Canadian Martyrs Catholic School
October 2026
As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving, we are reminded that the true spirit of the season is found in gratitude and generosity. Canadian Martyrs Catholic Elementary School will be holding a Thanksgiving Food Drive in support of the St. Vincent de Paul Society until Wednesday, October 7. Through this outreach initiative, we have the opportunity to live out our Catholic values by helping families in our community who may be experiencing hardship.
The St. Vincent de Paul Society is currently seeking donations of non-perishable food items, including cereal, peanut butter, jam, juice boxes, canned soup or stew, canned vegetables, canned beans, canned pasta, and canned protein such as chicken or tuna. Any contribution, big or small, will make a meaningful difference to families in need. We thank our school community for its continued generosity and support, and for helping us share God's love through acts of kindness and service to others.
Thank you to our Student Council for organizing this initiative!
On Friday, October 30th our staff and students will be celebrating Halloween! Our students will be permitted to wear costumes. However, we ask that costumes are modest. Bulky and cumbersome costumes are discouraged. As well, costumes which reflect violence, excessive gore, or weapons are absolutely not permitted. If your child does not want to wear a costume they can wear black and orange instead.
Our Canadian Martyrs School Council in partnership with our Student Council are planning a Halloween Dance a Thon. Each grade will be scheduled to go in the gym to dance and will have the opportunity to purchase Glow in the Dark Items and snacks. Pledge Forms will be sent home before Thanksgiving. Donations of $10.00 will receive a ballot for a chance to win a Chrome Book. Donations of $20.00 will receive three ballots, $30.00 will receive six ballots. All funds raised will be used directly to purchase technology for our classrooms. Please note that all pledges for this fundraiser are to be submitted through School Cash Online. More details to follow.
If you are walking your child to the gate you will need to park in a parking spot in the first row of parking to the left upon entering the parking lot
If you are arriving late students are to enter the front door (after 8:30 am).
- Place your vehicle in park before allowing your child to exit out the passenger side ONLY.
- Remain in your vehicle—staff will be present to greet your child and safely escort them to the walkway. Students will be directed to stay on the cross walk until they reach the sidewalk.
- There is no need to exit your car, which helps keep traffic flowing and ensures safety for everyone.
- Please be patient and courteous to staff and other families during drop-off. Safety is our shared responsibility.
Thank you for your cooperation in helping us maintain a safe and efficient morning routine.
The Ministry of Education has issued requirements for school boards to follow to ensure the health, safety, and well-being of everyone in our schools. This involves the use of cell phones and vaping.
At Canadian Martyrs students from Kindergarten to Grade 6 will not be required to use cell phones for academic purposes. Therefore, there is no need for these students to bring a cell phone to school. Each classroom as well as the main office, has a telephone for issues that require a more immediate response.
Grade 7 & 8 students who bring their cell phones to school must have the phone stored out of view and turned off during the instructional day.
Any student that requires a cell phone for health or medical purposes, or to support special education needs are permitted to use their cell phone as necessary with prior permission.
At Canadian Martyrs, each Grade 7 & 8 teacher will have a place for students to store their phone for safe keeping during non-instructional times. If a teacher sees a cell phone that is not stored out of view, students will be required to hand in their device in for the instructional day. The cell phone will be placed, by the student, in a secure storage area designated by the Principal.
If a student refuses to hand in their personal mobile device, the Ministry requires that the student be sent to the Principal’s office. Consequences for failing to hand in their phone is at the Principal’s discretion.
School boards are now required to disable access to social media platforms on school networks and board devices. This is intended to limit the number of interruptions in class and to benefit the mental health and well-being of students. Niagara Catholic already blocks access to some social media sites. Now all will be unavailable to students.
"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden." (Matthew 5:14)
When we do something kind or stand up for a friend, we are like a bright light that everyone can see. We can be witnesses of our faith in our words and in our actions. When we use kind words, play together, and support one another we are being light for the world.
Maddalena Apparel & Embroidery
Canadian Martyrs Spirit Wear is now available through Maddalena Apparel & Embroidery! Families can choose from hoodies, polo shirts, zip-up hoodies, and baseball caps featuring Canadian Martyrs branding.
Visit the online store to view products and place your order or visit their location at 22 Geneva Street, St. Catharines. 905 708 1111. Open Monday- Friday: 9 am to 5 pm.
Indoor Shoes
Please ensure that your child(ren) have a pair of indoor running shoes at school. Students are expected to change their footwear when they enter their classroom. This will not only keep the floors dry but also clean. Students that do not have indoor running shoes will not be permitted to participate in gym.
International Walk to School Month
International Walk to School Month (IWALK) is an annual mass celebration of active transportation that takes place around the world throughout the month of October. On October 7th Canadian Martyrs Families are encouraged to Walk to School!
Don’t Be Scared by Cavities this Halloween!
Keep your child’s smile BOO-tiful this Halloween!
Here are some tips to help keep teeth healthy:
Brush teeth twice a day for two minutes using fluoridated toothpaste
Floss once a day
Stay away from sticky, starchy, and hard candy
Limit sugary drinks. Drink water after eating tasty treats to rinse away sugar that may be stuck on your teeth.
Book a FREE dental appointment at Public Health's dental clinics by calling 905-688-8248 or 1-888-505-6074 ext. 7399 or live chat with us
To learn more on how to keep your family’s teeth healthy, visit www.niagararegion.ca/dental.
Help Keep the Classroom Germ Free – Stay Home When Sick
Fall brings the ‘unofficial’ start of respiratory illness season. This means that viruses that affect our respiratory system (for example our lungs and throat) begin to spread more often.
Help keep the classroom germ free by keeping your child home if they are sick. If your child is sick, they should stay home from school until:
They have no fever, without the use of fever reducing medication and
Their symptoms have been improving for at least 24 hours or 48 hours if they have nausea, vomiting and / or diarrhea and
They don’t develop any new symptoms
Each year, different respiratory viruses can be spreading in our community at the same time. These viruses can have similar symptoms. This means it can be hard to tell what you are infected with based on just symptoms alone. For more information on, visit Managing Illness - Exclusion periods and our downloadable resource Respiratory Illnesses: Protect Yourself and Others
By keeping your child at home when they are feeling sick, you are actively helping to prevent the spread of infection and disease among the entire school community
Cannabis Edibles and Staying Safe this Halloween
With Halloween around the corner, it's important to bring awareness to products can look just like regular treats, such as cannabis edibles (gummies, brownies, or cookies) which makes them easy for children to mistake for candy.
Hospitalizations for accidental cannabis poisonings in children have increased across Canada, most often happening at home. To help keep kids safe:
Store edibles in child-resistant packaging, out of reach (up high) and out of sight
Keep them separate from regular food
Use a locked container whenever possible
Symptoms of cannabis poisoning in children may include confusion, drowsiness, vomiting, slowed breathing, or trouble walking. If you suspect a child has consumed cannabis, call 1-844-POISON-X or 9-1-1 in an emergency.
Let’s keep Halloween safe and fun for everyone!
Regulations state that school personnel cannot administer any drugs, without written permission from the parent and a doctor. If there is a need for such medication, please contact the school to obtain the forms which must be filled out and signed by both the doctor and the parent. This record is required by School Board Regulations and must be kept on file. Please notify the school if medication distribution stops so that all medication can be returned to the family as soon as possible.
Please remember that Canadian Martyrs School is an Allergen Aware School. Please do not send products with nuts or nut traces with your child.
