Village News

Exploring US Summer Camp
The HDSB Graduation Coach for Black Students Program is hosting the Exploring Us Summer Camp this July! Exploring Us is a free, in-person program for Grade 6-8 students that runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The program strives to affirm the identities of Black-identifying students, foster relationships, unleash creativity and create lasting memories.

Week 1: Wellness in Motion | July 7-9
Week 2: Black Roots in Rhythm - Hip-Hop Culture Week | July 14-16
Week 3: Cut to Black - Exploring Black Relevance In Film | July 21-23

Register today at tinyurl.com/ExploringUs2026

Sankofa Collective
The HDSB is hosting a two-week summer program for students transitioning from Grade 8 to Grade 9 this fall! The Sankofa Collective offers an engaging and supportive introduction to high school, with a focus on strengthening English literacy skills in reading and writing. Students will build essential reading comprehension and writing strategies while developing confidence and building community. Open to all students, this program targets essential literacy skills using Afrocentric literature, resources and high-yield teaching practices. It engages students in meaningful learning opportunities while supporting their readiness for Grade 9. Students will learn in a supportive environment, enhance their literacy skills, develop meaningful connections and gain the tools they need for a successful transition into high school.

Session 1: June 29 - July 10 at Elsie MacGill Secondary School
Session 2: July 13 - 24 at Garth Webb Secondary School

Register today at tinyurl.com/SankofaCollective

Writing EQAO
Our Grade 3 and 6 students will be participating in the provincial EQAO assessments in the coming weeks (see dates below). These assessments evaluate Reading, Writing, and Mathematics based on the Ontario Curriculum. Students will be familiarized with the e-assessment platform through practice sessions in class, so no special preparation is required at home. Please note that these results provide helpful information on your child’s progress but do not affect their report card grades. Good luck Vipers!

Upcoming Dates:
June 2 - Grade 6 EQAO
June 3 - Grade 6 EQAO
June 4 - Grade 1's to Royal Botanical Gardens
June 5 - PA Day (No School)
June 8 - Junior Track & Field
June 10 - KF1 & KF2 to Lowville
June 10 - School Play Performance
June 11 - School Play Performance

Volunteer Appreciation Event
We had a wonderful chance to celebrate all of our volunteers this past Wednesday. Thank you so much to all the volunteers that make Alton Village such a great place to be! And we were so thankful to be able to celebrate you this week!

Track and Field
A huge congratulations to all the athletes who competed at the Senior Track and Field event this past Tuesday. We are so proud of how you represented our Vipers! We had several students and team that brought home ribbons for their performance. Congrats!

Salmon Release Program
Our students officially became environmental stewards this past Thursday by releasing Atlantic Salmon fry into Bronte Creek! This exciting release was the culmination of the "Bring Back the Salmon" classroom hatchery program, where we spent the last five months raising the fish from eggs while learning about local conservation. It was a wonderful hands-on experience that allowed our class to contribute directly to restoring this native species to Lake Ontario. Way to go Vipers!

Upcoming EQAO
Our Grade 3 and 6 students will be participating in the provincial EQAO assessments in the coming weeks (see dates below). These assessments evaluate Reading, Writing, and Mathematics based on the Ontario Curriculum. Students will be familiarized with the e-assessment platform through practice sessions in class, so no special preparation is required at home. Please note that these results provide helpful information on your child’s progress but do not affect their report card grades. Good luck Vipers!

Upcoming Dates:
May 26 - Swim to Survive (Grade 3 - Maharaj & Rowe)
May 27 - Grade 5's to Binbrook Conservation (TreeTop Trekking)
May 28 - Grade 5's to Binbrook Conservation (TreeTop Trekking)
May 28 - Grade 3 EQAO
May 29 - Grade 3 EQAO
June 2 - Grade 6 EQAO
June 3 - Grade 6 EQAO
June 4 - Grade 1's to Royal Botanical Gardens
June 5 - PA Day (No School)
June 8 - Junior Track & Field
June 10 - KF1 & KF2 to Lowville
June 10 - School Play Performance
June 11 - School Play Performance

