Have an Amazing School Year!
September 3, 2024
Dear Parents/Guardians, Students, and Staff:
I want to welcome all students, staff, and families back to school. I hope all of you had a healthy, safe, restful and memorable summer with your family and friends. Now with the break behind us, I know our teachers and staff are excited and ready to get back to the classroom with students to teach, learn together, and connect with each other. As a fast-growing District, we recognize there are many new members in our school communities. Please join me in helping make all our new students, staff, and families feel welcome.
As we get the school year underway, we wish for all of you to have a successful school year. The Langley Board of Education Chair, Candy Ashdown, is sharing a positive message with the community which can be read here. The Minister of Education and Child Care, Rachna Singh, has issued statements for staff and the community welcoming everyone back to school.
Supporting All Students as a System
As a growing District, we will be looking for ways for our departments to collaborate to help support and promote student learning. We know our educators are exceptional in their roles. We also recognize that operational staff, such as our Facilities and Maintenance and the IT Department, can be part of that work. Our operational leaders have spent time during the summer gaining a deeper understanding of the educational goals of the system. They will use this knowledge to help ensure that plans in respective departments help meet the needs of all learners. Moving forward, this means looking at actions that prioritize learners that need the most support.
Student Use of Personal Digital Devices in Schools
As you may have heard in the media, the province has directed school districts to develop guidelines around the use of personal digital devices in schools, devices such as cell phones. The District has created Administrative Procedure (AP) 350 Appendix A Student Use of Personal Digital Devices, a document which can be found on the District website here. Schools will be implementing and communicating this information to students in age-appropriate ways in these first few weeks of school. We encourage families to review this and have conversations with their child about these expectations and guidelines as they are an extension of the District’s student code of conduct.
Here is a brief summary of the restrictions outlined in this administrative procedure:
Students in elementary and middle school will not be able to use their personal digital devices during the school day. This includes non-instructional time (recess, lunch, breaks) and instructional time, unless permitted by staff for instructional purposes. These students are encouraged to leave their devices at home, in their backpacks or lockers.
There is more flexibility in the use of devices for students in secondary school. During hours of instruction, personal electronic devices must be turned off and stored away in pockets, backpacks or lockers, unless otherwise instructed by school staff for educational purposes. These students can use their personal devices before school, at lunch, and after school.
These guidelines aim to address potential distractions in the classroom, ensure equitable access to learning resources for all students, allow for accommodations for students with diverse abilities who may require devices to support their learning, as well as foster digital citizenship.
Administrators, teachers, and staff will work collaboratively with students and families to set the tone and culture of the use of technology in the classroom. There is an understanding that we live in a world where cell phones are widely used daily by people of all ages, including students. As educators, our role is to help students embrace technology, mitigate potential negative impacts devices may have on children and youth, and support learning.
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is on Monday, September 30. As there will be no classes on that day, our students and staff will be spending time leading up to the day listening, learning, and reflecting on Canada’s shared colonial history, and the lasting impacts of the residential school system on Indigenous peoples and cultures. The District encourages everyone to acknowledge the day in their own way, whether it be by attending a community event or taking time to read books or watch movies that elevate Indigenous voices and stories. Activities and learning opportunities for students focused on Aboriginal education will continue throughout the school year. As well, the District will be prioritizing professional development for our staff with the intention to help them walk alongside students and community members in this collective journey of Truth and Reconciliation. Lastly, the District is working with ya:y̓əstəl̕, the Aboriginal Advisory Committee for the District, to develop a new Aboriginal Education Enhancement Agreement, which provides a framework for how the District, families, rights-holders and community partners work together for the benefit and success of Aboriginal students.
Communications and Staying Connected
The District and schools share information with students, staff, and families in a variety of ways including e-mail, SchoolMessenger messages, phones calls and in-person meetings. We know that parent involvement and strong relationships are key to student success. We are sharing this Communicating with your School resource here which outlines guidelines around who to speak with if you have a concern. We encourage all members of our community to stay connected and take note of our District website, newsletters, and social media channels. This is where we distribute important information as well as celebrate our positive stories.
Thank you for your ongoing support. We hope you all have an amazing year!
Sincerely,
Mal Gill
Superintendent of Schools