Happy New Year! We hope you had a restful holiday break, and we are looking forward to a fantastic 2023 at Polson. To keep you informed, we will share a monthly family update with calendar updates refreshed weekly. Your family update will be sent by email monthly and will also be posted on our website. You can check this monthly link for updates through the month as events and info are added. Please verify your email with the main office to ensure you receive email updates or visit our school website.

On February 22nd, it's Pink Shirt Day at Polson! If you would like to order a pink shirt in support of BCBG Club and Big Brothers Big Sisters, please see the instructions below.

- Order Pink Shirt Day items and take a stand against bullying

• Pink Shirt sales are completed online, via a secure Shopify account, with shipping or scheduled pick up options available.

• Please CLICK HERE to access the Shopify store.

• Orders close on February 1, 2023.

Monday, January 30th Day 5

• Anti-Islamophobia Awareness Day -Quebec Mosque Day of Remembrance

Tuesday, January 31st Day 1

• Queen's Daily Physical Activity Group 1- AM (Carrol Blommestyn Tiffany)

Wednesday, February 1st Day 2

• February is Black History Month
• Last Day for Pink Shirt orders-see information and link above
• Welcome David Melhorn-Boe from Beyond Classrooms workshop -Mme Scott
• Highland Dance Club: Mme Martha, Lehoux, Carroll/Underhill
• Board Game Club after school until 5pm

Thursday, February 2nd Day 3

• Jive Dance Grade 4 (5/6 coaches welcome) 10:50 am in the gym
• Queen's DPA Group 2 PM (Shultz, Runte, Renaud)

Friday, February 3rd PA Day-No Classes

Looking Ahead:

February 13th SAC meeting 6 pm

February 14th Red, Pink & White Spirit Day Day

February 16th - SAC Polson February Family Dance

February 16th -Start to Finish Program begins

February 16th SAC Family Dance

February 22nd -Pink Shirt Day

February 24th - Polson Carnaval

Under the ISPA, Immunization of School Pupils Act, guardians of students attending school in Ontario must provide proof of immunization, or a valid exemption from immunization to KFL&A Public Health for designated diseases. Students who do not have an up-to-date immunization record or valid exemption on file at KFL&A Public Health, ISPA will receive an ISPA Notice. KFL&A Public Health will be offering immunization clinics through the month of February. Please contact KFL&A Public Health if you have any questions.

(613) 549-1232, ext. 1451.

Dear Families,

While public health guidance has not changed since November, Limestone continues to work closely with KFL&A Public Health to communicate up-to-date information about the current state of respiratory viruses and actions that students, families, and staff can take to reduce transmission of illness within our communities. As we know, some members of our communities, including students and staff in schools, are more susceptible to illness so limiting spread is important.

KFL&A Public Health continues to encourage getting back to the basics that we know work to help limit the transmission of illnesses in our community, including:

• Monitoring daily for symptoms and staying home when sick.
• Wearing a well-fitted mask in all indoor public spaces is strongly recommended, including schools and childcare settings.
• Students and staff returning to school after being sick should wear a well-fitted mask for a total of 10 days after the start of any illness in all public settings (including schools and childcare settings) and avoid non-essential activities where mask removal is necessary.
• Staying up to date with vaccines.
• Washing your hands regularly.
• Cleaning high-touch surfaces regularly.

Masks and rapid antigen tests (RAT) continue to be available for all Limestone students and staff.

Additional information is available on KFL&A Public Health’s website.

Thank you to students, families, and staff for your continued efforts to practice public health recommendations to help keep our schools and school communities safe – we are all in this together.

Limestone District School Board

Grade 6 Students who are applying to the Choices at 7 programs must complete applications by January 13th. Applications are due on January 13th. Choices at 7 schools have open houses as well as follows:

Odessa PS – January 10

Loughborough PS – January 11

Calvin Park PS – January 12

All sessions will begin at 6:00 p.m. For more information, please follow the link below:

As we look ahead to more snowy weather, we may have a few more inclement weather days and bus cancellations that affect students. A reminder that when buses are cancelled in the morning, they also do not run at the end of the day. If your child is unable to come to school safely on these days, you have the option of entering an absence by selecting "inclement weather" or "bus cancellations" where appropriate. If your child is dropped off at school instead of taking a bus on inclement weather days, please make sure to notify the teacher of their dismissal plan.

As always, please make sure that your child is dressed for winter weather, with extra mittens/socks in case they get wet. If you need assistance with providing boots/snowsuits, please do not hesitate to contact the school.

Our school now uses a new secure online portal that will allow families to complete payments for things such as hot lunch orders and permission forms for field trips online. Most of our families are signed up! Please use your child's individual code to register if you haven't yet done so.

Please see communication shared with LDSB families from the Ministry of Health.

Our family update has accessibility features that allow you to select your language of choice for translations and also to enlarge fonts for better viewing!

Polson is looking for paid yard supervisors. If you have a CPIC and are available to help during recess/nutrition break, please contact the main office!

Yard Supervision begins at 8:55 am.

9:10-10:50 - 100 mins

10:50--11:40 - recess/nutrition

11:40 -1:20 - 100 mins

1:20-2:00 - recess/nutrition

2:00-3:40 - 100 mins

3:40-Dismissal

Thank you for making sure our students are safe by observing traffic rules and parking restrictions during arrival and dismissal times. If you drive, please be patient, watchful and alert!

A few reminders:

• The parking lots have limited space; please do not linger.
• Please remember that accessibility spots are for families with permits only.
• The area in front of the school is a Bus Zone. No parking, idling, or drop-offs are permitted.
• Yard supervision begins at 8:55 am. The school day begins at 9:10 am.

Please see the image below to make sure you are aware of bus zones and no-drop off areas.Thank you for looking out for our students and keeping everyone safe!

If you are new to our school, please take the time to download the School Messenger App to stay connected and report student absences. If you wish to receive our family updates, please follow the instructions for selecting email as one of your preferences.

For more information please follow the links below.

Our office administrator is Marie Campbell. If you need any assistance, please call 613-542-5926 between 8:00 am-4:00 pm or email the school at polso@limestone.on.ca and we will get back to you!

Email: polso@limestone.on.ca
Website: https://polsonpark.limestone.on.ca/
Location: 165 Robert Wallace Drive, Kingston, ON K7M 1Y3, Canada
Phone: 613-542-5926
Twitter: @PolsonPark_LDSB