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Community Update - December 20

Posted On Friday December 20, 2024

Good afternoon, Bellwood Community, the home of the Bobcats where we Belong, Believe and Succeed!

We have been very busy this Fall at Bellwood P.S. with lots of sporting activities, leadership opportunities, clubs, peer tutoring program, community events, guest speakers coming into the school and classrooms, school trips, school spirit days, our Chew Chew Train Food Drive, Staff vs Student Volleyball, our Mystery Bag sales, Movie Night and our Holiday concert!!

We would like to send a huge Shout Out to all the Bellwood Staff who have made all of these things in addition to the excellent teaching and learning that is happening in our classrooms.

We look forward to the coming back after our Winter Break to continue to do wonderful things at our school. 

On behalf of our Staff and your Admin Team, we would like to wish you all a Happy Holiday filled with peace, love and joy!  We look forward to seeing you all back at school on Monday January 6, 2025!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Please see below for our weekly updates:

Staffing Updates:

  • We would like to officially welcome Ms.  Marsha Harewood to Bellwood.  She will be joining our EA team on a long term assignment  for the remainder of this school year.
  • We would also like to officially welcome Ms.  Liza Fofanova to Bellwood.  She will be joining our teaching staff on a long term assignment as our Junior French teacher .

Kindergarten Registration Begins January 7, 2025

DDSB Kindergarten Registration starts online on Tuesday, January 7, 2025. Kindergarten is a child-centred, play-based educational program that provides children with a stronger start in school and in life.

To be eligible for enrollment in Junior Kindergarten (JK) or Senior Kindergarten (SK):

  • Children must be four years old by December 31, 2025 to enroll in year one, JK
  • Children must be five years old by December 31, 2025 to enroll in year two, SK

For more information on the Kindergarten program and to register your child on or after January 7, please visit the Kindergarten Registration webpage.

Kiss and Ride – We need your help so we will continue to ask you to adhere to the following rules!

  • Between 8:55 – 9:15am please DO NOT park in front of the kindergarten enclosure. We need to keep the flow of traffic moving.
  • Please DO NOT let your children out of the car in the center lane to pass.  Please drive through the Kiss and Ride to let children out of the car.  This is a safety concern for us here at Bellwood.
  • When you are using the Kiss and Ride, please make sure you drive right up, pick up your children quickly and safely and follow the directions to keep moving by the staff supporting the smooth running of our Kiss and Ride.
  • Please do not park in the Kiss and Ride as this causes back up and is not safe for our students.
  • Please use the sidewalks to walk your children around and do not cut between the cars as this is a safety hazard.  This is a safety concern for us here at Bellwood.

Safety is our number one priority, and we work hard to make sure that our Kiss and Ride runs safely and smoothly.  We need your help!

Teams and Activities Around Bellwood after the break

  • Intermediate Boys Basketball Tryouts: Posted on Whiteboard outside the gym.
  • Intermediate Girls Basketball Tryouts:  Posted on Whiteboard outside the gym.
  • Senior Band – Tues. and Wed. @ lunch
  • Bell Choir grades 6-8 Tues. and Thurs. 8:15 a.m.
  • Intramurals: Mondays grades 1 and 2, Tuesdays grade 3 and 4, Wednesdays grades 7 and 8, Thursdays grades 5 and 6

Students are encouraged to check the schedules posted on the white board by the gym doors for practice days and times.

Save the Date

  • Winter Break:  December 23, 2024 – January 6, 2025
  • SCC Meeting: Thursday January 16, 2025
  • P.A Day: No school for students on Friday January 24, 2025

Dates of Significance

December 25th is Christmas Day 

This day, December 25, celebrates Jesus Christ's birth over 2000 years ago. Customs, particularly in the northern hemisphere, include lighting candles, exchanging gifts and using evergreen decorations to celebrate this day, the most widely observed Christian festival of the year.  In most communities it is a family day. 

 December 25 – January 2 is Hannukah

Hanukkah, [known as the Festival of Lights], celebrates the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem after its defilement by the Syrian Greeks in 164 BCE.  When the Jews sought to light the Temple's Menorah (the seven-branched candelabrum), they found only a single jar of olive oil that had escaped contamination by the Greeks. Miraculously, they lit the menorah and the one-day supply of oil lasted for eight days, until new oil could be prepared.  Central to the holiday is the lighting of the menorah, an eight-branched candelabrum to which one candle is added on each night of the holiday until it is ablaze with light on the eighth night.

Kwanzaa is December 26 - January 1

A professor who wanted to encourage African Americans to celebrate their heritage started Kwanzaa's in California in 1966. Kwanzaa means first fruit in Swahili and is a harvest festival. Families exchange gifts and have African-style feasts. Seven-pronged candle holders are lit on each consecutive night for the seven principles: unity, self-determination, working together, sharing, purpose, creativity and faith. The celebration continues till January 1.

Tamil History Month

January is Tamil Canadian Heritage Month. It is an occasion to recognize and celebrate the many achievements and contributions of Tamil Canadians to Canada and an occasion to acknowledge and enjoy? the narratives and wisdom of Tamil culture.

 

Your Admin Team

Sharon Knights and Todd Smart