KEY RESOURCES IN LANGLEY

• Guide to Key Websites and Resources: Here
• Instructional Services Website: For all your district-vetted resources K-12!  Check it out!
• Aboriginal Resources vetted by the District: Here
• TCS Sites: Key resources are still being placed in these Teams. If you need access to one of these Teams, please email dzurbuchenjonker@sd35.bc.ca.

• TCS SS-Grade 3
• TCS Grade 4-8
• TCS Secondary

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! 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

MENTORSHIP PROGRAM

*NEW!* Follow us on our UDL/Mentorship Instagram! @sd35mentorshipmoments

We post lots of events, teacher tips, UDL strategies, and more!

Interested in Becoming a Mentor? 

We are looking for Mentors in the following areas:

1. Resource (Middle - LSS family of schools)
2. General secondary - Gr 9/10/12 (REMSS family of schools)
3. Math/Science 9 (LSS family of schools)

Please email teachermentorship@sd35.bc.ca if you’re interested in becoming a Mentor in any of these areas or for other upcoming Mentees.  
 
New to the District or a New Role? 
If you’re a newer teacher looking for mentorship, please fill out the Mentee Information Sheet on the LTA website. Once completed, please email it to teachermentorship@sd35.bc.ca to join our program! 
 
Upcoming Events: 

Book Club: Valley of the Birdtail: An Indian Reserve, a White Town, and the Road to Reconciliation.  

1) February 24th: 4-5pm TEAMS 

2) April 14th: 4-5pm TEAMS 

3) May 5th 4-6pm SBO HUB 

HONOURING TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION

DISTRICT PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

Here are some important details for you to ensure that you have an enjoyable experience at Odyssey!

• The conference begins in the Main Gym at the Langley Events Centre (7888-200th Street) with our Welcome and Opening Keynote address by Dr. Niigaan Sinclair. The entrance to the Main Gym is located at Gate 1 - on the ground floor of the Events Centre - doors are just to the left of the LEC Ticket Booth. There will be signage outside to help you find the entrance.
• Check In and Registration will take place at the Events Centre starting at 7am - please arrive early and on time as we will be checking in more than 2000 people that day! The conference will officially start at 8:30am.
• When you arrive, if your name tag is NOT at the registration desk, or if you are just registering on the day of the conference, please report to the "Help Desk."
• Parking - please park at the Langley Events Centre for the day and then make the short walk after the keynote to the school venues.  Parking at RE Mountain Secondary and Peter Ewart Middle is reserved for Odyssey presenters and event staff as well as individuals with handicap placards.
• There will NOT be any coffee or snacks available at the opening at the Langley Events Centre. Participants are welcome to bring their own water/coffee into the Events Centre as long as it is in a secure bottle or cup. Refreshments and hearty snacks will be available throughout the rest of the day at RE Mountain Secondary and Peter Ewart Middle.
• Lunch will be provided at both sites. Your lunch selection can be found at the bottom of your conference lanyard.  Please stick to the meal that you initially selected as the caterers have based their numbers on those selections.
• Attendees will pick up their lunch from the Main Gym at either Peter Ewart Middle School OR RE Mountain Secondary and then can find their own spaces to eat throughout the school. There are many common areas with tables and chairs and other comfortable seating dispersed throughout the buildings. As well, there will be a number of Indigenous Cultural Presentations happening during lunch in the main foyer/concourse at REMSS.
• If you have very specific food allergies and requested a speciality meal, you should have received a direct email from Crystal Loyer regarding instructions on how and where to pick up your meal.  You will still need to pick up your meal from the school location of the first workshop on your name tag.  If you have general vegan, vegetarian, gluten free or dairy free requirements, you will be able to pick up your meal from the main food lineups at both schools.
• Please wear your name tag and lanyard throughout the day to access the sessions you have signed up for.
• Out of respect for the presenters and participants, please attend the sessions you signed up for.

An overview of the full conference schedule including breakout session times is listed below:  

If you have any questions prior to Monday February 9, please contact the Professional Services staff at thinklangley@sd35.bc.ca.  

The Teachings of Wellness with Len Pierre | On-Demand Learning Feature
“Teach us love, compassion, and honour that we may heal the earth and heal each other.” – Ojibwe Prayer 
Join us for this phenomenal finale to Len Pierre’s four-part Ensouling Our Schools series. In this session, Len will guide us on an incredible journey through wellness from an Indigenous perspective. He will talk to us about the Seven Sacred Teachings, which he calls ‘internal medicine,’ and the Four Community Medicines that we each, as human beings, need access to. He will also speak about the Seven Grandfather Teachings, and how they can and should shape our day-to-day lives. 
As you watch this incredible keynote address, please reflect on the following questions: 

• How are Indigenous perspectives on wellness familiar to and different from your own familial or cultural perspectives?
• What can Indigenous perspectives offer our classrooms, schools, or district-wide initiatives today? How can they inform upon health, wellness, equity, inclusivity, diversity, reconciliation and sustainability?
• Will you do something different after this presentation?
• What are the limitations of Indigenous perspectives, and what are the limitations of our contemporary perspectives that are so rooted in colonial and corporate views of health and wellness?

EXTERNAL PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

New Webinar: Teaching Vocabulary in the Content Areas | Pembroke Publishers | February 12, 2026 | More info | Register | Feature of the month Preview
Happening on Thursday, Feb 12th, this important webinar will explore the newest book called "Teaching Vocabulary in the Content Areas." Author Sandra Mirabelli will provide an in-depth look at morphology, language, and the content areas. She will share tools and strategies for integrating vocabulary instruction into the content areas and research-based practices that help provide targeted literacy instruction. Read the first four chapters online with the free Feature-of-the-month-preview above.

