Posted: March 6, 2022

Information

Parent & Teacher Interviews March 9 – 10, 2022

We have Student-led Conferences and Parent-Teacher Interviews scheduled for March 9 & 10. On those days, students will be dismissed at 1:33 pm. Book your appointment times at School Appointments: https://richardbulpittelem.schoolappointments.com

• • Booking Start: Mar 1, 2022 12:00 am
  • Booking End:   Mar 8, 2022 11:00 pm

Teachers will be sending home class-specific information.

Great Big Crunch

On Thursday, many, of not all, RBE classes will have a crunch snack at 10:00, as part of the Great Big Crunch, a national program aimed at encouraging healthy eating choices. Send those carrots, celery, and raw apples. And if you want to register yourself, your family, or your office, you can!

COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Tests

As you may have seen in the news media, schools have begun to receive COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test kits for students. We were happy to receive ours yesterday. As you may also have seen in the news, Health Canada has advised that the kits should be kept out of reach of children, putting a quick stop to our initial thoughts of sending the kits home directly with students.

We are working to prepare the kits for distribution during Parent Teacher Interviews/Student-led Conferences on March 9&10. Teachers will have kits marked for their students at the interviews, so please make sure to pick yours up then. If you have not yet signed up for a time to meet with your child’s teacher, please do so here.

Finally, if your child is symptomatic, and you have urgent need of the tests before next Wednesday or Thursday, please contact Mr. Oliver directly and he will try to sort out a way of getting them to you early.

Student Learning Survey

Each year, the Ministry of Education conducts the Student Learning Survey to find out what students, parents, and staff feel about how things are going in their schools. Particularly if your child is in grade 4 (that’s the student group who are surveyed at RBE), please consider taking a few minutes to complete the survey. We do not use access codes, so you just need to follow the link, scroll down to parents, and use the Direct Access instructions on the right side of the screen.

Distracted Driving

From the SD35 facebook page, what are the impacts of distracted driving?

And would you believe that from his spot at the crosswalk, Mr. Oliver can see lots of parents on phones before or after they drop and pick up their kids? And that sometimes they miss when the sign changes from ‘Stop’ to ‘Slow’ because they’re looking down? And don’t get me started on kids with no seatbelts standing up in the front seat or between the seats! Please drive carefully around the school. We don’t want anyone to get hit, or to be the one who does the hitting. Take care of our Bulldogs, and take care of yourself.

Lost & Found (repeat)

Out Lost & Found is overflowing (and with some very nice stuff). Please have your child check for any belongings before Spring Break, when we take unclaimed items, clean them, and donate them.

2022-23 Registration Deadline (repeat)

The deadline for new students to register (Kindergarten or otherwise) for the 2022-23 school year to be assured of a spot in their catchment school is March 31. While that’s more than a month away, it’s also right after Spring Break, which sort of feels like moving the deadline up to 2 weeks away. If you have a current student enrolled, and a Kindergarten student coming, registration for the younger is NOT automatic. You still must complete the registration process.

Early Start or Late Return for Spring Break? (repeat)

If your student(s) are going to be starting spring break sooner than the last day of school (March 11)  or returning after school re-opens (March 28). It is very important to let the office and your student(s) teachers know.

Please email rbeattendance@sd35.bc.ca  with the name(s) of your student(s) and what dates they will be away from school.

PAC News

Spirit Wear

We have had some interest in placing a spring order for Spirit Wear.  Please email to bulpittpac@outlook.com, or message us through our Facebook page if you are interested.  We require a minimum number of items before we can submit an order.

Easter Purdys

Ordering is now open! Orders are due March 28, with delivery by April 10.  Customer #28445

Alternative Fundraiser

Due to the unprecedented nature of COVID-19 we have been limited in the ability to hold regular events to fundraise for our staff and students. This year the PAC would like to offer parents a new way to donate directly to the PAC, for those who do not wish to purchase goods or have limited time to participate in events.

A direct donation of $40 would be the equivalent to your child raising $275 through fundraising activities (Purdy’s, Neufelds, etc.).   Funds raised go towards supporting teachers in their classrooms, busses for field trips, programs such as Dance Pl3y, Saleema Noon and more!

If you wish to make a direct donation, please send an e-transfer to bulpittpac@outlook.com with direct donation in the Message line.  Please note, at this time we are unable to provide tax receipts.

Thank you to those who have contributed!

Next General Meeting

Don’t forget – our next meeting will be Monday, March 7 at 7pm via Zoom. – all parents are welcome to attend!

Quote(s) of the week

Something to read (or watch)

• Spring Break is coming, and while it’s likely too late to sign up for any big, organized camps, there’s still lots of cool stuff to do. In our own school yard, we get to watch eagles overhead every so often, and the birds are coming back. On my run today, I heard Red Winged Blackbirds; saw herons, an eagle, and hawks; and accidentally scared up a flock of mixed ducks. Going for a walk in nature and looking for birds is fun, calming, and easy to do around Vancouver.
• Mrs. Gaudreault’s class have been learning about plastic pollution in the oceans, and have made a poster campaign urging their schoolmates to cut down on plastic use. I’ve watched other students read and process those posters, and change their choices about where they put their ‘garbage,’ sorting it a bit more carefully. Over the break, some students might be interested in the Washed Ashore art exhibit at Metrotown. It’s one of the things I found on a list of free activities this month in Metro Vancouver (not all for kids, but all free).
• Every year, I remind people to Spread the Word to End the Word (the R-word, in any context). This year, the Special Olympics campaign has shifted to spreading a positive word instead of ending an inappropriate one. This year, we’re spreading the word ‘Inclusion’. You can learn more here. I watch our students every day, working to include each other; they welcome new students, embrace differences, and find common ground. In an increasingly fractured world, I think that’s fantastic.

Things to remember from the calendar

Friday, March 4

• Boys’ basketball GAME after school 2:45-4 (spectators allowed).

Monday, March 7

• Girls’ basketball GAME after school 2:45-4:00 (the last one, spectators allowed).
• PAC Meeting – 7pm vis Zoom

Tuesday, March 8

• Interview Booking closes 1pm
• Boys’ basketball GAME after school 2:45-4:00 (the last one, spectators allowed).

Wednesday, March 9

• Early Dismissal – students dismissed at 1:33
• Student-led conferences 2-4:30

Thursday, March 10

• Great Big Crunch – Eat a crunchy fruit/vegetable snack at 10:00, at the exact same time as kids all over Canada
• Early Dismissal – students dismissed at 1:33
• Student-led conferences 2-5, 5:30-7:30

Friday, March 11

• Jersey Day
• Hot Lunch (Cob’s)
• Last day before Spring Break