District News

<img src="/images/c10a7e0e-692a-560a-880f-819aa7ec34f0?fingerprint=ppb20251217014805" srcset="/thumbnails/c10a7e0e-692a-560a-880f-819aa7ec34f0?fingerprint=ppb20251217014805 450w, /images/c10a7e0e-692a-560a-880f-819aa7ec34f0?fingerprint=ppb20251217014805 600w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 450px, 600px"><span><span>The Limestone District School Board, in partnership with Queen’s University Faculty of Education, is pleased to host a private screening of The Truth About Reading, a&nbsp;new eye-opening documentary film that brings light to a hidden crisis and compels audiences to take action to end illiteracy once and for all.&nbsp;</span><br> <br> <span>The film will make its Ontario premiere&nbsp;Thursday, May 25, 2023, at Duncan McArthur Auditorium, Queen’s University.&nbsp;<br> <span> </span>- Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with a community carousel. <br> <span> </span>- Event starts at 6:30 p.m.<br> <span> </span>- With special guest Canadian entrepreneur <a href="https://keynotespeakerscanada.ca/speaker/david-chalk/" target="_blank" title="David Chalk">David Chalk</a>,&nbsp;whose literacy journey is documented in this film.<br> <span> </span>- Admission is FREE, but we encourage attendees to bring a non-perishable food item for Partners in Mission Food Bank.<br> <br> </span><span>Get your free tickets here:&nbsp;<br> </span><a href="https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/the-truth-about-reading-tickets-628680980737" target="_blank" title="TTAR tickets">https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/the-truth-about-reading-tickets-628680980737</a><br> <br> </span><span>From Emmy-Award® winning director Nick Nanton comes a new eye-opening documentary film, The Truth About Reading. Literacy experts from across America, emphasize the seriousness of the illiteracy crisis and share how the implementation of science and evidence-based practices can transform lives and ensure that every child learns how to read.</span> <p><span><span><span><br> </span><span>The documentary highlights the stories of </span><a href="https://keynotespeakerscanada.ca/speaker/david-chalk/" target="_blank" title="David Chalk">David Chalk</a>, a Canadian entrepreneur, and <a href="https://www.johncorcoranfoundation.org/media" target="_blank" title="John Corcoran">John Corcoran</a>, two men who didn’t learn how to read and write until they were adults. Following their stories gives a glimpse into the hard truth of how illiteracy and sub-literacy impede a person’s ability to truly thrive. While the film illustrates the painful reality of life for individuals impacted by illiteracy, it also reminds viewers that the issue is not one that affects just a few struggling readers, but one that affects countless children and adults and weakens the very fabric of our society.<br> <br> Mr. Chalk will be joining the event after the screening and will be speaking about his literacy journey.<br> <br> Filled with powerful emotion, a deep sense of urgency, and an overarching spirit of hope, The Truth About Reading brings light to a hidden crisis and compels audiences to take action to end illiteracy once and for all. Please join us for this exclusive screening May 25, 2023.<br> <br> <a class="editor-link" href="/documents/d7bb9cf6-2af8-5af3-8f10-658b2eb509df?fingerprint=20260727T0130Z" target="_blank"> <span>The Truth About Reading - principals</span> </a></span></span></p>

<img src="/images/59e3ad91-9107-5a83-8fe3-0a27c11e73b7?fingerprint=ppb20251217013831" srcset="/thumbnails/59e3ad91-9107-5a83-8fe3-0a27c11e73b7?fingerprint=ppb20251217013831 450w, /images/59e3ad91-9107-5a83-8fe3-0a27c11e73b7?fingerprint=ppb20251217013831 600w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 450px, 600px"><span>Nineteen elementary and 32 secondary Limestone District School Board students participated in the Skills Ontario Competition on May 1-2, 2023, at the Toronto Congress Centre, resulting in two first-place finishes, three second-place finishes, and one third-place finish.<br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <strong>Elementary:&nbsp;</strong><br> <span>LEGO Robotics 7-8 – 1st Place <span>–</span>&nbsp;Module Vanier</span><br> <span>Oliver Chang&nbsp;</span><br> <span>Tony Cinanni</span><br> <span>Cléo Collins</span><br> <span>Laurence Miller</span><br> <br> <span>Construction 7-8 – 2nd Place <span>–</span>&nbsp;Welborne Avenue PS</span><br> <span>Rohit Sheth</span><br> <span>Ryan Pearce</span><br> <span>Daniel Egwobon</span><strong><br> <br> Secondary:&nbsp;</strong><br> Heavy Equipment Service – 1st Place&nbsp;<span>–</span> Napanee DSS<br> <span>Lane Fretts&nbsp;</span><br> <br> Auto Painting – 2nd Place&nbsp;<span>– Napanee DSS</span><br> Joe Yeomans&nbsp;<br> <br> Hairstyling – 2nd Place&nbsp;<span>– LCVI</span><br> Sierra Whan&nbsp;<br> <br> Auto Collision Repair – 3rd Place&nbsp;<span>– Napanee DSS<br> </span>Luke Van Hoek<br> <br> <br> "I was really excited because I did not expect us to win," said&nbsp;Cléo Collins, a member of the four-person robotics club at Module Vanier that won first place in LEGO Robotics category.