Bradford District High School Newsletter, February 2026
Principal’s Message:
As we move into a new semester, I would like to take a moment to commend our students and staff for their terrific efforts as January came to a close. Culminating tasks, which can include the completion of final exams, require focus and dedication, and I am proud of the hard work demonstrated by students, and of the supports of our staff throughout this important time.
I would also like to recognize the outstanding support provided by our Mental Health and Well-Being Team, Guidance Ambassadors, fitness leadership students, and the Strive 4 Me group. Their delivery of study skills seminars in early January and wellness-focused activities during culminating task days helped students feel prepared and supported. These initiatives reflect our ongoing commitment to student well-being and academic success.
It was a pleasure to welcome Grade 8 students and their families to Bradford District High School during our Grade 8 Information Night. The evening provided an opportunity to explore all that our school has to offer, and we appreciated the enthusiasm and thoughtful questions from our future students and families.
In addition, our guidance counsellors have been visiting local schools to assist with Grade 9 course selections and support the transition to high school. We are very much looking forward to welcoming our future Grade 9 students to the BDHS community in September.
A key note to families, that semester one final report cards will be sent home on February 13th. As we begin a new semester, a gentle reminder that daily attendance is an important component to student success. Each missed day can add up over time and can result in missing valuable learning in classes. Regular attendance plays a vital role in helping students to stay engaged and on track academically.
As always, if you have any questions or require assistance, please do not hesitate to contact our main office, and our staff can connect you with the appropriate person to help. Thank you for your continued collaboration with supporting student achievement, and we look forward to a great semester two.
Warm regards,
Heather Lagace
Key Dates to Remember:
February 2nd – Semester 2 classes begin
February 9th - CMHA Mobile Youth Walk-In Clinic (MOBYSS) at BDHS
February 9th – Prom Formal Wear Donations Drop-off (via front entrance) 5:30-7:30pm
February 9th – School Council Meeting, 6pm in the library
February 13th – Semester one final report cards sent home
February 16th – Family Day holiday (no classes)
February 17th – Picture re-take day
February 18th – 23rd – Graduation photos
Save the date: March 12th – School Interviews Evening, 5:30-7:30pm
School Council
Our School Council continues to meet, and all are welcome to attend. School council is a committee made up of elected parents/guardians, community representatives, staff, and students that help to provide the community voice and parent/guardian perspective on important school topics. Our next meeting will be held on Monday February 9th at 6:00pm in the school library. Please see https://bdh.scdsb.on.ca/parents/school_council for more information on our Council, and to view our most recent school council minutes.
Graduation Photos
We are pleased to share that Grade 12 graduation photos will take place at the school beginning February 17th. To ensure your student is photographed, families are asked to book an appointment using the link below:
https://booking.edgeimaging.ca/portal/book/BDI
A graduation gown will be provided for students to use during their photo session. For best results, students are encouraged to wear either a dress shirt and tie or a white blouse that complements the gown.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the school.
Prom Formal Wear Collection Drive and Prom Shop Event
Our School Council is pleased to be organizing a Prom Formal Wear Collection Drive, followed by two prom shopping events where BDHS students can select prom attire free of charge. At this time, we are gratefully accepting donations of formal dresses, suits, shoes, and accessories that are clean and in good condition to help ensure all graduates have access to formal wear for Prom. Community members are invited to drop off donations at the Bradford District High School main entrance on the following dates: Monday, February 9th (5:30–7:30 pm), Thursday, March 12th (5:30–7:30 pm), and Monday, March 30th (5:30–7:30 pm). If you are unable to donate on these dates, items may also be dropped off during regular school hours at the school main office. Looking ahead, the prom formal wear shopping events will take place at BDHS on Saturday April 11th (12:00-4:00pm) and Wednesday April 22nd (after school), and our prom takes place on Friday May 22nd. Thank you for helping us make prom accessible and memorable for all of our graduates.
BDHS Guidance Update
Semester 2 Schedules
Students can check their 2nd semester schedule via logging in to their student portal. The Student Portal can be accessed via the student dashboard link, included here: Student Dashboard .
As we move to reduce paper use, we encourage students to check their schedule on the Student Portal. Students who are not able to access their timetable electronically are welcome to speak with staff in the main office, who can provide a printed copy.
