Principal’s message
Welcome to another fantastic year at Columbia Park Elementary! At CPE we pride ourselves on being a fun, inclusive, and caring place to learn, and we look forward to developing those values by Respecting All Individuals Self and Environment (RAISE). So ask yourself, what can YOU do to show your RAISE at CPE?
This Handbook and agenda are valuable tools to help you become involved, informed, and organized. Parents, please take the time to read through and discuss this section of the agenda with your child(ren). Should you have any questions or concerns, we encourage you to drop in or give us a call (250-837-4744).
Mission Statement
The Columbia Park Elementary community supports the development of our students as life-long, independent learners and responsible citizens, who value diversity and defend human rights in all environments.
School Schedule & Calendar
School Calendar 2023-2024
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| School Starts | 9:30, Tuesday, September 5 |
| National Day of Truth and Reconciliation | Oct 2 |
| Thanksgiving | October 9 |
| Pro-D Day | October 20 |
| Pro-D Day | November 10 |
| Remembrance Day Holiday | November 13 |
| Christmas Break | Dec 23-Jan 7 |
| Pro-D Day | February 16 |
| Family Day | February 19 |
| Spring Break | March 16-April 1 |
| Good Friday | March 29 |
| Easter Monday | April 1 |
| Pro-D Day | May 3 |
| Victoria Day | May 20 |
| Last day (12:30 Dismissal) | June 27 |
School Schedule 2023-2024
| Doors open | 8:05 a.m. |
| School begins | 8:25 a.m. |
| Recess | 8:30 a.m. |
| Lunch | 10:00 a.m. |
| Dismissal | 10:20 a.m. |
Visit our calendar & events page to view our weekly bell schedules, school and sports events, holidays, PD days, and more.
Early Dismissal Days
Throughout the year we will have a minimum of four early dismissal dates to help facilitate parent/student conferences. There will be two days in late October and two in mid April. On these dates, dismissal time will be 12:30 pm and buses will run earlier to take students home.
Ways To Get Involved at CPE
CPE is a busy place and many events can only happen with lots of help. You may wish to come to Parent Advisory Council (PAC) meetings which happen on the second Tuesday of every month, at 6:30 in the CPE library or online. Meetings are only one hour long, and your questions and suggestions are always welcome. You are encouraged to join us for our biweekly assemblies and also for any special performances we have throughout the year. The PAC also organizes monthly lunches and a breakfast program which always requires lots of parent help. There is a Christmas Craft Fair, for which each CPE family is asked to donate items for students to come shop for their families. The Winter Carnival is a fun family evening, organized by the PAC with lots of parent help to run. The CPE PAC hosts a Facebook page that you may find helpful for ongoing ways to be involved in the school. Also, the often updated Google Calendar on the CPE webpage is helpful to see upcoming events. At the time of this printing, we’re still not sure which of these events will take place so be sure to stay connected with CPE!
Student Services
Aborginal Support
Several times a week our Elementary Aboriginal support worker provides a range of activities, support, and information for Aborginal and Non-Aboriginal students. She can be contacted through our school. If your child has Aboriginal heritage, be sure to let the office know.
Counselling
Our district counsellor, works with students at our school each week. He can be contacted at our school or at the district Support Services office. Alternatively, contact can be arranged through the school principal.
Learning Support
Our Learning Support teachers Ms. Sarah Lenzi, Ms. Kiah Davidson, and Ms. Victoria Strange work with Educational Assistants, specialists, and classroom teachers to develop supports for students as needed.
Speech-Language Services
Our district speech language pathologist, Ms. Monica Penner, works with students in our school and across our District. Contact the school for more information.
Facility Services
Bussing
Many of our students are transported to and from school via district bussing service. Students are reminded that this service is a privilege. They are required to behave in a respectful and responsible manner. Students must follow the rules of the bus, as well as our R.A.I.S.E Code of Conduct. Failure to ride the bus safely and responsibly may result in a loss of bus privileges.
