Hello Bulldogs! Thank you to all families who attended our parent/guardian presentations and College & University Fair on September 24th! The slides from the presentations are now posted on the Guidance google classrooms for each grade. For the grade 12s, there is also a google form they can fill out to ask questions. We will collate the questions and post a document with the answers next week.
Please see some events and information items for the coming week:
This week's Calendar:
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The York Region School Board is committed to ensuring the safety of students, staff, and visitors in the event of an emergency situation. As such, beginning next week, during Safety Week (Monday, September 28 to Friday, October 2, 2026) and throughout the school year, schools in our Board practise various safety drills, including Fire Drills, Lockdown Drills, Hold and Secure Drills and Bomb Threat Drills. It is critical that all members of our school community become familiar with emergency protocols, as they are designed to keep us all safe at school. Please refer to Board Policy #669.0 for more information about Emergency Preparedness and Crisis Management.
Practicing drills may create some anxiety for some students. If you are concerned about how these situations might impact the mental health and well-being of your child, please contact school administrators, as we have school mental health professionals available to support your child.
On Saturday September 26, 2026, the York Region District School Board Museum & Archives will be participating in Doors Open Markham. Between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., come and visit the Buttonville one-room schoolhouse that operates as the Museum for the YRDSB.
Explore a variety of buildings across the city as they open their doors to the public - for one day only! Doors Open Markham offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at select sites throughout Markham, including free access to buildings that typically charge admission.
Located in the former Brown’s Corner/Buttonville Schoolhouse, the York Region District School Board Museum & Archives collects and preserves the history of public education in York Region. The collections, from the 1850s, reflect ongoing changes to public education. Come and experience life as a student in the late 1800s by writing with pen and ink and on a slate.
Doors Open Ontario is a provincewide heritage tourism program that provides free public access to unique and historically significant sites across Ontario.
Families of YRDSB Black Students Monthly Virtual Information Session on Monday, September 28, 2026, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Families, parents, and caregivers, please join us for our monthly virtual meeting, where families with Black children come together to learn about resources and upcoming programs for Black students in both elementary and secondary schools.
Please see the www event link to this board event to attend.
The Dismantling Anti-Black Racism Strategy Implementation Plan Team, is proud to announce the upcoming event for students, families and staff.
Growing Together - Planning for Success
Date: Wednesday, October 7, 2026
Time: 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Location: Richmond Hill High School (201 Yorkland St., Richmond Hill)
Registration: Please register now!
The move to high school is a critical milestone, and we are committed to ensuring every student and family feels fully prepared and equipped for success.
We are excited to invite Black students and their families in Grades 6 through 10 to an upcoming event highlighting the opportunities available to support pathway planning, specialty programs, and the transition between elementary and secondary school.
This is a key opportunity for Black students and families to connect with educators, ask questions, and build a personalized roadmap for a successful and fulfilling secondary school experience.
September 30th is a day for Canadians to observe both Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. This day is a chance to learn about the history and lasting impact of residential schools, which were institutions created to assimilate Indigenous children, erase their cultures, and perpetrate the genocide of Indigenous Peoples. The day also honours the story of residential school survivor Phyllis Webstad, a member of the Stswecem'c Xgat'tem First Nation, survivor of the residential school system, and the founder of Orange Shirt Day.
We encourage staff and students to wear an orange shirt on September 30th to recognize the bravery and resilience of survivors and those who never returned home.
As part of our continued commitment to truth and reconciliation Bur Oak SS is Flying the Every Child Matters flag. The flag signifies YRDSB’s ongoing commitment to honour the generations of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis children who attended residential schools, those who survived, and the thousands of children who died in these institutions.
- Applications for Ontario university programs starting in the fall of 2027 are now open. Students need to create an account and apply through the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC). They will need their OEN to complete the application. They can find their OEN on any report card or transcript.
- Applications for Ontario college programs starting in the fall of 2027 are opening on Saturday, September 26. Students need to create an account and apply through the Ontario College Application Service (OCAS). They will need their OEN to complete the application.
- Upcoming Events:
- September 26 & 27 - Ontario Universities’ Fair (OUF) - The fair will take place from 9:30 am to 5 pm, daily at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, South Building. Visit the OUF website for more information and to register.
- September 28 – October 5 - Grade 9 presentations in period 2 - During these presentations, we will introduce students to our Guidance and Learning Commons staff. We will discuss available services and resources as well as how to access them. The Guidance presentation will also include information regarding community involvement hours and mental health and wellness.
- Sunday, October 4 - SchoolFinder Fair - Location: the Toronto Reference Library, The Bram & Bluma Appel Salon. There will be seminars from 12 pm to 1 pm and the fair will run from 1 pm to 5 pm. At this fair, students and their families can explore universities, colleges, gap years, and work/study abroad options.Visit the SchoolFinder Fairs website for more information and to register.
- Wednesday, October 14 to Friday October 16 - College Information Program (CIP) Tour in Toronto - There will be 3 fair-style events in the GTA:
- Wednesday, October 14 - Humber Polytechnic, 10 am to 1 pm
- Thursday, October 15 - George Brown Polytechnic, 10 am to 2 pm
- Friday October 16 - Centennial College, 10 am to 1 pm
Visit the Ontario Colleges CIP website for more information and to see the additional locations for the CIP tour.
- Wednesday, October 14th - Accelerated OYAP and Apprenticeship Information Night (Virtual) - 7:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. - Join us on a night to learn about Apprenticeship Pathways and our Accelerated OYAP Program! REGISTER ONLINE to attend this virtual information night. A link to the session will be sent out via email a few days before the event. You should attend this information night if:
- you are a Grade 12 student who is planning on entering the Skilled Trades;
- you are a Grade 10 or 11 student who would like more information on this program to better prepare for this pathway, OR;
- you are the parent/guardian of a grade 9 - 12 student who is considering a career in the skilled trades.
Please Note: The deadline to apply for the accelerated OYAP program for Grade 12s this year is Friday, October 30, 2026. Speak with a guidance or co-op teacher for more information.