Administrator’s Message
Welcome to October!
As we all settle back into the school routine, October has arrived in a hurry, but the weather and the leaves point us to the reality of Fall blooming before our very eyes! It has also brought us a new National holiday, Truth and Reconciliation Day, where we can stop, slow down and deepen our understanding of the residential school legacy. We hope everyone had a reflective and peaceful day on Thursday. Please visit our Indigenous Education Department website for resources and information https://ied.sd61.bc.ca/ However you spent the day, it marks the beginning of a learning journey for all Canadians to grapple and confront Canada’s difficult history.
Last week we said farewell to Brenda Murray who has moved over to Spectrum. We wish her the very best in her new adventure. We are pleased to welcome Maria Lopez Osuna who is a new Educational Assistant to our school. She will be starting October 12th, and we have Ally Barber who is working with us until Maria arrives. Ashley McKinstry is our new Learning Support teacher and will be on Maternity leave until the end of March. We look forward to seeing her then, but in the meantime we will have a temporary teacher, who is yet to be determined.
Student leadership has started. We meet some Wednesdays and we have a very eager team. Thank you to Mrs. Wiersma and Mrs. Restell for sponsoring this team. Next Friday at first recess, the leadership team will begin a running club for anyone interested. Also, each morning, four leaders will be out front to greet students as they are dropped off, and invite them to join their “walking school bus”, which will lead them to the back of the school. We hope that this will assist families with a quick, smooth drop off in the mornings.
Grade 4/5 soccer takes place at lunch recess, twice a week. We hope to have a mini jamboree amongst the four teams one afternoon towards the end of the month.
Just a couple of reminders. Please send your child to school with their own, labelled water bottles every day along with a change of clothes. Now that the rainy season has begun, rain jackets and rubber boots are highly recommended for our muddy forest and outdoor play and learning areas.
A construction update: The blasting has been done and the sewer work is almost complete. This means that we will soon have access to the back of the school near the forest area. They will be cutting a hole in the fence to allow us to safely walk around the worksite. The South wing outside door is also now available to teachers and students during the day. Those classes may be shifting where they line up.
We are looking forward to the upcoming parent teacher interviews next week. You should have received a notice this week to be returned by today so we can schedule in your 15 minute zoom or phone call, one on one time, with your child’s teacher. Don’t miss out on this opportunity. .
We hope you get a chance to be with family on Thanksgiving weekend to celebrate all that you are grateful for.
Mrs. Relf, Principal & Mrs. Beattie, Vice Principal