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Good afternoon River Runner families, I hope you are well heading into this extended long weekend.  The past four days have been full of excitement and learning in our precious little school, as Literacy Week was a definite success here at Saseenos.

As many pandemic-related restrictions continue to be lifted we are able to reconvene with some of our cherished school-related activities.  For me, one of the highlights on our calendar are the various school-wide assemblies planned throughout the school year.  This Monday past brought us an opportunity to assemble together to ‘kick off’ our Literacy Week in fine fashion.  As a staff we decided to ease back into this important school custom.  As such we planned two separate assemblies, essentially halving the amount of audience members for this first gathering.  I was quickly reminded of the impact such an event can hold, and it was so wonderful to convene together again!  For the past two years our assemblies have been largely hosted via MS Teams, which cannot come close to recreating the feeling of togetherness so highlighted during a physical school gathering.  What a fabulous way to start to our week.

Literacy week was a true success for our River Runners.  Through the variety of carefully planned activities and events we were definitely able to highlight the importance of literacy in our lives.  Watching our buddy classes read together this afternoon was a heartwarming send off into our weekend.

With the Easter weekend beckoning I decided to once again pose a question  for a selection of our River Runner population.  My query follows:

“What are your plans for the long weekend?”

Please read below for some very honest responses…

Jonas                     Going for a bike ride on the Galloping Goose with my dad.

Brooklyn S.            Going to the movies.

Navaeh                  Going to my Oma’s for Easter.

Emily                      Easter at my house.

Raelyn                    Hockey tournament in Vancouver.

Daxe                      Go to watch my dad in a demolition derby at Western Speedway.

Porter                     My cousins are coming for a sleepover.

Coral                      Going to an Easter Egg Hunt

Violet                     Going to my Grandma and Grandpa’s house.

Mason  M.             Playing with my family.

Kali                        Going to make crepes and go out for sushi.

Aria                       Hosting an Easter festival!

Airlie                      Dying eggs.

Kahlan                  Two Easter egg hunts and a dinner.

The above seem like some exciting plans for the next four days!

A friendly reminder that our April A&W lunch is approaching quickly.  The deadline to order is April 20.  Below is the url, which will take you to the Munch-A-Lunch website and allow you to participate in this hot lunch extravaganza.  Thanks again to Sonja and our amazing PAC team for providing this opportunity.  Bring on the Baby Burger combo…

https://munchalunch.com/schools/saseenos/

 

Please Be Certain to Add these Dates to Your Family Calendars:

* Fri, April 15              Good Friday (No School)

* Mon, April 18           Easter Monday (No School)

* Thurs, April 28         A&W Hot Lunch

 

As we embark upon this four-day weekend, please try to be mindful of those people most important to us in this world.  Our relationships and personal bonds are vital to our true happiness and these extended breaks provide that necessary time to connect.  I hope that these next four days bring happiness to you and your family.

Please have a wonderful weekend.

Gord

 
 

Good afternoon River Runner families, I hope this correspondence finds you well as we continue to experience a myriad of weather patterns here in our little slice of paradise.  What in many ways felt like a whirlwind of a week brought with it the much-welcomed opportunity for us to reconnect with our students and respective families.  I revere my time away from school, as I desperately cherish quality time spent with my own family.  However, I love my role here at Saseenos and connecting with our little ones and families remains at the top of my priority list.  The busy-ness of our school grounds, as we head into these warmer months, is a true highlight for me.

Thank you to those families able to participate in our recent Parent-Teacher conversations.  I realize that time is an absolute precious commodity in our lives, but the opportunity for teachers and families to connect is invaluable on behalf of our little ones.  Facilitating and fostering these home-school relationships is vital to the success of our students as we look to foster their respective growth and development.  Thank you for your partnership in this regard.

I am hoping that many of our lost and found items were able to find their way home as of yesterday.  However, many articles of clothing seem to remain unclaimed!  Once the weather clears I will again have these items on display for your perusal.  At some point we will be delivering a large donation to an appropriate organization, but I will give you a heads up before this occurs.  Thank you for your assistance with this one.

