Lord Strathcona Public School Family Update
November 6, 2026
Principal's Message
You would never know it from the weather, but now that the clocks have turned back and we are into November, it will be a quick few weeks until the December Break. The next two months are very busy, as you will see in the newsletter, beginning with Remembrance Day and Harvest Lunch next week. There is more information about these events and others in this week's newsletter, so read through carefully.
Progress Reports and Kindergarten Initial Observations will be sent home next Friday. These early snapshots indicate a child's progress in the first part of the semester, and share some next steps that we will work on for the remainder of the term. This is an excellent opportunity to talk to your child about what they are doing really well at school, and what goals they may have for the rest of the year. Please reach out to your child's teacher or to the office if you have any questions.
G. Seiveright, Principal
Upcoming Dates
Nov. 11 - Remembrance Day
Nov. 12 - Harvest Lunch
Nov. 13 - Progress Reports sent home
Nov. 20 - PA Day - no school for students
Nov. 24 - Photo Retake Day
Remembrance Day
Our annual Remembrance Day Assembly will be on Wed. Nov. 11, at 10:00 a.m. All students will come to the gym for an assembly led by some of our Junior Student leaders, with a moment of silence to honour the day. Students will be given a poppy sticker from the Royal Canadian Legion to wear on Remembrance Day - if you would like to make a small donation to the Legion to support their Remembrance Day initiatives, please send it with your child on Wednesday. Parents and caregivers are invited to join us for our assembly if you would like.
Harvest Lunch
We are very excited to share that with our partners in the Bayridge SS culinary program and thanks to School Council, we are once again this year hosting our Harvest Lunch. This year, lunch will be provided to all students on November 12. It will consist of roast chicken (halal), mashed potatoes, corn, gravy and a cookie, along with a juice box. Students will eat together in the gym between first and second recess (11:30 - 12:30). This is a great community-building event that is always a favourite for our students. Students do not have to eat the lunch that is offered, however you may wish to send fewer snacks that day if they do.
Hot Lunch
Hot lunch has returned to Lord Strathcona! We will be offering lunch for purchase every Thursday this year. This year we are using Gino's as our hot lunch provider. The next scheduled lunches are as follows:
- Fri. Nov. 13: Chicken Fingers/Halal Chicken Fingers (order closes Nov. 8) *Please note this is a Friday due to Harvest Lunch on Nov. 12
- Thurs. Nov. 19: Gino's Pizza (order closes Nov. 15)
- Thurs. Nov. 26: Pasta lunch (order closes Nov. 22)
- Thurs. Dec. 3: Gino's Pizza (order closes Nov. 29)
All orders and payments must be made online using School-Day. You must order before the deadline (10 days before the lunch). LATE ORDERS CAN NOT BE ACCEPTED.
School Council Movie Night!
School Council is excited to announce their first Movie Night of the year. Come and join your friends on Wed. Dec. 2 for a fun winter movie and snacks! Doors will open at 5:45, and the movie will start right at 6:00 (Movie selection to be announced later). All students must be accompanied and supervised by a parent/guardian for the duration of the event. Students are invited to bring blankets, pillows, and stuffies and come in cozy pyjamas or sweats. We hope to see you there!
Winter Gift Shop
Our annual Gift Shop will be open again this year for one day in December! All students will have the opportunity to visit the gym and select one gift for a family member, which we will help them wrap and send home. We are now accepting new and gently used gift items including home decor, games, or other small gift ideas. We are also looking for donations of gift wrap, tissue paper, and gift bags, to help with the wrapping. Thank you for your support - we look forward to this event!
Scholastic Book Fair - Save the Date
We are happy to share that our Scholastic Book Fair will be back again this year. Mark your calendars for November 25-27. This will include a Family Night on Nov. 26, 4:00 - 5:30. Please note that we will only have books on display during the day. Other items such as pencils, erasers, and bookmarks will only be available at the Family Night event. More information will follow closer to the date of the Book Fair.
School Council
Our Lord Strathcona School Council for 2026-27 includes the following executive members:
Chair/Secretary: Bethany Hufnagel
Treasurer: Jay Macdonald
Bingo & Fundraising Coordinator: Angela McGinnis
PIC Rep: Lauren Hudson
Members-at-Large: Diana Guinee, Chantal Gignac
Our School Council plays an important role in supporting school events, planning and organizing fundraisers, and consulting with the Principal and school staff on a variety of important school issues. This includes supporting the Harvest Lunch, bringing Movie Night back, and special treats for the Jingle Bell Walk and Winter Break. Our next meeting of the year will be on Jan. 14 at 5:15 p.m. in the library. All parents/caregivers are welcome at all meetings.
Jingle Bell Run/Walk/Wheel and Food Drive
Every December, we run a food drive that ends with our Jingle Bell Run/Walk/Wheel. On Friday, December 4, the whole school will participate in a festive fit break in the afternoon, and receive a special treat from School Council. Ahead of that, the week of Nov. 30 - Dec. 4 we are collecting donations of non perishable food items to support our local community. Thank you in advance for your support!
