The Devil’s Digest, September 2019—School Year Start Up Edi on

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The Devils’ Digest

 

The PSS Mountain Bike Team will be recruiting on Club Day—Sep. 13th! Dates to Remember 

September 2019

Welcome Back PSS Families, Students and Staff!

I hope you all had a res ul and fun summer holiday. It’s hard to believe we will be welcoming everyone back to school next week! We have an exci ng year ahead as we con nue to work on strengthening connec ons that inspire purposeful lives. Our staff have been busy working together to plan for the upcoming school year that will include a new curriculum for all grade levels. I en-courage all students and families to spend some me exploring the new curriculum at h ps://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/. This year we will be introducing Career and Life Educa on for all grade levels. This will allow students more me to dive deep into their future career planning, which will include each student designing their own personal digital por olio. We are also excited to begin a new middle school program design for our grade 8 & 9 students. We have a fantas c middle school team who began the planning last spring. They will be challenging our students to go deep with their learning, engaging them to take risks and to become confident learners, preparing them to be ready to take on the Gradua on program in grade 10. Our middle school team will be sending program informa on out to families soon. Our school district spent me last year working together with students, staff and par-ents refreshing our SD48 Educa on Plan. I encourage all families to take me becom-ing familiar with the plan at h ps://sd48achievement.org/. I will be reviewing the new plan with staff and students during the first few weeks of school, and also with the PAC at the first mee ng in late September. We will also send informa on out to parents throughout the year, highligh ng our work at PSS. I would like to send out a huge welcome to our new Grade 8 and Interna onal stu-dents, as well as some addi onal new students and staff. I hope you find your experi-ence here at PSS rewarding, engaging, fulfilling and plain out awesome!

I would also like to welcome back our PAC. We have an amazing PAC at PSS, who I work closely with throughout the year in helping move our school forward. The PAC would love to see more members join the team. If you are interested in par cipa ng, please email psspac@gmail.com. The first mee ng will take place towards the end of September. Stay tuned for a date coming soon! Our first day back is scheduled for Tuesday, September 3rd from 8:40 – 10:20am. Regular school hours will begin the following day (8:40 – 3:13pm). We will be sending home important registra on documenta on to be completed on the first day. Please take me to complete all of the forms and return to school as soon as possible. We have many important events taking place in September. You can find out more about all of these events and get up-to-date in-forma on on our website at h ps://sd48pemberton.org/. On behalf of the staff at PSS, we are looking forward to engaging our students in an exci ng year of learning ahead!

Krista Brynjolfson

Principal, Pemberton Secondary School

September 3rd First Day of School 8:40am—10:20am

September 10th Picture Day—Bring your smile!

September 10th Meet the Staff Family BBQ 5:00-7:00pm

September 13th Club Day

September 18th Half Day—Teacher Collaboration Day (dismissal @ 11:44am)

September 20 PSS Terry Fox Run

September 30 National Orange Shirt Day—Residential School Aware-ness

October 1 Grad Meeting (parents & grads) @ 6:00pm

October 14th Thanksgiving (no school)

October 16th Parent/Teacher Conferences (early dismissal @ 1:30pm)

October 17th Great BC Shakeout (Earthquake Drill)

October 23rd Picture Retakes

October 25th BCTF Professional Day (no school)

The Devil’s Digest, September 2019—School Year Start Up Edi on

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If your student is excused from school for the day or any portion of the day, please call or email our office to let us know. If your student needs to sign out for any reason during the school day, we also require parental permis‐sion for them to leave. A message can be left on our General Mailbox at 604‐894‐6318 at anytime or you can email your student’s ab‐sence to us: Michele Garrett‐Jones mgarrett‐jones@sd.48.bc.ca Brenda McLeod: bmcleod@sd48.bc.ca

Prior Arrangement Forms: For planned absences (vacations, all‐day appointments, etc), students should obtain a Prior Arrangement Form from the office. After having the form completed and signed by teachers, students will take it home to be signed by a parent/guardian. When the form is complete, students hand it in to the office – then we are all in the loop!

