Weekly Update - May 1, 2026

Happy Friday Molly families!

Happy May! Thankfully Spring has arrived.

Many of our students in grades 3-8 are enjoying running practice at recess. Some students will compete at the LCVI Road Race next week. Thank you to our running coaches, Ms. Carter, Ms. Zwicker, Ms. Condlln and Ms. Conner!

Our junior basketball season has been going strong and teams will have their final tournaments on May 7. Thanks to our coaches: Ms. Conner, Mr. A, Mr. Darrah and Ms. Irwin for all of their extra time!

Tis the season for many field trips - please connect with your child's classroom teacher if you have question or require financial support.

We have so much to celebrate at Molly Brant!

Class Placements for 2026-2027 School Year
Our team ensures that exceptional care and thought are put into every student's class placements. This process involves months of observation into academic and social learning. Over the next few weeks, staff will collaborate to discuss each child's placement, including academics, peer groups, dynamics, etc. Should parents/guardians have information they feel is key when placing their child, they are invited to submit remarks or requests to molly@limestone.on.ca. While requests are not guaranteed, we may use information from families to support decision making. The deadline for submitting a class placement request is Friday May 15th.

Discover Kindergarten
With so many new Thunder joining us in September, we wanted to share a LDSB resource document that has lots of links and supports for families transitioning to Kindergarten. 2026 Discover Kindergarten Resources for Families (3)

Upcoming Family Engagement and Climate Survey
The Limestone District School Board is inviting families to take part in the Family Engagement and Climate Survey. This survey gives families an opportunity to share their experiences with their student’s school and with the school board.

The feedback helps us understand what is working well and where we can improve. It also supports schools and school councils in building welcoming, safe, and supportive school communities. Please be sure to check out this link for more information.

Rotary Club Art:

Check out the beautiful art that our students created for the Rotary Club. Special thanks to Ms. Norman and Ms. Conner:

Please join us for our Talent Takeover on May 12 - buy your tickets on School Day!

Some of our students in grades 5-8 went to garden 9 to Learn on the Land:

Next Week is Mental Health Week:

Work Hard, Eat Well - Summer Camp Opportunity

Food Sharing

The Food Sharing program aims to provide nourishment to students to improve their readiness to learn. 

The Food Sharing Project is a community partner of the Ontario Student Nutrition program and is a charitable organization. 

If you would like to make a donation to the Food Sharing Project, you can do so in the "product" tab in School Day.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Mental Health Supports

LDSB wishes to highlight the importance of caring for mental health and well-being. Support is available in the community; reaching out to a trusted adult, family member, friend, or support professional can make a meaningful difference when someone is struggling. 

• Kids Help Phone – Call or text 988 for 24/7 support across Canada
• Kids Help Phone – Text CONNECT to 686868 or access live chat at kidshelpphone.ca
• Maltby Centre (March 17 Kingston Walk-in Clinic; March 18 Sydenham Walk-in Clinic)
• One Stop Talk – Call 1-855-416-8255 or connect online
• Resolve Counselling Services in Kingston and Napanee
• One Roof Kingston (ages 12 to 25)
• Lennox and Addington Youth Hub (ages 10 to 24)
• In an emergency, call 911 or visit the nearest emergency department

Webinars for Parents - School Mental Health Ontario
Supporting Your Child’s Well-Being, a free webinar series created with parents/caregivers, for parents/caregivers. Each session will dive into important mental health and substance use health topics identified by families in Ontario - guided by subject matter experts who offer practical, evidence-informed strategies.

Series dates and topics:

May 7 | 7 - 8 p.m. - Conversations about body image. English language session with simultaneous French interpretation.

June 5 | 12 - 1 p.m. - Conversations about anxiety

For full details on speakers and topics: SMH-ON | By Your Side Free Webinars | Blog

Can't make all dates? No problem! Select one or more of the sessions when you sign up.

Upcoming Dates:

May 5 - School Advisory Council Meeting @ 5:30

May 5 - EQAO opens

May 11 - Molly Track and Field Day - grades 3-8

May 12 - Talent Takeover at 5:30 - tickets available on School Day

May 14 - Last Shine Club

May 15 - Milkshake Day - order by May 7 on School Day

May 16 - Breakwater run for Running and Reading students

May 20 - Curriculum Night 4:30-5:30 and Book Fair 4-6

May 27 - Welcome to Kindergarten 4:30-5:30

May 29 - PA DAY (no school for students)

June 1 - Regional Track and Field @ Invista track

June 2 - Gould Lake trip for Potter, Alcock, Fitzgerald and McCaughen

June 2 - Camp Quin-mo-lac for Roney and Ohlke

June 2 - School Advisory Council Meeting @ 5:30

June 4 - Grade 7 and 8s to Wonderland

June 9 - EQAO ends

June 9 -District Track and Field

June 15 - Grade 7 & 8 Immunizations

June 18 -Irwin to Bunker room

June 18 - Year end BBQ 4-6 pm

June 19 - Conner to Medieval times and Toronto Zoo

June 22 - Grade 8 Graduation

June 24 - Term 2 reports go home

June 25 - Last day of school

June 26 - PA DAY

Included below, you’ll find our school calendar for the month to help you stay organized:

Cyberbullying Resources for Families
Our Public Health Nurse has shared a website with information and resources around screens, media, and school age children and youth -Centre for Healthy Screen Use at the Canadian Paediatric Society.

