The Director’s Annual Report offers a concise overview of the teaching and learning that occurred across the Limestone District School Board (LDSB) during the 2024-2025 school year. It highlights ongoing progress toward the Board’s strategic priorities, shares student achievement data, and showcases key initiatives and accomplishments from across the district.
Our Intention:
To make a positive difference in the lives of every student, in every classroom, in every school.
Our Mission:
To make a positive difference in the lives of the students we serve by empowering every student with the essential skills to shape their future, be lifelong learners, and contribute meaningfully to an interconnected, inclusive, and evolving world.
Our Vision:
For all students, families, and staff to feel they belong within Limestone: a system that understands and supports learners’ strengths, needs, and preferences; inspires their hearts and minds; and nurtures hope for the future success of every student, in every classroom, in every school.
Our Values:
Effective school boards have strong shared beliefs and values about what is possible for students and their ability to learn, and of the system and its ability to teach all students at high levels. Our core values are critical to achieving our priorities as outlined in our mission and vision:
- Adaptability
- Community
- Creativity
- Empathy
- Equity
- Integrity
- Respect
Message from the Director
While our goal is to improve student learning, achievement, well-being, and future success within a positive environment for each student, we recognize the need to focus particular attention on students who are currently not having their needs met within Limestone.
Our work continues to be guided by three key questions:
- For whom is the current education system not working, and why?
- How do we know?
- What can we do differently to make a meaningful difference?
We continue to be committed to cultivating an environment that supports each student's academic, social, and emotional growth, and allows everyone to see themselves in Limestone.
We remain focused on the core academic skills of reading, writing, mathematics, and critical thinking; and fostering inclusive learning environments that make a positive difference in the lives of every student, in every classroom, in every school. I am grateful to LDSB Trustees, staff, students, families, and community partners for their ongoing collaboration and dedication. Their involvement and partnership are key to creating a welcoming and supportive environment where every student can learn, succeed, and belong.
Krishna Burra
Director of Education
Message from the Chair
The role of a Trustee is not just about representing individuals. It involves supporting every family, student, and community across Limestone’s district. By collaborating with dedicated staff and community partners, we keep working to create fair opportunities that benefit every student, in every classroom, in every school.
Throughout the 2024-2025 school year, students and staff in Limestone demonstrated resilience and creativity in building inclusive and welcoming learning environments. They have put in great effort to achieve academic goals and working towards every student being able to see themselves in Limestone.
Listening to Limestone communities is at the heart of how the Board leads. This year, we strengthened our commitment to inclusive decision-making by inviting students, families, and staff to share their voices through the annual budget survey. The insights gathered helped shape Limestone’s budget priorities and ensured planning decisions reflect the needs and values of our district.
For example, as part of the annual budget approval process, Trustees consistently prioritize more than $9 million in additional funding for special education—above and beyond the Board’s dedicated special education allocation.
One of the highlights for the Board each month is hearing directly from Limestone staff and students during Board and committee meetings. These presentations offer a meaningful window into the innovative learning and enriching student experiences happening across Limestone schools every day. They remind us of the passion and dedication that drive the system forward. Spring brings especially joyful moments as we celebrate our Student Achievers and Skills Awards recipients—remarkable students from across the district whose accomplishments reflect the excellence and diversity of Limestone. These celebrations are among our most cherished meetings.
On behalf of the Board, I want to express gratitude to Limestone’s committed staff, students, families, and community partners. By working together, our district has overcome difficulties and stayed true to our common values. Thank you for your continued support.
Karen McGregor
Chair, Board of Trustees
Strategic Planning Progress
The 2024-2025 school year marked the first full year of the implementation of our Strategic Plan. Equity remains embedded in all goals, with a focus on dismantling barriers and ensuring every student has access to the supports they need. As a district, we made progress in each of the five goals:
Improve student well-being, sense of belonging, participation and engagement in class time, and time focused on learning
Schools implemented new strategies to increase student voice and belonging, including expanded affinity groups and mental health supports.
Highlight: Summer Focus on Youth Program
The Summer Focus on Youth Program, supported by the YMCA of Eastern Ontario and the LDSB Read-A-Lot Program, successfully hired 31 youth leaders and recreational assistants to support various camps.
