Dear DG Families,

Thank you to the many families who attended the PAC’s Family Movie Night fundraiser on Friday.   The parent volunteers who organized this event worked super hard (before, during, and after the movie!) to ensure it was a successful event.  Proceeds from the movie night will help the PAC continue to support many initiatives and activities that enrich the school experience for the students.

Here are just some of the things the PAC is helping us with this year:

• cultural group presentations, such as the bilingual theatre presentation of Cinderella we had during semaine de la francophonie (right before Spring Break), the Originz hip hop presentation we had on Friday and Ruploops who is coming next Monday for Vaisakhi
• the drumming workshops, with Jordan Hanson (in January)
• funds to assist us in covering field trip costs for students who need financial assistance (to ensure that all students can participate)
• purchasing a bluetooth speaker and instruments for music classes
• replacing outdoor classroom equipment (soccer balls)
• purchasing visual timers for classrooms and the learning support centre
• and more!

Here are some of the previous years’ projects the PAC has funded:

• the beautiful dragon murals in the gym and in the hallway outside the library
• the riser seating and murals in the library
• the outdoor basketball court
• the Lego wall in the library and the Lego storage system
• classroom projectors and document cameras
• pinnies and other PE equipment (eg. soccer balls)
• the 4-way tug-of-war rope we use on Sports Day
• an awesome portable sound system that can be used both inside and outside (Terry Fox Run, Sports Day, Family Fun Night)
• the special shipping container shelving that helped transform a place where junk was being stored to what is now the playground pals bin full of cool equipment and outdoor games available to all students, every day at both recess and lunch time
• the revitalized and refreshed stage curtains in the gym (they used to be an awful mustardy-gold colour) and a parent volunteer painted them black … at her house!   This was a very creative and affordable suggestion (but a major undertaking )
• and more!

On an ongoing basis the PAC also provides:

• a per-classroom allotment for teachers to get extra supplies like stickers, posters, cooking and craft supplies, materials for special art projects and more (teachers often spend their own money on these things)
• funds to replenish, restock and purchase additional items for the play ground pals bin. Things like bubbles, sidewalk chalk, scoops and balls, hula hoops, skipping ropes, giant versions of games like chess/checkers/jenga, etc…. Much loved and well-used items also need replacing when they get broken or worn out from daily use
• funds to bring in cultural performance groups each year
• support for our library to maintain and add to the book collection
• funds to purchase teacher “wish list” items
• financial support to maintain and enhance the school garden
• and more!

Did you know that without the PAC we would not have: 

• special lunch and snack days
• recess popcorn sales
• after school freezie sales
• concessions at the Christmas concert and Sports Day
• family fun night
• the fruit and veggie program
• the 50/50 draw at the Christmas concert
• a yearbook
• and so much more!

So many of the great things that happen at our school would not be possible without our PAC and parent volunteers.  And the PAC is always looking for more assistance with jobs big and small!   Parent involvement is encouraged, appreciated, and is an integral component of our positive school culture. If you haven’t already, we hope you’ll consider getting involved.   For more information about this, and other PAC initiatives, please contact the PAC at pacdevongardens@gmail.com. Attending a PAC meeting is a great place to start.  The next one is on Monday.

You can also support the PAC by supporting their fundraising initiatives.  Please read more about this under the “PAC” section, below.

Student Safety and Supervision Before and After School

School staff provide limited supervision, outside, for 15 minutes before and after school.   Students should not be arriving at school before 8:30 am and should head home promptly after dismissal.  The exceptions being if they are participating in a school sponsored activity/event, or if they have made specific arrangements with their teacher.  Dismissal is 3:00 pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.   Every Wednesday, we dismiss at 1:45 pm.

For parents/daycares picking up students, please be on time.   We have had students, even as young as Kindergarten, being picked up quite late from school – sometimes an hour or more after dismissal, and often without a phone call to the school letting us know you will be late.

We understand that, occasionally, there may be an exceptional circumstance (a traffic accident, a family emergency, etc… ) – that’s not what we’re talking about, here.   Routinely arriving late to pick up your child on a Wednesday, or leaving your child at school while you finish your shopping or attend to other things, while expecting school staff to provide childcare, is another matter.

Once students are dismissed, staff are busy finishing up their work, preparing lessons for the next day, marking assignments, meeting with colleagues and parents, etc… so that they can wrap things up and head home to their own families.  We do not have onsite childcare at our school and it is not appropriate to simply assume school staff will be able to look after your child.

In an exceptional circumstance, where you realize you’re going to be late picking up your child, call the school office as soon as possible to let us know you are going to be late and/or let us know what alternate pick-up arrangements you have made.  Calling ahead is the courteous thing to do and will prevent us, and your child, from worrying.

