Posted: June 9, 2024
Families of Shortreed,
We hope you enjoyed that sunshine and heat this weekend! It has been rare over the past month with not much more in the forecast.
We hope your students enjoyed riding your bikes and scooters this past week. We encourage you to keep this going through the end of the year! We will be drawing for prizes on Monday (from participation last week).
June is always a jam-packed month and this week continues on with this as we have some important events happening. On Tuesday, we have our 2nd Annual Diversity Day (“Proud to be ME” Day). Please check your emails for more information on this important event. We can’t wait to see our students dressed in what makes them… them! Our parade is at 1:30 so please come on by and cheer on the kids. On Thursday, Venechuk Farms is returning to share more about local produce with their Agri-Kids program – this time with mini-cucumbers and mini-peppers! Be sure to read their latest newsletter here. Be sure to collect your free produce before or after school. Thursday is also the Feeding Futures (Lunch Lady) lunch day. Friday is Sports Day!!! We’d love to see the kids with their bikes or scooters for our Wheels Parade… and make sure the kids wear their team colours! Please check your email for more information.
We continue our learning with National Indigenous History Month. This is a reminder to check out the June learning calendar (From JB Walking With) for what you can learn more about. Another place to learn is through educator Carolyn Roberts. She is sharing 2-minute “History Bites” each day, so be sure to check out her website or follow her on Facebook.
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. We acknowledge this to honour the land and the people and share our commitment to learning in our journey for Truth and Reconciliation. This month is National Indigenous History Month and our focus is on four words: Accomplishments, Inspiration, Resilience, Success. What better time for me to share about a local changemaker… Chief Alice McKay of Màthxwi First Nation. I have only met Chief Alice McKay a few times but have gotten to know some of her family fairly well. I have also read the news articles and heard about the historic settlements she has fought for to get land back that was taken away and compensated for highways illegally planned and put in through Matsqui lands. Chief Alice is known throughout Canada as someone who has fought hard for the Matsqui people and has led with courage and determination. A residential school survivor and an incredibly strong matriarch, she lives and models accomplishment, inspiration, resilience, and success – the words we focus on this month. Thank you to Chief Alice McKay.
We hope you take a few minutes to read up about some good things happening at our school this past week and some important info for the month of June. Be sure to follow our social media for more good things happening in our classrooms!
Good Things to Talk About
Shortreed’s Got Talent! What a show! Our students wowed the audience for just over an hour, and 30 different acts were performed (live and on video). From singers and dancers to gymnasts to soccer and baseball players… and even dog training, standup comedy, balloon art, rubix cube-solving, and mutton bustin’ (sheep riding!),,, we had it all! Congratulations to all the performers. Thank you to all those parents who came out to watch and to Mrs. Parsons and Ms. Coghill for organizing and leading the show this year!
Big Wheels Keep on Turning! Wow… what a week of Bike/Roll to School Week! We blew up our sticker chart that kept track of how many trips we took! Our bike racks and scooter racks were so full that we had to keep bikes and scooters in the classroom and hallways. We even had entire families biking to school… what an incredible job, Shortreed!!!
Getting JIGgy With It – Mrs. Kirk has been focusing on Metis culture and traditions in the library for some of our classes. Some students in Division 4 were so excited about the “Red River Jig” dance that they got some iPads and took a class themselves. They were having so much fun doing the jig in the library!
Another Club Wednesday in the Books! We hope your kids enjoyed another session of Club Wednesdays! Although we don’t like to hear students complain, it makes us feel like we have done something right when they complain that it is the last session! Thank you to all the staff members for putting on their clubs, and a special thank you to Mike from Wild Education, Ms. Macklin, and Mr. Troy for volunteering their time to come in and work with the kids in the clubs.
