Wildcat Word - January 12, 2026 - Issue #17

Week Two Highlights: Gratitude, Generosity, and a Fresh Start

As we step into our second week back after the holiday break, it finally feels like we’re finding our rhythm again—though last week’s three-part mini-series of snow days certainly tried its best to keep us guessing. At this point, Mother Nature might as well be taking attendance.

Before we dive fully into January, we want to extend a heartfelt thank‑you to our students and their families. Together, you helped raise over $275 for the University Hospitals Kingston Foundation – Pediatric Unit, and you filled two overflowing bins with food for the Food Sharing Project. Your generosity continues to make a real difference in our community, and we’re so grateful for the kindness you bring to our school every day.

Thank you to the families who reached out to let us know about the icy pathways leading into the school yard. The City of Kingston has been contacted, who shared that the area is too narrow for their sidewalk plows and cannot be maintained during winter weather. Please use extra caution when traveling along these routes, as they can be extremely slippery. You may wish to take an alternate path until conditions improve.

Stay safe, and thank you for helping keep our community informed and supported.

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us at welba@limestone.on.ca

Warmly,
Ms. Fraser, Mrs. Swan-Pressnell, and Ms. Hart

A few highlights for the week ahead

• Student Bus Monitor refresher for current bus monitors was cancelled last week and will be rescheduled
• Hot lunch returns this week

Be prepared for the weather!

As winter weather continues, we kindly ask families to ensure that students come to school with a full change of clothes, along with hats and mitts each day. Our school’s extra supply is running low, and having these items on hand helps keep everyone comfortable, safe, and ready for learning and play. Thank you for helping us make sure all students are prepared for the season!

Clothing donations

We’re currently looking for gently used pants in sizes 6–10 for both boys and girls, as well as new socks in any children’s sizes. If you have items your child has outgrown or extras you’re able to share, we’d be so grateful.

Thank you for supporting our students and helping ensure everyone has what they need.

Welcome back Tallack's Karate Kids!

We are excited to be welcoming back the Tallack's Karate Kids program. Representatives from Tallack's will visit classrooms on January 21st to share information with students. Keep an eye on your student's backpack for permission forms and payment information, directly from Tallack. The program will begin on Wednesday, January 28 and run every Wednesday at second recess until the end of April. Payments for this program are made directly to Tallack, not the school. More information can be found here.

General School Related Information

🚸 Safety First: Protect Our Students!

As we continue to prioritize the safety of all students, staff, and families, we kindly remind drivers to avoid entering the school parking lot during posted drop-off and pick-up times. This area becomes especially busy with pedestrian traffic, and vehicle entry during these windows poses serious safety risks.

Additionally, please remember that buses have the right of way in the designated bus lane, and vehicles may not pass buses in this area. Respecting this rule helps keep our students safe as they arrive and depart each day.

Your cooperation helps ensure a safer environment for everyone—thank you for doing your part!

Please help us to spread the word by sharing this information with any caregivers or family members who help your family with drop-off/pick-up.

📣 School Advisory Council Meetings

Families, you're warmly invited to join us at the next School Advisory Council Meeting - Monday, January 26th at 6:15pm. This is a wonderful chance to stay informed, share your ideas, and help shape the direction of our school community. Whether you're a regular attendee or joining for the first time, your presence makes a difference.

Supporting Smooth Morning Transitions

Timely arrival plays a key role in helping students begin their day with confidence and ease. We ask that all children arrive on time and join their class cohort in their designated zone. Late arrivals can disrupt classroom routines—especially as students are still learning the flow of morning entry and settling in.

If your child does arrive late, please ensure they sign in at the office and proceed promptly to class. To support a calm and focused transition, we kindly encourage parents and guardians to keep drop-offs brief. A quick goodbye helps us guide students directly to their classrooms and maintain a consistent start to the day.

If you remain in the front lobby with your child, we assume you are actively engaged with them. In these moments, staff may step away to assist other students who are already in the process of transitioning to class. This helps us ensure that all children receive timely support and direction.

For our Kindergarten families, please make sure a staff member is present with your child before leaving the building.

Thank you for your cooperation and continued support in helping all students start their day successfully!

Report An Absence

Reporting your child’s absence through School Messenger is an essential part of our daily attendance process and helps us ensure the safety and well-being of all 370 students. Whether your child is away due to illness, a family commitment, or participating in a school activity such as a sports tournament, it’s important that their absence is recorded. For students attending school-sponsored events, coaches or supervising teachers will update attendance records so these absences do not count against them. However, we still ask families to report these absences through School Messenger to help us maintain accurate records and confirm each student’s whereabouts. Your cooperation supports a safe and organized school environment.

To report an absence, use one the following methods:

School Messenger application

1. Use the email address you provided to the school.
2. Use your mobile device to download and install the free SchoolMessenger blue app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store, the SchoolMessenger website portal, or from within the LDSB mobile app.
3. Tap Sign Up to create your account. Please ensure you use the same email address your student’s school has on file. If you do not use that same email address, you will not be able to create an account, or may not be able to see the "Attendance" option. You may have already created an account when we introduced the Communicate broadcast system.
4. Select Attendance from the menu, then select Report an Absence and follow the prompts.

Interactive toll-free telephone

1. Call 1-855-257-9349 toll-free to report an absence using the automated phone system.
2. Follow the instructions to report an absence.

These options are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. For any school day in the school term up to the cut-off time on the day of the absence. Future absences can be reported at any time using any one of these methods.

Please do not call the school directly to report your student's absence.

Reporting late arrivals

Parents/caregivers are instructed to report late arrivals using the new Late Arrival option, including the expected arrival time to school. When a student arrives, they are expected to sign in at office and staff make the amendment in our student information system. When a student leaves early, again they are expected to sign out (with parental permission) and again the amendment is made in our system. This method allows us to best track student attendance to ensure safety.
The SafeArrival system makes it easier for you to report your student’s absence, reduces the time it takes for our school staff to verify student attendance, and responds to unexpected or unplanned student absences. This time savings makes it faster and more efficient to account for all students and their safety.

Grade 7 and Grade 8 Lunch Privileges

Historically, the students in grades 7 and 8 have the opportunity to get parent permission to leave the school property during recess/eating break on designated days. Additional information and a permission form has been sent home to families of students in grade 7 and 8. Students must return these forms to their homeroom teacher.

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