As the days get longer and the temperatures warm up, students may wish to stay after school to play on the playground.  That’s fine, provided they are supervised by a parent.  We have had a few instances of inappropriate behaviour by unsupervised students on our playground, well after dismissal time.   If you are allowing your child to stay after school to play, they must be supervised and regular school rules for behaviour apply.  For example, students know they are not allowed to climb up on the Earthquake Bin during the school day.  The same applies after school.

Thank you for your assistance in helping keep things safe at school.

With a solar eclipse in sight for Monday, April 8, 2024, here are some important things to know ahead of the rare celestial event.

What is it? A total solar eclipse happens when the moon slides between the sun and the Earth and casts its shadow on Earth, blocking the face of the sun completely. This shadow moves quickly across the Earth’s surface along a narrow band known as the path of totality.

As the moment approaches when the moon’s shadow completely covers the sun, known as totality, the sky darkens and day turns briefly into night. The temperature drops. Venus, Jupiter, Mercury become visible. So do bright stars. As the sun’s light is blocked, its outer atmosphere, or corona, becomes briefly visible.

How often does it occur? While an average of two solar eclipses happen every year, you could go through your whole life without ever seeing one given that a particular spot on Earth is only in the path of totality every 375 years on average, Astronomy reported.  “Eclipses themselves aren’t rare, it’s just eclipses at your house are pretty rare,” John Gianforte, director of the University of New Hampshire Observatory, tells TIME Magazine.

Why is this one special? More people currently live in the path of totality compared to the last eclipse An estimated 31.6 million people live in the path of totality for 2024’s solar eclipse, compared to 12 million during the last solar eclipse  in 2017, per NASA. The path of totality is much wider than in 2017, and this year’s eclipse is also passing over more cities and densely populated areas than last time.

Will we see the eclipse in BC?  Sort of.  This rare spectacular celestial event is set to unfold over North America in a strip of land extending diagonally from northwestern Mexico through parts of the United States and Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes.  In Metro Vancouver, we will only see a partial solar eclipse. Only about 28% of the sun will be covered by the moon, according to the Space Centre, and our view may be limited due to cloud cover and rain in the forecast. The partial eclipse will last roughly an hour and a half, beginning at 10:43 a.m. and ending at 12:20 p.m.

What does Indigenous Knowledge tell us about eclipses? check out this video to learn more

https://bc.ctvnews.ca/video/c2898984-ctv-national-news–perspectives-on-the-eclipse?__vfz=medium%3Dsharebar

Here are some safe ways to view the eclipse:

Pinhole projector: If you don’t have eclipse viewers that meet the international standard, create a pinhole projector and focus on the projected image, not the sun itself.  Student Project: How to Make a Pinhole Camera | NASA/JPL Edu

Watch it online: you can safely watch the eclipse online here https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/future-eclipses/eclipse-2024/live/

For more information, see:

Canadian Space Agency: How to safely watch a solar eclipse – Canadian Space Agency (asc-csa.gc.ca)

Canadian Association of Optometrists: https://opto.ca/eye-health-library/solar-eclipse-safety

Our Focus for April is Open Mindedness (that’s the “O” in ROARS

Each month at our school we have a focus area that’s connected to our ROARS grid.  Teachers spend time talking about/teaching to the focus area and these efforts are further supported by reminders and tips on the daily announcements.   For the month of April, the focus is “Open Mindedness”.

Kids often see things only one way – their way!  Open-mindedness has to be actively taught and cultivated in children.   So, why is it important for kids to be open-minded? Children (and adults) who are close-minded tend to get into arguments more often while trying to make others see things from their point of view. Open-mindedness, on the other hand, enables kids to think critically and rationally. Open-minded children are also able to step out of their comfort zones and display more understanding and empathy for others.

When we are open-minded we’re also curious to learn new things, and show more acceptance to rethink assumptions and identify misleading information. This ability to challenge outdated beliefs is a vital part of learning and personal growth.

Here are some ways we can help kids to learn to be more open minded:

Walk the talk: If we explain the importance of being open-minded but then kids witness us make dismissive comments about beliefs and opinions that differ from our own, we are modelling close-mindedness.  Little people have big ears and they are quick to pick up on inconsistencies between the words and actions of the adults around them.  Having an awareness of our own bias and judgment, and how these might show up in our words and actions, is a great place to start.  Challenge yourself to identify the issues you are most passionate about, and consider the reasoning of the other side.

Promote Empathy: Empathy is key to reducing judgment and fostering understanding. Teach children to consider the feelings and perspectives of others. Encourage them to express kindness and compassion towards their peers, family members, and the community. Engage in conversations about empathy and encourage them to put themselves in others’ shoes. Through empathy, children learn to appreciate different experiences and develop a deeper understanding of the world around them.

