June 27, 2024
Dearest Wix-Brown families,
It’s hard for me to believe that we are here at the end of the school year. When I reflect back on my first year as principal at Wix, I believe that we have a lot to be proud of as a school community.
As a staff, we have engaged in a variety of initiatives in order to nurture and support the needs of the students in our care. We have continued to implement Response to Intervention (RTI) practices in our school, learning more about how to effectively provide extensions and interventions so that all children in our building learn and achieve at high levels. We have maintained our commitment to learning (and un-learning) through our truth and reconciliation journey. A highlight in this work has been the monthly presentations that our classes have participated in to showcase their learning of indigenous ways of knowing and being. Our work around equity, diversity, and inclusion has continued as we highlight to our community that ALL OUR BEARS BELONG. Looking ahead to next year, we already have plans underway to “tweak” our Action Plan for Learning and focus some of our professional development around best practices in math (numeracy) instruction. We are excited to take on more learning and growth together!
In terms of our community, we have had many successes. Our first Winter Market was widely attended, and our PAC has made some incredible strides in their fundraising efforts. We continued with our annual traditions, including Pancake Breakfast and the Wix Wind-Up, while also looking for new ways in which to engage staff and families in community-building activities. Many individuals have put forth a great deal of time and effort in building up our school, and I am eternally grateful for their hard work!
As we head into July, just a reminder that our office will be open next week from 8:00 – 2:30, and then we will re-open during the last week of August. Please look for a “Welcome Back!” e-mail from me during that last week of August that will provide you with all of the necessary information for our first week back in September.
Thank you, everyone, for such a wonderful year. We have so many accomplishments to celebrate and memories to reflect back upon during these past ten months. Wishing you and your families a wonderful summer break!
Around the School…
Sports Day
The rain didn’t slow us down during our annual Sports Day! Exciting and engaging stations were set up outside, and each class rotated through the various activities. After a full morning of games and physical activity, it was time for lunch. Our generous PAC provided pizza, chips, and drinks to all of our students, who were very grateful after all of that hard work and exercise! In the afternoon, we finished it all off with our annual tug-of-war event. Spoiler alert: our kindergarten students won (again!) against the grade seven class! A huge thank you to the D.W. Poppy leadership team, Ms. Wedgewood, and Ms. Blake for all of their hard work in leading and organizing such a fun-filled day!
National Indigenous Peoples’ Day
Last Friday, we held an assembly in recognition of National Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Led by Ms. Miller, Ms. JM, and Ms. Peach, the event was a celebration of indigenous culture and the learning that our school has engaged in throughout the year. Ms. JM shared a video on the meaning behind our land acknowledgement, and Ms. Peach, Ms. Miller and many student actors shared a special dramatic interpretation based on the book, “The Song that Called Them Home” by David A. Robertson. Ms. Wedgewood and Ms. Skwarok’s class shared some drumming with us, and we finished off the event with a special hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ language quiz that pitted our primary students against our intermediates. We also all sang a hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ song that Ms. Miller taught us all throughout the year. As I watched the presentation from the back of the gym, I felt a huge sense of pride for our school community and its commitment to learning, growth, and cultural appreciation. A huge thank you to Ms. Miller, Ms. JM, and Ms. Peach for organizing the assembly and showcasing the many ways in which we continue to embed indigenous knowledge into our school!
Waterpark Field Trip
To finish off the year, our whole school attended the Otter Co-Op Outdoor Experience Waterpark on Monday. The sun came out for a day of swimming, waterslides, and community-building. It was great to see everyone happily playing and enjoying the experience. It’s also a great way to celebrate the end of the year as a whole school community. Thank you to the many parent volunteers and staff members who supported our students during the field trip.
Farewells
Part of ending the school year involves saying “goodbye” to some of our Wix-Brown bears. In addition to our grade sevens and those students moving on to other schools, we also are bidding a fond farewell to some important staff members. I want to extend my sincere gratitude to each and every one of them for their hard work and dedication during their time at Wix-Brown. We are so very fortunate to have had such amazing staff members at our school, and we wish those who are leaving us all the very best in their next adventure, whatever that may be!
Farewell (and thank you!) to:
Ms. Allin (Grade 6/7 Teacher)
Ms. Arbo (Noon Hour Supervisor)
Ms. Bagnall (Resource Teacher)
Ms. Braun (SEA)
Ms. Jacklin-Gould (SEA)
Ms. Thornley (Youth Care Worker)
Ms. Twemlow (Custodian)
Ms. Zillich (SEA)
School Supplies
Our school supply lists for the 2024-2025 school year can be found on our website here.
In addition, there is a pre-order option that has been arranged by our school PAC. See the excerpt below from their recent newsletter:
Let’s make buying next year’s school supplies painless! The PAC has once again partnered with a local business, EduPac, that conveniently prepares school supply kits for grades 1-7! All kits can be easily ordered online and then the packages are delivered directly to the school at the beginning of September. School supply kits can be ordered at https://edupac.ca/
(The passcode for Wix-Brown on the EduPac website: 9954)
From the District…
District and Ministry Celebrate Pride Month
June is Pride Month. The District acknowledges and celebrates our students, staff, and community members who are part of the 2SLGBTQ+ community. This month and every month let’s continue to work together towards the goal to ensure everyone in our District feels safe and valued.
To celebrate, the Ministry of Education and Child Care is sharing a message with school communities to mark Pride Month and celebrate diversity in our community. Read more in this statement HERE.
Upcoming Dates…
August 26 – Wix-Brown office re-opens after summer break
September 3 – First day back (students in grades 1-7 attend 8:20 – 10:15; new kindergarten students do not attend)
September 27 – National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Assembly
September 30 – No school (National Day for Truth and Reconciliation)
October 4 – No school (School Improvement Day)
October 11 – Student Photos
October 14 – No school (Thanksgiving)
October 25 – No school (Professional Development Day)
October 30 – Month-End Assembly
October 31 – Halloween