The Week Ahead - November 10-14, 2025
Families of Shortreed,
We hope you enjoyed the weekend, and your kids are enjoying their extended weekend! A reminder that school is back in session on Wednesday of this week.
It was lovely to see so many Shortreed students and families at the local Remembrance Day ceremony. We had students marching in the parade, representing their organizations by laying wresaths, and being present with their families to honour and remember all those who have served and continue to serve our country.
We have our November PAC meeting on Thursday evening at 6:30 in the library. All parents/caregivers are welcome!
Later this week, we will be sending out our online signup for Term 1 Student Inclusive Conferences. The conferences will take place between Nov 24 - Dec 4, and our Students Inclusive Conference Day/Evening is on Wednesday, Nov 26 (students only come to school for their conference time if they have one booked on this day). As the conference is their report card and a chance for the students to share their learning, families should make their best efforts to book and attend.
Captain Clarence MorganAt 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 we shared at our assembly on Friday, Saturday was National Indigenous Veterans Day. We shared about Captain Clarence Morgan, the great-great-grandfather of current and former Shortreed students from Máthxwi First Nation. Melissa Epp shared some information about Captain C. Morgan in her traditional welcome at the No Stone Left Alone Ceremony on Thursday. She shared how, like his non-Indigenous peers, he bravely served our country and sacrificed so much so we can all live with freedom. Unlike his non-Indigenous peers, however, when Captain C. Morgan returned home, he was not treated as a Canadian citizen. He did not receive any of the honour, benefits, or support programs available to veterans. He was also not invited nor honoured at any Remembrance Day ceremonies throughout his life. It is because of stories like these that we recognize the importance of November 8. We now know better and must do better. In addition to Remembrance Day, On November 8, we honour the over 12000 Indigenous veterans who have served our country so we can live in peace here.
Good Things to Talk About
Our students did an incredible job of showing the utmost respect in our Remembrance Day and National Indigenous Veterans Day assembly on Friday. Some of our Grade 5 students read the poem "Indian Veterans" for National Indigenous Veterans Day, while others read "In Flanders Fields," "Act of Remembrance," and "A Commitment to Remember." Each class had two wreath bearers who carried their class wreath to our boards and cenotaph and then bowed their heads for a moment to honour and remember. Our Grade 5 students sang a beautiful song to conclude the event, and our entire school joined in partway through. Our students performed, read, and behaved in a manner which made us all so proud.
Our grade 5 leaders have been doing a fantastic job with the morning announcements each day. They do our land acknowledgement, share some updates for the day, welcome temporary staff to the school, and share a joke to make us all giggle. Thank you to our grade 5 teachers and VP Mrs. Gill for helping them with this important role.
NBA host, basketball freestyler, performer, and motivational speaker Quincy Mack was here last week to inspire our kids to be an ALL-STAR! What a show! Q-Mack engaged the audience, showed some basketball tricks, and even balanced an 80lb bench on his beard! He inspired the students to have positive attitudes and be leaders in the school and beyond.
Our Eagles Grade 5 Soccer Team continued their strong play last week with a 6-3 victory over Uplands Elementary School. The team is undefeated this season with a 4-0 record. Congrats to another solid effort for the Eagles!
On Thursday, our grade 5 students had the honour of participating in the 2nd Annual Aldergrove No Stone Left Alone Ceremony at Aberdeen Cemetery. Shortreed partnered with the Aldergrove Legion and the Alder Grove Heritage Society to provide an opportunity for our students to connect with local veterans and their stories. 71 local veterans have headstones (a few without headstones) and each one had a Canadian flag with a card sharing some info about their lives. Our students painted stone poppies and placed them on their headstones while learning more about where they served and who they were. Thank you to Shaun Francis of Aldergrove Legion and Tami Quiring and Andrew Wilkie of the Alder Grove Heritage Society!
The Week Ahead
- Saturday, November 8 - Indigenous Veterans Day
- Monday, November 10 - Design/Assessment Day - no school for students
- Tuesday, November 11 - Remembrance Day - schools closed
- Thursday, November 13 - PAC Meeting 6:30
- Friday, November 14 - last day for Growing Smiles fundraiser
Upcoming Dates and Events:
- Monday, November 17 - Gr. 5 Soccer practice 2:45
- Tuesday, November 18 - Fire Drill 11:00; Gr. Soccer game at Nicomekl 3:00
- Wednesday, November 19 - PAC Popcorn Day
- Friday, November 21 - PAC Dollar Sale 1:00-6:00
- Monday, November 24 - Student Inclusive Conferences begin
- Wednesday, November 26 - Student Inclusive Conference Day (students only attend their conference appointment time)
- Thursday, November 27 - Early Dismissal at 12:33 for SIC
- Friday, November 28 - Pick up Growing Smiles order at 2:45
- Saturday, November 29 - Shortreed Winter Market (gym)
- Wednesday, December 3 - PAC Hot Lunch - McDonald's
- Friday, December 5 - Santa Breakfast!
