News

<img src="/images/fd3b7936-e74e-55cf-9642-4f5af02e6181?fingerprint=ppb20251217015319" alt="" width="inherit" height="inherit"><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Limestone District School Board is thrilled to announce that Lara Paterson, a dedicated member of the Limestone team, has been awarded the prestigious Ophea Award of Distinction.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The Ophea Award of Distinction recognizes an individual who is a leader in the meaningful advancement of inclusive healthy, active living opportunities for children and youth in Ontario school communities.&nbsp;Lara has consistently demonstrated passion, creativity, and commitment in promoting health and wellness among our students, colleagues, and community.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Nominees for this award must meet the eligibility requirements, including:</span></p><ul class="editor-list-ul"><li value="1" class="editor-listitem"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The contributions of the recipient’s impacts are </span><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">regional and/or provincial in scope</strong></b></li><li value="2" class="editor-listitem"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The recipient has </span><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">demonstrated excellence in the areas of advocacy, partnership development, and/or the provision of quality, innovative, inclusive programming</strong></b></li><li value="3" class="editor-listitem"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The recipient has </span><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">made a long-term contribution to improving the health and wellbeing of Ontario’s children and youth</strong></b></li><li value="4" class="editor-listitem"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The recipient of this award is well known to Ophea for their </span><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">contributions and years of service and support in service student well-being</strong></b></li><li value="5" class="editor-listitem"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The recipient’s work/volunteer </span><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">contributions impact schools and/or communities</strong></b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> (e.g. educators, public health workers, recreation providers, etc.)</span></li></ul><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The Ophea Award of Distinction is presented in honour of Bing Caswell, a dedicated professional whose thought leadership and commitment led to the advancement of knowledge and understanding in the field of health and physical education.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">On behalf of the Limestone District School Board, congratulations Lara! We are proud to have you as part of our team.</span></p>

<figure class="image image-style-side"><img src="/images/4404f904-f625-5628-b479-f037226c1116?fingerprint=ppb20251217013634" alt=""></figure><p>Limestone’s Board of Trustees had the honour of having the Skills Ontario Competition Awards at the Education, Policy, and Operations Committee meeting on June 5, 2024. The Expanded Opportunities Team lead by Melissa Baker-Cox, Geoff Petznick, Paul Allinson, and Courtney Soucy, presented banners to the students involved in the Skills Ontario Competition, as well as Skills Canada.</p><p>On behalf of the Board of Trustees and entire Limestone District School Board, congratulations to all the students on their participation and amazing success! &nbsp;</p><p><strong>Grade 7/8 Construction</strong></p><p>Individual teams were asked to construct a scale model of a modest and affordable house for a well deserving family based on the design they arrived with. Team construction projects will be judged on several criteria including creativity, quality, teamwork, and demonstration of basic practical and theoretical knowledge of Residential House Design and Construction.</p><p><strong>3rd Place at Skills Ontario: A.J. Farley, Aiden Lollar, Baurer Desveaux, and Keegan Gardiner</strong></p><p><strong>Auto Paint – Secondary</strong></p><p>Competitors had the opportunity to demonstrate, through practical and theoretical application, their skills and task knowledge in the industry relevant to:</p><ul><li>Basic skills relevant to surface preparation, colour matching, painting, and polishing.</li><li>Knowledge of an application of applicable health and safety regulations.</li><li>Adjusting and checking of safety/operating equipment.</li><li>Problem solving in relation to painting.</li></ul><p><strong>1st Place at Skills Ontario: Alisha Haaksman</strong></p><p><strong>3rd Place at Skills Ontario: Joe Yeomans</strong></p><p><strong>Outdoor Power Equipment – Secondary</strong></p><p>Tested the skills and knowledge of each student in the air and liquid cooled engine field and to prepare each student for employment in the Marine, Powersports, and Small Engine industries. Criteria included: two-stroke engine mechanical operation, all-terrain vehicle braking systems, fuel system and carburetor repair, electrical wiring and troubleshooting, four-cycle engine shooting, and theory.