Gator Tracks November 24-28, 2025

 AVPS Families,

🍂 A Note From the School Team

It is hard to believe we are already nearing the end of November. As the weather changes, our Gators continue to dig into learning, and together we are deepening our understanding of the power of our words.

🪶 Indigenous Education Month

November marks Indigenous Education Month—a meaningful opportunity to deepen our learning about the diverse histories, cultures, and contributions of Indigenous Peoples. As a school community, we remain committed to growing our understanding, respect, and appreciation together.

November 16th was Louis Riel Day

Louis Riel was a Métis leader who worked to protect the rights and lands of the Métis people. He led the Red River Resistance in 1869 and helped create the province of Manitoba. Louis Riel is remembered as a courageous leader who stood up for his people, their culture, and their language.
On November 16, we honour Louis Riel and celebrate the Métis Nation; its history, culture, and ongoing contributions across what is currently known as Canada.

💬 Learning Together

This week, during Anti-Bullying Week, our classes explored how bullying impacts others and how each of us can help stop it. Positive, uplifting messages filled our school, reminding everyone that kindness matters.

🤝 Disagreeing Respectfully

We also learned that it’s normal to disagree — but we can do it with respect. We don’t have to be disagreeable when we disagree.

🌟 The Work Continues

Even though the week is ending, our work isn’t. Standing up for one another is something we do every single day.

🛡️ Standing Up Together

Let’s keep speaking up, supporting each other, and building a community where everyone feels safe and valued.
Let’s stand against bullying — at school, at home, and everywhere we go!

💬 Words Matter Campaign

We are excited to share that we have once again joined the Words Matter Campaign through the Harmony Movement.
Working closely with our Equity Team, we are supporting students, staff, and families in addressing harmful language and creating respectful, inclusive spaces where everyone can thrive.

This learning will:

• empower students to respond confidently to discriminatory language,
• strengthen their voices, and
• help our whole community build a culture where everyone feels valued and respected.

Together, we can address harm and rebuild a strong sense of belonging across our school.

🙏 A Huge Thank-You to School Council

Our fabulous School Council continues to inspire us with their dedication to organizing activities and events for our Gators.
A special thank-you for the delicious coffee treat on Staff Appreciation Day—thank you for the delicious Starbucks! We are grateful for your generosity.

🎒 Welcome to School, Gators!

What a wonderful way to start the day! This morning, some of our littlest Gators were greeted by a special guest playing the bagpipes as students entered the building. What a treat!  A big 🐊 kudos to our incredible AVPS staff for organizing such a memorable and joyful start to the morning.

💖 A Season of Kindness

As we approach the New Year and the busyness of the season begins, we encourage everyone to:

• be kind to one another,
• be kind to themselves, and
• remember those in our community who may be experiencing hardship.

🎄 Jingle Bell Walk

The Jingle Bell Walk will take place on Friday, December 5th.

We will be collecting non-perishable food items for the Lions Club from November 24th to December 16^th.

❄️ Welcome to Winter Event

We can’t wait to welcome Gator families to our Welcome to Winter celebration!
Please see the Hold the Date notice below.

🏒 Gators in the Community

This week, students In Mr. McCrea, Mme. Scott, M. Saunders and Mme. Lecompte’s classes attended a Kingston Frontenacs game—lots of cheering and a wonderful experience for all!

🏐 Go Gators Go!

Hats off to our hardworking volleyball teams and coaches for their dedication and spirit.
Go Gators go!
A big thank-you to our coaches (Ms. Morihovitis, M. MCrea, M. Saunders) for the time and energy they pour into our athletes.

Bus Cancellation Days

On bus cancellation days, schools remain open unless you hear otherwise. If you drive your child to school on these days, please pick students up at their class lineup spot at 3:25 PM.

End-of-Day Pickups

Please avoid calling the office after 3:00 PM to arrange pick-ups. By this time, classes are packing up, transitioning outdoors, or already heading to the buses.

Office Administrator Update

Brenda Buffett and Pam Smith will be supporting the AVPS office alongside assistant office administrator Erin Carrol while we work through the staffing process for Barb Rolfe’s replacement. We extend a big thank-you to Ms. Buffett,, Ms. Smith and Ms. Carrol for helping ensure consistency in our office during this transition.

🧥 Weather-Ready Reminder

Thank you for sending your child with clearly labeled, weather-appropriate clothing—including extra items as needed. Being prepared helps students stay comfortable, focused, and ready for learning and play each day.

Resources that support foundational literacy and math skills at home can be found through the links below!

We appreciate every conversation and connection we share with our families. We love supporting all Gators—big and small—and truly value our partnership with families.

Please reach out to the school if you have any questions, we are here to support you!

