JR Henderson Weekly Update #24 - February 27th, 2026
Good afternoon Henderson Families,
What a week! While the Wednesday snow day was not planned, we experienced a full week of learning and adventure. From Carnaval to Pink Shirt Day to all of the learning in between, Hawks impressed us and soared high this week. There are lots of updates, photos and stories below. Enjoy!
Book Character Day - Thursday March 12th
One of our favourite dress-up days of the year is quickly approaching! On Thursday, March 12th we will hold our annual ‘Dress as Your Favourite Book Character Day’! Come dressed in a costume inspired by one of your favourite characters from a book. There will be prizes awarded for the most unique, creative and fun costumes. We can’t wait to see all of the characters in the classrooms and halls on March 12th!
Safety at the Crosswalk
Our Crossing guard, Sofia, has asked that all crossers ensure they are walking within the crossing lines. Crossing outside of the crosswalk poses a safety risk.
🍿 Second Annual Popcorn Fundraiser for Our Intensive Support Classroom!🍿
We’re excited to kick off our second annual popcorn fundraiser in support of our Intensive Support Classroom. On Thursday March 12th, we will be doing our second annual IST (intensive support room) popcorn fundraiser. Monday raised from this fundraiser will go towards purchasing educational materials for our students with complex learning needs. For just $2.50 per bag, you can enjoy a tasty treat while helping us purchase essential supplies that support communication, sensory needs, hands‑on learning, and meaningful engagement for our students. The item is available for purchase on School Day and the final day to purchase is Tuesday March 10th.
Every bag sold directly benefits our classroom and helps create a supportive, enriching environment where every student can thrive. Thank you for helping our efforts truly "pop".
CARNAVAL!
Our Carnval agenda was packed with fun, learning and Francais. Students spent the week celebrating French culture and traditions, spending time outdoors and connecting with other classes. We had a full day Thursday of a carousel of outdoor activities, all organized by our 7/8s, including sledding, obstacle courses and a hot chocolate stop. We also had a visit from our favourite snowman - Bonhomme Carnaval.
Pink Shirt Day
On Wednesday, we celebrated kindness by wearing pink shirts, learning about kindness in classes, hearing announcements related to learning, and finally, pledging our commitment through a whole-school mural.
Resources from our SST Team
Each month, our amazing SST Team, Ms Caldwell and Ms Adamson, will share resources to support learning at home. We hope you take the time to review these resources and, when possible, engage in the learning at home :)
Black History Month
Each year, Black History Month honours the experiences, achievements and enduring contributions of Black communities in Canada, while deepening our collective understanding of their history and impact on Canadian society. The theme this year is, “30 Years of Black History Month: Honouring Black Brilliance Across Generations — From Nation Builders to Tomorrow’s Visionaries.” This theme celebrates three decades of Black History Month in Canada and recognizes the enduring legacy of Black Canadians, whose leadership, creativity, innovation and resilience have shaped our past, continue to influence our present, and will inspire future generations.
At Henderson, a bulletin board has been created in the Junior Intermediate hallway, featuring prominent black Canadians. Classes have been invited to add to the bulletin board, as a collaborative school-wide effort that features the important learning and work. There will be announcements throughout the month highlighting famous quotes and events by Black Canadians. We also have a second display made by the office in the front hallway. We have already begun to share educational resources that will be featured in classes to spotlight this important event.
Lexia Pilot
Lexia Reading is a research-based, technology-driven literacy program designed for Pre-K–12 students to develop reading skills through adaptive, personalized learning. It focuses on six areas: phonological awareness, phonics, structural analysis, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Since September, we have been engaging in a Grade 1/2 pilot with Mrs Lloyd's class. We are also delighted to announce that we are engaging in a Grade 3 pilot, starting now, so that every student in Grade 3 at Henderson will be using this fantastic program to close reading gaps (students in French and English classes). We hope to continue to implement this program across different classes. Here are some Hawks in action using Lexia!
Southeast Public Health Update
A positive relationship with food plays an important role in both mental and physical health, and we encourage you to review the below material.
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 Wednesday March 25th at 6:30pm. 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: Save the Date: |
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 |