March 8 updates! LOOKING AHEAD TO SPRING!

March 23 – Matilda poster contest deadline
March 24 – HSA/SAC Parent Council Meeting
March 31 – Digital Wellness & AI – Parent Learning Series
April 8 – ARTS & STEM NIGHT
April 10 – Pizza Day

SAVE THE DATES!
April 17 – Parent PUB NIGHT
April 25 – Spring Yard Day
April 29 & 30 – Matilda the Musical performances

MATILDA THE MUSICAL POSTER CONTEST!
Student Art & Design Competition

Calling all artists, illustrators, doodlers, and big imaginations!

This spring, Runnymede PS is bringing Matilda the Musical Jr to life and students of all grades are invited to create an original design inspired by Matilda—think theatre, books, bravery, mischief, friendship, and standing up for what’s right.

Selected student designs will be featured on:
Posters, programs, buttons, and other show materials.

What to Create
Use the provided template as a guide for your artwork (link below)
Designs can be hand-made or digitally created—just all your own!
Be bold, creative, silly, clever—just like Matilda!
Please note: You do not need to include the musical logo, dates, or times
—those details will be added later.

Be sure to include
Student Name
Grade
Homeroom Teacher

Contest dates
Contest is open now and closes on Monday, March 23.
All entries must be dropped off to the main office.
Selected design(s) will be announced and showcased at Arts Night, Wednesday, April 1.
Prizes will be awarded and ALL submitted artwork will be displayed and celebrated at the school, then returned to students.

For Families
This contest is not mandatory but open to all students, and every submission is welcome.
Teachers may also be sharing this information with their classes.
Students are welcome to complete this at school or at home on their own time.
Students can submit as many entries as they’d like.
Thank you for encouraging creativity, participation and helping us build excitement for this special event!

Matilda the Musical Jr will run at the school April 29 & 30 –
Stay tuned for more details!

Click here for the CONTEST TEMPLATE!

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GBmzJK2pkwrXl85bOJ2g9cNH80aC4KTzT0wB_wc0cqk/edit?usp=sharing

GRAD HOODIES ARE ON THE WAY!
Grad hoodies will be distributed to the classrooms no later than March 11th

REGISTER NOW!

Your kids are already fluent with Social Media apps. Now, they’ve added AI for homework help, games, music and image creation, and Companion Chatbots.

These tools are fun, fast and built into their everyday life, but without clear guidance kids can easily share too much and put their own – and your family’s – privacy, identity and security on the line.

In this presentation, you will learn relevant skills, and how to support your kids:
 Model Intention and Wellness, Online
 Establish Simple Family Security Steps
 Build Confidence & Online Skills
 Begin Relevant Conversations & Trust
 Understand AI & Social Media Terms
 Live Demo of SnapChat and ChatGPT

Tuesday, March 31, 2026

7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Runnymede Library

with presenter Chris Vollum

RSVP or sign up for a reminder HERE

SAVE THE DATE FOR ARTS + STEM NIGHT!
NEW DATE – April 8th – 6-8pm

Our Annual Arts Open House will take place on Wednesday, April 8th.

One of Runnymede’s most beloved traditions is coming soon! Join us, as the halls will transform into a vibrant gallery showcasing artwork from students in Kindergarten through Grade 8 — a celebration of creativity across the entire school.

New this year: Hands-on STEM activities for students and families to enjoy together!

Mark your calendars and stay tuned for more details. You won’t want to miss it!

– JOIN YOUR CLASS WHATS APP GROUP : HERE

– ZOOM LINK FOR THE SAC & HSA MEETINGS : HERE

– VOLUNTEER FOR AN EVENT OR COMMITTEE : HERE

– VISIT THE RUNNYMEDE GOOGLE CALENDAR : HERE

– VISIT THE RUNNYMEDE HSA WEBSITE HERE

SAVE THE DATE FOR PARENT PUB NIGHT!

You can purchase tickets now:
https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/ticketing/pub-night-8

SAVE THE DATE FOR SPRING YARD DAY!
April 25th

ORDER WEDNESDAY HOT LUNCH HERE!

