Jason Phillips

Lyonsgate Update: Jan. 8, 2021

Hello Lyonsgate Families,

We have updates about registration for the 2021.2022 school year, the extended closure of the Elementary campus, a request from neighbours at the Primary campus, financial support, and some reminders about Lyonsgate COVID-related information that is available and where to find it.

Registration

Registration for the 2021.2022 school year will be available next week.

Extended Elementary Closure

The Provincial government has extended the closure of elementary schools. January 25 is now the stated date for a return to in-person learning at the Lyonsgate Elementary campus.

Updated online learning schedules are now on each cohort's "Learning Support" web page. We will distribute any additional learning materials as need be.

Neighbour Complaint

Neighbours at the Primary (Aberdeen) campus have expressed concern about children playing on the parking lot snow banks that border their property. To maintain good relations with our neighbours, we are asking that families please depart the property promptly after picking up children. Thank you for understanding.

Financial Support for Parents

Parents that have not already applied for this second round of funding are eligible to receive $200 per child ($250 for children with special learning needs) from the provincial government. Click here to access the government's "Support for Learners" web page .

• Primary Parents: when applying, select "My child is not enrolled in either public or private school" and proceed with the default "My child is in child care" option.
• Elementary Parents: when applying, select "My child is enrolled in a private school" and begin typing "Lyonsgate" into the "Search for a private school" box; Lyonsgate should pop up as "Lyonsgate Montessori School (Elementary, L8P 4B9)."

Information Reminder

Remember that you can access all necessary COVID-related information and tools on the Home page at lyonsgate.ca:

• the Provincial school screening tool (note: this tool is updated as conditions change).
• the Hamilton Public Health Return Attestation form (to be completed anytime a child misses school due to illness).
• a link to the Hamilton COVID-19 test booking website.
• the Hamilton Public Health "Decision Charts" to follow when a child is ill (Sick Child at Home and Sick Child at School).
• the Lyonsgate COVID-19 Advisory Page where information about any positive cases in the school community is required to be posted.
• the Lyonsgate COVID-19 Supplemental Parent Handbook that contains all of the information you need to know about policies and procedures in place at Lyonsgate during the pandemic. All policies published in this handbook are up to date with the latest revisions from the Ministry of Education and Hamilton Public Health.

Remember to also check your Lyonsgate calendar regularly for up to date information. January is fairly quiet, but there is a PD day on January 29.

Thank you, everyone, for your ongoing patience, understanding, and commitment as we continue to navigate our way through schooling during a pandemic. It won't always be this way, but you make it easier for all of us to help each other stay safe, healthy, and happy.

Thank you.

by Jason Phillips

Lockdown/Closure Information

Hello Lyonsgate Families,

We're sure you've heard the news about the school closure after the holiday break. We have received details from the Ministry of Education and Hamilton Public Health and here's where things stand:

Primary campus (Aberdeen; Casa and Toddler students): Will remain OPEN to ALL STUDENTS.

Elementary campus (Locke St.): Will be closed to students from Jan. 4 - Jan. 8, 2021, with in-person schooling resuming on Monday, Jan. 11. Students will begin online learning on the morning of Monday, January 4. Staff will also be at the school on Jan. 4 for pick up of prepared materials packages for students. Schedules and details for online learning will be shared before the new year.

Return to "Active Screening": Both the Ministry of Education and Hamilton Public Health have mandated a return to active screening. This means Lyonsgate staff will be verbally asking each parent the screening questions prior to entry each day. Please continue to use the Provincial Screening Tool to determine whether or not your child should attend school; the screening tool is updated as conditions change. Please be patient with the stricter screening measures and be aware that drop-off may take a little longer.

As you remember from the spring and summer, things can change quickly. The closure dates may be extended or new protocols put in place. We will let you know if anything changes.

We hope you are all having as wonderful a winter break as you can under the circumstances. Stay safe, stay home, stay healthy.

