Gryphon Gazette: October 2026
October is here, bringing crisp mornings, colourful leaves, and plenty of reasons to feel excited about the months ahead! As your Principal & Vice-Principal team, we are so proud of the positive start our K–12 school community has made and the energy our students and staff bring to the building each day.
Our school vision, BELIEVE, continues to guide us: Belonging, Empathy, Learning, Integrity, Every Student, Voice, and Excellence. These words are more than an acronym—they are a shared promise to create a school where everyone is welcomed, supported, heard, and encouraged to grow. From our youngest learners to our graduating students, every person has an important place in our school story.
As we move forward together, we look forward to celebrating big accomplishments, small victories, new connections, and all the wonderful moments still to come. There may be a few busy days—and perhaps a few extra cups of coffee along the way—but we know that when we BELIEVE in ourselves and one another, we can accomplish great things.
Thank you to our students, families, staff, and community partners for your continued support and enthusiasm. Here’s to a joyful October and a bright future ahead—together!
Ms. Moore & Mr. McCullough
Special Thanks to Parent Council
For yet another year, the GREC Eat, Meet & Greet event was a huge success! We wanted to be sure to extend our heartfelt thank you to our Parent Council for providing a free barbeque to our community during the event. We are always thankful for the many ways that Parent Council supports our students and school - and this event is no different!
Thank you also to all of the families and friends who made it out to visit the school. We are thankful for the partnerships we have with all stakeholders as we continue on the journey of learning with our students.
Upcoming Spirit Week!
BUS LANE - Updates & Coming Changes
The start of a new year has brought with it an increase in vehicular traffic to the school at the beginning and end of the school day. In the morning, the increase of cars with students being dropped off is causing delays for our morning bus routines. In the afternoon, vehicles arriving and parking near the exit has delayed the ability of buses to exit the property safely. Each of these things results in compounding outcomes - from students arriving late to class, to sight lines on road 38 being reduced, to significant safety concerns.
As buses enter the school lot, multiple cars in the line results in buses being stopped - while still full of students - unsafely on road 38; waiting for the traffic on the school property to move forward. This causes significant risk of accident. Additionally, students exiting cars amidst the line of traffic are walking between vehicles; causing concern for their safety as vehicles continue to navigate the line.
By all means, the way to ensure the greatest safety of all of our students, is to reduce the number of cars in the bus lane between the hours of 8:00 and 8:30am, and then again between 2:30 and 3:00pm, as per posted signs. Further, safety can be supported most easily by ensuring that as many students as possible arrive by bus. We would ask that all guardians do their best to have students ride the bus to and from school as often as possible, understanding that sometimes special circumstances will result in the need for drop off or pick up. In these extenuating circumstances, it is most helpful for guardians to ensure use of the bus lane is solely outside of the hours of 8:00-8:30am and 2:30-3:00pm.
If the hours above are unavoidable, we would ask that families use Dixon Crescent as a parking area and either wait, or walk to the school from there. To increase the safety for our students in this scenario, we are working with facilities to have a gate added to the southeast corner of the property, which would be accessible to pedestrians via the fire route at the back of the school property. We are also exploring having the sidewalk extended to the edge of the property so that individuals are not forced to walk along the fence line until the sidewalk begins. In all scenarios, all vehicle traffic must be moving slowly and with awareness of potential pedestrian movement.
We understand that all families have many things to navigate at the start and end of each day. We appreciate everyone doing their best to support us as we continue to plan with student safety in mind.
A Change for Elementary Nutrition Breaks
Recently, the Ministry of Education made changes to attendance practices for elementary schools. These changes have been put in place to ensure the utmost of safety for our students given the high number of transitions over the course of the day, and involve schools taking attendance more regularly throughout the day.
As we explored our daily routines and putting the new practices in place, we identified an area of hardship during nutrition breaks; specifically, the additional transition to the cafeteria required attendance without a means for classroom teachers to take it. As such, we have communicated with students that, until further notice, we will have students eat for nutrition break in their classrooms.
This change is not significant, as students were previously sitting in the cafeteria in classroom groups, and access to the cafeteria for purchase of food remains available as before. Our students have transitioned through the change easily and smoothly. We will continue to reflect on our approaches with safety as our guide, and make adjustments as needed.
Updates from KFLA Public Health
CHRISTMAS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
REMINDER: DENTAL SCREENING
A friendly reminder that oral health screenings are being conducted at GREC for all students in JK, SK, 2 and 7. Please note that your student may also be included if a dental concern was identified in a previous year of screening. Additionally, any students who wish to complete a screening, but are outside of the grades listed, are welcome to request a screening by calling the main office.
Daily Schedule
Volunteering - Police Checks
Any parents or guardians wishing to volunteer at the school or on field trips MUST have a current (within 6 months) VALID police check with vulnerable sector. If you are considering taking part in any school-based activities with your child this year, it is best to be proactive and complete your police check as soon as possible, as they can take a number of weeks to be completed.
For those requesting police checks, please contact the school as we will provide you with a letter so that you can request the document free of charge.
Upcoming Dates
October 2026
- Oct 5-9 - Safety Week
- Oct 7 - Mental Health Symposium (secondary)
- Oct 16 - Academic Awards
- Oct 21 - Grade 7 & 8 Immunizations
- Oct 26 - PA Day
- Oct 29 - Photo Retakes
School Year Calendars
Parent Council
Dear Parents & Guardians,
We invite you to join our Parent Council meetings (typically on the first Monday of each month), which will take place in the GREC Library or online via Zoom from 5:30-6:30pm.
The Parent Council is a group of parents, guardians, staff, and community members who work together to support and enhance our school environment. Through these meetings, we discuss important topics, share updates, and make decisions that shape our school community.
Your insights and ideas are invaluable to us. We believe that a range of perspectives strengthens our efforts, and we would love to see more voices represented. Whether you have suggestions, or questions, or simply want to listen in, your involvement makes a real difference!
Please consider joining us. We look forward to welcoming new and returning faces.
Prevalent Medical Conditions
Schools are required to have a plan of care on site for any student with a prevalent medical condition. If your student has a prevalent medical condition, please take the time to fill out the appropriate form below and return the form to the school to the attention of the main office, or by emailing completed forms to gredc@limestone.on.ca. Forms must be updated annually so that the school is aware of changes to plans.
If your student requires daily medications, these should NOT be carried in backpacks, but rather stored in the main office. If medications are to be administered by school staff, additional forms are required. Please reach out to the school if you have any questions, or to make arrangements for administration of medications.
- Asthma Plan of Care
- Anaphylaxis Plan of Care
- Epilepsy Plan of Care
- Diabetes Plan of Care
- Generic Plan of Care
Late Arrival? Early Dismissal?
As you can appreciate, the office can be very busy at the beginning and end of each day. We ask that you notify your student's teacher (Elementary; note, email) or the main office (Secondary) about changes to regular routines ahead of time wherever possible. If there are unforeseen changes, please notify the office before 1:30pm. This will allow us to relay the information to the classroom in a timely manner.
All doors of the school building remain locked during the school day. Please continue to buzz at the front door for pick ups and drop offs during the day.
Reporting a Student Absence
Reporting Absences: There are three options to use to report a student absence:
- use the SchoolMessenger App on your phone, select "Attendance", then "Report an Absence"
- use the SchoolMessenger website portal
- Call the main office of the school
