KEY RESOURCES IN LANGLEY

• Clickable PDF to Key Resources in Langley
• Instructional Services Website: For all your district-vetted resources K-12!  Check it out!
• Aboriginal Resources vetted by the District
• TCS Sites (TCS SS-grade 3, 4-8, Secondary): Key resources are still being placed in these Teams. If you need access to one of these Teams, please email dzurbuchenjonker@sd35.bc.ca

DISTRICT LEARNING COMMONS

The DLC is your one stop shop for useful resources to enhance your teaching available to all school staff in the Langley School District. You don’t need to buy everything for all of your lessons yourself! You can check it out in person in the basement of the School Board Office or have kits and resources delivered directly to your school! We deliver and pick up all the items you request through district mail twice per week (Tuesdays and Thursdays). Links to all the info below:

• View and book online through Insignia Library system | Here
• Find instructions, an area to check out new resources, request new resources and report lost or damages kits | Here
• Sign out instructions | Here

Featured DLC Resource:

All About Bears Kit | Poster
In the new All About Bears kit, students can learn about all kinds of bears such as polar bears, black bears and spirit bears. Fictional bear stories are also included. This kit also contains 3 interactive puppets, a fun stacking game and an instructional book on how to make a bear mask! A perfect resource for primary and elementary classrooms!

MENTORSHIP PROGRAM

Interested in Becoming a Mentor?
We are in great need of experienced teachers with five or more years in the profession to support and guide newer educators as they transition into their roles.

We have many brand-new or early career teachers looking for a mentor. We need mentors at all grade levels but especially primary (K-5) and middle (6-8).

Time Commitment as a mentor: Mentors need to commit to ONE 45-minute learning-focused conversation every 3-5 weeks. There are optional workshops, networking and learning sessions available.

New to the District or a New Role?
If you’re a newer teacher looking for mentorship, please fill out the Mentee Information Sheet Mentor-Info-Sheet.pdf. Once completed, email it to teachermentorship@sd35.bc.ca to join our program! 

Upcoming:

Mentee Roundtable Event | Tuesday April 29, 2025, 3:30-5pm | Register
We are thrilled to invite you to an exclusive round table discussion designed to provide you with insights and guidance from a selection of our esteemed mentors. This unique opportunity allows you to engage directly with mentors from various levels and ask any burning questions you may have about programming, teaching strategies, work/life balance, etc. This will be hosted at James Kennedy Elementary School.

Anxious Generation Book Club | Meeting #4 and Celebration | Monday May 5, 2025, 4-6pm
Dinner included – see Teams invite via email calendar request.

Return Classroom Library Kits | Week of June 2-6, 2025
If you borrowed a Mentorship Classroom Library Kit, please pack it back into the bins and return through interschool mail, back to Instructional Services at the SBO.

Mentorship Year-end Celebration | Monday June 16, 2025, 4-6pm
The invitations for this is coming.

HONOURING TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION

Matsqui Curriculum for English Language Arts 10 and Social Studies 10 | Matsqui Curriculum
Above, please find a link to a folder that contains two separate units of study entitled “Mathxwi – The Stories of Today and the Distant Past” – one is for English Language Arts 10 and Social Studies 10.  This curriculum resource was developed in collaboration with Máthxwi First Nation, Alongside Research and Consulting, and the University of the Fraser Valley Teacher Education Department.  Both units explore Mathxwi First Nation history, culture and identity. Students will locate themselves within S’ólh Téméxw, learn about Máthxwi identity through examining Máthxwi history, stories, and values, recognize Máthxwi strength and resiliency despite the impacts of colonization, and consider their role in Reconciliation going forward.

DISTRICT PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
To see our full calendar of offerings, visit www.thinklangley.com

Microsoft Office Training Info Session with Jasperactive MOS Online with Katheryn Jones | On-Demand Learning Feature
This info session will discuss the training available to you through Jasperactive MOS Online. The program includes online courses for Microsoft Office applications, such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Choose to learn one Microsoft Office app or learn them all. Also, for those who have some foundational skills, you can challenge yourself with expert levels. The Jasperactive tool gives you the option to learn at your own pace, in the learning style that works best for you. When you finish a session, you’ll also have the opportunity to get certified.