Lyonsgate.

by Jason Phillips

Lyonsgate Winter Holiday Message

Hello Lyonsgate Families,

As we near the end of 2020, we would like to take this opportunity to thank you for entrusting your children to us through all the new experiences that this school year has brought. While it has presented many challenges to us as adults, the children have proven their ability to adjust to new situations with ease. It has been magical to watch in awe as the children acclimatize and flourish with all the changes. Their level of adaptability is nothing short of inspiring! If only we could all adapt the way a child does, what a peaceful and joyful world we could live in!

We want to wish you all two wonderful weeks of festive merriment, rest, and fun family time. This holiday season will be different than any of us have experienced before. Celebrate safely, stay healthy, and please make the best choices for your family, the school community, and the community at large.

We are all being asked to celebrate with our own households only and to avoid travel and social gatherings. If you do travel or extend your celebration circles, please follow the relevant guidelines from Hamilton Public Health.

The Provincial government has both an overview webpage with guidance to "Celebrate Safely During COVID-19," including "Ten Safe and Fun Ways to Celebrate the Holiday Season."

The Government of Canada has a webpage listing restrictions and requirements for:

• Travellers entering Canada
• Travellers Within Canada
• Travellers Departing Canada

Primary Morning Screening Change

When we return in January, with the colder weather it brings, morning screening will be moved to the glass foyer entrance of the synagogue (off the parking lot). Starting in the new year, please walk your child to the glass foyer doors of the synagogue. Once clear from other families, please enter for your child to have their temperature checked inside the foyer. Toddler students will be escorted by a teacher directly to their classroom from the foyer. Casa students will continue to need to be escorted to the black gate, where they will be greeted by a member of their cohort staff.

In Case of Closure

If the holiday break is extended or closures are announced, Lyonsgate will shift to remote, at-home learning.

Note on Terminology:

If it is announced that "schools" are closed for an extended break, this will affect the Elementary campus only; Casa and Toddler students at the Primary campus will still be able to attend Lyonsgate Montessori.

If it is announced that "child care" (or "licensed child care") is closed, that means the Primary campus (Casa and Toddler) will be closed.

The most likely scenario is that "schools" will be closed before "child care," but keep an eye on the wording of any closure announcements. We will of course let you know.

In the event of an extended break or closure announcement, materials and online schedules are ready to support you. Details will be shared within the first two days of the winter term (Jan. 4 and 5). In the meantime, you can review the plans for at-home on pages 16-19 of your "COVID-19 Supplemental Handbook."

2021.2022 Registration

Registration for the 2021.2022 school year, along with fee schedules, will also be distributed when we return in January. Thank you for your patience as we work through the difficulties the current year presents while planning for the future.

While we will miss the winter concert, we hope you enjoy the special videos shared by each classroom, and we look forward to our return in January.

Enjoy a well-deserved break and rest everyone, and celebrate safely in all the wonderful ways you do.

by Jason Phillips

Lyonsgate December Update

Hello Lyonsgate Families,

We have a few pieces of information for you as we head towards the winter break:

December Dates

The last day of school is Friday, Dec. 18. Students will attend for the full day.

The winter break runs from Monday, Dec. 21, to Friday, Jan. 1.

The first day back to school is Monday, January 4, 2021.

Montessori at Home Series

The Foundation for Montessori Education is hosting a series of webinars for parents throughout January:

Montessori at Home Webinar Series

Are you interested in bringing the Montessori philosophy into your home? Do you want the children in your life to feel empowered and capable in their home?

The "Montessori at Home" Webinar Series occurs over four Saturdays in January and is open to anyone with an interest in Montessori education.

Sandra Girlato, Lynn Woodward, and special guest, Meg Gunsar, will speak to the following topics:

• Saturday, January 9: Introduction to Montessori in the Home
• Saturday, January 16: The Importance of Independence
• Saturday, January 23: The Relationship between Movement and Intelligence
• Saturday, January 30: Family Communication: Speaking, Listening, Connecting

Each live webinar runs from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. EST.