</p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <strong>1st Place at Skills Ontario: Jeremy Gardiner</strong></p><p><strong>Auto Collison – Post Secondary</strong></p><p>Competitions were judged on their general knowledge of auto body repair process with particular attention paid to:</p><ul><li>Knowledge of safe working practices through the body repair process.</li><li>Proper application of I-Car procedures for the structural sectioning project.</li><li>Performance of an aluminum welding task.</li><li>Accurate use of Tram-bar and Unibody measurement charges for measuring a Unibody.</li></ul><p><strong>1st Place at Skills Ontario and 2nd Place at Skills Canada: Liam Alford</strong></p><p><strong>Arborist – Post Secondary</strong></p><p>Competitors were judged on:</p><ul><li>Tailboard Safety&nbsp;</li><li>&nbsp;<ul><li>Assessment of the hazards for the tasks being performed below.&nbsp;</li></ul></li><li>Knot Tying&nbsp;</li><li>&nbsp;<ul><li>Performing and completing knots as described in the Arborist Industry Safe Work Practices book by WSPS – Spar Pole Rescue&nbsp;</li><li>While maintaining 100% tie off work positioning, ascend the tree (powerline pole for use of competition), assess patient, secure patient, and lower ground.&nbsp;</li></ul></li><li>Limbing Challenge&nbsp;</li><li>&nbsp;<ul><li>Assemble a chain saw (will be disassembled), properly start reassembled chainsaw.&nbsp;</li><li>Using the same chainsaw, remove identified limbs (obstacle) of a downed tree (powerline pole with large dowels) using proper cutting and safe chainsaw techniques.&nbsp;</li></ul></li><li>Throw Ball Challenge&nbsp;</li><li>&nbsp;<ul><li>With in the allotted time, utilize provided throw ball lines, to make as many attempts as possible to hit targets to score points. This is an accuracy challenge.&nbsp;</li></ul></li><li>Mechanical Advantage Challenge&nbsp;</li><li>&nbsp;<ul><li>All competitors were provided with the same set equipment (pulleys, trusses, etc.), where they will develop the most efficient mechanical advantage system within the time allotted.</li></ul></li></ul><p><strong>2nd Place at Skills Ontario: Owen Chapman</strong></p><p>Congratulations to all the Limestone District School Board Skills Ontario Competitors:</p><figure class="table"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>Contest</strong></td><td><strong>Name</strong></td><td><strong>Rank</strong></td></tr><tr><td>Auto Collision Repair</td><td>Shayla G</td><td>4</td></tr><tr><td>Auto Collision Repair</td><td>Tate D</td><td>5</td></tr><tr><td>Auto Paint</td><td>Alisha H</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td>Auto Paint</td><td>Joe Y</td><td>3</td></tr><tr><td>Auto Service Technology</td><td>Blake D</td><td>34</td></tr><tr><td>Auto Service Technology</td><td>Nathan P</td><td>44</td></tr><tr><td>Baking</td><td>Joanna N</td><td>14</td></tr><tr><td>Brick Masonry</td><td>Zach R</td><td>9</td></tr><tr><td>Cabinetmaking</td><td>Isabelle M</td><td>17</td></tr><tr><td>Carpentry –Individual</td><td>Austin M</td><td>5</td></tr><tr><td>Carpentry – Team of two</td><td>Hunter M, Jude N</td><td>9</td></tr><tr><td>Coding</td><td>Kai M</td><td>9</td></tr><tr><td>Computer Aided Manufacturing</td><td>Dominic A</td><td>8</td></tr><tr><td>Computer Aided Manufacturing</td><td>Hailey O</td><td>9</td></tr><tr><td>Construction 7-8</td><td>Bauer D, AJ F, Keegan G, Aiden L</td><td>3</td></tr><tr><td>Culinary Arts</td><td>Iain S</td><td>22</td></tr><tr><td>Electrical Installations</td><td>Nolan S</td><td>14</td></tr><tr><td>Floristry</td><td>Sunnai P</td><td>9</td></tr><tr><td>Graphic Design – Presentation</td><td>Grace L</td><td>11</td></tr><tr><td>Graphic Design – Studio Production</td><td>Dominique S</td><td>27</td></tr><tr><td>Green Energy 7-8</td><td>Eirnan M, James S, Chelsea H, Kemsley B</td><td>5</td></tr><tr><td>Hairstyling</td><td>Sierra W</td><td>13</td></tr><tr><td>Hairstyling</td><td>Delvin D-C</td><td>14</td></tr><tr><td>Heavy Equipment Service</td><td>Fletcher M</td><td>7</td></tr><tr><td>Horticulture &amp; Landscaping</td><td>Patrick C, Kaleb W</td><td>6</td></tr><tr><td>LEGO Mechanical Engineering 7-8</td><td>Sohoh M, Lonin W, Easton S, Hudson H</td><td>14</td></tr><tr><td>Outdoor Power Equipment</td><td>Jeremy G</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td>Photography</td><td>Brooke M</td><td>49</td></tr><tr><td>Photography</td><td>Dante M</td><td>55</td></tr><tr><td>Plumbing</td><td>Vann T</td><td>8</td></tr><tr><td>Precision Machining</td><td>Reid A</td><td>13</td></tr><tr><td>Prepared Speech</td><td>Aurora</td><td>4</td></tr><tr><td>VEX Robotics – Team of four</td><td>Bradley B, Deven G, Maneesha D. Allen G</td><td>14</td></tr><tr><td>Welding</td><td>Riley H</td><td>15</td></tr><tr><td>Welding</td><td>Luke P</td><td>21</td></tr></tbody></table></figure><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Limestone would like to thank all the Skills Competition Coaches and Chairs, the entire Expanded Opportunities team members, St. Lawrence College, Skills Ontario, and Skills Canada.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p>

