September 2026 Newsletter

We’re excited to welcome our students and families back for another exciting school year! The start of a new year brings fresh opportunities to learn, grow, make new friends, and create wonderful memories together. We can’t wait to see what the coming year brings!

Our Newsletter Team will be writing articles throughout the year centred around student voices on various topics within our monthly theme. Our September IB Learner Profile attribute is Reflective, and students and staff have incorporated this lens into their articles for this month. Please enjoy!

Monday, October 5
Grade 11-12 Field Trip

Friday, October 9
PD Day (No classes)

Monday, October 12
Thanksgiving Day (School closed)

Wednesday, October 14
Post-Secondary Fair (3:00 – 4:00 pm)

Tuesday, October 20
Grade 6-8 Field Trip

“My experience was good, but it was too short, and my favourite part was the zipline. I would rate this experience a 9 out of 10.”

Toby

“My experience was great, and my favourite part was the food. I would rate this experience 7 out of 10.”

Abhinav

“My experience was awesome, and my favourite part was the Dance Party. I would rate this experience 10 out of 10.”

Ms. Holly

“My experience was very fun, and my favourite part was the Aerial Park High Ropes Course and the canoeing. I would rate this experience a 10 out of 10.”

Shalvi

“My experience was really fun, and the canoeing was my favourite part. I would rate this experience a 10 out of 10.”

Saranya

In 1980, Terry Fox began the Marathon of Hope to raise funds for cancer research in Canada. After his passing, unable to complete his goal, the world came together to honour his legacy by continuing to run marathons each year. This year, Keystone took part in the Marathon of Hope. With the help of our House groups, family and friends, we raised $2,155 from our fundraising sales and donation collections. Way to go, Keystone!

September,
a time of reflection,
when green leaves turn
red, yellow, orange –
like our shirts,
worn for truth and reconciliation.
A time to be someone new,
from the first day of school
to Rosh Hashanah,
from the moment before the race,
when Terry Fox’s legacy
runs through our minds,
to Camp Muskoka,
filled with laughter among friends.
Keystone returns,
the same but different,
like coming home again
when the air turns crisp
and the sun gives way to dusk.
September,
a time of reflection –
not only on where we have been,
but on who we might become.

Chanie Wenjack was born on January 19, 1954. He had always been a jubilant child, witty and with a sense of humour. Until residential schools came. In a Canadian program, children were taken from their parents and were robbed of their individualism, nationality, language, and essentially everything else. Somehow, Chanie was one of the unfortunate people who got thrown into this horrid, Hunger-Game-esque system and was forced for many horrible days to go through it. On Orange Shirt Day, we bring the stories of people like Chanie Wenjack to the surface and honour the experiences they went through.

A new and exciting feature that has made its way into the Keystone community is House!

Students have been organized into four exciting House teams: Pine, Oak, Maple, and Birch! Each House is led by our amazing Keystone teachers and Student Council selected House Representatives. Students will participate in a variety of fun team-building activities throughout the school year.

House teams will meet throughout the year during Homeroom, where students will have opportunities to connect with their peers, build community, and earn points for their House.

Our first House event for September was the Terry Fox Run! Each House set a fundraising goal of $250, and students worked together to raise money in support of the Terry Fox Foundation. Each House also come up with its own creative fundraiser to help reach its goal.

We are so excited to see the teamwork, creativity, and House spirit that Keystone students will bring throughout the year. Let the House competitions begin!