Lockers
Lockers remain the property of School District 19, and are provided to students in the upper grades as a convenience. Students are responsible for keeping their lockers clean and orderly.
Students have a choice to keep their locker closed using a non-locking clip provided by the school.
Library
Our teacher-librarian and our Library Clerk maintain an up-to-date collection of resources, including numerous electronic resources. Books and magazines may be borrowed for up to two weeks. CPE parents also have borrowing privileges.
Technology
All students receive regular instruction in the use of technology, including how to be safe, respectful, and secure online. Technology is also integrated into coursework where it is useful to extend student learning. The school also has a set of iPads and laptops integrated with digital projection systems in each classroom.
Internet Access at CPE
Every student who accesses the internet at school must have a signed Consent, Waiver, and Indemnity form on file in our school. Students may only access sites that are considered educational and/or directly relate to curricular outcomes. Students who violate this rule or any others specified in the School District waiver form will not be provided school internet privileges.
Electronic Devices
(Cell phones, iPads, iPods, MP3/MP4/ Game players)
We encourage students to remain as active as possible during recess and lunch periods and therefore we ask that all music/video, and personal game players remain at home unless explicitly required as part of a the student’s educational program. Cameras should also not be brought to school unless they are brought for a specific, teacher-directed purpose. The school recognizes the need for parents and their children to remain in close contact for safety reasons. Cell phones do, however, create a distraction for students during class time, and we therefore require students to keep cell phones in their locker or locked with a teacher during the entire school day. Please call the school (837-4744) should there be an urgent need to contact your child. We also have a student phone available for use at the office.
Home-School Communication
Please feel free to contact the school with any concerns, questions, suggestions, etc. We welcome your input. Here is a list of some of the types of home-school communication occurring at CPE.
- Twitter is used to showcase and highlight events. Twitter handle is @ColumbiaParkSch
- School and classroom newsletters.
- Website with up-to-date Google Calendar
- Student Progress Profiles (i.e., report cards) (issued three times a year) in mid-Nov, mid-April, and end of June
- Student-Led Conferences in April to show student progress
- Visit our website at http://columbiapark.sd19.bc.ca/
Dogs in and Around the School
Parents/guardians are reminded that school district policy prohibits dogs inside school buildings. Working dogs and prearranged special visits (show and tell) are exceptions to this rule. If you bring your pet onto our grounds, please ensure that you clean up after them.
Medication
School employees may only administer medication if a medication request form has been completed by the child’s parent and doctor. These forms are available at the school office.
Breakfast Program
We have breakfast snacks five days a week at CPE! We offer a Grab N’ Go Breakfast every morning as students enter in the morning.
Attendance
Student success in school is directly tied to attendance. Students are expected to attend everyday unless they are sick. Please make an effort to schedule all appointments outside of school hours. Missed time in class is not just a matter of missed work. Class time consists of discussions, lessons, and exploration that cannot be made up for with a package of work. If a teacher does provide some make-up work in lieu of an absence, please ensure that this work is completed with your child and returned to the teacher promptly. Packages of make-up work can be time consuming for teachers to make and mark. Respect their time and energy by ensuring that assignments do get completed.
Late Arrivals & Absences
Students arriving late must sign in at the office before going to the classroom. If a student will be absent from school, we must have the parent or guardian contact the school (837-4744) as soon as possible and give the date(s) and reason(s) for the absence. Our school secretary, Mrs. Echlin follows up on all unreported absences. It is important to know that our students are safe. Frequent absences or lates will result in a Student Care meeting to determine the issue and work to resolve it.
Illnesses and Accidents
Please help keep all children healthy by keeping your child at home if they are sick. Generally speaking, if they are too sick to go outside at recess and lunch, then they are too sick to be at school. In addition, please visit www.sd19.bc.ca for up-to-date health protocols.
When an accident or illness occurs at school, any necessary first aid will be administered and the parent/caregiver notified. Our Secretary and Noon Hour Supervisors, as well as other staff members, have current Level 1 First Aid Certification. In the event that an ambulance needs to be called, the school district will accept financial responsibility for the ambulance.
