Major Family Update

Dear Families

What a fantastic week! Thank-you to all our families that were able to attend the Spring Fling-We had over 1500 people in attendance.. It was wonderful to see folks gathering to celebrate and connect with each other as a part of our school community. A huge thank-you to our amazing staff leaders on the Spring Fling Team for organizing such a special event for families and to all staff who volunteered to help run activities.

This week, we look forward to various classroom celebrations and outdoor fun days and a singing club showcase. We will also have a special farewell celebration for our Grade 6 students who are finishing off their last year at our school. As well, in honour of Pride Month, student council has selected our last Spirit Day as Rainbow Day on Wednesday, June 22nd. Show off your favourite colours, Majors!

Ontario Wild Birds Presentation

Thank-you to Mme Louise for organizing a special presentation about wild birds of Ontario that gave students an up close look at some beautiful species!

Creating Successful Learning Environments

Creating class lists is a shared task by our team of educators who spend a significant amount of time getting to know your child, discovering their academic, social and emotional needs in educational settings both inside and outside of the classroom. Each year we want to build the best possible learning environments for all learners. Our school team considers a wide range of factors including overall number of students in each grade (if a split grade), student learning styles and personalities, academic strengths and needs, a balance of gender identities, peer relationships, learning skills and work habits, and social/ emotional strengths and needs.

All classrooms, whether a single grade or a combined grade, include students performing at a wide range of achievement levels. We meet the needs of all learners in a classroom through differentiated instruction with a focus on developing critical thinking skills, and by providing modifications and accommodations for various learning needs. In every case, educators put great thought into creating responsive classroom learning environments that will support the success of all students.

If you wish to make a request for class placement for next year, we ask parents to email the school directly and to communicate your child's needs as a learner rather than a specific teacher's name. Teacher assignments can change for many reasons (illness, transfer, leave of absence, etc.) and what does not change are your child's needs. This sharing can serve to further inform our team of educators while creating class lists but does not guarantee a particular placement.

As previously shared, we have been tentatively approved to organize with 20 French Immersion classes and 15 English classes based on projected numbers. Please also keep in mind that our school organization may change before the first day of school, based on new registrations from families moving into our catchment area and those who move out over the summer. Our staffing continues, and current educator assignments will be shared during the last week of school. Information about your child’s class placement is expected to be shared by email on Friday, September 2nd. Students with special education needs requiring transition support will be contacted earlier. The first day of school will be Tuesday, September 6th 2022.

Are you moving?

As we look to planning for next year's school organization, please let us know if you are moving so that we can update your contact information. If you do not plan on attending EKEES this coming school year, please notify us as soon possible by email kees@limestone.on.ca or call the main office. This information will allow us to support student moves and transitions, and it helps us organize classes for September.

Grade 6 Celebration-June 23rd @ 12:15 pm

Dear Grade 6 Families,

We are looking forward to our Grade 6 Celebration on Thursday, June 23rd starting at 12:15 pm. Our students and staff are working hard to make it a special event for our Grade 6 students who will be moving on to various schools for their Intermediate years.

Our event will be held in the KEES gymnasium. Our program will include a welcome by administration, recognition of each Grade 6 student, a collaborative slideshow and finishing off with cake and refreshments for the students.

Grade 6 students can invite up to 4 guests to attend the Grade 6 Celebration. For planning purposes, please fill out the RSVP of the invitation that went home on Friday with how many guests will be attending and return by Tuesday, June 21st.

We appreciate your support!

The Grade 6 Celebration Planning Team

Coming up:

June is National Indigenous History Month & Pride Month

Monday, June 20th Day 5

World Refugee Day
Welcome Lani Fox School Visit AM
Piano Recitals (First Nutrition Recess Break) Library 11:15 -11:55 am
Turcotte/Prescott Splash pad (middle block)
Year end Fun Day (Middle block)

Drawing club farewell 1:35-2:15(Library)

Tuesday, June 21 Day 1: National Indigenous Peoples Day and Summer Solstice

Piano Recitals 1st recess/nutrition break (library)
Year end Fun Day (Middle block)
Hein/Melbourne 12:15 Family Presentation & splash pad
Toffolon/Silver End of Year Celebration (Middle Block)
Sullivan/ Matheson End of Year Celebration 2:30
Dance Force (10-11 :30) Salvary/Vollick

