Families of Douglas Park,

We hope you are having a great weekend!

For the last two weeks, students, families, and teachers have been taking part in Student Inclusive Conferences at the school. The conferences have been a time for students to share what they are learning, think about their growth at school, and set goals for themselves. Being able to join several conferences last week, I was struck by the powerful opportunity this time provides for reflection and connection, which are two important factors in supporting students. At one conference, I watched a kindergarten student proudly show her family what she was learning about patterns, demonstrating her ability to create two- and three-element repeating patterns. In another conference, a student showcased her knowledge of letter sounds, using what she had learned over the past term to write new words. After sharing her progress, she joined her family and teacher in celebrating her achievements and setting new goals for Term 3. The next day, when I visited her classroom, it was awesome to see her already working hard toward those goals. For these students, taking the time to reflect on their successes and areas of growth with their families and teachers provided an opportunity to take accountability for their learning and think about the importance of what they do each day at school.

We want to express our gratitude to all of the families who were able to attend the Student Inclusive Conferences. We know that life is busy and we greatly appreciate you finding the time to attend your child’s conference. As always, if you have any further questions about your child’s learning progress, please contact their classroom teacher.

This upcoming week marks the end of Term 2 and the last week before Spring Break. Over the last two months our students have been working hard to develop literacy and numeracy skills and to build their proficiencies as learners. Not only is it inspiring to see the academic growth that our students are making, it is also exciting to see how proud our students are of their growth. Walking into classrooms I often have students run up to me excitedly wanting to show me what they are working on. Sometimes it’s a new math concept they want to share with me, sometimes it’s a piece of artwork that they have been working really hard on, and sometimes it’s a story or journal entry they have written. What fills my heart is to see our students excited about learning and proud of the hard work they are doing. We all believe in our kids and it's awesome to see that they believe in themselves.

One final note, this will be the last school newsletter until after Spring Break. We want to thank all of our families for their ongoing support and wish you a wonderful Spring Break. Douglas Park is an amazing school community and we are grateful for all of our students and their families!

Looking forward to another great week at Douglas Park!

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

Publishing Party - Ms. Yoon’s class has been working really hard on something exciting—they made their very own book! The book is called When I Look Up I See… and it has drawings and writing from every student in the class. Earlier this week, the class got their very own copy of the published book and had a special publishing party to celebrate! The party was full of fun, from walking the red carpet to listening to each student share their writing with the class.

Inspired Art - After reading the book Orca Chief and learning about the artwork of Roy Henry Vickers, Ms. Carter’s class was inspired to create their own art in his style. The students used pieces of construction paper to carefully cut and layer shapes to build their pictures. By placing the paper shapes together, they created bold images and beautiful scenes, just like the style they saw in Roy Henry Vickers’ artwork. It was awesome to see the students working so carefully and proudly creating their own unique pieces of art.

School Performance - On Tuesday, we had an amazing assembly with Q-Mack! Q-Mack is known for his exciting basketball skills and for working with professional basketball events connected to the NBA. He visits schools to share important messages about kindness, respect, teamwork, and making good choices while showing off awesome basketball tricks. The students had so much fun and were fully engaged the whole time—cheering, laughing, and joining in the activities. It was awesome to see how excited everyone was while learning such important lessons. A HUGE thank you to our amazing PAC for fundraising and providing the money to bring Q-Mack to our school. We are so grateful for these opportunities because of the hard work and support from our PAC!

Awesome Grade 5 Basketball Team - Our Grade 5 basketball team finished their season with a win against Simmonds Elementary School! It was an exciting game where the students worked hard, showed great teamwork, and used their awesome basketball skills. It has been amazing to watch how much the team has improved throughout the season. Their hard work paid off as they finished the regular season with three wins in a row! We are very proud of how they have grown in their basketball skills, teamwork, positivity, and sportsmanship. Even though the regular season is over, the team will celebrate next Monday by playing in a fun tournament at Aldergrove Secondary School. Go Dragons!

Rainy Day Art - Sometimes rainy weather can feel a little disappointing, but in Mrs. Evans’ class they turned the rain into a fun art project! The students followed a guided drawing to create a picture of a child jumping and playing in a puddle. As they drew, they focused on all the fun things you can do in the rain. It was awesome to see their creativity and how they turned a rainy day into something fun and exciting.

