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Boardroom Briefs June 18, 2025

Boardroom Briefs is intended to provide highlights of presentations, reports and decisions made at the regular meeting of the Limestone District School Board of Trustees. The following are highlights of the June 18, 2025 Regular Board Meeting. Agendas can be found on the website under <a href="https://www.limestone.on.ca/board_meetings-1719463739654" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" class="editor-link" dir="ltr">Board Meetings</a>.  <h2 class="editor-heading-h2" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">Land Acknowledgement </h2>All meetings begin with a Land Acknowledgement: "The Limestone District School Board is situated on the traditional territories of the Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee. We acknowledge their enduring presence on this land, as well as the presence of Métis, Inuit, and other First Nations from across Turtle Island. We honour their cultures and celebrate their commitment to this land.” <h2 class="editor-heading-h2" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">Presentation</h2><h3 class="editor-heading-h3" dir="ltr">Limestone District School Board Staff Awards</h3>The 2025 Limestone District School Board (LDSB) Staff Awards include the Barry C. O'Connor Excellence in Education Awards, and the J.C. McLeod Excellence in Teaching Awards. Trustee Ruttan introduced award nominators and recipients.The Barry C. O'Connor Awards recognize excellence in education as provided by support staff throughout the district. This award was established to recognize support staff in the following categories: Clerical and Secretarial, Educational Services Staff, Educational Assistants, and Central Office Support Staff. The recipients are:<ul class="editor-list-ul"><li value="1" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Tracy MacVicar, Kingston Secondary School - Clerical and Secretarial Category</li><li value="2" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Nancy Gourdier-Golle, LDSB Educational Services - Educational Services Support Category</li><li value="3" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Shannon Gambicourt, Winston Churchill Public School - Educational Assistants Category</li><li value="4" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Jody Fitz, LDSB Education Centre - Central Office Support Category</li></ul>The J.C. McLeod Excellence in Teaching Awards are presented to two outstanding educators in the Limestone community. J.C. McLeod was the Director of Education for the former Lennox and Addington County Board of Education from 1969 to 1983. He recognized and rewarded excellence in teaching throughout his time as Director, and on his retirement, he established a fund to continue this focus. This award recognizes the outstanding contributions of individual teachers to classroom instruction or the improvement of classroom instruction, over several years. It is presented annually to one teacher in elementary, and one teacher in secondary. The recipients are:<ul class="editor-list-ul"><li value="1" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Tara Murphy, Centennial Public School - Elementary Teacher</li><li value="2" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Tammy Hagerman, Katarokwi Learning Centre - Secondary Teacher</li></ul><img src="/images/87967a22-e1a3-469d-8d09-e2ccab360306?fingerprint=ppb20251217014249" alt="2025 LDSB Staff Award Recipients" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit;display:inline-block">From left: Tara Murphy, Tammy Hagerman, Nancy Gourdier-Golle, Jody Fitz, Shannon Gambicourt, and Tracy MacVicar<h3 class="editor-heading-h3" dir="ltr">Recognition of Outgoing Student Trustees</h3>Vice-Chair Godkin acknowledged the service of the 2024-2025 Student Trustees, Rachel Kolosov, Ayesha Bukhari, and Siya Kumar. Indigenous Grade 11 Student Trustee Kolosov will be returning to the role for the 2025-2026 school year, while Urban Student Trustee Kumar, and Rural Student Trustee Bukhari are graduating. Rural Student Trustee Bukhari was recognized with a bursary for her role with the Limestone Learning Foundation Grants Committee. <img src="/images/8bab5481-4e23-4e68-847c-55fd3b255cdc?fingerprint=ppb20251217014301" alt="2025 LDSB Student Trustees" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit;display:inline-block"><h3 class="editor-heading-h3" dir="ltr">Feeding Minds: Food and Beverage Policy (PPM-150) Delegation</h3>Madison Stewart from Food for Good Program presented remotely.<h2 class="editor-heading-h2" dir="ltr">Private Session Report</h2><details open="true"><summary>Private Session Report - June 18, 2025</summary><div data-lexical-collapsible-content="true">Trustee Ruttan provided the Private Session report for June 18, 2025: At the Special Meeting of the Board, May 27, 2025: Director Burra provided a personnel update.At the Education, Policy, and Operations Meeting, June 4, 2025: Director Burra provided a personnel updateEarlier this evening during Private Session:The Private Session minutes were approved from the following:<ul class="editor-list-ul"><li value="1" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">The May 21, 2025, Regular Board Meeting</li><li value="2" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">The May 27, 2025, Special Meeting of the Board</li><li value="3" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">The June 4, 2025, Education, Policy, and Operations Committee Meeting</li></ul>Associate Superintendent Gollogly provided a Safe Schools update.Trustee Lloyd provided a personnel update which resulted in a motion being passed.There was no other business conducted, or motions passed in Private Session. </div></details><h2 class="editor-heading-h2" dir="ltr">Reports from Officers</h2><details open="false"><summary>Chair's Report</summary><div data-lexical-collapsible-content="true"><img src="/images/972606b7-b2d1-52c6-962b-7190b39ee44f?fingerprint=ppb20251217014409" alt="" width="258" height="334" style="width:258px;height:334px;float:right;display:inline-block">Vice-Chair Godkin provided the following report: "As we approach the end of another remarkable school year, I want to take a moment to reflect on and celebrate the incredible efforts and achievements of our Limestone community. June marks not only the closing of the academic year but also a time of celebration, reflection, and gratitude. Across our district, students have been wrapping up their studies, showcasing their learning, and participating in a wide range of extracurricular activities that highlight their creativity, leadership, and school spirit. I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to our students for their resilience, enthusiasm, and dedication throughout the year. Your hard work and perseverance have been truly inspiring. To our educators, support staff, and administrators—thank you for your unwavering commitment to student success. Your passion and professionalism continue to shape a learning environment where every student feels supported and empowered. To our families and caregivers—your partnership and encouragement have been vital. Thank you for being such an integral part of our students’ journeys. This month, we’ve also seen vibrant celebrations of diversity and inclusion across the district. Pride events have brought our communities together in powerful and joyful ways. A special thank you to everyone who participated in the Greater Napanee Pride Parade and the Kingston Pride Parade. Your presence and support send a strong message of love, acceptance, and unity. We were also proud to support the second annual Inclusive Fun Fair hosted by the Inclusive Play Project at Shannon Park on June 7. This free, family-friendly event brought together community members of all ages and abilities to celebrate inclusion, accessibility, and connection. With live entertainment, a bustling vendor market, interactive games, and a vibrant KidsZone, the fair raised awareness and funds for Kingston’s first fully inclusive playground. Events like this remind us of the power of community and the importance of creating spaces where everyone feels welcome and valued  As we look ahead to the final days of the semester, let’s continue to lift each other up and celebrate the many successes—big and small—that have defined this school year. Wishing everyone a safe, restful, and joyful summer ahead."</div></details><details open="true"><summary>Director's Report</summary><div data-lexical-collapsible-content="true"><img src="/images/959f9ebc-0553-5f56-afed-83ccf39d2906?fingerprint=ppb20251217014409" alt="" width="316" height="316" style="width:316px;height:316px;float:left;display:inline-block">Director Burra provided the following report: "Good evening, Trustees and the viewing public. I am pleased to provide you with my update tonight as we enter the last ten days of the 2024-2025 school year.June is always a time of reflection as we complete one school year and continue preparations for the next school year. It is a time of change as we see students graduate from secondary school, staff retire, and many staff and students prepare for transitions. It is also a time of celebration across the system as students graduate and enjoy end-of-year activities and celebrations. We were able to enjoy some celebrations this evening with the annual Limestone Staff Awards. This evening, we heard and saw, some great examples of people focused on doing the very best they can to support students and learning in LDSB.In recent weeks and months, many graduating Limestone students have received significant scholarships and admissions to universities, colleges, and apprenticeships or have developed work plans for next year. I would be remiss to not mention the fact that Student Trustee Bukhari deserves to be recognized for being a TD Scholarship recipient, and the Trustee Laurie French Student Leadership Award from the Community Foundation for Lennox and Addington. Congratulations Student Trustee Bukhari. With secondary graduations just over a week away, I know Trustees and senior staff can look forward to hearing the plans of LDSB grads at those celebrations and honouring the graduates of 2025.I would also like to highlight for Trustees the tremendous success Limestone athletes experienced at the provincial finals in Track and Field. Wyatt Lee from FSS won gold in the Senior Boys 100m and 200m, Athena Andrecyk from KSS won gold in the Senior Girls 3000m, and the Junior Girls 4x100m relay team from KSS also won gold. That team consisted of Caitlyn Wimmer, Mara Barrow-McLagan, Amaya Barrow-McLagan and Marina Playter-Tuffs. Limestone students also won two silver medals and four bronze medals. I should note that the LSS Senior Boys won provincial AA gold. I should also note that LSS and KSS hosted provincial soccer championships. Congratulations to these winners and all of the other LDSB athletes who participated in the provincial finals.In reflecting on the 2024-2025 school year, or any other school year, I think it is important to again remember Kathy Freston’s wise words: “The goal is progress, not perfection.” In education, the stakes are always high for each learner, and there is always more we can do to serve each student. While there is always much to celebrate, there is also always room for improvement in realizing our LDSB intention of making a positive difference in the lives of every student, in every classroom, in every school.Given June is National Indigenous History Month, and Saturday is National Indigenous Peoples Day, Trustees should be aware that there are a range of activities occurring in the community this weekend, and at Confederation Park. This information has been shared with schools.As Trustees are aware, June is also Pride month, and like the last few years, Limestone formally participated in the fourth annual Napanee Pride Parade earlier this month, which was a great success, and we also had a very strong presence this past weekend for the Kingston Pride Parade. We must continue to take a strong stance in support of human rights, and against hate in the communities we serve.In closing, I want to offer my congratulations to all students graduating from Limestone and to staff entering their last ten days of work with Limestone. There is much to be proud of in Limestone and I have a great deal of gratitude and humility in serving as its Director. Thank you also to the Board of Trustees for your continued collaboration, strong support of public education, and advocacy. While all of us around this table may not always agree on everything, I think we can all be proud of the way we conduct ourselves and work together for the betterment of Limestone students. Thank you, Trustees. That concludes my report for this evening."</div></details><h2 class="editor-heading-h2" dir="ltr">Correspondence</h2>The Board of Trustees received correspondence from Trustee Hutcheon indicating her resignation from her role as Chair. The Board accepted her resignation, and held an election for the position of Chair of the Board for the remainder of the term, ending November 19, 2025. Trustees Godkin, McGregor, and Ruttan were nominated for the role of the Chair. Trustees Godkin and McGregor accepted the nominations, and Ruttan declined.Trustees voted and Trustee McGregor was elected Chair of the Board for the remainder of the term.<h2 class="editor-heading-h2" dir="ltr">Reports</h2><details open="false"><summary>OPSBA Report</summary><div data-lexical-collapsible-content="true">Chair McGregor provided an OPSBA report.</div></details><details open="false"><summary>Student Trustees' Report</summary><div data-lexical-collapsible-content="true">Student Trustee Kolosov provide the Student Trustees' Report.We had our last Inter-School Council (ISC) meeting on the third of this month. At this meeting, we celebrated our success as a group this past school year, where the school representatives from each school brought their incoming reps for next year. This gave us the chance to meet and get to know our ISC team for next year.On June 10, after a lot of hard work from ISC members, we were able to run the LDSB Community Pride Event. During this event, we had a number of school groups coming in to host tables with some arts, crafts, and games, as well as community organizations like the Kingston Public Library. We were also thrilled to have the Queens Faculty of Education GSA come in, as well as Kingston Youth Pride, and LDSB’s Alyssa Vernon who did some collaging with guests. Student-run booths included face painting, flag painting, bracelet and keychain making, and more. It was such an amazing experience to see all of the students and families coming together to enjoy an evening of celebration to kick off Pride Month. We would like to extend a big thank you to all of the community members who came in, staff who helped support the event, the KSS custodial team for helping set up, and all of the students who helped make the event possible and the great success it was!We also had Pat Vanderholst do a PD session on Indigenous land teachings, with a tour around Lake Ontario Park, sharing different teachings connected to the land. On behalf of ISC, I’d like to thank Pat for sharing his time and knowledge with us.On behalf of the incoming Student Trustees, we look forward to what the next term of ISC will bring next school year!Thank you!</div></details><h3 class="editor-heading-h3" dir="ltr">Reports for Action</h3>There were no Reports for Action.<h3 class="editor-heading-h3" dir="ltr">Reports for Information</h3><details open="true"><summary>Operational Plan: Integrated Technology Services (ITS) - Associate Superintendent Hedderson</summary><div data-lexical-collapsible-content="true"><img src="/images/035f32a1-6d40-45c9-8050-ab09485fac19?fingerprint=ppb20251217013025" alt="2025 ITS Dept Common Culture Graphic" width="259" height="309" style="width:259px;height:309px;float:left;display:inline-block">This report updates Trusteed on the Integrated Technology Services (ITS) Operational Plan and how it supports the goals of the LDSB Strategic Plan. The report was presented by Kelvin MacQuarrie, Manager of Information and Communications Technology, Laura Alward, Manager of Innovation and Digital Transformation, and Steve Hedderson, Associate Superintendent of Curriculum and Program Services: Math Focus.ITS Operational Plan: The three departmental pillars of Customer Service Excellence, Data Integrity, and Learning Environment and Infrastructure Improvements continue to drive forward the team's main objective of supporting students and staff of LDSB within the 2023-2026 timeframe. These pillars help guide project priorities and business decisions and are a focus within the department’s operational plan. The presentation outlined various initiatives, including:<ul class="editor-list-ul"><li value="1" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Learning Technology Refresh: Reliable Devices</li><li value="2" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Learning Technology Ticket Counts by School Year</li><li value="3" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Monitoring of Aging Classroom Projectors</li><li value="4" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">New Data Backup Solution</li><li value="5" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Microsoft 365 Copilot</li><li value="6" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Reporting Tool Efficiencies</li><li value="7" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Elementary Staffing App Efficiencies </li><li value="8" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Next Steps in Learning Technologies</li><li value="9" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Supporting Monitoring of the Student Achievement Plan</li></ul>The full report is available in the <a href="https://www.limestone.on.ca/documents/458f1305-a251-48f2-bc45-18d43569c0ce/LDSB-Regular-Board-Meeting-Agenda-June-18-2025-AMENDED.pdf?fingerprint=ppb20251217013647" rel="noreferrer" class="editor-link" dir="ltr">Agenda Package</a>.</div></details><details open="true"><summary>Math Achievement Plan - Associate Superintendent Hedderson</summary><div data-lexical-collapsible-content="true">This report updates Trustees on the continued development of Limestone’s Math Achievement Action Plan.Satellite data are high-level indicators that we are making progress towards our goal of improving math learning and achievement for every student.<img src="/images/12a3a14d-6c42-4061-af3e-1492f75c1306?fingerprint=ppb20251217013147" alt="Monitoring Math Achievement in the SAP and Strategic Plan: EQAO Results" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit;display:inline-block">Since the last update in <a href="https://www.limestone.on.ca/documents/61c13ecb-20b2-4600-84ea-c6440667d365/LDSB%20Regular%20Board%20Meeting%20Agenda%20March%2026%2C%202025.pdf?fingerprint=ppb20251217013909" rel="noreferrer" class="editor-link" dir="ltr">March 2025</a>:<ul class="editor-list-ul"><li value="1" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Additional meetings have been held with the Provincial Math Lead to discuss data analysis, impact of current improvement strategies, and key performance indicators to support the LDSB Math Achievement Action Plan</li><li value="2" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Strategic planning sessions with other board Math Leads and teams from across the province</li><li value="3" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">School-Based Math Facilitators and Learning Partners have been supporting educators in schools in gathering content diagnostic data to plan for meaningful math learning and assist in closing achievement gaps, with particular attention on students with modifications or recently removed from modifications</li><li value="4" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">School-Based Math Facilitators and Learning Partners also continue to support math-related professional learning sessions for educators at staff meetings, “lunch and learns,” and Professional Activity Days</li><li value="5" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Weekly meetings and capacity building with School Math Facilitators and ongoing learning and support for Learning Partners about the Math Achievement Action Plan strategies</li><li value="6" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Professional learning focus on fluency tasks and supporting the use of concrete and visual representations for students</li><li value="7" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Much more</li></ul>Next Steps and Communications Plan:<ul class="editor-list-ul"><li value="1" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">The Ministry confirmed that board will continue with Math Achievement Action Plans during the 2025-26 school year with the same priority schools </li><li value="2" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Given the late arrival of the 2025-26 school year budget, the staffing of the 2025-26 Math Action Team is ongoing</li><li value="3" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Share the final report on the 2024-25 LDSB Math Achievement Action Plan with the Provincial Math Action Team in mid-July</li><li value="4" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Prepare for the introduction of targeted use of a new complementary digital math tool that uses AI to support the implementation of the LDSB Instructional Progression of Mathematics</li><li value="5" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Much more</li></ul>The full report is available in the <a href="https://www.limestone.on.ca/documents/458f1305-a251-48f2-bc45-18d43569c0ce/LDSB-Regular-Board-Meeting-Agenda-June-18-2025-AMENDED.pdf?fingerprint=ppb20251217013647" rel="noreferrer" class="editor-link" dir="ltr">Agenda Package</a>.</div></details>

