Families of Shortreed, 

We hope you had a wonderful spring break and are ready to send your kids back to school! :-) 

A late Eid Mubarak to our families who celebrated Ramadan and Eid in February and March. To those families honouring Lent, we hope you have had a blessed Lent and are looking forward to a wonderful Easter celebration this weekend. 

Thank you to all the families who made it a priority to attend our Student Inclusive Conferences before the break. Our teachers and students put in a lot of time and effort, so we hope you came away with a deeper look into how your child(ren) has(have) grown through the end of term 2. We hope to send the SIC documents home later this week or early next week. 

Congratulations to our Grade 5 Basketball team, who went undefeated at their Celebration Play Day at ACSS a few weeks ago. The team finished the season with 8 wins, 3 ties, and 2 losses. These athletes were so committed throughout the season, and their dedication paid off with some awesome success. Thank you to Mostat for helping to coach, and the parents and families for all their support. 

Our staff had some fun with a secret staff spirit week! We rocked our socks and sandals (in the rain and snow!), embraced "anything but a cup day", displayed our best fits for "patterns day", went global with "Place Day", and kept it simple with Monochromatic Monday. Did your kids happen to notice???

Pacific Sport Fraser Valley brought in the Junior Canucks program to our school and every K-2 class had a chance to learn some fun floor hockey skills. They practiced stick handling and shooting and had some fun hockey times in the gym!

This week, we will focus on helping our students settle back into school routines and resume some formal learning. 

March 21 was World Down Syndrome Day, and we want to honour this day on March 31 at Shortreed as we participate in Rock Your Socks Day! Wear your brightest and boldest socks to make a statement for inclusion and belonging! 

A reminder that there is no school on Friday or Monday as we honour Good Friday and Easter Monday. 

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 not only to acknowledge the lands but also to express our dedication to learning on our journey of truth and reconciliation. I am really looking forward to attending the Máthxwi Family Literacy Night on Tuesday at Máthxwi. We embrace every opportunity to walk alongside Indigenous leaders, educators, families and students, and this will be an evening to do just this. There will be a student panel featuring Máthxwi students from Langley and Abbotsford, including a current Shortreed student and 2 former students. For too long, due to the atrocities caused by the education system, there were no positive working relationships. I am forever grateful for opportunities like these to connect and strengthen our relationships, so we can continue on our journey and develop as a school community. 

The Week Ahead

• Monday, March 30 - Schools Re-open
• Tuesday, March 31 - Rock Your Socks Day (Spirit Day - honouring World Down Syndrome Day); Purdy's Orders pick up in PAC room
• Thursday, April 2 - Term 2 SIC Reports sent home
• Friday, April 3 - Good Friday (Schools closed)
• Monday, April 6 - Easter Monday (School closed)

Upcoming Dates and Events:

• Tuesday, April 7 - Fire Drill 10:00
• Wednesday, April 8 - PAC Hot Lunch (Golden Leaf)
• Thursday, April 9 - PAC Meeting 6:30
• Monday, April 13 - Donations accepted for PAC Dollar Sale (through to the sale)
• Wednesday, April 22 - PAC Treat Day - Timbits
• Friday, April 24 - Shortreed's Got Talent!
• Tuesday, April 28 - Spirit Day - Career Day(wear something that represents a future career!)
• Thursday, April 30-May 1 - Church Parking lot closed all day due to an event
• Friday, May 1 - PAC Dollar Sale 1:00-6:00

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:

• U-Connect offers programming at the elementary, middle and secondary level. For elementary and middle years (K-8), U-Connect offers multi-grade classes with a focus on small classes and a collaborative approach to learning between school and home. The secondary program is for students in grades 9 to 12. Students in the secondary program have the option of the blended pathway program and blended mornings. U-Connect also offers online-only courses for Langley students in grades 10-12. The school will be hosting Information Sessions this spring; please see the image for more information

• 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 miss significant lessons, as much of the literacy and math instruction takes place at the beginning of the day. 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 can seriously jeopardize your child’s academic achievement. Homework may not be provided as assignments based on lessons your child missed, as it can be more confusing than helpful. If you will be away for an extended period, please notify the school, as this may impact enrollment.

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

• 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

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.

Outdoor Club at Shortreed

Tuesdays, April 7-June 9

2:35-3:35pm

Grades 2-5

Free

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/1984586063339?aff=oddtdtcreator

Home Alone at Shortreed

Friday, May 15

9am-1pm

Ages 10+ yrs

$40

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/1985772643432?aff=oddtdtcreator

Reach out if you have any questions or if finances are a barrier to participating.

