Hello Blewett families!

We are excited to start the 2022-23 school year at Blewett!  There is much information to share with all of you.  Please read carefully and help your child get ready for the first day of school!

Blewett Elementary digital calendar
SD8 SD8 full year calendar document - This is worth printing in colour and posting on the fridge.
Blewett bell schedule for 2022-23  - slight adjustment is due to more school days this year.
Blewett Elementary Bus Schedules

Where does my child go on the first day, September 6, 2022?

All students will find their teacher from last year. (Staff will be on hand to escort new students to their temporary teacher.  Mr. Konken will help direct traffic. When they arrive on Tuesday morning next week, students will go directly up to the top field. There is wheelchair access on the far side of the playground for accessibility.  All teachers will be on the field in the morning to greet their last year’s classes.  If you’d like, you can escort your child up to the field to drop them off, say a very quick hello to the teacher and leave your child in our very capable hands.  We would like to keep the traffic to a minimum.  (Kindergarten has their own start-up plan as sent out by Ms Leeming and Mrs. Kalabis.)

Is it half or full days this week?

We are starting with a half day on Tuesday, September 6 ending at 11:13am.  Busses will run 3 hours earlier than normal so they leave school at 11:20 am that day. Wednesday and onward will be full days.

Are there any events happening this month?

Monday, Sept 12th : All grade 1-6 students will be going by bus to Kokanee Park for the anual Kokanee Salmon School Program (Teachers will send information out to families next week).

Friday, September 18: A number of classess will bus down to Lakeside park for the annual Terry Fox Run event. 

Friday, Sept 23rd: School Planning Day. Students do not attend school on this day. 

How do I pay for school fees?

As approved by our SD8 Board of Education, we will purchase all school supplies this year and charge families $45 per student, payable online at  https://blewett.sd8.bc.ca/pay or you can pay cash or cheque

What should my child bring?

Students should bring their backpacks, a FULL water bottle, snacks, inside shoes and a note for primary students explaining what the after-school plans are for the child (bus home, mom or dad to pick up, etc).  Blewett provides all the schools supplies with the $45 school supplies fee. See above link to pay or go to the Blewett Elementary School website.

What should my child not bring?

They should not bring any toys, electronics or extra school supplies.

What’s happening with the school’s Covid Safety Plans. Can my child play with their sibling during school hours?

As with last year, we won’t have learning groups for outside play. Masks are optional and we will encourage hand washing and respecting personal space. We ask that if your child feels sick that they stay home.  Here is a link for a more in-depth response plan from the ministry. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/education-training/k-12/covid-19-safe-schools

Can my child go on a different bus to a friend’s home after school?

Courtesy riders who are not registered for bus service will be slowly implemented this fall. Students need their electronic name tags to ride the busses in SD8.

What is the mask policy for Blewett?  Will my child need to wear a mask?

Currently masks are optional. The district will not be providing masks for students.

What about the water system?

According to IHA, our water is not safe to drink.  We have bottled water ready for staff and students.  Please consider sending your child with a full water bottle to school each day.  Labels on the water bottle (and everything else) would really help us out!

Can I as a parent go into the school or onto the playground?

We appreciate a heads up before you come into the building. Parents are not allowed in the school except to visit the principal with a pre-arranged appointment.  Parents are welcome to pick up and drop off their children but not cross our bus lines for the month of September (except on first day to hand off their child to the teacher if needed). Once buses have departed at the end of day, families can have full access to the playground as children are under their parent’s care at that time.  We will revisit this in October.

What is the drop off time in the morning if I’m driving my child to school?

For right now we would appreciate that parents drop off their children between 8:00 and 8:15 am. Realizing there are exceptions, we will have supervisors outside by 7:45am.

What happens at the end of the school day?

Students will be dismissed to the playground / upper field.  We are asking parents to be as prompt as possible when picking up their children after school and to be mindful of bus access. The day ends at 2:13 pm.

What happens if my child gets sick at school?

If a child starts to show COVID symptoms at school, we will call parents and keep the student safe while parents come to pick them up.

Can I send my child to school if they show any COVID symptoms?

No.  Please contact the school and we will inform parents of next steps.  Safety is our first priority for your child, the rest of the children at the school and for the staff. Please refer to the following CDC document for more information.

http://www.bccdc.ca/Health-Info-Site/Documents/COVID_public_guidance/Guidance-k-12-schools.pdf

What’s happening with after-school care?

Unfortunately there is no after school care at Blewett Elementary School.

Is hot lunch happening this year?

We hope that our PAC hot lunch program will start up again soon. Stay tuned for more on hot lunches in the near future!

What class will my child be in this year?

On the afternoon of September 6, staff will spend a significant amount of time working on class lists for this school year.  We place students in groups where they are most likely to be successful socially, emotionally and academically.  Your child might not be in the classroom that they want as there are 100 children to consider in our school.  Thanks for your understanding and patience in this process. Students will start Wednesday in their last-year class and we will deliver them to their next classrooms that same morning.

See you on Tuesday morning!

Mr. Konken, Jane, and one heck of a school staff!