May 19th-May 29th

Upcoming Dates to Remember

May 20th-Parent Council Meeting @ 6:00 pm

May 21st-Bike Safety Classroom Visits

May 22nd- Shavuot - Day 1

May 22nd-Blazers Day @ Bayridge High School for Grade Eight Students

May 22nd-Mr. Dee EQAO

May 23rd- Shavuot - Day 2

May 25th-26th-Mr. Dee and Mrs. Vandyke EQAO

May 27th-Mrs. Vandyke EQAO

May 28th-Grade 6 and 6/7 to RKY Camp

May 28th-Milkskake Day and Bike Safety Presentations

May 29th-PA Day ~ No School for Students

June

June 3rd-Regional Track & Field Meet

June 9th-District Track & Field Meet

June 13th-Lancaster's Family Fun Fair 1-4 pm

June 17th-Grade 7 & 8 Trip to Canada's Wonderland

June 18th-Grade 3's to Upper Canada Village

June18th-Grade 5/6 Trip to Toronto Zoo

June 22nd-Grade Eight Graduation & Boat Cruise

June 24th- Term 2 Report Cards home to families

June 25th-Last day of Classes

June 26th-PA Day

Hot Lunches

Pizza Hot Lunches will be served every Tuesday until mid-June. If you have any questions about Hot Lunches please contact Mrs. Davies

Parent Council Updates

The Lancaster Fun Fair is taking place on Saturday, June 13^th from 1-4pm. There will be inflatables, face painting, cotton candy, raffle baskets, Kona Ice, games and so much more. We will also be hosting and end of year book fair during the Fun Fair, this is a great opportunity to get some new books for summer reading and support the schools literacy program! Keep an eye out for more information to be sent home with students in early May.

To create the Fun Fair raffle baskets, each class will have a theme for donations and tickets for the baskets can be bought during the Fun Fair.  More details to be sent home shortly.

School Organization 2026-2027

The LDSB Staffing Committee recently met and approved Lancaster's school organization of 16 classes for the 2026-27 school year based on projected numbers. Please note, this class organization can change slightly in September.

Class One JK/SK

Class Two JK/SK

Class Three JK/SK

Class Four Grade 1

Class Five Grade 1

Class Six Grade 2

Class Seven Grade 2

Class Eight Grade 2/3

Class Nine Grade 3/4

Class Ten Grade 4

Class Eleven Grade 4/5

Class Twelve Grade 5

Class Thirteen Grade 6

Class Fourteen Grade 6/7

Class Fifteen Grade 7/8

Class Sixteen Grade 7/8

The Lancaster team ensures that exceptional care and thought are put into every child’s class placement. Throughout May and June, staff work together to thoughtfully consider each child’s placement, including academics, peer groups, learning dynamics, and individual strengths and needs.

Should families have information they feel is important for us to consider when placing their child, they are invited to submit remarks or requests to Ms. O'Hearn at ohearns@limestone.on.ca While requests cannot be guaranteed, family input may help support the decision-making process. We ask that all requests are submitted by May 29th. Teacher assignments will be shared in June.

EQAO Communication

Re: EQAO Pre-Administration Letter  

Re: Upcoming EQAO Assessment  

Dear Families,  

Between May 19 and June 2, your student will be taking part in the provincial Assessment of Reading, Writing and Mathematics, Primary Division (Grades 1–3) or Junior Division (Grades 4–6). These assessments, developed by Ontario teachers and assessment experts, are administered to all Grade 3 and Grade 6 students in Ontario’s publicly funded school system by the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO). 

EQAO Dates @ Lancaster

May 22nd, May 25th and 26th-Dee

May 25th, 26th and 27th-Vandyke

June 2nd, 4th and 5th-Tidman, Scovill & Jarbeau

June 2nd, 4th and 5th-Smith

Each assessment includes a language and mathematics component, along with a voluntary student questionnaire. During the assessment, students will complete four language sessions and four mathematics stages that each take approximately 30 minutes to complete. Each session or stage will be completed in one continuous sitting, and the sessions and stages may be administered throughout the administration dates. 

Students will have the opportunity to become familiar with the types of questions on the assessment and its platform through EQAO’s online sample test. 

The EQAO assessment questions are directly based on the expectations set out in The Ontario Curriculum for reading, writing and mathematics, which are what teachers teach in the classroom every day. Therefore, your child does not need to prepare in any special way. Students will complete the assessment in their regular classrooms with their current teachers and are simply encouraged to do their best and show what they know. 

