At Rosedale Heights P.S. we emphasize the importance of our students demonstrating good character in their classrooms, the school, and the community at large, as reflected in the school’s touchstone. We are proud that our school is filled with citizens of good character. Every day we see students demonstrating respect, responsibility, honesty, empathy, fairness, initiative, perseverance, integrity, courage, and optimism! We also have students adopting growth mindsets – positive attitudes about themselves as learners, which recognize the importance of dedication, learning from mistakes, and hard work which nurture a love of learning and resiliency that contribute to their success.

At Rosedale Heights P.S., we are Rockets. So naturally, when our students do great things, it makes them Blast Off! We like to acknowledge our students demonstrating good character by sharing the Blast Offs in our school displays, during periodic assemblies and on our daily announcements.

We’d need your help, though! We only see what our students do at school, but we would like to extend our emphasis on positive behaviours and attitudes beyond the school, recognizing our students’ good character at home and in the community. Is there something you know of that would warrant blasting off for your son or daughter? Please send in your own Blast Off messages to be read on the announcements or displayed throughout the school by emailing blastoff@rosedaleheightsps.com.

Consider some examples:

“We are sending out a Blast Off for Jennifer Smith for completing her yellow belt in Karate. She worked very hard over the last six months, practicing three times a week to reach her goal.”

“We are sending out a Blast Off for Kevin Lee for helping out at home when his mom and dad were sick. He showed tremendous initiative in making dinner for his younger siblings so his parents could rest.”

“We are sending out a Blast Off for Shelley Green for scoring her first goal in ice hockey. Six months ago she couldn’t even skate, but she was determined to learn, and we’re so proud of her perseverance.”

“We are sending out a Blast Off for Jeff Singh who volunteered all weekend at the community centre to run programs for younger children. He took the role seriously and showed great responsibility.”

Help be our eyes and ears in the community and share your Blast Off!

On the evening of September 26, 2024 we hosted our first School Council meeting of the year.  Elections were held at the meeting and Jessica Kline was elected as chair, Andrea Brown was elected as treasurer and Sheree Shapiro was elected as secretary.  Other elected executive members include Nikki Avidar, Taryn Fisher, Kathryn Ivy, Sari Maritzer, Lisa Rosenberg and Shira Young.

We wanted to thank all the parents who attended yesterday’s meeting, and we encourage everyone to consider becoming involved in School Council –you needn’t be an elected member of the School Council to get involved. For more information on the School Council, don’t hesitate to contact the School Council chair or other members.  All parents and guardians are welcome to attend meetings at any time.  We have set (tentative) dates for subsequent meetings as follows: November 6, January 9, March 6 and May 1.  All School Council meetings will be held at 7:00 p.m. in the school library.

We look forward to working with you to support our students!

Order today … before it’s too late! Pizza can be ordered on School Cash Online through October 6th.  If you have any questions, please contact the school office.

Every year on September 30, Canadians observe National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. This day is a solemn occasion dedicated to acknowledging the historical and ongoing injustices faced by First Nations, Métis and Inuit.

On this day, schools across the country also recognize Orange Shirt Day, which specifically remembers the story of Phyllis Webstad, a survivor of the residential school system, who had her new orange shirt taken away on her first day at school. The orange shirt has gone on to become a symbol of a national movement aimed at fostering empathy, respect, and awareness of the hardships endured by First Nations, Métis and Inuit, promoting a more inclusive and equitable society for future generations. The topic of residential schools first appears in the revised Social Studies Curriculum in Grade 1, and many educators K-12 will take on this topic as part of their instructional program.

We encourage YRDSB staff and students to wear an orange shirt on Monday, September 30, 2024, to recognize the resiliency and bravery of Residential School Survivors and those who did not come home.

Terry Fox never set out to become famous. His singular dream was for a world without cancer. When Terry learned that he’d be unable to complete his goal of running across Canada, he refused to be defeated. His own personal achievement was irrelevant. He charged Canadians with continuing his quest. Even as his own efforts were stymied by the disease … others needed to carry on, no matter what.

Though forty-four years have passed since the original Marathon of Hope, Terry Fox is honoured and recognized across Canada and internationally for his heroic quest to eradicate cancer and his trailblazing attitudes toward disability.  With more than three-quarters of a billion dollars raised in Terry’s name to date, schools across Canada honour him by participating in an annual school event.  This year Rosedale Heights will be holding its school run on Wednesday, October 2nd, 2024.

Over Rosedale Heights Public School’s twenty-two years of participating in the annual Terry Fox School Run event, the school has raised an incredible amount–$53,377.01–and we’re hoping to continue this year.  You can help our fundraising efforts in one of two ways.  Donations in the name of the school can easily be made online, directly to the Terry Fox Foundation at our school-specific link https://schools.terryfox.ca/RosedaleHeightsPSThornhill simply by clicking on the ‘Donate’ button. Alternatively, pledge forms will also be sent home with students today.  Any donation, whether online or returned to the school with the pledge form, is appreciated.  Our community will continue to contribute in an important way to the ongoing effort to eradicate cancer in our lifetime.

