Looking for something?

Gator Gazette

2025-2026 School Year

August 2025

August 25. 2025

Hello Gator Families,

It is hard to believe that summer has come and gone and the start of another school year is quickly approaching. I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself as the new Principal of Gladys Speers. I have heard nothing but positive things about this school community and I am looking forward to partnering with each of you. I welcome all of our students and their families to the 2025-26 school year. I am looking forward to a great year here at Gladys Speers, working with you and your child(ren) throughout the year.

The first day of school is quickly approaching and we are looking forward to welcoming our students both new and returning! I have included some important information for your consideration as we prepare for opening day.

Communication & Social Media

We will continue to send home editions of the “Gator Gazette” electronically. At this time, we have not decided if this newsletter will be weekly or monthly. Valuable information may also be found on our updated website at gla.hdsb.ca. Also, Please follow us on our new Instagram page @gladysspeers! We will use this as an additional tool to communicate with our parent community about what is happening at the school, as well as celebrate the great things happening at our school.

Class Placements

Class placement emails will go out to families over the Labour day weekend. If for any reason you did not receive one, we will have staff available on the blacktop with class lists on Wednesday morning.

Our staff has worked extremely hard to create a balance within our classes between gender, social groupings, and academic ability. Our Staff has spent a great deal of time working on class placements and classes are created to optimize student learning. This is a collaborative process requiring the input of sending and receiving teachers as well as the previous school administration. In the event that you or your child are not initially pleased with the class placement, we respectfully ask that you resist the temptation to call or e-mail school staff to request a change. We believe we have created classrooms where our students can be successful in building new friendships while building on past peer relationships. Our staff will not be considering any changes to our classrooms at this time, however, we are committed to helping each student transition into their new grade. Usually after the first few days students settle in, make new friends, and are excited to be part of their class.

Class rosters for the 2025-26 school year will only be revised if we are forced to go through a September reorganization. This news would be communicated to all parents during the second week of school. Thank you in advance for your understanding.

First Day Procedures

The first day of school is Wednesday, September 3, 2025. The blacktop is only for Kindergarten parents to line up with their little ones and send them in through the Kindy gate. Primary and Junior parents/guardians are asked to walk across the blacktop/ field to drop off your child(ren). Staff will be available on the blacktop to greet our students. We kindly ask families to keep your pets at home during the business of the first day. After the first day we know that many parents find the walk to and from school to be a good time to also walk the family pet. If this is the case, please keep your pet on the grass areas and do not bring your pet onto the blacktop, as some students are allergic and/or fearful. It is also difficult to predict an animal’s behaviour when confronted with a large group of excited children.

Kindergarten Drop-Off:

Parents/guardians will drop off their child(ren) at the Kindergarten gate, and educators will direct each child to their appropriate door. Parents are then asked to head off and start their day. Staff will help to make your child(ren) feel as comfortable as possible, and our students typically settle in quickly.

Kindergarten Pick-Up:

Parents/Guardians will approach the gate and wait their turn as they receive a hand-to-hand exchange. An educator at the gate will assist with the transition.

Primary/Junior Drop-Off:

Students in grades 1-6 will meet their teachers on the blacktop (staff will have signs). Once your child(ren) has connected with their teacher, we ask that you kindly head off to start your day. Junior students (Grades 4-6) will meet outside of Door #10, and Primary students (Grades 1-3) will meet outside Door #5.

Primary/Junior Pick-Up:

Parents/Guardians that are picking up are asked to make their way to the blacktop at the rear of the school. Adults will be available to assist your child in locating you if they do not see you. No pick-ups will be done from the front of the school or the main office. Ensure your child is aware of your end of day plans and routines to help limit confusion.

Transportation

Bus information is now available at https://www.haltonbus.ca. Please log in and review your students' information. If your student has been allocated a bus stop and you will not be using it for the year, OR if your child is attending a daycare program before and after school, please complete this form ASAP so that we can have the proper information for your child(ren) at the school. As you can imagine, the first few days are very busy in our office so the more information we have before that day the better organized we can all be. Please also ensure that your child knows which bus they are on - we will colour code them to ensure our youngest students can get on the right bus. Students on Afternoon Route #242 will be on the “Green” Bus, and students on Afternoon Route #244 will be on the “Red” bus.

Parking

Accessible parking is available at the front of the school. Permits are required to use these spots. Our parking lot is reserved for staff and for essential visitors to our school who will be staying at the school for some time. Please arrange drop off/pick up with your child either on a side street adjacent to the school, but we encourage walking to/from school and using the school bus if eligible. As a reminder, please follow signage that indicates no stopping or no parking (i.e., you can stop, but must remain in your car). Our students can enter and exit our school grounds through the sides and back of the school, but must stay out of the parking lot for safety. We also ask that our walking parents and students do not cross through our parking lot as they head to the back of the school for entry and pick up.

Kiss & Ride

If it is essential that you drive your child(ren) to school for drop off in our kiss & ride area, please ensure you only enter on the west side of the school, following the one-way signage. As you pull up, please ensure you come all the way to the end of the kiss & ride area. Do not get out of your car, but have your children exit the car only on the side closest to the building to ensure they are not exiting your car into the laneway. Please note that this area is used for our school buses and if you are behind the bus, please be patient and do not pass the bus (or other cars) in the kiss & ride areas. These expectations are essential to ensure the safety of our students.

Volunteering at Gladys Speers

If you are looking to volunteer with the school as opportunities arise, you will require a Vulnerable Sector Check from the Halton Regional Police Services. Details can be found here. If you already have a police check on file from last year, you are required to fill out this volunteer declaration form and hand it into the office, or your child’s classroom teacher.

Outdoor Learning

Your child(ren) will be spending A LOT of time learning and playing outdoors. They will be outside in all types of weather when it is safe to do so. We ask that you ensure your child has appropriate footwear and clothing on a daily basis. Note: We will be going outside even when it is misting or snowing. Additionally, most of our physical education classes take place outside.

School Cash Online

Please remember we are a cashless school and use School Cash Online for field trips, food programs, etc. If you have yet to sign up for School Cash Online you can do so now at https://hdsb.schoolcashonline.com. If you have any problems registering please let us know. JK students (and those new to the HDSB) will not be able to register just yet. We will send more information in the coming days as school begins.

School Messenger

We will continue to use the student absence reporting system called School Messenger - https://www.schoolmessenger.com. This system will be used for student absences as well as receiving all messages and phone calls from your child’s school. If you are not already signed up for this, please click here for more information.

If you have any questions, concerns or suggestions throughout the year, or would simply like to say hello, please feel free to reach out at any time. I am always happy to chat and meet our families. Thank you in advance for your support as we begin this new school year. We are looking forward to welcoming everyone back. GO GATORS!

September 2025

Hello Gator Families,

We are excited to welcome our students back to school this fall, and look forward to meeting any new students to our school. As we start up another school year, we ask that you take the time to read through our reminders below. We will look to email our monthly "Gator Gazette" to ensure important information gets to parents. We will also update our school website to include past copies of the Gator Gazette for reference. If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out to your child's classroom teacher. Please see below for September's updates!

