September 6, 2011
Number 1
Welcome from the Principal
I would like to give a warm welcome to all new and returning students and their families. As I start my 40th year with the VSB and my 12th at Livingstone, I think of how fortunate I have been to be working in this district and especially this school. It is truly a remarkable place. It continues to amaze me that each year brings with it wonderful changes, both challenges and lots of new ideas. I am looking forward to another exciting year at Livingstone.
This September we will be constructing our new Livingstone Garden, 10 plots next to the new playground on the Park Board property. All students will have the opportunity to participate in this new project. We will also be moving ahead with plans for our new Sensory Room. This will be a real asset for working with students in an alternate setting. We will continue to develop our whole school technology and SMART Board program, making good use of our 15 computer laptop lab, 30 Netbooks, iPods, and some new equipment. Each individual staff member will be deciding on a specific focus area to explore during the year and share their learning with others.
I always appreciate hearing from parents directly whenever they have any concerns, comments, or questions. Please feel free to contact me throughout the year to discuss any aspect of school life.
David Brook, Principal
School Opening and Class Assignments
The Vancouver School Board will not confirm our staffing until later this week. For this reason, we will not be assigning students to their new teachers until Friday, September 9th or Monday, September 12th. For these interim days, Grade 1-7 students have been assigned to temporary groups and will be introduced to a variety of educational activities and teachers. These activities have been designed to both review curriculum areas and help students get to know other students in other grades.
Tuesday, September 6th
All returning students who came to school this morning at 9:00 a.m. reported to their “last year’s” teacher or a substitute for an enrolment count and announcements. Children new to Livingstone were welcomed in the library. All returning Grade 1 – 7 students were given a gold/buff coloured Temporary Class Assignment form indicating which classroom they are to go to on Wednesday morning. New students can either go directly to their temporary class or they may return to the library and a staff member will take them to their Temporary Class Assignment.
Wednesday, September 7th
Students will report to their Temporary Class teacher at 9:00 am. Students will be dismissed from this same classroom at 3:01 pm. REMEMBER TO BRING A LUNCH (Hot lunch starts Thursday).
Staff Changes
We welcome intermediate teacher Geri Gruft (Ms. Geri), primary teacher Yong Yong Chan, and School Support Workers Susana Gibbs, Amandeep Aujla, Susan Killingsworth and Cress Spicer.
Meet The Teacher/Corn & Dog Night CANCELLED
Due to the British Columbia Teachers Federation JOB ACTION (see letter from the superintendent on page 3), we have to cancel our annual Meet the Teacher Night. If the contract dispute is settled quickly, we will look at rescheduling this event.
School Supply, Agenda and Performing Arts Fees
PLEASE DO NOT SEND MONEY IN YET!
As soon as classes are organized next week, we will send home a request for fees. The following will be collected:
|
Divisions 4-11
|
Divisions 1-3, Divisions 12-13 (Kindergarten)
|
| School Supply |
$25.00 |
School Supply |
$25.00 |
| Performing Arts |
$11.00 |
Performing Arts |
$11.00 |
| Agenda |
$9.00 |
Total |
$36.00 |
| Total |
$45.00 |
|
|
VSB Elementary School Supplies Fees – Details
The Vancouver School Board offers parents an opportunity to purchase basic school supplies in bulk at wholesale prices. The cost savings are passed on to parents. The School Supply Fee for 2011/2012 is $25.00/student. This fee covers the cost of basic school supplies used for students’ personal use such as paper, writing tools, rulers, scissors, glue sticks, erasers, paint sets and exercise books for the full school year. The advantages for families of the Board providing student supplies are: (1) convenience (2) cost savings and (3) standardization of supplies used in the classroom. As a reminder, the Vancouver School Board will not deny a child access to the school supplies required for his or her educational program because of financial hardship. If this is the case, please request a bursary form or send a note to the principal.
Performing Arts & Agenda
These fees are collected in order to provide extra performances for students. These are like “in school” field trips as these expose students to a variety of artists at a fraction of the cost of going to a public performance. The school agendas help students stay organized and provide a means of communication with parents. Div’s. 1, 2 and 3 are experimenting using a blog instead of an agenda this year.
Cheques now accepted
We now accept payment by cash or cheque. Please be aware that our bank charges the school $15 for any cheques returned NSF (Non Sufficient Funds). These fees are, in-turn, charged to the parents.
