Elementary School Update
October 8, 2026
Upcoming Events
Thursday, October 8 ~ Parent Student Teacher Conferences (4-8pm)(by invitation only)
Friday, October 9 ~ Half Day (dismissal by 11:30)(no lunch served)
Monday, October 12 ~ Thanksgiving Holiday (school closed)
Tuesday, October 13 ~ Full Dress Uniform required for Grades 3 to 6
Wednesday, October 14th ~ Lucas House Day
Wednesday, October 14th ~ Elementary School Athletics Town Hall (6-7pm)
Friday, October 16 ~ Parent Walk
Friday, October 30 ~ Halloween Fun
Monday & Tuesday, November 2 & 3 ~ Mid-Term Break (school closed)
Wednesday to Friday, November 4 to 6 ~ Ped. Days (no school for K-11 students)
Need to Know
ES Interim Reports: Progress report cards were sent home electronically on Wednesday, October 7 from registrar@selwyn.ca. If you did not receive your son’s report card by email, please contact Kelli Poulin at poulink@selwyn.ca.
Half Day on Friday, October 9 ~ Dismissal Information: Friday, October 9 is a half-day. Dismissal (regular dismissal protocol) will take place at 11:30. No lunch will be served.
Late Arrival Procedure for Grades 1 to 6 ~ Reminder: To ensure the safety and proper supervision of all students, we kindly ask that if your child arrives late and there is no staff member or group of students in the yard, students enter the building through the front door only. From there, they should proceed directly to the third floor to sign in at Ms. Manal’s office.
Lucas House Day - Wednesday Oct 14: This year we are introducing house days to the whole school. Each house will have an opportunity to be celebrated throughout the year. First up, we have Lucas House Day! On Wednesday, October 14th students from Lucas House are invited to wear their house t-shirt with their uniform pants. All other students must come to school in their full uniform.
Elementary School Athletics Town Hall - Wednesday, October 14th: Elementary School parents are invited to join us for an upcoming Town Hall Meeting on Wednesday, October 14th from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm in the Rossy Agora. This event will focus on our elementary school physical education and athletic programs, including expectations and how we support skill development and sportsmanship at the elementary level. We will also share important information about the transition into Middle School physical education and athletics, helping families understand what to expect as students move into the next stage of their athletic journey. A question-and-answer period will follow the presentation, providing an opportunity for parents to ask questions and share any thoughts or concerns. We look forward to connecting with you and working together to support our student-athletes. Please RSVP and submit your questions by Friday, October 9th. October 14th 2026 Town Hall RSVP & Question Submission Form
Grade 1 and boys new to the school in grade 2 & 3 ~ Skating Classes: Your son will start skating classes in early November. More information will follow but to give parents an opportunity to purchase items, please refer to the following list: sharp skates, proper laces (not too long or broken ends), a helmet & full face mask, a neck protector, a Selwyn House sweat suit (it is permissible to wear your favorite hockey sweater over your sweat suit), ski mitts or hockey gloves, elbow or shin pads (not necessary but optional), a small sports bag that closes tightly (your son will be carrying it to and from the bus himself) and an extra set of dry sweatpants to change into after skating.
Halloween Costumes: As Halloween approaches we invite you to have a conversation with your children about the intention of Halloween costumes to help guide them in their choice of costumes. David A. Robertson, in a 2019 CBC article about Halloween costumes, aptly states, “It’s difficult to see one another on a human level when one dresses up as the other in a way that perpetuates stereotypes we need to start seeing through.” To this end, we invite students (and parents who are coming to school in costume) to consider the following questions when selecting their costumes: Is my choice making fun of or putting down this (tokenizing) person and/or identity? Does my costume choice align with the principles of Veritas and represent myself in the way I want to be seen?
Lost and Found: Please take a moment to check the Lost and Found for any missing jackets, water bottles, lunch containers, clothing, or other personal items. There are many items waiting to be claimed! Please check soon and take home anything that belongs to you. Thank you for helping us keep our school community organized!
Re-enrollment Form for 2027–28: Re-enrollment forms for the 2027–2028 academic year were sent to families on Thursday, October 8. Please sign electronically and submit the online re-enrollment form by November 1. Families received an email with a mySelwyn link to complete the form. We kindly ask that you submit the form by the deadline to assist with our planning, as we currently have waitlists for most grades. You can also find the form in mySelwyn by clicking on the “Form to Review” notice at the top of the page. Please note that only one parent is required to digitally sign the form.
If you require assistance, please contact Ms. Kelli Poulin at poulink@selwyn.ca.