Acknowledge the Curiosity: At a family gathering, or out and about in the community, your child may have a hundred questions to ask you. Why is that person in a wheelchair? Why does the person look the way she does or speak in particular fashion?  Why do some people wear religious head coverings or abstain from eating certain foods?  Curiosity helps children be more observant and to figure out things. When children explore, they expand their vocabulary as they use language to describe what they’re thinking, seeing, or hearing. Grab these teachable moments and turn them into learning experiences.

Foster logic and reasoning: Open-mindedness goes hand-in-hand with logical thinking.  We should not blindly believe everything we see on the internet or on TV.  Nor should we assume that the opinions or political beliefs of friends and relatives are automatically right. Children should be encouraged to be independent thinkers and should be able to analyze facts and form their own opinions. Allow them the space and security to ask difficult questions; even if they are around traditions or the relevance of certain rituals and beliefs. Encourage them to research, find answers and develop their own world view.

Challenge stereotypes: Stereotypes encourage people to believe sweeping generalizations about entire groups of people, and ignore individuality among us.  Not only do stereotypes create a huge divide between people, they can also limit potential by feeding into a phenomenon called “stereotype threat”. Stereotype threat is when people under perform when they become self-conscious about negative stereotypes pertaining to one or more characteristics that they possess (such as race, sex, body type, etc.).  Learn more about stereotype threat here.

Even very young children notice stereotypes; particularly those that are gender-based. Stereotypes are often transmitted through everyday comments and actions (we might not even realize we’re doing it).  For example:

• making comments like “Boys don’t wear pink” or “Girls don’t play football”
• believing that elderly people won’t understand modern technology
• assuming a male healthcare worker is a doctor rather than a nurse
• statements about certain groups of people having an academic or athletic advantage based on race or ethnicity
• thinking taller people will naturally be better at basketball than shorter people
• saying things like “he throws like a girl” as an insult (the implication being that girls are less than)

Take the opportunity to challenge stereotypes in discussion with your child, and point out exceptions.

Here’s a interesting video that addresses gender-based stereotypes related to different professions

A message from the DG Student Culture Club

Did you know that at Devon Gardens we have a Student Culture Club?  They are interested in promoting diversity, friendship, peace and understanding through highlighting and sharing different cultural celebrations with our entire school.  Under the guidance of teacher sponsors Mme Santos and Ms Arjun, these student leaders do this in various ways such as organizing assemblies, creating display boards, and sharing information on the morning announcements (including songs and music) about a variety of celebrations such as Diwali, Hanukkah, Lunar New Year,  Black Excellence Day, Eid, Vaisakhi and more!  As it may not be possible to include all celebrations each year, they meet at the beginning of the year to select areas of focus on for the year, with the goal of being as inclusive as possible.    We are so proud of the work they are doing!  Here’s what they’ve asked me to share regarding their next event:

“On Thursday, April 11, our Student Culture Club is hosting an assembly for Vaisakhi.   we are celebrating Vaisakhi! Students are encouraged to dress in traditional outfits and/or festive, bright, colours. Thank you!”

Heritage Fair

This year’s Heritage Fair will be on Friday, April 12 and involves students in Divisions 4, 12, and 13.   They will be showcasing their learning in the Devon Gardens library starting at 9:10am until 10:25am. Parents and guardians are welcome to attend the event to admire all the hard work students of Divisions 4, 12, and 13 have put into their project boards. Please enter the school from the front doors, sign in at the office, and then head to the school library. We hope to see you there.

Thank you,

Mme. Bal, Mme, Porter and Ms. Arjun

Grade 7 Bottle Drive

To help support end-of-year activities for the grade 7 students, the Grade 7 parents are planning a bottle drive.  Please see details below (and please save your bottles & cans to drop off on April 20th!):

The next PAC Meeting is:

Please watch for an email on Monday with the agenda and virtual link to the meeting

Term 3 Special Lunch & Snack Day Ordering – Deadline to order is April 9th

PAC Hanging Basket Fundraiser

This year we are trying something new… Our PAC has partnered up with Clearview Nursery in Langley

12″ hanging baskets! For every one purchased Devon Gardens PAC receives $10 in fundraising money!

Fundraiser closes on May 1st, so order now before you forget!

This fundraiser is for hanging baskets only. There is an assortment of baskets to choose from including fuchsias, new guinea impatiens, and mixed baskets with lots of colour choices.

Vouchers will be available for pick-up on Monday May 6^th after school in the undercover area.  Once you have the voucher, it must be exchanged at the store (located at 26350 56 Ave, Langley) for the basket of your choice.