Mr. G. Donaldson

Principal

Gladys Speers PS

School Schedule

It is an expectation that all students are at their entry door at the back of the school, no later that 8:45am. Students in Grades 4-6 will enter beginning at 8:35am, and students in Grades 1-3 will enter at 8:45am. No students will be allowed in the front doors of the building until after our Morning announcements, so please ensure that you are on time each day. Any student who comes to school after the morning announcements will be required to sign in late at the office. Entry will be permitted to the building at the back of the school until 8:50am, and morning announcements will likely conclude around 9:00am.

Communication & Social Media

We will continue to send home editions of the “Gator Gazette” electronically at the beginning of each month. Valuable information may also be found on our updated website at gla.hdsb.ca. Also, Please follow us on our new Instagram page @gladysspeers! We will use this as an additional tool to communicate with our parent community about what is happening at the school, as well as celebrate the great things happening at our school.

Multilingual Story Time

Welcome back families to another amazing school year. If you can speak and read another language and wish to come into the school to read a book to some of the amazing students at Gladys Speers, please fill out the Multilingual Storytime form. Our English as an Additional Language Teacher, Mrs. Witton, will reach out to you to set up a date and time for you to come in an read to a small cohort of students.

Parking

Kiss & Ride

Start-up Forms

All families were sent an email on Monday, directing them to fill out the first set of Start up Forms online. We currently have 148 of 300 students already filled out - Thank you! If you have not done so already, please take some time to fill it out ASAP. Thank you for your assistance in gathering this information here - https://forms.gle/aoNPHPZdEYwj3FVeA.

Medical Conditions - Plan of Care

All students with a prevalent medical condition (i.e., anaphylaxis, asthma, diabetes, epilepsy) are required to have their Plan of Care document reviewed and updated every school year. If you have not yet filled out the annual review medical forms for the upcoming school year please see the forms below and email our Mrs. Risidore (risidorec@hdsb.ca) as soon as possible to ensure that your child’s Medical Plan of Care documents and information have been updated. We also require updated medical prescriptions to be brought with your child or dropped off at the main office. We ask that you leave the prescriptions (e.g., Epi-Pens, inhalers, seizure medication) in the original packaging with your child’s name on it. We also require two prescriptions - one to be stored with your child and one to be stored in the main office. If your child is new to Gladys Speers or has a newly diagnosed medical condition please email Mrs. Risidore (risidorec@hdsb.ca) at the office to arrange a meeting to create a plan of care.

Notification of Bus Delays to Families

Every September, when students and drivers are getting accustomed to new routines, there tends to be a higher frequency of delays. We thank families for their ongoing patience and understanding during this time. We expect Bus Operators to promptly communicate any delays and provide updates so that families have the chance to make necessary adjustments to their plans. We encourage families who have not already done so, to sign up for a Parent Portal account and add their child(ren). This will ensure they are automatically signed up to receive email notifications when delays are posted. For detailed instructions please click here. We highly encourage anyone with a mobile device to download the free Bus Planner Delays app and sign up to receive instant notifications of route delays affecting their family. For detailed instructions please click here.

Terry Fox Walk

We have scheduled our Terry Fox walk on Friday, September 19th at 11:15am. Please keep an eye out for more information on how you can support this charity fundraiser at our school! We look forward to seeing our students walk or run for Terry!

Cross Country Team

Our Cross Country team will start in September to prepare for their race on October 8th in Sherwood Park in Burlington. All Grades 3-6 students are eligible to come out to practices for the team - you don't need to be fast, you just need to try your best, have fun and get involved! We hope you encourage your child(ren) in those grades to listen to announcements and come out to practices!

National Truth and Reconciliation Day

On September 30th, we are asking all students to wear orange to recognize National Truth and Reconciliation Day. The day has been created to give everyone an opportunity to recognize and commemorate the legacy of residential schools, which more than 150,000 First Nations, Metis and Inuit children were forced to attend between the 1870s and 1997. Our students will also go through some learning within their classrooms about this day.

Dogs on School Property

While we are asking that adults remain off property, if possible, during pick up and drop off we do recognize that many parents find the walk to and from school to be a good time to also walk the family dog. If this is the case, please keep your dog on the grass areas and do not bring the dog onto the blacktop, as some students are allergic and/or fearful. It is also difficult to predict a dog’s behaviour when confronted with a large group of excited children. As students will be entering the school when they arrive, there is no need to remain on the property with your pet.

Coyotes in the Neighborhood

As you may already be aware, we coexist with Coyotes in the Gladys Speers area. Creeks and forest areas are great places for coyotes to live among urban sprawl. Some years, they will come out more than others. We have had a couple of sightings by neighbours in our community this year, therefore it is essential for you to have conversations with your children about how to handle themselves if they see a coyote, as well as tips to ensure coyotes do not become domesticated. Please see this link for more information on tips for kids - https://www.oakville.ca/home-environment/pets-wildlife/coyotes/. There is a lot of information in the link, but in a nutshell, here is "What to Do If a Coyote Approaches": Coyote sightings are commonplace. If you see a coyote, keep your distance and the animal will most likely avoid you. If you encounter an aggressive coyote:

Shout loudly and wave your arms high in the air.
Use hazing techniques: Air horns, whistles, etc
Back away slowly while remaining calm. Never run or turn your back on a coyote.
Never feed coyotes

October 2025

Hello Gator Families,

Thank you for such a great start to our school year! As the principal, I am very proud of our respectful, polite and positive students. Those who were forced to go into a class reorganization showed great resiliency and have settled in well with their new teachers. This month's Gator gazette is full of information about our school, and we ask that each month you block off some time to read through each item to help the school run smoothly throughout the year, and to learn about all of the amazing things happening at our school. I look forward to meeting you all at our open house on October 9th - details below!

Mr. G. Donaldson

Principal

Gladys Speers PS

Term 1 Pizza Days

Gladys Speers School Council has organized Pizza Pizza to be delivered every Thursday at 1st break by volunteers. Participation in this hot lunch program is optional. Term 1 pizza starts on Thursday, October 9th and runs through to, and including Thursday December 18th. Your order remains the same for this term (11 weeks). School CashOnline is open now until Wednesday October 1st when it closes. WE CAN NOT ACCEPT LATE ORDERS. There is no pizza sold at the school. Everything is pre-ordered with our vendor and paid for on SchoolCash Online. Students can order either cheese pizza or gluten free pizza. Pizza slices will be delivered to the classroom by Volunteers. Since the pizza slices are not individually boxed it is recommended that students bring a reusable plate for their pizza. Please remember to pack enough food/snacks for the 1st break, and your student may want more than just a slice of pizza at 2nd break. Gladys Speers and School Council thanks everyone for participation in this voluntary hot lunch program. All proceeds from pizza lunch go towards school equipment, school enhancement and programs for our students.
***Orders are DUE by: Wed Oct 1st and MUST be placed online.***
If you would like to volunteer, School Council created this link HERE to sign up. A up to date police check and/or Volunteer Declaration is required to volunteer for Pizza Days.

Scholastic Book Fair!

