Harrowsmith Public School

<p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Dear Families,</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">I hope this message finds you well as we approach the end of the last school week of 2025 and the upcoming holiday season. &nbsp;I wanted to share a few updates with you before we head into the Winter Break:</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">EQAO Results</strong></b></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The Ministry of Education recently released the 2024-2025 Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) results, and we are proud to share that Limestone achieved its strongest performance in four years, with gains across every testing category.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Limestone’s results align with provincial outcomes in many areas and show notable improvements in others, including among specific student groups. In fact, Limestone’s performance is at or above the provincial average in nearly all measures.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">These accomplishments reflect the collective efforts of Limestone’s educators, Educational Assistants, program teams, and school leaders—along with the commitment and support of students and families across the district. I am deeply proud of the dedication shown by Limestone staff, students, and families in achieving these results.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">More information on EQAO results is </span><a href="https://www.limestone.on.ca/news/limestone-s-eqao-results-improve-across-all-categories-20251205185556" class="editor-link"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">available on Limestone’s website</span></a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">, including a </span><a href="https://www.limestone.on.ca/documents/2a916cd2-b224-4a93-a4b3-b0a57ae98e62/Letter-to-Parents-EQAO-Dec-3-2025.pdf" class="editor-link"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">letter to families from Minister of Education, Paul Calandra</span></a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Grade 8 Information Nights</strong></b></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The Limestone District School Board is hosting Grade 8 Parent Information Nights at secondary schools across the region for families and students. These events include a special presentation about the school, its programs, and the registration process.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Information nights are also a great opportunity to learn about the wide variety of programs available for secondary students in Limestone—including expanded opportunities, French immersion, the International Baccalaureate program, and more. We are very proud of the range and choice of different secondary programs we provide to the communities we serve.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Upcoming </span><a href="https://www.limestone.on.ca/news/grade-8-information-nights-20251208194333" class="editor-link"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">information night dates can be found on Limestone’s website</span></a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Inclement Weather Reminder/Tri-Board Transportation Reminder</strong></b></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">We are now well into the inclement weather season and have already experienced some transportation cancellation days. Our transportation partner, Tri-Board Student Transportation Services (Tri-Board), works closely with school bus companies to determine whether it is safe to operate on days with adverse weather.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">School buses function differently than family vehicles, and sometimes, even when roads seem safe for cars, conditions are not suitable for buses. Given the geographic size of our district, weather can vary significantly from one region to another. As a result, cancellations may affect only certain areas while others remain unaffected.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">We understand that transportation cancellations can be disruptive for families, but safety is always Tri-Board’s top priority for the 30,000-plus students who ride the bus each day. </span><a href="https://www.limestone.on.ca/news/prepare-for-winter-related-bus-delays-and-cancellations--20251020203640" class="editor-link"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Learn more about how to prepare for winter weather and manage bus cancellation days on our website.</span></a></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Ministry and Board Resources for Math and Literacy</strong></b></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">There are many resources available designed to support your student’s learning in math and literacy, offering engaging activities that can make learning fun and effective for students and families. </span><a href="https://www.limestone.on.ca/tutoring" class="editor-link"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Visit Limestone’s Online Learning Resources and Tutoring webpage</span></a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> to learn more.