To order click on the link below:

https://clearviewgardenshop.com/product/devon-gardens-elementary-pac-12-hanging-basket-fundraiser/

Please feel free to share this link with your family and friends!

Questions???  Please send an email to pacdevongardens@gmail.com.

 

 

 

 

 

Kinder Books

Introducing the Kinder Books Loyalty Program for schools! This year-long fundraising program is designed to help schools earn credit towards purchasing books for their school library.

Here’s how it works: for every net book purchase made at Kinder Books, the school will earn 10% of the purchase amount towards a credit at our store. At the end of the fundraiser, we will notify the school of their credit amount. The school can then decide to use the credit at the beginning of the new school year or at the end of the calendar year.

The best part? This program applies to all book purchases at our store, including special orders for kids and books for adults. Plus, orders can be placed online at www.kinderbooks.ca, making it easy for grandparents or other family members who live out of town to participate. Simply mention your school’s name at checkout, and we’ll credit your school accordingly.

Online orders can be picked up at the store during business hours or shipped through Canada Post

 

Return-it Express

PAC has created a school fundraising account. To participate, simply bring your containers to the depot in sealed, clear bags, and enter the registered phone number, 604-581-6185, into the Express kiosk. You will be prompted to select the number of bags you’re dropping off, the kiosk will automatically print the same number of sticker tags displaying our PACs unique Express account code. Tag each of your bags with a sticker tag and drop the bags off in the designated Express drop-off area to be counted. For a list of Return-it Express location visit https://www.return-it.ca/locations/express/

Cobs Bread Dough Raiser Program

This program enables us to raise money for our school throughout the year! Be sure to mention Devon Gardens Elementary (or code 7806) each time you make a purchase at COBS Bread Scott 72 Centre; they will donate 10% of your purchase back to our school.

Level Ground Trading

Level Ground is a BC business that works with fair trade coffee, tea, dried fruit and spice producers.

Supporters enter the code devongardens in the ‘discount code’ field at the checkout.
All products on our web store qualify for the fundraiser. Orders must be $40 or more. These orders also qualify for free shipping to most addresses in Canada (there is a shipping fee on all orders shipped to NU/NT/YK). All orders are paid for through our web site and shipped directly to your supporters. No need to collect orders or distribute products to households.
Your fundraising amount is 20% of total sales.  So on a $100 order your school will receive $20.

Online Stay Safe & Babysitting Courses

Offered through First Aid Hero. When registering use promo/coupon code “DevGardens24” and our PAC will earn $5.00 from each registration. For details, available course dates and online registration, please follow the link: www.FirstAidHero.com

Questions? Send an email to pacdevongardens@gmail.com

Are you interested in hosting an International Student?  Or, do you know of a family who might be?  Delta School District International Programs is currently recruiting homestay families for international students coming to Delta School District for September 2024. They will arrive from all over the world and have a strong desire to be in Delta.

The reimbursement for hosting will be increasing to $1,150 per month as of September 2024. Multiple students from different nationalities can be hosted in one home. The majority of students in the homestay program are from Germany, Japan, Spain, Italy, and Brazil. At the moment, more that 20 different countries are represented in the homestay program.

Many are looking for a family connection and being a part of a family during their stay in Delta. Their study periods range from 3 months to half a school year, to a full school year, to multiple years.

We have two 3-week summer programs where host parents welcome younger English learners into their home. It is a great way for students to see what school (and life) in Delta is like and for new homestay families to get a small sample of what hosting is like. Reimbursement for each 3-week program is $850 per student.

If you are interested in hosting, please reach out to homestay@godelta.ca. If you are not able to host but know of a family who can, please send them our way. There are referral bonuses available for referring families.

Other Opportunities, Events & Activities

City of Delta Mayor for a Day Contest – Grades 5 to 7

The City of Delta is pleased to once again be launching their annual Mayor for a Day Contest—an exciting opportunity for local students in grades 5-7. The Mayor for a Day contest is a chance for Delta’s youth to immerse themselves in a day of civic leadership. It aims to foster a deeper connection with the community and inspire future leaders, in addition to providing a memorable educational experience.

Applications for the contest open on April 3, and students can apply for the program at delta.ca/MayorForADay. The application deadline is Friday, April 26, after which, two students will be invited to serve alongside me as Mayor for a Day. The winning students will be notified of the date upon selection.

Royal Soccer Club Summer Camps
The Royal Soccer Club is a registered non-profit community organization that offers summer day camps that promote a healthy and active lifestyle, and also encourage and teach personal development, team
building, and leadership. Their program promotes inclusivity for all children aged 5 to 13 (kindergarten to Grade 8).