Signal Hill Circular - September 17, 2021

Signal Hill Circular

for the week ending Friday, September 17, 2021

We are honoured to be living, working and playing on the traditional, unceded ancestral territories of the St'át'yemc Nation.

Summer into Fall

Dear Signal Hill Families,

As summer winds down and the first snow falls on our local mountains we are settling in to our school year. As we get to know each other we are looking forward to many fun and collaborative learning opportunities with our new friends. Here are a few events happening in the next week:

We have a fire drill scheduled for Tuesday, September 21st.

We have an early dismissal at 12:00 (noon) for students on Wednesday, September 22 for teacher collaboration time.

The Terry Fox Run has been re-scheduled to September 22nd.

School Picture Day is September 24th
Individual Pictures will be taken and retake day is on Tuesday, November 2nd if you miss it.

Please see the next section called "What Parents and Students Need to Know" for a few important reminders to help us start the year off on the right foot.

What Parents and Students Need to Know

Please review this School Safety and Student Expectations Presentation with your child so they understand some important school rules and expectations both during school and during breaks.

Teachers will be going over the Fire Drill Protocols with their classes prior to our drill on Tuesday. Here is what students need to know during a school evacuation if you would like to review with your child beforehand:

A safe, orderly, quick and quiet (no talking) evacuation of the school is our goal. Students must walk to and from school (no running).

When a fire bell rings:

Intermediate classrooms should evacuate through outside classroom doors and proceed to the sports field and line up by class. See map of where each class must go.
Primary classrooms exit through outside classroom doors and proceed around the FRONT of the school. The space between the gym and the portable/fence is too tight. Please follow map arrows.

Classes/Students in the:
a) Multipurpose (TRAX) Room - exit through their door at end of Community wing and proceed to the gathering area on the field around the front of the school to meet their classroom teacher.
b) Gym - must exit through outside door at south end of gym which leads to basketball court. Then they proceed to assigned area on field.
c) Special Ed rooms - must exit via the outside exit door of south hallway which leads directly onto the basketball court. Special Ed teachers then proceed to deliver students to their classroom

teacher as per the locations assigned on the map.

d) Culture Room - must leave the building through the outside exit doors at the north end of the hallway and walk around the back of the school to their designated spot on the field as per the map.
e) Library – students must vacate the library the outside emergency exit door and proceed around the front of the school to the marshalling area where the teacher-librarian will ensure they are in their pre-determined meeting place.

If the fire bell rings when classes are not in session, students must leave the school immediately through the nearest safe exit and make their way to the sports field to where they normally evacuate. They must report to the first teacher or adult supervisor they see at that location and remain with that person until given further instructions or their teacher or a designate arrives.

Three long rings of the school bell after the completion of the fire drill is the “all clear” signal for the classes to re-enter the school. DO NOT ENTER THE BUILDING UNTIL THIS BELL IS RUNG.

Truth and Reconciliation

This week, our work toward Truth and Reconciliation has focused on Orange Shirt Day, which is coming up next week on September 30th. Our Indigenous members of staff have taken the lead in preparing for our upcoming virtual assembly, creating videos with students and planning the drumming and singing on the day.

Do you know the story behind Orange Shirt Day? Watch the video to hear from Phyllis Webstad, the founder of Orange Shirt Day, tell her story:

Ucwalmicwts Word of the Week

ámastwal - (phonetically - amashtwal)

to be kind and good to each other. To hold respect for one another.

[Áma - good, twal - a suffix for each other]

(image from "You Hold Me Up" by Monique Gray Smith)

Terry Fox Run

***The Terry Fox Run has been postponed to September 22nd***

The Signal Hill Terry Fox Run will be in the morning of September 22nd this year. We are proud to be supporting the Terry Fox Foundation. Students are encouraged to bring in a toonie ($2) to donate on September 22nd. We look forward to an active morning in support of a great cause.

Picture Day

School Picture Day is on September 24th.

Individual Pictures will be taken and retake day is on Tuesday, November 2nd if you miss it.

Say cheese!

Parent Advisory Committee

Visit the PAC Pages here.

Health and Safety

Updated COVID-19 Guidelines

The BC Ministry of Education and the BC Centre for Disease Control/BC Ministry of Health have issued updated Health and Safety Guidelines for the 2021/2022 school year. Information can be found here.

A reminder that all students, staff and visitors to the school should be completing a daily health check and staying home if they are sick.

For your convenience, here are some of the key protocols we are implementing:

Health & Safety Protocols 2021-2022

We are committed to safety at Signal Hill Elementary and will be following these safety measures and protocols to keep everyone safe.

HEALTH & SAFETY	2021/22
Continuing from Last Year	o Daily Health Check o Stay home when feeling sick o Hand hygiene o Enhanced cleaning, disinfecting & ventilation o Respiratory Etiquette o Take learning outside o Reduce crowding and congestion o Case and Contact Management (as per VCH)
No Longer Recommended	o Cohorts o Physical distancing of 2m o Give personal space instead
Mask Guidance	o All K-7 Staff and visitors wear masks indoors o All Grade 4-7 Students wear masks indoors and on buses o All K-3 students encouraged to wear masks o Masks required for singing
NEW for 2021/22 School Year	o Vaccination Availability o Extra-curricular activities and field trips may resume o Follow specific regional health measures as needed o Gatherings and events may resume as per PHO orders o Start with virtual or small groups o Community use may resume o Visitors, parents & guardians must make appointments
Drop-off and Pick-up (See School Map)	o Avoid crowding & congestion o Consider wearing a mask o Be cognizant of everybody’s personal space o Say goodbye to children outside- They can do it!
Mental Health	o Connection for staff and students important o Prioritize social and emotional learning, as well as academics o 4 Blankets of Resilience
Recess & Lunch (Outdoors Everyday)	o Increase social connection for students o Spread out o A and B schedules to increase space o Support mental health and well being o Maintain connections between staff and students o Provide abundant play and activity options
Pack In, Pack Out	o Bring a water bottle (labelled) o Take home personal belongings each day