The Runnymede HSA (a.k.a. Parent Council) is partnering with local restaurant, Grillway, to bring our students and staff another day of hot lunches each week, on Wednesdays.

Orders must be in by Monday at noon for each week.

This link is saved on our ‘SHOP and SUPPORT RUNNYMEDE’ page on the HSA website if you ever need to find it! https://runnymedecouncil.org/school-fundraising/shop-support-runnymede/

ORDER NOW: https://www.hotlunchrunnymede.ca/

February 28 – Update!

LAST CHANCE TO ORDER PIZZA FOR
RUNNYMEDE MOVIE NIGHT!

This Thursday, March 5th!

Runnymede HSA / Parent Council are having a Movie Night!
The LEGO Movie will be shown – entrance is free (suggested donation $2 for the HSA)

Doors open at 5:30
🍕 Pizza dinner can be pre-ordered online if you wish.
🍿 Snacks will be available for purchase at the event!
🎥 Movie starts at 6pm

Children must be supervised by an adult – parents are welcome to sit in the ‘Parent lounge’ outside the gym.

🍕 To order Pizza visit HERE:
https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/ticketing/movie-night-pizza-orders-2

Please volunteer to help out with this event HERE: https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/10C094FACAB2BA2FDC25-62293538-runnymede

RUNNYMEDE STEM FAIR WAS A HUGE SUCCESS!

Thank you to the amazing teachers, staff, HSA STEM Committee, and our parent volunteer Judges for your support for this year’s STEM Fair!

Congratulations and thank you to ALL the dedicated Grade 6, 7 and 8 students who came together to celebrate curiosity and learning, for all their hard work!

Special congratulations to the winners of this year’s STEM Fair.
The Grade 7 and Grade 8 winning projects will advance to the City Science Fair.
Special thanks to Maker Bean Cafe for the amazing trophies!

.
.

THANK YOU!

Students enjoyed the lively cultural celebrations of our Lunar New Year Parade
and Bonhomme Carnaval Parade

Thanks to donations to our HSA Parent Council for these amazing new costumes!

GRAD HOODIES ARE ON THE WAY!
Grad hoodies will be distributed to the classrooms no later than March 11th

REGISTER NOW!

Tuesday, March 31, 2026
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Runnymede Librarywith presenter Chris Vollum
RSVP or sign up for a reminder HERE

That’s a Wrap! Visual Arts Enrichment Workshops
It’s been a vibrant winter for the arts at Runnymede!

Throughout January and February, 33 hands-on visual arts workshops were delivered to every homeroom class from Kindergarten to Grade 6 by professional art educator!

We’re proud to continue this long-standing tradition of bringing meaningful, creative experiences directly into the classroom. The results? An explosion of colour, imagination, and self-expression! The students’ artwork is truly something special — here’s a sneak peek.

Wondering why the masterpieces haven’t come home yet?
They’re being carefully saved for our school-wide art gallery this spring. Stay tuned!

—

SAVE THE DATE for ARTS & STEM NIGHT!

Our Annual Arts Open House will take place on Wednesday, April 1st.

New this year: Hands-on STEM activities for students and families to enjoy together!

Mark your calendars and stay tuned for more details. You won’t want to miss it!

ORDER WEDNESDAY HOT LUNCH HERE!

The Runnymede HSA (a.k.a. Parent Council) is partnering with local restaurant, Grillway, to bring our students and staff another day of hot lunches each week, on Wednesdays.

Orders must be in by Monday at noon for each week.

This link is saved on our ‘SHOP and SUPPORT RUNNYMEDE’ page on the HSA website if you ever need to find it! https://runnymedecouncil.org/school-fundraising/shop-support-runnymede/

ORDER NOW: https://www.hotlunchrunnymede.ca/

HSA Update – Feb 15

LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER!

Let’s Talk About: Helping Your Child with Tough Friendship Moments –
Managing Your Emotions & Building Their Skills

Date: February 24
Time: 7-9pm
Venue: Runnymede Library

Speaker: Julie Cassell-Curtin is a clinical social worker who holds a Master of Social Work degree from New York University with post-graduate specialty training from NYU’s Child and Family Therapy program, developing advanced clinical expertise in psychotherapy for children, adolescents, and families.

