Families of Douglas Park,

It’s hard to believe that we are already at the end of September! The first month of school has been full of energy, learning, and new beginnings. Students have worked hard to settle into their classrooms, learn new routines, and take on new challenges. We’ve already seen so much growth in just a few short weeks—both academically and personally. Our staff have poured their hearts into supporting students, and we are so thankful to our families for their encouragement and involvement. Together, we are creating a welcoming and supportive place for all children to learn and grow.

This past week, students also took part in meaningful learning around Truth and Reconciliation. Through stories and activities, they learned that “truth” is about understanding the history of residential schools in Canada and their lasting impact on Indigenous people, while “reconciliation” is about the ongoing work of healing and honouring Indigenous people and their contributions. As part of this learning, students reflected on what Truth and Reconciliation means to them and designed orange shirts in their classrooms to share the important message that Every Child Matters. Listening to their reflections and seeing their empathy was truly powerful. Their compassion, kindness, and hope for healing are reminders of how much we can learn from children. 

As we move into October, we look forward to building on this strong start. With fall activities, new learning opportunities, and more community events on the horizon, there is so much to be excited about. Thank you for being an important part of our school community—we can’t wait to see all that this year has in store!

Looking forward to another awesome week at school!

Mr. Touzeau

Proud Principal

As always, we want to acknowledge that the Langley School District works, learns and plays on the unceded ancestral lands of the Matsqui, Kwantlen, Katzie and Semiahmoo First Nations

Good Things to Talk About

Sun Art - As part of their weather unit, Mr. Lee’s class had fun making pastel sun art! This activity was a great way for students to be creative while learning about the sun and different types of weather. By drawing and colouring their own suns, students practiced using art materials, expressed their ideas, and learned more about how the sun affects our world.

Place Value Scavenger Hunt - Ms. Datema’s class has been learning all about place value, and earlier this week they went on a fun place value scavenger hunt. During the hunt, students looked for numbers made with base 10 blocks and wrote each number as a numeral. This was a great activity because it helped students practice reading and writing numbers, understanding how numbers are built, and having fun while moving around and exploring.

Soccer Practice - Our Grade 4/5 soccer team had their first practice this week, and it was so much fun! The students got to run, practice new skills, and get ready for the season. A big shout out to Coach Boehmer and Coach Solano—they not only lead our team, but they also organized a league with six other elementary schools. It’s awesome to see our students getting the chance to play and enjoy this new school sports activity!

STEM Workshops - Earlier this week, Mr. Boehmer’s, Ms. Bhambi’s, and Ms. Di Sabatino’s classes had a fun STEM workshop with Brick Connections. During the workshop, students were challenged to build their own marble maze. It was a great activity because it helped them practice problem-solving, teamwork, and creativity while learning about how things move and work. The students had so much fun testing their mazes and seeing the marbles zoom through their designs!

Apple Day! - On Wednesday, Mrs. Evans’ and Mrs. Treleaven’s classes had so much fun celebrating Apple Day! The day was all about learning and exploring apples. Students learned about the different parts of an apple, made apple art, tried different kinds of apples and picked their favorite, wrote about apples, and even made their very own apple pie. It was a fun and tasty day for everyone! 

Drawing with Shapes - Ms. MacKay’s class has been learning all about shapes, and this week they used shapes to help them learn how to draw people. It was such a fun lesson because they got to see how different shapes come together to make a person, and it helped them practice being creative while learning at the same time.

Awesome Maintenance Team - A big thank you goes out to our school district maintenance team! They’ve been working hard to take care of our school—fixing the stairs, adding railings to help us walk safely, and repairing fences. We really appreciate all the ways they help keep our school safe and looking great. 

First Fire Drill - On Thursday, we had our first fire drill of the school year, and the students did an excellent job. Fire drills are an important part of keeping everyone safe at school. During these practices, students learn how to leave the building calmly, quietly, and quickly while following their teacher to a safe meeting spot outside. By practicing together, we make sure everyone knows what to do in an emergency and can stay safe.

Story Workshop - Ms. Regier’s class had a lot of fun with their story workshop. During story workshop, students use different items to create or retell stories. This activity is a wonderful way for children to build their imagination, strengthen their oral language skills, and practice organizing their thoughts into a beginning, middle, and end. It also helps develop creativity, collaboration, and confidence in sharing ideas, all of which support their growth as readers and writers.

Orange Shirt Day Assembly - On Friday, we gathered for our school’s Orange Shirt Day assembly. Led by two of our Grade 5 students, the assembly was a time to reflect on the importance of Orange Shirt Day and what it means to us. As part of the assembly we watched a video of Douglas Park students sharing about what they’ve learned about residential schools and what truth and reconciliation means to them.