Admin Team Brigid Steele P, Drew Boyce VP & the AVPS Gator Staff Team

See Yourself in Limestone – Student Census Survey 

The upcoming See Yourself in Limestone Student Census. The census is a voluntary and confidential survey for students in Grades 4 to 12. Please note, there was one error in the message shared with you regarding the dates of the Student Census. The correct dates are November 24 to 28, 2025.

As a reminder, families who do not want their student(s) to complete the survey must contact their school Principal by Friday, November 14, 2025. Opting out means the student will not receive the survey in their e-mail inbox.

By better understanding students’ identities and experiences, we can remove barriers and better support students in accessing what they need to succeed.

Learn more about the Student Census and how it supports equity in Limestone: limestone.on.ca/student_census

You’re Invited: Level Up! Skilled Trades Career Fair Open House

 Limestone families – explore student opportunities in the skilled trades!

Join us for the Level Up! Open House and:

Get up close: Watch skilled trades professionals in action during live demonstrations and explore using tools and machinery.

Meet the experts: Chat one-on-one with employers, apprentices, tradespeople, and instructors who share real-world insights and personal journeys in the skilled trades.

Plan student pathways: Explore apprenticeship pathways with expert guidance and resources provided by Skilled Trades Ontario.

When: December 2, 2025, 3:00 p.m.-7:30 p.m.

Where: Kingston, Slush Puppie Place, 1 The Tragically Hip Way, Kingston

Who: All Limestone families welcome

Cost: Free! No registration needed

About Level Up!

Level Up! Skilled Trades Career Fairs are a series of dynamic, multi-day events that connect you with Ontario’s top skilled trades professionals from industry organizations, post-secondary institutions, businesses, associations and more.

Visit a skilled trades career fair near you and explore Ontario’s 140+ skilled trades through interactive exhibits and hands-on activities, while hearing directly from tradespeople and local employers about rewarding, life-changing career paths.

To learn more, visit levelupontario.ca/open-house.

Canadian Armed Forces Training in the Community 

December 3, 2025

 📍 Locations: South Frontenac, Perth, Loyalist & Greater Napanee

Families, please be aware that on this day, members of the Canadian Armed Forces will be taking part in a one-day training exercise in several local communities.

🪖 What to Expect:

• Military members in uniform
• No weapons will be used
• Small groups moving through the community
• All activities supervised by course staff

🎒 Why They’re Here:

 This training helps students learn how to work with community leaders during emergencies and how communities might support people during a large evacuation.

 ➡️ This is practice only and not related to any real emergency.

📢 Local municipalities and media are also being informed to help keep everyone aware.

Looking for Gator Spirit Wear? Visit the AVPS E-Store

Visit the AVPS e-Store to view and order Gator Gear!

AVPS Lost & Found – Are you missing things?

AVPS School Advisory Council 2025-2026

📅 Next SAC Meeting

Our next School Advisory Council (SAC) meeting will be held on Thursday January 15 at 6:00 p.m.
Join us in the school library or online everyone is welcome!
All meetings will be in person at 6:00 pm in the AVPS library and online, through MS Teams.
Everyone who is part of our Gator family is welcome to attend any of our meetings this year.  Childcare will be provided.  We look forward to hearing your voice!

AVPS School Advisory Council Executive Team 2025-2026

• Chair: Danielle Preston
• Vice Chair/Co-Chair: Karlee Peterson
• Treasurer: Amanda Arbuckle
• Secretary: Lyndsay Johnson
• Divisional Reps:  Kindergarten – Kaileigh Babcock, Primary – Britta Flood

Junior/Intermediate - Gelareh Monajemi

• Member at Large: Lisa Cassidy, Marsha Snyder, Matt St. Jean
• Fundraising Coordinator: Carrie Finn
• Volunteer/Hot Lunch Coordinator: Courtney Saccary, Karlee Peterson
• Event Coordinator: Erin Blanchard

💬 Did You Know?

We have School Advisory Council Representatives for each division! If you have a question, concern, or aren’t sure who to ask, reach out to your division rep they’re here to help!

• Kindergarten: Kaileigh Babcock – kaileighbabcock@gmail.com
• Primary (Grades 1 to 3): Britta Flood – brittaflood@gmail.com
• Junior (Grades 4 to 8): Gelareh Monajemi – gelareh@goldtalentagency.com

For general inquiries, email us anytime at avpssac@outlook.com

Follow Us on Facebook

Amherstview Public School Advisory Council https://www.facebook.com/AVPSAC

Stay in the Loop!

Our SAC has created a handy calendar to make it easy to keep track of all school events, fundraisers, and important updates in one place. Check it regularly to stay up to date!

