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Community Update - November 17

Posted On Sunday November 17, 2024

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

Thank you to those of you who joined us on Monday November 11, 2024, for our Remembrance Day Assembly.  We would like to thank Mrs. Foley and Mrs. Burns for organizing our Assembly.  We would especially like to thank Mr.  Burns for being our special guest speaker.  We would also like to recognize our staff and students who did very special work with their classes to pay their respects and to honor the many people who sacrificed their lives for us.

We were pleased to see all of our families out for parent teacher interviews and to have the time and opportunity to speak with parents.  

Our next SCC meeting will be held on Thursday November 21, 2024, at 6:00 p.m.  We will send out a google meet link for those who cannot meet with us in person.  Please click on the link to view the meeting minutes from September and October 2024 School Community Council Meeting - September 26, 2024.pdf  OCT School Community Council Meeting Minutes - .docx 

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Have a wonderful week ahead!

Please see below for our weekly updates:

Attendance at School Matters

Did you know?

  • If your child is 20 minutes late every day, they will have missed 12 days of instruction by the end of the school year.
  • If your child misses only two days per month of school, they will have missed one month of instruction by the end of the school year.
  • Students who are absent 15 days of the school year each year will have lost one year of instruction by the end of grade 12.
  • Students who attend school regularly tend to be more engaged in their learning, feel more connected to the school and tend to have better academic outcomes than students who miss a lot of school.

Families can support good attendance at school by:

  • Setting a regular bedtime and morning routine.
  • Getting clothes, lunches and backpacks ready the night before.
  • Communicating regularly with your child’s teacher.
  • Talking with your child about their school day.
  • Taking part in school events and activities to show your child that you value school and education.
  • Planning vacations and appointments around the school schedule whenever possible.
  • Making sure your child goes to school, unless they are truly sick.

Message on behalf of EdgeImaging (School Photos)

 As you may know, Canada Post has initiated a strike as of this morning. We want to assure you that we have measures in place to maintain smooth operations.

To adapt, we have temporarily disabled the mail-to-home option for families. Orders can now be delivered via ship-to-school or sent home using Purolator with priority shipping. Depending on the timing of your last shipment, you may notice an additional shipment this year. 

The positive news for your school community is the extended opportunity to place ship-to-school orders. This is an ideal time to remind parents that ship-to-school ordering remains open for two additional weeks. 

If you have any questions, please reach out to your Territory Manager. We remain fully operational and wanted to keep you informed on how we are adjusting to current circumstances. 

Warm regards,
The Edge Team 

Toonie Tuesday

To kick off the giving season the Ignite Durham Learning Foundation (IDLF) is calling on the entire Durham Community to come together and Make Tomorrow’s Brighter for children and youth during their time of need. The giving season officially kicks off with the welcoming of Giving Tuesday on December 3, 2024 the world’s largest generosity movement.

We are inviting you to become a #changemaker and join the generosity movement by participating in our 2nd Annual Toonie Tuesday — imagine how many children and youth we can support if everyone brings in a Toonie on this day!

Can our Durham kids count on your support on December 3, 2024?  We will have a jar set up in our front office!

Please see flyer for more information on how you can give on this day!  You will be able to donate on School Cash online see flyer for more details 4. Toonie Tuesday 2024 Community Letter.pdf 

School Spirit Wear is here 

Attached is the student spirit wear order form, including the new Bellwood Bobcat mascot stuffie. In order to receive the items for the holidays, our deadline for placing our order is November 29th. 

Click on the link to see what the options are for school Spirit Wear Spirit Wear Bellwood Order Form_STUDENT 2024-2025.pdf 

Please fill out an order form if you are interested and bring your order form to the office with cash or a cheque for us to order for you.

DDSB Virtual Family and Community Engagement Speaker Series

Everyday Resiliency and Hope:  How to Build Sustainable Well Being.  Thursday November 21, 2024 from 7-8 p.m.  Click on the link for more information

DDSB Compendium of Action for Black Student Success 2.0

Dear DDSB Community Members,

The Durham District School Board (DDSB) will be hosting a virtual community engagement for the Compendium of Action for Black Student Success 2.0.

One of the commitments made in the Compendium of Action for Black Student Success 2.0 was to connect with and report back to the community twice a year to share and discuss the work we are doing to implement the action items of the Compendium.  

