Information for Tiger Families
Dear Tiger Families,
The construction continues and there has been some major progress with the paving. Beginning this week, there will be a change in the bus traffic and bus drop off and pick up for our students. This will now occur in between Ernestown ISS and Odessa PS. Drop off for our walking students will now return to the original spot (small gates the front of the school). For families dropping off their children, make sure that you go all the way to the circular turnaround. Please do not do u-turns in the middle of the road. This is a serious safety issue. There is a map included below for your reference.
There have been a number of cases of respiratory illness over the last two weeks at Odessa PS. The Health Unit has been following this closely and has asked the we include some of the reminder posters about when to stay home as well as what you can do to protect yourself and your family from illness.
Our annual food drive begins this week and concludes on Friday, December 12th. Any families wishing to donate to the Food Drive should send the food items into the school and they will be collected in the hallway by the library. Our goal is to collect a minimum of 600 items for the food drive.
As always, please reach out to us if you have questions or need support.
Take care,
Krista Esford, Principal
Odessa Lost and Found
2025-26 Parent Council Meeting #4: Minutes
Meeting Date: Nov 18, 2025
Time: 6:30- 7:30
Location: Odessa Public School Library
1. Welcome and Introductions
Chairperson’s welcome
Attendance:
- Parents Present: Stacey Waldram, Courtnie Storms, Katie Ramoutar, Rachel Moser, Courtney Sauve; Hailey DaCosta, Lindsay Kerr, Kim Keith, Erin Truesdell
- Staff Present: Courtney Bush
- Guests: No Guests
2. Principal’s Report
- Indigo love of reading grant- they raised over $8,000 for the school. We need to spend the grant money by March 31 at Indigo stores. Administration is working on plans to spend it on classroom and library reading materials.
-Thank you to parent council and the lions club for the pumpkin patch pancakes!
-Our junior girls and boys volleyball are practicing. The tournament should be next week.
-Krista and Courtney have been running bingo/games club for the grades 5 and 6, and grades 3 and 4 from 12:25- 12:45 during second recess. Thank you to parent council for borrowing some of their games.
-Thank you to Ms Brooks 5/6 class for running the thoughtful Remembrance Day ceremony.
-Progress reports were sent home last Thursday. Thankful to staff for completing and ensuring that communication is happening with homes on student progress.
-PA day Recap- all educators went to a keynote by U of T Faculty. Story telling for safe spaces for critical dialogue. Speaker in the afternoon on AI. Educators also attended workshops on literacy, well being, physical education etc.
-Pink shirt day this Friday.
-The construction will be handed back over to the school in the coming week(s) to move bussing from the tennis courts to in between the schools. Information will be shared with families on the transition, with drop off and pick up instructions.
-School bus safety presentations start next week.
- Jingle walk throughout the village of Odessa on Dec 5th- non-perishable food donations requested.
- Winter Magic Evening Dec 10th from 5-7. Drop in style.
3. Treasurer’s Report (FROM OCTOBER MEETING)
Current balance: [$12,214.23]
Two classes have accessed a portion of their $400 for field trips.
Next month’s finance report should have the spirit wear revenue on it.
4. Committee Reports
Pro Grant Application
- $1000 for a parent/caregiver involvement, engagement night.
- Something physical or wellness related would be good so the parents and kids could participate
- Option: Gould Lake programming- with Dan Moser!
- Paint night is another option
- Stacey will look into if its possible to do both. Decide before next meeting on event.
- January 13th is the deadline for the grant.
Email Correspondence
- BAND app- SAC members download app for the offline conversations and planning.
Holiday Shop
- Mix of donated and new bulk supplies.
- The shop would be a lot for one day, consider splitting it across two days. [Approved- 2 days]
- Could mix kinders with older class to help with the buying process.
- We could create a shopping list for each of the family members they need to buy for.
- We should have an option for kids to participate who don’t have the money to spend, like a sponsor a kid option. Or SAC could allocate some money to cover the families who need it.
- Confirmed Dec 17-18th
- $2,000 for purchasing new gifts and wrapping/bags for kids to decorate [Approved]
o If you find something to purchase place it in Erin’s spreadsheet.
- Will accept good quality donations of specific items, like small stuffies, mugs, books, hot wheels. Write letter to parents seeking donations by Dec 10th. Courtney will organize student leaders to collect donations from classrooms.
- Brown craft paper will help for wrapping.
- Let Stacey know if you can volunteer on either day, 9-2.
- Decide if there needs to be a maximum amount, i.e., $15?
Spirit Wear
- Order numbers are lower than last year.
- Kindness spirit wear did not meet minimum, so we will buy 3 more shirts and raffle them off [Approved]
- Hit min order amounts on all other items.
Poinsettias/Gardens
- Do it next year! First two weeks in November.
Holiday Night
- No fundraising needed. Open house style/drop in style between 5-7.
Fun Fair
- Last year was May 23
- This year there is a PA day on May 29, so let’s aim for May 28. Rain date Jun 5th [Approved]
- Grant final paperwork submitted from last year.
- We will want to submit for the Loyalist Grant again this year but for less $ than last year.
- For next meeting bring ideas of things we can do differently this year. Any improvements from last year.
Durham Street Road Closure
- Some SAC members attended the township meeting 3 weeks ago. Thanks to their efforts in raising concerns about the actual amount of traffic using Durham street, the township is reconsidering the proposal to close Durham at Main Street.
- Similar input was shared from the community on the impact of the construction to the school and community members.
- SAC members attended meeting with Limestone, Loyalist, County and Triboard officials. This meeting was held in regards to the whole concept of the road changes and the school drop off, including the buses. Each entity had changed something in the design that the other party didn’t know about and it was determined that additional planning and traffic volume assessment would be undertaken.
-A traffic counter was added as a result from this meeting. They are doing additional research based on parents’ observations of actual traffic counts.
- School administration is meeting with the township on Thursday and we will know more details following this meeting. This might be the last week of using the tennis courts for busses.
5. Adjournment
Time adjourned: [8:15]
Odessa Public School Spirit Wear eStore
School Day
Loyalist Township Online Registration Guide
How to Order Hot Lunch through LunchBox
How to Order Guide (2)Lunchbox Parent Guardian FAQ's Aug 2023
Fun Times at Games Club This Week
Events for the Calendar
Friday, December 5th- Success Assembly at 8:30 am, Jingle Bell Walk
Thursday, December 11th- STEM Field Trip (Grade 5)
Friday, December 12th- ESS Concert
Tuesday, December 16th- School Council Meeting at 6:30 pm
Wednesday, December 17th- Kid's Holiday Shop
Thursday, December 18th- Kids Holiday Shop
Friday, December 19th- PJ Day
Monday, December 22nd- First Day of Winter Break
Monday, January 5th- First Day Back to School
Contact Us
10 North St.
Odessa, Ontario, K0H2H0
613-386-3022
odesa@limestone.on.ca
Visit us on the web at odessa.limestone.on.ca