&nbsp;</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Director’s Annual Report 2024-2025</strong></b></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The Director’s Annual Report offers a concise overview of the teaching and learning that occurred across the Limestone District School Board during the 2024-2025 school year. It highlights ongoing progress toward the Board’s strategic priorities, shares student achievement data, and showcases key initiatives and accomplishments from across the district and is </span><a href="https://www.limestone.on.ca/director-s-annual-report-2024-2025-" class="editor-link"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">available on Limestone’s website</span></a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">We hope all Limestone families enjoy a restful winter break filled with time with those who matter most in your lives. We look forward to welcoming students and staff back to school on Monday, January 5, 2026, ready for an exciting new year of learning.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Krishna Burra</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Director of Education</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">&nbsp;</span></p>

<p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The Limestone District School Board (LDSB) has&nbsp;achieved&nbsp;its strongest&nbsp;Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO)&nbsp;performance&nbsp;in&nbsp;four years, with gains in&nbsp;</strong></b><u><b><strong class="editor-text-bold editor-text-underline" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">every testing category</strong></b></u><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">&nbsp;for the 2024-2025 school year.&nbsp;LDSB’s EQAO results&nbsp;align with provincial outcomes in many areas, while showing notable improvements in others and among specific student groups.&nbsp;Limestone’s 2024-2025 results are at, or above, the provincial average in&nbsp;almost all&nbsp;measures.</strong></b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">&nbsp;</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Results show an upward trend&nbsp;and momentum&nbsp;across all eight areas of assessment for students in Grades 3, 6, 9, and 10, including those with special education needs, underscoring&nbsp;the&nbsp;Board’s intention&nbsp;of&nbsp;making a positive difference in the lives of&nbsp;every student, in every classroom, in every school.&nbsp;</strong></b><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">&nbsp;</span><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">"These results reflect the daily dedication of Limestone educators, educational assistants, program teams, and school leaders,” says Krishna Burra,&nbsp;LDSB&nbsp;Director of Education.&nbsp;“I want to acknowledge&nbsp;the efforts of those who have&nbsp;focused on implementing evidence-informed practices, providing targeted supports, and collaborating across schools to ensure student achievement and success.”&nbsp;</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The elementary school report provides assessments of Reading, Writing, and Mathematics written by&nbsp;students&nbsp;in Grades 3 and 6. The secondary school report provides similar information relating to the Grade 9 Assessment of Mathematics and the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test&nbsp;(OSSLT).&nbsp;</span></p><h2 class="editor-heading-h2" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Results&nbsp;at a Glance&nbsp;</span></h2><ul class="editor-list-ul"><li value="1" class="editor-listitem"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Grade 3 Improvements:</strong></b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">&nbsp;LDSB students showed a 5% to 8% increase in Reading, Writing, and Math, with 75% meeting the provincial standard in Reading, 65% in Writing, and 65% in Math, outperforming provincial averages. Students with special&nbsp;education&nbsp;needs improved by 8% to&nbsp;9% in these subjects.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></li><li value="2" class="editor-listitem"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Grade 6 Gains:</strong></b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">&nbsp;Achievement rose in all areas, with 88% meeting Reading standards, 87% in Writing, and 51% in Math, matching or exceeding provincial rates.&nbsp;Students&nbsp;with&nbsp;special&nbsp;education needs&nbsp;made significant advances, especially in Writing with a 22% increase.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></li><li value="3" class="editor-listitem"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Grades&nbsp;9 and 10 Results:</strong></b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> LDSB’s Grade 9 Math scores were slightly below provincial levels but increased by 5% from the previous year, with&nbsp;students with special education needs&nbsp;performing better than&nbsp;students with similar needs in other&nbsp;jurisdictions.&nbsp;The Grade 10 OSSLT saw 95% participation and 84% success, a 3% rise, with continued improvement among&nbsp;students with special education needs.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></li></ul><h2 class="editor-heading-h2" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Grade 3 EQAO Results&nbsp;</span></h2><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Grade 3&nbsp;student&nbsp;achievement saw a&nbsp;5% to&nbsp;8% increase in all subject areas in Limestone, compared to the 2023/24&nbsp;assessment results, with&nbsp;75% meeting the provincial standard in&nbsp;Reading, 65% in&nbsp;Writing, and&nbsp;65% in&nbsp;Math.