The Scholastic Book Fair is coming to Gladys Speers October 7th-9th! We are in search of parent volunteers to assist with various tasks throughout the school day, as well as during our open house night on October 9th. Volunteers would be working with our Library Technician to help with wish list creation, purchasing and counting money, among other tasks as they arise. Anyone who is able to help is asked to contact Kamile Bettencourt our Library Technician at bettencourtk@hdsb.ca with a list of dates and times they would be available to help out. Hours are flexible and any help is appreciated (and needed!). Students are able to browse the fair and bring home wish lists on Oct 7th and 8th, and purchasing will be available on the second visit on October 8th and 9th.

BBQ and Open House

On Thursday, October 9th, we have the opportunity to come together as a community for a BBQ dinner and time in classrooms where our students can show off the spaces they learn each day to their parents. From 5:30pm-6:30pm, please bring a blanket and/or lawn chairs and have a picnic with our community on the back field. We will have a BBQ for you to enjoy, but all food MUST be pre-ordered through school cash online. We have beef burgers, halal burgers, veggie burgers and jumbo hot dogs available for purchase with a bag of chips and a drink. Deluxe toppings, pickles, hot peppers, and all the regular condiments and cheese will be provided. All orders are due on Sunday, October 5th. At 6:30pm, students can bring their parents through the school to meet their teachers and show off their classroom. For those who can't attend the whole time, classrooms will be open until 7:30pm, at which time the evening will conclude. We look forward to meeting all of our parents!

Police Checks

In order to volunteer with students, on field trips, or regularly at the school in lunch programs, an up to date Police Check with a Vulnerable Sector Search is required. If you gave us a police check previously, you just need to sign the declaration each and every year to keep the police check up to date. We have noticed that many Police Checks have expired, as the declaration has not been kept up to date. Please connect with the school when you get a new police check on file so that we can update our files and welcome you into the school as a volunteer!

Parent Council

We have our first parent council meeting on Monday, October 6th at 7:00pm in the School Library. At the meeting, we will have a Principal's Report, Teacher's Report, Budget Report and then form the new council for this school year. All parents are welcome to attend.

Halloween Parade

This Halloween season, we plan on having a Costume Parade for all of our students from Kindergarten to Grade 6 on October 31. Students can come to school dressed in their costumes for the first two periods of the day, or can wear Orange and Black. It is expected that students in costume have a change of clothes so that they are out of their costumes by the end of first nutrition break. As a rule, students should not be wearing any masks during the morning, except for during the parade itself. In addition, please think carefully about the props that you send with costumes to ensure that nothing gets damaged, or nothing is too scary for our younger children, could be used as a weapon, or is insensitive to ethnic, religious, racial or gender identity groups. If you do not wish to have your child participate in the Halloween parade, please let your child's teacher know in advance so that we can organize an alternate activity. More details will follow closer to the date on how parents can watch the parade of students.

Terry Fox Run

Our Terry Fox Run was a great success! The students walked and ran for an hour enjoying the beautiful day, exercising and catching up with friends. We not only honoured Terry's legacy, but also raised funds for cancer research. During the week leading up to the run classes spent time learning about Terry Fox, why he is a Canadian hero and the importance of continuing to raise money for cancer research. Our school beat our $3000 goal, raising $4160!!! Thank you so much for your generous donations and commitment to this cause.

Recognizing Truth and Reconciliation Day

On September 30th, our school will observe the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Students are encouraged to wear Orange Shirts to honour the children who survived Residential Schools and remember those who did not return home. Throughout the day, our students will engage in age-appropriate activities in their classrooms to foster understanding, empathy, and respect as we commit to the ongoing journey of reconciliation. This is a vital opportunity for our students to learn about the history of Residential Schools and the strength and resilience of Indigenous peoples.

Student Personal Devices

Should you feel that your child requires a personal device for the way to and from school, these devices should remain in a student’s backpack throughout the day. As per the Ministry's PPM128. personal devices include cell phones, tablets, laptops and smartwatches. With the high level of access to technology for our students, and the early stages of their digital literacy, students in these grades do not need personal devices for any academic reason. If there are special circumstances for your child, we require you to have that conversation with your child’s classroom teacher.

Peanut Allergy Awareness

To help us keep our school a safe place for all students, we need your support with lunch and snack items brought into the school. We understand that sometimes it's convenient to bring a special lunch, but we need to remind everyone that items from fast-food restaurants (e.g., Wendy's, McDonald's, Chick Fil-A, Tim Hortons, etc.) should not be brought into the school for students. The main reason is that these locations cannot guarantee that their items are free from cross-contamination with peanuts and other allergens, which poses a serious health risk to our students with severe allergies. We appreciate you choosing items prepared at home or in facilities you know are safe when packing your child's lunch. Thank you for helping us protect all our students.

Safety Routines

Thank you to our community for a safe space in our parking lots during Kiss & Ride so far this year. As the cooler weather hits, please continue to be safe, pull up all the way, and not pass anyone to ensure the safety of our students. Please note for any parents who are walking thier children to the back of the school that there are pathways located on either side of the parking lot. It would not be safe to walk through the parking lot to the back of the school, both at entry and dismissal

As a reminder, it is an expectation that all students are at their entry door at the back of the school, no later that 8:45am. Students in Grades 4-6 will enter beginning at 8:35am, and students in Grades 1-3 will enter at 8:45am. No students will be allowed in the front doors of the building until after our Morning announcements, so please ensure that you are on time each day. Any student who comes to school after the morning announcements will be required to sign in late at the office. Entry will be permitted to the building at the back of the school until 8:50am, and morning announcements will likely conclude around 9:00am.

Notification of Transportation Delays to Families

Every September, when students and drivers are getting accustomed to new routines, there tends to be a higher frequency of delays. We thank families for their ongoing patience and understanding during this time. We expect Bus Operators to promptly communicate any delays and provide updates so that families have the chance to make necessary adjustments to their plans. We encourage families who have not already done so, to sign up for a Parent Portal account and add their child(ren). This will ensure they are automatically signed up to receive email notifications when delays are posted. For detailed instructions please click here. We highly encourage anyone with a mobile device to download the free BusPlanner Delays app and sign up to receive instant notifications of route delays affecting their family. For detailed instructions please click here.

Prescribed Medication

There is a board policy on dispensing prescribed medication to students. As with epiPens and inhalers, all prescribed medication to be dispensed at school requires a Physician’s signature. Therefore, if you are heading to the doctor’s office, and think that your child may require medication at school, please ensure you get the physician’s signature on the correct form before you leave. These forms can be found in the Student Health Page of our board website. If you are not sure which form to use, please contact the office. Over-the-counter medication (e.g., tylenol, advil, cough syrup) will not be dispensed by school staff at any time. If you wish to provide this to your child, please come to the front doors of the school and we will call them down for you to administer. Students should not be carrying any medication on them while at school, other than epiPens and inhalers. Kindergarten students are able to have their EpiPen in a backpack, while students in Grades 1 through 6 must carry their EpiPen on them at all times.

Communication & Social Media

CYC-P Classroom Visits

This month, our Child and Youth Care Practitioner visited many of our classrooms! Students listened to the reading of either the mentor text "Beautiful Oops" which discusses growth mindset, or "I am Peace" which was followed by classroom coping skills for achieving a sense of calm at school.

PALs Program

Coming up, Gladys Speers will be running the PALs Program! This stands for Playground Activity Leaders in Schools. It provides opportunities to help foster a sense of belonging and inclusion among students, while engaging them in physical activity in the school yard. The program motto is “there’s always room for one more.” Stay tuned for more information! This leadership opportunity will be available for our grade 5 and 6 students.

