Weekly Community Message

Weekly Community Newsletter - September 18th, 2026

One of our families captured this beautiful picture of the rainbow over the school on Tuesday morning, and it definitely reflects how we felt about this week at Tuck! 

Important Dates

• Monday, September 21st - Cross Country Practice @ 8:30 am

• Monday, September 21st - Final Flag Football Tryout @ 11am

• Tuesday, September 22nd - Cross Country Practice @ 8:30 am

• Tuesday, September 22nd - Senior Girls Volleyball Tryouts @ 11 am

• Tuesday, September 22nd - Flag Football Practice @ 1:20pm

• Tuesday, September 22nd - Terry Fox Run - last block

• Wednesday, September 23rd - ½-1 and 2-1 to Safety Village

• Thursday, September 24th - Cross Country Practice @ 8:30 am

• Friday, September 25th - Flag Football Tournament 

Pizza, Subway, Hero Burger, Popcorn Chicken!!!

Term 1 Pizza and Subway orders are currently open on School Cash Online. Orders for Pizza and Subway close on October 1st.  Term 1 Subway will begin on October 6th and Term 1 Pizza will begin on October 8th. Thank you to our School Council for organizing these food days. 

At our September School Council meeting, we also discussed a one-day trial to see if families might be interested in other food options. Therefore, we are offering two other ONE-DAY opportunities for food ordering as a trial: Hero Burger on Wednesday, September 30th, 2026 (orders close on September 28th) and Popcorn Chicken from Ginos on Friday, October 2nd (orders close on September 28th).  The Popcorn Chicken was just added to School Cash online today, Friday, September 18th.  Once we have completed the two trial days for these food options, we will seek feedback from the community before deciding if we want to move forward with either/both options. 

Terry Fox Run

Thank you for helping us work toward our goal of raising $5,900 for the Terry Fox Foundation. Thanks to your generosity, we’ve already reached 20% of our goal. What a fantastic start! Let’s keep the momentum going and continue pushing toward our fundraising goal.

Please consider making a donation through our school’s Terry Fox fundraising page here: John T. Tuck online fundraising page. Every contribution, big or small, helps support life-changing cancer research.

We look forward to coming together for our Terry Fox Run on Tuesday, September 22, as we show our support for Terry’s legacy and the ongoing fight against cancer.

Thank you for your continued support!

Lauren Shaw & Shelley Spivak

Parent Involvement Committee

The HDSB Parent Involvement Committee (PIC) invites parents/guardians and community members to attend the upcoming Parent Involvement Committee Conference on Saturday, Oct. 24, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Elsie MacGill Secondary School in Milton.

The theme for this year’s event is Get Connected. Parents/guardians are invited to explore practical workshops on Student Mental Health and Well-Being, Special Education, Generative AI and Social Media, Literacy, Mathematics, School Pathways, Equity and Inclusion. Come learn, connect, and discover ways to support student success. Registration is now open for this free event, including childcare, a light lunch, and transportation within Halton Region. 

Learn more and register by Friday, Oct. 9: tinyurl.com/mrxw6hxp

Calling all Scholars!

Scholars’ Hub is a free, in-person academic support initiative led by experienced Halton District School Board (HDSB) educators. Scholars’ Hub provides targeted academic support in a supportive, engaging learning environment.

Who Can Participate?

The program is open to Grade 7–8 students from elementary schools that feed into

Nelson High School, including:  Tecumseh PS, John T. Tuck PS, Frontenac PS, Pineland PS and Burlington Central PS.

Students will attend sessions at the secondary school their elementary school feeds into, helping them become familiar with the high school environment.

What Does the Program Offer?

• Focused support in literacy and numeracy in a welcoming, encouraging environment to build skills and confidence

• Homework help and guided practice

• Support for the transition to secondary school

• Smaller class sizes with individualized attention and meaningful learning support

Program Schedule

Scholars’ Hub is offered for five weeks, with students attending two sessions per week.

Location: Nelson High School

Time: 4:15-6:45 pm

Days: Tuesdays and Thursdays

First session: October 5 - November 6

Spots will be given to students on a first-come, first-served basis.  Registration will close on September 27, 2026.

