Module Vanier

<p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The Limestone District School Board is developing the 2026-2027 school year calendar. With Labour Day falling later than usual in 2026, the creation of a balanced and consistent calendar has presented more challenges than in typical years.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">We continue to receive inquiries about the possibility of introducing a fall break. During the 2023–2024 school year, students, families, staff, and community members were surveyed on this topic. Due to the way the calendar year falls and contractual agreements, implementing a fall break is not something we are able to consider for the upcoming 2026-2027 school year.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">In collaboration with our coterminous boards—the Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board and the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board—we have prepared </span><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">four calendar options for consideration</strong></b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">. We are seeking feedback from members of the Limestone community to help guide our final decision.</span></p><h2 class="editor-heading-h2" dir="ltr"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Option 1 Overview:</strong></b></h2><ul class="editor-list-ul"><li value="1" class="editor-listitem"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">First Day of School</strong></b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">: September 1, 2026</span></li><li value="2" class="editor-listitem"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Winter Break</strong></b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">: December 21, 2026 to January 1, 2027</span></li><li value="3" class="editor-listitem"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">March Break</strong></b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">: March 15 to 19, 2027</span></li><li value="4" class="editor-listitem"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Last Day of School</strong></b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">: June 24, 2027</span></li><li value="5" class="editor-listitem"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Professional Activity Days</strong></b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">:&nbsp;</span></li><li value="6" class="editor-listitem editor-nested-listitem"><ul class="editor-list-ul"><li value="1" class="editor-listitem"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">August 31, 2026</span></li><li value="2" class="editor-listitem"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">September 25, 2026</span></li><li value="3" class="editor-listitem"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">October 26, 2026</span></li><li value="4" class="editor-listitem"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">November 27, 2026</span></li><li value="5" class="editor-listitem"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">January 29, 2027</span></li><li value="6" class="editor-listitem"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">May 31, 2027</span></li><li value="7" class="editor-listitem"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">June 25, 2027</span></li></ul></li><li value="6" class="editor-listitem"><a href="https://www.limestone.on.ca/documents/81d9c077-e59e-40f6-b97d-eab79a798524/2026-2027-School-Year-Calendar-Option-1.pdf" class="editor-link"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Click here to view School Year Calendar – Option 1</span></a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> (PDF)</span></li></ul><h2 class="editor-heading-h2" dir="ltr"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Option 2 Overview:</strong></b></h2><ul class="editor-list-ul"><li value="1" class="editor-listitem"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">First Day of School</strong></b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">: September 2, 2026</span></li><li value="2" class="editor-listitem"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Winter Break</strong></b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">: December 21, 2026 to January 1, 2027</span></li><li value="3" class="editor-listitem"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">March Break</strong></b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">: March 15 to 19, 2027</span><br><i><em class="editor-text-italic" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Please note, Friday, March 12 is a Board Holiday</em></i></li><li value="4" class="editor-listitem"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Last Day of School</strong></b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">: June 28, 2027</span></li><li value="5" class="editor-listitem"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Professional Activity Days</strong></b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span></li><li value="6" class="editor-listitem editor-nested-listitem"><ul class="editor-list-ul"><li value="1" class="editor-listitem"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">September 1, 2026</span></li><li value="2" class="editor-listitem"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">October 26, 2026</span></li><li value="3" class="editor-listitem"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">November 20, 2026</span></li><li value="4" class="editor-listitem"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">January 29, 2027</span></li><li value="5" class="editor-listitem"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">April 23, 2027</span></li><li value="6" class="editor-listitem"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">May 31, 2027</span></li><li value="7" class="editor-listitem"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">June 29, 2027</span></li></ul></li><li value="6" class="editor-listitem"><a href="https://www.limestone.on.ca/documents/6f8a7ea2-ab83-49a2-a65e-9094dccfc607/2026-2027-School-Year-Calendar-Option-2-Final.pdf" class="editor-link"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Click here to view School Year Calendar – Option 2 </span></a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">(PDF)</span></li></ul><h2 class="editor-heading-h2" dir="ltr"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Option 3 Overview:</strong></b></h2><ul class="editor-list-ul"><li value="1" class="editor-listitem"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">First Day of School</strong></b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">: September 8, 2026</span></li><li value="2" class="editor-listitem"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Winter Break</strong></b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">: December 21, 2026 to January 1, 2027</span></li><li value="3" class="editor-listitem"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">March Break</strong></b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">: March 15 to 19, 2027</span></li><li value="4" class="editor-listitem"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Last Day of School</strong></b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">: June 29, 2027</span></li><li value="5" class="editor-listitem"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Professional Activity Days</strong></b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span></li><li value="6" class="editor-listitem editor-nested-listitem"><ul class="editor-list-ul"><li value="1" class="editor-listitem"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">September 3, 2026</span></li><li value="2" class="editor-listitem"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">September 4, 2026</span></li><li value="3" class="editor-listitem"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">October 26, 2026</span></li><li value="4" class="editor-listitem"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">November 27, 2026</span></li><li value="5" class="editor-listitem"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">February 2, 2027</span></li><li value="6" class="editor-listitem"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">May 31, 2027</span></li><li value="7" class="editor-listitem"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">June 30, 2027</span></li></ul></li><li value="6" class="editor-listitem"><a href="https://www.limestone.on.ca/documents/a9b64560-2a59-483a-917d-200007782f2c/2026-2027-School-Year-Calendar-Option-3.pdf" class="editor-link"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Click here to view School Year Calendar – Option 3</span></a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> (PDF)</span></li></ul><h2 class="editor-heading-h2" dir="ltr"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Option 4 Overview:</strong></b></h2><ul class="editor-list-ul"><li value="1" class="editor-listitem"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">First Day of School</strong></b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">: September 8, 2026</span><br><i><em class="editor-text-italic" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Please note that Friday, September 4, 2026, is a Board Holiday</em></i></li><li value="2" class="editor-listitem"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Winter Break</strong></b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">: December 21, 2026 to January 1, 2027</span></li><li value="3" class="editor-listitem"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">March Break</strong></b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">: March 15 to 19, 2027</span></li><li value="4" class="editor-listitem"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Last Day of School</strong></b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">: June 29, 2027</span></li><li value="5" class="editor-listitem"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Professional Activity Days</strong></b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span></li><li value="6" class="editor-listitem editor-nested-listitem"><ul class="editor-list-ul"><li value="1" class="editor-listitem"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">September 2, 2026</span></li><li value="2" class="editor-listitem"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">September 3, 2026</span></li><li value="3" class="editor-listitem"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">October 26, 2026</span></li><li value="4" class="editor-listitem"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">February 2, 2027</span></li><li value="5" class="editor-listitem"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">April 16, 2027</span></li><li value="6" class="editor-listitem"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">May 31, 2027</span></li><li value="7" class="editor-listitem"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">June 30, 2027</span></li></ul></li><li value="6" class="editor-listitem"><a href="https://www.limestone.on.ca/documents/522f1e3e-d355-4639-9c5c-734db566fcdb/2026-2027-School-Year-Calendar-Option-4.pdf" class="editor-link"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Click here to view School Year Calendar – Option 4</span></a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> (PDF)</span></li></ul><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Please take a few minutes to complete this short survey. The survey will remain open until </span><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">February 9 at 12:00 p.m. (noon).</strong></b></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Survey link:</strong></b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a href="https://bit.ly/20262027SchoolYearCalendar" class="editor-link"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">bit.ly/20262027SchoolYearCalendar</strong></b></a></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">If you would prefer a paper version of the survey, please contact your school and a hard copy will be provided.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Your input is important to us, and we appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback.</span></p>

<h2 class="editor-heading-h2" dir="ltr"><img src="/images/474fd7ad-a699-440c-b07c-6f721154865c" alt="LDSB Black History Month Opening Ceremony Poster" width="637" height="796" style="width:637px;height:796px;display:inline-block"><br><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">You're Invited: LDSB Black History Month Opening Ceremony</span></h2><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">When:</strong></b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> Wednesday, February 4, 2026, 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Where: </strong></b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">LCVI, 153 Van Order Drive, Kingston</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">All students, staff, families, and community members are invited to join us for an evening of community, connection, and celebration with food, music, and dancing! Featuring: Kids Zone with "Ruthy's Reading Room," and a performance by Cassel Miles as Josiah Henson.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">This event is presented by the LDSB and the LCVI BIPOC affinity group. We hope to see you there!</span></p>

