Dear families,
With warmer spring weather upon us, we often see students spending more time outside, walking in the community, and enjoying time with friends on the school bus and after school. This is a great opportunity to remind students about making positive choices wherever they are at school, on the bus, online, and in the community.
We ask for your support in reminding children to:
- Treat others with kindness and respect
- Avoid spreading rumors or gossip, in person or online
- Refrain from egging others on to do things they are uncomfortable with
- Speak up or walk away when a situation does not feel right
These behaviours help keep everyone safe and contribute to a positive school climate.
We encourage families to take a few moments to have open conversations with your child about peer pressure, making good decisions, and how their actions both words and behaviour can impact others. Working together, we can help students enjoy the spring season safely and responsibly.
Thank you for your continued support and partnership.
YRDSB 2026-2027 School Year Calendars
The YRDSB 2026-2027 school year calendars have been approved by the Ministry. These calendars may be accessed on the YRDSB website at: https://www2.yrdsb.ca/school-year-calendar
Math EQAO
Math EQAO for students who have Grade 9 De-streamed Math this semester will be taking place on June 11 and June 12, 2026. Families should have received a communication earlier this week.
Cortelucci Vaughan Hospice Hike for CHV
We are including the Cortelucci Vaughan Hospice Hike for CHV in this newsletter for your information. This event is not affiliated in any way with Emily Carr Secondary School.
YRDSB Accepting Applications for Board Committees
York Region District School Board is accepting applications for membership on two advisory committees that provide important family and community perspectives at the Board level.
Parent, Family and Community Engagement Advisory Committee (PEAC)
Applications open May 14 - June 10, 2026.
Parents, caregivers and family members are invited to apply for membership on PEAC. The committee offers families a meaningful opportunity to share their perspectives and support family engagement at the Board level to improve student achievement and well-being.
Learn more about PEAC, eligibility requirements and how to apply on the Parent, Family and Community Engagement Advisory Committee (PEAC) webpage.
Equity and Inclusivity Advisory Committee (EIAC)
Applications open May 11 - June 15, 2026
Family and community members can apply for one of eight positions on EIAC. The committee supports YRDSB’s commitment to providing equitable and inclusive learning and working environments in all schools and workplaces of the Board.
Learn more about EIAC, eligibility requirements and how to apply on the Equity and Inclusivity Advisory Committee (EIAC) webpage.
Guidance Updates
Parents/guardians are asked to have their students (who have applied to postsecondary programs at colleges or universities in Ontario) check their OCAS and/or OUAC accounts. ECSS has completed the upload for semester two midterm marks for all students. If students notice any mark discrepancies, or if they notice any courses that appear that should no longer be there, they are asked to pop by the Guidance Office or contact their guidance counsellor. In addition, for students who are completing courses privately, they must ensure that their courses are shown in progress and any grades are also shared with OCAS and OUAC. All final reports need to be provided to ECSS so that they appear on a student’s transcript.
Ontario Universities' Information Sessions: May 6, 2026, from 5 to 7 pm (ET) This virtual event is divided into 4 sessions, where students can learn about the universities of their choice and ask questions. This event is tailored to Grade 11 and younger students who are beginning their university research. Registration is available now.
YRDSB is hosting a Social Media and Mental Health presentation for parents/caregivers on May 6th, 2026 from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm. This presentation is being offered in support of Children's Mental Health Awareness Week (CMHA) May 4th - May 8th, 2026. Some topics covered in this presentation may include understanding what social media is, the risks and benefits of social media use, some strategies to help youth manage their social media use, and resources. There will be time for questions and answers at the end of the presentation. Complete the Google Form for registration. In addition, the ECSS Student Wellness Club is also hosting various lunchtime activities and announcements to support CMHA.
Summer School Learning Opportunities are now open in myBlueprint. Students are asked to return the signed parent/guardian Sign-Off sheet from myBlueprint to the Guidance Office to ensure that the final approval step takes place. New for this year - YRDSB students can take courses in July and/or August.
The Guidance Department along with the ECSS Student Wellness Club and Leadership & Peer Support class are hosting our SENIOR SUNSET on Tuesday, June 2nd. This is an opportunity for our graduating students to make some final memories at ECSS. The evening will be filled with music, games, some treats, and a beautiful sunset - all FREE! We have approximately 270 students on track to graduate this year so we’re looking for donations from the parent/guardian community to support this event. We would appreciate any of the following items:
- Cases of water bottles
- Glow Sticks/Glow Bracelets
- Bubbles
- Snacks
- Monetary donation to purchase any of the above
If you would like to make a donation for this event, please reach out to Fiorella Finelli (fiorella.finelli@yrdsb.ca) or Rosanna Milani (rosanna.milani@yrdsb.ca) the Senior Sunset Advisors.