A recording of each webinar will be provided for a limited time to those who have registered.

Cost: $40.00 CAD per webinar

If you are interested, please click here to register.

Shoebox Project Recipe Book

Thank you to everyone that has ordered recipe books in support of The Shoebox Project. You can still order until tomorrow (Tuesday) morning. Payment can be made by cash, or by cheque made out to "Lyonsgate Montessori School," and is due upon pick-up during the last week of the fall term (next week -- Dec. 14-18).

The recipe books will be $10.00 for a digital (pdf) version and $12.00 for a printed version.

Orders can be placed through Monday, December 7. Order your recipe book here.

If Lyonsgate families would also like to donate gift cards, cards from grocery stores, drug stores, and other accessible businesses (for example: No Frills, Food Basics, Walmart, Shoppers Drug Mart) where women can acquire necessity items are requested, in denominations no greater than $50.00. You can also donate directly to The Shoebox Project.

Return Attestation Reminder

A reminder that if your child is home due to illness, please submit a Return Attestation Form upon their return to school. This is a recent, new Public Health requirement, and the link to the form can be found on the Home page at lyonsgate.ca. Thank you.

by Jason Phillips

Parent-Teacher Conferences in November

Happy November Spring Lyonsgate Families,

A short update for you this week as we head into November. There is a PD day on Friday, Nov. 13, and a PA day on Friday, Nov. 27.

• On the Nov. 13, PD day Lyonsgate staff will spend the morning working with their cohort teams to refine and plan for the rest of the fall term; during the afternoon all Lyonsgate staff will continue anti-bias/anti-racism training through a workshop led by Ateeka Khan, the owner of Stoney Creek Montessori School and parent of an Elementary student at Lyonsgate. Ateeka has an academic background in Caribbean, Middle Eastern, and African history, and experience with anti-racism work in the community. This is traditionally the PD day we attend a large Montessori conference put on by the Canadian Council of Montessori Administrators and the Canadian Association of Montessori Teachers; unfortunately, that conference will not be taking place this year.

• The Nov. 27 PA day is for our first set of Parent-Teacher conferences. There is no school that day, and all conferences will take place via Zoom.

Please click here to select a 20-minute conference timeslot with your child(ren)'s Montessori guide(s).

When you book you will receive a confirmation email from the scheduling service that contains instructions on how to join your conference. Please look for that email and retain it for reference on Parent-Teacher conference day.

These conferences will be the first chance to discuss how your child's school year is going. We know there is less information and imagery from the classrooms this year as we remain in our contained cohorts and stay on top of the COVID-required duties, and in-class observations are not possible, so we hope everyone is able to attend a conference. Look for photos from your child's class on Seesaw!

Enjoy the beautiful weekend weather before winter's inevitable arrival.

by Jason Phillips

Lyonsgate Updates -- Boo! Oct. 30, 2020

Hello Lyonsgate Families,

The children are all very excited about Halloween, even if it may be a little different this year. However you are choosing to celebrate, or not, have fabulous family fun this weekend and we look forward to hearing all about sore candy tummies on Monday.

We have a few updates for you this week:

Return Attestation Form

Starting next week, when children are away from school due to illness, parents are required to complete a "Return Attestation" form. You can find it here, on the Home page at lyonsgate.ca, and in the updated COVID-19 Supplemental Parent Handbook.

This is the same form used by the HWDSB and provided to us by Hamilton Public Health. It presents six different scenarios based on possibilities related to symptoms and testing and asks you to check the one that suits your child's illness, the course of action taken, and confirms that all criteria for return are met.

Updated COVID-19 Supplemental Parent Handbook

This supplemental handbook contains all of the information you need to negotiate the various COVID-19 protocols and procedures. We have updated the information on daily screening, test booking, the Return Attestation form, what to do depending your child's illness, and the two different sets of symptoms. All new information is in bold in the Table of Contents.

Find your COVID-19 Supplemental Parent Handbook here and on the Home page or under your Parents tab at lyonsgate.ca.

