Guthrie Public School Newsletter
September 2025
Welcome to the 2025-2026 School Year, Gryphons!
We hope you had a wonderful summer and that everyone is ready for another great year at Guthrie! As we all prepare for the first day of school, we wanted to share some information with you that may support your return to school.
Welcome Back to School!
Dear Guthrie Public School Families,
It is with great excitement and heartfelt gratitude that I introduce myself as the new principal of Guthrie Public School. I am honored to join this vibrant and dedicated community, and I look forward to partnering with you to ensure a successful and joyful school year for every student.
As we begin this new chapter together, I want to acknowledge the strong traditions and values that make Guthrie such a special place. Our school is known for its commitment to academic excellence, student well-being, and a culture of kindness and respect. I am eager to build on these strengths while bringing fresh energy and ideas to support our shared goals.
I am also thrilled to welcome Ms. Michaud, our new vice principal, to Guthrie Public School. Ms. Michaud brings a wealth of experience, a deep passion for education, and a strong commitment to student success. Together, we are excited to lead with care, collaboration, and a shared vision for a thriving school community.
This year, we’re also excited to introduce a very special member of our team … Frankie, my trained therapy dog. Frankie is a miniature schnauzer who has been working in the school system for eight years. She is hypoallergenic and lives primarily in the office throughout the day. Frankie brings a calming presence and is always happy to greet students and staff with gentle affection and a wagging tail. Her role in our school is to support emotional wellness and help create a warm, welcoming environment for everyone who enters the building.
Our focus this year will be on fostering a safe, inclusive, and engaging learning environment where every child feels seen, supported, and inspired to grow. We will continue to prioritize high-quality instruction, meaningful relationships, and opportunities for students to explore their passions both inside and outside the classroom.
I believe that strong schools are built on strong partnerships. I invite you to be active participants in your child’s education and in our school community. Whether through volunteering, attending events, or simply staying connected, your involvement makes a tremendous difference.
Please know that my door is always open. I welcome your questions, ideas, and feedback as we work together to make Guthrie Public School the best it can be.
Here’s to a fantastic school year filled with learning, laughter, and growth. I can’t wait to meet each of you and begin this exciting journey together.
Warm regards,
Rob Norris
Principal
Guthrie Public School
Important Dates at Guthrie:
September 2 - Senior Kindergarten to Grade 8 first day of school
September 4 - Junior Kindergarten students first day of school
September 12 - Oro Fair Day (paperwork will be coming home the first day of school)
September 23 - Elementary Turnaround Day
September 26 - PA Day (Students do not attend)
September 30 - National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (wear your orange shirt)
October 2 - School picture day
October – lunch program begins (order via LUNCHbox on SchoolCash online – if you’re new to School Cash Online information will be sent home later)
November 12 – Picture Retake Day
Elementary School Year Calendar: Click Here
Guthrie Public School Staff for September 2024-2025
Principal: Mr. Rob Norris
Vice-Principal: Ms. Cynthia Michaud
Office Staff: Mrs. Lund, Ms. Nelles
Kindergarten: Ms. Masterson, Mrs. Liedtke, and Mrs. Oatway
Grade 1: Ms. Masterson, Mrs. Sage
Grade 1/2: Mrs. Aldridge
Grade 2: Mrs. Cillis
Grade 3: Ms. Laframboise
Grade 3: Mrs. Rutledge
Grade 4: Mrs. Grady
Grade 4/5: Mr. Leonard
Grade 5: Mr. Murphy
Grade 5/6: Mrs. Jolliffe
Grade 6: Mrs. Carter
Grade 7: Mrs. Gaudet
Grade 7/8: Mrs. Thomas
Grade 8: Mr. Bulvos
French: Mme. Michieli, Mlle. Osmond
FSL: Ms. Osmond, Mrs, Michieli
Educational Assistants: Ms. Butler, Mr. McGrady, Mrs. D’Ambroso, Mrs. Lukacs
Music: Mr. Knapp
Librarian: Mrs. Davey
SERT: Mrs. MacIntosh, Ms. Michaud
Custodial Team: Ms. Henry, Mr. Johnston, Mrs. Skippari
First Day of School Procedures: On our first day of school, staff members will be outside to greet students and to help them locate their classroom teacher. Classroom teachers will be on the yard holding grade signs for ease of visibility. Parents/Guardians are welcome to accompany their child onto the school yard on the first day of school. Following our safe schools policy, parents/guardians are not permitted on the school yard during the day after the first day of school.