&nbsp;<br> <br> "The lady who took our photo told us to smile, and she didn't need to tell us that," laughed Laurence Miller.<br> <br> The pair shared that the LEGO Robotics competition involved each team attempting to build a bot with a moving crane-like hook. The goal was to use the hook to move various items, but the bot itself was not allowed to move.<br> <br> "It was kind of difficult but not really," said Laurence. "It was a big coincidence because the Thursday before, we had built a crane [in robotics club] that could lift objects."<br> <br> "It's really fun because you get to build something, program it, and at the end it works or it doesn't," said&nbsp;<span>Cléo. "It's simple but difficult in its own way."<br> <br> "It tests your knowledge, creativity and patience," Laurence agreed. "It was fun to see the creative ideas that other teams came up with."</span><br> <br> Lane says while competing in the Heavy Equipment Service category, he was tested on electrical circuits, hydraulic circuits, engine work, precise measuring and more.<br> <br> "It was pretty exciting, especially at the Ontario level," he says. "It takes a bit to make it there and to win, so it's a big deal.&nbsp;<br> <br> "I want to thank my teachers for supporting and encouraging us, and the board for providing programs with stuff like this," he adds. "It's an awesome experience and looks great on a resume."<br> <br> Once he graduates from NDSS, Lane&nbsp;plans to continue his studies in the generator service technician program at Fleming College.<br> <br> Sierra, who placed second in the Hairstyling category, says she too is grateful to add this experience to her resume.<br> <br> "I definitely wasn't expecting to place second because there were so many people in the competition, and I've only been doing this for eight months," she says. "My thoughts after were about how many opportunities this could open up for me."<br> <br> As a student in the LCVI hair apprenticeship program, Sierra now works at a salon where she started as a co-op student.<br> <br> <span>"As a little kid, I loved playing with my mom's hair, my grandma's hair," she says. "It's always something I've enjoyed doing. [Winning second] makes me feel pretty successful."</span><br> <br> To view an album of photos from the event, please visit the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=LimestoneDistrictSchoolBoard&amp;set=a.719544360179012" title="LDSB Facebook Page">LDSB Facebook page</a>. For more information about learning opportunities like this, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ldsbexpandedopportunities.com/" title="LDSB Expanded Opportunities">LDSB Expanded Opportunities</a>.<br> </span>

<img src="/images/0d38ee01-7d48-5f46-aa98-f762c6cab074?fingerprint=ppb20251217013116" srcset="/thumbnails/0d38ee01-7d48-5f46-aa98-f762c6cab074?fingerprint=ppb20251217013116 450w, /images/0d38ee01-7d48-5f46-aa98-f762c6cab074?fingerprint=ppb20251217013116 600w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 450px, 600px"> <p><b><span><span>Kingston Indigenous Language Nest and the Limestone District School Board team up for the Indigenous Community Garden program</span></span></b></p> <p><span><span><span>The Kingston Indigenous Language Nest (KILN) is thrilled to announce a partnership with the Limestone District School Board for the installation of the coming Indigenous community garden in City Park.</span><br> </span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>LDSB students will not only have the opportunity to fully participate in building and planting the new garden but there will be ongoing educational opportunities for LDSB students around food sovereignty, medicines and Indigenous languages at both the KILN community garden and LDSB school gardens throughout the district.</span><br> </span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Guided by our ancestors’ love and wisdom, KILN is an organization that connects the Urban Indigenous communities on this territory by growing safe and inclusive spaces to share and revitalize our languages and worldview, for generations to come. Growing and creating land-based programs and spaces where our youth feel welcomed and want to engage is a key priority in this important work. Through engaging LDSB youth with this exciting project, we hope to facilitate increased connections to the land and community.