November 26, 2021
Dear UA Parents,
Well, it looks like the wet weather will continue over the next several days. I can only hope that the incredible amount of work that has been done to repair dykes, open highways, and allow some folks back to their homes will withstand this next deluge of rain. As a reminder, our Lion Leaders are leading a fundraising campaign to support the relief efforts in Abbotsford and the Sumas area. Next Tuesday, November 30, will be a ‘home clothes day’ for any students who donate a minimum of $5 towards the cause. I am happy to report that we already have donations coming in.
And what a season we are entering into! In last year’s Parent Feedback Survey, which had a great response rate (50%), we learned a lot about the celebrations that our families take part in over the course of the year. We have a wonderfully vibrant and diverse community that enriches everything from our students’ learning to our events and concerts as well as many day-to-day activities. From the survey we learned that 94% of our families celebrate Christmas, so we are looking forward to having PAX host a Santa’s Playground on December 5!
We also learned that many of our families celebrate Diwali, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and variations of Nikolaustag around this time of year, with Lunar New Year not too far around the corner. We are continuing to learn how to celebrate and further educate ourselves on all the wonderful traditions that take place and will do our best to acknowledge these important holidays alongside our families. This year, our newly formed Diversity Equity and Inclusion Staff Committee is working on how we acknowledge and celebrate our rich diversity as a community in meaningful ways, and we will share our progress on that work.
On a completely different (but familiar) note, I need to once again speak to traffic routines at drop-off and pickup. With the current wet weather and the darker days, it is even more important that we slow down, pay close attention, and be aware of the pedestrians as well as our staff and parent volunteers who are out there to keep everyone safe.
– Please DO NOT stop on crosswalks or in crossing areas – wait until there is space.
– Please DO NOT approach the school from Brunette coming up the laneway.
– Please DO drive on the right side of the road especially between the school and the house across the laneway.
– Please DO be patient and remember how you would drive if your child was about to cross the street.
– After school, please DO NOT park where you shouldn’t when coming to pick up – a little walk for your children is good at the end of the day.
I know most of our parents follow these expectations every day – thank you; but those who don’t, create unnecessary risks for everyone.
Next week we will see the calendar change to December which is always an exciting time of year. There will be lots of holiday traditions throughout the month…you may see a Christmas tree, PAX events and initiatives, class gift exchanges, and maybe even a visit or two from Santa. 2021 has been challenging for everyone, so let’s finish this year with a great month where we show compassion, support, and warmth to everyone in the community. Maybe even a few bright lights and the occasional candy cane too. And Happy Thanksgiving (yesterday) to our American staff members and to any other Americans in our community.
Yours in education,
Mr. Slinger
