Together in Education:Family Update
November 15-19
Lancaster Drive Public School and Parent Council
Email: lancd@limestone.on.ca
Website: http://lancaster.limestone.on.ca
Location: 1020 Lancaster Drive, Kingston, ON, Canada
Phone: (613)634-0470
Twitter: @LancasterPSLDSB
THE LANCASTER MAXSOLD FUNDRAISER IS HERE!
MAXSOLD FUNDRAISER
- Clean out the closets! Declutter the garage! Get rid of items taking up space in your home!
- Donate new or gently used items for the Lancaster MaxSold auction:
- 100% of all proceeds will go to Lancaster for student enrichment and outdoor equipment
School Update
Dear Families,
Progress Reports and Kindergarten Initial Communication of Learning were sent home with students on Friday. These reports are designed to show students' development of learning skills and work habits, as well as general progress in working towards the achievement of curriculum expectations this fall. Teachers have worked diligently to determine where students are in terms of their literacy and math skills, and are using many high yield strategies to support students in moving forward in their learning. Please contact your child's teacher if you have any questions regarding progress.
Next week is Bullying Awareness Week. Students will be engaging in activities to deepen their understanding of how showing empathy towards others can make our school a kinder and safer place for all. Friday, November 26th will be Pink Shirt Day...but any pink clothing or accessory will do! We hope to see a "sea of pink" in our building as a visible reminder of how important it is to be kind, show empathy and stand up against bullying.
The wet weather has led to lots of squishy and muddy areas on our yard: we strongly recommend that all students, regardless of age, have an extra outfit at school in case of a slip in the mud...as well as several pairs of socks. Students continue to learn and play outdoors in all kinds of weather, so it is important that they have dressed appropriately every day. Please see below for some helpful tips about how to dress your child to prepare for the changeable November weather.
Our Student Leadership Teams are hard at work: we are excited about our school spirit week which will take place during the last week before the holidays. Thank you to our Athletic Ministry for organizing our extended recess and Jersey Day last week. The Ministry of Caring has grown to include a Junior Ministry of Caring and Kindness - both ministries will be supporting bully awareness week with initiatives and daily announcements throughout the week.
Our school community will be supporting both the Partners In Mission Food Bank with our annual "Jingle Bell Walk" and non-perishable food item collection, and the United Way with a "Winter Warmth" tree (hats, mitts, socks & scarves). Details will be shared in the coming weeks. We look forward to making the month before the holidays a time where we celebrate our amazing school community, and share our enthusiasm and generosity with our local community.
It is important that all students continue to be screened every day using the online active screening tool:
https://www.limestone.on.ca/cms/One.aspx?portalId=352782&pageId=28780697
Please keep your children home when indicated and follow Public Health directives to get tested: we continue to work hard at the school to ensure that students are being vigilant about adhering to Covid protocols, and appreciate families doing their part as well.
Your leaders in learning,
Lani Fox and Sara O'Hearn
UPCOMING EVENTS
November is Indigenous Education and Hindu Heritage Month
November 22nd-26th - Bullying Awareness & Prevention Week
November 22 ~ School Climate Survey Opens until November 30th
November 23 ~ Hot Lunch - Subway
November 25 ~ MAXSOLD DROP OFF @ Lancaster 8:00-9:00 am
November 26 ~ PINK SHIRT DAY
November 28 - Hanukkah
November 28 ~ MAXSOLD DROP OFF @ Lancaster 12:00-2:00 pm
November 30 ~ Hot Lunch - Pizza
December 3 ~ International Day of Persons with Disabilities
December 4 ~ MAXSOLD DROP OFF @ Lancaster 12:00-2:00 pm
December 6 ~ National Day of Remembrance & Action on Violence Against Women
December 7 ~ Hot Lunch - Pasta
December 14 ~ Hot Lunch - Panzarotti
December 17th - Last day before holidays
December 18 - January 2 - WINTER BREAK
January 3 ~ First Day back
SCHOOL LIFE IS BUSY WITH LEARNING, PLAYING AND GROWING TOGETHER!
Connecting our Lancaster Community - Do you own your own business in Kingston?
School Climate Survey 2021
School boards in Ontario are required to conduct school climate surveys of students, school staff and families at least once every two years as one way to gather data that supports creating a positive school climate. School climate is defined as “the learning environment and relationships found within a school and school community.”
Some families and students may be familiar with the Tell Them From Me or Our Schools Survey from previous years. Those surveys restricted the board’s ability to write our own questions. This year we are using Qualtrics software, the same tool we used for the Student Census. This year's questions are designed to dive deeper into findings from recent board-wide student surveys, specifically the recent Student Census and the Mental Health and Substance Use Survey.
This year, the anonymous survey will ask questions related to equity and inclusive education, engagement in learning, and bullying and harassment at your student’s school. Students in Grades 7 to 12 will be asked an extended set of questions about graduation from high school, mental health and substance use. All questions are voluntary and students can skip those they do not want to answer.
Because the survey is anonymous, data cannot be tracked back to individual students. This information will be used by schools to build safer spaces in which everyone is respected and feels that they belong.
Students will be invited to complete the School Climate Survey, which is designed to take between 10 and 20 minutes to complete, online during class time between November 15 and 30, 2021. Students who are absent will be given additional opportunities to complete the survey. The survey is available in other formats upon request.
Staff and families will also be invited to complete a School Climate Survey in 2022.
Families are invited to review the survey questions in advance. If families require the questions in a different language, please visit the survey platform and select your desired language from the top right menu. If you do not want your student to participate in the survey, please contact your school directly before Friday, November 12, 2021.
Schools may share more specific information around the survey over the coming days. If you have any questions, please contact your school directly.
TRANSLATE OUR NEWSLETTER
DIGITAL ACCEPTABLE USE AND FREEDOM OF INFORMATION
Please complete the Digital Acceptable Use and Freedom of Information form attached below. This information is important for us as part of the Data Verification process
You will be asked to agree that to the terms and agreements of technology use at school, and the policies and procedures of the Limestone District School Board.
You will also be asked to agree or disagree with student information being shared in different formats.
This will take roughly 4 minutes to complete. Thank you.
Accident Insurance: For school sports and general coverage throughout the year
COVID SCREENER LOOK FORS
Mabels Labels
Cobs Bread
Love tasty baked goods from Cobs Bread?? Every time you visit Cobs Bread Bakery at 770 Gardiners rd. in Kingston simply let them know you are supporting Lancaster School’s Fundraiser and they will donate 10% of your sale to us!
Let’s “Raise some Dough”!