Families of Douglas Park,

It was a busy and exciting week at Douglas Park! We had several awesome school events, including the Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drill, a Grade 5 soccer game at Uplands Elementary, a cross-country meet at Aldergrove Regional Park, the opportunity to host a district meeting for elementary principals and vice-principals from across Langley, and we finished the week with an inspiring Terry Fox assembly and run. While the week was certainly busy, it was also filled with so many moments that highlighted the strength, spirit, and connectedness of our awesome school community.

Our Douglas Park Dragons Grade 5 soccer team kicked off the week with their second game of the season at Uplands Elementary on Tuesday, and what a game it was! We are so proud of the teamwork, sportsmanship, effort, and soccer skills our players brought to the field. The team worked hard, supported one another, and played some great soccer, coming away with another awesome 3-1 win. A huge shout-out to our players for the way they are representing Douglas Park and to our coaches for helping make this season such a positive experience. 

Our cross-country team had another great race at Aldergrove Regional Park on Wednesday. The runners have been working hard all season, and it has been awesome to watch them build their speed, endurance, and confidence with each race. Just as impressive has been the way they cheer one another on and celebrate everyone's accomplishments. We are very proud of their effort, determination, and amazing team spirit. Also on Wednesday, Douglas Park had the pleasure of hosting a meeting for elementary principals and vice-principals from across the Langley School District. It was a great opportunity to share some of the wonderful learning happening in our school and showcase the amazing things our students and staff do every day. To help welcome our guests, Ms. Treleaven's and Ms. Evans' classes joined Ms. McCullough to perform a song. It was such a special way to start the morning and a wonderful example of the pride and sense of community that makes Douglas Park such a special place to learn and grow.

On Thursday, students participated in the Great ShakeOut earthquake drill. Our students did an excellent job practising how to stay safe during an earthquake. Everyone took the drill seriously and followed directions carefully. It was impressive to see how calm, focused, and prepared our students were throughout the exercise.

We wrapped up the week on Friday with our annual Terry Fox Assembly and Run. Throughout the week, students learned about Terry Fox, his incredible Marathon of Hope, and his determination to make a difference for others. They also collected donations to support the Terry Fox Foundation, with a school goal of raising $600. We were thrilled to announce that not only did we meet our goal, but we surpassed it, raising an amazing $795! We are incredibly proud of our students and families for their generosity and for showing that even small acts can make a big difference. Thank you to everyone who donated and supported this important cause. Way to go, Dragons!

As we look ahead to the last two weeks of October, Halloween is quickly approaching and many families are beginning to plan costumes. We are excited to celebrate Halloween with our annual Halloween Costume Parade on Thursday, October 30 at 9:15 a.m. Students will have a chance to show off their creative costumes as we parade through the school and enjoy some festive fun together. Students are welcome to wear masks as part of their costumes during the parade, provided they are school-appropriate and do not include scary, gory, or violent themes.

As you prepare costumes, please keep the following guidelines in mind:

• Costumes should be school-appropriate and free of scary, gory, or violent themes. Please remember that our school includes students from Kindergarten to Grade 5.
• Please leave all toy weapons at home.
• Costumes should allow students to move comfortably and participate fully in learning activities throughout the day.

We can't wait to celebrate this fun tradition together with lots of smiles, laughter, and Halloween spirit.

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

Exploring Seasonal Changes - After reading The Leaf Thief, a story about Squirrel searching for the missing leaves from her tree and discovering that the “leaf thief” is actually the changing season of fall, Ms. MacKay’s class headed out into the community to explore the seasonal changes that autumn brings! The students had fun looking closely at the trees, noticing the changing colours of the leaves and discovering the many signs of fall around them. It was a great way to bring their story to life while learning more about the world around us!

Non-Standard Measurement - Math is always more fun when we get to explore and try things out! Ms. Millington’s class has been learning about measurement and got hands-on by using linking cubes to measure different items around their classroom. The students practised measuring length using non-standard units and compared the lengths of different objects. It was a great way to build their measurement skills while having fun learning together!

