October 29, 2021

KEY RESOURCES IN LANGLEY

• Links to Key Info AND Resources in Langley
• Instructional Services Website: For all your district-vetted resources K-12!  Check it out!
• Aboriginal Resources vetted by the District
• District Learning Commons – K-12 Resources to book out! Kits, Lit Circle Sets and more!
• 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 mismith@sd35.bc.ca

HONOURING TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION

Indigenous Learning Series With Syeyutsus:  Join SD68 for Season 2 of Learning With Syeyutsus,  featuring Canadian authors and thought leaders. This is a FREE learning series proudly presented by the Nanaimo Ladysmith Public Schools, in collaboration with UBC Press. The series will be recorded and available for ongoing educational purposes and deeper learning.  Read more

For Reference:  The provincial government passed the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (Declaration Act) into law in November 2019. The Declaration Act establishes the UN Declaration as the Province’s framework for reconciliation, as called for by the TRC’s Calls to Action. The Declaration Act aims to create a path forward that respects the human rights of Indigenous peoples while introducing better transparency and predictability in the work we do together.  The legislation sets out a process to align B.C.’s laws with the UN Declaration. It mandates government to bring provincial laws into harmony with the UN Declaration. It requires development of an action plan to achieve this alignment over time – providing transparency and accountability.

SORA APP:
As we continue our individual and professional commitment to Truth and Reconciliation, her are two SORA recommendations to further deepen and engage with learning/teachings from Indigenous authors. Access instructions on how to use the SORA app here. Special thanks to the Aboriginal Department for the curated resources they have made available to all staff and students in the Langley School District.

Tilly and the Crazy Eights by Monique Gray Smith
Form: Novel, Length: medium, on SORA in ebook and audiobook
About: When Tilly receives an invitation to help drive eight elders on their ultimate bucket-list road trip, she impulsively says yes. Before she knows it, Tilly has said good-bye to her family and is on an adventure that will transform her in ways she could not predict, just as it will for the elders who soon dub themselves “the Crazy Eights”.

77 Fragments of Familiar Ruin by Thomas King
Form: Poetry, Length: short, on SORA in ebook
About: Timely, important, mischievous, powerful: in a word, exceptional. 77 single page texts that take on government, climate change, worldview, racism and our own 

Vancouver Writers Festival:
Enjoy these free to all videos of Indigenous authors speaking at the Vancouver Writers Festival:
David Robertson: On the Trapline Picture book (57 minutes) Here
David Robertson: The Great Bear: Misewa Saga (58 minutes) Here
Wab Kinew: Walking in Two Worlds (46 minutes). Here

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

Math Place: A New Math Resource for Grade 1-3 Teachers
November 10 [Register]
Math Place is a newly approved Math resource for Grade 1-3 teachers. This September, each school will receive 1 kit per grade of the NUMBER and OPERATIONS set. Join Diane Stang, the author of Scholastic Math Place, as she goes through the kits and shows you how this new resource aligns with the BC curriculum and how you can use it as part of your math instruction. This is a great way to start building number sense in your students right at the beginning of the year.

NEW Asian Canadian Book Study
November 10, December 8, January 5, February 23, April 13, June 1 [Register]
Let’s talk books! Join us as we explore Young Adult novels created by Asian Canadian authors and artists. Together, we will curate a list of novels to support teachers looking for high-quality and engaging Young Adult literature that reflects our diverse community. Read one book or read ten! You determine what works for you throughout the Book Study series.

NEW New Support Staff Orientation
November 12 [Register]
This orientation is an opportunity for new support staff to learn important information about district policies and programs and meet their union executive. All CUPE 1260 support staff employees are encouraged to participate.

ICBC’s Educational Programs for Road Safety
November 16 [Register]
We invite you to attend an overview of ICBC’s Educational Programs for Road Safety. Road Safety Learning Resources – These age-appropriate online resources are available for free and are aimed at children in K-10. The Road Safety Speaker Program is aimed at students in grades 11 & 12, and we’ll share the steps for schools/facilitators to book a free road safety speaker presentation.