<img src="/images/de06adf7-cd27-549d-b705-91421f9a569f?fingerprint=ppb20251217015036" alt="" width="inherit" height="inherit" style="float:right"><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">June is National Indigenous History Month. This month is an opportunity to learn about the diverse cultures, traditions, and experiences of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples. It’s a time to honour and give voice to the stories, achievements, and resilience of Indigenous peoples across Canada, who have lived and cared for this land since time immemorial and who continue to make significant impacts, today.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">During this month, we also celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21</span><sup style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span>st</span></sup><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">. This day is an opportunity to honour the histories and diversity of Indigenous peoples in Canada. This day is important as it gives us an opportunity to acknowledge the Indigenous peoples whose histories and cultures are rooted in this land, and whose historical impact and presence have long been ignored by Canadian society. We are now in a place where we are beginning to recognize the importance of Indigenous peoples and their contributions to what we now know as Canada. In the Limestone District School Board, it is critical that we continue to teach the truth and to make a commitment to life-long reconcili-ACTION and living in right relations with the Indigenous community whose traditional territory we are fortunate to teach and learn on.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Working in partnership with the Kingston Friendship Centre and several community organizations, the Limestone District School Board’s, Indigenous Education Team is proud to offer several opportunities for staff, students, caregivers, and the community to engage in throughout this month.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">June 6</strong></b><b><sup style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><strong class="editor-text-bold">th</strong></sup></b><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </strong></b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">– Self-identified Indigenous students and students enrolled in NAC10 are invited to participate in a fish scale art workshop with Cree-Métis artist, Jamie Morse. This opportunity is being funded generously by the Kingston Native Centre and Language Nest through the Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centre's.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">June 11</strong></b><b><sup style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><strong class="editor-text-bold">th</strong></sup></b><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </strong></b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">– Storytelling session by Bomgiizhik (Isaac Murdoch): “Stories of the Summer Solstice”. All classes are invited to participate in a virtual session through Zoom on June 11</span><sup style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span>th</span></sup><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> to learn about the Summer Solstice.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">June 19</strong></b><b><sup style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><strong class="editor-text-bold">th</strong></sup></b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> – Caregivers, students, and the community are invited to attend a Public Virtual Hodinohsho:ni Governance Workshop hosted by the Woodland Cultural Centre. This workshop will be on June 19</span><sup style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span>th</span></sup><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> at 6:00 PM. The donation for this workshop helps to support the education department in creating and delivering virtual programming at the Woodland Cultural Centre. Topics covered include Hodinohsho:ni system of governance, use of Wampum, the Royal Proclamation, the Haldimand Proclamation, the Indian Act, and how these conflicted with the traditional Hodinohsho:ni Governance structure.