Hello Ernestown Intermediate & Secondary School families,
What a great start to semester two. Basketball is underway for LESAA and KASSAA, with three intermediate basketball tournaments this week. Report cards went home for both Intermediate and Secondary students last week on Friday. We are excited to share some great updates with our community below!
Ernestown's Band in the News- Building Bright Futures
Ernestown was just featured in a Global News- Building Bright Futures segment highlighting young people in the community who are giving back and making a difference. The video highlighted the awesome work Mr. Seguire and the band have been doing, including their Holiday Roadshow to Bath Public School, Amherstview Public School, Fairfield Public School, and Odessa Public School back in December. Please see below for a clip featuring Sarahi Gomez, Jordan Cunningham, and Mr. Seguire. Watch clip here. Additionally, Becky Cairins and Anna Walhout were featured in an article discussing the band's Holiday Roadshow and their upcoming perfomances through semester two. See link for more information. The band was also featured in an article by the Napanee Beaver with interviews from Becky Cairns & Rachel Crausen. See link for more information.
Ernestown's BCIP Program in the News- Building Bright Futures
There was also a story about the Building Construction Internship Program featured in a Global News- Building Bright Futures segment. The video highlighted the program's project and completion of their 103rd house, and interviewed BCIP teacher Mr. Fisher as well as grade 12 students Phoenix Burley and Garver Bradford. We are so proud of these students and their commitment to a career in the trades! Watch clip here. As well, Garver Bradford, Natsuki Ono, and Mr. Fisher were profiled in an article from the Kingston Whig Standard discussing the program's plans for the second semester including the upcoming LDSB Skills Competition held February 26-27 at St. Lawrence College. Check it out here.
Awesome Opportunity for Girl's SysTEM Mentorship
Girls SySTEM Mentorship - a non-profit organization based in Canada that strives to bridge the gap between men and women in STEM. We believe that early intervention at a young age is critical for young women interested in STEM. The program provides a
space for encouragement and aims to increase diversity in the STEM workforce by pairing self-identifying young women in grades 7-12 (ages 12-18) with professional mentors from a diverse range of STEM fields. In doing so, mentees can gain first-hand knowledge of STEM early on, which we believe is vital in building the confidence to succeed in the future.
Some of the benefits of becoming a mentee include
- Free one-on-one mentoring with a professional in STEM
- Access to monthly workshops and events to further your STEM interest
- A platform to connect with other like-minded individuals
Applications to become a mentee for the Winter 2026 program year are now open. Apply to become a mentee here. Although the program targets self-identifying young women, it is open to students of any gender. We ask that mentees are able to commit 1-2 hours a month. Our program is hybrid, therefore we provide virtual and in-person opportunities to accommodate everyone. Mentee applications close on February 27, 2026. Mentees will be paired with the mentor that we see most fitting based on shared interests and goals, hobbies, and overall compatibility. More information can be found on theirwebsite.
Programming for Families - Extend a Family
Please find below programming and contact info for Extend a Family in Napanee including both their Saturday programming and March Break camp.
Free Webinar for Families- Supporting Youth Mental Health
We are excited to share a valuable opportunity to support your child’s well-being. School Mental Health Ontario is offering a free webinar series as part of the By Your Side Learning Hub, designed to help parents and caregivers navigate important topics to support their children’s mental health. We encourage all parents and caregivers to participate in this informative series. Together, we can support the well-being of our children and communities.
This expert-led series will provide insights and practical strategies on:
- ✅ balanced device use
- ✅ vaping
- ✅ body image
- ✅ anxiety
The webinars will also include answers to questions that parents/caregivers can provide ahead of the webinar, giving you the chance to ask questions and gain practical guidance. Sessions run March-June.Register for free today
Community Event- Braiding Sweetgrass Seminar
All are invited to a talk on Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults: A Community Evening with Author Monique Gray Smith, taking place on March 12, 2026 at Queen’s University. This special evening is led by the Limestone District School Board Indigenous Education Team in partnership with the Limestone Learning Foundation and Queen’s University’s Faculty of Education. We are pleased to welcome Monique Gray Smith, who will provide an in-person public talk inspired by her book, Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults, an adaptation of Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. This gathering will bring together educators, families, students, Indigenous partners, teacher candidates, and community members to reflect on care, reciprocity, and connection to land and one another.
For Information: Summer 2026 Travel for Credit: Grade 10 Civics and Careers in the Canadian Maritimes
Limestone District School Board is excited to share that we have partnered with EF Tours Travel for Credit program again this summer. Students currently in Grade 8 or Grade 9 can earn their Civics and Careers credits this summer by participating in three weeks of virtual (asynchronous) learning plus one week of travel with EF Tours with stops in Halifax, Moncton, and Charlottetown.
Summer School Dates: Monday, June 29 to Friday, July 24, 2026
Travel Dates: Wednesday, July 8 to Tuesday, July 14, 2026
Visit the Canadian Maritimes Trip website for additional information, or join us for an upcoming virtual information session to learn more about this exciting opportunity. The session will cover everything you need to know about summer school dates, structure, travel dates, destinations, itineraries, pricing, and more.
Travel for Credit Information Session
Date: Thursday, February 27, 2026
Time: 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Location: Online Teams Meeting Families must register online in advance for the Information Session: Register today!
Ask Questions: If you have questions, contact Kate Myers by e-mail.
Grade 8 Information Night- What a Night!
Ernestown staff and students had a great time connecting with the next group of incoming Eagles last week at our Grade 8 Information Evening. We were proud to showcase our excellent academic programming, sports teams, clubs, and other extracurricular opportunities available at Ernestown. Incoming families are welcome to direct any questions to Ms. Hamilton at hamiltons@limestone.on.ca. See below for some great images from the evening! Please find below programming from Extend a Family in Napanee including their Saturday programming as well as March Break camp.
At a Glance- Events Coming up at Ernestown Intermediate & Secondary School
- Tuesday, February 17: LESSA Basketball Tournament at Queen's (Intermediate Rec Team)
- Wednesday, February 18: Keys Event (for grade 9 & 10 Classes), EISS Parent Council Meeting, 6:30pm in the Commons (all are welcome!)
- Thursday, February 19: LESSA Basketball Tournament at Queen's (Intermediate Girls Team) & Grade 9 Geography Field Trip to Queen's (Tilley)
- Friday, February 20: LESSA Basketball Tournament at Queen's (Intermediate Comp Team)
- Monday, February 23: Gould Lake Trip (Parsons & Nolan)
- Wednesday, February 25-Thursday, February 26: Limestone Skills Competition at St. Lawrence College
- Wednesday, March 4: St. Lawrence College Visit for students interested in SLC
- March 16-20: March Break
Kind regards,
Ernestown Administration