please complete and submit this form if you DO NOT CONSENT to your child's photo and/or name being published in the yearbook. Complete a separate form for each child. Submit by March 27, 2026.

Student Personal Information Consent Form

School Spirit Wear

The online store is open. Merchandise ordered will be delivered to the school every 3 weeks. All proceeds will fund school enhancements and programs. Shop online by following this link: https://stores.inksoft.com/eldersmills/shop/home

School Council

Visit the School Council pages on the website for upcoming dates and events: https://eldersmills-ps.yrdsb.ca/school-council

The next School Council meeting is scheduled for Monday, March 2, 2026. All parents/guardians are invited to attend. Meetings are hosted in the school staffroom and remotely via meet link. We look forward to seeing you!