Kindergarten Orientation
We are excited to welcome our NEW Kindergarten students. If your child is starting Kindergarten at AVPS for the 2026-2027 then please come out and enjoy a great night of information sharing and touring around their new school! 
* Wednesday May 13th - 4:30-5:30pm

Upcoming Dates:
May 12 - Swim to Survive (Grade 3 - Maharaj & Rowe)
May 13 - New to Kindergarten Orientation - 4:30-5:30pm
May 14 - Junior Relays @ Frank Hayden
May 15 - Jump Rope for Heart
May 18 - Victoria Day holiday (no school)
May 19 - Intermediate Track and Field @ Nelson
May 19 - Swim to Survive (Grade 3 - Maharaj & Rowe)
May 20 - AVPS Volunteer Appreciation Event (12:00-1:30pm)
May 21 - Grade 3, 4, 5's to Lowville Park
May 21 - Grade 6 Salmon Release at Lowville Park

LAST KERNELS POPCORN ORDER for the 2025/26 School Year
We are continuing with our last round of popcorn orders for May/June. You will get 5 weeks of popcorn for $15. You can order through School Cash Online system starting today, Friday May 1 until Friday May 8 at midnight! All flavours are Gluten-Free and Nut-Free! There are many flavours to choose from:
* buttersalt
* low-fat caramel       
* ketchup        
* white cheddar *You also get a 2-for-1 coupon on each bag!
* dill pickle
* jalapeno jack        
* say cheese cheese
Note that individual weeks are not for sale. This is sold as a bundle for 5 weeks; 1 order will give your student 1 bag of popcorn of the same flavour each week for 5 weeks. If you would like 2 bags each week, you can place two orders with different flavours.

Popcorn will be delivered to classrooms for Fridays at 2nd break on May 15, 22, 29, June 4 (Thurs due to holiday) 12. If your child is absent, their popcorn will be held in the classroom until their return.

All proceeds of this fundraiser will go to offset the cost of field trips for students. The more you buy, the more they get! If you have any questions contact Holly Oakes (oakesh@hdsb.ca).

Kindergarten Orientation
We are excited to welcome our NEW Kindergarten students. If your child is starting Kindergarten at AVPS for the 2026-2027 then please come out and enjoy a great night of information sharing and touring around their new school! 
* Wednesday May 13th - 4:30-5:30pm

2025-2026 Yearbooks
Yearbooks for the 2025/2026 school year are available to purchase on School Cash Online until Friday May 1st. We must pre-order the quantity with the vendor so no orders will be accepted after this date. The cost is $15.50. This is a whole school yearbook that is 82 full colour pages. 

Upcoming Dates:
May 4 - Ontario Skills Competition (good luck Vipers!)
May 5 - Swim to Survive (Grade 3 - Dennis & DeBoer)
May 8 - Grade 8's to Frank Hayden for tour
May 12 - Swim to Survive (Grade 3 - Dennis & DeBoer)
May 12 - Gauss Math Contest (Grade 7 & 8)
May 13 - New to Kindergarten Orientation - 4:30-5:30pm
May 14 - Junior Relays @ Frank Hayden
May 15 - Jump Rope for Heart

Music School Showcase
The Alton Village Music Showcase has been rescheduled to April 29th and April 30th. There will be only one performance held each day during the school day at 11:15 am, and the previously scheduled 7:00 pm evening shows have been canceled.
Tickets are limited to 1 or 2 per family for the day of your child's performance and can be accessed via School Cash Online. For families unable to attend the daytime show, the performance will be recorded for later viewing.
Each class will perform once on their assigned day. Please note that the Junior Band will perform only on Wednesday, and the Senior Band will perform only on Thursday.

Performance Schedule
Wednesday, April 29th at 11:15 am
3/4 Maharaj
4-1 Kennelly
4-3 Dunn
5-1 Rutherford
5-2 Tayler
6-2 Hunt
6-4 Mootoo
Junior Band

Thursday, April 30th at 11:15 am
4-2 Zajac
4/5 Armstrong
5-3 Stein
5/6 Rimay
6-1 McVittie
6-3 Downey
Senior Band

Dress Code:
Grades 3/4, 5, 6: White or Black shirt (no logos); Black or dark bottoms.
Junior/Senior Bands: Music festival dress.
We are looking forward to seeing you there! For those unable to attend in person, please note that we will be arranging a recording of the performance to share.