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><a href="https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84279518633?pwd=ckUxb3VLT0J0NnBTMCtONlZnc2xudz09" class="editor-link"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Join the Public Virtual Hodinohsho:ni Governance Workshop on ZOOM</span></a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">June 21</strong></b><b><sup style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><strong class="editor-text-bold">st</strong></sup></b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> – National Indigenous Peoples Day at City Park in Kingston. On June 21</span><sup style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span>st</span></sup><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">, staff and students are invited to attend the National Indigenous Peoples Day event in City Park from 11:00 – 4:00 PM. On this day there will be market vendors, a community services fair, food vendors, activities for children and youth, and an evening event starting at 7:00 PM in Springer Market Square featuring a concert by 2</span><sup style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span>nd</span></sup><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> Line Bluegrass. The LDSB Indigenous Education Team will be working in collaboration with the Kingston Frontenac Public Library to create buttons, play large outdoor games such as cornhole and Jenga, and other fun activities! We are thankful for the continued collaboration with the Kingston Native Centre and Language Nest to help make this event possible for staff, students, and the community.</span><br><br></p>

<img src="/images/e61a0df0-e3a8-5259-9b1d-90b8936eb8fb?fingerprint=ppb20251217015125" alt="" width="inherit" height="inherit" style="float:right"><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The Limestone District School Board is seeking new members for the Technical Advisory Group for the next phase of Student Census data collection.&nbsp;The purpose of the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) is to give advice, opinions, and make&nbsp;recommendations in the design of methods for data collection, analysis, and the representation of results. Most importantly, TAG ensures that multiple and diverse perspectives are applied to the analysis of Student Census data to minimize the risk of bias.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Recruitment:</strong></b></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The committee will be formed by seeking expressions of continued interest from current members and new expressions of interest from individuals who possess the required lived&nbsp;experience and research skill set. Limestone staff will be notified by email of the opportunity to join TAG. The opportunity will also be posted to the LDSB website and advertised on LDSB’s social media channels New interested parties can express their&nbsp;interest using the&nbsp;</span><a href="https://ldsb.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2aXfk1Af78UcseO" class="editor-link"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">TAG Expression of Interest Form</span></a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">. Printable copies of the form are also available&nbsp;</span><a href="https://limestoneschools-my.sharepoint.com/:w:/g/personal/clostlamberte_limestone_on_ca/EUjk3z0ydglFjxSb2QBRtREBeMUgAtZZe3fZhGEnW2vjUA?e=DlGsax" class="editor-link"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">here</span></a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">. All submissions must be received by 4:00 p.m. on June 3, 2024.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">It is important to read the&nbsp;</strong></b><a href="/documents/3b3da70a-68e5-55e0-b8ec-80d58d9bbb44?fingerprint=ppb20251217013540" target="_blank" class="editor-link"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> TAG Terms of Reference </span></a><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">&nbsp;before you apply.</strong></b></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Selection:</strong></b></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Expressions of interest will be reviewed by the core Census Team (Limestone Research Team, Equity Consultant, Superintendent);&nbsp;the Vice Principal of Indigenous Education; and the Human Rights and</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Equity Officer. The goal is to create a committee that is as equitable and intersectional as possible from the applications received. Interested parties are invited to share the ways in which they are willing and able to share their lived experiences alongside their research and/or data experience.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">TAG Membership Drive: Proposed Timeline</strong></b></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Please note, the timeline subject to change</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Spring 2024</strong></b></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Recruitment of new TAG Members May 6 to June 3, 2024</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Early June: Review applications</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Mid- to Late-June: Confirm members</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">&nbsp;</span></p>