Parent Walk: All parents are warmly invited to join the PVA for a Parent Walk on October 16! We’ll meet at 8:45 AM at the Smith House on Montréal Street, where we’ll enjoy some coffee before heading out for a leisurely jaunt around Westmount. Come for the coffee, the fresh air, and the chance to connect with fellow parents. Dogs are very welcome, too!
Reminders
Full Dress Uniform Required: The first day for full dress uniform for Grades 3 to 6 is Tuesday, October 13. Blazers and ties are expected. Short sleeved blue crested shirts can continue to be worn with the tie and blazer. Students may wear a long-sleeved school sweater in place of the blazer in and around school but blazers must be in school.
School Photos: Photo Proofs and student IDs were sent home with your son last week (new company www.greenapplestudio.ca ). Please order photos (access code on the proof) by October 12th. If your son was absent when the photos were taken, he is automatically signed up for Photo Retake Day. If you would like your son’s photo to be redone, please send Ms. Manal an email to register him for Retake Day. More information will be sent to participants as the day approaches.
ASP News: Extracurricular activities will begin on October 5th. Please register through this link before October 15th. For any further questions please email aspadmin@selwyn.ca
Club de Robotique: Les garçons acquerront une expérience pratique en robotique LEGO. Ils construiront et programmeront leurs propres robots pour relever des défis allant de mouvements simples à des tâches plus complexes. Axé sur le travail d'équipe et la créativité, ce club du midi est ouvert aux élèves de la 4e à la 6e année. Si votre fils souhaite participer, veuillez remplir le formulaire suivant : Club de robotique
Expo-Sciences/Science Fair: Expo-sciences is an optional extra-curricular activity open to all students in grades 1 to 5. It provides a wonderful opportunity for our boys to proudly exhibit their scientific knowledge and innovative ideas in either English or French. If your son is interested in participating in the Science Fair, please complete the registration form. Once submitted, details and deadlines will be shared with you directly. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Melissa Fera at feram@selwyn.ca. We look forward to a memorable Expo-Sciences experience!
Heroes vs Villains - Halloween at Selwyn: Students and staff are invited to dress up on Friday, October 30th for Halloween. Join in on this year’s theme of Heroes vs Villains and dress up as your favourite character or create your own superhero! More details about Halloween activities will be shared in the coming weeks.
Start-of-Year Staples
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Hours of the Elementary School (ES) Day: Please take note of the daily schedule for our Elementary School students:
Kindergarten ~ homeroom begins at 7:50 am; dismissal is at 2:30 pm
Grades 1 & 2 ~ homeroom begins at 8:05 am; dismissal is at 3:20 pm
Grades 3 to 6 ~ homeroom begins at 8:20 am; dismissal is at 3:20 pm
We encourage families to plan accordingly and ensure that students arrive on time and are ready to begin their day. Thank you for your continued support in helping our students have a smooth and successful school day!
Student Absences or Lateness: Please notify Marlita Manal by 8:00 a.m. (ext 2235 or manalm@selwyn.ca), should your son miss morning attendance for any reason. If a student must arrive after the start of classes, Grades 1 through 6 students need to use the Lucas front door and proceed upstairs to check in with Ms. Manal.
Guidelines when your son is not feeling well: If your son is not feeling well in the morning, please keep him home to recover.
If he has a fever, he should be fever-free for 24 hours (without meds) before returning to school.
If he has vomited twice in a 24 hour period, he should wait 24 hours before returning.
As always, thank you for keeping Ms.Manal informed. A quick call (ext.2235) or email (manalm@selwyn.ca) before 8:30 am is greatly appreciated.
Birthday Celebrations: As we look ahead to the 26-27 school year, we are making a small but meaningful change to how we celebrate student birthdays.
Moving forward, we ask that sweets or other food treats are no longer brought to school to honour a child’s birthday. These treats include but are not limited to cupcakes, cookies, doughnuts, milkshakes, etc.
Instead, we are pleased to introduce a Free Dress Day as a special way for the birthday student to be recognized and celebrated by their classmates. We hope this simple change will allow students to enjoy their special day while creating a welcoming and inclusive experience for everyone.
This shift is intended to be respectful and inclusive of the many food allergies, intolerances and sensitivities within our school community. It also reflects our desire to celebrate special occasions in ways that do not rely solely on food as a reward or form of recognition.
Thank you for your understanding and for helping us make birthday celebrations joyful, compassionate, and inclusive for all of our students.\
Drop-off and Pick-up Reminders: Reminder that the beginning and ending of the day are a time to gather the children and are not intended as a recess time. Teachers are focused on the safe arrival and dismissal of your son. As mentioned in the SHS Parent Student Handbook, “parents who pick up their children after school should do so promptly at the time their son is dismissed. Students are expected to leave for home or for other commitments immediately after their dismissal. They are not to play in front of the school or in the school yards.”
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