Message from our Administrators
Dear Stonebridge Families,
A warm welcome back to school and a new school year! The staff here at Stonebridge hope that you and your families had a wonderful, restful summer and we hope that everyone is healthy and ready to engage in a new school year.
Whether you are joining us for the first time or are a returning member of our school community, we are thrilled to welcome you and your family!
To our new families, we are excited to have you join our school. You are now part of a caring, supportive, and dedicated learning community that works together to ensure every child feels included, challenged, and inspired. To our returning families, welcome back! We look forward to building on the strong partnerships and progress we’ve already made together.
As we begin this school year, our focus remains clear: we are here to help every student reach their full potential—academically, socially, and emotionally. This goal is only possible through a strong collaboration between home and school. We value your voice, your involvement, and your trust as we work side-by-side in support of your child’s success.
At Stonebridge we hold high expectations for all students. We believe that with the right support, encouragement, and perseverance, every child can achieve great things. Our staff is deeply committed to providing engaging instruction, fostering critical thinking, and nurturing each student’s growth every day. We will challenge students to aim high, while also ensuring they feel safe, supported, and seen.
We know that each school year brings new opportunities and new challenges, and we are here for every step of the journey. Together—with open communication, mutual respect, and shared commitment—we can help our students grow into confident, capable, and compassionate individuals.
Each month Stonebridge will send families a newsletter from the school with valuable information and important updates. Please take the time to read these newsletters to stay abreast of events happening at the school.
Last year YRDSB introduced a Family Dashboard where parents and guardians were asked to sign up to create an account. The dashboard will give you secure one-stop access to information and applications related to your child’s education. It is designed to make it easier for families to engage with their child’s education. Report cards will be available in the Family Dashboard. Please ensure we have your up-to-date email address before creating an account. Please access https://www2.yrdsb.ca/family-dashboard for further information.
At Stonebridge, we need to contact families on a regular basis for various reason, including emergencies. It is extremely important that the school has your accurate and current contact information. Please call or email (905-887-2427; stonebridge.ps@yrdsb.ca) the school if you need to update your contact information.
We have shared this message before but we are sharing it again because it is extremely important. If your child is going to be late or absent, please contact the school as soon as possible to notify us of the reason. You can do this through Edsby, phone call, email or a note to the school. As part of a safety measure and legal responsibility, we need to account for all students each day. Your support and cooperation in this matter is sincerely appreciated.
Thank you for being part of our school family. Please stay tuned for an invitation to our first School Council meeting in early October; everyone is invited and welcome. Please plan to attend. We look forward to a fantastic year ahead!
David Williams Elaine Ricketts
Principal Vice-Principal
Message from Our Trustee
Welcome back to school to all of our new and returning students and families. This is an exciting
time, filled with new beginnings and new opportunities for learning, growth and connection. We
look forward to another great school year together.
As a school board trustee, I have the privilege of representing our community. Trustees play an
important role in shaping the direction of public education in York Region by setting the budget
and policies, establishing priorities through our Multi-Year Strategic Plan and communicating
with families. I look forward to connecting with many of you at school and Board events over the
coming months and encourage you to reach out to me if you have any questions or concerns. I
will also continue to share important updates through these quarterly messages.
I also encourage you to stay connected with your child’s school. Your voice matters and we truly
value the important partnership we share with families. In addition to school communications,
you can stay connected by following the school board on social media, visiting our newsroom,
listening to our Board podcast and exploring the Board website and refreshed school websites
for information and updates.
We recognize this is a time of transition - whether your child is starting a new school, taking the
school bus for the first time, or getting to know a new teacher, these early weeks can bring
excitement and questions. Our caring and dedicated staff are here to support students and
families every step of the way. We also understand that some students may be requesting
timetable changes, and transportation services may still be finalizing routes. We thank you for
your patience and understanding during this time, and want to assure you that we are working
to support a smooth start for all.
We remain committed to delivering high-quality, inclusive public education that supports the
success and well-being of every student. Our Multi-Year Strategic Plan guides our work and
reflects our priorities: student achievement, mental health and well-being, human rights
and inclusive education.
Thank you for your ongoing partnership in education. I wish your family a wonderful start to the
school year.
Ron Lynn, Trustee, Markham Wards 2 and 6
Personal Mobile Device Letter
Dear Elementary School Families,
This letter is to inform you about student use of personal mobile devices in schools, in particular,
students must store their mobile device out of view, and power off or set to silent mode
during the school day. As you may know, in 2024, the Ontario Ministry of Education introduced a
directive modifying the use of personal mobile devices in classrooms. YRDSB already has
Policy and Procedure 194.0 Appropriate Use of Technology and many measures around
personal mobile devices are already in place. The changes bring alignment with the new
Ministry Directive. The following expectations for students’ use of personal mobile devices are
outlined in the revised Provincial Code of Conduct (PPM 128), and the York Region District
School Board’s Policy #668 Caring and Safe Schools.
