Thursday, January 29th: School Council's Winter Skate Night (see details below)
Friday, January 30th: PD Day - Schools Closed
Tuesday, February 3rd: Hot Dog Day
Monday, February 9th: School Council Meeting
Monday, February 16th: Family Day (no school)
It’s time to think about next school year! If your child turns four by December 31, 2026, they will be ready to start Kindergarten in September 2026. Go to https://www.ocsb.ca/our-schools/kindergarten/ for more information.
Are you moving or planning to move? Please contact the school as soon as possible to ensure we have the correct mailing address on file.
Great news! We now have orderable SMY Spirit Wear!
Here is the link to view the online store and place orders: https://st-marguerite-dyouville.secure-decoration.com/.
The clothing company, Gadar, is offering a two-week free ship-to-school promotion, so all orders from Jan 26 to Feb 9th will ship to the school at no shipping cost. After this date, orders can still be placed, but individuals will need to pay for shipping to their homes.
Coming soon: OCSB’s 2nd Student Census will take place Feb 24th - March 13th
Each student in grades 4 through 12 will complete the census at school. Parents will be sent a link to the census for each child in grades Kindergarten through 3. Answers are voluntary and confidential.
The information collected will help us:
Plan programs and services that support student success.
Understand language, cultural, and identity needs in our schools.
Improve resources for students with diverse backgrounds.
Guide equity and inclusion work.
Identify areas where additional support is needed; and
Create schools where every student feels safe, welcome, and included.
Want to learn more?
Attend a Parent Engagement Session:
Virtually: Thurs, Jan 29th at Noon or 7:00 PM
Sign up for a session HERE using the same email address you will use to access the Google Meet.
Translation will be provided automatically through closed captioning.
In-Person:
Wed, Feb 4th at St. Paul High School (6:30 PM) OR
Thurs, Feb 5th Lester B Pearson High School (7:30 PM)
On-site child minding will be provided.
Need more info? Consult: Board Census Webpage and FAQ
Note: If you prefer that your child not participate, an opt-out form will be available from Feb 2nd - 13th on our website, and a link will be sent directly to your email in February.
As the weather gets colder, a gentle reminder that students need to come to school dressed to be outside for up to 40 minutes. Please label belongings, including hats, mitts, gloves, boots, scarves and coats. On cold days, all students are required to wear their coats when outside.
Please ensure students are dressed properly for cold weather. When Frostbite Advisories are issued (when the temperature, with or without wind chill, is -25 °C or colder), OPH recommends that individuals remain outdoors no longer than 20 minutes. This means students may go out before school, during morning recess, during afternoon recess, and for half of the lunch recess.
When Frostbite Warnings are issued (when the temperature, with or without wind chill, is -35 °C or colder), OPH states that students may be permitted early entry into school (up to fifteen minutes before the opening bell) and remain indoors for all recesses and lunch periods.
Some important dates coming up:
January 29 - Winter Carnival/Skate Night 6-7:30 pm
❄️ SMY Winter Skate Night ⛸️
Bundle up and join the SMY school community for a Winter Skate Night on Wednesday, January 29, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. at the rink next to the school. This fun outdoor event is weather-dependent, so please keep an eye out for updates. For safety, helmets are strongly recommended for all children. Warm up with hot cocoa and snacks available for purchase during the evening. We hope you can join us for a cozy winter night of skating and school spirit!
Volunteers are needed for this event. Please contact our School Council if you are available to help out!
February 3 - Hot Dog Day
🌭 Hot Dog Day at SMY! 🌭
Get ready for one of our students’ favourite lunches! Hot Dog Day is happening on Tuesday, February 3.
Parents can order through School Cash Online from Jan 15 to Jan 28. Don’t wait too long, because late orders won’t be accepted after Jan 28.
It’s sure to be a delicious day at St. Marguerite d’Youville! 🎉
February 17 - Pancake (Shrove) Tuesday
🥞 SMY Pancake Day Celebration 🥞
SMY students will be celebrating Pancake Day (Shrove Tuesday) on February 17 with a delicious pancake treat! Thanks to the generous support of the SMY School Council, pancakes will be provided to students at no cost. This special tradition is a fun way to mark the season and enjoy a cozy winter treat together at school. A big thank you to our School Council for making this event possible!
February 20 - Movie Night - more info coming soon!
Due to operational requirements, our school office will be closed from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. while Ms. Brady-McCowell is on her lunch break. Please leave a detailed message when you call, and we will reply at our earliest convenience.
If you are picking up or dropping off your child during this time, it may take longer than usual. Although we recognize this might not always be possible, you are encouraged to arrange student appointments outside of this time to avoid delays. Please let us know in advance if you will be picking up or dropping off your child during this time.
Thank you for your understanding.
Webinar: Technology overuse and problematic gaming
Would you like to help out our School Council with special events and/or weekly food organization?
Please fill out this Volunteer Sign-Up form - We need your help!
Foods containing nuts (tree nuts or legumes) are not permitted at school at any time of year. We have many children with severe nut allergies (both peanut and other nuts); therefore, ALL student snacks and lunches must be entirely peanut- and nut-free.
As per Ministry guidelines, students at St. Marguerite d'Youville are not permitted to use cell phones during the school day. If a student needs to reach their parents/guardians, they must come to the office. If a student has a cell phone at school, they must keep it in their backpack, and the phone should not be seen by anyone. If students are seen with their phones out, they will bring their phones to the Office.
January 30 - PD Day
February 12 - Class Photo Day and Grade 6 Leaving Photos
February 12 - Grade 7 Information Night at St. Patrick High School
February 16 - Family Day (schools closed)
February 18 - Ash Wednesday
Reporting Dates for 2025-2026:
February 11- Term 1 (Sept-Jan) Report Cards for K-6 Posted on Parent Portal
June 24- Term 2 (Final) Report Cards for K-6 Posted on Parent Portal
"No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted." - Aesop