- Thursday, December 11 - PAC Meeting 6:30
- Saturday, December 13 - Aldergrove Christmas Parade - join us in the parade!
- Tuesday, December 16 - Christmas Concert #1 12:45
- Wednesday, December 17 - Christmas Concert #2 12:45; Concert #3 in the evening (info coming soon)
- Friday, December 19 - last day of school before break; Shortreed Sing Along 1:15
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:
- FRASER HEALTH NOVEMBER MESSAGE:
- Dental, Hearing, and Vision Health (from Fraser Health)
Health, safety, and wellness continue to be a priority in our schools. To help support our students and families, we are sharing important information from our community partner Fraser Health about Dental, Hearing, and Vision Health. Please see below for helpful reminders to support your child.
Make Dental, Hearing and Vision Checks Part of a Healthy Routine
It’s important for your child to have regular eye exams and routine dental checkups. This can help find issues early and lead to better outcomes. It is also important to recognize any hearing loss early as this is essential for speech and language development.
Dental
Tooth decay and other oral health concerns are the most common preventable chronic diseases in children. Establishing good oral hygiene habits early and ensuring regular dental checkups are essential for your child’s oral health.
To find a local dentist who is accepting new patients, visit the BC Dental Association's Find a Dentist database.
If your family is experiencing financial challenges and doesn’t have extended health coverage, there are programs available to help make dental care more accessible. You can also reach out to the dental program at your local public health unit at Dental Care - Fraser Health to learn about community resources and support.
Vision
BC Doctors of Optometry (BCDO) recommends children receive their first eye exam when they are six to nine months old, with a follow up exam at least once between the ages of two and five, and then yearly once they enter school. You can find an optometrist accepting new patients near you on BCDO's website. In BC, one basic eye exam per year is free up to the age of 18. Some optometrists may charge a user fee of about $35-50 per visit, so be sure to ask about any fees before you make an appointment. Find more information on BCDO’s Children’s Resources page.
Hearing
Good hearing is essential for speech and language development and plays an important part in a child's social and emotional growth. It is important to recognize hearing loss early and seek out testing and treatment if needed. Fraser Health’s Public Health community audiologists provide free hearing services for children from birth to 19 years of age. If you have a concern about your child's hearing, referrals can be made by a parent or caregiver, a health care provider or education professional to your local public health audiology (hearing) clinic.
Find more information on child health screenings and how to access free vision, hearing and dental exams on Fraser Health’s website.
Youth Clinics
Let your teen know about our youth clinics. Located throughout the Fraser Health region, these clinics offer free and confidential sexual health care to youth, with age eligibility varying by site and service. Learn more about the services available at youth clinics here.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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:
- 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
Join us on Thursday at 6:30 for our PAC Meeting! All parents/caregivers invited.
Growing Smiles Christmas Plant Fundraiser.
OPEN NOW! https://shortreed.growingsmilesfundraising.com/home
All orders DUE Friday, November 14th at 11:59pm.
Pick up Friday, November 28th at 2:45pm at the back of the gym.
Purdy’s Chocolate Fundraiser.
OPEN NOW!
https://fundraising.purdys.com/9102-132456
Use customer # 25514
All orders DUE Tuesday, November 18th at 11:59pm
Pick up Thursday, November 27th. We will not send this home with your student unless permission is given.
Shortreed Dollar Sale.
Collecting donations NOW. Donations can be dropped off outside of the PAC room door. If you have a lot of donations, please contact PAC to arrange a time to drop off.
We need volunteers to help make this a successful event. Please sign up here if you can help. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F054AABAB29A6F49-60304029-fall
Dollar Sale is on Friday, November 21st starting at 1:00pm.
Online Silent Auction coming soon……
Please watch for a follow up email and Facebook posts. We have some great new items this year from Principal/Vice-Principal/Librarian of the day, Reserved Christmas Concert Seating, Vancouver Giant’s box seats for the December 28th @ 4pm game, Alder Ally, Krause Berry, Farms, and much, much more.
Hot Lunch Orders can be made now. Go to www.munchalunch.com/schools/shortreed/ to order.
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.
Just a few clicks on your phone and you'll be entered to win thousands of dollars in The Lucky Langley 50/50 & Raffle Fundraiser! Purchase your tickets today and build brighter futures for the students of Langley! And enter for your chance to win the cash jackpot or 2 Air Canada tickets to anywhere they fly in North America, just in time for Christmas!
Buy your tickets today by clicking here!
The 10th Annual Charity Shopping Night at Willowbrook Mall is next week! Tuesday, Nov 18 from 7-10pm.
Get your friends together and prepare to shop till you drop (possibly with a glass of champagne in your hands!). A truly fun and festive night in support of the amazing students of Langley!
Tickets available here.
FamilySmart - 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.
November Events:
FamilySmart is hosting 3 events this November - two on Zoom and one in person. All of our programs are free - parents or caregivers can register on our website -https://familysmart.ca/monthly-events/ if interested.