June 21, 2024

Principal’s Message

Today is the last day of classes and as I write this, students are receiving their yearbooks.  Mr. McDowell and the yearbook team have once again created an outstanding chronicle of the 2023-24 school year, South Delta Secondary’s 50^th.

I’d like to offer congratulations to the graduating class of 2024.  They have proven to be a very special class for the way in which they have applied themselves. Throughout their time at SDSS, they have shown responsibility, positive energy, and community mindedness. We wish them all the best as they begin the next chapters of their lives.  We are all looking forward to watching them cross the stage at South Delta’s Valedictory Ceremony on Wednesday night (June 26^th) at 7:00 pm at South Delta Baptist Church.

With the end of the school year, we also want to recognize and congratulate Mr. Stephen Burns (teacher), Mr. Raymond Ouellette (teacher), Mrs. Joanne Gill (Education Assistant), and Ms. Marguerite Middleton-Hope (Education Assistant), who will be retiring at the end of the month.  In their own unique ways, they have each have been tremendous supports and resources to students at SDSS.  We wish them all well in the future!

The end of the school year also marks the end of my tenure as principal at South Delta Secondary.  After ten years of serving this wonderful community, the time has come for me to start the next chapter of my life. I will be retiring at the end of July.

My time at SDSS fills me with pride and tremendous gratitude. I’ve had the privilege of working alongside many amazing educators and support staff, and, most importantly, incredible students and families who have made this journey deeply rewarding.

I am thankful for the trust and support that this community has shown me throughout these years. It has been an honor to contribute to the growth and development of our school and witness the achievements of our students.

I will always cherish the memories and relationships formed during my time here. I look forward to watching our school shine in the years to come and remain committed to its success in any way that I can.

Over the next several weeks, I, along with our administrative team will be working to support the new principal, Mr. Ben Scarr, and his transition to SDSS.

Mr. Scarr is coming to us from North Delta Secondary, where he has been vice-principal since 2019. Mr. Scarr is an outstanding and experienced educator, who holds a Bachelor of Science, in Chemistry & Economics, a Bachelor of Education, and a Master of Education in Leadership & Administration, all from the University of BC.

Thank you once again for your support and collaboration over the years. It has been an incredible privilege to serve as your principal.

As this is the final newsletter for the 2023-2024 school year, we ask that you please see the important information items and reminders below:

Course Completion Days – June 24^th & 25^th 

It is expected that students have completed all assessments prior to June 21^st, 2024.   Many teachers will have individualized marks cut-off dates so that students can organize themselves to have assessments completed for the end of the year for full year courses.

The purpose of Course Completion Days is:

• to support students who need to complete unfinished work and/or demonstrate their learning so teachers have sufficient evidence to provide the student a final grade or level of proficiency for the course.
• as an opportunity for students to demonstrate understanding of key concepts that may have been delayed or missed earlier in the course.
• as opportunities for students to schedule individual time with teachers, counsellors and other staff to support their course planning and any other aspect of their educational program.
• as an opportunity for students to be involved in reviewing and updating their Individual Education Plan goals and strategies as necessary.
• as time for all students to ensure that course requirements are complete.

Course Completion Days are not:

• a time for students to submit substantial amounts of incomplete assignments and projects, or write multiple unit tests, without prior coordination with the classroom teacher.

Grade 12 Valedictory Ceremony, Wednesday, June 26^th at South Delta Baptist Church

Here’s a few reminders to our grads and their families:

Four tickets have been distributed to each grad, for families and guests. Grads do not need a ticket for themselves.

Here’s the timeline for Wednesday:

5:30pm   Photo opportunities on the grounds at South Delta Baptist Church

6:30pm   Grade 12 students report to the gym at South Delt Baptist Church Gym for assembly

6:30pm   Doors open; guests with tickets may be seated. There is no reserved seating.

6:50pm    All guests should be seated.

7:00pm   Ceremony begins with the Procession of Graduates. Livestream broadcast begins – link to be emailed and posted to the school website next week

9:00pm    Ceremony ends (approximately).

End of Year Message from the Minister of Education and Child Care
Please click on the following link to read a message from Minister Rachna Singh:
https://district.public.deltasd.bc.ca/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/June-2024-letters-to-families.pdf

Yearbooks

As mentioned, yearbooks were distributed today during Block A.  If you did not pick up your yearbook yet, they are now available in the main office. All student fees must be paid up in full and all textbooks returned in order for you to collect a yearbook.  Unfortunately, all extra yearbooks have been sold out.

Report Cards

Report Cards will be available on Thursday, June 27^th for students on MyED as well as on Student/Parent Connect.  If you have any questions about marks, please contact the teachers via email.

School Hours (Summer Hours)

For most of July and August, our school office will be open from 8:00am – 2:00pm.  We ask that you please call ahead as we will be on reduced staff.

Restricting Cellphone Usage in Schools

In January 2024, the provincial government announced plans to restrict the use of cellphones in schools. Research shows that frequent cellphone interruption in the classroom, social media platforms with addictive algorithms and predators who seek to exploit young people all present significant risks to young people. The district emailed all families on June 20 regarding this new restriction, which comes into effect on July 1, 2024. Please click here to read the letter: https://district.public.deltasd.bc.ca/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DS-Letter-home-Personal-Digital-Devices-June-20-2024.pdf

Host an International Student

Delta School District International Programs is in urgent need of more caring Tsawwassen homes for students arriving to study in Delta in September 2024. They have chosen Delta, and specifically Tsawwassen for many of them, as their desired study abroad destination. They will arrive from all over the world at the end of August and stay anywhere from 3 months to half a school year, to the entire school year, or more.