<p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/14b79aee-b7c9-57b1-8183-147c69482d02?fingerprint=ppb20251217013201" alt="" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit;display:inline-block"></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Exploring the great outdoors and connecting campers with nature are just a few of the many rewarding aspects of working at the Gould Lake Outdoor Centre. Whether leading nature camps with our youngest participants, developing camping skills, canoeing or tripping with our older campers, there are a variety of opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts to work over the summer doing what you love best – being outdoors, teaching and learning and having fun alongside our campers!</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">If you are passionate about learning, sharing and exploring all that nature has to offer, and you are 18 years of age or older, please complete the Gould Lake Summer 2026 Application Form.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><br><a href="/documents/1b960c6b-56b8-43b1-a4d2-db9535095768/GLOC_Wilderness_Guide_Application_2026.pdf?fingerprint=ppb20251217013244" rel="noreferrer" class="editor-link"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Application info can be accessed here</span></a><br><br></p>

<img src="/images/7a185932-0699-52fc-8b86-7c052650c46a?fingerprint=ppb20251217014125" srcset="/thumbnails/7a185932-0699-52fc-8b86-7c052650c46a?fingerprint=ppb20251217014125 450w, /images/7a185932-0699-52fc-8b86-7c052650c46a?fingerprint=ppb20251217014125 600w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 450px, 600px"><br><br><span><a href="https://t.co/gHuQhwx6Zf" target="_blank" title="https://t.co/gHuQhwx6Zf">https://t.co/gHuQhwx6Zf</a></span><br><br>

<img src="/images/3ab3582d-16bc-5e33-a690-24e58a739fc7?fingerprint=ppb20251217013540" srcset="/thumbnails/3ab3582d-16bc-5e33-a690-24e58a739fc7?fingerprint=ppb20251217013540 450w, /images/3ab3582d-16bc-5e33-a690-24e58a739fc7?fingerprint=ppb20251217013540 600w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 450px, 600px"> <p><span>The past two summers have been very challenging for all. It has also been challenging for the Gould Lake Outdoor Centre (GLOC). Because of COVID-19 restrictions, we were unable to run our typical summer programing, which usually consist of credit-based canoe, hiking and kayaking wilderness trips for students in grades 6-12. This past summer, the GLOC team got together with the guidance of LDSB and KFL&amp;A Public Health to create a weekly Nature Camp day program for students in grades 1-3. We hosted the camps at different LDSB school sites in July and August to accommodate different areas in our region. This was a new endeavor for to run programming away from our home base at Gould Lake, but we quickly learned that the lessons and activities that we are known for could be adaptable to a school yard setting. We set up shade shelters for lessons, and even filled up old canoes with water for daily water fun. We even linked together tarps to make slip and slides on our Weather themed day. In the end we were able to reach over 90 primary students at camp, where they spent over 7 hours a day outside learning through play and exploration. As hard as COVID programming has been, it allowed us to think outside the box to create this new summer program, which we plan to continue for years to come. To continue with our usual summer program of credit-based wilderness trips, we will be delighted to again offer our primary age Nature Camp next summer. </span></p>

<img src="/images/c5b65b1c-e479-58b1-859a-2e67c7e6aae8?fingerprint=ppb20251217014828" srcset="/thumbnails/c5b65b1c-e479-58b1-859a-2e67c7e6aae8?fingerprint=ppb20251217014828 450w, /images/c5b65b1c-e479-58b1-859a-2e67c7e6aae8?fingerprint=ppb20251217014828 600w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 450px, 600px"> <p><span>Dear GLOC families, alumni, and students, </span></p> <p><span>Thank you so much for your continued support over these past two challenging years. Though things are still not operating fully at the Outdoor Centre, I am very optimistic that things will look more normal next year. </span></p> <p><span>I did want to share some exciting news. We have been approved to run three 5-day, day camp sessions in July. These sessions will be intended for primary students (students going into grades 1-3) and will be hosted at 3 different school sites (Polson Park, Southview, and Molly Brant) to help with drop off and pick up. The majority of activities will occur on the school playground or nearby greenspaces, or inside the school in the event of inclement weather. We will be accepting up to 30 students per session to meet public health requirements and to help ensure the safety of students and staff.</span></p> <p><span>Although we had hoped earlier in the spring we could run more of our traditional programs at The Gould Lake Outdoor Centre, that is not yet possible. LDSB school sites are better equipped than the Outdoor Education Centre to meet current public health guidelines. We are taking our learning from travelling around schools this past school year to visit elementary students and we have created a 5-day program aimed at younger students. With safety guidelines requiring a swim test and the unpredictability of Lake Ontario we will not be running any traditional water-based activities for our Nature Day Camps. This will be a brand-new adventure for us and very different from typical GLOC summer programming, but we’re excited!