Bicycles, Skateboards, Scooters, & Other Wheeled Items
Bike racks are provided at the front of the school. Cyclists are encouraged to lock their bikes. Students may only be at the bike racks when they are arriving or leaving with their bicycle. In order to keep our students safe and reduce damage to our playground environment, no wheeled items may be ridden on school grounds.
Dress Code
In keeping with our RAISE code of conduct, students are expected to dress in a clean, neat, and appropriate manner. Clothing with offensive words, slogans, or pictures is inappropriate for school.
Emergency Evacuation
In the unlikely event that we need to evacuate the school, students will go to the Baptist Church building (1806 Colbeck Road).
Inside Shoes
Students are requested to change into inside shoes once they enter the building. This helps to keep our school clean. Gym shoes may be used as inside shoes. Please ensure inside shoes have non-marking soles.
Leaving School Grounds
During the school day, students may leave the grounds on their own to go home at lunch-time. We ask that parents let the classroom teacher know via this agenda if this is not a regular occurrence. Students are not to go to anyone’s house but their own, unless a written note from both students’ parents has been received. In all other cases, a parent or authorized designate must check in with the office when picking up or taking a student.
CPE History
Columbia Park Elementary School first opened its doors in the Fall of 1975 with seven classrooms and eight teachers. Mr. John Opra was the first Principal. A year later two portable classrooms were added and in 1977 construction on an additional seven classrooms began. The 2002 – 2003 school year saw our school community expand to include students formerly within the Big Eddy school catchment area. Near the end of that same school year, our parents organized to begin an ambitious playground revitalization program which was finally completed in June of 2007. In 2005 our PAC began a legacy tree planting project. Each year a tree or ornamental bush is planted by the Kindergarten class on our grounds. In 2021 a 1.5 million dollar renovation was completed and included extensive upgrades of all classrooms and interior spaces.
Assemblies
Assemblies, hosted by grade 7 leaders, will once again be held bi-weekly at CPE, and are open to parents/guardians who wish to attend. In the event that public health measures change, they will once again be live-streamed for parents to watch at home. Our whole school assemblies are a time to celebrate as a school, and are a time for classroom teachers to recognize the work habits, attitude, or achievement of one or two students in their classes. Typically, each student in each class is recognized once during the year. If your child will be recognized for their hard work during an assembly, a teacher or secretary will call you and invite you to attend. Check out our updated calendar on the website to see when the next assembly is scheduled!
Field Trips
During the year your child will have several opportunities to have their education enriched with experiences beyond our school grounds. Field trips outside Revelstoke as well as those with a level of risk involved (e.g. skiing) will require permission forms each time. All other trips will be covered with a blanket permission form completed at the beginning of the year. Parents will be notified in advance for every field trip their child takes.
House Teams
Our four house teams, all named after local mountains, are Begbie, Cartier, Copeland, and MacKenzie. Each House Team has a color (Begbie=Green, Cartier=Red, Copeland=Yellow, and MacKenzie=Blue). Upon beginning school, each CPE family is placed on a house team. Some years, school spirit T-shirts or other apparel are offered for purchase in the House Team colors. House Teams are further divided into smaller groups, with a student or two from each grade. These are called Family Groupings. These small, multi-age groups will do activities, crafts, games, and other events together throughout the year.
Student Activities
At CPE, we try to provide a broad variety of curricular and extracurricular activities for students to participate in. We are always grateful for parents who generously offer their time, skills, and knowledge to help enhance the activities we can provide to students. Team sports (volleyball, basketball, and badminton) are offered, as well as intramural House Games in the winter months. Student council frequently organizes school spirit days and special activities like Friendship Grams, dances, talent shows, etc.
Student Leadership
At CPE, we believe our students should be provided with as many opportunities to be leaders as possible. These activities enable students to connect with our school, our community, and our school district. Some of these activities include Grade Seven Leadership, buddy reading, lunch monitoring, organizing school events, assembly leaders, Spirit Days, and more.