NEW! Powerful Thinking: Engaging Readers, Building Knowledge, and Nudging Learning in Elementary Classrooms I May 9, 2025 I Register
Join Adrienne and other teachers as she guides us through a day of learning centred around her new book Powerful Thinking, which will focus on reading and thinking across the curriculum.
An inspiring book to help teachers shift their beliefs and “stretch” their thinking around reading comprehension, literacy instruction, and content-area learning. Using the key concepts and strategies introduced in her ground-breaking book, Reading Power, Adrienne Gear shows teachers practical ways to create a “culture of thinking” that can be integrated into all areas of learning. Using knowledge-rich texts as tools, Adrienne shares how read-alouds can be used in content areas to support literacy skills and build knowledge. This timely book offers classroom-tested lessons and anchor books to create a content-rich learning environment that helps strengthen student learning and knowledge-building across curriculum. Please note that this is a day that school is in session so teachers wanting to attend will need to make TTOC arrangements in order to attend.

NEW! R.C. Garnett Demonstration Day 2025 I May 16, 2025 I Register
Demonstration Day at R.C. Garnett is an opportunity for classroom teachers to visit RC Garnett while it is in session, and observe RCG teachers in action with students. Classroom teachers from grades K to 5 will be providing instruction on a variety of relevant topics and will be demonstrating a multitude of instructional strategies and practices for attendees to take with them. Participants will be able to sign up for two different classroom sessions in the morning and then will be able to return to join the afternoon activities at their home school. Space in each session is limited so be sure to sign up early and not miss out! Registration will close at 8am on Friday, May 9th.

CUPE 1260 Spring Conference | May 16, 2025 I Register
Begin your day at Church in the Valley, where you will be provided with snacks and fresh tea and coffee. Take this opportunity to chat and catch up with friend at different work sites.
We have a breadth of workshops this year! Learn some of the ins and outs of our Collective Agreement and how bargaining works with our Union Executives, and take the time to meet our new President and Vice President.
Take some specific programs training in Word or Outlook, or take a Certification Exam in the Microsoft Office Program of your choice. There are plenty of workshops around conflict management, mental health, wellness, stress management and The Brain Guy, Terry Small, is providing us some workshops on how our brains work, and more importantly, how to make them work for us! Make your own beaded Wampum Belt with Nadine McSpadden, and connect with others in the telling of their stories.

Basic First Aid for SD35 Staff I May 16, 2025 I Register
The WorkSafeBC Basic First Aid course is an 8-hour program, including coffee and lunch breaks and is designed to provide life-saving first aid skills to workers in industry. Successful candidates must demonstrate competency in practical skills and achieve 72% or higher on a multiple-choice exam. Certification is valid for three years.

What you will learn: 

• Priority Action Approach
  Primary Survey – Conscious patient / Unconscious patient
• Cervical spine control
• Airway and Breathing interventions
• Hemorrhage control
• One person CPR
• Minor injuries which require medical aid
• Management of soft tissue injuries
• Records and reports

Making the Most of Your Pension with MPP for CUPE 1260 and CUPE 1851 I May 16, 2025 I Register
Explore key insights on pension planning, such as buying service for leaves, transferring services, and utilizing online tools for informed career decisions. This webinar is targeted to those individuals who are NOT within five years of retirement (under 60 years of age).

This 75-minute webinar can help you learn about:

• Buying service for approved leaves
• Purchasing services for a time when you worked for your current employer, but didn’t make pension contributions
• Transferring services from other plans
• How the decisions you make in your career can affect your pension
• The effect of life events on your pension
• Using our online tools to plan for your future

NEW! Approaching Retirement with MPP for CUPE 1260 and CUPE 1851 I May 16, 2025 I Register
Explore key insights on retirement decisions such as pension calculation, eligibility, choosing the best pension option, and more. The decisions you make about your pension as retirement approaches are important. This webinar is targeted to those individuals who are within five years of retirement (over 60 years of age).

