November 23rd Update for Families

Welcome winter! The snow has arrived and with it, the need for boots, coats, hats/mitts and snow pants. Students spend at least 40 mins outside every day and do need to be dressed for the conditions. They are reminded regularly to bring their outdoor clothes to be able to enjoy being outside during the colder months. We highly recommend placing student names inside clothing/footwear items as it makes it much easier to return misplaced items to their owner.

On November 27th, our upcoming Professional Development Day, staff have half a day to connect with parents/caregivers. Many educators have begun this process already. It is an expectation that all families be contacted before the end of the month. The other half of the day is mandatory training through Ministries of Labour and Education. Please remember there is no school for students on November 27th 2020.

Our School Council will be meeting on December 1st using MS Teams. If you would like to join us, please send an email to [email protected] and an invitation will be shared with you.

Our 4th Thought Exchange question will be out tomorrow. Thank you to families who have been contributing their voice. We have a total of 5 questions in our vision development input gathering process and hope to hear from you! We anticipate having a report of the themes from each participating group (students/staff, parents/caregivers) in the New Year.

We have seen a number of students, largely from the junior and intermediate divisions,  texting parents/caregivers to bring forgotten items, or to advise them that they are not feeling well. It is very important that we be notified anytime a student is not feeling well or is injured so that we can assist, and in the world of Covid tracing information any symptoms must also be tracked. Students should not be texting with anyone during the school day. We ask that parents please reinforce these messages at home.

We are coming up on the holiday season, and though we may not be celebrating in many of our customary ways, we believe families will find ways to safely connect with loved ones. These past months have taken a toll on many, and in ways some may never have expected. If your family is experiencing financial strain, and could use a little help, please contact our offices. We do have access to some community resources that may be able to assist. At Balaclava School, we look after ourselves, and one another.