Need to contact a teacher by email?

All teachers have school district email ad‐dresses. Emails are the initial of their first name, followed by their last name @sd48.bc.ca.

Our Administration To contact our administration directly: Principal:   Krista Brynjolfson kbrynjolfson@sd48.bc.ca Vice  Principal: Brianne Aldcroft baldcroft@sd48.bc.ca

 PSS Website—Check it out!! https://sd48pemberton.org/ 

Update Your Contact Information!

Communication is very important to us – after all, we are

looking after your most prized possessions!!

Please ensure we have the most up‐to‐date contact infor‐

mation for your family. Complete your student’s Verification

Form and call our office as soon as possible upon receiving

a new cell phone number, email or mailing address.

We communicate primarily by email. Our Daily Announce‐

ments, as well as other important educational information

goes out by email – please place us on your “safe senders list”!

Please remember that all visitors to PSS are required to use the front doors and sign in & out at the office. 

Thank you for helping keep our

students safe!

SCHOOL VISITORS 

Attendance & Contacts 

Fall weather is the best for Boys Soccer Season!

Halloween is a favourite holiday at PSS!

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September 3rd—First Day Schedule 2019/20 8:40 Students called to gymnasium

8:45 – 9:00 Welcome Back Assembly!

9:00 – 9:20 GR. 10‐12 Homeroom (New CLE Classes)

Distribu on of student schedules, introduc-ons, fee schedules etc.

Grade 8 & 9’s will be staying in the Gymnasium to meet their new Pod and will remain in their Pod un l 10:20am.

Grade 10‐12 Schedule:

9:25 – 9:35 Block C Introduc ons & A endance

9:40 – 9:50 Block D Introduc ons & A endance

9:55 – 10:05 Block A Introduc ons & A endance

10:10 – 10:20 Block B Introduc ons & A endance

10:30 Buses leave

Bell Times  Monday  Tuesday  Wednesday  Thursday   Friday 

8:40—8:45 Transi on Transi on Transi on Transi on Transi on

8:45—10:01 A C A D A

10:01—10:08 Transi on Transi on Transi on Transi on Transi on

10:08—11:44 B D B C B

11:44—12:29 Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch

12:29—12:34 Transi on Transi on Transi on Transi on Transi on

12:34—1:50 C A D B C

1:50—1:57 Transi on Transi on Transi on Transi on Transi on

1:57—3:13 D B C A D

The Devil’s Digest, September 2019—School Year Start Up Edi on

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PSS Picture Day— 

Tuesday, September 10th Lifetouch will be here to snap our PSS smiles on

September 10th !! Bring your smile!

Picture Retake Day will be on Wed. Oct. 23rd for those who miss Sept 10th or students wanting a retake.

All students and their families are invited to our PSS Back to School Barbeque. Come out for a Burger/Hotdog and

meet the staff at PSS!

PSS Meet the Staff Welcome BBQ 

Tuesday, September 10th, 2019 

5:00—7:00pm 

Volunteering at PSS 

We would be nothing without our PSS parent/guardian and community volunteers... 

In an effort to ensure that PSS has all the necessary forms needed for parents and community members to volun‐

teer at the school, we are requesting early submission of these forms prior to any volunteering throughout the year.

The purpose is to avoid disruptions to schedules while waiting for some of the requisite information to be processed

by other agencies, including insurance companies and the RCMP.

The following forms are required if volunteering at PSS: 

A Criminal Records Check (completed online) – Check with the office or your teacher/coach for the online code

and website. This process is free of charge and typically takes 1‐2 weeks to process). CRC’s are valid in SD 48 for

2 years.

A Consent to Volunteer Form – available through the school

In addition to these forms, if you are volunteering to drive students to/from an event, the following is

required:

A Driver’s Abstract – available through ICBC (Westland Insurance in Pemberton) ‐ valid at PSS for one full year.

