Community Update - March 3

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

Ontario Skills Competition Success!

We are thrilled to share our school’s outstanding results at the Ontario Skills Competition on Wednesday, February 26, 2025 at the Tribute Community Centre in Oshawa, Ontario. 

Bellwood’s Animation Team—Bryna, River, Arianna, and Kaylie—placed 1st and will be moving on to the Provincial Championships in Toronto! They showcased their creativity and technical skills by designing and animating a project focused on a skilled trade.

Our Green Energy Team—Noman, Jeypriyan, Sharjun, and Faizan—designed and built an eco-friendly windmill that successfully generated electricity. Competing against 12 teams, they placed an impressive 3rd overall!

A huge congratulations to all our students for their hard work, dedication, and innovation. We are so proud of their achievements!

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 and Mrs.  Johnson for organizing and helping to run this wonderful event.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Please see below for our weekly updates:

Spirt Days March 3-6, 2025

Monday, March 3 - Opposite Day 

How to participate: Wear opposite clothes (Ex. 1 white sock and 1 black sock, a jersey and a tutu, clothes inside out, etc.) 

Tuesday, March 4 - Anything but a Backpack Day

How to participate: Bring anything except your backpack today! A plastic bag, purse or any other bag could be used. 

Wednesday, March 5 - Rhyme Without a Reason Day

How to participate: Find a partner and dress as a rhyming pair.  Ex. Let it Go and a Golf Pro, a truck and duck, etc. If you don't have a partner, dress as your favourite rhyme! 

Thursday, March 6 - Pyjama Day

How to participate: Wear your favourite PJ's to school! 

Shrove Tuesday

Shrove Tuesday is on Tuesday March 4, 2025 and we will be cooking pancakes for all our students.  We have done this for the past 3 years and the students really enjoy their pancakes on Shrove Tuesday otherwise known as Pancake Day.

SCC Movie Night

Our next SCC Movie Night will be on Thursday March 6, 2025, from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.  Doors will open at 6:00 p.m.  The cost for the Movie will be $2.00 per person.  We will also have popcorn $2, chips $2, cookies $1, Fruit to Go .50 and bottled water for sale $1! 

Staffing Update

Our grade 4-6 French teacher Madame Fofanova’ s last day was on Monday February 24, 2025.  For this past week and next week, we will have supply teachers in for these classes.  We will be hiring someone to cover these classes starting on March 17, 2025 after the March Break!

Crossing Guard at Bellwood and Lowder

Please be advised that after the March Break, starting on Monday March 17, 2025 there will be a slight change to the Crossing Guard’s hours.  There will be a crossing guard at this intersection from 8:50 – 9:10 a.m.  Please note the new time that will start after the March Break!

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.

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.

WINTER IMPORTANT NOTICE

As we are in the depth of winter weather, we are encouraging parents to work with us to make sure that children are coming to school prepared for the winter weather.  The expectation is that all students will wear a coat outside for recess.  When it snows students in grade 1-5 will be expected to wear snowpants and boots if they would like to be on the field playing in the snow.  Students in grade 6-8 will be expected to wear boots if they would like to play in the field when it snows.  If students do not have the proper gear when it snows, they will be asked to stay on the pavement. 

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

• 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 4 – Shrove Tuesday (Pancakes)
• March 5 - Grade 8 Grad Photo re-takes
• March 6 – Movie Night 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.
• March 7 to March 14 – March Break
• March 25 – Henna Yasir Art – more information to come
• March 27 – SCC meeting 6 – 7:30 p.m. please click on the link for February’s minutes
• March 31 – P.A. Day No School for students

Dates of Significance

February 28 - March 30, 2025 Start of Ramadan

Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, is a time of fasting, reflection, prayer, and community for Muslims around the world.

In 2025, Ramadan is expected to begin on the evening of Friday 28 February 2025, and will conclude on the evening of Sunday 30 March 2025, with the exact dates contingent upon the sighting of the moon.

Ramadan is a period dedicated to spiritual growth, increased devotion, and worship. Muslims fast from dawn until sunset, refraining from eating, drinking and smoking during daylight hours. This fast, known as Sawm, is one of the Five Pillars of Islam and is intended to bring Muslims closer to God and to remind them of the suffering of those less fortunate.

March is Bangladeshi Heritage Month

Ontario is home to a large and vibrant Bangladeshi community. Bangladeshi Canadians from across the province have made significant contributions to Ontario's scientific, athletic, cultural and political development, and they continue to help foster growth, prosperity, and innovation throughout Ontario.

The month of March is an important one for the Bangladeshi community. Every year on March 26th, Bangladeshis around the world celebrate Independence Day in commemoration of their nation gaining independence in 1971. This day is often marked with music, parades, fairs, and various other public and private gatherings held to celebrate the history and traditions of Bangladesh.

March is Hellenic History Month

More than 270,000 people of Hellenic descent live in Canada today and over half of them live here in Ontario. Canadians of Hellenic descent have contributed to every field of life in Ontario, have enriched our culture and have strengthened our economy. Hellenes, also known as Greeks, began to arrive in Canada in the early nineteenth century, with the vast majority coming after 1950. They have made significant contributions across many fields, including education, law, medicine, science, politics, business, sport and many more.

March 5 is Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday is a holy day of prayer and fasting in many Western Christian denominations. It is preceded by Shrove Tuesday and marks the first day of Lent, the six weeks of penitence before Easter. 

 March 8 is International Women's Day

According to one source, a women's march in New York in 1857 provided the inspiration for the day. Others claim that it began as a commemoration of a strike by women needle trades workers in New York City in 1908. International Women's Day was revived in the 1960s and in 1975 the U.N. began sponsoring this day.

Shivratri is March 8, 2024

Maha Shivaratri is a Hindu festival celebrated annually in honour of the deity Shiva, between February and March. According to the Hindu calendar, the festival is observed on the fourteenth day of the dark half of the lunar month of Phalguna or Magha

March 13 - 15, 2025 is Holi

Holi is a popular and significant Hindu festival celebrated as the Festival of Colours, Love, and Spring. It celebrates the eternal and divine love of the deities Radha and Krishna. Additionally, the day signifies the triumph of good over evil.

March 14, 2025 is Purim

The festival of Purim commemorates the Divinely orchestrated salvation of the Jewish people in the ancient Persian Empire from Haman’s plot “to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews, young and old, infants and women, in a single day.” It is celebrated with Megillah readings, gifts of food, charity, feasting, and merriment.

March 17, 2025 is Irish Heritage Day

Ontario citizens of Irish descent made significant contributions to the founding of Canada. They have made and continue to make significant contributions to the development of Canada, especially over the more than 150 years since the first large waves of Irish immigration. It is important to recognize and celebrate those contributions.

Today the rich cultural heritage of Canada’s Irish community is an integral part of Canadian national culture and identity and belongs, by right, to all Canadians of all backgrounds. As evidence of that fact, the coat of arms of Canada bears several symbols of Irish heritage: the Royal Harp of Tara representing the historic coronation place of the High King or Ard Right of Ireland and the Shamrock and Cross of Saint Patrick.

It is appropriate to recognize March 17, the day of Saint Patrick, the patron saint of the Irish, as Irish Heritage Day in Ontario.

Your Admin Team

Sharon Knights and Todd Smart