In the Loop – April 24, 2025

In the Loop |

KEY RESOURCES IN LANGLEY

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 SheetMentor-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

Indigenous Perspectives on Neurodivergence with Dr. Grant Bruno | May 16, 2025 | More info
On Friday, May 16, 2025, Acahk Pimatisiwin: Reclaiming Indigenous Understandings of Neurodivergence will be presented by Dr. Grant Bruno—a nêhiyaw (Plains Cree) scholar, parent, and Assistant Professor at the University of Alberta. He brings both lived experience and academic insight into the conversation about autism and neurodivergence through Indigenous worldviews.
This Talk lands on a Pro-D Day for many districts and offers a meaningful opportunity to reflect on how culturally grounded and relational approaches can help create safer, more inclusive spaces—especially for Indigenous and neurodivergent students. Dr. Bruno’s work highlights the importance of reclaiming traditional knowledge, while navigating Western systems with care and intention. 

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

Getting Started with Book Creator | On-Demand Learning Feature
Curious about Book Creator? Book Creator is a District approved app that is available to teachers to use with their classes that allows students to create and publish high-quality books as part of a rich classroom literacy program. If you would like to learn more about Book Creator and get an introduction to how you could get started with Book Creator in your classroom

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.

Teacher Training Workshop for ACT’s High School CPR and AED Program with Opioid Overdose Response Training enhancement | May 16, 2025 | Register
This instructor level training in CPR and AED will enable you to update your knowledge and teach the Heartsaver level A with opioid emergency response to their students. The certification is valid for 3 years. Every teacher is required to show-up on time and to participate in the full day training to be qualified. The deadline to register is May 8 by 3pm.
Training date: Friday, May 16th , 2025
Time: 8:30am – 4:00 pm
Location: Aldergrove Community Secondary School, 26850 – 29th Avenue, Aldergrove, BC.

CUPE 1260 Spring Conference | May 16, 2025 I Registration closes May 9, 2025 | 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.

R.C. Garnett Demonstration Day 2025 I May 16, 2025 I Registration closes May 9, 2025 | 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!

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

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

Save the Date: Middle Years Conference – Empowering Every Learner | October 24, 2025

Save the Date: Connecting the Pieces: The Early Years Conference | October 24, 2025

EXTERNAL PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

Physical Literacy Pro-D Workshops | Sport for Life | More info
The School Physical Activity and Physical Literacy Project, fully funded by the Ministry of Health in British Columbia, offers free, interactive workshops—delivered virtually or in person—tailored to help educators bring more physical activity, physical literacy, and inclusion into their classrooms and school environments.
These live-facilitated workshops are one to two hours in length and provide practical, ready-to-use strategies to support student well-being and learning, perfect for year-end professional development sessions. There is no cost to schools, districts, or educators. It is available anywhere in BC and has flexible scheduling that works for you.

Upcoming Workshops | Edith Lando Virtual Learning Centre | Website

  • Série d’ateliers pour enseignant·es | April 29, 2025 | More info
    Cette série d’ateliers gratuits est offert en ligne à tout le personnel enseignant désirant développer leurs connaissances et leurs compétences dans certains domaines-clés. Les ateliers sont aussi ouverts au public. À chaque atelier, deux certificats-cadeaux de 60$ sera tiré au hasard parmi les participant·es. Les ateliers se tiennent les mardis à 15h30 (Heure du Pacifique). 29 avril : Initiation à la langue des signes du Québec
  • Engaging All Learners in the Middle Years | April 29, 2025 | More info
    Educators in BC are invited to a webinar series exploring the engagement of middle years learners in multi-age and multi-grade classrooms.Next Session: Trauma-Informed Practice
    Date: Tuesday, April 29, 2025
    Time: 3:30 – 5pm PT
    Format: Virtual
    Audience: Educators working with students in grades 4-9, TOCs, Teacher Candidates
    Cost: Free

AI Summit with Logics | May 3, 2025 | More info
BC Educators come and  explore AI and learn tools and strategies with Logics Academy. There are fifteen impactful sessions being offered, including learning how to:

  • Navigate education with Microsoft Co-Pilot
  • AI-Powered Assessment with E2Grade
  • Accelerating Learning with Microsoft Accelerators
  • Generative AI for Educators: Foundations

Learning Forward BC Book Club: Session Three with Special Guest Andy Hargreaves | May 5, 2025 | Register
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.

LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR STAFF/STUDENTS/CLASSES

Smart Money: Entrepreneurship in Action | Enriched Academy | April 30, 2025 | More info | Register
Inspire your students to start building real-world financial awareness and knowledge for life by registering for one of the 30 minute sessions. It is engaging content and practical, age-appropriate advice combined with fast-paced interactive activities. There are sessions specific for Grades 4-6, 7-9 and 10-12. There is no teacher prep required and there is a class donut party up for grabs in every session.

7th Annual NSSSi High School Business Case Competition | May 4, 2025 | Register | More info Do your students excel in business and problem solving? Are they looking for an opportunity for business related enrichment? Case competitions might be just what you’re looking for!
What is a Business Case Competition?
Case competitions are typically done at the university level, but they have started a movement back in 2015 to bring a similar experience to BC high school students. Students are given a real-life business situation (a case) that has been experienced by an organization. Students work in teams of 4 to understand, analyze and solve a case before they present their recommendations to a panel of judges.

  • Sunday May 4th, 2025 – 8:30am-5:30pm
  • $100 team entry (includes snacks, Chipotle lunch, and door prizes)
  • Team of 4 students (all grades welcome)
  • Teachers are welcome to attend
  • Registration deadline EXTENDED to Thursday, May 1st, 2025
  • Parents are welcome to watch the final round and awards from 3:30-5:30pm

Association for Learning Environments (A4LE) BC Annual Grant | Deadline May 17, 2025 | More info
The BC Chapter of A4LE (Association for Learning Environments) is offering over $8,000 in grants/prizes to enhance Learning Environments or Learning Activities for any school organization connected to students enrolled in a public or private BC school K-12. Please review the entry details at the link above. Email entries to vatopping@gmail.com before the submission deadline of May 17.

Hip Hop and Coding Collide | Logics Academy | Register
Think it’s impossible to create your own hip hop tracks and learn powerful coding skills? Think again! In these lesson you’ll unlock the secrets of both worlds. Remix beats from iconic artists like Pharrell and Alicia Keys, discover fresh samples from Canadian talents like Samian, Dakota Bear, and Jaylee Wolf, and build your own unique music using other royalty-free samples.
While you’re creating musical masterpieces, you’ll also be learning the fundamentals of Python coding. Let the code become your instrument, manipulate sounds, sequence beats, and push the limits of your creativity, creating music mixes you never thought possible. Join this 4-part music, coding and social justice journey for Grades 6 and up.

PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL READINGS AND RESOURCES

Why Teaching about Neurodiversity Benefits all Students in Your Class |  Article
In this article, author Ginna Daza outlines five straightforward strategies for teaching neurodiversity to your students and how in doing so, not only does it benefit the neurodivergent students in your class, but it also benefits ALL students by helping all students recognize their gifts and strengths.

The Education Table Podcast – Understanding the Different Types of Scaffolds |  Podcast
In the latest episode of her podcast, The Education Table, Katie Novak discusses the importance of scaffolding in education, particularly how to increase the effectiveness of scaffolds by utilizing them within the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework. Novak shares personal anecdotes and research insights on how scaffolds can support student learning and independence.  You’ll learn different types of scaffolds—linguistic, conceptual, and socio-cultural—and walk away with practical strategies that educators can implement effectively in the classroom. You’ll also learn how and why we need to gradually release responsibility to our learners to foster student independence.

What a Hollywood Icon Can Teach Us About Showing Up – In and Out of the Classroom | My Legacy Podcast with Martin Sheen | Podcast
Being an educator means showing up every day—with heart, with courage, and with the knowledge that what you do matters. In this week’s episode of My Legacy Podcast, actor and activist Martin Sheen joins peace activist Father John Dear to share deeply personal stories of faith, failure, friendship, and finding the strength to speak up—even when it’s uncomfortable.
They’re also joined by Martin Luther King III and Arndrea Waters King, who reflect on what it means to carry the torch for justice and community change. It’s not a conversation about being perfect—it’s about trying, again and again, to live by what you believe.
For educators who spend their days planting seeds of kindness, courage, and critical thinking, this is a conversation that feels familiar in all the best ways.