A personal mobile device is any personal electronic device that can be used to communicate or
access the internet, such as a laptop, cellphone, tablet or smart watch.
Expectations
Students are responsible for their personal mobile device, how they use it and the
consequences of not following the provincial or school board policy.
Students’ personal mobile devices must be stored out of view and powered off or set to
silent mode, except under the circumstances outlined below:
○ for educational purposes, as directed by an educator
○ for health and medical purposes
○ to support special education needs
Students in Kindergarten to Grade 8 can bring a personal mobile device to school, but will only
be able to use it before and after school. They may not use personal mobile devices at school
during the school day, including recess and lunchtime, unless students leave school property for
lunch.
Practices at School
If your child is in Kindergarten to Grade 6 and an educator sees a personal mobile device that is
not stored out of view and powered off or set to silent mode, the student may be required to
bring their personal mobile device to the school administrator for the school day. The personal
mobile device will be placed by the student in a storage area in a location designated by the
school administrator.
If your child is in Grade 7 or 8 and an educator sees a personal mobile device that is not stored
out of view and powered off or set to silent mode, the student may be required to place their
personal mobile device in a storage area designated by the educator for the class or period.
If your child uses their personal mobile device inappropriately, progressive discipline may apply
and families may be notified
Dates of Significance
Ukrainian Heritage Month
The month of September is Ukrainian Heritage Month as proclaimed by the government of Ontario in 2024. Legislative Assembly of Ontario in 2024.
Canada is home to more than 1.3 million Ukranian-Canadians with records indicating that Ukrainians first immigrated to Canada in the month of September over 125 years ago. The Ukrainian-Canadian community has made and continues to make significant contributions to cultural, social, and political fabric.
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day
September 30th is a day for Canadians to observe both Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. This day is a chance to learn about the history and lasting impact of residential schools, which were institutions created to assimilate Indigenous children, erase their cultures, and perpetrate the genocide of Indigenous Peoples. The day also honours the story of residential school survivor Phyllis Webstad, a member of the Stswecem'c Xgat'tem First Nation, survivor of the residential school system, and the founder of Orange Shirt Day.
The topic of residential school and truth and reconciliation include multiple Ontario curricular areas from grades 1 through 12. To facilitate trauma informed conversations around the difficult topic of residential schools, some suggested activities and resources for all grade divisions have been prepared for Educators in both English and French (intended for French Immersion). These resources are available on the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis and Inuit Education sharepoint page.
We encourage staff and students to wear an orange shirt on September 30th to recognize the bravery and resilience of survivors and those who never returned home.
YRPH and ILIL
Get ready for back-to-school with York Region Public Health!
This Fall, york.ca/HealthyKids has been updated with information to help you navigate new routines as your kids get back to school.
Learn about mental health and healthy sleep routines, packing lunches for kindergarten and reading food labels, student immunization, dental tips, vision screening, staying healthy at school and more!
As you and your family get back to school, let york.ca/HealthyKids be your one-stop shop for tips to support healthy kids!
ILIL
Attention Stonebridge families:
Information on registering for the Indigenous Languages and International Languages (ILIL) is now available. Online registration for classes is ongoing. Classes for students in SK to Grade 8 will take place in person or online. See link below for full details:
Elementary ILIL Program Information
Bill Crothers Information Nights
Attention Gr. 8 Parents
Bill Crothers Information Nights
Information Night Dates: Wednesday, September 17, 2025 & Thursday, September 25, 2025. Applications will be available from our website https://billcrothers-ss.yrdsb.ca on Friday September 26, 2025.
Applications are due: Sunday October 26, 2025
(Completed Applications and requested documents must be dropped off at Bill Crothers by Sunday October 26, 2025)
Bill Crothers Secondary School will accept approximately 400 Grade 8 students for the 2026–2027 school year, which will begin in August 2026 (pending Ministry of Education approval).The application assessment process will take approximately 6 to 8 weeks. Successful applicants will be notified in January 2026.Once students have been notified, elementary schools will receive a list of accepted students. Thank you for your support in helping families stay informed about this opportunity.
We thank you for assisting us in sharing this information. Please let families and students know that the information above is posted on our website.
Please connect with Shirley DiFebo should you have any questions.
Child and Youth Dental Clinics
Have questions about your child's oral health?
Interested in having your child's teeth checked by a dental professional?
Public Health has FREE dental clinics near you!
Call us to learn more 1-877-464-9675 ext. 74388
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.