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Harriett Todd Public School
11 George Street, Orillia, Ontario, L3V 2V1
Phone # 705-325-9388 — FAX # 705-329-2101
Website: har.scdsb.on.ca —Twitter: @Harriett_ Todd
Elaine Vodarek - PrincipalAndrea Newburn - Vice-Principal
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June 2025
Dear Wolverine Families,
May flew by with many great events to bring the community together. We welcomed our newest Wolverines at Welcome to Kindy and Welcome to French Immersion Night and can’t wait to see them daily in September! We celebrated Music Monday by singing as a whole school and connecting with other schools virtually all over the world. The choir and Ms. Boehme did a great job leading us in song! We honoured Red Dress Day. The Junior Boys and Girls Basketball teams represented Harriett Todd well at the Area tournaments, and 14 students attended the Elementary Sport Festival hosted at TLSS as well. We stayed active at our Jump Rope for Heart Event and played with family and friends at our Come Play with Us after-school event (pickleball, math games, and yoga). It has been great to see the engagement in these school activities!
In June, we look forward to continuing with our learning in curricular subjects and celebrating a great year. Be sure to add the following events to your calendar:
June 2 – Junior Track & Field
June 2 – School Council Meeting
June 4 – Intermediate Track & Field
June 4 – Junior Baseball Tournaments
June 5 – Family Fun Night
June 6 – PA Day
June 13 – Rainbow Day (School Spirit)
June 20 – Term 2 Report Cards Home
June 21 – National Indigenous Peoples Day
June 24 – Grade 8 Graduation
June 26 – Last day of school for students
June 27 – PA Day
We invite everyone to join us at our Family Fun Night, end of year celebration, happening this Thursday after school (4-7 pm). Pre-order a pizza, play some games and have fun with friends, family and staff! There will be one final Kidney Clothes donation drop at Harriett Todd on June 6th – bring in those textiles!
Our final School Council meeting is this evening – 6 pm in the library. All are welcome!
Kindly,
Elaine
END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR ROUTINES: We are coming to the end of another successful school year at Harriett Todd. To make the next month as successful as possible, it will be important to maintain our routines and schedules as much as possible, so that students remain focused on learning and we are able to provide them with the best program possible. If you are aware of any family holidays during the month that may extend into the summer months, please let us know at [email protected]. Thank you for your attention to this matter and for continuing to support your child’s education at Harriett Todd.
- Drop off and pick up should take place at the gate on the East side of the school (closest to Westmount) no later than 9:15 AM. Late students should enter the front doors and sign in in the front foyer to sign in. Being on time is an important life skill – please help your young ones develop good habits to last a lifetime!
- If your child is going to be absent or late, please remember to call our Safe Arrival number — 1-888-885-8065, you will be prompted to identify the school before leaving a message. Our Safe Arrival line is a 24-hour answering machine or you can email your child’s absence to [email protected].
- If you are changing arrangements for pick-up, please email [email protected] before noon to ensure your child’s teacher receives the message, and office staff is aware of early/altered pick-up too. Please avoid calling the school last minute with these changes. We cannot guarantee that messages called in later in the day will reach the student on time.
- Please avoid picking your child up early. Interruptions in the classroom can negatively impact the learning of our students. Unless there is an appointment or emergency, students are expected to remain in class until dismissal at 3:35 p.m.
- When coming to the school (at the end of the day) to pick your child/children up, please wait for them outside of the school at their respective gates. If you are coming to the school during the day, please ring the bell at the front entrance.
- Pets are not permitted on school property. We appreciate your cooperation in ensuring student safety.
If you have any information you wish to share regarding considerations for class placement for your child/children (2025/26), please email [email protected].
Keep connected with our school and with the SCDSB
It’s important to get accurate information about what’s going on at your school and at the Simcoe County District School Board (SCDSB). Here are some ways to do that:
- Sign up to receive SCDSB media releases by clicking the ‘Subscribe’ button at scdsb.on.ca.
- Follow the SCDSB on Facebook (facebook.com/SCDSB/), Instagram (@scdsb), and X (@SCDSB_Schools).
Reminder: Complete the 2024-25 SCDSB Student Census
Parents/guardians of children in Kindergarten to Grade 6 are invited to complete the 2024-25 SCDSB Student Census on behalf of their child or children by June 27. The census may be accessed through an email invitation or by visiting https://tinyurl.com/SCDSBStudentCensus.
