The Greater Victoria School District wishes to recognize and acknowledge the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations on whose traditional territories we live and do our work.

Quadra 2780 Richmond Road, Victoria BC V8T 4T4

Phone (250) 382-8296 Fax: (250) 382-3649

PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE: November 21, 2013

Dear Parents/Guardians:

As I write this month’s message, the sun is shining brightly but the air is brisk and cold. It is that time of year that we need to ensure that the students are wearing their coats to school and that they may need hats and mitts. Please put label your child’s clothing with their name so if they put them down or drop them and can’t find them, we can return their belongings to them. Prompt pick-up at the bussing area is also key to helping to keep the students warm and dry through these winter months. A big THANK YOU goes out to the PAC for a wonderful FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT last week. It was a great evening. It was well attended for being at our Richmond site. Stayed tuned for February’s Movie Night. Now PAC is busy organizing our Loonie Emporium for December the 12th. Watch for flyers to come home! On Friday, November 8th we held our Remembrance Day Assembly. I would like to comment on the excellent general overall behaviour demonstrated by our students throughout this solemn ceremony. One of our special guests was, Alumnus from the 1930’s, Marianne Bennett, who served in WWII as a volunteer nurse. She was thrilled to be in attendance and commended the students and staff on the assembly in a letter she wrote to us after the assembly. Teachers are busy writing report cards and trying to avoid the latest flu bug that is floating around. We appreciate parents keeping children at home who are showing flu symptoms to prevent further spread of the germs. Please ensure you call our Attendance Line @ 250-380-9383 prior to 9 a.m. to record your child’s name, teacher and reason for their absence. If we do not get an excused absence you will receive an automatic call via Synrevoice, our automated call back system. Report Cards will be sent home with students on Friday, November 29th. The students are busy preparing for choir, strings, and dance performances for the upcoming Winter Concerts. See the next page of upcoming events for dates and times. Choir students will perform at the Intermediate Concert. Intermediate Concert will feature Div. 1, 2, 3, 5, choir and strings, while the Primary Concert will show case Div. 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16. As I close I would like to welcome back Mrs. Susan Gilbert, who is an Educational Assistant who is returning to work after a medical leave. I welcome your questions, concerns, and comments at any time. Thank you for your ongoing support of your child in our school community!

Sincerely, Marilyn Campbell

L’Ecole

School at Richmond

The Greater Victoria School District wishes to recognize and acknowledge the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations on whose traditional territories we live and do our work.

Please use the attendance line when calling in an

absence or a late. 250-380-9383

UPCOMING EVENTS

Nov. 22nd: Pro- D Day – No school for students

Nov. 29th: Report cards

Dec. 7th: Choir sings at Saanich Hall

Dec. 12th: Loonie Emporium

Dec. 18th: 1:00 pm Primary Concert

Dec. 19th: 1:00 pm Intermediate Concert

Dec. 20th: PJ Day/ Pancake Breakfast – Last day of school before winter break

Jan. 6th: School reopens after winter break

Where Can You Go To Help Keep Kids Safe Online?

Victoria, BC – Sexting. Luring. Cyberbullying. These terms all mean the same thing: the exploitation of children and youth

online. Many parents and caregivers can feel lost when it comes finding clear, straight-forward information on how to

protect their kids from being taken advantage of online. Those who discover sexually exploitive materials involving children

online often don’t know where or how to report it.

Cybertip.ca is the main resource to help keep kids safe online.

For eleven years, Cybertip.ca has been our online partner in helping keep kids safe online. With smart phones in the hands

of so many of our young people today, the terminology and technology may have changed to become more mobile, but

the same smart practices to stay safe remain.

The Greater Victoria School District wishes to recognize and acknowledge the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations on whose traditional territories we live and do our work.

“Helping kids and teens make the right decisions about how to be safe online, whether it’s on their laptop or Smart Phone,

can be hard for parents,” Detective Cst. Mark MacPhail said. “Some kids are also either embarrassed or scared to talk about

this type of thing so Cybertip.ca is a great resource. It’s a place to find good information on keeping young people safe.”

“Cybertip.ca is also a place to anonymously report sexually exploitive material involving children,” Detective Cst. MacPhail

continued. “It’s a key resource in the fight to put an end to child pornography and help protect our top priority – our

children.”

Writing Tips for Students at Home Below are some ideas to help your child work on their writing skills

at home. As a school we are focusing on writing at all grade levels.

Working with your child at home can help your child make writing

more meaningful for them. Writing is an important skill that they

will require to use throughout their lifetime, be it on paper or an

electronic device, developing the communication skill of putting

thoughts down it important. Enjoy the ideas below.