2025-06-24 20:57:55.816 +0000 UTC

Messages from the Ministry - Celebrating the End of the School Year

As we approach the end of the 2024–2025 school year, we want to take a moment to celebrate the achievements of all our students and extend our heartfelt congratulations—especially to our graduates.We are pleased to share a special <a href="https://youtu.be/6YHXUF3UtHc?si=qym1IQLmi8-QYVIU" rel="noreferrer" class="editor-link">video message from The Honourable Edith Dumont, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario</a>, as well as letters from Minister of Education Paul Calandra addressed to families and graduating students across the province. These messages recognize the hard work, resilience, and accomplishments of Ontario students throughout the year:<ul class="editor-list-ul"><li value="1" class="editor-listitem"><a href="/documents/793cbd5d-ca02-4bf9-b367-f9e8a5ff0c1a/Year-End-Letter-to-Parents.pdf?fingerprint=ppb20251217014125" rel="noreferrer" class="editor-link">Message for families from Minister of Education, Paul Calandra</a></li><li value="2" class="editor-listitem"><a href="/documents/61248391-bed1-499b-bcc8-3e977d928d99/Graduation-Letter-2025.pdf?fingerprint=ppb20251217013909" rel="noreferrer" class="editor-link">Message for graduating students from The Honourable Edith Dumont, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario</a></li></ul>We encourage you to take a moment to view and read these messages as we wrap up another successful school year together.

2025-06-19 12:00:14 +0000 UTC

Three Gold Medals at OFSAA Track and Field Championships

<img src="/images/d8c51901-16c1-4623-8968-bfd0467fbd7e?fingerprint=ppb20251217015010" alt="KSS Relay Team" width="624" height="491" style="width:624px;height:491px;display:inline-block">From left: Mila Stos, Marina Playter-Tuffs, Amaya Barrow-McLagan, Coach Morgann Rymal, Mara Barrow-McLagan, and Caitlyn Wimmer of KSS.Limestone District School Board had an outstanding showing with three golds and other notable placements at this year's <a href="https://www.ofsaa.on.ca/championship/track-field/" rel="noreferrer" class="editor-link" dir="ltr">OFSAA Track and Field Championships</a>, held at the Toronto Track and Field Centre (York University) in Toronto from June 5 to June 7, 2025. <h2 class="editor-heading-h2" dir="ltr">Gold Medals</h2><h3 class="editor-heading-h3" dir="ltr">Frontenac SS (FSS): </h3><ul class="editor-list-ul"><li value="1" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Wyatt Lee finished 1st in Senior Boys 100 and 200m</li></ul><h3 class="editor-heading-h3" dir="ltr">Kingston SS (KSS):</h3><ul class="editor-list-ul"><li value="1" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Junior Girls 4 x 100m relay team finished 1st - Caitlyn Wimmer, Mara Barrow-McLagan, Amaya Barrow-McLagan and Marina Playter-Tuffs</li><li value="2" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Athena Andrecyk finished 1st in Senior Women's 3000m</li></ul> <h2 class="editor-heading-h2" dir="ltr">Other Notable Results:</h2><h3 class="editor-heading-h3" dir="ltr">KSS:</h3><ul class="editor-list-ul"><li value="1" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Vicky Malik finished 2nd in Novice Girls 800/1500m</li><li value="2" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Eva Andrecyk finished 4th in Womens 3000m Novice</li><li value="3" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Claire Simmers finished 4th in Women's 800m Ambulatory</li><li value="4" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Amaya Barrow-McLagan finished 4th in Women's 80m hurdles</li><li value="5" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Luqmaan Brewster finished 4th in Junior Men's Triple Jump</li></ul><h3 class="editor-heading-h3" dir="ltr">LCVI: </h3><ul class="editor-list-ul"><li value="1" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Sierra Carroll finished 3rd in Intellectually Imp. Shot Put </li></ul><h3 class="editor-heading-h3" dir="ltr">FSS:</h3><ul class="editor-list-ul"><li value="1" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Declan Cowan finished 3rd in Junior Boys Disc Throw</li></ul> Congratulations to all Limestone athletes!

