June 6, 2024

KEY RESOURCES IN LANGLEY

• Clickable PDF to Key Resources in Langley
• Instructional Services Website: For all your district-vetted resources K-12!  Check it out!
• Aboriginal Resources vetted by the District
• TCS Sites (TCS SS-grade 3, 4-8, Secondary): Key resources are still being placed in these Teams. If you need access to one of these Teams, please email dzurbuchenjonker@sd35.bc.ca
• District Learning Commons is a lending library of classroom and teaching resources available to all school staff in the Langley School District. All of our items are available to view and book online through the Insignia Library system. Find instructions, an area to check out new resources, request new resources and report lost or damages kits here: https://sway.office.com/qbfcZW739otNIwLe?ref=Link
  We deliver and pick up all the items you request through district mail twice per week (check with your admin assistant to see which days your deliveries are on).

HONOURING TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION

June is National Indigenous History Month | More info
June is National Indigenous History Month in Canada. This is an important month for all of us to recognize and celebrate the rich history, heritage, resilience and diversity of First Nations, Inuit and Metis in Canada.  The Government of Canada has an entire website devoted to Indigenous History Month which includes access to learning resources, information about the ongoing Reconciliation journey in Canada and information about National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21.  You can access the website at the link above.

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

The Teachings of Wellness with Len Pierre I Register
“Teach us love, compassion, and honour that we may heal the earth and heal each other.”
– Ojibwe Prayer

Join us for this phenomenal finale to Len Pierre’s four-part Ensouling Our Schools series. In this session, Len will guide us on an incredible journey through wellness from an Indigenous perspective. He will talk to us about the Seven Sacred Teachings, which he calls ‘internal medicine,’ and the Four Community Medicines that we each, as human beings, need access to. He will also speak about the Seven Grandfather Teachings, and how they can and should shape our day-to-day lives.

As you watch this incredible keynote address, please reflect on the following questions:

1. How are Indigenous perspectives on wellness familiar to and different from your own familial or cultural perspectives?
2. What can Indigenous perspectives offer our classrooms, schools, or district-wide initiatives today? How can they inform upon health, wellness, equity, inclusivity, diversity, reconciliation and sustainability?
3. Will you do something different after this presentation?
4. What are the limitations of Indigenous perspectives, and what are the limitations of our contemporary perspectives that are so rooted in colonial and corporate views of health and wellness?

Langley Middle School Literacy Conference | Save the Date | October 25, 2024
We are excited to be hosting the first ever Langley Middle School Literacy Conference at Yorkson Creek Middle School on the Provincial Pro-D Day on Friday October 25!  This will be an opportunity for Middle school teachers from around the district to gather together and share best classroom practices, strategies, resources, supports and intervention strategies for middle school learners.  Our keynote speaker will be Robin Bright, Professor at the University of Lethbridge and author of “Sometimes Reading is Hard.”  Registration and more information will be released when schools reopen in September.

EXTERNAL PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

July French Courses for Adults | Register
There are various classes available of two classes for 2-3 hours a week. In beginners classes, students will learn the basics in French, such as how to spell and count, introduce yourself and give and ask for personal information. Some are geared for communication during travel, restaurants, transportation etc. There are beginner, intermediate and advanced classes.

Register for the First Peoples Summer Learning Institute | Aug 27-29, 2024
Registration is now open until August 19 for the Learning First Peoples Summer Institute August 27-29 in downtown Vancouver. Coordinated by the First Nations Education Steering Committee and First Nations Schools Association, the institute is designed to support educators to bring quality, authentic First Peoples teaching and learning into B.C. Classrooms. Email info@fnesc.ca if you have questions.
Workshops:

• • Aug. 27: English First Peoples Gr. 10-12 Teacher Resource Guide
  • Aug. 28: BC First Peoples 12 Teacher Resource Guide
  • Aug. 29, Math & Science First Peoples Teacher Resource Guides

LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR STAFF/STUDENTS/CLASSES

Summer Camps for Kids and Teens | Alliance Francaise Vancouver | Register
All Summer long, Alliance Francaise offers bi-weekly Morning intensive French classes and weekly Afternoon camp of French activities. The classes will be in the brand-new building 6161 Cambie Street for these popular Summer classes and camps!
During two weeks, children learn a complete level of French thanks to our teaching method!
Our teaching method has been adapted to their age and aims to foster participation through a dynamic approach that provides the student with a range of skills. The course is taught by French as a Second Language teachers that will help children learn and improve their French ability!

