“HOME OF SKYHAWK NATION”

We are a vibrant community of learners and educators that are passionate about excellence in Middle Years education while fostering a deep and positive connections along the journey!

HD STAFFORD ORIENTATION WEEK

FAMILIES RETURNING TO SCHOOL FOR IN-CLASS INSTRUCTION SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED A COPY OF THE EMAIL BELOW IN THE LAST 24 HOURS.  IF THIS IS NOT THE CASE – PLEASE REVIEW THE INFORMATION BELOW.  WE WILL HAVE STAFF TO ASSIST YOU BOTH MORNINGS.

Hello HD Stafford Middle School Families,

We are incredibly excited to welcome your child back to school either this Thursday or Friday depending on your grade (Grade 6s on Thursday, Grades 7&8 on Friday). This return will look a bit different, and that is because we are putting the health and wellness of our students and staff at the front of our return to school plan. That said, this year is also a wonderful opportunity for students to connect with peers and with staff and to engage in the terrific opportunities that Langley Middle Schools have to offer. We can’t wait to get started!

We will be working under Work-safe and Ministry guidelines to ensure everyone’s safety and there will be procedures that need to be followed upon your child’s return to school.  For example, once students arrive on campus, they will need to wear their mask and physically distance themselves from others.  The following details will tell you where your child will meet me once you arrive at school.  In order to reduce the number of people on campus, we kindly ask that when dropping your child off at school that you remain in your car or say goodbye before your child goes to their meeting area.

Two copies of the Daily Health Assessment will be given to your child by the homeroom teacher during their orientation. If your child is exhibiting any signs of illness they must remain at home.  If your child displays any signs of illness while at school, you will be required to pick them up immediately.

Students will not be permitted to enter the building prior to the bell at 8:35 and must be escorted into the building by their teacher. Outdoor supervision will be available 15 minutes prior to the bell.  We ask that all pick-ups and drop offs take place in the drop off zone in the East parking lot.

Students will have designated points of entry by grade.  Students will meet me at the meeting point noted below.  At this meeting point (Noted on the map attached to this email.) there is a marked cone with my name on it and the division number.  Students are to line up behind the cone while wearing their mask.  Your meeting point is as follows:

DIVISION NUMBER:  _____

TEACHER NAME:  _______

MEETING SPOT LOCATION: ____

Teachers will be taking attendance outside at the meeting points.  At this time, the teachers will spray hand sanitizer on the hands of the students and ask them the protocol safety questions from the Daily Health Assessment form prior to entering the building.  Each class will enter the building through a specified door while practicing safety protocols. Students who are late to school will be greeted by a staff member at the front doors where they will go through the above safety protocols before being escorted to their classroom.  Please call the school as soon as possible if your child will not be attending that day.

For your orientation morning, upon entering the classroom all students will have a designated space that they will maintain ownership of for the entire morning. All spaces will be thoroughly cleaned by our custodians at the end of the day.  This includes washrooms, frequently touched surfaces and all spaces used for the orientation.

Students will need to bring the following items in their backpacks.  There will be no sharing of these items with fellow classmates.  The items listed below are required: 

1. Filled Water Bottle
2. Waste free snack…microwaves and eating utensils will not be available
3. Appropriate clothing for weather as we may possibly be going outside – if it is a hot day please bring sunscreen and a hat.
4. Pencil, pen and paper in a binder.
5. Students are able to bring their own sanitizer if they wish

Students will be supervised by staff at all times during the day.  Safety protocols and the safety orientation will be shared with the students upon arrival to the classroom.  Students will be required to wash their hands multiple times throughout the day and between transitions.

At the end of the day, students will pack up all of their belongings and will wash/sanitize their hands prior to leaving. Students will then be escorted by their teachers to the designated exit doors and dismissal zones (same as arrival spot). Students will be required to wear their masks before they leave the classroom. We ask that all students go directly home or to their meeting point of pick up after dismissed.

In closing, a reminder, parents and caregivers along with non-staff adults are not allowed to enter the school unless authorised by an administrator or staff member.  If permissible, adults/visitors entering the school must follow Health and Safety procedures outlined by the school and enter through the front doors.  All visitors will be required to wear a mask once on campus.  We acknowledge that we have shared a lot of information with you, but the Health and Safety of our students and staff is the number one consideration.  We appreciate your cooperation and continued support and look forward to welcoming you back to school on your designated safety orientation day.

Sincerely,

John Hantke
Proud Principal  |  HD Stafford Middle School
“Home of the Skyhawks”
P: (604) 534-9285
W: hdsms.sd35.bc.ca
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram:  @HDSMSSkyhawks
“Creating a unified, engaging, CULTURE OF CARE for our students.”
I respectfully acknowledge that I work on the unceded traditional territories of the Katzie, Kwantlen, Semiahmoo and Matsqui First Nations.

HD STAFFORD SCHOOL RESTART PLAN

On behalf of the entire HDSMS staff, we want to extend a very warm welcome back to school! We hope that you had the chance to spend some time with friends and family over these past summer months while enjoying the warm, beautiful weather. From a school standpoint, the staff have been working hard over the past several weeks to prepare for your child’s safe return. We know that there are many questions about how school will start-up and how it will run safely and smoothly for all students and staff. More importantly, we recognize that that health, safety, and mental well-being of our school community is a priority as we move forward.

As part of our Education Restart Plan and preparation ahead of the school year, we are asking parents/guardians to complete the Return to School Survey. The purpose of this survey is to gather information needed to help staff develop plans for the return to school. Our school continues to work at providing learning opportunities to support the needs of all families. Please complete the survey below for each child by August 31. Your assistance is appreciated. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the school

SD35 Return to School Survey

HDSMS Parent letter 2020-2021

HDSMS Restart Plan 2020-2021

Health Check Form 2020

SD35 Education Restart Plan 2020

FOR OUR NEWEST SKYHAWKS HERE IS A TASTE OF HDSMS LIFE!