Stephanie Eby 

Community School Coordinator

seby@sd35.bc.ca or 604.862.5943

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McHappy Day and the Langley School District Foundation

On Wednesday, May 6, 2026, McDonald’s Langley locations will celebrate McHappy Day, raising funds to support families and children in our community. Proceeds will be split between three local charities, including the Langley School District Foundation!

This year, the goal is to raise $28,000. Your support will help fund Out-of-School Programs for Langley students.

Volunteers Needed!

Volunteers will help create a fun and welcoming atmosphere while supporting fundraising efforts.

Volunteer activities may include:

Greeting guests in the lobby

Helping with games or activities for families

Collecting donations in the drive-thru donation bucket

Encouraging guests to support McHappy Day fundraising

No experience is needed — just bring your energy, enthusiasm, and community spirit!

Volunteer Times

Volunteers are needed throughout the day from: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM. You are welcome to volunteer for as little as 1 hour or longer. We welcome:

Individuals, Families, Students completing volunteer hours, Community groups. School groups such as band, cheer teams, and dance teams

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Talk with Me, Play with Me, Learn with Me

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 Saturday mornings from 10–11am, April 4^th to May 23^rd at the Donna Gabriel Robins Elementary School Welcome Centre. 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/

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Parkside Just Be Four (JB4) Preschool - Registration Open for September 2026

Langley School District operates a licenced 4 year old preschool program at Parkside Centennial Elementary.  Registration is now open for September 2026-2027.

Classes operate on Tuesdays/Thursdays from 12:45 - 3:15.

Please complete the contact form here, and our staff will contact you to secure a space for your child.  Please contact Charlene Redekop at credekop@sd35.bc.ca for further information.

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Gifts and Gatherings is a 90-minute program from 8:30am - 10am hosted weekly at one of the Langley Strong Start sites. Any family member or caregiver is welcome to participate along with children ages 0-5 years. Families will explore activities that emphasize indigenous perspectives, highlighting the many interconnected gifts of land, people and animals. Experiences may include: art, sensory exploration, story-time, table top activities and more.  During each session, participants will receive a gift that will allow families to continue to explore their learning at home. The program is intended to build connections between families and the school and to support children in their transition into Kindergarten. Please see the flyer at the link below with locations and dates.

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Fraser Valley Regional Library (FVRL) Reading Advisor 

FVRL Reading Advisor is a free resource for everyone living or studying in communities served by FVRL, including Langley. The Reading Advisor service offers personalized book recommendations for readers of all ages, making it an excellent support for students and staff across the Langley School District. All that is required is to fill out a short form about your reading interests, and trained library staff respond with a customized reading list based on genre, themes, age level, and preferred formats (print, eBook, audiobook, graphic novel, etc.) This is ideal for boosting reading engagement, supporting diverse learning needs, and possibly helping teachers quickly discover high‑quality texts for classroom use. This free community resource extends the capacity of school libraries and connects learners with a broader range of inclusive and accessible materials and would be a great resource to share with students and other staff to help them find some new great reads for over spring break. Happy Reading!

https://www.fvrl.bc.ca/my-reading-adviser

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FamilySmart presents “InTheKnow” events this March and April, and we’d love to see you!  All our events are free, and parents/caregivers can register for the date that works best using the link below:

https://familysmart.ca/online-events/

Parenting When Anxiety Shows up as Anger

Anxiety in our kids can show up as anger, and that can make parenting extra challenging. Discover some strategies that can help us before, during, and after these hard moments.

Tuesday, March 31, 6:30 pm

Emotion Regulation Part 2: Deepening Our Understanding

Our kids’ big emotions don’t always make sense. This is the second video conversation to understand why some kids cope more easily than others, how to determine what our child needs during those hard moments, and some strategies that can help.

Tuesday, April 7, 6:30 pm

Tuesday, April 21, 12:00 pm

Wednesday, April 29, 6:30 pm

Supporting Our Kids With Substance Misuse

As parents and caring adults, the way we talk about and understand substance use can deeply influence the young people in our lives. Learn some evidence-informed approaches that can help us with communication, boundaries, and relationships.

Thursday, April 16, 6:30 pm

Thursday, April 23, 6:30 pm

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MediaSmarts has launched a new, free, self-guided workshop to help families develop healthier technology and screen-time habits. Building Better Tech Habits provides practical, research-informed strategies for managing family screen use and addressing common digital challenges at all ages. The workshop can be accessed 24/7 via the link here and completed any time, making it easy to fit into busy schedules.

Aldergrove Family Resources