Light Water Drums Festival

Artwork Around Our School

Division 3 has been brightening up the hallways with dragons to celebrate Chinese New Year, and the upcoming Year of the Dragon.

Chinese dragons do not have wings, and are a symbol of power, strength, and good luck. 

 People born in the year of the dragon are said to be innovative, flexible, and brave.

Winter After-school Programs Have Begun!

Winter after-school programs began this week.  There are still spaces in some programs; please see the office for more information or call Qua at 604-713-5898.

Monday - Theatresports
Tuesday - Indoor Hockey
Wednesday - Badminton, Spanish
Thursday - Arts & Crafts (at lunch), Piano

Fruit & Vegetable Program

This week the students will receive another delivery from the BC School Fruit & Vegetable Nutritional Program.

D'ANJOU PEARS

A pear is a fruit that varies from apple-shaped to teardrop-shaped.

Its skin colour ranges from green and light yellow to red and brown.

If you pull on the stem and it comes out easily, the pear is ripe.

For further information, fascinating facts and interesting history on this delicious fruit please read the PDF document on PEARS.

Students will receive their delivery during class time on Wednesday. This snack is not meant to replace the foods students normally eat at school. Students can make their own decisions on whether to taste the fruits offered.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the PAC or the school administration at 604-713-4620.

Coyote Safety

Coyotes have again been recently spotted in our neighbourhood.  This is a fairly frequent occurrence at Dr. A. R. Lord, and it is important to educate ourselves and our children about coyotes.
Here is some information on how to deal with a coyote in an urban setting, from the Stanley Park Ecology Society's Co-existing With Coyotes program.

What should I do if I see a coyote?

Note the date, time of day and what the coyote was doing. Call in the information to our hotline (604-681-9453) or e-mail the CWC program at: coyotes@stanleyparkecology.ca. We keep a database of sightings in the Lower Mainland to help identify areas of increased coyote activity.

If the coyote is seen in a residential area encourage the coyote to keep moving by shouting and gesturing aggressively at it. Remove all attractants around your property: accessible garbage and compost, pet food left outside, rat and mice habitat (birdseed fallen from feeders often attracts rodents).

What should I do if a coyote approaches me?

If a coyote approaches, appear as large and threatening as possible. Make aggressive gestures (moving arms and legs), shout in a low voice, and throw rocks, sticks or objects. Never run; coyotes, like most canids, like to chase moving objects. Coyotes are naturally timid animals and will flee when confronted with aggression.

What should I do if the coyote keeps approaching me?

Continue to exaggerate the techniques listed above. Do not turn away or run. Maintain eye contact and move slowly toward a building or area of increased activity.

How can I prepare my child for potential coyote encounters?

Education is the key to preparedness. Children should be taught to Be Big (stand up and raise your arms in the air), Be Mean (sound angry, stomp your feet, and throw something at the coyote), Be Loud (yelling "Go Away Coyote" so people nearby will come help), and Never Run.

Any aggressiveness displayed by coyotes should be reported to the Ministry of Environment at 1-800-663-9453.

Why should I not feed coyotes?

A Fed Coyote is a Dead Coyote

Coyotes that are intentionally fed by people invariably lose their fear of humans and develop aggressive behaviour, having to be destroyed. In addition, human food does not meet the animal's seasonal nutritional needs. There is plenty of natural food around for wildlife in the city.

Feeding Coyotes is a Crime

Section 33.1 of the BC Wildlife Act provides a minimum $345.00 ticket and maximum $50,000 fine and six month prison sentence for anyone who "with the intent of attracting dangerous wildlife to any land or premises, provides, leaves or places in, or about the land or premises, food, food waste or any other substance that could attract dangerous wildlife to the land or premises.
If you suspect a neighbour is feeding coyotes you may print out an anonymous note to leave in your neighbour's mailboxes.

What should I do if I find an injured or sick coyote, or an abandoned pup?

