September 10, 2021

Welcome back everyone!  Our staff have been working very hard to ensure that your child is placed in the optimal learning environment for this coming school year.  Many of our classes this year will be combined classes.  The research has shown us that there are more positives than negatives in this case and, due to the fact that our students learn in a dual grade pod structure, it seems logical that it carries over into the classrooms.  If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me at seppich@sd35.bc.ca.  Final class placement will be sent home early next week.  Teachers will advise when students are to bring in their school supplies.

We’d like to warmly welcome all new students.  You’ve landed in a wonderful school and we are so glad that you are here!

Changes in staffing are:  Amy Smith is our Youth & Child Care Worker.  Our new SEAs are Yvonne Chen and Danica Taron.  Leah Nicolson is in for Alexandra Saunders, who will be back from maternity leave in October.  Kelly Jassmann will be working with Kelly Thiessen one day a week and Sarah Atherton has returned to us.  Welcome to the Blacklock Family!

Health and Safety continues to be our top priority.  Please read the Daily Health Check Form (by clicking on this link Health Check Form – Revised 2020Sep) and use it as a reference. Please remember to advise the office if your child will be late or staying home for any reason.  We ask that if your child has thrown up, has diarrhoea, or a fever, that you keep him/her home for 24 hours after symptoms have disappeared.  This is critical in preventing the spread of illness in our school. Any visitor who enters the building must wear a mask, hand sanitize, and complete the sign in log at the Office.

Early next week you will receive a Class Advisement Card indicating your child’s division and teacher name.  At this time, we have a teacher vacancy for our K/1 pod.  This position is currently posted and will be filled before the end of September.  Therefore, our K/1 teaching staff is incomplete and you will be advised as soon as the position is filled.

Also, coming home next week, is a large Brown Envelope addressed specifically to you, which contains important information that needs to be reviewed and forms completed and returned to the school promptly.  Your attention to this matter is appreciated.  Please note that this year, you will receive an e-mail give you access to three of the forms, to be completed digitally.

Agendas were handed out this week.  This is an important tool to support your child with planning, organization, and communication with your child’s teacher.  If you haven’t taken the time to flip through the agenda, I would highly recommend that you do so, as you will find many useful tools to support your child.  These agendas are provided to you at a reduced cost of $6.00 and an e-mail will be coming out soon inviting you to submit payment through School Cash Online.  Pease note that to register for the first time, you will need your child’s legal name, Student ID#, and date of birth and that a green sheet with this information on it will be in your Brown Envelope.  If you need help with signing up/logging into School Cash Online, please contact the Office.

Rob Richardson is in for Kelly Rutherford one day a week and utilizes his passion and skill for woodworking to implement many of the Individual Education Plan goals for Resource students.  I would love nothing more than to be able to offer this to all students who would be interested in this experience; however, Mr. Richardson’s time is limited.  Thank you to all who have shown an interest in this.

As students will be outside as much as possible, please ensure that your child has appropriate footwear and, in the case of inclement weather, rain jacket, boots, hats, etc.

Have a great weekend!  See you on Monday morning!

Susanna Eppich, Principal

CALENDAR

Here are the upcoming calendar updates:

September 23 – Terry Fox Run

September 24 – School Improvement Day – No School for Students

September 28 – Individual Photo Day @ 9:00am

September 29 – Orange Shirt Day

September 30 – Truth & Reconciliation Statutory Holiday

October 7 – Retake Photo Day @ 9:00am

October 11 – Thanksgiving Day – School is Closed

October 20 & 21 – One Hour Early Dismissal at 1:35pm for Parent Teacher Interviews

 October 22 – Professional Development Day – No School for Students

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.