UBC Immersion Program for French Language Educators | Registration deadline Feb 20, 2026 | Register
Designed for K-12 educators, the Institut de français, UBC à Québec three-week immersion program allows teachers to develop their French skills in a francophone environment. Immerse yourself in Québécois culture and apply your newly improved language and cultural knowledge to the classroom. Spaces are limited and close February 20, 2026 so apply as early as possible. Placements are based on assessed language competency. BC certified teachers and teacher candidates are eligible to receive a bursary that will help subsidize the cost of the program. There is no need to apply separately for the bursary.

• Institut A: July 6-July 23
• Institut B: July 27-August 14 

Kaleidoscope: Shifting Perspectives, Brilliant Futures | 2026 A4LE PNW Regional Conference | March 25-27, 2026 | Register
You are invited to attend the 2026 Pacific Northwest Regional Conference hosted by the Alberta Chapter in Canmore, Alberta! Canmore is located in the Canadian Rockies approximately an hour west of Calgary. In addition to its breathtaking scenery, including views of the iconic Three Sisters Peaks, this vibrant town offers an abundance of outdoor activities, local restaurants, shops and more! The opening keynote speaker is Will Gadd who is an athlete, speaker and guide. For more than 25 years Will Gadd has been one of the top adventure sports athletes in the world. Now he’s taking the lessons he learned while succeeding in some of the world’s toughest environments and sharing them with audiences ranging from Nike to Exxon Mobile to incarcerated youth.

LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR STAFF/STUDENTS/CLASSES

Come-alive Literacy! Spirited Thematic Classrooms | Joyful Literacy | February 13, 2026 | More info | Register
Foundational proficiency meets fun! Presenters Chelsea Mytko and Nathan Reist will introduce eight flexible, theme-based learning units designed to enrich foundational literacy through imaginative, engaging classroom experiences. Each theme includes a comprehensive Teacher Take-Away Package with playful literacy activities plus recommended read-alouds and resource links.

Storytelling Series: Celebrating Winter Olympic and Paralympic Sport Heroes | Beyond the Win | February 25, 2026 | Register | Lesson Plans
On February 25, join Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame for Storytelling Series: Celebrating Winter Olympic and Paralympic Sport Heroes, a national livestream event that uses the power of athlete stories to explore the values behind the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. This engaging 45-minute panel will be moderated by Catriona Le May Doan, Olympic champion and one of the country’s most respected voices in sport and leadership. Featuring on the panel are Olympic champions Beckie Scott and Cindy Klassen, and 3-time Paralympic champion Sonja Gaudet, with further panellists to be revealed at a later date. In addition to the live experience, educators receive access to ready-to-use lesson plans and classroom resources aligned with provincial curriculum outcomes.

Try Tech & Trades 2026 | UFV Trades & Technology Centre | February 26, 2026 | Register
We are pleased to let you know that our annual Try Tech & Trades event for grade 9 high school students in the Fraser Valley is now open for registration. The event will run from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. To manage the flow of the day, we’d like schools’ arrival times staggered every 15–30 minutes throughout the morning and early afternoon. The registration form will ask you for your preferred arrival time. Groups of up to 20 students (max) will be organized to move through their shops, kitchens and labs, and students will get hands on experience at several stations including:

• Architectural Drafting
• Autobody Collision & Repair
• Automation & Robotics
• Automotive Technician
• Carpentry
• Electrical
• Explore Trades
• Floral Arrangement
• Heavy Mechanical
• Professional Cook
• Powerline Technician
• Welding

Please note: each student group must be accompanied by at least one teacher, mentor, or student mentor. It takes approximately 60–90 minutes to complete all stations.

LEARNING RESOURCES

Black History Month | SD#35 Digital Resources
As we approach Black History Month, it is important that we provide students with learning experiences that are accurate, inclusive, and reflective of diverse Canadian perspectives. Two high‑quality digital resources, Curio CBC and the National Film Board (NFB) of Canada, offer rich, curriculum‑aligned video content that supports meaningful learning across grades and subject areas. All Langley School staff have access to Curio and NFB for free through the Digital Resources page at the link above.

Both Curio CBC and the National Film Board offer educators:

• Authentic Canadian voices and stories
• High-quality, curriculum-aligned content
• Diverse perspectives that reflect Canada’s Black communities
• Ready-to-use classroom resources supporting inquiry and discussion
• Opportunities to engage students in meaningful conversations about identity, culture, justice, and history

Together, these platforms empower educators to enrich Black History Month with media that is engaging, accurate, and reflective of Canada’s diverse cultural landscape.

 NFB
The National Film Board of Canada offers a large collection of documentaries, short films, animations, and interactive media. Its mandate includes elevating underrepresented Canadian voices and fostering national dialogue through storytelling.

The NFB curates films that explore the history, resilience, and cultural contributions of Black communities across Canada. These include biographies, historical documentaries, contemporary issues, and short films that are age‑appropriate for various grade levels.

Many NFB films come with teacher guides, lesson plans, or discussion questions. These materials help teachers scaffold student understanding and connect film content to curriculum learning outcomes.

• The Compassion Project (Grades K-6)
• Ignition (Grades 5-9)
• Character Playbook (Grades 6-9)
• Honour Code (Grades 8-10) 
• Understanding Mental Wellness (Grades 8-12) 

TECH TIPS