October 19th-October 30th

Dear Lancaster Families,

It is hard to believe that we are already approaching mid-October! Over the past few weeks, our educators and divisional teams have been working collaboratively to develop divisional learning plans and further solidify Lancaster’s School Achievement Plan for the 2026–2027 school year.

This year, we will continue to focus on reading, writing, and mathematics, while also prioritizing student belonging and well-being.

We are excited to share that the momentum we built last year around developing a common language for our writing practices is already making a positive impact. Our educators are continuing to make student thinking and learning visible in our classrooms, helping students reflect on their learning and communicate their thinking more clearly.

This year, we will also continue to focus on mathematics fluency, beginning with the development of common language, shared practices, and collaborative planning within our divisional teams. By working together, we are building consistency in our approach and creating meaningful learning opportunities for all students.

Our professional learning day on Monday, October 26th, will provide an opportunity for staff to continue working collaboratively on Lancaster’s School Achievement Plan and our shared goals for the 2026–2027 academic year.

We look forward to the wonderful learning opportunities, celebrations, and connections that the next two weeks will bring. Thank you for your continued support as we work together to ensure that every Lancaster Lion feels a strong sense of belonging and has the opportunity to learn and grow.

Warmly,
Ms. O'Hearn, Mrs. Bates & The Lancaster Team

Upcoming Dates to Remember

October

Running Club Practices: Tuesdays, Thursdays & Fridays @ Lunch

October 17th-October 22nd ~ Secret Path Week

Tuesday, October 20th ~ District Cross Country @ Fort Henry

Wednesday, October 21st ~ Hamilton, Hardy, Graham and Bateman to Gould Lake

Friday, October 23rd ~ Dee to bowling at Limestone Lanes

Sunday, October 25th ~ Anniversary of the Haldimand Treaty of 1784

Monday, October 26th ~ PA Day

Tuesday, October 27th ~ PJ Spirit Day

Tuesday, October 27th ~ Kindergarten to Wynn Farms

Wednesday, October 28th ~ Lancaster's Pumpkin Carving Contest ~ more info to follow.

Thursday, October 29th ~ K-6 Just Dance

Friday, October 30th ~ Spirit Day ~ Wear Black, Orange & Purple

Friday, October 30th ~ Primary Activity Rotations and Intermediate Dance 1:20-3:00 in gym

Monday, November 2nd ~ Grade 7&8 Immunizations

Friday, November 6th ~ Class Photos and Photo Retakes

Health Instruction

As part of LDSB's ongoing commitment to transparency and collaboration with families, this email outlines the purpose and distribution timelines for Forms 325-A, 325-B, 325-C, and 325-D, all of which support the implementation of the Human Development and Sexual Health component of the Health and Physical Education (HPE) curriculum 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 by completing 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 Human Development and Sexual Health 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.

Spirit Wear Order

Please stay tuned for an upcoming holiday spirit wear order. Communication and ordering instructions will be shared via School Day.

SockTober

Hot Lunches

We’re excited to offer hot lunch twice a week this year! Tuesdays will be ordered through School-Day, featuring pizza from Riverhead. Thursday lunches will be ordered via Lunchbox, with meals from Greek Town and some new options for students to enjoy.

A Friendly Reminder about E-Scooters

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. 

E-scooters are not currently permitted on municipal roads, sidewalks, trails, pathways, or other public spaces within the City of Kingston. Individuals who choose to operate e-scooters or similar devices that do not comply with provincial and municipal regulations may be subject to enforcement action, including charges, fines, vehicle impoundment, and other penalties where applicable. Riders are responsible for understanding and complying with all laws governing the operation of these devices.

Find out more at Micromobility Regulations | Get Involved Kingston by Communications & Public Engagement.”

Arrival & Pickup Safety Reminder

This is a gentle reminder that Lancaster has two designated accessible parking spaces at the front of the school, as well as a designated bus loading zone. We kindly ask all families and visitors to be mindful of these designated areas and help ensure they remain available for those who require them.

