Ardagh BluffsPublic School

Click Here to view the School Newsletter

For your convenience, we've provided the content from our September newsletter in plain text below.

PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE

Greetings Ardagh Bluffs Families. Welcome to the 2025-2026 school year!  We would like to extend a warm, welcome-back to school message to both our new families and returning families.

 This year, it is our pleasure to give a warm Ardagh welcome to the following permanent staff joining the Ardagh team, including: Ms. Louis (Planning Time for French Immersion), Mrs. Quach (0.3 Planning Time), Ms. Wilson (Educational Assistant), Ms. Byron (0.5 Educational Assistant). We also want to welcome the following long term occasional staff who will be filling in for staff on leave, including: Ms. Mihan (Kindergarten), Ms. Link (Grade 3), Ms. Wright (Grade 6/7), Ms. King (Grade 6/7 FI), and Ms. Soldiuk (French).

Even though our school has been closed to students over the summer months, much activity has been happening at Ardagh Bluffs PS. Under the leadership of our Head Custodian, Mrs. Graham, the custodial team has done a phenomenal job with summer clean up! When you visit the school you will see that it is sparkling and gleaming, ready for a new school year. 

We believe that an effective school is built on positive relationships between the school and community and we have been very appreciative of all of the School Council’s efforts and support of our school.  If you would like to get involved in the School Council Executive, please complete a School Council nomination form which will be sent home electronically on Friday, September 12th.  All School Council meetings are open to the public, so parents/guardians can attend even if they are not formal members of the School Council. Our final meeting of the 2024-2025 School Council will be held on Wednesday, September 24th and our School Council Election and first meeting of the 2025-2026 School Council will be held on Wednesday, October 1st from 6:00-7:00 p.m.   

At Ardagh Bluffs Public School, we value the contributions of our volunteers. Each year, volunteers are required to participate in an orientation session. Upcoming sessions are scheduled on Wednesday, September 24th from 5:00-5:45 p.m. and Wednesday, October 8th from 9:45-10:30 a.m.  We hope to see you there! 

Turnaround Day will take place on Tuesday, September 23rd in the Simcoe County District School Board. Please remember that class placements for students are tentative until this date and class organizations can change based on the number of students enrolled at our school (e.g., we could gain classes, lose classes or move students between classes to balance class sizes). If there are changes to be made, staff and students will begin in their new classes on September 23rd. We will notify you of any changes in advance of this date and will work with our families to minimize disruption as much as possible during this annual process. 

We are looking forward to another exceptional year of learning, leadership and community building at Ardagh Bluffs Public School. Please be sure to say hello when you see us in the Kiss and Ride / Bus Lanes each morning and afternoon.  We are also always reachable by phone or email at the school for inquiries requiring administrator support.  

Looking forward to another wonderful year, 

Ms. Robinson and Mr. Kirwan

Ardagh Bluffs Administration

Join/Attend Ardagh Bluffs School Council Meetings

What is a School Council?

School Councils play a vital advisory role in the education system in Ontario. They provide a forum through which parents, guardians, and other members of school communities can contribute to improving student achievement and school performance. School Councils can make recommendations to principals and school boards on any matter, and principals and school boards consult with School Councils on a variety of matters. Elected School Council members are available to consult with parents and to raise their questions and concerns at School Council meetings.

School Council Meetings

All School Council meetings are open to parents and guardians of students at Ardagh Bluffs P.S. We encourage all parents and guardians to attend meetings! You can contribute ideas and keep up-to-date on what is happening at our school, and we are always looking for volunteers to help with our numerous fundraising projects! Participating in School Council is a rewarding experience and allows parents and guardians to make a difference in their children’s education.

All meetings take place at 6:00 p.m. in the school library (typically on Wednesdays).

Have questions about School Council, or wish to reach out to a School Council member? Email us anytime at [email protected]

Acknowledgement and Permission Forms &

Student Information Computing Appropriate Use Agreement

Volunteering at Ardagh Bluffs

Volunteers are an important part of what makes our school a great place to learn and grow. We value and appreciate the support of our volunteers. Volunteers have various roles at our school including: School Council members and participants, Hot lunch day organizers, Field trip supervisors, Classroom helpers, Kiss-n-ride supervisors, and much, much more!

