Shortreed Weekly Newsletter

At Shortreed, we believe school is a place to build relationships, explore interests, take risks, celebrate successes, and grow together. We are committed to supporting the learning, growth, and well-being of every child while fostering curiosity, play, and discovery. We want every student to feel known, valued, and connected, with opportunities to discover their strengths and shine. Above all, we want every student to know: You Belong Here!

Families of Shortreed,

It’s been wonderful to see our students learning, connecting, and enjoying so many great experiences. Below are a few highlights, along with a look at what’s coming up!

Mrs. Paterson and Ms. Kaur’s Grade 1 classes enjoyed a wonderful fall adventure at Maan Farms Pumpkin Patch! Students had a great time exploring the pumpkin patch, picking out pumpkins, and engaging in all the fun fall activities. A huge hit was definitely the new corn play pit! Students loved jumping, playing, and exploring in the corn. It was a fun-filled day of laughter, learning, and making memories with friends!

Our Shortreed Eagles were back at it for Week 2 of cross-country! Our runners showed great determination, perseverance, and team spirit as they pushed themselves and cheered each other on. We are so proud of their effort and the way they represented Shortreed. A big thank you to our staff and parents for your continued support and encouragement of our runners! Way to go, Eagles!

Shortreed did a fantastic job participating in the Great British Columbia ShakeOut! Our Eagles practised how to Drop, Cover, and Hold On, helping everyone learn what to do in the event of an earthquake. We are proud of how seriously students and staff took this important safety practice.

Family Connection: Take a few minutes to talk with your family about what to do during an earthquake and choose a safe spot in your home. A little preparation goes a long way!

* See image below for dates of upcoming drills.

The playground is another place where learning happens. Students are practicing how to play together, solve problems, navigate friendships, and make safe and respectful choices.

Our Shortreed Playground Behaviour Matrix gives students clear and consistent expectations for playground behaviour. We remind students to use respectful words, listen when someone says “stop,” move away when play isn’t working, and ask an adult for help when a problem feels too big to solve.

When playground challenges come home, families can help by asking:

• “What happened?”
• “What did you try?”
• “Did you ask them to stop?”
• “Could you move away or choose something different?”
• “Do you need an adult to help?”
• “What could you try next time?”

Playground disagreements will happen, and that’s okay. Our goal is to help students become increasingly confident problem-solvers while making sure they know they are surrounded by adults who are ready to step in when they need us.

Fall weather is around the corner, and at Shortreed that means rain, puddles, mud, and lots of outdoor play! Students will continue to go outside for recess and lunch in most weather, so please send your child prepared with a rain jacket, appropriate footwear, and clothes that can get a little wet or muddy.

A change of clothes at school is also a great idea, especially for our younger students.

Neufeld Fundraiser Reminder

A friendly reminder that Neufeld fundraiser orders are due by the end of the day on Monday, October 19th. Click Here to Order

Orders will be ready for pick-up on October 27 at 2:00 p.m. at the church. If you’re unable to pick up your order, please arrange for someone to pick it up on your behalf, as PAC is unable to store orders after pick-up. Thank you so much for supporting our fundraiser!

Spooky Gym Volunteers Needed!

PAC is looking for volunteers to help with our Spooky Gym.

Click Here to Sign Up

Tuesday, October 20 - Grade 4/5 XC Practice 12:00 p.m., Grade ⅘ Home Soccer Game vs Uplands

Wednesday, October 21 - Grade 4/5 XC Meet 3:30 p.m., Henry and Schmidt Field Trip 9:00-11:30

Thursday, October 22 - Earthquake and Fire Drill 10:05am

Friday, October 23 -Pro-D Day No School for Students

Monday, October 26- Learning Updates go home this week, K Field Trip 10:45-1:15

Tuesday, October 27 - XC Championship Run

Friday, October 30 - Wettstein and Cheema Field Trip 9:00-11:30, Spooky Gym, Costume Parade
Tuesday, November 3 - Photo Day Retakes

Thursday, November 5 - Lockdown Drill 10:05
Friday, November 6 - No Stone Left Unturned
Sunday, November 8 - Indigenous Veterans Day

Tuesday November 10 - Remembrance Day Assembly
Wednesday, November 11 - Remembrance Day Schools Closed
Friday, November 13 - PAC Dollar Sale

Tuesday, November 17- Dornian Field Trip, Fire Drill 1:10
Friday, November 20 Design/Assessment Day No School for Students

Saturday, November 28 Shortreed Winter Market

Monday, November 30 - Fire Drill 1:10

You can view our digital school calendar here.