Parent Advisory Council (PAC)
Our PAC group is a vital part of our school. As a primary voice of the parents, they meet monthly to discuss issues, ideas, or general concerns pertaining to our school. Meetings are usually the second Tuesday of the month. They also serve as a key support in planning special events like the Christmas Craft Fair, Spring/Winter Carnival, hot lunch days, and funding special initiatives and projects at the school. Columbia Park PAC aims to assist the learning of our students while encouraging success and pride in our school and community. All CPE parents/guardians are encouraged to become involved with our PAC. Remember, you don’t have to be on the executive to come to PAC meetings. All CPE parents and guardians are a part of the PAC. Come out and help us continue to make CPE a great place to be!
Volunteers
Parents, grandparents, retired teachers, TTOCs, and other community members help with a wide range of activities, including reading with students, constructing snow targets, helping teachers in the classroom, art projects, coaching sports, teaching chess, building bird houses, and assisting on field trips. Please keep in mind that confidentiality is essential. As well, for the safety of our students, completed volunteer and criminal record check forms are required for those parents who work with children away from the near-company of school staff.
How Can Parents Support Student Learning?
- Read and discuss the contents of this agenda with your child.
- Check and sign your child’s agenda each day. You may also use their agenda as a home-school communication tool.
- Contact your child’s teacher immediately if you have any questions or concerns.
- Become familiar with our school’s programs, policies, and operations. If you are not sure, please ask us.
- Support your child with reading and writing at home.
- Ensure that your child arrives on time each day.
- Actively support expectations held by staff for the behavior of your child at school and during school activities.
- Keep television, computer, and gaming time to under an hour a day, and ensure they are well-rested.
- Attend student-led conferences and parent-teacher interviews.
- Read with your child. Read to your child. Read alongside your child.
- Spend time with your children, playing and being active.
Code Of Conduct
The Purpose of a Code of Conduct
The CPE Code of Conduct is intended to make our school a safe, caring, and orderly environment for learning and working. Maintaining this environment requires a balance between individual and collective rights, freedoms, and responsibilities. These expectations for behavior apply both on school premises and during activities that are off school premises and that are organized or sponsored by the school, and behavior beyond these times when it affects the safe, caring, or orderly environment of the school. Therefore, our CPE Code of Conduct also applies to social media, text messages by or about students or staff using electronic devices, and other means that negatively affect other members of the school community and student learning. These expectations must be modeled by students, staff, parents, coaches, and involved members of the greater community when acting as ambassadors of the school. The Code of Conduct is updated and on our school website.
The Process
Students, parents, and staff have contributed to the school-wide behavior expectation chart that outlines what RAISE should look like around our school and in our community. Our Code of Conduct is included in our student agendas, and new students and staff are provided an orientation to our school expectations. During the first weeks of school, and periodically as needed through the year, our Grade 7 students lead other students through a series of “RAISE rotations” in a variety of settings around the school, reviewing and demonstrating how to apply our school code of conduct to each setting. RAISE expectations are reviewed prior to participation in extra-curricular activities, such as volleyball or basketball teams. Communicating relevant aspects of the RAISE Code of Conduct is included in our morning announcements and weekly assemblies, as well as being emphasized in classrooms, before and during field trips, in newsletters, and at PAC meetings.
Discipline
In every case where a student struggles to behave in an appropriate manner, the aim is to help the student acknowledge their mistake, identify the impact of their actions, attempt to fix the mistake, and return to the group ready to be a positive, contributing member of CPE once again. Discipline, then, is restorative and seeks to find restitution and reconciliation instead of blame and guilt. In the past, students, parents, and staff helped to create a list of unacceptable school behaviors as well as classify them according to the seriousness of the infraction. Level 1 behaviors are usually handled by the classroom teacher. Level 2 and 3 behaviors as well as recurring Level 1 behaviors may be referred to the Principal. Parent contact is made.