Fun with Leaves - After reading Leaf Man together, Ms. Shaw’s class teamed up with their big buddies in Ms. Egmore’s class for some outdoor creativity! The students headed outside to explore, collect leaves, sticks and other natural objects, and use their imaginations to create their own Leaf Man art. It was a wonderful way to bring the story to life, enjoy the fall weather and work together with their big buddies. The creativity was amazing, and the finished Leaf Men turned out fantastic!

Learning Provinces and Territories - Ms. Di Sabatino’s class had an awesome hands-on lesson learning about the provinces and territories of Canada! After exploring Canada’s geography, each student chose a province or territory and wrote it on a sticky note. Then came the fun part! Everyone crumpled up their sticky note and tossed it into the middle of the carpet before racing to find a new one. Once they found their new province or territory, they had to uncrumple their sticky note, head back to their table group and work together to locate it on a blank map of Canada. What a fun way to get students moving, working together and building their knowledge of our amazing country!

Math Centres - Lots of learning and fun happening during numeracy centres in Ms. Lengle’s class! Students get to rotate through a variety of hands-on activities where they work alongside staff to explore numbers, shapes and patterns. From playing shape bingo to building numbers using clothes pegs, there are so many fun ways for students to practise their math skills, explore new ideas and learn through play. Who knew math could be this much fun!

Learning About Terry - As we got ready for our Terry Fox Run on Friday, students at Douglas Park learned all about Terry Fox and his incredible journey to raise money for cancer research. As part of their learning, classes got creative with some Terry Fox shoe art! It’s a great way to learn about Terry’s determination, courage and the lasting impact he continues to have on so many people. 

Literacy Centres - Literacy centres are a great way to make reading and writing fun while giving students lots of opportunities to practise their growing skills! During literacy centres in Ms. Loewen’s class, students rotate through a variety of small-group activities where they get to work alongside teachers and take part in different reading and writing activities. These small-group experiences give students a chance to build their skills, practise what they’re learning and grow their confidence as readers and writers, all while having fun along the way!

The Week Ahead

Tuesday

• PAC Meeting at 9:00 am in the Staff Room

Wednesday

• Cross Country Team Race

Thursday

• School Spirit Day - Scarecrow Day
• PAC Hot Lunch
• Team Up Soccer

Friday

• Provincial Professional Development Day (No School for Students)

Month at a Glance

October 20th - PAC Meeting at 9:00 am

October 22nd - School Spirit Day - Scarecrow Day

October 22nd - PAC Hot Lunch

October 23rd - Provincial Pro-D Day

October 26th - School Pumpkin Patch

October 30th - Informal Learning Updates Sent Home

October 30th - Halloween Parade at 9:15 am

November 2nd - Picture Re-Take Day

November 10th - Remembrance Day Assembly

November 11th - Remembrance Day (School Closed)

November 16th - 20th - School Book Fair

November 20th - Design and Assessment Day / Report Card Prep (Students Not In Attendance)

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 on October 22, 2026

Next Meeting Time

• PAC Meeting on October 20, 2026 at 9:00 am in the Staff Room

Messages from the PAC

Dear Douglas Park Community School Parents,

The Douglas Park PAC is looking for parent representatives for each class to help us with our hot lunch program! We are hoping to have one parent volunteer from each class who can act as a point person on hot lunch days. The commitment is very small — just a few times throughout the school year. The main responsibility would be to help pick up and deliver the hot lunches to your child’s classroom on the scheduled hot lunch days. It’s a simple way to lend a hand and help make our hot lunch program run smoothly. You don’t need to be a PAC member or have any special experience — just a willingness to help out a few times during the year. If you are interested in becoming your child’s class representative, please reach out to the Douglas Park PAC. We would love to have your help! Thank you for supporting the Douglas Park community and helping make these programs possible for our students.

