It was so great to see everyone at Open House!! We know that this was just a short meet and greet with your child's classroom teacher. Please feel free to connect with us if you wish to chat further about your child's learning.
78% of our Storm Kiddos were at school for a minimum of 90% of the school days in September! 90% of days attended is a goal the school board has set out for us for attendance this year...Let's Go Storm Kiddos!
Our Storm Families are fundraising with a flurry for Terry Fox - we have already raised $855 - our link is still open for donations!
Rain or Shine
We value and appreciate our time outside as a much needed brain break from learning. We will go outside for most recesses even if it is raining. In the event of heavy rain (or thunder/lightning), we will call an indoor recess. October can often be rainy, so please consider having your child wear or bring a water resistant coat. Extra clothes in the backpack is a great idea in case there are muddy puddles to play in!!
School Advisory Council Update
Our first meeting had an amazing turn out! Thank you to all who joined us! Our next meeting is Tuesday, October 19th at 5:30 pm - babysitting provided! We will be discussing preparations for our Boo Bash on Thursday, October 29, from 5:30-6:30pm as well as other topics.
Student Accident Insurance
Reminder that student accident insurance is required for participation in voluntary sports. If you do not have insurance, you can access affordable insurance at this link -INSURE MY KIDS
Concussion Protocols
The Limestone District School Board is committed to helping all students succeed and lead safe, healthy, and active lives. As part of its commitment to student safety, injury prevention, and well-being, the Ministry of Education supports concussion awareness, prevention, identification, management, tracking, and training in schools through legislation, policy, and resources.
On March 7, 2018, the Ontario government enacted Rowan’s Law (Concussion Safety), 2018, and amended the Education Act, to protect amateur athletes, including students, by improving concussion safety on the field and at school. The amendments to the Education Act came into force on July 1, 2019, and give the Minister of Education the authority to require school boards to comply with policy and guidelines on concussions, consistent with Rowan’s Law.
All school boards in Ontario are required to have a policy on concussion safety for students. These are outlined in Administrative Procedure 142: Concussions, as well as a variety of supporting resources and documents that outline a code of conduct for students and families, flow charts to identify and diagnose a concussion and assessment and management forms. The Ontario Physical Activity and Safety Standards in Education has information on their website regarding the concussion protocol.
Concussion awareness resources:
- Concussion awareness resources ages 10 and under
- Concussion awareness resources ages 11 to 14
- Concussion awareness resources ages 15 and up
Limestone District School Board Concussion Codes of Conduct:
- Concussion Code of Conduct for Interschool Sports - Coach/Team Trainer
- Concussion Code of Conduct for Interschool Sports - Parent/Guardian
- Concussion Code of Conduct for Interschool Sports - Students
Calendar of Events
Picture Day - October 5
Pumpkin Patch Grades K-3 - October 6
Gould Lake Grades 4-8 - October 8
Thanksgiving - October 12 - No School
Cross Country @ Fort Henry - October 13
SAC Meeting - October 19 - 5:30pm - All Welcome! (Babysitting provided)
PA Day - October 26 - No School - Teachers will be in professional development
Boo Bash - Thursday, October 29 - 5:30-6:30 - families are invited to join us for family and community building time organized by our amazing SAC committee! Students must bring their grown up(s) with them as this is a family function! Wear a costume, black and orange, or your regular clothes-we just want to spend time with you! Pizza, drinks, and snacks will be available to purchase at the event.
Orange and Black day - October 30 - this year we are asking students to dress in orange and black and to save their costumes for the Boo Bash and Halloween Night.
Cyber Awareness Month
October is Cyber Awareness Month in Ontario, and students across Limestone will be learning how to build safer, more thoughtful online habits.
Through age-appropriate classroom conversations and activities, students will explore topics
such as recognizing suspicious messages, protecting personal information, creating strong passwords, thinking before clicking or sharing, and contributing to positive digital communities.
This learning is part of our broader work in digital literacy, media literacy, and AI literacy. Limestone has created K-12 digital literacy modules that educators can use with students throughout the year. These lessons and activities help students think critically about online information, protect their privacy, use technology responsibly, and better understand the digital tools they use.
Guardians can support this learning at home by talking with children about the websites, apps, games, and devices they use, and by having simple conversations about what information should stay private. The following resources are helpful starting points.
Resources for guardians:
- MediaSmarts: Cyber Security Resources for Parents
- Get Cyber Safe: Keep the Kids in Your Life Cyber Safe Checklist
- Cyber Security Ontario: K-12 Zone
- ProtectKidsOnline.ca
- RCMP: Cyber Safety for Parents, Guardians, Caregivers, and Teachers
Artificial Intelligence in Limestone
In the Limestone District School Board, we are committed to helping students develop the skills and confidence they need to navigate today’s digital world. Technology, including artificial intelligence (AI), is already part of students’ everyday lives, and learning how to use it in a thoughtful and responsible way is important for their success in school and beyond.
