Newsletter 1
September 1, 2026
Principal’s Message
Welcome to the 2026-2027 school year. I hope that you were able to experience some rest and fun this summer. We are looking forward to welcoming our Armstrong Elementary students back to school! The beginning of a new school year brings many opportunities for students to form connections, grow in confidence, and become active members of our school community. At AES, we strive to ensure that every student feels valued and supported. We believe that positive relationships between students, staff, and families are key to a successful year. By working together and maintaining open lines of communication, we can provide the best possible support for our learners. Please don't hesitate to reach out to your child's teacher or the school if there is anything we can do to help.
Sincerely,
Megan Weir
Principal
First Week of School
September 9 is the first day back for grade 1-5 students. In the morning before the 8:00 welcome bell, students can hang out on the playground and hopefully see some teachers and friends they haven’t seen in a while. We have many new students to welcome at AES (to our AES students: I know I can count on you to make them feel welcome and show them around – thank you!!). When the bell rings, please line up at the pylon for the class you were in last year. You will spend the first day with your class from last year. New students can head into the office for instructions.
We will have a short assembly so that you can meet the new adults at AES. It will be a short day with dismissal at 11:04. If you take the bus, the buses will be arriving at this time.
For the first day of school, all you need to bring are some inside shoes and a snack.
In the late afternoon, an email will be sent regarding which division cone to line up at for the remainder of the week.
September 10-11 students will be in tentative classes. We will let families know as soon as possible what their child’s confirmed class placement is, however this may not be until late afternoon/early evening of Sept. 11.
We look forward to welcoming our incoming Kindergarten students on Sept. 10 as they begin the gradual entry process. Click here for information on gradual entry.
Attendance is important this first week so that we can ensure all students are counted in our enrolment numbers. If you anticipate your child being away for any of these days, please let us know at the office (aes@sd83.bc.ca; 250-546-8778). If you know of any families new to our area, please encourage them to contact the office.
We wish our last year’s grade 5s all the very best as they transition to Len Wood Middle School, and to any families that have moved to new schools. Please know that you will be missed.
Regarding student placement, please know that AES staff work very hard to best meet the educational needs of our students schoolwide. We work hard to consider the best learning environment for your children, taking into account a variety of factors that affect the overall composition of the class. We know that change can be difficult but your trust in our staff and our rationale with the placement of students is important and much appreciated.
Bell schedule
8:00 Welcome Bell
9:33-9:48 Recess
11:18-11:38 Lunch Eating time
11:38-12:03 Lunch Play time
2:04 Dismissal
AES Staffing update
A special welcome back to Mrs. Campbell and Mrs. Zappone who will teach one of our grade 2/3 classes, to Ms. Dorward who returns to teaching a Kindergarten class alongside Mrs. Crowie, and to Ms. Mel Francescutti on our CEA team. A special welcome to Mrs. Woolard who will be teaching one of our grade ½ classes, to Ms. Bielby who will join Mrs. Normandeau teaching the music classes, to Mr. Waldie who will be joining the Learning Resource Teacher team on Wednesdays, to Ms. Shona Wuschke, Early Childhood Educator supporting our kindergarten students, and CEAs Ms. Kandace Turnbull and Ms. Kathrine Versteeg.
We are excited to welcome them to our AES team. Click here to access our 2026-2027 staffing list so far.
Nuts & Peanuts
We have a number of students who are allergic to peanuts and nuts. While some allergies are just if the person eats the product, others have allergic reactions that can be triggered by contact such as touching a desk or doorknob where there are traces of nuts. Students and staff who are anaphylactic to nuts may stop breathing if they come in contact with nuts or nut products. For this reason, our school is a “Nut sensitive” school and we request that peanuts and nuts are NOT sent to school. Thank you so much for understanding and for doing your part to help keep our school community safe. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us at the school.
Attendance
Regular attendance at school is incredibly important. So much goes on every day that if your child misses very many days, they are at risk of feeling disconnected from the relationships they are building at school and of falling behind in their learning. We also know that once you start to feel behind, it is easy to start feeling overwhelmed and even worried. The longer students are away, the bigger those feelings can get. Your child’s success is so important to us. If there is anything standing the way of regular attendance, please reach out to us. Together, we will brainstorm and consider solutions.
Absent students: if your child is going to be away from school, please email aes@sd83.bc.ca or call the office at 250-546-8778. If we don’t answer, please leave a message. Once attendance is completed in the morning, if a child is absent from school and we have not heard from the family, we will be phoning to ensure your child is home safe with you.
