During each day, there are inevitable highs and lows. Some days, the amplitude of these waves is greater than others and recently, the emotional amplitudes are peaking in both directions, positive and negative.
 On the high end is how the day begins. Parents may be aware that, like students, daily health checks are completed by all employees with an important difference - their responses are recorded. How grateful I feel to be able to submit: “Yes, I have completed my self assessment and daily health check”, and especially, “On campus and well”.
An encouraging start to the day - one more day on campus where we know students will experience growth and connection. The energy of students who, this week, are taking time to deepen their understanding of equity, diversity and inclusion through a well-organized pride week event, feeds the positive amplitude of the daily wave of positive emotions.
As expected, there is a trough to match the peak.
Throughout the day, we routinely track what is happening in the news. Recently, the frustration and worry growing both within and beyond the walls of the school are palatable. It is easy to get swept up in the negativity and finger-pointing rooted in the judgement of individuals who are either unaware or choosing to ignore public health orders and advisories. Without question, relaxed attitudes bring COVID a little closer to everyone’s door. Augmented by a sense of worry about what might be just around the corner, it is easy to begin to lose hope.
It is time to bring back the positive “we are all in this together” spirit that took people outside to bang on pots each evening. As Dr Bonnie Henry shared in her April 8 news conference: “We need to show our frontline heroes we have not forgotten them”. Echoing back to one year ago, let’s dig down once again and make sacrifices to “flatten the curve” once again. If we can do this - everyone - I am hopeful, even confident, that all students and employees will be able to report, each and every morning: “I am on campus and well.”
Ena Harrop
Head of School
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Register for "Parenting in a Pandemic" with Dr. Tina Payne Bryson
Crofton House School and the CHS Parents’ Auxiliary invite parents, alumnae, and staff to a virtual presentation on “Parenting in a Pandemic: The Power of Showing Up” with Dr. Tina Payne Bryson on Thursday, April 29 at 7:00 pm. Dr. Bryson is a parenting expert, best-selling author, psychotherapist, and founder of the Centre for Connection. Her latest book, The Power of Showing Up, shows how a quality of presence can help children on their way to happiness, academic success, leadership skills, and meaningful relationships. The presentation will explore the Four S’s: safe, seen, soothed, and secure in the context of the pandemic and will focus on strategies that work both for Junior School and Senior School parents. Please RSVP online by Monday, April 26. We encourage families to submit a question in advance through the RSVP form
CHS Annual Golf Classic
We are working with University Golf Club to organize a safe and fun golf tournament. We will continue to inform you, but save the date for the reimagined CHS Annual Golf Classic on May 28, 2021. Stay tuned for details in the coming weeks!
Flag at Half-Mast Notice
The School will follow the British Columbia policy for Half-masting (Section 12) and the Canadian flag will be flown at half-mast from today, April 9, 2021, until sunset on the day of the funeral and memorial service (to be determined) to acknowledge the death of His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh. All British Columbia government buildings and establishments across the province, including school districts and schools, will do the same to mark this occasion.
Conversation with Admissions
The Admissions Team will be holding two “Conversation with Admissions” virtual Q&A sessions at 9:00 am on Wednesday, April 29 and Wednesday, May 19. Richard Cohee, Director, Admissions, and his team will lead a discussion about the admissions process and financial assistance (for new students entering Grade 8) and there will be an opportunity for questions. We are grateful to know that many extraordinary students come to Crofton House through word-of-mouth from our community. This session will share information about the admissions process and financial assistance with current parents so they’re able to help answer questions when referring families to Crofton House. Please RSVP online to attend.
Uniform Shop and Order Pick Ups
Please be reminded that the Uniform Shop is closed for in-person shopping. All orders should be made through the online form. The Uniform Shop will notify you when your order is ready for pick-up from the receiving area. Parents are not permitted at campus at this time and should only enter and exit the campus from the receiving area gate on Balaclava Street immediately south of the roundabout. If you have questions, please contact uniforms@croftonhouse.ca.
Parent Night Recordings
Archive recordings of our parent speaker events are posted to the school website. Please note that the recording of Lisa Dion’s presentation on the topic of ‘conflict resolution and self-regulation’ will be removed on Friday, April 16. Visit the parent broadcasts page to view recordings.
A Conversation with Dr. Francis to Conclude Black History Month
Liz Penafuerte, Administrative Assistant, Front Office, Senior School and Tamara Robertson-Fry, Administrative Assistant, Student Services, interviewed Dr. June Francis to hear from her about relatable things students can consider around equity, diversity, and the experience of Black Canadians. Dr. Francis is an Associate Professor of Marketing and is the Co-Founder of The Co-Laboratorio project that works to strengthen cross-sector collaboration, learning and innovation — for more inclusive resilient solutions in governance, policies and industry practice. She is also Director of the Institute for Diaspora Research
and Engagement at SFU. Dr. Francis is currently Co-Chair of The Hogan's Alley Society that has as its mission to advance the social, political, economic and cultural well-being of people of African Descent through the delivery of housing, built spaces and programming. We thank Dr. Francis, Ms. Penafuerte and Ms. Robinson-Frye for their conversation.
