Welcome Back Redfish Families! To those of you who are new to our community (we have 11 new students and 18 students entering Kindergarten), let me assure you that you are joining a very caring school community that consistently keeps kids at the center of all we do.  I trust each of you had special family times over the summer and I suspect many are keen to step back into the routine that school and fall bring.

Our day runs from 8:02 a.m. to 2:07 p.m. with busses running at their usual times. 

For our youngest learners entering Kindergarten, we have a gradual entry within the district that allows for an “ease-in” to the structure of school.  Mrs. Heddon, the Kindergarten Teacher, will be meeting individually with families as part of the process and I know she has already reached out to families. Parents will also be asked to complete a CHEQ (Childhood Experiences Questionnaire) survey at the time of the interview to help us better support your child.  More information will follow in a separate message to Kindergarten families.

Please be reminded that other than Kindergarten, each of our classes will be a carefully created 3-grade multiage group. Mrs. Makeiv and Mrs. Sandquist will each be teaching a class enrolling grades 1, 2 and 3, Mrs. Dehnel and Mrs. Goggins will teach a class enrolling grades 2, 3 and 4 and Ms. Hodgson will teach a class enrolling grades 5, 6 and 7.  We also will continue to engage in numerous K-7 multiage activities throughout the year to further cultivate the sense of family that exists here at Redfish.

The Redfish After School program starts up again September 12.  Daily cost remains at $10 per day and runs five days a week Monday to Friday.  You can register for the program by emailing redfishafterschool@gmail.com. Additionally, please direct any questions about the program to Debbie Jenson, the program coordinator.

Please note that agendas and school supplies are provided by the school.  We collect $40 per child which allows us to provide supplies for the entire school year. Payments can be made by cheque, cash or online.  If you choose to pay online, the link is https://redfish.sd8.bc.ca/pay.  Please note your child’s name as you are filling out the payment form. Please be sure to also provide a pair of indoor shoes with non-marking soles and if your child has not yet mastered the skill of tying shoelaces, please avoid shoes with laces until they can tie their shoes independently!

I look forward to getting to know parents better now that we are easing away from pandemic restrictions. For those of you who are interested in volunteering in some capacity at the school over the course of the year, I will be providing a Volunteer Orientation session in the near future.  Stay tuned for the date and time.

I aim to send a weekly message to families to keep you informed about school happenings.  If you have specific questions, your first line of communication is always with your child’s Teacher. That said, I have an open-door policy and welcome opportunities to have conversations with parents and caregivers.

Welcome to the 2022-2023 school year -it’s going to be great!