Register today at:  Nelson Scholars' Hub Session 1 Registration Link

Weekly Community Newsletter - September 11th, 2026

Thank you to all our families who came out to our Open House last night. It was wonderful to see so many students and their caregivers visiting classrooms.   

Important Dates

• Monday, September 14th - Cross Country Practice at 8:30 am (students only, please)

• Monday, September 14th - School Council Meeting @7:00 pm

• Tuesday, September 15th - Cross Country Practice at 8:30 am (students only, please)

• Tuesday, September 22nd - Terry Fox Run

• Thursday, September 17th - Cross Country Practice at 8:30 am (students only, please)

School Council Meeting

We will be having our first School Council Meeting on Monday, September 14th, 2026 at 7 pm in our school library. If you are interested in holding an elected position on our School Council for the upcoming school year, please complete this Nomination Form by September 13th, 2026. 

Pizza Days and Subway Days

We will finalize plans for Pizza and Subway food days at our September School Council meeting. Please look out for more information in emails next week. 

Year of Giving

We are so grateful to have a generous school community here at John T. Tuck.  The infographic below provides an overview of the ways in which we give back to our school and larger community over the course of the school year.  Some initiatives, such as the Dance-a-Thon and Scholastic Book Fair, directly support our students. Other initiatives support communities in need in the larger Burlington and Halton area. We share it so that families can see the different initiatives that take place and so you can decide if and when it may work for your family to contribute. 

Weekly Community Newsletter - September 4th, 2025

Welcome Back, JT Tuck Families! We hope all of our families have had a safe and restful summer break.  We are so excited to have our Cougars back with us on Tuesday morning for another amazing school year!

Much of the information below includes important information for families, both those who are new to the school community and those who are returning. Please read the information carefully.  

Important Dates

• Friday, September 4th - Class/Educator assignments communicated via School Messenger

• Monday, September 7th - Labour Day - No School for Students

• Tuesday, September 8th - First Day of School! Meet your educators outside at 9:05 am!

• Thursday, September 10th - Open House

• Monday, September 14th - School Council Meeting @7:00 pm

Class Assignments

Emails regarding class and educator assignments were set to run through School Messenger at 5 pm on September 4th, 2026. Because of the volume of messages being sent simultaneously, it is possible that you may not receive that email until later in the day.  If you have not received a School Messenger message for a child by the morning of Sunday, September 6th, please email Mareika Smith at smithmar@hdsb.ca, indicating your child’s first and last name, and you will receive an email on Monday, September 7th, with their class code and educator assignment.  

We want to assure you that we have put considerable time and thought into class building. We take into account the learning and social needs and strengths of all students when building classes. We want to be transparent in sharing that we will not be making changes to class placements.  We kindly ask that you support your child(ren) with the transition to a new school year, a new class with new classmates and educators.  We, too, will support all your children this time.  They will make new friends, become accustomed to new routines, and get to know their classmates and educators. The first week of school is a very busy one in the office; concerns about class placement will be followed up by one of the school administrators by the end of the 2nd week of school. 

First Day of School Procedures

• Educators will be outside to greet students and their families at 9:05 a.m. on Tuesday, September 8th.  They will each have a sign with their names and class code clearly displayed. There will be additional staff on the blacktop with class lists and maps if anyone needs help. 

• Homeroom educators will be greeting students close to their entry doors:

• FDK Classes will meet in one of the two kindie penned areas: KF-1 and KF-2 are in the East Pen, and KF-3 and  KF-4 will be in the West Pen. 

• Grades 1 and 2 students (including ⅔) will meet their teacher outside Door #2 

• Grades 3 and 4 (including the ¾)  students will meet their teachers by the portables. 

• Grades 5 and 6 (including ⅘) will meet outside Door #6 

• Grades 7 & 8 will meet outside Door #7. 

• Homeroom teachers will take their students to their classrooms at approximately 9:20, using their entry door for the whole year (as above). Additional staff will remain on the blacktop to ensure that all students have found their class.

• Please ensure your child knows their dismissal plan for the end of the day (school bus, child care bus, Before/After program, walk home with a parent/guardian, walk with a sibling) so that this can be communicated to their educator and documented for dismissal. If a parent/guardian/sibling is picking up a child, it will be in the same location as their morning lineup spot. 

Coffee on the First Day of School!

