The Hallways at Polson
We are lucky to have educators who love teaching visual arts and students who love doing visual arts at Polson! The final products they create often grace the halls of our school and our school community has enjoyed seeing the halls become filled with creativity and colour as the school year progresses. Visual arts also offers an opportunity for cross-curricular moments as educators pair learning in this subject area with others such as language, science, and math.
Here are some recent work samples from M. Claros' French Immersion Grade 2/3 class and Ms. Honcharsky's English Grade 2/3 class. Bravo, les amis!
A Panther High Five!
Thank you so much to our amazing SAC/Parent Council who led the charge with a fabulous evening of fun, dancing, music, and excitement at the Hallowe'en Dance this past Thursday October 29th. Spirits were high, sugar was plentiful, people were sweaty, and our amazingly talented DJs kept the crowd moving and grooving for the full two hours! We are lucky to have such a wonderfully active SAC/Parent Council as well as a community of fun-loving folks who always enjoy participating in these events.
What's Up @ Polson
Here is a peek at what is coming up at Polson...
Mon. 2 November is... Hindu Heritage Month This week is... Holocaust Education Week | Welcome to our new Office Administrator - Ms. Kelman! Welcome to Mme Funderberg, who is taking over for Mme Marshall! Queen's Gotta Dance with Mme Underhill's class Portable 6 - 2:30-3:15 |
Tues. 3 | |
Wed. 4 | Hot lunch (if students have ordered) Queen’s Dance Club – morning recess (primary 10:55, junior 11:15) in gym, drop-in Tallack's Karate Kids 1:15 Staff Meeting Safe and Accepting Schools meeting 5:30-6pm SAC Meeting, 6pm (see details below) |
Thurs. 5 | Debbie Lajoie (Primary Math Curriculum Consultant) at Polson |
Fri. 6 | Dairy Education presentations in Kindergarten classrooms Polson Spirit Day - wear your Panther Pride clothing! Lunch is Ready! Saturday is International Inuit Day Sunday is Indigenous Veterans' Day, Diwali, and Bandi Chhor Diwas |
Mon. 9 This week is... Rock Your Mocs Week | |
Tues. 10 | |
Wed. 11 | Remembrance Day Ceremony (AM - two assemblies - one for primary and one for junior, more details to follow, families/caregivers are invited to attend) |
Thurs. 12 | |
Fri. 13 | Kindergarten Communication of Learning: Initial Observations and the Elementary Progress Reports distributed to families Pictures – Retakes and Classes Katharine St Clair (Learning Partner) - at Polson for AM Polson Spirit Day - wear your Panther Pride clothing! Lunch is Ready! Saturday is World Diabetes Day |
More on the docket...
For your information...
Polson Park SAC News
During our first meeting of the year, the following positions on Council were elected:
Council Chair – Sarah E
Vice Chair – Christina P
Treasurer – Alison J
Secretary – Zahra
Communications Coordinator – Korrin JB
Events Coordinator- Karly R
Inclusive Education Coordinator – Stephanie H
Indigenous Family Rep – Brent L
Parent Involvement Committee Rep –
Black and People of Colour Rep –
Bingo Admin Coordinator – Kendra G
Bingo Volunteer Coordinator - Laura G
We still have a few open positions and would love to welcome any parents/guardians who are interested in getting involved in our school community.
If you'd like to join School Council, it's not too late—we'd love to have you! If you are interested in volunteering in School Council events, here is how you can do that:
General Event Volunteering (click for form)
Our next meeting is this week Wednesday, November 4 @ 6:00 pm in Room 104 (virtual option available).
Lunch Box Orders
If your student is interested in a hot lunch, please see the link below to order. Lunch happens on Wednesdays and we alternate between subs (Subway) and pizza (Little Caesars). Orders are due on Sundays at noon.
https://lunchbox.kevgroup.com/welcome-to-lunchbox
From the City of Kingston:
E-scooters are easy to find, but they aren't toys and aren't designed for kids. In Ontario, you must be at least 16 years old to ride wherever e-scooters are permitted.
In Kingston, e-scooters are not currently permitted. The City is developing a Micromobility Regulations Strategy — with updated rules around e-scooters, e-bikes and other lightweight, rideable transportation — to support safe, accessible and sustainable travel around Kingston. The strategy, which considers public engagement feedback and research into best practices, will be presented to Council for consideration later this year.
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
Human Development and Sexual Health
As part of LDSB's commitment to ongoing transparency and communication with families, please follow the link to Form 325-D on the LDSB website. It outlines the Human Development and Sexual Health curriculum expectations for Grades 1-8. Families can request to have their child or children exempted from instruction related to Human Development and Sexual Health expectations by completing and returning an exemption form for each child (Form 325-B) five school days before the start of instruction. Prior to instruction, your child's classroom teacher will inform parents/guardians when the expectations related to the Human Development and Sexual Health expectations in Strand D will be covered. For a more detailed overview of this process, please refer to Administrative Procedure 325: Exemption From Human Development and Sexual Health Instruction (listed under the Policies and Procedures section of the LDSB website), or contact the school.
Indigenous Self-Identification
Please see the link below for more information and to self-identify, if you wish: https://ldsb.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9U2iaUl9GIFILb0
Brainworx Virtual Tutoring
📌 Who are these programs for?
- Students in Grades 1–8
- Those looking for extra literacy support
- Families seeking fun, free after-school learning opportunities
✨ What can families expect?
- Live storytelling to spark engagement
- Vocabulary-building activities to support language development
- A dynamic approach of movement, games, reading, and discussion
- Mentorship and meaningful connections
- Support for student growth through social-emotional learning (SEL)
👉 Families can register here: brainworx.start2finishonline.org/student/signup
Polson Gear
If you are interested in purchasing some new Polson gear, please see the link from Specialty Trophies below. In addition, our amazingly engaged SAC has some swag themselves - hats and t-shirts!
