Bi Weekly Bulletin : October 20 to October 31, 2025

A Message from your Administrators 

Dear Langstaff Families and Community Partners:

The fall season is truly upon us and it is wonderful to enjoy the beauty of the autumn colours around us. This is the time of the year when I most appreciate where our school is located. LSS is very lucky to have such lovely outdoor facilities that give us access to grassy fields and many beautiful trees. I actually have a favourite tree at this time of the year, and if you get a chance to walk or drive by, I hope you will. There is a spectacular, vibrant red tree right at the stop sign at Garden Ave and Hunter’s Point. The prettiest fall tree there is!

I want to give a “shout out” to our Fitness Leadership class and their teacher, Ms. Burley for organizing the Terry Fox Walk/Run. We were so lucky to have such a beautiful day to go outside as a whole school community and take the time to learn about Terry Fox, walk our track, and raise money for the Canadian Cancer Society. Together, we raised just over $456 for this important cause. These are the moments that make us all proud of what the LSS can accomplish when we work together.I also want to congratulate all our Award winners from this morning’s award ceremony. It was a wonderful event, and it was so nice to see so many parents and families come to the school to watch so many students receive awards to acknowledge impressive accomplishments.

Tuesday, October 21 is our School Council meeting. This one is a very important one!! Please join us in the library at 7:00 pm when our very own Guidance Dept. will be presenting on post-secondary pathways and how to apply to College and University programs. We know you do not want to miss this. 

And… most exciting of all; Thursday, October 23 is Parent-Teacher Interview Night. We hope to see everyone in the Cafeteria at 6:30 pm for our meet and greet with all the teachers. This is a perfect chance to come in, put a face to a name, and hear how your children are doing in their courses. There are interview times available for those parents who wish to discuss something more privately. Please make sure to sign up through TeachAssist.

Also, on Thursday, October 30^th will be our “Boo Bash” Dance. Our students are very excited to have this costume party dance, and already well over 100 tickets have been sold to this event.

Friday, October 24 is a PA Day. While the students get to enjoy a day to sleep in a little and catch up on homework, the LSS staff will be learning together on a variety of topics, including Artificial Intelligence, English Language Learners, and School Improvement planning.

We know that from time to time, you may have a question or two. We invite you to contact the Main Office, as we are more than happy to assist you. 

We wish to thank you for your unwavering support and understanding.

Ms. S. Epstein

Principal

School News

SHSM - Specialist High Skills Major

Interested in Experiential Learning Opportunities and Cooperative Education? Would you like to build your skills and gain valuable sector-recognized certifications? Students in grade 11 or 12 should consider signing up for the Specialist High Skills Major Program (SHSM). 

There was a lot of interest at our pop-up station today at lunch. Decided you would like to join the program?!

LOGIN TO YOUR YRDSB @gapps ACCOUNT TO COMPLETE THE APPLICATION:

https://bit.ly/YRDSBSHSMStudentapp

SHSM SECTORS AT LANGSTAFF SS: 

1. BUSINESS
2. HEALTH & WELLNESS
3. INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
4. JUSTICE, COMMUNITY SAFETY AND EMERGENCY SERVICES

Please refer to photos sent in the bi-weekly bulletin to families. 

School Start-Up Forms – Completing Online

Dear Families, 

Please take a moment this weekend to fill out the important School Start-Up ONLINE Permission Form, if you have not already done so.

Please click on this link to complete the forms: https://startupforms.yrdsb.ca/

Thank you.

Attendance Reminder

Parents/Guardians are reminded to report all absences and/or late notices to the Attendance Office

As soon as possible by calling: 905-889-6266 extension 1: 

OR

email: langstaff.ss.attendance@yrdsb.ca

Should your student have a planned absence for 3 or more days, an Extended Absence Form must be signed by each subject teacher, parent/guardian, and the Vice-Principal before leaving for the absence; Extended Absence Forms are available at the Main Office.

Student Parking

Langstaff SS has a student-designated parking lot, which is on the west side of the school.  To park there, students must come to the main office and pick up a student parking form and have it filled out and signed by their parent/guardian. 

School Bell Times

Age of Majority Consent

Once a student turns 18, it becomes more complicated for the School/Teacher to reach out and connect with you, either with specific concerns or to share information in general. In order for the school to maintain contact, your adult child (i.e., after their 18th birthday) must sign and return the Age Majority Consent Form. This form can be obtained from the Main Office.

For any student who has not submitted the form after their 18th birthday, contact between school and home ceases. If your child is turning 18 this school year, please discuss with them what will happen when they turn 18.

If you have any questions, please connect with the Main Office.

