25 May to 29 May 2020
Monday, 25 May
- Div 1 Teams call
- Div 2 Teams call
- Div 3 Teams call
- Div 4 Teams call
- Div 6 Teams call
Tuesday, 26 May
- Div 1 Teams calls
- Div 5 (Ms Cronk) Teams call
Wednesday, 27 May
- Div 1 Teams call
- Div 8 Teams call
- Div 9 Teams call
Thursday, 28 May
- Div 1 Teams call
- Div 10 Teams call
- Div 11 Teams call
- Flute lessons (email for info)
Friday, 29 May
- Twins Day
- Div 1 Teams call
- Div 5 (Ms Mitsiadis) Teams call
- Div 7 Teams call
- Year-End Garden Cleanup @ 10am
Looking ahead:
Jun 10: AGM, Zoom @ 7:15pm
Jun 11: Summer watering orientation @ 3pm
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Last week VSB sent a survey asking parents if their children will be returning to school starting Jun 1. Thank you to all the families that returned it by the deadline of Thursday, May 21st. With the survey results, Ms Paxton and the teachers can now start the complex task of planning classes based on the new guidelines for class sizes and spacing. If you did not fill out the survey and are planning to send your child to school, please email Teresa immediately and let her know the child's name and division.
Although the VSB has received guidance from the Chief Medical Health Officer, there are still many details to work out and questions to be answered. Ms Paxton, the teachers, and the Health and Safety committee are putting in place a plan to ensure our children's safety, which will be ready by the time students return to school. We appreciate your patience and understanding during this process.
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Hello Southlands Families.
We hope you are all doing well. It is encouraging to see that our province is succeeding in flattening the curve, and we hope that the cases of Covid 19 become fewer and fewer, even as BC begins to slowly reopen. We have heard time and again that physical distancing, hand washing and staying home when we are sick are the top three ways to reduce the spread. Our children may need to learn and play differently for a time. Our Spirit Day this week was about being a Global Citizen. Now, more than ever, we know that borders are rather artificial: truly we are all connected, for better or worse, as human beings. We wonder, what silver linings will come out of this pandemic? What will bring us together intellectually, personally, emotionally, spiritually, and politically after months of being apart? Now is a time to celebrate what makes Canada a strong nation and our province in particular a wonderful place to live, learn and play: Be Kind, Be Calm, Be Safe.
As always, please get in touch if you have questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Margaret Paxton ( @SouthlandsIB) |
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Please be on the lookout for a special email from the PAC this week, which will contain information about nominations for the PAC Executive Committee. Committee members will be voted in at the AGM so please attend! This year the AGM will be over zoom and is scheduled for 7:15pm on Jun 10.
We do need volunteers for the PAC to continue functioning next year. Please consider volunteering!
- Treasurer: Responsible for the accounts of the PAC and has signing authority for the PAC.
- Volunteer Coordinator: Manages volunteer requests for our programs uploaded into signup.com. Compiles the lists of volunteers and connecting them with their contacts.
- Library Committee: Read A Thon: The main event that will be organized each year by this Committee is the Annual Read-a-thon. It is a popular event at the school, taking place in November. Other activities include identifying needed library resources and sourcing ways to augment the library collection.
- Direct Donations Campaign Coordinator: Take the lead on organising the direct donation campaign, including printing and circulating notices, planning the hallway display and thanking donors.
- Crossing Guard Coordinator: Liaise with the school and Vancouver Police Department to organise the Grade 6-7 crossing guard team. Coordinate the schedule and organise parent support.
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Butterfly Garden
Southlands teacher, Ms. Prins, registered Southlands for the David Suzuki Butterfly Ranger Project. The Butterflyway Project is a citizen-led movement that’s bringing nature home to neighbourhoods throughout Canada, one butterfly-friendly planting at a time. The Butterflyway Project began in five Canadian cities in 2017. Our school will now be placed on the North American Butterfly/pollinator Pathway map.
Southlands has received 13 more plants for the Butterfly Garden, the circular garden at the front of the school. There is a sign that says Butterfly pathway.
Ms Prins and three dedicated teacher candidates, Amy, Karina and Meredith, added puddling stations to the garden (drinking tray for butterflies), and placed small boulders between the benches as a protective barrier for the plants.