Thank you for your cooperation and support in helping keep our arrival and dismissal routines safe and efficient for everyone!

CPICs For Volunteers

For the safety of our students and school community, all volunteers are required to have a recent vulnerable sector police check completed within 6 months of their volunteer start date. Existing CPICs are valid for 5 years. To help make the process easier, we will provide prospective volunteers with a letter to take to the police detachment that serves the area where they live. The letter must be completed by a school representative before you take it to the police. Once you receive your completed police record check, please upload it to the LDSB Police Record Check Portal. Human Resources will review the record check and will contact you if any additional information or follow-up is required. Thank you for helping us create a safe and welcoming environment for all of our students!

Lancaster SAC Meeting Dates

Schedule of Parent Council Meetings for the year, please join us! 

·        November 19, 2026 – 6pm

·        December 17, 2026 – 6pm

·        February 18, 2027 – 6pm

·        April 15, 2027 – 6pm

·        May 20, 2027 – 6pm

·        June 3, 2027 – 6pm

- Riverhead Family Pizza Night October 30th (see flyer for details)

- Purdys Chocolate Fundraiser - Campaign will start November 2nd! 

Allergy Awareness

We would like to gently remind Lancaster families that we have students in our school with severe, life-threatening anaphylactic allergies to peanuts, tree nuts, peas, and lentils.

We kindly ask families to keep these allergies in mind when packing lunches and snacks and to take a moment to carefully check ingredient labels. These ingredients can sometimes be found in unexpected foods and snacks.

Thank you so much for your continued care, understanding, and cooperation. By working together, we can help ensure that Lancaster remains a safe, welcoming, and inclusive place for all of our students.

Concussion Protocol - UPDATED!

LDSB 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. Click HERE for more information on the LDSB website.

The office calls home for all students who have a head injury/suspected concussion. If a student has one or more symptoms of a concussion they are given an orange bracelet are will not particiapte in any physical activity (i.e., physical education, DPA, recess) until cleared (signed off) by a caregiver and/or medical professional using Form 142-D: Documentation of Medical Examination. We encourage all students with symptoms of a concussion to be picked up from school and monitored by a caregiver and assessed by a medical professional.

The Concussion Protocol has been updated to align with the Canadian Guideline on Concussion in Sport (2024) and current international concussion guidance. The changes simplify the Return to Learn (RTL) and Return to Physical Activity (RTPA) process and support a safe, gradual, symptom-informed return to school and activity.

Key changes include:

• Simplified RTL and RTPA stages: Several stages have been combined to create a clearer and more consistent progression for students, families, and staff. • Earlier return to school: Students may return to school as early as Stage 2, with appropriate supports and monitoring of symptoms.

• Symptom-informed progression: Mild and brief increases in symptoms during Stages 1–3 may be acceptable if symptoms resolve within one hour.

• Earlier medical clearance: Medical clearance from a medical doctor or nurse practitioner is required after successful completion of RTPA Stage 3 and before beginning Stage 4.

• Symptoms after medical clearance: If symptoms return during Stages 4–6, the student must return to Stage 3 and be reassessed by a medical doctor or nurse practitioner.

• School responsibility: The designated lead is responsible for monitoring the student's progression through the RTL/RTPA stages and ensuring medical clearance is received before Stage 4.

• Parent/guardian responsibility: Parents/guardians are responsible for communicating changes in symptoms and providing written medical clearance following RTPA Stage 3.

Safe Arrival - Reporting a Student's Absence

There are three options for families to use to report a student's absence:

• SchoolMessenger App on your phone.
• SchoolMessenger website portal.
• call the automated attendance phone line at 1-855-257-9349

**Always enter "lates" as a full day even if the child will only be absent for half a day. It will adjust automatically once the student arrives.
For more information on how to report an absence please watch the video below or contact Mrs. Davies in the office.

Daily Schedule

Allergen Awareness - Nut-Free School

Thank you for packing nut-free snacks! Please communicate with teachers before sending any treats in for your student's class.