Information

National Day for Truth & Reconciliation

On Tuesday, Canada will observe the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. This day allows Canadian citizens and residents to take the time to think about those parts of Canadian history that make us feel less than proud. We consider the impact of colonization, of residential schools, and of continued anti-indigenous racism. And equally important, we can take time to work on reconciling with First Nations, and on finding a harmonious path forward with a commitment to better relations in the future. On Friday, we were fortunate to have Luke Dandurand, Josette's son, speak to us about his mother's experience in residential schools, her legacy, and her hopes for the future for all people in Canada.

2024 candlelight vigil at the Derek Doubleday Arboretum in Langley.

As part of the District's Truth and Reconcilation journey, we encourage our students, staff, and families to observe the day in their own way. Community partners in Langley are welcoming all members of the community to attend a National Day for Truth and Reconciliation event at the Derek Doubleday Arboretum on the evening of September 30th. See below for details.

Visiting? Picking up early?

When entering the building, please come to the main entrance, on the west side of the building, by the flag poles.  You are welcome to park along the curb on either side of the front driveway. All visitors please check in with the office. This is for the safety of students and staff. 

We ask that parents/guardians please not pick up students during the recess and lunch period.  When children are out on the fields and playgrounds it can be difficult to track them down. If you will need to pick up during those times for an urgent appointment, please pick them up before that break to avoid delays.

 Dropping something off for your child?

Please only drop off essential items for students (ie forgotten lunch, eye glasses) on the desk just inside the foyer. Please label clearly with your students First and Last Name, there are sticky notes and pen on the table.

Students will be called down for items only at 10:00am and at 11:20am to avoid classroom disruptions.

Major Emergency Student Release 

Please fill out our electronic reunification form.  
Emergencies are unpredictable.  We usually have little warning that an event may cause a massive disruption in our lives and our communities. As one of the major areas in which people gather, schools are places where emergency preparedness is critically important to the well-being of students and employees and to the confidence that parents/guardians feel in entrusting their children to the care of educators in BC schools.  

Josette Dandurand conducts regular practice drills for fire, earthquake and lockdown.  By definition, an emergency is an event or circumstance that is caused by accident, fire explosion, technical failure, human action, or force of nature that requires a coordinated effort of a team to protect the health, safety or welfare of students, staff, and visitors or to limit damage to property.

One step in our coordinated efforts involves releasing students in a safe manner. Please fill out the information for our Student Reunification Release Form, for your children’s safety in the case of a school emergency.  These would be used in the event of a major disaster, where we needed to conduct a controlled and tracked release of students. The contacts listed in this form should be be people who are often reasonably nearby and whom you would trust to take your children home to a safe, comfortable place while awaiting your return from wherever you are. We'd advise that neigbhours, parents of your kids' friends, and similar are appropriate choices for emergency pickup. These people are different from your 'general' emergency contacts who might be called in case of sudden illness or similar.

Emergency Procedures in Schools

Schools follow emergency procedures and practice drills throughout the year to ensure students, staff, and any visitors at our sites are safe when unexpected incidents happen. The District encourages families to become familiar with emergency procedures to help you and your child be prepared. You will find the District’s Emergency Procedures poster in schools and on the website here.

Community Volunteers in Emergencies 

Emergencies can happen unexpectedly due to weather events (e.g., earthquake or flooding) or unforeseen situations in the community. The health and safety of students, staff, and families is the District’s priority. The District, together with schools, follow emergency procedures to respond to incidents as well as prevent them from happening. As stated in the provincial Emergency Management Planning Guide for Schools, Districts and Authorities, staff have a legal “duty of care,” meaning that they “must ensure that students are cared for until such time as they can be safely reunited with their parents.” Depending on the situation, the school may be caring for students for many days. 

In these circumstances, schools may rely on members of the community to assist with emergency responses. Administrators may send a request to parents/guardians to help volunteer with first aid, facilities and maintenance, safety and security, and general labour. Adults with special skills in health care, policing, and engineering would be an asset in an emergency. No action is needed from families at this time as the purpose is to keep families informed.

Grade 4 parents - Foundation Skills Assessment

Parents of grade 4 students, please note that the Foundation Skills Assessment (FSA) will be administered in October. This assessment provides the school with data about students' reading and writing and helps us plan for future instruction. Please see this letter from Superintendent Mal Gill regarding the FSAs. 

FSA Parent Letter 2025Sep23.pdf

Quote of the Week

Something to read (or watch)

Can you believe I missed most of Fat Bear Week? And we're the Bears! I should have remembered. Fat Bear Week is a fun 'bracket' where you can vote for the best fat brown bear in Alaska's Katmai National Park. The salmon are running and the bears are feasting. It's kind of fun, and totally cool.

Last weekend, I was lucky enough to see a group of orcas in the wild. Despite spending more than 35 years boating in coastal BC waters, this was my first time. It got me thinking about how much we have learned about orcas over the years, and then I cam across this bit of learning that knocked my socks off! Orcas have been observed on numerous occasions trying to share prey with human divers. I think that's unbelieveably cool! And mysterious.

We are working to be a PEACEful school at Josette Dandurand Elementary. It's a scheme that helps the adults in the school adjust (or reaffirm) our practices to help all students feel safe, secure, and nurtured in school.

This week, I learned about PEACEful homes too. If your child is sometimes mysteriously difficult or seems out of sorts, (mine sure were like that sometimes), maybe this can be of help.

Peaceful Home Guide (1).pdf

Calendar Dates to Remember

Monday, September 29

• School Improvement Day - Students do not attend

Tuesday, September 30

• National Day for Truth & Reconciliation - Students do not attend
• If you are looking for a ceremony to attend for this day, there is one at the Derek Doubleday Arboretum by the Langley airport.

Thursday, October 2

• Terry Fox Run - right after lunch
• Cross Country Race #1 - after school

Thursday, October 9

• Individual Student Photos (starting first thing with the littlest kids so they don't have time to get messy)