Brackendale Elementary

BRE Newsletter – The latest Brackendale Newsletter has been posted to the website:https://sd48brackendale.org/news-letters-2/  Please “follow” our website to receive the latest updates.

Weather Advisory – winter weather is upon us and we would like to remind families that our students go outside at recess and lunch every day so your children should come to school with wet-weather or snow-weather clothes and footwear.  A change of clothes (pants and socks particularly) in their backpack is very helpful.  The temperatures next week are expected to be cold; layer your children with hats, mitts, scarfs and insulated winter boots.  We will assess safety daily and will respond accordingly.

Your child likely came home with a pair of red fuzzy socks – many thanks to Jumpstart and Vancouver Coastal Health for donating these to our students!

Coding and Robotics Club – Starting next week, intermediate students will have an opportunity to work with coding and robots on Thursdays at lunch time. Please fill out and return the notice form if your child is interested. If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Park at the school or email at lpark@sd48.bc.ca

Brackendale PAC and LB Productions present “Hobbit the Musical” on Friday, January 31st.  Auditions for this student production will take place on Wednesday, January 22nd at noon hour.  Permission forms will be provided to interested students next week.

Vaping Presentation – Parents and caregivers are invited to attend Clearing The Cloud – a vaping presentation from Vancouver Coastal Health and the BC Lung Association on Tuesday, February 18th from 6:30pm – 7:45pm in our conference room. This presentation complements next month’s presentations on the topic to Grade 5 and 6 students.  Babysitting will be available on site.

Child Care in B.C. Survey – How do you access child care in BC? Share your thoughts online until Jan 17 and help to inform future service improvements. More info available here

More fun activities in the lead-up to Winter Break – The Kids Only Christmas Store, holiday crafts and Twin Day. Thanks to all the teachers, parents, students and volunteers for all the great ideas.

A big thank you to all the volunteer wrappers and shop helpers that helped make the Kids Only Christmas Shop a great success again this year. We had many happy shoppers find the perfect gifts for their families.

Brackendale PAC is pleased to present a student production of Hobbit The Musical.  More information will be sent home early in January and student auditions will take place at lunch hour on January 27th.  Students from Kindergarten to Grade 6 are welcome to audition for the production which takes place on January 31st.

We wish you all a very happy holiday!  Enjoy the time together and we will all return, rested and ready to go on Monday, January 6th, 2020.

We have been truly enjoying the December festivities here at Brackendale! Winter Sweater Day, Writing Day, Kelsi and Zoey with the Library Book Tree; collaborative learning in the Library and some incredibly cute crafts!

Lost and Found Treasures – our lost and found is pretty full and we will be donating everything that’s there at the end next week.  Please take this opportunity to come and take a look at our collection before December 20th.

Upcoming Events:

• Monday, Dec 16 – Twin Day
• Tuesday, Dec 17 – Winter Movie Dress Up Day
• Wednesday, Dec 18
  • Kids Only Christmas Store
  • Elf Dressup Day
• Thursday, Dec 19 – Winter Pattern/Attire Day
• Friday, Dec 20
  • Formal Winter Dressup Day
  • Swimming 1-3pm – Mrs. Fanzega, Ms. Jorgensen and Mrs. Borsoff’s classes
  • Last day of school before Winter Break
• Monday, Jan 6 – Back to School

Join our gingerbread house building competition! Children can join in groups, by themselves or with their teacher and class. Each entry is $2 to enter and all the proceeds will go to The BC Wildlife Federation and 4Ocean, a charity supporting Ocean preservation.

Bring your gingerbread house to the Conference Room on the Morning of Monday Dec. 16^th, a Leadership Team member will enter your creative work into the contest. All the kids will be able to see each other’s houses during the week of the 17^th– 20^th and the vote for favourites will be ongoing up to the final day Dec 20^th. Please pick up your house afterschool on Dec. 20^th, or it will be festively disposed of.

Join our gingerbread house building competition! Children can join in groups, by themselves or with their teacher and class. Each entry is $2 to enter and all the proceeds will go to The BC Wildlife Federation and 4Ocean, a charity supporting Ocean preservation.

Bring your gingerbread house to the Conference Room on the Morning of Monday Dec. 16^th, a Leadership Team member will enter your creative work into the contest. All the kids will be able to see each other’s houses during the week of the 17^th– 20^th and the vote for favourites will be ongoing up to the final day Dec 20^th. Please pick up your house afterschool on Dec. 20^th, or it will be festively disposed of.