Identity Art - Ms. Shaw’s class has been working on a fun art project to celebrate the things that make each student awesome and unique. Using watercolour paints, the students started by creating their own colourful designs. Then they added a picture of themselves in a fun pose that shows their personality. After that, they wrote some interesting and fun facts about themselves. When the projects were finished, the class had a great time sharing their artwork with each other. It was really special to see each student stand up, feel proud, and share their hard work with the class.

Group Art Project - Ms. Knight’s class has been working together on a group art project, creating an amazing underwater scene! They added all kinds of sea creatures and seaweed, and everyone helped make the project come to life. Working on a project like this helps students learn how to share ideas, work as a team, and be creative together. It’s a fun way to practice cooperation and see how everyone’s contributions can make something really special.

Persuasive Writing - As part of their novel study, Ms. Egmore’s class has been learning all about persuasive writing. After finishing their novels, the students got to practice what they learned by writing about whether or not they would recommend their book to others. They included reasons and details from the story to explain their ideas. This helped them use their writing skills to share opinions and convince others with strong examples!

Learning with Wheels - Mr. Lee’s class had fun learning with wheels! First, the students talked about what they can do when they feel upset or have a problem. They used a wheel on the whiteboard to think of different choices they can make to help solve problems and make good decisions. Later during literacy time, the students used a wheel with different letters to build words. They worked together to find important vowels and create many different words, including simple CVC words. It was great to see everyone thinking, sharing ideas, and having fun while learning!

Fun with Letters, Words, and Sounds - During their morning literacy centres, Ms. Lengle’s class has been having lots of fun learning about letters, sounds, and words! The students played letter-sound bingo, learned new letters and spelling patterns at their UFLI station, matched words that rhyme, and built letters using different shapes. It’s wonderful to see the students working so hard while having so much fun learning!

Fact Families - Ms. Mackenzie’s class has been learning about fact families while exploring multiplication and division. A fact family is a group of math facts that use the same three numbers. For example, the numbers 3, 4, and 12 make a fact family: 3 × 4 = 12, 4 × 3 = 12, 12 ÷ 3 = 4, and 12 ÷ 4 = 3. These number sentences all belong to the same “family” because they are connected and use the same numbers. Learning about fact families helps students see how multiplication and division are related, understand that division is the opposite of multiplication, and build strong math skills.

Reading Link Challenge - This week, our Grade 4 and 5 Reading Link Challenge team took part in their school challenge. The Reading Link Challenge is a fun and engaging reading competition where students read a set of selected books and work together as a team to answer detailed questions about the stories. The challenge encourages students to read closely, remember important details, and talk about books with their teammates. Throughout the weeks leading up to the challenge, students read several novels and practiced recalling key events, characters, and themes from each story. During the competition, teams are asked questions about the books and must work together to decide on the correct answers. It is exciting, fast-paced, and a wonderful way to celebrate a love of reading. A big thank you to Ms. King for organizing the Reading Link Challenge for our students and supporting them throughout their preparation. We would also like to thank our panel of judges, Ms. King, Ms. Thornley, and Ms. Leonard, for helping make the challenge such a special event for our readers. We are proud of the dedication and enthusiasm our students showed as they took on this exciting reading challenge.

The Week Ahead

Monday

• Grade 5 Play Day Tournament at Aldergrove Community Secondary School from 3:30 - 6:30 pm

Wednesday

• School Choir Practice from 2:45 - 3:30 pm

Thursday

• Grade 5 Young Entrepreneur Fair
• Fire Drill at 10:00 am

Friday

• Venechuk Farms Agri Kids Program
• End of Term Assembly

Month at a Glance

March 9th - Grade 5 Basketball Play Day at Aldergrove Community Secondary School from 3:30 - 6:30 pm

March 12th - Grade 5 Young Entrepreneur Fair

March 12th - Fire Drill

March 13th - Venechuk Farms - Agri Kids Program

March 16th - 27th - Spring Break

March 30th - School Re-Opens

April 3rd - Good Friday (School Closed)

April 6th - Easter Monday (School Closed)

April 9th - Fire Drill at 10:00 am

April 10th - Venechuk Farms Agri Kids

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

• TBD

Next Meeting Time

• TBD

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

Grade 5 Young Entrepreneur Fair - Our Grade 5 students have been busy creating products for their annual Young Entrepreneur Fair. The fair will take place on March 12 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and all students are invited to stop by, see the amazing creations, and make purchases. Items will range from 50 cents to $5, and a suggested amount to bring is $2 to $10.

