In the Loop – May 2, 2024

May 2, 2024

KEY RESOURCES IN LANGLEY

HONOURING TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION

May 5 – Red Dress Day/ National Day of Awareness and Action for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Gender Diverse People
May 5 is the National Day of Awareness and Action for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Gender diverse people. It is also known as Red Dress Day. This day began as a result of the Red Dress Project, which was an aesthetic response to the over 1000 murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls in Canada. The red dresses act as a visual reminder of all of the missing women, girls, and Two-Spirit people.

The legacies of residential schools, the 60s scoop, and ongoing colonization including resource theft and socio-economic conditions like poverty, sexism, racism, and discrimination often fall the hardest on women and gender diverse people. On May 5, we remember the people who have lost their lives to colonial, gender-based violence, and their families and communities that live daily with the grief of losing loved ones.

The day is about building awareness of this ongoing harm and honouring those we have lost and their families. You can mark the day by:

  •  Wearing red
  •  Hanging a red dress in your window or yard
  •  Commit to learning more

Lower Fraser Valley Aboriginal Society will be hosting the No More Stolen Sisters March on Friday May 3rd from 11am – 1pm, starting at Spirit Square in Douglas Park. All are welcome to attend.

Moose Hide Campaign
May 16 is the 13th Annual Moose Hide Campaign Day. This campaign is a grassroots movement of Indigenous and non-Indigenous men and boys standing up against violence towards women and children. Women, girls and all genders are also very much welcome to support the campaign and its goals.

The campaign is targeted at men and boys because we know that women are far more likely to be victims of domestic violence and sexual harassment than men and while women have been at the forefront of efforts to end domestic violence, gender-based violence and inequality, men have largely been absent in these efforts.

In joining the campaign, you make a promise to:

  • Stand up with women and children and speak out against violence towards them.
  • Support each other and hold each other accountable.
  • Teach our young boys about the true meaning of love and respect and be healthy role models for them.
  • Heal ourselves as men and support our brothers on their healing journey.

By wearing a moose hide pin and taking part in other events, you will be demonstrating your commitment to giving women and children the respect, safety, and security they deserve. (Order Pins Here)

For more information, you can visit the Moose Hide Campaign K-12 Learning Platform to check out potential lesson plans. There, you can also find more educational resources such as a  curriculum guide for teachers, background information, preparing the environment and more.

Learning Resources for either Day:

Books:

  • Highway of Tears by Jessica McDiarmid
  • If I go Missing by by Brianna Jonnie and Nahanni Shingoose
  • Red River Girl: The Life and Death of Tina Fontaine by Joanna Jolly

Other Resources:

DISTRICT PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
To see our full calendar of offerings, visit www.thinklangley.com

RC Garnett Demonstration Day | Friday May 17 | Register
As part of the District’s Professional Development offerings on Friday May 17, we will once again be offering Dem Day at RC Garnett on the morning of Friday May 17.  Demonstration Day at RC Garnett is an opportunity for classroom teachers to visit RC Garnett while it is in session, and observe RCG teachers in action with students. Classroom teachers from grades K to 5 will be providing instruction on a variety of relevant topics and will be demonstrating a multitude of instructional strategies and practices for attendees to take with them. Participants will be able to sign up for two different classroom sessions in the morning and then will be able to return to join the afternoon activities at their home school.  Space in each session is limited so be sure to sign up early and not miss out!

CUPE 1260 Spring Conference | May. 17, 2024 I Register
Join us for a day of learning and professional development open to CUPE 1260 staff in the Langley School District. Begin your day with an amazing keynote presentation from Len Pierre! Learn the ins and outs of the District from payroll to clerical services to benefits and leave. Get a Microsoft Office certification, and so much more. You’ll also have a chance to connect with your colleagues in CUPE 1260. Snacks and a catered lunch will be provided!

Occupational First Aid Level 1 (OFA1) | May. 17, 2024 I Register
The WorkSafeBC Occupational First Aid Level 1 course is an 8-hour program, including coffee and lunch breaks and is designed to provide life-saving first aid skills to workers in industry. Successful candidates must demonstrate competency in practical skills and achieve 72% or higher on a multiple-choice exam. Certification is valid for three years.

Lessons on the Land | May. 17, 2024 I Register
Our climate is changing and so is education. Be a part of the shift to learning from the land, on the land, with your students. This workshop will empower educators to teach about climate change by including experiential outdoor learning. Langley Environmental Partners Society (LEPS) and Langley Environmental Educators Provincial Specialists Association (LEEPSA) have teamed up to provide this Professional Development Day workshop because we both believe that knowledge and nature connection can lead to positive action for the environment.

