Parent Newsletters available on our website www.nbes.sd69.bc.ca

NANOOSE BAY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Tandy Gunn, Principal (tgunn@sd69.bc.ca)

Steve Carpenter , Vice-Principal (scarpenter@sd69.bc.ca) Box 130, 2875 Northwest Bay Road, Nanoose Bay, BC V9P 9J9

Phone (250) 468-7414 Fax (250) 468-7515

“At Nanoose Bay Elementary we learn by doing and thereby develop independent, curious, self-advocating learners.”

June 28, 2019

Message From the Principal:

It may seem strange that the person who leads assemblies, staff meetings, meets with district

and public officials etc would prefer to be in the background, but that is so true of me. I am also

much better at giving advice than living it – like finding work-life balance, putting self-care at

the top of the to do list, celebrating accomplishments…. I love watching people do what they

are good at and cheering them on, coaching them about what the next possible step might be,

but cringe when compliments come my way. I am trying to live my words about “soaking in the

good stuff”. I am overwhelmed by the kindnesses that staff, students, families and community

members have extended to me over the last while. Thank you for the conversations, emails,

cards and thoughtful gifts that have put words to how I have impacted you, your child, our

school, our community. If my one word legacy is any one of the words that have been gifted to

me in the past couple of weeks: compassion, kindness, positive, helpful, support, conflict-solver,

brave, loving, understanding, gentle – I am proud – I absolutely will soak those words in.

HOWEVER, the job of principal is NOT done alone… Nanoose Bay Elementary is a truly special

place. Families new to our community often say they feel how special this school is. Here are a

few of the comments that I also made at our Farewell Assembly that I hope help to show how it

takes all of us to create the kind of special that is Nanoose Bay Elementary.

We began the 2018-19 school year by everyone reading the book We’re All Wonders by R.J.

Palacio. The theme of the book is that we are all unique; we are all wonders and if we look with

kindness we will always find wonder. For the 2018-19 school year, our staff took on the

challenge of throwing kindness around like confetti.

Here’s a little confetti for the people of Nanoose Bay Elementary:

The first confetti goes to our community volunteers. This year we had community volunteers

who built bird houses with our kids, brought us the Poultry in Motion barn, invited us to honour

our veterans, sang with our kids, fed us pancakes, taught us about how important it is that we

each reduce our consumption of single use plastics, let us use the Community Hall for our

cooking discovery, our holiday lunch and our Christmas concerts, taught us about Terry Fox,

coached teams, presented us with flags, helped tend our garden, taught us about peer pressure,

helped teachers with photocopying and bulletin boards and made donations of food, time,

energy and money.

There isn’t enough confetti to match the wonders I see come from our families… This year our

PAC started a bagel café in addition to continuing to provide pizza and popcorn once a month.

The build-a-whale presentation inspired budding biologists and environmentalists. We look

forward to the Stream of Dreams project next year and thank PAC for making this opportunity

available to our students. Thank you for our new sign, LEGO Club, the Christmas Shop, bike club

helping on fieldtrips and in classrooms and for all you do at home to raise these wonderful young

people.

You know who else is wonderous and deserves some confetti? Our students!

It is so EASY to see wonder in each and every one of you. Some of the wonderous moments this

year include how you help one another. We are always especially proud of the kindness we see

our older students extending to our younger students. We love seeing the building, creating,

art and music you create. We love hearing you read and discuss ideas. We delight in reading

your writing and watching you solve problems. We are appreciative of the leadership you

show. One of my proudest moments each year is when our students speak to our school

trustees about what they have learned. This year was especially powerful as I heard you speak

about topics such as self-regulation, Daily 5, number talks, discoveries and using criteria. As the

educators, we hope that what we engage you in has impact – hearing you share with the

trustees this year definitely verified that we are having positive impact on our students’

learning.