🌲 Upcoming Fundraiser: CC Farms

Details available on School Day about our next fundraiser with CC Farms! You’ll be able to order winter planters and wreaths  perfect for gifting or decorating at home. Pick up Date: December 2nd 3:30pm to 5:30pm

🎨 Sign Painting Fundraiser!

Join us for a fun evening of creativity at our Sign Painting Fundraiser on December 16 in the AVPS Library. All proceeds support school initiatives! Register by December 9 by visiting www.facebook.com/loghomecreation Spots are limited, so don’t miss out!

🍕🥪 Hot Lunch is Back!

Families can now enjoy two lunch days each week Wednesdays with Boston Pizza and Fridays with Subway.

Orders are placed through Lunch Box - How to Order - Quick Steps

1. Visit www.lunchboxorders.net

2. Click “Create an Account” follow the steps to register

3. Add your child(ren) to your profile, select city (Amherstview), including school, teacher, and grade (very important for correct delivery!).

4. Click a blue calendar date to view meal options and place orders

5. Pay securely online using: Visa / MasterCard / Discover / Debit Visa / Prepaid

Get Involved!

We’re always looking for volunteers to help make our school events a success! If you’re interested in lending a hand, please fill out our Google Form  it’s quick and easy to sign up and stay connected with upcoming opportunities.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf5jeQ9p9T9N02tra3l9xL_80wMRrXCCxXC8CyPoS6YPtKwBQ/viewform?usp=header 

Coming Up This Week 

Upcoming Dates

December 2025

• 2 - CC Farms Fundraiser Pick Up 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.
• 18 - School Advisory Council Meeting 6 to 7 p.m.
• 18 - Welcome Winter Open House Time TBD
• December 22 - January 2 - Winter Break

January 2026

• 5 - First day of school 2026
• 30 - PA Day No School for Students

February 2026

• 13 - Term 1 Report Cards go Home
• 16 - Family Day Holiday

March 2026

• 16 to 20 - March Break

April 2026

• 3 - Holiday
• 6 - Holiday
• 17 - PA Day No School for Students

May 2026

• 18 - Victoria Day Holiday
• 29 - PA Day No School for Students

June 2026

• 18 – Tentative Grade 8 Graduation
• 19 – Tentative Gr. FI Farewell Celebration

Inclement Weather Season

As we approach the inclement weather months (roughly early November to early April), our transportation partner, Tri-Board Student Transportation Services (Tri-Board), works closely with their school bus companies to determine if it is safe to offer school transportation on inclement weather days. School buses function differently than other vehicles, and sometimes, although it is safe for the average family vehicle to travel, it is not safe for a school bus to be on the road. Due to the geographic size of our district, weather conditions can vary significantly from one region to another. As a result, there are times when transportation cancellations may only apply to specific areas experiencing adverse conditions, while other regions remain unaffected. Having to cancel school transportation is understandably disruptive to families, but Tri-Board always puts the safety of their 30,000-plus bus riders first and foremost in their decision-making. Learn more about how to help make the winter season and bus cancellation days easier for families to manage on our website.

Free Access to IDELLO for the French as a Second Language Community

We are excited to share that Télévision française de l’Ontario (TFO) is offering free access to IDELLO for families in the French as a Second Language (FSL) community!

IDELLO is a rich online platform that offers virtual training, events, and resources designed to support French-language learning for educators, parents, and students. It is a great way to explore engaging content and strengthen language skills at home.

In recognition of Truth and Reconciliation Day, IDELLO also features a special resource collection for Grades 5 to 12. These materials help students learn about the lived experiences of Indigenous peoples in Canada and encourage thoughtful reflection on building a better future.

To request free access, families can contact TFO directly at support@idello.org.
Do not miss this opportunity to bring meaningful French-language learning and cultural reflection into your home!

Ministry and Board Resources for Math and Literacy

There are many resources available designed to support your student’s learning in math and literacy, offering engaging activities that can make learning fun and effective for students and families. Visit Limestone’s Online Learning Resources and Tutoring webpage to learn more.

School Mental Health Ontario Resources

School Mental Health Ontario offers a variety of free resources for educators, students, and families. To stay updated with the latest information, resources, and research, families can visit the SMHO website. Simply scroll to the bottom of the page, click on "Connect with Us," and enter your contact information.

Progressive Discipline and Promoting Positive Student Behaviour - Administrative Procedure 353

Limestone District School Board is committed to building and sustaining a positive school climate that is safe, inclusive, and accepting for all students enrolled in the Board’s schools in order to support their education so that all students reach their full potential. It is important that all students have a safe, caring and accepting school environment in order to maximize their learning potential and to ensure a positive school climate for all members of the school community.

Progressive Discipline & Promoting Positive Student Behaviour