People often see coyote pups and other wildlife babies alone in the spring. Before the animal is approached, it should first be observed for at least 24 hours to ensure the parent is not returning to take care of its young. Once you are certain it is orphaned contact your nearest wildlife rehabilitation centre. In the Lower Mainland residents can call the Wildlife Rescue Association of BC in Burnaby at 604-526-7275 or the Critter Care Wildlife Society in Langley at 604-530-2064.

Do not attempt to handle an adult coyote. Injured wild animals are frightened and in pain. In addition, adult coyotes are extremely difficult to catch so long as they have use of all four limbs. Instead call your local wildlife rehabilitation centre. For help with sick or injured adult coyotes in the Lower Mainland call the Critter Care Wildlife Society in Langley at 604-530-2064.

Did You Know?

Did you know?   We now have battery recycling available at Dr. A. R. Lord.  Bring all your dead household batteries (NOT car batteries) to school and put them in the small brown bins near the office.  Battery recycling programs in B.C. ensure that no part of the battery ends up in the landfill.

It is not safe to put dead batteries in with your regular garbage.  They can leak toxic chemicals into the earth that end up in our water systems and elsewhere.

Winter Hot Lunch Dates

Hot lunch order forms will go home this week. The following hot lunch dates are planned for the winter:

January 27 - CHINESE FOOD 

February 10 - PASTA

February 24 - PIZZA

Hot lunch includes main, choice of milk or water, a fruit or vegetable and a dessert for $3.00. Extra helpings available.

Please note that no child will be refused a hot lunch due to lack of money.  If you cannot pay for any reason, please submit your form without payment and your child will receive a hot lunch.

Forms are due back to the PAC box in the office by Monday, January 23 for all three lunch dates. 

For extra forms, please see Cynthia in the office or print this one.

Coming Soon - PAC Spring Events

We have a number of exciting spring events in the works.  Here's a sneak preview:

SPRING RAFFLE - We have some super prizes to give away for our upcoming spring raffle.  Stay tuned!

WEALTHY SCHOOL REVOLUTION FUNDRAISER - Shop online for natural and organic products, pick them up at the school, and raise money for PAC initiatives! Coming soon.

SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIR - a yearly favourite, mark your calendars for the week of March 5-9. There will be great books and stationery on offer, and your purchases help us earn bonus books for the school.

MOVIE NIGHT - our popular movie nights will be back!  Next date & movie to be announced.

PAC Meeting Minutes December 7, 2011

Minutes for the PAC meeting on December 7 are now online. Please contact the PAC Executive for any clarifications.

PAC Meeting Minutes November 9, 2011

Minutes for the PAC meeting on November 9 are now online.  Please contact the PAC Executive for any clarifications.

PAC Meeting Reminder

Welcome back, to our first meeting of 2012!

Date: WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11

Time: 6:30pm – 8:30pm
Location: School Library

Everyone is welcome to attend this meeting.

Childminding will be available.

For further information please contact the PAC Executive by e-mail or with a letter through the school's Main Office.

Artwork around our school

Division 5 is learning to paint like Emily Carr! Their end of the hallway has been brightened up by an Emily Carr-style mural of a brooding sky with West Coast conifers in the foreground. They employed painting techniques such as painting on the bristles only, leaving visible brush strokes and blending colours, by putting two colours on the brush at once.

PAC Meeting Reminder

Date: WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7
Time: 6:30pm – 8:30pm
Location: School Library

Everyone is welcome to attend this meeting.
Child minding will be available.

We encourage all parents/guardians to participate in creating a thriving school community by volunteering in any capacity for school programs, events and fundraisers.

For further information please contact the PAC Executive by e-mail or with a letter through the school's Main Office.

Artwork around our school

Division 4 has been reading the book "Somewhere Today: A Book of Peace".  Here are some of their visions of how we can create peace in the world.

Somewhere Today...

Someone is making peace in the world.

Someone is helping a neighbour to do a chore.

Someone is speaking up for a friend instead of walking away.