Our Weekly Nov. 1

Nov. 1, 2024

Dear Black Bear Families

Happy Diwali to our community! For Halloween this year, our Black Bears put together an impressive gallery of Jack o Lanterns. Their costumes were a showcase of ghoulish and comic creativity too; they paraded to Journey to show them off to our middle school neighbours who thought they were adorable, of course.

Our days are getting shorter and finding ways to bring light and warmth into our lives is a way to enjoy it. Diwali, the festival of lights, does this, and so does a cozy fire with family. On that note, Remember clocks fall back on November 3rd so you all get an extra hour’s sleep and brighter mornings for a bit. 

• • Action Item: Student Information Contacts are now published to MyEd BC family portal, please login to the portal and check for correct phone numbers, addresses, and pick up people using this ink: https://www.myeducation.gov.bc.ca/aspen/. This email came to you earlier today. Please let us know of any changes by emailing us at ashea@sd62.bc.ca. Changes and updates will be made over the next few weeks. These changes will be made until November 22nd, 2024.

• Safety Reminder: When our school staff does not recognize someone picking up a student we may ask for ID. If the person is not on the contact pick up list we will need to contact family before releasing our student.

• Lost and Found is going to be donated next Friday, November 8th. It is overflowing and spilling onto the floor. Please come and look if you are missing something.
• Preparing and dressing for the weather: A reminder to send in a change of clothes for your student. Our Kindergartens to Grade 5s have slips and spills and a change of clothes here makes for a quick fix and on with the day. Thank you. Remember we go outside in all weather so please send your child prepared for the day with outside time. Thank you 
• The Poirier Choir is pleased to be presenting a song at our Remembrance Day assembly on Friday, November 8th at 10:45. We are asking all choir members to please wear black or dark coloured clothing on Friday, and each student will be given a red choir scarf to wear, along with their poppy. Poirier families are welcome to attend. If your child is in choir, please check the “CHOIR” group in the Poirier App. We update families on choir happenings using the app, and will have some news to share soon about a singing opportunity in the community in December.  – Mme Arts and Mrs. Murphy
• QR code to download our app:

• Community Groups and Events of Interest to Our Families:

Do you have a child with autism or who is neurodivergent? The Sooke Autism Support Society is a grassroots community based group who is there for you and your family. For example they offer programs like this one: “ SASS SIBKIDS SIBSHOPS – Monday, November 4 at 3:30 pm @ The Sooke Regional Library This is an amazing program for siblings of those with special needs – Advanced Registration is required. For more information visit our website at www.sooke-sass.com and click on the link for Sibshops Registration.” Check SASS out on facebook too.

Attached:

• 6 Conversations To Have With Your Preteen -Zoom information presentation on Nov. 18th

Information From PAC

The “Created By Kids” art fundraiser is back.  For new parents to our community, each student is given a card on which to design their own artwork.  When the card is sent home, you can then go online and view a catalogue of products on which you can have your child’s artwork printed.  All orders are done online and then those who have ordered something must return the cards to school filled out, to be sent to the company for printing.  Cards will be returned with the ordered item.  The PAC then receives a percentage of all sales to use toward equipment and events for our school.  Cards should be coming home around November 8th, and need to be returned to the school no later than November 18th.

Scholastic Book fair is happening November 19th to 21st! We will have lunch time sales on the 19th and 20th for children to shop, who are allowed to bring money to school, and after school for an hour if parents would like to come with their children or come and shop.  For our little ones who are too young to count money, it would be helpful if parents helped them count it ahead of time and put the amount on a piece of tape or a note with their money, so we can better help them understand what they have enough money for. November 21st is early dismissal, shared learning and teacher conference day, we will be open for sales at 11:40am dismissal time and throughout portions of the day for parents who may wish to come and shop for their children.  

Dates Ahead:

November 5, Tuesday PAC Meeting 7pm

November 8, Friday Remembrance Day Ceremony

November 11, Monday Remembrance Day -No School

November 19-21 Book Fair

November 21, Thursday Early Dismissal for Shared Learning Dismissal 11:40

November 22, Friday Professional Development Day -No School

December 20, Friday Last day before winter break

Have a restful weekend.

Tess Vally and Grania Bridal