Lower Elementary Cohort Photos

The scheduled Elementary picture day was cancelled due to the inability to take photos outdoors. Unfortunately, we will not be able to reschedule an outdoor picture day this year.

But that's ok! On the cancelled picture day, the Upper cohort students took it upon themselves to take pictures of each other in their photo day finery. They will be continuing this project on Monday, Nov. 2, for students in the Lower cohort. Feel free to break out the good clothes and comb the hair one more time. We will have digital photo files for you, from a student perspective.

Candy Reminder

Lyonsgate strives to provide nutritious lunches and snacks and our Nutrition Policy asks that items like candy are not sent to school in lunches or as extra treats. Good nutrition throughout the day is optimal for developing brains, and candy is often a significant distraction and cause for emotional discontent among other children. Thank you.

Fall Back

The hour goes back this weekend. Enjoy the extra hour of sleep (especially after Halloween!) and we'll see you all on time on Monday morning.

by Jason Phillips

At Home Learning Update, and new website additions

Hello Lyonsgate Families,

We have some updates from the Primary and Elementary campuses about updates to Lyonsgate's At Home Learning Support for times when children are required to be absent due to pandemic exclusion rules this year, and in case of a cohort or full school closure. We also have some new tools available for you at lyonsgate.ca.

Reminder: Picture Day for Casa and Toddler students is on Tuesday, October 20.

(Elementary Picture Day is Monday, October 26)

Home Learning Support Updates

From Sarah at Primary:

Experiencing our first wave of absences, paired with new directives from Public Health regarding symptoms and testing, it has become apparent that we need to make some slight alterations and clarifications regarding At Home Learning Support and what works best for the children and the classroom.

For clarification, students who are ill and are excluded by our screening process with symptoms that may require testing (not just a single symptom requiring 24 hours at home and monitoring for improvement) will be provided with support as listed below.

Toddler Students:

A Toddler binder has been created with a collection of various Practical Life activities that can be re-created at home, as well as parent education guides including ways to set up a Montessori environment. When a child is excluded due to illness for a prolonged period (as outlined above), a small collection of these write ups will be sent home with your child or available for pick up. Upon your child’s return, we ask that the folder be returned as well.

In the case of a cohort or school closure, the above will be provided for each child (with additional activities) as well as parent education videos, with live Zoom teacher Q&A, and scheduled child-focused groups via Zoom.

Casa Students:

Each Casa student has a binder with Montessori presentation write-ups applicable to their level. Upon a child being excluded due to illness for a prolonged period (as outlined above), a take home kit will be prepared for your child, which will be sent home with them, or available for pick up. The kit will include a duotang with a small collection of write-ups that your child currently enjoys working with, and/or is ready to be presented with. The write-ups will outline how your child is to work with the material, and direction on how you can show them to do so. There may be some paper materials included in the binder, as well as some physical materials that your child can manipulate. We request that these items, along with the duotang, are returned to the school upon your child’s return. (Please place a check mark beside anything your child has worked on.) *Please note there may be a short presentation video sent in lieu of a write up for an activity, available via Seesaw.

In the case of a cohort or school closure, the above will be provided for each child (with additional activities) and small group and individual Zoom sessions will also be scheduled with your child.

From Marissa and Michelle at Elementary:

Elementary Students:

Synchronous Learning (live online lessons with members of their cohort)

Students who are excluded from school in relation to the pandemic are able to meet with their teacher and/or classmates virtually each day via Zoom at 2:00 p.m.

Lower Elementary students can join synchronous learning when they are excluded for 3 or more days.

Upper Elementary students can join synchronous learning when they are excluded for 2 or more days.

Students should only participate in at-home learning when they are well enough to do so and are feeling comfortable joining their class online. Please take the time to get better.

Let us know each day, by email to marissa@lyonsgate.ca or to michelle@lyonsgate.ca, if your child would like to connect that day.

