VancouverMETRO VANCOUVER NEWS
Positive energy marks the start of a new school year across Langley schools
Students and staff are settling into the new school year across the Langley school district. Elementary pupils moved into new classrooms this week, while Grade 6 students at Yorkson Creek Middle School took part in activities led by Grade 8 mentors to ease the transition to middle school.
Hallways are busy again, classrooms are coming to life and learning has returned as students and staff across the Langley school district begin a new school year. Students are reconnecting with friends and meeting new teachers. Elementary students moved into their new classrooms this week after spending last week with their teachers from the previous year, while staff prepared new lessons and routines.
On the first day of school, Parkside Centennial Elementary principal Courtney Robertson said many students were happy to see their friends and staff were glad to see one another. She said everyone was looking forward to the year and added that this is the work they love and that it would be a great school year.
At Yorkson Creek Middle School, new students were welcomed by the school’s WEB Mentors. WEB stands for Where Everyone Belongs, and the team of Grade 8 students helps younger students adjust to their new surroundings. On Day 1, students played get-to-know-you games, took part in team-building exercises and had a chance to connect with new classmates.
Teacher Grace English said the day is important to Grade 6 students, staff and Grade 8 students making the move from elementary school. She said the transition to middle school is significant, and the activities help ease students’ nerves and give them a friendly face to look for at school.
The positive back-to-school mood continued across the district this week as students and staff settled in. Langley Schools Superintendent Mal Gill encouraged everyone returning to school to support one another and work together to create an inclusive, caring and compassionate learning environment. He said education and operations staff, including himself, are looking forward to another year of learning and are committed to the goals in the district’s Strategic Plan (https://www.sd35.bc.ca/strategic-plan) and Framework for Enhancing Student Learning (FESL) (https://www.sd35.bc.ca/framework-for-enhancing-student-learning), and to continuing to build a community where every child matters.