If you’re interested in learning more about volunteering at Ardagh Bluffs, or if you want to continue volunteering during the 2025-2026 school year, you will need to attend a volunteer orientation at the beginning of this school year. We have two volunteer orientations scheduled this year: Wednesday, September 24th at 5:00 pm and Wednesday, October 8th at 9:45 am. Both will take place in the school library, and will be approximately 45 minutes in length. If there are volunteer opportunities that arise in our school prior to these orientation sessions, we will work with you to make sure the orientation information is reviewed and acknowledged so you can support our school.

In addition to attending an orientation session each year, you must also be registered on SCDSB Community Apps (visit agh.scdsb.on.ca, go to ‘Our School’ and select ‘Volunteer’ to get the link) and make sure all your requirements are ‘complete’. 

If you were a volunteer at Ardagh Bluffs last school year, your current status as a volunteer will be reset to “Pending Admin Approval”, even if you have all your documents completed and up-to-date, until you complete an Orientation Session for this current school year.

If you are unable to attend either of the volunteer orientation sessions mentioned above, and are interested in volunteering this year, please contact Mr. Kirwan to discuss alternate orientation arrangements.

If you are no longer interested in volunteering, please be sure to remove Ardagh Bluffs as a preferred school in your volunteer portal.

We look forward to working with all our amazing volunteers this year!

Kiss N’ Ride Guidelines

Ardagh Bluffs has one Kiss n’ Ride, which is located off Summerset Drive.

Our Kiss n’ Ride is a busy place. We are very fortunate that we have a long kiss n’ ride that can hold many vehicles at once to unload students, as well as a second lane to keep traffic flowing. 

It takes a collective effort from everyone to ensure we have a safe and efficient Kiss n’ Ride. Please remember the following guidelines when using our Kiss n’ Ride:

• MOVE FORWARD! 

  • PULL UP AS FAR AS POSSIBLE to either:

    • the end of the kiss n’ ride zone if no one is in front of you, or to the vehicle that’s stopped in front of you. 

    •  Don’t leave large spaces between you and the vehicle in front of you. We can unload many students at one time if all the vehicles move forward before stopping.

    •  If you’re waiting for your child, and a vehicle leaves in front of you, please pull up so additional vehicles can enter the Kiss n’ Ride. Don’t leave empty spaces in front of you if you’re just waiting.

• NO PARKING - STOPPING ZONE ONLY. The kiss n’ ride is designed for a quick drop off or pick up area. Please transition children in or out of your vehicle in a timely manner to ensure our kiss n’ ride remains efficient. Ideally, parents/guardians should not exit vehicles. If you must get out to support your child(ren) exiting the vehicle, please do so in a timely manner. If it will take you more than a minute to unload your child(ren), please park elsewhere and walk your child to the school yard.

• STUDENTS EXIT CURBSIDE. Students should only exit their vehicle on the curbside of the vehicle while in the kiss n’ ride. We have a second lane where traffic is flowing, which could cause a safety risk for students exiting on the driver’s side of the vehicle.

• LEFT LANE IS FOR THROUGH TRAFFIC. Please leave the left lane of our kiss n’ ride open for through traffic. Never stop to load or unload students in the left lane as that can be extremely dangerous.

• NEVER LEAVE YOUR VEHICLE UNATTENDED. Vehicles are not to be left unattended at any time while in our kiss n’ ride. If you are intending to watch your child in the school yard after you drop them off, please park your vehicle elsewhere. At the end of the day, we ask that you remain in, or beside, your vehicle while you wait for the dismissal bell to ring. Please instruct your child(ren) to proceed directly to your vehicle after the bell so you can depart the Kiss n’ Ride and let other vehicles enter.