School Council is excited to welcome families back to school and will be offering free coffee for parents/guardians during first-day drop-off on Wednesday,  September 3rd. Look for the big red tent, grab a cup of morning smiles, and stay to hang out and meet with other parents!

Open House -  Thursday, September 10th

We have scheduled our Welcome Back BBQ and Open House on Thursday, September 10th.  Parents and students are welcome to join us as early as 5:15 pm for dinner.  We will have some tables set up, but not nearly enough for the whole school, so please feel free to bring a blanket and have a family picnic!  To avoid the long lines, plan on coming early and connect with others in our school community on the playground area.  Dinner will finish promptly at 6:30 pm.

We have Troy's Catering coming to the event, and they will set up on our blacktop and offer a variety of items for dinner.  Pre-ordering or pre-payment is not necessary, and they will accept cash or credit. See below for a list of menu items.

At 6:30 pm, but not sooner, parents and students will be welcomed into the school to visit classrooms and meet teachers.  The evening will finish up at 7:30 pm.

Food in the Classroom and Medical Perils

We would like to ensure that families are aware that food cannot be brought from home to be shared with other students, even for celebrations (ie, birthdays).  We have many students with not only anaphylaxis accommodations but also other dietary needs (ie, gluten-free, dairy-free), and we do not want educators or families to find themselves in challenging or dangerous situations. 

If you would like to send items for celebrations, they must be non-food items, must be individually wrapped, and will only be distributed at the end of the day. 

There may be situations where educators bring food into the classroom learning environment (eg, baking with students). In those situations, educators will be aware of the medical peril needs in their classrooms. They will also be communicating with families ahead of time to ensure that all dietary needs are being respected. 

Additionally, please be incredibly mindful of the food that is sent with students in their lunches. All HDSB schools are peanut and tree-nut-free environments, as per Sabrina’s Law.  In particular, please be aware of products that contain chocolate hazelnut spread (ie: Nutella or similar products).  Often, these spreads look like they are only chocolate-based, but they contain allergens for students with tree-nut allergies.  

Dropping Items off for Students 

We know there are rare instances where a child forgets something at home, and it needs to be dropped off at school. If this happens,  items can be left in the office, labelled clearly with your child’s name and classroom teacher. They will be called down to receive the item at a time that is the least disruptive to their learning.

Late Arrivals

The entry bell rings at 9:15 am, and announcements and attendance take place at 9:20 am. On the rare occasion that your child arrives after this time, please have them enter through the front door so that they can sign themselves in and we can ensure that our attendance records are accurate. 

Mid-day Appointments/Pickups

We recognize that there are rare occasions when a child may need to be picked up early. Your child will be called down for dismissal once a parent or guardian has arrived at the school and has rung the doorbell to let us know that they are here to have them dismissed. We do not call students down before their parent or guardian has arrived. 

We are not able to dismiss students between 3:20 and 3:40 as it is too difficult to locate students promptly when classes are preparing for the end of the day. 

Dogs on School Property during Entry and Dismissal Times

A reminder that while dogs are allowed on school property during entry and dismissal times, we ask that they please be walked by a parent or guardian to ensure the safety of all students.  We ask that dogs be kept off the blacktop area. 

Stay Connected

Weekly Community Newsletter - August 28th, 2026

Welcome Back, JT Tuck Families! We hope all of our families have had a safe and restful summer break.  We are so excited to have our Cougars back with us for another amazing school year!

This is our first of TWO Welcome Back emails. The next email will be in a week’s time (September 4th) and will contain the bulk of the information you need for back to school.  Today’s message is focused on ensuring families are aware of a few key upcoming dates! 

Important Dates

• Tuesday September 1st - School Tour for families new to JTT Tuck at 1 pm

• Wednesday, September 2nd and 3rd - Professional Activities Day for Educators

• Thursday, September 3rd - New to Kindie Meet and Greet from 2:30 - 3:30 pm 

• Friday, September 4th - Class and Teacher Assignments Communication (5 pm)

• Monday, September 7th - Labour Day

• Tuesday, September 8th - First Day of School - Join School Council for Coffee on the Blacktop

• Thursday, September 10th - Open House 5- 7:30 pm, classroom visits from 6:30 - 7:30 pm