Harwich Raleigh Public School

Whether you will be celebrating into the early hours of January 1st, or in bed, asleep before the new year enters, we hope that the fresh start of the new year brings positive blessings to all. Happy New Year!

Kwanzaa is a weeklong holiday celebration of African American culture held annually from December 26 to January 1, culminating in a communal feast. This is not a religious holiday but a cultural celebration based on African harvest festival traditions and is a way to celebrate African heritage and legacy, much like other cultural celebrations.
For those who participate in Kwanzaa celebrations, enjoy the time with your family and friends.

We are wishing all Wildcat families and those in our community a Merry Christmas. We are hoping that you find peace and light this holiday season.

The Grinch is happy to get everyone dismissed so that they can begin their holiday break. Staff safe and enjoy the holiday time with family and friend, Wildcats!

Hanukkah in 2025 begins at sundown on Sunday, December 14, 2025, and ends at sundown on Monday, December 22, 2025. It is an eight-day Jewish festival of lights, commemorating the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem.

For those who celebrate, we wish you a Happy Hanukkah.

Good morning, again, Wildcat Families!

Due to the buses being cancelled today, the shopping from 4-6pm at the Book Fair will be post-poned. This will now be available on Friday, December 12th, from 4-6pm.

We hope to see you then!

Good morning Wildcats,

Today is the last day that the Book Fair will remain open for sales after school. Our staff will be available between 4:00 and 6:00pm today to help you begin or finish-up shopping for the holidays.

We appreciate your support!

Good morning all Wildcat families! Buses in ALL ZONES are cancelled this morning due to inclement weather. The school will remain open if you can safety get your child(ren) to school this morning and also pick them up this afternoon. AFTERNOON BUSES WILL NOT OPERATE. Take care, and safe travels, everyone.

Good evening Wildcat families,

This is a reminder that beginning tomorrow, December 8th, the Book Fair will be open for sales. For students JK through Grade 3, sales are at first break, 11:35-11:55am. For students grade 4-8, sales are at second break, 1:55-2:15pm.

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday afterschool, the Book Fair will be open for shopping from 4:00-6:00pm.

We are looking forward to welcoming everyone to this exciting event.

The buses are cancelled today due to weather conditions. The school will remain open for those who are able to safely travel to and from school. Please ensure that if you are out on the roads, you are doing so only if it is safe.

Congratulations to the Senior Girls Volleyball team. This afternoon, on home court, the Wildcats were able to defeat the guests from Tilbury Area Public School in three straight matches. Way to go players and coaches!

We are entering the last month of the year. And it is a big one. Such a busy month, with the hustle and bustle, and then the new year right at the end. So many emotions, so much to think about when we allow ourselves those moments to actually slow down enough to think. Here is hoping that 2025 ends well for you and your families.

The Ontario Ministry of Education asks all school boards to conduct anonymous school climate surveys on a regular basis to help schools:
• Assess perceptions of safety, mental health, and well-being from students, parents/caregivers, and school staff
• Make informed planning decisions to promote safe and inclusive school environments
• Evaluate the effectiveness of current programs
• Build and sustain a positive school climate
• Continue to strengthen parent/guardian voice in school communities

The Lambton Kent District School Board is required to conduct school climate surveys of students, staff, and parents/caregivers at least once every two years, as each group plays a key role in shaping a safe and welcoming school environment.

We invite you, as a parent/caregiver of an LKDSB student, to visit your child’s school website or the LKDSB main website and follow the School Climate Survey link to participate. Your feedback helps us build and sustain a positive school climate within your school community.

🗓️ Survey Dates: Monday, November 24 to Friday, December 5, 2025

Please note that all responses are anonymous and confidential. The results will be used by our Safe Schools team and the Board to guide future planning and support.

Thank you for your time and participation.

https://tejoin.com/scroll/409504139

A quick reminder:

Our next School Council Meeting is scheduled for November 25th , 6:30 PM. You can join in person, at the school, in the Learning Commons, or virtually by using the information below to join TEAMS.
Meeting ID 212 656 573 686 4
Passcode: gN2LH9WM

The calendar is quickly slipping from November into December, and we know there are families within the Blenheim and South-Kent community that could use some extra help with the approaching holiday season. Whether this is in the form of groceries, hygiene items, warm winter gear, or gifts for the holidays, there are always people who could use our support.

We are hoping that you, our Wildcat families, might be able to share some cheer this holiday season and donate to this worthwhile cause. Our school will be accepting donations until December 5th, when they will be picked up.

If you are someone who feels they would benefit from support of this program, please call Annalea Benn at 519-676-8409 between 9:00am and 5:00pm to make your request.

We are hoping that the school community can help some less fortunate families in our community feel the warmth this holiday season.

Wildcat Families:

This is a reminder that on Friday, November 21st, there is a PA Day in the LKDSB. In the morning, families are invited to attend a Student-Led Conference to talk about their student(s)' progress following the Initial Communication of Learning (JK and SK) and Progress Reports (Grade 1-8).

Good afternoon Wildcat Families:

The week of November 17th through 22nd is recognized as Bullying Awareness Week. Within the LKDSB, our teams are committed to ensuring positive, safe, learning and working environments for all students, staff, parents/guardians and visitors. To find out more about the programs and supports within the LKDSB, follow the link below:
https://www.lkdsb.net/o/lkd/page/bullying-awareness-and-prevention


Our school Multidisciplinary Team, consisting of students and staff supervisors, have developed spirit days for Monday through Thursday of next week. Friday is a PA Day. The team will also be sharing announcements at various points. We are hoping that by sharing this information ahead of time, we can have a great level of student participation.

Thanks,
Heather Vander Pol

How many of you are feeling this, especially with the cold weather and snow that moved in recently? All kidding aside, our Lost and Found here at the school is OVERFLOWING, specifically with hoodies and sweatshirts. Parents are welcome to come to the school to look through the L&F to locate things that belong to them.

We, the students and staff, at Harwich Raleigh, took time to reflect upon the sacrifices that those before us have made to allow the freedoms we have today. Here are some snapshots of our Remembrance Day Ceremony, including artwork that is displayed.