LEARNING RESOURCES

Earth Day Inspiration for Your Class | Power Smart for Schools | More info
Protecting our ecosystems is more important than ever. Climate change and sustainability are big topics to tackle in class, especially for younger students, but teachers like you can help foster curiosity and responsibility towards our planet. Read the latest blog post for Tips on starting Earth Day conversations in your classroom and a curated list of K–12 units with fun ways to cover important energy and sustainability topics.

Digital Media Literacy Resources for the Election | MediaSmarts | More info
With Canada’s federal election coming up, it’s more important than ever to strengthen our digital media literacy skills. These resources support students in spotting misinformation and making informed choices. The newly releasedlesson plans for secondary teachers helps students learn to spot a deepfake, recognize polarizing content and understand how political ads target them.

Assessment, Planning and Classroom Resources for Secondary English Teachers Website – by Kyle McKillop | More info
Kyle McKillop is an English teacher from Surrey who has put together an amazing, free website for teachers where he shares samples of Learning Maps and Rubrics, planning ideas, classroom strategies, course outlines and student-centered reporting documents and ideas for Secondary English teachers.  It is an amazing resource for teachers and can be accessed via the link above.

To the Past Website from Canadian Historical Assessments of Thinking (CHATs) | More info
To The Past aims to assist teachers and learners in moving towards a deeper and more robust historical inquiry. CHATs, as small-scale formative assessments, allow students to practice sourcing, contextualizing, closely analyzing and corroborating evidence on a regular basis, developing a familiarity and sophistication when working with primary sources.  They have a wide range of resources available on a variety of different relevant topics related to Social Studies that can be found on their website at the link above.

New K-3 Climate Change Education Teaching Resource | More info
The BC Climate Action Secretariat, in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Child Care, has released a new teaching resource on climate change education for Kindergarten-Grade 3. Nine learning stories created by BCTF teachers have been included with example lessons on topics such as waste, big weather, outdoor spaces, food, transportation, biodiversity, climate change and climate action that teachers can adapt and implement in their own classrooms. The learning stories include direct connections to the BC Core Competencies, curricular content and competencies, and First Peoples Principles of Learning, along with sample student work, teacher reflections, and suggested assessment criteria. This resource also provides guiding strategies to address climate change topics in K-3 classrooms.

Future resources for teachers in older grades are in development – find out more at K-12 Climate Change Education in B.C. To learn more about climate action in BC, visit the CleanBC web page.

Cool, Kind and Kinda Complicated: Exploring what it means to be Canadian | Log-in
Teaching students about who we are as Canadians helps them develop a strong sense of national identity and pride. It encourages an understanding of our diverse cultures, histories, and values, fostering respect and empathy among different communities. By learning about our past and present, students are better equipped to contribute positively to the future of Canada. Curio is a free resource for all teachers in Langley to access.

  • Absolutely Canadian | Series
    A national one-hour series showcasing documentaries and unscripted programs that tell unique stories from communities across Canada. All programs are produced locally and highlight the works of independent filmmakers in each region.
  • History | Secondary | Video
    Amid economic collapse and social unrest, Canada’s sovereignty is tested. Check out Hard Times, episode 13 of Canada A People’s History to learn more.
  • Civics, Culture | Secondary | Video
    It’s become a rallying cry against U.S. tariffs. But in hockey-loving Canada, the phrase also evokes memories of one of the game’s greatest players. Learn more.

TECH TIPS

OneDrive: Your Essential Tool for Seamless File Management
OneDrive is a powerful cloud storage solution designed to help educators manage their files effortlessly across multiple devices. It offers seamless integration with file management systems on both PC and Mac, a built-in scanner, and robust data security features.
Why Use OneDrive?
OneDrive is an excellent option for educators looking to streamline their file management, enhance collaboration, and ensure the security of their important documents.