Flag Football

Our grade 4, 5 and 6 students learned all about Flag Football this September, beginning with an intramural. Each team played three times, and we had a whopping 8 teams of students participate. Shout out to the Banana Splits, who didn't lose any of their games! We have chosen students from those teams to represent our school in a Jr Flag Football Tournament in Burlington on October 15th against 23 other schools in the HDSB. Good luck to the Gators!

Cross Country

The grade 3 through grade 6 students have been given the opportunity to participate in Cross country again this year. We have over 120 students who are dedicated to the team and practicing three times per week. The team will compete at Sherwood Forest Park in Burlington on October 8th. Good luck again to our Gators!

Coding Club

Starting Thursday, October 2nd, students in Grades 4 and 5 can dive into the exciting world of coding! In our Coding Club, we’ll create games, stories, and interactive projects while exploring Scratch and Bloxels. Space is limited to 26 students, so be sure to sign up quickly to join the adventure! Students can see Mr. Bakkali to check if there are still spots open for the club.

Multilingual Story Time

Help 300 HDSB Students Start School with Confidence

Some students in our Oakville community walked into school last month without a backpack, supplies, or even lunch. The Halton Learning Foundation (HLF), thanks to our donors, is here to help. Since the beginning of this school year, HLF has supported more than 126 students across our HDSB schools, including 70 students within two days alone, with emergency help and school supplies. HLF’s goal is to help 300 students by September 30, but with only a few weeks left, they are asking our generous community to step in urgently, to make sure they can continue to say “YES” to every request for emergency support they receive. Here's what one parent shared last week about what saying “YES” meant to her family:

"Just wanted to say how grateful I am for this support. I’m a single mom, and because of your help, I’m able to get what my daughter

needs for back-to-school and food, and I’m so unbelievably grateful for the support."

Make a gift for a student in need today: Donate Now. Together, we can give students not just supplies, but confidence, dignity, and hope.

Calling all Three-Year Olds

Calling all three-year olds to the Halton District School Board! In October and November, the HDSB will be hosting Kindergarten Open Houses in Acton, Georgetown, Burlington, Milton and Oakville to answer any questions families may have about how the HDSB sets students up for lifelong learning and success. Future students and their families are invited to attend any of the following Kindergarten Open Houses, to be held between 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.:

Acton: Oct. 8, 2025 - Robert Little Public School
Georgetown: Oct. 16, 2025 - Ethel Gardiner Public School
Burlington: Nov. 6, 2025 - Alton Village Public School
Milton: Nov. 13, 2025 - Irma Coulson Public School
Oakville: Nov. 20, 2025 - Dr. David R. Williams Public School

Learn more: https://tinyurl.com/5n8a5bd9

November 2025

Hello Gator Families,

As we get into the colder weather, we have noticed a few things that need reminders for our parent community about parking lot safety. Please note that the parking lot is designated for staff and visitors to the school who are staying at school. Please ensure you park in the cut out on Samway drive, or another side street close to the school and walk the rest of the way, if not taking advantage of the Kiss & ride area, where parents do not get out of the car. When walking, it is essential for student safety that you do not walk through the parking lot to the back, but that you use the path on either side of the lot. For those visiting the school, please note that the entrance and exit are one way- the west side is enter only, and the east side is exit only.

As an example, last week we had a parent walked their child across the front lawn then right through the line of cars in front of the school. Drivers are not expecting pedestrians in our lot and someone could easily be hit. Thank you for your ongoing dedication to student safety during morning drop off, and ensuring students are on time to enter at the back of the school at 8:45am.

We have a busy November, so please take some time to read our updates below, including some exciting community events such as Family Portrait Night, Family Skate Day, and our Halloween Parade! Have a nifty November!

Mr. G. Donaldson

Principal

Gladys Speers PS

Progress Report Cards

Progress Report Cards and Kindergarten Communication of Learning will be coming home on November 17. This snapshot will help parents understand their child's early progress so far this year, with a more fulsome report card coming in February to capture the learning from Term 1. Your child's homeroom teacher will also be in touch with you to set up a time for an in-person student-led conference during the week of November 24-28. This Student-led conference is an opportunity for our Kindergarten to Grade 8 students to show off the great things they are doing in their classrooms this fall, in addition to self-reflecting on goals for the year. If you would like to discuss any concerns with your child's classroom teacher, please connect at a time outside of the Student-led conference. We look forward to celebrating our learning with you!

Parent Council Update

At our first parent council meeting, we had some great discussion and formed the new council for this year. Please check our website for more details about the group who is on the council this year. At the October meeting we also looked at a variety of events planned for this year. The group has decided to no longer participate in the Holiday market after it has lost money in the past. In place of this community event, we are looking to add other events such as Family Skating, Movie Nights in the Gym, and other events throughout the year for students and families. Our next meeting is on Monday, November 3rd at 7:00pm in the school library. Please note that all parents are welcome to attend any parent council meeting.

Family Portrait Night

Pegasus Images is pleased to partner with our school to host a family portrait night! With less options in the community, we felt that some families might look for an opportunity to make memories through a Family Portrait, in time to share with friends and families this holiday season! Each family will receive 6 poses to choose from, and can order a variety of packages. Due to possible allergens, family pets are unable to be accommodated in the sitting. We have limited sessions for Wednesday, November 5th at the school from 3:30pm to 8:00pm, so book your 10-minute session online today. A $10 non-refundable fee will be charged at the time of booking to secure your spot: https://pegasus-si.com/school-appointments/21gsper2727/. Bookings are first come, first serve, and only a couple of spots remain.

Family Skating Day

We are pleased to offer in partnership with our Parent Council, and opportunity for students and families to attend a free Gladys Speers Family Skate at Sixteen Mile Arena on Sunday, November 9th, from 2:00pm-3:00pm (Pad #2). Please note that no student should be attending the family skate without their parent present for supervision, and all participants under the age of 18 must be wearing a properly fitted (as per manufacturer's guidelines) and properly worn CSA approved helmet. Please do not drop students off, as there may not be supervision from the Gladys Speers staff for the hour, therefore the Gladys Speers staff would not be responsible in case of injury. Lastly, please keep in mind that you need to reiterate with your child the need for extra caution and control on the ice, including common procedures, such as skating in same direction during a free skate. In addition, students should be wearing wearing properly-fitted skates, gloves or mitts and need to transport skates safely. We look forward to a fun community event together.

Monthly Spirit Days

After consultation, we have decided to hold monthly Spirit Days this year, rather than a spirit week before a holiday break. We hope this creates less stress in households at a busy time, while also allowing our school to show their spirit while focusing on community and connection as part of our Board Improvement Plan. Our first Spirit Day will be the costume day on October 31st, but in November we will be having a "Patterns Day" on November 21st. We ask students to wear Plaid, Stripes, Polka dots, you choose - maybe wear as many patterns as possible! Patterns don't match? Even better! All Spirit Days are listed in the calendar on our website and we encourage participation to help develop school spirit, community and connection.