Information in the census helps us to determine how to best utilize resources and plan appropriate programming, learning opportunities, and events. The census is confidential and voluntary.
If you would like more information about the census, please visit scdsb.on.ca/census. If you have questions regarding the SCDSB Student Census, please contact the Research and Decision Support department at [email protected].
New Orillia elementary school
The Simcoe County District School Board (SCDSB) continues to move forward with plans to open a new elementary school in the western part of Orillia. The new elementary school will relieve pressure at the existing schools in the area as it will accommodate approximately 334 students.
Funding to build the new school was approved by the Ministry of Education in 2021. Since that time, the SCDSB has purchased the land and has worked on the design concept for the school. As part of the process of acquiring the land, the SCDSB had to work through a number of logistical aspects of the project including land negotiations, zoning, environmental assessments, and permits. The SCDSB is now in a position to proceed and expect the new elementary school to open in 2027. For regular construction updates visit the ‘new schools’ section of the SCDSB website.
Student Achievement Plan
In alignment with the Education Act (Subsection 169.1(4)), school boards are required to use the Student Achievement Plan (SAP) Public Reporting Template to publicly report on the progress made with respect to provincially established student achievement priorities.
The Public Reporting Template is available on the SCDSB website (scdsb.on.ca/about/goals_reporting/student_achievement_plan). The SCDSB is consulting with committees of the board and collecting feedback on the SAP. If you wish to provide feedback, you can send an email to [email protected].
Indigenous Education flag
The SCDSB’s Indigenous Education department is excited to announce the new Indigenous Education flag. This flag was created by Indigenous members of the SCDSB’s Indigenous Education department in collaboration with local Indigenous community members. This flag will be raised at all SCDSB schools and the Education Centre from June 16 to 20 to celebrate National Indigenous History Month and National Indigenous Peoples Day, which is also the summer solstice. Families and community members are invited to join in recognizing and celebrating the vibrant cultures and histories of Indigenous Peoples.
The flag represents the rich cultures and contributions of diverse Indigenous Peoples in Simcoe County and includes symbols such as:
- the Medicine Wheel to signify First Nation communities
- the Infinity symbol to represent citizens of the Métis Nation
- the Inukshuk to symbolize Inuit communities
Surrounding these symbols is sweetgrass, signifying unity and respect among Indigenous Peoples.
Every Child Matters flags will be respectfully acknowledged during the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Sept. 30 in recognition of survivors and our deep commitment to reconciliation in education, honouring survivor’s legacy, and truth.
To learn more about Indigenous education in the SCDSB, visit: scdsb.on.ca/elementary/indigenous_education
Use of student information to transition from elementary to secondary
As students progress from elementary school to secondary school, important personal student information is shared which eases each student’s transition. Sharing this information also improves our ability to program effectively to benefit all students. The collection and use of personal student information for such purposes is authorized under the Education Act. Please note that all information used for the transition process is limited, secure, and protected at all times. Please contact Scott Young, Superintendent of Education, if you would like more information about the transition process at Harriett Todd PS.
Shelter in place
SCDSB schools and worksites have established safety procedures which are in place to keep students and staff safe in emergency situations, such as a shelter in place. A shelter-in-place is used when there is an environmental or weather-related situation, like a chemical spill outside the building, or a major storm. During a shelter in place, activities will continue inside the school, but students and staff will not be allowed to leave the building, including for bussing or pick-up by parent(s)/guardian(s). It’s important for you to know that the safety of our students is our top priority. If you have any questions or concerns, as always, please contact the school.
Check out the SCDSB News video series
The SCDSB News is a weekly video series highlighting positive events, initiatives, and learning happening within school communities across the SCDSB. Follow the SCDSB on social media to catch all of these weekly episodes, and check out our recent video below featuring Education Week in the SCDSB.
Each year, the SCDSB recognizes Education Week at the beginning of May. Education Week provides us with an opportunity to celebrate education and recognize the contributions of SCDSB staff throughout the year. Together, we all contribute to creating environments where students can learn, grow, and succeed.
The SCDSB is truly fortunate to have over 7,000 passionate, supportive, and dedicated staff members. Thank you all for making the SCDSB the place to be! Watch as students from Regent Park Public School share letters of appreciation to SCDSB staff members who have made a difference in their lives: youtube.com/watch?v=OCD2Jzw0buc&t=1s
Licensed summer school child care programs
Child care programs for children in Kindergarten to Grade 6 are provided by independent, third-party child care operators in some SCDSB schools. To support your child care needs, some operators offer child care over the summer holidays. Registration in advance is required. Please contact the child care operator directly to discuss fees and to register. More information and contact numbers can be found at scdsb.on.ca/elementary/planning_for_school/childcare_before_after.
