Hello, Lochside! Time for this week's updates:
*Important Parking & Safety Reminders*
As we strive to ensure the safety of our community, please make sure you're aware of the following 2 important items:
Parking lot: Please leave any STAFF identified stalls vacant when visiting the school for any reason;
Rithetwood Drive and Lochside Drive: A concerned community member wrote to let us know that she has witnessed a lot of cars speeding up and down Rithetwood Drive, as it is a popular shortcut and drop off/pickup location. There are no sidewalks, several blind corners and lots of school-aged kids who walk and play. Please drive slowly on the side streets during pickup/drop off times.
*****
[Safe Arrival]
Reminder that late students are to sign in at the office if they arrive at school late. If it’s a planned late arrival, you can email the Lochside absences email: lochside_attendance@saanichschools.ca and then sign in to the front desk once back at school.
[Final reminder: Lochside After School Program (LASP)]
The Lochside After School Program would like to reach out to the Lochside Elementary School Community and invite families to contact them if you require care on Pro d days or school breaks. All day camps are usually offered on these days from 7:30-5:45.
Please email lochsideasp@gmail.com if you would like to sign up your child and they will get back to you as soon as possible. Fees for all day camps for non-LASP families are $50/day.
LASP currently has space for the October 20th Pro d day and the plan is to have a day filled with Halloween themed activities.
On behalf of Nicole macDonald, Program Manager
[Want to be a Class Room Rep?]
We are still looking for volunteers to become a class room representative for your children’s classroom. A class rep is a parent or guardian who works hand in hand with the classroom teacher, Lochside PAC and parents to ensure all information is shared. This is an amazing way to get you know your child’s teacher and other parents/guardians in the class. A class rep also helps organize helpers within the class when needed. Some of the duties of the class rep are:
*creation of a class communication list
*responsible for emailing information from teacher or LEPAC
*attend monthly LEPAC meeting (when possible) to keep up to date on upcoming events
There are still spots available! Please use the following link to sign up: bit.ly/classrep2023
[Transportation Review ~ 2 remaining In-person and Virtual Open House]
We've sent information recently to attend an in-person Transportation Review Open House. You are invited to attend one of the upcoming SD63 open house meetings, in-person Wednesday, October 18th or virtually, Monday Oct 23rd, to learn more about the transportation policy review and the proposed amendments.
*Please use the following link to download the information packet: Open House Transportation Sept2023.pdf
Regarding the virtual open house, Monday, Oct 23, 7:00-8:30pm. There will be a virtual informational MSTeams open house for any parents/guardians unable to attend one of the in-person informational evenings. Information regarding how to participate in this virtual meeting and other options for participating virtually will be posted prior to Oct 23rd on the Upcoming Events section of the School District website.
We will try to send details for the virtual meeting closer to the date, as well.
[Quick Details]
What: Saanich Schools is seeking your feedback on proposed amendments to Policy 21 – Bus & Van Transportation.
Where/When:
*Virtual Open House Monday, Oct 23, 7:00-8:30pm information will be posted in the Upcoming Events section of SD63 via this link.
There will be an opportunity to provide feedback at each meeting as well as through a follow-up survey provided to meeting participants.
Download the information packet here: Open House Transportation Sept2023.pdf
[Grad Wear Store is Open until Oct 22]
Grade 5 parents, the Grad wear store is open! Please check out the poster on Facebook for more details.
- the store is open until October 22, late orders cannot be accepted
- orders will be ready around November 10
- if purchasing grad apparel represents a financial hardship, please let Leila or Helena know
- purchase at the link below:
https://store.passionsports.ca/lochside2024/shop/home
[Save the Date: *Halloween Fair (Oct 26)]
We have settled on Oct 26, 5-730Pm for this year's Halloween Fair.
Join us for a dancing, games, literary Pumpkin hunt, Costume Walk, & a grade dance off!
Plus, we will have a jar raffle & Royals tickets, Night of Lights tickets.
*This is a Family event. all children must be accompanied by an adult.
[**VOLUNTEERS NEEDED**]
Interested in volunteering this school year? We'd love to have you! In case you missed it before, here's how to become a volunteer. (Don't worry, we will send another nudge every few weeks from now on so that you can get involved any time this year).
