PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE
Welcome members of the West Langley community to the 2024-2025 school year. We are glad you are a part of the pride here at West Langley! It is expected that students will take responsibility for their learning and work towards creating an inclusive and welcoming school community. We encourage parents to support your child and the classroom teacher by communicating with the school and by encouraging your children to take part in home reading, and work completion. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s teacher or myself. I look forward to working with this dedicated staff to ensure that your child’s school year is successful.
Mrs. Courtney Robertson
Principal
Bell Schedule
2024-2025
8:32 Welcoming Bell
8:37 Classes Begin
10:10 Recess
10:25 Classes Resume
11:47 Outside Recess
12:20 Inside Lunch Time
2:20 Dismissal
Half Day Dismissal:
8:32 Welcoming Bell
8:37 Classes Begin
10:10 Recess
10:15 Classes Resume
11:20 Dismissal
STUDENT SAFETY
REPORTING ABSENCES
Each morning the admin assistant verifies all unaccounted absences. Your cooperation in phoning the school by 8:30 am is appreciated. The school phone number is 604-888-6444 or you can email absences to wleattendance@sd35.bc.ca
We use an automated system that will call, text, and email the contacts of absent students beginning at 9:20am for those studens with unexcused absences.
SCHOOL VISITS
When visiting the school or a classroom we request that you check in with the office as you arrive to sign in.
PICKING UP STUDENTS
If you are sending someone to pick up your child/ren please inform the office.
WHEN CHILDREN ARE ILL
In fairness to all, please do not send your child to school if there are definite signs of ill health in the morning. We have neither the facilities nor the personnel to care for sick children. Students who are ill should not attend school until their health is reasonable.
Students who become ill during the day are to report directly to their teacher. Our policy is to get students who are ill home as soon as possible. Our practice will be to call parents and ask that the student be picked up. For this reason, it is important that parents keep work and emergency phone numbers current.
MEDICATION FOR STUDENTS
On occasion we have been asked by a parent to ensure their child receives prescribed medication. Please be aware that in order to do so, we require the completion of the Request for Administration of Medication at School form. Also, a doctor needs to sign the form, and a copy of the prescription needs to be submitted.
EMERGENCY RESPONSE &
FIRE DRILLS
Regular fire drills and emergency response drills will be held throughout the year to practice student safety procedures. This will be added to our newsletter dates when there is an upcoming drill.
SCHOOL CLOSURE
In the event of power failures, please listen to one of the following radio stations: CBC Radio or CKNW.
SCHOOL ENTRY
Please ensure that your child does not arrive at school prior to 8:20. Students are to use the classroom doors to enter and exit the building.
LUNCH
Lunch commences at 11:47. The children play outside first and return to their classroom to eat lunch at 12:20. Students may not leave the school grounds without a signed note from home or verbal permission at the office.
SCHOOL DISTRICT #35 CODE CONDUCT
Langley School District Code of Conduct
The Langley School District believes that everyone has the right to learn and work in a safe, caring, healthy and orderly environment. All members of the school community are expected to maintain an attitude that is cooperative, courteous and respectful. It is a shared responsibility to demonstrate positive conduct while attending any school or District related activity, regardless of time and location.
Respect Yourself – care about your learning and yourself
Some examples include:
- make positive choices
- be on time and prepared to learn and do your best
- Be a positive contributor to the learning environment
Respect Others – be considerate of the personal feelings, space and belongings of others
Some examples include:
- be polite, honest and communicate respectfully
- be responsible for your actions
- be respectful of personal and cultural diversity
Respect Property – respect the school’s environment
Some examples include:
- treat school equipment with care
- clean up after yourself and recycle
- ask before borrowing property
Be Safe – follow school rules and expectations
Some examples include:
- use appropriate hallway etiquette
- report dangerous situations to staff
- follow protocols for positive digital citizenship
All members of the school community are expected to comply with the purpose and spirit of the British Columbia Human Rights Code (Section 7 and 8), including not engaging in discriminatory conduct on the basis of race, colour, ancestry, place of origin, religion, marital status, family status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, political beliefs, and age.
Discriminatory conduct includes publishing or displaying anything that could discriminate against another based on accommodation, service and facility, or expose them to contempt or ridicule, on the basis of the above grounds.
The Langley School District encourages positive conduct from all members of the school community. It is not acceptable to directly or indirectly engage in behaviour that is considered:
- dangerous, including fighting or assault (or play fighting)
- discriminatory
- disrespectful, rude or defiant
- interfering with the learning environment
- bullying (including cyberbullying), harassment, intimidation, threatening or violent
- indirect involvement (bystander) in incidents of violence, bullying or harassment
- retaliatory in nature
- unsafe, possessing weapons or replicas and explosives (such as fireworks/firecrackers)
- theft or vandalism
- plagiarism or cheating
- unauthorized leaving of school grounds
- the dangerous use of cars, bicycles, skateboards and other equipment
- possession, use, distribution of any illegal or restricted substances
- illegal, including smoking on school property
- misuse of technology and electronic devices
Forms of unacceptable conduct cited above are some examples and not an alI-inclusive list.
Langley School District Dress Guidelines
The intent of a dress guideline is to set expectations to assist students, staff, and parents in decision-making with respect to clothing. It is not intended to be prescriptive nor punitive, but to provide a level of clarity so that correction or discipline is not required.
Dress guidelines are intended to incorporate individual preferences for students and their families to dress in a manner that they choose. Individual choice is however tempered by a responsibility to recognize that a school is a learning and working environment, in which there is an expectation of reasonableness.
Staff members have a responsibility to assist students in understanding and abiding by the District dress guidelines. Parents have a responsibility to support appropriate dress for the school and the workplace.
Clothing should be comfortable and allow a student to participate safely in activities such as physical education, science experiments, and/or shop projects. Clothing should demonstrate a respect for the school community. Clothing should meet standards of suitability that are typical of an office workplace and should not be offensive to others.
Articles of clothing that promote alcohol or drugs, that display offensive language or images, or that encourage sexism, racism or bigotry are not acceptable in a school. Clothing bearing direct or indirect messages or graphics referring to gang culture, sex or pornography, weapons or violence will not be permitted.
When there are differences in perspective, all involved have a duty to seek common understanding in a mutually respectful manner. Ultimately, the school administration has the responsibility to apply the dress guidelines when necessary. If any person dresses in an inappropriate manner, the student should be advised personally and discretely and given an opportunity to meet the District guidelines.
PARENT ADVISORY COUNCIL (PAC)
The purpose of the P.A.C. is to promote and support education and to contribute to a sense of school community at West Langley Elementary.
Objectives:
To enhance communication between:
Parents The Board
Community School
Students AND Administration
Staff
To provide a formal means of consultation and recommends for budgetary matters, curriculum, new instructional programs, facilities and learning resources.
- To promote involvement of parents and other community members.
- To organize and provide additional resources to the school through volunteer activities.
Members:
All parents and guardians of students registered at West Langley Elementary are voting members.
At West Langley Elementary School we are working together with students, parents and the community to develop a positive learning environment based on mutual trust, respect and cooperation, leading to a life-long love of learning.
Have a great year Lions!