Dear Falkland Families;

November is almost here and the snow will soon be arriving. If anyone knows of someone interested in donating straw bales for our sliding hill, please contact me. Once found, we will be looking for help to set up the bales against the school at the base of the "sliding area". Also, please send your children to school with the necessary outdoor gear to protect them from the wet and cold. We go outside each recess and lunch unless the temperature is colder than -13. A spare change of clothes might be helpful for children who love to explore the wet, mucky puddles.

Supervision starts in the mornings at 8:00AM. Please do not send your children to school before 8:00AM. Supervision ends at 2:25PM. Students are instructed to go home at that time, unless they have a supervising adult present, or wait inside by the office for their pick up person. If your child's after school plan is different from the norm, please inform Dani at the office. Children are more than welcome to return to school to play but are the responsibility of their parent.

Please remember when your child is away from school, to please contact Dani at the office by email ( fal@sd83.bc.ca ) or phone (250-379-2320). Include in your email the reason for their absence. Thank you very much.

Keeping parents informed is important to us at Falkland School. There are several ways we keep parents informed of the happenings at our school: monthly e-newsletters, weekly emails, our website , and Facebook . Posts on our website automatically go on our Facebook page so please LIKE or FOLLOW US on Facebook. You can find a list of our upcoming events by clicking here . You can always call myself or Dani at the school; we are more than happy to answer any questions you might have.

Mrs. Cull :)
Presentation to Students in Grades 6/7/8
On Wednesday, October 23rd, students in grade 6/7/8 learned more about our School District Policies to help connect them to the "why" behind our school rules and expectations. I introduced several policies to students in an effort to help build awareness and encourage positive choices while at Falkland School and beyond. These policies include: Safe, Caring and Orderly Schools; Student Code of Conduct; Student Threat Assessment Protocol; Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity; Digital Citizenship; Drug, Alcohol Incidents and Addictions; Weapons; Smoking, Tobacco, and Vapour Products on School District Property; Student Suspensions; Dress Code; Student Attendance; Healthy Schools/Nutrition. Students were given the opportunity to ask questions and encouraged to talk to myself or their classroom teachers if more questions arise. If you would like to view our district's policy manual, please click here. You can find school specific information around expectations for students in our last newsletter which can accessed by clicking here.
Numeracy Buddy Initiative

As part of our ongoing efforts to improve Numeracy, staff will be implementing a Numeracy Buddy initiative very soon. Older students in grade 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 have been grouped strategically with students in grades k, 1, 2, and 3 to provide practice opportunities. Teachers have developed practice activities utilizing manipulatives designed to help students become more proficient in areas identified as critical concepts for their grade. If you would like more information about the critical concepts for each grade, they can be found by clicking here. Once a week, students will meet up with their buddy to participate in math practice activities, closely monitored by staff.

If you would like to read more about our School Improvement Plan, developed in consultation with students, staff, and parents, click here.

If you have questions about this initiative, please feel free to contact me or your child’s classroom teacher.  
Zones of Regulation
In addition to Numeracy, we continue to be working on Social Responsibility as part of our School Improvement Plan. More specifically, solving problems peacefully with greater independence. Laura Paiemont, our School District's Healthy Schools Coordinator, taught our
staff more about Zones of Regulation on the September 20th Professional Development Day. We were excited to have her return to our school on Monday, October 21st to work with students at a whole school assembly and in classrooms on better understanding emotions and ways to get ourselves into the GREEN ZONE, which is essential for learning. We are hopeful that as students become better at recognizing various emotions in themselves and others, they can better manage their emotions and support others in managing theirs. We look forward to building a common understanding and using common language school wide.
Parent/STUDENT/Teacher Conferences
Early dismissal will take place on Thursday, November 21st at 11:28 AM to accommodate Student/Parent/Teacher conferences. Our busses will make their usual stops, just approximately 3 hours earlier on this day. Students will be dismissed at 11:28, the start of lunch.
Student/Parent/Teacher conferences will take place on Thurs. Nov. 21st (all Divisions) and on either Wed. Nov. 20th or Fri. Nov. 22th. If these times don't work you can request an alternate date.

Childminding will be provided on all three dates so that your conference time can be a time to focus on just one child. It is strongly encouraged that any student at the school during conferences, go to the StrongStart space.

An information letter will be forthcoming with a form for you to complete to help in the goal setting process. This is our first of three formal reports for the school year to communicate to parents about student learning.

In addition to the 3 formal reports, we have 2 informal reports. The first one is a checklist that was recently sent home. Please contact your child's classroom teacher if you did not receive it OR have questions about it. The second is at the end of April, where we typically do student-led conferencing.
Be an Upstander
Bullying is unwanted, repeated, intentional behaviour to harm someone else, emotionally or physically. Typically there is an imbalance of power. While bullying is unkind, not all unkind behaviour is bullying. We are looking forward to the implementation of this year's Awooga Celebration initiative with a focus on kindness.

Please click here to access the ERASE website, dedicated to promoting safe and caring schools.

An  UPSTANDER  is someone who recognizes when something is wrong and acts to make it right. When we stand up for what is right, and do our best to help support and protect someone who is being hurt, we are being socially responsible.

Click here to watch a video about what it means to be an upstander in both bullying and unkind situations.

