Posted: January 7, 2024
Families of Shortreed,
Happy New Year!
We hope you had a wonderful holiday with your friends and family, including some downtime and rest!
January is a slower month around the school and this is a good thing for getting school and classroom routines back in place so the students can be calm and ready to learn.
We have some general “Good Things” from the last week of December to share and we want to say how much we appreciate your support in making it a December to Remember! From the Santa Breakfast to the Aldergrove Parade,.. and Find the Elves, Spirit Days, carolling, Christmas concerts and more… our staff worked so hard, and we loved seeing you and your children smiling and joining in as much as you/they could! We appreciated the support of PAC volunteers with organizing crafts, providing the free treat day decorating, and supporting in so many ways. Lastly, thank you to everyone who reached out to donate and support our families to help make their Christmases that much better!
With the new year comes the reminder to register for kindergarten for September 2024! If your child turns 5 in 2024, you should register them for kindergarten. You can find more info here. Registration begins next week on Monday, January 15.
With snow in the forecast, please be sure to read the section below about School Status During Inclement Weather.
As always, we want to acknowledge that we do our important work to ensure every child belongs on the unceded ancestral territories of the Màthxwi (Matsqui) First Nation. Our acknowledgement is a commitment to learning the truth of the local history and creating actions and positive change for indigenous students/families and all children in our community. Over the break, I had a chance to go for a few walks in and around these ancestral lands. I am so incredibly thankful for the years of stewardship by Màthxwi people so we can walk gently on these lands and be close to Mother Nature. It helps us all to be grounded, calm, and respectful of this land.
We hope you take a few minutes to read about some good things as well as some reminders for the weeks ahead.
Good Things to Talk About
A Concert to Remember – It may have been the best Shortreed Christmas Concert ever! The students performed with so much energy and dedication and sang their hearts out for all who could attend. The decision to have three concerts and split the evening concert meant that every person who wanted to attend was able to (with most even having a seat this year!). A HUGE shoutout to Mrs. Muller for her efforts and leadership, and a big thank you to the staff for all their extra efforts and ongoing support.
The Best Way to Spread Christmas Cheer… On the final day before the break, we invited all the classes into the gym for our annual Shortreed Sing-Along and Read Aloud. The very talented Shortreed staff led the carolling while Old Man Wejr joined us again this year for the reading of Dasher. We love this tradition, and the kids filled our hearts once again. Our staff did a bit of a warmup outside before school as we gathered to sing carols for all who arrived near the playground too! Thank you again to our staff for being so willing to do the extras for kids!
Thank You, Mrs. Romas! We bid farewell to Mrs. Romas as she starts her career in the world of teaching. Mrs. Romas was Shortreed’s incredible Youth Care Worker for the past 11 years and supported endless students, staff, and families with love, humour, food, kindness, and care. We will miss her, but we wish her all the best in her next exciting career phase. Her legacy of support for kids and families will live on at Shortreed!
The Week Ahead
Monday – first day back!
Month at a Glance
Monday, Jan 15 – Kindergarten Registration Begins, PAC Meeting 6:30
Tuesday, Jan 16 – Earthquake Drill 10:00
Wednesday, Jan 17 – Eco-Tigers 12:00
Friday, Jan 19 – PAC Hot Lunch
Friday, Jan 26 – PAC Treat Day, Spirit Day – Backwards Day
Wednesday, Jan 31 – Eco-Tigers 12:00
Friday, Feb 9 – PAC Meeting 9:30
Monday, Feb 12 – BC Lions Energy Assembly 1:15
Friday, Feb 16 – Pro-D Day
You can download a list of the important dates in the district for 2023-2024 here.
PAC Info
Here is this month’s calendar:
Information and Reminders
- Grade 5 basketball is starting soon! If your child is interested, please have them let their teacher know.
- It’s that time of year when we see a rise in illnesses impacting students and staff in our school. We hear from families about colds, respiratory illnesses, and stomach bugs circulating in our community. As a reminder to help keep our school community healthy and well, we are sharing this online resource from our community partner Fraser Health. Here you will find information about protecting your child from communicable diseases and managing their illnesses: https://www.fraserhealth.ca/health-topics-a-to-z/school-health/illness-and-immunizations/illness-in-the-classroom
- Our breakfast program is up and running! Please register by clicking this link.
- Friday Dance Sessions! Does your grade 2-5 child love to move? Come to the gym at 7:45 on the last and first Fridays of the month to learn Bhangra, line dance, and other forms of dance!
” I dance to bring meaning, to bring possibility, and to bring inspiration to others. I dance because it makes me whole, so would you like to try some dance moves with me on Friday mornings!” Information About School Status During Inclement Weather
Snow closures and power outages are annual occurrences in Langley School District. So, where do you go to get information about the status of schools during periods of inclement weather? If you are able to access the internet via computer or smartphone, current information about Langley schools can be accessed on all school websites or the Langley Schools Website. Updates are also posted to X (formerly Twitter) @LangleySchools and Facebook. If you don’t have internet connectivity but your phone is working, call a relative or friend in an area that has not been affected by the storm and ask them to check the district website for you. Local radio stations are also informed of school status in Langley. Tune in to CKWX 1130AM, CKNW 980AM, Country Radio 107.1FM, Pulse 107.7 or CBC 690AM or 88.1FM for updates.
Please note that Langley District schools are all considered ‘open’ until a decision to close is required. Decisions on school closures are usually made by 6:30am. As always, it is a parent’s decision whether to send their child to school based on safety and individual circumstances. If you feel it is unsafe for you or your child to travel to or attend an open school for any reason, please keep your child home and report an absence to the school.
- If you are in need of boots and/or a coat, please check out our free Boot and Coat exchange near the office and gym. If you cannot find something there, please contact Mr. Wejr.
Attendance/Absence – If your child is going to be absent, arriving late, away or leaving early due to an appointment, please notify the school of your child’s absence by emailing SCEAttendance@sd35.bc.ca or calling 604-856-4167.
- 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.
- West Coast Recess – As we have done over the past few years, every day is an outside day at Shortreed. Unless there is a severe rainstorm (or snowstorm), we will be heading outside. Please make sure your child has a coat to wear outside. We have a good selection of coats in our FREE Coat Exchange near the office, so come by and check them out.
- Not Feeling Well? If your child has cold or flu-like symptoms, please keep them home until they have improved and they are well enough to attend school. This will help keep our staff and students as healthy as possible.
Community Events and Information
Check out events and activities around Langley by clicking on the Community Bulletin Board.
Winter Xplore SportZ Program at Shortreed – Pacific Sport Fraser Valley offers a K-3 Co-ed sports program for January-March for only $20! Click here for more info.
Did you know that families are eligible for support with dental services for children?
Many families do not have private dental insurance, but they may be eligible to apply for the following programs.
- Healthy Kids Program – children under the age of 19 years may be eligible for basic dental services.
- Canada Dental Benefit – children under the age of 12 years who do not have access to a private dental insurance plan.
- UBC Dentistry – offers a free dental program for children 12 years and younger. Please see the attached application form.
- Affordable dentistry options for children – Fraser Health Authority
Aldergrove Minor Baseball registration is now open for the 2024 season. Register at www.aldergroveminorbaseball.com.
Langley Thunder Box Lacrosse registration is now open for the 2024 season. More info at https://www.langleythunder.ca/.