1. sort pictures for photo albums, write labels or captions for each photo, and write a

newspaper article about a photo;

2. sort items in a “junk drawer”, label them, and arrange them alphabetically.

Choir Concert The Quadra choir will be performing at the Saanich City Hall Festival of Lights on Saturday, December 7th at 6:30pm. One and all are invited to attend this fun, festival and free evening of family fun and entertainment at the Saanich City Hall.

Quadra Winter Concerts are coming! Save the Date!

The Primary Winter Concert will be taking place from

1-2pm on Wednesday, December 18 in our Richmond

location gym. All students in Divisions 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 will be participating.

The Intermediate Winter Concert will be taking place on Thursday, December 19th from 1- 2pm in our

Richmond location gym. Come and see the all the students in Divisions 1, 2, 3, and 5 dance on the

stage. Also performing will be the Quadra Strings and Quadra Choir.

We look forward to seeing you at the school in December!

The Greater Victoria School District wishes to recognize and acknowledge the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations on whose traditional territories we live and do our work.

Terry Fox Run

Way to go Quadra! You raised $1,426.65 for Cancer

Research. We had a wonderful afternoon in September

running for a great cause as many families have been

touched by cancer. Way to go Quadra students!

SAFETY!

This is a reminder to families and students to please walk to the

corner of Quadra and Finlayson and cross with the crossing

guards.

Donations Needed:

The school is looking for donations of used clothing for emergency

use, for when children spill or fall into mud puddles etc. We

need clean, lightly used tops and bottoms for girls and boys in

small and medium sizes. Please bring your donations to the

office. Thank you for your support.

Cross Country – Student Author Basil Parkins

Another great season for cross country is over and it was a very successful

year. The students practiced two times a week and it paid off in the end.

There was a lot to celebrate at the four cross country meets. The team

did an awesome job over all and there were top five performances

from Basil Parkins and Chelsea Mesman. Congratulation to all the

runners and thanks to the coaches for making it happen!

The Greater Victoria School District wishes to recognize and acknowledge the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations on whose traditional territories we live and do our work.

Community Connections

Journeys of the Heart is a “free-of-charge” 10 month (30 week) cultural early learning

program for Aboriginal children ages 2-5 years and their families. Program structure and

delivery is designed to provide opportunities to empower and contribute to positive

cultural identity within Aboriginal children and their families.

To find out more about the program or to register please contact: Hulitan Family &

Community Services Phone: 250-384-9466 www.hulitan.ca

Final Photo Retake Day

We will be having a studio retake day for anybody that we missed when we were at your school.

If any parents have called inquiring about another photo opportunity for their children, please let them know the following information:

Date: Sunday, November 24th

Time: 9 am to 1 pm

Location: Central Saanich Cultural Centre – Room B

Address: 1209 Clarke Road, Brentwood Bay

No appointment necessary – first come/ first served. Any questions please email: mmcmullen@edgeimaging.ca

Thank you, Mike McMullen Edge Imaging

2013-2014 Grade 4 & 5 SnowPasses: Sign

Up Now

The SnowPass helps to keep kids active

during the winter months One of Canada's easiest ways to get kids healthy and active this winter is now available. The Canadian Ski Council's SnowPass is available online. It's an unbeatable offer: it provides three lift passes at each of the 150+ ski areas nation-wide for Canadian kids in Grade 4 and Grade 5.

The Greater Victoria School District wishes to recognize and acknowledge the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations on whose traditional territories we live and do our work.

SnowPass Advantage: "Introducing children to skiing and snowboarding at an early age gives them lifetime access to these healthy winter sports," says Patrick Arkeveld, President and CEO of the Canadian Ski Council. "It keeps them fit, less prone to obesity, and outside and active during the winter months. Better yet, skiing and snowboarding are sports kids can do with the entire family for a lifetime."

How It Works: The Canadian Ski Council's SnowPass gives kids in grades 4 and 5 (born in 2003 or 2004) three lift tickets at each participating ski area all across Canada for the entire winter; providing them with an opportunity to ski or snowboard hundreds of times over the winter season. You only need to apply once for the SnowPass and the pass is valid until the end of grade 5. This means if you apply in grade 4 the pass is valid for two years.

Applying is Easy: To sign up, visit www.snowpass.ca, and you have a choice of either uploading your child's picture, enter your payment and their proof of age, or our printed option that allows you to fill out the information, print the application to mail in to the Canadian Ski Council with a photo, proof of age and payment; all for a one-time administration fee of $29.95 including taxes. Signing up online is the quickest and easiest way to apply for your child's Grade 4 & 5 SnowPass card. SnowPass cards will be mailed to you beginning in mid-November, before the December 1st SnowPass season start date!

