Lord Strathcona Public School Family Update
September 25, 2026
Principal's Message
It's hard to believe that we have nearly come to the end of the first month of school! Staff and students have been working hard in classrooms completing baseline assessments in math and literacy, and setting goals for the year. Our soccer teams went off to their Regional Tournament today, and had a great day in the sunshine, making us all proud.
We have a very busy week next week as we head into October. We start the week with our Terry Fox Run, and will recognize Orange Shirt Day on Wednesday. We are also excited to welcome families to our Open House on Thursday, from 4:30 - 5:30. More information about these events and more can be found in this week's newsletter. Please reach out to your child's teacher or to the office if you have any questions!
G. Seiveright, Principal
Upcoming Dates
Sept. 28 - Terry Fox Run
Sept. 30 - Nat'l Day for Truth and Reconciliation (Orange Shirt Day)
Oct. 1 - Bus safety presentations k-6
Oct. 1 - Save the Date! Open House
Oct. 12 - Thanksgiving - no school
Oct. 13 - Regional Cross Country meet at Fort Henry Hill
Oct. 21 - Picture Day
Oct. 26 - PA Day - no school for students
Open House - Oct. 1!
At our Open House, School Council will also be hosting a 'Give-and-Take' table. Families are invited to drop off and pick up gently used clothing items for the upcoming school year. Please ensure that all donations are clean. Any clothing left over at the end of the event will be dropped off to a local charity.
Terry Fox Run
Every September, schools across the province participate in the Terry Fox School Run as a way to remember the courage and determination of Terry Fox. The Terry Fox School Run is more than an event, it is a powerful educational experience that encourages students to embody the values Terry championed: courage, perseverance, compassion, and hope. It fosters civic responsibility, character development, and engagement in causes greater than oneself; values that align closely with the ministry’s commitment to student well-being and success.
Our annual Terry Fox Run will take place this year on Monday, Sept. 28. Students will learn about Terry, who ran across Canada to raise money for cancer research, and will run with students across Canada in their own fundraiser. Students are encouraged to bring a small donation with them on the day of the run, a 'Twonie for Terry', or if you would prefer you can make a donation online here: https://schools.terryfox.ca/133920
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is held annually on Sept. 30. This day commemorates the tragic history and ongoing impacts of residential schools in Canada. It is an important component of the reconciliation process. We will have an assembly on Wednesday to explain the importance of this day in age-appropriate ways, and we encourage all students to participate in Orange Shirt Day to honour the survivors of residential schools.
School Council
Our School Council held its elections and first meeting of the year yesterday. We are pleased to share that our Lord Strathcona School Council for 2026-27 will include 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. Our next meeting of the year will be on Nov. 5 at 5:00 p.m. in the library. All parents/caregivers are welcome at all meetings.
Lunch is Ready!
We are excited to share that once again the Food Sharing Program will be running the Lunch is Ready program at Lord Strathcona this year. Students who register will receive a free nutritious meal once per week, including a main course, fruit, and milk. Meals will be delivered to the school every Tuesday starting October 20 through December 15. Registration for the Lunch is Ready! (LIR) program opens on Monday, September 21 and closes on Friday, October 9.
To view the menu and register your child, please visit: https://foodsharingproject.store/ . Paper registration forms will be available at school and a representative will be at our Open House to support registration.
Our goal is to provide free, nutritious meals to all students at school!
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.
BGC South East Fall 2026 Evening & Weekend STEM Programs
Looking for fun and educational STEM opportunities outside of school? BGC South East offers 10-week evening and weekend programs for children and youth ages 4 to 18, with programs in coding, robotics, 3D printing, STEAM, environmental science, and more! Fall programs begin next week, with 1 session per week, and some spots are still open. Learn more and register here: https://boysandgirlsclubofkingstonareaincl.my.site.com/#/app/program/list/DIV-001/
(ADD FLYERS FROM BGC)
Fire/Safety Drills
We have now successfully completed our first two Fire Drills of the year. Students and staff safely and quickly exited the building and everyone was accounted for in 5 minutes! We will have our final Fire Drill next week, and then our fall Lockdown Drill the following week. Students will be prepared for these drills by their classroom educators in age-appropriate ways.
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.
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
NEW this year is an 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.