I have said it before - and will say it again – the Nanoose Bay Elementary staff is one of the

hardest working groups I have ever had the privilege of working with. Thank you for making

fine arts opportunities like song writing with Trinitude, paper mache with Kris Walker, nature

art, dance and movement, drum making and drama activities happen. Thank you for teaching

our students about the beautiful place where we live and learn. Thank you for teaching about

growing food, indigenous plants and local ecosystems, indigenous culture and language. Thank

you for guiding students in learning the size of the problem and size of the reaction. Thank you

for being such a TEAM on behalf of students. Thank you for organizing Book Fairs and

Celebrations of Learning. Thank you for coaching teams and sponsoring clubs. Thank you for

engaging students coding and design cycle activities. Thank you for helping students to build

with cups, rocks, wood, cardboard, spaghetti, paper, keva planks and micro-bits to name a

few. Your willingness to have common language, common visuals and a school-wide focus on

what we teach has such a powerful impact. Consider yourselves covered in confetti, you

wonderful people you!

For those of you returning next year, I know powerful work on behalf of kids will continue to be

your focus. Mr. Lee – best wishes at QBES. Miss Tulli and Mrs. Fuchs – hang in there, we have

plans for you! Karen and Mrs. Groome – I know you will make a impact on kids at every school

you work in. Ms. Silverton and Mrs. Bendall – all the best next year as you welcome your new

additions. Mr. Carpenter – I know you just arrived here – but you have quickly connected with

staff, students and families and we know Errington is lucky to have you join them. Ms. M –

thank you for your humour and dedication to kids and families. I know we will see you

continuing to make a difference in the life of kids.

You know Winnie the Pooh was a really smart bear, right? He said: “How lucky am I to have

something that makes saying goodbye so hard.” That sums up how I am feeling as I too get

ready for a new adventure. This makes 22 years off and on that I have been a member of the

NBES family. My kids attended this school from Kindergarten to Grade 5, I live in the community

and I am teaching kids of kids who I have taught – my roots run deep here. And those roots are

what keep me strong as I venture into my next chapter – I will be back AND I will be able to stop

into Ballenas a check on you…

Grade 7s…

Let’s go back to our book “We’re all wonders”

I know I’m not an ordinary kid.

Sure, I do ordinary things.

I ride a bike.

I eat ice cream.

I play ball.

I just don’t look ordinary.

I don’t look like other kids.

My mom says I’m unique.

She says I’m a wonder.

My dog, Daisy, agrees.

But some people don’t see that I’m a wonder.

All they see is how different I look.

Sometimes they stare at me.

They point or laugh.

They even say mean things behind my back.

But I can hear them.

- None of you should strive for ordinary; - Our greatest wish for you is to discover what is unique about you and to value, nurture

and celebrate your uniqueness; - As you discover and value your uniqueness, be sure to help others to recognize and grow

their unique qualities too; - What a boring world it would be if we were all the same…

It hurts my feelings.

It hurts Daisy’s feelings too.

When that happens, I put on my helmet.

I put Daisy’s helmet on too. And then we…

BLAST OFF!

Up! Up! Up!

Up through the clouds….

Across the galaxy…

… all the way to Pluto!

We say hello to old friends.

From far away, the Earth looks so small. I can’t see any people. But I know they’re there.

Billions of people. People of all different colors. People who walk and talk differently. People who look different. Like me!

The Earth is big enough for all kinds of people.

- As you discover what is unique about you, you will likely have times that you feel like putting on a helmet – do that – protect your heart – but don’t wear armour to the point that it keeps people out;

- Look for the balance between protection and risk; - Find your old friends – like all of us. Remember that even when it feels like there isn’t

anyone in your corner – they ARE there. WE are here. - Help to make the Earth a welcoming place for you and for all kinds of other people too.

I know I can’t change the way I look.

But maybe, just maybe…

… people can change the way they see.

If they do, they’ll see that I’m a wonder.

Andy they’ll see that they’re wonders, too.

We’re all wonders!

Look with kindness and you will always find wonder.

- That is my wish for you… look with kindness – at yourself and at others because I KNOW you are ALL wonders. We are all wonders. Live with the courage to be yourself and the compassion to help others to be themselves too.