As we are all well aware the mask mandate has been lifted for our schools.  Although this is likely a welcome change in most of our lives, this also brings some nervousness for many of our staff and families.  As such, many of our staff and students still choose to utilize a mask within our environment.  This is of course supported here at school, and we will continue to promote a universally supportive approach and understanding as our world re-evolves in many ways.  We will also maintain a constant supply of disposable masks at school for those staff and students in need.  Thank you for your understanding and flexibility as mandates are lifted and we become accustomed to an ever-evolving landscape.

A friendly reminder that our April A&W lunch is approaching quickly.  The deadline to order is April 20.  Below is the url, which will take you to the Munch-A-Lunch website and allow you to participate in this hot lunch extravaganza.  Thanks again to Sonja and our amazing PAC team for providing this opportunity.  Bring on the Baby Burger combo…

https://munchalunch.com/schools/saseenos/

Next week provides us with a definite focal point on our school calendar.  It is Literacy Week in the land of the River Runners!  This is a yearly focus within our school, and allows us to highlight the importance of literature within our lives.  We have a number of activities planned, and below you will find but a few such events upcoming for the week of April 11:

* Whole School Assembly to ‘kick off’ the proceedings

* School-Wide Writing

* Read Outside

* Guest Readers

We are eagerly anticipating the opportunity to reinforce the importance of reading in our daily lives and I can’t thank enough our literacy team for coordinating such an enjoyable series of events.  Stay tuned for a recap of another exciting week in these parts…

Please Be Certain to Add these Dates to Your Family Calendars:

* April 11-14               Literacy Week

* Fri, April 15              Good Friday (No School)

* Mon, April 18           Easter Monday (No School)

* Thurs, April 28         A&W Hot Lunch

Thank you for your continued partnership, as we continue to guide our little ones on their educational journey.  The next few months will pass us by at what may seem like ‘light speed’ so please join me in enjoying the proverbial ride and remembering to celebrate even the little things bestowed upon us.

Please have a wonderful weekend.

Gord

 
 
 
 

Good afternoon River Runner families, and Happy Friday to all of you.  I hope this correspondence finds you well heading into our Family Day long weekend.  As we head into our last full week of February, I can’t help but feel contented anticipation as Spring is literally just around that proverbial corner.  The past few days have been a welcome reminder of where we are heading!

We enjoyed another fulfilling week here in the land of the River Runners, albeit a shortened version with the 4-day calendar.  We continue to foster values important in this world–respect, kindness and honest to name but a few–and we thank you profusely for your partnership in this regard.  We are definitely fortunate to be members of this special school community and I look forward to continuing this journey we refer to as the 21/22 school year.

Of particular significance from the week just completed was the exciting opportunity to exchange those Valentine’s, which happened throughout our school this Monday past.  What a way to start our week!  This special celebration provides our little ones the chance to celebrate their connections within our school and manages to create much excitement and happiness as a welcomed by-product.  Needless to say, the energy was flowing on Monday!

You will notice a very important date on our calendar for the upcoming week–that being Pink Day.  Pink Day, or Pink Shirt Day as it is often labelled, is this coming Wednesday, February 23.  This is a day where we celebrate kindness, a very important value in our lives, in a visually stimulating fashion.  At Saseenos we will be asking for our community to create that veritable ‘Sea of Pink’ so please send your child dressed accordingly if at all possible.  We will be hosting a virtual assembly within the school, as this is a much anticipated date on our agenda.  As is promoted heavily at Saseenos, the importance of kindness should be a piece of our daily lives, and Pink Day just offers us a highlight opportunity in this regard.

In my ‘travels’ I came across a very interesting article related to kindness and how we can instill this purposefully and naturally with our children.  Please take a read if you have but a few minutes over the next few days.

6 Ways to Teach Kids to Be Kind.docx

In our last version of our River Runner Weekly I mentioned an opportunity for any interested lacrosse players.  Unfortunately I failed to attach the related information.  Let’s have a ‘Take 2’ in this regard.  Please see below for any interested families.

