Tuesday, September 2, 2014
Dear parents and guardians,
Welcome back! We hope you have had a wonderful summer with your families. Our new Vice-Principal, Ted Vella, and I wish a warm welcome to everyone who has chosen the Lord Lansdowne school community as their home. I spent time in Australia this summer, observing in Sydney schools as part of an Ontario Principals’ Council project, and have come back with a renewed appreciation for what we achieve here in Ontario, as well as great respect for the work done in New South Wales.
We value the diverse nature of our school and your partnership in your children’s learning. Your support is important to set and maintain high standards for students’ academic achievement and for their growth in personal character and citizenship.
A big thank-you to our splendid teachers, who have spent many personal hours in late August setting up their programs and classrooms to make Lord Lansdowne a warm and welcoming environment for our students. I would also like to thank our caretakers for working so hard over the summer to make the school sparkle inside.
We welcome several teachers new to our school, in our growing French programs:
Gr 8 Extended French – Mme Dominique Bellerose-Rawlings
Gr 1 French Immersion – Mme Diane Hamilton, Mlle Anne Alma
Gr 1 /2 French Immersion – Mlle Amanda Colaiacovo
I am sorry to report that Facility Services was unable to complete the track repairs promised us this summer. Apparently all contractors and work crews were required across the city to complete construction on schools that needed additions for Full Day Kindergarten. I will continue to press for prompt action, and my thanks to all of you who advocated for student safety to the board.
I encourage you to join our School Council. All schools in Ontario establish and maintain a School Council consisting of parents, Principal, Vice-Principal, teaching staff, support staff and community representatives. The Council focuses on improving learning opportunities for all students. Our Council, under the capable leadership of Miriam Kramer and the Executive, has been instrumental in building support for enrichment activities for students, and took the lead in organizing community consultation around proposed changes due to our increased enrolment.
A community meeting will be held in mid-September with TDSB staff and the interim trustee, Briony Glassco, to review the recommendations of the PART committee. We will send out flyers as soon as a date is confirmed.
You are receiving a package of forms today. Please read the information carefully and return the necessary paperwork to your child’s teacher. We know it is a lot of form-filling all at once, however this information is extremely important for your child’s safety.
We will be constructing a new school website for this school year. The board has changed formats, and we hope it will be easier to set up and maintain, so you can access information in a timely manner.
We look forward to a productive, happy and truly rewarding year!
Sincerely,
Beth Mills, Edward Vella
Principal Vice-Principal
Lord Lansdowne School Schedule
2014-15
Morning
Supervision in the school yard begins at 8:35 a.m.
Please do not send or drop off students to school any earlier – we do not provide supervision before 8:35 am.
Remember, drop your child off at the south entrance beside the basketball courts.
Students must enter from the schoolyard, not the front doors.
Please make sure that your child is picked up promptly at 3:30 pm (3:20 for Kindergarten).
Lord Lansdowne Daily Schedule
Morning Entry 8:45 am
Classes start 8:50 am
Morning recess 10:20 - 10:30
Lunch dismissal 11:30 am
Lunch Entry bell :
Days 1 and 2 12:45 pm
Days 3, 4, 5 12:15 pm
Afternoon recess 1:50 - 2:00 pm
Afternoon dismissal Kindergarten 3:20 pm
Gr 1 to 8 3:30 pm
Health and Safety at Lord Lansdowne
1. We have a number of students with life-threatening allergies to nuts, and other substances.
Sabrina’s Law outlines our responsibilities as a school community.
Please - NO NUTS OR NUT PRODUCTS
2. Birthday celebrations - Please do not send any food – no cupcakes, cakes, elaborate confections, loot bags, etc to school for birthdays. Please reserve these items for your celebrations at home.
3. Please make sure that your child is dressed appropriately for the weather. We go outside for recess play and at lunch in all but the most extreme weather. It can be very changeable during the fall, so make sure your child has proper footgear, a warm sweater or jacket, and rain gear if needed.