This will enable students to continue to participate in group discussions and proceed with lessons that can be delivered effectively online. A Zoom link for each of the Elementary cohorts will be made available to parents.

Asynchronous Learning (material-based and other work completed at home)

Students who are temporarily excluded from school in relation to the pandemic have Montessori-style materials kits available for home use. If your child is excluded, you may contact the Elementary campus to arrange pick-up of your child’s materials and personal work binder.

Tools for Parents

What to do when children are not feeling well continues to be confusing as regulations change. Hamilton Public Health has developed two decision charts that explain what to do depending on which symptoms, and how many, a sick child has.

You can find both decision charts on the Home page at lyonsgate.ca and under your "Parents" tab on the school website:

https://lyonsgate.ca/sick-child-at-home-decision-chart/

https://lyonsgate.ca/sick-child-at-school-decision-chart/

by Jason Phillips

Thanksgiving Update: New Screening, New Rules, and More...

Hello Lyonsgate Families, and Happy Thanksgiving.

We have a big update for you today with lots of new information about safety, screening, photo day, parent education, and flu shots.

As we head into this long weekend we want to thank you all for your commitment to keeping all of the Lyonsgate students, staff, and all of your and our families safe and healthy. Many of us have been affected by exclusions, testing backlogs, and other disruptions in the first month of school. It is difficult but necessary, especially as case numbers continue to climb.

Ontario saw the highest-yet single day number of new cases today -- 939.

Hamilton's medical officer of health, Dr. Elizabeth Richardson, noted this week that:

"the spread is occurring among people who aren't following public health guidance. 'When we go through and talk to cases we do find that's the case and people who are infected,' Richardson explained. 'They've not used masks, they've not used physical distancing when they should.'"

We beg of you all to please follow the heightened restrictions in place throughout Ontario this long weekend. Thanksgiving will be different this year and your plans may have to change. It is only by individual commitment to doing the right things that we can produce the highest degree of safety for everyone.

A number of new restrictions have come into place over the last week or so:

• Ontario residents are being asked to celebrate Thanksgiving dinner at home with members of their immediate household only.

• Announced today, Friday, Oct. 9, residents of Ontario are being asked to stay home except for essential trips such as work, school, grocery shopping, etc.

• Also announced today, travel to other regions of the province is to be restricted to essential purposes only.

• Social circles/bubbles are currently on hold. Ontario residents are not to continue close contacts with their circle/bubble and are to restrict close contact to members of their immediate household only. From the province: "Due to the recent increase in cases and to ensure continued health and safety, you should limit close contact to people living in your household and maintain 2 metres physical distance from everyone else. If you live alone, you can consider having close contact with one other household."

• Please continue to wear a mask when indoors in public places, or anywhere you cannot maintain a physical distance of two (2) metres, including outdoor spaces where physical distance cannot be maintained.

• Wash your hands regularly and properly, and help children to wash hands properly. Soap and water is still the best hand hygiene.

New Screening Form and Process

Lyonsgate has chosen to begin using the new provincial screening tool for schools and child care centres. You will find the link to the new screening form on the Home page at lyonsgate.ca. It has replaced the separate forms for each campus. Both Primary and Elementary students, and staff, will use the same screening form. There are some new procedures that accompany the new form:

• When you access the screening form click the "Start school screening" button.

• Next, select that you are taking the screening as a "Parent/guardian on behalf of a student/child."

• When you arrive at Lyonsgate with your child you will be asked to verbally confirm that you completed the screening process and passed, allowing your child to attend school that day. (Elementary parents, if your child(ren) walk to school by themselves, please send a confirmation email to jason@lyonsgate.ca before your children arrive).

• Your confirmation responses will be recorded and made available to Hamilton Public Health Services as needed and/or required.

• You must complete the screening process every day before your children can attend school; as always, the screening form must be completed after 5:00 a.m. each morning.

The new screening process does not screen for or require exclusion of asymptomatic siblings or other household members. Asymptomatic siblings may continue to attend school and will be monitored for symptoms. Please make safe, responsible decisions to protect the health and safety of the community.