Jdflacrossefebruarynewsletter.PDF

Please Be Sure to Note the Following Dates to Your Family Calendars:

Monday, Feb 21            Family Day—No School

Wednesday, Feb 23      Pink Shirt Day!

Friday, Feb 25               Cozy Friday!

Friday, March 18           Last Day Before Spring Break

Monday, April 4             Schools Reopen After the Break

As we head into this much-welcomed long weekend, please take advantage of this opportunity to celebrate those closest to you in this world.  As current restrictions continue to be lifted, and we move headlong towards a new sense of normal, we need to count our good fortunes at any chance to connect with our loved ones.

Please have a wonderful weekend and I look forward to seeing you on Tuesday.

Gord

 
 

Dress up with a friend!

 
 

A reminder that this Wednesday is Pink Shirt Day! To find out more please visit this link:

https://www.pinkshirtday.ca/

 
 

Good afternoon River Runner families, I hope this correspondence finds you both safe and well.  I am a little taken aback by the fact that we are now in February and thus at or near the half-way point of the school year!  We have managed to create so many wonderful memories in the past few months, and I am very much looking forward to continuing our journey together.

We definitely witnessed some Groundhog Day fun in many of our classrooms.  Apparently we have a provincial groundhog, aptly named Van Isle Violet, and she has predicted 6 more weeks of winter in these parts!  Let’s hope that this is a slight exaggeration…

Thank you for your continued diligence in terms of all that is COVID-related.  We continue to do all that we can, here at Saseenos, to keep our precious little school safe and open for learning.  The Daily Health Check is at the forefront of our safety-quest, and I thank you for your piece in this.  If you ever have any questions in this regard, please do not hesitate to contact me directly.  Protocols and restrictions are ever-altering, and I will do my best to keep our community current and informed.

I have now obtained the latest restrictions regarding Valentine’s Day within our schools.  Unfortunately we will be utilizing the same protocols as last year, which are outlined below:

a.            Students can exchange Valentines (cards with pens, stickers or other are allowed).

b.            No food or candy exchanged.

c.             We will also remind students to wash/sanitize hands prior to Valentine’s distribution.

Thank you for your attention to the above.  The delivery of Valentine’s at school is always such an exciting time for our little ones, and a tradition that many of us likely recall (hopefully with fondness) from our own past experiences.  This remains one of those exciting days on the school calendar!

Attached below you will find information regarding two, free online parenting events happening this month.  They are offered through FamilySmart, and may be of interest to you.

FamilySmart Event FEB 23_2022.pdf

FamilySmart Event FEB16_2022.pdf

 

Please Be Sure to Note the Following Dates to Your Family Calendars:

Friday, Feb 18          Non-Instructional Day–No School for Students

Monday, Feb 21       Family Day—No School

Friday, Feb 25          Cozy Friday!

Friday, March 18      Last Day Before Spring Break

Monday, April 4        Schools Reopen After the Break

 

Thank you so much for your continued support and partnership as we guide our River Runners on this educational journey.  Saseenos is a truly precious little school and I feel so fortunate to be a member of this kind and caring community.

Please have a wonderful weekend.

Gord

 
 

Good afternoon River Runner families, and welcome to another Friday here at our precious little school.  I hope this message finds you safe and well.  During these turbulent times it is vital that we remain positive and stay the proverbial course.  Although our collective patience continues to be tested, we will indeed get through this!

We enjoyed quite a lovely past five days here at Saseenos.  We were so happy to welcome the remainder of our little ones back into our building on Monday, thus adding that much appreciated energy to our environment.  Our River Runners returned from the break ready to learn and enjoy our days to the fullest.  Speaking on my own behalf, it was truly wonderful to reconnect with all of our little ones over the past 5 days.

As mentioned previously, we will be displaying our Lost & Found items in the very near future.  At the moment we have quite a collection of items and I’m hoping that we can reconnect these articles with the rightful owners.  Please stay tuned for more direction in this regard.

