Lord Strathcona Public School Family Update
March 6, 2026
Principal's Message
Don't forget that Daylight Saving Time starts this weekend. Remember to set clocks ahead one hour overnight Saturday to avoid being late for school. With the time change we are finally noticing early signs of spring, and as the weather warms up and the snow melts the yard will surely be wet and muddy for a while. Please send students dressed appropriately for outdoor play, whatever the weather.
March Break is coming up quickly. There is no school for students the week of Mar. 16-20. We hope everyone has a nice break with family, and we look forward to seeing everyone back on March 23. Looking ahead there is also no school Friday April 3 and Monday April 6, for the Easter Weekend.
G. Seiveright, Principal
Upcoming Dates
March Break: Mar 16 - 20
Mar. 19 - Eid al-Fitr (Eid Mubarak!)
Apr. 3 - Good Friday (No School)
Apr. 6 - Easter Monday (No School)
Ramadan
We have been happy to support our fasting students during the month of Ramadan, and will continue to do so until the March Break. Our gym has become our quiet space during nutrition breaks, where fasting students are welcome to play quiet games, colour, read, or do puzzles. Please ensure that your child's teacher knows if you would like them to access this alternate space next week. Eid Mubarak on March 19 to those families in our communities observing this important month!
Kindergarten Registration
Hot Lunch
Hot lunch has returned to Lord Strathcona for term two! We will be offering lunch for purchase every Wednesday, beginning on March 4. We have switched providers and all lunches listed below will be from Paradiso Pizza.
The next scheduled lunches are as follows:
- Wed. Mar. 11: Pasta
- Wed. Mar. 25: Grilled Cheese
- Wed. Apr. 1: Personal Pizza
All orders and payments must be made online using School-Day. You must order before the deadline (Sundays before the lunch). LATE ORDERS CAN NOT BE ACCEPTED.
Family Math Games Night!
Save the date: April 9! Details below:
Lunch is Ready! Spring Session
The Spring session of the Lunch in Ready! (LIR) program will run from April 13 to June 19, 2026. This program provides nutritious, ready-to-eat lunches delivered directly to schools for students who may benefit from additional food support during the school day.
Students who are currently enrolled in the program will automatically continue for the Spring session. Families do not need to register again. If you would prefer to opt out, please email info@foodsharingproject.org.
New families who would like to register a student can do so by visiting our webstore: https://foodsharingproject.store/. The menu for the upcoming session is also available to view on the webstore. The deadline to register is March 25, 2026.
If you have any questions or need support with registration, please contact The Food Sharing Project office by emailing info@foodsharingproject.org or calling 613-530-3514.
Bus Cancellations
As we have seen several times already this year, sometimes buses are cancelled due to inclement weather. The decision to cancel buses is made by TriBoard, in consultation with the Limestone District School Board, early in the morning. This decision may be based on active weather in the morning, forecast weather for later in the day, or road conditions. When buses are cancelled in the morning they are cancelled for the full day. We will send an email to families in the morning when buses are cancelled, but you can also sign up for notifications at https://triboard.ca/snowdays/ . Please remember that if you drive your children to school on inclement weather days our supervision begins at 8:45 a.m. and students must be picked up by 3:30. If they are staying home due to weather or bus cancellations, please report the absence through SafeArrival to avoid an attendance call.
Immunization Update
Dress for the weather!
Families are reminded that we have 50 minutes of outdoor recess every day. Along with this, many classes enjoy gym time outside and also may use our many yard spaces as an outdoor classroom. Remember to send your students to school every day prepared for the weather. We will still go out in cold weather or snow, so make sure that children have boots, coats, snowpants, and mitts/hats as necessary. It is so much fun outside, especially when students are dressed for the weather!
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 3:10. 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.
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.
PlayYGK! Charitable Gaming fundraising
Through our School Council, Lord Strathcona is a proud participant of Charitable Gaming! Through funds raised at @PlayYGK, we can continue our important work supporting students. Moneys raised from this partnership goes to covering a variety of expenses, including yard equipment and paying for buses for all our field trips!
School-Year Calendar 2026-27
The Ministry of Education has approved the school year calendar for the 2026-2027 school year. The school year will start on September 1 (P.A. Day) and the first day of classes for students is on September 2, 2026. A printable calendar along with the 5-day cycle calendar are posted on the Board website here: https://www.limestone.on.ca/school-year-calendar
School Council
Our small but mighty School Council continues to meet to discuss events and fundraisers at Lord Strathcona, bring up issues with administration, and plan special opportunities for students and families. This includes the upcoming Family Math Games Night!
Our Lord Strathcona School Council includes the following executive members:
Chair/Secretary/PIC Rep: Bethany Hufnagel
Treasurer: Carrie Fenton
Bingo & Fundraising Coordinator: Angela McGinnis
Our next School Council meeting will be held on Thursday, April 23 at 4:00 p.m. in the library. We are trying different times for our meetings this year in the hopes that new interested parents and caregivers will join us! All LSPS parents/guardians are invited to join us.
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
Time | Activity/learning block |
|---|---|
8:45 a.m. | Supervision begins on the yard |
9:00 to 10:40 a.m. | 100-minute learning block |
10:40 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 1:50 p.m. | Recess and nutrition break |
1:50 to 3:30 p.m. | 100-minute learning block |
3:30 p.m. | Dismissal |
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.
2025-2026 LDSB School Year Calendar
A PDF version of the 2025-2026 School Year Calendar is available online.