Conquering cancer is a challenging but especially worthwhile goal.  “I am not a quitter – that means not giving up on things you hold close to your heart, be it people you care about or dreams for yourself and a better world. It means believing in the possible and committing to it.”  This year, once again, we will work together to honour Terry’s perseverance … no matter what.

We thank you for your support.

Our first School Council meeting and elections will be held on Thursday, September 26th at 7:00 p.m. in the school library. School Councils provide valuable advice and support on school matters and help to strengthen the important relationship between schools, parents, guardians and their communities.

Those wishing to serve on the School Council as chair or co-chair, secretary, treasurer, or as an executive member need to complete the linked School Council Nomination Form (or contained within the School Start-Up Package that was sent home). School Council Nomination Forms should be returned to the school office by September 20th 2024. Those seeking a position must be in attendance at the first meeting. It is expected that School Council Executive members attend all regularly scheduled School Council meetings and events. Please note that there can be many parents and guardians who consistently attend School Council Meetings and strongly support the work of the School Council who are not executive members.

Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend and support the work of the school.

We look forward to working with the School Council this year!

We look forward to seeing the community at our 2024-2025
Curriculum Night Meet and Greet on Thursday, September 19th.

Welcome to the start of the 2024-2025 school year. We are so pleased to welcome all of our new and returning students and families to a new school year. 

How Trustees Help

As school board trustees, we have a number of roles and responsibilities, including setting policies and budget and advocating for quality public education. My responsibilities also include communicating with the public. I will continue to keep you informed throughout the school year through these regular newsletters. You can also reach out to me directly.  Learn more about how we can help and how you can reach me if you have any questions or concerns. 

You can also stay up-to-date with school board news and events through school communications, social media (X @YRDSB and Instagram @yrdsb.schools), our newsroom and Board podcast TuneIn YRDSB.  

Our Priorities as a School Board

One of our responsibilities as a Board of Trustees is also setting the Multi-Year Strategic Plan. This plan outlines the priorities that will guide our work as a school board for the next several years. We want to thank the many students, family and staff members and community partners who shared feedback in the spring that was used to inform the development of the plan. Some key themes emerged in the feedback that families will see reflected in the plan, including a clear focus on student achievement and well-being. We look forward to sharing more with you very soon. 

A New School Year

The start of a new school year is a time of transition – whether your child is starting elementary or secondary school for the first time, entering a new program, moving to a new school or beginning a new grade. The caring, dedicated and professional staff members who work in our system are here to help support your child through this transition. Please feel free to reach out to your child’s teachers or the school to speak about your child’s transition and the supports that are available. 

We also recognize that transitions can take place throughout September. Elementary schools may be required to adjust some classes due to enrollment changes and class size restrictions. In secondary school, schools may also see timetable requests and adjustments in the first few weeks. These are occurrences that happen each fall and schools do their best to be responsive and to minimize the effects of any changes on students. 

Partnerships with Families

We value the essential partnership between schools and families and want to ensure that families are aware of the many resources available. Our family resources page, available from the homepage of www.yrdsb.ca, gives you quick access to platforms that we use, tips and information, the Guide to the School Year and student learning resources. It also includes resources for newcomers, translation information and much more. We are also working on a dedicated new family portal to make it easier for families to engage with their child’s education. To ensure you receive notifications and updates, please make sure the school has your up-to-date email address. If you are not receiving emails, please contact your school to confirm. More information will be shared in the coming months. 

I wish you and your family all the very best for a safe, successful and enjoyable 2024-2025 school year, and look forward to communicating with you in the months ahead.  

Estelle Cohen, Trustee, Vaughan Wards 4 and 5

Tired of making lunches?  Our School Council is excited to share that Kid’s Kitchen school lunch program will be returning starting Monday, September 16th, with hot lunches available to order for Mondays and Tuesdays.

Kid’s Kitchen is a family owned and operated business that serves nutritious meals to elementary school children throughout York Region and the Toronto area.  They take care of everything, from preparing customized menus and taking orders, to making the meals and delivering them directly to the school.

Program details:

• A la carte menu with a variety of entrees, side items, & snacks
• Everything from wraps to pasta to chicken teriyaki
• Secure & flexible ordering
• Allergy management
• New combos offered every month
• Menu developed in consultation with a Registered Dietician & compiles with the Ontario Government Food & Beverage policy

Ordering is easy!  Online orders can be placed up until 10:00 a.m. the previous business day.  For more details on setting up your Kid’s Kitchen account, see the flyer and visit the Kid’s Kitchen website.

Please note: If the school buses are cancelled due to inclement weather and the schools are open Kid’s Kitchen lunches will still be delivered, unless cancelled by the family.  See Kid’s Kitchen’s Inclement Weather Information for more details.

We hope you and your children enjoy this convenience service for families.