Oct 26-30, 2026 Parent Update

Good afternoon Cinnabar families,

A few important reminders as we head into the weekend.

No School Days
There will be no school tomorrow, Friday, October 23, or Monday, October 26, due to Provincial and School-Based Professional Development Days. We look forward to welcoming students back on Tuesday, October 27.

IEP Meetings – Wednesday, October 28, and Thursday, October 29
Individual Education Plan (IEP) meetings will take place on Wednesday and Thursday next week. We appreciate the collaboration between families and school staff as we work together to support each student’s individual learning needs, growth, and success.

Halloween Celebrations – Friday, October 30
We are looking forward to seeing our students’ & family's creative pumpkin creations and Halloween costumes next Friday. A friendly reminder that, in accordance with British Columbia’s Firearm Violence Prevention Act (FVPA), weapons of any kind, including toy weapons and weapon-like costume accessories, are not permitted at school. Thank you for helping us keep our celebrations safe and enjoyable for everyone.

We hope you enjoy the long weekend and look forward to seeing everyone’s Halloween spirit on October 30.

Warm regards,
Colette Young

October 26 Pro-D- No School

October 27 Cross Country Meet (am)/ Lockdown Drill

October 28 IEP Meetings

October 29 IEP Meetings

October 30 Halloween/ Pumpkin Carving Contest

Addition to January Calendar - January 21 & 22, 2027- Rocks and Rings Curling lessons

Please check out all of our celebrations and events on our website: https://cb.schools.sd68.bc.ca/

“Gratitude is like a seed, the more you give, the more you get.”

When you show gratitude, it can have a ripple effect. The more you give, the more you will receive in return.

Students in Division 9 participated in a student vote, giving them a hands-on opportunity to learn about the democratic process and the importance of having their voices heard. With most classes taking part in the vote, students explored how elections work, why voting matters, and how individual choices contribute to a collective decision. They learned about the importance of making informed decisions, respecting different opinions, and understanding that every vote counts. This engaging experience helped connect classroom learning to real-world citizenship and encouraged students to think about their roles and responsibilities as active members of their community.

Get ready for some Halloween fun at Cinnabar Valley. We invite students and families to participate in our Pumpkin Carving Contest on Friday, October 30. Students are welcome to bring in a pumpkin they have carved at home to show off their creativity. We look forward to seeing all the spooky, silly, and imaginative designs!

Contest Categories:

• Kindergarten/ Grade 1

• Grades 2–3

• Grades 4–5

• Grades 6–7

• Family Category

We look forward to seeing the wonderful creations from our students and families.

Halloween Costume Parade Reminder

We will also be holding our outdoor Halloween costume parade. Students are encouraged to dress up and join in the fun! Please remember that, in keeping with school safety expectations and current weapons-related legislation, costumes and props must not include weapons of any kind, including toy weapons and realistic weapon replicas.

Thank you for helping us make Halloween a fun, creative, and safe celebration for everyone.

British Columbia's Firearm Violence Prevention Act (FVPA) came into effect on October 1, 2026, establishing a province-wide ban on firearms, low-velocity firearms (such as BB, pellet, gel, airsoft and paintball guns), and all imitation firearms across all K-12 school properties.

The FVPA strengthens existing laws and school and district policies banning firearms and imitation firearms on school property by providing police with additional tools to address and enforce firearm-related public safety risks.

Our Student Code of Conduct bans all weapons from school property. The FVPA further bans all imitation firearms as well.

The goal of the FVPA is to support greater public safety by keeping firearms and objects that look like firearms out of schools. This includes all imitation firearms, including anything that is part of a costume, for a school theatre or video production, a starter gun for track and field, or part of a uniform (i.e. Cadets). There are narrow instances where an exemption may be granted by school authorities for an imitation firearm to be allowed on school property.

Anyone that possesses a firearm, low-velocity firearm, or imitation firearm on school property without a valid exemption may have these items confiscated, forfeited, and disposed of by law enforcement, and if convicted of an offence, could also face fines and serious penalties under the FVPA.

If you have questions, please contact the school office.

As the days get shorter and darker, we ask families to review these important safety reminders with their children:

• Be visible: Wear bright-coloured clothing and reflective gear to help drivers see you.

• Use designated crosswalks: Always cross at a crosswalk and follow pedestrian signals where available.