Spend a fraction of your time on math!
New math problems, games, and activities are added to Math at Home monthly! Visit www.scdsb.on.ca/MathatHome to find fun, engaging ways to support your child in learning math.
In June, activities in school and on Math at Home involve consolidating the year’s learning, mental math, and math facts! Looking for ways to continue supporting your child’s learning at home during the summer months? Visit Math at Home for summer learning inspiration!
Join the SCDSB for a virtual special education information series
During the 2024-25 school year, the Simcoe County District School Board (SCDSB) has hosted virtual special education outreach sessions to assist parents/guardians in learning more about programs, supports, and ways that we work together to support students with special education needs.
Please join us for the upcoming session:
Every day communication strategies
June 17
We understand that life is very busy, and we want to help support families incorporate communication into every day activities that are already happening at home. In this virtual session, join members of our SCDSB Speech and Language Team as we focus on communication strategies such as verbal and visual modelling, expanding communication, and creating opportunities to communicate.
Participants are asked to register in advance. Information to access the sessions will be shared via email with individuals who have pre-registered. Learn more about each session and how to register on the SCDSB website: scdsb.on.ca/elementary/special_education/special_education_outreach_sessions.
Sora Sweet Reads
Sora is the SCDSB’s digital ebook library which is available to all students from K-12. Each year, Sora has a collection of diverse ebooks and audiobooks (juvenile to young adult) curated into a collection called “Sora Sweet Reads”. From May 12 to Aug. 25, students can access these books using either the Sora app or desktop version: soraapp.com/welcome.
The best part of this collection is that each title is simultaneous use, meaning that there are unlimited copies available so there are no holds on these titles! Students simply use their school Google login and password to access the library. We hope that this collection will encourage students to stay engaged in reading even when the weather gets warmer! Happy reading!
June cyber awareness topic: Summer cleanup
As the school year wraps up, it’s a great time to do a little digital cleanup! This month’s tip sheet shares easy steps families can take to tidy up their devices, accounts, and online habits before summer break.
Doing a summer cleanup can help protect your family’s personal information and keep devices running smoothly. It’s also a good chance to talk with your children about safe and smart tech use during the summer months.
Access the ECNO cyber awareness tip sheet for June to stay informed about this month’s theme and explore additional resources: ecno.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/ECNO-CAM-24-Infosheets-E-_Part10.pdf.
Simcoe Muskoka Family Connexions in need of foster homes
Simcoe Muskoka Family Connexions is urgently seeking caring families to open their homes to children and youth in need of short-term foster care. By opening your home, you can make a difference in their lives by keeping them close to their family, school, and community.
For more information, please visit www.familyconnexions.ca. Watch our videos to understand what it takes to become a foster care provider: https://familyconnexions.ca/fostering-resources/.
Information provided by Simcoe Muskoka Family Connexions
Screen time and social media
Are you concerned about the amount of time your child is spending on screens? As a parent/caregiver, the key is to get involved, pay attention, and model positive screen time habits. This resource from Caring for Kid’s has some tips and strategies to help families learn to manage their screen time: caringforkids.cps.ca/handouts/preteens-and-teens/screen-time-and-digital-media.
For more information visit simcoemuskokahealth.org.
Information provided by the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit.
June PA Days
Please note that Friday, June 6 is a PA Day for SCDSB elementary students, and Thursday, June 26 is a PA Day for SCDSB secondary students. Friday, June 27 is a PA Day for all SCDSB students. Please refer to the 2024-25 School Year Calendar on the SCDSB website for more information: scdsb.on.ca/elementary/planning_for_school/school_year_calendar.
Below is a summary of the activities planned for the June 6 PA Day:
Length: Full day
Topic: Evaluation and Reporting
Host: Simcoe County District School Board
Educators will be working to complete the second provincial report card. This report card will reflect students’ achievement of curriculum expectations introduced and developed from February to June of the school year, as well as students’ development of the learning skills and work habits during that period. This process includes both evaluation and reporting. Elementary report cards will go home to parents/guardians on Friday, June 20, 2025.