Educator Discovery Tour of Academy Farms | Friday May 17, 2024 | Register
Located at 23480-40th Avenue, Academy Farms is a local and one-of-a-kind farm that has been operating in the Township of Langley since 2021. In addition to raising unique animals such as bison and water buffalo, the farm also takes great pride in their innovative, sustainable and modern approach to agriculture. On the District Pro-D Day, Friday May 17, Academy Farms will be offering an opportunity for educators to tour the farm and learn more about the educational programs and opportunities that are available for students and classes.  The tour will run from 11 am to 12 pm with a lunch being provided by the farm immediately following the tour.  Staff interested in attending would start their day at their home school for the Ensouling our Schools Presentation with Len Pierre before heading to the farm for the start of the tour at 11 am.  They would then return back to their home school after the tour and lunch for any school-based pro-d activities in the afternoon.  Please register at the link above – deadline to register is Friday May 10.

Nurturing Young Writers with Matt Glover – Session 3 | On-Demand Learning Feature
One of the challenges teachers face is determining what to teach each day during a unit of study in writing workshop. Even when teachers have curricular plans and resources that give teaching possibilities, only teachers can determine what their students need each day. In this session teachers will learn and use a process for designing writing units that meet curricular goals and respond to the individual needs of their students.

EXTERNAL PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

Approaching Public Policy like an Economist | Fraser Institute | More info
Are you passionate about incorporating real-world economics into your classroom curriculum? We invite you to register for this free, upcoming teacher workshop; Approaching Public Policy like an Economist in Vancouver, BC, on May 10th. This dynamic workshop will provide you with valuable insights and resources to effectively teach public policy through an economic lens. Whether you’re a seasoned educator or new to the field, this event promises to enhance your teaching skills and enrich your students’ learning experience. This professional development opportunity is also available to student teachers! Deadline to register is May 3, 2024.

Empowering Literacy: Building a Collaborative Approach In BC – Webinar Series | Sign Up
Join Dyslexia Canada and leading BC educators in a transformative workshop series where literacy leaders unite to examine and address the multifaceted challenges of literacy education in BC. Born from a commitment to equitable education, this series promises insightful dialogue, research-based instructional strategies, and actionable solutions. This workshop series is open to anyone in British Columbia interested in learning more about the science of reading, structured literacy, screening and the Right to Read. Participants will have the opportunity to connect with educators from across the province, share their perspectives and progress, and participate in crafting a coordinated advocacy plan to help British Columbia move forward with evidence-based practices.  To sign up, go to the link above. The series begins on May 22.

Teaching Mental Health Literacy – Ages 12-19 | Register
With Mental Health Literacy week almost upon us (May 6-12), this is a great time to remind teachers that UBC Mental Health offers a free, online course called “Teach Mental Health Literacy.”  The course provides educators with a classroom-ready, web-based mental health resource as well as helping educators develop their own mental health literacy and their comfort in teaching mental health literacy to students.  To learn more and how to register, go to the link above.

An Introduction to Social and Emotional Learning | Register
CASEL provides a great, introductory course to Social Emotional Learning for educators.  The course can be taken individually or can also be very rewarding when done as a group.  The course teachers educators more about social emotional learning, reflect on how it connects to everyday life and provides activities and ideas to help apply these social and emotional skills and activities to our work with young people.  To learn more and to register, please visit the link above.

LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR STAFF/STUDENTS/CLASSES

Calling Career-Life Educators and Staff of Grades 9-12 | Deadline May 7, 2204 | Survey
The Employment Strategy for Youth with Disabilities at CanAssist at the University of Victoria needs your help! Share your experiences and needs for supporting youth with disabilities (including mental health challenges and substance use histories) in career-life planning. Take the Educator Survey for a chance to win a $150 gift card! The survey is part of a project featuring the voices of youth with disabilities, caregivers, service providers, educators, and employers to make career support more accessible for youth. Your valuable input will help us build strategy and resources for across BC.

