The Bears' Beat - December 7, 2025
Information
Holiday gallery
Be sure to check the Josette Dandurand Elementary home page for a gallery of some of the student art displayed in our hallways this month.
Spirit Weeks
We have two weeks of spirit days planned out for the last two weeks before the holiday. We aimed for festive but easy and participation is completely optional, of course.
Tumble Kids has spaces available...
Basketball Camps
Impact Hoops is a local organization the runs basketball camps for kids. There is a shooting camp for grade 4-8 students running this winter at Walnut Grove Secondary that you might be interested in.
Holiday Hampers for our community
The Josette Dandurand team are asking for your help! We would like to assemble some food & care hampers for members of our community who need some assistance this holiday season. To avoid an overstock of some items and an understock of others, we are asking families who are able and willing to donate to send items in by December 10. A list of requests by division is in the graphic below (but you can ignore the December 2 date).
Early Start or Late Return for Winter Break?
If your student(s) is going to be starting winter break sooner than the last day of school, Dec 19, 2025, or returning after school re-opens January 5th 2026, it is very important to let the office and your student’s teachers know. If a child is marked absent, but the office has not received an email or a telephone call from the parent advising of the absence/tardiness, a phone call home will be made to ensure the child is safe. Please email our attendance email with the name(s) of your student(s) and what dates they will be away from school.
Extended Absences:
If you are planning an extended absence please fill out the following form and email to our attendance email address
Moving/Withdrawing
Parents are asked to inform the school as soon as possible if/when they know that their children will be leaving our school or not returning in the fall. Please complete our withdraw form and return it to the office.
PAC Place
Please click below to view the Minutes and Treasurer's Report from the November PAC meeting.
November PAC Minutes & Treasurer Report.pdf
Quote of the Week
Something to read (or watch)
Personally, I think this applies to younger than 10!
Calendar Dates to Remember
Monday, December 8
Spirit/Theme Day - Sweater Weather (wear your coziest sweater)
Tuesday, December 9
Spirit/Theme Day - Toasty Tuesday (toques & scarves)
Wednesday, December 10
Spirit/Theme Day - Candycane Lane (wear red & white)
Holiday Hamper donations deadline
Thursday, December 11
Spirit/Theme Day - 'Candlelight Reading' (bring a flashlight and favourite book)
Friday, December 12
Spirit/Theme Day - Feeling Frosty (wear white or snowpeople)
Sunday, December 14
First night of Hannukah
Monday, December 15
Spirit/Theme Day - Merry Grinchmas (green or grinchwear)
Tuesday, December 16
Spirit/Theme Day - Timber Tuesday (plaid flannel)
Wednesday, December 17
Spirit/Theme Day - Merry & Bright (bright holiday colours)
Thursday, December 18
Spirit/Theme Day - Twinkle Toes (holiday socks)
Friday, December 19
Spirit/Theme Day - PJ Day
Pancake breakfast! Yay, syrup!
Lost & Found Clean-out
Last day of school before winter break
Sunday, December 21
Winter Solstice
Thursday, December 25
Christmas
Friday, December 26
Kwanzaa begins