September 14-18, 2026 Parent Update

Good afternoon Cinnabar Families,

Thank you to the wonderful parents who came out on Monday to write chalk messages welcoming our students and staff back for a new school year. It was such a lovely way to start the year!

A big thank you as well to all the families who joined us this morning to meet our staff and PAC. We truly appreciate your support and the opportunity to connect with you as we begin another great year together.

Calendar Updates

Please note the following changes and additions to our school calendar:

• October 27 (AM): Cross Country Meet
• April 21: Grades 3–7 Track Meet
• June 2: Zone Track Meet
• June 10: District Track Meet

Football Coach Needed

We are looking for a football coach to support our students this fall. Practices begin in mid-September, with games taking place on Wednesdays.

If you are interested or would like more information, please contact hedwards@sd68.bc.ca.

Thank you again for helping us start the school year with such wonderful Cinnabar spirit. We are looking forward to a fantastic year together.

Warm regards,
Colette Young

September 15 PAC Meeting 6:30 pm

September 16 Full-time Kindergarten begins

September 18 Welcome Assembly

September 24 Picture Day

September 25 Terry Fox Run

September 29 Orange Shirt Day/ Assembly

September 30 National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (No School)

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

"Together we can accomplish great things that we could never do alone."

This quote emphasizes the power of collective action and the idea that we can achieve more as a group than we can as individuals. It encourages us to work together, collaborate, and contribute our unique strengths and talents towards common goals.

Back to School Numeracy & Literacy Package for Families

A back-to-school package from the Ministry of Education and ChildCare is available for families of Kindergarten to Grade 3 students. It includes information on early literacy screening, the English Language Arts, Français langue seconde, and Mathematics curricula, and examples of proficient learning. Please share the attached letter with families.

BC’s Welcoming Schools webpage

The Ministry also has a new BC’s Welcoming Schools webpage for students, families, and staff.

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.

We also ask that your child arrive at school after 8:25 am unless there is a specific school reason to be here earlier. Our morning supervision begins at 8:25 am and we want to ensure that the students are safe. If your child arrives after 8:45 am and the classroom door is closed, please have them sign in at the front office and we will make sure your child gets to class safely. Thank you for understanding.

Early Pick Up

If you need to collect your child earlier than usual due to an appointment, kindly ensure that you either write a note in your child's planner or inform the school office. This helps us to be aware of your arrival time, as your child may not be in their homeroom class at the time. Our aim is to ensure that your child is ready and prepared for your arrival.

If you need to collect your child earlier than usual due to an appointment, kindly ensure that you either write a note in your child's planner or inform the school office. This helps us to be aware of your arrival time, as your child may not be in their homeroom class at the time. Our aim is to ensure that your child is ready and prepared for your arrival.

Messages

The time we have with your children for teaching and learning is precious and must be protected. Each interruption affects the flow of a lesson and the creative thinking of students, and it can be a challenge to re-establish that flow. If you need to speak with your child or teacher and/or drop off items, please check in at the office and we will be able to assist you. It is also helpful if you send a note in your child’s planner if there is something your child’s teacher needs to know (appointment, early pickup, etc.) or leave a message with the office staff. Thank you for understanding.

Parent emails

Please let us know your email so we can email important newsletters and notices. We are trying our best to save the environment and go paperless. If you need a paper copy of newsletters, please let us know. You can also find the newsletters on our website. https://cb.schools.sd68.bc.ca/

For your information, Verification Forms/ eConsent Forms will be sent home electronically the second week of school. Please check with the person you are using as an emergency contact so they know they may be called. This information is absolutely critical to have as soon as possible. Thank you.

Important information for NLPS families regarding e-scooters and e-bikes

Elementary students

We are asking elementary students to not bring e-scooters and e-bikes to school.

In BC, e-scooter riders must be at least 16 years old and e-bike riders must be at least 14 years old.

If e-scooters or e-bikes are brought to elementary school grounds, parents or guardians will be called to come and pick up the item. E-scooters and e-bikes will not be allowed to remain on school grounds.

As a school district, we want to support our students in making safe choices. With the number of e-scooter injuries on the rise we would like to encourage elementary students to use "student-powered" active travel modes to travel to and from school.

Secondary students

We are asking high school parents and caregivers to talk to their children about the provincial rules and safety regarding e-scooters and e-bikes. This includes choosing other transportation methods if they do not meet the minimum age to ride an e-scooter or e-bike. Students who are old enough to ride an e-scooter or e-bike must also always wear a helmet. Links to the provincial rules are available below.

For all students

We would like to remind all students and their parents and caregivers that ALL scooters, bikes, skateboards etc. must be walked and not ridden anywhere on school property including walkways and parking lots.

E-scooter rules in BC

E-bike rules in BC

A link to the NLPS newsletter can be found here: https://app.smore.com/n/mfspjk

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 (once safe to do so), 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