Dear DG Families,
Hope you had a great long weekend! Please read on for important reminders & info about upcoming events …
Parent Appreciation Day – Friday, May 26th
We so appreciate our DG Families! Parent/Guardians, we hope you will be able to stop by DG on Friday, May 26th, before school, for our Parent Appreciation Event. Whether you’re able to stay for a bit of a visit, or just pick up a to-go goodie bag on your way, we look forward to seeing you to say “hello and thank you” to all our parents and guardians!
We will have stations with staff around the school areas (by the undercover area, by the side door, by the courtyard, and by 112th Street) to greet you. We look forward to seeing you there!
Some Reminders About ….
Students Leaving Early for Appointments
Whenever possible, please schedule your child’s appointments outside of the regular school day. We know, however, this isn’t always possible. So, if your child does needs to leave early for an appointment, please let the teacher know head of time by sending a note in your child’s planner. As the end of the school day is very busy, we ask that students needing to leave for an afternoon appointment be picked up no later than 30 min before dismissal (eg. before 2:30pm – M, T, Th & Fri, and before 1:15pm on Wed), or that they wait until the regular dismissal time.
Messages for Students and End of Day Pick-up Routines
Lately there has been a significant increase in the number of daily phone calls asking us to pass messages along to students, usually regarding end of day pick-up routines. This is not sustainable and we are asking for your assistance. When the office calls into classrooms with messages for students (or having students called out of class to come to the office for a message) it interrupts teaching and learning time for all students in that classroom. Also, when phone calls come close to the end of the day, it leaves us very little time to even get the message to the student. Classes often spend extra time outside before dismissal, especially when the weather is nice, and it not always possible to get a last minute message to your child about pick-up plans.
In an extenuating circumstance or true emergency please contact the school to advise us of changes to your child’s pick up routine. Otherwise, these plans need to made ahead of time. Please plan your child’s day before they get to school and ensure that your child knows, ahead of time, what the end of day pick-up routine will be.
The office will, of course, take messages for students when there is an emergency or when it is essential that the student receive the information, whether about pick-up routines or about something else.
2023-24 School Year
Welcome to Kindergarten
Our incoming Kindergarten students, and their parents, have been invited to visit Devon Gardens on the afternoon of Wednesday, May 31st during our Welcome to Kindergarten event! All incoming Kindergarten families should have now received an invitation letter with more information about this event. If you have a child coming to Devon Gardens for Kindergarten in the fall and you did not receive your letter, please contact Ms Labrosse in the office. Similarly, if you know of someone who has a child registered for Kindergarten at our school and they did not receive their Kindergarten Orientation letter, please encourage them to contact the school as soon as possible.
Are you moving?
If you are moving and are not planning to return to Devon Gardens in the fall, and have not already let us know, please contact Ms. Labrosse in the office
2023-2024 Class Placement Information
In the coming weeks, we will start to tentatively look at next year’s organization and possible class placements for students.
Some Things to Know about Our Process:
Class placements are important decisions and something that teachers consider very carefully.
FACTORS & CONSIDERATIONS: Assigning students to classes is a very complex task that takes into consideration a variety of factors, including: learning styles and strengths, what a student is able to achieve in relation to the goals of the curriculum, degree of independence in work habits, social and personal needs, age and physical maturity, previous placements, gender balance of class, etc….
The number of staff members assigned to our school is decided by the Superintendent’s Office and is based on projected student enrolment. Enrolment estimates and class size guidelines affect the configuration of classes, which may also necessitate a particular organizational configuration (i.e. whether or not we have combined or “split” classes and the number of students, per grade, in the class).
SCHOOL-BASED DECISIONS: The professional staff is in contact with children in the school setting for 30 hours a week. Your child’s present teacher, along with other educators who work with your child, have a year’s worth of current, rich information and insight about the conditions under which your child learns best. Therefore, decisions around where to place students are determined through school-based, team decisions, based on their recommendations.
INPUT FROM PARENTS: As our partners in education, parents may also have important information to assist us with the placement of students. Parents are welcome to share with the school personal, educational, or social information that could affect their child’s placement. Our staff will keep in mind this information, along with the above considerations, when building classes.
If you have information about your child and the kind of learning environment in which she/he best works and learns, and you would like to share this information with our staff, please fill in the “Parent Information” form by clicking on the link below. Please complete the form no later than Wednesday, May 24th, 2023.
It is important to note that it is not possible for parents to choose their child’s teacher or make requests regarding other students. Teachers who are currently on staff may not be here next year, may not be assigned the same grade, or may not teach a class configuration that meets your child’s learning needs. Whatever the scenario, we strive to place your child in a warm, caring environment that will maximize his/her learning potential.
Should you have information you wish to share with us, please fill in the form by Wednesday, May 24th, 2023. Please fill in 1 form for every child.