A Volunteer Driver Authorization Application – available through the school

Proof of Excess Third Party Liability coverage for volunteer drivers and owners – minimum $2,000,000 (the

office will take a photocopy of your vehicle’s insurance papers)

Thank you in advance to all of our PSS Volunteers!

The Devil’s Digest, September 2019—School Year Start Up Edi on

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2019/20 School Supplies (general list)  4 medium 3‐ring binders OR 1 large zippered binder with

dividers (dividers for 4 binders) 1 Journal/spiral notebook 500 sheets, loose leaf lined paper

1 pkg graph paper

2 pkg’s lined index cards

1‐2 pkg’s duotangs (about 10)

Pencil case

3 pkg’s blue/black ink pens

2 black fine line permanent markers (Sharpies)

3 pkg’s HB pencils

Highlighters (at least 3 colours)

Erasers

Correction tape / fluid (liquid paper)

1 pkg pencil crayons

2 glue sticks

1 pair scissors

1 metric ruler

1 geometry set

1 scientific calculator

Gym Strip (if taking gym) ‐ running shoes and athletic clothing

Waterbottle (for use at our refillable stations.

*Additional supplies may be required from individual teachers within the first week of classes.

Ready,Set…Go!

A little homework on the first day—(for parents/guardians!) PSS requires the following forms to be completed for each student EVERY year. These forms will be coming

home with students on the first day of school.

1. Verification Form—It is critical that we have the right contact & medical information for your student.

Please check over this form carefully to ensure we have the most current information on file.

2. FOIPPA (Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Annual Consent). Required before a

student can access school technology.

3. School District 48 Aboriginal Education Program 2019‐20 –To be completed & returned only if your

student wishes to self identify as being of aboriginal descent. Please see the attached Aboriginal Educa‐

tion Brochure for more information.

4. Walking Fieldtrip Permission Form (good for local field trips for entire school year)

Students need to have ALL FORMS completed and returned before they will be issued a locker! 

Student Fees 2019‐2020 

The student fee of $25 is payable by all

students during the first week of school. The fee covers: Lockers costs

Printing costs

Grade 8/9 Agendas

Student Leadership activities.

This fee is payable online through our new 

online payment site: 

School Cash Online 

Please click the link to register for online payments—the process is very quick and easy! Once registered, you will be able to pay for other school related items throughout the year.

Sorry, no locker until this fee is paid! 

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Willkommen, Bienvenido, Bienvenue, Yokoso—WELCOME!!   

Welcome to all of our PSS International Students! PSS will be hosting 36 International Stu‐dents this year from the countries of Germany, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, Japan and Bra‐zil. Let’s make our visitors feel as welcome as possible—say “heh, eh”, share your knowledge of Pemberton and our school and make them feel at home!

New Faces at PSS!  

Parent Advisory Council 

The PAC is for every parent and guardian of students to have their voice on con‐cerns or interests in the school and we act as a liaison between parents and the school. The PAC receives around $5000 each year in gaming grant funding that supports extracurricular activities such as sports and art/drama. The PAC Board is always eager to welcome new members. If anyone is interested they can email psspac@gmail.com.  

Bussing Bus schedules for this year may be viewed on our

school district website at h ps://sd48seatosky.org/bus-routes/ It is recommended that students be at their bus 

stop a minimum of 10 minutes before the sched‐

uled stop time! 

International Students in the Ski, Board and Bike Academy con‐

tribute to local trail building as part of their curriculum!

PSS is pleased to welcome our new staff members! 

Ms. Karen Girouard  French Immersion Teacher

Mr. Connor Gray SD48 Construction Project Teacher

Ms. Emma Mullings  Middle School & Physics 11/12 Teacher

Ms. Picabo Reeves  Learning Support Teacher  And, of course, welcome back to our returning staff!

Rain or shine, walk or run—the whole school gets out for the

Terry Fox Run!

