Bakersfield Public School

Ahead of the official launch of our annual Terry Fox School Run Event and Fundraiser, we are excited to announce a special visit from Tessa Smith, a Terry Fox Foundation spokesperson for all of our students in grades 4 through 8.

Tessa was diagnosed with bilateral retinoblastoma (eye cancer) at the age of three and a half months old, and later at 13 years old, was diagnosed with osteosarcoma (bone cancer) –the very same cancer Terry Fox had.  Tessa’s treatments involved both the removal of one eye and the partial amputation of one leg.

Through the lengthy surgeries and treatments her conditions necessitated, Tessa drew on Terry’s courage and strength, recognizing that his fundraising efforts led to treatments that helped her in ways Terry himself never benefited from.  Now, healthy at 18, she works in continued support of the Terry Fox Foundation, and the fundraising that will support an end to cancer in our lifetime.  A video about Tessa can be viewed here.

She will be visiting our school on Thursday, September 14 2017 at 9:15 a.m.  Community members wishing to hear Tessa’s story are welcome to join us at the school.  Simply sign in at the office and proceed to the gymnasium.

We look forward to working together to raise funds for this most worthy cause.

We wish to share with our community about the upcoming Thornhill Village Festival on Saturday, September 16 2017.  The festival, now in its 41st year, aims to “foster community spirit, promote the heritage of old Thornhill, and to provide a venue for the celebration of our community’s diverse cultural traditions.”  This year the festival will feature craft and commercial booths, a variety of food, entertainment, and some events for children.  For more information, please see the flyer.

As well, Sunday, September 17 2017 is the annual Terry Fox Run date.  Over 715 million dollars has been raised in Terry’s name in the fight against cancer, and event sites can be found in Thornhill, Richmond Hill and thousands of municipalities across Ontario, Canada, and even internationally.  For more information visit here.  As always, Bakersfield P.S. will host a school based run event, raising money for the Terry Fox Foundation, tentatively scheduled for Thursday, September 28 2017.  (Details will follow.)

Enjoy an active weekend!

While we typically try to provide families a large window of opportunity for purchasing items, we kindly seek your help in ordering early for two upcoming events with unusually tighter timelines.  The school’s Lice Screening Program begins on Wednesday September 13^th and our Curriculum Night BBQ is being held on Thursday September 14^th, so we’d kindly ask parents to submit orders for these items at their earliest opportunity on School Cash Online, and please, no later than the morning of Tuesday September 12^th.

We appreciate how many things come home from the school at the start of the year for you to read, review, sign and return and we genuinely thank you for your support with these start-up items.

We would like to share with our community this welcome letter and update from Kathryn Wallace, our Interim Director of Education, and Loralea Carruthers, the Chair of our school board.

The staff at Bakersfield P.S. echo their sentiments of welcome and we look forward to a wonderful school year ahead.

Additional details on registering new students for School Cash will go home with those students tomorrow.

We’d like to thank our School Council for their support in organizing this event. We are looking forward to seeing all of our students and families at our Curriculum Night and BBQ!

The City of Vaughan has asked us to share with the community that the crossing guard stationed at Maple Sugar Lane and Daniel Reaman Crescent will be absent from September 8 through September 29.  They have not yet been able to secure a temporary replacement, and wanted to notify the community of the likelihood of this absence.

As you may be aware, the York Region District School Board is currently recruiting for a Director of Education. The responsibility of selecting a Director is one of the most important tasks of the Board of Trustees.

The Board of Trustees is seeking feedback from all stakeholders to inform the recruitment process and would like your input.  Please see the letter from Board Chair Loralea Carruthers for more details.

Our thanks for your support.