This 75-minute webinar can help you learn about:

• How your pension is calculated
• Eligibility for an unreduced pension
• Choosing your best pension option
• The retirement application process
• Returning to work after you have started collecting a pension

Middle School Call for Presenters | Deadline June 2, 2025 | Poster | Submit Proposal
Instructional Services is pleased to once again offer a Middle Years Conference which will be held in-person at Yorkson Creek Middle School on October 24, 2025! This conference is available to all grade 6-8 teachers and will have a shared focus of Learning Across the Curriculum: Empowering every learner. More information can be found in our promotional materials which can be found here:
Please see the Poster for the Middle Years Conference above. In addition to a keynote presenter, we also hope to tap into the incredible talents and expertise of our middle year experts in Langley to help make this conference a successful and meaningful learning experience for all middle year’s staff. Possible themes for breakout sessions can be found on the Poster.
If you would be willing to host a breakout session for the event and interested in submitting a proposal for the October Middle Years Conference, please use the link below.

EXTERNAL PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

Learning Forward B.C. Book Club: Session Three with Special Guest Andy Hargreaves | May 5, 2025 | More info
Featuring; The Age of Identity: Who do our Kids Think They Are? and How do We Help Them Belong? By Andy Hargreaves and Dennis Shirley.
The Age of Identity, is a book that takes a proactive approach to building a learning environment that values the diverse identities of all students, that focuses on kids, identity and the importance of belonging. The Age of Identity broadens our understanding of what education can be for all young people including the most socially marginalized ones. The session will begin with a general discussion about the book. Andy will join us midway through the session to answer your questions and join the conversation. For registration, please go to “Events” at http://learningforwardbc.ca.
Zoom access will be sent to  people who register. Time 3:30-5:30 p.m.

Pathways for Maximizing Student Support With Open Parachute | May 16, 2025 |  More info
Join Open Parachute founder Dr Hayley Watson for a Webinar that provides Educational Leadership with strategies to maximize the impact of Open Parachute’s Tier 1, 2 & 3 resources in your school or District. Learn about new content for educators & counsellors and hear case studies of how other Districts are implementing Open Parachute. The resources can be used for both intervention and prevention.

Register for the Learning First Peoples Summer Institute | More info | Register
Registration is now open for the Learning First Peoples Summer Institute from July 2–4 in Prince George and August 20–22 in Richmond. Hosted by the First Nations Education Steering Committee and First Nations Schools Association, the institute supports teachers in bringing quality, authentic First Peoples teaching and learning into BC classrooms.
Workshops:
Day 1: English First Peoples Gr. 10-12 Teacher Resource Guide
Day 2: BC First Peoples 12 Teacher Resource Guide
Day 3: Applied Design, Skills and Technologies (ADST) First Peoples Teacher Resource Guide (K-12)
Email info@fnesc.ca if you have questions.

LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR STAFF/STUDENTS/CLASSES

Celebrate the Great B.C. School Food Cook-Off with Farm to School BC | April 17, 2025 | More info | Register
The Great B.C. School Food Cook-Off has officially concluded, with 91 creative recipes submitted that feature local BC ingredients. A sincere thank you to the K-12 students and educators from across BC who participated.
Registration is open for a celebratory webinar hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food and Farm to School BC on Thursday, April 17, from 3:30 pm– 4:30 pm PDT, which will include:

• a celebration of the prize draw winners
• a preview of the newly launched official cookbook
• a look at new BC local food literacy resources

These new resources—including posters, digital signage, and activity sheets designed to help students learn about and connect with ten of the top BC foods used in schools—can be found on the Feed BC in K-12 web page.

Langley City Film Festival Call for Submissions | Deadline: May 1, 2025 | More info | Poster
The Langley City Film Festival returns, presented by Langley City and Langley Arts Council, as individuals or teams write, shoot and edit a film related to one of our two themes: Natural Environment or Emotion of Sound. Selected films will then be shown the weekend of October 18-19, 2025, at the Langley Community Music School.
Films are now being accepted for entry to the Langley City Film Festival. Please review requirements prior to submission. The submission deadline is May 1, 2025.