Delta School District International Programs provides you with access to a team of professionals that have been nominated for an international award recognizing excellence in International Programs for 5 years in a row. Tania Hope, our Homestay Coordinator for South Delta has been at numerous school events and interacting with the community. You may have already had the opportunity to speak with her at one of the school functions she has attended. Please reach out directly to Tania if you have any questions. She can be reached at 604-612-4020. Her landline number is 604-952-5385. Tania, and the rest of our 18-person team assist you in all aspects of caring for your student, provide monthly activities for students to join, and are always willing to lend an ear and help out.

As of September 1st, 2024, the reimbursement for hosting will be increasing to $1,150 per month per student. Students from different nationalities can be hosted in one home, although they do require their own bedroom. The majority of students in the homestay program are from Germany, Japan, Spain, Italy, and Brazil. At the moment, more that 20 different countries are represented in the homestay program.

Many of our international students are looking for a family connection and being a part of a family during their stay in Tsawwassen.

If you are interested in hosting, please reach out to homestay@godelta.ca or give Tania a call. If you are not able to host but know of a family who can, please send them our way. There are referral bonuses available for referring families.

Thank you for your time and wishing you all a happy end to the school year!

Respectful Behaviour & Code of Conduct

In advance of the summer break, principals at each of the seven secondary schools in Delta are writing to families to reiterate the importance of students acting responsibly and respectfully while out and about in the community.

In recent years, there has been an increase in anti-social behaviour from some youth in the community at certain times of the year. This type of behaviour varies widely from school to school, from community to community, and even from year to year. Concerns include incidents of alcohol and drug use, vandalism and other property damage, and reckless and dangerous behaviour such as directing fireworks at other students and even first responders. Such incidents often lead to conflict with community members and put a drain on the time and resources of the Delta Police Department and City of Delta. They also have the potential to fuel division within the school community and to impact relationships, feelings of trust and good will in the wider community.

We would appreciate all parents/guardians having regular conversations with their child(ren) regarding the need to respect our community and to remind them that actions have consequences, even as a bystander. Vandalizing property, setting fires, fighting, underage drinking and more, can have serious and potentially lifelong consequences including suspension from school, criminal charges, a criminal record, and injury, not to mention the financial cost for those who are forced to clean up. We would also request that parents/guardians don’t enable students to engage in such behaviour, for example, by hosting social events for students that involve alcohol.

At the start of each school year, we remind students of the expectations included in the District and School Code of Conduct, and the importance of reporting concerns to a trusted adult and/or by using the anonymous online ERASE Reporting website. We encourage all parents/guardians to review these Codes of Conduct with their child(ren).

Students who are unable to meet the District and School Codes of Conduct may suffer from a range of repercussions, including:

• Loss of privileges to participate in school-initiated events and activities, for example,
  • school sports teams
  • musical productions
  • competitions
  • Grad Events such as Dances, Red Carpet and Grad Banquet
• In or out of school suspension
• Criminal charges

Please note: These repercussions apply to student conduct while at school, and also to student conduct in the wider community where it negatively impacts the school.

To help ensure a safe, positive environment, we are asking students and their parents/guardians to read the information below. In addition, before the new school year begins, the Expectations for Students below will be added to the documents on Parent Connect for you to review and acknowledge.

Expectations for Students

• Abide by the School and District Code of Conduct.
• Regular attendance in all classes.
• No involvement in the harm or discrimination of others based on: race, religion, gender, physical or intellectual disability, sexual orientation, age, etc.
• No involvement with drugs, alcohol, smoking, vaping or restricted substances during the school day or during any school-sponsored events, activities or field trips.
• No involvement in threatening, bullying, harassing, intimidating or interfering with the emotional and physical well-being of others, including by electronic means.
• No involvement in physical violence or gang-related beha viours.
• No involvement in theft or damage to school property or the property of others.
• No possession of dangerous articles or items that could be used as a weapon.
• No involvement in any activity deemed a “prank” in the school or community that jeopardizes the safety, well-being, security of others and/or property. This could include:
  • Damage to school property or to property in the community.
  • Actions that result in a financial cost to individuals, the District or businesses in the community.
  • Behaviours that damage the school’s reputation.
  • Actions that negatively impact the physical or emotional well-being of students, staff and/or the community.
  • Actions that disrupt the teaching and learning environment.

We hope that you will take the time to talk with your child about making responsible choices. We are all part of this amazing community of Delta, and we all share a responsibility in keeping property and each other safe.

Delta Summer School Program

Every year, the Delta School District offers a variety of Summer School classes for students for either remediating a class that they did not pass or take a completion course. The Delta School District is now open for registration for students and families for the Summer of 2024. We encourage students to connect with their Grade Counsellor for advice on the potential courses to take over the Summer.

The Summer School offerings in Delta can be found in the link below. Space is limited and we recommend that students register as soon as possible.

https://www.deltasd.bc.ca/programs/continuing-education/summer-learning-registration/