  • Access Files Anywhere: OneDrive allows you to access your files from any device, ensuring you have what you need, when you need it.
  • Seamless Integration: Works with built-in file management systems on both PC and Mac, making it easy to organize and manage your documents.
  • Built-In Scanner: Quickly scan documents and save them directly to OneDrive, eliminating the need for separate scanning devices.
  • Easy Sharing: Share documents with colleagues effortlessly, enhancing collaboration and communication.
  • Data Security: OneDrive provides robust security features to protect your files, including encryption and secure access controls.
  • Risk Elimination: Eliminate the risk of losing files and data when switching devices or dealing with lost devices. OneDrive ensures your files are always backed up and accessible, and it autosaves Microsoft documents to prevent data loss.

Hidden iPhone/iPad Tricks to Help Type Faster

  • Insert Periods Faster: A much quicker way to insert the period is to double-tap the Spacebar.
  • Quickly Insert Special Characters. You can also quickly insert other special characters besides periods if you don’t want to do it the long way. To do that, press and hold 123 and then drag your finger to the desired special character (e.g., $, @, #, or “). Once you release the key, the special character will be inserted in the text, and the keyboard will automatically return to letters.
  • Quick Capitalization Tricks. To capitalize, you must tap the Shift key and then the letter you want to capitalize. Instead of doing this, press and hold the Shift key, drag your finger to the letter you want to capitalize, and release to capitalize it quickly. If you want to type in all caps quickly, neither of the above methods are ideal. Instead, double-tap the Shift key to enable caps lock and type the word. When you’re done, tap the Shift key again to disable the caps lock.
  • Master Swipe Typing (QuickPath). QuickPath, also known as swipe typing, allows you to type by sliding your finger from letter to letter without lifting it off the keyboard. So, if you want to type a word like “Phone,” place your finger on P, slide it to H, then to O, and so on—until you spell out the word. The keyboard will intelligently predict the word you’re trying to type based on the path your finger takes across the letters, making typing significantly faster once you get used to it.
  • Insert Degree Symbol If you look at the iPhone keyboard, even in the list of special characters, there’s no degree symbol. But you don’t need to search for it on Google and copy and paste it into your text. Press the 123 button in the bottom-left corner to reveal the special characters, press and hold 0, and when the menu appears, swipe to the left to select the degree symbol.
  • Tap to Select Words and Paragraphs. When typing, you might need to select particular words or paragraphs if you want to copy, format, or remove them. To select a single word, double-tap it, and if you want to select an entire paragraph, triple-tap any word. From there, a menu will appear with text options that you can use.
  • Use the Spacebar as a Trackpad. When you make a mistake while typing, there are generally two ways to position the cursor where you want to fix it. You can tap exactly where the mistake is or tap and drag the cursor to that location. However, moving the insertion point to the desired location this way can be challenging.To make it easier, tap and hold the Spacebar to turn your keyboard into a trackpad. This will make the keyboard a large area for dragging the cursor around. Without letting go, slide your finger, and position the insertion point exactly where you need it.
  • Use Emoji Suggestions. Just like you get word suggestions when you start typing to speed up the process, you can also do the same for emoji. Just describe the emotion or object you need, such as Smile, Hat, or Fire, and tap on the corresponding emoji when it pops up as a suggestion above the keyboard.
  • Shift the Keyboard Toward Your Typing Hand. If you’re having trouble reaching other keys on your keyboard, you can move them closer to your typing hand. To do that, press and hold the Emoji button and release it when the Keyboard Settings menu appears. Afterward, tap one of the keyboard icons with an arrow in the bottom left or right corner of the menu to move the keyboard to the left or right side of the screen.
  • Create Your Own Keyboard Shortcuts. Are there certain long sentences that you type constantly? If so, you can turn them into shortcuts so that you can easily insert them in text with a shortcode. To create the shortcut, go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement and tap the plus button in the top-right corner of the screen. Type the long sentence in the Phrase text box and then type the shortcode (with no spaces) in the Shortcut text box. Then, tap Save in the top-right corner.