Welcome To The 2022-2023 School Year!
Although there are still a few more days before school begins, we wanted to take this opportunity to welcome back all returning students, families and staff and to give a warm first welcome to all new Wilkinson families and staff.
We’re so happy you’re here!
The Wilkinson community is large and diverse. We believe in the importance of ensuring that every student feels they matter and are seen and every member of our community feels they are included and have a voice.
We acknowledge we are hosted on the lands of the Mississaugas of the Anishinaabe (A NISH NA BEE), the Haudenosaunee (HOE DENA SHOW NEE) Confederacy and the Wendat. We also recognize the enduring presence of all First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples.
First Day of School: Wednesday, September 7th
The School Day Runs From 9:15 am to 3:40 pm (3:30 for Kindergarten)
*New End Time!*
Before Entering the School: COVID-19 Protocol
We need to work together to ensure our community stays safe and healthy. As per the TDSB and Toronto Public Health (TPH), students, staff, and visitors should continue to do a daily self-assessment (PDF distributed Sept 6) before entering school or Board buildings and stay home if they are sick.
Please visit the TDSB website and TPH School Info page for information and updates throughout the year. These and other helpful links are posted on our website for easy access.
The TDSB continues to be a mask-friendly environment inclusive of all staff and students. While the Ministry of Education and public health officials are not mandating the use of masks, Toronto Public Health strongly recommends wearing a well-fitting, high quality mask, especially in indoor public settings. The TDSB will continue to provide medical masks to students who request them.
As children are now spending more time outdoors, please ensure they are always dressed for the weather (including rain and snow).
Drop-Off and Pick-Up Procedures:
Morning entry is at 9:15 am. The schoolyard is supervised beginning at 9:05 am – please do not drop-off children earlier than this unless they are coming for a scheduled activity. For student safety, as parking lots can be very busy, the use of the school parking lot is not permitted for drop-off and pick-up and vehicles without an authorized TDSB permit are subject to ticketing and towing (Property Map). The designated drop-off/pick-up lane is located in front of the school on Donlands Ave. The school day ends at 3:40 pm, 3:30 pm for Kindergarten students.
Kindergarten
On the first day of school, kindergarten students will gather in the fenced yard at the front of Wilkinson (our Outdoor Education Yard – see Property Map). It’s located to the left of the main doors on Donlands. Kindergarten staff will have a sign in list, and parents will drop their child off at the gate of the fenced yard. Parents are welcome to wait outside the gate to watch their children, but only children and staff will be allowed inside the gated area. This is also where afternoon pickup will occur at 3:30 pm. We hope that by the second week of school, our regular kindergarten yard will be available. Drop off and pickup will then move to the gate of the kindergarten yard.
All Grade 1-6 students will gather in the schoolyard at the back of the building. Teachers will have signs indicating their name and grade. When the bell rings, students are asked to gather in a line behind their teacher. Teachers will bring their classes into the building on the first day. Class assignments have been distributed. If you did not hear from the school about this, please contact the office at 416-393-9575.
Ms. Pan, Mr. Rieper , Ms. Cerqueira, Ms. Nastos and Ms. Donald’s classes will line up and enter at door 2 on the north side of the building.
Ms. Di Iorio, Ms. Di Mattio, Mr. DePasqua and Mme Mahovlich’s classes will line up and enter from the centre of the yard through door 5 (south side of the bump out).
Mr. Mahovlich, Mme Butler, Mme Jim, Mr. Wong and Mr. Pirso’s classes will line up and enter from door 6 (near the gym).
Cell Phones:
Please note that while on school property, cell phones are only permitted before and after school, not during class time, at recess or at lunch.
Nut Allergies:
Please remember that Wilkinson is a nut free school. We have several students who have life-threatening anaphylactic allergies to a variety of nuts, including chocolate hazelnut spreads, and wish to keep our school as safe as possible for everyone.