Where to Use it: The Grade 4 & 5 SnowPass is a national program and is valid at over 150 ski areas across Canada including 32 ski areas in British Columbia, 19 ski areas in Alberta, 1 ski area in Saskatchewan, 2 ski areas in Manitoba, 33 ski areas in Ontario, 57 ski areas in Quebec, 8 in Atlantic Canada and 1 in the Yukon. With ski areas participating across Canada, families will not have to travel far to put this SnowPass to use. Kids can easily track how many lift passes they have left by visiting www.snowpass.ca.

Grade 4 and 5 SnowPass information and applications are available online at www.snowpass.ca or www.passeportdesneiges.ca. Application forms are also being distributed to elementary schools across Canada beginning in early November.

The Canadian Ski Council is a national, not-for-profit ski and snowboard organization whose mandate is to increase participation in recreational skiing, snowboarding and cross country skiing in Canada. The Canadian Ski Council was founded in 1977. For more information on the Grade 4 and 5 SnowPass program, contact the Canadian Ski Council, tel: 705-445-9140, e-mail: info@skicanada.org, web: www.snowpass.ca

CONNECT PARENT GROUP

For information/registration:

Jan Townsend – 250.217.4929 | jtownsend@bgcvic.org or

Janessa Bate – 250.415.7721 | jbate@jbcp.bc.ca

An Attachment Based Program to Support Parents & Caregivers

Boys & Girls Club Services of Greater Victoria and James Bay Community Project are pleased to offer a 9 week program to support parents and caregivers of teens with behavioural and emotional challenges. These challenges can include feelings of anger and aggression; feelings of depression and confusion; conflict with parents and teachers; and getting into trouble with friends. Connect Parent Program was developed specifically for parents and caregivers of teens who are struggling with these issues.

For parents / caregivers of teens, age 13-19

Where: James Bay Community Project 547 Michigan Street, Victoria When: Wed Jan 08: 4:30pm-6:30pm – Intro + Session 1 2 hours Wed Jan 15-Feb 26: 5:00pm-6:00pm – Sessions 2 – 8 1 hour each Wed Mar 05: 4:30pm-6:30pm – Sessions 9 + 10 2 hours Cost: No cost Registration: Must pre-register as minimum seating available

SUPPORTING PARENTS IN RAISING THEIR FAMILIES HELPING PARENTS AND YOUTH GROW TOGETHER

Connect Parent Program is partially funded locally by United Way of Greater Victoria.

News from the Quadra Parents' Group (PAC)

As parents/guardians of Quadra students, you are automatically a member of the PAC. Join us for meetings to find out what is happening at our wonderful school!

Questions, comments &/or suggestions for the PAC executive or topics for the upcoming meeting? Interested in becoming more involved in your PAC? Consider joining the executive! Email us at

quadra.pac@vcpac.ca we would love to hear from you!

NEXT MEETING – Tuesday, December 3rd starting at 7pm at Quadra at Richmond. Room # will be

posted at the school. We hope to see you there! Free childcare provided VOLUNTEER SURVEY – a survey was emailed out November 12th. Please take a moment to let us know how you would like to help out. We look forward to hearing from you! Thanks to those who have already replied. Many hands do make light work consider donating your time to help events be a success. GREENING THE GROUNDS – Calling out to the Quadra Parent Community. Do you know of businesses/organizations that have grant programs? We would like to apply for grants to help fund the greening the grounds project. Please contact the PAC if you have a suggestion. THANK YOUS!

VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR – Many thanks to Tig Cross for volunteering for the volunteer coordinator position. Welcome aboard Tig!

MOVIE NIGHT was a great success. It was wonderful to see so many families at our first movie night at Richmond! HUGE thanks to all the fantastic volunteers; we appreciate you giving your time! Special

thanks to Cabin 12 for donating coffee & tea. UPCOMING PAC SPONSORED EVENTS/FUNDRAISERS

THE LOONIE EMPORIUM is almost here! Thursday, December 12th! Volunteers still needed for both set up on December 11th and on the day! This is a fantastic event the kids look forward to each year; please consider volunteering some of your time. Stay tuned for drop off dates at both Quadra and Richmond.

HOW CAN YOU HELP FUNDRAISE WITHOUT MUCH EFFORT?

Just pick up a Thrifty Foods &/or a Fairway ‘Gift’ card and go grocery shopping! For every dollar loaded on the card 5% goes to the Quadra PAC. Cards now available at the school office.