Costume Parade

On Friday, we plan to have a Costume Parade for all of our students from Kindergarten to Grade 6 who choose to wear their costume to school on Friday, October 31. Students can come to school dressed in their costumes for the first two periods of the day, or can wear Orange and Black. It is expected that students in costume have a change of clothes so that they are out of their costumes by the end of first nutrition break to ensure the costume does not get damaged before the evening events at home. As a rule, students should not be wearing any masks during the morning, except for during the parade itself. In addition, please think carefully about the props that you send with costumes to ensure that nothing gets damaged, or nothing is too scary for our younger children, could be used as a weapon, or is insensitive to ethnic, religious, racial or gender identity groups. If you do not celebrate Halloween and do not wish to have your child participate in the Halloween parade, please let your child's teacher know in advance so that we can organize an alternate activity. Parents are welcome to watch the parade from our Gymnasium. We will have benches and chairs set up in the middle of the gym and the parade will go around the outside of the gym. We will have the front door open for parents to access the gymnasium, and parents will not need to sign in at the office. We plan on starting the parade at 9:00am, just after announcements.

Remembrance Day

On Tuesday, November 11th, Gladys Speers will be recognizing Remembrance Day with a whole school assembly. Our assembly will begin at 9:00 am in the gym with the singing of O'Canada and reading of the Land Acknowledgement. Poppies will be available in the office with a donation and each student will receive a poppy sticker, which they will wear during our assembly. Our assembly will be about 45 minutes in length with different classes contributing, including our choir. Through our assembly and various classroom activities our students will gain an understanding of the contributions and sacrifices made by various groups of people toward providing the freedoms we currently enjoy.

Picture Retake Day

We have Pegasus Imaging coming in on Friday, November 14th for Picture retakes. If your child was away for the original picture day, or if there was an issue with the first picture, students who require a photograph will have the opportunity on November 14th in the morning.

JungleSport

Just a reminder that Junglesport is coming to our school November 24-27! Junglesport is a mobile climbing jungle that all students from K-6 will have access to throughout the week as they Physical Education for the week. The schedule will be slightly different than normal Phys Ed days, and homeroom teachers will let students know their times. We thank Parent Council for supporting this initiative in our school. Permission forms will need to be signed and returned to school in order for your child to participate, and will be sent home later this month.

Bullying Prevention Week

The month of November is a time where we highlight the importance of Bullying Awareness and Prevention during the week of November 16-20th. At Gladys Spear, and within the HDSB we have a commitment to our ongoing work in anti-bullying and fostering a safe, inclusive and caring environment for all of our students and families. We have invited The Sadait Show to visit our school to facilitate a bullying prevention session for our students on November 19th. We appreciate the support from home to continue the conversation about the importance of anti-bullying work as a school and in our community.

Music Updates

Our choir has been busy practicing each week, and students in choir from grades 1–6 will perform “Peaceful” by Teresa Jennings at our Remembrance Day ceremony, sharing a heartfelt message of kindness, unity, and hope through song—a reminder that peace begins with each of us. Students in grades 1–6 will also come together to perform “O Canada” in sign language at our Remembrance Day ceremony, offering a heartfelt and inclusive tribute that honors those who served and celebrates unity and respect. Lastly, students in grades 4–6 are beginning their recorder unit in music. Please check your child’s Google Classroom for an important letter with details about materials and expectations.

Flag Football Team

For the first time, Gladys Speers had a Grade 5/6 Flag Football Team. The team prepared well, practicing for a few weeks after the Grades 4-6 Flag Football Intramural was complete. They opened up the tournament on October 15th with a tough match against Mohawk Gardens PS, taking the loss. However, the team rebounded very well and finished with three straight wins against Makwendam PS, Maplehurst PS and Munn's PS to finish the day with three wins and only one loss - good enough for a tie for 5th place out of 20 schools. Way to go, Gators!

Cross Country Team

Congratulations to our Cross Country team, who travelled to Sherwood Forest to compete in our meet this year on October 8th. Students in grade 3 to Grade 6 worked hard and represented our school well. Below are the team results for the Gators who earned a ribbon for a top 6 place:

Grade 3 boys: 1st place
Grade 4 boys: 2nd place
Grade 5 girls: 4th place
Grade 5 boys: 3rd place
Grade 6 girls: 3rd place
Grade 6 boys: 2nd place

Doodle Club

Grade 1 and 2 Doodle Club has started! Do you like to draw and colour? Then this is the club for you! Each week you will be shown a cartoon doodle of an animal which you can use in your drawings or draw your own thing. Please bring a pencil/eraser. Paper and colouring materials will be available for you to use, or feel free to bring your own markers, crayons or pencil crayons. We started last Tuesday with a puppy doodle. I wonder what it will be this week? If students want to join in, it will be on Tuesday during the second half of the second break in room 18 (Mr.s Johnson's room). See you there! -- Mrs. Johnson, Mrs. Morton, Mrs. Agada, Mrs. Torano

Kindergarten Registration

Do you have a child starting school in September 2026? Registration is underway for Kindergarten in the HDSB! The HDSB’s Kindergarten program provides children with a strong foundation for lifelong learning and success by developing curiosity, problem-solving and early literacy and math skills in a welcoming environment. Parents/guardians can register online or in-person. Learn more: https://tinyurl.com/8wnn9uv9

Parent Involvement Committee Conference

The HDSB Parent Involvement Committee (PIC) invites parents/guardians and community members to attend the upcoming Parent Involvement Committee Conference on Saturday, Nov. 15, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Elsie MacGill Secondary School in Milton. The theme for this year’s event is Embrace. Engage. Celebrate: Building Welcoming Communities Together. This free event will feature informative workshops, community partners and displays and a keynote address by Pardeep Nagra, Human Rights & Equity Advisor at the HDSB. Lunch will be provided and child minding is available at no cost for Kindergarten-age children up to 12 years of age. Morning refreshments and a light lunch are also provided. Transportation may be available for attendees who require it to travel from various areas within Halton to the conference. Learn more and register by Friday, Oct. 31: https://tinyurl.com/az3tmdx6

Coyotes in the Neighborhood

Shout loudly and wave your arms high in the air.
Use hazing techniques: Air horns, whistles, etc
Back away slowly while remaining calm. Never run or turn your back on a coyote.
Never feed coyotes

For quick tips and more information, please visit the Coyotes page on oakville.ca or watch this short video.

December 2025

Hello Gator Families,

As we head into December and build off our goal setting during student-led conferences, students will continue to focus on building their academic skills in the classroom while also learning to be kind and compassionate little humans. We plan on enjoying some community time together in December and also focus on giving back to others in need. Please read through the notes from our staff below about all of the things happening this December, and we hope you are able to take part in some or all of them. Have a delightful December!

Mr. G. Donaldson

Principal

Gladys Speers PS

Early Dismissal Day

On Friday December 19, 2025 all elementary and secondary schools will dismiss 90 minutes early prior to the Winter Break. We are scheduled to return after the break on Monday, January 5th. Our schedule on December 19th will be as follows:

8:45am- Entry

10:00am-10:40am - Nutrition Break 1

11:50am-12:30pm - Nutrition Break 2

1:40pm - Dismissal

Mittens, Muffins & Hot Chocolate

For this month's Spirit Day, we will be having a mittens day on Friday December 12th! Students are encouraged to wear their favourite mittens throughout the day as we kick off the winter season. In addition, our Parent Council has organized hot chocolate and muffins for the students and parents at drop off in the morning. We will have a tent set up with hot chocolate and muffins for the kids (and even some coffee for the parents). We will be out there from 8:30am to about 9:15 and parents are welcome to mingle and enjoy their coffee on the blacktop with our community. Students are welcome to take their hot chocolate into their classroom at 8:45am when the entry bell goes. We look forward to a fun Spirit Day, and a nice start to the morning with our community.