NEW Kindergarten Screening Protocol – Phonological Awareness Assessment
November 22 [Register]
The KSP is the recommended phonological awareness assessment for Kindergarten in Langley. If you are new to Kindergarten, the district, or to using KSP, please join us for a quick overview of this valuable assessment tool. Participants will receive the KSP protocol after the session.

Digital Numeracy Skill Builder
November 23 and 30 [Register]
Finding, evaluating, organizing, creating and communicating information is what math is all about! In this workshop, you will learn how to incorporate digital tools to help students demonstrate their learning in math and numeracy. We will be using different activities and games to illustrate number concepts, patterns, geometry, and number sense. Attendance at both workshops is recommended!

Creating Community with Green Screens (for the Holidays)
November 24 [Register]
Just in time for December activities! Come learn how easy green screens are to use. This hands on workshop will walk you through how to use the green screen kits available for booking from the District Learning Commons.

To see our full calendar of offerings, visit www.thinklangley.com

DISTRICT LEARNING RESOURCES

Dive into Minecraft’s Worlds & Apply Classroom Learning – register
Explore key features of world management and classroom settings, explore a world in depth for classroom use, and learn how to document student learning through various assessment tools. Minecraft Education Edition is a great way to get your students involved in hands-on math activities and storytelling.

Attention grade 8-12 teachers: Do you want to make some extra Chrismas MONEY?
I need you for coding (marking) the District Numeracy Assessment 9. This will occur on Saturday, November 20. If you are interested in helping mark, please use this form to apply. Teachers will be compensated for their work (information is included on the form). Deadline for application is Monday, November 8. Please direct any questions to Theresa Walker at twalker@sd35.bc.ca.

Attention teachers: Grades 4 and 7 FSA coding (marking) will occur on Saturday, November 20. If you are interested in helping mark, please use this form to apply. Teachers will be compensated for their work (information is included on the form). Deadline for application is Friday, November 5. Please direct any questions to Alexandra Baxfield at abaxfield@sd35.bc.ca

District Learning Resources:
Celebrating Diwali November 4
CBC Kids- All About Diwali- the festival of Lights here
Learning for Justice- Diwali in the Classroom: A Parents Perspective here

Punjabi-Sikh Canadian Teacher Resource Guide here
British Columbia is home to almost 244,000 Punjabi-speaking citizens. This project reflects a diverse community and is meant to engage learners in a critical study of Punjabi-Sikh pioneer contributions to Canada. The goal is for all students in Langley to see themselves and their peers well represented in meaningful ways. We use the term “Sikh” to refer to people associated with the Sikh religion. We use the term “Punjabi” to refer to both a language and/or a person who belongs to Punjabi culture. The Punjabi language and Punjabi people originate from Punjab, a state (province) in both India and Pakistan. Sikh and Punjabi can both be used together and separately to describe a people.

EXTERNAL STUDENT/STAFF OPPORTUNITIES and LEARNING RESOURCES

Environmental Education Bilingual Curriculum Resources:
Please click HERE to access bi-lingual resources created by Eli Hacker, a grade 11 student at WGSS!  Free for teachers to use!

Looking for classroom ideas? It’s all on the WE Virtual Learning Center – more info
Access all the resources you’ve already been using and so much more, including:

• Professional learning resources, including modules on trauma-informed practices such as pandemics, bullying and mental health: look out for two new modules coming this school year!
• WE Teachers Awards: apply or nominate a fellow teacher for $500 for classroom supplies
• Service-learning campaigns on topics like local hunger and
  the environment
• Plug-and-play curriculum and lesson plans on SEL, mental well-being and more

Democracy & Me Youth Poetry Contest – more info
The Democracy & Me Poetry Contest invites students to reflect on the importance of community, civic engagement, and the rights and responsibilities of citizenship and democracy. In developing creative poetry or spoken word responses to the Contest questions, contestants are asked to reflect on how their voice offers a unique medium to express one’s identity, culture and connection to community. The contest period begins on October 27, 2021 and continues until February 28, 2022.