Week 7 @ EMPS - Friday, October 17, 2025

Felicitations to the Cross Country Team!

We did really well at the Area meet in Thornhill this past Wednesday! We are proud to be sending a team of 16 runners to the Regional Meet in Stouffville next week!

Congratulations to all of our amazing athletes who represented us so well at the Area Cross Country meet. We are so proud of all of you for your hard work.

Recess Reward - Wednesday, October 22, 2025

We are planning to take the students out for the extra recess they earned with the Terry Fox Fundraiser.

We will be out with the students from 9:40 - 10:20, 40 minutes.

Weather permitting of course.

Fall Fun and Halloween Costumes @ EMPS - Tuesday, October 31st, 2023:

Students are invited to wear Fall colours (black, orange, red, browns etc…) or our School Colours/clothing on Thursday, October 31st. For students who celebrate Halloween, if they wish to come to school on Thursday, October 31st in costume, they are invited to do so. Calendar image

When planning costumes, please keep the following in mind:

that no replica weapons of any kind are allowed
costumes should be respectful of others
- symbols or objects representative of a person’s culture or religious beliefs should not be worn as a costume nor should costumes that caricature social identities through stereotyping
- in the spirit of Truth and Reconciliation, it is important that costumes do not trivialize and devalue the lives of Indigenous peoples in Canada
costumes should not should not overemphasize the scary aspects
No Halloween masks are to be worn and students should only use single use make-up (no sharing of make-up).
Costumes should be of simple design (to limit personal items being brought to school)
Please do not send your child to school with or in:
- A long or restrictive costume (these can lead to trips and falls)
- An inflatable costume
- A costume that requires adult assistance to take on/off
- Any items to share with others (candy, treats, food, toys, gift items, etc.)

Students must be able to wear their running shoes and outdoor clothing as per usual.

Big Box Fundraising Event!

Dear Families,

We’re thrilled to kick off a new fundraiser at our school — The Big Box of Cards!

This campaign is a fun and simple way to support our school, and each box offers great value your family and friends will love.

Options available to families are:

All Occasion cards
Birthday Cards
Kids Birthday Cards
Holiday Cards
Big Box of Candles

Card Boxes $35.00 each and Candles $40.00

Our campaign will run from October 10, 2025,to October 26, 2025. Each family will receive product video links and an order form. These videos are perfect to share with friends, coworkers, and extended family to help boost your sales!

All orders and payments must be submitted on School Cash Online no later than October 26, 2025, midnight.

Prizes!

If the school sells 75+ boxes:
- The top-selling class will win $100 in books from the November Scholastic Book Fair for their class
If the school sells 150+ boxes:
- For every 3 boxes your family has sold you’ll be entered into draw to win one of four $25 gift cards
If the school sells 400 boxes:
- There will be a special draw for a Samsung 8” Tablet
  - Families who sell 10 boxes or more will be entered into this draw; for every 10 boxes, your child’s name will be entered
For families with more than child, the youngest child’s sales will determine the number of entries into all draws. You are encouraged to make your payment in School Cash online under the account for your youngest child.

There’s no limit — the more boxes you sell, the more entries you get!

Product Preview Links

Thank you for supporting our students through this exciting initiative. Your participation makes a difference. The school earns approximately 30% of each sale in support of our fundraising goals as outlined in our Fundraising plan. These goals include enhancements in the areas of STEM, Music, Technology, Arts, Library, Athletics and more.

We hope you enjoy sharing these beautiful card and candle sets with your friends and loved ones!

Support the Vaughan Food Bank!

The School Council has a bin set up in the main hall of the school to collect donations all year long. The theme for the month of October is Canned Fruit.

Food Bank needs contributions of Canned Fruits

Communicating with the School

Elder’s Mills is a vibrant and busy school, where staff are actively engaged in daily operations and student learning. Our office receives a high volume of calls and emails each day, and we appreciate your patience as we prioritize student safety and respond to inquiries as promptly as possible.

We ask that all interactions remain respectful and solution-focused as we work together to support our students and community.

Below are some reminders to assist with our most common inquiries:

School Bus Transportation

For questions or concerns about school bus transportation (e.g., late pick-up/drop-off times or route issues), please email elders.mills.ps@yrdsb.ca. Our office team will forward your message to Student Transportation Services for follow-up.

We understand how concerning delays can be and appreciate your patience as Transportation Services works to address these issues with the resources available.

Please note: If a school bus arrives after 8:45 a.m., students on that bus will not be marked late.

End-of-Day Dismissal

To help keep dismissal safe and smooth, please keep your child’s routine as consistent as possible.
If you need to make alternate arrangements, contact the office by 2:30 p.m.

If your child is going home with someone not listed as an emergency contact (e.g., a relative, caregiver, or friend’s parent), please notify the office by email or send a written note with your child to share with their teacher.

Thank you for your ongoing cooperation and support in helping our school day run smoothly!

P.A. Day - Friday, October 24, 2025

All Elementary Schools

Length: Full Day - AM & PM

Topic: Artificial Intelligence

Entity Hosting: All Elementary Schools

Presenter(s)/Facilitator(s): Online modules developed by Board staff, facilitated by school administration

Description:

School teams will engage in professional learning led by school administrators, focusing on the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in education. The sessions will explore how AI can enhance teaching and learning, support student success, and be used responsibly within board and ministry guidelines on cyber safety, security, and privacy. Educators will participate in hands-on activities to become familiar with board-approved AI tools and learn how to use them effectively with students.