Dear Families,
I hope you and your family have had a very positive start to the 2022-2023 school year in Limestone. Preliminary enrollment numbers are showing growth within the Limestone community with an increase in both elementary and secondary students. It has been wonderful to have students back in schools and to see various activities like sports, clubs, field trips, and great learning already underway helping to support the overall Limestone student experience.
A reminder for students, staff, and visitors in our schools to continue to self-screen every day before attending school using the COVID-19 school and childcare screening tool. Staff and students should stay home when sick. It should be noted that for a total of 10-days after the start of any illness symptom or positive Rapid Antigen Test (RAT), students and staff are expected to wear a well-fitted mask in all public settings (including schools and childcare, unless under two years old), and avoid non-essential activities where mask removal is necessary. As a reminder, Public Health continues to encourage masking in indoor, congregate settings like schools. We continue to work very closely with KFL&A Public Health as it relates to health and safety and absences due to illness. KFL&A Public Health has created a helpful resource for school and childcare screening for families to use. If COVID-19 protocols change, they will be communicated directly with families and updated on Limestone’s COVID-19 Protocol Update webpage.
School ventilation continues to be a priority for both the province as well as for Limestone. School ventilation systems in all Limestone schools are regularly inspected to ensure they are in good working order and are meeting provincial requirements. An outline of our multi-pronged ventilation strategy is available on our website, which includes the September 2022 Limestone District School Board Ventilation Report.
The Limestone District School Board expresses our sincere condolences to King Charles III, the Royal Family, the people of the United Kingdom, and Canada on the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-serving British monarch and Canadian Head of State. Canadian flags at all Limestone schools, education centres, and the Board office have been flying at half-mast since the Queen’s death on September 8, 2022. Flags will remain at half-mast until sunset (end of day) on Tuesday, September 20, 2022. To align with the provincially declared day of mourning and moment of silence to honour the Queen, all schools will recognize a moment of silence around 1:00 p.m. on Monday, September 19, 2022. It should be noted that Limestone honours everyone’s individual experiences and emotions surrounding the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. We recognize that for some individuals, families, and communities, their experiences and relationships with the British monarchy may be very different and are mindful of how conversations surrounding the Queen’s passing impacts people differently and to be respectful of these differences.
I hope everyone is enjoying the start of the fall term/semester and the ongoing good weather, and I am looking forward to continuing to see student learning and success within the Limestone community throughout the 2022-2023 school year.
Thank you,
Krishna Burra
Director of Education