This event will be family focussed and will feature Dr. Nicole West Burns as our keynote speaker, as well as other members of the DDSB community.

When: Wednesday, November 27, 2024 - 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Where: Zoom (Virtual)

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER 

Join us as we continue the conversation to dismantle anti-Black racism, guided by the DDSB’s Human Rights, Anti-Discrimination, Anti-Racism Policy, our Anti-Oppression Strategy and Compendium of Action for Black Student Success 2.0.

Sent on behalf of Margaret Lazarus Superintendent of Equitable Education, Anti-Oppression/French, International and Classical Languages/Family of Schools

Ignite Learning Foundation

The Bellwood Chew Chew Train food drive campaign for the Ignite Learning Foundation will begin on December 1, 2024.  The class to bring in the most food will win a Pizza Party!  Stay tuned for more information!

Partnership with DDSB and Victim Services of Durham

The Durham District School Board is committed to the safety and well-being of all students. As part of this commitment, we have developed a long-standing relationship with Victim Services of Durham Region (VSDR), who has been providing staff and student education on the topic of Sex Trafficking Education and Prevention.

We are pleased to share with you the following upcoming opportunities hosted by VSDR, for parents/guardians to participate in the Sex Trafficking Education & Prevention (STEP) program sessions.

Please see below for dates and times:

  • Tuesday November 26, 2024 - 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
  • Thursday December 19, 2024 - 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Registration can be found at the following link: Sex Trafficking Education and Prevention Registration

IT's BACK!  Krispy Kreme Doughnut Fundraising Event!

Krispy Kreme doughnuts will be sold by the dozen at Bellwood, so don't miss out! The price per box (12 original doughnuts) is $15, with proceeds going towards our school's SCC fundraising initiatives for things like classroom tech and outdoor play equipment. Please support our school by purchasing these tasty treats!

The final date for purchasing will be December 6th, 2024, with pick-up at the school on DECEMBER 18TH, 2024

Please note: There are no refunds or transfers of School Cash Online credit.
PLEASE DO NOT SEND CASH WITH YOUR STUDENT FOR PAYMENT - payment is to be made via School Cash Online.

Kiss and Ride – We continue to ask families to make safety a number 1 priority!

  • 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

  • Junior Boys Volleyball Practices: Mon. and Wed. 8:15 a.m., Tues. and Thurs. 3:35 p.m.
  • Junior Girls Volleyball Practices: Mon. and Wed. 3:35 p.m. and Thurs. 8:15 a.m.
  • Peer Tutoring – Tuesdays and Thursdays November 5- December 10, 2024
  • Senior Band – sign up in Room 207 Tuesday’s and Thursday’s at Lunch Recess
  • Bell Choir grades 6-8 Tues. and Thurs. 8:15 a.m.
  • Intramurals: Mondays grades 1 and 2, Tuesday’s grade 3 and 4, Wednesday’s 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

  • SCC meeting: Thursday November 21, 2024
  • Movie Night and Parent Engagement with Kwesi Millington:  December 5, 2024, 6:30 – 8:00
  • Holiday Concert: December 12, 2024
  • Breakfast with the Bobcats: Saturday December 14, 2024. Stay tuned for more information
  • Dental Screening: December 16 and 17 stay tuned for more information
  • Winter Break:  December 20, 2024 – January 6, 2025

Dates of Significance

November 20th 

Classroom Support Staff Appreciation Day

Today, we celebrate our hardworking and dedicated Educational Assistants! Our Educational Assistants are such an important part of our community and school team. If you have ever seen them in action, you have seen love, patience and grace at work in a tangible way. We are always grateful for your incredible contribution to our school communities and celebrate you today with heartfelt thanks.

November 20th Transgender Day of Remembrance

Transgender Day of Remembrance will be held on Sunday  November 20, 2022 to honour Rita Hester who was killed for being who she was.  This day urges us all to raise awareness of the threat of violence faced by people who identify as transgender and the persistence of the prejudice felt by the transgender community.

November 24th is  Holodomor Memorial Day

The Holodomor is the name given to the genocide by famine that occurred in Ukraine from 1932-1933 under Joseph Stalin’s regime.  As many as 10 million people perished. In Ukrainian, “Holod” means starvation/famine and “moryty” means to inflict death.  This Memorial Day was introduced in 2009 in Ontario.

Your Admin Team

Sharon Knights and Todd Smart