Community Update

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

It has been a great week back from March Break!  Our students and staff were well rested and rejuvenated for the final stretch of the school year.  We have many exciting projects, events and learning opportunities planned for our students.  Stay tuned for all of the exciting things that will be happening!

Our junior girls basketball team is on FIRE!!  They won 4 out of 5 games in the Junior Jam Basketball tournament this week and are on continuing to develop their skills as the get closer to the Area tournament.  

Our badminton team also had a tournament this week and did really well representing our school.  Our boys doubles team has advanced to the area finals.

Our next SCC meeting will be held on Thursday March 27, 2025, from 6-7 p.m.  We will send out a link for those who are not able to join in person.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Please see below for our weekly updates:

Cultural Celebrations around the World along with learning about the festive and herbal art of Henna

On Tuesday March 25, 2025 we will be having a special guest at our school.  Henna Yasir Art will be coming to our school.  They will do a presentation for the whole school on cultural celebrations around the world along with learning about the festive and herbal art of Henna.

After the presentation, the artists will go to each classroom.  If you would like your child to participate in receiving Henna art on their hand, there will be a form/letter coming home that you will have to sign giving them permission.  They will NOT be allowed to participate if the form is not signed.  Please make sure you have returned the form to your child’s teacher if you would like them to receive Henna Art on their hand.

Durham Black Educator’s Network Community Event  March 28, 2025

Please join us for an evening of great food, great entertainment, and great company as we recognize the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination with renowned author Dr. Leland Harper from Siena Heights University in Michigan. 

Dr. Harper is an associate professor of Philosophy, race, justice, and equity studies. He will discuss important insights and strategies to combat racial discrimination in the spaces and roles that we occupy. 

Date:                   March 28, 2025

Venue:                IBEW Hall, 1001 Ritson Rd., South, Oshawa

Time:                   5pm.

Register Here: https://tinyurl.com/33yxpxmy 

Ramadan and Eid Dinner

Ramadan will be starting this weekend, and a lot of our students will be fasting.  To support our students who will be fasting we will have a fasting club in the library for the duration of Ramadan for the eating portion of our lunch hour, from 11:50 a.m. – 12:10 p.m.  

This year our annual Bellwood Community Eid dinner will be held on Thursday April 3, 2025.  Please click on the link to fill in the Google Form to let us know if you will be attending and how you can help https://forms.gle/1sD7pE5r2R34QhB86  

There will also be a fashion show, showcasing all of the wonderful fashions for Eid.  Please click on the link to fill out the google doc if you would like your child to participate in the fashion show https://docs.google.com/document/d/18wjGAmaXWpKBEDGKyKdUDwNTSTf4IpoFud8-N5uFa5M/edit?usp=sharing

We would love to see as many families as possible from our school attend this event.  We would like to thank Mr.  Mohamed, Mrs. Khan, Mrs.  Ferguson, Mrs. Loderick, Mrs.  Sahar  and Mrs.  Johnson for organizing and helping to run this wonderful event.

SCC Community BBQ and Mini Fun Fair

Our SCC is planning to end our school year with a Community BBQ and mini Fun Fair.  We would like to gage the communities’ interest for this event which would happen in June.  Please take a moment to fill in the google form that can be found by clicking the following link.  We look forward to hearing from you! https://forms.gle/pgRTMGcdkPC526XA9           

Kindergarten Registration 2025

DDSB Kindergarten Registration started 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 and Parking on School Property– 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 note our school parking lot is Private Property.  We have noticed that there are a few cars that park here over night taking up parking spaces for our families that drop off and pick up their children. This also affects our snow removal when our contractors come to remove the snow.   If you know who is using up our parking spaces, please let them know that this is not allowed.  We will be looking into ticketing and towing if these cars are not removed.

Two areas that continue to require attention from our community……

• Please stay in your vehicles and do not park in the Kiss and Ride as this causes traffic to 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

• Junior Boys and Girls Basketball – Schedules have been provided.
• Senior Band – Monday and Wednesday at lunch
• BELL Choir – Tuesday and Thursday at 8:15 am
• Fasting Club:  Daily from Monday March 3, 2025 – April 3, 2025
• Pokeman and Games Club:  Day 2’s

• Intramurals: Mondays grades 1 and 2, Tuesdays grade 3 and 4, Wednesdays grades 7 and 8, Friday 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