PLEASE RSVP HERE SO WE CAN TRACK NUMBERS AND WE WILL SEND YOU A REMINDER FOR THE EVENT!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScMoZUmI5oJ2V2OyryGCWNWSNXgaJicIqZXKuhCSri6Jfrnqg/viewform?usp=publish-editor

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
STEM Fair Judges: Friday, February 27th

Help evaluate student projects. No science background required.
A Zoom pre-session will cover judging criteria.

Morning judges (15 needed): 8:50 AM–12:00 PM
Full day judges (10 needed): 8:50 AM–2:00 PM, includes selecting projects for city fair
The direct sign up to be a STEM Fair judge is HERE!

SAVE THE DATE FOR MOVIE NIGHT!
Thursday, March 5th

Runnymede HSA / Parent Council are having a Movie Night!
The LEGO Movie will be shown – entrance is free (suggested donation $2 for the HSA)

Doors open at 5:30
🍕 Pizza dinner can be pre-ordered online if you wish.
🍿 Snacks will be available for purchase at the event!
🎥 Movie starts at 6pm

Children must be supervised by an adult – parents are welcome to sit in the ‘Parent cafe’ outside the gym.

🍕 To order Pizza visit HERE:
https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/ticketing/movie-night-pizza-orders-2

To help out with this event, please sign up HERE: https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/10C094FACAB2BA2FDC25-62293538-runnymede

ORDER WEDNESDAY HOT LUNCH HERE!

ORDER NOW: https://www.hotlunchrunnymede.ca/

WEEKLY UPDATES AND PARENT COUNCIL MEETING THIS WEEK!

Jan 26 – RUNNYMEDE PARENT COUNCIL ZOOM MEETING

We are moving to ZOOM ONLY for this month’s meetings due to the weather!

The Runnymede SAC & HSA Meetings will run one after the other on zoom ONLY
this Monday, January 26th – starting at 7pm. Please join us!

Visit the website for agendas, minutes, more information and all meeting dates for the year
HERE

To learn more about how ‘Parent Council’ works, visit HERE

To learn about the HSA Committees and how to get involved HERE

To join the Zoom Meeting (same link every month):
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85495567828?pwd=rRggw2YCUzaSn1at2rIkWqS9CtmIga.1
Meeting ID: 854 9556 7828
Passcode: 400453

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASS OF 2026!

Grad hoodies are officially on sale please visit

https://runnymedepsgraduates2026.itemorder.com/shop/home/

Check the back image for your name and ensure we have the correct spelling.

The store will close Sunday February 15th.

Use the size charts provided for best fit. Or visit Mme. Moens for the size kit.

Hoodies will be delivered before March break!

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR STEM PROGRAMS AT RUNNYMEDE!

The STEM Committee has exciting activities planned this year and we need parent volunteers to make them happen.
SIGN UP TO HELP, AND WE’LL BE IN TOUCH! VOLUNTEER SIGN UP

STEM Fair Judges: Friday, February 27th

Help evaluate student projects. No science background required.
A Zoom pre-session will cover judging criteria.

Morning judges (15 needed): 8:50 AM–12:00 PM
Full day judges (10 needed): 8:50 AM–2:00 PM, includes selecting projects for city fair
The direct sign up to be a STEM Fair judge is HERE!
_____

LEGO Club & Robotics : Weekly throughout the term (TBD)

Senior Robotics/FIRST LEGO League Challenge (2–4 volunteers)
Work with older students on competitive robotics
Primary and Junior LEGO Learning (6–8 volunteers)
Guide younger students through building challenges.

SIGN UP HERE AND WE’LL BE IN TOUCH VOLUNTEER SIGN UP
_____

One-Day Spring Events:

Amazing Math Race

High-energy math activities for Grade 4 & 5 classes the last week in June (TBD)
(6 volunteers needed each day – you will be needed for the whole afternoon)
SIGN UP HERE AND WE’LL BE IN TOUCH VOLUNTEER SIGN UP

Angry Birds Math Challenge

Fun math activity for primary classes in June (TBD)
(4 volunteers needed per class)
SIGN UP HERE AND WE’LL BE IN TOUCH VOLUNTEER SIGN UP

These programs cannot run without parent involvement. Even one activity makes a difference. Thanks!