It’s important to note that “peanut free” and “nut free” are not the same thing. When packing lunches and snacks, please remember to never send products containing nuts of any type (peanuts or otherwise) to school. Thank you for your cooperation in helping to ensure the safety and well-being of our students.
Lunch and Litterless Lunches:
As a Platinum EcoSchool and because of COVID-19, we request that our students bring litterless lunches and snacks (including a full reusable water bottle) to school. A litterless lunch does not include materials that go into the garbage or recycling. Instead, it contains reusable food and drink containers, reusable cutlery, and compost items, all packed into a reusable bag. Please pack a water bottle that comes to school filled and returns home each night for cleaning.
For students who stay at school, lunch for primary and junior students will take place in our two lunchrooms in the basement. Primary students are inside eating from 11:55-12:25 pm and then are outside playing from 12:30-1:00 pm. Junior students start with recess outside and then come in to eat from 12:30-1:00 pm. Kindergarten students will eat lunch in their classrooms.
Over The First Few Weeks:
Each year, families are required to fill out a school forms package. A personalized link to complete the forms online will be sent to families within the first few days of school (from “TDSB Online Form” noreply@tdsb.on.ca). More information can be found here. If you are unable to fill out your forms online, paper copies will either be sent home in your child’s backpack or can be obtained by contacting the school’s main office.
You’ll also be receiving emails containing information about the Parent Council and how to join, fundraising opportunities, and upcoming events. This information, including a calendar, can also be found on our website.
September Parent Council Meeting and Getting Involved
The first Parent Council meeting of the school year will be held on Monday, September 19th from 6:30 to 8:00 pm via Zoom video conference. All members of the Wilkinson community (including families of online learners) are welcome to attend Council meetings as guests. If you’re thinking of joining the Parent Council, attending the meeting on the 19th is a great way to learn what we’re about. September 19th will be the last meeting of the 2021-2022 Parent Council. The 2022-2023 Council will meet for the first time in October. If you’re interested in joining as a voting member, look out for our nomination form which will be sent by email in September or October.
Aside from joining the Parent Council, you can get involved by joining a committee or volunteering at specific events, all of which are planned and run by parent volunteers. Find out more about our committees here and look out for more details over the next few weeks.
Committee Spotlight: What is the Anti-Racism and Equity Committee?
The A.R.E. is a collective of Wilkinson parents committed to social justice. They are working to create a more equitable community at Wilkinson and to confront racism, discrimination, and hate at the school in all its forms.
You can keep abreast of the committee’s activities by subscribing to the Parent Council newsletter at council@wilkinsonps.org or using the form at the bottom right of the Council website. If you’re interested in joining the A.R.E.Committee, please contact us through the Council at council@wilkinsonpsorg.
Finding Information:
The Communications Committee works hard to keep Wilkinson families informed about school and Parent Council events and activities through emails, our website, Facebook and Twitter. Looking for details about the events, activities, and information we send out? Check our website! Posts on the homepage will keep you in the know, and our calendar will help keep you organized.
Searching for something we included in a past email? Links to our weekly updates can be found under the “More” menu. If you have a question that our website can’t answer, send a message to council@wilkinsonps.org and we’ll do our best to help.
For news from the TDSB, the French as a Second Language Advisory Committee, local elected officials, and other external organizations, we encourage you to sign up directly for their respective email lists. Visit our Links and Resources page for more information.
The Parent Handbook includes valuable information about school policies and procedures as well as a section dedicated to Kindergarten. Please note that it has not been updated with COVID protocols as they have been continuously evolving, but we do plan to update the handbook soon.
The TDSB is offering two new ways to stay connected with schools and the TDSB. Learn about opting in for text messages and using the School Messenger app, which provides a faster and easier way to report absences. Learn more.
Click here for Principal Albrecht-Bisset’s email from August 30.
If you know of any new families and staff who may not yet be on our mailing list, please point them to our website to sign up (form at the bottom right).
We wish all of our students and staff a great start to the school year!