BRE has started a December Riddle Contest at the Library Learning Commons!  Our first riddle is: “What did the Gingerbread Man put on his bed?” The guesses are piling in…  Damian guessed a ‘cookie’ and Elsa wrote down ‘a ginger teddy bear’.  What do you think? A name will be drawn every few days for a prize as more riddles are put up.  Stay posted and check the Library window regularly this month!

Join in the fun of the 12 Days of Winter at Brackendale!  Our busy Leadership group (led by Mr. Zigar) have devised a calendar of celebration for us all – participation is voluntary, but there will be a friendly competition between classes for the most spirited class each week.  Leadership students will be collecting donations for their community projects through the month (suggested donation of $2).Winter Concert days are Tuesday, December 10th and Wednesday, December 11th.  Performances at 1:30pm and 7:00pm both days.

Kids Only Christmas Shop is on Wednesday, December 18th.

The latest Brackendale Newsletter has been posted to the website:https://sd48brackendale.org/news-letters-2/  Please “follow” our website to receive the latest updates.

Next Friday, December 6, 2019 marks the beginning of our Christmas festivities at Brackendale Elementary – please mark your calendars for our Pancake Breakfast and Writing Day on Friday – a great way to kick off the season and get in the holiday spirit!

We are looking for both an outside and Library lunchtime supervisor – click on the posters below for details.

Shane Price (All Terrain Excavating), Stephen Fryer (PAC Chair), Amy Buchanan (Whistler Blackcomb Foundation), Jordan Sturdy (MLA West Vancouver-Sea to Sky), Ian Currie (Director of Operations School District #48) cutting the ribbon for the double zip line.

New Playground Grand Opening makes The Chief! – for more photos click here

The Christmas Season has arrived at BRE!! Join us for the following festivities:

Kids Only Christmas Shop – Wednesday, December 18 – donations and volunteers are needed to make this event successful – donations and volunteers needed.

13^th Annual Pancake Breakfast benefiting the Squamish Community Christmas Care –  Fri. Dec. 6^th at 7:30am. Families and Community Members are welcome!  Entry is by donation of Ca$h, toys or food items

Writing Day – Fri. Dec. 6^th 1:30pm  to 2:45pm in the gym and classrooms. Join your children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins in writing to relatives, friends and/or Santa.  Stamps will be available for purchase.

SNOW! A Growth Mindset Winter Concert –  Ms. Moo and all the children are very busy learning lines and songs in preparation for our school concerts. Please note that we have changed the name of our concerts to ensure that all students may access our Music and performing arts programming that is part of the BC curriculum delivered in public schools.

• Tuesday, December 10, 2019 – performances at 1:30 and 7:00pm
  • Mrs. Fieldhouse                              Ms. Boersma
  • Mr. Fieldhouse                                Ms. Jorgensen
  • Mrs. Smith                                       Mr. Hirn
  • Mr. Zigar
• Wednesday, December 11, 2019 – performances at 1:30 and 7:00pm
  • Mrs. Webb                                       Ms. Wong
  • Mrs. Stroh                                       Mrs. Borsoff
  • Ms. Watson                                     Mrs. Fanzega
  • Ms. Mowbray                                 Mr. Grantham

Brackendale Leadership at WE Day 2019!

Upcoming Events: November 25^th – Report Cards go home with students November 27^th – 12:00 pm Dismissal and Parent Teacher Conferences November 28^th – 2:00 pm Dismissal and Parent Teacher Conferences November 29^th – Hot Lunch

Parent Teacher Interviews – November 27 and 28, 2019 – have you booked yours?  Our online booking system for Parent Teacher Interviews is now available.  http://bes.schoolappointments.com  You will need to register for the new school year.  Once you are registered you will be able to book appointments for your child(ren).  Please contact the office if you need assistance with booking an appointment.

Double Zip Line First Ride Raffle Ticket Sales – Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at 3pm in the Collab corner.   Would you like one of the first rides on the double zip line?  Purchase a First Ride Raffle Ticket for a chance to win!  Tickets for students and adults are $2 for 1 ticket and $5 for 3 tickets.  All proceeds go to our PAC fundraising. 

BRE Student Presentation to the Board   This week, students from Ms. Mowbray’s class walked the Board through their individual and collective actions to reduce climate change. These actions include participating in the climate action strike, a class bake sale which resulted in a $300 donation to the Watershed Society, student climate action goals and a school-wide action with regards to the candy wrapper collection campaign. Congratulations!

From the Breakfast Club  Breakfast club needs more volunteers to help manage the tables while kids are eating from 8:30 to 8:50am. It is a short period and a fun time!  Sign up for any days on the calendar by the PAC bulletin board and submit a criminal record check to the office.  There is no further commitment, just a smile in the morning.