Have a Successful School Year!

September 5, 2023

September 5, 2023

Dear Parents/Guardians, Students, and Staff

We are thrilled to welcome back all of our students, staff, and families to our schools. We hope you have had a safe, restful, and memorable break. As we start the new school year, we reflect on those members of our community and their loved ones who may have been impacted by the wildfires across the province. In Langley, we have seen members of our community show acts of kindness and care for one another, especially those in need. Let’s continue on this path of compassion and generosity.

As we get ready to learn, the Langley Board of Education, Candy Ashdown, is sharing a positive message to welcome our new and returning students, staff, and families which can be read here. The Minister of Education and Child Care, Rachna Singh, has also issued a statement on the return to school which can be read here.

Looking Ahead to 2023-2024

The District’s mission is to inspire all learners to reach their full potential and create a positive legacy for the future. To help achieve this, the District will continue to work to fulfill the goals in the Strategic Plan. This year our schools will, with the support of the District’s Instructional Services, Learning Support Services, and the Aboriginal Education program, be focusing on collaborating and working together to improve education for students and increase transition rates (graduation rates). These three departments will also prioritize finding ways to ensure students feel safe and cared for in our schools. As educators, we are learning more and more that having a sense of belonging translates to success in and outside of the classroom. To complement this work, the District will also implement health and wellness initiatives for both students and staff throughout the year. We believe that having healthy staff leads to healthy schools. Another District priority continues to be the management of growth. As we continue to see increasing enrolment in many of our schools, we will work with the Ministry of Education and Childcare to build more schools and create new spaces. We are hopeful for more good news related to capital projects in the future.

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is on September 30. With this day falling on a Saturday, all schools across the District will be closed on the following Monday, October 2. In the days leading up to September 30 as well as throughout the school year, students and staff will take the opportunity to reflect, listen, and learn about Indigenous peoples and cultures as well as the history and ongoing trauma caused by the residential school system. The District acknowledges the day and encourages our students, staff, and families to take time to do their own learning, whether it’s reading a book by an Indigenous author or attending a community event to deepen their understanding. As part of the journey of Truth and Reconciliation, the District will also be expanding professional development for staff throughout the year including a full day of learning planned for February.

Ministry Funding to Help Support Our Students

Last year, the District received Student and Family Affordability funding from the province to help support students and their families with the challenges of the high cost of living, and to help them overcome any unexpected circumstances. This funding also helped schools enhance and create new food programs which provided nutritional meals and snacks to students. For this school year, the District is fortunate to receive $2.67 million in funding from the province’s Feeding Futures Program, which will help address the immediate needs of students. As we transition to this new stream of support, the District will be working to continue expanding food programs throughout the K-12 system.

Enhancing Communication and Celebrating Our Stories

As a growing District, we are continuing to find ways to keep our community informed. To stay connected, we encourage students, staff, and families to visit our District website as well as follow our social media channels. We also want to highlight SchoolMessenger, which is a tool the District uses to communicate emergencies and important information by email, phone, or text message. This year we are also excited to introduce a newsletter focused on keeping our community members up-to-date, aware of events and initiatives, as well as use it as an opportunity to share and celebrate all the amazing things happening across the District. For example, we are sharing this story about the number of renovations, installations, and upgrades at our schools thanks to our Maintenance and Facilities staff, which you can read here. We believe that every employee has a part in improving the lives of students and appreciate their efforts.

On behalf of the District, have a great first week back and we wish all of you a successful year!

Sincerely,

Mal Gill
Superintendent of Schools