Hello Acton families. The Acton District Library Learning Commons is once again looking for BOOK DONATIONS. Your gently used books for all ages will either be incorporated into our Library OR sold at the Acton Stellar Christmas Market hosted on November 22nd at Acton District School to raise money for the Library. Please bring your books to the school to drop off in the bin at that front entrance. 

We appreciate your generosity once again.

Acton District School will continue to offer the Advanced Placement Prep program to our Grade 9 and 10 students. In future, we will offer the Grades 11–12 AP Self-Study and Exam opportunities as part of our continued academic programming. Please find the application forms on our school website. One form is for students who attend school outside of our Board and one is for students who are HDSB students currently. HDSB students need to choose course codes with the 6th character ending in P on their course selection page. If a student’s designated home school does not offer AP programming, families may submit an Out-of-Area Transfer Request to attend a school that does.

Students interested in beginning Advanced Placement learning in Grade 9 may apply to the AP Prep entry program through the AP Prep Application during the Fall application window.

2025-26 AP Key Dates

Oct. 24, 2025 - Online Application Opens
Dec. 2, 2025 - Online Application Closes at 11:59 p.m.
Dec. 5, 2025 - Date by which schools will inform candidates as to the status of their application
Dec. 12, 2025 - Last date for students to accept a spot in the program

The application form is open to current HDSB students who log in using their current HDSB account.  Each applicant is asked to answer three questions about their experiences and learning goals.  

If your student is not already enrolled with HDSB, they can complete the External Student Application Form.  

AP Application Form ( for current HDSB students)

 AP Application Form External Students

 2025 Acton Food Drive Success: Student Leaders Shine! 

This year, the annual neighbourhood food drive, focusing on the Churchill Road and Peel Street areas of Acton, was successfully managed by an incredible team of students from the Acton District High School DECA business club.

Specifically, the dedicated students Toveh, Leah, and Allison took on the leadership role of raising awareness and collecting essential donations for the local Acton FoodShare.

The Outcome

 * Total Collection: The students delivered an outstanding result, gathering an impressive 550 pounds of non-perishable food and personal care items for the FoodShare.

 * The Effort: They managed the entire process of distributing and collecting bags across the Churchill Road and Peel Street neighbourhoods on Friday, November 14th.

 * The Impact: This significant donation directly supports the Acton FoodShare, which faces ongoing community needs, serving over 55 clients/families weekly and supporting 68 children each month.

These amazing students demonstrated exceptional leadership and commitment, making a powerful, positive impact on the fight against hunger in the Acton community!

ADS Takes Third in the Santa Claus Parade!

This past Saturday, Acton District School brought a little piece of paradise to the Acton Santa Claus Parade, and we had an absolute blast!

We are thrilled to announce that our entry secured Third Place this year! Embracing the theme, "Hawaiian Christmas," our dedicated staff and enthusiastic students collaborated to create a culturally respectful and vibrant entry. 

The planning, led by our dedicated staff , started early. Essential items—like an inflatable palm tree and swimming pool floaties—were carefully chosen to set the scene. Our staff did a fantastic job assembling the famous Acton DS Train, which featured a new, tropical twist: improved pineapple wheels!

But the real stars of the show were our students. Despite the cold weather and frequent downpours, their spirits and enthusiasm were truly amazing and never dampened! Decked out in their festive and tropical gear, they waved and cheered, representing ADS with pride and energy.

It was a wonderful community event that truly captured the spirit of the holidays, Acton-style! A huge thank you to all the students, staff, and volunteers who helped make our award-winning "Hawaiian Christmas" entry a joyful success.

Bearcat Spirit Wear Now Available!

We’re excited to share that Bearcat Spirit Wear is now open for orders.
Please note that delivery will take place after Christmas.

Show your Bearcat pride and get your gear today! 🎉

www.lcms.ca/adsbearcats 

Attention Grade 12s!

Graduation photos are coming up December 1–3. 🎓

Make sure you book your time slot online by visiting https://booking.edgeimaging.ca/ and using our school code ACT.

Don’t miss out on capturing this milestone moment!

Aspen Family Portal

The HDSB offers the Aspen Family Portal - a secure online space that provides parents/guardians with convenient access to:

• Student Information
  View your child’s demographics, contact details, and real-time attendance records.

• Report Cards
  Access report cards electronically instead of paper copies (unless requested). Once posted, report cards remain in the portal for future reference. Please note that report cards issued before the portal’s launch will not be available.

• Key Links in One Place
  Quickly access HDSB-approved websites and resources without the need to search or save links.

Activate your Aspen Family Portal Account 

Please use a computer (not a mobile device) and follow these steps to activate an HDSB parent/guardian account in our secure Aspen Student Information System. 

This account is meant to be created by a parent/guardian. A valid e-mail address (the email address on file at your child’s school) is required to verify your identity when requesting an account. Once the account is created, you will be able to login to the HDSB Family Portal.

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks and best wishes to our Library Technician, Kirsten, as she begins an exciting new chapter. Kirsten has been a valued part of Acton District School, and her dedication, kindness, and support have made a lasting impact on our staff and students.

She will be truly missed, but we are thrilled for her as she steps into her new position. We wish her nothing but success, joy, and fulfillment in the journey ahead.

