Expanded Opportunities

<p class="editor-paragraph"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Dear Families,</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">As we move towards the last week of the 2025-2026 school year, I want to share a few important updates and reminders as we wrap up the year and begin looking ahead to September.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">2026-2027 School Year Budget</strong></b><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">At last night’s Regular Board Meeting, the Board of Trustees approved the Limestone District School Board’s 2026-2027 budget, prepared in accordance with Public Sector Accounting Board standards. The budget includes total revenues of $340.98 million and total expenditures of $345.76 million and is compliant with Ministry of Education requirements.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The full </span><a href="https://www.limestone.on.ca/budget_committee-1719463885020" class="editor-link"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Budget Committee Agenda Package is available on the Limestone DSB website</span></a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">, along with a new resource, </span><a href="https://www.limestone.on.ca/budget___financial_statements" class="editor-link"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Budget Overview </span><i><em class="editor-text-italic" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">– Your Guide to Understanding School Board Funding</em></i><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> available on the LDSB Budget and Financial Statements webpage.</span></a></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The Budget overview document provides a more visual summary of the budget with highlights.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Motion Passed by Board of Trustees</strong></b></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The Board of Trustees passed a motion at last night’s meeting recognizing the challenges present in many classrooms and their impact on students, frontline educators, and support staff. The motion directs the Chair to write to the Ministry of Education, the Minister of Education, the Premier, local MPPs, OPBSA, CODE, and union partners, requesting additional funding to support the hiring of more frontline staff and will highlight that Limestone annually spends approximately $10 million beyond provincial funding to support special education.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Reminder: P.A. Day – Friday, June 26, 2026</strong></b><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">A reminder to families that Friday, June 26 is a P.A. Day and there are no classes for students.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Tri-Board Transportation: School Bus Information for the 2026-2027 School Year</strong></b><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">School bus information for the 2026-2027 school year will be available to families in July through the </span><a href="https://triboard.ca/student-portal/" class="editor-link"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Tri-Board Student Portal</span></a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">New students, as well as those with a change of address or school</strong></b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">, must apply online by August 5 to ensure transportation is in place for the first day of school. Please visit </span><a href="https://triboard.ca" class="editor-link"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">triboard.ca</span></a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> to apply for transportation and to access your student(s)’ busing details for September.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Year-End Letter to Students and Parents from The Honourable Paul Calandra, Minister of Education and a Congratulations Letter from Edith Dumont, The Lieutenant Governor of Ontario</strong></b></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">As we move toward the end of the 2025-2026 school year, </span><a href="https://www.limestone.on.ca/news/year-end-letter-to-students-and-parents" class="editor-link"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The Honourable Paul Calandra, Ontario’s Minister of Education, has shared a message with students and families</span></a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> to mark this occasion. We have also received a </span><a href="https://www.limestone.on.ca/news/congratulations-letter-from-edith-dumont-the-lieutenant-governor-of-ontario" class="editor-link"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">congratulatory letter for the Class of 2026 from Edith Dumont, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario</span></a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Thank you for your continued support throughout the school year. As we approach the final days of classes, we wish all students, families, and staff a positive end to the school year.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Thank you,</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Krishna Burra</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">CEO/Director of Education</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Limestone District School Board</span></p>

<p class="editor-paragraph"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">At its regular meeting on June 17, 2026, the Limestone District School Board of Trustees approved a&nbsp;$340.5 million budget&nbsp;for the 2026–2027 school year. This is a&nbsp;deficit budget balanced through the use of reserve funds.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The approved budget complies with Ministry of Education requirements and includes:</span></p><ul class="editor-list-ul"><li value="1" class="editor-listitem"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Operating expenditures&nbsp;of&nbsp;$316.8 million, representing a $73,000 decrease compared to the previous year.</span></li><li value="2" class="editor-listitem"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Capital expenditures&nbsp;of&nbsp;$23.7 million, allocated to school condition improvements and renewal projects.</span></li></ul><p class="editor-paragraph"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The vast majority of the operating budget is directed to student instruction and relates directly to classroom support. Capital funding is used to fund school condition improvements and school renewal projects.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The Board continues to face financial pressures in several key areas, including:</span></p><ul class="editor-list-ul"><li value="1" class="editor-listitem"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Special Education</span></li><li value="2" class="editor-listitem"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Staff Replacement</span></li><li value="3" class="editor-listitem"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Student Transportation</span></li><li value="4" class="editor-listitem"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Statutory Benefits</span></li></ul><h2 class="editor-heading-h2"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Resources</strong></b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span></h2><ul class="editor-list-ul"><li value="1" class="editor-listitem"><a href="https://www.limestone.on.ca/documents/cc327962-05b2-4cac-b89e-711e1e75ca27/2026-06-16-Budget-Overview.pdf?fingerprint=ppb20260623145224" rel="noreferrer" class="editor-link"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">2026-2027 Budget Overview</span></a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> (PDF)</span></li></ul>

