September 2023 AHE Newsletter
Dear AHE Families,
The new school year has arrived, and we couldn’t be more excited to start another year with our AHE learning community! Our little school is growing, and we have new faces, students, and staff alike. New to AHE this year, we have Ms. Bieniada teaching gr. 7, and we welcome back Ms. Hall who is returning to teach gr. 4/5. Joining our Educational Assistant team are Mrs. Cottingham and Mrs. Duguay and our new secretary, and the face of AHE, is Mrs. Claire Pendergast (cpendergast@sd19.bc.ca). You will recognize the rest of the staff and I can’t say how fortunate we are to have such a caring, hard-working and dedicated crew, putting students first each day.
Wishing you all a wonderful start up. Getting back into the routine of school can be a challenge for us all. Looking after one another will help everyone to get settled back into our school family setting. Thank you to our families for reminding our students how very lucky they are to be in great neighbourhood school within a wonderful community. WELCOME BACK!
Pam Mair,
Principal
School Schedule
| Period | Time |
|---|---|
| School Day | 8:25 am – 2:30 pm |
| Recess | 10:00 am – 10:20 am |
| Lunch | 12:00 pm – 12:50 pm |
Upcoming Dates:
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| September 11-15 | Classroom Meet & Greets |
| September 14 | Individual photos |
| September 15 | International DOT DAY – wear dots |
| September 21 | First Cross Country Run @ BVE |
| September 22 | Terry Fox Run 1:30pm – all invited to join us |
| September 28 | Second Cross Country Run @ AHE |
| September 29 | Orange Shirt Day |
| September 30 | National Day for Truth and Reconciliation |
School Staff
| Grade/Role | Staff Members |
|---|---|
| K | Ms. Tedesco EA: Mrs. Duguay, Mrs. Cottingham |
| K/1 | Mrs. Poirier/ Ms. Ashford EA/NHS: Mrs. McGeragle/Ms. Carley |
| 1 | Mrs. MacLeod/Ms. Ashford Secretary: Mrs. Pendergast |
| 2 | Mrs. Gauer/Mrs. Draboczi Custodians: Mrs. Kolt/ Mr. Lightheart |
| 3 | Mrs. Vickers/ Ms. Ashford Counsellor: Mr. Borthwick |
| 4/5 | Ms. Hall Library Clerk Mrs. van Sickle |
| 4/5 | Mrs. Haworth Indigenous Ed. Mrs. Krug |
| 4/5 | Mrs. Gadbois Speech/Lang. Ms. Penner |
| 6 | Ms. Johnson/Mr.Cadegan Principal Mrs. Mair |
| 7 | Ms. Bieniada |
| Learning Support | Mrs. Just |
| Teacher Librarian | Mrs. Draboczi |
| Gr 6/7 Music | Ms. Ausman |
School News
Terry Fox Run – Friday, September 22nd
Our school will be collecting donations for cancer research in honor of the Terry Fox Run. Each toonie donated by a student will give him/her a foot to go up in the school. We are trying to make our path of feet in the school to go all the way around the building. Toonies will be collected each day for 2 weeks starting September 12th. Please consider donating to this worthy cause
Cross-Country Running Club
The CROSS-COUNTRY RUNNING CLUB will be holding their practices on Tuesdays from 2:30 – 3:15. This fun after-school activity will be run by Ms. Johnson and Mrs. MacLeod. It will be open to students in GR. 4 and up. Cross Country meets will be on Thursday September 21st and 28th and October 5th. Information will be sent home to interested students.
