Bears' Beat - November 23, 2025
Information
It's a Tea Party
Last week, our ELL team hosted a multicultural Tea Party for classes. Students did activities and learned about the cultural significance of tea. It's amazing how teas are evident in so many diverse cultures from around the world. It's a near-universal thing. We are thankful to the team for organizing this cool, inclusive learning experience.
Please be scent-aware
Several members of our Josette Dandurand community, both adult and child, have sensitivities to scent and scented products. Please be aware of this and limit or eliminate your use of such products. We don't want to see anybody's health impacted by something so easily avoidable. Thank you for helping us take care of each other with this simple action.
Holiday Hampers for our community
Student Inclusive Conferences: Parent/Guardian Resource
Elementary schools across the District will be conducting student inclusive conferences which are meetings involving the student, teacher, and parent/guardian to discuss student progress. Here is a helpful resource to guide families. Translated versions are also available below. For more info about how the District communicates student learning to families, read more on the District website: https://www.sd35.bc.ca/elementary-school
· Arabic
· French
· Hindi
· Korean
· Punjabi
· Russian
· Spanish
· Tagalog
Food Bank Donations (started Nov 14)
We will not be accepting items for the food bank, but instead will be collecting donations through school cash online, as this offers the Food Bank the most flexibility.
If you would like a tax receipt, please donate directly through a Food Banks donation site.
Scholastic Book Fair
The Scholastic Book Fair is this week! Ms. Evoy has organized our first Scholastic Book Fair for the week of November 24. Shopping hours are noted on the poster above. Please note that she needs some bold (#IYKYK) parent volunteers to help with the fair. If you are able to help, or need more information, please email her. Since we can't put individual emails on the websites anymore, first initial R, last name, and the usual rest (sd35.bc.ca). Hopefully AI adbots don't figure me out there.
Fundscrip Fundraiser (PAC)
The Fundscrip fundraiser is coming this week. Watch for an order form to go home with students on Wednesday November 12.
PAC Place
Quote of the Week
Something to read (or watch)
The kids at school talk to me a lot about video games. They pretend they're in video games at recess. They write, draw, and dream about video games. Games can be fun, but there are some downsides to them, too. Games can affect their behaviour, their sleep, their learning, their creativity, their relationships with you and with each other. I remember trying (unsuccessfully) to convince my parents that there were benefits to my playing Space Invaders like 'it improves my hand-eye coordination (it did not), and I'm sure kids today have rationales (supported by the industry) for playing, but overall, research suggests that video games carry more risk than reward. I found a couple of articles that parents might find interesting, and that have some suggestions to help parents help kids navigate gaming.
- How Video Games Affect Kids' Behavioural Health
- The Affects of Gaming on Kids Aggression
- How the Video Games Your Child Plays Affects Behaviour
I was talking with one of our students about bikes the other day. I love bikes. A lot. But that's not the point. Our conversation reminded me of a video I saw a few years ago about a guy who literally forgot how to ride a bike. Sort of. Here's his story.
Calendar Dates to Remember
Monday, November 24
Student Inclusive conferences all week. Schedules/appointments vary.
Tuesday, November 25
Ordering deadline for December 5 PAC Fun Lunch
Scholastic Book Fair 2:35-7pm.
Wednesday, November 26
Student Inclusive Conferences - Only students with appointments attend, and then only at their scheduled time.
Scholastic Book Fair 9-5.
Thursday, November 27
Students dismissed at 12:33 for Student Inclusive Conferences.
Scholastic Book Fair 12:35-5.
Friday, November 28
Fundscrip orders due.
PAC Movie Night.