Communication with Home

At LSS we offer several methods of communication to share information on a regular basis with our parents’ and guardians’ homes.  A calendar of school events and our bi-weekly news bulletins are posted on our school website.

We also provide daily attendance reports to parents and guardians every day.  In order to provide you with up-to-date attendance reports and other information, we request that all parents and guardians submit current email addresses; these can be updated by sending your email address to: langstaff.ss@yrdsb.ca 

Allergies/Medical Conditions

If your child has a serious life-threatening allergy or medical condition, please let the Main Office know immediately and complete the appropriate medical forms.

There are students and staff members in our school who have life-threatening allergies to nuts and other allergens. If they smell or come into contact with these foods, they may have an anaphylactic reaction.

To help create an allergen-safe environment, do not bring nuts or nut products to school.

Please notify the school if your child has one of the following medical conditions:

• Anaphylaxis - Anaphylaxis Health Care Plan
• Asthma - Asthma Health Care Plan
• Diabetes - Diabetes Health Care Plan
• Epilepsy / Seizure Disorder - Epilepsy Seizure Disorder
• Health Care (Other) - Health Care Plan (Other) 

In addition to completing forms, please provide any life-saving medication your child may require at school (e.g., EpiPen, Inhaler/Puffer, etc.)

Thank you for your cooperation in helping ensure a safe and supportive environment for all students and staff.

We are thrilled to expand student clubs, sports, and events this year! 

To help make it happen, we encourage families to support through the $40 Student Activity Fee.

Payments can be made by going to School Cash Online, here is the link: https://yrdsb.schoolcashonline.com/

To join ANY CLUB or SPORTS TEAM you MUST pay the $40 Student Activity Fee

You will also receive a:

Discount at School events (Dances, Semi-Formal & Prom)

Discount on Yearbook

If you DO NOT pay the $40 Student Activity Fee, you CANNOT join a CLUB or be on a SPORTS TEAM and you MUST pay:

FULL price at School events (Dances, Semi-Formal & Prom)

FULL price for Yearbook

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

Student Council

Langstaff’s Student Council, or STUCO, is excited to be back in action this school year.  We have a lot of activities planned throughout the school year, such as:

· Halloween pumpkin carving competition

· Global Bears orientation

· Holiday Candy Grams

· Battle of the Bands

· Fundraiser events

· Valentine's Serenades 

· International Food Festival

· And many more!

You can keep up to date with STUCO news and upcoming events via our Instagram: @yrdsb.schools also on: (@langstaffstuco)

Guidance News

Your Guidance Department Mission Statement

Support and promote students' interpersonal development, and career development in order to help them develop resilience and realize their potential (success) as individuals and as valuable members of society.

-Ontario School Counsellors' Association

Accessing Your Guidance Team

 Contact Information: Please note the Guidance Counselors below

Stay Connected and in the “Loop”: Continue to stay up to date

 by following us on Instagram and LSS Guidance & Success Google Classroom 

Instagram: @lssguidance

Google Classroom: https://classroom.google.com/c/NjcxOTQwNzYzNDFa?cjc=4rjwryf

Guidance Appointments: can be made in person by coming to guidance. There is a red binder on a standing desk in the Guidance Office. Students can book with their respective counsellor, by alpha last name. The appointments are made available every Monday morning for the week.

Semester 2 Timetables

Guidance is currently working on transitions, pathway planning, and post-secondary preparation. For students wanting to discuss semester 2 timetable options, please note that a window for course changes will be available in mid-November. More details to follow.

GUIDANCE APPOINTMENTS- NEW!!!

Making guidance appointments has moved to an online sign up system. 

How to make a Guidance Appointment: 

1. please plan accordingly.
2. If you need to cancel your appointment for any reason, click "cancel."
3. Appointments are released on a weekly basis
4. If you don’t see availability for the day selected within the week, it means we are fully booked.
5. If you are in a personal crisis, please come to guidance.

Night School  - Continuing Education 

Registration is now closed. The program will be delivered virtually in real-time (synchronous). Classes are held on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6:30-9:45 p.m. 

Semester 1 - Fall: September 25, 2025 to January 22, 2026 

More info, including courses offered for both semesters, can be found here.

Post-Secondary Preparation

Guidance hosted a presentation for Graduating Grade 12 students to help prepare for applications.

The presentation is available in the Google Classroom.

We will also share similar information at the next School Council meeting on October 21st.

OEN NUMBERS

Grade 11 and 12 students will receive an email from the school board, which will include their OEN (Ontario Education Number). They will use this to create their accounts for their Ontario college or university applications.