In the fall, EQAO will share individual reports for all our students. Your student’s results are private and will give you an indication of their achievement in relation to Ontario’s provincial standard. The standard, or Level 3, represents the range from B– to B+. Meeting the standard means your student has a solid grasp of the required knowledge and skills, which is a good indication that they will be ready for the next grade. The results of the assessment do not affect your student’s grades or report card in any way. 

For more information about EQAO and to view a sample test, visit EQAO’s website, www.eqao.com. 

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me or your student’s teacher. 

Kind Regards,

Sara O'Hearn

THINK SRSD and Releasing Writers

At Lancaster, we are continuing to implement an approach called Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) to help students grow as confident and capable writers. This means students are learning simple, step-by-step strategies to help them plan their ideas, stay on track while writing, and think about how they did afterward.

As students practice these skills, they are becoming more independent and thoughtful writers. We are already seeing great progress, and it has been wonderful to watch students take pride in their work.

During a recent PA Day on April 17th, our staff worked together to look at student writing across the school and place samples along a shared writing continuum. This helps ensure we are supporting students consistently and effectively at every grade level.

We look forward to continuing this work and supporting students as they build their writing skills!

Spring Plant Sale

We would like to extend our sincere thanks to all of the families and members of the Lancaster community who supported our yearly plant sale by purchasing plants and contributing to its success.

We are excited to share that we raised over $1000! These funds will go directly back into supporting our school community and helping to enhance opportunities for our students.

The Jr. Ministry members will be meeting soon to discuss and decide how they would like to use these funds to support and give back to our school.

Kindergarten Registration and Out of Boundary Registration

Do you have a child ready to start Kindergarten this September? If your child is four- or five-years-old by the end of December (2026), now is the time to register. Limestone offers Kindergarten in both English and French Immersion—where 85% of instruction is in French—plus a strong focus on the core skills of reading, writing, and math. With greater choice in schools and future programming, your child can discover a sense of belonging, while learning the knowledge and skills they need to succeed. For more information, please visit limestone.on.ca/kindergarten.

In Limestone, students may be permitted to attend any school within the board when there is available student space, upon submission and approval of the proper application. Please note only one application per student can be processed; please do not submit more than one application for multiple school locations. If multiple applications are submitted, families will be contacted to select which school application they would like processed, and all other applications will be removed from the system.

The board is not responsible for the provision of any transportation for students outside of their regular school boundary area. This applies to both students within Limestone’s geographic boundaries (out of boundary), and students who live outside of those boundaries (out of district). 

To find the name and location of your in-boundary or home school(s), enter the student’s home address into Tri-Board's Locate A School tool.

Supporting Students in Response to Significant Events

In response to tragic events, locally or globally, students may experience a wide range of emotions, including sadness, confusion, worry, or questions about what they may be hearing from others. Students may react in different ways depending on their age, experiences, and how connected they feel to the situation. With time, reassurance, and support from caring adults, these reactions often ease.

We encourage families to keep lines of communication open at home, to invite questions, and to offer reassurance as needed. If you have concerns about your student or would like support, please refer to the following resources: · Supporting Your Child’s Well-being · Caring for yourself while caring for others: A parent’s guide to self-care · By Your Side (parent/caregiver resources to support mental health learning) · Maltby Centre · One Stop Talk · Kids Help Phone (Call 1-800-668-6868 or Text “Connect” to 686868) · 2-1-1 Ontario

If you are worried about your student’s immediate safety, or the safety of others, please seek urgent assistance by calling 9-1-1, your local mobile crisis service (613-354-7388), or by going to the nearest emergency department.

COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS

Support is available in the community for families who may be looking for additional support for their student(s). Please see some of the available resources below.

Reaching out to a trusted adult, family member, friend, or support professional can also make a meaningful difference when someone is struggling. Encouraging help-seeking and connection can be an important protective factor for students.

• Kids Help Phone – Call or text 988 for 24/7 support across Canada
• Kids Help Phone – Text CONNECT to 686868 or access live chat at kidshelpphone.ca
• Maltby Centre (March 17 Kingston Walk-in Clinic; March 18 Sydenham Walk-in Clinic)
• One Stop Talk – Call 1-855-416-8255 or connect online
• Resolve Counselling Services in Kingston and Napanee
• One Roof Kingston (ages 12 to 25)
• Lennox and Addington Youth Hub (ages 10 to 24)
• In an emergency, call 911 or visit the nearest emergency department

2025-2026 LDSB School Year Calendar

A PDF version of the 2025-2026 School Year Calendar is available online.

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.