2025-06-18 17:40:00.715 +0000 UTC

School Bus Services 2025-2026 School Year

School bus information for 2025-2026 will be available to families in July on <a href="https://triboard.ca/" rel="noreferrer" class="editor-link">Tri-Board’s portal</a>.New students and students with a change of address or school need to <a href="https://triboard.ca/" rel="noreferrer" class="editor-link">apply online</a> by August 6 to have busing set up for the first day of school. Please visit <a href="https://triboard.ca/" rel="noreferrer" class="editor-link">triboard.ca</a> to apply for transportation and access your student(s)’s busing details for September.<img src="/images/d39f4838-d728-446a-a486-9289f808ef7d?fingerprint=ppb20251217014946" alt="School Bus Services 2025-2026 School Year" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit;display:inline-block">

2025-06-16 13:14:45.509 +0000 UTC

Limestone Celebrates Pride Month

Throughout June, the LDSB Education Centre and all schools across our district are proudly recognizing Pride Month in KFL&A by flying the Progress Pride Flag. This flag represents our ongoing commitment to inclusive education and creating spaces where everyone feels seen, valued, and connected. Flying the flag is one of many ways we demonstrate our support for 2SLGBTQ+ students, staff, and families, in alignment with the Ontario Human Rights Code.We also invite students, staff, and families to join Limestone at the Kingston Pride Parade on Saturday, June 14, 2025. Meet us at the Memorial Centre (303 York Street, Kingston) by 11:45 a.m.— just look for the big yellow bus!<img src="/images/210c95de-e1af-4ef6-b8b6-464ea6c14db1?fingerprint=ppb20251217013311" alt="LDSB at Kingston Pride" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit;display:inline-block">

2025-06-02 15:57:40.983 +0000 UTC

Message from the Director

Dear Families,I hope this e-mail finds you well. While rainy today, the weather has turned more toward spring/summer, and I am sure hotter weather is just around the corner. With just a handful of weeks remaining in the 2024-2025 school year, I have some updates that I would like to share with you:Artificial Intelligence in Limestone Evening SessionThank you to all the families and staff members who attended the event at L.C.V.I. on April 30. It was wonderful to see everyone who joined the session, and we appreciate all the questions submitted in advance for the presentations and panel discussion. For more information about Artificial Intelligence in Limestone, please visit <a href="https://www.limestone.on.ca/artificialintelligenceinlimestone" class="editor-link">limestone.on.ca/artificialintelligenceinlimestone</a>. The Student Achievement Plan (SAP) and Multi-Year Strategic Plan FeedbackIn July 2023, the Ministry of Education introduced new requirements through the Student Achievement Plan Framework (O. Reg. 224/23). This framework outlines clear goals and performance measures to help school boards support student success. It guides schools in tracking progress, creating action plans, and improving learning outcomes. The Limestone District School Board’s 2024–2028 Multi-Year Strategic Plan aligns with these provincial priorities and meets the reporting requirements set out in Bill 98.Limestone recently <a href="https://can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.limestone.on.ca%2Fstudent-achievement-plan&data=05%7C02%7Ccrothersm%40limestone.on.ca%7C685243dda6e54589bbb108dd9ea886c4%7Ce1f4165febae4d82a73ca0de593830be%7C0%7C0%7C638841168881383506%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=rRGKu24568B6KkoUlHi6HZy7JyHWvBaYP%2BZEJpo0Nhg%3D&reserved=0" class="editor-link">shared our Student Achievement Plan with the Board of Trustees and posted it on our website</a>. This plan aligns with the Ministry of Education’s framework and focuses on three key priority areas:<ul class="editor-list-ul"><li value="1" class="editor-listitem">Achievement of Learning Outcomes in Core Academic Skills (Literacy and Numeracy)</li><li value="2" class="editor-listitem">Preparation of Students for Future Success</li><li value="3" class="editor-listitem">Student Engagement and Well-Being</li></ul>We invite Limestone families to <a href="https://tejoin.com/scroll/140133537" class="editor-link">share their feedback on the 2024–2025 Student Achievement Plan through our online ThoughtExchange platform</a>. LDSB Human Rights Data Summary and Ontario Human Rights Commission – Dreams Delayed Action PlanLimestone recently published <a href="https://www.limestone.on.ca/student-human-rights-reports-2023-2024-school-year" class="editor-link">a summary of the Student Human Rights reports for the 2023-2024 school year</a>. Launched in October 2022, the reporting tool helps students, parents, caregivers, and staff report human rights issues within our board, with the aim to create a welcoming school environment by addressing discrimination and harassment. <a href="https://www.limestone.on.ca/student-human-rights-reports-2023-2024-school-year" class="editor-link">A summary of the Human Rights Report is available on our website</a>.  On March 27, 2025, the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) launched <a href="https://www3.ohrc.on.ca/en/tackling-anti-black-racism-and-discrimination-education#:~:text=The%20Dreams%20Delayed%3A%20Addressing%20Systemic,the%20Ontario%20Human%20Rights%20Code." class="editor-link">Dreams Delayed, an Action Plan to fight anti-Black racism and discrimination in Ontario's public schools</a>. The plan was created with input from Black students, educators, and community members and includes 29 specific actions for the Ministry of Education, school boards, and other education professionals to follow.Many of the calls to action in the Dreams Delayed Action Plan are ones that have either been already put in place or we continue to work on in Limestone. As a school board, we have taken strides towards addressing discrimination and harassment, but there is still much more work to do to remove disparities within our district.The LDSB is committed to creating an inclusive and fair school experience for every student, and the insights from our <a href="https://filerequestpro.com/up/ldsb-student-human-rights-incidents-and-complaints--school-safety-reporting-form" class="editor-link">Human Rights Reporting Tool</a>, the OHRC Dreams Delayed Action Plan, and our planned fall 2025 student census will guide ongoing efforts to improve the system and support each student effectively. Host an International Student – Be a Part of Kingston’s Global CommunityLimestone is proud of a long tradition of hosting students from other countries, and with the demand for Kingston and Canada as a learning destination is rapidly expanding, we are looking to expand our program. Students from over 15 different countries are here now staying with great homestay families in Limestone. Our International Education team is looking for more families to become homestay hosts to international students.We currently have seven students on our waiting list that have applied to Limestone for the 2025-2026 school year and need a home. They range from one semester to one-year stays and are from Germany, Spain, Japan, Brazil, Slovakia, Czechia, and Denmark.Host families will be paid a tax-free monthly stipend to host students. All students in the program attend local intermediate or secondary schools and range in age from 12 to 17 years old. Our International Education team works hard to make a great match for your family that can last a lifetime.Families can learn more by visiting <a href="https://can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Finternationaled.limestone.on.ca%2F&data=05%7C02%7Ccrothersm%40limestone.on.ca%7C5f948d469eac4dd4e7ab08dd76b6b3f1%7Ce1f4165febae4d82a73ca0de593830be%7C0%7C0%7C638797249277723651%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=a38SNkDER%2FeVnGAvgVAxV70Y0f5yd44D4LFtSz1VS84%3D&reserved=0" class="editor-link">Limestone’s International Education website</a> or phoning the International Education offices at 613-544-7745 ext. 290. Cyber Incident UpdateTwo weeks ago, we provided <a href="https://www.limestone.on.ca/news/cyber-incident-update-may-15-2025" class="editor-link">families with an update regarding the recent cyber incident</a>. We are aware this incident has affected our community in a direct way, and we appreciate the ongoing support, patience, and understanding from LDSB families. Free French Second Language (FSL) Virtual Programs for SK to Grade 12 StudentsLed by certified instructors, these free virtual programs offer fun and interactive learning for FSL students from Senior Kindergarten to Grade 12. Registration is open now. <a href="https://www.limestone.on.ca/news/free-fsl-virtual-programs-for-sk-12-students-20250401132630" class="editor-link">More information and a link to register is available on our website.</a> Ministry and Board Resources for Math and LiteracyThere are many resources available designed to support your student’s learning in math and literacy, offering engaging activities that can make learning fun and effective for students and families. <a href="https://www.limestone.on.ca/tutoring" class="editor-link">Visit Limestone’s Online Learning Resources and Tutoring webpage</a> to learn more.  School Mental Health Ontario Resources<a href="https://smho-smso.ca" class="editor-link">School Mental Health Ontario</a> offers a variety of free resources for educators, students, and families. To stay updated with the latest information, resources, and research, families can <a href="https://smho-smso.ca/" class="editor-link">visit the SMHO website</a>. Simply scroll to the bottom of the page, click on "Connect with Us," and enter your contact information. As a reminder, tomorrow is a P.A. day in Limestone. I hope everyone has a great weekend when it arrives and thank you again for your continued support. All the best,Krishna BurraDirector of Education