</span><br> </span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Our mission is to strengthen connection to each other, the lands, our cultures and our identity through Indigenous language learning. You can find out more information about our upcoming programs by following us on Facebook.</span><br> </span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Organizational Contact:</span><br> </span></span></p> <p><span><span>Constance Carriere-Prill, Executive Director – Kingston Indigenous Language Nest</span></span></p> <p><span><span><a href="mailto:Ccp.ed.kiln@gmail.com?subject=Constance Carrier-Prill ">Ccp.ed.kiln@gmail.com</a><br> <br> </span></span><img src="/images/b0e6977c-9f26-54ad-bd0b-368c2da49466?fingerprint=ppb20251217014637" srcset="/thumbnails/b0e6977c-9f26-54ad-bd0b-368c2da49466?fingerprint=ppb20251217014637 450w, /images/b0e6977c-9f26-54ad-bd0b-368c2da49466?fingerprint=ppb20251217014637 600w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 450px, 600px"><span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></p>

<img src="/images/73284d73-0f58-5403-b7ad-b176b0d3776a?fingerprint=ppb20251217014056" srcset="/thumbnails/73284d73-0f58-5403-b7ad-b176b0d3776a?fingerprint=ppb20251217014056 450w, /images/73284d73-0f58-5403-b7ad-b176b0d3776a?fingerprint=ppb20251217014056 600w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 450px, 600px"><span><span>May 5th is the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirited individuals. Also known as Red Dress Day, this solemn day is observed to honour and remember missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and Two-Spirit people, and to encourage one another to take action for change.<br> <br> On this day, we encourage everyone across the school district to wear red and remember, honour, and give voice to MMIWG2S whose stories have not been heard. Not only this Friday, but every day we aim to raise awareness about this ongoing crisis and take action, and we remember the people who have lost their lives to colonial, gender-based violence, and their families and communities who continue to grieve the loss of their loved ones. <br> <br> There are many days in which we recognize MMIWG2S including May 5th, the National Day of Awareness for MMIWG2S, October 4th as the recognized date in Canada for MMIWG2S, and February 14th in which communities across Canada host a Women's Memorial March in remembrance and honour of MMIWG2S.&nbsp;<br> <br> The following resources have been compiled by the LDSB Indigenous Education Team, to share information and offer support in learning, reflection, and action.&nbsp;<br> <br> <a href="https://www.nwac.ca/policy-areas/mmiwg/" target="_blank" title="Native Women's Association of Canada">Native Women's Association of Canada</a><br> <a href="http://www.mmiwg-ffada.ca/" target="_blank" title="The Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls">The Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls</a><br> <a href="https://www.csvanw.org/mmiw/" target="_blank" title="Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women">Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women</a> <a href="https://guides.library.ubc.ca/mmiwg" target="_blank" title="MMIWG2S - UBC Library Assembly of First Nations">MMIWG2S - UBC Library Assembly of First Nations</a> <a href="https://www.mmiwg-ffada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/NIMMIWG-THEIR-VOICES-WILL-GUIDE-US.pdf" target="_blank" title="MMIWG2S - Their Voices Will Guide Us: Student and Youth Engagement Guide">MMIWG2S - Their Voices Will Guide Us: Student and Youth Engagement Guide</a><br> <a href="https://www.nwac.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Honouring-Women-Booklet-PrintReady-20PTFont.pdf" target="_blank" title="Honouring Indigenous Women, Girls, and Gender Diverse People">Honouring Indigenous Women, Girls, and Gender Diverse People</a> <br> <a href="https://moosehidecampaign.ca/" target="_blank" title="Moose Hide Campaign">Moose Hide Campaign</a> <br> <a href="https://www.mmiwg-ffada.ca/artists-list/" target="_blank" title="National Inquiry Gallery of Artistic Expressions">National Inquiry Gallery of Artistic Expressions</a><br> <br> We understand that the information in these resources may be triggering for some, and that some students, staff and families may wish to have additional support today. If you are affected, are in distress, and require immediate emotional assistance you can call the National 24/7 MMIWG crisis line at 1-844-413-6649<span>.</span></span></span>

