board news

Welcome to a new school year!

Dear HDSB students and families,

Welcome to a new school year! We hope your summer has been filled with fun, rest and time spent with family and friends. We look forward to welcoming students to school next week. The first day of school for the 2025-2026 school year is Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025.

As we begin a new school year, our staff have been preparing learning environments that inspire achievement, support well-being and position every student for success. From readying classrooms to planning lessons and activities, our dedicated educators and staff are working hard to ensure that students enter the year with every opportunity to thrive.

View a Welcome to a New School Year video message from Chair Amy Collard and Director of Education Curtis Ennis.

PA Day reminder

Tuesday, Sept. 2 is a PA Day and staff across the HDSB will be engaged in professional development to further strengthen their skills, support the Ontario Ministry of Education’s priorities and start the year off strong to provide quality education to HDSB students. Learn more on the PA Days page of the HDSB website and your school’s website. Families can view the 2025-2026 School Year Calendar for more information.

Welcome to a New School Year webpage

To make the beginning of a new school year as smooth as possible, families can visit the HDSB Welcome to a New School Year webpage for helpful tips and information on transportation, before and after school care, getting involved, mental health and well-being resources and more.

Refreshed HDSB website

We are excited to share that we’ve updated the Halton District School Board website (hdsb.ca). The site features a fresh, modern design, simplified and intuitive navigation, improved organization of content, and a focus on clarity and accessibility to better reflect the needs of our students, families, staff and the Halton community. We encourage you to explore the updated website and share your feedback through the Google Form on the homepage.

Save the date – HDSB Open House - Explore secondary programs

We are hosting an HDSB Open House on Saturday, Sept. 27 from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. at Craig Kielburger Secondary School in Milton. All parents/guardians and students are invited to attend the event and learn more about secondary program opportunities in the HDSB. The event will be an interactive experience for families to learn more about secondary school academics, co-curriculars, programs and pathways and more. More detail about the event and registration will be shared in the coming weeks.

Get Involved

By joining the school council at your child's school or by joining the HDSB Parent Involvement Committee (PIC), parents/guardians can take an active role in the school community and help create a positive and engaging learning environment where all students are empowered to succeed. Learn more about how you can help shape your child’s educational journey by visiting the Get Involved webpage of the HDSB website.

Walking & Wheeling to School

As the first day of school approaches, we want to ensure students get started on the right foot! Walking and wheeling to school is a great way to support students’ well-being, reduce traffic and build a stronger sense of community in our neighbourhoods. To learn some safety tips and find an estimate of how long it will take you to walk or wheel to school, visit our Walk & Wheel to School webpage.

Changes to HDSB networks and social media access

Please note that as of Wednesday, Sept. 3, access to all social media platforms will no longer be available on HDSB devices and networks, with secondary students permitted to use YouTube for educational purposes. This change is being made to enhance network performance, cybersecurity and data protection. It also ensures our technology is focused on supporting the academic success of students, in alignment with the Ontario Ministry of Education’s expectations as outlined in the Provincial Code of Conduct and School Board Codes of Conduct (Policy/Program Memorandum (PPM) 128, requiring all school boards in Ontario to restrict access to all social media platforms on school networks and devices.

Annual Notice of Information Regarding Violence Threat Risk Assessment (VTRA) Protocol

The HDSB is a signatory and active partner in the region-wide Violence Threat Risk Assessment (VTRA) Protocol along with many community partners. This Protocol enables us to more effectively respond to situations where students may pose a threat to themselves or others, so that we can provide healthy and caring learning environments for all students and staff. View this letter to learn more about the VTRA Protocol.

Halton Learning Foundation Back to School campaign

Halton Learning Foundation’s 2025 Back to School campaign aims to provide emergency support to students in need of food, school supplies, clothing and other necessities. If you are in a position to, please consider donating online to help students in the HDSB whose families cannot afford the basics they need to fit in and focus on learning.

A message from the Minister of Education

As we begin a new school year, the Ontario Minister of Education, Paul Calandra, is sharing a message for students and families. Click here to read the Minister’s message.

