ʔə́y̓ swéyəl Dragon Families,

Thank you to those where were able to attend Parent Teacher Conferences last week.

If you were unable to meet with your child’s teacher, please contact them to arrange an alternate time.

A reminder that this Friday, October 23rd, is a Professional Development Day. There is no school for students.

School photos are this Thursday, October 22nd.

Parking Lot – The Upper Parking Lot is NOT for parent drop-off or pick-up.

Lower/Parent Parking Lot Concerns –

If there is no stall available for you, it is your responsibility to find somewhere else to park legally in the community, or park at Annieville Park and walk to DG. Double parking is illegal and creates a safety risk.

Thank you to the Delta Police and to the Delta Police Community Safety Team for coming to DG this past week to help out with traffic flow.

We are currently working with the Delta Police Department Traffic Unit to establish the best traffic flow during the Shepherd Way and Patricia Drive closure.

The city anticipates closing Shepherd Way and Patricia Drive either the week of November 2nd or the week of November 9th.

Expect reduced parking close to the school – you will need to park farther away if you would like to walk your child to their line-up spot.

A reminder that students should be lined up by 8:45 am and class begins at 8:48 am.

The Lunch Lady – Feeding Futures

On Friday, an email went out to all families with sign-up information and the November menu for The Lunch Lady.

If you would like to request a full subsidy, please contact Mme Hamilton at hhamilton@deltaschools.ca. There is limited funding available through the Feeding Futures Program to support students who need it most. If you are able, please consider the “Pay what you can” option of $3, $4 or $5 per meal if you are not able to pay the full amount. Thank you.

Canadian Parents for French Delta is holding an online meet-up Thursday, October 22nd at 7:30 pm on Zoom. Pre-registration is required. For more information, or to register, please contact cpfdelta@gmail.com

Halloween  – Our Halloween parade will be Friday, October 30th.

As Halloween approaches, we want to remind you of the importance of choosing costumes that are fun and respectful. Costumes that use traditional clothing, cultural symbols, or stereotypes can hurt people, even if unintentionally, and show disrespect to members of our community. Choosing costumes that don’t use or make fun of someone else’s culture demonstrates kindness, respect, and care for everyone in our school. This expectation aligns with our code of conduct, and students whose costumes are harmful to others will, at the very least, be asked to change or remove them. We look forward to a creative, fun, and thoughtful Halloween. 

We encourage all students to celebrate Halloween safely with the following hints and tips: 

• Practice costume safety: Make sure all costumes, wigs and accessories are fire resistant. Make sure the costume is comfortable and doesn’t pose a tripping hazard for your child.  
• For costumes worn to school:  
  • Please ensure your child’s face is always visible. Masks and any other items that prevent students from being identified will not be permitted at school. 
  • Costumes must not include weapons, replica weapons or objects that can be mistaken as such.  
  • If using makeup, choose non-toxic cosmetic products and test on a small area first to see if any irritation occurs. Many kids have sensitive skin.  
• When Trick or Treating –
  • Give kids a refresher on traffic safety. Tell them to look both ways and only cross when no cars are coming. Cross at marked crosswalks and intersections and never cross between parked cars.  
  • Increase your child’s visibility – bright costumes make it easier for drivers to see children. Use reflective tape or give them flashlights or glow sticks to carry to ensure they are visible to motorists. 
  • Encourage kids to stay together for trick or treating, and have them stick to familiar, well-lit areas. 
  • Reiterate that they should only approach homes with lights on and they should never enter a stranger’s house or accept a ride from someone they don’t know.  
  • Inspect your child’s candy before they indulge and make sure to remove any treats that aren’t age appropriate (e.g., gum or jawbreakers) or that contain food items they are allergic to.  

 For additional helpful hints, please visit: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/home-safety/halloween-safety.html 

Thank you for talking with your child(ren) and helping to ensure that Halloween is a fun, safe and respectful celebration for our entire community. 

We have an incredible Parent Advisory Council at Devon Gardens!

Please join us for our next PAC Meeting on Monday, November 2nd at 7:30 pm in the school library or on Teams. The link will be sent out that day.

If you would like more information, please reach out to pacdevongardens@gmail.com and/or join the Parent WhatsApp. More information can also be found here: 26-27PAC One Pager

Join the Devon Gardens Community at the Vancouver Giants Hockey game on Novemebr 1st at the Langley Events Centre!

Tickets are available through the PAC hot lunches website until October 22nd!

The PAC is hosting a Bake Sale to raise money for a new playground!

If you would like to contribute, please contact the PAC at pacdevongardens@gmail.com. The deadline is October 29th. 

ONGOING PAC FUNDRAISERS

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

Use this link https://mabelslabels.ca/en-CA/fundraising/support to make a purchase (search Devon Gardens Elementary PAC) and 20% of your purchase goes back to our school.

October 21st: Cross Country at Sunshine Hills – Mr. Rodgers has all the info!

October 22nd: Individual Photo Day & Student Vote day for our intermediate classes

October 23rd: Provincial Professional Development Day – No school for students

October 29th: PAC special lunch day

October 30th: Halloween Parade

hay ce:p q̓aʔ. Merci. Thank you.