<img src="/images/3e814e5a-ffcb-5d9d-ac4e-dd79ce0b1f24?fingerprint=ppb20251217013609" srcset="/thumbnails/3e814e5a-ffcb-5d9d-ac4e-dd79ce0b1f24?fingerprint=ppb20251217013609 450w, /images/3e814e5a-ffcb-5d9d-ac4e-dd79ce0b1f24?fingerprint=ppb20251217013609 600w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 450px, 600px"><span>Boardroom Briefs is intended to provide highlights of presentations, reports and decisions made at the regular meeting of the Limestone District School Board of Trustees.</span><br><br><span>These briefs do not serve as the official record of the meeting. Please refer to Board minutes which are approved at the next regular meeting. Community members are also invited to follow along during live tweets of regular Board meetings using the hashtag #LDSBmtg.</span><iframe src="https://www.smore.com/7acz6-boardroom-briefs?embed=1" title="Boardroom Briefs"></iframe>

<img src="/images/283da855-ac7d-5ae6-8298-f97c7f04d171?fingerprint=ppb20251217013352" srcset="/thumbnails/283da855-ac7d-5ae6-8298-f97c7f04d171?fingerprint=ppb20251217013352 450w, /images/283da855-ac7d-5ae6-8298-f97c7f04d171?fingerprint=ppb20251217013352 600w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 450px, 600px"><span><span>The Limestone District School Board has released the Student Sense of Belonging Report, its second report of data collected from the <a href="/cms/One.aspx" target="_blank" title="See Yourself In Limestone Student Census 2020.">See Yourself In Limestone Student Census 2020.</a><br> <br> <span>The intention of this report is to create local knowledge about systemic barriers to&nbsp;equitable student experience based on race, religion, country of birth, newcomer&nbsp;</span><span>status, and language. "This report is one of several themed reports that will&nbsp;identify systemic barriers facing students in Limestone, and is not intended to place&nbsp; blame, nor to fuel shame and guilt," says Alison McDonnell, Superintendent of Education. "Rather, this information is shared so that&nbsp;everyone throughout Limestone can work together to build equity of hope for every&nbsp;student."&nbsp;</span><br> <span><br> <span>The&nbsp;</span><a class="editor-link" href="/documents/3b1bc2c6-791d-5a71-8d71-3788e8e34b9e?fingerprint=ppb20251217013540" target="_blank"> <span>See Yourself in Limestone Student Census: Report Summary (April 2023)</span> </a><span></span><span>offers a high level overview of the contents of the full report (link below).</span><br> </span><br> <span>More than 10,000 total surveys were completed by students and families in November and December 2020. The voluntary and confidential census asked a series of questions around identity and demographics to help the board better understand the diverse backgrounds, experiences, strengths and needs within our school communities. The overall goal of the student census is to improve achievement and well-being by identifying opportunities to help all students succeed.<br> <br> <a class="editor-link" href="/documents/a5c33136-109e-5158-b01b-37c8274d1c37?fingerprint=ppb20251217014545" target="_blank"> <span>Full Report - See Yourself in Limestone: Student Sense of Belonging Report One</span> </a><br> <br> <a class="editor-link" href="/documents/39f3c1ab-ed93-5c97-9b4c-2a0f3f9f0ef2?fingerprint=ppb20251217013540" target="_blank"> <span>Data and Disparity Table</span> </a><span>: This is an alternate format in Excel to assist in viewing the data that is in the report.</span></span></span></span>

<img src="/images/57c6867c-4672-59ce-b051-6ff0077873d4?fingerprint=ppb20251217013816" srcset="/thumbnails/57c6867c-4672-59ce-b051-6ff0077873d4?fingerprint=ppb20251217013816 450w, /images/57c6867c-4672-59ce-b051-6ff0077873d4?fingerprint=ppb20251217013816 600w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 450px, 600px"><span><span>The Ministry of Education has approved the Limestone District School Board’s 2023-2024 School Year Calendar.&nbsp;<br> <br> The following key dates have been approved:<br> <strong>First Day of School:</strong> Tuesday, September 5, 2023<br> <strong>Winter Break:</strong> December 25, 2023, to January 5, 2024<br> <strong>March Break:</strong> March 11, to March 15, 2024<br> <strong>Last Day of School:</strong> Thursday, June 27, 2024<br> <br> The 2022-2023 school year consists of 194 days;<br> <strong>Secondary</strong> - 177 instructional days, 7 PA Days and 10 exam days.&nbsp;<br> <strong>Elementary</strong> - 187 instructional days and 7 PA Days.<br> <br> Professional Activity Days - no classes for students:<br> <span> </span>Monday, Sept. 25, 2023<br> <span> </span>Friday, Oct. 27, 2023<br> <span> </span>Friday, Nov. 10, 2023<br> <span> </span>Friday, Feb. 2, 2024<br> <span> </span><del>Friday, April 12, 2024</del>&nbsp; Changed to April 8, 2024*<br> <span> </span>Friday, May 31, 2024<br> <span> </span>Friday, June 28, 2024<br> <br> Printable 2023-2024 School Year Calendar <a class="editor-link" href="/documents/b5ae21a6-d000-53a6-9943-7178f81cab6a?fingerprint=20260727T0130Z" target="_blank"> <span>here.</span> </a><br> <br> This article was originally published in April 2023. The April 2024 PA day was <a href="/news/what_s_new/change_to_school_year_calendar_in_april_2024" target="_blank" title="https://www.limestone.on.ca/news/what_s_new/change_to_school_year_calendar_in_april_2024">amended in November 2023</a>.</span></span><br> <div></div>