Please note, parents are not required to do this. It’s optional.
https://forms.gle/Yrs3wKTVKx3yD8cA9
Adult Crossing Guard Still Needed
Student Crossing Guard Schedule:
Thank you for your continued support of the crossing guard program at Devon Gardens. This important leadership role helps keep the students safe. If you know you are going to be away for an extended period because of a planned vacation, please encourage your child to find their own replacements and to let Ms. Grund know. All Crossing Guards have been provided the schedule.
Updated Crossing Guard Schedule
PAC EXECUTIVE ELECTIONS
At our next meeting on June 5, we will be holding our elections for the 2023-2024 Parent Advisory Council (PAC) Executive Committee. The meeting and the elections will be held online via Zoom. To view the Executive Officer positions available and their respective duties, refer to the PAC constitution.
The Devon Gardens PAC cannot function without dedicated volunteers. We welcome nominations for all elected positions and hope you will join us in fulfilling our mandate to represent the parent voice and support our school. Below is a list of the PAC executive positions, name of the current appointed representative, with years served and intention to continue for the 2023-2024 school year.
PAC Executive Position | Name | Years in Position | Intention to Return for 2023-2024 |
Chair | Adrian Wild | 1 | Yes |
Vice-Chair | Jennifer Iachetta | 3 | Yes |
Secretary | Katrina Smyth | 1 | Yes |
Treasurer | Cleo Nomm | 1 | Yes |
Gaming Representative | Sundeep Sahota | 1 | Yes |
District PAC Representative | Stevie Wild | 2 | Yes |
Canadian Parents for French Rep. | Open | ||
Member at Large | Herminder Mahay | 2 | Yes |
Member at Large | Carolyn Stanley | 1 | No |
Past Chair | Azeem Mohammed | 1 | not an elected position |
All Parents and Guardians of the students currently registered at Devon Gardens Elementary may be Voting Members of the PAC, except for employees or elected officials of the School Board District or Ministry Of Education. The Executive Officers shall be elected by the Voting Members at the AGM held in June each year. The term of office shall commence in September of each year and shall be held for one year. Any Elected Member of the PAC may serve on the Executive for as many years as is elected to a position.
NOMINATION Process
To express your interest, agreement to serve, and confirm your qualifications for the position you would like to nominate yourself for, please email send an email to pacdevongardens@gmail.com with the following information:
- Full name
- Contact information
- Position interested in
Nominations will also be accepted from the floor during the AGM.
We hope you will consider running for a position on the 2023-2024 DG PAC Executive Committee.
Thank you,
Devon Gardens PAC
PAC POPSICLE SALE FUNDRAISER – MAY 26th AFTER SCHOOL!
The PAC will be selling popsicles after school on Friday!
- $1.00 each
- Students are asked to please bring exact change
NEUFELD FARMS FUNDRAISER
Division Theme Baskets
At the beginning of the month, letters were sent home with each class explaining the their particular basket theme. If you did not get a letter, or if you need a reminder of the them for your child’s class basket, please contact your child’s teacher.
Thank you to those families who have already started sending in items for the theme baskets. Please keep those donations coming! Some families have indicated that they would prefer to send money rather than send a themed item. That’s ok, too. If you would prefer to make a cash donation, rather than an item that fits the basket theme, you are welcome to do so. Please send your donation in an envelope clearly marked with your child’s name, division and a brief description (something like: Attention DGPAC – Family Fun Night donation for Div ____ basket)
PAC SPECIAL LUNCH SURVEY
The PAC would like to collect some input from parents with respect to Special Lunch days. Please take a moment to complete their survey:
Do you have a FoodSafe Certificate?
PAC Fundraisers ongoing throughout the year
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 (com) 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 DGPAC and our PAC will earn $5 from each registration. For details, available course dates and online registration, please refer to this flyer:
Questions? Send an email to pacdevongardens@gmail.com
Thank you,
Your Devon Gardens PAC
Other Opportunities and Education for Families
ELL summer school is now open. This is free for all Delta students and is geared towards English Language Learners.
There are 2 options (select only one):
McCloskey Elementary (North Delta)
- Session 1 – July 4th – July 14th 9:00 – 1:30pm
- Session 2 – July 17th – July 28th 9:00 – 1:00pm
The link for more info/registration can be found here:
Wednesday, May 24th – last day to submit “parent information form” regarding next year’s class placements
Thursday, May 25th – Special Lunch Day (Booster Juice)
Friday, May 26th – Parent Appreciation Morning (before school)
Friday, May 26th – PAC Popsicle sale (after school)
Tuesday, May 30th – presentations from Nathan Wilson, Indigenous Cultural Mentor (primary classes before recess, intermediate classes after recess)
Wednesday, May 31st – Grade 7 visit to Delview 9am
Wednesday, May 31st – Welcome to K event, beginning at 2:00 pm
Thursday, June 1st – Div 4 & 13 Field trip to Fort Langley
Thursday, June 1st – Div 12, 14, 15 & 16 Field trip to Festival des Enfants
Monday, June 5th – PAC AGM & Elections
Wednesday, June 7th – PAC Popcorn Sale at Recess
Other dates and events are listed on the school calendar on our website: https://dg.deltasd.bc.ca/events-calendar/