To help you better understand the process if children are symptomatic, Hamilton Public Health has created two decision-making flow charts that explain what to do depending on the circumstances. Click below to view and download the decision-making charts:

* Symptomatic Child at Home Decision Guide

* Symptomatic Child at School or Child Care Decision Guide

by Jason Phillips

Screening and Testing Update

Hello Lyonsgate Families,

There have been some changes to the screening and testing requirements. [Please Note: the changes reflected here are from the provincial government; Hamilton Public Health will also be providing guidance, which may result in further changes. We'll let you know].

These changes make things less arduous overall, but do make things a little more complicated. We've tried to break it down clearly below.

Screening Changes

There are now two categories of symptoms on the screening form: symptoms that may require testing and symptoms that may not require testing. Please be sure to read the new screening forms very carefully.

Other changes:

• Pink eye (conjunctivitus) and abdominal pain have been removed as symptoms.
• Some symptoms have been combined (for eg. fever and chills, and nausea, vomiting, diarrhea).
• The question about contact with anyone with a respiratory illness has been removed and replaced with a question about directed isolation.

Testing and Exclusion Changes

If any of the symptoms in the group of symptoms that may require testing are present, things stay the same as what we are used to: contact Hamilton Public Health and your health care provider and follow their direction for testing referral.

From the group of symptoms that may not require testing:

• If you answer "Yes" to ONLY ONE of these symptoms, the child is required to be excluded from school for 24 hours. If the symptom persists or worsens the child must remain absent from school and you are asked to contact your child’s health care provider for further advice or assessment, including if your child needs a COVID-19 test or other treatment. Siblings should also remain home for at least 24 hours and be monitored for symptom development. The child may return to school when the symptom is improving and they feel well enough to do so. A COVID-19 test is not required.

• If you answer "Yes" to TWO OR MORE of these symptoms contact Hamilton Public Health and your health care provider and follow their direction for testing referral.

We will update the "Lyonsgate COVID-19 Exclusion of Sick Children/Staff Policy and Procedures" and the "Lyonsgate COVID19 Supplemental Parent Handbook" once we receive the final direction from Hamilton Public Health. Until then, please refer to this communication and the details on the screening forms. An FAQ from the Ontario Ministry of Health is included below.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. My child has woken up not feeling well, what do I do?

If you notice that your child has new or worsening symptoms, what you do depends on the symptom and how usual they are for your child. If your child has new or worsening:

• Fever/chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath
• Decreased or loss of smell or taste

Your child should isolate immediately and you should contact your child’s health provider for further advice or assessment. The health care provider can help you determine whether the symptoms are related to another non-COVID-19 condition, or if they should get tested for COVID-19.

If your child has ONE new or worsening symptom (that is not related to a known cause or condition) that include:

• Sore throat
• Stuffy nose/runny nose
• Headache
• Nausea/vomiting/diarrhea
• Fatigue/lethargy/muscle aches/malaise

Your child should stay home for 24 hours to be monitored to see whether the symptoms get better or worse. If they start to feel better and symptoms are improving, they can return to school/child care when well enough to do so and no COVID-19 testing is needed. If the symptoms get worse, you should contact their health care provider for further advice or assessment. The health care provider can help you determine whether the symptoms are related to another non-COVID-19 condition, or if they should get tested for COVID-19.

If your child has TWO or MORE new or worsening symptoms (that are not related to a known cause or condition) that include:

• Sore throat
• Stuffy nose/runny nose
• Headache
• Nausea and/or vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Fatigue/lethargy/muscle aches or malaise

Your child should isolate immediately and you should contact your child’s health provider for further advice or assessment. The health care provider can help you determine whether the symptoms are related to another non-COVID-19 condition, or if they should get tested for COVID-19.

