Friday Blast
Maple Ridge Elementary
Friday, Jan. 9th, 2026
THIS WEEK
We’d like to wish all our MRE families a healthy and happy new year!
NEXT WEEK
Monday Jan. 12th
3:00 pm – 4:00 pm: Rec Boys Basketball home game vs. Meadowridge
Tuesday Jan. 13th
7:15 am – 8:20 am: Tier 1 basketball practice
Wednesday Jan. 14th
3:00 pm – 4:00 pm: Tier 1 Basketball away game at Hammond Elementary
Thursday Jan. 15th
7:15 am – 8:20 am: Tier 1 basketball practice
PAC Treat Day: Tim Hortons
2:30 pm – 3:30 pm: Boys and Girls Rec basketball teams’ practice
Friday Jan. 16th
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
Jan. 27th– Pro D Day (school not in session)
Feb. 13th– Pro D Day (school not in session)
Feb. 16th– Family Day (school not in session)
BREAKFAST CLUB
Starting next week, our breakfast program will follow the same district-designed menu as other elementary schools in SD42. This supports our food management process. Your child’s favourite item, such as cereal, may only be available on certain days moving forward. Thank you for your understanding.
INCLEMENT WEATHER PROCEDURES: SNOW
As the weather cools, please review the school district’s inclement weather procedures as they relate to snowfall and possible school closures.
The decision to close schools due to accumulating snowfall is ultimately the responsibility of the superintendent, who must balance the safety of students, staff and parents with the need to provide learning. The decision is not taken lightly and is the result of a carefully thought-out process that is reviewed after each experience and refined if necessary.
Except in rare circumstances, no announcement will be made if schools are open.
The decision to close schools is made by 6:30 a.m. Details are:
- posted on the SD42 Website (www.sd42.ca).
- posted on the SD42 Facebook feed (SD42Facebook);
- posted on the SD42 Twitter feed (@sd42news);
- shared with News 1130, CKNW, and CBC 690 radio stations.
Please note: The district supports individual and family decisions regarding safety. Parents/guardians have primary responsibility for their children’s safe travel to school. If, for any reason, there are personal concerns about the ability to travel safely to school, other arrangements should be made.
THE MIDDLE YEARS DEVELOPMENT INSTRUMENT (MDI) – GRADE 5 STUDENTS
SD42 has partnered with the Human Early Learning Partnership (HELP) at the University of British Columbia to measure and promote children’s social and emotional development, health, well-being, and assets through the Middle Years Development Instrument (MDI). The Middle Years Development Instrument (MDI) is a self-report questionnaire that asks children in middle childhood about their thoughts, feelings and experiences. The MDI is the first survey of its kind to gather information about the lives of children both in school, in the home and in the community, from their own perspective. 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.
Grade 5 students are invited to complete the MDI during class time between:
January 13th and March 13th, 2026.
For more information and to view the questionnaires:
https://earlylearning.ubc.ca/monitoring-system/mdi/mdi-overview/
Parent FAQs:
https://earlylearning.ubc.ca/monitoring-system/mdi/parent-caregiver-info/
If you don’t want your child to participate, please contact your child’s teacher, fill out the withdrawal form at the end of the parent/guardian informed passive consent letter, or contact the MDI project staff at mdi@help.ubc.ca.
PARENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Happy New Year, MRE families!
Welcome back! We hope everyone had a wonderful winter break filled with rest, joy, and quality time with loved ones. We’re excited to kick off 2026 with some great events and opportunities coming up!
BINGO COMMITTEE MEETING – Monday, Jan 12 at 7pm in the MRE Library. Help us plan our upcoming Bingo fundraiser! All interested parents welcome.
NEXT PAC MEETING – Monday, Jan 19 at 6:30pm in the MRE Library. All are welcome! Need childcare? Email pac.mre@gmail.com Agenda and previous minutes will be circulated one week prior.
ADVOCACY WORKSHOP – FREE! Wednesday, Jan 14 at 6:30pm | Online via Zoom BCCPAC Workshop: Advocacy 101 – Learn how to effectively advocate for your child and all students! Understand the education system and how to make your voice heard. Register here! https://bccpac.bc.ca/index.php/events/2026-01-advocacy
HOT LUNCH – JAN-MARCH SESSION DATES Mark your calendars and get ready to order!
- Jan 16 – TREAT DAY – TIM HORTONS DONUTS (Orders due Jan 8)
- Jan 30 – HOT LUNCH – SUSHI (Orders due Jan 22)
- Feb 12 – TREAT DAY – BUBBLE TEA NEW Vendor! (Orders due Feb 4) Note: Thursday Treat Day due to Pro-D on Friday
- Feb 27 – HOT LUNCH – PIZZA PIZZA (Orders due Feb 19)
- Mar 6 – TREAT DAY – TCBY New Flavours! (Orders due Feb 26)
Order at mre.parentcouncil.net | Questions?
BINGO TICKETS – EARLY BIRD PRICING! Get your tickets for our ’90s-themed Bingo night on Feb 20th! Prizes up to $1000! https://mre-pac.square.site/
Silent Auction Donations Needed: We’re accepting item or service donations for our Bingo Night silent auction. Funds raised will support sensory spaces and regulation rooms for students. Email us if you or someone you know would like to donate!
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES Check out ways to help with hot lunch and other upcoming events at https://signup.com/go/dgsaFVo
Questions? Email us at pac.mre@gmail.com or find us on Facebook: Maple Ridge Elementary PAC
IN OUR COMMUNITY
KEEP YOUR CHILD HEALTHY DURING WINTER
As the chilly winter season approaches, there are things you can do to help keep your children healthy
and well.
Get ready for winter at home and in the community
Winter can bring extreme weather and it’s important
to have plans to be safe during cold weather, storms
and power outages, including staying warm, having a carbon monoxide detector and planning for emergencies. Learn about programs that can support your family:
- Get ready for winter: Snow and cold safety for you and your home – Fraser Health Authority
- Indoor air quality – Fraser Health Authority
Bundle up for the cold
Dressing appropriately for cold weather keeps your child comfortable and protected. Wearing multiple layers is a great way to trap body heat and provide insulation against the cold.
Keep a warm hat, gloves, scarves and warm, waterproof boots handy. Remind your child to wear these items before heading outside to play or going to school.
Learn about hypothermia and frostbite as children can be more susceptible.
Protect against winter illnesses
Winter brings an increased risk of colds and flu. Ensure your child receives their annual flu vaccine and talk to a health care provider about any additional vaccines that may be recommended. Teach your child good respiratory etiquette such as regular hand washing, covering their coughs and sneezes and staying home when sick. If they are sick and cannot stay away from others, masks can help to reduce the risk of spreading illness. Learn more about masks here.
Keep their bodies moving
It is important to keep your child active during winter as regular physical activity is important for good health. Outdoor activities such as skating, sledding and going for walks as a family are all great ways to keep active. On colder days, indoor play and activities such as dancing, yoga or sports are great ways to promote movement. Look for drop-in programs at local community centres or indoor sports facilities.
If you play on frozen lakes or ponds, be sure that the ice has been tested for strength and safety. Learn more on the Lifesaving Society’s website.
Find more tips for a healthy winter on Fraser Health’s Winter Health page.
Foundry News
The Foundry provides mental health care, substance use services, physical and sexual health care, youth, and family peer supports, and social services to youth aged 12-24 years of age. It provides drop-in counselling as well as various social events that your child can attend. This is a terrific way to build positive connections with others within the Maple Ridge community.