Families of North Otter, 

We hope you had a wonderful weekend and got to enjoy that gorgeous weather outside! 

This week, we're focusing on our Terry Fox Run and Fundraiser. Our goal is $1000 this year, and we'd love your help! We prefer that families donate online through School Cash Online or the North Otter Terry Fox Run Website (where you can also get a tax receipt). Thank you for your support!!!

Our Terry Fox Run will be on Friday at about 12:50. We start near the school on 54 Ave, run to 252 St, down to 52 Ave, then to 249B St, through the path, and back to 54 Ave, then do another lap as able (see map below). We would love a few parent volunteers to help on the stars on the spots on the map; if you are able to help with this, please email Mrs. Davenport.  We'd also LOVE it if you could come and cheer on the kids, so come on by along the route and cheer us on as we run for Terry! Please note that our kindergarten students run the track around the field, so if you are cheering them on, please do this on the field. 

Monday is World Teachers' Day.. and at North Otter we want to honour all our educators (teachers, support staff, admin) who make a difference in the lives of every Otter. Thank you to our wonderful staff for all their efforts in the classroom and beyond to ensure that every child within our walls has the best chance at success in school and life. 

We are so excited to host our 2026 Fall Feast this Wednesday with our Kindergarten and Grade 7 Classes. Watch for photos of this awesome event online! Thank you to Mrs. Behboudi, Mrs. Mason, Mrs. Threlfall, and Ms. Russell for their hard work organizing the Fall Feast. 

Did you know that North Otter has a D&D Club?!?! How awesome is that? The Dungeons and Dragons Club has started adventuring again this year. The club is for Grade 4-7 students and our young heroes meet every Friday when school is in session.  The club currently has 15 students, with some on the wait list. To learn more or support the club in any way, please contact Mr. Garland. (Thank you to Mr. Garland for leading and facilitating this!)

Grade 6 and 7 volleyball starts this week! Our girls' team, coached by Ms. Davis and Ms. Attwood, practices after school on Monday and Tuesday this week. Our boys' team, coached by Mr. Wejr and Mr. Isak, practices at lunch on Tuesday and Friday this week. If your child missed last week's meeting but is interested in playing, please have them connect with the coaches on Monday. The team's first game is next week! Good luck to the Otter Volleyball players! If you have an older child (Grade 10 or older), or you know someone with volleyball experience who might be interested in reffing some games (paid role), please email Mr. Wejr.

Our Grade 4-7 Cross-Country Team has its first meet of the year this Wednesday! The team gave it their all at last week's first practice and will have another at lunch on Monday. Thank you to coaches Davis, Peters, Attwood, Alamwala, and Wejr. Good luck to all the runners in their first meet this season. 

A special thank you to all of the North Otter staff and students for their respect and commitment to the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Students spent time in class learning more about the impact of Residential Schools, and then we had assemblies on Tuesday. We shared important information and read aloud from David Robertson's "When We Were Alone". At the end of the K-4 assembly, we all participated in a Round Dance to honour the survivors and their families (and those who did not return home) and connect together as a school. 

One of our Otter Parents, Mrs. Wingate, has taken on our KM Club this year! The club started on Friday at lunch. During lunch on Wednesdays and Fridays each week, parent volunteers will record students' laps as they run. They'll record the distance, and students will earn certificates for specific KM milestones throughout the year. Thank you to Mrs. Wingate and the volunteers for making this happen again at North Otter this year. 

Auditions have started for our Grade 3-7 Spring Musical, Aladdin Jr.! Please see the board outside the music room for more information. Thank you to Mrs. Sutlow, Ms. Russell, and Ms. Palitti for their efforts with the musical (and thank you to Mrs. Robinson's support behind the scenes). 

The Week Ahead

• Monday - World Teachers Day; XC Practice at lunch; Girls VB practice after school
• Tuesday - Boys VB Practice at lunch; Girls VB practice after school
• Wednesday - Fall Feast (K and 7); XC Meet #1 at Aldergrove Bowl
• Friday - Boys VB Practice at lunch, Terry Fox Assembly 12:35; Terry Fox Run 12:50; D&D Club after school; PAC Treat Day - Booster Juice

A reminder to subscribe to our school calendar here. 

School Information and Reminders

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• SAFETY REMINDER: Please avoid dropping your child off while stopped on the road. You are stopped but others may not be and this can pose a direct threat to the health and safety of your child and others. Please wait until you find a spot to safely pull over on the side of the road. Thank you for your help with this!
• A reminder that fees for school supplies ($55) can be paid through your School Cash Online account. Teachers purchase the supplies for their classes, so there is no need to shop. 
• Don't forget to follow us on Instagram for images and updates about life at North Otter. You can also follow us on our NEW Facebook Page (note that this is different from the North Otter Elementary PAC Facebook Group, as the school page is more about sharing photos and less about questions/conversations for parents at the school). 
• If you need a lunch for your child each day at school, please let your child's teacher know or email the school, and we can set that up. 
• As the Langley School District shared, electric bikes and scooters are not permitted on school property. 
• If your child rides their bike or scooter to school (we LOVE this!), please remind them to dismount and walk once they are on school property. 
• Like cell phones, smartwatches (watches that can call, text, game, etc.) have become a significant distraction in class. Because they function like cell phones, students should keep these watches at home or in their backpack during school time. 
• We are looking for a family who can house some materials/props for our musical this year. A larger, dry storage area would be much appreciated. If you have space to accommodate these items and can help transport them, we would be extremely grateful. Please contact the school to discuss.

