JR Henderson Weekly Update #33 - May 8th, 2026
Good afternoon Henderson Families,
We have hit the ground running this May. This week was filled with learning moments and laughter, as we honoured Mental Health Week. As per usual, there are lots of updates to share. Enjoy this week's newsletter!
Garden Volunteers
With the sunny spring here, we would LOVE to have a few volunteers help weed and tidy the front garden. Our Eco Committee is starting a lunch time weeding for parents/guardians - rain or shine! Bring your own gloves and weeders :-)
May 11th from 12pm to 1pm
May 25th from 12pm to 1pm
June 8th from 12pm to 1pm
Class Placements
Our team ensures that exceptional care and thought are put into every student's class placement. 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.
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.
Bake Sale
We are looking for donations for our bake sale! If you are able to contribute, baked goods can be dropped off at the school gym doors between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. To help with serving and safety, we kindly ask that items be individually wrapped whenever possible. If drop-off is a challenge, volunteer pick-up may be arranged. Please complete the following link to let us know if you are able to donate: https://forms.gle/ZFoNwEb8cqLAmKEm7
Spring Fling Volunteers
We are currently hoping to recruit a few more volunteers to help everything run smoothly throughout the evening. Shifts include setup, activity supervision, and cleanup, and even a short time commitment goes a long way. If your schedule allows, you are welcome to sign up for more than one shift. For longer shifts, we do our best to build in breaks whenever possible. Please sign up here: https://forms.gle/je16FBiyxfhmir2q8
Class Baskets
The Spring Fling Fundraising Event is returning on the evening of May 28th! As part of the celebration, we will be hosting a silent auction featuring themed baskets created by each class.
If you are able, we kindly ask that you send your student a contribution to support their class' basket between May 11th and 22nd, based on the theme listed below:
Mental Health Week: Belonging, Connection, and Awareness
Mental Health Week was a huge success this week! Each day, our Belong and Believe Club made daily announcements, discussing the importance of bringing mental health to the forefront of daily conversations. We also invited all Hawks to an assembly to learn, discuss, grow and laugh. A HUGE thank you to our Belong and Believe leaders for their amazing contributions this week.
Lexia Information Session
For families that attended the Lexia session, there are resources below. For anyone who missed the session, the recording is also below. We appreciate your support in making this great initiative continue throughout the summer.
CAREGIVER SESSION RECORDING:
Click to view VIDEO
TIPS:
Core5 Resources for Parents
PowerUp Resources for Parents
Unique URLs to Student Online Programs:
https://www.lexiacore5.com/?SiteID=1891-9375-5734-0398
https://www.lexiapowerup.com/?SiteID=1891-9375-5734-0398
System Requirements
Core5 2025-2026 System Requirements
Core5 2026-2027 System Requirements
Road Races
The LCVI Road Race took place this week and again, Hawks blew us away with their sportsmanship and effort. While the day was a bit rainy, this did not slow us down. Well done to all runners!
Milkshake Wednesdays Starting Soon!
Week 1 of milkshakes was delicious! Here are the remaining Milkshake Wednesdays:
- 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!
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.
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).
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/
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
Our Kindergarten registration process is still underway for 2026/2027. See here for more information. Please spread the word about the great things happening at Henderson.
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
Kingston Pride
For anyone interested in attending, we are delighted to share the Kingston Pride information. We hope to see you there!
School Council
The next School Council meeting is on Tuesday June 16th 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 |