Thornhill P.S.

(905) 889-1566 thornhill.ps@yrdsb.ca
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Parent Weekly Update from Thornhill Public School - September 22 - 26

Thornhill PS Email Information: Monday, September 22, 2025

 

EVENTS THIS WEEK

Monday, September 22-26

  • Treaties Recognition Week

  • Safety Week

     

Thursday, September 25

  • Lockdown Drill in the morning
  • Terry Fox Run – afternoon

  • School Council Meeting @ 7 p.m. – all welcome

     

Friday, September 26

  • PA Day – No school for students

 

SEPTEMBER 28

  • LAST DAY TO ORDER HOT LUNCHES (See below)

 

EVENTS NEXT WEEK

 

Tuesday, September 30

  • Truth and Reconciliation – Wear Orange

 

Friday, October 3

  • School Photo Day

 

In this issue:

  • Staffing Updates
  • Nutrition Program
  • National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
  • Renewed Computer Technology Opportunity

PREVIOUSLY COMMUNICATED

  • Terry Fox Fundraiser
  • Hot Lunch Program
  • First School Council Meeting
  • Start-Up Forms
  • Safety Week

 

STAFFING UPDATE

As part of the Board’s ongoing efforts to align with provincial class size requirements, our school will be making a staffing adjustment effective Monday, September 22nd. We will be staffed with one Designated Early Childhood Educator (DECE), and as a result, Ms. Hood will be redeployed to another school. We thank her for her many contributions to our students and school community and wish her all the best in her new role. Ms. Kaplan will continue as the DECE in our JK/SK class, and the SK/1 class will proceed without a DECE due to a reduction in student numbers.

NUTRITION PROGRAM

We are so excited to announce our school has received a healthy schools grant! With this grant, we will be running a healthy snacks program for the whole school. 

 

Each classroom will receive a bin of healthy snacks (granola bars, and fruit to go) to be kept in the assigned classrooms and will be replenished on a weekly basis by the healthy schools Liaisons (Ms. Savage and Ms. Kazerouni).  Our students in our Community classrooms will demonstrate their independent, leadership skills by delivering our snack bins to our school-wide community when they need to be replenished. 

 

The snacks will be there for the days when your child is a little extra hungry and needs something more to get them through the school days.  It is not going to be used when your child does not like what is packed for lunch. This conversation will be had as a classroom, please continue to carry the conversation at home if it comes up. 

 

NATIONAL DAY FOR TRUTH AND RECONCILATION

September 30th marks the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a designated day of remembrance to honour victims and survivors of Canada’s Indigenous residential school system.  The federal government declared this day in 2021, also known as Orange Shirt Day.  

It is a day to continue learning about the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action and our roles and responsibilities towards reconciliation as students, educators, researchers, and community members. The day is part of a larger conversation on the historical and ongoing impacts of colonization and systemic inequalities (including in education) that continue to marginalize Indigenous Peoples in Canada.​

The Orange Shirt Day movement started in 2013 to highlight the pain and suffering of thousands of Indigenous children who were sent to residential school throughout the last century. The colour of the shirt is connected to the experience of Phyllis Webstad who was sent to Cariboo Residential School near Williams Lake, BC, in 1973.

​Six-years old at the time, Phyllis went to her first day of school wearing a new bright orange shirt. New clothes were a rare thing for the young girl, who was being raised by her grandmother. However, upon arriving at the school, the nuns stripped her of the shirt, forcing her to wear the school’s institutional uniform.

Webstad has felt the impact of that event long after it occurred, “that feeling of worthlessness and insignificance, ingrained in me from my first day at the mission, affected the way I lived my life for many years. Even now, when I know nothing could be further than the truth, I still sometimes feel that I don’t matter.”

The shirt has since gone on to become a symbol of a national movement that recognizes the suffering of Indigenous children at residential schools across the country and to show a renewed commitment to ensure that every child matters.

On Tuesday September 30th, if possible, please send your child to school wearing an ORANGE shirt. 

 

RENEWED COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY

As part of a partnership between YRDSB and Renewed Computer Technology (RCT), families with children enrolled in our Board have the opportunity to purchase quality refurbished computers at a reduced cost. Applicants must live in Ontario, have a student enrolled at YRDSB and either receive government assistance payments or qualify as a limited income earner under the limited income cut-off standards*.

Below is a limited income grid for your reference.

Family size

Annual income*

2 people

$30,286

3 people

$37,234

4 people

$45,206

5 people

$51,272

6 people

$57,286

7 people +

$64,381

This year, there are different packages available for purchase. Please reference the online application page for the current available package offerings. Please note that there are three options for delivery.