Follow up with all students involved in a conflict situation typically occurs so students learn their role in contributing positively to our school community. Students can make choices to be an UPSTANDER and more helpful in a bullying/unkind situation. My expectation is that all students will do their part in doing what's right as an UPSTANDER. Keeping parents informed of their child's behaviour at school is important to me as Principal at Falkland School. Thank you for your continued support at home to encourage your child to do the right thing when they observe unkind behaviour. We all have a role to report to ensure our working and learning environment is safe and caring for all.
When students see behaviour that is unkind, they can stop it by getting involved. As an UPSTANDER, they could try:

  • Saying something like, “leave him/her alone,” or “cut it out"
  • Model the use of kind words to others
  • Directing attention away from the unkind behaviour
  • Getting support from friends to stand up against the person acting unkind
  • Reporting the unkind behaviour to adults

Don’t be a BYSTANDER and encourage unkind or bullying behaviour by:

  • Sticking around while it is happening to observe - your presence adds to the problem
  • Laughing, cheering or recording it, even DARING others
  • Forwarding bullying or unkind photos or texts or spreading information about the incident
  • “Liking” mean comments or photos on social media
  • Joining in on the bullying or unkindness
Halloween Activities - Thursday, Oct. 31st
We will have a parade on Thursday, October 31st at 9:15 AM in the gymnasium to share our costumes with each other.

REMINDER: When choosing a costume for school, please remember to keep our dress code in mind. Students have been reminded to keep blood and gore to a minimum. Masks are allowed during the parade and in classrooms. When outside and in common places in the school, they must not be worn. Please keep replica weapons at home.

We thank you for your cooperation in helping maintain a safe and caring school for all and wish you all a safe Halloween night.
For more information about the Pumpkin Carving/Decorating Contest, click here.
Legion Youth Remembrance Day Contest
See below or click here to see the information outlining entry criteria for the annual Remembrance Day Contest. Please have entries to the office by Friday, November 8th.
We Day - Tues., Nov. 19 (Vancouver)
12 students in grades 7 and 8 will be attending the We Day Event in Vancouver at Rogers Arena on Tuesday, November 19th with Ms. Honey and 3 additional chaperones. Click here to read more about the upcoming experience. Thanks to Ms. Honey and Ms. Barker for their coordination and our chaperones for helping make this amazing experience a possibility for our students.
The Falkland School Wolves play Volleyball
The 2019 volleyball season is well underway with students grades 6, 7, and 8 completing two games so far. The following games are scheduled:

Tuesday, October 29th at Shuswap Middle (Salmon Arm)
Thursday, November 7th at Len Wood Middle School (Armstrong)
Thursday, November 14th at A.L. Fortune (Enderby)

Thanks very much to Coach Clarke and Coach Barker for providing this experience for our students and for all their work in helping our team reach their fullest potential.
Information from PAC
Thanks to the following parents for taking on executive positions with PAC.

President: Adina Clements
Vice President: Megan Jackson
Treasurer: Mami Peterman
Secretary: Rebecca McDougall
Directors: Yvonne Logan, Karoll Brosnan,Jodi Gillman, Megan Connell
DPAC rep: Kelly Stalker
Hot Lunch Coordinator: Trisha McLean

Next PAC meeting is Wednesday, Nov.. 6th at 2:30 in the Staffroom. All parents welcome and babysitting will be provided.

Please contact Adina Clements (250-463-5750) or Shelly Cull (250-833-2806 or 250-379-2320) to discuss ways you can get involved and contribute to your child's school experience.

HOT LUNCH DATES:
Wednesday, Nov. 20th - order forms will be sent home by Friday, November 8th, and due to the classroom teacher by Friday, November 15th.

Dec. 20 - breakfast for lunch
Jan. 22
Feb. 19
March 11
April 22
May 27
June 23 (tentative)

Information about our PAC Christmas Basket Fundraiser will be coming home soon.
PAC MEETING DATES:
Wednesday, Nov. 6
Wednesday, Dec. 4
Wednesday, Jan. 8
Wednesday, Feb. 12
Wednesday, March 4
Wednesday, April 1
Wednesday, May 6
Wednesday, June 3

Tell your Friends and Family....
If you shop at Cobs Bread in Vernon and mention that you are supporting Falkland School, 5% of your purchase will be donated back to Falkland PAC.

FlipGive
Looking for an easy way to support the PAC? Just in time for Christmas or everyday shopping online. Download the FlipGive app and continue to shop at your usual favourite stores. Join our team now using our invite code KBQVBV in one of two ways:

  1. Click here to download the FlipGive app.
  2. Click here to Join online or to acquire more information.
Thank you to our incredible parent group for their organization and coordination of our Hot Lunches, the Davison Orchard Apple Fundraiser, Welcome Back to School Event and most recently the Pumpkin Patch at Falkland School. It takes a tremendous amount of work to provide these opportunities to our families and students. Please know that if you have helped to make these events and experiences a reality, we deeply appreciate the time and hard work you invest in our school.
Christmas Concert -
Wed., Dec. 4th@ 6:00 PM
Set in the North Pole, familiar and unfamiliar characters are eager to take on Santa's job on Christmas Eve. In this performance, every 100 years, Santa takes a break from his responsibilities on Christmas Eve and an important lesson about kindness is learned as the successful candidate is selected.

Doors open at 5:30PM. Students must be in classrooms at 5:45PM. Performance to start at 6:00PM.

A rehearsal will take place on the same day at 12:30 PM.

Boys and Girls Club activities will be cancelled on this day.
Foundational Skills Assessment

Students are working towards completing the Foundational Skills Assessment this week. Click here to view the latest communication to parents from the Ministry of Education. Booklets will be sent home sometime before the winter break, after our local team of educators score them. If you have questions about the assessment, scoring process, or results please contact Mrs. Cull at the office.
Upcoming Events - check our website for
Please click here for a list of upcoming events at Falkland School.
FALKLAND SCHOOL  | 5756 TUKTAKAMIN ROAD, FALKLAND BC

250 - 379 - 2320| fal.sd83.bc.ca | fal@sd83.bc.ca