</span></p> <p><span>I recognize this may be disappointing for some of you who had hoped some of your intermediate and senior students may have been able to participate in one of our popular outdoor programs based at Gould Lake. We are happy we can provide some summer camps to younger students and if it goes well, we may expand our GLOC programming to younger students in the future. </span></p> <p><span>As we embark on this new adventure, we will continue to explore possibilities of running a trip-based program in August for older students. As public health restrictions evolve, we will continue to work with KFL&amp;A Public Health to look for opportunities to provide safe, fun outdoor learning experiences for students. This work will continue as our Nature Day Camps operate. If we are able to secure approval for a trip-based program for older students in August of 2021, sometime in July, we will start advertising and will notify those on our mail list directly. Please stay tuned for more information. </span></p> <p><span><strong>Registration for our Nature Day Camp will begin at 8:00 a.m. on Friday, July 2, 2021.</strong> It will be first come, first served with a cap of 30 students per session. Cost for the 5-day camp is <strong>$150</strong> per student.</span></p> <p><span>The registration link is here:&nbsp; <a href="https://can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fforms.office.com%2Fr%2Ff90YFFaDyH&amp;data=04%7C01%7Czahnn%40limestone.on.ca%7C9daf1bf019bc417ee62308d93bc814a4%7Ce1f4165febae4d82a73ca0de593830be%7C1%7C0%7C637606553012106708%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&amp;sdata=lx38por0K%2FWwIOLdJslel1HQznazfBuLwMNr2zQVMYY%3D&amp;reserved=0">https://forms.office.com/r/f90YFFaDyH</a></span></p> <p><span><strong><span>Details on the Nature Day Camp</span></strong></span></p> <p><span><em><span>Please note the schedules below are sample activities. Activities may change depending on weather or other factors.</span></em></span></p> <p><span><strong><span>Day 1: Animal Day</span></strong></span></p> <table class="editor-table"> <tbody> <tr> <td> <p><span>Time</span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>Day 1: Animal Adventure</span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p><span>9:00 - 9:30</span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>Get to know you games</span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p><span>9:30 - 10:30</span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>Types of Animals </span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p><span>10:30 -10:50</span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>Snack Break</span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p><span>10:50 – 12:00</span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>Animal Habitats and Habitat Assessment</span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p><span>12:00 – 12:30</span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>Lunch</span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p><span>12:30 – 1:00</span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>Big Group Game</span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p><span>1:00 – 2:00</span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>Show and Tell </span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p><span>2:00 – 2:15</span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>Snack Break</span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p><span>2:15 – 3:45</span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>Survival/Endangered Species</span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p><span>3:45 - 4:00 </span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>Break and Pick Up</span></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p><span><strong><span>Day 2: Plant Day</span></strong></span></p> <table class="editor-table"> <tbody> <tr> <td> <p><span>Time</span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>Day 2: Plant Party</span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p><span>9:00 - 9:30</span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>Morning Warm Up/Games</span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p><span>9:30 - 10:30</span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>Parts of the Plant</span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p><span>10:30 -10:50</span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>Snack Break</span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p><span>10:50 – 12:00</span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>What Plants Need – Scavenger Hunt</span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p><span>12:00 – 12:30</span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>Lunch</span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p><span>12:30 – 1:00</span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>Big Group Game</span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p><span>1:00 – 2:00</span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>See the seeds </span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p><span>2:00 – 2:15</span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>Snack Break</span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p><span>2:15 – 3:45</span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>Hike/Bingo/Plant Art</span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p><span>3:45 - 4:00 </span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>Break and Pick Up</span></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p><span><span>&nbsp;</span><strong>Day 3: Rock n’ Soil </strong></span></p> <table class="editor-table"> <tbody> <tr> <td> <p><span>Time</span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>Day 3: Rock n’ Soil!