<img src="/images/0ffe8f46-9a73-50f7-9b4c-0cdd8c1d3565?fingerprint=ppb20251217013130" srcset="/thumbnails/0ffe8f46-9a73-50f7-9b4c-0cdd8c1d3565?fingerprint=ppb20251217013130 450w, /images/0ffe8f46-9a73-50f7-9b4c-0cdd8c1d3565?fingerprint=ppb20251217013130 600w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 450px, 600px"> <div> <p><span><span><span></span>For a version of this message to translate into </span><span><span>additional</span><span> language</span><span>s</span><span>,</span></span></span><span><span><span> </span><span>please</span></span><span> </span><a href="https://www.smore.com/wkvby" target="_blank"><span><span>click here</span></span></a><span>.</span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></p> </div> <div> <p><span><span></span></span><span>&nbsp;</span></p> </div> <div> <p><span><span>Dear Families,</span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></p> </div> <div> <p><span><span><span></span></span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></p> </div> <div> <p><span><span><span>It</span><span> i</span><span>s</span><span> hard to believe we are </span><span>already at the end </span><span>of April</span><span>.</span><span> I hope you are enjoying the warmer weather, even if it is a little unpredictable</span><span>.</span><span> </span><span>Earlier this week, the Ministry of Education released the theme for Education Week in </span><span>Ontario</span><span>: Education for a Brighter Future</span><span>. </span><span>Given the power of education in supporting children and adolescen</span><span>ts</span><span>, and the importance of </span><span>trying to create </span><span>hope fo</span><span>r the future for all young people, this is a very fitting theme</span><span>.&nbsp;</span><span>At the same time, as communities and society, there are significant challenges and issues </span><span>that have individual, family, and collective impacts</span><span>. </span><span>However, I think we can all agree that education has </span><span>a critical role in supporting the growth of students and </span><span>trying to generate</span><span> </span><span>hope for a better future</span><span> for everyone.</span></span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></p> </div> <div> <p><span><span><span></span></span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></p> </div> <div> <p><span><span><span>Last week you may have heard that the provincial government </span><span>released</span><span> </span><span>information about 2023-2024 government funding for school boards, as well as </span><span>new </span><span>legislation called</span><span> The Better Schools and Student Outcomes Act</span><span>.&nbsp;</span></span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></p> </div> <div> <p><span><span><span></span></span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></p> </div> <div> <p><span><span><span>We are still unpacking details about the budget and legislation, but we will</span><span> </span><span>share</span><span> specific</span><span> informa</span><span>tion with you as </span><span>part of the annual budget process</span><span>. </span></span><span><span>The budget information released last week is critical in planning for the 2023-2024 school </span><span>year and</span><span> shaping the local budget and staffing for Limestone.</span></span><span><span> </span><span>Y</span><span>ou can learn </span><span>about the</span><span> provincial</span><span>-</span><span>level </span><span>announcements</span><span> by visiting the following resources:</span></span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></p> </div> <div> <p><span><span><span></span></span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></p> </div> <div> <p><span><span></span><a href="https://www.ontario.ca/page/education-funding-2023-24" target="_blank"><span><span>Ontario E</span><span>d</span><span>ucation Funding, 2023-24</span></span></a><span></span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></p> </div> <div> <p><span><span><span></span></span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></p> </div> <div> <p><span><span></span><a href="https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/bills/parliament-43/session-1/bill-98" target="_blank"><span><span>Bill 2023, Better </span><span>Schools</span><span> and Student Outcomes Act, 2023</span></span></a><span>&nbsp;</span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></p> </div> <div> <p><span><span><span></span></span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></p> </div> <div> <p><span><span>See Yourself in Limestone Student Census: Student Sense of Belonging Report</span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></p> </div> <div> <p><span><span><span>Last week I shared with you that the </span><span>Limestone District School Board (LDSB)</span><span> would be</span><span> </span><span>relea</span><span>sing a </span><span>preliminary </span><span>report </span><span>focused on </span><span>student sense of belonging based on results of the See Yourself in Limestone Student Census 2020.&nbsp;</span></span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></p> </div> <div> <p><span><span><span></span></span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></p> </div> <div> <p><span><span><span>Today </span><span>we are releasing the first in a series </span><span>of reports </span><span>that </span><span>focuses on belonging at school for different demographic groups</span><span>: </span><span>race and racial background; religion; country of birth; first language; and newcomer or refugee status, and how these identities relate to student experiences.&nbsp;</span></span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></p> </div> <div> <p><span><span><span></span></span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></p> </div> <div> <p><span><span><span>Building local knowledge about who Limestone students are and how they are experiencing school is a crucial step towards actively creating meaningful positive change for all individuals within the school community</span><span>.</span><span>&nbsp;</span><span>This report, like future reports based on the student census, will help </span><span>provide</span><span> guidance for Limestone to better serve students</span><span>.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></p> </div> <div> <p><span><span><span></span></span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></p> </div> <div> <p><span><span><span>To read th</span><span>is first</span><span> report, please visit</span><span> the </span></span><a href="/cms/One.aspx" target="_blank"><span><span>Student Sense of Belonging Report</span></span></a><span><span> </span><span>page </span><span>on the board website</span></span><span><span>.</span><span> </span></span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></p> </div> <div> <p><span><span><span></span></span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></p> </div> <div> <p><span><span>Special Education Review</span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></p> </div> <div> <p><span><span><span>This is a reminder that you</span><span> are</span><span> invited to </span><span>participate</span><span> in the LDSB’s Special Education Review, a short online survey </span><span>that </span><span>is currently active </span><span>to help </span><span>identify</span><span> supports and services that are important for students with special education needs to experience success and reach their full potential.&nbsp;</span></span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></p> </div> <div> <p><span><span><span></span></span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></p> </div> <div> <p><span><span><span>The s</span><span>urvey went live on April 24 and will be open until end-of-day tomorrow (Friday). </span><span>To complete the survey</span><span>, please visit</span><span> the </span></span><a href="https://bit.ly/SpecEdReview2023" target="_blank"><span><span>Special Education Review</span></span></a><span><span> page on the board website</span><span>.</span></span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></p> </div> <div> <p><span><span><span></span></span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></p> </div> <div> <p><span><span><span>Strategic Plan </span><span>Monitoring </span><span>Mid-Year Update</span></span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></p> </div> <div> <p><span><span><span>At last evening’s Board of Trustees Meeting, </span><span>the senior team and I</span><span> </span><span>provided</span><span> an update to Trustees about the progress of the Strategic Action Plans f</span><span>rom September 2022 to January 2023, focusing on items that have been assessed as high priorities to focus our work and achieve L</span><span>imestone’s</span><span> strategic goals. To </span><span>review this update, please visit</span><span> the</span><span> </span></span><a href="/common/pages/DisplayFile.aspx" target="_blank"><span><span>April 26 Board Meeting Agenda (pages 21-60)</span></span></a><span>.</span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></p> </div> <div> <p><span><span><span></span></span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></p> </div> <div> <p><span><span><span>More information </span><span>regarding</span><span> </span><span>the next</span><span> steps in </span><span>preparing a new strategic plan for Limestone will be released in the coming weeks.