We are very grateful for our families and your support of learning at home. We appreciate your commitment and perseverance! There is a wide spectrum of lived experiences within our community and we are here to support you. This week, students will continue to participate in both synchronous (live) and asynchronous (independent) learning activities. We expect to learn more about the return to in-person learning through government direction on January 20th. If you or your child are having any challenges, please reach out to the classroom teachers or contact the office. Our educators are working very hard to share learning with their students, stay connected, and support the various needs that are in each classroom. Learning at home will be different for each family. Please don't hesitate to communicate with your child's teacher to discuss your unique situation, and ensure that you are receiving the information and support needed to provide continuity of learning for your child.

Your Lancaster Team

The board has modified how attendance will be taken to recognize that students may be connecting with their virtual classes throughout the day.

• Teachers will take attendance at 2:30 pm by checking to see if students have been engaging in any part of the day's learning. For example, if students submitted work to google classroom, participated in a class meet, or worked on a provided remote learning program, they will be deemed as attending the remote class.
• If your child is sick and cannot engage in remote learning, parents should enter an absence as usual using the SafeArrival App.
  
• You will receive an attendance call between 2:35 pm and 3:15 pm if your child did not engage in any part of the learning that day unless you have entered an absence in SafeArrival.
• Please contact your child's teachers if your child is having difficulty connecting to remote learning, or if on that day your child will be engaging in learning after the school day is over.
• For more information on how to report student absences, please follow the link below

• If you need a device (K-3 ipad/chromebook or 4-8 chromebook) for a student in your home, please email lancd@limestone.on.ca as soon as possible with your child's full name and name of classroom teacher, and also notify your child’s classroom teacher of this request when they contact families on Monday.
• We will be distributing devices from the office as needed - families will be contacted after we receive your request.
• Connection instructions and IT support information will be provided with your borrowed devices.

The Government of Ontario is providing one-time funding for parents to help offset costs during the 2020-2021 school year. Eligible parents or guardians will receive a one-time payment of:

• $200 for each student up to age 12
• $250 for each student or youth up to age 21 with special needs
• NEW $200 for student age 13 to Grade 12 including students who are in secondary school that are over age 18

Applications open on Monday, January 11, 2021. The deadline to apply is February 8, 2021. Learn more on the government’s Support for Learners webpage liked below.

Learn how to:

• Set up a SchoolMessenger App account: set up your account, review your contact information and communication preferences, join teacher-instant messaging groups, and view all your alerts and messages in one place. Watch the video tutorial.
  
• Use the Communicate broadcast tool: choose how you will receive alerts including how to opt-in for text messaging. Watch the video tutorial.

• Use the Board mobile app: how to choose your schools, see your messages and report and review student absences. Watch the video tutorial.

• Subscribe to school calendars: receive email alerts or download calendars or individual events to your personal calendar