Families of Shortreed, 

We hope you had a lovely weekend and enjoyed the last "official" few days of summer! 

It was so lovely to see so many Shortrteed families at our Back to School BBQ and Meet the Teacher evening on Thursday. Our BBQ volunteers served up over 700 hot dogs and smiles for all those who attended. The weather was beautiful and the laughter and connections were a perfect way to start the year. A huge thank you to our PAC executive and all the volunteers who helped make it happen!

This week is an important week at Shortreed as we move closer to National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in schools on Friday. Classes have been learning more about the realities and impact of Indian Residential Schools and why we will wear Orange Shirts on Friday. Not only will we wear orange on Friday, we will honour and remember the survivors and those who never made it home through a gallery walk of our school. Each class will display their learning and reflections on their bulletin board, and then they will go around to take a look at each other's work to learn more. Students start learning at a very surface level in kindergarten and then move deeper through the years. In the afternoon, we will gather for an assembly and then head outside for a round dance to bring our community together and ensure that residential schools are a thing of the past and that we are all working to ensure "Every Child Matters" in our schools. 

Our first PAC Meeting of the year will be on Tuesday at 6:30 in the library. Did you know that EVERY parent/caregiver is a member of PAC and is welcome to attend the meetings? If you are interested or curious, come on by on Tuesday!

A reminder that there is no school on Monday or Tuesday of next week. Monday is a School Improvement Day so all staff will be learning together and students will not be in attendance. Tuesday is September 30 and National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. 

Cross Country practices continue this week for grade 4/5 team members. Runners can meet with the coaches on Wednesday and Friday at 12:00. Please bring the permission forms to the teachers so students can be registered for the events. 

A reminder that the correct Reunification Forms will be coming home on Monday. Please complete that one and the other student information forms that were sent home, and return them to the school by Wednesday. Permission forms were also emailed, and those can be filled out digitally.

At Shortreed, we are honoured to work, learn, and play on the unceded ancestral and traditional lands of the Máthxwi First Nation. We share this to not only acknowledge the lands but also to share our dedication to learning on our journey of truth and reconciliation. As the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation approaches next Tuesday, we encourage you to engage in learning by reading books and articles, or watching series and documentaries.  Some recommended documentaries/films/series to watch: Indian Horse (film), Sugarcane (documentary), Bones of Crows (series), and We Were Children (Documentary). Please note that because of the atrocities that occurred in these schools, please avoid watching the aforementioned documentaries/series with your child(ren). The best way for us to help children understand at an age-appropriate level is through children's books written by Indigenous authors. Strong Nations offers a curated list of children's books, categorized by grade level. For reconciliation to occur, we must walk along the journey to learn the truth and understand its impact. I hope you will join our staff and students and walk along this journey with us. 

Good Things to Talk About

We were honoured to have the Tour de Valley Team from Cops for Cancer stop by our school on Wednesday. Our school lined the blacktop path on the east side of the school to cheer them on as they arrived. Some of the riders shared their thoughts on why they are riding. Team Captain Rick Wiltshire shared some moving words about why he rides; he told our students about the picture that he has on his chest as he rides - a picture of Christopher, a former Shortreed student who lost his battle to cancer at a young age. When Wiltshire is on a hill, feeling tired, or feeling like he needs to stop, he thinks of Christopher, and this pushes him to keep on going. We encourage you to donate to Tour de Valley by clicking here. 

Our grade 4/5 cross-country team had their first meeting and practice last week. The coaches shared a bit about the season, and then the students went for a short run. Thank you to coaches Jessica Wright, Ms. Kaur, Ms. Coghill, Mrs. Johnstone, Mrs. Rossnagel (on Th-Fr), and Mr. Nicolato. The team practices on Wednesday and Friday this week and has their first meet next Wednesday, October 1, at the Aldergrove Bowl.

Brian Hunter of the Aldergrove Youth Soccer Club visited us for two days this past week, teaching our grade 1s fundamental soccer skills and promoting club involvement. If your child is interested in playing soccer this year, please check out their website here. 

Darby Photos was here last week to capture that new school year smile in our 2025 School Photo Day. Proofs will come home soon, and you will have a couple of weeks to go online and order. We are so thankful for Darby Photos as they always go above and beyond to make sure each child gets their moment in front of the camera. 

The Week Ahead

• Monday, September 22 - PAC School-wide (FREE) Popcorn Day
• Tuesday, September 23 - PAC Meeting 6:30pm
• Wednesday, September 24 - Gr. 4/5 XC Practice 12:00
• Friday, September 26 - Gr. 4/5 XC Practice 12:00; School Day for Truth and Reconciliation (Orange Shirt Day)

Upcoming Dates and Events:

• Monday, September 29 - School Improvement Day (no school for students)
• Tuesday, September 30 - National Day for Truth and Reconciliation - school closed
• Wednesday, October 1 - Gr. 4/5 XC Meet #1 3:30
• Thursday, October 2 - Gr. 4/5 XC Practice 12:00
• Sunday, October 5 - World Teachers/Educators Day
• Monday, October 6 - Gr. 4/5 XC Practice 12:00
• Wednesday, October 8 - PAC Hot Lunch - Subway; Gr. 4/5 XC Meet #2 3:30
• Friday, October 10 - Terry Fox Run at 1:30
• Monday, October 13 - Thanksgiving (schools closed)
• Wednesday, October 15 - Gr. 4/5 XC Meet #3 3:30
• Thursday, October 16 - PAC Meeting 6:30
• Wednesday, October 22 - PAC Treat Day (Cob's Bread), Cross-Country Championships 3:30
• Friday, October 24 - Pro-D Day (no school for students)

You can see our digital calendar here. We encourage you to add our school calendar to your phone/device by clicking here. 

