Posted: February 12, 2023
Families of Shortreed,
We hope your children are enjoying their long weekend… I imagine, most of the parents and caregivers are looking forward to Tuesday!
Friday was a Pro-D Day, which is a time when staff usually has some say in the workshops or learning experiences in which they participate. Tomorrow (Monday) is a “Design and Assessment Day” which is different than a Pro-D Day. For D/A Days, there are typically no presentations or workshops to choose from – school staffs work together on school action plan goals. Tomorrow afternoon will provide teachers to spend some time preparing for the Term 2 Student Inclusive Conferences. Later this week, you should receive an email from us with the opportunity to sign up for a timeslot for the conferences coming up at the end of this month.
A reminder that Tuesday is Valentine’s Day and Red/White/Pink Day at Shortreed so we encourage our students and staff to wear something that has any or all of those colours on them!
As always, we want to acknowledge that at Shortreed, we work, learn, and play on the unceded ancestral lands of the Matqui First Nation. In the Langley School District, we do this on the unceded ancestral lands of the Matsqui, Kwantlen, Katzie, and Semiahmoo First Nations.
We hope you take a moment to read up on a few of the good things that the “odd-numbered” divisions have been up to this past week… along with some updates and reminders for the weeks ahead.
Good Things to Talk About
Taking on the Bulldogs – Our Eagles’ Grade 5 Basketball Team travelled to Uplands to take on the Bulldogs in their first league game last week. Team 2 led most of the game but ended up losing by a basket late in the game. The coaches were proud of their teamwork and movement on the court! Their next games are after school on Tuesday and Wednesday this week as they host Parkside and Nicomekl. Come on out and cheer them on!
Let’s Play! Students have had the chance to experience some PE in wheelchairs with the “Let’s Play” program through Pacific Sport Fraser Valley. Those classes who had PE Tues-Thurs last week and Tues-Friday this week will have a chance to explore movement and play games in the chairs.
Learning About Local First Nations – On Friday, Shortreed staff had the privilege of listening, learning, and reflecting on the important words from Chief Alice McKay and Councillor Brenda Morgan of Matsqui First Nation, Michael Kelly-Gabriel of Kwantlen First Nation, Deanna Miller of Katzie First Nation, and Chief Harley Chappell of Semiahmoo First Nation. Following this, we learned from Len Pierre, a powerful and engaging speaker from the Katzie First Nation.
Division 1 – Laying Down the Challenge – Both Mrs. Parsons and Ms. Bedard’s classes have been learning all about Shannen’s Dream and Have a Heart Day (Feb 14). They have been going around the school teaching classes about Shannen’s Dream and, last week, they each wrote a letter to another grade 5 class in the Langley School District challenging them to learn more about Shannen’s Dream and Have a Heart Day. We are so proud of them for sharing their learning with their district peers!!!
Division 3 – A Little Perspective – Students in Mostat’s class spent some time learning about the idea and skill of perspective in art. Students then had a chance to design their own street corners and then use angled lines and their creative sides to create stunning artwork that shows perspective of the street corners.
Division 5 – Some Calm Reading – It is often very difficult to read to yourself with the buzz of active students all around you. Mrs. Loverock’s class has worked hard on creating a calm environment for the reading time after lunch each day. They put on the crackling fire, dim the lights, and get comfortable to derive deep into a book they are reading.
Division 7 – Collecting, Sorting, Analyzing – Mr. D’s class was learning about collecting, sorting, and analyzing data in math last week. Students were learning about the many ways you can collect data and then how you can group in and present/share it with others. This is another math skill that transfers into other subject areas like science and social studies.
Division 9 – Rotations for Practice and Learning – Mrs. Gandouin’s class has been participating in their math rotations to learn and practice place value and addition skills. The students rotate through small group instruction with Mrs. Gandouin along with practice with some math games, a math app on the iPads, and some activities on the topic.
Division 11 – The Captain Hooks of Writing – Mrs. Graham’s students have continued their learning and practicing of their writing strategies. The strategies they are using are on display for them to check and look at to remind them during their writing. Their strategies are: write a hook, use magic connecting words, use “triple scoop” words, stretch the sentences, and use move-along words. Be sure to ask your children what these all mean to them!
Division 13 – Scientific Journals – Mrs. Datema has been working with her students to develop their writing skills by writing like “scientists”. Students read and learned about animals and then wrote and shared some of their favourite facts! The student in the photo was really proud of all his scientific writing!
Division 15 – A Different Type of Phone – Mrs. Rowbotham’s class was working with Mrs. Muller last week and had a chance to explore the xylophone! Each student had a chance to practice different notes and experience what it feels like to play this percussion instrument.
