Families of Douglas Park,

We had an amazing week at school, full of learning and Halloween fun! The festivities kicked off with our beloved annual Douglas Park Pumpkin Patch, where the back field was transformed into a magical pumpkin wonderland. Students eagerly explored the patch with their classes, picking out their very own pumpkins to take home—setting the stage for a week of creativity and excitement.

Throughout the week, students enjoyed a variety of Halloween-themed activities that brought learning to life in festive ways. In Math, some students practiced measuring pumpkins, while others honed their estimation skills by guessing the number of seeds inside. In Literacy, students let their imaginations run wild, writing spooky and descriptive stories. Art classes were full of Halloween projects, brightening the school with seasonal decorations. These hands-on activities combined learning with holiday spirit and gave students a chance to showcase their creativity. The week’s school-wide events added even more excitement! Each class took part in a pumpkin decorating contest, showing off teamwork and unique ideas. On Halloween, students paraded through the school in their costumes, followed by a lively dance party in the gym—bringing smiles and laughter to everyone.

Next week we will be shifting into a time of reflection, gratitude, and remembrance as we get ready for Remembrance Day. This is a very important time of learning for all of us. It’s a time to acknowledge the courage and sacrifice of those who served their country and acknowledge our responsibility to work for the peace they fought hard to achieve. In today’s world, it is so important that we continue to work together to establish peace and continue to teach our kids about the sacrifice of all those that have defended our freedoms and protected our way of life. In addition to the learning that is taking place in classrooms, we will have a Remembrance Day assembly for students on Friday.

It is a long-standing tradition for schools to support our veterans and the efforts of the Royal Canadian Legion. Once again this year, our school will be receiving a poppy for every student and distributing them to classes. We will continue to collect funds this year in support of the Legion’s Poppy Campaign but kindly ask students and their families to donate online via School Cash Online: https://sd35.schoolcashonline.com/. Please do not send cash or cheques with your child to school. If you need assistance accessing School Cash Online, please contact the school office. We appreciate your generosity. As always, our school is committed to educating our community about the meaning of the poppy and Remembrance Day.

Looking forward to another awesome 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

Frank-Tastic Place Value - Ms. Yoon’s class had a creative and hands-on lesson exploring math and art! Students designed their own Frankensteins while practicing their place value skills. Using cut-out place value blocks, they built numbers by representing tens and ones and then used these to add numbers together. This activity helped students strengthen their understanding of number structure, develop problem-solving skills, and have some fun with math.

Family Flashlight Reading - Ms. Olaffson’s class invited families to stay after morning drop-off for some fun flashlight reading! Flashlight reading is a cozy and exciting way for students to enjoy books—turning off the lights and reading by flashlight makes the experience feel like a special adventure. It was wonderful to see families join in, sharing stories and enjoying this fun reading time together.

Halloween Parade and Dance - On Friday, we celebrated our annual Douglas Park Halloween Parade and Monster Mash Dance! This is always such a fun tradition at our school. Classes paraded in and out of classrooms, showing off their amazing costumes and spreading Halloween spirit along the way. The parade ended in the gym, where everyone joined together for a big school-wide dance to The Monster Mash! It was such a great way to celebrate the season, learn together, and have fun as a school community.

Visiting Our Community - On Friday, a number of our classes visited local senior living centres, including Langley Lodge and Harrison Landing. Both the students and residents love these visits—it’s such a meaningful time of connection and community building! For Halloween, students had the chance to show off their costumes and even do a bit of trick-or-treating with the residents. These visits have quickly become a wonderful Douglas Park tradition, giving students the opportunity to practice kindness, empathy, and respect while learning the importance of giving back to their community and building connections across generations.

Halloween Art - Ms. Shaw’s class had a lot of fun getting creative with some Halloween-inspired art this past week! The students made spooky silhouette haunted house scenes, using watercolour paints to create vibrant evening skies as their backgrounds. Silhouette art is a wonderful way for students to explore contrast, colour blending, and shapes. They also made awesome ghosts using cheese cloth!

Thank You PAC - A big thank you to our awesome PAC for adding to the Halloween spirit at Douglas Park by decorating around the school!

Pumpkin Patch at Douglas Park - On Monday, we had an awesome time at our annual Douglas Park Pumpkin Patch! This beloved school tradition gives students the chance to explore the patch, discover pumpkins of all shapes and sizes, and pick out the perfect one just for them. It’s a great opportunity for students to explore, learn, and enjoy all the fun of the season!

Book Creator - With the help of Mr. Tony, Ms. Egmore’s class had a fun lesson on using Book Creator! This digital tool lets students design and publish their own interactive stories, combining text, images, and even audio. It’s an awesome way for students to express their ideas, practice writing, and explore their creativity. The class really enjoyed creating their own unique stories and seeing their ideas come to life!