Information and Reminders:

• 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.

• Choice Program Applications Open Soon for French Immersion

  Did you know there are two options for families looking for French Immersion for their students? Early Immersion starts in Kindergarten and goes to grade 12; the Late Immersion program begins in grade 6. The online registration window opens October 6 and closes October 20, 2025. To learn about French Immersion, there is an online information meeting on October 1^stat 6 pm. This features a short presentation about the program and the benefits of learning an additional language, with time for questions.

   

  Here is the link for the online meeting:

  Join the meeting now

  Meeting ID: 248 048 850 522 9

  Passcode: P9rc9J9X

   

  More information can also found on the District website:

   

  https://www.sd35.bc.ca/programs-initiatives/programs-of-choice/immersion-programs/

   

  All inquiries can be emailed to languages@sd35.bc.ca.

  
  
• Parent Consent Request 

  Each year, Langley Schools asks families to complete a set of parent consent forms for their child. These consent forms are required by our schools to ensure the health, safety, and security of all students. Langley Schools uses a secure web form to collect this information. Beginning mid-September, please watch for an email request (subject Parent Consent Request) that contains one link for you to submit consents for all children in your family attending any Langley School. If your email address or contact information has changed, please call your school to correct it in our files. If you have not received an email regarding Parent Consent Request by the end of the month or have any questions/concerns, please contact your school administrator.
  

• ICBC Back to School Awareness

  “With the start of the school season, we’re asking drivers to avoid distractions and watch for children, especially near schools, parks and residential areas,” said Leanne Cassap, local ICBC road safety coordinator. “We encourage parents and caregivers to give their children a refresher on road safety and practice their route to and from school if they’ll be walking or cycling.” Please see the attached info sheet for parents and caregivers.

   

  Teach your child to be a safe pedestrian. Good habits start at home. https://www.icbc.com/road-safety/teaching/road-safety-for-your-kids.
  

• Student Accident Insurance: The District is offering two options for a voluntary student accident insurance plans for students. This plan is voluntary, but provides significant benefits for accident insurance coverage for families.

  Please note, enrolment in the program can be done online only, through one of the following options:

  Insure My Kids OR Study Insured

  Corresponding digital support materials for above service providers can be accessed via following links:

   Insure My Kids: Insure My Kids - School Resources

  Study Insured: Study Insured - Support Material
  

• 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. 

• Our Shortreed Breakfast Program runs each school day from 8:20-8:35. This is free for any students registered, and they must come each day they are in school. To register, click here. 
• We know that illnesses occur and absences can happen. If your child is going to be absent, arriving late, away or leaving early due to an appointment, please notify the school of your child’s absence by doing either of the following:
  • E-mail SCEAttendance@sd35.bc.ca or call 604-856-4167 and follow the prompts for the attendance line, and leave a message with information including:
    • Student First Name and Last Name
    • Grade
    • Division
    • Length of Absence
    • Reason (illness, late, appointment, vacation)

  • Please be aware that if your child is often late, they will be missing significant lessons, as much of the literacy and math instruction happens first thing in the morning. If your child is ill (flu-like symptoms), please keep them home until they are no longer contagious and can participate in regular school activities. Homework will be provided upon request. Please avoid long absences due to holidays, as this seriously jeopardizes your child’s achievement. Homework may not be provided as assignments based on lessons your child misse, as its can be more confusing than helpful. If you are going to be away for an extended period of time, please let the school know, as this could affect enrollment. 

  • We STRIVE for FIVE absences or less at Shortreed. We know that children will get sick, but it's important to minimize absences.
    

• A reminder that juice boxes are not permitted at the school. Please send your child with a refillable water bottle each day. 
• There is no parking or pickup/drop-offs in our school parking lot. Please park along 28th Ave or 273rd Street. The Catholic Church allows us to park there for pickup and drop-off. Do not block the driveways of any residences. 

PAC News

POP POP POP! It’s FREE popcorn treat day this Monday from PAC! Every student will receive a popcorn treat!

Be sure to check your child's backpack for our PAC Newsletter and Calendar for September!

Join us Tuesday at 6:30 for our first PAC meeting of the year. All our welcome!

Have any questions? Email us at shortreedpac@gmail.com. 

Join our Shortreed PAC Facebook Group too!

Community Events

To read about some fantastic family opportunities across Langley, check out the Community Bulletin Board.

Upcoming Community Program

Multi-Sport & More

Tuesdays

Oct 6-Dec 8 (no class nov 10)

4-5:30pm

Grades 2-5

$25/student

At Parkside Elementary
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/xploresportz-multi-sport-and-more-grade-2-5-fall-aldergrove-tickets-1657437693759?aff=oddtdtcreator

If cost is a barrier to participating, please reach out to Stephanie Eby.

Family Smart - FamilySmart services are free with no waitlists, and we serve parents and caregivers experiencing mental health or substance use challenges with their children or youth. This includes talking and collaborating, offering possible resources, helping parents navigate community resources, and sharing monthly events. 

September Event: Emotion Regulation

Big feelings can be tough for kids and parents. Join us to learn practical ways to support emotional regulation with Registered Clinical Counsellor, Nicole Allen.

Join us online. It's free. - September 18, 23, or 24.