Message from our Administrators
As we welcome April, signs of spring are all around us. The days are finally longer, warmer, and a renewed sense of energy flows in our school community.
We would like to thank our families for joining us at our recent Movie Night. It was a warm and joyful evening that brought our community together in meaningful ways.
We are also proud to share the success of our recent Book Swap and author visit with Joanne Kwok. These experiences continue to nurture a love of reading, storytelling, and creativity among our students. We are grateful to our School Council for their ongoing support in organizing and enhancing above and similar events.
Celebrating Our Community
April is a meaningful month of cultural and faith observances. Members of our community may be celebrating Sikh Heritage Month, Passover, Easter and Orthodox Easter, Vaisakhi, and Ridván. These occasions reflect themes of renewal, hope, freedom, and community.
At Stonebridge, we remain committed to creating inclusive and respectful spaces where students can see themselves reflected, share their identities, and learn from one another. We would like to extend a sincere thank you to the families who have contributed artifacts to our school, helping make our shared spaces authentic, meaningful, and representative of our community.
Science Fair – April 9
We are excited for our upcoming Science Fair on April 9th. Our students have been exploring questions, experimenting, and thinking creatively. We look forward to seeing their curiosity and innovation come to life!
Looking Ahead
We are excited to continue building opportunities for student engagement and leadership this month, including our Junior Basketball Tournament and our Tree Planting initiative on April 30th, which connects to our ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship.
We are also in the process of organizing our Grade 7 camp experience. Thank you to families for your support as we begin preparations for this exciting opportunity.
Important Dates & Reminders
Date Event
April 2 Passover begins
April 3 Good Friday—No School
April 6 Easter Monday—No School
April 9 Science Fair
April (Month) Sikh Heritage Month
April 14 Vaisakhi
April 21 Ridván Festival
April 3-6 & Easter & Orthodox Easter
10-13
April 16 Grade 7 Trip—First Payment Deadline
April 17 & 24 Junior Basketball
April 27 Grade 7 Trip—Second Payment Opens
April 30 Tree Planting Initiative
As we move through April, we continue to focus on kindness, inclusion, and belonging. Each day, our students and staff contribute to a school culture where everyone feels valued and supported.
Thank you for your continued partnership in making Stonebridge a vibrant and caring community.
With appreciation,
David Williams
Principal
Angelica Antonakis
Vice-Principal
Earth Month
Small Steps Can Make Big Change This Earth Month
It’s Earth Month and there are steps we can all take to help reduce our environmental footprint.
Use active travel. Taking the school bus and walking, riding or biking to school helps reduce pollution and traffic congestion in our neighbourhoods. It’s also great for your mental health, well-being and academic performance.
If you drive, consider parking near the school and walking the rest of the way (obeying all neighbourhood parking rules). Even this small change can make a difference.
The walk to school is also a great time to connect, look for signs of spring and appreciate the changing season.
Reduce your energy and water use. Turn off lights, TVs, computers, when you do not need them. Turn off the tap when you’re not using the water.
Reduce your waste. Using a refillable water bottle for example, helps to reduce the use of plastic water bottles. Bring your own bags to the store. Reuse whatever items you can. Repair items that are broken instead of throwing them away. Recycle wherever possible instead of contributing to the landfill.
Plant a tree, native plant or vegetable garden. Learn about native species and plants that attract birds, bees and butterflies.
Explore the outdoors! There is no better way to celebrate Earth Week than going for a walk. Check out York Regional Forest to discover nature in your backyard. Want to take your Earth Day celebrations out of the classroom? Why not visit one of Ontario’s 290 conservation areas? Here’s a map to help you locate the one nearest to you. Don’t forget to check Whose Land to acknowledge whose territory you are on.
For inspiration on using nature as a classroom, Resources for Rethinking offers a Step Outside guide that highlights what’s happening in nature seasonally
To amplify the effects, turn Earth Day into Earth Week or Earth Month and select a variety of activities to support collective learning and action for a week or month.