2. My child has a runny nose, what should I do?

If your child’s only symptom is a runny nose, you should keep your child home and monitor their symptoms as you would in any other year. When they feel better, they are ready to go back to school/child care and no COVID-19 testing is needed. If they get worse or develop other symptoms, you should contact their health care provider for more advice. Mild symptoms known to persist in young children (e.g., runny nose) may be ongoing at time of return to school/child care if other symptoms have been resolved.

3. Who in my family needs to be tested along with my child?

If your child has been identified as needing a test and everyone else in the family is well, no testing of other family members is needed. If your child tests positive for COVID-19, the
local public health unit will contact you/your child and make a plan for additional testing of all close contacts.

4. Do I need a note from a doctor before my child goes back to school/child care or a copy of a negative test result?

No, you do not need a note from your doctor or proof of a negative test before your child returns to school/ childcare.

5. I need more information to feel confident in my assessment, what do I do?

If you need additional information about COVID-19 or have a question specific to your child and their health, please contact your health care provider.

by Jason Phillips

Lyonsgate Update Sept. 25, 2020

Hello Lyonsgate Families,

We have a brief update, a reminder, a request, and a virtual event for you this week.

There have been some questions about the exclusion of siblings when a student is excluded due to being symptomatic. The provincial Ministry of Education released a screening tool last week that is different from the screening forms we use at Lyonsgate; it does not question or exclude asymptomatic siblings. Lyonsgate will not be using this screening tool.

Having asymptomatic siblings of symptomatic students present in the cohorts increases the risk of transmission. As such, Lyonsgate will continue to use the same screening form and exclusion protocol at both the Primary and Elementary campuses.

We know you will understand and appreciate that this heightened degree of safety is the best course of action to maintain a safe school environment for all of your children and families.

New COVID Test Booking Website

A new website you can use to book COVID tests came online on Thursday, Sept. 24. Visit https://www.stjoes.ca/coronavirus/covid-19-test-home to book a test (HamiltonCovidTest.ca also redirects to the same website)

Remember, you can also call Public Health at 905-974-9848 option 2 for testing referral.

As you know, Public Health and the testing centres are overwhelmed. Wait times for tests are increasing, so patience is required. Public Health is asking that people please book an appointment and do not go to testing centres without an appointment.

No Asymptomatic Testing

Another change this week is that children (and everyone else in Ontario) that do not have symptoms are not eligible to have a COVID test. This change is to reduce the demand on the testing centres and labs. Only students with symptoms, and other symptomatic family members, can book a test. Asymptomatic siblings should be kept home and monitored for symptoms and can return once negative test results and 24 hours symptom free are achieved for the symptomatic child.

Reminder: PD Day Monday, Sept. 28

There is no school at either Lyonsgate campus this coming Monday, September 28. This is the second PD day early in the year, as is the case every year, as necessitated by Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. The Primary campus is not available on those days, and this year these early PD days are very beneficial to helping us refine how this strange new approach to school is working. The next school closure days coming up are Monday, Oct. 12, for Thanksgiving, and another PD day on Oct. 23. Remember to check your Lyonsgate calendar regularly (you can find it under the "Parents" tab at lyonsgate.ca).

Request: Reusable Bags for Primary Please

We are asking parents of Primary students (Casa and Toddler) to please provide a reusable/washable bag to be used for children's soiled clothing. We are trying to minimize the use of plastic bags.

Thank you.

Telling Tales

The annual Telling Tales Festival is very popular with Lyonsgate families, and this year it is moving online:

Telling Tales Festival is a free children’s literature festival that takes place annually in Hamilton.  This year marks the 12th annual event and for the first time Telling Tales will be hosting a Virtual Festival, premiering on Facebook and YouTube.  The event began on September 20th and runs through to December 3rd, 2020.  The theme this year is “Stories Connect Us” and the line-up features over 80 presenters and 13 themed episodes with quality children’s programming from award-winning Canadian authors, illustrators, storytellers, and musicians.  The programming is suitable for children of all ages.
For more information and to view the festival schedule, please visit https://tellingtales.org/

by Jason Phillips