January 9, 2026
Welcome Back from Winter Break
Welcome back from Winter Break! I hope that you were able to take some time to connect with family and friends and enjoy a bit of rest. We were off and running during our first week back, and it’s exciting to see so many great things already happening at the school.
Canoe Project Update
Thanks to the support of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Nation Language and Culture team, we have secured a log for our canoe project. Beginning Monday, our Artist in Residence will be on site, and students will have the opportunity to learn directly from a master carver.
Projects like this are massively involved and require many people working hard behind the scenes to make them possible. A huge thank you to all of our staff for pulling together to support this work, and special thanks to Matthew for coordinating the project.
We would also like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Will Antone and JR Transport for generously donating their time and equipment to safely transport the log to our school.
Staffing Update
We are pleased to welcome Alli to our school community. Alli will be supporting us once Joelle begins her maternity leave next week. We are very grateful for Joelle’s work and wish her all the very best as she begins this exciting next chapter. Welcome to Alli—we are happy to have you join our team.
Attendance Reminder
As we get back into the swing of things, a quick reminder to please contact the office if your child will be absent for the day. This is very helpful for our morning planning, particularly as we coordinate supports throughout the school.
School, Community, and Family Circle – January 20
I am very pleased to share that our second School, Community, and Family Circle will take place on January 20th at 6:00 p.m.
At our last circle, we discussed shared values and protocols, as well as some future direction for the school. At this upcoming gathering, there will be space for:
- Open conversation
- A principal’s report highlighting key happenings at the school
- Discussion of the upcoming three-year calendar
- Conversation about how available funds may be used to support our school
This circle is open to all interested families and community members.
As with our last gathering, we would like to offer childcare. Please email [email protected] if you will need childcare during the event, as this helps us determine appropriate staffing levels.
Living Our Values
We would also like to take a moment to lift up and honour the following students who have been living by our school values:
- Tímit - Carson
- Wanáxws - Jerimiah
- Chén̓chenstway - Delmar
Thank you to these students for modelling the values that help make our school such a strong and caring community.
Take care,
Cory Hartling
Principal
St'a7mes School
For students enrolled on the lunch program, a monthly “pay-what-you-can” fee has been added to your student’s School Cash Online to make it easier to contribute, where you can select an option between $0-$120. The fee is due January 16th.
If you are interested in joining the waitlist, please reach out to the school office. Further questions can be emailed to [email protected]
STUDENT LEARNING SURVEY
This spring we will be conducting a Student Learning Survey for students in grades 4, 7, 10, 11 and 12 and Parents. The information we gather from this survey is used to develop our School Improvement Plan and helps us make data driven decisions in the best interest of our students.
Student Learning Survey - gr. 4, 7, 10, 11, 12 (administered in class)
What: The survey covers a range of topics, providing a comprehensive picture of the educational experience in B.C. public schools. Questions were developed with input from partner groups, teachers and experts in educational measurement and inclusive education.
Why: Schools, districts, government ministries and other external organizations such as the Representative for Children and Youth use the survey data for planning, research and advocacy work for youth. Feedback from participants provides valuable insight for addressing current needs and trends. Survey results are used as a part of the School Improvement Plan
Student Learning Survey – Parents
Parents may also provide feedback by accessing the survey at the link below: You do not need a password if you select the direct access section.