Together in Education Family Update
December 7-11
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
Upcoming Dates:
Tues Dec 8 ~ School Council Meeting 6:00 (email koryslovitt@live.ca for link invitation)
Wed Dec 9 ~ GRADE 8 PARENTS: Bayridge Secondary Virtual Parent Info Session 7 pm bit.ly/372vj5S
Thurs Dec 10 ~ SPIRIT DAY: WEAR BLUE AND WHITE - Celebrate Winter and the First Day of Hanukah
Dec 14-18 ~ Spirit Week for United Way and the Food Bank - stay tuned for details!
ATTENTION GRADE 8 PARENTS! BSS PARENT INFO NIGHT WED DEC 9TH @7pm
Dear Lancaster Families
As we are just getting into December, we would like to extend our appreciation to our staff. This year has brought many changes and challenges, yet they have found innovative ways to maintain our new Covid safety protocols and still provide engaging, welcoming environments. Our teachers and support staff have gone above and beyond to keep our students safe, learning and laughing.
This is a season of giving. We know that this year, more than most, many families are struggling to put food on the table. Classes have been working towards their own giving quests in classrooms, looking at Donations to Toy Mountain, Partners in Mission Food Bank, Kingston Youth Shelter, and the United Way. Look for more information coming home on these initiatives. During the last week of school, we will be asking for donations to the United Way or non-perishable food items to participate in our school-wide spirit week. Thank you for your support.
The composition of School Councils in the Limestone school board has been expanded to include an Indigenous Family Representative position. We want to create a safe and inclusive space for our Indigenous families, and for all Lancaster families, in our School Council and across our school community. Please let the school know if you are an Indigenous parent, guardian or grandparent of an Indigenous student, who would like to join the School Council.
Your leaders in learning,
Lani Fox and Sara O'Hearn
LEARNING IN YOUR PAJAMAS IS ALWAYS A HIT
WE ARE LOVING OUR MAKER SPACE TIME TO SEE WHAT WE CAN CREATE!
Creating Backpack Race Tracks with our first snow!
What a delight to have students share their writing!
Mini Snowmen creations!
We enjoyed retelling our Mitten story in Kindergarten
We imagined all the animals that fit inside the Mitten
We had fun pretending we were some of the animals :)
Classes are exploring the giving of good spirit and care to others
Grade 4/5 Advent Calendar: Kindness challenges every day
"Be the Light" a great message for all of us : )
~ New COVID protocols for Winter ~
As the wintery weather begins, we have started a few new protocols and procedures to ensure the health and safety of our students. At our most recent visit by the Public Health Nurse, Lancaster planning was reviewed and applauded for its attention to detail and protocols in place for the protection of students and staff. Our new protocols include using our hallways and hooks to house our winter gear and using the gym for physical education classes on days students can't have this class outside. Staff have carefully planned how to minimize hallway traffic and maintain physical distancing so that students can quickly and safely transition in and out of the school while managing their winter belongings.
HALLWAY PLANNING:
- For our intermediate students, this includes the use of lockers as coat hooks. Lockers will be opened and remain unlocked, housing only student coats and boots.
- For primary and junior students additional hooks will be added outside of classrooms to provide spacing options for students during transitions.
- Backpacks and lunches for all students will continue to be stored at student desks or cubby spots in the classroom.
- We will now be using a model for supervised breaks that reduces the amount of sitting time for students; having a 20 minute designated eating time and a 20 minute outside time. Teachers have the flexibility in our model to increase times for eating and/or outside time depending on student needs.
- Classes continue to use their designated entrances and cohort line up spots.
GYM USE:
After careful planning and scheduling, classes have also begun to use the gym on days that they are not able to go outside for phys. ed. class. Classes are now able to use the gym for low to moderate levels of activity on days that the weather doesn't cooperate.
- With the onset of snow and ice, students are wearing boots. Students should bring indoor shoes to change into when inside at this time.
- As weather gets colder it will be more likely that student masks will get wet and need to be changed throughout the day. It is recommended that students have spare masks and that students’ masks be regularly laundered.
- Please remember a water bottle each day to use at the water bottle filling station. As the weather get colder, we all need to stay more hydrated.
- Due to our COVID protocols, please ensure that toys and games from home stay at home (ie. Pokémon Cards, small figurines/toys, etc.). Students are not able to use or share these items at school.
Since students will be wearing boots for the winter, please send in a pair of indoor shoes that students can wear in their classroom and in the gym moving forward.
Will you child be away from school for a partial day? Here's what to do...
If your child has an appointment or is going to be absent from school for the first part of the day, please mark them away for the whole day using the Safe Arrival system. When they arrive at school later in the day, we will mark them present and make the change in the attendance system.
If your child needs to be picked up early, please let your child's teacher know and call the school when you arrive. We will help your child make their way out to meet you and mark the pick up in our records.
A REMINDER THAT THE FRONT DOOR OF THE SCHOOL IS NOT A STUDENT ENTRANCE EXCEPT IN SITUATIONS OF LATE DROP OFF/EARLY PICK UP BY PARENTS. STUDENTS SHOULD NOT BE USING THIS DOOR AS A HABIT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE DAY BUT SHOULD BE ENTERING THE SCHOOL WITH THEIR CLASS.
If you are having difficulties, please contact the school for support. Thanks~
OUR COBS FUNDRAISER RUNS ALL YEAR!
HELPING CHILDREN WITH SELF-REGULATION
The Implications of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Mental Health and Substance Use in Youth
This webinar will explore how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted mental health and substance use in young people. It will also discuss the challenges that youth continue to face during the pandemic and how youth allies, including educators, parents and counsellors can provide support.
Date: December 2, 2020, 1 – 2 p.m. EST. Register now
Speakers:
Alexa Bol, Manager, Knowledge Mobilization, Opening Minds
Sabrina Jouniaux-Romano, Supervisor, Kids Help Phone
Please note that this webinar will be presented in English.
For information and resources on COVID-19 and substance use, including past webinars, visit COVID-19 resource centre.
https://preventionconversation.org/2020/11/19/ccsa-new-webinars-implications-of-covid-19-on-public-health-and-substance-use-in-canada/SCREENING STUDENTS AT HOME AND AT SCHOOL - Covid-19 Screening Tool & Return to School Information
Please review the screening tool and the KFL&A Public Health return to school flow chart that will assist families with determining their next steps. These helpful documents are shared on the LDSB Website and images are below.
- Screening Tool
- My student did not pass COVID-19 screening
- Return to school protocols for students and staff with COVID-19 symptoms
Thank you for your continued support as we refine our routines and processes going forward. The sheet below will be sent home with students if they are demonstrating symptoms of COVID-19 and helps to explain next steps for students and families.