  1. If you would like for the computer to be delivered directly to your home, there is RCT OTR Order Form a $25 charge for laptops and a $35 charge for desktops. Families who choose this delivery option will have their order shipped when it is ready, roughly 3 weeks from date of order.
  2. If you would like the device shipped to your child’s school there is a $20 delivery charge. If you choose this shipping option, the computer will be delivered to your child's school in December after the end of the promotion period. Please indicate the name of the school on the form when selecting this option.
  3. You may choose to pick up the computer from the RCT Mississauga Warehouse, for free, located at 945 Meyerside Drive, Mississauga. Families who choose this option will have their order ready for pick up roughly 3 weeks after the date of order.

 

Parents and legal guardians may apply for one computer per student, with a limit of two per household. Please see below for a full list of device specifications.

If you are interested in applying, please complete an online application at https://www.jotform.com/210054491659255 using the group code on the attached program flyer. The application period is from September 18, 2025 – November 21, 2025.

Please note - There are sections in the RCT Online Application that are no longer applicable:

  • Requirement of Proof or Documentation of Income

  • Requirement to participate in training prior to receiving your computer/laptop 

The Section on Course of Study can pertain to elementary or secondary. If you do not have access to a computer or the Internet, please contact the administration team at your school for assistance.

For inquiries related to the RCT application process, devices and delivery, please contact Hafza Arshad (harshad@rcto.ca) and for inquiries related to support from YRDSB, please contact Y. Kelly. 

For more information, including complete application and payment instructions, please refer to the attached program flyer and checklist. 

 

PREVIOUSLY COMMUNICATED

TERRY FOX FUNDRAISER

Thornhill Public School is taking part in this year’s Terry Fox School Run on Thursday, September 25, 2025.  Please have your child dress in red and white. The Terry Fox Foundation needs us now more than ever.  Please show your support by donating to: 

http://www.terryfox.ca/ThornhillPSThornhill (now closed).

to fundraise for cancer research while building incredible school spirit. Together, we can all make a difference! #terryfoxschoolruns @terryfoxfoundation

When Terry set out on his Marathon of Hope with the goal of running a marathon a day, he said, “Anything’s possible if you try”. He set an incredible example of leadership that will never be forgotten. Please help us continue his legacy and support our student’s fundraising efforts.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out.

Sincerely,

The Terry Fox Committee

 

HOT LUNCH PROGRAMS

As a part of our fundraising efforts to support school-based initiatives, TPS is pleased to offer Pizza Pizza, individually boxed cheese pizza slices and Subway sandwiches for sale. We will also be offering D-Lite this year as well.  You will receive a message from School Cash Online for Pizza, Subway and D-Lites Lunches.  Please see the attached flyers for more information.  If you need to set up School Cash Online, please see instructions here.  The deadline to order is September 28th.

 

FIRST SCHOOL COUNCIL MEETING is Thursday, September 25th, 2025

All parents/guardians/community members are welcome to attend our first school council meeting.  It is held from 7:00 – 8:30 pm in our school library.  Elections for executive positions will be held that evening – nomination forms are available in the School Start Up Packages (please see below).

 

SCHOOL START-UP FORMS

Each year, we ask all parents/guardians to complete important forms. 

The forms can be found in the family dashboard at family.yrdsb.ca.  Click on the arrow by your child’s name, select the start-up forms button and choose your language.  Please follow these steps for each child. Forms will automatically populate with your child’s information through the Family Dashboard.

Learn more about how to create a Family Dashboard account if you do not have one. 

The forms are also available online at https://startupforms.yrdsb.ca. You will need your child’s student number.  Tips are available on the Board website. Translation is also available on the website. 

Frequently asked questions and additional information on how to complete the forms are available on the Board website under Family Resources (click on the “Need Help” link for Family Start-Up Forms. 

It is important that these forms are completed as soon as possible at the start of the school year. There are both mandatory and optional forms. The forms are to be completed for all students. Your child's school will access the information. Please complete a separate form for each child attending our schools. 

 

SAFETY WEEK

The York Region School Board is committed to ensuring the safety of students, staff, and visitors in the event of an emergency situation. As such, during Safety Week (September 22 to 26, 2025) and throughout the school year, schools in our Board practise various safety drills, including Fire Drills, Lockdown Drills, Hold and Secure Drills and the newly established Bomb Threat Drill. It is critical that all members of our school community become familiar with emergency protocols as they are designed to keep all of us safe at school. Please refer to Board Policy #669.0 for more information about Emergency Preparedness and Crisis Management. 

Practising drills may create some anxiety for some students. If you are concerned about how these situations might impact the mental health and well-being of your child, please contact school administrators, as we have school mental health professionals available to support your child.

General Supports for Emotional Well-Being