Dear Families,
Please take a few minutes to review the items below to help us make sure things go smoothly for the kids in the coming days. All of our Portal Announcements are also posted on our school website if you every need to double check any school updates.
- Term Two Reporting is NEXT Week! –Just a reminder that next Thursday (March 4th ) is an early dismissal for conferencing and students are dismissed at 11:30. Next Friday (March 5th) is also a conference day and there is no school for students on this day except for their Zoom Conference. Classes will follow the usual controlled and staggered student release format for the Thursday early dismissal.
Covid-19 has created unprecedented circumstances for learning: there is nothing “normal” with respect to how students, teachers, and parents are interacting this year. At c̓əsqənelə we have prioritized three things:
- Building relationships with our students because we believe they are the foundation of education.
- Supporting our students social-emotional health because we recognize that mental health and wellness are very important during a time when people are not sure about the future.
- Meeting students “where they are” in their learning journey and planning instruction from there. We know that there were many differences in students’ and families’ learning situations in the spring and that learning was interrupted or altered.
As we communicate student learning this March, we will be celebrating students’ strengths, identifying their needs, and together determining goals for the upcoming term.
We will again display all lost and found items that we have collected during these conference days to help families find missing clothing.
- School Parking Lot & Pick Up/Drop Off Routines
Just a monthly to reminder to please drive slowly and pay particular attention when dropping off and picking up students. To allow traffic to move as smoothly as possible within the school driveway please remember to drive as far down the main school driveway as possible before pulling over to the right side. When vehicles drive further into the driveway we are able to accommodate far more vehicles. Lastly, please remind your children to use the school’s two designated crosswalks to reduce the chances of an accident.
- Kindness Counts Day is THIS Wednesday!!!! Please encourage your children to wear any clothing that visibly supports the importance of kind words and kind actions this Wednesday. We hope to see our school full of clothing that has positive messages about kindness and respect or are the colours pink/red to make a very visible statement on this day!
- SD42 Enhanced Cleaning in Schools – Vital Oxide
The health and safety of our students and staff is always our primary concern. In the context of the current COVID-19 pandemic, we have the added responsibility of ensuring that our facilities are cleaned and disinfected in accordance with the Provincial COVID-19 Health & Safety Guidelines for K-12 Settings.
The school district currently uses Vital Oxide solution as part of its enhanced daily cleaning regimen implemented to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19. It is hypoallergenic, biodegradable, fragrance-free, food-safe, and non-toxic. The product is registered with the Environmental Protection Agency and has one of the safest classifications possible while also killing 99.999% of bacteria and viruses within minutes.
The district initially used a bleach-based cleaner when schools reopened for in-classroom instruction in September but switched to the eco-friendly Vital Oxide in late October/early November to address feedback received from schools. Fraser Health has confirmed that this product is not hazardous and non-toxic, and is not expected to cause respiratory or skin irritation. Eye contact may cause mild irritation.
As always, if you have any concerns, please make sure to share these concerns with me. You can reach me at the school by phone at 604-466-6231. In rare instances where an adverse reaction does occur, the district can switch to a different hypoallergenic product for that classroom.
Mr. Wheatley