Wednesday, June 22nd Day 2

Rainbow Spirit Day!
Hein/Melbourne Raindate
Cooper/Bailey and Trevors AM Dance Force Trip
Pilutti Angelo PM Dance Force
Publication Party for families (gazebo area - weather permitting) - Moncrieff, Rosillo/Harwood, Bishop 12-1:15
Kingston Dance Force (Angelo/Pilluti) PM

Thursday, June 23rd Day 3

Grade 6 Celebration (12:15 pm in Gym)
Scott/Smith 12:15 Family Presentation & Splash Pad
McNaughton/Pottier year end celebration 2:30pm
Year end fun day rain date (middle block)
PIZZA PIZZA Fundraiser Day-see details above.
National Day of Remembrance for Victims of Terrorism

Friday, June 24th Day 4

Red Friday!
Scott/Smith Celraindate (First Block)
Filman/Nolan Splash Pad (middle block)
Zirpolo/Manon End of Year Celebration (3rd block)
Singing club presentation for Grade 1/2s 10:30-11:15 (gym) -Parents of singing club members are welcome. If you are able to attend the performance, please RSVP to your child's classroom teacher!

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Looking Ahead:

June 27: Kinder Play Day (12-1 in the big yard)

Bowling at Garisson Lanes Ms.Edmondson/ Mme Mawson’s (9:30-12:00)

Bowling at Garrison Lanes Mrs. Barton’s /Mr. Hofer’s class.(12:30-3:00)

June 28: Staff Fairwells 8:30 Library

Kinder Play Day Raindate

Garrison Lanes Mme Ferraro /Ms. Young (11:45-2:30)

Report cards go home

June 29: Last day of classes

School Year-End Assembly: 9:30 am

June 30: PA Day

Sunscreen and Allergen & Scent Awareness Reminders

We love going outside to play and learn! A reminder that it is the time to wear hats, sunglasses and sunscreen to protect students against sun damage. If you send your child with sun screen to apply at school, please avoid sprays and also strongly scented products. We are a scent and allergen aware school. Classroom teachers will review sun screen routines for their class. Please also see the Tick Bite prevention tips below.

Renaming Results: École Maple Elementary School.

At the last LDSB Board Meeting, Trustees with the Limestone District School Board decided that the new name for our school will be École Maple Elementary School.

Maple Elementary School was chosen from a short list of four names provided to Trustees by the École Kingston East Elementary School (ÉKEES) Committee. The final four names – École Butternut Creek Elementary School, École Forestview Elementary School, École Maple Elementary School and École Mapleview Elementary School – were selected from a variety of suggestions provided through considerable consultation and work within the community.

The naming process was overseen by the ÉKEES Renaming Committee which includes student, parent/guardian, staff and Indigenous community representatives. The committee sought input from students, families, staff and the broader Kingston community through a year-long consultation, including three online surveys.

With the new name decided, the school will now work on a redesign of the school logo. The Majors athletic crest and school colours of red and black will remain. Over the summer, the school’s exterior signage, web and social media accounts will be updated to be completed by September 2022.

Thank you to members of the Renaming Committee for their diligence and commitment to the renaming process and much appreciation to students, staff and families for your input and engagement.

School Day & Cashless School Registration

Many families have registered and set up this secure portal to complete permissions and payments online. If you have any questions, or if you need the school to resend the registration code for your student, please contact the main office.

Once in use, the new easy-to-use portal will remove the risks associated with sending money to school with students, the frustration of lost or missing permission forms, and significantly reduce the amount of paper our school consumes. Let's get our families registered!

PCBF Grant Yard Improvement Project

We have received an additional grant from the Pittsburgh Township for $10,000 towards our yard improvement projects. We are looking forward to having the first phase of outdoor classroom nodes with seating and chalkboards and storage units for outdoor learning materials storage. Please refer to the plans below for details. As well, tree planting will be an ongoing aspect to improve the shade and natural elements in the school yard. This fund will be added to the funds that SAC has already raised (about $30,000) and will be matched by Board funding that has been allocated. Construction for this phase is expected to occur over the summer. Many thanks to the Pittsburgh Community Development Fund for their continued support of our school community!

