In the Loop - November 27, 2025

The gift of today

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

Featured DLC Resource:

Gordon Korman Literature Circle Kit | More info
Discover seven unforgettable stories from bestselling author Gordon Korman—each packed with humor, suspense, and life-changing lessons. Whether it’s second chances in Restart, the fight against hate in Linked, or surviving a tech-free wilderness in Unplugged, these books will keep readers hooked from start to finish. Perfect for grades 4-7  readers who love fast-paced, relatable, and inspiring tales.

Titles Featured:
The Unteachables • Restart • Linked • Schooled • Operation Do-Over • Slacker • Unplugged

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 have many brand-new or early career teachers looking for a mentor. We need mentors at all grade levels but especially primary (1-3), middle (6-7), and Resource. We are looking for experienced teachers with five or more years in the profession to support and guide newer educators as they transition into their roles. Please fill out the Mentor Information Sheet here. Once completed, please email it to teachermentorship@sd35.bc.ca to join our program!

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

Time Commitment: Mentors and Mentees need to commit to ONE 45-minute learning-focused conversation every 3-5 weeks. There are optional workshops, networking and learning sessions available, as well as many perks such as the Mentorship Retreat, giveaways, and resources.

Mentorship Kits: Join the Mentorship Program to borrow Classroom Library Kits to borrow for the school year to help build a library for your students to borrow books and increase the love of literacy.  Currently available at K-2 and 6-8 grade levels. Email us with your request.

ODYSSEY 2026

Odyssey 2026 | Monday February 9, 2026 | Call for presenters | More info | Presenter Form
The Langley School District's annual Odyssey Conference will be held in-person on Monday, February 9, 2026 at the Langley Events Centre, RE Mountain Secondary and Peter Ewart Middle School.
 
 Please see the Call for Presenters for Odyssey at the link above. In addition to our many external presenters who will be on-hand, we also hope to tap into the incredible talents and expertise of all of our Langley staff to help make Odyssey a successful learning experience for all staff.
 
 If you would be willing to host a breakout session for the event and interested in submitting a proposal for this year's Odyssey Conference, please use the link below. Please note that we have a hard deadline of Monday December 1, 2025 for presenter proposals to be submitted. We will not be able to accept any proposals submitted after December 1.

HONOURING TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION

4 Seasons of Reconciliation | UBC | More info
Learning journeys often begin with a single step, and “4 Seasons of Reconciliation” offers system education leaders that step through a free, accessible e-learning program created by the First Nations University of Canada and Reconciliation Education. Available in English or French, the course provides three hours of flexible learning on residential schools, Indigenous relations, economic reconciliation, and the future of reconciliation. Participants may complete modules in any order and will receive a certificate upon finishing all modules and a final quiz. By engaging with this resource, participants can deepen their understanding of truth and reconciliation and strengthen the relationships that shape learning communities across Canada.

DISTRICT PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

NEW! MathUP! 3-Part Webinar Series | On-Demand Learning Feature
To assist teachers with the implementation of using MathUP in their classrooms, the MathUP team has offered a three-part series of MathUP webinars to help teachers get started in using MathUP in the most effective manner. 

EXTERNAL PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

The New Literacy Block | Pembroke Publishers | December 4, 2025 | Register
Join this webinar at 7pm (ET) for an in-depth exploration of the literacy block, with authors Lisa Donohue & Nikki Town. They will share how to make the most of this instructional time and support all students in the development of strong literacy skills. You'll leave feeling rejuvenated and empowered!

Meet Author Dr. Jillian Roberts at the December WITS Live | December 4, 2025 | Register
Considered a go-to child psychology expert, Jillian is the author of two best-selling and award-winning series of children's books. "Just Enough" explains topics like birth and diversity to children ages 3-6, while "The World Around Us" introduces kids ages 5-8 to issues like poverty and online safety. Join the 45 minute live event where Jillian Roberts will share her insights on the power of storytelling to inspire empathy, resilience, and connection in younger readers.

Assessment That Inspires: 3 Moves to Re-Engage Students Who Have 'Checked Out' | December 6, 2025 Register
Please join local BC educator, Joe Ogilive, for a live webinar on Saturday December 6 starting at 9 am. In this webinar, discover how to use assessment to restore motivation, build confidence, and re-ignite student investment in their learning. Led by veteran Canadian teacher Josh Ogilvie, you’ll gain a clear, research-aligned process to increase student ownership, even in classrooms where motivation feels at an all-time low. This isn’t another session that blames kids for being “different post-pandemic.”
It’s a practical, hopeful roadmap for helping them care again.

Master of Arts in Educational Leadership | Trinity Western University | More info
Langley School District supports the educational opportunities offered by Trinity Western University and is pleased to share this information with our educators. Trinity Western University invites dedicated K–12 educators to join Master of Arts in Educational Leadership (MA EL) program designed with your schedule, goals, and students in mind. Connect with MA EL Enrolment Advisor, Eliza Diggens, email her at graduateadmissions@twu.ca if you have any questions.

