It’s Almost Time! Back To School Information

To our G.L. Armstrong families,

The beginning of our 2025-2026 school year is fast approaching, and we are looking forward to welcoming our students and the school community.

Class Placements 

Starting Monday, August 25th, the Parent Portal was made accessible, allowing you to see your child’s assigned teacher for the 2025-2026 school year.

Class placement is a collaborative process that spans several weeks, involving careful consideration of current and potential friendships, student achievement, and overall success. At this stage, we are unable to accommodate changes to class placements. Our committed staff is ready to assist with your child’s transition to their new classroom. If you have specific concerns about your child, please reach out to their teacher directly.

The First Day of School  

Grades 1-8 Students

The first day of school for grades 1-8 is Tuesday, September 2nd. Students will meet their new teachers on the playground, where teachers will have signs with their names and class lists. This area is where students can connect with their new classmates and get ready for the 8:40 am entry.

For the safety of all students, we ask that parents/guardians move quickly off the main playground during drop-off times to ensure clear supervision sightlines. If you need assistance, please seek out staff members in safety vests, who will be happy to help.

Kindergarten Students   

On Tuesday, September 2nd, all students new to kindergarten will have an opportunity to have a scheduled visit with the kindergarten team to ensure they feel comfortable and supported as they transition to school. Families registering new kindergarten children will be given a scheduled time to visit their new classrooms and educators. All JK (Year 1) and SK (Year 2) students begin full day attendance on Wednesday, September 3rd. Educators will be outside their respective classrooms to greet students and families on the enclosed kindergarten playgrounds.

Personal Devices

For information about HWDSB’s Code of Conduct and Reducing Distractions in classrooms, please click here: Reducing Distractions in Classrooms and Schools .

Bell Times and Nutrition Breaks 

Our bell times remain the same this year: 8:40 am entry, 3:00 pm dismissal.

Our school follows a Balanced Day schedule, which includes two nutrition breaks. Each break consists of 20 minutes for eating and 20 minutes for playing. Please ensure your child has enough food for both breaks. We strongly discourage dropping off or delivering food to minimize disruptions to instruction.

It’s important that your child has suitable clothing for outdoor play and indoor shoes to use throughout the school day.

Dogs   

Please note that dogs are not permitted anywhere on school property during the school day, including drop off and pick up. Thank you.

Communication

Please subscribe to G.L. Armstrong’s webpage for all school news and coming events. Click here to subscribe: Subscribe

School Cash Online   

To pay for school related items, please visit School Cash Online .

Book Fair  

Our fall Scholastic Book Fair will take place September 15th – 18th.

Meet the Staff Night – Save the Date!  

Our educators are eager to engage with the school community early in the year. We will be hosting a Meet the Staff event during the third week of school. We know that there is always a possibility of class reorganization in early October as student enrollment fluctuates, and your child’s placement could change. In the event this occurs, further introductions will be made possible.

Stay tuned for details regarding Meet the Staff on Thursday, September 18th

Transportation

Families who are eligible for busing will receive a message to declare their intention to use transportation.

Limited Courtesy Transportation will be available in early October for exceptional circumstances. Approvals for Courtesy Transportation will not be available until October from HWSTS. Families can apply for courtesy transportation here:  Hamilton Wentworth Student Transportation Services (HWSTS)

Learn more.

Plan of Care

You will be contacted if your child has a Plan of Care currently on file at the school to update if required. If your child is new to the school or has had a change in a medical condition, and requires a new Plan of Care, please notify the office.

We are looking forward to a great year together. Enjoy these last days of summer!

Yours sincerely,

K. Dunford, Principal

J. Sired, Vice-Principal