Kindergarten Registration

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.

Visitors and Volunteers

As we resume in-person activities in our school, we will be welcoming volunteers, presenters, and other visitors. A reminder that if you are interested in volunteering at the school or on a field trip, you are required to provide a valid CPIC with a vulnerable screener check for the school to have on file. CPICs are good for three years with Offense Declarations completed in interim years. Please contact the main office if you have any questions.

Although pick-ups and drop offs will continue to be done outside, you may have an appointment scheduled with educators or support staff. All visitors must use the main entrance and must report to the main office where you will sign in and receive a visitor's tag. Please do not proceed into the building until you have reported to the main office for further direction.

Key Protocol Changes

Masking and cohorting mandates for schools and on school transportation have been lifted as of March 21st. Please be assured that all students, families, and staff who choose to continue masking are encouraged to do so. All individuals with underlying health issues are also encouraged to continue to wear a mask. Please note that family members of symptomatic individuals in their household must wear a mask for 10 days and not participate in school-based activities where wearing a mask is not possible. Masking is also required upon return to school following isolation due to symptomatic/positive case and also upon return from international travel. Please refer to the daily screener for isolation and masking requirements.

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.
Rapid Antigen Tests will continue to be available for students and staff for symptomatic testing or returning from an unplanned absence.

For more information, please follow the links below.

Traffic Safety Reminders:

When you choose to bring a vehicle into a school zone or onto school property, you must be more mindful about safety and how you operate your vehicle. Please be present and watchful when you pick up or drop off children. Always drive slowly and watch for students at all times in our school zone. Thank-you for modelling safe and respectful interactions and respect for posted parking restrictions.

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.

Safe Arrival and Dismissal

Safe Arrival/Dismissal Reminders:

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.
Please note, although students often take the time to greet and socialize with students from other classes, this is not a recess since all students are out at once. To ensure safety, students are encouraged to go to inner field and pavement as they arrive and should proceed to line up spots as it gets closer to 9:15 am.
Dogs are not permitted on school property.

Early Pick-Up

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 and provide assistance. Please let office staff know if they will require staff assistance to get to their classroom. Visitors may not proceed into the building unless they have signed in at main office and have been provided a visitor's tag.
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 and parking lots. Please do not park in the Fire Lane.

EKEES School Advisory Council 2021-22

Thank-you to this year's SAC Council!

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

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

· Instructions on how to download the BusPlanner Delays App

· Follow TriBoard on Twitter

Allergy Alert

A reminder that we are an allergy aware school. We have many students with peanut/tree nut allergies that have life threatening reactions. Thank you for not sending any peanut or tree nut products in your child's lunch. In addition, we have some other class specific allergies in some of our classes. This information will be shared where applicable. Please refrain from sending homemade treats for the class. On special occasions when you may wish to send treats for the class, these must be pre-packaged and allergen safe. Teachers will communicate protocols for their class.

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

Accessibility

Major Family Update

École Kingston East Elementary School - June 19th 2022

Major Family Update

École Kingston East Elementary School - June 19th 2022

Dear Families

Ontario Wild Birds Presentation

Creating Successful Learning Environments

Proposed 2022-2023 School Year Calendar

Are you moving?

Grade 6 Celebration-June 23rd @ 12:15 pm

Coming up:

Sunscreen and Allergen & Scent Awareness Reminders

Renaming Results: École Maple Elementary School.

School Day & Cashless School Registration

Outdoor Improvement Project -Phase 1

PCBF Grant Yard Improvement Project

Kindergarten Registration for September 2022

Kindergarten Registration

Visitors and Volunteers

Key Protocol Changes

Traffic Safety Reminders:

Safe Arrival and Dismissal

EKEES School Advisory Council 2021-22

Bus Delays and Cancellations

Allergy Alert

LDSB SchoolMessenger App Tutorial: How to Sign Up & Log In

School Hours

Office Hours

School Contact Info