Working together, we can all help to take steps to protect this beautiful planet we live on.
Saving Energy
Dear Community Members,
My name is Nadine Benmansour, and I am a Grade 8 student at Stonebridge Public School and I am writing this letter on behalf of the Eco Club students in Grades 1 to 8 at our school. We are learning about environmental issues and how we can all take action to protect our planet.
One issue we care about is energy waste in our community. We have noticed that lights and electricity are often being used when they are not needed, such as lights left on in empty rooms or buildings. While it may seem small, this waste adds up and has a negative impact on the environment.
Using more energy than necessary contributes to climate change because it increases greenhouse gas emissions. This affects our air, our environment, and our future. As students, we want to help make a difference and encourage others to do the same.
There are simple ways we can all help:
● Turn off lights when leaving a room
● Unplug devices when they are not in use
● Use natural light when possible
● Be mindful of how much energy we use every day
Even small actions can make a big difference when we work together. We hope our message encourages you to think about your energy use and join us in making our community more environmentally friendly.
Thank you for taking the time to read our letter and support a greener future.
Sincerely, Nadine Benmansour Grade 8 Student On behalf of the Eco Club at Stonebridge Public School
Sikh Heritage Month
The month of April is proclaimed as Sikh Heritage Month as per The Sikh Heritage Month Act of 2013.
As we begin the month of April, staff and students are encouraged to join Canadians who will be coming together to celebrate Sikh Canadians who have and continue to make significant contributions to the growth and prosperity of Ontario and Canada’s social, economic, political, and cultural fabric. Since the arrival of Sikh immigrants in the 19th century Canada is now home to more than 500,000 Sikhs, which is the largest Sikh diaspora in the world.
During the month of April, Sikh Canadians celebrate Vaisakhi, which marks the creation of the Khalsa and the Sikh articles of faith. Sikh Canadians widely celebrate Vaisakhi, also known as Khalsa Day, across Ontario.
Summer Institute
York Region District School Board’s Summer Institute offers academic, recreational and athletic programs and activities with intentional links to the Ontario Curriculum for students entering Senior Kindergarten to Grade 8.
Programs are offered at 9 locations in Richmond Hill, Markham, Stouffville, Newmarket, Vaughan and Georgina from 9:00 am - 3:30 pm.
Extended childcare may be offered through a third-party provider for an additional cost. Extended childcare offerings will be dependent on availability and interest.
Please note that due to construction and renovation work at some school sites, some programs will be offered at different locations this year. Please review program locations prior to registering.
Summer Institute Registration started on March 31, 2026.
Please visit the Summer Institute registration page on or after this date for the online registration link
Lunch Program
Below are the Lunches being offered each day:
Monday — Kid’s Kitchen —order directly from their site (kidskitchen.ca)
Meatbets—order directly from their site (www.mealbets.com)
Tuesday — Pizza lunch
Meatbets—order directly from their site
Wednesday —YummyTummiesInc - order directly from their site (yummytummies.ca)
Meatbets—order directly from their site
Thursday — barBurrito - order from Lunchbox Program via School Cash Online
Meatbets—order directly from their site
Friday — Kid’s Kitchen—order directly from their site
Meatbets—order directly from their site
Please make a note of the cut-off date/time for placing your orders.
If you have ordered lunch and your child is away and you would like to pick up their lunch, you must notify the school by 12:00 pm.
If you need more information, please email stonebridge.ps@yrdsb.ca
Lunch Drop Off
If you need to drop off a lunch for your child, please place it in the cart outside the front doors. Ensure that it is well labelled with the student’s name and homeroom teacher.
Please do not go to portables or classrooms to deliver lunches.
Thank you for your understanding.
Kindergarten Registration 2026—2027
Kindergarten Registration started on January 16, 2026
Kindergarten registration for the 2025/2026 school year started on Friday, January 16, 2026. Children who turn four or five years old during 2026, live within the school boundary and whose parents/guardians are public school tax supporters will be eligible to register for Kindergarten.
