How to Stay Informed During the School Year
Welcome to the first Backpack newsletter of the 2026-27 school year! While the school year doesn’t officially start until Wednesday, September 9th, we have more information to share since the Summer Mailing was sent August 18th. So please spend a few minutes reading this so you familiarize yourself with the format and are fully “in the know” for the start of the new school year.
The Backpack is a full-school communications piece emailed to parents and faculty & staff every Thursday afternoon. It includes important time-sensitive information from all three divisions (Junior, Middle and Senior) that parents need to know, as well as updates from the Head of School, news of Parent Association events, and human-interest stories happening around our school.
We do our very best to include a high-level overview about the coming week, including a Week-at-a-Glance. However, there are times when a divisional director or department head will send an email specific to their parents in Junior, Middle or Senior School separate from Backpack.
Divisional & Classroom Communications
- Director or Department Updates: Occasionally, Junior, Middle, or Senior School Directors will send time-sensitive emails specific to their divisions outside of the regular newsletter schedule.
- Junior School Class News: Junior School faculty also email weekly messages home to parents with class-specific details.
Social Media & Web Highlights
- Follow Along: We share vibrant, school-wide moments on Instagram and Facebook. Follow us at @TheCDS1972.
- Not on Social Media? You can easily catch up on the same great content via our Media Gallery at www.cds.on.ca/media.
Parent Chat Groups: We know many CDS families connect via grade-specific text or WhatsApp groups. While these are wonderful for community building, we strongly encourage you to rely on our school-sanctioned communications as your primary source for the most accurate, up-to-date information.
Enjoy your Labour Day weekend!
Land Acknowledgment
The Country Day School wishes to recognize and acknowledge the land on which the school operates. Our nearest Indigenous Nations are now the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and the Chippewas of Georgina Island. The Dish with One Spoon Wampum covenant is often cited as an example of the shared responsibility for caring for these lands among the Huron-Wendat, Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee peoples who would call these their traditional territories. CDS respects the relationship with these lands and recognizes that our connection to this land can be strengthened by our continued relationship with all First Nations, by acknowledging our shared responsibility to respect and care for the land and waters for future generations.
School Information
Junior, Middle and Senior Schools
13415 Dufferin Street, King, Ontario L7B 1K5
(905) 833-1220
communications@cds.on.ca
admissions@cds.on.ca
Founded in 1972, The Country Day School is a co-educational private school offering programs in JK-12 and located on 100 acres north of Toronto in King.
13415 Dufferin Street, King, Ontario L7B 1K5
(905) 833-1220
communications@cds.on.ca
admissions@cds.on.ca
Founded in 1972, The Country Day School is a co-educational private school offering programs in JK-12 and located on 100 acres north of Toronto in King.
