SHS Newsletter #4 December

What's Happening at Sydenham High School

December 2025

December is here!

We had a very busy November and find it hard to believe that we are now in December. We are past the midway point of the semester and encourage all our students to continue working hard, submitting assignments and asking for support if needed in order to ensure success. Remember that daily attendance improves academic achievement - every day counts!

With the arrival of December also comes the arrival of our school play, Murder by the Book, our holiday concert, and the beginning of the winter sports season. For more information on upcoming dates and events, see below.

Finally, thank you to our community for coming out to our second Holiday Showcase. Our students showed off their talents in culinary, manufacturing, technology design, and construction. A big thank you to our staff for organizing a warm spot for the community to visit on the day of the Sydenham Santa Claus parade.

SHS Presents Murder by the Book!

SHS students have been working hard on a hilarious new murder mystery comedy directed by teachers Janice Keene and Tyler Elliott.

Please come and join us for this hilarious and heartwarming show! 

In Murder by the Book, the town of Two Spruce is about to lose their beloved library! A team of volunteer actors come to its rescue by staging a murder mystery. But on opening night a real murder most foul threatens to thwart their fundraiser. Lucy the Librarian and a team of quirky volunteer actors scramble to solve the crime before the curtain rises and the library is lost forever! The script comes compliments of mystery writer Louise Penny & playwright Laura Teasdale who created the play to help raise money for libraries everywhere (SHS will be raising money for our school library!).

Performances are December 3-5 from 7:00 - 8:30pm in the Drama Room. Tickets are $10.00 and are available NOW on School Day and at Ticket Scene. The show is suitable for ages 12 and up. We hope to see you there!

Department News - Communications

The SHS Communications Department (all English and French courses) have had a busy semester! 

French students have enjoyed hands-on activities like creating unique restaurant menus and recipes, writing pen pal letters, a fun trip to Gould Lake, and are looking forward to the biggest event of the year: the SHS France trip!  

English students have been sharpening their reading, writing, and speaking skills since September through a variety of activities.  They've written personal essays, delivered TED Talks, written land acknowledgments for SHS, and participated in Book Clubs that focus on amplifying diverse voices.  

 The English and French teachers look forward to continuing to develop students' critical thinking and communication skills as they explore the world around them!

Upcoming Dates

Student Census Survey - See Yourself in Limestone

Limestone is committed to creating safe, inclusive, and supportive learning environments for all students. To help us better understand how students’ identities and experiences relate to their achievement and well-being, we are launching our second See Yourself in Limestone Student Census Survey this fall.

The census is a voluntary and confidential survey for students in Grades 4 to 12, running from November 24 to 28, 2025. It has been extended until Dec. 12, 2025 It gathers information about students’ identities and their experiences at school. This data is then paired with academic information to help us understand what school is like for different groups of students.

Important information for families:

• The survey is optional.
• Responses are confidential and students can skip any questions they do not wish to answer.
• Students will complete the survey during class time. They also have access to the survey through a link sent to their LDSB email.

By better understanding students’ identities and experiences, we can remove barriers and better support students in accessing what they need to succeed.

Learn more about the Student Census and how it supports equity in Limestone: limestone.on.ca/student_census

School Council 2025-2026

Future Meeting Dates (7 PM SHS Library)

• January 19
• February 23
• April 20
• June 1

2025-2026 LDSB School Year Calendar

A PDF version of the 2025-2026 School Year Calendar is available online.

Concussion Protocol

SHS is committed to student safety, injury prevention, and well-being, and supports concussion awareness, prevention, identification, management, tracking, and training. Our point of contact is Ms. Ash Ward, Vice Principal.

Our LDSB Concussion Policy/Concussion Code of Conduct is here as well to ensure we work together to support our students if a concussion is suspected or diagnosed.

Allergen Awareness -

Nut-Free & Scent Free School

Threat/Risk Assessment Notification and Process

The Limestone District School Board and community partners are committed to making our schools safe for students and staff. As a result, schools will respond to all student behaviours that pose a potential risk to other students, staff, and community members. The Community Violence Threat Risk Assessment Process is designed to be proactive in developing intervention plans that address the emotional and physical safety of those involved. Families are asked to review the steps of a Threat/Risk Assessment online.