The Week Ahead

Monday

• School Improvement Day (Students Do Not Attend)

Tuesday

• National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (School Closed)

Friday

• Inclusion Langley Family Support Group in the SWIS Portable

Month at a Glance

September 29th - School Improvement Day (Students Not in Attendance)

September 30th – National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (School Closed)

October 3rd - Inclusion Langley Family Support Group

October 7th - Fire Drill

October 10th - Terry Fox Run

October 13th - Thanksgiving

October 16th - Earthquake Drill

October 20th - Diwali

October 23rd - Scarecrow Day

October 23rd - Informal Learning Updates Sent Home

October 24th - Provincial Pro-D Day (Students Not in Attendance)

October 27th - Douglas Park Pumpkin Patch

October 31st - Halloween Parade at 9:00 am

PAC News

Message from the PAC – We are looking for parents to join our Parent Advisory Council (PAC). The purpose of the PAC is to organize activities and events and to encourage parent involvement in the school. PAC meetings are the place to bring ideas for creating social events for fundraising or simply to bring the community together. Meetings are held once a month and you are welcome to bring your little ones to our meetings. Some examples of what the PAC does are:

• Movie Nights
• Hot Lunch
• Popcorn Day
• Chess Tournament

Please join us, we’d love to have some new PAC members and we look forward to meeting you. Upcoming meetings are in the school newsletter!

Upcoming PAC Events

• TBA

Next Meeting Time

• TBA

Messages from the PAC

If you want to help us organize or assist with any event, please shoot us an email at pacdouglaspark@gmail.com.

– Douglas Park PAC

Updates and Reminders

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Langley Event - As part of the District’s Truth and Reconciliation journey, we encourage our students, staff, and families to observe the day in their own way. Community partners in Langley are welcoming all members of the community to attend a National Day for Truth and Reconciliation event at the Derek Doubleday Arboretum on the evening of September 30^th.

Nut Aware Policy - At our school, the safety of all students is a top priority. While we cannot guarantee a completely nut-free environment, we are a nut-aware school. This means we ask families to avoid sending peanut or tree-nut products (such as peanut butter, Nutella, or almond snacks) to school, as even small traces can cause serious allergic reactions. Any food brought to school for sharing, such as for birthdays or classroom celebrations, must be store-bought with a clear list of ingredients so we can ensure it is safe for all students with allergies. Food from restaurants (such as Tim Hortons) is also allowed as long as ingredients can be confirmed. Please check with your child’s teacher before bringing in treats so we can make sure everyone is included safely. Students are reminded not to share food and to wash their hands after eating to help reduce the risk of accidental exposure. Families of children with life-threatening allergies are asked to provide the school with the necessary medical forms and prescribed EpiPens each year. Staff are trained to recognize and respond to allergic reactions, and emergency procedures are in place. By working together, we can help keep our school community safe and welcoming for everyone.

Parent Consent Request - Each year, Langley Schools asks families to complete a set of parent consent forms for their child. These consent forms are required by our schools to ensure the health, safety, and security of all students. Langley Schools uses a secure web form to collect this information. Beginning mid-September, please watch for an email request (subject Parent Consent Request) that contains one link for you to submit consents for all children in your family attending any Langley School. If your email address or contact information has changed, please call your school to correct it in our files. If you have not received an email regarding Parent Consent Request by the end of the month or have any questions/concerns, please contact your school administrator.

Breakfast Program – The breakfast program is open Monday – Friday from 7:30 – 8:27 AM. It is located in the Boys & Girls Club Portable. The program is FREE for all Douglas Park students. It is run by volunteers and supported through donations. You do not need to register for this program. Parents/guardians are welcome to join their child(ren). For more information about the breakfast program, please contact the school office.

Strong Start – Douglas Park Strong Start hours are 8:30 - 11:30 am with a first come first served limit of 20 children. To register for the 2025/2026 Strong Start year, please bring a birth certificate to be copied. A registration form can be filled out at your first visit.

Inclusion Langley Family Support Group – We are excited to be hosting a family support group organized by Inclusion Langley. The group will be meeting once a month in the SWIS portable and exploring various topics for supporting families who care for children aged birth to 12 years old with support needs. If you are interested in joining this group, please see the attached poster for more details:

Langley Family Support Group at Douglas Park 2025:2026.pd

Parent Code of Conduct - The Langley School District is committed to fostering safe and caring schools that promote mutual respect, cooperation, social responsibility, and support optimal learning. Trauma Informed Practices and Procedures promote the creation and maintenance of safe, inclusive, equitable, welcoming, and nurturing school environments. Families play an important role in helping students achieve success as well as helping create a compassionate learning community. Just as students are expected to follow the District’s Student Code of Conduct, there is an expectation for parents/guardians to uphold the District’s Parent/Guardian Code of Conduct. The District’s Parent/Guardian Code of Conduct can be viewed on the District’s website here.

Attendance – If your child is going to be away or late please be sure to call the office and leave a message @ 604-533-4491 or email Ms. Langford @  klangford@sd35.bc.ca.

FaceBook – Be sure to follow us on Facebook for updated information

https://www.facebook.com/groups/Douglasparkcommunityelementary

Bell Schedule

8:42 – Warning Bell

8:47 – Instruction Begins

10:10-10:25 – Recess

11:47-12:20 – Lunch

2:30 – Dismissal

School Calendar 2025/26 – Please click the link below to access our school calendar for the year. It provides general dates about when the school is open and closed.

Douglas Park School Calendar 2025:26.pdf