Welcome to the 2026-27 School Year, Comets!
Centennial is a wonderful place to learn and grow!
Dear Centennial Families,
Welcome Back & Welcome Aboard! A warm welcome to our returning students, staff, and families, and a special hello to those joining our school community for the first time!
Our educator staff have been busy setting up spaces and planning for learning, our office administrator, Ms. Janet has been busy with many tasks including new registrations and class lists. Custodial staff have been busy with summer cleaning, repair and work projects. A big shout-out to Ms. McCullough and Ms. Turner who have worked hard to get Centennial ready for students and staff, we are so grateful for all of your heavy lifting and attention to detail!
We are so excited to work together for an amazing school year filled with learning, wonder, and fun!
Please read through this newsletter carefully as it includes important information about school start-up.
Class Placements
All students have been placed into a tentative classroom organization. All classes and staffing are tentative until later in September. This means that the class and teacher your child starts out with on the first day of school may not be the same class/teacher in mid-September. Should there be a reorganization of staff and students, information will be shared with families.
A re-organization is required if our actual enrollment is significantly different from the projected enrollment used by the central staffing committee in the spring. We will do our best to minimize disruption to student learning and will take direction from the LDSB should changes be required. Changes may be needed if classes are too small or too large, based on Ministry of Education class size requirements, which are mandated from the province.
Any reorganization will happen after the second week of school. Families are encouraged to speak to children about the potential for change. As adults, we have the opportunity to model healthy emotions and mindsets around change, helping students to work through the emotions that may arise as an important life skill.
On the PA Day, Tuesday, September 2nd - families will receive an email from your child's classroom. Student log-in information for Aspen will be available through your child’s classroom teacher once the school year begins. As always, starting class placements are subject to change if actual enrolment numbers require school reorganization. There has been lots of care, consideration, and collaboration with staff when working on class placements.
This e-mail will include:
· Your student's class placement
· How to provide medical information to the school (if applicable)
· Arrival and/or dismissal meeting places for Day 1 (maps)
Friendly Reminders @ Centennial
- Is peanut-free/nut-free
- Is scent-free
- Welcomes service dogs only (on leash)
- Has accessible parking spots by permit only
Ways to get Involved @ Centennial
- School Advisory Council: Our SAC is vibrant and helps to support many of the wonderful things happening at Centennial! Contact: centennialschoolcouncil@gmail.com for more information about ways you can be involved. Not all members hold positions or have to commit oodles of time, but it is a great way to stay informed and be a part of the school community!
- Our first School Advisory Council meeting (SAC) will be held on Tuesday September 15, 2026 @ 6:00.
- We will hold elections for the 2026-2027 SAC Executive on September 15, 2025. Nomination forms will be sent out electronically for our SAC Executive positions in the first weeks of school.
- Meetings will be held in person at 6:00 pm in the library and online, through MS Teams.
- Everyone is welcome to attend any of our meetings this year. We look forward to hearing your voice!
- Volunteers @ Centennial - CPIC Required Classroom teams will be sending home volunteer opportunities in the first few weeks of school and throughout the year. Parents will need a recent CPIC in order to come along on field trips or volunteer in the classroom. This process can take a while and a great idea to get it done over the summer. You can apply for a CPIC via the Kingston Police website or by following the following link: Background Check - Kingston Police
School Supplies and Labelling
Our school will provide the necessary supplies that your student will need for learning. However, if you are looking for back-to-school suggestions from LDSB, here are a few things to think about bringing with you on the first day:
- Backpack
- Labelled water bottle
- Lunch bag with a peanut-free/nut-free lunch and snacks for two 20-minute nutrition breaks (one in the morning and one in the afternoon)
- Personal pencil case to hold any supplies you may want to bring (pencils, erasers, scissors, ruler, pencil crayons, etc.)
- Indoor shoes (with non-marking soles) to be left at school
- Extra clothes (for our Kindergarten/primary particularly)
To avoid your student's clothing ending up in the lost and found, please consider labelling items, such as indoor and outdoor clothing, indoor and outdoor shoes, containers, school supplies, etc.
Check the weather in the morning for appropriate dress for the day. Students will go outside in all weather, with the exception of heavy rain or extremely low temperatures.
Playground Project Update:
Over the summer, various trades people, LDSB facilities services personnel, and our amazing custodial staff (Ms. T McCullough & Ms. S. Turner) have been hard at work! As a result, our school looks incredible - thank you for all of your hard work! While you were gone, many school improvements were made:
- New WOW Playground Structure!
