Newsletter #2 – September 16th

Monday, September 16, 2024

I am happy to report that students have settled in nicely this week to their assigned classes for the 2024-2025 school year.  I have been busy learning more about the school, particularly popping into classrooms learning students’ names. I have been able to witness first hand student’s excitement over new school supplies, new learning opportunities and new relationships.  At recess and lunch students have been busy reconnecting with familiar friends and playing their favourite games together.  At our most recent school assembly on Wednesday, September 11^th, we reintroduced the Circle of Courage and focused specifically on the importance of Belonging.  We talked about it being EVERYONE’s responsibility to show caring behaviours that contribute to students’ overall sense of belonging at Highland Park Elementary School.  We explored a variety of caring behaviours including, but not limited to, using kind words, using good manners, respectful greetings, including others, and doing what’s expected, like keeping our hands and feet to ourself.  We will continue to focus on line up behaviours when coming in from outside and eating time behaviours.  CLICK HERE to access an overview of our upcoming school assemblies focusing on Circle of Courage concepts and values.   

While I have met many of you outside before school at drop off and after school at pick up, I look forward to meeting you again or for first time at our PAC’s Welcome Back to School Event on Thursday, September 19^th.  Please CLICK HERE to learn more about this community building event. 

If ever you have inquires or concerns related to any and all aspects of Highland Park Elementary School, please contact me or your child’s classroom teacher.  It is important to me that we have the opportunity to help resolve any problems, no matter how big or small, sooner rather than later.  Your child’s success and overall school experience is important to all staff at HPE.  CLICK HERE for a parent brochure containing more information on how to address inquires and concerns.  CLICK HERE to access our Newsletter #1 posted on August 29^th.

Shelly Cull, Principal

MESSAGES FROM OUR SUPERINTENDENT: In case you missed the Welcome Back message to families from our Superintendent, Donna Kriger, you can find it HERE.  You can also read more information HERE about our SD83 Code of Conduct, new restrictions on student use of personal digital devices at school, as well as information on the SD83 Threat Risk Assessment procedure in place for responding to all situations in which students may be posing a significant or high level threat to themselves of others.    

PLEASE REPORT YOUR CHILD’S ABSENCES: As part of our safe arrival practice, we will contact you if we do not hear from you regarding your child’s absence.  It is imperative that all students are accounted for each day as soon as possible.  If your child will not be in attendance, please contact Ms. Janet Anderson by email hpe@sd83.bc.ca or phone 250-546-8723 (leave a message if no one picks up) to report your child’s absence and reason for their absence.  

ALL VISITORS MUST REPORT TO THE OFFICE: If you are entering our school for any reason, it is important that you first check in at the office.  We ask that you use the main entrance near the office.  Our office staff are happy to assist you with finding your child, delivering a message and/or belongings.  Guests who wish to enter the school beyond the office will need to sign in and out.  This will help us to ensure that guests are in the building for a specific purpose and meet all the requirements of our SD83 volunteer policy. 

VOLUNTEER POLICY: Parent volunteers are an important part of our school.  Parents and caregivers are critical in helping create positive school experiences for our students.  SD83 has requirements in place to ensure that schools in SD83 are safe and secure spaces for our students.  CLICK HERE to access Policy 240 Volunteers In Schools.  Please contact our office by email at hpe@sd83.bc.ca to request the specific link to the criminal record check for SD83.  The return time can take up to 3 weeks, so we encourage you to start this process sooner rather than later if you plan on volunteering at some point this school year.  Criminal Record checks are valid for three years.  If your have questions please contact Shelly Cull or Ms. Janet Anderson at the office.  

USE OF PRIVATE VEHICLES: In order to drive children other than your own for any SD83 related event (fieldtrips, sporting events, etc.), it is important that the office have on file a copy of your driver’s license, driver’s abstract, vehicle registration and insurance and a checklist completed on the condition of your vehicle as per SD83 Policy 8050 and related regulations.  All trips, vehicles and drivers must be approved by the Principal.  Teachers will be responsible for assigning students to approved volunteers and their vehicles for each field trip.  In addition to these requirements, a specific criminal record check must be completed with SD83 for all adults in the vehicle.  Please contact our office by email at hpe@sd83.bc.ca to request the specific link to the criminal record check for SD83.  The return time can take up to 3 weeks, so we encourage you to start this process sooner rather than later if you plan on volunteering at some point this school year.  If you have questions please contact Shelly Cull or Ms. Janet Anderson at the office.   

SCHOOL FEES and FINANCIAL HARDSHIP:  Please CLICK HERE to access our 2024-2025 fee structure.  School fees are due to the office by October 15^th.  If ever you find yourself experiencing financial hardship, please contact Shelly Cull, Principal at the office, for support.  We have access to a variety of gift cards and additional funds to help with covering costs of field trips, etc.  It is important to me that fees do not become a barrier to student participation in educational activities.  CLICK HERE to access SD83 Policy 370 School Fees and Financial Hardship. 