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Results for&nbsp;the province&nbsp;showed a slight&nbsp;increase&nbsp;from the previous year&nbsp;for&nbsp;all&nbsp;Grade 3&nbsp;subjects&nbsp;and&nbsp;were&nbsp;slightly lower&nbsp;than Limestone&nbsp;across Grade 3 assessment&nbsp;subjects.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">This new data shows improvement in all subjects, with&nbsp;Math achievement showing the most significant difference for&nbsp;students&nbsp;in Grade 3.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Of significant note&nbsp;are&nbsp;the gains in achievement in Grade&nbsp;3&nbsp;Reading,&nbsp;Writing, and&nbsp;Mathematics made by Limestone&nbsp;students with special&nbsp;education&nbsp;needs&nbsp;– up&nbsp;9%,&nbsp;8%, and&nbsp;9% respectively,&nbsp;compared to the 2023/24&nbsp;assessment results.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></p><h2 class="editor-heading-h2" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Grade 6 EQAO Results&nbsp;</span></h2><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Grade 6&nbsp;student achievement&nbsp;in Limestone&nbsp;also&nbsp;continues to&nbsp;build momentum with&nbsp;improvements in&nbsp;all subject areas.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">In&nbsp;Reading, 88% of students&nbsp;met&nbsp;provincial standard&nbsp;in 2024/25&nbsp;– an increase of&nbsp;9% from the 2023/24 assessment&nbsp;and a higher rate than the province for&nbsp;2024/25.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Results in&nbsp;Writing&nbsp;showed an increase of 14% over the&nbsp;previous&nbsp;assessment year, with&nbsp;87% of&nbsp;students&nbsp;meeting provincial standard,&nbsp;at a higher rate than the province.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">In&nbsp;Math,&nbsp;results were equal to&nbsp;the&nbsp;province,&nbsp;with&nbsp;51%&nbsp;of&nbsp;students&nbsp;meeting&nbsp;the provincial standard, an increase of 11% for Limestone compared to the&nbsp;previous&nbsp;assessment year.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Like&nbsp;the&nbsp;Grade 3 assessment results, achievement&nbsp;in&nbsp;all subject areas&nbsp;for&nbsp;students&nbsp;in&nbsp;Grade 6 with special education needs&nbsp;in Limestone&nbsp;has increased, with significant gains in&nbsp;Reading and&nbsp;Writing&nbsp;by&nbsp;12% and&nbsp;22%, respectively,&nbsp;since the 2023/24&nbsp;assessment. This increase in achievement&nbsp;for&nbsp;students&nbsp;in&nbsp;Grade 6&nbsp;with special education needs&nbsp;is higher than the province&nbsp;by 3% to 10%&nbsp;across all&nbsp;subject areas.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">“Limestone&nbsp;students&nbsp;and staff have worked hard to achieve these gains across Reading, Writing, and Mathematics, including the strong improvements for&nbsp;students&nbsp;with&nbsp;special&nbsp;education needs,” says Burra.&nbsp;“The momentum we are seeing is the result of consistent, evidence‑informed practice—targeted instruction, early interventions, collaborative professional learning, and a sharp focus on what happens in classrooms every day.&nbsp;</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">“We are proud of this progress, and we are committed to sustaining it by continuing the practices that work and adjusting where they do not,” he adds.&nbsp;“Our goal remains steady improvement over time, not one‑year spikes, for every&nbsp;student,&nbsp;in every classroom,&nbsp;in every school.”&nbsp;</span></p><h3 class="editor-heading-h3" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Primary Assessment (administered in Grade 3):&nbsp;</span></h3><table class="editor-table"><colgroup><col><col><col></colgroup><tbody><tr style="height: 20px;"><td class="editor-tableCell" style="width: 321px; background-color: transparent; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Area of Assessment&nbsp;</strong></b></p></td><td class="editor-tableCell" style="width: 85px; background-color: transparent; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">LDSB&nbsp;&nbsp;</strong></b></p></td><td class="editor-tableCell" style="width: 113px; background-color: transparent; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Province&nbsp;</strong></b></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 20px;"><td class="editor-tableCell" style="width: 321px; background-color: transparent; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Reading&nbsp;</span></p></td><td class="editor-tableCell" style="width: 85px; background-color: transparent; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">75%&nbsp;</span></p></td><td class="editor-tableCell" style="width: 113px; background-color: transparent; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">74%&nbsp;</span></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 20px;"><td class="editor-tableCell" style="width: 321px; background-color: transparent; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Writing&nbsp;</span></p></td><td class="editor-tableCell" style="width: 85px; background-color: transparent; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">65%&nbsp;</span></p></td><td