TPCS Family Update

We have had a great first week back after the holiday break! It was wonderful to see all the smiling faces in the hallway again as we begin 2024.

With the new year, don't forget February hot lunch orders. Payments are due in School Day by January 29th. While you are logged in, you may also want to order popcorn to support Grade 8 graduation!

Intermediate basketball tryouts have begun here at TPCS, exhibition and tournament dates will be announced once they are arranged. Weekly practices are expected to run (for the girls team) Wednesday and Thursday after school. One field trip next week, F7/8 will be learning to curl at the Napanee Curling Club Monday from 9 til about 11:30 am. Also next week is our first School Council meeting of 2024! Everyone is welcome, please join us if you can Wednesday the 17th at 6:00 pm here at the school.

Its good to see some snow in the forecast with the annual Ski Trip coming on February 26th. Registration is open in School Day for all those who are interested, and there will be a limited number of spaces for volunteers.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns please reach out to the school and we will be glad to chat with you.

Have a great weekend, J'espère que vous avez tous une bonne fin de semaine!

Bill Dowling

Principal

What is head lice?

Head lice (pediculosis) have nothing to do with lack of cleanliness – anyone can get head lice. They are a nuisance, but they do not cause illness. Head lice are not a public health problem because they do not transmit disease.

• Live head lice:
  • Are greyish, six-legged insects that are 2 mm – 4 mm in length (as adults)
  • Can be difficult to see because they move quickly on the scalp
• Head lice eggs:
  • Are very small – about half the size of a pinhead
  • Can be whitish-grey, tan or yellow in colour
  • Are glued to the hair shaft less than ½ inch away from the scalp
  • Can take about 7 - 10 days to hatch

Note: Diagnosis of head lice requires the presence of a living louse. A head lice product should only be used if live lice are found in the hair (Canadian Paediatric Society, March 2022).

What to do

• If you discover that your child has head lice:
  • Talk to a pharmacist. Ask for a product that kills head lice and their eggs.
  • Also ask about any special precautions to take while using the product. Some products might not be recommended for young children, people with certain allergies or pregnant/nursing mothers.
  • Only treat family members who have head lice.
  • Follow the product directions exactly. Never use these products on a daily basis.
  • Wear plastic or rubber gloves when using the product so that you don't expose your hands to the chemical for too long.
  • Wash your hands well, immediately after using the head lice product.
  • Hold a towel tightly over your child’s eyes to protect them from the product during treatment.
  • Rinse hair under the tap instead of in the shower or tub to limit skin exposure and to prevent swallowing the product.
  • Store unused products out of the reach of children.
  • Clean your house as per your usual routine. Wash items that have come into prolonged contact with the hair, such as pillowcases, hats, combs and brushes.
• Check with a doctor regarding special treatment for the following:
  • Children under the age of 2
  • People with a seizure disorder
  • Pregnant or breastfeeding mothers
  • Lice are found on eyebrows, eyelashes or beard
  • The skin of the scalp is broken or infected

Alternative or natural treatments

All products, whether they are natural or not, have risks associated with them. Some alternative treatments claim to be safer and more effective than traditional treatments for head lice, but some natural products can be toxic if used at full strength.

Other methods, such as wet combing, or applying mayonnaise, oil, vinegar to the hair, etc., might not have risks associated with them, but there is no scientific evidence that they are effective (Canadian Pediatric Society, March 2022).

Other steps

If you discover that your child has head lice:

• Tell the school or child care centre.
• Tell anyone who has had close contact with the person in your family who has lice.

Prevention

To help prevent the spread of head lice:

• Continue to check your child’s head once a week, after school breaks, sleepovers and vacations.
• When looking for head lice, use a fine-toothed comb.
• It might be helpful to braid long hair or put it into a ponytail.
• Discourage the sharing of hairbrushes, combs, hats, and hair accessories.

The Limestone District School Board (LDSB) invites students to voluntarily and confidentially self-identify as Indigenous. Elementary and secondary students with First Nations, Métis and/or Inuit ancestry may self-identify.

School board self-identification is based on any degree of Indigenous ancestry (Status, Non-Status, Métis citizenship, etc.). Self-identification can be withdrawn at any time. LDSB, in accordance with the Ministry of Education, Ontario, does not require proof of identity to self-identify.

The benefits of self-identifying include, but are not limited to:
• Providing students with Indigenous ancestry access to opportunities, resources, and supports they may need to reach their goals
• Access to cultural and language programming
• Access for students to information about leadership experiences and post-secondary pathways
• Building strong partnerships between Indigenous families and community

Caregivers of students under 18 years of age can identify their student(s) as having Indigenous ancestry. Students over 18 years of age can self-identify on their own. This information will only be shared outside of LDSB with the Ministry of Education and the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO). A copy is kept in the Ontario Student Record (OSR).

To self-identify, families can use the link attached to the picture. If you have any questions please feel free to contact the office directly.

In some instances, students may need to be away from school for illness, appointments or other events. Parents/caregivers can use the SafeArrival system to report a full day absence, an extended student absence and also a late arrival to school. When reporting an absence for a secondary student parents/caregivers will also be able to select an early departure. To report an absence, use one the following methods:

School Messenger App
1. Use the email address you provided to the school.
2. Use your mobile device to download and install the free SchoolMessenger blue app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store, the SchoolMessenger website portal, or from within the LDSB mobile app.
2. Tap Sign Up to create your account. Please ensure you use the same email address your student’s school has on file. If you do not use that same email address, you will not be able to create an account, or may not be able to see the "Attendance" option. You may have already created an account when we introduced the Communicate broadcast system.
3. Select Attendance from the menu, then select Report an Absence and follow the prompts.

SchoolMessenger SafeArrival Website Portal
1. Use the email address you provided to the school.
2. Go to the website SchoolMessenger website portal.
3. Click Sign Up to create your account. Please ensure you use the same email address your student’s school has on file. If you do not use that same email address, you will not be able to create an account, or may not be able to see the "Attendance" option. You may have already created an account when we introduced the Communicate broadcast system.
4. Select Attendance from the menu, then select Report an Absence.



Interactive Toll-free Telephone
1. Call 1-855-257-9349 toll-free to report an absence using the automated phone system.
2. Follow the instructions to report an absence.

These options are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. For any school day in the school term up to the cut-off time on the day of the absence. Future absences can be reported at any time using any one of these methods.

Please do not call the school directly to report your student's absence.


Reporting Lates: New for the 2023-2024 school year, parents/caregivers are instructed to report late arrivals using the new Late Arrival option, including the expected arrival time to school. When a student arrives, they are expected to sign in at office and staff make the amendment in our student information system. When a student leaves early, again they are expected to sign out (with parental permission) and again the amendment is made in our system. This method allows us to best track student attendance to ensure safety.

The SafeArrival system makes it easier for you to report your student’s absence, reduces the time it takes for our school staff to verify student attendance, and responds to unexpected or unplanned student absences. This time savings makes it faster and more efficient to account for all students and their safety.

The Limestone District School Board is committed to upholding human rights, and creating an equitable, inclusive, and accessible school climate that ensures all students and staff feel safe, comfortable, and accepted. Please review our updated Student Dress Policy by following this link.

DownloadFileByUrl.aspx (limestone.on.ca)

Email: prchl@limestone.on.ca
Website: https://theprincecharles.limestone.on.ca/
Location: 75 Graham St W, Napanee, ON, Canada
Phone: 613-354-2121
Twitter: @TPCS_LDSB