- Relocation of existing play structures for accessibility
- New soccer posts for both soccer fields
- New outdoor classroom
- New accessible paved pathways to the play structures and outdoor classroom
- Rejuvenation of our Forest play area with additional mulch and surface leveling for safe play
- New sod in field areas to expedite play access to grass areas
We are thrilled to offer these updates for outdoor play. The field areas will be fenced off for the first few weeks to allow the sod to take root to ensure we continue to have healthy grass areas in the spring.
Construction Update: Norman Rogers Drive
As many families area aware, we also had major road improvement project on Norman Rogers Drive over the summer. At our meeting with the City of Kingston, it was indicated that the last phase of the project should have minimal impact on school operations. Families will see new signage indicating no-parking areas, Park & Stride signs, and the new crosswalk location.
We are pleased to share Marg and Fraser will be returning as our School Crossing Guards this year. The location of crossing area is now west of Cliff Crescent at the pathway that runs along the east side of our school yard. The crossings will be staffed during the following times:
Morning
- 8:30am - 9:15am
Afternoon
- 3:15pm - 3:50pm
Additional measures are also being implemented at this location for the first week of school, including support from our parking bylaw enforcement team to implement vehicle compliance of no stopping in the school area.
To support efforts to reduce traffic congestion and improve driver awareness, please see the Park & Stride map. This map shows areas where cars can park and where families can walk to access the school grounds.
Park & Stride encourages parents and caregivers to park a short distance from the school and walk or roll the remainder of the route, helping to reduce vehicle volumes around school frontages.
*Note* while there will be a Pedestrian Crossover (PXO) being built at Norman Rogers Drive and Byron Cres. as shown the Park & Stride Map, it will not be in place for the start of school and will not have a School Crossing Guard. With this in mind, and for an added level of crossing support, are encouraging families and students using the northside sidewalk, to please continue down to the School Crossing Guard to cross the road and access the school yard.
In addition, updates to parking regulations in the school area have been completed to better support safe pick-up and drop-off operations. New parking signage reflecting these changes will be installed as part of the project.
Arrival & Dismissal
When students arrive at school and are dismissed from school each day, they have an assigned meeting place. A picture of each meeting place will be sent in a welcome letter on September 1st by the classroom teacher. Students should go to their assigned meeting place each morning and stay there until the bell rings and their teacher arrives.
The field will be available for play during recess later on in the day. In the morning, students are to remain on the pavement area until the bell.
To avoid congestion at the end of the day, and ensure staff can safely dismiss students, we kindly ask that families (parents/guardians, early Kindergarten pick-ups) wait outside of the fenced area.
Only students who are registered through Tri-Board Student Transportation Services are eligible to ride. If your student would like to travel home on the bus with a peer, there is no guarantee this will be possible. Written permission is required from both families to the teacher or the office, and there must be enough room on the bus to accommodate this request.
School Day Schedule
Time | Activity/learning block |
|---|---|
8:50 to 9:05 a.m. | Supervision begins on the yard |
9:05 to 10:45 a.m. | 100-minute learning block |
10:45 to 11:25 a.m. | Recess and nutrition break |
11:25 a.m. to 1:05 p.m. | 100-minute learning block |
1:05 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. | Recess and nutrition break |
1:45 to 3:25 p.m. | 100-minute learning block |
LDSB 2026-2027 School Year Calendar & Upcoming Dates
Dates of Significance
The Limestone District School Board is dedicated to promoting human rights, equity, diversity, and inclusion for all staff and students. We celebrate the diversity of our community and recognize the importance of significant dates throughout the year, offering opportunities to learn about the religious, cultural, and awareness days observed within our district.
LDSB prioritizes dates that impact learning, ensuring these events and observances enhance students' educational experiences. By focusing on these dates, we aim to foster meaningful learning, reflection, and engagement, while integrating them into the curriculum. Learning resources are continually developed and made available to educators for classroom use.
The following dates highlight secular and creed-based observances and holidays, significant events and celebrations, public holidays, and other important dates. Please note that the list is not exhaustive and may be updated as needed. Please follow the link below to access dates of significance each month.
LINK: Dates of Significance
Prevalent Medical Conditions
To help us gather important medical information about your child, we ask that you select the correct Plan of Care form below, complete it and return it to the school as soon as possible. If you require us to administer daily medication, you will also need to complete the necessary paperwork for us to be able to do this.