BEFORE SCHOOL SUPERVISION: While supervision is available for students before school, we ask that students who walk, bike and get dropped off not arrive to school before 7:40 am.  This is for student safety so we may provide adequate supervision.  When students arrive to school, it is important that they first put their backpack in their outside line up.

AFTER SCHOOL SUPERVISION: The school is responsible for your children from the time they leave home for school until they return home after school.  For this reason, it is important that all students go directly home at the bell after school, unless of course parent supervision is present on the playground.  Supervision is provided after school for bus students ONLY.  No students are allowed behind the school at the end of the day.  If students wish to return to the school to play after checking in at home, the parent is then responsible for their safety. Please be vigilant with teaching your children about safety to and from school.  They should always walk with a buddy or group. 

AFTER SCHOOL PLANS: Please ensure your child is aware of their after school plan each day.  If you wish to provide a change from the usual plan, please contact the office at 250-546-8723 before 1:30 pm so we can ensure your child is aware. 

DROP OFF AND PICK UP ZONE IS A NO PARKING ZONE – Please do not get out of your vehicle: We would like to take this opportunity to remind families the importance of using the drop off /pick up lane or “KISS and DRIVE” zone for dropping off children and picking them up at the end of the day.  This is a NO PARKING zone.  Please do not leave your vehicle in this zone.  When cars park in this zone, it makes it difficult and dangerous for others to do their drop off.  At pick up time, if you do not see your child waiting, please continue to circle around and join the pick up line once you see them.  Students have been instructed to wait for their pick up person near the side walk area.  It is important to not park in the staff parking lot or the bus lane.  If you wish to park before school or after school (when parking is limited), it is recommended that you park at the IPE grounds just across from the bus compound.  This is also a convenient, predictable location to meet your child at the end of the day. Thank you for helping us keep all students safe

AGENDAS: Students should have brought their new agenda home by now for the 2024-2025 school year along with important permission forms and a verification form to provide any updated information regarding home address, parental contacts and any emergency contacts.  It is important that all guardians are reflected on the verification form and we have any up to date court orders on file regarding guardianship and/or parenting rights. Thank you for this.   

TERRY FOX RUN: Our Terry Fox Run is scheduled for Thursday, September 19^th at 1:00pm.  Families are welcome to attend and participate.  Students are encouraged to bring a loonie or toonie to donate to the Terry Fox Foundation for Cancer research. 

ORANGE SHIRT DAY: On Thursday, September 26^th students and staff are encouraged to wear an orange shirt in support of Truth and Reconciliation.  Orange Shirt Day is an Indigenous-led grassroots commemorative day intended to raise awareness of the individual, family and community inter-generational impacts of residential schools, and to promote the concept of “Every Child Matters”. The orange shirt is a symbol of the stripping away of culture, freedom and self-esteem experienced by Indigenous children over generations. The day honours the children who never returned home and survivors of residential schools, as well as their families and communities. Public commemoration of the tragic and painful history and ongoing impacts of residential schools is a vital component of the reconciliation process. One of our District values is Reconciliation, and the focus of the day is how we move forward as both settler and Indigenous communities in a good way. National Day for Truth and Reconciliation was created after the Orange Shirt Day movement. This federal statutory holiday was created through legislative amendments made by Parliament. This announcement addresses one of the 94 calls to action of The Truth and Reconciliation Commission which states: “We call upon the federal government, in collaboration with Aboriginal peoples, to establish, as a statutory holiday, a National Day for Truth and Reconciliation to honour survivors, their families, and communities, and ensure that public commemoration of the history and legacy of residential schools remains a vital component of the reconciliation process.”  Just a reminder that schools will be closed for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Monday, September 30.

MEDICATION: Medication for students can only be kept at the office and administered by office personnel or designate.  In order for us to provide medication to your child, please ensure you have the appropriate permission forms completed at the office.  Unfortunately, we do not provide medication to supress symptoms of illness at school, we encourage students to stay home until they are well enough to participate in all aspects of their learning, including recess and lunch.   

FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS ASSESSMENT:  Each year, students in grades 4 and 7 participate in a Foundational Skills Assessment (developed by the Ministry of Education and Child Care) that takes a look at students learning in the areas of Numeracy and Literacy. CLICK HERE for a very informative brochure for parents on the FSA, what it is, why it’s important and how the results are used. For even more information, CLICK HERE to access the Ministry of Education and Child Care website.  The assessment process will occur from October 1^st – November 6^th.  Students are required to complete a variety of tasks in a booklet and online to assess their skills with comprehension in Literacy and problem solving in Numeracy.  This assessment is marked and scored by SD83 teachers, Principals and Vice Principals.  Results are used by SD83 and our school staff to measure progress in Literacy and Numeracy and set direction for the coming years. Results are viewed as a grade cohort and individually to show growth in areas outlined in our School Learning Plan.  The student booklet containing individual student results is sent home for parents in December.  If you would like to view sample questions or even help your child prepare for the assessment, CLICK HERE to access sample assessments for each grade level and topic assessed.  All students in grades 4 and 7 must write the FSA to ensure our data accurately reflects our population as these results guide our improvement planning and efforts.  We work hard to ensure that students have the time they need to ensure they can demonstrate a complete understanding to the best of their ability.  Principals can identify students eligible for exemption from one or both components of the FSA, in accordance with specified criteria exemptions. 

COMMUNICATING STUDENT LEARING:  Please have a look at the dates below outlining our structure for communicating student learning.  Please take note that the Student/Teacher/Family Conference Day on Thursday, October 17^th is not a regular day of school.  Students only attend during the scheduled conference time with their family. 

Most of our teachers have opted for student-led conferences as the Informal Learning Update provided in the Spring.  If your child’s classroom teacher choses to do something different, you will be notified by the end of September by your child’s classroom teacher.  We will be communicating more information soon on what date this will occur and the time.  If you wish to read information on Communicating Student Learning from the Ministry of Education and Child Care, CLICK HERE and HERE for information on the recent changes.

STAFFING UPDATE: Please CLICK HERE for an updated list of our wonderful Highland Park Elementary Staff.  One of our long time CEAs, Vivian Shaver decided to retire at the end of the summer.  We wish her all the best on her retirement adventures. We thank her for her dedication and commitment to our school, staff and students over the years.  She will be missed by many at Highland Park Elementary School.  We welcome many new and returning staff to HPE and are so excited to have them on our team. 

UPDATE FROM our PAC: Please CLICK HERE to access meeting minutes from the previous school year.  You can also access the Principal’s Report that was shared at our most recent meeting on Sept. 11^th.  PAC meetings fall on the second Wednesday of each month at 2:30 pm in the library.  Our next meetings are: October 9^th, November 13^th, December 11^th, January 8^th, February 12^th, March 12^th, April 9^th, May 14^th, and June 11^th.  If changes are made to these meeting times, parents will be notified.  Babysitting is provided for parents who attend the meeting.  CLICK HERE to access information on the PAC’s Back to School Event.  CLICK HERE to access more information about the Davison Orchard Apple Fundraiser for PAC.  Please contact Julie at 250-306-2614 if you are interested in helping out.  In addition to our school website, information items related to our school can be found on the Highland Park Elementary PAC Facebook Page.

MEALS PROGRAM: Our Breakfast Room is open each day from 7:30 am until the bell.  This is an inclusive program available for all students.  We ask that guests at the school do not enter the breakfast room unless you are there in the official capacity as a parent volunteer.  We have a variety of options at the office for students requesting a top up to their lunch. Also, in an effort to support families experiencing hardship we have a variety of churches in our area who volunteer to make brown bag lunches for students.  If you wish to take part in the brown bag lunch program coordinated through the Glad Tidings Church, contact Shelly Cull or Ms. Janet Anderson at the office.  It’s important that our students have full bellies to support them in their learning. 

UPCOMING EVENTS: (please update your personal or family calendar)

CLICK HERE for the SD83 District Calendar outlining days in the school year in which students do not attend school. 

Thursday, September 19
Terry Fox Run – more information to come

Welcome Back to School Event (PAC) 5 – 7 pm

Monday, September 23
Grade 5 Fieldtrip to Gardom Lake (not Wednesday, September 25^th as initially communicated)

Thursday, September 26
Orange Shirt Day @ HPE – please wear an orange shirt in support Truth and Reconciliation

Friday, September 27
PRO D Day – NO SCHOOL for students

Monday, September 30
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (NO SCHOOL)

Tuesday, October 1 – Thursday, November 7
Foundational Skills Assessment Administration – Grade 4 only

Wednesday, October 2
Whole School Assembly 8:15 am 

Wednesday, October 9
PAC Meeting 2:30 pm (library) 

Thursday, October 10
VENTASTIC – Performing Arts Presentation 12:30 pm

Friday, October 11
School Individual Photo Day

Monday, October 14
Thanksgiving (NO SCHOOL)

Wednesday, October 16
Great Shake Out – Earth Quake Drill

Thursday, October 17
Student/Parent/Teacher Conferences – students only attend school for their scheduled conference time

Monday, October 21 – Friday, October 25
Take Me Outside Week 

Friday, October 25
PRO D Day (Provincial) – NO SCHOOL for students