Brackendale Elementary Sept 13, 2019 Communicator · 9/9/2019 · 11:00 am Classes resume 12:10 pm...
Transcript of Brackendale Elementary Sept 13, 2019 Communicator · 9/9/2019 · 11:00 am Classes resume 12:10 pm...
Brackendale Elementary
Communicator
Sept 13, 2019
Volume 1
Dear Brackendale Families,
Welcome back everyone! September brings not only a change of seasons but also the happy sounds
of students back to our halls. Everyone is refreshed, rejuvenated and ready for the year ahead.
I am delighted to be working with you and your children. Communication between home and school
is key to student success. Our teachers will provide you with learning highlights each week to enrich
your conversations with your children at home.
I am also excited to announce that we have grown! We are now at 330 students and 15 classes. I know that you and your children will welcome our staff, children and families with the enthusiasm and warmth that
makes Brackendale a wonderful place to live, growth and learn.
Thank you for your support and encouragement in our first weeks back. We are looking forward to
the year ahead filled with community, and a love of learning.
Sincerely, Have a great September!
Ms. Karen Saenger, Principal
42000 Government Road PO Box 280, Brackendale, BC V0N 1H0
Telephone: (604) 898-3651 Fax: (604) 898-4674
Voice Mail (604) 898-9348 + ext # 300 for main office
Playground Update
Coming this October… and November...
Special thank you to our sponsors: Whistler Blackcomb Foundation, BRE PAC, All Terrain Excavating, the Ministry of Educa-tion playground grant program and SD#48.
We are honoured to learn, work and play on the traditional, unceded, ancestral
territory of the Sḵwxwú7mesh Nation and the Village of Waiwakum
Principal: Ms. K. Saenger Front Office: Mrs. Muff Hackett
Website: www.sd48brackendale.org Email: [email protected]
Brackendale Parent
Advisory Council
Run with the PAC
Zipline Global Motion
School Goal - Critical Thinking
Using specific criteria to make judgements, assess options,
rank and justify choices
Brackendale Elementary
… is a welcoming
community
Brackendale Elementary
… is a giving community
Brackendale Elementary … is our community
Thank you for safely driving and parking
30kmph in School Zones from 7:30am—7:30pm
Be Bear Aware—Pick Your Fruit! We did!
Thank you to Mr. Fieldhouse and his students
Student blanket drive initiative Giving piggy bank savings to our
playground fund
Donating hand made comics to the
Squamish Hospital
Pancake Breakfast fundraiser for
Squamish Community Care
Gardening for Helping
Hands Protecting Owls and donating to the Orphan
Owl Association
Raising awareness for organ donation at the
student created musical: Canada.Hockey.Heroes
Hand drawn
pictures raise
money for the
Children’s
Hospital
Student Leadership fundraising for the
Rare Disease Foundation and the Water
Project
Students inform public about
Wildfire safety at the Adventure
Centre
Coping with Back to School Worries
After the care free days of summer, transitioning back to school can create stress for some
students. Anxious feelings are normal and expected in children and teens returning to school,
changing schools, or for first-timers starting kindergarten. Even kids who are usually pretty
easy-going get butterflies. Worries are normal!
Although it is normal for your child to have worries, it is crucial to have your child attend school. Missing school can increase your
child’s fears because they never get a chance to over come their worries. Furthermore, when children and teens stay home, they miss
out on learning, fostering close friendships with classmates and developing trusting relationships with teachers.
Worries about the new school year and anxious behaviours will fade for most students. Here are some helpful tips for families:
Establish Routines - ensure your child is getting enough regular sleep, meals, healthy snacks and exercise.
Listen to your child’s concerns - you may find listening opportunities when you are in the car, standing in line at the store, at
bath-time or during dinner.
Make a plan - coach your child on how to cope with worrisome situations—“Let’s think of some ways you could handle that
situation.” “Tell me what you are worried about, so we can talk about it and make a plan.”
Focus on the positive - , talk about situations that they successfully coped with in the past. “What is one thing that you are
excited about?” Most kids can think of something positive, even if it’s just playing at recess or going home at the end of the
day.
Model calm and confidence - children will take cues from you, so the more confidence and calm you can model, the more
your child will believe they can handle a new hurdle.
Be supportive yet firm – say goodbye in the morning cheerfully – once! Try saying calmly: “I can see that going to school is
making you scared, you still have to go and our plan will work.”
(Source: anxietycanada.com)
Allergies and Medication
We have students in our school who have peanut/nut allergies. For some, ingestion to even a minute amount of a
food substance containing nuts or nut products could cause a life-threatening allergic reaction. If this should
happen, we have an emergency plan and will take action immediately. Part of the emergency plan is to teach all
students not to share lunches or trade snacks, to create a hand washing routine in our classrooms, and to discuss
anaphylaxis with the students in an age-appropriate form. Teachers have access to our public health nurse who
will help implement these plans
When packing your child’s lunch, please avoid peanut and nut products if possible, and remind your children to eat
only the food that is sent from home, rather than trading or sharing snack or lunch items with other students.
If your child has a severe allergy or health condition please let the office staff and your child’s teacher know
immediately. For medication administered at school, a “Request for Administration of Medication” form which
can be found at the school office is required. This form needs to be filled out by your child’s physician and
signed by a legal parent or guardian.
