August 27, 2024 - Welcome Back Families
Dear Aya7ayulh Chet (Cultural Journeys) and Learning Expeditions Families,
This email is to officially welcome your family to the 2024-25 school year at St’a7mes School. We are honoured to be teaching and learning on the traditional and unceded territory of the Skwxwú7mesh Nation.
I am so very pleased to be rejoining the St’a7mes family, in many ways it feels like a homecoming. I was fortunate to be here in the inaugural year of the Learning Expeditions program. It was, without a doubt, my most memorable year as an educator. In returning to St’a7mes I am looking forward to bringing what I have learned over the last number of years but, more importantly, being open to the vast amount of wisdom that exists within our community.
Our collective school goal continues to be about finding new ways to improve connectedness for all our students while encouraging authentic, deep and meaningful learning. This has been a consistent theme at St’a7mes since its inception and the core concept that ‘we are all connected’ holds true. We will focus on the key principles and practices that make our school so beautiful and unique: culture, place, people and powerful projects.
Over the coming weeks I will share additional information with families around some key structures at our school. In particular, our St’a7mes values (and our focus on positive behaviour supports) as well as our use of circle process (click the links to learn more). I would like to close by encouraging families to maintain regular communication with your child’s classroom teacher and to not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.
Please see below for some important dates and information for school start–up!
Sincerely,
Cory Hartling – Principal
Important First Week of School Information and Schedule Grades 1-11 students:
The 2024-25 school year will start up Tuesday, September 3rd, 2024. Teachers and staff will be on our playground to meet and greet before school. At 9:00 am we will drum in students to their classrooms from the field. Parents are welcome to join us in the Gym for tea to connect with each other while waiting for students to be dismissed. Students will be dismissed at 10:00am from their classroom doors. Please note that students who are riding the bus will be dismissed at 10:30am with an 11:00am transfer at Howe Sound Secondary.
Classroom Placement
For the upcoming school year we have three classes at St’a7mes school:
K-3 (Early Years): Ms. Lindsey and Ms. Kye
4-6 (Intermediate): Ms. Kathleen
7-11 (Learning Expeditions): Ms. Emily
Your child’s teacher is indicated by their current grade. For students in K-3 this is a shared classroom with both Ms. Lindsey and Ms. Kye acting as the classroom teachers.
Personal Devices
We would like to remind families that, consistent with Ministry of Education policy, St’a7mes will be working on implementing a personal device policy for the 2024/25 school year. Schools are required, as of September, implement the following:
- restrictions on the use of personal digital devices at school, including during hours of instruction;
- use of personal digital devices for instructional purposes and digital literacy;
- use of personal digital devices that is appropriate to a student’s age and developmental stage;
While we will work to create specific policy that works for our school, the following expectations will be in place as of September:
- Students in Aya7ayulh Chet (Cultural Journeys) should not bring personal electronic devices to school unless it is a required support within an individualized education plan (IEP).
- Students in Learning Expeditions, who bring a personal device to school, will be asked to place their device in a bin or holder provided by their teacher. No personal devices are to be used during instructional time unless under the direction of the classroom teacher. Accommodations will be made as needed within the context of a student's IEP.
Staff will be working with students over the first week of the school year to remind them and support them with this change.
Families looking to connect with students during instructional time are asked to call the office and a message will be communicated to the student. We appreciate your support in this matter.
Kindergarten Start Up
Kindergarten students will join us on Wednesday, September 4th, 2024. Please find below the gradual entry schedule. Please drop off and pick up students at the exterior classroom door. The schedule below applies unless an individual plan has been coordinated with Ms. Lindsey and Ms. Kye.
Gradual Kindergarten Entry
School Bus Information:
Please note that St’a7mes students are eligible for courtesy ridership (with exception of families living in Valleycliffe ). You will need to register for a bus pass in order to ride the bus. Bus passes will be mailed to families this week and will need to be presented to the bus driver each day. You will be able to ride the bus without a pass on the first day, if you have not received one however, they will be required for the remainder of the school year. Please follow the link to complete the bus registration forms: https://www.sd48seatosky.org/apps/pages/schoolbus
Students who are riding the bus on the first day ( Sept 3rd) will be dropped off at Howe Sound at 10:45am. School busses will depart HSS between 11:00 and 11:15am. Please expect your student’s arrival time at home accordingly. Bussing will return to its normal schedule on Wednesday, September 4th. Please find the bus schedule here.
School Supplies Orders:
We have ordered school supplies in bulk for the students for next year. Families will be asked to pay $35 to “School Cash Online”. An email will be sent home next week with instructions on how to register, if you have not done so already.
First Day Package/Email:
Your child will be receiving a First Day Package. Please review the documents, sign and send them back by Friday, September 6th. You will also receive an email with links to our “School Cash Online” page which will include consent forms to be signed.
PAC (Parent Advisory Council), Family Volunteers and Welcome Back BBQ.
St’a7mes is a family school and we are always looking for ways to meaningfully partner with families. Given that, please consider joining us as a volunteer if you are able. Research clearly supports that when caregivers participate and are involved in their child’s education, there is a greater likelihood of success for their child. With that in mind, we invite you to become an active participant in our school by volunteering, joining our Parent Advisory Council (PAC) and attending school events. The first PAC meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 17th at 6:00 pm directly following our welcome back BBQ (which will be held from 4:00-6:00 pm).
School Communication:
We are committed to using a variety of ways to communicate with families throughout the year including our ongoing Principal’s Message that will provide reminders, upcoming events and learning updates. This newsletter will also be posted to our school webpage: https://www.sd48sta7mes.org/
Important Upcoming Dates:
Staff Announcements:
We are very pleased to have the following staff join us this year:
Cory Hartling - Principal
Madison Merry - Learning Services
Jodie Petruzzellis - Counseling
For a full list of staff at St’a7mes school click here