Lunch Program
The Lunch program will start on Thursday, September 8th. The cost of the Hot Lunch program this year will vary (between $46-$80) each month depending on the number of days in session. If your family is not able to pay the full cost, a partial payment is possible. Registration & Contribution envelopes will be sent home after classes have been organized.
Out of School Care
The Spare Time Society operates the Livingstone “Connections” program and has now opened a preschool program for 4 year olds. They run a full out-of-school care in the two out-buildings on the school grounds. They have openings with the Preschool program but are close to being full with others. If you have any questions, please call Alona at 604-875-1818.
One-Way School Reminder
Parents are reminded that Livingstone is a One-Way school. This means that it is necessary that all parents only drive in a clockwise direction around the school grounds. Students must get into and out of cars directly onto the grounds and are NEVER allowed to cross the street to get into a car, even if they are accompanied by an adult. Help us make Livingstone a safe place for all students.
LMNH Literacy Circle and Homework Club
We are pleased to announce that Little Mountain Neighbourhood House will again offer the Primary Literacy Circle (Monday and Wednesday) and the Intermediate Homework Club (Tuesday and Thursday) in the Livingstone Library. Please see the attached flyer. There are a limited number of spaces, so please register in the library on Thursday, September 22nd & 23rd from 3:00-3:30 pm (first come, first served).
Student Accident Insurance
The Vancouver Board of Education and the District Parent Advisory Council support the approved plan to provide accident insurance coverage to students (see the attached brochure). Some benefits of the IAP Kids Plus accident insurance coverage are:
- Protection against unexpected accidents 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
- Supplements existing health and dental insurance
- Provides coverage for services, such as chiropractic treatment and physiotherapy, which are not covered by BC Medical
- Benefits those families who have not resided in BC long enough to qualify for medical coverage
Student Cell Phone & Ipod/MP3 Use
Students and parents are reminded that Livingstone has a policy that students may NOT use cell phones or Ipods/MP3 players during school hours (9:00 am – 3:01 pm) or when they are in the classrooms. There may be exceptions made by teachers when the use is related to school assignments. In emergency situations, parents can get a message to their child by contacting the school office. Likewise, students can get permission to use the school phone from a staff member.
Playground Upgrade
The long awaited upgrade to the Prince Edward Park has finally started. We hope that it will be completed in October. Staff will be developing interim plans for the primary students during this construction period.
Terry Fox Run
Our annual Terry Fox run will take place on Friday, September 16th.
As in previous years, we will collect money throughout the week:
| Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
Nickels & Pennies
5¢ & 1¢ |
Dimes
10¢ |
Quarters
25¢ |
Loonies
$1 |
Toonies
$2 |
Vancouver Board of Education
Letter From the Superintendent
Update on Job Action
September 6, 2011
As you are probably aware, the BC Teachers’ Federation (BCTF), which represents the province’s public school teachers, is involved in negotiating a new collective agreement with the BC Public School Employers’ Association (BCPSEA), the bargaining agent for the province’s school boards. These discussions to date have not produced a settlement and the parties have indicated that they are not close to an agreement. As a result, the province now faces job action. The BCTF has said that the job action will be in phases. The first phase is a “teach-only” campaign which will restrict teachers’ ability to participate in administrative duties and other non-instructional activities.
Despite these challenges, the good news is that schools will remain open. While job action may be frustrating for all, it is important to keep in mind that students will not be put in an unsafe or harmful situation. No matter what happens as a result of job action, your children will continue to be educated in a safe environment in the care of dedicated professionals in the classroom, the school office and on the playground.
We continue to hope for a speedy resolution to the contract negotiations. In the meantime, the Vancouver School District will keep parents informed of any developments around job action and its possible impact on student learning. As more information becomes available, please check back to our website at http://www.vsb.bc.ca where we will be posting updates.
The district is committed to keeping parents informed of developments and providing current information. As a demonstration of this commitment, we have recently developed an app for the iPad and iPhone. The app will give parents current information and updates from your children’s schools. You will find a link to this app on our website and we welcome your feedback.
For information and updates regarding bargaining positions, see the BCTF website at http://www.bctf.ca/ and the BCPSEA website at http://www.bcpsea.bc.ca/
Steve Cardwell
Superintendent of Schools
Comments are closed 