LEPAC and the Lochside School will need volunteer help and support for many events and activities in our school, such as our fun lunch program, field trips and school events. As Saanich School District is committed to providing a safe and secure learning environment for our students and therefore ask volunteers to provide the school with a criminal record check. Volunteer Criminal Record Checks are completed online through the Department of Justice. This is an easy process and good for 3 years.
Volunteers must contact their school office to request a link and organization code in order to complete a Criminal Record Check.
Please email: lochside@saanichschools.ca to request a link and our organization Access Code. Thank you!
[*3 volunteer opportunities available*]
If you've successfully completed your background check, here are a few more ways you can volunteer.
1) Fun Lunches (The next Fun Lunch is this Friday, Nov 3rd)
- We still need helpers for November 3 through December 1. Please use this link to sign up to be a Fun Lunch Helper (Sept - Dec 2023).
2) Halloween Fair (Thursday, Oct. 26th) ~ One spot left!
- We are looking for a few volunteers to help organize our Halloween Fair this year scheduled for Thursday, October 26th. This is one of the student’s favourite events of the year and would love to have some fun Halloween ideas.
3) Royals Hockey Fundraiser (Monday, Nov 13th)
- Join us for an afternoon of fun with the Victoria Royals. We are looking for volunteers to help the evening before and at the game too. Please review the available slots via the link below and consider signing up for a shift or two. Kids are welcome to help too!
Please use this link to sign up to volunteer for this Hockey FUNdraiser.
Thank you, volunteers!
[FUNDRAISERS]
Thank you so much for helping LEPAC reach our fundraising goals! Please note: we have a lot of offerings this Fall to choose from. However, don't feel obligated to do it all! We are rolling out events and activities with various levels of cost to try to accommodate as many of our community members as possible. Just choose one or more activities that are accessible for your family.
****
1) *ENDED OCT 13* Community Values Coupon Book Fundraiser.
Thank you to everybody who has bought, sold, and returned coupon books! We have sold over 123+ books and will have the final tally soon.
Beginning Monday October 16, LEPAC will start to send individual reminders home to students who have not returned or purchased the book that was sent home.
Once all the coupon books have been returned/accounted for, the PAC will do the draw for the: ice cream cake, Royals Hockey game tickets & class pizza party.
2) *Oct 27* THE CARD PROJECT Fundraiser is back!
Our students are once again participating in this exciting art-based fundraiser.
For purchase: beautiful products made with your child's art!
Greeting cards, mugs, canvas tote bags, mouse pads, tea towels, notebooks, sketchbooks, canvas prints, and more.
Save the Date: Orders open online on Friday, October 27.
- The Priority Order deadline is Sunday, November 5 with delivery November 20-24.
- The final order deadline is November 19 with delivery December 4-8.
*Please view the attached PDF in our recent email for more details.
Visit www.TheCardProject.ca for more information or contact Marcelle at Marcelle@TheCardProject.ca.
3) *Nov 13* Join us for our Royals Hockey Fundraiser
Tickets for our Monday, November 13th Hockey Fundraiser are now available!
We are also starting to put together an entertainment basket for the "Chuck a Puck" prize. We hope to receive a variety of donations, such as: for hotel rooms, restaurants, spas, movies, tourist attractions, etc.
Click here to review the attached PDF poster for more details on how to purchase Hockey tickets and coordinate donations.
4) *NEW* Night of Lights Fundraiser (Nov 19)
Each $5 ticket give you: a chance to win 1 of 5 $1000 shopping sprees, seasonal festivities, great prizes, food & beverage, entertainment and special in-store discounts. Purchase tickets within the fun lunch website ( bit.ly/funlunch2023 )
[Ongoing Fundraisers]
- Country Grocer - Save your receipts and bring to school!
- Mabel’s Labels - Order personalised labels, loose less stuff
- Bottle Depot - Mention Lochside Elementary PAC at return centres or use our blue bin
[Upcoming Dates]
- Monday Oct 16 - Fruit & Veg Delivery (mini tomatoes)
- Thursday, Oct 19 - COPACS General Meeting
- Thursday, Oct 26 - Lochside Halloween Fair (5-730pm)
[Please LIKE our FB page!]
We want to make sure you stay connected... Here's the link: https://www.facebook.com/LochsidePAC
Catch you soon. Have a safe and enjoyable week...