Daily medication will need to be dropped off at school. Students cannot carry medications in their backpack, at any time. Please call the school to make arrangements for dropping off.
**Be sure to also include the supplementary forms if medication may need to be administered by school staff.
The health and safety of our students is our top priority. Thank you for helping us stay informed on your child's medical conditions and Plan of Care.
Supplemental Forms
Click below for necessary supplementary forms needed including:
· Form 314-A2 - Administration of Medication
· Form 314-A3 - Administration of Epi-Pen
· Form 314-B2 - Medical Procedure Form
EXCITING NEWS!!! Centennial School Clothing has a new look! Orders can be delivered directly to Centennial. Check it out and ORDER HERE!
CommunityPartners:
Maltby Centre
KFL&A Early Expressions Speech & Language
Early Expressions Preschool Speech and Language - KFL&A Public Health (kflaph.ca)
Eye See, Eye Learn Eye Glasses Program
Eye See...Eye Learn® Program - Ontario Association of Optometrists
Bus Information for Parents
How to Apply for Transportation - Tri-Board (triboard.ca)
Kingston Public Library
Kingston Frontenac Public Library | Information Inspiring Imagination (kfpl.ca)
Community Living Kingston & District
Community Living Kingston & District - We’re here to help lead the way. (myclkd.ca)
School Messenger: Reporting Your Child's Absences
Centennial uses School Messenger to help communicate need-to-know information to families in a timely and efficient way via text, voice message, or email. Families can access school messenger on a laptop, iPad or mobile phone. Most families find it very useful to download the School Messenger App.
Centennial also uses School Messenger to share out our weekly newsletter which contains extensive school information with families via text, phone, or email message. Our school will also use this tool for urgent items like event cancellations or school emergencies about school council meetings, or special events.
Registered parents/guardians will receive these messages through contact information that is collected in our student information system. This information is exchanged via a secure connection between the school board and SchoolMessenger. This is the same system that also allows parents/guardians to report their student’s absence in advance, or report back to the school regarding an unexplained absence.
Parents/guardians may choose how to receive these alerts by text message, email or phone call with the exception of emergency events or attendance calls which will always be communicated via all contact methods on file with the school.
It is important that parents/guardians ensure schools have the most up-to-date contact information at the beginning of the school year. If your contact information changes during the school year, parents/guardians are asked to contact the school with the updated information.
School Messenger also allows teachers to communicate directly with families via a group message option. Teachers who choose to use this tool will provide families with a code so they can sign up for these messages, all available within the SchoolMessenger app or website.
The easiest way to have access to all these tools is to set up a SchoolMessenger account. We encourage you to create a SchoolMessenger account on your desktop, laptop, tablet and/or download the SchoolMessenger app. While an account is not required to use these new tools, it will allow you to review your contact information and communication preferences, and it stores all of your messages in one place.
Webinars for Parents - School Mental Health Ontario
Supporting Your Child’s Well-Being, a free webinar series created with parents/caregivers, for parents/caregivers. Each session will dive into important mental health and substance use health topics identified by families in Ontario - guided by subject matter experts who offer practical, evidence-informed strategies.
For full details on speakers and topics: SMH-ON | By Your Side Free Webinars | Blog
Can't make all dates? No problem! Select one or more of the sessions when you sign up.
COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS
Support is available in the community for families who may be looking for additional support for their student(s). Please see some of the available resources below.
Reaching out to a trusted adult, family member, friend, or support professional can also make a meaningful difference when someone is struggling. Encouraging help-seeking and connection can be an important protective factor for students.
- Kids Help Phone – Call or text 988 for 24/7 support across Canada
- Kids Help Phone – Text CONNECT to 686868 or access live chat at kidshelpphone.ca
- Maltby Centre (March 17 Kingston Walk-in Clinic; March 18 Sydenham Walk-in Clinic)
- One Stop Talk – Call 1-855-416-8255 or connect online
- Resolve Counselling Services in Kingston and Napanee
- One Roof Kingston (ages 12 to 25)
- Lennox and Addington Youth Hub (ages 10 to 24)
- In an emergency, call 911 or visit the nearest emergency department
Learning at Home: Resources include stories, games, and activities that you can engage in with your child to build literacy skills, grow confidence and offer connection time with your child. See the RESOURCES PAGE HERE
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.