National Accessibility Week | May 25-31, 2025 | More info

• Design Contest | Submission deadline May 1, 2025 | More info
  Students are invited to participate in a Design Contest which are open to two grade groups: Grades 5 to 8 and Grades 9 to 12 to submit a design. The winning designs, chosen by a panel of judges, will be produced on tote bags. The 2025 theme is “Applying inclusive thinking and actions in everyday life.” The winning student will receive a $200 honorarium and $750 for the winning student’s classroom to purchase learning materials, as well as a pizza lunch. The tote bags with the winning design will be given to the winning students.
• Accessibility and Inclusion Webinar | May 29, 2025 | Sign Up
  In partnership with the Rick Hansen Foundation, Easter Seals BC/Yukon is offering webinar sharing experiences from two individuals with disabilities. This interactive webinar will feature panelists with physical and cognitive disabilities who will inspire students to take positive action towards accessibility and inclusion. Language and topics in the webinar will be geared to younger students, but the experiences shared are relevant to everybody. People of all ages are welcome to join!
• Classroom resources for both elementary and high school teachers | Download Lesson Resources for Elementary | Download Lesson Resources for High School
  We want to make it as easy as possible for teachers to incorporate concepts of accessibility and inclusion into their classrooms.
  Included in the above links are resources and stories that can be used for lesson plans for teachers.

PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL READINGS AND RESOURCES

Assess That Podcast – “Would You Rather…” | Podcast
In their latest “Assess That” Podcast, Tom Schimmer and Natalie Vardabasso tackle some common assessments dilemmas that educators often face through a fun and engaging back and forth game of “Would You Rather.”  Tom and Natalie take turns responding to each other’s dilemma question and then use this to launch into a great discussion of some of the difficult but important assessment decisions teachers face on a regular basis.

Video – When You Design for Everyone, EVERYONE Benefits from the Design | Video
This is a great video from John Spencer, author of “Empower: What Happens When Students Own Their Learning,” which provides a great overview of what universal design is and where it came from, as well as a clear framework and examples for how to design learning for students that is both universal in nature, but also empowers students to take agency over their own learning.

Article – Who Owns the Learning in Your Classroom | Blog
To go along with the video above, John Spencer has also written a number of blog posts around the theme of “Empowering Students” which align beautifully with the concepts behind universal design for learning. The first one at the link below is entitled “Who Owns the Learning in Your Classroom?”

LEARNING RESOURCES

Learning Resources from Veterans Affairs Canada | More info
Check out some special educational resources to help young people learn more about military history and remembrance this spring!

• Liberation of the Netherlands | Resources
  The 80th anniversary of the Liberation of the Netherlands and V-E (Victory in Europe) Day is in early May 2025. It will be marked with special commemorations in Canada and overseas. Canadian service members played a leading role in the fight to help free the Netherlands and finally end the Second World War in Europe.
  The Dutch people never forgot what Canadians did for them, and neither should we! Check out our suite of online educational resources to help your students learn more about this proud chapter of our country’s military history.
• Minorities at War | Resource
  The Gregg Centre for the Study of War and Society’s Minorities at War website is a fantastic new resource connecting students with the real people who served and sacrificed during the First World War – and the challenges they faced. Through primary documents from Library and Archives Canada – including military personnel records, war diaries and census records – learners will explore the experiences of Black and Indigenous soldiers, and women who served with the Canadian Expeditionary Force between 1914 and 1918.
  The project encourages educators and learners to explore the cause and consequence of systemic racism, discrimination and gender inequality as it relates to military service in the 20th century. Separate student and teacher spaces provide tailored support, including step-by-step guides to accessing and interpreting primary documents.

TECH TIPS

Fractions by MLC is a free iPad app that helps students understand and work with fractions using visual models like bars and circles. It supports various fraction operations, comparisons, and includes tools for customization, annotation, and sharing.

Why Use Fractions MLC?

• Enhanced Understanding: Uses visual models like bars and circles to help students grasp fraction concepts more intuitively.
• Interactive Lessons: Offers customizable activities that allow teachers to tailor lessons to individual student needs by adjusting the number of parts and labels.
• Assessment & Feedback: Provides tools for students to demonstrate their understanding, making it easier for teachers to assess progress and share feedback.
• Confidence & Self-Paced Learning: Encourages hands-on practice and annotation, allowing students to learn at their own pace and build mathematical confidence.