2025-05-29 20:00:24.751 +0000 UTC

Boardroom Briefs in white text on a teal background

Boardroom Briefs May 21, 2025

Boardroom Briefs is intended to provide highlights of presentations, reports and decisions made at the regular meeting of the Limestone District School Board of Trustees. The following are highlights of the May 21, 2025, Regular Board Meeting. Agendas can be found on the website under <a href="https://www.limestone.on.ca/board_meetings-1719463739654" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" class="editor-link" dir="ltr">Board Meetings</a>.  <h2 class="editor-heading-h2" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">Land Acknowledgement </h2>All meetings begin with a Land Acknowledgement: "The Limestone District School Board is situated on the traditional territories of the Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee. We acknowledge their enduring presence on this land, as well as the presence of Métis, Inuit, and other First Nations from across Turtle Island. We honour their cultures and celebrate their commitment to this land.” <h2 class="editor-heading-h2" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">Presentation</h2><h3 class="editor-heading-h3" dir="ltr">Limestone District School Board Student Achiever Awards</h3>Vice-Chair Godkin chaired the Board Meeting and welcomed students, staff, and families to the annual Limestone District School Board Student Achiever Awards. Each year, one Grade 12 student from each secondary school is recognized for their leadership, positive attitude, energy, and school spirit, and academic standing. Each school principal prepares and presents a citation for the school's winner, and presents the student with their award. Trustees Elliott and Ruttan emceed the awards ceremony. A list of the award winners is below the group photo.<img src="/images/605b4073-00da-448f-8172-b28b96990af2?fingerprint=ppb20251217013856" alt="2025 Limestone Student Achiever Awards" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit;display:inline-block">Back (from left): Spencer Tapp, Bayridge Secondary School; Alex Huneault, La Salle Intermediate and Secondary School; Chloe Davey, Napanee District Secondary School; Sekai Chikodzi, Loyalist Collegiate and Vocational Institute; Sophia Borger, North Addington Education Centre; Bella Thake, Sydenham High School; and Lev Myers, Katarokwi Learning Centre.Front (from left): Ayesha Bukhari, Ernestown Secondary School; Nuria Thompson, Kingston Secondary School; Maya Nanji, Frontenac Secondary School; and Hallie Hearns, Granite Ridge Education Centre.<h2 class="editor-heading-h2" dir="ltr">Private Session Report</h2><details open="false"><summary>Private Session Report - May 21, 2025</summary><div data-lexical-collapsible-content="true">Trustee Elliott provided the Private Session report for May 21, 2025: At the Special Meeting of the Board, April 16, 2025: Director Burra provided a property of the board update.At the Special Meeting of the Board, May 1, 2025: Director Burra provided a legal and property of the board update, which resulted in a motion passed.At the Audit Committee, May 5, 2025: Superintendent Young and Director Burra provided a property of the board update. Earlier this evening during Private Session: The private session minutes were approved from the following:<ul class="editor-list-ul"><li value="1" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">The April 16, 2025, Special Meeting of the Board (Private Session Only)</li><li value="2" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">The April 23, 2025, Regular Board Meeting (Private)</li><li value="3" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">The May 1, 2025, Special Meeting of the Board (Private Session Only)</li><li value="4" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">The May 5, 2025, Audit Committee Meeting (Private) </li></ul>Associate Superintendent Gollogly provided a Safe Schools update.Associate Superintendent McKenna provided a personnel update.Director Burra provided personnel update.There was no other business conducted, or motions passed in Private Session. </div></details><h2 class="editor-heading-h2" dir="ltr">Reports from Officers </h2><details open="false"><summary>Chair's Report</summary><div data-lexical-collapsible-content="true"><img src="/images/972606b7-b2d1-52c6-962b-7190b39ee44f?fingerprint=ppb20251217014409" alt="" width="262" height="340" style="width:262px;height:340px;float:right;display:inline-block">Vice-Chair Godkin provided the following report:"Good evening Trustees, senior staff, students, families, and members of the public. As we approach the final stretch of the school year, I want to acknowledge the many events and celebrations taking place across our schools this month—from arts showcases and athletic achievements to community partnerships and year-end preparations. These moments reflect the vibrancy and dedication of our students, staff, and families. One exceptional event was the Human Library evening hosted by the School Advisory Council at Polson Park Public School on the evening of May 14. Students, staff, and community members had the opportunity to meet and learn from several school neighbours. A Human Library invites people to “borrow” human books—individuals who share their lived experiences through personal dialogue. The goal is to encourage new perspectives, foster learning and unlearning in a safe space, and promote inclusive communities. Congratulations to the organizers for a meaningful and successful event. Looking ahead, National AccessAbility Week will be observed from May 25 to 31. This is a time to recognize the contributions of Canadians with disabilities and to renew our commitment to removing barriers to accessibility. In keeping with that commitment, I look forward to both of tonight’s reports – one being an update on the LDSB’s Multi-Year Accessibility Plan, presented by Superintendent Gillam. As always, I extend my best wishes to all students, staff, and families for a successful and fulfilling final month of the school year.    That concludes my report." </div></details><details open="true"><summary>Director's Report</summary><div data-lexical-collapsible-content="true"><img src="/images/959f9ebc-0553-5f56-afed-83ccf39d2906?fingerprint=ppb20251217014409" alt="" width="319" height="319" style="width:319px;height:319px;float:right;display:inline-block">Director Krishna Burra provided the following report:"Good evening Trustees and the viewing public. It is hard to believe that we are already past the middle of May and less than six weeks remain in the 2024-2025 school year. As everyone knows, this is a very busy season in schools across the board. The annual Science Fair and Heritage Fair occurred in recent weeks. A full range of secondary athletics’ seasons are underway and now all elementary schools are in the thick of a very hectic track and field season. Thinking back to where we were only a few years ago, it is wonderful that the wide range of student activities and experiences are alive and well in Limestone. We know these types of activities and experiences are critical for student well-being and engagement. As Trustees know, it is also a busy season for us as we prepare budgets for the 2025-2026 school year, and there are several upcoming budget meetings as part of our annual budget process. Last week, the Ontario government released provincial budget. However, we are still awaiting specific budget information for Limestone that will allow for further analysis and action. I think it is fair to say we do have some concerns as it relates to still waiting for budgetary information and the specific implications for Limestone. As Trustees know, transportation funding, special education funding, staff replacement costs, and increasing, unfunded statutory benefits are four areas of concern in recent years, and we are certain all four areas will continue to be pressure points moving into the next school year. As Trustees are also aware, based on the OPSBA budget analysis, while there has been an increase in overall total dollars in education, there has been a decline when you take into account inflation. Consequently, we will continue to feel a strain and tightening of our financial resources and flexibility to make any local, funding decisions. Tonight’s award celebration of the Limestone Student Achievers is yet another reminder of the important work we do to support the education of local children and youth, and placing focus on the students we serve. The 11 students we honoured this evening are exceptional young people that we can expect to see phenomenal things from in the next chapters of their lives. While it is wonderful that we annually honour the Limestone Student Achievers in May, we also will be honouring almost 2,000 Grade 12 graduates at the end of June. Before those end-of-year graduations, we will have an opportunity at the June 4 Education, Policy, and Operations Committee meeting to celebrate and honour the Skills Ontario Competition winners. As a short preview, Limestone had 26 secondary students representing eight schools compete in the provincial championships last week. In addition, we had 24 elementary students representing four schools also attend. LDSB secondary students won two bronze awards: one in auto paint, and one in auto collision. Also of note, a former LDSB grad who took part in the post-secondary competition came away with a gold in Heavy Equipment. While writing my monthly Director’s Report for this meeting, like all others, I am reminded of the many, many fantastic things happening in schools to help support Limestone students. This does not mean things are always perfect, but taking a step back and seeing what is occurring in schools every day for the benefit of students is an important perspective to maintain when we see challenges. The cyber incident we experienced in recent weeks is a prime example of a challenge we have faced. While some aspects went well in terms of restoration of services in a relatively short period of time, this incident also led to significant exposure of student and staff data. While we continue to believe the risks of data leakage or exposure are low, it is always a concern when personal information and data is stolen and potentially made more publicly available. Limestone is the latest example of a school board that has been victimized in such a way, joining many other school boards in recent years, other public sector entities, private companies, and individuals who have suffered a similar fate. While some things went relatively well under very challenging circumstances, this incident re-emphasizes the need for us to continue to prioritize cyber security measures and learn from this experience in terms of mitigating the likelihood of any similar circumstances emerging in the days, weeks, months, and years ahead. All of us have been impacted to varying degrees by this cyber incident. On behalf of Limestone, I do apologize to the LDSB community that this occurred. Speaking of recent challenges, I do have to mention the tragedy that struck the Fairfield Elementary School area and the greater community late last week with the death of a Grade 8 student. It is tragedies like this that put everything in perspective and force us to value the simple things that we frequently take for granted in our busy lives. I think I speak for all of us in saying our thoughts are with the impacted family and the wider community during this difficult time.I should also note that the flag at the Education Centre continues to be at half-mast in honouring former Frontenac County Board of Education Director Reg Shadbolt. Mr. Shadbolt was the Director of Education from for the former Frontenac County Board of Education in the 1980s, and has been very active in the community since his retirement: helping found the Eastern Ontario Staff Development Network in the early 1990s, supporting the local Boys and Girls Club for decades, and, among others, being an active Rotarian in the community. I had the pleasure of taking Reg out to visit GREC in the spring of 2023, a relatively new build he had not seen in a community he helped serve during his career. He was always very sharp and was a wonderful storyteller. I had the good fortune of getting to know Reg and I know the local community will miss his continuing presence. I would like to highlight a recent event from this past long weekend that my entire family helped support. Local Rotary Clubs sponsored a pre-packaged food event at the Community Food Redistribution Warehouse, where approximately 70-80 people assembled a few thousand meals to be provided to those in need in the community. For a couple hours with a large group of Rotarians, some current and former students, and some current and former staff members, helped assemble the meals for local distribution. I was happy to support the event with my family and working with all of the other volunteers of all ages to help those in need.In closing, I would like to highlight a few upcoming events: LDSB will again be participating in the Greater Napanee Pride Parade May 31, and the Kingston Pride Parade on June 14. We are encouraging LDSB families, students, and staff to walk with us again. We need to continue our journey to have everyone see themselves in Limestone. We still have much work ahead of us, but events like this are important steps on that path. And finally, Trustees will receive an e-mail later this week with graduation dates and times in the last few school days of June for planning purposes.That concludes my report for this evening, Chair Godkin. Thank you."</div></details><h2 class="editor-heading-h2" dir="ltr">Reports </h2><details open="false"><summary>OPSBA Report</summary><div data-lexical-collapsible-content="true">Trustee McGregor provided an OPSBA report.</div></details><details open="false"><summary>Student Trustees' Report</summary><div data-lexical-collapsible-content="true">As all Student Trustees sent their regrets, there was no Student Trustee report.</div></details><h3 class="editor-heading-h3" dir="ltr">Reports for Action</h3>There were no Reports for Action.