May is a busy outdoor time for School District 47, according to board of education chairperson Dale Lawson, in her monthly remarks to the school board at its May 18 meeting.
“Usually, by this time in May, we’ve enjoyed many days of sunshine, but this year, we’re enjoying the outdoors with our rain jackets instead of shorts,” said Lawson. “Regardless of the weather, schools in our district make good use of our outdoor spaces.
“May is a busy time for many outdoor activities including garden learning, cycling clubs, class trips to our beautiful outdoor learning centre, climbing wall visits, scavenger hunting at Erikson’s Beach on Texada Island, and of course, the annual May Day festivities at James Thomson Elementary School.”
Lawson said the activities look a little different at each school, but one event all of the elementary schools in the qathet region come together for this month is the district-wide track and field event. Students have been training to perform their personal best in their events on May 27 at Timberlane Park.
“Be sure to stop by and cheer them on,” said Lawson.
Lawson said the school board has committed over its term to embark on a full policy and administrative procedure review.
“We engaged with stakeholders and educational partners through a collaborative process to update, renew and create new policies and procedures that reflect our operations, beliefs, and vision for education today,” added Lawson.
She reported that in acknowledgment of mental health week, Brooks Secondary School hosted a community mental health resource fair, which brought 17 different community organizations together to raise student awareness of mental health resources in the community.
As a district, the moose hide campaign was acknowledged to end violence toward women and children by providing moosehide pins for all staff and students, according to Lawson.
She said the home stretch of the school year is always an exciting time.
“Classrooms are beginning to plan their year-end fun days, field trips, celebrations and transitions. As we begin to regain comfort in coming together, schools and parent groups have been busy planning special events like the movie night PAC fundraiser at Westview Elementary School and the wildly successful Mamma Mia! musical brought to our community by dedicated students and staff in our theatre program.”
At the end of the month, an information session about the BC kindergarten to grade 12 sexual health curriculum is being offered.
“All School District 47 families are invited to attend the evening session in the library at Brooks on May 31,” said Lawson.
“A Zoom information session is being offered on the evening of June 2 for parents to learn ways to support their child’s transition to kindergarten. Visit our website ad sd47.bc.ca for registration and more information.”
