Sept 9th Monday-

Sept 10th Tuesday-

Sept 11th Wednesday-

Sept 12th Thursday- PAC Meeting 6:30pm (Library) Join the meeting now

Sept 13th Friday- Concession starts

The first week of the 2024-2025 school year is in the books. We’ve had a wonderful start to the year, and it’s been a joy to see the students back, full of energy and excitement. We understand that with new classroom placements, emotions can run high. For some, it’s pure elation; for others, perhaps a bit of disappointment, especially when friends aren’t in the same class. While we work hard to build balanced divisions using input from both staff and parents, we know not every student will be with all their preferred peers. Rest assured, we always aim to ensure each child has at least one friend in their class, identified by themselves or a previous teacher. Alongside this, factors like class size and the unique needs of our students also shape how we create these groups. I want to share this to help provide context as to why making any changes to divisions after they’ve been set is a complex and challenging process.

That said, we’ve seen time and again just how resilient young people are. Navigating situations like not being in a class with a particular friend is part of building that resilience. Of course, if there’s ever a concern that your child’s mental health is at risk, we will absolutely work with you to explore potential changes. But we kindly ask that before requesting a division change, consider whether the situation is more about short-term disappointment or something that could truly impact your child’s well-being in the long term. As a parent of three, I fully understand the instinct to shield our children from discomfort. It’s not easy seeing them upset, but I want to assure you that we, like you, are focused on what’s best for them, and we’re committed to supporting their happiness and success.

With this in mind, we ask for your patience and understanding. Please refrain from requesting division changes unless you believe the situation could significantly impact your child’s emotional or mental health. Our school is filled with nurturing, caring adults who are here to ensure every child has a positive experience. For those who might need additional support, our Counselling and Child Youth Social Worker is always ready to step in and offer the extra care needed to foster resilience in a safe and supportive environment.

Thank you for your trust and partnership.

Dionte Jelks

Principal

Wednesday SEPTEMBER 18

Picture Day

Thursday SEPTEMBER 24

Open House 5:00pm-6:00pm at LIS

Thursday SEPTEMBER 26

Terry Fox Run

Friday SEPTEMBER 27

Orange Shirt Day

Monday SEPTEMBER 30

No School (Observance of Truth and Reconciliation)

Monday OCTOBER 14

(No School) Thanksgiving

It's that time of year again where we capture smiles, memories and milestones! Our annual School Picture Day is scheduled for Wednesday September 18, 2024. This is an excellent opportunity to get individual photos taken, class and group photos will take place in spring 2025.

Orange shirt Day honors the survivors, and remembers those lost, from Indian Residential Schools. We wear orange to remember the real-life story of Phyllis Webstad, a survivor of St. Joseph Mission School in Williams Lake, BC, who’s brand new orange sweater was taken from her on her first day of residential school when she was just a little girl. Please wear your orange shirt on Friday September 27! Shirts can be purchased locally at Oyster Bay Husky or Walmart.

I am thrilled to announce that our annual Open House will be held on Tuesday September 24, 2024 from 5:00pm to 6:00pm. This event is a wonderful opportunity for you to meet your child's teachers, tour the classrooms, and gain insight into the curriculum and activities planned for the year. We encourage you to mark this date on your calendars and make every effort to attend. We look forward to seeing you there!

We are excited to announce that our school will be participating in the annual Terry Fox Run on Thursday, September 26th. This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to learn about Terry’s inspiring legacy while raising funds to support cancer research through the **Terry Fox Foundation**.

We encourage all students to bring a loonie, toonie, or any monetary donation to contribute to this important cause. Every little bit helps in the fight against cancer and supports the ongoing research that saves lives.

Let’s come together as a school community and honor Terry’s dream of finding a cure for cancer. Thank you for your generosity!

SchoolCash Online is an easy to use and safe way to pay for your children’s school fees. Now, with a few clicks, you can pay for your child’s yearbook, class trips and so much more from your own home. All you have to do is register an account, attach your children and in no time you will be able to make payments online. Various payment forms are accepted at the office.

Create Your Profile: Go to https://nlps.schoolcashonline.com and click on “Register” and fill in all appropriate fields. Confirm Your Email: Check your inbox for the email confirmation and click on the link inside. Sign in with your new login details. Add a Student: Click “Add Student” and fill in the required fields with your child’s details.

