Posted: May 21, 2023
Families of Douglas Park,
Last week was another great week at the school! Staff and students made the most of the beautiful weather, spending lots of time learning outside. It was also an awesome week of fun activities, including another training session with Soccer Shots, more ducklings hatching in our primary classes, Langley Secondary School AVID students working with our intermediate classes, and a visit to HD Stafford for our Grade 5 students. There are so many good things happening for our students at Douglas Park!
During the Grade 5 visit to HD Stafford last week, I had the opportunity to accompany our students to 
the middle school and visit with some of the staff who will be working with our kids. I was extremely impressed with the hard work that HD Stafford staff put into this event. They welcomed our students with a presentation from the principal, followed by a tour of the school and a pizza party. Before the visit ended, the middle school staff also provided each of our students with a HD Stafford t-shirt. Furthermore, the middle school staff set up meetings for the Grade 5 teachers to discuss how to best support each one of our students. While it is hard for us to say goodbye to all of our Grade 5 students, it is good to know that they are transitioning to a school that cares deeply for them and will work hard to support their well-being and development. We are very grateful to be a part of a family of schools that works closely together to support students. We know that our students will always be Douglas Park Dragons, but it is wonderful to know that they will proudly become HD Stafford Hawks as well.
As our Grade 5 students prepare to transition to middle school, we will be getting ready to welcome new kindergarten students to Douglas Park for our Welcome to Kindergarten event on June 6th. We look forward to connecting with new students and families and welcoming them into this amazing school community!
Looking forward to another awesome week at school!
Mr. Touzeau
Proud Principal
As always, we want to acknowledge that the Langley School District works, learns and plays on the unceded ancestral lands of the Matsqui, Kwantlen, Katzie and Semiahmoo First Nations
Good Things to Talk About
Grade 5 Visit to Stafford – On Tuesday, our Grade 5s visited HD Stafford Middle School. In addition to touring the school, the students had an awesome pizza party and were given Stafford t-shirts! We’re going to miss all of our Grade 5 students next year, but it is great to know that they are in good hands!
Learning About Local Animals – In the library this week, Mrs. Shaw’s class had the opportunity to learn about local animal tracks, scats and skulls from Karen Gabriel. They learned that Aboriginal people used animals for many things and that it was important for children to be able to identify the signs of various wildlife in the vicinity.
STEM Challenge with Ducklings – Ms. Schober’s class hatched ducks last week and the kids are so excited to have them in their class! The students love interacting with their feathery friends and today they worked in teams to design and build obstacle courses for their ducks. Using a variety of supplies, the kids worked together to build pathways, ramps, and tunnels. Check out their amazing creations and stay tuned for a video of the ducks navigating the obstacle courses.
Painting Ecosystems – Ms. Hewitson’s class has been learning about ecosystems, so they decided to draw and paint an ocean ecosystem. They drew various ocean plants and animals, then used watercolours to paint their artwork. It was awesome to see how invested the kids were in creating their art.
Story Workshop – Ms. Lategan’s class had fun with their story workshop this week. The kids created stories using placemats and loose parts. After creating their stories, the kids used a story map to capture the elements of their story including characters, setting, problem, and solution. Check out their awesome creations and writing!
Learning 3D Designing – Ms. Datema’s class was learning to use Tinkercad this week. Tinkercad is a web-based app that allows students to create 3D designs. It was incredible to watch how quickly the students developed their proficiency with the app. They were able to design all sorts of 3D shapes and objects!
Soccer Shots – Soccer Shots was back at Douglas Park on Thursday for their third training session with students! In addition to shooting, dribbling and passing, the kids were working on developing various movement skills. I love watching how excited our kids are during these training sessions! It’s also great to see how much more confident our students are becoming on the soccer field.
Class Movie Party – Ms. Tam’s class has been working really hard to earn a movie party. After earning the party, the kids worked in teams to plan every detail of their event. They organized a concession, chose a movie, and planned the layout of their theatre.