Thank you, Kirsten, for everything you have brought to our school community!

(She will be helping out at our table at the Holiday Market, so come and visit her to say hi and bye!)

Please visit our Student Services Page on our website for the most up to date information:

https://act.hdsb.ca/student-services

📚 Semester 1 Course Changes & Full Disclosure Information

As we settle into the school year at Acton District School, we’d like to remind students and families about important upcoming dates regarding Semester 1 course changes and the Full Disclosure policy.

📅 Course Changes Deadline for Semester 1 has passed.
Students who wish to make changes to their Semester 2 timetable may do so. Guidance appointments are available—please contact the Guidance Office to schedule a meeting.

❌ Last Day to Drop a Course – November 24, 2025
The final day to drop a Grade 11 or 12 course without it appearing on a student’s transcript is Monday, November 24, 2025. After this date, any dropped, failed, or completed senior-level course will be recorded on the student’s official transcript with the grade earned at the time of withdrawal.

ℹ️ What is Full Disclosure?
Full Disclosure is a policy that applies to all Grade 11 and 12 courses. It means that:

• Any Grade 11 or 12 course dropped after November 24 will appear on a student's transcript, along with the mark earned at the time of withdrawal.
  
  

• If a course is dropped before November 24, it will not appear on the transcript.
  
  

• Grade 9 and 10 courses are exempt from Full Disclosure.
  
  

Students are encouraged to consult with their guidance counsellor if they are considering a course change or withdrawal. Making informed decisions early can help avoid unnecessary impacts on future post-secondary opportunities.

📢 Stay Connected: Join Your Grade’s Google Classroom!

All students are encouraged to join their Grade Google Classroom to stay informed throughout the school year. Each classroom is tailored to your grade and will be used to share important announcements, guidance updates, post-secondary planning information, volunteer and job opportunities, and more.

By joining, students can ensure they don’t miss out on key dates, events, and resources that support both academic and personal success.

🔑 Join using the code for your grade below:

• Grade 9: n54uhqn6
  
  

• Grade 10: rgbi47nv
  
  

• Grade 11: xslvacpi
  
  

• Grade 12: 4uxurjpz

We strongly recommend all students join as soon as possible. It's one of the best ways to stay in the loop and make the most of the school year!

📣 Student Services Update – New Way to Submit Your Community Hours!

Dear Students,

We’re excited to announce a new and improved way to submit your community service hours to Student Services! 💼✨

Starting Wednesday, September 3rd, all students will be able to submit their community hours online through our updated system. This change is designed to make the process faster, easier, and more convenient for everyone.

🔹 What’s New?

• Online Submission Form: Submit your hours directly from your phone or computer — no need to hand in your paper forms!

• Upload Documentation: Attach your signed Record of Community Involvement Hours form or a photo of the form in just a few clicks.

• Instant Confirmation: Receive an email confirmation as soon as your hours are submitted.

🔹 How to Submit:

1. Visit:  Acton District School - Community Involvement
   
   

2. Fill out the required details
   
   

3. Upload your supporting documents
   
   

4. Click submit — and you're done!
   
   

We know your time is valuable, and we’re committed to supporting your involvement in the community. 

If you have any questions or need assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to
Mrs. Norton in the guidance office.

Thank you for all the incredible work you do in and around our community! 💙

Sincerely,
Student Services Team

School Cash Online

At Acton District., we use School Cash Online for all payments made to the school. It is recommended that you set up your account so you are prepared for any fees that pertain to your student throughout the school year.

Some of the benefits of using School Cash Online include:

· Ability to pay by credit card and Visa debit or echeck(out of bank account)

· Receive reminder emails so you never miss a payment due date

· See only items available to purchase online that are applicable to your student(s)

· Uses Google Translate in over 100 languages to assist you when making purchases

· Make an online donation and receive your tax receipt by email

· Support available 24 x 7

Visit hdsb.schoolcashonline.com to sign up today and have the ability to track all payments made. You will need the Halton student number for your student (not the OEN)  in order to set up an account. Please contact the school at 519.853.2920 if you don’t have your student’s number.

Secondary Pizza Day May 15th, 2025

Extended Absence Reminder

Parents/guardians who withdraw students during school time are advised that, depending on the timing and length of the absence, academic performance of your student may be affected. It is the student’s responsibility to catch-up on missed work.

In secondary school, any absence that is longer than 3 consecutive days is referred to as an extended absence. If you know that your student will be away for more than 3 consecutive school days, please print this Planned Absence Form and fill it in with the information requested 2 weeks prior to the planned absence (hard copies are available in the office). Students should ask their parent/guardian and teachers to fill in the form and once it is complete, the form should be handed in at the main office. The Vice Principal will then review the form and it will be given to the attendance Administrative Assistant for attendance to be entered (absences longer than 3 days are not able to be entered into School Messenger by parents). If you have any questions about this process, please reach out to the main office at 905-847-6875. Thank you. 

• November 26th Basketball Tournament at ADS

• November 28 Elementary Parent/Teacher Interviews

• December 1-3 Graduation Photo Days

• December 11 Winter Arts Night

• December 18 School Hockey Tournament

• December 19 Early Dismissal - 1:50PM

• December 22- Christmas Break - School CLOSED
  January 2