Discover the Exciting November Events and Activities at Royal Oak Community School
- Royal Oak School Niagara-on-the-Lake
- Nov 28
- 8 min read
November 2025
Dear Royal Oak Families,
With less than a month until the Holiday Break, it feels as if we’ve blinked, and November is behind us!
This newsletter is a condensed version, as our Full Edition went out just before the November Break, but with so many important events and dates ahead, we wanted to ensure our families were up to speed with the offerings and events that December holds.
Please pay special attention to our calendar- full of holiday events, our holiday performance, class trips and more!
Julia Murray, Head of School
Welcome to Jen!
Due to Andrea New’s extended medical leave, Royal Oak Parent, Jennifer Reimer, is helping out as our temporary Administrative Assistant. We are grateful to have her calm and steady presence at the front desk, and hope you are able to stop by to say hi, or connect with her through your admin needs.
Highlights from November
Remembrance Day School Outing
ROCS students observed Remembrance Day this year by walking through historic NOTL Old Town to the NOTL Museum, where they saw the poppy display and learned more about the importance of the day with Ms. N.
Scholastic Book Fair Success
ROCS would like to thank everyone who came out to support our Scholastic Book Fair this year. The students had a wonderful time going through the hundreds of books and stationery items. The school was able to sell close to $2500 worth of books, and received about $300 back to spend on school books and supplies. Next year’s Scholastic Book Fair will be November 2nd through the 6th, so mark your calendars.
Alumni Pizza Party Reunion
On Thursday, November 27th, past and present ROCS students got together for our annual Alumni Pizza party. This annual event fosters wonderful discussion about how our alumni students are doing in their new academic adventures. This year we had five returning alumni students that went off to very different high school programs around Niagara. The Grade 7/8 students reminisced about ROCS and chatted about what high school is really like. The event was really special! When looking around the table at those alumni, we realized how well they have thrived and are so amazing in their high school years! It gives us pause to think about the power our school can have on not only our students academics, but on their character and sense of self on a whole.
Royal Oak Character Award Winners for November
November’s character trait focused on Courage; courage to persevere through difficult times to show one’s true strength of character. The presentation will take place Monday, December 1st at 9am and will be led by the Junior Middle Class.
Congratulations to the November winners:
Early Years: Valerie J.
Primary 1: Peter K.
Primary 2: Benjamin H.
Junior Middle: Emi B.
Upper Middle: Kyla K.
Giant "Biinaagami" Map Activity
In the last week of November, the "Giant Map" from Canadian National Geographic arrived at Royal Oak. Royal Oak has been on the waiting list for 3 years to borrow this map, which is a unique learning tool exposing our students to concepts of preservation, Indigenous knowledge and reciprocity. They have been enjoying physically walking on, around, and through the Giant Map.
Biinaagami: Our Shared Responsibility to the Great Lakes". (Biinaagami: Our shared responsibility to the Great Lakes | Canadian Geographic Education) The map is an opportunity for our teachers to expand our Indigenous and environmental programming and deepen our students' understanding of the importance of our local waterways in Canada, and their effect on every aspect of our lives. Check out the article in the NOTL Local: https://www.notllocal.com/local-news/giant-map-helps-royal-oak-school-shed-light-on-watershed-11531077 and in Niagara Now: https://niagaranow.com/news.phtml/biinaagami-map-introduces-royal-oak-students-to-new-way-of-seeing-great-lakes/
Royal Oak Parent Advocacy Group
Royal Oak Parents, Syreeta Larkan and Patricia Brick, are leading a group dedicated to advocacy, community awareness and action, with regard to the Gateway Vision for 176 Wellington Street, and in particular, to keeping Royal Oak in Old Town.
They are looking for parents who are willing to help in any small way, and the form below provides a few options (both big and small) for getting involved. Please fill out the Google Form below to share your interest and commitment level:
What's Happening in December
NOTL Christmas Parade
On December 13th, ROCS will once again participate in the NOTL Christmas Parade in style! Thanks to our Parade Committee and Doug Cunninham, Merritt and Malcolm’s grandfather, our motorized float will be one to remember! Our theme is in honour of this year’s school production of ”Frozen Jr.”, and our staff and students will participate by dressing up, and walking and riding on the float.
Please plan to join us at the NOTL Christmas Parade, and RSVP at: 2025 NOTL Christmas Parade Participation Form
Royal Oak’s Holiday Performance
December 11, 2025 at the NOTL Community Centre, 14 Anderson Ln, Niagara-on-the-Lake, 6:00-7:30 pm
Get ready to celebrate December!
We're looking forward to our Royal Oak School Winter Concert on Thursday, December 11th. All classes will be participating in this special evening. Students will be rehearing during the day, and pick-up will be at the Community Centre at 3:40pm with NO aftercare. All students are required to be back at the location at 5:30 pm at the latest. Please RSVP with ticket numbers (tickets are $5 each to help offset the cost of the auditorium rental) by completing the form below to indicate your attendance and the number of tickets you would like! Winter Concert 2025
Concessions will be sold in the auditorium as in previous years. Please reach out to Ms. Dennis at laureendennis@royaloakschool.ca if you are able to contribute donations of drinks (wine, beer and soft drinks), goodies and baked goods.