I thank you for continued flexibility and compliance with our school-related COVID protocols.  I take seriously my responsibility in this regard, and do have a couple of pertinent reminders to pass your way:

* Adults and Masks–We understand and respect your decisions, as adults, regarding mask-wear.  However, please do not enter the school if you are not wearing a mask.  I realize that this may cause an inconvenience for some of our families, but it is our responsibility to remind you of this district-wide protocol.  On that note, reach out to us should you need any assistance and we will always do our best to help!  Please also use your best discretion when outside on the school grounds.  If unmasked, please avoid high traffic areas, such as school doors at the beginning and/or end of the school day.  I realize that this may be an inconvenience for some of our families, but it is my ultimate responsibility to make sure that we are all following appropriate expectations.  I thank you profusely for your adherence to these expectations.

* Phoning Before Entering Building–Please remember to follow the directions as posted on our front doors.  We ask that you phone the office before entering the building, as we are being directed to limit the number of visitors within our school.  We sincerely hope that this expectation is loosened in the near future, as we would love nothing more than to welcome our families back within our building.

I realize that we, as a society, are growing weary of many of these COVID related protocols and mandates.  However, this pandemic will be but a distant memory at some point, so let’s continue to work together to keep Saseenos as safe as possible.  Ultimately it is our restrictions, such as the ones listed above, which allow us to remain open during these very strained times.  Thank you so much for remaining positive and continuing to contribute to our positive culture here in the land of the River Runners.

As is standard to many of my weekly updates, I again polled a selection of our student population with the following query:

“What do you most value about Saseenos?”

Following are the honest responses from a few of our River Runners:

Kali — My friends

Brooklyn S. — All of the people

Eva — Math

Dawson — Playing hockey on the new court

Jordyn — Playing with my friends

Lucy — Having the best teacher ever!

Navaeh — The library

Coral — Getting to be here

Scarlett — The people

Rhys L. — Being in Nature K

Tenley — Being out in nature

Brooklyn H. — The kind people here

As you can deduce, from the above responses, our school continues to offer an environment full of love, laughter, connection and learning.  What a lovely place to call our home away from home.

Please Be Sure to Add the Following Dates to Your Family Calendars:

Friday, Jan 21          Spirit Day–tba

Friday, Jan 28          Cozy Friday!

Friday, Feb 18          Non-Instructional Day–No School for Students

Monday, Feb 21       Family Day

As we head into another weekend, I hope that the next couple of days offer you the opportunity to connect with those closest to you in this world.  Personally, I relish every chance to spend time with my wife and children, as I look forward to some old movies and time outside over the next two days.  I do hope you are able to find a similar level of satisfaction.

Please take care, stay safe, and have a wonderful weekend.

Gord

 
 

Good afternoon River Runner families, I hope this message finds you safe, warm, and well.  Thank you for your patience, understanding and general flexibility as we continue to navigate this ever-changing COVID landscape.

You will have received communication from SD62, earlier today, regarding the re-opening of our schools on January 10, and an additional email regarding the reality of potential school closures in our future.

As a staff, here at Saseenos, we have utilized this past week to review and enhance safety measures related to our school, and to additionally prepare in the event of potential school closures.  Please read carefully the email correspondences sent your way via SD62, as the school closure protocols are outlined very clearly within.  If you do have any questions and/or concerns in this regard, please do reach out to me directly and I will do my best to assist in any way I can.

This recent wave of the pandemic has again highlighted the importance of our safety measures currently in place here at Saseenos.  As a school community you have been so accommodating in this regard, and we can’t thank you enough for your efforts to date.  As part of our ongoing mission to keep Saseenos as safe as possible, I ask of you to kindly consider the bullet points below:

·         ** Daily Health Checks—please continue to monitor your child(ren) before setting off for school each and every day.  If experiencing any symptoms we ask that you keep your little one(s) home until these clear up.  On the same notion, we will continue to call home should symptoms present whilst at school and we thank you for your ongoing cooperation with this one.