<h3 class="editor-heading-h3" dir="ltr">Reports for Information</h3><details open="true"><summary>Multi-Year Accessibility Plan - Superintendent Gillam</summary><div data-lexical-collapsible-content="true">The report and presentation updated the Trustees on the Multi-Year Accessibility Plan 2023 to 2026, which is mandated by Ontario Regulation 191/11 Integrated Accessibility Standards and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), 2005. The LDSB Multi-Year Accessibility Plan is developed in accordance with the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation under the AODA. It incorporates the intentions of the board to meet its obligations under the Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2001. Furthermore, in 2017, two standards development committees were established to address barriers facing students: one focused on K-12, and another focused on postsecondary education. The K-12 Accessibility Standards recommendations are designed to reduce and prevent accessibility barriers in the publicly funded education system. These standards set out the K-12 Standards Committee’s initial recommendations for a proposed education accessibility standard. In anticipation of many, if not all of these recommendations becoming finalized, the LDSB Accessibility Committee has decided to include our work on these standards in our Multi-Year Plan. The Multi-Year Accessibility Plan describes the measure that the board will take over the three-year period from January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2026, to identify, remove, and prevent barriers to people with disabilities who work, learn, and participate in the school board community and environment including students, staff, parents and caregivers, volunteers, and visitors to the board and its schools. The LDSB is committed to the continual improvement of access to school board facilities, policies, programs, practices, and services for people with disabilities. More information is available at the following LDSB web page: <a href="https://www.limestone.on.ca/accessibility" rel="noreferrer" class="editor-link" dir="ltr">Accessibility</a>. Furthermore, this plan aims to: <ul class="editor-list-ul"><li value="1" class="editor-listitem">Describe the process by which LDSB will identify, remove, and prevent barriers. </li><li value="2" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Review yearly efforts to remove and prevent barriers. </li><li value="3" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Describe the measures LDSB will take during the period of January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2026, to identify, remove, and prevent barriers. </li><li value="4" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Describe how LDSB will make this Multi-Year Accessibility Plan available to the public. </li><li value="5" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Make a commitment to provide an annual status report on the board’s implementation of the Multi-Year Accessibility Plan. </li><li value="6" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Make a commitment to review and update this Multi-Year Accessibility Plan at least once every three years. </li></ul>Here is an example of some of the work that has been completed at Limestone schools:<img src="/images/a26cf168-111e-45ae-a49d-82c640179e7e?fingerprint=ppb20251217014516" alt="2025 05 21 Calvin Park Accessibility" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit;display:inline-block">The LDSB Accessibility Planning Committee includes a diverse group of members from various roles and organizations. These include: <ul class="editor-list-ul"><li value="1" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Board staff: Superintendent, Principal of Educational Services, Assistant Manager of Facility Services, Capital Project Coordinator, Principal, Blind/Low Vision Teacher, Deaf and Hard of Hearing Teacher, Special Education Coordinator, ETFO, Human Rights Officer, Human Resources, Communications, and a student </li><li value="2" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Tri-Board: CEO, Safety Officer </li><li value="3" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) </li><li value="4" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">KidsInclusive, CNIB, Canadian Hearing Services </li><li value="5" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Parents/caregivers and community members with disabilities </li></ul>The Accessibility Committee is responsible for establishing, reviewing, and updating the Accessibility Plan in consultation with individuals with disabilities, the SEAC, and other interest holder groups, including those previously noted. The Committee also works to ensure that all policies, procedures, and practices align with the principles of accessibility and inclusive/universal design. Recently, the Committee has committed to embedding the K-12 Education Accessibility Standards into its work. This commitment aims to enhance access to facilities, policies, programs, practices, and services for students, staff, parents/caregivers, volunteers, visitors, and community members to the greatest extent possible. Additionally, the Committee is responsible for the ongoing identification of barriers and for incorporating these into the Multi-Year Accessibility Plan wherever practicable. The principles of inclusive practice, freedom from barriers, and accessible environments inform all policies, programs, procedures, and services of the LDSB. Through the Multi-Year Accessibility Planning process under the AODA, the LDSB regularly assesses its programming, policies, and practices to ensure continuous improvement in accessibility. This process is further informed by feedback from the LDSB SEAC. Barrier identification methodologies and the corresponding actions are outlined in the table below:<table class="editor-table" style="width: 100%; table-layout: fixed;"><colgroup><col style="width: 33.3333%;"><col style="width: 33.3333%;"><col style="width: 33.3333%;"></colgroup><tbody><tr><th class="editor-tableCell editor-tableCellHeader" style="border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top; text-align: start; background-color: rgb(242, 243, 245);">Methodology</th><th class="editor-tableCell editor-tableCellHeader" style="border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top; text-align: start; background-color: rgb(242, 243, 245);">Description</th><th class="editor-tableCell editor-tableCellHeader" style="border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top; text-align: start; background-color: rgb(242, 243, 245);">Status</th></tr><tr><th class="editor-tableCell editor-tableCellHeader" style="border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top; text-align: start; background-color: rgb(242, 243, 245);">K-12 Education Accessibility Standards</th><td class="editor-tableCell" style="border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top; text-align: start;">Review of key sections of the K-12 Education Accessibility Standards by the Accessibility Committee Seek input from staff, students, families, SEAC, Senior Team, and the Accessibility Committee </td><td class="editor-tableCell" style="border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top; text-align: start;">Annually </td></tr><tr><th class="editor-tableCell editor-tableCellHeader" style="border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top; text-align: start; background-color: rgb(242, 243, 245);">Public and employee feedback </th><td class="editor-tableCell" style="border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top; text-align: start;">Special Education Review data Comments gathered through web page access (Accessibility Feedback Form) and for employees through individual requests for accommodations (HR accommodations plans and emergency response plans) </td><td class="editor-tableCell" style="border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top; text-align: start;">Spring and fall 2023 Ongoing</td></tr><tr><th class="editor-tableCell editor-tableCellHeader" style="border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top; text-align: start; background-color: rgb(242, 243, 245);">Review of plan and status report by SEAC </th><td class="editor-tableCell" style="border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top; text-align: start;">Opportunity for input and feedback prior to approval and posting on webpage Include both Accessibility Plan and Appendices </td><td class="editor-tableCell" style="border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top; text-align: start;">Annually</td></tr><tr><th class="editor-tableCell editor-tableCellHeader" style="border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top; text-align: start; background-color: rgb(242, 243, 245);">Accessibility Planning Committee review of plan and development of status report </th><td class="editor-tableCell" style="border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top; text-align: start;">Opportunity for input and feedback prior to bringing to Senior Team and SEAC</td><td class="editor-tableCell" style="border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top; text-align: start;">Annually</td></tr><tr><th class="editor-tableCell editor-tableCellHeader" style="border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top; text-align: start; background-color: rgb(242, 243, 245);">Accessibility Planning Committee considers Facilities reports </th><td class="editor-tableCell" style="border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top; text-align: start;">Audit of buildings and identification of schools for action included in multi-year strategy Use of Facilities Improvement Plans (FIPs) as possible accommodation supports Begin work on LDSB Accessibility Standards </td><td class="editor-tableCell" style="border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top; text-align: start;"> </td></tr></tbody></table>The full report is available in the <a href="https://www.limestone.on.ca/documents/0c95272e-42b6-44d0-a806-f3b4a1e4fb96/LDSB-Regular-Board-Meeting-Agenda-May-21-2025.pdf?fingerprint=ppb20251217013116" rel="noreferrer" class="editor-link" dir="ltr">Agenda Package</a>.</div></details><details open="true"><summary>Board Action Plan (BAP) - Indigenous Education - Superintendent Gillam</summary><div data-lexical-collapsible-content="true">The report and presentation updated the Trustees on the Indigenous Education Board Action Plan (BAP), which is Ministry mandated, and how the BAP supports the goals of the LDSB Strategic Plan. Funding information for Indigenous Education for the 2024/25 academic year was shared with school boards in Spring 2024 as part of the Core Funding announcement. Limestone District School Board received just over $2.2 million to support Indigenous education initiatives for the year. The majority of this funding is allocated to the Board Action Plan (BAP), with approximately $200,000 designated specifically for the First Nations, Métis, and Inuit (FNMI) Studies component. In addition, Limestone received Responsive Education Program (REP) funding for 2024/25. Through this stream, the Indigenous elementary program, Bridge, operating at Katarokwi Learning Centre, was allocated $150,000. Indigenous Education funding is enveloped, meaning it must be used exclusively to support Indigenous education initiatives through the BAP or the FNMI Studies component. In 2023-2024, significant structural changes were made to strengthen the role and function of the Indigenous Education Committee (IEC). Membership for the IEC was established through an expressions of interest process and is now composed exclusively of community members, representatives from organizations that support Indigenous peoples, and parents/caregivers. The IEC is recognized as an autonomous committee of the Board and plays an active role in guiding the development of the BAP, ensuring it is constructed in a culturally respectful and responsive manner. The IEC also receives regular updates on the progress of BAP initiatives. School boards are required to develop Board Action Plans (BAPs) on Indigenous Education to guide the allocation of resources and supports aimed at improving the engagement, learning, achievement, and well-being of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit students. The goal of the BAP is to foster learning environments where Indigenous students are supported to thrive and reach their full potential. To ensure the BAP is reflective of local Indigenous demographics and community partnerships, it is expected that school boards co-plan and co-develop BAP initiatives in collaboration with their Indigenous Education Council (IEC), ensuring that all learners see themselves and their cultures reflected in the learning experience. <img src="/images/e07c109d-ca06-4514-995e-562ded62ce85?fingerprint=ppb20251217015049" alt="2025 05 21 Board Meeting Indigenous Education Initiatives" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit;display:inline-block"> Highlights of the 2024/25 LDSB Board Action Plan includes: <ul class="editor-list-ul"><li value="1" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Staffing of the Indigenous Education Team – Vice Principal of Indigenous Education, FNMI Consultant & Grad Coach, Elementary </li><li value="2" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Re-engagement Teacher, Land-Based Learning Teacher, Indigenous Student Support Counselor </li><li value="3" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Indigenous Student Leadership Circle (ISLC) </li><li value="4" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Land-Based Learning PD for staff</li><li value="5" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Mohawk and Anishinaabemowin Language Programming </li><li value="6" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">NBE3U/C/E & NAC classroom support and PD</li><li value="7" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">School Based Projects & Events</li><li value="8" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Indigenous Family Nights </li><li value="9" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Indigenous Community Members/Knowledge Keepers Support in schools </li><li value="10" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Resource Purchases/Development </li><li value="11" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Grad Coach and Pathway Support – Recognition of Experiential Learning Pilot (RELC)</li><li value="12" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">River and Bridge Programs </li><li value="13" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Student/Family Supports</li></ul><img src="/images/bd842566-8e0f-42b5-8782-f71569ac18e4?fingerprint=ppb20251217014739" alt="2025 05 21 Land Based Learning" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit;display:inline-block">In addition to actively constructing, monitoring, and adjusting the Board Action Plan (BAP), the Indigenous Education Council (IEC) has played a key role in supporting Indigenous education across the district throughout the 2024–25 school year. This has included a comprehensive review of the IEC’s Terms of Reference and ongoing collaboration with the Indigenous Education Team. Attendance at IEC meetings has remained consistently high, with members fully engaged in supporting current BAP initiatives while also identifying new priorities for the future. The full report is available in the <a href="https://www.limestone.on.ca/documents/0c95272e-42b6-44d0-a806-f3b4a1e4fb96/LDSB-Regular-Board-Meeting-Agenda-May-21-2025.pdf?fingerprint=ppb20251217013116" rel="noreferrer" class="editor-link" dir="ltr">Agenda Package</a>.</div></details>