Please see the flyer below for all YRDSB events

The Ontario College Fair will not take place in 2025. Students are invited to attend one of the College Information Program opportunities offered at colleges and polytechnics throughout Ontario

Grade 12 Post Secondary Presentation: Preparing to apply to College and University

Guidance is hosting a presentation for Graduating Grade 12 students to help prepare for applications.

Date: October 22
Time: Period 2

Teachers will accompany their classes. Please share with Grade 12 students who have period 2 Spare or are in grade 10/11 classes and graduating in period 2.

YRDSB Post-Secondary Fair

Thursday, November 6 @ Alexander Mackenzie High School, 6:30pm-8:30pm

All LSS students and parents are welcome.

LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Would you like to contribute to the future of your community and your country? Are you interested in learning more about the decision-making process in Canada? Do you want to connect and create meaningful networks with others from across Canada who share interests and passions similar to yours? Join the Forum for Young Canadians community!

APPLICATIONS ARE DUE ON OCTOBER 26

Learn more here

Accelerated OYAP Information:

The application for the semester 2 Accelerated OYAP programs is now open. The direct link to it is www.bit.ly\DCOYAP. The application deadline is Friday, November 7th. Information about each Accelerated OYAP program offered can be found on the Accelerated OYAP SharePoint. The exact dates for each program have not been finalized for the 2025-2026 school year, however, they will be very similar to the dates for the 2024-2025 school year. The following is a brief summary of the Accelerated OYAP Program Eligibility:

• Graduating Grade 12 students (June 2026)
• Strongly recommended to have completed 40 hrs. community service and literacy test (or OLC4O)
• Registered in a 4 credit Co-op/PAE/ALEP in Semester 2 of Grade 12
• Must be sponsored by an employer/Co-op placement and be signed as an apprentice by the time the Accelerated OYAP program begins.
• Have related technical and/or Co-op experience and/or work experience and a strong interest in Skilled Trades
• Transportation to and from the location of the Accelerated OYAP level 1 programming is required. G2 Drivers license is strongly recommended.

Student Success

Langstaff will be offering 2 Afterschool Programs to help students who are struggling in their classes. These classes will be led by Langstaff teachers and are free of charge. There is a minimal fee for international paying students.

Numeracy: This program will help support students struggling in math in Grade 9 and 10. This program will take place every Thursday in room 155 from 2:45pm-4:15pm starting on October 30th and ending on Thursday January 15th. Please bring in your signed permission form which is attached. Submit your form to student success as soon as possible.

Numeracy Permission Form

Credit Success: This program will help support students struggling in all subject areas in Grade 9-12. This program will take place every Wednesday in room 132-Student Success starting Wednesday October 29th and ending on Wednesday January 14th. Please bring in your signed permission form which is attached. Submit your form to student success as soon as possible.

Credit Success Permission Form

If you have any questions or concerns, please see Ms. Starkman or Ms. Monroe in student success-room 132.

The Bear Den-our student success room 132 is open for students as a quiet place to work. Ms. Monroe and Ms. Starkman are available for support as needed. Students are welcome during their spares or if they have a form and teacher permission.

Please join the Guidance and Student Success Google Classroom for all important information, including volunteer and leadership opportunities, post-secondary, and more. Join code is:4rjwryf

Clubs and Teams

“The Wellness Club is a student-led group focused on building supportive, inclusive spaces at Langstaff.“The Wellness Club’s focus is on building supportive, inclusive spaces at Langstaff. We organize Wellness Wednesdays 3 days a month; low-barrier activities such as sport, music, or art-related group activities that give students opportunities to connect, de-stress, and express themselves.

The club itself meets formally on every fourth Wednesday to plan upcoming activities. These meetings are used to coordinate logistics, assign responsibilities, and prepare for future Wellness Wednesdays and larger projects such as Grade 7 Mental Health Day. Our next planning meeting will be held on October 8th in the bear’s den-room 132 during lunch. All students are welcome to all events and to be a part of the planning process.

Upcoming wellness events include bracelet-making, cozy lunch movies, and a refreshing walk to Starbucks, perfect ways to relax, recharge, and connect with friends. 

Stay tuned to the announcements for location information!!

Library Commons

We've just wrapped our Grade 9 Library Orientations! Through a series of interactive activities, students explored and became familiar with the wide range of resources available to them—both in print and digital formats. 

During their visit, students:

Navigated and accessed digital research tools

Checked out a library book

Printed documents directly from their devices

And took selfies with our personalized LSS BEAR props!

The grade 9 students completed a variety of engaging tasks and earned prizes along the way, making the experience both fun and educational. These foundational skills will support their learning journey throughout high school and beyond.