BC Summer Reading Club 2024 | More info
Summer Reading Club is almost here and your local library staff is ready to tell you all about it! Children of all ages – kids, teens and adults – are invited to explore the World of Curiosities this summer by joining Summer Reading Club. Your Langley libraries are excited to talk with your students about Summer Reading Club. Contact us to book a visit today! Please reach out to Muriel Arnason – Willowbrook Library by emailing Jacquelynne Garden- jgarden@fvrl.bc.ca or by calling us at 604-532-3590 to discuss options for a Summer Reading Club visit.

Screenagers for K to 5 School Edition | Register for Preview
This fall, we are very excited to launch a K-5 version of our first movie Screenagers: Growing Up In The Digital Age, specifically for use in Elementary Schools and with elementary age students and their families. Register your interest to be the first to receive more information on this upcoming movie.
Recent data suggests that *42% of 10 year olds own a smartphone and these levels have been growing consistently since 2015. So many Elementary Schools have been asking for a version of Screenagers: Growing Up In The Digital Age suitable for younger students and their families, which given the above data is not surprising. Smartphones, tablets, smartwatches and more devices are being given to children at ever younger ages and more is understood every day about the impacts of social media, internet use and screen time on the health and mental wellbeing of children.

LEARNING RESOURCES

National Indigenous History Month | Power Smart for Schools | More info
In June, we commemorate National Indigenous History Month. It’s a time to reflect and learn about the history, heritage, resilience and diversity of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples.
To help your class take part, we’re highlighting energy-related activities for K-12 students that incorporate Indigenous perspectives. By learning about Indigenous connections to the land and water, your students will develop their social awareness and responsibility for the natural environment.

Emergency Preparedness Program – Grades 4 to 8 | More info
The Ministry of Education has created a colourful and informative Master of Disaster classroom program that is aligned with the B.C. curriculum and teaches students the three steps to emergency preparedness. All program materials and shipping are free. Learn more about the program and how it can help students learn about topics like local hazards, how to make a home emergency plan, and what emergency supplies to put in a grab-and-go bag.

SPACESEDU YEAR END REMINDERS

SpacesEDU End of Year Frequently Asked Questions: Before signing off for a well-deserved summer vacation, all educators should be sure to review the SpacesEDU End of Year FAQ document. This document includes important details about archiving classes, updating emails for graduating students, and changing Space visibility settings – all key components to ensure a smooth transition before the break!

May Release: Interested in checking out what’s new in your account? We are excited about our recent updates and improvements as we continue to enhance your SpacesEDU experience! Read our May Release Notes to learn more. Additionally, we invite you to sign up for our May Release Webinar on June 3 at 1:15pm ET to gain firsthand knowledge and expert tips (sign up to join live or to receive the recording afterwards!).

Implementation Strategies for Teachers:

• SpacesEDU End-of-Year Checklist (Webinar Recording)
  • It’s important to tie up loose ends for a smooth transition into the next academic year. Watch our webinar recording here to help wrap up your school year on SpacesEDU. Check out this guide for more ideas!
• Back-to-School Summit 2024
  • Join us virtually on August 20, 2024 for this FREE virtual event! Pick-and-choose from seven sessions to elevate your teaching practices in the new school year! Register here.

Celebrating & Wrapping Up!
Another school year has flown by! It’s hard to believe that your students will be moving into their next chapter. Take a moment to celebrate the work that went into making this school year a success!   When wrapping up your school year, using SpacesEDU is a great way to celebrate and reflect on the year:

• Encourage your students to reflect on their favourite memories of the year by posting in SpacesEDU using a variety of multimedia artifacts.
• Do your students love video creation? Take your year-end reflection one step further by creating and sharing reflective video projects!
• During your reflection activities, use these Year-in-Review Reflection Question Prompts to ensure students are thinking critically as they look back.

Read our Partner Story highlighting School District 35 in Langley, British Columbia. Take a peek at how they use SpacesEDU to authentically integrate Core Competencies, while also keeping student reflection at the forefront.