JR Henderson Weekly Update #32 - May 1st, 2026
Good afternoon Henderson Families,
Happy May! We have been enjoying the outdoors, soaking up the rays and enjoying watching the trees slowly turn green. With May brings a lot of excitement and planning for our end of year celebrations and learning.
Discover Kindergarten
With so many new Hawks joining us in September, we wanted to share a LDSB resource document that has lots of links and supports for families transitioning to Kindergarten. 2026 Discover Kindergarten Resources for Families (3)
Haven't registered yet? There's still time! Unsure how? Email (jrhen@limestone.on.ca) or call us (613-389-2330).
Class Placements
Our team ensures that exceptional care and thought are put into every student's class placements. This process involves months of observation and understanding about academic and social learning. In June, all staff get together and add insight into each child's placement, including academics, peer groups, dynamics, etc. Should parents/guardians have information they feel is key when placing their child, they are invited to submit remarks or requests to brennanka@limestone.on.ca. While requests are not guaranteed, we may use information from families to support decision making. The deadline for submitting a class placement request is Friday May 29th.
Track and Field Day
What a day! The weather cooperated and students had a blast participating in a variety of fun outdoor athletic activities. A huge THANK YOU to our amazing team for organizing this day that brought laughter and school spirit to the forefront of learning.
Spring Fling is Coming!
If you're a seasoned Hawk, you may know that this event is one to attend! Our School Council requires the support from our community to make this amazing event happen.
Mental Health Week: Belonging, Connection, and Awareness
Mental Health Week takes place from May 4 to May 10. During this week, our Belong and Believe students will help spread awareness about mental health and the importance of feeling connected, included, and supported at school.
This year’s national theme is “Come Together, Canada – Stronger Connections. Better Mental Health.” This theme reminds us that positive relationships, belonging, and connection play an important role in student well‑being.
Throughout the week, students will take part in:
- School and grade‑level assemblies
- Classroom activities focused on mental health
- Student‑led discussions about kindness, inclusion, and support
- Opportunities to learn how to ask for help and support others
Our goal is to raise awareness, encourage open conversations, and help break the stigma around mental health. By coming together as a school community, we can help all students feel seen, valued, and supported.
We look forward to a meaningful Mental Health Week and appreciate the care and leadership our students show in supporting one another.
Road Races
The Bayridge Road Race happened this week and it was a lot of fun! Over 100 Hawks participated and it was amazing to see the sea of green! Mme Gallupe, Mme Martin, Mme MacKay, and Mme Fournier have been cheering them on every step of the way.
The LCVI Road Race will take place on Wednesday, May 6. More information can be found on School Day.
Bonne chance, Hawks!
Milkshake Wednesdays Starting Soon!
We are pleased to let families know that Milkshake Wednesdays will be taking place on the following dates:
- Wednesday May 6th (orders due by May 1st)
- Wednesday May 13th (orders due by May 8th)
- Wednesday May 20th (orders due by May 15th)
- Wednesday May 27th (orders due by May 22nd)
- Wednesday June 3rd (orders due by May 29th)
- Wednesday June 10th (orders due by June 5th)
- Wednesday June 17th (orders due by June 12th)
Be sure to check out School Day to purchase! We will be opening all events at once and then closing the events at their designated date above. Thank you for supporting our Grade 8 boat cruise, grad and trip!
Art With Ms Dickie
We have been very fortunate to have Ms Dickie, LDSB teacher and JR Henderson parent, volunteer as an art teacher in any of our classes. The final products are coming to fruition and are beyond impressive.
Upcoming Family Engagement and Climate Survey
The Limestone District School Board is inviting families to take part in the Family Engagement and Climate Survey. This survey gives families an opportunity to share their experiences with their student’s school and with the school board.
The feedback helps us understand what is working well and where we can improve. It also supports schools and school councils in building welcoming, safe, and supportive school communities. Please be sure to check out this link for more information.
Board Game Night!
Board game night was a huge success and we were very pleased with the turnout.
We would like to acknowledge the dedication of our outstanding School Council. They constantly go above and beyond to make the school an even brighter, more successful community. We truly appreciate all that you do!
Upcoming Red Shirt Day Walk
We are pleased to share the details of the upcoming Red Shirt Day Walk happening at James R Henderson on Sunday May 31st.
We hope we can get as many people as possible out to support this very important day! The link to get more information and registration is https://redshirtday.org/walk/
Southeast Public Health Updates
Attendance Reminder
As a reminder, attendance is important and is a key indicator of student success. We are always interested in working with families where attendance is low to find creative strategies to overcome barriers. Please reach out if we can support in any way.
Kindergarten Registration
It's already that time of the year! We are delighted to let families know that our Kindergarten registration process is underway for 2026/2027. See here for more information. Please spread the word about the great things happening at Henderson. We saw increased Kinder enrolment last year and want to keep this going.
Hot Lunch Reminder
As a reminder, if you haven't yet, be sure to order hot lunch through https://www.lunchboxorders.net. We are offering subs on Tuesdays and pizza on Thursdays. Money raised from hot lunch goes directly back into our school community to support athletics, learning materials, student initiatives and more. Orders are due Sunday at noon for the following week. Finally, if buses are cancelled because of the weather, hot lunch will be cancelled as well. If you have questions, please email jrhschoolcouncil@gmail.com
School Council
The next School Council meeting is on Tuesday May 5th from 6:30pm to 8:30pm. Free childcare will be available. Don’t forget - here’s the School Council email address: JRHSchoolCouncil@gmail.com School Council looks forward to hearing feedback and voices from all Henderson community members. Finally, School Council minutes can be found here.
Have a great weekend, Hawks!
Mme Brennan, Mme Rodé and the JR Henderson Staff
Important Dates: |
2025-2026 LDSB School Year Calendar
A PDF version of the 2025-2026 School Year Calendar is available online.
School Day Schedule
Time | Activity/learning block |
|---|---|
8:55 to 9:15 a.m. | Supervision begins on the yard |
9:15 to 10:55 a.m. | 100-minute learning block |
10:55 to 11:35 a.m. | Recess and nutrition break |
11:35 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. | 100-minute learning block |
1:15 p.m. to 1:55 p.m. | Recess and nutrition break |
1:55 to 3:35 p.m. | 100-minute learning block |