Timetable Changes for 2nd Semester
If students require a timetable change, they can book an appointment with their Guidance Counsellor. Priority will be given to students requesting changes for the following reasons:
- A missing course in the timetable
- A failed Semester 1 course
- A change of course type (e.g., Applied to Academic)
- Fulfillment of course requirements for post-secondary education (e.g., Chemistry course required for university)
2026-27 Course Selection
Course selection for the 2026-27 school year will begin on Monday, February 9th and will be completed by February 27th. Classes have been scheduled into computer labs or the Learning Commons, where a guidance counsellor will help them make their choices for next year and have those selections entered into the MyBlueprint program. Students are encouraged to do their research for post-secondary pathways prior to making their choices for next year. MyBlueprint is a program to which all students have access, and it is a wonderful resource for post-secondary research. Students can access myBlueprint by going to their Student Dashboard: Student Dashboard
Additionally, www.OntarioUniversitiesInfo.ca is a great website for university research, and www.OntarioColleges.ca is a very helpful website to research college programs. If students are interested in pursuing a skilled trade, they are encouraged to do some research on the Skilled Trades Ontario website, via https://www.skilledtradesontario.ca/ .
Students should be reassured that there will be opportunities to make changes if students realize that they require different courses than their initial selections. Grade 12 students who are not planning to return to BDHS in the 26-27 year are asked to go into myBlueprint and click the blue “Not Returning Next Year” button.
Summer School
The application process has now opened for Summer School courses being offered by Simcoe County DSB in July 2026. Students who are firm in their planning that they would like to take a July Summer School course, are asked to fill in the form (linked below) to request that a Guidance Counsellor complete registration for the requested course.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeZ6JQ0a3WPYljsJxRIcw4Qyu68tC8DEIGCwzHGIfOBiqkkAA/viewform?usp=header
Students who are not 100% sure or if they wish to take courses outside of SCDSB, are asked to please wait to sign up until their decision is firm. This form will stay open. For those students who have questions, they are invited to make a guidance appointment to meet with a counsellor later in February.
Students who request a Summer School course, along with their parent/guardian, will receive emails to confirm that registration has been submitted, and it will indicate if a student has been either waitlisted or accepted. Please note that all SCDSB courses will be waitlisted at this point. We ask that students continue to monitor school email throughout the semester to receive updated information.
Link to available Summer School courses in SCDSB for July:
https://www.thelearningcentres.com/programs/summer_school
Link to available Summer School courses in other boards of education in July and/or August:
https://ontario.prismsis.com/course-offerings-2025-2026
Community Service Hours Reminder
Students need to complete 40 community service hours to graduate from high school. They can start accumulating these hours in the summer before they enter Grade 9.
Community involvement is intended to:
-encourage students to understand the roles they play in their community
-help students to develop a greater sense of belonging
Students are encouraged to choose activities that interest them or help them explore potential careers. Many students complete more than 40 hours, which can be beneficial for scholarships for post-secondary.
The Community Service Hours tracking form can be found in Guidance. Contact the Guidance Department if you have any questions. Alternatively, you can also visit the SCDSB website for forms and additional information.
Guidance Appointment Process
Starting next week, BDHS students can book a guidance appointment with their guidance counsellor online. Guidance counsellors each have their own list of students that are assigned by alpha. Students are asked to book a specific date/time but are reminded to wait in their classroom to be called down to Guidance. Their counsellor will do their best to honour that date/time but please know that things can come up unexpectedly and we appreciate their patience if there is a need to re-book appointments. Please see our guidance counsellors, along with the group of students they work with, below:
Ms. Benjafield for students who have surnames that start with A-E
Ms. Accettola for students who have surnames that start with F-L
Ms. Ketcheson for students who have surnames that start with M-R
Mr. Basinger for students who have surnames that start with S-Z
Ms. Dunn for Multilingual Learners
Athletics Update
BDHS winter sports are gearing up for playoffs and championship competition this February! Best of luck to all teams and student-athletes as they head into the exciting final month of the winter season. Looking ahead, spring sports will begin in March and April, so be sure to watch for upcoming announcements regarding tryouts and team information meetings.
BDHS Co-operative Education
If you or someone you know would be willing to help us out and be a community partner to mentor a co-op student, please contact our co-op team via the school main office. This month features a co-op student at RVH and at our local Home Hardware.
SCDSB News Items
This month, the SCDSB is sharing information related to the below topics. To read this information, visit the SCDSB website.
- Inclement weather and bus cancellation information reminder
- Black History Month
- SCDSB Code of Conduct
- Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) Dreams Delayed: Addressing Systemic Anti-Black Racism and Discrimination in Ontario’s Public Education System – Consultation
- SCDSB families invited to explore math games and activities at Family Math Nights in February 2026
- Up, down, east, or west – these activities will put your math skills to the test!
- Feelings flashcards
- Kindergarten registration for September 2026 is open!
- Is your child turning four in 2026? Get ready for Kindergarten with us!
- How is your infant, toddler, or preschool child developing?
- Licensed March Break school age child care programs
- Check out the SCDSB News video series
- Character recognition nominations
- Registration now open for summer eLearning!
- Summer eLearning opportunities for students entering Grade 9!
- Understanding the language report card mark
- Verify your family’s contact information
- Cold weather