• SLOW SPEED. Please don’t speed into, or drive fast out of, the Kiss n’ Ride zone. We have many students/families in the vicinity that depend on drivers being diligent and aware of their surroundings at all times. As a driver, you must be able to stop your vehicle within inches. Please go at a speed that will allow you to do so.

• PATIENCE, PATIENCE, PATIENCE. At peak times (9:10 - 9:20 am and 3:30 - 3:50 pm) our Kiss N’ Ride is a very busy place. It may take you some time in line, but please know that everyone will eventually make their way to the drop off/pick up area. Please instruct your child(ren) to wait by the Kiss n’ Ride fence until you can make your way into the Kiss n’ Ride.

•  PEDESTRIANS USE RAINBOW CROSSWALK: Students and Parents/Guardians are asked to use our rainbow crosswalk any time you are walking to, or from, our main parking lot. Please don’t cross our Kiss N’ Ride where vehicles are dropping off students - this is extremely dangerous as we have vehicles moving through this area and not expecting pedestrians to be walking across our kiss n’ ride lanes.

Parking Lot - Wright Drive

Ardagh has a secondary parking lot that is located off Wright Drive. This parking lot is designated primarily for Staff parking and for SEEDS Daycare.

This is NOT designed to be a Kiss n’ Ride. We only have one Kiss n’ Ride and that is located off Summerset Drive.

Due to safety concerns for students and parents/guardians who are walking in this area, this parking lot will be closed to unauthorized vehicles. There will be pylons positioned at the entrance to remind drivers that this is a restricted area. 

Parents/Guardians who are dropping off or picking up a child from SEEDS daycare are still permitted to use this parking lot as long as you have a valid parking pass that you will display on your vehicle dashboard.

Parents who need to drive their child to and from school are asked to follow the City of Barrie parking and stopping by-laws in and around our school and side streets. Click Here for the map that was provided by the City of Barrie to help us understand the parking restrictions on city streets around the school.

Kindergarten Students using Summerset Drive Kiss N’ Ride

• Morning Drop Off: If Kindergarten students are being dropped off using the Summerset Drive Kiss N’ Ride, we will have an older student or adult walk them to the Kindergarten Yard. Please inform a staff member upon your arrival that your child will need to be accompanied to the Kindergarten Yard.

• Afternoon Pick Up: At the end of the day, if you are going to be picking up your Kindergarten student at the Summerset Drive Kiss N’ Ride, one of the staff members will walk your child over to the Kiss n’ Ride shortly after the bell. Please inform your child’s educators if you would like this to be arranged. 

  • If Kindergarten students have older siblings in our school that would like to pick them up at the end of the day and walk them over to the Summerset Kiss n Ride for pick up, they are more than welcome to retrieve their sibling after the bell.

Information and Updates from the SCDSB

Information and updates from the SCDSB:

This month, the SCDSB is sharing information related to the following topics: 

• School board communication with parents/guardians 

• SCDSB Code of Conduct 

• Creating safe and welcoming spaces for students, staff, and visitors 

• Safe Arrival system for SCDSB schools (elementary) 

• Absence reporting system for SCDSB schools (secondary) 

• SCDSB 2025-26 Student Handbook 

• SCDSB Human Rights and Equity Office 

• Use of Traditional Indigenous Medicines 

• National Day for Truth and Reconciliation – Sept. 30 

• Universal Otis-Lennon School Ability Test screening process (elementary) 

• School council nominations for 2025-26 school year 

• Annual notice to adult student or parent(s)/guardian(s) of students under the age of 16 

• Standard acknowledgment and permission form/student information computing technology appropriate use agreement 2025-26 

• Student accident insurance 2025-26 

• Updating student information on file at the school 

• Volunteering in schools during the 2025-26 school year 

• Procedures help keep our school safe 

• Student dress code 

• School bus ‘Bus Tag’ program helps students get to and from school safely 

• YouthReach 

• SCDSB offers free Self-Reg Parenting Course – registration now open! 

• Five tips for a healthy start back to school 

• September PA Day 

To read this information, visit the SCDSB website