Posted: January 12, 2025

Families of Shortreed,

We hope you and your children have enjoyed the first week back and the first week of school in 2025. Our focus for the start of 2025 is getting the learning and school routines back in place for the students, families, and staff.

Our grade 5s continue their twice-per-week basketball practices with morning sessions on Tuesday and Friday this week. Our grade 2 basketball players get back up and running on Monday after school. Stay tuned for potential practices for grade 3/4 players in the coming weeks (we are working on finding some coaches).

Our staff met last week and formed plans for Club Wednesdays again this year. Each Wednesday (from 1:15-2:15) in February will allow students to choose and participate in a club run by staff (and some community members) in an area of interest, curiosity, or passion. Stay tuned for more info!

Our January PAC newsletter was sent out last week; see below for images of the newsletter and info on the Westcoast Seeds fundraiser. Join us for our PAC meeting Tuesday at 7pm in the library.

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

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 on our journey for Truth and Reconciliation. I had a beautiful conversation with a dear friend of mine. He has experienced recent tremendous success, and I was reminded of his resiliency and strength as an Indigenous man. His upbringing and opportunities were vastly different than mine; he was dealing with a lack of safety in school and a disconnect from family and culture. I felt safe and connected in school and had a family that was never torn apart by government directives. Our stories are so different, and I am so inspired by his determination to get where he is today. It was another reminder of the stories of the strength of Indigenous Peoples and the importance of school being a place of belonging where students are proud of who they are. 

Grade 5 basketball came out of the new year ready to work hard and learn. This group has been working since November and are so excited to get their games started at the end of this month!

After not being able to attend in December, our students were excited to be able to return to Jackman Manor this past week. Both Mrs. Parsons and Ms. Southcott’s classes walked over there for some fun numeracy and literacy activities.

The weather looks a bit colder but fairly dry this week but our students were busy building “umbrella forts” last week to stay protected from our West Coast Weather!

Our students were rollin’, rollin’, rollin’ in the gym last week with the sport wheelchairs. Students get to see what it is like to move around in a wheelchair while also learning some fun wheelchair activities and sports in the gym.

PEACEful Schools and Homes

At Shortreed, we have been using some of the PEACEful Schools strategies from the Complex Trauma Resources centre. The PEACE in peaceful stands for the following strategies:

• Predictable routines
• Emotional literacy
• Attended 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). Please take a moment to read the ideas for families below:

PREDICTABILITY AND ROUTINE

• Make routine, structure and predictability a priority. For example, use a visual schedule to map out the child’s day, use a calendar to map out what is coming up. Use consistency with caregiver responses and prepare child for transitions or any changes in routine, have food/snacks to help regulate, incorporate morning rituals before leaving for school.
  • Sleep: Create a relaxing night routine with your child. Incorporate regular relaxation activities (i.e. read a story, cuddles/massages, breathing activities, relaxing music, etc.).
• Daily check ins and “broaden and build”, some ideas include:
  • ‘What was good?’: This intervention consists of encouraging the child to think about what was positive and memorable about their day. Children experiencing trauma may not be used to thinking about their day may focus on all that went badly. Beginning to call to mind the positives builds a habit of looking for what was ‘good’. Over time, this habit can promote emotional buoyancy.
  • ’10 Best Things’: This intervention consists of encouraging the child to think of their ‘ten best’ lists. Children experiencing trauma often do not think of their history as having positive value. By encouraging children to think about their ten best: memories, meals, toys, super-heroes, video games, etc., the caregiver promotes a broadening of positive memory and corresponding emotion.
  • ‘This or That?’: This intervention consists of encouraging the child to think of the ‘best’ of compared sets. The strategy is an exercise in building positive emotions. Over time, these emotions can broaden and build toward longer-lasting moods. By asking, “Chocolate or Vanilla?” the child will select their favourite ice cream. By contrasting their favourite (Vanilla) to another (Strawberry), the child then selects their favourite again. The strategy continues until there is an ultimate ‘best’. The strategy can be played using meals, toys, super-heroes, video games, etc. By doing so, the caregiver promotes a broadening of positive memory and corresponding emotion.
  • ‘Toot your own horn’: This intervention consists of encouraging the child to think of what they did well. It is designed to help children identify their strengths and build self-esteem. By doing so, the caregiver promotes a broadening of positive memory and corresponding emotion. The caregiver asks the child to think about a time they did something well and were proud of. The caregiver can ask the child to draw a picture, write a story or create a symbol that represents their activity. This creation can then be placed on display around the child’s environment.
  • ‘What went well’: Helping children identify what they are doing well, rather than what they did wrong, can change the focus of the child. Focusing on what they did ‘right’ builds positive emotions and self-esteem. “Catching” the child doing something right (instead of wrong) builds on positive focus.