Story Writing – Ms. Hewitson’s students have been working hard on their story writing. Last week, the kids used story workshop to create stories with loose parts. The process helps inspire young writers by providing a creative platform to explore story elements and identify details to write about.
Professional Development for Staff – Last Friday, Douglas Park staff took part in a day of professional development that included workshops on outdoor education and supporting students from refugee families. We are fortunate to have many parks and trails around our school and staff are excited to help students explore local ecosystems in rich and meaningful ways.
The Week Ahead
Monday
- Victoria Day (School Closed)
Wednesday
- Grade 3-5 Choir Practice from 2:45 – 3:30 pm
Thursday
- PAC Hotdog Day
Friday
- Dress Like a Book Character Day
Month at a Glance
May 22nd – Victoria Day (School Closed)
May 25th – PAC Hotdog Day
May 26th – Dress Like a Book Character Day
May 29th – PAC Meeting at 9:00 am
May 30th – Regional Track Meet at McLeod Athletic Park
June 1st – Soccer Shots for Kindergarten to Grade 3 Students
June 6th – Welcome to Kindergarten Event for New Kindergarten Students
June 9th – School Spirit Day – Tacky Tourist Day
June 10th – Langley City Community Days
June 12th – 15th – Operation Waterproof Swimming Lessons for Grade 5 Students
June 12th – PAC AGM at 9:00 am
June 16th – Rainbow Day
June 16th – LSS Grad Walk at Douglas Park
June 20th – School Beach Day at Centennial Beach
June 21st – National Indigenous Peoples Day
June 23rd – Grade 5 Waterslides
June 26th – Dress Fancy Day
June 27th – Grade 5 Farewell Assembly
June 28th – Sports Day
June 29th – Last Day of School
PAC News
Message from the PAC – We are looking for parents to join our Parent Advisory Council (PAC). The purpose of the PAC is to organize activities and events and to encourage parent involvement in the school. PAC meetings are the place to bring ideas for creating social events for fundraising or simply to bring the community together. Meetings are held once a month and you are welcome to bring your little ones to our meetings. Some examples of what the PAC does are:
- Movie Nights
- Hot Lunch
- Popcorn Day
- Chess Tournament
Please join us, we’d love to have some new PAC members and we look forward to meeting you. Upcoming meetings are in the school newsletter!
Upcoming Events
- PAC Hotdog Day (May 25th) – The PAC will be hosting a hotdog lunch for our students. Stay tuned for more information.
- Welcome to Kindergarten (June 6th) – The PAC will be hosting a table at our Welcome to Kindergarten event for students and families beginning kindergarten next year. The goal is to welcome new families to the school community, share information about the school, and encourage parents to get involved in our school PAC.
Next Meeting Times
- PAC Meeting – Monday, May 29th at 9:00 am
- SAVE THE DATE: PAC AGM – Monday, June 12th at 9:00 am
Updates and Reminders
Royal Soccer Club – The Royal Soccer Club is a registered non-profit community organization. It is proud to host their 31st annual popular grassroots summer soccer day camps. The program is designed to promote personal development, team building and of course, FUN! Uniquely designed to offer a soccer focus in the morning and a leisure swim with other organized activities in the afternoons to all children aged 5 to 13, the program operates during all weeks in July and August. For more information or to register, visit royalsoccerclub.com or call 1-800-427-0536. Please see the attached brochure for additional information.
Morning Supervision Reminder – The outside supervision begins at 8:32 am. Please ensure that students are not being dropped off at the school and left unattended before this time. Thank you!
JB4 Registration for 2023/2024 Now Open – JB4 is a learning community for 4 year olds that inspires curiosity, discovery, and belonging to honour all children and how they naturally learn. It is a rich and purposeful preschool program that operates out of our school Monday to Friday from 12:45 – 3:15 pm. If you are interested in registering for the 2023/2024 school year, please contact Ms. Rachel at rsusheski@sd35.bc.ca. Please see the attached poster for more information about JB4!