Family Movie Night - December 4

Gladys Speers Parent Council is excited to sponsor our movie night for the Gladys Speers Community on Thursday, December 4 in our school Gym. We will be showing the recent hit Despicable Me 4. Please come at 6:00pm, with a blanket and a pillow to get comfy and watch the movie with us. You are welcome to wear your PJs if you wish too! We will start the movie right at 6:00pm. Council is planning to have a small bag of popcorn to be available at no charge, courtesy of the school council, on a first come first serve basis.

All students who attend the movie MUST come and watch with his/her own parent(s) for supervision. If a student comes without his/her parent(s), they will not be admitted to the school movie night. We respectfully ask that if families decide to come, that they make every effort to stay in the gym during the whole showing so that they do not disrupt those watching the movie. We also ask that parents ensure that their own children are not being disruptive or loud while watching so that everyone can hear the movie. The running time of Despicable Me 4 is 94 minutes, so we expect the movie to be done around 7:30pm.

For more information on the movie, please click here. We look forward to a great community event together.

Teacher Appreciation

Due to popular demand and enthusiastic feedback, the Gladys Speers School Council is pleased to announce a creation of a Staff Appreciation Fund. We invite all parents and guardians to voluntarily participate in this initiative by making a one-time contribution. Contribution options are available on School Cash Online at $2, $5, $10, $15, $20 or $50. Your generous contribution will be used to provide tokens of appreciation for all teachers, staff, and administration at key times during the school year, including a luncheon toward the end of the year and other surprises throughout the year for staff. These gestures aim to recognize and thank our school’s team for their hard work and commitment to our children. All contributions are collected and managed by the Gladys Speers School Council. Donations can be made online through School Cash Online - https://www.schoolcashonline.com/. Please make sure your contribution is completed by Wednesday, December 17, 2025. The Gladys Speers School Council thanks you in advance for your generous contribution and continued support of our staff appreciation efforts.

Gladys Speers Public School Holiday Toy Drive

Gladys Speers PS is proud to team up once again with the Oakville Fire School Toy Drive to help bring joy and comfort to children and families in our community this holiday season! From December 1 to December 15, we invite our school community to drop off new and unwrapped toys and/or gift cards in the collection bins located inside the school. Your generosity can make a meaningful difference. If you’re looking for ideas, here are some suggestions for a wide range of age groups:

🎁Gift Ideas:

Gift cards
Diaper bags
Winter clothing (hats, gloves, socks)
Newborn/infant clothing and shoes
Art supplies
Sports equipment
Electronics & gadgets
Posters, calendars, journals
School supplies & backpacks
Clothing items
Jewelry & hair accessories
Cosmetics
Blankets
Shower & hygiene products
Movie passes

Every donation—big or small—helps brighten someone’s holiday. Thank you for your kindness and support, Gladys Speers community! Let’s make this season warm and joyful for all. 🎄💙

Term 2 Pizza Days (Thursday January 8th-Thursday March 12th)

Gladys Speers School Council has organized Pizza Pizza to be delivered every Thursday at 2nd break by volunteers. Participation in this hot lunch program is optional. Term 2 pizza starts on Thursday, January 8th and runs through to, and including Thursday March 12th. Your order remains the same for this term (10 weeks). This term starts after the Winter break and runs until the March break. After the March Break we will start another term. Orders are due by Monday Dec 15th and MUST be placed online. Late orders will not be accepted. Please note that there is no pizza sold at the school and everything is pre-ordered with our vendor and paid for on School Cash Online.

School Council is happy to announce that we are having both pepperoni and cheese offered this term. This couldn't happen without the amazing volunteers we have every week, so please thank them! If you would like to volunteer, there are a few slots left over the year, so please use this link that School Council has organized to sign up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C054AA8AA22A1FDC07-58623427-pizza. A current police check/declaration is required. Gladys Speers and School Council thanks everyone for participation in this voluntary hot lunch program. All proceeds from pizza lunch go towards school equipment, school enhancement and programs for our students.

FDK Winter Showcase

The Kindergarten Team is planning our Winter Concert for Kindergarten parents and students. The performance will include poems and songs to celebrate the wonderful winter season. We have more Kindergarten students this year, making two different show times necessary to prevent overcrowding - December 17th at 9:30am or 11:30am.

Due to Ontario Fire Code and the staging needs of our concert, all aisles must be clear to ensure a safe pathway for students to enter and exit the gym and we have a maximum number of spectators allowed. Therefore, we have created a free fee on School Cash Online where parents can book their show. In addition, strollers cannot obstruct the pathways up the centre and side aisles of the gym, therefore we ask that all strollers are left in the front hallway.

To ensure each family has an opportunity to view their child, each family has up to three tickets for the one performance time they attend. Parents can reserve their time slot (9:30am or 11:30am) on School Cash Online by signing up for 1, 2 or 3 tickets for one of the shows. Parents are asked to choose only one show, and they are not allowed to sign up for more than 3 tickets. Younger siblings require a ticket and older siblings are not allowed to attend and are expected to be in class. There is a maximum of 115 tickets per show, and they will be first come, first serve for the free fee on School Cash Online. Tickets will be available for reservation from December 1 to December 12. Once a show sells out, only the other show will be visible for "purchase". Tickets will be handed out at the door based on the reservation list starting at 9:00am for the first show, and 11:00am for the second show.

Thank you and we can’t wait for you to enjoy the little ones performing.

GSPS News

We're excited to share that Grade 6 students in Mr. Langdon and Mrs. Pepin's class have been working hard on another episode of "GSPS News," a student-led news team producing short segments that showcase life across our school. The students interview staff and peers, highlight events and celebrations, and focus on meaningful themes such as environmentalism, kindness, well-being, and diversity and building. This initiative develops communication, collaboration, and media-literacy skills while giving students a platform to celebrate positive actions and strengthen connections across our school. Segments will be shared within the school to Gladys Speers students and staff only. We plan on producing our first episode of three this year and we are excited for all students to watch this episode together in December. We’re very proud of these Grade 6s for their curiosity, initiative, and commitment to showcasing the kindness, creativity, and care happening every day at Gladys Speers.

Volleyball Intramurals

Attention Grade 5 & 6 students! We have volleyball intramurals starting this month. All students are welcome to come, have fun and enjoy a new sport. Listen to announcements for times.

Recorders

Students in Grades 3–6 are working hard on their Recorder Karate program, building skills in three key areas: breath control, finger accuracy, and reading music. As they master each song, they can earn new “belts” to show their progress. Students are welcome to come to the music room during first break on Mondays and Wednesdays to test for their next belt.

