Dear Parents and Guardians,

We hope you had a wonderful long weekend! Our students continue to amaze us! After learning about racial slurs written on signs to Viola Desmond's grave site, Mrs. Gray's grade 4 class took action! Our Student Defenders wrote letters to Viola's sister, Wanda Robson in Nova Scotia, stating their commitment to being allies and standing up against racism! We are so proud of our junior student leaders who continue to "Do it the Desmond Way!" Student voice, leadership and advocacy will continue to be part of our 21st century skills that we provide opportunities for students to develop and refine.

The Ministry of Education and DDSB have worked together to develop both in-school learning opportunities for our students and at-home, virtual learning opportunities. Our in-school Administration Team and Superintendent Hamid have continued to monitor enrollment in classes throughout our area, including Viola Desmond P.S. A recent decrease of in-school enrollment in our kindergarten and intermediate divisions has necessitated the closure of two classrooms. We wish Mr. Neary, Ms. Lopez and Ms. McLeod all the best as they transition to virtual school.

While we understand that this is not the ideal time to restructure classes, we must be responsive to the requests of our school community during these unprecedented. Our in-person learning model continues to follow the high expectations of programming and student achievement, using innovative and creative methods to provide students with positive and rewarding academic experiences. We continue to adhere to strict health and safety protocols and procedures.

Email, online and telephone messages are our primary methods of communication. Please double check your junk mail, or email settings if you are not receiving communication from the school or Board.

We are looking forward to another great week of learning together!

Warm Regards,

Mrs. Brusselers and Mrs. Thomas - Administrative Team

October is:

• Hispanic Heritage Month

Ontario is home to more than 400,000 first-, second- and third-generation Canadians of His-panic origin. As early as 1914, Canadians who originated from the 23 Hispanic countries be-gan immigrating to the province and today the Hispanic community is one of the fastest grow-ing in Ontario. Hispanic-Canadians represent a dynamic community that has made significant contributions to the growth and prosperity of the Province of Ontario.

October is a significant month for the Hispanic community. Each year, during the month of Oc-tober, peoples of Hispanic origin around the world come together and pay tribute to their shared culture. Celebrations are held around the world, such as Hispanic Day (Dia de la His-panidad), the Day of the Cultures (Dia de las Culturas), Day of the Race (Dia de la Raza), Day of Respect for Cultural Diversity (Dia del Respeto a la Diversidad Cultural), Day of Indigenous Resistance (Dia de la Resistencia Indigena), and the commemoration of Hispanic Heritage Month in North America. In 2014, the City of Toronto joined in this commemoration and official-ly named October as Hispanic Heritage Month.

• Islamic Heritage Month

Muslims have been contributing to all aspect of Ontario's prosperity and diverse heritage for generations.

Islamic history and culture encompasses a broad range of individual and collective experiences, as well as important contributions to literature, math, science, art and history.

In 2007 the Government of Canada declared the month of October in each year as Canadian Islamic History Month.

The Province of Ontario recognizes and wishes to affirm the important contributions that Muslims make in Ontario as part of the vibrant social, economic, political and cultural fabric of our province.

Proclaiming a month to be Islamic Heritage Month in Ontario will provide all Ontarians, both today and in future generations, with an opportunity to reflect, celebrate and learn about the rich and longstanding Islamic history in the Province and the diverse roles and contributions of Muslim people in communities across Ontario. This new understanding will in turn help combat anti-Islamic sentiment.

Navratri (Hinduism) - October 17th

Navratri is an amalgamation of two words: “Nav” + “Ratri”, which basically means nine nights in english. This festival is celebrated throughout India with lots of excitement and joy. It is a prevalent festival observed on major parts of Gujarat, West Bengal and Delhi. Devotees express their gratitude towards Maa Durga, carry out Durga puja and pray for good health, life and mind. After ninth day, tenth day is celebrated as Dussehra, also known as Vijayadashmi, which marks the victory of Lord Ram over King Ravana.

The festival of Navratri holds a great significance in Hinduism as it marks the triumph of good over evil. These nine days are considered sacred and pious, and consumption of alcohol, meat, onion and garlic is strictly prohibited. People avoid carrying out any unlawful activity and perform ceremonies, rituals, yagnas and much more.

Birth of the Bab (Bahai) - October 18th

In the Baha’i calendar, the Birth of the Bab and the Birth of Baha’u’llah are celebrated one after the other in one festival referred to as the “Twin Holy Days”. These days are celebrated around the world after the 8th new moon following Naw Ruz.

Born in Shiraz, a city in southern Iran, on 20 October 1819, Siyyid Ali-Muhammad would become known to the world as the Bab (meaning “the Gate” in Arabic). The Bab was the symbolic gate between past ages of prophecy and a new age of fulfilment for humanity. His primary purpose was to awaken the people to the fact that a new period in human history had begun, one which would witness the unification of the entire human race and the emergence of a world civilization of spiritual and material prosperity.

Birth Of Bahá'u'lláh (Bahá’í) - October 18th

Mirza Husayn-Ali, who is known to the world by His title, Baha’u’llah, was born in Tehran, Iran on 12 November, 1817. Baha’u’llah means “Glory of God” in Arabic and He is the Prophet-founder of the Baha’i Faith.

Two centuries later, the anniversary of the day He was born is celebrated around the world alongside the Birth of the forerunner of His Revelation, the Bab (according to the calendar used in Persian at the time of Their Births, these two anniversaries fell on consecutive days and Baha’is across the planet continue to celebrate these special days one after another). These Twin Holy Birthdays, or Twin Holy Days, are celebrated annually as one festival where the closely interwoven lives and missions of these two Divine Luminaries are remembered together.

“If life had taught us anything, it was that you couldn't wait until everything was stable to find joy, because life was never stable.”

― Jagmeet Singh, Love & Courage: My Story of Family, Resilience, and Overcoming the Unexpected