Term 3 Pizza
The first day of the new pizza schedule is Thursday April 23rd and runs until the end of the school year.

2025-2026 Yearbooks
Yearbooks for the 2025/2026 school year are available to purchase on School Cash Online until Friday May 1st. We must pre-order the quantity with the vendor so no orders will be accepted after this date. The cost is $15.50. This is a whole school yearbook that is 82 full colour pages. 

Upcoming Dates:
Apr 21 - Swim to Survive (Grade 3 - Dennis & DeBoer)
Apr 21 - Grade 7's to Frank Hayden for Musical
Apr 23 - Dance-a-Thon!!
Apr 24 - PA Day (no school)
Apr 29 - Music Showcase
Apr 30 - Music Showcase

Pizza Orders - Term 3
All pizza orders for term 3 (starting April 23rd) are due by midnight on Sunday April 12th. Please use school cash online to complete your order.

Manie Musicale chez Alton Village Public School…
Alton Village students from grades 4-8 enjoyed our third Manie Musicale assembly at Alton Village on Wednesday, April, 8, 2026. Students were introduced to sixteen French songs. They had the opportunity to vote for their favourite song, learn their favourite French lyrics, and share opinions about their preferred and unpreferred songs “en français”. Some students created art work or videos to celebrate Manie Musicale! Navi and Sannchita emceed our entire assembly! Bravo, vous deux! Congratulations to all of our bracket winners!  

Manie Musicale 2027…Qui va gagner?

Fashion Forward
The Halton District School Board will host Fashion Forward Open Houses in March and April for students to view and try on formal wear in a friendly and welcoming environment. Students may select from a variety of new and gently-used attire that has been donated for proms, graduations and other special events. Many different styles, colours and sizes of formal dresses will be available as well as suits, shirts, ties, shoes and accessories.

To browse for formal wear, students can attend one of the Fashion Forward Open Houses:

• Tuesday, April 21 and Thursday, April 23 from 3:30 - 8 p.m at Rolling Meadows Public School (1522 Mountain Grove, Burlington)

A more private shopping opportunity will be available from 3–3:30 p.m. during the Open Houses for anyone who would benefit from it.

HDSB Spotlight on Fashion Forward

Upcoming Dates:
Apr 13-17 - Spring Concert Week (more info to come)
Apr 13-17 - AVPS Book Fair
Apr 14 - Swim to Survive (Grade 3 - Thompson & Touchie)
Apr 21 - Swim to Survive (Grade 3 - Dennis & DeBoer)
Apr 24 - PA Day (no school)

Halton Skills Success
Congratulations to two of our Halton Skills teams as they won FIRST PLACE at the recent HDSB competition.

• Grade 6 - Lego Robotics
• Grade 6 - Character Animation

Both of these teams have now qualified for the Ontario Skills competition held in Toronto in early May. An amazing accomplishment. Congrats Vipers!

Dance-a-Thon Kick Off Assembly
We had our big assembly on Monday to kick off the countdown to the Dance-a-Thon (April 23rd). Students received pledge forms and information about how they can contribute and win prizes. Look for more information to come out in the coming weeks.

Boys Basketball Playoffs
Our Senior Boys Basketball team is one step closer to the championships with a big win this past Tuesday night earning a match up against Central this Thursday. The winner on Thursday night will go to the West AA finals. Good luck Vipers!

Upcoming Dates:
Apr 3 - Good Friday (no school)
Apr 6 - Easter Monday (no school)
Apr 7 - Swim to Survive (Grade 3 - Thompson & Touchie)
Apr 13-17 - Spring Concert Week (more info to come)
Apr 13-17 - AVPS Book Fair
Apr 14 - Swim to Survive (Grade 3 - Thompson & Touchie)

Spring Showcase
Showcase will be April 15 and April 16 and your child's class will perform on one of the 2 days. Grade 4-8 More details to follow!

Police Record Check (PRC) Update for Volunteers – Effective April 1, 2026
In December 2025, the Ontario Ministry of Education introduced amendments to Police Record Check requirements under Ontario Regulation 298/25, effective April 1, 2026. As a result, school boards are now required to obtain a new Police Record Check (PRC) for all school volunteers every five years. A new PRC will also be required if there has been a lapse in submitting the Annual Offence Declaration.

