Dear DG Families,
February is Black History Month
Black History Month provides us with the opportunity to celebrate and learn about the many achievements and contributions of Black individuals and communities, despite having endured historical and continuing inequality and oppression.
The first Black settlers to British Columbia arrived in 1858. They came from California and arrived in the province just as the gold rush on the Fraser River was beginning. Some chased the gold rush while others settled in communities like Victoria and Salt Spring Island, where they worked as barbers, saloon keepers, and day labourers.
Early Black British Columbians sought to make an impact in the province but faced barriers, with segregation being common. Between the 1920s and 1960s, Vancouver’s Black community expanded in the East End; The centre of their community was Hogan’s Alley, which became a “cultural hub.” Hogan’s Alley was later destroyed with no similar Black neighbourhood emerging to take its place. Currently, Black British Columbians only make up 1% of the province’s population.
Check out this video to learn more about Hogan’s Alley.
Pink Shirt Day – Wednesday, February 28th
While every day is “anti–bullying day” at Devon Gardens (regardless of what colour shirt anyone is wearing), on Wednesday, February 28th, everyone is invited to participate in “Pink Shirt Day”.
For many people this day has come to symbolize anti–bullying in general, but did you know that “Pink Shirt Day” actually began as a response to an instance of homophobic bullying?
In 2007, at Central Kings Rural High School in Cambridge, Nova Scotia, a Grade 9 student was bullied and harassed when he wore a pink polo shirt to school. Two Grade 12 students decided to take a stand against homophobic bullying. They bought 50 pink shirts, and organized a “sea of pink” to spread a message of acceptance.
This year’s CKNW Pink Shirt Day Campaign, features a shirt designed by Corey Bulpitt, an internationally recognized artist from the Haida Na7ikun-Raven Clan. Bulpitt is known for his graffiti-influenced, Haida-style work, with pieces displayed across the country, including one of his best-known pieces of public work, a mural located under the Granville Street Bridge in Vancouver. His work is featured in galleries, museums, and private collections world-wide. This design was created by Bulpitt in his signature graffiti style, with two gesturing hands featuring a traditional Haida human face. This indicates the welcoming and respect of others and serves as a friendly greeting which is used throughout Coast Salish communities, with similar gestures used throughout communities in the Northwest Coast. The Pink Shirt Day campaign recognizes the importance of unity, inclusivity, and diversity of all people. These shirts are available at London Drugs while supplies last.
Please note, it is not necessary to purchase a special pink shirt to participate in Pink Shirt Day. At Devon Gardens, on February 28th, and every day, students are encouraged to proudly wear the shirt colour of their choice !
A reminder to all drivers that the upper parking lot is for school district staff and emergency vehicles only. The lower parking lot is for student pick-up and drop-offs at all times.
The school recognizes that the parking situation at DG is less than ideal, particularly for parents needing to park and walk with their child/ren to drop off and pick up at line up areas. When picking up and dropping off in the parent parking lot, please be respectful and mindful of others.
Thank you for parking only in parking stalls. Double parking and blocking in other vehicles who are parked in stalls creates frustration and is disrespectful. We have seen an increase in double parking and blocking in other vehicles (if the lot is full, please DO NOT ENTER). Aggressive conflicts between drivers (including profanity) are inappropriate and unsafe for a school setting and we will be working with Delta Police to follow up on any such incidents reported to us (license plate numbers help). Let’s work together to avoid this! Please do your part to model safe and appropriate behaviours for our students. Give yourself extra time, part a little farther away, and don’t drive into the parking lot if it’s already full.
February 29th – Happy Leap Year!
This year is a Leap Year, but do you know why? The leap year exists, in large part, to keep the months in sync with annual events, including equinoxes and solstices. It’s a correction to counter the fact that Earth’s orbit isn’t precisely 365 days a year. The trip takes about six hours longer than that, NASA says.
So, what would happen without a leap year? Eventually, nothing good in terms of when major events fall, when farmers plant and how seasons align with the sun and the moon, and after a few hundred years, we would end up with summer weather in November.
However, not every four years is a leaper. Adding a leap day every four years would make the calendar longer by more than 44 minutes, so it was decreed that years divisible by 100 not follow the four-year leap day rule unless they are also divisible by 400. In the past 500 years, there was no leap day in 1700, 1800 and 1900, but 2000 had one. In the next 500 years, if the practice is followed, there will be no leap day in 2100, 2200, 2300 and 2500.
After 2024, the next leap years are 2028, 2032 and 2036.
The numbers are kind of mind boggling!
2024/2025 School Year Budget
In preparation for development of the 2024/2025 budget, the Delta Board of Education is encouraging parents/caregivers, staff, partners, and rights-holders to share their priorities for the upcoming school year.
For the last few years, the board has offered public input sessions via Zoom to gather feedback. As a result of limited participation, the board is taking a different approach with the aim of increasing engagement and gathering more feedback from the community. This new approach involves an online survey, as well as more traditional methods such as email, mail and through the school’s PAC.
Following the release of the draft budget recommendations on April 18, the board will again invite feedback from parents/caregivers, staff, partners, and rights-holders.
Please click here to learn more about this year’s consultation process and to access the first online survey. The deadline for completing this survey is 12 noon on March 18, 2024.
Translation available: To view this information in a different language, please click here and select the ‘Language’ button in the top right-hand corner of the web-page.
PAC Fundraisers ongoing throughout the year:
Purchases made at M&M using the account# 55037790 will provide the PAC with 15% cashback of the total. Only flyer pricing will be honoured on this account, personalized offers, coupons and vouchers are not permitted.
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
Other Opportunities, Events & Activities
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).
Family Summer French Camps
Monday, February 26th: Gr 6/7 girls basketball @ Brooke
Monday, February 26th: Gr 6 boys basketball at DG
Wednesday, February 28th: Pink Shirt Day
Wednesday, February 28th: Div 2, 3 & 11 to Battle of the Badges
Wednesday, February 28th: PAC recess snack day – Cobbs buns
Thursday, February 29th: Happy Leap Year!
Thursday, February 29th: Gr 7 boys basketball at DG
Friday, March 1st: Div 4 & 13 to Grouse Mountain
Please note, not all important dates are listed here. Other dates and events are listed on our school calendar on our website: https://dg.deltasd.bc.ca/events-calendar/