We are officially past the mid-term point of semester 1, and have lots to celebrate and look forward to!
Mid-term report cards went home with students on Friday.
Recent activities
On Thursday, November 13th, two teams of our Special Olympics athletes competed in the Special Olympics Basketball Qualifier Tournament at BSS! Every athlete should feel incredibly proud of what they brought to the court - from hard work and teamwork - to the awesome connections made with athletes from other schools. A HUGE shoutout to all the amazing volunteers and staff who helped make the day such a success. Your support truly made this event memorable for everyone involved!
Grade 10 Business students, Darwin, Colton, Tiger, Reid, are building a new product as part of the "Youth Success Initiative" workshop. BSS is the trial school for this four-session program offered by the Enactus Club at Queen's University led by Commerce and Education students.
Math News
We had 16 Blazers write the University of Waterloo Canadian Intermediate and Senior Math Contests on Wednesday, November 12th. Our Senior Mathletes have been practicing for the past few weeks to prepare for their district competition. We had 10 teams represent BSS at the Senior Math League on Friday!
Recycling Kahoot Challenge
The following teams won the Recycling Kahoot Challenge:
Grade 9: Lucas Gratton, Katie Homer, Dawson Jackson, Ammar Rahim, Chase Smith, Evelyn Walsh
Grade 10: Kalen Boodhoo, Elijah Monnich
Congratulations to all of our participants and organizers!
Looking Ahead
Monday, November 24-Friday, November 28
Student Census week
Monday, November 24
School Council meeting
Friday, November 28
Semi-Formal
Monday, December 1
Photo retake day
Tuesday, December 2
Level Up! Skilled Trades Career Fair & Open House
Wednesday, December 3
Coffeehouse
Wednesday, December 10
Human Rights Symposium
Reminders
IPRC waivers
This is a reminder that IPRC waiver forms should be returned to the main office or Claudine Elvidge in room 133 asap. Waiver forms are sent to families when no changes to a student's identification or placement are being recommended. If waivers are not returned you are indicating your request for an IPRC meeting. The meeting is 5-10 minutes in length and will be scheduled in the coming weeks. Ms. Elvidge will be in touch with your day and time.
Attendance Procedures
If your student will be picked up early before school dismissal, you can report an Early Departure. Please enter the departure time. Students will need to sign in or out of the school in person at the main office.
Link to LDSB Report a Student Absence page: Report a Student Absence
Community Hours
Please remember to get your Community Involvement Hours in as you complete them at the main office. Link to LDSB page: Volunteer (Community Service) Hours.
Blazer Boutique
We have clothing and outerwear for all seasons including hats, scarves, mitts and footwear. We will be working on getting appropriate clothing for each season and spirit days on racks. We also have a great selection of dresses, dress shirts, and pants for dances or any professional opportunities for students. Donations are kindly accepted.
Yearbook
Last week, we sent home emails and letters to all students whose records indicated that they were not to be included in the yearbook, based on the Freedom of Information we have on record. If you received this, and do not want your student included in the yearbook, then no action is required. If you wish for your student's photos to be included in the yearbook, you will need to contact the school to have this information corrected. If you did not receive an email or letter home then our records indicate that you want your student included in the yearbook. There is no action required.
Grad comments/photos
Knowing The Grads Questions For Yearbook – Fill in form
Upcoming Opportunities
School Council meeting
Any interested parents/guardians are welcome to join our School (Parent) Council meeting this evening, Monday, November 24th, from 6-7 pm in the Library Learning Commons. If you are interested in a virtual option, please reach out to Principal Sheri Jones at jonessh@limestone.on.ca
See Yourself in Limestone - Student Census Survey
Limestone is committed to creating safe, inclusive, and supportive learning environments for all students. To help us better understand how students’ identities and experiences relate to their achievement and well-being, we are launching our second See Yourself in Limestone Student Census Survey this fall.
The census is a voluntary and confidential survey for students in Grades 4 to 12, running from November 24 to 28, 2025. It gathers information about students’ identities and their experiences at school. This data is then paired with academic information to help us understand what school is like for different groups of students.
Important information for families:
- The survey is optional.
- Responses are confidential and students can skip any questions they do not wish to answer.
- Students will complete the survey during class time.
- Students who do not participate will be provided with an alternative activity.
Students who have been opted out of survey 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
BSS students will be completing the census in periods 2 or 3 this week.
Please see the following for further information:
The Student and Family Question Guide. This is the public version of the Question Guide posted to the LDSB website. It contains the same information but is written with students and families as the audience.