Orange Shirt Say – September 29th
Orange shirt day held September 29th is a movement to remember victims of the Residential School system. The day officially began in 2013 but it actually began in 1973 when six-year-old Phyllis Webstad entered the St. Joseph Mission Residential School, outside of Williams Lake, BC. Young Phyllis was wearing a brand-new orange shirt for her first day of school – new clothes being a rare and wonderful thing for a First Nation girl growing up in her grandmother’s care – but the Mission Oblates quickly stripped her of her new shirt and replaced it with the school’s institutional uniform. While she only attended for one year the impact affected Ms. Webstad’s life for many years. “I finally get it, that feeling of worthlessness and insignificance, ingrained in me from my first day at the mission, affected the way I lived my life for many years. Even now, when I know nothing could be further than the truth, I still sometimes feel that I don’t matter.” We wear orange to honor our first peoples and to know the truth and reconcile this truth in our history. We will also observe a stat holiday on Sept. 30. This year it will be recognized on Oct. 2nd.
Student Verification and Consent Forms
Student Verification and consent forms have been sent home with each student. Please ensure all the information is correct, sign where appropriate and return to our office as soon as possible.
Breakfast Club
Breakfast Club began September 6th with our new Breakfast Club Coordinator, Sara Koriath! Come and say “hello” and see what is on the menu.
Picture Day
School photos are scheduled for the morning of September 14th. All students will have their photo taken — purchase is not necessary.
Safety Reminders
A reminder to all of our families of the following safety reminders:
- Please PHONE the school to report your child’s absence 250-837-6360
- Please use the walking paths at the school and refrain from riding, walking, and standing in the parking lot.
- Please remind your child about the importance of road safety. A number of students are blindly riding or walking into traffic. Using the designated crosswalk is a must.
- Please make every effort to park in designated parking only on Park Dr., ensuring that access is not blocked to emergency vehicles if ever required.
- Please remind our kids about being BEAR AWARE. (Garbage in receptacles, traveling together and making lots of noise!)
- Please park bikes in the designated area only.
Ambulance Service at School:
Should we need to call an ambulance for a student, and the family is not covered by Extended Health, the ambulance will be at the school’s expense.
Medic Alert:
Free Bracelets are provided to children aged 4-14 (brochures will come to school, or parents can go online to MedicAlert.ca. With the rise in childhood asthma, diabetes and allergies, more and more children have a medical condition or special need that should be communicated in an emergency. Should an emergency occur at school, first responders and health professionals will have immediate access to the child’s medical records.
Student Agendas:
Our student agendas will be arriving towards the end of September. Thank you for your patience as we wait for them to be reprinted. Agendas are provided at a cost of $8 per student, which can be paid by cash or etransfer to: ahe@sd19.bc.ca
PAC News
Once again September is upon us, and as the 2023/2024 school year arrives, the Arrow Heights Elementary Parent Advisory Council would like to welcome all current students and new students’ parents, guardians, or caregivers to join the PAC.
What is the PAC and what does it do? Where and when does it meet?
- The PAC meets once the first day of most months at 6:30 pm in the AHE Library (usually with Mrs. Mair and/or a teacher in attendance) to conduct business and plan school events. Dates are set out in the school calendar. Child care is also provided!
- The PAC’s purpose is to advise on parents’ views regarding school, communicate with parents and promote cooperation between home and school, assist parents in accessing the system, organize activities and events, and promote parental and community involvement.
Who is the PAC?
All parents, guardians, and caregivers of students registered at AHE are voting members of the PAC.
Why would I attend?
- Get to know other parents/families
- Help out at events
- Get to know school staff
- Increased connection with school
- Voice concerns and help with solutions
I can’t make the meetings!
- Share your email with us so we can keep you in the loop with ways you can help!
- Follow our Facebook Page and Instagram Page!
Do you have an interest in meeting other parents and the wonderful teachers and staff of Arrow Heights Elementary?
Do your kids love the book fair, craft fair, and hot lunches? Do you have ideas for other school events? Interested in becoming more involved in school events but
don’t know where to start? This is a great way to get involved!
These PAC sponsored events cannot run without our volunteers! All forms of membership and involvement are encouraged. Feel free to drop into a meeting or sign up to volunteer for an event. The group is welcoming and inclusive. It takes a village to raise a community!
I have questions or want more information!
Reach out to our awesome chair Suzy Calder! pacarrowheights@gmail.com
Stay connected!
Please visit our website arrowheights.sd19.bc.ca
