Strong Start will be closed today, January 13.

Friday Newsletter – January 10

Dear Families,

Happy New Year! We hope that you had a restful and enjoyable winter break. It has been wonderful to see staff and students back in the classroom, excited for the new year, connecting with friends and engaging in learning. As we return to school, we are excited to continue the journey of learning with your children in the months ahead. As always, we are grateful for the support that you as caregivers provide at home, and we look forward to working together to help each student thrive. Together, we can make this a successful and inspiring year for all. Thank you for being a vital part of our school community.

Pop-Up Play Events for Children Entering Kindergarten in Fall 2025:

Join us for one, or all, of our drop-in Pop-Up Play Events. This is an opportunity for Sooke children entering Kindergarten, in Fall 2025, to join a Kindergarten play time outside. Please come to any school, not just your future school. Come meet other children entering Kindergarten as well as current Kindergarten students, teachers, and staff.

Siblings are welcome!

Upcoming January dates:

Saseenos Elementary School – January 16th – 1:15 to 2 pm

Poirier Elementary School – January 23rd – 11 – 11:45 am

Reading Partners Program

The Victoria Literacy Connection will be offering a reading partners program for students in Grades 2 and 3 for 5 weeks between February and March and for 8 weeks between April and May. The Victoria Literacy Connection is looking for volunteers to support this program at our school. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please see attachment for more information.

Late French Immersion at Journey

Late French Immersion is a program where students enter in Grade 6 and learn to become fluent in French. By Grade 8, they are at the same fluency level as Early French Immersion students (who enter the program in Kindergarten or Grade 1). If you have a child entering Grade 6 in September 2025 and is interested in joining the French Immersion program, there is an information session at Journey Middle School on January 20th at 6:00pm. Please see attachment for more information.

School Zone Safety

To help create an environment of safety for students, staff, and families, please follow the posted road, bus zone, and drop off and pick up signs. In doing so, you help to ensure that our school community arrives and departs the school safely. Thank you for your understanding and commitment to keeping our school community safe.

Online Safety Pamphlet

Please check out the attached online safety pamphlet which includes information about:

• Ways to keep children safe online
• What you should know about gaming
• Warning signs of excessive gaming
• Tips for gamers 

Important Dates:

January 14 – Grade 2 swim lessons begin

January 16 – Hot Lunch – Subway

January 17 – Kindergarten Hearing and Vision Screening

January 20 – PAC Meeting 9am in the library

From the PAC:

The PAC would like to hear from the parents and caregivers at John Muir Elementary. We have created a google form with some questions to give us more info on what we have going on, and what you would like to see. Fill out the form for a chance to win a $15 credit to your child’s munchalunch account. Forms due January 29 and the draw will be January 30.

Click here to fill one out!

Hot lunches for January – March are open for ordering:

January 16 – Subway (orders closed)

January 23 – Popcorn ($1.00, can be purchased day of)

January 30 – Pizza (orders due January 22)

February 13 – Chompkins (orders due February 5)

February 20 – Popcorn

February 27 – Hara Sushi (orders due February 19)

March 6 – Popcorn

March 13 – White Spot (orders due March 5)

Orders can be made here https://munchalunch.com/login

Fundraisers:

Created By Kids art cards: We are still waiting on Purolator for the rest of our shipment. Once we receive all the packages, we will sort and contact you when it’s available for pick up. I apologize for any inconvenience this has brought, hopefully it will be resolved soon.

Next PAC Meeting:

Monday, January 20 @ 9:00 am in the school library.

If you have any questions regarding any PAC related topics, please send us an email at pac.johnmuir@gmail.com

Kindergarten Registration

As we prepare for the new year, we are excited to share important information about kindergarten registration for the 2025-26 school year.

If you are not registering a child for kindergarten next year, please disregard this email. If you know someone who needs to register their child for kindergarten next year, please share this information with them.

Eligibility for Kindergarten Registration

A child is eligible for kindergarten registration if they turn 5 years old on or before December 31, 2025. This means the child must have been born in 2020. No exceptions can be made to this requirement.

Kindergarten Registration Dates

All children must register at their in-catchment school, determined by the family’s primary address. To find your in-catchment school, visit the School Locator tool. If you have a unique circumstance, you can submit a school change request form (click the link to view the dates). Please note that you must first register at your designated in-catchment school before submitting a school change request. Kindly be aware that school change requests are not guaranteed.

Nature Kindergarten

• Registration opens: January 13, 2025, at 8:00 AM
• Registration closes: January 17, 2025, at 4:00 PM
• Attendance at an information session is a mandatory requirement for completing the registration process specifically for Nature Kindergarten. Click the link below to view the dates and locations of upcoming information sessions.
• Learn more: Nature Kindergarten

French Immersion Kindergarten

• Registration opens: January 13, 2025, at 8:00 AM
• Registration closes: January 17, 2025, at 4:00 PM
• An optional online information session will be held on January 8, 2025, at 6:30 PM.
  • Join the session here: Link to Join Meeting
• Learn more: Kindergarten French Immersion

Note: If the number of registrations exceeds the available seats, a lottery will be conducted in accordance with our Student Enrolment Priorities. Families will be notified of the outcome before the Regular Kindergarten registration period begins.