<p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Dear Families,</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">I hope this message finds you well as we approach the end of the last school week of 2025 and the upcoming holiday season. &nbsp;I wanted to share a few updates with you before we head into the Winter Break:</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">EQAO Results</strong></b></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The Ministry of Education recently released the 2024-2025 Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) results, and we are proud to share that Limestone achieved its strongest performance in four years, with gains across every testing category.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Limestone’s results align with provincial outcomes in many areas and show notable improvements in others, including among specific student groups. In fact, Limestone’s performance is at or above the provincial average in nearly all measures.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">These accomplishments reflect the collective efforts of Limestone’s educators, Educational Assistants, program teams, and school leaders—along with the commitment and support of students and families across the district. I am deeply proud of the dedication shown by Limestone staff, students, and families in achieving these results.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">More information on EQAO results is </span><a href="https://www.limestone.on.ca/news/limestone-s-eqao-results-improve-across-all-categories-20251205185556" class="editor-link"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">available on Limestone’s website</span></a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">, including a </span><a href="https://www.limestone.on.ca/documents/2a916cd2-b224-4a93-a4b3-b0a57ae98e62/Letter-to-Parents-EQAO-Dec-3-2025.pdf" class="editor-link"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">letter to families from Minister of Education, Paul Calandra</span></a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Grade 8 Information Nights</strong></b></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The Limestone District School Board is hosting Grade 8 Parent Information Nights at secondary schools across the region for families and students. These events include a special presentation about the school, its programs, and the registration process.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Information nights are also a great opportunity to learn about the wide variety of programs available for secondary students in Limestone—including expanded opportunities, French immersion, the International Baccalaureate program, and more. We are very proud of the range and choice of different secondary programs we provide to the communities we serve.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Upcoming </span><a href="https://www.limestone.on.ca/news/grade-8-information-nights-20251208194333" class="editor-link"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">information night dates can be found on Limestone’s website</span></a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Inclement Weather Reminder/Tri-Board Transportation Reminder</strong></b></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">We are now well into the inclement weather season and have already experienced some transportation cancellation days. Our transportation partner, Tri-Board Student Transportation Services (Tri-Board), works closely with school bus companies to determine whether it is safe to operate on days with adverse weather.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">School buses function differently than family vehicles, and sometimes, even when roads seem safe for cars, conditions are not suitable for buses. Given the geographic size of our district, weather can vary significantly from one region to another. As a result, cancellations may affect only certain areas while others remain unaffected.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">We understand that transportation cancellations can be disruptive for families, but safety is always Tri-Board’s top priority for the 30,000-plus students who ride the bus each day. </span><a href="https://www.limestone.on.ca/news/prepare-for-winter-related-bus-delays-and-cancellations--20251020203640" class="editor-link"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Learn more about how to prepare for winter weather and manage bus cancellation days on our website.</span></a></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Ministry and Board Resources for Math and Literacy</strong></b></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">There are many resources available designed to support your student’s learning in math and literacy, offering engaging activities that can make learning fun and effective for students and families. </span><a href="https://www.limestone.on.ca/tutoring" class="editor-link"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Visit Limestone’s Online Learning Resources and Tutoring webpage</span></a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> to learn more.&nbsp;</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Director’s Annual Report 2024-2025</strong></b></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The Director’s Annual Report offers a concise overview of the teaching and learning that occurred across the Limestone District School Board during the 2024-2025 school year. It highlights ongoing progress toward the Board’s strategic priorities, shares student achievement data, and showcases key initiatives and accomplishments from across the district and is </span><a href="https://www.limestone.on.ca/director-s-annual-report-2024-2025-" class="editor-link"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">available on Limestone’s website</span></a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">We hope all Limestone families enjoy a restful winter break filled with time with those who matter most in your lives. We look forward to welcoming students and staff back to school on Monday, January 5, 2026, ready for an exciting new year of learning.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Krishna Burra</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Director of Education</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">&nbsp;</span></p>