Youth staff completed training in early July, which covered essential topics such as policies and procedures, healthy child development, Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System, Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, workplace health and safety, violence and harassment prevention, program planning, behaviour management, and child protection.
This year, the program reached more than 5,000 children, including 262 participants in the Read-A-Lot Program and three students from the YMCA Student Impact Program.
Highlight: Elementary Indigenous Land-Based Education Program
The Elementary Indigenous Land-Based Education Program is grounded in the natural cycles of the seasons and guided by the 13 Grandmother Moons and 4Rs of Indigenous Land-Based Education: Relationships (fall), Respect (winter), Reciprocity (spring), and Responsibility (summer).
Throughout the 2024-2025 school year, students and teachers from four elementary schools (École Henderson PS, École Maple PS, Centennial PS, and Southview PS) spent one week each season learning from the land alongside Gillianne Mundell, LDSB Elementary Land-Based Indigenous Education Teacher.
The program was co-developed by Gillianne, in collaboration with Mandy Smart and Crystal Loft, Kanien'kehá:ka Knowledge Keepers from Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory. Mandy and Crystal supported the program throughout the year by sharing cultural teachings.
This program focused on empowering Indigenous students within each classroom while educating non-Indigenous students about the beauty and strength of Indigenous knowledge and perspectives. Another key goal was to help educators build confidence and comfort in teaching on the land and embedding Indigenous Education into their programs throughout the year.
Improve literacy learning and achievement for every student
Evidence-based literacy resources and professional learning were provided across K to 12.
Highlight: Ministry Early Reading Screening Assessment Implementation
During the 2024-2025 school year, LDSB implemented the Ministry-mandated Early Reading Screening assessment for all Senior Kindergarten, Grade 1, and Grade 2 students. This initiative provided targeted data to inform instructional planning and support student achievement. Screening was extended to Grades 3 to 8, with 88% participation—surpassing the district goal of 80%. The collected data is being utilized across both elementary and secondary panels to strengthen student support and increase graduation rates.
System-wide data also informed the development of intensive literacy programs, including Rewards, Lexia, and Empower, with a continued emphasis on program fidelity and accelerated literacy growth in all K to 12 schools.
Significant gains were observed in Grade 3 EQAO writing scores, attributed to targeted literacy interventions in the primary division. In response, professional learning in writing was expanded to K to 12 educators, alongside coaching and learning partner support, with the aim of replicating these gains in Grade 6 EQAO writing and OSSLT results.
Schools are prioritizing data literacy to guide targeted instruction, focusing on identifying and addressing gaps in student achievement through ongoing analysis and responsive action.
Improve math learning and achievement for every student
School-Based Math Facilitators supported targeted instruction, and new tools were introduced to help students build foundational math skills.
Highlight: The LDSB math team continues to support math educators to help improve student math outcomes
The 2024-2025 school year saw significant growth in the capacity of educators to develop foundational math skills in all students across the district as a primary equity-building strategy. Differentiated supports were provided through dedicated School Math Facilitators in 26 math priority schools working alongside educators and students within Grades 3, 6, and 9 classrooms. Learning Partner support was provided to educators across all elementary schools and grades. Secondary coaching support also aimed to help educators improve student math outcomes in Grade 9.
- 96% of K to 8 mathematics educators participated in professional learning on how to develop math fluency with students and how to monitor progress on developmental continua
- 7,500+ students demonstrated visible growth in their math fluency, developing strategies to perform operations with accuracy, solve problems and build foundational mathematical reasoning skills
Improve graduation rates and preparedness for future success for all groups of students
Expanded pathway planning and career exploration opportunities helped students better prepare for life after graduation.
Highlight: LDSB has seen significant growth in student participation and achievement
- Enrolment in Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) programs, the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program, and Dual Credit programs has increased.
- SHSM completion rate has risen from 63% to 91%.
- The five-year graduation rate has improved by 5% over the past five years and is now approaching 90%.
Improve responsiveness and service to families, staff, and community partners
Continued enhancements to communication tools, translation services, and feedback mechanisms supported stronger relationships with families and staff.
