Special Announcement
April 3, 2020 Update from the Principal

H ello to our École Ballenas Families, We hope that this communication finds you all well. This week our focus is having course teachers connect with you to see how you are and what is the best way for learning to be delivered. Students and Families will have the opportunity to engage in learning at the level that they/you want to. As we head into the second week, we wanted to provide an update regarding what next week will look like.

Hello to our École Ballenas Families,

We hope that this communication finds you all well. By this time, you should have been contacted by your child’s Homeroom/Career Life Connections teacher. If you haven’t had contact, check your email as it may have been missed. This week our focus is having course teachers connect with you to see how you are and what is the best way for learning to be delivered. While our goal is to have learning options for your kids by April 15th, we don’t want anyone to feel stressed about expectations. Students and Families will have the opportunity to engage in learning at the level that they/you want to. As we head into the second week, we wanted to provide an update regarding what next week will look like:


Teacher Contact

Course teachers will be making connections with their students – they’ll be asking a few questions:

 

  1. How are you and your family doing?

  2. What is your preferred method of communication – how can I best reach you? Here is how to best be in touch with me.

  3. Do you have or need technology? Do you have wifi?

  4. If technology is needed, students will be reminded to sign up for an opportunity to pick up technology via https://ballenas.schoolappointments.com/

  5. What do you feel is important for you going forward in your learning in this class?

    1. Learning you may want to catch up on

    2. Where do you want to focus your learning in the weeks that come?

    3. What will help you learn best?

    4. What might you be wondering about that I may be able to answer?


This contact will happen on a schedule, so that contact is not happening all at once, or at the same time:

Monday - A Block, Tuesday - B Block, Wednesday - C Block, Thursday - D Block


Limited School Access for Students

We will have an opportunity this coming week for students to access essential items from their lockers. Please sign up for a 15 minute slot via School Appointments. Time slots are available Wednesday – Friday, from 9 – 12. 

 

We would ask that if you choose a time slot for essential items, please observe the following:


  1. Please sign up for a time and ensure student names are clearly shared

  2.  Please come AT your scheduled time and not early

  3. Please line up at a cone when you arrive – practice social distancing measures AT ALL TIMES

  4. Locker contents will be provided to you in a bag – locker contents are the only items that can be provided

 

Technology:


If you are in need of technology (chromebook) because you do not have a device at home, please sign up for an appointment via the School Appointments and email Leta Smith-Hodgson (lsmithhodgson@sd69.bc.ca) with your request so we can get the technology ready for you to pick up at your chosen time slot.


A Message from our Counsellors


We hope you all had a relaxing Spring Break. As we head into a unique time of schooling, we want to ensure that you are able to easily connect with us so we have set up Remind groups for our students. To join this group, please follow the instructions below for your Counsellor.  Once you have joined the group you will be able to receive group texts from your counsellor and be able to message us directly. We will also be checking and responding to our emails regularly and you are always welcome to connect with us through email. We hope that you are taking extra care of yourself during this time. We will be connecting with students through Remind and XELLO so we will need to have students add their personal emails to XELLO if they haven't already. (The default email is the sd69qualicum email but if they check their personal email more often, please add that one to their account)

How students add a personal email address: On any page in Xello, from the top right corner, students click their avatar to open a drop-down menu. From the drop-down, they click Account to open their profile details. In the Personal section, students click the Add email address link to insert their personal email address. A validation email is sent to the newly added address.

Mrs. Heinrichs' students (Grade 8 and 9 students) can join by using the link https://www.remind.com/join/nheinr  or can text @nheinr to the number (587) 333-2739 


Mr. Meredith's Students (Grade 12 students and Grade 11 students with last names L-Z) can join by using the link https://www.remind.com/join/kbf8bc9 or you can join by texting  @kbf8bc9 to the number (250) 999-0468


Ms. Confortin's Students (Grade 10 students and Grade 11 students with last names A-K) can join by using the link https://www.remind.com/join/ge993e or you can join by texting @ge993e to the number (250) 999-0511


Scholarship Information:

Students will need to book an appointment time to visit the school to submit their scholarship applications. Appointments are available on Wednesday April 8th between the hours of 9:00 am to 12:00 pm and Thursday April 9th between the hours of 9:00 am to 2:00 pm. Scholarship applications will be handed in to room 202 and access will be made available through the doors outside room 202 on the exterior of the school. 


Students must practice social distancing while waiting and when they are submitting their applications.

Appointments can be booked using the link found on the Ballenas website homepage or at https://ballenas.schoolappointments.com/   



As always, please continue to check our website and the district site for updated information. Stay safe, be well

Rudy Terpstra, Principal