• Stop, look, and listen: Look both ways and make sure vehicles have stopped before crossing.

• Stay alert: Put away phones, remove distractions, and avoid wearing headphones when crossing roads.

• Walk safely in the parking lot: Stay close to an adult when possible, watch for moving vehicles, and use designated pedestrian areas.

• Walk or ride safely: If biking or using a scooter, wear a helmet, use lights and reflectors, and follow road safety rules.

• Allow extra time: Avoid rushing, especially when visibility is reduced.

School staff will continue to provide supervision beginning 15 minutes before the morning bell and reinforce safe practices with students.

Thank you for working with us to keep our students safe. Together, we can help ensure everyone arrives at and leaves school safely!

We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Country Grocer for their ongoing generosity and support of Cinnabar Valley Elementary. From providing fresh fruit for our students each week to contributing other items throughout the school year, their support helps make our school community an even better place for our students.

A friendly reminder to families: Please continue to send in your Country Grocer receipts. When we collect enough receipts, we can redeem them for gift cards that help us purchase popsicles for students and other special treats throughout the year.

We are so grateful for Country Grocer’s continued partnership and for our families who help make this program possible. Every receipt makes a difference.

Loaves and Fishes – Food Support/Hampers

• Anyone can register for food support or a Christmas hamper.
• Families do not need to be experiencing a specific crisis to access this support.
• Families can register directly.

Address: 1861 E Wellington Rd, Nanaimo, BC V9S 5X2

Phone: (250) 754-8347

The Great Nanaimo Toy Drive

https://thegreatnanaimotoydrive.ca/

• Anyone can register to receive Christmas toys.
• Families can register directly.
• The pick-up location will be Dufferin Community School again this year.

Good luck to our Cinnabar Valley cross-country team, who will be competing this Tuesday morning. We are so proud of our runners for their hard work, determination, and commitment throughout the season. Thank you to Mr. Klan for supporting and encouraging our athletes. We wish everyone the very best and look forward to hearing how you do. Go, Cinnabar!

Safe Arrival

Daily attendance is a proven factor for success in school, however, if your child is ill or unable to attend school on that day, please use our reporting tool to let us know if your child will be absent. Log on to cinnabarvalley.sd68.bc.ca or contact the office at info.cb@sd68.bc.ca before 9:00 am.

🍂 NOVEMBER FUN LUNCH IS OPEN! 🍂

🌯 Friday, November 6: Bar Burrito

🍱 Friday, November 13: Edo Japan

🥪 Friday, November 20: Subway
🍕 Friday, November 27: Local Pizza & Booster Juice

Important reminder for November 13:

✅ Smith's Class (Div 4) will be back from their field trip in time for lunch, so please feel free to order!

❌ Browning's Class (Div 9) will NOT be back in time. please DO NOT ORDER LUNCH for students in this class.

Order on MunchALunch www.munchalunch.com

Payment can be made online by credit card, or e-transfers sent to CinnabarValleyPAC@gmail.com

Please make sure to get your orders in before the ordering deadline!

December ordering is also open!

Thank you for supporting the Cinnabar Valley PAC

Parent Volunteers

Criminal Record Check

Please consider having a Criminal Record Check done at the start of the year, if you haven’t already done so. Thank you to the parents who have. A CRC does not expire for 5 years and allows you to participate in all activities inside and outside the school with our students. We desperately need parent helpers at events and it is a challenge when CRC have not been done. This is a district-mandated step that must be taken in order to become involved in any way in the school.

Online application: https://justice.gov.bc.ca/eCRC/home.htm

Access Code/ID Number: UQ4T7XXBHE

Phone (toll free): 1-855-587-0185

Fax: 250-953-0408

Email: criminalrecords@gov.bc.ca

Driver Volunteer Form

If you wish to help drive students for field trips , you will need to fill out a Driver Volunteer Form as well. Please contact the office for a form if you are interested.

Open Parachute is a program that some teachers are using in our school. This program is designed by a team of Clinical Psychologists, Educators & Filmmakers, to teach mental health skills to all students in a way that is engaging and relatable, while being easy for educators to facilitate. Every lesson features an authentic peer voice, role modeling self-reflection and Resilience. Please see the link below for parent resources.

https://learn.openparachuteschools.com/parent/login?id=CA_RHDBtgi2