Congratulations to the Hammond Bay "Pizza Pals" who were recently awarded as the Grand Prize winners of the Vancouver Island Regional Library's (VIRL) Reading Link Challenge. The team beat out seven other school districts for top honours.

The VIRL Reading Link Challenge sees Grade 4 and 5 students form teams and divide and conquer reading a list of books selected by the VIRL. Each team needs to read all the books- and remember as many details as possible to participate in a trivia challenge to test their knowledge of the details of each book. The trivia competition starts at the school level and successful teams move on to the regional competition.

Well done Elyse, Livija, Lucy, Shae and Sydney on your diligence in reading and attention to detail!

Attention past and present students, parents, staff and community members!

We are asking everyone with a connection to our district to share their thoughts to help us create a new "tagline" for the district. (FYI: The previous tagline was "Success for All".)

We would love to hear YOUR ideas. NLPS students are currently designing tagline postcards to highlight the images and words that describe what it means to them to go to school in our district and how school can help support their futures.

Click on the link below for a very short survey to share your thoughts.

This May, 10 teams of students with diverse abilities from our local secondary schools, Ballenas Secondary School, and Lake Trail Community School gathered for a day of soccer, fun, and camaraderie. Here's a peak at some images showcasing this exciting celebration of teamwork and inclusion!

Wellington Secondary recently welcomed 75 English Language Learners (ELL) students from Grades 1-7 representing Cilaire, Uplands Park, Rock City and Departure Bay elementary schools. What a beautiful afternoon, hosted by Wellington's Grade 12 ELL student, Shaun Calumpang, as part of his Capstone Project! A huge thank you to Jocelyn McNeely and Launa Gannon for their incredible support in helping Shaun bring this event to life!

Elementary students had the opportunity to connect with language 1 peers from different elementary and high schools who also share their first language. Students had fun learning to work together in cooperative games. It was a huge success!

Spots are still available for Grade 6 students this fall in our Late French Immersion program at École Quarterway!

Are you curious about Late French Immersion (LFI)? Know someone who is? Check out this video where current LFI students answer your questions!

More information about LFI can be found here.

• The Board approved the three-year draft Local School Calendars for 2026-2027, 2027-2028 and 2028-2029.

• The Board adopted the following amended policies:
• Policy 218 - Role of Chair and Vice Chair
• Policy 505 - School Catchment and Student Enrolment
• Policy 403 - Board Recognition

• The Board adopted the amended Bylaw 502 - Parent-Student Appeals.

• The Board adopted the Annual Budget Bylaw for fiscal year 2025-2026 showing the estimated revenue and expense for the 2025-2026 fiscal year and the total budget bylaw amount of $228,635,960 for the 2025-2026 fiscal year.

• The Board approved in principle making the Strategic Directions Committee permanent and circulate as a notice of motion for 30 days, Policy 208 – Board Committees Representation and Annual Workplan, utilizing the consultation process as per Board Governance, Section 210 – Policy Development.

• The Board approved the Resilience, Inclusion, Skills and Engagement Program to be placed at Rutherford Elementary for September 2025.

• The Board approved an additional elementary school site at École North Oyster to host district-operated Before and After School Care starting in September 2025.

As a way of saying goodbye for now:

'O' lumnamu tsun tse'! - See you later!

Calling all families with little ones from newborn to five years old! Join Strong Start for two special Nature Play Days—a perfect opportunity to explore, play, and connect with nature together. These outdoor events are completely FREE and designed especially for young children and their caregivers.

Come enjoy fresh air, hands-on nature activities, and the joy of outdoor discovery in a welcoming, family-friendly setting.

Pack your sunscreen, water bottles, and a sense of adventure—we can't wait to see you there!

Vancouver Island Regional Library (VIRL) hosts programs to engage children, parents and caregivers. VIRL offers the Summer Reading Club 2025 and Welcome to Kindergarten. The Summer Reading Club runs July 2 until August 20, 2025. The goal for the summer program is to encourage kids and families to connect with their local branch. Registration starts June 16, 2025.

Welcome to Kindergarten offers a world of discovery and TON of activities and resources to support a child's first Kindergarten year. VIRL offers every child their very own Children's Library Card, valid at any of the VIRL branches.

Summer Reading Program

Welcome to Kindergarten

Get ready for an action-packed summer! We excited to offer a wide variety of summer programs for kids of all ages and interests. From creative adventures to hands-on learning. There's something for everyone:

🎙️ Radio Theatre Camps
☀️ Summer Fun Day Camps
🏀 Basketball
🤖 Bot Coding
🎣 Fishing Camp

🍽️ Foodsafe

☕ Barista

💰 Cashier's Training

And much more...

Are you looking for low to no cost events and activities in Nanaimo and Ladysmith? Head over to our Community Connections webpage by clicking the button below. Here you will find a variety of locally-based events, camps, and resources.

NLPS District News is produced by the NLPS communications team. We welcome your questions and feedback! You can reach us at communications@sd68.bc.ca