Weekly Community Newsletter - September 4th, 2025
Welcome Back, JT Tuck Families! We hope all of our families have had a safe and restful summer break. We are so excited to have our Cougars back with us on Tuesday morning for another amazing school year!
Much of the information below includes important information for families, both those who are new to the school community and those who are returning. Please read the information carefully.
Important Dates
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Friday, September 4th - Class/Educator assignments communicated via School Messenger
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Monday, September 7th - Labour Day - No School for Students
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Tuesday, September 8th - First Day of School! Meet your educators outside at 9:05 am!
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Thursday, September 10th - Open House
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Monday, September 14th - School Council Meeting @7:00 pm
Class Assignments
Emails regarding class and educator assignments were set to run through School Messenger at 5 pm on September 4th, 2026. Because of the volume of messages being sent simultaneously, it is possible that you may not receive that email until later in the day. If you have not received a School Messenger message for a child by the morning of Sunday, September 6th, please email Mareika Smith at smithmar@hdsb.ca, indicating your child’s first and last name, and you will receive an email on Monday, September 7th, with their class code and educator assignment.
We want to assure you that we have put considerable time and thought into class building. We take into account the learning and social needs and strengths of all students when building classes. We want to be transparent in sharing that we will not be making changes to class placements. We kindly ask that you support your child(ren) with the transition to a new school year, a new class with new classmates and educators. We, too, will support all your children this time. They will make new friends, become accustomed to new routines, and get to know their classmates and educators. The first week of school is a very busy one in the office; concerns about class placement will be followed up by one of the school administrators by the end of the 2nd week of school.
First Day of School Procedures
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Educators will be outside to greet students and their families at 9:05 a.m. on Tuesday, September 8th. They will each have a sign with their names and class code clearly displayed. There will be additional staff on the blacktop with class lists and maps if anyone needs help.
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Homeroom educators will be greeting students close to their entry doors:
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FDK Classes will meet in one of the two kindie penned areas: KF-1 and KF-2 are in the East Pen, and KF-3 and KF-4 will be in the West Pen.
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Grades 1 and 2 students (including ⅔) will meet their teacher outside Door #2
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Grades 3 and 4 (including the ¾) students will meet their teachers by the portables.
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Grades 5 and 6 (including ⅘) will meet outside Door #6
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Grades 7 & 8 will meet outside Door #7.
- Homeroom teachers will take their students to their classrooms at approximately 9:20, using their entry door for the whole year (as above). Additional staff will remain on the blacktop to ensure that all students have found their class.
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Please ensure your child knows their dismissal plan for the end of the day (school bus, child care bus, Before/After program, walk home with a parent/guardian, walk with a sibling) so that this can be communicated to their educator and documented for dismissal. If a parent/guardian/sibling is picking up a child, it will be in the same location as their morning lineup spot.
Coffee on the First Day of School!
School Council is excited to welcome families back to school and will be offering free coffee for parents/guardians during first-day drop-off on Wednesday, September 3rd. Look for the big red tent, grab a cup of morning smiles, and stay to hang out and meet with other parents!
Open House - Thursday, September 10th
We have scheduled our Welcome Back BBQ and Open House on Thursday, September 10th. Parents and students are welcome to join us as early as 5:15 pm for dinner. We will have some tables set up, but not nearly enough for the whole school, so please feel free to bring a blanket and have a family picnic! To avoid the long lines, plan on coming early and connect with others in our school community on the playground area. Dinner will finish promptly at 6:30 pm.
We have Troy's Catering coming to the event, and they will set up on our blacktop and offer a variety of items for dinner. Pre-ordering or pre-payment is not necessary, and they will accept cash or credit. See below for a list of menu items.
At 6:30 pm, but not sooner, parents and students will be welcomed into the school to visit classrooms and meet teachers. The evening will finish up at 7:30 pm.
Food in the Classroom and Medical Perils
We would like to ensure that families are aware that food cannot be brought from home to be shared with other students, even for celebrations (ie, birthdays). We have many students with not only anaphylaxis accommodations but also other dietary needs (ie, gluten-free, dairy-free), and we do not want educators or families to find themselves in challenging or dangerous situations.
If you would like to send items for celebrations, they must be non-food items, must be individually wrapped, and will only be distributed at the end of the day.
There may be situations where educators bring food into the classroom learning environment (eg, baking with students). In those situations, educators will be aware of the medical peril needs in their classrooms. They will also be communicating with families ahead of time to ensure that all dietary needs are being respected.
Additionally, please be incredibly mindful of the food that is sent with students in their lunches. All HDSB schools are peanut and tree-nut-free environments, as per Sabrina’s Law. In particular, please be aware of products that contain chocolate hazelnut spread (ie: Nutella or similar products). Often, these spreads look like they are only chocolate-based, but they contain allergens for students with tree-nut allergies.
Dropping Items off for Students
We know there are rare instances where a child forgets something at home, and it needs to be dropped off at school. If this happens, items can be left in the office, labelled clearly with your child’s name and classroom teacher. They will be called down to receive the item at a time that is the least disruptive to their learning.
Late Arrivals
The entry bell rings at 9:15 am, and announcements and attendance take place at 9:20 am. On the rare occasion that your child arrives after this time, please have them enter through the front door so that they can sign themselves in and we can ensure that our attendance records are accurate.
Mid-day Appointments/Pickups
We recognize that there are rare occasions when a child may need to be picked up early. Your child will be called down for dismissal once a parent or guardian has arrived at the school and has rung the doorbell to let us know that they are here to have them dismissed. We do not call students down before their parent or guardian has arrived.
We are not able to dismiss students between 3:20 and 3:40 as it is too difficult to locate students promptly when classes are preparing for the end of the day.
Dogs on School Property during Entry and Dismissal Times
A reminder that while dogs are allowed on school property during entry and dismissal times, we ask that they please be walked by a parent or guardian to ensure the safety of all students. We ask that dogs be kept off the blacktop area.
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