I wish each of you a safe, fun, rejuvenating summer filled with moments that matter. To our

Grade 7s – best wishes in high school. To our staff who are leaving us – best wishes to you as

well. And to staff and students who will be returning in the fall – I cannot wait to continue to

come to NBES to play, learn, laugh and WONDER.

Huy ch q’u

#kidsfirst

#crushit

GRADE 7 Farewell Dinner and Grade 6/7 Dance

A huge thank you to Mrs. Mostad and Ms. Mihoc for co-ordinating another fun,

successful dinner/dance for our Grade 7s. A big thank you to the parents who

worked endless hours to create, put up and clean-up the amazing disco inspired

decorations.

A shout out as well to Ms. Mihoc and Mrs. Mostad for their entertaining tributes to

the Grade 7s at our Farewell Assembly.

Room 4 says Farewell to Mr. Carpenter and his Iconic Toque!

Cardboard Boat Challenge

NBES students once again had a great time with a design cycle challenge. This

time, building and traveling across the Ravensong Pool in the boat the designed

and built out of cardboard!

Island Health

Dear Parents:

Re: Records of Immunizations

The Province of British Columbia has requested that all students in grades K-4 and 10-12 receive

a copy of their immunization record so parents have an up-to-date copy to provide to their

child’s school in the fall of 2019.

Public health is providing these records to schools in personalized envelopes and requesting that

schools distribute these sealed envelopes to the students. Please watch for these records and

retain them should you need to provide them to your child’s school in the fall.

If you have any questions or require any additional information, please don’t hesitate to connect

with us at 250-947-8242.

Indigenous Cultural Group Presentation

It was such a great day for our students (and for us!) The dancers and drummers from OES

and NBES stepped up and learned to dance as one group quickly and positively.

B I K E S A F E T Y

Safety tips for cyclists

Be safe on the road when you're cycling with these simple tips:

Start at the top. Wearing an approved bicycle helmet that meets safety standards is the law in B.C. and you could be fined for not wearing one. Focus on how it fits: the helmet should sit level on your head (not tilted back) with the front edge one inch or less above your eyebrows to protect your forhead and should be snug so it can't roll off of your head when the chin strap is secured.

Follow the rules of the road. Make sure you obey all traffic signs and signals and adhere to the rules of the road.

Bike lanes are best. Use designated bike routes whenever possible – they're safer and reduce conflicts with vehicle traffic. Check your local municipality's website for designated bike routes or go to TransLink for Metro Vancouver cycling maps.

Shoulder check. Use hand signals and shoulder check in advance before taking any turns. Remember, drivers sometimes fail to yield right-of-way.

Reflect on safety. Be extra visible with reflective gear on your bicycle pedals and wheels.

Use caution around parked vehicles. Be aware of people in vehicles as well as taxis to avoid getting hit by an opening door. Try to keep at least once metre away from parked vehicles.

Protect yourself before cycling

Always wear an approved bicycle helmet that meets safety standards (CSA, ANSI, ASTM or SNELL

B-95) and occasionally check for signs of wear. Wearing a helmet is the law in B.C. and you could

be fined for not wearing one.

Remember to plan for poor weather or low light conditions. Your bicycle must be equipped with

a front white headlight and a rear red light/reflector. Be extra visible with reflective gear on your

pedals and wheels.

Be aware of road markings and what they mean in the area that you're cycling in. There are

many different types of bicycle infrastructure, know your shoulders from your sharrows and

learn the local bike signage for your municipality.

Discontinuation of Kids Plus Accident Insurance Program

We have recently been informed that Kids Plus Accident Insurance Program offered to our students by Industrial Alliance Insurance and Financial Services Inc. will be discontinued, effective with the 2019-2020 school year. This decision is in recognition that the distribution model no longer fits with the current market conditions. IA Financial Group has confirmed that policies currently in force for the 2018-2019 school year will remain in force until expiry on September 30, 2019 and they will accept new applications for this policy year until May 31st, 2019. All claims that are currently being processed, and any future claims received, will be honored in accordance to the policy specifications. Please note that all Student Accident “Blanket Policies” are not affected by this decision.