</span></span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></p> </div> <div> <p><span><span><span></span></span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></p> </div> <div> <p><span><span>School Year Calendar</span><span>&nbsp;</span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></p> </div> <div> <p><span><span><span>The LDSB school year calendar for 2023-2024 has been approved by the Board of Trustees</span><span>,</span><span> confirmed by the Ministry of </span><span>Education</span><span> and will be posted to the board website early next week.</span></span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></p> </div> <div> <p><span><span><span></span></span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></p> </div> <div> <p><span><span>Enjoy the rest of your week, and the weekend when it arrives.</span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></p> </div> <div> <p><span><span><span></span></span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></p> </div> <div> <p><span><span>Krishna Burra</span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></p> </div> <div> <p><span><span>Director of Education</span></span><span>&nbsp;</span></p> </div>

<img src="/images/b699cfd2-fc94-5d89-8cf6-64ea6f0f19c1?fingerprint=ppb20251217014713" srcset="/thumbnails/b699cfd2-fc94-5d89-8cf6-64ea6f0f19c1?fingerprint=ppb20251217014713 450w, /images/b699cfd2-fc94-5d89-8cf6-64ea6f0f19c1?fingerprint=ppb20251217014713 600w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 450px, 600px"> <p><span><strong>Survey is now live until April 28, 2023<b><span>: </span></b><span><a href="https://can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ftejoin.com%2Fscroll%2F357435034&amp;data=05%7C01%7Cgrangea%40limestone.on.ca%7C7ae7208f7dfc4d45a92808db41caef76%7Ce1f4165febae4d82a73ca0de593830be%7C0%7C0%7C638176112181015735%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=6h6s1zjH3N%2BFzGOLKe98u2e%2BtUpGPMHTYc65mbVBwvU%3D&amp;reserved=0">https://tejoin.com/scroll/357435034</a>.</span></strong><br> <br> Limestone District School Board’s Educational Services Leadership Team is embarking on a Special Education Review between February 2023 and April 2023. The purpose of this review is to:<br> <br> <br> <br> </span></p> <ul> <li><span><span>Examine our current special education supports and services and identify areas for refinement and enhancement to meet the needs of learners within an inclusive learning environment.</span></span></li> <li><span><span>To gather student, family, staff, and community partner voices to identify priorities and key areas which may impact the success of students with special education needs.</span> </span></li> </ul> <p><span>As the needs of our students change, it is necessary to review and sometimes revise resources, supports, and services that are provided to students.<span>&nbsp; </span>As with previous Special Education Reviews, a goals of this review are to examine resource allocation, strengthen partnerships, leverage supports, and identify professional learning opportunities for staff.<span>&nbsp; </span></span></p> <p><span>Limestone students, staff, families, community members, and community stakeholders will be consulted through an online survey platform, Thought Exchange, in an effort to collect a wide variety of qualitative data on the question <i>“What key supports and services are important for students with special education needs to experience success at school and reach their full potential?”</i>. </span></p> <p><span>The Thought Exchange will be available for students with special education needs and their families between February 27 and March 3, 2023, and then it will be available to Limestone staff and community members and partners starting April 24 to April 28, 2023. The information gathered through the Thought Exchange will be reviewed and analyzed by the Educational Services Team, allowing key ideas and input to inform the future planning, priorities, services, and supports available in Limestone. Final results and findings will be shared publicly in the Fall of 2023. </span></p> <p><span>Additional information on Limestone’s Special Education programming, Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC), Special Education Plan 2022-2023, previous Special Education Reviews, and our Special Education Support Model <a href="/cms/One.aspx">is available on our website</a>.<br> <br> <strong>Update: March 7, 2023</strong><br> <span>Thank you to the students and families who were able to participate in the first stage of the Limestone District School Board’s Special Education Review through ThoughtExchange.&nbsp;<br> <br> We had over 2,900 participants and 3,572 thoughts shared. These participants rated over 60,000 thoughts and the input will be so valuable to our future planning.