February 11, 2021
We would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy Valentine’s Day and a fun and safe Family Day weekend! Thank you for supporting us in our ongoing endeavours to keep our Blacklock family safe! Even though this Valentine’s Day celebration looked different, there was so much love shared and happy memories created.
Today, due to the extreme wind chill factor, we chose to keep your children inside during breaks. This brings to mind the need for students to dress appropriately for the weather conditions and since it looks like there may be snow next week, please send your children with their winter jackets, hats, gloves, boots, etc. as necessary.
February is Black History Month and the timing couldn’t be better! Our Library has many, beautiful new books relating to this subject matter and students have been engaged in age-appropriate conversations around this important subject. Maya Angelou says it perfectly “It is time for us to teach young people early on that in diversity there is beauty and there is strength.”.
Beginning on Tuesday, February 23rd, our School District will be celebrating Diversity & Respect Week. Each day will have a different theme:
Tuesday, Feb 23 – Honour Your Roots – wear something to symbolize your heritage
Wednesday, Feb 24 – Anti-Bullying Day – wear pink
Thursday, Feb 25 – Black Lives Matter – wear black
Friday, Feb 26 – Pride Day – wear the colours of the rainbow
Reminder that if you have a child at home that will be turning 5 this year and you plan to send them to Kindergarten in September, registration is underway. Please see below for more details.
House points are as follows:
Mome Raths – 9,605; White Rabbits – 9,908; Cheshire Cats – 10,739; Deck of Cards – 10,696
Have a good long weekend!
Susanna Eppich, Principal
MIDDLE YEARS DEVELOPMENT INDEX - GRADE 5 FAMILIES
Dear Parents and Guardians of Students in Grades 5, 6 and 8,
The Langley School District has partnered with the Human Early Learning Partnership (HELP) at UBC to invite students to take part in completing the Middle Years Development Instrument (MDI). The MDI is a self-report questionnaire that asks children in Grades 4 to 8 about their thoughts, feelings and experiences in school and in the community. The survey questions align with the BC Ministry of Education’s K-12 curriculum which includes a focus on promoting children’s personal and social competencies.
The questionnaire will be administered between February 5th and March 5th, 2021.
Your Grade 5 child should have brought home an informed passive consent letter with more information about their participation in the MDI. Please complete the form that was attached to that letter if you DO NOT wish your child to participate, or contact the project staff at mdi@help.ubc.ca. The MDI is voluntary; Grade 5 children can choose whether they would like to complete the questionnaire.
SKILLS ASSESSMENT (FSA) - CHANGE OF ADMINISTRATION DATES - GRADE 4 FAMILIESThe BC Ministry of Education has adjusted the administration dates for this year’s Foundation Skills Assessment (FSA). All Langley students in grades 4 and 7 will now complete the FSA in the new administration window between February 15 and March 12, 2021. Parents of students in grades 4 and 7 would have received a letter in September from Gord Stewart, Superintendent of Langley Schools, regarding the annual Foundation Skills Assessment (FSA) for the 2020/2021 school year. The letter indicated that this year’s FSA would be administered between October 5 and November 13, 2020. The remainder of the information outlined in the letter still applies and if parents have any questions regarding the FSA, they should contact their school’s Principal.
2021-2022 KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATIONKindergarten registration across the Langley School District runs January 18 – March 31, 2021. If your child will be five years old by December 31, 2021, you will be able to register either online or in person at your catchment school. Proper documentation is required at the time of registration. Your child’s registration will not be processed without the required documentation.
Registration will not be available at the school during Spring Break, from March 13 –28, 2021.
Please check our school website for specific information about how to register beginning January 18.
Due to COVID-19 health and safety guidelines, the process for registration and collecting documents may be different this time. For information and instructions on how to register, please click here —> Kindergarten Registration 2021 and for the Student Registration Form click here —> Student Registration Form_20212022
Although your child’s Care Card is not a required document, it is an important piece of information for the school to have. Please make sure you have indicated any medical concerns or information that the school should be aware of (i.e. asthma, allergies, etc.). If you have copies of any medical documents or diagnostic reports for learning or physical needs, please also have a copy of the original (a copy can be made at the school). Please also have a copy of any Court Orders regarding custody so the school can have a copy on file.
MESSAGE FROM THE BLACKLOCK PACHere are the Minutes from the latest PAC meeting –> PAC Meeting – Jan 21, 2021
FAMILY PORTAL in MyED BCBelow are links to two videos that offer some help in accessing the Family Portal in MyED BC:
How to Access the Family Portal
DAILY HEALTH CHECKThank you for completing the Daily Health Check with your child and doing your part to ensure our school community is healthy and safe.
Health Check Form – Revised 2020Sep
Please read the Daily Health Check Form (by clicking on the above link) and use it as a reference when completing the daily health check with your child.
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 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.
CALENDAR
Here are the upcoming events:
February 12 – Pro-D Day – Students not in Attendance
February 15 – Family Day – Statutory Holiday
February 22 – Design & Assessment Day – Students not in Attendance
February 23-26 – Diversity & Respect Week
March 5 – Term 2 Report Cards Published
March 10 & 11 – One Hour Early Dismissal for Parent/Teacher Interviews
March 12 – Last Day prior to Spring Break
March 29 – School reopens
April 2 – Good Friday – Statutory Holiday
April 5 – Easter Monday – Statutory Holiday
May 21 – Pro-D Day – Students not in Attendance
May 24 – Victoria Day – Statutory Holiday
June 29 – Final Report Cards Published & Last Day prior to Summer Break
For access to our District Community Bulletin Board, please click here: Community Bulletin Board. There are always new flyers that may be of interest to you.