·         ** Masks—it is an expectation that all humans within our building mask-up whilst at school.  Existing exemptions will of course continue to be honoured, but please do consider this notion for your little one.  We do understand that masks are not a reality for all of the adults in our world, but it is a requirement when entering our buildings throughout the district.

·         ** The Building—we are being asked to continue to limit the amount of visitors within our school.  Thus, we will ask you to continue to phone the school before entering the building.  We have a sign posted on the front door, listing the phone number, and thank you for your patience with this one.  If you are dropping by during the lunch hour (12-1) your phone call may not be answered.  I am always outside during the lunch hour, so if your call is unanswered please just look for me outside and I will help you in any way needed.

·         ** Before/After School—Please continue to be cognizant of large gatherings on the school ground as you drop off your little one or await our daily dismissal.  Social distance is a proven method of preventing virus transmission, and seems significantly enhanced when coupled with proper mask-usage—please utilize these precautions if at all possible.

As we move forward with potential school closures on the horizon, communication will remain a vital key to our success.  If your child is going to be away, whether sick or not, please let us know as soon as possible.  We also understand that some families may choose to keep your little ones over the next little while, and we will support you in any way we can.

In the case of absences, please follow this protocol:

·         ** Email Sandy (and cc Gord) as soon as you know that your child is going to be absent:

o   shull@sd62.bc.ca

o   gjohnson@sd62.bc.ca

In determining potential school closures, Island Health and our District management will be utilizing our absence data in the ultimate decision-making process.  Thank you for your attention to this one!

Although much of the information coming your way today has likely provided a stark taste of reality, we will be moving forward with a ‘business as usual’ approach, so-to-speak.  I know that we will continue to provide the loving and learning-rich environment which has become synonymous with Saseenos, and we look forward to reconnecting with our families on Monday morning and throughout next week.  Whilst we are currently faced with many challenges, we will get through this!  Let’s continue to work together, draw from our inner-fountains of grit, and enjoy each and every day for the gift that it provides.

Thank you for continuing to contribute to our amazing culture here at Saseenos.  I feel very privileged to be a member of this caring community and look forward to working with our families as we move forward in 2022.

Please stay safe and have a wonderful weekend.

Gord

 
 

Good afternoon River Runner families, and a ‘Happy New Year’ to you and your loved ones. I sincerely hope that you were able to enjoy this past holiday season, and spend some quality time with those closest to you in this wild world.
In addition to passing on a warm River Runner welcome to 2022, I thought it best to touch base regarding the upcoming school week. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we continue to navigate school life in an ever-changing pandemic. Throughout this tumultuous period in our lives I have been reminded of the importance of living each day to the absolute fullest. However, I have also become very accustomed to dealing with, and thus adapting to, sudden changes in our daily lives. The recently announced delay in the restart of our school year is just but one example of the fluid nature of our lives at the moment.
As you are now undoubtedly aware, the restart for school has been delayed to January 10. The purpose for this delay is to allow schools to plan and prepare for the sustained safety of our staff, students and families as we deal with the recent spike in COVID cases throughout our province and across the globe. Our schools will essentially be closed to most of our students, aside from the children of health care workers and others classified under the ‘essential service’ category. Please pay close attention to the recent SD62 emails, as both the reasoning and logistics related to these decisions are outlined in detail. Essentially the PHO is asking for students to remain home, if at all possible, whilst educators utilize the time between January 4-7 to plan and prepare for continued safety and a potentially tenuous near future.
As always we will get through this current challenge if we continue to work together. Although the current landscape remains stressful and often frustrating, I thank you for your ongoing flexibility, patience and cooperation as we move forward in the 21/22 school year.
If you do require your child to attend school for the upcoming 4 days, or if you have any questions whatsoever, please reach out to me directly.
Please enjoy the remainder of your Sunday.
Gord

 
 

Due to significant snow accumulation, SD62 schools are closed to all staff and students today.