Friday, June 19, 2020

RE: Kindergarten Orientation for Parents

Dear Parents of Kindergarten Families,

We extend a very warm welcome to you as parents of our Kindergarten students for the 2020-2021 school year. We look forward to having you with us at École Sherwood Park Elementary School!  The staff, students, and parents at are very proud of our school and strive to make École Sherwood Park a safe and enjoyable place to learn.

Due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic, we will not be having an in-person presentation this school year and have adjusted our plans for Kindergarten Orientation. Please review our Welcome to Kindergarten PowerPoint and scroll down for the Kindergarten Parent FAQs. We also are happy to share the Welcome to Ecole Sherwood Park Kindergarten video again with you and your child.

A follow up email with your child's Gradual Entry Plan for September will be sent during the first week of July prior to the school closing for summer.

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact one of us.

We look forward to meeting you and your child next school year!

Sincerely,

Sanj Johal                               Kelly Curry

Principal                                 Vice Principal            

Kindergarten Parent FAQs

Please be mindful that our plans will need to be adapted based on the COVID-19 situation at that time.

1.  How will school be different during the COVID-19 era? What safety measures has the school implemented and what       will September look like for my child?

• We are following the Provincial Health Officer's guidelines and the BC's Restart Plan: K to 12 Return to School. At Ecole Sherwood Park, we have implemented many safety measures to make sure all staff and students are safe. Please read our Reopening of In-class Instruction information and Parent FAQs for details. September will most likely look different, and our school district is having ongoing discussions and creating plans over the next couple of months to make sure that September return to school will be as smooth as possible. More information will be sent to you in late August.
   

2.  Why is Ecole Sherwood Park special?

• All schools in the North Vancouver School District are great, including our school. Each school, however, does have its own culture and we, too, have a few items that are worth mentioning that are specific to our school. We have two Autism Support Workers (ASW), three Indigenous Support Workers (ISW), Band Program (for Grades 5-7 students), and we offer several after school user-paid community programs. We are proud to be a culturally diverse school, and we are honoured to be connected to the Tsleil Waututh Nation. Our school is nestled in a forested area which we make use of regularly. There are a number of trails and we are walking distance to Whey-ah-Wichen where kindergarten students have the opportunity to learn about their local natural environment.
   

3.  What does the first week of September look like? What is the gradual entry plan?

• September will look different for our Kindergarten students as they will have a gradual entry to help support their transition into formal schooling easier. Each child will alternate their times and come in the morning and afternoon, gradually increasing their time at school. A detailed plan will be emailed to you in the first week of July. If your child needs a longer gradual entry, please speak directly to your child's classroom teacher in September or email Mr. Johal or Mrs. Curry.
   

4. How many students in French Immersion and in English?

• We have approximately 430 students in our school, and about 58% are in the French Program and 42% are in the English Program. Our French and English classrooms are all side-by-side and integrated; in other words, our English classrooms are not on one side of the school and the French classrooms on the opposite side. We work hard to build community amongst all of our students.

5.  How many Kindergarten classes are there and what are the current Kindergarten student numbers?

• All classrooms are created with guidance from the Collective Agreement. Currently, there is one combined Kindergarten/Grade 1 in the English Program and two straight Kindergarten classes in French Immersion. There are 14 English Kindergarten students and 36 French Immersion Kindergarten students. Please refer to the next question about K/1 information.

6.  Will there be a K/1 classroom?  If so, why?

• The Collective Agreement outlines the maximum number and minimum number of students in each grade. For Kindergarten (including a K/1), the maximum number of students is 20 in a classroom and the minimum number of students is 15 in a classroom. We are currently at 14 students in the English Kindergarten cohort; therefore, we need to have a K/1 combined class. If we receive one more Kindergarten student over the course of the summer, we may be able to have a straight Kindergarten class. The French Immersion Program has two straight Kindergarten classes.

• For the English program, there is one Kindergarten teacher. For the French Immersion program, there are two Kindergarten teachers. Each Kindergarten teacher will email you welcoming you to the classroom on by Fri, Sept 18. Also, there will be an information meeting for parents led by the Kindergarten teachers held the week of September 14. More information will be sent to all parents in early September.

• Please review the local bylaws for closest parking. We do urge parents to "Drive to 5" and park five minutes away from the school and walk the rest of the way for health and safety reasons. Please refer to the Traffic Safety link on our school website for more detailed information, including a map for recommended parking and walking areas.

• The school does not provide before or after school supervision or care. Students are allowed into the building at 8:43 AM and go home at 3:00 PM. There is a daycare on site, and several who come to our school for drop-off and pick-up. Please connect with local daycares as needed.

• After gradual entry is complete, your child will come for the full day from 8:48 AM to 3:00 PM. Kindergarten is a play-based program that allows for curiosity and discovery. Each parent will have the opportunity to meet their child's teacher in the second week of September and listen to the plan for the year ahead. You can also ask questions during the meeting. Please also refer to the Welcome to Kindergarten Video as well as the PowerPoint for more information.

• Please continue checking our school website for our updated calendar. Another great resource is our Twitter feed (@SherwoodPark44), monthly newsletters, and PAC newsletters. You can also review our website for more information regarding next year's calendar.

• Please go to the school website for up-to-date information. We urge you to take a few minutes to review our School Plan.

• Once you have made a decision not to come to our school, please email Mr. Johal and Mrs. Montecalvo immediately. We wish you and your child all the best in your new adventure.

14. I have some great ideas for the school and want to volunteer.  How do I get involved with the Parent Advisory                  Council (PAC)?

• One of the best ways to be in the know about what is happening at school is to get involved. Please email the PAC Executive to get involved or lead a fundraiser or pogram.

15. Does the school have any advice for parents to help support a smoother start for our child in September?

• Please refer to the package that was handed out in mid-May. If you were unable to attend, please contact the main office at 604.903.3810 to discuss a pick-up plan. There are some key items that you can do over the summer with your child. Please bring your child to the school to walk the grounds and play on the play structures. Have your child practice unpacking and making sure they are able to open lids and other items. Packing up and putting lunch away is also an important skill. Teach your child how to ask for help when needed. We also highly recommend that you child experience a public washroom. Some of the items mentioned may be challenging to practice due to COVID-19 restrictions.