District Information

Programs of Choice – Deadline to Register is Monday, October 26^th

Langley School District offers a rich diversity of programs that are designed to meet the specific needs and interests of students. Programs include Fine Arts, French Immersion, Fundamental, Langley Environmental Awareness Program (outdoor education), Montessori, and UConnect. Registration for Kindergarten entry (for most programs) begins on Monday, October 5^th at 12 noon, and closes on Monday, October 26^th at 12 noon. For UConnect, please contact the school directly. For more information and instructions to register your child, visit our District website here and review our FAQ choice programs resource here.

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.

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.

SchoolMessenger
The Langley School District uses a notification system called SchoolMessenger to communicate information to families throughout the school year. As we continue to welcome new families to our District, some parents/guardians may receive a text message notifying them about SchoolMessenger. If you need to update your contact info on file, please reach out to your school. For more info about SchoolMessenger, visit the District website here.

Communicating With Your School
Schools and families continue to work together to ensure success for students. If you have an issue or concern but don’t know who to speak with, the District encourages you to read these helpful Communicating with your School guidelines for parents/guardians found on our District website here. As an additional reference, review this one-page resource here.

Parent Code of Conduct 
The Langley School District is committed to fostering safe and caring schools that promote mutual respect, cooperation, and social responsibility, and support optimal learning. Trauma-Informed Practices and Procedures promote the creation and maintenance of safe, inclusive, equitable, welcoming, and nurturing school environments.

Families play an important role in helping students achieve success as well as helping create a compassionate learning community. Just as students are expected to follow the District’s Student Code of Conduct, there is an expectation for parents/guardians to uphold the District’s Parent/Guardian Code of Conduct. 

PAC News

Hot lunch can be ordered online through the Munchalunch website here.

Join us for our first PAC meeting on Wednesday, October 14 at 7:00 PM in the library. All parents/caregivers are welcome. 

Month at a Glance

• Monday, Oct 12 – Thanksgiving - schools closed
• Tuesday, Oct 13 - Girls/Boys VB Practice at lunch; Boys VB Home Game vs FLE
• Wednesday, Oct 14 – Cross-Country Meet #2; Girls VB Home Game vs FLE; PAC Meeting 7pm
• Thursday, Oct 15 - Great Shakeout Earthquake Drill; XC Practice at Lunch
• Friday, Oct 16 - Theme Day - Farmer Friday!; Hot Lunch (Mucho Burrito); Boys VB Practice at lunch
• Monday, Oct 19 - XC Practice at lunch; Boys VB Home Game vs COG
• Tuesday, Oct 20 - Girls VB Practice at lunch; Girls VB Home Game vs COG; Gr. 7 Fundraiser (Supply Store) after school
• Wednesday, Oct 21 – XC Meet #3 3:15
• Thursday, Oct 22 – School Photo Day; Boys VB Practice at lunch; PAC Halloween Dance 6pm
• Friday, Oct 23 – Provincial Pro-D Day (no school for students)
• Monday, Oct 26 - Fire Drill 10:45; Boys VB Practice after school
• Tuesday, Oct 27 - Girls VB Practice after school
• Thursday, October 29 - PAC Treat Day - Halloween Donuts
• Friday, October 30 - Halloween at School!; Informal Learning Updates sent home 
• Monday, Nov 2 – Girls VB Practice 2:30; Boys VB Game @ WIX
• Tuesday, Nov 3 – Boys VB Practice 2:20; Girls VB Game @ WIX
• Wednesday, Nov 4 – Chris/Elise at Supts Meeting for AM
• Thursday, Nov 5 – Staff meeting 2:25-3:40
• Friday, Nov 6 – Boys Practice at lunch; PAC Hot Lunch (hot dog)

Community Opportunities

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Safer Schools Together Parent Information Sessions

Safer Schools Together is once again providing Family Information Sessions on a variety of topics. These are good opportunities for parents and guardians to increase their knowledge on the evolving world of digital citizenship, social media, AI, etc. Sessions are recommended for those in care of children aged 10 & up. 

The first two sessions available are titled:

• Establishing Safe, Caring, and Respectful Digital Communities
• Establishing Family Practices for Safeguarding Against Cyberbullying and Sextortion

https://pages.saferschoolstogether.com/erase-family-sessions

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Talk with Me, Play with Me, Learn with Me - Aldergrove 

Talk with Me, Play with Me, Learn with Me is a fun and engaging Langley Literacy Network program designed for Kindergarten students and their caregivers. The program will run in Aldergrove on Saturday mornings from 10am –11am, Saturday, October 10^th to November 28^th in the Family Place portable on the grounds of Shortreed Community Elementary. It is an opportunity to read, play, learn, and connect. Each week, families will explore new books and activities that support early literacy and learning. Plus, every participating family will take home eight new books to build their home library! 

Registration is required, and space is limited. Sign up today at: https://langleyliteracynetwork.com/talk-with-me-play-with-me-learn-with-me/