School Musical

Students in Grades 1–6 will be working together to create an exciting school musical for our spring performance. Rehearsals and creative work—singing, acting, movement—will begin in late January to early February. We’re looking forward to showcasing our students’ creativity, teamwork, and talent as they bring this production to life!

PALS

Our Grade 6 leaders are excited to launch the PALS (Playground Activity Leaders in Schools) program for students in Grades 1–2. Through PALS, younger students can take part in fun, inclusive games while learning valuable skills like cooperation and problem-solving. Grade 6 leaders will guide activities and model leadership as they help create a safe, active, and welcoming playground environment for all.

Inclement Weather Reminders

With the arrival of winter weather, families are encouraged to review the HDSB Inclement Weather Reminders to know how we communicate important updates about school closures and bus cancellations. A printable version of this information is also available. If your child is bused to school, please ensure you know which transportation zone you are located in. Let’s stay connected and safe this snowy season!

Kindergarten Registration

Out of Area Requests

Halton students seeking placement at schools other than their home schools, do so by way of Out of Area transfer requests. Applications for other schools are being accepted at your home school from December 1, 2025 - January 31, 2026. Not all schools are open to Optional Attendance. Gladys Speers is a closed school to out of area transfers. For a list of schools open to Out of Area requests and to obtain a copy of the registration form you can go to the HDSB website at www.hdsb.ca and view the Transfer Schools within Halton page. For an up to date listing, you can put your address in the HDSB School Finder.

January 2026

Principal Message

As we embark on 2026, we reflect back on 2025. For me, a year of change as you know I moved to Gladys Speers in the fall. In reflection, I am so thankful for and proud of the students and staff at our school who continue to work hard at both academics and being kind human beings. We have a very special school and I thank you for sending us such great kids each and every day. We hope that this newsletter finds you well, and you are enjoying the holiday season with your family.

As winter hits us, please ensure that your children are appropriately dressed for outdoor play at school. This includes our youngest and oldest students. As a reminder, if the temperatures dip below -20, we are required by board policy to keep students inside during break, however we will try to get students outside and active as much as possible. In addition, please keep in mind that supervision starts at 8:35 am, so students should not be arriving before then, and will not be permitted to enter the school until the 8:35 am bell. Please give yourselves extra time in the morning to ensure you are at school no later than 8:45am.

Please see below for several reminders, announcements and celebrations as we head into 2026.

Mr. G. Donaldson

Principal

Gladys Speers PS

Dance-a-thon

We are planning for our school's Dance-a-thon on Friday, February 6th this year. Parents and family members can make pledges using this link for their child to dance, dance, dance! All funds raised will be used by our Parent Council to support initiatives in the school that support students and their learning, including technology, robotics, outdoor play items, science materials and more! In honor of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano & Cortina and the 2026 World Cup in Canada, the parent council would like to host the Gladys Speers Parade of Nations Glow Dance on February 6th! This dance-a-thon will include an internationally represented parade, dancing (of course), Olympic themed dancing games, and snacks will be available to purchase. Details to follow over the month of January. We want to encourage students & staff to show their team spirit by dressing as an athlete, wearing a country’s colours, or wear Gladys Speers gear. Thank you to parent council for putting this event together for the students, while raising funds for the school.

Grade 5/6 Ski Trip

We are excited to share that Gladys Speers students in grades 5, & 6 will be invited to learn to ski at Chicopee Resort in Kitchener. It is our sincere hope that all students participate in ski lessons, and we know that most students have never skied before. Chicopee is a great learning facility for students. This year, we look forward to giving junior students the opportunity to continue to develop their skills, as each year they learn a little more! The trip has been booked for Tuesday, February 3, 2026, and we will leave at 9:15am and return to school at approximately 6:45pm. The cost of the trip is $65, which includes the bus, lift ticket and ski rentals and is now available on School Cash Online (https://hdsb.schoolcashonline.com/). There is not a separate cost for students who choose to bring their own skis, and we encourage all students to rent to ensure there are no issues with lost or damaged personal items. A paper copy of the field trip form and OSBIE ski form has been sent home with students. Parents are welcome to come on the trip as a volunteer, however, they will need to pay $45 for their lift ticket and rentals. Should you be interested in volunteering, please email langdonk@hdsb.ca and we will create a fee on School Cash Online for parent volunteers, as long as you have a current police check and offence declaration on file at the office. If you have any questions, please connect with Mr Langdon, Mrs. Austin or your child's classroom teacher. Payment is due by January 20, 2026

Spirit Day

We had a blast seeing some great mittens to celebrate Winter on our December Spirit Day. Thank you to the Parent Council for also providing some hot chocolate and treats for the students too! In January, we have a Stuffed Animal spirit day on the last Friday of the month, January 30th. Students are invited to bring their favourite stuffed animal to school to show them all the learning they do at school while their stuffie is at home - mark your calendars! We hope our students enjoy the day.

School Council Meeting

On Monday, January 12th, we have our School Council Meeting at 7:00pm in the Library. All parents are welcome to attend. We will be looking at the council and school budgets, allocating Council Funds, finalizing the dance-a-thon plans and reviewing our Parent Involvement night for parent events. We look forward to connecting with our Parent Council!

Hero Burger Orders

At the end of the Mr. Sub session, we will be switching our Tuesday Lunch offering to Hero Burger. Parents are able to order on School Cash Online, and orders close on January 19th. Orders will remain the same for 10 weeks and be delivered on Tuesdays from January 27 to April 7th. All student orders are individually packaged and every student order includes ketchup, mustard, mayo packets, and napkins. The orders are 100% Halal and made with 100% Seasoned Angus Beef – free-range, antibiotic-free, hormone-free. The Grilled Chicken is Canadian-sourced and hormone-free, while the Soul Burger is a plant-based burger that is vegan-friendly. The buns are whole wheat buns with no sesame or poppy seeds. Please see below for a list of items you can purchase:

3oz Beef Burger ($7.00 per week)
3oz Beef Burger with a Gluten Free bun ($8.00 per week)
4oz Beef Burger ($8.00 per week)
4oz Beef Burger with a Gluten Free bun ($9.00 per week)
Grilled Chicken Fillet Burger ($9.00 per week)
Grilled Chicken Fillet Burger with a Gluten Free Bun ($10.00 per week)
Plant Based Soul Burger ($10.00 per week)
Plant Based Soul Burger with a Gluten Free Bun ($11.00 per week)
Chicken Fingers ($8.50 per week)
Hero Beef Hot Dog ($9.00 per week)
Potato Bites (10 pcs) ($3.00 per week)

EQAO Results

Each spring our grade three and grade six students participated in the Provincial Assessment of Reading, Writing and Mathematics. EQAO assessment questions are directly based on the expectations set out in The Ontario Curriculum, which is what teachers teach in the classroom every day. In December school results were made public, and we are proud of our students for consistently scoring above the board and province. The results are:

Grade 3 Reading: School: 83%, Board: 80%, Province: 74%

Grade 3 Writing: School: 60%, Board: 71%, Province: 65%

Grade 3 Mathematics: School: 77%, Board: 71%, Province: 64%

Grade 6 Reading: School: 96%, Board: 92%, Province: 86%

Grade 6 Writing: School: 98%, Board: 91%, Province: 85%

Grade 6 Mathematics: School: 66%, Board: 62%, Province: 51%

EQAO results are only a snapshot that shows trends in student learning, which are useful to consider when talking about ways to support a student’s success. The results are considered alongside other information, such as report card and classroom assessments, to help our staff focus on continuous school improvement. We look forward to June, when our current Grade 3 and 6 students have the opportunity to show off their skills!