Updated Return to Campus Plan and Exposure Control Plan
The Stage 2 Return to Campus Plan and Exposure Control Plan have been updated and can be found in the "My CHS" Parent Portal under Continuity of Learning & COVID-19. Sections where we have made updates are highlighted for ease of reference. Updates were made regarding new guidelines to encourage and support the wearing of masks for students in Grades 4 and 5 as specified in the latest version of the Provincial COVID-19 Public Health Guidance for K-12 School Settings.
BC Government COVID-19 Survey
The BC government and the BCCDC have launched their second province-wide survey asking British Columbians to once again share feedback on how COVID-19 has affected you, and what tools and supports you need as we look ahead to our pandemic recovery. The new survey is available at: www.bccdc.ca/covid19survey.
KidSafe: Thank You, Volunteers!
During spring break, Crofton House School was a food distribution hub for KidSafe. Thank you to those who volunteered to pick up lunch or food and supplies from CHS for delivery! Support from the CHS community has made a significant impact on KidSafe’s ability to provide programming, meals and food supplies to families in need.
The Gender and Sexualty Awareness Club led a special week-long celebration for Pride Week. LGBTQIA2+ students and allies in the GSA arranged for chalk drawings in the courtyard, pronoun pins for teachers and staff, “Rainbow Accessories Day,” and guest speakers. Hallways and common areas were decorated and a special display was up all week in the Sherman Jen Atrium as a tribute to LGBTQIA2+ icons. Thank you, GSA!
To mark the first day of their last term at CHS, Grade 12 students were each gifted a beautiful bouquet of flowers, courtesy of the CHS Parents’ Auxiliary. View Vidigami gallery.
Six students in Grades 11 and 12 have had their work selected for the Youth Filmmakers Showcase at this year’s Reel to Reel Film Festival. Congratulations to Amaara, Chantelle, Joanna, Samantha, Sophia (all Grade 11) and Ally (Grade12).
Why did the rubber chicken cross Kent Field? It may look a little strange, but we checked and this was a genuine Grade 9 Physical and Health Education lesson requiring speed, teamwork and coordination.
The Junior School participated in Pride Week as well. Classroom discussions, virtual read alouds, creative expression in art and rainbow accessories, and the chance for Middle School students to join Senior School students at the assembly featuring Gabe Calderon from Mòkinàn Consulting were some of the ways Junior School students celebrated inclusivity this week.
Grade 7 students have been focused on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The 17 SDGs cover themes from ending poverty, to fighting inequalities and defeating climate change — all by the year 2030! Learn more about their projects now, and watch our social media feeds for more in the coming weeks.
Grade 1 students have been flexing their green thumbs and learning about agriculture thanks to the BC Agriculture in the Classroom Foundation’s Spuds in Tubs program. After studying and documenting their potatoes in class, the students filled tubs with soil and carefully planted their seed potatoes. We can’t wait to see the final crops!
Junior Kindergarten students were exploring the Woods beside the Dunstan Family Cherry Blossom Theatre, practicing their counting as they gathered groups of similar objects like leaves, sticks and pinecones.
Athlete Profile: Ciara, Grade 12, Track and Field
While competition is on pause, we want to make sure that the experiences of our athletes are captured and shared. This week, we share thoughts from Ciara, Grade 12 to get her take on a school year without competition.
We asked what she loves most about sport:
“A large piece of it for me is about resilience. I have rowed to a podium finish even while my arthritis was flaring up, and it showed me what can really happen when you put your mind to it, and have that focus on what you’re doing ‘right now.’ I really enjoy the process of developing my skills, the practice, and everything that comes along with that. Of course, winning medals and showing off your skills is great, but I wouldn't say that that’s the most enjoyable part for me. And at Crofton House, you can still develop your skills in one sport, like Track and Field, for me, and be Varsity-level in another. I’m really glad to be able to have that, even in just a practice context this year.”
And we wanted to know what was hardest:
“With my arthritis, pushing through painful races and practices can be a challenge for me sometimes. But I think that what’s hard is also where the greatest benefits lie. For another example, teamwork can be difficult to manage—especially when you need to be so in sync in a sport like rowing—but once you do, I think you’re 20 steps ahead of the other teams and you’ve learned a lot of really great skills.”
We loved these insights for sport, and beyond and we hope this brings you some Crofton Falcon Pride! Look for more next E-Calls. #BringItHome |
