June 8th - June 12th, 2026 - Devon Gardens Elementary

June is taking shape, and we are already speeding along. It was great to connect with everyone who came out for Family Fun Night. This was a tremendous event put on by our Fabulous PAC! Thank you SO much DG PAC! We managed to dodge most of the rain (AND got really lucky considering how hard it poured on Saturday!) This week will be another busy one with Grade 7 rehearsals for their leaving ceremony and with Sports Day occurring on Friday!

Family Fun Night

SPORTS DAY – THIS FRIDAY!

We are looking forward to Sports Day on Friday, and are hopeful that the weather will cooperate.

Our theme for Sports Day this year is “WORLD CUP” and students will be assigned to one of 4 colour teams: red, blue, green and yellow.

Students will be bringing home a Sports Day notice on Monday, indicating their colour team. Students are encouraged to dress in their team colours on Sports Day.

As this is an outside day, students should come prepared for the weather (sunscreen, a hat, a jacket, dress in layers, etc…).

Students will be moving through the various Sports Day stations throughout the day, so they should also bring a water bottle they can keep with them outside. For this reason, please make sure your child’s water bottle is clearly labelled with their name.

Sports Day is a regular school day, in terms of the start and end of the day. On Friday morning, students should arrive at the regular time and report to their line up areas, per usual. There is not “early dismissal” on Sports Day, however, we aim to finish up between 2:30-2:40 pm so that there is time for clean-up.

Parents are welcome to come, watch and cheer for students on Sports Day. We do ask that you please leave pets at home, however, as this will be a busy, noisy day.

Our PAC has organized special SUBWAY lunch on Sports Day, previously ordered online as part of the Term 3 Special Lunch orders. If you did not order SUBWAY for your child, please ensure they bring their lunch on Sports Day.

All students will also require a quick, easy to eat recess snack on Sports Day, as well as a water bottle (labelled with your child’s name).

The Sports Day notice will include this information, and more, as well as the general schedule for the day. Please be sure to read over it carefully. There will also be a section for you to return to your child’s teacher regarding lunch time and dismissal, depending upon your family’s plans.

Please watch for the Sports Day notice coming home, from your child’s teacher. Once you have seen the notice, if you still have questions, please contact your child’s teacher.

School Goal Update:

Devon Gardens has committed to working on implementing a new Math School goal for the 2025-2026 school year. We have organized teaching materials, collaboration, professional development, and assessment dedicated to improving student achievement.

You can read more about it, and see our June update here:

School Goals

Welcome to Kindergarten- Session 3 June 10th

Our final session of Welcome to Kindergarten will occur on Wednesday, June 10th at 2:30 pm.

We are reminding our current families to leave promptly at dismissal time to clear the parent parking lot so new students and their parents have a place to gain access to the school.

Please give our new families a friendly wave, and say hello if you see them arriving just as you’re leaving.

While Pride has become synonymous with diversity, rainbows, and love, it was sparked from a much darker beginnings.

Pride started as an uprising against police violence and injustice in June 1969 in New York City. Black and Brown trans women stood up to police violence. These acts of resistance, now known as the Stonewall uprising, led to the birth of Pride, Pride marches, and the 2SLGBTQIA+ rights movement.

Society has seen positive changes and improvements regarding the treatment and acceptance of members of this community, but there is still work to be done. Attitudes and injustice still exist and all members of our school community, whether they identify as 2SLGBTQIA+ or not, are affected by homophobia and transphobia.

We need to ensure schools are inclusive and safe for students/parents/staff of all sexual orientations and gender identities. Someone’s gender does not limit their interests and opportunities, and their sexual orientation and how they understand and express their gender are welcomed without discrimination.

Happy Pride, Dragons!

Optional School Supplies Ordering through SchoolStart for 26/27

School Supplies 2023-2024 - Hellings Elementary

Dear DG Families:

We are excited to offer the opportunity to, once again, purchase your school supplies through School Start for the 2025-2026 school year.

The grade-specific lists are posted on the School Start website and you may order at any time.

The lists have a Starter Package (base package) as well as Additional Items Required. The additional items are required by each teacher; they include items such as pencil cases, sharpeners, and calculators. These products do not need to be purchased on a year-to-year basis if you already have them.

There are three ways to place your order:

You can place your order online at https://schoolstart.ca
You can place your order over the phone 1-800-580-1868
You can print and fill out the supply list and return via email to info@schoolstart.ca

The supplies will be packaged and delivered directly to your home. If you have a PO Box, please use your house address when ordering.

