Dear Families,
I hope all Limestone District School Board (LDSB) families continue to have a good start to the 2024-2025 school year. It is hard to believe we are almost eight weeks into the school year. As we move towards the end of October, I have some updates I would like to share with you:
Communication Regarding Bus Delays and Cancellations from Tri-Board Student Transportation
During the potential inclement weather months (roughly early November to early April), our transportation partner, Tri-Board Student Transportation Services, works closely with their school bus companies to determine if it is safe to offer school transportation on inclement weather days. School buses function differently than other vehicles, and sometimes, although it is safe for the average family vehicle to travel, it is not safe for a school bus to be on all, or some of, the roads on a route. Having to cancel school transportation is understandably disruptive to families, but Tri-Board always puts the safety of their 30,000-plus bus riders first and foremost in their decision-making.
To help make the winter season and bus cancellation days easier for students and families to manage, families should sign up for bus status alerts by creating an account in Tri-Board’s Student Portal. Families can add their student(s) to their account, so they are signed up to receive alerts for their specific bus and zone cancellations. Families can also follow Tri-Board on social media:
When all transportation is cancelled across the district, the notification is sent as a general notice from Tri-Board to everyone with an account. Tri-Board does their best to post this alert by 6:00 a.m.
The cancellation of school buses does not mean schools are closed. Should the rare need to close a school arise, the information will be communicated by the LDSB and the individual schools.
Learn more about inclement weather days, timing and duration of cancellations, and more on Tri-Board’s website.
2023-2024 EQAO Results and Strategic Plan Update
The 2023-2024 assessment results for the LDSB were released earlier this month by the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO). The elementary school report provides assessments of Reading, Writing, and Mathematics written by students in Grades 3 and 6. The secondary school report provides similar information relating to the Grade 9 Assessment of Mathematics and the Grade 10 Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test. LDSB results align with provincial outcomes in some areas, while showing notable improvements in others and among specific student groups. Learn more about Limestone’s EQAO results on our website.
At last night’s Board Meeting, Trustees were provided with a Strategic Plan Year-End Report for the 2023-2024 school year, reflecting the first year of the new LDSB Strategic Plan (2023-2028), and the progress reported for each goal. The 2023-2024 EQAO results provide a foundation for the plan and the provincial Student Achievement Plan. Families are encouraged to review the Administrative Report provided by senior staff at the Board Meeting available on pages 22 to 31 in the Board Agenda Package.
Limestone families are invited to provide feedback on the LDSB Student Achievement Plan for 2024-2025 through an online ThoughtExchange survey. You may have more than one response, so you are welcome to submit as many thoughts as you would like, but please only submit one idea at a time. Other people will see your idea(s) and will have the opportunity to indicate how much they agree with your submission(s). You will also have the opportunity to rate submissions from others. This survey is open now until November 22, 2024, at 4:00 p.m. Your input is greatly valued, and we thank you in advance for your participation.
To participate, please visit: https://bit.ly/LDSBSurveySAP2024-2025.
KFL&A Public Health Update
KFL&A Public Health has provided Limestone with a letter from Dr. Piotr Oglaza, Medical Officer of Health, as well as helpful resources to share with you on how to stay healthy during respiratory illness season. To view information from KFL&A Public Health, please use the following links:
- Letter from Dr. Piotr Oglaza
- OCFP Actions Parents Can Take
- Respiratory Illness Fact Sheet
- Immunization Through the Lifespan
I wish you a wonderful end of October, and I thank you for your continued support and partnership as part of the Limestone community.
All the very best,
Krishna Burra
Director of Education