We want all students to feel safe, supported, and informed when using digital tools. Students are learning about how technology can affect learning, mental health, and well-being, and how we can help students build healthy, balanced habits with their use of technology.
Students are also exploring how tools like AI can support learning and problem-solving in positive and meaningful ways. Our focus is on helping students become confident and responsible digital citizens who can use technology thoughtfully and safely to support their learning and well-being, both at school and at home.
Learn More:
Limestone’s AI Guiding Principles
Artificial Intelligence in Limestone
E-scooters are easy to find, but they aren't toys and aren't designed for kids. In Ontario, you must be at least 16 years old to ride wherever e-scooters are permitted.
In Kingston, e-scooters are not currently permitted. The City is developing a Micromobility Regulations Strategy — with updated rules around e-scooters, e-bikes and other lightweight, rideable transportation — to support safe, accessible and sustainable travel around Kingston. The strategy, which considers public engagement feedback and research into best practices, will be presented to Council for consideration later this year. Find out more at Micromobility Regulations | Get Involved Kingston by Communications & Public Engagement.
Every Day Counts!
Did you know the impact of missing a day or two each month? Check out the info on the left! Each time your child is away or late, they are missing valuable learning time.
Our school board's goal is to have every student at school for at least 90% of the school days. Our Sydenham Storm Staff may reach out to families to see if support is needed to help improve attendance if we start to see your child begin to dip below this goal line. This is not punitive! We want to help you and support where we can so that we can have every minute possible with your child and for their education!
If students are feeling well enough to participate at school, then they can come to school - even with a little sniffle or cough! Please refresh your child's memory on how to cover up a sneeze or cough when they have a little cold.
There are very few reasons schools ask students to stay home - we do follow public health school health guide lines that ask students to stay home for fever, vomiting or diarrhea.
If you ever wonder - 'Should my child go to school today?' - give us a call - we are happy to chat with you to figure it out together!
Human Development and Sexual Health Curriculum
As part of LDSB's commitment to ongoing transparency and communication with families, please follow the link to Form 325-D on the LDSB website. It outlines the Human Development and Sexual Health curriculum expectations for Grades 1-8. Families can request to have their child or children exempted from instruction related to Human Development and Sexual Health expectations by completing and returning an exemption form for each child (Form 325-B) five school days before the start of instruction. Prior to instruction, your child's classroom teacher will inform parents/guardians when the expectations related to the Human Development and Sexual Health expectations in Strand D will be covered. For a more detailed overview of this process, please refer to Administrative Procedure 325: Exemption From Human Development and Sexual Health Instruction (listed under the Policies and Procedures section of the LDSB website), or contact the school.
[The section below will be at the end of every newsletter - so if you have arrived here - thank you for reading our full newsletter - we appreciate you!]
How Do I Report An Absence?
Please use the Safe Arrival system to report your child's absence; if you need to call to report an absence, please call 1-855-257-9349 (see instructions below)
If your child will be late, please report a full day absence and then we will sign them in when they arrive.
Computerized call outs occur around 9:30 for students absent with no reported absence in our system. This call out system is a mandatory safety feature to ensure you know your child is not at school and can follow up as needed. For this reason, if your child is late, it is important that they stop into the office so that Mrs. Thompson can change their absence to 'Late' so that you don't receive an unnecessary and worrisome phone call that your child is not at school
How to report your absence:
1. Toll-free telephone
- Call 1-855-257-9349 toll-free to report an absence using the automated phone system.
2. School Messenger App
- Use your mobile device to download and install the free SchoolMessenger blue app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store, the SchoolMessenger website portal, or from within the LDSB mobile app.
- The first time you use the app, you must select Sign Up to create your account. Please ensure you use the same email address your student’s school has on file. If you do not use that same email address, you will not be able to create an account, or may not be able to see the "Attendance" option. You may have already created an account when we introduced the Communicate broadcast system.
- Select Attendance, then select Report an Absence and follow the prompts.
3. SchoolMessenger SafeArrival Website Portal
- Visit the SchoolMessenger website portal.
- The first time you use the app, you must select Sign Up to create your account. Please ensure you use the same email address your student’s school has on file. If you do not use that same email address, you will not be able to create an account, or may not be able to see the "Attendance" option. You may have already created an account when we introduced the Communicate broadcast system.
- Select Attendance, then Report an Absence and follow the prompts.