Dear families, 

I take great pride and joy in welcoming you back to the 2026-27 school year! I would like to extend a special welcome to all of the new families joining Harold Panabaker this year and welcome back all of our returning families as well! It is exciting to be part of a great learning community and our Harold Panabaker staff is looking forward to working with you and your children and supporting their academic, social and emotional growth. 

I hope your child will find Harold Panabaker a positive, safe, warm, supportive and caring place to learn and grow. 

Our school website includes lots of information you’ll find useful as you and your student transition into the new school year. There, you can find details about school routines, important dates, programming, and other helpful resources to support a smooth start. We encourage you to review the information below and reach out if you have any questions. We are excited to partner with you and support your child’s success! 

To all Panthers, let’s make it a great year! Looking forward to seeing all our wonderful students on Monday, August 31. 

Sincerely,  

Shelly Li, Principal 

Here are a few things that we would like to communicate with you before we get started on Monday, August 31.  

First Day of School 

On the first day of school, students in grades 5, 6, 8, and 9 will meet in their homeroom classes at 9:15. Students in grade 7 will meet in the gym and homeroom teachers will bring them to their classrooms from there.  

Homeroom teachers will contact families on Thursday, August 27 to let students know their homeroom teacher’s name and classroom location.  

Teachers and administrators will have copies of class lists and be around the school and field to welcome students and help them find their classrooms. Staff have planned activities throughout the first week to connect with students and help them learn about the school community. We look forward to getting to know our students and supporting their transition into the new school year. 

School Hours: 

Monday to Thursday: 9:15 a.m. – 3:50 p.m. 

Friday: 9:15 a.m. – 1:10 p.m. 

All students will attend the first day of school. The first week will follow regular hours. There is no school on Monday, September 7 for Labour Day. 

School Supplies 

Grade 5 and 6 students are provided with most classroom supplies. They will also need: 

  • Backpack 
  • Lunch kit 
  • Pencil Case 
  • Binder (optional) 

 Grades 7 to 9 students will need:  

  • Backpack  
  • Change for gym: t-shirt or long-sleeved athletic top, shorts or pants, athletic shoes. School colours are black, grey and maroon. An online school store will be open during the school year for families wishing to purchase Panther clothing and gym strips (optional). 
  • Lock for locker room 
  • Basic Scientific Calculator (exponent and square root buttons are needed)   
  • Geometry set 
  • Ruler 
  • Binder  
  • Lined Paper 
  • Graph Paper 
  • Pencils, Pens, Erasers  
  • Pencil Crayons or Markers  
  • Pencil case  
  • Water bottle 

 

Parents dropping off and picking up student(s) for the Fall 

Parents, we need your assistance in keeping all our children safe. Please choose safety over convenience. It is not safe to drop children off in the staff parking lot or in the bus zone (directly in front of the school). Please drop off and pick up your child(ren) on the east side of Sackville Drive or along the school field. Having a plan identifying an area for the student(s) to be picked up further away from the building will support the distancing measures. 

Who is my child’s teacher?

 Please expect a special message from your child’s homeroom teacher on Thursday, August 27. 

Student Placement: A great deal of time and thought has gone into the process of student placement for the 2026-27 school year. Careful consideration was given to input from staff and families as well as student learning styles. We have tried our best to balance classrooms academically and socially. Our class lists are structured to provide equitable class sizes at each grade level. Thank you so much for being positive with your child and helping him or her understand that it is impossible to place all students with a preferred best friend or teacher. All of our staff work hard to make school a positive experience for ALL students. Thank you for understanding that it can take a few weeks for a child to acclimate a new grade, peer group, and teacher. 

Scooters 

This year, we are adding an office in place of the storage room. This impacts students who ride scooters to school, as we will no longer have an indoor space to store them. If you are sending your child to school with a scooter that is too big for their locker, please ensure that they have an appropriate lock to use on the bike racks outside. 

Student Lunch Options 

Lunch hours are from 12:38 to 1:16, Monday to Thursday. Students in Grades 5 and 6 eat lunch on campus in the first half of lunch break and enjoy recess on school property supervised by staff in the second half or intramurals on scheduled days.   

Students in Grade 7-9 have the option of going off campus during the lunch hour. If students choose to go off school premises during lunch, we ask families to review expectations with their child regarding responsible behaviour and returning to school on time. The Harold Panabaker lunch break is divided into two parts: students eat during the first half of lunch (students in 7-9 may choose to eat inside the school or go off campus) and in second half have opportunities to participate in several options: 

  • Participate in intramurals on scheduled days 
  • Attend tutorials in open classrooms 
  • Enjoy outdoor recess time 

We have a Tuck Shop which is available to all students during lunch time. Each day, a hot lunch special is available for $5 as well as a variety of snacks and treats. Menus are posted on our website. We also have bagged lunches available for any students who need them as requested. 

Best ways to stay informed. Please make sure to take advantage of all the communication channels that we offer. 

  • The Harold Panabaker website is full of great information, and we encourage you to check the website often for news and updates. 
  • Make sure to check your email regularly!  We send the vast majority of our communications home via School Messenger. 
  • Please be sure to read our Week at a Glance.  All Harold Panabaker families will receive a weekly email; we urge you to read the newsletter.  This is our primary mode of communicating important announcements and event information to parents, and we appreciate you taking the time to "stay in the loop!” 

School Photos 

Our school photos are scheduled for Monday, September 14. Retakes are scheduled for October 19. 

Physical Education 

At Harold Panabaker School students participate in daily physical activity each day. This is an important part of supporting student health and well-being. Students are expected to come prepared to be active. This includes bringing appropriate footwear, such as running shoes, that are safe for physical activity. Students will be asked to change into athletic clothing to participate fully in activities. We encourage students to dress comfortably for movement every day so they can fully participate in these activities. 

We look forward to supporting your child’s learning in the 2026-27 school year!