Posted: October 29, 2023
Families of Shortreed,
We hope you enjoyed the beautiful fall weather this past weekend!
Classes have been getting into their Hallowe’en spirit with their reading, writing, and art. Our photo proofs were a bit delayed last week so they should be out to you this week.
A reminder that we have our Halloween Costume Parade on Tuesday! If you are available, you are invited to come and watch at 1:30 from the playground or backfield (map is pictured below). We are also excited to walk through our Haunted Gym that our PAC volunteers were busy decorating today! Don’t forget to enter the contest and bring in your carved pumpkin and light for our pumpkin patch in the haunted gym (and pick up at the end of the day). We still have a number of costumes available on our Free Costume Rack at the office so come on by and pick some up! After Halloween, if you would like to donate costume, please bring them in!
Wednesday is Pyjama Day! After a late night of trick-or-treating, no need to get all dressed up again… just have your child wear their pyjamas!
We are excited to share that our School Facebook Page is back up and running and you can like it and follow it here.
As always, we are honoured to do our important work to have a positive impact on the life of every child by doing this on the unceded ancestral land of the Màthxwi (Matsqui) First Nation. We say this not to only say the words… we say it as a commitment. A commitment as a school to continue to learn about the truths of history and to continue to learn from Matsqui people about stewardship of this land.
We hope you take a few minutes to read about a few of the good things that have been happening at Shortreed (as well as some reminders and updates for the weeks ahead). This week, we focus on the odd-numbered divisions.
Good Things to Talk About
Pumpkin Carvings in ELL – Our school always has students who are new to the country, and we are always so excited to show them some fun traditions. Our ELL team (Ms. Mossey, Mrs. Holst, Ms. Seller, and Mrs. Choi) helped their students in the ELL program learn about the pumpkin-carving fun at Halloween… and all the smiles that come with it! For a few students, this was their first one, which makes this even better!
It’s Official! Our grade 5’s were pumped to receive their grade 5 hoodies this past week… so we guess that makes it official that we have our Shortreed Class of 2024!
Family Reading in K – Each kindergarten class has scheduled times when family members are invited to come in and read to and with their kids and other peers in the class. This helps develop a love for reading and models the importance of that connection to story and people through reading. Thank you to everyone who has been able to make it in so far this year!
A Great Way to MOVE into the End of the Week – Ms. Kaur had her first dance session with about a dozen students from grades 2-5. If your child is interested in learning Banghra and line dancing, come to the gym at 7:45 on Fridays!
Div 1 – Honouring Indigenous Veterans – National Indigenous Veterans Day is coming up on November 8. Students in Mrs. Parsons’ class were learning about why there is a day in addition to Remembrance Day in which we honour Indigenous Veterans. They then started their projects in which they are learning about an Indigenous Veteran who is (extra) important to Canadian history.
Div 3 – Cool Cats! Mostat’s class showcased their cool (Halloween) cats artwork last week. They used black construction paper to create a silhouette on an orange background.. and they got to make these cats as cool as they wanted.
Div 5 – Presenting…. BIOMES! Mrs. Ewald/Ms. Penner’s class has been learning about Biomes and Ecosystems. They recently chose a specific biome (ex. arctic, desert, etc) , researched it, created a “triorama” of the biome, and then presented their learning to the class. Students did a great job with their creation and speaking to their peers.
Div 7 – Arachnid Art – Mrs. Thompson’s students created some googley-eyed artwork that featured a Halloween spider. Be sure to check them out on display in the hallway outside their classroom.
Div 9 – Spooky Colours – Mrs. Gandouin’s class has been learning about different tones of colours and had a chance to choose some spooky colours to create a watercolour background for their Halloween artwork. We can’t wait to see these develop!
Div 11 – Comic Creators! Ms. Cheema’s students have been learning about parts of a story (setting, characters, plot, etc) and recently created comics to showcase their learning. They have also been learning about story sequence by using story maps.
Div 13 – Good Night, Pumpkin! Ms. Kaur’s students spent a few days creating some lovely artwork of pumpkins during a starry night. This project involved multiple steps: first, they drew their pumpkin; second, they painted their pumpkins; third, they glued their pumpkins on black paper; finally, they decorated the starry night with pastels. Be sure to check these out on display outside their classroom.
Div 15 – Pumpkin Math! Ms. Fournier’s class took some time to use non-standard units of measurement to determine the size of various pumpkins in the class. They measured the height with unifix cubes and the circumference with chain links. Through their measurements and investigations of pumpkins, they have been practicing teamwork, too!
Div 17 – Feeling Cranky! Miss Petersen combined the teaching of Self-Regulation skills (Zones of Regulation) with a Halloween-themed book. They read the book Crankenstein, and then discussed what makes them cranky. They then did a directed draw of Frankenstein and created an awesome Crankenstin bulletin board you must see!
Div 19 – Pumpkins Galore! Ms. Coghill’s class finally weighed and cut open the massive pumpkin they had in class (they all guessed how heavy it would be after weighing some of the kids… 54.5 lbs!). They also cut open a small pumpkin and estimated the number of seeds, and then cut open a little pumpkin that one of the students grew at home!