School-to-Community Poinsettia Fundraiser
It’s that time of year again! The School to Community Program is excited to announce that we will be running the Poinsettia Fundraiser again this year! We would love to have your support. Do you need some beautiful decorations for your house? Need a nice gift to take to a relatives or friend’s house for a celebration? Poinsettias are a great option that not only are long lasting, but also help support a wonderful program through this fundraiser. For those of you who have ordered in the past, you know that Rekker’s Poinsettias are top notch in quality.
School-based fundraising has become a critical part of ensuring ALL students have access to community opportunities such as educational field trips, sports equipment, books for personal reading and support materials (which may be financially out of reach for some families) not otherwise covered by provincial funding models. Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity to share the gift of giving while supporting students!
Orders will be delivered to BSS for pick-up end of day on December 4th, 2025
Orders are due by November 27th, 2025 to Meg Donald – SCS Teacher Room 126
https://bayridgess.limestone.on.ca/documents/Poinsettia-Order-Form.pdf
Semi-Formal Dance
Level Up! Skilled Trades Career Fair
For BSS students:
The Level Up Career Fair, hosted by the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD), will be making a stop in Kingston this year! The event will take place at Slush Puppie Place on December 3rd, 2025, and Bayridge will be taking a group of students to check it out! This is a fantastic opportunity for students to explore careers in the skilled trades through hands-on, interactive exhibits and conversations with industry professionals.
Sign up in School Day.
For families:
You are invited! 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.
Human Rights Symposium
On December 10, 2025, the LDSB is hosting a Human Rights Symposium for students in grades 9-12.
Reminders from LPS
The visit to Queen's University Student Wellness and Accessibility Services, the Regional Assessment and Resource Centre and the Queen's Library Accessibility Services and Technology Lab is scheduled for December 11th. If you are in grade 11 or 12 please keep your eye on School Day to sign up.
The visit to St. Lawrence College is postponed until early 2nd semester. More information to come.
January Exam Schedule and Inclement Weather
Please see the January Semester 1 Exam schedule here:
If buses are cancelled due to inclement weather during the exam period, exams scheduled on that day will be rescheduled to the next exam day. Subsequent exams in the exam schedule will also be rescheduled to the next exam day. Schools will communicate with families directly through e-mail if the exam schedule is adjusted due to inclement weather and bus cancellations. Information about rescheduled exams will also be posted on school websites. It will be important for families to watch for communication in the event of inclement weather. Students are expected to be present and available to write exams during the entire exam period, from January 22 to January 28, 2026. We understand that changes like these can cause inconvenience, and we appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we navigate any potential inclement weather and its impact on Semester 1 exams. Our primary concern is the safety and well-being of our entire school community.
Trip
Would your child like to experience a trip of a lifetime? Would they be interested in a trip to see four European countries over the March Break of 2027? Bayridge SS is partnering with EF tours for this incredible experience. This gives students a chance to go beyond the classroom and bring education to life, unlock potential, and open a world of possibilities. https://www.eftours.ca/tour-website/2862714EE?utm_source=dma_ECTA_enroll_flyer_core_eng
Community Opportunities
SouthEast Public Health
Please see the following link for Routine Immunizations / Vaccine Reminders: kflaph.ca/ImmunizationReporting
On-Line to Success (OLTS)
On-Line to Success (OLTS) is a transition program for students going from secondary to post-secondary school, and takes place from February-June. OLTS is for students in Grade 12 (or completing an additional year) in the Kingston and surrounding areas with learning disabilities, ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, and/or mental health disorders, including (but not limited to): depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and OCD.
Almost all of the program can be completed on-line, where students will develop strategies to be better prepared for post-secondary education, and to better deal with the increased demands of workload, stress management, and self-advocacy required at this level. Students will be required to attend one full-day of in-person workshops at the start of the program.
Course activities include topics such as: identifying your strengths and challenges, understanding your learning profile, time management, stress management, self-advocacy, and navigating the Accessibility Office. The program is developed and delivered by trained and experienced educators, in consultation with psychologists all from the Regional Assessment and Resource Centre.
These are pass/resubmit courses, and students will receive regular feedback and support regarding their assignments.
Applications are now open and registration is due by January 9, 2026
https://www.queensu.ca/rarc/transitions/olts
The Transition Resource Guide is a website with everything you need to know about accessibility and other essential resources across publicly funded Ontario post-secondary schools. https://www.transitionresourceguide.ca/