&nbsp;<br> <br> Limestone’s Educational Services leadership team will now begin to analyze the feedback from the review. Additionally, we will be meeting with small focus groups of students and staff to explore the data together over the next few months.&nbsp;<br> <br> The second stage of the review will commence at the end of April when we open the survey to all Limestone students, families and staff, as well as community members and partners. This new audience will receive the same question that we asked participants in the first phase, and will have the same opportunity to rate and review the other answers provided. This is also an opportunity for those who were unable to participate in the first phase or those who would like to engage again to share their thoughts.&nbsp;<br> <br> <strong>Update: April 19, 2023<br> </strong>All students, families, staff and community members are invited to participate in the LDSB’s Special Education Review. Survey link will go live and be shared on this page from April 24-28, 2023.<br> <br> <strong>Update: April 24, 2023<br> Survey link is now live until April 28, 2023<b><span>: &nbsp;</span></b><span><a href="https://can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ftejoin.com%2Fscroll%2F357435034&amp;data=05%7C01%7Cgrangea%40limestone.on.ca%7C7ae7208f7dfc4d45a92808db41caef76%7Ce1f4165febae4d82a73ca0de593830be%7C0%7C0%7C638176112181015735%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=6h6s1zjH3N%2BFzGOLKe98u2e%2BtUpGPMHTYc65mbVBwvU%3D&amp;reserved=0">https://tejoin.com/scroll/357435034</a>.</span></strong><br> <br> If you have any questions regarding Limestone’s Special Education programming, or specific to this Special Education Review, please view the FAQs below, contact Michael Blackburn by e-mail at <a href="mailto:">educs@limestone.on.ca</a> or speak to your school administrator directly.&nbsp;</span></span><span>&nbsp;</span></p>

<img src="/images/e9b01654-2dcf-524c-a30e-3ad1e04ad15a?fingerprint=ppb20251217015139" srcset="/thumbnails/e9b01654-2dcf-524c-a30e-3ad1e04ad15a?fingerprint=ppb20251217015139 450w, /images/e9b01654-2dcf-524c-a30e-3ad1e04ad15a?fingerprint=ppb20251217015139 600w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 450px, 600px"> <p><span><span><span>The Limestone District School Board has completed many ventilation improvement upgrades through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) Ventilation Improvements in School.<br> <br> <span>Limestone&nbsp;was allocated $538,440 in ICIP ventilation maximum projected federal funding and $134,610 in ICIP ventilation matching from existing provincial funding. The funding was used for ventilation expenses (e.g., filter upgrades) from April 2022 to March 2023.</span> <br> <br> Including the following in a total of 41 schools:</span><br> <span> </span>•<span> </span>Retrofits, repairs, upgrades and installation of HVAC infrastructure<br> <span> </span>•<span> </span>Maintenance and recommissioning of HVAC systems<br> <span> </span>•<span> </span>Purchase and installation of mechanical ventilation filters<br> <br> <img src="/images/42014e98-f121-5a73-bd63-002c78a6d6a8?fingerprint=ppb20251217013621" srcset="/thumbnails/42014e98-f121-5a73-bd63-002c78a6d6a8?fingerprint=ppb20251217013621 450w, /images/42014e98-f121-5a73-bd63-002c78a6d6a8?fingerprint=ppb20251217013621 600w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 450px, 600px"><br> <br> <br> <br> </span></span></p> <div></div>

<img src="/images/b485c3ed-4664-5fa4-b3ee-3eca6e96f03a?fingerprint=ppb20251217014701" srcset="/thumbnails/b485c3ed-4664-5fa4-b3ee-3eca6e96f03a?fingerprint=ppb20251217014701 450w, /images/b485c3ed-4664-5fa4-b3ee-3eca6e96f03a?fingerprint=ppb20251217014701 600w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 450px, 600px"><span><span><span>Listening to Voices in Limestone.<br> </span><br> This issue is dedicated to the power of listening.&nbsp;This is an opportunity for Limestone staff to truly listen to LDSB community members' perspectives on both current events and the next steps Limestone can collaboratively take to continue building inclusive spaces where everyone's identity is represented &amp; valued.</span></span><span><span><span><br> </span><br> A future where everyone can see themselves in Limestone.</span></span><iframe src="https://www.smore.com/kefxm-equity-matters?embed=1" title="Equity Matters"></iframe>

<img src="/images/2008d9c8-56a7-5dfa-bd8f-52d2faeef07f?fingerprint=ppb20251217013311" srcset="/thumbnails/2008d9c8-56a7-5dfa-bd8f-52d2faeef07f?fingerprint=ppb20251217013311 450w, /images/2008d9c8-56a7-5dfa-bd8f-52d2faeef07f?fingerprint=ppb20251217013311 600w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 450px, 600px"><br><br><iframe src="https://www.smore.com/bkmac-boardroom-briefs?embed=1" title="Boardroom Briefs"></iframe>