<p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/ee7ff92e-0151-4ecf-96bc-16e5f96cf1e4?fingerprint=ppb20260617153610" alt="A little community library is displayed outside the front of Newburgh PS" width="514" height="685" style="width:514px;height:685px;display:inline-block;float:left"></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The Grades&nbsp;6, 7, and 8 students at Newburgh Public School have&nbsp;built&nbsp;three&nbsp;Little&nbsp;Community&nbsp;Libraries,&nbsp;now installed and active in front of the school,&nbsp;at&nbsp;the local church, and&nbsp;at&nbsp;“The Hilltop” near the gas station, bakery, and pharmacy.&nbsp;</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Teacher Olivia Cotman said that students, staff, families, and community members are encouraged to “take a book, leave a book,” from these new&nbsp;libraries.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">“The idea came to be last year during a professional development day, where I learned about the Limestone District School Board’s Expanded Opportunities&nbsp;(EO)&nbsp;team,” she says. “I learned that there were hands-on learning projects that students could&nbsp;take part&nbsp;in, which highlight different career pathways. I knew I had to bring an experience back to my class.”&nbsp;</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Cotman says she and the students spent time brainstorming a&nbsp;meaningful&nbsp;hands-on project&nbsp;and&nbsp;chose&nbsp;to build&nbsp;community libraries.&nbsp;</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">“With no public transportation in this rural community, libraries are sometimes inaccessible to students,” she says. “There are many avid readers in my class who thought this would&nbsp;make&nbsp;a sustainable way for community members to recycle their&nbsp;books&nbsp;and&nbsp;improve access to reading.”</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/fdb2c174-3d84-46b7-9010-a01fbe93f4d3?fingerprint=ppb20260617153605" alt="Two Newburgh PS students work on the little community library project" width="370" height="493" style="width:370px;height:493px;display:inline-block;float:right"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Jason Quenneville and Jeff Cardy, experiential learning consultants on the EO&nbsp;team,&nbsp;supported the project in a variety of ways including&nbsp;building&nbsp;a prototype, and providing&nbsp;blueprints,&nbsp;materials,&nbsp;and cut lists to help guide students.&nbsp;Through&nbsp;EO program funding, students had access to teaching&nbsp;support&nbsp;from&nbsp;Jason and Jeff&nbsp;to be&nbsp;able to build three libraries for the community.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Students learned how to hammer shingles, wrap weatherproofing, use staple guns, drill pilot holes, use impact drivers, saw wood on various angles, use fractions&nbsp;and use math&nbsp;as&nbsp;a&nbsp;daily practice in measuring, maintain a clean workshop, and work collaboratively as a team for the community.&nbsp;</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/6063e766-92bc-4582-8d92-a0197a735b1f?fingerprint=ppb20260617153609" alt="One Newburgh PS student works on the little community library project" width="348" height="464" style="width:348px;height:464px;display:inline-block;float:left"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">“As a finishing touch, each student group voted on a quote to represent them, and Jeff used a CNC to laser the quotes into a plaque to be displayed on each&nbsp;library, as well as&nbsp;created wooden strips with the students’ initials for each library,”&nbsp;Cotman&nbsp;says. “Students built resilience, teamwork, strategies in delegating roles, and took so much pride in their work throughout this experience.”&nbsp;</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Once the libraries were complete,&nbsp;Cotman&nbsp;extended the learning by introducing students to the many pathways available in high school, including the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program, Specialist High Skills Major programs, dual credit opportunities, and co-operative education.&nbsp;</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">“We had so many rich discussions about how students can find something they love and apply it to the world of skilled trades,”&nbsp;Cotman&nbsp;says. “They were so surprised to learn how many skilled trades there are, and that they could start working toward a career path while still in high school.&nbsp;</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">“These real-world connections to curriculum really help concepts ‘click’ for students and help them understand the&nbsp;‘why’&nbsp;behind some of our learning,” she adds. “Thank you to Jeff, Jason, and the Expanded Opportunities team for sharing your passion, talents, and expertise with us.”</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/ffa03da3-59c3-4519-a8a2-0e1301064e93?fingerprint=ppb20260617153621" alt="One Newburgh PS student smiles at the camera and holds up a laser-cut plaque qhile working on the little community library project" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit;display:inline-block"></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/4067203d-14d0-42fd-9e0d-f34582bbf6f2?fingerprint=ppb20260617153607" alt="Two Newburgh PS students work on the little community library project" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit;display:inline-block"></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/260e8353-eecc-41cb-abf6-2e90448e43bc?fingerprint=ppb20260617153612" alt="Three Newburgh Public School students stand beside a completed little community library they built, displayed outside of a store." width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit;display:inline-block"></p>