Open Communication Policy: Please establish an open line of communication with your child’s teacher; ask questions, share concerns, and work together to support your child’s success! Please reach out if you have any questions.
Class Placements: As with every school year, class placements in September are tentative as we determine if there is a need to reorganize classes. If we are required to reorganize classes, we will communicate this with families prior to the turnaround date of September 23rd.
Procedures for Appointments & Early Pick Up: Your child’s education is important to us! As much as possible please try to schedule appointments for outside of the school day so that instructional times are not interrupted. If it is unavoidable and you need to pick up your child during the day, or need to pick them up early, please ensure you have sent a message to your child’s teacher so your child can be sent to the office at the designated time (please allow extra time for your child to pack up and make their way to the office). We are working to eliminate interrupting classes out of respect for the learning environment during instructional times. As such, we would ask that you please do not call the school regarding pick ups during the instructional day as it is both an interruption to the office and to your child’s learning. We appreciate your commitment to this collaborative effort!
Busing: Students must ride their own school bus to and from school and will not be permitted to ride a bus that is not their own except under special circumstances such as a family emergency. Our school buses are full and cannot accommodate students that are not assigned to the bus. As well, for safety and liability reasons, drivers must have an accurate list of students riding the bus in case of an emergency. Thank you for your cooperation with this.
Oro World’s Fair: It has been a longstanding tradition that on the second Friday of the school year (this year September 12th), Guthrie attends the fair and marches in the parade that opens the fair with the other Oro schools. We are excited that we will be able to continue that this year. In the past, parents, guardians, grandparents, etc have picked up children early from school (approximately 11:30
AM-12:00 noon) and taken the students to the fair and watched them in the parade. After the parade, students attend the fair with their families for the remainder of the day. The parade is scheduled to begin at 1:30 PM. If we have students who cannot attend the fair either with a family member or with someone else that is arranged by the family, please let us know and we will arrange coverage and alternative activities for them at the school. This is a community activity and, provides an invaluable opportunity for the children to experience the fair. Following the parade, students and guardians are welcome to tour the exhibits, many of which, were entered by Guthrie students. A paper copy of the fair permission/information form will be coming home on the first day of school so please watch for this information in your child’s backpack on Tuesday. We ask that all permission forms be returned by Monday, September 8th.
Medical Forms: Medical forms must be completed for any student who requires medication at school. These forms must be completed by parents/guardians and signed by a family physician and will be kept on file along with the medications. If you require a medical form, please let us know by calling the office or letting your child’s teacher know. We ask that any medical forms that were sent home in June for updating are sent back with your child during the first week of school.
Rainbows at Guthrie
Guthrie Public School will once again be offering a weekly support group for our students who are going through painful life transitions (e.g. separation, divorce, or death). Rainbows is an international, not-for-profit organization that fosters emotional healing among children. Staff members who have been trained with the Rainbows program will meet with small groups of students once a week during a nutrition/fitness break for 12+ weeks. If you would like your child to participate in Rainbows at Guthrie, forms are available at the office (or you can ask your child’s teacher to send one home). Please return forms to Mrs. Liedtke or to the office no later than Monday, December 8th. If you have any further questions or concerns, please contact Mrs. Liedtke. Thank you!
Information and updates from the SCDSB
This month, the SCDSB is sharing information related to the following topics:
- School board communication with parents/guardians
- SCDSB Code of Conduct
- Creating safe and welcoming spaces for students, staff, and visitors
- Safe Arrival system for SCDSB schools (elementary)
- Absence reporting system for SCDSB schools (secondary)
- SCDSB 2025-26 Student Handbook
- SCDSB Human Rights and Equity Office
- Use of Traditional Indigenous Medicines
- National Day for Truth and Reconciliation – Sept. 30
- Universal Otis-Lennon School Ability Test screening process (elementary)
- School council nominations for 2025-26 school year
- Annual notice to adult student or parent(s)/guardian(s) of students under the age of 16
- Standard acknowledgment and permission form/student information computing technology appropriate use agreement 2025-26
- Student accident insurance 2025-26
- Updating student information on file at the school
- Volunteering in schools during the 2025-26 school year
- Procedures help keep our school safe
- Student dress code
- School bus ‘Bus Tag’ program helps students get to and from school safely
- YouthReach
- SCDSB offers free Self-Reg Parenting Course – registration now open!
- Five tips for a healthy start back to school
- September PA Day
To read this information, visit the SCDSB website: https://www.scdsb.on.ca/news/current_news/information_and_updates___sept__2025