New Ministry Reporting Order Support Materials for Parents and Caregivers – The Ministry of Education has released an excellent resource package designed to help parents and caregivers understand recent changes to assessment practices and the upcoming changes to the K-12 Student Reporting Policy. Below you will find a link to the resource package as well as a one-page introduction to the resource package which helps families as they navigate the document. The resource package is also available in 8 different languages on the K-12 Student Reporting Policy Information for Families web page.
How To Use Student Reporting Information
Information About Communicating Student Information
Langley Children’s Choir – The Langley Children’s Choir is auditioning in May for next year’s group. The choir dreams of having a singer from EVERY school! For more information about the choir and upcoming auditions, please see the flyer below:
Langley Children’s Choir Information
Transportation Registration 2023-2024 – Transportation registration for 2023-24 is now open. Please note the instructions to register are different for each category of rider. To help in our planning and creation of bus routes, registrations must be submitted by May 15 (eligible riders) and June 18 (courtesy riders). The District cannot guarantee approval after the deadline. New and existing riders can find more information on our Transportation Registration webpage here.
Summer Session 2023 – Elementary/Middle/Secondary – Are you looking for skill-building or new learning opportunities for your child to keep them engaged during the summer? The District offers a variety of courses as part of Summer Session. Online registration began on April 20th for Langley School District students. For dates, times, and courses available to grade 1-12 students, please visit our webpage here.
Salmon, Science and Nature Exploration Summer Camp – Special arrangements have been made with local Sponsorship Agencies to offer students from Douglas Park Elementary School a discounted rate for the Salmon, Science and Nature Exploration Summer Camp at Trinity Western University. Please see the attached brochure for more information.
Breakfast Program – The breakfast program is open Monday – Friday from 7:15 – 8:25 AM. It is located in the Boys & Girls Club Portable. The program is FREE for all Douglas Park students. It is run by volunteers and supported through donations. You do not need to register for this program. Parents/guardians are welcome to join their child(ren). Please see the brochure below for more details about the menu.
JB4 Preschool – We are very excited to be opening our first Langley School District Preschool! JB4 (Just Be 4) Preschool is a new ministry initiative that allows our ECE staff to provide meaningful and engaging play-based learning for 4-year-olds. It will be running at Douglas Park Elementary in our StrongStart room. Please see the attached flyer and contact Ms. Rachel (rsusheski@sd35.bc.ca) for more information.
Child Day 2023 – The Langley School District is hosting our Annual Child Day Event on May 25, 2023, at Church in the Valley. This event is for children 0 – 5 years and brings together community partners for a day of fun and information for families. All are welcome. Please see the below poster for more details and information.
BC Training and Education Savings Program Grant – Families of students in Kindergarten through Grade 4 may be eligible for a $1,200 BC Training and Education Savings Grant for their post-secondary education. Please see the below letter for more information.
Pokemon Cards – This is a reminder that Pokemon cards are not permitted at school. When brought to school, cards are often traded, given away, or lost, which results in upset students.
Early Years Programs – We have many opportunities for families to take part in Early Years Programming in our district. All of our programs are FREE, DROP-IN, and open to all caregivers. Families are welcome to attend any of the sessions available, regardless of their catchment school.
Attendance – If your child is going to be away or late please be sure to call the office and leave a message @ 604-533-4491 or email Ms. Langford @ klangford@sd35.bc.ca.
FaceBook – Be sure to follow us on Facebook for updated information
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Douglasparkcommunityelementary
Bell Schedule
8:42 – Warning Bell
8:47 – Instruction Begins
10:10-10:25 – Recess
11:47-12:20 – Lunch
2:30 – Dismissal
School Calendar – Please click the link below to access our school calendar for the year. It provides general dates about when the school is open and closed.