Douglas Park Just Be Four (JB4) Preschool (Registration Open for September 2026) -Langley School District operates a licenced 4 year old preschool program at Douglas Park Elementary.  Registration is now open for September 2026-2027. Classes operate on Mondays/Wednesdays/Fridays or Tuesdays/Thursdays from 12:45-3:15. Please complete the contact form below and our staff will connect with you regarding securing a space for your child.  Please contact Charlene Redekop at credekop@sd35.bc.ca for further information.

https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=rvqr_Ar4dE-2p7oVwqS7JIz2vmItILtGrl0qa8negQtUN1JaVkNWN1MxMTVOUTNBR0pIUTNPWFAyQS4u

Fraser Valley Regional Library (FVRL) Reading Advisor - FVRL Reading Advisor is a free resource for everyone living or studying in communities served by FVRL, including Langley. The Reading Advisor service offers personalized book recommendations for readers of all ages, making it an excellent support for students and staff across the Langley School District. All that is required is to fill out a short form about your reading interests, and trained library staff respond with a customized reading list based on genre, themes, age level, and preferred formats (print, eBook, audiobook, graphic novel, etc.) This is ideal for boosting reading engagement, supporting diverse learning needs, and possibly helping teachers quickly discover high‑quality texts for classroom use. This free community resource extends the capacity of school libraries and connects learners with a broader range of inclusive and accessible materials and would be a great resource to share with students and other staff to help them find some new great reads for over spring break. Happy Reading!

https://www.fvrl.bc.ca/my-reading-adviser 

Spring 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 spring health for school-aged children and youth. Please see below for helpful reminders to support your child.

Spring Health for Kids - The spring season is approaching which means warmer weather and more outdoor activities. It’s also an opportunity to foster new healthy habits for our children. Here are five practical tips for school-aged kids to make the most of this season.

Get Active - Warmer weather makes spring the perfect time to get outside and play. Take a walk around your neighbourhood or head to a local park or hiking trail. You can also stay active close to home with jump rope or hopscotch in your neighbourhood.

Think Fresh - Springtime often brings up images of fresh fruits and vegetables. Now is a great time to teach children about where food comes from by helping them to start their own home garden. You don’t need a large space to get started. Any bright space indoors or outdoors can be used to grow fresh food. For tips, check out this resource about gardening with kids. 

Be Sun Safe - Sunburns are possible, even in spring. Use a sunscreen that has Sun Protection Factor (SPF) 30 or more. When possible, schedule outdoor activities in the morning or late afternoon and early evening. If you and your children are out in the sun during mid-day hours, wear long sleeves, loose-fitting long pants and a hat.  

Be Prepared for Extreme Weather - Spring weather can be very unpredictable and can bring heavy rains or heat. Make sure you and your family are ready for possible flooding, heat and indoor air quality issues. Plan for summer heat by preparing your home early. Find tips on Window safety for childrenas well as information and resources, including programs to help, at Fraser Health’s Before a heat event page.

Practice Road Safety - Biking is a great way to exercise and spend quality time with your family. Remember to keep safety top of mind. Protect their heads with a well-fitted helmet and teach them the rules of the road, such as the hand signals for stop, right and left-hand turns. Check out our Fraser Health’s Bike safety for children page.  

For tips on all of this and more, check out Fraser Health’s Spring health guide. 

Budget Consultation 2026-2027 - Want to have your say on the District’s budget for 2026-2027? The Langley School District is inviting students, staff, parents/guardians, and all members of the public to take part in its Budget Consultation 2026-2027 by completing this 5-minute survey here or providing feedback by email to budgetconsultation@sd35.bc.ca. All survey and email submissions will be accepted until March 31, 2026. The data gathered will help provide our District Leadership Team and Board of Education with information needed to make decisions impacting education. The District is sharing videos and an infographic located on our webpage which may be helpful to you. For more information as well as translated versions of the survey, please visit our District webpage here.