There's also a podcast, featuring Dr. Tracy Vaillancourt, Canada Research Chair in Youth Mental Health and Violence Prevention, that you can access on the main page of the website: Healthy Teens Podcast: new episode on the impacts of cyberbullying.

This 30-minute podcast covers more than cyberbullying, speaks to the power of bystanders, and offers advice to families who learn that their student is being bullied or is bullying. 

Kindergarten Registration
It's already that time of the year! We are delighted to let families know that our Kindergarten registration process is underway for 2026/2027. See here for more information. Please spread the word about the great things happening at Molly Brant. We saw increased Kindergarten enrolment last year and want to keep this going!

Safety at School - Please check in at the Office

For the safety and security of all students, we kindly remind parents and caregivers that they are not permitted in the hallways during school hours. If you need to pick up your child, drop something off, or speak with someone at the school, please check in at the main office and our staff will be happy to assist you. Thank you for helping us maintain a safe and welcoming environment for everyone.

Attendance Matters!

We recognize that, as the weather changes, attendance can sometimes become trickier. Student attendance is one of our TOP priorities.

End of Day Routines:

If your child has alternate pick up arrangements, or will not be taking the bus at the end of the day, please ensure that you communicate with the classroom teacher (send a note) or with the Main Office if a change occurs during the day. We cannot guarantee we can follow-through on last minute changes after 2:20 pm

Reminder: No dogs on property

Kindly be reminded that dogs are not permitted on property during school hours, even if they are leashed.

Courteous Communication

All communication between school, students and home (in person, on the phone or digitally) must be courteous and respectful. All students, families and school staff have the right to be safe, and to feel safe, in their school community. With this right comes the responsibility of all members to contribute to a positive school climate.

Parking on Lyons Street: A Message from the City of Kingston

As the weather changes, more families may choose to drive to and from school. Please remember that stopping in school bus loading zones or no-stopping areas can result in high parking fines. We encourage families to respect posted signage and use alternative locations for pick-up and drop-off.

 If you have concerns or questions, please emailcontactus@cityofkingston.ca

Molly Brant School Swag:

If you are interested in purchasing Molly Brant spirit wear, please visit this site: https://specialtytrophies.ca/4g/MollyBrantES

School Advisory Council

Our Council Executive is as follows:

Chair: Amber Ewart

Treasurer: Jodie Radolfi

Secretary: Tabitha Lowndes

Indigenous Rep: Lillian Todd

Parent Involvement Committee Reps: Amber Ewart/Lillian Todd

Member(s) at Large: Erin Parker

Our next meeting is Tuesday, May 5 @ 5:30 in the Molly Brant library.

Cell Phones

Students may bring phones to school but they are to remain switched off, out of view and are not to be used during the day unless directed by the teacher for instructional purposes. If students brings cell phones to school, teachers will ask for them to be locked up (in a lock box) for the day. If students do not want to lock up their phones, they should be left at home.

If a student needs to call home for an emergency during the school day, they must do so using the office phone. Failure to follow the school’s cell phone expectations will result in phone call/meetings with parents/caregivers.

A reminder, that the school is not responsible for lost or damaged devices.

Thank you for your cooperation with this!

School Day Payment System

This year we will use the School Day online system for all field trip permissions and all payments to the school (i.e., hot lunch, field trips, special events, etc.). When teachers or the school creates an event, an email is sent to applicable parents. This email comes from School Day, and may go to your junk mail folder unless you identify it as a recognized sender.

All School Day events are required to have an end date. For field trips, this is usually the day before the trip, but for events involving the ordering of food, the end date must give staff enough time to coordinate with our providers and order food. Please ensure that you complete any orders/permissions before the end date.

Families will need to register for School Day www.school-day.com and use a ten-digit secure code to link you and your child(ren). These forms will be sent home next week.

Please contact your child's teacher or the office if you require assistance.

Public Health Information:

KLF&A Public Health Childhood Illnesses and Exclusions

Unsure when to keep your child home when they are unwell? The KFL&A Public Health guidelines have changed and include different symptoms since Covid. Vomiting and diarrhea remain 48 hours symptom free before they can return to school. Other childhood illness exclusions can be found here: https://www.kflaph.ca/en/health-topics/common-childhood-illnesses.aspx

Daily Schedule

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.