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

The Week Ahead

Monday – Gr. 2 Basketball 2:45-4:00
Tuesday – Gr. 5 Basketball 7:45; PAC Meeting 7pm
Wednesday – PAC Hot Lunch – A&W
Friday – Gr. 5 Basketball 7:45

Month at a Glance:

Monday, January 20 – Gr. 5 Basketball 7:45am; Gr. 2 Basketball 2:45
Friday, January 24 – Gr. 5 Basketball 7:45am
Monday, January 27 – Gr. 2 Basketball 2:45pm; last day to order West Coast Seeds
Tuesday, January 28 – Gr. 5 Basketball 7:45am; HOME game vs Blacklock Elementary 3:00
Wednesday, January 29 – PAC Popcorn Day, Lunar New Year begins
Monday, February 3 – Gr. 2 Basketball 2:45pm
Tuesday, February 4 – Gr. 5 basketball 7:45; AWAY game at Simonds/U-Connect 3:00
Wednesday, February 5 – Club Wednesday #1
Thursday, February 6 – Lockdown Drill 10am
Friday, February 7 – Gr. 5 Basketball 7:45
Monday, February 10 – Pro D Day – no school for students
Tuesday, February 11 – Gr. 5 Basketball 7:45am; HOME game vs Parkside 3:00
Wednesday, February 12 – Club Wednesday #2
Friday, February 14 – Gr. 5 Basketball 7:45; Have a Heart Day; Valentine’s Day; PAC Meeting 9:00; Gr. 2 Basketball 2:45

Information and Reminders

• January Health Message from Fraser Health

  • Mental Health Information (from Fraser Health) – Health, safety, and wellness continue to be a priority in our schools. To help support our students and families, we are sharing important information from our community partner Fraser Health about mental health. Please see below for helpful reminders to support your child.

    Support Your Child’s Mental Health –Mental health is a key component of healthy child and youth development, and it has an impact on their relationships and their performance in school.

     How Can Parents Support Positive Mental Health? Parents can help support positive mental health by forming strong and caring relationships with their children.

    ·        Connect – talk and listen to their feelings and experiences.

    ·        Be active together – take a walk and build physical activity into family time.

    ·        Take notice – encourage and praise the positive behaviours and choices your children make.

    ·        Keep learning – encourage your child to learn from both positive and negative experiences.

    ·        Give – your time, your words, and your presence.

     Sometimes, parents feel like they don’t know what to say or how to interact with their youth. Learn more about tips for how to talk to your child or teen about mental health.

    Get more information about positive mental health for children and youth: Positive mental health for children – Fraser Health Authority.

    Find out what services, programs and resources are available for your child and/or youth: Child and youth mental health – Fraser Health Authority

• 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. 

• Information About School Status During Inclement Weather

  Snow closures and power outages are an annual occurrence in the 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.

• 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

Check out our new fundraiser with West Coast Seeds – Shop a variety of vegetables, herbs and flower seeds here. Last day to order is Monday, January 27, 2025.

If you missed the calendar and newsletter, please see the images below.

Community Events and Information

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

Evening Strong Start Session

Please come and join us for an evening of fun, play and learning at our January Evening Strong Start session.  Parents and preschool-aged children are invited to join us in this parent participation program.

Light dinner will be served (soup and buns)

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Clothes 2 U Event!

FREE STUFF ALERT from facebook.com/clothes2ubcsociety Score big on Jan.18th at St. Dunstan’s Church, 3025-264 St. Aldergrove. • Clothes for baby to adult • Toys • Diapers, incontinence and personal items • Linens, and Smaller household things TAKE AS MUCH AS YOU NEED from 10 AM to 11:30 AM $5 cash entry (kids 10 & under FREE!

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FREE for Langley parents and caregivers – Register here.