Welcome back and Happy New Year! We hope everyone enjoyed a restful and joyful winter break. As we step into January, we’re excited for a fresh start filled with new learning opportunities, renewed goals, and meaningful connections. This month is always a wonderful time for students to reset, refocus, and dive into their classes with curiosity and confidence.

At school, we’re looking forward to upcoming events, continued community-building, and celebrating the growth we see in our students each day. Thank you for your ongoing support as we work together to make 2026 a positive and successful year for all our learners.

From Our School:

Acts of Kindness:

This month, we are excited to highlight a thoughtful piece of writing from one of our talented students. A Grade 6 learner at our school, has captured the power of small acts of kindness and how these everyday moments can make a big difference in our community.

We are proud to share this writing with you, our school community, as a reminder that kindness, no matter how simple, can ripple outward and help create a more caring and connected place for all of us.

Small Acts of Kindness

Small acts of kindness are a bigger dean than we think.  Kindness is a rock. It will always cause ripples, even if not big. (A Haiku by me!)

Like a rock, kindness causes ripples when thrown, even if not into the water, and bounces off, moves and sways things. So throw your rocks into the water and see what they do! You ask someone to play tag, you throw a rock.  You fall and the person you played tag with helps you up, they throw a rock.  Someone sees this and asks a different person if they wanna play a game, and the cycle repeats.  Small acts kindness do more than you know, so throw a rock, skip it, see how far it will go, because small things……aren’t always small.

IB and Pre-IB Parent Information

Applications for the Pre-IB and IB Program are available on our website remss.sd35.bc.ca and will be open from January 7 to January 31, 2026. Please see the REMSS website for additional information. For further inquiries, please contact the IB Coordinator at remssib@sd35.bc.ca.

Bus Reminder (From The Transportation Department):

This is a reminder that students must ride the bus that they are assigned to.  We are having issues with students who are assigned the first bus (7:40 a.m.)  boarding the second bus (8:00 a.m.).  If students show up on the second bus that are registered on the first bus, we will have to send the bus back to pick them up at 8:30, after the second bus has completed the run.  These students will be late for school and will have to report to the office.   Students must also be riding the p.m. bus they are assigned to.  To review bus stop details, please sign into e-Link on the District website.  We thank you for your cooperation.

Student Absences/Lates and Early Dismissal:

For any student absences, lates or early dismissals please email pemattendance@sd35.bc.ca or call the PEMS attendance line at 778-726-4815 (press 1). 

For student absences and lates please provide the following information in your message or email. This helps us in the office to mark your child attendance record accordingly so we can account for their absence. 

Student Name:

Division:

Date(s) of Absence:

Reason:

**If your child is leaving early without a parent/guardian signing them out at the office, please call/email the office to let us know that they have permission to leave on their own.

We cannot sign students out without written or verbal permission from a guardian.

We encourage students to be down at the office on their own if they know they are leaving early. Emailing or letting the teacher know as well is always helpful! 

From The District:

Willoughby Slope Catchments Information Sessions Update

The District is currently undergoing the first round of consultation meetings in Willoughby Slope Schools to discuss the boundary change process in the R.E. Mountain Secondary and Smith Secondary regions. The presentation shared in these in-person meetings is available on the District website in video and slide format. If you are unable to make it to these meetings, we encourage families to access these resources and provide questions and feedback to the District by emailing: feedback@sd35.bc.ca.   For more information, about this process, visit the District website here.

LSS Sports Academies Information Nights

Are you looking for a way to fuel your passion for hockey, baseball or softball while still achieving your academic goals? Langley Secondary School’s sports academies may be the perfect fit for your child! These high-performance skills-based programs combine on-and off-field or ice training, strength and conditioning education, and the BC school curriculum. Learn more at an upcoming Information Session, which is scheduled for February 5th at 6pm in the Langley Secondary Learning Commons. See attached posters for details. Please note, this information session does NOT include the LSS Soccer Academy. 

Information About School Status During Inclement Weather

Snow closures and power outages are an annual occurrence in Langley School District. So, where do you go to get information about the status of schools during periods of inclement weather? If you are able to access the internet via computer or smartphone, current information about Langley schools can be accessed on all school websites or www.sd35.bc.ca. Updates are also posted to X (formerly Twitter) @LangleySchools and Facebook at www.facebook.com/langleyschooldistrict.

If you don't have internet connectivity but your phone is working, call a relative or friend in an area that has not been affected by the storm and ask them to check the district website for you. Local radio stations are also informed of school status in Langley. Tune in to CKWX 1130AM, CKNW 980AM, Country Radio 107.1FM, Pulse 107.7 or CBC 690AM or 88.1FM for updates.

Please note that Langley District schools are all considered 'open' until a decision to close is required. Decisions on school closures are usually made by 6:30am. As always, it is a parent's decision whether to send their child to school based on safety and individual circumstances. If you feel it is unsafe for you or your child to travel to or attend an open school for any reason, please keep your child home and report an absence to the school.

Important Upcoming Dates:

Feb. 9th Professional Development Day  (Students do not attend)

Feb. 13th Design and Assessment Day/learning Update Prep (Students do not attend)

Feb. 16th Family Day (School is closed)

Stephanie Labby

Principal

Peter Ewart Middle School

7755 202A Street

Langley, BC

V2Y 1W4

778-726-4815