ADS Newsletter
October 10th, 2025

Secondary Cross Country Meet

A great Cross Country meet for our Secondary team Wednesday at Bronte Creek. All runners beat their times from the first meet. Great running by Alex, Corbin, Allison, Astrid and Matthew.

Halton Forest Festival Brings Learning and Fun—Rain or Shine!

On October 7, Grade 4 students from Limehouse, McKenzie-Smith Bennett, Robert Little, and Brookville Public Schools took part in the annual Halton Forest Festival, hosted by the Grade 12 Leadership Class at Acton District School.

Despite the threat of rain, the day was a great success. Most of the festival’s activities were moved indoors, but the leadership class managed to shift some stations back outside once the weather cleared up. The combination of indoor and outdoor learning made for a dynamic and memorable experience for everyone involved.

Throughout the day, students explored a variety of topics related to the environment, including forest ecosystems, local wildlife, and sustainability. The Acton DS Leadership students guided the younger participants through interactive lessons and fun challenges designed to help them appreciate and understand the natural world.

Support from outside agencies like Credit Valley Conservation, Wild Ontario, Forests Ontario and Nature's NEAR was greatly appreciated!

Both the visiting Grade 4s and the Leadership students showed amazing flexibility and enthusiasm, turning a potentially soggy day into one filled with learning about forest ecosystems.

School immunization clinics

New for 2025/26: Halton Region Public Health will be visiting schools October through January to offer grade 7 and 8 students school-based vaccines. Nurses will no longer be visiting schools in the spring. The clinic for Acton District Grade 7's will be held on Tuesday October 14th, 2025.

If your child has already received these vaccines from their primary healthcare provider, please review and update your child’s immunization record (external link).

At school clinics, eligible students who have a consent form consent form signed by a parent or legal guardian will be offered:

Meningococcal Conjugate-ACYW-135 (Nimenrix®, Menactra®)
Hepatitis B (ENGERIX®-B)
Human Papillomavirus (GARDASIL®9)

Grade 7-3 Forest walk for mental health

This week, we took our health class outside to enjoy the fresh air, sunshine and stroll through our beautiful forest to the playground. We found new friends (Mr. Toad), played on the play structures and discovered a new way to get to the arena. We’ve been talking about mental health in class, and discussing different ways to improve it if we’re feeling down. Taking a walk in nature is always a good idea!

DROP OFF ZONES

Please refer to this Map on where your student should be dropped off in the mornings.

Parking Lot Safety

Please be aware that our parking lot is very busy at school entry and dismissal times. It is preferred that students walk to school whenever possible. However, if you do end up driving your student to school (or for students who are driving themselves), please drive slowly and always look around carefully for pedestrians who are crossing the parking lot. We advise that people arrive early to avoid delays especially during the winter months and on inclement weather days.

Please do not park in “no parking zones” and never park your vehicle in the fire zone at the front of the school.

Please refer to the map above for drop off zones for Elementary and Secondary Students.

student Lunch Drop off Procedure

If you're dropping off lunch for your child during the school day, please place it on the grey table located just outside the office. This helps minimize classroom disruptions and ensures a smooth process for everyone.

If a student forgets their lunch, they should first check the lunch table. If their lunch isn’t there, they are welcome to visit the office for a snack from our food bin.

Thank you for helping us keep things running smoothly!

2025-2026 - Student Engagement Fee-Secondary

Welcome to a brand-new school year! Whether you’re joining us for the first time or returning for another exciting year, we’re thrilled to have you as part of our Acton District High School community.

We are asking all students in Grades 9–12 to consider paying the optional $40.00 Student Engagement Fee. This fee goes directly toward enriching your high school experience—helping to fund many of the fun, meaningful, and rewarding opportunities students enjoy throughout the year.

