Grindrod Elementary School

As winter looms, bears are a natural visitor in our area. Recent reports say the the black bear is hiding along the creek and eating the apples on the tree near the church. Please make a plan for your child to get home safely from school and to avoid the wooded path..

Our annual family three-way conference is scheduled for Thursday, October 26 across the school district. There is no regular school for students as parents and their child will have a 15-minute meeting time with the teacher. Teachers will be available to meet on October 26, as well, some teachers have opened up a few spots after school on other days that week to allow families to have more choice for meeting.   If none of the meetings times work for you, please make a separate meeting appointment with your child’s teacher.

This informal learning update is intended to share progress in numeracy and literacy as well as social-emotional goals. Student voice is encouraged as students take responsibility for their own learning, goal setting and self assessment.

Please make an appointment for each of your children using the online booking app. Your child’s teacher will reserve this spot for this family conference.   If you feel that 15 minutes won’t be enough time to meet, you are encouraged to reach out at any time to discuss concerns.           

Looking forward to seeing you soon,

Booking Link: https://outlook.office365.com/owa/calendar/GrindrodOctoberConferences@sd83bcca.onmicrosoft.com/bookings/

Kirsten Mazur

Principal                

Hallowe’en is just around the corner and many schools throughout School District No. 83 (North Okanagan-Shuswap) will be hosting activities, costume parades and extra-curricular events for students to enjoy!

While the District does not have an official policy regarding Hallowe’en costumes, we ask that costumes are respectful, follow dress codes, and do not promote violence, sexism, racism, or appropriation of culture.

Here are some guidelines to consider when selecting costumes that will be worn at school:

• Students need to be identifiable and visible to ensure safety. Face paint is welcome; full face masks should be left at home or only worn during the costume parade.
• Costumes that are sexual in nature or employ questionable props are not appropriate for a school setting.
• Costumes that depict violence, drugs, or alcohol are not appropriate. Fake weapons should be left at home and saved for Hallowe’en night.
• Costumes that could be offensive or perpetuate a stereotype of someone’s culture, gender, heritage, or religion are not permitted. 

If there is a chance your child will get uncomfortable in their costume during the day, you may wish to have them bring a change of clothes to put on later in the day.

Have a fun and safe Hallowe’en

The Ministry of Education has some information available for parents and caregivers about the Foundation Skills Assessment.

 The FSA is a learning assessment for all grade 4 and 7 students. It focuses on the areas of literacy and numeracy. 

FSA results are one way of measuring how the education system is doing in these key areas. It assesses how students think, communicate and reflect – not just the facts they know. 

The FSA is not intended to be used to rank students, teachers, or schools. The FSA is a snapshot of student learning at a moment in time. For parents and caregivers, it tells you where your child is at in their literacy and numeracy development, as well as areas where they may need support. When all students participate, it also gives the Ministry of Education and Child Care a clear picture of how the education system is performing as a whole.

BROCHURE & MORE INFORMATION AVAILABLE HERE