Division 17 – In Formation! Miss Petersen’s class continued their practice with letter formations in class last week. This is SUCH an important skill for all our students. We are noticing that this is becoming more challenging for some of our students so this makes this practice that much more critical. You can help all your children (K-5) with their printing/writing skills by tracing and printing letters and words, labelling stickies around the house, and (for older students) taking notes at home, writing lists, and letters to friends and family.
Division 19 – We Have Sentences! Ms. Coghill’s students were so proud to start showing their new skill of writing sentences in their journals! For one of their journals, they had to write sentences with the word “like” and the next day, they wrote sentences using “see”. They then chose one of their sentences to inspire a picture for them to draw.
The Week Ahead
Monday – Design and Assessment Day – no school for students
Tuesday – Valentine’s Day, Red/White/Pink Day, Have a Heart Day, Gr. 5 basketball practice 7:45 and game vs Parkside at 3:00.
Wednesday – Gr. 5 Basketball Game vs Nicomekl at 3:00
Friday – PAC Meeting 9:30, EQ Drill 11:00, Blueberry orders due
Month at a Glance
Monday, Feb 20 – Family Day (schools closed)
Feb 21-24 – Diversity and Respect Week
Tuesday, Feb 21 – Gr 5 Basketball at Douglas Park 3:00
Wednesday, Feb 22 – Pink Shirt Day, Gr. 5 Basketball hosts Parkside 3:00, PAC Popcorn Day
Friday, Feb 24 – Shortreed Spirit Day – Tye Dye and Rainbow Day
Monday, Feb 27 – Gr. 5 Basketball hosts Simonds
Tuesday, Feb 28 – Gr. 5 Basketball at James Hill
Wednesday, March 1 – Student Inclusive Conference Day/Evening – no school for students (only attend their conference time if it is on this day)
Monday, March 6 – Gr. 5 Basketball Playday (at ACSS)
Tuesday, March 7 – Gr. 5 Young Entrepreneur Fair
Wednesday, March 8 – Hot lunch, Early Dismissal at 1:33
Thursday, March 9 – Early Dismissal at 1:33, last day for Student Inclusive Conferences
Friday, March 10 – Last Day prior to Spring Break
PAC News
A reminder that Blueberry Orders are due on Feb 17. Forms were sent home with your child.
Save the date! Our 2023 Fun Fair is in May 26th from 3:30 to 7:30pm. We have started the planning process and are looking for people who would like to help plan and organize the fair. There are lots of big and small jobs that need to be done before the big day. (this call out is for volunteer coordinators to help plan the fair. Posts and emails for volunteers to help on the day of the fair will be sent out in April ).
Volunteer coordinator positions that need to be filled:
- Concession
- Games
- Volunteers
- Advertising
- Signs and decorations
- Jar Game
- Cake Walk
- Will Call
- Face Painting
HOT LUNCH
Returning Parents: Please sign in to your Munch-a-lunch account at https://munchalunch.com/login
New Families: Please go to this link: https://munchalunch.com/schools/Shortreedand click on the “Register Here” button and follow the instructions to create an account.
Important Updates and Reminders
Parent/Guardian Information Meeting – AP356
The District is sharing information from the recent Parent/Guardian Information Meeting held to discuss Administrative Procedure 356. The District appreciates everyone who attended the meeting and engaged with our staff. It was an opportunity for attendees to hear from District staff about the procedure and next steps, as well as have their questions answered. To report back to the community, the District is sharing the meeting minutes, presentation slides, as well as questions and answers from the meeting. You can find all this information and instructions to provide further feedback on the District website here.
Student Safety and Traffic – please make sure you drive slowly around these school during pick-up and drop-off. With our growing community, more families are dropping off on the blocks around our school community and deriving quickly down streets like 26B Ave. Please be mindful that we have a number of students who walk to/from school so we need to be extra cautious. Also, please pass this info on to those people who pick-up/drop-off but do not receive the newsletters.
- Before/After School Care at Shortreed for 2023!
- If your family needs some support for breakfast before school, our breakfast program runs at 8:20 each day. Students must come every day and be on time. Please register at this link.
- Please have your child come prepared for the weather (coats, hood, gloves, boots) as most days are outside days at Shortreed. If you are in need of coats or shoes/boots, come and check out our selection in our Coat/Shoe/Boot exchange!
- If your child is sick, please keep them home until the symptoms have improved.
- Our school parking lot is closed between 8:15-9:00 and 2:00-2:45 (other than daycare, buses, and vehicles for people with a disability). The church across the street graciously allows us to use their parking lot for pick-up and drop-off so please park there or along 28th Ave. Do not park in the “no parking” (coned) areas along the yellow curbs. No u-turns.
Community Events and Information
Check out all the community events and opportunities on the Langley School District Community Bulletin Board by clicking here.