We also encourage families to add the Shortreed school calendar to your phone or device

Student Safety in Schools

The Langley School District is committed to fostering safe and caring schools that promote mutual respect, cooperation, and social responsibility, and support optimal learning. Trauma Informed Practices and Procedures promote the creation and maintenance of safe, inclusive, equitable, welcoming, and nurturing school environments. The District expects all students to follow the Student Code of Conduct AP 350. This expectation is also in line with the new Provincial Firearm Violence Prevention Act (FVPA).

The District is sharing a reminder that no one can have “any weapon for any purpose” on school property. This means that weapons are not allowed to be used as part of an educational project, drama production, or themed costume. Examples of weapons include but are not limited to knives, bb guns, and toy guns. Failure to follow these expectations may result in confiscation, intervention, and consequences.

Daylight Saving Time Information for Families: Fraser Health

Earlier this year, British Columbia adopted permanent daylight saving time, with the final clock change taking place on March 8, 2026. As a result, the province now observes Pacific Time (PCT) year-round, eliminating the twice-yearly switch between Pacific Standard Time (PST) and Pacific Daylight Time (PDT).

During parts of the winter, particularly between late November and early February, many children will travel to school before sunrise. Fraser Health is sharing this information to support families as they adapt to year-round Pacific Time and maintain healthy sleep habits and safe travel to and from school.

What Families Can Do

Support healthy sleep and well-being by:

• Spending time outdoors during morning daylight hours whenever possible.
• Encouraging physical activity and social connection through after-school programs and activities.
• Maintaining consistent bedtimes and wake-up times.
• Turning off screens at least one hour before bedtime, as evening screen use can make it harder to fall asleep.

Support safe travel to and from school by:

• Helping children choose well-lit routes with sidewalks and designated crossings.
• Encouraging children to wear reflective or high-visibility clothing and use a flashlight when travelling during darker morning hours.
• Reminding children to use designated crossings, scan traffic, and make sure vehicles have stopped before crossing.

If driving:

• Use extra caution when driving near schools, crosswalks, intersections and shared pathways.
• Be aware of one's surroundings and refraining from cell phone use, make eye contact, and shoulder check before turning or changing direction.
• Travel at slow speeds and stop completely at stop signs and crosswalks.

Additional school health resources can be found on our website at fraserhealth.ca/schoolhealth.

Parent-Teacher Conferences Resource

Not sure what questions to ask your child’s teacher at your parent-teacher conference? The District is sharing this resource to help families plan for their meeting. Families can review this 3-page resource attached for some ideas, questions, and things to consider. Teachers, staff and families work together to ensure student success in our schools.

Parent Consent Forms on MyEDBC Ready for Families

Parent consent forms can now be received on MyEDBC. Families are asked to please log in to the MyEDBC parent portal and complete the process. A set of consent forms will need to be completed for each child attending a Langley school. It is advised to access MyEDBC and complete the parent consent forms using a desktop or laptop as the process requires the full site version (which is not mobile-friendly). For step-by-step instructions, please read here. More information can be found on the District website here.

Absences

We know that illnesses occur and absences can happen. If your child is going to be absent, arriving late, away or leaving early due to an appointment, please notify the school of your child’s absence by doing either of the following:

• E-mail SCEAttendance@sd35.bc.ca or call 604-856-4167 and follow the prompts for the attendance line, and leave a message with information including:

1. Student First Name and Last Name
2. Grade
3. Division
4. Length of Absence
5. Reason (illness, late, appointment, vacation.

Avoid long absences due to holidays, as this can seriously jeopardize your child’s academic achievement. Homework may not be provided as assignments based on lessons your child missed, as it can be more confusing than helpful. If you will be away for an extended period, please notify the school, as this may impact enrollment.

We STRIVE for FIVE absences or less at Shortreed. We know that children will get sick, but it's important to minimize absences.

* The below dates are tentative and subject to change.