Mental Health and Well-Being Resources

As we settle into a new school year, we encourage families and students to take care of their mental health and well-being while adjusting to new routines. For information and resources, visit the Mental Health & Well-Being webpage of the HDSB website.

Every new school year brings fresh opportunities for learning, growth and connection, and we are eager to see all that this year will bring. We look forward to seeing you on Sept. 3!

Aug. 18, 2025

The below message is sent on behalf of Halton Student Transportation Services (HSTS)

Bus schedules now available - HSTS portal is now open

Dear parents/guardians,

We are writing to inform you that the student transportation schedules for the 2025-2026 school year for eligible students and approved courtesy seat riders are now available through the HSTS online parent portal.

We encourage you to review your child's busing information as soon as you can. If you have any questions regarding your child’s bus schedule, please email us at transportation@haltonbus.ca. Please note that response times may be longer as we approach the first day of school. Instructions on how to create an HSTS parent portal account can be found here.

Helpful information regarding transportation procedures and processes can be found on the HSTS website: haltonbus.ca.

July 4, 2025

Important Information from Halton Student Transportation Services (HSTS)

This message is being sent on behalf of Halton Student Transportation Services (HSTS) to families with students receiving school bus transportation.

Dear HDSB families,

Parent Portal access for the tentative 2025-2026 transportation schedules will be available temporarily from Monday, July 7 up to and including Sunday, July 13 via haltonbus.ca.

The purpose of this preview is to allow you to review your child’s transportation schedule and check the following:

that they have busing (if eligible) and;
the bus stop location is in the correct area based on your child’s primary home address/eligible caregiver address.

**This preview is not for the purpose of checking bus stop times**

If the bus stop location is correct, no action is required. Important Note: All busing information including time and location are subject to change as student data is still being received from the school boards and processed by HSTS staff. Parent Portal access for final student transportation schedules will be available as of Aug. 18, 2025.

If the bus stop location is not accurate (ie. due to a change of address) or busing is not assigned (and your child(ren) is/are eligible for transportation), contact us to resolve the issue on or before Aug. 1, 2025. Due to the high volume of inquiries any information received after this date may not be processed before the first day of school.

If transportation is assigned, and your child(ren) does not require transportation, please complete our Opt Out form. Transportation can be reinstated through the school year, by contacting your child(ren)’s school administration.

Tips & Resources

_________________________________

Halton Student Transportation Services

905-637-4009 | 1-888-803-8660

transportation@haltonbus.ca

@haltonbschoolbus www.haltonbus.ca

June 27, 2025

Have a great summer HDSB families!

Hello HDSB families,

As we wrap up another school year, we want to take a moment to celebrate the many achievements of our students and staff. This year has been filled with inspiring moments of learning, growth and success across our schools. We are deeply grateful to our students, families and staff for your unwavering dedication and partnership in creating a vibrant, engaging and supportive learning environment.

View our year-end video message: https://youtu.be/kgp-vZnrYEM

Note: Closed captioning is available on YouTube, and a full transcript can be found in the video description. If you require a text-only transcription of the video, please email contact@hdsb.ca.

Save the Date! HDSB Open House: Explore What’s Possible

Get ready for a fun and engaging day of discovery! Students in Grade 6–10 and their families are invited to explore the exciting programs, athletics, clubs and student life that make HDSB secondary schools unique. This interactive event will feature hands-on activities and opportunities to ask questions and get inspired for what’s ahead.

Event Details:

📅 Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025

🕗 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

📍 Craig Kielburger Secondary School (1151 Ferguson Dr, Milton)

Mark your calendar – more details coming soon!

Mental Health Resources: We would like to encourage everyone to rest and care for your mental health and well-being over the summer. Parents/guardians and students are reminded of the information and resources available through the HDSB Mental Health & Well-Being webpage.

As a reminder, the first day of school is Wednesday, Sept. 3. Families can view the 2025-2026 School Year Calendar for more information.

We encourage everyone to stay safe this summer, take time to relax with loved ones and reflect on all that you have accomplished.

Have a great summer!

Sincerely,

Curtis Ennis
Director of Education