Posted: February 17, 2025

Families of Shortreed,

I hope you had a wonderful Family Day long weekend and a chance to spend quality time with family. We also hope you enjoyed Valentine’s Day!

Please watch for our Student Inclusive Conferences signup link to be sent later this week (likely on Thursday). Our conference primary week is March 3-7, with a few timeslots available the week after that.

Our grade 5 basketball team practices tomorrow morning and travels to Nicomekl after school to continue their undefeated season. Grade 2 basketball will be after school on Friday again this week. Basketball sessions for grades 2/3 and 4/5 will be starting after spring break. Stay tuned for registration information.

We are excited to have instructors from Chang’s Taekwondo come and work with our PE classes this week. Each class will have at least two sessions with the instructors. We always appreciate the support from this local martial arts studio!

Kindergarten registration for 2025-2026 continues through February. More info here.

As always, we want to acknowledge that we do our important work to ensure every child belongs on the unceded ancestral and traditional lands of the Màthxwi (Matsqui) First Nation. We acknowledge this to honour the land and the people and share our commitment to learning on our journey for Truth and Reconciliation. My daughters are at BGMS, and their class recently read the novel Mascot by Waters and Sorell. This led to many dinner conversations about the appropriation of Indigenous titles and names (and stereotypical acts and words) that are still used by sports teams throughout North America. Although progress has been made as some teams have moved to other mascots and names, there is still much work to do. Watching the Superbowl, my daughters asked, “They are not going to do that tomahawk chop, are they???” (as you know, sadly, they still do this and pass on harmful stereotypes and offensive imagery of Indigenous peoples from the past). On our journey of reconciliation, the use of Indigenous artwork, names, and traditions without permission must be discussed so more people are aware of the harms and ongoing stereotyping that is caused by this. Thank you to BGMS for bringing this conversation to our home via my daughters… and now I will pass this on to you for you to reflect and discuss.  

We honoured Have a Heart Day on Friday. Throughout the week, students from Division 1 presented to some classes about the importance of this day and this movement. Have a Heart Day is a youth-led reconciliation event to ensure Indigenous children have the opportunity to grow up safely at home, get a good education, and be proud of who they are. Some classes at Shortreed have been learning about the importance of this day and the importance of equity for EVERY student in schools across Canada. Thank you to Mrs. Parsons and staff for their support of this event.

Classes celebrated kindness and care on Valentine’s Day on Friday. Students continued the tradition of passing along a card and/or a small gift to their peers in the class. Some classes enjoyed some treats and yummy baked goods as well!

At the end of the day on Friday, every student was given a carnation from our PAC executive to pass along to someone important to them. The beautiful idea is meant to teach students the feeling of spreading kindness. Thank you to our PAC executive for all the work that was put into ordering, organizing, and distributing the flowers so our kids could pass them along.

Our students were embracing every last bit of snow last week, continuing their sledding adventures on the small hill at the back of our field. I am not sure the name of our neighbour whose yard backs onto the hill, but a HUGE shoutout to her, who loaned us a number of extra sleds each day for the kids to enjoy!

Our grade 5 basketball team played two games last week. On Tuesday, they defeated their cross-town friends and rivals (and future BGMS Raptor teammates), the Parkside Panthers. On Wednesday, they played another undefeated team. Simonds/U-Connect, in likely the most intense and skilled Shortreed grade 5 basketball in many years. The teams battled hard against each other with the teams trading baskets and defensive stops throughout the game. The score was tied 14-14 at halftime. Shortreed pulled ahead 26-20 with 4 minutes to go but Simonds/U-Connect hit some big shots to have the game finish in a 28-28 tie! Congrats to our Eagles on 2 great games last week.

We hope that your child had a chance to bring home something that celebrates your family! Our focus on Family Day provides a more inclusive way to honour parents, caregivers, and family members. Thank you to the staff who put in the extra effort with kids to prepare for Family Day this past week.

The Week Ahead

Tues-Fri, Feb 18-21 – Chang’s Taekwondo teaching classes in PE
Tuesday – Gr. 5 basketball 7:45; AWAY Game at Nicomekl 3:00
Wednesday – Club Wednesdays continue 1:15
Thursday – blueberry order forms due by 9am
Friday, February 21 – Gr. 5 basketball 7:45; Gr. 2 Basketball 2:45

A reminder that Monday, February 24 is Design and Assessment Day so students do not attend.