These updated requirements apply to both current and new volunteers and are part of ongoing efforts to ensure a safe and supportive learning environment for all students. We sincerely appreciate the time and care our volunteers bring to our school community. Your involvement makes a meaningful difference, and we look forward to welcoming both returning and new volunteers. Learn more about the updated PRC requirements for volunteers and how to get involved in our school community by visiting the Volunteer in HDSB Schools webpage on the HDSB website (hdsb.ca). 

Dental Screening
Halton Region Public Health will be at our school on Tuesday, March 3, 2026 for Oral Health Day. A Registered Dental Hygienist will conduct routine dental screenings for JK and SK students, and results along with information about financial assistance programs will be sent home in student backpacks. Please note that this screening does not replace a regular dental check up. If you do not want your JK or SK child to participate, or if you would like a child in Grades 1 to 8 to be screened, please complete the Halton Oral Health in School Screening Form at halton.ca or call 311 at least 10 business days before the screening date.

Upcoming Dates:
Mar 3 - Kindergarten Dental Screening
Mar 12 - Grade 6-8 Ski/Tubing Trip
Mar 14-22 - March Break Holidays

Band Trips + Brilliance
Congratulations to both the Jr and Sr Bands as they travelled this week to the Golden Horseshoe Band Event. Both bands were recognized for their brilliance and performance. A big thank you to Mr. P. for his hard work and dedication to the students as they have been putting in the hard work over the last number of months.

Ice on the Property
Many of you who were on the school property this week would have noticed that there was significant ice building up on the walk ways and blacktop area. Although we do do our best as a school and our contractors work through the night it can still be pretty slippery out there. Please be careful as you walk on the property and give yourself some extra time when driving as we have also noticed an increase in car traffic throughout the week.

Ramadan 2026
Ramadan is under way and the the school library is accommodating the Dhuhr prayer. Some things to consider for those students who will be praying:

• students may bring their own mat
• it is expected that students who will be praying at school also pray at home
• all students will pray together following Ramadan guidelines
• cell phones will not be allowed in the prayer space.
• a quiet, no-eating area will be provided. Technology will not be allowed in this space.

Upcoming Dates:
Feb 25 - Pink Shirt Day - Anti-Bullying Day
Feb 27 - Grade 8 Grad Photos
Mar 3 - Kindergarten Dental Screening
Mar 12 - Grade 6-8 Ski/Tubing Trip
Mar 14-22 - March Break Holidays

Ramadan 2026
Ramadan is quickly approaching. This year, the school library will accommodate the Dhuhr prayer. Some things to consider for those students who will be praying:

• students may bring their own mat
• it is expected that students who will be praying at school also pray at home
• all students will pray together following Ramadan guidelines
• cell phones will not be allowed in the prayer space.
• a quiet, no-eating area will be provided. Technology will not be allowed in this space.

Upcoming Dates:
Feb 13 - PA Day (No School)
Feb 16 - Family Day Holiday (No School)
Feb 17 - Lunar New Year
Feb 17 - Term 1 Reports go home
Feb 17 - Switch Day - Friday Schedule
Feb 18 - Switch Day - Monday Schedule
Feb 25 - Pink Shirt Day - Anti-Bullying Day
Feb 27 - Grade 8 Grad Photos

Driving Safety
There is NO PARKING on Steeplechase (in front of the school). Stopping or parking there creates unsafe conditions for other cars and our students who are walking in and out of the school.
Also, please take extra precaution when you are driving on and around the school property. With the large snow banks and slippery roads it creates an extra layer of danger for our students and families. Plan ahead, take extra time, move slowly and ensure you are being safe when driving or walking near our school.

Generational Dance
On Thursday night School Council ran a fun and fabulous event called the "Generational Dance" where families were invited to dance and sing and have fun with our live DJ, disco lights and party atmosphere. It was a great night! A big thanks to our School Council for offering such a fun event!

Upcoming Dates:
Feb 13 - PA Day (No School)
Feb 16 - Family Day Holiday (No School)
Feb 17 - Term 1 Reports go home