If ordering online, go directly to: https://schoolstart.ca/

Then please click on the following:

– Parents Shop Here

– Purchase School Supply Kits

– Select Province, then City, then School

– Click Here to Purchase

– Lastly, click on your child’s grade as of next year

If you have any questions, please contact School Start’s Customer Service Department: Email: info@schoolstart.ca | Phone: 1-800-580-1868

schoolstart

Lost and Found

There are quite a few items in our lost and found. Please encourage your child to come and take a look for any items belonging to them (and/or come on by, yourselves, after school).

Unclaimed items will be taken to a donation centre before the end of the school year.

Keeping your Cool when it gets Hot!

While the sunny weather is a welcome change, the shift to warmer temperatures can make it harder for us to acclimatize. Here are some ways to help your children beat the heat at school:

When it’s hot we naturally want to wear less clothing. However it’s important to avoid too much direct sun exposure on skin. While it might seem counter intuitive, longer sleeves and pants are often a much better option as they help keep us cooler while protecting skin from the sun. Choose loose-fitting, light-coloured clothing, made from a breathable fabric.
Sunglasses and a wide-brimmed, breathable hat are great to wear outside, on the playground
Use a broad spectrum sunscreen that is SPF30 or higher. Please be sure to apply sunscreen to your child in the morning. If you are sending sunscreen to school with your child for them to reapply throughout the day, be sure to teach them to do this themselves, as school staff won’t be applying sunscreen to students.
Keep long hair tied up or in braids to allow as much air as possible to evaporate sweat
Ensure your child brings a reusable water bottle (even 2!). Add some ice to help water stay cool
Remind your child of the importance of staying hydrated, and to drink throughout the day (we have 3 water bottle refilling stations at school)
Avoid packing sugary or carbonated drinks in your child’s lunch to help reduce dehydration – stick to water instead
Raw fruits and vegetables help cool the body and keep kids hydrated
Encourage your child to slow down/take a break when playing at recess and lunch, and to check in with their friends about how they are feeling in the heat
Remind your child to seek help from one of the adults at school if they are feeling unwell

Another call out for Summer Volunteers! Your Help is Needed to Water our Garden Area!

You may have seen the Western Red Cedar tree and the planter boxes on the front grass area of the school. This area is well-used as an outdoor learning space during the school year and both the tree and the garden boxes require regular watering. While school is in session, teachers and students take care of this. During the summer, though, we need your help to keep these areas watered.

We will put together a schedule of volunteers to take turns doing the watering so that it’s a manageable task (many hands make light work). You will have access to water and a hose at the school, and we will show you exactly what needs to be done before the end of the school year.

If you are willing to help out with watering this summer (particularly if you live nearby!), please email Mr. Rodgers

And, if you’ve helped with watering the garden in previous summers, you’re now an expert, so we’d love to have you on the team again this year!

Not Returning Next Year?

We are beginning the process of planning for next school year. If you are moving and are not planning to return to Devon Gardens in the fall, please make sure that you let our office know as soon as possible.

PAC EXECUTIVE ELECTIONS:

At the June 1st meeting, the PAC held their elections for the 2026-2027 Parent Advisory Council (PAC) Executive Committee. To view the Executive Officer positions that were available and their respective duties, refer to the PAC constitution.

The Devon Gardens PAC cannot function without dedicated volunteers. We welcome nominations for all elected positions and hope you will join us in fulfilling our mandate to represent the parent voice and support our school. Below is a list of the PAC executive positions, name of the current appointed representative, with years served and intention to continue for the 2026-2027 school year.

information about Election results will be updated in the Parent Update in September.

PAC Executive Position	Name	Years in Position	Intention to Return for 2026-2027
Chair	Cleo Nomm	2	Yes
Vice-Chair	Jennifer Iachetta	6	Yes
Secretary	Carlie Hubele	3	Yes
Treasurer	Emily Klimchuk	2	No
Gaming Representative	Lauren Schellenberg	1	Yes
District PAC Representative	Rani Hayden	1	Yes
Canadian Parents for French Rep. Special Food Coordinator	Kurtis Beaumont Teelah Logan	2 1	Yes No
Member at Large	Shannon Gee	3	Yes
Member at Large	Patience Okantey	2	Yes
Member at Large	Manjeet Sidhu	2	Yes

Make sure you are following the Devon Gardens Elementary PAC social media accounts to stay up to date on what to expect at this year’s Family Fun Night!

In The Community:

PAC Fundraisers ongoing throughout the year

For information about the following fundraisers, please click the logos.

Questions? Send an email to pacdevongardens@gmail.com.

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Use code DevGardens26, $5 from each registration goes back to our school

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Use your personal Return-It account by clicking donate and looking up Devon Gardens Elementary

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Mention Devon Gardens Elementary at checkout, 10% of your purchase becomes credit for the school

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Use this link https://mabelslabels.ca/en-CA/fundraising/support to make a purchase and 20% of your purchase becomes goes back to our school