Mark Your Calendars:
Oct. 12, 2026: Thanksgiving – No School for Students
Oct. 16, 2026: Fun Snack – Saucy Bread Company
Oct. 19, 2026: Non-Instructional Day – No School for Students
Oct. 20-22, 2026: Class visits with Elder Priscilla Paul
Oct. 29, 2026: Fun Lunch – Panago Pizza
Oct. 29, 2026: School Council Dress-Up Dance at WD Pratt School 5:30-8:00pm
Oct. 30, 2026: Halloween Dress-up Day at School
Nov. 4, 2026: Photo Re-take Day
Nov. 10, 2026: Remembrance Day Assembly
Nov. 11-15, 2026: Fall Break
Dear Royal Oak School Families,
As Thanksgiving approaches, I want to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude to each and every one of you who make our Royal Oak School community such a special place. This time of year reminds us to reflect on the blessings in our lives, and I am truly grateful for the hard work, dedication, and kindness that I witness every day within our school. To our students: your curiosity, enthusiasm, and resilience inspire us all. Watching you learn and grow is the most rewarding part of our work. To our parents and families: Thank you for your unwavering support, encouragement, and partnership. Your involvement makes a world of difference, and we are incredibly fortunate to have such a caring and engaged community. To our teachers and staff: Your commitment to excellence, compassion, and tireless efforts do not go unnoticed. You play a vital role in shaping the future, and I am endlessly grateful for the passion and energy you bring to your work. Let’s take this opportunity to reflect on the many things we are grateful for, both big and small.
Did you know that October is ADHD awareness month? ADHD is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders of childhood. Genetics and environmental factors combine to create a situation in which the brain is wired differently. Children diagnosed with ADHD often have difficulty with an increased level of activity, challenges with executive functioning (i.e. processes that enable us to plan, focus attention and remember) as well as impulsivity and social/emotional regulation. It is important to understand that while many children may occasionally demonstrate some behaviours related to these areas, children diagnosed with ADHD experience these symptoms throughout their day and in multiple settings. As educators, our job is to support all students in developing awareness of themselves as learners while also appreciating the nuances of others’ learning profiles. We are proud of the work we do every day to support ADHD learners in our classrooms. For more information on ADHD please visit the Centre for ADHD Awareness Canada (CADDAC) at https://caddac.ca/about-adhd
Halloween is just around the corner, and we know that our school community is looking forward to celebrating this holiday in creative ways. On Friday, October 30, we would like to invite all students and staff to dress-up for the day. To ensure that all members in our school community are able to enjoy this holiday, we wanted to send a reminder to please be thoughtful in the selection of costume being worn to school. The following two guidelines should be considered when selecting costumes that will be worn at school:
· Be kind and consider the school community: costumes that are revealing or could be offensive or perpetuate the stereotype of someone’s gender identity, culture, race, religion, age, or disability must not be worn.
· Be thoughtful and safe: costumes that depict violence, alcohol or drugs are not appropriate. Similarly, replica weapons (e.g. gun, knives, etc.) must not be brought to school.
If your child chooses to wear a costume, consider this his/her contribution to a wonderful day full of fun events that promote friendship and cooperation. As students will be wearing costumes for the entire day, please ensure that your child is able to sit comfortably in their costume, participate in gym class, and go outside for recess and lunch break. No costume - No worries! You are welcome to wear orange or black, our school apparel, or your favourite T-shirt!
Extra Set of Clothing Reminder: As the weather changes and children continue to enjoy outdoor learning and play, we kindly ask all families to send an extra set of clothing in their child's backpack. Having a spare shirt, pants, underwear, and socks at school, helps ensure students remain comfortable in the event of an accident, spills, mud, puddles, or wet weather during outdoor activities. Please place the clothing in a labeled zipper bag and update the items throughout the year as your child grows and the seasons change. Thank you for helping us keep students comfortable, confident, and ready to learn throughout the day!
Sincerely,
Michelle Ryskamp & Todd Faunt
Principal & Acting Assistant Principal, Royal Oak School
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ROS School Council Corner
1. ROS Halloween Dance: Tickets go on sale Oct 15. Order your pizza for dinner HERE (Healthy Hunger). For step-by-step instructions on how to register for Healthy Hunger, click HERE
2. Apple Yum-Raiser: Be ready to pick up your apples on Oct 19. You will be contacted by one of our parent volunteers.
3. Jacket Racket: As you start taking out your winter gear for the season, consider putting aside any gently used jackets, snow pants, mitts, and toques. We will be collecting donations from Oct 20-30. Drop off at ROS. Your donation means a student in need will have something warm to wear this winter.
4. Current Volunteer Opportunities:
· Photo Day Helpers for Retakes Nov 4: Sign up HERE
· Fun Lunch/Snack Helpers: Sign up HERE
· Events Committee (Parent Council) Be a part of the planning and execution at various school events. Email roschoolcouncil@gmail.com
· Secretary Position (Parent Council) Are you detail-oriented, well organized, and can type considerably well? We need you. Emailroschoolcouncil@gmail.com
Volunteer of the Month: Congratulations to our September Volunteer of the Month, Carolyn B! Carolyn has a daughter in grade 3 and a ROS graduate in grade 5. She helped out the Terry Fox Run this month and she has made tremendous contributions to our school community over the years by organizing events such as the winter and spring dances and the year end carnival. Your kids may also know her as the lady in the banana costume at Fresh Fruit Fridays! Thank you Carolyn for all the hours you put in to enrich our school community!
Fundraising Society: Your support will help fund valuable resources, programs, and opportunities for our students.
1. Dec 1 & 2 @ Cowboys Casino: Our school casino is one of our biggest fundraising opportunities, helping raise significant funds to support our students and school community. You do not need volunteer clearance, no casino experience is needed, and anyone 18+ (even if they are not part of the ROS community) can volunteer. Volunteer for a shift HERE
2. Flip Give (app) Use code: KWTVM3: Shop online through FlipGive with participating retailers, and a percentage gets donated back to our school, at no extra cost to the shopper.
3. Loveable Labels: Support our school and order your labels HERE