Junior Volleyball

After a month of practicing the girls and boys volleyball teams are excited to put all their hard work to the test and play in some tournaments. The girls and boys team will both play January 8th at Emily Carr and the girls head to Maple Grove January 29th. The boys will play at River Oaks on January 15th and Maple Grove January 28th. More tournaments to come in February, go Gators!

PA Day - January 26

Elementary educators will be engaged in assessment and evaluation activities including report card writing on January 26th, and there will be no school for students. Please mark your calendars.

Pediculosis

As we come back from a winter break, and in the winter months, it is very important that parents/caregivers check their children’s heads once a week for head lice. Please do not wait for itchiness as a sign of head lice. Children can have head lice for many weeks before they feel itchy. You know you have head lice if you see:

Live lice in the hair. Head lice are tiny, wingless, greyish brown insects. They are difficult to see, as they move quickly when you part the hair.
Eggs of the head louse. Freshly laid eggs are glued to the shaft of the hair and are laid very close to the scalp of the head. The eggs are smaller than the head of a pin, oval in shape and grey to brown in colour. These eggs will hatch in 7-10 days.
Although head lice can lay eggs anywhere on the head, favourite spots are around the ears and the nape of the neck.

Head lice have nothing to do with lack of cleanliness – anyone can get head lice. They are a nuisance, but they do not cause illness. Head lice are not a public health problem because they do not transmit disease.

Live head lice:

○ Are greyish, six-legged insects that are 2 mm – 4 mm in length (as adults)

○ Can be difficult to see because they move quickly on the scalp

Head lice eggs:

○ Are very small – about half the size of a pinhead

○ Can be whitish-grey, tan or yellow in colour

○ Are glued to the hair shaft less than ½ inch away from the scalp

○ Can take about 7 - 10 days to hatch

Should your child have pediculosis, please let the school know and get treatment as soon as possible.

Inclement Weather Reminders

Kindergarten Registration

Out of Area Requests

February 2026

Principal Message

As we wrap up Term 1, please note that Report Cards will be coming home on February 17th and will capture the learning from September to February. Our staff has spent the first term assessing and evaluating our students and focused on both Math Monitoring and Literacy Monitoring. For Math Monitoring, we have focused on multiplicative thinking across all grades and staff have tracked students using Alex Lawson's continuum of Numeracy Development to not only track student thinking, but also pinpoint next steps in learning along the continuum. In Literacy, we have been tracking students reading levels, using a phonics based approach to learning to read. Staff use multiple assessment tools including phonological awareness surveys, PM benchmarks and Benchmark Assessment Systems to pinpoint reading levels and next steps for each student in their classroom to inform next steps for teaching.

Should you have any questions about your child's progress in Math and Literacy, or any other subject, please don't hesitate to reach out to our staff who can share your child's progress in more detail, as needed. We will continue to monitor students who are not at grade level and provide tier 2 interventions in the classroom, and possibly tier 3 interventions outside of the classroom, when required. Should an intervention outside the classroom be necessary, we would always work with parents and inform them of our plans of support. Throughout term one, we are very proud of our students and their consistent high overall achievement in our classrooms.

Please take the time to read all about everything happening in our school this month. Have a Fantastic February!

Mr. G. Donaldson

Principal

Gladys Speers PS

Kindergarten Drop Off - No Kiss & Ride

This is a reminder that the Kiss & Ride area is for Grades 1-6 students only. For Kindergarten students, please use the bus, walk, or park on a side street and walk your little one to the back to have an adult to adult hand-off in the Kindergarten area. We do not have staff at Kiss & Ride who take students to the Kindergarten classrooms. Also a reminder for those who are in Grades 1-6 and choose to use the Kiss & Ride area, that all adults are to remain in their car to ensure safety.

Spirit Days - Mark your Calendars

We had a great day bringing our stuffed animals to school this month, and we look forward to our next set of spirit days in February - we have two! Mark your calendars on February 12th for a Gators Spirit Day, where we ask students and staff to wear Gladys Speers PS branded clothing, or red and black. On February 25th, it is Pink Shirt day, inspired by two Grade 12 students from Berwick, Nova Scotia, when David Shepherd and Travis Price decided to take a stand after witnessing a Grade 9 student being bullied for wearing a pink polo shirt to school. We wear Pink on February 25th to show that our students stand up to bullying.

X-Movement

We’re excited to welcome X Movement to our school from February 17th to February 20th, where students will take part in an engaging, high-energy experience focused on movement, teamwork, and personal growth. Through interactive activities, students will be encouraged to challenge themselves, build confidence, and develop positive habits that support both physical and mental well-being. We’re looking forward to a fun and inspiring visit!

Dance-a-thon

A reminder that Dance-a-thon pledge envelopes are due by February 4th. Students will also be able to refuel and light up the fun at our Dance-a-Thon Snack Bar and Glow Merch table! See below for details, and we ask that you send your child with smaller bills, or loonies and toonies to be able to purchase these items during the dance. Change will be limited for larger bills:

SNACK BAR: A variety of candy & chips will be available for $2 each, along with a banana chocolate chip loaf for $2 and Mott’s Fruitsations - 2 for $1, and finally drinks for $2.

GLOW Merch: Rock a Neon Green Headband ($4), light up the moves with an LED Bracelet ($5), pop and play with a Glow Sensory POP Tube ($3), or grab a few glowing 8” Glow Sticks - with links - ($1 each) to complete your dance look.

All proceeds support the previously mentioned outdoor activities improvement project for the kids. Parent Council thanks you for your support!

Olympic Assembly

We are excited to welcome Canadian Olympic athlete Mark Oldershaw to our school on February 12th. Mark Oldershaw is a former Team Canada Olympian and bronze-medal-winning kayaker who competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. He will talk with students about his journey to the Olympic Games and how dedication, perseverance, and goal-setting helped him achieve his goals. Through an age-appropriate and interactive presentation, Mark will share his experiences as an Olympic athlete and highlight the importance of resilience, teamwork, and maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle. This inspiring, real-world experience will encourage students to set personal goals, stay active, and understand that there are many pathways to success.

Gladys Speers Stickers

In each student's report card envelope later this month, we will be putting in two Gladys Speers PS stickers. These stickers were created by Steven Bian, an HDSB High School student, and donated to the school as he starts a business making UV Transfer 3D Stickers. We hope you enjoy the stickers and helps you brand things like water bottles, personal technology, or other items from home our students wish to adorn with the Gladys Speers logo. Thank you, Steven!

Kindergarten Registration

Out of Area Transfer Requests (2026-2027) - Elementary Schools

Students looking to attend a school other than their home school can do so by completing an Out of Area Transfer Request Application. Applications are being accepted from Jan. 5 - Feb. 27, 2026 and can be submitted to your home school. Please note that not all schools are open for transfer requests. For a list of open schools and to obtain a copy of the application, visit the HDSB website: https://www.hdsb.ca/schools/transfer-schools-within-the-hdsb/