Major Family Update
École Kingston East Elementary School - March 12, 2022
Dear Families,
In this family update, you will find general information that has already been shared as well as some initial site specific information that you may be wondering about as you prepare your children to return from break on March 21st. Thank-you for your patience and support as we make this transition.
Enjoy a wonderful March Break!
Key Changes
- Other current protocols impacted as of Monday March 21: (a) restrictions will be lifted for athletic activities and music. And (b) public health capacity limits for indoor activities will be removed. This means spectators can return for secondary athletics after the break.
- Rapid Antigen Tests will continue to be available for students and staff for symptomatic testing or returning from an unplanned absence.
Screening daily for COVID-19 symptoms continues to be a requirement. Staff and students are directed to stay home if they are experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms.
For more information, please follow the link to the Director's Messages to Families and Covid 19 Protocol Updates below followed by some Q & A. for our school.
Will any staff and students be wearing masks?
Where does my child go when they arrive on Monday, March 21st?
Will recess look different?
Will students eat lunch with students from other classes?
What about clubs, sports, and assemblies?
Updated Daily Covid 19 Screening Tool
Screening daily for COVID-19 symptoms continues to be a requirement. Staff and students are directed to stay home if they are experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms. The provincial screening tool has been further amended to align with federal requirements, and to take into account different vaccination circumstances.
The screening tool will advise on any isolation requirements for your particular situation, but in general, household members of COVID-positive or symptomatic individuals do not have to self-isolate if:
(a) they have tested positive for COVID-19 in the previous 90 days;
(b) are older than 18 and have received their booster dose (three doses); or
(c) are younger than 18 and are fully immunized (two doses). Household members who do not meet these criteria must self-isolate.
International Women's Day
Coming up:
March 14th-18th March Break
March 17th -Purim
March 17th-St. Patrick's Day
March 18th -Holi
Monday, March 21st-Day 5
- Classes resume
- International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
- Renaming Committee Virtual Meeting at 6:00 pm
Tuesday, March 22nd- Day 1
Wednesday, March 23rd -Day 2
- Term 2 IEPs go home
Thursday, March 24th Day 3
Friday, March 25th-Day 4
- EKEES Earth Hour 10-11 am. Turn off lights and electronics
- Red Friday!
Looking Ahead
Week of March 28th -Autism Awareness Week
April-Month of the Military Child: This is a special time to recognize the children of military families and veterans for their resiliency and sacrifice.
April 2th - Autism Awareness Day
April 4th -EKEES Scholastic Book Fair
Kindergarten Registration Now Open!
General Info about Kindergarten Registration:
If you are registering a student for Kindergarten for a new school year (September), children must turn age four (Year 1 Kindergarten) or age five (Year 2 Kindergarten) by December 31 of that year. Those students who are already enrolled in Year 1 Kindergarten do not register again.
In accordance with Board policy, students will be enrolled in the school designated within their boundary area, based on their home address. Proof of address must be provided to finalize the registration application.
To register, the legal parent/guardian (or the student if they are older than age 18) is asked to complete a registration application. You must complete all sections and provide the school with original documentation as required.
Instructions on how to register a new student using Aspen Online Registration Process
To find the name and location of your local school, enter the student’s home address into the Locate A School tool, or call our Planning Office at 613-544-6925 ext. 305 or 1-800-267-0935 ext. 305.
Traffic Safety Reminders:
- The one-way visitor parking lane is a no parking zone. Please do not park in the drop-off and fire lane in our round-about. This causes significant congestion at arrival and dismissal times.
- Please consider parking in Park & Stride zones to reduce vehicle congestion.
- Please do not drop off children in the main parking lot and school bus zones at arrival and dismissal.
- Please encourage walkers to go to crossing guards and areas with staff supervisors to assist them and to choose paths that keep them clear of traffic at arrival and dismissal.
Thank-you for working with us to keep all students safe.
EKEES School Advisory Council 2021-22
Chair: Goldie Brigden
Vice Chair: vacant
Treasurer: Allision Brehm
Secretary: Laura van Staalduinen
Volunteer Coordinator: vacant
Fundraising Coordinator: Emily Edwards
Communications Coordinator: Sonja Taylor
Indigenous Family Representative: Melanie Howard
Division representatives (up to 2 each for Kindergarten, Primary, Junior)
Kindergarten: Erin Caudle and Melissa Grant
Primary: Kayley Miller
Junior: Tammy Hardy
PIC rep: Christine Innocente
Message from Melanie Howard, EKEES Indigenous Family Rep
Shé:kon EKEES community, my name is Melanie Howard and I am the Indigenous Family Representative on the School Council this year. My EKEES student and I are turtle clan Kanien’kehá:ka and members of the Mohawks of Kanehsatake, a First Nation located northeast of Montréal. The majority of our extended family continues to live and work on Haudenosaunee territories in Quebec and southern Ontario. As the Indigenous Family Representative to council, I am interested in meeting other First Nations, Métis and Inuit families from our school, and would be happy to hear from you at my personal email, melaniehoward@gmail.com . Skennen!
Safe Arrival and Dismissal
- School supervision begins at 9:00 am on the schoolyard and the start of the school day 9:15 am. Dismissal is at 3:35 pm. Please follow the school day schedule as much as possible to establish good routines.
- Families/caregivers who pick up and drop off students on the schoolyard are not considered to be part of a class cohort. Please wear a mask when you cannot remain physically distant on the schoolyard. Thank-you for not congregating.
- Dogs are not permitted on school property.
- If you arrive between 3 pm and 3:35 for an unplanned pick up, please allow your child to remain in class learning until their class is dismissed and pick up at the class dismissal spot on the school yard.
- If your child would usually take the bus, and you have arrived for an unplanned pick up, please notify the main office of this change so that the office can alert the teacher that you will meet the student at their class meeting spot.
- As always, please communicate directly with your child's teacher about appointments or changes in dismissal procedures in advance.
Late Arrivals:
- When dropping off young students, please ring the main entrance doorbell for assistance so that the main office can record their arrival. Please let office staff know if they will require staff assistance to get to their classroom. Visitor access continues to be restricted. Thank-you for waiting outside for a staff member to assist.
- Older students who arrive a few minutes late are still usually able to find their classes on the school yard during staggered entry time. At all other times, they should be dropped off at main entrance.
- Please be aware and respectful of parking restrictions in the school zone.
Bus Delays and Cancellations
Winter weather may result in bus cancellations or delays. Families should ensure they are signed up to receive direct notifications, either by email, or Tri-Board’s app. Delays and cancellations are also posted to Tri-Board’s Twitter account. Please have a back-up plan including transportation home if your child's bus is cancelled! A reminder that supervision of students is not available until 9:00 am. Please do not drop off your child at school before that time.
· Subscribe by email to specific bus routes
Allergy Alert
Lastly, we also have several staff and students with scent allergies and sensitivities. Thank-you for not sending any heavily scented hand sanitizers to school with your child.
School Hours
Our school day schedule is as follows for primary and junior classes:
9:15-11:15 - 120 mins
11:15--11:55 - recess/nutrition
11:55 -1:35 - 100 mins
1:35-2:15 - recess/nutrition
2:15-3:35 - 80 mins
Office Hours
School Contact Info
Email: kees@limestone.on.ca
Website: www.kees.limestone.on.ca
Location: 529 St. Martha Street, Kingston, ON
Phone: 613-650-5478
Twitter: @Kees_LDSB