Stuart Sutherland and his family have planted marigolds from seed at home, and will later transplant them to the garden to attract butterflies.
Emily Longworth Memorial Award
Earlier in the year, our wonderful UBC teacher candidates, Karina and Amy, received a $700 Emily Longworth memorial Award for a special field trip for Div.6 and 7. Due to Covid-19, the trip was cancelled, however they re-applied and have now received confirmation that Southlands school is allowed to keep the $700 fund to use for our school’s garden. Thank you to Karina and Amy.
Native Species + Teaching Garden
The large garden at the front of the school was designed in 1998 by Southlands parents and master gardeners as a Native Species and Teaching Garden. Thanks to the efforts of our teacher Ms. Prins, the David Suzuki Foundation has now donated a pollinator-friendly Hardhack shrub to add to the garden. Traditional indigenous uses of the wood include broom making, making tools, and hanging seafood. The Hardhack produces pink summer blooms and can grow to 6-12’ tall
Year-End Garden Cleanup
The beautiful garden beds, classroom planters, and outdoor school food garden need our care. Please join us for the Year-End Garden Clean Up on Friday, May 29th 10am-12noon. By ensuring physical distancing and bringing our own garden tools, we can all stay safe. Your help is greatly appreciated and we look forward to seeing you!
Outdoor classroom + Garden Program
Our principal, teachers, and PAC Garden Committee discussed whether to start the 2020 Outdoor Classroom and Garden Program given COVID-19. After thoughtful discussions and careful consideration, we decided to proceed with planting the garden, which will produce a Fall Soup harvest for mid-September. More details to follow.
Summer Garden Care + Watering
We are seeking volunteers (students included) to participate in the summer garden care and watering for our school gardens by registering for 1-week slots starting June 20th, until September 12th.
How to sign up:
Online: https://signup.com/go/shtLSJO
Email: southlands.elementary.garden@gmail.com
Phone: 604.612.9179
Training + Orientation:
Thursday, June 11 from 3 - 3:30 pm (meet at front of school by Southlands sign).
Your volunteer efforts make a BIG difference! Thank you for helping Southlands.
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There was a DPAC/VSB town hall on May 21 where questions posed to district staff, the School Board & Vancouver DPAC were answered. Questions covered long-term facilities planning, budget issues, and the return to school this June. You can read the questions that were submitted and view video of the answers here. |
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Has your family joined the many Vancouverites who have started cycling more in the last two months? Have you been biking, walking or rolling around your neighbourhood for fun, exercise and transport? Why not share your knowledge and love of biking in the Bike Reels: Student Video Contest? Enter a 60 to 90 second video and be in the running for some great prizes! |
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While our regular fundraising programs are suspended, our direct donation campaign is still open and donations can still be made online. So far we have collected $1,300 in donations.
Last year, the Direct Donation campaign helped Southlands deliver new programs and upgraded services to our entire student community that were outside of the VSB funding. These included New Laptops, Artist in Residence Music teachers, Arts performances, and Body Science Program. This year, we are seeking to raise $22,000 to fund laptops, Artist in Residence, Water bottle filling station and repainting the basketball court.
How to donate:
- Go to http://vsb.schoolcashonline.com/Fee/Details/1869/196/false/true
- If you do not have a school cash online account, you need to “click here to register now”
- Choose from a list of donation amounts, or enter a specific amount
- In the Fund Destination drop down menu select option “E - Southlands PAC” (do NOT select “E - Southlands”)
- In the “Message” field please write one of the items from the Fundraising Goals list on the previous page of this notice, or write “2020 Direct Donation campaign”.
- Click “add to cart”
- Once payment is complete, you will receive a tax receipt via email.
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Thank you to the families who have joined our FlipGive team! We encourage others to join the team using code FRJ3Z5.
Use the FlipGive app or browser plugin before shopping online at stores like Starbucks, Amazon, Sportchek, Nike, Bay, The Gap, Indigo, etc. and you will be ensuring a percentage of your purchase gets credited to Southlands programs. There is even a way to shop in-store and get the same benefit!
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Mabel's labels has face masks for children and adults available on their site now!
Throughout the year any purchases online from Mabel's Labels will earn our school a rebate when you select "Southlands Elementary School" from the menu. Thank you for your support!
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