• March 22 – Festive Eid Bazaar click on link for details Eid Bazaar.jpeg 
• March 25 – Henna Yasir Art – Please make sure forms are signed and returned by Tuesday March 25, 2025
• March 27 – SCC meeting 6 – 7:30 p.m. please click on the link for February’s minutes School Community Council Meeting Minutes -February 2025.docx 
• March 31 – P.A. Day No School for students

Dates of Significance

Nowruz – March 20, 2025

Nowruz is the Iranian New Year or Persian New Year. Historically, it has been observed by Persians and other Iranian peoples, but is now celebrated by many ethnicities worldwide. Nowruz, meaning “new day,” marks the first day of spring with over 300 million people taking part in the celebration of the vernal equinox. Nowruz starts at the precise moment that winter ends and spring begins on March 20, 2025 at 5:24 p.m. eastern time.

 Eostre (Yowstra) – March 20, 2025

Eostre is the Germanic goddess of dawn who is celebrated during the Spring Equinox. On the old Germanic calendar, the equivalent month to April was called “Ostarmanod” – or Easter-month. As a holiday, Easter predates Christianity and was originally the name for Spring Equinox celebrations.The date of the Christian celebration of Easter changes each year and the reason the date changes is because it is based on a ‘Pagan’ solar calendar. Easter occurs on the Sunday after the first full moon occurring after the Spring Equinox. 

 World Down Syndrome Day – March 21, 2025

World Down Syndrome Day is marked each year on March 21, beginning in 2007. The 21st day of March was selected to signify the uniqueness of the triplication of the 21st chromosome which causes Down syndrome. The General Assembly of the United Nations has decided to observe it each year since 2012.

International Day for the elimination of Racial Discrimination – March 21, 2025

Guided by the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination recognizes that the injustices and prejudices fueled by racial discrimination take place every day. Observed annually on March 21, it commemorates the day police in Sharpeville, South Africa, opened fire and killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration against apartheid "pass laws" in 1960.

While much progress has been made, Indigenous peoples, and racialized and religious minority communities in Canada continue to face racism and discrimination every day. This day serves as a call to action for individuals, organizations, and all levels of government to actively work to eliminate all forms of racial discrimination, injustice, systemic racism and hate. Re-committing efforts, to ensure all people are respected and have equal access and opportunity to be safe and to succeed.

Earth Hour tomorrow March 22, 2025

Earth Hour is a worldwide movement organized by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). The event is held annually, encouraging individuals, communities, and businesses to turn off non-essential electric lights, for one hour from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m., usually on the last Saturday of March, as a symbol of commitment to the planet.^[1] It was started as a lights-off event in Sydney, Australia, in 2007.

Occasionally, in years when Holy Saturday falls on the last Saturday of March (as in 2025), Earth Hour is held a week earlier.

Epilepsy Awareness Day and Purple Day for Epilepsy -  March 26, 2025

Celebrated annually on March 26, Epilepsy Awareness Day, or Purple Day, was created to increase the public’s understanding of this brain disorder and to eliminate the fear and stigma surrounding it. With over 3.5 million people diagnosed with epilepsy in the U.S. and over 50 million worldwide, it is likely you know someone living with the day-to-day challenges epilepsy brings. The good news is epilepsy can be easily managed if diagnosed and treated correctly, so awareness and research are important. Join one of the grassroots campaigns to raise awareness in your community today!

 Laylat al Qadr – March 27, 2025

Many Muslims in Canada celebrate Laylat al Qadr,  or Shab-e-Qadr, which most likely falls on one of the last 10 days of the Islamic month of Ramadan. Also known as the Night of Power or the Night of Destiny, it commemorates the night when God (Allah) revealed the Qur’an (or Koran), which is the Islamic holy book, to the prophet Muhammad (also known as Mohammad), according to Islamic belief.

Eid Al Fitr March 29 - March 30, 2025

Eid al-Fitr is the earlier of the two official holidays celebrated within Islam. Eid al-Fitr is celebrated by Muslims worldwide because it marks the end of the month-long dawn-to-sunset fasting of Ramadan,

International Transgender Day of Visibility is March 31, 2025

International Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV) occurs every year on March 31st. This day is dedicated to celebrating transgender people, their contributions to society and raising awareness of discrimination faced by transgender people worldwide.

National Indigenous Languages Day is March 31, 2025

National Indigenous Languages Day is March 31, and it is a day to celebrate and honour Indigenous languages in Canada. The decade from 2022 to 2032 is also the International Decade of Indigenous Languages to promote the use of Indigenous languages world-wide.

Your Admin Team

Sharon Knights and Todd Smart