</span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p><span>9:00 - 9:30</span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>Morning Warm Up/Games</span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p><span>9:30 - 10:30</span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>What’s in Soil?</span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p><span>10:30 -10:50</span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>Snack Break</span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p><span>10:50 – 12:00</span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>Soil Experiment</span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p><span>12:00 – 12:30</span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>Lunch</span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p><span>12:30 – 1:00</span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>Big Group Game</span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p><span>1:00 – 2:00</span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>School of Rock! </span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p><span>2:00 – 2:15</span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>Snack Break</span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p><span>2:15 – 3:45</span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>Profile in a Jar (Scavenger Hunt)</span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p><span>3:45 - 4:00 </span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>Break and Pick Up</span></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p><span><span>&nbsp;</span><strong>Day 4: Weather Day</strong></span></p> <table class="editor-table"> <tbody> <tr> <td> <p><span>Time</span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>Day 4: Weather or Not Here we Come</span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p><span>9:00 - 9:30</span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>Morning Warm Up/Games</span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p><span>9:30 - 10:30</span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>What is Weather?</span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p><span>10:30 -10:50</span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>Snack Break</span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p><span>10:50 – 12:00</span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>Temperature and Air Pressure</span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p><span>12:00 – 12:30</span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>Lunch</span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p><span>12:30 – 1:00</span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>Big Group Game</span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p><span>1:00 – 2:00</span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>Wind and Humidity</span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p><span>2:00 – 2:15</span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>Snack Break</span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p><span>2:15 – 3:45</span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>Weather Station Creation</span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p><span>3:45 - 4:00 </span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>Break and Pick Up</span></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p><span><span>&nbsp;</span><strong>Day 5: Water</strong></span></p> <table class="editor-table"> <tbody> <tr> <td> <p><span>Time</span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>Day 5: Water World</span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p><span>9:00 - 9:30</span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>Morning Warm Up/Games</span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p><span>9:30 - 10:30</span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>A world of Water</span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p><span>10:30 -10:50</span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>Snack Break</span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p><span>10:50 – 12:00</span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>Water Cycle</span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p><span>12:00 – 12:30</span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>Lunch</span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p><span>12:30 – 1:00</span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>Big Group Game</span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p><span>1:00 – 2:00</span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>Water Pressure/Power</span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p><span>2:00 – 2:15</span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>Snack Break</span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p><span>2:15 – 3:45</span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>Water Wars!