ʔə́y̓ swéyəl Dragon Families,
We would like to start by acknowledging the tragic events of last Wednesday during the Tsawwassen First Nation’s Walk for Truth and Reconciliation, and planned house post unveiling at Tsawwassen Mills. Our deepest condolences go out to all those impacted, and to the families of wilapia Barb Joe and Virgina Splockton.
Devon Gardens students participated in an on-site Walk for Truth and Reconciliation on Tuesday, as well as watching the livestream of the Delta School District ceremony from South Delta Secondary School. As a school community we will continue to learn about the impact of the past on the present, and honour Survivors, their families and their communities.
Open House
Thank you to everyone who came out for the Open House last Tuesday, toured the school and entered the draw for “Qui lit? Who’s Reading?”
Our grand prize draw winners were Liam and Porter, who each received a chocolate school bus, generously donated by The Chocolate Bear in Tsawwassen.
Allergies
Due to very serious airborne allergies, NO peanuts, tree nuts, cashews or onions should be brought to school.
If your child has life-threatening allergies, please ensure you have informed the school by calling the school office at 604-581-6185.
Please also remind students that, because of allergies, it is not a good idea to share food.
Dog owners – We have students with serious dog allergies.
If you are bringing your dog for pick-up or drop-off, thank you for maintaining distance from students in line-up areas.
Parking Lot – The Upper Parking Lot is NOT for parent drop-off or pick-up.
Lower/Parent Parking Lot Concerns –
We have had numerous complaints come in this week about people parked illegally, blocking other vehicles, and using the designated bus spots.
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.
All concerns brought forward to the administration have been forwarded to the Delta Police Department.
Parent Teacher Interviews
You will receive and email on Thursday, October 8th with information about how to sign up for Parent-Teacher Interviews.
Please sign up before the end of the school day on Tuesday, October 13th.
Feeding Futures and Starfish Backpacks
In April 2023, the B.C. government introduced the Feeding Futures program which provides school districts with funding to make sure students have access to healthy food so they can learn and succeed at school.
Since then, schools across Delta have expanded food supports for students. These include breakfast and lunch programs, community fridges, and grab-and-go snacks. The district has also provided funding to local organizations that support Delta students, including the Delta Firefighters’ Healthy Snack Program and the North Delta Rotary Club’s Starfish Backpack Program.
Earlier this year, the district partnered with The Lunch Lady to provide nutritious, balanced lunches for students. The program began in several elementary schools and will continue to expand to more schools. All students will be able to participate, regardless of their family’s financial situation. Families will receive more information when the program becomes available at their child’s school.
The school district regularly reviews its food programs to make sure they are meeting the needs of students and families. As a result, some previous forms of assistance will be changing. New Surrey Food Bank Program
The district is moving to a new partnership with the Surrey Food Bank to provide food security supports to North Delta students and families. This replaces the community support previously provided through the North Delta Rotary Club’s Starfish Backpack Program.
Through a coordinated effort, families will be able to pick up food essentials, including perishables, fresh produce and pantry staples, on a bi-weekly basis from one of two Surrey Food Bank depots in North Delta:
· Northside Community Church, 11300 84 Avenue, Delta. Food can be picked up every other Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Available for all residents of North Delta.
· Delview Secondary Depot, 9111 116 Street, Delta. Food can be picked up every other Wednesday from 3:30p.m. to 5p.m. Available starting Wednesday, October 14 for Delta School District families only.
To access this program and select your pickup location, families who are not currently clients of the foodbank will need to complete a one-time registration by appointment only. Please contact the Surrey Food Bank at 604 581 5443 or email registration@surreyfoodbank.org to schedule your registration appointment. If you are a current foodbank client, simply pick up your hamper at one of the locations and confirm your depot of choice.
The North Delta Rotary Club Starfish Backpack Program was originally intended to provide easy-to-prepare food and snacks for a child over a weekend. Over time, the program expanded to provide food for entire families. In recent years, it was supported by the district using Feeding Futures funding and required significant time and resources from school staff. As food support options in schools have expanded, and with new community partnerships available to coordinate other efforts in North Delta, we believe the new partnership with the Surrey Food Bank will provide families with access to more food, greater variety, and a more sustainable form of support.
The new model also aligns with the goals of Feeding Futures by providing food in ways that reduce stigma. Being able to access food outside of school hours and offsite will assist in reducing the stigma sometimes associated with accessing help.
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the North Delta Rotary Club and the many volunteers who have supported the Starfish Backpack Program over the years. Their commitment and generosity have helped many students and families in our community.
This change does not diminish the value or impact of the Starfish Backpack Program. Rather, it reflects the evolution of available supports and helps ensure food assistance can continue in a sustainable way.
Gift Cards: As a result of the various channels available for students to access food at school, and the new food partnership with the Surrey Food Bank, gift cards will no longer be available.
We understand that these changes may affect some families. If you need additional support, please consider the following community resources:
· Food support outside of school: https://www.delta.ca/media/2303
· Other community support services: https://deltassist.com/
October 5th: PAC Meeting 7:30 pm in the Library or online (Teams link will be sent out that day).
October 8th – 13th: Sign up for Parent-Teacher Interviews
October 12th: Thanksgiving – no school
October 14th & 15th: Parent-Teacher Interviews
October 16th: Pyjama Day
We have an incredible Parent Advisory Council at Devon Gardens!
Please join us for our PAC Meeting on Monday, October 5th at 7:30 pm in the school library or on Teams. The link will be sent out Monday.
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
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.
hay ce:p q̓aʔ.