KINDNESS is going to be a focus for our school

community this year.

“Look with kindness and you will always find wonder.”

SCHOOL DAY & BELL TIMES

7:50 First bus arrives

8:07 Warning bell

8:10 School Begins bell

10:00 – 10:20 Recess

11:35 – 11:50 Lunch eating time (in classrooms)

11:50 – 12:30 Students outside for lunch playtime

2:03 Dismissal bell

2:07 Buses load and depart

STUDENT SAFETY

If you are coming to school on a bike, scooter or any wheeled

transportation you must wear a helmet. None of these are to be

ridden on school property.

Just a reminder that if there are no parking spaces please park on the

road or in the Nanoose Place parking lot and walk through the back of

the school. This is for the safety of all of our children. Thank you for

respecting this request!

Please do not park on the sidewalk near the handicapped parking. The

sidewalks are for students walking with parents to their vehicles. Thank you!

This is becoming an issue again, please do not use the

bus loop or parking in the drop off zone.

There is lots of parking available at Nanoose

Community Hall.

STUDENTS WITH MEDICAL PROBLEMS (ALERTS)

Please note that it is the responsibility of parents/guardians to make

the school aware of any life-threatening medical problems or life-

threatening allergies (anaphylaxis) their child/children may have. This

includes any changes in condition/medication for those students already on our

medical alert file.

Parents are to provide medication in its original container clearly marked with

the student’s name. Please check the expiration date of the medication. If the

medication requires administration (i.e. injection) it is important that those

charged with the procedure have the proper training. Please call the Public

Health Unit @ 250-947-8242 for assistance.

Reminder to all parents:

Bus passes are mandatory for all students riding to/from school

Bus pass application forms are available on the school district’s website

www.sd69.bc.ca and at every school.

If the bus pass is for an eligible rider (within the catchment area & outside the

walk limit) there is no charge and the form can be faxed to the # on the form.

The bus pass will be sent to the school.

If the bus pass is for a courtesy rider (within catchment area & within walk

limit or outside catchment area) the fee is $125 and the bus pass needs to be

purchased at the School Board office – 100 Jensen Ave. E in Parksville.

The NBES PAC would like to recognize the Arrowsmith Cycling Club who, by way of Jen & Kebble from our amazing bike club, donated $500 to the PAC for biking related expenses. The NBES PAC would also like to recognize Julie Cherry and other members at the Parksville Royal Bank Branch. The bank recently celebrated 150 Years and surprised some employees with $150, with the hope that they would make an impact in their community. Julie donated hers to the PAC and several others followed her example resulting in a $600 donation. Thanks to both these groups for the generous contributions!!

STREET OF DREAMS PROJECT

PAC is pleased to announce that our school will be participating in the Stream of

Dreams project next year. Stream of Dreams is a whole school eco-education

program that educates communities about their local watershed, rivers and

streams, encourages behavioural change to conserve and protect water, empowers

youth to make a positive environmental impact, and creates a community art legacy

by and for the whole community.

There is a cost associated with the program. Most of the cost has been paid for

through a grant that PAC has been approved for. To help raise the rest of the funds

necessary for our students to take part in this amazing opportunity, one of our

parents, Shuree McPhail, is offering gel polish pedicures for only $15! She is

donating 100% of this offer towards the Stream of Dreams project. If you would like

to have a pedicure for an amazing price AND help with this project, please text or

call Shuree at 250-228-6967.

NEWS AND EVENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY

Qualicum Beach Triathlon

The Qualicum Beach Triathlon will be held on Sunday, June 30th. Information for

Registration is available at the school’s office or access it through the triathlon

website:

www.qualicumbeachtriathlon.com.

On-line registration is mandatory through the website. Only paper registration

from school groups will be accepted. Register NOW, or as early as possible, as

this triathlon fills up quickly!