2025-05-23 19:53:39.86 +0000 UTC

Cyber Incident Update - May 15, 2025

Dear Families, We appreciate your continued support, understanding, and patience while we have been responding to a cyber incident. While services have been restored in all schools for the past few weeks, we have continued to work diligently with cyber experts to better understand what occurred.   Unfortunately, we can now confirm that the perpetrators of this cyber incident stole personal information about members of the LDSB community, including current and former staff members, some students, and some of their parents or guardians. We understand this news may be concerning, and we are deeply sorry.  We believe the risk of publication and misuse of the exposed information to be low. Unfortunately, cyber incidents are occurring on a frequent basis, and impacting many individuals, public institutions, and private companies. Most current students and families receiving this notice are likely affected, though to varying degrees. To better understand how you may be affected, categorized by school, please visit the following LDSB website hyperlink: <a href="https://can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Ftrack.spe.schoolmessenger.com%2Ff%2Fa%2FU8sDSLPU3jq_KVdAMF2R3Q~~%2FAAAAARA~%2F127FPW-zekjrzm5iOtpLlCBTUj4iO4d8cxXigqt7DI5lJklknLa5-cKhAn_GKCsOLemXrh5wyKritTFyhkH0tzF9x-5Jq3KyMn-FaiOpC-Txii-MLxBlSqG_rUXzDu02qT6P-cr4ZBYlX7pwfs4Piw~~&data=05%7C02%7Cgrangea%40limestone.on.ca%7Cce86f5967ebd4b8004cd08dd93ef5e80%7Ce1f4165febae4d82a73ca0de593830be%7C0%7C0%7C638829378501284588%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=V2PRhjnypnB2iPqEKL7R87C7oTTRP8fiYC1p8JwXLdI%3D&reserved=0" title="Original URL: http://track.spe.schoolmessenger.com/f/a/U8sDSLPU3jq_KVdAMF2R3Q~~/AAAAARA~/127FPW-zekjrzm5iOtpLlCBTUj4iO4d8cxXigqt7DI5lJklknLa5-cKhAn_GKCsOLemXrh5wyKritTFyhkH0tzF9x-5Jq3KyMn-FaiOpC-Txii-MLxBlSqG_rUXzDu02qT6P-cr4ZBYlX7pwfs4Piw~~. Click or tap if you trust this link." class="editor-link">limestone.on.ca/cyber-incident-update.</a> Once there, select “Cyber Incident Update for Students and Families – May 15, 2025,” and choose from the “All Schools” and the school-specific drop-down list. Please note that there is also a Frequently Asked Questions section at the bottom of the page. How can I protect myself? As indicated, we believe the risk of publication and misuse of the exposed information to be low. Nonetheless, all of us should always be vigilant in identifying phishing attempts and other suspicious communications, and families should practice good cyber hygiene by limiting the amount of personal information they share online and by using strong and unique passwords for all online services. Sadly, cyber incidents are occurring on a frequent basis, and impacting many individuals, public institutions, and private companies. What is next?  We are aware that this incident has affected our community in a direct way. We are deeply sorry for this. Please know that we are committed to strengthening our cybersecurity to better protect against future incidents. As indicated several weeks ago, we have reported the incident to the Kingston Police. Additionally, we have notified the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario (IPC). You have the right to file a complaint with the IPC, although you are not required to do so as we have already voluntarily reported to the incident to the  <a href="https://can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Ftrack.spe.schoolmessenger.com%2Ff%2Fa%2Fxzyji44Gao6LyDPB2yUzWQ~~%2FAAAAARA~%2FMYt6Wr-KScyWVVcYn-nTroSqWLtcTrHOAGJ3ZIfaUWwNHQhho-kbCIL_S4MTnjXHRvsX31dQ5PVp5v94P-fm0JSj1rd-wtg7gKGb99EHGvns7s65Bkt6Wzh553L9SrtJ&data=05%7C02%7Cgrangea%40limestone.on.ca%7Cce86f5967ebd4b8004cd08dd93ef5e80%7Ce1f4165febae4d82a73ca0de593830be%7C0%7C0%7C638829378501304689%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=NA6Lb4mz31G%2BacGcndK%2FLX%2FNZfKQ7CDa63rDsFnjlbE%3D&reserved=0" title="Original URL: http://track.spe.schoolmessenger.com/f/a/xzyji44Gao6LyDPB2yUzWQ~~/AAAAARA~/MYt6Wr-KScyWVVcYn-nTroSqWLtcTrHOAGJ3ZIfaUWwNHQhho-kbCIL_S4MTnjXHRvsX31dQ5PVp5v94P-fm0JSj1rd-wtg7gKGb99EHGvns7s65Bkt6Wzh553L9SrtJ. Click or tap if you trust this link." class="editor-link">Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario</a>. Additional Questions If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Limestone District School Board by e-mail at <a href="mailto:cyberincident2025@limestone.on.ca" title="mailto:cyberincident2025@limestone.on.ca" class="editor-link">cyberincident2025@limestone.on.ca</a>. Sincerely, Krishna Burra Director of Education

2025-05-15 20:48:16.733 +0000 UTC

Keeping Students Safe: Human Trafficking is Closer Than You Think

From the sharing of nudes without consent to sex trafficking, young people experience and witness a tremendous amount of sexual violence and rarely feel prepared to address it. Join award-winning public educator Julie S. Lalonde for an interactive presentation on violence prevention! Learn about the reality of sexual violence in Canada and best practices for engaging the young people in your life in tough but important conversations.Families, students, and staff - everyone is welcome!Light refreshments will be available.Tuesday, May 20, 20256:00 to 7:00 p.m.Limestone Education Centre, Conference Room C220 Portsmouth Avenue, Kingston <img src="/images/b5501fd8-f73d-4182-8369-2268c369476c?fingerprint=ppb20251217014701" alt="2025 05 08 Keeping Students Safe Human Trafficking is Closer Than You Think Instagram" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit">

2025-05-08 15:55:29 +0000 UTC

Student Census 2025 - Family Consultation Evening Sessions

Limestone District School Board is hosting two virtual Family Consultation Evenings, and we are seeking your help to prepare for the upcoming See Yourself in Limestone Student Census 2025.<h2 class="editor-heading-h2" dir="ltr">Event details:</h2><ul class="editor-list-ul"><li value="1" class="editor-listitem">May 15: 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM</li><li value="2" class="editor-listitem">May 29: 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM</li></ul>Both sessions will be held online via Microsoft Teams and will cover the same content.<h2 class="editor-heading-h2" dir="ltr">Join us for:</h2><ul class="editor-list-ul"><li value="1" class="editor-listitem">An introduction to the Student Census:</li><li value="2" class="editor-listitem editor-nested-listitem"><ul class="editor-list-ul"><li value="1" class="editor-listitem">What is it?</li><li value="2" class="editor-listitem">Why do we do it?</li><li value="3" class="editor-listitem">What kind of questions do we ask?</li><li value="4" class="editor-listitem">How is the information used?</li></ul></li><li value="2" class="editor-listitem">A discussion about survey administration</li><li value="3" class="editor-listitem">Time to ask questions</li></ul><a href="https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=Xxb04a7rgk2nPKDeWTgwvpUTVUJxSKlEvHFJaE4SO3ZUNlZLMU1KS1YwWTY5UFJERElHTEZQOUZHVi4u" class="editor-link">Limestone families are invited to register online.</a>To learn more about the See Yourself in Limestone Student Census 2025, please watch the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0ffSR9cVM0" class="editor-link">LDSB Student Census 2025 video</a>.<img src="/images/f554dd61-6252-4593-9249-797c7999a8f5?fingerprint=ppb20251217015242" alt="Student Census Family Consultations" width="607" height="796" style="width:607px;height:796px">