Bullying vs. Conflict
Bullying is a persistent pattern of unwelcome or aggressive behavior that often involves an imbalance of power and/or the intention to harm or humiliate someone.
Conflict, on the other hand, is generally a disagreement or difference in opinion between peers who typically have equal power in their relationships. It’s usually an inevitable part of a group dynamic.
Fair Notice
Our school community is committed to maintaining school environments in which students, staff, parents, and others feel safe. All reported threats and incidents of violence will be investigated. Any student who appears to pose a high risk to self-harm or who threatens harm or who threatens harm to others will undergo a thorough assessment. This assessment will be extensive in scope and may include the involvement of community partners such as the Ministry of Children and Family Development, the Ministry of Health, and/or the RCMP.
What is a Threat?
A threat is an expression of intent to do harm or act out violently against someone or something. Threats may be verbal, written, drawn, posted on the internet, or made by gesture. Threats must be taken seriously, investigated, and responded to.
Duty to Report
To keep school communities safe, staff, students, parents, and community members will report all threat-related behaviors to the school Principal.
What is the Purpose of a Threat Assessment?
- To ensure the safety of students, staff, parents, and others
- To ensure a full understanding of the context of the threat
- To understand factors contributing to the person of concern’s behavior
- To be proactive in developing an intervention plan that addresses the emotional and physical safety of the person of concern
- To promote the emotional and physical safety of all
What is a Site-Specific Threat Assessment Team?
Each school has a Site-Specific Threat Assessment Team. The team may include the principal, teachers, counselor(s), and a member of the local police agency.
Behaviors Warranting a Student Violence Threat Assessment
A Student Violence Threat Risk Assessment will be initiated for behaviors including, but not limited to: serious violence or violence with intent to harm or kill, verbal/written threats to harm or kill others, online threats to harm or kill others, possession of weapons (including replicas), bomb threats (making and/or detonating explosive devices), fire setting, sexual intimidation or assault, and gang-related intimidation or assault and gang-related intimation and violence.
What Happens in a Student Threat Assessment?
All threat-making behavior by a student shall be reported to the principal who will activate the protocol for the initial response. Once the team has been activated, interviews may be held with the student(s), the person of concern, parents, and staff to determine the level of risk and develop an appropriate response to the incident. Intervention plans will be developed and shared with parents, staff, and students as required.
Can I Refuse to Participate in a Threat Assessment Process?
It is important for all parties to engage in the process. However, if for some reason there is a reluctance to participate in the process by the person of concern or parent/caregiver, the threat assessment process will continue to promote a safe and caring learning environment.
Collection Notice
The School District is subject to personal information privacy laws and will undertake the collection of this information in compliance with the requirements of such laws, including by limiting collection to information that is relevant and necessary to address a risk or threat and by ensuring that information collected from online sources is only obtained from open-source sites. The School District will not collect information as part of a threat assessment unless there is a reason to believe that a risk exists. Information collected as part of the threat assessment may be provided to law enforcement authorities in appropriate circumstances.
Non-Discrimination
The Columbia Park School community is committed to equality. Discrimination is prohibited that contravenes the Human Rights Code (RSBC 1996) based on race, color, ancestry, place of origin, religion, marital status, family status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, or age. As well, CPE will ensure that no accommodation, service, or facility is denied to anyone without a bona fide and reasonable justification.
Behavioural Expectations Matrix
At CPE we expect…
R – Respect
A – All
I – Individuals
S – Self
E – Environment
All Individuals
All Settings
- Treat others the way they want to be treated
- Be kind and helpful
- Use your manners
- Keep your body and objects out of other people’s personal space
- Follow the rules of the school
Self:
All Settings
- Be prepared
- Be positive
- Do your best at all times, in all things
- Dress appropriately
- Tell the truth
- Stop and think before you act
- Personal Care: Hygiene, sleep, food and exercise/activity, and positive mental health
And the Environment
All Settings
- Reduce, reuse, recycle
- Use resources wisely
- Dispose of waste properly
- Clean up after yourself
- Respect school property