Holiday Toy Drive for NOTL Children in Need
Niagara-on-the-Lake has 120 children whose families are unable to afford Christmas gifts. Royal Oak is helping Newark Neighbours to collect gifts for these children. Until December 12th, bring in new or gently used toys (i.e. all pieces are included) to donate. A bin is set up at the front entrance. Thank you for your generosity!
ATTENTION- No Aftercare on
December 11th, 16th or 19th!
We wanted to give as much advance notice as possible that there will be no aftercare running on Thursday, December 11th, Tuesday, December 16th and Friday, December 19th. This is due to the numerous staff and school events happening in December, including our Holiday Performance, our Staff Social, and the last and final day of school for the term.
Coffee Cafe is Moving to
Wednesdays 3:15pm to 3:45pm
Next coffee cafe: December 3rd, 3:20pm! Due to timing and scheduling this year, we are changing our Coffee Cafe Camp Fundraiser to Wednesday afternoons from 3:20pm to 3:45pm. Parents and students are welcome to join us in the front foyer to buy some yummy goodies and beverages. $2 a coffee and $2 for fresh-baked goodies. The Coffee Cafe Camp Fundraiser helps to pay for the bus to Camp Wenonah in June. It drastically lowers the total cost of the trip for our students. Please come and help out by buying some delicious snacks on Wednesday, December 3rd, 2025.
ROCS Virtual High School Transition Meeting- Thursday, December 4th, 4:30pm
Grade 7/8 parents are welcome to attend the online virtual ROCS Virtual High School Transition meeting that will be held on Thursday, December 4th at 4:30pm. This meeting is intended to provide parents with information about the different high schools in the region, how to register and when tours and open houses might occur. Please RSVP to Ms. Dennis if you intend to attend.
Royal Oak Open House for New Families - December 5, 2025
On December 5, Royal Oak will open its doors to prospective new members of our community for the 2026/2027 school year! Our Open House is an important opportunity for families to meet our teachers, students, and see & FEEL what makes Royal Oak so special. Our Open House will be advertised around the community and on social media, but there is no better referral than word of mouth! Please share this news and flyer widely with your friends and family, or better yet, hit "Share" when you see it on our socials!
Winter Break Camp -
December 29th - January 2nd.
We are happy to once again offer Winter Break Camp for both Royal Oak students and those from local public schools. Camp will run Dec 29-31, and Jan 2. The cost is $50 per day and includes fun academic, creative and sports-related activities based on our inquiry and outdoor education philosophy.
If you are interested in having your child join Royal Oak Camps, please see our website PD Camps or complete this Registration Form.
Please share widely with your friends and family!
Winter Season Reminders
We wanted to pass along some important updates for the weeks ahead as we navigate winter weather once again, and the respiratory viruses that come along with it. Washing hands, coughing or sneezing into sleeves, and keeping personal space in and out of the classroom are always enforced. We carefully monitor students for symptoms at school, and ask that all families continue to keep children home if they are sick.
As we move into January and the wintery weather, we want to remind families that Royal Oak's policy on these potential snow days is to open if we can safely ask our families and staff to navigate the roads. We check Niagara Regional Police reports on road conditions, speak with staff members by 6:00 am who come from areas like Welland and Port Colborne, and watch the weather reports closely. If Royal Oak needs to close for a snow day due to unsafe road and weather conditions, you will receive an email and Toddle by 6:45am, alerting you to the closure. On the first day of a closure, we will have a true "Snow Day" with no online school operating. If inclement weather goes beyond one day, we will activate online learning, using Toddle for remote lessons, and your child's classroom teacher will be in touch the evening before to share the plan.
Homework Club
Homework Club will wrap up for the 2025 school term the week of December 1st. There will be no Homework Club the week of December 8th, due to our Holiday Performance or the last week of school before the holidays. Homework Club will resume again the week of January 13th, 2025.
Upcoming Important Dates
Wednesday, December 3rd - Shaw presentation of “A Christmas Carol”
Thursday, December 4th @ 4:30pm - Virtual High School Transition Meeting- RSVP to Ms. Dennis
Friday, December 5th, 9am to 11:30am- ROCS Open House
Thursday, December 11th , 6 to 7:30pm- ROCS Winter Concert- students to NOTL CC by 5:30pm
Saturday, December 13th, Timing to be Announced -NOTL Christmas Parade- meet at school
Friday, December 19th- ROCS Pizza/PJ Dress down and last day of school celebration!
Monday, December 22rd to January 3rd, 2026- ROCS Winter Break
December 29, 30, 31, Jan.2, 2026 - ROCS Winter Break Day Camp
Friday, January 23rd - ROCS PD day- PD Camp available
January 19th to March 6th, 2026 - Winter Club Term
Friday, February 27th, 2026- Frozen Jr, the Musical
Calling all business owners! Royal Oak is offering advertising space in the program for our Winter Concert on Thursday, December 11th! Advertising slots are being sold for the following prices:
1/4 page (2.5"x3.75" portrait) for $20
1/2 page (5"x3.75" landscape) for $30
full page (5"x7.75" portrait) for $50
double-page spread (10"x7.75" landscape) for $80
If you, or anyone you know, might be interested in advertising a local business, please reach out to Mrs.Hill (kristahill@royaloakschool.ca) to arrange this. All money goes directly back into supporting our school community.
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