Dear Errington Eagle Families,

It was an exciting week for our Grade 7 Students as they spent Thursday and Friday exploring Southern Vancouver Island.  The students travelled on BC Ferries to visit the Murals in Chemainus, the Malahat Sky Walk and touring in and around Victoria city centre.  I am sure that there will be some great stories and pictures to tell the tales!

Back at the school it was a quiet end to the week with our senior students and teachers away, but we enjoyed the sunshine with many classes getting out and working in the school garden.

At the recent PAC Meeting, on Thursday, there was a discussion about the current arrangement of mid-day lunch drop-offs at the school.  The volume of families coming in and waiting for children is causing a significant disturbance to the office staff and too many children are receiving their lunches late enough that they are not able to eat them prior to the outside playtime.  I appreciated the input from the parents present at the meeting and also the considerations from our school staff.  We would like everyone to follow these guidelines going forward:

1. Please drop lunches in the school foyer, prior to 11:50a (the start time for children to eat)
2. Please clearly label each child’s lunch kit or the bag/box that contains the lunch.
3. Please leave the lunch on the designated table beside the door in the front foyer.
4. Families are requested to not stay and meet children as these conversations are impacting the office staff and delay children eating in time.  Also the foyer tables and chairs are regularly used as a student learning space and family who are waiting take up the table and chairs needed by students.
5. If a mid-day connection with children is necessary, please note that children can be taken home for lunch if preferred.
6. If a child’s lunch will be delayed please contact the school office so that we can inform students and make any necessary arrangements: 604.668.6699

I acknowledge that this is a change in recent practice, but please recognize that it is necessary to help with learning, school day scheduling and office working conditions.  Children have 20 minutes to enjoy eating with their classmates and having lunch on time is very important.  Many children bring lunches and snacks with them in the morning, taking pressure off families to return to school mid-day, this may serve to ease scheduling for everyone and is worth consideration.  Thank you for your assistance following these new practices and in communicating the changes to anyone in your family that assists with lunch deliveries.

Have a wonderful weekend between the expected rain drops!

Be safe, be active and get outside!

Regards,

Andrew Ferguson (he/him/his)

Principal, Errington Elementary School

9831 Herbert Road, Richmond, BC, V7A 1T6

P: 604-668-6699 ext. 1812

Online: errington.sd38.bc.ca

The Richmond Board of Education acknowledges and thanks the First Peoples of the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓  (hun-ki-meen-um) language group on whose traditional and unceded territories we teach, learn and live.