The TIE - Our First Day is Here!
August 30th
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
WELCOME BACK LIONS.....2020-21 - HERE WE COME!
Lancaster staff spent the day today immersed in learning around school protocols, health and safety training, and much work has been put into preparing classrooms over the past few days. There is much anticipation and a mixture of emotion for all of us. We are so happy to be able to see students on Tuesday and welcome them into this space again. We are going to focus on connection, building relationships, meeting students where they are, and establishing school as a positive place to be and belong. Welcome back to you as well parents and caregivers as we begin this school year together in education.
Staff have been making calls and emails to families about class placements over the course of the day on Friday September 3rd, and some may continue to contact over the weekend. We will have many staff on hand to greet students as they enter the school yard to ensure students know their class placements and get to the correct meeting location. Parents are reminded that they need to say goodbye to children at these entry points so that we can follow public health guidelines and have a safe return to school.
Have a wonderful weekend and we look forward to seeing faces on Tuesday!
Lani Fox, Sara O'Hearn and your Lancaster Staff
Updates to the Screening Tool: A Message from our partners at KFL&A Public Health
Key updates to the screening tools include:
- More specific symptom lists: in alignment with the updated COVID-19 Reference Document for Symptoms,
- Consideration for immunization status: asymptomatic individuals who are fully immunized are not required to isolate if they are identified as a high risk close contact of an individual who is symptomatic or who tests positive for COVID-19, unless otherwise directed by their local public health unit.
- Consideration for previously positive individuals: similarly, individuals who were diagnosed with COVID-19 within the past 90 days and have since been cleared are not required to isolate unless otherwise directed by their local public health unit
- Revised isolation period: asymptomatic high-risk close contacts of a case are now required to isolate for 10 days (previously 14), unless they are fully immunized or previously positive, as above.
- Revised considerations for international travel: unvaccinated children under the age of 12 are now exempt from federal quarantine if they travelled in the company of someone who qualified for an exemption from quarantine based on vaccination status. However, they may not attend school or child care for 14 days after their arrival. The exception to this is that children may continue to attend school or child care if their international travel was solely due to a cross border custody arrangement.
- Consideration for rapid testing: the screening tool now includes a question about a positive screen on a rapid antigen or home-based self-testing kit.
- Download the COVID-19 school and child care screening, worker and employee screening, and customer screening to use offline and in other languages.
MESSEAGE FROM YOUR ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM
School Messenger APP
If you are new to our school, please take the time to download the School Messenger App to stay connected and report student absences. If you wish to receive our weekly family updates, please follow the instructions for selecting email as one of your preferences.
SCHOOL REOPENING UPDATES
Please continue to check the LDSB microsite for updated information on the Director's messages, Frequently asked Questions, Family Reference Guide, Wellness Resources & Supports, Remote Learning info, Public Health info and Ministry of Education information. This area is updated regularly as information becomes available or changes.
Limestone DSB Frequently Asked Questions
LDSB Website https://www.limestone.on.ca/
LDSB Twitter https://twitter.com/LimestoneDSB
LDSB Facebook https://tinyurl.com/wbhjtku
LDSB Instagram https://instagram.com/limestonedsb?igshid=1epyma6c0g5qd
Youth Vaccination Clinics
Youth aged 12 and older are now eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccination in Ontario. KFL&A Public Health will continue to offer vaccination clinics for youth who are eligible.
How to book a first dose appointment at Youth and Family Vaccination Clinics
- To make a vaccination appointment, please use the link below.
- Youth clinics will be held beginning on June 8 to June 28.
- Please note you will need to be born in 2009 or later to be eligible - students who are 11 but turning 12 this year now meet the criteria.
KFL&A Public Health - COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic | Scheduling and Booking Website (simplybook.plus)
SCHOOL ADVISORY COUNCIL (SAC) - New Opportunity! Be a "Lancaster Ambassador"
Parent Council meeting are held throughout the year on the second Tuesday of the month. All parents/guardians are welcome to attend meetings or contact our school council chair koryslovitt@live.ca if you have thoughts, questions, or ideas to share. We will be looking for parents who would be interested in becoming "Lancaster Ambassadors" for the 2021-22 school year. In this role you would be offered as a contact for families that are new to Lancaster to share insights and help them with transition to a new school community. More information about this opportunity can be accessed through the email above or the school council Facebook page:
Join the School Advisory Council Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2497663423888404/
Looking for Yard Supervisors for 2021-22
As we begin to plan for the next school year, we are looking for people who may be interested in being a Paid Yard Supervisor. Some of our supervisors come every day, and others commit to a few times a week - the schedule can be flexible!
If you are interested, please email the school at lancd@limestone.on.ca
Parent Session - Helping your Child with School Anxiety
Dear Lancaster Families
In these last few weeks of learning students have been engaging a wide variety of learning activities - class spirit days, math challenges in break out rooms, making a vidos of creating a favourite sandwich, adopting a class pet, exploring virtual field trips, working hard at procedural writing, student presentations and guest speakders, and various assessments in the form of quizzes, tests, and 1:1 reading evaluations. There is a lot of learning going on! We encourage families to find a balance that works for getting outside and enjoying the wonderful sun, and engaging in studies to continue the learning momentum. We all need time to connect through learning and laughter, and time to "disconnect" into nature and personal downtime.
Attendance:
Please continue to complete attendance for your child if you know they will be away. We are still doing call-outs as attendance is taken each day. Please make sure your child checks-in with their teacher in some way throughout the day so that they are not accidentally marked absent. If this does occur please call the office to have the attendance modified. Thank you in advance.
Last Week for Government Supports for Students:
The new COVID-19 Child Benefit announced in the 2021 Ontario Budget will provide direct payments to families and students to help with additional costs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
If you received a payment through the Support for Learners program, you do not need to apply. Starting on April 26, 2021, we will begin issuing additional payments of:
- $400 for each child or youth up to Grade 12
- $500 for each child or youth up to age 21 with special needs
If you missed applying for the Support for Learners program, you will have the opportunity to apply for this new round of payment. Applications will open from May 3, 2021 to May 17, 2021.Learn more on the government’s Support for Learners webpage.
Ms. Fox, Ms. O'Hearn and your Lancaster Team