Centennial Family Update - Jan 12-16

CENTENNIAL FAMILY UPDATE: JAN 12-16

WEEK AHEAD

Monday, January 12

• Grade 3 classes to final Swim to Survive Session

Tuesday, January 13

Wednesday, January 14

• Lunch is Ready: Ranch Wrap with Fruit & Milk

Thursday, January 15

Friday, January 16

Dear Families,

While bus cancellations certainly made for a different week, staff and students enjoyed the first week back after Winter Break!

Bus Cancellation Day Reminders:

• Families can choose to drop their child off to school, but should not arrive before 8:50 when supervision begins on the school yard. If you arrive before that time adults should stay with their student until 8:50
• If you drop off, you must also pick your student up by 3:25. Please avoid picking your student up between 3:00-3:25 as this presents significant challenges at a very busy time of day. Plan for delays as we locate your student during this time.
• Students who do not typically take the bus will be dismissed as they normally are onto the school yard.
• Students who typically take the bus will be gathered in the gym and dismissed to their adult out the front door.
• Please submit an absence for your student if they are staying home.
• Communicate your end-of-day plan to your child or classroom staff to help facilitate a smooth dismissal.

During first term staff took time to work with learning partners, Stephen Gillespie and Lisa Renaud, to examine student data and class profiles in the areas of literacy and math. This work in co-planning and shared thinking helps to establish clear plans for intentional gap closing with a focus on maximizing student progress. We have been very fortunate to have this opportunity to refine our efforts in progress monitoring and build our collective capacity at Centennial. We appreciate the support of our families as they also work with students in ways that they can at home to support their child's success. See the upcoming event offered by our Centennial School Council for an opportunity to connect in learning and fun as a school community!

Registration forKindergarten in Limestone is now open! If your student was born in 2021, now is the time to register your new student to start school this September.

Kindergarten is a wonderful new world of learning and growing and a very exciting time for both you and your student. We learn how to read, how to write and we make so many new friends. Our educator teams of a teacher and early childhood educator, help us along the way. You can feel confident your child will be cared for within safe and inclusive environments. Discover Kindergarten in Limestone and learn more about our Kindergarten program, resources, and tips to help your new student prepare for school.

Centennial School Council Update:

Family Games and Crafts Night

Save the date for February 12th!  The school council will be hosting a Family Games and Crafts  Night from 6:30 to 8:00 pm in the Centennial PS gym.  A variety of games will be available, and families are also welcome to bring their own.  There will also be free fun crafts for families to make!

This is a free event.  All students must be accompanied by an adult.  

Please note that the Family Mosaic Night originally planned for February will be postponed to a later date.

School Council Meetings

The next School Council meeting is scheduled for February 2 from 6:30 to 8:00 pm at Centennial PS.  All Centennial parents and caregivers are welcome.  Please email us at ldsbcentennialpscouncil@gmail.com in advance if you require childcare.

School Council Request: Containers needed for winter sowing of native plants in preparation for the May eco-fair:

Large plastic containers are needed for a School Council project, examples are 2L pop bottles, vinegar bottles, or clear plastic boxes with lids (not the type that holds fruit or salad greens). No bottles that held toxic chemicals such as cleaning fluids. Containers that have been cleaned thoroughly can be brought to the office.

Learn more about winter sowing: https://www.rbg.ca/winter-sowing-part-one/

Reminder About Parking Areas
As the weather changes, more families may choose to drive to and from school. Please remember that stopping in school bus loading zones or no-stopping areas can result in high parking fines. Bylaw encourages families to respect posted signage and use alternative locations for pick-up and drop-off.

Family Literacy Day 2026

Family Literacy Day takes place every January 27th to raise awareness about the importance of reading and engaging in other literacy-related activities as a family.

Since 1999, schools, libraries, literacy organizations and other community groups across the country have taken part in the initiative. ABC creates free learning and promotional resources for anyone that wants to get involved.

Taking time every day to read or do a learning activity with children is crucial to a child’s development, improving a child’s literacy skills dramatically, and can help a parent improve their skills as well.

CENTENNIAL SCHOOL EXPECTATIONS - Slides for Family reference to review with your students.

How Can I get Information From the School?

LDSB schools and school board use School Messenger to send key messages, alerts, and general communication to families. Winston uses this platform and will continue to use our Centennial Family Update to provide updates to families. These newsletters are where we will share school-specific information and highlights of student work and events in the building and is generated on our school website.

SchoolMessenger App: Download the SchoolMessenger App to stay connected. Use your mobile device to download and install the free SchoolMessenger blue app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store, the SchoolMessenger website portal, or from within the LDSB mobile app. *New families will be able to create their account after the first day of attendance.

The first time you use the app, you must select Sign Up to create your account. Please ensure you use the same email address your student’s school has on file. If you do not use that same email address, you will not be able to create an account.

Ontario Ministry of Education Human Development and Sexual Health Information

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. For a more detailed overview of this process, please refer to Administrative Procedure 325: Exemption From Human Development and Sexual Health Instruction (listed under the Policies and Procedures section of the LDSB website), or contact the school. 

Human Development and Sexual Health Expectations by Grade

Please find below a list of Human Development and Sexual Health Expectations by Grade as outlined in The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1-8: Health and Physical Education, 2019. The Ministry of Education provides additional information about Human Development and Sexual Health on its website at: http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/health.html

Human Development and Sexual Health Expectations by Grade

Request for Exemption from Instruction in Human Development & Sexual Health

Classroom teachers will be sending home a letter (Form 235-A). Form 325-A is a formal notification to families indicating when instruction related to Human Development and Sexual Health will occur.

School Mental Health Ontario Resources

School Mental Health Ontario offers a variety of free resources for educators, students, and families. To stay updated with the latest information, resources, and research, families can visit the SMHO website. Simply scroll to the bottom of the page, click on "Connect with Us," and enter your contact information.

Upcoming Dates

January

• Friday, January 30 - PA Day

February

• Monday, February 16 - Family Day Holiday

March

• Monday, March 16 - Friday, March 20 - March Break Holiday

April

• Friday, April 3 - Good Friday Holiday
• Monday, April 6 - Easter Monday Holiday
• Friday, April 17 - PA Day

May

• Monday, May 18 - Victoria Day Holiday
• Friday, May 29 - PA Day

June

• Friday, June 26 - PA Day

Ministry and Board Resources for Math and Literacy

There are many resources available designed to support your children’s learning in math and literacy, offering engaging activities that can make learning fun and effective for students and families. Visit Limestone’s Online Learning Resources and Tutoring webpage to learn more. 

Attendance Matters!
We continue to emphasize the importance of regular attendance when students are healthy enough to attend. We will continue regular reach-outs for these families with regular absenteeism to develop plans to support.

KLF&A Public Health Childhood Illnesses and Exclusion
Unsure when to keep your child home when they are unwell? The KFL&A Public Health guidelines have changed and include different symptoms since Covid. Vomiting and diarrhea remain 48 hours symptom free. Other childhood illness exclusions can be found here: https://www.kflaph.ca/en/health-topics/common-childhood-illnesses.aspx

School Day Schedule

2025-2026 LDSB School Year Calendar

A PDF version of the 2025-2026 School Year Calendar is available online.