As our students return to school in September, we have various safety drills that must be completed. For example, we conduct six fire drills during the school year. Additionally, we conduct lockdown drills in coordination with RCMP.

We prepare and announce these drills for our families so that we can learn from the experience. During drills, our school team will change elements of the drill to gauge the effectiveness of our safety protocols. For example, during a fire drill, a school staff member may stand at an exit and ask teachers and students to use their secondary exit to learn if students know where to go.

DARK WHISPERS

3 radio theatre plays...

3 stories of suspense...

...in which the dark is your greatest fear.

This year, we, at Ladysmith Intermediate School, would like to invite you to Pitch Black Productions’ thrilling Hallowe’en radio theatre drama production, DARK WHISPERS. The evening show will take place on the school’s stage in the gym on Wednesday, October 30th. The show will start at 6:30 PM. The performance should end at approximately 8:00 PM. Ticket order information will be sent out in early October. Also...

1) Auditions for actors run from September 16th to 19th. Practices will be held after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays until 4:30. An information meeting for interested students from grade 5 to 7 will be in Mr. M’s room this coming Monday.

2) Some of the sound effects and storylines can be intense and scary. We are asking NOT to bring sensitive students or young children (under Grade 4) to the performance.

3) All students must be accompanied by an adult at all times and cannot attend the show by themselves.

We hope to see you at...

DARK WHISPERS!

Are you passionate about your child's education and eager to make a positive impact on our school community? We invite you to become a part of our Parent Advisory Committee (PAC)!

The PAC plays a crucial role in shaping the future of LIS, fostering collaboration between parents, teachers, and administrators, and ensuring the best educational experience for our children.

The following PAC positions need to be filled for the 24/25 school year: DPAC rep, Fundraiser coordinator, Grant writer and concession volunteers. If interested, please contact: ladysmithintermediatepac@hotmail.com

Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction that can become life threatening, causing airways to close, swelling, numbness, etc. An anaphylactic reaction can be tempered by the immediate injection of adrenaline in the form of an EpiPen.

To keep our students with severe allergies safe, we ask that you avoid bringing nuts, or products containing nuts, into the school.

Students in classrooms with specific allergies will have a note sent home regarding the classroom being a specific peanut/nut aware zone.

Registration is open for the Salish Storm Hockey program for Indigenous children ages 6-18 years. This free program is coordinated by the Salish Storm Hockey Association (SSHA). The SSHA is a non-profit, volunteer-run association providing a unique and barrier-free opportunity for Indigenous children and youth to participate in the sport of hockey. The sessions run on Wednesdays from September 18 until December 18, 2024 from 5-6pm

The Vancouver Island Symphony Noteworthy Kids Choir is now accepting applications. It is the perfect choir for children ages 7 - 12 years. No experience is necessary and no audition is required.

Children can learn different styles of music, about the instruments of the orchestra and sing with their friends. Participants will get a free choir T-Shirt and perform twice with Victoria’s own Festive Brass and the Vancouver Island Symphony on November 30, 2024 at The Port Theatre!

The Island Swish fall programming is accepting registrations for students in Kindergarten up to the 12th grade. Options include the 8-week Rec League and club teams.

We ask parents/guardians to call the school before 9:00 am at (250) 245-3351 or email Info.LI@sd68.bc.ca to notify the school of your child’s absence. Please follow up with a note to your child’s teacher when your child returns to school so the teacher can address any missed work, homework issues, etc. Also a reminder that if students need to leave early, they should be signed out in the main office.

The following is a reminder about the NLPS school closure procedure for students.

If schools are closed due to snow, or any other weather-related problems, announcements will be made on local radio stations (WOLF 106.9 FM, WAVE 102.3 FM, and 91.7 COAST FM) by 7 a.m., or earlier, on the day of the closure. Please do not call the radio station – tune in and listen for the announcements, which will be made on a regular basis.

In addition, the district will post the information on the district’s website, Twitter, Facebook, and mobile app. Families may also receive a message through the School Messenger notification system via phone, email, or text. Please keep in mind, however, that there may be situations where this is not always possible, for example, power outages or technical problems. The most reliable method is to listen to the local radio stations.

ADDRESS:

Ladysmith Intermediate School

317 French St. Ladysmith, BC V9G 1B1

(250) 245-3351

INTERNET/SOCIAL MEDIA:

WEBSITE: https://li.schools.sd68.bc.ca/