Warm regards,

Douglas Park PAC (Email: pacdouglaspark@gmail.com)

Updates and Reminders

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 about our next upcoming gathering.

Daylight Saving Time Information for Families: Fraser Health - Earlier this year, British Columbia adopted permanent daylight saving time, with the final clock change taking place on March 8, 2026. As a result, the province now observes Pacific Time (PCT) year-round, eliminating the twice-yearly switch between Pacific Standard Time (PST) and Pacific Daylight Time (PDT). During parts of the winter, particularly between late November and early February, many children will travel to school before sunrise. Fraser Health is sharing this information to support families as they adapt to year-round Pacific Time and maintain healthy sleep habits and safe travel to and from school.

What Families Can Do

Support healthy sleep and well-being by:

Support safe travel to and from school by:

If driving:

 Additional school health resources can be found on our website at fraserhealth.ca/schoolhealth.

Student Safety in Schools - The Langley School District is committed to fostering safe and caring schools that promote mutual respect, cooperation, and 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. The District expects all students to follow the Student Code of Conduct AP 350. This expectation is also in line with the new Provincial Firearm Violence Prevention Act (FVPA). The District is sharing a reminder that no one can have “any weapon for any purpose” on school property. This means that weapons are not allowed to be used as part of an educational project, drama production, or themed costume. Examples of weapons include but are not limited to knives, bb guns, and toy guns. Failure to follow these expectations may result in confiscation, intervention, and consequences.

Staying Healthy this Winter (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 how to stay healthy this winter. Please see below for helpful reminders to support your child.

Keep Your Children Free From Respiratory Illnesses This Winter - As the weather gets colder and more time is spent indoors, we are more likely to get sick with things like colds, flu or COVID-19 because these illnesses spread more easily in enclosed spaces. Everyone should take these steps to protect themselves and limit the spread of respiratory illnesses: 

• • • Get vaccinated against flu and COVID-19. 
    • Wash your hands often with soap and water. Use alcohol-based sanitizer if soap and water are not available. 
    • Cough and sneeze into your elbow. 
    • If you have flu-like symptoms, stay home and away from people at higher risk of serious illness. If you are sick and cannot stay away from others, wear a mask. Learn more about masks here.

Vaccinations for Respiratory Illness - Vaccinations prepare our immune system to recognize and respond to viruses. When children get immunized, they are less likely to get sick or pass along illness to others. When children remain healthy, they are better able to focus on learning, playing and doing the activities they love. Their parents and caregivers also have less disruptions in their personal and work routines. Register your children with the Get Vaccinated system so you can be reminded to get flu or COVID-19 vaccinations when they are due. Seasonal respiratory vaccinations are available from pharmacies, public health units and some primary care providers.

School-aged Immunizations - Getting your child vaccinated on schedule is one of the best ways to protect their health. To set young people up for long-term health and well-being, vaccines are offered routinely in kindergarten, grade 6 and grade 9 with catch-up opportunities in other grades. Protection is long lasting for most vaccines, except for whooping cough. This vaccine is one of the infant immunizations that can wear off and needs to be given again around Kindergarten and Grade 9 to provide protection. All routine school-aged immunizations are free in British Columbia. If your child is not up to date with their vaccines, please make an appointment with a public health unit, family doctor, nurse practitioner or pharmacy. If your child’s record shows their vaccines are not current, but they did get vaccines from a health care provider outside of public health: 

• Contact the health care provider who immunized your child and ask for a copy of the immunization record. 
• Provide these immunization records to Public Health online at: http://www.fraserhealth.ca/immunizationform

Learn more about school-aged immunizations, including how to access your child’s records, here: Children and youth immunizations – Fraser Health Authority

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 CKNW 730AM, Country Radio 107.1FM, Pulse 107.7FM, CBC 690AM or CBC 88.1FM for updates. In the event of inclement weather, the District may implement a delayed start or early dismissal at school sites. This information will be communicated to families via one or more of these methods: SchoolMessenger, email and/or text and on the District website. For District bus riders, schedules may change depending on the school status. Bus riders will be notified of changes via one or more of these methods: My Ride K-12 App, email, phone, and/or District website. 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.