2025-05-07 15:07:07.492 +0000 UTC

Boardroom Briefs April 23, 2025

Boardroom Briefs is intended to provide highlights of presentations, reports and decisions made at the regular meeting of the Limestone District School Board of Trustees. The following are highlights of the April 23, 2025 Regular Board Meeting. Agendas can be found on the website under <a href="https://www.limestone.on.ca/board_meetings-1719463739654" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" class="editor-link" dir="ltr">Board Meetings</a>.  <h2 class="editor-heading-h2" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">Land Acknowledgement </h2>All meetings begin with a Land Acknowledgement: "The Limestone District School Board is situated on the traditional territories of the Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee. We acknowledge their enduring presence on this land, as well as the presence of Métis, Inuit, and other First Nations from across Turtle Island. We honour their cultures and celebrate their commitment to this land.” <h2 class="editor-heading-h2" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">Presentation</h2><h3 class="editor-heading-h3" dir="ltr">Learning from the Land Through the Four Seasons - Gillianne Mundell</h3>Superintendent Scot Gillam introduced Gillianne Mundell, Indigenous Elementary School-Based Learning Coach, who presented to Trustees an overview of her work with students throughout this year focusing on learning from the land. She shared the "Land as our Teacher" graphic: Learning From and With the Land, Guided by 4Rs of Indigenous Land-Based Education. There has been a focus on each "R" throughout the four seasons:<ul class="editor-list-ul"><li value="1" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Relationships in Fall</li><li value="2" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Respect in Winter</li><li value="3" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Reciprocity in Spring </li><li value="4" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Responsibility in Summer </li></ul><img src="/images/f93dd327-db42-4416-a5a2-118c00f31d66?fingerprint=ppb20251217015306" alt="Year at a Glance" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit;display:inline-block"><h2 class="editor-heading-h2" dir="ltr">Private Session Report</h2><details open="false"><summary>Private Session Report - March 26, 2025</summary><div data-lexical-collapsible-content="true">During Private Session:The private session minutes were approved from the Regular Board Meeting of March 26, 2025.<ul class="editor-list-ul"><li value="1" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Superintendent Gillam gave a Safe Schools update.</li><li value="2" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Superintendent McWilliams gave a Labour update.</li><li value="3" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Director Burra gave a Property and Legal update.</li></ul>There was no other business conducted, or motions passed in Private Session. MOVED By Trustee Godkin and seconded by Trustee Neill that the Private Session Report be received. Carried</div></details><h2 class="editor-heading-h2" dir="ltr">Reports from Officers</h2><details open="false"><summary>Chair's Report</summary><div data-lexical-collapsible-content="true"><img src="/images/dea058a1-e5d6-46f9-a75e-2526a81dc7b3?fingerprint=ppb20251217015036" alt="A photo of Chair Robin Hutcheon " width="243" height="314" style="width:243px;height:314px;float:right;display:inline-block">Chair Hutcheon provided the following report:"Good evening, I would like to begin this report by recognizing the exceptional resilience demonstrated by our staff and students during these challenging times following the recent cyber incident. Their unwavering dedication and adaptability have been truly commendable, and I am confident that we will emerge stronger from this experience. Looking ahead, we anticipate an exciting season for our school communities. Our staff and students are preparing for a variety of extracurricular activities designed to enrich our educational environments and foster a sense of community. From sports to arts and academic clubs, there is something for everyone to look forward to. Yesterday, April 22 was Earth Day. Recognizing Earth Day is crucial in fostering a sense of responsibility and awareness among our students, helping them understand the impact of their actions on the environment. It was wonderful to see many students, staff, and school communities celebrating Earth Day across our district. As graduation season approaches, the Board is enthusiastic about celebrating the achievements of our graduating students. Their dedication and hard work have led them to this significant milestone. We are keen to honour the accomplishments of our Specialist High Skills Major students, Limestone Student Achievers, and Staff Awards at the upcoming Board and Committee meetings in May and June. We extend our sincere gratitude to students, families, and staff for their continued support and commitment to our school communities. Together, we will navigate these challenges and celebrate the successes that lie ahead. That concludes my report." </div></details><details open="false"><summary>Director's Report</summary><div data-lexical-collapsible-content="true"><img src="/images/4873d4b7-cc29-5314-bbad-a4938f269261?fingerprint=ppb20251217013700" alt="" width="238" height="309" style="width:238px;height:309px;float:right;display:inline-block">Director Burra provided the following report: "Good evening, Trustees and the viewing public. We apologize for the inconvenience of not being able to broadcast this evening live due to our current cyber incident, but we will make a recording of the meeting available in the coming days. I have a number of updates for this evening’s meeting.We are still eagerly awaiting provincial budgetary information. The hope was that this information would be released shortly after MPPs returned to Queen’s Park. The longer the delay, the greater the challenge for us in meeting our needs in preparing for the 2025-26 school year. This information is vital for our planning purposes in preparing for the next school year. I know Superintendent of Corporate and Staff Services Young and Manager of Financial Services Carson, and their teams will do the best they can to unpack the funding and the local implications in Limestone, and allow us to continue planning once the information is made available. That being said, further delays do impede our staffing processes.I have a few highlights of recent events to share with Trustees this evening. First, On April 16, the LDSB Entrepreneur Showcase was held at Mitchell Hall at Queen’s, featuring innovative student businesses and products, with opportunities for students to pitch their ideas to local community partners and receive valuable feedback.The Ministry of Education's Entrepreneurship Education Pilot Projects aim to promote entrepreneurship education for Grades 7 to 12 students, fostering an entrepreneurial mindset and skills to run a business or social enterprise. Developed in partnership with local industry and community organizations, these projects support all students, including those with disabilities and special education needs, in today's changing economy. The objectives include encouraging innovative initiatives, fostering collaboration with industry partners, supporting student business plans, and promoting engagement in entrepreneurship, particularly in STEM and skilled trades. Limestone had 20 students participate in the pilot.The Limestone District School Board and Queen's University hosted Neurovibes - A Night Exploring Neurodiversity on April 3, 2025, at Katarokwi Learning Centre. This free evening event, open to students, staff, and family members, provided guests with opportunities to learn more about neurodiversity, neurodiverse-affirming practices, and supports within our community. There were speakers from the LDSB and Queen's, a neurodivergent speaker panel, community partner displays, and more.Next week at the United Way Workplace Volunteer Awards luncheon, Limestone will be given two awards: first an award honouring the 10-24 Leaders of the Way who contributed over $1,500 to the fundraising campaign, and a Sandstone Achievement Award acknowledging that Limestone contributed between $50,000 and $100,000 to the most recent campaign. The work of the United Way is of critical importance in supporting some of the most vulnerable members of the communities we serve, and I am proud of our collective efforts to support critical services for so many of the families that benefit from the work of the United Way.I would also like to publicly acknowledge the tremendous work of the LDSB Integrated Technology Services staff. Given the impact of a recent cyber incident, the ITS staff have demonstrated service above and beyond normal work requirements. I would like to acknowledge the department’s work throughout this past long weekend, and every other day since the incident. I would also like to publicly acknowledge and thank those members of the senior team and school administrators that also supported work in schools on the weekend. Lots of work is currently underway and, as always, we commit to sharing updates related to the cyber incident as new information becomes available. That being said, there is an impact on the system in having network systems offline for students, families, and staff. Lots of work is occurring behind the scenes to move us toward restoration, and providing work arounds to support schools in their regular day-to-day operations. We greatly appreciate people’s patience and support during this current challenge. And it is during adverse times like this that I have great appreciation for what makes Limestone so great: the cumulative and collective good will of members of the Limestone community to pull together, focus on what matters, and supporting each other along the way.This evening there are four reports on the agenda: Interim Financial Reporting for the second quarter, a virtual school update, a Student Achievement Plan update, and a report updating Trustees on Artificial Intelligence in Limestone.Thank you. That concludes my report, Chair Hutcheon."</div></details><h2 class="editor-heading-h2" dir="ltr">Reports</h2><details open="false"><summary>OPSBA Report</summary><div data-lexical-collapsible-content="true">Trustee McGregor provided an OPSBA report.</div></details><details open="false"><summary>Student Trustees' Report and Introduction to New Student Trustees</summary><div data-lexical-collapsible-content="true">Student Trustee Kolosov provided the following report:"Good evening Trustees and the viewing public. I am excited to introduce to you the new incoming Rural and Urban Student Trustees for the 2025-2026 school year. Mia Comeau is the incoming Rural Student Trustee. She is a Grade 11 student at Granite Ridge Education Centre. She values contributing positively to her school and district. She enjoys forming new connections and learning. She is driven to ensure academic courses will continue to be offered at rural schools, so that all students can succeed in whichever pathway they choose. Siham Ismail is the incoming Urban Student Trustee. She is a Grade 10 student at Kingston Secondary School. She is a proud member of the school affinity club where she helps in the creation and implementation of events in the school geared towards creating a welcoming environment for racialized students, and students from other minority groups. With help from the connections to her community, Siham looks forward to addressing the needs of students at urban schools. We look forward to working with our incoming Student Trustees to help them find a smooth transition into the role. Our April Inter-Student Council (ISC) meeting took place on April 15, chaired by Student Trustee Kumar, and Student Trustee Kolosov. To begin this meeting, we were privileged to be joined by Dr. Lee Airton, who is an associate professor of gender and sexuality studies in education at Queens University. Over the years, they have founded multiple initiatives like "They Is My Pronoun," and the "No Big Deal" campaign with a focus on enabling individuals and institutions to welcome gender and sexual diversity into everyday life. They are also the author of Gender Your Guide which you may have seen displayed during spring visits to schools. Dr. Airton provided us with a wealth of information on how to support inclusive events during Pride Month within schools and the community, especially with the rise of discrimination and hate based violence against 2SLGBTQ+ communities. We engaged in personal reflection, productive group discussion on our experiences and what strategies we can employ as student leaders to support all of our students year-round. As an ISC, we are looking forward to planning a community celebration event in June for all LDSB students. We firmly believe that hate has no home here and look forward to celebrating the diverse community of students Limestone is home to. Thank you."</div></details><h3 class="editor-heading-h3" dir="ltr">Reports for Action</h3>There were no Reports for Action.<h3 class="editor-heading-h3" dir="ltr">Reports for Information</h3><details open="false"><summary>Interim Financial Report for Quarter 2 – Superintendent Young and Manager Carson</summary><div data-lexical-collapsible-content="true">The report updated Trustees on the Interim Financial Operating Expenditures for the period from September 1, 2024, to February 28, 2025 (Quarter 2). The Interim Financial Report – Operating Expenditures for the period ending November 30, 2024, was presented to the Board on January 15, 2025. This report provided operating expenditures for the period from September 1, 2024, to November 30, 2024 (Quarter 1). In the Board Meeting Agenda Package is the Interim Financial Report – Operating Expenditures for the period ended February 28, 2025 (Quarter 2), which is presented in a similar format to the 2024-2025 operating budget, indicating the amount spent by expenditure category and the associated percentage. As at Quarter 2, $149.3M of the $312.7M operating budget or 48% has been spent. This is comparable to the 50% results from the same quarter last year. It is important to note that expenditures are based upon items paid within the stated period. Certain expenditures may be non-cyclical in nature, which may lead to higher or lower expenditures within a given period (see Appendix 1 for more information). The Board is on target to end the 2024-2025 fiscal year with a balanced budget as projected. The full report is in the <a href="https://www.limestone.on.ca/documents/e9994407-0dbb-46f7-9552-4b993ae77a87/LDSB%20Regular%20Board%20Meeting%20Agenda%20April%2023%202025.pdf?fingerprint=ppb20251217015139" rel="noreferrer" class="editor-link" dir="ltr">Agenda Package</a>.</div></details><details open="false"><summary>Elementary Virtual School Update – Associate Superintendent Sartor</summary><div data-lexical-collapsible-content="true">The purpose of this report was to provide Trustees with an update on Elementary Virtual School in Limestone. The Ministry of Education required school boards to offer virtual learning from March 2020 to June 2023. At the end of the 2022-2023 school year, the Ministry of Education announced that commencing 20232024, virtual school would be an option for Boards of Education to offer rather than a requirement. Boards were encouraged, but not required, to offer virtual school for students. While LDSB recognizes that choice is important for families based on personal circumstances, declining enrolment in virtual school was a potential barrier to school organization and content delivery. In spring 2023, LDSB formalized an Elementary Virtual School partnership with Renfrew County District School Board (RCDSB) and Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board (KPRDSB). At the end of the 2023/2024 school year, RCDSB opted to withdraw their participation in the virtual school partnership, but KPRDSB chose to remain. The following table displays enrolment in elementary virtual school from the onset of the pandemic to the current school year: <table class="editor-table" style="width: 100%; table-layout: fixed;"><colgroup><col style="width: 50%;"><col style="width: 50%;"></colgroup><tbody><tr><th class="editor-tableCell editor-tableCellHeader" style="border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top; text-align: start; background-color: rgb(242, 243, 245);">School Year</th><th class="editor-tableCell editor-tableCellHeader" style="border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top; text-align: start; background-color: rgb(242, 243, 245);">Elementary Virtual School Enrolment</th></tr><tr><th class="editor-tableCell editor-tableCellHeader" style="border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top; text-align: start; background-color: rgb(242, 243, 245);">2020-2021</th><td class="editor-tableCell" style="border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top; text-align: start;">1,600 (enrolment varied throughout the year)</td></tr><tr><th class="editor-tableCell editor-tableCellHeader" style="border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top; text-align: start; background-color: rgb(242, 243, 245);">2021-2022</th><td class="editor-tableCell" style="border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top; text-align: start;">307</td></tr><tr><th class="editor-tableCell editor-tableCellHeader" style="border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top; text-align: start; background-color: rgb(242, 243, 245);">2022-2023</th><td class="editor-tableCell" style="border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top; text-align: start;">70</td></tr><tr><th class="editor-tableCell editor-tableCellHeader" style="border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top; text-align: start; background-color: rgb(242, 243, 245);">2023-2024</th><td class="editor-tableCell" style="border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top; text-align: start;">48</td></tr><tr><th class="editor-tableCell editor-tableCellHeader" style="border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top; text-align: start; background-color: rgb(242, 243, 245);">2024-2025</th><td class="editor-tableCell" style="border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top; text-align: start;">56</td></tr></tbody></table>Some students from Boards outside of the partnership have also registered because their school board does not offer virtual school. These registration requests are handled on an individual basis with communication between Directors of Education prior to enrolment. In these cases, students become Limestone DSB students. Of the current 56 LDSB students, 27 students currently live in the LDSB catchment area, and 29 students are currently living outside of the catchment area. There are currently 95 students enrolled in Elementary Virtual School.<img src="/images/dbc854d1-c300-49dd-a773-249b5c5474dc?fingerprint=ppb20251217015024" alt="Virtual School Survey Results in a landscape graph format. Main Reasons for Choosing Virtual School for 2025-2026." width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit;display:inline-block">The full report is in the <a href="https://www.limestone.on.ca/documents/e9994407-0dbb-46f7-9552-4b993ae77a87/LDSB%20Regular%20Board%20Meeting%20Agenda%20April%2023%202025.pdf?fingerprint=ppb20251217015139" rel="noreferrer" class="editor-link" dir="ltr">Agenda Package</a>.</div></details><details open="false"><summary>Student Achievement Plan Update – Superintendent Silver</summary><div data-lexical-collapsible-content="true">The purpose of this report was to update Trustees on the <a href="https://www.limestone.on.ca/student-achievement-plan" rel="noreferrer" class="editor-link" dir="ltr">Student Achievement Plan</a> and share connections to the <a href="https://www.limestone.on.ca/mission__vision___values" rel="noreferrer" class="editor-link" dir="ltr">LDSB Strategic Plan Goals</a>. As part of a July 2023 memorandum, the ministry regulated provincial priorities through a Student Achievement Plan Framework (O. Reg. 224/23). The framework sets out goals and performance indicators for school boards to monitor student achievement, develop action plans, and measure their progress in improving student outcomes. The LDSB Multi-Year Strategic Plan (2024-2028), aligns with Bill 98 Provincial priorities and reporting requirements. In March 2025, the Ministry shared LDSB’s pre-populated Student Achievement Plan Public Reporting Template. School boards are required to publicly report on progress toward the provincial priorities with the completed Student Achievement Plan Public Reporting Template shared on board websites by April 30, 2025. It should be noted that these timelines were adjusted by one month due to the provincial election and delayed release of provincial information. LDSB Senior Staff continue to support the implementation of the Strategic Plan and the Student Achievement Plan through focused work with school and system leaders. Our work continues to prioritize improved student achievement in core academic areas, with an emphasis on literacy and numeracy, preparation of students for future success, and student engagement and well-being. To support this, we are collaborating closely with the Program Team to build educator capacity through professional learning, instructional coaching, and the use of assessment data to inform instruction. The full report is in the <a href="https://www.limestone.on.ca/documents/e9994407-0dbb-46f7-9552-4b993ae77a87/LDSB%20Regular%20Board%20Meeting%20Agenda%20April%2023%202025.pdf?fingerprint=ppb20251217015139" rel="noreferrer" class="editor-link" dir="ltr">Agenda Package</a>.</div></details><details open="true"><summary>Artificial Intelligence in Limestone – Director Burra</summary><div data-lexical-collapsible-content="true">The purpose of this report was to provide Trustees with an updated regarding work related to artificial intelligence (AI) that has started in Limestone, and potential paths forward. Artificial intelligence has the potential to impact all five goals in the LDSB Multi-Year Strategic Plan. Here is a roadmap of the work Limestone has implemented and worked towards throughout the winter and spring of 2025.<img src="/images/021a0cf1-e717-4da9-909c-3c6f48a71873?fingerprint=ppb20251217013025" alt="LDSB AI Roadmap for Winter/Spring 2025" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit;display:inline-block">A range of support documents and resources have been developed to support staff and students engaging with AI tools to support teaching and learning. Foundational to this work are a LDSB’s Generative AI Guiding Principles: Ethical Use, Accessibility and Equity, Teaching and Learning, Enhancement and Improvement, and Protection and Privacy. Given the fast evolution and change we are seeing in the world of AI, most school districts are maintaining flexibility to adapt to very fluid circumstances. Consequently, at this point we are utilizing Guiding Principles rather than developing a more formal administrative procedure. It is important to view the first and fifth Guiding Principles as bookends that anchor the critical work in the educational sector that are encompassed by the second, third, and fourth principles. By implementing a range of strategies, educators can reduce the likelihood of students using AI in an academically dishonest manner.<ul class="editor-list-ul"><li value="1" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Clearly define assignment expectations (including learning goals and success criteria).</li><li value="2" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Explicitly state the degree, if any, that AI can be used on a task and the required referencing standards.</li><li value="3" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Educate students about the limitations of AI.</li><li value="4" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Promote the value and need for independent thought and perspective.</li><li value="5" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Educate students about academic dishonesty and referencing standards.</li><li value="6" class="editor-listitem" dir="ltr">Create tasks that limit the efficacy of potential AI use. For example, requiring personal connections with curriculum, using multiple sources of data (product, conversation, and observation), and emphasizing the importance of process.</li></ul>A pilot project with 25-30 teachers (elementary and secondary) started in March 2025 for participants to try using one of five different “approved” AI tools: Quizizz, Magic SchoolAI, School AI, Microsoft Copilot, and Brisk Teaching. Each of these tools support teaching and learning. Later this spring, teachers participating in the pilot will bring back their learning from using these tools and support potential future work utilizing one or more of these tools in classrooms. Administrators, senior staff, and managers are piloting the use of Co-Pilot through Office 365 in an effort to streamline work and improve efficiency. The full report is in the <a href="https://www.limestone.on.ca/documents/e9994407-0dbb-46f7-9552-4b993ae77a87/LDSB%20Regular%20Board%20Meeting%20Agenda%20April%2023%202025.pdf?fingerprint=ppb20251217015139" rel="noreferrer" class="editor-link" dir="ltr">Agenda Package</a>. For more information about AI in Limestone, please visit: <a href="https://www.limestone.on.ca/artificialintelligenceinlimestone" rel="noreferrer" class="editor-link" dir="ltr">Artificial Intelligence in Limestone</a>.</div></details>