ART IS HAPPENING AT RUNNYMEDE!
We’re excited to share that the Visual Art Enrichment Workshops
are well underway!

We’re proud to use your generous donations to the HSA/Parent council, to continue this long-standing tradition of bringing meaningful, hands-on art experiences into the classroom for students across the school!
This year, 33 professional art workshops are being delivered to all homeroom classes from K-6.

Curious about what your student is creating? Take a look at the schedule below!

All artwork will eventually make its way home to you — but not before students have the opportunity to showcase their creations together at the school. More details on this upcoming display will be shared soon!

In the meantime, here’s a sneak peek at some of the wonderful work completed so far…

Mon Jan 19	Markee	Mixed Media Cat Sculptures
Tues Jan 20	Pagé	Ancient Egypt: Masks & Mummies
Tues Jan 20	Sacrey Butler	Clay Folded Owls
Wed Jan 21	Nunes	Clay Lion Bowls
Wed Jan 21	Kling	Matisse Fishbowl Paintings
Thurs Jan 22	Williams	Plasticine Fruit Faces
Thurs Jan 22	Hodgson	Moving Landscape Paintings
Fri Jan 23	Martins	Moving Landscape Paintings
Fri Jan 23	Chae	Clay Peacock Candle Holders
Mon Jan 26	Froates	Mixed Media Windsocks
Mon Jan 26	Afonso	Clay Lion Bowls
Tues Jan 27	Jardine	Plasticine Fruit Faces
Tues Jan 27	MacDonell	Plasticine Fruit Faces
Wed Jan 28	Bazos	Clay Peacock Candle Holders
Wed Jan 28	Stevenson	Matisse Fishbowl Paintings
Thurs Jan 29	Walker	Mixed Media Windsocks
Thurs Jan 29	Mandeng	Matisse Fishbowl Paintings
Fri Jan 30	Boyle	Clay Folded Owls
Fri Jan 30	Enrico* TBC	Owl Shadow Boxes
Mon Feb 2	La. Anderson	Clay Peacock Candle Holders
Mon Feb 2	Ty	Clay Folded Owls
Wed Feb 4	Street	Owl Shadow Boxes
Wed Feb 4	Markwick	Ancient Egypt: Masks & Mummies
Thurs Feb 5	Nyers	Mixed Media Windsocks
Thurs Feb 5	Stock	Clay Folded Owls
Fri Feb 6	Lo. Anderson	Mixed Media Windsocks
Fri Feb 6	Crosthwaite	Giant 3D Paper Flowers
Mon Feb 9	Doulos	Still Life Art Stations
Mon Feb 9	Colonna	Ancient Egypt: Masks & Mummies
Tues Feb 10	Banting	Giant 3D Paper Flowers
Tues Feb 10	Herbert	Clay Picasso Faces
Wed Feb 11	Heather	Clay Picasso Faces
Wed Feb 11	Freeman	Still Life Art Stations

WANT TO ORDER WEDNESDAY HOT LUNCH ?

ORDER NOW: https://www.hotlunchrunnymede.ca/

WANT TO KEEP TRACK OF YOUR CHILD’S HATS AND COATS, WATER BOTTLES AND MORE?

BUY MABEL’S LABELS and 20% of all sales go to Runnymede HSA/Council!

Experienced parent comment:
“Tag mates are great for clothes and don’t need to be ironed on, Rectangular labels are perfect for water bottles, electronics and desk supplies. And the shoe labels help keep track of indoor shoes!”

SHOP MABEL’S LABELS NOW!

DOES YOUR CHILD WANT MORE PIZZA?

Next Pizza Day – Feb. 6^th– Please ask your child if they need an extra slice! We had a LOT of kids asking us for extra – add an extra slice to your child’s order HERE :
https://runnymedecouncil.org/school-fundraising/pizza-lunches/ or sign up to volunteer!

HOW TO MAKE YOUR CHILD’S TDSB DEVICES SAFE AT HOME?