Gifts and Gathering - Gifts and Gatherings is a 90 min program from 8:30 - 10am hosted weekly at one of the Langley Strong Start sites. Any family member or caregiver is welcome to participate along with children ages 0-5 years. Families will explore activities that emphasize indigenous perspectives, highlighting the many interconnected gifts of land, people and animals. Experiences may include: art, sensory exploration, story-time, table top activities and more. During each session, participants will receive a gift that will allow families to continue to explore their learning at home. The program is intended to build connections between families and the school and to support children in their transition into Kindergarten. Please see the flyer below with locations and dates:

Gifts And Gatherings Dates - Fall 2026.jpeg

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. For more information about the breakfast program, please contact our school community coordinator, Ms. Langford (klangford@sd35.bc.ca).

Parent Consent Forms on MyEdBC - 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. Beginning in this school year, Langley Schools will be using the MyEdBC parent portal to collect this information. During the second week of school, please watch for an email from the MyEdBC system notifying families to log in to the MyEdBC parent portal to complete the online consent forms. A set of consent forms will need to be completed for each child attending a Langley school. It is advised to access MyEdBC and complete the parent consent forms using a desktop or laptop as the process requires the full site version (which is not mobile-friendly). For step-by-step instructions, please read here. More information can be found on the District website here. 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 consent forms by the end of September or have any questions/concerns, please contact your school administrator.  

Strong Start – Douglas Park Strong Start will resume on Monday, September 21st. Hours are 8:30 - 11:30 am with a first come first served limit of 20 children. To register for the 2026/2027 Strong Start year, please bring a birth certificate to be copied. A registration form can be filled out at your first visit.

Douglas Park Family Info Sessions - This year, we are excited to introduce our monthly Family Info Sessions. Hosted by Ms. Langford and members of our school team, these sessions provide an opportunity for families to connect with one another and learn about school tools and community resources. Below you will find a poster that includes upcoming dates and session topics. We look forward to seeing you there! 

E-Scooter and E-Bike Guidelines for Langley Schools - To help ensure student safety and comply with district regulations, the Langley School District has updated its guidelines regarding e-scooters and e-bikes on school property. Effective September 2026, e-scooters and e-dirt bikes will not be permitted on any Langley school site, including elementary, middle, and secondary schools. E-pedal bikes remain permitted at secondary schools, provided students meet the legal age requirements: light e-bikes for students aged 14 to 15 and standard e-bikes for students aged 16 and older. Adults may use e-pedal bikes at all school sites. Families are encouraged to review these guidelines with their children and make alternative transportation arrangements if needed. Thank you for your support in helping maintain safe school environments for all students.

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.

Communicating With Your School - Schools and families continue to work together to ensure success for students. If you have an issue or concern but don’t know who to speak with, the District encourages you to read these helpful Communicating with your School guidelines for parents/guardians found on our District website here. As an additional reference, review this one-page resource here.

Emergency Procedures in Schools - Schools follow emergency procedures and practice drills throughout the year to ensure students, staff, and any visitors at our sites are safe when unexpected incidents happen. The District encourages families to become familiar with emergency procedures to help you and your child be prepared. You will find the District’s Emergency Procedures poster in schools and on the website here.

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. Jack @ jjack@sd35.bc.ca.

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

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

Bell Schedule

8:40 – Warning Bell

8:45 – Instruction Begins

10:05 -10:20 – Recess

11:47-12:20 – Lunch

2:32 – Dismissal

School Calendar 2026/27 – 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 - 2026 - 2027.pdf