Highlight: School Year Budget Survey
Limestone invited families, students, staff, and community members to take a short survey outlining what was important to them regarding the next school year’s budget. Feedback from over 190 people helped the Board of Trustees make decisions about how to serve students’ needs in 2025-2026.
Limestone is currently spending beyond the funding allocated by the province on special education services. A significant portion of this additional spending is attributed to Educational Assistant (EA) staffing, which reflects responses to the budget survey and the Board’s strong commitment to supporting students with special needs despite ongoing financial pressures.
Highlight: Family Evening on Artificial Intelligence
Limestone hosted an engaging evening dedicated to exploring the world of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its impact on education. Families, students, and staff gathered in-person and learned how LDSB continues to be committed to helping students use Generative AI effectively, responsively, and productively to enhance learning and build transferable skills.
A panel discussion with industry experts, community partners, and the Director of Education led an innovative presentation with Limestone families, students, staff, and community members.
Limestone District School Board by the Numbers
Student Counts
- Total number of students: 20,503
- Total number of secondary students: 6,664
- Total number of secondary French Immersion secondary students: 597
- Total number of elementary students: 13,839
- Total number of elementary French Immersion students: 2,762
- Total number of self-identified First Nation, Métis, and Inuit students: 785
- Total number of elementary First Nation, Métis, and Inuit students: 537
- Total number of secondary First Nation, Métis, and Inuit students: 248
Financial Stewardship and Budget Management
The Board of Trustees approved a balanced budget of $303.7 million for the 2024-2025 school year. The vast majority of the operating budget was directed to student instruction and related directly to classroom supports and capital expenditures were used to fund school condition improvements and school renewal projects.
Limestone continued to experience budgetary pressures in the following areas:
- Transportation expenditures continued to exceed transportation funding provided by the province through the new funding formula
- Special education expenses exceeded special education funding
- Underfunded collective agreements that did not account for statutory benefit increases
- Equity and inclusion positions (the Ministry of Education funds these positions in some boards but not LDSB)
Budget Year-End Results 2024-2025
Budget area | Amount | Percentage of budget |
|---|---|---|
Instruction Budget | $263,860,606 | 74.9% |
Administration | $9,427,419 | 2.7% |
Transportation | $20,568,126 | 5.8% |
Pupil Accommodation | $49,169,566 | 14.0% |
Other | $9,531,453 | 2.7% |
Total: | $352,557,170 | 100.0% |
EQAO Results
The LDSB achieved its strongest Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) performance in four years, with gains across every testing category for the 2024-2025 school year.
LDSB’s results align with provincial outcomes in many areas and show notable improvements in others, including among specific student groups. Limestone’s results are at or above the provincial average in almost all measures.
These results demonstrate upward momentum across all eight areas of assessment for students in Grades 3, 6, 9, and 10—including those with special education needs—underscoring the Board’s commitment to making a positive difference for every student, in every classroom, in every school.
This success reflects the daily dedication of Limestone educators, Educational Assistants, program teams, and school leaders.
EQAO Results at a Glance
Grade 3 Improvements
LDSB students showed a 5% to 8% increase in Reading, Writing, and Math, with 75% meeting the provincial standard in Reading, 65% in Writing, and 65% in Math, outperforming provincial averages. Students with special education needs improved by 8% to 9% in these subjects.
Grade 6 Gains
Achievement rose in all areas, with 88% meeting Reading standards, 87% in Writing, and 51% in Math, matching or exceeding provincial rates.
Students with special education needs made significant advances, especially in Writing with a 22% increase.
Grades 9 and 10 Results
LDSB’s Grade 9 Math scores were slightly below provincial levels but increased by 5% from the previous year, with students with special education needs performing better than students with similar needs in other jurisdictions. The Grade 10 OSSLT saw 95% participation and 84% success, a 3% rise, with continued improvement among students with special education needs.
Additional information about Limestone’s EQAO results are available on our website.
Looking Ahead
As we continue to move through the 2025-2026 school year, Limestone will continue to focus on literacy, math, student well-being, and equity. We will deepen our engagement with students, families, and staff, and use data to inform our decisions and improve outcomes.
Together, we remain committed to making a positive difference in the lives of every student, in every classroom, in every school.
Kindergarten Registration
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