The Inaugural Spring Conference | Canadian Assessment Centre | April 9-10, 2026 | More info
The Canadian Assessment Centre will host its inaugural Spring Conference in Vancouver, BC, a gathering dedicated to shaping the future of assessment in Canada. This inaugural event will bring together educators from across the country to celebrate what we know works, while boldly exploring what’s next in assessment and grading. Built by Canadians, for Canadians, the conference is designed to spark inspiration, deepen professional learning, and fuel the movement toward practices that truly honour student learning.

LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR STAFF/STUDENTS/CLASSES

Makeup Design for Film & Television Program Preview | Vancouver Film School | December 8, 2025 | Register
There's still time? Register to discover how you can master production makeup for film & TV in just 1 short year at Vancouver Film School. Meet industry faculty, ask questions, and find out how you can get started in this industry-leading training program.

Bird-Themed Free Class Presentations | Vancouver Avian Research Centre (VARC) | Book Now
From December to Spring Break, the Vancouver Avian Research Centre is offering bird-themed classroom presentations free of charge. Presentations are available both virtually and in person for schools located in Vancouver. Please note: In-person availability is limited and will be offered on a first-come, first served basis. Reserve your presentation early to secure your spot.

Rotary SASSY Applications |  Rotary Clubs Langley | Applications due March 13, 2025 | For Youth aged 15-21 | More info
SASSY Langley 2025/2026 is entering its eleventh year. During that time, SASSY has awarded over $131,000 to Langley students headed for post-secondary education. Last year, they received 69 applications, of which 95% were from Grade 12 Langley School District students. You have been a huge part of that success by getting the application into the right hands, to students who have shown outstanding leadership in your school or in the community. Staff who see these students every day are an extremely important link in this process.  
SASSY Langley is the joint effort of the four Rotary Clubs that operate in Langley. They are looking for students that have shown outstanding leadership in one of seven categories, listed in the application at the link above. Prizes are $1,200 for the winner of each of the seven categories, and the two runners up in each category will each receive $600. In total, they will be awarding nearly $17,000 this year. 

LEARNING RESOURCES

Science and Nature Units | Vancouver Avian Research Centre (VARC) | More info
The Vancouver Avian Research Centre has ready to use resources for classrooms. They have downloadable complete lesson plans, presentations, and activities on Science and Nature. The activities are ideal for Kindergarten to Grade 8. See link above and scroll to the bottom to find the different grades with links. 

Holiday Highlights: Cultural Celebrations & Winter Wonders | More info
Curio is a free resource filled with excellent educational videos on a wide variety of topics and subject areas and all grade levels.  As we approach December, give your students a break and keep the learning alive with our seasonal videos. Explore the rich history and traditions of Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Christmas and other festive moments, alongside fascinating videos on winter phenomena. Dive in for the cultural perspectives and stay for the fun!

The Citizenship Challenge | Historica Canada | Take the Quiz | Sign Up
Inspire your students to explore what it means to be an active and informed Canadian! The Citizenship Challenge invites learners to test their knowledge using an interactive quiz based on the official citizenship study guide. It's a fun an engaging way to build civic understanding, spark meaningful classroom discussion, empower the next generation of thoughtful citizens. In addition to the main challenge, Historica Canada offers dozens of curriculum themed quizzes on topics ranging from Canadian geography to Canadian military history. Teachers can now sign up directly to receive classroom resources and programs by signing up to the mailing list at the link above.

MediaSmarts - Updated Lesson Plans | Resources
MediaSmarts is a Canadian Digital company that focuses on Digital Literacy skills and awareness for students, educators and families. In addition to providing resources for students and families, MediaSmarts also creates Digital Literacy Lesson Plans and activities for teachers to use in their classrooms. Below are two of their most recently updated lesson plans.
  • Video Game Verbs (Grades 4 to 8)
    In this lesson, students learn that video games are unlike other media because they are interactive, allowing players to do things and make choices. They then explore the idea of affordances and defaults by considering the “video game verbs” that different games allow you to do. 
  • Editing Emotions (Grades 5 to 9)
    In this lesson, students learn about the history of film editing and how shot composition, juxtaposition of images and the use of rhythm and repetition in film editing can affect the emotional impact of a film. 

TECH TIPS

Spaces - Drawing Tool | More info
SpacesEDU has introduced a powerful new drawing tool that empowers students and teachers to express ideas visually and creatively—right within their posts! It's accessible to both students and educators when creating new posts. 
Versatile Toolset:  
  • Pencil for freehand drawing 
  • Eraser to easily correct mistakes 
  • Shapes like circles and rectangles for diagrams 
  • Lines and arrows for flowcharts and visual connections 
  • Text tool to add labels, titles, or annotations

Classroom Use Ideas: 

  • Mind Mapping: Great for brainstorming and organizing ideas 
  • Math Sketches: Visualize geometry problems or graphing concepts 
  • Science Diagrams: Annotate cells, ecosystems, or evolutionary trees 
  • Assignment Annotations: Students can highlight key points or reflect visually 
  • Creative Expression: Add personal flair to reflections and projects