Here are some highlights from the visits!

Please refer to photos sent in the bi-weekly bulletin to families. 

The LSS Bear Props were Designed by Senior Graphic Design students Armin and Sahel!

On September 30th, the Library Learning Commons welcomed Ms.Giovannoni’s Grade 11 Law class who participated in the “You Be the Judge” activity, a hands-on learning experience that challenged students to apply their understanding of Canadian Human Rights Law. 

Students were presented with a case study demonstrating a wide range of issues: search and seizure, refugee status, religious freedom and more. After carefully analyzing the facts of each case and based on their legal research, they delivered their final ruling.

Please refer to photos sent in the bi-weekly bulletin to families.

The activity was led by Mr. Danjoux, Head of the History Department, who explored an AI tool that prompted students and posed follow-up questions, to encourage deeper thinking and refine their answers.

It was truly a morning of learning, where students engaged with real-world legal concepts in a rich environment for collaboration, research, and critical thinking.

A message from the York Region Public Libraries

Italy 2026

LANGSTAFF BEARS! SPOTS ARE FILLING UP QUICKLY FOR THE 2026 ITALY ADVENTURE! DON'T MISS OUT — GO TO YOUR GAPPS ACCOUNT AND RESERVE YOUR SPOT TODAY! LET'S MAKE ITALY YOUR CLASSROOM THIS SPRING!

School Cash Online

Langstaff Secondary School accepts online payments through School Cash ONLINE!

School Cash Online is our preferred method of payment and provides the following benefits:

•   A convenient fee payment option can be made anywhere, anytime!

•   No need to send cash or cheques to school

•   A quick way to register. It takes less than 5 minutes to register

•     You can choose the language of your choice by clicking Google Translate! 

Parents that opt to participate will receive notification via email of student fees and can make secure online payments by credit card and receive a receipt.

Follow the easy steps below to Register and get started!

Step 1: Register

1. Please go to the School Cash Online parent site: https://yrdsb.schoolcashonline.com/
2. Select the “Register” button
3. Enter your parent information to create an account. 

*For Security Reasons your password, requires 8 characters, one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter and a number.

 Step 2: Confirmation Email

A registration confirmation email will be automatically forwarded to you. Click on the link provided inside the email to confirm your email and School Cash Online account. The confirmation link will open the School Cash Online site prompting you to sign into your account. Use your email address and password just created with your account.

Step 3: Find/Add Student

NOTE: Enter Student Number (not OEN)

 This step will connect your children to your account. 

1. Select the School Name from the list
2. Enter student information: Student Number and Last Name
3. Select Confirm

4. On the next page confirm that you are related to the child, 

   check in the Agree box and select Continue

5. Your child has been added to your account 

Step 4: View Items or Add Another Student 

• If you have more children, select “Add Another Student” option in My Account/My Students and repeat the steps above. 5 children can be added to one parent account.
• If you do not wish to add additional children, select “View Items For Students” option.
• A listing of available items for purchase will be displayed.

Need Help?

If you require assistance, select the GET HELP option in the top right hand corner of the screen or contact School Cash Online – Parent Help Desk at 1-866-961-1803 or parenthelp@schoolcashonline.com.

School Council Meeting 

Tuesday, October 21st, 2025

7:00 pm - 8:30 pm - in the Library

Please join us on Monday to learn more about Applying to Colleges and Universities

How do students apply to College & University? 

What marks get sent? 

What is ''Early Acceptance''?

What scholarships are available? 

Does it matter where my child attends school? 

Our Guest Speaker will be Ms. Reina Chidiac - Department Head of Guidance Langstaff SS

We hope that you can join us for this very informative session. Good information for all parents/guardians. 

We look forward to seeing you there!  We hope you able to join us! We look forward to seeing you there!   

York Region District School Board Proposed Secondary School French Immersion Boundary Change  Public Information Meeting Wednesday October 22nd, 2025 at 7:00 pm Location: Thornlea Secondary School Cafeteria, 8075 Bayview Ave, Thornhill The York Region District School Board will be hosting a public information meeting regarding a proposed change to the Langstaff Secondary School French Immersion boundary.    The purpose of this meeting is to provide information to parents regarding the proposal to add the current Langstaff Secondary School French Immersion boundary to the Thornlea Secondary School French Immersion boundary, effective September 2026.    Beginning in September 2026, French Immersion students entering grade 9 residing in the grey area shown on the map below will be impacted by the proposed change.            For more information visit the YRDSB School Boundary and Presentations webpage. Email: planning.services@yrdsb.ca

Community News