class="editor-tableCell" style="width: 113px; background-color: transparent; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">65%&nbsp;</span></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 20px;"><td class="editor-tableCell" style="width: 321px; background-color: transparent; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Mathematics&nbsp;</span></p></td><td class="editor-tableCell" style="width: 85px; background-color: transparent; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">65%&nbsp;</span></p></td><td class="editor-tableCell" style="width: 113px; background-color: transparent; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">64%&nbsp;</span></p></td></tr></tbody></table><h3 class="editor-heading-h3" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Junior Assessment (administered in Grade 6):&nbsp;</span></h3><table class="editor-table"><colgroup><col><col><col></colgroup><tbody><tr style="height: 20px;"><td class="editor-tableCell" style="width: 321px; background-color: transparent; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Area of Assessment&nbsp;</strong></b></p></td><td class="editor-tableCell" style="width: 85px; background-color: transparent; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">LDSB&nbsp;&nbsp;</strong></b></p></td><td class="editor-tableCell" style="width: 113px; background-color: transparent; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Province&nbsp;</strong></b></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 20px;"><td class="editor-tableCell" style="width: 321px; background-color: transparent; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Reading&nbsp;</span></p></td><td class="editor-tableCell" style="width: 85px; background-color: transparent; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">88%&nbsp;</span></p></td><td class="editor-tableCell" style="width: 113px; background-color: transparent; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">86%&nbsp;</span></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 20px;"><td class="editor-tableCell" style="width: 321px; background-color: transparent; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Writing&nbsp;</span></p></td><td class="editor-tableCell" style="width: 85px; background-color: transparent; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">87%&nbsp;</span></p></td><td class="editor-tableCell" style="width: 113px; background-color: transparent; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">85%&nbsp;</span></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 20px;"><td class="editor-tableCell" style="width: 321px; background-color: transparent; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Mathematics&nbsp;</span></p></td><td class="editor-tableCell" style="width: 85px; background-color: transparent; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">51%&nbsp;</span></p></td><td class="editor-tableCell" style="width: 113px; background-color: transparent; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">51%&nbsp;</span></p></td></tr></tbody></table><h2 class="editor-heading-h2" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Grades&nbsp;9&nbsp;and 10&nbsp;EQAO Results&nbsp;</span></h2><h3 class="editor-heading-h3" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Grade 9 Mathematics Assessment:&nbsp;</span></h3><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Results&nbsp;for&nbsp;Grade 9&nbsp;Math&nbsp;in Limestone&nbsp;are slightly lower&nbsp;compared&nbsp;to the provincial results. For all participating&nbsp;students&nbsp;in the&nbsp;Grade 9&nbsp;Math assessment,&nbsp;55% achieved the provincial standard in Limestone,&nbsp;and 58%&nbsp;achieved the provincial standard provincially.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Limestone’s&nbsp;Grade 9&nbsp;Math results&nbsp;increased&nbsp;by&nbsp;5% as compared to last year.&nbsp;Results for&nbsp;students&nbsp;with&nbsp;special&nbsp;education&nbsp;needs&nbsp;achieving the provincial standard&nbsp;are&nbsp;higher than&nbsp;the province at&nbsp;34%&nbsp;for Limestone,&nbsp;compared to&nbsp;32% for the province.&nbsp;</span></p><table class="editor-table"><colgroup><col><col><col></colgroup><tbody><tr style="height: 20px;"><td class="editor-tableCell" style="width: 321px; background-color: transparent; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Grade 9 Mathematics Assessment&nbsp;</strong></b></p></td><td class="editor-tableCell" style="width: 85px; background-color: transparent; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">LDSB&nbsp;&nbsp;</strong></b></p></td><td class="editor-tableCell" style="width: 113px; background-color: transparent; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Province&nbsp;</strong></b></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 20px;"><td class="editor-tableCell" style="width: 321px; background-color: transparent; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Grade 9&nbsp;Math&nbsp;</span></p></td><td class="editor-tableCell" style="width: 85px; background-color: transparent; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">55%&nbsp;</span></p></td><td class="editor-tableCell" style="width: 113px; background-color: transparent; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">58%&nbsp;</span></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">“Grade 9 Mathematics continues to be a priority area,” says Steve&nbsp;Hedderson, LDSB Associate Superintendent of Human Resources&nbsp;and&nbsp;Curriculum&nbsp;and Program Services: Math and FSL.