There are several ways you can register for Kindergarten:
Online - Families can access the online Kindergarten registration information at www.yrdsb.ca/kindergarten > Registration. It is recommended that families use a laptop or a desktop computer rather than a mobile device to complete this registration.
By email - Families can download the Elementary School Registration Form at www.yrdsb.ca/kindergarten and email the completed form to their school email address. Email addresses can be found on the school website.
By phone - Families can request support from the school Principal/Vice-Principal to complete the registration form on their behalf by collecting the required information by phone. Families can request an interpreter, if needed, during this phone conversation. Call your local school.
By mail or appointment. You can mail completed applications to the school, or request an appointment to drop-off your completed paper application form.
Once you have completed your application, the school will contact you to make an appointment to review and verify the required documents.
Our Kindergarten programs are caring and welcoming where children learn through exploration, play and inquiry. You can learn more at www.yrdsb.ca/kindergarten. We look forward to welcoming our new students and families to the school.
Please note: Elementary schools are closed during July and August. Please contact the Community Education Centre in your area to set up your registration appointment.
Report Absences or Late
If your child is going to be absent/late, please report via Edsby before the bell time.
If you do not have an Edsby account or need help with setting it up, please contact
the office @ 905-887-2427.
TO REPORT A STUDENT ABSENCE/LATE:
LOGIN TO: yrdsb.edsby.com / CALL 905.887.2427
Nut & Scent Free Environment
This is a reminder that many students and staff have life threatening allergies to nuts. As a result, we ask that all snacks and lunches are nut free. Please take the time to read the labels on snacks to ensure they are nut safe. We also ask that you do not use peanut butter substitutes such as Wow Butter. Nutella is a nut product and must not come to school.
The chemicals used in scented products can make some people sick, especially those with fragrance sensitivities, asthma, allergies and other medical conditions. To help keep the air healthy for everyone, our school has a scent-free policy.
Community Safety Village Summer Camps for Grade 3 –7
Registration for summer camp programs will open on Monday, March 23rd at 8am. These programs will run through the month of July.
NOTES:
· One camp per student only.
· Camper must be a resident in York Region.
· Camps run from Monday to Friday, from 9:00am - 3:00pm each day. Parent drop-off period is between 8:30am - 9:00am.
· Meals are not provided—students must bring their own lunch. The Community Safety Village is a nut-free facility.
· There is no cost for camp programs; however, transportation to the CSV is not provided.
· Registrations are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. We cannot guarantee acceptance for previous camp participants or siblings.
· Submitting a request does not mean your registration is confirmed. If approved, you will receive a confirmation email.
To register, please visit: https://csv.simplybook.me/v2/#book
· On the booking website, scroll down and select the camp of interest.
· Click ahead on the calendar to the start date of the camp (9:00am) and fill in your personal information.
· Even though you are only selecting the first day of the camp, please note that the camp will run for the entire week.
Camp Offerings:
Emergency Services Camp:
Monday, July 6 - Friday, July 10
Participant's ENTERING Grade Level (as of SEPTEMBER 2026)– Grades 3, or 4.
OR
Monday, July 13 - Friday, July 17
Participant's ENTERING Grade Level (as of SEPTEMBER 2026)– Grades 5, or 6.
Campers will learn about police, fire and paramedic services and emergency responders' role in our community and participate in safety activities and games. Activities and themes include various presentations including bicycle safety, internet safety, healthy-lifestyle habits, and emergency preparedness.
Youth Empowerment Camp:
Monday, July 20 - Friday, July 24
Participant’s ENTERING Grade Level (as of SEPTEMBER 2026)– Grades 4, or 5.
OR
Monday, July 27 - Friday, July 31
Participant's ENTERING Grade Level (as of SEPTEMBER 2026)– Grades 6, or 7.
Campers will develop their leadership skills as they learn how to value themselves and others as individuals, cultivate their unique interests and talents, and connect with positive role models and mentors. Campers will also understand the choices and consequences around peer pressure and the positive and negative effects of social media on their lives.
If you have any questions, please email csv@yrp.ca.