Dear Parents/Guardians,
Happy New Year! It is hard to believe that summer is quickly coming to a close. I hope that everyone had time to spend quality family time together and create lasting summer memories. I am sure families are once again ready to get back into routines. Routines help children in numerous ways, but first and foremost, they help children feel safe. A child who knows what to expect will feel less anxious and be better prepared to cope with unfamiliar settings or stressful situations. School will help your family build positive routines. Please continue to set bedtime routines to ensure on-time arrival to school.
This year we have approximately 285 students attending Yarrow. This year, we are welcoming 55 kindergarten students and a host of new families.
Tuesday, September 2nd is our first day of school. Students will return to their last year’s class. If you are new to Yarrow, you will be gathering in the library for a short orientation of the school. The morning session runs from 7:55–9:53 and buses will be running. There will be a short assembly at 9:10, which parents are welcome to attend. Wednesday, September 3rd will be the first full day of school, which means students should bring a recess snack and a lunch.
As in previous years, all school supplies have already been purchased by the school. Once students have been placed in their classrooms, we will ask families to please send $60. Most families should now be familiar with our online payment method.
We believe that a strong relationship between home and school does much to ensure the success of each child. We all share the same ultimate goal: we want your child to be happy and safe at school and to live up to his or her potential socially and academically.
Our school goals this year:
- Improve student achievement and well-being through high-quality instruction
- Strengthen literacy skills for all students
- Enhance critical and creative thinking skills
- Foster social responsibility and positive citizenship
We will work hard and are committed to improving students’ growth in all these areas. We have high expectations for each student and will work together so that students can reach new heights. This means we all have a responsibility to do our part in making Yarrow Community School positive, safe, and a great place to be.
Please visit our website often. Ms. Emma Johnson, our clerical, will also be sending weekly updates from the office. We are a paperless office, so please reach out if you feel you are missing information. (website: http://yarrow.sd33.bc.ca)
Kindergarten parents should know their child’s group number and have the start-up schedule. If you do not know which group your child is in, or need a copy of the gradual entry schedule, please contact the office (604-823-4408).
Our school hours are as follows:
First Bell: 7:55
Recess: 9:55–10:10
Lunch: 11:40–12:25
Dismissal: 1:53
The office is open for the rest of the week from 8:00–3:00 if you have questions before the start of school.
Looking forward to an amazing year of learning,
C. Debruyn
Principal