2025-04-25 19:51:42 +0000 UTC

Cyber Incident Update - Friday, April 25, 2025

Dear Families,Limestone District School Board continues to work around the clock to restore access to our network and digital resources for students and staff. Our teams are collaborating closely with cybersecurity experts throughout this process and will continue to do so for as long as necessary.We are pleased to inform you that some key services are beginning to come back online. The restoration of services is a gradual process and will continue throughout the day today and into early next week.As part of the process, all LDSB student accounts have been locked and students will be receiving a new password from their teachers or administrators. Starting today, students in virtual school and/or who are taking eLearning courses will be prioritized.  This process will be expanded to other students as we move through today and into the start of next week.  All students will test their new login to regain access to available online services.Current Status:<ul class="editor-list-ul"><li value="1" class="editor-listitem">Student and staff access to the internet is working with LDSB devices.</li><li value="2" class="editor-listitem">With their new password, students can access some digital resources, such as MindsOnline (D2L) and some other digital learning tools. Microsoft 365 continues to be accessible to students.</li></ul>Reporting Student Absences: For today (Friday), please continue to call your school directly to report student absences or if you need to contact a staff member. As some schools have had phone lines impacted, please refer to this list of contact information for each school’s contact phone number: <a href="http://www.limestone.on.ca/network-disruption-update" class="editor-link">limestone.on.ca/network-disruption-update</a>.Thank you for your ongoing patience and support as we work to restore all services. We will provide additional updates to families as soon as new information becomes available.Thank you,Limestone District School Board

2025-04-25 13:00:23.583 +0000 UTC

Cataraqui Woods Elementary School