Creative Halloween Writing - Ms. Lee’s class had a fun and creative writing lesson this week! Students were given a picture of Ms. Lee’s face and challenged to decide what costume they thought she should wear for Halloween—and explain their reasons why. This activity gave students a chance to practice their descriptive writing and reasoning skills while using their imaginations. It’s awesome to see all of their hard work and creativity.

Pumpkin Decorating Contest - Over the past week, our classes have been getting into the Halloween spirit with our annual pumpkin decorating contest! Each class designed and decorated their own pumpkin, and they all turned out amazing. From spooky cats to Minecraft creations to beloved book characters, the creativity on display was incredible. After all the pumpkins were showcased, each class voted for their favourite. The winning pumpkin will be announced tomorrow—but truly, every pumpkin was a winner in its own way!

Learning About Bats - In the spirit of Halloween, Mr. Lee’s class enjoyed watching the story Bo the Bat! Through this fun tale, they learned all about the amazing things bats can do. To wrap up the day, students created their own bats out of construction paper and had a great time flying them around the classroom. It was a fun and engaging way to build knowledge through storytelling and creativity!

Dance Banner - A big shout-out to Mrs. Evans’ class for designing and creating an awesome banner for our Halloween Monster Mash! The Monster Mash is our school’s fun-filled dance party that takes place in the gym right after the Halloween parade. It’s another beloved Douglas Park tradition that brings lots of excitement and Halloween spirit to our school!

School-Wide Write - Over the next week, students across the school will be taking part in our school-wide write! A school-wide write is an opportunity for all students to respond to the same writing prompt, allowing teachers to see how writing skills are developing across grades. It helps us celebrate student progress, identify areas for growth, and guide future instruction to support every learner. It’s awesome to see our students growing as confident, creative writers, and this writing assessment will help us continue to strengthen their learning.

The Pumpkin Life Cycle - Ms. MacKay’s class read Pumpkin Jack, a story about a boy who watches his pumpkin go through its life cycle over the seasons. After the read-aloud, students created their own “Pumpkin Jack” and are now learning about the life cycle and parts of a pumpkin. It’s awesome watching the kids having lots of fun as they learn.

The Week Ahead

Monday

• Picture Re-Take Day

Tuesday

• Fire Drill at 10:00 am

Friday

• Inclusion Family Support Group at 9:30 am
• Remembrance Day Assembly

Month at a Glance

November 3rd - Photo Re-Take Day

November 4th - Fire Drill at 10:00 am

November 7th - Inclusion Langley Family Support Group

November 10th - Design and Assessment Day (Student Not in Attendance)

November 11th - Remembrance Day 

November 17th - 21st - Book Fair

November 21st - PAC Hot Lunch

November 21st - Lockdown Drill at 9:55 am

November 26th - PAC Meeting at 9:00 am

November 26th - Student Inclusive Conferences (Students Do Not Attend School)

November 27th - Student Inclusive Conferences (Early Dismissal at 12:30 pm)

December 5th - Inclusion Langley Family Support Group

December 6th - Rotary Breakfast with Santa at Douglas Park

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

• Hot Lunch - November 21, 2025

Next Meeting Time

• November 29, 2025 at 9:00 am in the Staff Room

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

Road and Pedestrian Safety - With less daylight hours and as we enter the season of wind, rain, and ice, we are sharing an important reminder from our community partner ICBC to students, staff, and families to help keep our community safe. Drivers should be alert, focus on the road, watch for pedestrians, especially at intersections and transit stops, and always be ready to stop. Pedestrians and travelers on bikes or scooters should be careful at intersections, always use designated crosswalks, remove headphones and devices, and be aware of your surroundings. For more tips read this resource Kids Pedestrian Safety or visit ICBC’s webpage here.

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.

Photo Re-Take Day - Photo Re-Take Day is scheduled for Monday, November 3rd. If your child missed the original photo day or would like a re-take, this will be their chance to have their picture taken.

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.

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

Please find our November 2025 meeting details below:

📅 When: Friday, November 7, 2025 | 9:30–11:30 AM
📍 Where: SWIS Portable, Douglas Park Community School | 5409 – 206 Street, Langley
🗂️ Topic: Children and Youth with Support Needs (CYSN) Services
☕ Additional Information: Light refreshments will be served. Childminding is available — please register early so we can plan staff and space appropriately.

How to Register:
To register or learn more, please contact:
Lydia Kang, Family Support Coordinator
📞 604-996-5244 | ✉️ familysupport@inclusionlangley.com
(When registering, please let me know if you require childminding.)

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