The Week Ahead
Tuesday, Oct 31 – Haunted Gym in morning, Halloween Parade at 1:30 (see map, click to enlarge)
Wednesday, Nov 1 – Pyjama Day
Friday, Nov 3 – Gr. 2-5 Dance Session in the gym 7:45am; Gr. 1 Student Release Drill
Month at a Glance
Wednesday, Nov 8 – National Indigenous Veteran’s Day, PAC Hot Lunch
Thursday, Nov 9 – Remembrance Day Assembly 11:00
Friday, Nov 10 – Design/Assessment Day – no school for students
Monday, Nov 13 – Schools not in session (Remembrance Day stat)
Thursday, Nov 16 – Photo Retakes
Friday, Nov 17 – Fire Drill 11:00
Friday, Nov 24 – PAC Dollar Sale, PAC Treat Day
Tues-Thurs, Nov 28-30 – Scholastic Book Fair
Wednesday, Nov 29 – Student Inclusive Conference Day (only students who have conferences attend for conference time only)
Thursday, Nov 30 – Early Dismissal at 12:33 for Student Inclusive Conferences
You can download a list of the important dates in the district for 2023-2024 here. You can also check out the PAC Facebook Group for a NEW monthly calendar!
Information and Reminders
- Our breakfast program will be up and running on Nov 6! Families will be emailed with more details.
- Our Remembrance Day Assembly is at 11:00 on Wednesday, Nov 8. All grade 5s will sing at the assembly and should wear “nicer than everyday clothes.” If at all possible, they should try to wear white, black, grey or red. Parents are welcome to attend and will be allowed into the gym at 10:35.
It is a long-standing tradition for schools to support our veterans and the efforts of the Royal Canadian Legion. Once again, this year, our school will be receiving a poppy for every student and distributing them to classes. We will continue to collect funds this year in support of the Legion’s Poppy Campaign but kindly ask students and their families to donate online via School Cash Online: https://sd35.schoolcashonline.com/. Please do not send cash or cheques with your child to school. If you need assistance accessing School Cash Online, please contact the school office.
We appreciate your generosity. As always, our school is committed to educating our community about the meaning of the poppy and Remembrance Day.
- Friday Dance Sessions starting October 27! Does your grade 2-5 child love to move? Come to the gym at 7:45 on Friday mornings 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 an annual occurrence 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 www.sd35.bc.ca. Updates are also posted to X (formerly Twitter) @LangleySchools and Facebook at www.facebook.com/langleyschooldistrict. 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.
Emergency Procedures & Response
Health and safety are a priority in the Langley School District. Schools follow emergency procedures to ensure students, staff, and any visitors in our schools or sites are safe when unexpected incidents or events happen. At the start of every school year, administrators, teachers, and staff review these emergency procedures. Schools practice a set number of drills annually in preparation for unexpected situations. The District encourages families to become familiar with these staff emergency procedures and the drills that are completed in our schools. You can read them in the Staff Emergency Procedures Poster here or find them posted in areas throughout our buildings. If you have any questions or concerns about emergency procedures, please get in touch with Mr. Wejr or Mrs. Tarasoff.
- As the weather cools, 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.
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.
- Please bring inside shoes for your child. This helps to keep our school clean and dry. If you need some help with shoes, check out our FREE Shoe and Boot Exchange at the office.
- 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.
PAC Info
- Our School Dollar Sale is back on Friday, November 24th, from 1pm untill 6pm. CASH ONLY
- We appreciate all the help, as every dollar goes to our kids. If you haven’t heard about our dollar sale, here is how it all works.
- Our school collects donations from the community, and we turn our gym into a big sale. Starting at 1pm, every item is $1, then at 4pm, it goes down to 4 things for $1, and then at 5pm, it goes to 10 things for $1. We have some fantastic things that are donated each year. Please come see what treasures you can find, and invite your family and friends to shop or ask them if they have any donations they would like to give.
- We will be accepting donations starting November 6th until the day before the sale; please drop off your donations at the PAC office during school hours ( 9am to 2pm) , if you have lots to donate, please get in touch with the PAC to arrange for a drop-off time at shortreedpac@gmail.com or send us a message.
- We have limited storage and volunteers. Please only donate usable items. Many hours are spent organizing and sorting donations, and unfortunately, we end up with items that can not be sold or donated again due to their condition. This includes used candles, used bath products, dirty/stained clothing ( we do not expect clothing to be folded but clean would be nice, if possible tie shoes together), broken toys, and other broken/damaged items. Our volunteers would very much appreciate the help!! With everyone’s support, we can make this another great fundraiser.
- Please, no large items such as large furniture or mattresses.
- Thank you again for supporting our school!
Community Events and Information
Check out events and activities around Langley by clicking on the Community Bulletin Board here!
Canadian University Men’s Rugby Championship
Trinity Western University is proud to be hosting the Canadian University Men’s Rugby Championship. Featuring the top 8 university men’s teams from across the country, the CUMRC is being held at the Willoughby Park Stadium from November 15th through 19th. Come watch future stars playing exciting, fast-paced rugby by buying your tickets here.
Langley RCMP: Candy with a Cop
Our community partner, the Langley RCMP, is inviting our students, staff, and families to have “Candy with a Cop.” On Tuesday, October 31st, police will be sharing treats with visitors throughout the day at their community police offices across Langley. For locations and times, please see flyer here.
Erase Family Sessions: Establishing Safe, Caring, and Respectful Digital Communities
Three virtual Erase learning sessions for families will be held on November 8th, 28th, and 30th, focusing on establishing safe, caring, and respectful digital communities. These sessions are best suited for families and youth aged 10 and above. Please see the form here for links to register for these sessions.