Here’s just some of what your $40 helps make possible:

Bearcat Crew – Grade 9 welcome & mentorship events
Clubs & Teams – tournament entries, event costs, and equipment
Acton Achievers & Athletic Awards celebrations
Motivational Speakers and student workshops
School-Wide Events – spirit days, assemblies, socials, and more

We truly appreciate your support. These fees go a long way in helping us create a school culture that celebrates involvement, achievement, and school spirit.

Let’s make this year one to remember!

https://hdsb.schoolcashonline.com/Fee/Details/168448/181/False/True

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:

Visit: Acton District School - Community Involvement
Fill out the required details
Upload your supporting documents
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

Bicycles, Scooters & Skateboards

Many students at Acton District School ride bicycles, scooters, and skateboards to school daily. Bicycles and scooters must be locked up outside at the bike and scooter racks out front of the school (near the main entrance). Please be sure that students have a working lock and remind them to use it EVERY time they park their bike or scooter. There have been unfortunate instances of theft when items are not locked up. Please note that scooters can no longer be parked in the main office due to health and safety protocols. Skateboards can be stored in lockers.

It is also recommended that students use the 529 Garage app to register their bicycles. The Halton Regional Police Service has partnered with 529 Garage to introduce their bicycle registration app to residents of Halton. 529 Garage is an application that connects you, other cyclists, police, and local bicycle shops in the event your bicycle is stolen. Registration is easy - simply download the app, input your contact information and bicycle serial number, and upload photos of yourself and your bicycle. Registrations can also be made on the 529 Garage website if you do not have a smart phone or tablet. Once you have registered your bicycle on the app, if it is stolen or goes missing, you can notify 529 Garage and they will issue an alert from the app that is sent to other local cyclists and bike shops alerting them to the missing bicycle. Once an alert for your bicycle has been posted, the app will also direct you to the HRPS online reporting tool where you can report it to police. By registering, if a bicycle is recovered, it is easier for police to identify and return the bicycle to the proper owner.

Please remind students that bicycles, scooters, and skateboards should not be used on school property.

Wear a helmet!

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.

Halton Learning Foundation (HLF) Month has come to a close! We thank all families who have provided support to HLF throughout this month. Your generosity helps make a lasting difference in the lives of HDSB students.

Each year, HLF supports more than 3,000 students in the HDSB by providing financial support that removes educational barriers and providing the essential resources students need to focus on schoolwork and thrive to their full potential. HLF’s goal is to ensure that they can continue to say ‘yes’ to every request for support received.

There’s still time to make an impact. To learn more or continue the support for HLF Month, visit the HLF Month webpage on the HLF website (haltonlearningfoundation.ca).

Are you an HDSB parent/guardian who could use some help?

If you are an HDSB parent/guardian who needs assistance, please contact your child’s teacher or principal.

Mental Health & Well-Being Information Sessions for Parents/Guardians

The HDSB has announced additional Mental Health & Well-Being Information Sessions for parents/guardians this Spring. We ask that schools help us promote these sessions through social media and newsletters.

HDSB Post-Secondary Exploration Event at Sheridan - Oct 1 and 2, 2025

The Halton District School Board will again partner with Sheridan College to offer a multi-pathway exploration event for Grade 11, 12 and 12+ students and families on October 1 and 2. Where possible, schools are asked not to schedule evening events for senior students on these dates. Tickets will be available to families in early September (a messenger will be sent by School Programs) and a promotional flyer will be shared with schools for their end of year/summer messaging by early June.

Mental Health Supports for students:

Support Services are available to students year round! If you find yourself in need with your mental health and well-being over the break, you are not alone. Be sure to use one of the resources that are available to you:

ROCK 24 hr crisis line support: 905-878-9785
COAST (16+): 1-877-825-9011
Kids Help Phone (up to age 24): 1-800-668-6868 or text 686868
9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline (24 hr support for all ages): call or text 9-8-8.
One Stop Talk Connect with a Therapist: www.onestoptalk.ca or 1-855-416-TALK
Visit HDSB Student Support Services website.