&nbsp;“Limestone’s&nbsp;five‑point improvement year‑over‑year shows the work is taking hold. We&nbsp;are deepening supports in Grade 9&nbsp;Math—explicit instruction, daily practice, and&nbsp;timely&nbsp;interventions—and aligning professional learning so teachers have the tools they need. We&nbsp;are focused on building&nbsp;Math confidence and competency for every&nbsp;student.”&nbsp;</span></p><h3 class="editor-heading-h3" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test&nbsp;- Administered in Grade 10:&nbsp;</span></h3><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">This year, 95% of first-time eligible&nbsp;students&nbsp;wrote the test&nbsp;in Limestone, compared to 94%&nbsp;of&nbsp;students&nbsp;in the province. With&nbsp;this&nbsp;high&nbsp;participation&nbsp;rate,&nbsp;84% of all&nbsp;students&nbsp;in Limestone&nbsp;were successful, an increase of&nbsp;3%&nbsp;compared to&nbsp;the 2023/24&nbsp;school year.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">OSSLT&nbsp;results&nbsp;for&nbsp;students&nbsp;with&nbsp;special&nbsp;education&nbsp;needs&nbsp;continue&nbsp;to&nbsp;show&nbsp;an&nbsp;improvement&nbsp;for the&nbsp;2024/25&nbsp;year,&nbsp;with&nbsp;65% of&nbsp;Limestone&nbsp;students&nbsp;being successful&nbsp;on the assessment.&nbsp;</span></p><table class="editor-table"><colgroup><col><col><col></colgroup><tbody><tr style="height: 21px;"><td class="editor-tableCell" style="width: 282px; background-color: transparent; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Grade 10 OSSLT&nbsp;</strong></b></p></td><td class="editor-tableCell" style="width: 97px; background-color: transparent; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">LDSB&nbsp;&nbsp;</strong></b></p></td><td class="editor-tableCell" style="width: 117px; background-color: transparent; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Province&nbsp;</strong></b></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 21px;"><td class="editor-tableCell" style="width: 282px; background-color: transparent; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Participation&nbsp;Rate&nbsp;</span></p></td><td class="editor-tableCell" style="width: 97px; background-color: transparent; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">95%&nbsp;</span></p></td><td class="editor-tableCell" style="width: 117px; background-color: transparent; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">94%&nbsp;</span></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 21px;"><td class="editor-tableCell" style="width: 282px; background-color: transparent; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Success&nbsp;Rate&nbsp;</span></p></td><td class="editor-tableCell" style="width: 97px; background-color: transparent; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">84%&nbsp;</span></p></td><td class="editor-tableCell" style="width: 117px; background-color: transparent; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">85%&nbsp;</span></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">“Strong Grade 10 Literacy outcomes begin with strong participation,” says Stephanie Sartor, LDSB Associate Superintendent of Curriculum and Program Services: Literacy Focus. “With 95% writing and 84% successful, up three points from last year, we are encouraged by the trajectory, including the continued improvement for students with special education needs. Literacy is a shared responsibility across subjects, and we will keep pairing explicit instruction with targeted supports so every learner can&nbsp;demonstrate&nbsp;success.”&nbsp;</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Students in all publicly&nbsp;funded schools in Ontario&nbsp;are required to&nbsp;write provincial assessments, administered by EQAO, a provincial body that tests students’ skills in&nbsp;Literacy in Grades 3, 6,&nbsp;and 10 and&nbsp;Math skills in Grades 3, 6,&nbsp;and 9 in relation to Ontario&nbsp;curriculum expectations.&nbsp;</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Successful completion of the&nbsp;Literacy requirement is one of the requirements to earn an Ontario Secondary School Diploma.&nbsp;The EQAO assessments have undergone significant&nbsp;updates, with the newer&nbsp;digital assessments offered entirely online through a digital platform for students over the past&nbsp;four&nbsp;years.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">“The dedication of Limestone educators,&nbsp;educational assistants,&nbsp;program team members, and school leaders will remain foundational to&nbsp;continued efforts moving forward,” says Burra.&nbsp;</span></p>

<p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The following message by the Honourable Paul Calandra, Ontario Minister of Education, is for parents and guardians regarding EQAO results and the appointment of a Student Achievement Advisory Body.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Please select the following link to read (PDF): </span><a href="/documents/2a916cd2-b224-4a93-a4b3-b0a57ae98e62/Letter-to-Parents-EQAO-Dec-3-2025.pdf" rel="noreferrer" class="editor-link"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Letter to Parents and Guardians</span></a></p>