Estimadas familias,

It was with great joy that we welcomed students back this week. We were deeply moved by the heartfelt messages from students, parents, and support staff. The warmth and positivity of our community serve as a powerful reminder of the strong relationships and spirit that continue to define Eugene Coste School. This week, we focused on re-establishing routines, reconnecting with peers, and refocusing on our learning goals.

Students have also been engaging in lively conversations about costumes, cultures, and, of course, the Blue Jays and Dodgers! They are excited to dress up at school; however, we kindly remind families that treats, whether for Halloween or birthdays, cannot be shared. This policy is in place to protect students with allergies, align with CBE nutrition guidelines, and respect the diverse food customs of our families. We understand that many students will participate in trick-or-treating and may bring special items from home in their lunch kits. We ask families to be mindful of the quantity of candy and treats included in lunches in the days following Halloween. This is a great opportunity to model balanced nutrition and healthy habits.

We are pleased to share that our first group of ECS patrollers has completed their training. This initiative supports our efforts to enhance safety and awareness in our school community. Through this program, we aim to foster the following positive changes:

• Reduced vehicle speeds near the school
• Increased driver vigilance at crosswalks
• More pedestrians using the designated crosswalk
• Adults modeling safe crossing behavior for children
• Improved parking practices along 96 Avenue, with drivers leaving the required 5-meter clearance around the crosswalk

In the coming days, you will receive information regarding our Grade 4/5 students’ participation in the OurSCHOOL Student Survey. This anonymous and voluntary online survey is part of the CBE’s commitment to prioritizing student voice and well-being. The feedback collected helps guide decisions at both the school and system levels to ensure students feel welcome, respected, safe and cared for.

Please note that due to the strike, some timelines have been adjusted, and certain activities have been rescheduled, cancelled, or condensed. For example:

 Halloween

What better way to return to school than to jump right into Halloween costumes! Assembly has been cancelled; however, students will still come in costume as per email sent Wednesday.

 Fall Break Nov. 10-12 

Fall break will proceed as scheduled. After careful consideration, CBE decided that changing the school calendar at this time would impact staffing, transportation, as well as family plans already in place. If other adjustments to the school calendar are necessary, families will be notified as early as possible. 

 IPP’s 

CBE has extended the IPP timeline to allow time for teachers to re-affirm student needs and goals and communicate with families. Teachers will be in touch with families during the week of November 24^th to discuss the IPP. 

 Remembrance Day 

We will be paying tribute to those who have served in our country’s military and to commemorate the end of World War I at our Remembrance Day assembly in our school gymnasium on November 7th at 10:30 am.  Families are welcome to attend, and doors will open at 10:20 am.  Students may choose to wear Girl Guide, Scout, etc. uniforms should they participate in these extracurricular activities outside of school. 

 We will also launch our Veteran’s Food Bank collection on November 7th to support our veterans. Students and visitors are welcome to bring non-perishable food items to the collection boxes in our front foyer until November 14^th.  

 We are currently updating our school calendar to reflect these changes and thank you for your patience.

 If you have any questions or would like further information, please reach out.

Warm regards,
Carmen J. Fandino
Principal

Instagram: @escuela_eugenecoste

 School Council and Enrichment Society Updates 

School Council and EC Enrichment Society Meetings for 2025-2065 will continue to take place online through TEAMS.  

The next meeting is November 20, 2025 

School Council: 6:15pm – 7:30pm 

EC Enrichment Society: 7:30pm – 8:30pm

Microsoft Teams Need help?

Join the meeting now

Meeting ID: 291 246 257 820 5

Passcode: Hk9sA3GT

Upcoming Meetings

January 15. 2026

March 11, 2026

April 15, 2026

May 20, 2026

Fun Lunches 

Fun lunches are offered throughout the year to students who wish to participate.  We receive our lunches through Healthy Hunger, an online platform that delivers pre-ordered lunches to the school in which a portion of the proceeds goes to the school.  

On the day of the event, lunches are sorted and delivered to your child’s classroom by parent volunteers.  If you would like to participate, please register your child at www.healthyhunger.ca . Lunches must be ordered prior to midnight, 5 days before the fun lunch event.   

 We kindly ask that if your child is absent the day of the fun lunch, please contact the school prior to 10:30am, if you wish to pick it up the same day, after 1:30pm. If not specified, your food will be donated to someone in need of lunch. No refunds will be issued if your child is absent on the day of a Fun Lunch. 

 If you have any questions or concerns please reach out to parent support at www.healthyhunger.ca or email ecsfunlunch@gmail.com .  

My Child Takes the Bus

As we have done in previous years, if your child normally takes the bus home but you will be picking them up, please meet us at the bus zone so that we can check in with you to confirm attendance. If you are picking up early or if there is a regular pick-up schedule at the bus, please call our office before 2:30 pm so that we can add that information to our bus lists and avoid after-school confusion.