ELECTRONIC DEVICES
We believe that given the age range of an elementary school, student well being is best served when kids are actively
engaged with a variety of activities during break times. Therefore, students may not use personal electronic devices at school. Devices may only be used during class time with guidance and permission from the classroom teacher.
Devices brought to school are required to be turned off and stored in the student’s backpack.
We strongly suggest that students leave their electronic devices at home as we cannot be responsible for loss or
theft. We do recognize that some devices are an important communication tool for students and their family,
however use is restricted to before and after school, outside the school building.
A multitude of laptop carts and iPad carts are available for classroom use.
Students may have their device confiscated for the day if it is not being used in accordance with this policy.
The school does support teachers who wish to supervise students using a
personal device as a learning tool
Welcome back Brackendale students! Did you know breakfast club is open every school morning at 8:30am! Fun fact: last year (September 2018 - May 2019), 4634 Brackendale kids were served breakfast at school. We were open 126 days of the school year. We would like to continue to be open every school day. Please make this possible by offering some volunteer hours with us. Please email Lisa Park at [email protected] if you are interested.
SCHOOL NEWSLETTERS & FRIDAY BRE COMMUNICATOR
An important link between home and school is our school newsletter. Newsletters are emailed, posted on our school website and will be given to students. They are distributed at the beginning of each month. Current copies will also be available at our school office. A
calendar of events will be included with each newsletter. Please keep this handy so you are aware of what is going on at BRE.
BELL SCHEDULE
08:50 am Morning Bell 08:55 am School Begins 10:45 am Recess 11:00 am Classes resume 12:10 pm Lunch break (students go outdoors) 12:45 pm Bell (students return to eat lunch) 1:05 pm Classes resume 3:00 pm Dismissal
2019-2020 PAC
COMMITTEE
President: Stephen Fryer [email protected] Vice President: Shawna Lang [email protected] Treasurer: Heather Teasell [email protected] Secretary: vacant DPAC: Shawna Lang [email protected] Stephen Fryer [email protected]
Meetings are the 3rd Wednesday of every month. Our 1st meeting: September 18, 2019 at 7:00pm
All are welcome!
Terry Fox Run Friday, September 20th
1:30 p.m. Our students are running to raise awareness and funds for cancer research next Fri-day, and we need your help! If you are able to volunteer as a marshal (directing stu-dents along their run), please email Mrs. Fieldhouse [email protected]. You are also welcome to join us to run, walk, push a stroller, or cheer us on along the route. Our Leadership Students are hoping to collect a dollar from each student in our school to donate to the Terry Fox Foundation. Donations will be collected in classrooms during the week leading up to the run.
All Families, Relatives, Siblings Welcome!!
Meet the
Teacher
Night Wednesday, September 25th
6:00pm - 7:00pm
Everyone is welcome to come visit their child’s
classroom and meet our staff and teachers.
Each school year, Brackendale Elementary hosts
two Scholastic Book Fairs with the help of many of
our parents. The book fairs provide students with
the opportunity to purchase the latest and great-
est books available. The proceeds from the fair
help fund library purchases
and author/illustrator vis-
its.
The first book fair this
year will be:
Wednesday, September 25th 9:00am to 7:00pm
and
Thursday, September 26th 8:30am to 4:00pm
Upcoming Events
Wed, Sept 18 Michael Mitchell performance 11:00am PAC Meeting - 7pm Fri, Sept 20 Terry Fox Run - 1:30pm Tues, Sept 24 Wildlife Drill Wed, Sept 25 Book Fair - 9:00am - 7:00pm Meet The Teacher Night 6:00 - 7:00pm Thur, Sept 26 Book Fair - 8:30am - 4:00pm Mon, Sept 30 Orange Shirt Day Tues, Oct 1 Fire Drill Mon, Oct 14 Thanksgiving Day - not in session Wed, Oct 16 Photo Retake Day PAC Meeting - 7:00pm Thur, Oct 17 Great Shake Down Drill Fri, Oct 18 PAC Hot Lunch Wed, Oct 23 Grade 6 Vaccinations Fri, Oct 26 BCTF Professional Day - not in session
Do You Feel Like Singing? Ms. Moo invites you to join the BRE Choir! Practices are at lunch time - the first practice will be September 24th.
2019-2020 Staff
Office: Ms. K. Saenger, Principal Mrs. M. Hackett, School Clerical
Teachers
Ms. L. Boersma Mrs. T. Borsoff Ms. B. Cornish Mrs. B. Schulz Mrs. S. Fanzega Mr. J. Fieldhouse Mrs. S. Fieldhouse Mr. D. Grantham Mr. D. Hirn Ms. C. Jorgensen Ms. N. Mah Ms. J. Mowbray Mrs. B. Smith Mrs. M. Stroh Ms. S. Watson Mrs. S. Webb Ms. J. Wong Mr. A. Zigar
Learner Support Music: Counselling Support Staff Ms. W. Drenka Mrs. J. Murakami Ms. B. Schutz Mr. J. Evoy Ms. B. Fairbairn Ms. J. Minkus Ms. T. Forsyth Ms. K. Hunter Ms. P. Longridge Mrs. J. Rainbow Mrs. C. Rochetta Mrs. N. Sjogren
In the next few weeks please take the time to introduce yourself to your child’s teacher and Ms. Saenger, Principal