What you should know:
Families of students enrolled in the Student Device Program from grades 6-12 can now access the GoGuardian Parent App, allowing parents, guardians and caregivers to manage their children’s internet use outside of school hours including blocking specific websites and restricting internet access completely:
https://support.goguardian.com/s/article/GoGuardian-Parent-App-Features-1629773198659

GoGuardian Parent works only outside of school hours. Parents/guardians can make changes between 4:01 PM and 7:59 AM. During school hours, from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, GoGuardian is managed by the teacher. The application (for management) is available for iOS devices (iPhone/iPad) and Android devices (phone/tablet) only.

Information about the app and a support guide have been made available to families through the December edition of the TDSB Connects communication for families: https://docs.google.com/document/u/0/d/12VPEkQOsGWurkUKlYLomCmUMlI3dYNWeqzg0RLB_6JY/mobilebasic

The TDSB School Community IT Support service is available to assist families with questions they may have about GoGuardian Parent: https://www.tdsb.on.ca/school-community-it-support
Each student can have a maximum of two parents or guardians connected to the application.

The Runnymede HSA’s STEM committee has been instrumental in getting this set up, and we want to make sure as many families as possible are aware, so we can protect as many kids as possible!

HSA / Parent Council Update – Jan 17

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR STEM PROGRAMS AT RUNNYMEDE!
The STEM Committee has exciting activities planned this year and we need parent volunteers to make them happen.
SIGN UP TO HELP, AND WE’LL BE IN TOUCH! VOLUNTEER SIGN UP

STEM Fair Judges: Friday, February 27th
Help evaluate student projects. No science background required.
A Zoom pre-session will cover judging criteria.
Morning judges (15 needed): 8:50 AM–12:00 PM
Full day judges (10 needed): 8:50 AM–2:00 PM, includes selecting projects for city fair
The direct sign up to be a STEM Fair judge is HERE!
_____

LEGO Club & Robotics : Weekly throughout the term (TBD)
Senior Robotics/FIRST LEGO League Challenge (2–4 volunteers)
Work with older students on competitive robotics
Primary and Junior LEGO Learning (6–8 volunteers)
Guide younger students through building challenges.
SIGN UP HERE AND WE’LL BE IN TOUCH VOLUNTEER SIGN UP
_____
One-Day Spring Events:

Amazing Math Race
High-energy math activities for Grade 4 & 5 classes the last week in June (TBD)
(6 volunteers needed each day – you will be needed for the whole afternoon)
SIGN UP HERE AND WE’LL BE IN TOUCH VOLUNTEER SIGN UP

Angry Birds Math Challenge
Fun math activity for primary classes in June (TBD)
(4 volunteers needed per class)
SIGN UP HERE AND WE’LL BE IN TOUCH VOLUNTEER SIGN UP

These programs cannot run without parent involvement. Even one activity makes a difference. Thanks!

ART IS HAPPENING AT RUNNYMEDE!

Thanks to your generous donations to the HSA/Parent Council, our Arts Committee has organized amazing 33 workshops starting this week! Over the next month, all homeroom classes from Kindergarten to Grade 6 will be receiving Art workshops taught by a professional art educator Holly Wheatcroft, who has worked at Runnymede before and is well-loved by our community. This year’s menu includes 16 different creative art workshops including ancient Egypt, Georgia O’Keefe, Group of Seven, Joseph Cornell, and many clay projects that teachers can choose from.

We’ll also be hosting a school-wide arts event in the Spring (date TBD), to showcase your child’s beautiful creations from these workshops (and other teacher-led projects)!

Jan 26 – Runnymede Parent Council Meeting
Join us from 7-9 pm in the School Library. All are welcome to attend.
For more information check HERE: https://runnymedecouncil.org/about-2/about-the-school-council/council-minutes/

DOES YOUR CHILD WANT MORE PIZZA?

WANT TO ORDER WEDNESDAY HOT LUNCH ?
The Runnymede HSA (a.k.a. Parent Council) is partnering with local restaurant, Grillway, to bring our students and staff another day of hot lunches each week, on Wednesdays.

Orders must be in by Monday at noon for each week.
This link is saved on our ‘SHOP and SUPPORT RUNNYMEDE’ page on the HSA website if you ever need to find it! https://runnymedecouncil.org/school-fundraising/shop-support-runnymede/