Back To School

August 28, 2025 

Dear Parents, Guardians and Care Givers: 

I am excited to welcome everyone back after what hopefully was a fun and restful summer! As principal of SESS, I am energized by the positive initiatives and opportunities available for our students.  We are excited to welcome the new grade 5 students and to share our final year with the graduating class of 2026. We are pleased to have added several new members to our team and look forward to you meeting them shortly. Please remember to notify the office if you have any changes in contact information, phone number or email address.  If you do not have an email address, please let the office know. Paper copies of school correspondence can be picked up at the office.  

Please find below a summary of a whole lot of information to help you and your student(s) as we head into the 2025-26 school year.  

September Dates 

Please note the following important dates: 

Tuesday, September 2 First day of School (8:30–11:15). Busses leave @ 11:25 

Thursday, September 11 Welcome Back BBQ – everyone invited - info to follow 

Thursday, September 11 Grade 5 Parent Meeting (5:30) 

Grade 8 Parent Meeting (6:00) 

Grad Parent Meeting (6:30) 

Friday, September 19 School Photos   

Thursday, October 23 School Photo Retakes 

Elementary Class Lists  

Class lists will be posted on the elementary school doors on the morning of September 2^nd; students will find out which class to go to at that time. We hope to have classes set by the end of the first week, but it is possible that during the first week classes may shift. 

Please note that elementary students will not be able to enter the building until 8:25.  

Elementary - DAILY BELL SCHEDULE 2025-26 

 Elementary - EARLY DISMISSAL DAY SCHEDULE 2025-26 

 Secondary - DAILY BELL SCHEDULE 2025-26 

 Secondary -EARLY DISMISSAL DAY SCHEDULE 2025-26 

 Bus 

If your child rides the bus, please go to the website (https://www.sd53.bc.ca/student-transportation) to register them and to find out your pickup and drop off times and locations. This must be done every year. A reminder that the bus is an extension of school and students are expected to follow the school code of conduct.  

If your student needs to ride a different bus on a specific day, a parent or guardian must make contact with the school office, and a bus pass will be issued. Changes must be made before 1:15pm each day except in case of an emergency.  

Cafeteria and Breakfast Program 

There will be no cafeteria available for the first week of school, but starting September 8, the cafeteria will be up and running. Entrees will be up to $5 (pizza will remain $3/slice) and there will be soups and salads available most days. The menu will be available on our website once the cafeteria is up and running. Breakfast Club will be available daily to all students after September 8.  

Permission Slips 

For planning purposes, it is important that permission slips are returned to the school as soon as possible. In the past, we have accepted permission slips on the day of a trip as well as making calls home to get verbal permission. This last-minute permission makes it very difficult for our teachers to plan appropriately. This year we will not be accepting permission slips, or verbal permission, on the day of a trip. There may be exceptions made for extenuating circumstances, and this will be at the discretion of the administration. Thank you for your cooperation and support as we work to make this shift.  

School Supplies 

Secondary students should come to school with a water bottle, pens, pencils, lined paper, a scientific calculator, and a binder with dividers. Specific classes may require different supplies and teachers will share that information with students. Students taking PE should also bring active wear and running shoes. 

A school supply list for elementary and grade 8 students is available on the website.  

Secondary Timetables 

Secondary timetables are available for viewing in MyEd. Classes were filled based on student selections, and it is difficult to accommodate changes at this late date unless they are for valid educational reasons, such as repeating a failed course. Students hoping to make timetable changes will need to fill out a course change form in the counseling area. Until they have met with a counselor, students should attend classes as listed on their timetable. Only students with a blank/missing course in their timetable should come to the counseling area. Please contact counselor Stacy Zakall with any questions (szakall@sd53.bc.ca) 

Library, Technology and Student Responsibility 

All outstanding library/ textbooks must be returned or paid for before new textbooks are issued. Textbooks, library books and technology (in secondary) will be signed out through the library. If items are damaged, students will be held responsible for the cost of repairs and/or replacements.  