Please note that families may not register for both Nature Kindergarten and French Immersion Kindergarten. If you are unsuccessful in securing a seat in one of these programs, you will need to register your child for Regular Kindergarten.

Regular Kindergarten

• Registration opens: January 29, 2025, at 8:00 AM
• Registration closes: February 5, 2025, at 4:00 PM
• If registrations exceed the available seats at your in-catchment school, a lottery will be conducted following our Student Enrolment Priorities. Families will be notified directly if they do not secure a seat and will be provided information about the designated overflow school.

After February 5, 2025, registration will continue an ongoing basis and will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis, also following our enrolment priorities.

Need Help?

If you have questions or need assistance with kindergarten registration, please contact us at info@sd62.bc.ca.

Information from School

Our schools will reach out to families registered for kindergarten in September before the end of May 2025.

Thank you for reviewing this information. We look forward to welcoming our newest learners to the Sooke School District!

Nature Kindergarten

• Registration opens: January 13, 2025, at 8:00 AM
• Registration closes: January 17, 2025, at 4:00 PM
• Attendance at an information session is a mandatory requirement for completing the registration process specifically for Nature Kindergarten. Click the link below to view the dates and locations of upcoming information sessions.
• Learn more: Nature Kindergarten

Nature Kindergarten Parent Information Session – 2025

Join us for one, or all, of our drop-in Pop-Up Play Events.  This is an opportunity for Sooke children entering Kindergarten, in Fall 2025, to join a Kindergarten play time outside.  Please come to any school, not just your future school.  Come meet other children entering Kindergarten as well as current Kindergarten students, teachers, and staff.

Siblings are welcome!

Upcoming January dates:

Saseenos Elementary School – January 16^th – 1:15 to 2 pm

Poirier Elementary School – January 23^rd – 11 – 11:45 am

Nature Kindergarten is a program of choice that takes place at Saseenos
and Sangster Elementary Schools. Parents/caregivers must attend a
mandatory information session to receive program information and a
registration form. Both sessions will offer the same information, so you
can attend either one.

Please click on link for the date and time of these information sessions.

Nature Kindergarten Parent Information Session – 2025

HOURS

Mon. 8:30-11:30 – John Muir Classroom

Tue. 11:45-2:15 – Ed McGregor Park

Wed. 8:45-11:45 – John Muir Classroom

Thur. 8:30-11:30 – outdoor day John Muir Nature Playground

Fri. 8:30-11:30 – John Muir Classroom

The John Muir StrongStart Program operates five days each week and is open to parents/caregivers and their child(ren). It is a drop-in program for infants, toddlers and preschoolers. Please bring your child’s birth certificate to register for the program.

Weather restrictions for outdoor StrongStart Programs:

If the administration and/or StrongStart Facilitator feel that the program participants are at risk due to weather including high winds (30 km/hour + and swaying tree tops); persistent, strong rainfall; lightening; and/or temperatures below -5 degrees C, then program will end/close for the day.

strong start registration form

Calendar 2024-25 – FINAL

Colour Calendar 2024-25

The Parent Page – This is where parents login to provide and/or review consents for their children.

• When using the system for the first time, parents must use the front page to request an access number (which acts as their password).
• Parents use the verification number to gain entry. From there, they can provide consent to the six activities. If your student is not listed, please make sure that the email address used is the same email address your students school has on file.
• This is meant to be a one-stop shop for parents to provide consent.

The URL for this page is https://consent.sd62.bc.ca

Here are the consents that are available as this time to be collected online:

1. Media Consent
2. Internet Access Consent
3. General Consent for School Fieldtrips/Activities (Short walking trips)
4. School Cash Online Consent
5. Fresh Grade Consent
6. Google Apps For Education Consent-Grades 4 and 5 only
7. Aboriginal Education Information and Self-Identification

When do the Consents expire?

• Some consents (namely GAFE, KEV, and Fresh Grade) expire once a student leaves the district and/or graduates
• Some consents last one school year
• The system tracks the expiry of these consents. To renew a consent year to year (for Internet access, as an example) a parent simply reconnects to the system next school year. The system will note that the consent has expired and will give parents an opportunity to renew their permission.

How do you sign up for these consents?

Step 1 – Add registration@sd62.bc.ca to your email contacts

Step 2 – Parents go to the link https://consent.sd62.bc.ca

Step 3 – Add your email address

Step 4 – Go to junk folder as the verification number may be sent to this folder. Make note of your SD62 email verification number

Step 5 – Add the verification number Step 6 – Click on the Consents and choose, “I do give consent”.