Hello BTL Families,
We hope you have all enjoyed a wonderful first week back to school! It was such a joy to welcome back our BTL students and see their smiles light up our community. Thank you to everyone who joined us for Open House last night - seeing so many families come together was the perfect start to what is going to be a FABULOUS year!
Please take a moment to review the information and a few reminders below.
Warmest wishes, Sandra Lynch, Principal
Email: lynchs@hdsb.ca; Instagram: @btlpublicschool
Important Dates
September
- 18 - Picture Day
- 24 - Cross Country Gr. 3 - 6 (Send Consent Forms back asap)
- 25 - Terry Fox Run - Stay tuned for more information
- 25 - Franco-Ontarian Day
- 28 - School Council Meeting 6:00pm - See information below
- 30 - National Day of Truth and Reconciliation/Orange Shirt Day
October
- 6 - Hearing and Vision Screening
- 8 - Bus Safety Presentations (Primary 9:10; Junior 10am)
- 9 - P.A. Day
- 12 - Thanksgiving (No School)
School Start Up Forms
Our School Start Up Forms are online with the exception of our Physical Education form which was distributed as a hard copy on the first day of school. A link to Start Up Forms was emailed to you prior to the first day of school. We would ask that these forms be completed no later than Thursday, September 24th. Should you have questions or require assistance in completing the school startup forms, our office staff will be happy to assist you, in person.
Volunteers Needed
BTL Needs Volunteers for various events through the year. School Council Members will be recruiting volunteers to help with Pizza at 2nd Break on Mondays. If you are interested, please email Jeff Moore at jefferymoore@gmail.com. Messaging about ordering pizza for Block one will be coming out in the next couple of weeks.
Stay tuned for more information along with other volunteer opportunities.
Last spring we sent out information about requiring a Police Check with a Vulnerable Sector Screen completed every 5 years. Please see the graphic below along with the past communication about Police Check Protocols so you are aware of what you need before volunteering.
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School Council Nomination Forms: Due September 14th
Are you interested in being part of this year's BTL School Council? You are welcome to be an officially voted in member, a voting member, or you can just come to listen and join in when you are able.
If you are interested there will be approximately five - six meetings over the year. The main purpose will be to help organize school events, assist with fundraising initiatives and support our AWESOME BTL community. Please complete this form no later than the end of day on Monday September 14th. Only answer the questions that are relevant for how you are looking to participate.
If you are looking for more information about HDSB School Councils, please visit the HDSB website and you will find the School Council Handbook.
Our first BTL School Council Meeting is scheduled for Monday, September 28th 6pm - 7pm. We will be meeting in-person, with a hybrid option. Please fill in this Google Form to indicate if you will be joining in-person at the school or via a Google Meet.
Drop off/Pick Up & Sustainability Reminders
A huge thank you to all the families who have been walking or biking to school! Seeing empty parking spaces at the end of the day is fantastic, and we appreciate your support with our climate sustainability goals and student safety.
Now that our first week is behind us and routines are taking shape, please review the following reminders to help keep our school yard safe for everyone:
- Blacktop Perimeter: To keep line-ups organized and secure, we ask all parents and guardians to wait along the perimeter of the blacktop during both morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up. Stepping back once your child arrives or while waiting for dismissal gives staff clear sightlines and helps keep all students safe.
- Furry Friends: While we love pets, please keep dogs on a leash at the perimeter of the school yard and off the blacktop. We have students and staff with severe allergies or fears, and keeping pets at the boundary helps ensure a safe, comfortable space for everyone.
- Active Play on the Blacktop: Because the blacktop is very crowded during arrival and dismissal, students are asked to refrain from playing running games or basketball during these times.
- Playground Structure Supervision: Yard supervision is not provided on the playground equipment before or after school (8:30–8:45 AM and 3:05–3:20 PM). Students should not play on the structure during these times unless an adult is directly supervising them. Please remind your child of this rule.
- Parking & Pedestrian Safety: Please only use accessible parking spaces if you hold a valid permit, and please do not park in the bus lane. When walking near the parking lot, please use the sidewalks and perimeter pathways - do not walk between parked vehicles.
- Supervision Times: Please note that staff supervision ends promptly at 3:20 PM.
Thank you for your ongoing partnership in keeping our community safe!
Nutrition Program
We are excited to share that our Nutrition Program is starting up once again this year. Thank you to Mme. Turingia who continues to organize this program and trains the Gr. 5/6s to run the carts. Breakfast for the Brain Carts will start up by the end of next week - we are hoping we will be ready to go by Wednesday.
We are grateful for the support of Halton Food for Thought (HFFT), whose funding - along with grants and donations from our parent community - makes this program possible. Stay tuned for ways you can help support this initiative!
This program is available to all students. We do ask that students only take what they need, not what they want. Thank you:)
Note: If your family could use some assistance with groceries, please reach out to our office staff. We have access to food programs that can help.
BTL Technology and Cell Phone Protocol
Please read the following document to learn about the BTL Expectations of acceptable use of Technology and Cell Phones and how you can help your child become a positive digital citizen.
Child and Youth Care Practitioner (CYC-P) & School’s Social Worker (SW)
We welcome Krystal Carmichael (CYC-P) and Jeff Von Zuben (SW) back to BTL!! Please read the following information below on how they will continue to support our students.
HDSB Student & Family Support Office
Student and Family Support Office
Questions about your child's education? Start by speaking with your child's teacher and principal. If you still need support, the HDSB’s Student and Family Support Office can help answer questions, provide information and connect you with the appropriate supports.
Help 400 HDSB Students Start School with Confidence
As students across our community head back to school, some will arrive without the basics they need: a backpack, school supplies, or even lunch. The Halton Learning Foundation (HLF), thanks to our generous community, is here to help.
HLF launched its Back-to-School campaign, with the help of its cheerful helper, Carrie the Backpack, to support 400 HDSB students by September 30. Families are counting on this support, and HLF is asking our generous community to step in urgently so they can continue to say “YES” to every request for emergency support they receive.
Here's what one parent shared about what saying “YES” meant to her family:
Just wanted to say how grateful I am for this support. I’m a single mom, and because of your help, I’m able to get what my daughter needs for back-to-school and food, and I’m so unbelievably grateful for the support.
Make a gift for a student in need today: Donate Now
Together, we can give students not just supplies, but confidence, dignity, and hope.
Learn more about Carrie’s Back to School mission and how you can help at GoBack2School.ca.