Student STEM Challenge Opportunity | Brilliant Blue | More info | Sign Up
Millennium STEM BC, a youth-led non-profit organization that aims to diversify STEM fields and equip youth with the technological skills and opportunities to pursue careers in STEM. The competition is created by Brilliant Blue Labs, an adult-run charity in the East Coast. For teams in Vancouver, the competition will be hosted virtually (hybrid competition). Students that sign up will be put into teams of 5 with people from other schools or of their own choice (if indicated on the google form). Students will meet virtually to collaborate on their projects.
Brilliant Blue, is an exhilarating competition that invites you to explore the world of ocean innovation. Seize the opportunity to unleash your innovative ideas, protect our ocean, and propel the blue economy forward. Brilliant Blue is a STEM Education program empowering youth, supporting employers, and fostering economic growth in the Canadian blue economy. The 2024 competition will come to a finish with a hybrid event in the fall (date to be announced).

UBC Geering Up Engineering Outreach | More info
Geering Up is a STE(A)M outreach organizations, based out of UBC engineering and are offering workshops for grades K-12 all across the Lower Mainland. Workshops are led by two Geering Up instructors and consist of exciting, hands-on activities that promote problem-solving and curiosity in STEAM fields. Workshops range from Robotics, Chemistry, and Sustainable Engineering all the way to Quantum Mechanics and all cover BC ADST curriculum and core competencies.

LEARNING RESOURCES

Canadian Mental Health Week – May 6-12
This year’s theme is compassion and focuses on the healing power of kindness and connection. Schools are encouraged to sign up for Canadian Mental Health Week updates for more information and to access free resources, including the Mental Health Week School Toolkit.

Secondary: Lit Circle Novels for Grade 9 to 12 |  More info
On the Instructional Services website found at the link above, English teachers will find a collection of Diverse Voices novels that have been curated by a team of Langley teachers and Teacher Librarians to highlight underrepresented voices. The novels have also been chosen with a focus on prioritizing Canadian artists.  These novels can be signed out on sets of 6 from the District Learning Commons (DLC – click here) and eBook versions are available on SORA (click here). For information on how to evaluate resources for your specific classroom, click here. Please connect with your Teacher Librarian if you would like further assistance.

SORA, the district reading and listening app!
Your one stop shop for eBooks, audiobooks and eMagazines! To access click here or download the app on your phone or tablet. Either use the school set up code sd35ca or search for “School District 35 Langley”. Sign in using your district username and password (process the same for staff and students). Note: you can sign in through a browser (www.soraapp.com) if you want to display materials on a projector.

  • INDIGENOUS AUTHORS COLLECTION: The Aboriginal Education Department has curated over 400 eBooks and audiobooks to support students and staff in learning about indigenous worldviews and perspectives. This is one of the most comprehensive curations available anywhere in the province.
  • EFP LEARNING RESOURCES COLLECTION: Class eBook sets are available for the following titles: Strangers by David A. Robertson (novel), Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline (novel), The Break by Katherine Vermette (novel), Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice (novel), The Outside Circle Patti LaBoucane-Benson (graphic novel), Where the Blook Mixes by Kevin Loring (play), Take Us to Your Chief and Other Stories by Drew Hayden Taylor (short stories), Only Drunks and Children Tell the Truth by Drew Haydon Taylor (play), One Native Life by Richard Wagamese (autobiography), Tilly and the Crazy Eights by Monique Gray Smith (novel).
  • PROFFESSONAL LEARNING RESOURCES COLLECTION: 80+ professional learning audiobooks and eBooks. Includes Jo Chrona, Katie White, Jody Carrington, Brene Brown, Kelly Gallagher, Jeffery D. Wilhelm, Shane Safir, Lisa Murphy and many more.
  • MAGAZINE TITLES COLLECTION: Unlimited access to 50+ magazines for K-12 students and staff. Titles include National Geographic (regular and Kids), Food Network, New Scientist, Wired, Minecraft, Newsweek and many more.
  • COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS COLLECTION: Unlimited all access to almost 2,000 K-12 comics and graphic eNovels. Click here for titles.
  • LBOY COLLECTION: The District Learning Commons has purchased eBook and audiobook copies for each of the available LBOY titles (see LBOY Collection on SORA).
  • LIT CIRCLE COLLECTION: Teacher teams have curated 30+ literature circle options for grades 9 to 12 by diverse Canadian authors around the essential question of how identity shapes our experience. Browse available titles in the Lit Circle Collection in SORA (eBooks and audiobook copies). Available to book in sets of 6 (print copies) through the District Learning Commons (click here).

Instructional Services | #Think35

4875 222 Street, Langley
BC, V3A 3Z7
Phone: 6045347891
© 2015 Langley School District