Volunteers Needed in Langley City to Help Make Neighbourhoods Safer - Langley City residents, community groups and local businesses can now play a direct role in making their neighbourhoods safer and friendlier by building stronger connections with their neighbours. The City is launching Resilient Neighbourhood Networks to help neighbours support one another and build trust close to home. When neighbours connect, trust grows, fear decreases, and communities move from reacting to preventing problems. Resilient Neighbourhood Networks give residents the tools to create a made-in-Langley City approach to safety.

What Are Resilient Neighbourhood Networks? - These networks bring local residents, community groups and local businesses together to share information, support one another, and respond to everyday challenges or emergencies.

 Opportunities could include:

• Connecting Neighbours: Organize social gatherings, block parties, or coffee meet-ups to get to know each other.
• Improving Safety: Join safety walks, learn first aid, or participate in emergency preparedness workshops.
• Sharing Ideas: Join small planning groups to help design neighbourhood activities, share feedback, and identify safety priorities.
• Supporting Events: Help at community-led events, such as hosting booths or activities.
  Who Can Participate?

• Langley City residents
• Community groups and non-profits
• Local businesses and business associations
• Service providers and grassroots initiatives
• Faith, cultural, education, and neighbourhood-based organizations

Volunteering is flexible and can fit your schedule. No previous experience required. Sign-up to volunteer here by March 13, 2026:  Investing in Community Safety

This Month in the Arts - March 2026 - Please see below the link to learn about all of the incredible Arts Performance's and Show's happening around the Langley School District in March! Despite having only two weeks in session, the ARTS are making every moment count! From concert and jazz music to Broadway productions, from the Greek tragedy Antigone to the moment‑by‑moment journey of 110 Stories, this month highlights the remarkable range of our secondary students. 

This Month in the Arts March.pdf 

 International Student Program Homestay Families - Embark on a rewarding journey of cultural exchange! The District is seeking homestay families to host International Student Program (ISP) students for the 2026-2027 school year and beyond. There are many benefits including learning a new culture, sharing your family traditions, and developing life-long friendships. Homestay families are provided $1200 per month to offset costs. Start your journey here: Students & Homestay

Homestay Families Poster.pdf

HD Stafford Parent Information Night (Save the Date) - HD Stafford Middle School (HDSMS) is excited to invite you to their Parent Information Night!

Date: Thursday, April 9, 2026
Who can attend: Families of Grade 5 students (parents, guardians, siblings—all are welcome!)

Time: 6:00 pm

This event is a wonderful opportunity to learn more about the transition to middle school and what to expect next year. We will send out more detailed information closer to the date, but we wanted to give you a heads-up so you can save the date.

TeamUp Basketball for Grade 4 and 5 Students - TeamUp is excited to offer a free basketball program for Grade 4 and 5 students at Douglas Park on Thursdays. Registration forms were sent home earlier this week. If you did not receive one and would like to register your child, please have them ask Ms. Di Sabatino for a registration form. Please see the poster below for more details:

Middle School Registration Reminder - Middle school registration has moved to an online system. Families of current Grade 5 students who attend a feeder school (such Douglas Park) do NOT need to complete online registration for Stafford, as their child will transition automatically. 

Slippery Playground Equipment – During the winter months, please be aware that playground equipment and the surrounding wooden borders can become very slippery in cool, wet conditions. On frosty mornings, please be extra careful to prevent slips and falls.

Hot Lunch Program – Here’s the March menu for families interested in participating in the school’s hot lunch program:

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.

Privacy Reminder: Recording Devices in Schools - To protect the privacy and security of all students, staff, and visitors, the Langley School District reminds parents and students that digital recording devices, such as Meta Glasses and AngelSense Trackers, are not permitted at school for staff, students, nor members of the community. If parents have concerns about safety and supervision, please refer to our robust district planning (Student Success Plans, Plans of Supervision), and supervision schedules. If parents still have concerns about supervision, please reach out to your Director for guidance. This policy is in place to ensure compliance with the BC Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) and the District’s procedures for responsible information management.

Parking Lot Safety Reminder - Thank you for helping us keep our students safe! A quick reminder that our parking lot is for staff only. The front area is a drop-off/pick-up zone—please stay in your car so traffic can keep flowing smoothly. If you need to park, street parking is available along 205 Street by the back field. Adding a couple of extra minutes to your commute helps ensure a safe and efficient experience for everyone. We appreciate your continued support in putting safety first!

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.

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.

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