</span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p><span>3:45 - 4:00 </span></p> </td> <td> <p><span>Break and Pick Up</span></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p>&nbsp;</p>

<img src="/images/ec58dd19-7260-5276-ae2d-03a86888cf23?fingerprint=ppb20251217015153" srcset="/thumbnails/ec58dd19-7260-5276-ae2d-03a86888cf23?fingerprint=ppb20251217015153 450w, /images/ec58dd19-7260-5276-ae2d-03a86888cf23?fingerprint=ppb20251217015153 600w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 450px, 600px"> <p>On August 1^st, 2020 at 5:00am a group of 20 amazing Gould Lake Outdoor Centre staff started the legendary “Brent Run” – a 162km non-stop paddle marathon across Algonquin Provincial Park - to raise money for the “Friends of Outreach (FOO)” charitable trust.<span> </span>FOO is a charitable trust that was formed in 1996 consisting of current and former Gould Lake Outdoor Centre staff, students and parents. The primary function of FOO is to raise money to ensure that cost is not a barrier to participate in Gould Lake’s summer programming. In the summer of 2019, FOO sponsored 44 students across various programs. We called this years fundraising campaign “Brent and Back 2020”.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Our paddling team started their journey at Tea Lake and paddled and portaged non-stop all the way to Cedar Lake to the town of Brent – 81km away. But the name of the challenge is Brent and Back so, as soon as they got there they immediately turned around and continued their journey paddling through the night to get back to their starting point. The team encountered some pretty intense wind and rain late in the night August 1^st and into the morning August 2^nd, but they fought through the weather and managed to complete the whole 162km journey in 43 hours – an amazing feat.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Meanwhile, our Gould Lake Outdoor Centre community was supporting our paddling team from home by donating, spreading the word and following the team’s journey on social media. Our original fundraising goal was $5,000 and our community completely blew past that goal! $9,600 was raised on our “Brent and Back 2020” fundraising page and an additional $600 came in on our main “Friends of Outreach” fundraising page, bringing the full total to $10,200! That’s enough money to subsidize 29 Outreach student tuitions!</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>A huge thank you to everyone who donated, shared, and followed along online. The Gould Lake Outdoor Centre would not be what it is without all of you. And to all of our paddlers, thank you for donating your time to support the Gould Lake Outdoor Centre’s students – we appreciate you and so do our students.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>If you would like to support the Gould Lake Outdoor Centre and our Friends of Outreach charitable trust you can donate here: <a href="https://can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmy.charitableimpact.com%2Fgroups%2Ffriends-of-outreach&amp;data=02%7C01%7Czahnn%40limestone.on.ca%7Cb0c2ea82a21c4589d28308d85c059576%7Ce1f4165febae4d82a73ca0de593830be%7C0%7C0%7C637360526357306197&amp;sdata=ISuT4X6tWYrsElYq1nJf57WBLIm7tuILb20VIlcgvAs%3D&amp;reserved=0">https://my.charitableimpact.com/groups/friends-of-outreach</a></p>

<img src="/images/8b81fc78-ff80-52d2-bac4-2eef7e2d4b92?fingerprint=ppb20251217014301" srcset="/thumbnails/8b81fc78-ff80-52d2-bac4-2eef7e2d4b92?fingerprint=ppb20251217014301 450w, /images/8b81fc78-ff80-52d2-bac4-2eef7e2d4b92?fingerprint=ppb20251217014301 600w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 450px, 600px"><br><br><a title="Outdoor Education at Home" href="/cms/One.aspx" target="_blank">OUTDOOR EDUCATION AT HOME</a><br>

<img src="/images/27cab04a-a586-5513-8b6d-17d27e4adf91?fingerprint=ppb20251217013352" srcset="/thumbnails/27cab04a-a586-5513-8b6d-17d27e4adf91?fingerprint=ppb20251217013352 450w, /images/27cab04a-a586-5513-8b6d-17d27e4adf91?fingerprint=ppb20251217013352 600w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 450px, 600px"><span>The GLOC Famlies' Handbook is now available&nbsp;to download. You will find information on Transportation, student gear information for "Barn Days" and&nbsp; trip, program descriptions and much more.&nbsp;<br> <br> <a title="GLOC Families' Handbook" href="http://limestone-gouldlake.ss16.sharpschool.com/UserFiles/Servers/Server_21249845/File/Parent%20Handbook%20%202020.pdf" target="_blank">GLOC Families' Handbook</a><br> </span>