School Office Hours
Our school administrative assistant, Kyla Verbeek, is in the office from 7:30-3:00 Monday to Friday. Outside of the hours, please feel free to leave a message and we will return your call as soon as possible. If you need to get an urgent message to your child, please call the office as soon as possible. Messages left after 1:45 may not be retrieved in time to get to your child before the end of the day. We do our best… and appreciate your understanding.
Drop off and pick up at AES
AES is a lively place at these times. Supervision in the morning starts at 7:45am. If you are dropping your child off at the school, please use either the parking lot at the side of the school or the back, off of Rosedale. The bus lane is only for buses in the morning and after school. We have seven buses that come to the school within a 15-minute time span and the bus lane is full. Please do not pull into that area, even if it is just for a short time. Much appreciated!
We also really appreciate the modeling that happens when parents and adults use the crosswalk. This sets such a good example for the students! Traffic sometimes goes by a little quickly in front of the school and our crossing guards are there to keep everyone safe from 7:33-8:03 and 2:04-2:34 each day.
After School Plans
Picking up your child after school: Again, please use the Rosedale parking lot, or the side parking lot. If you are on foot, please meet your child behind the school. After school, the bus line-ups area (by the “boys’ entrance”) is where we have supervision and is the ideal spot to wait with supervision for parent pick up. Please remind your child to head into the Office if they aren’t picked up so that we can help connect them with their adult. We need everyone getting home safely 😊
Please ensure your child is aware of their after school plan each day. If changes are made from the usual plan, please make a note in the student planner or send an email to the classroom teacher and office. If your child takes the bus, please ensure the office knows of any change in plans.
Because supervision is provided after school for bus students only, students may only remain on site to play if they are with their care giver. If students wish to return to the school to play after checking in at home, the parent is then responsible for their safety. Please help teach your child about safety to and from school; we encourage students to walk with a buddy or group.
Bus students
If your child is eligible to ride the bus, they must be registered with SD 83 Transportation (250-832-9415). Non-registered riders will not be allowed to take the bus. Kindergarten students must be met at the bus stop by a responsible adult. If an adult is not there to meet them, they will be brought back to the school. If your child isn’t taking the bus home on a given day, please let the office know.
Volunteering
If you think you might be interested in volunteering at AES in any capacity (breakfast club, field trips, reading with students, helping at the school in any way), please complete the online criminal record check as well as the volunteer application. Criminal record checks are good for 5 years and must be completed through the school district’s unique code when applying online. And it’s FREE.
Online, please go to: https://justice.gov.bc.ca/criminalrecordcheck
Access Code: 6TQTFUJGQP
We truly appreciate when a family member can volunteer and the CRC is a key piece of the Volunteer Package. For more information about the “Volunteers in School” policy, click here.
Parent Advisory Council (PAC) News
All parents/guardians are members of PAC. Coming to the PAC meetings is an opportunity to support and enhance your child’s school experience, as well as for their schoolmates. Being involved with the PAC provides a voice in school initiatives and is an opportunity to bring your ideas and learn how to become more involved in your children’s school.
Our first PAC meeting will be September 22 at 5:30pm in the AES library. Childminding is provided. Please join if you can.
Personal Electronic Devices
To learn more about the Ministerial Order, SD 83 policy and regulations, please click here. Student use of personal digital devices is no longer permitted during the school day during both instructional and non-instructional times (including before school, break times and after school). Electronic devices are encouraged to remain at home, including smart watches, phones and game systems. If you need to reach your child at any time, please contact our office. Students can also get permission from their classroom teacher to phone home at the office if needed.
Important Dates – Please see our school calendar for current information, Calendar - Armstrong Elementary
Please check out the calendar on our school website for ongoing information. The SD83 Calendar is also a helpful resource to know that days that students are not in attendance.
Welcome Back BBQ
Please save the date for September 23. More information to come.
Terry Fox Run
The tentative date is set for the afternoon of September 18th. More information to come.
Orange Shirt Day
Our school will be observing the Wednesday, September 30 National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Tuesday, September 29. Students and staff are encouraged to wear Orange on Tuesday, September 29. In recognition of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, K̓wsaltktnéws ne Secwepemcúl'ecw School District (SD83) is selling orange t-shirts and hoodies, as a part of the commemoration of this very important day. This year's winning design comes from a Ranchero student, Cruz. CLICK HERE if you wish to purchase an SD83 Orange Shirt. Orders must be placed by September 20th. Stock is limited so order sooner than later.
School photos
Our school photo day is Wednesday, October 14. Watch for more information coming soon. If you miss photo day, or require re-takes, our retake day is Tuesday, November 3.
AES – The School where everyone belongs