Attendance Call Out System  

This year we will be continuing with our call our Auto Dial system call out system for student absences. You will receive a text, call and/or email from the system letting you know that your student has missed some, or all, of a day. We hope to have the system running by the end of September. Please contact the office if you would like to clarify your preferences for how the system contacts you (phone/text/email). With that in mind, please be sure to let the office know if your student will be away for an excused absence to avoid getting this notification. 

Student Fees 

Please note that fees can be paid online through the Parent Portal (check the website) or in person at the office with cash or cheque

Student Activity Fee - required for all students - covers activity fee, lock, and locker $40 

Textbook deposit (required for new grade 8-12 registrations and all grade 8 only) $20 

• deposit is refundable when the student leaves SOSS or graduates and if

all textbooks, library books, etc. have been returned and are in good condition 

Grad Fees

• All grad fees help pay for the graduation ceremonies, cap and gown, cap $160

tassel, diplomas, and the grad trip. 

Total Fees: 

Grades 5 – 7 $40.00 

Grade 8 $60.00 

Grades 9 – 11 $40.00 

Grade 12 $200 (Grad fee + Student Activity Fee) 

Grad fee can be paid in installments. Must have $100 before December 19 and the balance must be paid before March 13 

Field Trip Fees 

• Travel within district – no charge (curricular or extra-curricular) 
• Travel outside district – varies depending on distance travelled and mode of transportation 
• Students are responsible for food, accommodation, and activity expenses along with some of the potential chaperone and TTOC costs   
• The school will work with the organizing group to keep travel costs as low as possible 

Athletic Fees 

• Athletic Fees cover regular league expenses including referee, transportation, tournament, and uniform costs. A uniform fee of $30 will be charged for each student. If a student loses their uniform, a replacement cost will apply. Students are responsible for food, accommodation, and activity expenses for all tournaments 
• The school supports each team by supplementing some transportation costs, paying for some accommodation and food for coaches and chaperones and paying for some TTOC costs 

Below are approximate “base fees”. Once teams are underway more specific information will be sent home as total fees are dependent on the number of tournaments a team attends. 

Athletic Fees vary by sport and are collected at the beginning of each season. Teams that make Valley and Provincial tournaments will have additional costs.

Personal Devices 

Finally, I would like to remind you of the provincial legislation that came into effect last September concerning the use of personal digital devices at our school. These restrictions are in accordance with the amended Provincial Standards for Codes of Conduct Order from the Ministry of Education and Child Care and apply to Board Policy E3, Technology Access and Use. This order’s main goals are to promote online safety and create a more focused learning environment for our students.  

The policy includes the following key points: 

1. Device Restrictions: Students will not be allowed to use personal digital devices (phones, laptops, smartphones, smartwatches, etc.) during instructional hours unless explicitly permitted by a teacher for educational purposes. 
2. Accessibility and Accommodations: Exceptions will be made for students with specific accessibility or medical needs, ensuring that all students have the support they require. 

We need your support to consistently implement these restrictions at school. Please review the expectations with your child(ren) and emphasize the importance of focusing on their studies and staying safe online. One of the most common explanations students provide for being on their phones is that they are communicating with a parent. If you need to contact your child during school time, please use the office phone (250-499-2727) and a message will be relayed to them. We appreciate your cooperation and commitment to creating a better learning environment for all our students. If you have questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us. 

In the elementary division all personal devices should be turned off and stored in a student’s locker from the first bell to the last bell of the day (8:25 – 2:35) 

In the secondary division all personal devices should be turned off and stored in a student’s locker during class time and students should not have their phones in the hallways or bathrooms during class time. Students may have their devices out during lunchtime and breaks. 

Students struggling to follow these expectations work with their teacher and/or administration and we will follow progressive discipline. This may include a phone being removed from a student for the reminder of a class up to the phone being stored in the office for a parent/guardian to pick up and a meeting between the student, administrator, and parent/guardian.  

We are looking forward to a smooth start up this year and are encouraging parents to access our school website at https://sess.sd53.bc.ca/ for more information. Should you have any questions, please contact the school at 250-499-2727.   

Regards,  

Ms. Stacey Smith 

Principal