Volunteers
We love having volunteers in our school! Volunteers fill a variety of important roles at Lord Strathcona, including helping in classrooms, going on field trips, helping out with special events, keeping the library in order, and more!
Board policy states that people wishing to volunteer (including parents/guardians attending school field trips) are required to complete a mandatory screening process that includes a police criminal record check, sometimes better known as a CPIC that has a completion date within the last six (6) months. In most instances, a Vulnerable Sector Check CPIC will be required if the volunteer will be working regularly, directly, and/or alone, with students. In some instances, for example if a parent/guardian is participating on a field trip to attend to the needs of their child, a CPIC may not be required (a condition of this situation must be that this parent is never alone with children other than their own). In this case, an offense declaration would be acceptable. A Vulnerable Sector Check CPIC can be obtained from the Kingston Police. The office will provide a letter to anyone requiring a CPIC to confirm that you are requesting it to work in a school.
Parking info
As you may have noticed, the Unitarian church across the street is under construction, and we can no longer use their parking lot. Our school parking lot is for Staff Parking only. Street parking is permitted as posted in the neighbourhood on Jane Ave., Westmoreland Rd., and Seaforth Rd. There is no parking on either side of the street on McMahon Ave. in front of the school. Students and families are encouraged to walk or ride bikes/scooters where possible, and to be very careful at pick-up/drop off times if driving around the school.
CREATING BALANCE IN A DIGITAL WORLD
Digital wellness helps children develop healthy, balanced habits with technology and screen time. As students explore digital wellness at school, we want to share a few simple ideas families can try at home. By listening, learning together, and keeping communication open, we can help children develop a healthy relationship with technology.
WHY DIGITAL WELLNESS MATTERS
Digital wellness can help children:
- Develop healthy habits and daily routines
- Get enough sleep and enjoy restful evenings
- Balance online activities with offline experiences
- Build face-to-face connections
- Make time for physical activity, hobbies, and outdoor play
- Reflect on their technology use and make thoughtful choices
SUPPORTING DIGITAL WELLNESS AT HOME
- Monitor screen time: Use built-in device features to help track and manage screen time.
- Create a screen-free zone: Choose a time or place, such as mealtimes or bedrooms, where devices are put away.
- Try a 60-minute wind-down: When possible, aim for screen-free time during the hour before bed. Encourage relaxing alternatives such as reading, talking, or listening to music.
RESOURCES FOR CAREGIVERS
- Centre for Healthy Screen Use - Canadian Paediatric Society
- Helping Your Child Manage Digital Technology
- Digital Literacy Resources for Parents
Busing Information
You can check your busing information and apply for any changes to transportation at https://triboard.ca/ . All students must be registered for the bus in order to be able to ride. Please note that new applications and any changes take several days to process, so be sure to have alternate transportation plans in place. Please be at your child's bus stop 10 minutes before their scheduled pick-up/drop-off time to make sure you are there on time. You do not need to re-apply for busing in September if your school and address have not changed, but if you have moved or your child is changing schools, you must re-apply!
Office Notes
Please note that our Office Administrator is on lunch from 11:30 - 12:30. Phones may not be answered during this time, and it may take longer than normal to answer the front door. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
All parents dropping students off or picking students up are asked to wait in the foyer for your child. To help ensure school and student safety and to minimize disruptions, parents/caregivers are not allowed to go down to classrooms during the school day. If you need to pick your child up early from school, please notify the office before 3:15. After that regular dismissal routines start to get very busy and it can be difficult to get a message to classrooms. Thank you for your understanding.
PlayYGK! Charitable Gaming fundraising
Through our School Council, Lord Strathcona is a proud participant of Charitable Gaming! Through funds raised at Play! Gaming and Entertainment Centre we are able to continue our important work supporting students. Money raised from this partnership goes to covering a variety of expenses, including buses for field trips, yard equipment and Chromebooks for students! Over $750 million has been raised for charities across Ontario through Charitable Gaming.
School Council Facebook Group
School Council reminds families of the unofficial Facebook Group for Parents and Guardians in the LSPS community to connect. Any parent or guardian is welcome to join at the QR code in the image, or by following the link: Facebook.com/groups/LSPSparents This will be a place to find reminders of upcoming events and to build connections with other families in the community. This group is not monitored by the school and is not a place to ask student-specific questions or raise concerns. Please feel free to share the link with any LSPS parent or guardian you are connected with - the more the merrier!
Daily Schedule (2026-2027 school year)
Time | Activity/learning block |
|---|---|
8:50 a.m. | Supervision begins on the yard |
9:05 to 10:45 a.m. | 100-minute learning block |
10:45 to 11:25 a.m. | Recess and nutrition break |
11:25 a.m. to 1:05 p.m. | 100-minute learning block |
1:05 to 1:45 p.m. | Recess and nutrition break |
1:45 to 3:25 p.m. | 100-minute learning block |
3:25 p.m. | Dismissal |
If you have any questions, please contact school administration. Thank you for your continued support.
Allergen Awareness - Nut-Free School
Thank you for packing nut-free snacks! Please communicate with teachers before sending any treats in for your student's class.
2026-2027 LDSB School Year Calendar
A PDF version of the 2026-2027 School Year Calendar is available online.