Month at a Glance:

Monday, February 24 – SIC Prep and Design and Assessment Day – no school for students
Tuesday, February 25 – Gr. 5 Basketball 7:45, game at Douglas Park
Wednesday, February 26 – Pink Shirt Day (but don’t stress if you don’t have a pink shirt!); Club Wednesday #4; Gr. 5 Basketball HOME game vs Uplands; PAC Timbit Treat Day
Friday, February 28 – Gr. 5 basketball 7:45, PAC Movie Night; Aboriginal Family Gathering at HD Stafford
Monday, March 3 – Start of Student Inclusive Conferences; Gr. 2 Basketball 2:45
Tuesday, March 4 – Gr. 5 Basketball 7:45; HOME game vs James Hill 3:00
Wednesday, March 5 – Early Dismissal at 12:33 for SIC
Thursday, March 6 – SIC Day – students only attend their conference timeslot (if scheduled on this day)
Friday, March 7 – Gr. 5 Basketball 7:45
Monday, March 10 – Jump Rope for Heart starts
Tuesday, March 11 – EQ Drill
Wednesday, March 12 – PAC Treat Day (Cobs)
Thursday, March 13 – Assembly – Quinn Beasley 1:00pm
Friday, March 14 – Last day for SIC, last day before Spring Break

PEACEful Schools and Homes

At Shortreed, we have been using some of the PEACEful Schools strategies from the Complex Trauma Resources Centre. Although the teaching is focused on supporting children who have experienced trauma, it is helpful for ALL children. The PEACE in peaceful stands for the following strategies:

• Predictable routines
• Emotional literacy
• Attuned relationships
• Calming activities
• Empowerment

They also have information for families. We know the importance of predictable routines for students and children – they do much better when they know what to expect (for the most part). We also know that students need to understand their emotions. We shared this info with families over the last month. This week, we are sharing information on Attuned Relationships:

ATTUNED RELATIONSHIPS

• Physical proximity: Keep the child close, maintain a high level of physical presence, support and supervision, as you would for younger children.
• Sends offs: Make a ritual and routine for “good-byes”, keep that routine consistent.
• Do not take the child’s emotions or behaviours personally. Where are you on the stress staircase? If you feel yourself becoming angry or feeling hurt or rejected, take a moment to reflect, calm yourself and then come back to
  the interaction. Remember! How you manage your own emotional arousal and regulation is vital to assisting the Child and to maintaining a peaceful home.
• Counter the shame response. “I see you need help with …” (stopping an activity, moving to another part of the room, cleaning up, not kicking the chair, etc.). Warnings and second chances are less helpful for these children, as they don’t necessarily want to please adults and to establish relationships.
• Time in not time out. Time out enhances rejection. Instead, ask the child to come sit with you to complete their work/task. Reframe their disruption as a need for your extra attention and help.
• Non-contingent Relationship Building Time: Child-directed 1:1 time with a caregiver every day, no matter what happened with that child that day.
• Consequences, not punishment. Consequences for unacceptable behaviour should be natural consequences, designed to repair any damage to relationships or property, rather than punishments that have no relationship to the behaviour. Where possible, consequences should have a relational element.
• Acknowledge good decisions and choices. Try to avoid statements about internal characteristics, such as “you are a good kid”. It is better to comment on actions, so the child can feel good about something they have done.
• Public versus Private Praise. Often public praise will be uncomfortable for a child who has been through a lot. Ask: “when I’m proud of you, how should I let you know?”

If you want the full PEACEeful Homes document as a PDF, click here.

Information and Reminders

• Extended Absences: due to enrollment pressures in Langley Schools, if a student is absent for 25 or more consecutive days (and not due to medical reasons), they could possibly lose their space in the class and/or in the school. Once they return, they could be placed on a waitlist. If you are planning on having your child be absent for an extended trip, please contact your child’s teacher at least 3 weeks before you leave. 
• Strive for FIVE Days (or Less) – Attendance is crucial to your child’s learning as it helps with academics, social-emotional well-being, and peer connections. We understand children get sick, but please send them to school as many days as possible and strive for FIVE or fewer!

• 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 and state the following information:

  • Student First Name and Last Name
  • Grade
  • Division
  • Length of Absence
  • Reason (illness, late, appointment, vacation)
• If your family needs support for breakfast before school, our breakfast program runs from 8:20-8:35 each day. Students must register and come every school day. You can register here.
• 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.

PAC Info

• ORDERS DUE FEB. 20 at 9am: Forms will be sent home with your child and are due back on Thursday, February 20 at 9am. Please submit to your child’s teacher.
• PAYMENT OPTIONS:
  • Etransfer to SRPACfundraising@gmail.com (password Eagles).
  • Cheques are payable to shortreedPAC.
  • Cash to your students teacher with the form.
• PICK UP FEB. 28: Orders are ready for pick up at the Church parking lot Friday, Feb. 28 from 2 to 3 p.m. Please have you or someone else on your behalf come for pickup. No holds.

Community Events and Information

Be sure to check out the Langley School District’s community bulletin board here.

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