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PSS 2019‐2020 Timeline  Semester One (Sept. 3—Jan. 30) 

ACTIVITY/EVENT DATE

Office Open for New Student Registra on August 26th – 30th from 8:30 – 4:00pm

School Opens – Early Dismissal 10:20am Tuesday, September 3rd

Picture Day Tuesday, September 10th

Meet the Staff Welcome BBQ Tuesday, September 10th from 5:00 – 7:00pm

Club Day Friday, September 13th

Half‐Day Collabora on AB (Early Dismissal 11:44am) Wednesday, September 18th

PSS Terry Fox Run Friday, September 20th

Orange Shirt Day: Residen al School Awareness Monday, September 30th

Grad Mee ng (Parents & Students) Tuesday, October 1st 6:00pm

Thanksgiving (No School) Monday, October 14th

Parent/Teacher Conferences (Early Dismissal 1:30pm) Wednesday, October 16th

The Great BC Shakeout @ 10:17am (Earthquake Drill) Thursday, October 17th

Picture Re‐Takes Wednesday, October 23rd

BCTF Professional Day (No School) Friday, October 25th

SD48 Implementa on Day (No School) Friday, November 1st

Gr.10 Numeracy & Literacy Assessments November 4th - 12th

PSS Remembrance Day Ceremony Friday, November 8th

Remembrance Day (No School) Monday, November 11th

Gr.9 Immuniza ons Thursday, November 14th

We Day Vancouver Tuesday, November 19th

Report Cards Home (Gr.10‐12) Friday, November 22nd

Half‐Day Collabora on DC (Early Dismissal 11:44am) Wednesday, November 27th

Middle School 1st Report Card Home Friday, November 29th

Last Day of School before Holidays Friday, December 20th

Winter Break (No School) December 23rd – January 3rd

School Re‐Opens Monday, January 6th

Grad Pictures Tuesday, January 7th

Gr.10 Numeracy & Literacy Assessments January 20th – 24th

Gr. 10‐12 Assessment Days January 29th & 30th

Semester Turnaround Day (No School) Friday, January 31st

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PSS 2019‐2020 Timeline  Semester Two (Feb. 3 —June 25) 

ACTIVITY/EVENT DATE

Semester Two Begins Monday, February 3rd

Gr.10‐12 Report Cards Home Friday, February 7th

Day‐in‐Lieu for Aug.28th (No School) Friday, February 7th

Our School Engagement Survey February 10th – 14th

BC Family Day (No School) Monday, February 17th

Professional Development Day (No School) Monday, February 24th

Half‐Day Collabora on AB (Early Dismissal 11:44am) Wednesday, March 4th

Parent/Teacher Conferences (Early Dismissal 1:30pm) Wednesday, March 11th

Middle School 2nd Report Home Friday, March 13th

Last Day Before Spring Break Friday, March 13th

Spring Break (No School) March 16th – 27th

School Re‐Opens Monday, March 30th

Good Friday (No School) Friday, April 10th

Easter Monday (No School) Monday, April 13th

Gr.10 Numeracy & Literacy Assessments April 14th – 17th

Half‐Day Collabora on DC (Early Dismissal 11:44am) Wednesday, April 15th

SSTA Professional Day (No School) Monday, April 20th

Gr.10‐12 Report Cards Home Friday, April 24th

Day in Lieu for Aug.29th (No School) Friday, May 8th

Grade 12 Capstone Presenta ons Evening Thursday, May 21st

Victoria Day (No School) Monday, May 18th

New Gr.8 Orienta on & Welcome BBQ Tuesday, June 2nd 5:00 – 7:00pm

PSS Awards Night Tuesday, June 9th 7:00pm

PSS Farewell Ceremony TBA (possibly Saturday, June 13th)

Na onal Indigenous Day Flag Raising Ceremony Friday, June 19th

Last Day of Classes Friday, June 19th

Final Assessment Week June 22nd – 25th

Administra on Day (No School) Friday, June 26th

Report Cards Issued Friday, July 3rd