January 23, 2026
Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s):
Happy Friday! It has been a cold, cold week. Please make sure you are sending your student to school with outdoor clothing such as hats, mittens, boots and snowpants. Please note that when temperatures dip below minus twenty with the windchill, we will keep the students inside. Today they were inside for both breaks.
Thank you everyone for being extra cautious this week in the parking lot as we navigated the additional snow! We continue to work with the snow plough contract and facilities to find the best spots for snow when we have significant accumulation.
Please note that two important communications went home this week. Students in Grades 1 to 4 received a notice about a Club Rex Recess Program starting in February. All students received a notice about Internet Safety workshops that are happening the week of February 9th in every classroom. If you have any question about either of these, please reach out to myself or Mrs. Dupuis.
DSBN Parent Workshop Wednesday, February 11, from 6:00 to 7:30 PM
Once again, the Mental Health & Well-Being and Special Education Teams are offering the caregiver workshop: “Funding and Supports for Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults with Physical and/or Developmental Disabilities.” This workshop provides valuable information about funding, supports, resources, and grants available within the community for children aged 0-18+ with physical and/or developmental disabilities.
Parents and guardians will gain an understanding of:
- Available services within the community,
- Eligibility criteria for supports,
- The process for accessing these services,
- Practical tips for connecting with community service providers, and
- Transition age youth planning for individuals aged 12+ in preparation for adult service
Please use this Registration Link to sign up.
Open House at DSBN Academy will take place on Tuesday, February 10 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm.
Online registration opened week of January 5th at ACADEMY.DSBN.ORG/APPLY. The link to online registration is posted on all elementary school websites banners. Registration closes on Tuesday February 17th at 4 pm.
WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS TO APPLY TO DSBN ACADEMY?
- Student must live within the Niagara Region
- Student must be entering grade 6, 7, or 8 in September. (Note: spaces are limited in grades 7 and 8)
- Student would be the first in their family to graduate from a college or university. (If a sibling of the student has attended a post‐secondary institution but the parent(s)/guardian(s) have not, the student is still considered a first-generation student.)
- Student must be willing to attend a school location, the DSBN Academy site, which may be outside of their community. Transportation will be provided for these students.
- Student understands there is a mandatory after‐school program that enhances the student experience beyond the classroom. These include enrichment opportunities and academic supports. After-school ENCORE enrichment opportunities include: Mixed sports, Chess, Karate, Dance, Coding, Mad Science, Board games, Photography, Makerspace, Choir, Canvas painting, Crochet, Crafts, Lego Robotics, Baking, Debating, Fashion, Drama, Cooking, Stop Motion Animation and many more!
- Note: DSBN Academy Secondary programming is designed to prepare students for College and University.
January is Kindergarten Registration Month at the DSBN!
Families with children turning four in 2026 are invited to visit www.dsbn.org/kindergarten to learn more about Kindergarten programming and online registration. Families can also contact our school office to book a time for in-person registration.
Kindergarten Open Houses are in May
We look forward to hosting our new Greyhawks and their parents/guardians at an Open House on May 5th from 4:00 – 6:00 pm. Further details about our Open House will be emailed directly to registered families in late April.
Inclement Weather Message for Families
There are times in Niagara when weather conditions are so poor that we must cancel student transportation, and/or close schools to preserve the safety of students and staff. The decision to cancel transportation and/or close schools is not taken lightly; a variety of factors are considered when making this choice. To learn more about how these decisions are made, please go to https://www.dsbn.org/inclementweather.
Intermediate Basketball Schedule 2026
Games will be on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The games will be double headers with both the boys and the girls teams playing at the same date and location. The brackets beside each game indicates which team (boys or girls) plays the first game of the double header. The first game is scheduled to start at 4:00 pm, with the second game starting directly after the first.
Also, a reminder to parents that in conjunction with the Intermediate Basketball structure for the DSBN, not all playing time will be equal during games. This situation has been discussed with all the girls on the team and although every team member will be provided with playing experience during the season, team members recognize that this may not happen for every game.
Thursday, Jan. 29 - Carleton @ Gracefield (Girls)
Tuesday, Feb. 3 - Gracefield @ Prince of Wales (St. Cath) (Boys)
Thursday, Feb. 5 - Westdale @ Gracefield (Girls)
*Feb. 10 & 12 - Playoff Games (Times and Places TBD)
Athletes and their families will be responsible for getting the athletes to all of our away games.
Mr. A. Tayler and Mrs. J Mayes
Intermediate Basketball Coaches
Have a great weekend!
Mrs. Di Roma
Principal
Important Dates