DEAR SIMCOE STAR FAMILIES,
We hope you all had an amazing weekend. Thanks to all of you who attended our Glow Dance on Friday night. We had a huge turnout, exceeded our expectations, and raised a lot of funds that will directly go back to supporting students. Did you know that last year, our School Advisory Council purchased a new oven, pots, and pans for our kitchen? They also paid for school bus rentals for a number of field trips, and they are in the process of purchasing a new bike rack for the school! We are thankful for their fundraising efforts and all of your support!
We are looking forward to a fun and educational week as we cheer on the Toronto Blue Jays, celebrate the Fall harvest, host a bake sale, and for many of us, embrace the creativity of Halloween.
THIS WEEK
- Monday, October 27th: (Day 2)
- PICTURE DAY!
- Girls Inc. after school
- Kanyen'kéha and Anishinaabemowin classes continue this week
- Tuesday, October 28th: (Day 3)
- Grade 8s go to KSS to bake bannock with their culinary class
- YMCA Group for Grade 3 and 4 students after school
- Tutors from Queen's University are offering free tutoring at our school from 3:00 - 4:00pm: let us know if you are interested!
- Wednesday, October 29th: (Day 4)
- Fall Harvest Lunch Celebration - all students will get to enjoy a homemade lunch consisting of soup, apple sauce, and bannock
- Girls STEM Lunch and Learn Program for Girls in Grade 4 and up (every Wednesday for six weeks during second lunch/recess)
- Grade 7 Off-Property Day
- Girls Inc. after school (off-site)
- Running and Reading after school
- Thursday, October 30th: (Day 5)
- Volleyball at Morning Recess for Grades 4, 5, and 6
- Choir at Afternoon Recess
- Bake Sale at the end of the day
- Grade 8 Off-Property Day
- Girls Inc. after school
- Friday, October 31st: (Day 1)
- Volleyball at Morning Recess for Grades 7 and 8
- Dance Club at Afternoon Recess
- Halloween Spirit Day - students can wear orange and black or costumes (no masks or weapons permitted though)
UPCOMING DATES OF SIGNIFICANCE
- November 10th:
- Grade 7 Immunizations
- December 2nd:
- Picture Retake Day and Class Photos
- March 2nd:
- Grade 8 Graduation Picture Day
HALLOWEEN
- Students are permitted to wear school-appropriate costumes to school (please note: no masks, no weapons). Alternatively, they may wear black and orange or choose not to partake in Halloween activities.
- Please know that we are not responsible for lost accessories or damaged costumes. Some children wear last year's costumes at school and keep their new ones to go trick or treating at night.
- Gentle reminder that somebody's culture is not a costume. Please be respectful and responsible in your choice of costumes.
- October is often filled with Fall related topics and activities. One of them is Halloween. Please make sure you let your child's teacher know if you would prefer they not participate in Halloween-related crafts or activities. Thank you!
BAKE SALE!!
- Our School Advisory Committee (also known as Parent Council) will be hosting a bake sale at the end of the day on Thursday, October 30th. If students wish to buy a baked good, they should bring money with them. Items will be a dollar or two each depending on the item.
EMERGENCY PROCEDURE PRACTICE - ONGOING
- This week, we will continue to practice our emergency procedures, such as a Lock Down Drill and Hold and Secure. Please know that we make sure students know that there is no real emergency, and these are just practice drills. Teachers review processes and expectations ahead of time. Our goal is to keep everyone safe and calm!
RUNNING AND READING ONLINE PROGRAMS
- Did you know Running and Reading has some online programs?
- They have two virtual programs: 1) Brainworx for students in grades 1-6, twice a week for 30 minutes; and 2) the Junior Coach program for students in grades 7 & 8, once a week on Mondays for 1 hour. Both programs are run by live, trained volunteers and are offered at no cost to families - it is FREE to join.
- 📌 Who are these programs for?
- Students in grades 1–8
- Those looking for extra literacy support
- Families seeking fun, free after-school learning opportunities
- ✨ What can families expect?
- Live volunteer storytelling to spark engagement
- Vocabulary-building activities to support language development
- A dynamic approach of movement, games, reading, and discussion
- Mentorship and meaningful connections
- Support for student growth through social-emotional learning (SEL)
👉 Families can register here: brainworx.start2finishonline.org/student/signup
FREE TUTORING AFTER SCHOOL!
- A message from Kingston Bright Futures:
My name is Jack and I am an executive member at my club, Kingston Bright Futures. We are a group of dedicated, driven Queen's students passionate about learning and giving back to our Kingston community. Together, we have started a free tutoring service for deserving youth, so everyone can have the same opportunity to pursue success. At your school, we plan on sending a group of experienced tutors to work one-on-one with your kids in all areas of study. We will come in from 3:00pm to 4:00pm every Tuesday after school. Please let the school know if you are interested.
In addition to this, we also offer online, private tutoring free of charge. All of our tutors have been screened with criminal record checks and have been trained by our executive team to ensure the quality of our services.
Connect with us at our email brightfutureskingston@gmail.com, or follow us on Instagram (@kingstonbrightfutures) to learn more about our organization.
Looking forward to meeting everyone!
Jack and the KBF Team
SCHOOL ADVISORY COUNCIL
- Our next School Advisory Council Meeting will be on Thursday, November 20th at 3:30pm. If you want to come but can't make this date or time, please let us know at jgsim@limestone.on.ca. Thanks! ALL ARE WELCOME!
BUS ZONE SAFETY
- We have put in a request to get our bus zone painted. Please avoid parking in front of the garden and main doors of the school so students can be safely loaded onto bus transportation. Thank you!
SMOKING AND VAPING
- Please do not smoke or vape on school property. You must be 20 metres away from school property. We have many staff and students with asthma, other respiratory disorders, and who are medically fragile. Thank you for helping us keep everyone safe!
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND SEXUAL HEALTH
- As part of LDSB's commitment to ongoing transparency and communication with families, please follow the link to Form 325-D on the LDSB website. It outlines the Human Development and Sexual Health curriculum expectations 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 (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 the Human Development and Sexual Health expectations in Strand D will be covered.
INSURANCE
- The LDSB requires that students have student accident insurance in order to participate in extra-curricular activities. Before students will be allowed to participate in these events, parents/guardians must confirm their own coverage for items not covered under the Provincial Health Plan, or purchase an insurance plan (www.insuremykids.com).
INDIGENOUS SELF-IDENTIFICATION
- The Limestone District School Board (LDSB) invites students to voluntarily and confidentially self-identify as Indigenous. Elementary and secondary students with First Nations, Métis, and/or Inuit ancestry can self-identify.
- School board self-identification is based on any degree of Indigenous ancestry (Status, Non-Status, Métis citizenship, etc.). Self-identification can be withdrawn at any time. LDSB, in accordance with the Ministry of Education, Ontario, does not require proof of identity to self-identify.
- https://www.limestone.on.ca/indigenous-self-identification
ALLERGEN AND SCENT AWARENESS
- Thank you for packing nut-free snacks! Please communicate with teachers before sending any treats in for your student's class.
- We have some staff and students alike who get migraines triggered by strong scents. Please avoid wearing perfume and cologne and using strong scented laundry detergent. Thank you!
LICE CHECKS
- Head lice are common among school-aged children, and early detection and treatment help prevent them from spreading to others. Regularly checking your child’s hair and treating right away avoids unnecessary discomfort.
- By working together as a school community, we can keep everyone healthy and comfortable. Please reach out to the school if you have any questions or need assistance
OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIGENOUS STUDENTS AND FAMILIES
COMMUNITY EVENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES
