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,

We hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend and were able to enjoy some time together in the beautiful sunshine!

Halloween is just around the corner, and we’re excited for another fun day together at Shortreed! From costumes and pumpkins to our Spooky Gym and Halloween Parade, there will be lots of festive fun throughout the day. Students are welcome to come to school in costume. As we have children of many different ages, please help us keep costumes fun and comfortable for everyone by avoiding anything overly scary, gory, or focused on violence. For safety, any toy weapons or costume props should remain in backpacks until our parade.

We also want every student who would like to dress up to have the opportunity to do so. During Halloween week, we’ll have a free costume rack near the front office. Families are welcome to choose a costume, and donations of clean, gently used costumes are greatly appreciated.

Throughout the day, classes will visit our Spooky Gym, beautifully decorated by Shortreed parents and families. Families can also contribute to our Jack-o’-Lantern display by bringing in a carved pumpkin and taking it home again at the end of the day.

On October 30th families are invited to join us at 1:30 p.m. for our 2026 Shortreed Halloween Parade! Find a spot outside your child’s classroom or along the side of the playground and help cheer on our students.We’re looking forward to a wonderful Halloween together!

Our Cross-Country Team kicked off their season with their first meet last Wednesday. Our Eagles ran hard and gave a fantastic effort. Stay tuned for news about who qualified!

Our school community came together on Friday for a meaningful afternoon in honour of Terry Fox. During our assembly, Ms. Bowers shared her personal story and connection to cancer, giving students a powerful example of why Terry’s legacy and continued fundraising for cancer research matter.

Students then headed out for our Terry Fox Run, with many taking on the challenge of completing an extra lap. We were so proud to see their determination, encouragement of one another, and enthusiasm throughout the afternoon. Thank you to all of our Shortreed families who joined us and cheered on our runners!

Tuesday, October 13 - Grade 4/5 Cross Country Practice 12:00 p.m.; PAC Meeting 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday, October 14 - Grade 4/5 Cross Country Meet #1 3:30 p.m.

Thursday, October 15 - Grade 4/5 Cross Country Practice 12:00 p.m.
Tuesday, October 20 - Grade 4/5 Cross Country Practice 12:00 p.m.
Wednesday, October 21 - Grade 4/5 Cross Country Meet #2 3:30 p.m.
Thursday, October 22 – PAC Movie Night: Hotel Transylvania

Friday, October 23 -Professional Development Day No School for Students

Friday, October 30 – 1:30 Halloween Costume Parade and Spooky Gym
Tuesday, November 3 - Photo Day Retakes
Friday, November 6 - No Stone Left Alone
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
Friday, November 20 - Design/Assessment Day No School for Students

You can view our digital school calendar here.

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

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.

Student in Distress and School Safety

Health and safety are a priority in the Langley School District. Our schools follow procedures to help keep students, staff, and the community safe. Depending on the situation, communication to parents/caregivers is needed to keep families informed about incidents in our school, such as during lockdowns, hold & secures, and room clears, or in the event of a student in distress. Sometimes these situations may not be emergencies but events that require a school response. It is important to note that the decision to send communications to families is dependent on a variety of factors including the nature of what happened, who has witnessed or was directly impacted by what happened, as well as student and staff privacy. Communication is unique and dependent on the specific situation; there are times when a student is in distress, yet the situation may or may not require a message or letter to families. In addition to communication with parents/caregivers, teachers and staff may debrief with students after an incident that may have upset them. In some cases, the school counsellor may offer support to students in need. As always, we want families to let us know if your child requires support. If you have any questions or concerns about communication related to situations or emergencies, please reach out to the school.

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 District’s annual parent consent forms are essential for student safety and well-being. This school year, Langley Schools is using the MyEdBC parent portal to collect this info. Please log in to the MyEdBC and complete your child's online forms. For more: https://ow.ly/M6gt50ZIukF