The Week Ahead
Monday – Gr. 4 Book Shopping
Tuesday – Proud to Be Me – Diversity Day; parade at 1:30
Wednesday – Eco-Tigers 12:00
Thursday – Agri-Kids (Venechuk Farms); Feeding Futures Lunch
Friday – Sports Day, PAC Hot Lunch (pizza)
Month at a Glance
June 17-21 – Gr. 5 Swim Program
Monday, June 17 – ACSS Grad Walk 1:00
Tuesday, June 18 – K and Gr. 5 year-end field trips
Thursday, June 20 – PAC Ice Cream Day
Friday, June 21 – National Indigenous Peoples Day, PAC Meeting 9am
Monday, June 24 – Gr. 5 Farewell 1:00
Wednesday, June 26 – End of Year Assembly – 1:00
Thursday, June 27 – Final Day of Classes – dismissal at 11:30
PAC News
Minutes from May PAC Meeting/AGM are here.
Introducing our 2024-2025 Shortreed PAC Executive!
President: Jodi-Rae Stiglic
Vice President: Kyla Des Mazes
Treasurer: Laura Wheway
Secretary: Susan Ngo
DPAC: vacant
Members at Large: Amy Synesael, Cashmere Roder, Jennifer Cooksley
Communications Coordinator: Kaelin Nelson
Fundraising Coordinator: Paula Halvorson
Information and Reminders
- Stay Healthy and Safe this Summer! (tips from Fraser Health)
- Sun Protection
Help avoid sunburns by applying a sunscreen lotion with Sun Protection Factor (SPF) 30 or more to your children (and yourself) at least 20 minutes before heading outside. Seek shade and stay out of the hot sun between 11am and 4pm Look for places with lots of shade, such as parks with big trees. Take an umbrella or tent to the beach and cover up with a wide-brimmed hat, long sleeves and loose-fitting long pants.
Breathe Easier
BC wildfires and dry weather conditions are common during the summer months, resulting in poorer air quality. Reducing exposure to wildfire smoke is the best way to protect your and your family’s health. Stay on top of air quality advisories.
Hydration
Encourage your children to drink water regularly before they become thirsty. Instill the habit of always carrying a water bottle with them wherever they go.
Physical Activity
Parents who join in soccer games, splash in the pool, or set out on hikes with their children on summer vacation—and all year long—not only get fit themselves but also provide healthy role models for the next generation. Healthy, active outdoor play is one of the best ways to improve adults’ and children’s overall physical and mental health.
Enjoy the Bounty of the Summer Produce
Summer is here, which means fresh fruits and vegetables are in season. This makes it an ideal time to eat delicious, locally grown foods. Local farmers’ markets and u-pick farms are fun ways to enjoy farm-fresh fruits and veggies while getting outside and supporting your local farmers.
Find more summer health tips in Fraser Health’s Healthy Summer Guide: https://ow.ly/G0r350S7S3Y
- Sun Protection
- We are noticing that more students are being dropped off before we have supervision in the morning. Supervision does not start until 8:30 so we do not have adults to watch or support our students. Please do your best to wait to drop your children off until 8:30 each day.
Summer Session 2024 – Elementary/Middle/Secondary
Are you looking for skill-building or new learning opportunities for your child to keep them engaged during the summer? The District offers a variety of courses as part of Summer Session. Online registration begins on April 17 (Elementary/Middle) and April 18 (Secondary) at 10:00am for Langley School District students only. To register, you will need a student PEN (Personal Education Number). You can find your student’s PEN in MyEDBC. If you are having trouble accessing your PEN, you can visit our MyEDBC Portal Help Page or contact your school. For dates, times, and courses available to grade 1-12 students, please visit our webpage here.
Our breakfast program is up and running! Please register at this link.
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.
Community Events and Information
Check out events and activities around Langley by clicking here for the Community Bulletin Board.
——-July 2nd – 6th – Multi-Sport and More Summer Program – $50 – Ages 6-10 – 9:00am – 3:00pm at Shortreed Community School REGISTER HERE
July 15th – 19th – Multi-Sport and More Summer Program – $50 – Ages 6-10 – 9:00am – 3:00pm at Shortreed Community School REGISTER HERE
July 22nd – 26th – Multi-Sport and More Summer Program – $50 – Ages 6-10 – 9:00am – 3:00pm at Shortreed Community School REGISTER HERE
July 29th – Aug 2nd – Multi-Sport and More Summer Program – $50 – Ages 6-10 – 9:00am – 3:00pm at Parkside Centennial Elementary School REGISTER HERE
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