To ensure that we comply with Public Health and avoid gathering, students will be welcomed into the buidling at 8:55am each day regardless of weather. As such, we strongly encourage families to arrive at Fairfield each day at 8:55am. Please note that students cannot come into the foyer or hallways prior to the start of school. Thank you for your understanding.

We will also be spending as much time outside as possible for learning and movement as this also provides for a mask break for our students. Please have students dress for the weather including a rain coat. We will stay in for recess should there be dangerous conditions such as temperatures below Public Health guidelines or lightning, for example; however, we will endeavour to spend as much time as possible for recess breaks outside even with some rain. When recesses are outside there is no indoor supervision and all students will be expected to be outside during that time.

We are asking all parents/guardians/caregivers to please park in the designated parking spaces only in the parking lot. Do not park in the fire lane in front of the school or along the bus loop - even if you are just dropping off. Last week during the rainy morning, we had many "near misses" where parents/guardians were double parking and blocking the fire lane. It was a very dangerous situation and we are kindly requesting that if you are dropping off your child that you either drop off on Kildare Avenue, or you park correctly in a parking spot in the lot. The fire lane and bus loop lane cannot be blocked. Thank you for your help in keeping our children safe!

Last week our Director of Education for the Limestone District School Board, Mr. Krishna Burra, visited Fairfield Elementary School. He toured the school and met with staff and students in almost every classroom. We were so proud to have him see the great things happening in our school! He saw children engaged in coding, contributing in conversations in French, discussing the follow up from Orange Shirt Day activities, learning about the solar systems, decomposing numbers in an intermediate math class, making predictions in reading, and learning about watercolours in a visual art lesson. We are looking forward to having him visit again!

Our first School Council Meeting was held on Tuesday. Many thanks to all parents/guardians who were able to attend the virtual meeting. Please note that all parents/guardians are welcome to attend meetings. The next 2 are scheduled virtually and will be held on Tuesday November 3rd at 6pm and Tuesday December 1st at 6pm. Please email the school at frfld@limestone.on.ca and the link to the meeting will be sent to you.

Elections for School Council resulted in the executive for 2020-2021:

Chair: Shalise Stevenson

Co-Chair: Dawn Carson

Secretary: Dawn Carson

Co-Treasurers: Kristi Sadowski & Karla Coleman

Fundraising Rep: Jennifer Howting

The School Council has identified student experiences as their fundraising goal for the year. In the past the Council has provided funding for transportation for experiential learning. Given the current situation with field trips being on hold, the Council has broadened their fundraising goal to include enhancements to student experiences including guest speakers, virtual workshops and materials, for example. More information about the Council's first fundraising campaign is below.

A big thanks to our School Council for working so hard to support our staff, students, and school community!

Again this year we will be engaging in the Dielman's NorCard fundraiser. Catalogues will be sent home as soon as they arrive at the school - possibly at the end of the week or just after Thanksgiving. There are many great holiday items including wrap, cards, and gift ideas. There are items to suit any budget and a portion of all sales goes back to the school. We are encouraging online orders this year please. Thank you for participating in this fundraising effort as you are able.

During September schools throughout the LDSB had to adjust classroom organizations and staffing based on enrollment. Although we do not have many students attending the Virtual School, we did have some families move out of our district and as such, our staffing was reduced. Our school staff list is below:

Custodians

Mr. Grimwood
Mr. Brash

Mr. Lockridge

Support Staff

Mr. Vankoughnett
Mrs. Beal
Ms Cobb
Mrs. Ghent
Mrs. McNeely (at the Virtual School for 2020-2021)
Mrs. Bax
Mr. Funkenhauser
Mrs. Pilon
Mr. Weaver
Ms Thompson

Mr. Freitas
Ms McIlroy
Mrs. Provost
Mrs. Maracle-York


Teaching Staff
Mrs. Check
Mrs. Colborne
Ms Doherty (on maternity leave)
Ms Kennedy
Mrs. Pennell
Mrs. Dafnas
Mr. Morley
Ms Norman (at the Virtual School for 2020-2021)
Mrs. Sullivan
Mrs. Beckstead
Mrs. Zarzecki
Ms Scott
Mr. Anderson
Monsieur Wenkoff (at the Virtual School for 2020-2021)
Monsieur Allison
Madame Proud
Mr. Aylesworth
Mrs. Mace
Mrs. Barrett

Administration
Mrs. Pacheco

Mrs. Barrett
Mrs. Thompson

All students, staff, bus drivers, bus monitors and visitors to schools must perform a daily self-assessment for symptoms of COVID-19 before each school day and before putting students on a school bus. Staying home when sick is important to help stop the spread of COVID-19 and other viruses in our community.

Parents and caregivers must review the checklist with their child/student before sending them to school each day and before putting them on a school bus.

Please use the online COVID-19 School Screening Tool available in English and French (released October 1, 2020). You can print or download this version in English or French (by clicking on the top right). We are working on translations in additional languages. This new screening tool replaces what was provided previously (Sept. 21, 2020 version).

Want to look spiffy, stay warm and show off your Fairfield Falcon Pride? Check out all of the amazing clothing and accessories available at our Fairfield Elementary School e-store https://specialtytrophies.ca/fairfieldschool/

This year is the 40th Anniversary of Terry Fox’s Marathon of Hope and Fairfield Elementary School is proud to be continuing the legacy of one of our greatest heroes.

This past week all classes participated in a variety of in-class and outdoor Terry Fox activities. So far we have raised $210 in online donations. It is not too late to donate! Please go online to donate to this worthwhile cause at: http://www.terryfox.ca/FairfieldESAmherstview

Together, we can all make a difference!

There are three options to use to report a student absence:

• Call the automated attendance phone line at 1-855-257-9349 Please note: Always enter "lates" as a full day even if the child will only be absent for half a day. When the student arrives at school, the office will adjustthat absent to a late in the system
• Use the SchoolMessenger App on your phone
• Use the SchoolMessenger website portal

For more information on how to report an absence please click on the link below.

Monday October 12th is Thanksgiving. We wish all Fairfield families a wonderful long weekend!

Fairfield ES Twitter https://twitter.com/fesfalcons_ldsb?lang=en

Fairfield ES Website https://fairfield.limestone.on.ca/

LDSB Website https://www.limestone.on.ca/

LDSB Twitter https://twitter.com/LimestoneDSB

LDSB Facebook https://tinyurl.com/wbhjtku

LDSB Instagram https://instagram.com/limestonedsb?igshid=1epyma6c0g5qd